English IV
GRADE TWELVE
Adopted 9/2024
English IV Curriculum Writers
Karen Harris – Executive Director of the Office of Humanities
Marcey Thomas – English Language Arts Supervisor Grades 9-12
Laura Johns – English Language Arts Teacher
Bermude Jules – English Language Arts Teacher
Orange Township Public Schools Gerald Fitzhugh, II, Ed.D. Office of the Superintendent |
English Grade 12
Course Description: The units detailed in this resource have been carefully crafted to ensure that twelfth grade students thoughtfully read, analyze, and interpret a range of grade-level complex texts and tasks, and retain and further develop language, reading, speaking and listening, and writing skills. Students will cite multiple pieces of strong textual evidence and make relevant connections to support analysis of what the text says explicitly, delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, and analyze and reflect on how two or more texts/multimedia provide conflicting information on the same topic and identify where the text disagrees on matters of fact or interpretation. Students advancing through twelfth grade are expected to meet grade-specific standards designed to enable them to meet college and career readiness expectations. Rigor is infused through the requirement that students read and analyze texts that gradually become more complex. Mastery of the four modules also helps to ensure that students demonstrate increasing sophistication in all aspects of language use, from vocabulary and syntax to the development and organization of ideas. Additionally, mastery of the modules will support students in the expected growth of their writing ability. Students will write across a range of genres, including argumentative, expository, and rhetorical analysis, as well as research, argue, and examine topics that explain, inform, and present sound, logical viewpoints and positions. In doing so, students will strengthen their writing as they progress through the writing process to develop and elaborate on their ideas as they cite textual evidence and utilize multiple print and digital sources. |
Scope and Sequence
Timeline | Major Works (Units of Study) | Outcomes of Major Works (Performance Outcomes) |
Module 1 | Katrina Timelines:
“How News Has Changed” The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 101; “Daylong Efforts to Repair Levee Fail” by Dan Shea “President Outlines Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts” by President George W. Bush Katrina Media:
Jigsaw Readings
| Performance Task 1: Select a recent environmental event or issue of interest and using a critical lens to interpret the event, develop an argument to support a claim regarding this environmental issue or event. You may select from, but are not limited to, the following events:
Rely on gathered evidence to prepare an engaging and thoughtful research paper.
(W.SE.11–12.6,W.WP.11-12.4) |
Module 2 | “The Story of An Hour” by Kate Chopin “Orpheus Sings: Pygmalion and the Statue,” from Metamorphoses, by Ovid from Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley Stills from My Fair Lady, directed by George Cukor Pygmalion, Acts I and II, by George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion, Acts II and III, by George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion, Acts III, IV, and V, by George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion, Sequel, by George Bernard Shaw “Cinderella, the Legend” from Kiss Sleeping Beauty Goodbye by Madonna Kolbenschlag “Why Women always Take Advantage of Men,” from Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston “The Chaser” by John Collier “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl | Performance Task Module 2 introduces the archetypal, feminist, and Marxist critical perspectives. Write an analytical essay applying a critical viewpoint to a short story from this module. Select from “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, “The Chaser” by John Collier, or “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl.
(W.WP.11–12.4,W.AW.11-12.1) |
Module 3 | “The Right to Love” by Gene Lees and Lilo Schifrin “The Canonization” by John Donne The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare “The Moor in English Renaissance Drama” | Performance Task 3: Select a character from William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice and write a literary analysis essay that captures the character (ie. motives and perspectives) from a critical viewpoint. Consider one of the critical lenses you have studied (archetypal, feminist, cultural, or Marxist) and how it affects the character analysis. Then research, identify, and evaluate three or more outside sources that support the critical lens that you chose to use in your character analysis.
Be sure to meet the following requirements:
|
Module 1 | Grade(s) | 12 | ||
Unit Plan Title: | Us? Vs. Truth! | |||
Overview/Rationale | ||||
This module asks students to apply critical lenses to real-world events in order to understand the underlying tensions that can cause an event to resonate with a society. Students analyze print and nonprint journalistic texts and their own reactions to them. They also consider how personal and cultural experiences, assumptions, and biases influence perspectives on what is “true” about an event, becoming filters that strongly influence how we interpret the world. By studying how a single event is reported by different sources, students will explore how the critical lenses they have examined influence the way we define truth. | ||||
New Jersey Student Learning Standards: | ||||
RI.CR.11-12.1. Accurately cite a range of thorough textual evidence and make relevant connections to strongly support a comprehensive analysis of multiple aspects of what an informational text says explicitly and inferentially, as well as interpretations of the text. RI.CI.11-12.2. Determine two or more central ideas of an informational text and analyze how they are developed and refined over the course of a text including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account or analysis; provide an objective summary of the text. RI.IT.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of an author's choices as they develop ideas throughout the text regarding a complex set of ideas or sequence of events, and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop. RI.TS.11-12.4. Evaluate the author’s choices concerning the structure and the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging L.VL.11-12.3. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, including technical meanings, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. A. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. B. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., conceive, conception, conceivable). C. Analyze how an author or speaker uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text or discussion. D. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage. E. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). L.VI.11-12.4. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings, including connotative meanings. RI.TS.11-12.4. Evaluate the author’s choices concerning the structure and the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging. RL.PP.11-12.5. Evaluate perspectives/lenses from two or more texts on related topics and justify the more cogent viewpoint (e.g. different accounts of the same event or issue, use of different media or formats). RI.MF.11-12.6. Synthesize complex information across multiple sources and formats to develop ideas, resolve conflicting information, or develop an interpretation that goes beyond explicit text information (e.g. express a personal point of view, new interpretation of the concept). RI.AA.11-12.7. Describe and evaluate the reasoning in seminal US and global texts and the premises, purposes, and arguments in these works. RI.CT.11-12.8. Analyze and reflect on (e.g. practical knowledge, historical/cultural context, and background knowledge) documents of historical and scientific significance for their purposes, including primary source documents relevant to U.S. and/or global history and texts proposing scientific or technical advancements. SL.PE.11–12.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with peers on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. A. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas. SL.II.11–12.2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data. SL.ES.11–12.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used. SL.PI.11–12.4 Present information, findings and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically. The content, organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. SL.UM.11–12.5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. W.AW.11-12.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. A. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. B. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims avoiding common logical fallacies and using sound reasoning and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. C. Use transitions (e.g. words, phrases, clauses) to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. D. Establish and maintain a style and tone appropriate to the audience and purpose (e.g. formal and objective for academic writing) while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. E. Provide a concluding paragraph or section that supports the argument presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). W.IW.11-12.2. Write informative/explanatory texts (including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes) to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. A. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. B. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. C. Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. D. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic. E. Establish and maintain a style and tone appropriate to the audience and purpose (e.g. formal and objective for academic writing) while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. F. Provide a concluding paragraph or section that supports the argument presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). W.WP.11–12.4. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, trying a new approach; sustaining effort to complete complex writing tasks; tracking and reflecting on personal writing progress (e.g., using portfolios, journals, conferencing); or consulting a style manual (such as MLA or APA Style), focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. W.WR.11–12.5. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. | ||||
Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skill | ||||
| ||||
Technology/Computer Science and Design Thinking Successful troubleshooting of complex problems involves multiple approaches including research, analysis, reflection, interaction with peers, and drawing on past experiences. Individuals select digital tools and design automated processes to collect, transform, generalize, simplify, and present large data sets in different ways to influence how other people interpret and understand the underlying information. Decisions to develop new technology are driven by societal and cultural opinions and demands that differ from culture to culture Since technological decisions can have ethical implications, it is essential that individuals analyze issues by gathering evidence from multiple perspectives and conceiving of alternative possibilities before proposing solutions. | Interdisciplinary Standards HS-LS2-7 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. ETS1.B: When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints including cost, safety, reliability and aesthetics and to consider social, cultural and environmental impacts. | |||
Essential Question(s) | ||||
How do media sources influence our understanding of the truth and significance of an issue? How are media texts constructed to cater to media consumers' interests, experiences, assumptions, and biases or to promote a particular agenda? Why is it important to recognize our own filters—those personal interests, experiences, assumptions, and biases—and how they influence our ability to discern the truth? How does passive consumption of media affect a person’s ability to truly understand or to have an opinion on an important topic? Why is it important to be able to discern what you consume in the media as reliable and trustworthy sources? | ||||
Enduring Understandings | ||||
Media sources can be biased and influence a person’s understanding of the truth. Media is often curated to appeal to particular audiences and their interests, ex. periences, assumptions, and biases. It is important to recognize one’s own personal interests, experiences, assumptions, and biases in order to discern fact and truth from opinion and bias. | ||||
21st Century Skills: E = Encouraged, T = Taught, A = Assessed | |||
E | Civic Literacy | E T A | Communication |
E T | Global Awareness | E T A | Critical Thinking and Problem Solving |
E | Health Literacy | E T | Collaboration |
Financial, Economic, Business, & Entrepreneurial Literacy | E | Creativity and Innovation | |
Environmental Literacy | Other: | ||
Student Learning Targets/Objectives | |
I can… Locate and evaluate sources for credibility, bias, accuracy, and evidence of faulty reasoning or other issues that might make them unsuitable for research. Use sources accurately and cite them adequately to avoid plagiarism. Explain how informational texts reflect or reveal critical perspectives. Write an argument citing evidence from an informational text. Closely examine and evaluate a film trailer, infographic, and podcast for credibility and bias. Use details in a series of visual and audio texts to make inferences about the creators' perspective. Apply a critical lens to the meaning and significance of a real world event. Develop a clear thesis. Evaluate textual passages for use as evidence in support of an interpretive claim. Synthesize sources in support of an interpretive argument. Use organization to enhance the persuasiveness of an argument. Address how authors present the information to manipulate their audience | |
Assessments | |
Extended Writing: Reread “The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Section 101”, “Daylong Efforts to Repair Levee Fail” by Dan Shea, and “President Outlines Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts” by President George W. Bush, and write an argument exposing the bias and logical fallacies evident in one of the news reports.
(W.SE.11–12.6,W.WP.11-12.4) Benchmark 1 Performance Task 1: Select a recent environmental event of interest from the list provided and create a multimedia project that argues for the use of a particular critical lens to interpret a recent environmental event. Select from the following events:
Rely on gathered evidence to prepare an engaging and thoughtful multimedia presentation.
