E.

Brooks/April 2016

CEDC 702
Lesson Plan Template
Kate Hannum
5/13/16
4-406
PS130M

Rationale/Link: Why did you select this lesson? How does it fit
into the curriculum or unit of study? How does the lesson link
with prior instruction?
Students have studied literary symbolism and practiced identifying and
analyzing the use of symbols in their reading throughout the school
year. They have also practiced analyzing character traits and
characters inner thoughts and feelings. This lesson focuses on visual
symbolism and its connection to identity. A strong link will be made
between prior work with symbols and the new applications.

Materials: What book or story will be used? Other materials

needed? If you are using childrens literature for the lesson, list
title, author, and publication date and if applicable, page
numbers used for the lesson. Provide a very brief description of
the book and your rationale for selecting this text.
o Me, Frida by Amy Novesky
How can one create space for ones own voice in a
world that hasnt asked to hear it? This question is at
the center of Me, Frida, Amy Noveskys beautifully
illustrated picture book about Frida Kahlo finding her
artistic style during a trip to San Francisco with her
new husband, the already-famous muralist Diego
Rivera. Novesky focuses on a narrow sliver of Kahlos
career, exploring the experience of Frida being an
outsider as a Spanish-speaking Mexican woman in
San Francisco in 1930 and her famous husbands
silenced sidekick. Dissatisfied with these roles, Frida
transcends expectations through intensely personal
portraiture the inverse of Riveras political public
murals.
o Self Portrait Dedicated to Dr Eloesser by Frida Kahlo
Towards the end of 1939, Frida began to suffer
increased back pain and developed an acute fungal
infection in her right hand. At the recommendation of
Dr. Eloesser, her long-time friend and doctor, Frida
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traveled to San Francisco to see him for treatment. In

thanks for the treatment that stabilized her
condition, she painted this self-portrait for him. The
dedication inscribed on the banderole at the bottom
reads: "I painted my portrait in the year 1940 for
Doctor Leo Eloesser, my doctor and my best friend.
With all my love. Frida Kahlo."

The earrings she is wearing were a gift from Pablo

Picasso whom she met while in Paris. The hand on
the banderole as well as on the earrings, makes
reference at what is called in Mexico "milagros".
Milagros are pieces made of wax or ivory shaped in
the form of the part of the human body that the
person wants to be healed, and left on the altar of
the Saint they pray to.

The necklace of thorns around her neck is a reminder

of the pain from which Dr. Eloesser freed her. It was
Dr. Eloesser who later convinced Diego to reconcile
and marry Frida for a second time. This painting may
have been a "Thank You" gift for Dr. Eloesser's
efforts.

When Dr. Eloesser died in 1976, he willed the

painting to his long time companion Joyce Campbell.
Campbell didn't really like the painting and described
it as "a garish, unlikable, unsettling paintingI
could never have lived with it." Not long after she
received the painting she sold it.

o Art paper
o Colored Pencils

Identify Common Core State Standards addressed through

this lesson (at least two).
o CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining
what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences
from the text.
o CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.3
Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story

E. Brooks/April 2016

or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a

character's thoughts, words, or actions).

Focus of your lesson and purpose: Explain what you plan to

teach and why.
o How does Frida Kahlo use symbolism to express her
identity?
Symbols
Self portraiture
Identity
o Attaining an understanding of visual symbolism expands on
students existing understandings of literary symbolism.
o Understanding ones own personal identity is not only a
healthy socio-emotional trait, but also helps students
understand characters. How do others see the character?
How does the character see themself?

Objectives: What do you expect students to learn in this lesson?

By the end of this lesson, what will the students be able to do?
o SWBAT define, identify, and create visual symbols
o SWBAT draw a self portrait using symbols that represent
their identity
o SWBAT make a connection between literary symbols and
visual symbols
Differentiation for English learners, children with
disabilities, or children who are gifted: How will you modify
instruction, materials, or the physical environment to support
learners with special needs?

