Ms. Johnson's 7th Grade Language Arts - Home



Characterization and Bullying in Crash, by Jerry SpinelliNovel Unit 7-1Grace A. Dunn Middle SchoolKyle TownsendThe College of New JerseyInternship IProfessor JaworskiTable of ContentsTitle1Table of Contents2Rationale3Visual Representation – Flowchart4Preparing the Learning Environment5Unit Goals and Essential Questions6Enduring Understandings6Essential Questions7NJCCCS State Standards8Lesson Plan10Content20Unit Culminating Activity — Short Story Assignment Explanation21Resources22Home/School/Community Connection — Letter to Parents24Appendices25Crash Anticipation Guide25Critical Thinking Questions — Chapters 1-427Critical Thinking Questions — Chapters 5-828Character Action Activity Worksheet29Charades Character Trait List30Bullying Exercise31Final Assessment: Short Story Assignment32Character Traits List35Teacher Reflection36III.Rationale/OverviewThis unit explores the beginning 8-12 chapters of the novel, Crash, by Jerry Spinelli. In addition to covering the novel in terms of basic reading, comprehension and literacy, it specifically explores the literary aspects of characterization through descriptive action, the ascription and context of character traits, and the social themes of bullying and “fitting in.” The literary device of characterization is explored to enhance students’ understanding of their own characterization and relate to their identity formation as adolescents. From the more technicaly perspective of cultivating literacy, characterization will be analyzed and interpreted to enhance students’ ability to effectively comprehend their reading and promote active reading, critical thinking and analysis of fictional prose. Drawing on students’ past experience with novels and characterization, this unit on Crash aims to add a level of depth to their understanding of characters by adding a social context to their exploration of how character actions reflect the qualities and attributes in people. While it may be idealistic to expect intense or intellectual discussion on social roles, the roles of bullying and how we characterize bullies in terms of the students’ own personal experience, it is the goal of the unit to at least broach the surface of such discussion. I think that this is especially important with 7th graders in particular, given that critical aspects of socialization and identity formation occur as puberty hits (Newman, Lohman, & Newman, 2007).The unit is at least initially limited in scope to characterization and the theme of bullying in terms of literary and social exploration, and to the first section of the book. Were I able to teach the students for a longer period of time, the further depth with which we explored the novel would probably allow for larger discussion about social roles. IV.Visual Representation – Flowchart20002546355V.Preparing the Learning EnvironmentFor the classroom sessions, I will arrange the desks into 5 clusters of 4, rather than the current set up of rows. In addition to assisting with the various small group and partner activities, this arrangement is more conducive to a general classroom affect of inclusion and community. I think this will help those students more aligned with Gardner’s conception of interpersonal intelligence. The daily do-now will often be a journal entry; the journal entries will be on the whiteboard to the far side of the room, to continue the practices of my cooperating teacher. Other than maintaining continuity, this consistent visual access to the prompt helps to encourage consistent work for the first activity of the class period. I also think it will help prevent hierarchies of classroom position; there is no longer a clear “front of the class”/”back of the class” division. VI.Unit Goals/Essential QuestionsEnduring UnderstandingsStudents will be able to apply an understanding of how experiences characterize their own livesStudents will be able to connect with the concept of how ordinary and extraordinary people and events lead individuals to self-knowledge and an understanding of their place in the worldStudents will see how people grow from their encounters with others, their successes and failures.Students will identify how themes develop over the course of a novelStudents will recognize patterns in character description or behavior that characterizeStudents will use language structure and context clues to identify the intended meaning of words and phrases as they are used in textStudents will employ anticipatory reading strategies to help them understand text. Students will compare, infer, synthesize, and make connections (text to text, text to world, text to self) to make the text personally relevant and usefulStudents will understand the social effects and causes of bullyingStudents will recognize when they or others are bulliedStudents will actively consider and understand why people bully each otherStudents will understand and associate how conflict can lead to change and characterization.Student will understand how a physical conflict can disrupt your way of life.Students will be able to develop problem–solving strategies to manage conflict and change.Students will be able to imaginatively support and create a unique original product in the form of creative and narrative writingVI.Unit Goals/Essential Questions ContinuedEssential QuestionsWhy do people bully others?Why is compassion important?What lessons have you learned from experience?Is it ever okay to pressure someone to do something?Is there such a thing as positive bullying?What is the best way to deal with a bully?How do I figure out a word I do not know?What do readers do when they do not understand everything in a text?Why