The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse/Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan — The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse

Class: XI
Subject: English (Snapshots)
Lesson Title: The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse
Author: William Saroyan
Time Duration: 2 periods (80 minutes)
Board: CBSE

1. General Objectives

To develop comprehension and analytical skills.
To understand the themes of trust, honesty, and cultural values.
To encourage moral reflection through literature.

2. Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Summarize the story in their own words.
Identify the main themes and moral lessons.
Differentiate between appearance and reality.
Relate the events of the story to their own life experiences.

3. Teaching Aids

Whiteboard/Smartboard
Flashcards of key events
Venn diagram handout
Mind map template
Projector (for displaying images of horses, Armenian culture, etc.)

4. Introduction (5 minutes)

Start with a quick horse trivia quiz: “Guess the horse breed” (show pictures).
Ask: If you had a chance to ride a beautiful horse secretly for a week, would you do it? Why/Why not?
Briefly introduce William Saroyan and his Armenian-American heritage.

5. Short Summary of the Story

Aram and Mourad, members of the Garoghlanian family, are known for honesty. Mourad, however, brings home a beautiful white horse early one morning. Aram is shocked because they can’t afford it. Mourad says they will return it in a few weeks. They secretly ride it for fun. The horse’s real owner, John Byro, sees them but doesn’t accuse them because of the family’s reputation. Eventually, the boys return the horse quietly to avoid breaking their family’s code of honesty.

6. Venn Diagram — Characters: Aram vs Mourad

	Aram	Mourad
Similarity	Cousins, Armenian heritage, love for horses, strong moral background
Difference	Innocent, more cautious	Adventurous, risk-taker, “crazy streak”

7. Mind Mapping — Key Elements of the Story

Central Idea: The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse

Setting: Armenian community, early morning rides
Characters: Aram, Mourad, John Byro
Themes: Honesty, trust, childhood innocence, adventure
Conflict: Riding a horse that isn’t theirs
Resolution: Returning the horse without being accused
Moral: True honor comes from actions, not appearances

8. Teaching Methodology

Discussion-based: Encourage students to share personal experiences about honesty.
Activity-based: Venn diagram and mind map completion in groups.
Role play: Students act out the meeting with John Byro.

9. Fun Activities

Activity 1: Role Play “The Day We Met John Byro”

Groups of 3 students act as Aram, Mourad, and John Byro.
Add humor and improvisation to make it lively.

Activity 2: Moral Dilemma Debate

Motion: “If you’re going to return something, is it still stealing?”
Divide into for and against teams.

Activity 3: “Draw the Horse” Challenge

Students sketch how they imagine the beautiful white horse.

10. Assessment

Oral Q&A based on the plot.
Evaluate Venn diagram and mind map for completeness.
One-paragraph written summary of the story.

11. Homework

Write a short diary entry as Mourad after returning the horse.
Research Armenian cultural values and write 5 points on their importance