BehindtheCurtain

Name:BrianK.Cochran
Topic:UnitPlan,Lesson5
GradeLevel:8thGradeEnglishClass
Agenda:
JournalQuestion10Minutes
LearningTeamsReadingActivity10Minutes
SocraticSeminar30Minutes
Objectives:

Studentswillidentifyauthortraitsfromvariouspointsinthestory.
Studentswilldeduceauthortraitsfromthestory.
Studentswillspeculateonauthorsidentitybasedonstoryclues.

CaliforniaAcademicContentStandards:
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text

2.4 Identify and trace the development of an author's argument,

point of view, or perspective in text.

3.4Determinecharacters'traitsbywhatthecharacterssayaboutthemselvesin
narration,dialogue,dramaticmonologue,andsoliloquy.

3.12Analyzethewayinwhichaworkofliteratureisrelatedtothethemesand
issuesofitshistoricalperiod.(Historicalapproach)

2.2A.Writeresponsestoliteratureanddemonstrateacomprehensivegraspofthe
significantideasofliteraryworks.

b.Materials:
PowerPointJournalSlidesavedonthedesktopoftheteachersG4assavedat
PowerPointPresentation5onthedesktop.ThisisHandout#5A.
G4laptop,whichislocatedinthelockedcabinettotherightoftheteachersdesk.
CopiesoftheOutsidersbook.Thesearelocatedinaplasticbinonthebacktable
atthebackoftheclasstotheleftoftheteachersdesk.
Digitalprojectorandsvideocable,whichislocatedinthelockedcabinettothe
rightoftheteachersdesk.

CopiesoftheOutsidersbookwhichislocatedintheplasticbinonthetabletothe
rightoftheteachersdesk.
Threepicturesofcelebritieslocatedinthetop,centerdraweroftheteachers
desk.ThepicturesareofAmyLee,JenniferGarnerandOrlandoBloom.Thisis
Handouts#10,#11and#12.LocatedintheHandoutBin.
Handout#13,theSocraticSeminarSheet.LocatedintheHandoutBin.
Scotchtape,whichislocatedinthetopdraweroftheteachersdesk.
NOTE:CopiesofHandoutsarelocatedintheHandoutHangingFile.Thisisin
theplasticmilkboxatthebacktheclassonthelongtablenexttotheteachers
desk.Allfilesarelabeledforeasylocation.

Activities:
A. Into

HookupdigitalprojectorwithSvideocabletoG4laptop.Turniton
andProjectPowerPointJournalSlide(SavedatPowerPoint
Presentation5onthedesktop),whichisonthedesktop.Thisis
Handout#9.
ClassdiscussestheirJournalEntriesaftertheyfinishthem.
ClassbrieflydiscusseshomeworkwhichwastoreadChapters4and5.

NOTE:StudentshavenotbeenbriefedonS.E.Hinton.ThelastpageofTheOutsiders
hasbeencoveredupsincethestudentshavebeenreadingthebooks.Iwouldprobably
justbuymyowncopiesandripoutthelastpage.
B. Through
RowMonitorspassoutcopiesoftheOutsidersbook.
StudentsbreakupintoLearningTeams(5studentsperteam).
Teachertapesthepicturesofthreecelebritiestothewhiteboardatthe
frontoftheclass.
Teacherwritesthefollowingpagenumbersontheboard:1,6
(bottom),and78(bottomof7totopof8).
AfterLearningTeamshavereadthepagestheteacherwrites
followinginstructionsonthewhiteboard:Readthesepagesand
discusswhatittellsyouabouttheauthor.
ClassgoesintoaSocraticSeminar.
RowMonitorspassoutSocraticSeminarSheetandthisisHandout
#13.

TeacherwritesthefollowingSocraticSeminarleadinquestiononthe
board:WhoisS.E.Hinton?

NOTE:Ihavealreadyconductedthislessonandthestudentsnotonlyfiguredoutwho
S.E.Hintonwasbutalsofiguredouthowoldshewas.
C. Beyond
Homework:ReadChapters6and7.
AdditionalActivityorFollowUpActivity:Havestudentswritea
journalentryandwritelettertoS.E.Hintontellingthemwhatthey
thinkofthebook.
Secondlanguagelearnerscouldgetacopyoftheinstructions.Any
SpecialEducationT.A.scouldalsoassistthem.
LowEnglishskilllevelsecondlanguagelearnerscouldbeprovided
withinstructionsastowhatpagestheinclassassignmentwillcover.
Hearingimpairedstudentswouldalsogetacopyoftheinstructions
andsowouldtheirT.A.Translators.
KidsonIEPscouldbeprovidedwithbonuspointsasanincentiveto
followdirectionsandworkhard.SpecialEducationaidescouldalso
assistthem.

Evaluation:

TheSocraticSeminarSheetandparticipationisworth15pointsor.03%.Thisis
outofatotalof500pointsforthesemester.
TheJournalEntryisworth5pointsandrepresents.02%ofthefinalgrade.
TheHomeworkisworth15pointsor.03%ofthefinalgrade.
Studentsalsoreceive1participationpointand1attendancepointfortheperiod
andthisis.01%ofthetotalavailablepointsforthesemester.

SelfEvaluation:

Ithinkthatthestrengthofthisassignmentisthatthestudentswillbesurprised
whentheyfindoutthatS.E.Hintonwasateenagerwhenshewrotethebook.Ialso
thinkthatthisassignmentwillhelperodetheconceptthatliteraturefromthepastis
somethingthattheycannotrelatetoo.Ialsobelieveitwillopentheireyesaboutwhat
theirownpossibilitiesareiftheyapplythemselves.