EDPG #7- Planning for Instruction

The competent, caring, professional educator plans instruction that supports all students in
meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, crossdisciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

Rationale Statement for EDPG #7

For EDPG #7, I chose a series of lessons I created during a unit I taught on the non-fiction book
Night by Elie Weisel. This series of lessons demonstrates my ability to plan instruction that
meets a variety of our rigorous standards, uses cross-curriculum knowledge, as well as my
knowledge of how these lessons relate to our community and to the world. Each lesson
demonstrates my ability to plan unique and challenging assignments that benefit the student in
the form of individual and group work, adapting as needed and offering alternatives as required.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Education Department

Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Angie Hudgens

Name of Lesson: Non-fiction Study: Night by Elie Weisel- Possessions

Subject:

English Language Arts

Grade

10

Rationale for Lesson: Students will benefit from an increased awareness and firsthand account
of the horrors of the Holocaust from reading Night. This lesson encourages students to consider
how they would react in a similar situation found in Night- leaving their possessions behind.
Learning Outcomes: Students will demonstrate their reading comprehension and understanding
of material and apply this knowledge to the Possessions activity in a peer group.
Assessment of Student Outcomes: Students will work as a peer group to name what items they
would take with them if forced from their homes and why they would take this item, applying
their knowledge of the setting and situation of Night.
Related Foundations/Indiana Academic Standard:
9-10.RN.2.2 Analyze in detail the development of two or more central ideas over the course of a
text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis.
9-10.RN.2.3 Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including
the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the
connections that are drawn between them.
9-10.RN.3.2 Analyze in detail how an authors ideas or claims are developed and refined by
particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text.
9-10.RN.3.3 Determine an authors perspective or purpose in a text, and analyze how an author
uses rhetoric to advance that perspective or purpose.
9-10.ML.2.2 Analyze and interpret the changing role of the media over time in focusing the
public's attention on events and in forming their opinions on issues.

Materials Needed:

Copy of Night
Possessions activity page
Student computers

Lesson/Activity Presentation:
Anticipatory Set: Discussion of chapter 1 of Night with emphasis on Elies family and
community being relocated to ghettos. The goal is to get students thinking about having to leave
their houses and only taking those items they could carry.
Teaching Procedures:

Read chapter 1 aloud as class follows along in book (to support those students
who need auditory learning)
Discuss removal of Elies family to the ghetto areas
o Emphasis on actions taken by the SS officers
o Having to leave many of their possessions behind
Put students into groups
Pass out Possessions activity sheet
Explain assignment
o As a group, discuss what items you would take with you if you were in the
same situation as Elie
o Generate a list of historically accurate items you would take with you
Can use the internet to assist with historical accuracy

Guided & independent practice: In peer groups, students will collaborate to create a list
of items to take with them if they were in Elies situation. Students should work together to
create a list and complete the activity sheet.
Closure:

Exit pass
o Why did the Jews believe they would not be taken to a concentration
camp?

Differentiated instruction:
Read aloud, discussing, and working in peer groups to complete the activity

Multicultural emphasis:

World History and effects of genocide.

Technology:
Document camera, student computers

Reflection on Lesson:
This was a good lesson and group activity. All students worked well together and were able to
use their comprehension skills to understand what the assignment was asking them to do. The
students, with the help of the internet, were able to create lists of items they would take with
them. The interesting part of this activity was that the students did not know if these items would
remain with them because they had not read the next chapter. After reading the next chapter,
most all students said they would choose items other than those they had listed originally.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Education Department

Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Angie Hudgens

Name of Lesson: Non-fiction Study: Night by Elie Weisel- Character study

Subject:

English Language Arts

Grade

10

Rationale for Lesson: Students will benefit from an increased awareness and firsthand account
of the horrors of the Holocaust from reading Night. In this lesson, students will begin a character
study of Elie as he enters the concentration camp of Auschwitz. This will be a continuing
student over the course of the novel.
Learning Outcomes: Students will learn to recognize character traits and analyze character
development over the course of a novel. Students will begin a character study at the beginning
of the novel and document the changes in Elies character as the story progresses.
Assessment of Student Outcomes: Students will demonstrate their ability to analyze character
development over the course of a novel.
Related Foundations/Indiana Academic Standard:
9-10.RN.2.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what a text says
explicitly as well as inferences and interpretations drawn from the text.
9-10.RN.2.2 Analyze in detail the development of two or more central ideas over the course of a
text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis.
9-10.RN.2.3 Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including
the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the
connections that are drawn between them.
9-10.RN.4.3 Analyze seminal U.S. and world documents of historical and literary significance,
including how they address related themes and concepts.
9-10.SL.2.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) on grade-appropriate topics, texts, and issues, building on others
ideas and expressing personal ideas clearly and persuasively.

Materials Needed:

Copy of Night
Character analysis chart
Student computers

Lesson/Activity Presentation:
Anticipatory Set: Discussion of chapter 1 of Night with emphasis on evaluating Elies
character traits at the beginning of the novel. Students will assign character traits to Elie on the
analysis chart that will be used over the course of the novel.
Teaching Procedures:

Read chapter 3 aloud as class follows along in book (to support those students
who need auditory learning)
Discussion about character traits
o Making inferences from the text about character
o Making predictions of how Elies character changes over time
Model a character sketch of Elies father for an example

Guided & independent practice: In peer groups, students will collaborate to create a list
of character traits identified to this point in the novel of Elie. Using the character chart, students
will input trait onto the character, which will be updated as we continue the novel.
Closure:

Exit pass
o What did Elie and his father do to avoid cremation at Auschwitz?

Differentiated instruction:
Read aloud, discussing, and working in peer groups to complete the activity

Multicultural emphasis:
World History and effects of genocide.

Technology:
Document camera, student computers

Reflection on Lesson:
Students needed assistance with word choice for character traits. In the future, a guide or chart
of words may be helpful to get them thinking. The character analysis discussion went well and
students were able to identify traits with prompting from me. The group portion of the lesson
was beneficial and helped students gain a broader understanding of how character can change
over the course of a novel.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Education Department

Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Angie Hudgens

Name of Lesson: Non-fiction Study: Night by Elie Weisel- Journal Responses

Subject:

English Language Arts

Grade

10

Rationale for Lesson: Students will answer journal prompts in a discussion board format online.
These prompts are modeled after Webbs Depth of Knowledge levels 3 and 4, which will require
students to use strategic and extended reasoning.
Learning Outcomes: Students will demonstrate their ability to think critically about a piece of
non-fiction literature, applying their knowledge of the novel to higher level thinking questions.
Assessment of Student Outcomes: Students will answer journal prompts on the online
discussion board once a week. Their responses should be at least 100 words long and exhibit
careful thought and critical thinking. Students will respond thoughtfully to 1 peers post in a
respectful manner.
Related Foundations/Indiana Academic Standard:
9-10.RN.2.2 Analyze in detail the development of two or more central ideas over the course of a
text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis.
9-10.RN.2.3 Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including
the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the
connections that are drawn between them.
9-10.RN.3.2 Analyze in detail how an authors ideas or claims are developed and refined by
particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text.
9-10.RN.3.3 Determine an authors perspective or purpose in a text, and analyze how an author
uses rhetoric to advance that perspective or purpose.
9-10.SL.3.1 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media and formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.

9-10.ML.2.2 Analyze and interpret the changing role of the media over time in focusing the
public's attention on events and in forming their opinions on issues.
Materials Needed:

Copy of Night
Student computers

Lesson/Activity Presentation:
Anticipatory Set: To further knowledge and discussion, journal prompts are designed
with Webbs Depth of Knowledge levels 3 and 4 in mind. This will require students critically
analyze the novel and carefully plan their answer.
Teaching Procedures:

Ensure all students are logged into computers and on discussion board webpage:
http://deal5thperiodnight.freeforums.net/
o Have discussion board page on screen so students can follow along.
o Instruct students how to find their first journal prompt
o Demonstrate how to reply to a journal prompt
Discuss journal prompt 1 and give example answer

Guided & independent practice: Individually, students will answer journal prompts
using their knowledge of Night and additional internet research if necessary. Students will then
respond to 1 other post by a peer.
Closure:

Exit pass
o Journal prompt 1 thread began and answer started.

