8th Grade English Language Arts & Reading



|8th Grade English Language Arts & Reading |TEKS: Use comprehension skills to listen |

|Fourth Six Weeks: Weeks 1-2 Theme: Painting with Words |attentively to others in formal and |

|Time Frame: 10 Days Genre: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry |informal settings. ELAR 8.26; Participate |

|Writing: Poetry |productively in discussions, plan agendas |

| |with clear goals and deadlines, set time |

| |limits for speakers, take notes, and vote |

| |on key issues. ELAR 8.28; Speak clearly |

| |and to the point, using the conventions of|

| |language ; ELAR 8.27; Work productively |

| |with others in teams. ELAR 8.28; Determine|

| |the meaning of grade-level academic |

| |English words derived from Latin, Greek, |

| |or other linguistic roots and affixes. |

| |ELAR 8.2A; Use a dictionary, glossary, or |

| |a thesaurus (printed or electronic) to |

| |determine the meanings, syllabication, |

| |pronunciations, alternate word choices, |

| |and parts of speech of words. ELAR 8.2E; |

| |Analyze, make inferences and draw |

| |conclusions about theme and genre in |

| |different cultural, historical, and |

| |contemporary contexts and provide evidence|

| |from the text to support their |

| |understanding. ELAR 8.3; Understand, make |

| |inferences and draw conclusions about the |

| |structure and elements of poetry and |

| |provide evidence from text to support |

| |their understanding; analyze the |

| |importance of graphical elements (e.g., |

| |capital letters, line length, word |

| |position) on the meaning of a poem. ELAR |

| |8.4A; Understand, make inferences and draw|

| |conclusions about how an author’s sensory |

| |language creates imagery in literary text |

| |and provide evidence from text to support |

| |their understanding. Determine the |

| |figurative meaning of phrases and analyze |

| |how an author’s use of language creates |

| |imagery, appeals to the senses, and |

| |creates mood. ELAR 8.8A; Synthesize and |

| |make logical connections between ideas |

| |within a text and across two or three |

| |texts representing similar or different |

| |genres, and support those findings with |

| |textual evidence. ELAR 8.10D; Identify, |

| |use and understand the function of verbs |

| |(perfect and progressive tenses) and |

| |participles, adverbial and adjectival |

| |phrases and clauses. ELAR 8.19A; Use |

| |context to determine or clarify the |

| |meaning of unfamiliar or ambiguous words ;|

| |ELAR 8.2B; Make complex inferences about |

| |text and use textual evidence to support |

| |understanding. FIGURE 19: 8110.20D; Use |

| |elements of the writing process (planning |

| |) to compose text: . . Revise drafts to |

| |improve style; ELAR 8.14 A, B, C, D, E); |

| |Write a poem using poetic techniques |

| |(e,g., rhyme scheme, meter); figurative |

| |language (e.g,, personification, idioms, |

| |hyperbole); and graphic elements (e,g,, |

| |word position). ELAR 8.15B (I, ii, iii); |

| |Write responses to literary or expository |

| |texts that demonstrate the writing skills |

| |for multi-paragraph essays and provide |

| |sustained evidence from the text using |

| |quotations when appropriate. ELAR 8.17C |

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|Objective: | |

|The students will define poetry; identify characteristics/techniques of genre. | |

|The students will develop and use wall charts and work collaboratively with peers to support learning. | |

|The students will read and/or listen to poetry daily. | |

|The students will write short responses to questions about theme, genre, and techniques related to the study of poetry as | |

|genre. | |

|The students will participate in a whole group inquire-base discussion. | |

|The students will engage in study to deepen understanding of grammar concepts. | |

|The students will identify and use characteristics and features of poetry to comprehend and write poems. | |

|The students will use elements of the writing process to compose texts (literary analysis, poetry). | |

|The students will select a book and begin reading and planning independent study task. | |

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|Overview: | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of characteristics of poetry as genre | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of devices and techniques authors use to convey ideas in poetry | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of interpretation and literary analysis | |

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|Literary Terms: | |

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|Poetry | |

|Syntax | |

|Repetition | |

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|Genre | |

|Dialect | |

|Connotations | |

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|Interpretation | |

|Diction | |

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|Analysis | |

|Metaphor | |

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|Ballad | |

|Idioms | |

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|Limerick | |

|Syntax | |

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|Haiku | |

|Alliteration | |

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|Ode | |

|consonance | |

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|Six Weeks Project: | |

|Write a collection of original poems that communicate a perspective of the world based on topics drawn from the novel, The| |

|Tree Grows in Brooklyn or Tears of a Tiger. | |

|Essential Questions: | |

|What is poetry? | |

|What devices/techniques do poets use to impact readers and convey messages? | |

|What points of view do poets convey about their subjects? | |

|Suggested Lesson Ideas: | |

|Introduce the unit with a brief review. Provide students a rubric on the six weeks project and discuss the assignment, | |

|including the dates on which the project is due. The topics for the poetry collection that students will write are to be | |

|drawn from their reading of the novel chosen by the teacher. Consider providing independent reading time during class as | |

|an option (one class set of 30 novels per teacher). They might create a reading log to answer guiding questions). Allow | |

|some time for discussions, which may include pair/trio and whole group sharing. | |

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|• Consider inviting students to view videos of poetry readings. | |

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|• Invite students to enter poetry competitions. | |

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|• Remind students of their independent reading task for the six weeks. They might choose a book of poems or a book about a| |

|poet (biography or autobiography). | |

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|• Immerse students in the genre. Select poems to read to the class daily for enjoyment and ask each student to identify | |

|his/her favorite poem and be prepared to read it to the class when called upon. They should be able to explain why it is | |

|their favorite. | |

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|Lesson 1: Deepening Understanding—What is Poetry? | |

|Connect and Engage: | |

|• Ask students to engage in a quick write (3 minutes): What is poetry? List characteristics of the genre. When they have | |

|finished, ask them to share their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook entries in a turn-and-talk and be ready to share with the | |

|whole group. | |

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|• Create a “Characteristics of Poetry” chart. Include the definition that the class agrees upon and list the | |

|characteristics that are shared. Ask students to explain and give examples of the characteristics they share to support | |

|and clarify ideas. Include the supporting information in the chart. | |

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|• Project poetry definitions. Ask students to read them with a partner and discuss what, if any, revisions they would make| |

|to the class definition based on new information they might have gleaned. | |

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|• Remind students that they will read and listen to poetry daily. Introduce a video of poetry reading (can be found on You| |

|Tube). Prior to viewing, give students the title and ask them what they think the poem will be about. Have them share | |

|their ideas with a peer. After viewing and listening to the reading, ask students to discuss: What is the poem about? What| |

|connections do you make with ideas in the poem? Were your predictions accurate? Ask them to first share with a partner, | |

|and then invite whole group sharing. (Video viewing and sharing task –7-10 minutes). | |

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|Lesson 2: Reading “Mother to Son,” page 636, to Get the Gist | |

|• Engage students in a discussion of poetic forms. Refer to the characteristics chart first, discussing the forms that | |

|have been identified, and then introduce any of the following that were not included: ballad, limerick, concrete poem, | |

|free verse, dramatic dialogue, lyric, ode, and haiku. Guide students to add definitions, characteristics, and examples of | |

|these forms to their notes and personal dictionaries. Let them know that you will focus on just a few of these forms | |

|(Refer to the Literary Genres Workshop--Holt Literature, Grade 8, pp. 4, 6. See extension task.). | |

