Lesson Plan

In an attempt to do two things (improve my students ability to make logical and well-supported inferences and encourage students to enjoy poetry), we begin each class with a poem, all of which come from the Poetry 180 website (http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/) initially compiled by Billy Collins.

 This lesson helps students to understand the symbol of weather in The Great Gatsby through a free association and use of "The Notebook" and/or "Bruce Almighty." You can use any film, really, but the film clips allow students to think about authorial and directorial intent in using different types of weather as symbols for the plot.

The third in a series of lessons I created while student teaching.  This lesson focuses on ch. 5 of The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  It is correlated with CA standards and includes:

• A journal topic
• Vocab. presentation requirements (vocab. words found in ch. 5)
• Literature Circle Roles
• A Gender/Stereotype activity
• Exit Card Questions

This is the second lesson in a series I created while student teaching.  It covers chapter 4 of The Great Gatsby.  It is correlated with CA Standards and includes:

• A journal prompt
• Vocab. found in ch. 4 (4 words with description of presentation requirements)
• Literature Circle roles
• and Exit Card questions

In World LIterature, students continued working on their end of the year project.  In British Literature, we have an introduction to William Blake - we see a slideshow of his paintings, discuss 6 poems including the 2 Holy Thursday poems, the Tyger, the Lamb, and we end with the Chimney Sweep poems - followed by listening to Lou Reed's "Dirty Blvd" - a song that echoes many of Blake's sentiments about poverty, youth, and being sold out.

In World Literature, the students will use class time to work on their end of the year movie project.  In British Literature, we will have an introduction to Robert Burns - I will try and play the harmonica (if I can find it) and we'll listen to some versions of Auld Lang Syne and talk about the poem, "To a Mouse."

In World Literature we will read and discuss E.B. White's "The Second Tree from the Corner" - a story about a man who realizes that the things he wants are the things that he can't have.  In British Literature, we will have an introduction to the Romantics - we will go look at the tree blossoms - read "A Child Went Forth," and hear a couple stories about Rainbows.

In World Literature, I give a lecture on their reading: Albert Camus's "The Myth of Sisyphus."  It is designed to give them the parts of the equation they need to put things together.  In British Literature, students work in groups on the final book of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Yesterday in class my World Literature students worked in groups on the Leo Tolstoy story - "How Much Land Does a Man Need."  It is the perfect story to read after Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon - it covers the same ground in a very different way - by the time they finish the group work they should know the answer to the question that the title poses.  In British Literature, students continue working on dissecting Darcy's letter and seeing how it is the perfect "Research Paper."

In World Literature we had a discussion about James Joyce's "Counterpart," we talked about the story and its implications and we listened to a couple of songs that deal with child abuse (one aspect of the story).  In British Literature, I checked note cards (a very exhausting process).

In English III we will have  a discussion about Pride and Prejudice - Volume 2.  Much of it, I suspect, will focus on Darcy's letter - and how and why he does what he does.  In World Literature, we will have a discussion about the Italian short story, "The Jar."  Well, not a discussion, a trial with one lawyer representing Don Lolo and the other representing Zi Dima.  Yours truly will be the judge (here comes the judge...here comes the judge).

Both classes will be working in groups today: In World Literature students will examine the story, "The Jar," and also look at the nature of Justice - specifically as it applies in this story.  In British Literature, students will consider Alexander Pope's epic poem - "The Rape of the Lock."  At first glance it seems so silly to talk about such things with such seriousness - and then they consider what is done in the media today.

In World Literature, we discussed Ring Lardner's story of a practical joker who gets his due in "Haircut."  We linked it to our earlier discussion of bullying (and to the fact that Lardner was Hemingway's favorite author as a boy growing up).  In British Literature, the students worked on a very practical excercise on using quotes by writing a short research piece on the life of Alexander Pope.

When I walked into school yesterday - I started to prepare for a class discussion of Chekhov's "The Kiss."  The more I read, the more I wanted to do something else with this wonderful - subtle story.  I acted quickly (with an hour till class) and created an annotatable version of the story (Antext), and then lined up two labs for my classes - we went in their students annotated the story - and then posted a final reaction to it on AwaytoTeach.  As we were leaving after my first period, one of my first students said to me that she didn't "get" the story whe Read more »

In World Literature, students will take an exam on Song of Solomon - in British Literature, I will check bibliography cards and students will go over with a partner their new handouts on note cards.