Close Read: “Often a Minute” | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G8:M3:U2:L2

Close Read: “Often a Minute”

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RL.8.4, RL.8.5, L.8.1a, L.8.5, L.8.5a

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

  • RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.10, L.8.4, L.8.6
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can determine the theme of a new poem and analyze its development over the course of the text. (RL.8.2)
  • I can identify structural elements of a text and analyze how the structure contributes to its meaning and style. (RL.8.5)
  • I can determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings, and analyze the impact of specific word choices on tone and meaning. (RL.8.4, L.8.5)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Entrance Ticket
  • Work Time A: Close Read: "Often a Minute" note-catcher (RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.4, RL.8.5, L.8.5)
  • Work Time B: Language Dive note-catcher (RL.8.4, L.8.1a, L.8.5a)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - RL.8.5 (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Close Read: "Often a Minute" - RL.8.4 (20 minutes)

B. Language Dive: "Often a Minute" Lines 15-16 - RL.8.4 (10 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Group Discussion: Structure and Theme: Maus I - RL.8.5 (10 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Read a Poem and Answer Questions: Students complete Homework: Language, Structure, and Theme to answer questions about "Often a Minute" and Maus I.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • RL.8.1 – Work Time A: During the close read, students examine textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from “Often a Minute.”
  • RL.8.5 – Work Time A: During the close read, students identify structural elements of “Often a Minute” and analyze how the structure contributes to its meaning.
  • RL.8.4/L.8.5 – Work Time A: During the close read, students determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in “Often a Minute,” including figurative and connotative meanings, and analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning.
  • RL.8.4 – Work Time B: During the Language Dive, students determine the figurative meaning of words and phrases in the poem and analyze the impact of specific word choice on tone.
  • L.8.1a – Work Time B: During the Language Dive, students explain the function of an infinitive phrase.
  • L.8.5a – Work Time B: During the Language Dive, students interpret the meaning of a metaphor. 
  • RL.8.5 – Closing and Assessment A: During the group discussion, students identify structural elements of Maus I and analyze how the structure contributes to its meaning and style.
  • In Work Time A, students participate in a close reading of the poem “Often a Minute” by Magdalena Klein. During this close read, students focus on structure and meaning. The Close Reading Guide lists the text excerpts, key questions to ask students, and instructional moves required. Continue to use discussion protocols (e.g., Think-Pair-Share, Conversation Cues, and total participation techniques) to engage all students in a collaborative discussion about the text.
  • In this lesson, students focus on working to become ethical people by showing respect and empathy as they reflect on Magdalena Klein’s experience, and working to become effective learners by collaborating as they work in pairs throughout the lesson.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Invite students to research more about the Holocaust and to ask their family members what they know about this time period. Students can share what they learn in small groups or with the class as a whole.
  • Challenge students to generate additional questions about the poem after the close read. Students can then try to answer these questions in small groups or as an additional homework task.
  • Have students choose another poem to read on their own in order to continue to explore this medium and consider structure and meaning. Encourage students to find poems that connect to personal interests to increase engagement.
  • Give students the opportunity to write a poem as a way of reflecting on what they have learned about the Holocaust so far. Students can share their poetry with each other. To build in additional challenge, have students include at least two gerund phrases and two infinitive phrases. Doing so will also increase students’ proficiency in using these structures.

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In the previous lesson, students explored a model essay that explains similarities and differences in the structure and meaning of two texts. Today, students will explore the structure and meaning of “Often a Minute” in order to compare it to the structure and meaning of Maus I.

Support All Students

  • Presenting learning targets in writing, orally, and if possible, accompanied by symbols will help students to understand the language within them. ▲
  • Note there is a differentiated version of the Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 used in Opening A in the separate Teacher’s Guide for English Language Learners. ▲
  • Note that “Often a Minute” brings up potentially sensitive topics such as persecution, evil, choking, and hatred. Some students and their families may find these topics to be upsetting or in conflict with their values. Allow for time to process and respond to these topics during individual, small group, or full class discussion, and reach out to families as needed.
  • Pair students (especially ELLs) thoughtfully for pair share (per Unit 1) to build supportive and safe exchange. Vary these partners throughout the unit to expose students to diverse perspectives one on one. ▲
  • Students may need additional support in processing oral questions during the close read. Allow time for students to think and/or write before sharing orally. Incorporate a mix of processing techniques after reading, including written reflections, small group and whole-class discussion. ▲
  • Students may need additional support with recording their answers on their note-catchers. Sit those students in a group together for additional support when necessary. ▲

Assessment Guidance

  • Review students’ Close Read: “Often a Minute” note-catchers to ensure students understand structure and meaning.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students will begin to plan an essay in which they compare and contrast the structure and meanings of “Often a Minute” and Maus I.

