Daily Lesson Plan

Goals:
MS-SS.8.c
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.2
NCSS Themes: 2, 3, 4, 5, 8
Daily Objectives:
1. Understand the point of view of a soldier on the Western Front. (DOK 1)
2. Write a letter home from the point of view of a World War I soldier. (DOK 2,3,4)
Materials:
1. Short Video Clip on trench warfare
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history/videos/bet-you-didnt-
know-trench-warfare?m=528e394da93ae&s=undefined&f=1&free=false
2. Short Video Clip, Letters Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GDQ2p6hV6M
3. Paper
4. Pencil
5. Textbook
6. White Board
7. Smart Board
Opening Set: Good morning students, we begin by completing the bell ringer on the board.
Once you have completed the bell ringer and we have discussed it as a class we will be watching
two short videos. The first video will be on trench warfare and the second will be about a
soldiers letters home. After the videos you will discuss them in your groups and then we will
have a short classroom discussion about them. The next thing you will do is read a passage from
All Quiet on the Western Front. In your groups you will attempt to identify the main idea and
tone of the passage, we will then discuss this passage as a class. The last thing we will do today
is write a letter home from the point of view of a soldier in World War I. You can find a
description of this activity in the Learning Tasks section of this lesson plan. Ask the students if
there are any question, if there are no questions, begin the lesson.



Learning Tasks (Procedures):
1. The students will begin class by completing a bell ringer covering material from the
previous lesson.
2. The students will watch two video clips, one about trench warfare and the other about a
soldiers letters home.
3. The students will discuss the videos in their groups and then share with the class what
their groups thought of the videos.
4. The students will read a passage from Enrich Remarque: All Quiet on the Western Front
on page 466.
5. In their groups the students will attempt to identify the main idea and tone of the passage.
We will discuss this as a class.
6. The students will act as if they are a soldier in the trenches and write a letter home to
their family or friends. The students should write this letter as if they are an actual soldier
during World War I. They should use their knowledge of trench warfare and the life of
soldiers to write this letter. They can use their notes from the previous lessons to help
them write this letter. They can also use their books. This assignment will be taken up
and graded.
Assessment/Evaluation: Walk the room and listen to discussion about the videos and the
passage on page 466. Ask the students questions about the videos and the passage. Class
discussion about the videos and the passage from page 466 to ensure learning has occurred.
Learning task number six will be taken up at the end of class and graded as a minor grade. This
assignment will be graded based on a strong attempt and effort. Students are expected to write
their letters in paragraph form in complete sentences.
Closure: Last five minutes of class, review what was covered in the lesson and ask the students
questions about the material. If there are no questions review tomorrows lesson. This is done to
prepare the students for the next day. Explain to the students that if they did not complete their
letters that it is due at the beginning of class tomorrow. Tell the students to have a great day and
thank them for their attentiveness.
Intervention: Struggling learners will be provided with the materials needed to succeed in the
classroom. If there is a struggling writer, they will be provided with extra help to write their
letters. When it comes time for group work, peer mentors will be assigned to help the student
with his/her work.