Week Five Plans

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace and War

Lesson Title Monday: True War Story

Purpose/Goals	In this lesson students will be reading “How to Tell a True War Story” and be pulling criteria from the chapter.  They will then use this criteria to judge the quality of the war stories we have looked at so far.
Objectives	I can: Determine evaluative criteria based on readings Apply specific criteria to evaluate a piece of text
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text Standard 2.  Analyze and critique organizational patterns and techniques including repetition of ideas, appeals to authority, reason and emotion, syntax and word choice that authors use to accomplish their purpose and reach their intended audience. 5.  Examine an author’s implicit and explicit philosophical assumptions and beliefs about a subject. 6.  Evaluate the effectiveness and validity of arguments in public documents and their appeal to various audiences. Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard 1.  Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions. Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas. Writing Applications Standard 2.  Write responses to literature that: a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective; b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; 6.  Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be developing a list of criteria for judging war stories and then using that criteria to evaluate whether or not Saving Private Ryan is a true war story.  I’ll be assessing them on how well they can apply the criteria we discussed as a class to their own interpretation of the movie.
Community Knowledge and Experience	With the opening discussion students will be linking applications of criteria they probably already use to be able to find criteria for judging the war stories.  They may also end up being able to evaluate war stories told by friends and family members for truth.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: Discuss rating things based on criteria.  How do you determine if a song is “good?”  How about a “car?” Music based on lyrics, drumbeat/rhythm, overall message, band record label, etc. Car based on price, gas mileage, make, model, color, passengers, radio, etc. Activities: Read Chapter: Have students get copies of The Things They Carried. Read “How to Tell a True War Story” During reading have students notate (write down quote, or page number) every criteria they come across. After reading, ask students to volunteer the criteria they found.  Write this on the SmartBoard (so it can be saved for later use). Remind students that this criteria will be useful for some of the choice projects, so they may want to copy down the list. Judge Saving Private Ryan: Have students pick at least 5 criteria to use in explaining why Saving Private Ryan is or is not a true war story.  Should be about a  page response Have students underline the 5 criteria they are using in their response. Closing: Remind student to put their names on their responses and turn them in. Remind students that their first 10 points are due by Wednesday, and that Wednesday will be a project work day, so they should bring any materials they need with them.
Resources	SmartBoard Audio recording of chapter Novels Paper/pencil
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will be learning criteria for judging the validity and truth of war stories.  This may be useful for some of their choice projects or their final paper.  They may also be able to judge the truth of family members’ or friends’ war stories.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them. Students will also be able to make their own decisions about whether or not the movie is a true war story.  Also, since we’ll be listening to the audio recording of the chapter, it will aid those students who are better aural learners.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace and War

Lesson Title Tuesday: Historical Lens Notes, “Tommy,” and Veteran Discussion

Purpose/Goals	In this lesson students will be learning how to analyze a text through the historical lens.  They will get to practice the strategies we learn by reading the poem “Tommy” in both its original form and its updated form. We will then move onto a discussion regarding the treatment of veterans and watch a movie clip that connects to this discussion as well as provides students with an exemplary model for one of the choice projects.
Objectives	I can: Explain the assumptions and strategies for analyzing a text through the historical lens. Apply the strategies for analyzing a text through the historical lens. Make connections to multiple texts and knowledge sources in a discussion
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard 1.  Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions. 2.  Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 5.  Analyze variations of universal themes in literary texts. 7.  Compare and contrast varying characteristics of American, British, world and multi-cultural literature. 8.  Evaluate ways authors develop point of view and style to achieve specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes (e.g., through use of figurative language irony, tone, diction, imagery, symbolism and sounds of language), citing specific examples from text to support analysis. Writing Applications Standard 6.  Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes. Communications: Oral and Visual Standard 1.  Apply active listening strategies (e.g., monitoring message for clarity, selecting and organizing essential information, noting cues such as changes in pace). 5.  Demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language and select language appropriate to purpose and audience.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be turning in their thoughts on how the time period may have changed the poem “Tommy.”  This will show an application of the historical lens. Students will also be turning in their discussion notes.  This will allow me to see how they progressing with their understanding of veterans of wars
Community Knowledge and Experience	Many students have friends and family members who are currently in the armed forces or are veterans of war.  The discussion about veterans will be especially applicable to them, and as there are veterans in the community at least partially applicable to everyone.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: Activities: Historical Lens Notes: Have students get out their guided notes sheets.  Project notes onto the SmartBoard Walk through the 3 Assumptions about the Historical Lens and the 3 Strategies for analyzing a text through the Historical Lens, having students fill out their notes sheet at the appropriate spots. Ask if there are any questions about the historical lens right now. “Tommy” Have student get textbook and turn to page 1020 for the poem “Tommy” Read the biographical information from the text book.  Share additional information from http://www.kipling.org.uk/rg_tommy1_p.htm and  http://www.kipling.org.uk/kip_fra.htm Share information on the background of the term/name Tommy and the time frame of the text. Listen to recording of “Tommy” by Rudyard Kipling Have students talk with a partner to come up with ideas on how reflected the views of people at that time (WWI).  Write these ideas down on a sheet of paper (each person) Share ideas as a class. Read updated version of “Tommy” by Patrick Campbell RM Ask students to think about how the updated poem compares to the original by Kipling.  Have them write down 3 ways new context may have changed the poem, referring to specific quotes from the poem. Discussion of Veterans of War: Lead from the discussion of the two “Tommy” poems into a discussion about how veterans are treated when they come home from war.  Some possible questions: Ask for background knowledge.  How were WWI vets treated?  WWII?  Korean War? Vietnam War?  Gulf War?  War on Terror? What effect did the war have on the soldiers?  The families?  The U.S.?  The foreign country? Have students write down they’re best contribution to the discussion or something new that they learned through the discussion. Movie Clip (10 min): Project Example: Segue from discussion of veterans to “Do you want to know more?”  One of the choice projects is an interview, or a movie.  Here’s an example of a short movie that a high school student made for a scholarship contest in California. Show “A Vietnam Veteran’s Experience” Closing Remind students to put their names on “Tommy” and discussion notes and turn them in. Remind students that their first 10 points are due tomorrow, and that it will be a project workday, so they should bring any materials they need to work with them.
Resources	Textbook “Tommy” recording updated “Tommy” text SmartBoard Len Guided Notes file Extra copies of guided notes handouts Movie clip projector
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will be applying what they’re learning about veterans to the texts we’re reading later in the unit.  Also the movie clip will serve as an exemplar of one of the students choice projects.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them. We will also be listening to a recording of the “Tommy” poem, which will aid students who learn better aurally.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace and War

Lesson Title Wednesday: Lab Work Day

Purpose/Goals	Today is a work-day for students.  They have their first 10 points of choice projects due at the end of the block.  This is also the only workday/planned lab time before the choice project presentations.  I’ve also planned for class work should students decide not to take advantage of the time to work.
Objectives	I can: Manage my time and prioritize my work in order to make the best use of my time.
National and Ohio Standards	Variety: Depends on what projects students are working on.
Assessment	Summative Students will be turning in their first 10 points of choice projects today.  This is part of their final unit grade.
	Formative Students will be turning in their first 10 points of choice projects today.  This will give me a chance to give them some feedback before they turn in the rest of their points for the unit.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students are working with topics related to war.  They are all likely affected in some way by war and are being given the opportunity to express that in a variety of ways.  Allowing students to manage their own time is also an important skill for them to have in the real world.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening Remind students they’ll be working on choice projects today.  At least 10 points are due by the end of the block. Let students know there are no more in-class work days between now and presentations on the 28th. Show some project exemplars.  Visual poem, comic strip, maybe others? Students will need to be able to tell me what they’re working on in order to head down to the lab. Activities Students will be working in the lab both periods.  At the end of 1&3 they will need to show me their progress.  We will be going back to the room to work if students aren’t working and move ahead with tomorrow’s readings. Due at the end of the block is at least 10 points worth of choice projects. Closing Have students turn in choice projects. Remind students there are no more in-class work days between now and presentations on the 28th.
Resources	Computer lab Extra copies of choice project options Rubrics for choice projects
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will be working on their choice projects.  Depending on what the project is they can expand on it in different ways.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them.  Students will be able to work at their own pace during this lab time.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace and War

Lesson Title Thursday: “On the Rainy River,” draft journal

Purpose/Goals	Students will be listening to this chapter.  They will then be working groups and applying some of the criteria we discussed on Monday for what makes a true war story to determine why this chapter is included in the novel, or why O’Brien had never told it before.  Students will then be connecting the story to their own life’s by writing a journal response to the idea of the draft.
Objectives	I can: Apply criteria for a true war story to evaluate a text. Make personal connections to a text and write a response based on those connections.
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard 1.  Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions. 2.  Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media. Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard 1.  Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions. 2.  Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 3.  Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility. 4.  Evaluate an author’s use of point of view in a literary text. 5.  Analyze variations of universal themes in literary texts. Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas. 2.  Determine the usefulness of and apply appropriate pre-writing tasks (e.g., background reading, interviews or surveys). 5.  Use organizational strategies (e.g., notes and outlines) to plan writing. Writing Applications Standard 1.  Write reflective compositions that: a. use personal experiences as a basis for reflection on some aspect of life; b. draw abstract comparisons between specific incidents and abstract concepts; c. maintain a balance between describing incidents and relating them to more general, abstract ideas that illustrate personal beliefs; and d. move from specific examples to generalizations about life. 2.  Write responses to literature that: a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective; b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; 6.  Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be turning in a response journal for the chapter.  They will be connecting their lives and beliefs to the text
Community Knowledge and Experience	When the males in the class register to vote (which many of them are old enough to have done already) they will also register for the draft.  If the draft were ever reinstated it is also quite possible that women would also have to register.  This will provide students with an opportunity to consider what would happen if the draft were reinstated while making connections to the text.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening Remind students of the criteria for a true war story, and that in novels, every chapter is included for a deliberate reason.  They should think about this while we’re listening to the chapter. Activities “On the Rainy River” Have students get books and open the chapter “On the Rainy River” on page 39. Listen to the audio recording of the chapter (44 min) Stop recording at annotated places in the text and have students write responses. Overflow: Have students get with a few people around them and discuss for a few minutes to brainstorm ideas for why they think this chapter was included in the novel.  Then have them share their top reason with the class.  Let the class discuss. Have students write a journal with the prompt “If the draft were reinstated today and you were drafted to go to war in the Middle East, what would you do?  Why?  How would you feel about going to war?  Why? Closing Remind students to put their names on their reading responses and other work and turn it into the tray.
Resources	Audio recording of chapter Copies of novel Pencil/paper
Applications, Connections, Extensions	This will give students a chance to develop brainstorming for a possible extension for a choice project such as a short story or movie.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them. We’re listening to the audio recording of the chapter.  This will aid students who are better aural learners.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace and War

Lesson Title Friday: Deconstruction Notes, “Spin,” “Dulce Et…”

Purpose/Goals	Students will be learning about the deconstruction lens and applying the strategies they learn to the chapter “Spin”.  They will then being using the TPCASTT and a previously learned lens to analyze “Dulce Et Decorum Est”
Objectives	I can: Explain the assumptions and strategies for analyzing a text through the deconstruction lens. Apply strategies for examining a text through tan appropriate lens
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard 1.  Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions. 2.  Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media. Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard 1.  Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions. 2.  Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 3.  Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility. 4.  Evaluate an author’s use of point of view in a literary text. 5.  Analyze variations of universal themes in literary texts. Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas. 2.  Determine the usefulness of and apply appropriate pre-writing tasks (e.g., background reading, interviews or surveys). 16.  Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist and feedback) to judge the quality of writing. Writing Applications Standard 2.  Write responses to literature that: a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective; b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; d. identify and assess the impact of possible ambiguities, nuances and complexities within text; e. anticipate and answer a reader’s questions, counterclaims or divergent interpretations; 6.  Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be turning in their analysis of “Spin.” This will give me a chance to look at these and give them feedback before they write their critical lens paper next week. Students will also be turning in their TPCASTT sheet on “Dulce Et…” which will give them practice tying all sorts of analysis together and practice choosing which lens they want to choose for analysis.  I will be able to give them feedback on this sheet.
Community Knowledge and Experience	The deconstruction lens is a useful tool for students to have when they are determining the reliability of various stories, including news in the media.  It gives them some idea of how to identify things that don’t necessarily match up or make sense.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening Activities Deconstruction Notes Have student get out their guided notes sheet.  Project notes onto SmartBoard. Walk through the 3 Assumptions about the Deconstruction Lens and the 3 Strategies for analyzing a text through the Deconstruction Lens, having students fill out their notes sheet at the appropriate spots. Ask if there are any questions about the deconstruction lens right now. “Spin” Have students get copies of The Things They Carried out and open to “Spin” on page 31. Read “Spin.”  During the reading students should be focusing on the strategies for deconstruction listed on their guided notes. After reading have students analyze “Spin” through the deconstruction lens by answering the following questions: What things are opposed in the chapter?  Give several examples. Of those oppositions, which things seem to be favored, carry more weight, or have more power?  Why? What are some examples of evidence that proves that the favoring you found is wrong? How would the chapter read differently if the oppositions were reversed? Why? What is left out of the text?  What are the gaps and contradictions that make the text confusing or difficult to understand? What in the text is vague, or indeterminate, and doesn’t lead you to a solid conclusion?  Give several specific examples. Remind students to put their names on the questions sheet and turn it into the tray “Dulce Et Decorum Est” Have students put away The Things They Carried and get a text book.  Open to the poem on page 989. Read the bio info preceding the poem. Read the poem aloud. Pass out TPCASTT sheets.  Students should pick one of the three lens we’ve learned about and use that as well as any other strategies we’ve practiced to guide them in filling out the TPCASTT sheet.  They need to write extended responses to each heading and say what lens they are using to guide them. Closing Remind students to put their names on their TPCASTT sheet and turn it in. Anyone who didn’t finish can complete the sheet for homework over the weekend and turn it in on Monday.
Resources	The Things They Carried novels “Spin” questions textbooks TPCASTT worksheets
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Working with the deconstruction lens is a preliminary step for students to prepare them for writing their critical lens paper.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them. We’ll be working with guided notes, helping those students who need some help with processing and remembering that kind of heady information.  The practice applying the strategies in class will help students.