(W.SE.11–12.6,W.WP.11-12.4) | |
Teaching and Learning Actions | |
Instructional Strategies | Academic Vocabulary - Create and keep current, a Language Arts Word Wall, for children to use and interact with. Important for all learners, academic vocabulary and language must be taught explicitly, particularly to second language learners. Accountable talk - Talking with others about ideas is fundamental to classroom learning. Classroom talk that promotes and sustains learning should be accountable to other learners, use accurate and appropriate knowledge, and adhere to rigor in thinking. Accountable talk responds to and further develops what others have said through relevant observations, ideas, opinions, or more information. Adapting to learning styles/multiple intelligences – Allow movement, choice, linguistics, visual, and other methods of teaching/learning to foster different interests, providing variety and differentiation in instruction, and developing the whole child. Cognates-Using Cognates for words in ELL’s native language Conferencing - A one-to-one teacher conference with a student about his or her work in progress is prevalent in teaching writing and speaking, but it is also useful in other areas. The purpose of the conference-- engaging in meaningful conversation about the student’s work in progress--will not be realized automatically. Preparation (on the part of both the teacher and the student) before the conference, careful listening during the conference, recordkeeping, and follow-up are essential components for a successful outcome. In student-to-student conferencing, participants require guidance, a focused protocol, and accountability. Video resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pad1eAcsHho Content Stations – Areas where students work on different tasks simultaneously. Can and should be leveled for review, challenge, and remediation at appropriate level. Teacher rotates and facilitates instruction and assistance. Activities reach various learning styles. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt leveled readers to assist in background knowledge, skills application, etc. Cues, questions, activating prior knowledge- Frequently assess your students for prior content knowledge to assist in planning your lessons. Use effective questioning to prompt students to recall and apply what they have already learned. Effective questioning - Teacher questioning and student response are common classroom learning activities. Research finds that teacher questions (and cues) are effective when they focus on what is important, require students to respond at higher levels, provide adequate wait time after a question is asked and establish an engaging introduction for the lesson. Effective questioning can also play a role in focusing students on unit learning goals or overarching themes throughout a longer period of study. Flexible Groupings- Teacher meets with groups to meet curricular goals, engage students, and respond to individual needs. Integration of content areas - There is a strong case to be made for integrating curriculum. It strengthens skills that students encounter in one content area, but also practice in another, such as reading and writing, and it can lead to the mastery of those skills. It provides meaningful instruction for students in multiple areas of standards in a single class or learning experience. It is also a more authentic way of learning because it reflects what we experience, both professionally and personally, in the world. It can be a way to engage students when introducing them to a challenging subject. STEM education is a current example of effective content integration. Research supports the integration of content areas. Intentional Use of Technology – whiteboard presentations and activities available and encouraged for use through HMH. Leveled Instruction – Teacher gives introductory lesson to the entire class, then provides varying access points for students to practice skills. Teacher provides several assignments with different levels of difficulty- the student OR teacher chooses an assignment. Modeling - Modeling is an instructional strategy wherein the teacher or another student demonstrates a new concept or skill and students learn by observing and emulating. Modeling is an effective instructional strategy when it allows students to observe thought processes and imitate particular behaviors or steps in a process. Types and purposes of modeling can include approaches such as task and performance modeling (demonstrating a task), metacognitive modeling (thinking aloud), and disposition modeling (conveying one’s own enthusiasm, interest, or commitment). Modeling can be used across disciplines and in all grades and ability levels. Read-aloud - Read-aloud is an instructional format, included formally in elementary reading programs and as an instructional activity in all areas and levels of the curriculum. A primary purpose of a read-aloud is to create a community of readers in the classroom and establish a known text as a basis for related literacy activities. Reading aloud allows teachers to model important components of literacy, such as fluency, expression, and interacting with texts while exposing students to vocabulary that is just beyond their instructional level and demonstrating how reading is a source of information and enjoyment. Semantic Mapping -The association of meanings and context for a given word that may include: origin, images, multiple meanings, word structure, synonyms, antonyms, descriptors, common contexts, examples, historical or cultural connotations and personal associations. When using a semantic map, it will assist students by building a meaningful network of associations around the words that must be learned which will be stored more deeply in memory and retrieved more easily. Share the Pen- Interactive writing strategy where teacher and students “share the pen” to create a written product such as a sentence, story, or list. SIOP Strategies - Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol consists of eight components; lesson preparation, building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice, lesson delivery, and review and assessment. Using these eight components teachers can design instruction that will help ELL’s to reach English language acquisition. Student goal setting - Teachers who set, define, and communicate learning objectives effectively with students employ research-based findings that say goal setting with students should: (1) be flexible and general because when a goal is too narrowly focused, it may limit learning (e.g., If the goal is to learn how a piston works, students may not learn its relationship to other parts of an engine), although too general goals may be unattainable; (2) encourage student ownership (e.g., creating own goals, personalizing teacher goals, committing to contracts, and providing feedback on their progress in journals, videos, etc.); (3) focus on understanding over accomplishing tasks; and (4) allow students enough time to adapt goals to their own interests, learning styles, and prior knowledge. Setting goals benefits from explicit instruction. Targeted feedback - Research and effective practice points to the following keys to using targeted feedback to improve student achievement and avoid negative effects: (1) link feedback to objectives; (2) use a formative evaluation approach over a summative approach; (3) make guidance specific (e.g.,proofing remarks or codes may not communicate well); (4) provide feedback in a timely manner (not long after assignment is forgotten); and (5) identify how students should use feedback to make improvements. Thumbs Up/Down, “Stop Light”, “Smiley Face”- for quick, formative assessment Think-Pair-Share– Turn & Talk with a neighbor to discuss/review various concepts/vocabulary/etc. Each child that is called on to share reports out their partner’s ideas/response; then switch. Word wall - A word wall is an organized collection of words prominently displayed in a classroom and frequently used as an interactive literacy tool for teaching vocabulary and spelling to children. There are many different types of word walls, such as high frequency words, word families, and story- or unit-related names. |
Activities: Including G/T, SE, and ELL Differentiation Differentiation examples: Students with a 504:
| Week 1: Readings: Various Timelines of Hurricane Katrina events
Focus: This week, students will critically analyze a series of timelines related to Hurricane Katrina, synthesizing information across sources to construct their own annotated timeline that highlights significant events, patterns, and responses. Through this process, students will develop and pose text-dependent, inquiry-based questions to guide deeper understanding and discussion of the historical and social impact of the hurricane. Students will apply close reading strategies, clear and coherent writing, collaborative discussion, and precise language use to build skills in evaluating informational texts and communicating ideas effectively. Activity: Timeline Review: Individually, students will research, review, and analyze a variety of timelines detailing the events of Hurricane Katrina. While several suggested resources are provided below, students are encouraged to explore beyond the list and identify additional timelines that offer valuable perspectives on the event.
As students engage with the timelines, they should actively take notes, generate thoughtful questions, and discuss key events and patterns with their peers. The goal is to collaboratively identify and narrow down the five most important details that capture the significance of Hurricane Katrina’s impact. Before students begin the task independently or in groups, the teacher should model the process by analyzing a selected timeline demonstrating how to review events, ask meaningful questions, and facilitate discussion to determine significance. Timeline Creation: In small groups, students will contribute to a class timeline covering the major events of Hurricane Katrina, from approximately August 23, 2005 to September 4, 2005. The timeline should include:
Please Note: The timeline should be created by the students and accessible either in the classroom or shared online (e.g., Padlet,Google Slides, Figjam, etc.). Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion: Lower-tier questions
Middle tier questions
HIgh-tier
Timeline Review & Question Formulation Technique (QFT): Allow students time to review and annotate the completed timeline, highlighting events that stand out. Here is an example of the QFT process. In small groups, students will:
Packback Extension: Each student will create one Packback Question inspired by the QFT activity. Students must also respond to at least two of their peers’ questions with thoughtful, evidence-based replies. Please note that while Packback is the suggested tool, other tools may be utilized if Packback is unavailable. For instance, the Question feature in Google Classroom will also allow for students to respond to one another’s posts. Product: Focused Free Write: Interview a partner. Ask the following questions:
Prepare a paragraph that details your partner’s responses. Quick Write: After reviewing the class timeline, select one event that you found of great importance. Describe what happened during that event. Explain how it contributes to your understanding of Hurricane Katrina. Reflect on how people might have felt during that moment. Pose at least one question you still have about the event or the hurricane itself. Language Focus: Citing Quotations and Integrating Quotations Vocabulary: Please Note: Students should identify tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary words of note as they are reviewing artifacts and creating their class timeline. Students should incorporate high utility and domain specific vocabulary in their questioning and writing Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed. Tier 2: Alleviate, catastrophe, capacities, regulations, deployed, infrastructure, resilience, parish Tier 3: Congress, declarations, FEMA, levee, storm surge, task force, Homeland Security, National Guard, COast Guard, Saffir-Simpson scale, breech Differentiation: Week 2: Readings:
Focus: This week students will analyze Section 101 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Dan Shea’s investigative article “Daylong Efforts to Repair Levee Fail,” and President George W. Bush’s public address on Katrina relief, students examine how different sources frame the same event. Special emphasis is placed on rhetorical strategies (ethos, pathos, logos) and rhetorical slanters such as innuendo, hyperbole, and rhetorical explanation, to evaluate how language shapes public perception and government accountability. Students demonstrate their understanding through discussion, comparison, and written response. This week’s focus deepens students' awareness of how media and government influence public opinion during emergencies. Activities:
Focused Free Write: Choose an issue that affects your community every day, like education, transportation, or public safety. How does the local, state, or federal government currently help with this issue, and where could it do more? What might happen if the government stopped providing support for this issue? Focused Free Write: Imagine a community has just experienced a major natural disaster, like a hurricane, wildfire, or flood. What do you think the government’s responsibilities should be in helping people recover, and who else should be involved? Packback Extension: Each student will create one Packback Question inspired by this week’s readings and/or discussions. Students must also respond to at least two of their peers’ questions with thoughtful, evidence-based replies. Please note that while Packback is the suggested tool, other tools may be utilized if Packback is unavailable. For instance, the Question feature in Google Classroom will also allow for students to respond to one another’s posts. Lumi Extension: As we move through the module, use Lumi to create a story about a fictional character who lives in a community dealing with a serious everyday issue like poor access to education, unsafe streets, or unreliable public transportation. Your character is used to this challenge, but then a natural disaster suddenly strikes, making everything harder. As your character tries to recover, think about these questions:
Your story should explore what your character experiences during this crisis and how the systems meant to protect people either help, fall short, or disappear entirely. Use emotion, detail, and imagination to bring your character’s world to life, but make sure the issue and disaster feel real and grounded in the way communities actually work. Use Lumi to help you develop your ideas. This is an ongoing task. You will have opportunities throughout the module to address this task. Note to teacher: Lumi may be introduced this week and continued through small group rotations throughout the module. Exit Ticket: How does Section 101 of the Stafford Act show the federal government’s role in helping communities before, during, and after a disaster? In your response, explain which parts of the law focus on preparation and which focus on recovery. Exit Ticket: According to Dan Shea’s article, what challenges did first responders and residents face after the levee failed in New Orleans? Exit Ticket: In his speech following Hurricane Katrina, President George W. Bush said, "Right now the days seem awfully dark for those affected—I understand that. But I'm confident that, with time, you can get your life back in order… and America will be a stronger place for it." What does this quote reveal about the president’s message to the American people? Do you think words of hope and confidence are important during a crisis? Why or why not? Use evidence from the speech to support your thinking. Quick Write: After reading Section 101 of the Stafford Act, the article “Daylong Efforts to Repair Levee Fail,” and President Bush’s speech “President Outlines Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts,” think about how government officials responded to the disaster. What were the biggest challenges during Hurricane Katrina, and how did the government respond? Were those responses effective? Why or why not? Use evidence from at least two of the texts to support your answer. Pre-Planned Questions for Question and/or Discussion: Summary of Section 101 of the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act: Section 101 of the Stafford Act explains why federal disaster assistance is necessary. Congress recognizes that disasters cause widespread harm such as loss of life, property, income, and stability often overwhelming local governments and communities. In response, the Act aims to ensure that the federal government provides consistent and organized help. This includes strengthening disaster relief programs, promoting preparedness at the state and local levels, encouraging insurance and mitigation efforts, improving coordination among agencies, and supporting recovery for both public and private sectors. Section 101 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act Lower tiered questions
