Introductory Information

Lesson Plan
Teacher Candidate: Jessica Higgins

Date: March 30, 2015

Grade and Topic: Grade 11, English Language Arts

Length of Lesson: 45

minutes for 2 days

Mentor Teacher: Murdock & Phillips
IDT 7061

School: The University of Memphis

Unit Objective
The Centuries and Themes lesson is part of a unit that covers American literature within three
distinct periods of time, namely the 18th century, 19th century, and 20th century. This unit will not
only cover the specific centuries and several texts within each one, but it will also address the
different themes of each text and how they relate to each other within a time period. Students
must be able to relate themes within a similar time period, as described in the Tennessee state
English Language Arts standard.

Lesson Objective
Content Learning Goals and Objectives
1. Given a list that entails the texts that have been previously read and discussed in class, TLW
select one text from the covered American literature of all three periods, namely the 18 th, 19th,
and 20th centuries with a score of three out of three on the rubric.
2. Given a list that entails the texts that have been previously read and discussed in class, TLW
select one additional text, totaling four selections, from ONE of the periods mentioned in
Objective 1 that has a similar theme to the other text selected from that same period with a
score of one out of one on the rubric.
3. Given a Student Data Collection Sheet, TLW list the selections, including the information:
author, title, and publish date with a score of twelve out of twelve on the rubric.

4. Given the textbook which includes the text of the literature and student notes, TLW analyze
each selected work for a specific theme with 100% completion.
5. Given the Student Data Collection Sheet, TLW list the themes for each selection with an eight
out of eight on the rubric.
6. Given a computer and spreadsheet software, TLW recreate the table from the Student Data
Collection Sheet in the spreadsheet software with a ten out of ten on the rubric.
7. Given time after the spreadsheet has been created, TLW write a paragraph explaining how two
literary works from the same period treat a similar theme, include similarities and differences
with a six out of six on the rubric.

Student Participation
The goal of this lesson is for students to demonstrate a clear understanding of how to list the
specific author, title, and publishing date of a given literary work as well as list one theme
entailed in it. Students will provide visual representation of this by using spreadsheet software
and will also analyze one similar theme that is expressed in two texts of the same century.

Standards: Curriculum and ISTE

Standards for Students
Curriculum Standards:
Common Core/ Tennessees State English Language Arts Standards
Grades 11-12:

Grade 10-11 Reading Standards for Literature: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
o Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth-, and early-twentieth-century
foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the
same period treat similar themes or topics

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards:

3. Research and information fluency: Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and
use information.
o b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a
variety of sources and media.

Materials

Materials Used
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

List of literature previously covered in class

Student textbook
Student notes
Student Data Collection Sheet
Pencil
Notebook paper
Computer
Microsoft Excel (or other spreadsheet program)

Technology Integration
Students will use the computer to access Microsoft Excel or another spreadsheet program.
Students will use this software to create a table, type, format, and edit information. Using the
spreadsheet program is useful for students because it helps conceptualize information as well as
organize it in a meaningful way. Upon completion of the activity, students will save their work to
the computer as well as print a copy to turn in. A sample of the student product is available in
the Student Product section of this lesson plan.

Background and Rationale

o

o
o
o
o
o

Students will demonstrate an ability to list certain aspects of literary texts, such as the
author, title, and publication date as well as list themes for each and place each text in the
correct literary period.
Students will also analyze the representations of a similar theme in two texts from the
same time period in paragraph format.
Academic language is not addressed in IDT 7061.
This lesson demonstrates the completion of Tennessee state English Language Arts
standard for grades 11-12.
Students will refer to this assignment and use it as an example to meaningfully
conceptualize (mentally and literally) other literary information.
I am aware that this lesson will be differentiated for students who did not master the
objectives ad for those ready for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in
this course and are not part of this particular lesson.

Problem Statement
Imagine that you just graduated college with your English degree and you are finding it difficult
to obtain a job. You love literature and grammar, but you dont want to be a teacher. After two
months of job searching and coming up empty-handed, you finally receive your first call for an
interview. You research the company and find out that you will be responsible for helping to
create a new English Language Arts textbook for freshman college English! You are really excited
and begin placing your favorite works of art into a spreadsheet format to take with you on your
interview. You will show the textbook company that you have already placed several aspects of
your favorite works in a spreadsheet before by using Microsoft Excel and including certain

aspects such as themes, author, title, publication date, publication medium, etc. By showing your
interviewers your spreadsheet, you insinuate that you would be a great candidate for the job!

