LESSON PLAN REVISION AND ANALYSIS 2

Lesson Plan Revision and Analysis

Selected Lesson Plan:
Superman: Modern Mythology
Common Core Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.1
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
I chose the lesson plan Superman mythology for elementary school. The choice was
motivated by the need to challenge my abilities to diversify. I look forward to being a high
school teacher upon graduation. However, I felt that this choice would take me out of my
comfort zone and help me understand more about teaching students in middle school. The lesson
plan entails the use of five different stories namely Perseus a Greek myth, The Story of Moses
(Old Testament), Sargon the Mighty (Ancient Akkad), The Sword and the Stone (Arthurian
legend), and Superman the Movie which is 1978 film directed by Richard Donne. The main topic
of the lesson will be “What is a hero?” Students will read and analyze the four different stories
and seek to explain who a hero is based on the theme of each of the stories. Based on the stories,
students will give attributes of a hero by making a comparison with characters they think are
heroes from the stories they will be reading in class. The lesson’s objective is to have students
read and analyze the different stories while seeking to respond substantively to the question,
‘who is a hero?’.

Differentiation

Content

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The objective is to have students understand who a hero is, by reading and analyzing
stories on different heroic characters. Through leading students into reading and pointing out the
different themes in different stories, they will be able to identify the attributes of a hero. First, I
will find out what the learners know in relation to the topic of heroes. I will ask them to name
some of the heroes that they know through either reading about them or to hear their stories.
Then, I will allow the students to explain attributes that those people or characters have, that
makes them be referred to as heroes. According to Sousa & Tomlinson (2011), “Content is what
we plan to teach, what we want students to learn.” In this lesson, I will differentiate the actual
content that I intend my learners to learn through incorporating different strategies. I will put the
students in groups of four and give each group a text with a different story among the four stories
that I intend to use during the lesson. I will then instruct students to read the story and summarize
the main ideas of the text while trying to identify a character or characters who have heroic
attributes in the story. As they do so, I will sit in the groups briefly and guide students who will
be having difficulties completing the assigned task.
Further, I will use video images, specifically Superman, the Movie which is a 1978 film
directed by Richard Donne to augment the text. The aim will be to assist students who might find
the text difficult to follow through. The aim of differentiating content is to present it in as many
different formats as possible to match the different learning styles for different learners (Kirkey,
2005). Also, through scaffolding, I will help students apply fundamental concepts in reading the
stories and analyzing them to identify heroes in the stories and attributes that prove their
heroism. Through the use of examples, applications, and analogies, I will seek to show the
relevance of heroes in today’s society. I will also provide students with articles and books for
reference purposes so that they can further read on the topic and advance their knowledge of

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heroes. By giving personal experiences, I will strive to explain ways through which personal life
experiences and interests interconnect with the content being delivered in class. The aim will be
to make the content relevant and help students own it by making sense out of it (Kirkey, 2005).
Lastly, based on student interests and examples shared in the classroom, I will give illustrations
of ideas that are complex, and that helps students progress from what they are familiar with, and
satisfying ideas to more taxing ideas as this will ensure that learning takes place.
Process
“Process begins when students stop taking information and begin to work actively with
it” (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2011). The process I will employ will entail guiding students into
‘making sense’ of the content, owning it, and understanding it without making references from
the texts given to them. I will do this by asking the learners to discuss within their groups,
elements in the text that prove characters they identified are heroes, and how that matches with
or contrasts ideas they already have on heroism. I will vary the complexity of the assigned
activity to be completed based on the response and progress made by students, but still, ensure
that I hold steady the outcomes. I will ask prompting questions such as, “Which character in The
Sword and the Stone is a hero?’ ‘why do you think so?’ through such questions, students will
start to make sense of the content and apply it in responding to questions asked. Where
necessary, I will provide additional examples and other scaffolding techniques to make it easier
for students who may encounter difficulties responding to the questions.
Additionally, students will respond to the main question, “Who is a hero?” within their
groups. As they work in their groups, every student will have an opportunity to describe in their
own words the meaning of the word ‘hero.’ The definition will not be restrictive as every student
will have a platform to discuss with peers their understanding of this term. Students will then