do readers need to pay attention to a writer’s choice of words?How does a writer use words to characterize?How does a writer use character actions to characterize?How does a writer establish a theme in a novel?How do readers construct meaning from a text?How do good writers express themselves?How does process shape the writer’s product?How can a personal experience affect a person for the rest of their lives?What are the kinds of lessons people might learn from experience? What lessons have you learned from good and bad experiences?What lessons have you learned from bullying experiences?VI.Unit Goals/Essential Questions ContinuedNJCCCS Content Standards: Standard 3.1 (Reading) All students will understand and apply knowledge of sounds, letters and words in written English to become independent and fluent readers and will read a variety of materials and texts with fluency and comprehension.Strand: 3.1.7.C: Decoding and Word RecognitionCPI: 3.1.7.C.3. Continue to use structural analysis to decode new wordsStrand: 3.1.7.D Fluency CPI: 3.1.7.D.1. Read aloud in selected texts reflecting understanding of the text and engaging the listener.Strand: 3.1.7.E Reading StrategiesCPI: 3.1.7.E.1. Monitor reading for understanding by setting a purpose for reading making and adjusting predictions, asking essential questions, and relating new learning to background experiences.Strand: 3.1.7.F Vocabulary and ConceptCPI: 3.1.7.F.1. Develop an extended vocabulary through both listening and independent reading CPI: 3.1.7.F.2. Clarify word meanings through the use of a words definition, example, restatement or contrast.Strand: 3.1.7.G Comprehension Skills and Response to TextCPI: 3.1.7.G.5 Analyze ideas and recurring themes found in texts, such as bravery, loyalty, friendship, and lonelinessCPI: 3.1.7.G.7 Locate and analyze the elements of setting, characterization, and plot to construct understanding of how characters influence the progression and resolution of the plot.CPI: 3.1.7.G.9 Read critically by identifying, analyzing and applying knowledge of the theme, structure, style, and literary elements of fiction and providing support from the text as evidence of understandingCPI: 3.1.7.G.15 Interpret text ideas through journal writing, discussion, and enactmentVI.Unit Goals/Essential Questions ContinuedStandard: 3.2.7 (Writing) all students will write using clear, concise organized language that varies in content and for form for different audiences and purposes.Strand 3.2.7.A: Writing as a process prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, post writingCPI: 3.2.7.A.1 Write stories or scripts with well developed characters, setting, dialogue, clear conflict and resolution, and sufficient descriptive detailCPI: 3.2.7.A.2 Write multi-paragraph compositions that have clear topic development, logical organization, effective use of detail and variety in sentence structureCPI: 3.2.7.A.3 Generate and narrow topics by considering purpose, audience, and form with a variety of strategies, eg. Graphic organizers, brainstorming or technology assisted processes.CPI: 3.2.7.A.4 Revise and edit drafts by rereading for content and organization, usage, sentence construction, mechanics, and word choice. CPI: 3.2.7.A.7 Reflect on own writing, noting strengths and setting goals for improvement.Strand: 3.2.D.7 Writing forms, Audiences and PurposesCPI: 3.2.7.D.2 Apply knowledge and strategies for composing pieces in a variety of genres, narrative, expository, persuasive, poetic, and everyday workplace or technical writing.CPI: 3.2.7.D.3 Write responses to literature and develop insights into interpretations by connecting to personal experiences and referring to textual informationCPI: 3.2.7.D.5 Use narrative and descriptive writing techniques that show compositionalrisks dialogue, literary devices, sensory words and phrases, background information, thoughts and feelings of characters comparison and contrast of characters VII.Lesson PlansLesson 1: Introduction to UnitRationale: This lesson will set up the theme of bullying and prepare the students for beginning the novel, Crash. By introducing the theme of bullying first through a writing exercise and classroom discussion about students’ own experiences with bullying, critical analysis and interpretation of text-to-self and text-to-world connections will be facilitated. Student Objectives: Students will be able to identify and analyze instances of bullying in their own lives by writing a journal entry on the subject and sharing that experience with the class. Students will be able to anticipate the content and themes of the novel Crash by previewing the cover of the novel itself and completing an anticipation guide for the novelStudents will be able to comprehend and recall the actions of a bully as described orally by another student by participating in a classroom activityStudents will be able to analyze the actions of a bully and generate appropriate character traits to describe that bully by participating in a classroom activity. Materials:Students will need a writing utensil and their daily writing journal. The teacher will provide Anticipation Guide worksheets (Appendix A) and copies of the novel, Crash if necessary.Procedure:Do Now: Students will write in their daily writing journals an answer to the following two questions, which will be written on the board: “Think of a time you were bullied or when you bullied someone else. What happened? Why?” Discussion: The teacher will lead a discussion about the journal entriesThe teacher will ask for volunteers to share their journal entriesThe teacher will ask students to listen carefully to the actions performed by each bully in the shared