Free 8th Grade The Story Of The Aged Mother Lesson Plan (English)

Topic: The story of the Aged Mother

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify the key ideas, tone, and purpose of the author in "The Story of the Aged Mother."
• Students will be able to explain how the story illustrates the Buddhist concept of detachment.

Materials

• Copies of "The Story of the Aged Mother" for each student
• Handouts with key words and phrases from the story (words: detachment, clinging, attachment; phrases: circle of life, wisdom of age)
• Access to the internet for independent research and self-guided learning

Warm-Up

• Begin the lesson by asking students to think about a time when they felt attached to someone or something. Have them share their experiences with a partner.
• Next, ask students to think about a time when they felt detached from someone or something. Have them share their experiences with a partner.
• Finally, have students share their experiences with the entire class. As they share, ask them to consider the following questions: What is the difference between attachment and detachment? How did each experience make them feel? What might have happened if they had acted differently?

Direct Instruction

• Next, introduce the topic of the aged mother to the students. Ask them to think about their own mothers or other older relatives and consider what it might be like to be separated from them.
• Read the story to the class, pausing to discuss key ideas and themes as they emerge. Encourage students to make connections between the events and characters in the story and their own experiences.
• After reading the story, discuss the tone and purpose of the author. Consider how the author might be trying to make the reader feel or think about the topic.

Guided Practice

• Divide the students into small groups and give each group a copy of the story. Ask them to re-read the story and make a list of key ideas and themes. Then, have them discuss the tone and purpose of the author.
• Have each group share their list of key ideas, themes, and tone with the class.

Independent Practice

• For independent practice, have students choose a story from a different culture and re-tell it in their own words. They should focus on key ideas, themes, and tone. Ask them to write a short paragraph describing the story, including a brief summary of the key ideas, themes, and tone.

Closure

• Review the key ideas, themes, and tone of the story of the aged mother. Ask students to reflect on what they learned about the importance of family and the values of other cultures.

Assessment:

• Observe student participation in group discussions and independent practice. Evaluate student presentations or written reflections on the values learned from the story of the aged mother.