Belmont Lesson Plan Template

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Building together for excellence in education
Lesson Planning Document
1.
General Information
Teacher: Michael Bontrager
Subject: English 1 Standard
Number of Students: 25
Mentor: Scott Bennett
Grade: 9
Lesson Number: 2
Date: 09/10/2014
Time Allowed: 45 minutes
Lesson in Sequence: 10
Unit
Title: The Odyssey
2.
Topic: The Odyssey and the Sirens.
3.

Subjects Integrated: English

4.

Readiness and Background Knowledge

(Prerequisite knowledge or skills: Students will have read The Odyssey up

until the story of the Sirens. Students will have also read the companion
poem, The Lotos Eaters. They will also have completed a web quest on
the lives of ancient Greeks. This will give them the knowledge that they
need to know for this lesson. They will understand the journey of
Odysseus through his journey to Hades. Students have also been asked
the question, Is Odysseus an epic hero?. This question is one they are
supposed to be pondering while reading the story. There are a couple of
factors that let me as the teacher know the students are ready for this
lesson. The first is their scores on previous quizzes. Most students have
been constantly scoring well which shows they are comprehending the
story. The second factor that lets me know they are ready is their
performance on in class discussions. The students do an excellent job
showing their understanding and deeper thinking through in class
discussion. I will evaluate the students readiness for this lesson by
having a quick out loud review of previous material at the beginning of
class. Students do not have to do any reading for homework, so I should

already know if they are ready for this lesson through their
comprehension of last classes lesson.
5.
Goals
CCSS 9RL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from
the text.
CCSS 9RL2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in
detail its development over the course of the text, including how it
emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an
objective summary of the text.
CCSS9SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions with diverse partners of grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
6.
Objectives
Student learning objectives:
By the end of this lesson the learners will....
Given that the student had read and understood books 1-11 of The
Odyssey, the learner will be able too analyze the theme of the Siren story
by citing textual evidence and drawing inferences from the text at a
mastery level.
Given that the student has read books 1-11 of The Odyssey and Siren
Song by Margaret Atwood, the leaner will be able too describe
similarities and differences between the two texts by answering
questions out loud in discussion at a level expected of ninth graders.
Given that the students understand the theme of the Siren story in The
Odyssey, the learner will be able too apply the lesson taught to Odysseus
to their own life by identifying their own versions of modern day Sirens,
at a level expected of ninth graders.
Teacher learning objectives
There are a few things that I will be working to improve upon during this
lesson. The first is my use of movement. I have a bad habit of pacing
around the room, which makes my students have to turn their heads
constantly. I need to control my movements more. Pacing is okay, but
not as quickly or as often as I do it. The second thing I will be working on

is my wait time after asking a question. I need to allow my students time

to think about the question and their answer to it. I usually just call on
the first hand raised which moves too quickly for some students. They
need more time to think and respond.
Assessment (statement of how you will assess your objective for
the lesson)

7.

Resources and Materials

This lesson will use a variety of materials. The students will use their
online textbook during the read aloud of the chapter. The students will
also use the computers in the room to take notes and complete a quiz in
their kidblog. I will use PowerPoint to help with my instruction. The
students will see the I can statements and other pictures and notes on
the PowerPoint. Students will also be shown a clip from a History channel
series called, Clash of the gods.
8.
Instructional Model, Procedures, and Strategies (Include
time estimates for each section of the lesson.)
a.)
Attention Signal: 2 minutes.
I will begin the lesson by asking the students to log onto their kidblog
accounts to take notes. If this does not get their attention, I will ask the
same question again. If the students are still not giving me their
attention, I will flick the lights off to let them know that it is time to begin
class.
b.)
Opening and Advanced Organizer: 7 minutes.
I will attempt to hook the students by asking them to write in their
kidblogs something that is a temptation for them. This something can be
anything that distracts them from their journey. It can be anything from
junk food, music, to video games. Once I have asked a few students to
share their temptations I will begin the lesson by stating that Odysseus
had his own temptation just like us. After stating this I will call upon the
prior knowledge of the students asking them to remember the advice
that Tiresias gave Odysseus while he was in the underworld. This advice
was that Odysseus and his men needed to deny themselves to make it
home.

c.)
Behavioral Expectations
Students will be expected to follow all school and classroom rules and
procedures. They are expected to enter the classroom and begin their
work. Students will also be expected to not talk while I am speaking.
Students know they must raise their hands before speaking. One big
classroom rule that students will be expected to follow is the use of
headphones in the class. Students will not be allowed to have their
headphones in while I am instructing.
d.)
Instructional Steps
1. The lesson will begin with the bellringer and opening described
above.
2. I will then do a read aloud of the Siren chapter of The Odyssey from
the textbook along with a discussion. This will take eight to ten
minutes.
3. After reading this, the class will be asked to pair up with a table
partner to fill out a worksheet they have been given for each
chapter. This will take 7 minutes.
4. I will then pass out the poem, Siren Song by Margaret Atwood. I
will read this aloud and we will discuss as a class. This will take 10
minutes.
5. Closure described below.
6. Mr. Bennett will continue the lesson where I leave off.
e.)
Lesson Closure: 7 minutes
The lesson will end with a discussion about Odysseus. The first question
students will be asked is, does Odysseus cheat? Does he really deny
himself? Does he heed the advice he receives in the underworld, or is he
selfish in his actions? The class will have a discussion about the Siren
story as a whole for a review. Also, students will be asked the question,
how is your temptation like the sirens for Odysseus? This will make
them think on a deeper level and connect the lesson to something they
know. This lesson will be connected to future lessons and learning in a
couple of ways. First, the whole first quarter of the year is a study of
Odysseus and his role as an epic hero. This lesson will provide students
with another example from which to base their opinion of Odysseus. This
lesson connects to the learning throughout the rest of the school year.
The class is based around the idea of how heroes are portrayed

throughout time in literature. This lesson connects directly to future

learning and lessons.
f.)
Feedback and Evaluation
Students will receive feedback and evaluation constantly throughout the
lesson. They will be formally evaluated continually throughout the lesson
through out loud question and answer and discussion. This will allow me
to evaluate if they understand the theme of the text and if they are
analyzing the text correctly. They will also be evaluated through their
group work. As a group they will be asked to answer questions on a
handout. More formal evaluation will occur with the final question on
their kidblog.
9.
Modifications
Modifications for this classroom are unique. The classroom is designed to
give all students modifications. All students will IEPs receive 1 on 1
instruction. Also, all students receive modifications whether they are
needed or not. However, there are some for students who finish early.
Students who finish their kidblog closing question early will be allowed to
work on their paper that they have due on Friday. Students who are
struggling to grasp the concept will receive help from Mr. Bennett, Mr.
Smith, or myself while the other students are working in their kidblogs.