Geneva College

Beaver Falls, PA

Lesson Plan Template

Name: ___________Stephen Nelson_____________________ Date: ____Lesson 1_________

Subject: _________ELA_____________________ Grade Level: ________8th___________

I. Topic

Narrative Writing in And Then There Were None: Character Building

II. PA or Common Core Standards

Standard - CC.1.2.8.E - Analyze the structure of the text through evaluation of the author’s use
of specific sentences and paragraphs to develop and refine a concept.

Standard - CC.1.3.8.K - Read and comprehend literary fiction on grade level, reading
independently and proficiently.

Standard - CC.1.4.8.M - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events.

Standard - CC.1.4.8.O - Use narrative techniques such as dialogue, description, reflection, and
pacing, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters; use precise words and phrases,
relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences
and events.

Standard - CC.1.4.8.F - Demonstrate a grade-appropriate command of the conventions of

standard English grammar, usage, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

III. Learning Objectives: Objectives must be written using observable verbs

TSWBAT identify key details within a scene of a mentor text.

TSWBAT compare and contrast two scenes built on trains of thought.
TSWBAT write a train of thought narrative scene.
 IV. Materials

And Then There Were None (one copy per student and teacher)
Laptops (one per student and teacher)
Projector/SmartBoard

V. Lesson Development

A. Introduction

Begin by asking two students to read aloud two selected sections of Chapter V: Section III (pg.
52) and Section VI (pg. 56). Ask students to compare and contrast the two scenes. What works
well? How does Agatha Christie make Judge Wargrave and Vera distinctly different? What are
their general moods? This conversation should take about 5 minutes.

B. Lesson development (activities, procedures)

Project the first section (on Justice Wargrave) on the SmartBoard. Ask students what their
favorite sentence is. Underline it and ask for why. Highlight some key details that the students
pick up on, and also note any patterns. This lesson should focus on narratives in a train of
thought. Do the same for the second section (on Vera). These should take 5 minutes each.

Next, project a blank document and begin to write a “train of thought” scene, modeling the task
and using some patterns or key details mentioned by the students as being important to their
enjoyment of the mentor text sections. Take about 5 minutes to do this, and be sure to model
thinking out loud.

For the remaining 20 minutes, have students write a train of thought narrative within a single
scene on their computers. (The document they use to write should be shared with the teacher.)
While students write, spend some time moving around the room and engaging with students and
their writing, and a little more time adding to and/or revising and editing the modeled scene.

C. Evidence of differentiated instruction (content, process, product, or

learning environment)

Students are permitted to write on any topic, so long as it is school appropriate. No length of the
scene is specified, meaning struggling writers don’t have to fulfill a certain quota and
high-achieving writers can be encouraged to continue writing since there is no maximum length.
 D. Closure (summary)

In the remaining time, ask students if anyone wants to share what they’ve written with the class.
If many people want to share, ask students to share their favorite sentence or two, along with
why it’s their favorite. This should take the remaining 5 minutes of class.

VI. Assessment/evaluation

There will be no official evaluation, although the teacher will have access to the student’s writing
for an informal, formative assessment. Instead, assessment will come later on, after time for
revising and editing is given.

VII. Modifications or accommodations

Students who struggle with writing will be visited more frequently during their narrative writing
so they can be provided additional scaffolding and assistance.

VIII. Self-evaluation

I think this provides a good segue from the students reading the book to actually thinking
critically about it, which is important. However, I like this lesson a little less than before now
that it’s within the scope of the unit. It develops important skills and should keep students
engaged, but it feels like the time could be better spent. Still, I think it’s important to give
students consistent writing practice, which is why I ultimately decided to include it as a
“transition”-type lesson.
 Geneva College
Beaver Falls, PA

Lesson Plan Template

Name: ___________Stephen Nelson_____________________ Date: ____Lesson 2_________

Subject: _________ELA_____________________ Grade Level: ________8th___________

I. Topic

An Exercise in Justice? Examining Guilt in And Then There Were None

II. PA or Common Core Standards

Standard - CC.1.5.8.A - Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, on

grade-level topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Standard - CC.1.5.8.D - Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused,
coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound, valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use
appropriate eye contact, adequate volume and clear pronunciation.

III. Learning Objectives: Objectives must be written using observable verbs

TSWBAT define a subjective idea, guilt, in their own opinion.

TSWBAT apply their opinion of guilt to the characters in And Then There Were None.
TSWBAT defend a claim on the meaning of guilt using textual evidence.

IV. Materials

And Then There Were None (one copy per student and teacher)
Pencil and paper (for each student)
“Hit List” Document (one per student)
SmartBoard
 V. Lesson Development

A. Introduction

Ask students what they think the word “guilt” means. After writing a few student responses on
the SmartBoard, ask a follow-up question on how guilt applies to And Then There Were None.
Once a few more responses are written on the SmartBoard, move to a new page and pass out the
worksheet. This should take about 5 minutes.

B. Lesson development (activities, procedures)

Remind the students that Christie – through Wargrave’s letter – suggests that each person to die
is more guilty than the last. Explain to the students that they will be making their own death
order for the ten victims, from least guilty (first) to most guilty (last). This should take about 5
minutes. Have students fill in the first column, the book’s death order, and then take some time to
peruse their books and their thoughts and write their own character death order in the second
column. Tell them to take notes on why they believe each person is increasingly guilty. This
should take about 12 minutes.

Put students into small groups of 3-4. Have the students compare and contrast their lists in a
discussion. Encourage students to revise their lists if they think a classmate makes a good point,
but to be willing to stand by an opinion if they think they’re right and have evidence to support
it. This should take about 6 minutes.

Bring the entire class back together and ask what their thoughts are on how Christie portrays the
theme of guilt. Ask students after that deep dive into guilt, “What other themes do we see
Christie incorporate into And Then There Were None?” This should take about 7 minutes.

C. Evidence of differentiated instruction (content, process, product, or

learning environment)

Assuming this lesson is conducted after the pandemic is over, students can choose where to sit
around the room while they work alone on their personal list and discuss with their small group.
Students who don’t feel as comfortable with speaking as compared to writing can hand in their
hit list worksheet with notes at the end of class to earn their participation points.
 D. Closure (summary)

As a class, do some quick calculations and create a finalized class “hit list.” Have students write
this order, based on average placement, in the third column of their worksheet. This should take
about 5 minutes. Pass out the options and rubric for the essay due Friday, explaining each
section. This should take about 5 minutes. Encourage students to be thinking about theme topics
to write about.

VI. Assessment/evaluation

There will be no official evaluation. Students will be graded based upon participation and
contributions to class discussion.

VII. Modifications or accommodations

Students who struggle with writing will be given a copy of the “Hit List” document with the
“Book Death Order” column already filled.

VIII. Self-evaluation

This is my favorite lesson in the unit. It promotes critical thinking, gathering text evidence, and
building public speaking and debate skills in a fun and creative way. This is also one of those
activities where I could do it with every class I have for years and still end up walking away with
interesting thoughts to chew on myself. It also teaches the students how to unpack a specific
theme, which they can generalize later on in the unit.
 An Exercise on Guilt: And Then There Were None Hit List

BOOK Death Order YOUR Death Order CLASS Death Order

An Exercise on Guilt: And Then There Were None Hit List

BOOK Death Order YOUR Death Order CLASS Death Order

Anthony Marston

Mrs. Ethel Rogers

Gen. John Macarthur

Thomas Rogers

Emily Brent

Justice Wargrave

Dr. Armstrong

William Blore

Philip Lombard

Vera Claythorne
 Geneva College
Beaver Falls, PA

Lesson Plan Template

Name: ___________Stephen Nelson_____________________ Date: ____Lesson 3_________

Subject: _________ELA_____________________ Grade Level: ________8th___________

I. Topic

From the Outside, In: Applying Agatha Christie to And Then There Were None

II. PA or Common Core Standards

Standard - CC.1.4.8.A - Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey
ideas, concepts, and information clearly.

Standard - CC.1.4.8.C - Develop and analyze the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts,
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples; include graphics and
multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Standard - CC.1.4.8.V - Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a

self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused
questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

III. Learning Objectives: Objectives must be written using observable verbs

TSWBAT apply information from an infographic to a work of fiction.

