English Language Arts Grade 9 Unit Inter-Relationships and ...



|Dispositions

Big Ideas/Themes

Focus/Essential Questions |Literary Genre Focus

Anchor Texts

|Linking Texts

Teacher Instructional Resources |Narrative Text

|Informational Text

|Reading, Listening/Viewing

Strategies and Activities

|Writing, Speaking, Expressing

Strategies and Activities |On-Going Literacy Development | |Unit

Plan

|Grade 9 Disposition

Inter-Relationships and

Self-Reliance

Big Ideas

• integrity

• truth

• relationships

• responsibility

• equality

• coming of age

Themes

• We can find truth through

knowledge and experience.

• Education is key to

overcoming prejudice.

• Real courage is not always readily seen.

Focus Questions

• What is equality? How can we work to achieve it?

• What is the difference between moral and physical courage?

• Why is it so difficult for people to stand up and do what is right?

• Do I have the courage to do what is right?

• Is it possible for one person to make a difference?

• What stereotypes and prejudices exist in our world?

• What influences gender roles in our society?

Essential Questions

• Who am I and how do I find my place in the world?

• How do I relate to my family, my community?

• How am I a reflection of my relationships?

• How do my relationships within and across groups affect others?

• What influence do class, religion, language, and culture have on my decisions?

• What can I contribute as an individual?

• What is my responsibility to society?

• How do I see my beliefs reflected in government policies and by politicians?

Quotations

I “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear — not absence of fear.”

Mark Twain

II “The secret of Happiness is Freedom, And the secret of Freedom, Courage.”

Thucydides (460 BC-395 BC)

III "Entre los individuos, como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz", meaning "Among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace". Benito Juarez (1806-1872)

IV “Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.”

Muhammad Ali

V “Treat all men alike… give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow.”

Chief Joseph

VI “The truth is found when men are free to pursue it.”

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

VII “To know what is right and not to do it is the worst cowardice.”

Confucius (551 BC-479 BC)

VIII “It's never too late to give up your prejudices.”

Henry David Thoreau

IX “Prejudice is an opinion without judgment.”

Francois Voltaire (1694-1778)

X “Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education; they grow there, firm as weeds among stones.”

Charlotte Bronte

(1816-1855)

Quotations (continued)

XI “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their

character.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

XII “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. Ignorance may deride it. But in the end, there it is.”

Sir Winston Churchill

XIII “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Thomas Jefferson –

XIV “The story of an old order, and the glimmers of humanity that would one day overtake it, was unforgettably told in a book by Miss Harper Lee….To Kill a Mockingbird has influenced the character of our country for the better. It’s been a gift to the entire world.”

President George W. Bush

To Kill a Mockingbird

A “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view–until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

(Atticus) 30

B “Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Atticus) 90

C Real courage “is when you

know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” (Atticus) 112

D “Most people are [nice],

Scout, when you finally see them.” (Atticus) 281

E “There's a lot of ugly things in this world, son. I wish I could keep 'em all away from you. That's never possible.”

Atticus-Screen Play

Quotations (continued)

To Kill a Mockingbird

F "It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived." (Scout), 100

   |Narrative Text

Realistic Contemporary Fiction, Novel

To Kill a Mockingbird,

Harper Lee

Informational Text

Opinion/Editorial

“Jocks and Prejudice,” Nicholas D. Kristof, N.Y. Times, 6-11-06,



“At Duke, a Scandal In Search of Meaning,” Anne Applebaum, The Washington Post, 4-26-06



“Tough Questions in Durham,” Eugene Robinson, The Washington Post, 4-25-06



“Keeping the Duke Scandal in Context,” letters to the editor, 5-2-06



“Duke Men’s Lacrosse Team Is Reinstated, and Warned,” Viv Bernstein and Juliet Macur, The New York Times, 6-6-06,

“Duke Prosecutor Nifong Preps for His Own Trial”



“Harper Lee, Gregarious for a Day”, Ginia Bellafante, The New York Times,1-30-06



Informational Text

“Bush honours Mockingbird legend” Michelle Pauli, Guardian Unlimited, 10-30-07



“Harper Lee receives US honour” ABC News, 11-6-2007



“Medal of Freedom goes to state author Harper Lee”

Mary Orndorff, 11-06,07



“Mockingbird’ still resonates with students”

Standing test of time

Knox News October 30, 2007



Editorial Tribute

Alabama’s leading lady deserves the spotlight,, 11-04-07



Speeches

Excerpt

President Bush Honors Medal of Freedom Recipients 11-5-07



Historical Document

“Declaration of Independence”



|Media

Film

To Kill a Mockingbird

Gregory Peck, 1962, Universal

(2:10)

Documentary

Scottsboro: An American Tragedy

PBS Documentary

/

Narrative Text

Excerpts from

Mockingbird, Charles Shields(NF)

A Portrait of Harper Lee

Book Club

Mississippi Trial, 1955, Chris Crow (F; 228 pages)

Getting Away with Murder, Chris Crowe (NF; 127 pages)

Poetry

“Merry-Go-Round” (Media)

Langston Hughes

Favorite Poem Project Video



“I Too” (Media)

Voice of Langston Hughes

1955, by Folkways



“Freedom’s Plow”

Langston Hughes



“Democracy “

Langston Hughes



“The Town of Scottsboro”

Langston Hughes



“The Hangman”

Holocaust Poem

Maurice Ogden



Song Lyrics

“The Death of Emmett Till,”

Bob Dylan



Informational Text

Speeches/ Essays

“I Have a Dream”

Martin Luther King



Civil Rights Era Resources

Civil Rights Era

Time Line and Photo Essay



“Jim Crow” Laws

Teacher Discretion



Teacher Instructional Resources

Listening Skills



Jigsaw Instructional Strategy Sites





To Kill A Mockingbird

Novel Anticipation Guide

(printable).htm

“Create and Use Study Guides”

Reading Reminders

Jim Burke, Ch. 24

Study Guide Resource

Deeper Reading

Comprehending Challenging Text,4-12

Kelly Gallagher

Too Kill A Mockingbird

Pages. 19-20,49,83,87-91,117-18,159,160-62,165

What Does it Not Say?

Critical Reading Lesson

Deeper Reading, Chapter 5

Kelly Gallagher

Student’s Survival Guide (Teacher Created)

Vocabulary , Allusions, Idioms Support



Mockingbirds





Teacher Instructional Resources

Film Study Guide for To Kill a Mockingbird - Seeing the Film Through the Lens of Media Literacy”



To Kill a Mockingbird: Then and Now

A 35th Anniversary Celebration

Teacher Study Guide



Think Quest

Novel



Teaching Prejudice 1930’s Style



“What has Brown done for you?”

Student Exemplar

Feature News Article, 2007



“Gangs of America”

Student Exemplar

Editorial 2007



ACT Persuasive Rubric



Expository Writing Rubric



Writing News Articles

Heather Lattimer



Writing Editorials, Heather Lattimer

Parts of an Editorial



Paraphrase-Write it in Your Own Words



Teacher Instructional Resources

50 Essential Lessons, Jim Burke

Lesson 22, “Summarize”

Summary Notes



How to Read a Primary Document

Jim Burke



Background Information

“Declaration of Independence”



Poetic Form: Found Poem



Found &Headline Poems



Blending Genre, Altering Style: Writing Multigenre Papers

Tom Romano



|Genre Study

Characteristics of

• novel

• film media

• poetry/lyrics as a political response

Author Study

• Harper Lee

Narrative Elements

• plot, setting, conflict

(internal/external),

• theme

• character development

• mood, tone, style

• author’s purpose

• point of view

• design

• time management

Elements of A Novel PPT

Angelia Greiner



Literary Devices

• narration/point of view

• figurative language,

imagery, symbolism

• allusions

• idioms

• foreshadowing

Film Media Literacy

Literary Aspects

• narrative genre characteristics/ elements

Elements of Film

• acting – interpretation of role

• camera work –

framing of events,

lighting

• set design – location of each scene, tone and atmosphere

• editing – separate shots combined into continuous sequence

• script – adaptation of novel

• sound – music, sound effects, voice-over, and dialogue

Adapted from

“Looking Closely at the Film”

*.html

Historical/Cultural Perspectives

• roles of women

• racial/gender equality

• stereotyping

• culture of the deep South in the 1930s

• urban legends (Boo Radley)

• racism through dialogue

• understanding human nature

Critical Perspectives

• time period

• geographical

(North vs. South)

• connections to self —own perspective on issues of inequality, racism, prejudgment

|Genre Study

Characteristics of

• expository essay

• feature news article

• editorial

• persuasive essay

• primary source documents

• documentary

Expository Elements

• thesis

• supporting ideas

• supporting statistical information

• supporting expert’s opinion/quotations

• writer’s tone (attitude)

• academic vocabulary

Organizational Patterns

• argumentation/ persuasion

• cause/effect

• theory/evidence

• chronological order

• compare/contrast

Expository Essay

• purpose: to explain, inform, analyze a subject

• thesis supported using factual details and examples (comparisons, quotations, expert opinions, facts, laws, and statistics)

• various organizational patterns

• expository text features (images, graphics, hotlinks, diagrams)

• may incorporate persuasive techniques

Feature News Article

• Provides a factual informational account of an issue or event

Elements/Features

• date, byline, attribution

• focus on big idea or larger understanding

• objective: to show all sides of an issue

• thesis, supporting ideas, and evidence

• structure (headline, lead, body, and conclusion)

• inverted pyramid organizational pattern

• multiple varied examples

• identified and reliable sources

• answers “reporter” questions (who, what…)

• text features (section headings, graphic content, bullets, symbols)

Persuasion News Editorial

• statement/essay represents view of paper

• purpose

- share opinions, influence readers

- force public officials to reconsider decisions

- bring current issues to the readers’ attention

- suggest alternatives

- evoke emotional response

• form and features

- factual information

- takes a stand

- employs persuasive techniques

- uses signal words and phrases

- anticipates counter arguments

- structure (introduction, background information, position, usually three arguments, a counter argument, and a conclusion)

Persuasive Essay

• Takes a position on controversial issue

• Shows clear understanding of the issue

• Thesis based on fact, value, or policy

• Consistently supports stand with specific, logical reasons and relevant information

• Support includes facts, examples, expert opinion, statistical evidence

• Responds to alternative arguments

• Evaluates implications and complications

• Uses

- clear and logical sequence of reasons and strong transitions

- effective lead and closing argument

- varied, precise language

Documentary Features

• Analyzers real-world events in depth

• Focuses strictly on facts of events as know

• Avoids commentary

• Avoids creator’s own point of view or beliefs

• Uses literary, narrative, and media techniques

Historical/Cultural Perspectives

• racial/gender equality

• stereotyping

• culture of the deep South in the 1930s

Critical Perspectives

• facts and opinions

• logic

• authenticity

• editorial perspective

• writer’s tone, bias

• media’s influence on public opinion

|Reading

Comprehension Strategies

• Identify purpose

• Preview text

• Understand then analyze and reflect

• Identify thesis, evidence, structure, style, organization

• Summarize

• Ask questions, visualize, make connections, predict, determine importance, infer, synthesize, monitor comprehension

• Skim for pertinent information

Close and Critical Reading Strategies

• Use graphic organizers before, during and after reading as a visual means of explaining and organizing information and ideas

• Use marginalia to describe the craft the author used.

• Use thinking notes and think aloud strategies.

• Annotate text.

• Take and organize notes (Cornell Notes and Double Entry Journals).

• Determine relevance/importance.

• Consider potential for bias.

• Consider perspectives not represented to avoid controversy.

• Look for evidence to support assumptions and beliefs.

• Evaluate depth of information.

• Evaluate validity of facts.

• Recognize influence of political/social climate when text was written.

Critical Reading Questions

• What does the text say?

(literal)

• How does it say it?

(figurative)

• What does it mean?

(interpretive)

• Why does it matter? (wisdom/allusion/ connections/relevance)

Reading Goals

• Learn to read like a writer.

• Recognize the narrative structure and characteristics of anchor genre through reading mentor text.

• Construct a clear definition of each genre answering these questions:

- What elements must it contain?

- Why would an author choose this genre?

Reading Goals (continued)

- What makes it unique from other genre?

- What writing styles are appropriate?

- What is its structure?

Reading Portfolio

• Maintain reading portfolio to revisit goals, add evidence of progress, reflection and for evaluation purposes.

Graphic Organizers

• Venn diagram

• KWL(R)

• chart/matrix

Theme - Book Club

• Join a book club to read one of the following two texts using a study guide.

-Mississippi Trial, 1955, Chris Crow (F; 228 pages)

-Getting Away with Murder, Chris Crowe (NF; 127 pages)

Possible Study Guide Questions:

- How did this one event have an effect on American Society?

- How does age and context blind one from the truth?

- Selected focus questions

Culminating Activity

Theme Triangles

In book club, identify the central theme and write it in a complete sentence. Then

1. Analyze how the author developed the theme.

2. View a movie (other than a film of the novel) with the same theme; focus on the theme.

3. Find one additional current example of the theme in another genre; (poems, songs, speeches, news articles.)

4. Prepare a ten minute group presentation to present the importance of the theme to the novel and how it relates to the film and genre piece.

Deeper Reading, p.121-22

Kelly Gallagher

Instructional Activities

Expository Text

Direct Instruction

• Read and interpret the following quotation by using the four critical reading questions.

“Editorials reflect the essence of democratic society. Here is a form of writing that is entirely dedicated to civic discourse, to shaping opinions, changing minds, and effecting change.” by

Heather Lattimer.

• Critically read the Duke Men’s Lacrosse Team texts to define the characteristics of opinion writing. Write a summary of the story that unfolds through the articles. Discuss the following questions:

- What persuasive techniques were used by the authors?

- Were there perspectives not represented to avoid controversy.

- How can individuals become more critical of their news information?

- How does media shape one's opinion on any given issue or individual?

• Explore the story behind the “Declaration of Independence” to answer these questions:

- In what historical/political context was this document created?

- For what purpose and audience was it written, and by whom?

- What was its value when it was created and what is its value today?

• Read the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence; identify the three natural rights that Jefferson identified. Discuss what each of the three rights specifically refers to in our lives today. Generate a group response that provides examples from your own experiences. Post on Data Wall.

• Complete a KWL(R) about the civil rights era. Acquire background information on this time in our history by reading and discussing Crowe’s timeline, photo essay, and Jim Crow laws. Annotate text and take effective notes for subsequent discussions or writing assignments.

Instructional Activities

• Read the poem “The Town of Scottsboro” by Langston Hughes. Discuss what words or phrases help reveal the author’s tone. After reviewing the features of a documentary view the PBS documentary Scottsboro: An American Tragedy. In small groups, pose questions to clarify understanding including, “What is the most valuable idea that can be taken from this documentary?” Support your answer with examples from today and why it is still important.

Narrative Text

• In literature circles, use the “How to Read a Poem” activity to listen to or read the unit linking poems and the lyrics of “The Death of Emmett Till”.

- Annotate with comments, connections, and insights you have about the civil rights era.

- Write a response using the following quote by Percy Shelley, "Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”

- Address the question, “Can one person make a difference?” in a short journal entry.

• In groups create, a found poem or headline poem selecting from text, poems, or quotations that you have read in the unit. Display

To Kill a Mockingbird

Author Study

• In literature circles, jigsaw with classmates to read Harper Lee’s biography. Become an expert on one chapter or teacher selected portion of the book.

• Harper Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush on November 5, 2007. In literature circles, read the quotation by President Bush (XIV), excerpt from speech, and articles to gain insight into Lee as a person and the impact she has had as one individual on the character of our nation today. Take notes in preparation for writing an essay later in the unit.

Novel Study

Before Reading

To Kill A Mockingbird

• Set a purpose for reading by reviewing the anticipation guide that you completed earlier in the unit.

• Read to answer these questions:

- Why are we reading the novel To Kill a Mockingbird today when it was written in the 1960’s?

- What value does the book hold for the modern teenager?

- What does the book mean in terms of how I think about my myself, my family, my peers, my community, my country and humanity.

Deeper Reading,p.20,157

Kelly Gallagher

During Reading

• As you read the novel, keep a record of examples of the specific literary element or device your literature circle was assigned. Cite page and paragraph. Deeper Reading, p.50

• Read and analyze the novel using critical reading strategies. Use a teacher created study guide for each chapter to aid comprehension. See journal entries for suggested activities.

• Effective readers ask questions to clarify their thinking. The first chapter of any book can be confusing. Generate twenty questions you have after reading Chapter 1. Deeper Reading, p.58

• After reading the first three chapters, in literature circles analyze and discuss:

-the subject and main ideas

-the context the story took place in (setting circumstances, events, the era, the historical or cultural context)

-the intended audience and why this audience was targeted

-the author’s purpose for writing the novel

- tone used in the novel and why

Deeper Reading p.117

Novel Study

During Reading (continued)

• In a teacher directed lesson, analyze the passage in chapter 24 where Atticus learns that Tom has been killed (“The front door slammed…I want you to come out with me and help tell Helen.”) using the critical reading questions:

-What does the text say?

(literal)

-What does it mean?

(interpretive)

-Why does it matter? (wisdom/allusion/ connections/relevance)

Discuss this question: Do black Americans feel the same sense of hopelessness that Tom felt? If so, are these feeling justified?

Deeper Reading, p. 87-91

• Contribute to a class list of themes that are evident throughout the novel as you read. Be able to support your contribution and discuss where those themes are reflected in other literature. Themes should be written in complete sentences. Deeper Reading p. 160-61

• In literature circles discuss how Harper Lee might have been influenced by the Scottsboro Boys trial as she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird?

After Reading

• Write or graphically answer these questions from your pre-rearing activity:

- Why are we reading the novel To Kill a Mockingbird today when it was written in the 1960’s?

- What value does the book hold for the modern teenager?

- What does book mean in terms of how I think about my myself, my family, my peers, my community, my country and humanity.

Deeper Reading, p.20,157

Media Literacy

• Using the film study guides, explore the art and craft of film making in preparation for analyzing scenes in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Listening/Viewing

• Focus on active listening skills to improve conversation in group discussions; use a survey to evaluate improvement.

• View the PBS documentary using an advance organizer. In small groups, summarize the documentary; pose questions to clarify understanding.

• At the end of the unit, view Martin Luther King’s speech through a new lens. Write a literary response to the speech reflecting on your reaction to it today. Include new insights and any perceptions that may have changed as a result of this unit.

• In literature circles, view selected scenes from the film To Kill a Mockingbird through the lens of media literacy with each circle assigned a different element. Take notes using an advance organizer from the

“Film Study Guide for To Kill a Mockingbird - Seeing the Film Through the Lens of Media”



|Writing to Access Prior Knowledge

Unit Goals

• Based on unit description, identify areas of interest and what you would like to learn.

• Review your long term reading and writing goals and set goals for this unit.

Prior Knowledge Activities

• In preparation for reading the unit literature, use an anticipation guide to deepen your critical reading skills. Place it in your reading folder to refer to throughout the unit.

(printable).htm

• Write about a time, when you changed a negative attitude toward a person or idea after you learned more about that person or idea.

• Reflect on your own

attitudes toward the equality of all and civil rights. Return to this reflection at the end of the unit to see if your perspectives have been confirmed or changed? Make specific references to the events of the unit to support your point(s).

Writing to Learn

Writing Portfolio

• Maintain writing portfolio to revisit goals, add evidence of progress, reflection and for evaluation purposes.

Writers’ Workshop

Workshop Focus

• Determine workshop focus based on group and individual needs.

• Determine writing strategies for direct instruction.

• Develop persuasive writing techniques.

Unit-Specific Writing Strategies

• Use the writing process.

• Use focus correction.

• Use class-generated writing rubrics to evaluate your own writing and the writing of others.

Writing to Learn (continued)

Grammar Focus

• See Power of Language (Grammar) Module Part II: Grammar Overview for grade-level recommendations.



