Concept Unit

Lesson Plan Template

Unit Working Title: Understanding Humor
Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): Humor
Unit Primary Skill focus: Irony
Week 2 of 3; Plan # 5 of 9; [90 mins.]
Plan type: Summary
Content Requirement Satisfied: Reading Experience
(Note: Refer to the list in the document called Concept Unit Lesson Plans)
Unit Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Backwards Design Unit Document],
followed by Specific lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson:
SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
1. Students will know how and why they access humor
a. Students will know how humor can be used as a problem-solving and communication tool
3. Students will know how and why authors use humor
b. students will know how Swift uses satire to relate a political/social message
Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:
6. Students will value input and suggestions from peers
c. Students will respect their peers comments and inferences while reading The Modest
Proposal
Performance (do):
8. Students will be able to identify humor in literature, their personal lives, and in current culture
d. Students will be able to identify humor in Swifts A Modest Proposal
10. Students will be able to incorporate irony in a variety of writing genres
e. Students will write a satirical proposal on a modern day issue on their choosing
SOLs:
8.5- The student will read and analyze a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry
a) Explain the use of symbols and figurative language.
b) Make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information
using evidence from a text as support.
8.7- The student will write in a variety of forms, including narration, exposition, persuasion, and
informational.
a) Identify intended audience.
h) Use computer technology to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish writing.
CCSs:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.8.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-

led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.8.2
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text,
including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.5.A
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context.
Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]
Beginning Room Arrangement:
Students in groups of 4. Seating chart on the board- same seats as week 1
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]
1. [2 mins.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson:
Welcome back class! As you remember last time we finished class with a mini-research project
on Johnathon Swift- the author of the piece we are going to be reading today. While you all
research and presented a lot of great information, I am still going to provide a brief introduction
to the piece.
2. [5 mins.] Step 1: Introduction to the piece
The title of the piece we are reading today is called A Modest Proposal, published in 1729.
The Modest Proposal was a response to the worsening conditions some of you researched last
class- Ireland was suffering through a terrible famine made even worse by crowded conditions
and freezing weather. Since Swift, as you discovered last class, was a part of politics and a
writer, he wrote his opinion on the issue-a thus A Modest Proposal was born. But what makes
this piece relevant to our humor lesson is that it is a satire. Thus Swift wrote A Modest
Proposal to call attention to abuses inflicted on the Irish Catholics by the English Protestants.
He believed England was exploiting and oppressing Ireland.
3. [8 mins.] Step 2: Read-Aloud Model
Today we are going to do read the piece aloud in partners. To help me demonstrate and explain,
Mrs. Smith from next door is going to come in and were going to read the first few paragraphs
of the text and model the activity. First let me hand out the essay- please do not start reading
right away. Teacher hands out copies of A Modest Proposal. Let me explain the activity. As you
and your partner read aloud to each other after every few paragraphs or so you will see a red
dot at the end of a paragraph. When you reach this dot, stop reading, and you will then discuss
with your partner. The next paper I am going to hand-out is the guidelines for the activity.
Teacher hand-outs of say-something prompts and projects the rules on the board. So the
activity goes like this- once you reach the end of a paragraph with a red dot you and your
partner each complete one of the following prompts I provided to you on the hand-out I just
passed out. While you each have to speak, you do not have to use all the prompts, or even one
from any category. Just make a statement and discuss the statement with your partner, and vice
versa. If you cannot complete one of the five prompts then you need to reread. If you have
questions hold them for now and wait until after Mrs. Smith and I demonstrate.
4. [10 mins.] Step 3: Model Say-Something
Class, you know Mrs. Smith from next door, give her a warm welcoming. Mrs. Smith and I are
going to now model the say-something activity for you. We are going to read up until the first
red dot on the copy of A Modest Proposal I handed out.
Me: Would you like to start reading aloud Mrs. Smith?

Mrs. Smith: Absolutely!

