Guilty or Innocent?: A Case for Close Reading

Learning Resource Type

Lesson Plan

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

8

Overview

Students are drawn in by a classic story of guilt or innocence as they discover the Western town of Moon Dance, Montana, home of Al, a young man who begins to doubt the innocence of his mentor and father figure. Could Mr. Baumer be guilty of murder? Students are introduced to all the elements of a short story and forget that they are learning how to write an argumentative essay in their zeal to defend their opinion with evidence from the text.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

ELA21.8.R1

Utilize active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings, following agreed-upon rules for participation.

UP:ELA21.8.R1

Vocabulary

  • Active listening
  • Discussion
  • Conversation
  • Rules
  • Participation

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Active listening skills.
  • How to engage in discussions and conversations in a variety of settings.
  • Agreed-upon rules for participation.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Demonstrate active listening skills during discussion and conversation in pairs, small groups, or whole-class settings.
  • Converse in pairs, small groups, and large groups.
  • Practice the agreed-upon rules for participation.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Conversations and discussions follow agreed-upon rules which help us actively listen and gain understanding.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

ELA21.8.R2

Use context clues to determine meanings of unfamiliar spoken or written words.

UP:ELA21.8.R2

Vocabulary

  • Context clues
  • Determine
  • Unfamiliar spoken words
  • Unfamiliar written words

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Context clues in speech or text can provide the meaning of unfamiliar words.
  • There are different types of context clues, including inference/general clues, definition/explanation clues, restatement/synonym clues, and contrast/antonym clues.
  • Context clues in text are often indicated by punctuation marks.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words in speech.
  • Use context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words in text.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • An author or a speaker use context clues to explain the meaning of unusual words or academic, domain-specific vocabulary.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

ELA21.8.2

Make complex inferences from the structure and content of a text, including comparison and contrast, problem and solution, cause and effect, and substantiated and unsubstantiated claims and evidence, to draw logical conclusions about the author’s perspective.

UP:ELA21.8.2

Vocabulary

  • Complex inferences
  • Text structure
  • Text content
  • Comparison and contrast
  • Problem and solution
  • Cause and effect
  • Substantiated claim
  • Unsubstantiated claim
  • Evidence
  • Logical conclusions
  • Author's perspective

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors use particular text structures to indicate their perspective.
  • A text that follows a comparison and contrast structure will describe how two or more things are alike or different.
  • Problem and solution text structure describes a problem and how the problem was solved or could be solved.
  • Cause and effect text structure describes an event (the cause) and the consequence or result of the event (the effect).
  • Claim and evidence structure proposes a particular claim, then provides evidence to support the claim.
  • Substantiated claims will have relevant, credible supporting evidence, while unsubstantiated claims will not.
  • Inferences and conclusions can be drawn by analyzing and synthesizing information in text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the structure and content of text.
  • Utilize text structure and content to make complex inferences and draw logical conclusions about an author's perspective.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors choose to use specific content and format their text in a particular structure to demonstrate their perspective on a topic.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

ELA21.8.3

Analyze how authors use key literary elements, including setting, plot, theme, characters, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view, to contribute to the meaning and purpose of a text, using text evidence as support.

UP:ELA21.8.3

Vocabulary

  • Literary elements
  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Theme
  • Characters
  • Internal conflict
  • External conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Points of view
  • Text evidence

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and/or enhance the meaning of the text.
  • An author's use of literary elements can indicate the author's purpose for writing the text.
  • Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view in literary text.
  • Analyze how literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of literary text.
  • Support their analysis of literary elements with textual evidence.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
  • Literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of literary text.
  • When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

ELA21.8.8

Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writing in which the development, organization, style, and tone are relevant to task, purpose, and audience, using an appropriate command of language.

UP:ELA21.8.8

Vocabulary

  • Narrative writing
  • Argument writing
  • Informative/explanatory writing
  • Writing development
  • Writing organization
  • Style
  • Tone
  • Task
  • Purpose
  • Audience
  • Command of language

Knowledge

Students know:
  • A narrative is a piece of writing that tells a story.
  • The purpose of argumentative writing is to convince the reader to take action or adopt a particular position.
  • Informative or explanatory text is a piece of writing that provides factual information that was gathered from multiple research sources.
  • The development, organization, style, and tone of writing will change depending on the writing task, the purpose of the writing, and the intended audience.
  • Formal academic writing should demonstrate an appropriate command of language.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Produce clear, coherent narrative, argument, and informative/explanatory writings.
    • Identify the writing task, the purpose of writing, and the intended audience in order to appropriately adapt the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
    • Demonstrate command of the written language.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • There are different genres of writing that serve various purposes.
    • The writing task, purpose, and audience should be considered in the development, organization, style, and tone of the writing.
    • Formal academic writing should display their command of the English language.
    English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

    ELA21.8.10

    Engage in coherent and collaborative discussions about prose and poetry by evaluating the use of literary devices and elements.