Mid-tiered questions
Higher-tiered question “Daylong Efforts to Repair Levee Fail” by Dan Shea Summary of “Daylong Efforts to Repair Levee Fail” In “Daylong Efforts to Repair Levee Fail,” Dan Shea describes the worsening crisis in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, as a failed attempt to repair a breach in the 17th Street Canal levee allowed massive flooding from Lake Pontchartrain to overtake the city. Most areas were submerged, with only small parts of the French Quarter and Uptown remaining dry. Rescue teams, including police, firefighters, Coast Guard, and civilian volunteers, saved thousands, but many evacuees were left stranded on patches of high ground with little support. The Superdome, once a refuge, became unsafe, prompting a government-ordered evacuation. Lawlessness, communication breakdowns, and overwhelmed emergency systems added to the chaos, and efforts to seal the levee continued with no clear timeline for when the city would be habitable again. Lower tiered questions
Mid tiered Questions
Higher tiered questions
“President Outlines Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts” Summary of “President Outlines Hurricane Katrina Efforts” President George W. Bush addressed the nation after surveying the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. He described it as one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, with New Orleans largely underwater and widespread destruction along the Gulf Coast. Lower tiered questions
Mid tiered questions
High tiered questions
Vocabulary: Tier 1: Address Tier 1 vocabulary as needed Tier 2: implement, supplemental, mobilize, coordinate, infrastructure, evaluate, framework, subsequent, logistical, unprecedented, mitigate,disparity Tier 3: Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, major disaster vs. emergency declaration, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), levee system / levee breaches, Army Corps of Engineers, federal funding allocation, Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), emergency vs. recovery phases Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 3: Focus: MAP Testing, Evaluating Images and Documentary Trailers Readings: Katrina Image 1, Katrina Image 2, Katrina Image 3, Katrina Image 4, Trouble in the Water Trailer, Come Hell and High Water Trailer, Race Against Time Trailer, The Ones Who Stayed Trailer. Hope In High Water Trailer Activity:
Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: Trouble in the Water Trailer, Come Hell and High Water Trailer, Race Against Time Trailer, The Ones Who Stayed Trailer. Hope In High Water Trailer Lower-tier
Mid-tier
Higher-tier
Writing/Product: Outlining: After discussing the images and trailers in groups, develop an outline that explains how producers of media can select information-interviews, statistics, images, or sounds-to frame the information they present through a particular critical lens. Cite a specific critical lens and examples from your analysis and discussion to support your argument. Quick Writes: Quick Write Option 1: Choose one powerful image and one documentary trailer related to Hurricane Katrina. Analyze how these two media sources shape your understanding of the event and its aftermath. In your response, address two of the following:
Quick Write Option 2: Choose one powerful image and one documentary trailer related to Hurricane Katrina. Analyze how these two media sources shape your understanding of the event and its aftermath. In your response, address two of the following:
Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed. Tier 2: power relations, inequality, human agency, gendered experience, race/class tension, Tier 3: Congress, declarations, FEMA, documentary, trailer Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 4 Extended Writing 1: In “President Outlines Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts,” President George W. Bush outlines the federal government’s immediate and long-term response efforts to the natural disaster. Carefully read the speech to determine his purpose and how he addresses his audience during a national crisis. Then, write an essay that analyzes the effectiveness of the strategies President Bush employs in his speech. In your analysis, consider how Bush uses:
Be sure to:
Week 5: Readings:
Focus: This week, students will analyze a series of news reports covering Hurricane Katrina through various critical lenses, including feminist, Marxist, cultural, and archetypal perspectives. As part of their analysis, students will also evaluate each article for bias and logical fallacies, considering how language, perspective, and representation influence public understanding of the event. Activity:
Planned Questions for Jigsaw: How objective is the coverage? Identify and list (or highlight in the article) specific textual details (titles, labeling, omissions, and so on) that reveal any bias in the text. What is the target audience for the publication/broadcast? How does the text's rhetorical context affect the language and tone used? What is the writer's point of view? How do the evidence and the rhetoric support that point of view? If you read only this article or report, what would you think is the key issue? In other words, how does the text frame the truth and/or significance of the event? Which critical lenses are evident in how the text approaches the issue? Provide examples to support your answer. Product: Quick Write: Using previously determined background knowledge of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, examine the bias and logical fallacies evident in one of the news reports.
Students will present their analysis on their readings. Their presentation should include the following:
Language Focus: Rhetorical Devices; Appositives Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed. Tier 2: looter, bedlam, ricocheted, left -leaning, lambaste, resilience, synoptic, hydrologic Tier 3: bloggers, copywriter, Getty Images Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 6: Readings: “Requiem” by Yousef Komunyakaa; audio of “Requiem” Focus: This week students will examine the poem “Requiem” by Yusef Komunyakaa, analyzing how literary perspectives reveal different meanings in the work and applying critical reading strategies to interpret complexities in the poem. Students will also discuss how language, form, and historical reference shape poetic meaning. Activities:
Product: Focused Free Write: Quick Write: For “Requiem,” I think the subject matter dictated the poem’s structure. I had been asked to consider writing a poem about Hurricane Katrina, and after thinking about it for a while, I said yes to the editor of Oxford American. I said to myself, Well, I’ll write the first part for the magazine and then continue, because now I see this as a book-length poem. I knew I wanted “Requiem” to have long and short lines. I wanted movement on the page, because that happens with water, that happens with chaos. And also I remembered Richard Hugo saying that the poem needs a combination of long and short lines. Years ago when I was wrestling with this concept, it took me some time to understand what Hugo meant. But he’d also mentioned that he loved swing music, that he was influenced by swing. Long and short lines—swing music—it now made sense to me. He was talking about a kind of modulation that takes place, a movement that happens in music and language. I knew that “Requiem” was a long poem, its changes and ebbs held together by ellipses. So it’s one sentence, basically, with a one-word refrain. And that one word is “already.” -Yusef Komunyakaa In the excerpt above, Yusef Komunyakaa explains how the subject matter of Hurricane Katrina influenced the form and structure of “Requiem.” He chose to use long and short lines, ellipses, and a single repeated word (already) to mirror the movement of water, chaos, and swing music. Choose one specific passage or moment from “Requiem.” How do the poem’s line breaks, punctuation (or lack of it), repetition, or rhythm contribute to your understanding of that moment?
Be sure to refer directly to the poem’s form and language choices in your response. Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed. Tier 2: unholy, trembling, facades, lethargy, lamentation, inherited, echoing, ravenous, surge, tug, testament, churn, acceleration, unmoored, mumbling, primordial, lingered Tier 3: Crescent City, quitclaim deeds, plumb line, ballast, watertable, Choctaw, Chickasaw, remittance man, scalawag, King Cotton, flowchart, horse-hair plaster, lallygag, sluice, inlet, bedrock, Bacchus, Zulu, repetition, ellipsis, refrain Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 7: Focus: This week, students will unpack the research question and begin exploring the research and writing process. They will closely analyze the performance task to understand its purpose, expectations, and key vocabulary. Through guided activities, students will learn how to develop strong, focused research questions, identify credible sources, and begin organizing their thinking around a chosen environmental issue. This foundation sets the stage for deeper inquiry and effective argument development in the weeks ahead. Readings/Materials: Review Notes on Marxist Lens, Feminist Lens, Archetypal Lens, Historical Lens Activities:
Brainstormed questions:
Show how the final research question might be:
Tiered Discussion Questions: Lower tier: What environmental issue are you interested in and why? Middle tier: What questions do you have about this issue? Higher tier: How might different perspectives or biases affect how people view this issue? Focused Free Writes:
Quick Write: Write a well-developed response that explores your chosen environmental issue through a critical lens. Your response should include:
Language Dive: "Using a critical lens, one can see that the response to Hurricane Katrina reflected deep social and racial inequalities." Chunk It: Break the sentence into parts.
What makes this sentence formal and analytical? How might we use a similar structure to introduce our own argument? Vocabulary: Tier 2: claim, evidence, argument, perspective, credible, evaluate, synthesize, bias, interpret, source Tier 3: environmental event, climate change, natural disaster, critical lens, annotated, bibliography, MLA format, in-text citation, transitional language Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 8-9 Focus: Research, Evidence Collection Tools, Activity: Students will work on the rough draft of their performance task where they should include the following:
Product: Have students use their notes to write a one-page research proposal that explains their topic, briefly notes any information they have already learned, states which critical perspective they plan to use to examine the issue, and defines their guiding question. Have students mention any sources they have identified and plan to include in their final research report. Lastly, have students indicate where and how they will continue to conduct research to answer your guiding question. After evaluating their sources, have students create an annotated bibliography with the sources that they have researched. Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed. Tier 2: address tier 2 vocabulary as needed for module 2. Tier 3: Claim, parenthetical citations, commentary, plagiarism Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 10-11 Focus: Peer evaluation, constructive feedback, formulating critical responses Activity: Students will work collaboratively to review a peer’s essay using the scoring guide and then work to revise and edit their own essay. Students will also conference with their instructor to help develop actionable revisions. Product: Have students list 3 concrete actions they will take to revise for a stronger essay Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed. Tier 2: address tier 2 vocabulary as needed for module 2. Tier 3: conference, peer review, feedback Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 12-13 Focus: Preview of Module 2 and Writing Log Publishing Activity: Students will reflect on their final drafts of the Performance Tasks as well as all previous major writings from Module 1. Product: Writing Logs, Hyperlinked Final Drafts of Extended Writing and Performance Task Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED |
Experiences (virtual and live field trips) | Newsroom visit (tour of NJNews12) Journalist visit and lecture Paley Center for News Media, NYC State Library Archives |
Resources | |
Foundational Reading Skills Screening Assessment Graphic Organizers (See Teacher Resources on Springboard) Snap and Read Group Discussion Modes Quill English IV Foundational Skills Workshop (See Teacher Resources on Springboard) | |
Pacing/ Time Frame: | 9 weeks |
Module II | Grade(s) 12 | ||
Unit Plan Title: | The Collective Perspective | ||
Overview/Rationale | |||
In Unit 2 students will examine and work with critical perspectives. The archetypal, Marxist, and feminist perspectives will be applied to drama, nonfiction, and narrative texts. Students will use these critical theories to analyze ideas in texts as well as society. Students will engage in meaningful and respectful discussions with peers focusing on asking questions and acknowledging the validity of other points of view. Students will learn how to compose an engaging script and a discerning analytical response using genre characteristics and craft. Students will also formulate a literary analysis that utilizes original commentary and text evidence that supports an evaluative response. | |||
Reading Standards for Literature: Key Ideas and Details | |||
L.VL.11-12.3. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, including technical meanings, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. L.VI.11-12.4. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings, including connotative meanings. RL.CR.11-12.1. Accurately cite a range of thorough textual evidence and make relevant connections to strongly support a comprehensive analysis of multiple aspects of what a literary text says explicitly and inferentially, as well as interpretations of the text; this may include determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL.CI.11-12.2. Determine two or more themes of a literary text and analyze how they are developed and refined over the course of a text including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account or analysis; provide an objective summary of the text.RL.11–12.3 - Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed). RL.PP.11-12.5. Evaluate perspectives/lenses from two or more texts on related topics and justify the more cogent viewpoint (e.g. different accounts of the same event or issue, use of different media or formats). RL.MF.11-12.6. Synthesize complex information across multiple sources and formats to develop ideas, resolve conflicting information, or develop an interpretation that goes beyond explicit text information (e.g. express a personal point of view, new interpretation of the author’s message). RL.CT.11-12.8 Demonstrate knowledge of, analyze, and reflect on (e.g. practical knowledge, historical/cultural context, and background knowledge) documents of historical and literary significance for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics. RI.CR.11-12.1. Accurately cite a range of thorough textual evidence and make relevant connections to strongly support a comprehensive analysis of multiple aspects of what an informational text says explicitly and inferentially, as well as interpretations of the text. RI.CI.11-12.2. Determine two or more central ideas of an informational text and analyze how they are developed and refined over the course of a text including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account or analysis; provide an objective summary of the text. RI.IT.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of an author's choices as they develop ideas throughout the text regarding a complex set of ideas or sequence of events, and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop. RI.TS.11-12.4. Evaluate the author’s choices concerning the structure and the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging. RI.PP.11-12.5. Analyze an author’s purpose in a text, distinguishing what is directly stated in a text or through rhetoric, analyzing how style and content convey information and advance a point of view. RI.MF.11-12.6. Synthesize complex information across multiple sources and formats to develop ideas, resolve conflicting information, or develop an interpretation that goes beyond explicit text information (e.g. express a personal point of view, new interpretation of the concept). W.AW.11-12.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. A. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. B. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims avoiding common logical fallacies and using sound reasoning and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases. C. Use transitions (e.g. words, phrases, clauses) to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims. D. Establish and maintain a style and tone appropriate to the audience and purpose (e.g. formal and objective for academic writing) while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. E. Provide a concluding paragraph or section that supports the argument presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). W.IW.11-12.2. Write informative/explanatory texts (including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes) to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. A. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. B. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic. C. Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts. D. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic. E. Establish and maintain a style and tone appropriate to the audience and purpose (e.g. formal and objective for academic writing) while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing. F. Provide a concluding paragraph or section that supports the argument presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic). W.11–12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well structured event sequences. W.NW.11–12.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. A. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events. B. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. C. Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution). D. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters. E. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. W.WP.11–12.4. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, trying a new approach; sustaining effort to complete complex writing tasks; tracking and reflecting on personal writing progress (e.g., using portfolios, journals, conferencing); or consulting a style manual (such as MLA or APA Style), focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. W.WR.11–12.5. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. W.SE.11–12.6. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation (MLA or APA Style Manuals). SL.PE.11–12.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with peers on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. A. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas. B. Collaborate with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and assessments (e.g., student developed rubrics), and establish individual roles as needed. C. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives. D. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task. SL.II.11–12.2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data. SL.PI.11–12.4 Present information, findings and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically. The content, organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. SL.UM.11–12.5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest. L.SS.11-12.1. Demonstrate command of the system and structure of the English language when writing or speaking. A. Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time and place, and is sometimes contested. B. Observe hyphenation conventions. C. Recognize spelling conventions. L.KL.11-12.2 Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. L.VL.11-12.3. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, including technical meanings, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. L.VI.11-12.4. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings, including connotative meanings. A. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in the text. B. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations. L.KL.11–12.2. Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. A. Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level. | |||
Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills | |||
| |||
Technology/Computer Science and Design Thinking
| Interdisciplinary Standards Standards | ||
21st Century Skills: E = Encouraged, T = Taught, A = Assessed | |||
E | Civic Literacy | E/T | Communication |
E | Global Awareness | E/T/A | Critical Thinking and Problem Solving |
E | Health Literacy | E/T | Collaboration |
E | Financial, Economic, Business, & Entrepreneurial Literacy | E/T/A | Creativity and Innovation |
E | Environmental Literacy | Other: | |
Essential Question(s) | |||
How do writers develop great characters? How does identifying with a character enhance the reader’s experience? How does a person’s environment affect his or her identity? How does power and the dynamics thereof, affect people’s interactions and relationships? | |||
Enduring Understandings | |||
Writers develop great characters by creating people who must deal with realistic and challenging situations that are timeless. If students can identify with a character or characters, they are connected to the text in a way that is personal and memorable. A person’s environment can shape any experience the person has, positively or negatively; it can also affect how a person responds to situations and interacts with others. Power affects people’s interactions and relationships by the control it provides. When one has power, he or she is at an advantage over others and therefore can manipulate situations for good or evil. |
Student Learning Targets/Objectives | |
I can collaborate with peers to understand and apply the definition of archetype. I can analyze the key ideas and archetypes presented in two literary texts. I can summarize the texts, concentrating on the most important elements. I can analyze the composition and use of archetypes in a visual medium. I can evaluate and discuss how characters’ motivations act as a driving force in advancing the plot. I can write a comparative analysis of characters from two different texts. I can evaluate the significance of language, including diction and syntax, and how it conveys tone and theme. I can analyze the genre and structure of a script and apply the knowledge gained when writing a scene. I can analyze and annotate text to indicate how to present an oral reading of dialogue. I can analyze character development within a play to write an original script using genre characteristics. I can draw connections between the key plot elements and archetypes presented in a myth and a play. I can write an argument evaluating an author’s interpretation of a myth. I can synthesize information from multiple sources to gain an understanding of Marxist Criticism. I can analyze characterization and plot development through the Marxist perspective. I can develop an understanding of the Feminist Criticism. I can evaluate how an author builds an argument in a work of literary criticism. I can evaluate a folktale through a feminist perspective. I can compare multiple texts using a feminist perspective. I can apply the feminist perspective by writing a literary analysis of a short story. | |
Assessments | |
Pre and Formative Assessments: Diagnostic Reading Assessment/Inventory Diagnostic Writing Assessment/Inventory Quizzes (Activity Quizzes) Quick-writes Teacher-created resources Authentic and Summative Assessments: Extended Writing 2: Compare the character of Eliza with the statue of the original Pygmalion myth. How is each described by the author? What relationships do they have to the other main characters in the respective stories? In what ways are they acted upon, and in what ways are they the source of the action? Be sure to:
Benchmark 2 Performance Task 2: Module 2 introduces the archetypal, feminist, and Marxist critical perspectives. Write an analytical essay applying a critical viewpoint to a short story from this module. Select from “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, “The Chaser” by John Collier, or “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl.
| |
Teaching and Learning Actions | |
Instructional Strategies | Academic Vocabulary - Create and keep current, a Language Arts Word Wall, for children to use and interact with. Important for all learners, academic vocabulary and language must be taught explicitly, particularly to second language learners. Accountable talk - Talking with others about ideas is fundamental to classroom learning. Classroom talk that promotes and sustains learning should be accountable to other learners, use accurate and appropriate knowledge, and adhere to rigor in thinking. Accountable talk responds to and further develops what others have said through relevant observations, ideas, opinions, or more information. Cognates-Using Cognates for words in ELL’s native language Conferencing - A one-to-one teacher conference with a student about his or her work in progress is prevalent in teaching writing and speaking, but it is also useful in other areas. The purpose of the conference-- engaging in meaningful conversation about the student’s work in progress--will not be realized automatically. Preparation (on the part of both the teacher and the student) before the conference, careful listening during the conference, recordkeeping, and follow-up are essential components for a successful outcome. In student-to-student conferencing, participants require guidance, a focused protocol, and accountability. Video resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pad1eAcsHho Content Stations – Areas where students work on different tasks simultaneously. Can and should be leveled for review, challenge, and remediation at appropriate level. Teacher rotates and facilitates instruction and assistance. Activities reach various learning styles. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt leveled readers to assist in background knowledge, skills application, etc. Cues, questions, activating prior knowledge- Frequently assess your students for prior content knowledge to assist in planning your lessons. Use effective questioning to prompt students to recall and apply what they have already learned. Effective questioning - Teacher questioning and student response are common classroom learning activities. Research finds that teacher questions (and cues) are effective when they focus on what is important, require students to respond at higher levels, provide adequate wait time after a question is asked and establish an engaging introduction for the lesson. Effective questioning can also play a role in focusing students on unit learning goals or overarching themes throughout a longer period of study. Flexible Groupings- Teacher meets with groups to meet curricular goals, engage students, and respond to individual needs. Integration of content areas - There is a strong case to be made for integrating curriculum. It strengthens skills that students encounter in one content area, but also practice in another, such as reading and writing, and it can lead to the mastery of those skills. It provides meaningful instruction for students in multiple areas of standards in a single class or learning experience. It is also a more authentic way of learning because it reflects what we experience, both professionally and personally, in the world. It can be a way to engage students when introducing them to a challenging subject. STEM education is a current example of effective content integration. Research supports the integration of content areas. Intentional Use of Technology – whiteboard presentations and activities available and encouraged for use through HMH. Leveled Instruction – Teacher gives introductory lesson to the entire class, then provides varying access points for students to practice skills. Teacher provides several assignments with different levels of difficulty- the student OR teacher chooses an assignment. Modeling - Modeling is an instructional strategy wherein the teacher or another student demonstrates a new concept or skill and students learn by observing and emulating. Modeling is an effective instructional strategy when it allows students to observe thought processes and imitate particular behaviors or steps in a process. Types and purposes of modeling can include approaches such as task and performance modeling (demonstrating a task), metacognitive modeling (thinking aloud), and disposition modeling (conveying one’s own enthusiasm, interest, or commitment). Modeling can be used across disciplines and in all grades and ability levels. Nonlinguistic representations- drawings, blocks, physical models, kinesthetic activities, graphic organizers, realia Read-aloud - Read-aloud is an instructional format, included formally in elementary reading programs and as an instructional activity in all areas and levels of the curriculum. A primary purpose of a read-aloud is to create a community of readers in the classroom and establish a known text as a basis for related literacy activities. Reading aloud allows teachers to model important components of literacy, such as fluency, expression, and interacting with texts while exposing students to vocabulary that is just beyond their instructional level and demonstrating how reading is a source of information and enjoyment. Semantic Mapping -The association of meanings and context for a given word that may include: origin, images, multiple meanings, word structure, synonyms, antonyms, descriptors, common contexts, examples, historical or cultural connotations and personal associations. When using a semantic map, it will assist students by building a meaningful network of associations around the words that must be learned which will be stored more deeply in memory and retrieved more easily. Share the Pen- Interactive writing strategy where teacher and students “share the pen” to create a written product such as a sentence, story, or list. SIOP Strategies - Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol consists of eight components; lesson preparation, building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice, lesson delivery, and review and assessment. Using these eight components teachers can design instruction that will help ELL’s to reach English language acquisition. Student goal setting - Teachers who set, define, and communicate learning objectives effectively with students employ research-based findings that say goal setting with students should: (1) be flexible and general because when a goal is too narrowly focused, it may limit learning (e.g., If the goal is to learn how a piston works, students may not learn its relationship to other parts of an engine), although too general goals may be unattainable; (2) encourage student ownership (e.g., creating own goals, personalizing teacher goals, committing to contracts, and providing feedback on their progress in journals, videos, etc.); (3) focus on understanding over accomplishing tasks; and (4) allow students enough time to adapt goals to their own interests, learning styles, and prior knowledge. Setting goals benefits from explicit instruction. Targeted feedback - Research and effective practice points to the following keys to using targeted feedback to improve student achievement and avoid negative effects: (1) link feedback to objectives; (2) use a formative evaluation approach over a summative approach; (3) make guidance specific (e.g.,proofing remarks or codes may not communicate well); (4) provide feedback in a timely manner (not long after assignment is forgotten); and (5) identify how students should use feedback to make improvements. Thumbs Up/Down, “Stop Light”, “Smiley Face”- for quick, formative assessment Think-Pair-Share– Turn & Talk with a neighbor to discuss/review various concepts/vocabulary/etc. Each child that is called on to share reports out their partner’s ideas/response; then switch. Word wall - A word wall is an organized collection of words prominently displayed in a classroom and frequently used as an interactive literacy tool for teaching vocabulary and spelling to children. There are many different types of word walls, such as high frequency words, word families, and story- or unit-related names. |
Activities: Including G/T, SE, and ELL Differentiation Differentiation examples: Students with a 504:
| Week 1: Readings: Myth:“Orpheus Sings: Pygmalion and the Statue,” from Metamorphoses, by Ovid Novel Excerpt: from Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley Focus: Archetypal Criticism, Introducing the myth Activity: Learn about and write definitions of common archetypes in society, identify recurring archetypes in photos, analyze and compare two texts from different literary periods, read a myth and an excerpt from a classic novel and draw connections to the archetypes presented,practice summarizing techniques. Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: What are your initial thoughts about Pygmalion’s relationship with the statue? What emotions does Pygmalion convey toward Galatea in the image and text? What do you notice in this myth that someone skimming over it might miss? In the first sentence, Ovid writes, “Pygmalion had seen them, spending their lives in wickedness…”Whom is Ovid writing about when he uses the pronoun “them”? What is the dual meaning of “art hides his art” (lines 4-7)? How has Pygmalion changed (or not changed) from the beginning of the story to the end? Product: Focused Free Write: If you could mold a person you liked into the perfect person for you, would you? Why or why not? Quick Write: What does the sculptor in Ovid’s Pygmalion believe he is giving his statue? How does this speak to his privilege as a man? What does this story say about power dynamics between men and women? What commentary is Ovid trying to make about the purpose of women in life?
