Teacher____________________________________________ Date__________

Sample Lesson Plan Close Reading

English
Close Reading
The Fun They Had pages 575-578 Reading !om page 578
Lesson "#e!#ie$ Depending on class needs, this close reading should take two to three days.
In this two-day lesson, the teacher begins by having students read and annotate the selected
passage individually or as part of a class oral reading. Students then work with vocabulary and
story questions.
n the second day, students re-read the passage with a partner. They check their annotations and
answers. They work in partners answering the pairs questions . The lesson concludes with a short
argu!ent writing assign!ent.
Tea%he! Planning and P!epa!a&ion (include UDL considerations and planning for ELL and
special education students)
Re#ie$ &he ans$e!s for all questions asked in this lesson and lo%a&e &he &e'&ual suppo!&.
"Teachers should always co!plete the task they e#pect students to do in order to anticipate
difficulties and know when a student is providing a response that is appropriate and based on
evidence fro! the te#t.$
%pply appropriate ele!ents of ()L
o &nlarge font if necessary *()L +,+-
o 'reate an electronic version of the close reading student packet *()L .,+/.,0-
o %llow students to use the (otebook version of )icrosoft *ord to record in their answer
instead of having to write. *()L 5,0-
o +rovide illustrations or pictures to acco!pany vocabulary words in the lesson. *()L 5,+-
%pply *ID% +erfor!ance Definitions and '%( D Descriptors to differentiate the lesson
for &nglish ,anguage ,earners
Identify partners for Day ne activity
S&uden& "12e%&i#es (for this lesson)
Students will be able to
%naly-e the !ain idea of the passage
&#plain the the!e.central idea of the passage
/udge the i!plications of the te#t for the reader and society
Su!!ari-e the passage
Essen&ial 3ues&ion
0ow is true learning best acco!plished1
Common Co!e Lesson Fo%us S&anda!ds
2,.3.4 'ite several pieces of te#tual evidence to support analysis of what the te#t says e#plicitly
as well as inferences drawn fro! the te#t.
2,.3.5 Deter!ine a the!e or central idea of a te#t and analy-e its develop!ent over the course
of the te#t6 provide an ob7ective su!!ary of the te#t.
2,.3. Deter!ine the !eaning of words and phrases as they are used in a te#t, including
figurative, connotative !eaning6 analy-e the i!pact of a specific word choice on !eaning and
tone.
*.3.4 *rite argu!ents to support clai!s with clear reasons and relevant evidence
S,.3.4 &ngage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions "one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led$ with diverse partners on grade 3 topics, te#ts, and issues, building on others8 ideas
and e#pressing their own clearly.
4a&e!ials/E5uipmen&
Teacher 2esource Sheet
Dictionaries
'opies of Student +acket
Student 2eading /ournals
P!e-assessmen& (what do students need to know in order to be successful with this lesson)
They need to know about the author, Isaac %ssi!ov, and the fact that he wrote this short story in
the 49:;8s before the co!puter was co!!onplace. They also should understand that this story is
science fiction.
)ay "ne
6n&i%ipa&o!y Se&/Con&e'& Se&&ing *+7 mins,-
Teacher reads a short biography of Isaac %ssi!ov and indicates that this is a work of science
fiction. % short e#planation.discussion of what this genre entails should follow. "<ound on page
:=>.$
)e#elopmen&/P!o%edu!es *87 mins,-
4. <irst Draft 2eading? Students read the passage "as a group or independently$ while @talking to
the te#t.A They write notes in the !argins. %nnotations !ay consist of any of the following?
o 2ecord a 2&%'TI(
o %sk a BC&STI(
o Dive an +I(I(
o )ake a '((&'TI(
o 2espond to how he.she would 2&,%T& if in the situation
Students should also circle or underline the !ost i!portant points of the te#t.
