Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to analyze characters and their motivations in "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin.
Materials and Prep
- Copy of "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
- Notebook or paper
- Pencil or pen
Activities
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Read Chapters 1-3 of "The Westing Game" independently.
Take notes on the main characters introduced and their initial motivations.
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Discuss your notes with a parent or guardian.
Share your thoughts on the characters and their motivations.
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Choose one character from the story and create a character analysis poster.
Include the character's name, physical description, personality traits, and their motivations.
Use quotes from the text to support your analysis.
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Present your character analysis poster to your parent or guardian.
Explain your reasoning behind your analysis and provide examples from the text.
Seventh Grade Talking Points
- "The Westing Game" is a mystery novel written by Ellen Raskin.
- It is set in a fictional town called Westingtown.
- The story revolves around the mysterious death of Samuel W. Westing, a wealthy businessman.
- There are sixteen heirs who are potential beneficiaries of Westing's fortune.
- Each heir is given a set of clues and must solve the puzzle to win the inheritance.
- The characters in the story have different motivations for wanting to win the game.
- Some are motivated by greed, while others have personal reasons for wanting the money.
- Throughout the story, the characters' motivations and relationships with each other are revealed.
- As readers, we analyze the characters' actions and words to understand their true motivations.
- By analyzing the characters, we can make predictions about the outcome of the game and the identity of the culprit.