Instructional Software

Lesson Idea Name: Mood & Tone Show

Content Area: Language Arts
Grade Level(s): 8th Grade

Content Standard Addressed: ELAGSE8RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used
in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including analogies of allusions to other texts.

Technology Standard Addressed: 3-Infusion

Selected Technology Tool: BrainPop.com

URL(s) to support the lesson (if applicable): https://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/moodandtone/

Type of Instructional Software:

☐ Drill and Practice ☒ Tutorial ☐ Simulation ☐ Instructional Game ☐ e-books/e-references

Features of this software (check all that apply):

☐ Assessment Monitoring/Reporting
☐ Allows teacher to create customized lessons for students
☐ Multi-user or collaborative functions with others in the class
☐ Multi-user or collaborative with others outside the class
☒ Accessible to students beyond the school day
☒ Accessible via mobile devices
☒ Multiple languages
☒ Safety, security and/or privacy features

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):

☐ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☐ Analyzing ☐ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level): (Select the one best level)
☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☒ Level 3: Infusion ☐ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Lesson idea implementation: The BrainPop video will be used to introduce the concept of mood and tone
with my students. The standard covers the impact of specific word choices and how they can change the
meaning and tone of a text. The teacher will first ask students to write a short story over a dream they have
had that stood out to them, whether it be good or bad. This writing activity should be no more than a page
long. The teacher will then play the BrainPop video covering Mood and Tone. After watching the video,
students will be asked to go back to their short story and edit and change the mood and tone of the story
from what they initially wrote. Students can make their story scary, sad, funny, etc. to change the mood.
Students will be allowed to work with other students at their tables to bounce ideas off one another to edit
their stories. Students will then be asked to perform/present their short stories with the class and for the
teacher showcasing their new mood/tone in their story. This gives students the opportunity to be creative

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 Instructional Software
and act out and perform their story. Students will get to see from this activity how mood and tone greatly
affects the meaning of a text by how it will affect their short story.
A rubric will not be needed for this assignment since it involves a free write and then a performance-based
activity. Students will be able to follow instructions provided by the teacher and through a short bullet-point
checklist on the board of what they must complete and in what order. Students will be assessed by the
teacher by their performance sharing their story and whether they seemed to understand and comprehend
the topic and assignment. This lesson should take up 2 class periods, one for writing and editing their story
and another for performing their stories. The lesson will conclude after each student’s has shared their story.
Students will receive written feedback by the teacher on their short story when they turn it in after everyone
has performed.

Reflective Practice: I feel the activities I created can impact student learning by giving students a
creative outlet out of the norm of regular student learning with tests or quizzes. Students won’t just
get a right or wrong answer on a written assessment, but they will get the opportunity to further
explain and show the teacher what they know and understand from the BrainPop video. To further
extend this lesson and bring the lesson to a LoTi 4 assignment, I could have the students perform their
stories outside of just the classroom. Students could share their stories with other classrooms in a Pod
or cluster of classrooms in our grade level. This would give the students a wider audience to present to
and they could also get more feedback from a wider range of students and teachers on how to better
portray mood and tone in their writing.

Spring 2018_SJB