ELA Planning Guide
2013-2014
Grades 6-12
Last Revised 7/26/2013
Dear Teachers,
In the Lafayette Parish School System, we are moving to an exciting new era in the teaching and learning
of English Language Arts. With the full implementation of the Common Core State Standards, we leave
behind us the prescriptive, top-down Louisiana Grade Level Expectations and the Louisiana
Comprehensive Curriculum.
This year, the Louisiana Department of Education has developed Sample Year-at-a-Glance documents
which identify Common Core text sets and themes for each unit. Teachers from every middle and high
school were invited to study LPSS texts and resources, analyze the LDOE modules, and collaborate with
other teachers from across the parish with the goal of creating text sets that match the needs and
resources of LPSS. This document represents the culmination of that work.
Moving forward, individual teachers, in collaboration with their colleagues, will develop unit plans and
daily lesson plans from these documents. Because no one school has exactly the same resources as
another, ELA teachers will have to work together in their departments to ensure resources are not
duplicated across grade levels and that these resources are used appropriately. Successfully
implementing the Common Core State Standards will require that we study together and build a
community, growing professionally, collaborating, and sharing knowledge and resources.
Because conversations between teachers of all grade levels are critically important in this process of
aligning our curriculum to the Common Core State Standards, it will be useful to glance through all grade
level samples.
These documents are works in progress, and we welcome your feedback and your suggestions for
related texts of the informational variety and for those located within the grade-level textbook. The
inclusion of a text within Appendix B of the CCSS or as the anchor text of an LDOE module disqualifies
that text for use at an alternate grade level as an LPSS anchor text. A protocol for substitution of text
sets is located in this document and will aid schools in developing school-specific text sets.
When purchasing resources for a particular grade level, please refer to Appendix B of the CCSS, the
LDOE samples, and the LPSS sample drafts. To prevent the overlapping of texts with lower grade levels,
high school teachers should also consult the text sets for grades 6-8 and middle school teachers should
consult the 4th and 5th grade samples.
Please contact one of the instructional coaches with your feedback!
Laurie Godshall
337-296-4126
[email protected]
Jenny Comeaux
337-849-5110
[email protected]
Michelle Salts
337-303-4517
[email protected]
Table of Contents
I. Common Core State Standards
1. Shifts in English Language Arts/ Literacy
A brief explanation of the three shifts and how teaching ELA/literacy is different under
the Common Core.
2. Common Core State Standards, Grades 6-12
Reading Standards for Literature
Reading Standards for Informational Text
Writing Standards
Speaking and Listening Standards
Language Standards
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects
II. Unit Planning
1. District Modules
At- a- glance and year-in -detail maps that include sample anchor texts and related texts
for four units per grade level.
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
2. Protocol for Alternate Text Set Selection
If a department lacks the necessary resources to use the suggested text sets, utilization
of this 3-part protocol is necessary to ensure a rigorous alternate set is selected without
overlapping texts from other grade levels.
3. Process of Planning
A detailed document that provides a step-by-step approach to planning a unit. This
thoughtful, layered process employs the backward design method to ensure production
of a rigorous and cohesive unit.
4. State Sample Unit Plans
An exemplar illustrating an ideal rigorous and cohesive unit for grades 7 and 10.
LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM
Common Core State Standards
1. Shifts in English Language Arts/Literacy
2. Standards for English Language Arts, 6-12
The Standards
http://www.corestandards.org/
ELA Common Core Resources
http://www.achievethecore.org/ela-literacy-common-core/shifts-practice/
Return to Table of Contents
Common Core Shifts for English Language Arts/Literacy 1. Building knowledge
through content-­‐
rich nonfiction
Building knowledge through content rich non-­‐fiction plays an essential role in literacy and in the Standards. In K-­‐5, fulfilling the standards requires a 50-­‐50 balance between informational and literary reading. Informational reading primarily includes content rich non-­‐fiction in history/social studies, science and the arts; the K-­‐5 Standards strongly recommend that students build coherent general knowledge both within each year and across years. In 6-­‐12, ELA classes place much greater attention to a specific category of informational text—literary nonfiction—than has been traditional. In grades 6-­‐12, the Standards for literacy in history/social studies, science and technical subjects ensure that students can independently build knowledge in these disciplines through reading and writing. To be clear, the Standards do require substantial attention to literature throughout K-­‐12, as half of the required work in K-­‐5 and the core of the work of 6-­‐12 ELA teachers. 2. Reading, writing and
speaking grounded in
evidence from text,
both literary and
informational
The Standards place a premium on students writing to sources, i.e., using evidence from texts to present careful analyses, well-­‐defended claims, and clear information. Rather than asking students questions they can answer solely from their prior knowledge or experience, the Standards expect students to answer questions that depend on their having read the text or texts with care. The Standards also require the cultivation of narrative writing throughout the grades, and in later grades a command of sequence and detail will be essential for effective argumentative and informational writing. Likewise, the reading standards focus on students’ ability to read carefully and grasp information, arguments, ideas and details based on text evidence. Students should be able to answer a range of text-­‐dependent questions, questions in which the answers require inferences based on careful attention to the text. 3. Regular practice with
complex text and its
academic language
Rather than focusing solely on the skills of reading and writing, the Standards highlight the growing complexity of the texts students must read to be ready for the demands of college and careers. The Standards build a staircase of text complexity so that all students are ready for the demands of college-­‐ and career-­‐level reading no later than the end of high school. Closely related to text complexity—and inextricably connected to reading comprehension—is a focus on academic vocabulary: words that appear in a variety of content areas (such as ignite and commit). More on the shifts at a…hievethecore.org Return to Table of Contents
Standards for English Language Arts
6–12
Return to Table of Contents
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading
The grades 6–12 standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to do
by the end of each grade. They correspond to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards below by
number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complements—the former providing
broad standards, the latter providing additional specificity—that together define the skills and
understandings that all students must demonstrate.
Key Ideas and Details
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite
specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative,
and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the
text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
Note on range and content
of student reading
To become college and career ready, students
must grapple with works of exceptional craft and
thought whose range extends across genres,
cultures, and centuries. Such works offer
profound insights into the human condition and
serve as models for students’ own thinking and
writing. Along with high-quality contemporary
works, these texts should be chosen from
among seminal U.S. documents, the classics of
American literature, and the timeless dramas of
Shakespeare. Through wide and deep reading of
literature and literary nonfiction of steadily
increasing sophistication, students gain a
reservoir of literary and cultural knowledge,
references, and images; the ability to evaluate
intricate arguments; and the capacity to
surmount the challenges posed by complex
texts.
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and
quantitatively, as well as in words.*
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the
reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to
compare the approaches the authors take.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
*Please see “Research to Build Knowledge” in Writing and “Comprehension and Collaboration” in Speaking and Listening for
additional standards relevant to gathering, assessing, and applying information from print and digital sources.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
34
Reading Standards for Literature 6–12
[RL]
The following standards offer a focus for instruction each year and help ensure that students gain adequate exposure to a range of texts and tasks. Rigor is also infused through the
requirement that students read increasingly complex texts through the grades. Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards and retain or
further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades.
Grade 6 students:
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of 1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an
2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is
2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of
the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
development over the course of the text; provide an
objective summary of the text.
3. Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in 3. Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama
a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or
change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its
development over the course of the text, including its
relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an
objective summary of the text.
3. Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story
or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or
provoke a decision.
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used
5. Analyze how a particular sentence, chapter, scene, or
5. Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure (e.g.,
5. Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and
6. Explain how an author develops the point of view of the
6. Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of 6. Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters
used in a text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on
meaning and tone.
stanza fits into the overall structure of a text and
contributes to the development of the theme, setting, or
plot.
narrator or speaker in a text.
used in a text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other
repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse
or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.
soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning.
view of different characters or narrators in a text.
in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings;
analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and
tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to
its meaning and style.
and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of
dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Compare and contrast the experience of reading a story,
7. Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to
7. Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a
8. (Not applicable to literature)
8. (Not applicable to literature)
8. (Not applicable to literature)
drama, or poem to listening to or viewing an audio, video,
or live version of the text, including contrasting what they
“see” and “hear” when reading the text to what they
perceive when they listen or watch.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing
the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g.,
lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a
film).
Return to Table of Contents
story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or
script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
35
Reading Standards for Literature 6–12
Grade 6 students:
[RL]
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
9. Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres
(e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy
stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and
topics.
9. Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, 9. Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes,
or character and a historical account of the same period as a
means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter
history.
patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional
stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including
describing how the material is rendered new.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature,
including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8
text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of the range.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature,
including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6–8
text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of the range.
10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature,
including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of
grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and
proficiently.
36
Reading Standards for Literature 6–12
[RL]
The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific standards work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the
latter providing additional specificity.
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the
2. Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over
3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations)
3. Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a
Key Ideas and Details
as well as inferences drawn from the text.
course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details;
provide an objective summary of the text.
develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or
develop the theme.
well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a
complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative
5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it
5. Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the
6. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature
6. Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices
on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a
formal or informal tone).
(e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as
mystery, tension, or surprise.
from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or
beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution)
contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums,
7. Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live production
8. (Not applicable to literature)
9. Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g.,
8. (Not applicable to literature)
9. Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational
including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden’s “Musée des Beaux
Arts” and Breughel’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus).
how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws
on a play by Shakespeare).
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and
poems, in the grades 9–10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at
the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and
poems, at the high end of the grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and
proficiently.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text.
(Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist.)
works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat
similar themes or topics.
10. By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems,
in the grades 11–CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high
end of the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and
poems, at the high end of the grades 11–CCR text complexity band independently and
proficiently.
37
Reading Standards for Informational Text 6–12
Grade 6 students:
[RI]
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis
2. Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed
2. Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze 2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development
3. Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is
3. Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and
3. Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used
5. Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or
5. Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text,
5. Analyze in detail the structure of a specific paragraph in a text,
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and
7.
7. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
through particular details; provide a summary of the text
distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g.,
through examples or anecdotes).
of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
their development over the course of the text; provide an
objective summary of the text.
ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or
events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).
1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
over the course of the text, including its relationship to
supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through
comparisons, analogies, or categories).
Craft and Structure
used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings.
section fits into the overall structure of a text and
contributes to the development of the ideas.
and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word
choice on meaning and tone.
including how the major sections contribute to the whole
and to the development of the ideas.
and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her
position from that of others.
in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical
meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other
texts.
including the role of particular sentences in developing and
refining a key concept.
analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to
conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7.
Integrate information presented in different media or
formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words
to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
Compare and contrast a text to an audio, video, or
multimedia version of the text, analyzing each medium’s
portrayal of the subject (e.g., how the delivery of a speech
affects the impact of the words).
mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to
present a particular topic or idea.
8. Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a
8. Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a
9. Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events
9. Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same
9. Analyze a case in which two or more texts provide conflicting
text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons
and evidence from claims that are not.
with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a
biography on the same person).
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the
evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims.
topic shape their presentations of key information by
emphasizing different evidence or advancing different
interpretations of facts.
Return to Table of Contents
text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence
is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence
is introduced.
information on the same topic and identify where the texts
disagree on matters of fact or interpretation.
38
Reading Standards for Informational Text 6–12
Grade 6 students:
[RI]
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary
nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of
the range.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary
nonfiction in the grades 6–8 text complexity band
proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of
the range.
10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary
nonfiction at the high end of the grades 6–8 text complexity
band independently and proficiently.
39
Reading Standards for Informational Text 6–12
[RI]
The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific standards work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the latter providing
additional specificity.
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly
1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text,
2. Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of
3. Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order
3. Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas,
as well as inferences drawn from the text.
including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective
summary of the text.
in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections
that are drawn between them.
well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis;
provide an objective summary of the text.
or events interact and develop over the course of the text.
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,
5. Analyze in detail how an author’s ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular
5. Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses
6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly
connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices
on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a
newspaper).
sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key
term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.
effective, analyzing how style and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the
text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person’s life story in
7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of
9. Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g., Washington’s
9. Analyze seventeenth-, eighteenth-, and nineteenth-century foundational U.S. documents of
both print and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.
reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and
fallacious reasoning.
Farewell Address, the Gettysburg Address, Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms speech, King’s
“Letter from Birmingham Jail”), including how they address related themes and concepts.
(e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions
and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The
Federalist, presidential addresses).
historical and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the
Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address) for their themes,
purposes, and rhetorical features.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 9–10 text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the
grades 9–10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
10. By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 11–CCR text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 11–
CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently.
40
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing
The grades 6–12 standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to do
by the end of each grade. They correspond to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards
below by number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complements—the former providing
broad standards, the latter providing additional specificity—that together define the skills and understandings
that all students must demonstrate.
Text Types and Purposes*
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, wellchosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate
to task, purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate
with others.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy
of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Note on range and content
of student writing
For students, writing is a key means of
asserting and defending claims, showing what
they know about a subject, and conveying what
they have experienced, imagined, thought, and
felt. To be college- and career- ready writers,
students must take task, purpose, and
audience into careful consideration, choosing
words, information, structures, and formats
deliberately. They need to know how to
combine elements of different kinds of
writing—for example, to use narrative
strategies within argument and explanation
within narrative—to produce complex and
nuanced writing. They need to be able to use
technology strategically when creating,
refining, and collaborating on writing. They
have to become adept at gathering
information, evaluating sources, and citing
material accurately, reporting findings from
their research and analysis of sources in a
clear and cogent manner. They must have the
flexibility, concentration, and fluency to
produce high-quality first-draft text under a
tight deadline as well as the capacity to revisit
and make improvements to a piece of writing
over multiple drafts when circumstances
encourage or require it.
*These broad types of writing include many subgenres. See Appendix A for definitions of key writing types.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
41
Writing Standards 6–12
[W]
The following standards for grades 6–12 offer a focus for instruction each year to help ensure that students gain adequate mastery of a range of skills and applications. Each year in their
writing, students should demonstrate increasing sophistication in all aspects of language use, from vocabulary and syntax to the development and organization of ideas, and they should
address increasingly demanding content and sources. Students advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards and retain or further develop skills and
understandings mastered in preceding grades. The expected growth in student writing ability is reflected both in the standards themselves and in the collection of annotated student writing
samples in Appendix C.
Grade 6 students:
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Text Types and Purposes
1.
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and 1.
relevant evidence.
a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and
evidence clearly.
b. Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant
evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an
understanding of the topic or text.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the
relationships among claim(s) and reasons.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from the argument presented.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and 2.
convey ideas, concepts, and information through the
selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
a. Introduce a topic; organize ideas, concepts, and
information, using strategies such as definition,
classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect;
include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g.,
charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or other information and
examples.
c. Use appropriate transitions to clarify the relationships
among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary
to inform about or explain the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style.
f.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from the information or explanation presented.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and
1.
relevant evidence.
a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge alternate or opposing
claims, and organize the reasons and evidence
logically.
b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant
evidence, using accurate, credible sources and
demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and
clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and
evidence.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the argument presented.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and 2.
convey ideas, concepts, and information through the
selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to
follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information,
using strategies such as definition, classification,
comparison/contrast, and cause/effect; include
formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts,
tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with relevant facts, definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or other information and
examples.
c. Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and
clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary
to inform about or explain the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the information or explanation
presented.
Return to Table of Contents
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and
relevant evidence.
a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and
organize the reasons and evidence logically.
b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant
evidence, using accurate, credible sources and
demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and
clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the argument presented.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and
convey ideas, concepts, and information through the
selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow;
organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader
categories; include formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts,
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples.
c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion
and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to
inform about or explain the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the information or explanation
presented.
42
Writing Standards 6–12
Grade 6 students:
[W]
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults,
5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults,
5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults,
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and
Text Types and Purposes (continued)
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details,
and well-structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context
and introducing a narrator and/or characters;
organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and
logically.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing,
and description, to develop experiences, events,
and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses
to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time
frame or setting to another.
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive
details, and sensory language to convey experiences
and events.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated
experiences or events.
events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details,
and well-structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context
and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or
characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds
naturally and logically.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing,
and description, to develop experiences, events,
and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses
to convey sequence and signal shifts from one time
frame or setting to another.
