ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium ELA Lesson Plan
Oxford Grade 8 Team
Grade/Subject
8/ELA
Unit Title
Expressions of Loss
Lesson Title
Practicing Written Analysis of a Poem
Overview of Lesson In this three to four day lesson, students will learn how to organize a poetry analysis
using a poem they have already explicated (close read), annotated, and discussed. The
teacher will model how to organize an analysis (two different ways) into an outline as
well as model how to write the analytical body paragraphs. Students will get to practice
writing an outline and body paragraphs before they have to write for the performance
task.
Unit Essential Questions (and Corresponding Big Ideas)
Essential Questions:
How do storytellers use their craft as a vehicle to cope with loss?
How does loss shape us as human beings?
Big Ideas:
Loss, being an inevitable part of the human condition, is central to the shaping of our identity.
Core Standards Addressed in this Lesson
RL.8.1
RL.8.4
W.8.2
W.8.4
W.8.5
W.8.9
SL.8.1
ISTE Standards Addressed in this Lesson
(http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx)
1 |D o c u m e n t 1
© 2013 All Rights Reserved ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium
ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium ELA Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives (in student-friendly language)
Tip: Derive learning objectives from the K-U-Ds in your unit plan.
Students will be able to explain in writing how poetic devices convey Meaning of a poem.
Lesson Focus Questions
How does a writer use poetic elements (speaker, tone, diction, figurative language, shifts, etc.) to convey
the overall meaning of a poem?
How does a writer structure a poetry analysis?
Suggested Texts
Title
Author
The Outsiders
S.E. Hinton
“The Ballad of
Birmingham”
Dudley Randall
“Nothing Gold Can
Stay”
Robert Frost
BRIEF Synopsis
Fiction
Poem about a mother who does
not allow her daughter to go to a
Freedom March, ultimately
sending her to her death at
church.
Supplemental Materials and Resources

Preparation Required (and suggested)

Genre
Sample outlines for “Nothing Gold can Stay”
2 |D o c u m e n t 1
© 2013 All Rights Reserved ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium
Poetry
Poetry
Lexile/
F&P
750
ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium ELA Lesson Plan
Anticipated Misconceptions for This Lesson
Students may believe that:






All essays should be a five-paragraph essay (and persuasive)
Their opinion of the poem is an analysis
Their interpretation is the only correct one
That commentary that summarizes the passage explains an analysis
That just using quotes is enough to support an analysis
That you have to write an introductory paragraph first
Lesson Development
Annotation
Initiation:



Students will briefly reread “Nothing Gold Can Stay” and
annotate for meaning and style.
The teacher will think aloud the following questions/answers:
o Who is the speaker? (not nec. the writer)
o What is the poem about? (literal meaning)
o What does the poem Mean? (thematic meaning)
o Where are the shifts? (topic, tone, speaker)
o What literary techniques are most prevalent?
The teacher will model annotations for this poem in preparation
for modeling organizing an essay.
During:


The teacher will conduct a mini-lesson on ways to structure a
poetry analysis:
o Chronological (start with meaning and move to style)
 By stanza
 By shifts
o By literary technique
 1 paragraph each – or
 Multiple paragraphs each
Teacher will model writing the two different outlines for the
3 |D o c u m e n t 1
© 2013 All Rights Reserved ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium
Students have already studied “Nothing
Gold Can Stay”. The teacher will move
relatively quickly because of this. This is
more of a review at this point.
The annotations will come from the
teacher as well as any student
annotations.
Teacher will model how s/he finds
patterns of elements and how s/he
determines which ones to write about.
Emphasize that the thinking/analysis will
inform the structure.
Taking the annotations, the teacher will
explain the two different ways to create
an outline (chronological/technique) as
well as the multiple possibilities for
techniques to include.
The teacher will also explain how
depending on how prevalent the
ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium ELA Lesson Plan
analysis of “Nothing Gold Can Stay” (see attachment) on either
the overhead or the smart board.
o Explain how the thesis statement needs to include the
literary techniques but also explains what they convey
about loss.
Closure:

Exit Slip: Choose which structure you will use for your written
analysis of “Ballad of Birmingham” and explain why this is the
better choice for you. (3-5 sentences)
technique is or how long the chunk is –
they may write more than one paragraph
for that element/chunk.
Teachers will use this information to
determine who understands the
structures as well as who is reflective
about their choices.
Reinforce the choice of structure should
reflect your thinking.
Day 2:
Initiation:


Review the models of outlines from yesterday as a class. The
teacher will reteach or clarify anything that came up in the exit
slips as well as student questions.
The class reviews the rubric so students understand the
expectations.
During:


Individually, students will write their outline for an essay that
answers the following question:
o What poetic devices (tone, diction, imagery, and/or
figurative language) does Dudley Randall use to express
the sense of loss conveyed in the poem and how are
they used?
Students who finish will choose their evidence and quote attack
them.
Emphasize they cannot only identify the
elements but must explain how they
create the sense of loss.
Teacher will circulate and help as needed.
If needed, teacher will work with selected
students in a guided writing group.
Use this information to inform instruction.
Teacher will review student outlines on
that or the next night. Day three should
happen within a few days.
Closure:



Exit Slip: What was the easiest part of the work today? What
was the hardest? Explain.
Hand in outlines.
For homework, students will write 4 quote attacks to prepare
4 |D o c u m e n t 1
© 2013 All Rights Reserved ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium
Prepare students so they are ready to
write.
ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium ELA Lesson Plan
for their essays.
Day Three and Possibly Four: (after outlines are assessed)
Initiation:



For more experienced writers, they may
write one or two body paragraphs in class
and write the rest at home.
Use student exemplars (with no names) to show another model
of a good example. Or have students review their own outlines
with comments from the teacher.
Teacher will remind students that for every analysis point,
students need examples as well as analytical commentary.
Students will take out their quote attacks to use today.
During:
 Teacher will model writing the first analytical body paragraph
for “Nothing Gold Can Stay” – thinking aloud the choices as s/he
goes.
 Students will then write their first body paragraph for “Ballad of
Birmingham.”
 Teacher will model writing the second analytical body paragraph
for “Nothing Gold Can Stay” – thinking aloud the choices as s/he
goes.
 Students will then write their second body paragraph for “Ballad
of Birmingham.”
 Teacher will model writing the next/last analytical body
paragraph for “Nothing Gold Can Stay” – thinking aloud the
choices as s/he goes.
 Students will then write their next/last body paragraph for
“Ballad of Birmingham.”
Closure:
 Students will peer conference (either in pairs or groups, up to
the teacher). They will evaluate one body paragraph and look
for:
o A topic sentence that explains what loss occurs and what
poetic devices are used.
o At least two quotes from the poem (examples)
o Commentary for EACH quote that explains meaning and
style.
5 |D o c u m e n t 1
© 2013 All Rights Reserved ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium
Reinforce the analytical commentary
aspect as well as MLA format for poetry
citation.
As students write, teacher circulates and
provides 1-minute feedback each time.
On average there will be 3-4 body
paragraphs.
For students who write more quickly, they
may start on their intros/conclusions.
Depending on the level of experience in
the class, the teacher may either model
how to do this with everyone or with a
group of students.
ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium ELA Lesson Plan
o A concluding sentence that links back to the poem as a
whole.
Formative Assessment Processes/Practices
Exit slips
Student outlines
Body paragraphs
6 |D o c u m e n t 1
© 2013 All Rights Reserved ACES Regional Curriculum Consortium
Annotation