Lauren Scott and Anthony Zarate TERM III Literacy Lesson Analysis 1. Lesson Design a.

. What In this lesson, I will be teaching a small group of 4-6 students how to define, identify, and use the figurative language form of simile. The reason this topic was selected is twofold as it is connected to both the classrooms writing curriculum as well as the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy. For the past few weeks, the focus of my students writing workshops has been on creating descriptive sentences to support a main topic sentence. Specifically, students have been asked to try to paint a mental image for the reader. While in the classroom, I have noticed that this task has been challenging for many students. Sometimes simple declarative sentences such as I was nervous about ballroom dance are generated, containing little, if any, description. Therefore, it is my intent for the students to gain a tool, the simile, for their writers tool box that they can draw upon to help them generate more descriptive sentences. In addition to helping students reach their classroom curriculums goals, this lesson is also in line with two of the Common Core State Standards. Grade 5 Reading Standard states that students will be able to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes. I decided to try to teach similes before teaching metaphors because I think it may be easier to identify a simile due to the clue or signal words of like or as. In addition, the Grade 5 Writing Standard includes students ability to Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. Therefore, not only do I hope that students will be able to identify similes in a given text, but also that they will be able to generate some of their own similes in order to create an accurate mental image for the reader. The overarching question of my Term III assignment is focused on engaging students in discussion in order to increase engagement and student ownership of ones own learning. This lesson incorporates full group discussion around author intent through the hook demonstration as well as the read aloud. In addition, the think-pair-share will allow for partner discussion, followed by another full group discussion to review the think-pair-share activity. Finally, students will engage in a miniworkshop, as they will be provided an opportunity to share an example of their own writing while other students offer questions or compliments. b. How For this lesson, I will work with my classroom mentor to identify 4-6 students whose most recent writing has lacked substantial descriptions supporting their topic sentence about ballroom dance class. The lesson plan will begin with the hook of student demonstration of two drastically different dance moves as described in read aloud similes followed by a brief discussion of the format of a simile. Next, we will conduct a read aloud of Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles*, which contains some effective similes, such as He crawls like a catfish (and) blows bubbles like a swamp monster. During this read aloud, I will pause after each page opening to allow the students to identify examples of similes the author used and to engage in a discussion around authors intent. Although this book is rated below the fifth grade reading level, it has been selected to demonstrate examples of a writing technique, not for reading comprehension. Following this read aloud, the students will engage in a think-pair-share activity identifying similes contained in a paragraph about the fifth grade camping trip. Finally, the

lesson will conclude with an independent writing activity focused on generating sentences containing similes about any person, place, or thing. There are three points of assessment in this lesson. The students understanding of a simile will be assessed during the read aloud of Summer Freedom, during the think-pair-share of the camping paragraph, and through their independent simile writing. c. Why The goal of her teaching is to help them develop a repertoire of strategies, techniques, and understandings from which they can make decisions (Ray, 2004). The above quote was taken from Why Cauley Writes Well: A Close Look at What a Difference Good Teaching Can Make, describing how one first grade teacher prepares her students to write well by giving them the right tools. At the heart of this lesson is my belief that teachers must load their students writing toolboxes gradually, providing time to explore published authors who utilize these tools, providing time for class discussion of the authors intent, as well as time for teacher or guided use of the tools. For this reason, I have dedicated this lesson to simile only, rather than tackling both simile and metaphor (or other example of figurative language). In addition, I do not believe in relying solely on language arts worksheets to teach students these tools. Similar to the teacher in the article discussed above, I believe in familiarizing students with various writing techniques and tools through class exploration of relevant published works. In this case, the book is Freedom Summer*. This book not only contains the writers tool at hand, similes, but is also about a young interracial friendship set during the Civil Rights Movement, a topic that I predict my students to find relevant because of the critical literacy coverage this topic receives at my school.
*I am waiting for the following books to arrive for my review to select the best fit for this lesson Freedom Summer, Storm in the Night, Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge

2. Initial Lesson Plan 50 minutes Goals/Objectives Students will be able to identify examples of similes from text and will be able to discuss the authors intent behind the use of this figurative language. In addition, students will be able to produce at least three examples of their own similes. Common Core State Standards Reading Standards for Literature Grade 5 Craft and Structure 4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes. (p.12) Writing Standards Grade 5 Text Types and Purposes 3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events usingdescriptive details

d. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely. (p.20) Materials Read aloud book: Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles White board Dry erase markers Glue Sticks Camping paragraph handouts Highlighters Writers notebook Pencils Classroom Arrangement and Management Issues 1. The students participating in the small group activity will line up at the door and follow me to the table at the end of the back hallway. (This is a space typically utilized by small group instruction). I will instruct the students that they select their seat, but to choose smart, where they think they will be able to pay attention. 2. The students will bring their writers notebooks, highlighter, and pencil. I will bring all other materials. 3. I have some anticipated classroom management concern, especially during the group discussions and the think-pair-share. As a means of being proactive, I will begin the lesson by setting the following expectations: students must be respectful when others are sharing by listening to and not talking over one another AND students will refrain from making fun of anothers response. The students will also be asked to bring their agendas, which contain their HOWL (Habits Of Work and Learning) rubrics. In the event that a student is engaging in unacceptable behavior, it will be recorded in their rubric (as is the norm). Plan 1. Hook (5 minutes) I will ask a student volunteer to stand and to act out a sentence as I read it aloud, The student danced by shaking like an aggressive drummer of a hard rock song. I will ask another student volunteer to stand and act out a second sentence as I read it aloud, The student danced by shaking like the branches of a tree in the soft blowing wind. Then, I will ask for students to discuss how the two dance demonstrations were similar or different (with the prediction that the dances will be very different). I will then ask if the students would have known what the dances looked like if the sentence just said, The student danced by shaking. Then I will show the students the sentences which are prewritten on the teacher white board and ask how/where it is in the sentences that the differences are communicated to the reader (with the prediction that the students will point out the words contained in the similes). As the similes are pointed out, I will underline them and ask the students if there is anything similar about the two sentences (hopefully the students will be able to identify that the similes begin with the word like, if not, I may have to explicitly state this). 2. Body

(5 minutes) Following the hook, I will provide the following definition and examples of a simile both verbally and printed for them to glue in the back of their writers notebook. Definition: A simile is used to describe something by saying it is similar to something else and uses the words like or as. Examples: His locker smelled as stinky as dirty laundry. & Her hair smelled like spring flowers. (10 minutes) Following the recording of the formal definition and examples, we will engage in a read aloud of Freedom Summer, pausing after each opening is read so that students can point out examples of similes and to also discuss the authors intent for using them. For example: when the author writes the following to describe the characters swimming, he blows bubbles like a swamp monster, what did he want the reader to see? Examples of answers: That the character can hold his breath for a long time / that he looks scary when he swims, that he can swim as well as a sea creature/etc. (10 minutes) Once the read aloud is complete, the camping handout will be provided and I will ask students to work with the neighbor to their right to highlight examples of similes. Then, we will come back together, and I will call on students to provide the examples they found. (15 minutes) The students will then be asked to work independently on drafting sentences that contain similes to describe a person, place, or thing. (If students need assistance picking a topic, I will provide the suggestion of describing a food, a sports player, or weather.) While the students work independently, I will walk around the table to provide one on one support to students that appear in need. 3. Closure (5 minutes) I will then ask the students to select one sentence they have written to share with the group. Once the students have shared, I will open up the floor one final time to allow students the opportunity to compliment or ask questions of other writers (as there may be questions about what the writer had intended). And wrap-up with a summary of what we learned about today a new tool that we can use to add description to our writing. Assessment There are three points of assessment in this lesson. The students understanding of a simile will be assessed during the read aloud of Summer Freedom, during the think-pair-share of the camping paragraph, and through their independent simile writing. The independent writing will be collected at the end of the assignment and will serve as my primary assessment of their understanding of the topic.