Date: October 5th Course: LA Grade: 9 Length 45 minutes

of Lesson:

 
PROGRAM OF STUDY OUTCOMES
2.4.1 Generate ideas
● generalize from own experience to create oral, print and other media texts on a theme
1.1.2 Experiment with language and forms
● develop and extend understanding by expressing and responding to ideas on the same topic, in a variety of forms of
oral, print and other media texts
2.2.2 Appreciate Artistry
● discuss how techniques, such as irony, symbolism, perspective and proportion, communicate meaning and enhance
effect in oral, print and other media texts

OVERVIEW OF LESSON:

● 10 minutes reading

● Symbolism Mini-lesson

● Symbolism activity

GOAL(S) OF LESSON:

● Students understand how symbolism contributes to the main theme

● Students can apply their understanding of symbolism to analyze the text “The Execution” by Alden
Nowlan which we have discussed in class

MAIN IDEAS OF LESSON: 

● The main idea behind this lesson is to introduce symbolism in terms of literature. Students may
understand that a symbol is (something that represents something else), but in literature, the symbol is
only significant if it contributes to an overall theme or message.
 
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

By the end of this lesson students will be able to...

● Identify symbols in various literature
 INQUIRY QUESTION / GUIDING QUESTIONS:

● How are creative pieces organized to have meaning?

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT:

● Symbolism handout

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

● Write the schedule on the board

● Have a spot easily accessible for Holly in the back of the room (probably at my desk)
● Have symbolism handout printed out
● Ensure there are extra print outs of “The Execution” by Alden Nowlan in case students lost theirs
● Have powerpoint ready to go

PROCEDURE:

Introduction Time

● 10 minutes reading
● Review today’s class schedule 20 minutes
● Introduce Holly
● Show a picture of fire on the powerpoint and ask students: what is this?
o Expected response: fire
● Ask students what does it mean?
o Expected responses: warmth, heat
● Ask students how did you know that fire means those things?
○ Expected response: experience, context
● Switch the picture on the powerpoint to an image of someone with fire in their eyes.
Ask students: what does the fire mean here?
○ Expected answers: anger, aggression, danger
● Switch the picture to the last picture where people are sitting around a fire: what does
the fire mean here?
○ Expected answers: connectivity, community, passion, love
● Ask students why did your answers change?
○ Expected answer: context is important
● Explain to students that when analyzing a symbol in literature, it must tell us something
about the situation or the context. It MUST contribute in some way to the theme or the
overall message that the author is trying to get across. It represents what is happening
in the literature to better solidify the main message.
 Body Time

Explain how ● On the board, draw a large box with the word theme in it 5 minutes
symbolism is under ● Under the box, write symbol in many little boxes
the blanket of theme ● Explain that symbols are all contributors to the main theme -
they drive the main point across
● Explain that in literature, symbols don’t have to just be items.
● They can be (write this on the board):
○ Names
○ Jobs
○ Colors
○ Setting
○ Weather

Symbols in “On the ● Let's go through our previous short story “on the sidewalk 10 minutes
Sidewalk Bleeding” bleeding” and discuss some important symbols
● Think, pair, share - what are some symbols that you notice in
the short story?
● Collect student answers and write them on the board - explain
how those answers link back to the theme.

“The Execution” ● Explain to students that they need to find two symbols in the 10 minutes
Symbolism handout text “The Execution” and how they contribute to the main
theme.

Conclusion Time

● Homework: Symbolism handout is due on Thursday

● For tomorrow's class, I want you to think about this question: should writers only write
what they know or have experience with?

ASSESSMENT:

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: 
● Class participation

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

● Symbolism handout

DIFFERENTIATION:

INSTRUCTION: 

● Visuals
○ One of the students in class is deaf - visuals help to better support her learning
 ● Diagram
○ The diagram of the theme, and symbolism might help some students to understand the concept
more
● Direct instruction
● Discussion (think, pair, share, exercise)
● Group work (“On the Sidewalk Bleeding”)
● Independent work

REFLECTION OF LESSON:

What are three things that went well?

What did not go well / felt clunky?

Why?

What can you do next time?