1. Fantasy Unit
The Hobbit

3. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Call To Adventure
Simba is a teenager, and Nala comes to tell him that the once wonderful land he used to live in is now a wasteland and overrun by his evil uncle. 

4. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Refusal of the Call
He refuses at first because he's been gone for a long time and is embarrassed because he ran away. He also still thinks he is responsible for his father's death. 

5. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Supernatural Aid
Rafiki the baboon does a little magic to allow Simba to talk to his father in the stars. Rafiki also shows Simba his reflection and Simba realized it is time for him to take responsibility for the kingdom. 

6. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Crossing of the First Threshold
Simba is leaving paradise for his homeland that has now become a wasteland run by Scar and the hyenas. He must be ready to fight his uncle and face his family, as well as take responsibility for the entire kingdom. He eventually goes because he can't bear the thought of his suffering mother. 

7. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Threshold Guardians
The hyenas work to prevent Simba from getting to his ultimate enemy – Scar.

8. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Belly of the Whale
Simba leaves behind his childhood and chooses to enter the belly of the whale, moving towards his right to be king. 

9. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Road of Trials / Brother Battle
Simba will face his family and fight his Uncle Scar. He doesn't really want to fight, but is not afraid of anything except facing his family. He receives help from Nala, Timon, and Pumba.  

10. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Atonement with the Father
Simba is told the truth about his father's death not being his fault. He realizes that the only way to make his father truly proud is to take on his responsibility of king. 

11. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Sacred Marriage
Simba and Nala are united together.

12. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Ultimate Boon
Simba becomes the rightful ruler of the kingdom.

13. The Hero’s Journey & The Lion King
Freedom To Live
Simba does achieve the ability to let go of the fear and anger due to his father's death. He certainly does not regret the past, and he anticipates the future to be bright with his new family and kingdom.

14. Fantasy Unit
The Hobbit

15. Journal 1: Fantasy Genre
Write your answers for the following questions in a new section of your notebook titled “The Hobbit Journals”. Write you name at the top.
Do you like the fantasy genre? Why or why not?
What is your favorite fantasy text (book, movie, video game, television show, etc.)?
Why do people love fantasy? What draws us to it?

16. Journal Expectations Write approximately half of a page.
Be ready to discuss your answers with the class.
Each journal is worth five (5) points.
They will be turned in at the end of the unit.

17. Journal 2: Danger VS Safety or Peer Pressure
Option 1:
Which would you choose?
An easy life of security, doing basically whatever you want but nothing dangerous, and living to an old age
A life of risk and adventure and danger, but you would not live beyond being 50 years old
Why?
Option 2:
Do you ever struggle with peer pressure?
If so, describe an instance when you gave into peer pressure and the outcome was positive and an instance when you gave into peer pressure and the outcome was negative.
If you have not experienced peer pressure, please complete the above journal.
Before Reading

18. Chapter 1
Today, we will be listening to the first chapter of The Hobbit on CD in class.

19. Journal 3: Narration’s Influence
Instructions: Please read chapter two in The Hobbit and then complete one (1) of the following journal options.
Option 1:
Other than their size and smell, the narrator does not give a physical description of the trolls. Tolkien assumes that the audience will know what trolls are and how to defeat them. All inferences into the character of the trolls are drawn from their dialogue. Write or draw a character sketch of the trolls based on their dialect and dialogue.
Option 2:
While the narrator has no respect for trolls, he’s equally uncomplimentary about Bilbo and the dwarves, who foolishly stumble upon the trolls. It’s Gandalf who saves them, yet in order not to be left behind, Bilbo must come up with a satisfying tale as to how the dwarves, and not Bilbo, got caught. Rewrite the passage as if Bilbo was the narrator, beginning with the lie that he went off to practice pickpocketing.
After Chapter 2

20. Reading
Read chapters three, four, and five in The Hobbit.

21. Journal 4: Leadership
When lost in the caves, Bilbo is on his own for the first time during the adventure. He becomes the leader of a personal expedition to find a way out of the caves and reunite with the dwarves.
Write down five (5) to eight (8) characteristics of a good leader.
Then, rate Bilbo on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being best, on each characteristic.
Use specific examples from this chapter to back up your rating.
After Reading Chapter 5

22. Journal 5: The Magic Ring
Imagine you have Bilbo’s magic invisibility ring for ONE WEEK.
Tell me about your week, the things you do, and what happens as a result of your ability to become invisible.

23. Read Read chapter six in The Hobbit.
We will have a test on chapters one (1) through six (6) tomorrow.

24. Test & Read
After completing the test on chapters one through six, please read chapter seven in The Hobbit.

25. Journal 6: Logic & Persuasion
Option 1:
Just as Gandalf manipulated Bilbo into going on the journey, Gandalf tricks Beorn into letting all of the adventurers to stay at his house. Gandalf has the dwarves appear two at a time at Beorn’s door, so that Beorn doesn’t initially realize how many guests he will have. In addition, Beorn doesn’t like dwarves, so Gandalf has to portray the dwarves as overly heroic to get Beorn to like them.
Applying Gandalf’s technique, write a counter argument from Bilbo’s perspective about why he should not be on the adventure.
Option 2:
Gandalf leaves the group at the end of the chapter but promises that the next stage of their journey is very dangerous. No one considers leaving the party, though, because Gandalf has boosted their confidence enough that they think they can get through it.
Pretend you are a motivational speaker, and you need to get the adventurers through a murky forest, knowing that to stray from the path means almost certain death at the hands of goblins, orcs, or worse.
Craft a speech that: boosts the group’s confidence, convinces them to continue the journey, and gets them excited about the journey
After Chapter 7

26. Agree or Disagree? Directions: Read the statements below
and decide whether you agree or disagree .
Record this in your journal.
Some people have all the luck.
There is some truth in superstitions (like breaking a mirror brings seven years bad luck or stepping on a crack in the sidewalk would break your mother’s back).
The weather and our surroundings can change our mood.
Going through difficult times can help a person become more mature or gain more confidence in themselves.
Our elders usually have a good reason for making the rules they do.
Too much pride can get a person into trouble.
The love of money is the root of all evil.
After you have finished going through the statements, choose one and write about an experience you have had that makes you feel the way you do about that statement.

27. Read
Read chapters eight and nine of The Hobbit.

28. Journal 7: Character Study
Bilbo spends a lot of time waiting, as he takes messages back and forth between the dwarves and Thorin.
Based on the events of the chapter, write Bilbo’s diary entries for this time period. Show his transition for becoming more like Gandalf.

29. Read
Today, please read chapter ten in The Hobbit.

30. Journal 8: Capturing the Adventure
Please read chapter eleven of The Hobbit.
After reading chapter eleven, please complete the following journal:
Pretend you are a journalist.  Write a news story about the band of adventurers’ journey and what you anticipate will happen in the days ahead.

31. Test: Chapters
First, we will be completing the chart for the previous chapters.
Take the test.
Read chapter thirteen in The Hobbit by tomorrow.

32. Journal 9: Personal Growth & Reading
What did Bilbo learn about himself in the forest?
Explain this in great detail with complete sentences and paragraph structure.
Please read chapter fourteen in The Hobbit after completing the journal.

33. Read
Please read chapter fourteen in The Hobbit.

34. Journal 10: Female Characters?
Why do you think there are no female characters in the novel?
Please give three strong reasons. Explain your reasons in paragraph format.

35. Journal 11: Symbolism
After reading the chapter, please complete the following journal.
To Bard, the gold represents retribution for his people; he is willing to take a reasonable settlement. For Thorin, the gold represents the restored legacy of his forefathers, and he is willing to die for it.
Write a journal entry about a family heirloom or personal keepsake that you would not give up, or explain under what circumstances you would part with it. What does the item symbolize to you?

36. Read
Please read chapters sixteen, seventeen, and eighteen of The Hobbit. They should be completed for Monday.

37. Journal 12: The Battle
Instructions: After completing your journal, please read chapter nineteen.
Option 1:
Conflict is almost avoided due to Bilbo’s actions. He gives up his share of the treasure as ransom for the Arkenstone. However, he also temporarily loses his friends because of his betrayal.
Write a letter from Bilbo to his Hobbit friends explaining the situation and why he did what he had to do.
Option 2:
Create a map or drawing of all of the encampments.
What is the strategic value of each position and their leaders?
Make a note of where Bilbo is during the conflict and evaluate his strategy.
Option 3:
Gandalf seemed to know in the previous chapter that the goblins would attack, but he kept the information to himself. He allows the dwarves, elves, and humans to come to an understanding before he announces the goblins’ arrival.
Develop a list of pros and cons for telling the adventurers about the goblins before they reconciled. Did you come to the same decision as Gandalf?

38. Chapters 13 – 19 & Journal 13: Many Options
Instructions: After completing the test on chapters 13 – 19, complete one of the following journals.
Option 1: Imagine you are a reporter, and write an interview with any character in the book, from any point in the book. Write the questions, and write what that character answered.
Option 2: Pick any character or creature from the book, and tell what happened to that person or creature after the book ended. (Please do NOT tell about The Lord of the Rings, if you have read it. Make something up!)
Option 3: Pretend you are any character in the book (except for Bilbo). Tell in the first person (using “I”) your own story, or something from the story from your point of view.
Option 4: Review The Hobbit as a book—what you liked, what you didn’t, etc.