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Lesson Plans: The Seven Storey Mountain

Ruben Cox

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The Seven Storey Mountain is an autobiography by Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk who lived from 1915 to 1968. The book was first published in 1948 and quickly became a bestseller. It has since been translated into more than 20 languages and has sold more than 1 million copies. The Seven Storey Mountain is a powerful and moving account of Merton's spiritual journey. It is a story of conversion, faith, and a life lived in pursuit of God. Merton's writing is beautifully crafted and deeply insightful. The Seven Storey Mountain is a classic of spiritual literature that continues to inspire readers today.

Lesson Plans The Seven Storey Mountain

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Language	:	English
File size	:	402 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	306 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

Lesson Plan 1

Grade Level:

9-12

Subject:

English, Religion, History

Objectives:

Students will be able to identify the main events of Thomas Merton's life.
Students will be able to understand the major themes of The Seven Storey Mountain.
Students will be able to analyze the literary techniques that Merton uses in The Seven Storey Mountain.

Materials:

A copy of The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton
Internet access
Whiteboards or chart paper
Markers

Procedure:

1. Begin by asking students to brainstorm what they know about Thomas Merton. (If students are unfamiliar with Merton, you may want to provide them with some background information.) 2. Once students have had a chance to share their knowledge, distribute copies of The Seven Storey Mountain and ask students to read the first chapter. 3. After students have finished reading, lead a discussion about the chapter. Ask students to identify the main events of the chapter and to discuss the major themes that Merton introduces. 4. Divide students into small groups and assign each group a different chapter from The Seven Storey Mountain. Ask each group to read their assigned chapter and to prepare a brief presentation on the chapter. 5. When each group has finished their presentation, lead a class discussion about the different chapters. Ask students to compare and contrast the different chapters and to discuss the overall themes of the book. 6. To conclude the lesson, ask students to write a short essay in which they analyze the literary techniques that Merton uses in The Seven Storey Mountain.

Lesson Plan 2

Grade Level:

11-12

Subject:

Religion, Literature

Objectives:

Students will be able to understand the different types of monasticism.
Students will be able to compare and contrast the Cistercian Order and the Benedictine Order.
Students will be able to analyze the role of prayer and contemplation in Merton's life.

Materials:

A copy of The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton
Internet access
Whiteboards or chart paper
Markers

Procedure:

1. Begin by asking students to brainstorm what they know about monasticism. (If students are unfamiliar with monasticism, you may want to provide them with some background information.) 2. Once students have had a chance to share their knowledge, distribute copies of The Seven Storey Mountain and ask students to read the chapter on Merton's time at Gethsemani Abbey. 3. After students have finished reading, lead a discussion about the chapter. Ask students to describe the different types of monasticism that Merton discusses in the chapter. 4. Divide students into small groups and assign each group a different type of monasticism. Ask each group to research their assigned type of monasticism and to prepare a brief presentation on the topic. 5. When each group has finished their presentation, lead a class discussion about the different types of monasticism. Ask students to compare and contrast the different types of monasticism and to discuss the role of prayer and contemplation in each type of monasticism. 6. To conclude the lesson, ask students to write a short essay in which they analyze the role of prayer and contemplation in Merton's life.