Lesson Plan 1

UTL 640E
Kaitlyn Holcomb
Aaron Holman/Hendrickson High School
AP English IV/12th Grade
Date: 2/19/15
Teaches #1-2
Class Period/Time: 45 minutes during Block 5 (9:30-11:00) and Block 7 (1:10-2:40)
Lesson Objective:
After discussing the use of figurative language within two Emily Dickinson poems as a class,
students will individually write a one-paragraph response to one of the poemsincluding a
thesis statement that identifies a specific type of figurative language within the poem and an
aptly-chosen citation from the text that supports their thesisin order to demonstrate their
understanding of the role of figurative language in creating meaning.
Resources/Materials:
To do before the lesson:
o Review and analyze the poems (One need not be a Chamber to be Haunted and
Some keep the Sabbath going to Church)
o Assign students to read Dickinson biography and Some keep the Sabbath going to
Church from their AP Literature books and One Need Not be a Chamber to be
Haunted (online) before class
o Make copies of One Need Not be a Chamber to be Haunted (with Dickinsons
biographical information on the other side) to distribute to class
For the lesson itself:
o Place copies of handout on the desk by the door for students to grab as they enter
o Whiteboard and markers
o AP Literature book (my copy)
o AP Literature book (their copies)
TEKS/SEs Addressed in the Lesson:
(3) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Poetry. Students understand, make inferences and
draw conclusions about the structure and elements of poetry and provide evidence from text to
support their understanding. Students are expected to evaluate the changes in sound, form,
figurative language, graphics, and dramatic structure in poetry across literary time periods.
(7) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Sensory Language. Students understand, make
inferences and draw conclusions about how an authors sensory language creates imagery in
literary text and provide evidence from text to support their understanding. Students are expected
to analyze how the authors patterns of imagery, literary allusions, and conceits reveal theme, set
tone, and create meaning in metaphors, passages, and literary works.
Steps in Lesson:
ENGAGEMENT 5 minutes

On a piece of paper, students will respond to the following prompt:

In a short paragraph (3-5 sentences), discuss your initial reaction to reading One Need
Not be a Chamber to be Haunted. You may discuss anything you liked, disliked, found
confusing, etc.
Tell students that a copy of the poem can be found on the handout they grabbed on the way into
class if they need to refer to it.
STATED OBJECTIVE

Today, were going to look at two poems by Emily Dickinson and analyze them
specifically in terms of their figurative language. Well discuss them in groups and as a whole
class, and well finish the lesson with a short writing assignment in which youll briefly discuss
how Dickinson uses figurative language in her poetry. But before that, lets use the responses
you just finished as an entrance to our discussion.
ACTIVE LEARNING

Introduce: 7 minutes
Using my engagement as the basis for my introduction, I will ask 3-5 students to share the
focus of their response paragraphs.
Provide a brief biography of Dickinson and her poetry that will aid students subsequent
analysis (information provided on a handout):
o She spent the majority of her life secluded in her house, and, as the AP Literature book
states, much of this time was spent in her bedroom (661). Possibly due to her seclusion,
much of her poetry is incredibly personalit reflects her experiences and her questions
about life.
o In spite of the fact that she attended seminary for one year, she eventually stopped
attending church (and refused to endorse the orthodox Congregationalist creed) (661).
o She wrote during the American Renaissance, the time during which America saw its first
great output of art and literature. Dickinson, much like her literary peers, was heavily
influenced by Romanticism, which is characterized by individualism, reverence for the
natural world, physical and emotional passion, and an interest in the mystic and
supernatural (poets.org).
Address concerns from the students initial responses, which may include the following:
o Capitalization and/or punctuation: Many language conventions were not yet standardized
during Dickinsons time, and thus there were no set rules for capital letters and certain
types of punctuation. In many cases, you can read her poems as if the dashes were not
there.
o Words with unknown or uncommon definitions (such as Cooler in ln. 8): tell students
that we will discuss these definitions as they arise within our discussion and analysis.
Explain: 10 minutes
Remind students that many of Dickinsons poems reflect her personal experiences or inquire
into questions she had about lifethey thus often function as conversations about a
particular topic. Her poems are filled with imagery and figurative language (especially

