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Modified Lesson Plan A (1): The Rise and Fall of Great Powers

Prior Academic Learning:

The students will build on their skills in considering and responding to questions posed
by the teacher, expressing their comprehension to the class as they did when reading On
The Road. They will also need to analyze the responses of their peers and report their
thoughts to create an informative discussion as before. Additionally, they should be able
to analyze a passage and apply their understanding of that passage to their own lives and
again relate this information to the class and teacher.

Misconceptions:
Students may confuse the three types of powers that Tom Richard defines in his title
explanation. The first twocourse of life and influences during lifecan come across as
very similar. It will be important to make a clear distinction between the various
powers. Writing notes on the board and providing examples will be beneficial in
creating a distinction as will asking the students to distinguish them in their own words to
check for understanding.

Linkages among prior knowledge, current lesson, and future lessons:

The class will have finished reading their first novel, On The Road. They will already be
familiar with the structure of a novel and the themes of travel and identity that are found
throughout The Rise and Fall of Great Powers. Students, however, will not be familiar
with the idea of great powers and how their effect on identity. This lesson will seek to
provide students with the necessary background knowledge on great powers to prepare
them to read the novel by using examples from their own lives which makes the material
more relevant. Once they have a basic understanding of this major theme, the students
can then make predictions about the novel and begin reading it in following lessons.

Objectives:

Relate the three types of great powers offered by Tom Rachman

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Apply the three types of great powers to their own lives by identifying points
where they were affected by them and relate those in their journals

Key Vocabulary:
It is important for students to understand the following vocabulary: great powers, rise,
and fall.

Academic Language:
In this lesson it will be essential for students to analyze, apply, and relate.

Materials
Chalk/white board, projector, 29 copies of the Title Explanation sheet, 29 copies of the
rubric, 29 student journals

Preparation
The objectives along with the phrase great powers will need to be written on the board.
The students journals should be passed out on their desks and 29 copies of the Title
Explanation sheet should be and nearby. The worksheet should also be ready to be
projected on the board.

Procedures

Begin by going over the objectives for the day (*See attached schedule at the
bottom) (1 min)

Point to the phrase on the board, great powers, and ask the class what they think
this means and for examples

Write the students responses on the board around the original phrase and discuss
their answers (do some students agree/disagree? What makes it a power and
what makes it a great one?) (10 min)

Add the phrase the rise and fall of over the original phrase to make the title
The rise and fall of great powers

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Ask the class what it would mean for great powers to rise and fall and allow
for students to discuss as a class (7 min)

After the student have discussed the meaning of the sentence, explain to the
students they will now look at why the author used this as the title for his book

Project the Title Explanation on the board and pass out a paper copy to the class

Read the passage allowed and write the numbers 1, 2, and 3 on the board as you
explain that the author describes three types of powers (2 min)

Ask the class for each power, an explanation, and an example, writing their
responses on the board (Make sure to distinguish the first two clearly) (7 min)

Ask the class to compare these new definitions and examples with the previous
ones they providedare they the same? Where would some of their examples fit
into these three categories? Write their responses on the board (5 min)

Ask the class to think about the powers in their own lives, asking them to open
their journals and write down two powersone that rose and one that fellfrom
each category in their life and present an example in your own life (15 min)

Pass out the short rubric so they see how they will be graded

If the students begin to finish their journals, ask the class if anyone would like to
share an example

Collect their journals and rubrics as they leave

Discussion Ideas

What do you think of when you think of great powers?

What are these powers great? What control do they have? And on what?

How can powers rise and fall? What are some examples?

What examples did you provide that fit into Tom Rachmans definition? How do
they fit?

Planned Instructional Supports

The lesson itself is designed to support students when they begin reading the
novel. The topic presented is a theme that presents itself throughout the text. In having
the students discuss the theme and think about it in relation to their own lives, they are

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given background knowledge to improve their reading of the text. Within the lesson
itself, the teacher is working with the students as a class to break down a quote. The
teacher directs the discussion so that students, especially those on the brink of failing may
grasp the theme. Throughout this time, everything is being written on the board or
visually displayed for the students to see, even points made by the students. This enables
those struggling in the class to have a visual and gives them time to take notes if
necessary. It also assists the language learners when students may be speaking too fast or
using vocabulary that is challenging. Furthermore, it assists the student with Autism, as it
helps him to stay organized and have a visual to follow instead of becoming distracted
and lost in the speech that takes no direction.
To support the cultural diversity in the class, students are given a chance to
consider the theme in relation to their own lives. The students will journal their own great
powers that have risen and fell. This allows every student, no matter their ethnicity or
background to relate to the material because they are pulling directly from their own
experiences to complete the assignment. Jim Burke in The English Teachers
Companion, cites the work of Johannessen and McCann (2009) who highlighted the
connection to students interest outside of school as having a reliable effect on reading
achievement (178). Each student will pull from their personal experiences to relate to
the text and gain a better understanding of its theme and become more apt to read the text
successfully.
To manage the classroom more efficiently, the teacher will also place the
students journals on their desks to eliminate transitions and prevent the interruption of
students getting up and wasting time to pick out their journals, which can easily pull the
class off topic.

Language Accommodations:
To support the language learners uptake of knowledge, the teacher will write all
her notes on the board in addition to the points of the students made during the
discussion. The goal is to provide the students with a visual to follow when tracking
speech simply by listening may become overwhelming. The quote discussed during class
will also be projected on the board in addition to being in front of them as a handout.

