Lesson

Plan Template

Name: Karen Lee Pickett


Grade 10 Topic Living Newspaper: Got news?
Date Allotted Time 80 min

STAGE 1: Desired Results

Cite sources used to develop this plan:
https://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/drama-and-the-nyt/
http://civiceducator.org/current-events-lesson-plan-newspapers/

Rationale: How does this lesson fit in with the unit being studied? How does this lesson prepare for future
learning? How does this lesson relate to the students’ real life?
In this integrated drama unit about the Living Newspaper, this lesson gives students context to explore
the communication of news through artistic and comedic means. Looking at news and satire will allow
students to develop their perceptions of what makes news, and how the medium influences the
message. We will build further on this concept as we write our Living Newspaper plays.

Prior Learning: What previous learnings do students need to know to be able to be successful in the lesson?
How does this lesson extend prior learnings? What connections if any can be made to First Nations Culture and
ways of knowing?
Before starting this lesson, students will have already looked at news stories from journalistic
sources and developed a familiarity with how those sources communicate stories. Students will
know how to listen and notate while others are speaking.
First Peoples ways of knowing: Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family,
the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors; Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective,
experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense
of place); Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story; Learning involves patience and time.

Curriculum Connections: What Big Ideas (Understand,) Core and Curricular Competencies (Do), Content
Standards (Know) does this lesson develop? What connections if any can be made to First People’s principles
and ways of knowing?

Understand
Big Ideas:
English Spoken Language 10:
• The exploration of text and story deepens our understanding of diverse, complex ideas about identity, others, and the
world.
• People understand text differently depending on their world views and perspectives.
• Texts are socially, culturally, geographically, and historically constructed.
• Language shapes ideas and influences others.
• Voice is powerful and evocative.

Drama 10
• Drama communicates ideas, emotions, and perspectives through movement, sound, imagery, and language.
• Active participation in drama creates personal and cultural connections and reveals insights into human experience.
• Drama offers dynamic ways of exploring our identity and sense of belonging.
• Growth as an artist requires active engagement, risk taking, and reflection.
• Drama cultivates collaboration through critical reflection, creative co-operation, and the exchange of ideas.
1

Essential or Guiding Questions:
How does the medium of communication affect our understanding of the message? How can
artistic techniques be employed to deepen understanding? Why do you think art helps people
process current events?
Do
Core Competency: Thinking, Communicating, Personal & Social responsibility
Curricular Competencies:
Students will be able to:

English Spoken Language 10:

• Respectfully exchange ideas and viewpoints from diverse perspectives to build shared understanding and extend
thinking
• Assess and refine texts to improve clarity and impact
• Demonstrate speaking and listening skills in a variety of formal and informal contexts for a range of purposes
• Express and support an opinion with evidence
• Transform ideas and information to create original texts

Drama 10
• Explore and create
o Intentionally select and combine drama conventions
o Create dramatic works with an intended audience in mind
o Improvise and take creative risks to express meaning
• Reason and reflect
o Describe, analyze, and respond using drama-specific language
o Apply feedback to develop and refine ideas
o Examine the influences of social, cultural, historical, environmental, and personal context on drama
• Communicate and document
o Document and respond to dramatic works and experiences in a variety of contexts
o Express personal voice to respond to environmental and social issues
• Connect and expand
o Demonstrate personal and social responsibility associated with creating, performing, and responding to
dramatic performance
o Demonstrate respect for self, others, and the audience
o Explore First Peoples perspectives and knowledge, other ways of knowing, and local cultural knowledge to
gain understanding through dramatic works
o Make connections with family and community through drama and theatre

Know
Content Standards:
English Spoken Language 10:
• Text forms and text genres, including creative spoken forms
o Text features and structures
o oral text features and structures
• Strategies and processes
o reading strategies
o oral language strategies
o metacognitive strategies
o writing processes
o presentation techniques
• Language features, structures, and conventions
o features of oral language
o elements of style
o persuasive techniques
o usage and conventions
o literary elements and devices
o literal and figurative meaning

Drama 10
• drama elements, principles, vocabulary, and symbols
• strategies and techniques to support creative processes
• character development

2
 • drama forms and conventions
• skills specific to a drama genre and/or style
• the role of the performer, audience, and venue
• movement, sound, image, and form
• traditional and contemporary First Peoples worldviews and cross-cultural perspectives communicated through drama

STAGE 2: Assessment Plan

Learning Intention(s): By the end of this lesson, students will be able to…
What will students learn? Translate a news story into a different medium (tableau); Identify artistic
techniques that can be used to deepen understanding.

