Lesson
1
:
Learning Understanding from Literature
Grade
Grade 7
UNIT
8
•
Understanding
In Unit 8, Lesson 1, “Learning Understanding from Literature,” students will learn examples of understanding and other character strengths from a classic work of world literature: One Thousand and One Arabian Nights adapted by Geraldine McCaughrean. Students will develop their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and writing skills by answering questions about the text. Additionally, students will develop their academic dialogue skills by participating in class discussions.
SUGGESTED TIME:
- 1 class period to introduce the text; 1 class period to discuss the text
- If desired, multiple class periods can be devoted to in-class silent reading of the text.
- The book, One Thousand and One Arabian Nights adapted by Geraldine McCaughrean and illustrated by Rosamund Fowler, is 275 pages and contains 35 chapters.
- The suggested reading schedule is 3 chapters per day, either as in-class reading or for homework.
- With this schedule, students will complete the book in 12 in-class reading sessions or 12 homework sessions.
- Students should complete the short-answer questions on the worksheet as they read the book.
- Allow at least 50 minutes for in-class discussion of the short-answer questions on the worksheet.
RELATED SUBJECT:
English Language Arts
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Read a classic work of world literature
- Identify and analyze the book’s central ideas
- Identify and analyze the book’s genre, point of view, characters, setting, and plot
- Write answers to questions about the book, demonstrating an understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar
- Engage effectively in collaborative discussions about the book
REQUIRED MATERIALS:
- Book: One Thousand and One Arabian Nights adapted by Geraldine McCaughrean and illustrated by Rosamund Fowler
- Prohuman Grade 7 Unit 8 Worksheet 1: Learning Understanding from Literature
ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET
CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET
LESSON PROCEDURE
Step 1:
- Ask students how many of them have heard of the story Aladdin.
- Explain that Aladdin is part of a classic work of world literature, One Thousand and One Arabian Nights.
- The story of Aladdin was added to One Thousand and One Nights in the early 18th century by the French translator Antoine Galland, who was told the story by Hanna Diyab, a Syrian storyteller.
- One Thousand and One Nights is known in Arabic as Alf Laylah wa-Laylah.
- These stories were told first by storytellers in the 600s-900s CE.
- The stories draw on the cultural traditions of the Middle East and regions the Middle East had been in contact with through trade, travel, invasions, or war. The tales contain elements from Persia, India, Greece, Turkey, and Central Asia.
- The first, definitive, complete edition in Arabic was published in 1835.
- The first complete translation in French was finished by Antoine Galland in the early 18th century. Translations into other languages followed. (Source: “A Thousand and One Nights: Arabian Story-telling in World Literature” by Muhannad Salhi)
Step 2:
- Have students complete the book, either through multiple in-class silent reading sessions or as homework.
- Students should complete the short-answer questions on the worksheet as they read the book.
Step 3:
- Allow at least 50 minutes for in-class discussion of the short-answer questions on the worksheet.
GRADE 7 UNIT 8 WORKSHEET 1: LEARNING UNDERSTANDING FROM LITERATURE
QUESTIONS TO ANSWER AS YOU READ One Thousand and One Arabian Nights adapted by Geraldine McCaughrean and illustrated by Rosamund Fowler:
- In the first sentence of Chapter One, what kingdoms does the narrator say these stories come from?
- What is the problem that both King Shahryar and King Shahzaman face?
- How do the kings respond to their problems, and what does this say about their attitudes toward women?
- What is the Wazir’s dilemma?
- What is Shahrazad’s and Dunyazad’s plan?
- What do you think is the greatest of all the stories and why? Explain your answer by providing at least three reasons and three pieces of evidence from the text.
- How does Shahrazad use the power of storytelling to foster understanding and achieve a successful outcome?
- What did you learn about understanding from reading these stories?
Prohuman K-12 Curriculum © 2025 by Prohuman Foundation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
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