Lesson Plan 5
Focus/Context
The focus of this entire unit is
based on the theme or idea of relationships.
One of the texts that are suggested for study in this course is Lord
of the Flies. This novel is
filled with different kinds of relationships, including the relation to self, to
others, to society/culture, etc.
Specific Curriculum Outcomes
Speaking and Listening
- Students
will articulate, advocate and justify positions on an issue or text in a
convincing manner, showing an understanding of a range of opposing
viewpoints.
- Students
will examine others’ ideas and synthesize what is helpful to clarify and
extend their own understanding.
- Students
will ask discriminating questions to acquire, interpret, analyze and
evaluate ideas and information.
- Students
will listen critically to analyze and evaluate concepts, ideas and
information.
- Students
will interact in both leadership and support roles in a range of situations,
some of which are characterized by complexity of purpose, procedure and
subject matter.
- Students
will respond to a wide range of complex questions and directions.
- Students
will consistently demonstrate active listening and concern for the needs,
rights and feelings of others.
Reading and Viewing
- Students
will access, select and research, in systematic ways, specific information
to meet personal and learning needs.
- Students
will articulate and justify points of view about texts and text elements.
- Students
will respond critically to complex and sophisticated texts.
Writing and Other Ways of Representing
- Students
will evaluate the responses of others to their writing and media
productions.
- Students
will integrate information from many sources to construct and communicate
meaning.
Activities
- Students
will be divided into groups of five and begin working in a literature
circle which focuses on Lord of the Flies.
Each group member will be assigned a specific task, in the form of a
task sheet, for each class (i.e. Discussion Director; Literary Luminary;
Illustrator; Connector; Summarizer; Vocabulary Enricher; Travel Tracer;
Investigator). Students will
not necessarily have the same task/role each day, but they will be
encouraged to switch roles to get the most out of the experience.
- In
their Literature Circles, students will discuss the novel at their
own pace and they will only discuss what they feel to be important (i.e. the
teacher will supervise and perhaps even sit-in on the groups, but s/he will not
lead or direct the discussions, unless this becomes necessary) but
particular attention to the theme of relationships ought to be stressed.
- Students
will be given four class periods to work in their Literature Circles,
and then one class to prepare for a 15 minute group presentation, which
could take any form that they wish (i.e. formal presentation;
technology-assisted; dramatization; etc.).
- Students
will have the opportunity to view a video production of the novel at the
beginning of this section of the unit, and they will be encouraged to bring
this into their discussions.
Assessment
- Individual
students will be graded through direct observation by the teacher and
through a peer-scoring sheet which will be constructed collaboratively with
the entire class.
- Presentations
will be assessed by the teacher based on style, content, breadth and depth
of the interpretations and on effectiveness in delivery.
Resources
Lord of the Flies
Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in the
student-centered classroom. By Harvey Daniels,
Stenhouse Publishers, York, ME.
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