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|Connect and Engage: | |

|• Focus attention on lyric poetry as a sub-genre. Review the characteristics, p. 633 and play a song (e.g., Home by Chris | |

|Daughtry or teacher’s choice.) Discuss the fact that lyric comes from the Greek lyre—that the related word, ”lyric,” | |

|refers to the words of a song. | |

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|• Introduce the poem, “Mother to Son.” Post the following gist (comprehension) questions: What is the subject (What is the| |

|poem about?)? Who is the speaker? What do you know about her? What is the occasion (setting)?--How do you Know? | |

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|• Tell students that they will read the poem first to establish the literal meaning. After students have written a brief | |

|summary, answering the comprehension questions in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks, ask them to share their ideas with a | |

|partner in a turn and talk and be ready to share with the group. | |

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|Lesson 3: Read to Interpret “Mother to Son” | |

|• Remind students that interpretation and literary analysis are major concepts and foci for our work in this unit. To | |

|assist learning, model the TP-CASTT strategy for analyzing and interpreting poetry. | |

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|• Provide students a quick overview of the TP-CASTT strategy (see Resources). Then, teacher model and engage students in | |

|guided and group practice in interpreting and analyzing a teacher-selected poem using “TP-CASTT.” | |

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|• StepBack to Reflect On Learning. Ask students to reflect and write: What have they learned about reading and analyzing | |

|poetry? What helped them learn? What questions do they have? Chart and post responses. | |

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|• When students are ready, ask them to reread to interpret the text. Pair students for support. | |

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|• Pose the text-specific interpretive question: The speaker repeats the sentence, “And life for me ain’t been no crystal | |

|stair.” What do you think she means? As a reminder, all responses are to be written in the Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook. | |

|Students should support their ideas with text evidence. Allow pairs to share, then share and discuss responses among the | |

|whole group. Facilitate the sharing to ensure that conversations/ discussions reflect Accountable Talk features. | |

|Lesson 4: Read “Mother to Son” to Identify and Analyze the Author’s Techniques | |

|• Assign pairs to read the poem again to identify and analyze the author’s techniques. Observe as pairs work; facilitate | |

|as coach, provide support, and identify next steps for instruction. Include analysis of form and structure. | |

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|• Remind students that their analysis must include how the technique or device conveys meaning and/or impacts the reader. | |

|Model processes to scaffold success. | |

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|• Have students share the results of the pair/trio work with the whole group when the work is done. Establish a timeline | |

|for the task. Students will continue to develop their understanding throughout the unit and consider invitations to | |

|complete tasks as homework. Begin a “techniques” chart and record techniques/devices students identify in the poetry they | |

|study in the unit. Include their descriptions of how the techniques worked in the poetry. This tool will support success | |

|with the culminating project. | |

|Technique/Device | |

|Example | |

|How It Worked | |

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|Punctuation (dashes) | |

|And places with no carpet on the floor—Bare. | |

|Adds emphasis; creates imagery of the absence of comforts Mom had to endure; emphasizes the difficulty of Mother’s life. | |

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|Syntax (imperative sentences) | |

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|Guide students to analyze how the poet uses form, punctuation, syntax, dialect, and diction (e.g., How is the poem | |

|structured/organized? What do you notice about how the author uses verbs in the poem? . . .What is the poetic form? Why is| |

|the form effective?). | |

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|Lesson 5: Read “Speech to the Young Speech to the Progress-Toward” for Gist and Significance | |

|• Determine groupings based on formative assessment. Establish pairs purposefully to provide the support that each peer | |

|needs. Establish a workshop setting. Teach mini-lessons as ongoing formative assessment indicates, confer continually | |

|(roving conferences), and apprentice students as poets and critics. | |

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|• Introduce the poem. Tell students that they will read and analyze this poem as they did the first (Use TP-CASTT as | |

|appropriate). Remind them of the posted gist (comprehension) questions. Before moving to significance task, check for | |

|understanding and ensure that students get the gist of the poem. Engage in the significance tasks. Follow established | |

|routines. | |

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|• Students may experience difficulty paraphrasing. Press students to paraphrase the poem before they begin to make | |

|inferences, if assessment indicates the need. They should be able to state the theme of the poem—What is the poet saying?”| |

|Do allow students to work through the difficulty, facilitating as coach, assessing and advancing ideas. | |

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|• Ask learners to reread the poem for significance. Tell them to identify the word, phrase, sentence, or stanza they | |

|consider most significant to the speaker’s message. Remind them to explain the idea they have selected using evidence from| |

|the poem. They should use a wall chart that is posted from previous lessons or their notes to remind themselves of the | |

|criteria for a significant moment or idea (e.g., single moment/idea from the text; explanation is based on the text—not | |

|personal experience) | |

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|• Engage in the established routine of writing, pair-sharing, followed by sharing with the whole group. | |

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|Lesson 6: Read to Analyze | |

|• Pose the question: What techniques does the author use to convey her attitude/point of view/message (metaphors, idioms, | |

|syntax, structure, alliteration, consonance, repetition, connotations)? Use a different colored marker to add techniques | |

|to the “Techniques Chart” (ref. Lesson 4). Guide students to compare and contrast the poets’ (Hughes and Brooks) | |

|techniques and perspectives about their subjects. | |

|Lesson 7: WriteLike | |

|• Ask students to choose a technique from the chart and imitate it in an original stanza. Ask students to indicate the | |

|technique they have imitated, and engage in a gallery walk to share the work. Allow them to write “wonderings” and | |

|“noticings” about the technique. Model examples of effective “wonderings” and “noticings” that invite reflection (e.g., I | |

|wonder whether there could be a “shift” within a stanza?—prompting the writer to reflect on his/her thinking about shifts | |

|and structure). Students do not need to respond to peers’ notes on their work. | |

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|Lesson 8: WriteAbout (Literary Analysis) | |

|• Connect and Engage. Briefly remind students that they have engaged in literary analysis since beginning school. Ask them| |

|to give examples of how they have engaged in literary analysis this year—in this unit. Ask them to make some connections | |

|to analytical tasks they can recall as far back as 1st grade (e.g., A student might say, “We talked about why each of the | |

|“Three Little Pigs” suffered the fate that he did.). Move the conversation to writing about literature and (literary | |

|analysis essays). | |

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|• Tell students that their task is to choose a line or phrase that contains a literary device from either of the two poems| |

|and write a short paragraph that explains how the device conveys meaning or impacts the reader. | |

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|• Model the process and thinking to scaffold success. Use selected Holt resources (e.g., reading and writing workshop | |

|resources, selected student models). | |

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|• Before students begin, collaborate with them to establish criteria for the task (e.g., includes thesis statement, | |

|includes a specific example of the technique from the poem, explains how the technique conveys meaning or impacts the | |

|reader, uses dashes, and/or other grammar concept studied), supports ideas with evidence from text. | |

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|• Establish a timeline for completing the task (15-20 minutes). Confer with each student and | |

|support them to set goals for improvement. | |

|Differentiation: | |

|During core program/core instructional time | |

|• Identify small groups who need clarification about expectations, tasks, and timelines discussed in the unit overview. | |

|Provide a calendar of the six weeks, and engage with students to list tasks and due dates. | |

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|• Identify one or several students whose system for keeping track of assignments is an effective model. Ask the student(s)| |

|to share his/her system with the class, including why it is effective. | |

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|• Guide students through the Literary Genres Workshop (ref. poetry, Holt Literature, Grade 8, pp. 4 and 6) as formative | |

|assessment indicates. | |

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|• Engage small groups in the Writing Workshop for poetry (paced and structured as determined by need and readiness) as | |

|students study and draft their own poems, pp. 668-675. | |

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|• To develop comprehension skills, engage learners in the Unit 5 Reader’s Workshop: Appreciating Poetry, pp. 604-609. | |

|Include notes and attention to p. 611. | |

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|• Guide students to paraphrase each stanza of the poem. | |

