Anthony Pozdol SCED 301 Summer 2014

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LESSON PLAN#2 (Day 3 of Unit)

SUBJECT: English/Language Arts
Unit Theme: Survival and Oppression
Topic/Title: Something of Value (Identifying the Valuable in Maus)

GRADE LEVEL: 10th

NUMBER OF STUDENTS: 24

LESSON DURATION: 50 minutes

STATE STANDARDS:
CCSS Reading Standards for Literature Grades 9-10: 1.) Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.

CCSS Writing Standards Grades 9-10: 10.) Write routinely over extended time frames (time
for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or
two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

CCSS Speaking and Listening Standards Grades 9-10: 1.) Initiate and participate effectively
in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively.


OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to read to identify something of value that is either/both explicitly
stated or implied in a given text.

Students will be able to demonstrate developed speaking and listening skills through their
participation in this class as both the educators and the audience.

Students will be able to cite textual evidence to support their claims.

Students, by journaling, will be able to form thematic connections between differing
contexts.

MATERIALS/RESOURCES:

For students: Paper; pen or pencil; Maus I: My Father Bleeds History

For teachers: Chalkboard/Whiteboard; Chalk/Markers; Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
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LESSON INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES

A. Instructor begins the class with an explanation of something/someone that they
value. (2 Minutes)

For example: I grew up in the nineties in the city of Chicago. The nineties as far as I
recall were dominated by the greatest basketball team of all time, which happened
to feature the greatest athlete of all time Michael Jordan. I watched the Bulls
religiously. I remember my entire family gathered around the TV shouting, leaping,
and celebrating Finals victory after Finals victory. I remember watching alone in my
room, turning the volume all the way up and the lights all the way off, for the
announcing of the Bulls starting line-up. This is how I remember some of the
greatest parts of my childhood. Because of this, to this very day I value the Bulls
greatly. I still watch them religiously. I still do the starting line-up, volume up lights
out deal, whenever my wife isnt around. I follow their every offseason move
probably more than I should. My point, spend enough time with me and Ill talk
more about the Bulls than you care to hear about. But understand this, I talk about
them so much because for one reason or another I value the Chicago Bulls.

Ask the class what or who they value? Have them take 5 minutes to write out three
things they value and why they value them in their journals. At the end of the two
week unit, these journals will be collected and graded for credit (5 minutes).



B. Development: Instruction and Activities
1. Remind the class that they should have read the first two chapters of Maus
before class. Conduct a quick recap of the events of these chapters by asking the
class for their input. What do we know from the first two chapters? What
characters are we introduced to? What have these characters gone through?
Where do they live? When do they live there? What is going on there? As
students answer these questions, create a running list of their answers. Consider
it a brain dump on the board. However, create a web or a mind map on a
designated spot of the board for characters. The focus of a later activity will be
on: Artie, Vladek, Anja, though students are welcome to identify other
characters. Each central character listed above should have their own bubble (8
minutes).
2. Ask the students to reflect now on their lists they just created of
people/things/ideas they value. With this idea of identifying the valuable in
mind, divide students into groups of three. These groups should be the same
groups theyve been assigned to work in for their unit assessment project.
Students should have their own copies of Maus with them. To model the kind of
work you (the instructor), want the students to do, have them turn to page 12 of
the graphic novel. Explain how the dialogue and words like I want, tell us that
Artie values his fathers story and experience. Having modeled how to read to
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identify the valuable, assign each group one of Artie, Vladek, or Anja. Instruct the
groups to discuss amongst themselves what they believe their assigned
character values. Ask them to identify how they know that their character values
it, and to identify a specific page or panel that they believe is evidence of such. As
students are having their discussion, the instructor should always be making
their rounds to assist with questions and further modeling (10 Minutes).
3. Transition from group discussion to class discussion. Instructor is to guide and
facilitate instruction at this point, not dominate it. First, ask for a group, or a
representative for the group, to volunteer to come to the board and share what
value(s) they identified. If no one volunteers select one randomly, and give that
group a choice of presenting as a unit or choosing a representative. Have the
group/representative state which character they were assigned. Then have them
connect, on the web or mind map created earlier on the board, what their
character values. Have the same group/representative then state the page and
panel they are using for evidence so the class can follow along, and why they
believe this effectively demonstrates the particular value. If a provided answer is
unclear, ask student to clarify what they mean, and help them along in
articulating it through constructive questioning. Follow this up by choosing a
group with the same character to present. Always be sure to affirm students
contribution, and to build on their points when necessary. Repeat this group
presentation format until all groups have presented.(20 minutes)

C. Closure

1. Wrap up discussion for the class. Affirm them for their development in reading
to identify the valuable. Briefly highlight some of the more universal answers
given for each character and explain how knowing these things about the
characters will help us to identify what kind of things are at stake in the coming
chapters.(3 Minutes)
2. The students assignment for the night is to read chapters 3 and 4 in Maus and to
come the next day ready to discuss. Field any questions for claritys sake, and
then dismiss students. (2 Minutes)

D. Differentiated Instruction/ Assessment

For Mary and Jerry, this lesson seems pretty accommodating. Most accommodations
would be focused on the reading homework. The one measure Id probably take for
the both of them is that Id contact their parent(s)/guardian(s) to give them a heads
up that the first week of the unit will be reading heavy. Since we will be going
through the first book of Maus, it will be helpful for the parents to assist in the
reading due to the pace. Prior to starting the reading, I will give them an assignment
sheet detailing the work we will be doing over the next couple weeks. For Mary
herself, I will check daily to make sure her assignment notebook is accurately filled
out.

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To accommodate Ray, it will be important to communicate to his parent(s)/
guardian(s) that he will need their assistance in reading Maus at home. Due to the
fact that its a graphic novel, an audio-book would not be suitable for use. In class, I
would position Rays assigned group nearest to the exit. During the journaling
portion to open this class period, I would communicate to Rays aide that he type out
Rays thoughts on his given word processor. Also as always, Rays aide would be
encouraged to take notes for him.

ASSESSMENTS

Formative:
There is a running journal that began on the first day of the unit and will be collected at the
end of the unit. On this particular day, students had five minutes to write about something
of value. There will be no letter grades assigned to each entry. Students will simply be given
a point for each entry, and deducted a point from each missing entry. This is an exercise
that allows them to practice writing and even more so engage in critical thinking and
making thematic connections. By the end of the unit, when I collect these journals, I will
have a better idea as to the quality of learning taking place or the progress that has been
made.