Teachers, students, and parents are welcome to read the following detailed lesson plan for the unit introduction:
Corkscrew Middle School
1165 County Road
Naples, FL 34120
7th Grade Language Arts
Foster a lifelong love of learning and achievement for every student.
M/J Language Arts 2 Advanced (Spring 2011)
Springboard Unit 3: Tangerine with blog support
Using a Blog to Facilitate Literary Analysis
Description of Problem and Rationale for Technology Integration
This plan is designed for a seventh grade Language Arts at Corkscrew Middle School in Naples, FL. These classes are all “advanced,” but many students still struggle with literary analysis that goes beyond simple reading comprehension and recall. Analytical skills are increasingly essential in a world of information-overload. With the internet, computers, and smart phones, it seems that anyone can find information to back up nearly any claim (at any time). Members of this digital era must be able to sort through the information and analyze the content. With proper scaffolding throughout school life, literary analysis will become second nature, but our paper/ pencil academic world must meet with the digital world of our learners.
Description of Solution/Process
In order to understand how to go about the process of teaching students effectively, it is essential to understand their background information and current abilities. Careful analysis of knowledge, access, and abilities is crucial.
General characteristics: My classes are composed of 74 seventh-grade students who are all enrolled in an Advanced Language Arts classes at Corkscrew Middle School in Naples, FL. The gender demographics are interesting- with about two-thirds girls (48) and only about one-third boys (26). They range in age from 11 – 14, and they are racially diverse with about 45% “White”, 39% “Hispanic”, 8% “Asian and Mixed Races”, 7% “Black”, and 1% “Creole.”
Academic information: All of the students are considered on grade level (8%) or above (92%). One-third of these students are labeled “gifted” learners (25), and the literary analysis provides a great opportunity for each student to challenge his or her interpretive ability.
Personal & Social information: While these students are all very intelligent, they do require motivation to reach their potential. Reading is sometimes perceived as “easy” and “boring” for many of them, and utilizing different methods in class is essential to meaningful learning. It is important to give such students access to different resources for learning and working at a comfortable pace. Many of these “advanced” students fly through books every day, and spending too much time on a small section of one novel might bore them and dissuade proper analysis.
Implications for instructional design: Springboard® provides a wealth of support for students to analyze the novel Tangerine. While students do need help in this area, they also need to be able to work at a pace that is conducive to their learning. Having a teacher-created blog with detailed instructions and examples will help students read and work at a more natural speed.
Learning objectives of the lesson
- With support from the teacher’s blog and classroom instruction, students will be able to create a double-entry journal to thoughtfully record and respond to elements and questions from the novel Tangerine at least 4 times per week.
- With support from the Springboard curriculum, internet research, and the teacher’s blog, students will be able to make connections between the setting of the novel Tangerine with what they know and learn about Florida’s environment at least twice in the novel.
- With support from the Springboard curriculum and teacher’s blog, students will be able to analyze the most significant character choices, consequences, and the impact on other characters throughout the plot of the novel at least once per week.
- Using the double-entry journals and Springboard activities, students will be able to write an analytical essay about the novel Tangerine including analysis of plot, setting, and characters (their choices, motivation, consequences, and effects on the main character), scoring at least “proficient” on the scoring guide.
Standards addressed
· LA.7.1.5.1- The student will adjust reading rate based on purpose, text difficulty, form, and style.
· LA.7.1.7.3- The student will determine the main idea or essential message in grade-level or higher texts through inferring, paraphrasing, summarizing, and identifying relevant details.
· LA.7.1.7.4- The student will identify cause-and-effect relationships in text.
· LA.7.2.1.2 - The student will locate and analyze elements of characterization, setting, and plot, including rising action, conflict, resolution, theme, and other literary elements as appropriate in a variety of fiction.
· LA.7.2.1.5- The student will develop an interpretation of a selection and support through sustained use of examples and contextual evidence.
· LA.7.4.2.3- The student will write specialized informational/expository essays that include a thesis statement, supporting details, an organizational structure particular to its type, and introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs.
Instructional procedure
1. Allow students to examine the unit and assessment directions for the learning objectives and tasks. Discuss assignments to do both in and outside this class.
3. Preview the novel, Tangerine, to be used as the focus text.
4. Analyze the front and back covers of the novel, and create a KWHL Chart (Know, Want to know, How to learn it, Learned).
5. Compile information that the class “wants to know,” and explore online resources for researchable answers (ex: What is a sinkhole? Can fire burn underground?).
6. Create a Double Entry Journal to use as a bookmark, reading response journal, and analysis paper planner.
7. Begin the book, and assign work/ homework via the teacher’s blog.
Other Places to Use this Solution
I could use my teaching blog for students throughout the year. For example, the upcoming poetry unit could be supplemented with additional online material such as poets reading their own work, appropriate music videos (for lyrical analysis and authors’ purpose), scholarly poetic analysis, and avenues for students to publish their own poetry.
What I Learned and What I Would Improve Next Time
The most important lesson that I learned while exploring this blog option is that Collier County Schools’ network does not allow access to the Google E-Blogger. It is crucial that I maintain updated online support both through ANGEL and my own blog. Both sites play an important role in keeping students and parents up-to-date on assignments and supporting material. ANGEL is more involved and includes all student classes, but the teacher-created web site is easier to navigate, read, and view.
References/Resources Used
Blog.ssshhh.net. (Designer). (2010). Tangerine cover. [Web]. Retrieved from http://blog.ssshhh.net/2010/09/05/tangerine-by-edward-bloor
Ducham, K. (Designer). (2010). Corkscrew middle school logo. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.collier.k12.fl.us/cms/
School District of Collier County. (2011). The data warehouse. Retrieved from http://data.collierschools.com/
The College Board. (2010). Springboard: the official pre-ap program. Retrieved from http://www.host-collegeboard.com/springboard/microsite/index.html?affiliateId=rdr&bannerId=springboardinfo
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