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive
details, and sensory language to capture the action and
convey experiences and events.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on
the narrated experiences or events.
events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details,
and well-structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context
and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or
characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds
naturally and logically.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing,
description, and reflection, to develop experiences,
events, and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses
to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame
or setting to another, and show the relationships
among experiences and events.
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive
details, and sensory language to capture the action and
convey experiences and events.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on
the narrated experiences or events.
Production and Distribution of Writing
development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations
for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
(Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of
Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 6 on
page 53.)
publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with
others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding
skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations
for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on how well purpose and audience have been
addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate
command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including
grade 7 on page 53.)
publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to
interact and collaborate with others, including linking to
and citing sources.
development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for
writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on how well purpose and audience have been
addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate
command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including
grade 8 on page 53.)
publish writing and present the relationships between
information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and
collaborate with others.
43
Writing Standards 6–12
[W]
Grade 6 students:
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question,
7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
9.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
7.
Conduct short research projects to answer a question,
drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry
when appropriate.
sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or
paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while
avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic
information for sources.
support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g.,
“Compare and contrast texts in different forms or
genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and
fantasy stories] in terms of their approaches to similar
themes and topics”).
b. Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literary nonfiction
(e.g., “Trace and evaluate the argument and specific
claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are
supported by reasons and evidence from claims that
are not”).
drawing on several sources and generating additional
related, focused questions for further research and
investigation.
sources, using search terms effectively; assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or
paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while
avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for
citation.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literature
(e.g., “Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a
time, place, or character and a historical account of
the same period as a means of understanding how
authors of fiction use or alter history”).
b. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction
(e.g. “Trace and evaluate the argument and specific
claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is
sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to
support the claims”).
(including a self-generated question), drawing on several
sources and generating additional related, focused questions
that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility
and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the
data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and
following a standard format for citation.
support analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g.,
“Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on
themes, patterns of events, or character types from
myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as
the Bible, including describing how the material is
rendered new”).
b. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction
(e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and
sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is
introduced”).
Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames
(a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of disciplinespecific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Standards for English Language Arts | 6–12
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames
(a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of disciplinespecific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a
single sitting or a day or two) for a range of disciplinespecific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
44
Writing Standards 6–12
[W]
The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific standards work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the
latter providing additional specificity.
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
Text Types and Purposes
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 claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims,
and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing
out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s
knowledge level and concerns.
c. Use words, phrases, and 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 formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms
and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument
presented.
2.
Write informative/explanatory texts 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 to make
important connections and distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics
(e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient 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 to link the major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the
topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms
and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance
of the topic).
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
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 fairly 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 words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax 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 formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument
presented.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts 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 formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information
or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).
45
Writing Standards 6–12
[W]
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
Text Types and Purposes (continued)
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,
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.
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.
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.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying
6.
6.
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are
defined in standards 1–3 above.)
a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and
audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3
up to and including grades 9–10 on page 55.)
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared
writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and
to display information flexibly and dynamically.
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are
defined in standards 1–3 above.)
a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and
audience. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3
up to and including grades 11–12 on page 55.)
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared
writing products in response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a
7. 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.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using
8. Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using
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.
advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research
question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas,
avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
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.
46
Writing Standards 6–12
[W]
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
Research to Build and Present Knowledge (continued)
9.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
9.
research.
a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws on
and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme
or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by
Shakespeare]”).
b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate
the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and
the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious
reasoning”).
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
a. Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Demonstrate knowledge of
eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American
literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes
or topics”).
b. Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate
the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles
and use of legal reasoning [e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and
dissents] and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy [e.g.,
The Federalist, presidential addresses]”).
Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and
shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
47
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening
The grades 6–12 standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to do
by the end of each grade. They correspond to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards
below by number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complements—the former providing
broad standards, the latter providing additional specificity—that together define the skills and
understandings that all students must demonstrate.
Note on range and content
of student speaking and listening
To become college and career ready, students
must have ample opportunities to take part in a
variety of rich, structured conversations—as part
of a whole class, in small groups, and with a
partner—built around important content in various
Comprehension and Collaboration
domains. They must be able to contribute
1. Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse
appropriately to these conversations, to make
partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
comparisons and contrasts, and to analyze and
2. Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually,
synthesize a multitude of ideas in accordance
3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
particular discipline. Whatever their intended
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
depend heavily on their ability to listen attentively
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of
to others so that they are able to build on others’
quantitatively, and orally.
reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance
understanding of presentations.
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate.
with the standards of evidence appropriate to a
major or profession, high school graduates will
meritorious ideas while expressing their own
clearly and persuasively.
New technologies have broadened and expanded
the role that speaking and listening play in
acquiring and sharing knowledge and have
tightened their link to other forms of
communication. The Internet has accelerated the
speed at which connections between speaking,
listening, reading, and writing can be made,
requiring that students be ready to use these
modalities nearly simultaneously. Technology
itself is changing quickly, creating a new urgency
for students to be adaptable in response to
change.
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
48
Speaking and Listening Standards 6–12
[SL]
The following standards for grades 6–12 offer a focus for instruction in each year to help ensure that students gain adequate mastery of a range of skills and applications. Students
advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards and retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades.
Grade 6 students:
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied
required material; explicitly draw on that preparation
by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to
probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
b. Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals
and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
c. Pose and respond to specific questions with
elaboration and detail by making comments that
contribute to the topic, text, or issue under discussion.
d. Review the key ideas expressed and demonstrate
understanding of multiple perspectives through
reflection and paraphrasing.
1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one- 1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneon-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or
researched material under study; explicitly draw on that
preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text,
or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
b. Follow rules for collegial discussions, track progress
toward specific goals and deadlines, and define
individual roles as needed.
c. Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to
others’ questions and comments with relevant
observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on
topic as needed.
d. Acknowledge new information expressed by others
and, when warranted, modify their own views.
on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched
material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation
by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to
probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.
b. Follow rules for collegial discussions and decisionmaking, track progress toward specific goals and
deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
c. Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers
and respond to others’ questions and comments with
relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.
d. Acknowledge new information expressed by others,
and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views
in light of the evidence presented.
2. Interpret information presented in diverse media and
2. Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in
3. Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims,
3. Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating 3. Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims,
formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain
how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and
evidence from claims that are not.
diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively,
orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue
under study.
the soundness of the reasoning and the relevance and
sufficiency of the evidence.
2. Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse
media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and
evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political)
behind its presentation.
evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and
sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant
evidence is introduced.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and
4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a
4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a
5. Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, images,
5. Include multimedia components and visual displays in
5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks,
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks,
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks,
using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate
main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate
volume, and clear pronunciation.
music, sound) and visual displays in presentations to clarify
information.
demonstrating command of formal English when indicated
or appropriate. (See grade 6 Language standards 1 and 3 on
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts,
details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate
volume, and clear pronunciation.
presentations to clarify claims and findings and emphasize
salient points.
demonstrating command of formal English when indicated
or appropriate. (See grade 7 Language standards 1 and 3 on
Return to Table of Contents
focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound
valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye
contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.
clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add
interest.
demonstrating command of formal English when indicated
or appropriate. (See grade 8 Language standards 1 and 3 on
49
page 53 for specific expectations.)
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
page 53 for specific expectations.)
page 53 for specific expectations.)
50
Speaking and Listening Standards 6–12
[SL]
The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific standards work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the
latter providing additional specificity.
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
Comprehension and Collaboration
1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g.,
2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g.,
3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying
3. Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 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. Work with peers to set rules for collegial discussions and decision-making (e.g.,
informal consensus, taking votes on key issues, presentation of alternate views), clear
goals and deadlines, and individual roles as needed.
c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current
discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the
discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions.
d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points of agreement and
disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views and
understanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning
presented.
visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners 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. Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear
goals and deadlines, 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.
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.
stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4.
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically such
that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance,
and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct
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.
5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive
6.
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English
when indicated or appropriate. (See grades 9–10 Language standards 1 and 3 on pages 54 for
specific expectations.)
6. Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing
perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are
appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.
elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and
to add interest.
when indicated or appropriate. (See grades 11–12 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 54 for
specific expectations.)
51
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Language
The grades 6–12 standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to do
by the end of each grade. They correspond to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards
below by number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complements—the former providing
broad standards, the latter providing additional specificity—that together define the skills and understandings
that all students must demonstrate.
Conventions of Standard English
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
Knowledge of Language
3. 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.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using
context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference
materials, as appropriate.
5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
6. Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases sufficient
for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to
comprehension or expression.
Note on range and content
of student language use
To be college and career ready in language,
students must have firm control over the
conventions of standard English. At the same
time, they must come to appreciate that
language is as at least as much a matter of
craft as of rules and be able to choose words,
syntax, and punctuation to express themselves
and achieve particular functions and rhetorical
effects. They must also have extensive
vocabularies, built through reading and study,
enabling them to comprehend complex texts
and engage in purposeful writing about and
conversations around content. They need to
become skilled in determining or clarifying the
meaning of words and phrases they encounter,
choosing flexibly from an array of strategies to
aid them. They must learn to see an individual
word as part of a network of other words—
words, for example, that have similar
denotations but different connotations. The
inclusion of Language standards in their own
strand should not be taken as an indication
that skills related to conventions, effective
language use, and vocabulary are unimportant
to reading, writing, speaking, and listening;
indeed, they are inseparable from such
contexts.
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
52
Language Standards 6–12
[L]
The following standards for grades 6–12 offer a focus for instruction each year to help ensure that students gain adequate mastery of a range of skills and applications. Students
advancing through the grades are expected to meet each year’s grade-specific standards and retain or further develop skills and understandings mastered in preceding grades. Beginning in grade 3, skills
and understandings that are particularly likely to require continued attention in higher grades as they are applied to increasingly sophisticated writing and speaking are marked with
an asterisk (*). See the table on page 57 for a complete listing and Appendix A for an example of how these skills develop in sophistication.
Grade 6 students:
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Conventions of Standard English
1.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
1.
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a. Ensure that pronouns are in the proper case
(subjective, objective, possessive).
b. Use intensive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves).
c. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun
number and person.*
d. Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones
with unclear or ambiguous antecedents).*
e. Recognize variations from standard English in their
own and others' writing and speaking, and identify
and use strategies to improve expression in
conventional language.*
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
a. Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set
off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.*
b. Spell correctly.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a. Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general
and their function in specific sentences.
b. Choose among simple, compound, complex, and
compound-complex sentences to signal differing
relationships among ideas.
c. Place phrases and clauses within a sentence,
recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling
modifiers.*
1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
a. Explain the function of verbals (gerunds, participles,
infinitives) in general and their function in particular
sentences.
b. Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice.
c. Form and use verbs in the indicative, imperative,
interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive mood.
d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice
and mood.*
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard
3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when
3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing,
English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
a. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g.,
It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an
old[,] green shirt).
b. Spell correctly.
English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
a. Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a
pause or break.
b. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.
c. Spell correctly.
Knowledge of Language
3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when
writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener
interest, and style.*
b. Maintain consistency in style and tone.*
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and
concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and
redundancy.*
Return to Table of Contents
speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the
conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular
effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action;
expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to
fact).
53
Language Standards 6–12
[L]
Grade 6 students:
Grade 7 students:
Grade 8 students:
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-
5.
5.
5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word
multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6
reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence
or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a
sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase.
b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin
affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word
(e.g., audience, auditory, audible).
c. Consult 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 or its part of speech.
d. 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).
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in
context.
b. Use the relationship between particular words (e.g.,
cause/effect, part/whole, item/category) to better
understand each of the words.
c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of
words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g.,
stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty).
6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general
academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather
vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or
phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 7
reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence
or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a
sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase.
b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin
affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word
(e.g., belligerent, bellicose, rebel).
c. 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 or its part of
speech.
d. 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).
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., literary, biblical, and
mythological allusions) in context.
b. Use the relationship between particular words (e.g.,
synonym/antonym, analogy) to better understand
each of the words.
c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of
words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g.,
refined, respectful, polite, diplomatic, condescending).
6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general
academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather
vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or
phrase important to comprehension or expression.
meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and
content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or
paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence)
as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes
and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g.,
precede, recede, secede).
c. 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 or its part of
speech.
d. 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).
relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in
context.
b. Use the relationship between particular words to
better understand each of the words.
c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of
words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g.,
bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).
6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general
academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather
vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or expression.
54
Language Standards 6–12
[L]
The CCR anchor standards and high school grade-specific standards work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the latter
providing additional specificity.
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
Conventions of Standard English
1.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
1.
writing or speaking.
a. Use parallel structure.*
b. Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival, adverbial, participial, prepositional,
absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun, relative, adverbial) to convey
specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or presentations.
2.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing.
a. Use a semicolon (and perhaps a conjunctive adverb) to link two or more closely related
independent clauses.
b. Use a colon to introduce a list or quotation.
c. Spell correctly.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when
writing or speaking.
a. Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and
is sometimes contested.
b. Resolve issues of complex or contested usage, consulting references (e.g., MerriamWebster’s Dictionary of English Usage, Garner’s Modern American Usage) as needed.
2.
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation,
and spelling when writing.
a. Observe hyphenation conventions.
b. Spell correctly.
3.
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. Vary syntax for effect, consulting references (e.g., Tufte’s Artful Sentences) for guidance as
needed; apply an understanding of syntax to the study of complex texts when reading.
Knowledge of Language
3. 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. Write and edit work so that it conforms to the guidelines in a style manual (e.g., MLA
Handbook, Turabian’s Manual for Writers) appropriate for the discipline and writing type.
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based 4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based
5.
6.
on grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
on grades 11–12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s
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.
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
b. Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or
parts of speech (e.g., analyze, analysis, analytical; advocate, advocacy).
parts of speech (e.g., conceive, conception, conceivable).
c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries,
c. 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
thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or
clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or its etymology.
clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage.
d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by
d. 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).
checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word
meanings.
meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., euphemism, oxymoron) in context and analyze their
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their role in
role in the text.
the text.
b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of words with similar denotations.
Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient 6. 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;
for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or
demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
55
phrase important to comprehension or expression.
phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Language Progressive Skills, by Grade
The following skills, marked with an asterisk (*) in Language standards 1–3, are particularly likely to require
continued attention in higher grades as they are applied to increasingly sophisticated writing and speaking.
Standard
3
4
5
Grade(s)
6
7
8
9–
10
11–
12
L.3.1f. Ensure subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement.
L.3.3a. Choose words and phrases for effect.
L.4.1f. Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting
inappropriate fragments and run-ons.
L.4.1g. Correctly use frequently confused words (e.g., to/too/two;
there/their).
L.4.3a. Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.*
L.4.3b. Choose punctuation for effect.
L.5.1d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb tense.
L.5.2a. Use punctuation to separate items in a series.†
L.6.1c. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in pronoun
number and person.
L.6.1d. Recognize and correct vague pronouns (i.e., ones with
unclear or ambiguous antecedents).
L.6.1e. Recognize variations from standard English in their own
and others’ writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to
improve expression in conventional language.
L.6.2a. Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off
nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.
L.6.3a. Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener
interest, and style.‡
L.6.3b. Maintain consistency in style and tone.
L.7.1c. Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing
and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers.
L.7.3a. Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and
concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.
L.8.1d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice
and mood.
L.9–10.1a. Use parallel structure.
* Subsumed by L.7.3a
†
Subsumed by L.9–10.1a
‡
Subsumed by L.11–12.3a
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
56
Standard 10: Range, Quality, and Complexity of Student Reading 6–12
Measuring Text Complexity: Three Factors
Qualitative evaluation of the text:
Levels of meaning, structure, language conventionality and clarity, and knowledge demands
Quantitative evaluation of the text:
Readability measures and other scores of text complexity
Matching reader to text and task:
Reader variables (such as motivation, knowledge, and experiences) and task variables (such as
purpose and the complexity generated by the task assigned and the questions posed)
Note: More detailed information on text complexity and how it is measured is contained in Appendix A.
Range of Text Types for 6–12
Students in grades 6–12 apply the Reading standards to the following range of text types, with texts selected from a broad range of cultures and periods.
