Activity 6.1 - 6.3

Vocabulary Study for “The Machine Stops”

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Have you visited the vomitory? Have you ever behaved sedulously? Are you subject to atavism? The work you are about to read, “The Machine Stops” by E.M. Forster, is rife with uncommon language. You need to know some of these words in order to understand the story. But, further, why would Forster use these words? What do they achieve that a simpler, more common expression would not? Your task in this lesson is to explore the language you’ll encounter, focusing on meaning as well as tone and aesthetic impact.

Benchmark:

11.4.4.4 - Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone

Learning Target

I can evaluate language and word choice in terms of how it is used to convey meaning, tone and aesthetic impact in a text.

Essential Question

How are language and word choice used in “The Machine Stops” to create tone and aesthetic impact?

What you’ll need

Internet access

Approximately 2-3 class periods

Resources

Interactive Vocabulary Packet

Tone and Mood Sheet

Activity 6.1

STEP 1:

Working in a collaborative group, you will become expert on a cluster of words in the packet; the words will be assigned to you. Refer to the Idea List (in the packet) for ways you can engage in activities to deepen your knowledge of each new word. Record your group’s work on the Word Analysis Record (in the packet). Refer to the Tone and Mood Sheet to obtain ideas for how to explore the tone or aesthetic impact each word creates.

STEP 2:

Collaboratively, develop a creative presentation of your group’s words. Your representation must communicate the meaning, the part of speech, and tone or aesthetic impact. Your representation can be a poster, skit, game, poem or anything that you think could accurately convey the meaning of the word in a way that will help your classmates remember it.

Please note: a copy of your project must be posted to the discussion forum and your own e-Portfolio, so be sure that you create something that can be filmed, photographed, recorded and able to be uploaded/embedded.