Aristotle's Poetics Lesson Plan

Your Favorite Tragedy

Kind of Activity:

Individual Writing

Objective:

Students will be able to apply Aristotle's framework to contemporary stories

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.2; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1

Structure:

Ask students to list their favorite tragedies that come in the form of movies, video games, plays, or TV shows. As they likely understand by now, the definition of "tragedy" in a contemporary context is somewhat more flexible, but it should be works whose focus is not their humor—Guardians of the Galaxy or Caddyshack wouldn't qualify.

Students should pick one of these works and write a one-to-two-page analysis of how they do or do not...