Concept Unit

Lesson Plan
Unit Working Title: Characters as People
Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): The Role of the Individual in Society
Unit Primary Skill focus: Reading and Writing Character
Week 3 of 3; Plan #8 of 9; [90 mins.]
Plan type: Full-Detail
Content Requirement Satisfied: Reading Experience
Unit Learning Objectives (numbered), followed by specific lesson objectives
(lettered) being taught in this lesson:
SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
1. The roles of character in a story, what makes up a character, and how good
characters are formed.
2. All characters consist of dialogue and detail.
3. Nonconformity is a vital part of democracy.
4. Relatable characters can ground unfamiliar or imaginative context in writing.
5. Characters often create tension in a text through opposition to societal forces.
a. Leonard Meads character in The Pedestrian exemplifies this tension.
6. The perspective or point of view of a text influences the way we interpret
character.
AFFECTIVE (to feel/value) & NON-COGNITIVE
7. Value their individuality and differences from others.
8. Respect individual opinions that differ from theirs.
a. Viewpoints that differ from ones own are no less valid and should be given
equal opportunity.
PERFORMATIVE (to do)

9.

Articulate why both conformity and nonconformity are essential to democracy.

a. Explore the interplay between conformity and nonconformity in a small-group
debate.

10. Deconstruct tensions between individuals and social pressures in texts.

11. Create a character that interacts with society and pushes against/for social
norms.
SOLs:
1. 6.6 b) Use prior knowledge and build additional background knowledge as
context for new learning.
2. 6.7 f) Write multiparagraph compositions with elaboration and unity.
CCSs:
1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY. SL.6.1.C
Pose and respond to specific questions with elaboration and detail by making comments
that contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.
2. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY. W.6.3.D
Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to
convey experiences and events.
Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]
Beginning Room Arrangement: Standard
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]
1. [10 mins.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson: Anticipation Guide
Students take their seats; I have placed anticipation guides, the short story text on their
desks already, anticipation guides face up on top, texts face down underneath.
Hey guys and gals, were onto our last text in the character unit todaya short story
called The Pedestrian by Ray Bradbury. Were going to start this text with another
anticipation guide to begin stirring up the ideas well be thinking about. Go ahead and
fill it out. After that Im going to have you turn over the other sheet on your desks, read
the story to yourselves, and respond again to the anticipation guide. Its only a couple
pages long.

2.

[20 mins.] Step 1: The Pedestrian

Students silently read and respond to the short story.

3. [30 mins.] Step 2: Debate Activity
Students will move their desks into groups of four, and receive groupings of four to
participate in a debate activity in which the four splits into two pairs and takes turns
arguing opposing viewpoints. If groups of three are necessary, one person in each of
those groups will go twice. I will model the activity briefly with three students.
Great, now that youve all filled out both parts of the anticipation guide, keep your
answers in mind during this next activity: were going to be debating each othercivilly
with our discussion norms in full effect. You will see the groupings of four up here on
the projector, split into pairs. When I hand out the assignment sheet with the viewpoints,
of which there are two, you will discuss with your partner, come up with arguments for
that viewpointthey can relate to the story we just read or just make sense to youthen
present those arguments to the other pair in turn. When you hear the other sides
arguments, you should have a pencil and can use the assignment sheet to take notes.
Anything you see as a flaw in their argument or something theyve overlooked you might
be able to use against them when you do your rebuttalboth sides will do this as well,
after both sides initially present and then discuss again. Tom, Susie, Naomi? Will you
guys help me show everyone? Great.
Alright, Tom and Susie, you guys are going to argue that the best way to make a peanutbutter and jelly is to put the peanut butter on first, and Naomi and I are going to say jelly
should go first. So well all discuss for a moment the benefits of our sides and why
theyre right, then present them in turn to the other side. One member will do the initial
argument, and the other will do the rebuttal. So Ill go first. My argument here is simple,
but yours will probably have more points. If you put the jelly on first, it starts to sink into
the bread to make it extra juicy, and its also easier to clean jelly off of a knife than
peanut butter. Now, Susie? Got anything for us? Naomi, be ready to write down any
flaws you see in her argument.
(Jellys messier, etc.).
Now after we hear these, Naomi and I go back and discuss why their arguments arent as
important or valid as ours. Then Naomi will present a rebuttal, then Tom his. After this,
we all vote to see which side wins (its ok if its a tie). Then you all will move onto the
next debate. There are only two, so go ahead and get started.
Students complete the debate activity. I will circulate during this time, and listen to the
arguments being made. I will assess student participation as I listen.
4. [30 mins.] Step 3: Fighting Back Snapshot
Students will begin work on a character snapshot using their character development sheet
characters. I will instruct them to take out their laptops and development sheets for the

duration of the activity. The restriction on the snapshot is only that the snapshot must
show the characters actions or reactions in response to a policy, law, rule, or other kind
of guideline that they find unfair, but that most people do not. Students will be
encouraged to reflect on Harrison Bergeron, The Pedestrian, The Lottery, and The Secret
Life of Walter Mitty for the snapshot. I will provide a list of suggestions for the context of
the guidelines on the projector as students work:
A bosss work guideline/policy?
A school policy?
A new/old law that is unfair to your character?
Police/authorities being unfair to your character due to a guideline/law/policy?
Other citizens being unfair to your character due to a guideline/law/policy?
Repercussions of a lifestyle choice of your characters that doesnt fit the majority?
During this time I will circulate and conference with students on their writing.
Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment
used in this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After
each assessment, indicate in brackets the number(s) and letter(s) of the unit objective and
the related lesson objectives that the assessment is evaluating.
Diagnostic:
1. Students will complete anticipation guides before reading the text. (Objectives 8a, 10;
SoL 6.6 b; CCSS SL.6.1.C)
Formative:
1. Students will participate in small-group debates in pairs, taking turns arguing and
rebutting arguments related to the role of the individual in challenging society.
(Objectives 3, 5a, 8a, 9a; SoL 6.6b; CCSS SL.6.1.C)
2. Students will craft a character snapshot depicting a characters
reaction/actions/response to being marginalized or victimized by societal
standards. (Objectives 3, 5a, 9a, 10, 11; SoL 6.7f; CCSS W.6.3.D)
Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:
(This is where you identify specific aspects of this lesson which have been differentiated
in order to address the needs of one or more of your profiled studentsidentify them by
name)
Getting shy students engaged in the active process of debating is my key point of
differentiation here, hence my inclusion of Naomi in my model (similar things could be
done with other shy students). Creating a tone where its alright to be wrong in the
classroom can open up students to making mistakes and taking risks. I will keep these
points in mind as I circulate and listen to student debates, and I expect to often intervene
in them when they dont seem to be going as planned.
Materials Needed:

Access to projector
Copies of text
Copies of Anticipation Guide
Student Character Creation Sheets
Printer Paper
Extra pens/pencils
Student laptops