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|• Model writing a literary analysis paragraph in front of students (whole or small group determined through formative | |

|assessment). Use the criteria that have been collaboratively developed. Think aloud through the process. | |

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|Gifted and Talented Extensions: | |

|• Ask students to identify examples of poetic forms that will not be read in this unit (e.g., ode, sonnet). Tell them to | |

|analyze each poem to identify specific characteristics of the form and determine the speaker and point of view, supporting| |

|their ideas with text evidence. | |

|Ask them to bring their work to class and provide time for sharing, during which students “instruct” their peers on | |

|characteristics and features of sub-genres. | |

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|• Invite students to create a “found poem” that gives advice to their generation. A definition, examples, and related | |

|information are accessible at the site linked below (teacher resource). | |

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|• Invite students to read and analyze the poem “The Road Not Taken” (Robert Frost), using the TP-CASTT strategy | |

|(individual or pair/trio work). Allow time for sharing and discussion. | |

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|Invite students to research ideas, subjects, and techniques that characterize poetry written in different historical | |

|periods. Tell them to study the setting that characterizes the period and make some inferences about how the poetry | |

|reflects the historical period. | |

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|Interventions: | |

|Tier 2 | |

|Engage individuals or small groups in selected parts or complete “Core Analysis Frame for Poetry” based on need and/or | |

|readiness. Access at Holt online Resources: Analysis Frames (located in Student Centers). | |

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|Teach students to use the think aloud strategy to monitor their thinking as they read. Access the strategy description and| |

|lesson at the following website, select “classroom strategies” from the menu at the left of the screen then select “Think | |

|Alouds.” | |

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|Engage individuals or small groups in strategies to develop inferencing skills. Access the following web site and select | |

|“classroom strategies” from the menu at the left of the screen. Select “inferential reading.” | |

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|Tier 3 | |

|Model the process and guide students to use the Frayer Model as a strategy for building vocabulary. To access the strategy| |

|description and lesson at the following website, select “classroom strategies” from the menu at the left of the screen. | |

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|Continue strategies to build comprehension skills. Help students to select books that match their reading levels and | |

|interests. Partner read with individuals in tutoring sessions. Definition of the strategy and lesson ideas can be accessed| |

|at the following website. Select “classroom strategies” at the home page, then select the link for “Partner Reading:” | |

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|Provide poems or short reading passages for reading. Guide individual students to read the selection and make inferences | |

|about an idea in the text. Prompt their inferential thinking by asking questions based on the types of inferences skilled | |

|readers make [e.g., “What does the author think about ______ (topic from the text). Have them highlight evidence in the | |

|text that supports their inferences. | |

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|Ask students to think about their processes. Have them reflect and write the steps they took to arrive at their | |

|inferences. Discuss students’ processes, asking questions to help them clarify. | |

| Suggested Assessment: | |

|Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks Teacher observations | |

|Individual fluency probes Evidence of accountable talk | |

|Fluency Rubric Checklist Completed T-Chart | |

|One Minute Fluency Checks STAR Diagnostic Report | |

|AR Testing | |

|Resources: | |

|Holt McDougal Literature, 8 Teacher created material | |

|Glencoe Writers Choice, 8 Wall Charts | |

|Vocabulary Log Graphic Organizer | |

|Cornell Notes Ancillary Material | |

|Websites: Renaissance Place (AR), , | |

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|pdf/single/during/thinkaloud1.pdf, | |

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|•College Board site about PSAT/NMSQT (PLUS) for students: | |

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|• John Ulrich reading “We Real Cool” | |

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|• Poetry 180 Website: “How to Read a Poem Out Loud” Share important points with students. | |

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|• Holt Online Resources | |

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|• Youth Poetry Competitions | |

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|Analysis: “Speech to the Young Speech to the Progress Toward” | |

|Ask: What do you notice about language—diction and syntax (sentence structure)? How does the author use structure and | |

|language to impact the reader and meaning in the poem? | |

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|Significant Idea | |

|Explanation | |

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|Select the word, line, or phrase you consider most significant to the speaker’s message. | |

|Explain why the idea is significant. Support your response with evidence from the poem. | |

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|TP-CASTT | |

|TP-CASTT is an acronym for title, paraphrase, connotation, attitude, shift, title (again), and theme. It is designed to | |

|help students remember the concepts they can consider when examining a poem. This is not a lockstep sequential approach, | |

|but rather it is a fluid process in which students will move back and forth among the various concepts. | |

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|13 Types of Inferences Skilled Readers Make (Kyleen Beers): | |

|1. Recognize the antecedents for pronouns. | |

|2. Figure out the meaning of unknown words from context clues. | |

|3. Figure out the grammatical function of an unknown word. | |

|4. Understand intonation of characters’ words. | |

|5. Identify characters’ beliefs, personalities, and motivations. | |

|6. Understand characters’ relationship to one another. | |

|7. Provide details about the setting. | |

|8. Provide explanations for events or ideas that are presented in the text. | |

|9. Offer details for events or their own explanations of the events. | |

|10. Understand the author’s view of the world. | |

|11. Recognize the author’s biases. | |

|12. Relate what is happening in the text to their own knowledge of the world. | |

|13. Offer conclusions from facts presented in the text. | |

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|Literature Selections: | |

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|p.636 | |

|Mother to Son | |

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|p.632 | |

|Speech to the Young Speech to the Progress-Toward | |

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|8th Grade English Language Arts & Reading |TEKS: Work productively with|

|Fourth Six Weeks: Weeks 3-4 Theme: Painting with Words |others in teams…participate |

|Time Frame: 9 Days Genre: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry |productively in discussions, |

|Writing: Poetry |plan agendas with clear goals|

| |and deadlines, set time |

| |limits for speakers, take |

| |notes and vote on key issues.|

| |ELAR 8.28A; Adjust fluency |

| |when reading aloud |

| |grade-level text based on the|

| |reading purpose and the |

| |nature of the text. ELAR |

| |8.1A; Use context (within a |

| |sentence and in larger |

| |sections of text) to |

| |determine or clarify the |

| |meaning of unfamiliar or |

| |ambiguous words or words with|

| |novel meanings. ELAR 8.2B; |

| |Summarize, paraphrase, and |

| |synthesize texts in ways that|

| |maintain meaning and logical |

| |order within a text and |

| |across texts. Figure |

| |10.11020E; Synthesize and |

| |make logical connections |

| |between ideas within a text |

| |and across two or three texts|

| |representing similar or |

| |different genres, and support|

| |those findings with textual |

| |evidence.ELAR 8.10D; Make |

| |complex inferences about text|

| |and use textual evidence to |

| |support understanding. Figure|

| |19.110.20D; Ask literal, |

| |interpretive, evaluative and |

| |universal questions of text. |

| |Figure 19.110.29B; Analyze |

| |literary works that share |

| |similar themes across |

| |cultures. ELAR 8.3A; |

| |Summarize, paraphrase, and |

| |synthesize texts in ways that|

| |maintain meaning and logical |

| |order within a text and |

| |across texts. Figure |

| |10.11020E; Make complex |

| |inferences about text and use|

| |textual evidence to support |

| |understanding. Figure |

| |19.110.20D; Write a poem |

| |using poetic techniques, |

| |figurative language, and |

| |graphic elements. ELAR 8.15B;|

| |Identify verbs and |

| |participles ELAR 8.19i. |

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|Objective: | |

|The students will engage in reading, writing, and talking as a way to achieve deeper understanding of poetry. | |

|The students will listen actively and purposefully in a variety of settings to understand, interpret, and monitor comprehension of the | |

|spoken word. | |

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|Overview: | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of using new vocabulary when reading and writing | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of structural patterns and features of poetry | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of working productively with others in teams | |

