Micro Teach Lesson Plan

Kaitlyn Pierson
Emily Sadowski
September 14, 2016
An Analysis of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
English Language Arts/ Grade 8
Objective: The students will analyze The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost (1915) by
examining and citing the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the figurative language used in the text.
Common Core Standards:
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn from the text. (8.RI.1)
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
including analogies or allusions to other texts. (8.RL.4)
Anticipatory Set:
Think back to our first read of the The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. What decisions have
you made this week? Did you choose to stay up late one night to watch a movie? Did you go to
bed earlier than usual? Did you get homework done or did you put it off? Did you pack your
lunch or buy it?
You can probably think of hundreds of decisions and choices that youve made this week. What
choices had a consequence big or small? Staying up late may have left you tired in English
class. Buying your lunch may have meant you had to spend your allowance.
Talk about a recent choice and consequence with your elbow partner. You have 37 seconds.
The person with the shortest hair goes first. When the students hear the auditory signal Ladies
and Gentlemen the will direct their attention to the teacher and await further instruction.
Check for Understanding using Ask-Pause-Call
AskPoint to your elbow partner.
How much time will you have?
Who answers first?
How much time do you have?

Choices have consequences whether they are big or small. The poem The Road Not Taken
is about making choices. As a matter of fact, the entire poem can be read as a metaphor about
a choice the speaker makes. When a poet uses a metaphor throughout an entire poem, its
called an extended metaphor.
Segue into the Lesson:
Today, we will identify how the use of figurative language, metaphors and imagery can influence
meaning by examining and citing the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the figurative language used in the
text.
Instructional Information:
In order to better understand the nuances of the poem, we will go through it and identify the
figurative language, metaphors and imagery.
Please use your highlighter to highlight passages that use imagery, and use your pencil or pen
to underline passages that use figurative language and metaphors. On your paper also make a
key showing that highlighting = imagery and underlines = figurative language and metaphors.
ASK-What passages are you going to highlight?
-What passages are you going to underline?
-What else should be included on your paper? (key)
I Do - Display PowerPoint on Projector
The teacher will model expectations for highlighting imagery and underlining passages with
figurative language and metaphors by completing stanza one.
Line 1: This line sets the scene for the literal and metaphorical fork in the road that the speaker
faces. The road splitting in the woods is a m
etaphor for a choice. Wherever the speaker's life
has taken him so far, he has come to the point where, to go any farther, he needs to make a
choice that takes him down one path and excludes him from taking the other. Because the fork
in the road is a metaphor for choices throughout the poem, it's called an e
xtended metaphor.
Line 1 also gives us the setting of the poem. The speaker tells us the woods are yellow, so we
can infer that it's autumn. The metaphorical significance of this poem taking place in autumn
could be that the speaker is making this choice in the fall of his life, when he's beginning to grow
old.
Lines 4-5: This description of the road is a metaphor for the future. Just like we can only see a
path in the woods for so far, we can only see the consequences of our decisions for a short

while into our future. In line 5 Frost uses imagery again. Frost describes the road and how it
bent. We also find out that these woods must be pretty thick, because a road can disappear in
the undergrowth. Metaphorically, the undergrowth could represent aspects of the speaker's
future that are unclear.
Two roads diverged in a y ellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
We Do- Display PowerPoint on Projector
The students and the teacher complete stanza two highlighting imagery and underlining
figurative language and metaphors.
Line 6: Here, the speaker decides that, even though he's spent a long time looking down one
road, he's going to take the other, which seems just as interesting. This is a metaphor for a
sudden decision when we think about doing one thing, like, say, staying with a boyfriend or
girlfriend, for a long time. But then, all of a sudden, we find ourselves doing something else
dumping the boy or girl, and setting out on a new path. We don't know why we did it, other than
that we thought we'd be just as happy with one choice as the other.
Lines 7-8: The speaker is biased in favor of nature. He thinks one path could be better because
fewer people have worn it down. These lines are not just about nature, but are a metaphor for a
decision that is less commonly made. Even though the paths look Just as fair and may
perhaps have better claim, there is no way to tell which is actually better and likely there
never will be. Wanted wear in Line 8 means that not very many people have gone down this
road or made this choice. It implies that the author is being unique about choosing this road
and taking a risk because others do not choose this path. The reason others do not choose this
path is unknown but could be because it is more difficult or riskier for the person choosing.
Lines 9-10:
Since the roads had worn really about the same, the roads represent the choice to move
forward not which road you take to get there. The word worn is used to display the similarity
of the roads in terms of looks and outcomes.
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had w
orn them really about the same,

Check For Understanding Activity:

The teacher will check for understanding by using ask-pause-call (questions displayed on
PowerPoint).
1. In the first stanza, Frost provides an overview of his feelings as an individual having to
make a choice. Summarize how he feels.
Answer- Frost feels conflicted because he states, and sorry I could not travel both and be one
traveler, long I stood. The word sorry implies that he is not very comfortable about the situation
that he is in.
2. What does wanted wear mean and imply about the choice the author made?
Answer- Wanted wear in Line 8 means that not very many people have gone down this road or
made this choice. It implies that the author is being unique about choosing this road and taking
a risk because others do not choose this path. The reason others do not choose this path is
unknown but could be because it is more difficult or riskier for the person choosing.
Closure:
Robert Frost created the extended metaphor by using diction (word choice) and imagery. Go
back to the poem. Think back to the word choice, metaphors, and imagery that Frost uses.
Exit TicketStudents will answer the question on their half sheet of paper.
How are the two roads different and how are they similar?
Answer- The two roads are different because one is chosen more often than the other then
took the other, just as fairbecause it was grassy and wanted wear (lines 6 and 8). This shows
that one is a bit more worn out than the other because people walk on it more often than the
other. They are similar because they both seem to be just as fair in Line 6 and people have
walked down both before, Though as for the passing there. Has worn them really about the
same (lines 8-9).
Materials:
Copy of The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost
Class notes
Pen or pencil
Highlighter

Half sheet of lined paper

PowerPoint

Key VocabularyFigurative language- is language that uses words or expressions with a meaning that is
different from the literal interpretation. When a writer uses literal language, he or she is simply
stating the facts as they are.
Metaphor- a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else, especially
something abstract.
Imagery- visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.
Diction- the choice and use of words
Assessment:
Short Answer Directions: Answer the following questions in the space provided.
1. Briefly explain what is happening in the poem.

2. Explain how the speaker feels about the two roads.

3. Why doesnt the speaker think hell ever go back and travel down the other road?

Part II: Matching Directions: Match the vocabulary word and its definition. Write the letter
of the correct answer next to the definition.
A. claim B. diverged C. fair D. hence E. trodden F. undergrowth
4. from this time
5. walked on
6. promising; favorable
7. branched off; moved in a different direction
8. small trees and plants growing beneath larger trees
9. demand or right