Procedures and Timeline

Introduction
o
o

o
o

I will begin the class by reading the Problem Statement to peak student interest and
motivation for the task.
I will then ask students if they still have their literature list that was passed out at the
beginning of the year.
o I, of course, will have copies for those students who do not have theirs.
I will provide an explanation of how to list titles to works of art (italicize/underline or
quotation marks).
o Quotation marks are for short works and italicizing/underlining is for longer works.
I will also review what a theme is by using an example from one of the texts we have
covered.
o A theme of The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is Blindly Following Tradition.
o A theme is a central idea that is reinforced by the literature.
I will alert students that they will have the whole class period (45 minutes) for two days to
complete this project.
I will then tell students about the task that they will perform and show them a student
sample (see Student Product section) on the projector screen so that they have an idea of
what they are being asked to do.
I will also show students the assessment rubric that I will use on the projector screen so
that they understand exactly what I will be looking for and how it will be graded.

Procedures
Prior to the Computer (Day 1 45 minutes)
o

Teacher Procedures
o After the introduction, distribute the Student Data Collection Sheet and tell students
that this is to help them organize their information.
o Tell students to begin to make their choices for the spreadsheet.
o Also, alert students to begin to think about how their selection of two works for one
period must contain similar themes, which is the subject of their paragraph which
will complete the assignment.
o Roam the room for questions or issues.
Student Procedures
o Students will look through their literary list, textbook, and notes to decide on 4
works of American literature from three different periods (the 18 th century, the 19th
century, and the 20th century).
o They will use the Student Data Collection Sheet to begin to organize the information
in the format that will be the final product.
o Students will also begin to think about how the two texts from the same period
share a similar theme and how it is presented both similarly and differently in the
two texts.

At the Computer (Day 2 25 minutes)

o

Teacher Procedures
o Have students select a computer to go to.
o Have students open Microsoft Excel.
o Demonstrate a quick overview of the functions of Excel, such as entering text and
making the cells smaller or larger.
o Instruct students to go ahead and name and save their sheet as their name followed
by centuries and themes: Jessica Higgins Centuries and Themes.
o Instruct students to save their work at intervals while working, just in case.
o Monitor and assist as needed.
Student Procedures
o Open Microsoft Excel (or other spreadsheet program).
o Watch the short overview (by the teacher) of the simple functions of Excel.
o Save blank sheet as name and centuries and themes: Jessica Higgins Centuries and
Themes.
o Begin typing in A1-E1 (across the first row) the headings: Century, Author, Title,
Publication Date, and Theme.
o Format each heading to ensure sufficient room for heading title and text.
o Begin typing in A2-A5 (down the first column) the headings: 18 th, 19th, and 20th.
o Make sure there are two 18th, 19th, or 20th headings for whichever century you
chose to have two texts from.
o Fill in information from research and Student Data Collection Sheet into each
corresponding cell in spreadsheet program.
o Again, format each heading (row and column) to ensure sufficient room for heading
title and text.
o When all information is entered, correct any spelling or typing errors.
o Save a final copy.
o Print a copy.

After the Computer (Day 2 10 minutes)

o

Teacher Procedure
o Tell students to hold on to their printed copy of their spreadsheet project until the
end of class.
o Instruct students to write on a piece of notebook paper a paragraph which explains
how two literary works from the same period explore a similar theme, including
similarities and differences.
Student Procedure
o Students hold on to their spreadsheet projects.
o Students write a paragraph on notebook paper discussing how two literary works
from the same period explore a similar theme, including similarities and differences.

Not at the Computer

If for some reason there are not enough computers to go around, the students will still be able to
complete all activities, just not in the above-stated order. The students, while not at the
computer, will be able to: examine their notes and textbooks for specific works and themes that
they would like to include, fill out their Student Data Collection Sheet (which mimics a
spreadsheet) with this information, and brainstorm/write their final paragraph.

