Shhh.

Can You Hear the Figurative Language?

Royals by Lorde
6th Grade
1. Overview, Background & Rationale For Lesson Plan
Overview
This lesson plan will be used for an English/Language Arts class. I am
Abstract
teaching this lesson to a group of 6th grade students. This lesson works for
both standard and accelerated classes. This lesson is a part of a larger unit
that includes all components of the six language arts (speaking, listening,
reading, writing, viewing, and visually representing). This particular lesson
focuses on listening, reading, writing, speaking, and viewing. I will teach the
content through teacher-led instruction, independent practice, small group
activities, and whole group activities. This lesson is being taught because it
aligns with the Georgia Standards of Excellence that are found in the
English/Language Arts units. Students will be assessed both formally and
informally through summative exams, homework, classwork, and other
methods.
Background,
This lesson is developed for a class of around 30 students in both standard
Culture and
and accelerated classes. This lesson was developed as part of a literature
Context
focus unit that includes the use of music to teach lessons aligned with the
Georgia Standards of Excellence.
In my classes, there is a diverse group of students. The majority of my
students are white, while the minority are Asian and black. Each student
brings a unique and different perspective to the classroom, and each student
learns differently. While working with my host teacher, I have noticed that my
students are more focused and on-task when they are able to move around
the classroom and work with peers.
My students are quicker to speak than they are to listen. To combat this
issue, I wanted to create a unit where listening was the primary component
for understanding. I wanted to combine the language arts aspect of listening
with something that is relevant and relatable to my students. I also wanted to
teach my students in a nonconventional manner so that I can test a new way
of instruction to see if my students learn better while listening to an artist that
is of their generation/time.
I am seeking to teach my students that listening is an essential skill
necessary for survival in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom. I
am also seeking to teach my students that what I am providing during
instruction time is useful in all areas of their lives.
Rationale

This lesson plan covers a class period of 50 minutes.

I believe that there is a larger focus on the language arts aspects of
speaking, reading, and writing than there is on listening, viewing, and visually
representing. Students today are quicker to speak than they are to listen, and
because of this, they miss out on valuable information. For my Literature
Focus Unit, I wanted to focus more on the aspect of listening. Students
should be able to receive and interpret information audibly at the same level
they receive information any other way.

Each lesson of my unit has multiple modes of language arts incorporated in

it. To teach the standards included in my lesson, I will use a multimodal text
set. The text set that I chose is an album instead of a series of books or
videos. I will align my lessons with Lordes album titled Pure Heroine. I
believe that my students can relate to what Lorde speaks about because she
wrote the album when she was 15 years old. My students are close to the
age of 15 and either are facing or will be facing issues such as bullying and
building relationships between peers. Lorde sings about her experiences as a
teenager and compares them to her experiences with fame. I think that her
messages of fame relate to my students lives and times right now because
of the things that students are hearing, seeing, and witnessing in the media.
One example is that the media convinces children that living large and
being famous is the only way to be successful. Students idolize celebrities
and have no idea about the journeys or challenges that come with being
famous. In a few of Lordes songs, she speaks about how cutthroat the
entertainment industry can be. Through her lyrics, many types of lessons can
be taught in a way that is relevant and interesting to students.
2. Lesson Plan Learning Outcomes And Procedure
Essential
How does including literary elements convey meaning?
Question(s) /
How would the way people communicate and interact with each other be
Central Focus
different if there was no figurative language?
Learning
Students will know the following definitions:
Objective(s)

o Allegory
o Imagery
o Rhythm
o Alliteration
o Metaphor
o Setting
o Allusion
o Onomatopoeia
o Simile
o Assonance
o Oxymoron
o Symbol
o Hyperbole
o Rhyme
o Theme
o Irony
o Rhyme scheme
o Tone
Students will be able to recognize when a literary device listed above is
being used
Students will be able to identify and distinguish between the use of
figurative language and literal language
Students will be able to justify and explain their reasoning for figurative
language that is found during the activity
ELAGSE6RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in a text, including figurative language and connotative meanings;
analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone

CCGPS or GPS
Standard(s)

