Level II - Teacher Ed Lesson Plan Template (UED Courses)

Teacher (Candidates): Rebecca Shaw-Fuller Grade-Level: 10 Lesson Date: 3/21

Title of Lesson: Theme Cooperating Teacher: Ms. Doran

Core Components
Subject, Content Area, or Topic
● English: Reading
Student Population
● 3 Bells
○ Bell 1: Core
○ Bell 2: Core
○ Bell 3: Honors
Learning Objectives
1. I can identify a literary theme
2. I can explain how different themes show up in Oedipus Rex
Virginia Standard(s) of Learning (SOL)
10.4 The student will read, comprehend, and analyze literary texts of different cultures and
eras.
a) Make inferences and draw conclusions, using references from the text(s) for support.
d) Analyze universal themes prevalent in the literature of different cultures.
f) Critique how authors use key literary elements to contribute to meaning, including character
development, theme, conflict, and archetypes.
Materials/Resources
● Copies of “Oedipus Rex” for everyone
● Student Chromebooks
● Dry Erase Board
● Dry Erase Markers
● Sticky Notes
Highlight Key

Cooperative Learning Classroom Management Instructional Strategy Differentiation

High Yield Instructional Strategies Used (Marzano, 2001)

Check if Used Strategy Return
X Identifying Similarities & Differences 45%
X Summarizing & Note Taking 34%
Reinforcing Efforts & Providing Recognition 29%
X Homework & Practice 28%
Nonlinguistic Representations 27%
X Cooperative Learning 23%
Setting Goals & Providing Feedback 23%
Generating & Testing Hypothesis 23%
X Questions, Cues, & Advanced Organizers 22%
Does your instructional input & modeling yield the positive returns you want for your students?
Check if Used Strategy Return
Teach Others/Immediate Use of Learning 95%
 X Practice by Doing 75%
X Discussion 50%
Demonstration 30%
Audio Visual 20%
X Reading 10%
X Lecture 05%
Safety Considerations
N/A

Time
(min.) Process Components
15 *Anticipatory Set
● Warmup Writing
● Question of the day
○ TTW ask, “What does it mean to be a good friend?”
○ After calling on some students to answer, TTW simplify the class’ thoughts
into a single sentence like, “Being a good friend means always being
honest even when it hurts.” “Being a good friend means holding your friend
accountable.” “Being a good friend means cheering on your friend,
especially when they’re having a hard time.”
○ TTW ask how they know these things (Life lessons)
○ TTW explain that literary themes are like those lessons that we learn
through life, only through text instead
1 *State the Objectives (grade-level terms)
● I can identify a literary theme
● I can explain how different themes show up in Oedipus Rex
10 *Instructional Input, Modeling, or Procedures
● TTW review the concept of theme, asking students what they remember from
earlier years
● TTW go through the steps of identifying a theme
○ Find main topics
○ Find how the main characters relate to/deal with the topic
○ Analyze how their feelings about the topic change throughout the story
● TTW explain that a theme is never one word; it has to be a complete sentence
○ A theme must also be some kind of lesson and arguable statement
● TTW explain that a universal theme is a theme that can apply to all peoples,
cultures, and places. Ex. “Treat people with kindness” applies to everyone, not just
Americans.
● TTW explain that a theme is not explicitly stated
Incl. *Check for Understanding
● TTW ask several students to repeat instructions for activities before beginning.

