Substitute Lesson Plan: Black Beauty (Chapters 1–3)

Objective

Students will read and discuss the opening chapters of Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, identify how the story is told from the horse's point of view, and explain the advice Black Beauty's mother gives him and how the events of "The Hunt" affect the animals in the story.

Materials

• Printed or projected copy of the "Black Beauty" text (Chapters 1–3, provided)
• Student notebooks or paper
• Pencils
• Board or chart paper for listing ideas

Warm-up (~5 min)

• Write on the board: "Who is telling this story?"
• Tell students that today's story is told by an unusual narrator — a horse!
• Ask students to guess what a horse might notice or care about if it could tell its own life story (its home, its family, how people treat it). Take 2–3 quick answers aloud; no need to write these down.

Main Activity (~25 min)

1. Read Aloud – Chapter 1: "My Early Home" (~8 min)
2. Read the chapter aloud, or have volunteers take turns reading paragraphs.
3. Pause after the mother's speech ("I wish you to pay attention...") and ask: What three things does Black Beauty's mother tell him to do? (Answer: work with a good will, lift his feet up well when trotting, never bite or kick even in play.)
4. Point out how the master punished Dick for throwing stones at the colts — ask students why the master reacted that way.

1. Read Aloud – Chapter 2: "The Hunt" (~10 min)
2. Read the chapter together.
3. Stop after the hare is killed and ask: How does Black Beauty react to seeing the hunt? (He is astonished and doesn't notice the fallen horses right away.)
4. Stop again after the death of Rob Roy and the young rider, George Gordon. Ask: What does Black Beauty's mother think about hunting? (She says she doesn't understand why men enjoy this sport since it hurts horses and people.)
5. Ask students to notice the repeated phrase "'twas all for one little hare" — what does this suggest about how the mother/narrator feels about the cost of the hunt?

1. Read Aloud – Chapter 3 opening: "My Breaking In" (~7 min)
2. Read up through the description of what "breaking in" means (wearing a saddle, bridle, collar, crupper, learning to pull a cart, never starting at things, never biting or kicking, always obeying).
3. Ask: Based on what his mother told him in Chapter 1, do you think Black Beauty will do well at being broken in? Why?

Wrap-up / Exit Ticket (~10 min)

Have students answer the following on paper (in complete sentences):

1. Who is telling the story of Black Beauty?
2. Name one piece of advice Black Beauty's mother gave him in Chapter 1.
3. What happened to the hare, to Rob Roy, and to George Gordon in "The Hunt"?
4. In your own words, explain what "breaking in" a horse means, based on Chapter 3.

Collect papers at the end of class.

If Time Remains

Have students draw a quick picture of the meadow described in Chapter 1 (the pond, trees, plowed field, fir grove, and brook) and label at least three features mentioned in the text. Underneath, have them write one sentence describing how Black Beauty's mother, Duchess ("Pet"), behaved toward their master.