Week Four Plans

Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: Peace and War

Grade Levels:11^th/12^th grade

Subject/Topic Areas: Contemporary Literature

Key Words: war, critical lens, student choice,

Time Frame: 3 weeks

School District: Westerville City Schools

School: Westerville Central High School

Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):

In this unit we’ll be studying contemporary wars and the literature that has been written about them, or in response to them.  This unit follows a unit on Women, Men and Relationships building on what students know about relationships and applying it to society at larger.  After this unit we’ll be moving into Utopia/Dystopia, which will focus on what happens when societies try to create a more perfect world after war has happened.  Our focus novel for this unit will be The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien and our focus concept deals with analyzing texts through various critical lenses.  I’ve structured this unit such that we’ll be generally moving forward in time with our texts (starting with the World Wars and moving up through the War on Terror) and breaking them down in different ways to study them.  There is the opportunity for lots of student choice in this unit.  I’ve arranged it so that each student will write an analytical paper, do in-class assignments, and then choose from a variety of different projects to get the rest of their points for the unit.  I think it’s important students learn to analyze texts based on tried and true methods that will be used in college, but to also be given the opportunity to complete projects of their choice that will play to their strengths and allow them to make and express there own understandings of the unit.

Enduring Understandings:

• Great literature provides rich and timeless insight into the key themes, dilemmas and challenges of human existence.
• Every text is made up of smaller elements that help to contribute to the text’s overall meaning.  There are many methods for dissecting a text to determine the overall meaning.

Essential Questions:

• How can the study of genres and literary periods contribute to enjoyment of literature and to understanding commonalities in human experiences?
• How do different characters respond to and handle conflict and uncertainty?
• How do looking at texts through different lenses affect our understanding of a text’s meaning?

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace & War

Lesson Title Monday:  Opening & Saving Private Ryan Image Collection

Purpose/Goals	Since today is the beginning of a new unit, I’ll be explaining to students what is expected of them throughout this unit.  Since there are some unit long projects, we’ll briefly be going over those so students can choose what they want to do. The class will also be watching Saving Private Ryan and collecting images from the movie.  This serves to keep them engaged with the film, and provide material for the poems we’ll be writing on Wednesday.
Objectives	I can: Choose appropriate projects that play to my strengths Identify and record moving and thought-provoking images in a text
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard 2.  Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 3.  Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility. 4.  Evaluate an author’s use of point of view in a literary text. Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be collecting images throughout the movie.  I’ll be collecting this sheet at the end of the block to check on how they’re processing and engaging with the movie.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Throughout this unit students will be asked to examine their own experiences with war and conflict and how it has affect them. In comparison to how it affects the characters and societies we encounter in the texts.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: 15 minutes Welcome students back from Spring Break.  Introduce any new students (Boris). Hand out unit sheets and explain Peace and War Unit. Hand out Choice Projects sheet and Project Contract and explain how these will work.  Ask for questions or clarification. Activities: Tell students they’ll be collecting and writing down moving, thought provoking, startling, or interesting images from Saving Private Ryan for an assignment they’ll get on Wednesday after finishing the movie.  I’ll be collecting this sheet at the end of the block. Watch Saving Private Ryan. During the movie I’ll be conferencing with students about the papers they turned in for the last unit. Closing: Remind students to put names on their image collection sheets and turn them into the tray.
Resources	Unit Explanation sheet Choice Project Sheet Project Contract Saving Private Ryan Equipment to show movie Pencil/paper Access to Turnitin.com and Progress Book for conferences
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students are collecting images for a poem that we will write on Wednesday.  One of the focuses of this unit is on the details of a text, and how they help to make up the whole.  Each reading we do will help to build on this knowledge.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them. Students will also be collecting images that are meaningful or thought-provoking to them, allowing them to build poem that speaks to them about the movie.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace & War

Lesson Title Tuesday:  Saving Private Ryan Image Collection

Purpose/Goals	The class will be watching Saving Private Ryan and collecting images from the movie.  This serves to keep them engaged with the film, and provide material for the poems we’ll be writing on Wednesday.
Objectives	I can: Identify and record moving and thought-provoking images in a text
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard 2.  Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 3.  Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility. 4.  Evaluate an author’s use of point of view in a literary text. Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be collecting images throughout the movie.  I’ll be collecting this sheet at the end of the block to check on how they’re processing and engaging with the movie.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Throughout this unit students will be asked to examine their own experiences with war and conflict and how it has affect them. In comparison to how it affects the characters and societies we encounter in the texts.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: Pass back image collection sheets Quickly review what has happened in the movie so far.  Ask students to summarize. Activities: Finish watching Saving Private Ryan. During the movie I’ll be conferencing with students about the papers they turned in for the last unit. Closing: Remind students to put names on their image collection sheets and turn them into the tray.
Resources	Saving Private Ryan Equipment to show movie Pencil/paper Image Collection Sheet Access to Turnitin.com and Progress Book for conferences
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students are collecting images for a poem that we will write on Wednesday.  One of the focuses of this unit is on the details of a text, and how they help to make up the whole.  Each reading we do will help to build on this knowledge.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them. Students will also be collecting images that are meaningful or thought-provoking to them, allowing them to build poem that speaks to them about the movie.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace & War

Lesson Title Wednesday:  SPR Image Poem; New Critical Lens; Poem Threading

Purpose/Goals	The class will have watched Saving Private Ryan and collected images from the movie.  This provided them with material for the poems we’re writing today. We will also be going over how to analyze a text through the New Critical Lens and reading through “Life at War” for practice with strategies students can use to analyze texts in this way.
Objectives	I can: Create a poem from images I have collected. Explain the assumptions and strategies for analyzing a text through the new critical lens. Identify meaningful elements in a text.
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard 1.  Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions. Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard 1.  Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions. 2.  Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 3.  Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility. 4.  Evaluate an author’s use of point of view in a literary text. 5.  Analyze variations of universal themes in literary texts. 8.  Evaluate ways authors develop point of view and style to achieve specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes (e.g., through use of figurative language irony, tone, diction, imagery, symbolism and sounds of language), citing specific examples from text to support analysis. Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas. 5.  Use organizational strategies (e.g., notes and outlines) to plan writing. 9.  Use precise language, action verbs, sensory details, colorful modifiers and style as appropriate to audience and purpose, and use techniques to convey a personal style and voice. Writing Applications Standard 6.  Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes. Communications: Oral and Visual Standard 1.  Apply active listening strategies (e.g., monitoring message for clarity, selecting and organizing essential information, noting cues such as changes in pace). 4.  Evaluate how language choice, diction, syntax and delivery style (e.g., repetition, appeal to emotion, eye contact) affect the mood and tone and impact the audience.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be collecting images throughout the movie.  I’ll be collecting this sheet at the end of the block to check on how they’re processing and engaging with the movie.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Throughout this unit students will be asked to examine their own experiences with war and conflict and how it has affect them. In comparison to how it affects the characters and societies we encounter in the texts.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: Review what happened in the movie.  Ask students to summarize. Activities: 15 Line Poem Explain 15 line poem assignment.  Let students know I’ll be asking them to share what they write at the end of the period. Hand out 15 line poem assignment sheet (students can write on the back of this sheet if they want to) and image collection sheets from yesterday. Give student until 10 minutes before the end of the period to write poems, then ask them to trade with a partner and read each other’s. Students should write on their partner’s poem at least one thing they liked about the poem, and one thing they think would make it even better. At the beginning of the next period ask if any students read a poem they think the whole class needs to hear.  Have 3 or students read their partner’s poem. Remind students to put their names on their poem sheets and turn them into the tray. New Critical Notes Explain to students that we’ll be learning a few different ways to analyze different texts and that the new critical lens can be very useful for poetry, like the poems they just wrote. Hand out Guided Notes sheet and prepare SmartBoard projection of the sheet for mini lecture. Walk through the 3 Assumptions about the New Critical Lens and the 3 Strategies for analyzing a text through the New Critical Lens, having students fill out their notes sheet at the appropriate spots. Ask if there are any questions about the new critical lens right now. Poem Threading Hand out “Life at War.”  Student will be writing on this sheet, but it can also be found in the textbook on page 1003. Explain that we’ll be reading around the room (show them in what order), and that students must keep up so they don’t get lost and miss their turn.  The first read through each person will read one line so we can focus on the structure of the poem, and how the line breaks affect the meaning. One the second read through each person will read to a punctuation mark (period, comma, long dash, colon, semi-colon, etc.) so we can focus on how the punctuation placement affect the meaning. Now have students pick a common element to thread throughout the poem.  They will circle every word that matches their threading.  Give examples such as colors, pronouns, body parts, senses… Have students come up to share what they threaded on the SmartBoard and explain why they decided on that element.  Ask the class how they think that element contributes to the meaning of the poem. Relate threading exercise back to New Critical lens as a way to identify important elements in a text. Closing: Remind student to put their names on their poem threading sheet and turn it into the tray. Remind students that their project contract is due on Friday and to see me if they have any questions about choices or topics.
Resources	Copies of 15 Line Poem Assignment Image Collection Sheet Copies of Analytical Lens Guided Notes Sheet Analytical Lens master copy SmartBoard Guided Notes SmartBoard file Copies of “Life at War” poem threading sheet “Life at War” SmartBoard file pencil/paper
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students are writing poems based on images that they have collected.  They are also reading “Life at War” and practicing doing close readings and picking out details of the text.  One of the focuses of this unit is on the details of a text, and how they help to make up the whole.  Each reading we do will help to build on this knowledge.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them. Students will also be collecting images that are meaningful or thought-provoking to them, allowing them to build poem that speaks to them about the movie.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace & War

Lesson Title Thursday:  The Things They Carried pre-write & read

Purpose/Goals	Student will be making lists of the things that they carry with them in order to help develop a connection with the characters in this story.  They will be reading the first chapter of the novel, “The Things They Carried,” to build on the understandings they’re making in creating their own lists.
Objectives	I can: Make connections between ideas in literature and my own experiences in order to grow as an empathetic reader.
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard 1.  Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions. 2.  Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media. Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard 1.  Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions. 2.  Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 3.  Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility. 4.  Evaluate an author’s use of point of view in a literary text. 5.  Analyze variations of universal themes in literary texts. 8.  Evaluate ways authors develop point of view and style to achieve specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes (e.g., through use of figurative language irony, tone, diction, imagery, symbolism and sounds of language), citing specific examples from text to support analysis. Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be making lists of the things that they carry.  This pre-writing activity works a little bit like an anticipation guide for the chapter.  I’ll be collecting it at the end of the block to see what students are coming up with and how deep they are thinking. Students will also be writing short responses during the reading to help build their understandings of the text.  I’ll be able to look at these and see where they are in their envisionment.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Throughout this unit students will be asked to examine their own experiences with war and conflict and how it has affect them. In comparison to how it affects the characters and societies we encounter in the texts. In this lesson they will be comparing “The Things They Carried” to their own lives, and identifying with the characters in the chapter as they make their own lists of things that they carry.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Lesson adapted from Read Write Think: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/worth-weight-letter-writing-1061.html Opening: Have the following questions written on the board: What do you carry every day in school? What do you carry in the summer? What do you have to bring to work? What things do you carry that are very visible to the world? What things are more hidden? What things are totally invisible, that is, abstract or symbolic? What do others make you carry? What things do you carry that you’d like to put down? As students are settling into their seats ask them “How far they have traveled?” and “What they’ve brought with them.” Activities: Pre-write Have students get out a sheet of paper and ask them to make a list of everything they can think of that they carry both literal and symbolic.  Give some examples. Direct students to the questions written on the board to help them think of the things they might carry with them. Once students have created a fairly long list, ask them to share some of the things they carry and write these up on the board. Using this list brainstorm with the class various ways of grouping these things.  “Things I Love,” “Necessities,” “Luxuries,” “Abstract Things,” “Concrete Things,” “Things I wish I Could Put Down,” etc. Next ask students to assign some arbitrary weights to some of the things on the board.  Ask them to take a look at their own list and decided what some of those things weigh. Tell students we’ll be reading “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, about the lives of soldiers in Vietnam.  It’s a mostly autobiographical work.  Students should feel free to add to their list as we read through the chapter. Read Chapter Have students come up and get a book.  We’re reading the first chapter.  Tell students there is some language in the book and when they see it to please use a euphemism (instead of the F-word, just say “eff”). I’ll start reading and ask students to pick up for me as we read through. We’ll be stopping occasionally to clarify the reading, or make predictions at annotated places in the text.  We’ll also be discussing the various things the soldiers carry and how we can relate to them and their weights. Closing: Remind students that their project contract is due tomorrow. Remind students to put their names on their lists and turn them into the tray.
Resources	Questions written on white board or SmartBoard Dry Erase markers The Things They Carried class copies The Things They Carried annotated text Paper/pencil
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will be making a list of the things that they carry.  This list will be used in tomorrow’s class to help them write a letter about what they are carrying.  It will also help them to connect to the text and the characters in it.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them. Students will be making a list of what they carry.  This can be personal to them and allow them to explore connections in their own lives and the text