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|Literary Terms: | |

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|Poetry | |

|Syntax | |

|Repetition | |

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|Genre | |

|Dialect | |

|Connotations | |

| | |

|Interpretation | |

|Diction | |

|Symbolism | |

| | |

|Analysis | |

|Metaphor | |

|Imagery | |

| | |

|Ballad | |

|Idioms | |

|Tone | |

| | |

|Limerick | |

|Syntax | |

| | |

| | |

|Haiku | |

|Alliteration | |

| | |

| | |

|Ode | |

|consonance | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Six Weeks Project: | |

|Write a collection of original poems that communicate a perspective of the world based on topics drawn from the novel, The Tree Grows in| |

|Brooklyn or Tears of a Tiger. | |

|Essential Questions: | |

|What is poetry? | |

|What devices/techniques do poets use to impact readers and convey messages? | |

|What points of view do poets convey about their subjects? | |

|Suggested Lesson Ideas: | |

|Lesson 9: Activating Prior Knowledge | |

|• Connect and Engage Ask students: What gives meaning to simple things? Begin by asking students to think about what gives meaning to | |

|their lives. Encourage them to think about family friends, special interests or hobbies etc. Have students take an informal survey of | |

|five to ten classmates to find out what simple things have the most meaning for them. What types of things come up most often? As a | |

|class, discuss and create an answer to the question “What gives meaning to simple things?” | |

|• Suggested Homework: Ask students to survey five to ten adults (family, teachers, neighbors etc.) What types of things come up most | |

|often? Students compare/ contrast responses to surveys of classmates and adults. | |

|• Introduce the poet by reading background information on p.501 in textbook. | |

|• Students are encouraged to keep a personal word dictionary. It would be beneficial to provide a meaningful and/or true-life story or | |

|point out etymological histories to help student grasp the meanings of specific vocabulary. Display words on a classroom word wall. | |

|• To enhance student understanding of poem, describe some of the different fabrics to help students imagine their feel. Point out that | |

|organdies are stiff and transparent, white communion cotton is thin and soft, flannel is fuzzy and warm, denim is the material blue | |

|jeans are made of, and tweeds are woven wools. If possible, provide some cloth samples or pictures for student to see and touch. | |

|• Preview the Title (T): Ask students to think about the title before reading the poem. What do you think the poem might be about? | |

|Refer to TP-CASTT chart to respond. | |

| | |

|Lesson 10: Understanding Poetry | |

|• Students listen to audio for “My Mother Pieced Quilts,” page 501. Explain to students that they will prepare their own reading of the | |

|first four stanzas of the poem. For each stanza, list details that made an impression on you or that seem important to the meaning. | |

|Students may try different ways to emphasize the words and phrases they have identified. In small groups, members take turns reading the| |

|stanzas aloud. Students should emphasize the words and details they noted for each stanza. Ask them to compare readings. Ask | |

|students to explain how different interpretations influenced their understanding of the poem. | |

| | |

| | |

| | |

|Lesson 11: Read to Get the Gist | |

|• Read aloud pp. 501-504. Have students listen to the poem as they follow along in their books. In the Reader/Writer Notebook ask | |

|students to respond to the following: Who is the speaker of the poem? What is happening in the poem? To whom is the narrator in this | |

|poem speaking? How do you know? | |

|• Paraphrase (P): Ask students to restate the poem in their own words, focusing on one syntactical unit at a time. Have student to write| |

|a sentence or two for each stanza of the poem. Use TP-CASTT chart. | |

|• Shift/Progression (S): The discovery of shift can be facilitated if students are taught to watch for the following: key words, | |

|punctuation, stanza division, changes in line or stanza length or both, changes in sound that indicates changes in meaning or changes in| |

|diction. | |

|• Because the poem has limited punctuation and no capitalization, readers must pay close attention to other clues to the poem’s | |

|structure. Point out the repeated word how in lines 8, 13, 20, and 23. Explain that each time this word appears, it introduces a new | |

|thought or memory that the speaker wonders about or feels amazed by. | |

|• Encourage students to notice that the flow of the poem imitates the speaker’s thoughts and feelings as she studies each piece of the | |

|quilt and remembers its significance. Read the poem aloud to illustrate this flow. Then invite small groups of students to prepare a | |

|choral reading of the poem. Give students the opportunity to practice before they read aloud. | |

| | |

|Lesson 12: Read for Significance | |

|• Have students identify three ideas or phrases that strike them as most significant to understanding the theme of the poem. Model | |

|creating a two-column note chart for their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook. In pairs/trios allow students to share their ideas/phrases and | |

|what they reveal about what the poet is saying. Partners should listen for similarities/differences in the ideas/phrases that are | |

|chosen. Chart student responses and explanations. | |

|• Theme (T): In identifying the theme, the student will recognize the human experience, motivation. Students identify and write the | |

|theme on TP-CASTT chart. | |

|• Analyzing Visuals: Ask students to take a few moments to analyze the quilt on p. 503. What recognizable objects can you find in this | |

|quilt? Tell what each might symbolize to the quilt maker. Ask students to name examples of symbols in “My Mother Pieced Quilts.” What | |

|does each symbol stand for? Students respond in Reader/Writer Notebook. | |

|• Interpretation of Text Ask students: What does the poem suggest about the importance of family members sharing information with the | |

|next generation? Use at least three details from the poem to support your response. Students write responses in their Reader’s/Writer’s | |

|Notebook. Invite them to share their entries with a partner and then with whole group. | |

| | |

|Lesson 13: Drawing Conclusions | |

|•You must often draw conclusions to understand the message a poet is trying to share. A conclusion is a belief you arrive at or a | |

|logical judgment you make by combining your inferences about the poem with your personal knowledge and experience. Ask students to | |

|record lines from the poem that illustrates the practical, creative, and social reasons for quilting. Based on the list, students write | |

|their own conclusion about the value in making quilts. | |

|•Discuss the relationship between the mother and daughter. Have students collaboratively work in pairs/trios to create a dialogue | |

|between the mother and the daughter. The dialogues should incorporate details from the poem as subjects for the two characters to talk | |

|about. For example, the women might discuss their memories, the quilts, making the quilts, or questions about the past or future. | |

|Have each pair/trio act out its dialogue; then lead the class in a discussion about the differences students observed among the scenes. | |

|Ask students if they felt the characters in each dialogue were true to the poem. | |

| | |

|Lesson 14: Poetry Interpretation: | |

|• Title (T): Lead students in examining the title again, this time on an interpretive level. | |

|• Ask students how does the speaker in “My Mother Pieced Quilts” see quilt making as a way to hold a family together. Respond in | |

|Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook. Allow students to share responses with a partner, then with whole group. | |

|• Write About: In the poem, what does the speaker feel her mother provided by means of the quilts? What does the poem say about the role| |

|of mothers? | |

|• Engage students in a literary discussion to explain whether the poet was successful in making her memories vivid and intimate for you | |

|as a reader. Ask students to think about the things quilts and quilting are compared to in the poem, the senses appealed to within the | |

|poem, the speakers’ emotions | |

|as revealed in the poem and their own emotional responses. Remind students to support their answers. Students share responses. | |

|• StepBack: Ask: Why do you think the memories described in the poem are so important to the speaker? Students might think about the | |

|practical use of the quilts, how the quilts relate to the past and the artistry of the quilts. | |

| | |

|Lesson 15: Analyzing Writer’s Craft | |

|• Poets use sound devices such as alliteration, consonance, assonance to express a musical quality to their poems. | |

|• Connotation (C): The term indicates that students should examine any and all poetic devices, focusing on how such devices contribute | |

|to the meaning, the effect, or both of a poem. Working with a partner, students create a chart to identify examples of sound devices | |

