Lesson Plan – Ms



Unit 1- Writing

Romeo and Juliet

Cristen McLean

Final Draft

31 March 2008

Overview:

Romeo and Juliet-Tragic not Trifling

Ninth Grade English

Cristen McLean

2007-2008

Rationale:

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet serves as an inspiration for many different forms of writing in this unit. In continuation of momentum that has already been building this spring, Room 210 will focus on writing skills for the next six weeks. Currently my students just completed a writing improvement plan, in which they reflected on their past writing and identified areas of personal strength as well as three ways they would like to improve as writer. Thus we are acutely focused on developing as writer’s before our summative exams in mid May.

This is an ambitious writing unit in all that I hope to accomplish through teaching varied writing formats and purposes for writing. By the end of the unit students will have an improved ability to write a compelling paragraph that cites evidence and explains it. Also students will have an increased ability to understand a text by taking the perspective of one of the characters and writing from this perspective. Throughout this unit students will practice creative writing, reflective writing, expository writing, and sonnet writing.

The four core weeks of the writing unit, April 7th though May 2nd, are structured in a consistent way. Such structure has proven successful in my class in the past. It enables the students to get in a pattern, reduces confusion, and increases efficiency. During these four weeks we will sequentially be focusing on four specific writing skills: organization, grammar, ideas, and word choice. During the week homework on Monday and Tuesday will be skill-builders for the specific writing skill. On Wednesday there will be a discussion of what was learned from the homework and a mini lesson on the skill. The writing assignment for the week will be graded for proficiency in that one skill. Retention of these lessons will be evaluated on the final essay, which will be graded for proficiency in all four skills.

We have recently finished a short cross-curricular unit on HIV and safer sex practices. After their wedding, when Romeo sneaks into Juliet’s room we will again briefly review and add more information to this ongoing discussion about sexual safety, which was started earlier in the year in their health class. After this unit we will spend one week on college application essays and this assignment will utilize the four writing skills that we are focusing on this term.

Overall writing will be both a product and a process. Students will be producing pieces of writing that they would like to publish as well as casual pieces that indicate thoughtful reactions to what we are reading. My goal for the writing unit is that students will be able to see writing as thinking: It is a tool for thinking through something, it is also evidence of thoughts that have occurred.

Objectives

Relevant SHOW ME Standards for Communication Arts

1. Speaking and writing standard English (including grammar, usage, punctuation, spelling, capitalization)

2. Reading and evaluating fiction, poetry and drama

4. Writing formally (such as reports, narratives, essays) and informally (such as outlines, notes)

Communication Arts Ninth Grade Level Expectations

W1A-Prewriting, draft, revise in response to feedback, edit, publish

W2A-compose text with awareness of audience, point of view, form, and purpose

W2B- Use conventions of capitalization in written text

W2E-Apply conventions of standard usage.

W2F- Use a variety of sentence structures, cohesive devices, and active voice when composing text.

W2D- Use parts of speech correctly in written text.

W3A-Compose expository and persuasive features when composing a text, use literary analysis.

W3C-Use logical order and varied sentence structure.

R1I- Compare, contrast, analyze, and evaluate connections between text ideas and personal experiences.

Materials I will provide as the teacher

I will all the lined paper for all in class writing assignments.

I will provide graphic organizers and worksheets to help the students improve their writing.

I will provide the material and supplies to make Reading Response Journals

Materials and resources the school will provide

SLPS will provide the copies of Romeo and Juliet.

Overhead for projecting notes.

Materials each student will need to provide

None, except effort and attendance.

Length of time the unit will cover

Six weeks

Moffett levels of writing

Level I: inner verbalization

Students will be brainstorming their papers as we read because I will provide them with the assignment each week before they even start reading.

Level II: outer vocalization

On Tuesday we will be reading the text aloud to build reading fluency and appreciation for the cadence of the writing. Students will be engaging in choral reading and partner reading in order to become more comfortable with pronouncing and accenting the words. When writing, students will be encouraged to read parts of their paper to their peers for editing. Students will also be acting out selected scenes on May 8th.

Level III: correspondence

On April 17th students will be instructed on how to conference with peers for help with revision. During the rest of the paragraph assignments students who are done early will be encouraged to conference with their peers. Students will also be maintaining a Reading Response Journal that will be used to track their reading experience. This will be a correspondence with himself or herself at a different point in time or a correspondence with me, if they so desire.

Level IV: formal writing

Students will choose their best paragraph to revise for publication to the class. From these I will select 1-2 of the best examples from each class and publish a Romeo and Juliet portfolio, which will be saved for the next year.

