Students will identify theme techniques they have studied and practiced in previous lessons, particularly concerning theme and other literary elements, in this lesson. 
- Investigate the impact of setting on conflict and theme.
- Investigate the universal theme of man vs. nature.
- Examine the impact of viewpoint on the theme. 

- How does text interaction elicit thought and response?

- Characterization: The method an author uses to reveal characters and their various personalities. 
- Setting: The time and place in which a story unfolds. 
- Conflict/Problem: A struggle or clash between opposing characters, forces, or emotions. 
- Theme: A topic of discussion or writing; a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work. 
- Point of View: How an author reveals characters, events, and ideas in telling a story; the vantage point from which the story is told.

- “To Build a Fire” by Jack London. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2429 
Alternative texts: 
- “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” by Ernest Hemingway. Available in The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber and Other Stories. Text and Study Aids. Klett, 1999.
- Jean Auel. Clan of the Cave Bear. Bantam, 2002.
- Herman Melville. Moby Dick. Penguin, 2001.
- Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. Cross Creek. Scribner’s, 1996.
- Gary Paulsen. Dog Song. Simon Pulse, 2007.
- copies of the Setting, Conflict, and Theme worksheet (L-L-1-3_Setting, Conflict, and Theme)

- During the class discussion, guide students' understanding by posing pointed questions and identifying those who appear confused or unsure. 
- Observe the small group discussions and provide support by going over the definitions of literary terms, highlighting pertinent passages from the text, and encouraging the contribution of prior knowledge. 
- Depending on the needs of the students, the questions can be given in flexible groupings or as an individual assessment that must be turned in as an exit ticket.

Active Participation and Clear Instruction 
W: Ask students to investigate the relationship between theme, setting, and conflict as you introduce the theme of man versus nature. 
H: Help students explore their own experiences that are pertinent to the context by using free-writing to help them visualize the scene and set the stage for the text's events. 
E: Promote student involvement by facilitating guided class discussion and small group discussions. 
R: Hold discussions in small groups to help students understand and hear different points of view. Permit students to reconsider and rethink what they've thought. 
E: Use the worksheet to track students' comprehension of important concepts and have them work in small groups and large class discussions to identify areas that require more support.
T: Observe group discussions and probe to improve understanding and shed light on concepts.
O: Build from students' prior knowledge of conflict to the text's exploration, going from setting to conflict to theme; enhance comprehension by investigating points of view.

Key Question: What is the relationship between theme and setting, conflict, and character? 

Ask students to visualize themselves by themselves in a solitary place, like the middle of a forest or the desert, before you start the lesson. Inform them that all they have with them is lunch and a few matches. Ask students, " What are your feelings? How are you going to survive?"  (Possible reactions: desperation or terror; however, students with prior scouting or backpacking experience may show some confidence due to their familiarity.)

Remark, "Nature has a lot of power and sometimes it is impossible for humans to solve its problems." Give students the assignment of writing freely about a time when they had to cope with natural forces. Invite volunteers to talk about their past experiences.

Part 1

Set the scene before reading "To Build a Fire" by Jack London. Say, "This tale is set in the late 1800s in the Yukon, the westernmost region of Canada that borders Alaska. Even now, there is a small population and an Arctic climate there." It might be useful to display images, like the one and the map found in Related Resources. 

Encourage students to read the story and focus on how the dog and the man respond to the obstacles in the story.

Once the students have completed reading the narrative, distribute copies of the L-L-1-3_Setting, Conflict, and Theme worksheet to each student. Assign students to complete the worksheet's first page in small groups. Suggest: "In the first column, include several crucial details about the setting. Describe the characters' conflicts in the second column. Think of the dog as a character in this tale."

As a class, have groups discuss the story using the completed worksheets.

Scenery: secluded forested area, complete lack of sunlight, bitterly cold temperatures (75°F), multiple layers of snow and ice, frozen streams;

Conflict:

- Man: enduring bitter cold, attempting to start and maintain a fire, preventing frostbite, staying dry, and surviving
- Dog: finding fire, staying warm, and obeying people

Part 2

Direct students to open the worksheet to page 2. Say, "Now let's examine the relationship between the story's theme and the setting and conflict. We've found that the man and the dog have conflicts because of the story's setting. Their strategies for resolving these disputes diverge greatly. What is the dog's reaction to the intense cold?" (Possible answers: it follows his instincts, knowing what to do and when). "How does the man respond?" (Possible answers: initially believed that the temperature was irrelevant; possesses some understanding but also some practical knowledge, such as the advice from the man from Sulphur Creek; makes regrettable decisions but always feels like he could make things right.) Assist students in realizing that the story's central theme revolves around the contrast between the man's application of knowledge and the dog's use of instinct.

On the board or interactive whiteboard, write the following equation:

Theme = Setting + Conflict

Students should finish the second page of the L-L-1-3_Setting, Conflict, and Theme worksheet, which focuses on setting, conflict, and theme. Say, "The theme is the result of adding setting and conflict to an equation. What potential themes could the story explore?" (Possible answers: Humans are not as powerful as nature. People can't control nature, no matter how much knowledge they have. Compared to animals, humans possess fewer instincts. A small amount of knowledge can be harmful. It is important to respect nature.) 

Part 3

Discuss the point of view and its relationship to the theme as you wrap up the lesson. Remind students of the following:

A single character's perspective is revealed from a limited third-person point of view.

The narrative is told from a third-person omniscient point of view, which provides extra information that is pertinent to the plot and insight into the thoughts and emotions of every character.

Ask, "What point of view does "To Build a Fire" employ? " (third-person omniscient) Reread paragraphs three and six, which provide external details about the man and the dog's perspectives, if students are having trouble identifying the point of view. The narrator also provides several details that neither the dog nor the newcomer are aware of, such as the precise temperature reading.

Ask, "What made the author decide to take this particular point of view?" (Possible answers: It makes the gravity of the situation clear to readers; it provides details about the man that highlight his ignorance; it illustrates the man-dog bond and, consequently, the difference between knowledge and instinct.)

Say this: "The narrator foreshadows the story's stark ending from the very beginning. In the third paragraph, the narrator introduces the theme, which is "man's frailty as a creature of temperature" and "man's frailty in general. Just consider how the narrative would change if told from the man's perspective." Draw attention to how the omniscient narrator skillfully connects the theme's disparate elements.

Extension:

One of the following activities is available to students who are prepared to go above and beyond the standards:

- Rewrite passages of "To Build a Fire" from the perspective of the dog or the first person.
- Draw attention to foreshadowing in the narrative and compose a brief essay addressing its significance to the theme.

If students require an extra learning opportunity, they could watch a video like Cast Away or Into the Wild, which both show a lone man struggling to survive. Ask them to fill out the L-L-1-3_Setting, Conflict, and Theme worksheet, which is based on the video. Discuss the solutions in small groups.