Secondary / ESL Lesson Plan Template -- 2021-2022 Academic Year

Name: Katie Farris Lesson Topic: Social Justice Song - “Truth to Power” by OneRepublic

Content Area: English Language Arts Grade Level(s): English 10 Honors

Lesson Content
Background Information/ Relevance/ Context/ Rationale (Purpose) – Please be clear about how this particular lesson is situated within the current instructional sequence (i.e.,
unit), why this content is important for students to learn, and how you will convey the relevance and significance of this lesson to students.

This lesson is a recurring activity that we have been doing throughout the beginning portion of our social justice unit. So far, we have listened to
and analyzed songs that have referenced racism, sexism, police brutality, assault/abuse, and gang violence, and this one addresses climate
change. This activity serves as a daily class opener that introduces students with more overarching themes of social justice before diving into the
novel study of To Kill a Mockingbird. These songs, including this one by OneRepublic, give students some insight into the social justice struggle,
and it gives them a place to practice their interpretation and analysis skills as it relates to others’ perspectives.

This is relevant as it provides students a space to confront these tough topics head-on. As a class, these songs will be a means of introducing the
students to analyzing others’ experiences with social injustices, and it will spark conversation about how to do better as a community. Generally,
students seem to become very engaged with music in the classroom as the songs chosen cover a vast array of genres and artists.

Overall, our upcoming novel study takes place in our third unit of the school year following one on identity and one on dehumanization. As a
class, we will continue having heavy conversations regarding how we can understand the world around us (oftentimes the negativities in the
world) through reading, writing about, and discussing context regarding To Kill a Mockingbird and accompanying texts such as the lyrics of these
songs including “Truth to Power.” After this lesson, students will be more well-equipped to see the community and others around them in a
more understanding and sympathetic light. Specifically in regard to climate change, this song facilitates the students in seeing themselves from
Earth’s perspective and better understanding how climate change affects Indigenous communities which may inspire them to be more cognizant
of how they are contributing to this issue on a small and large scale.

VSOLs/CCSSs Addressed: (some of these overlap across grade levels or are not addressed in its entirety during this short lesson)
10.2 The student will analyze, produce, and examine similarities and differences between visual and verbal media messages.
a) Use media, visual literacy, and technology skills to create products.
b) Evaluate sources including advertisements, editorials, blogs, Web sites, and other media for relationships between intent, factual content,
and opinion.
 c) Determine the author’s purpose and intended effect on the audience for media messages.
d) Identify the tools and techniques used to achieve the intended focus.

Learning Targets
As a result of this lesson, students will...

Explore the following ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS… UNDERSTAND THAT…

(EQ1) Can music serve as a vehicle for social change? (U1) Students will understand that music is an impactful genre of
literature that can facilitate social change.

KNOW… BE ABLE TO (DO)...

(K1) Students will know that this song addresses climate change from (D1) Students will be able to analyze a text to derive the main social
the perspective of Mother Earth. justice issue addressed.

(K2) Students will know that this song personifies Earth as weak and (D2) Students will be able to identify a victim within a social tension.
struggling.
(D3) Students will be able to describe what qualities the aggressors
(K3) Students will know that the Earth sees human beings as protrude in a social tension.
aggressors.
(D4) Students will be able to apply their understanding of a social
(K4) Students will know that climate change can disproportionately justice issue to how it disproportionately affects a minority community.
affect Indigenous communities through racial and economic disparities
that stem from a larger inequitable system.

Plan for Assessment

 As you plan your lesson, think about what evidence you will gather to determine if students have mastered the lesson’s learning targets. Develop a plan for assessing the degree to which your
students have mastered the learning targets in this lesson. Your plan should include at least one formative assessment at a minimum, and may also include diagnostic/pre-assessment or
summative assessments depending on the nature of the learning targets and the placement of the lesson within the context of the unit. Please add/remove tables as needed.

Assessment #1

Learning target(s) for which you will collect data (write out):

(D1) Students will be able to analyze a text to derive the main social justice issue addressed.

(D2) Students will be able to identify a victim within a social tension.

(D3) Students will be able to describe what qualities the aggressors protrude in a social tension.

(D4) Students will be able to apply their understanding of a social justice issue to how it disproportionately affects a minority community.

