Bryant 1

A Bird Came Down the Walk-Emily Dickinson Close Reading

Class: ELA-4th Grade
Date/Period: April 4, 2016/ 10:40AM Morning Lesson
Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly
and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to
support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1:
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when
drawing inferences from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.4:
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using
context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference
materials, as appropriate.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.4.1:
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others' ideas and expressing
their own clearly.
Objective: Students will perform a close reading/ analysis of the poem A Bird Came Down the
Walk by Emily Dickinson to answer text dependent questions and locate different types of
figurative language.
Anticipatory Set/Building Background:
1. PowerPoint
a. Announce that April is National Poetry Monthtoday we will conduct a close
reading of a poem by Emily Dickinson (many of the students had picked her
poems for their poem memorization assignment before the break.)
b. Background information on Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)American poet, lived
in Amherst, Massachusetts, poems were published post humorously, this explains
why there are not titles or written dates for many of her poems.
c. Connect to prior lessons on figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification/
anthropomorphism, alliteration, hyperbole, idiom, onomatopoeia, etc.) and

Bryant 2
explain that our objective is to locate examples of figurative language in the poem
as we analyze it.
Direct Instruction:
1. What does it mean to close read/ annotate?
2. First readingread poem aloud once. Using document camera, point out rhyme scheme
(ABCB).
3. Model basic annotationnumber the stanzas and lines, circle unfamiliar words, use
question marks for something that is unclear, underline examples of figurative language.
What does plashless mean in the 5th stanza? Model how to figure out the meaning with
context clues.
Guided Practice:
1. Second readingstudents read poem silently using annotation symbols.
2. Think-Pair-Sharesummarize each stanza and look for examples of figurative language
make sure to cite evidence from the poem to support your reasoning.
(line 5=alliteration: drank a dew, line 13= simile: like one in danger, line 11=they
looked like frightened beads, line 16-17=metaphor: and rowed him softer home than
oars divide the ocean, line 1=anthropomorphism: came down the walk, line 12=he
stirred his velvet head)
Independent Practice: After going over the directions, students will complete three textdependent questions independentlyif time permits, share out answers when students have
finished.
Assessment/ Check for Understanding: I will be checking for understanding throughout the
lesson by observing overall student participation, collaborative conversations, individual
contributions to class discussion, and students ability to reference textual evidence to support
their responses. Students will also be assessed based on their written responses to the textdependent questions.