GENEVA COLLEGE

Beaver Falls, PA

LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Name: Marissa De Ruiter________________________________Date: February 19th, 2021

Subject: Reading/Language Arts______________________ Grade Level: 8th __________

I. Topic: Poetry/Black History Month

II. PA or Common Core Standards
A. CC.1.3.8.E: Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how
the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
B. CC.1.3.8.F: Analyze the influence of the words and phrases in a text including figurative
and connotative meanings and how they shape meaning and tone.

III. Learning Objectives: Objectives must be written using observable verbs

A. SWBT compare and contrast W.E.B. Du Bois’ “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” and the original
“America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee)” by Samuel Francis Smith.
B. SWBT analyze the poem and song and how the words influence their meaning and tone.

IV. Materials
A. Pencil or pen.
B. Journal.
C. Smartboard.
D. “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” by W.E.B Du Bois.
E. “America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee)” by Samuel Francis Smith.
F. YouTube video of Kelly Clarkson singing “America (My Country ‘Tis of Thee)”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=034fNYyY9HU&ab_channel=ABCNews

V. Lesson Development
A. Introduction

For the start of the lesson, the students will spend 5-10 minutes working on their journal
entries. As we start on the lesson, I will ask my students if they know “My Country ‘Tis of
 Thee” and why we sing it. We will have a quick class discussion on it before we move on
to the poem.

B. Lesson development (activities, procedures)

After we have finished our discussion, we will start off by reading Du Bois’ “My Country
‘Tis of Thee”. We will have a short discussion on the meaning of the poem. We will
compare and contrast the two texts and discuss it as a class. This will open discussion to
racism and how Du Bois’ version is mocking the original.

C. Evidence of differentiated instruction (content, process, product, or learning

environment)

Learning environment: The students that have a harder time hearing or seeing
the Smartboard, will have preferential seating. For the students during the co-
taught period, they will also have preferential seating in quieter areas of the
room and areas that Mrs. Carlini can assist them.

D. Closure (summary)

In closure, we will finish up our discussion of the similarities and difference

between the two texts. I will do a review on the lesson to make sure that they
understand the text we read and the significance of them. We will go over any
terms or phrases they do not understand.
VI. Assessment/evaluation

The students will be informally assessed on their compare and contrast graphic
organizers, and their participation in class discussion.
VII. Modifications or accommodations
Students who have a hard time comparing two texts will be given access to a Google Slides
which compares lines of the text for the students.

VIII. Self-evaluation
The lesson went over well, but it surprised me to find out how many of my students have never
heard the original song. This lesson led us to some great class discussions about freedom and
equality. In the future, I would discuss with my class on their background knowledge of the time
after the Civil War and even the American Revolution. A lot of my students had little knowledge
about both of them and I had to quickly fill in their knowledge gaps. However, even with their
little knowledge about them, they were able to have good insights about the poems.

Cooperating Teacher Approval ________________________________________ Date

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