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TEACHER’S PET PUBLICATIONS

LITPLAN TEACHER PACK™

for
The Alchemist
based on the book by
Paulo Coelho

Written by
Susan R. Woodward

© 2008 Teacher’s Pet Publications

All Rights Reserved

ISBN 978-1-60249-446-6
Item No. 306479
 TABLE OF CONTENTS - The Alchemist

Introduction 7
Unit Objectives 9
Reading Assignment Sheet 10
Unit Outline 11
Study Questions (Short Answer) 15
Quiz/Study Questions (Multiple Choice) 25
Pre-reading Vocabulary Worksheets 45
Lesson One (Introductory Lesson) 65
Non-fiction Assignment Sheet 87
Oral Reading Evaluation Form 80
Writing Assignment 1 82
Writing Assignment 2 91
Writing Assignment 3 108
Writing Evaluation Form 84
Vocabulary Review Activities 96
Extra Writing Assignments/Discussion ?s 100
Unit Review Activities 111
Unit Tests 117
Unit Resource Materials 179
Vocabulary Resource Materials 199
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho was born August 24, 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Pedro Queima Coelho de
Souza and his wife, Lygia. Coelho's parents did not share in their son's dream of becoming a
writer, and even went so far as to have him twice institutionalized in a mental hospital for
attempting to pursue his dream. The treatment in the hospital did nothing to make Coelho
conform to his parents' wishes; in fact, he became rebellious. He got involved with the hippie
movement in the 1960's as it spread through Brazil, embracing progressive politics and joining
the peace and love generation. His creative explorations led him to the theatre, to journalism
where he published an alternative magazine called 2001, and to the Brazilian rock scene where he
wrote lyrics for famous Brazilian singers such as Raul Seixas, Elis Regina, and Rita Lee.

His involvement in the hippie movement led Coelho to explore various types of mysticism and
spirituality. He was highly influenced by the works of Aleister Crowley, and even joined an
organization known as the Alternative society, which defended the individual's right to free
expression. After being detained, questioned and tortured by a group of paramilitaries, Coelho
decided to tame his radical behaviors. A chance meeting with a stranger in Amsterdam led Coelho
to turn his life toward Catholicism and to walk the medieval pilgrim's route, the road to the
Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. This route across northern Spain is known as St. James's
Way. This experience was recreated in his book The Pilgrimage: Diary of Magus (1987).

In 1988, Coelho wrote The Alchemist, based on Tale of Two Dreamers by Jorge Luis Borges,
which was originally based on a tale from The Thousand and One Arabian Nights. Coelho's novel
did not receive much critical acclaim, however, and the first edition only sold about nine hundred
copies. When the publishing company decided not to reprint, Coelho refused to give up on the
work, and signed with another publishing company. The Alchemist has since sold more copies
than any other novel in Brazilian literary history.

Paulo Coelho and his wife, Christina, live in Rio do Janeiro where he serves as a member of the
Board of the Shimon Peres Institute for Peace, a special counselor for the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for "Intercultural Dialogues
and Spiritual Convergences," a board member of the Schwab Foundation for Social
Entrepreneurship, and a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters.

Major Works
Hell Archives (1982)
Practical Manuel of Vampirism (1986)
The Pilgrimage (1987)
The Alchemist (1988)
Brida (1990)
The Gift (1991)
The Valkyries (1992)
Maktub (1994)
By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept (1994)
The Fifth Mountain (1996)
The Manual of the Warrior of Light (1997)
Veronika Decides to Die (1998)
The Devil and Miss Prym (2000)
Fathers, Sons and Grandsons (2001)
Eleven Minutes (2003)

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The Genie and the Roses (2004)
The Zahir (2005)
Like the Flowing River (2006)
The Witch of Portabello (2007)

5
 INTRODUCTION The Alchemist

This LitPlan has been designed to develop students' reading, writing, thinking, and language skills
through exercises and activities related to The Alchemist. It includes nineteen lessons, supported by
extra resource materials.

