Unit Study: “When Is It Better Not to Know?”
2. Biography of the Author
3. Reading Strategy: SQ3R
4. Vocabulary
5. Vocabulary for Psychology
6. Punctuation is Fun!
7. (Too) Hooked on Phonics
8. What do you mean? Using stems for clues.
9. Before and After: Pulling evidence from the text.
10. Advantages and Disadvantages: The Effects of Intelligence on Charlie
11. Final Essay: Individual Project
12. Final Project: Group Project
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 1
Biography of the Author
Daniel Keyes was born in 1927 in Brooklyn, New York. After working as a merchant
seaman, he attended Brooklyn College, where he earned both bachelor’s and master’s
degrees. He went on to become a fiction editor at Marvel Science Fiction and also worked as
a high school teacher for developmentally disabled adults. Having periodically published
science-fiction stories since the early 1950s, Keyes drew on his experience in the classroom
and his love of science fiction to compose a short story called “Flowers for Algernon” in
1959.
The story, about a mentally retarded man whose IQ is tripled as the result of an
experimental operation, was widely acclaimed and enormously popular. The story received
one of science fiction’s highest honors, the Hugo Award, for best story of the year in 1959. .
. Still interested in the character of Charlie and the ideas contained in the short story,
Keyes set out to enlarge “Flowers for Algernon” into a full-length novel. The result,
published in 1966, won the Nebula Award—science fiction’s other highest honor—for best
novel of the year and expanded dramatically on the popularity of the short story. In 1968,
the novel version was adapted again, this time for a feature film called Charly. Cliff
Robertson . . . as Charlie Gordon . . . won an Academy Award for his performance.
The widespread and enduring interest in Flowers for Algernon is a testament to the depth
and originality of its premise. Many people wonder how their lives would be affected by
becoming more, or less, intelligent, and Keyes gives us a glimpse into what such a journey
might be like. Though Keyes’s background is in science fiction and the novel undoubtedly
belongs to that genre, it also transcends the limitations of the genre. Whereas many science-fiction writers alienate mainstream readers by focusing on technology and the
inhuman aspects of the worlds they create, Keyes uses science fiction as a springboard for
an exploration of universal human themes such as the nature of intellect, the nature of
emotion, and how the two interact.
Though Flowers for Algernon depends on science fiction to drive its plot—no intelligenceenhancing surgery has yet been attempted or realized—its characters and situations are
quite ordinary. The characters are New York City scientists, teachers, bakers, and barbers,
not the space rangers and galactic swashbucklers often associated with science fiction.
Indeed, Keyes utilizes science fiction’s potential for philosophical inquiry and its capacity to
explore the extremes of human nature by imagining an altered version of the world.
However, he combines these aspects of science fiction with realistic characters in a realistic
environment, creating a work that has enthralled both people who are indifferent to science
fiction and avid fans of the genre.
~ information from www.sparknotes.com
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 2
Reading Strategies for Increased Comprehension
Survey:
Look at the whole work, notice how it is divided, read the headings, read the title.
Question: Ask yourself why is it titled as such, why progress reports, what do I already
know about psychology and brain surgery, what do I already know about the mentally
disabled? This is stimulating your prior knowledge.
3R
Read: Read and think actively. • Look for main ideas and supporting details. Use
outlining, underlining, and test marking skills.• Read to answer questions that were raised
in the QUESTION step. • Read carefully all of the underlined, italicized, boldfaced words or
phrases.
Recite: Talk about/summarize each progress report – what is the main idea of each
progress report? How does this report advance the story? What does this report reveal
about characters? On separate sheets of notebook paper, write a summary of each
progress report. Connect new material with what you already know about the subject.
Review: Did the story surprise you? Is the ending what you expected? Why or why not?
Can you detect any meaningful patterns? How does the plot develop? Is there a climax?
Why is it the climax? Do the characters develop as expected? Why or why not?
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 3
Vocabulary: Flowers for Algernon
Directions: These words can be defined using context clues from the story or from a
dictionary. If you use a dictionary, make sure the definition you give matches the
meaning in the story.
1. laboratory:
2. unconscious:
3. contribute:
4. shrew:
5. maroon:
6. accomplish:
7. advise:
8. petition:
9. acquire:
10. ignorance:
11. justified:
12. equivalent:
13. impaired:
14. introspective:
15. prediction:
16. intelligence:
17.sensation:
18. oversensitive:
19. technique:
20. amnesia:
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
from abcteach.com
Page 4
Vocabulary of Psychology
Define each term and explain how each concept relates to the story. Write a
complete sentence or statement to explain.
Term/Concept
Intelligence
Quotient (I.Q.)
Definition
Relationship to story
Rorschach
Phonetic
Progress Report
Regression
Hypothesis
Senility
Neurosurgeon
Subconscious
Lobotomy
from abcteach.com
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 5
Punctuation is Fun!
Directions: Rewrite these excerpts correctly, using appropriate punctuation marks in
the appropriate places.
“You got to mix them up, she showed? me” how. to mix! them) up,. and now; I can! mix up
all kinds” of punctuation, in writing? there, are lots! of rules? to lern; but im getting’g them
in my head.”
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
One thing I? Like about, Dear Miss Kinnian: (that’s the way it goes in a business letter if I
ever go into business) is she, always gives me’ a reason” when – I ask. She’s a gen’ius! I
wish I cou’d be smart” like, her; (Punctuation, is; fun!)”