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select one student per group to present their discussion on the definition of the key term ‘hero.’
Learners will also make a comparison the story on Superman, with the stories that they will read
during the lesson and mention any similarities or differences between the two.
Further, I will provide opportunities for learners to expand their level of understanding in
their specific areas of interest. For instance, I will ask students to explain who their real hero is in
real life. Students will apply the knowledge learned by explaining the cultural relevance of
having stories on heroes. They will be answering questions such as, ‘what is the cultural
significance of tales on heroes in society?’ and explaining the role of such stories into the current
generation. They will be given an opportunity to share relevant examples and popular beliefs on
heroes to the lives today.
Product
“Products are ways that students show what they have come to know, understand, and be
able to do as a result of a long segment of study” (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2011). After
differentiating content, and delivering it through different techniques to meet the diverse needs of
other learners, I will also employ a variety of techniques to measure the level of understanding of
the learners and the changes throughout the learning period. I will use customized performance
activities as products or measures that will provide information on progress being made by each
learner. Based on student’s reading levels, I will provide a wide variety of resources so that each
student will have resources that they can use comfortably or with a little scaffolding. The aim
will be to call on learners to demonstrate what they will have learned on the topic and during the
lesson. By asking students to measure their progress based on skills they want to achieve, and
what they have achieved by the end of the lesson, I will support them to extend their
understanding of the skills acquired. In class, there may be one or a few students who might

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encounter difficulties staying focused especially on tasks that require a prolonged period of time
to accomplish, such as discussing an entire story within their groups. In such cases, I will provide
short breaks so that students can have time to reflect on the content discussed within their
groups.
Assessments in the form of asking oral questions to best gauge students’ understanding
will be used. Also, students will be given an opportunity to make presentations that will be aimed
at demonstrating their level of understanding of the content material learned. Since every student
cannot get a chance to make a presentation due to time constraints, written questions will also be
sued to allow students to demonstrate through writing their level of understanding. Students will
complete short worksheets, which will be marked. These activities will be aimed at showing the
students levels of comprehension and indicate whether there is a need for additional instructions
or whether the objectives have satisfactorily been achieved (De Jesus, 2012). Further, tests
developed will be based on applications whereby students will have an opportunity to draw from
their different areas of interest. One of the ways through which I will achieve this is by asking
students to give three attributes of people they consider as their heroes. Such a question will lead
to students giving different answers since they will be drawing from personal experiences which
will tend to vary.
Further, I will be flexible with time allocations by allowing ample time for learners who
might require more time to accomplish assigned tasks. This might be a challenge to classroom
management, especially since there are students who will complete tasks way ahead of the rest.
In such a case, I will assign additional and more complex tasks to such students, to allow
accommodation of gifted students. also, ample time for students whose speed is relatively slow

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will allow them to content with the key content being delivered, and this will enhance their level
of understanding.

Implementation

An administrator coming into my classroom for observation will first notice an orderly
and flexible learning environment. This will be evident first from the physical working space.
Students will be seated in tables comprising of four students each. Unlike the traditional sitting
arrangement, students will be seated in flexible space that allows for group discussion and easy
scaffolding in case students need help understanding a certain concept. The administrator will
observe that students are attentive as they receive instruction on the tasks to complement within
their groups. Also, as the lesson is introduced, students will respond to questions asked, as they
give their personal definitions and examples of heroes that they know or have heard about. They
will be given the texts, each group will be handling a different story and they will read and
discuss. The groups will have the necessary materials that they need to answer questions asked
within their groups. Additional reference books and articles will be issued and learners can use
them to expand on their knowledge.
Further, the administrator will observe scaffolding taking place. The teacher will move
from one table to another, responding to questions asked by students and providing the necessary
guidance whenever needed. Within their groups, the student will receive additional explanations
and clarifications. For instance, I will clarify that heroes can be either male or female, and give
personal examples of both male and female heroes. The intention will be to use a variety of
illustrations and ensure that the examples given are gender-friendly ((Joseph et al., 2013). Also,
examples will represent multiple cultures so that the content can be more relevant to students

