Activities

1. Identify an important historical event that takes place within the text.
   
   
2. What clues from the text give you hints about what the world was like in the setting of the literary text?

3. Identify some of the references to history that are mentioned in the text and why those references (allusions) are important to the story.
   
   
4. Based on your knowledge of the historical period, predict what might happen in this literary text.

5. Compare one event mentioned in the literary text with your knowledge of the historical period.
   
   
6. Analyze how the author of the text chose to maintain common knowledge about the historical period or chose to change certain events in the literary text.

Answer Key/Rubric

1. Student correctly identifies a historical event that takes place within the text or around which the text is centered.  Students may need some background knowledge depending on the historical event.  This can be done in terms of a brief lecture on the events or a media representation of the period.  Students can also brainstorm what they know about the particular event and then instruction can center on the missing components of the group’s brainstorming.
   
   
2. Student correctly identifies historical references (allusions) as they appear in the text.  If they miss some references, instruction can occur on the importance of those allusions.
   
   
3. Student demonstrates an understanding of allusions and how these references add much meaning to the text without the author going into great detail.  An allusion assumes most people know enough about the reference to “fill in the blanks”.  If students miss the importance of allusion, this can be an excellent opportunity for teachers to explain the significance.
   
   
4. Student demonstrates an understanding of the historical period and also of the plot, character, and conflict of the literary piece to make educated guesses about what might happen next.  This will also rely on their knowledge of how closely the author sticks to actual documented historical events.
   
   
5. Student will be able to compare one event that occurs in the literary text with their knowledge of the historical period.  Alternately, students can research the historical event and then compare this information with the way the event is document in the literary text. 
   
   
6. Student analyzes the author’s choice of maintaining the historical event as it is represented in texts or how the author chooses to alter that depiction.  In the analysis, the student will discuss why the author made those choices and will discuss the effect on the text.