TSWBAT analyze the connection between statistics on Agatha Christie’s writing and the era in
which she lived.
TSWBAT research a student-chosen aspect of Agatha Christie’s life.
 IV. Materials

Laptops (1 per teacher and each student)

Whiteboard and marker
Projector
Agatha Christie Infographic (INFOGRAPHIC: Agatha Christie Novels Decoded. (n.d.).
Retrieved from http://www.lucyvhayauthor.com/agatha-christie/)

V. Lesson Development

A. Introduction

Pull up the infographic on the board using the projector. Ask students to take notes while the
infographic is read aloud. This should take about 5 minutes.

B. Lesson development (activities, procedures)

Have students discuss ways they see the information from the infographic reflected (or
contradicted) in And Then There Were None. Then, have students discuss how they believe the
statistics from the infographic represent Agatha Christie and the era in which she lived. These
two discussions should take about 15 minutes combined.

Introduce students to the mini research project they’ll be doing. Go over expectations and the
rubric. This should take about 5 minutes. Give the students about 15 minutes to select a topic and
begin their research for the mini-project, providing assistance and answering questions as
needed.

C. Evidence of differentiated instruction (content, process, product, or

learning environment)

The infographic being projected, read out loud, and discussed will appeal to both visual and
auditory learners. Students can also choose a paper, a PowerPoint, or a video for presenting their
research findings.

D. Closure (summary)

For the last 5 minutes, have students share an interesting fact they discovered during their
research.

VI. Assessment/evaluation

The students will have their research project due the next day.
 VII. Modifications or accommodations

Students who struggle with reading and writing will be visited more frequently during the
research process so they can be provided additional scaffolding and assistance. Although not
ideal, students who struggle to process the visual layout of the page can be given the statistics
from the infographic in a written, line-by-line format.

VIII. Self-evaluation

I like this iteration of this lesson as opposed to the last one, in large part because the activity
didn’t feel large enough to merit an entire class period. I like that everything here feels
interconnected, but nothing drags on for too long. It also gives the students a low-stakes time to
get comfortable with research, which is an important skill to develop before high school.
 Research Mini-Project

Research a teacher-approved aspect of Agatha Christie’s life. Using multiple sources, put
together an essay, slideshow, or video which explores this aspect of Christie. See each rubric on
the attached sheet, depending on which format is used to present the information. A list of ideas
is included below these instructions.

Research Project Ideas List:

1. Christie’s childhood

2. Christie’s husbands

3. Christie’s death

4. Christie’s disappearance (!)

5. Christie’s faith

6. Christie’s character stereotypes

7. Christie’s nonfiction works

8. Christie’s play (The Mousetrap)

9. Christie’s interest in archaeology

10. Hercule Poirot (one of Christie’s famous detectives)

11. Jane Marple (another of Christie’s famous detectives)

12. Mary Westmacott (Christie’s pseudonym)

Essay Rubric:

Does the essay focus on a teacher-approved Yes (2 points)

aspect of Agatha Christie’s life?
No (0 points)

Does the essay include evidence from Yes, 2+ pieces of evidence per source (5 points)
multiple sources?
Yes, 1 piece of evidence per source (4 points)

Yes, but only from one source (2 points)

No (0 points)

Does the essay have an introduction to present Yes, both requirements met (3 points)
the main topic and a conclusion to tie together
all evidence back to that topic? Only one requirement met (1 point)

No (0 points)

Is the essay a) 1-2 pages long, double-spaced, Yes, both requirements met (3 points)
and b) generally free of grammatical errors as
appropriate for an 8th grade student? Only one requirement met (1 point)

No (0 points)

Is there a properly-formatted works cited Yes (2 points)

page?
Yes, but formatted incorrectly (1 point)

No (0 points)
Slideshow Rubric:

Does the slideshow focus on a Yes (2 points)

teacher-approved aspect of Agatha Christie’s
life? No (0 points)

Does the slideshow include evidence from Yes, 2+ pieces of evidence per source (5 points)
multiple sources?
Yes, 1 piece of evidence per source (4 points)

Yes, but only from one source (2 points)

No (0 points)

Does the slideshow have an introductory slide Yes, both requirements met (3 points)
to present the main topic and a concluding
slide to tie together all evidence back to that Only one requirement met (1 point)
topic?
No (0 points)

Is the slideshow a) 4-6 slides long, and b) Yes, both requirements met (3 points)
generally free of grammatical errors as
appropriate for an 8th grade student? Only one requirement met (1 point)

No (0 points)

Is there a properly-formatted works cited Yes (2 points)

page?
Yes, but formatted incorrectly (1 point)

