Lesson Plan for Year 11 - English - Literary Criticism

### Year 11 English Lesson Plan: Introduction to Literary Criticism **Lesson Title:** Introduction to Literary Criticism **Grade Level:** Year 11 **Duration:** 60 minutes **Objective:** Students will understand the basic concepts of literary criticism and be able to apply at least one critical approach to a literary text. **Materials Needed:** - Copies of a selected short story or poem - Whiteboard and markers - PowerPoint presentation on different types of literary criticism - Handouts summarizing each critical approach **Lesson Outline:** 1. **Introduction (10 minutes)** - Begin with a brief discussion to gauge students' prior knowledge about literary criticism. - Define literary criticism and explain its purpose: to explore, analyze, and interpret literary texts from various perspectives. - Introduce the main types of literary criticism: Formalist, Marxist, Feminist, Psychoanalytic, Historical, and Reader-Response. 2. **Presentation (20 minutes)** - Use a PowerPoint presentation to provide an overview of each critical approach: - **Formalist Criticism:** Focuses on the form, style, and structure of the text. - **Marxist Criticism:** Examines social, economic, and political elements. - **Feminist Criticism:** Analyzes gender roles and power structures. - **Psychoanalytic Criticism:** Considers the psychological motivations of characters. - **Historical Criticism:** Contextualizes the text within its historical period. - **Reader-Response Criticism:** Emphasizes the reader's interpretation and experience. 3. **Class Activity: Group Work (15 minutes)** - Divide students into small groups and assign each group a different critical approach. - Distribute copies of a selected short story or poem to each group. - Instruct groups to analyze the text using their assigned critical approach and prepare to share their findings. 4. **Group Presentations (10 minutes)** - Have each group present their analysis to the class, highlighting how their chosen approach provided unique insights into the text. 5. **Class Discussion (5 minutes)** - Facilitate a discussion comparing the different analyses. - Encourage students to think about how each critical approach contributes to a deeper understanding of the text. 6. **Conclusion and Homework (5 minutes)** - Summarize the key points covered in the lesson. - Assign homework: Ask students to write a brief analysis of another short story or poem using one of the critical approaches discussed in class. **Assessment:** - Participation in group work and class discussion. - Quality and insightfulness of group presentations. - Homework assignment: Written analysis demonstrating understanding of a critical approach. This lesson plan aims to introduce Year 11 students to the foundations of literary criticism, equipping them with the tools to engage with literature on a deeper level.