LESSON 2

Subject: ELA
Topic: Fair and Foul
Grade/Level: 10H
Learning Context: Students have already completed reading acts one, two, three,
and half of act four before today's lesson. Students have participated in numerous
amounts of writing activities that have allowed them to discuss character growth
and development, conflict, and the influence of characters on other characters in
the play. In today's lesson, students will be asked to identify both positive and
negative perspectives about one particular event in the play. After today's lesson,
students will have a better understanding of arguments and counter arguments,
and also a better sense of how you can read this play from many angles.
Objectives:
Short-Term Objectives:
Students will be able to recall an important event in the play and argue whether it
was done fair or foul.
Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of different points of view.
Long-Term Objectives:
Students will be able to evaluate what major conflicts and events affect
the overall outcome of the play.
Students will be able to document how characters change over the course
of a text.
Standards:
NY- New York State Common Core Standards (2011)
Subject: English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and
Technical Subjects
Grade: Grades 910 students:
Content Area: English Language Arts
Strand: Reading Standards for Literature
Domain: Key Ideas and Details
Standard:
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Standard:
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting
motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and
advance the plot or develop the theme.
Strand: Writing Standards

Domain: Text Types and Purposes

Standard:
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts,
using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Explore and inquire into
areas of interest to formulate an argument.
Indicator:
a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing
claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among
claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Indicator:
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while
pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the
audiences knowledge level and concerns.
Domain: Production and Distribution of Writing
Standard:
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations
for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.)
Domain: Range of Writing
Standard:
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of
tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Strand: Speaking and Listening Standards
Domain: Comprehension and Collaboration
Standard:
1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 910 topics, texts,
and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
Indicator:
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other
research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of
ideas.
Indicator:
b. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g.,
informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views),
clear goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.
Indicator:
c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the
current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others
into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
Indicator:
d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement
and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and
understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning
presented.
Standard:

2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats

(e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each
source.
Standard:
3. Evaluate a speakers point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric,
identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.
Domain: Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
Standard:
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization,
development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
Standard:
5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings,
reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
Strand: Language Standards
Domain: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
Standard:
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and
phrases based on grades 910 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range
of strategies.
Indicator:
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a words
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Indicator:
b. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different
meanings or parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate,
advocacy).
Summary:

Identify the difference between fair and foul actions

Discuss the importance through an argument

Procedure:
1. Class will start with the discussion question: Have you ever done something for
someone and did it because you thought you were doing the right thing? Has it ever
turned out bad and what you did made things worse?
This discussion will take no longer than five minutes.
2. I will then ask students to turn their attention to the board, where I will present
them with a poster of a baseball field.
I will briefly go over the rules of baseball, explaining that a foul ball is when
the ball is not played within the guidelines of the field.
I will make sure students fully understand the different between a fair ball
and a foul ball in baseball.
This should take no longer than three minutes.
3. I will ask students to get into groups no larger than four.
I will walk around with index cards facedown, where the group will pick one
index card.

Once each group has an index card I will ask them to turn it over and read it
to the group.
This should take no more than three minutes.
4. I will then explain to students their task.
Using the event that is presented on their groups' index card, they must find
a way to argue why this event was fair, and then argue why the event was
foul.
Each group will receive two flat, round, circles resembling baseballs, where
they must write their fair argument on one, and their foul argument on
another.
Students will get fifteen minutes to complete this task.
5. Students will then be asked to come up to the baseball field (on the board) and
stick their ball in foul or fair territory, wherever it belongs.
Once all students have placed their balls on the field, each group will get the
chance to read their question out loud and explain their responses.
Students can chime in and say why they agree or disagree with the
arguments presented for that question.
6. As a closing to the class, I will ask them why it is important to acknowledge both
sides of an argument.
Taking about three minutes to discuss this, I will assign students their
assignment, and have them turn their attention to the white board will a
power point will outline their task.
Students will also receive a handout outlining all the conflicts that have been
discussed during class.