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Peace & War

Lesson Title Friday: The Things They Carried Letter Writing

Purpose/Goals	Students will be using the lists they created yesterday to write a letter about what that thing is.  It will give them a chance to practice writing a letter as well as help to build connections to the text.
Objectives	I can: Make connections between ideas in literature and my own experiences in order to grow as an empathetic reader. Apply my knowledge to write a composition in a letter format
National and Ohio Standards	Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas. 2.  Determine the usefulness of and apply appropriate pre-writing tasks (e.g., background reading, interviews or surveys). 3.  Establish and develop a clear thesis statement for informational writing or a clear plan or outline for narrative writing. 4.  Determine a purpose and audience and plan strategies (e.g., adapting formality of style, including explanations or definitions as appropriate to audience needs) to address purpose and audience. 6.  Organize writing to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging introduction, body and conclusion and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing. 9.  Use precise language, action verbs, sensory details, colorful modifiers and style as appropriate to audience and purpose, and use techniques to convey a personal style and voice. 15.  Proofread writing, edit to improve conventions (e.g., grammar, spelling, punctuation and capitalization), identify and correct fragments and run-ons and eliminate inappropriate slang or informal language. 16.  Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist and feedback) to judge the quality of writing. Writing Applications Standard 1.  Write reflective compositions that: a. use personal experiences as a basis for reflection on some aspect of life; b. draw abstract comparisons between specific incidents and abstract concepts; c. maintain a balance between describing incidents and relating them to more general, abstract ideas that illustrate personal beliefs; and d. move from specific examples to generalizations about life. 3.  Write functional documents (e.g., requests for information, resumes, letters of complaint, memos, proposals) that: a. report, organize and convey information accurately; b. use formatting techniques that make a document user-friendly; and c. anticipate readers’ problems, mistakes and misunderstandings. Writing Conventions Standard 1.  Use correct spelling conventions. 2.  Use correct capitalization and punctuation. 3.  Use correct grammar (e.g., verb tenses, parallel structure, indefinite and relative pronouns).
Assessment	Summative Students will be writing a letter that demonstrates a connection between their own life and the lives of the characters in the text.
	Formative Students will be writing a letter that demonstrates a connection between their own life and the lives of the characters in the text.  Because we will be continuing to read more from this novel it also serves as a formative assessment as they are just beginning to build an understanding of the text and its characters.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Throughout this unit students will be asked to examine their own experiences with war and conflict and how it has affect them. In comparison to how it affects the characters and societies we encounter in the texts. They will be using the lists they created yesterday to write a letter that demonstrates their knowledge of the connections they can make to the text.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Lesson adapted from Read Write Think: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/worth-weight-letter-writing-1061.html Opening: Have the following statements written on the board: describe the item, give some background information about it, explain why you are carrying it, explain it’s symbolic weight, connect it to someone else in your life Activities: Free-write Pass back students lists of the things they carry and ask them to circle what they think are the three most significant weights they carry.  They can be positive or negative weights but should be important in their life and have impacted them in some way. Give students about 5 minutes to free-write on each item.  They can do this on the back of their list or on a new sheet of paper.  Point out the suggestions for writing on the board to help them. After they’ve finished free-writing, ask students to use their free-write to pick which item they feel most strongly about and would like to elaborate more on in a letter. Letter Writing Pass out and explain the Letter Writing Assignment Sheet. Students will have the rest of this period to write their letter and work on editing and reflection questions. Final copy with answered reflection questions will be due on Monday. Closing: Remind students that the final copy of their letter and the reflection questions are due on Monday at the beginning of the block. Collect Project Contracts as an exit ticket.  Students who don’t have one completed must complete one before going to Arts Alive. Go to Arts Alive for the second half of the block.
Resources	Statements written on the white board or SmartBoard Student lists of items Copies of Letter Writing assignment sheet Copies of Project Contract Paper/pencil
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will be using the lists that they created yesterday to help them write a letter about what they carry to someone in their life.  It will help them to connect to the text and the characters in it.  If students want to they can actually mail their letters.  If so, I could provide an opportunity for them to share the response they may receive.
Inclusive Instruction	The nature of the student choice projects is inclusive.  Students are able to choose from an assortment of project options in order to play to their strengths and demonstrate their understanding in the best way that makes sense to them. Students will be writing a letter about themselves and what they carry to someone in their life.  This leaves a lot of room for personal choice.

Week Three Plans

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationships

Lesson Title Monday: Review Debate Format and Work Day

Purpose/Goals	Today is a work-day for students.  They have a lot of projects culminating this week, so I’ve planned in time for them to work on their projects.  I’ve also planned for class work should students decide not to take advantage of the time to work.
Objectives	I can: Manage my time and prioritize my work in order to make the best use of my time.
National and Ohio Standards	Variety: Depends on what projects students are working on.
Assessment
	Formative I’ll be assessing students on their productivity.  This will go into their class participation grade.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students will be working with debate topics they have chosen.  These topics are all relatively current in the media.  They will also be working with books that they’ve chosen and preparing to make recommendations to the rest of the class.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: Collect any papers that didn’t have a hard copy turned in. Remind students that to get credit for the paper it must be turned in to TurnItIn.com. Activities: Review Debate format and requirements for the debates. Explain the peer-assess and scoring sheet. Remainder of first/third period students can work on anything they need to for the Debates. Second/fourth period students can SSR or write their 4th book journal.  They can also meet with their book group to work on final book group projects. If students don’t appear to be taking advantage of the time, I can bring the class back together as a whole and we can watch and discuss stereotypes in commercials. Closing: Remind students: They have book journals due tomorrow Book group presentations are tomorrow Written notes for 2-3 min. argument w/ 3 facts and 5 crossfire questions are due on the day of their debate The first debate is tomorrow (and who it is.  Schedule TBD right now)
Resources	Copies of assignment sheets Copies of rubrics Students need materials to work on projects
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will be preparing for their debates in the coming days, and well as for their book group presentations.  This unit is wrapping up to end when Spring Break begins.
Inclusive Instruction	During this work day students can work at their own pace on projects they that they need the most work on or the most help with.  They will have chosen their debate issues, so they’ll be working with a topic that they at least have some passion for.  They will also have the option of working with their group members.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationships

Lesson Title Tuesday: Book Group 4 Meeting & Presentations and Debates

Purpose/Goals	Students will be having their final book group meeting, and then present their final project to the class.  This will allow the whole class to hear about the different books students have been reading and whether or not their peers would recommend them.  This opens students up to more opportunities for reading should they choose. The second half of the class will be devoted to the first debate.  This gives students a chance to practice vocalizing and supporting an opinion, and give those students listening a chance to hear about different topics and learn to evaluate the arguments of others.
Objectives	I can: Pose and respond thoughtfully to high-level questions. Make value judgements based on a range of criteria. Clearly vocalize and defend a position/opinion using persuasive techniques and specific evidence.
National and Ohio Standards	Research 7.  Use a variety of communication techniques including oral, visual, written or multimedia report to present information that supports a clear position about the topic or research question and defend the credibility and validity of the information presented. Communication: Oral and Visual 1. Apply active listening strategies (e.g., monitoring message for clarity, selecting and organizing essential information, noting cues such as changes in pace). 3. Critique the clarity, effectiveness and overall coherence of a speaker’s key points. 8. Deliver informational presentations (e.g., expository, research) that: a. present a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject; c. support the controlling idea or thesis with well-chosen and relevant facts, details, examples, quotations, statistics, stories and anecdotes; f. draw from and cite multiple sources, including both primary and secondary sources, and consider the validity and reliability of sources. 10. Deliver persuasive presentations that: a. establish and develop a logical and controlled argument; b. include relevant evidence, differentiating between evidence and opinion, to support position and to address counter-arguments or listener biases; c. use persuasive strategies such as rhetorical devices; anecdotes and appeals to emotion, authority, reason, pathos and logic; e. use speaking techniques (e.g., reasoning, emotional appeal, case studies or analogies).
Assessment	Summative Students will be presenting for their book groups.  This is the group portion of the summative assessment for their book groups.  The more heavily weighted individual portion of their book group grade will come from their top book journal and self-assessed book log. During the debates I will assessing students on how well they vocalize the argument for their side, and how well they anticipate the opposing side’s questions.
	Formative The students watching the debates will be keeping track of argumentative strategies to determine which side wins.  This will keep them engaged and thinking about how to evaluate the arguments of others. The book journal and write chat both function as a running record of students’ thoughts about the book they’re reading, and their ability to compose and prepare their thoughts ahead of time, and respond thoughtfully using what they’re prepared.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students will be working with debate topics they have chosen.  These topics are all relatively current in the media.  They’ll be learning important life skills in defending their opinion.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: Tell student the agenda for the day. Activities: Book Group Meeting 4: (30ish minutes) Have students get into their book groups and have someone get the groups’ book log folder.  I’ll be coming around to check to be sure everyone has his or her journal. Students will be engaging in a Write Chat to discuss the section of the book they read and wrote a journal on for this meeting.  Students will take turns posing the discussion questions they prepared in their journals, and then responding on the write chat sheet with thoughts and responses, using their journal and prepared passage for examples and support. Following the Write Chat students will fill out the log sheet and put all the materials back into their Book Group Folder. Have students staple their 4 journals together, putting what they think is their best journal on top.  This will be the one that I’ll grade thoroughly. Students will get 5-10 minutes to do any last minute planning they need to for their presentation. Book Group Presentations: As each group presents the rest of the class will be writing down the book titles and listening to the presentations. After all the presentations students will rank the books from highest to lowest in the order they think they’d like to read them. I’ll collect the written/drawn products from each book group after their presentation. Debates: There is one debate today.  Schedule is TBD right now. Hand out peer-assess/score sheets. Set up for debate. Debate! Closing: Remind students: Written notes for 2-3 min. argument w/ 3 facts and 5 crossfire questions are due on the day of their debate Who is debating tomorrow.  Schedule TBD right now.
Resources	book group folders w/ construction paper book group final project assignment pieces independent reading books debate notes and questions debate peer assess sheets debate rubrics
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will be working with debate topics they have chosen.  These topics are all relatively current in the media.  They will also be working with books that they’ve chosen and preparing to make recommendations to the rest of the class.
Inclusive Instruction	They will have chosen their debate issues, so they’ll be working with a topic that they at least have some passion for.  They will also be presenting in groups for the books.  There were different roles available in the group for the students to delegate as they saw fit.  This allowed for students to play to their strengths.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationships

Lesson Title Wednesday: Gender Issues Debates (Commercial Stereotypes)

Purpose/Goals	Class will be devoted to the debates.  This gives students a chance to practice vocalizing and supporting an opinion, and give those students listening a chance to hear about different topics and learn to evaluate the arguments of others. Any extra time will be used to debrief from the debates and possibly examine stereotypes in commercials and other media.
Objectives	I can: Clearly vocalize and defend a position/opinion using persuasive techniques and specific evidence.
National and Ohio Standards	Research 7.  Use a variety of communication techniques including oral, visual, written or multimedia report to present information that supports a clear position about the topic or research question and defend the credibility and validity of the information presented. Communication: Oral and Visual 1. Apply active listening strategies (e.g., monitoring message for clarity, selecting and organizing essential information, noting cues such as changes in pace). 3. Critique the clarity, effectiveness and overall coherence of a speaker’s key points. 8. Deliver informational presentations (e.g., expository, research) that: a. present a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject; c. support the controlling idea or thesis with well-chosen and relevant facts, details, examples, quotations, statistics, stories and anecdotes; f. draw from and cite multiple sources, including both primary and secondary sources, and consider the validity and reliability of sources. 10. Deliver persuasive presentations that: a. establish and develop a logical and controlled argument; b. include relevant evidence, differentiating between evidence and opinion, to support position and to address counter-arguments or listener biases; c. use persuasive strategies such as rhetorical devices; anecdotes and appeals to emotion, authority, reason, pathos and logic; e. use speaking techniques (e.g., reasoning, emotional appeal, case studies or analogies).
Assessment	Summative During the debates I will assessing students on how well they vocalize the argument for their side, and how well they anticipate the opposing side’s questions.
	Formative The students watching the debates will be keeping track of argumentative strategies to determine which side wins.  This will keep them engaged and thinking about how to evaluate the arguments of others.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students will be working with debate topics they have chosen.  These topics are all relatively current in the media.  They’ll be learning important life skills in defending their opinion.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: Hand out peer-assess/score sheets. Set up for first debate. Activities: There are three debates today.  Schedule is TBD right now. Possible overflow activity:  Watching commercials that contain stereotypes and discussing these in relation to the unit as a whole. Closing: Remind students: Written notes for 2-3 min. argument w/ 3 facts and 5 crossfire questions are due on the day of their debate Who is debating tomorrow.  Schedule TBD right now.
Resources	debate notes and questions debate peer assess sheets debate rubrics
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will be working with debate topics they have chosen.  These topics are all relatively current in the media.
Inclusive Instruction	They will have chosen their debate issues, so they’ll be working with a topic that they at least have some passion for.  They will also have the support of a group member by their side, as well as any notes they have prepared.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationship

Lesson Title Thursday: Gender Issues Debates (Commercial Stereotypes)

Purpose/Goals	Class will be devoted to the debates.  This gives students a chance to practice vocalizing and supporting an opinion, and give those students listening a chance to hear about different topics and learn to evaluate the arguments of others. Any extra time will be used to debrief from the debates and possibly examine stereotypes in commercials and other media.
Objectives	I can: Clearly vocalize and defend a position/opinion using persuasive techniques and specific evidence.
National and Ohio Standards	Research 7.  Use a variety of communication techniques including oral, visual, written or multimedia report to present information that supports a clear position about the topic or research question and defend the credibility and validity of the information presented. Communication: Oral and Visual 1. Apply active listening strategies (e.g., monitoring message for clarity, selecting and organizing essential information, noting cues such as changes in pace). 3. Critique the clarity, effectiveness and overall coherence of a speaker’s key points. 8. Deliver informational presentations (e.g., expository, research) that: a. present a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject; c. support the controlling idea or thesis with well-chosen and relevant facts, details, examples, quotations, statistics, stories and anecdotes; f. draw from and cite multiple sources, including both primary and secondary sources, and consider the validity and reliability of sources. 10. Deliver persuasive presentations that: a. establish and develop a logical and controlled argument; b. include relevant evidence, differentiating between evidence and opinion, to support position and to address counter-arguments or listener biases; c. use persuasive strategies such as rhetorical devices; anecdotes and appeals to emotion, authority, reason, pathos and logic; e. use speaking techniques (e.g., reasoning, emotional appeal, case studies or analogies).
Assessment	Summative During the debates I will assessing students on how well they vocalize the argument for their side, and how well they anticipate the opposing side’s questions.
	Formative The students watching the debates will be keeping track of argumentative strategies to determine which side wins.  This will keep them engaged and thinking about how to evaluate the arguments of others.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students will be working with debate topics they have chosen.  These topics are all relatively current in the media.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: Hand out peer-assess/score sheets. Set up for first debate. Activities: There are three debates today.  Schedule is TBD right now. Possible overflow activity:  Watching commercials that contain stereotypes and discussing these in relation to the unit as a whole. Closing: Have a good spring break! We’ll be starting a unit on Peace and War when we get back.
Resources	debate notes and questions debate peer assess sheets debate rubrics
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will be working with debate topics they have chosen.  These topics are all relatively current in the media.
Inclusive Instruction	They will have chosen their debate issues, so they’ll be working with a topic that they at least have some passion for.  They will also have the support of a group member by their side, as well as any notes they have prepared.

