Lesson Cover Page

Lesson Topic: “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath

Justification: This lesson is designed as a sort of introduction to a unit on Identity. Students will begin to formulate how to express what identity is, as well as how
they identify and what this means. By defining the word identity for themselves and as a whole class, students will have an idea of consistent guiding questions
and concepts that they will encounter throughout the unit. By breaking down “Mirror”, students will see and be able to analyze an artistic interpretation of identity.
By the end of the lesson, students will hopefully be able to comprehend the poem through guided practice, intentional defining of unknown vocabulary words and
concepts, and helpful peer interaction. They will use their own interpretations to create visuals that will also aide the entire class.

Length of Class Period: 60 minutes

Course: Honors English

All students proficient in English, though many have home languages besides or in addition to English.

Grade Level: 10th

TERMINAL BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVE

Content Objective(s):
Students will be able to create and present a drawing representing three lines of “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath.
Language Objective(s):
Students will be able to identify important words within a poem to establish meaning.
Students will be able to create associations between words and phrases.
Students will be able to write in complete sentences.

CONTENT STANDARDS
AZ DoE Language Arts Standards Grades 9-10:
Reading Standards for Literature:
9-10.RL.2
9-10.RL.4
Writing Standards:
9-10.W.4
Language Standards:
9-10.L.3
9-10.L.4
9-10.L.5

ELL STANDARDS AND ACCOMMODATIONS

AZ DoE English Language Proficiency Standards: Stage V:
Listening and Speaking: Comprehension of Oral Communications Standard 1: HI-8, HI-9, HI-10
Listening and Speaking: Delivery of Oral Communication Standard 2: B-7
Reading: Comprehending Text: HI-7, B-8, LI-12
Writing: Writing Process: HI-1, LI-3
Language: Standard English Conventions: LI-3, LI-5
List any ELL accommodations, vocabulary, strategies you will use:
- Directions written on board and on handout (to be read verbally)
- Content and language objectives to be written on board and read out loud
- Bell word to activate background knowledge on identity
- Group work/think-pair-share
- Clarification of key concepts
- Visual representations on PPT
- Wait time
- Pacing
- Repetition
- Positive feedback
- Auditory clip of poem read out loud
- Hands on activity/Artistic opportunity to make visual connections/opportunities to apply new knowledge
- Guided practice/Scaffolding
- Key vocab determined as a class and written down on board/Vocabulary self selection
- Listening/reading/writing/speaking

ADAPTATIONS/ENRICHMENT
List accommodations you will make for Exceptional Education students:
- Provide time extensions as necessary
- Preferential seating
- No penalty for spelling errors
List enrichment/extension activities you will provide for students: Students are given 3 lines of the poem and are instructed to create a clear adaptation/visual
that represents at least one aspect (or line) of it. Students who wish to go beyond this can try to create a more complex image that might include ties to all 3 lines.

HOMEWORK
N/A

RESOURCES/MATERIALS
Handout of poem, YouTube video, dictionaries, white board, dry erase markers

Lesson Sequence
TIME TASK ANALYSIS TEACHING STRATEGY WHAT ARE THE STUDENTS DOING?
(Sub-tasks/topics) (BW, lecture, lab, group work, handout, (Active participation, Int. Closure)
guiding questions, etc)

5 mins Completion of BW: “Identity” “Create a definition, in your own words, of Students are individually considering the prompt
what identity is. When you think of your and writing in the bell work section of their
identity, what comes to mind? In what ways do notebooks in full sentences.
you define yourself?”

5 BW Review / Establishing of class definition Group share/Class Share In their groups, students will discuss and consider
min of identity what each of them wrote. We will then move in
sharing as a whole class where a few volunteers
discuss what they and their groups came up with.
As a class, students will decide on a concise
definition of identity, which will be written on the
board.
3 “Mirror”, Sylvia Plath First Listen Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch? Students are listening to the poem as read by that
min v=6nZht4WMoMo video’s narrator, also following along with a
handout of the text. They will circle words that
stand out to them. Any they don’t understand? Any
that they find powerful?
20 “Mirror” breakdown Close read As a class, we will look at the first stanza and walk
min through each line, looking at the poem through the
lens of identity. Students will be asked to share
which words stood out to them and why. Teacher
will write these words down on the board and
discuss. Essentially we will determine potential
meanings for each line as a class and students will
annotate accordingly. For the second stanza, the
groups will break off and do this own their own.
15 Group work Each group will each be assigned 3 lines of the
min Whiteboard drawing activity poem. They will use their white boards and create
an artistic interpretation, referencing at least one
line, of their assigned lines and craft a written
explanation about their artistic rendition.

12 Whiteboard presentations/Closure Groups present their work and explanation Groups will present their work to the class. Non-
min presenting groups must write down a few words
that the image evokes. (For example, “Pain”,
“Freedom”, etc”) Once a group is finished
volunteers/non-volunteers will share what words
they chose.