    UP:ELA21.8.10

    Vocabulary

    • Coherent discussion
    • Collaborative discussion
    • Prose
    • Poetry
    • Literary devices
    • Literary elements

    Knowledge

    Students know:
    • The purpose of collaborative discussions related to prose and poetry.
    • Collaborative discussions occur when participants actively listen, build on others' ideas, and ask clarifying questions.
    • Generally accepted rules for discussions.
    • Literary text often includes literary devices such as personification, imagery, alliteration, onomatopoeia, symbolism, metaphor, and simile.
    • Literary elements within a story include the theme, plot, and point of view.
    • Poetry is a genre of text that uses distinctive style and rhythm to aid in the expression of feelings, while prose is written in ordinary language.

    Skills

    Students are able to:
    • Participate in coherent and collaborative discussions about prose and poetry.
    • Identify and discuss literary devices and elements in poetry and prose.
    • Evaluate how prose and poetry use literary devices and elements for an intended purpose.

    Understanding

    Students understand that:
    • Comprehension of poetry and prose can be demonstrated by engaging in a collaborative discussion about a text.
    • They can discuss the use of literary elements and devices in prose and poetry to better understand the literal and figurative meaning of the text.
    • Active participation in discussions requires students to listen and respond to others' thoughts and ideas.

    Primary Learning Objectives

    Students will:

    • read and analyze literary elements (such as characterization and plot)  in a Western short story.
    • write the opening argument of a lawyer defending or representing the main character in hypothetical trial
    • analyze the text for evidence for their court case

    Procedures/Activities

    Before

    1. Introduce the concept of the Western genre through pictures of old western towns. Activate prior knowledge by showing the slide show "Bargain" Images. Discuss informally the images and what they represent.

    During

    2. Introduce the short story "Bargain" by A. B. Gutherie, Jr., 

    3. Review point of view, dialect, characterization techniques, simile, and metaphor.

    4. The text is a difficult read for some 8th graders. Chunk the text calling on better readers to read some portions and have the teacher read other parts, particularly those with dialect. The reading might be best split over two days - the end of the first day and the beginning of the second day. 

    5. It is best if the teacher doesn't "overteach" the inferences within the text about the guilt or innocence of the main character. 

    6. Allow the students to read silently the last 2 pages but warn them to be aware of the details. 

    7. Ask students to do a quick write (no more than 2 minutes) of what actually happened to Freighter Slade. Allow students to share briefly. 

    8. Say to the students, "I believe that Freighter Slade died of poisoning." Ask them to go back into the last two pages of the story and find the details that prove that inference.  

    9. Students can point out specific phrases by having a class secretary write them on a board or chart paper.

    10. Give students the Bargain Significant Quote chart. Students should close read the story and find a quote for each term. The second page is the reverse. Quotes are given and their significance should be explained in terms of literary definitions and the story content. 

    11. Begin a class period with the "Bargain Letter: Dear Students." Allow students to read the letter silently before answering their questions about the assignment. Review the terms: argument, claim, and counterargument. Allow students to use a t-chart and the story to list quotes from the story to use as evidence to support their findings. 

    After

    12. Students could present their writings on the following day and evaluate the evidence their peers reference, particularly those students who are on opposite sides of the case.

    Assessment Strategies

    Student close reading will be summatively assessed via the Bargain Significant Quote pages and the final student writing. 

    Formative assessment will take place via the discussion of the last two pages and the student quote pull outs to support the reason for the demise of Freighter Slade. 

    Acceleration

    Students can use their writing as the basis for a class debate on the guilt or innocence of the main character. Students can be assigned the roles of the characters and research all the details that characters would and would not know. 

    Students can video their own presentation of their opening argument via their smart phones.

    Advanced students could create a recording of the story enabling special education students to fully access the story.

    Intervention

    Special education students will need support in the reading of the story. Reading aloud and explicit vocabulary instruction are necessary, particularly for dialogue containing dialect. 

    Special education students writing the opening argument may need a graphic organizer with the opening sentence at  the top and the closing sentence at the bottom. Space in the middle could be bulleted with students supplying quotes from the story to prove their belief.

    Total Duration

    91 to 120 Minutes

    Background/Preparation

    Often students are not familiar with the Western genre of short stories. 

    Prior instruction might include plot elements, characterization techniques, and the argumentative essay. However, this lesson is a great way to introduce the argumentative essay. 

    The importance of the close read will be enhanced if the first reading of the story is oral, but the teacher does NOT draw out the inferences as they read.

    The teacher should be thoroughly familiar with the text, knowing which parts to call on students to read and which portions to be read aloud by the teacher. 

    Materials and Resources

    Students will need basic paper and writing instrument. If internet access is a problem for students, paper copies of "Bargain" by A. B. Gutherie, Jr., will be needed.

    Bargain Significant Quote chart (one copy per student)

    Bargain Letter: Dear Students (one copy per student or display on board)

    Technology Resources Needed

    Ideally students could access the story "Bargain" by A. B. Gutherie, Jr. via the internet.

    slide show "Bargain" Images

    Approved Date

    2014-08-19
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