Unit: Don Quixote. Lesson 1: Don Quixote: Chapters Get Ready. Language Arts Learning Coach Guide Don Quixote

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1 Unit: Don Quixote Meet the famous literary character, Don Quixote de la Mancha, the knight made famous by Miguel de Cervantes. Learn about Cervantes and chivalry and then follow Don Quixote as he sets off in search of adventure, armed with his homemade battle gear, a grand imagination, and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza. Investigate Quixote s character by examining his actions from multiple perspectives and comparing and contrasting Quixote s motives with their outcomes. Lesson 1: Don Quixote: Chapters 1-3 Explore background on Miguel de Cervantes and chivalry before reading the first three chapters of Don Quixote. Recognize the importance of imagination in Quixote s story and character. Investigate Quixote s character by assuming the perspective of another character. Use details from the text to draw a picture of Don Quixote. Lesson Notes The Ingenious Gentleman, Don Quixote de la Mancha was originally written in Spanish by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. In its original form, it fills more than a thousand closely printed pages. It was published in two parts, the first in 1605 and the second in The novel was wildly popular in its time and has since been translated into many different languages. The story of the aging, idealistic, and overly imaginative knight has continued to influence readers, writers, and artists around the world. This edition offers a selection of famous episodes retold for young readers. Objectives Demonstrate comprehension of text. Describe a character using evidence from the text. Retell a story from various perspectives. Analyze a character from different perspectives. Create a visual using details from the text. Student Pages Don Quixote: Chapters: 1-3 Interview: Part 1 Materials Don Quixote, pages 4-27 Classics for Young Readers, Vol. 5A (optional) paper colored pencils or crayons Guidelines for Peer Discussion 1. Get Ready Pronunciation Cervantes (suhr-vahn-tayz) Quixana (kee-hahn-ah) Quixote (kee-hoh-tay) Rocinante (roh-see-nahn-tay) 1 of 6

2 Aldonza Lorenza (ahl-dohn-zah loh-rehn-zoh) Doncinea del Toboso (duhl-see-nay-ah del toh-boh-soh) Señor Castellano (seh-nyor cahs-tay-yahn-oh) Vocabulary Go over the vocabulary words with your student before she reads the story. breeches: (n.) short pants reaching to just below the knee Before an important riding competition, Jane made sure to feed her horse his favorite meal and to wear her lucky breeches. chivalry: (n.) the system of customs and qualities that characterized the ideal knight in the Middle Ages For his test on medieval history, Edward had to read several articles on the importance of the code of chivalry that knights were supposed to follow. steed: (n.) horse The brave young prince mounted his steed and galloped off to lead his troops into battle. garret: (n.) a sparsely decorated room, usually just under the roof of a home The poor young artist lived simply in a garret she rented for little money in a Paris home. homage: (n.) an expression of respect; a tribute The retiring athlete paid homage to her parents and to the coaches who taught her the game. swineherd: (n.) one who tends to pigs or boars While walking along the lonely country road, Stephen came across a swineherd bringing his flock of pigs to market. alighting: (v.) stepping down off of something; dismounting Alighting from a city bus before it reaches a complete stop can be dangerous. boon: (n.) a fortunate occurrence; a blessing The rainy week was a boon to farmers whose crops were in danger of drying out. valorous: (adj.) brave; valiant The wounded soldier received a medal for his valorous conduct during the war. doleful: (adj.) sad The loss of a loved one is always a doleful experience. base: (adj.) inferior; low The rude comedian s act was filled with base jokes and insulting humor. churl: (n.) a low-class individual; a rude person By acting like a churl, the wedding guest ensured that he would not be invited to any future family functions. Think Ahead Discuss the following with your student. 1. Miguel de Cervantes was born in 1547 near Madrid, Spain. Cervantes joined the army and fought in several important battles in the 1570s. From 1575 to 1580, Cervantes was held prisoner by pirates 2 of 6

3 who sought a ransom from his family. After his release, Cervantes returned to Madrid where he married and began to write. The first part of Don Quixote appeared in The novel was wildly popular and made Cervantes famous. He published the second part of Don Quixote 10 years later. Tip: To provide a context for your student, you may wish to tell her that Cervantes was a contemporary of William Shakespeare. 2. Chivalry is the code of conduct that knights lived by. Knights were honorable and brave men who did noble deeds in the name of a lady. What else do you know about knights? Tip: Help your student understand the role of knights in medieval society and the importance of the code of chivalry. Understanding the role of knights will help your student to better appreciate the humor of Don Quixote. Knights were men who served their social superiors during the Middle Ages. Knights often performed their tasks in the name of a lady. Their behavior was governed by a code of conduct known as the chivalric code. To be chivalrous was to be honorable, brave, wise, and devoted. Knights were very highly thought of by their fellow citizens. If you would like to read more about chivalry, two helpful books are Knights in Shining Armor by Gail Gibbons and If You Lived in the Days of the Knights by Ann McGovern. You may also wish to consult the websites listed in the optional research activity for this lesson. 3. Do you remember reading St. George and the Dragon? What did you learn about knights and their behavior from that story? Tip: Review the story of St. George and the Dragon with your student. You may wish to turn to Classics for Young Readers, Vol. 5A to refresh your memory, or review these excerpts from the story that exemplify the chivalric virtues that Don Quixote longs to emulate. Long ago, when the knights lived in the land, there was one knight whose name was Sir George. He was not only braver than all the rest, but he was so noble, kind, and good that people came to call him Saint George. (p. 47) But somewhere perhaps there is trouble and fear. There may be some place where little children cannot play in safety, some woman may have been carried away from her home perhaps there are even dragons left to be slain. Tomorrow I shall ride away and never stop until I find work that only a knight can do. Early the next morning St. George put on his helmet and all his shining armor, and fastened his sword at his side. Then he mounted his great white horse and rode out from his castle gate. Down the steep, rough road he went, sitting straight and tall, and looking brave and strong as a knight should look. (p. 47) Danger! said St. George. Do you think a knight would flee from danger? Besides, you, a fair girl, are here alone. Think you a knight would leave you or any woman so? Tell me your trouble that I may help you. (p. 49) 3 of 6

