Lesson Six: HIMYM and Twain

Storytelling Unit
Unit Working Title: Storytelling
Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): Everything can be a story.
Unit Primary Skill focus: Narrative structure
Week 2 of 4; Plan # 6 of 12; [90 mins.]
Plan type: Full-Detail
Content Requirement Satisfied: Short texts as a model
(Note: Refer to the list in the document called Concept Unit Lesson Plans)
Critical Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Unit Preface], followed by Specific
lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson:
SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
1. Students will understand that narratives are a mode of communication.
a. Students will understand that the effects of humorous writing and how one
produces those effects through writing, special effects, and narrative sequence.
Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:
5. Students will value their personal connection to literature.
b. Students will feel as though the TV they watch has literary value.
Performance (do):
9. Students will experience different modes of narratives.
c. Create a graphic organizer that summarizes the main idea of How to Tell a Story
d. Compare and contrast Twains idea of effective storytelling with an episode of How I
Met Your Mother (HIMYM)

SOLs:
9.2 (a) Analyze and interpret special effects used in media messages including television, film,
and Internet.
9.4 (j) Compare and contrast authors use of literary elements within a variety of genres.
CCSs:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in
detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and
refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.5 Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to

structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing,
flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]
Beginning Room Arrangement: Students are arranged in a horseshoe, facing the front of the
room.
1. [ 10 mins.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson: Funny Story Quick Write
-Students come in and pick up their journals, like they do every day.
-On the board, there is this prompt: In your journal, take ten minutes to write a funny story
about yourself you tell others the most often. Be as detailed as possible and remember to include
the aspects of a narrative weve identified in previous class periods.
-While they write, I will take care of attendance and other housekeeping.
Hey, everyone! Remember to pick up your journals and notice there is a Quick Write on the
board. I read the prompt out loud. You have ten minutes so it does not have to be a long story but
do notice that you must incorporate the elements of a narrative weve talked about. Lets get to
it!
2. [ 20 mins.] Step 1: Introduction to Twain and How to Tell a Story
Ok, lets bring it back up here. Today, we are going to be talking about humorous writing and
performance. Have you ever noticed that almost all comedians perform and speak similarly?
They pause to add suspense before the punch line; they use voices to imitate a character; they
almost always tie up their set with a reference to a former joke. These actions are elements of
good storytelling! This craft is not new to modern comedians. Who has heard of Mark Twain?
[They raise their hands] He was a humorist in the late 19th to the early 20th centuries, around the
civil war. He built his career around telling good humorous stories. Today, we will be reading
an essay he wrote entitled How to Tell a Story. In this essay, he lays out aspects of effective
humorous writing, according to him.
-Pass out the copies of How to Tell a Story
We are going to read it together because it is fairly short. Afterward, well talk about it. Ill
start; do I have someone on deck to read after me?
-Read the essay with the students
3. [20 mins.] Step 2: Graphic Organizer
-Pass out the graphic organizer (APPENDIX A)
-Keep one to project through the document viewer or an electronic copy on the SmartBoard
Lets take a look at the handout. This is a main idea graphic organizer; it is a really great tool
to have when examining a non-fiction text like this one. It helps you narrow down the focus of the

essay to the main idea and then some supporting details. Just to recap, what is a main idea?
[They answer with statements like thesis of the piece, what the essay is mainly about, or the
topic of the essay] Perfect. So, what do we think the main idea of How to Tell a Story? [They
answer] It sounds like we agree that the main idea of the essay is that there is a certain way to
tell a humorous story. I write it in the Main Idea section of the organizer. So, lets move onto the
supporting details. What is one aspect of good comedic writing that Twain introduces? [They
answer; answers could include: the performance, the teller thinking his story is funny, and taking
pauses. Where did you find that detail? What is the quotation? I will write the three details in
their respective boxes. I will include an explanation written in my own words, the quotation, and
the page number.
4. [30 mins.] Step 3: Introduction to HIMYM
Now we are going to watch an episode of a hit TV sitcom and see if Twains idea of presenting
a funny story relates to a modern take on humor. Who here has heard of or watched How I Met
Your Mother? It is a show about Ted Mosby, who is telling his kids in the year 2030 about how
he met their mother. This means that the entire show is a flashback. He has his four best friends:
Marshall, his college roommate; Lily, Marshalls fiance; Barney, a womanizer; and Robin, his
girlfriend. In this particular episode, Ted and Robin are relaying the story that leads up to Ted
missing a very important flight to Chicago. But first, take a second and read the questions at the
bottom of the graphic organizer. Be sure to look for these answers while you watch.
-Play the episode (approximately 25 minutes)
5. [9 mins.] Step 4: HIMYM and Twain
With your table partner, share your answers to the questions at the bottom of the handout. Ill
give you about five minutes and then well share out to the class.
-They work in groups while I walk around and listen to the conversations and progress for four
minutes
Who would like to share their ideas?
-We will have a small discussion on their answers to the questions
What have you learned about telling a funny story? They answer. Looking back at the story
you wrote at the beginning of class, jot down some ideas about how to perform this piece to
make it funnier.

6. [1 min] Closure
Much like any story, there is a way to tell a funny story to make it funnier. It is all a part of
showmanship and performance. Next class, we will be talking about graphic novels and visual
narratives. Leave your organizers on your desk so I can collect them when you leave. Dont
forget your narrative proposal is due next class period! Have a great day!

Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment used in
this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After each assessment,

indicate in brackets the number(s) and letter(s) of the unit objective and the related lesson
objectives that the assessment is evaluating.
Helping me with the main idea graphic organizer [1, a, 9, c]
Their graphic organizers [1, a, 9, c, d]
The quality of their discussions both in groups and whole class [1, a, 5, b]

Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:

(This is where you identify specific aspects of this lesson which have been differentiated in order
to address the needs of one or more of your profiled studentsidentify them by name)
For Hector, I would make sure that I would ask plenty of reading comprehension questions while
we read the Twain essay. This way, Hector is able to hear his peers answers to the questions and
help with his own comprehension.
Reading aloud is perfect for Julia because she is still engaged with the text. She does not like to
do homework at home; therefore, having the reading done in class will ensure that she is on the
same page as her peers.

Materials Needed:
-Projector
-Computer with internet access
-Copies of Twains How to Tell a Story
-HIMYM Season 2 Episode 15
-APPENDIX A (graphic organizer)
-SmartBoard or document viewer

Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,

handouts, etc.)
APPENDIX A
Name
Date

______________
______________
Mark Twains How to Tell a Story

Main Idea

Detail 1

Detail 2

Detail 3

After watching How I Met Your Mother Lucky Penny:

1. What aspects of Twains essay are present in the episode?

2. What does the episode do to incite humor that Mark Twain does NOT suggest?

3. How does the special effects and the flashback play into the humor of the episode?