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Unit Plan
Grade: 11 | Content Area: Language Arts | Course Name: English 11 |
Unit: 9 / Utopia | Description of Course: During this unit students will learn to narrow their focus when researching, evaluate sources and develop an annotated bibliography. Through activities centered around analysis of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s novel Herland, students will learn to identify multiple themes in a work of fiction and analyze both how theme is developed and how theme interaction contributes to the richness of the text. Students will gain an understanding of features common to Utopian literature by evaluating Herland in comparison with other works. | Approximate Time Needed: 3 weeks |
Learning Targets | Assessments | Instructional Considerations | Instructional Approach | Resources |
1.1 I can demonstrate appropriate use of print and digital resources to build background knowledge necessary for understanding how a writer of Utopian fiction may comment on the political, economic and/or health issues of a particular period in history. 1.2 I can evaluate the credibility of sources I use for research. 1.3 I can identify universal themes in a fiction text and explain the various ways theme is conveyed in literature. 1.4 I can identify multiple themes in Herland and analyze the impact of their interaction. 1.5 I can analyze how Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s structural choices in writing Herland contribute to its merit as a Utopian novel. 1.6 I can analyze Herland for its implications as a cultural criticism. 11.4.6.6 1. 7 I can compare two different Utopian texts, identifying similarities and differences. | Pre-Assessments: Discussion: What would the rules be in a perfect society? Formative Assessments: Assessment #1: Collaborative groups will create an overarching research question and subquestions to guide inquiry into the time period during which Herland was written. Assessment #2: Continuing collaborative group work, students will compile research findings into a table and write a short summary of its findings. Assessment #3: Students will complete a study guide on evaluating online sources based on information found on a website Assessments #4 and #5 are Summative. Please see below. Assessment #6: In collaborative groups, students will 1) analyze a short text to identify theme and how it is conveyed; 2) create and deliver a class presentation to summarize analysis. Assessment #7 is Summative. Please see below. Assessment #8: While reading Herland, students will record observations about theme on a graphic organizer. Assessment #9: In collaborative groups, students will analyze a character in Herland to identify what theme the character’s experience conveys. Groups will present analysis to the class through a discussion, poster, wiki or other means. Assessment #10: In preparation for writing the Benchmark essay. Individually, students will 1) create a comparison graper, contrasting the society of Herland to the society of the visitors; 2) construct a plot map to determine the points of conflict and resolution in the novel. Assessment #11 is the Benchmark Assessment. Please see below. Assessment #12: Create a digital presentation comparing three songs about Utopia in terms of their common elements of content. Summative Assessments: Assessment #4: Summative. Students will take a quiz to demonstrate their understanding of how to evaluate a website’s credibility. Assessment #5: Summative. Students will prepare a digital annotated bibliography detailing the sources used and an evaluation of each. Assessment #7: Summative. Quiz to demonstrate mastery of ability to identify theme in a text and describe how it is conveyed. Benchmark Assessment: Assessment #11 Using all of the work completed in the unit, write a 3-5 page essay about Herland as a Utopian work. | Student Background Knowledge: -It is assumed that students have a working knowledge of government types from history classes. -It is assumed that students know how to organize and format an academic essay. -It is assumed that students have learned to work efficiently in collaborative groups. Essential Questions: How is theme conveyed in a work of literature? How is Herland rendered more complex and rich by the interaction of multiple themes? How does the structure of Herland contribute to it being considered a Utopian novel? What are the cultural criticisms embedded in Herland? What are the basic elements that stories classified as Utopian fiction have in common?
How does one evaluate and select evidence from informational sources? What is the appropriate first step for using digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information? Academic Language: Demonstrate, bibliography, graphic organizer, aesthetic impact, evaluate, compare, inquiry, summarize, collaborate, universal, brainstorm, Prezi, skit, embedded, society, development, essay Content Specific Language: Utopia, Modern Language Association (MLA), theme, cultural criticism, plot | Lesson Plan (Link to lesson plans for unit) Template Cross-Content Integration: Researching the social, economic, political and health issues of a time period connected to the literature will establish a connection with history. | Web Resources: To be provided within lessons. Research: To be provided within lessons. Technology Resources: Internet access, google docs, Microsoft Word Community Resources: |