Six Weeks Unit Plan



Six Weeks Unit Plan

8th Grade language arts, mainstream classroom

Unit Theme: “Coming of Age” Unit Focus: Teaching writing through literature

|Unit Introduction | |Excerpts of “The Interesting | “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” |Film excerpts: |

|Focus –content |“The Treasure of Lemon Brown” |Narrative of the Life of |Bradbury and Roll of Thunder Hear|King of the Hill, Soderberg |

|Film excerpts and story, The |Myers; |Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus |My Cry Taylor; |and Roll of Thunder, Hear My |

|Fox and the Hound; | |Vassa, the African” Equiano; | |Cry continued; |

| | | | |SSR |

|SSR |SSR |SSR |SSR | |

|Focus- organization |“An Episode of War” Crane |From I Know Where the Caged |“Too Soon a Woman” Johnson |“The Broken Chain” Soto and |

| |and |Bird Sings Angelou; RoT, HMC |and |Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry |

|“Charles” Jackson |Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry |cont’d; |Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry |cont’d |

|and Roll of Thunder, Hear My |cont’d |SSR |cont’d | |

|Cry cont’d; |SSR | |SSR |SSR |

|SSR | | | | |

|Focus- voice |“The Road Not Taken” Frost, | “The Medicine Bag” Sneve |ABR’s |ABR’s |

|Film excerpts and story, The |“All But Blind” de la Mare and |and “from ‘Zlata’s Diary’” | | |

|Lion King; |“The Choice” Parker; |Filipovic | | |

|Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry |Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry | |SSR |SSR |

|cont’d |cont’d |Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry | | |

|SSR |SSR |cnt’d | | |

| | |SSR | | |

|Focus- word choice |Excerpt from The Adventures of |Film excerpt Dead Poet’s |“Grandma Ling” Ling, “Old Man” |Drama |

| |Huckleberry Finn Twain |Society Weir |Sanchez and “The Old Grandfather | |

|Film excerpt Big Marshall |It’s Not About the Bike |and “Gettysburg Address” |and His Little Grandson” Tolstoy |It’s Not About the Bike cont’d|

|It’s Not About the Bike |continued |Lincoln |It’s Not About the Bike continued| |

|Armstrong |SSR |It’s Not About the Bike |SSR |SSR |

|SSR | |continued | | |

| | |SSR | | |

|Focus-sentence fluency |“Baseball” Garcia and “Hoop |Excerpts from |Keeping an Insect Zoo” Teale |“Camp Harmony” |

|Film excerpt Lord of the Rings |Dreams” Ebony Magazine |The Chocolate War Cormier | |Sone |

|It’s Not About the Bike |It’s Not About the Bike | |It’s Not About the Bike continued| |

|continued |continued |It’s Not About the Bike | |It’s Not About the Bike |

|SSR |SSR |continued |SSR |continued |

| | |SSR | | |

| | | | |SSR |

|Focus- conventions |“From ‘Email from Bill Gates’” |“How to Be Polite Online” Shea |“Mathematics” Namioka |Essay projects complete |

|“Ring Out Wild Bells” Tennyson,|Seabrook | | | |

|“Winter Moon” Hughes, and |It’s Not About the Bike |Group work-essay project |ABR’s |ABR’s |