The introductory lesson invites students, through Langston Hughes's poem"A Dream Deferred,"
to contemplate what happens when dreams are put off. Students will also discuss the tale of
Narcissus from Greek mythology in preparation for understanding the novel's Prologue. Following
the introductory activity, students are given a transition to explain how the activity relates to the
book they are about to read. Following the transition, students are given the materials they will be
using during the unit. At the end of the lesson, students begin the pre-reading work for the first
reading assignment.

The reading assignments are approximately thirty pages each; some are a little shorter while others
are a little longer. Students have approximately 15 minutes of pre-reading work to do prior to each
reading assignment. This pre-reading work involves reviewing the study questions for the
assignment and doing some vocabulary work for selected vocabulary words they will encounter in
their reading.

The study guide questions are fact-based questions; students can find the answers to these questions
right in the text. These questions come in two formats: short answer or multiple choice. The best use
of these materials is probably to use the short answer version of the questions as study guides for
students (since answers will be more complete), and to use the multiple choice version for
occasional quizzes.

The vocabulary work is intended to enrich students' vocabularies as well as to aid in the students'
understanding of the book. Prior to each reading assignment, students will complete a two-part
worksheet for selected vocabulary words in the upcoming reading assignment. Part I focuses on
students' use of general knowledge and contextual clues by giving the sentence in which the word
appears in the text. Students are then to write down what they think the words mean based on the
words' usage. Part II nails down the definitions of the words by giving students dictionary definitions
of the words and having students match the words to the correct definitions based on the words'
contextual usage. Students should then have an understanding of the words when they meet them
in the text.
After each reading assignment, students will go back and formulate answers for the study guide
questions. Discussion of these questions serves as a review of the most important events and ideas
presented in the reading assignments.

After students complete reading the work, there is a vocabulary review lesson which pulls together
all of the fragmented vocabulary lists for the reading assignments and gives students a review of all
of the words they have studied.

Following the vocabulary review, a lesson is devoted to the extra discussion questions/writing
assignments. These questions focus on interpretation, critical analysis, and personal response,
employing a variety of thinking skills and adding to the students' understanding of the novel.

6
There are three writing assignments in this unit, each with the purpose of informing, persuading,
or having students express personal opinions. Students will read a companion piece related to the
Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life and research alchemical concepts. They will give a
presentation on their companion pieces and relate to The Alchemist. Students will create character
journals. Students will select a quotation and write a persuasive essay about how the quotation
relates to ideas presented in The Alchemist.

There is a non-fiction reading assignment. Students must read non-fiction articles, books, etc. to
gather information about various forms of divination (tarot, i-ching, runes, etc.).

The review lesson pulls together all of the aspects of the unit. The teacher is given four or five
choices of activities or games to use which all serve the same basic function of reviewing all of the
information presented in the unit.

The unit test comes in two formats: multiple choice or short answer. As a convenience, two
different tests for each format have been included. There is also an advanced short answer unit test
for advanced students.

There are additional support materials included with this unit. The Unit Resource Materials
section includes suggestions for an in-class library, crossword and word search puzzles related to
the novel, and extra worksheets. There is a list of bulletin board ideas which gives the teacher
suggestions for bulletin boards to go along with this unit. In addition, there is a list of extra class
activities the teacher could choose from to enhance the unit or as a substitution for an exercise the
teacher might feel is inappropriate for his/her class. Answer keys are located directly after the
reproducible student materials throughout the unit. The Vocabulary Resource Materials section
includes similar worksheets and games to reinforce the vocabulary words.

The level of this unit can be varied depending upon the criteria on which the individual assignments
are graded, the teacher's expectations of his/her students in class discussions, and the formats chosen
for the study guides, quizzes and test. If teachers have other ideas/activities they wish to use, they
can usually easily be inserted prior to the review lesson.
The student materials may be reproduced for use in the teacher's classroom without infringement
of copyrights. No other portion of this unit may be reproduced without the written consent of
Teacher's Pet Publications, Inc.

