Lesson Plan Template

Savanna Marino-Poulson
June 17th, 2016
Katie Rybakova
Adjectives through Characterization
*Lesson plan based on a 50-minute class.
Purpose/rationale: Students in an 8th grade English class have been reading To Kill a
Mockingbird and are continuing a unit on grammar. The class has already broadly gone over the
basics of grammar including subject-predicate, simple sentences, and parts of speech. Students
have been learning about grammar from scratch as a significant amount of students in this class
have indicated that they do not have much knowledge of grammar. It is important to have
knowledge of and demonstrate proficiency using grammar concepts since grammar plays such a
large part in our every day lives. People use grammar when they speak, write, and even when
reading in order to make better sense of the text. This class is being taught grammar through an
alternative method; instead of solely using worksheets, students are exposed to grammar from a
variety of sources such as videos and books and work to practice and identify grammar practices
through novels that they read in class and in their own writing. This allows students to see reallife examples of grammar being used and it allows them to improve their writing simultaneously
through creating, revising, and editing while learning grammatical concepts. Studies have shown
that students do not learn grammar very well through the use of traditional grammar practices
that focus on drills and memorization (Graham & Perin, 2007). Students have been reading To
Kill a Mockingbird because it is in the literary canon and it is an exemplary text found on many
school reading lists. On top of this, this novel implements a variety of language and sentences of
grammatical complexity, which make it a top choice to use and teach alongside grammatical
concepts. In this class, students will be learning more about adjectives, how the use of them can
alter a story, and how to write descriptions without using adjectives in order to make writing
more complex and varied as well. Students will first do a bellringer activity where they do a
quickwrite in their journals where they describe a person of their choice. After that, the teacher
will review briefly review adjectives with the class to refresh their memory. Then, the teacher
will introduce the assignment; students will be learning about characterization through the use of
adjectives and how an author might characterize a character in a way that doesn't solely use
adjectives, through a character's actions. The teacher will do an example with the class first for
the activity, and then have students complete the activity in small groups; they will find instances
in the book where the author uses actions to describe a character and the students will think of an
adjective to describe that character based on textual evidence. After that, students will share their
responses and move on to doing a continuation of the bellringer activity; students will use what

they learned from the group activity to revise their writing to include an adjective and to use an
action to describe the person they previously wrote about.
Florida Standards:

LAFS.8.RL.1.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
LAFS.8.RL.1.3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama
propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
LAFS.8.L.2.3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking,
reading, or listening
LAFS.8.W.4.10: 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
discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Objectives:

Identify adjectives for a character using context clues.

Explain how adjectives help characterize characters in a text.
Create adjectives to describe a person.

Materials:

To Kill a Mockingbird (class set plus teacher copy)

Character Traits worksheet (class set)

Whiteboard

Whiteboard markers (3)

Writing journals (class set)

Projector

Projector screen

Paper slips with different characters' names on each (6)

Anticipatory set (8 Minutes): Students grab their writing journals and listen to teacher while
eacher gives directions (Think about a person. This person can be real or fake, it is up to you.

Now, in your journals, please write a paragraph describing that person. If you have trouble
writing, think about who they are, what they look like, how they act, etc.)
Teaching Strategy/Procedure/Activity:
Time
8 minutes

Student is doing
Students grab their writing
journals, listen to teacher,
write in their journals, and
ask questions if needed.

10 minutes

Students listen to teacher,

work with the teacher as
they are providing
examples, receive copies of
novel and character traits
worksheet, read directions
off of white board, and ask
questions if needed.

Teacher is doing
Teacher gives directions (Think
about a person. This person can be
real or fake, it is up to you. Now,
in your journals, please write a
paragraph describing that person.
If you have trouble writing, think
about who they are, what they
look like, how they act, etc.)
Teacher reviews what adjectives
are with students (adjectives are
a part of speech that describes
something), hands out character
traits worksheet (Appendix A) and
copies of To Kill a Mockingbird,
explains how adjectives can be
used to describe characters and
how the actions characters make
can also describe a character,
works with class to provide an
example from each from the novel
(ex. The novel says that ____ is
____ for the first, example for the
second: Scout beats up Dill when
she thinks he's not paying
attention to her, so you could say
that ____ a valid response would
be that Scout has a short temper.)
give directions for activity (get
into groups of three (there will be
one group of four). Once you are
in your groups you will receive a
piece of paper with the name of a
character on it from To Kill a
Mockingbird. Using your books,
you will fill out 4-5 rows for each
column, listing your character's
actions and what character
trait/adjective they reveal that the
character has. Make sure to list
the page number you found the

15 minutes

10 minutes

9 minutes

3 minutes

Students get into five

groups of three (one group
of four), receive paper with
their character's name, uses
the book to fill out the
character traits worksheet
together, and ask questions
if needed.
Students in their groups will
present their character traits
worksheet on the projector,
reading out the actions and
character traits while
making sure not to give the
answer away, and guess the
characters the other groups
are presenting.
Students will head back to
their desks, pull back out
their writing journals,
rewrite their paragraph to
contain at least one
adjective and one action to
describe that person,
explain what character
trait/adjective the action
gives the character separate
from the paragraph, and ask
for assistance if needed.
Students will listen to
teacher, turn in their writing
journals, and complete a 32-1 ticket on their own
sheet of paper.