|“Poets to Come” Whitman |continued | |Group work- essay project | |

|SSR Essay work |SSR |SSR |SSR |SSR |

| |Essay work | | | |

Mandy Martin

Dr. Cope

ENGL 7701

22 July 2003

Research Narrative

Coming of Age Unit Plan

I have always heard the saying, “Growing up is hard to do.” Looking back on my life, I find that to be true. Today, the education field puts forth great effort to help kids through the trials of adolescence. The theme, “Coming of Age,” seems to be built into many literature books for this reason. According to Rhoda J. Maxwell and Mary Jordan Meiser, authors of Teaching English in Middle and Secondary Schools, teaching thematically enhances student understanding and personal connection to the texts. In their book, they state that the “interaction among the [language arts] is the foundation for planning the curriculum. For instance, a unit on listening is a poor way to teach the skills of listening” (406). Listening is part of the entire curriculum, not just one unit. Teaching students to realize the concept of listening is part of everything they do empowers them in and out of the classroom. Robert C. Goldbort said that “the thematic approach reflects a concern with the personal growth of the reader/writer versus an emphasis on specific literary works as objects worthy of study for their own sake” (72). Jean Brown and Elaine Stephens’ book, Teaching Young Adult Literature: Sharing the Connection, reiterates the need to replace traditional genre units with thematic units. Brown and Stephens claim that students respond more and retain more when studied by theme. The “Coming of Age” unit thus allows me to incorporate various genres of literature into a single theme to teach strategies for writing and reading comprehension, rather than reading the literature just because it is there.

Organizing my unit under a single theme also provides an opportunity to include poetry, nonfiction, short stories, drama, novels, film, etc. into the six weeks of study. Not every genre is included every week, but each is present at one point or another in the unit. Research shows that incorporating different genres within a unit offers students an opportunity to experience smaller doses of the genres, allowing students to become familiar with and not overworked with one specific genre (Maxwell & Meiser 408). Amongst the various types of literature, I also choose to incorporate multicultural literature into the unit. Helen Scott, in her article “Expanding the Canon: A Multicultural Perspective,” examines the negative and hypocritical effects of how the majority of text studied in schools consists of writings from old, dead, white guys. She claims that to reach all students, “some [multicultural] writers are able to capture and express human experiences, desires, and conflicts in ways that speak to diverse people across many boundaries and eras” (127). Multicultural literature serves as a window into other cultures, many of which my students belong to. This literature helps students gain understanding about different beliefs and customs, develop social security among minorities, waiver discrimination, and contribute to the overall outlook of other cultures as “normal” rather than “exotic” (Otto). Included in the “Coming of Age” unit are such authors as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, Amy Ling, and Zlata Filipovic, among others. Students gather new concepts and knowledge about the cultures represented by these authors, aiding them in their worldly outlook.

The “Coming of Age” theme also allows the students to connect with the content of the story because the characters in the literature experience the same kinds of things the students are presently experiencing. Researchers such as A.N. Applebee, and J.D. Cooper suggest the importance of connecting to literature in their studies. Brown and Stephens offer an entire chapter in their book to connecting students with literature. Making connections not only aids the enjoyment of the work, but also increases reading comprehension, according to Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis, authors of Strategies that Work. Their book explains that proficient readers know how to connect, question, visualize, predict, infer, and synthesize with text to make meaning. Owning these skills allow students to engage any text, not just those in classroom. Using the principles set forth in Strategies that Work, Louise Rosenblatt’s theory of readers being as important to a text as the text itself is utilized. Finally, the availability of texts and other media dealing with this theme abounds and gives me leeway in picking the best works to implement in my classroom.

Teaching eighth grade, my classroom consists of the mainstream student as well as target and inclusion level students. I therefore teach students with a wide range of abilities in my room, forcing me to choose a variety of texts both in difficulty level and in interest for students. For example, I pull excerpts from Disney classics such as The Fox and the Hound as well as excerpts from a high school level novel by Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for this unit. Maxwell and Meiser state that “research studies show that in environments where instruction is compatible with one’s learning style, students learn more and retain that learning longer (24). Maxwell and Meiser also encourage thematic units to include two or three different reading levels per unit to foster success in reading for every student. Students need to feel a part of the class no matter the level, so including literature of differing reading levels is critical (424). Using research including Bloom’s taxonomy and multiple intelligences, teaching suggestions in Maxwell and Meiser’s book, different methods and strategies discussed below in instruction, and individual modifications, each student has the opportunity to be successful in my classroom.

