Lesson Plan Template

EDIS 4882: English Education

Context:
Date and time for which lesson will be taught: 3/25/15, 10:45-1
Course name: English 8
Grade level: 8
Length of lesson: 83 minutes
Description of setting, students, and curriculum and any other important contextual
characteristics:
The students have just completed the writing SOL and have been hard at work working on
improving their writing and reviewing tips for the SOL. The students have also been doing a
lot with short stories and therefore we want to provide the students with a fun activity that
also leads as a segue from looking for figurative devices in short stories to that in poetry.
Objectives (number each objective to reference in the Assessment section):
SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
1. Students will understand that figurative language can be found in everyday life and
popular culture.
2. Students will know what figurative language artists use in their music.
3. Students will know the importance of figurative language in popular music.
Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:
4. Students will value the application of an academic topic into popular culture.
Performance (do):
5. Students will be able to identify different types of figurative language in popular
music.
SOLs: [List with numbers portrayed in the SOL document]
8.4 The student will apply knowledge of word origins, analogies, and figurative language to
extend vocabulary development within authentic texts.
a) Identify and analyze an authors use of figurative language.
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.
CCSs: [List with numbers portrayed in the CCS document]
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.4,: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how
specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language
functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Assessments: Methods for evaluating each of the specific objectives listed above.
Diagnostic: Students will demonstrate what they already know about figurative language
by
Brainstorming a list of all the terms of figurative language they have already learned and
providing their definitions [SOL 8.5a]
Formative: Students will show their progress towards analyzing and identifying figurative
language in popular music by

Listening to Katy Perrys song Firework then reading the lyrics and identifying the different
types of figurative language present in the song [objectives 1-5, SOL 8.4a, CCSS.ELALiteracy.CCRA.R.4
Summative: Students will ultimately be assessed (today or in a future lesson) on the
importance of figurative language by
Rewriting the song without using the figures of speech and poetic devices [objective 3,
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.L.3]
Materials Needed:
Youtube clip of the song and lyrics of Katy Perrys Firework
Individual copies of the lyrics of Katy Perrys song Firework
ELMO to project Microsoft Word
Whiteboard and marker
Instructional Steps (Procedures): Detail student and teacher behavior.
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]
Beginning Room Arrangement:
[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]
Students are arranged in their normal seating arrangement, which consists of clusters of desks in
groups of two to five. All students will be facing the dry erase board located at the front of the
classroom.
1. [5 mins.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson:
Good morning class! I know you all have spent the past few weeks in intense preparation
for the writing SOL you took last week. I hope it went well and Im sure it did as I have seen
a lot of the hard work you all put in in preparation. Before the SOL you guys read a lot of
short stories and had just finished reading the novel The Pigman. Today we are going to
mix things up and start to look at poetry. I know this usually causes a groan in the class but
I promise you will find this more enjoyable in that we are going to be examining the lyrics of
the popular song Firework by Katy Perry.
2. [15 mins.] Step 1: Brainstorming a list of figurative language devices
When you guys were reading short stories, I remember you had a green packet in which
you took notes on different types of figurative language. Now I am wondering if you all can
remember these devices. Can you all list some of them? Teacher collects student
responses of figurative language devices. When the student gives the example the teacher
then asks the student to define the device, and if able, to give an example. Teacher writes
this list and examples on the board as the students brainstorm ideas. Teacher makes sure
to list any other devices the students havent come up with that appear in the song. Teacher
does so by probing: ex: Great list guys! But what about the device that describes noises?
Like Tik! Tok! in the Kesha song? Thats onomatopoeia, remember that device? Can
someone give me a definition?
3. [10 mins.] Step 2: Listen to Firework
Ok I bet most of you are familiar with the song but we are going to listen to it together and
watch the lyric video. The first time through I just want you all to listen and read along. The
second time through I want you all to jot down any examples of figurative language you can
identify. Dont worry about getting every example down in the second listening; just identify

