Review and Apply

Overview

This capstone lesson lets students apply communication skills from the unit in realistic mock interviews and presentations. Students will plan, deliver, and revise using clear organization, appropriate style, and standard English conventions.

Learning intentions

• I can present a mock interview or short presentation that is clear and coherent for a specific audience and purpose.
• I can organize complex ideas with distinct sections and logical connections.
• I can demonstrate command of standard capitalization, punctuation, and spelling while speaking and writing supporting materials.
• I can revise my communication by using feedback to improve clarity and impact.

Success criteria

• I can deliver a mock interview or presentation with an introduction, key points, and a closing that matches the task.
• I can make purposeful word choices and maintain an audience-appropriate tone.
• I can use correct punctuation/capitalization in my written materials and speak with clarity.
• I can use feedback to identify one specific improvement and implement it.

Curriculum links

• Writing: Produce clear and coherent writing with development, organization, and style appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
• Writing: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, and rewriting.
• Writing: Introduce a topic and organize complex ideas to make important connections and distinctions; use formatting when helpful.
• Language: Demonstrate command of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.
• Writing: Write routinely over shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) to support a range of tasks.

Lesson structure (40 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Launch & goals. Teacher displays the capstone rubric “I can…” checklist and shows one sample outline slide; students silently review and highlight one skill to use today.

2. 5–12 min · Scenario brief + planning. Teacher assigns roles (interviewer/candidate/spectator) and provides two scenario cards (e.g., internship interview, customer service pitch to a supervisor); students choose a role, skim prompts, then draft a 6–8 sentence response plan (bullets only).

3. 12–25 min · Mock interviews/presentations (round 1). Teacher facilitates small groups of 3–4; candidates deliver their responses while others use a feedback form with guiding questions; students rotate after 6–7 minutes so everyone speaks at least once.

4. 25–33 min · Feedback-to-revision sprint. Teacher models how to turn feedback into one concrete revision (e.g., add a clearer claim, tighten an example, correct punctuation/capitalization in the speaking notes); students revise their written notes in 3–4 minutes using the guiding questions.

5. 33–38 min · Mock interviews/presentations (round 2). Teacher runs a second short round; students deliver an improved version (focus on the one revision decision they chose).

6. 38–40 min · Exit ticket. Teacher collects a brief reflection: “One strength I used today was… One change I will make next time is…” plus one revised sentence from their notes.

Resources

• Scenario cards (2–3 options) appropriate for 9th grade professional communication
• Role cards: interviewer/candidate/spectator
• Feedback forms with guiding questions (strength + one specific improvement)
• Rubric/checklist aligned to clarity, organization, style, and conventions
• Student planning sheet (bulleted outline space + sentence practice line)
• Timer or visible countdown
• Pencils/markers and a teacher slide for the model structure

Assessment

• Formative: Teacher circulates during rounds, using a quick observation note on clarity and organization.
• Formative: Spectators complete feedback forms using guiding questions (evidence-based comments).
• Exit ticket: Student reflection and one revised sentence to verify revision and conventions.

Differentiation

• Support: Provide sentence starters for introductions and closings (e.g., “I’m excited to…”, “In my experience…”, “To conclude, I will…”).
• Support: Offer a “structure strip” with recommended sections (hook → 2 key points → example → closing) and allow students to keep bullets.
• Diverse roles: Let students choose interview topics or presentation themes based on interests (sports marketing, tech support, culinary skills, school clubs).
• EAL/SEN: Permit rehearsal time with a partner and allow graphic organizers for ideas; require fewer target edits (pick one convention to check).
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options: Provide scenario prompts in two formats (short version with larger font and a teacher-read version); allow audio recording of the prompt using a device or teacher read-aloud; use consistent formatting on all sheets (no dense paragraphs).

Extension (advanced learners)

• Advanced feedback focus: Students must include one deliberate rhetorical choice (e.g., contrast statement, quantified achievement, or cause-effect link) and label it in a margin note.
• Revision challenge: Students revise not only for clarity but also for style by upgrading one weak verb or adding one precise detail to strengthen evidence.