Lesson Plan

Title: "The Yearling" - Topics: Literature/U.S.; U.S./1865-1913 & Florida

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Life in the Florida swamps after the Civil War comes alive in the 1946 film adaptation of Majorie Kinnan Rawlings’s The Yearling. The film of this powerful coming-of-age story, filled with love and loss, can be used with or without a reading of the novel. For viewers new to the story, the packet provides background information about the time period, the importance of a money crop, child mortality, and fireside story-telling sessions. Discussion questions, links to the Internet, assignments, and activities are also included.

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Pros
  • Although designed for family viewing and discussion, the approach would work well in the classroom or a home school situation
  • The moral-ethical discussion questions are particularly apt for middle school age viewers
Cons
  • Some viewers may be put off by the dated appearance of the film
  • The film would need to be rented or purchased