Describe how the main character’s vanity as the creator drives the events of the plot.
Write a summary of Ovid’s myth “Pygmalion and the Statue.” Vocabulary: Tier 1: Address tier 1 vocabulary as needed. diminish, prominence Tier 2: stupefied, Heliades, cincture, Tyrian murex, Hymettus, Paphos,conglomerates,segmentation, commodify, precarious, recourse Tier 3: myth,McCarthyism Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 2: Readings/Material: Photographs: Stills from My Fair Lady, directed by George Cukor, Pygmalion, Acts I and II, by George Bernard Shaw Focus: Characteristics of Drama Activity: Review the parts of a five-act play and make inferences about the play by closely analyzing film stills, read and reflect on Act I of Pygmalion, analyze the author’s use of archetypes, and organize information in writing. Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: How does Mr. Higgins initially view Eliza? How is Mr. Higgins able to accurately guess where people are from? Ovid gives us a written version of the myth, which derives from the oral tradition of the early Greeks and Romans. Revisit the myth to look for archetypal characters: the creative person, the object of his affection, and the being who grants his wish. How are these characters represented in the images you viewed? Read the following lines from Act I, and then answer the following questions: THE NOTE-TAKER: You see this creature with her kerbstone English: the English that will keep her in the gutter to the end of her days. Well, sir, in three months I could pass that girl off as a duchess at an ambassador’s garden party. What is the significance of language? Why does the note-taker believe that the flower girl's dialect hinders her ability to transform her station in life? Product: Focused Free Write: How does the following video compare and contrast to “Pygmalion” the play and Ovid's story of the statue? What archetypes are present? Revisit the film stills and compare the director’s interpretation in My Fair Lady with Pygmalion after reading Act I. If you had been the director, what would you have done differently? Why? Who determines in society what a “proper lady” is? Whose opinion of women seems to hold more weight in society? Can you think of a situation where people are judged by their accents, dialect, or style of speaking? Quick Write: What archetypes do Eliza and Mrs. Higgins embody? How do they represent the different faces of feminism? What criticism do you think Shaw is trying to make as he presents these women in contrast to their male counterparts in the play?
How does Mr. Higgins embody the characteristics of being part of the dominant group (a male that is part of a high social and economic class) in society? How does he wield his power?
Vocabulary: Tier 2: conciliatory, repudiation, inscrutable, didactic, brogue, bilious, phonetic, frock, impetuous, genial, petulance, malice, perplexed, deplorable, brusquely, genteel, zephyr, elocution, Tier 3: five-act play, plot, drama, structure, conflict, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, tone and mood, idiom Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 3: Extended Writing Readings: Pygmalion, Acts I and II cont’d by George Bernard Shaw Focus: Language, Structure, Author’s Use of Literary Elements Activity: Continue reading of Act II of Pygmalion, analyze author’s use of literary elements, respond to Extended Writing prompt, fragments and complete sentences As you read Act II, identify each character’s significant attributes (3-5 each). Collect evidence to support each of these attributes. Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: Act 2 How is Eliza made to conform at Professor Higgins home? What will Eliza need to change about herself to be considered a “lady”? How does the setting of Victorian England influence the plot and character development? Does social class play a significant role in characterization? Explain. Based on what you have read so far, what appears to motivate each of the characters? Writing/Product: Focused Free-Writes: If you could mold a person you liked into the perfect person for you, would you? Why or why not? How does the following video compare and contrast to “Pygmalion” the play and Ovid's story of the statue? What archetypes are present? Write about whether you agree or disagree with this statement: " Economics is the foundation for all social, political, and ideological reality. Quick Write: What archetypes do Eliza and Mrs. Higgins embody? How do they represent the different faces of feminism? What criticism do you think Shaw is trying to make as he presents these women in contrast to their male counterparts in the play?
How does Mr. Higgins embody the characteristics of being part of the dominant group (a male that is part of a high social and economic class) in society? How does he wield his power?
Extended Writing: Compare the character of Eliza with the statue of the original Pygmalion myth. How is each described by the author? What relationships do they have to the other main characters in the respective stories? In what ways are they acted upon, and in what ways are they the source of the action? Be sure to:
Vocabulary Tier 2: conciliatory, repudiation, inscrutable, didactic, brogue, bilious, phonetic, Tier 3: five-act play, plot, drama, structure, conflict, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, tone and mood, idiom Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 4: Readings: Pygmalion, Acts II and III, by George Bernard Shaw Focus: Language and Satire, Author’s Use of Literary Elements Activity: Read Act III of Pygmalion, analyze author’s use of literary elements, write a short script, revise script to add subtext. Product: Write a once-scene script with characters and use of satire. Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: What role does language play in establishing class structures in “Pygmalion?” What satirical techniques does Shaw employ in Act III? How does he use syntax and diction and what are the effects of these choices? Quick Write: Explain how Shaw uses satire throughout his play. What techniques does he primarily use and why might an audience find this funny?
Think about a faux pas you have committed or can imagine someone committing. Write a one-scene script with at least two characters that satirizes the situation. Consider how you will incorporate the use of satire and archetypes. Be sure to:
Vocabulary Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed. Tier 2: frock, impetuous, genial, petulance, malice, perplexed, deplorable, brusquely, genteel, zephyr, elocution, pretension, brocade, caricature, settee, straiten, chintz, ottoman, soiree, pedantic Tier 3: faux pas, author’s craft, satire, genre conventions of play writing, exaggeration, parody, irony Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 5: Readings: Pygmalion, Acts III, IV, and V, by George Bernard Shaw Focus: Character Development in a Play Activity: Reflect on the character development in Acts III-V, collaboratively write and perform a script, read Act IV and engage in a class debate, analyze the transformation of the main characters, write an alternate ending to the play. Writing/Product: Focused Free-Writes: Based on what you initially know about Marxist theory, how could you apply it to what you know about Pygmalion? Who were the haves and have nots? How were economic class structures presented in the play? Write an alternate ending to Pygmalion that adheres to the conventions of a play script. Quickwrite: After reading Act IV you have a clear picture of Higgins’s and Pickering’s attitudes toward their “project.” What are your initial thoughts on what Eliza’s next steps should be. In her position, what would you do? Given your understanding of the setting (time and place) could Eliza react the way you would?
How are Eliza's choices limited by the setting in Victorian England? How does this affect her behavior? How do Eliza's and Higgins' social classes impact their actions?
Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed Tier 2: pallor, weary, attire, grate, tomfoolery, fervently, flinch, gorge, purgatory, immense, superlative, indifferent, submission, moderate, recollect, writhe, subjective, enlightened, condescend, cant, dudgeon, perfunctorily, pert, lavish, decorum, pantomime, accost, vehement, proffer, solicitor, in earnest, bequest, placidly, reproach, incorrigible, magnanimous, nomenclature, obstinate Tier 3: playwright, dialogue, stage directions, subtext Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 6: Focus: The Marxist Perspective Reading: Pygmalion Sequel Activity: Read about Marxist critical theory, analyze song lyrics through a Marxist lens, collaboratively research the implications of social and economic class, analyze the ways in which social class, wealth, and power impact the plot and character development of Shaw’s Pygmalion, reflect on the text from a Marxist critical perspective. Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: What role does language play in establishing class structures in “Pygmalion?” How does Eliza’s story reflect an idyllic situation of upward mobility? How realistic is her journey compared to people in today;s society who may be in a similar situation or in the same social and economic class? Writing/Product: Explain how using a critical lens changes or enhances a reader’s understanding of the play. Focused Free Writes: Write about whether you agree or disagree with this statement: " Economics is the foundation for all social, political, and ideological reality. What are the consequences of “obsessive love?” Is the phrase “obsessive love” an oxymoron? Be detailed in your response. Imagine you are an online “influencer.” Create a short monologue where you try to influence your followers to buy your love potion. How would you characterize influencers according to the defining characteristics of the Marxist Perspective? Based on what you initially know about Marxist theory, how could you apply it to what you know about Pygmalion? Who were the haves and have nots? How were economic class structures presented in the play? Write about the irony of Eliza learning to be a “proper lady” from professor Higgins. Who determines in society what a “proper lady” is? Whose opinion of women seems to hold more weight in society? Considering the play “Pygmalion,” what are some roadblocks or challenges the lower class must surmount in order to get closer to being part of high class society? Do you believe the way you speak can either hinder you or propel you to success? How can using someone’s speech or language as a key to their success be problematic? We have discussed all types of literary criticism, knowing what you know about archetypal, feminist, and Marxist criticisms, what do you think cultural criticism is? What are 3 guiding questions someone could use to determine cultural criticism? Which marginalization does Eliza seem to fight against the most, being a woman or being part of the lower class? Be detailed in your response. Quick Writes: Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 7: Readings: “Cinderella, the Legend” from Kiss Sleeping Beauty Goodbye by Madonna Kolbenschlag Focus: The Feminist Perspective Activity: Research and read about the feminist critical perspective, synthesize findings in a summary, read an example of literary criticism and analyze the author’s critical interpretation of a famous fairytale, write an analysis of how the author develops an argument. Product: Write a rhetorical analysis about how Kolbenschlag builds an argument to persuade her audience. Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 8: Readings: Folktale: “Why Women always Take Advantage of Men,” from Mules and Men by Zora Neale Hurston, “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl, “The Chaser,” by John Collier, “The Story of An Hour” by Kate Chopin Focus: The Feminist Perspective/Gender Equality Activity: Read a folk tale, compare ideas about men and women, synthesize understanding of texts in a written response, review learning about the Feminist Criticism, analyze character relationships in a picture book, write a literary analysis, using commas, parentheses, and dashes, closely read a short story, develop analytical questions, participate in a Socratic Seminar, using a feminist perspective compare short story texts from this unit, synthesize new understandings in a written response, citing textual evidence. Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: “The Chaser” Why do you think the old man tries to make the love potion so unappealing to Mr. Beasley? What is the physical cost of the potion compared to the emotional cost and long term consequences of the potion? How does Collier structure the story in order to get audiences to critically think about the role that consumerism plays in society? Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: “The Landlady” What are the characteristics of the landlady? What is the significance of the landlady working so meticulously to preserve her guests’ appearances? How is the landlady’s supposed power a reflection of the power dynamics between those who have and those who need? How can this dynamic be dehumanizing? Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: “The Story of An Hour” Why is Mrs. Mallard initially shocked? What does Chopin want the audience to initially believe about Mrs. Mallard’s feelings about her husband’s death? What is the importance of this compositional move to the message and purpose of the story? How does the “Story of an Hour” challenge the ideas about the role of women in society? What is the significance of time in “Story of an Hour?” How does it speak to how time is valued by men and women? How might time be affected by race, gender, or class? Writing/Product Focused Freewrite: Argue for or against the following claim: Mrs. Mallard lived a fulfilled life despite her feelings towards her husband. Is it important to feel like an individual in a partnership, relationship, or marriage? What about if society sees you and your significant other as one? Be detailed in your response. What are the consequences of “obsessive love?” Is the phrase “obsessive love” an oxymoron? Be detailed in your response. What lengths are people willing to go for love? What percentage of the world population do you think would buy the love potion from the short story “The Chaser?” If you predict more than or less than 50% of the population, what do you think that says about how love is viewed in the world? Imagine you are an online “influencer.” Create a short monologue where you try to influence your followers to buy your love potion. How would you characterize influencers according to the defining characteristics of the Marxist Perspective? Based on what you initially know about Marxist theory, how could you apply it to what you know about Pygmalion? Who were the haves and have nots? How were economic class structures presented in the play? Argue the following statement: Mrs. Mallard found the freedom she sought at the beginning of the story. Write about the irony of Eliza learning to be a “proper lady” from professor Higgins. Who determines in society what a “proper lady” is? Whose opinion of women seems to hold more weight in society? Considering the play “Pygmalion,” what are some roadblocks or challenges the lower class must surmount in order to get closer to being part of high class society? Do you believe the way you speak can either hinder you or propel you to success? How can using someone’s speech or language as a key to their success be problematic? We have discussed all types of literary criticism, knowing what you know about archetypal, feminist, and Marxist criticisms, what do you think cultural criticism is? What are 3 guiding questions someone could use to determine cultural criticism? Which marginalization does Eliza seem to fight against the most, being a woman or being part of the lower class? Be detailed in your response. Quick Writes: How does “The Chaser” provide social commentary about consumerism?
