Lesson

Plan Template

Name: Karen Lee Pickett


Grade 10 Topic Living Newspaper: the NEWS
Date Allotted Time 80 min

STAGE 1: Desired Results

Cite sources used to develop this plan:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/flashpoints/theater/cradlewillrock_a.html
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/connections/new-deal-stage/history3.html
https://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/federaltheatre.htm
https://livingnewdeal.org/glossary/federal-theatre-project-ftp-1935-1939/

Rationale: How does this lesson fit in with the unit being studied? How does this lesson prepare for future
learning? How does this lesson relate to the students’ real life?
This is the introductory lesson in an integrated drama unit about the Living Newspaper. This lesson will
give students some context about how current events are reported and communicated, and some
history about the Federal Theatre Project in the 1930s and the Living Newspapers. At the end of this
lesson, the students will be given their unit assignment of writing a short Living Newspaper play about
a newsworthy event or circumstance in their community.

Prior Learning: What previous learnings do students need to know to be able to be successful in the lesson?
How does this lesson extend prior learnings? What connections if any can be made to First Nations Culture and
ways of knowing?
Before starting this unit, students will have had some background on the Great Depression and the
New Deal. Students will have experience in reading for information and writing to communicate.
This lesson on oral storytelling connects to First Peoples ways of knowing: Learning ultimately
supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and
the ancestors; Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on
connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place); Learning is embedded in memory,
history, and story; Learning involves patience and time.

Curriculum Connections: What Big Ideas (Understand,) Core and Curricular Competencies (Do), Content
Standards (Know) does this lesson develop? What connections if any can be made to First People’s principles
and ways of knowing?
Understand
Big Ideas:
English Spoken Language 10:
• The exploration of text and story deepens our understanding of diverse, complex ideas about identity, others, and the
world.
• People understand text differently depending on their world views and perspectives.
• Texts are socially, culturally, geographically, and historically constructed.
• Language shapes ideas and influences others.
• Voice is powerful and evocative.

Drama 10
• Drama communicates ideas, emotions, and perspectives through movement, sound, imagery, and language.
• Active participation in drama creates personal and cultural connections and reveals insights into human experience.

1
 • Drama offers dynamic ways of exploring our identity and sense of belonging.
• Growth as an artist requires active engagement, risk taking, and reflection.
• Drama cultivates collaboration through critical reflection, creative co-operation, and the exchange of ideas.

Socials 10
• The development of political institutions is influenced by economic, social, ideological, and geographic factors.

Essential or Guiding Questions:
How do we take in news of our community and our world? What effect does the delivery of the news
have on how we understand it?
Do
Core Competency: Thinking, Communicating, Personal & Social responsibility
Curricular Competencies:
Students will be able to:

English Spoken Language 10:

• Respectfully exchange ideas and viewpoints from diverse perspectives to build shared understanding and extend
thinking
• Assess and refine texts to improve clarity and impact
• Demonstrate speaking and listening skills in a variety of formal and informal contexts for a range of purposes
• Express and support an opinion with evidence
• Transform ideas and information to create original texts

Drama 10
• Explore and create
o Intentionally select and combine drama conventions
o Create dramatic works with an intended audience in mind
o Improvise and take creative risks to express meaning
• Reason and reflect
o Describe, analyze, and respond using drama-specific language
o Apply feedback to develop and refine ideas
o Examine the influences of social, cultural, historical, environmental, and personal context on drama
• Communicate and document
o Document and respond to dramatic works and experiences in a variety of contexts
o Express personal voice to respond to environmental and social issues
• Connect and expand
o Demonstrate personal and social responsibility associated with creating, performing, and responding to
dramatic performance
o Demonstrate respect for self, others, and the audience
o Explore First Peoples perspectives and knowledge, other ways of knowing, and local cultural knowledge to
gain understanding through dramatic works
o Make connections with family and community through drama and theatre

Social Studies 10
• Use Social Studies inquiry processes and skills to ask questions; gather, interpret, and analyze ideas and data; and
communicate findings and decisions
• Assess the justification for competing accounts after investigating points of contention, reliability of sources, and
adequacy of evidence, including data (evidence)
• Assess how underlying conditions and the actions of individuals or groups influence events, decisions, or
developments, and analyze multiple consequences (cause and consequence)
• Explain and infer different perspectives on past or present people, places, issues, or events by considering prevailing
norms, values, worldviews, and beliefs (perspective)
• Make reasoned ethical judgments about actions in the past and present, and assess appropriate ways to remember
and respond (ethical judgment)

Know
Content Standards:
English Spoken Language 10:
• Text forms and text genres, including creative spoken forms
o Text features and structures
o oral text features and structures
• Strategies and processes

2
 o reading strategies
o oral language strategies
o metacognitive strategies
o writing processes
o presentation techniques
• Language features, structures, and conventions
o features of oral language
o elements of style
o persuasive techniques
o usage and conventions
o literary elements and devices
o literal and figurative meaning

Drama 10
• drama elements, principles, vocabulary, and symbols
• strategies and techniques to support creative processes
• character development
• drama forms and conventions
• skills specific to a drama genre and/or style
• the role of the performer, audience, and venue
• movement, sound, image, and form
• traditional and contemporary First Peoples worldviews and cross-cultural perspectives communicated through drama

Social Studies 10
• environmental, political, and economic policies

STAGE 2: Assessment Plan

Learning Intention(s): By the end of this lesson, students will be able to…
What will students learn? Recognize that the delivery of news affects the understanding or reception
of the content.
Evidence of Learning: What tools will you use - assignment, presentation, quiz, project, discussion,
How will students show their group interaction, etc.?
learning? Quad notes, Pair/Share, discussion, reporting out, writing headlines

Criteria: Indicators of success are…
What criteria will help Rewrite a news headline to make it more appealing. Use their experiences
students know how to be to write about choosing a current event for their Living Newspaper.
successful?

STAGE 3: Learning Plan
Resources, Material and Preparation: What resources, materials and preparation are required?

• The NEWS slide presentation:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1aa4YKSYZRJ2Wn9H_gC80_Wuqp3n0QJfLuvbY7KKrZyQ/edit#
slide=id.g4749b6184b_0_52
• https://theprovince.com/tag/cowichan-valley
• https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com/
• Federal Theatre Project video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlUvXKvgDpk
• Envelopes containing two headlines each

3

Differentiated Instruction (accommodations, adaptations, extensions, other): How will you plan for students
who have diverse learning abilities/behaviour or require enrichment?
Can ask extending student to write on board during discussion. Emerging students have more time to
engage with questions or discussion.


Lesson Development
Connect (Hook):
How will you introduce this lesson in a manner that engages students and activates their thinking (pose
questions, build background knowledge, capture interest, make connections, share learning intention)?
Teacher will Students will Management Pacing
Ask to get a quad paper ready. Fold a sheet of Make sure everyone is 1 min
paper into participating.
quarters, 2 min
numbered 1-8.

Ask What is news? What makes it news? Pair and discuss. Turn to one of your table 3 min
Write notes in partners.
Quad 1.

Ask for reporting. One of each pair Call on one of each pair.
will report.

Body:

Teacher will Student will Management Pacing

Considerations
Connect to slide presentation. Listen & ask questions. Write Keep moving. 3 min
notes on Quad 2.
Now: How do we get news? Pair and discuss. Write notes New partner at your 2 min
in Quad 3. table.
Ask for reporting. Write ideas on board. Report out. Take hands or 2 min
popsicle sticks.
Which of these sources are you most Answer question. Make sure all are
likely to listen to? Circle answers on heard from. 3 min
board.

Why are you most likely to listen to Discuss with whole table Check in on 3 min
these? group. Write notes in Quad 4. discussions.

Ask for one student in original pairs to One student per pair will Keep it moving. 1 min
collect envelopes containing two collect materials.
headlines (one dry, one engaging). Each
envelope is labeled with a local topic
(“Postal strike”, “natural gas shortage”,
etc).
4

Before opening envelope, explain there Listen, ask questions. Keep it moving. 1 min
will be two headlines. Ask them to
discuss which looks more interesting,
why you might or might not read or look
at it. What does it have to do with you?
How does it relate to you? Write these
questions on board.

Open your envelopes! Open envelopes; read Check in on 6 min
headlines. Discuss. Write discussions.
notes in Quad 5.
Ask for reporting. Report out. Make sure new 5 min
voices are heard
from.
Now we’ll write our own headlines! Pairs Pairs research news on web Facilitate computers 10 min
will look up news story on: through phones or or newspapers.
Cowichan Valley Citizen Chromebooks, or use Check in with
The Province: Cowichan Valley newspapers. Find and rewrite groups.
(Have paper newspapers available as 2 headlines in Quad 6.
well) and rewrite the headline to make it
more engaging.

Ask pairs to come to the board and write Pairs write their headline on Facilitate board 4 min
one of their rewritten headlines. the board, resume their writing, keep it
seats. moving.

Give students a few moments to read Read silently. Raise hands to Maintain quiet 4 min
the headlines. Ask who would like to read out loud. reading
read theirs out loud. environment; call on
hands.
Go back to the list of where we get our Raise hands to respond. Call on hands. Keep 3 min
news. Ask if they think this list would be Narrow list down to historical it moving.
different in the 1930s and 1940s. news sources (print, radio).

Brief explanation of the Federal Theatre Listen/watch. Answer questions, 10 min
Project. Show short video. keep moving.

Introduce Living Newspaper project. Listen, ask questions. Write Hand out papers. 6 min
Hand out Description and rubric. notes in Quad 7.



Closure: (2 – 5 min)
How will you solidify the learning that has taken place and deepen the learning process?
Teacher will Students will Management Pacing

5
Ask for ticket out the door: Write or sketch. Maintain quiet environment. 4 min
write two possible topics for a Take in writing/drawing as
short LN play OR sketch what a they leave.
LN play would look like.

Reflection What was successful in this lesson? If taught again, what would you change to make this lesson
even more successful and inclusive for diverse and exceptional students? What timing adjustments might you
make?