The Good Earth Lesson Plan

Awakening O-lan

Kind of Activity:

Individual Writing

Objective:

Students will research the place of women in Chinese society up to the time of the novel and, using this information, will write a "letter" to O-lan.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.6, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2

Structure:

A major theme of The Good Earth is the oppression of women in Chinese society. Women are routinely sold as slaves by their own parents and are treated as property by their husbands. When O-lan bears a daughter, she says that it is "only a slave."

In class discussion, have students briefly review the information about the lives of...