A 'Brief, Urgent Message': Theme in Slaughterhouse-Five

Learning Resource Type

Classroom Resource

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

9, 10, 12

Overview

In Slaughterhouse-Five, author Kurt Vonnegut describes Tralfamadorian literature as "brief, urgent message[s]—describing a situation, a scene"; when seen all at once, they produce an image of life that is beautiful and surprising and deep" (111-112). Students use this literary perspective to analyze passages from Slaughterhouse-Five and then apply that perspective by creating a compilation album, CD cover, and liner notes that demonstrate their interpretation, understanding, and evaluation of the themes and ideas in the novel.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

UP:ELA21.9.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.5

Analyze the impact of context and organizational structures on theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

UP:ELA21.9.5

Vocabulary

  • Context
  • Organizational structure
  • Tone
  • Theme

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The context and organizational structure of a text will impact the theme, tone, and meaning of the work.
  • Strategies to identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.
  • Analyze the impact of context and organizational structure on the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • A text's context and structure can affect the tone, theme, and meaning of a work as a whole.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.5

Analyze context and organizational structures to determine theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

UP:ELA21.10.5

Vocabulary

  • Context
  • Organizational structure
  • Tone
  • Theme

Knowledge

Students know:
  • The context and organizational structure of a text will impact the theme, tone, and meaning of the work.
  • Strategies to identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.
  • Analyze the impact of context and organizational structure on the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • A text's context and structure can affect the tone, theme, and meaning of a work as a whole.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R2

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

UP:ELA21.12.R2

Vocabulary

  • Literary texts
  • Literal understanding
  • Figurative understanding
  • Text
  • Purpose
  • Situation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
  • Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
  • Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.5

Evaluate structural and organizational details in texts to determine the author’s purpose, including cases in which the meaning is ironic or satirical.

UP:ELA21.12.5

Vocabulary

  • Evaluate
  • Structural details
  • Organizational details
  • Purpose
  • Ironic
  • Satirical

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Strategies to evaluate the structure and organization of various texts.
  • Authors choose to write in different genres to support their purpose for writing.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify and evaluate structural and organizational details in texts from multiple genres.
  • Determine how the genre of a text supports the author's purpose.
  • Identify irony and satire in text.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • There are a variety of genres of text, and authors choose to write in a particular genre to support their purpose for writing.
  • Different genres of text have different structures and organizations.
  • Authors may choose to include implicit messages within their text, such as irony or satire.

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

ReadWriteThink

License Type

Custom
http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/brief-urgent-message…

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.readwritethink.org/util/legal.html

Approved Date

Owner (Author)

raulstoncg
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