Can an argument be made that there is some element of manipulation going on with the old man as well as Mr. Beasly? How do they both use manipulation to eventually get what they want?
What effect does Chopin’s chosen point of view have on the story and how it is told? How does this point of view speak to the feminist perspective?
Write about the symbolism behind the window in “The Story of an Hour.” How does it speak to the perspective of women during that time period?
How does Chopin develop the conflict between societal obligations and personal desires?
How does irony help to subvert the audience’s understanding of Chopin’s message of feminism?
How does Dahl juxtapose appearance versus reality in “The Landlady?” Compare the old man from “The Chaser” to the old woman from “The Landlady.” How are their approaches similar? How do their approaches mimic the pull of capitalism? (The idea of earning and spending to one day become part of a higher class)
What archetypes do Eliza and Mrs. Higgins embody? How do they represent the different faces of feminism? What criticism do you think Shaw is trying to make as he presents these women in contrast to their male counterparts in the play?
How does Mr. Higgins embody the characteristics of being part of the dominant group (a male that is part of a high social and economic class) in society? How does he wield his power?
Product: Written response regarding the famous archetype “the tree of life.” What do you know about this phrase and its meaning? What example of this archetype can you connect to texts, films, or artwork that you’ve read or viewed? Write an explanation of the tree’s (from The Giving Tree) happiness or unhappiness. How could a feminist analysis of this story give the reader a new or different understanding? Write an analytical essay to explain the relationship between Billy and the landlady in “The Landlady” analyzing the story from a feminist perspective. Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 9: Performance Task Readings: “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin or “The Chaser' Focus: Textual Evidence Activity: Performance Task Product: Performance Task-Module 2 introduces the archetypal, feminist, and Marxist critical perspectives. Write an analytical essay applying a critical viewpoint to either “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin or “The Chaser'' by John Collier
(W.WP.11–12.4,W.AW.11-12.1) Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED |
Experiences (virtual and live field trips) | Local, college, or professional play productions Museum of Fine Arts Metropolitan Museum of Art |
Resources | |
Foundational Reading Skills Screening Assessment Graphic Organizers (See Teacher Resources on Springboard) Snap and Read Group Discussion Modes Quill English IV Foundational Skills Workshop (See Teacher Resources on Springboard) | |
Pacing/ Time Frame: | 9 Weeks |
Module 3 | Grade(s) | |||
Unit Plan Title: | Evolving Perspectives | |||
Overview/Rationale | ||||
In unit 3 students will deepen their understanding of critical perspectives as they apply literary theories to dramas and poetry. With a focus on William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice, students will be introduced to Historical Criticism as a means to analyze the drama and the characters from a historical perspective as well as to see the ways historical and social context have influenced staged performances. Students will evaluate and critique multiple interpretations of the Shakespearean tragedy, analyze character using a critical lens, and plan and perform dramatic interpretations of selected themes. Students will prepare a written response to a research topic that incorporates their understanding of the play as well as of the critical lenses through which the play can be interpreted. | ||||
Reading Standards for Literature: Key Ideas and Details | ||||
L.VI.11-12.4. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings, including connotative meanings. RL.CR.11-12.1. Accurately cite a range of thorough textual evidence and make relevant connections to strongly support a comprehensive analysis of multiple aspects of what a literary text says explicitly and inferentially, as well as interpretations of the text; this may include determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. RL.CI.11-12.2. Determine two or more themes of a literary text and analyze how they are developed and refined over the course of a text including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account or analysis; provide an objective summary of the text. RL.IT.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of an author's choices as they develop ideas throughout the text regarding how they develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed). RL.PP.11-12.5. Evaluate perspectives/lenses from two or more texts on related topics and justify the more cogent viewpoint (e.g. different accounts of the same event or issue, use of different media or formats). RL.MF.11-12.6. Synthesize complex information across multiple sources and formats to develop ideas, resolve conflicting information, or develop an interpretation that goes beyond explicit text information (e.g. express a personal point of view, new interpretation of the author’s message). RL.CT.11-12.8 Demonstrate knowledge of, analyze, and reflect on (e.g. practical knowledge, historical/cultural context, and background knowledge) documents of historical and literary significance for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical features, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics. RI.CR.11-12.1. Accurately cite a range of thorough textual evidence and make relevant connections to strongly support a comprehensive analysis of multiple aspects of what an informational text says explicitly and inferentially, as well as interpretations of the text. RI.CI.11-12.2. Determine two or more central ideas of an informational text and analyze how they are developed and refined over the course of a text including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account or analysis; provide an objective summary of the text. RI.IT.11-12.3. Analyze the impact of an author's choices as they develop ideas throughout the text regarding a complex set of ideas or sequence of events, and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop. RI.TS.11-12.4. Evaluate the author’s choices concerning the structure and the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging. RI.PP.11-12.5. Analyze an author’s purpose in a text, distinguishing what is directly stated in a text or through rhetoric, analyzing how style and content convey information and advance a point of view. RI.MF.11-12.6. Synthesize complex information across multiple sources and formats to develop ideas, resolve conflicting information, or develop an interpretation that goes beyond explicit text information (e.g. express a personal point of view, new interpretation of the concept). W.AW.11-12.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W.IW.11-12.2. Write informative/explanatory texts (including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes) to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. W.NW.11–12.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences. W.WP.11–12.4. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, trying a new approach; sustaining effort to complete complex writing tasks; tracking and reflecting on personal writing progress (e.g., using portfolios, journals, conferencing); or consulting a style manual (such as MLA or APA Style), focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. SL.PE.11–12.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with peers on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. SL.ES.11–12.3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used. L.SS.11-12.1. Demonstrate command of the system and structure of the English language when writing or speaking. L.VL.11-12.3. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, including technical meanings, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. | ||||
Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills | ||||
| ||||
Technology/Computer Science and Design Thinking Successful troubleshooting of complex problems involves multiple approaches including research, analysis, reflection, interaction with peers, and drawing on past experiences. Individuals select digital tools and design automated processes to collect, transform, generalize, simplify, and present large data sets in different ways to influence how other people interpret and understand the underlying information. Decisions to develop new technology are driven by societal and cultural opinions and demands that differ from culture to culture Since technological decisions can have ethical implications, it is essential that individuals analyze issues by gathering evidence from multiple perspectives and conceiving of alternative possibilities before proposing solutions. | Interdisciplinary Standards) Standards | |||
Essential Question(s) | ||||
How does literature help in examining recurring social issues? How can literary perspective criticism broaden our understanding of a work of literature? How can an original text be adapted for different audiences? | ||||
Enduring Understandings | ||||
Literature plays a role in examining recurring social issues by exposing readers to the timelessness of those issues and revealing the progress that has been made. An original text can be adapted for different audiences in many ways including but not limited to film, photography, and modern language. When a powerful original text is adapted for different audiences the universal themes as well as diverse viewpoints are presented to all learners. | ||||
Student Learning Targets/Objectives | |
I can locate and evaluate sources for credibility, bias, accuracy, and evidence of faulty reasoning or other issues that might make them unsuitable for research. I can use sources accurately and cite them adequately to avoid plagiarism. I can explain how informational texts reflect or reveal critical perspectives. I can write an argument citing evidence from an informational text. I can closely examine and evaluate a film trailer, infographic, and podcast for credibility and bias. I can use details in a series of visual and audio texts to make inferences about the creators' perspective. I can apply a critical lens to the meaning and significance of a real world event. I can develop a clear thesis. I can evaluate textual passages for use as evidence in support of an interpretive claim. I can synthesize sources in support of an interpretive argument. I can use organization to enhance the persuasiveness of an argument. I can address how authors present the information to manipulate their audience I can examine scenes in the play to prepare a group performance. I can compare and contrast the development of a theme in song lyrics and a poem. I can analyze two texts through a critical perspective to make connections to a social issue. I can evaluate the use of meter and form in two texts. I can demonstrate understanding of dramatic, situational, and verbal irony through preparation and performance of a scene. I can interpret a scenario considering the characters’ backgrounds and underlying motivations. I can use a Marxist critical lens to analyze the relationships between characters. I can make effective use of vocabulary in writing and discussions. I can write a character analysis describing different, sometimes conflicting character traits. I can analyze a performance of a Shakespearean scene using two critical perspectives. I can write a character analysis based on the assumptions of Cultural Criticism. I can analyze the role of a monologue in advancing the action of a play. I can analyze a character through the lens of Historical Criticism. I can integrate ideas from multiple texts to build knowledge and vocabulary about stereotypes and racial prejudice. I can analyze the portrayal of women in a scene from Othello. I can research the historical and social context of a play to analyze character development. I can analyze a character’s motivations and traits by closely reading a soliloquy. I can analyze how a minor character in Othello influences the plot. I can evaluate two directors’ uses of dramatic elements in a scene. I can apply a critical interpretation to the staging of a scene. I can analyze a scene through multiple critical perspectives and evaluate how each lens affects the interpretation of the scene. I can make predictions about how the plot and subplots of the play will be resolved. I can evaluate and critique the dramatic elements used in two film interpretations of Othello. I can defend one film interpretation and the corresponding critical perspective it uses in an argumentative essay. I can closely analyze a scene from a play to summarize a character’s underlying motives and actions. I can identify, evaluate, and critique subplot in Othello. I can review characteristics of various critical perspectives and apply them to the plot and other elements of the text. | |
Assessments | |
Pre and Formative Assessments: Diagnostic Reading Assessment/Inventory Diagnostic Writing Assessment/Inventory Quizzes (Activity Quizzes) Quick-writes Teacher-created resources Authentic and Summative Assessments: Extended Writing 3: Write a character analysis of Othello that describes him from the Cultural Criticism perspective.
Benchmark 3 Performance Task 3: Select a character from William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice and write a literary analysis essay that captures the character (ie. motives and perspectives) from a critical viewpoint. Consider one of the critical lenses you have studied (archetypal, feminist, cultural, or Marxist) and how it affects the character analysis. Then research, identify, and evaluate three or more outside sources that support the critical lens that you chose to use in your character analysis.
