Lesson Plan #2: Reading Experience with My Name by Sandra Cisneros

Unit Working Title: My Identity through Art

Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): Identity / Self-Expression through literature

Unit Primary Skill focus:

Week ___1___ of 3; Plan #____2____ of 9; [90 mins.]

Plan type: __X__Full-Detail ____Summary

Content Requirement Satisfied: Reading Experience

Unit Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Backwards Design Unit Document],

followed by Specific lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson:

SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
3. SW understand that people can express their unique identities through creative
outlets.
a. Students will know that authors can use other characters traits to
illuminate aspects of one characters identity.

Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:

6. Students will feel the power of art to convey identity.
a. Students will value writing as a form of self-expression.

Performance (do):
7. Students will identify the various factors that help shape an identity.
a. Students will identify how an author portrays her characters
identity through their name, family history, and desires.

SOLs:
6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts,
narrative nonfiction, and poetry.
? a) Identify the elements of narrative structure, including setting, character, plot,
conflict, and theme.
?

CCSs: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.6
Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.

Methods of Assessment:
[How will you know if the intended learning occurred?] List all methods of assessment used in
this lesson or which are related to this lesson and come in a future lesson. After each
assessment, indicate in brackets the number(s) and letter(s) of the unit objective and the related
lesson objectives that the assessment is evaluating.

Diagnostic Formative Summative

Students will have worked
the day before to
brainstorm definitions for
identity, and practiced
naming their own qualities
that make them unique. We
will have talked about the
importance of identity as it
contributes to self-
expression, but only
touched briefly on the
concept of showing identity
through art.
Students will fill out
anticipation guides, vocab
sheets, identity worksheets,
and an exit slip. The vocab
sheet will track student
understanding of certain
contextual words; the
anticipation guide and exit
slip will show student growth
and understanding
throughout the lesson, and
how their thoughts were
changed by the reading
activity.
Students will end the unit by
creating Found Poetry from
journal entries made during
the unit. This lesson
contributes to the summative
assessment in that students
will be able to see ways other
authors depict identity
through literature, and will be
better able to do it
themselves when the time
comes.

Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]

Beginning Room Arrangement:

Students will enter and sit in their previously assigned seats. They have been placed in base
groups of 4 students each, and are grouped together based on varying readiness level in
reading and similar interests (collected from interest surveys taken in the first week of school).
Students can see on the board that they should get their journals (which are kept in class) and
prepare to respond to a journal entry question once the teacher instructs them to do so.

1. [ 10 mins.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to lesson:

Hi everyone! Thanks for all being on time today. Remember yesterday when we
introduced the idea of identity? Can anyone remind me what an identity is? [Allow a moment
for students to respond, pulling from the previous days lesson. Look for answers that refer to
the unique qualities and traits that make up a person, thing, or group.] Right! So we all have
different, unique qualities about us that make up our personal identity. Take about 5 minutes to
complete todays Do Now, and in your journal, please write a few sentences about why its
important for someone to understand their identity. [This will have been briefly talked about the
day before, and serves as a refresher for what we will talk about today in regard to identity. Wait
five minutes, walking around the room to make students are on task - look for them to be
consistently writing. When the time is up, ask for volunteers to share their ideas].

Great, guys, I see youre all working really hard. Does anyone want to share with the class
some of their ideas about why its important to understand your own identity? Allow volunteers
to share their ideas. Look for answers that refer to self-revelation, happiness, acceptance, and
that a sense of identity contributes to comfort. Look specifically for the idea that understanding
oneself will make it easier for you to communicate about yourself with others. If students
struggle with volunteering, allow them 1 minute to discuss ideas in their base group, and then
have each group share one idea. Whole class share out should last about 3-4 minutes.

2. [ 10 mins.] Anticipation Guide for My Name

So weve reviewed what we think is important about understanding ones own identity. One of
the ideas we talked about is that when you understand yourself, you can explain yourself to
other people in many different forms. A thorough grasp on any subject makes it easier to talk
about, wouldnt you guys agree? [Wait for affirmation: nodding heads, yess, etc.]. Were going
to read a short passage together about a girl talking about her own identity, but beforehand Im
going to give you a couple of questions to answer to introduce to what we will see in this text.
[Pass out the anticipation guides.]

For each statement, Id like you to state whether or not you agree or disagree with what is being
said. You have to choose Agree or Disagree - there is no in between here! Well discuss the
answers after we read the text to see if your ideas change. What questions do you have about
this activity? [Allow a moment for students to ask questions before having them begin. Once
they have asked questions allow 5-6 for students to work on the questions.] Great work,
everyone. Please take about 2 minutes and in your base groups, share with each other whether
you agreed or disagreed with each statement. Go!

3. [ 20 mins.] Addressing Potentially unknown Vocabulary

So, everyone, Ive gone through the story were going to read today and have identified a few
words that I think we may have trouble with while reading. [On opposite side of anticipation
guide, there is a sheet with the detected vocabulary words, with room where each student can
write the definition of that word. There is extra space at the bottom for students to write down
other words they encounter that may need to be defined.] If you all would flip onto the back of
your anticipation guide, youll see that Ive listed these words for you. Id like you to work in your
base groups for a few moments, and talk about what you think these words mean, if you have
already heard them used before. If you are all stuck on the meaning of a word, feel free to grab
a dictionary and look it up! What questions do you all have about this activity? [Allow for
questions, if any.] Lets get started!

[Walk around the room while students work, monitoring their progress. Look to make sure they
are all on task as they work through the words. Make sure students are all trying to share what
they know equally, and that there isnt one student in each group dominating the activity. If there
is, go to that group and ask another student who seems to be trying to speak what they think
about the word. Allow students to work for 10 minutes at most, but wrap up if they finish more
quickly.] Awesome teamwork, guys! Now were going to talk about these words as a class. Who
wants to tell me what they think the word sobbing means? [Allow for volunteers from different
groups to share their definitions for each word. Fill out the worksheet on the ELMO so students
can see what you write, and can copy definitions as they need. For each word, have students
suggest synonyms, so that if there is confusion for other students they will hear the synonym
and make a connection. After each word, make sure to give students a moment to write down
the definition if they have not already. If students cannot define a word, have someone look it up
in a dictionary, and make a note to revisit that word intently while reading it in context.]

Great work, everyone. I think were ready to read! Our story is called My Name, by Sandra
Cisneros, a really awesome Mexican-American writer. Remember how weve talked about
identity? Being Mexican-American is a huge part of Sandra Cisneros identity, and is also really
important to the character we will read about. If you guys look at your papers we just worked on,
theres another spot at the bottom where you can write other words you dont know as we read.

4. [ 10 mins] Reading My Name by Sandra Cisneros:

Im going to read the story aloud to you all first. [Pass out the short story.] As I read, read along
and highlight where you hear and see the words from our vocab list. Lets begin! [Read the story
aloud, slowly, enunciating the vocabulary words so students pick up on them. Look to see they
are highlighting.] Okay, so now Id like to read the story again, except this time I want your help.
Can we have a volunteer to read one paragraph at a time out loud for the class? [Take 5
volunteers to read. Have each student read a paragraph at a time, helping them with words they
cannot pronounce.] Great work!

5. [ 10 minutes] Revisit Vocab, discuss new vocab

So while we were reading, I noticed you all highlighting where you saw the vocabulary words
we talked about. Did reading the story change what those words meant to you? How did it make
you feel to see the word sobbing again, but this time as Esperanza talked about her fathers
music? [Revisit each word in the context of the story, working on the ELMO again so students
can see where each word is in the story in case they missed it the first time. Write on the
definition worksheet new ideas about each word students have after reading.] Can you all see
how reading a word in context can change its meaning? Authors work hard to choose words
that make their readers feel certain emotions. Were they any other words we encountered in the
story that you maybe stumbled over? [Allow students to share out other new words. Write down
these words on the ELMO sheet so students can see. Take volunteers to explain what each
word means, and if no one knows first turn the class to the text to figure out the meaning with
context clues. If this does not word, direct the initial student who asked about the word to a
dictionary, and then revisit the word in context to talk about what it means specifically in the
story compared to its actual definition.] Wow, you guys picked up on some great words here. As
we continue to work, let me know if there are any more that give you trouble. For now, though,
were going to talk about Esperanzas identity, and what weve learned about her today.

6. [20 minutes] Esperanza identity activity

[Hand out identity worksheet.] Id like you guys to think about our narrator Esperanza, and what
we learned about her from this passage. On your worksheet, there is a space for you to
brainstorm what you think makes up Esperanzas identity. Try to look at the text and think about
what is important to her. Is it family, maybe? Is it where she is from? Write down a few ideas
about who Esperanza is. Make sure you highlight the parts of the text that give you ideas about
her identity. [Allow students to work for about 7 minutes. Look for ideas like sister, daughter,
Mexican, woman, etc.] When youre done with that section, there are a few questions at the
bottom Id like you to answer about Esperanza. Work through these as a group, and let me
know if you have any trouble. [Allow students to work through questions, consulting their base
groups if they get stuck, with the teacher circulating the room to make sure they are all
contributing. Answer any questions that may arise about other vocabulary or for clarification on
the worksheet. Allow students to work for about 8 minutes on the questions.]

Great, everyone. Who wants to give me some ideas about who we think Esperanza is? [Work
on ELMO for about 5 minutes, writing down students ideas about Esperanzas identity. Look for
mentions of her family, her heritage, and perhaps her age and gender.]

7. Revisit Anticipation Guide and Reflection [8 minutes]

Awesome ideas, guys! The author really painted a picture for us about Esperanza, didnt she?
Id like you guys to turn back to your Anticipation guide, and go through the questions again to
see if you have changed your mind at all on any of them. [Begin passing out Exit Slip.] Then, Id
like you to fill out this Exit Slip and let me know if you changed your mind at all and why or why
not. There are a few questions on the slip, so please try to answer them all in the next 8
minutes!

8. Closure [2 minutes]

You all worked SO hard today! I cant wait to read your exit slips to see what you all learned.
We will start next class by going over what you all answered on the anticipation guide and what
about today changed your minds, if you did. Were going to continue talking about identity, and
move onto some activities that are more about ourselves! Thanks, everyone!

Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:

I anticipate that Betsy may have trouble with some of the vocabulary (especially the Spanish
words) in My Name, so I will make sure to listen in on her groups work during step 3, to see
how she is handling this new vocabulary. If she seems to be struggling, I will ask her individually
to read the sentence aloud to me and what context clues she sees that may guide her to
understanding. If she struggles throughout the entire activity, I will give her a list of the words
with definitions written with a space for her to writing the word in Dutch, as well as a space to
draw a picture of the word if she would like. I will pay extra attention to the vocabulary she finds
confusing during step 5.

Materials Needed (list):

Worksheets in Materials Appendix

Dictionaries
ELMO Machine and Projector

Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,

handouts, etc.)

Appendix A: Anticipation guide

Name: ________________

Anticipation guide for My Name by Sandra Cisneros

Directions: Write A if you agree with a statement, or D if you disagree with a statement.
 Before Reading After Reading

1. Our names are an important part of our identity.

2. How the people in our family act affects who we are.
3. We all have the power to choose who we want to be.
4. Being born at a specific time can affect who you are
as a person.

5. My name has a specific meaning and I know what

It is.

Appendix B: Vocab Sheet

Name: ______________________

My Name Vocabulary

Write down what you think each word means. After reading, reflect on how the meaning of the
word maybe seemed different in the story. Use the space at the bottom to write down any other
words you dont know.

Sobbing:

Chandelier:
 Inherit:

Baptize:

Other Words I did not know while reading:

Appendix C: Esperanza Identity Sheet

Name: __________________

Esperanzas Identity in My Name

What are some characteristics that make up Esperanzas identity? Think about her family, and
what she thinks about in the passage.

Who is in Esperanzas family?

Where is her family from?

What languages does she speak?

What does she hope for her future?

What does she think about her name? What does this reveal about her personality?

**Source for questions:

https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/identity-and-community/who-am-i

Appendix D: Exit Slip

Name: ______________

My Name Exit Slip

Did you change any of your Anticipation guide Answers? Why or why not?

Which Anticipation Guide question was the hardest for you to answer? Why?

How did My Name remind you about any parts of your own identity?
What questions do you still have about todays vocabulary or activities?