20 *Guided Practice
● Paired Carousel Discussion on Theme
○ TTW Write some topics from Oedipus Rex on the top of the available dry-
erase boards, drawing lines between each one to put each topic in its own
column. Topics will be:
■ Blindness/Sight
■ Fate
 ■ Justice
■ Guilt
○ TTW split up a pad of sticky notes and place them on desks so every
student can reach them
○ In pairs, TSW have 8 minutes to roam freely around the classroom, moving
from topic to topic. Within these 8 minutes, they will write a theme from
Oedipus Rex about each topic (ex. “Guilt is all-consuming”) on different
sticky notes and stick them in the corresponding columns. (Honors class
will have no upper limit. They should write as many as they can in 8
minutes)
○ In pairs, TSW then have 10 minutes to read the themes from their
classmates for each topic and write where they saw two of those themes
on two different sticky notes to stick to the corresponding theme (Honors
class will have no upper limit. They should write as many as they can in 8
minutes)
○ TTW go around to each topic, pulling some theme sticky notes and reading
them, asking for the class’ thoughts
20 *Independent Practice
● Theme Prompt on Canvas
○ Tier 1: A theme present in Oedipus Rex is “Fate is inescapable.” A
passage that demonstrates this theme spans from the start of Teirsias’ line
on p. 236 to the end of Teirsias’ line on p. 238. Write 2 cecs about how this
passage demonstrates this theme.
○ Tier 2: A theme present in Oedipus Rex is: “The cost of the truth can prove
to be all-consuming.” Find a passage that demonstrates this theme and
write 2 cecs about that connection.
○ Tier 3: Select a theme from the play. Find a passage that demonstrates
that theme. Write 2 cecs connecting the theme and the passage
Assessment
● TSW turn in their writing prompts on Canvas
○ If they do not finish in class, they must turn it in that day before midnight
○ Late/incomplete turn-in will result in deducted points (2 = 5%)
5 *Closure
● Why Does This Matter?
○ TTW ask the students, “Why does this matter?”
○ TTW answer, “Being able to identify a literary theme matters because,
without themes, literature is empty and pointless. When we read, we learn.
The theme is a huge part of what we learn.
Differentiation Strategies (e.g. enrichment, accommodations, remediation, learning style,
multicultural).
● Honors students will have the opportunity to write as much as they can during
guided practice, providing them with an extra challenge and also loosing the
restraints on them.
● The independent practice writing prompts are differentiated by readiness into 3 tiers.
Classroom Management Strategies (To ensure a positive learning environment).
If you can hear me clap x
Attention up front in 5
 Lesson Reflection:

Theme

Rebecca H. Shaw-Fuller

College of Arts & Sciences, Regent University

UED 496: Field Experience/E-Portfolio

Dr. Jenny Sue Flannagan

April 1, 2024
 Lesson Reflection:

Theme

As this lesson was also a part of my data project, the independent practice for this lesson

was differentiated by readiness. I had given them a preassessment the previous week and used

that data to split them into three groups. InTASC Standard 2(l) states that an effective teacher

“believes that all learners can achieve at high levels and persists in helping each learner reach

his/her full potential” (CCSSO, 2013). Beyond needing to differentiate for the sake of the

project, I differentiate in my classroom because I adhere to the beliefs outlined in this standard.

All students can achieve academic greatness; some just need different kinds of support. Standard

2(m) states, “The teacher respects learners as individuals with differing personal and family

backgrounds and various skills, abilities, perspectives, talents, and interests” (CCSSO, 2013).

Like my other data project lessons, I used data to ensure that I created an inclusive learning

environment for students across various skill and ability levels.

Another way in which I helped ensure that the lesson was approachable for all students

was by including the instructional strategy of the carousel discussion. In my philosophy of

education, I discuss how I want to do my best to address all my students' differing needs. This is

in my philosophy of education because of my Christian faith, which tells me to treat God’s

children with love and respect. When I tried to engage my students in a class discussion in a

previous lesson, it did not go over very well; they were very silent. So, for this lesson, I included

the carousel discussion to help them participate. In this version of a discussion, students get to

write their thoughts on sticky notes and then stick them to different spots on the whiteboard.

This strategy worked better than I ever could have imagined. Students had time to think,

write, and stick their notes for each of the two rounds of discussion. Studies show that carousel
discussions and brainstorming improve reading comprehension and speaking skills more than

basic small-group discussions, especially in the post-pandemic era (Rizal & Susanto, 2021, p.

447). Due to the success of this strategy with students who are hesitant to participate, I plan to

use this strategy more when I get my own classroom and my own students.
 Bibliography

Council of Chief State School Officers. (2013). InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards and

Learning Progressions for Teachers 1.0: A Resource for Ongoing Teacher Development.

Washington, DC: Author.

Rizal, S., & Susanto, F. (2021). Implication Principles Of Carousel Brainstorming Strategy As

An Efficiency Motivation For Improving Reading Comprehension in Pandemic

Era. International Journal of Educational Research and Social Sciences (IJERSC), 2(2),

439-448.