Concept Unit

Lesson Plan Template

Unit Working Title: How I Can Use Literature to Approach Problems in My Life

Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): Approaching Adversity

Unit Primary Skill focus: Making an Argument

Week __1_ of 3; Plan #__3__ of 9; [90 mins.]

Plan type: ____Full-Detail _X_Summary

Content Requirement Satisfied:

(Note: Refer to the list in the document called Concept Unit Lesson Plans)

Unit Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Backwards Design Unit Document],

followed by Specific lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson:

SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):

2. Students will understand that hardships, though inevitable, are experienced by people in
different ways.

Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:

6. Students will be able to explain and value what is required by real people and characters in
facing their hardships

Performance (do):

7. Students will be able to critically examine how characters approach different problems
a. students will be able to back up their analysis of characters decisions with textual
evidence
c. students will know the difference between analysis and summary

8. Students will be able to make written and oral arguments about whether characters choices
when faced with adversity were effective choices to make at the time.
a. students will be able to close read passages

SOLs: [List with numbers portrayed in the SOL document]

7.4 The student will read to determine the meanings and pronunciations of unfamiliar words and
phrases within authentic texts
c. identify and analyze figurative language
d. identify connotations

7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative
nonfiction, and poetry.
d. describe the impact of word choice, imagery, and literary devices including figurative
language
g. make inferences and draw conclusions based on the texts
CCSs: [List with numbers portrayed in the CCS document]
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY-RL.7.1
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from the text

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.4
Determine the meanings of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g.
alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in
the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of
the range.

Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment used in
this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After each assessment,
indicate in brackets the number(s) and letter(s) of the unit objective and the related lesson
objectives that the assessment is evaluating.

Diagnostic Formative Summative

During the previous lesson
on annotating, students will
have discussed at the end
how annotating can help with
close reading. At the
beginning of this lesson, we
will do a brain dump on the
board for what students think
of when they think of the
definition for close reading. I
will have a definition in mind
to guide them to, but will call
on volunteers to share their
thoughts and them write
them on the board before we
come to a conclusive answer.
The definition I have for
close reading is: thoughtful,
critical analysis of a text, that
focuses on significant details
or patterns in order to
develop a deep, precise
understanding of the texts
form, craft, meanings, etc.
(This is how Common Core
defines close reading)
Additionally, after we define
close reading, I will ask
students What is the
purpose of close reading?
Students will turn in an exit-
card (included in Materials
Needed) at the end of the
lesson where they practice
close-reading a passage.
Specifically, students will
discuss connotations of words,
identify figurative language,
and make inferences about the
text based on textual evidence.
I will return this to them with
specific feedback before the
next class, including details on
what they could do well and
what they could improve on.
Additionally, before
completing this close reading
exit-card, students will close
read individually in small
clusters with guiding
questions (specifically what
is required by characters and Objectives: 7a, 7c, 8a
real people in facing
hardships and how can
people experience hardships in
different ways?) I will
monitor these conversations,
circulating and adding
comments and questions when
Students will be required to
close read for their Character
Talk final assessment,
specifically identifying
figurative language, discussing
the connotations of words, and
making inferences about the
text based on textual evidence.
Additionally, they will use this
skill throughout the rest of the
year in this class as well as in
their future English classes.
Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY-
RL.7.1
CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RL.7.4
CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RL.7.10
SOL 7.4 c, d, 7.5 d, g
 Why do we do it? I will also necessary, acting as a co-
write down their thoughts for learner
this on the board, setting a
purpose for their learning. I Standards:
will have an answer prepared CCSS.ELA-LITERACY-
if no one volunteers their RL.7.1
thoughts (close reading is CCSS.ELA-
important because it helps LITERACY.RL.7.4
you notice and think about CCSS.ELA-
the features and language the LITERACY.RL.7.10
author uses in a text so we SOL 7.4 c, d, 7.5 d, g
can think thoughtfully about
why these details were used Objectives: 2, 6, 7a, 7c, 8a
this is also from Common
Core)

Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY-
RL.7.1
CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RL.7.4

Objectives: 7a, 7c, 8a

Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]

Beginning Room Arrangement:

[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]

1. [10 mins.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson:

I will welcome students into the classroom and do a quick review of annotations (what we did
last class, go over definition of them and then different types of annotations). I will say a short
sentence about the connection between annotations and close reading and how annotations can
help with close reading (the two are intertwined). We will do a brain dump for what students
already know about close reading and I will write their thoughts on the board. I will have a
working definition that I want them to come away with and will guide them towards this
definition when they share their thoughts. I will be sure to emphasize that its okay if they dont
know what close reading really is, since they are only in 7th grade! Students will copy down the
final definition that we come up with in their notebooks (if there are other ideas that they came
up with, I will add these to the original definition I prepared from Common Core)