Mrs. Smith reads to the first red dot- right after the second paragraph.
Me: I think that Swift is going to offer a solution to this problem he presented in the
opening heading.
To the class: Notice I am using a prompt
Mrs. Smith: I agree. He explicitly says he is going to take children that are a burden on
society and to make them beneficial.
To the class: Notice how she referred to the text for support
Me: The next paragraph also talks explicitly about how children are a burden on the
women of society, I wonder if his piece will focus more on women then?
Mrs. Smith: No, I think it means he will deal explicitly with the children.
Me: Ill guess well see!
Mrs. Smith: Do you think that his solution will be feasible?
Me: That is a good question. We know this is a satire; but I wonder what part of it is
satirical.
Mrs. Smith: I guess well have to read to find out!
To the class: So that is what the say-something strategy looks like. You and a partner will
engage in a discussion similar to what Mrs. Smith and I just did. Remember you dont
have to use a prompt from each category each time you stop, but try to ask a variety of
questions throughout the reading. And remember it is perfectly okay to go back and
reread if you feel you did not understand the passage fully. Please thank Mrs. Smith for
helping us out today.
5. [20 mins]: Step 4: Students complete the activity
Alright class now partner up. For convenience use your elbow partner. Please speak quietly
enough that you dont disturb those around you, but loud enough that your partner can clearly
hear you. When you are done reading, jot down a short comment with your partner about how
Swift uses satire in the piece, and whether or not you think this satire is effective. Remember you
have the definition that you wrote down last class.
While working the teacher circulates the room listening in on student conversations and checking
periodically for understanding.
6. [15 mins.] Step 5: Responses and discussion/debrief
Great job class! I heard some really great things being said while reading. We are now going to
go around the class and have each pair share how they saw Swift using satire and if they think
this satire was effective. Teacher has a volunteer pair share first. Then goes around the room
making sure all pairs share their comments. After collecting the responses the teacher reiterates
the main points the students said about how Swift used satire.
7. [5 mins]: Step 6: Looking back at the text
Thank you guys for that fruitful discussion! Next you guys are going to write your own proposal.
This proposal can address any issue in todays society of your choosing. Today I am going to
write a proposal with you guys to model what you will be doing next class. So since we are
modeling our writing off of Swifts text- lets first look back at his text and identify the parts of his
essay that I want you all to include in yours.
8. [10 mins] Step 7: Identifying parts of the essay
So if everyone can pull out their copies of A Modest Proposal again we will label the parts.
Teacher projects the essay on the board. Teacher guides the students through the parts of the
essay making sure to point out his epigraph, statement of the problem, his personal thoughts on
the problem, his solution, and the justification for his solution.

9. [12 mins] Step 8: Start to model

So now that weve identified the parts, we are going to write our own proposal as a class. So
since you all we get to choose your social issue of choice later, I am going to decide on the one
for the class. Lets go with climate change. So part one is an epigraph/title. Teacher types on a
document projected in front of the class for the students to be able to see and to be able to
contribute to. We can title our piece the same: A Modest Proposal. And how about: For
preventing the mortal humans of Earth from destroying their planet, and for helping them
improve their climate. By Ms. Feericks period 2. 2015 Next is the statement of the problem.
Its okay to use a lot of the same language as Swift, as long as you make sure to change the
language to fit your problem. For example I will start my proposal Its a melancholy object to
those, who live in this great planet, when they see the streams, the lakes and ponds polluted with
trash and oil, and gas guzzling cars roaring down the street Teacher finishes modeling the
statement of the problem, asking for student input.
10. [3 mins] Closure:
Great start guys! Next class we will finish writing our own model proposal and you all will write
your own. For homework I want you all to brainstorm a modern day problem that you want to
write about. Also do a little research on the topic and bring in some information you can use to
help you write your proposal.
Methods of Assessment:
Formative:
Read-Aloud of A Modest Proposal [6c, 8d]: In listening to the student conduct the
say-something activity I can assess how will the students are understanding the text
Debrief on how Swift uses satire [3b]: By having the students share their responses on
how Swift used Satire, I can assess if the students understood how Swift used satire and
whether or not this satire was effective.
Summative:
Writing a new proposal [1a, 10e]: In starting to model and draft a class proposal I can
assess if the students can use satire in their own writing
Materials Needed:
Individual class copies of the text
Paper and pencil
Handouts for the say-something activity
Word Document
Pdf copy of A Modest Proposal
Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:
(This is where you identify specific aspects of this lesson which have been differentiated in order
to address the needs of one or more of your profiled studentsidentify them by name)
Raul (ELL student): In order to scaffold Rauls learning I plan to pair him with a native English
speaker who has done well in previous English classes or that has reported he enjoys English.
The introduction to the text is oral and therefore hopefully Raul can understand what the text will
be about. The whole lesson focuses on oral language and therefore reduces the amount of reading
Raul will have to complete. Also, since its a partnered activity, Raul will have constant aide. I
will also allow Raul to have a device to look up words he does not know and that his partner

cannot help him with. The next part of the lesson is also oral and allows for whole class input.
The lesson also tailors to supporting Raul in that there is a lot of modeling.