Nicole Schmidt

Diverse Learners Block Plan

I am a Jew The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare

Unit Goals
At the end of this unit students will be
able to (Common Core)
Iowa Core Standard: RL.11-12.2
Determine two or more themes or central
ideas of a text and analyze their
development over the course of the text,
including how they interact and build on one
another to produce a complex account;
provide an objective summary of the text.
RL. 11-12.9 Demonstrate knowledge of
eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentiethcentury foundational works of American
literature, including how two or more texts
from the same period treat similar themes or
topics.

Lesson #1
Objective: SWBAT record events in
Poes life that had an effect on his
writing by writing a one page summary
about his life (Goal #2)
Topic: The influence of Poes life on his
work.
Activity: Students will discuss what
they already know about Poe, which is
previous knowledge. (pre) Students will
partner read the Biography of Poe and
use the active reading strategy while
reading (During) Discuss possible
themes that can occur in his work by
filling out the Graphic Organizer as a
class (post)

1. Determine the overall themes of

Poes works?
2. What influence does Poes life have
on his work?
3. What symbolism is used in his
works?

Lesson #2
Objective: SWBAT note the symbolism
which is used in Tell Tale Heart by
competing a Quiz by correctly answering
4 out of 5. (Goal #3)

Lesson #3
Objective: SWBAT write about the use
of the vocabulary words in I am a Jew,
and be able to connect the words to
their own visual. (Goal #1 & Goal 2)

Topic: Tell Tale Heart

Topic: Annabel Lee and Vocabulary

Activity: Read the first paragraph aloud to

them and have them briefly write what
events in his life this emotion can be
about (pre) Let the students silent
partner read the whole story and circle
any symbolic references (during) Group
Disuses the symbols found and what they
mean as a class (post)

Activity: Create a foldable of the

vocabulary words from Annabel Lee
(pre) Read out loud Annabel Lee then
have students read it by themselves
(during) Students perform a skit to
demonstrate the given vocabulary
words (post)

Nicole Schmidt

Lesson #4
Objective: SWBAT act out The Raven
while identifying the symbolism and what
it means by participating in a skit (Goal
#3)

Lesson #5
Objective: SWBAT summarize the
speech and identify the most impactful
phrases while discussing the impact of
the vocabulary words. (Goal #2)

Topic: The Raven

Topic: Impactful phases and Vocabulary

in I am a Jew

Activity: Silent read The Raven (pre)

create groups of 4 and discuss possible
analogies and symbolism used. (during)
Create a skit within the group to your
given section. Practice the skit and
perform it to the class. (post)

Activity: Tell students to read the

speech again and to write a
summarization of the speech in less
then one sentence, and to identify the
most impactful phrase for them (pre)
All students write their summary on the
whiteboard in front of class, and on the
Smart Board, underline their most
impactful phrase on the speech which is
presented (during) Go over all the
summaries and the impactful phrases
together. Have a closing discussion on
the vocabulary words that were part of
the phrases and how they impacted the
speech. (post)

Nicole Schmidt

I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs,
dimensions, senses, affections, passions; fed with the same food, hurt
with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, heal'd by the
same means, warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer, as a
Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us,
do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you
wrong us, do we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will
resemble you in that.
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/2458-i-am-a-jew-hath-not-a-jew-eyes-hath