No (0 points)
Video Rubric:

Does the video focus on a teacher-approved Yes (2 points)

aspect of Agatha Christie’s life?
No (0 points)

Does the video include evidence from Yes, 2+ pieces of evidence per source (5 points)
multiple sources?
Yes, 1 piece of evidence per source (4 points)

Yes, but only from one source (2 points)

No (0 points)

Does the video have an introduction to Yes, both requirements met (3 points)
present the main topic and a conclusion to tie
together all evidence back to that topic? Only one requirement met (1 point)

No (0 points)

Is the video a) 1-2 minutes long, and b) Yes, both requirements met (3 points)
generally free of grammatical errors in
speaking as appropriate for an 8th grade Only one requirement met (1 point)
student?
No (0 points)

Is there a properly-formatted works cited Yes (2 points)

page?
Yes, but formatted incorrectly (1 point)

No (0 points)
 Geneva College
Beaver Falls, PA

Lesson Plan Template

Name: ___________Stephen Nelson_____________________ Date: ____Lesson 4_________

Subject: _________ELA_____________________ Grade Level: ________8th___________

I. Topic

Connecting Characters to Theme

II. PA or Common Core Standards

Standard - CC.1.2.8.A - Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of
the text.

Standard - CC.1.2.8.C - Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions
between individuals, ideas, or events.

III. Learning Objectives: Objectives must be written using observable verbs

TSWBAT analyze the relationship between two chosen characters and a chosen theme in And
Then There Were None.
TSWBAT write three paragraphs connecting the ideas of character and theme.
TSWBAT identify themes from And Then There Were None.

IV. Materials

Laptops (1 per teacher and each student)

Whiteboard and marker
And Then There Were None (one copy per student and teacher)
 V. Lesson Development

A. Introduction

Have students come up to the board one at a time and list a theme in And Then There Were None.
Continue this for about 5 minutes.

B. Lesson development (activities, procedures)

Have students choose their two favorite characters from the ten on the island in And Then There
Were None. Ask them to type a brief paragraph for each, relating the character to one of the
themes on the board. (It should be the same theme for both characters.) Give them time for
revising and editing these paragraphs for grammar and flow, as well. This should take about
15-20 minutes.

Ask a few students to share what they’ve written. Have a small class discussion after each person
shares, during which other students can mention similarities or differences in what they wrote
about compared to the sharing student. This should take about 10-15 minutes, depending on how
many students are asked to share.

Have students write a final paragraph, using both their own ideas and ideas voiced by their
classmates, that draws final connections between both chosen characters and the chosen theme.

C. Evidence of differentiated instruction (content, process, product, or

learning environment)

Students have free choice over which two of the ten characters they wish to write about, as well
as which theme within the book they want to use to analyze the characters.

D. Closure (summary)

For the last 5 minutes, have a few students (different from those chosen earlier in class) share
their final paragraph. Encourage students to use some of their ideas, or even their paragraphs, for
the essay due the next day.

VI. Assessment/evaluation

The students will turn their writing in at the end of class electronically. This is an ungraded,
formative assessment.
 VII. Modifications or accommodations

Students who struggle with reading and writing can use voice-to-text software, or dictate their
response to an aide (if available). Students with these disabilities will also be allowed to use the
time writing the final paragraph to instead continue writing and editing their first two paragraphs.

VIII. Self-evaluation

I love the range of choices students have in this lesson, because choice is always going to lead to
better engagement. Even kids who weren’t big fans of the book can still find a character or two
they like, and that’s all they need to write during this lesson. The next lesson in the unit is very
similar to this one, in part because I like its flexibility while bolstering the meat of the unit.
 Geneva College
Beaver Falls, PA

Lesson Plan Template

Name: ___________Stephen Nelson_____________________ Date: ____Lesson 5_________

Subject: _________ELA_____________________ Grade Level: ________8th___________

I. Topic

Connecting Setting to Theme

II. PA or Common Core Standards

Standard - CC.1.2.8.A - Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of
the text.

Standard - CC.1.2.8.C - Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions
between individuals, ideas, or events.

III. Learning Objectives: Objectives must be written using observable verbs

TSWBAT analyze the relationship between the setting and a chosen theme in And Then There
Were None.
TSWBAT identify themes from And Then There Were None.