Literature
Stories
Includes the subgenres of adventure stories,
historical fiction, mysteries, myths, science
fiction, realistic fiction, allegories, parodies,
satire, and graphic novels
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
Drama
Includes one-act and
multi-act plays, both in
written form and on film
Informational Text
Poetry
Includes the subgenres of
narrative poems, lyrical poems,
free verse poems, sonnets, odes,
ballads, and epics
Literary Nonfiction
Includes the subgenres of exposition, argument, and functional text in the form
of personal essays, speeches, opinion pieces, essays about art or literature,
biographies, memoirs, journalism, and historical, scientific, technical, or
economic accounts (including digital sources) written for a broad audience
57
Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, and Range of Student Reading 6–12
Literature: Stories, Dramas, Poetry
6–8






9–10







11–CCR







Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1869)
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain (1876)
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost (1915)
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper (1973)
Dragonwings by Laurence Yep (1975)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor (1976)
The Tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare (1592)
“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1817)
“The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe (1845)
“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry (1906)
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck (1939)
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953)
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara (1975)
“Ode on a Grecian Urn” by John Keats (1820)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1848)
“Because I Could Not Stop for Death” by Emily Dickinson (1890)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (1937)
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (1959)
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (2003)
Informational Texts: Literary Nonfiction


“Letter on Thomas Jefferson” by John Adams (1776)
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass (1845)
“Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat: Address to Parliament on May 13th, 1940” by Winston
Churchill (1940)
Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad by Ann Petry (1955)
Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck (1962)






“Speech to the Second Virginia Convention” by Patrick Henry (1775)
“Farewell Address” by George Washington (1796)
“Gettysburg Address” by Abraham Lincoln (1863)
“State of the Union Address” by Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1941)
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1964)
“Hope, Despair and Memory” by Elie Wiesel (1997)







Common Sense by Thomas Paine (1776)
Walden by Henry David Thoreau (1854)
“Society and Solitude” by Ralph Waldo Emerson (1857)
“The Fallacy of Success” by G. K. Chesterton (1909)
Black Boy by Richard Wright (1945)
“Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell (1946)
“Take the Tortillas Out of Your Poetry” by Rudolfo Anaya (1995)



Note: Given space limitations, the illustrative texts listed above are meant only to show individual titles that are representative of a range of topics and genres. (See Appendix B
for excerpts of these and other texts illustrative of grades 6–12 text complexity, quality, and range.) At a curricular or instructional level, within and across grade levels,
texts need to be selected around topics or themes that generate knowledge and allow students to study those topics or themes in depth.
Standards for English Language Arts| 6-12
58
Standards for Literacy
in History/Social Studies,
Science, and Technical Subjects
6–12
Return to Table of Contents
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading
The grades 6–12 standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to do
by the end of each grade span. They correspond to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards
below by number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complements—the former providing
broad standards, the latter providing additional specificity—that together define the skills and understandings
that all students must demonstrate.
Key Ideas and Details
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite
specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key
supporting details and ideas.
3. Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
Craft and Structure
4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and
figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
5. Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the
text (e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
Note on range and content
of student reading
Reading is critical to building knowledge in
history/social studies as well as in science and
technical subjects. College and career ready
reading in these fields requires an appreciation
of the norms and conventions of each
discipline, such as the kinds of evidence used
in history and science; an understanding of
domain-specific words and phrases; an
attention to precise details; and the capacity to
evaluate intricate arguments, synthesize
complex information, and follow detailed
descriptions of events and concepts. In
history/social studies, for example, students
need to be able to analyze, evaluate, and
differentiate primary and secondary
sources. When reading scientific and technical
texts, students need to be able to gain
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
knowledge from challenging texts that often
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and
make extensive use of elaborate diagrams and
quantitatively, as well as in words.*
data to convey information and illustrate
8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning
concepts. Students must be able to read
9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to
independence and confidence because the
as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
compare the approaches the authors take.
complex informational texts in these fields with
vast majority of reading in college and
workforce training programs will be
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
sophisticated nonfiction. It is important to note
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
that these Reading standards are meant to
complement the specific content demands of
*Please see “Research to Build and Present Knowledge” in Writing for additional standards relevant to gathering, assessing, and applying
information from print and digital sources.
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects | 6–12
the disciplines, not replace them.
60
Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6–12
[RH]
The standards below begin at grade 6; standards for K–5 reading in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects are integrated into the K–5 Reading standards. The CCR anchor
standards and high school standards in literacy work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the latter providing additional
specificity.
Grades 6–8 students:
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary
2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or
3.
3.
3.
primary and secondary sources.
secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the
source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process
related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes
law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).
primary and secondary sources, attending to such features
as the date and origin of the information.
secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how
key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text;
determine whether earlier events caused later ones or
simply preceded them.
and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from
specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.
secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes
clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.
Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and
determine which explanation best accords with textual
evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
Craft and Structure
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are
5. Describe how a text presents information (e.g.,
5. Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points
5. Analyze in detail how a complex primary source is
6. Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of
6. Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how 6. Evaluate authors’ differing points of view on the same
used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains
related to history/social studies.
sequentially, comparatively, causally).
view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or
avoidance of particular facts).
used in a text, including vocabulary describing political,
social, or economic aspects of history/social studies.
or advance an explanation or analysis.
used in a text, including analyzing how an author uses and
refines the meaning of a key term over the course of a text
(e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
structured, including how key sentences, paragraphs, and
larger portions of the text contribute to the whole.
historical event or issue by assessing the authors’ claims,
reasoning, and evidence.
they treat the same or similar topics, including which details
they include and emphasize in their respective accounts.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs,
photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in
print and digital texts.
7. Integrate quantitative or technical analysis (e.g., charts,
research data) with qualitative analysis in print or digital
text.
7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information
presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, as well as in words) in order to address a
question or solve a problem.
Evaluate an author’s premises, claims, and evidence by
corroborating or challenging them with other information.
8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in 8. Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a
8.
9. Analyze the relationship between a primary and secondary
9. Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary
a text.
source on the same topic.
text support the author’s claims.
9. Compare and contrast treatments of the same topic in
several primary and secondary sources.
and secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or
event, noting discrepancies among sources.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend history/social
studies texts in the grades 6–8 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
10. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend history/social 10. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend history/social
studies texts in the grades 9–10 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects | 6–12
studies texts in the grades 11-CCR text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
61
Reading Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects 6–12
Grades 6–8 students:
[RST]
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science
2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text;
2. Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; trace
2.
3. Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out
3.
3.
Key Ideas and Details
and technical texts.
provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from
prior knowledge or opinions.
experiments, taking measurements, or performing
technical tasks.
Craft and Structure
and technical texts, attending to the precise details of
explanations or descriptions.
the text’s explanation or depiction of a complex process,
phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary of
the text.
Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when
carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or
performing technical tasks, attending to special cases or
exceptions defined in the text.
4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other
4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other
5.
5.
6.
domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a
specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6–
8 texts and topics.
Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text,
including how the major sections contribute to the whole
and to an understanding of the topic.
Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation,
describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a
text.
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
6.
domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a
specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9–
10 texts and topics.
Analyze the structure of the relationships among concepts
in a text, including relationships among key terms (e.g.,
force, friction, reaction force, energy).
Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation,
describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a
text, defining the question the author seeks to address.
7. Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed
7. Translate quantitative or technical information expressed
8.
8.
in words in a text with a version of that information
expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model,
graph, or table).
Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on
research findings, and speculation in a text.
9. Compare and contrast the information gained from
experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources
with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart)
and translate information expressed visually or
mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a
text support the author’s claim or a recommendation for
solving a scientific or technical problem.
9. Compare and contrast findings presented in a text to those
from other sources (including their own experiments),
noting when the findings support or contradict previous
explanations or accounts.
and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the
author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the
account.
Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text;
summarize complex concepts, processes, or information
presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still
accurate terms.
Follow precisely a complex multistep procedure when
carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or
performing technical tasks; analyze the specific results based
on explanations in the text.
4. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other
domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a
specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 11–
12 texts and topics.
5. Analyze how the text structures information or ideas into
categories or hierarchies, demonstrating understanding of the
information or ideas.
6. Analyze the author’s purpose in providing an explanation,
describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text,
identifying important issues that remain unresolved.
7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information
8.
9.
presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative
data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or
solve a problem.
Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a
science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and
corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources
of information.
Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts,
experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a
process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting
information when possible.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend
science/technical texts in the grades 6–8 text complexity
band independently and proficiently.
10. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend
science/technical texts in the grades 9–10 text complexity
band independently and proficiently.
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects | 6–12
10. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend
science/technical texts in the grades 11-CCR text
complexity band independently and proficiently.
62
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing
The grades 6–12 standards on the following pages define what students should understand and be able to do by the
end of each grade span. They correspond to the College and Career Readiness (CCR) anchor standards below by
number. The CCR and grade-specific standards are necessary complements—the former providing
broad standards, the latter providing additional specificity—that together define the skills and understandings that
all students must demonstrate.
Text Types and Purposes*
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen
details and well-structured event sequences.
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with
others.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each
source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Note on range and content
of student writing
For students, writing is a key means of
asserting and defending claims, showing
what they know about a subject, and
conveying what they have experienced,
imagined, thought, and felt. To be college
and career ready writers, students must
take task, purpose, and audience into
careful consideration, choosing words,
information, structures, and formats
deliberately. They need to be able to use
technology strategically when creating,
refining, and collaborating on writing. They
have to become adept at gathering
information, evaluating sources, and citing
material accurately, reporting findings from
their research and analysis of sources in a
clear and cogent manner. They must have
the flexibility, concentration, and fluency to
produce high-quality first-draft text under a
tight deadline and the capacity to revisit
and make improvements to a piece of
writing over multiple drafts when
circumstances encourage or require it. To
meet these goals, students must devote
significant time and effort to writing,
producing numerous pieces over short and
Range of Writing
long time frames throughout the year.
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
*These broad types of writing include many subgenres. See Appendix A for definitions of key writing types.
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects | 6–12
63
Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6–12
[WHST]
The standards below begin at grade 6; standards for K–5 writing in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects are integrated into the K–5 Writing standards. The CCR
anchor standards and high school standards in literacy work in tandem to define college and career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the latter providing
additional specificity.
Grades 6–8 students:
Grades 9–10 students:
Grades 11–12 students:
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge
and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing
claims, and organize the reasons and evidence
logically.
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant,
accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an
understanding of the topic or text, using credible
sources.
Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and
clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.
Establish and maintain a formal style.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the argument presented.
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s)
from alternate or opposing claims, and create an
organization that establishes clear relationships among
the claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying
data and evidence for each while pointing out the
strengths and limitations of both claim(s) and
counterclaims in a discipline-appropriate form and in a
manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge
level and concerns.
Use words, phrases, and 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.
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective
tone while attending to the norms and conventions of
the discipline in which they are writing.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from or supports the argument presented.
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects | 6–12
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
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 the claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and
thoroughly, supplying the most relevant data and
evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and
limitations of both claim(s) and counterclaims in a
discipline-appropriate form that anticipates the
audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and
possible biases.
Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied
syntax 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.
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective
tone while attending to the norms and conventions of
the discipline in which they are writing.
Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from or supports the argument presented.
64
Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6–12
Grades 6–8 students:
Grades 9–10 students:
[WHST]
Grades 11–12 students:
Text Types and Purposes (continued)
2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the
narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes.
a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to
follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into
broader categories as appropriate to achieving
purpose; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics
(e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to
aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts,
definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other
information and examples.
c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create
cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and
concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary
to inform about or explain the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective
tone.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the information or explanation
presented.
3. (See note; not applicable as a separate requirement)
2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the
2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the
3. (See note; not applicable as a separate requirement)
3. (See note; not applicable as a separate requirement)
narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes.
a. Introduce a topic and organize ideas, concepts, and
information to make important connections and
distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when
useful to aiding comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and
sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples
appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
c. Use varied transitions and sentence structures to link
the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and
clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary
to manage the complexity of the topic and convey a
style appropriate to the discipline and context as well
as to the expertise of likely readers.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective
tone while attending to the norms and conventions of
the discipline in which they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the information or explanation
presented (e.g., articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).
narration of historical events, scientific procedures/
experiments, or technical processes.
a. Introduce a topic and 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 varied transitions and sentence structures 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; convey a
knowledgeable stance in a style that responds to the
discipline and context as well as to the expertise of
likely readers.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows
from and supports the information or explanation
provided (e.g., articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).
Note: Students’ narrative skills continue to grow in these grades. The Standards require that students be able to incorporate narrative elements effectively into arguments and
informative/explanatory texts. In history/social studies, students must be able to incorporate narrative accounts into their analyses of individuals or events of historical
import. In science and technical subjects, students must be able to write precise enough descriptions of the step-by-step procedures they use in their investigations or
technical work that others can replicate them and (possibly) reach the same results.
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects | 6–12
65
Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6–12
Grades 6–8 students:
Grades 9–10 students:
[WHST]
Grades 11–12 students:
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults,
develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on how well purpose and audience have been
addressed.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific
purpose and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific
purpose and audience.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and
publish writing and present the relationships between
information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
6.
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce,
publish, and update individual or shared writing products,
taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other
information and to display information flexibly and
dynamically.
6.
7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated question), drawing on several
sources and generating additional related, focused
questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.
7.
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.
7. 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.
8.
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital
sources, using search terms effectively; assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or
paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while
avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for
citation.
8.
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative
print and digital sources, using advanced searches
effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in
answering the research question; integrate information into
the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
8.
9.
Draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
9.
Draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
9. Draw evidence from informational texts to support
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce,
publish, and update individual or shared writing products in
response to ongoing feedback, including new arguments or
information.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
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 specific 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.
analysis, reflection, and research.
Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific
tasks, purposes, and audiences.
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific
tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects | 6–12
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for
reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific
tasks, purposes, and audiences.
66
Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects | 6–12
67
LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM
Unit Planning
1. District Modules, Grades 6-12
2. Protocol for Alternate Text Set
- Approval Form for Alternate Text Set
- Text Complexity Analysis Instrument
- DOE Guide for Creating a Text Set for Whole-Class Instruction: K-12
3. Process of Planning
- Establishing Big Ideas
- Assessments
- Day-to-Day Planning
4. State Sample Unit Plans
- Grade 7
- Grade 10
Return to Table of Contents
English Grade 6
Purpose of
Planning
Build students’
knowledge:
Illustrate how
knowledge builds
through texts
within and across
grades
Increase text
1
complexity :
Illustrate how text
complexity
increases within
and across grades
Unit One
Unit Two
Year-at-a-Glance (SAMPLE)
Unit Three
Unit Four
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
(820L) excluded, assigned to alternate
grade level
“The First Emperor” excerpt from The Tomb
Robbers by Daniel Cohen
“Digging Up the Past” (Magazine Article) by
Helen Bledsoe (Informational)
Hatchet, Gary Paulsen (Literary)
1020L
“Read and Watch: Steve Jobs’ Stanford
Commencement Address,” Mark
Memmott, NPR (Informational)
LDOE anchor text: Out of the Dust, Karen
Hesse (Literary)
LDOE anchor text: The Mystery of the
Egyptian Mummy, Joyce Filer
(Informational)
LDOE anchor text is the same.
LDOE anchor text is the same.
Unit Theme: Coming of Age
Students will learn about coming of age in
middle school by exploring the struggles of
adolescence, such as self-esteem, conflict
resolution, peer pressure, social interaction,
and wise decision-making.
Unit Theme: Learning from the Past
Students will learn more about how we
determine what happened in the past.
Building on the idea of reading written
accounts from different points of view,
archaeologists, like detectives, work to piece
together the past based on artifacts. Their
written results provide for us the “stories” of
human history and help us to more
completely understand the past, both in how
we are connected to it and how life has
changed over time and what lesson can be
learned.
The historical content of these texts makes
this set complex. The readability of “The
First Emperor” and “Digging Up the Past”
measures on the 6 grade band, which makes
it ideal for a student-read text. Teaching this
set as a compliment to or in coordination
with social studies will help support
students’ understanding of the texts.
