Objectives

• Analyse how McManus uses four distinct first-person narrative voices in Chapters 1–5 to position the reader's initial suspicion.
• Explain how specific language choices in Chapters 6–13 construct each suspect's sense of guilt, identity, and social pressure.
• Track how Addy's transformation across Chapters 7, 11, 15, and 19 challenges the novel's social hierarchies and the theme of identity.
• Evaluate how McManus manipulates the reader's judgement of justice by withholding and then releasing information in Chapters 18–22.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical essay that argues a clear interpretation of how deception and identity are constructed across the novel.
• Compare how at least two narrators' voices shift between their first and final chapters to show character development.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Five Suspects, Four Voices: How McManus Builds Suspicion in Chapters 1–5

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

   Do now

   Without opening the book, jot down everything you know or believe about who might be responsible for Simon's death. Include any clues, instincts, or assumptions you have. You have four minutes. Hold onto your list; you’ll revisit it at the end of the unit.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of Chapter 1 ('Before: Five Days Before Simon Dies'), concentrating on the sentence 'Nobody in Bayview High will miss Simon Kelleher.' Consider who is speaking, and explore how the omniscient perspective conveys meaning in ways that a character narrator couldn't. Then, transition to Chapter 2 (Bronwyn's Monday) and guide students on how to annotate the phrase 'I don't belong here,' examining what it reveals about Bronwyn's self-image compared to her public reputation. Finally, demonstrate how to craft one analysis sentence using this structure: McManus uses [technique] in [named passage] to [effect on reader].

   Independent task

   Students will read Chapters 3 (Addy), 4 (Nate), and 5 (Cooper) on their own and then fill out an annotated character grid. For each narrator, they need to find one quotation that shows how the character views themselves, one quotation that shows how others perceive them, and one sentence of their own analysis explaining the difference between these two perspectives. The finished grid is submitted at the end of the lesson and graded based on the accuracy of the quotations, the quality of their inferences, and how well they use the analytical sentence structure we've practiced.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, explain why McManus gives us four separate first-person narrators rather than a single omniscient narrator — what does the reader gain, and what are we deliberately denied?

2. Lesson 2: The Language of Guilt: Tracking Each Narrator's Self-Incrimination in Chapters 6–13

   60 min · ch. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

   Do now

   Revisit the opening paragraph of Chapter 6 (Bronwyn: One Week After). Jot down every word or phrase that hints at Bronwyn's feelings of guilt, even if she claims she's innocent. You have four minutes — feel free to annotate directly on the text or on a sticky note.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of Chapter 8 (Nate: One Week After), focusing on the moment when Nate looks back on his drug-dealing and tells himself, "I've done worse." This passage illustrates how the first-person present-tense narration blurs the line between Nate's past actions and his current circumstances, leading the reader to mix moral guilt with legal guilt. Annotate the verbs ("I've done," "I knew," "I should have") to highlight their significance. Then, demonstrate how to craft a paragraph arguing that McManus uses Nate's self-deprecating tone to position him as the reader's most likely suspect.

   Independent task

   Students can select either Chapter 9 (Cooper: One Week After) or Chapter 10 (Bronwyn: Two Weeks After) to write a comprehensive analytical paragraph—at least eight sentences. In this paragraph, they will argue how the narrator's language choices in the selected chapter create a particular sense of guilt or innocence for the reader. It's essential to include at least two quotations from the chosen chapter and to incorporate subject terminology such as first-person narration, tense, diction, and syntax. The paragraph should conclude with a sentence that connects their analysis to the theme of deception. These paragraphs will be submitted and evaluated based on the structured model provided.

   Exit ticket

   Name one specific word from Chapter 12 (Nate: Two Weeks After) that you think McManus chose deliberately to make Nate seem guilty, and write one sentence explaining the connotation that creates that effect.

