Holes Lesson 6: Mr. Pedanski and Mr. Sir - Lesson Plan

In Lesson 6 of a novel study on "Holes," the learning objective is to develop students' understanding of the use of contrast within the narrative, specifically through the examination of two characters, Mr. Sir and Mr. Pendanski. The lesson is structured to guide students from gaining a basic understanding to potentially achieving deeper insights into the contrasting nature of these characters. To assess progress, students will engage in a contrast exercise designed to highlight their comprehension of the differences between Mr. Sir and Mr. Pendanski.

The lesson begins with a 10-minute starter activity where students collaborate on contrasting images to prime their thinking. This is followed by the main teaching activity, which spans 40 minutes and includes tasks such as comparing pictures of Mr. Sir and Mr. Pendanski, filling out a table in pairs, and individually writing a detailed paragraph that closely references the text to compare and contrast the two characters. For those who are ready for an additional challenge, an extension task asks why the author has chosen to create such contrasting 'councillors'. The lesson concludes with a 10-minute plenary discussion, which incorporates peer and self-assessment, allowing students to reflect on and evaluate their understanding of the character contrasts in "Holes". Differentiation opportunities are provided to cater to various learning needs, including the ability to edit the PowerPoint presentation and balance teacher guidance with independent learning.