7
 UNIT OBJECTIVES The Alchemist

1. Through reading Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, students will work both
independently and in cooperative groups.
2. Students will demonstrate their understanding of the text on four levels: factual,
interpretive, critical, and personal.
3. Students will explore the themes of following one's dreams, individuality, and love.
4. Students will be given the opportunity to practice reading aloud and silently to
improve their skills in each area.
5. Students will answer questions to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding
of the main events and characters in The Alchemist as they relate to the author's
theme development.
6. Students will enrich their vocabularies and improve their understanding of the novel
through the vocabulary lessons prepared for use in conjunction with the novel.
7. The writing assignments in this unit are geared to several purposes:
a. To check the students' reading comprehension
b. To make students think about the ideas presented by the novel
c. To encourage logical thinking
d. To provide an opportunity to practice good grammar and improve students' use of
the English language
e. To have students demonstrate their abilities to inform, to persuade, or to express
their own personal ideas
Note: Students will demonstrate the ability to write effectively to inform by
developing and organizing facts to convey information. Students will demonstrate
the ability to write effectively to persuade by selecting and organizing relevant
information, establishing an argumentative purpose, and by designing an appropriate
strategy for an identified audience. Students will demonstrate the ability to write
effectively to express personal ideas by selecting a form and its appropriate
elements.
8. Students will read aloud, report, and participate in large and small group discussions
to improve their public speaking and personal interaction skills.

8
 READING ASSIGNMENTS The Alchemist

Date Assigned Assignment Completion Date

Assignment 1
Prologue & Part One through "And he vanished around the
corner of the plaza."
Assignment 2
"The boy began again to read his book" to the end of Part
One
Assignment 3
Beginning of Part Two to "I don't even know what alchemy
is," the boy was saying, when the warehouse boss called
them to come inside."
Assignment 4
"I'm the leader of the caravan" through "The boy thought of
Fatima. And he decided he would go to see the chiefs of the
tribes."
Assignment 5
"The boy approached the guard" through "'We'll leave
tomorrow before sunrise,' was the alchemist's response."
Assignment 6
"The boy spent a sleepless night" through "I already know
how to turn myself into the wind."
Assignment 7
"On the second day, the boy climbed to the top of a cliff"
through "They mounted their horses."
Assignment 8
"I want to tell you a story about dreams" through the
Epilogue

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 UNIT OUTLINE The Alchemist

1 2 3 4 5

Intro: Dreams Study ?s RA#1 Study ?s RA#2 Study ?s RA#3 Study ?s RA#4
"A Dream
Deferred" Philosopher's Quiz RA#1&2 Library/Media Quiz RA#3&4
Narcissus myth Stone Center
Writing Non-Fiction Work: Characterization
PVR RA#1 PVR RA#2 Assignment #1 Divination Posters

PVR RA#3 PVR RA#4 PVR RA#5

6 7 8 9 10

Study ?s RA#5 Study ?s RA#6 Study ?s RA#7 Study ?s RA#8 Vocabulary Work

Share Non-Fiction Quiz RA#5&6 PVR RA#8 Quiz RA#7&8

Assignments
Writing Oral Reading Biblical Allusions
PVR RA#6 Assignment #2:

PVR RA#7
11 12 13 14 15

Art Appreciation: In-Class Creative Peer Response: Extra Discussion In-Class Writing:
Creative Response Writing: Journal Journal Entries Questions Writing
Descriptive Entries (polishing) Assignment #3
Language Share Aloud (Persuasive)
16 17 18 19

Day 1: Present Day 2: Present Review Materials Unit Test

Book Talks Book Talks

Key: P = Preview Study Questions V = Vocabulary Work R = Read

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 LESSON ONE

Objectives
1. To analyze the poem "A Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes to set the theme for the
novel The Alchemist
2. To familiarize students with the Greek tale of Narcissus in preparation for the allusion
in the prologue of The Alchemist
3. To be introduced to Paulo Coelho and his novel The Alchemist
4. To preview the vocabulary worksheet and study guide questions for reading assignment
#1
5. To read reading assignment #1

Activity #1
Tell students to write a journal entry considering the following:

Fully describe a goal or dream that you are working toward. What is the purpose of this goal?
What will it help you to achieve after attaining it? What strengths do you possess that will help
you along the way?

