What are the guidelines for preparing the "Fighting with Windmills" lesson for 8th-grade students in Vietnam? What are the requirements regarding the writing process in the Literature curriculum for 8th-grade students in Vietnam?

What are the guidelines for preparing the "Fighting with Windmills" lesson for 8th-grade students in Vietnam?

1. Prepare the Lesson "Fighting with Windmills"

The excerpt "Fighting with Windmills" is part of the novel Don Quixote by the author Miguel de Cervantes, which tells of the adventure of the main character Don Quixote - a knight errant passionate about the ideal of conquering the good and fighting against evil. However, due to the influence of knightly books, Don Quixote became blinded to reality, seeing windmills as "giants" that needed to be fought. This is a very ironic situation, showcasing the humor and depth in the work.

Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616) is one of the greatest writers of Spanish and world literature. He is best known for his work Don Quixote, one of the greatest novels of Western literature. Cervantes lived a life full of ups and downs: he was a soldier, imprisoned for 5 years, and lived much of his life in poverty. Nonetheless, his rich life experiences helped him create literary works with profound human values, and Don Quixote is a testament to his finesse in depicting characters and situations.

2. Prepare the Lesson "Fighting with Windmills" Reading Comprehension:

* Answer the mid-lesson questions:

Question 1: What did the two characters discover and how did they perceive it?

The duo discovered thirty to forty windmills in the fields. Don Quixote saw them and thought they were "terrible giants." He confidently assumed he would fight and destroy them to become a hero, reaping great rewards. Meanwhile, his squire Sancho Panza realized they were merely windmills, but due to Don Quixote's stubbornness and delusion, Sancho couldn't persuade him otherwise.

Question 2: How did the event unfold? What were the consequences?

Don Quixote ignored Sancho's warnings and still rushed to "fight" the windmills. He used his lance to stab at the windmill blades, but due to the strong rotation of the blades, the lance broke, and both he and his horse Rocinante were thrown to the ground. The consequence was that Don Quixote got injured and fell, prompting Sancho to rush to aid him. Yet, Don Quixote refused to see his mistake, believing instead that a sorcerer had turned the "giants" into windmills.

Question 3: Imagine the facial expressions and gestures of Don Quixote and Sancho at this moment.

Don Quixote could have a face full of determination, confidence, possibly a bit of excitement, as he is imagining himself as a hero fighting against giants. His gestures would be vigorous as he brandishes his lance and urges Rocinante to charge at "the enemy." However, after the fall, he likely maintains his confident face and explains the situation according to his perspective.

Sancho might have a worried, puzzled expression mixed with some sarcasm since he had warned Don Quixote but couldn't prevent the mishap. His gestures while hurrying to rescue Don Quixote would show his confusion and disappointment.

Question 4: How do Don Quixote and Sancho view their injuries?

Don Quixote considers getting injured as an unavoidable part of knighthood, asserting that rogue knights must not groan when wounded. He accepts his injuries as part of the knightly profession.

Sancho, on the other hand, believes that even minor injuries cause pain, and he wouldn't hesitate to cry out if hurt. However, as a squire, he knows he must also act according to his role.

Question 5: Observe the thoughts and actions of the two characters.

Don Quixote always maintains his belief in his ideals, regardless of how different reality might be. He refuses to accept the truth pointed out by Sancho Panza about the windmills, continuing to act according to his delusions. This demonstrates his determination (though mistaken) and resilient character, a knight always ready to face challenges.

Sancho Panza is more grounded and calm, unable to prevent Don Quixote's actions. He feels concerned and tired of the dangerous and impractical adventures but remains loyal to his master despite their significant differences in thinking.

* Answer the post-lesson questions:

Question 1: Determine the main content of each part of the excerpt "Fighting with Windmills." Do you think this story is a single or multiple-line storyline? Why?

Main content:

- Initial part: Don Quixote discovers thirty or forty windmills and believes they are terrifying giants, ready to fight to protect his ideals.

- Middle part: Don Quixote decides to fight the windmills, despite Sancho Panza's warning. He suffers a humiliating defeat when his lance breaks, and he falls.

- Final part: After getting injured, Don Quixote doesn't see his mistake but instead rationalizes that a sorcerer transformed the "giants" into windmills to deceive him, while Sancho clearly sees the truth but remains loyal to his master.

- Storyline: This is a single-line storyline because the story revolves solely around Don Quixote's actions against the windmills, without any clear branching of situations, focusing mainly on the clash between illusion and reality.