IV. Materials

Laptops (1 per teacher and each student)

Whiteboard and marker
And Then There Were None (one copy per student and teacher)
 V. Lesson Development

A. Introduction

Have the themes written yesterday by students on the board still up for this lesson. Ask students
to individually make a list of details about the setting. (Give a couple examples, such as “the
house was a modern house at the time,” or “the island had no caves.”) Give the students a few
minutes to make these lists, and then ask each student to share one from their list. Write their
responses on the board. This should take about 10 minutes.

B. Lesson development (activities, procedures)

Tell students that, like yesterday, the lesson will involve drawing connections between the theme
and a part of the story – in this case, the setting. Have students select three details – either on
their list, on the board, or from both – and write a paragraph about each and how one of the
themes can be connected to that setting detail. (Each detail can be connected to a different theme,
unlike the previous lesson, which required the same theme throughout.) Give the students 25
minutes for this. Have them include evidence from the text.

C. Evidence of differentiated instruction (content, process, product, or

learning environment)

Students have free choice over the three setting details which they’d like to connect to the book’s
themes, and can select which/how many themes to use in this analysis.

D. Closure (summary)

Bring the class back together for the last 10 minutes of class. Have each student share their
favorite paragraph with their classmates. Collect the final essay before the class period ends.

VI. Assessment/evaluation

The students will turn their writing in at the end of class electronically. This is an ungraded,
formative assessment. The final essay is also due at the end of class, which is viewed as a
summative assessment.

VII. Modifications or accommodations

Students who struggle with reading and writing can use voice-to-text software, or dictate their
response to an aide (if available). Students with these disabilities will also only have to write two
paragraphs on two details, instead of the assigned three.
 VIII. Self-evaluation

This lesson is almost a carbon copy of the previous lesson, and for good reason. In such a short
unit, students still need some level of repetition to feel comfortable with what they’re being
asked to do (in this case, not only to identify the theme, but to find how it’s interwoven
throughout the story). By hitting theme in a similar fashion from multiple angles, the students
will learn how to locate its intricacies while reading, and the magnitude it should bring while
writing.
 Final Assessment

Respond to one of the following two prompts.

Option 1 - Identify one theme from Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. Support your
choice with textual evidence. What do you think Christie is saying about this theme? Do you
agree or disagree with her, and why? Your response should be 2-3 pages long, double-spaced.

Rubric (Option 1):

Did the student select a theme present in the Yes (2 points)

mentor text, And Then There Were None?
No (0 points)

Did the student use evidence to show why that Yes, multiple pieces of evidence (4 points)
theme is present in the mentor text?
Yes, one piece of evidence (2 points)

No (0 points)

Did the student provide a hypothesis on what Yes (2 points)

Christie is saying about the theme?
No (0 points)

Did the student use evidence to support their Yes, multiple pieces of evidence (4 points)
claim about Christie’s perspective on the
theme? Yes, one piece of evidence (2 points)

No (0 points)

Did the student include whether they agreed Yes (2 points)

or disagreed with Christie’s presumed stance?
No (0 points)

Did the student include why they agreed or Yes (3 points)

disagreed with Christie’s presumed stance?
No (0 points)

Did the student use grade-level grammar Yes (2 points)

appropriately?
No (0 points)

Did the student’s submission generally reach Yes (1 points)

the prescribed length?
No (0 points)
Option 2 - Select a scene which you think portrays the theme of guilt in And Then There Were
None. Write this scene from the perspective of another character present. Your response should
be about 2 pages long, single-spaced. Be sure to refer to other characters and events that
transpired earlier in the story.

Rubric (Option 2):

Did the student select an appropriate scene Yes (3 points)

and POV character from And Then There
Were None? No (0 points)

Did the student portray the POV character in a Yes (2 points)

reasonable fashion?
No (0 points)

Did the student portray the scene in an Yes (2 points)

appropriate fashion?
No (0 points)

Did the student connect the scene to the theme Yes, clearly (5 points)
of guilt?
Yes, vaguely (3 points)

No (0 points)

Did the student refer back to other characters Yes, 3+ times (4 points)
and events appropriately?
Yes, 1-2 times (2 points)

No (0 points)

Did the student use grade-level grammar Yes, very well (3 points)
appropriately?
Yes, some errors (1 point)

No (0 points)

Did the student’s submission generally reach Yes (1 points)

the prescribed length?
No (0 points)