Week Two Plans

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationships

Lesson Title Monday:   Yellow Wallpaper & Andrea Yates

Purpose/Goals	In this lesson students will examine a story from the late 1800s in conjunction with a newspaper article from the early 2000s.  They will look at these two texts together in order to examine how the same issues that women dealt with in the past are still applicable to today, and many challenges are still there for equality to be reached.
Objectives	I can: Make connections between two different texts Recognize similar themes and conflicts in multiple characters and texts
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies 1. Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions. 2. Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media. Reading Applications: Literary Text 1. Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions. 2.  Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 3. Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility. 4. Evaluate an author’s use of point of view in a literary text. 8. Evaluate ways authors develop point of view and style to achieve specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes (e.g., through use of figurative language irony, tone, diction, imagery, symbolism and sounds of language), citing specific examples from text to support analysis. Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas. Writing Applications 2.  Write responses to literature that: a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective; b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; c. analyze the author’s use of stylistic devices and express an appreciation of the effects the devices create; d. identify and assess the impact of possible ambiguities, nuances and complexities within text; e. anticipate and answer a reader’s questions, counterclaims or divergent interpretations; and f. provide a sense of closure to the writing. 6. Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be writing down thoughts after reading the story and the article.  This will give me a sense of how they’re comprehending and making connections. I will be occasionally asking clarifying questions during the readings to see how students are understanding the readings as we go.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students will be working with a relatively recent article, and around an issue that is still relevant to today’s time.  They may have some prior knowledge to bring into the classroom regarding the themes and issues in the texts.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Activities: Andrea Yates article & Yellow Wallpaper (pg 307-319): Have students get textbooks and turn to page 307.  Give some historical background. Read “The Yellow Wallpaper.”  Stopping occasionally to make predictions and check comprehension. Have students take 2-3 minutes to write down thoughts or ideas about the story.  Initial impressions or questions they have.  We’ll come back to these tomorrow. Pass out copies of the Andrea Yates article.  Give some context.  Ask if anyone remembers this story in the news. Read the articles. Have students take 2-3 minutes to write down thoughts or ideas about the articles on the same sheet as their other thoughts.  Initial impressions or connections they see to “The Yellow Wallpaper”  We’ll come back to these tomorrow.
Resources	textbooks copies of the Andrea Yates article copies of journal prompt paper/pencil
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will continue to build knowledge about stereotyping in order to be able to challenge the accepted assumptions regarding gender and relationships.  This will lead to a debate about an issue of their choice at the end of the unit.
Inclusive Instruction	We will be reading the texts out loud.  This will give students who prefer to learn with auditory support a better opportunity for understanding.  Students will also be given time to think and write down their ideas before they are called upon to share those ideas with the class.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationships

Lesson Title Tuesday: Historical to Contemporary Comparison & Article Jigsaw

Purpose/Goals	In this lesson students will continue examining a story from the late 1800s in conjunction with a newspaper article from the early 2000s.  They will look at these two texts together in order to examine how the same issues that women dealt with in the past are still applicable to today, and many challenges are still there for equality to be reached. Students will also be doing some activities to prepare them for debates.  They will be brainstorming issues and ideas, and then doing a jigsaw activity with articles similar to ones they may find in their research.  The jigsaw will give them practice in summarizing an article and boiling it down for a few main points.
Objectives	I can: Make and analyze connections between two texts. Generate ideas for my writing by talking with others. Summarize a text by identifying key details.
National and Ohio Standards	Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies 1. Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions. 2. Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media. Reading Applications: Literary Text 1. Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions. 2.  Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 3. Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility. 4. Evaluate an author’s use of point of view in a literary text. 8. Evaluate ways authors develop point of view and style to achieve specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes (e.g., through use of figurative language irony, tone, diction, imagery, symbolism and sounds of language), citing specific examples from text to support analysis. Writing Process Standard 1.  Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas. Writing Applications 2. Write responses to literature that: a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective; b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; c. analyze the author’s use of stylistic devices and express an appreciation of the effects the devices create; d. identify and assess the impact of possible ambiguities, nuances and complexities within text; e. anticipate and answer a reader’s questions, counterclaims or divergent interpretations; and f. provide a sense of closure to the writing. 6. Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes. Research 1.  Compose open-ended questions for research, assigned or personal interest, and modify questions as necessary during inquiry and investigation to narrow the focus or extend the investigation. Oral and Visual Communication 1.  Apply active listening strategies (e.g., monitoring message for clarity, selecting and organizing essential information, noting cues such as changes in pace). 9.  Deliver formal and informal descriptive presentations that convey relevant information and descriptive details.
Assessment
	Formative Students will be writing down thoughts after reading the story and the article.  This will give me a sense of how they’re comprehending and making connections. I will be occasionally asking clarifying questions during the readings to see how students are understanding the readings as we go. Students will be writing a journal entry exploring connections between the historical story and the contemporary article. Students will be developing a list of possible issues to use for the debate. I will be observing students in a jigsaw, as they work together to pull main points out of an article and explain it to their peers.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students will be working with a relatively recent article, and around an issue that is still relevant to today’s time.  They may have some prior knowledge to bring into the classroom regarding the themes and issues in the texts.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Activities: Debate Issues Brainstorm: -       We will be working as a class to brainstorm possible issues for the debate.  Possible issues are: Same-sex marriage, single parents, gay adoption, gays in the military, women in the military, polygamy, Title IX, women in the workplace, gender equity in education, domestic violence, body image and the media, women’s rights to contraception -       I will give students a sheet to fill out with their top 3 issues they’d consider doing for the debate, and 3 other people they’d consider working with.   I’ll use this to pair students up for the library tomorrow. “Yellow Wallpaper”: Finish Reading “The Yellow Wallpaper” and the Andrea Yates articles (see yesterday’s plan). Hand out initial thoughts papers from yesterday for students to use on the journal.  Hand out journal prompts for the comparison between the two texts. Students have the rest of the period to work on the journal.  (It will be due tomorrow at the beginning of the period if it’s not finished.) Article Jigsaw: I will number students off into 4 expert groups, A,B,C,D.  Each group will read a different article and have time to identify and write down 3 main ideas for this article. I will then put students into learning groups of four, where each group has at least one person from each expert group.  In these groups each student will have a chance to speak, giving a brief synopsis of their article with their 3 main points. Students will have a worksheet to fill in the three main points for each article. Closing: Collect article jigsaw assignment sheet Remind students to bring their books & journals for the Book Group Meeting tomorrow.
Resources	textbooks copies of the Andrea Yates article copies of “Yellow Wallpaper” journal prompt Copies of Articles for jigsaw Article jigsaw assignment sheet debate topic preference sheet paper/pencil
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will continue to build knowledge about stereotyping in order to be able to challenge the accepted assumptions regarding gender and relationships.  They will be building off their knowledge of stereotyping and gender issues as they begin to brainstorm ideas for the debate.
Inclusive Instruction	Students will be working in groups to make meaning of their articles for the jigsaw activity.  The heterogeneous group will allow students to gain an understanding in the expert groups before they move into their learning groups and explain their article.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationships

Lesson Title Wednesday: Intro to Research for Debate & Book Group 3

Purpose/Goals	Students will be preparing for the debates next week by finding articles to work with, writing abstracts, developing a reasoned opinion statement, and making notes to speak from.  Ms. Hamrick’s presentation in the library will help to get them started and learn how to find relevant and reliable articles online. Students will also be continuing discussing their novel in their book groups.  The groups are in place to give students an additional source and perspective to learn more about gender and relationships.  The group format allows students to engage in small discussion and bounce ideas off each other.
Objectives	I can: Pose and respond thoughtfully to higher-level questions. Find appropriate sources for my research Formulate questions and ideas based on what I read
National and Ohio Standards	Acquisition of Vocabulary 1. Recognize and identify how authors clarify meanings of words through context and use definition, restatement, example, comparison, contrast and cause and effect to advance word study. 5. Determine the meanings and pronunciations of unknown words by using dictionaries, thesauruses, glossaries, technology and textual features, such as definitional footnotes or sidebars. Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies 1. Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions. 2. Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media. 3. Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back, note taking or summarizing what has been read so far in text. 4. Use criteria to choose independent reading materials (e.g., personal interest, knowledge of authors and genres or recommendations from others). 5. Independently read books for various purposes (e.g., for enjoyment, for literary experience, to gain information or to perform a task). Reading Applications: Literary Text 1. Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions. 2. Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting. 3. Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility. Writing Processes 6. Organize writing to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging introduction, body and conclusion and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing. 8. Use paragraph form in writing, including topic sentences that arrange paragraphs in a logical sequence, using effective transitions and closing sentences and maintaining coherence across the whole through the use of parallel structures. 16. Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist and feedback) to judge the quality of writing. Writing Applications 2. Write responses to literature that: a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective; b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; 6. Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes. Research 1.  Compose open-ended questions for research, assigned or personal interest, and modify questions as necessary during inquiry and investigation to narrow the focus or extend the investigation. 2. Identify appropriate sources and gather relevant information from multiple sources (e.g., school library catalogs, online databases, electronic resources and Internet-based resources). 3.  Determine the accuracy of sources and the credibility of the author by analyzing the sources’ validity (e.g., authority, accuracy, objectivity, publication date and coverage, etc.).
Assessment
	Formative Article Search: Having students start by finding 3 articles they could possibly use for their abstracts and opinion statement will help to dampen the procrastination.  When they are annotating their articles, it will help me to see how they are thinking about what they’re reading. Journal #3 and Write Chat: These both function as a running record of students’ thoughts about the book they’re reading, and their ability to compose and prepare their thoughts ahead of time, and respond thoughtfully using what they’re prepared.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students will be brainstorming ideas for the debate issues, so they will have a chance to work with something they either already have some knowledge of that they can access, or with something they are interested in or passionate about.  They are also likely to be working with current event and issues. Students will be bringing in their own knowledge of the book they’re reading along with their interests and interpretations of the text.  They will be given the opportunity to pose their own questions in order to engage in the text.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: I will be giving students their assignments for their debate topics, based on the preferences sheet they turned in yesterday.  They will be put in groups of four.  Two students will be on the pro side, and two on the con side for purposes of the debate.  Any students who were absent will have to join a group that is short one member. Explain Mini-Research paper expectations. Each student will write a paper including 2 abstracts/summaries of different articles (one supporting and one opposing) that are different from their partner’s articles and a reasoned opinion. The reasoned opinion is an explanation of why you feel that way and take that side (it does not need to be the side you’re supporting in the debate, though it may help if it is), and it includes at least: i.     2 supporting facts (details) ii.     1 opposing viewpoint iii.     1 counterargument for the opposing viewpoint Explain what we’re going to do in the Library and what their expectations are for the end of the period. Have 3 articles (2 supporting/1 opposing) annotated Bibliographic information for those 3 articles. Activities: Library: (periods 1&4) Intro to research presentation by Ms. Hamrick.  She’ll be showing them how to access and search through the internet databases for articles regarding gender issues, as well as the possible tools provided through these sites to help them organize their notes. Students will need to find 3 different articles (They should not be the same as their group member’s articles).  2 supporting their side, and 1 opposing their side.  They will then print these out and annotate each article according to these guidelines: Read your article Underline opinions.  For each underlined opinion: i.     Give a counter argument. i.     Give a counter argument. Underline specific facts.  For each underlined fact: Highlight or circle the 2 most significant pieces of information. Hand in your works cited paper that includes the MLA bibliographic documentation for your 3 articles. Whatever annotating students haven’t finished will be homework. Book Group Meeting 3: Have students get into their book groups and have someone get the groups’ book log folder.  I’ll be coming around to check to be sure everyone has his or her journal. Students will be engaging in a Write Chat to discuss the section of the book they read and wrote a journal on for this meeting.  Students will take turns posing the discussion questions they prepared in their journals, and then responding on the write chat sheet with thoughts and responses, using their journal and prepared passage for examples and support. Following the Write Chat student will fill out the log sheet and put all the materials back into their Book Group Folder. Explain Book Group Final Project: Each will be writing about a 100 word summary of their book including a recommendation and then presenting to the class as a group why we should or should not read the book. Each person in the group must give at least one reason and explanation that is different.
Resources	Mini-research assignment sheet Debate assignment sheet book group folders w/ construction paper book group final project assignment independent reading books Ms. Hamrick’s presentation materials computers w/ internet access
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will begin researching articles regarding various gender issues in order to prepare for a mini-research paper and debate on their chosen topic.  In their book groups they will be continuing to build knowledge about stereotyping in order to be able to challenge the accepted assumptions regarding gender and relationships.
Inclusive Instruction	Students will have chosen their possible debate issues, so they’ll be working with a topic that they at least have some passion for.  They will also be working in pairs, and so can bounce ideas off of their partner. Student will be discussing a book that they chose to read with their group.  This makes it more likely that they will be engaged with their own interests.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Realtionships

Lesson Title Thursday: Writing Mini-Research Paper & Prep for Debate

Purpose/Goals	Students will be preparing for the debates next week by finding articles to work with, writing abstracts, developing a reasoned opinion statement, and making notes to speak from.
Objectives	I can: Include appropriate documentation for my sources Analyze and defend the credibility of my sources. Explain the main supporting details in a text.
National and Ohio Standards	Writing Process 4.  Determine a purpose and audience and plan strategies (e.g., adapting formality of style, including explanations or definitions as appropriate to audience needs) to address purpose and audience. 10. Use available technology to compose text. 16. Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist and feedback) to judge the quality of writing. Writing Applications 4.  Write informational essays or reports, including research, that: a. develop a controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject; b. create an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience and context; c. include information on all relevant perspectives, considering the validity and reliability of primary and secondary sources; d. make distinctions about the relative value and significance of specific data, facts and ideas; Writing Conventions 1. Use correct spelling conventions. 2. Use correct capitalization and punctuation 3. Use correct grammar Research 1.  Compose open-ended questions for research, assigned or personal interest, and modify questions as necessary during inquiry and investigation to narrow the focus or extend the investigation. 2. Identify appropriate sources and gather relevant information from multiple sources (e.g., school library catalogs, online databases, electronic resources and Internet-based resources). 3.  Determine the accuracy of sources and the credibility of the author by analyzing the sources’ validity (e.g., authority, accuracy, objectivity, publication date and coverage, etc.).
Assessment	Summative Abstracts: Students will have 2 abstracts due at the end of the block today.  They will need to print this off and hand them in.  They will be graded on the MLA documentation, separating and providing key facts from opinion, well thought summary and analysis of articles, and mechanics.
	Formative I will be checking on students throughout the block, helping them focus their writing and format their documentations.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students will be brainstorming ideas for the debate issues, so they will have a chance to work with something they either already have some knowledge of that they can access, or with something they are interested in or passionate about.  They are also likely to be working with current event and issues.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Early Release Day Opening: Explain what they’ll responsible for by the end of the block. Write abstract for 1 supporting article Write abstract for 2 opposing article Have MLA documentation for both these articles Activities: In the writing lab working on abstracts Closing: Collect 2 article abstracts
Resources	Mini-research assignment sheet Debate assignment sheet computers w/ internet access
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will continue researching articles regarding various gender issues in order to prepare for a mini-research paper and debate on their chosen topic.  They will be writing abstracts to gain information on their chosen topic.  This will lead them into writing an opinion statement and help them gain information for their debate.
Inclusive Instruction	Students will have chosen their possible debate issues, so they’ll be working with a topic that they at least have some passion for.  They will also be working in pairs, and so can bounce ideas off of their partner.

