Art Connection- The Unicorn in the Garden

The Unicorn in the Garden
(Art Connection)

Purpose

• To view a piece of art.

• To learn about the symbolism and signficance of the work.

Activity

• Observe the print of the tapestry.

Do you recognize it?

• Read the article “Capturing the Unicorn” from the New Yorker magazine online.

Discussion

• What do unicorns symbolize?
• Discuss impressive details from the article.
• What is a tapestry?
• What is special about this collection of tapestries?
  

Internet Activity

• Visit the Cloisters Website and view the collection highlights. Can you find the tapestry? What is the title of the tapestry? When was it created? What details can you notice?
  

Fieldtrip

Visit the Cloisters to view the tapestry in person.

Writing Persuasive Essays- The Unicorn in the Garden

The Unicorn in the Garden
(Writing an Argument or Opinion Essay)

Purpose

• To learn about the approach to writing an argument or opinion essay
• To write an argument or opinion essay by following the steps
• To engage in a debate

Definitions

• In persuasive or argumentative essays, we try to convince others to agree with us.

• A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the essential idea of a paragraph or larger section, usually appearing at the beginning.

• A debate is a formal contest in which the affirmative and negative sides of a proposition are advocated by opposing speakers.

Essay Topic

Do you think the husband in the story "The Unicorn in the Garden" is crazy? Why or why not?

Writing Activity

1. Reread the story "The Unicorn in the Garden" by James Thurber.
2. Ask yourself the following question: Do you think the husband in the story "The Unicorn in the Garden" is crazy? Why or why not?
3. Formulate your opinion. Search the story for information to support your argument.
4. Create a strong topic sentence stating your opinion.
5. Write a one paragraph essay using at least three examples from the story.
6. Have a partner edit your essay.
7. Revise your essay.

Class Debate

Divide the class into two groups. One group supports that the husband is crazy while the other argues that he is not. Read the following guidlines on how to debate.

Biography- James Thurber

James Thurber's Biography
(Intermediate and Advanced ESOL)

Purpose

The purpose of this lesson is to research about the author James Thurber. Students will read information about James Thurber on Wikipedia and create a bulleted list.


Activity

Read James Thurber's biography on Wikipedia. Make a bulleted list of information about his life. The list does not have to contain complete sentences. Begin each item on the list with a capitalized verb. The items on the list do not end with a period since they are not complete sentences.

Example

• Born in Columbus, Ohio on December 8, 1894
• Moved to New York City in 1925
• Contributed short stories and cartoons to the New Yorker magazine
• Suffered from Charles Bonnet syndrome
  

Simile- The Unicorn in the Garden

Simile- A Literary Device

(Intermediate to Advanced ESOL)

Purpose

In this activity, you will learn about similes by reading a quote from James Thurber the author of the story "The Unicorn in the Garden."

Definitions

• A simile is a figure of speech in which one object is compared to another using 'like' or 'as.'

• A figure of speech is a literary device or an expressive use of language in which words are used in other than their literal meaning to 'paint a picture' or suggest an image for a special effect.

• A literary device is a literary or linguistic technique.

Quote

Read the following quote:

"I loathe the expression ‘What makes him tick.’ It is the American mind, looking for simple and singular solution that uses the foolish expression. A person not only ticks, he also chimes and strikes the hour, falls and breaks and has to be put together again, and sometimes stops like an electric clock in a thunderstorm. "

James Thurber

Discussion

What is the simile in the quote? What is being compared?
What verbs are used to talk about people?
Do you agree with the quote? Why or why not?

Follow-up Activity

Create your own similes about people. Share them with the class.

Example- My sister is like a flower.

Reading Activity- The Unicorn in the Garden

The Unicorn in the Garden Reading Activity
(Intermediate Level)

Purpose

In this activity, you will engage in a pre-reading discussion, read the story "The Unicorn in the Garden," learn new vocabulary and engage in a post reading discussion.


Pre-reading Discussion

Discuss the following ideas with your classmates:

• Describe the appearance of a unicorn.
• Do you have a name for this mythical creature in your language?
• What does the unicorn represent?
• Compare how American husbands and wives relate to one another with husbands and wives in your culture. How are the relationships similar? How are they different?
• What are common jokes or funny stories about husbands and wives in your culture?
• What is a straitjacket? What is its purpose?
• What happens to the mentally ill in your country?

Reading

Read the story “The Unicorn in the Garden” by James Thurber and note unfamiliar words and expressions.

Vocabulary

Before you check the meanings of the words, try to guess the meaning by the context it is used in the sentence or passage.

• booby: in this context, a crazy person (probably from the name of a stupid extinct bird).
• booby-hatch: a mental institution, a place where the insane are kept.
• breakfast nook: a little side room for eating breakfast.
• browsing: sampling or tasting here and there.
• "crazy as a jaybird": extremely crazy or hopelessly insane
• cropping: clipping or cutting close to the root.
• cursing: using dirty or obscene speech.
• "Don't count your boobies until they are hatched": from the American expression "Don't count your chickens before they are hatched", meaning "Don't count on things to turn out exactly as you planned them."
• gloat: a look of malice or greed.
• institution: a mental institution, an insane asylum.
• moral: in this context, the "lesson" of the story.
• mythical: relating to a myth, hence not real.
• psychiatrist: a mental doctor
• solemn: grave or serious
• strait-jacket: an armless belted jacket used to confine the violently insane
• subdue, subduing: capturing, seizing
• unicorn: a mythical beast which looks like a horse with a horn in the center of the head.
  

Post Reading Discussion

Discuss the following questions with your classmates:

• What is a moral?
• What does the moral of the story mean?
• Do you agree with the moral of the story?
• Do you have a similar moral in your culture?

Welcome ESOL Teachers and Students

ESOL Unit on Marriage

Description

The following lessons deal with the topic of Marriage. The unit begins with a reading of the short story "The Unicorn in the Garden" by James Thurber. Included in the unit are the following lessons:

• A reading activity- Students will read the short story and engage in a discussion of morals.
• A lesson on similes- Students will read a quote from James Thurber, explore simile and create their own.
• A research activity- Students will read a biography of James Thurber on Wikipedia and create a bulleted list of important information relevant to his life.
• A persuasive essay activity- Students will write an argumentative or opinion essay that includes a strong topic sentence and supporting information.
• An art activity- Students will view the tapestry "Unicorn in Captivity" and explore symbolism.
• Grammar lesson- Students will review simple and compound sentences.
• Extension activity 1- Students will read jokes about married couples.
• Extension activity 2- Students will view cartoons created by James Thurber and create their own captions.