Herzog Lesson Plan

Understanding Allusions I

Kind of Activity:

Research

Objective:

Students will understand the text’s literary context.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.A, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2.B, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.2.D, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.1

Structure:

As a professor of literature, Herzog loves to impress his readers with references to books and thinkers. Some of these allusions may go over students’ heads, which diminishes the impact of the novel.

To help students understand the allusions, break them into groups of 3-4 and ask them to choose one of the references made by Herzog. Using Wikipedia, they will read the entries on the figure to whom...