Night Lesson Plan

1. Teacher Candidate: Leah Dach
2. Subject: English
3. Lesson Title/ Central Focus: Themes of Night
4. Grade Level(s): 10th grade
5. Length of Lesson: 50 minutes
6. Academic and Content Standards (Common Core/National):

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1 

Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Learning  Objective(s): 

• Students will be able to identify different themes throughout the book. They will be able to give textual examples to support their theme ideas.
• These align with the standards by having students determine the central idea and analyze it. They will also have to cite the textual evidence that proves their reasoning behind their theme ideas.

8. Academic Language:

• theme
• evidence
• faith
• Holocaust
• survival instinct
• suffering
• identity 
• These are terms that the students will have prior knowledge on during their pre-read lesson.

9. Assessment:

• Teacher will walk around and make sure students are filling out their worksheet. The teacher will collect the worksheets at the end of the class period.
• This lesson is a formative.
• Worksheet is attached.
• This assessment will measure the student’s understanding and comprehension of theme, and what the major themes are within this book.

10. Lesson Connections:

• This lesson is connected by the importance of identifying themes. According to Techniques for Identifying a Theme (Ryan and Bernard), they give examples and such on how to find the theme, and what to do with it once you have found it. Also, Teaching Night (Anderson) gave really good ideas on a formula for figuring out how to teach theme, and some good examples. These resources were good because it breaks this down for a teacher, and lays it out in a very easy way to teach.
• Students will have read the entire book, and will have already gone through a pre-read to identify the academic language and terms. 
• Students are building on their prior knowledge by examining the book further to identify the theme. Since they will have read the whole book, they will know what certain words and phrases mean within the book, and the specific context in which it is made.

11. Instructional Strategies and Learning Tasks to Support Student Learning:

Introduction

• Students will be asked to state what they think theme is, and how you find it within a text. Teacher will write on the board these ideas and thoughts.
• Teacher will then talk about theme, and the different ways to identify it. Teacher will give example of the formula on the board, and students will write it on their worksheet.

Student Voice 

• Students will fill out worksheet and discuss with others in their class what they think some of the themes are and why. They will work together on this, and can use their books as a reference.

• By referencing their book and discussing with their group, the students will be able to bounce ideas off each other and answer the questions with as much textual evidence as they can.

Learning Tasks

• Students will get into small groups and discuss the questions on the worksheet. They will be able to look through their book for text evidence to write down different themes and why they are relevant to this story.
• Students will listen to a short lecture from the teacher about theme, and what it is. They will do an example with the teacher to get an idea for what they expectations are from them.
• Students will have a worksheet that they work on. They will also work in small groups and have discussions about theme. The students will then come together as a class and discuss their ideas. They will fill in their ideas of theme and what themes are throughout the book. 
• The teacher will explain the importance of recognizing theme, and how to do it accurately. There will be a small lecture and example before students will be given their worksheets and split off into small groups. Teacher will walk around and will be available for questions that may come up. Teacher will call class back to order and everyone will participate in a whole class discussion of their findings.
• How will you incorporate guided practice?
• 10 minutes - opening and light lecture about theme. Teacher will write on white board and go over an example. Teacher will hand out worksheet. 10 minutes - Students will get into small groups and work on worksheet and discuss. 10 minutes - Students will come back to a whole class and discuss their findings and thoughts.
• One question to get them thinking about faith will be “Elie Wiesel’s Night shows faith by…”
• Students will be grouped in a ten minute section. 

Closure

• Students will be able to identify different themes throughout the book. They will be able to give textual examples to support their theme ideas.
• These align with the standards by having students determine the central idea and analyze it. They will also have to cite the textual evidence that proves their reasoning behind their theme ideas. Preview connection to future learning/lessons.
• Teacher will know if these objectives have been met by collecting the worksheets at the end of the class. 

12. Differentiated Instruction:

• Students who work better independently will have option to do so. 
• Those with any IEP’s or 504’s will have individual attention as far as reading the prompt and explaining more in detail what is expected of them. 
• Teacher will be available throughout the lesson to answer and questions.

13. Resources and Materials:

• Anderson, Susan. "Teaching Night by Elie Wiesel." Teaching Night by Elie Wiesel Teaching Theme with Night Comments. N.p., 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
• Ryan, Gery W., and H. Russell Bernard. "Techniques for Identifying a Theme." N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2016.
• Teacher will need a white, board, the book, notes, white board marker, handouts, and doc cam.
• Students will need their book, and something to write with.

14. Management and Safety Issues:

• Students will not be new to light lectures, followed by a hands on activity. They will be expected to participate in class discussion. 
• Teacher will write a daily “look” into what to expect for the day on the white board. Students will come in and immediately look to the board to see what they need for the day (what materials are needed, what they need to get out, etc).

15. Parent and Community Connections:

• Students will be asked to go home and ask their parents or any other family members what they know about the Holocaust. This is a good time to discuss what the students have learned from this book, versus what their family members learned. 
• The teacher will also look to see if there are any community members or access to different materials in the area to come and ask question, or a field trip of some sort to anything relating to the Holocaust.