Vocabulary Development

• Use of allusions and idioms

• Classify and compare academic vocabulary (including literary elements, features, and devices)

• Academic Vocabulary List (Burke)





• The 30-15-10 List (Gallagher)



Research Skills

• note-taking

• summarizing

• paraphrasing

OWL-Online Writing Lab



Quotation Notebook

• Record selected quotations in a quotation notebook. Include quotations from the unit and self-selected quotations of personal significance that relate to unit themes and big ideas.

Data Wall

• Create a collage of images that reflect the three ideals our founding fathers sought to create in an independent democracy.

• Create a data wall of recent articles related to social injustice or social prejudice in today’s world. Include a short reflection on its value to you, a question you would ask the author, what it doesn’t say, or what it reminds you of.

Adapted from Deeper Reading, p.185

Journal Entries

• Using a Venn diagram, compare the words bias and perspective; tolerance and equality.

• Paraphrase three unit quotations that you found significant.

• Create a glossary of specialized vocabulary used in media; use the media study guide.

• Respond to unit focus questions during the reading, listening and viewing activities. At the end of the unit, read your responses and reflect on your new insights and perspectives.

• Reflect on one or more of the Duke news articles, editorials, and/or letters to the editor in response to one or more focus questions.

• Write to describe the elements of film in a favorite movie; use specialized vocabulary.

To Kill a Mockingbird

• After reading an assigned chapter, use one or more of the following sentence starters:

I don’t understand…

I noticed…

If I were…

I realized…

Deeper Reading p.70

• Maintain a four column vocabulary chart for selected chapters. Read three or more sentences your teacher has given you from the chapter. Copy the sentence into the first column. In column 2 predict the meaning of the underlined word before reading the chapter. In the column 3 write what you think the word means after reading the chapter. In column 4 record the dictionary meaning. Deeper Reading, p.77

• As you read, construct a character analysis chart noting how each character changes in response to his or her experiences in the story (Jem, Scout, Dill, Boo, Atticus, Mrs. DuBois, Tom Robinson).

Journal Entries

Character Analysis Chart

Notate:

- relationship to others

- strengths/Weaknesses

- defining moment

- question you would ask them

- adjectives that describe them at the beginning vs. the end of story

- symbol that reflects character

Deeper Reading p.61-62

• Use your character chart to reflect on the characters and ion whether your perceptions of the characters changed as the story progressed.

Identify what caused you to change your opinion.

Deeper Reading p.61-62

• Identify two examples from the story, of characters that were prejudged by others; compare with examples from your own life.

• Write a letter from Tom Robinson to his family, and write their response to the letter.

• The novel portrays various degrees of racism.

Give examples of three degrees of racism in the world today.

Deeper Reading, p.159

• In groups of four, summarize the story from four perspectives (Jem/Scout, Boo, Atticus, Tom Robinson).

• Before reading Chapter 28, read the following list of words from the chapter, and write a short prediction of what will happen in this chapter: dark, afraid, kitchen knife, “Run!”, useless, kicking, dying, trembled, reeling, jerk backwards, dead

Deeper Reading, p.49

• Today Atticus is regarded as a hero. What actions or qualities do you consider to be heroic?

• Building on prior experience with the 6-word short story, summarize To Kill a Mockingbird in twelve words.

Writing to Demonstrate Learning

Portfolio Reflection

• Write a portfolio reflection using one or more pieces from unit writing. Use the piece(s) to demonstrate your growth as a writer.

Descriptive Essay

• Write to describe the role of women in the South during the 1930’s. Describe the impact they had on the story, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Reflective Essay Options

• Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The truth is found when men are free to pursue it.” Respond to this quotation in light of what you learned in this unit.

• Confucius Thucydides, Benito Juarez, and Chief Joseph’s wisdom have carried down over the centuries. Read and analyze their quotations for meaning and value. Write a reflective essay connecting the quotations to specific pieces in this unit.

Literary Analysis

• Select a class generated theme from To Kill a Mockingbird. Discuss the importance of the theme to the book and why this theme is still relevant today.

Deeper Reading, p.160-63.