journal entriesAfter a few students have shared, the teacher will engage the class in an exercise For 3 students’ contributions:Once a student describes another bully, the teacher will write the bully’s name or initials on the board, and then ask the student to clarify exactly what mean-spirited actions the bully performed. VII.Lesson Plans ContinuedThe teacher will write those actions on the board next to the bully’s name, and ask another student to characterize that bullyThe teacher will ask a follow-up question to that student about how they are able to characterize that person from the description of their performed actionThe teacher will then ask this next question to the class as a whole: is that information biased? How?Anticipatory Reading Activity: The teacher will introduce Crash:The teacher will display the cover of the bookThe teacher will ask the students as a class what they think the book has to do with bullyingThe teacher will then distribute the Crash Anticipation Guide worksheet (Appendix A)to the studentsThe teacher will read each question in the anticipation guide aloud to students and explain that answers to each question need to be at least 3 complete sentences, to be turned in for a grade, after the questions are openly discussed as a class.The students will discuss their answers to the questions as a classFlex Activity (if time available): students will begin work on filling out the anticipation guide with their answers. Homework Explanation: Teacher will explain homework, which is for students to complete the Crash Anticipation Guide worksheet (Appendix A) questions 1-4 if not completed in class. Students are also to complete the “Predicted Meaning” column in the vocabulary portion of their anticipation guide, predicting what they think each word means without help from the book or a dictionary. Modifications/Accommodations:Students with IEPs and 504s will be accommodated as specified. Personal journal entries on bullying experiences will help to accommodate those students predominately aligned with Gardner’s Intrapersonal intelligence. Having students read their journal entries aloud, and then having students respond orally to describe the depicted bully’s actions will help to accommodate auditory learners. Auditory learners will also be accommodated by the teacher reading each Crash Anticipation Guide question aloud. Writing the described actions and traits of bullies in the journal entry discussion on the board with help visual learners understand how to characterize through the analysis of actions. Assessment/Closure:The teacher will assess the listening and analysis skills of students participating in the bully description classroom activity. This participation in conjunction with the homework assignment will function as formative assessment of analysis and prediction skills. Homework:Students will complete the Crash Anticipation Guide worksheet, including vocabulary prediction for the next lesson. VII.Lesson Plans ContinuedLesson 2: Beginning ReadingRationale: This lesson will have students begin to actively read the novel, Crash, for the first time. The popcorn reading technique will be implemented to ensure participation and engagement with the text, and the guiding questions and anticipatory questions will be used to bolster analysis and active and critical thinking. Objectives:Students will be able to effectively read aloud by participating in a popcorn reading exercise.Students will be able to listen along to an oral reading by participating in a popcorn reading exercise.Students will be able to identify how characterization occurs through the descriptions of a character’s actions by responding to critical thinking questions posed by the teacher during reading. Students will be able to set purposes, make and adjust predictions, ask questions and use prior knowledge to make sure that they understand what is read by reacting to their anticipation guides as they read.Students will be able to read a novel appropriately, given character, tone and diction by reading aloud in a popcorn reading exercise.Students will be able to interpret the context of difficult vocabulary to predict a meaning for those words by participating in a vocabulary-in-context exercise. Materials:The teacher will provide copies of the novel, Crash, to distribute to students for the reading exercise, and a student list to keep track of the books that are leant out. The teacher will also need the list of Critical Thinking Questions (Appendix B) for chapters 1-4. Students will need their anticipation guides from the prior class and a writing utensil. VII.Lesson Plans ContinuedProcedure:Do now: students will write in their daily writing journals an answer to the following question, written on the board: “Think of 3 character traits you would use to describe yourself. Then describe, in detail, something you have done or do regularly that exhibits those traits.” The teacher will then lead a quick discussion on the journal entries about the actions described in the entries students share. Focus question to non-reading students: “Do you think those actions exhibit the trait that the student claimed they did?”Popcorn Reading Exercise: The teacher will distribute classroom copies of the novel, Crash, to the students, noting each student’s book number on the student list. The teacher will then explain the Popcorn Reading Exercise:Students will read the novel aloud to the class while sitting in their seats. Once they have read at least half a page, they will insert the name of a fellow student who has not yet read into the sentence they’re reading. Once a student is named this way, that student must continue reading from