Name: Caitlin Callaghan

Grade Level: 11th Grade

Unit Topic: Coming of Age Narratives

Lesson Focus: Students will understand the background of the novel The Catcher in the Rye,
JD Salinger, and the themes of the novel in order to begin reading.
Standard/Benchmark:
BenchmarksCCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2

Determine themes central to the text and follow their development over the course of a novel
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.9

Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century

foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same
period treat similar themes or topics.
Motivation/Accessing Prior Knowledge (The Hook):
Students have been writing descriptive poetry and poems using specific kinds of figurative
language and poetic devices. Now they will learn how to use art pieces as inspiration for their
poetry.
Learning Activities/Assessments*
Students will participate in a teacher lead discussion and demonstration. The teacher will
present a Prezi on what Coming of Age novels are. The students will discuss in small groups
about what they know already about coming of age and what it means and make lists in their

groups of other books and media that feature this sort of storyline. Then a class-wide
discussion about why we continue to tell these stories will occur.
Closure
After a class-wide discussion, the students will fill out a KWL chart about what they want to
learn from reading The Catcher in the Rye.

Name: Caitlin Callaghan

Grade Level: 11th Grade

Unit Topic: Coming of Age Narratives

Lesson Focus: Students will connect what they learned yesterday to starting to read the first
chapter of the novel through modeled guided reading in order to be able to complete close
readings of the novel for homework.
BenchmarksCCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2

Determine themes central to the text and follow their development over the course of a novel
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.9

Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century

foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same
period treat similar themes or topics.
Motivation/Accessing Prior Knowledge (The Hook):
Start delving deeper into the novel and the themes.
Themes to discuss:
-What does leaving childhood really mean?
-What does it mean to be unique/an individual?
-How can we move on from tragedy?
Learning Activities/Assessments*
Students will start reading and filling out a close reading chart. The teacher will guide them
through reading the first chapter of the novel by reading aloud the first page and modeling

how to fill out the close reading chart. Then students will read silently or in small groups. Once
they finish the chapter and filling out the chart, the teacher will lead a classwide discussion of
the first chapter. The teacher will ask guiding questions and the students will use their charts
to provide answers of what is happening in the novel so far. The teacher will also guide them
towards connections with the previous day's lesson.

Closure
Students will turn in their close reading charts. The teacher will pass out chapter questions for
chapters one and two, due after they finish the second chapter later in the week.