Kirkup 1

Sarah Kirkup Lesson Plan #1

STANDARDS AND INDICATORS

5R1: Locate and refer to relevant details and evidence when explaining what a text says
explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences. (RI&RL)

INDICATOR: This will be evident when the students are able to read a text and make
logical inferences on character traits and feelings based on their actions and dialogue.

5R5: In literary texts, explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to
determine the overall structure of a story, drama, or poem. (RL)

INDICATOR: This will be evident when students are able to analyze the character in the
story in order to determine the overall structure of a story.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVE(S)

After reading the short story ‘Eleven’ by Sandra Cisneros, students will participate in a group
Nearpod activity tracking character traits/feeling. Following group discussion and activity,
students will be assessed on their ability to determine character traits individually based off of a
section of the passage.

TARGET QUESTION FROM THE LESSON

How are readers able to determine how characters are feeling in the story? What are the ways
that readers can tell how a character is feeling? (Dialogue and actions)

COMPELLING QUESTION

How can we infer how the character is feeling based on what the author tells us?

LEARNING TARGETS

1. I can track a character’s feelings by asking specific questions about the character.
2. I can infer how the character is feeling and explore the reasons behind this.
3. I can read and analyze a grade level text.
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PRIOR ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE, CONCEPTIONS/MISCONCEPTIONS

Prior Academic Knowledge

Misconceptions
- Some students may have a hard time grasping the introduction to this passage.
Students will be asked to relate to the passage and think about times when they have
felt that they were younger or older than they are now.

DEVELOPMENTAL PROCEDURES

1. MOTIVATION: Students will be presented with a popular game, Among Us. Students
will discuss how they determine character traits and potential suspects.
2. To begin the lesson, students will interact with a Nearpod activity and brainstorm
different feelings and character traits.
3. The teacher will read the short story “Eleven’ by Sandra Cisneros to the class. Students
will be encouraged to post it character traits and character feelings that they notice during
the reading.
4. Students will be encouraged to think about the following questions. Who is the main
character of this passage? What type of emotion does the main character feel during the
story? Do we have to search for these feelings are does the author point them out?
5. Together we will analyze a section of the passage that discusses how the character is
feeling in the beginning of the passage. Students will track the specific traits that they
noticed in their section of the story through a Nearpod board.
6. Students will independently read another section of the story and track character feelings
and traits. Students will complete an open-ended question on NearPod: Identify the trait
and explain why does the character feel like this?
7. Students will share their thoughts on the NearPod activity.
8. To complete the lesson, the teacher will ask students to identify how we can tell how a
character is feeling. Students will also engage in a poll to share how they feel about
evaluating characters feelings.

ASSESSMENT (Informal & Formal)

Informal:
- Students will be informally assessed throughout the lesson during interactive Nearpod
activities. Students will be asked to track character traits in the story, Eleven.

Formal:
- Students will be formally assessed through an exit ticket activity. Students will reread
a section of the passage, Eleven and identify a character trait. Students will analyze
the character trait by using evidence from the text.
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INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Direct Instruction
INDICATOR: This will be evident when the teacher presents different character traits
with students and how to find them in the passage.

Read Aloud
INDICATOR: This will be evident when students are able to analyze a passage and
identify character traits after the teacher reads the story, ‘Eleven.’

Technology Tools
INDICATOR: This will be evident when students are able to learn and track character
traits through a Nearpod activity.

Group Discussion
INDICATOR: This will be evident when students are able to have an academic
discussion while tracking character traits in the text, Eleven.

ADAPTATIONS

- Students who are remote learners will be given the Nearpod code in order to
participate in the group activity.

- Students who are unable to use their computers due to power or Wi-Fi issues will
participate through a paper-version of the activity.

- Students who have a hard time identifying character traits in the passage will be given
the trait to help guide them in the Nearpod activity.

- Students who are English Language Learners, will be able to track traits though the
use of pictures.

DIFFERENTIATION OF INSTRUCTION

Content: Throughout the lesson, content will be structured in a way that engages students routinely
whether it be through direct questioning or opportunities for students to share their opinions. The
NearPod lesson allows students to actively learn content and take ownership of the learning process
along with the instructor.

Process: Visual, kinesthetic, and auditory learners will all benefit from the process I use to deliver this
lesson. The visual learner will be accommodated through the incorporation of graphics and images while
identifying character feelings in the NearPod lesson. The kinesthetic learner will benefit from
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completing the interactive slides throughout the presentation. The auditory learner will benefit from
hearing me speak and read the story, ‘Eleven.’

Product: Students will have the option to either type out their answers on the NearPod activity or use
different images on the collaborative boards. The main product or assessment piece of this lesson is for
students to be able to track character traits and determine why the character may feel this way. This can
be delivered through text or audio.

ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT/HOMEWORK

- Students will use their skills as analysists to choose one more passage in the short story and
track character traits and feelings. The students will be able to identify what is happening in
the passage and analyze the character trait. The students will describe how they were able to
determine what character trait.

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES AND MATERIALS

- NearPod Presentation
- ‘Eleven’ by Sandra Cisneros - Short Story Passages
- Post-It Notes
- Passage Readings
- Additional Handouts in case of technology issues.

REFERENCES

New York State Education Dept. . “NY State Next Generation Standards.” English Language
Arts Language Standards, 2017, www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/curriculum-
instruction/nys-next-generatio n-ela-standards.pdf.

Cisneros, S. (1991). Eleven. Woman hollering creek, and other stories. New York: Random
House.
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Passage 1
‘Eleven’

“Not mine, not mine, not mine, but Mrs. Price is already turning to page
thirty -two, and math problem number four. I don’t know why but all of a
sudden I’m feeling sick inside, like the part of me that’s three wants to
come out of my eyes, only I squeeze them shut tight and bite down on my
teeth real hard and try to remember today I am eleven, eleven. Mama is
making a cake for me for tonight, and when Papa comes home everybody
will sing Happy birthday, happy birthday to you.”

Track Character Trait How do you know?

_______________________ Actions Thoughts Words

Passage 2

That’s when everything I’ve been holding in since this morning, since when
Mrs. Price put the sweater on my desk, finally let’s go, and all of a sudden,
I’m crying in front of everybody. I wish I was invisible but I’m not. I’m eleven
and it’s my birthday today and I’m crying like I’m three in front of everybody.
I put my head down on the desk and bury my face in my stupid clown -
sweater arms. My face all hot and spit coming out of my mouth because I
can’t stop the little animal noises from coming out of me until there aren’t
any more tears left in my eyes, and it’s just my body shaking like when you
have the hiccups, and my whole head hurts like when you drink milk too
fast.

Track Character Trait How do you know?

_______________________ Actions Thoughts Words

Brave Shy Quiet Bossy

Funny Honest Calm Rude

Sad Respectful Angry Creative

Caring Happy Excited Joyful

Loyal Confident Selfish Mature

Brave Shy Quiet Bossy

Funny Honest Calm Rude

Sad Respectful Angry Creative

Caring Happy Excited Joyful

Loyal Confident Selfish Mature