Lesson Plan #3: Monsters of the Present and Future

Name of Course: CP English (11th grade)

Any Special Characteristics of Students? Four ELLs; majority of class is multilingual; one
student on IEP for dyslexia, one on 504 for sound anxiety disorder, a third currently being
evaluated for LD
Brief Description of When This Lesson Will Be Taught (in the Unit!): Seventh lesson (out of
ten) in unit please note this is just Day 1 of a two day lesson
Instructional Standards, Objectives, and Questions:
State, National, and/or Professional Standards:
MA.RL.1.
MA.RL.2.
MA.RL.4.
MA.RL.8A.
MA.RL.10.
MA.W.9.
MA.W.10.
MA.SL.1.
Content Objectives:
Students will be able to apply their new understanding of the monster trope to other texts.
Students will be able to examine the relationship between oppression and the designation of
monstrosity.
Students will be able to read through a feminist lens.
Literacy Objectives:
Students will be able to read a highly challenging disciplinary text, with appropriate scaffolding.
Students will be able to perform a close reading of a passage of text.
Students will be able to enter into small group and class discussion that synthesizes multiple
texts.
Students will be able to use the strategies of rereading and annotation to increase comprehension
of a complex text.
Topical Essential Question(s):
What scares us, and why?
Who decides what is monstrous/what is the relationship of power to the monstrous?
Is there ever anything empowering or desirable about being a monster?
Who or what are the monsters of the present, and why?
Who or what do we think we will be in the future?
Components of the Lesson:

Required class time: 55 minutes

HOOK Beginning reading/learning 10 minutes
As this is a transition moment of the unit (moving from a study of Frankenstein to other texts of
the monstrous), students will begin the class period by generating two word webs on the board,
recorded by student scribes. On the first web, students can call out the names of monsters of
today, and on the second web, students will brainstorm about the monsters of the future. The
instructor may specify that these are perceived monsters only, that they may be human or
inhuman, and that it may help students to consider YA books theyve read or movies theyve
seen.
LINE During reading/learning 35 minutes
The bulk of the class period will be spent performing a careful close reading of an excerpt of
Donna Haraways famous feminist essay A Cyborg Manifesto. First the instructor will read
the text aloud and highlight important vocabulary, such as cyborg, binary, etc. Then students
will read it silently and highlight their text in two colors: one to designate moments they feel are
important, and one to designate moments where they feel confused. Finally, students will
popcorn read the text aloud. After several rereads, students will be assigned to small groups to
complete an interactive reading guide together to further scaffold the experience. The interactive
reading guide will direct student attention to important features of the text, and might ask
students to complete tasks like: Draw a picture of your mental image of a cyborg. Explain what
Haraway means when she says we are cyborgs. What is Haraways investment in the question
of cyborgs (consider her point of view)? What are the binaries that must break down in order for
humans to become cyborgs? According to the text and in your opinion, what are some of the
possible outcomes of transformation of human into cyborg? How does Haraway feel about
cyborgs? Are you a cyborg? Why or why not? This essay was published in 1985. To what extent
have Haraways predictions come true?
SINKER Concluding reading/learning 10 minutes
It is highly expected that students will leave class feeling confused or uncertain, not only due to
the complex nature of Haraways text but also due to its feminist lens; students wont be
finished working the text until the following day. To promote metacognition, students will
complete an exit ticket before leaving class. Theyll be asked to write on, What was something
that surprised or confused you today?
The instructor will pass out a list of YA novels for the final unit assessment, which allows for
student choice of text. Students will review the list and come to class the following day
prepared to tell the instructor what text they have chosen.
How Will You Know if Students Got It? Today? Later?
The instructor will be walking around and monitoring the small groups discussion as they begin
to complete the interactive reading guides. The exit tickets will also provide her with helpful
information on where students need additional instruction for the following period. The
interactive reading guides, once completed the following day, will be turned in as well.
What Will Students Do for Homework? What Will Today Lead Into Next?

This lesson will be continued the following day, as students complete their interactive reading
guides in small groups and will eventually discuss the essay together as a whole class. For
homework, students will be assigned to review the list of YA novels and choose one for their
final unit assessment. Students will complete their vocabulary journal with five words from the
Haraway excerpt, from which the instructor may lead a session of Mill & Seethe or other
vocabulary-based activity, as time allows. Also for homework, students will write their own
version of A __________ Manifesto. Using Haraways essay as a model, students will write
two paragraphs (in a style that is creative but uses academic language) defending a present or
future monster with whom they identify. Students can volunteer to share their manifestos in
class the next day.