Lesson Plan Template

Date: September 27th, 2019 Teacher’s Name: Katie Doyle

Subject: English Language Arts Grade level: 9

Class Setting: Departmental Length of lesson: 45 min

Central Focus: The purpose of this learning segment is for students to be able to analyze a
literary text to determine plot structure. The students will learn related skills, including content
vocabulary to describe plot, diagram, and also how to use textual evidence. These lessons will
also serve as a building block for thesis writing. Being able to analyze the plot structure of a
short story will allow the students to be able to analyze the plot structure of any literary text.

For Unit Plan/Learning Segment, 1 out of 3:

Essential Question(s):

How does the plot of a text change throughout the text?

How can we use parts of a text to support a claim?

Learning Standards:

RL.9-10.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events
within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects
as mystery, tension, or surprise.

W.9- 10.2.b, d Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization,
and analysis of content.

○ B. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to
the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
○ D. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the
topic.

W.9-10.9.a Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection,
and research.

a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws
on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a
 theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by
Shakespeare]”).

SL.9-10.1.a Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the
topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

L.9-10.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.

L.9-10.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,

punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Learning Objectives: Assessments:

Students will… Exit Tickets every day:

1. Diagram the plot structure in order to - Day 1: Diagramming your Favorite

track the events of a text.
2. Annotate a passage in order to
identify the elements of a plot.
3. Offer quotes and/or events from the
text in order to support their
argument.
Short Story or Book from Class
- Day 2: Summarizing Story of an
Hour
- Day 3: Offering Textual Evidence
Formative Assessment for Homework on
Day 1:

- Offering reasoning for the Roller

Coaster Plot Diagram

Procedure: Day 1: Diagramming Plot

Anticipatory Set

Sponge Activity We will watch a video of a person going through a roller coaster (from the
rider’s point of view).

Anticipatory Set We will discuss how this video mimics or mirrors the structure of a plot.

Activating Prior Knowledge Students will talk with a neighbor about their favorite roller
coaster, whether they even like roller coasters or not, etc. Their short discussion will basically
just be about their experience(s) with roller coasters.
Initial Phase:

Direct Instruction:

1. I will then pass out worksheet 1.1. Students will write what I am writing on the board on
their sheet.
a. Checkpoint: the word we will use to describe the different parts of the story.
Checkpoints include:
i. Exposition: the beginning of the story where the scene is set. Setting is
established, we are introduced to characters, and we learn (most of) the
important information that will become even more important as the story
moves on. We as readers are also introduced to the conflict of the story.
1. First part of the rollercoaster: heading up the first big hill/slope
ii. Rising Action: the middle phase of the story where the conflict is
addressed with some sort of action. This is often the part where characters
begin an adventure. This leads directly into the next element…
1. The big turns and drops and loops
iii. Climax or Turning Point: where the conflict is faced and comes to a
point. This is the “point of no return” for the protagonist, and is the final
change in the story.
1. The biggest drop, loop, or turn
iv. Falling Action: the release in tension. Since the conflict is now over, this
is the “heading home” part of the story. Not everything is solved yet, but it
is close to the end of the story.
1. The smaller loops and turns, where you begin to slow down
v. Resolution: the final release of tension. All the loose ends are tied up, and
the conflict is totally resolved.
1. When the car is coming back towards the line, and stops in the
boarding tunnel

Middle Phase

Guided Practice:

Students will watch the video of the roller coaster multiple times, and write down timestamps
relative to when they are reaching different plot checkpoints. They will then turn and talk to their
neighbors to see if their timestamps are close to one another’s. We will then watch the video one
more time and they will shout out the different checkpoints as we reach them. I will then present
them with the correct time ranges so they can see how close their estimate was.

Independent Practice:
Students will take a worksheet home and will write down the reasoning for each timestamp. The
worksheet will ask why the students placed the timestamp where they did, and what
characteristics they were looking for when they were watching the video to help them determine
what event went with each timestamp. This worksheet will then be handed in as a Formative
Assessment.

Concluding Phase

Closure/Summary:

The students will complete their exit tickets.

Follow up:

The students will finish the Independent Practice worksheet (Worksheet 1.4) for homework.

Materials:

Video 1.1: A video of a roller coaster from the rider’s point of view. Play from 0:08 to 2:10.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60zrnOyBo3U

Worksheet 1.2 Freytag’s Pyramid Notes Guide: A blank copy of Freytag’s Pyramid that has
spaces left open for a label of checkpoints and also a definition of each checkpoint.

Worksheet 1.3 Plot of a Roller Coaster: Another blank copy of Freytag’s Pyramid that they will
use to diagram the plot of the roller coaster.

Worksheet 1.4 Plot of a Roller Coaster Follow Up: A worksheet with a Freytag’s Pyramid at the
top of the page, then follow up and synthesis questions listed underneath it. This will also be
collected as a Formative Assessment.

Exit Ticket 1.5 Filling in a Plot Diagram: A small blank Freytag’s Pyramid they will fill in
diagramming a short story or book we have read so far in the semester.

Procedure: Day 2: Diagramming Ms. Doyle’s Adventure

Anticipatory Set

Anticipatory Set: We will have a short discussion about what we talked about yesterday (all of
the checkpoints on the plot diagram), that will lead into the Activation of Prior Knowledge.

Activating Prior Knowledge: We will fill in Freytag’s Pyramid on the board with the
checkpoints.
Initial Phase

Direct Instruction:

I will tell the story of a “wild thing that happened to me the other day,” and after I tell the story
through, students will have the opportunity to ask me questions about the content of my story.
After I tell the story all the way through, I will put the story up on the Smart Board/projector.

