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Star Paper
Teaching students how to comprehend The Star-Spangled Banner using annolighting
Teaching students how to comprehend The Star-Spangled Banner using annolighting
By: Heather Corti
Educator, creator of SIMPLY Shakespeare
I used my junior American Literature class of 26 students, 17 males and 9 females, ages 16-17 with an ethnic breakdown of: 1 Hispanic, 2 Caucasian, 7 Native Americans, and 16 African Americans. The high school drop-out rate is slightly over 35%. Relevant characteristics that influence the instructional strategies include a community which is economically depressed as is reflected in my class. Many are involved in gang activity. There are 3 pregnant females, 4 already had children, and 3 males who are ‘baby-daddies'. None of my students read recreationally. And, due to finances, travel is a luxury most cannot afford. The vast majority are from single-parent households where siblings have different fathers. Culturally, dropping out of school and or graduating with children is normal. Change is interpreted as rejecting where they come from and who they are in the eyes of their families and/or social network. Challenges in teaching I was prepared for include absenteeism and apathy I cannot expect every student every day, thus disrupting the continuum of my curriculum.
I have no students with identified special needs. All of my students are considered ‘main-stream'. However, based on 4 week progress reports, the student grade averages ranged between a 106% to a 22%. I figure those with the lowest averages were bored or disinterested. In an attempt to decrease absenteeism and apathy, I wanted to create a lesson that would make the students want to be in class because the students want everything to be ‘fun' like a game show. The class is 90 minute every day for 18 weeks. It's relevant to know that all high school students have a senior project to complete to satisfy their graduation requirements. The project includes a research paper, a product, a portfolio, and a presentation. Junior English teachers teach the research paper component. In creating a semester's theme, and individual units, I had to take into consideration the research paper, student apathy, student absenteeism, and how entertaining each lesson needed to be while still being effective and meeting state curriculum. By the 4 week progress report, there were students falling way behind. I could not let this continue. I created a lesson to actively involve every student while at the same time exploit individual talents, student leaning, and student well-being.
The long term goals for junior English include preparing the students for their senior project; junior year focuses on researching the paper, writing the thesis, organizing the information into an outline as well as teaching to the rest of the state competencies. This is appropriate because to write a research paper they will have to evaluate lots of information. To evaluate information they will have to proficiently comprehend what they read. Our state aligns junior English with junior history, integrating U.S. historical content. I decided upon a thematic connection between the research paper and content to be the idea of ‘change'. I chose this theme because of the recent presidential election. He too is the son of a single mother and a minority who overcame all hurdles to become president of the United States. The election was all my students wanted to talk about; I needed to ride this wave of interest. I also needed to make American historical literature relevant to my students who culturally and ethnically felt disjointed from the American Northern European history. In keeping with state objectives, by the end of the semester the students will write a thesis statement and create an outline on social transformation in America. So, I focused on the theme of ‘change', how did this country change from colonialism to Americanism? To eventually lead them into the question, how can I transform myself? We're reading early American documents written by British Colonialists. I wanted to peak student interest, to expand self-discovery and intellectual growth through literature. I also wanted to impress upon the students these writings are a social act that grows out of a need to communicate ideas, even to an audience 250 years in the future. I wanted my students to know the past so as to empower them; maybe they can change the course of their futures. I want them to do some self reflection. My lesson was designed to challenge the students to reach beyond their present abilities and situations; to make a change for the better.
The instructional goal for this lesson was to re-teach the students how to comprehend The Star-Spangled Banner using annolighting. In the beginning of the semester I took the students to the library to research and discovered their comprehension was inadequate. Comprehension fit into my long term goal of writing a thesis statement and outline. In order to write a research paper they needed to improve their knowledge and comprehension skills in seeking proficient understanding of the material they read; if they cannot comprehend, they cannot create a thesis. The thematic connection of change incorporated American Literature. The theme of change tied directly into F.S. Key's poem in that he was probably forever changed by the symbolic nature of the flag surviving the battle. My rationale for choosing whole group for this lesson was to offer direct instruction to the students as a comprehension re-teach. The previous trip to the library was unsuccessful in that the students wouldn't stay on task. Whole group corrals their attention to keep them focused, motivated, and to make sure everyone was on task. I chose the comprehension strategy called annolighting to meet the lesson's goal because annolighting a text combines effective highlighting and marginal notations to help explain the meaning of a text, helps with parenthetical documentation, tying right into research citation as a way to fit into the long term goals. I felt it was important to show them this interactive way to read closely to improve comprehension, because if there is no comprehension, the students will never be able to evaluate reading materials and write a research paper, which was the ultimate goal. Whole group allowed me to model annolighting using a think aloud while encouraging student participation. I asked rhetorical questions to show my thought process. I was able to slow down the process to a manageable speed so they could learn how to annolight and eventually annolight independently. I also knew using whole group instruction the students could learn from each other.
Whole group was like choosing a ‘pep rally' approach. I wanted the lessons to be fun and encouraging; making learning infectious. My enthusiasm stimulates theirs. It was a purposeful way to foster participation because my students love to shout out and be heard. Using a pep rally approach to teach annolighting through a poem eases both my low end students into wanting to participate, who have a tendency to be absent and/or disinterested, as well as my higher end students who love ‘teaching' their peers. Since so many of my students have poor attendance or are disinterested, the more they feel part of a lesson the more likely they are to do their work. The daunting responsibility of the senior project has a negative effect on this type of student. A big project is more discouraging than motivating for them. I always remind my class that the only way to eat an elephant is one bit at a time. First we'll learn how to proficiently comprehend.
Specific procedures were: 1) I made copies of the semester's reading materials for each student for the purpose of annolighting in their text. Plus I always need extra copies for ‘forgetful' students. 2) I provided extra highlighters, pencils, and pens in a box on my desk where the students know they can access them at all times. Again, I need to have plenty of writing utensils available for ‘forgetful' students as a way to keep them engaged. 3) I reviewed the cognitive goal of comprehension; walking up to the Bloom's Taxonomy rubric hanging in the room. Students need to be aware of the cognitive goal as this will strengthen their reading. Our goal is proficiency; making sense out of what they're reading. I asked, "Who can tell me what comprehension is?" I asked, "who can tell me what comprehension is?" I reviewed the North Carolina standard, pointing to each level as a reminder during the explanation. I also remind the students that they will have to work hard to achieve this goal. And, that's ok, working hard is ok. 4) I reinforced the purpose of using a whole group teaching method by telling the students "we're going to annolight the Star-Spangled Banner together." I wanted all of the students to feel comfortable with the struggle of learning; letting them know that I would lead them through, modeling the thinking process out loud, step by step. Fostering participation promoted student academic confidence and improved comprehension, a basic component of the senior project. The senior project determines who graduates and who doesn't. If they don't do this project, they become a drop out. If they can improve their comprehension, they can finish the senior project. To foster student participation I used their interest to extend understanding through whole group participation and direct instruction to promote student confidence. 5) I reviewed a handout of 18 questions to ask when writing about poetry as a reminder and a way to keep focused. Presented the material both on the overhead projector and I gave them a copy. I was reinforcing prior knowledge while maintaining progress toward our lesson's goal. 6) I also chose the informal assessment Q&A seeking constant feedback, again to focus the students. To foster participation, I used Q&A integrating back-ground knowledge. I asked the students if they had ever been to either the Smithsonian or Fort McHenry. Both are only a 5 hour drive straight up I95. None had ever been. I hid my surprise that none had ever traveled to such historical places so easily reached. The deprived exposure to the rest of the region is a great disadvantage for the students. Therefore, the instructional context was influenced by their limited frame of reference; I planned on using their background knowledge to aid in comprehension. I brought up the Smithsonian because the actual flag that inspired F.S. Key is on exhibit. Visualization helps readers engage with text in ways that make it personal, memorable, and tangible. Also, the ramparts are an actual place where they too can walk; putting themselves smack dab in the middle of history. That's powerful. I was attempting to tie history into today to make the lesson more relevant. 7) I passed out a familiar manageable sized poem The Star-Spangled Banner to re-teach annolighting in one sitting. I knew I could annolight the whole poem in one 90 minute class creating a mini lesson to give to absent students who will show up in a day or two asking, "What did I miss?" Thinking ahead, I can hand them a copy of the annolighted poem and explain the example in a few moments. What was most evident in the lesson was the student participation. This class was enthusiastic and willing to take a chance when responding to the think aloud. They were responsive and engaged. 
I guided the students through the lesson asking for a volunteer to read the history of the poem as a way to foster student participation. Once read, I began modeling a think-aloud, that they copied onto their poem. I wanted to make the historical literature real and relevant so I reminded the students that we live in one of the 13 original colonies, and within a 5 hour drive of the actual flag and rampart of the poem. My goal was to make the past present, so the theme of change would seem more tangible and in their grasp. It was important that the students physically interact with the poem, underline important phrases, write summaries in the margins, and look up any words they did not know. Annolighting allowed me to view how well they comprehended. At a glance I knew if they're broadening their understanding, if they were grasping concepts and ideas—comprehending. I also fostered participation by asking the students to tell me what annolighting, to get them to use their own words, instead of me telling them. This lets students learn from each other and/or validate themselves. I have students who are extraverts and who are introverts, but all love peer contribution and they love to let me know what they know.
To ensure equitable treatment I pointed at students who answered correctly, positively reinforcing participation; all the while being sensitive not to discourage any students' attempts to vocalize answers. I verbalized annolighting; every student participated in the think-aloud while creating a teacher-guided student copy. I paired those with the lower averages with a buddy student with the highest averages. I made sure no student passively witness the lesson. I'm trying this as a solution to inspire the disinterested students; I recognize there are times I cannot individualize direct instruction. Students can access their buddy when needed. During the lesson I responded with positive reinforcement by repeating what was volunteered for all to hear, I challenged them to look up words they did not know, I fostered participation from around the room. I asked questions affirming they were comprehending the poem.
The primary teaching material used was the poem, The Star-Spangled Banner. It met the lesson's goal, to teach the students to proficiently comprehend using annolighting as an assessable visual and was an appropriate way to scaffold learning. I created this lesson as a re-teach. I needed to alter my plans, to decelerate the pace of my planned curriculum. Also, to make the lesson multi-dimensional I showed two School House Rock cartoons, No More King and Fireworks, about sparking political change amongst the British Colonists. They're musical, historical, and fun to watch. This was appropriate because the light nature of the cartoons accurately illustrated the history. The fun cartoon helped re-teach history making the students receptive to the literary lesson. I find I have to teach quite a bit of history. Despite the integration between junior Literature and history, they don't seem to link the knowledge. My hopes are that eventually they will transfer knowledge allowing more time for Literature.
I used an overhead projector and a Starboard. I projected the lesson's objective and the questions to answer before writing about poetry off to the side of the room. I project the poem on the starboard directly in front of the class so everyone could see the think-aloud. This helped guide the students through the scaffolding helping them comprehend the poem. I chose this poem because it is our nation's anthem and I figured everyone was familiar with it. It is sung at all sporting events on tv. It's a piece of U.S. historical Literature that meets state standards.
Activities related to this lesson that came before the video segment include: A) A class discussion over the theme of change. We discussed the presidential election and Obama's theme of change as a way to transition into U.S. colonial history. This is relevant when they write a research paper on social transformation in America. B) We went to the library to begin researching an aspect of American history; I discovered their comprehension was inadequate. They were incapable of deciphering relevant information because of their inefficient and/or inaccurate understanding of a text. C) A lesson in annolighting a text; a way to combine effective highlighting and marginal notations to help explain the meaning of a text. Annolighting also helps with parenthetical documentation, tying right into research citation as a way to fit into the long term goals. I felt it was important to show them this interactive way to read closely to improve comprehension. D) We began reading the Magna Carta in whole group. They didn't comprehend on a proficient level. I used a document that was too long and too non-dimensional because they could not annolight on their own. E) So, as a back-step-re-teach I decided to use a poem/song they were familiar with, The Star-Spangled Banner. Poetry met our state objectives, fit into our theme of change, and was much more manageable. I also realized some of my students needed to ‘hear' what they were reading; I played the national anthem for all to hear. F) In order to help ground the song historically I showed two U.S historical cartoons from School House Rock called No More King and Fireworks which explain the colonialists' reasons for change. The lesson to follow was to annolight Common Sense. I wrote teacher-guiding questions that followed the text precisely. The questions focused comprehension specifically on our semester's theme of change. I told the students to write the question and highlight the answer when found and to write explanations in the margins, which is how annolighting helps with parenthetical documentation. The students can easily review previously read documents, skim what they annolighted, and find facts, tying right into research citation. After each part I led a discussion on how Common Sense outlined colonial change, and how Paine's words apply to them today. Students used their annolighted Common Sense in small group for comic/song creation to show comprehension which required them to use annolighted information. My rationale for selecting this sequence was because to write a research paper they will have to evaluate information. To evaluate information they will have to summarize/quote/paraphrase the information and provide parenthetical documentation. This requires them to sift through lots of information they proficiently comprehend. They will have to prepare the information as an issue of public concern, all the while keeping track of who said what, on what page, and in which source. I chose annolighting as a comprehension re-teach because it's the strategy I use as a successful reader and an adult with a reading disability.
The lesson reflects the integration of English language arts strands because the students interpreted a text using several language process in an attempt to teach to the multiple intelligences. They listened to the anthem as a song. They viewed the cartoons. They read the anthem as a poem, and they read it for its lyrical qualities. And, they annolighted to show comprehension, wrote in the margins, deciphered necessary information and looked up words.
I achieved the lesson's goal to teach the students to proficiently comprehend a text using annolighting. This lesson was teacher-guided, whole-group, direct instruction designed to model annolighting. The purpose for modeling was for the students to transition into student-centered learning. Evidence of the lesson's goals is prevalent through my purposeful encouragement of the students and their participation. They were enriching their comprehension. The students called out responses, transitioned from passive learning to engaged participatory learning. It was important that I modeled the idea that gaining knowledge, as well as insight, from the poem. The lesson had a practical value; it was a microcosm lesson leading into writing a research paper. Success was when a student, sitting in the top right corner of the video, looked up ‘ramparts' and was ready with the definition taking responsibility for the learning process. Comprehension was taking place through oral interaction. Calling out the definition to the class helped other students understand what ‘ramparts' meant and how they can be effective in keeping an army safe during a battle. Then another boy, his buddy, called out, "like an ambush"; connecting war strategies. But the most successful evidence of learning was when the female student sitting towards the bottom of the left side of the video realized the Star-Spangled Banner was about our flag. It took the deceleration of the lesson, annolighting the poem, for these juniors to learn the anthem is about our flag. Also, they realized our country's reason for using fireworks on the 4th of July, imitating the bombs bursting in air. However, when we began the next lesson, they couldn't annolight independently, relapsing into passive academics. Sadly, the scope of the lesson's effectiveness was not very broad.
So, I made adjustments to this lesson. I took for granted the students had a proficient grasp on the 18 questions from a handout. First thing I changed was I reviewed these questions more thoroughly prior to modeling the think-aloud. I did a poor job of linking the 18 questions with the whole group think aloud. Also, 18 questions are just too many. As part of a lesson correction I focus on the questions that suit the lesson's specific purpose. Narrowing the focus and keeping the questions visible have helped. I now keep the handout on the overhead projector during the entire annolighting lesson as a reference; in the video I removed the handout and turned off the overhead projector. I learned that having the reminder up helps focus the students' comprehension better. I created a more organized color coding for annolighting. I really liked using color in the annolighting presentation. However, instead of using random colors on the Starboard I learned to use a specific color for each of the specific comprehension needs of the lesson; one color for abstract imagery, another for concrete imagery, another for definitions, another for denotation, and another for summarization, creating comprehension out of colorful chaos. I took the classes on a virtual tour of the Smithsonian showing them the flag. And I found a website that depicts advantages found in nature used in war—ramparts is one of them. If they can't go to the physical locations, I can bring the locations to them via the internet. Also, in the future I will incorporate more music, more poetry, and more-small group assignments. I will also spend more time building historical background information and visualizations before moving forward. I didn't put these elements into the lesson initially because I was depending on more knowledge base. The class is still struggling with annolighting their texts. I have them annolight all of their reading assignments as a standard comprehension strategy believing learning happens on a continuum and eventually all of them will improve comprehension using it. And if I consistently use the same primary comprehension strategy, when students are absent it's easier for them to catch up, thus improve their grades and reduce apathy. The buddy system works some days and other days it turns into a regular social club. I'll use this strategy until it looses its effectiveness. In the later lesson over Common Sense, in small groups, they created a little song/comic as a way to show comprehension. A student called my attention to his text which he had marked up with necessary highlighting and notes for his assignment. I was so proud because it was through annolighting he realized he had comprehended it.
About the Author
I am a high school educator who is constantly struggling with the clash between student apathy and teacher observations. I decided to articulate a lesson, or what my rationale for a lesson is on any given day. Is what I wrote "observable"? I don't know, but it does require student participation. I've been a middle school educator and a high school educator, both public and private, in three states. I've also created a product called SIMPLY Shakespeare.
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