CBUP Lesson Plan Template: EDIS 5401

Unit Working Title: Images of Identity

Unit “Big Idea” (Concept/Theme): Finding Identity through Intersectionality

Unit Primary Skill focus: Analysis

Week 2 of 4; Plan 5 of 12

Plan type: Summary

Content Requirement Satisfied: Genre – Spoken Word Poetry

Unit Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Backwards Design Unit Document],

followed by Specific lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson:

COGNITIVE (Know & Understand)

 U1: Students will understand that their group identities intersect and at that intersection is
who they are.
 U2: Students will understand that analysis of identity can help us learn about ourselves
and empathize with others.
a. Students will be able to describe the effects of analyzing their own identity.
b. Students will be able to analyze the identity of various characters.
c. Students will be able to describe the effects of analyzing other’s identity.
 U3: Students will understand that their identities begin with their physical self and
develop and change depending on their social context.
a. Students will be able to describe how identities change over time and in various
contexts.

PERFORMATIVE (Do)

 S1: Students will be able to describe a person’s identity based on the intersection of
his/her multiple group identities
 S2: Students will be able to analyze group and personal identity
a. Students will know what literary analysis is
b. Students will be able to identify figurative language in a text
c. Students will be able to explain the impact of an identity on a person or text
 S3: Students will be able to explain the influences on an identity over time or in various
contexts
a. Students will be able to discuss the multiple influences on a person’s identity
b. Students will be able to discuss how and why an identity may change

AFFECTIVE (to feel/value) &/or NON-COGNITIVE

 A1: Students will value learning about other’s identities as a tool to foster empathy.
a. Students will be able to learn about other’s identities
 b. Students will be able to practice using empathy as a tool to analyze other’s group
identities.

SOL# SOL Objective

 9.4 - The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of literary texts including
narratives, narrative nonfiction, poetry, and drama.
 9.5 The student will read and analyze a variety of nonfiction texts.

CCS# CCS Objective

 RL 9 – 10.1 - Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
 RL 9 – 10.2 - Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its
development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and
refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

Methods of Assessment
 High School Experience “Brain Dump” [Diagnostic; pre-assesses S3a, S3b]
 “High School Training Ground” Analysis [Formative; assesses S2a, S2b SOL 9.4, CCS
RL 9 – 10.1]
 “Be Sure to Do” Literary Analysis [Formative, assesses S2a, S2b, SOL 9.4, CCS RL 9 –
10.1]
 “High School Training Ground” Class discussion [Formative, assesses S2a-c, S3a, S3b
SOL 9.4, CCS RL 9 – 10.1]
Procedures/Instructional Strategies

Beginning Room Arrangement:

Students will be seated at two-person tables arranged in rows and facing the front of the room. I
will be standing outside to greet students as they enter. On the board, it will say “Get in a circle
and get ready to play another round of “What’s the News?” The daily agenda will also be written
on the board.

 [5 mins.] Icebreaker Activity

I will welcome students and lead the students in the activity “What’s the News?” to break the ice
and foster classroom community. Students have done this activity before and should be familiar
with the process, but I will quickly review the steps before beginning. Once everyone has had an
opportunity to share, I will tell students to take their seats.
 [5 mins.] Lesson Opening
I will display the class norms on the board and ask students if there are any that need revision or
further consideration. I will make note of student responses by editing the Google document that
contains our class norms. Then, I will tell students that we need to be particularly mindful of our
class norms as we continue to explore some of the complex key concepts we began working with
in the previous class.
 [5 mins.] Brain Dump
I will pass out students’ writing notebooks as I explain that they are going to have five minutes to
write down anything that comes to mind when they think of their high school experience. I will
explain that these thoughts will be completely private unless the student wants to share, so they
should be honest in their reflection. As students write, I will take attendance.
 [5 mins.] “High School Training Ground” Poem
Near the end of the five-minute writing period, I will tell students to finish writing whatever
thought they are on and close their notebooks to indicate they are ready to move on. Once I have
students’ attention, I will explain that we are going to watch one of my favorite poets recite his
poem “High School Training Ground.” I will explain to students the author, Malcolm London,
wrote this poem when he was in high school. I will tell students that as they listen to the poem,
they should be thinking about the ways in which their own school experience does or does not
relate to the experiences London describes. Then, I will play the video.
 [15 mins.] Mini-Lesson: Literary Analysis
After showing the video, I will teach a mini-lesson on how to engage in literary analysis using
London’s poem as our sample text. I will transition to this lesson by giving each student a copy
of the poem. I will tell them to follow along as I model my thinking aloud and annotate the
poem. Students will be able to watch my annotations via the document camera. I will pay
particular attention to London’s use of imagery and the similes and metaphors he uses to create
this imagery. This lesson will follow the direct instruction model, allowing for a gradual release
of responsibility. First, I will identify two or three examples of similes and metaphors on my
own. Then, I will tell students to turn and talk with their table partner to find a simile or
metaphor together. After two to three minutes to discuss, I will ask for volunteers to share the
figurative language they identified. I will make note of these examples on my copy of the poem
as students share them. Finally, during the last five minutes of the lesson, students will
independently identify one place where London uses imagery. They will write their identified
example onto a piece of paper and explain the significance behind London’s imagery. Students
will turn these in before leaving class, so I can check for understanding. To wrap up this lesson, I
will explain that the annotations we have been doing can help us keep track of the figurative
language we notice in a text, which is an important component of literary analysis.
 [10 mins.] Literary Analysis Formative Assessment
Students will complete a formative assessment. I will be checking for students’ understanding of
how to do literary analysis. The formative assessment will require them to write down one thing
people should be sure to do when engaging in literary analysis and explain why they should do
that thing. Students will turn in their responses once they are finished writing.
 [5 mins.] Transition
I will explain that we are transitioning to a discussion of The Sun is Also a Star based on what
students read during the last class and for homework. I will remind students both London’s poem
and The Sun is Also a Star have much to say about intersecting identities. I will encourage
students to find connections between these texts and to use what they know about literary and
identity analysis to support those connections. Students will retrieve their copies of The Sun is
Also a Star and we will arrange the chairs so the class is sitting in a circle.
 [10 mins.] Think, Pair, Share
I will direct students’ attention to the Essential Question for the day: How do our intersecting
identities shape our perspectives and the way we experience the world? Students will have five
minutes to reflect on this question individually before they share their thoughts with the person
sitting to their right. Toward the end of the 10 minutes, I will call students’ attention back to me
by saying “If you can hear my voice, clap twice” and clapping. I will repeat this until I have all
students’ attention. Then, I will tell students that we are going to have a whole class discussion
on the observations, connections, and questions they have discussed with their partner.
 [20 mins.] Whole Class Discussion
I will lead students in a whole class discussion. The purpose for this discussion is for students to
discuss the effects of identity on the texts we have read and/or on their own high school
experiences. In all instances, students should strive to use their analytical skills to cite specific
examples from The Sun is Also a Star and/or “High School Training Ground. Ultimately, this
discussion should reveal the extent to which students understand how intersecting identities
shape our perspectives and the way we experience the world. For example, students may
reference Natasha’s unique position as an undocumented immigrant and/or Daniel’s
circumstances as a first-generation American. Similarities and differences can be drawn between
Natasha and Daniel and/or between either protagonist and students’ personal experiences.
 [10 mins.] Return to “Brain Dump” activity
To wrap up today’s lesson, I will have students return to the words or phrases they used to
describe high school that they wrote on a Post-It note. Students will take 5-7 minutes to reflect in
writing about how their intersecting identities shape their thoughts or feelings toward their high
school experience. I will then ask any student who is willing to share what they wrote. Then, I
will tell students to read The Sun is Also a Star for 30 minutes every night for homework. I will
remind students to record the number of pages they read on their reading log. Then, I will
dismiss the class.
Materials Needed (list):

 Post-it Notes
 “High School Training Ground” by Malcolm London video [Appendix 12]
 Transcript of “High School Training Ground” by Malcolm London [Appendix 13]
 Copies of The Sun is Also a Star
 Computer with internet access
 Document camera
 Promethean board and projector