Within the theme of “Coming of Age,” I use the literature to focus on student writing in order to prepare for the eighth grade writing test. I apply the six trait writing rubric from Dr. Jim Cope to show students the components of the writing. Each week I introduce a specific component of writing to the students using various pieces of literature to enhance and model the given aspect of writing. For example, during the first week students learn about the importance of content in writing. I use an assortment of stories, poems, etc. to show students both positive and negative content and what makes it positive or negative. I use Olaudah Equiano’s narrative to show the importance of accurate, quality details in writing, for example. Students then make use of class time to complete various writing activities concerned with content. Why did I choose to use literature to teach writing in this manner? Studies show that using literature to teach writing enhances students’ abilities to both read and write. Reading like a writer and writing like a reader are crucial for students to truly learn how to read and write effectively, according to Toby Fulwiler and William A. Stephany, authors of English Studies: Reading, Writing and Interpreting Texts. These authors write that “realizing that published words were written by men and women pretty much like yourself . . . can change the way you read. . .”(7). They further discuss in their book that looking at literature as a “made” work allows the reader to see it as a writer, noticing the use of content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions made by the author. These writing elements are thus studied in the readings and transformed into a students’ own writing. In other words, by reading like a writer, writing skills improve. Therefore, I use literature and writing concepts to teach students how to write to the best of their abilities.

The literature utilized throughout the unit includes fiction, nonfiction, drama, film, speeches, essays, poetry, biographies, and more. I include all genres within the theme so students may see that all types of written works use each aspect of the writing: content, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions. Even though we focus on writing prose as our final outcome of the unit, students need to understand how the same process applies to poetry, film, etc. The details in a poem are just as important as they are in prose. Hopefully, students will gain a sense of appreciation and comfort studying poetry and other literary forms with this approach.

Using information I learned in classes this semester, I teach this unit based upon researched best practices as much as possible. Textbooks such as Strategies that Work, On Writing Well, and Image Grammar, to name a few, are relied upon heavily. These texts offer proven strategies and lesson plans I am incorporating into the classroom. Strategies that Work assists in reading comprehension strategies to enhance understanding. On Writing Well, by William Zinsser discusses components to correctly write nonfiction. At the end of the unit, students complete a narrative using many of Zinsser’s techniques such as simplicity, eliminating clutter, style, audience, words, and usage. He also focuses on introductions and conclusions in his book. His ideas provide needed guidance to the final narrative essay students write. Harry Noden’s Image Grammar, specifically brushstrokes, allows students to learn grammar techniques within their writing. The brushstrokes are implemented into the writing activities throughout the unit plan. Each of these sources, along with other texts and research, enhance the effectiveness of my teaching.

In class, I incorporate much of the literature instruction through literature circles. The two novels, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred Taylor, and It’s Not About the Bike, by Lance Armstrong, are discussed and read using literature circles. Within the literature circles, each member of the group takes a job to complete. The novel readings and job assignment are read as homework. During class, the literature circles discuss the novel reading and each member’s assignment. Following group discussions, whole class discussions and debates continue as a large group. Each day the jobs shift according to the syllabus provided. This way, students share the responsibilities of every job. Research abounds with knowledge about the effectiveness of literature circles in the classroom. For example, “Changing the classroom climate with literature circles,” by Bonnie Burns, discusses the social and emotional benefits of literature circles. Students feel more comfortable offering opinions and asking questions in a smaller setting, not to mention feeling part of a group. Students also learn from each other’s ideas about the reading. Giving each member of the group a job also keeps all students accountable to the group: one student can not do all the work.

As a final project with one of the novels, students will complete an ABR, alternative book report. Half of the class, after drawing names, completes an ABR on the first novel, and the other half completes it on the second novel. I learned about and completed two ABR’s this semester in Dr. Cope’s class. I heard of these in my undergraduate program, but did not fully understand how to implement them in the classroom. Now, I use the same rubric and criteria as Dr. Cope for these projects. ABR’s offer students something other than the typical research paper book report. Book reports are so widely used that students know how to do them by the third grade. I would rather my students dig deeper into the text and complete a more creative assignment that actually teaches the class about the reactions and connections to the book instead of a simple summary. Brown and Stephens offer a multitude of ideas and strategies in their book as alternatives to book reports, agreeing that the research paper is not always the best option. Hopefully, the ABR gets students involved, and they may even have a little fun. Students also get the opportunity to complete a presentation because they must present their ABR to the class. Using Speaking with Confidence by Vassile and Mintz, I teach students at the beginning of the unit how to speak in front of a group. With endless possibilities, students thrive using ABR’s.

