Objective: Review evaluation criteria developed at the beginning of the unit and apply to The Princess Bride
Materials: Student-Developed Culminating Activity Criteria
1. Independent Reading
2. Jigsaw - Ask each group of students to answer a question from the board using evidence from the text. for example, each student from group one should have a great answer in their notes for question one.
1. What does Goldman imagine for Buttercup and Westley's future? Do you agree with his version? Create a short dialogue between Westley and Buttercup on their anniversary, 40 years in the future.
2. List the ways in which Goldman uses the conventions and symbols of traditional fairy tales to end his story, and the ways in which The Princess Bride is different. How did you react to the ending?
3. Does Inigo achieve resolution through his fight with the six-fingered man? Write a letter to Yeste where Inigo describes his revenge.
4. Inigo and Fezzik are introduced as henchmen who kidnap Buttercup and don't hesitate to use violence. Do they really turn into "good guys by the end?" Using evidence from the text, make a timeline for both characters, outlining how they change (or don't change) throughout the story.
5. " I really do think that love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops." Why does Goldman choose to make this comparison at the end of his book? Is he being ironic? In your group, create your own list of things that might be "the best in the world", along with the reasons why.
3. Number off students, then have them rotate to new groups with a representative for each answer. Share and discuss answers with other students, then read aloud in class. Each group will receive a mark for the answer they developed.
4. Revisit the criteria developed for the culminating activity, presented on an overhead or the Smartboard. Together, evaluate The Princess Bride and come up with an overall grade. Ask students for suggestions or comments they would give to William Goldman. This activity give students a chance to evaluate and reflect their reading experience, and they gain experience in peer evaluation for the culminating activity.
