5E Lesson Plan (example)

Teacher: M.Blanton Date: 9-17 through 9-25 (5-7 days)

Subject area / course / grade level: 8th

Materials: Stop the Sun (p. 48-54), Dear America letter (p. 55), History.com video clip 3:06
(http://www.history.com/shows/vietnam-in-hd/videos/a-soldiers-story-khe-sanh), Double Entry Journal, Venn Diagram,
notebook paper, computers with Internet, Bubbl.us account
Marzano’s Instructional Strategy: (circle any applicable) Technology Tools: (Describe any technology tools that you plan
1. Identifying similarities and differences to use to teach the standards, assess learning, and/or use for
2. Summarizing and Note-Taking classroom management)
3. Questions, cues, and organizers History.com video clip
http://www.Bubbl.us
Internet sites (see list within the plan)
Lesson objective(s): all below will be taught in these lessons
Reading Literature Reading Informational Text Writing Language
RL.1 Inference/evidence RI.1 Inference/evidence W.2 Write to inform/explain L.1 Conventions (written &
RL.2 Central ideas, themes, RI.2 Central ideas, themes, W.4 Clear/coherent writing spoken)
summary summary W.5 Plan/revise/edit L.2 Conventions (mechanics)
RL.3 Character/author’s choice RI.3 Connections/interactions W.6 Use technology L.6 Academic & domain specific
among individuals, events, W.8 Gather/synthesize info vocabulary
ideas W.9 Write to sources (text
RI.6 Author’s point of evidence)
view/purpose W.10 Write routinely
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner Modifications provided:
needs:
Partner reading
Scaffold text (small sections with purpose defined)
Graphic organizers
Audio-visual materials
Kinesthetic engagement activity
DGP: Vocabulary:
Add sentence here with key teaching points from manual Stems-
(look for this teaching point in their writing this week) Academic Vocab from text- persist, inert, dry, founder,
chant
Essential Question(s): What is the message (theme)? How does the author develop the theme through the use of
literary devices (i.e. plot, setting, characterization, and/or flashback)?

EXPLORATION / EXPLANATION
· Describe what hands-on/minds-on activities students will be doing.
· List “big idea” conceptual questions the teacher will use to encourage and/or focus students’ exploration
1. JIGSAW Activity-
a. Divide students into four group: setting, plot, characterization, and flashback
b. Have them use www.literarydevices.com (or other resource )to create a visual (i.e. Vocabulary Square,
ppt slide, etc.) to teach their classmates about their assigned literary device. The visual should include
a definition, example from a familiar story, and a visual representation of the device. Each student
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 5E Lesson Plan (example)
Teacher: M.Blanton Date: 9-17 through 9-25 (5-7 days)

Subject area / course / grade level: 8th

should have their own copy/version of the presentation to use in small groups.
c. Re-divide the students into four new groups, each with a representative for each literary device.
d. Students will teach their new group-mates about their own assigned literary device.
ENGAGEMENT
· Describe how the teacher will capture students’ interest.
1. Show www.History.com video clip 3:06 (http://www.history.com/shows/vietnam-in-hd/videos/a-soldiers-
story-khe-sanh)

2. DURING THE CLIP: Have students write three adjectives to describe their physical and/or mental reactions
to the footage from the clip. Students will then share their responses with a partner, and will report at least
one adjective for class www.Bubbl.us map. Record responses in www.Bubbl.us to introduce the tool that
they’ll use later in the unit to make connections between literary devices and theme.

· What kind of questions should the students ask themselves after the engagement?
1. Have students move to either opposite sides, four corners, or the middle of the room (depending on the number
of response choices) in response to the following questions. Students can stand in the middle if they cannot
choose between two, but must defend why two responses are equally weighted in their opinion.
- How did this film make you feel? (sad, scared, angry, happy)
- Do you know anyone that fought in the Vietnam War or any war? (yes, no)
- Have they ever spoken about it? (yes, no)

2. Ponder this quote and write a prediction (3 minute free write) about how it may relate to the story, “The
beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand.” ~ Frank Herbert
a. Record responses in their journal.
b. Use the “teaching point” in their journal response from DGP. Color-code
EXPLORATION / EXPLANATION
· Describe what hands-on/minds-on activities students will be doing.
· List “big idea” conceptual questions the teacher will use to encourage and/or focus students’ exploration

1. REREAD: See the following steps to do a close re-read. Students will focus their re-reading on the
following questions:
-Does Terry’s character remain the same or change from beginning to end (cite evidence to prove your
answer)?
-How does characterization, flashback, plot, and/or setting contribute to the development of the
author’s message (theme) in this story?

You-I-We Model
2. “YOU READ:” Have students read “Stop the Sun” either independently or with a partner.
a. SUMMARIZATION: Students should write a “GIST” statement to summarize the plot.
i. The GIST should be exactly 20 words and should include answers to the 5Ws and H
questions. Record GIST statements in their journals.
b. VOCABULARY: Give students the list of words to look for while reading: persist, inert, dry, founder,
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 5E Lesson Plan (example)
Teacher: M.Blanton Date: 9-17 through 9-25 (5-7 days)

Subject area / course / grade level: 8th

chant, and any stem words found in text

i. For each word, students should their journals and write their predicted meaning (based on
the context clues), part of speech, and sentence in which the word was found in the story.
ii. After reading, students should compare their definitions with the ones found in the glossary,
correct the definitions (if necessary) in their own words, and then illustrate the meaning with
a picture or symbol to help them remember.
c. REFLECT: After they finish the first draft read, as a whole group, use www.Bubbl.us to brainstorm
suggested themes. Create a web of themes identified by the students.

3. “I READ:” Teacher will divide the text into two sections. Teacher will read aloud Section One (pg. 49-50) to
model how to cite evidence from the text based on Section One. Teacher will “think aloud” while modeling
how to cite text evidence to support answers to the focus questions:
a. Does Terry’s character remain the same or change from beginning to end (cite evidence to prove
your answer)?
b. How does characterization, flashback, plot, and/or setting contribute to the development of the
author’s message (theme) in this story?

4. “WE READ:” Next, have students read the rest of the text (pg. 51-54) more closely using the above
questions to guide their analysis. Continue to seek answers to the focus questions:
i. Does Terry’s character remain the same or change from beginning to end (cite evidence to
prove your answer)?
ii. How does characterization, flashback, plot, and/or setting contribute to the development of
the author’s message (theme) in this story?
b. THINK-PAIR-SHARE
i. THINK: As students read Section Two, have them use a double entry journal to cite
evidence from the text (at least once per section as divided by enlarged letters at the
beginning of the paragraph) that describes how the author’s use of characterization,
setting, plot, or flashback develops the theme. Cite text evidence with page, paragraph,
and direct quotes from the story (beginning and ending quotes… longer quotes may be
shortened with an ellipse).
ii. PAIR: Students will collaborate with a partner or group of three to share, make notes, and
revise their responses after discussion with others.
iii. SHARE: Ask a student from each pair to share text evidence with the group.
EXPLORATION
· Describe what hands-on/minds-on activities students will be doing.
· List “big idea” conceptual questions the teacher will use to encourage and/or focus students’ exploration
1. Students will read the letter from Dear America independently or with a partner
- As you read the letter from George on pg. 55 create a summary statement using the “Somebody,
Wanted, But, So” format to describe how George’s character has changed since being involved in the
war.
- List some adjectives to describe his character before he went to war in comparison to the time the
letter was written. How does he describe himself before the war? How does he describe himself after
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 5E Lesson Plan (example)
Teacher: M.Blanton Date: 9-17 through 9-25 (5-7 days)

Subject area / course / grade level: 8th

seeing the war first hand?

