The Academy for Technology & the Classics

Lesson Plan Template

Instructors name: Devin Ayers Week of: 03/31 - 04/04 Course/Grade: Grade 12 AP Literature and Composition Unit Name: Travel Writing

Common Core/ NM Content Standards: W.11-12.2; W.11-12.3; W.11-12.4; W.11-12.5; W.11-12.9; SL.11-12.1; SL.11-11.3; SL.11-12.6 Essential Question(s): In travel writing, what does the author wish to convey to his/her audience? What are some different possibilities? What kinds of details are relevant? Other considerations (modifications, accommodations, acceleration, etc.): Students who require it will receive extended deadlines for writing assignments and/or shortened reading. Connections (prior learning/prior knowledge): Students will base their writing on personal experience. They will also draw on past experience with writing descriptive essays. Resources/Materials Teacher: Students: Paper/pen Example of travel writing The Divine Comedy

Assessment (How will you monitor progress and know students have successfully met outcomes?) Daily: direct observation This Week: direct observation/writing workshop/peer editing/descriptive essay Unit: direct observation/writing workshop/peer editing/descriptive essay

Time allotted MONDAY Learning TargetStudents will improve their skills in descriptive essay writing. They will show their learning by writing a first draft of a piece of non-fiction travel writing. They will show an outline and possible a partial first draft as an exit ticket. Today in class we will read and discuss an example of quality travel writing. We will identify the elements that make the piece successful. Then, students will write an outline for their own travel

Lesson activities for instructor and students Assignment(s) DueReading: finish Purgatory in The Divine Comedy by the end of spring break Outline (exit ticket)

essay, which will serve as an exit ticket. Travel writing is by its nature rich in detail and description. The author attempts to transport the reader, via words, to a specific physical location that the reader may not previously be familiar with. In this exercise, students will write a descriptive essay detailing a momentous trip they have taken in their lifetime. For those on the DC/New York trip, they will write from their experience on this trip. All others will draw on a personal experience from their own lives. To be successful, the essay should use significant and specific physical and psychological detail to transport the reader through space and make them feel as though they too have visited to the chosen location. Locations may encompass a wide range of experience (such as describing several locations in a single city) or focus on one particular location (such as a museum, a river, a mountain peak, a famous landmark, etc.) Physical detail means, of course, describing the concrete surroundings, including people, if they factor in. By psychological detail, we mean evoking the feeling of the place. This may be influenced by weather, conversation, the authors mood at the time, and/or many other factors. These essays should be no less than five paragraphs in length (though they may be longer). All drafts may be hand-written, but must be double spaced and clearly legible. Illegible writing will be returned to its author for re-writing. TUESDAY Learning TargetStudents will improve their skills in descriptive essay writing. They will show a partially completed first draft (at least two paragraphs) as an exit ticket. WEDNESDAY Learning TargetStudents will improve their skills in descriptive essay writing. They will show their learning by participating in a writing workshop, offering critical feedback to a student author on his/her work. Assignment(s) DueExit ticket

Assignment(s) DueFirst draft of travel/descriptive essay Writing workshop

THURSDAY Learning TargetStudents will improve their skills in descriptive essay writing. They will show their learning through peer editing of descriptive/travel essays. FRIDAY Learning TargetStudents will improve their abilities in speaking and listening. They will show their learning by reading their travel essays aloud. The oral reading should evoke the feeling of the piece and hence the place being written about. Not all students will have time to share their work; those who are not reading should listen attentively and offer quality questions and feedback to those who are reading.

Assignment(s) Due-

Assignment(s) DueOral presentation of travel essays Oral questions and commentary from audience Second draft of travel essay (note: For students on the DC/New York trip, essays will be due upon return from spring break. These students are exempted from all in-class activities missed due to travel.)