Use this template when submitting Lesson Plans to your Teacher Quality Coordinator. After you teach the lesson, please answer the

reflections questions found at the end of this form.

LESSON PLAN

Name: Mengyao Liu Grade Level: Senior 1 Date: 4/1/14

Objective (What will your students be able to do?)

SWBAT make the distinction between the slang uses and non-slang uses of a selection of common American slang terms. SWBAT use these terms in conversational speech.

Assessment (How will you know whether students have made progress toward the objective?)

Students must include three or more of the terms we covered in class in their presentations on describing their desk-mate, which must follow the fill-in-the-blank format included in the lesson.

Vocabulary: ‘off the hook,’ ‘sick,’ ‘ill,’ ‘the bomb,’ ‘whack,’ ‘bummer,’ ‘homie,’ ‘fruitcake,’ ‘nerd,’ ‘scrub,’ ‘chow down,’ ‘bling bling,’ ‘stacks on stacks,’ ‘the tube’

Grammar: How using these words in slang sometimes changes the part of speech (e.g., ‘whack’ goes from meaning to hit someone to an adjective expressing that something is bad).

Materials Needed: chalkboard, eraser, PPT, laptop (including HDMI cable if it’s a MacBook).

Lesson Opening

Teacher writes the Rules (1. Be Respectful, 2. No Electronics, 3. Be on Time and Prepared, 4. English Only, 5. Try Your Best!) and Goals (1. Participate, 2. Ask Questions, 3. Help the Teacher) on the board, as well as the team numbers for tallying points for the day.

Teacher says, “Hello, class” and Students respond. This is followed by a CR of the Rules and Goals. Teacher reminds students that meeting the Goals will earn team points and breaking the Rules will lose team points. Teacher reminds the class that the team at the end of the month with the most points gets a prize (candy) and the top three classes at the end of the semester get a movie day.

Teacher directs students to take out a notebook, something to write with, and their nametag through verbal instructions and by holding up a

notebook, pen, and nametag. Teacher then walks around the class to make sure every student has taken out these materials, prompting students who do not have them out to follow directions.

Teacher describes what American slang is and reads a portion of an article from their current unit in their English textbook, which details that English is a dynamic language that changes as time goes on – from Old English to Middle English to Modern English. Teacher makes the connection between this article and a lesson on slang, arguably the most modern kind of English. Teacher randomly selects students to answer questions based on this introduction of slang (e.g., “What is slang?” “Is slang more common in spoken or written English?”)

INM 1: What to say when something is good/bad

Teacher displays a list of common slang words – some to express that something is good, some to express that something is bad. Below each term is the Chinese definition for the literal meaning of the term. Teacher must explain that the Chinese definition is for the literal meaning alone, and not the slang meaning of the term. This can be confusing to a few students, so be sure to go over it a couple of times. If possible, use an example from Chinese slang to get the point across in lower-level classes.

Teacher reads each term aloud and the class CR each one. There is also a sample sentence for every term, which the teacher reads and explains a bit. Then the teacher instructs them to write them down in their notebooks.

Teacher shows a few CFU slides with pictures that confirm whether the class understands the distinction between which slang words express something good and which words express something bad.

GP 1: Dialogues

Teacher selects two students at random (using their class numbers) to read the dialogues that use the slang words in an appropriate context. Once a slang word is encountered in the text, the teacher pauses the dialogue to explain its particular use in the dialogue further.

Teacher calls on another student randomly to answer questions about what the dialogues discussed (e.g., “What does it mean when Student 1 says that LOL is the ‘sickest’ computer game in the world?”) to give students who are not reading aloud an incentive to listen so that they will know the answer.

INM 2: What to call people and things

Teacher shows a list of common slang words that refer to different kinds of people and different kinds of things. This slide includes Chinese definitions where necessary, but it isn’t as confusing to the students now that they understand that the Chinese isn’t giving the definition of the slang use of the word.

Teacher reads each term aloud and the class CR each one. There is a definition in English that the teacher reads for each word and gives some examples. The teacher instructs students to write words down in their notebooks.

Teacher shows a few CFU slides with pictures that confirm whether the class understands the distinction between which slang words express something good and which words express something bad.

GP 2: Dialogues

Teacher selects two students at random (using their class numbers) to read the dialogues that use the slang words in an appropriate context. Once a

slang word is encountered in the text, the teacher pauses the dialogue to explain its particular use in the dialogue further.

Teacher calls on another student randomly to answer questions about what the dialogues discussed (e.g., “Why does Student 1 think Student 2 is a ‘fruitcake?’”) to give students who are not reading aloud an incentive to listen so that they will know the answer.

Independent Practice

Teacher explains that students will describe their desk-mate using at least three of the slang terms covered in class. The class chorally recites the fill-in-the-blank format for the IP, with the teacher making specifications as they move through it. For instance, the class will say together “Hello everyone, this is my desk-mate…” and the Teacher will explain that the blank can be their English or Chinese name.

After going through the format, the Teacher reads an example aloud to the class that uses at least three of the slang words covered in class.

Teacher gives students 2-4 minutes to write down a description of their desk-mate. Teacher walks around the class to make sure everyone is writing. If students are doing other work, Teacher confiscates it until that student presents their suggestion. Teacher reminds students to use the slang words we learned today if she notices that a student hasn’t used them yet.

Teacher takes volunteers and/or chooses names at random out of the bag. If students volunteer, they may select the next student that must read, which incentivizes volunteers, but also means that students who did not fill out a name slip for the random bag and who don’t volunteer are at risk of being called.

Lesson Closing

Students CR the new vocabulary and the Teacher shows a review slide that quizzes their understanding of some of the terms.

Teacher tallies up the class points and reminds students of the monthly prize and the possible movie day at the end of the semester. If the students did not break any rules, every team receives 5 points. Teacher records class points and any reminders for future classes.

IMMEDIATE REFLECTION

Complete within 24 hours after teaching the lesson

1. Please provide a description of the students you taught (e.g., grade level, number of students, special characteristics, duration of lesson etc.).

I taught this lesson to ten Senior 1 classes, each class being about 50 or so students. Classes are 40 minutes long.

2. How many of your students fully achieved the lesson objective (please provide the number of students)? How do you know? If not, what are you going to do during the next class period with these students to ensure that they achieve, or work toward achieving, the objective?

Typically, all of the students would achieve the lesson objective because they would all attempt to write a description of their desk-mate. Even if they couldn’t finish up entirely during the time allotted, the fill-in-the-blank made it easier for them to improvise the end of their descriptions that they hadn’t written down yet. Some students missed the point of the exercise in that they only used one slang word or none at all. If that occurred, I would ask questions that would lead them to using the word after they read what they had written.

3. What did you do to ensure that all students were able to participate during the lesson? How did you target lower-level students? Shy students? Advanced students?

I targeted all students through choral repetition of terms and CFUs that involve students speaking together, so quieter students who were less comfortable with raising their hand and being singled out could speak out about their answers in a less pressured environment. Lower level students could accomplish the minimum task of filling in the blank. When they read their compositions aloud, I helped them along if they didn’t use three slang terms in total. For higher level students, they could incorporate many slang terms and compose extended compositions.

4. Which one part of the lesson was most successful? Why? How do you know?

The most successful part was the opening, because I really was able to get across the fluidity of English through English slang. It took a bit of explaining, but the students were able to grasp the concept that slang words and changing words that they already know into a different meaning.

5. Which one part of the lesson needed the most improvement? How do you know? How would you improve it if you could teach the lesson again?

I think that the GP didn’t involve enough students, simply because it was just two students reading the dialogue. I think that if I were to do this lesson again, I would show a video with guided questions for one of the GPs, just to involve more students in at least one of the GPs.

6. Did you need to modify your lesson plan during class? If so, why? How did you modify the plan?

I modified the lesson during one of my earlier classes in the week when I had difficulty getting across how slang and non-slang words have different meanings. I managed to use some Chinese to get the point across.

7. What patterns in your preparation/teaching can be improved?

With the change in weather, the students have had more trouble paying attention during class. I think that I could use more engaging material in the future instead of two dialogues, which I think may have gotten repetitive for the students.

8. What was your favorite part of the lesson? What was your students’ favorite part of the lesson?

My favorite part of the lesson was hearing their compositions, which often described their desk-mates as ‘nerds’ or ‘fruitcakes.’ It was pretty funny and it showed they understood the meanings of those words. I think that it was my students’ favorite part as well, as they were able to have a little fun in class while using terms that are common in American pop culture.

9. After teaching this lesson, do you have any questions you would like addressed regarding teaching methodologies, strategies, or activities?

Nothing comes to mind.