Lesson Plan : Bad Characters - Trial and Error
Teacher Name: | Anca Stefan |
Grade: | Grade 6 |
Subject: | Language Arts |
Topic: | Students will stage conversations and debates focused on the main characters of the short story Bad Characters by Jean Stafford. |
Content: | characterization (direct and indirect) supported by textual references. cause and effect law vs. morality nature vs. nurture |
Goals: | Students will be able to support their arguments with evidence from the text. Students will use vocabulary words in context and for the purpose of illustrating their points. |
Objectives: | The learner will apply knowledge of characterization, point-of-view and author's purpose by using well-structured counter-arguments respectfully and for persuasive intent. |
Materials: | complete copies of the short story, an improvised courtroom (judge's bench, lawyers' podiums, jury) |
Introduction: | students will be organized in three groups as outlined in the guide projected on the board. The first group will be called the Defense Team and will focus their arguments on explaining why Lottie Jump's actions were simply misjudged and misunderstood. The second group will focus their arguments on why the relationship between Lottie and Emily was doomed from the very beginning. The third group will provide a backstory for Lottie Jumb focusing on her a detailed reconstruction of her her relationship with her family and especially with her mother. |
Development: | Teacher will give each group a brief demonstration that matches their topic and perspective. She will discuss mannerism, attention to audience, attention to story detail, etc. |
Practice: | each group will first work together to complete a worksheet that details that plan of action, strategies and arguments. |
Accommodations: | this is a modified Socratic seminar lesson developed for my AIG group. |
Checking For Understanding: | the activity requires a preexisting understanding of and knowledge of the text. |
Closure: | students will turn in their preplanning worksheets and will fill out a feedback sticky-note that asks them what they learned from this class activity. |
Evaluation: | performance, group worksheets and feedback sticky notes |
Teacher Reflections: | Because timing and modeling are two very important parts of this lesson, teacher will specifically pay attention to these two variables. The lesson can either fail completely or be a huge success as a result of appropriate timing using. |
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