COEPD LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE – Poetry Lesson Plans

Teacher Candidate:
Brittany Dotson
Content Area & Grade: Lesson Topic and Rationale: Length (timing) of Lesson:
ELA – 12th Grade Motherhood – This is an important topic for students to explore, as motherhood is 45 minutes
often times glorified and romanticized; indeed, it should be glorified, but there are
aspects that students do not understand. This would allow students to gain a better
understanding of both poetic concepts and maternity as a theme. The poem to be
explored on this day is Sylvia Plath’s “Morning Song.”
INSTRUCTIONAL OUTCOMES
WV Standard/s (daily):
ELA.12.30
Initiate and effectively participate in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 12
topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing ideas clearly and persuasively.

 Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence
from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
 Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making; set clear goals and deadlines; establish norms and experience
various individual roles.
 Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions
on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.
 Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize and evaluate comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve
contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the
task.

Learning Objective/s (SWBATS):

- Students will be able to identify at least two central themes/ideas of the poem “Morning Song”
- Students will be able to critically annotate the poem “Morning Song”
- Students will be able to produce an analysis of themes present in the poem “Morning Song”
- Students will be able to explain the difference between tone and mood in regard to poetry.
Formative Assessment:
- Students will participate in a Literacy Circle activity and turn in responses to guiding questions. These questions will be evaluated by the teacher for
understanding.
 PREPARATION
Materials/Resources:
- A printed copy of “Morning Song” for each student in the class
- A printed copy of “‘Morning Song Guiding Questions” for each student in the class
- SMART Board
- Computer
- Internet access
- Pencils
- Highlighters (any colors) – one for each group formed during the core instruction section of class
- Lined paper
- Video found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcCrsVK5dWs
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
*Highlight BLUE for materials/GREEN for technology
*Highlight PINK for instructional strategies
*Highlight YELLOW for discipline-specific academic language/vocabulary

Procedural Steps Questions Differentiated Instruction

Activating Strategy/ Time Welcome Into Class & Bell Ringer: - “In at least three sentences, - Students with visual
Introduction - Students will be welcomed into class and describe what ‘tone’ does impairments will be
8:00 – roll will be taken as students complete a in a poem.” seated at the front of
8:05 Bell Ringer that will be on the board the classroom, close
when they enter the room. They will have to the board.
approximately five minutes to respond to
the Bell Ringer. (5 minutes)
Think-Pair-Share:
- Students will then participate in a Pair-
8:05 – Share discussion wherein they partner
8:10 with their neighbor and discuss their
answers before participating in a Whole
10 Group discussion. (5 minutes)
11
s
Core Instruction Time Video Mini-Lesson: o What is the overall tone of the
- The instructor will show students the poem? - Students with visual
8:10 – video on Tone vs. Mood (found at o Does the speaker in this poem impairments will be
8:14 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcC like the new baby or now? given a large-print
rsVK5dWs). (4 minutes) How can you tell? copy of both
Literary Circles: o Who is singing the "Morning handouts.
- After the video, students will be given a Song"?
printed copy of the poem “Morning o How does the speaker's
8:14 – Song” by Sylvia Plath and a printed copy relationship to the baby change
8:29 of “‘Morning Song’ Guiding Questions.” as the poem progresses? What
Students will break into groups of four evidence in the poem leads you
and participate in a Literacy Circle to this conclusion?
activity, wherein one student leads the o How do all of the metaphors
discussion and keeps their peers on track, that Plath uses work together?
one takes notes, one reads the poem Do they build a single image
aloud, and one highlights important of the baby being described?
portions. (15 minutes) o How would you describe the
- The teacher will drift around the room, speaker's attitude towards
offering guidance and clarification where motherhood?
needed. Ensure that groups are on task
and make students aware that their
answers to the guiding questions will be
taken up at the end of class.
Whole Group Discussion:
- After completing the Literacy Circle
activities, students will come back
8:29 – together for a Whole Group discussion
8:40 wherein all students participate. The
teacher will begin by asking students to
summarize what they discussed in their
groups. Each student should make a
comment on the poem/tone/answers to
the questions. The remainder of the class
 will be spent discussing the poem (11
minutes).
Closure Time Closure: - “In no less than three - Students with mental
- The teacher will take up the group work paragraphs and using no disabilities will be
8:40 – students completed, as well as assign the less than three direct given a shortened
8:45 homework prompt and guidelines. citations from the poem, assignment and will
Students will be required to write a three- discuss the how vocabulary be required to write
paragraph analysis on the poem affects the tone of Sylvia one paragraph
“Morning Song,” discussing how the Plath’s ‘Morning Song.’” answering the same
vocabulary Plath uses affects the tone of topic.
the poem. Students will be required to
cite at least three direct instances of
vocabulary from the poem.

Contingency Time - If something in the above plan does not

work technology wise, the teacher will
discuss the concept that the video was
supposed to. The teacher will go over the
difference between Tone and Mood, as
well as give students the opportunity to
take notes and as questions if needed.
 COEPD LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE – Poetry Lesson Plans
Teacher Candidate:
Brittany Dotson
Content Area & Grade: Lesson Topic and Rationale: Length (timing) of Lesson:
ELA – 12th Grade Motherhood – This is an important topic for students to explore, as motherhood is 45 minutes
often times glorified and romanticized; indeed, it should be glorified, but there are
aspects that students do not understand. This would allow students to gain a better
understanding of both poetic concepts and maternity as a theme. The poem to be
explore today is Camille T. Dungy’s “Frequently Asked Questions: #9.”
INSTRUCTIONAL OUTCOMES
WV Standard/s (daily):
ELA.12.2
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a literary text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and
build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective and critical analysis of the literary text.
Learning Objective/s (SWBATS):
- Students will be able to compare the tone of “Morning Song” by Sylvia Plath and “Frequently Asked Questions: #9” by Camille T. Dungy.
- Students will be able to define line breaks in regard to poetry.
- Students will be able to analyze how line breaks affects a poem.
Formative Assessment: ‘
- Students will produce at least 5 instances of annotated notes in the poem “Frequently Asked Questions: #9.” Those notes will be collected at the end
of class and the instructor will use them to gather a basis of student understanding.
PREPARATION
Materials/Resources:
- A printed copy of “Frequently Asked Questions: #9” by Camille T. Dungy. for each student in the class
- SMART Board
- Computer
- Internet access
- Pencils
- Highlighters (any colors) – one for each student in the class
- Lined paper
INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES
*Highlight BLUE for materials/GREEN for technology
*Highlight PINK for instructional strategies
*Highlight YELLOW for discipline-specific academic language/vocabulary

Procedural Steps Questions Differentiated Instruction

Activating Strategy/ Time Welcome Into Class & Bell Ringer: - How did the vocabulary - Ensure that walkways
Introduction - Students will be welcomed into class and roll Plath used effect the tone are kept wide and
will be taken while students take out their of the poem? clear of obstructions,
8:00 - homework, as well as gather a highlighter - Give me one specific as to allow students
8:03 and a copy of the poem “Frequently Asked instance wherein the words with physical
Questions: #9” by Camille T. Dungy from used effected the tone of disabilities ease in
the front of the room. (3 minutes) the poem? travel and moving
Think-Pair-Share: - How are the line breaks of about the room.
8:03 - Students will then participate in a Think-Pair “Frequently Asked
– Share activity wherein they will partner up Questions: #9” different
8:07 and briefly discuss what they wrote in their from the breaks in
homework analysis. (4 minutes) “Morning Song?”
Discussion:
- The teacher will then lead a whole group
8:07 discussion, comparing and contrasting what
– everyone discussed, as well as offering
8:15 personal ideas. It is important to discuss
different ideas students noticed, as this
allows all involved to see that poetry, indeed,
can – and does – have several meanings. (8
minutes)
Core Instruction Time Mini-Lecture: - What highlight that you - Students with visual
- The teacher will then give a mini-lecture made did you like the most impairments will be
8: 15 wherein they discuss what line breaks are in and why? given a large-print
– regard to poetry. (5 minutes) - What did you note about copy of the poem.
8:20 Silent Reading & Annotations: the poem’s line breaks?
- Students will then silently read the poem
“Frequently Asked Questions: #9” by
Camille T. Dungy. They will be instructed to
 8:20 read it once completely through, then read
– through the poem again, annotating things
8:30 about the line breaks that stand out to them,
as well as affect the tone of the poem.
Students will be required to make at least
five annotations using pencils and
highlighters to mark and make notes. (10
minutes)
Discussion:
- Students will then come together to discuss
8:30 their findings with their peers and the
– teacher. The teacher will focus on facilitating
8:42 questions, as well as working to keep
students engaged and sharing what they
annotated and why they annotated it. (12
minutes)
Closure Time Closure: - Ensure that walkways
- Students will turn in their annotated poems, are kept wide and
8:42 as well as their homework from the previous clear of obstructions,
– night. It will be given to the teacher and used as to allow students
8:45 to evaluate student understanding. It will be with physical
used to gauge whether or not further disabilities ease in
instruction is needed on the topic. travel and moving
about the room.
Contingency Time - If the above lesson takes longer than
anticipated – particularly in regard to the
discussions – it should be noted that students
will be given the opportunity to further
discuss in the following class period.
2/11/2019 Frequently Asked Questions: #9

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Frequently Asked Questions: #9

Don’t you think you should have another child?

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Credit: 

Copyrg
iht© 2015 byCamil
leT. Dung.
y i
Orgna
i l
l i
ypublshedi a
n Poem--Da 7,
yon September1 2015,
bytheAcademyofAmer ican Poets.

About this Poem: 

“This poem is partofaseres i

i chItr
n w hi ytohonestlyaddress someofthecompl ca
i ons
tedquesti
Im conf
’ ontedw i
r tha s amother.I sa
t’ sonottheonl
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n w hi atethecomplexi es
ti
ofthesea a
fringlf
ie.Mor eprooftha touroceans habora
r lk
l i ea
nds oftr sure, ha
per ps.”
—Camille T. Dungy

Author: 

Camille T. Dungy

https://www.poets.org/print/node/413731 1/2
 “‘Morning Song’ Guiding Questions”

o What is the overall tone of the poem?

o How does the speaker interact with the baby? Is it positive, negative, or neutral?

o How does the speaker's relationship to the baby change as the poem progresses? What evidence in the poem leads you to this
conclusion?

o How do all of the metaphors that Plath uses work together? Do they build a single image of the baby being described?

o How would you describe the speaker's attitude towards motherhood?