Lesson Plan

Subject: American Literature Grade: 11 Lesson Topic: The American Transcendentalists

Candidate’s Name: Kaley A. Morlock ID # 041413687
Site Supervisor: Mary Richardson-Davidson NU Supervisor: Angela Croce
Date: April 12th, 2021

Lesson Overview

Title of Lesson [Pre-Assessment to Transcendentalism]

Subject [ American Literature]

Grade Level [ 11th ] Time Frame [ 1 Day ]

California Content Standard(s) [

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.4
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.9
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.10
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.6
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.4

 California ELD Standard(s) [SL.11–12.1, 6; L.11–12.3, 6 Exchanging information and ideas with
others through oral collaborative discussions on a range of social and academic topics

W.11-12.6; WHST.11–12.6; SL.11–12.2; L.11–12.3, 6 Interacting with others in written English

in various communicative forms (print, communicative technology and multimedia)

SL.11–12.1, 3, 6; L.11–12.1, 3, 6 Listening actively to spoken English in a range of social and

academic contexts

Learning Goal(s) [First, students will illustrate their prior knowledge, experiences, and interests
regarding nature in the PearDeck pre-assessment (TPE 1.1, TPE 1.3, TPE 1.4, TPE 1.6). In addition,
during the PearDeck pre-assessment, students will define vocabulary words related to
Transcendentalism (nature, sublime, transcend, soul, intuition). Second, students will practice self-
regulation and self-awareness in the mindfulness practice (TPE 2.2). Third, students will reflect upon
the learning activities of Quarter 3; the effectiveness of the Candidate as an instructor (TPE 6.1); self-
assess their participation/involvement in the classroom; and develop one personal or academic goal
for Quarter 4; in the Google Forum (TPE 5.3). Fourth, students will actively listen and interpret the
Candidate performing a song on the ukulele, discriminating the lyrics and tone for conceptual
meaning and relevance to the new unit of study in a whole group discussion (TPE 1.7, TPE 3.3).].

Revised August 2020

Measurable Learning Objective(s) [When students arrive to class, they will login to a PearDeck activity
that serves as a Pre-Assessment to the new unit of study on American Transcendentalism. In this
warmup activity, students will independently draw what comes to mind when they think of nature;
they will indicate their preference of being outdoors or not, explaining why and what their favorite
activities are; and finally, students will identify and define relevant vocabulary words to the best of
their ability and prior knowledge (TPE 1.1, TPE 1.3, TPE 1.4, TPE 1.6, TPE 5.7). Next, students will fill
out the Quarter 3 Feedback Forum, allowing them to reflect on the instructional strategies of the
Candidate and their individual contributions to class (TPE 5.1, TPE 5.2, TPE 5.3, TPE 5.4, TPE 6.1).
Students will also develop a learning or academic goal for the remaining school year (TPE 5.3). Finally,
through whole class discussion, students will participate in a dialogue about pre-conceptions of
nature, the individual, and society (TPE 1.3, TPE 1.7, TPE 1.8, TPE 4.8).

Within each section below, identify each TPE subcategory. For example: During the warm-up activity,
I will model (TPE1.4) the water cycle by showing the students a video (TPE4.8) illustrating the
concept.

Content of Lesson

What do you expect students to deeply understand about the lesson? What do you expect students
to retain after the lesson and use in future learning?
[The Candidate expects students to make a connection between The Crucible and The
Transcendentalists, in that, both occurred in Massachusetts, however during contrasting historical
periods, uncovering similar themes and elements of the individual, society, religion, and nature (TPE
1.1, TPE 1.3, TPE 1.4, TPE 1.5, TPE 1.6, TPE 1.7). The Candidate expects students to deeply retain the
significance of setting academic and personal goals, in addition to reflecting on prior academic
experiences for future improvement (TPE 1.1, TPE 1.3, TPE 5.3, TPE 6.1). Finally, the Candidate
expects students to remember the Candidate using music in the classroom to convey concepts
relevant to the unit of study, instilling in them the inherent importance of the natural world and
human beings place in it (TPE 1.3, TPE 1.7, TPE 1.8, TPE 4.8).]

What misunderstandings or misconceptions do you expect students might have from the lesson?
[Not all students will express enjoyment for the outdoors or topic(s) of discussion.

Additionally, students may have a difficult time defining the vocabulary relevant to the
Transcendentalists.

Not all students will honestly complete the Quarter 3 Google Forum evaluating the Candidate,
student self-assessment, and sincere goal setting.

Finally, not all students will be able to interpret and analyze the musical performance that is lyrically
relevant to the content.

(TPE 4.1, TPE 4.2)]

What knowledge, skills, and abilities (higher-order thinking and academic language development) do
you expect students to have after engaging in the lesson?
[After engaging in the lesson, students will be able to analyze and evaluate literary lyrics for implicit
and explicit meaning (TPE 1.3, TPE 1.7, TPE 1.8, TPE 4.8).; postulate the significance of the natural
world; compare and contrast the relationship between the individual, nature, and society (TPE 1.3,

Revised August 2020

TPE 1.7, TPE 1.8, TPE 4.8).]; reflect upon their contributions to class; evaluate the effectiveness of the
learning materials and instructional strategies they are provided with (TPE 1.1, TPE 1.3, TPE 6.1).; and
develop a personal or academic goal for the remainder of the school year. (TPE 5.3).]