3. Lesson 3: Becoming Someone Else: Addy's Identity Arc from Chapter 3 to Chapter 19

   60 min · ch. 3, 7, 11, 15, 19

   Do now

   Look at these two quotations side by side: 'I am exactly who Jake wants me to be' (Chapter 3) and 'I don't know who I am without him, but I'm starting to think I'd like to find out' (Chapter 15). Without going into too much detail, note three specific differences you see in Addy's language, tone, and sense of self between these two moments.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of Chapter 7 (Addy: One Week After) and Chapter 19 (Addy: Four Weeks After), focusing on how Addy's relationship with Janae Norman influences her self-description. In Chapter 7, note Addy's frequent use of phrases like 'Jake says' and 'Jake thinks' as a sign of her dependence. In Chapter 19, observe how her sentences become shorter, more direct, and centered around herself ('I decided,' 'I told him,' 'I walked away'). To craft a comparative topic sentence: 'While Chapter 7 shows Addy's identity as tied to Jake's authority through grammatical subordination, by Chapter 19 McManus illustrates her growing autonomy with a shift toward declarative, subject-led syntax.'

   Independent task

   Students will write two connected analytical paragraphs — one focused on Chapter 11 (Addy: Two Weeks After) and the other on Chapter 15 (Addy: Three Weeks After) — exploring how Addy's language and self-presentation evolve during her transformation. Each paragraph should incorporate at least one embedded quotation, one analysis of a specific language feature (such as syntax, diction, or pronoun use), and one sentence linking the analysis to the theme of identity. The paragraphs must be connected by a sentence that indicates either development or contrast. Both paragraphs should be submitted.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining how Addy's relationship with Janae Norman in Chapters 11 and 15 functions as a structural device that McManus uses to signal Addy's growing independence from Jake's control.

4. Lesson 4: Justice and Deception: How McManus Withholds the Truth in Chapters 14–21

   60 min · ch. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21

   Do now

   Before we dive in, take a moment to rank the four narrators — Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, and Cooper — based on how guilty you think each one is right now. Write a sentence explaining why you believe your top choice is the most guilty. Keep this ranking in mind, as you'll be revisiting it after today's lesson.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of Chapter 17 (Cooper: Three Weeks After), specifically the moment when Cooper's secret—his sexuality—is finally disclosed to the reader. Guide students in identifying how McManus has woven retrospective hints throughout Cooper's previous chapters, such as his discomfort in Chapter 5, his evasiveness in Chapter 9, and his coded language in Chapter 13. Highlight how this revelation recontextualizes the reader's earlier suspicions of him, which were ultimately misdirection. Illustrate how to craft an analytical sentence regarding narrative structure: "By delaying Cooper's revelation until Chapter 17, McManus capitalizes on the reader's belief that secrecy implies guilt, thereby revealing the unfairness of that belief."

   Independent task

   Students should re-read the first two pages of Chapter 18 (Bronwyn: Four Weeks After) and the last two pages of Chapter 21 (Cooper: Four Weeks After). Afterward, they need to write a structured response consisting of three paragraphs that answer the following question: How does McManus use the novel's structure — particularly the withholding and releasing of information from Chapters 14–21 — to challenge the reader's assumptions about guilt and justice? Each paragraph should focus on a different narrative technique (such as delayed revelation, unreliable self-presentation, or dramatic irony), mention the specific chapter and character, and include at least one embedded quotation. Students are to submit the three paragraphs.

   Exit ticket

   After today's lesson, has your ranking of the four suspects changed? Write two sentences: one stating what changed and why, and one explaining what narrative technique McManus used to produce that change in your thinking.

5. Lesson 5: The Truth and Its Cost: Writing a Sustained Essay on Deception and Identity in the Full Novel

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22

   Do now

   Revisit the last two pages of Chapter 22 ('After: The Truth'). In three minutes, jot down your thoughts: how does concluding the novel with an all-knowing 'After' chapter that reflects the all-knowing 'Before' chapter at the beginning affect the overall story? What does this structural choice imply about the reliability of any one narrator in conveying the complete truth?

   Teacher input

   Model the essay introduction based on Chapters 22 and 1 to help students craft an opening argument instead of a summary, one that sets the stage for the entire essay. Demonstrate this introduction both verbally and on the board: "In One of Us Is Lying, Karen M. McManus uses two omniscient chapters — 'Before' and 'After' — to frame four unreliable first-person perspectives. This structure indicates that deception is not just a plot element but a fundamental aspect of the novel. Through Bronwyn's self-censorship, Addy's performed femininity, Nate's self-incrimination, and Cooper's concealment, McManus suggests that adolescent identity is always a form of managed deception, with justice hinging on who controls the narrative." Emphasize to students that the introduction identifies characters, techniques, and a clear argument, rather than abstract themes.

   Independent task

   Write a comprehensive analytical essay of 600–800 words that addresses the following question: "How does Karen M. McManus use narrative structure and the four first-person voices to delve into the themes of deception and identity in One of Us Is Lying?" Your essay should: begin with a clear argument (rather than a plot summary) that identifies at least two narrators and one structural element; include a body paragraph discussing Addy's transformation throughout Chapters 3, 11, and 19; feature another body paragraph that examines how McManus withholds information in Chapters 9, 13, or 17 to shape the reader's judgment; incorporate at least four quotations from a minimum of three different chapters, each followed by a sentence of analysis; and conclude with a paragraph that revisits Chapter 22 and argues what the ending of the novel suggests about whether justice has genuinely been achieved. Please refrain from using bullet points or subheadings. Submit your essay by the end of the lesson.

   Exit ticket

   Look back at the argument sentence in your introduction: does it name a specific technique, at least one character by name, and a clear interpretive claim about what the novel is saying — not just what it is about? Write one sentence explaining how you would strengthen your argument if you had five more minutes.

Activities

Assessment

• Chapter grid from Lesson 1: marker checks that each of the three character entries (Addy Ch. 3, Nate Ch. 4, Cooper Ch. 5) contains an accurate quotation, a valid inference about the gap between self-image and public reputation, and a correctly structured analytical sentence.
• Analytical paragraph from Lesson 2: marker checks for at least two embedded quotations from the chosen chapter, use of at least one piece of subject terminology correctly applied, and a closing sentence that links language analysis to the theme of deception rather than restating plot.
• Paired comparative sentences from the Addy Before-and-After activity: marker checks that the three sentences address pronoun shift, syntax, and identity respectively, and that each sentence names a specific textual feature rather than making a general claim.
• Three-paragraph response from Lesson 4: marker checks that each paragraph addresses a different narrative technique, names a specific chapter and character, and includes an embedded quotation followed by a sentence of analysis — not description.
• Exit tickets from Lessons 2 and 4: marker checks that the student names a specific word or technique (not a theme), provides a connotation or effect, and links it to the reader's experience of guilt or justice in this novel specifically.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama, including where a story is set, how the action is ordered, and how the characters are introduced and developed.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant.
• W.11-12.1 — Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about a literary text and supports that claim with evidence.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of figurative language in a literary text.
• Narration (NAR-1) — Explain the function of point of view, including first-person and multiple narrators, and how narrative choices shape meaning and reader response.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of contrasting characters and how character development across a text contributes to an interpretation of the whole.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain how the sequence and pacing of events, including the withholding of information, contribute to overall meaning.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.
• AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; write a personal and critical response using textual evidence.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationship between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.

IB Lit

• Criterion A — Knowledge, understanding and interpretation: demonstrate understanding of the text's meaning and support interpretation with well-chosen references.
• Criterion B — Analysis and evaluation: analyse the effects of literary features including narrative voice, structure, and characterisation, and evaluate how these features construct meaning.
• Criterion C — Focus and organisation: develop a sustained, focused argument with a clear line of reasoning across the whole response.