exactly the point in that sentence at which his or her name was said. The teacher will remind students that they must pay attention and keep up so that they can quickly read when their name is called.The teacher will explain that students who call someone else’s name before reading at least half a page must continue reading as instructed by the teacher.The teacher will instruct students to focus on character actions as the book is read, and write “Remember: keep an eye out for character actions!” on the boardThe teacher will begin the Popcorn Reading, stopping students as appropriate to discuss the Critical Thinking Questions (Appendix B). The teacher will stop the students at the end of chapter 4, on page 16.VII.Lesson Plans ContinuedVocabulary Exercise: The teacher will explain the vocabulary exercise:The teacher will explain how to identify a word using context.Students will take their Crash Anticipation Guide (Appendix A) worksheets and, working in groups of 4, re-read the first four chapters for the identified vocabulary words, and collectively agree on the meaning on the words based on their context in the story. Students will have 10 minutes to work on the exerciseOnce the students have completed the exercise, they will raise their hands as a group of 4 so the teacher can verify their workThe teacher will assign and explain the homework:Students are to use a dictionary or the internet to determine the actual definition of each vocabulary word, and fill out the last column in the Vocabulary chart in their Crash Anticipation Guide worksheets.Students are to answer the reflection question underneath the Vocabulary chartStudents are to write a short reflection in the margin next to Crash Anticipation Guide worksheet questions 1-3 commenting on how accurate their prediction was. The teacher will explain that the entire Anticipation Guide will be collected for a gradeModifications/Accommodations:Students with IEPs and 504s will be accommodated as specified. The group exercise will help accommodate students with a predominantly Interpersonal intelligence. The Popcorn Reading activity will help accommodate those students who are auditory learners by helping parse the text aloud. Instructing students both orally and visually to focus on character actions during the Popcorn Reading activity will help accommodate those visual learners among the students. Assessment/Closure:Other than reacting to student responses in the classroom discussion, the homework will serve as assessment of vocabulary analysis and interpretation of the novel. The teacher will informally assess the reading performance of the students who read during the Popcorn Reading activity. VII.Lesson Plans ContinuedHomework:Students will complete the rest of the Anticipation Guide and reflect on their pre-reading predictions, as well as assess their contextual understanding of the vocabulary words from this section of the novel.[Lessons 3 and 4 include continued popcorn reading of the novel, as well as a few other characterization activities, including use of a character traits list worksheet (Appendix H)]VII.Lesson Plans ContinuedLesson 5 – Characterization Reinforcement and DifferentiationRationale: This lesson reinforces characterization of the initial part of the novel to help solidify students’ understanding of how characterization occurs through described action. It also provides a fun activity for determining character traits through performed actions. Objectives:Students will be able to analyze the actions performed by other students in a game of Charades to identify character traits evinced by those actions through participating in the game.Students will be able to identify important actions in the novel, Crash, by noting them in a Character Action activityStudents will be able to characterize characters in the novel, Crash, by analyzing those specified actions to determine character traits in a Character Action activity. Materials:The teacher will provide individual students with the classroom copies of the novel, Crash, and copies of the Character Action activity worksheet. The teacher will provide grouped tables with a pair of lists of character traits for the Charades activity (Appendix E). Students will need a writing utensil, and their previously acquired character traits list (Appendix H). Procedure:Do now: students will write in their daily writing journals an answer to the following question, written on the board: “How do you find the novel Crash so far? What do you like about it? What do you dislike about it?”Journal Discussion: the teacher will ask students to share their journal entries and determine the overall consensus, if there is one, on how students feel about the novel. Focus question: “Is the protagonist a good or bad person? Is this typical of most novels?”VII.Lesson Plans ContinuedJot-Pair-Share Character Action Activity:The teacher will distribute the Character Action activity worksheet (Appendix D), and explain the activity:Students will go back through the first two sections of the book, and note at least 7 actions performed by either Crash or Penn Webb. Students will be assigned partners at this point, and each pair must decide who will choose Crash and who will choose Penn. If there is disagreement, the teacher will make the assignment based on an expedited rock-paper-scissors game, provided the students are disciplined enough not to cause a disruption from having to play this game. If they are, as the teacher will explain, the teacher will simply assign the two roles. The teacher will explain that the student must list those 7 actions in the left column of the worksheet.The teacher will also explain that the assignment