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Realtionships

Lesson Title Friday: Writing Mini-Research Paper & Prep for Debate

Purpose/Goals	Students will be preparing for the debates next week by finding articles to work with, writing abstracts, developing a reasoned opinion statement, and making notes to speak from.
Objectives	I can: Anticipate and address a reader’s potential biases, misunderstandings and expectations. Make my position/opinion clear in my writing using specific details/evidence
National and Ohio Standards	Writing Process 4.  Determine a purpose and audience and plan strategies (e.g., adapting formality of style, including explanations or definitions as appropriate to audience needs) to address purpose and audience. 5.  Use organizational strategies (e.g., notes and outlines) to plan writing. 6.  Organize writing to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging introduction, body and conclusion and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing. 10.  Use available technology to compose text. 12.  Add and delete examples and details to better elaborate on a stated central idea, to develop more precise analysis or persuasive argument or to enhance plot, setting and character in narrative texts. 16.  Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist and feedback) to judge the quality of writing. Writing Applications 2. Write responses to literature that: a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective; b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; 4.  Write informational essays or reports, including research, that: a. develop a controlling idea that conveys a perspective on the subject; b. create an organizing structure appropriate to purpose, audience and context; c. include information on all relevant perspectives, considering the validity and reliability of primary and secondary sources; d. make distinctions about the relative value and significance of specific data, facts and ideas; e. anticipate and address a reader’s potential biases, misunderstandings and expectations; and f. provide a sense of closure to the writing. Writing Conventions 1. Use correct spelling conventions. 2. Use correct capitalization and punctuation 3. Use correct grammar Research 1.  Compose open-ended questions for research, assigned or personal interest, and modify questions as necessary during inquiry and investigation to narrow the focus or extend the investigation. 2. Identify appropriate sources and gather relevant information from multiple sources (e.g., school library catalogs, online databases, electronic resources and Internet-based resources). 3.  Determine the accuracy of sources and the credibility of the author by analyzing the sources’ validity (e.g., authority, accuracy, objectivity, publication date and coverage, etc.). 4.  Analyze the complexities and discrepancies in information and systematically organize relevant information to support central ideas, concepts and themes. 5.  Integrate quotations and citations into written text to maintain a flow of ideas.
Assessment	Summative Reasoned Opinion Statement: Students will have a reasoned opinion statement due at the end of the block today.  They will need to print this off and hand it in.  They will be graded on the separating and providing key facts from opinion, how convincing their argument is, how interesting/original their report is, and mechanics.
	Formative I will be checking on students throughout the block, helping them focus their writing and develop convincing arguments. I will also be available to students to help them develop their argumentative statements for the debate and prepare their notes and questions.
Community Knowledge and Experience	Students will be brainstorming ideas for the debate issues, so they will have a chance to work with something they either already have some knowledge of that they can access, or with something they are interested in or passionate about.  They are also likely to be working with current event and issues.
Procedures including: • Opening • Activities • Closure	Opening: Tell students that we’ll be in the lab the first half of the block, and in the library for the second half of the block. Explain what they’ll responsible for by the end of the block. Reasoned opinion Notes for debate SSR Notes for the debate (each person must have) Prepared 2-3 minute argument (different from your partner’s) At least 5 Crossfire questions written down (different from your partner’s) Briefly explain Debate format (we’ll go over this in more detail on Monday) Assign Debate Days:  notes for the debate are due the day you are debating. Activities: In the writing lab 1&3, working on the reasoned opinion statement In the library 2&4, finishing reasoned opinion statement and preparing for the debate. SSR if finished with other work. Closing: Collect reasoned opinion statement
Resources	Mini-research assignment sheet Debate assignment sheet Debate schedule independent reading books Ms. Hamrick’s presentation materials computers w/ internet access notecards paper/pencil
Applications, Connections, Extensions	Students will continue researching articles regarding various gender issues in order to prepare for a mini-research paper and debate on their chosen topic.  They will be writing abstracts to gain information on their chosen topic.  They will be writing an opinion statement and preparing notecards and questions for the debate.
Inclusive Instruction	Students will have chosen their possible debate issues, so they’ll be working with a topic that they at least have some passion for.  They will also be working in pairs, and so can bounce ideas off of their partner.

Week One Plans

Notes:

This week (March 15^th – 19^th) is my first week of taking over teaching.  I’m working with blocked Contemporary Literature classes period 1-4.  Because this week is OGT testing week it would not be a good week to observe me.  All periods are shortened and there is only class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for periods 1-4.

Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: Women, Men, and Relationships Grade Levels: 11/12

Subject/Topic Areas: Contemporary Literature

Key Words: gender, stereotypes, relationships, research, debate,

Designed by: Jan Krueger Time Frame: 3/8/2010- 4/1/2010

School District: Westerville School: Westerville Central High School

Brief Summary of Unit (including curricular context and unit goals):

This unit follows the unit on identity.  Students have learned about the process of coming into themselves, and will now move onto learning about what happens when two people come together.  After this unit students will move into the Peace and War unit, which is what happens when society forms relationships.  The focus of this unit is gender, gender stereotypes, relationships and how those things are evidenced in literature and society.  Within this unit they will read from various short stories and articles, as well as from a novel of their own choosing in book groups.  The unit will culminate with a mini-research project and debate on gender issues today.   I’m expecting students to have their worldview challenged during this unit.  We’ll be discussing how gender stereotypes through history have influenced the gender stereotypes of today, and how those stereotypes affect the relationships between women and men.

Enduring Understandings:

Questioning is at the heart of all learning.

Literature conveys the depth of human experience, reflecting diverse cultures and common heritage.

Essential Questions:

When questing for information, who or what determines the accuracy, validity and reliability of that information?

How does understanding our differences give a greater understanding and appreciation of the commonalities of the human experience?

Student Teaching Week 1: 3/15/19

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationships

Lesson Title “Self-Assessment” & “Does Appearance Matter in Gender?”

Purpose/Goals

In this lesson students will self-edit and assess their own writing.  This will help them to understand what parts of their paper are present and well developed.  This will help them to learn what is valuable and important in a writing assignment.

For the reading, students will be accessing their knowledge about stereotypes of men and women in order to begin to apply their knowledge to a reading in order to make interpretations and examine the differing viewpoints that men and women have.

Objectives

I can:

• • Identify the different parts of my paper.
• • Apply what I’ve learned so far to a text, and allow that knowledge to affect my interpretation of the text.
• • Examine an idea or concept from multiple viewpoints.
• • Examine an author’s beliefs on a subject.

National and Ohio Standards

Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies

1. Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions.

2. Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media.

Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text

2. Analyze and critique organizational patterns and techniques including repetition of ideas, appeals to authority, reason and emotion, syntax and word choice that authors use to accomplish their purpose and reach their intended audience.

5. Examine an author’s implicit and explicit philosophical assumptions and beliefs about a subject.

Reading Applications: Literary Text

4. Evaluate an author’s use of point of view in a literary text.

8. Evaluate ways authors develop point of view and style to achieve specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes (e.g., through use of figurative language irony, tone, diction, imagery, symbolism and sounds of language), citing specific examples from text to support analysis.

Writing Processes

6. Organize writing to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging introduction, body and conclusion and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing.

8. Use paragraph form in writing, including topic sentences that arrange paragraphs in a logical sequence, using effective transitions and closing sentences and maintaining coherence across the whole through the use of parallel structures.

11. Reread and analyze clarity of writing, consistency of point of view and effectiveness of organizational structure.

16. Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist and feedback) to judge the quality of writing.

Writing Applications

6. Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes.

Assessment

Summative

Self-Assessed Highlighted Paper:

Students will be assessed on the thought and time they put into the assignment, as well as any constructive changes they make to their paper.

Formative

“Ugly Truth About Beauty”

Students will be writing down stereotypes they observed in Tootsie.  This will measure how much they remember about the stereotype discussion form the first day of the unit, as well as refresh their memory about what happened the week before to prepare for the reading and discussion for today.

Community Knowledge and Experience

Students will be drawing on their knowledge of stereotypes that they observe in school, their community, and society at large in order to build a basis for thinking about the texts that they’re reading.

Procedures

Self-Assess Highlighting:

1. 1. Show example of highlighted essay and explain what students will be doing, and what the different colors mean.
2. 2. Hand out papers, assignment sheet, and highlighters.
3. 3. Instruct students that if they find they’re missing something they’re supposed to be highlighting, to write it directly into their paper.
4. 4. Turn paper back into the tray when done highlighting and commenting.

The Ugly Truth about Beauty:

1. 1. Quick write on what stereotypes students witnessed in Tootsie, specifically regarding appearance.  Ask a few students to share what they’ve written.
2. 2. Pass out and read aloud “The Truth About Beauty.”  Stop occasionally to prompt for questions or discussion.
3. 3. Have a discussion comparing characters from Tootsie to the ideas expressed in “The Truth About Beauty.”

Closing Reminders:

1. 1. Tootsie Journal due on Wednesday
2. 2. Book Journal 2 due on Wednesday; remember to bring your book for Book Group.

Resources

• • Highlighters

• • Copies of highlighting assignment
• • Projector to show sample of highlighted essay
• • Copies of the reading

Applications, Connections, Extensions

Students will continue to build knowledge about stereotyping in order to be able to challenge the accepted assumptions regarding gender and relationships.  This will lead to a debate about an issue of their choice at the end of the unit.

Inclusive Instruction

The highlighting self-assessment assignment allows for students to use their visual strengths to make more sense of their writing.

Students with any level of knowledge will be able to interpret the text in their way and bring their knowledge to the class discussion.  Varying stereotyping across cultures will add an interesting and valuable aspect to the discussion.

Student Teaching Week 1: 3/17/19

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationships

Lesson Title Book Group and “ The Story of and Hour”

Purpose/Goals

Students will be continuing discussing their novel in their book groups.  The groups are in place to give students an additional source and perspective to learn more about gender and relationships.  The group format allows students to engage in small discussion and bounce ideas off each other.

Objectives

I can:

• • Pose and respond thoughtfully to higher-level questions.
• • Use specific examples to support my opinion.

National and Ohio Standards

Acquisition of Vocabulary

1. Recognize and identify how authors clarify meanings of words through context and use definition, restatement, example, comparison, contrast and cause and effect to advance word study.

5. Determine the meanings and pronunciations of unknown words by using dictionaries, thesauruses, glossaries, technology and textual features, such as definitional footnotes or sidebars.

Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies

1. Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions.

2. Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media.

3. Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back, note taking or summarizing what has been read so far in text.

4. Use criteria to choose independent reading materials (e.g., personal interest, knowledge of authors and genres or recommendations from others).

5. Independently read books for various purposes (e.g., for enjoyment, for literary experience, to gain information or to perform a task).

Reading Applications: Literary Text

1. Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters’ thoughts, words and actions.

2. Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting.

3. Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility.

Writing Processes

6. Organize writing to create a coherent whole with an effective and engaging introduction, body and conclusion and a closing sentence that summarizes, extends or elaborates on points or ideas in the writing.

8. Use paragraph form in writing, including topic sentences that arrange paragraphs in a logical sequence, using effective transitions and closing sentences and maintaining coherence across the whole through the use of parallel structures.

16. Apply tools (e.g., rubric, checklist and feedback) to judge the quality of writing.

Writing Applications

2. Write responses to literature that:

a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective;

b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors;

6. Produce informal writings (e.g., journals, notes and poems) for various purposes.

Assessment

Summative

Journal #2 and Write Chat:

These both function as a running record of students’ thoughts about the book they’re reading, and their ability to compose and prepare their thoughts ahead of time, and respond thoughtfully using what they’re prepared.

Formative

“Story of an Hour” Quick Write:

This will just count as a class work completion grade.  Their writing will give me a chance to see how they are making connections between the historical stereotypes and current issues in relationships.

Community Knowledge and Experience

Students will be bringing in their own knowledge of the book they’re reading along with their interests and interpretations of the text.  They will be given the opportunity to pose their own questions in order to engage in the text.

When reading “The Story of an Hour” students will be able to draw any knowledge from history that they have.  They will also be able to contribute based on their knowledge of relationships between husband and wife in general.

Procedures

Opening Reminders:

1. 1. Turn Tootsie journal into the tray.
2. 2. Take out second book journal.  If it’s not complete, students will be spending the group meeting time reading up to the required point in the book and writing their journal.  They can’t take part in the group discussions unless they’ve read and journals.  If there’s only one student available for the group meeting, they will complete the write chat on their own with the questions they developed.

Book Group Meeting:

1. 1. Have students get into their book groups and have someone get the groups’ book log folder.  I’ll be coming around to check to be sure everyone has his or her journal.
2. 2. Students will be engaging in a Write Chat to discuss the section of the book they read and wrote a journal on for this meeting.  Students will take turns posing the discussion questions they prepared in their journals, and then responding on the write chat sheet with thoughts and responses, using their journal and prepared passage for examples and support.
3. 3. Following the Write Chat student will fill out the log sheet and put all the materials back into their Book Group Folder.

Story of an Hour:

1. 1. Ask students if they know any background about husband & wife relationships in the late 1800s. If they don’t, I’ll fill them in to prep for reading the story.
2. 2. Have students get textbooks off the shelves and turn to page 358.  “The Story of an Hour.”  Read the story out loud as a class, stopping occasionally to check for understanding.
3. 3. Discussion:

• • Did Louise Mallard love her husband?
• • Do you think Chopin is blaming men, or women, or both for what is wrong with marriage?
• • Why did Louise Mallard die?

