Grade 8 – English Lesson Plan
Unit: Identity
Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Objective: WWBAT analyse a character and make connections to self.
Why are we learning this?
We’ve already discussed our unit and why do we want to do it. We will start with awareness (of self as well as
surroundings) and we will do it using two simple steps- a. analysing the character and b. making connections to self
so that it helps us reflect better.
Key Points:
Knowledge:
Analyse- examine something carefully (with details so as to study it)
Character- the person involved in the story
Make connections- to draw out the common things (we’ll have more clarity on this later in the lesson)
Skills:
Analysing, making connections (predictions and inference as well)
Mindset:
Empathy and openness
Teacher posts 11 pictures of Eminem involving stories about his life or quotes, across the classroom even before the
class begins.
(Stories mainly include –
-
His childhood (mother who was a drug addict, was 15 years old when he was born)4
He was the only white kid in his area as a result he was bullied a lot
He was thrashed so hard that he was in coma for 9 days
His mother was an alcoholic who tried to poison him
He dropped out after failing grade 9 thrice
But loved English as a language and rhyming
Used to work in a restaurant
Learn words from dictionary)
During the attendance time, teacher plays the song “Mockingbird” with lyrics projected and asked them to observe
the lyrics
Do Now: (3 minutes)
1. What stood out to you the most in the gallery walk about the character? Why?
(Say: you may also write about the song but mentioning the ‘why’ is must)
ESR:
- using his rap to tell his story (because it makes him different from other rappers who use it only for party
songs)/
- he faced so many problems yet is successful today, didn’t give up (evidence: broken childhood, bullied,
dropped out of school yet didn’t give up on what he loved)
Teacher takes answers from 5-6 kids(3 minutes)
TPS (2minutes)- Quickly turn to your partner and discuss – what is that one thing you want to know more about this
person?
Teacher takes 3-4 responses post the discussion(2 minutes)
ESR: Questions likeWhat enabled him to follow his dreams?
Who helped him?
Why did his mother try to kill him?
Video: ( 7 minutes of video + 15 minutes to write)
Goalcast – Eminem: From bullied drop out to hip-hop knock out (pause- 1.53 & end)
Eminem talks about his life: Part I (pause – 2.22, 3.38, end)
After each pause, students fill up the following:
I SEE
(what do I observe/notice?)
Eg:
I see that he was bullied on his
colour because he lived in an
Afro-american area dominated
ny the ‘blacks’ . He was beaten
up so bad almost everyday
I THINK
(what am I thinking about the
character?)
Eminem is a strong person who
has gone through a lot of
struggles in his life
I WONDER
(What questions do I want to
ask about/to the character?)
Why did the black people hate
him so much (just for his
colour)?
Did his mother not do anything
about it?
Did the school not do anything
about it?
Group discussion: (3 minutes)
Turn around, make pairs or teams and share what you have written in your “I think” and “I wonder” column.
Large group discussion: ( 4 minutes)
Teacher says: I would like to hear what are some questions you have
Expected questions:
Why did his mother try to kill him?
Why would a mother try to poison her own child?
Was he poor? How did he get money?
How did he learn to rap?
Who took care of him in the hospital if his mother was like this?
How did he overcome all of these to be what he is today?
Teacher appreciates the curiosity in the class.
Group work: (10 minutes )
In your groups of 3-4 (you are free to move around/choose), come up with answers of the following questions:
a. What are some struggles Eminem faced while growing up? (4-5 points)
Faced racism, wasn’t allowed to practice a music as it was known as “music by black people’, broken
childhood- alcoholic mother who was also a drug addict, financial struggles, etc
b. What traits/qualities helped him overcome these struggles? Please mention your evidence for the same
(from the video/story/song) (2-3 points)
- Grit/Perseverance – didn’t give up on rap even after dropping out from school/ could come out of his own
addiction
- Loving/affectionate/responsible- even after making money he continued paying rent for his mother and
stood by his own children all the times (when his wife was sentenced; he wrote the song mockingbird then),
etc
c. We also studied about a famous transgender before this, Gauri Sawant. Do you see any connection between
them (in terms of struggles and qualities they have)? Elaborate.
-Both exhibited grit and perseverance (Gauri left home to find her identity and broke the stereotype by not
begging for money in street like they do in Hijra community of India and Eminem, even after dropping out
followed his passion for music by working hard)
- Both were bullied/discriminated and not accepted by their parents- Gauri’s father didn’t accept her and
used to taunt her saying that she would clap at the signals. She was bullied almost every day due to her
effeminate behaviour as a male in her school. Eminem was poisoned by her own mother who wished he was
dead and used to get thrashed at school because of his colour.
Individual work (reflection): (10 minutes – 15 minutes individually)
1. What are some struggles you have faced/are still facing in life?
2. What qualities in you can help you overcome these? (you may write just one but think about times where
you displayed this quality more than once)
Buffer – 5 minutes
Beyond the classroom:
Reach out to any one person you trust or are comfortable with. Ask them –
a. Any one positive trait you have and where did they see you display it? (please ask them about incidents
where you displayed it more than once)