Unit Theme: Survival
This set teaches students about physical and
emotional survival in the face of grave
danger and overwhelming odds. Students
learn about the importance of positive
thinking, problem solving, and constant
vigilance when facing any situation,
especially a life threatening one. They will
also learn about the struggle of man versus
nature, our connection to the natural world,
and our attempts to control it.
Unit Theme: Success through
Perseverance
Studies on success have revealed that it
isn’t talent that makes a person great,
rather it is hard work, deliberate practice,
and the ability to learn from failures and
persevere.
The readability of the anchor text measures
in the middle of the grades 6 band. The
related texts vary in complexity. Snow Fall:
The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek offers
opportunities for work with more complex
and innovative structures.
While there is a range of text complexity
levels in this set, the majority of these
texts fit in the grades 6 band.
Understanding some of the technical
vocabulary related to theory in the articles
will require scaffolding.
While the text complexity of the anchor text
falls below the Lexile framework grade
level, it is a high interest, relevant book
which will hook the students. It contains
mature themes, complex vocabulary,
references to historical events, and
symbolism of cultural status. The
informational texts are included to expand
the students’ knowledge of the theme.
1
By the end of grade 6, students should demonstrate the ability to read and understand texts in the 6-8 grade band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range (RL.6.10,
RI.6.10). This plan provides direction for whole-class instruction with opportunities for student collaboration and rereading. Support for students outside of whole-class instruction should build
student proficiency with reading grade-level texts. This might involve: for weaker readers—continued fluency work and reading of easier, related texts to support, not substitute or replace, the wholeclass text; for on-level readers—continued support for students in reading the whole-class text (i.e., additional readings of specific passages with text-dependent questions); or, for advanced
readers—extension work with more challenging texts. Students should also engage in regular independent reading of self-selected texts. Click here for guidance on determining text complexity.
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
1
Return to Table of Contents
English Grade 6
Integrate
standards
around texts:
Provide multiple
opportunities for
students to develop
their literacy
Year-at-a-Glance (SAMPLE)
The PARCC Model Content Frameworks provide an overview of how the standards can be integrated and centered around the reading of complex texts. The frameworks include:
•
A sample visual of how a year might be organized,
•
An overview of the Common Core State Standard expectations in grade 6,
•
Writing standards progression from grade 5 to grade 6, and
•
Speaking and Listening standards progression from grade 5 to grade 6.
The plan below provides a sample of the specific year-long content for grade 6 based on the PARCC Model Content Frameworks.
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
2
English Grade 6
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One: Coming of Age
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
(820L) excluded, assigned to
alternate grade level
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the McDougalLittell textbook.
o “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros
o “Tuesday of the Other June” by Norma Fox Maxer
o “The School Play” by Gary Soto
o “Scout’s Honor” by Avi
o “Aaron’s Gift” by Myron Levoy
o “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury
o “Damon and Pythias” by Fan Kissen (play)
o “Primer” by Rita Dove (poem)
o “On Turning Ten” by Billy Collins (poem)
o “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” by Maya Angelou (poem)
o “Mooses” by Ted Hughes (poem)
o “Same Song” by Pat Mora (poem)
o “Without Commercials” by Alice Walker (poem)
• “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks (poem)
• http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15433
Students will learn about coming
of age in middle school by
exploring the struggles of
adolescence, such as self-esteem,
conflict resolution, peer pressure,
social interaction, and wise
decision-making.
LDOE anchor text: Out of the
Dust, Karen Hesse (Literary)
Text Complexity Rationale
While the text complexity of
the anchor text falls below the
Lexile framework grade level, it
is a high interest, relevant book
which will hook the students.
It contains mature themes,
complex vocabulary,
references to historical events,
and symbolism of cultural
status. The informational texts
are included to expand the
students’ knowledge of the
theme.
Informational Texts
o “The Problem with Bullies” by Sean Price (magazine article)
o “The First Skateboard in the History of the World” by Betsy Byars
(memoir)
o “The Violent Side of Video Games” and “What Video Games can
Sample Research 3
The student will select one of the
informational topics presented,
conduct further research,
produce an evidence-based
writing, and present information
using a multimedia presentation
(i.e. pamphlet, PowerPoint, etc.)
Students will design the rubric.
Common Core State
Standards 2
Reading
RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4,
RL.6.5, RL.6.6, RL.6.7, RL.6.9,
RL.6.10
RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.3, RI.6.4,
RI.6.5, RI.6.6, RI.6.7, RI.6.8,
RI.6.9, RI.6.10
Writing
W.6.1, W.6.2, W.6.3, W.6.4,
W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.7, W.6.8,
W.6.9, W.6.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.6.1, SL.6.2,SL.6.3, SL.6.4,
SL.6.5, SL.6.6
Language
L.6.1, L.6.2, L.6.3, L.6.4, L.6.5,
L.6.6
2
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
3
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
3
English Grade 6
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One: Coming of Age
•
Teach Us” by Emily Sohn (essays)
“Surf Safely in Cyberspace” by Rebecca Leon (magazine article)
EBSCO
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• Doing the Right Thing: Good, Better, Best! (video from Discovery
Channel about work ethic)
• Doing the Right Thing: Making Wrong Right (video from
Discovery Channel)
• “Smallville” Media Study from textbook on evaluating character.
Possible Teacher Resources:
Discoveryeducation.com
Scholastic Scope Magazine
SPED Options:
Crash by Jerry Spinelli (Lexile 560)
Double Dutch by Sharon Draper (Lexile 760)
Scorpions by Walter Dean Myers (Lexile 610)
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (Lexile 610) excluded, assigned to alternate grade level
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
4
English Grade 6
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two: Learning from the Past
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
“The First Emperor” excerpt
from The Tomb Robbers by
Daniel Cohen
“Digging Up the Past”
(Magazine Article) by Helen
Bledsoe
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the McDougalLittell textbook.
o “The Dog of Pompeii” short story by Louis Untermeyer
• “Out of Pompeii” poem by William Wilfred Campbell
o “Ceres and Proserpina” myth retold by Mary Pope Osborne
o “Arachne” myth by Olivia Coolidge
• “President Cleveland, Where Are You?” short story by Robert
Cormier
• Excerpts from Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Students will learn more about
how we determine what
happened in the past. Building
on the idea of reading written
accounts from different points of
view, archaeologists, like
detectives, work to piece
together the past based on
artifacts. Their written results
provide for us the “stories” of
human history and help us to
more completely understand the
past, both in how we are
connected to it and how life has
changed over time and what
lesson can be learned.
Text Complexity Rationale
The historical content of these
texts makes this set complex.
The readability of “The First
Emperor” and “Digging Up the
Past” measures on the 6 grade
band, which makes it ideal for
a student-read text. Teaching
this set as a complement to or
in coordination with social
studies will help support
students’ understanding of the
texts.
Informational Texts
o “Supercroc” magazine article
o In Search of Pompeii book excerpt
• “Teen Hoboes of the 1930s” Scholastic magazine
• “Introduction,” Intrigue of the Past, Research Laboratories of
Archaeology
• “Indiana Jones meets Reality: Adventure into Archaeology”
• “The Secrets of Vesuvius,” Sara Bisel
• “Ancient Roman Life Preserved at Pompeii,” James Owens,
National Geographic
• “Who Built the Pyramids?” NOVA
• Excerpts from The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone: Key to Ancient
Egypt, James Cross Giblin
Sample Research 5
In small groups, students will
investigate an area of their
school or community as a
futuristic explorer. They will
create their own archaeological
Common Core State
Standards 4
Reading
RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4,
RL.6.5, RL.6.6, RL.6.7, RL.6.9,
RL.6.10
RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.3, RI.6.4,
RI.6.5, RI.6.6, RI.6.7, RI.6.8,
RI.6.9, RI.6.10
Writing
W.6.1, W.6.2, W.6.3, W.6.4,
W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.7, W.6.8,
W.6.9, W.6.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.6.1, SL.6.2,SL.6.3, SL.6.4,
SL.6.5, SL.6.6
Language
L.6.1, L.6.2, L.6.3, L.6.4, L.6.5,
L.6.6
4
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
5
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
5
English Grade 6
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two: Learning from the Past
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• http://paulsereno.uchicago.edu/ (website about paleontologist
Paul Sereno)
• http://www.nps.gov/history/archeology/public/kids/ (National
Park Service website)
• http://interactive.archaeology.org/pompeii/ (Archaeology
Magazine website)
• http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl/interactive/
(Interactive Dust Bowl website with video)
• http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/learning_history/children_dep
ression/help_president.cfm (Digital History website includes
letters from children of the Depression to President Roosevelt)
Possible Teacher Resources:
report detailing their findings
(including visuals—i.e., drawings,
photographs) and a separate
narrative description of daily life
based on artifacts and evidence
located at the “site.” They should
include vocabulary from material
read and model their writing
after the style of the texts
included in the set.
Alternate Sample Research
The students will create a time
capsule which will reflect a
particular culture of the past.
They will include a justification
for each item (why or how it’s
important) and a visual
representation of the item (as
opposed to the actual item).
They should include vocabulary
from material read (i.e. artifact)
and model their writing after the
style/voice of texts included in
the text set.
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
Bud, Not Buddy novel by Christopher Paul Curtis (Lexile 950)
The Watsons go to Birmingham (Lexile 1000)
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
6
English Grade 6
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: Survival
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Hatchet, Gary Paulsen
(Literary) 1020L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the
McDougal-Littell textbook.
• Excerpts from one of the sequels to the anchor (The River,
Brian’s Winter, Brian’s Return, or Brian’s Hunt, Gary Paulsen)
• A Long Walk to Water, Linda Sue Park
• “Requiem for a Nest,” Wanda Coleman (poem)
o The School Play (co-read with Donner Party of 1847), Gary
Soto
• “To Build a Fire,” Jack London
This set teaches students about
physical and emotional survival in the
face of grave danger and
overwhelming odds. Students learn
about the importance of positive
thinking, problem solving, and
constant vigilance when facing any
situation, especially a life-threatening
one. They will also learn about the
struggle of man versus nature, our
connection to the natural world, and
our attempts to control it.
Text Complexity Rationale
The readability of the anchor
text measures in the middle of
the grades 6 band. The related
texts vary in complexity. Snow
Fall: The Avalanche at tunnel
Creek (website) offers
opportunities for work with
more complex and innovative
structures.
Informational Texts
• “Survival Stories,” Reader’s Digest
• “Your Story: Are You a Survivor?,” National Geographic
• “The Tragic Fate of the Donner Party, 1847” (magazine
article)
• “The Practice of Slowing Down,” from This I Believe, Phil
Powers
• “The Captivating Story Behind ‘127 Hours,’” CBSNews
Sunday Morning
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek, John Branch
(Website)
Sample Research 7
Students will select an event from the
anchor text and research Brian’s steps
for survival. They will evaluate his
skills against what experts say are the
best methods and write a report
explaining how Brian was successful
and/or could have improved his
situation.
Common Core State
Standards 6
Reading
RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4,
RL.6.5, RL.6.6, RL.6.7, RL.6.9,
RL.6.10
RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.3, RI.6.4,
RI.6.5, RI.6.6, RI.6.7, RI.6.8,
RI.6.9, RI.6.10
Writing
W.6.1, W.6.2, W.6.3, W.6.4,
W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.7, W.6.8,
W.6.9, W.6.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.6.1, SL.6.2,SL.6.3, SL.6.4,
SL.6.5, SL.6.6
Language
L.6.1, L.6.2, L.6.3, L.6.4, L.6.5,
L.6.6
6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
7
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
7
English Grade 6
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: Survival
Another option:
Students will gather the stories of a
real-life survivor and compare the
real-life accounts to Brian’s fictional
accounts in Hatchet. How do the real
stories approach the idea of survival
differently from the fictional
portrayal? What themes or ideas are
common?
Possible Teacher Resources:
For student research: http://artofmanliness.com/2010/03/11/10-wilderness-survival-lessons-from-hatchet/,
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/survival/index/html, and “Help Me make it Through the Night-Surviving a Wilderness Emergency”, Kelly Stang, New York State
Conservationist (April 2012)
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
Emperors of the Ice (1050L)
The Cay (860L)
Brian’s Winter (1140L)
The Hunger Games (810L) excluded, assigned to alternate grade level
SPED Option:
Fever, 1793 (580L)
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
8
English Grade 6
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Four: Success Through Hard Work and Perseverance
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
“Read and Watch: Steve Jobs’
Stanford Commencement Address,”
Mark Memmott, NPR
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the
McDougal-Littell textbook.
• “Mother to Son,” Langston Hughes
(Poem) http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/1770
21
• “To Failure,” Philip Larkin
(Poem) http://www.poemhunter.com/bestpoems/philip-larkin/to-failure/
• “Casey at the Bat,” Ernest Lawrence Thayer (Appendix
B Exemplar, Poem)
• “The Story of David and Goliath,” 1 Samuel 17, The
Holy Bible
o “Ghost of the Lagoon,” Armstrong Sperry
Students will attempt to define
success and learn that success takes
hard work, deliberate practice, and
the ability to learn from failures and
to persevere. Students will come to
understand more about their
personal beliefs and express those
through a personal essay/belief
statement.
Text Complexity Rationale
There is a range of text complexity
levels in this set. Due to the heavy
nature of informational texts and
theoretical ideas being discussed,
understanding some of the technical
vocabulary in the articles will require
teacher support.
Informational Texts
• “11 Steps Toward Deliberate Practice,” Lukas Kyska,
The Aspiring
Guitarist http://expertenough.com/2327/deliberatepractice-steps
• “Happy Talk” from This I Believe, Oscar Hammerstein II
http://thisibelieve.org/essay/16609/
o From The Story of my Life by Helen Keller
o From “Spellbinder: The Life of Harry Houdini,” Tom
Sample Research 9
Students will investigate the content,
structure, and style of several “This I
Believe” essays
(http://thisibelieve.org
and http://www.npr.org/series/4538
138/this-i-believe ). Students will then
create their own essays for possible
submission
(http://thisibelieve.org/guidelines/ ).
Students will present their essays to
the class in the form of a speech.
Common Core State
Standards 8
Reading
RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4,
RL.6.5, RL.6.6, RL.6.7, RL.6.9,
RL.6.10
RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.3, RI.6.4,
RI.6.5, RI.6.6, RI.6.7, RI.6.8,
RI.6.9, RI.6.10
Writing
W.6.1, W.6.2, W.6.3, W.6.4,
W.6.5, W.6.6, W.6.7, W.6.8,
W.6.9, W.6.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.6.1, SL.6.2,SL.6.3, SL.6.4,
SL.6.5, SL.6.6
Language
L.6.1, L.6.2, L.6.3, L.6.4, L.6.5,
L.6.6
8
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
9
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
9
English Grade 6
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Four: Success Through Hard Work and Perseverance
Lalicki
Nonprint Texts
• The Miracle Worker the Story of Helen Keller (video)
• Documentary from Houdini. The Great Escape (Media
Smart DVD)
• No Pain No Gain . . . Gabby Taylor
(video) http://www.scholastic.com/scopemagazine/Vi
deos.html
Possible Teacher Resources:
http://presentoutlook.com “Twenty Famous Failures”.
Sample texts for investigating “famous failures”:
The Secret of Success is Not a Secret: Stories of Famous People Who Persevered, Darcy Andries, “7 Entrepreneurs Whose Perseverance Will Inspire You,” Tom Zeleznock, and
“Famous Failures”
“Lincoln’s ‘Failures’?” Abraham Lincoln Online
SPED Option:
Matthew Henson at the Top of the World by Jim Haskins
6/7/2013 SAMPLE DRAFT
10
English Grade 7
Purpose of
Planning
Build students’
knowledge:
Illustrate how knowledge
builds through texts
within and across grades
Increase text
complexity 1:
Illustrate how text
complexity increases
within and across grades
Integrate standards
around texts:
Provide multiple
opportunities for
students to develop their
literacy
Unit One
The Giver, Lois Lowry (Literary) 760L
LDOE anchor text is the same
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two
The Lion, the
Witch, and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis
(Literary) 870L excluded; assigned to
alternate grade level
Unit Theme: Challenging Belief Systems
Students will learn about community and
how belief systems are established. They will
explore the ideas of humanity and choice
and how people control others.
LDOE anchor text: The Christmas Carol,
Charles Dickens (Literary), non-leveled or
adapted version
The readability of the anchor text falls below
the text complexity grade-level band, but the
meaning of the text is layered and complex,
asking students to think about sophisticated
social and political concepts. The related
texts are similar in complexity to the anchor.
