Watership Down: Warrior Rabbits Fighting to Survive
When you first look at Watership Down by Richard Adams you might think of cuddly bunnies, but you soon realize this is a study of different societies, rabbits battling for survival, and a novel rich in folklore.
Amber Couch, M. Library Science
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(15)
What's included
7 live meetings
7 in-class hoursClass Experience
Watership Down by Richard Adams may seem like an adventure novel about a group of rabbits travelling across England in search of their new warren. However it is so much more than that. Many themes can be tied to it, including the hero’s journey similar to Homer’s Odysseus or Tolkein’s Bilbo Baggins. It looks at humanity, leadership, and fear. Many scholars have equated each of the rabbit warrens to a different political system. And throughout the novel, we learn of the rabbits’ own rich mythology told through storytelling. Week One: Introduce the book, talk about different societies and the pros/cons of each, and learn about the real locations found in the book. Week Two: Talk about class structure, leadership styles, and make predictions. Week Three: Discuss the theme of humanity, and which is more important to the warren: leadership or being prepared, discuss the Greek mythology of Cassandra. Week Four: The use of folklore throughout the story, the representation of women in the novel (or lack thereof). Week Five: Compare and contrast the different warrens visited as this point and relate them to modern societies. Week Six: Discuss how police states work and their effect in the novel and the world. Week Seven: Discuss the different leadership styles throughout the novel, the theme of humanity, and the students share the perfect warrens they created.
Learning Goals
The student will be able to analyze information and form questions, make interpretations, explanations, and consider alternate perspectives.
The student will be able to cite textual evidence to support their analysis of and make inferences drawn from the text.
The student will be able to figure out a theme and follow its development over the course of the novel, giving specific examples to support this.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
This is no simple book about bunnies. These rabbits battle each other and go to war. Common Sense Media does have this to say: “Several fights and one intense siege occur; a major character is shot, a supporting character has been tortured, and others are injured by hostile rabbits. The rabbits are attacked and menaced by other animals and by hostile rabbits.”
Supply List
Watership Down by Richard Adams https://www.amazon.com/Watership-Down-Novel-Richard-Adams/dp/1982117591/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1612203557&sr=8-1 All other materials will be provided by the teacher.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Sources
Watership Down by Richard Adams
https://www.amazon.com/Watership-Down-Novel-Richard-Adams/dp/1982117591/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1612203557&sr=8-1
All other materials will be provided by the teacher.
Joined December, 2020
4.9
15reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
My name is Amber Couch. I have been working in education for almost two decades as a homeschool English teacher, a middle and high school librarian, and an elementary teacher. I am a graduate of Nevada State College with a Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education and a Masters of Science in Library Science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
The best part of my job is helping students find their next favorite book. It brings me great joy to talk about books with kids, teachers, or parents. I can talk magic schools, dragons, space odysseys, love triangles, and tragic teenage angst all day. All my English lessons start with a novel, and are supported with articles, websites, virtual field trips, and cross-curricular units that delve into history, science, anthropology, and even astronomy.Reviews
Live Group Class
$85
for 7 classes1x per week, 7 weeks
60 min
Completed by 4 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 14-18
2-10 learners per class
