Student Teacher ________________________ Grade Level ...



Lesson 4

Lesson Title: Speak up! Finding Our Voices Through Our Writing.

Content Standards:

• NCTE Standard 4-Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.

• NCTE Standard 5-Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

• CCF Standard 3.1- Students use descriptive, narrative, expository, persuasive, and poetic modes.

• CCF Standard 3.2-Students prepare, publish and/or present work appropriate to audience, purpose and task.

Learner Background: Describe the students’ prior knowledge or skill related to the learning objective(s) and the content of this lesson, using data from pre-assessment as appropriate. How did the students’ previous performance in this content area or skill impact your planning for this lesson?

• The students have had experience writing in various modes in a writer’s workshop atmosphere. However, they have not been exposed to first, second, and third person writing. In addition, students have not studied how the voice of the author has a strong impact on the message and delivery of a text. Students, however, have been asked to bring in a short paragraph or excerpt from their beginning reading of Speak that exemplifies the voice of Halse Anderson throughout what they have read to this point. Four students will be chosen the day before to read out loud Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne.

Student Learning Objective(s): Identify specific and measurable learning objectives for this lesson.

• Students will be able to recognize first, second, and third person narrative.

• Students will be able to do this so they can understand the importance voice has in texts as well as their own writing.

• Students will be able to recognize the voice in the novel Speak and connect the impact Laurie Halse Anderson has on the reader as a result of the particular voice. As a result, students will be able to understand that the author is formulating such a depictive voice to character the alienation theme that runs throughout the novel.

• Students will be able to use their own unique voice and first, second, or third person writing through their own writing as a means to express their understanding of the writing technique and impact of the piece.

• Students will be able to use voice effectively in their writing to convey a particular impact on the reader.

Learning Activities:

• Prior to this class, students will be asked to bring in excerpts from Speak that they find compelling or powerful in some way.

• Students will listen to their peers read from the book Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne to begin to learn how voice is effective and impacting in a text.

• Following this, students will have a brief lesson on first, second and third person narrative and how this ties in with the voice of the author.

• Students will then be asked to look at the quotes and excerpts they picked out from their reading of Speak and discuss how the author crafted the voice to make it powerful. They will be asked to evaluate the voice in this excerpt and consider why they chose this text.

• Students will then be asked to conduct a writer’s workshop in which they write short stories or narratives in which they write in a natural way (Similar to Melinda). They will have a list of prompts they may want to use to write a narrative piece. Students do not have to use these prompts, but are encouraged to use them to help their creativity in employing voice in their writing.

• Prompts students can use:

o Think about a time in your life you ever felt alienated. Discuss how you felt: The events that caused it etc.

o In what ways do you conform to what is expected of you? Why do you do this? Write a story about when conformity was a negative or positive aspect in your life or experiences.

o Write a story about someone who may be depressed-remember to think about how they would talk, who they would talk to, and their outlook on life.

o Think about friendships and how they are seen by certain perspectives. Try to write from a different perspective than your own.

o Think about Mr. Freeman in the novel. Try writing a story from his perspective. How does he view Melinda? Why does he want to reach out to her? Think about what he may have experienced or his connection/relation to her.

o Think about other students in the high school. Be realistic and create a character that views Melinda in a certain way. How might one view her? Would anyone be sympathetic? (Remember you are creating a character-this is not a reflection of you!)

o Think about family: try to write a dialogue between a family. You could make it a conversation over dinner or discussion between a parent and his or her child. Be creative and be sure to have characteristics of each member stand out in a certain way.

Time Table for Each segment of the lesson

(10 Min)Initiation:

• The four students who were chosen to read the excerpt from Voices in the Park will be ready to deliver the excerpt chosen. They will be asked prior to this to be dramatic. The readers will all be spread out, each in one corner of the room so each voice will be heard.

• Today, we will be talking about the importance of voice in a text and the impact or affect that it has on the reader. You should all have noticed that each voice in this story was different. We will be looking today why they were different and also how we can show different voices through our writing.

Lesson Development:

Modeling:

(14) Guided Practice:

• Students will be asked to discuss the literal voices they just heard: What made each character sound different from the other?

• Students will be asked to interpret what made the impression of the character. The voice? How did the character speak to others? What did you gather from that character as a person from their voice?

• The students will then have a brief explanation on first, second, and third person writing.

• Finally, the students will be asked to look over the excerpts that they brought into class and assess the voice and first, second or third person aspect of the quotation.

(20 min) Independent Practice:

• Students will then proceed with a writing workshop that emphasizes a voice in their writing.

• Students will be asked to mimic the voice of Melinda in their writing and draw on what was discussed as a strong voice. For instance (excerpt from Speak):

o My parents declare that I am too old to go trick or treating. I’m thrilled. This way I don’t have to admit that no one invited me to go with them. I’m not about to tell Mom and Dad that. To keep appearances, I stomp to my room and slam the door.

o This excerpt shows a voice of sarcasm, yet disconnection. Melinda is obviously pained because she has no friends to trick or treat with, yet she tells her audience in a cynical way that she is okay with this.