metaphor and personification, the definitions of which I will review with students if needed),
which help explore the poems topics and themes/meanings.
Read the poem aloud and then ask students to identify the meaning (or main topic or idea) in
One need not be a Chamber to be Haunted, guiding them as needed to this general idea:
o She discusses several circumstances that would usually be considered scary (a
haunted attic, meeting a ghost, being chased through an abbey, etc.), only to conclude
that being alone with ones thoughts is far more terrifying.
Engage students in a whole-class discussion during which they will identify instances of
imagery and figurative language and their relevance to the meaning or topic of the poem.
o Guide them through the first stanza, asking what imagery and figurative language they
notice. Model as needed:
Implied metaphor: Dickinson compares the brain to a chamber and house, telling us
that these are not the only things that may be haunted. It is implied because Dickinson
makes the connection without explicitly saying The brain is a house, and it is
haunted.
The Brain has Corridors surpassing / Material place : This is a fancy, poetic
way of saying, The brain has so many nooks and crannies that they couldnt all
possibly fit into a real (material) place, and, to follow with the theme of haunting,
it has too many skeletons in the closet.
o Act as moderator as the students participate in the discussion, which may include some of
the following points (write responses on the board):
The use of Cooler (ln. 8): Dickinson does not use this word to refer to temperature.
Rather, she uses a rare definition of cool that means Of the senses: to become
chilled with fear (Oxford English Dictionary).
Ourself behind ourself, concealed : Our minds, a portion of ourselves, are hidden
within (or concealed behind) our bodies, our outer selves.
Oerlooking a superior spectre : Dickinson continues the idea of haunting by
referencing a spectre (a ghost or apparition). Superior has two possible
definitions: 1) Theuppermost [part]of the body (i.e., the head/brain); 2)
referring to something heavenly or celestial (Oxford English Dictionary). Dickinson
may use the second definition when she writes Or More in the final line, drawing
on Romanticist ideas (an interest in the mystic and supernatural) by describing the
brain an entity more than merely physical.
Personification: Dickinson portrays the mind and body as individual entities that act
of their own volition; by depicting the mind as alive, Dickinson increases our horror
at the idea of encountering its dark corners. Examples: Cooler Host; The Stones
achase; ones aself encounter ; and The Body borrows a Revolver / He
bolts the Door .

Apply: 18 minutes
Students will discuss Some keep the Sabbath going to Church in the same groups with
which they have worked during previous class periods. Ask them to read and annotate the

poem by noting specific images and instances of figurative language and then to use these
examples to try to determine the meaning of the poem. (8 minutes)
o Observe the groups while they work, conferring with them as needed.
o If students are struggling to determine the meaning of the poem, encourage them to
revisit the biographical information discussed previously and consider how the poem
might connect to Dickinsons personal experiences (e.g., the incorporation of Romanticist
ideas and the fact that she refused to endorse the orthodox Congregationalist creed).
Engage the students in a whole-class discussion, asking them to share what they discussed in
their groups (first, ask a representative from each group to share one piece of analysis, then
allow students to volunteer information; write responses on the board). Discussion may
include some of the following points (5 minutes):
o Metaphor: Dickinson compares natural objects and beings to figures in a church service.
This comparison serves to make church more natural and enjoyable (by bringing church
into nature) while simultaneously undermining the sacred functions of religious objects
and roles. Examples: With a Bobolink for a Chorister / And an Orchard, for a Dome;
I just wear my Wings (implies that the narrator is an angelic being); Our little Sexton
sings.
o Personification: In this poem, personification is closely related to metaphor. For instance,
Dickinson personifies a bobolink (a type of bird) and then ascribes to it the roles of
chorister and sexton.
o On the surface, this poem appears to be aesthetically pleasing and innocent in that it
describes a church service within nature itselfclearly portraying the Romanticist
reverence for the natural world. However, since this poem discusses religion and
church and since Dickinson opposed certain church beliefs and practices, this poem
implicitly questions church itself. (For instance: Do we need to go to a building, or can
God himself speak to us? Does my faithfulness in completing religious rituals provide
salvation, or can I get to heaven by communing directly with God?)
After reading and discussing both poems, students will write short paragraphs that reflect
how figurative language conveys meaning. Students will choose one of the Dickinson poems
on which to focus. They will generate a thesis statement that identifies a specific type of
figurative language used within the poem and its importance to the poem. They will then
provide a specific example of that type of figurative language from the text and explain how
it functions within the poems larger framework (i.e., its theme). The paragraphs should look
similar to the following (I will write this on the board): In her poem __________, Emily
Dickinson uses [type of figurative language] to discuss/interrogate/portray [a theme in the
poem or the meaning of the poem]. For example, [one example of chosen type of figurative
language from the text and how it relates to the theme or meaning]. (5 minutes)