|used in the poem. Students briefly list examples in appropriate columns of the chart, including line numbers. After chart is completed, | |

|ask partners to discuss how sound devices effect the poem (e.g., creates mood, reinforces meaning, emphasizes words, or unifies | |

|stanzas). Students will share their conclusions with the class. | |

|• What role does imagery of color have in poem? In a pair or trio, students discuss their responses and prepare to share with the whole | |

|group. | |

|• Write LikeThe Author: To aid students in recalling a vivid childhood memory, have them create cluster diagrams around the name of an | |

|adult who was important to them as a child. Ask them to list associations and impressions relating to this person in some of the | |

|following areas: physical characteristics, personality traits, hobbies or activities, values, special occasions shared skills, or | |

|talents. Students write a brief paragraph. | |

| | |

|Lesson 16: Introducing Poem “quilting” | |

|• Invite students to take a few moments to analyze the picture on p. 505. Ask: What might the gesture in this picture symbolize? | |

|Students share responses with whole group. | |

|• Students read Meet the Author (p. 501) to learn about the writer of poem. | |

| | |

|Lesson 17: Read to Get the Gist | |

|• Post the following questions: Who is the speaker of the poem? What is happening in the poem? To whom is the poet speaking to? Tell | |

|students to silently read the poem and answer the questions to get the literal meaning. After students have read the poem, tell them to | |

|use their Notebook to paraphrase what the poem is about. Students share with trio, then with whole group | |

|• In “quilting,” where do the woman and her daughter quilt? What does the | |

|woman in the poem find meaningful? Students respond in Notebooks. | |

| | |

|Lesson 18: Read for Significance | |

|• Ask students to identify three ideas or phrases that strike them as most significant to understanding the theme of the poem. Model | |

|creating a two-column note chart in their Notebooks. In pair/trios allow students to share their ideas/phrases and what they reveal | |

|about what the poet is saying. Partners should listen for similarities/differences in the ideas/phrases that are chosen. Students share | |

|responses and explanations with whole class. | |

|• In “quilting,” the poem ends with the following question: “do the worlds continue spinning away from each other forever?” Think about | |

|how the worlds are contrasted in the poem. Why might they be moving apart? Explain in your answer in Reader’s/Writer’s Notebook. Share | |

|with a partner. | |

| | |

|Lesson 19: Drawing Conclusions About the Poem | |

|•When you read a poem, you draw conclusions to understand the message a poet is trying to share. You make inferences based on what you | |

|read, and they you draw some kind of conclusion if you can. As students read the poem, ask them the following: What conclusions can you | |

|draw about the two worlds in “quilting?” List details that helped you draw those conclusions. | |

| | |

|Lesson 20: Literary Analysis (Symbolism) | |

|• Symbols are used in literature to represent deeper meanings in a text. They can be found in a name, an action, an idea, or an event. | |

|Explain to students that in the two poems they have read, quilts and quilting represent something more significant than an object or | |

|activity. Refer to Understanding Symbols in Poetry. Ask students to use Symbolism in Poetry diagram to write clues that will help them | |

|understand each symbol. | |

|• Have students illustrate poem “quilting.” Students may decide to create an illustration that looks like a quilt or they may wish to | |

|base their illustrations on other details. Encourage them to include symbolism from the poem to show the two worlds, or possibly use | |

|patterns in a meaningful way. Suggest that they include a border around their illustrations incorporating images or phrases from the | |

|poem. Students write a paragraph describing the illustration, what symbols were used, and the meaning of each symbol. Display students’ | |

|illustrations on a board. | |

| | |

|Lesson 21: Comparing Two Poems: Ask students to create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast “My Mother Pieced Quilts” and “quilting.” | |

|Then write an essay telling how poems are alike and different. | |

| | |

|Lesson 22: Using Participles and Participial Phrases | |

|• Refer to p. 507 Using Participles and Participial Phrases as grammar lesson on participles and participial phrases. | |

|• Write About: In “quilting” the woman and her daughter find meaning in quilting together. Identify something that you do that you find | |

|meaning in and explain why it is meaningful. Write a paragraph or two in Notebooks. Invite students to share their writing with a | |

|partner, and then with whole group. | |

|• Write Like: Ask students to write a poem about something that means a great deal to them. They may write in free verse, like the two | |

|poems they have just read, or they may write a poem that uses regular rhythm and rhyme. Encourage students to think about the following | |

|as they write: imagery, word sounds, line breaks, alliteration, and rhythm. Invite students to recite their poems with classmates. | |

|Differentiation: | |

|During core program/core instructional time | |

|To help students understand the structure of poem, read each stanza aloud. Point out that each stanza presents a different aspect of how| |

|to piece together a quilt. For example help students to recognize that the second stanza mentions the fabrics used and the third stanza | |

|explains the way the mother created patterns from the fabrics. Ask students to speculate about why the poet uses this structure. | |

| | |

|If you made quilts like the mother in the poem, what colors or patterns would you use to show important times in your own history? In | |

|each piece of the quilt, tell what colors or patterns you would use. Write about why you chose each one. Then create a collage of your | |

|quilt. | |

| | |

|Explain that when poetry is read aloud, elements such as tone, sound devices, and rhythm become more noticeable. Invite students to read| |

|“My Mother Pieced Quilts” or “quilting” aloud. They may choose to act out some of the lines, using pieces of fabric or other props. They| |

|may choose to pantomime some of the actions in the poem, or give a dramatic reading at the front of the class. | |

|After the readings, ask students what they noticed during the oral presentation that they missed when reading silently. Did hearing it | |

|aloud give them additional insight into the poem’s meaning. | |

| | |

|Have students write one or two paragraphs for the following: What do the poems (“My Mother Pieced Quilts” and “quilting”) suggest is the| |

|use or value of art such as quilts? Support you response with details from the poems. | |

| | |

| | |

|Gifted and Talented Extensions: | |

|Invite student to find out more about quilts. Students might research the following topics: materials and techniques used to make | |

|quilts, famous quilts; contemporary quilt exhibits, the uses of quilts, and quilts from different cultures. | |

| | |

|Students might contact a local craft shop for more information. Ask students to prepare a written report and give a brief oral | |

|presentation. | |

| | |

|Imagine a museum has decided to show the quilts described in the poem. The speaker of the poem has been asked to discuss her mother’s | |

|work. Write a one page speech in which the speaker explains to the audience how the quilts were created and what they mean to her. | |

| | |

|Divide the class into small groups and assign each group to do research on a popular American quilt pattern, including (but not limited | |

|to) the Underground Railroad, Lob Cabin, Crazy Quilts, Friendship Quilts etc. Have each group make a poster showing what they learned | |

|about the pattern (or family of patterns), its development, and what it looks like. Some groups may choose to explore the more | |

|contemporary art form of quilting. Encourage students to include samples of quilting fabric on their posters. Have each group present | |

|its poster to the class and share information about the pattern or related quilting topic. Hang posters on a bulletin board. | |

| | |

| | |

|Have students write an editorial that articulates their point of view about the two worlds from the poem “quilting.” Students may choose| |

|to champion one world over the other, or they may express the point of view that the two worlds should work to come together. Remind | |

|students that a strong editorial will include logical support for the opinion. | |

| | |

| | |

|Interventions: | |

|Tier 2 | |

|In a small group setting, explain that readers should not pause at the end of every line of poetry, but when there is a shift in | |

|thought. Remind students that stanzas are like paragraphs. Distribute a copy of the poem and help them mark pauses by inserting | |

|punctuation marks where appropriate. Have students practice reading the poem aloud to a partner. | |

| | |

|In Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebook, ask students to copy and complete the following statements: My most vivid memory of a parent or other | |