The readability of the anchor text is at the
upper end of the text complexity grade-level
band, but is appropriate for reading with
instructional support. The additional related
texts fall within the 6-8 grade band and are
appropriate for grade 7.
Unit Theme: Moral Codes
Students will learn that writers use stories
and tales to teach us lessons or to convey
moral codes that reflect societal and cultural
values. They will come to understand how
experiences with literature resonate with
readers and have staying power to become
part of our cultural beliefs.
Unit Three
Unit Four
Chains, Laurie Halse Anderson
(Literary) 780L
Wonder, R.J. Palacio (Literary) 790L
LDOE anchor text: Behind the Scenes, Or
Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the
White House, Elizabeth Keckley
(Informational)
LDOE anchor text: “How to Write a
Memoir,” The American Scholar, William
Zinsser (Informational)
Unit Theme: Defining Periods in American
History
Students study different perspectives of
American History through personal accounts,
primary and secondary sources, and literary
reflections. They will come to understand
defining periods in our country’s history.
Unit Theme: Memoir
Students will explore lives in transition and
discover that hope often comes in unlikely
places. Students will learn about the craft of
writing from professional writers, observing
firsthand the connection between reading
and writing.
This set contains several text exemplars from
Appendix B of the CCSS. The Killer Angels is
from a higher grade band, and is included to
challenge students. The additional related
texts fall within the grades 6-8 band and are
appropriate for grade 7.
The readability of the anchor text measures
at the end of the grades 6-8 band. This set is
included at the end because of the
independent reading and writing
expectations of students.
The PARCC Model Content Frameworks provide an overview of how the standards can be integrated and centered around the reading of complex texts. The frameworks include:
•
A sample visual of how a year might be organized,
•
An overview of the Common Core State Standard expectations in grade 7,
•
Writing standards progression from grade 6 to grade 7, and
•
Speaking and Listening standards progression from grade 6 to grade 7.
The plan below provides a sample of the specific year-long content for grade 7 based on the PARCC Model Content Frameworks.
1
By the end of grade 7, students should demonstrate the ability to read and understand texts in the 6-8 grade band proficiently, which scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range (RL.7.10,
RI.7.10). This plan provides direction for whole-class instruction with opportunities for student collaboration and rereading. Support for students outside of whole-class instruction should build
student proficiency with reading grade-level texts. This might involve: for weaker readers—continued fluency work and reading of easier, related texts to support, not substitute or replace, the
whole-class text; for on-level readers—continued support for students in reading the whole-class text (i.e., additional rereadings of specific passages with text-dependent questions); or, for
advanced readers—extension work with more challenging texts. Students should also engage in regular independent reading of self-selected texts.
Return to Table of Contents
English Grade 7
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One: Challenging Belief Systems
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
The Giver, Lois Lowry (Literary)
760L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are
available in the McDougal-Littell text
• Excerpts from The Hunger Games,
Suzanne Collins
• “Harrison Bergeron,” Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
• “The Lottery,” Shirley Jackson
• “The Human Abstract,” William Blake
(Poem)
• “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost
(Poem)
o “Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,”
Rod Serling
o “Dark They Were and Golden-Eyed,” Ray
Bradbury
o “The War of the Wall,” Toni Cade
Bambara
o “The Last Dog,” Katherine Paterson
o “Eating Alone,” Li-Young Lee
o “Spring Harvest of Snow Peas,” Maxine
Hong Kingston
• Trash, Andy Mulligan 860L
• Divergent, Veronica Roth 700L excluded,
assigned to alternate grade level
• I Am Number Four, Pittacus Lore 850L
• Z for Zachariah, Robert C. O’Brien 820L
Through the study of dystopian literature and related
informational texts, students will explore how belief systems
are established and called into question. They will learn how
their choices and actions (or lack of) affect others and the
ways that people control others. They will consider the value
of community when individuals suffer and the value of
perfection and equality if it means giving up pain, emotions,
and human connections. They will come to understand how
their lives are shaped by their perceptions and the importance
of knowledge and memory for living a complete life.
LDOE anchor is the same.
Text Complexity Rationale
While the readability of the
anchor text falls below the text
complexity grade-level band,
the meaning of the text is
layered and complex, asking
students to think about
sophisticated social and
political concepts. The related
texts are similar in complexity
to the anchor. Students should
be able to read the words of
these texts independently, but
teacher scaffolding and
support through collaborative
groups and discussions will
help students fully understand
the texts. The Lexile levels are
provided for each novel and for
differentiated options.
2
Sample Research 3
Create structured independent reading of additional
dystopian novels. Have students complete inquiry-based
assignments such as; research real life utopian societies and
comparing and contrasting with their text and then present
information to the class. For students reading similar texts,
create opportunities for discussion. Some example texts:
• Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
• Unwind, Neal Shusterman
• Divergent, Veronica Roth excluded, assigned to alternate
grade level
• Uglies, Scott Westerfeld
• Feed, M.T. Anderson
• 1984, George Orwell
Common Core State
Standards 2
Reading
RL.7.1, RL.7.2., RL.7.3,
RL.7.4, RL.7.5, RL.7.6,
RL.7.7, RL.7.9, RL.7.10
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3,
RI.7.4, RI.7.5, RI.7.6,
RI.7.8, RI.7.9, RI.7.10
Writing
W.7.1, W.7.2, W.7.3,
W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9,
W.7.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.3,
SL.7.4, SL.7.5, SL.7.6
Language
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3, L.7.4,
L.7.5, L.7.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
3
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English Grade 7
Unit One: Challenging Belief Systems
•
Among the Hidden, Margaret C. Haddix
800L
Informational Texts
• “Individual Rights and Community
Responsibilities,” Pat Nanzer
• Excerpts (i.e., The Preamble and First
Amendment) from Words We Live By:
Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution
by Linda R. Monk (Appendix B Exemplar)
• “Back to the Wall” from People
• “Homeless,” Anna Quindlen
• Additional texts about topics that support
students’ understanding of the anchor
text (as needed)
Non-print Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video,
Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• Clips from The Hunger Games, Gary Ross
• 2081, Chandler Tuttle
• “Imagine,” John Lennon
• Clips from The Truman Show, Peter Weir
or The Village, M. Night Shyamalan
Possible Teacher Resources:
SPED Options:
City of Ember, Jeanne Du Prau (lower level) 680L
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
English Grade 7
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two: Moral Codes
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
The Lion, the Witch, and
the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis
(Literary) 870L excluded;
assigned to an alternate
grade level
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the McDougal-Littel
text
Short Stories:
• “The Gift of the Magi,” O. Henry (Appendix B Exemplar)
o “Retrieved Reformation,” O. Henry
o Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,” Rudyard Kipling
o “The Scholarship Jacket,” Marta Salinas
Drama:
o A Christmas Carol
• A Reader’s Theatre version of A Christmas Carol (SCOPE Magazine,
Scholastic)
Oral Traditions as Reflection of Culture:
o Excerpt from Sir Gawain and the Green Knight – Medieval legend
o Excerpt from Young Arthur – Medieval legend
o “Brer Possum’s Dilemma” – African American folk tale
o “Waters of Gold” – Chinese folk tale
o “Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind” – American tall tale
o “The Race Between Toad and Donkey” –Jamaican fable
o “Two Ways to Count to Ten” – Liberian fable
Poetry:
o “Casey at the Bat”
o “The Highwayman”
o “The Names”
o “Abuelito Who”
o “The Courage My Mother Had”
o “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out”
Students will learn that writers use
stories and tales to teach us lessons
or to convey moral codes that reflect
societal and cultural values. For this
particular set, students will study
cultural values and how they are
reflected through various genres of
literature, including oral traditions
and nonfiction texts that reflect
culture through different time
periods. Examples of values found in
this set include the role of sacrifice,
possessions, love, integrity, courage,
pride, strength, and intelligence in
society.
LDOE anchor text: A
Christmas Carol, by
Charles Dickens (Literary),
non-leveled or adapted
version
Text Complexity
Rationale
The readability of the
anchor text is at the upper
end of the text complexity
grade-level band, but is
appropriate for reading
with instructional support.
The additional related
texts fall within the 6-8
grade band and are
appropriate for grade 7.
The Lexile levels are
provided for each novel
4
Sample Research 5
Students will investigate various
cultures, learning about their
religion, art, government, daily life,
conflicts, and fundamental beliefs.
Students will create a multimedia
presentation of findings. They will
also write an expository piece
comparing our culture to the one
they researched, citing examples of
Common Core State
Standards 4
Reading
RL.7.1, RL.7.2., RL.7.3,
RL.7.4, RL.7.5, RL.7.6,
RL.7.7, RL.7.9, RL.7.10
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3,
RI.7.4, RI.7.5, RI.7.6,
RI.7.8, RI.7.9, RI.7.10
Writing
W.7.1, W.7.2, W.7.3,
W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9,
W.7.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.3,
SL.7.4, SL.7.5, SL.7.6
Language
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.4,L.7.5, L.7.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
5
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English Grade 7
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two: Moral Codes
and for differentiated
options.
o “The Delight Song of Tsoai-Talee”
o “Gold”
o “It Was a Long Time Before”
Informational Texts
o “Who Was King Arthur?” – magazine article
o “Do Pro Athletes Get Paid Too Much?” – editorial
o “Pro Athletes’ Salaries Aren’t Overly Exorbitant” – editorial
o “When the Curtain Comes Up on the Second Act” – magazine article
(paired with “Retrieved Reformation” in textbook ancillary workbook
Interactive Reader and Writer for Critical Analysis)
o “Juvenile Justice on Trial” – editorial (paired with “Retrieved
Reformation” in textbook ancillary workbook Interactive Reader and
Writer for Critical Analysis)
o “Names/Nombre” – essay*
o “Name That Child: How Culture and Tradition Influence Choices” –
online article (paired with “Names /Nombre” in textbook ancillary
workbook Interactive Reader and Writer for Critical Analysis)
• “Charles Dickens: Six Things He Gave the Modern World,” Alex Hudson
(BBC News)
• Additional texts about topics that support students’ understanding of
the anchor text (as needed)
Non-print Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics
• How to Study Cultures: How Beliefs and Values Define a Culture (video
on Discovery Education)
• Chronicles of Narnia full-length film
• The Enduring Popularity of the Works of C. S. Lewis (video segment on
Discovery Education)
• Long Ago and Far Away (video segment on Discovery Education)
• The Legend of King Arthur (video segment on Discovery Education)
• Live drama or filmed version of A Christmas Carol (example)
differences/ similarities from the
research and their own lives.
Possible Teacher Resources:
“Teaching Dickens with the New York Times,” Katherine Schulten and Shannon Doyne (The Learning Network, New York Times)
SPED Options:
The Hobbit , J.R.R. Tolkien– higher level text
The Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan – lower level text excluded, assigned to alternate grade level
English Grade 7
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
English Grade 7
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: Defining Periods in American History
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Chains, Laurie Halse Anderson
(Literary) 780L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the McDougalLittel text
• Excerpts from The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara (Appendix B
Exemplar)
• “The People Could Fly,” Virginia Hamilton (Appendix B Exemplar)
• “I, Too, Sing America,” Langston Hughes (Appendix B Exemplar,
Poem)
• “O Captain! My Captain!,” Walt Whitman (Appendix B Exemplar,
Poem)
• Fever, 1763, Laurie Halse Anderson 580L excluded, assigned to
alternate grade level
• Day of Tears, Julius Lester 800L
• Witness, Karen Hesse 800L
• Elijah of Buxton, Christopher Paul Curtis 1070L
In Textbook
• “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” Alfred , Lord Tennyson (poem)
• “Washington Monument by Night,” Carl Sandburg (poem)
• from Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse (excerpt)
Informational Texts
• Amendments XIII, XIV, and XIV of the US Constitution or
the annotated version
• Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an
American Friendship, Russell Freedman
• Excerpts from Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground
Railroad, Ann Petry (Appendix B Exemplar)
Students will come to understand
more fully defining periods in our
country’s history, which challenged
our foundational beliefs and saw
great leaders emerge from adversity.
They will explore different
perspectives through personal
accounts, primary and secondary
sources, and literary reflections. This
set connects to social studies.
LDOE anchor text: Behind the
Scenes, Or Thirty Years a Slave
and Four Years in the White
House, Elizabeth Keckley
Text Complexity Rationale
This set contains several text
exemplars from Appendix B of
the CCSS. The Killer Angels is
from a higher grade band, and
is included to challenge
students, but it will require
some additional scaffolding
and support. The additional
related texts fall within the 6-8
grade band and are
appropriate for grade 7. The
Lexile levels are provided for
each novel and for
differentiated options.
6
Sample Research 7
Students will investigate historical
accounts of time periods associated
with the anchor and related texts
and compare and contrast those
with the settings described in the
studied texts. They will then write a
report about how authors use or
alter history, and they will present
their findings through a multimedia
presentation.
Common Core State
Standards 6
Reading
RL.7.1, RL.7.2., RL.7.3,
RL.7.4, RL.7.5, RL.7.6,
RL.7.7, RL.7.9, RL.7.10
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3,
RI.7.4, RI.7.5, RI.7.6,
RI.7.8, RI.7.9, RI.7.10
Writing
W.7.1, W.7.2, W.7.3,
W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9,
W.7.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.3,
SL.7.4, SL.7.5, SL.7.6
Language
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.4,L.7.5, L.7.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
7
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English Grade 7
Unit Three: Defining Periods in American History
• “Chapter 11” from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an
American Slave, Frederick Douglass (Appendix B Exemplars)
• “Letter from Frederick Douglass”
• “Speech on the Death of William Lloyd Garrison,” Frederick
Douglass
• The Boys’ War, Primary Documents Jim Murphy
o “The Collected Grief of a Nation,” Judith Weinraub
o “A Mother’s Words,” Eleanor Wimbish
o “Timeline: U.S. Involvement in Vietnam”
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• Clips from Glory, Edward Zwick
• “Lincoln Announces Freedom” from The Abolitionists, PBS
• “A Eulogy to the Movement” from The Abolitionists, PBS
• “Teaching with Documents: The War in Vietnam- A Story in
Photographs,” from National Archives
• “Vietnam Online,” from American Experience, PBS
• American Revolution Links
• History
• Smithsonian
• “John and Abigail Adams,” from American Experience, PBS
• “The American Revolution,” from American Experience, PBS
Possible Teacher Resources:
The Gathering Storm Exhibit for the Classroom, The Civil War Trust
The Abolistionists, PBS and “William Lloyd Garrison and the Liberator,” USHistory.org
SPED Options:
Forty Acres and Maybe a Mule, Harriet GillenRobinet L610 (lower level)
Red Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane L900 (higher level) excluded, assigned to alternate grade level
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
English Grade 7
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Four: Memoir
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Wonder, R.J. Palacio (Literary) 790L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in
the McDougal-Littel text
• “Eleven,” Sandra Cisneros (Appendix B Exemplar)
• “Oranges,” Gary Soto (Appendix B Exemplar,
Poem)
• “Thank You M’am,” Langston Hughes
• Excerpts from Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie
• Finding My Voice, Marie G Lee 755L
• “The Memory Strings” Eve Bunting 290L
• “Fly Away Home” Eve Bunting 450L
• “Grandpas Face” Eloise Greenfield 610L
• Peak, Roland Smith 760L
o “An American Childhood,” Annie Dillard
o The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt,
Eleanor Roosevelt
o “Dirk the Protector,” Gary Paulsen
o “Encounter with Martin King Jr.,” Maya Angelou
o “The Noble Experiment,” Jackie Robinson as
told to Alfred Duckett
o “Zebra,” Chaim Potok
o “Amigo Brothers,” Piri Thomas
o “Seventh Grade,” Gary Soto
o “What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?” Avi
How do writers present the challenges that
adolescents face as they “grow up”? Students will
learn about memoirs and “coming of age”
literature. They will explore lives in transition and
discover that hope often comes in unlikely places.
Students will learn about the craft of writing from
professional writers and begin to explore their
own voice and style as a writer, observing
firsthand the connection between reading and
writing.
LDOE anchor text: “How to Write a
Memoir,” William Zinsser
(Informational)
Text Complexity Rationale
The readability of the anchor text
measures toward the end of the 6-8
grade band range. While it is
suitable for this grade, especially
being at the end of the year,
students may still need some
scaffolding in reading the text. The
related texts are appropriate for
this grade. The Lexile levels are
provided for each novel and for
differentiated options.