TEACHER -FOCUSED LESSON PLAN

Lesson Plan – Ms. McLean Ninth Grade English

Title: Shakespeare Sonnets Date: 4/23/08

|Objectives: |

|Students will be able to (SWBAT) understand what a sonnet is. |

|During our analysis of sonnets students will primarily be working on one SHOW ME Standards for Communication Arts: 2. reading and evaluating fiction, |

|poetry and drama |

|Reading Shakespeare also inherently causes students to work on standard |

|7. identifying and evaluating relationships between language and culture |

|because the student must recall the culture that Shakespeare was writing in in order to make sense of his work. The Reading Response Journal will |

|also address standard 4. writing formally (such as reports, narratives, essays) and informally (such as outlines, notes). |

|Do Now: |

| |

|10 minutes |

| |

|The following will be written on the overhead. |

| |

|Shakespearean Syntax (Word Order): |

|Notice the following 6 sentences: |

|I ate the sandwich. |

|I the sandwich ate. |

|Ate the sandwich I. |

|Ate I the sandwich. |

|The sandwich I ate. |

| |

|Four words can create six unique sentences which carry the same meaning. Shakespeare uses some unusual word arrangement. |

| |

|Rearrange the following sentences as many ways as you can. |

| |

|Tyrone jumped the fence. |

| |

|Monisha sang a song. |

| |

|I will end the Do Now explaining that the adjectives and prepositional phrases must stay with the word they precede. |

| |

|For example: |

|Tyrone jumped OVER the fence. |

|Monisha sang a BEAUTIFUL song. |

|The underlined part needs to stay together. |

| |

|We will practice rearranging these sentences. |

|New Lesson Material: |

|10 min |

| |

|They will first complete a cloze notes section on the components of a sonnet before we read Shakespeare’s sonnet. |

| |

|The actual passage that I will be providing answers from is as follows, |

| |

|Number of Lines |

|A sonnet has 14 lines, no more, no less. Although there are many variations on the basic sonnet form, this is one aspect that never changes. |

|Basic Divisions |

|The 14 lines of a sonnet often divide easily into sections. The Shakespearean sonnet is composed of three quatrains (set of four lines) and a couplet|

|(two lines) to end. The first 12 lines of a sonnet set up a problem or situation and the last two lines generally solve it. |

|Meter |

|A poem’s meter is the rhythm of its lines. In a Shakespearean sonnet, each line has the same meter, known as iambic pentameter. Pent means five, so |

|lines in iambic pentameter have five iambs. An iamb consists of two syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: U / (U=unstressed syllable; |

|/=stressed syllable). |

|Rhyme |

|The lines of a sonnet are usually rhymed. The classic Shakespearean sonnet is in the form of three quatrains of alternating rhyme (abab, cdcd, efef)|

|and a rhyming couplet to end (gg). |

|So . . . |

|A sonnet is a poem consisting of fourteen lines of rhymed iambic pentameter. |

|In Act I, Scene V, Romeo and Juliet show that they are meant to be lovers by reciting an extemporaneous sonnet when they first meet (92-105) and then |

|begin another one, alternating lines (106-109), but they are interrupted by the Nurse. |

| |

| |

|Reading and responding to a sonnet |

|30 min |

| |

|(7 min) |

|We will read the Shakespearean sonnet, “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun.” |

|First we will discuss the meaning of the poem. |

| |

|(8 min) |

|Then we will discuss how it fits the structure and components we just took notes on. |

|We will focus on the rhyme scheme, syllables. |

|Together we will mark the syllables and rhyme scheme in the first paragraph. |

| |

|(5 min) |

|Then students will complete the same process with the rest of the sonnet. |

| |

|(5 min) |

|We will listen for the iambic pentameter today in an recording of the sonnet. I will describe this as a heartbeat rhythm. We will listen for it again|

|tomorrow. |

| |

|(5 min) |

|Students will complete a brief Reading Response Journal about the sonnet. |

|Assessment: Students will turn in their completed sonnet with their syllabication and rhyme scheme. Students will turn in their Reading Response |

|Journal as well. |

| |

|The most important assessment of their understanding of sonnets will come on Friday. Students will create their own sonnet (see writing assignments).|

| |

|Differentiation: |

|For students who are not familiar with syllables I will pull them out and teach vowel grabbing as way to identify syllables once we get into creating |

|the sonnets. |

• The Sonnet Form •

 

Number of Lines

A sonnet has _____ lines, no more, no less. Although there are many variations on the basic sonnet form, this is one aspect that _______ changes.

Basic Divisions

The _______ lines of a sonnet often divide easily into _______. The Shakespearean sonnet is composed of three quatrains (set of _______ lines) and a couplet (_______ lines) to end. The first 12 lines of a sonnet set up _______________ or situation and the last two lines generally _______ it.

Meter

A poem’s meter is the _______ of its lines. In a Shakespearean sonnet, each line has the same meter, known as iambic pentameter. Pent means _______ so lines in iambic pentameter have __________ iambs. An iamb consists of two __________, with the stress on the second syllable: U / (U=__________ syllable; /=___________ syllable).

Rhyme

The lines of a sonnet are usually _________. The classic Shakespearean sonnet is in the form of three quatrains of alternating rhyme (abab, cdcd, efef) and a rhyming couplet to end (gg).

So . . .

