All You Need to Know About Lateral Entry/Lesson Planning 101
Christi Huskison, Lateral Entry and Lesson Planning Survivor
Jackson County Schools
Lateral Entry
I Wasn’t a Teacher . . . But I Got Here As Fast As I Could
 Use what you already know—nothing is wasted
 Stop watching Freedom Writers AND Bad Teacher
 More Paperwork, Less Money! Hooray!
Pace Yourself . . . . Tenure and Probationary Status
You Don’t Need a Mentor . . . You Need Two
Lesson Planning
The Green Notebook . . . Ingredients
Objectives (SWBATs), Goals (Standards), Materials, Focus and Review
(Warm-up/Bellringer), Instructional Procedure (Steps), Guided Practice,
Independent Practice, Closure
Being Creative Without Reinventing the Wheel
What are Administrators Looking for?
Reflection, Reflection, Reflection
Here’s Your Rope . . . chuskison@jcpsmail.org 
Lesson Plans for the Week of 31 March – 4 April
Christi Huskison
Eighth Grade Language Arts
Monday, March 31
Objectives:
Student will be able to:
 discuss significant quotes that illustrate themes from a novel
 read and discuss a chapter aloud
 discuss symbolism in a novel
 understand the terms “protagonist,” “antagonist,” and “foil” and identify the presence of these
characters in a novel
 work in small groups to develop a poster that illustrates their character
CC Goals:
RL 1 – 4; 6, 9; SL 1, 4 – 6
Materials:
Chapter 11 slides (43 – 49), study guides, copies of TKAM, posters, markers, colored pencils, vocabulary
notebook
Focus and Review:
Warm-up: Finish reading Chapter 11 as needed. Review the Wordle slide and answer the question in
your Chapter 11 notes. Review the rest of the slides.
Instructional Procedure and Guided Practice:
1) Define the following terms: protagonist, antagonist, foil, static, dynamic, round and flat. Ask
students to identify the protagonist in TKAM. Make a list of antagonists or foils.
2) Students will be divided into groups and will select a character from the list of secondary
characters: Calpurnia, Boo Radley, Dill, Miss Maudie, Aunt Alexandra, Uncle Jack, Francis, Miss
Caroline, Mrs. Dubose, Heck Tate). Groups should assign tasks (researcher, scribe, illustrator,
lead presenter) and prepare a poster to be used for a presentation that responds to three
points:
a.
Interesting characteristics of their character (at least 5 items)
b.
Moments when the character brings about reactions from Scout (at least 2)
c.
Explanation of what these characters help Scout learn (at least 1)
The above information should be in the shape of an object that could symbolize their character.
Closure:
Exit Ticket: On a half sheet of paper, list your group’s character name, your group members’ names, and
what task each member was assigned.
Tuesday, April 1
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
 present research to the class in small groups
 take notes on characters as classmates present
 view a music video and make a connection between the footage of the video and the theme of
“heroism” in the novel
CC Goals:
RL 1 – 4; 6, 9; SL 1, 4 – 6
Materials:
Student-made posters, copies of TKAM and study guides, student notebooks, Nickelback video cued to
ActivBoard
Focus and Review:
Warm-up: Take 5 minutes for final prep and review before presenting to class.
Instructional Procedure and Guided Practice:
(1) Groups present information on characters while other students take notes on Character Note
page.
(2) Review Chapter 11 study guide questions.
(3) List the names of the persons appearing in the Nickelback video for “If Everyone Cared” on the
ActivBoard for students to copy with space for notes after each name: Bob Geldof, Betty
Williams, Peter Benenson, and Nelson Mandela.
Independent Practice:
As students watch the video, they should note the accomplishments of each person and answer the
following question about each: “Why is this person considered a hero?” Then, choose one of the
“heroes” and write a journal entry that considers how Atticus could be considered a hero by the same
standards you selected for your “hero”? Mrs. Dubose?
