Defining risk: A search for theme in Fahrenheit 451

Students explore their understanding of the notion of risk in relation to their own experiences and in response to a variety of quotes. This exercise serves as a springboard to themes in the novel Fahrenheit 451.

A lesson plan for grade 9 English Language Arts

By Leatha Fields-Carey

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Related topics

• Learn more about Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, language arts, literature, novels, peer editing, theme, and writing.

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Learning outcomes

Students will be able to define what “risk” means to them.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

4 Hours

Materials/resources

Physical Resource Needs:

• Pen/paper
• Copies of Response Activity: Examining the Topic of Risk handout
• Room should have a chalkboard, white board, or large flip pad in order to record student brainstorming.

Pre-activities

• Teacher asks students to jot down any ideas that come to mind when they hear the word “risk”.
• Students should write for five minutes, jotting down any people, places, things, events, adjectives, nouns, or verbs that come to mind.
• Class shares their brainstorming ideas and teacher records their ideas on the board or flip pad.

Activities

Expressive Writers About Risk: Days 1 & 2

1. Students and teacher participate in brainstorming activity regarding “risk”. (15 minutes)
2. Teacher explains that one of the themes in the novel the class will be reading, Fahrenheit 451, is that of risk: what does it mean? What kind of person takes risks? What are possible outcomes of risk--both positive and negative? (1 minute)
3. Teacher explains that in preparation for reading, students will be composing an essay in which they define what it means to risk. (1 minute)
4. Students will complete the following writing assignment, which should be presented to them in the Response Activity: Examining the Topic of Risk handout:
   

   Read the following quotations and write a response to your feeling or opinion about risk. Be sure to write continuously for twenty minutes. Use your own personal knowledge and make specific reference to at least two of the quotations. You may or may not agree with the quotations, but support your ideas with examples from history, current events, and/or your own personal experiences.

   • “All glory comes from daring to begin.” (anonymous)
   • “To achieve great things, we must live as though we were never going to die.” (Vauvenargues)
   • “If one is forever cautious, can one remain a human being?” (Alexandr Solzhenitsyn)
   • “Survival is triumph enough.” (Harry Crews)
   • “Great men are not always wise.” (Job 32:9)
   • “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

   (20 minutes)

5. The next day, students will share their essays with two classmates for peer revising purposes. One classmate should read and respond to the draft for focus and elaboration, using the expressive writing rubric. (20 minutes)
6. Students will compose a final draft of their essays, taking into consideration the suggestions for improvement made by their peer editors.

Informational Writing About Risk: Days 3 & 4

6. As a class, students and teacher will create a second brainstorming, based on their writings, in which they will list various characteristics of risk.(15 minutes)
7. Students will be asked to individually compose an essay in which they define “risk” for themselves. They should refer to at least two of the quotations from the assignment sheet. (for homework)
8. The next day, students will share their essays with two classmates for peer revising purposes. Classmates should read and respond to the draft for focus and elaboration, using the informational writing rubric. (20 minutes)
9. Students will compose a final draft of their essays, taking into consideration the suggestions for improvement made by their peer editors.

Comparing the Focus of Expressive and Informational Writing (Day 5)

10. Have students compare the focus and style of the expressive and informational essays they composed.

Assessment

Assessment will be according to the Rubric for Risk Expressive Essay and Rubric for Risk Definition Essay, and will be based on student participation in brainstorming processes, peer editing, and the final essay. The rubric should be given to students before the students begin their final composition.

Supplemental information

Comments

This lesson was created as a part of the NCDPI Writing Lessons for Writing Features Workshop. Target feature: selection of support