ELA Lesson Plan

Name: Amy Wright-Mead Title: Freedom and Equality

Grade: 7th Subject: ELA Length of Lesson: 1 hours

1. New Mexico Academic Content Standard(s):

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.1.a
Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that
preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under
discussion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.1.c
Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant
observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others'
ideas and expressing their own clearly.

2. Objective(s)
Objective(s) What Students will "I Can..."statement
learn
Compare and Determine how two Read a text and
Contrast two texts compare and understand the
documents. contrast in their theme.
underlying theme.
Display How to summarize Write a creative piece
understanding of the the meaning of that reflects my
meaning of two texts. understanding of the
texts. two texts.
Work successfully in How to work well Work in a team
groups. Share with others. setting and
results. accomplish a unified
goal.
3. Essential Questions: Compare and contrast the definition(s) of equality for both the Harrison
Bergeron text and the Gettysburg Address speech?
4. Lesson Summary:
a. The class opens with a word-of-the-day. Share. (10 mins).
b. Share my objectives for the day on the white board (5-10 mins).
c. Hand out both copies of the readings.
d. Play, write, and explain the Gettysburg Address (10 mins).
 e. Since reading both Harrison Bergeron (in a previous class) and the Gettysburg Address
we compare and contrast the meanings of both texts (Venn Diagram). What is their
definition of freedom? How do they differ? Do they have anything in common? (Recap;
write on the white board, 15-20 mins).
f. I demonstrate my skit (5-10 mins). Questions?
g. Form groups; the students get in to two groups and are assigned to write a skit. In this
skit, half of their group is from the belief system of Harrison Bergeron and the other
from the Preamble...and the two parties' cross paths (30-45 mins).
h. Share their skits (10-15 mins).
i.
5. Resources:
a. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvA0J_2ZpIQ
b. Copy of Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut.
c. Copy of the Gettysburg Address.
d. Copy of a blank Venn diagram.
6. Lesson Components:
a. Introduction/Readiness
i. The students enter the class and observe the white board of today's instruction.
They see the word of the day and assume it's definition, how to pronounce it,
and how to use it in a sentence. Todays W.O.D: egalitarian

1. Ialtern/adjective: adjective: egalitarian. 1.relating to or

believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve
equal rights and opportunities. "a fairer, more egalitarian society"
ii. Students share their definition, pronunciation, and sentence with the
class.
iii. I write on the white board the definition and part-of-speech.

b. Direct Instruction (I DO)

i. I Write on the white board my objectives for the day, as well as todays activities:
1. Objectives: As seen above.
ii. Ask students if they know anything about the Gettysburg Address.
iii. Play the video of the Gettysburg Address
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvA0J_2ZpIQ). Have the students take
notes of it as they follow along. After the video, do the students have any
thoughts? What is this about? What events occurred to have this speech take
place?
iv. I explain what the next process is: Venn Diagram to compare and contrast
Harrison Bergeron and the Gettysburg Address.
c. Guided Practice (WE DO)
i. I draw a Venn Diagram on the board and label it: Freedom and Equality (H.B -
G.A.).
 ii. I ask the students if they know what a Venn Diagram is, then explain it if
needed.
iii. Hand out the blank copies of the Venn diagram and have them fill it out as a
reference for later as well as filling it out on the board.
iv. I ask the class a few questions regarding the themes of both the Gettysburg
Address and Harrison Bergeron: What they have in common and how they
differ. As they respond, we fill in the Venn Diagram.
1. What is their definition of equality? (ask first, if full then stop there.)
2. What do they have in common? (Someone was fighting for rights
against a current system).
3. What is their definition of freedom?
4. Are the people in the texts ok with their situation?
5. What is the theme of both?
d. Independent Practice (YOU DO)
i. I explain to the students the next assignment:
1. Form two groups
2. In each group you will write a skit that demonstrates your
understanding of the themes presented in both Harrison Bergeron and
the Gettysburg Address.
3. Students will work in their groups to write a skit where some of their
group will take the role of either the Gettysburg believers or Harrison
Bergeron belief system, and the rest will be the middle of the Venn
diagram (the similarities).
ii. I share my short skit to demonstrate what my expectations are.
iii. The students get into groups and begin working.
e. Closure
i. Students share their skits with the class.
ii. Exit Ticket: Use the W.O.D. in a sentence.
f. Assessment
i. Assessment is observed through class discussion, group involvement, and
outcome of their skit.
g. Adaptations for English Learners and Student(s) with Special Needs
i. N/A in this class
 Reflection
All-in-all I am pleased to say that the lesson went well. The students were involved and seemed

to be interested in the topics. There are a few areas that I noticed needed work and there were a few

that my University Supervisor and my Cooperating Teacher observed as well. Since the last observation,

I did notice growth in my teaching abilities. Part of this is due to having more experience, and part of it is

because I took the advice that I have received from the last observations and applied it to this lesson.