Differentiated instruction:
Modeling, using discussion board prompts

Multicultural emphasis:
World History and effects of genocide.

Technology:
Student computers, internet

Reflection on Lesson:
After some initial hesitation about something new, the students really enjoyed answering the
journal prompts on the discussion board. During our instruction phase, students were
encouraged to start their own discussion threads on subjects relating to the novel, which they did
immediately. This began several conversations on the discussion board regarding other parts of
the novel. The journal responses were well written at time of grading, perhaps more so than their
responses during an oral discussion in class.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Education Department

Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Angie Hudgens

Name of Lesson: Non-fiction Study: Night by Elie Weisel- Project Genocide

Subject:

English Language Arts

Grade

10

Rationale for Lesson: Students will benefit from an increased awareness and firsthand account
of the horrors of the Holocaust from reading Night. This lesson encourages students research
other incidents of genocide in our worlds history and create a poster (interactive or postboard).
Learning Outcomes: Students will demonstrate their ability to research other incidents of
genocide and create a photo poster with captions and information regarding their chosen event.
Assessment of Student Outcomes: Students will create a poster with at least 4 pictures with
captions and at least 10 facts about their chosen incident of genocide. The poster will be graded
on accuracy and meeting the criteria for the project.
Related Foundations/Indiana Academic Standard:
9-10.W.5 Conduct short as well as more sustained research assignments and tasks to build
knowledge about the
research process and the topic under study.
Formulate an inquiry question, and refine and narrow the focus as research evolves.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative sources, using advanced searches
effectively,
and annotate sources.
Assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question.
Synthesize and integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas.
Avoid plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and follow a standard format (e.g., MLA,
APA) for

citation.
Present information, choosing from a variety of formats.
9-10.SL.3.1 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media and formats
(e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
9-10.SL.4.2 Create engaging presentations that make strategic and creative use of digital media
(e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) to add interest and enhance
understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence.
9-10.ML.2.1 Analyze how media include or exclude information from visual and verbal
messages to achieve a desired result. 9-10.ML.2.2 Analyze and interpret the changing role of the
media over time in focusing the public's attention on events and in forming their opinions on
issues.

Materials Needed:

Copy of Night
Project Genocide assignment guide
Research questionnaire
Student computers

Lesson/Activity Presentation:
Anticipatory Set: For full understanding of the Holocaust and the effects genocide has
worldwide, students will choose and research a chosen incident of genocide. This will reinforce
the lessons learned from reading Night and bring about a broader understanding of world events
through literature.
Teaching Procedures:

Research questionnaire
o Do internet search and find 3 other acts of genocide since World War II
Safe internet browsing rules discussed
Display example of poster and interactive poster for students
Students will research genocide and choose and event to research
Model a search for a genocide event and show were to find pictures and facts
o genocidewatch.org
Introduce interactive poster option
o

http://edu.glogster.com/

Hand out project assignment guide and discuss

Guided & independent practice: Individually, students research their chosen genocide
incident and determine what information to include on the poster according to the assignment
guidelines.

Closure:

Exit pass
o Turn in research questionnaire

Differentiated instruction:
Modeling internet search, traditional poster or interactive poster

Multicultural emphasis:
World History and effects of genocide.

Technology:
Document camera, student computers

Reflection on Lesson:
This turned out to be a great final project for this novel. The students did very well on
researching acts of genocide and coming up with the facts and pictures to use on their posters.
About 30% of all students utilized the interactive poster option, and after a few technical issues
we worked it out and they went on to create excellent posters that led to information on the
internet.