what you can. We listen to the song through twice. The first time is just listening, the second
time the students jot down any examples they are able to find.
4. [7 mins] Step 3: Read lyrics printed out
Ok so now I am going to pass out the lyrics to the song. I want you to individually take 5
minutes to read the lyrics and try to identify all possible figurative language you can find.
Teacher passes out copies of the lyrics. Please write on the paper and circle and label all
figurative language you find. Teacher circles the room and helps the students identify
devices they might have missed.
5. [8 mins] Step 4: Group share
You guys seem to be finding a lot, great job! Now I want you to get in groups with those
around you and see if any of you found any examples that someone else in your group did
not. After sharing for 5 minutes we are going to come back together as a class and each
group is going to share one device they found. While the students work in groups the
teacher projects the lyrics on the board in a Word document. The teacher will also go
around to the groups and listen in to make sure the students are correctly identifying the
devices.
6. [10 mins] Step 5: Class share
Ok guys, now lets come back together as a whole class. As you can see, I have posted the
lyrics on the board here. We are now going to go around the room and have each group
identify one poetic device they found in the lyrics. Lets collectively try to identify them all!
Teacher calls on each group getting an example of figurative language found in the song. If
any are left unidentified the teacher probes the students towards the line and helps them
come up with the device.
7. [10 mins] Step 6: Importance of figurative language
So why do you guys think Katy Perry added so much figurative language? Do you think it
contributes to the meaning of the song and its impact on the listener? Teacher leads a
discussion on the importance of figurative language to express meaning, emotion, and
provide detail and description to writing.
8. [15 mins] Step 7: Rewrite parts of the song
So now that we have discussed the importance of figurative language, lets see if we can
rewrite a few of the lines without using the figurative devices and see how it changes the
song.Teacher models altering one line. Does anyone have any ideas? Feel free to choose
any part in the song! Teacher calls on a student to identify a device they wish to remove
from the song and together as a class they do so. After doing so the class discusses the
difference in the lyrics with this change. This activity continues for as many devices as the
class is able to do in the designated time.
4. [3 mins] Closure:
Thank you guys so much for your participation today! I hope you enjoyed the activity and
that youll start to listen to your favorite songs in a new light and recognize and appreciate
the musicians craft.

Attention to Individual Student Needs: (Differentiation): Detail specific

actions/materials you will use to differentiate instruction in this lesson for at least
one of your three case study students.
For Raul, an English language learner, we could supply him with a Spanish/English
dictionary to help him decode what the song Firework means, as it may contain words,
phrases, or expressions that he is unfamiliar with. Seeing the lyrics projected on the screen
as he hears them sung in the song will likely help him to connect these words with their
pronunciations and meanings in the context of the song. Additionally, during group work, we
can strategically place Raul with someone who will be able to help him translate the
meaning of the song, or with someone who has a higher readiness level in the topic of
figurative language.
For Chris, who reads two grades below the 8th grade level, seeing the lyrics of the
song as he hears them will also likely help him to decode the meaning of Firework. The
lyrics are also at an accessible reading level for him. He may have some trouble annotating
the song with the appropriate figurative language terms, and for this activity, we may
provide him with a small note sheet containing spellings, definitions, and examples of
figurative language at his reading level for him to refer to. Additionally though, we will have
examples during our brainstorming session available on the dry erase board for him and the
other students to reference as well.
For Karen, who has trouble comprehending instructions and staying on task during
group work, we might provide her with sentence starters for her to use to keep on task and
to keep her conversation respectful with her group members. We could assign her an
individual role, such as a recorder/annotator of the song lyrics, timekeeper, or mediator of
discussion in order to get her more involved and feeling more personally responsible for her
work during the group collaboration session.
For Jessica, a gifted student, we may provide her with some extra challenge or an
anchor activity in case she and/or her group finishes annotating her passage ahead of her
peers. We may provide a series of questions at the bottom of her lyrics asking her to think
of another song that uses a strong image or metaphor: How does this use of figurative
language develop the meaning of that song? Which do you think is more effective Firework or the song you chose? This activity is accessible for students with a wide range
of readiness levels, as many students will likely see examples of simile. Students like
Jessica, however, may provide something extra to discussion with instances of assonance
and alliteration, rhyme scheme, and other more complex forms of figurative language that
she locates within the song.
Technology Use: Detail specific technology being used in the lesson with explanation
for why it is being used.
The technology we are using for this lesson includes a computer connected to a
projector so that the students can listen to the song while also reading the lyrics on the
screen. Listening to Firework using audio will likely add a layer of affective involvement in
the students later annotations and analyses of the song. Next using Microsoft Word we will
project the lyrics to the song and highlight the instances of figurative language and label
their devices so that the whole class can see and mark the examples on their own copy of
the lyrics. The use of the screen allows us to project the lyrics in a reasonable space and to
be able to easier mark the examples of figurative language. The projector will also allow us

to model this annotation process for students and to color code types of figurative language
so that they are distinct in the students minds.
How this lesson incorporates specific insights from course readings and/or class
discussion:
In class this semester, we have often discussed how to incorporate students
interests into the classroom. We have often noticed the students singing popular music and
therefore felt using a popular song would be a good way of motivating the students to learn.
Additionally, we are providing students with a real-world context in which to place the
analysis of figurative language; they listen to music every day and will likely approach music
in the future with a new, literary perspective. We aim for this lesson to be unquiet in its
student-centered approach, where they create new understandings and insight into a
popular song through close reading and considering multiple meanings.
Materials Appendix:

KATY PERRY LYRICS

"Firework"
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag
Drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards, one blow from caving in?
Do you ever feel already buried deep six feet under?
Screams but no one seems to hear a thing
Do you know that there's still a chance for you
'Cause there's a spark in you?
You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
'Cause, baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colours burst
Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe
You don't have to feel like a wasted space
You're original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow
Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow

And when it's time you'll know

You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July
'Cause, baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colours burst
Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It's always been inside of you, you, you
And now it's time to let it through-ough-ough
'Cause, baby, you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah"
As you shoot across the sky-y-y
Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colours burst
Make 'em go, "Aah, aah, aah"
You're gonna leave 'em all in awe, awe, awe
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon

Teachers guide/cheat-sheet:
Firework- song line

Poetic device

1 Do you ever feel like a plastic

bag
2 Drifting through the wind
3 Wanting to start again

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag

(simile: you=bag)
Wind, Wanting (alliteration)
Plastic bag - wanting to start again (personification)

4 Do you ever feel, feel so paper

thin
5 Like a house of cards
6 One blow from caving in

Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin

(simile: you=paper/house of cards)
Like a house of cards
One blow from caving in
(true rhyme: thin=in)
(hyperbole: you caving in)

7 Do you ever feel already buried

deep
8 Six feet under scream
9 But no one seems to hear a thing

Do you ever feel already buried deep

Six feet under scream
But no one seems to hear a thing
(anaphora: Do you ever)
(alliteration: Six, scream, seems)

10 Do you know that there's still a

chance for you
11 Cause there's a spark in you
12 You just gotta ignite the light
13 And let it shine
14 Just own the night
15 Like the Fourth of July

Do you know that there's still a chance for you Cause there's
a spark in you
You just gotta ignite the light
(internal rhyme: ignite, light)
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July
(true rhyme: light=night)
(simile: you (you is implied)=Fourth of July) (personification:
implied that Fourth of July owns the night)

(Chorus)
16 Cause baby you're a firework
17 Come on show 'em what
youre worth
18 Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
19 As you shoot across the sky
20 Baby you're a firework
21 Come on let your colors burst
22 Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"

Cause baby you're a firework

(metaphor: youre a firework)
Come on show 'em what youre worth (alliteration: work,
what, worth)
(assonance: work, worth)
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
(onomatopoeia: oh, oh, oh)
As you shoot across the sky
Baby you're a firework

23 You're gonna leave 'em fallin'

down

Come on let your colors burst

(alliteration: Come, colors)
Make 'em go "Oh, oh, oh!"
You're gonna leave 'em fallin' down

24 You don't have to feel like a

waste of space
25 You're original, cannot be
replaced
26 If you only knew what the
future holds
27 After a hurricane comes a
rainbow

You don't have to feel like a waste of space (simile:

you=waste of space)
You're original, cannot be replaced
(rhyme: space, replaced)
If you only knew what the future holds (personification:
future holds)
After a hurricane comes a rainbow
(irony: hurricane/rainbow)

28 Maybe you're the reason why

all the doors are closed
29 So you can open one that leads
you to the perfect road
30 Like a lightning bolt, your
heart will glow
31 And when it's time, you'll
know
32 You just gotta ignite the light
33 And let it shine
34 Just own the night
35 Like the Fourth of july

Maybe you're the reason why all the doors are closed
So you can open one that leads you to the perfect road
(personification: door leads you - door is implied with the
word one)
(assonance: closed, road)
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow (hyperbole: heart
will glow; personification: heart will glow)
And when it's time, you'll know
(true rhyme: glow=know)
You just gotta ignite the light
(rhyme: ignite-light)
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July
(true rhyme: light=night)

36 Boom, boom, boom

37 Even brighter than the moon,
moon, moon
38 It's always been inside of you,
you, you
39 And now it's time to let it
through

Boom, boom, boom

(onomatopoeia: boom, boom, boom)
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
(rhyme: boom-moon)
It's always been inside of you, you, you
(repetition: boom, moon, you)
And now it's time to let it through (true rhyme: you=through)

In Retrospect: