1. Lesson 11: How Has Charlie Changed?
About this lesson
Students read Progress Reports 4-8 of “Flowers for Algernon” and analyze Charlie’s character and the author’s use of irony to develop meaning.

2. We wrote and defended a claim about the usefulness of projective tests for determining Charlie’s suitability for the experiment.
Let’s Review!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~1 minute
Directions:
Briefly review the previous learning.

3. Read Progress Reports 4-8 of “Flowers for Algernon.”
Today we will:
Read Progress Reports 4-8 of “Flowers for Algernon.”
Record details about Charlie’s character before and after the surgery.
Let’s Prepare!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~1 minute
Directions:
Read the slide.
Briefly explain how this lesson prepares students for another lesson and/or the end-of-unit assessments.
Throughout the lesson, compare students’ responses and work to the student look-fors. Determine the students who need additional support with reading, understanding, or expressing their understanding of complex, grade-level texts. During this lesson or before the next lesson, support those students individually or in a small group using the Additional Supports for Diverse Learners.

4. “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes
You will need:
“Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes
Sticky notes
The before/after surgery chart
Your reading log
Let’s Prepare!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 5 minutes
Directions:
Distribute the text.
Access and distribute the before/after surgery chart handout and sticky notes.
Ask students to locate their reading log.

5. How does the surgery change Charlie?
How do the author’s choices contribute to your understanding
of the impact of the surgery on Charlie?
Let’s Discuss!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 6 minutes
Directions:
Say: “At the end of this section of lessons, we are going to conduct a Socratic seminar to answer the questions on this slide. As we continue to read and engage in our tasks over the next few lessons, your task is to consider how the information you are gathering helps you answer the questions on the slide. Before we continue reading in ‘Flowers for Algernon,’ let’s brainstorm what we need to know to be able to answer these questions. In your reading log, create a quick list of questions you have about the questions on the slide.”
Give students 2 minutes to write their questions in their reading log.
Start the brainstorm by asking a student to share a question they have about the questions on the slide.
On the board or chart paper, write the questions students have about the questions on the slide.
Conclude the discussion by directing students to update their questions based on the discussion.
Over the next few lessons, encourage students to review/answer their questions as a way to evaluate their readiness for the Socratic seminar.
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
If students are having trouble coming up with questions similar to the Student Look-Fors:
Ask: “What do you need to know to answer the question: How does the surgery change Charlie?”
Prompt students to orally dictate a list of what they will need to know to be able to answer the questions on the slide (e.g., “I need to know why Charlie changed and what made him change.”) Write the list of ideas as statements. Then prompt the students to turn those statements into questions. As needed, model how to turn a statement into a question.
Student Look-Fors:
Possible questions that students can pose:
What surgery or operation does Charlie have?
Why does it change Charlie?
Did Charlie want to change?
What did Charlie want to get out of the operation?
Did Charlie get what he wanted?
What happened to Charlie as a result of the operation?
Is he happier after the surgery?
What are choices an author makes?
How do the author’s choices affect me?
What does “contribute to your understanding” mean?
How did Charlie’s changes impact him?

6. Follow along as I read aloud Progress Report 4 from “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes.
Mark with a sticky note the opinions each character presents about Charlie.
On each sticky note, write the character’s name and the claim about Charlie.
Let’s Read!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 4 minutes
Directions:
Say: “I’m going to read aloud Progress Report 4 from ‘Flowers for Algernon.’ As I read, mark with a sticky note the different opinions each character presents about Charlie. On the note, write the character’s name and the character’s claim about Charlie.”
Read aloud Progress Report 4 as students follow along.
Stop at various moments to prompt students to add a sticky note and write the character’s name and claim about Charlie.
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
As needed, remind students that a claim is an assertion or statement of belief.
During the read aloud, provide a synonym or student-friendly definition for difficult words. For example, when reading, “He said I had a good motor-vation” say, “He said I had a good motor-vation or motivation, which is a drive or reason to do something. Charlie’s motivation for going to night school is being smart.” Possible words for this section:
motivation: drive or reason to do something
breed: type or kind
Student Look-Fors:
Students should mark the following claims for the various characters.
Miss Kinnian thinks Charlie is well-suited for the operation. She recommends him out of all the people she is teaching.
Dr. Nemur is unsure about using Charlie for the operation. He doesn’t think Charlie is the right fit.
Dr. Strauss recommends Charlie for the operation. He thinks Charlie has motivation and is willing to learn.

7. Claim(s) About Charlie
What claim does each character make about Charlie’s suitability for the surgery?
Character
Claim(s) About Charlie
Miss Kinnian
Dr. Nemur
Dr. Strauss
Let’s Discuss!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 8 minutes
Directions:
Conduct a whole-class discussion to determine the claims that each character makes about Charlie’s suitability for the surgery.
Establish norms for the discussion and identify that you will be looking for students to provide relevant evidence to support each claim.
Start the discussion by asking the question on the slide: “What claim does each character make about Charlie’s suitability for the surgery?”
Use teacher talk moves so students clearly express their ideas (Goal One), listen carefully to understand others’ ideas (Goal Two), provide evidence to support their claims (Goal Three), and establish new ways of thinking (Goal Four).
Prompt students to use the conversation stems learning tool during the discussion.
As students share the claims and evidence, fill out a class anchor chart similar to the one of the slide.
Conclude the discussion by asking students to discuss the question: “What are the likely results of Charlie’s operation?”
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
If students are not identifying the claims each character makes about Charlie:
Ask: “Which sentences from the text show <CHARACTER’S NAME> speaking about Charlie?”
Ask: “What does <CHARACTER’S NAME> mean when he/she says _____?”
Ask: “Does <CHARACTER’S NAME> think Charlie should have the surgery? How do you know?”
Ask: “What evidence does <CHARACTER’S NAME> use to support his/her claim?”
As needed, point out that the inclusion of the experiment/operation helps to classify “Flowers for Algernon” as science fiction. Say: “While performing an operation to increase a person’s intelligence seems plausible or believable because it is based on science that is realistic (i.e., brain surgery), it is not actually possible. This is also one of the key features of the science fiction genre. That is, the text contains elements (often futuristic) based on science that seem possible, but they are not currently real. This is also what separates the science fiction genre from the fantasy genre. Fantasy contains elements which are not based on and cannot be explained by science, such as magic. Science fiction always includes elements which are scientifically plausible even though they are not currently possible.”
Student Look-Fors:
Ensure that students not only identify the claim(s) each character makes, but also provide textual evidence to support each claim.
Character: Miss Kinnian
Claim(s): Miss Kinnian thinks Charlie is well-suited for the operation. She recommends him out of all the people she is teaching.
Evidence: “...Dr Strauss told him Miss Kinnian rekemmended me the best from all the people who she was teaching.”
Character: Dr. Nemur
Claim(s): Dr. Nemur is unsure about using Charlie for the experiment. He doesn’t think Charlie is the right fit.
Evidence: “He (Dr. Strauss) said Dr Nemur I know Charlie is not what you had in mind as the first of your new brede of intelek (coudnt get the word) superman.”
Character: Dr. Strauss
Claim(s): Dr. Strauss recommends Charlie for the experiment. He thinks Charlie has motivation and is willing to learn.
Evidence: “Dr Strauss said I had something that was very good. He said I had a good motor-vation.”
Evidence: Dr. Strauss says, “He has a good natcher hes intristed and eager to please.”
Students should also understand that if Charlie participates in the experiment, he will likely be the first human being to have his intelligence tripled by surgery.

8. Add information to the before/after surgery chart.
Include details from the class claims chart, our conversation, and Progress Reports 1-4 of “Flowers for Algernon.”
Let’s Practice!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 8 minutes
Directions:
Ask: “What do we learn about Charlie from the claims each character makes about him?”
Direct students to write their answers on the before/after surgery chart.
Prompt them to include evidence from the class claims chart, the discussion about the claims, and the first four progress reports of the text on their before/after surgery chart.
Ensure students include details from Progress Reports 1-4 on their before/after surgery chart.
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
As needed, direct students to work in pairs.
If students are not completing the before/after surgery chart with answers similar to the Student Look-Fors:
Ask: “Where is Charlie when the doctors are speaking about him in Progress Report 4? What do the doctors think about Charlie? How do you know?” Ask students to explain what this reveals about Charlie before the surgery.
Then direct students to record the example on their before/after surgery chart handout along with their inferences about Charlie. As needed, model how to record the examples and inferences on the before/after surgery chart handout.
Ask: “What is the significance of Charlie’s statement, ‘After the operashun Im gonna try to be smart. Im gonna try awful hard?’ Can you ‘try to be’ smart? What does this reveal about Charlie?” Ask students to explain what this reveals about Charlie before the surgery.
Write a claim in the first row, second column. Use a claim from the completed before/after surgery chart handout.
Then prompt students to direct you in locating relevant evidence.
Ask: “How do I know this about Charlie? What does that quotation from the text mean? Does this quotation show that Charlie <READ THE CLAIM>?”
As you model locating evidence, emphasize what makes the evidence relevant (e.g., it directly relates to the claim, you can clearly explain the connections between the quotation and the claim, etc.).
Student Look-Fors:
Access the completed before/after surgery chart handout.
Students should understand that when he says, “After the operashun Im gonna try to be smart. Im gonna try awful hard,” it shows that Charlie is so determined to become smart, he will work extra hard after the surgery. What Charlie doesn’t understand, though, is that some people can’t “become smart” just by working hard. When the doctors talk about Charlie, he is in the room with him. They speak in front of him like he isn’t there, so we can assume that the doctors don’t think Charlie will understand what they are talking about. They feel comfortable speaking about his low intellect without offending him. That said, despite Charlie’s low mental ability, he is eager to learn and wants more than anything to be smart. Charlie is really motivated and a hard worker. Miss Kinnian and Dr. Strauss are both impressed by Charlie’s motivation.

9. Read Progress Reports 5-8 independently.
Continue adding to the before/after surgery chart while you read.
Let’s Read!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 10 minutes
Directions:
Say: “Let’s learn more about Charlie before and after the surgery.”
Direct students to read Progress Reports 5-8 independently and continue adding to their before/after surgery chart while they read.
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
As needed, let students continue to work in pairs.
If students need support reading the text, pair students with different reading abilities together to engage in paired/partner reading or pull together a small group of students to engage in choral reading or echo reading.
If students are not completing the before/after surgery chart with answers similar to the Student Look-Fors:
Give students evidence from Progress Reports 5-8. Use examples from the completed before/after surgery chart handout. Ask them to describe what that evidence reveals about Charlie.
Then direct them to record the evidence on their before/after surgery chart handout along with their inferences about Charlie. As needed, model how to record the evidence and inferences on the before/after surgery chart handout.
Model how to locate evidence by writing a claim in the first row, second column. Use a claim from the completed before/after surgery chart handout.
Then prompt students to direct you in locating relevant evidence. Ask: “How do I know this about Charlie? What does that quotation from the text mean? Does this quotation show that Charlie <READ THE CLAIM>?”
As you model locating evidence, emphasize what makes the evidence relevant (e.g., it directly relates to the claim, you can clearly explain the connections between the quotation and the claim, etc.).
Student Look-Fors:
Access the completed before/after surgery chart handout.

10. Complete the following task in your reading log.
Select a quotation or describe an event from Progress Reports 5-8 of “Flowers for Algernon.”
Describe in 1-3 sentences what the quotation or description reveals about Charlie’s understanding of what it means to be smart.
EXIT
TICKET
Let’s Express Our Understanding!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~ 8 minutes
Directions:
Model how to select a quotation or describe an event and then orally describe how it shows what Charlie thinks, learns, or questions about intelligence. Use one of the Student Look-Fors as the model.
Then direct students to select another quotation or describe another event from Progress Reports 5-8 of “Flowers for Algernon” and describe in 1-3 sentences how the quotation or description shows what Charlie thinks, learns, or questions about intelligence.
As needed, have students complete this task for homework.
Possible Supports During the Lesson:
If students are not writing responses similar to the Student Look-Fors:
Give students the quotations and/or descriptions of events from the Student Look-Fors. Ask them to select one to complete the task.
Give students one or more of the following answer frames to complete the task.
Event: Charlie’s writing improves. Answer Frame: Following the surgery, ____. Even though Charlie learns ____, we can tell by his writing that ____.
Quotation: Dr. Strauss tells Charlie not to “get [discouraged] because it takes time and it [happens] slow.” Answer Frame: This quotation reveals that even though he doesn’t realize it at first, Charlie ____. Charlie learns ____.
Event: Charlie has surgery to triple his intelligence. Answer Frame: After the surgery, ____. Charlie’s doctor tells hims that while ____.
Student Look-Fors:
There are several acceptable answers. For example:
Following the surgery, it takes time for Charlie to become smart. Even though Charlie learns that people do not become smart overnight, we can tell by his writing that he is able to learn at much faster rate than before.
Dr. Strauss tells Charlie not to “get [discouraged] because it takes time and it [happens] slow.” This quotation reveals that even though he doesn’t realize it at first, Charlie is becoming smarter. Charlie learns that people do not become smart instantly.
Charlie Gordon has an operation to triple his intelligence. After the surgery, Charlie wonders if the surgery worked because he doesn’t think he looks any smarter. Charlie’s doctor tells him that while he doesn’t notice it yet, he is getting smarter.
Charlie wonders, “If you can get smart when [you’re] sleeping why do people go to school?” In this quotation, Charlie questions whether having intelligence is something you just have or something you can earn by trying hard.
Charlie wonders, “I [used] to watch the late show and the late late show on TV all the time and it never made me smart.” In this quotation, Charlie questions whether having intelligence is something you just have or something you can earn by trying hard.
Charlie says, “If the [operation] works [I’ll] show that mouse I can be as smart as he is. Maybe smarter. Then [I’ll] be [able] to read better and spell the words good and know lots of things and be like other people. I want to be smart like other people.” This quotation reveals that Charlie thinks being smart means spelling well and knowing lots of things. He does not think he is smart and he thinks other people are smart.
Charlie writes, “I got a headache from trying to think so much.” Charlie thinks intelligence is something you do, like thinking.

11. In this lesson, you learned more about Charlie Gordon before and after the surgery.
You also analyzed how claims made by several characters in “Flowers for Algernon” reveal aspects of Charlie’s character.
Let’s Close!
Teaching Notes
Suggested Pacing: ~1 minute
Directions:
Read this slide