Beware the Thunder

Essential questions: Is change always for the better? In what ways do societies change over time? How do stories help us understand the past?

Do-Now: Theme Anticipation Guide (5 minutes)

Project or distribute the Theme Anticipation Guide and have students jot down whether they agree or disagree with each statement.

Preview text features (3 minutes)

Study the images and captions as a class. Then discuss what the illustrations and captions say about the setting.

Preview vocabulary (5 minutes)

Project our Words to Know Vocabulary Slideshow and review as a class. Highlighted words: bedraggled, detestable, grizzled, hackles, impose, lush, saunters, shabby

Read the “As You Read” box on page 12.

Assign parts and read the play as a class.

Break students into groups to discuss the following questions.

Close-Reading Questions

• In Scene 1, what do you learn about Rip and Cornelia? How are they different? (character) Cornelia is practical. She works hard and resents that Rip doesn’t do his part. Rip is a “dreamer” and is easily distracted. He takes time to look at sunsets; Cornelia does not.
• At the start of Scene 4, the Odd Fellow, Rip, and Wolf walk back and forth across the stage in front of the curtain. What does this indicate? (text structure) If this were acted out on a stage, it would indicate that the characters were walking for a long time.
• In Scene 5, why does Rip wince and clutch his back when he stands up? (inference) He has been sleeping on the ground for 20 years. Plus, he is now much older, so his body is stiff.
• In Scene 6, why does the crowd gasp when Rip says he’s a loyal subject of the king? (inference) The crowd gasps because—unlike 20 years earlier—those who are loyal to England are now seen as traitors. Rip doesn’t know that America is no longer ruled by King George III.
• In Scene 7, John asks Rip what his name is. Why does Rip reply, “I don’t think I know”? (inference) When Rip sees someone who looks just like him (or just as he used to look) and is identified as Rip Van Winkle, he is confused and wonders if he is the person he thought he was.

Break students into groups to discuss the following critical-thinking questions.

Critical-Thinking Questions

• What kind of person is Rip Van Winkle? Would you want him for a friend? Answers will vary. Students may describe Rip as bumbling, lazy, and unreliable, or they may describe him as a kind and well-meaning type who “stops to smell the roses.”
• Consider the characters Peter Vanderdonk and Katrina Knickerbocker. What is their role in the play? Peter Vanderdonk and Katrina Knickerbocker are village elders. Their role in the play is to provide historical context to readers as well as to other characters. For example, they address the audience directly in the prologue and provide information about the time period. In Scene 7, Katrina recognizes Rip and Peter declares he believes Rip’s story because the mountains are “haunted.” Peter’s word is all the other villagers need in order to accept Rip’s story, because Peter is highly respected in the village.

• Have students read “What If You Fell Asleep for 20 Years?” on page 16 in small groups.
• As a class, discuss the following critical-thinking questions, which draw on both texts.

Critical-Thinking Questions

• Which predictions do you find interesting or surprising? Why? Answers will vary.
• If the predictions come true, how will our lives be different in 2037? Answers will vary. Students may say our lives will be more convenient and healthy. We won’t spend as much time on chores, such as laundry and cooking, thanks to smart clothing and drones.
• Would the predicted changes be good for society? Explain. Answers will vary. Students may say that the smart toilet would be good because it could help people stay healthy, whereas brain messaging could be harmful because people might have less privacy. 
• Compare the types of changes predicted on page 16 with the changes that occurred while Rip Van Winkle was sleeping. The changes predicted on page 16 mostly have to do with advancements in technology that will affect our daily lives. The biggest change to which Rip Van Winkle awakens is a change in government—he falls asleep in a monarchy and wakes up in a representative democracy. Some less significant changes, such as changes in fashion, are also mentioned in the play.

Project the Theme Anticipation Guide from the beginning of the lesson. Have students say whether they agree or disagree with each statement. Discuss how their answers may have changed after reading the play and the informational text.

Featured Skill: Narrative Writing (15 minutes)

Have students work in groups or independently to complete the Story Planner activity. This activity will prepare students to respond to the narrative writing prompt on page 16. For alternate culminating tasks, see the boxes below.