Lesson Plan
"The Jersey Witches"
- unit of work for 11-12 year olds.
(Webmaster
says: thanks to Jerry Strachan in Hong Kong for this one)
If you try this scheme of
work please let me know what you thought of
it, and tell me of
any refinements you made.
Contact me at jerrystrachan@hotmail.com.
Have fun!
Aims
Explain that this Drama will start from a folk story which comes from the island of Jersey. Discuss what folk stories are and locate Jersey for the class. Explain that the Drama is set long ago in mediaeval times - what do we have now that they would not have had then? Each student makes a suggestion.
Whole group meeting - TIR as the village elder, who explains that in our village we have a very important festival each year to celebrate the harvest. Make a still picture of the villagers preparing for the harvest festival. Possible jobs for the festival - cooking, hunting, decoration, making tables, harvesting etc.
Bring the village to life to shopw the preparations.
Whole group meeting - TIR as the village elder, who explains that there is a rumour that there is a witch in the next village.
Tell the story -
There was once a Merchant
named John. He was a rich man, and he lived on the island of Jersey,
close to the capital, St. Helier. One day, as he was sitting down to his
breakfast there was a knock at his door. He was cross because whoever
it was was interrupting his breakfast. He went to the door and there
was a stranger who said,
“Please can you help me?
I need some food and a place to stay.” John replied angrily, “Certainly
not! I’m not a charity.” He slammed the door in the stranger’s
face, and went back to his breakfast.
He had just sat down, when
there came another knock at the door. “Not again!” he muttered
angrily. He opened the door and it was the stranger again, who said
“Please, you have a stable,
could I not rest there for a few hours?” “Go away!” shouted
John, and slammed the door again.
He finished his breakfast and got ready to go to the market in St. Helier. As he got on to his horse he realised that the stranger was watching him. As he stared back the stranger said, “John, you are a cruel man. Listen carefully. You will never reach the town of St. Helier again.” “Stuff and nonsense!” yelled John, and turning his horse around her headed off across the hills to St. Helier.
As he reached the top of the hil, he suddenly began to itch. It became worse and worse until he had to stop and scratch himself. Looking down he realised with horror that he was crawling with fleas! In panic he turned his horse around and raced back home and jumped in the bath. Then he realised that the fleas had all gone. “I must be imagining things,” he said to himself.
He got back on his horse and headed off for St. Helier again. As he reached the top of the hill he looked down at himself and saw that his whole body was crawling with maggots. They were all over him, seeming to come from under the skin. In horror and fear, his mind snapped. He jumped off his horse and ran wildly into the woods.
People say that John never did make it to St. Helier again, and instead of being known as John the Merchant he was ever after known as John the Madman. He spent the rest of his days wandering as a beggar around the island.
Stress the importance of not angering the gods by having anything go wrong with the festival - or we will go hungry for the next year. Everyone must be alert for any strangers in the village or omens. If they see a stranger they should inform the elder at once, and under no circumstances should they touch the stranger. Every one goes back to their preparations.
You may need to explain what a merchant is. Reflect briefly on the story. Explain that our drama will be set on the island at the time the story was first told.
Have one student change role to be the stranger - use a piece of black cloth over their head to signify this. Have them wander from group to group in role asking for food and shelter. When the villagers tell TIR that the stranger is present, be indecisive - what should we do? May be find out what the stranger wants?
Spotlight one family talking to the stranger.
We must decide quickly what
to do. Explain that in the village we have 2 doors - if we send the
stranger through this door, they will be certainly and immediately
killed. If we send the stranger through this door the stranger will be
welcomed and given shelter. We must decide this urgently. (Use
actual doors in the space, or set up chairs to show
the doors.)
Do this in role, seeing what happens - who will be persuading the stranger? It helps if this decision is taken quickly, with a strict time limit. Remember - don’t touch the stranger.
Make a still picture of the moment when the stranger goes through the door.
Verify what happened to the stranger.
Narrate - time passes and the festival goes off as planned. When, some weeks later......
If you killed the stranger.......................................
Choose a student to take over the role of elder and get the class to make a room in the elder’s house using furniture.
TIR as a very high status
soldier - carry a sword to signify this. He/she has been sent by
the king and is investigating the disappearance of a very important priest/ess,
who was expected at court but has not arrived. The soldier
has a brigade of soldiers on the hill overlooking the village. You need
to return to the brigade but will return in 5
minutes and you want to
know if the elder or the rest of the village know anything about this.
Allow time out for the elder to get advice on what to say.
Return in role. If the elder lies, have some incriminating evidence which disproves the lie e.g. a locket which belonged to the priest/ess.
The village must be punished - 8 villagers will go with the soldier to St. Helier for execution - who should go? Decide in discussion.
Still picture of the moment those who are sacrificed leave.
Homework - draw a monument which marks the passing of these 8.
If you saved the stranger................................
As above except that the
stranger was now a well known witch. The village is therefore guilty
of harbouring a witch. The locket becomes a witch-mark. The punishment
is the same.
Skills assessed in this unit