Manchester College
Education Department/Lesson Plan Format
Lesson Plan by: Erin Klepfer
Lesson: Diary of Anne Frank: Act 1 Scene 1&2 Approx. length: 51 minutes
Age or Grade Intended: 8th
Academic (IN State) Standards:
Standard 3
READING: Comprehension and Analysis of Literary Text
Students read and respond to grade-level-appropriate historically or culturally
significant works of literature, such as the selections in the Indiana Reading List
(www.doe.state.in.us/standards/readinglist.html), which illustrate the quality and
complexity of the materials to be read by students. At Grade 8, students read a wide
variety of fiction, such as classic and contemporary literature, historical fiction, fantasy,
science fiction, mysteries, adventures, folklore, mythology, poetry, short stories, dramas,
and other genres.
Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Literary Text
8.3.4
text.
Analyze the importance of the setting to the mood, tone, or meaning of the
Performance Objectives:
Students will articulate, during class, how the setting of the play might
affect the mood and tone of the text.
Assessment:
The students will be graded on if their answers involve the facts:
 close quarters in the annex
 lack of food
 24/7 time spent indoors
 living with strangers
 constant fear
Advanced Preparation by Teacher:
 Research Anne Frank
E Look up facts about her life and diary
Procedure:
Introduction:
The day before we covered a few highlights of the holocaust and the persecution
of the Jews. We will review a few of those before beginning the play.
 What was the Krystallnacht?
 Who were a few of the main groups persecuted by Adolf Hitler?
 What were concentration camps?
E What were the conditions like in these camps?
I will then introduce the book and give a short background over Anne Frank and
her diary. (Handout 1)
Step-by-step:
1. First, after the play has been introduced, we will assign parts to the
students.
2. Then the narrator will begin reading Act one Scene one. (Gardner’s
Verbal/Linguistic)
a. Why might Mr. Frank have trouble controlling his emotions? How
could one little glove cause him to cry? (Bloom’s, Comprehension)
3. Continue reading
a. Stop at line 84:
i. Why does Mr. Frank wish to leave Amsterdam? (Bloom’s
Knowledge)
ii. Why might memories hurt Mr. Frank? (Bloom’s Analysis)
iii. Mr. Frank tells Miep to burn all the papers; why do you think
he did this? (Bloom’s Analysis)
4. Continue the reading:
a. Stop at line 127 (end of Scene 1):
i. What just happened? (Bloom’s Comprehension)
ii. Why would the playwrights start out with Mr. Frank’s voice,
then add in Anne’s voice and finish with Anne’s voice?
(Bloom’s Analysis)
iii. Is this an effective way to transition to the flashback? Why?
(Bloom’s Analysis)
iv. Why does the Frank family go into hiding? (Bloom’s
Knowledge)
5. Continue with Scene 2
a. Stop at line 142:
i. What does conspicuous mean? (Bloom’s Knowledge)
ii. Looking back at what we learned about the holocaust, why
are they all wearing a yellow star? (Bloom’s Comprehension)
6. Continue reading:
a. Stop at line 181:
i. Using the stage directions, the words in italics, give three
adjectives to describe each of the Franks. (Bloom’s
Knowledge)
7. Continue reading:
a. Stop a line 220:
i. Explain to the students what ration books are. (Handout 1)
ii. Show them ration books from WWII (my family has a few
from my great-grandparents) (Gardner’s Visual/Spatial)
iii. Mr. Kraler and Miep are helping the Franks and Van Daans
hide from the Nazi’s. Are they in danger? What might
happen to them if they are caught? (Bloom’s Analysis)
iv. Mr. Kraler says that they need an extra bolt on the door up
to the Secret Annex. Why might this be? (Bloom’s
Comprehension)
8. Continue reading:
a. Stop at line 276:
i. Why are the Franks and the Van Daans wearing so much
clothing in the middle of July? (Bloom’s Comprehension)
ii. Name a few of the rules that they must live by during the
day in the Annex? (Bloom’s Knowledge)
iii. Why do you think they have to follow these rules? (Bloom’s
Comprehension)
9. At this point stop the class and remind them that they must read the rest
of Scene two for homework.
Closure:
Ask the students a few review questions over the topic covered in class.
 What is the setting of this play?
 What are some of the possible problems that the Franks and
Van Daans will face?
How would you feel living in a close confined space 24/7 with a bunch of
strangers? Keep those feelings in mind as you continue to read and finish up
Scene two. Make note of the emotions of the characters and make predictions
on how you think things will continue to progress in the play.
Adaptations/Enrichment:
LD: For the LD students I can be sure to ask them the more knowledge
questions and test them every once in awhile by asking them the comprehension
questions. Also, in my integrated classes I could stop more often during the story
and ask for summaries of what just happened in the play.
Self Reflection:
 This lesson could get a bit boring for those students who wish
to have more action taking place in the classroom.
 It could be very difficult for those with ADD to focus and sit still
during the readings.
 Am I asking enough questions? Are the students really
understanding the setting of the play or is it too far removed
from their lives?
 Should I try to relate this to things that might happen in their
lives or will they understand just by reading?