Learning more about Holden Caulfield's worldview and state of mind is an integral part of understanding J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. A thorough packet of materials pertaining to the unit allow learners to build prior knowledge about the 1940's, track important concepts during reading, and choose between a cumulative scrapbook project or writing prompt.

Concepts

the catcher in the rye, j.d. salinger, reading comprehension, literary analysis, literary themes, character maps, symbolism

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Use the study guide questions as checks for understanding for daily reading, or as quick warm-ups during the novel unit
• Incorporate the literary theme worksheets into a daily reading journal

Classroom Considerations

• Historical context mentions the abortion rate in 1945; be sure that members of the class can discuss these issues in a mature and supportive way, or consider eliminating this part of the packet if it's not appropriate for the classroom, as it is not relevant to the study of the book
• Resource is created and formatted for a particular classroom, and may be more effective if tailored to the needs of your own learners
• Project and writing ideas are complex and are more appropriate for advanced learners or in conjunction with more scaffolding and support

Pros

• Provides helpful resources for the novel unit, including a list of symbols, a character map, and a template for noting evidence to support literary themes
• Includes a link to the opening of David Copperfield to provide context to Holden's disdain for the work

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.11-12.1 RL.11-12.2 RL.11-12.6 RL.11-12.9 SL.11-12.3