Grouping Options: How will the students be grouped for this

lesson? Will grouping change during the lesson?
o This lesson does not contain group work

Procedures/The Mini-Lesson: How Will You Teach? Explain

what you will do (including how you might introduce the lesson,
sample prompts/questions) and what you want the students to
do.
o How will you introduce the lesson: provide teacher talk
to show what you will say to state the focus and the
purpose.
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Today we will be talking about how people use

symbols to show other people who they are inside.
Who here knows what a symbol is? Can you tell the
person next to you an example of a symbol?
o Motivation: how will you activate schema and prepare
students for the lesson? What will you say?
As this lesson includes a lot of art and self-reflection,
I anticipate high levels of engagement
However, I plan on making the connections between
their own self-portraiture and Fridas work very clear
so that it serves as an exemplar
o Development of the lesson: Explain what you will do
and what you want the students to do. In planning this
section, consider the scaffolding model (Gradual Release of
Responsibility) and how you will provide for demonstration,
guided practice, and the opportunity for independent
practice. If, for example, the independent practice occurs
during a follow-up lesson, state this.

Part One
Before Reading
Hook: Discuss visual symbols, symbolism. What does a red
octagon mean?
o Discussion begins with Think, Pair, Share, then broadens to
class discussion
In notebooks, students draw common symbols they recognize
and identify their meanings
Discuss identity. What symbols can represent a persons identity?
o Identity: who a person is
o Discussion begins with Think, Pair, Share, then broadens to
class discussion
Their interests
Their family crest
Their flag
Their values
Their habits
Their experiences
Students draw symbols that represent their identities, as they
see themselves
Read Me, Frida aloud.
o During reading:
How is how Frida sees herself different from how
others see her?
What symbols do you see in the illustration?
What symbols do you notice in the text?
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Part

After reading
o Exit Ticket:
From reading about Frida Kahlo, what can you tell
about her as a character?
Two
Discuss self-portraiture
o Discussion begins with Think, Pair, Share, then broadens to
class discussion
Why do people create art that shows themselves?
Selfies
Have students visually analyze Self Portrait Dedicated to Dr.
Eloesser using Stead model
o What do you notice? What can you infer?
Have students create self portraits that represent their identity
using the symbols they came up with
Exit ticket:
o How are symbols in art and symbols in literature related?

How you will assess: How will you know what students gained
from the lesson? How will you assess student learning and
overall effectiveness of your lesson?
o To assess student learning and to evaluate the lesson,
provide a sample of your assessment tool(s). This might
include questions for responding on an exit ticket, a
graphic organizer, quick-write stop and jots before, during,
and after reading, etc.
o Show examples and possible responses for each.
Exit Ticket Rubric
1. Student fails to make a connection between symbolism in art and
symbolism in literature or makes an erroneous connection.
a. Example:
2. Student makes a weak or incomplete connection between
symbolism in art and symbolism in literature.
a. Example:
3. Student makes a strong connection between symbolism in art
and symbolism in literature.
a. Example:
Self Portrait Rubric
Assignment
1. Artwork does not contain a self-portrait and artwork contains no
visual symbols representing the artists identity.
2. Artwork does not contain a self-portrait, but does contain visual
symbols representing the artists identity OR artwork does
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3.
1.
2.
3.

contain a self-portrait, but does not contain visual symbols

representing the artists identity.
Artwork contains both a self-portrait and visual symbols
representing the artists identity.
Care Taken
Artwork is obviously incomplete or carelessly completed.
Artwork displays only minimal care in completion.
Artwork appears to have been completed with care.

Follow-up or extension: What learning experiences might take

place after this lesson in order to extend students learning?
o Read a story with a symbol throughout and draw
illustrations

Related Resources: Include complete reference information for

related text suggestions and related resources (video clips, visual
works of art, online reading).

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o
o http://www.nybg.org/fridamobile/

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