will be collected at the end of the period for a grade per pair of students. After 10 minutes of working individually, the teacher will call time, and each student will switch papers with their partner. They will then use the character traits worksheet to identify 1-2 character traits for each action their partner had listed. After 3-5 minutes of identification, each pair will have 2 minutes to choose 2 actions and corresponding traits from each paper, Crash and Penn. They will present and explain their actions and chosen corresponding traits to the class. The teacher will collect the activity worksheets. Charades activity:The teacher will divide the class into two teams: tables 1, 2 and half of table 3, and tables 4, 5 and the other half of table 3. The teacher will distribute copies of the Charades Character Trait list (Appendix E) to each group and explain the activity:Students will volunteer in pairs from one team. The teacher will go over to the other team, and they will collectively decide on a trait from the Charades Character Trait list. The teacher will then take the two volunteer students aside, and quietly explain the trait that they must act out silently in front of the class. They will be given 1 minute to quietly decide together how to perform the trait. The pair must then act out their trait, and their team will have 3 guesses, looking at the chart, to determine the trait being exhibited. If they do not guess it in 3 guesses, it becomes the other team’s turn. If they do, they get a point. In either case, the trait is verified by the other team, and it is eliminated from the list. The first team to 5 points wins. VII.Lesson Plans ContinuedThe teacher will explain the homework: students will receive the Bullying Exercise worksheet to be completed for credit. Modifications/Accommodations:Students with IEPs and 504s will be accommodated as specified. The pair activity and the Charades activity will help to accommodate those students with predominantly Interpersonal intelligences. The Charades activity will help to accommodate kinesthetic learnersAssessments/Closure:The Character Action activity worksheet (Appendix D) will be collected and assessed for reading comprehension, analysis and interpretation of character actions in the novel. Homework:Students will complete the Bullying Exercise worksheet (Appendix F) to connect the novel’s theme of bullying to larger society and themselves. VIII.ContentCrashThe teacher must be familiar with the novel, Crash, and its characters’ development through a sequence of described actions. The teacher must also be familiar with characterization and themes as employed as literary devices in a novel. It is also important that the teacher is familiar with critical and institutional perspectives on bullying, including the critical importance of directly dealing with bullying in an attempt to prevent it:A strong correlation appears to exist between bullying other students during the school years and experiencing legal or criminal troubles as adults. Chronic bullies seem to continue their behaviors into adulthood, negatively influencing their ability to develop and maintain positive relationships. (Jordan, 2000)This isn’t limited to larger social perspectives and concerns on bullying, but extends to the particular rules, regulations, experiences, and regular occurrences of bullying in the teacher’s particular school and district. I would encourage a personal story of bullying as well. Furthermore, and understanding of the social motivations of bullying is necessary to facilitate effective discussion. There are a number of technical skills the teacher have a thorough understanding of as well; structure, style, and grammar are all incorporated into the final assessment. The teacher must be able to explain and understand how syntactic clues help determine the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary to assist with the anticipatory activity. The teacher must also be proficient and familiar with plot diagrams and their exposition of a story plot to facilitate the planning portion of the final assessment assignment. IX.Unit Culminating ActivityShort Story Assignment — Appendix GThe final assessment for this unit on Crash is a short story assignment. The students, after reading a good portion of the novel and working through their characterization activities, must choose 5 character traits that were generated on the Character Action activity worksheet (Appendix D). They will then plan out a short story using a plot diagram, which was the main topic of the unit prior to this one. The short story must tell about the events and experiences of either Crash or Penn Webb earlier in life that led them to be the way they are, and each of the 5 traits must be expressed via some action performed by the character. The traits must make sense according to the way the novel presents the two characters, but the students have freedom to decide how and when the actions will occur and what exactly those actions show about the particular traits chosen. The assessment occurs in several stages. First, the students work to complete their chosen traits and plot diagram to create a rough outline of their story during an in-class assignment. I will check the plan, notes and plot diagram, and sign off on the assignment sheet to approve of their plan. The students will then write a first draft that will be checked for a completion grade. Finally, after an in-class revising activity, the students will submit a final draft that will be assessed according to a rubric discussed with the class when the assignment is given and provided to the students. Students will be assessed on: completion of