5. *hen students have finished the <irst Draft reading, ask which words are unfa!iliar or
difficult. "See possible words in the Tea%he! Resou!%e,- Ee sure that students understand the
!eaning of these words, whether they are able to get it fro! the conte#t or fro! a dictionary
since these ter!s are i!portant to understanding the author8s tone and the the!e and will be
used in the ho!ework.
F. %sk a student to su!!ari-e what is being described in the passage.
G. Second Draft 2eading? The teacher then asks students to re-read the passage and answer the
first set of Te#t-dependent Buestions independently. Teacher should !odel how to answer the
first question. "See S&uden& Resou!%e Pa%9e&,-
Summa!y/Closu!e *5 mins,-
2evisit the &ssential Buestion.
6ssessmen& *o!ma&i#e/summa&i#e-
Teacher observation as students work independently.
Home$o!9
% ho!ework assign!ent is totally the call of the teacher.
)ay T$o
@The <un They 0adA close reading lesson +age 5
6n&i%ipa&o!y Se&/Con&e'& Se&&ing *7 mins,-
0ave students retrieve their *riting /ournals and co!plete a five-!inute free write on the
following pro!pt?
Discuss a few responses.
)e#elopmen&/P!o%edu!es *+5 mins,-
4. Teacher collects the ho!ework "if assigned$ and revisits the ob7ectives.
5. Third Draft 2eading? Students work with partners. They first discuss their answers to the first
set of questions and co!e to agree!ent on the responses. They then work together to answer
the additional Discussion Buestions. Ee sure to e#plain to the students the i!portance of
referencing the te#t in their answers. Teacher !ay !odel the process of answering the
Discussion Buestions.
F. Teacher circulates and facilitates the process of students working in pairs. ,isten to the
conversation between partners in order to for!atively assess their understanding.
G. *hen students have co!pleted the questions, ask a couple of sets of partners to share their
answers.
:. %sk if anyone has questions about the passage since they will be using their packets to
co!plete a writing assign!ent. "Students should have a clear understanding of the passage,
since the purpose of the writing assign!ent is for the! to support a clai! and e#press their
ideas in paragraph for!, not to work through the details of the passage. If the teacher feels
that the class needs !ore ti!e to discuss the responses, then he.she !ay assign the writing to
be done for ho!ework.$
T!ansi&ion
0ave students return to their seats and be sure they have their books and their responses in the
Student +acket.
)e#elopmen&/P!o%edu!es *07 mins,-
Students should write written responses to the pro!pt either individually or with a
partner.group.
Students either individually or with a partner.group !ay fill out an organi-ational for! in
which they set out their !ain points and te#tual support
Summa!y/Closu!e
2esponses to the writing pro!pt.
@The <un They 0adA close reading lesson +age F
Tea%he! Resou!%e
Essen&ial 3ues&ion:
Passage o! Close Reading; p, +8<
"Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn't a regular teacher. It was a man." "A man? How
could a man be a teacher?" "Well, he just told the boys and girls things and gave them homework
and asked them questions." "A man isn't smart enough." "Sure he is. My father knows as much
as my teacher." "He can't. A man can't know as much as a teacher." "He knows almost as much, I
betcha."
Margie wasn't prepared to dispute that. She said, "1 wouldn't want a strange man in my
house to teach me."
Tommy screamed with laughter. "You don't know much, Margie. The teachers didn't live
in the house. They had a special building and all the kids went there." "And all the kids learned
the same thing?" "Sure, if they were the same age."
"But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it
teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently."
"Just the same they didn't do it that way then. If you don't like it, you don't have to read the
book."
"I didn't say I didn't like it," Margie said quickly. She wanted to read about those funny
schools.
They weren't even half-finished when Margie's mother called, "Margie! School!" Margie
looked up. "Not yet, Mamma."
"Now!" said Mrs. Jones. "And it's probably time for Tommy, too."
Margie said to Tommy, "Can I read the book some more with you after school?"
