The Alchemist Full Scheme of Work

An 84-slide PowerPoint presentation and additional resources for the study of ‘The Alchemist’ by Paolo Coelho.

This unit lasts between 8-10 weeks and involves an in-depth study of context, character, setting and theme. There is a strong focus on intertextuality; students are guided to track the symbols, motifs and allusions of the story, all the while considering authorial intent and the wider concept of allegory. The presentation guides students through the text with a range of activities, including research and group work, close analysis, PEA paragraph writing and more.

The unit is designed for the MYP curriculum (includes statement of inquiry, factual, conceptual, and debatable questions, and a summative GRASPS assessment). However, the skills covered in the unit (comprehension, inference and deduction, analysis and evaluation) are transferable to any other English KS3 curriculum.