1. 4. Have students write 5-10 sentences explaining what they think would happen if this story were set in today’s time.

Closing Reminders:

1. 1. Bring books to class on Friday, because there will be some SSR time.
2. 2. Turn in quick-write response to “The Story of an Hour.”

Resources

• • Book log folder
• • Textbooks
• • Paper/pencil

Applications, Connections, Extensions

Students will continue to build knowledge about stereotyping in order to be able to challenge the accepted assumptions regarding gender and relationships.  This will lead to a debate about an issue of their choice at the end of the unit.

Inclusive Instruction

Student will be discussing a book that they chose to read with their group.  This makes it more likely that they will be engaged with their own interests.

Student Teaching Week 1: 3/19/19

Subject Area Contemporary Literature

Title of unit (of which this lesson is a part) Women, Men, and Relationships

Lesson Title SSR & “I Want a Wife”

Purpose/Goals

Both periods will have SSR time to prepare for their book group meeting next week.  Due to OGT, periods 3&4 will be cut short.  Period 1&2 will be reading “I Want a Wife” from the text in order to have another source to draw knowledge from during their additional time.

Objectives

I can:

• • Use appropriate comprehension strategies when reading.

National and Ohio Standards

Writing Processes

1. Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from

printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas.

Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies

3. Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back, note taking or summarizing what has been read so far in text.

4. Use criteria to choose independent reading materials (e.g., personal interest, knowledge of authors and genres or recommendations from others).

5. Independently read books for various purposes (e.g., for enjoyment, for literary experience, to gain information or to perform a task).

Assessment

Formative

SSR:

Students will be reading silently.  This is to give them time in class to prepare for their book journal groups.  Allowing the time for SSR give students a better opportunity to get the reading done.

“I Want a Wife” Quick Write:

This will just count as a class work completion grade.  Their writing will give me a chance to see how they are applying the stereotypes we’ve been learning about to different types of writing and thinking.

Community Knowledge and Experience

Students will be bringing in their own knowledge of the book they’re reading along with their interests and interpretations of the text.  They will be given the opportunity to pose their own questions in order to engage in the text.

Procedures

“I Want a Wife”:

1. 1. Have students get textbooks off the shelves and turn to page 569, “I Want a Wife.” Read the essay out loud as a class.
2. 2. Discussion:

• • • What’s the purpose of the essay?
  • • Why write about wanting a wife?  Why not just write about what she has to put up with being a wife?

1. • 3. Quick-Write: students brainstorm as a class some type of person that they would like to have (school appropriate please).  They can then individually come up with 5 to 10 reasons why they would find that person valuable.

SSR:

1. 1. 1. Students will either be reading their novel for their book group silently, or be writing the journal for their next group meeting

Resources

• • • Book for SSR

• • • Textbooks
  • • Paper/Pencil

Applications, Connections, Extensions

Students will continue to build knowledge about stereotyping in order to be able to challenge the accepted assumptions regarding gender and relationships.  This will lead to a debate about an issue of their choice at the end of the unit.

Inclusive Instruction

Students will be able to read and work at their own pace for their independent reading book.  During the class discussion students will be brainstorming ideas together.  They will then be able to choose an idea that they like and elaborate on it on their own, in their own way.

Case Study of Readers

This case study will be taking the format of journal entries about students’ school work and school readings as though they were written by the readers I observed and interviewed.  Their personalities and reading habits will come out through the entries based on how they respond and how thorough their response is.  I’ve taken some liberties with subject matter of the response to reflect what students said and what they really liked and disliked about reading.  The students I interviewed were freshman t Central Crossing High School, a low-achieving urban school in the Southwestern City School District.

Journal One:

I don’t get this stupid story.  I don’t know why we have to write about.  It’s not like I’m ever going to use this again.  I mean, for reals, who reads plays in their free time?  Isn’t that what movies are for.  Movies are great.  Especially when they’re for a book you’re supposed to read for class, but you can just watch the movie instead.  But this play we’re reading, The Miracle Worker, who cares?  Why is the story of Helen Keller even part of this class? Isn’t she dead, so why do we have to read about her?  Or if we have to know this story, and it is a play, then why don’t we just watch the movie?

I hate reading out loud in class.  And I hate listening to other people read out loud in class.  When George stutters his way through a sentence, how am I supposed to understand anything?  I wish we’d just watch the movie for this story.  Or if Mrs. B is going to make us read it, she should just read it to us.  At least then we wouldn’t have to listen to everyone else mess up every other word when they read.

Journal Two:

This story is kind of interesting.  I don’t think I’d read it out of class though.  It’s too hard to understand.  Miss B explains it too us though when we read.  But she makes us read out loud.  I don’t like that.  But the story is okay when she tells us what is going on.

Journal Three:

I’ve been reading the Percy Jackson series lately, and it’s so good.  I still want to go see the movie, but it won’t be as good as the book.  Movies are never as good as the book.  They get the characters all wrong, and always mess up the story line and the way it’s supposed to go.  I like seeing how other people see the book, but sometimes I wish they’d never make books into movies because of how much they ruin it.  I hope some of my friends will go with me to see it so we can talk about it and talk about how the book was better.  I like seeing how they change the story to fit in a movie format and always wonder why they leave some stuff in, but cut huge chunks of the story out.

I don’t know what I’m going to read next after I finish this last book in the series.  Maybe Mrs. B will be able to give me some ideas.  She normally has pretty good ones, but sometimes she wants me to read these dry, boring, classic books.  I normally give up on those after a few hours trying and just falling asleep.  I need action, and adventure, and maybe a little bit of magic in my books.  I want to be a hero like those characters, not some kid with a whole bunch of problems like some of the books Mrs. B recommends.  When I go to the library sometimes the librarians there have some good suggestions.  I like their better a lot of times because they’re not wanting me to read a book for school, but wanting me to read a book that they think is good.  Maybe I’ll join one of the book clubs there this summer.

Journal Four:

I’ve been having a hard time in my science class with all the reading Mr. H has got us doing.  I feel like I’m highlighting everything.  How am I supposed to know what’s important.  I wish he’d give us an outline or guided notes or something.  Then at least I’d know what was going to be on the test.  The worksheets he gives us to do in class are nothing but busy work because he’s too lazy to actually teach us anything.  Just wants us to read from the book and find the answers in there.

Journal Five:

We’ve been reading Animal Farm in class and at first I thought it was real boring and weird.  I was like, why are all these animals talking? And how do the humans even understand them?  Something like this book could never happen.  But then Mrs. F started teaching us about the Russian Revolution and I was like, whoa!  They’re telling like the same story.  And then Mrs. B started telling us about illusions or something like that.  It means when a story talks about another story in the story.  Anyways, she told us about that and I was like so Animal Farm is an illusion to the Russian Revolution and Communism and stuff.

And then, after we read the book we got to do this really cool project.  We each were part of an animal group and got use propaganda and bribes and stuff to get the other animal groups to vote for us.  We made posters and came up with slogans and stuff and we got to work for two whole days convincing all the other groups that we were the best.  I was in the pig group and we brought in bacon to give to people if they promised to vote for us.  Everybody loves bacon, so I think we’ll do good.  We find out who wins tomorrow.  I love it when Mrs. B and Mrs. F let us do hands-on projects like this.  I understand and like it so much better when we don’t just have to sit in our desks and listen, or fall asleep, while they talk at us.

Journal Six:

All this analytical stuff we have to do when we read in class is ridiculous.  No one does that when they read.  I don’t.  I just read.  I like reading sci-fi and fantasy series because I get sucked in and it’s like I’m there with the characters.  I like that.  My sister reads a lot of romancey books, like Twilight, and she doesn’t analyze them.  I mean, not that you could with girly books like that, since they’re so dumb, but even if you could, who would do that? If I’m going to read, I just want to read.

Critique and Analysis of Curriculum Materials

Jan Krueger & Lori Urbas

Critique and Analysis of

Literature and Society: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Nonfiction

By Pamela J Annas and Robert C Rosen

Published by Pearson Prentice Hall (2007)

Recommended for college prep courses in high school

Can be purchased from sellers through Amazon.com

Summary of Materials

For our critique and analysis we’ve chosen to use Literature and Society, though we were only able to acquire the student edition of the book, and did not have access to the teacher edition.  This textbook is organized in five themes: Growing Up and Growing Older, Women and Men, Money and Work, Peace and War, and Varieties of protest.  These five major social issues or themes have selections from a variety of different genres (stories, poems, plays, and creative nonfiction).  There is also an alternate table of contents that is organized by genre, in case a teacher chose to organize her class by genre rather than by theme.

Each theme begins with a short synopsis of what the chapter will be about and essential question to think about while readings selections form the themed chapter.  The content of the textbook is arranged so that each selection of text has a brief biography of the author followed by the text, whether it is a poem, short story, novel, play, graphic novel, or non-fiction piece.  After the text there is a list of study and discussion questions, suggestions for further writing, and critical resources.  There are also short chapters on writing and reading specific genres.

Literature and Society is geared towards juniors and seniors and high school, but this textbook could be used for high-level freshman or as an introductory text in a first year college composition class.  The textbook has been used in a contemporary literature class, and could also be used in a general humanities course, American literature class, or even as a base text for a writing class.

Reasons for Selecting Materials

We selected these materials specifically because they were used in our fall placement school, so we’re familiar with the content because we witnessed them being used in a classroom, and got to test out using them ourselves in the classroom.  We thought it was very interesting to find a textbook organized by theme rather than by genre.  It allows students to more easily make connections between differing types of texts.

In critiquing the content of the textbook Literature and Society we hope to examine the versatility of the book.  We suspect that a teacher would be able to use this same textbook for a variety of classes.  Because there are varying themes, genres, and reading and writing skills the teacher could adapt any section of the textbook to use the selections provided to support student learning.  We also hope to discover the benefits of limitations of this textbook.  Because we both highly value student choice in our teaching, we will be examining how this textbook allows for multiple intelligences and varied learning styles.  The many genres and themes of this book should allow for students with diverse interests to find a selection that they both enjoy and can relate to.

We expect that through our examination of this textbook we will also gain an understanding of why the textbook is ordered the way it is, and the relationship between each section and the selections in it.  This includes trying to make sense of why the authors chose certain selections for each themed chapter.

Critique and Analysis

Teacher’s Perspective

Because we were not able to acquire a teacher addition of Literature and Society we will only be able to make educated guesses and assumptions about what the logic behind the organization of the textbook is.

Scope

Our particular target text includes a variety of language arts within each thematic chapter. Each thematic chapter contains four different sections: fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction. Within these categories, the text contains specific genres to exemplify the major themes within each chapter.  For example, the section on “Growing up and Growing Older” contains several short stories that focus on adolescents or young adults coming into adulthood through various experiences.

In order to aid students in better understanding the text the author’s have included a section of study questions to check for student comprehension after reading a particular text. These sections will assist students in further developing their reading skills and thinking deeper about the text.  Furthermore, there are writing activities at the end of each section to guide students in making a connection between reading literature and writing about literature in either a reflective or analytical manner.

Comprehensiveness

Unfortunately we were unable to get a teacher’s edition of this text; therefore we cannot discuss the range of ideas for teaching literature. However, the student copy includes supplementary resources at the end of each section and a Literature and Society webpage that can lead students and teachers in the direction of further reading. Ending each thematic chapter the text includes suggestions for final unit papers.

Flexibility

The preface of the text states that “though designed specifically for an introductory literature course, the book can easily be used in a writing course, for its five thematic sections and many suggestions for writing generate a wide range of formal and informal writing assignments; and its process oriented chapter, ‘Literature and the Writing Process,’ is detailed and thorough, even including a section on how to write essay exams” (p. xxix).

Support for Teacher Learning

On the Literature and Society webpage teachers can access a glossary of literary terms and learn about major schools of literary criticism. Teachers could use these materials to determine what would be the best manner in which to teach a certain selection or themed chapter as a whole.  While the materials are address to the students, the teacher can learn from these materials as well and scaffold their instruction in a student-centered manner.

Curricular Design Principles

The sequencing of this textbook is ordered by the concept of building bigger and bigger relationships in the world.  For example, the chapter “Growing Up and Growing Older” helps students to understand their relationship with themselves, or their self-identity.  As the chapters move on the relationships build to include interpersonal relationships between women and men, and how they interact in social situations, such as the workplace.  The idea of relationships continues to build when a group of people in relation to each other, a society, develops a relationship with another society.  This can lead to either war or peace.  After this interaction between societies people often push for a better world, leading to forms of protest crying out for equality.

Student’s Perspective

Appeal

We believe that students will find this textbook and its selections appealing because it begins with an examination of self.  That is appealing to them because it is easier to relate to than a large, overarching and complex subject, such as society.  The remainder of the textbook exposes students “to a wide and exciting variety of literature in a way that will consistently engage their interest and that will help them understand that literature is about the very things … that matter in their own lives.”

Appropriateness

It is appropriate material for the students in an upperclassman English Language Arts classroom because it not only contain canonical works, but also has selections from pop culture, and relevant and interesting non-canonical works that encourage high levels of thinking.  This is an appropriate textbook for college preparatory courses because it covers the themes and genres that will be required of freshman in college and provides writing opportunities that prompt an engaging literary analysis.

Variety

There are a variety of texts, authors, themes and activities provided in Literature and Society due to the way that the textbook is organized.  There are five thematic chapters and within each chapter there are at least four genres of text, including fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction.  Each genre has any where from five to twenty different selections by different authors.  At the end of each selection there are opportunities for a study and discussion as well as a variety of writing prompts about the text.  This structure is sure to expose students to a wide variety of literature.

Student Choice

Because every chapter has a variety of different texts and genres of texts, and each selection has about five different writing prompts, there is an opportunity for student choice in both reading and writing.  Depending on how the teacher chooses to organize the course and how much freedom s/he chooses to give the students in their learning will determine how much student choice there actually is.    The range of writing prompts allows students to develop their own ideas and interpretations using a range of integrated writing assignments.

Logical Sequencing

The textbook is logically ordered through growing relationships between individual and societies.  The prompts for writing, however, don’t necessarily build on each other except for the final unit paper topics, which allow for the integration of multiple texts.

Conversational Topic and Design Principles

The discussion questions at the end of each selection of text provide opportunities for a compelling curricular conversation about culturally significant ideas and experiences.  They allow for students to reference their own lives in developing their understandings of the world around them.

Beginning

There are no beginning lesson in the student edition of the textbook; however the first chapter of the book introduces them to literature and writing process, which includes note-taking, exploratory writing, drafting, outlining, revising, editing, and other skills necessarily for introductory English classes.  Though this may not create any interest for the following units of study, it does provide students with essential tools for succeeding in the classroom.

Endings

At the end of each thematic chapter there are a selection of writing prompts that will give students the chance to integrate what they have learned throughout the chapter and discuss connections between multiple texts.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Overall, we think this Literature and Society is a well-organized textbook that offers the freedom for teachers to adapt it for a variety of classes.  Because it has both canonical and contemporary literature selections and is organized in a coherent, thematic fashion, we think both students and teachers would find this textbook to be a pleasure to use in the classroom.  We would suggest using it for upperclassmen in a high school setting to give them the tools they need to succeed in college level writing courses.  We cannot comment on how the materials for teachers could be improved upon because we did not have access to the teacher edition of the textbook.

Critique of Curriculum Materials Powerpoint

Teacher Inquiry Report

Context of the Project

School, Classroom Context, and Students’ Backgrounds

Central Crossing High School is part of the South Western City School District.  It opened in 2002, as the district continued to expand with an influx of immigrants.  At the freshman level, there are different levels of classes beginning with Sheltered classes specifically for ELL students, as well as Silver and Gold Dyad classes designating different ability groupings.  The school website states that the mission for their school “in partnership with the community, is to enable each learner to achieve excellence in a challenging, safe environment while promoting a sense of belonging and mutual respect for our diverse population.  Students will demonstrate proficiency in academic standards, including communication skills and technical knowledge, as the staff will work to advance life long learning for all students.”  This draws off of Dewey’s theories and makes sense due to the diverse population that they referenced.  The school averages around 1660 students in classes everyday, with 14% Black, 2.1% Asian, 5.5% Hispanic, 1.4% Multi-Racial, and 76.7% White.  They are diverse in other ways as well, with 35.5% being economically disadvantaged, 8.2% having limited English proficiency, 13.9% having disabilities (Central Crossing High School).

The classroom I am observing is a very different setup from the traditional classroom.  Dyad classes are arranged so that the teacher is actually instructing two classes at once, in a double classroom.  This means that there are two adjoining rooms that have an optional wall between them.  My mentor teacher and her team teacher, a social studies teacher, have opted to do nearly all their lessons jointly, meaning the wall is rarely, if ever, closed.  The arrangement of the desks is in rows, reflecting the teacher-centered orientation of the class.

The Silver Dyad inclusion class has an average reading level of about third grade, though it ranges from about first to eighth grade level readers.  I found through my survey that most of the students really do not like their English class, though in general they do see the use of taking English.  I have also found that they do not have much confidence in their reading, but do not know what they need to improve on (see Appendix A).   One of my mentor teacher’s goals is to, if not help the students enjoy reading, at least make it a task that is no longer so arduous.  One of the ways she works to accomplish this is by always doing all the reading for class out loud, this way students are not burdened with reading for homework that they would struggle to understand.  Something interesting that Heather has noticed is that her “stronger readers tend to not like writing, and [her] stronger writers really do not like to read” (Barnes).  One of the ways she encourages every one to read is through peer pressure.  When the class reads aloud students call on one another to read, and when called on, the student must read at least one sentence before calling on someone else.

The Silver Dyad class is an overview of different literary genres.  They have studied mythology, novels, short stories, and plays.  The reading focuses mainly on basic comprehension skills that will be required on the Ohio Graduation Test, as well as some deeper thinking analyses of texts.  The writing the class focuses on is also based on the OGT requirements.  They focus heavily on the five-paragraph essay, though they also do writing to learn activities, as well as fill out worksheets to aid comprehension and understanding (see Appendix C).

Your Role as Teacher in this Classroom

For my multi-day teaching lesson I taught “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, and had the classes focus on the term heritage and what it means in general, and what it means to them.  The first two days of the lesson we read the story aloud, and the teaching was presented mainly through a transmission mode of learning, with me asking recitation style comprehension questions intermittently throughout the reading.  I think I did this because I needed to be sure students understood the general plot and idea of the story before we could move into a discussion about the story.  The third day I acted as a facilitator for discussion, pushing students to deepen their understanding of heritage.  I was still more of a focal point in the classroom than I would have liked because the students were unfamiliar with the discussion format and so needed more direct support and scaffolding from me.

I did not have as good of a working relationship with these students as I would have liked.  I had a hard time remembering their names, and that was a huge obstacle to work with when trying to facilitate a discussion with reluctant students.  I was not as effective as I could have been in communicating the material to the students and creating a sense of urgency for them to learn it.  I also did not feel as though I had much in the way of power or agency with these students.  I think in part this was because I was treated as strictly an observer, rather than a teacher, so when I got up in front of the classroom, the students were already predisposed to disregard half of what I said.

This is a very different context than the one I experienced at Westerville Central High School in the autumn.  During that placement I had already developed a strong rapport with the students by working with them nearly every day, and so they worked well with me in my lesson.  They participated well with the short lectures, and then were excited about the writing assignment I gave them because it allowed them a lot of freedom to express their own opinion.  I think one of the issues with my students this quarter was that I did not know them well enough to choose content for my lesson that they could relate to.

Learning Goals – Plan Relations

For my lesson I taught “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, and had the classes focus on the term heritage and what it means in general, and what it means to them (see Appendix F).  The goals for my lesson were for students to develop an opinion on a text and be able to support that opinion with examples from the text.  I also wanted student to explore multiple perspectives when working through their opinion.

I began my multi-day teaching with an introductory activity about what the students’ names are, what they mean, and if they would change them.  We had a brief discussion around this introductory activity, leading into the concept of family names.  I then wrote the word ‘heritage’ on the board and as my pre-test, as students to write down what they thought heritage meant, or any guesses that they had about the meaning of it.  We then went on to read the story aloud.  My mentor-teacher has set up the class so that students do all reading for class in class and out loud.

As we read the story, I would stop the students occasionally to ask them questions about what they would read, or to clarify different points.  This was mostly done in a recitation format.  The first day I had the students do most of the reading, but the second day I decided to change my plans a little and I read the last part of the story out loud.  The students seemed to have a better comprehension of the story when I read aloud, versus when they read aloud.  On the second day, after having read the story I had time left over.  I had originally planned to engage students in a discussion, but changed my plans due to their inexperience having class discussions.  I instead had the class respond to a Dear Abby article regarding family heirlooms that related to the story.  We then talked about what they written as their response to this letter.

On the third and final day of my multi-day teaching I heavily scaffolded students into a class discussion around heritage and the different ways of valuing it.  I had students fill out a discussion web that forced them to examine both sides of an argument.  I used this graphic organizer as a way for students to gather their ideas together in a group before we moved into the discussion.  I was not sure how they would do speaking on the fly, so I gave them something they could fill out and reference in the discussion.  We then came together and used the points they came up with to support the side of the argument they agreed with, while I challenged them with points from the opposing side.

One of the big challenges I faced was discussion etiquette.  The students had never really participated in a class discussion before, and so they did not know how to act in a discussion setting.  They were talking about unrelated subjects while their peers were making contributions to the discussion.  This presented a challenge for me because the reason the discussion had worth was because it gave students a chance to hear multiple perspectives about an argument, but because the students were not respecting each other and listening to each other’s comments, then the purpose of the discussion was undermined.  There were a lot of good ideas that I could have built on had I not had to devote as much attention to classroom management and just struggling to hear the students myself.

Your Teaching and Your Students’ Learning

Description of How Your Teaching Unfolded

I began my multi-day teaching with an introductory activity about what the students’ names are, what they mean or where they came from, and if they would change them (see Appendix G).  We had a brief discussion around this introductory activity, leading into the concept of family names.  Students seemed quite willing to share, though their responses remained rather superficial. The idea was for them to do this activity with no inclination of how it would relate to the story, but in hindsight perhaps it would have been better to give them some background on that section of the story, and then had them write.

After this introductory activity I wrote the word ‘heritage’ on the board and as my pre-test, as students to write down what they thought heritage meant, or any guesses that they had about the meaning of it.  This was difficult for the students, as some did not even have a clue what it was.  I tried to give examples, but it was hard to do so without them latching onto my definition as the correct one.  We then went on to read the story “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker aloud.  My mentor-teacher had set up the class so that students did all reading for class in class and out loud.

As we read the story, I would stop the students occasionally to ask them questions about what they would read, or to clarify different points.  We engaged in some mini-discussion along the way.  These did not generally last long, but were useful in allowing students to explore the text.  I tried to focus my own speaking here on not guiding them towards a specific answer, but letting them develop their own meanings.  Most of the students did not seem used to this freedom, and were not sure how to respond.  The first day I had the students do most of the reading, but the second day I decided to change my plans a little and I read the last part of the story out loud.  The students seemed to have a better comprehension of the story when I read aloud, versus when they read aloud.

On the second day, after having read the story I had time left over.  I had originally planned to engage students in a discussion, but changed my plans due to their inexperience having class discussions.  I instead had the class respond to a Dear Abby article regarding family heirlooms that related to the story.  We then talked about what they written as their response to this letter (see Appendix G).  This discussion went really well, and the students got really into it, bringing in their own personal perspective.  They had a lot of great ideas, and I heard from students who do not speak up very often in class, giving me suggestions for how they would respond to this article.

On the third and final day of my multi-day teaching I heavily scaffolded students into a class discussion around heritage and the different ways of valuing it.  I had students fill out a discussion web that forced them to examine both sides of an argument.  I used this graphic organizer as a way for students to gather their ideas together in a group before we moved into the discussion.  I was not sure how they would do speaking on the fly, so I gave them something they could fill out and reference throughout the discussion.  The discussion web worked well, but there was some tension in the classroom at first when I had the student get into pairs, they did not want to work with only one other person, and then when the pairs formed groups of four, some pairs did not want to mix again.  The group mixing was an important aspect of the activity because it allowed the pairs to hear differing perspective and gain new insights into the text.  I tried to be firm with the groups about mixing into groups of four, but in some instances it was not worth the fight because they were doing the work, so I let them form bigger groups than I had originally planned.

We then came together for a whole class discussion and used the points they came up with to support the side of the argument they agreed with, while I challenged them with points from the opposing side.  This decision to challenge them on their points came as a result of the fact that there were only about 3 or 4 different points the class came up with and shared, so I threw those points back into the discussion, rephrasing them and asking students to refute them.  Often times, students had a good point to refute my argument on their discussion web (see Appendix G), and just had not shared it with the class.  This argumentative format allowed for more students to share what they had written and more viewpoints to be heard.  At the end of the discussion for my post-test, I again asked students what they thought heritage meant, and to tell me one new thing they would learned during the lesson (see Appendix F).

I think overall that this was an effective discussion as a beginning discussion with this group of students.  I think students got some good ideas from it, and learned at least that there are differing viewpoints, if not how to argue them quite yet.  When talking to students after my teaching they felt that they would learned something more about heritage, what it means, and the differing ways of appreciating it (see Appendix D).  They also said I did good job of making them feel like their opinion was beneficial to the class, and they felt safe sharing it.  One of the students mentioned that she was frustrated with the amount of talking happening in the room during the discussion.  Another student admitted that the story was boring, and that he slept through part of it, but enjoyed the discussion format (Students).

Analysis of the Video

I chose to use the whole class discussion section of my lesson for the video analysis session because it is a good sampling of how the all the mini discussions had a tendency to go.  There was great potential for students to explore their envisionment of the text, but due to the excessive amount of chattering I tried to push through the discussion because it seemed like a waste of time.  This was because the good ideas that were being voiced by the students were not being heard by their peers in the class, as so I tried to keep everyone as on task as possible, and as a result ended up short-changing the discussion (see Appendix H).

My teaching focused strongly on the assumption that multiple perspectives are useful.  I was trying to get students to consider how they might argue the other side of an argument.  This lesson, with more time, could easily have moved into a lesson on writing an argumentative paper, as students were learning to consider how someone might find fault with their argument.   I also tried to focus on putting questions at the center of the literary experience, but I found when I went back through my transcriptions, because I had given the students a question to begin with and had them focusing more on multiple perspectives, and how they could answer that question, they did not focus nearly as much on voicing their own questions about the text.  These are good examples of how I attempting to guide the discussion through a demonstration of Langer’s principles of envisionment (Langer 56-60)

The video analysis session with my peers was helpful in validating my own observations about my teaching.  Some helpful suggestions were provided, such as for the whole class discussion I may have found it more beneficial to put the students back in rows before discussing, rather than letting them stay in their groups.  This would have made it so there would no longer be any students who had their backs to me.  This problem of students not respecting each other or me with their talking could also have been mediated by outlining some guidelines before beginning the discussion.  This was something my peers pointed out to me that I had not even considered, but probably should have because I knew that the students were new to class discussions, and so would not already know what some guidelines should be.  Another improvement that I could make in regards to the talking that was suggested by my peers was to strive not to talk over students.  I am not sure how the discussion would have gone had I not talked over the students because the majority of them when talking were not discussing the assignment, rather their personal lives outside of school.  I suspect just standing at the front and waiting for the students to stop talking and pay attention would not have worked.  I think if I ad tried this strategy they would have been fine just continuing to talk amongst themselves.

One observation that both my peers and I made about my discussion was that I moved through it too quickly. There were instances where I could have asked students to elaborate on a point that they made, rather than moving onto the next group and asking for their opinion.  I am not sure how this would have played out because I had to do a lot of prompting to get the responses I did.  I am not sure students would have understood what I meant had I asked them to tell me more about their point.  I did a good job of taking in what my students were saying and responding accordingly to their points, as well as doing a good job staying on track with my lesson despite the distractions that my class was creating.

Analysis of Student Responses to Your Pre- and Post-Assessment

In order to make sense of and see patterns in my data, I conducted a series of analyses that began with looking at the differences in the responses in the pre- and post-tests that I gave (see Appendix B).  This test was just the one question asking students to tell me what they thought heritage meant.  For the pre-test I got a huge range of responses: some students already had a really good grasp of some of the meanings of heritage, and others simply had no idea, probably had never heard the word before I asked that question, and took a wild guess.

For the post-test I asked students to add or change one thing form their original definition of heritage, to show me what they had learned during the lessons.  I ended up having to disregard the responses form the first period class because I asked them to make the changes on their paper that I had handed back to them, and I only got back about 4 responses from the class of 30 students.  For the second period class I got many more responses back because I instead asked them to flip over the sheet they would already been working on and to write me a new definition for what they thought heritage meant, including any changes they thought they had from their previous definition.  I found that asking students to find a paper I had passed back early that class was one step to many for most of the students, and that they responded much better when I asked them to simply write on the piece of paper they already had in their hands.

Another method I used to analyze and make sense of my data was to examine the responses that students wrote down in their discussion webs.  I was specifically interested in seeing if students had nay points written in their discussion webs that had not been presented and discussed as a class.  I found that about half the students had additional responses that had not been shared with the class at large.  While this was disappointing in the sense that some students did not participate as much as they could have in the discussion by contributing some more viewpoints, it was also heartening in the sense that some students clearly were able to respond to the question without the support of the class.  The had ideas that differed from what the class talked about, and thus made some connections to the text on their own without my specific prompting.

A General Description of Findings

This report has been significant in helping me to identify where I am still struggling in my teaching and communication with students.  I have been able to focus, through my findings, on what areas need improvement because I have seen where students met or missed the mark on my expectations.  The purpose of my study becomes clearer and more significant when read in the light of other work (Langer; McCann et al.; Beach et al.)  I worked to facilitate an authentic discussion during out whole class discussion of the text.  Unfortunately the discussion fell a little short due to both the students lack of experience discussing, and my lack of experience facilitating a discussion by asking students to elaborate on the points that they were making.  I moved to quickly through the discussion and ended up cutting off what could have been an excellent authentic conversation about heritage.

My lesson centered around the concept of heritage: what it is, how to define it, and how to appreciate it.  I attempted to measure this in my pre- and post-tests when I asked students what heritage meant to them, and what they thought it was.  After my lesson students were better able to narrow down or augment their definition of heritage.  For example, Matt took ideas from the Dear Abby article and expanded his original definition to include the idea of inheritance.  Another student, Jessica, had originally described heritage by listing some of her family’s traditions, but then for the post-test narrowed her focus down to include the idea of inheritance (see Appendix G).

When I interviewed a sampling of the students about how they felt about my lesson, one of them said she felt like she learned more about what heritage means, and that there are “all different kinds of ways of valuing [it]” (Students).  I had hoped that they would get this out of the lesson.  I also hoped that would learn about valuing differing perspectives, as Langer mentions in his principles of envisionment, but in the interview the students did not explicitly mention that, though they did demonstrate it when filling out their discussion webs.  They did fairly well coming up with ideas for both sides of the question (see Appendix G).

Most of the students who completed both the pre- and post-test made some clarification or specification in their definition; however, there were many students, especially in the first period class, who did not complete the post-test.  I do not know if this was because they did not feel like completing the work, or if they did not know what to write down to expand or modify their definition.  Every group turned in a discussion and about three quarters of the class did not have anymore written down than what we had discussed in class, about a fourth of the class had a discussion with additional points that had not been brought up in class.  This shows that at least some were really giving thought to the multiple perspectives about appreciating heritage that are out there.

Reflection and Analysis

I think the most challenging thing about the two classes during my multi-day teach was the motivation.  It was hard to convince the students to do the work because they just were not interested and did not want to be at school.  I did not know them that well so I could not really cater to their interests, the best I can do is take what they gave me during a discussion, and run with it.

Getting the class to read and have on topic discussions was also difficult due to classroom management problems.  There were a lot of kids sleeping or with their heads down, and there were lots of side conversations going on.    My mentor teacher suggested that I start off class by warning the students that if they get too chatty, I may move them, or if they are sleeping that I may have them stand for the rest of the class.  It sounds like an excellent idea, but I do not know if I could follow through on those threats because I had never seen my mentor teacher follow through on any.  It is also hard to do much classroom management because I only know the names of a few students in the class.  I decided to use popsicle sticks with names on them for the second day of teaching to get students to participate, and that helped a little bit on that front.  My peers during the video analysis section suggested that when I have a discussion after doing group work to have the students arrange themselves back in their rows.  This way they would not have their backs to me and would be in the set-up they were used to for whole class time.

Another thing that I noticed while teaching was my level of comfort between first and second period.  I did not experience this last quarter during my multi-day teach because my mentor teacher last quarter only taught one of each class, so there was no opportunity to double up.  I found that after having done the lesson during first period, I was able to make some minor adjustments to what I was doing second period, and because I had already taught the lesson once, I was much more confident in my teaching during second period.  I asked slightly different questions, and asked the students to write down slightly different things between the two periods.

The students did seem to have a better grasp of the definition of heritage, what it meant to them, and the different ways of appreciating it after the lesson.  One of the student’s I interviewed after the lesson said she felt like she knew more about heritage now than she did before the lesson began (Students).  I also think the students learned about arguing an idea from both sides.  This was not something that I explicitly taught, but the further we moved into the discussion and the more I asked students to refute a point that I had made with appoint of their own, the more comfortable they got with the practice, and the quicker they were to argue with me and provide counter examples.

My mentor teacher thought I did fairly well with the lesson I had prepared, but that I need to know more about the students so that I can choose an adequate text for the class as a whole.  “Everyday Use” was a little long for the inclusion class, and I realized this after the first day of reading, but could not change my plans to incorporate a different text at that point due to school copy policies.  She also thought that I seemed a little uncomfortable during the lesson: I did not walk around much, and was hesitant to really get on students about not paying attention.  She also thought that I was really professional, prepared, and flexible when dealing with changing schedules due to the snow days (see Appendix I).

My cohort colleague noticed the same thing I did about my class being excessively chatty.  She thought I did well dealing with the noise level, and being firm about staying on track with my lesson and my expectations.  She noted that I could be explicit about instructions regarding group work than I was.  Mainly the issue revolved around the amount of extraneous chatter in the room (see Appendix K).

My university supervisor thought that my lesson went well overall.  She noted that I did well in providing a space for every student to have a voice and make connections to their own lives, but that I should think of strategies to actively engage students.  She thought I did good job picking an appropriate text for the students and grade level, as well as providing opportunities for students with multiple intelligences to excel, which is especially evidenced by some of the student work (see Appendix G).  I was also reflective in my teaching, and willing to make necessary changes between lessons (see Appendix J).

Implications of the Study

Given the opportunity to re-teach this lesson I would first have to better consider my students.  One of the main problems I found with my lesson was that the students had no interest in the story, and so discussion became difficult because students either did not pay attention during the reading of the story or could find almost no connections to their personal lives in the story.  If I were to teach a lesson again using this story and focusing on heritage, I would want to precede the unit with some knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement, and use that as a basis for discussing some of what happens in the story.

However, if I were to again teach a lesson focusing on multiple viewpoints, I would change the story I used all together.  One of the things my mentor teacher mentions in her evaluation was that “Everyday Use” was a little bit long for the inclusion class to be reading in that short amount of time (see Appendix I).  I need to work on remembering that not all students are at the expected reading level, and that event he reading level within the class varies.  Therefore, I need to work on overcoming the assumption that students should all be able to read and understand a text I am presenting, and find ways to better support them in their learning.  I would probably use a text such as “All of Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury instead.  It has the same opportunities for students to examine multiple viewpoints and debate various aspects of the story, but it is also short and at a lower reading level, which would probably cater more to the students in the class.  It also is a story about students, and presented in such a way that students would be able to better relate to it.

The students did seem to learn about heritage from my teaching, as is evidenced by their pre- and post-tests.  They also came up with many good points from both Dee’s and Maggie’s points of view regarding heritage and appreciating them, and thus were learning how to see an argument from multiple points of view.  One of the things that I found difficult about this lesson was what to do about absentee students.  Because we were reading the story aloud in class, and students are not required to reading at home, I did not know how to involve a student in discussion who had not read the story, or how to include them in the class beyond summarizing the story, or having them read silently while the rest of the class worked.

I found doing teacher inquiry in my classroom for this field experience to be a beneficial learning experience because I was able to carefully analyze where my teaching fell short, and where I succeeded in helping students to learn.  I was able to support and supplement my examination of my own teaching by analyzing it through the frameworks and lenses provided by Langer, McCann et al., and Beach et al.  This helped me not only to see where I need improvement, but ways in which I can focus and guide my improvement to better help and support students in their learning.

References

“Central Crossing High School.” Southwestern City Schools. 22 Sep 2008. Southwestern

City Schools, Web. 25 Feb 2010. <http://www.swcs.k12.oh.us/Schools/High

%20schools/central_crossing__high_school.htm>.

Barnes, Heather. Personal interview.  14 Jan. 2010.

Beach, Richard et. al., Teaching Literature to Adolescents. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates Inc., 2006.

Langer, Judith A., Envisioning Literature. Columbus University: Teachers College Press,

1995.

McCann, Thomas M., et. al., Talking in Class: Using Discussion to Enhance Teaching and

Learning. National Council of Teachers of English, 2006.

Students, MDT focal class.  Personal interview.  18 Feb. 2010.

Appendices

Appendix A: Student Survey

Appendix B: Pre- and Post-Test

Appendix C: Interview Questions for Mentor Teacher

Appendix D: Interview Questions for Case Study Students

Appendix E: Materials and Handouts

Appendix F: Lesson Plans for Multi-Day Teaching

Appendix G: Student Work Samples

Appendix H: Analytic Memo

Appendix I: Written Response from Mentor-Teacher

Appendix J: Written Response form University Supervisor

Appendix K: Written Response from Cohort Colleague

Domain C Exhibits: Teaching for Student Learning

When doing my multi-day teach in autumn one of the assignments I had my students complete was a parody of the article “How to be a Good Wife.”  I provided students with an exemplary example of student work from the previous year, in addition to providing them with a rubric that outlined the expectations.  This is in line with criterion C₁ because it helped to make learning goals clear to the students.

In my multi-day teach winter quarter I had students access some of their prior knowledge when I had them consider why a sibling who went off to college or to join the military would want to come home again.  Because I had helped them access their prior knowledge and experience, I was then able to help them apply that knowledge to the current aspect of learning.  This was in line with criterion C₂, helping to making content comprehensible to students.

Another way I worked to make content comprehensible to students was by varying my teaching strategies to appeal to a larger number of students.  One of the ways I did this winter quarter was by varying the format of my lessons, such as reading aloud, lecture, recitation, small group work, and whole class discussion.  I also appeal to students’ multiple intelligences by allowing them to write or draw their answers to some of my questions.

In autumn quarter I communicated to my students a sense of relevancy by showing them an example of a Twilight parody involving Buffy the Vampire Slayer in my multi-day teach.   I also used Smart Board technology as a way to reach students with varied learning styles.  This use of pop culture and technology allowed me to appeal to students in a variety of formats that they might be more familiar and responsive to than traditional lectures.  By bringing relevant content into the classroom I was working toward making the content more comprehensible to students.  This fits in with criterion C₂.

Making discussion both meaningful and authentic will help encourage students to extend their thinking, the requirement for criterion C₃.  One of the ways I did this in my winter quarter multi-day teach was during the Dear Abby response letter discussion.  Students were interested in the controversy that this article presented, and felt like the discussion was a low-risk environment.  In my interview with one of the students she said she “felt safe talking in class, and like no one would make fun of her for what [she] said.”  One of the ways I worked to make students feel safe was by having them work first in small, heterogeneous groups.  In the winter I had them mix partner sets before our whole class discussion in order to hear new ideas from their peers, and in the autumn I had student work in groups on the poetry strips project.  The group work allowed students to hear other ideas and engage with their peers in order to expand and extend their thinking.

In my multi-day teaching winter quarter I used a pre- and post-test to monitor students’ understandings of the content, as described in criterion C₄.  I was able to see how students’ understandings had changed over the course of the lesson, and was able to use the pre-test as a means of formative assessment in order to make minute changes to my plans in order to accommodate students.  I also used a discussion web to help scaffold my students into a whole class discussion format, which they were unfamiliar with.  Another aspect of criterion C₄ that I address in this lesson was adjusting learning activities as the situation demands.  I had originally planned to go into a brief discussion of the text the class was reading on the second day of the lesson, but decided that my students weren’t ready to do that yet, and so I make a quick decision to instead use a related Dear Abby article for them to write a response to.

Having students write a response to this Dear Abby article wouldn’t’ have happened if I hadn’t already had it planned as a possible back-up plan, which is one thing teachers can do to use instructional time effectively, meeting criterion C₅.  Because I had a good idea of what I needed to accomplish in my lesson, and had planned back-up options in case the students got done early or weren’t ready to move forward with the plan, I was able to be both prepared and effective in my teaching.

Sunny Side Up

From an email I’d saved:

Our attitudes determine our accomplishments. Recent emails about shared

studio spaces, male-female dynamics, creative progress etc., showed us those

who see the glass half empty and those who see it half full. Could it be, we

wondered, that the half-empty folks were destined to have emptier and

emptier glasses, while the half-full folks were bound to have fuller and

fuller ones?

Could there be truth in such a simple and timeworn concept?

Maybe it’s the time of year–dark days in the Northern Hemisphere (right now

our Down Under subscribers are generally upbeat). Anyway,  a lot of

negativity is out there. Okay, so maybe it’s tough being an artist, but

maybe we need to delude ourselves that it isn’t tough at all–like it’s a

joy, a privilege, an opportunity to enrich those around us, and a lot of fun

to boot.

Psychologists tell us we tend to believe what we say, especially when we

chant it over and over. It doesn’t seem to matter how unlikely the stuff is

either–actions following words is one of the hazards of speaking, writing

and thinking.

Here in the dark days of winter are a few words that might just keep your

sunny side up:

Have a decent ego; cultivate self-esteem and individualism.

Keep an open mind; there’s more than one way to do things.

Focus on your processes; that’s where the joy comes in.

Be kind; it never hurts to give to others, even praise.

Be innocent; have a childlike–not childish–approach.

Be thankful, even for the smallest of blessings.

Be a perpetual student–be curious and seeking.

Filter your priorities–and don’t suffer fools.

Be creative. It’s the highest form of life.

Honour and respect time; it’s the main gift.

Be optimistic; the opposite holds no charms.

Develop good habits–they will develop you.

Be thrifty–waste not, want not.

Work to please yourself.

Be hard to please.

PS:

“Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words.

Keep your words positive, because your words become your behaviours. Keep

your behaviours positive, because your behaviours become your habits. Keep

your habits positive, because your habits become your values. Keep your

values positive, because your values become your destiny.”

– Mahatma Gandhi