Instruction to Support Learning

What resources, materials, and/or educational technology will you or your students use during the
lesson?
[The Candidate will be using PearDeck for the warmup pre-assessment; a YouTube video for the
mindfulness practice; Google Forums for the Quarter 3 Feedback Survey; and Zoom Whiteboard for
the whole class discussion following the musical performance. (TPE 4.3, TPE 4.4, TPE 4.7, TPE 4.8)]

What instructional strategies will you use to support student learning through multiple modalities?
[I will base my instruction on Universal Design for Learning guidelines to support student learning. To
support auditory learners, I will read aloud the agenda for the day and pre-assessment instructions.
To support visual learners, I will be screen sharing all learning activities such as, the agenda,
mindfulness practice, pre-assessment, Feedback Survey, and class discussion on an oversized
classroom touchscreen. Finally, to support kinesthetic and tactile learners, students will be
independently composing their responses in the pre-assessment and Feedback survey; and
participating in the musical performance as call-and-response backup singers. (TPE 4.1, TPE 4.2, TPE
4.3, TPE 4.4, TPE 4.7, TPE 4.8)]

What adaptations and accommodations, including, as appropriate, assistive technologies, will support
focus students and other individual student learning needs beyond the UDL supports built into the
lesson?
[Closed Captioning will be provided on the mindfulness video to support language acquisition; Google
Read & Write can be utilized in the PearDeck activity; and students who require more time to
complete the PearDeck or Google Forums will be permitted to submit at a later date. (TPE 3.2, TPE
3.5, TPE 3.6, TPE 4.4, TPE 4.5).]

Structured Student Learning Activities

What activities will the students be involved in during the lesson to support, engage, and challenge
their achievement of the learning objective(s)?
[The start of class begins with a PearDeck Activity on the screen. This activity serves as an
introduction/pre-assessment to the concepts the class will be exploring over the next quarter. The
Pre-Assessment engages students by allowing them to express their prior knowledge and interests in
the topic of study. (TPE 1.1, TPE 1.3, TPE 1.4, TPE 1.6, TPE 5.7) After 15 minutes, students will be
redirected to the class for their daily Mindfulness Practice (TPE 2.2). We will watch a 3-minute
YouTube video guiding us through beneficial breathing techniques (TPE 1.2, TPE 2.2, TPE 2.3). Next,
students will fill out a Google Forum, surveying for self-reflection and goal setting, in addition to
Candidate and instructional strategies feedback (TPE 1.1, TPE 1.3, TPE 5.3, TPE 6.1). Following the
Forum, students will be invited to participate in a musical performance with the Candidate. Students
will engage in call-and-response singing with the Candidate. Lastly, students and the Candidate with
facilitate an open discourse on the significance of nature, the individual, and society. (TPE 1.3, TPE
1.7, TPE 1.8, TPE 4.8).]

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How will you group students and manage group work to support student learning?
[Students are participating in individual and whole-group activities to pre-assess their understanding,
interests, and prior experience with the content. They will demonstrate individual knowledge of the
vocabulary and concepts in the PearDeck. Additionally, students individually self-assess their
contributions in Quarter 3; individually set an academic or personal goal for themselves; in addition to
evaluating the Candidate in effective teaching practices. Finally, students will brainstorm together the
significance of the individual, nature, and society, comparing and contrasting the interrelationships
between them (TPE 2.1, TPE 2.2, TPE 2.3, TPE 2.5, TPE 2.6).

How will you engage all students in higher-order thinking (i.e., analysis, synthesis, evaluation,
interpretation, and transfer) activities?
[The Candidate will engage students in high-order thinking by giving them an opportunity to evaluate
her instructional practices and SEL strategies. Furthermore, students will promote to reflect in self-
assessment, on their individual classroom participation and contributions. Then, students will develop
one personal or academic learning goal for the remainder of the school year. During the Zoom
Whiteboard whole group discussion, students will be prompted to compare and contrast the
relationships between the individual, society, and nature. Finally, students will make predictions
about future learning lessons based on the learning activities and discussions of the day. (TPE 1.5, TPE
2.5, TPE 3.1).

Checking for Understanding/ Assessment

What evidence will all students provide to demonstrate steps toward the learning objective during
the instruction and student learning activities?
[ Students will complete the PearDeck activity, demonstrating prior knowledge, experiences, and
interests. Students will submit the Quarter 3 Feedback Survey, allowing the Candidate to assess her
instructional strategies, as well as their self-assessment and self-initiated goals. Finally, the Candidate
will formatively assess students during the whole group discussion following the musical
performance, to determine whether or not students are making connections between the themes
presented in the days learning activities (TPE 5.1, TPE 5.2, TPE 5.3, TPE 5.4).]

What essential questions will you ask to determine if students are not meeting, meeting, or exceeding
the objective(s) of the lesson?
[ What is the value of Nature?

What is our responsibility to Nature, if any?

What does it mean to live presently?

Is there any value in living simply?

(TPE 1.3, TPE 1.5).

What evidence will students provide at the end of the lesson that reflects the learning objective?
[Students will submit a private message exit ticket making a prediction about what the class will be
examining the Quarter 4 (TPE 5.2)]
Revised August 2020
Independent Practice

What activity will students perform independently that reflects the learning objective?
[Student will independently complete the PearDeck and Google Forum. Students will also individually
fill out a private message exit ticket, making predictions about the unit of study for Quarter 4 (TPE
5.2, TPE 5.3)]

Revised August 2020