Lesson Plan

Class: English Honors 10

Date:10/06/17

Standards:
SOL
10.6 The student will develop a variety of writing to persuade, interpret, analyze, and evaluate
with an emphasis on exposition and analysis.
b) Synthesize information to support the thesis.

Objectives:
1) Students will know all essays have an argument.
2) Students will understand why compare and contrast is a method of developing an
argument.
3) Student will know that a strong thesis statement answers who, what, and why. This
creates a clear argument that the reader can follow.
4) Students will be able to identify the who what when and how in a thesis statement. Then,
students will apply this knowledge in writing their own thesis statements for their
compare and contrast essays.

1. [15 min] Mini-Lesson on Writing a Thesis:

For this mini-lesson, I will be writing on the board and students will be copying notes in
their writing journals.
Hi everyone! Its Friday! Get hyped! Get pumped! We have a lot to do today so I want to
get started right away. Can I have everyone take out their writing journal if you havent
already done so?
I know you all read this a few days ago, so as a class, lets recall what the reading was
about. Together, we are going to come up with a venn-diagram comparing and
contrasting the two characters in Remembering my Childhood on the Continent of
Africa. Which two characters are being compared and contrasted? [David and Hugh]
As I write these notes on the board, I also want you to write them down in your writing
journal. Not your reading, your WRITING JOURNAL!
As a class, lets compare and contrast David and Hugh. [I will allow students to throw out
some ideas for about 3 minutes so we have a solid list of how the two characters were the similar
and different.]

Because you all will be writing compare and contrast essays, I thought I would go over
what makes a good thesis today. I read over many of your thesis statements and I noticed
that many of you were struggling to write a concise, yet powerful argument.
As you write a thesis statement, there are a few things I want you to be thinking of. The
first is that ALL ESSAYS ARE ARGUMENTS
1. Purpose
2. Audience
When you think of purpose, think of the reason why you are writing something. Are you
writing to inform, persuade, entertain, or explain?
Also, you want to think of your audience. Who do you envision receiving your message?
If your purpose is to persuade, who specifically are you trying to persuade?

Lets look at the David Sedaris reading. What was his purpose in writing the story?
[To explain the differences between his upbringing and Hughes upbringing. He compares
and contrasts his childhood with Hughes to explain why we should not be envious of
other peoples experiences. We should just listen and learn from them.]
So, who would my intended audience be?
[Anyone whoever wished for a different childhood or tried to put themselves in the place
of someone else.]

After you have considered what your purpose is and who your audience is, you can then
decide what is the purpose of your compare and contrast essay. Remember the purposes I
gave you for writing a compare and contrast essay on Monday/Tuesday?
1. To determine the superiority of one thing over another.
2. To explain something that is unknown by comparing it to something that is
known.
3. To show that two apparently similar things are in fact quite different or to
show that two apparently dissimilar things are quite similar.
4. To show how something or someone has changed.

In the David Sedaris reading, he determines the superiority of one thing over another. For
him, growing up in Africa is way more exciting than the childhood he has in North
Carolina.

Once you know what you are comparing and contrasting and your purpose in comparing
and contrasting, you have to come up with an argument. Without looking back, who can
recall what I said about compare and contrast essays? I said you have to know this so
you should write it down!

[Hopefully students can recall that compare and contrast is a method of developing a
thesis and not the point of writing. You cannot just list similarities and differences. If
they do not recall, I will remind them.]
 So, what makes a good thesis? Many of you all wrote me paragraph statements as thesis
statements. Remember, a thesis is concise and to the point. In your thesis, you want to
answer a few things, what, how, and why?

What is your argument?

How will you prove or support it?
Why does it matter?

Thesis: Rather than being bitter or jealous about how you grow up in comparison to other
people, it is better to listen, learn, and appreciate differences. David describes his
childhood as dull and boring in comparison to Hughs spontaneous and extraordinary
adventures in Africa; however, he surmises that the spiritual symbiosis between them
allows him to adopt Hughs memories as his own.
[My thesis statement is taken directly from the reading itself. I just reword it. I want to
show students that every essay has an argument. From this, I will then ask students to
find and answer the what, how and why of the thesis statement.]

Does anyone have any questions about writing a thesis? As you start writing your
feedback drafts next week, I want you to go back to these notes as you write your thesis
statements.

2. [10-12 Min] Move Students to their New Seats/ Pass Out Books/Homework
Once Warren has passed out books and told students where their new seats will be, I will
go over their homework. I will pass out the reading schedule and notify them that it will
also be online.

3. [10 Minutes] Play Dehumanization Video/Crummy First Draft Check [Minutes]:

Have students listen to the Ted Talk and take notes on what dehumanization means while
Warren goes around checking crummy first drafts.
 In the Time of Butterflies
Reading Schedule
Date Reading is Due: Chapter
10/09-10/10 1-3
10/12-10/13 4
10/16-10/17 5
10/18-10/19 6 - Until Page 93 Discovery Day
10/20 6 - Finish
10/23-10/24 7
10/25-10/26 8 - Until page break on p.159
10/27 8-Finish
10/30-10/31 9
11/01-11/02 10 - Until page break on p.212
11/03 10 - Finish
11/06-11/07 11
11/08-11/09 12
11/10 Epilogue

Things Fall Apart

Reading Schedule
Date Reading is Due: Chapter
10/09-10/10 1-3
10/12-10/13 4-5
10/16-10/17 6-7
10/18-10/19 8-9
10/20 10
10/23-10/24 11-13
10/25-10/26 14-15
10/27 16
10/30-10/31 17-19
11/01-11/02 20-21
11/03 22
11/06-11/07 22-23
11/08-11/09 24
11/10 25
 In the Time of Butterflies
Guided Reading
Chapters 1-3
DUE: 10/09-10/10
Answer the following questions in your reading journal. Make sure to provide evidence from the text.

1. Chapter 1: Although he is not formally introduced, what is implied about the type of man that
Trujillo is? How do you know? Give specific details.
2. Chapter 2: Consider that the three different periods of time are given three different sub-titles:
complications, pobrecita, and the performance. Predict what each section is likely to be
about. After reading, come back and explain how each title is appropriate to the events of the
section.
3. Chapter 3: How does Minerva characterize the soul? What does this suggest about Minervas
character?

Spanish Words:
o Gringa dominica - Dominican-American woman
o Maria santisima - Saint Maria
o Exactamente - exactly
o Campesinos - peasants or farmers
o Tan afuera de las cosa - so outside of things [out of touch]
o Galera - enclosed porch
o Pobrecita - poor little baby
o Calmante - tranquilizer used to calm someone
o Mi apita - my little extra one
o S seorita - yes, young lady
o El cuco - the cuckoo
o Ay, Dios mo - Oh my God
o Absentia- in absence [something done or accomplished in absence of a person or thing]
o Sor - Sister [as in a nun, member of a convent]
o El Jefe - The chief, the boss [referring to Trujillo]
o Viva Trujillo - Long Live Trujillo
o Cacao - cocoa
o Promesa - promise
o Ta - aunt
o Sarampin - measles
o Guardia - guard
 In the Time of Butterflies
Guided Reading
Chapters 4
DUE: 10/12-10/13
1. Patria represents the conflict between flesh and spirit. Explain. How is the original meeting
with Pedrito and example of this conflict?

2. What parallel does Patria see between God and Trujillo? How does she feel about them?

Spanish Words:
o Padre priest when capitalized; father or dad when not capitalized
o Virgenicita The Virgin Mary
o Peseta - coin
o Guayabera a mans tropical pleated shirt
o El Cibao a region in the northern part of the Dominican Republic
o Crche Nativity scene
o Bandidos literally bandits, used ironically to indicate the corruption that Dominicans have
come to accept in their government leaders
o Siesta afternoon nap
o Se vende for sale
o Brujo witch doctor
o Mi amor my love
o No, seor No, sir
o Rancho ranch
o Ay, s Oh, yes
o Gavilleros band of robbers, thieves, outlaws
o Yanquis Yankees, North Americans
o Mantilla lace or silk vail worn over head and shoulders
 Things Fall Apart
Guided Reading
Chapters 1-3
DUE: 10/09-10/10

Answer the following questions in your reading journal. Make sure to provide evidence from
the text:

1. How did Okonkwo become famous even beyond the 9 villages of Umuofia?
2. Compare and contrast Unoka and Okoye? In what ways are they similar, and in what ways are
they different?
3. How was Okonkwo able to become rich and famous even though his father owed a lot of
money?
4. What is Okonkwos greatest fear?