Summary
In this lesson, students discuss smart houses and the impact of smart technology in society in small-group and whole-class discussions. Students then read Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains" and analyze the imagery throughout before writing a brief literary analysis. Next, students watch an interview with a realtor who discusses smart technology and its place in real estate. Students end the lesson by summarizing their learning.
Essential Question(s)
How does imagery affect the mood and tone of a text?
Snapshot
Engage
Students use the Bell Ringer strategy as they watch a video about smart houses and discuss what makes a house a “smart house”.
Explore
Students use Chat Stations to discuss technology-related questions in small groups.
Explain
Students listen to Ray Bradbury’s There Will Come Soft Rains while pausing to discuss, highlight where they see imagery, and write a CER paragraph discussing the impact of imagery on mood and tone.
Extend
Students watch an interview with a realtor.
Evaluate
Students complete Two Stars and a Wish to summarize their learning
Materials
There’s No Place Like Home Lesson Slide Show
Chat Station handout (cut, 1 half-sheet per student)
“There Will Come Soft Rains” handout (1 per student, stapled)
Chart Paper or Big Sticky Notes (5 sheets)
Highlighters (1 per student)
Chart Markers
Copy Paper or Notebook Paper (1 per student)
Pens/Pencils
Projector/Internet Access
Engage
10 Minute(s)
Display slide 1. Next, review the lesson objectives and essential questions on slides 2 and 3.
Transition to slide 4 and watch the video A Day in the Life of a Smart Home.
Using the Bell Ringer strategy, invite students to answer the following questions on a sheet of notebook paper:
What makes a house a “Smart House”?
Would you want to live in a smart home? Why or why not?
Allow students 3-5 minutes to answer the questions. Next, facilitate a brief discussion by inviting 2-3 students to share their answers.
Explore
25 Minute(s)
Transition to slide 5 and review the directions for the Chat Stations strategy. Distribute the Chat Stations handout and divide students into groups of 2-3
Next, transition to slide 6 to review the Chat Station norms. Assign each group a chat station. Using the Chat Stations questions, students will discuss their responses within their groups and write one takeaway on their Chat Station handout. Allow students 3-5 minutes at each station or adjust time as needed.
Explain
35 Minute(s)
Transition to slide 9 and distribute the “There Will Come Soft Rains” handout and highlighters. Review the Stop and Jot strategy directions and set-up.
Next, transition to slide 10 and review highlighting directions. Invite students to read along as the audio of the video ‘There Will Come Soft Rains’ plays and highlight everywhere they see imagery. As they read the story, pause the audio for students to complete the Stop and Jot strategy to summarize the reading and respond to questions. Allow at least 3-5 minutes for them to stop and jot and participate in discussion. Adjust this time as needed.
Use the following list to pause the video and give students the time to stop and jot responses on their handout.
Stop and Jot 1: 2:34
Stop and Jot 2: 3:25
Stop and Jot 3: 4:39
Stop and Jot 4: 7:41
Stop and Jot 5: 10:07
Stop and Jot 6: 11:22
Stop and Jot 7: 14:57
Stop and Jot 8: end of video
After the reading, display slide 11 and review the modified Claim, Evidence Reasoning (CER) instructional strategy. Instruct students to write a paragraph using the CER format and answering the following question:
How does the imagery in the story affect the mood and tone of the story?
The examples of imagery that students highlighted in the story will be used as evidence to support their claim.
Allow students at least 10-15 minutes to complete this assignment. The modified CER increases the level of rigor but can be adjusted as needed.
Extend
20 Minute(s)
Transition to slide 13 and explain to students they will watch an interview with a realtor who discusses their job, educational path, and the impact smart technology has had on the real estate market. Show the video K20 ICAP - There’s No Place Like Home. Discuss with the students what they think about a career as a realtor and the future of smart homes.
Evaluate
10 Minute(s)
After watching the interview, transition to slide 14 and invite students to complete the Two Stars and A Wish instructional strategy. This can be done on the same sheet of notebook paper from earlier or a new one. Invite them to answer the following:
What were two things you learned from the interview and/or today’s lesson?
What is one thing you wish to learn more about this profession?
Resources
Are we mad? K20 LEARN | Are We MAD? (n.d.). https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/lesson/222
K20 Center. (n.d.). Bell Ringers and Exit Tickets. Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/125
K20 Center. (n.d.).Chat Stations. Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/944
K20 Center. (n.d.).Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER). Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/156
K20 Center. (n.d.). Stop and Jot. Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/168
K20 Center. (n.d.).Two Stars and a Wish. Strategy. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/83
On pins and Needles. K20 LEARN | On Pins and Needles. (n.d.). https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/lesson/2079
The atomic bombs that ended the Second World War. Imperial War Museums. (n.d.). https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-atomic-bombs-that-ended-the-second-world-war#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20atomic%20bombings%20of%20Hiroshima,%2C%20English%2C%20and%20Japanese%E2%80%9D.
The curtain falls. K20 LEARN | The Curtain Falls. (n.d.). https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/lesson/2139
YouTube. (2015, November 14). 'there will come soft rains' - ray bradbury || scifi short story. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P142xPtua-c
YouTube. (2019, July 1). A day in the life of a smart home. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=909Nn9_hrlM
YouTube. (2023b, August 1). K20 ICAP - No Place Like Home. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-ZO260qcpM