Reading response strategies, based upon research by Louise Rosenblatt, are an important part of the classroom. In Transactions with Literature: A Fifty-Year Perspective, the authors discuss the roles of the reading response classroom and how Rosenblatt’s work has influenced the study of literature. Incorporating student ideas, background knowledge, and experiences enhances their learning. I use response journals to teach the literature in a multitude of ways. Students predict using journals and respond to their predictions after reading the story. Response journals, as in Dr. Cope’s class, are incorporated as well. The many types of journals found in the C.R.I.S.S. strategy series and in “Chapter One” of English Studies, aids journaling in my room. I also found information regarding the importance of journaling in Charles Bazerman’s The Informed Writer: Using Sources in the Disciplines and Kathleen Andrasick’s Opening Texts: Using Writing to Teach Literature. For this unit, students use journaling to write about their reading. After students become familiar with the aspects of writing found in the reading, they expand their journals to incorporate this new knowledge and how it helps their writing. Both English Studies and the C.R.I.S.S. strategy program support this use of journaling as a positive response method in classrooms.

Beyond the reading strategies mentioned, I use mini-lessons to incorporate the brushstrokes and any needed grammar reminders into the lessons. Mini-lessons allow me to briefly touch on a concept when necessary for understanding. These lessons also help implement elements of literature as we proceed throughout the unit. Mini-lessons, according to Nancy Atwell’s In the Middle, and Lucy Calkin’s The Art of Teaching Writing, are vital in bringing bits of information that will aid readers and writers. These brief lessons do not overwhelm students yet give them needed material to better understand the text or writing. Mini-lessons do not occur everyday of the unit, but when needed to present concepts such as participle usage or characterization in a story.

Large group reading and activities allow me to teach all of my students at one time. In the “Coming of Age” unit, several film excerpts and drama are introduced to enhance the literature and writing. These media are shown or performed in a large group setting. The use of film and drama in the language arts classroom enhances the art of speaking, viewing and listening. In Reel Conversations: Reading Films with Young Adults, Alan B. Teasley and Ann Wilder discuss the importance of film in the classroom. Some reasons to use film include the following: students have positive, prior knowledge with film; film is used already in the classroom, mostly as a disservice; it has a rightful place in the classroom; viewing film provides an opportunity to write and discuss; and there is a growing interest in using varying media in the English classroom (4-7). Students love to watch movies, and love it even more when they learn and understand principles to reading the film.

While enjoying and learning about the literature and film, students focus on the aspects of writing found in the text. To reinforce strategies taught, each day students engage in writing activities. Each day’s activity varies, and the focus changes each week. Throughout the unit, however, students begin and finish a completed formal essay. This narrative essay builds as each week progresses, using nonfiction as well as other literature to produce a final product at the end of the unit. Students also present their papers to the class in a formal presentation. Presentation skills will have been taught prior to the unit and reviewed at the end of the unit. Brushstrokes will be included in the writing as well as the aspects of a narrative paper.

In accordance with best practice, students read the different texts in various ways throughout the unit. The two novels will be read silently and independently at home. Students then use literature circles to discuss the texts. Texts read in class will vary depending on the class. Most literature will be read and discussed aloud in class by the teacher and students. Reading aloud to children has been found to be beneficial to students, according to research by Sharon Stringer and Bill Mollineaux. Stinger and Mollineaux also suggest that not being read to as a child is a factor in children becoming reluctant readers. Most people enjoy being read to, and it allows those students who dislike reading aloud to avoid stress. Many students are embarrassed or too shy to read aloud, so I will not force any student to read aloud. Instead, those students may offer feedback, opinions, etc. as a response in class after the reading. In this unit some in-class literature is read in the same literature circles used for the novels. This allows text that may be more difficult to be discussed in the safety of the literature circle group prior to large group discussion.

Generally, during the first two says of the week, I read aloud to the students, introduce and model the information, and include large-group discussion. The middle of the week branches off into small group work, and by the end of the week, students work individually for the majority of class. This way, each student has ample support and opportunity for questions before working on his or her individual writing.

