I’m working on creating more flipped lessons, rather than just blended, for my English classes.

Using Jackie Gerstein’s fantastic and concise explanation of flipped lessons as my guide, I brainstorm all possible work on a sheet of paper, so I can scribble, cross out, draw arrows, etc. in the margins. I center her graphic in the middle, using it as a graphic organizer for my planning.

Here’s what it looks like for Plato’s Allegory of the Cave:

As a result, my sequencing looks like this:

1. WSQ – modeled in class & turned in on paper – “Socrates, Plato, Aristotle” (EE)
2. How-to annotate instruction – modeled in class with “Allegory of the Cave” (EE)
3. WSQ on TED talk “Pursuit of Ignorance” – due in LMS (Edmodo, Moodle, etc.) (CE)
4. Students read and annotate – color coded text features – questions in the margins to explain why information was highlighted (EE)
5. WSQ on “Socratic Method” video – due in LMS (Edmodo, Moodle, etc.) (CE)
6. small group coaching – answering questions and clarifying the text (MM)
7. draw the cave – mind map techniques (MM)
8. write seminar questions in class – can be answered in the text and out of the text – answers help everyone deepen understanding (MM)
9. Socratic Seminar (DA)
10. Reflective essay (DA)

This is a lesson for 10th grade honors world literature that will take place at the very beginning of the year, hence the increased modeling taking place in class. Of course, it would be great for me to make some videos of these annotation and WSQ lessons that can be stored online for new students or students who forget what to do.

This lesson meets Common Core state standards: 

• RI. 9-10.1: Cite textual evidence
• RI. 9-10.2: Analyze central idea; summarize
• RI. 9-10.4: Meanings of words
• RI. 9-10.6: Author’s point of view and purpose
• RI. 9-10.7: Accounts in different mediums
• RI. 9-10.8: Evaluate argument and claims
• RL.9-10.1: Cite textual evidence
• RL.9-10.2: Analyze theme; summarize
• RL.9-10.3: Analyze complex characters
• RL.9-10.4: Meanings of words
• RL.9-10.5: Structure of a text
• RL.9-10.9: Recognize author’s source material
• RL.9-10.10: Read and comprehend at high end of 9/10 text complexity