Grammar Mini Lesson

Name: Annabelle Vought

Date: July 11th, 2016
Title of Lesson: Character Journaling and Social Media
Purpose/rationale: The purpose of this lesson in my 10th grade English Language Arts class is to
have my students create a Twitter account for one of the characters in The Great Gatsby Students
will create a Twitter profile that accurately depicts a character of their choosing, as well as
incorporating a variety of tweets including text, images, videos, memes, or other forms of
popular culture that identify with that character. In doing so, students are using social networking
to negotiate and create new meanings of the text through their online interactions. In the article,
Character Journaling through Social Networking, White (2014) states, users of social
networking negotiate and create new meanings through their online interactions; as part and
parcel of the threaded discussions inherent to many social networking sites, users reify, edit,
amend, and even delete things they have said in and through social interaction (p. 643).
Students are using cooperative learning to incorporate prior knowledge and present
interpretations of the characters, transforming academic language into more colloquial language
relevant to their every lives. Prior to this lesson, students have read the majority of The Great
Gatsby. Student are familiar with the term text talk and the differences between academic
language and the language used in social media. Students will begin with the anticipatory set
titled G.O.A.T. and W.O.A.T and then create their Twitter accounts on the tablets provided.
Florida Standards:
LAFS.910.RI.3.7 Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a
persons life story in both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in
each account.
LAFS.910.W.2.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technologys capacity to link to other
information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
LAFS.910.L.2.3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully
when reading or listening.
Objectives:

SWBAT create a Twitter account

SWBAT present new interpretations of their character
SWBAT transform academic language

Materials:

21 Tablets
Pen
Paper
21 copies of rubric (Copy in Appendix A)
21 copies of The Great Gatsby

Anticipatory set:
Board will read, S.O.C.K.S. (start of class kicks):
As The Great Gatsby comes to an end, think about certain moments that resonated with you...Fill
out the following on a piece of paper:
G.O.A.T. (greatest moment of all time): When Daisy tells Gatsby You always look so cool.
W.O.A.T. (worst moment of all time): When Gatsby is shot...
This activity will prompt students to reflect on the novel, and what scenes, dialogue or character
interactions stood out to them while incorporating socially relevant acronyms.
Teaching Strategy/Procedure/Activity:
Time:
5 minutes

Student is doing:
Anticipatory Set: Students are
looking to the board for
instructions. Student will take out
a piece of paper and list the
G.O.A.T. and W.O.A.T. from
the novel. Students will sit
quietly after filling out the
following and will wait for
further instruction.

15 minutes

Brainstorming: Students will

use this time to brainstorm about
what character they would like to
use for the Twitter project.
Students will scan their books for
certain quotes or scenes they
would like to reference on their
account page. Students will write
their ideas and outlines on the
piece of paper from the
anticipatory set.

Teacher is doing:
Teacher will walk around while
students are participating in the
anticipatory set. Teacher will
instruct students to finish up their
final thoughts. Teacher will ask
students if they would like to
share their responses. Teacher
will ask students to hold onto
their piece of paper for the next
activity.
Teacher will instruct students to
use this time to brainstorm what
character they would like to pick
and what elements of these
characters experience they
would like to include in their
project. Teacher will verbally
instruct students by saying, You
will have 15 minutes to
brainstorm ideas about which
character you would like to use

30 minutes

Creating: Students will review

the rubric and walk to the front
of the classroom to get a tablet.
Students will work independently
on Twitter project. Student will
create an account and ask the
teacher questions, if any.
Students will spend this time
create a profile that falls within
the requirements of the rubric.

for your Twitter project. You may

discuss ideas with your
classmates. Write down your
ideas and thoughts on a piece of
paper to reference. Teacher will
answer any questions students
may have.
Teacher will pass out rubric for
the Twitter project. Teacher will
answer any questions. Teacher
will instruct students to get a
tablet. Teacher will reiterate the
purpose of the project, stating,
The purpose of this project is to
transform your character. Focus
less on academic language and
more on text talk to make your
character seem more socially
relevant.

Summary/Closure:
Students will submit a link to their Twitter account on the classroom website. Under the course
information, an assignment tab will list In-Class Twitter Project.
Assessment:

Formal assessment: The Twitter Project. Students will turn this in at the end of class for
30 points. This assessment will measure students ability to utilize social media
platforms, as well as applying knowledge of popular culture and the language appropriate
for certain contexts.
Informal assessment: Brainstorming activity. Teacher will monitor student progress by
periodically checking in to make sure student is utilizing time and understanding project
requirements.

Homework/follow-up assignment: Students will retweet from one of their classmates Twitter
profiles.

Accommodations/adaptations:

2 ELLs: To accommodate the English Language Learners, teacher will encourage students to use
colloquial language or abbreviations from their native language in their project. Teacher will
review the rubric with each student and ask them if any terms are unclear to them before
beginning the project.
5 low SES students: To accommodate these students, teacher will make sure all work is done in
the classroom on the tablets. Teacher will allow students to complete the retweet homework
assignment in class before leaving (in case they do not have they technology available at home).
Herbert Millner (ADHD): To accommodate Herbert, I will provide setting accommodations,
sitting Herbert where he learns best, next to the teacher at the front of the classroom.
Paten Vander (Speech Impairment):To accommodate Paten, who is uncomfortable speaking in
front of the class, I will not call her to speak during the sharing activities.
Lya Gross (Mild Dyslexia): To accommodate Lya, I will give her timing accommodations, giving
her more time to complete the Twitter project if necessary. I will also give her more time to
process written directions and check in during the brainstorming activity.
Oliver Fore (Mild Autism): To accommodate Oliver, I will provide organization skills
accommodations as well as setting accommodations. I will mark texts with a highlighter as well
as helping him with coordinating assignments in a book or planner. I will also place him in a
different setting such as a quiet area if necessary.

Attachments/Appendices:
Appendix A

Plan B:

What will you do if this lesson isnt working? What if it is too hard? Too easy? You finish too
quickly?
If the lesson is too short, teacher will ask students to spend more time on their Twitter profiles,
adding more tweets and forms of media or text relevant to character development. If the lesson is
too long, teacher will extend the Twitter project over a period of two days. Teacher will check in
with students five minutes before class is over to monitor progress. If the lesson is too easy,
teacher will increase the requirements of the projects, asking students to include certain themes
relevant to their character. For instance, lets say a student is using Daisy for their Twitter profile.
I would list gender as a theme next to Daisys name and require students to include a tweet
relevant to this topic.

References

RubiStar Home. (n.d.). Retrieved July 12, 2016, from http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

White, J. W., & Hungerford-Kresser, H. (2014). Character Journaling Through Social Networks.
Journal Of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 57(8), 642-654. doi:10.1002/jaal.306