JOE BURKE - LESSON PLAN (Clarkston Junior High School, ELA9B, Lord of the Flies)

Date: February 26, 2015

Overall lesson topic/title and purpose
Lord of the Flies making connections to the text by writing about and discussing the importance of various
symbolic resources in the novel, defining savage and society in small and large group discussion,
continuing to work on unit-long character timeline project individually
Rationale
I carefully positioned and crafted this unit on Lord of the Flies with several ideas in mind. The prior unit,
regarding short stories, primed the students to read closely and study character development, which set them
up perfectly for the array of lessons I have presented and will present during this unit. Throughout this unit,
students will be able to discuss what an allegory is, write about the extended metaphor that Lord of the Flies
presents, and formulate an argument about morality and human nature. We began the unit by exploring the
basics of the novel. As we delved into the first few chapters, we studied difficult vocabulary and we mapped
out the actions and personalities of characters. As we continue to study difficult vocabulary, we will begin to
have discussions about the complexities of creating and using definitions. After having used the dictionary to
define words like efflorescence, we will go beyond the dictionary to define words like savage and society,
which is the core of todays lesson. This will both introduce the idea of an extended definition (Hillocks),
and lead into a classroom discussion of philosophy. As we define terms, we will talk about denotation versus
connotation. As we discuss philosophy, I will ask questions like is the degradation of civility in Lord of the
Flies an accurate representation of human nature? in order to stimulate students to formulate their own
opinions about humankind and society. (See bottom of lesson plan for relevant Common Core standards.)
(For more information, see supplemental materials, including lesson plans and notebook prompts for the
previous and subsequent days, the assignment sheet for the mid-unit extended definition writing
assignment, and the instructional materials for the unit-long character timeline project.)
Goals/Objectives for todays lesson:
Students will be able to summarize the first four chapters of Lord of the Flies. Students will be able to
describe, in great detail, the development of one character (chosen by the student), and how that character
fits into the novels allegory. Students will be able to define society and savage in their own words, per
the concept of an extended definition presented by George Hillocks.
Materials & supplies needed:
students copies of Lord of the Flies, students writers notebooks, students in-the-works character
timelines, basic crafting supplies, white board and markers, dictionary, computer

Procedures and approximate time allocated for each event

Introduction to the lesson (What will I say to help children understand the purpose of the lesson?

How will I help

them make connections to prior lessons or experiences? How will I motivate them to become engaged in the lesson?) (_ minutes)

Teacher will project the prompt for notebook entry #10 on the board. Students will
write in their notebooks quietly for ten minutes. [Notebook prompt: Like the activity we did
on the first day of this unit, think about yourself on the island presented in Lord of the Flies. Look back
at your notebook entry #8 what was your response? Write a short paragraph explaining your priorities
on the island. Consider the resources used by the boys in the novel (the conch shell, the glasses, fire, a
spear, a knife, etc.) and then explain which resources you would be most concerned about. Would you be
more concerned about food, water, shelter, rescue, or social order?]

Academic, Social and

Linguistic Support
during each event (see
Planning for Diverse
Learners on LAET
website):
I will circulate the
room to help clarify
the notebook prompt
for students.

 OUTLINE of key events during the lesson (Include specific details about how I will begin and end
activities; what discussion questions I will use; how I will help children understand behavior expectations during the lesson ;
when/how I will distribute supplies and materials) (___ minutes)

Students will work in pairs of small groups to discuss their notebook entries. Each
group will also come up with their own definitions for the terms savage and
society of one or two sentences each. Students will engage in this small-group
discussion for ten minutes.
The class will re-group for a whole-class discussion, during which we will discuss the
difference between a standard dictionary definition (denotation) and an extended
definition (connotation), and we will come up with a working extended definition of
the words savage and society. This whole-class discussion will take around ten
minutes.

I will circulate the

room to ensure that
students are
maintaining focus.
I will provide an
example of an
extended definition,
using the words love,
passion, and hobby.
(See supplemental
materials)

Closing summary for the lesson (How will I bring closure to the lesson and help children reflect on their
experiences? How will I help them make connections to prior lessons or prepare for future experiences? What kind of feedback
do I want from them at this time?) (___ minutes)

Students will work individually on their character timelines for the remainder of class,
which should be about fifteen minutes.
Assessment

(How will I gauge the students learning as I implement the lesson plan and once the lesson is
completed? Specifically, what will I look for? How will I use what I am learning to inform my next steps?

The character timelines, student engagement with notebook prompts, mid-unit writing
assessment, and post-unit writing assessment.

I will circulate the

room to ensure that
students are
maintaining focus.
Academic, Social,
and Linguistic
Support during
assessment

Each of these
assessments
has
Common Core State Standards addressed:
room for
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or individualization.
conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and
In addition to this,
advance the plot or develop the theme.
there will be a lot
of class time for
This standard will be addressed primarily through the character-timeline activity beginning on
these assessments,
day two.
and I will be
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in
available to help
detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and
explain and or
refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
actually tweak the
This standard will be addressed through the ongoing discussion of the allegory in Lord of the
assignment
Flies which can be assessed by the teacher via students journal entries and/or classroom
guidelines for any
participation.
and all students
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language who might need it.
functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
This standard will be addressed through student journal entries that pull quotes from the novel,
and especially through the extended definition of savage and society.