• Students will be encouraged to make sure that their voice is strongly heard and should be impacting on the reader.

• Students will be reminded to think about why they chose the excerpts that they did and the voices that they heard in the quick story that was presented in the beginning of the class.

• Students will write for the remainder of the class period freely.

• Students are encouraged to conference with me and discuss their ideas and writing in their journals.

• Students will be reminded that this should not be completed today and they will continue to work on it in the next writer’s workshop.

Monitoring and Adjusting:

• If students are having a difficult time grasping the idea of the author’s voice, the writer’s workshop will be postponed. Instead of proceeding with the workshop, a further explanation or lesson will be given to the students. Examples from Speak also be discussed to try to make it clearer for them to grasp in their own writing.

• As a result, the writer’s workshop will begin on the next workshop day when the students will have a better understanding of the task at hand.

(1 min) Closure:

• Today we heard an example of how different voices are employed within texts. We also got a brief overview of first, second, and third person narrative. We also worked diligently on employing our own voices in our writing for writer’s workshop. I want you all to continue to think about how Laurie Halse Anderson is effective in employing her voice of Melinda and how we learn about alienation as a result of this. Keep in mind that Melinda’s voice and way of delivering her words are what give us a sense of what it is to be alienated. This is very important to remember when you are writing your own stories.

• We will continue writing our own voice pieces in our next writer’s workshop. Feel free to work on it in your free time, but you are not required to finish this at home at this point.

Technology:

Assessment:

• The discussion of the voices that the students recognize in the story will show their recognition of a voice in a story.

• In addition, the examples that students brought in from the novel will also show their understanding of a strong voice.

• Finally, their creative writing pieces will show that they are able to employ a particular voice through their writing.

Extension:

• This writer’s workshop will carry over into the next writer’s workshop and there are few time constraints for the students.

• If they do not get to start their writing, they can start it in the next class and bring it home to work on if they wish to do so.

Materials/Resources: List the materials you will use in each learning activity including any technological resources.

• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

• Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne

• Writing Workshop folders-students will have already created these in the beginning of the year.

• Handout-questions that students may want to use when writing their pieces.

Individuals Needing Differentiated Instruction: Describe 3 students with learning differences. These students may be special or general education students and need not be the same students for each lesson. Students may represent a range of ability and/or achievement levels, including students with IEPs, gifted and talented students, struggling learners, and English language learners. Include accommodations for at least one ELL learner, one student needing enrichment, and one struggling student with an IEP or learning disability.

Note: Differentiated instruction may not be necessary in every lesson. However, over the course of the student teaching placement, it is expected that each student teacher will demonstrate the ability to differentiate instruction in order to meet the needs of students with learning differences.

|Which students do you anticipate may struggle with the content/learning objectives of this lesson? |

|Student name |Evidence that the student needs |How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student learning? |

| |differentiated instruction | |

| |Difficulty following instructions and |Hard copies of instructions will be printed. |

| |confusion on what “voice” may be. |Transitions will be very clear. |

| | |Visuals are used: pictures from Voices in the Park will be shown |

| | |Additional examples will be given to the student. |

| |ELL |I will sit down with this student and try to give the student specialized instruction on what |

| | |the class is accomplishing. |

| | |I will try to give the students clear examples of “voice” in a text and give them a print out of|

| | |all instructions and examples to refer back to. |

| | |Student will continue to receive more review and practice throughout the unit. |

|Which students will need opportunities for enrichment/higher level of challenge? |

|Student name |Evidence that the student needs |How will you differentiate instruction in this lesson to support student learning? |

| |differentiated instruction | |

| |Student already understands first, second,|Student will be asked to write a narrative showing two voices. This will challenge them more |

| |and third person and they seem bored by |and push them to see how important voice truly is in literature. |

| |writing in a certain voice. | |

| | | |

| | | |

| | | |

Writer’s Workshop

“USING YOUR VOICE IN YOUR WRITING”

• Think about a time in your life you ever felt alienated. Discuss how you felt: The events that caused it etc.

• In what ways do you conform to what is expected of you? Why do you do this? Write a story about when conformity was a negative or positive aspect in your life or experiences.

• Write a story about someone who may be depressed-remember to think about how they would talk, who they would talk to, and their outlook on life.

• Think about friendships and how they are seen by certain perspectives. Try to write from a different perspective than your own.

• Think about Mr. Freeman in the novel. Try writing a story from his perspective. How does he view Melinda? Why does he want to reach out to her? Think about what he may have experienced or his connection/relation to her.

• Think about other students in the high school. Be realistic and create a character that views Melinda in a certain way. How might one view her? Would anyone be sympathetic? (Remember you are creating a character-this is not a reflection of you!)

• Think about family: try to write a dialogue between a family. You could make it a conversation over dinner or discussion between a parent and his or her child. Be creative and be sure to have characteristics of each member stand out in a certain way.

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