Lesson Overview

Grade: 9-12
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 20 students
Unit: Foundations of American Sign Language (ASL)
Lesson 9 of 30
Topic: Understanding and signing time and days of the week, applying them in conversational contexts.

---

Objectives (Aligned with Common Core Standards)

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• I can accurately sign the days of the week in ASL.
• I can accurately sign the time using proper ASL conventions.
• I can incorporate time and days of the week vocabulary into simple ASL conversations.

---

Common Core State Standards Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1
Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.6
Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., after, before, during, in, because) relevant to the context of ASL learning.

---

Success Criteria

• Students can produce the correct handshapes and movements to sign all days of the week and tell time in ASL.
• Students engage in brief dialogues exchanging information about days and time with peers, showing understanding and fluency.
• Students demonstrate comprehension by interpreting signed days and time accurately when prompted.

---

Materials Needed

• Whiteboard and markers
• Printed visual flashcards for days of the week and time signs
• Projector (optional for video demonstrations)
• Timers or clocks (analog and digital images for reference)
• ASL dictionaries or mobile apps

---

Lesson Procedure

1. Warm-Up & Prior Knowledge Review (5 minutes)

• Begin with a quick review of previously learned basic greetings and introductions in ASL.
• Introduce objective: “Today, we will learn how to sign time and days of the week so we can talk about schedules and appointments.”
• Engage with an “I can” statement:
  • Write on board: “I can sign days of the week and times in ASL.”
  • Ask a few students to share what they already know about signing time or any day.

2. Direct Instruction: Days of the Week (10 minutes)

• Show and model each day’s sign slowly, emphasizing movements and facial expressions.
• Use visual aids: flashcards or video clips demonstrating each day’s sign.
• Highlight nuances, e.g., the speed in signing days, facial grammar to express temporal context.
• Repeat the signs with the class several times.
• Prompt students to practice signing the sequence of days together.
• Check for understanding by asking individual students to sign particular days.

3. Direct Instruction: Telling Time (10 minutes)

• Model how to sign time in ASL, stressing the importance of non-manual markers (facial expressions) that accompany time signs.
• Introduce signs for “hour,” “minute,” “o’clock,” and numbers commonly used in telling time (1–12).
• Demonstrate examples: “It is 3 o’clock,” “5:15,” “Quarter after 2.”
• Use analog/digital clock images to reinforce the connection between the concept of time and its sign.
• Practice as a group with a variety of times.

4. Interactive Partner Activity: Time and Days Conversations (12 minutes)

• Pair students (differentiate by pairing stronger signers with those needing more support).
• Provide scenario cards with different times and days (e.g., “You have a meeting on Wednesday at 4 PM.”).
• Each pair role-plays exchanging information about their schedules using ASL (signing days and times). Encourage natural questioning and answering.
• Teacher circulates, providing immediate feedback and support.

5. Assessment and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Conduct a quick formative assessment—ask each student to sign one day and one time independently.
• Use a thumbs-up/thumbs-down traffic light visual to gauge confidence.
• Close with reflection: Have students share one new ASL sign they learned today and how they plan to use it.
• Reiterate the “I can” statements to affirm their learning.

---

Differentiation Strategies

• For learners who need extra support:

  • Provide visual step-by-step cue cards.
  • Use slower modeling and repetition.
  • Pair with peer mentors or use ASL videos for additional practice.
  • Allow use of ASL glossary apps during activities.

• For English Language Learners (ELLs):

  • Connect English words with ASL signs explicitly to build language bridges.
  • Use more visuals and just-in-time vocabulary scaffolding.

• For advanced learners:

  • Challenge them to create short dialogues involving scheduling meetings across multiple days and times.
  • Encourage use of non-manual markers to express time frames (past, future).
  • Introduce variations for expressing approximate time (e.g., “around 3 PM”).

---

Extension Activity (for early finishers or homework)

• Students create a signed daily schedule video that includes signing at least five different times and corresponding days of the week.
• Peer review will focus on accuracy of signs and conversational flow.

---

Reflection and Teacher Notes

• Note student engagement during partner activity; adjust pairings to optimize confidence levels.
• Consider using digital tools for future lessons (e.g., video recording apps) to allow students to self-assess.
• Track progress for individualized feedback in upcoming lessons on expanding conversational ASL.

---

End of Lesson

This lesson offers a hands-on, communicative approach aligned with Common Core standards focusing on collaboration, vocabulary acquisition, and clear expressive communication through ASL. It balances direct instruction, interaction, and reflection to maximize student engagement and success.