Closure (Day 2 - 5 minutes)

o
o
o
o

Ask one or more students (depending on time constraint) to share their work with the
class, including which texts were chosen and which themes were listed.
Instruct students to write their names on the spreadsheet document as well as their
written paragraph.
Tell students to staple the two papers together.
Instruct the students to turn in their work at the teachers desk on the way out the door.

Student Data Collection Sheet

Student Name: __________________________ Date:
_________________________________
Class Period: ____________________________ Teacher:
______________________________

Assignment Title:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Information to be collected:
CENTUR AUTHOR
Y
18th
19th
20th
18th,19th
, or 20th
Brainstorm:

TITLE

PUBLICATI
ON DATE

THEME

What are the two works from the same century that you chose?

What are one or more themes that they share?

How do the authors explore the themes? How do they do so similarly? How
do they do so differently?

Student Product
Microsoft Excel Product

Also, see attached Excel Spreadsheet entitled Jessica Higgins Centuries and Themes.

Paragraph
Both Allen Ginsberg, in his poem America and T.S. Eliot, in his poem The Love Song of J. Alfred
Prufrock, examine the issues with the modern society of their day. The speaker in The Love
Song writes from his perspective at a social gathering where the women and men are
socializing, but in his opinion, not really talking about anything. He attempts to speak of his
modern world where people do not really care about deep issues anymore, but more about
shallow things. Allen Ginsberg writes his poem to show the issues of his modern world as well.
Ginsberg, however, is much blunter than Eliot in his writing. Eliot uses metaphors and a story to
get his point across, whereas Ginsberg addresses America directly in the first line of the poem
and in several other instances. It is important to understand that a theme can be similar between
two works of art, such as problems with modern society, and can be addressed similarly as well
as differently.

Assessment Evidence
CRITERIA
3 Texts were
selected from the
covered
American
literature
periods, one from
each period. (3
pts)
1 Additional text
was selected
from one of the
periods with a
similar theme (1
pt.)
The student data
sheet was
correctly filled
out, including the
correct author (1
pt.), title (1 pt.),
and publication
date (1 pt.). (12
pts) 3 each
The student
correctly listed
themes for each
selection. (8 pts)
2 each
The student will
correctly create a
Spreadsheet
including all data
from the Student
Data Collection
Sheet. (10 pts)
5 each
The student will
write a
paragraph
explaining how
one theme can

No texts were
selected and/or
all texts were
incorrectly
identified with a
period.

No more than
one text was
selected and/or
correctly
identified with a
period.

No more than
two texts were
selected and/or
correctly
identified with a
period.

All 3 texts were

selected and/or
correctly
identified with a
period.

No text was
selected and/or
was incorrectly
identified with a
period and/or did
not have a
similar theme
The student data
sheet was not
filled out at all.
(0)

Text was
correctly
selected and
correctly
identified with a
period and had a
similar theme
The student data
sheet was
correctly filled
out with no more
than one work.

The student data

sheet was
correctly filled
out with no more
than two works.

The student data

sheet was
correctly filled
out with no more
than 3 works.

The student did

not correctly list
any themes.

The student
correctly listed
no more than
one theme.

The student
correctly listed
no more than
two themes.

The student
correctly listed
no more than
three themes.

The student did

not create a
Spreadsheet
and/or incorrectly
created/filled it
in.

The student
created a
spreadsheet that
was somewhat
correct and
correctly filled in
at least one half
of the
information.
The student
wrote about no
more than one of
the following:
how the theme

The student
correctly created
and filled in a
spreadsheet.

The student
failed to
complete the
paragraph and/or
wrote completely

The student
wrote about no
more than two of
the following:
how the theme

The student
wrote about all of
the following:
how the theme
can be

be shared
between two
works of the
same time
period. (6 pts)

off topic.

can be
represented in
two or more
works of the
same period, the
similarities of
expression of the
theme, or the
differences of
expression of the
theme.

can be
represented in
two or more
works of the
same period, the
similarities of
expression of the
theme, and/or
the differences of
expression of the
theme.

represented in
two or more
works of the
same period, the
similarities of
expression of the
theme, and the
differences of
expression of the
theme.

Modifications
I am aware that modifications will be made for students who did not master the objectives and
for those ready for enrichment. However, modifications are not covered in the course and are not
part of this particular lesson.