21-22 ELA INSTRUCTIONAL BLOCK TEMPLATE

INSTRUCTIONAL CYCLE
TIME TEACHER NOTES
COMPONENT

Do Now: 5 Do you ever pretend to be something or someone you are not? When? Why?
min.
What independent activity ¿Alguna vez finges ser algo o alguien que no eres? ¿Cuándo? ¿Por qué?
will students start the
lesson with?

Build Background & 15 Questions:

Purpose: min. For what reasons are masks used? What purpose do they serve? Answers will vary: To cover/protect our faces
In society today, who wears masks? Answers will vary: doctors, nurses, we do (COVID), construction workers
How will you build What are other things we cover about ourselves? Answers will vary: Feelings, emotions, thoughts, ideas, etc.
understanding around the Why do we cover up these things? Answers will vary: protect yourself, not be vulnerable, fit in, etc
purpose and objective for
the lesson?

How will you activate or

Vocabulary: waft, loiter, guile, myriad, subtlety, vile, delinquent, unfurl
build relevant background
knowledge and
vocabulary?

Facilitate & Monitor 20 Monitoring Cycle 1 Monitoring Cycle 2 Monitoring Cycle 3

Close Reading min. How will students engage in the text? How will students engage in the text? How will students engage in the text?
(rea What just-in-time supports will you What just-in-time supports will you What just-in-time supports will you
How will you move ding embed? What key understandings will you embed? What key understandings will embed? What key understandings will
students through the look for? you look for? you look for?
)
phases of close reading to
develop literal and How will you move students through How will students engage in the What is the theme (moral, message,
10
analytical understanding of the phases of close reading to develop text? What key understandings will or lesson) of the poem? What is the
min.
the text and build toward literal and analytical understanding of you look for? author trying to tell us?
(gist
independent the text and build toward independent ● Point out that rhyme has the
)
accomplishment of the exit accomplishment of the exit effect of emphasizing a point Answers may vary: It is sometimes
ticket/culminating task? ticket/culminating task? ● Point out that couplets are necessary to wear a mask to protect
(30
● Read aloud the poem, We Wear easier to understand and yourself. OR Sometimes you feel like
min
the Mask. Use the graphic make a point quicker you need to hide your true self to
thin
*Monitoring cycles are organizer to provide consistency protect yourself.
king
focused on key in the analysis process for each What literary devices are used in
map
understandings students poem. the poem? What effect does that
)
need to have as they move ● After first reading, do Turn & Talk. have on the meaning? On the
through the phases of Prompt: What is this poem reader?
close reading to build about? How did the poem make ● Figurative language and
independent you feel? What do you notice? imagery
understanding of the text What do you wonder? ● Possible effects: strengthen
to respond to the ● After the 2nd reading, ask connections, add emphasis,
culminating task/exit students what they notice about express something, contrast,
ticket. Individual the poem. Ask if they notice any show/illustrate, strengthen
lessons/instructional rhyming words/lines and identify argument, juxtapose,
blocks may move through them. demonstrate, draw attention
multiple phases of close ● Read a third time and identify the to or enhance
reading while others may structure
focus on just one or two ○ Free verse, 3 stanzas
phases (depending on the
text).

Response Plan: Response Plan: Response Plan:

How will you respond to student work? How will you respond to student work? How will you respond to student work?
 If/when students struggle, how will If/when students struggle, how If/when students struggle, how will
you respond so that they are doing the will you respond so that they are you respond so that they are doing
thinking? doing the thinking? the thinking?
If students give an inaccurate Ask: What structure is this poem? Ask: Who is the “We” the speaker is
response, I will direct them back to How does that affect the poem? referring to? Why do you think the
the text. Ask, “What does the poem Does it place emphasis on speaker is wearing a mask? What
say” or “Where can we find that in the anything in the poem? Does the purpose does it serve?
poem?” structure cause the reader to focus
on one part in the poem or many?
Ask: What language is being used?
Does the rhyming have an affect
on the poem? What?

Exit Ticket and Revision 20 “Writer’s Response” journal entry

min. ● How does Dunbar’s use of imagery and figurative language contribute to the theme of this poem?
How will you monitor ● ¿Cómo contribuye el uso de imágenes y lenguaje figurado de Dunbar al tema de este poema?
independent student
understanding, respond, CFUs:
and give an opportunity to ● Must state a clear theme
revise? How will students ● Must identify one use of figurative language and one use of imagery
stamp their learning?

Reflections/Takeaways:
● This lesson comes after analyzing several poems with our graphic organizer. This is the first one they are doing this exercise by
writing the annotations directly into the book. We followed the same format and went in the same order. Students successfully
analyzed the poem. The “Turn & Talk” portion was helpful.
● They were engaged and excited about the content. Students were eager to share their thoughts and contribute to the discussion.
● I believe that this lesson supports students being able to analyze future poems without teacher assistance.
● There was more engagement with the written response at the end of the lesson. 75% of the students were actively engaged and
writing.