The final aspect of each day’s class is the SSR time, or Silent Sustained Reading. At the end of class every day, without fail, students are given time to read silently. They may choose anything to read as long as it is school appropriate, that is, not vulgar, etc. By giving them a choice to read whatever they want, I am fostering a positive reading environment, hopefully, furthering their desire to read independently. Research, such as that preformed by Carolyn Colvin and Pamela Ross in their article, “In the Classroom,” supports using SSR as a reading strategy for the above reasons. The research also shows that SSR works best when the teacher also participates in the reading. Therefore, I also read during this time. I experienced first-hand in Dr. Cope’s class the positive effects that the teacher has on students by reading with them. It shows students that there is a purpose to the activity and that it is important. This is why I will stop my classroom every day for the Silent Sustained Reading time.

The “Coming of Age” unit presented here is designed to teach students the language arts of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing. Using textbooks, strategies, articles, colleagues, research, and other resources, I created a research-based unit to engage student in learning. I hope to help students learn the skills and concepts to improve their abilities, rather than teach them a story. Encouraging and eager, I believe this overall unit plan does just that. I understand the process to becoming the best teacher I can be, and this unit plan is a starting point on which I will continue to build my knowledge and instruction.

Works Cited Page

LITERATURE IN UNIT PLAN

Angelou, Maya. “From ‘I Know Where the Caged Bird Sings.’” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices,

Timeless Themes: Silver level. Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 32-43.

Armstrong, Lance and Sally Jenkins. It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. USA: Penguin Group,

2000.

Big. Dir. Penny Marshall. Perf. Tom Hanks and Elizabeth Perkins. 20th Century Fox, 1988.

Bradbury, Ray. “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes:

Silver level. Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 6-12.

Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. New York: Laurel Leaf, 1974.

Crane, Stephen. “An Episode of War.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver

level. Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 16-21.

Dead Poets Society. Dir. Peter Weir. Perf. Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, and Ethan Hawke.

Touchstone/Disney, 1989.

De la Mare, Walter. “All But Blind.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver level.

Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 46-47.

Ebony Magazine. “Hoop Dreams.” Nonfiction Readings Across the Curriculum. Upper Saddle River:

Prentice Hall, 2000.

Equiano, Olaudah. “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African.”

The Norton Anthology of American Literature 4th ed. Ed. Nina Baym, et al. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1994. 764-796.

Filipovic, Zlata. “From ‘Zlata’s Diary: A Child’s Life in Sarajevo.’” Nonfiction Readings Across the

Curriculum. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2000.

Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver

level. Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 44-45.

Garcia, Lionel G. “Baseball.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver level. Ed.

Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 624-627.

Hughes, Langston. “Winter Moon.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver level.

Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 79.

Jackson, Shirley. “Charles.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver level. Ed.

Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 22-31.

Johnson, Dorothy M. “Too Soon a Woman.” Elements of Literature: Second Course. Ed. Robert Anderson, et

al. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1997. 547-554.

King of the Hill. Dir. Steven Soderberg. 1993.

Lincoln, Abraham. “The Gettysburg Address.” Elements of Literature: Second Course. Ed. Robert Anderson,

et al. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1997. 623-625.

Ling, Amy. “Grandma Ling.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver level. Ed.

Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 68-69.

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Dir. Peter Jackson. Perf. Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Ian

Holm. New Line, 2001.

Myers, Walter Dean. “The Treasure of Lemon Brown.” Elements of Literature: Second Course. Ed. Robert

Anderson, et al. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1997. 93-102.

Namioka, Lensey. “Mathematics.” Nonfiction Readings Across the Curriculum. Upper Saddle River: Prentice

Hall, 2000.

Parker, Dorothy. “The Choice.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver level. Ed.

Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 48-49.

Sanchez, Ricardo. “Old Man” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver level. Ed.

Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 70-71.

Seabrook, John. “From ‘E-mail from Bill Gates.’” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless

Themes: Silver level. Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 54-60.

Shea, Virginia. “How to Be Polite Online.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes:

Silver level. Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 62-67.

Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk. “The Medicine Bag.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless

Themes: Silver level. Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 582-592.

Sone, Monica. “Camp Harmony.” Elements of Literature: Second Course. Ed. Robert Anderson, et al.

Austin: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1997. 637-643.

Soto, Gary. “Broken Chain.” Elements of Literature: Second Course. Ed. Robert Anderson, et al. Austin:

Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1997. 29-36.

Taylor, Mildred D. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. New York: Puffin Books, 1976.

Teale, Edwin Way. “Keeping an Insect Zoo.” Nonfiction Readings Across the Curriculum. Upper Saddle

River: Prentice Hall, 2000.

Tennyson, Alfred, Lord. “Ring Out, Wild Bells.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes:

Silver level. Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 78.

The Fox and the Hound. Dir. Ted Berman. Perf. Richard Rich, Art Stevens, and Mickey Rooney. Disney, 1981.

---. Adapted by Don Ferguson. Walt Disney Company.

The Lion King. Dir. Roger Allers. Perf. James Earl Jones and Jeremy Irons. Disney, 1994.

---. Adapted by Don Ferguson. Walt Disney Company, 1994.

Tolstoy, Leo. “The Old Grandfather and His Little Grandson.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices,

Timeless Themes: Silver level. Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 72-73.

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Bantam, 1981.

Whitman, Walt. “Poets to Come.” Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: Silver level.

Ed. Kinsella, Kate, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. 80.

RESEARCH and SUPPORT

Allen, Janet. Words, Words, Words: Teaching Vocabulary in Grades 4-12. Portland: Stenhouse, 1999.

Andrasick, Kathleen Dudden. Opening Texts: Using Writing to Teach Literature. Portsmouth: Heinemann,

1990.

Applebee, Arthur N. “Engaging Students in the Disciplines of English: What are Effective Schools Doing?”

English Journal 91.6 (2002): 30-36.

Atwell, Nancie. In the Middle: Writing, Reading, and Learning with Adolescents. Portsmouth: Heinemann,

1987.

Bazerman, Charles. The Informed Writer: Using Sources in the Disciplines. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin,

1985.

Brown, Jean E. and Elaine C. Stephens. Teaching Young Adult Literature: Sharing the Connection. Belmont:

Wadsworth, 1995.

Burns, Bonnie. “Changing the Classroom Climate with Literature Circles.” Journal of Adolescent and Adult

Literacy 42.2 (1998): 124-130.

Calkins, Lucy. The Art of Teaching Writing. New ed. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 1986.

Colvin, Carolyn, et al. “In the Classroom.” Reading Teacher 46.4 (1992): 348-358.

Cooper, J. D. “ Activating and Developing Prior Knowledge.” Literacy: Helping Construct Meaning. New

York: Houghton Mifflin, 1997.

Cope, Jim. “Personalized 6-trait Model.” Writing rubric. Kennesaw State University. ENGL 7701. Summer,

2003.

Erikson, Barbara. “Read-alouds Reluctant Readers Relish.” Journal of Adolescent Literacy 40.3 (1996): 212

216.

Farrell, Edmund J. and James R Squire. Transactions with Literature: A Fifty-Year Perspective. Urbana:

National Council of Teachers of English, 1990.

Fulwiler, Toby and William A. Stephany. English Studies: Reading, Writing, and Interpreting Texts. Boston:

McGraw Hill, 2002.

Goldbort, Robert C. quoted in . Teaching English in Middle and Secondary Schools. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle

River: Merrill, 1997. 406.

Harvey, Stephanie and Anne Goudvis. Strategies that Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance

Understanding. Portland: Stenhouse, 2000.

Maxwell, Rhoda J. and Mary Jordan Meiser. Teaching English in Middle and Secondary Schools. 2nd ed.

Upper Saddle River: Merrill, 1997.

Noden, Harry. Image Grammar: Using Grammatical Structures to Teach Writing. Portsmouth: Heinemann,

1999.

Otto, Amanda. “Multicultural Literature.” PowerPoint Presentation. Dr. Jim Cope’s Class. Kennesaw State

University. Humanities: Room 238. 10 July 2003.