Evidence of Learning: What tools will you use - assignment, presentation, quiz, project, discussion,
How will students show their group interaction, etc.?
learning? Pair and share, class discussion, write, perform
Criteria: Indicators of success are…
What criteria will help Students will work with each other to create tableaux, and get feedback
students know how to be from their peers. They will use the experience of translating the news story
successful? into choosing a story for their Living Newspaper.

STAGE 3: Learning Plan
Resources, Material and Preparation: What resources, materials and preparation are required?

• Quads from last class

• CBC Macdonald statue story:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/john-a-macdonald-statue-victoria-city-hall-lisa-
helps-1.4782065
• Walking Eagle (First Nations satire site) Macdonald statue story:
https://walkingeaglenews.com/2018/08/29/death-toll-from-sir-john-a-macdonald-statue-removal-
continues-to-climb/


Differentiated Instruction (accommodations, adaptations, extensions, other): How will you plan for students
who have diverse learning abilities/behaviour or require enrichment?
Can ask extending student to write on board during discussion. Emerging students have more time to
engage with questions or discussion.

Lesson Development
Connect (Hook):
How will you introduce this lesson in a manner that engages students and activates their thinking (pose
questions, build background knowledge, capture interest, make connections, share learning intention)?
Teacher will Students will Management Pacing
Greeting; check in. Share. Make sure all are heard from 5 min
who want to share.
Ask them to get out their quads from the Get out their quad
last class. Look at Quad 4: and review notes. Raise hands Keep discussion on track. 3 min
3
“Why are we most likely to listen to these to share review.
news sources?”

Segue into What makes us remember Pair and Keep discussion moving. 3 min
news? brainstorm

Ask for reporting (relation to us; funny or Each pair reports 3 min
unusual; makes us feel something) out.

Body

Teacher will Student will Management Pacing

Show them story from CBC; read out Considerations
loud: Watch and listen. Maintain quiet 2 min
John A. Macdonald statue removed attention.
from Victoria City Hall

Show them story from Walking Eagle
News; read out loud:
Death toll from Sir John A. MacDonald Watch and listen. 2 min
statue removal continues to climb

Ask them to talk to each other: what is Pair and share Check in with pairs; 5 min
this story about? What is the difference facilitate and listen.
in these two stories? Why do you think
an artistic vision might help people
process the story?

Hand out Cowichan Citizen. In pairs, find Look through newspaper; Keep an eye out 5 min
a news story headline that interests you. discuss. that they’re on task

Now one of the pair read the story out As instructed. Check in on pairs. 10 min
loud. The other of the pair draw Keep noise level
/sketch/write as they read, what they manageable.
remember.
Now reverse: the other student reads
the same story while the first one
draws/sketches/writes.
Ok, who wants to tell what their story is Hands up to share. Call on a variety 2 min
about?

Ask pairs to develop a series of three As instructed May need to move 15 min
tableaus which convey the three some pairs to
important points of their stories. nearby space
Consider elements we talked about depending on room
(relation to us; funny or unusual; makes size/configuration.
us feel something) Monitor pairs and
facilitate.
4
Bring groups together and ask each pair Present and watch. Facilitate flow of 20 min
to present their tableaus. Ask them to do presentations
the series twice. After each pair Raise hands. Talk about what
presents, ask what we think this is about. the tableaus are about, and Keep discussion
Was there one tableau which gave you how the tableau conveyed moving.
most of the information? How did you the information.
know?

Hand back the ticket out the door with Pair and discuss. Make notes. Check in with pairs; 6 min
LN topic ideas. keep focus on
Ask students to pair up with their Living choosing news
Newspaper partner and discuss topics – story.
what overlaps? Any other interests?
Look through the newspaper for more
ideas.

Closure: (2 – 5 min)
How will you solidify the learning that has taken place and deepen the learning process?
Teacher will Students will Management Pacing
Ask for ticket out the door:
What is one way you could Write ideas. Maintain quiet environment. 4 min
imagine conveying the news Take in writing/drawing as
story you’ve chosen so that it they leave.
will have impact?

Reflection What was successful in this lesson? If taught again, what would you change to make this lesson
even more successful and inclusive for diverse and exceptional students? What timing adjustments might you
make?