Intention outline

Project title: Symbolism project

Project goal for students: Student will explore various ways that authors and artist use
symbolism. Students will create a poster or PowerPoint project to display their findings.
Students will find two examples of symbolism in literature, songs and movies. In a PowerPoint
or poster, students will explain the use of symbolism they found.

Specific outcomes:
1. Students will be able to analyze images and their use of symbolism.
2. Define symbolism in written form.
3. Analyze the poem “Red Roses by Langston Hughes”
4. List emotions associated with symbols.
5. Create a project with a PowerPoint or a poster.

Audience: An 8th grade class will complete this assignment over the course of a week.

Content outline

Grade level: 8th grade

 TEKS: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its
development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.5 Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to
clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points.

Lesson description

Student will explore various ways that authors and artist use symbolism. Students will create a
poster or PowerPoint project to display their findings. Students will find two examples of
symbolism in literature, songs and movies. In a PowerPoint or poster, students will explain the
use of symbolism they found.

Day one:
Teacher will introduce the students to the lesson by giving a lesson opener with images asking
students to describe how they feel when they see the image. Students will engage giving
descriptive words to tell the emotion that comes to mind. Teacher will play YouTube on
symbolism. Students will take notes on the video. Teacher will show examples of projects from
the past classes and give out rubric. Teacher will show an exemplary presentation, a satisfactory
presentation and an unsatisfactory presentation. A piece of chart paper will be displayed in the
classroom. Students will place sticky note with answers to 3 questions about their knowledge
on symbolism after the video and play the note on the paper.

Day two:

Students will analyze the poem “Red Roses” by Langston Hughes. Teacher will model analyzing
and breaking down the poem. Students will create a concept map with the word rose in the
center. Student will complete map with word or ideas that relate to the rose as a symbol. Every
new meaning needs to be in a new bubble. Students will collaborate on Nearpod their concept
maps. Students will be given the words worm, storm, night, and bed. Students will brainstorm
what the words symbolism and participate in a whole group discussion.

Day Three:

Students will begin forming groups for their projects. Students will use chrome books to
research a song, book, and movie with symbolism. Students will identify 2 examples for each
category. This day is a group workday. Poster ideas will be displayed around the classroom for
reference.

Day Four:
This day is presentation and assessment day. Students will be provided a rubric that explains
the expectations for the presentation.
 Teacher roles: Teacher will play the YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=69A6xyXGC-M
After the video is played students should know about symbolism. Teacher will allow students to
form groups and research. Students are allowed to choose groups of 3. Teacher will model how
to find symbolism in poems. Teacher will provide a list of movie and book examples to students.

Student roles: Students will pick their groups. Students will divide task for each
participant. One student per each symbolism medium. Students will research songs, movies and
literature with symbolism. Students will choose to create a PowerPoint or a poster. Students
will follow along a provided rubric to ensure an exemplary project.

Flow chart for project design phase:

Each group will Each student

Each group will give each will contribute Students will present
member one to the their project, each
research 2 student sharing their
movies, books medium to presentation, contribution of
and songs with research and either they did symbolism in movies,
symbolism on song, movie or songs and literature.
independently. book.
 Example for design phase:

Evaluation phase:

Teacher role:
Teacher will assess the role of each participant in the group presentation. Teacher will
use the rubric to accurately assess the group.

Student role:
Students will actively listen to all the group and present their own project.

Rubric: