LESSON FOUR: Floating Along – Identifying Slang

 

LESSON DESCRIPTION

This lesson focuses on identifying slang in poetry, prose and nonfiction.

 

GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS

o              R2B  The student should be able to identify and explain figurative language, particularly slang, in poetry and prose. CA2, 1.5, 1.6

o              R2C  The student should be able to identify and explain figurative language, particularly slang, in nonfiction.  CA3, 1.5, 1.6

 

LESSON MATERIALS

Sources of Literature

o        Selections from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (http://www.gutenberg.net/etext/7193)

o        Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi

o        Mark Twain’s Roughing It

 

Supplies 

o        Overhead, chalkboard, Smart Board, NotePad

o        Lesson Four Formative Assessment Scoring Guide

 

Handouts provided

o        Lesson Four Formative Assessment Prompt (chart)

o        Lyrics to “Riverside Slide”

 

Words to know

o        slang

o        figurative language

o        graphic organizer

 

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Students study the “Riverside Slide” lyrics used in lesson three again to identify and explain examples of slang, recording their responses in a graphic organizer.  Scoring guide provided.

 

LEARNING ACTIVITIES

 

1.              Introduce the lesson by beginning a conversation/discussion with students using the slang they commonly use with their friends outside of the classroom. Note their reaction (this might be done by using a variation of the think-aloud technique) and lead them in discussing why they reacted as they did to your use of their slang.

 

Idea

Reference for think-aloud strategy:  Marzano (2001).

 

2.              Define slang, or lead students in coming to a definition (then check it against that provided by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education).  Students copy the definition into their notes.

 

Strategy

 

According to the Communication Arts Grade Level Expectation Glossary of Terms from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, slang is defined as “informal words or phrases used in casual conversation.”

 

3.              Provide several examples of slang (appropriate to school/class) and explain what each means. (These can be listed – perhaps in the form of a graphic organizer, such as a t-chart or web/cluster – on the board or overhead.)  Record what each slang term means as well (or create appropriate category headings and record each slang term in the category where it belongs). Students may be familiar with slang from earlier decades, such as the 1950’s or 1970’s, based on movies they’ve seen set during those time periods.  Students share an example or two (but limit their responses as they will be listing more of their own examples as practice). Remind students their responses should be appropriate for school/class.

 

Strategy

 

Note that slang terms come and go, often reflecting social/cultural beliefs, events/happenings, inventions, etc., of the time.

 

4.              Students work in groups or small pairs to continue the list of slang terms, challenging students to see who can come up with the most examples. Students share their examples with the class, adding those to the previously-started list.

 

Strategy

 

Students must understand that slang terms should be widely recognized, not limited to a tiny, elite group of people.

 

5.              Students return to chapter two of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Chapter XVIII of Life on the Mississippi to identify examples of slang in each passage and then explain what each means.  Students share their responses, correcting them as necessary.

 

Strategy

 

Use lyrics to other songs as further practice identifying jargon, slang, dialect, and any other appropriate figurative language. Possible songs include Boat on the River by Styx, Green River and Proud Mary by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Big River by Johnny Cash, and The River by Garth Brooks. Many of these and other song lyrics can be found online. Also use other literature to reinforce the unit objectives.

 

6.              Students return to the earlier-studied “Riverside Slide” lyrics from lesson three and identify and explain examples of slang from that passage in the graphic organizer provided. (See Lesson Four Formative Assessment Prompt.)   Scoring guide provided.

 

Assessment

 

Students read the lyrics to “Riverside Slide” to identify examples of slang and then record those and an explanation of what each means in the graphic organizer provided.