Things Fall Apart Resources

Lessons and resources for Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

• Background Information
• These are guided notes for the Prezi I created for my class. You can find a link to the Prezi here
• Dialectical Journal
• A dialectical journal is where students select a quote that is important to them and write about it. It is in informal writing but allows students to reflect upon the text they just read. I set it up so that students will complete it on their own as they read. This not only saves me from having to grade what will feel like a thousand homework assignments but it also places a sense of responsibility on the students to do work as they go.
• Masculinity vs Femininity
• I don't have an actual document for this one but it is very easy to set up. Before reading, have the class create a list that details what traits and things they believe to be masculine and what traits and things they believe to be feminine. 
• After getting through at least part 1 of the story, ask the class to do the same thing but from Okonkwo's view. 
• Once they have listed the traits and items, have them select either masculinity or femininity. 
• On a piece of paper, have them draw a line down the middle.
• On one side they will visually represent how they view masculinity/femininity
• On the other side, have them visually represent how Okonkwo viewed masculinity/femininity
• I then have them write two paragraphs. One explaining how the views are the same and one explaining how the views are different. 
• This allows students to understand Okonkwo better and how much of a struggle it is for him to have to go through all the changes that happen in the novel.

Find more resources to other units here