Story:

I was walking down Fifth Avenue the other day looking in all of the shops and remarking at how
they were already decorated for Christmas, even though Thanksgiving hadn’t even happened
yet! I ended up walking through Macy’s, you know, the big one, and they were still putting up
their Christmas decorations. It was like a construction zone everywhere! But I had my Christmas
shopping to do so I just ducked and dodged as much of the construction as I could. But then I
saw this beautiful sweater that my friend Erin would just love, and I was so focused on the
sweater that I walked right into a low clearance beam and I knocked myself unconscious! I was
just laying in the middle of Macy’s knocked out on the floor. The people around me, being true
New Yorkers, didn’t stop to help me. I woke up eventually, and went right back on my mission to
get that sweater. After getting it in the correct size, I continued to wander the store. I found their
big Christmas section, where the little kiddos get to sit on Santa’s lap and ask him for all the toys
in the world. Oddly enough, no one was here in this section. I was thinking to myself “hm, this is
a bit odd,” when all of a sudden an elf comes out of nowhere and starts talking to me! She was
speaking fairly quickly and, since I was still a little woozy from getting knocked out, I didn’t
really understand much of what she was saying. I heard her say “come here,” though, so I
followed her as she went to another part of the Christmas section. She ducked down behind some
decoration boxes so I followed in suit, and we peeked over the boxes to see a man taking all of
the decorations down and stuffing them into his backpack! I quickly ran up to him and yelled at
him for stealing the decorations, but he hit me across the face with his backpack and I was
knocked out again! This time, oddly enough, I woke up where I was knocked out before! I got up
slowly, and went back to the Christmas section, walking slowly and carefully in case the burglar
was still there. I looked around for the little elf, but I didn’t see her anywhere. I went back into
the room where the burglar was and hid behind the same boxes, and oddly enough, watched him
take down the same decorations he took down when I first laid eyes on him. I walked up to him,
more calmly this time, and said “hey! I told you already to stop taking the decorations down!”
He turned around and looked at me, and he said “what? No you didn’t.” I took his backpack out
of his hands so he no longer had a weapon to use against me. I asked him why he was taking all
these decorations, and he said he needed them for his house. I asked him why he didn’t just go
out and get his own at the Dollar Tree or something, and he said he couldn’t afford them, but he
wanted to decorate for his daughters. All of a sudden, I felt really bad. This man was just trying
to get some decorations to make his daughter happy! So I said, “how about this. I’ll help you put
all the decorations you took down back up, and then once they’re all up, I’ll buy you some
decorations you and your daughter will like from the Dollar Tree. Is that okay?” He nodded, and
immediately started putting the decorations back up. I helped him, and we got to know each
other a bit while we were decorating. He told me about his daughter, who is 6 years old and
loves Christmas and toys more than anything else. We finished up with putting the decorations
back up, then as we were leaving to go to Dollar Tree, I spied the little elf out of the corner of my
eye, winking at me! I’m still not totally sure what happened in that Macy’s that day, but it sure
was a fun adventure!

Middle Phase

Guided Practice:

Students will diagram the plot of my story in groups of three, then we will have a class
discussion about the diagram, while I diagram it myself on the board with the correct answers.

Guiding questions:

- What was the (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution) of the
story?
- Why do you think that?
- I will ask this question for every student’s response so they can start using
evidence from the text to support their claims.

Independent Practice:The students will read Kate Chopin’s “Story of an Hour,” and will
annotate the text with the specific intention of highlighting/putting the spotlight on lines or
quotes that indicate where the different checkpoints are throughout the text.

Concluding Phase

Closure/Summary:

Exit Ticket 2.2: Students will hand in a short summary of Kate Chopin’s Story of an Hour.

Follow up:

The students will finish marking up Kate Chopin’s Story of an Hour.

Materials:

Worksheet 2.1 Diagramming Ms. Doyle’s Adventure: A blank Freytag’s Pyramid that the
students will use to diagram the plot of the story told at the beginning of the class.
Story on the board: Ms. Doyle’s Adventure

Story: Kate Chopin’s Story of An Hour

Exit Ticket 2.2 Summarizing Story of an Hour

Procedure: Day 3: Using Text as Evidence

Anticipatory Set:

Activating Prior Knowledge:

We will discuss the plot of Story of an Hour quickly, just to make sure all students are on the
same page for the work they will be doing today.

Guiding Questions:

- Who are the characters?

- How does the story start?
- What are the main events of the story?
- How does the story end?

Initial Phase

Direct Instruction:

I will be teaching the students how to find specific quotes or passages that support their claim
best. We will go through PowerPoint 3.1: How to Use Text as Evidence

Middle Phase

Independent Practice:

Students will diagram Kate Chopin’s Story of an Hour individually.

Guided Practice:

After diagramming the plot, students will work with either a partner or group of three (just the
people around them) to find specific quotes that support their claims regarding which event in
the text is relative to which element/checkpoint.

Students will then put their “best” quote for each element on the board.

We will go over the quotes put on the board, and have a class discussion about some we really
liked and some that didn’t quite fit so well. Instead of solely criticizing the group that offered the
weaker quotes, other students will offer tips or suggestions that they found helpful when they
were looking for their own quotes.

Concluding Phase

Closure/Summary:

Exit Ticket 3.3 Offering Textual Evidence. Students will write three tips about how to find
textual evidence that supports a claim.

Follow up:

Students will read another short story (The Lottery by Shirley Jackson) and annotate it
specifically looking for quotes to support the checkpoints. They will then diagram the plot of the
story and put quotes under each checkpoint to support their claim.

Materials:

PowerPoint 3.1: How to Use Text as Evidence

Worksheet 3.2 “Story of an Hour”: Blank Freytag’s Pyramid.

Story: The Lottery by Shirley Jackson.

References and Resources: