Lesson Plan Template
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
Intro: what is Poetry/ Poetry reading strategies
GLEs/GSEs
R-12-4.2 Demonstrate initial understanding of elements of
literary texts by ... Paraphrasing or summarizing key
ideas/plot, with major events sequenced, as appropriate to text
(Local)
R-12-2.1a Students identify the meaning of unfamiliar
vocabulary by ... Using strategies to unlock meaning (e.g.,
knowledge of word structure, including prefixes/suffixes,
common roots, or word origins; or context clues; or resources
including dictionaries, glossaries, or thesauruses to determine
definition, pronunciation, etymology, or usage of words; or
prior knowledge) (Local)
Context of the
Lesson
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 1 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Opportunities to
Learn
Diverse Learning:
We will be discussing and inferring meaning of hard
vocabulary words within the poem to help readers who may
not understand. The words will be highlighted on the ditto,
allowing the students to identify the words and to take notes
on the meaning. Even before this part of the lesson, I will
have already translated the poem on the board, which will also
help the students make connections.
The students will be given a handout of the poem to follow
along and there are lines provided for their translations. The
post writes will be read aloud and put on the board for the
students to complete at the end of class, however, a printout
will be available on the desk for students to take home. The
print out has guiding questions for students who need the
extra help.
Materials Needed:
“The Eagle” by Lord Alfred Tennyson
post write printout
Objectives
1.Students will access prior knowledge of poetry in a quick
write at the beginning of class.
2. Students will examine a poem by defining unknown words
and translating the poem into their own words (paraphrasing)
in groups using the poem “The Eagle.”
3. Students will then interpret the meaning in a post write
activity, in which they will also evaluate the use of the reading
strategy.
Instructional
Procedures
Haley Meiklejohn
Opening:
Before we begin class, I would like to see what you believe
“Poetry is”. Please take out a sheet of paper tell me what
you think poetry is. Perhaps even tell me of a poem that you
enjoyed.
The students will answer the questions while I write “The
Eagle“ translated into my own words. They will be instructed
to look to the board and read the words to themselves. Now
that everyone has completed their quick write, please look to
the poem I wrote on the board. Does this fit your idea of
poetry? What do you think of it? Was it easy for you to read?
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Lesson Plan Template
What would you change about the poem? Students should say
that the poem was easy to read but they did not think the
poem was creative and that it was boring. The reason that
you feel this way is because this is not the actual poem; this is
my translation into my own words. Now I will pass out the
actual poem for us to read aloud together. Would anyone like
to read the poem? Either a student reads the poem or I read
the poem myself. Which version did you feel was more
poetic? Why do you feel that way? How did the poem make
you feel? Students should say that the other version was more
poetic because of the words the author used. They may even
mention imagery, if they have heard this term before, and how
these words gave them a different picture in their head. The
Reason why I showed you this exercise is because this is a
way to help you learn how to read a poem. By taking
language that is harder for you to understand and translating
it into your own words will help you not only understand the
words better, but also the meaning of the poem
Engagement:
Today, we will be working in groups. In our groups, we will
be taking a poem and translating it into words easier for us to
understand. I will erase the poem before this activity.
However, before we get into groups, I would like to read this
poem aloud and identify some words that you may not
understand. I will go over the use of unfamiliar words, such
as azure and crag and the reason why the author used such
words. Also the students and I will go over language such as
“azure”, “wrinkled sea crawls” and “thunderbolt”. I will have
the students infer the meaning behind the images. As you can
see, we have already begun the translating process by
deciphering the words that we do not understand. Now, in
your groups you are to take this same poem and translate it
entirely. What I want you to do, is take the most literal and
understandable word you can find for each image that the
author presents and rewrite this poem with your groups.
None of the same images should be used. Just as you saw in
my example “Winter”. Once we have finished, we will share
the poems that we came up with.
Closure:
Time is up class; let us see what we have found. Students will
read the poems that they have created. The students should
find the differences between the actual poem and what the
Haley Meiklejohn
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Lesson Plan Template
groups came up with to be humorous. Compared to the
actual poem, these do not seem like poems at all, do they?
However, once we defined the words we did not understand
and translated the poem, we all understand what the author
was trying to say. This break down of the poem, by
translating it into our own words is called paraphrasing, it
will help you throughout the unit on poetry. However, we
don’t only use this method in poetry, but we also use this
translating to understand meaning in life.
One obvious
example you may find in your history class. Upon reading
historical documents, we may not understand what they mean,
so we translate it into our own words to decipher the
meaning. Tonight, notice where you find yourself translating
or trying to decipher meaning, or think of where else this
strategy may be useful. But before we go, I would you each to
take a moment to answer the three questions written on the
board. If you do not finish, copy the questions down and
finish them for homework.
Three questions will be written on the board for the students
to answer:
1. After reading this poem, and using the strategy, what
do you believe that the poem is about?
2. Why do you think the author used this language?
3. Did this strategy help you to understand the poem
better? Why do you think it did?
Assessment
Reflections
1. Have the students write the names of each member of
their group and pass in their translation of the poem to
asses their ability to accurately use this strategy
towards the poem.
2. Collect the students post writes and assess the students
understanding of how to read poetry and infer meaning
and why strategy is important.
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Haley Meiklejohn
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Lesson Plan Template
Lesson Implementation:
Haley Meiklejohn
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Lesson Plan Template
Name:____________________________Date:______________Pr:____
Paraphrasing
Poem:
Translation:
The Eagle
He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
______________________________
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
_______________________________
Ringed with the azure world, he stands.
______________________________
The Wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
______________________________
He watches from his mountain walls.
_______________________________
And Like a Thunderbolt he fells.
_______________________________
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Notes:
Haley Meiklejohn
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Lesson Plan Template
Post Write Questions:
1. After reading this poem, and using the strategy, what do you believe that the
poem is about?
 What is the poem trying to say about the eagle?
 How does it make you feel about the eagle?
2. Why do you think the author used this language?
 As opposed to the language we translated it to.
 What is the difference between the two?
3. Did this strategy help you to understand the poem better? Why do you think it
did?
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 7 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
Poetry Detectives: Who, What and Why’s of Poetry
GLEs/GSEs
R-12-5.5 Analyze and interpret literary elements within or
across texts, citing evidence where appropriate by ...
Explaining how the author’s purpose (e.g., to entertain, inform
or persuade), message or theme (which may include universal
themes) is supported within the text(s) (Local)
R-12-13 Uses comprehension strategies (flexibly and as
needed) before, during, and after reading literary and
informational text. (Local)
EXAMPLES of reading comprehension strategies might
include: using prior knowledge; summarizing; making text
based inferences; determining importance; generating literal,
clarifying, inferential, analysis, synthesis, and evaluative
questions; constructing sensory images (e.g., making pictures
in one’s mind); making connections (text to self , text to text,
and text to world); taking notes; locating and using text
discourse features and elements to support inferences and
generalizations about information
Context of the
Lesson
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 8 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Opportunities to
Learn
Diverse Learners:
Students will be provided with handouts for each lesson
containing the three questions. The ditto I will model with the
students will have guiding questions that the students can
refer to throughout the semester, as well as an organizer.
Since this is their first lesson in close reading and using the
question strategy, on the handout of the poem “The Mirror”,
the important areas I think should be commented on will be
bracketed with a line provided for the student to comment.
Materials:
”The Mirror” bt Sylvia Plath
“Ars Poetica” by Archibald MacLeish
potry packet with questions
Objectives
Instructional
Procedures
Haley Meiklejohn
1. Students will analyze poetry by examining the
speaker, purpose and how it is achieved by using the
poem “The Mirror” by filling out the handouts they
are presented with their groups
2. Students will demonstrate their understanding of using
this strategy to find meaning by filling out their poetry
organizer and providing evidence of close reading for
“The Mirror” and “Ars Poetica”.
Opening:
In the previous lesson, we discussed what poetry was and one
method for reading a poem. Who can tell me what that
method was? Student should say paraphrasing. This was one
effective method for understanding a poem. However, today
we will be trying out another method. This method will take
Page 9 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
us a step further from just understanding the surface meaning
of a poem. We will be learning how to analyze a poem to find
deeper meaning. We will focus on three important questions
that will follow us throughout the unit of poetry. Who is the
speaker, what is their purpose and why, and how is it
achieved. In the packets I am passing out, you will find these
three questions on a series of pages. After each lesson we
complete throughout the unit, we will fill in these pages. The
more accurately you fill them out, and the more time you take
on them the day we complete the lesson, will help you at the
end of the semester.
Engagement:
On the second page of the packet is a graphic organizer to
guide the students to understanding what information I am
looking for in each question. We will go over each one of
these questions and I will model what I am looking for using
“The Eagle”, which the students are already familiar with
from the previous lesson. I will show them how to do a close
reading to find the answers to these questions. They will be
able to ask any questions or concerns they have, so they
understand this concept that we will be using throughout the
unit. Now it is your turn. We will be discussing “The
Mirror” by Sylvia Plath. In your groups, I want you to
answer these three questions in regards to the stanza I assign
to your group. I will divide the students into six groups.
Three groups to the first stanza and three to the second stanza.
They will present their findings to the class. Students should
say something in regards to the author comparing herself to a
lake and a mirror to describe herself. Now that we see the
purpose behind each stanza, we need to find the reason why
she put these two ideas together into a poem. What reason
would she compare these two ideas? Students will share some
ideas as to what she is trying to achieve with the poem as a
whole and asked to individually write their theory as a post
write.
Closure:
Today we did close readings to find the answers to our three
important questions: Who is the speaker, What the purpose is
and why, and how it is achieved. Using these questions and
strategies, we found the deeper meaning behind what Sylvia
Plath was trying to say. These questions will guide us
throughout the unit, so that we understand the poetry and the
devices the author is using to achieve the themes and purpose
Haley Meiklejohn
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Lesson Plan Template
behind their writing. Tonight for homework, I want you to
read over the poem “Ars Poetica” on page 754. On a separate
sheet answer these three questions. We will be using this
poem tomorrow in our next lesson.
Assessment
1. Collect handouts from each group and assess the
ability to answer each of the questions taught in class
for their assigned stanza of “The Mirror”.
2. Collect quick writes to assess student’s ability to
accurately use this theory to further analyze the poem
individually.
Reflections
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Implementation:
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 11 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
Literal Vs. Figurative: Intro to Metaphors, Simile and
Personification.
GLEs/GSEs
R-12-4.5 Demonstrate initial understanding of elements of
literary texts by ... Identify literary devices as appropriate to
genre (e.g., similes, metaphors, alliteration, rhyme scheme,
onomatopoeia, imagery, repetition, flashback, foreshadowing,
personification, hyperbole, symbolism, allusion, diction,
syntax, bias, or point of view) (Local)
R-12-6.1a Analyze and interpret author's craft within and
across texts, citing evidence where appropriate by ...
Demonstrating knowledge of author’s style or use of literary
elements and devices (e.g., simile, metaphor, point of view,
imagery, repetition, flashback, foreshadowing,
personification, hyperbole, symbolism, analogy, allusion,
diction, syntax, genre, or bias, or use of punctuation, etc.) to
analyze literary works (Local)
R-12-17.2 Demonstrates participation in a literate community
by ... Participating in in-depth discussions about text, ideas,
and student writing by offering comments and supporting
evidence, recommending books and other materials, and
responding to the comments and recommendations of peers,
librarians, teachers, and others (Local)
Context of the
Lesson
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 12 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Opportunities to
Learn
Diverse Learning:
In the handout with the song lyrics, the students will be
provided with an organizer that points out key words or clues
when looking for personification, metaphors and simile. This
will guide them through the assignment, as well as throughout
the unit
When the students are in their groups, I will walk around and
help guide the conversations about the poems to make sure
that the students are on the right track.
Materials:
Pre-quiz
Song Lyrics page
Three poems- TBD
Objectives
1. Students will analyze the difference between metaphor,
simile and personification by identifying each device in lyrics
2. Students will examine three poems for these devices and
analyze their effect on the meaning of the poem.
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 13 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Instructional
Procedures
Opening:
Students will be given a pre-quiz containing lines from
famous poems. On the quiz they will have to decipher the
sentences from real and poetic. I will explain to them that the
real sentences are part of Literal Language. The speaker is
stating what is actually happening. Poetic Language is really
figurative language. It is language that uses figures of speech
and should not be taken literally. If I were to say it was
raining cats and dogs or that my nose was runny, would you
believe that animals were falling from the sky or my nose
hopped off my face to take a jog? These are both elements of
figurative language. This is what we will be discussing today
in class.
Engagement:
To teach the students about the difference between the two,
we will go over a couple of the questions on the pre-quiz and I
will explain the use of metaphor, simile and personification in
these lines and key words to help the students decipher the
difference. We will go further into depth on these three
figures of speech using lyrics from popular songs. The
students will make a symbol for each: metaphor, simile and
personification, on their own, and using the symbols, they will
mark the lyrics in regards to which device is being used.
Once they finish we will go over the list and discuss why
figurative language is effective in poetry. From there, the
students will be divided into six groups. These are the
students’ home groups. Then they will be given numbers to
go out and complete a jigsaw activity in which they become
experts on their poem/device, and go back to present to their
home group. Two groups will discuss metaphor, two discuss
simile and two discuss personification and how it helps the
author achieve their purpose. Before sending the students into
their groups I will explain this to them. Also, I will tell the
class that once they identify the literary device, if they work
backward, it may help them further. Why do they use this?
What meaning does it give to the poem- that is the purpose. I
will model and example and split them into groups. Once they
report their findings, the students are to go back to their desks.
Closure:
Now that we have learned three figures of speech, we can
look back to our three poetry questions. (speaker, purpose,
achieved) Now we can see that in the poems “The mirror”
and “The Eagle”, it was these devices that were used to help
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 14 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
the author achieve the purpose. These devices were also used
in the poem “Ars Poetica”, which we read last night.
Tonight, take one of these threee poems and fill out one of the
question hand outs. Focus on how these figures of speech help
achieve the author’s purpose. Remember, sometimes if we
work backwards and find the figure of speech, we can figure
out their purpose from there. What does the metaphor mean?
Why would the author use it? THAT is the author’s purpose.
Don’t forget to keep filling out your questions handout!
Assessment
Reflections
1. Collect lyrics handout and assess the students’ ability
to decipher between the three literary elements by how
they marked their papers.
2. Collect the students’ homework and assess the
student’s ability to analyze the author’s poem and
purpose using the literary terms taught in class by how
they answered the three poetry questions we discussed
last lesson.
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Implementation:
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 15 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
GLEs/GSEs
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
“Isn’t it Ironic?”: Use of Irony in Poetry
R-12-4.5 Demonstrate initial understanding of elements of
literary texts by ... Identify literary devices as appropriate to
genre (e.g., similes, metaphors, alliteration, rhyme scheme,
onomatopoeia, imagery, repetition, flashback, foreshadowing,
personification, hyperbole, symbolism, allusion, diction,
syntax, bias, or point of view) (Local)
R-12-6.1a Analyze and interpret author's craft within and
across texts, citing evidence where appropriate by ...
Demonstrating knowledge of author’s style or use of literary
elements and devices (e.g., simile, metaphor, point of view,
imagery, repetition, flashback, foreshadowing,
personification, hyperbole, symbolism, analogy, allusion,
diction, syntax, genre, or bias, or use of punctuation, etc.) to
analyze literary works (Local)
Context of the
Lesson
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 16 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Opportunities to
Learn
Objectives
Instructional
Procedures
1. Students will identify irony through the song “Ironic”
and situations in which they see irony in daily life
through chalk talk.
2. Students will analyze the use of irony and its
effectiveness through a set of questions prepared for
each group.
Opening:
Today, we will be focusing on the element of irony. To begin,
we are going to listen to the song “Ironic” by Alanis
MOrrisette. Is anyone familiar with the song? I am going to
hand out the lyrics, while we are listening I want you to
underline any line or word that you feel will be important to
this lesson. On the board, there are two columns named “In
the Song” and “In real Life”. I want each student to fgo to
the board and right one situation they feel to be ironic in
either one of these categories. We will be having a discussion
on the subject. Students will engage in a chalk talk to discuss
what was written on the board.
Engagement:
Once the students have finished this, we will discuss irony:
irony of the situation, verbal irony, and dramatic irony. The
students will split into groups with the poem “History
Teacher.” The students will find the irony, decipher the type
of irony, answer the group questions and present their
findings to the class.
Closure: As you can see, there are different types of irony
and irony is found in the literary world, as well as real life.
Before leaving class, you must complete a post write
describing a type of irony you have seen, or one from the
song, and tell me what type of irony it is, why, and how it
could have ended differently. Tonight for homework, read
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 17 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
“The Beautiful Changes” by Richard Wilbur on page 994 in
your text.
Don’t forget to keep filling out your questions handout!
Assessment
Reflections
1. Students will be informally assessed by their
participation in chalk talk by providing at least one
example of irony on the board.
2. Collect students students groups questions to analyze
proper identification of personification, metaphor or
simile within the poem and provide the meaning.
3. Collect post writes to assess students ability to connect
irony to everyday life and understand what makes the
situation ironic by answering the post write questions.
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Implementation:
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 18 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
A Sense of Poetry: Lesson on Imagery
GLEs/GSEs
R-12-13 Uses comprehension strategies (flexibly and as
needed) before, during, and after reading literary and
informational text. (Local)
EXAMPLES of reading comprehension strategies might
include: using prior knowledge; summarizing; making text
based inferences; determining importance; generating literal,
clarifying, inferential, analysis, synthesis, and evaluative
questions; constructing sensory images (e.g., making pictures
in one’s mind); making connections (text to self , text to text,
and text to world); taking notes; locating and using text
discourse features and elements to support inferences and
generalizations about information
R-12-12.1 Demonstrates ability to monitor comprehension
and strategy use for different types of texts and purposes by ...
Using a range of self-monitoring and self-correction
approaches (e.g., rereading, adjusting rate, sub-vocalizing,
consulting resources, questioning, using flexible note
taking/mapping systems, skimming, scanning) (Local)
Context of the
Lesson
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 19 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Opportunities to
Learn
Objectives
1. Students will identify the use of senses in a poem by
drawing a picture while the teacher reads the poem
aloud.
2. Students will analyze the use of the senses using an
imagery graphic organizer.
3. Students will reexamine the poem eliminating the
sense that produced the most imagery and evaluate the
use of imagery in a post write.
Opening:
*Drawing picture whiel I read poem
Instructional
Procedures
Engagement:
*Model using organizer
*Do it in groups
*remove sense
Closure:
*popst write evaluating using senses by compareing with the
sense and without.
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 20 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Assessment
Reflections
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Implementation:
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 21 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
Important themes in Poetry: Memory/ Experience
GLEs/GSEs
R-12-13 Uses comprehension strategies (flexibly and as
needed) before, during, and after reading literary and
informational text. (Local)
EXAMPLES of reading comprehension strategies might
include: using prior knowledge; summarizing; making text
based inferences; determining importance; generating literal,
clarifying, inferential, analysis, synthesis, and evaluative
questions; constructing sensory images (e.g., making pictures
in one’s mind); making connections (text to self , text to text,
and text to world); taking notes; locating and using text
discourse features and elements to support inferences and
generalizations about information
R-12-6.1.b Analyze and interpret author's craft within and
across texts, citing evidence where appropriate by ...
Examining author’s style or use of literary devices to convey
theme (Local)
Context of the
Lesson
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
Haley Meiklejohn
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Lesson Plan Template
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Opportunities to
Learn
Objectives
Instructional
Procedures
1. Students will identify the notion of theme within a
poem
2. Students will analyze the poetry for use of memory
and childhood by doing a close reading of “Those
Winter Days” and “Digging” and filling in a graphic
organizer connecting the reader to text using life
experiences.
3. Students will compare their findings of the text and
their own lives in a pair/share.
Opening:
The lesson will begin with a discussion with the students on
the idea of theme. They will be asked to offer their definition
of what theme is and examples of themes they have already
discussed in the class. (They should at least say choices
because that is the theme they are working withcurrently in
class). I will link this discussion to the three questions that we
have been working with for every lesson, fow often time they
will find that the author’s purpose is the theme or similar to it.
Engagement:
There are three main types of writing. Informational writing
is writing with a practical use to inform and educate. There is
persuasive writing. This is the writing with a certain
argument in which the author is trying to saway the reader to
a certain side. Lasty there is literary writing. This writing is
concerned with focusing on the experience the reader has
when reading the poem. The emotions that the reader
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Lesson Plan Template
experiences.. This is why often times, the theme of poetry
focuses on experiences which the reader can relate- mainly
childhood memories.
So for the work we will be doing
today, we will be working serperately today to complete the
poems. I will model the poem digging for the students. I will
show them how to underline lines they can relate to and make
notes in a close reading. Then show them how to fill in the
graphic organizer to relate self to text. Once they see what to
do, they will be instructed to do the same on their own with
the poem “Those Winter Days”. Once it seems as though they
are finished, they will turn to pair/share, which I will walk
around and monitor.
Closure:
Students will be provided with a chance to share. I will begin
by sharing my connections. Now we have seen one example of
an important theme in poetry. We each take the image
provided and interpret it in our own way, whether we know it
or not, due to the childhood we experiencd. Just in this class,
this one poem held different meaning for each one of you.
Tomorrow we will look into another theme. For homework,
read the two poems I am passing out to you now. We will
discuss them tomorrow in class. Try to figure out what the
theme is within the poems and make notes. Before you go, we
are going to complete a quick write. Now that you have seen
this theme in action, I would like you to write what you would
write in a poem with this theme. What type of images would
you offer? The answers you write here with help you in a
future lesson.
Don’t forget to keep filling out your questions handout!
Assessment
1. Collect students organizer to see their ability to use the
strategy of related self to text to find meaning by offering
at least three examples.
2. collect post writes to assess understanding of theme by
offering ideas for what they would write if given this
theme
Reflections
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
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Lesson Plan Template
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Implementation:
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
Lesson Title
Important Themes II: Difficult Issues
GLEs/GSEs
R-12-6.1.b Analyze and interpret author's craft within and
across texts, citing evidence where appropriate by ...
Examining author’s style or use of literary devices to convey
theme (Local)
R-12-4.4 Demonstrate initial understanding of elements of
literary texts by ... Identifying the characteristics of a variety
of types/genres of literary text (e.g., literary texts: poetry,
plays, fairytales, fantasy, fables, realistic fiction, folktales,
historical fiction, mysteries, science fiction, legends, myths,
short stories, epics, novels, dramatic presentations, comedies,
tragedies, satires, parodies, memoirs, epistles) (Local)
Context of the
Lesson
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 25 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Opportunities to
Learn
Objectives
1. Students will identify the difficult issue being dealt
with within the poems and what devises the author
used in dealing with it using “The Whipping” and
“Ballad of Birmingham”
2. Students will evaluate why they believe an author
would choose to use this medium, how it made them
see the issue, how it made them feel and whether or
not it would be useful in the classroom in a Socratic
discussion.
3. Students will produce a completed brain storm
organizer on which theme they choose to address and
ideas of which figurative language devices they will
choose to suit their piece for the next lesson.
Opening:
Instructional
Procedures
Engagement:
Closure:
Assessment
Reflections
Haley Meiklejohn
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Page 26 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Implementation:
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
Becoming the Writer: Creating our own Poems
GLEs/GSEs
W-12-13.2 In writing poetry, use language effectively by ...
Using rhyme, rhythm, meter, literary elements (e.g., setting,
plot, characters) or figurative language (Local)
EXAMPLES (of figurative language): simile, personification,
alliteration, onomatopoeia, metaphor
W-12-10 Students use a recursive process, including prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and critiquing to produce
final drafts of written products.
Context of the
Lesson
Haley Meiklejohn
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
Page 27 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Opportunities to
Learn
Objectives
1. Students will produce their own poem using the
elements and themes we have discussed throughout
the unit.
2. Students will produce a peer revision sheet
3. Students will revise and rewrite their final piece for
the culminating project.
Opening:
Instructional
Procedures
Engagement:
Closure:
Assessment
Haley Meiklejohn
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Lesson Plan Template
Reflections
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Implementation:
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
Tying it together: Preparation for the culminating project
GLEs/GSEs
W-12-3.2 In response to literary or informational text,
students make and support analytical judgments about text by
... Making inferences about the relationship(s) among content,
events, characters, setting, theme, or author’s craft (Local)
EXAMPLES: Making links to author's choice of words, style,
bias, literary techniques, or point of view; making links to
characteristics of literary forms or genres
W-12-3.4 In response to literary or informational text,
students make and support analytical judgments about text by
... Organizing ideas, using transitional words/phrases and
drawing a conclusion by synthesizing information (e.g.,
demonstrate a connection to the broader world of ideas)
(Local)
Context of the
Lesson
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 29 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Opportunities to
Learn
Objectives
1. Students will develop an understanding of writing
higher level thinking questions to go along with
poems, elements and themes we have addressed in
class.
2. Students will produce questions and answers for the
poems they were given within their groups
3. Students will produce similar questions for their own
poem they wrote
Opening:
Instructional
Procedures
Engagement:
Closure:
Assessment
Haley Meiklejohn
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Lesson Plan Template
Reflections
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Implementation:
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
Grade 11/ English Language Arts
Wrapping up the Unit: Anthology
GLEs/GSEs
Context of the
Lesson
W-12-2.4 In response to literary or informational text,
students show understanding of plot/ideas/concepts within or
across texts by ... Explaining the visual components (e.g.,
charts, diagrams, artwork) of the text, when appropriate
(Local)
W-12-2.3 In response to literary or informational text,
students show understanding of plot/ideas/concepts within or
across texts by ... Connecting what has been read
(plot/ideas/concepts) to prior knowledge, other texts, or the
broader world of ideas, by referring to and explaining relevant
ideas, themes, motifs, or archetypes (Local)
This unit will be introduced at the beginning of the third
quarter in an 11th grade English Language Arts classroom.
The unit will begin by addressing what poetry is, and reading
and analyzing strategies to decipher meaning. These lessons
will be introduced at the beginning of the unit so students can
use these techniques throughout the quarter.
The students will begin a poetry folder which holds a page to
be filled out after every lesson, containing the three poetry
questions discussed in lesson 2.
Once these strategies are established, the students will be
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 31 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
introduced to a series of elements that create the meaning
within the poem, as well as prevalent themes in poetry.
The students will finish up the unit by using the elements,
themes and poetry questions to create a classroom anthology,
made up of the students own poems, the poems we learned in
class and higher level thinking questions the students
designed themselves for the poems.
By the end of the semester, the students should be able to
read/analyze poetry, pick out figurative language devices,
identify important themes and decipher meaning.
Opportunities to
Learn
Objectives
1. Students will generate their finished pieces within
their group
2. Students will be divided into areas of interest for
editor, artist and so on to produce the finished class
anthology.
3. Students will evaluate the unit in a short handout for
homework: what they learned, enjoyed and would
change for next time
Opening:
Instructional
Procedures
Engagement:
Closure:
Assessment
Reflections
Haley Meiklejohn
Student Work Sample 1 – Approaching Proficiency:
Page 32 of 33
Lesson Plan Template
Student Work Sample 2 – Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 – Exceeds Proficiency:
Lesson Implementation:
Haley Meiklejohn
Page 33 of 33