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
“Today, I learned, the comma, this a comma (,) a period, with a tail, Miss Kinnian, says its
important, because, it makes writing, better, she said, somebody, could lose, a lot of
money, if a comma, isn’t, in the, right place, I don’t have, any money, and I don’t see, how a
comma, keeps you, from losing it. But she says, everybody, uses commas, so Ill use, Them
too.”
________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
from abcteach.com
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 6
(Too) Hooked on Phonics
Directions: In order to write his journal entries, Charlie uses a strategy called phonetic
spelling. Many words in English can be spelled (and read) using phonics . . . but not all of
them. Correctly spell these words from Charlie’s writing.
1. shud
19. factory
2. rite
20. practice
3. faled
21. lesin
4. skared
22. sholder
5. pocket
23. discoridged
6. happind
24. memary
7. acheve
25. bandijis
8. intelek
26. natcher
9. operashun
27. intristed
10. nothing
28. brede
11. pepul
29. experiment
12. dint
30. amazed
13. argament
31. rekemmended
14. hospital
32. perminint
15. because
33.surgicle
16. laffed
34. meens
17. practis
35. superstitis
18. lerned
from abcteach.com
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 7
What Do You Mean? Using Stems for Clues
medic: medicine
ab: from, away from
un: lack of
ment: mind
ex: out; beyond; away from; former
script: to write
extra: outside
sens: sense
il: not
Directions: Use the stem words above to help you complete the following sentences,
using vocabulary from the word bank.
unable
illiterate
extracurricular
excel
determine
sense
script
abnormal
medicinal
mental
1. A person would have the quality of being _____________________ if he/she treated people
with diseases.
2. One might be able to _________________________ the boundary of a region on the map if
they have spatial intelligence.
3. One can feel or _________________ rhythm if they have musical intelligence.
4. Someone who likes to think has a large ___________________ capacity.
5. Someone who is lacking in athletic ability may be __________________ to play football
well.
6. Someone might be involved in ________________________ activities that occur outside the
hours of school.
7. Someone far away from having a “normal” intelligence might be considered
___________________________.
8. If someone is not able to read, he/ she is _____________________________.
9. Someone who writes a ___________________ might be considered a doctor of some kind.
10. Someone ________________ if he/she goes beyond expectations. From www.abcteach.com
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 8
Before and After
Directions: Compare these areas from the story. Include examples of dialogue or
statements from the story to validate.
Areas of
Before surgery
After Surgery
Comparison
People laughing
Spelling
Thinking Skills
Language
Social Skills
Opinion of doctors
Opinion of
Miss Kinnian
Impressions of
friends
Self-impression
From abcteach.com
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 9
Advantages and Disadvantages
Directions: Use the following chart to list the advantages and disadvantages that
“intelligence” or the “lack thereof” has. There are good and bad elements to both.
Then, apply your opinions both to Charlie and his situation: Charlie’s whole persona
changes when his intelligence is altered. Were the changes good or bad for Charlie?
Category
Advantages
Disadvantages
Having “super” intelligence
Having little or no
“intelligence”
Charlie (pre-surgery) with
little intelligence
Charlie (post-surgery) with
“super” intelligence
From abcteach.com
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 10
Final Essay: Character Study in “Flowers For Algernon”
Focus: Pick one of the main characters in the story and explain how he/she
develops (or doesn’t) in the story.
A character who grows and learns from experiences is called a dynamic
character. A character who stays the same, not appearing to change or
learn from experiences, is called a static character.
In your essay, you need to express the opinion that the character you are
choosing is either a dynamic or static character, then prove your thesis with
evidence from the text.
Format: Each essay should have four paragraphs: an introduction which
includes the thesis statement, a body paragraph which describes how the
character begins in the story, a body paragraph that describes how the
character grows toward the end of the story, and a conclusion paragraph that
explains why this growth or static behavior is important.
Characters to consider: Charlie Gordon, Miss Kinnian, Dr. Nemur, Dr.
Strauss, Joe Carp, and Mrs. Flynn.
Required Parts: Each essay must include the following
a. a rough outline with a working thesis and specific evidence
from the text that will be used in each body paragraph
b. a rough draft read by someone in your group (a peer review
form will be provided)
c. a final draft typed, double spaced, MLA format.
Due Date: Monday, September 8
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
Page 11
Final Project: Pick Your Passion~ Make a Poster
1. Research intelligence quotient (IQ): define it, illustrate it, give examples.
2. Draw a plot picture of the story: mark the events, illustrate them, give
significance.
3. Create a power-point with music that represents the stages of Charlie’s
experience. Slides must include visual representation, musical support, and
brief written explanation
4. Explain the multiple intelligences: Illustrate a hypothetical person in each
category and describe briefly a typical job, hobby, or interest for that person.
How would a person with these intelligences spend the day? Be creative.
From abcteach.com
5. Create the perfect person: Using a combination of intelligences, create an
individual, as if you were a scientist trying to create the “perfectly balanced
and intelligent person.” Name your individual. Illustrate your creation with
labels that describe his/her characteristics. Profile this individual in the
areas of best subjects, job or career aspirations, college goals, personality,
social skills, hobbies, and so forth. You may put the information in a chart.
Make up a recipe for this “perfect” person. Use intelligences, famous people’s
attributes, and physical features as ingredients.
From abcteach.com
6. Research an aspect of the story that interests you. You need approval from
the instructor before proceeding. Be sure you include information,
illustrations, and examples.
All projects must be completed by the entire group with each member
contributing and assisting with the 5 minute presentation to the class.
Projects are due on Tuesday, September 9. A rubric will be provided
prior to the presentations. Students will have ample time in class to
complete the projects.
Flowers for Algernon, 2014
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