4 4. When is it good to use one s imagination? Is it ever not good? Tip: Discuss with your student times when she was younger and would play pretend. Explain that there is a time for playing pretend, but there are also times when one must recognize reality. You may wish to discuss these differences before your student reads Don Quixote. 2. Read Have your student read Chapters 1-3 of Don Quixote, pages Questions Have your student write the answers to the questions in her Reading Notebook. If she has difficulty, have her read the relevant part of the story aloud. 1. At the beginning of the story, how does Mr. Quixana spend his days? At the start of the story, Mr. Quixana spends his days reading books about knights. 2. Who is Dulcinea del Toboso? Dulcinea del Toboso is the name that Don Quixote chooses for Aldonza Lorenzo, a woman who once smiled at him when he passed her on the road. Don Quixote decides to perform his knightly tasks for her. 3. Where is the first place Don Quixote stops after he leaves home? The first place that Don Quixote stops after he leaves home is an inn. 4. What does the innkeeper do for Don Quixote? The innkeeper gives Don Quixote a meal, allows him to guard his armor, and eventually knights him. Tip: You may wish to discuss the fact that although the innkeeper does these things for Don Quixote, he also allows other people to mistreat Don Quixote. Ask your student to comment on the innkeeper and his behavior. 5. In Chapter 3, why is the farmer whipping his servant? In Chapter 3, the farmer is whipping his servant because the boy caused him to lose many sheep. 6. Describe how Don Quixote handles the situation with the farmer. Don Quixote insists that the farmer pay the boy the 63 dollars in wages owed to him. 4. Discuss Discuss today s reading. If you wish, have your student write a paragraph in response to one of the questions. 1. Why do you think the tales of knights appeal to Mr. Quixana? Why does he admire the knights? 4 of 6

5 Guide your student to see that Mr. Quixana wants to be brave, courageous, and help battle injustice. You may wish to reread the passages on page 6. Help your student to understand that Don Quixote s motivations are very similar to knights of old. 2. Does Don Quixote act like a knight? Why or why not? 3. How would you describe Don Quixote? Use details from the story to support your answer. 5. Activities Interview: Part 1 In this lesson, your student will begin a project that she will continue to work on each day throughout the unit. Your student will investigate Don Quixote s character from multiple perspectives by completing an interview with a character from each day s selection. During each interview, she will consider how Don Quixote s actions and personality appear to another character in the story. She will then focus on a positive quality or interaction the character has had with Don Quixote in order to reinforce the nobility of Don Quixote s motivation. These interviews will culminate in a eulogy that your student will write (and may deliver orally) for Don Quixote at the end of the unit. Have your student complete the Interview: Part 1 page. Your student will imagine that she is either Don Quixote s niece or his housekeeper. She will answer the questions about Don Quixote from the perspective of the character she chooses. Have her save this page. Visualize It: Part 1 The rich language of the text is full of descriptive details. Help your student to focus on these details and envision the portrait that Cervantes paints of his hero. Direct your student to review the descriptive details of Don Quixote s armor, helmet, and steed and draw a picture of Don Quixote and Rocinante the way the author describes them. Discuss the differences between Don Quixote s reality and his imagination. If your student enjoys drawing, you may have her draw a second picture of Don Quixote depicting the way he sees himself. If you choose to do the optional activity below, have your student compare and contrast her drawings of Don Quixote with the pictures of knights she views. Have her save her picture for the next lesson. Research Quest (optional) In this activity, your student will learn more about knights and chivalry by using the Internet. Direct her to go to the following websites to read the content and view the graphics. You will want to preview any website before viewing it with your student. After you have perused these sites, you may choose to have a discussion with your student about chivalry and knights. Focus on the kinds of quests that knights undertook and the nobility and honor that the chivalric code mandated. Ask your student starter questions to generate discussion: Does Don Quixote remind you of these knights in any way? How are Don Quixote s quests similar to and different from the quests of real knights? Is Dulcinea like the ladies for whom real knights did noble deeds? 5 of 6

6 6. Beyond the Lesson Investigate these resources to further explore knights, chivalry, and the ideals represented in Don Quixote. Knights in Shining Armor by Gail Gibbon (New York: Little Brown and Co., 1995) This illustrated book offers a great deal of basic information about knights an explanation of chivalry, armor, and tournaments while also discussing figures such as Sir Gwain and St. George. It is geared toward a relatively young audience. If You Lived in the Days of the Knights by Ann McGovern (New York: Scholastic Trade, 2001) This book is part of a series by Ann McGovern that helps students imagine what it would have been like to live during different times in history. In this volume, the author focuses on life during the Middle Ages and how people of the era lived, ate, and dressed. She also writes about castles and the role of knights in a simple question-and-answer format. Exploring Don Quixote ( You will want to preview any websites before viewing them with your student. This website is maintained by the Kennedy Center and contains information on Cervantes s life, Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the story of Don Quixote. There are also several helpful lessons that might help your student better understand the themes of the story. 6 of 6