Instructional
Strategies &
Learning Tasks
that Support
Diverse Student
Needs

Introduction to
Lesson
Body of
Lesson

ELAGSE6R16: Determine an authors point of view or purpose in a text and

explain how it is conveyed in the text
As an opening to the lesson, I will play the song Royals by Lorde as the
students walk into the classroom. Students will answer the essential question
by writing at least 1 paragraph in their language arts journals. After students
write their responses, students will be given the opportunity to share
responses with the class. (7 minutes)
For the body of my lesson, I will review literary devices with my students. I
will have a PowerPoint presentation that will be shown through the overhead
projector that includes the definitions for the types of figurative language that

will be used for the activity. After we have reviewed, I will allow students to
choose partners for the next part of the lesson. (15 minutes)
Students will be given the lyrics to Royals by Lorde, and they will highlight
examples of literary devices within the text. Students will find examples of
alliteration, assonance, metaphors, similes, etc. and share with their partners.
Students will write down their rationale for why what was highlighted is
considered a literary device. students will compare and contrast their findings
with peers. students will later determine the authors point of view and
purpose based on evidence presented in the text. (25 minutes)

Closure

Learning
Supports:
Differentiation,
Modification(s)
and
Accommodation(s)

Formal and
Informal
Assessment

To manage my classroom, I will maintain a level of proximity by walking

around the classroom to see how students are engaged instead of standing
at the front of the classroom the entire time. This will calm disruptive students
and also boost students confidence, so that they will be comfortable with
asking questions if they dont understand a concept.
The last 3 minutes of class will be dedicated to time spent cleaning up and
preparing for the closing activity. Students will share their thoughts and
feelings as a brief reflection of the activities that we went over in class.
As a closing activity, students will create and say aloud a five-wordsummary. This activity will relate to the standard(s) covered that day.
Students will give a brief recap of no more than 5 words to summarize what
they learned for the day. (3 minutes)
For students with special needs including IEPs, special education, etc., I will
provide a personal copy of notes on topics covered that day in addition to
having them displayed on the screen at the front of the class during the
duration of the period. This copy of notes will include graphic organizers with
as few words as possible so that students with special needs can see the
visual objectives of what was taught that day. For level 1 ESOL students, I
will allow them to listen to the song on the class computer while still having
access to the visual lyrics on screen and the paper copy of lyrics that will be
handed out. I will also maintain a level of proximity by walking around the
classroom instead of standing at the front of the classroom the entire time.
This will calm disruptive students and also boost students confidence, so
that they will be comfortable with asking questions if they dont understand a
concept.
Another form of differentiation for this particular lesson is the use of using a
song to teach a lesson as opposed to reading from a textbook. Allowing
students to listen to the lesson is great for struggling readers.
I plan to assess students learning by giving both formal and informal
assessments. Some formal assessments that I plan to give are summative
exams, quizzes, in-class writing assignments, and at-home writing
assignments. These assignments are usually graded in after class and
entered into the grade book. These assignments give me a numerical value
that helps me determine if my students are at, above, or below what is
considered passing for the grade level.
An informal assessment that I like is asking students to convey their feelings
about the lesson before we begin the group activity. I will give the option of

putting their thumbs up (understand and ready to move on), thumbs down
(do not understand at all), or thumbs to the side (I understand somewhat, but
Im still a little confused). If students put their thumbs down or to the side, I
will pull them aside and work independently with them for a few minutes
before they begin the group activity. This will give me the opportunity to work
with my student(s) in a small group setting to see what concept my students
are struggling with.

Academic Language

3. Resources
Language
Functions

Vocabulary

Syntax or
Discourse

Materials

Technology

The students are expected to determine the meanings of words and phrases
that are used in any given text. Afterwards, students are expected to analyze
the effect and impact that figurative language has on a text. Students should
also be able to determine the authors point of view throughout the text and
explain how it is conveyed in a text.
Students will demonstrate their understanding of figurative language
vocabulary by correctly identifying the use of similes, metaphors, alliteration,
assonance, allegories, allusions, hyperboles, irony, imagery, onomatopoeia,
oxymoron, rhyme, rhyme scheme, setting, symbol, theme, and tone.
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the syntax and discourse by
speaking with peers about the types of figurative language that has been
discovered in the text.
PowerPoint presentation on figurative language
Printed Copy of Lyrics to Royals by Lorde
Language arts notebooks
Class computer with overhead projector
Highlighters
For this lesson, I will be implementing one main piece of technology. I will be
using my computer (along with the overhead projector) to present the
PowerPoint presentation that will include the types of figurative language that
will need to be found. The computer will also be used to play the song during
the class period.