Curriculum / ELA / 11th Grade / Unit 8: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest / Lesson 2

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Lesson 2

ELA

Unit 8

11th Grade

Lesson 2 of 37

Lesson Overview

Objective

Characterize and evaluate the reliability of the narrator.

Characterize the Big Nurse and explain her role in the novel.

Readings and Materials

Book: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey pp. 3–8

Lesson Notes

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Lesson Map

Lesson

Compare and contrast Dukakis and Kesey’s views on electroshock therapy.

Materials

“Kitty Dukakis”
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 69–189

Lesson

Characterize and evaluate the reliability of the narrator.

Characterize the Big Nurse and explain her role in the novel.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 3–8

Lesson

Characterize McMurphy based on his initial appearance on the ward.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 10–14

Lesson

Describe the social order amongst the men on the ward.

Characterize Billy Bibbit.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 15–19

Lesson

Describe the conflict between Harding and McMurphy.

Explain how the men on the ward view the narrator.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 20–26

Lesson

Explain the author’s use of structure to reveal theme.

Further characterize Nurse Ratched based on the author’s use of diction.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 28–35

Lesson

Explain the metaphor of The Combine using textual evidence.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 36–41

Lesson

Explain the impact of the “Therapeutic Community” on Pete Bancini.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 49–55
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Lesson

Evaluate the interaction between McMurphy and Harding based on dialogue and actions.

Identify and analyze an analogy used in the novel.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 55–62

Lesson

Determine McMurphy’s motivation behind his bet.

Explain how conflict reveals theme. Identify and analyze the allusion use in this excerpt.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 69–75
“Helen”
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Lesson

Analyze the impact of the “fog” on the narrator.
Explain how the music conflict further characterizes McMurphy.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 76–81
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Lesson

Explain how Bromden’s dream reveals theme.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 85–90

Lesson

Explain how the author builds theme through conflict.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 95–101

Lesson

Explain how the author uses conflict and diction to further characterize McMurphy and Nurse Ratched.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 105–113

Lesson

Explain the symbolism of the steel control panel.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 117–125
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Lesson

Explain how the fog can both protect and harm Bromden.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 130–137
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Lesson

Explain how Kesey and the author of the “The Yellow Wallpaper” each use conflict to develop theme.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 145–145
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
“The Yellow Wallpaper”

Lesson

Writing

Explain how the author of the “The Yellow Wallpaper” uses literary devices to develop theme.

Lesson

Explain the different claims about McMurphy among the staff.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 149–158

Lesson

Identify and explain the impact that McMurphy is having on Bromden.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 159–166
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

Lesson

Analyze the reasons for the change in McMurphy’s behavior.

Explain the connection between McMurphy’s breaking and Cheswick’s death.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 169–175

Lesson

Debate if the benefits of medication outweigh the side-effects.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 176–181
“Mental Health Medications”

Lesson

Describe the reasons behind the conflict between Harding and his wife.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 182–187
The Missing Kennedy pp. 63–73 — Rosemary’s surgery

Lesson

Debate the factors that keep the men in the ward.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 188–196

Lesson

Explain the purpose behind Bromden’s flashbacks.

Debate whether the Nurse or McMurphy is “winning” the battle by the end of Part 3.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 197–201

Lesson

Describe the growing conflict between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched.

Explain how Bromden’s past has impacted his current behavior.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 205–215
“Andrew Jackson’s Speech to Congress on 'Indian Removal'”

Lesson

Describe how McMurphy’s influence has changed Bromden.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 215–224

Lesson

Describe the conflict between Nurse Ratched and McMurphy.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 225–234

Lesson

Explain the shift in mood and the cause of this shift.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 234–241

Lesson

Explain what McMurphy’s laughter represents.

Analyze and explain the author’s use of figurative language to reveal theme.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 2241–250

Lesson

Explain the impact of rules and regulations on the boat vs. off of the boat.

Explain McMurphy’s motivation and plan for further rebellion.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 250–258

Lesson

Analyze and explain McMurphy and the Big Nurse’s motivations throughout this section of the text.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 261–270

Lesson

Explain the shift in power dynamics.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 276–283

Lesson

Explain the impact the treatments are having on both Bromden and McMurphy and how their response to treatment contributes to the overall conflict.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 289–298

Lesson

Explain how the events of the night have impacted the men.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest pp. 305–309

Lesson

Analyze and explain McMurphy’s final attempt to take down the Big Nurse and what this attempt symbolizes.

Materials

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest — 310-end

Lesson

Assessment

Content Assessment

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