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These visuals are included to keep them on track when they need to stop and consider a
word or phrase.
To support the production of knowledge by both language learners and those
whose dominant language is African American Vernacular, the students can write in their
journals however they choose. The students will not be required to write using standard
conventions but in the way they would like to present their experiences. Samy H. Alim
and Django Paris in What Are We Seeking to Sustain Through Culturally Sustaining
Pedagogy? A Loving Critique Forward, make it clear that Pedagogies can and should
teach students to be linguistically and culturally flexible across multiple language
varieties and cultural ways of believing and interacting (96). By enabling students to
write in their dominant or chosen mode of speaking, the students are able to practice their
mode and feel valued for who they are at the same time.

Special Education Accommodations:

To accommodate the student with Autism in the class, the lesson will begin by presenting
the schedule and objectives for the day. In GPS for the English Classroom:
Understanding Executive Dysfunction in Secondary Students with Autism, Amy Azano
and Elizabeth Tuckwiller, explain that Structuring ones environment is critical for
students, especially students with ASD who thrive on routines and often lack
organizational skills (41). The schedule and objectives will be presented to help
maintain a routine. The same goes for the notes written on the board. They serve the
purpose of giving the students a means of structure to follow along instead of speech that
the student could easily get distracted from. Transitions are also minimized by providing
students with the materials they need so that everyone even students who do not have
Autism can stay on track and maintain a routine. It is also important that the teacher gives
clear directions and warning about what will be presented next when moving from
activity to activity so the student is prepared to move on without becoming distracted.

Assessments:
Because there is diversity in this classroom, having students with various ethnicities,
languages, disabilities, and academic standings, the teacher will provide multiple forms

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of assessments. One mode will include the journals that students use to write the ways in
which great powers have influenced their lives. This serves as a formative assessment to
ensure that the students were able to understand the key terms (e.g. great powers).
Evidence of their understanding will be shown in whether they are able to apply them to
their own lives and come up with three of each type of rise and fall from their life. This
will be scored on a small check off rubric which is based on whether the information
makes sense and is correctly applied to all 6 components. Journals are specifically useful
to the language learners who may have trouble speaking in class or reading a test. Instead
they are able to put the information in their own words to relate their understanding. They
are also beneficial to students with Autism as Azano and Tuckwiller suggest including
ongoing formative assessments or having the student keep a portfolio or learning
journal for a test or project grade (42). Instead of having a large test to cover the theme
of great powers the class will be graded based on their application of the material in
their own lives, responding in a journal. In addition to the journal, the students will also
be informally assessed on their participation in discussion and whether they are able to
break down the quote with the teacher. If the class is having a difficult time making sense
of the quote and not able to respond to the questions posed, the teacher will know
whether to break it down even further.

The following information will receive a

check if it makes sense and is correctly
applied
One rise from the course of life
One fall from the course of life
One rise from influences during one's life
One fall from influences during ones life
One rise from empires or forces of political
change that sway the world
One fall from empires or forces of political
change that sway the world

Extension Ideas:

Each box is
worth one
point for 6
points total

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The students could use their short journals on the influence of great powers in their life to
create a longer narrative to practice writing. Because the writing would be taken from
their own lives it would be more engaging to students. They would be motivated to write
the narrative to relate an accurate and well written depiction of their own lives.

References:
Alim, Samy H. and Django Paris. What Are We Seeking to Sustain Through Culturally
Sustaining Pedagogy? A Loving Critique Forward. Harvard Educational Review
Vol 84. No 1 (2014): 85-100. Web.
Burke, Jim. The English Teachers Companion. 4th ed. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2013.
Print.
Tuckwiller, Elizabeth D. GPS for the English Classroom. Teaching Exceptional
Children 43.6
(2011): 38-43. Web. 3 December 2014.

Illinois Professional Teaching Standards:

Standard 1 - Teaching Diverse Students The competent teacher understands the diverse
characteristics and abilities of each student and how individuals develop and learn within
the context of their social, economic, cultural, linguistic, and academic experiences. The
teacher uses these experiences to create instructional opportunities that maximize student
learning.
Knowledge Indicators The competent teacher: 1C) understands how teaching and
student learning are influenced by development (physical, social and emotional,
cognitive, linguistic), past experiences, talents, prior knowledge, economic circumstances
and diversity within the community
This lesson id focusing on providing students with prior knowledge before they begin
reading a novel. To provide this prior knowledge, the lesson has students consider their
own lives in relation to the material. Each student is then able to use his/her diverse
background and experiences to write their responses and apply the material.
Performance Indicators The competent teacher1 I) stimulates prior knowledge and
links new ideas to already familiar ideas and experiences

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This lesson has students consider their experiences in order to apply their new
understanding of theme of great powers to their lives.

Common Core English Language Arts Standards:

CC.9-10.SL.1 Comprehension and Collaboration: Initiate and participate effectively in a
range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grades 910 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and
expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Students will spend the first half of class considering the theme of great powers. They
will need to think and respond to what they are, provide examples, and consider others
responses to the same questions.
CC.9-10.R.I.4 Craft and Structure: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the
cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone
The students will look at a passage from the author of the book explaining his chosen title
and discuss its meaning.

Schedule

Discuss meaning of great powers

Read and discuss authors explanation of title

Write about great powers in your own life

Title Explanation
What is in A Book Title by Tom Rachman:
The Rise and Fall of Great Powers has three meanings. It refers to the rise and fall of a
person's powers over the course of life, gaining in strength as a kid, reckoning with
oneself during adulthood, declining in old age all stages that key characters confront
in this novel. A second meaning is the rise and fall of influences during one's life, be it
relatives whom you once overlooked but later admire or ideas that once enchanted you
that now seem preposterous. Finally, "great powers" has the traditional sense too,

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meaning the empires or forces of political change that sway the world and which
characters in this book watch, wondering what role if any they hold in their own times.