Johnny Morris

Lesson Plan: Craft

Concept under investigation: The seventh grade students will look at different genres and examine the differences among them.

Context: The students have been reading various written works in different genres throughout their school years. It is important for each student to know what genres are and what they mean to a written piece of work.

Competencies and skills:

Competency Goal 5

• 5.01 reading self-selected literature and other materials of individual interest.
• engaging in small group discussions.
• 5.02 analyzing what genre specific characteristics have on the meaning of the work.
• analyzing how the author’s choice and use of a genre shapes the meaning of the literary work.

Other goals/ objectives: Students will build on their definition of what a genre is and explore various forms by getting into small groups to research and discuss the topic. They will use a transparency to show their findings to their classmates on the overhead.

Materials needed:

• Pen/ pencil
• Paper
• Classroom
• Computer lab
• Genre Types handout
• Blank transparencies for overhead use
• Markers for transparencies

Procedures with script:

• Initiating activity/ warm-up/ mini-lesson: D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) will be the warm-up exercise for this class. The students will continue reading the books that they have brought with them to class. D.E.A.R. will last for the first fifteen minutes of class.

• Review: N/A

• Purpose setting: The purpose of this class is for the students to define various genres, list examples of those genres, and present their findings to their classmates.

• Introduction for today’s lesson: The students will be given a genre types handout. We will discuss as a class what genres are and why they are important. By knowing what genres are they will be able to find materials that they need for projects or for personal interest. By learning these classifications, students will know what type of book they are reading and they will know other types of genres once they get bored with their current genres. Directions for the rest of the class will be given. The students will get into groups of four or five and have their materials (pen/pencil, paper, and genre types handout) with them. Each group will be assigned three genres from the list. They will define what each genre is, list some examples of authors or works, and prepare a presentation for the class. The students may use a computer to research different types of works for their specific genres or they may use the media center to find different genres. The introduction to the class will last for ten minutes.

• Guided practice: I will give an example on the board that we will go over as a class. Guided practice will last for five minutes. For example:

Fiction: describes imaginary events and people. Gary Paulsen, The

Giver, Robert Cormier *Students may use author or title.

• Independent practice: Students will be in their groups of four or five to research their genres. They may move around the room and get comfortable while they discuss their work and findings. They may use the computer lab if they need to research some specific works for their genres. Students may discuss what different genres they have read and who their favorite authors are. They are to keep notes as their group works to keep in their folders with their genre handout for later reference. Students will have twenty-five minutes to research and prepare their presentations. Then the groups will write their findings on blank transparencies to present their research. The presentations will take thirty minutes. There are five groups of four to five students and each group will have approximately six minutes, and students should make notes about genres that they did not previously know.

• Closure/ expectations: We will discuss as a class what we achieved today and answer any questions related to our lesson. For example, one student may ask if it is alright to only read one genre. It is alright but the student may get bored with reading and they should always be encouraged to expand their horizons with reading new types of material. The students will be advised of their lesson tomorrow and are asked to bring to eager minds and class folders to class with them. The closure of class will last for five minutes.

SPED modifications: One student has A.D.H.D. and will be monitored by the computer lab staff if their group chooses to go to the computer lab to research. That student will be in charge of the markers and transparency sheets. The E.L.L. students will have the E.L.L. assistant present to help with any language barriers in their groups.

Assessment:

Formative: The students must turn in their transparencies to me as they walk out the door. I will evaluate each of the transparencies for accuracy. If any of the groups have made a mistake in their findings, then we will discuss and fix the problem on the transparency as a class. If there are a lot of mistakes then I know that I was not clear in my instructions and must carefully look at my plans for this lesson. Also, throughout the class I will monitor the groups to ensure that everyone is participating and discussing their favorite genres with their peers.

Summative: The students should know that there are a plethora of genres and that they will use this knowledge for the rest of their lives. When they look up an author, they can see what genre the author’s work is and may find other works by new authors that may pique their interest. I will get a good sense of what genres students like to read by seeing what types of books they read. I could get a book club started with students that are interested and this would improve their learning by having fun with reading. We could use their reading territories lists from the lesson plan on reading strategies.

Next lesson: The next lesson will be on style and the way authors use it in their work.

NETS-T: Indicators addressed in this lesson:

II. Planning And Designing Learning Environments And Experiences.

C. plan for the management of technology resources within the context of learning activities.

The students may use a computer in this activity for research. I planned this activity so they could have practice researching books and materials of different genres to expand their knowledge base. Also, the students have to use an overhead projector to present their findings to the class and this will give them an idea of what is like for me to be up in front of the class.

Genres

Art

Autobiography

Biography

Cartoons

Childrens Books

Cooking

Correspondence

Entertainment

Fiction

Health

Historical Fiction

Hobby

Interviews

Mainstream Authors

Memoirs

Music

Mystery

Non-Fiction

Novellas

Photography

Poetry

Profiles

Religion

Scripts

Self Help

Short Stories

Speeches

Transportation

Travel

Tributes

True Crime

Western

Young Adolescent