Current Event Photos & Close Reading Activity  

and Discussion 
Lesson Plan for Grade 12, English IV 

4 Day Lesson- Discussion on last day!  

Emily Powers (& Ms. Robinson)  

The purpose of the current event photos activity along with the discussion of the photos 
and about close reading is to have the students question, interpret, understand, and 
think closely about not only ​Beowulf​, but texts we read throughout the semester. My 
mentor teacher and I wanted to scaffold the concept of close reading through a variety of 
texts, starting with photos. For the diverse group of students we have, we thought this 
would be best to start with photos as this is most accessible. The students are able to 
make connections to current issues they have seen in the news and media, therefore 
relating this back to their close reading strategies. This is one step we are taking in close 
reading practice, emphasizing that they will need these skills for not only this class, but 
others as well as in the real world (post-secondary plans).  

STANDARDS 

1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1.C  
2. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1.D 
3. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.2 
4. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4 

OBJECTIVES (Cadets will be able to…) 

1. Summarize the point of view of others 

2. Develop and defend my own point of view  
3. Understand what a close reading is and why it is necessary 
4. Identify components of rich versus poor discussion  
5. Analyze and identify key details in current event photos  

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MATERIALS NEEDED 

1. Pen or pencil 
2. Loose leaf paper (part of materials needed for this class)  
3. Discussion Stems worksheet  
4. Close Reading Handout (in folder)  
5. Post-it paper with photos attached (examples in folder) 
6. Post-its (part of materials needed for this class) 

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS 

1. Think- Pair- Share 

2. Bell Ringers 
3. Asking questions on post-its 
4. Notes on partner in fishbowl discussion  

ACTIVITY 

Day 1: 

1. Bell Ringer: Have you ever had to do a close reading? What was it like? What did 
you do? If not, what do you think a close reading is? 
2. Notes for what is a close reading 
❏ A close reading is a thoughtful, critical analysis of a text 
❏ Focuses on significant ​details​ or ​patterns​ in order to develop a deeper 
understanding  
❏ Directs the reader’s attention straight to the text- evidence 
❏ Make logical inferences  

❏ Notice the language used    

3. Close reading with current event photos- Gallery Walk 
a. Stations and questions on post its/notes on worksheet 
❏ Directions: With your group members (sitting in pods with either 4 or 5 students) 
rotate clockwise to each station  
❏ Follow the expectations listed for each step. 
❏ You will have 10 minutes at each station. 
❏ While completing each step, remain quiet and only writing 
❏ After finishing each step, follow the expectation of either 

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 ❏ No talking  

❏ Talking to your group members about the step  

❏ Or rotating to the next station  

Day 2: 

1. No bell ringer 
2. Close reading with current event photos- Gallery walk 
❏ Stations and questions on post its/notes on worksheet 
3. Notes on open ended vs. closed ended questions 

Day 3: ​(shortened day) 

1. Bell ringer: Was it difficult to do a close reading with a photo? How do you think 
this would change if there were captions given to you?  
2. Review open ended vs. closed ended questions 
3. Part 2 of the handout 
4. Distribute ​Beowulf​ books (starting reading on Friday) 
5. Collecting journals (have written 2 journals so far about previous activities) 

Day 4: ​(Main focus of the lesson study)  

1. (~5 minutes): At the start of class, each student will get out their paper with their 
bell ringers for the week and write their response to the questions asked as well 
as the prompt. If the student is on time to class and on task, they will receive a 
stamp with the date, indicating full points for the bell ringer (5 points per day).  
❏ Prompt: Develop an open ended question to use today during a whole class 
discussion based on the close reading activity. Think about the activity, 
photos, expectations for each step, etc. 
❏ I will tell students to keep these on their desks as we will be using them 
shortly. 
2. (~6-7 minutes): I will go over the agenda, including the objectives and the 
homework. Next, (their journals will be on their desk as I will have graded them 
from the night before) I will have them open to a new page in their journals and 
answer the following prompt (below) and their response. After, I will explain that 
we will be using this, as stated in the agenda, during our student led discussion in 
a few minutes.  

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 ❏ Prompt: What did you learn from the close reading activity with 
pictures? 
❏ Follow up questions:  
❏ What were your favorite pictures? 
❏ Which step did you struggle with the most? Which step 
was simple? Explain. 
❏ How did Part II help you with identifying open ended 
and closed ended questions/ 
❏ Response should be no less than 6 sentences. Use evidence to 
support your claims! 
3. (~3 to 4 minute): I will ask them the students, on the white boards in front of them, 
to make a T chart. I will ask them to label one side “Rich Discussion” and the other 
side “Poor Discussion”. as we will be using them after a brief discussion on what 
distinguishes rich versus poor discussion.  
4. (~3 minutes): Each groups will share out one point they talked about and wrote 
down for a rich and a poor discussion. This collaboration will further my and the 
students’ expectations for the discussion today. They have set these in explaining 
qualities of a rich discussion. 
5. (~6 to 8 minutes): I will click to the slide with discussion questions I have created 
for students’ support if needed. I will have each get out their discussion stems 
worksheet (lime green handout) and their close reading with photos handout 
alongside their bell ringer. I will go over a few of the discussion stems student 
may use, providing an example of how these could be used in the context of a 
discussion. I will ask students to face each other so that they are talking to their 
peers, not specifically me, as this is a student-led discussion. I will tell also add 
that I am here for support if needed.  

I will assign each student to their peer for note taking. I will ask if any student has 
participated in a fishbowl discussion or if they have heard what a fishbowl 
discussion is. Students will be required to write notes about what their peers have 
contributed to the discussion. I will direct them to put this under their journal for 
today and label this “Discussion Notes” with their peer’s name underneath. I will 
assign the inner portion of students to speak first and will explain I will call time 
halfway through for the next set of students to discuss, either bringing up points 
from the previous discussion or new questions. I will also add if they find an 
interesting point, to jot this down in the discussion notes so that they can 
remember when it is their turn to speak, but they are only required to take notes 
on their assigned peer.  

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 6. (~ rest of period): Student-led discussion!! Standing at the side of the room, 
monitoring the discussion as well as calling time halfway between the time for the 
next group to discuss. Before leaving, I will remind the students of the objectives 
we had for today and the homework.  

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