This is a suggested teaching schedule for a 10 day class study of Tim O' Brien's The Things They Carried. Lesson plans and handouts can be downloaded individually by clicking on the name of the file in the schedule below. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view these files.
Audio Guide CDs are available only for the communities participating in The Big Read. If your community is participating, contact the lead community organization to receive a free Audio Guide CD. Non-participating communities can listen to the full audio online.
Day One
FOCUS: Biography
Day One Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Listen to The Big Read Audio Guide. Read Reader's Guide essays and discuss the differences between fiction and non-fiction.
Homework: Read "The Things They Carried" (pp. 1-26*). List the soldiers and the items they carried. Read Handout One: Tips on Reading a Collection of Linked Short Fiction.
Day Two
FOCUS: Culture and History
Day Two Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Read Teacher's Guide Handout Two and the Reader's guide essay "The Vietnam War." discuss the items the soldiers carried.
Homework: Read "Love," "Spin," and "On the Rainy River" (pp. 27-61). Write a synopsis of one of the stories.
Day Three
FOCUS: Narrative and Point of View
Day Three Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Discuss narrative points of view. Write an essay explaining the differences between memoir and fiction.
Homework: Read "Enemies," "Friends," "How to Tell a True War Story," and "The Dentist" (pp. 62-88).
Day Four
FOCUS: Characters
Day Four Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Identify the protagonist and antagonist of each story. Write an essay on how O'Brien's writing reflects the surreal nature of war.
Homework: Read "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" (pp. 89-116).
Day Five
FOCUS: Figurative Language
Day Five Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Discuss imagery in "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong." Write about Mary Anne's transformation.
Homework: Read "Stockings," "Church," "The Man I Killed," "Ambush," and "Style" (pp. 117-136). Identify at least one object that functions as a symbol and be prepared to discuss its importance.
Day Six
FOCUS: Symbols
Day Six Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Discuss the symbolism in The Things They Carried. Write a short story that uses symbolism.
Homework: Read "Speaking of Courage" and "Notes" (pp. 137-161). Write a short character analysis of Norman Bowker.
Day Seven
FOCUS: Character Development
Day Seven Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Discuss the evolution of Norman Bowker's character throughout the book. Explore the reasons why O'Brien might have chosen to change his narrative stance in "Speaking of Courage." Write about how "Notes" expands our understanding of "Speaking of Courage."
Homework: Read "In the Field," "Good Form," and "Field Trip" (pp. 162-188), and Handout Three.
Day Eight
FOCUS: The Plot Unfolds
Day Eight Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Discuss the non-traditional structure of the book and the ways O'Brien creates tension by blurring the line between fact and fiction. Write a condolence letter to Kiowa's family.
Homework: Read "The Ghost Soldiers" (pp. 189-218). Identify at least three themes of the book.
Day Nine
FOCUS: Themes of the Book
Day Nine Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Discuss social pressure, personal moral code, and truth as themes of the book. Identify and discuss other themes.
Homework: Read "Night Life" and "The Lives of the Dead" (pp. 219-246).
Day Ten
FOCUS: What Makes a Book Great?
Day Ten Lesson Plan [PDF]
Activities: Discuss the characteristics of a great book and whether The Things They Carried rises to this standard.
Homework: Choose an essay topic. Outlines and drafts are due the next class period.
* Page numbers refer to the 1998 Broadway Books edition of The Things They Carried.
