Jennifer Lam

EDUC 305
Lesson Plan
Grade Level: 11th and 12th
Subject: English

Applying TWIST Literary Analysis on Langston

Hughes poetry
I. Content and Standards: CC.1.3.11-12.B: Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences and conclusions based on and related to
an authors implicit and explicit assumptions and beliefs.
II. Prerequisites: TWIST literary analysis/graphic organizer
III. Instructional Objective: LWBAT cite strong and thorough textual
evidence IOT support a poem analysis of Theme for English B by
Langston Hughes.
IV. Instructional Procedures:
Do Now: Learners will write a paragraph based on these
instructions: Share your experience where you felt isolated or
different from the crowd. What impact did this have on you?
Explain in a paragraph.

Whole Class Discussion: Teacher will lead whole class

discussion about the do now. Teacher will ask a few of the
learners to share their paragraphs.
o Essential Questions: Do you think this impacted your
identity in any way?

During: Learners will listen attentively while teacher rereads

Theme for English B out loud in class. Learners will then take
out their completed TWIST graphic organizer for Theme for
English B by Langston Hughes (done for homework) and discuss
it with their table group.

Each table will be assigned a term (Tone, Word Choice, Imagery,

Style, Theme) and asked to come up with two sentences for their
response, as well as specific textual evidence to support their
claim. Textual evidence must be a direct quote from the poem.
Each group will elect one member to write their conclusion and
evidence on the board or report out to the classroom.

Learners will share their findings with the class, while the teacher
facilitates discussion.
o Essential Questions:
Where do you see this in the text?
What specific line?
What is the significance?

Teacher will display and model their TWIST analysis of the poem.

As the teacher displays their analysis, the teacher will review

each term and answer any questions the learner poses.
Tone: the attitude of the speaker toward the subject
o Speaker uses an informal tone with the instructor.
o Question: The speaker uses you in the poem 12 times,
what does that indicate about their attitude toward the
assignment? Would you use you in any of your academic
writing?

Word Choice: the specific words and their connotations,

associations, or emotional impact
o In the line, Sometimes perhaps you dont want to be a
part of me. Nor do I often want to be a part of you
Hughes uses specific word choice to emulate the speakers
stream of consciousness
o Question: What is stream of consciousness? Why is this
significant?

Imagery: the sense impressions (sound, smell, sight, taste, and

touch)
o The speaker creates a strong visual image for the setting.
In Line 11, he writes, The steps from the hill lead down to
Harlem, through a park, then I When you read that, you
can imagine the speaker, or even yourself walking down
those steps and through the park.

Style: the authors use of figurative language and poetic devices

such as repetition, rhyme, and rhythm
o When you scan the poem for figurative language and
devices, dont just list what you see in the poem. In your
response, make sure to explain why these devices are
significant.
o Question to ask yourself: What is the author using the
devices to say?

o In the poem, the speaker uses rhythm and repetition to

make the poem have a conversational tone. Why is this
important? Because the author is suggesting that race and
identity issues are a constant conversation, a constant
debate.
Theme: the authors insight about life
o There can be many themes in a piece of work. The theme I
picked out was: People can learn from each other, despite
racial and age differences.
o This is supported by line 38 in the poem, As I learn from
you, I guess you learn from me. The speaker is talking
directly with his teacher saying that although race might
be a barrier in some ways, like a feeling of belonging to the
classroom, people can always learn and grow from one
another.

Learners will listen to an audio reading of Harlem by Langston

Hughes, then one read aloud in the classroom.

Question: What is your first impression of the poem? What do

you think the speaker is saying?

Teacher will walk through the poem with the students and ask
questions to provoke critical thinking.
o What happens to a dream deferred? What does the
word deferred mean? What is the speaker asking?
o Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? What does it
mean for a dream to dry up? Can you give me an example?
o Or fester like a sore and then run? How can a dream
fester? How an a dream run?
o Does it stink like rotten meat?
o Or crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet? When
the speaker says a dream can crust and sugar over what
is he saying? How can a dream become too sweet?
o Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. What does this line
mean? How can a dream become a burden?
o Or does it explode? This is the most extreme and tense
of all the lines. Imagine a dream exploding. What does this
look like to you?

Learners will be asked to TWIST the poem individually. Graphic

organizer will be turned in for Harlem before the end of class.

Exit Ticket: Learners will make connections with the speaker of

the text. They will be asked to write down a dream that they
have for the future or a dream that they have had.

V. Materials and Equipment:

Audio reading of Harlem learners will listen attentively
Visual of Harlem learners will use to write their exit tickets
Powerpoint slides to display the teachers model of the TWIST
graphic organizers learners will take notes as necessary if their
graphic organizers were incomplete or if they needed
clarification an any terms.
VI. Assessment/Evaluation:
Formative assessment: learners will be asked questions
throughout the class to check for comprehension of graphic
organizer.
Learners will demonstrate understanding of citing strong textual
evidence through completion of TWIST graphic organizer on the
board.
Learners TWIST organizer for Harlem will be collected and
reviewed, emphasis on whether the students supported their
responses with textual evidence.
VII. Accommodations or Modifications needed for students with
disabilities or
ESOL: TWIST worksheet will be provided to the student in worksheet
form with simplified direction. Visual aid will be provided.
VIII. Technology: Video of Langston Hughes poem Harlem will be
used so learners can listen to the poem.
IX. Self-Assessment: Teacher will review the graphic organizers that
learners completed and reviewed for homework to assess their
comprehension and weaknesses that they show.