|adult from my childhood is___________. At the time, I remember feeling________ about the experience. | |

| | |

|Now I feel _______ about the experience. | |

| | |

|Ask students to design their own quilt squares in order to illustrate a meaningful childhood moment. | |

| | |

|Have students work in small groups to identify and categorize examples of figurative language form the poem. Chart responses. Ask | |

|students to decide which is the most memorable or vivid image in the poem. Have them discuss why it is so effective. | |

| | |

|Ask students to explain how each speaker in “My Mother Pieced Quilts” and “quilting” uses a quilt as a symbol for love and connection. | |

|Students work in small groups to find the clues that support symbolism used by each writer. Chart and discuss student responses. | |

| | |

|Tier 3 | |

|• Encourage students to work with a partner to pantomime the meaning of words, create visual word webs with related words and synonyms,| |

|and use graphic organizers for word building. | |

| | |

|• Identify the main idea in the poem as well as the supporting details. Explain to students how the details support the main ideas. | |

|Simplify text by paraphrasing and rephrasing sections of text, such as sentences or stanzas. Break down complex sentences into simple | |

|sentences. | |

| | |

|• To help students visualize, or picture the scenes a poet describes, ask them to pause and study the details the poet uses. How does | |

|the writer describe a particular person, place or thing? Invite students to draw several pictures reflecting their thoughts about the | |

|poem. With a partner or small groups talk about the pictures they drew. Conversation topics might include: | |

|Why did you draw these particular pictures in response to the texts? | |

|How did these ideas relate to the poem? | |

|Which of your pictures do you think the writer would choose as a representation of the poem? | |

|If you could only choose one picture to use in telling someone else about the poem? Which one would you choose? Why? | |

| | |

|Working with small groups assist students in completing the following sentences to analyze symbols. | |

|In “My Mother Pieced Quilts,” the quilts symbolize_____ because ________. | |

|In “quilting,” the act of quilting symbolizes ____ | |

|because _______. | |

| | |

| Suggested Assessment: | |

|Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks Teacher observations | |

|Individual fluency probes Evidence of accountable talk | |

|Fluency Rubric Checklist Graphic Organizers | |

|One Minute Fluency Checks STAR Diagnostic Report | |

|AR Testing | |

|Resources: | |

|Holt McDougal Literature, 8 Teacher created material | |

|Glencoe Writers Choice, 8 Wall Charts | |

|Vocabulary Log Graphic Organizer | |

|Cornell Notes Ancillary Material | |

|Audio Anthology CD | |

| | |

|Websites: Renaissance Place (AR), , | |

|, | |

|, , pdf/single/during/thinkaloud1.pdf, | |

| | |

|•College Board site about PSAT/NMSQT (PLUS) for students: | |

|, | |

| | |

|• John Ulrich reading “We Real Cool” | |

| | |

| | |

|• Poetry 180 Website: “How to Read a Poem Out Loud” Share important points with students. | |

| | |

| | |

|• Holt Online Resources | |

| | |

| | |

|• Youth Poetry Competitions | |

| | |

| | |

|Poem | |

|Allieration | |

|(repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words) | |

|Consonance | |

|(repetition of consonant sounds within and at the end of words) | |

|Repetition | |

|(a technique in which sounds, word, phrase, or line is repeated for emphasis or unity) | |

| | |

|“My Mother Pieces Quilted” | |

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|Understanding Symbols in Poetry | |

|Use the following tips to understand symbols in poetry: | |

|Think about the big ideas each line or stanza expresses. Ask: what message about families, art, or other big topics is the poem | |

|communicating? | |

|Pay attention to the poet’s word choice. Ask: Which words have positive associations? Which have negative associations? | |

|Notice how the symbol relates to the big ideas in the poem. Ask: In what way do quilts or quilting help convey the poem’s message? | |

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|TP-CASTT | |

|TP-CASTT is an acronym for title, paraphrase, connotation, attitude, shift, title (again), and theme. It is designed to help students | |

|remember the concepts they can consider when examining a poem. This is not a lockstep sequential approach, but rather it is a fluid | |

|process in which students will move back and forth among the various concepts. | |

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|Literature Selections: | |

| | |

|pp.502-504 | |

|My Mother Pieced Quilts | |

| | |

| | |

|pp.527-528 | |

|Participles & Participles Phrases | |

|Grammar | |

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|8th Grade English Language Arts & Reading |TEKS: Explain how the values and |

|Fourth Six Weeks: Weeks 5-6 Theme: Painting with Words |beliefs of particular characters |

|Time Frame: 9 Days Genre: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry |are affected by the historical and|

|Writing: Poetry |cultural setting of the literary |

| |work. ELAR 8.3C; Summarize the |

| |main ideas, supporting details, |

| |and relationships among ideas in |

| |text succinctly in ways that |

| |maintain meaning and logical |

| |order. ELAR 8.10A; Establish |

| |purposes for reading selected |

| |texts based upon own or others’ |

| |desired outcome to enhance |

| |comprehension. Figure 19 110.20A; |

| |Ask literal, interpretive, |

| |evaluative, and universal |

| |questions of text; Figure |

| |19.110.20B; |

| |Establish purposes for reading |

| |selected texts based upon own or |

| |others’ desired outcome to enhance|

| |comprehension. Figure 19 110.20A; |

| |Participate productively in |

| |discussions, plan agendas with |

| |clear goals and deadlines, set |

| |time limits for speakers, take |

| |notes, and vote on key issues |

| |perspective. ELAR 8.28A; Analyze |

| |literary works that share similar |

| |themes across cultures. ELAR 8.3A;|

| |Analyze how the central |

| |characters’ qualities influence |

| |the theme of a fictional work and |

| |resolution of the central |

| |conflict. ELAR 8.6B; Make complex |

| |inferences about text and use |

| |textual evidence to support |

| |understanding. Figure 19 110.20D; |

| |Use a variety of complete |

| |sentences (e.g. simple, compound, |

| |complex) that include properly |

| |placed modifiers, correctly |

| |identified antecedents, parallel |

| |structures, and consistent tenses.|

| |ELAR 8.19C; Revise drafts to |

| |ensure precise word choice and |

| |vivid images; consistent point of |

| |view; use of simple, compound, and|

| |complex sentences, internal and |

| |external coherence; and the sue of|

| |effective transitions after |

| |rethinking how well questions of |

| |purpose, audience, and genre have |

| |been addressed. ELAR 8.14C; • Edit|

| |drafts for grammar, mechanics, and|

| |spelling. ELAR 8.14D; Revise final|

| |draft in response to feedback from|

| |peers and teacher and publish |

| |written work for appropriate |

| |audiences. ELAR 8.14E; Use and |

| |understand the function of parts |

| |of speech in the context of |

| |reading, writing, and speaking. |

| |ELAR 8.19A |

| | |

| | |

|Objective: | |

|The students will read and reread texts to answer questions from the nit and students’ own questions. | |

|The students will write to learn about ideas, style, language, and conventions and to develop complex ideas and personal writing | |

|styles. | |

|The students will participate in pair/trio and whole group. | |

|The students will make language choices and use conventions that help us write more effective narratives. | |