Type of Assessment (choose and highlight one): Possible Options: ● Problem set
● Diagnostic Assessment or Pre-Assessment (before the lesson) ● Previous class work ● Strategic questioning
● Graphic organizer ● Learning/response log
● Formative Assessment (during the lesson) ● Journal entry ● Exit ticket
● Think/Pair/Share ● 3-2-1 countdown
● Summative Assessment (after the lesson) ● 1-minute essay ● Other (Practice Paragraph)

Specific Plan (What does the assessment entail, and what evidence will help you determine students’ progress towards the learning target(s)?):

This assessment will be given in the form of a worksheet activity. Students will first listen to “Truth to Power” by OneRepublic as a whole class,
and then they will have individual work time to fill out three prompted questions that address theme, comprehension, and application.
Afterwards, we will engage in a whole-class discussion that will be guided by these questions, and they will submit these worksheets on
Schoology at the end of this lesson. By collecting this evidence, I can see if my students are gaining and retaining necessary comprehension and
analysis skills as they relate to social justice before beginning the dense novel. These songs may be forms of practice, but they are equipping the
students with important skills that will be employed later when reading To Kill a Mockingbird.

Lesson Sequence
Steps in the Lesson (including Modalities & Resources)
● You should include all steps in the lesson. Please list each step in a new row and indicate the estimated time
frame for completing the step.
● Scripting may or may not be included, but the plan should be explicit and clear enough that another person
would be able to teach from it.
● As you outline each step in the lesson, you should clarify the resources (digital and/or analog) and modalities
to be used. Please use consistent labeling for clarity.
● Guiding questions:
○ What will students be doing during each step?
○ What will you (the instructor) be doing during each step?
○ What directions will need to be provided to students to help them know what to do?
○ How will you transition from one activity to another?
○ How will you help the students see the relevance/importance of what they are learning?
○ Is the plan clear enough that another individual would be able to teach from it?
○ What grouping modes will be used during this step of the lesson -- whole group, small group, individual?
○ What specific digital and/or analog resources will be utilized during this step of the lesson?
Planning for Learner Diversity / Instructional Scaffolds
● You should identify specific ways you plan to ensure equity and
inclusion by building on learners’ diversity.
● Guiding questions:
○ How can you leverage students’ prior experiences and assets in this
step of the lesson?
○ How does this step address and build on learner diversity to ensure
equity?
○ What challenges/ opportunities/barriers might exist for individuals
or groups of learners in accessing content and learning activities in
this step of the lesson?
○ How will you utilize Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and/or
differentiation so that all students can access the content and
learning activities?
○ What feedback can you provide to acknowledge and value each
student’s contributions?

Time frame Steps in the Lesson (including Modalities & Resources Utilized) Planning for Student Diversity /
Instructional Scaffolds

2 minutes Introduction to Song I will ensure that every student has

their laptop and/or a charger to pull
Students will be told that we are going to listen to and analyze another song like we have up their Schoology. I will also be sure
been this past week. I will then ask them to go to Schoology and open up the assignment to have some paper copies on-hand
labeled “Truth to Power - Song Analysis” while I pull the song up on the front board. I will in the case that students have a
allow ample time to ensure that all students are ready when the song begins to play. strong preference for writing their
responses or lack appropriate
Script: “Alright everyone, we are going to do another song in our social justice song series. resources for completing the activity
This one is called ‘Truth to Power’ by OneRepublic, and it is a fairly recent song. Everyone virtually.
go ahead and get out your computers if you don’t already have them out then log in to
Schoology to pull up the activity that goes along with the video. If you do not have your
laptop or charger, I have paper copies available on the back table.”

5 minutes Listening to Song I will ensure that captions are turned

on during the video, the speakers are
Students will sit quietly and listen to the song as a whole class. There will be an turned up, and students have access
 accompanying music video that is shown to promote engagement. to a lyric sheet for those who may
have difficulties hearing the song.
Script: “Okay everyone, make sure that you all are thinking about the lyrics as we listen
along. Also, there is a lyric sheet listed on Schoology for those who want to read the lyrics
while watching.”

10 minutes Responding to Song I will monitor the students as they

work in the case that they have any
Students will be given about 10 minutes to fully answer each question using text evidence questions. Additionally, I will give
coming from the lyric sheet. They will be asked to answer the last two questions in at least them a 2-minute warning to start
four complete sentences. wrapping up their thoughts nearing
the end of this individual work time.
Script: “Now, take about 10 minutes to independently answer the questions on your
worksheet with the last questions being at least four sentences long and using text (lyric)
evidence. We will go over them afterwards.”

10 minutes Discussing the Song For this portion of the lesson, I want
students to offer answers to each of
I will ask the students to share-out their responses to the class question-by-question which the questions first, and I will give
should take around 10 minutes total. plenty of wait time to ensure that the
students have the opportunity to
Question 1: speak up. If no one does, I will
I will ask the students what kind of social issues this song addresses. Hopefully, they will prompt them with more simple
return answers regarding climate change or human violence through nature. If not, I will questions as a way to break down
pull a specific passage from the lyrics as a means of guiding them a little more closely to the the initial questions; for example, for
answer. I will ensure to validate all of their correct answers and provide more detailed the second question, I could reword
questioning if they are not connecting with the material. it by asking “how would the Earth
describe us?” or for the third
Script: “Alright, now that everyone is just about finished, we are going to start going over question by connecting it to what the
each question. So, what kind of social issues does this song address? Great, yes, it does talk students have learned in history class
about climate change. And, what kind of perspectives does it speak about? Perfect, right, it about Christopher Columbus or the
highlights the Earth’s voice and the human viewpoint.” Westward Expansion era when
people hurt Indigenous communities
 Question 2: and nature for profit. However, in
I will then transition to the second question that is a bit more in depth as it asks the general, if students are not giving
students to interpret the content. I will ask them the question, and again, validate any many answers, I will begin with
correct answers and redirect any misconceptions. The answers that the students should be asking them to cite a lyric that they
supporting include how the song personifies the planet as something that experiences pain, wrote down and build from there to
weakness, and suffering, and conversely, the Earth is seeing humans as perpetrators of this keep the discussion low-stakes.
destruction.
In regard to diversity, it is perfectly
Script: “Perfect, you all covered that first one well, and we can move on to the next acceptable for students who may be
question. So, number two says, ‘This song is from the documentary An Inconvenient Sequel: facing anxieties or just generally feel
Truth to Power, which follows American politician and environmentalist Al Gore’s work to uncomfortable sharing to write their
combat global warming. Written from the perspective of Earth, it is a call to action on responses without being vocal. In this
climate change. How does the song personify our planet (what qualities does it have? What activity, the students are being
are its concerns? Conversely, what qualities does Earth see in us, human beings?’ Alright, so assessed on the learning targets that
what did you all write down? Feel free to pull out direct lyrics.” relate to their responses regardless if
they are written or vocalized.
Question 3:
Lastly, I will transition to the third and final question where it extends what we learn in the
music video to application-based learning. This question asks the students to consider how
personal actions that contribute to climate change can indirectly affect Indigenous
communities of people. This question will address a sense of accountability and encourage
students to think about how the theme of this song, climate change, can affect various
groups of people differently.

Script: “Okay, so for the final question, we want to apply what we have learned and felt
from consuming this music video to another group of people who often experience social
inequalities. Do we think that climate change can affect people differently? How does this
apply to Indigenous communities? What does this look like from an economic lens - since
money can drive climate change and climate change impacts minority communities? And,
how can we do better to help end this social injustice?”

2 minutes Submission By giving students online and paper

versions of this activity, it is more
Finally, students will be asked to turn in their work whether that is virtually on Schoology or accommodating for those who are
 putting their paper copy in the correctly labeled basket at the front of the classroom. out of school for any reason including
quarantining. Those quarantining
Script: “Well, I hope you all liked this song and activity - I really did. Please be sure to may be out for an extended amount
submit your work on Schoology or turn in your hand-out to the front basket before we of time, and having options will allow
move on to the next activity.” those students to stay caught-up or
at least aware of what they have
missed.

Materials/ Supplies/ Sources/ Digital and Interactive Instructional Technology (if appropriate): – Please list all necessary instructional supplies, materials, and sources.
Make sure that these are clearly labeled and referenced throughout the lesson plan to enhance clarity.

- Front board/projector/speakers/computers/internet access

- Pre-made worksheets (on Schoology)
- Lyric sheets (on Schoology)
 Artifacts Used

Worksheet Activity Lyric Sheet