Unit Title Accepting and Understanding Differences
Lesson Topic Character Analysis min-essays continued. Learning about situations and perspectives.
Type of Lesson Developmental
National Content Standard NCTE standard(s): Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information). MD Core Learning Goal(s): Composing in a variety of modes
Judges Prior Knowledge(How do you know students are ready to learn the content in this lesson?) Students have been learning about character analysis and know enough to move to situational perspectives.
Lesson Objective(s): Objective 1 – Students will be able to continue where the left off on their character analysis mini-essays in order to complete them. Objective 2 – Students will learn about situational perspectives in order to act out a few scenes from the novel.
Assessment(s): Assessment for Objective 1 – (Describe assessment) Students will have to complete a character diagram which has them choose one particular character they would like to analyze and eventually write about. The diagram is more of a guide where they can write their notes. After they finish the diagram they are to write their mini-essay analyzing their chosen character. I will grade this assessment based on their knowledge of the character, their opinion of the character, and their use of analysis as we have discussed in class. Is this a formative or summative assessment? Summative Would you characterize this assessment as a traditional or performance assessment? Traditional Why did you select this assessment strategy to measure student learning? This is a great way to measure the assessment because it asks students to go far beyond rote memorization. Assessment for Objective 2 – (Describe assessment) Students will be graded on their participation and understanding of the scene and situation they are acting out. Not all students have to speak, but all have to participate in the scene in some way. Is this a formative or summative assessment? Formative Would you characterize this assessment as a traditional or performance assessment? Performance Why did you select this assessment strategy to measure student learning? Participation is a large factor in this activity; yet, I know some students are shy and would rather not stand in front of the classroom, so as long as they participate in the ideas behind the scene they will be fine. The group functions when everyone makes an effort.
Materials Needed for Lesson Novel Annie on my Mind Character Analysis diagram Character Analysis mini-essay
Lesson Development
Teacher Drill/Warm-up/Motivational Activity – Pick a scene in the chapters you have read in the novel so far that you would change or alter in some way and explain why. Transition – We will pick up with the answers to this warm-up after we finish our character analysis mini-essays so hold onto your answers. Activity 1 – Students are continuing their Character Analysis mini-essays from the last lesson. Transition- “Now that we have finished our character analysis, we are going to learn about situational perspectives.” Activity 2 – I will have slides to help guide the students along while I ask them to help me define certain words and concepts. I will have them give several of their own definitions and then steer them into the direction of the definition I have on my slides. We will then talk about examples of each word or concept. Afterwards, we will talk about why it is important to know about these things and how it will play a role in our upcoming activity and reading. Key Questions: What is a perspective? How can a person’s situation be perceived differently depending on someone’s perspective? Transition: “Now that we have learned about situational perspectives we will act out scenes in order to see some different perspectives.” Activity 3: Students will get into their designated groups and they will be given a scene from the novel. Along with this, they will be given one character in the novel in which they will act out the scene from this characters perspective. This character will most likely NOT be in the scene. They will work together in order to form a consensus about the perspective of the person. They will then perform the scenes in front of the classroom for their peers. Summary/Closure/Revisit Objective: Today we have delved even deeper into understanding these characters and their perspectives. Please read the assigned chapters for tonight and come prepared with questions and ides tomorrow. Safety Valve: I will act out a scene I have already prepared.
Students Students write. Ex: “I would change the scene where Liza first meets Liza and make it more modern like how we would meet someone today because we usually don’t go to museums like that.” Students write individually Students listen and copy notes Students work in their groups and perform their scenes Students listen and discuss
Differentiation: (Describe what you did in this lesson to differentiate learning and to accommodate all learners) Students with needs were helped along in their groups.
Reflection– Assume that after you have taught this lesson and assessed student learning you find that students did not meet the objective(s). How would you plan future instruction on this lesson’s content and skills to ensure student mastery and application? I would dedicate the entire lesson to working on the scenes rather than having the other lesson spill over.