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|Overview: | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of the writing process to compose text | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of structural patterns and features of poetry | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of the function of and using the conventions of academic language | |

|Develop a deeper understanding of working productively with others in teams | |

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| | |

|Literary Terms: | |

| | |

|Poetry | |

|Syntax | |

|Repetition | |

| | |

|Genre | |

|Dialect | |

|Connotations | |

| | |

|Interpretation | |

|Diction | |

|Symbolism | |

| | |

|Analysis | |

|Metaphor | |

|Imagery | |

| | |

|Ballad | |

|Idioms | |

|Tone | |

| | |

|Limerick | |

|Syntax | |

|Narrative | |

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|Haiku | |

|Alliteration | |

|Internal conflict | |

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|Ode | |

|consonance | |

|External conflict | |

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| | |

|Six Weeks Project: | |

|Write a collection of original poems that communicate a perspective of the world based on topics drawn from the novel, The Tree | |

|Grows in Brooklyn or Tears of a Tiger. | |

|Essential Questions: | |

|What is poetry? | |

|What devices/techniques do poets use to impact readers and convey messages? | |

|What points of view do poets convey about their subjects? | |

|Suggested Lesson Ideas: | |

|Lesson 23: Read “Barbara Frietchie” and “John Henry” to Get he Gist | |

|• Connect and Engage | |

|Ask students: Is it ever right to give up? Brainstorm on what the word “persevere” means to them. Have students think of someone | |

|they know who has continued despite obstacles. Ask volunteers to tell a brief story about what the person did and how he or she | |

|was able to persevere. | |

|QuickWrite: Ask students to think of a situation in which they gave up doing something such as playing an instrument or being on a| |

|team. Encourage students to write a brief paragraph explaining the positive and negative consequences of their decision. | |

|Find what students know about how an effective narrative poetry should look like. Record students’ responses on a chart. Review | |

|the elements of a narrative. Ask: In what ways are narrative poems similar to short stories? Emphasize the importance of the | |

|following elements in a narrative poetry: characters (major or minor), setting (implied or directly stated), and plot particularly| |

|the conflict (internal or external).Model how to identify elements of a narrative poetry. (See example on TE p. 137.) | |

|• Read to Get the Gist of “Barbara Frietchie” and “John Henry” | |

|Provide students with information about the author and background information to the poem on page 291. | |

|Encourage students to use Active Reading Strategies such as annotating the text using the TP-CASTT method to figure out what the | |

|poem means and to keep track of their thinking as they read the text. (See TP-CASTT chart.) | |

|Ponder the Title. Guide students to pre view the text and point out the title. Ask students to turn the title into a question. | |

|Ask: What could the title mean? Encourage students to predict what the poem may be about. Remind students that sometimes the title| |

|is very straightforward, and it tells a great deal about what to expect from the poem. More often, the title is somewhat cryptic | |

|in nature and that one has to figure out what it really means. | |

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| | |

|As students read the text, ask them to keep in mind the following comprehension questions: What is the subject? (What is the poem | |

|about?) Who is the speaker? (Is it the main character?) What is the occasion (Where and when the story happens?) How do you know? | |

|Post the comprehension questions. Remind students to pay particular attention to the character’s thoughts, words, actions, and the| |

|author’s descriptions as they read the poem. | |

|Begin reading the text aloud while students read along. Predetermine a check-point within the poem to assess students | |

|understanding by asking comprehension questions. | |

|Paraphrase the Poem. Ask: What’s going on in the poem? Have students restate the poem in their own words, focusing on one | |

|syntactical unit at a time, not necessarily on one line at a time. Another possibility is to ask students to write a sentence or | |

|two for each stanza of the poem. Students may turn and talk in pairs to discuss what has happened so far and to share their gist | |

|of the poem. | |

|• Whole Class Discussion of Comprehension Questions | |

|After students have finished reading and paraphrasing the poem, return to the comprehension questions to make sure that all | |

|students have general understanding of the literal meaning, “the plot,” of the poem. | |

|StepBack on Reading: Ask students “What helped you figure out and understand what happened in this poem?” | |

| | |

|Lesson 24: Reread “Barbara Frietchie” “John Henry” for Significant Moments | |

|• Invite students to reread the text and identify what they think are the three words, phrases, lines, or sentences that are most | |

|significant to their understanding of the poem. The significant moments may be related to the understanding of the character | |

|(traits, belief, motivation, etc.), conflicts, key plot events, theme, etc. They should use the T-chart as routine. | |

|• StepBack: Encourage students to reflect with a partner. Ask: What did you do to explain the significance to the text? What did | |

|you learn from hearing a range of moments and explanations? Students record their responses in their Reader/Writer Notebook. | |

| | |

|Lesson 25: Reread to Interpret and Analyze the Text | |

|Examine Connotation (Poetic Devices), Attitude, Shifts, Title, and Theme that may be present in the poems “Barbara Frietchie” and | |

|“John Henry” | |

|• Invite students to reread the poem and respond to the following interpretive questions: What do Barbara Frietchie and John Henry| |

|symbolize in the text? How has the setting changed? What is the speaker’s attitude toward the main character’s action? How would | |

|you describe the main character’s attitude? Encourage students to write their responses in their Reader/Writer’s Notebooks. | |

|• Compare and Contrast. Using a Venn diagram, compare and contrast the characters of Barbara Frietchie and John Henry. Are they | |

|more similar or different? | |

|• Examine the Title. Invite the students to look at the title again, this time on an interpretive level. Ask students: What does | |

|it mean to you now that you have analyzed the poem? | |

|• Determine the Theme. Guide students in identifying the theme by recognizing the human experience, motivation, or condition | |

|suggested by the poem. Ask students to state the theme of the poem in a sentence. Ask students: What truth about life is the poet | |

|making? Guide students in identifying the theme because all too often students confused the subject matter as the theme. (See | |

|Steps in Identifying the Theme in a Poem.) | |

|• Analyze the sound devices (rhyme, rhythm, repetition, etc.) and other poetic techniques used by the author. Ask students: What | |

|do these contribute to the poem’s meaning or effect? | |

|• WriteLike Whittier. Model a WriteLike by writing at least three stanzas about a moment when you persevere. Use rhyme (end words | |

|of couplets), rhythm (four stressed syllables in most lines), repetition, and a dialogue to reveal character’s traits and values. | |

|Encourage students to begin writing their three stanzas. Assist any students who are having difficulty in doing the task. | |

|• Revisit Characteristics Chart. Ask students what they like about Whittier’s poem; have students refer to the text when sharing. | |

|Then ask: What did the writer do to make you want to keep reading? Guide students in comparing their responses with what is on the| |

|chart. Add only new ideas to chart. “What Makes A Narrative Poetry Interesting to Readers?” | |

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|Lesson 26: Writing a Narrative Poem | |

|• Prewriting | |

|When writing a narrative poetry, a good place to start is with one’s own life’s experiences. Encourage students to choose | |

|experiences that can be captured in a snapshot. Ask students to think of a moment when they “persevere.” Invite students to | |

|brainstorm four different “snapshot” experiences that they may be able to write a narrative poem about. Choose one moment to write| |

|about. Encourage students to use a poem writing template to help them gather ideas for a possible poem. | |

|Ask students to think about their audience and purpose. If they are writing a narrative poem, they need to make the readers feel | |

|as if they are witnessing the action firsthand. To accomplish this, students must think about their audience. What kinds of | |

|details will draw the readers into the poem and help them see or feel what you are writing about? | |

|Guide students in gathering sensory details (use figurative language) about that experience. Students may list all possible | |

|details through clustering graphic organizer. Remind students not to leave hole in the poem that would prevent a reader from | |

|connecting to their poems. | |

|Now that students have images, ask them to choose character/s for their poems. Encourage students to complete a Character Traits | |

|Web or Character Map to help them understand and sort out the thoughts, actions, traits, and motivations of a character. Ask | |

|students to think of who will be the speaker of the poem and from what point of view the poem will be narrated. | |

|Ask students to determine the conflict in the poem. What are the internal or external conflicts in the moment you have chosen? How| |

|is the conflict resolved? | |

|Guide students to create their own plot line. | |

|• Drafting, Revising, and Editing | |

|Follow the guidelines in teaching students how to draft, revise, and edit their poems through the Writing Workshop: Poem, on pp. | |