Question 2: How does the author depict the characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza? List the characteristics of these two characters (appearance, thoughts, preferences, speech, and actions).

Don Quixote:

- Appearance: A tall, thin man, wearing old armor, riding a weak horse.

- Thoughts: He has noble ideals, always thinking of himself as a knight errant but lives in illusion, not fully aware of reality.

- Preferences: Enjoys reading knightly books, dreaming of battles against evil.

- Speech: Always strong, determined, confident in his ideals, though they may be mistaken.

- Actions: Vigorous and decisive actions according to his will, not heeding advice from others.

Sancho Panza:

- Appearance: A short, stocky man, usually riding a donkey, with a simple and honest demeanor.

- Thoughts: Level-headed, realistic, always viewing matters rationally, in stark contrast to Don Quixote's illusions.

- Preferences: Desires a peaceful life, enjoys eating and relaxing.

- Speech: Offers practical advice, sometimes humorously sarcastic towards Don Quixote, yet remains loyal.

- Actions: Loyal to his master, but always cautious and wise unlike Don Quixote.

Question 3: Why does Don Quixote fight the windmills? How does Sancho view the windmills differently than Don Quixote?

Don Quixote fights the windmills because he believes they are nefarious giants he must battle to uphold his knightly ideals. He lives in illusion and fails to recognize the truth.

Sancho clearly sees them as mere windmills, not giants. He has a realistic view, advising Don Quixote to stay away to avoid danger.

Question 4: What is your evaluation of the way the author constructs the characters Don Quixote and Sancho?

The author constructs Don Quixote as a character full of illusions, steadfast in his ideals but naive and brave. The contradiction between ideals and reality makes Don Quixote a pathetic yet comedic character.

Sancho is portrayed as practical, simple, wise, and loyal to Don Quixote. The differences between the two characters lead to humorous and profound situations, reflecting the conflicts in human and societal conditions.

Question 5: What do you think are the good and not-so-good aspects of Don Quixote's fervor to become a knight errant and his actions? Does the story aim to praise or criticize anything?

Good points: Don Quixote has noble ideals, always wanting to fight for the good and protect noble values. His loyalty and determination are commendable traits.

Not-so-good points: However, Don Quixote lives in illusion, failing to recognize his surrounding reality. His actions sometimes result in dangerous consequences for himself and others.

Praise or Criticism: The story not only praises noble ideals but also criticizes blindness and excessive fantasizing. The author wants to emphasize that ideals need to be grounded in reality, or they lead to failure and tragedy.

Question 6: The excerpt "Fighting with Windmills" evokes two lifestyles for the reader: idealistic and pragmatic. Which lifestyle do you think should be chosen? Why?

Idealistic lifestyle: Pursues ideals and beautiful aspirations, but if not clearly aware of reality, can lead to illusions and failures like Don Quixote.

Pragmatic lifestyle: Realistic, facing facts, not living in illusion, but may lack passion and ideals.

Which lifestyle should be chosen?: In my opinion, a balanced lifestyle between ideals and reality is the best choice. We can dream and pursue ideals but must also have a realistic view to adjust and act appropriately to circumstances.

Note: The content is for reference only!

What are the guidelines for preparing the "Fighting with Windmills" lesson for 8th-grade students in Vietnam? What are the requirements regarding the writing process in the Literature curriculum for 8th-grade students in Vietnam? (Image from Internet)

What are the requirements regarding the writing process in the Literature curriculum for 8th-grade students in Vietnam?

Under the General education program in Literature issued with Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the required outcomes regarding the writing process in the Literature curriculum for 8th-grade students in Vietnam are as follows:

- Preparation before writing (identifying the topic, purpose, reader, format, gathering information, materials);

- Finding ideas and outlining;

- Writing the article;

- Reviewing and revising, learning from experience.

What does the text corpus used for the 8th-grade Literature curriculum in Vietnam include?

Under subsection 2 Section 5 of the General Education Program for Literature issued under Circular 32/2018/TT-BGDDT, the text corpus used for the 8th-grade Literature curriculum in Vietnam includes:

(1) Literary texts:

- Humorous stories, short stories, historical stories;

- Satirical poems, seven-word octave poems, quatrain poems of the Tang style; six and seven-word poems;

- Comedy.

(2) Argumentative texts:

- Social argumentation;

- Literary argumentation.

(3) Informative texts:

- Texts explaining a natural phenomenon, texts introducing a book;

- Petition texts.