El ciclo de la herencia n.° 1: Eragon de Christopher Paolini - Estudio de novela de fantasía

In this 6 week course, students will explore the world of Alagaësia, home to dragons, elves, dwarves, and men. "When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

"Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds." Cited provided at the bottom of the description!

As we go through the class, students will have the chance to explore the magical world of Alagaësia where dragons, elves, dwarves, and men live together among other creatures of the universe. Paolini writes a gripping story of daring and intrigue, action and adventure. Eragon is the unlikely hero who must travel across the universe to save his own life and the lives of Alagaësia. During this course, students will have the opportunity to read the novel, discuss important parts of it, explore maps and cultures, study language, and work through complex characters in a complex and exciting plot! The schedule below showcases the activities that we will have the opportunity to go over, and students will have a choice in many of the activities as we complete our novel study. 

Weekly Schedule:
Week One, Day One:
     - Introductions and Welcome
     - Movie Trailer and Discussion of Impressions
          - Movie Reviews to Book Reviews
     - Materials Set Up and Class Organization
     - Welcome Activity with the Prologue
Week One, Day Two:
     - Introduction to Characters Discussion and Sheet
     - Mapping Alagaësia 
     - Creatures of Alagaësia
     - Create Your Own Dragon Egg!
Week Two, Day One:
     - Coming of Age (Changes in Character)
     - Raising Your Own Dragon (Creating a Dragon Activity)
Week Two, Day Two:
     - Weaponry of Alagaësia
     - The Meaning of History and Storytelling
     - The Ra'zac, Enemies of the Peoples of Alagaësia
Week Three, Day One:
     - Mapping Alagaësia 
     - Limitations of Magic and the Magical World
     - The Role of Mentors for Adolescents and Teenagers
Week Three, Day Two:
     - Picking up Clues in a Mystery
     - Developing Relationships (Saphira and Eragon and Brom)
Week Four, Day One:
     - Races of Alagaësia (Creating a Werecat Activity)
     - Prophesies and Casting Bones (Fortunetelling)
     - History and Friendshps of Alagaësia and the Varden
     - The Major Plot and Conflict is Fully Introduced
     - Riddles and Puns
Week Four, Day Two:
     - A Battle of the Minds
     - The Worshippers of Helgrind (Differing Fantasy Cultures)
Week Five, Day One:
     - Races of Alagaësia (Designing an Elf Activity)
     - Burial Rites and Rituals
     - Plotting a Way Out (Maps of Alagaësia)
Week Five, Day Two:
     - Plot Twists, Suspense, and Surprises
     - The Foresworn and Enemies of the Varden
Week Six, Day One:
     - Tronjehim and its Rose Star
     - Races of Alagaësia (Designing a Dwarf Activity)
     - Gems, Stones, and Treasures of the Dwarves
     - The Varden (Government, People, and Blessings)
Week Six, Day Two:
     - The Final Battle
     - Dueling a Shade and its Consequences
     - Cliffhangers and Predictions

Here is a list of major activities that we will complete in class: mapping, character charts, symbolism, histories and timelines, a study of language, unique cultures and histories of the people of Alagaësia, movie to novel comparisons, mini-games, character design, dragon care, city and escape designs, literary device analysis, discussion, writing, and more!

Paolini, Christopher. Eragon. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 2002, pp. 1-497.