Be sure to meet the following requirements:
| |
Teaching and Learning Actions | |
Instructional Strategies | Academic Vocabulary - Create and keep current, a Language Arts Word Wall, for children to use and interact with. Important for all learners, academic vocabulary and language must be taught explicitly, particularly to second language learners. Accountable talk - Talking with others about ideas is fundamental to classroom learning. Classroom talk that promotes and sustains learning should be accountable to other learners, use accurate and appropriate knowledge, and adhere to rigor in thinking. Accountable talk responds to and further develops what others have said through relevant observations, ideas, opinions, or more information. Adapting to learning styles/multiple intelligences – Allow movement, choice, linguistics, visual, and other methods of teaching/learning to foster different interests, providing variety and differentiation in instruction, and developing the whole child. Cognates-Using Cognates for words in ELL’s native language Conferencing - A one-to-one teacher conference with a student about his or her work in progress is prevalent in teaching writing and speaking, but it is also useful in other areas. The purpose of the conference-- engaging in meaningful conversation about the student’s work in progress--will not be realized automatically. Preparation (on the part of both the teacher and the student) before the conference, careful listening during the conference, recordkeeping, and follow-up are essential components for a successful outcome. In student-to-student conferencing, participants require guidance, a focused protocol, and accountability. Video resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pad1eAcsHho Content Stations – Areas where students work on different tasks simultaneously. Can and should be leveled for review, challenge, and remediation at appropriate level. Teacher rotates and facilitates instruction and assistance. Activities reach various learning styles. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt leveled readers to assist in background knowledge, skills application, etc. Cues, questions, activating prior knowledge- Frequently assess your students for prior content knowledge to assist in planning your lessons. Use effective questioning to prompt students to recall and apply what they have already learned. Effective questioning - Teacher questioning and student response are common classroom learning activities. Research finds that teacher questions (and cues) are effective when they focus on what is important, require students to respond at higher levels, provide adequate wait time after a question is asked and establish an engaging introduction for the lesson. Effective questioning can also play a role in focusing students on unit learning goals or overarching themes throughout a longer period of study. Flexible Groupings- Teacher meets with groups to meet curricular goals, engage students, and respond to individual needs. Integration of content areas - There is a strong case to be made for integrating curriculum. It strengthens skills that students encounter in one content area, but also practice in another, such as reading and writing, and it can lead to the mastery of those skills. It provides meaningful instruction for students in multiple areas of standards in a single class or learning experience. It is also a more authentic way of learning because it reflects what we experience, both professionally and personally, in the world. It can be a way to engage students when introducing them to a challenging subject. STEM education is a current example of effective content integration. Research supports the integration of content areas. Intentional Use of Technology – whiteboard presentations and activities available and encouraged for use through HMH. Leveled Instruction – Teacher gives introductory lesson to the entire class, then provides varying access points for students to practice skills. Teacher provides several assignments with different levels of difficulty- the student OR teacher chooses an assignment. Modeling - Modeling is an instructional strategy wherein the teacher or another student demonstrates a new concept or skill and students learn by observing and emulating. Modeling is an effective instructional strategy when it allows students to observe thought processes and imitate particular behaviors or steps in a process. Types and purposes of modeling can include approaches such as task and performance modeling (demonstrating a task), metacognitive modeling (thinking aloud), and disposition modeling (conveying one’s own enthusiasm, interest, or commitment). Modeling can be used across disciplines and in all grades and ability levels. Nonlinguistic representations- drawings, blocks, physical models, kinesthetic activities, graphic organizers, realia Phoneme Grapheme Correspondence Read-aloud - Read-aloud is an instructional format, included formally in elementary reading programs and as an instructional activity in all areas and levels of the curriculum. A primary purpose of a read-aloud is to create a community of readers in the classroom and establish a known text as a basis for related literacy activities. Reading aloud allows teachers to model important components of literacy, such as fluency, expression, and interacting with texts while exposing students to vocabulary that is just beyond their instructional level and demonstrating how reading is a source of information and enjoyment. Semantic Mapping -The association of meanings and context for a given word that may include: origin, images, multiple meanings, word structure, synonyms, antonyms, descriptors, common contexts, examples, historical or cultural connotations and personal associations. When using a semantic map, it will assist students by building a meaningful network of associations around the words that must be learned which will be stored more deeply in memory and retrieved more easily. Share the Pen- Interactive writing strategy where teacher and students “share the pen” to create a written product such as a sentence, story, or list. SIOP Strategies - Sheltered Instructional Observation Protocol consists of eight components; lesson preparation, building background, comprehensible input, strategies, interaction, practice, lesson delivery, and review and assessment. Using these eight components teachers can design instruction that will help ELL’s to reach English language acquisition. Student goal setting - Teachers who set, define, and communicate learning objectives effectively with students employ research-based findings that say goal setting with students should: (1) be flexible and general because when a goal is too narrowly focused, it may limit learning (e.g., If the goal is to learn how a piston works, students may not learn its relationship to other parts of an engine), although too general goals may be unattainable; (2) encourage student ownership (e.g., creating own goals, personalizing teacher goals, committing to contracts, and providing feedback on their progress in journals, videos, etc.); (3) focus on understanding over accomplishing tasks; and (4) allow students enough time to adapt goals to their own interests, learning styles, and prior knowledge. Setting goals benefits from explicit instruction. Targeted feedback - Research and effective practice points to the following keys to using targeted feedback to improve student achievement and avoid negative effects: (1) link feedback to objectives; (2) use a formative evaluation approach over a summative approach; (3) make guidance specific (e.g.,proofing remarks or codes may not communicate well); (4) provide feedback in a timely manner (not long after assignment is forgotten); and (5) identify how students should use feedback to make improvements. Thumbs Up/Down, “Stop Light”, “Smiley Face”- for quick, formative assessment Think-Pair-Share– Turn & Talk with a neighbor to discuss/review various concepts/vocabulary/etc. Each child that is called on to share reports out their partner’s ideas/response; then switch. Word wall - A word wall is an organized collection of words prominently displayed in a classroom and frequently used as an interactive literacy tool for teaching vocabulary and spelling to children. There are many different types of word walls, such as high frequency words, word families, and story- or unit-related names. |
Activities: Including G/T, SE, and ELL Differentiation Differentiation examples: Students with a 504:
| Week 1: Readings: Song: “The Right to Love” by Gene Lees and Lilo Schifrin, Poem: “The Canonization” by John Donne Focus: Cultural Criticism Activity: Review the elements of Cultural Criticism, compare how two authors address similar themes, make observations about how each writer comments on a recurring social issue, and identify meter in poetry. Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: “The Canonization” What is the speaker asking his audience? What imagery do you notice in the poem? How would you describe the speaker's relationship? What clues in the poem indicate the message the author wishes to convey? What context clues reveal the meaning of “the plaguy bill” in line 15? How does the speaker use rhetorical questions in lines 10–15 to emphasize his point? What images does Donne create in the lines “Call her one, me another fly, / We're tapers too, and at our own cost die” to compel his audience? What does the title of the poem reveal about the speaker's descriptions of himself and his lover in lines 28–36? What does the speaker say about the value of the criticisms leveled against his love by the end of the poem? Who is the speaker? What is the situation? How might the cultural context affect the meaning of the text? Is the point of view of the speaker from a marginalized or dominant perspective? What does the author suggest about the experience of people who have been ignored, under-represented, or misrepresented in history (such as women, people of color)? How does this literary work add to our understanding of the human experience of love in the time and place in which it is set? How might this work be received differently by today's audience than it was by the audience of the time it was written? Does the text have relevance to contemporary life? Writing/Product: Focused Free Writes: Write about a time you were misled by appearances. Here, you should focus on the appearance of an object, not, for example, a person. Write about a time when you resented someone receiving an honor /recognition/prize you were hoping to get. How did you feel about the person who received it? How did you feel about the one or group who chose the other person instead of you? Quick Writes: Write a comparison paragraph that examines the rhythm and meter in the song lyrics and the poem.
How has Cultural Criticism provided you with insight into the authors' purposes and the circumstances surrounding the creation of “The Canonization” and “The Right to Love”?
Language Dive Alas! Alas! Who's injured by my love? … Who says my tears have overflow'd his ground? When did my colds a forward spring remove? Focus: Meter Deconstruct/Reconstruct/Practice and Apply: Meter refers to a repeating pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in spoken or written language. By placing an emphasis on certain syllables, an author is able to create rhythm. Look at these lines, above, from the poem “The Canonization” by John Donne: These lines consist of a number of metrical feet, which in this case contain one unstressed and one stressed syllable. This pattern of unstressed-stressed creates iambic meter, the most common rhythm in English verse. Some say it sounds like a heartbeat: da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM Much of Othello is written in blank verse, which is iambic pentameter (10 syllables to a line) that does not rhyme. Mark up the lines spoken by Othello to show meter. Write a symbol like this (ˇ) over each unstressed syllable and one like this (‘) over each stressed syllable. She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them. This only is the witchcraft I have used. Here comes the lady; let her witness it. Notice how the slight variations in the rhythm prevent the lines from becoming too singsong, even though most of the lines are in iambic pentameter. PRACTICE Revisit a section of John Donne's poem of interest to you and mark the text to identify the meter. Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed Tier 2: chide, palsy, plague, litigious, taper, Phoenix, verse, sonnet, canonize, invoke, hermitage, epitomize Tier 3: comparison, rhythm, meter, lyrics, song, cultural criticism Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 2 Readings: The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare (cast list and part of Act I) Focus: Building Plot Through Irony, Viewing a Cast of Characters Through a Marxist Lens Activity: Examine the effects of verbal, situational, and dramatic irony, collaborate with a group to present a scenario, write an essay in a group, evaluate the social status of characters in Othello, use the Marxist perspective to write an essay about the how the economic context of the setting affects the characters, Venetian Social Hierarchy graphic organizer Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: Examine the list of characters from the play Othello. Based on your new understanding of Venetian social hierarchy during the 1600s, determine the social class of each character. What evidence supports your determinations? What information do the character descriptions provide about each character's social status? What conflicts may arise from the characters' relationships? What news does Roderigo share with Brabantio? What are your initial thoughts about Brabantio's reaction? What questions do you have about this scene? Identify the main characters in “Othello.” How might their roles be reflective of societal values and biases? Which lines speak to the bias that is directed towards Othello? Describe the relationship between Othello and Iago and Iago and Roderigo. What power dynamic seems to be present? Why does Iago use Desdemona as a means to antagonize both Brabantio and Othello? How does Brabantio acknowledge Desdemona’s independence before her secret marriage to Othello? (Hint: Her views on marriage) How does Desdemona assert her independence and identity? Writing/Product: Quick Write Explain how Marxist Criticism can inform analysis of the characters in the play. Take into consideration how each character interacts with others from the various social hierarchies.
Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed Tier 2: abhor, bombast, epithet, forsooth, obsequious, provender, visage, homage Tier 3: Marxist lens, upper class, middle class, labor class, poor, irony, verbal irony, situational irony, dramatic irony Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 3 Readings: Play: The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare (Act I) Focus: Character Analysis Through a Cultural Lens Activity: Respond to the Performance Task. Read and annotate Othello Act I, Scene i (lines 178-206), perform the scene with your acting company, closely analyze the characters in Act I, decoding the meaning of words, write a character sketch of the main character using Cultural Criticism. Writing/Product: Extended Writing 3: Write a character analysis of Othello that describes him from the Cultural Criticism perspective.
Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed Tier 2: rouse, vexation, grange, profane, lascivious, delude, taper, gall Tier 3: cultural criticism, perspective, character traits, perception Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 4 Readings: Film: Selected film clips of two film versions of Othello Monologue:The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare (Act I) Literary Criticism: Excerpt from The Moor in English Renaissance Drama by Jack D’Amico Focus: Critiquing a Monologue, A Historical Look at the Moor Activity: Closely read and practice delivering lines from a monologue, compare two film adaptations, evaluate the director’s choices, write an analysis of the director’s choices of theme and interpretation, learn about Historical Criticism, analyze an excerpt from a book of Historical Criticism, participate in a Socratic seminar. Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing What historical connection does the author focus on in Chunk 1? How are the two cultures connected? What differences separate them? What two stereotypes of Moroccans (or Moors) does the author give in the first paragraph? Which stereotype most closely applies to the character of Othello? How does the author introduce and develop a key idea in paragraph 4? What clues to the meaning of “dead stereotype” does the author provide at the end of paragraph 5? Does Othello fit this description? In paragraph 6, what opinion does the author express about Renaissance dramatists? In paragraph 7, what historical changes do Shakespeare's plays reflect? How are the conflicts that arise from changes reflected in modern cultural exchanges? How can traditional themes of being a cultural outsider, such as those described by the author, connect with people watching plays today? Writing/Product: Focused Free Write: Write a paragraph comparing directors’ thematic choices in film clips you have viewed. How would you handle a situation where your child ran away to get married to a person you did not approve of? Quick Write: Desdemona’s Father, Brabantio, is first alerted to her running off and marrying Othello, when Iago and Roderigo stood outside his window saying something was stolen from him. How is the framing of Iago’s news as well as Othello’s possessiveness indicative of how women are viewed?