|668-675. Guide students in generating a class rubric for an effective narrative poem which will be used in assessing the | |

|effectiveness of their poems. | |

|• Publishing Final Drafts | |

|Have a chair at the front of the class with a sign on it that says “Author Chair.” Invite student volunteers to sit in the chair | |

|to read the final draft of their narrative poem to the rest of the class. | |

|Remember to review the norms for listening before the sharing starts. | |

|After each student reads, as the class: What did you learn about perseverance from this narrative poem? | |

|Invite students to post their final drafts around the room or in the hallway. | |

|Differentiation: | |

|During core program/core instructional time | |

|• Encourage multiple readings of the poems. Read the poems aloud for students, or have students listen to the poems on the Audio | |

|Anthology CD or by logging in this website: , under Accessible Pages, click Play Audio icon. Then have students | |

|read each poem aloud to partner and work together to summarize the narratives. | |

| | |

|• Point out that poet may use unusual word order to help them rhyme words at the end of the lines and maintain a regular rhythm. | |

|To illustrate, contrast line 33 (normal: verb follows subject) with line 23 (inverted: verb precedes subject). Pair students with | |

|fluent speakers to identify sentences with inverted word order and restate them in normal word order. Students may write their | |

|answers in a Two-Column Chart. | |

| | |

|• Continue conferencing with individual students to suggest on areas they need to improve in their writing. | |

| | |

|• Based on observations and student conferences, work with small groups to provide mini-lessons on specific concepts that students| |

|need reinforcement. | |

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|Extensions: | |

|• Have small groups of students choose one of the poems and create a story map in which they identify the setting, characters, | |

|plot (sequence of events including conflict), point of view, and theme. | |

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| | |

|• Invite students to learn more about the origins of the ballad of John Henry and listen to different recordings of it at this | |

|website: . In groups of three, ask students to choose three recordings and | |

|listen to each several times. Have them choose their favorite and make notes about why it impressed them. Be ready to share your | |

|findings to the whole class. | |

| | |

|• Have students give a dramatic reading (Reader’s Theater) of “Barbara Frietche.” Form groups of four or five. Within these | |

|groups, students should break the poem’s narrative into logical parts: exposition, conflict, and so forth-for individual readers. | |

|For example, lines 1-12 describe the setting and background for the dramatic encounter between Frietchie and Stonewall Jackson. | |

|This section could be assigned to the first reader. Give students enough time to practice before they present their readings to | |

|the class. | |

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| | |

|Interventions: | |

|Tier 2 | |

|• Tell students that when reading poetry, they should use punctuation to know when to pause. Instead of stopping at the end of | |

|every line, encourage students to pause briefly after a comma and slightly longer after a period or a semicolon. Encourage | |

|students to read poems aloud to help them gain understanding. (See Resource manager-Copy Master, Reading Fluency, pp.178-179.) | |

| | |

|• Ask students to retell the story of Frietchie or John Henry in prose using their own words. Before they write, they should | |

|reread the poem aloud, paraphrasing the events in each stanza. Have students skim the poem to list the key incidents and | |

|statements that tell the story. Have students refer to this list as they write. Encourage students to make their retellings as | |

|interesting and dramatic as the ballad. Suggest that they include one or more quotations that capture the character’s traits. | |

| | |

|• Have students locate the description of the Union flag (lines 13-14) and compare it to the photograph on page 293. Discuss the | |

|symbolism of the stars and stripes. Then have students draw or describe the flags of countries with which they have personal | |

|connection. Ask them to explain what the various features of the flag mean. | |

| | |

|• Have students copy four to six lines from the poem onto a sheet of paper. Then have one partner read a line while the other | |

|indicates which syllables are stressed and unstressed, using the marks shown on page 291. Partners should take turns until all the| |

|lines are marked. Encourage students to notice patterns in each line. | |

| | |

|• Invite students to read sample scored “2” TAKS/STAAR compositions. With a partner, ask students to identify a character in the | |

|sample composition that they want to develop. Give students time to rewrite the paper. Students share the revised compositions. | |

| | |

|Tier 3 | |

|• Encourage students to work with a partner to pantomime the meaning of words, create visual word webs with related words and | |

|synonyms, and use graphic organizers for word building. | |

| | |

|• Identify the main idea in the poem as well as the supporting details. Explain to students how the details support the main | |

|ideas. Simplify text by paraphrasing and rephrasing sections of text, such as sentences or stanzas. Break down complex sentences | |

|into simple sentences. | |

| | |

|• To help students visualize, or picture the scenes a poet describes, ask them to pause and study the details the poet uses. How | |

|does the writer describe a particular person, place or thing? Invite students to draw several pictures reflecting their thoughts | |

|about the poem. With a partner or small groups talk about the pictures they drew. Conversation topics might include: | |

|Why did you draw these particular pictures in response to the texts? | |

|How did these ideas relate to the poem? | |

|Which of your pictures do you think the writer would choose as a representation of the poem? | |

|If you could only choose one picture to use in telling someone else about the poem? Which one would you choose? Why? | |

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| | |

|Working with small groups assist students in completing the following sentences to analyze symbols. | |

|In “My Mother Pieced Quilts,” the quilts symbolize_____ because ________. | |

|In “quilting,” the act of quilting symbolizes ____ | |

|because _______. | |

| Suggested Assessment: | |

|Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks Teacher observations | |

|Individual fluency probes Evidence of accountable talk | |

|Fluency Rubric Checklist Graphic Organizers | |

|One Minute Fluency Checks STAR Diagnostic Report | |

|AR Testing Rubrics | |

|Assessments Project | |

|Resources: | |

|Holt McDougal Literature, 8 Teacher created material | |

|Glencoe Writers Choice, 8 Wall Charts | |

|Vocabulary Log Graphic Organizer | |

|Cornell Notes Ancillary Material | |

|Reader’s Theatre Audio Anthology CD | |

| | |

|Websites: Renaissance Place (AR), , | |

|, | |

|, , | |

|pdf/single/during/thinkaloud1.pdf, | |

| | |

|•College Board site about PSAT/NMSQT (PLUS) for students: | |

|, | |

| | |

|• John Ulrich reading “We Real Cool” | |

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| | |

|• Poetry 180 Website: “How to Read a Poem Out Loud” Share important points with students. | |

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|• Holt Online Resources | |

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|• Youth Poetry Competitions | |

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|TP-CASTT | |

|TP-CASTT is an acronym for title, paraphrase, connotation, attitude, shift, title (again), and theme. It is designed to help | |

|students remember the concepts they can consider when examining a poem. This is not a lockstep sequential approach, but rather it| |

|is a fluid process in which students will move back and forth among the various concepts. | |

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|Steps in Identifying the Theme in a Poem | |

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|Summarize the “plot” of the poem in a paragraph (in writing or orally). | |

|List the subject(s) of the poem (moving from literal subjects to abstract concepts such as death, war, discovery), | |

|Write in a complete sentence what the poet is saying about each subject. You have jus identified the theme. | |

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|Poetry Collection Rubric | |

|Word processed or neat penmanship | |

|Creative, artistic presentation | |

|Correct conventions | |

|Subjects relate to topics drawn from The Contender | |

|At least _______ poems included in collection | |

|Collection includes ________ (forms) | |

|Techniques include: (list) | |

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|Literature Selections: F | |

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|pp.292-299 | |

|Barbara Frietchie and John Henry | |

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|pp.668-675 | |

|Writing Workshop | |

|Writing | |

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6 Weeks Novel: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Tears of a Tiger

6 Weeks Novel: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Tears of a Tiger

6 Weeks Novel: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Tears of a Tiger

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