Towson University

Department of Secondary Education

Lesson Plan Template
The Trial Day Two

Name: Rebekka Inglefield Date: 02/23 & 02/24

Brief Class Description: (1B) This class is a 9th grade Honors English class. There is a total of
21 students in this class. There are no IEPs or 504s in this class.

Unit and Unit Goals: To Kill a Mockingbird

I can analyze and evaluate the witness testimonies.

I can define courtroom vocabulary that is significant for the PBA.

I can identify Rhetorical appeals in Atticus closing statement.

Lesson Topic: Elements of an argument.

Prior Knowledge: Students are regularly asked to close read a passage. They know to use the
suggested annotations and purpose for reading to help guide them through their reading. Students
have taken notes and practiced identifying Rhetorical appeals last lesson. Students have watched
all of the testimonies and are now analyzing them in their novels.

CONTENT STANDARDS:

Alignment:
Common Core Objective Assessment Activity(ies)
Disciplinary Literacy (Brief description or
Standards related title of
activity)
Determine an author's SWBAT an authors Students will identify Activity Four
point of view or purpose in a text which Rhetorical
purpose in a text and through their use of appeals Atticus uses
analyze how an in his closing
rhetoric.
author uses rhetoric statement.
to advance that point
of view or purpose.
RI.9.6.
Present information, SWBAT present the Students will present Activity Two
findings, and information, findings the findings of their
supporting evidence and the supporting witness to their
clearly, concisely, and groups.
evidence to their
logically such that
listeners can follow group.
the line of reasoning
and the organization,
development,
substance, and style
are appropriate to
purpose, audience,
and task.
SL.9.4.
Produce clear and SWBAT produce Students will Activity Two, Three
coherent writing in clear and coherent complete their and Four
which the writing with a witness testimony
development, and PBS notes in a
specific still, task,
organization, and clear and coherent
style are appropriate and purpose. manner.
to task, purpose, and
audience.
W.9.4.

Materials Needed:
ELMO
Power point
Witness Testimony Handout
Passage of Atticus closing statement.
Film (Netflix)

Technology Integration/Needs:
ELMO for grammar and any time I need to display materials for students to see.
Computer to watch the film

Lesson Procedure: Block to Block Schedule- 90 Min (Two-Day Lesson)

1. Readiness/Opening Activity: Grammar, Learning Outcomes & Agenda

the State has not produced one iota of medical evidence

When students enter the room, the expectation is that they grab their journals and begin writing
down the grammar grabber. Students have around two minutes after the bell rings to have their
sentence and corrections down in their journal. For my honors classes, a student comes up to the
Elmo and runs drill.

Modification for standard: I run drill for my standard class. There are not comfortable enough
with the material to run drill yet.

After drill, we review the agenda and learning outcomes. I always have students read the agenda
and the learning outcomes. By having the students read the agenda and learning outcomes, they
know what is expected of them today.

Time Allotted: 10 Minutes

Adaptations (for IEP, ELL, culture, and other special needs):

Transition (explicitly linking concepts/activities/objectives): Students put their

journals in their bins and are ready to begin class.

2. Activity One: Finish film/ discuss film.

A few classes need to finish the film clip of the trial. Once we finish the film clip,
students will have 3 minutes to finalize their answers before we have a class discussion
about the film.

1A- Has finished the film.

2A- Start at 1:20 min (10 min left)
4A- Start at 1:17 min (13 min left)
1B- Start at 1:26 min (4 min left)
3B: Start at 1:15 min (15 min left)

Time Allotted: Film + 3 minute + 5 minute discussion= 8 minutes plus film.

Adaptations (for IEP, ELL, culture, and other special needs): N/A
 Transition (explicitly linking concepts/activities/objectives): Now that we have
watched the trial, I want everyone to take a look at the testimonies in our books.

3. Activity Two: Witness Testimony

Students will choose one witness to analyze their testimony in the book. Each group member will
be responsible for their witness. Each table will share their answers with their group, and will
work together to complete their chart. This will be a modified jigsaw activity. This gives the
students the chance to do some close reading on the passages they just watched in the film.

Time Allotted: 15 minutes to read and fill out the chart. 10 minutes for each group
member to share and fill out their chart. 25 minutes total.

Adaptations (for IEP, ELL, culture, and other special needs):

4. Activity Three: Trial vocabulary notes significant for the PBA

These notes are in relation to the courtroom vocabulary we took last lesson. I split the notes up
so that the students were not taking notes for an entire period. These terms are significant for the
essay they will be writing on their PBA next week. Students will come up with their own
definitions for their notes (like previous class).

Time Allotted: 10 minutes

Adaptations (for IEP, ELL, culture, and other special needs):

Transition (explicitly linking concepts/activities/objectives): Review Ethos,

Pathos and Logos with them. Have them tell me their definition for each appeal.

5. Activity Four: Atticus closing statement

Before we begin this activity, review Rhetorical appeals with the students. Last time we
took a look at these appeals, for most that was the first time. For logos, we specifically
focused on statistics. For this closing argument, try identifying a statement that can be
considered a fact. This fact does not need to have specific statistics in it. It can be a
statement that is considered a fact.

Students will read Atticus closing statement individually. They will use their suggested
annotations to understand the passage and answer their purpose for reading questions.

Time Allotted: 18-20 minutes to read, annotate and answer questions.

 Adaptations (for IEP, ELL, culture, and other special needs): Modification for
standard: I will read the closing argument aloud.

Transition (explicitly linking concepts/activities/objectives).

6. Extension/Follow-up (homework, etc. optional): Need to finish annotating and

answering the purpose for reading questions.

7. Safety Valve (What will you have students do if you have time left in class?): Have
students write a summary of their Cornell notes.