If all of the elements of this lesson plan are employed, students will develop the following powers, skills, and understanding:
- 1
Develop a thorough understanding of the elements of Ben Mikaelsen’s life and experiences that have shaped his worldview and his writings;
- 2
Understand and analyze the cultural framing for this novel, and the real-life events and conflicts surrounding non-traditional forms of discipline and justice, both when the novel was written and now;
- 3
Read Touching Spirit Bear with an eye to the linguistic and thematic details that Mikaelsen uses to communicate details about different characters, and recognize the broader themes present throughout Touching...