This lesson plan outlines a 5-day unit for 8th grade English students focusing on communication skills related to the media. Over the course of the unit, students will analyze interviews from different media sources, conduct their own celebrity interviews, identify differences in language used across media, read and analyze newspaper articles on celebrities, and practice editing writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation and structure. The goal is for students to gain experience communicating through different media and improve their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills.

1. Unit lesson planTeacher: Nazarena Cali Grade: 8th Proficiency level: Intermediate Program model: Pull outContent: English communication skillsPLANNING PHASEContent and/or Language ObjectivesStudents will be able to ask relevant questions for an interview, make notes and compile.

2. Students will be able to choose vocabulary and tone appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose.

3. Students will be able to use context, structure, and connotations to determine meaning of words and phrases.

4. Students will be able to draw on background knowledge and knowledge of text structure to understand selections, read and follow instructions to complete an assigned task, summarize a text and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information.

5. Students will be able to select specific vocabulary and information, revise writing for word choice and sentence variety.Vocabulary: related to the media, article, interview, newspaper, TV show, radio show Materials: newspapers, magazines, tapes of TV shows and interviewsLesson outlineContent: English communication skillsNational/State/Local Standards: TESOL Standards. Goal 1, Standard 3. To use English to communicate in social settings: Students will use learning strategies to extend their communicative competenceVirginia Standards of Learning. Oral Language 8.1. The student will use interviewing techniques to gain information. Oral language 8.2. The student will develop and deliver oral presentations in groups and individually. Oral language 8.3. The student will analyze mass media messages. Reading 8.4. The student will apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, inflections, analogies, and figurative language to extend vocabulary development. Reading 8.6. The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of informational sources. Writing 8.8. The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence structure, and paragraphing.Day 1. Activating prior knowledge of the mediaPLANNING PHASEContent and/or Language ObjectivesAs a result of this lesson, students will be able:identify different means of communication

6. analyze articles from different sources on the surfaceMaterialsTapes of TV shows –interviews-, newspapers articles –cultural and social events-TEACHING PHASEWarm-Up Activity: Students watch a video that shows different TV shows (news program, talk show, game show, etc.) in which they see interviews to celebrities (without the sound)Transition: Teacher hands out newspaper articles in which students can see pictures of the same celebrities that appeared on the TV programs. Students look at the photographs and scan the articles for the main idea. Activity: Students listen to a radio show in which some celebrities are being interviewed; students verify if the radio interviews the celebrities that appeared on the newspaper and TV and if in the interview the same topics are developed.Differentiating instructionStarting up: Students will listen for the names of the celebrities.Beginning: Students will match the names of the celebrities and the information given about them in the three sources.Developing: Students will decide if some sentences given are true or false according to what they saw and heard in the three sources.Expanding: Students will fill in a chart with two or three pieces of information about the celebrities they can gather from the three sources.Bridging: In pairs, students will develop a short conversation as if one of the celebrities was being interviewed.AssessmentUsing observational assessment, the teacher will record how students are progressing with marks and notes. ClosureThe teacher asks students who their favorite celebrity is and if she/he is one of the stars they worked with in class, and if they usually followed their favorite celebrity’s career or personal life. HomeworkNext class students will bring interviews or articles about their favorite celebritiesDay 2. Interviewing your favorite celebrityPLANNING PHASEContent and/or Language ObjectivesAs a result of this lesson, students will be able:ask appropriate questions and answer accordingly, as if in an interview

7. compose a short oral conversationMaterialsnewspapers articles –cultural and social events- about their favorite celebritiesTEACHING PHASEWarm-Up Activity: In groups, students show the articles they brought as homework. They share in the groups as much information about the person as they have. Transition: In the same groups, students think of four or five questions that are usually asked to celebrities in interviews. Activity: In pairs, students act out the interview to their celebrity; they use the questions the group created. Differentiating instructionStarting up: Students will write the questions, and will choose one to answer.Beginning: Students will write all the questions, and will answer two of them.Developing: Students will write all the questions and answers. Expanding: Students will write the whole conversation and then, act it out.Bridging: In pairs, students will act out the conversation for the rest of the group. AssessmentThe teacher will take all the sheets of paper where the questions and/or answers appear, and will take notes on the oral interaction.ClosureThe teacher chooses one of the phrases with which the interviews started and ask the students about other ways in which an interview can begin.HomeworkStudents will search for different ways to begin an interview in newspapers , magazines, TV, the Internet, etc. Day 3. The media: differences in interviewingPLANNING PHASEContent and/or Language ObjectivesAs a result of this lesson, students will be able:identify where the interview appeared (newspaper, magazine, TV, radio) according to the language used.MaterialsTape of a TV show - newspapers and magazine articles TEACHING PHASEWarm-Up Activity: Students listen to a celebrity being interviewed. They have to guess where the interview took place –in a radio station or in a TV studio- according to the language they hear (ex.: camera, audience, E Entertainment, look, show)Transition: In groups, students read an article and discuss it to see if every person in the group understood the whole text. Activity: Students have to decide if it is from a newspaper or a magazine, according to the paratextual elements (pictures, graphics, and typography) the vocabulary and the register used.Differentiating instructionStarting up: Students focus their attention on paratextual elements to see where the article was taken from. Beginning: Students will name each paratextual element and say if it is proper of newspapers or magazines. Developing: Students will underline the unknown words and search de definitions in the dictionary.Expanding: Students will mark the words typical of a newspaper/magazine article. Bridging: Students will mark in a poster the typical paratextual elements and vocabulary in a newspaper/magazine article. They will present it to the class.AssessmentThe teacher will go around the classroom observing each student’s work.ClosureStudents comment on what they prefer to read -newspapers or magazines- and say why.HomeworkStudents bring newspaper articles about celebrities or cultural events.Day 4. Reading a newspaper/magazine article about a celebrityPLANNING PHASEContent and/or Language ObjectivesAs a result of this lesson, students will be able:using reading strategies to get the gist of the text