Rosenblatt, Louise. Literature as Exploration. 5th ed. New York: Modern Language Association, 1996.

Santa, Carol M., et al. Project C.R.I.S.S. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt, 1988.

Scott, Helen. “Expanding the Canon: A Multicultural Perspective.” English Studies: Reading, Writing, and

Interpreting Texts. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2002.

Stringer, Sharon and Bill Mollineaux. “Removing the Word ‘Reluctant’ from ‘Reluctant Reader’.” English

Journal 92.4 (2003): 71-76.

Teasley, Alan B. and Ann Wilder. Reel Conversations: Reading Films with Young Adults. Portsmouth:

Heinemann, 1997.

Vassile, Albert J. and Harold K. Mintz. Speaking with Confidence: A Practical Guide. Boston: Addison

Wesley, 1999.

Woolfolk, Anita E. Educational Psychology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1988.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction. New York: Harper Collins, 1976.

“Coming of Age” Thematic Unit QCC’s

GRAMMAR and USAGE

Standard 1: Writes sentences according to purpose: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.

• Mini-lessons and review

• Writing activities and literature instruction

Standard 2: Recognizes the functions of the eight parts of speech.

• Mini-lessons and review

• Image Grammar strategies

Standard 11: Applies standard rules of capitalization and punctuation.

• Literature instruction and writing activities

• Mini-lessons and modeling

LITERATURE

Standard 23: Uses literary elements and techniques such as plot, setting, theme, character, characterization, conflict, figurative language, and point of view to analyze literature.

• Mini-lessons

• Strategies in Strategies that Work

Standard 26: Analyzes differences between fiction and nonfiction.

• PowerPoint presentation

• Strategies in On Writing Well

Standard 29: Responds creatively to literature (e.g., drama, art, multi-media projects, and essays)

• ABR’s

• Narrative essay

Standard 30: Identifies and chooses literature according to personal interests.

• Book pass

• SSR

READING

Standard 33: Expands Reading Vocabulary

• By reading and identifying words not known

• Strategies in Words, Words, Words

Standard 38: Adjusts reading speed according to purpose and rereads for comprehension

• Model for students

• Strategies that Work

Standard 41: Makes comparisons, predictions, and generalizations and draws conclusions.

• Strategies that Work, Literature circles

• Modeling and reciprocal teaching

Standard 44: Applies reading strategies (e.g., literal comprehension, context clues, and main ideas) to specific content material and subject matter.

• Strategies that Work, C.R.I.S.S. strategies

• Modeling and reciprocal teaching,

Standard 45: Analyzes differences between fiction and nonfiction.

• PowerPoint Presentation

• On Writing Well, Literature text

SPEAKING

Standard 57: Communicates effectively through oral expression.

• Modeling

• Speaking with Confidence strategies

Standard 59: Demonstrates a sense of audience in preparing and delivering oral presentations.

• Modeling

• Speaking with Confidence strategies

Standard 60: Makes presentations from prepared materials.

• Speaking with Confidence strategies

• Writing workshops

Standard 62: Uses nonverbal cues effectively (e.g., gestures, body language, and facial expressions).

• Speaking with Confidence strategies

• Practice

WRITING

Standard 64: Uses a writing process that includes prewriting, drafting, revising, editing (can involve peer editing), proofreading, and publishing.

• Graphic organizers, take students through process using modeling

• Strategies that Work, On Writing Well, C.R.I.S.S. strategies

• Practice

Standard 65: Writes paragraphs that include unifying ideas and supporting details (may include topic sentence and clincher sentence).

• How to write a paragraph- Beach Strategy

• Mini-lessons

• Writing activities

Standard 69: Writes with organization, style, and a sense of audience.

• Literature instruction looking at how authors write

• Writing activities and modeling

Standard 71: Uses descriptive words and phrases.

• Literature instruction looking at how authors write

• Image Grammar

• Modeling and writing activities

Standard 73: Applies grammatical and mechanical conventions to writing.

• Literature instruction looking at how authors write

• Image Grammar

• Modeling and writing activities

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