A sonnet is a poem consisting of fourteen lines of rhymed iambic pentameter.

Name:________________Date____________Period_______________

Shakespeare’s “My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun”

Directions: We will take notes on the first quatrain together.

On your own complete the same process with the rest of the poem.

Mark rhyme scheme with a letter at the end of the line.

Mark the syllables with hatch marks.

Explain the problem and resolution on the next sheet.

My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;_____

Coral is far more red than her lips’ red; _____

If snow be white, why then her breast are dun; _____

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head. _____

I have seen roses damask’d, red and white, _____

But no such roses see I in her cheeks, _____

And in some perfumes is there more delight_____

Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks. _____

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know_____

That music hath a far more pleasing sound; _____

I grant I never saw a goddess go, _____

My mistress when she walks treads on the ground. _____

And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare_____

As any she belied with false compare. ________

Reading Response Journal

Directions: In your Reading Response Journal write one-two paragraphs about your reactions to Shakespeare today.

Questions to get you started:

How do you feel about his writing?

Do some parts confuse you? Explain yourself.

Write freely.

Sentence starters:

• It seems like…

• When I read this, I think…

• Reading this makes me feel…

• Reading this reminds me of…

• Some phrases that I really like are…

Grading:

You will not be graded on grammar or spelling.

You will be graded on whether you are reflecting on the reading, connecting with it and describing your reaction and experience.

Generic EXAMPLE:

The play is very confusing! I don’t know what Shakespeare is talking about. It seems

that he is describing some people arguing. They are insulting each other using odd phrases such as “Do you bite your thumb at me?” I would not be mad if someone said this to me, but I would hate it if someone said something about my family member or insulted my friend. Reading this reminds me of a time when I was at a park and some kids tried to start a fight with me. They were saying things like, “Are you scared?” I do not know who these characters are, but I am excited to meet Romeo and Juliet because I heard that they are only 14 but get married. Reading Shakespeare makes me feel frustrated. When I can make sense of any part of it I feel very successful. Today was our first day reading so I hope that it gets easier.

STUDENT-FOCUSED LESSON PLAN

Lesson Plan – Ms. McLean Ninth Grade English

Title: Prewriting Assignments Date: Each Monday/Tuesday

|Objectives: |

|Students will be able to complete a KWLE chart in response to multiple forms of media about Romeo and Juliet. This work will focus on standards 4. |

|writing informally (such as outlines, notes) because the student will be writing a response and to a lesser extent standard |

|5. comprehending and evaluating the content and artistic aspects of oral and visual presentations (such as story-telling, debates, lectures, |

|multi-media productions) because their evidence and response will largely be based on the combined sources of summaries and a movie. |

| |

|Do Now: |

|10 min. |

|Each Monday, before reading the text or watching the film students will be given the week’s topic for the paragraph or sonnet. |

| |

|They will start by writing what they already know about the topic that they will be writing about. This writing will go in the Know column. The |

|topics that they will be writing about are love, violence, problems, and foreshadowing. Students will first write what they know about these topics |

|in their own life, then what they know or have heard about these in Romeo and Juliet. |

| |

|Then students will use the assignment sheet requirements to formulate questions they want to get answered so that they can complete the weeks writing |

|assignment. These questions will go in the Want to know column. |

|New Lesson Material: |

| |

|30 min. |

|On Monday’s we will read play summaries and watch scenes from the modern Romeo and Juliet film. |

| |

|While reading or watching the film, students will be gathering evidence (direct quotes, descriptions of actions) to put in the Learned column. |

| |

|10 min. |

|After watching or reading students will interpret and explain what they read in the Explain column. |

| |

|Assignment: |

|Students will then be instructed to complete the Know, Want to know, Learned, Explain (KWLE) chart with at least three pieces of evidence and |

|explanations of each of these. |

Assignment:

KWLE Chart, see graphic organizers

KWLE Chart Legend

Know-What do you already know about the topic?

Respond about your own life and in R+J.

Want to know- Formulate questions you want to get answered so that you can complete the week’s writing assignment.

Learned - Gather evidence (direct quotes, descriptions of actions) while reading or watching the film.

Provide at least three strong pieces of evidence.

Explain-After watching or reading students interpret and explain the evidence that you gathered.

Thoroughly explain each piece of evidence.

TEACHER VERSION of UNIT CALENDAR

|31 |1 |2 |3 |4 |Introduction to Shakespeare, |

|Opinionairre |Culture |Prologue |Character Map. |Shakespearean insults. |culture, prologue. |

| | | |Timeline. |Introduce writing | |

|Culture |Language | | |assignments. | |

| | | | | | |

|KWREL |Create | | | | |

| |Reading Response | | | | |

| |Journals | | | | |

|7 |8 |9 |10 |11 |TOPIC: How I know this love is real.|

|Intro Topic |Intro Skill |Provide rubric and |Mini lesson on topic |Complete paragraph. |SKILL FOCUS: Organization |

|Read Summaries Watch |Watch ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download