University of Arkansas Fort Smith

School of Education
Lesson Plan
Unit Title: Life of Pi-Fact or Fiction
Subject Area: Social Studies
Duration of Lesson: 50 minutes
Name: Michael Richardson

Lesson Title: Religion-Fact or Fiction

Grade Level: 8
Date(s) 12/02/14
SOE Course: ENGL 3403

I. Standard(s) and Objective(s)

Standard(s)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.2.b Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts,
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.
I. Pre-Assessment and Planning:
Life of PiReligion- FACT or FICTION
The students would be given the following issues to consider and TAKE NOTES ON
while reading Life of Pi:
There are Four Categories of Interest to Consider:
LIST EACH of Pis RELIGIONS
HINDU

ISLAM

CHRISTIANITY

List the Gods or Major Prophets of each religion.

List the Different Beliefs of each religion. According to what Pi says about each one in the book.
List the practices of each religion discussed in the book. (Provide textual references.)
How is each of these religions important to Pi? (Provide textual references.)

1. Discuss each category of lists above and discuss Pis reference to their respective
beliefs and corresponding events in Life of Pi.
2. Which events (if any) are religiously inspired, and which (if any) are Pis imagination?
3. Which events (if any) would make someone believe in God? Why or why not?
In the last chapter, Pi gives two accounts of the adventure to the Japanese investigators. Discuss
which parts of each account can be substantiated (or not) based on religious faith.
ELL, IEP, 504 and other students with exceptionalities can participate in the above reading of the
book with equipment technology and/or assistance from staff as necessary and as provided.
Any background knowledge required for the lesson would be provided in the introduction of the
unit theme by the instructor. Students should be expected to develop their individual thoughts
and ideas about the themes and subject matter in Life of Pi. It will be important to emphasize at
the beginning of the Lesson that there is no right or wrong belief system and that there is no
right or wrong religious concept. The exercise is an examination and discussion of all
students ideas on the subject. The objective is to demonstrate how words can be used to paint a
story and how words can color the story, often times this is influenced by the students personal
experiences to that point. This is not a graded exercise per se. It is a pass/fail type exercise based
upon effort and participation at the students level of capability.
II. Objective:
The applicable curriculum standards are identified in the collaborative statement. At the
conclusion of this lesson, students should be able to discuss various ideas on what the book is
about. Students should be able to use various examples of writings from the book and from
subsequent classroom discussion to establish and defend different points of view about what the

book was about and what was FACT or maybe what was FICTION. Students should be able to
use these basic research skills from the lesson and learn to apply the process of establishing an
idea and defending (or promoting) the idea with textual references. Students should also be more
familiar with how an author can effectively paint a picture of a story with words. Students should
become more confident in their developing ability to read with better skills to look for the
message or the theme of the reading.
III. Assessment:
The assessment of the students achievements from this lesson will be measured in two ways.
Format assessment will be a one page written paper on the various points of view developed in
the classroom discussion. This will include the individual students personal view. Summative
assessment will become evident as the students continue subsequent reading and related
discussions on the authors meaning and how the authors of subsequent readings attempt to
influence the reader. Students should demonstrate more sophisticated skills of interpretation and
basic literary analysis when introduced to subsequent readings and authors. Feedback to students
from this lesson will be done as the discussion progresses in the form of leading questions and
finally, the written paper will be annotated by the instructor and returned to the student. The
annotated papers will identify additional questions that the student could consider in his/her
analysis.
IV. Engaging the Learner:
Large Flip Charts will be filled by students as the categories and supporting textual references
are identified. Students (or their surrogates for the physically unable) will make individual
entries on the flip charts. Students participate in the process. The instructor will frequently

synopsize what the flip charts are revealing as the student input accumulates on the charts.
Students would be led by instructor to come to some conclusions and raise certain other
inconclusive issues for students to further consider.
V. Methods, Activities and Resources:
Probably the most important function of managing this discussion will be to maintain the
neutrality of the subject matter regarding right and wrong. Keep reminding students that
there is no right or wrong answer and that no religion of belief system is better of worse in the
story. The instructor must maintain a balanced discussion so that no minority religious group
represented in the classroom, that was discussed in Life of Pi, would feel slighted or
embarrassed.
Resources for the lesson could include religious books from the three religions for reference
purposes.
VI. Potential Adaptations to the Lesson (PAL):
No discernible disruptions to the lesson plan that cannot be accommodated easily since the
discussion is reading and use of flip charts and pen and paper. If electricity was lost and the
lights went out, the class would need to be rescheduled. Other than that, the lesson could
continue provided that a lighted space was provided. If flip charts were unavailable a blackboard
or whiteboard would do fine.
VII. Collaboration:
Parents or other special staff assistants could be used as appropriate.
Reflection: To be addressed separately.