470E Model Lesson Plan 2Final Draft

Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the course of the
text; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.3
Analyze how particular elements of a story or
drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the
characters or plot).
7.5 (R) The student will read and demonstrate
comprehension of a variety of fictional texts,
narrative nonfiction, and poetry.
a) Describe the elements of narrative structure
including setting, character development, plot
structure, theme, and conflict.
g) Make inferences and draw conclusions
based on the text.
7.7 (W) The student will write in a variety of
forms with an emphasis on exposition,
narration, and persuasion.
b) Use a variety of prewriting strategies
including graphic organizers to generate and
organize ideas.
c) Organize writing structure to fit mode or
topic.
Content/Topic
Text(s)
Perspective
Utopia/Dystopia
Ethos/Pathos/Logos
Voice

The Ones Who Walk

Away from Omelas
In the Hood from
Follow Follow

UKDs
The student will understand that:
perspectives vary based on background,
experience, belief, etc.
perspective can be manipulated to change a
person or societys opinion
it can be difficult to understand another
persons perspective
Students will know: Point of view, perspective,
imagery, utopia, voice, ethos, pathos, logos
The student will be able to:
discuss how their personal beliefs may
change how they view a story or situation
(Comprehending)
compare the short story we read with The
Giver (Evaluating)
come up with three varying openings for
introducing their perfect world (Synthesis)
...evaluate how they feel about certain topics
(Evaluating)
participate in a debate (Application)

Strategy/Strategies
and Why Chosen
Anticipation Guide
(revisited)

Follow-up/Writing
Activity
Quickwrite: How will
you convince people
to come to live in
your utopia?

Three openings
practice with voice in
terms of ethos, pathos, Writing assignment on
and logos
voice: Persuade
someone to live in
Order of organization your perfect world.
(putting a reverse
Then change your
poem in order)
voice and try to
convince the same
person to not live in
the perfect world and
explain why

470E Model Lesson Plan 2Final Draft

Name: Amy Verhaalen
Concept: Perspective
Topic: Writers Voice
Grade: 7th grade
Class Length: 90 minutes
1. Begin with a hook problem
Begin with a Quickwrite prompt: How will you convince people to come to live in your
utopia?
Remind students that they each came up with their own utopias before we read The
Giver.
o Think about that perfect world you came up with. What can you do to persuade
others that your utopia is the place to be? Could you threaten them to come to
your utopia, or should you appeal more to their interests?
Students are given the opportunity to share what they came up with.
2. Introduce essential questions
The following questions should still be written on the board, as students know we have
been working on them through this whole unit:
o Why might another [peer, character] have a different outlook on a story
[situation, event]?
o Why might a different place or society have a different way of living?
o How do other places differ from where we live, in terms of how things are
run and how the people act?
o How can we change the opinion of someone else by changing our voice when
writing?
Revisit the anticipation guide for The Giver that students responded to before we read the
novel. Ask them to think about how their answers might be different if they were
members of The Giver community.
3. Preview the culminating performance task
Explain to students that were going to be working towards a writing assignment in which
theyre going to write a persuasive essay, trying to convince others to move to their
utopia. After doing so, theyre going to change their voice and try to convince the same
audience to not to there, and list reasons why.
4. Provide direct instruction and modeling (I-do)
Students may be confused when trying to think about why someone wouldnt want to
come to their utopia, since its seemingly perfect. Tell students that things arent always
what they appear and that were going to explore that in a short story that Im going to
read to them.
Pass out copies of The Ones Who Walk from Omelas. Read the story aloud while
students read along.
5. Provide practice (we-do)
After reading, discuss the short story with the class. Ask them what happened and clarify
anything for them if need be.
o So, this town is an example of a utopia. Things are perfect there. The story says
the city is full of prosperity and delight and everyone is extremely happy. Whats

470E Model Lesson Plan 2Final Draft

wrong with the city though? Thats right. Theres a tortured child in this fairy tale.
In order for the city to be happy and prosperous, theres always going to be that
one child being tortured.
o One persons happiness is sacrificed in order for everyone else to live happy
lives. Do you think this is worth it? The story says that most people are originally
shocked, but they eventually get over it and continue to live their lives in peace.
o Why might a different place or society have a different way of living?
6. Provide opportunities for further discussion
For students exit slips, they are to write whether or not they would walk away from
Omelas and why
o Some choose to walk away from Omelas, but theres no telling where they end
up. Would you leave? Would you be able to live with knowing that someone is
being tortured in order for you to be happy?
End of day 1
7. Provide an application task (we-do)
Begin the class with The Trolley Problem
o Think about this, everyone. There is a trolley riding down a track and it is about
to run over five people. You are near a lever that will divert the trolley out of their
path, BUT will then go down a track that will run over one person. Do you pull
the lever?
Use this as an opportunity to discuss ethos, pathos, and logosdepending
on student answers.
A student who claims that theyd feel bad if they pulled the lever
might have more of an attachment to pathos and emotions.
Those who choose to pull the lever because it makes sense that
only one person dies as opposed to five people may do better with
appealing to logos and logic.
Finally, if a student doesnt trust the question at all: How do we
know for sure the lever will swap the tracks? What if were being
lied to? would probably be comfortable with ethos.
Look at exit slips from day before and tally up those who choose to stay and those who
decided they would walk.
o Why might another [peer, character] have a different outlook on a story
[situation, event]?
8. Lead a whole-class discussion
Think about the perfect world you came up with. Would this be worth ithaving the
child sufferto get YOUR perfect world? Is your Omelasyour utopiaworth it?
For those who said they would stay: What if it was your sibling? What if it was you?
Have students debate on their reasonings. Allow students to state their argument and then
allow others to respond to that argument. See if any student chooses to change their mind.