action on for each action. Try to

fill out as many rows as you can.
Make sure not to write the name
of your character on your paper
since you will be presenting them
later) and answer questions if
needed.
Teacher hands out papers with
characters' names (Appendix B,
physical copy will have names cut
out already), monitors class, keeps
students on task, and answer
questions/provide additional
clarification if needed.
Teacher will display character
traits worksheets through the
projector, keep class on task, ask
class who each groups' character
trait worksheet is describing, and
provide additional clues if
necessary (it can be other traits
like physical traits or you could
mention a scene they're in, etc).
Teacher will tell students to get
back into their proper seats, tell
students to get their journals back
out, give them new directions for
writing activity (using what you
learned from the lesson, monitor
class, and answer questions if
needed.

Teacher will wrap up lesson and

explain the importance of
adjectives to a novel (adjectives
can help bring a novel to life by
characterizing characters), how
students can figure out adjectives
to describe a character using
context clues (an author may use
actions to describe a character,
which you are then able to guess

what adjective they would

describe the character with
through the action), and have
students fill out a 3-2-1 ticket
(Write 3 things you've learned, 2
things you found interesting, and
1 question you still have), and
prompt students to turn in writing
journals and 3-2-1 tickets and
return copies of novel at the end
of class.
Summary/Closure (3 Minutes): Teacher will wrap up lesson and explain the importance of
adjectives to a novel (adjectives can help bring a novel to life by characterizing characters), how
students can figure out adjectives to describe a character using context clues (an author may use
actions to describe a character, which you are then able to guess what adjective they would
describe the character with through the action), and have students fill out a 3-2-1 ticket (Write 3
things you've learned, 2 things you found interesting, and 1 question you still have), and prompt
students to turn in writing journals and 3-2-1 tickets and return copies of novel at the end of
class.
Assessment:

Formal assessment: Writing journal with both portions of the activity graded for
completion, the second is also graded based on if they used an adjective, an action to
describe a character, and an explanation stating what character trait/adjective the action
implies.
Informal assessment: Assesses students on their understanding of adjectives, how
adjectives describe a character, and how actions can describe a character/adjective based
on completion and participation of the writing activity and the character traits activity and
worksheet.

Homework/follow-up assignment:
None.
Accommodations/adaptations:

ELL student (Spanish L1, Alejandro) will be supplied with bilingual thesaurus with their
L1 for assistance with the activity.

ELL student (French L1, Eloise) will be supplied with bilingual thesaurus with their L1
for assistance with the activity.

Student with ADHD (Herbert) will be given subtle cues by the teacher to make sure they
stay on task,will be allowed to stand while working on the activity to help control motor
activity, will be placed in a group with a student who can help keep them on task (and has
given permission to do so), and will be allowed breaks to get out of their seat to help
control motor activity.

Student with mild Autism (Oliver) will be given additional assistance for figuring out
context clues (the actions and what adjective they infer), will be allowed to use their
laptop to complete the activities to accommodate for their handwriting deficiency, will be
given additional time to complete the activities, and a cool down pass will be available
for student, which allows them to go out into the hallway (where the teacher can still see
them) when they're overstimulated.

Student with speech impairment (Paten) will be given the appropriate time to complete
their statements, will be placed in a group with a student that knows about their speech
impairment and is patient with them, will be allowed to use sign board to communicate
for shorter statements, and will be allowed to use laptop speech synthesizer if the
technology is working properly for longer statements.

Student with mild Dyslexia (Lya) will be given a simplified version of the activity
directions, will be allowed to use separate sheets of paper for the writing portion of the
activity, will be allowed to use an electronic version of the novel to complete the
assignment, and will be given additional time to complete the activity.

Attachments/Appendices:
Character Traits Worksheet (Appendix A), Character List (Appendix B), References (Appendix
C)
Plan B:
If students do not seem to fully grasp adjectives, then the teacher will review the concept of
adjectives and how they're used technically at a more in depth level. If the character trait activity
is too difficult, the teacher will instead walk them through the activity as a class, completing the
chart for several characters together. If there is additional time left by the end of the period, the
teacher will have the class start reading the next chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird.

A:
Character Traits Worksheet
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson175/RWT186-2.pdf

B:
Scout

Jem

Atticus

Boo

Dill

Tom

C:
References
Gardner, T. (n.d.). Become a Character: Adjectives, Character Traits, and
Perspective. Retrieved June 17, 2016, from
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/becomecharacter-adjectives-character-168.html?tab=4#session1
Graham, S., & Perin, D. (2007). A Meta-Analysis of Writing Instruction for
Adolescent Students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(3), 445-476.
doi:10.1037/0022-0663.99.3.445