This lesson was presented over a three week period. I will only list lessons for four of the fifteen days. Lessons for days one, two, three and four were broken up by reading and pair/group activities.
Day One:
Anticipatory set – The anticipatory set for the first day of my learning experience was an introduction of myself to the class. I informed the students that this was a new experience for me and that I would need their help in deciding what type of teacher I am going to be. I also added that I will be learning just as much from them as they are from me. I gave the students some introductory information about myself followed by my “I use to be in the Marines” spiel. When I finished introducing myself, I stated, “Now that you know a little about me, I need to know a little bit about you before we get started.” I then gave the students the pre-assessment handout that states at the top “Getting to Know You”.
Input/Modeling – The teacher will distribute the handout (pre-assessment). While distributing the handout I reiterated to the students that this will help me in getting to know them better.
Guided Practice – Throughout the lesson, I roamed the room answering any questions the students may have as well as asking a couple of my own (what would you [his name was Richard]) like to be called and other similar questions.
Independent Practice – For homework the students are to write a bio about themselves to be shared with the class.
Closure – At the end of the lesson the students were asked to stand or stay seated and give their name and state the name they would like to be called if different than the name listed on the class list.
Day two
Anticipatory set – The student upon entering the room will have a seat and immediate start to write in their journal the response to the following question: The word "tragic" has come to mean something beyond what it meant when it was introduced by the Greeks. What are some modern definitions of the word "tragic"?
Input/Modeling – The teacher will discuss the journal entry questions. The teacher will solicit students’ response and give feedback in return. The teacher will allow the students to run this portion of the lesson; giving the students the opportunity to state their response while challenging the responses of their peers.
Guided Practice – The students already have assigned parts in the play (Oedipus Rex) and I will signal to them to take out their text so that we can begin reading. As the students are reading I will be giving prompts for difficult vocabulary, as well as interpreting difficult scenes.
Independent Practice – The student will be given worksheets that correspond with the day’s reading. Students are to work independently on this task, but are allowed to ask their peers where in the text they have found the information. The peers are not allowed to share their answers, however they can direct the students to the exact line and page number the information can be found on.
Closure – At the end of the lesson I will collect the worksheets and read some of the responses. The worksheets are also the student’s ticket to leave the classroom.
Day Three
Anticipatory set – The student is to respond in their journal to the following question: Do you think you could watch and enjoy the play “Oedipus Rex” if it was performed in its original form (w. modern translation)? Why? Why not?
Input/Modeling - The teacher will discuss the journal entry questions. The teacher will solicit students’ response and give feedback in return. The teacher will allow the students to direct this portion of the lesson; giving the students the opportunity to state their response while challenging the responses of their peers. After a few minutes the teacher will have the students take out their notebooks and divide the paper into two columns. The student is to write down the difference (no matter how trivia) between the actual text and the play. The teacher will model an example on the board.
Guided Practice - The teacher will allow the students to view the movie adaptation of “Oedipus Rex”. The teacher will observe if the students are making annotations in their notebooks. The teacher would have previously viewed the movie and would have a list of differences.
Independent Practice – For homework the teacher will have the students make predictions of possible differences and bring them in as a list to class the next day.
Closure - At the end of class the students will be asked to share what they have on their list from today’s view of the play.
Day Four
Anticipatory set - The teacher will have projected on the white board the teacher’s version of the Regents Critical Lens response sheet. The only difference is that the teacher substituted the quote replacing it with a quote from “Oedipus Rex”. The remainder of the critical lens is verbatim. Each student will have their own copy as if it is the actual exam.
Assessment – The student will be given directions as if they were in the actual exam. There will be absolutely no talking during the exam. Students will have exactly thirty five minutes to complete their essay. The students will use the information they acquired over the past three weeks. Before the exam, the students would have been provided with plenty of opportunities to interpret the text.
Independent Practice – Before the critical lens are distributed to the students, the students will be told to clear everything from their desk with the exception of a pen and or pencil. Students will not be allowed to use their own paper. The teacher will distribute paper to the student.
Closure – At the end of the lesson the student will collect the student’s essay and inform the students that they will be reading “Beowulf” when they return on Monday. The teacher will also ask the student to explore who or what “Beowulf” is and what it represents.