470E Model Lesson Plan 2Final Draft

Discuss their reasonings again in terms of ethos, pathos, and logos. Try to get students to
think in the mindset of others in the class, trying to think of the logic instead of their
emotions, or focusing on the ethical dilemmas instead of what they think makes sense.

9. Provide a small-group application (you-do-together)

Hand each small group and envelope with lines of a poem cut up inside. Instruct students
to put these poems together in order, however they think the poem flows best. Once they
do that, have them rotate to other groups to see the differences in how other groups put
the poem together.
Show students the actual poem, which is In the Hood from Follow Follow by Marilyn
Singer. Read the poem aloud for students both ways.
Talk to students about how things might not always be what they seem. A seemingly
innocent poem reversed shows a completely different side.
o Think about this poem when we move into writing about your perfect world. On
one side, you want people to come to your world because its perfect, but there
may be a dark side to it that they dont see at first. Show that side of the story as
well.
10. Revisit the original unit hook problem
Are things always what they seem?
What is the cost for having a perfect world?
11. Assign the final performance task (you-do-alone)
Refer back to your perfect world you wrote about the other day. Write a persuasive essay
detailing why someone would want to visit your utopia, your Omelas. Then switch gears
and write to the same person, telling them why they absolutely do not want to live in your
Omelas, for whatever reason (what is the cost of living in your world?)
o Think about the poem we put togetherhow it seemed to be one way but then
you saw a darker side when you flipped it over.
o Consider how you can change your voice when swapping between ethos, pathos,
and logos in order to get the best reaction from your audience.
o How can we change the opinion of someone else by changing our voice when
writing?
12.Give students opportunities to reflect on EQs/Collect Formative Assessment
To start students with their writing, have them try to write three different openings to
their papers, swapping between ethos, pathos, and logos. Theyre doing this to figure out
which one works for them the most and which one they think will be most convincing to
their audience.
o Explain that its possible they may appeal to one when convincing the audience to
come to their utopia, but appeal to a completely different one when convincing
the audience to not live there.
o Make sure to label each opening as ethos, pathos, or logos
Collect up the different openings as a form of formative assessment to make sure they
understood the terms.

470E Model Lesson Plan 2Final Draft

o Let them know that youll be looking over them before next class, but youd like
to swap them around and have other peers choose which opening they like the
best.
Have them fill out an exit slip discussing which of the three they like the most and which
one they think they can be most convincing with.

Initial Plans for Adjusting Instruction/Materials to Meet Diverse Needs of Students

Need (Discuss at least 3)

Plans for Adjustment to instruction and/or materials

English Language Learners

Reading the short stories aloud and having them follow along
helps ELL students. Theyre given the opportunity to follow
along, but if theyre struggling they can listen to the teacher
and hopefully pick up on whats most important.
In addition, putting the poem together one line at a time
allows the students to focus on small sections at a time, as
opposed to having to read a full poem from the start. This
gets them more comfortable with the language.

Students who struggle in the area

of writing

Struggling writers will feel better knowing theyre not

writing one large paper, but rather, two smaller ones. Both
are on the same topic, but vary enough to keep it fun for
students. I think also having them all write about their
utopias, but allowing them to write about the one they
specifically came up with, gets them more engaged in the
writing because its on something they imagined themselves.
They also have the freedom to come up with their own
problem with their utopia, giving them lots of creative
opportunities and getting their juices flowing.

Students who are advanced in

the area of thinking

Advanced thinkers will love this lesson because it allows for

many opportunities for them to be creative and really think
deeply about the material being presented. Theyll love
debating with their peers and coming up with arguments and
counterarguments to defend their thoughts. Its also a great
change for those students to keep an open mind and hear
what their peers have to say, potentially causing them to
change their minds.

470E Model Lesson Plan 2Final Draft

Other (as revealed informative
assessment):

Students may still be struggling with the distinction between

ethos, pathos, and logos and this will be hopefully figured
out with the openings the students hand in at the end of class.
If there seems to be confusion, I can address the problems the
next day, possibly coming up with more examples for
students so they can better understand.