LESSON TWO: Sound Devices

LESSON DESCRIPTION

Students study the use figurative language in poetry, prose or nonfiction.

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS

R2B, R3B Analyze and evaluate the author’s use of figurative language in poetry, prose, or nonfiction 

LESSON MATERIALS

Sources of Literature:

o        Kagan, Ss. (1992). Cooperative Learning. San Juan Capistrano, Ca: Kagan Cooperative Learning.

o        Snow Falling on  Cedars by David Guterson

Supplies 

o        Index cards

o        Overhead, smartboard, or blackboard

o        Writing utensils

o        Two pieces of literature (prose, poetry or nonfiction)

o        Formative assessment scoring guide

Handouts provided

o        Fishbone graphic organizer

o        Fishbone graphic organizer entitled “Snow Falling on Cedars,” by David Guterson

Words to know

o        sound device

o        graphic organizer

o        nonfiction

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT 

Using the assessment strategy Exit Cards or Ticket Out the Door, students are handed an index card or paper ticket before the end of class.  The card contains  (a) a short fiction piece or nonfiction piece or poem containing no more than two sound devices and (b) the following task:  Correctly identify a sound device in the passage above and explain how the sound device adds to the piece’s meaning. Use specific examples/details from the text to support your answer.   Scoring guide provided.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

1.        Using the cooperative learning technique Think-Write-Pair-Share (Kagan), students share their knowledge of tongue twisters and words that sound like their meanings. 

• Each pair records the tongue twisters on one side of an index card and the onomatopoeia words on the other side and then report on their findings.

• The teacher records them on the board or overhead for class discussion.

• At the end of the discussion, the teacher tells the students the literary names of these two sound devices if students haven’t already identified them.

2.        Use two different pieces of literature (poem and fiction, or poem and nonfiction) to analyze the use of sound devices (alliteration and onomatopoeia).  Model this by using a Fishbone graphic organizer on an overhead or with handouts.  Model examples of sound devices from the literature and explain how they add to the meaning of the piece while asking students leading questions.

**Fishbone Directions:

The “bones” on the top portion of the organizer contain text-based examples, correctly labeled, of alliteration and/or onomatopoeia found in the literature. The lower “bones” corresponding to the ones above the line explain the contribution to the meaning of the selection (i.e., mood, characterization, tone, setting, etc.).  The box on the right is for the overall effect of the selection (humor, horror, pity, satire, etc.).

3.        Using a blank Fishbone graphic organizer, students analyze an unread (cold) piece of literature by looking for examples of alliteration and/or onomatopoeia.  On the upper “bones,” they identify two correctly labeled text-based examples of the sound devices (upper bones).  Explain how each sound device adds to meaning of the selection (lower bones).  Determine the overall effect created by the use of the sound devices (box)