Informational Texts
8
Sample Research 9
Create structured independent reading of
memoirs (from within the grade band). Students
will complete assignments with the texts, focused
on lessons learned about writing and memoirs.
For students reading similar texts, create
opportunities for discussion. Some possible
memoirs:
• Funny in Farsi, Firoozeh Dumas
• Bad Boy: A Memoir, Walter Dean Myers
• Chinese Cinderella, Adeline Yen Mah
• The Circuit, Francisco Jimenez
• At the End of Words: A Daughter’s Memoir,
Miriam Stone
• A Summer Life, Gary Soto
Common Core State
Standards 8
Reading
RL.7.1, RL.7.2., RL.7.3,
RL.7.4, RL.7.5, RL.7.6,
RL.7.7, RL.7.9, RL.7.10
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3,
RI.7.4, RI.7.5, RI.7.6,
RI.7.8, RI.7.9, RI.7.10
Writing
W.7.1, W.7.2, W.7.3,
W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6,
W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9,
W.7.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.7.1, SL.7.2, SL.7.3,
SL.7.4, SL.7.5, SL.7.6
Language
L.7.1, L.7.2, L.7.3,
L.7.4,L.7.5, L.7.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
9
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English Grade 7
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Four: Memoir
• Excerpts from The Elements of Style (Illustrated),
William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White (e.g., “Chapter
V: An Approach to Style”)
• “Toolbox” and “On Writing” from On Writing,
Stephen King
• “Short Memoirs: Six Little Words Can be
Revealing,” Doug Mason
• “How to Write a Memoir,” The American Scholar,
William Zinsser
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film,
Music, Art, Graphics)
• “Advice from Stephen King,” Stephen King
• Clips from “42” Jackie Robinson Movie
• Stitches, David Small
• “C.V.” from On Writing, Stephen King
• Growing Up, Russell Baker
When students are done reading memoirs, they
will analyze the differences in the authors’ styles
and present the information to the class. Then
each student will write a narrative of an event or
several events in their life as the beginning of a
memoir.
Possible Resources:
Writing Next, Alliance for Excellent Education
Using “mentor texts” to teach writing: http://corbettharrison.com/mentortext.html and www.teachmentortexts.com
SPED Options:
House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros (higher level) 870L
Things Not Seen, Andrew Clements (Lower level) 690L
Hurricane Song, Paul Volponi (higher level) 850L
English Grade 8
Purpose of Planning
Build students’ knowledge:
Illustrate how knowledge
builds through texts within
and across grades
Unit One
Unit Three
Unit Four
Flowers for Algernon, Daniel
Keyes (Literary)
Code Orange, Caroline Cooney
(Literary)
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl,
Anne Frank (Informational)
Swallowing Stones, Joyce McDonald
(Literary)
LDOE anchor text is the same
LDOE anchor text: “The Tell-Tale
Heart,” Edgar Allan Poe (Literary)
LDOE anchor text is the same
LDOE anchor text: Sugar Changed the
World: A Story of Magic, Spice,
Slavery, Freedom, and Science, Marc
Aronson and Marina Budhos
(Informational)
Unit Theme: Reality and Perception
Students explore the interplay between
reality and perception and work to
develop an understanding of truth.
Unit Theme: The Impact of War
Students will explore the human
attempt to make sense of the tragedies
of war by means of connecting to
others, often through art.
Unit Theme: Ethical Situations
Students will explore ethical situations
in which societal norms and personal
guidelines conflict causing one to
experience internal turmoil.
The readability of the anchor text falls
just above the grades 6-8 band, but its
short length should allow for an indepth study of the text. There is a range
of complexity in the related texts.
The readability of the anchor text falls
in the middle of the grades 6-8 band,
but the meaning and knowledge
demands are very complex. The
complexity of the related texts is
suitable for stretching students’
abilities to read complex text.
The anchor text measures at the top of
the grades 6-8 band, which is
appropriate for the last unit in grade 8.
The related texts range in complexity
and many of them are reliably
quantified.
Unit Theme: Accepting
Ourselves and Others
Students explore the nature of
learning and improvement as
well as the value of accepting the
talents and gifts of themselves
and others.
1
Unit Two
Year-at-a-Glance (SAMPLE)
Increase text complexity :
Illustrate how text
complexity increases within
and across grades
The readability of the anchor text
falls in the middle of the grades
6-8 band. The related texts range
in complexity to prepare
students to read more complex
text in the next unit.
Integrate standards around
texts:
Provide multiple
opportunities for students
to develop their literacy
The PARCC Model Content Frameworks provide an overview of how the standards can be integrated and centered around the reading of complex texts. The
frameworks include:
•
A sample visual of how a year might be organized,
•
An overview of the Common Core State Standard expectations in grade 8,
•
Writing standards progression from grade 7 to grade 8, and
•
Speaking and Listening standards progression from grade 7 to grade 8.
The plan below provides a sample of the specific year-long content for grade 8 based on the PARCC Model Content Frameworks.
1
By the end of grade 8, students should demonstrate the ability to read and understand texts in the 6-8 grade band independently and proficiently (RL.8.10, RI.8.10). This plan provides direction for
whole-class instruction with opportunities for student collaboration and rereading. Support for students outside of whole-class instruction should build student proficiency with reading grade-level
texts. This might involve: for weaker readers—continued fluency work and reading of easier, related texts to support, not substitute or replace, the whole-class text; for on-level readers—
continued support for students in reading the whole-class text (i.e., additional readings of specific passages with text-dependent questions); or, for advanced readers—extension work with more
challenging texts. Students should also engage in regular independent reading of self-selected texts.
6/7/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
1
Return to Table of Contents
English Grade 8
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One: Accepting Ourselves and Others
Common Core State Standards 2
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Flowers for Algernon, Daniel
Keyes (Literary)
910L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections marked with a hollow bullet are
available in the McDougal-Littell textbook.
o “Raymond’s Run,” Toni Cade Bambara
• “Chapter 4,” “Chapter 11,” “Chapter 13,”
“Chapter 15,” and “Chapter 17” from
Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, Mary
Shelley
• “The Scarlet Ibis,” James Hurst
• “The Tree of Knowledge,” Edith Nesbit (Poem)
• “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” Robert Frost (Poem)
o “The Treasure of Lemon Brown,” Walter Dean
Myers
o “The Great Rat Hunt,” Laurence Yep
o “Mother to Son” (Poem) Langston Hughes
o “Identity” (Poem) Julio Noboa
Focusing on the dangers of arrogance,
pride, and assuming that humans can
control the uncontrollable, students will
come to understand the value of making
the most of their strengths without
degrading others or relying on artificial
enhancements. Students will explore the
nature of learning and improvement and
come to understand that in recognizing
and accepting value in others, they can
also learn about themselves. This unit can
connect to science.
Reading
RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3, RL.8.4, RL.8.5,
RL.8.6, RL.8.7, RL.8.9, RL.8.10
Sample Research 3
Language
L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3, L.8.4, L.8.5, L.8.6
LDOE anchor is the same.
Text Complexity
Rationale
The readability of the anchor
text falls in the middle of the
grades 6-8 band, but the
meaning and knowledge
demands of the text are very
complex. The quantitative
and qualitative measures for
the related texts are suitable
for stretching students’
abilities to read complex
text.
Informational Texts
• “UCLA Scientists Recreate ‘Flowers for
Algernon’ With a Happy Ending; Discover
Statins Overcome Gene Mutation Linked to
Learning Disabilities,” Elaine Schimdt
• “What’s an Inkblot, Some Say, Not Much,”
Erica Goode
o “Dreams from My Father” Obama
Students will investigate and formally
debate the science behind Flowers for
Algernon, theories of intelligence, and the
ethical implications of altering human
intelligence: Should Charlie have had the
surgery or not? This could lead to a formal
essay on the same topic.
RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, RI.8.4, RI.8.5,
RI.8.6, RI.8.7, RI.8.9, RI.8.10
Writing
W.8.1, W.8.2, W.8.3, W.8.4, W.8.5,
W.8.6, W.8.7, W.8.9, W.8.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.8.1, SL.8.2, SL.8.3, SL.8.4, SL.8.5,
SL.8.6
2
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While not all the CCSS will be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
3
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/7/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
2
Unit One: Accepting Ourselves and Others
English Grade 8
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
autobiography
“The Weak Shall Inherit the Gym,” Rick Reilly
“Us and Them,” David Sedaris
“Going Where I’m Coming From,” Naomi
Shihab Nye
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film,
Music, Art, Graphics)
• “Neuroethics,” Neuroscience for Kids (Website)
• Charly, Ralph Nelson (Film)
o
o
o
Possible Teacher Resources:
Theory of Multiple Intelligences - http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr054.shtml
“The Flowers for Algernon Syndrome” - http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome
SPED Options
• The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton (750)
• Rules of the Road, Joan Bauer (850)
• Life as We Knew It, Susan Beth Pfeffer (770)
• Freak the Mighty, Rodman Philbrick (1000)
6/7/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
3
Unit Two: Reality and Perception
English Grade 8
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Code Orange, Caroline
Cooney (Literary) 850L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections marked with a hollow bullet are
available in the McDougal-Littell textbook.
• Monster, Walter Dean Myers and/or Nothing
But the Truth, Avi
o “Roughing It,” Mark Twain
o “Rules of the Game,” Amy Tan
o “The Elevator,” Walter Sleator
• “Zoo,” Edward Hoch
o “The Ransom of Red Chief,” O. Henry
o “Not My Bones” (Poem) Marilyn Nelson
• “We Alone” (Poem)
Students will explore the distinction between reality
and perception in literature. Students will analyze the
texts for “truth,” focusing on how reality is altered by
perception or emotion. Students will investigate point
of view based on the reliability of narrators and the
use of suspense and its effects on the reader. Students
will also look at the craft of writing and the differences
between “story truth” and “real truth.” Due to the
relativity of truth in stories, this set presents
opportunities for students to write arguments
defending or discrediting the “truth” the narrators
present, and, like a lawyer, locate and cite evidence to
support their claims about its validity.
LDOE anchor text: “The TellTale Heart,” Edgar Allan Poe
(Literary)
Text Complexity
Rationale
The readability of the anchor
text falls in the middle of the
grades 6-8 band, but the
meaning and knowledge
demands of the text are very
complex. The quantitative
and qualitative measures for
the related texts are suitable
for stretching students’
abilities to read complex
text.
Informational Texts
• “The Allegory of the Cave,” Plato, Book VII of
The Republic
• A Million Little Pieces Revisited (video and
transcript)
• “Best-Selling Memoir Draws Scrutiny” (article)
• “The Fabulous Fabulist: Did Marco Polo Really
Make it to China?,” Lewis Lord
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film,
Music, Art, Graphics)
• The Secret History of 9/11-United Streaming
Sample Research 5
Students will research infectious diseases and
government response to the threat of infectious
disease as a weapon. They will write a report on their
findings, answering their own research question, and
present their findings to the class in a formal
presentation that incorporates multimedia and visual
displays. This activity can be done in small groups.
Common Core State
Standards 4
Reading
RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3,
RL.8.4, RL.8.5, RL.8.6,
RL.8.7, RL.8.9, RL.8.10
RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3,
RI.8.4, RI.8.5, RI.8.6,
RI.8.7, RI.8.9, RI.8.10
Writing
W.8.1, W.8.2, W.8.3,
W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.6,
W.8.7, W.8.9, W.8.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.8.1, SL.8.2, SL.8.3,
SL.8.4, SL.8.5, SL.8.6
Language
L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3, L.8.4,
L.8.5, L.8.6
4
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While not all the CCSS will be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
5
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/7/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
4
Unit Two: Reality and Perception
English Grade 8
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Possible Teacher Resources:
“The Undying Uncertainty of the Narrator in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried,” Stephen Kaplan
Akira Kurosawa on Rashomon
Sample Product:
Students will write an evidence-based essay answering the following prompt, “Analyze how using different perspectives (including the reader’s perspective) creates
suspense in the novel.
SPED Options:
• The Contender, Robert Lipsyte (760L)
• Hush, Eishes Chayil and Judy Brown
6/7/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
5
English Grade 8
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: The Impact of War
Common Core State
Standards 6
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Anne Frank: A Diary of a
Young Girl, Anne Frank
(Informational, Appendix B
Exemplar)
950L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections marked with a hollow bullet are
available in the McDougal-Littell textbook.
• “Dulce et Decorum Est,” Wilfred Owen (Poem)
• “My Father on His Shield,” Walt McDonald
(Poem)
o “Barbara Freitchie,” John Greenleaf Whittier
o Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the
Underground Railroad”
o “The Mysterious Mr. Lincoln,” Russell
Freedman
o Excerpt from Shakespeare’s “St. Crispian’s Day
Speech”
o “Paul Revere’s ride” (Poem) Henry Wadsworth
Longfellow
o “The Other Riders”
o “I Saw Old General at Bay” (Poem) Walt
Whitman
o “O Captain! My Captain” (Poem) Walt
Whitman
• Code Talker, Joseph Bruchac (910L)
• Soldier’s Heart, Gary Paulson (1000L)
Focusing on the tolls of war on society—individuals
and nations—the texts explore the potential of conflict
to rob innocence while forging identity. Students will
explore the human attempt to make sense of the
tragedies of war by means of connecting to others,
often through art. This unit can connect to social
studies.
Reading
RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3,
RL.8.4, RL.8.5, RL.8.6,
RL.8.7, RL.8.9, RL.8.10
Sample Research 7
Writing
W.8.1, W.8.2, W.8.3,
W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.6,
W.8.7, W.8.9, W.8.10
LDOE anchor text is the
same
Text Complexity
Rationale
The readability of the anchor
text falls in the middle of the
grades 6-8 band, but the
meaning and knowledge
demands of the text are very
complex. The quantitative
and qualitative measures for
the related texts are suitable
for stretching students’
abilities to read complex
text.
Students will research the role of art (including film,
literature, art, photographs, crafts, sculptures, etc.)
and artists in a specific war from history (either selfselected or teacher-assigned). They will gather
examples, determine the various uses of art in the
war, and compare and contrast the experiences
depicted in the art with historical written accounts of
the same or similar events and the resulting
advantages and disadvantages of each medium. They
will write a report on their findings, answering their
own research question, and present their findings to
the class in a formal presentation that incorporates
multimedia and visual displays.
RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3,
RI.8.4, RI.8.5, RI.8.6,
RI.8.7, RI.8.9, RI.8.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.8.1, SL.8.2, SL.8.3,
SL.8.4, SL.8.5, SL.8.6
Language
L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3, L.8.4,
L.8.5, L.8.6
Informational Texts
• Excerpts from Night, Elie Wiesel excluded,
6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While not all the CCSS will be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
7
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/7/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
6
Unit Three: The Impact of War
English Grade 8
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
assigned to an alternate grade level
• “The Veil,” “The Jewels,” “The Key,” and “The
Wine” and from Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
• Excerpt from Only What We Could Carry,
Lawson Fusao Inada
• Excerpt from A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music,
Art, Graphics)
• The Diary of Anne Frank, George Stevens (Film)
• Life is Beautiful, Roberto Benigni (Film)
• Japanese American Internment,” Mark Kim
(Video) and Japanese Relocation, ”Office of War
Information
• The Creative Art of Coping in Japanese
Internment (Audio)
• Ishmael Beah Interview on being a child soldier
in Sierra Leone (Video)
• Tim O’Brien Tells a True War Story (Video)
• “Performance Art in Terezin”
• “I Never Saw Another Butterfly: A Child’s Look
Inside a Jewish Ghetto”
Possible Teacher Resources:
SPED Options:
• A Boy at War, Harry Mazer (530)
• Bull Run, Paul Fleischman (810)
• My Brother Sam is Dead, James Lincoln Collier (770)
• Behind the Bedroom Wall, Laura E. Williams (660)
6/7/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
7
Unit Four: Ethical Situations
English Grade 8
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Swallowing Stones, Joyce
McDonald (Literary) 820L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections marked with a hollow bullet are available in the
McDougal-Littell textbook.