Vocabulary: Tier 1: address tier 1 vocabulary as needed Tier 2: inscrutable, despot, polemic, superiority, titillation, prowess, insidious Tier 3: monologue, historical criticism Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 5 Readings: Play:The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare (Act II) Focus: Desdemona: From a Feminist Perspective, Honest Iago: The Dramatic Speech Activity: Analyze Desdemona through a feminist lens,research the influence of cultural and historical context on character development, interpret and perform a scene through the feminist perspective with your acting company, review and evaluate three dramatic elements, close reading of a character’s speech, work with your acting group to interpret and deliver the lines. Writing/Product: Free Writes: Quick Writes: After close reading, annotate a soliloquy of Iago that reveals his motivations and emotions, and convey the tone and mood of the speech through your annotations.
Using a feminist lens, reflect on the power dynamics between men and women in Act II and how that might reflect the gender dynamics of men and women during Shakespeare’s time. Consider the characters of Desdemona and Emilia specifically?
Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 6 Readings: Play:The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare (Acts III and IV) Focus: Questioning a Character Through Critical Lens, Blocking a Character in a Scene for Effect, One Scene Through Multiple Perspectives Activity: Analyze a character’s actions and motives, write a short story from that character’s point of view, compare, evaluate, and critique how the same scenarios change given the actor’s choices, analyze a scene from Othello from multiple critical perspectives, write an explanation about which critical lens provides the strongest insight. Pre-planned Questions for Reflection an/or Writing What character in Othello could fit the description “what is native may … turn out to be more monstrous than the strangest alien”? Where else does this idea apply? In the play, Iago is very methodical in using both Desdemona and Emilia to carry out his plan. Why do you think he uses them, particularly Desdemona? Why do you think he targets her reputation in the way that he does? What does this have to do with the feminist lens? How does Iago generally view women? How does Desdemona show agency? (Agency: “Agency is the sense of control that you feel in your life, your capacity to influence your own thoughts and behavior, and have faith in your ability to handle a wide range of tasks and situations.”) How does Emilia show an awareness of the state of women? See: Act IV Scene II Lines 142-144 Act IV Scene II Lines 70-108 Writing/Product: Free Write: Read the very short story "Fellowship" by Franz Kafka. How can it be analyzed through the cultural criticism lens? How could this be related to Othello? Do you believe that most people get jobs or get promoted based on their skill and ability or based on their connections? How can either position affect equity in the workplace? What is one flaw that you have, if it was magnified by 10, could potentially lead to your demise? (For instance, sometimes you act like you know everything. How could this one minor flaw lead to serious consequences?) Write about a time you doubted a friend's loyalty. What made you doubt? What did you do about the situation? How was the situation resolved? Read the quotation below. What do you think about this person? What can you tell about this person's characteristics? What does the quotation mean? Put the quotation into your own words: “Though I do hate him as I do hell pains, Yet, for necessity of present life, I must show out a flag and sign of love— Quick Write: Write a short story from the point of view of the minor character Emilia and the moral dilemma that you (as the character) are having and how you feel about it.
From a Marxist perspective, how does Iago's actions in the play speak directly to issues of class in the play?
How does Othello’s tragic flaw contribute to his downfall? Furthermore, how does Othello's status as a noble and respected figure contribute to the overall impact of his tragic fate? Use specific examples from the play to support your points and engage in a thoughtful discussion on Othello as a tragic hero.
Using a Marxist perspective, what does Cassio's role as a military officer reveal about the societal structures in place during the play's setting? How do these structures impact his relationship with other characters, such as Iago and Othello?
In Shakespeare's play "Othello," how does Iago embody the archetype of a villain?
Vocabulary: Tier 1: Address Tier 1 vocabulary as needed Tier 2: procure, affinity, politic, languish, penitent, boon, discern, ruminate, filch, cuckold, surmise, disposition, vehement, venial, epilepsy, fiend, anon, gibe, dote, beguile, construe, thither, loll, plenteous, expostulate Tier 3: action, motives, critical lens Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 7 Readings: Play:The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare (Act V) Focus: Defending a Perspective, Analyzing Minor Character Roderigo, Evolving Perspectives, Creating an Evaluative Rubric Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: How is Othello treated as a “stranger” or an “outsider?” How is this related to the cultural perspective? How is the concept of class structure or power dynamics developed throughout the play? What motivates Iago’s behavior? Describe his interactions with other characters in the play. How do those interactions support his archetype? Analyze how Desdemona and Othello’s marriage become the center of conflict in the play? Analyze the importance of the handkerchief and how it helps in the development of the play? Analyze the dynamics of Iago and Emilia and Othello and Desdemona relationships. How are their relationships a reflection of each other? What are the negative characteristics of their relationships? How are they revealed in the play? There are a few images of “blackness” and “whiteness” in Othello. How does this imagery speak to the cultural perspective of the play? How important is the concept of proof in the play? How does the lack of physical or visual proof speak to the importance of trust, honesty, and verbal retelling? How does Iago contribute to Othello’s downfall? Who is responsible for Desdemona’s death? It is her flawed husband Othello or is it the man who stoked Othello’s flaws, Iago? How does Desdemona and Emilia’s deaths speak to how violence is commonplace when it comes to the treatment of women?
Free Write: It is no surprise that a Shakespearean tragedy ends … tragically. Now that you have read Act V, Scene I, predict the action in the final scene. Will Othello learn the truth? Will lago be brought to justice? How will the conflict ultimately be resolved? How do some of the songs you listen to reflect Marxism? Consider the following lyrics: “Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis When I was dead broke, man I couldn't picture this 50 inch screen, money green leather sofa Got two rides, a limousine with a chauffeur Phone bill about two G's flat No need to worry, my accountant handles that And my whole crew is loungin' Celebratin' every day, no more public housin' Quick Write: Write an argument about how modifying an original text can affect the audience’s perception. Quick Write: Who would you consider to be “relationship goals?” Iago and Emilia or Othello and Desdemona? Give a thorough response while considering the negative aspects of their relationship.
From a Marxist perspective, how does Iago's actions in the play speak directly to issues of class in the play?
How does Othello’s tragic flaw contribute to his downfall? Furthermore, how does Othello's status as a noble and respected figure contribute to the overall impact of his tragic fate? Use specific examples from the play to support your points and engage in a thoughtful discussion on Othello as a tragic hero.
Vocabulary: Tier 1: Address tier 1 words as needed. Tier 2: venial, epilepsy, gibe, dote, cistern, complexion, foreswear Tier 3: critical perspective, summarize, subplot, scoring rubric Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 8 Readings: The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare (Act V) Play:The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare Essay: “Othello on Stage and Screen” by Sylvan Barnet Focus: Othello Through Time Activity: Read an essay that traces multiple interpretations of Othello over time, write about the benefits of modifying an original text. Using the same critical lens you chose in the last activity, write one literal, one interpretive, and one universal question about Act V. Be sure your interpretive and universal questions are written in a way that requires literary analysis as well as support from the text. Pre-Planned Questions for Discussion and/or Writing: How is Othello treated as a “stranger” or an “outsider?” How is this related to the cultural perspective? How is the concept of class structure or power dynamics developed throughout the play? What motivates Iago’s behavior? Describe his interactions with other characters in the play. How do those interactions support his archetype? Analyze how Desdemona and Othello’s marriage become the center of conflict in the play? Analyze the importance of the handkerchief and how it helps in the development of the play? Analyze the dynamics of Iago and Emilia and Othello and Desdemona relationships. How are their relationships a reflection of each other? What are the negative characteristics of their relationships? How are they revealed in the play? There are a few images of “blackness” and “whiteness” in Othello. How does this imagery speak to the cultural perspective of the play? How important is the concept of proof in the play? How does the lack of physical or visual proof speak to the importance of trust, honesty, and verbal retelling? How does Iago contribute to Othello’s downfall? Who is responsible for Desdemona’s death? It is her flawed husband Othello or is it the man who stoked Othello’s flaws, Iago? How does Desdemona and Emilia’s deaths speak to how violence is commonplace when it comes to the treatment of women? Product: Free Write: It is no surprise that a Shakespearean tragedy ends … tragically. Now that you have read Act V, Scene I, predict the action in the final scene. Will Othello learn the truth? Will lago be brought to justice? How will the conflict ultimately be resolved? How do some of the songs you listen to reflect Marxism? Consider the following lyrics: “Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis When I was dead broke, man I couldn't picture this 50 inch screen, money green leather sofa Got two rides, a limousine with a chauffeur Phone bill about two G's flat No need to worry, my accountant handles that And my whole crew is loungin' Celebratin' every day, no more public housin' Quick Write: Write an argument about how modifying an original text can affect the audience’s perception. Vocabulary: Tier 1: Address tier 1 words as needed. Tier 2: venial, epilepsy, gibe, dote, cistern, complexion, foreswear Tier 3: critical perspective, summarize, subplot, scoring rubric Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Week 9 Focus: Performance Task, Generating Research Topics, Developing a Research Question, Evaluating Sources, Creating an Annotated Bibliography, Outlining, Peer evaluation, constructive feedback, formulating critical responses Activity: Have students use their notes to write a one-page research proposal that explains their topic, briefly notes any information they have already learned, states which critical perspective they plan to use to examine the issue, and defines their guiding question. Have students mention any sources they have identified and plan to include in their final research report. Lastly, have students indicate where and how they will continue to conduct research to answer your guiding question. After evaluating their sources, have students create an annotated bibliography with the sources that they have researched. Students will work on the rough draft of their performance task where they should include a strong claim and developed line of reasoning. Students will work collaboratively to review a peer’s essay using the scoring guide and then work to revise and edit their own essay. Students will also conference with their instructor to help develop actionable revisions. Have students list 3 concrete actions they will take to revise for a stronger essay Vocabulary: Tier 1: revisit any tier 1 words from module 3 as needed. Tier 2: revisit any tier 2 words from module 3 as needed. Tier 3: revisit any tier 3 words from module 3 as needed. Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED Product: Performance Task 3: Select a character from William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello, The Moor of Venice and write a literary analysis essay that captures the character (ie. motives and perspectives) from a critical viewpoint. Consider one of the critical lenses you have studied (archetypal, feminist, cultural, or Marxist) and how it affects the character analysis. Then research, identify, and evaluate three or more outside sources that support the critical lens that you chose to use in your character analysis.
Be sure to meet the following requirements:
Vocabulary: Tier 1: revisit any tier 1 words from module 3 as needed. Tier 2: revisit any tier 2 words from module 3 as needed. Tier 3: revisit any tier 3 words from module 3 as needed. Differentiation: ELL Support and SpED |
Experiences (virtual and live field trips) | Local, college, or professional play productions Virtual productions Play reading festival |
Resources | |
Foundational Reading Skills Screening Assessment Graphic Organizers (See Teacher Resources on Springboard) Snap and Read Group Discussion Modes Quill English IV Foundational Skills Workshop (See Teacher Resources on Springboard) | |
Pacing/ Time Frame: | 9 weeks |