2. Students will work with a partner using www.Bubbl.us to create a double bubble map to compare and contrast
the two texts:
- How did the use of literary devices (plot, characterization, setting) communicate the authors’ message
(theme)?
- Compare and contrast character traits (with text evidence) and explain how each contributes to the
theme.
ELABORATION
· Describe how students will develop a more sophisticated understanding of the concept.
· What vocabulary will be introduced and how will it connect to students’ observations?
· How is this knowledge applied in our daily lives?

1. Final Journal Response

a. Students will independently write a journal entry (with text evidence) in response to the following
prompts:
i. Consider the quote from the beginning of the lesson, “The beginning of knowledge is the
discovery of something we do not understand.” ~ Frank Herbert
1. How does this quote relate to the theme and the author’s use of story elements to
develop it throughout the text?
2. How is the theme applicable to your own life? Be specific.
b. Students should incorporate “teaching point” from DGP into writing and color-code examples in
his/her writing

Use the following research options in the ELA class (with Media Specialist), or partner with the Social Studies
teacher to integrate these project into the US History and the Vietnam War units ( align with History Literacy
Standards).
2. RESEARCH OPTION 1: Many war veterans, like Terry's father in "Stop the Sun," suffer from Vietnam
syndrome, also known as post-traumatic stress disorder. Research this disorder. What are its symptoms?
How is it treated? Now that you know more about the topic, how can your new knowledge and the
overarching theme of “Stop the Sun” be applied to your own life? Write an essay to explain what you’ve
learned about PTSD, and create a visual representation of your findings to present to the class. Some of
the following websites may be helpful to your research.

• WebMd http://www.webmd.com/ Do a search for "post-traumatic stress disorder" on this health

information site.

• Dr. Koop http://www.drkoop.com/ Former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop oversees this site
of general medical information.

• The National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder http://www.ncptsd.org/ Learn more about

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 5E Lesson Plan (example)
Teacher: M.Blanton Date: 9-17 through 9-25 (5-7 days)

Subject area / course / grade level: 8th

PTSD at this site, which was created to help veterans deal with it and other aftereffects of traumatic
stress.

3. RESEARCH OPTION 2: How much do you know about the Vietnam War? Did you know that the war's
roots go back to the 1860s, when France conquered Vietnam? The links below will help you explore the
history of conflict that led to the war—from France's 1862 conquest to South Vietnam's surrender in 1975.

• Vietnam Online: The American Experience http://www.pbs.org/ wgbh/ amex/ vietnam/ index.html
This site offers an introduction to the history and legacy of the Vietnam War. Features include an
interactive timeline of the war (1945-present), basic statistics, and biographical profiles of the major
actors of the era.

• Vietnam Veterans http://www.vietvet.org A site created to honor Vietnam Veterans, living and
dead, who served their country on either side of the conflict.

• Reflections, Memories, and Images of Vietnam Past http://www.vietvet.org/ thepast.htm

"Remembrance" is a collection of "Galleries" containing imagery, stories, poems, songs, maps, and
narratives from or about the Vietnam War era.
EVALUATION
· How will students demonstrate that they have achieved the lesson objective?
· This should be embedded throughout the lesson. List formative assessment strategies.
4. Teacher observation: double entry journals, www.Bubbl.us , class discussions

5. Teacher questioning:( during think aloud, small group or individual conferencing while reading,
while composing Bubbl.us map

6. Final Journal Response-

a. Students will deliberately use (and color code) grammatical “teaching point” learned in DGP in at
least 5 sentences.
b. Students will demonstrate the use of a plan, and will revise their work as needed for spelling,
grammatical errors, and coherence.
c. Students will use the terms “theme, characterization/character, plot, flashback, and/or setting”
appropriately in order to support their claims.

7. Student Choice Research Papers-

a. rubric
i. text evidence to support claims
ii. grammar- look for teaching point from DGP
iii. clear, coherent writing
Teacher Reflections:

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