the plot diagram and having me sign off on it (5 points); the 5 traits chosen from the text being accurate and implemented (5 points); the draft complete and submitted before the final draft is started (10 points); correct grammar and spelling (10 points); sentence structure, word choice and style (5 points); creativity (5 points) and finally textual appropriateness to determine reading comprehension (5 points). Humor will be assessed as bonus points for each time the students make me laugh while reading their final draft. This assessment provides a robust opportunity for students to demonstrate understanding of how the performed actions of characters are indicative of their traits, as well as reinforcing the writing skills both mandated by the district and heavily engaged just prior to the unit itself. In addition to coherence across the marking period, the assignment requires students to invoke higher-level thinking skills, synthesizing prior actions and events that effectively and accurately characterize the key players in the novel. X.ResourcesCrash, by Jerry SpinelliBibliography(2003). Identifying character traits worksheet. Retrieved from , T. (2005). Readwritethink: lesson plan: action as character: exploring character traits with adjectives. Retrieved from , D. (2000). Parents' press: bullying. Retrieved from , B.M., Lohman, B.J., & Newman, P.R. (2007). Peer group membership and a sense of belonging: their relationship to adolescent behavior problems. Adolescence, 42(166), 241-263.X.Home/School/Community ConnectionThe following letter home is designed to further engage the theme of bullying with the student’s personal life and social self-conception. Dear Parent,J. is currently reading the novel Crash, by Jerry Spinelli, which explores the theme of bullying. J. has been given a bullying exercise to further consider how and why bullying occurs, and how it can be addressed. I encourage you to read the following website, which provides fantastic information about effective ways to discuss and deal with bullying: you would prefer a printed copy of this information, let me know! I would be more than happy to provide one for you. I strongly urge you to have a dialogue with J. about this, if for no more than simply to hear his perspective on the matter, and ask about what sorts of things we’ve discussed in class. If you have any questions about what we’ve discussed regarding bullying, feel free to email me at kylegtownsend@Thanks,Kyle Townsendkylegtownsend@LA instruction, 7-1XII.Appendix AName: ___________________________________ Date: _________Anticipation GuideCrash, by Jerry SpinelliDirections: Answer each of the 4 questions in complete sentences. Then fill in the predicted meaning for each vocabulary word with what you think the word might mean.“Crash” is both the title of the book and the name of the main character. What kind of person would have the name “Crash”? What kind of person would fit the name “Crash”?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The cover of the book has a picture of a baby with a mustache drawn in, thinking of a football player. What does this suggest about the book? What does this suggest about Crash? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________You know that a central theme of this book will be bullying. Do you think it is Crash that will be doing the bullying? If so, why do you think that? If not, why not? In either case, write about what evidence you have to support that thought.__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________What is the best way to deal with a bully?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Vocabulary!WordPredicted MeaningMeaning from ContextDictionary DefinitionGawked (p.2)Runt (p.2)Scrawny (p.3)Dinkiest (p.7)Bamboozled (p. 11)Reflection: AFTER you’ve determined the meaning from context, AND the dictionary definition, write 2-3 sentences describing how close or far away your Predicted Meaning and Meaning from Context were from the actual dictionary definition.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________XII.Appendix BCritical Thinking QuestionsCrash, by Jerry SpinelliChapters: 1-4 Pages: 1-16Page 4:What is Crash’s family likeWhat is Penn’s family like?Page 9:How does Crash treat Penn?Why do you think that he does that?Page 13:What is a Quaker?member of Friends Churchlong history of pacifismPage 14: The last sentence says, “I wanted to hate him, I wanted to stay mad, but I was having problems.” What was Crash having problems with and why?Page 16:What happens in Crash’s dream concerning the mailbox?Why do you think this happens? What does it mean?XII.Appendix CCritical Thinking QuestionsCrash, by Jerry SpinelliChapters: 5-8 Pages: 17-30Page 19-20:Crash says he “shook his head and went to the window. How pitiful could you get?” How does Crash react to Penn’s toys? What does this say about him? Page 23:What does Crash do after “thinking quick”?Why do you think that he does that?What does that say about him?Page 27:What does Crash do instead of watching the Phillies game?Why do you think he does this? What does this say about him?Page 28:The Webbs keep asking Crash over for dinner, but he always says no. Why do you think he does this?Page 30:Why does Crash get along so well with Mike Deluca? What does this say about how he treats Webb? What does this say about why people bully others? XII.Appendix DXII.Appendix ECharades: Character TraitsaffectionateafraidbossycleverclumsyconfidentembarrassedencouragingenergeticfrustratedimpatientluckymeanmessynaughtyrowdysillystrongstubborntiredweakXII.Appendix FName: _____________________________________________________ Date:_________________Bullying ExerciseDirections: Answer the following question in paragraph form. Be sure to give specific details and use information from the class discussion. Do you think it is accepted more in our society to "Put Down" others (looks, race, ethnic background, weight, etc.) than for sticking up for what you believe is right? Explain with examples, details, etc. Remember that Put Downs include comments, jokes, looks, prejudices, bullying, etc.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ReflectionAs to be expected, I learned an almost innumerable amount about the particular challenges and successes of my teaching. The most profound realizations were mostly related to classroom management, instructional techniques, and preparation, but there were other aspects of my perspective on teaching that were affected as well. While a few aspects of this unit were successful due to their planning alone, other ideas behind the unit had positive results thanks only to my instructional style, and furthermore, a number of ways in which there is substantial room for improvement. An overarching pattern I noticed as the unit progressed was the absolutely essential and fundamental importance of structure, discipline and consistency. I tend to take a sort of relaxed approach to classroom management, whether administration of assignments or behavior control, and it is clear that I will have to be far more structured than I currently am. Using different parts of the Anticipation Guide separately was not very successful, for example, as middle schoolers lack the discipline to consistently manage and hold on to the guide. While some discussions flowed fairly fluidly—particularly with our class’ initial discussion on personal experiences with bullying—others were far too unstructured and unfocused. In my less than rigorous approach to material, I found that there is a fairly consistent structure to presenting a topic and exploring it: introduce material, explain it thoroughly, model the desired result, initiate student engagement with it, monitor the engagement, repeat the practice and trial, and then assess it through a variety of repeated ways. I often assumed that I could explain an idea once or twice, and then try to use or synthesize it without always modeling, repeating and actively engaging it.This was particular true of the final assessment, the short story. While I thought the inclusion of elements like the plot diagram and planning were fairly effective, I didn’t spend specific time talking about stylistic choices in writing fiction, transitions, grammar, or anything of the other tools necessary to construct a piece of fiction. I also did not model the process at all, which seemed to increase the variety and range of success among the students’ work. The creativity and choice behind the assignment, however, was successful in my opinion. One student, U.H., often disliked writing and shunned writing activities prior to my unit; he wrote over 9 pages for the assignment, and excitedly engaged the material despite a prior lack of enthusiasm. I feel that the choice and creativity involved in the unit in general was one of the more successful themes.I also set up several lessons in the unit to be flexible, but not exactly in the right way. For example, I planned to do a popcorn reading with the class “until the students seem to lose interest,” as I had written in the original lesson plan; I had meant to move on to the next activity based on an on-the-fly judgment of their interest and participation. In practice it was fairly difficult to manage the class this way, and it turned out that the instruction was interrupted by a guest speaker, preventing us from getting to the next activity at all. I found having the multiple options was an important part of flexibility and choice in the classroom, but each of the options itself needs to be highly structured, with specific time considerations and clearly staged steps.Clearly staging the steps was another very important aspect of instruction from which my unit could benefit. I found out how important it was to make directions and instructions not only extremely clear, but repeated multiple times in multiple ways so that all expectations were clear. I have found this to be a theme among fellow student teachers. Some of the less highly focused aspects of the unit plan turned out very nicely, however, because of my sort of lax demeanor in the classroom. I felt students engaged the material because I was willing to be open and responsive to their concerns, and always trying to relate the material to students’ lives seemed to make a difference in their interest and retention. Discussing the students’ personal experiences with bullying made their engagement of bullying in the novel much more fluid, manageable and impressive, for example. In the end, I think the unit was fairly successful, but a ways away from exceptional. The reliance on numerous handouts was not the best way to manage the information I wanted them to use, but the variety and creativity in those handouts definitely helped. Many of the issues I faced during my teaching of the unit were the result of instructional and disciplinary inconsistency, rather than a problem with the activities or source material. For example, the charades game was quite successful, and the students responded very positively to it not just as a fun game, but also as a legitimate practice of characterization, which they seemed to understand. However, the charades game was also something I ran loosely, without clear time constraints, established rules the students could look at or review, or included assessment. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download