In Advance

  • Prepare Entrance Ticket Unit 2, Lesson 2.
  • Strategically group students into pairs for the work in this lesson, with at least one strong reader per pair.
  • Preview Close Reading Guide: "Often a Minute" (for teacher reference) and Close Read: "Often a Minute" note-catcher (for teacher reference) to become familiar with what is required of students.
  • Ensure there is a copy of Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 at each student's workspace.
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • Work Time A and B: Convert note-catchers and invite students to complete them in an online format—for example, http://eled.org/0158.
  • Work Time A: For students who will benefit from hearing the texts read aloud multiple times, use a text-to-speech tool such as http://eled.org/0103. Note that to use a web-based text-to-speech tool, an online doc containing the text will need to be created on a platform such as http://eled.org/0158. ▲
  • Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout previous modules to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 8.I.A.1, 8.I.B.5, 8.I.B.6, and 8.I.B.8.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson includes a close read of a poem by a Holocaust victim, Magdalena Klein, that focuses on theme and structure. A Language Dive on a sentence in the poem follows the close read, giving students the opportunity to explore how the writer uses figurative language and how the specific words she uses contribute to tone. The Language Dive also includes work with an infinitive phrase, which will help to prepare students for questions about the function of verbals on the Mid-Unit 2 Assessment. The lesson also includes time for collaborative discussion, which supports students in navigating content while also building oral language skills.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to read the poem "Often a Minute," as this will be the first time they are engaging with a poetry format. Encourage students to annotate their copies of the poem throughout the close read. Ensure that students have the opportunity to read the text multiple times, both silently and aloud, and pair ELLs with supportive peers to help them navigate the work throughout the Work Times of this lesson.

Vocabulary

  • persecution, rhetorical question (A)

Key

(A): Academic Vocabulary

(DS): Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Homework: Gist, Theme, and Infinitive Phrases (example for teacher reference) (from Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Homework A)
  • Academic word wall (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)
  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 4, Opening B)
  • Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 2, Lessons 4-5, Work Time D)
  • Work to Become Ethical People anchor chart (one for display; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Work Time D)
  • Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Work Time B)
  • Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (one for display; from Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 5, Work Time B)
  • Homework: Gist, Theme, and Infinitive Phrases (one per student; from Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Homework A)
  • Vocabulary logs (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Opening A)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 (example for teacher reference)
  • Close Reading Guide: "Often a Minute" (for teacher reference)
  • Close Read: "Often a Minute" note-catcher (answers for teacher reference)
  • Language Dive Guide: "Often a Minute," Lines 15-16 (for teacher reference)
  • Language Dive: "Often a Minute," Lines 15-16 Sentence Chunk Chart (for teacher reference)
  • Language Dive: "Often a Minute," Lines 15-16 note-catcher (example for teacher reference)
  • Compare and Contrast Structure and Meaning anchor chart (example for teacher reference)
  • Compare and Contrast Structure and Meaning anchor chart (one for display)
  • Homework: Language, Structure, and Theme (answers for teacher reference) (see Homework Resources)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 (one per student)
  • Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 ▲
  • Close Read: “Often a Minute” note-catcher (one per student and one for display)
  • Language Dive: "Often a Minute,” Lines 15–16 note-catcher (one per student)
  • Language Dive: "Often a Minute,” Lines 15–16 sentence chunk strips (one per group)
  • Homework: Language, Structure, and Theme (one per student; see Homework Resources)

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

OpeningLevels of Support

A. Engage the Learner – RL.8.5 (5 minutes)

  • Repeated routine: As students arrive, invite them to complete Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2. For ELLs and students who require additional support, the Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 ▲ can be used to help guide students’ thinking with selected response options for the first question.
  • Prompt students to Turn and Talk about their answers to the entrance ticket. Cold-call students to share out. Refer to the Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 (answers for teacher reference).
  • Using a preferred classroom routine, collect or review the answers to Homework: Gist, Theme, and Infinitive Phrases. Refer to the Homework: Gist, Theme, and Infinitive Phrases (example for teacher reference).
  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar or the same as in previous lessons.

For Lighter Support

  • N/A

For Heavier Support

  • Invite students who need heavier support to use the Entrance Ticket: Unit 2, Lesson 2 ▲. This resource has selected response options to help guide students’ thinking.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Close Read: “Often a Minute”– RL.8.4 (20 minutes)

  • Review the appropriate learning targets relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

“I can determine the theme of a new poem and analyze its development over the course of the text.”

“I can identify structural elements of a text and analyze how the structure contributes to its meaning and style.”

“I can determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings, and analyze the impact of specific word choices on tone and meaning.”

  • Focus students on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart, and remind them that digging into the text deeper can help them understand it better, so they are going to dig deeper into an excerpt of the text through close reading.
  • Move students into predetermined pairs.
  • Direct students’ attention to the Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart, and review what collaboration looks and sounds like.
  • Use Close Reading Guide: “Often a Minute” to set the purpose of the close read and to guide students through a close read of this excerpt. Refer to the guide for how to integrate the following:
    • Close Read: “Often a Minute” note-catcher
  • Refer to Close Read: “Often a Minute” note-catcher (answers for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets, using a checking for understanding technique—for example, showing thumbs-up or traffic light signal cards. Scan student responses and make a note of students who might need support. Check in with them moving forward.