Persuasive Essay Options

• What was Harper Lee’s purpose in writing To Kill a Mockingbird? In a persuasive essay, explain the purpose she may have had in mind. Use facts and details from the book to support your thesis. Cite specific passages. Use at least three quotations from the unit or novel. Discuss why this purpose is still relevant today and why Lee was deserving of the Medal of Freedom on November 5, 2007.

Deeper Reading, p. 165

• Write to persuade another person to stand up for what is right. Write to prove social action is still necessary. Use unit quotations in your introduction, body, and conclusion.

Persuasive Essay Options

(continued)

• Write to persuade someone of the importance of basing attitudes on a wide range of knowledge and experience. Use unit quotations in your introduction, body and conclusion.

Expository Writing Options

• Write an expository essay answering the question “Who is Harper Lee?”

• Write a “then and now” feature news article on current events. It should reflect the perspectives of the 1930, and today.

• Write a persuasive news editorial for your school news paper about a topic of importance to you.

Multigenre Report

Culminating Piece

• Think about social injustice or social prejudice in today’s world. Identify one or more examples and propose a solution. Present in a multigenre project. Include an expository essay, a narrative account of one affected, a persuasive piece, feature news article, a letter to the editor, and a quotation.

Speaking

• Prepare a ten minute group presentation to discuss the importance of the theme to the novel and how it relates to a film and genre piece with the same theme.

See Book club culminating Activity

Deeper Reading, p. 121-22

• Participate in literature circles and book club discussions by asking questions and sharing ideas and perspectives to improve communication skills.

• Evaluate activities of literature circles or book clubs with peers. Identify group strengths and weaknesses using a rubric. Set goals for next unit.

|Student Goal Setting and Self-Evaluation Strategies

• Maintain writing portfolio

• Reflect on selected journal entry

• Reflect on two pieces of unit writing that represent best effort

• Monitor growth using literacy indicators

- language fluency

- reading complexity

- modes of discourse

• Evaluate tendency toward dispositions and their appropriate application

Daily Fluency

Reading

• HSTW/ACT recommendations of 8-10 books per year in ELA class; 25 books per year across the curriculum

Reading Portfolio recording reading with three levels of support

1. texts/literature studied in class (challenging text in zone of proximal development – text students couldn’t read without the help of the teacher); anchor, linking texts, and author/poet study

2. book club groups reading same text from teacher-selected list (somewhat above comfort level); students choose from list of 5-6 titles that support the unit theme; they read the book outside of class, participate in book club discussions, and write annotated bibliographies and literary response essays

3. independent reading of student-selected text; reading for pleasure outside of class (at comfort level); students write annotated bibliographies

Reading Strategies

• Skim text for essential information

• Think, write, pair, share new texts

• Time reading to determine time commitment for each text

Vocabulary Development

• academic vocabulary

• technical/specialized vocabulary

• word etymology and variation

• find current uses in Google News

Writing

Writing Strategies

• process writing

• language appropriate for purpose and audience

• revise own writing using proofreading checklist

• critique own writing for sophisticated sentence structure

• cite sources using MLA conventions

• evaluate own writing

(review, revise, edit)

• note taking

Grammar Skills

• grammar and rhetoric mini lessons

• practice skills for ACT/SAT success

• Elements of dialogue

• Parts of speech

Grammar Instruction to

• enrich writing: add detail, style, voice

• create organizational coherence and flow

• make writing conventional

Additional MDE Grammar Resource

“Power of Language” Module

(ELA Companion Document)

Part 1



Part 2



ACT College Readiness Standards

English

Analyze text for

• Topic Development in Terms of Purpose and Focus

• Organization, Unity, and Coherence

• Word Choice in Terms of Style, Tone, Clarity, and Economy

• Sentence Structure and Formation

• Conventions of Usage

• Conventions of Punctuation

Reading

Analyze text for

• Main Ideas and Author’s Approach

• Supporting Details

• Sequential, Comparative, and Cause-Effect Relationships

• Meanings of Words

• Generalizations and Conclusions

Writing

Write text that

• Expresses Judgments

• Focuses on the Topic

• Develops a Position

• Organizes Ideas

• Uses Language Effectively

- conventions (grammar, usage, mechanics)

- vocabulary (precise, varied)

- sentence structure variety (vary pace, support meaning)

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