Colton Harris - Moore: A lesson plan

This lesson plan is based on an article I first saw in Time about Washington state's answer to Jessie James.

Lesson Plan

This is aimed at intermediate or post intermediate students and could be used as a warm up on lessons concerned with crime or could be used as part of a lesson on discursive essay writing skills.

1 Show this photograph to your class. What crime to you think this person has committed?


2 Now students read the first paragraph of the Time article on Harris - Moore.

"Visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the bald eagles on Camano Island in Washington State's Puget Sound are more likely to see a different bird in the sky: a police chopper skimming the cedar forests in search of an outlaw. Colton Harris-Moore, a gangly 18-year-old with furtive eyes and a dimpled chin, has been on police blotters since he was accused of stealing a bike at the age of 8. Since then, he is suspected of having committed nearly 100 burglaries in Washington, Idaho and Canada. Police allege that he graduated from bikes to cars, then to speedboats. Lately, he is suspected of stealing three small aircraft — all the more impressive given that he has never taken a single flying lesson."

3 Now divide the students into two groups.

The first group imagine they are a reporter who has been given the chance to interview Coltan. Now think of questions to ask using;

Who
What
Where
When
Which
Why
How

The second group reads the article taking notes as they will not be able to see it again. Alternatively, you could ask students to take notes from this video.



4 Pair of students from each group with the "reporters" interviewing the "Coltons". Remind both sides that they are free to improvise. This could be in the form of written answers or could be recorded as video using students mobile/cell phones.

5 Follow up ideas include essays

Decide on a suitable punishment for Colton if he were caught?

Is Colton a hero?

Would you want to be like him?