For Lighter Support

  • Distribute the Close Read: "Often a Minute" note-catcher in advance of the close read and allow students to review the questions. Knowing what information to look for to respond to these questions will help to guide students' attention as they read, helping them to focus on essential information and language throughout the poem. Keep the selected responses to the questions covered to maintain a level of challenge.

For Heavier Support

  • Distribute the Close Read: "Often a Minute" note-catcher in advance of the close read and allow students to review the questions and their selected responses. Knowing what information to look for to respond to these questions will help to guide students' attention as they read, helping them to focus on essential information and language throughout the poem. 

B. Language Dive: "Often a Minute" - RL.8.4 (10 minutes)

  • Review the appropriate learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings, and analyze the impact of specific word choices on tone and meaning."

  • Tell students they will now participate in a Language Dive using the same process as Unit 1.
  • Display the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart. Ensure students understand how to use these questions, pointing out that the questions underlined on the anchor chart are questions that students should always ask when they dive into a sentence.
  • Refer to the Questions We Can Ask during a Language Dive anchor chart (example for teacher reference) as necessary.
  • Invite students to Think-Pair-Share:

"What is one question you can ask during a Language Dive?" (Responses will vary.)

  • Reread lines 1-16 of "Often a Minute."
  • Focus students on the sentence below:
    • But fight and contempt give us strength to bear the filth of hatred.
  • Use the Language Dive Guide: "Often a Minute," Lines 15-16 (for teacher reference) and Language Dive: "Often a Minute," Lines 15-16 Sentence Chunk Chart (for teacher reference) to guide students through a Language Dive conversation about the sentence. Distribute and display the Language Dive: "Often a Minute," Lines 15-16 note-catcher, and the Language Dive: "Often a Minute," Lines 15-16 sentence chunk strips.
  • Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

For Lighter Support

  • To extend work with L.8.5b and using the relationship between words to better understand the meaning of the words, after the Language Dive in Work Time B, invite students to consider what the word but at the beginning of the language dive sentence tells us about the relationship between this sentence and the one before it by posing the question:
    • What does but tell us about this sentence and the information that came before them in the poem? (That there is a contrast relationship. It is a conjunction.)
  • After the Language Dive in Work Time B, to extend work with infinitive phrases and L.8.1a, invite students to generate a list of other nouns that are often followed by an infinitive phrase functioning as an adjective. The list might include the following:
    • advice
    • decision
    • goal
    • way
    • plan
    • permission
    • reminder
    • recommendation
  • Students can practice writing sentences using these nouns followed by infinitives and then experiment with replacing the infinitive phrases with gerund phrases to see which nouns can also be followed by gerunds (goal, way).

For Heavier Support

  • After the Language Dive in Work Time B, to extend work with infinitive phrases and L.8.1a, provide students with a list of other nouns that are often followed by an infinitive phrase functioning as an adjective:
    • advice
    • decision
    • goal
    • way
    • plan
    • permission
    • reminder
    • recommendation
  • Students can practice writing sentences using these nouns followed by infinitives.

Closing & Assessments

Closing

A. Group Discussion: Structure and Theme: Maus I – RL.8.5 (10 minutes)

  • Remind students about their discussion yesterday about structure and meaning in Maus I. Remind them also of their essay prompt:
    • “Write an essay in which you compare and contrast the structure of Maus I and ‘Often a Minute,’ and analyze how the differing structures of each text contributes to its meaning.”
  • Invite students to Think-Pair-Share:

“How is the theme of ‘Often a Minute’ similar or different to that of Maus I?” (The theme of “Often a Minute”—that the human will to survive and persevere can extend to an entire nation of people who stand together—is similar to a theme in Maus I—that there is a deep human will to survive and preserve in the face of oppression.)

“How is this structure Klein uses in ‘Often a Minute’ different or similar to the structure Art Spiegelman uses to contribute to the meaning of Maus I?” (Answer: Spiegelman uses the flashbacks of his father’s chronological recounting of his life to portray this theme, while, in contrast, Klein uses stanzas that represent a shift in thought and tone to convey this theme.)

  • As students share, record their answers on the Compare and Contrast Structure and Meaning anchor chart. Refer to the Compare and Contrast Structure and Meaning anchor chart (example for teacher reference).
  • Prompt students to refer to the Work to Become Effective Learners and the Work to Become Ethical People anchor charts and then Turn and Talk:

“What evidence of habits of character were present in ‘Often a Minute’ or Maus I?” (Answers will vary, but may include that in Maus I perseverance was a significant habit shown by Vladek and others, and “Often a Minute” mentions the importance of persevering and having a will to survive.)

“What habits of character did you demonstrate throughout this lesson?” (Answers will vary but may include showing perseverance as they worked through the close read, or displaying empathy as they checked in on their classmates while reading difficult and sensitive material.)

  • Invite students to reflect on the habits of character focus in this lesson, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.

Homework

Homework

A. Read a Poem and Answer Questions

  • Students complete Homework: Language, Structure, and Theme to answer questions about "Often a Minute" and Maus I.

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