Kellyn Klapaska

EDTP 635

ANNOTATED LESSON PLAN

Teacher Standards
NCTE/NCATE Standards for Initial Preparation of Teachers of Secondary English
Language Arts, Grades 7-12:

II. Candidates demonstrate knowledge of English language arts subject matter content
that specifically includes language and writing as well as knowledge of adolescents as
language users.

IV. Candidates plan instruction and design assessments for composing texts (i.e., oral,
written, and visual) to promote learning for all students.

Grade: 9th
Unit: Authors Craft: Character, Diction, and Structure
Lesson Topic: Sakis (H.H. Munro) The Open Window: Character Analysis
Time Allotted: 50 minutes

Context for Learning

We are studying a unit on authors craft: character, diction, and structure. In this lesson,
we are specifically focusing on reviewing characterization. The students were given a
preview of the author and an introduction to The Open Window on the day prior. We
also discussed the technique of social satire and how it is used to portray characters.
Students received a paper copy of The Open Window and completed an independent
reading as homework. In addition, students were encouraged to listen to an audio
recording of the story posted on the class website: http://klapaskaclassroom.weebly.com.

Curriculum Standards Addressed

Reading: Literature
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations)
develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or
develop the theme.

Writing
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style
are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Speaking & Listening
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Objectives
Students will identify key elements of the The Open Window used in characterization,
such as actions, descriptions, irony, humor, and exaggeration.

Students will evaluate the portrayal of characters in The Open Window and provide
two reasons for their decision.

Students will be able to create a new perspective of a character from The Open
Window through dialogue and illustration.

Materials
Smart Board
Copy of The Open Window
Notebook paper, pencil, highlighters
Group work graphic organizer
Assessment and rubric
Classroom website at http://klapaskaclassroom.weebly.com

Proactive Behavior Management

The students will be familiar with four broad expectations for the classroom: respect
yourself, respect others, respect the teacher, and respect the school and its property.
The expectations will be displayed at the front of the room. I will remind students prior to
discussion that while we may not always agree with others, we still must be respectful of
their opinion and ideas, and I will guide the discussion appropriately. The objectives for
the day and the class schedule will be posted on the whiteboard so students know what
to anticipate. Clear directions will accompany the assessment and we will review the
instructions.

Since the class is in the afternoon and the students are restless (and fourteen years
old!), I planned two activities with movement, as even a quick stretch can help bring
focus. I chose to create groups ahead of time since our class has an interesting myriad
of needs, exceptionalities, and characteristics.

Provisions for Student Grouping

Throughout the year, I may randomly form groups or allow students to choose. For this
lesson, however, I will create groups based on my knowledge of the students
personalities and their strengths and weaknesses. The specific grouping is meant to
facilitate cooperative learning and encourage discussion and participation, both in small
groups and class-wide. The discussions will prepare the students for an assessment
that they complete independently. Please see the adaptations section for more
information.

PROCEDURES

Warm-up/Opening (5 minutes)

Displayed on the SmartBoard:

The Open Window is a story with surprising and complex characters. People are not
always as we expect them to be. Think of a time when someone turned out to be
different than your first impression of them, whether a friend, neighbor, or character
from a movie or book. Write a few sentences about it. What gave you the initial
opinion? When did you change your mind? What were the consequences, good or
bad?

Motivator/Bridge (5 minutes)
a) Prior learning: Allow two or three students to share their experiences. Explain
that oftentimes we judge people based on first impressions.
b) New learning into students prior knowledge: From the first sentence of our
story, were given the impression that Vera is self-possessed, i.e, calm and
confident. Her name itself means veracity or truth. Furthermore, females during
that time period were usually considered trustworthy and honest. [Ask students to
describe Vera]. Yet ironically, Vera turns out to be a clever trickster who creates
wild stories that somehow everyone believes. Tell the students that Munro uses
 social satire throughout the The Open Window to create interesting, humorous
characters and mystery. [Ask for a brief recap of social satire].
c) State the objectives/schedule

Procedural Activities (35 minutes)

Watch YouTube version of The Open Window (9 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZfSa0z8mvo

One-minute yoga stretch (1 minute)

Group work and discussion (20 minutes):

I will tell the students that now that watched the video, I will divide the students into five
groups to analyze the text. We will quickly number the paragraphs on the text and each
group will be responsible for summarizing a few paragraphs I assign (e.g., 1-7) and
reporting to the class. I will provide an organizer with five blocks and additional room for
notes.

