The Waste Land Lesson Plan

Conversion Story

Kind of Activity:

Creative Writing

Objective:

Students will be able to relate to "Ash Wednesday" by writing about a significant change in their own lives.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.3; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.5; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.6

Structure:

Discuss the subject of "Ash Wednesday" with students. Many students—particularly those of Christian backgrounds—may recognize it as a conversion story. Refer back to the timeline of T.S. Eliot's life, historical events, and poems that the class created on the previous day to understand the relationship "Ash Wednesday" most likely has to Eliot's own conversion to orthodox...