After giving them the definition, we will talk about setting a purpose for close reading. I will ask
students why they think its important and will write their thoughts on the board as well under a
different column. I anticipate that most students will say things like because it can help us write
essays and because it can help us understand the text better, but I will also be sure to add that
close reading can help get at the authors intentions. Why would someone use alliteration in a
poem/what is the effect of it for you as the reader? Although we can never truly know the
authors intentions, it is useful to get students thinking about elements of writing (e.g. figurative
language) as parts of an authors artistic toolbox. I will also emphasize that this is only an
introduction to close reading because students will be using this skill for the rest of this class as
well as in their future English classes! Students have probably already done some close reading
in the past without actually knowing that the activity they were doing was close reading.

2. [20 mins.]
Student small group discussions. Class seating will already be set up in clusters of four. Explain
that to do close reading, students will discuss in small groups some prompting questions about
hardship. I will remind students of the earlier discussion we did in the first lesson of this unit
(mainly on hardship/adversity definitions and affective/non-cognitive skills) and before they start
discussing, we will make a list of things that good discussion members do (such as active
listening, active participation, asking follow-up questions to peers, etc.) As we come up with
these, I will type them on a google doc and display this on the board while students are having
their discussions.

I will create a list of questions for them to discuss (in materials needed), then we will do a whole-
class share-out. I will specify that I will randomly cold-call someone from each group to share
when we do the whole class share-out, so everyone needs to be prepared and active in their small
groups.

3. [20 mins.]
Students listen to recording of text that deals with hardship, annotating along the way. I will also
pause the recording at certain points to ask comprehension questions to make sure all students
are on the same page. (Appendix C)

4. [25 mins or remaining time]

Teacher models how to close read a text using annotations, taking a specific passage from the
text that the students listened to. Think-aloud that makes every move as explicit as possible,
pausing to ask questions along the way. Make the process of close reading as clear as possible:
break it down into steps. Step 1: identify the textual element through annotating (using the text
codes we came up with from the previous lesson, post this somewhere visible so students can
refer back to it if they get stuck and arent sure what to mark. Step 2: think about the
significance: why do you think that the author would include this? How does it make you react
or feel as the reader? Step 3: Take a guesswhat could this mean? If its figurative language,
why does it matter (does it symbolize something? If so, what?) Step 4: Narrow down the
annotations and thoughts from close reading to pick 2 or 3 that you think are your strongest or
most representative/striking to you from reading the passage. Explain that later we will use this
close reading nuggets to make an argument, but for right now, students should just focus on the
process of close reading.

After think-aloud, which should take about half of the total time for this section, pull up a new
section and call on student volunteers to tell me which parts to mark for annotations and close
readings that correspond with those annotations. Scaffold students toward close reading
independently (at first if they can only give me an observation or identify figurative language,
emphasize that that is okay and thank them for their participation!) and then model how I would
close read the part that they gave me the annotation for. Have students close read a passage with
you.

If students find close reading not challenging enough, emphasize that they can start to try to look
at these nuggets and compose an argument about the text. Say that students will also have the
opportunity to learn how to do this in a future lesson, so its okay if they dont feel comfortable
doing it yet.
At the end of this guided practice, have students practice close reading passages independently
on the exit card. Make sure resources for types of annotation and reasons for why we close
read/what close reading is are posted around the room. Encourage students to refer back to the
final definition of close reading that we came up with at the beginning of class in their
notebooks. Make sure students know you are available when they are doing this independently
for help.

5. [5 mins] Closure:
Thank students for their hard work today, explain that close reading is a difficult skill and
becomes easier with practice. End with a summary of the lesson, relating close reading back to
specifically close reading about adversity and hardship, since this is what students will be doing
in their Character Talk. Also end with anticipation for what we will be doing next class (dont use
the word thesis, but say something like using our close reading and annotations to compose a
written argument. Remind students of the summative assessment for this unit (Character Talk)
which is coming up soon and will require them to use all of these skills! Collect exit slips at the
door as students are leaving and tell them to have a good rest of their day.

Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:

(This is where you identify specific aspects of this lesson which have been differentiated in order
to address the needs of one or more of your profiled studentsidentify them by name)

For Garrett, I have additional activities ready and more difficult texts for him to practice close
reading skills because I anticipate that he will finish earlier than other students and be looking for
a challenge.

Materials Needed (list):

Student notebooks
Appendix A: exit-card for close reading practice
Appendix B: worksheet for discussion about hardship being inevitable, people experiencing it
differently, talk about what is required for real people when dealing with hardship
Appendix C: audio recording of text dealing with hardship
Appendix D: hard copy of text dealing with hardship for students to follow along with

Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,

handouts, etc.)