Name: ______________
1-7

8-14

15-19

20-24

25-29

Notes:

During the reporting and discussion time, we will also explore the following key
questions. Students may highlight the text as appropriate.
Why has Framton come to the house?
What is the tragedy that Vera tells Frampton? Is she believable?
Nuttel is a play on nut and Mrs. Sappleton is a play on the word sap, or fool.
Do they live up to the names Saki gave them?
What words (paragraph 20) imply the author may be poking fun at Frampton?
Describe Mrs. Sappleton when she arrives. Does she appear as Vera describes?
 How does Saki use irony with the doctors prescription or cure for Framptons
infirmities?
Depict the scene when the hunters return.
What is ironic about the conclusion of the story?
Explain the line: romance at short notice was her [Veras] specialty. How might
it change our perception of her as a character if it was moved to the beginning?
What aspects of the story make this a social satire (humor, irony, exaggeration)?

Once the students return to their seats, I will explain/reiterate the assessment (5
minutes).

Summary/Closure (5 minutes):
Think-pair-share exit and stretch activity (5 minutes)
Its been said that Sakis characters are sometimes malicious. The students will be
asked to evaluate whether Vera was too cruel to Mr. Nuttel or Mr. Nuttel was foolish for
believing her and jot down 2 reasons to back up their claim. They will turn to their
neighbor and briefly discuss. On my prompting, they will then make eye contact with a
student not in proximity, stand up with their paper, go to that person, and share their
answer. One student from the whole class will share why they thought it was
Framptons fault and one will share why Vera was too cruel. They should consider this
exercise in creating their assignment.

Review/Reinforcement (Homework)

The students will complete the summative assessment.

Generalization/Extension Activity

No extension activity is necessary, as the students should be involved and engaged in

viewing, group work, discussions, and pairings throughout the duration of class. On the
class website, however, a link is available for those that wish to explore Sakis
biography or read additional short stories by him.

Assessment
During the procedural activities, I will formatively assess understanding at three key
points:
The motivator for understanding of character and satire, which will guide further
discussion and allow me to adjust, if necessary
The group exercise as I circulate, guide, and ask and answer questions, as well
as the class discussion following
The think/pair/share exit activity

The formal assessment is to be completed independently. The handout was found at

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Character-Cell-Phone-Fun-Writing-
Handout-Use-with-ANY-Literature-Grades-6-12-1038198#.
Adaptations
During the 50-minute class, two opportunities are provided for movement and
stretching. The movement is to alleviate the overall afternoon restlessness, the students
with ADHD, and the athletes. Students with ADHD will be given additional chances for
movement; for example, passing out papers or highlighters, doing an errand, etc. I will
follow the 504 plan as appropriate. Depending on the behavior, strategies I may
implement for the class clown include proximity control, speaking to him/her privately to
discuss behavior, or sending on an errand if the rest of the class catches the silliness
and the atmosphere is disruptive. I may utilize his/her strength (humor) and ask the
student to reenact a scene showcasing the very nervous Mr. Nuttel.

Struggling readers will be placed in a group with a stronger reader. To accommodate

them, as well as the various reading ability ranges, the audio version and vocabulary
explanations are available on the class website and should be previewed. Vocabulary
explanations also follow the paper copy of the text. By breaking down the text into
smaller, more manageable chunks, the group activity is also designed to accommodate
the the varying reading levels.

For the student with hearing impairment, I will provide adequate visual aids such as
handouts and slides. I will face the class when speaking, give clear, uncomplicated
instructions, repeat the comments and questions of other students from the back or
hidden positions, and position the student for optimal viewing of others in their group. I
will also allow extra time for clarification of directions and information (Teaching
Strategies for Hearing Impaired Students, n.d.). For the student using a wheelchair, I
will designate a note taker or allow for a recording device. I will arrange appropriate
times for completing assignments and special assessment accommodations and ensure
adequate floor space in the front, side, and rear of the room so that they can park and
move (Students who have mobility or dexterity limitations, n.d.).

