The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain
Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion | Teacher's Page
Samuel Clemens uses a variety of colorful language techniques to bring his characters to life. He allows his characters to express themselves in the speech and their actions. You will take a riverboat trip down the Language River and explore the numerous uses of figurative language. You will become the cruise director of the trip and explore river adventures along your way to the delta of knowledge. By the end of this river trip you will be able to identify the the numerous examples of figurative language techniques that are utilized by Samuel Clemens, Mark Twain, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and create your own vivid and memorable character to add to the story.
You are a riverboat cruise director who secretly wants to be an author. Your boat travels the Language River, entertaining tourist and fascinating personalities from all over the country. Just as a delta expands a river into a larger body of water, your final project will be to expand the great American novel of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. But first you must experience the river and all the bends and sandbars it has to offer.
The River Source: Your first task is to become familiar with the great American author, Samuel Clemens. Use the Meet Amazing Americans website provided by the Library of Congress to complete the worksheet on the life of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain).
The Ever Changing Sandbar: Your second task is to navigate around the types of figurative language. Use the QuizStar web site to complete a review before you begin your next task.
The Steady Current: As you read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, you are to keep a journal of the characters who travel on your boat as a way to help you develop characters for your great American novel. As each character develops, add to your journal.
The River's Mighty Delta: You have come to the end of the cruise. Your task is to write an additional character to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn story. This character may be biographical. Before you begin, use your journal to review the main characters of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This writing adventure must be at least 5 paragraphs and include a description of the character, how he/she impacts the story, and whether the addition of this new character changes the end of the story.
Worksheet: Use the Library of Congress's Meet Amazing Americans Website http://www.americasstory.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/twain to investigate the life of Samuel Clemens. Complete the worksheet, print, and turn in for a grade.
QuizStar: Are you ready to take a review quiz? Click QuizStar and you're on your way! Don't forget to save your score!
Journal: As you read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn found at http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/Twa2Huc.html , keep a journal of the types of figurative language. You will write the statement from the story that represents a figurative style, name the style, and write what the statement means literally.
Final Project/Essay: Write a five paragraph essay that writes yourself into the story of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Describe your relationship to the other characters and how you have influenced the story. You may change the ending of the story for this project.
Students will complete and earn an 80% or higher on a web search think sheet.
Students will demonstrate comprehension of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by achieving an 80% or higher on the Reading Counts Test.
Students will choose and maintain a journal of four characters and their traits from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Students will complete an essay (at least five paragraphs) using the writing process. Writing experience will be rated using the PACT State Writing Rubrics. Students will be required to earn a score of 12 or higher.
Now you have completed your river journey, you have discovered the fascinating world of Samuel Clemens, Mark Twain. You have entered his imaginary world of Huck Finn and added yourself to his world. Continue your travels by investigating more works by Samuel Clemens found in the Library of Congress. Enter the American Memory Collection to view his house in Hartford, CT, or his house in Carson City, NV. Investigate the California Gold Rush, the Civil War, The Spanish American War, and the Gilded Age in Jump Back in Time found in American Memory Collection as well...all events which occurred during the life of Samuel Clemens. Research Edward Windsor Kemble, the man who illustrated the great American novel. Find another river and read!
Introduction | Task | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion
