An Inter-Disciplinary Mini-Unit

Level: High School

Purpose: To understand central concepts of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights during or after reading the novel.

Overview: These lessons will focus on the location of the action in the novel, the themes and symbols found in the novel, and the timeline employed by Bronte in Wuthering Heights.

Lesson One: Students will draw a map from the novel including Wuthering Heights, Thrushcross Grange, and the surrounding area. (Language Arts)

Lesson Two: Students will analyze the following symbols in the novel: books/reading, dogs, weather/nature, windows/doors, and religion. (Language Arts)

Lesson Three: Students will analyze the following themes in the novel: revenge, ambition, death and love. (Language Arts)

Lesson Four: In order to best understand the frame story and the flashbacks, students will create a timeline of events from Wuthering Heights. (Language Arts)

Lesson One

 Objective:

Students will draw a map from the novel including Wuthering Heights, Thrushcross Grange, and the surrounding area.

Materials:

plain white paper

crayons, colored pencils, and markers

copy of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Procedures:

1. Have students map the area described in Wuthering Heights. They should include Wuthering Heights, Thrushcross Grange, Gimmerton Chapel, and the moors.

Lesson Two

Objective:

In order to best understand the frame story and the flashbacks, students will create a timeline of events from Wuthering Heights

Materials:

copy of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

plain white paper

crayons, colored pencils, and markers

Procedure:

1. As a class discuss the meaning of a frame story and of flashbacks. Relate the discussion to part, but not all, of the plot of Wuthering Heights.

2. Have the students design a timeline of events from the novel in chronological order.

3. Allow students to share their timeline with each other.

Lesson Four

Objective:

Students will analyze the following symbols in the novel: books/reading, dogs, weather/nature, windows/doors, locks/keys and religion.

Materials:

copy of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Procedure:

1. Be sure that the students understand the meaning of symbol in relation to a literary work.

2. Divide the class into six groups and assign each group a symbol to examine.

3. Have each group find specific examples of their assigned symbol. With each example, students should include a chapter number, a description of the action at this point, a quotation if possible, and an explanation of the meaning of the symbol.

4. Students may then share their findings with the class.

Lesson Three

Objective:

Students will analyze the following themes in the novel: revenge, ambition, alienation, greed, death and love.

Materials:

copy of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Procedure:

1. Be sure that the students understand the meaning of theme in relation to a literary work.

2. Divide the class into six groups and assign each group one theme to examine.

3. Have each group find specific examples of their assigned theme. With each example, students should include a chapter number, a description of the action at this point, a quotation if possible, and an explanation of the meaning of the theme.

4. Students may then share their findings with the class.

The students should be able to place events from a story told in flashbacks in a sequence.

The students should be able to analyze various symbols in the novel.

The students should be able to analyze various themes in the novel.