Ask students to share ideas aloud about their personal dreams/goals. Ask them to think about why
they wish to pursue these dreams and how they might feel if they do not follow through.

Read Langston Hughes's poem "a Dream Deferred." Since the poem has gone into
public domain, a copy is included in this LitPlan. Have students share their thoughts about the
poem and about what happens to dreams that are put off too long.

Activity #2
Give brief notes about the life of Paulo Coelho (see introductory materials for this LitPlan), and
discuss how certain aspects of his life might have led him to write a book about spiritual growth
and the gaining of self-knowledge.

Activity #3
Distribute the books that the students will use in this unit. Ask them to look at the cover and try to
predict what the book might be about. Accept any reasonable response. Then tell students that
Paulo Coelho begins the novel with a classical allusion to Greek mythology. Tell students about
the Greek myth of Narcissus and attempt to make predictions about how this might tie into
Coelho's novel. A brief retelling of the story of Narcissus follows this lesson.

Activity #4
Distribute the materials students will use in this unit. Explain in detail how students are to use
these materials.

Study Guides
Students should read the study guide questions for each reading assignment prior to beginning the
reading assignment to get a feeling for what events and ideas are important in the section they are
about to read. After reading the section, students will (as a class or individually) answer the
questions to review the important events and ideas from that section of the book. Students should
keep the study guides as study materials for the unit test. Preview the study questions for
Reading Assignment #1 together in class.

Vocabulary
Prior to each reading assignment, students will do vocabulary work related to the section of the

63
 WRITING ASSIGNMENT #1 The Alchemist

PROMPT
You are reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which is about a boy who gives up everything
he has in order to follow his dream. Along the way, he will meet an alchemist who knows the
secrets of the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life. You will be researching the legends of
the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life in order to gain insights into the mystical power
they are presumed to possess. After gaining a clearer understanding of this power, you will then
select one of the following works that also involve these legendary elements and reflect on how
the characters use, or intend to use, the mystical powers of alchemy. Are the powers of alchemy
used appropriately, or does the desire for some other sort of power overshadow the character's
judgement? You will be required to give a presentation about the work you read and its
correlation to the topic at the end of the unit.

PREWRITING
Part I: Research the legends surrounding the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Life. Take
notes from articles from the library or the Internet that may prove helpful in supporting your ideas
throughout this project.

Part II: Select one of the following works:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Indiana Jones and the Philosopher's Stone by Max McCoy
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Parsifal by Cretien de Troyes
Reainmator by H. P. Lovecraft

As you read, make copious notes about the references to the Philosopher's Stone or the Elixir of
Life as revealed in your research. You should also create character sketches for both the
protagonist and the antagonist that outline both positive and negative character traits.

DRAFTING
Your introduction should include a discussion of both the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of
Life based on your research. You also need to refer to the work you have selected to analyze for
this assignment. Your thesis statement should reveal whether or not the character attempts to use
the powers of alchemy appropriately or if he/she was driven by some other force. Use your
character sketch notes (taken during your reading) to help you. For the body, be sure to write at
least two paragraphs demonstrating how the character of your selected work reflects the main idea
of your thesis. Incorporate at least two quotations from both the work itself and from the articles
you'd printed out as support. Finally, make connections to Paulo Coelho's treatment of the topic
of alchemy in his novel, The Alchemist. You are required to correctly use five vocabulary words
from the unit in your essay.

PROMPT
When you finish the rough draft of your paper, ask a person whose opinion you trust to read it.
After reading your rough draft, he/she should tell you what he/she liked best about your work,
which parts were difficult to understand, and ways in which your work could be improved.
Reread your paper considering your critic's comments, and make the corrections you think are
necessary.

PROOFREADING
Do a final proofreading of your paper, double-checking your grammar, spelling, organization, and
the clarity of your ideas.

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