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Unit Title
Lesson Title
Subject Area
Text Structure
Development of Theme, Setting, and Plot – Day 2
English Language Arts
Grade Level
Grade 6
CCRS – ELA
GLCEs/HSCEs –
Science
GLCEs/HSCEs –
Social Studies
HSCEs-Math
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.5 Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or
stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of
the theme, setting, or plot.
METS-S/NETS-T
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Computer with Microsoft Windows
Overhead projector or smartboard
Internet
Video
Essential Questions
How do the parts of a written work contribute to the theme, setting, or plot?
Objectives
Students will use a variety of reading strategies on multiple exemplar texts to develop
reading and critical thinking skills. By the end of this unit, students should be able to:
 Read and analyze a grade-appropriate literary work to determine the theme.
 Isolate and focus upon individual parts of a literary work (stanza, sentence,
image, etc.)
 Determine the way in which individual parts of a literary work contribute to
the development of theme, setting, plot, tone, etc.
 Be able to accurately predict future outcomes based on prior knowledge and
background built during reading.
Tools, Materials, and
Resources:
Use APA 6th Edition to reference and document all materials used in the lesson. So,
underline or italicize books titles – no quotation marks!
References:
Bradley, P. (Producer and Director). Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven. USA: Trilobite
Pictures
Edgar Allan Poe Biography (n.d.) Retrieved from
http://www.biography.com/people/edgar-allan-poe-9443160
Poe, E. A. (n.d.) The Raven. Retrieved from
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15638
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Rationale
Methods of Instruction
Anticipatory Set
Students will fulfill learning objectives through participation in a directed reading
activity, then synthesize the knowledge they gain from the reading to create unique
predictions based on their understanding of the material. This exercise builds in
students the analytical skills necessary to the understanding of development of
theme, plot, and setting in a text.
Sequence of Lesson: Beginning – Middle – End
 Visual/Auditory Learning – Oral and visual reading will help students build
vocabulary and comprehension
 Class discussion – The teacher will lead students in a controlled class
discussion during which students may share responses with the rest of the
class. This will allow students to build background as they compare their
observations with those of other students.
 Provide students with the Affect Survey handout for “The Raven” by Edgar
Allan Poe.
 Read the instructions aloud to the class.
 When students are finished, allow class to share answers.
T: “I am scared of the dark.” Who agrees with this statement?
S1: I do!
T: What do you find scary about the dark?
S1: I can’t see what I’m doing or what’s around me.
Beginning of Lesson
The purpose of the
narrative is to develop a
connection between the
anticipatory set and new
learning, the lesson,
setting, and purpose.
Lecture notes MUST be
included in the narrative.
Actual steps in
completing the lesson
could be bulleted –
CAUTION – do not
forget steps in working
through the lesson –
including what you will
actually say to the
students – ‘”feed back
loops”.
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Play Poe bio video: http://www.biography.com/people/edgar-allan-poe9443160
Pass out handout of “The Raven”
Explain to students that Poe builds suspense by placing clues that make the
reader ask questions. “Who is this?” “What will happen next?”
T: Poe lost his mother and was abandoned by his father when he was very young.
How would you feel if that happened to you?
S2: Sad. Where did his dad go? Why did he leave?
T: That’s not entirely certain. It’s confusing, isn’t it?
S3: He was alone. That sounds scary.
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Middle of Lesson
The purpose of the
narrative is to develop a
connection to and
expand on the
anticipatory set and
beginning of the lesson.
Lecture notes MUST be
included in the narrative.
Keep in mind, students
should be engaged in
one or more tasks for
the lesson to be
successful. A lecture
based lesson format is
not an effective or
acceptable way to
engage K-8 students in
learning. learning to
occur.
 Pass out KWL handout for “The Raven.”
 Begin DR-TA of “The Raven.” Students will take turns reading stanzas from the
poem.
 Use the KWL to direct the reading.
 Simplify/clarify lines of the poem when students have questions.
 Allow about 10 minutes of class time to begin the lesson conclusion OR stop after
about 9 stanzas (depends on lesson progress).
T: What do we know so far after reading the first stanza?
S1: Someone’s knocking on the door.
T: Is the narrator knocking on the door?
S2: No, he was sleeping.
T: So the narrator is sleeping, and then someone else knocks.
S3: Yeah, but who’s knocking?
T: That’s a good question! We want to know who’s knocking at the door. Write that down,
and let’s keep reading.
Conclusion of Lesson
The purpose of the
narrative is to develop a
connection to and
expand on the
anticipatory set, the
beginning, the middle,
and the end of lesson
making connections to
future lessons and
learning. Lecture notes
MUST be included in the
narrative. This
conclusion should
include a wrap up of the
lesson including student
work product for
assessment of learning.
The cumulative and
summative assessment
should be measurable
Student Handouts
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Have students pull out a sheet of paper for the Lesson 2 Exit Ticket.
Provide the following prompt on the board: “Without reading ahead,
describe what you think will happen in the rest of the poem in 1-2
paragraphs. Use what you know as support.”
Collect exit tickets at the end of class.
T: You’re about halfway through the poem now. You’ve learned a lot about the
narrator and the setting, but there are other questions left unanswered. What do you
think happened?
S4: How will we get it right if we don’t know?
T: This isn’t about right or wrong. Take your best guess based on what you have
read. Tell me what from the poem makes you think your guess might be right.
Affect survey, “The Raven” poem, KWL chart
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Student Work Product/
Sample
All student work products/samples MUST be attached to this lesson plan.
Lesson Assessment/
Rubric
Do the students grasp the concept of supporting and developing a theme, setting,
and plot within a text? Student responses to the KWL and the Exit Ticket may be
used to assess student understanding.
Lesson Differentiation: On, Above, Below, and Certified Special Needs
On Grade Level
(+95th percentile)
Above Grade Level
Below Grade Level
Certified Special Needs
Students may be tasked with writing the ending to the poem using a similar rhyme
scheme as featured in “The Raven.”
(-40th percentile)
Greater focus may be placed on knowledge and comprehension in the DR-TA
activity. A vocabulary sheet may be passed out as a reference for difficult terms and
phrases found in the poem.
Student is certified in the following area(s)____________
Differentiation…
*Please Note: The expectation for the college student is to create a thematic unit that is an original created
work product. Downloading and using pre-made lesson plans and/or thematic units will result in a grade of
zero.
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