Jessica Epley
RE 3150
Craft Lesson Plan
March 7, 2006
Make Your Point Using Dialect
Concept under investigation: While reading The
Watsons Go to Birmingham
�1963 students recognized how the author uses dialect to enhance the
authenticity of the novel. This lesson will build on students� prior knowledge
of dialect. Make Your Point Using Dialect illustrates the difference
between Standard English and dialect and helps students understand how and why
writers use dialect. A study of dialogue would be a likely predecessor or
successor of this lesson.
Competencies and Skills: This lesson addresses the
following competency goals of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for
Seventh Grade:
- 1.02
Respond to expressive materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by
determining the importance of literary effects on the
reader/viewer/listener.
- 1.02
Respond to expressive materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by
comparing and contrasting information.
- 4.01
Analyze the purpose of the author or creator by understanding the effects
of author�s craft on the reader/viewer/listener.
- 6.01
Model an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression by
choosing language that is precise, engaging, and well suited to the topic
and audience.
Other goals/objectives: �Students will gain a deeper appreciation for
dialects and recognize their importance in communication. Students will also
gain a greater respect for diverse dialects while incorporating a variety of
dialects into their writings.
Materials needed:
�
Paper and writing instruments.
�
Multiple copies of Everyday Edit: Dr.
Seuss activity.
�
Transparency of Answer key for Everyday Edit:
Dr. Seuss.
�
Overhead projector, blank transparencies, and
transparency markers.
�
Board and markers.
�
Multiple copies and a transparency of� �We Wear the Mask�
and �When Malindy Sings� by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Available at www.poets.org.
�
Multiple copies and a transparency of Venn
diagram handout.
�
Classroom set of computers with Internet access.
�
Access to The Dialectizer (http://rinkworks.com/dialect/).�
�
Additional resource: Everyday Edits available
from Education World at (http://www.educationworld.com).
�
Possibly a technology assistant (see procedure
no. 14).
Procedure with script:
- Welcome
students to this lesson by outlining today�s activities both orally and in
writing on the board:
Here�s What We Are Doing Today
a. Everyday
Edit
b. Description
and discussion of dialect
c. Poetry
by Paul Laurence Dunbar
d. Venn
diagram on dialect
e. Online
Activity � The Dialectizer
- Initiating
activity consists of Everyday Edit: Dr. Seuss. Students are
familiar with this routine warm-up assignment and generally no teacher
direction is required (5 minutes).
- Review
the Everyday Edit answer key by placing the transparency on the
overhead projector and asking students to check their answers. Again,
students are very familiar with this daily activity and little or no teacher
direction is required unless students question a specific correction
(<3 minutes).
- Review
Christopher Paul Curtis� use of dialect in The Watsons Go to Birmingham
by asking students for examples from the text. Ask students to volunteer
other examples from their personal experiences. Some encouragement may be
necessary to ensure that students provide sufficient examples to clearly
define dialect (5-10 minutes).�
- After
hearing examples of dialect, ask students to define dialect in a sentence
of two. Accept volunteers to respond initially. If necessary, call on
students by name. Accept no less than three responses. Build on each
response until you receive the formal definition of dialect. Students will
build on what they already know to the point of stating the formal
definition of dialect. Write the formal definition of dialect on the board
and say it aloud: Dialect is a means or mode of expressing language that
is particular to a region or people (3-5 minutes).
- Establish
the purpose of the lesson by either stating the benefits of using dialect
in writing or asking students to contribute what they think would be the
benefits of using dialect in writing. It may be helpful to write responses
on an overhead transparency or the board (5-6 minutes).
- Introduce
today�s activity by providing each student with copies of the two poems by
Paul Laurence Dunbar and a Venn diagram (< 1 minute).
- Read
�We Wear the Mask� aloud while students follow along on their handouts.
Ask for student comments (4-6 minutes).
- Read
�When Malindy Sings� aloud while students follow along on their handouts.
