accessibility-hearingassistanceCreated with Sketch. accessibility-signlanguageCreated with Sketch. accessibility-wheelchairCreated with Sketch. arrow--left arrow--right calendar close facebook Rectangle 34 Copy 11Created with Sketch. Group 2Created with Sketch. instagram lig-logo-newlig-logo-update logoShapeCreated with Sketch. link-arrow logo-newlogo pdf quote--bottom “Created with Sketch. GroupCreated with Sketch. quote--top twitter youtube

  • About
    • What is Muse?
    • participating schools
    • staff and board
    • Logos
    • muse at my school
    • job postings
  • Students
    • Become A Member
    • Activities
    • Elementary Students
    • Scholarships
  • Teachers
    • Muse for Educators
    • virtual performances
    • In-School Performances
    • Out-of-School Performances
    • Preschool & Elementary
  • Musical & Concert
    • Info
    • Backstage
    • Musical Archive
    • Concert Archive
  • call Muse Machine
  • Donate
  • Contact
  • Stories
  • Shop
  • Sponsors
  • Alumni
  • Support

Lesson Plan

Contents

  • Loading...

“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

Developed by Dawn Stamper
Beavercreek High School, Beavercreek
Senior Language Arts
Grade Level: 12

Summary

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is one of the best-selling books in history. The story of Santiago, the shepherd boy, on a journey to realize his “Personal Legend”, has inspired people all over the world to live their dreams. In this lesson, the teacher, Dawn Stamper, uses this book and the struggles of two artists presented by Muse Machine to demonstrate that the achievements are sweet, but the struggle gives them deeper meaning and real happiness. Other teachers can use this lesson to inspire them to seek meaning for students from the everyday struggles of all of us.

Student Performance Tasks

In his book The Alchemist, Coelho states that “It’s the simple things in life that are the most extra-ordinary; only wise men are able to understand them. In this lesson students will learn to look at simple things in a new way in order to gain new or deeper meaning.

Part One- Seeing the simple as something more
The first part of the lesson will be a simple improvisation game.

This game stimulates imagination by encouraging multiple answers for the same question.

To begin, students stand in a circle. The teacher shows the prop to the students, saying “what could this prop be?” Students then pass it around the circle, turning the prop into something and stating what it is.  It can be anything except what it truly is.

Once students are comfortable with the concept we will do the same activity but this time in pairs. Two students will come to the front of the class and be given a simple object or prop.  They will then proceed to create a scene using the prop as whatever they can imagine it to be other than what it truly is.

Part Two- Making the simple into something extra- ordinary
Each student will randomly select a “simple” item from the box.  They will then use the provided art supplies to create something extra- ordinary from their simple item.  They must assign some kind of meaning to their project and be prepared to explain their “wisdom”.

Part Three- Simplistic Wisdom
Produce a written response which depicts how Coehlo’s quote, “It’s the simple things in life that are the most extra-ordinary; only wise men are able to understand them” can be applied to your life.  Choose something or some concept that is “simple” yet valuable to you.  Explain specifically why/ how the item or concept is simple yet valuable and how you came to your understanding, wisdom, or enlightenment about the item or concept.

 

 

Non-Arts Discipline

English Language Arts

Content Statement

Enduring Understandings:
• Students will discover that it is the simple things in life that often provide the most meaning.
• Students will learn the difference between concrete and abstract, and create meaning of their own from that which is not definite.

Strand/Process

CCS W.11-12.3 (A,B,C,D,E)  RL 11-12.4

 

Essential Questions

Is it possible to give a simple concrete thing or idea multiple, abstract meanings?

 

Content Elaborations

Students will learn:
• To think abstractly
• To verbalize their imagination
• Give meaning to the simple

 

Expectations for Learning

Students will demonstrate this learning by:
• Improv
• Visual art
• Writing

 

Instructional Strategies

Students will be engaged and supported in learning by:
• Group work and paired learning

 

Assessment (Pre and/or Post)

Students will know how well they are learning by:
• Verbal praise and/or criticism
• Assesment of writing using a rubric with samples

 

Materials & Resources

Materials list for Teachers:
• The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
• Visits with and presentations by Muse MAchine artists Justin Howard and Scott Gibbs

Materials list for Students:
• The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
• Various art supplies

 

Key Vocabulary

Improvisation
Abstract
Concrete

 

 

Career Connections

• Acting
• Writing
• Art

 

Diverse Learners

• We will start in a circle so everyone participates together, then move to pairs.

 

Interdisciplinary Connections

• This lesson could easily fit into a Psychology, Art, ELA, and Performing Arts Making connections

 

Technology Connections

• “10 Powerful Life Lessons from the Alchemist”

 

Home/At Work Connections

• Students will complete a short written essay connecting their performance, art piece, and the quote from Coehlo.

Stay in touch!

126 N. Main St., Suite 310
Dayton, Ohio 45402

Phone 937-222-MUSE (6873)
© Muse Machine 2025

Contact Us!

Design & Development by