With the help and support of both my CT and US, I see how their experience has helped me to see what

areas I am strong in and what areas I need a little work.

One of the areas that I was able to identify, on my own, that needed work is how I open the

class. I am very nervous at first during these observations which the students can sense, and that

inevitably effects how involved they are. Eventually, I do become at ease and the class runs fluidly. The

last time I did a lesson I was told that I should use the white board more often and I applied that to this

lesson as well. This was the area of coherence that I applied to my lesson that I could definitely see

results with its use. I also wrote the essential question and objectives on the board, which was another

area that I needed work on and seemed to be very effective. If the students got lost or strayed from

what we wanted to focus on they could direct themselves to the board and refer back to the essential

question.
 I was very pleased with how I applied the advice I had received in the past to this lesson. I was

also very happy with the results of the Venn diagram activity. While doing the Venn diagram I did not

give the students any answers; they came up with them all on their own, which really inspired and

impressed me. The students were able to show me, in this activity, how well they understood the

material and what they learned. Not only did the students learn the subjects being taught, they

demonstrated critical thinking, and they had fun! I also had fun! At one point during their skit, a

student's role was to sob, and at that point I was laughing so hard my eyes got watery. To be able to

have fun while the students are learning valuable skills and lessons is the best outcome I think there is.

My objectives were to: Compare and Contrast two documents, display understanding of the

meaning of two texts, and to work successfully in groups. This was almost all accomplished, with a few

tweaks here and there to attend to. As far as my objectives are concerned, the one that lacked in

comparison to the others' successes was "to work successfully in groups." One of the areas of feedback

that my US, Sandee, had was to give the students a little more guidance with a big group project (the

skit). They seemed a little lost and it would have been helpful if I had given them a setting, a theme, or

their roles initially. This is, as I said, because I didn't give them enough guidance to begin their skit, and I

did not designate roles such as a leader. A specific idea that she recommended was to designate

someone else as a leader. Both times I did a lesson for this class the same person took control during the

group work. It is helpful to have a leader, but in this case the other students participate much less than

they otherwise would have. The presence of this "leader" intimidated the participation of the other

students. Sandee, my US, advised that it would be good to give that role to someone else. Had this been

accomplished by me, the students would have felt more confident and there would have been more

involvement from the others in the group.

 I am very pleased with this lesson and I would love to have the opportunity to teach it again.

With the few modifications here and there, and gaining of self confidence in myself (AS I SHOULD), this

lesson can only be more successful and understood better by the students. Along with the great advice I

received from both my Ct and my US, I was able to see the areas I can work on where I would have

otherwise overlooked. They also acknowledged the areas that I did well in. According to my US and CT, I

was able to take the advice from the last lesson and improve upon those areas this round. I was also

able to have a better grasp of my objectives and goals which helped keep me on task and not stray from

the targets. With my flexibility and open-mindedness, I am hopeful for the future and think my teaching

abilities will improve in no time at all.

 My Skit

Amy (Gettysburg): Hi, my name is Amy and I'm new at this school. Can I sit here?

Sam (Harrison): I guess.

Amy (Gettysburg): How are you today?

Sam (Harrison): I'm fine, but why are you dressed like that?

Amy (Gettysburg): Because I like to dress like this. Where I come from we are able to express ourselves
however we like.

Sam (Harrison): Oh. Well, we are all equal here. That's why I have this mask on; so that we are all equal.

Amy (Gettysburg): That's different. Where I'm from equality isn't measured in how we look but rather
what rights we are granted...

And so on.
 Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation,
conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so
conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war.
We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here
gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should
do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicatewe can not consecratewe can not hallow
this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far
above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what
we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be
dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly
advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us
that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave
the last full measure of devotionthat we here highly resolve that these dead shall not
have died in vainthat this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedomand that
government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
This is an example of the worksheet I used, not actual size.