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from different backgrounds. Such explanations will be made within the small working groups
depending on the dynamics of each group.
The administrator will also observe a well-managed classroom, characterized by
independent learners, who exercise self-control as they perform different tasks. Sousa &
Tomlinson (2011), state “a more fruitful way of thinking about classroom management is leading
students and managing classroom routines. Better still is leading students to be participants in
creating a classroom that helps everyone become the best learner and person he or she can be”.
The observer will meet students who are engaged in different activities, as each one of them
strives to make sense of the content being delivered and sharpen their knowledge and skills. The
learning environment will be orderly and flexible, with activities running smoothly and I will be
applying differentiated instructional strategies to foster learning.
Instructional strategies that will be employed and that the administrator will observe
include cooperative learning. The administrator will note that learners are sited in tables, each
group comprising of four students. also, he or she will observe that students are interacting with
different learning materials within these groups as they discuss and exchange ideas on what is
learned. At the beginning of the lesson, the administrator will observe that the teacher uses direct
instruction to introduce the topic and content to the learners. Through direct instruction, the
teacher highlights objectives to be achieved through the lesson and helps learners get started on
different tasks to be performed during the lesson. Also, another strategy that will be evident
during the lesson is scaffolding. The administrator will observe that I will be moving to different
tables to help students navigate through the discussions. During this time, I will answer questions
asked by individual students. I will guide students on how to use reference materials to advance
their knowledge. Also, I will clarify on content areas that students may feel they have not

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understood or are having difficulties comprehending. Also, I will assign complex tasks to gifted
learners whose pace will be relatively higher compared to that of other students. this will be
aimed at ensuring all students are engaged and the classroom is well managed.
An orderly and flexible learning environment encourages learners to enter into a state of
relaxed alertness (Sousa & Tomlinson, 2011). The administrator will note how alert and relaxed
learners will be during the period when direct instruction will be taking place, as well as during
their group discussions. There will be no threat but a high challenge, as this is an optimal
environment that enhances learning (Joseph et al., 2013). Through scaffolding, learners will be
assigned tasks that challenge them and enhance learning. Differentiation will come into play
even when assigning tasks. Learners will be assigned different tasks with varying levels of
complexity depending on the capabilities.
Research shows “students who have flexibility in their learning environments show
increased competence over students in more traditional environments” (Sousa & Tomlinson,
2011). The administrator will observe a classroom environment where the student’s level of
achievement is high, they follow instructions received from the teacher, and they are able to
advance learning on their own within their groups. One of the ways through which the
administrator will gauge the learner’s level of understanding is through the presentations made
by different students in the class. Also, the observer will meet students and a teacher that have
respect and high regard for one another. This will be evident through the use of courteous
language during the lesson by both students and teachers as well. Also, I will refer to the students
by their names when calling upon them to respond to questions asked or to make presentations.
Besides, students will respect each other and this will be evident through the language used and
how they will address one another when making their presentation. Evidently, the administrator

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will observe a well-differentiated and flexibly run classroom, where students and the teacher
work towards achieving the desired outcome.

Conclusion

Overall, at the end of the instruction period, the objectives will have been achieved.
Learners will have read and analyzed the different stories while responding substantively to the
question, ‘who is a hero?’. Thus, by the end of the lesson, the learners will have understood and
demonstrated verbally and in the form of writing, the meaning and attributes of a hero. The
lesson will have differentiated content, process and product based on student learning profiles,
readiness, and interests. The aim will be to tailor instruction and ensure that each student is
taught individually and helped to achieve personal goals at a pace that enhances personal
learning and growth. The administrator will also have observed a classroom environment that is
both orderly and flexible, and one where students learn in a relaxed way devoid of tension. Also,
students with special abilities and special needs will be accommodated through being given
complex tasks, ample time to complete tasks and additional instruction whenever necessary.
Overall, the lesson will depict a classroom that is inclusive and one whose environment is
friendly for students with different learning styles and cognitive abilities.

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References

De Jesus, O. N. (2012). Differentiated instruction: Can differentiated instruction provide success
for all learners?. National Teacher Education Journal, 5(3).
Joseph, S., Thomas, M., Simonette, G., & Ramsook, L. (2013). The Impact of Differentiated
Instruction in a Teacher Education Setting: Successes and Challenges. International
Journal of Higher Education, 2(3), 28-40.
Kirkey, T. L. (2005). Differentiated instruction and enrichment opportunities: An action research
report. The Ontario Action Researcher, 8(3), 1-5.
Sousa, D. A. & Tomlinson, C. A. (2011). Differentiation and the brain: How neuroscience
supports the learner-friendly classroom. Retrieved from https://www.vitalsource.com/