Flipped Lesson 3

Demographics: You have a classroom of 19 students. 5 are on reduced-lunch (low SES

families). You have 2 ELL students, both who have been in the country for several years
and have had intensive ELL instruction in elementary school. All of the students are in
the 10th grade.
Symbolism
*Lesson plan based on a 50-minute lesson
Purpose/Rationale: The purpose behind this lesson is for students to learn what symbols
are and how symbolism is used within text. This lesson is being taught while the students
are beginning to read The Great Gatsby, which is rich in symbolism. This lesson is
important because it will give them the skills necessary to analyze symbols, find a deeper
meaning within them, and look at this text and future texts in a critical way. By
examining symbols, the students will be able to draw conclusions for themselves about
what underlying messages the author was intending for them to receive. This lesson
teaches students the skills required to become critical thinkers in their reading and
writing, elevating their reading, writing, and thinking maturity level. This lesson is being
taught as a flipped lesson, meaning that they are learning the material at home before this
lesson and then using their class time to apply their skills learned from the lesson. Before
this lesson the students have viewed a YouTube video containing a Powerpoint
presentation explaining symbolism with its definition, as well as examples and meanings.
Florida Standards:
LAFS.910.L.2.3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend
more fully when reading or listening.
LAFS.910.L.3.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings.
Objectives:
Students Will Be Able To
Analyze symbols for their meanings within the text.
Construct a visual representation of a symbol
Materials
Poster board
Markers
Pencils/pens
Symbols handout (Appendix B)
Anticipatory Set: The students will begin by entering class and retrieving their in-class
journals from the back of the classroom in the bin marked for their class period. They will
begin free writing for a designated 10 minutes about anything they would like, as long as

their pen or pencils never leaves the paper. The teacher will set a timer once the bell rings
for class to start on the Smart Board so that the students can track their time When the 10
minutes is up the timer will go off and the students will know to stop writing where ever
they are at, place their journals back in their designated bin, and return to their seats.
Teaching Strategy/Procedure/Activity:
Time (based on a 50-minute
lesson)
10 minutes

1 minute

3 minutes

4 minutes

Student is doing
Free writing about any topic
they would like as long as
their pen or pencil remains
on the paper for the entire
time allotted (10 minutes).

Teacher is doing

The teacher will set the

timer for 10 minutes and
instruct the students to
retrieve their in-class
journals and journal for 10
minutes with their pen or
pencil never leaving the
page. Inform students that
this free writing is allowed
to be about anything that
they would like.
Placing their journals back
When the timer goes off,
in the designated bin for
instruct the students to now
their class period and
place their journals back in
returning to their desks.
the designated bin for their
class period and return to
their desks.
Getting into groups of 4
Instructing students to get
(one group of 3 no
into groups of 4 (one group
moving desks, pair with
of 3) with the people around
people near).
them (no moving desks). As
the students are getting into
their groups, hand each
group a slip of paper (found
in attachments) with a word
on it.
Actively listening as the
Instruct the students to grab
teacher explains the activity. one piece of poster board
Grab one piece of poster
per group and a couple of
board per group and a
makers. Explain that they
couple of markers.
will be drawing a visual
representation of their
symbol on the poster board.
Tell the students to include
the symbol that they got on
their poster and one
example sentence using that
symbol correctly. Example:

10 minutes

Staying on-task and

working on their visual
representation of the
symbol that their group was
assigned.

5 minutes

Presenting their visual

representations with an
explanation. Respectfully
listening to their peers
presentations. One student
from each group should
hang the groups poster on
the Reading Wall and as
they come across the
symbols within the novel
they will write the sentence
that the symbol is used in
underneath the poster on a
post-it note.
Reading independently and
keeping an eye out for the
symbols used in the poster
activity.

16 minutes

1 minute

Rating their understanding.

their word is sad = draw

grey clouds. Example
sentence: The grey clouds
peered over the woman as
she said goodbye to the man
that she loved forever.
Explain that in this case, the
grey clouds are symbolic of
the sadness that the woman
is experiencing.
Walking around and
observing the students
progress on their visual
representations. Answering
any questions and offering
creative help if needed.
Call on groups one at a time
to present and explain their
visual representation. As the
students finish presenting,
instruct one person from
each group to hang their
groups poster on the
Reading Wall and as they
read and find use of each of
the symbols within the
novel they will write that
sentence underneath the
poster on a post-it note.
Instruct the students to
begin reading
independently, keeping an
eye out for the symbols that
were just used in the poster
activity.
Ask the students to raise
their hands and rate their
understanding of symbols
1-5, 1 being the least and 5
being the greatest.

Summary/Closure: To end the lesson, the students will rate their understanding of
symbolism and how it is used from 1-5 with their fingers, 1 being the least and 5 being
the greatest.

Assessment:
Formal assessment: there will be no formal assessment for this lesson.
Informal assessment: this will take place in the form of the students analysis of
the symbols used in the poster activity.
Homework: None.
Accommodations:
(M denotes male, F denotes female)
Herbert Millner (M)- ADHD: this student will receive preferential seating towards
the front of the classroom and will be allowed to take a walk to the water fountain
at the end of the hall if he becomes antsy.
Paten Vander (F)- Speech impairment: will not be required to speak in the
presentation.
Lya Gross (F)- Mild dyslexia: the teacher will be sure to stick to consistent
routines and repeat instructions clearly. Anything written will be written in a
large, clear font. This student will be allowed to use wide-ruled paper.
Oliver Fore (M)- Mild autism: the teacher will be sure to stick to consistent
routines. The student will have preferential seating towards the teachers desk. He
will not be required to speak in the presentation.
English language learners: will not be required to speak in the presentation.
Low SES: will be given time before the lesson while the rest of the class is
writing to use the in-class computers to watch the YouTube videos.
Plan B: There is no in-class technology used in this lesson, besides the timer and if the
Smart Board timer does not work then the teacher will keep track and post 5-minute and
2-minute warnings for the students on the front board. As for the at home technology, if
the students have not watched the video before coming to class and it is apparent that
they will be lost without the video then the video will be shown to the class before
beginning the worksheet. If the students finish their visual representations quicker than
the time allotted then they will be instructed to work with their group to establish who is
presenting what. If the activity or presentation exceeds the allotted time then the students
will have less time to independently read and that reading will be completed as
homework so that they stay on track.
Attachments/Appendices:
Symbols handout
Symbolism:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_iViRoG6eA&feature=youtu.be&hd=1

(Make 7 copies, 1 per class period)

(Cut along dotted line)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Group 1: Innocent

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Group 2: Masculine

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Group 3: Dainty

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Group 4: Love

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Group 5: Hate

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