"Maybe," he said nonchalantly. He walked away whistling, the dusty old book tucked
beneath his arm.
Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bedroom, and the mechanical
teacher was on and waiting for her. It was always on at the same time every day except Saturday
and Sunday, because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.
The screen was lit up, and it said: "Today's arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper
fractions. Please insert yesterday's homework in the proper slot."
Margie did so with a sigh. She was thinking about the old schools they had when her
grandfather's grandfather was a little boy. All the kids from the whole neighborhood came,
laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in the schoolroom, going home together
at the end of the day. They learned the same things, so they could help one another on the
homework and talk about it.
And the teachers were people...
The mechanical teacher was flashing on the screen: "When we add the fractions 1/2 and 1/4..."
)argie was thinking about how the kids !ust have loved it in the old days. She was thinking
about the fun they had.
=o%a1ula!y &ha& should 1e unde!s&ood:
betcha nonchalantly
dispute !echanical
@The <un They 0adA close reading lesson +age G
ad7usted insert
Te'&-dependen& 3ues&ions o! >ndi#idual S&udy
1. *hy does )argie ask, @0ow could a !an be a teacher1A
She does not think that huans are sart enough to be teachers.
!. *ith which state!ent would the author !ost likely agree1
a. 'hildren will learn faster and better in the future with technology.
b. 'o!puters are !uch better teachers than hu!an teachers.
c. Schools of the past did not do a good 7ob of teaching children.
d. ,earning with others posing different ideas results in true learning.
Since the thee of the short story is d., students should choose that answer. "owe#er, the
other choices add to a spirited discussion. $n his story, children like %argie create nothing,
design nothing, &uestion nothing. 'hey erely recei#e instruction and gi#e back what is
e(pected to the coputer )teacher.*
+. Describe the setting of the passage.story.
$n the future when students recei#e indi#iduali,ed instruction fro a prograed coputer
teacher in their own hoes.
G. *hat is the the!e of the story1
different.
:. *hat is the author8s tone in this passage1 0ow do you know1
'he author is using a serious, straightforward tone in the passage. -sio# writes ost of the
passage in declarati#e sentences that state e(actly what is happening.
)is%ussion 3ues&ions o! Pai!s S&udy
4. The author states, @0e canHt. % !an canHt know as !uch as a teacher.A *hat does he !ean by
this1
"e is stating that en are fallible but coputers are not. $f we e&uate )teacher* with one
who .ust hands out knowledge, then a coputer would be a perfect teacher. "owe#er, in a
true learning situation, students share ideas and de#elop critical thinking skills that a
coputer cannot teach or easure.
5. *hy does To!!y state, @I betcha.A %t the end of his state!ent1 *hat does this show about
his character1
'oys is using slang, and, in doing so, his dialogue shows that he is a typical 11/ to 1+/
year/old boy.
F. ,ist four advantages of studying at ho!e with a robot teacher.
-nswers will #ary.
G. ,ist four advantages of studying in a school with other students.
-nswers will #ary.
?!i&ing P!omp&
Teachers could check with the internet site listed below for so!e interesting responses to the
pro!pt.
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K5<inde#.phpKF<optionKFDco!_doc!anK53taskKFDdoc_viewK53gid
@The <un They 0adA close reading lesson +age :
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S&uden& Resou!%e Pa%9e&
The Fun They Had 1y >saa% 6ssimo#
(a!e__________________________________________ Date_______________
Fi!s& )!a& Reading
The following e#cerpt is fro! page :==-:=> @The <un They 0ad.A 2ead the passage
independently. Cnderline i!portant infor!ation, circle words you don8t understand, and !ake
notes or identify questions in the !argin.
"Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn't a regular teacher. It was a man." "A man? How
could a man be a teacher?" "Well, he just told the boys and girls things and gave them homework
and asked them questions." "A man isn't smart enough." "Sure he is. My father knows as much
as my teacher." "He can't. A man can't know as much as a teacher." "He knows almost as much, I
betcha."