Ask for student comments (5-8 minutes).
- Initiate
a class discussion of the differences between the two poems. Prompt
student responses through open-ended questions, such as �What image came
to mind when I read �When Malindy Sings?� Be sure to include questions
that address topics students have already studied, such as �how does
dialect affect the mood of the writing,� �what assumptions might listeners
make about the speaker based on the dialect,� and whether they think �the
writing would be authentic without dialect.� (8-12 minutes).
- After
completing the class discussion students should individually complete the
Venn diagram. If students appear to have difficulty doing this task alone
they may be paired or grouped to complete the Venn diagram. If students
have difficulty pairing themselves into productive groups the teacher
should take the initiative and group the students. If pairing or grouping
students to complete the diagram skip to procedure ten (5-7 minutes).
- After
completing the Venn diagram students will divide themselves into groups of
2-3 to discuss the diagram. If students are unable or unwilling to
successfully group themselves some intervention may be necessary to complete
this task (5-7 minutes).
- Ask
each group to contribute several items they have listed on their Venn
diagrams as you record their responses on the Venn diagram transparency
(5-7 minutes).
- Discuss
each response on the completed Venn diagram, asking for additional student
commentary when appropriate (<8 minutes).
- At
this point in the lesson students will be working on computers and
completing the remainder of this assignment online. If students in your
class are not fairly computer savvy, it would be appropriate to have
someone from the library or technology department to assist you to ensure
that all students have adequate assistance.�
- Direct
students to locate themselves at their assigned computer station. They are
familiar with this procedure and little, if any teacher direction should
be required (<1 minute).
- Describe
to students the website that are about to see: �This website we are about
to view illustrates several dialects: Redneck, Jive, Cockney, Elmer Fudd,
Swedish Chef, Moron,
Pig Latin, and Hacker. It is interactive � you type words or sentences,
click on a dialect, and your words will then appear in that particular
dialect. Remember our rules for computer usage, try all the dialects, and
have fun (<1 minute).�
- Ask
students to log on the computers and gain Internet access. Limited teacher
assistance should be necessary because students are familiar with this
procedure (<1 minute).
- Direct
students to The Dialectizer at http://rinkworks.com/dialect/.
- Provide
the majority of remaining class time for students to interact with the
website. During this time the teacher should try to visit each student to
offer assistance, feedback and encourage, and to receive comments on the
activity (15-20 minutes).
- Close
the lesson by emphasizing how dialect contributes to written (The
Dialectizer) and spoken (Paul Laurence Dunbar poems) words. Ask
students to think about which forms of dialect are appropriate for
different situations. Inform students that for the next lesson they will
be choosing two dialects from today�s lesson to use in their writing.
Congratulate students on their participation and productivity during
today�s lesson.
SPED modifications: The following consists of SPED
modifications for this lesson:
- Providing
direction both orally and in writing.
- Providing
an outline of the day�s activities on the board.
- Providing
handouts to accompany overhead transparencies.
- Providing
well-defined instructions.
- Reading
aloud.
- Providing
a technology assistant (if applicable).
- Stating
the purpose for the lesson.�
- Providing
each student with assistance, feedback, and encouragement.
Formative Assessment: Students will demonstrate their
understanding of dialect by participating in large and small group discussions,
completing the Venn diagram, and participating in the online activity.
Competency will be determined by observation and discussion.�
Summative Assessment: Students will demonstrate their
understanding of and ability to use this literary element in future writings.
In the next lesson students will select two dialects from this lesson to use in
their own writing.��
Next Lesson: Literary Elements Continued � Dialect
�NETS-T Indicators
addressed in this lesson: The following NETS-T Indicators (II planning and
designing learning environments and experiences) are addressed in this lesson:
q Apply
current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning
learning environments and experiences.
q Identity
and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability.
q Plan
for the management of technology resources within the context of learning
activities.
q Plan
strategies to manage student learning in a technology-enhanced environment.