9th class; Standard; inclusive; racially diverse; 28 students; 17 girls & 11 boys; 5 IEP’s
Accepting and Understanding Differences
Character Analysis min-essays continued. Learning about situations and perspectives.
NCTE standard(s):
Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
MD Core Learning Goal(s):
Composing in a variety of modes
Students have been learning about character analysis and know enough to move to situational perspectives.
Objective 1 – Students will be able to continue where the left off on their character analysis mini-essays in order to complete them.
Objective 2 – Students will learn about situational perspectives in order to act out a few scenes from the novel.
Assessment for Objective 1 – (Describe assessment)
Students will have to complete a character diagram which has them choose one particular character they would like to analyze and eventually write about. The diagram is more of a guide where they can write their notes. After they finish the diagram they are to write their mini-essay analyzing their chosen character. I will grade this assessment based on their knowledge of the character, their opinion of the character, and their use of analysis as we have discussed in class.
Is this a formative or summative assessment?
Summative
Would you characterize this assessment as a traditional or performance assessment?
Traditional
Why did you select this assessment strategy to measure student learning?
This is a great way to measure the assessment because it asks students to go far beyond rote memorization.
Assessment for Objective 2 – (Describe assessment)
Students will be graded on their participation and understanding of the scene and situation they are acting out. Not all students have to speak, but all have to participate in the scene in some way.
Is this a formative or summative assessment?
Formative
Would you characterize this assessment as a traditional or performance assessment?
Performance
Why did you select this assessment strategy to measure student learning?
Participation is a large factor in this activity; yet, I know some students are shy and would rather not stand in front of the classroom, so as long as they participate in the ideas behind the scene they will be fine. The group functions when everyone makes an effort.
Novel Annie on my Mind
Character Analysis diagram
Character Analysis mini-essay
Lesson Development
Drill/Warm-up/Motivational Activity – Pick a scene in the chapters you have read in the novel so far that you would change or alter in some way and explain why.
Transition – We will pick up with the answers to this warm-up after we finish our character analysis mini-essays so hold onto your answers.
Activity 1 – Students are continuing their Character Analysis mini-essays from the last lesson.
Transition- “Now that we have finished our character analysis, we are going to learn about situational perspectives.”
Activity 2 – I will have slides to help guide the students along while I ask them to help me define certain words and concepts. I will have them give several of their own definitions and then steer them into the direction of the definition I have on my slides. We will then talk about examples of each word or concept. Afterwards, we will talk about why it is important to know about these things and how it will play a role in our upcoming activity and reading.
Key Questions:
What is a perspective?
How can a person’s situation be perceived differently depending on someone’s perspective?
Transition: “Now that we have learned about situational perspectives we will act out scenes in order to see some different perspectives.”
Activity 3: Students will get into their designated groups and they will be given a scene from the novel. Along with this, they will be given one character in the novel in which they will act out the scene from this characters perspective. This character will most likely NOT be in the scene. They will work together in order to form a consensus about the perspective of the person. They will then perform the scenes in front of the classroom for their peers.
Summary/Closure/Revisit Objective: Today we have delved even deeper into understanding these characters and their perspectives. Please read the assigned chapters for tonight and come prepared with questions and ides tomorrow.
Safety Valve: I will act out a scene I have already prepared.
Students write.
Ex: “I would change the scene where Liza first meets Liza and make it more modern like how we would meet someone today because we usually don’t go to museums like that.”
Students write individually
Students listen and copy notes
Students work in their groups and perform their scenes
Students listen and discuss
5 minutes
10 minutes
10 minutes
15 minutes
5 minute
Students with needs were helped along in their groups.
Reflection– Assume that after you have taught this lesson and assessed student learning you find that students did not meet the objective(s). How would you plan future instruction on this lesson’s content and skills to ensure student mastery and application?
I would dedicate the entire lesson to working on the scenes rather than having the other lesson spill over.