Margie wasn't prepared to dispute that. She said, "1 wouldn't want a strange man in my
house to teach me."
Tommy screamed with laughter. "You don't know much, Margie. The teachers didn't live
in the house. They had a special building and all the kids went there." "And all the kids learned
the same thing?" "Sure, if they were the same age."
"But my mother says a teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it
teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently."
"Just the same they didn't do it that way then. If you don't like it, you don't have to read the
book."
"I didn't say I didn't like it," Margie said quickly. She wanted to read about those funny
schools.
They weren't even half-finished when Margie's mother called, "Margie! School!" Margie
looked up. "Not yet, Mamma."
"Now!" said Mrs. Jones. "And it's probably time for Tommy, too."
Margie said to Tommy, "Can I read the book some more with you after school?"
"Maybe," he said nonchalantly. He walked away whistling, the dusty old book tucked
beneath his arm.
Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bedroom, and the mechanical
teacher was on and waiting for her. It was always on at the same time every day except Saturday
and Sunday, because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.
The screen was lit up, and it said: "Today's arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper
fractions. Please insert yesterday's homework in the proper slot."
Margie did so with a sigh. She was thinking about the old schools they had when her
grandfather's grandfather was a little boy. All the kids from the whole neighborhood came,
laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in the schoolroom, going home together
@The <un They 0adA close reading lesson +age 3
at the end of the day. They learned the same things, so they could help one another on the
homework and talk about it.
And the teachers were people...
The mechanical teacher was flashing on the screen: "When we add the fractions 1/2 and 1/4..."
Margie was thinking about how the kids must have loved it in the old days. She was thinking
about the fun they had.
Lis& Conusing =o%a1ula!y He!e:
betcha
dispute
ad7usted
nonchalantly
!echanical

insert
@The <un They 0adA close reading lesson +age =
The Fun They Had; >ndependen& Reading 3ues&ions
-nswer the following &uestions using inforation fro the passage and the rest of the te(t.
1. *hy does )argie ask, @0ow could a !an be a teacher1A
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
5. *ith which state!ent would the author !ost likely agree1 *hy1
a. 'hildren will learn faster and better in the future with technology.
b. 'o!puters are !uch better teachers than hu!an teachers.
c. Schools of the past did not do a good 7ob of teaching children.
d. ,earning with others posing different ideas results in true learning.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
F. Describe the setting of the passage.story.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
4. *hat is the the!e of the story1
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
3. *hat is the author8s tone in this passage1 0ow do you know1
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
@The <un They 0adA close reading lesson +age >
The Fun They Had, 3ues&ions o! Pai!s )is%ussion
4. The author states, @0e canHt. % !an canHt know as !uch as a teacher.A *hat does he !ean
by this1
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
5. *hy does To!!y state, @I betcha.A %t the end of his state!ent1 *hat does this show about
his character1
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
F. ,ist four advantages of studying at ho!e with a robot teacher.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
G. ,ist four of studying in a school with other students.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
@The <un They 0adA close reading lesson +age 9
The Fun They Had
6!gumen& ?!i&ing 6ssignmen&
>n a $ell-de#eloped pa!ag!aph; ma9e a %laim and p!o#ide suppo!& 1ased on &his
p!omp&: Do you believe that )argie and her friends learned !ore fro! an individual
co!puter-based tutor in her ho!e than in a traditional school1 Cse infor!ation fro! the
te#t and your discussions to support your answer.
This story is a strong children8s story about the value of the educational syste! utili-ing a pro7ected
future possibility wherein the sociali-ation and accli!ation of the syste! has been abandoned for
efficiency and individuali-ation. %s he had done periodically before, %si!ov uses the advance!ent of
technology to warn against the abandon!ent of people working and living together, so!ething that has
proved to be true.
@The <un They 0adA close reading lesson +age 4;