To help the shy student feel more comfortable, I will place students in small groups of
five and rearrange over the course of the year. Students will also work in pairs. Goals
and objectives will be clearly stated so the student knows what to expect. I will allow
adequate wait time when asking questions and use strategies such as Stretch It and
No Opt Out to build confidence. I will also look for ways to connect with the student
outside of instruction, whether greeting, commenting on interests, etc. I will allow the
opinionated student to participate but call on less-responsive classmates first. If this is a
recurring problem, I will explain to her in private that I value her contributions but also
want to encourage and give others the chance to participate. I may utilize her strength
as leader and designate her as teacher or spokesperson in small groups.

I will utilize technology by placing instructions for the assignment online, as well as links
to the audio version and vocabulary video. Students also may use technology to aid in
research of their playlist choices for the assessment. In general, modifications to
assignments can be made based on students IEPs. More time will be given to complete
in-class activities, if necessary, or in accordance with IEPs.

References
Students who have mobility or dexterity limitations. (n.d.). Allegheny College. Retrieved
from http://sites.allegheny.edu/disabilityservices/students-who-have-mobility-or-
dexterity-limitations/

Teaching strategies for hearing impaired students. (n.d.). Ferris State University.
Retrieved from http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/colleges/university/disability/faculty-
staff/classroom-issues/hearing/hearing-strategy.htm

Reflection

I enjoyed putting together this lesson plan! One of the hardest things was deciding what
I wanted the students to focus on and get from the lesson. There were so many
activities and angles that were possible and 50 minutes goes by quick! Ultimately I
decided on character because the characters in this story and complex and surprising. I
thought the authors style and use of satire made for an interesting and mysterious tale
that would be engaging.

The biggest thing I gathered from its creation was learning how to consider and
accommodate the many different needs of students. I included a variety of methods for
presenting the material, from audio and video to groupings and pairings and discussion.
I hoped to prepare the students adequately by offering the text ahead of time and pre-
teaching vocabulary words. It made me realize how important it is to know your
students, as weve discussed in class, so as to adequately anticipate and prepare for
their needs.

The activities I chose begin on the lower end of Blooms taxonomy and ascend
throughout the lesson. During the group work, the students are understanding the story
and character development by summarizing the paragraphs and discussing key points.
The discussion should involve each student and each student is expected to contribute.
At the end of class, I ask them to evaluate by arguing whether Frampton was foolish or
Vera was cruel and give reasons for their decision. Finally, during the assessment, they
apply what they have learned and discovered about the characters by designing an
illustration and creating dialogue and a playlist. Although the story itself is perhaps not
diverse, I hoped to make the assessment interesting and relevant to 9 th graders, who
undoubtedly spend a good deal of time on their phone. I included graphics in the
vocabulary video and bell ringer to represent a variety of groups. The musicians in
particular should enjoy the song selection. The illustration gives the students the
opportunity to express what theyve learned in multiple ways. Overall, I wanted to give
them a project that was fun and creative but still required them to rely properly on the
text and provide evidence to back up their choices.
 SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Name: _____________________________

WHOSE PHONE IS IT?

Complete the attached assignment. Choose one character from The Open Window: Vera,
Framton Nuttel, or Mrs. Sappelton.

1) Sketch the characters cell phone wallpaper with colored pencils. Then, in 3-5
sentences, explain why this choice would appeal to the character.
2) Email (OR text): The character just received two messages. Thinking back over the
reading, explain which other characters just sent messages to this character and
what the content is of each message.
3) Playlist: Write three song titles with artists names that would likely be on this
characters playlist. Be sure to explain your reasoning as to why these three songs
would appeal to this character. You may use Google to help you with this part.

The assignment will be graded based on the attached rubric. Be sure to use the rubric as a
guideline when creating your illustration, emails or texts, and playlist.
Use the text and your notes, such as the graphic organizer, to help you provide explanations
for your choices. Write specific examples.
Use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Proofread your work. Read it aloud.
You may use additional paper for your explanations, if necessary. Attach it to the handout.
Be creative!

_____/20
 Assessment Handout

Please see the handout on http://klapaskaclassroom.weebly.com.

 Rubric

Please see
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=2656452& (with a
copy of the rubric, the file exceeded the 1 MB limit on TK20 so I could not include it). Thank
you!