Closure:
Exit Ticket: Submit journal entry as you leave.
Wednesday, April 2
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
 identify adjectives and adverbs in a descriptive passage
 select and illustrate important passages using drawings or words
 discuss themes from a chapter using a study guide
CC Goals:
RL 1 – 4; 6, 9; SL 1, 4 – 6
Materials:
Copies of descriptive passage from TKAM (118), copies of TKAM, Lit Circle sheets for Illustrator and
Illuminator, study guides
Focus and Review
Warm-up: View the passage on the ActivBoard and on your handout. Circle all the adjectives you can
find and box in all the adverbs.
Instructional Procedure and Guided Practice:
1) Discuss the adjectives/adverbs. How do they make the passage better?
2) Review and discuss Chapter 12 allusions.
3) Students are assigned to reading groups of three. Students will each take one of three roles—
Reader, Illustrator, Illuminator.
4) The Illustrator and Illuminator will read their questions aloud for the group to hear.
5) As the Reader reads Chapter 12, the other two roles will make notes according to their guide
sheet questions.
6) At the conclusion of the chapter, the I’s will choose one question they would like assistance with
and the Reader will help her answer it.
Independent Practice/Closure:
Homework: Complete Illustrator and Illuminator tasks to hand in if not completed in class.
Exit Ticket: Submit completed tasks.
Thursday, April 3
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
 complete reading comprehension questions in a study guide independently
 make notes on what the children learned in the black church scene
 read a speech silently and aloud and respond accurately to comprehension questions using a
test-taking strategy
 analyze a speech for literary devices (such as allusion)
CC Goals:
RL 1 – 4; 6, 9; RI 1 – 9; SL 2 – 3
Materials:
Copies of TKAM and study guides, student notes, textbook to pp. 479 and 483- 484 “I Have a Dream”
speech, video clip of “I Have a Dream” given by Dr. King and recited by elementary school children,
copies of quiz
Focus and Review:
Warm-up: Complete study guide for Chapter 12 independently.
Instructional Procedure and Guided Practice:
(1) Go through Study Guide questions as a class. Include discussion of Illuminator and Illustrator
work yesterday.
(2) Go through slides 49 – 53 and makes notes on what the children learned from their experience
at Cal’s church.
(3) Choose a student to read aloud “Literary Focus: Refrain” on p. 479 in the textbook, and discuss
refrain. At the top of a piece of paper, students should write the definition of “refrain.” Ask
another student to read “Literary Focus: Allusion” on p. 482.
(4) Display close reading questions for “I Have a Dream” on the ActivBoard. Students should divide
their paper into thirds. Label one third “Examples of Refrain”, one third “Examples of Allusion”
and one third “Three Things Dr. King Hopes to See Come About.”
(5) Students will read the speech silently while make close reading notes.
Independent Practice:
Finish questions using a copy of the speech as necessary.
Friday, April 4
Objectives:
Students will be able to:
 view and listen to two versions of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech
 view and listen to the children’s book version of the speech
 discuss the differences between the four mediums
 take a quiz using highlighters and the text
CC Goals:
RL 1 – 4; 6, 9; RI 1 – 9; SL 2 – 3
Materials:
Video of Dr. King’s speech and children’s recitation from pbs.com, I Have A Dream picture book, student
notebooks, copies of “I Have a Dream” quiz
Focus and Review:
Warm-up: Make a comparison chart with four columns labeled: Reading, Hearing 1, Hearing 2, Picture
Book.
Instructional Procedure and Guided Practice:
(1) Students will listen to both video presentations while making notes.
(2) Students will listen to the reading of the I Have a Dream picture book while making notes.
(3) Discuss differences between the four mediums of the speech.
(4) Distribute quizzes and allow students to highlight key words and ideas in the questions and
make margin notes on the quiz.
(5) Students take and submit the quiz when finished.
Independent Practice:
Copy the Chapter 13 allusions and begin reading silently.