Sample Lesson Structure

LESSON STRUCTURE
A. LECTURE: Historical and Author
Background
1. Comprehension Questions/Activity
B. PRE-READING
1. Think Before You Read
2. Literary Term: ___________________
3. Phrases, Idioms, Expressions
4. Predicting/ Previewing
C. THE STORY
D. AFTER READING
1. Comprehension
2. Vocabulary
E. THINKING ABOUT THE STORY
1. Sharing Ideas
2. Writing
F. ASSIGN HOMEWORK

LESSON #1
A. POWER POINT LECTURE: "Introduction to British Literature" and "Literature of the Middle
Ages" 1. Comprehension Questions/Activity
B. PRE-READING
1. Think Before You Read
-Students will look at a picture of a knight on a horse (see Apdx. A)
and answer questions.
2. Literary Term: Protagonist/Antagonist
-Teacher will highlight these terms and explain them on the board.
3. Phrases, Idioms, Expressions
-whistled through the air: teacher makes a whistling sound and has class do the same. Teacher then
grabs a pen or pencil and shows how this could "whistle" through the air.
- as a token: teacher takes a pen or pencil from a student as says she will remember them by this
token, explain meaning. - make good our bargain: make a deal
4. Predicting: Using a strip story (Mikulecky, pg 62)
-students will work in groups to decide on the best answer for the strips. See Apdx A
C. THE STORY: -Student then read story the first time, underlining words they don't understand.
- Teacher will explain that in 10 minutes students will get in groups of four.
D. AFTER READING
1. Comprehension: - Each group should be able to give 2 main ideas of the story.
-Now, look back at your predictions? Were you correct? Teacher than reveals correct order and
checks for comprehension.
2. Vocabulary
-Students will complete the vocabulary cloze exercises with some vocabulary chosen from the
story. You may use your dictionary for this segment. See Appendix A.
E. THINKING ABOUT THE STORY
1. Sharing Ideas: -What is the moral of the story?
-Is there a legend or folk story from Vietnam that has a similar moral?
2. Writing:
-As a group think of a folk story from Vietnam with a moral. In groups of 4-5, summarize this
story. One person will write the first sentence of the story, then pass it along to the person to their
left. This will continue until you have completely written the story in summary form. If a group
member needs help, try to "give them a hand". (Explain this idiom on board).
F. ASSIGN HOMEWORK:
-Students will draw in a picture to match the story material in the handout given to them.
GOAL: The goal of this lesson is to introduce students to the pattern of lesson they can expect for
the rest of the semester. The pre-reading section will serve to activate schema about fighters,
weapons and warriors. By slowly building up literary terms before each reading, students will have
a chance to use them in action. The vocabulary section will not serve to highlight all vocabulary
problems, but rather show the meaning of a select amount of interesting idioms/phrases. The
predicting activity will help students be empowered in their ability to predict a story and not be so
overwhelmed in the reading. In this phase of the lesson the teacher will limit dictionary use and
seek to focus on top-down reading/meaning seeking. By looking back at the predictions, we are
using previous activities to help check and assist comprehension. By choosing only some
vocabulary and having students use them in context, the teacher is avoiding too much of a bottom-
up approach, while still teaching new vocabulary.