CLOSURE (5 minutes)

Ask 1-2 students to summarize the key points of the lesson (i.e., the poems were written by
Emily Dickinson, and we analyzed Dickinsons use of figurative language to convey
meaning)
Ask several students to share the thesis statements from within their paragraphs.

Modifications/Differentiation Strategies:
Students will participate in both group and whole-class discussions.
Reading One need not be a Chamber to be Haunted aloud before discussion and
providing students with a copy of Dickinsons bibliography will increase the engagement of
aural and visual learners.
Evaluation Strategies:
I will moderate whole-class discussion, checking to ensure that students understand the
concepts (figurative language) and the poems.
I will observe/confer with student groups as they work.
I will collect the paragraphs written at the end of the period, reading them to determine the
students understanding of figurative language. They will be evaluated based on how well the
chosen example supports the thesis statement.
Notes/Recommendations for next time:
Its really nice to have the analysis notes ahead of time. They helped me understand the poem
and thus guide the students toward some of the poems important points. (That being said,
time permitting, maybe try to add a few more points for a more thorough line-by-line
explication, but make sure you dont use this to take over the discussion.)
Work on defining terms more explicitly (esp. implied metaphor just because the
definition may seem obvious to you doesnt mean the students will always get it).
Try to get the students more actively involved, perhaps by having them read the poem(s)
aloud.

Some keep the Sabbath going to Church

I keep it, staying at Home
With a Bobolink for a Chorister
And an Orchard, for a Dome
Some keep the Sabbath in Surplice
I just wear my Wings
And instead of tolling the Bell, for Church,
Our little Sexton sings.
God preaches, a noted Clergyman
And the sermon is never long,
So instead of getting to Heaven, at last
Im going, all along.
--Emily Dickinson

[670]
One need not be a Chamber to be Haunted
One need not be a House
The Brain has Corridors surpassing
Material Place
Far safer, of a Midnight Meeting
External Ghost
Than its interior Confronting
That Cooler Host.
Far safer, through an Abbey gallop,
The Stones achase
Than Unarmed, ones aself encounter
In lonesome Place
Ourself behind ourself, concealed
Should startle most
Assassin hid in our Apartment
Be Horrors least.
The Body borrows a Revolver
He bolts the Door
Oerlooking a superior spectre
Or More

Key Facts about Emily Dickinson

Dickinson spent the majority of her life secluded in her house. As she grew older, she spent
increasing amounts of time in her bedroom. Possibly due to her seclusion, much of her poetry
is incredibly personalit reflects her experiences and her questions about life.

In spite of the fact that Dickinson attended seminary for one year, she eventually stopped
attending church (and refused to endorse the orthodox Congregationalist creed) (Kennedy
and Gioia 661).

Dickinson wrote during the American Renaissance, a time during which America saw its first
great output of art and literature. Dickinson, much like her literary peers, was heavily
influenced by Romanticism, which is characterized by individualism, reverence for the
natural world, physical and emotional passion, and an interest in the mystic and
supernatural (poets.org).