Comparing ideas and advice on love in different centuries
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can compare Jane Austen and John Steinbeck's advice about young love through their letters.
Key learning points
- When comparing, look for similarities and differences.
- Look for subtle differences, where there is a clear similarity, but subtle variations.
- To express differences, use a correlative and comparative conjunctions.
- Recapping the context of a text can help you to understand why the advice or attitude of each writer is different.
- Circumstances may be similar, but being a man or a woman or living in different centuries will make a difference.
Keywords
Patronised - the experience of being treated as if you are insignificant is being patronised
Caution - advice or warning
Indifferent - not being interested in or not caring about something or someone
Pragmatic - solving things in a sensible, practical way rather than obeying theories or ideas
Common misconception
Students often think that differences need to be large when comparing texts.
Encourage them to look for subtle differences.
Teacher tip
You could discus how Fanny and Thom might have responded to the letters or what they might have said in the original letter. This would provide some imaginative context.
Equipment
You will need a copy of John Steinbeck's 1958 letter to his son Thom. A copy of Austen's letter to her niece is available in the additional materials.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What word beginning with 'D' means to teach or instruct in an authoritative way?
Q2.Match the word with the definition.
the who, what, where and when of the text
why the text was written
the person or group being addressed by the text
the name given to the text
the type of text for example, letter or speech
Q3.Which of the following is written in a formal register?
Q4.How do we stereotypically address a reader when we are writing the salutation of a letter?
Q5.What are key conventions of letter writing?
Q6.What would you expect from a letter which is written to advise?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the words with their definitions.
being treated as if you are insignificant
a warning or a reminder to be careful
when you aren't interested in something
a state of not knowing something or being unsure
Q2.In which century did Jane Austen live?
Q3.One of Jane Austen's famous books is called 'Pride and '.
Q4.Which of the following are books by John Steinbeck?
Q5.Austen's advice to Fanny in her 1814 letter is more than Steinbeck's 1958 letter to Thom.
Q6.Which of the following signal that you will be writing about differences?
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Comparing ideas and advice on love in different centuries, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 English lesson on: Comparing ideas and advice on love in different centuries, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
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