• Excerpts from The Breadwinner, Deborah Ellis
• Excerpts from Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution, Ji-li
Jiang
• “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
• “Melba’s Choice,” from Warriors Don’t Cry, Melba Pattillo Beals
• Selected poems from 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East
by Naomi Shihab Nye
o “The Lady and the Tiger”
o “Out of Bounds”
o “Zoos: Myth and Reality”
o “Zoos Connect Us to the Natural World”
o “I Want to Write”
o “Sit-Ins”
Students will explore ethical
situations in which societal norms
and personal guidelines conflict
causing one to experience
internal turmoil. Students will
deepen their understanding of
the consequences of their
choices.
LDOE anchor text: Sugar
Changed the World: A
Story of Magic, Spice,
Slavery, Freedom, and
Science, Marc Aronson
and Marina Budhos
(Informational)
Text Complexity
Rationale
The anchor text measures
at the top of the grades 68 band, which is
appropriate for the last
unit in grade 8. The related
texts range in complexity
and many of them are
reliably quantified.
Informational Texts
nd
• 2 Amendmenthttp://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/second_amendment?quickta
bs_10=1#quicktabs-10
• Bill of Rightshttp://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.ht
ml
• Transcript from Darrell Scott Columbine Shootinghttp://julesburgadvocate.com/ci_22355828/transcript-from-darrell-
Sample Research 9
Students will research and
formally debate the
nd
2 Amendment: The Right to
Bear Arms. Prior to debate,
students should submit a form of
written documentation that
includes citations of supporting
evidence. Should the main
character, Michael, have been
able to have a gun at 17 years old
or not?
Common Core State
Standards 8
Reading
RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3,
RL.8.4, RL.8.5, RL.8.6,
RL.8.7, RL.8.9, RL.8.10
RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3,
RI.8.4, RI.8.5, RI.8.6,
RI.8.7, RI.8.9, RI.8.10
Writing
W.8.1, W.8.2, W.8.3,
W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.6,
W.8.7, W.8.9, W.8.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.8.1, SL.8.2, SL.8.3,
SL.8.4, SL.8.5, SL.8.6
Language
L.8.1, L.8.2, L.8.3, L.8.4,
L.8.5, L.8.6
8
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While not all the CCSS will be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
9
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/7/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
8
Unit Four: Ethical Situations
English Grade 8
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
scott-father-columbine-shooting-victim#
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• “Luby’s Survivor Testifies at Gun Control Hearing” from YouTubehttp://youtu.be/6sEYGcXSmpQ
• Columbine Shooting: The Final Report –Segment
1 http://youtu.be/0Vh_Cq7h_gI
• Political Cartoons
http://northernarizonanews.com/blog/2012/08/29/point-economicsrefutes-irrational-gun-laws/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/20102019/WashingtonPost/2012/12/17/EditorialOpinion/Graphics/toles12182012.jpg
http://www.frugal-cafe.com/public_html/frugal-blog/frugal-cafeblogzone/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/gun-control-as-successful-asdrug-control-political-cartoon.jpg
Possible Teacher Resources
www.poets.org
Second Amendment-“Exploring Constitutional Conflicts” http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/beararms.htm
SPED Options
• Killing Mr. Griffin, Lois Duncan (720L)
• I Am the Cheese, Robert Cormier (810L)
• Nothing But the Truth, Avi
6/7/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
9
Purpose of Planning
Build students’ knowledge:
Illustrate how knowledge
builds through texts within
and across grades
Increase text complexity 1:
Illustrate how text
complexity increases within
and across grades
Integrate standards around
texts:
Provide multiple
opportunities for students
to develop their literacy
Unit One
English I
Unit Two
Unit Three
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Night, Elie Wiesel (Literary Nonfiction)
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury (Literary,
Appendix B Exemplar)
Romeo and Juliet by William
Shakespeare (Literary)
LDOE anchor text: Fahrenheit 451, Ray
Bradbury (Literary, Appendix B Exemplar,
LPSS Unit 2 anchor text)
LDOE anchor text: Robert Fagles’
translation of The Odyssey, Homer
(Literary, Appendix B Exemplar, LPSS Unit
4 anchor text)
LDOE anchor text is the same
Unit Theme: Civil Disobedience/Nonviolent
Resistance
Students will consider how people establish
values, ethics, and morals through the study
of nonviolent resistance/civil disobedience.
They will explore the role of the individual in
taking a stand and learn about the moral
imperative of remembrance and the dangers
of hate and indifference.
The anchor text has a low lexile for the 9-10
grade band but is widely available in most
English departments and will be suitable
when sufficient emphasis is given to close
study of the more complex related
informational texts in the set. Plans should
be made for acquisition of a more complex
anchor text for next year.
Unit Theme: Censorship/Oppression
In previous grades, students learned the
importance of books and communication
This set draws on that knowledge.
Students will explore the social and
political implications of censorship and
illiteracy.
The readability of the anchor text
measures below the 9-10 grade band, but
it qualitatively allows for complex
development of ideas and skills. The
related texts are also more complex and
prepare students for reading more
complex text in the next unit.
Unit Theme: Choices and Accepting
Consequences
Students will explore reaction to
conflict and learn about the science
and psychology behind the way
teenagers think and act. Students will
come to understand that we are
responsible for the choices we make,
and we must accept the
consequences.
The anchor text represents another
increase in readability, requiring
scaffolding as needed. The related
texts include more informational
texts than previous units, so dealing
with the structure of these texts
might require some additional
scaffolding from the teacher.
Unit Four
Robert Fagles’ translation of The
Odyssey, Homer (Literary, Appendix B
Exemplar)
LDOE anchor text: “Hope, Despair and
Memory,” Elie Wiesel (Informational,
Appendix B Exemplar)
Unit Theme: The Quest
Students will learn more about quests
and come to understand how
literature reflects life. They will
explore the influence that The Odyssey
has on modern life and make a case
for or against studying classic
literature.
This anchor text is nonprose, so its
readability cannot be reliably
measured. However, it is an exemplar
from Appendix B for the 9-10 grade
band, so it is appropriate for this
grade. The related texts also fall within
the band.
The PARCC Model Content Frameworks provide an overview of how the standards can be integrated and centered around the reading of complex texts. The frameworks
include:
•
A sample visual of how a year might be organized,
•
An overview of the Common Core State Standard expectations in grade 9,
•
Writing standards progression from grade 8 to grades 9-10, and
•
Speaking and Listening standards progression from grade 8 to grades 9-10.
The plan below provides a sample of the specific year-long content for English I based on the PARCC Model Content Frameworks.
1
By the end of grade 9, students should demonstrate the ability to read and understand texts in the 9-10 grade band proficiently, which scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range (RL.9-10.10,
RI.9-10.10). This plan provides direction for whole-class instruction with opportunities for student collaboration and rereading. Support for students outside of whole-class instruction should build
student proficiency with reading grade-level texts. This might involve: for weaker readers—continued fluency work and reading of easier, related texts to support, not substitute or replace, the wholeclass text; for on-level readers—continued support for students in reading the whole-class text (i.e., additional readings of specific passages with text-dependent questions); or, for advanced
readers—extension work with more challenging texts. Students should also engage in regular independent reading of self-selected texts.
Return to Table of Contents
English I
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One Theme: Civil Disobedience, Nonviolent Resistance
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Common Core Standards 2
Night, Elie Wiesel (Literary
Nonfiction)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available
in the Holt text.
• “Conscientious Objector” Edna St. Vincent
Millay (poem)
• “Internment” by Juliet S. Kono (poem)
• “Exile” by Julia Alvarez (poem)
• “Initiation” Sylvia Plath (short story)
• Antigone, Sophocles, translated by Robert
Fitzgerald
Students will consider how people
establish values, ethics, and morals
through the study of nonviolent
resistance/civil disobedience. They
will explore the role of the individual
in taking a stand and learn about the
moral imperative of remembrance
and the dangers of hate and
indifference. Several of the texts in
this set lend themselves to rhetorical
analysis, including how the authors
draw on and interpret historical
events in their texts.
Reading
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.910.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5,
RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.7, RL.910.9, RL.9-10.10
LDOE anchor text: Fahrenheit
451, Ray Bradbury (Literary,
Appendix B Exemplar, LPSS Unit
2 anchor text)
Text Complexity Rationale
The readability of the anchor
text measures below the 9-10
grade band (Lexile 590), but
consideration of the demands of
readers’ background knowledge
allows for placement at this
grade level. The related texts
are generally more complex,
giving students opportunities to
study more challenging texts
during the unit.
Informational Texts
• “Hope, Despair, and Memory,” Elie Wiesel
(Appendix B Exemplar)
• "Elie Wiesel - Acceptance Speech".
Nobelprize.org. 7 May
2013 http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/
peace/laureates/1986/wiesel-acceptance.html
• “Gettysburg Address,” Abraham Lincoln
(Appendix B Exemplar)
• “Statement from Alabama Clergyman” and
“Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther
King, Jr. (Appendix B Exemplar)
• “Chapter 5: Loving Your Enemies,” from
Sample Research 3
Students will investigate nonviolent
resistance as a movement and its
role in various historical events. They
will independently read and
complete assignments on a
biography or autobiography (that
falls in the grade-level band) of a
figure who professed nonviolent
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.910.3, RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.5,
RI.9-10.6, RI.9-10.7, RI.910.8, RI.9-10.9, RI.9-10.10
Writing
W.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.910.3, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5,
W.9-10.6, W.9-10.7, W.910.8, W.9-10.9, W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2, SL.910.3, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5,
SL.9-10.6
Language
L.9-10.1; L.9-10.2, c; L.9-10.3;
L.9-10.4; L.9-10.5; L.9-10.6
2
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
3
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These
activities should be done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text.
Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English I
Unit One Theme: Civil Disobedience, Nonviolent Resistance
•
•
•
•
•
Strength to Love, Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Heroes with Solid Feet,” Kirk Douglas (article)*
“Weapons of the Spirit,” Albert Einstein
(interview)*
“Letter to President Roosevelt,” Albert Einstein
(letter)*
“On the Abolition of the Threat of War,” Albert
Einstein (article)*
“The Arms Race,” Albert Einstein (interview)*
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film,
Music, Art, Graphics)
• “‘Lincoln’ Film Director Steven Spielberg:
Gettysburg Address Anniversary Preview,” CSPAN
• "10 Things You Don't Know about Abraham
Lincoln," History Channel
• Google Lit Trip Night
For additional texts that may relate to the unit
theme, see Holt Elements of Literature Teacher’s
Edition for the table of contents listing “Selections
by Alternative Themes.”
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
resistance. For students reading
similar texts, create opportunities for
discussion. Sample texts:
• Long Walk to Freedom,
Nelson Mandela
• Stride Toward Freedom,
Martin Luther King
• Gandhi the Man: The Story
of His Transformation,
Eknath Easwaran
• The Fight in the Fields: Cesar
Chavez and the
Farmworkers Movement,
Susan Ferriss and Ricardo
Sandoval
• Rosa Parks: A Life, Douglas
Brinkley
After reading the texts, students will
investigate the historical events
surrounding their figure, the use of
nonviolent resistance, and the
outcomes. Then they will create a
written report and formal
multimedia presentation for the
class.
Possible Teacher Resources:
After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance, Perry Edmond O’Brien and Anne Sibley O’Brien and “Top 10 Nonviolent Protests”
“Nonviolence Curriculum,” AHIMSA Center and “The Gettysburg Address – ‘The Hay Draft’”
Antigone (script, video segments and commentary)
SPED Option:
I’ve Lived a Thousand Years, by Livia Bitton-Jackson (720L)
6/4/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
2
Unit Two Theme: Censorship/Oppression
English I
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
(Literary, Appendix B
Exemplar)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the
Holt text.
• “Burning a Book,” William Stafford (Poem)
• “The Portable Phonograph,” Walter Van Tilburg Clark
• “Harrison Bergeron,” by Kurt Vonnegut
• “The Lottery,” by Shirley Jackson
• Excerpts from 1984, by George Orwell (Ch. 1, IV,
paragraph 7—
“What happened in the unseen labryrinth…”; Ch. 1, V,
various passages; Ch. 1, VII, paragraph 4—
“That, he reflected, might almost have been a
transcription…”
Students will continue to explore
the power of language, both oral
and written, to educate,
transform, and manipulate.
Drawing on knowledge built in
earlier grades about storytelling,
language, and culture, this set
allows students to explore the
importance of the written word
for capturing and transmitting
knowledge. They will also explore
how censorship and illiteracy
have been used as social and
political weapons. Students will
come to understand more deeply
the importance of reading and
writing and consider whether
man inherently seeks knowledge.
LDOE anchor text: Robert
Fagles’ translation of The
Odyssey, Homer (Literary,
Appendix B Exemplar, LPSS
Unit 4 anchor text)
Text Complexity Rationale
The readability of the anchor
text measures below the 9-10
grade band, but it
qualitatively allows for
complex development of
ideas and skills. The related
texts are also more complex
and prepare students for
reading more complex text in
the next unit.
Informational Texts
• “You Have Insulted Me: A Letter,” Kurt Vonnegut
• “Learning to Read and Write,” Frederick Douglass
• “Learning to Read,” Malcolm X
• “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me,”
Sherman Alexie
• “The Country That Stopped Reading” from The New
York Times, David Toscana
• "Music Censorship" (article)
• 1989: Massacre in Tiananmen Square (article)
• "China's Battle to Police the Web" (article)
Sample Research 5
Students will investigate
censorship, including the various
ways that people have been
denied access to knowledge and
Common Core Standards 4
Reading
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3,
RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5, RL.9-10.6,
RL.9-10.7, RL.9-10.9, RL.9-10.10
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.3,
RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.5, RI.9-10.6,
RI.9-10.7, RI.9-10.8, RI.9-10.9,
RI.9-10.10
Writing
W.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.9-10.3,
W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6,
W.9-10.7, W.9-10.8, W.9-10.9,
W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.3,
SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5, SL.9-10.6
Language
L.9-10.1; L.9-10.2, c; L.9-10.3;
L.9-10.4; L.9-10.5; L.9-10.6
4
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
5
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These
activities should be done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text.
Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/4/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
3
Unit Two Theme: Censorship/Oppression
English I
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film, Music,
Art, Graphics)
• “The Book Burnings,” United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum (Website/Online Museum Exhibit)
• “Burning Abolitionist Literature” from The
Abolitionists, PBS
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
information as a means of
control. They will write a written
report and present their findings
to the class in a formal
presentation.
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme,
see Holt Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for the
table of contents listing “Selections by Alternative
Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
Animal Farm, George Orwell (1170L)
Anthem, Ayn Rand (880L)
6/4/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
4
English I
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three Theme: Choices and Accepting Consequences
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
(Drama)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are
available in the Holt text.
• “The Necklace” by Guy De Maupassant
(story)
• “A Poison Tree” by William Blake (poem)
• “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe (Appendix B
Exemplar, Poem)
• “The Story of Pyramus and Thisbe,”
Metamorphoses, Ovid (poem)
• “Sonnet 147,” William Shakespeare (poem)
• “The World is Not a Pleasant Place to Be,”
Nikki Giovanni (poem)*
• That Was Then, This Is Now, S.E. Hinton
(novel)
• Monster, Walter Dean Myers (novel)
• I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, by
Nujood Ali (autobiography)
Students will explore the extent to which reaction
to conflict and opposition dictate the outcomes of
a situation and learn about the science and
psychology behind the way teenagers think and
act. They will evaluate the choices that adults and
teenagers make and consider their folly as well as
the tremendous influence teenagers can have.
Students will come to understand that we are all
responsible for the choices we make, and we
must accept the consequences of our words and
deeds.
LDOE anchor text is the same
Text Complexity Rationale
The texts fall within the 9-10
grade band with the exception
of “The Necklace,” which is
sufficiently complex to address
craft (i.e. impact of word
choice) and structure at this
level. There are more
informational texts than
previous units, so dealing with
the structure of these texts
might require some additional
scaffolding from the teacher.
Informational Texts
• “Teenage Brains are Malleable and
Vulnerable, Researchers Say,” Jon Hamilton
Sample Research 7
Students will consider the role of impulse control
in Romeo and Juliet's behavior based on the texts
read in the set and self-selected texts found
through research. Then they will engage in a
series of Socratic seminars that assess the
importance of teaching responsible risk-taking to
adolescents in order to avoid tragic consequences
like those in Romeo and Juliet. They will conclude
Common Core
Standards 6
Reading
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.910.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5,
RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.7, RL.910.9, RL.9-10.10
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.910.3, RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.5,
RI.9-10.6, RI.9-10.7, RI.910.8, RI.9-10.9, RI.9-10.10
Writing
W.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.910.3, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5,
W.9-10.6, W.9-10.7, W.910.8, W.9-10.9, W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2, SL.910.3, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5,
SL.9-10.6
Language
L.9-10.1; L.9-10.2, c; L.9-
6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
7
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These
activities should be done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text.
Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/4/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
5
English I
Unit Three Theme: Choices and Accepting Consequences
•
•
•
•
•
•
“The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction,”
National Institute of Mental Health
“Teenage Brains,” David Dobbs, National
Geographic (October 2011)
“Dear Juliet,” Lisa Bannon*
“Romeo and Juliet in Bosnia,” Bob Hebert*
"True Love," Lauren Slater, National
Geographic (February 2006)
“William Shakespeare’s Life: A Genius from
Stratford,” Robert Anderson*
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
the research by writing an evidence-based essay,
citing at least 3 sources.
10.3; L.9-10.4; L.9-10.5; L.910.6
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film,
Music, Art, Graphics)
• “Understanding the Mysterious Teenage
Brain,” Talk of the Nation, NPR (Text and
audio)
• Clips (including Act III, Scene iii) from Romeo
+ Juliet, Baz Luhrmann (Film)
• Where's Romeo? (c. 1912), William Hatherell
(Art; Act III, Scene iii)
• The Reconciliation of the Montagues and
Capulets over the Dead Bodies of Romeo and
Juliet, 1853-55, Frederic Lord Leighton (Art)
For additional texts that may relate to the unit
theme, see Holt Elements of Literature
Teacher’s Edition for the table of contents
listing “Selections by Alternative Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
6/4/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
6
Unit Four Theme: The Quest
English I
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
The Odyssey, Homer
Robert Fagles’ translation
(Literary, Appendix B
Exemplar)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the
Holt text.
• Excerpts from Mythology, Edith Hamilton
• “Siren Song,” Margaret Atwood (poem)
• “Ulysses,” Alfred Lord Tennyson (poem)
• “Ithaka,” Constantine Cavafy (poem)*
• “The Cyclops in the Ocean,” Nikki Giovanni (poem)*
• “Calyspo,” Susan Vega (song)*
• “An Ancient Gesture,” Edna St. Vincent Millay
(poem)*
• “Penelope to Ulysses,” Meredith Schwartz (poem)*
• “The Sea Call,” Nikos Kazantzakis (poem) *
• “Half a Day,” Naguib Mahfouz (story)
• “A Worn Path,” Eudora Welty (story)
• “The Fenris Wolf” (Norse myth)*
• Tears of the Tiger, Sharon Draper
Students first learned about the quest
motif in grade 4. This set builds on that
knowledge, as students will come to
understand how great literature reflects
life, and how in any journey (be it physical
or metaphysical) patience is important for
gaining wisdom and experience along the
way. Students will explore common ideas
across texts, such as how people give
value to their lives and the costs of giving
into impulse, impiety, temptation, and
recklessness. Students will also explore
the influence that The Odyssey has on
modern life.
LDOE anchor text: “Hope,
Despair and Memory,”
Elie Wiesel (Informational,
Appendix B Exemplar)
Text Complexity
Rationale
The anchor text is an
exemplar from Appendix
B. The related texts all fall
within the 9-10 grade
band. Although Mahfouz’s
“Half a Day” (1290L) is well
within the band,
scaffolding may be
necessary because this
allegorical short story
relies strongly on
Informational Texts
• Excerpt from No Man's Land, Scott Huler
• "The Rise and Fall of Josh Hamilton," Mike
DiGiovanna, Los Angeles Times
• "Nujood Ali & Shada Nasser: The Voices for
Children," by Carla Power, Glamour Magazine
• “Where I Find My Heroes,” Oliver Stone (personal
Sample Research 9
Students will investigate the various
allusions and cultural references to The
Odyssey. They will consider the “staying
power” of this classic piece of literature
and then write an argumentative essay
explaining the value of studying classic
literature, particularly The Odyssey. Is
Common Core
Standards 8
Reading
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.910.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5,
RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.7, RL.910.9, RL.9-10.10
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.910.3, RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.5,
RI.9-10.6, RI.9-10.7, RI.910.8, RI.9-10.9, RI.9-10.10
Writing
W.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.910.3, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5,
W.9-10.6, W.9-10.7, W.910.8, W.9-10.9, W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2, SL.910.3, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5,
SL.9-10.6
Language
L.9-10.1; L.9-10.2, c; L.910.3; L.9-10.4; L.9-10.5;
L.9-10.6
8
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
9
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These
activities should be done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text.
Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/4/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
7
Unit Four Theme: The Quest
symbolism and is not
meant to be interpreted
literally.
•
English I
essay)*
“Heroes and Monsters of Greek Myth,” Bernard
Evslin, et al (essay)*
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
there value in understanding “the
classics”? They will then present their
argument to the class.
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film, Music,
Art, Graphics)
• Scott Huler's website
• O Brother, Where Art Thou? (movie)
• clips from Shrek (movie)
• "Lance Armstrong Talks to Oprah" (interview)
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme,
see Holt Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for the
table of contents listing “Selections by Alternative
Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
Google Lit Trips (There are two Odyssey “trips” already posted, which could be used in class; students could also create their own individually or in groups.)
6/4/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
8
English II
Purpose of
Planning
Build students’
knowledge:
Illustrate how
knowledge builds
through texts within
and across grades
Increase text
1
complexity :
Illustrate how text
complexity
increases within
and across grades
Integrate standards
around texts:
Provide multiple
opportunities for
students to develop
Unit One
Year-at-a-Glance (SAMPLE)
Unit Two
Unit Three
Unit Four
The Book Thief ,
Markus Zusak
(Literary, Appendix B Exemplar) 730L
Into the Wild, Christopher McCandless
(Nonfiction) 1270L
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
(Literary, Appendix B Exemplar)
The Tragedy of Macbeth, William
Shakespeare (Literary, Appendix B
Exemplar)
LDOE anchor text: Things Fall Apart,
Chinua Achebe (Literary Appendix B
Exemplar) 890L
LDOE anchor text: The Immortal Life
of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot
(Informational) 1140L
LDOE anchor text: Fast Food Nation, Eric
Schlosser (Informational)
LDOE anchor text is the same.
Unit Theme: Exposing Hypocrisy
Unit Theme: Ambition and Failure
Unit Theme: Colliding Cultures
Students will learn the various means that Students will explore the ideas of
Unit Theme: Confronting Challenges
Students will explore the following
people use to expose hypocrisy or ignoble ambition and failure, good and evil.
Students will consider the meaning of
questions: Are the voices from history
They will learn about motivation,
motives of society and individuals.
courage and reflect on the challenges
that we hear those of the victors? What
internal and external conflicts, and
Students will engage with texts that have
that emerge in the face of life
happens when cultures collide or
complex characters and consider lessons
experiences such as war, journey, loss, persuasive power. In related texts,
merge? They will learn more about
learned from the texts.
students will examine how argument is
or even everyday difficulties.
colonization.
created.
The anchor text is an exemplar from
The readability of these texts is
The quantitative measures of many of
The texts in this unit vary in complexity
Appendix B. While the readability falls
appropriate for grade 10, and the
these texts range towards the higher end
but generally measure toward the end
below the band, it contains complex
content of the texts is complex and
of the recommended range for the 9-10
of the 9-10 grade band. Each text will
features, which make it suitable for
provides opportunities for rich
grade band, which moves students
initially require some scaffolding, but
grade 10. The related texts provide a
instruction of analytical reading skills.
naturally towards the expectations of
students should be able to move toward
range of complexity that meets the
college and career readiness.
independence by the conclusion of the
requirements for the 9-10 grade band.
unit.
The PARCC Model Content Frameworks provide an overview of how the standards can be integrated and centered around the reading of complex texts. The frameworks
include:
•
•
•
A sample visual of how a year might be organized,
An overview of the Common Core State Standard expectations in grade 10,
Writing standards progression from grade 8 to grades 9-10, and
1
By the end of grade 10, students should demonstrate the ability to read and understand texts in the 9-10 grade band independently and proficiently (RL.9-10.10, RI.9-10.10).
This plan provides direction for whole-class instruction with opportunities for student collaboration and rereading. Support for students outside of whole-class instruction should
build student proficiency with reading grade-level texts. This might involve: for weaker readers—continued fluency work and reading of easier, related texts to support, not
substitute or replace, the whole-class text; for on-level readers—continued support for students in reading the whole-class text (i.e., additional readings of specific passages with
text-dependent questions); or, for advanced readers—extension work with more challenging texts. Students should also engage in regular independent reading of self-selected
texts.
Return to Table of Contents
their literacy
•
English II
Year-at-a-Glance (SAMPLE)
Speaking and Listening standards progression from grade 8 to grades 9-10.
The plan below provides a sample of the specific year-long content for English I based on the PARCC Model Content Frameworks.
6/5/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
2
English II
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One: Colliding Cultures
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
The Book Thief
Markus Zusak
(Literary, Appendix B Exemplar)
730L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the Holt
textbook.
• Excerpts from The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
• “The Second Coming,” William Butler Yeats
• “Languages,” Carl Sandburg
• “The Tower of Babel,” Genesis 11, The Holy Bible
• Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, Marjane Satrapi
• Excerpts from The Things They Carried, including “Good
Form”
o “The Secret Garden” from Lipstick Jihad
o “By Any Other Name,” Santha Rama Rau
o Excerpts from The House on Mango Street, including
“Geraldo No Last Name” and other culture driven
selections
• Poetry selections relevant to theme based on teacher
preferences. Suggested poets: Darrell Bourque, Langston
Hughes, Alice Walker, Kim Addonzio, Julia Alvarez, Amy
Lowell, Gwendolyn Brooks
Students will learn that history is often
an imperfect record of events and is
subject to the biases of those who record
it, especially when those voices are the
victors. Students will learn what happens
when cultures collide or merge from the
perspective of the “other.” They will
come to understand the effects of
globalization, cultural diffusion, and the
struggle between tradition and change
when accompanied by the domination
and marginalization of cultures. Students
will also learn to discuss the literary
merits of various texts by talking about
their form, theme, language, and style.
This unit connects to themes of
geography, specifically culture and
language.
LDOE anchor text: Things Fall
Apart, Chinua Achebe (Literary
Appendix B Exemplar, 890L)
Text Complexity Rationale
The anchor text is an exemplar
from Appendix B. While the
readability falls below the
band, it contains complex
characters with competing
motivations, which make it
suitable for grade 10. The
related texts provide a range of
complexity that meets the
requirements for the 9-10
grade band.
Informational Texts
• “Aria,” Richard Rodriguez
• “Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan (Appendix B Exemplar)
• “Take the Tortillas Out of your Poetry,” Rudolfo Anaya
(Appendix B Exemplar)
• “Chinua Achebe: The Art of Fiction No. 139,” Jerome
Sample Research 3
In an interview from The Atlantic Online,
Chinua Achebe says, “There may be
cultures that may sadly have to go,
because no one is rooting for them, but
we should make the effort to prevent
Common Core State
Standards 2
Reading
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.910.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5,
RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.7, RL.910.9, RL.9-10.10
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.3,
RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.5, RI.9-10.6,
RI.9-10.7, RI.9-10.8, RI.9-10.9,
RI.9-10.10
Writing
W.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.910.3, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5,
W.9-10.6, W.9-10.7, W.910.8, W.9-10.9, W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2,SL.9-10.3,
SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5, SL.9-10.6
Language
L.9-10.1, L.9-10.2, L.9-10.3,
L.9-10.4, L.9-10.5, L.9-10.6
2
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
3
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/5/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
3
English II
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One: Colliding Cultures
•
•
•
Brooks, The Paris Review, Issue #133, Winter 1994
(Interview)
“An African Voice,” Katie Bacon, The Atlantic Online,
August 2, 2000 (Interview)
Oskar
Schindler http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?M
oduleId=10005787
Artistry in the Air: Kite Flying is Taken to New Heights in
Afghanistan www.rferl.org
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art,
Graphics)
• Endangered Language Project website
• Video: TED Chimmamanda Adichie: “The Danger of a
Single Story”
• Video: Voices of the Holocaust
• Video: The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall, selected
scenes
• Painting: Marc Chagall “I and the Village” “White
Crucifixion”
• Painting: Frida Kahlo “The Two Fridas”
• Painting: Pablo Picasso “Guernica”
this. We have to hold this conversation,
which is a conversation of stories, a
conversation of languages, and see what
happens.” Using the texts from this unit
and additional information gathered
from independent research, create an
informative multimedia presentation in
which you explain the significance of
language in preserving a person’s cultural
identity. Use specific examples from the
readings and your research to support
your explanation.
See Holt Elements of Literature, Teacher’s Edition, page T21
for “Selections by Alternative Themes” for additional texts
on the theme of “Cultural Diversity.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
EdSitement Things Fall Apart Lesson resources
Google Lit Trips (Possible resource for tracing the geography of the text and/or the basis of a student-inquiry activity.)
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini (840L)
Divergent, Veronica Roth (700L)
Little Bee, Chris Cleave
6/5/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
4
English II
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two: Confronting Challenges
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Into the Wild, Christopher
McCandless
(Nonfiction) 1270L
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections marked with a hollow bullet are available in the Holt
textbook
• “Civil Disobedience,” Henry David Thoreau
• “Self-Reliance,” Ralph Waldo Emerson
o Poetry selections relevant to theme based on teacher preferences.
Suggested poems: “Ex-basketball Player”
• “An Irish Airman Foresees His Death”, “Charge of the Light
Brigade”, “To the Virgins”
• Chapter 1, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
o “By the Waters of Bablon,” by Stephen Vincent Benet (page 174)
o “Two Kinds,” Amy Tan (page 125)
Students will consider the
meaning of courage and reflect
on the challenges that emerge in
the face of life experiences such
as war, journey, loss, or even
everyday difficulties.
Text Complexity
Rationale
The readability of these
texts is appropriate for
grade 10, and the content
of the texts is complex
and provides
opportunities for rich
instruction of analytical
reading skills.
Informational Texts
•
“Death of An Innocent” by Jon Krakauer
• “Salvation Mountain: one man's monument to God's love” by Tony
Perry LATimes http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/20/local/lame-out-there-20100520
• Back to the Wild: The Photographs and Writings of Christopher
McCandless http://www.backtothewildbook.org/
• The Call of the Wild: Into the
Wild Debunked http://www.tifilms.com/wild/call_debunked.htm
• Letter from Ron
Ridenhour http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/mylai/rid
enhour_ltr.html
Sample Research 5
Students will identify and
investigate a topic for individual
inquiry related to the unit theme.
They will present their findings in
an informative, multi-media
essay.
Common Core State
Standards 4
Reading
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3,
RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5, RL.9-10.6,
RL.9-10.7, RL.9-10.9, RL.9-10.10
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.3,
RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.5, RI.9-10.6,
RI.9-10.7, RI.9-10.8, RI.9-10.9,
RI.9-10.10
Writing
W.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.9-10.3,
W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6,
W.9-10.7, W.9-10.8, W.9-10.9,
W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2,SL.9-10.3,
SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5, SL.9-10.6
Language
L.9-10.1, L.9-10.2, L.9-10.3, L.910.4, L.9-10.5, L.9-10.6
4
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
5
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/5/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
5
English II
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two: Confronting Challenges
•
•
•
•
Excerpts from The Tillman Story by Jon Krakauer
Biographies of Flight Crew and Passengers of Flight
93 http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/09/11/us/11shanks
ville-bios.html?_r=0
911 Memorial http://www.911memorial.org/
Interview with Jonathan
Foer http://www.guernicamag.com/interviews/the_distance_betw
een_us/
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• Into the Wild Sean Penn (Film)
• Pictures of Salvation Mountain
• Painting: Frida Kahlo “My Grandparents, My Parents and I”
• “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning,” Alan
Jackson (song)
• Documentary: 4 Hours in My Lai
• Documentary: Invisible Children OR War Dance
• Photographs of Salvation Mountain
See Holt Elements of Literature, Teacher’s Edition, page T20 for
“Selections by Alternative Themes” for additional texts on the theme
of “Confronting Challenges.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
Google Lit Trips (Possible resource for tracing the geography of the text and/or the basis of a student-inquiry activity.)
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien (nonfiction 880L)
A Long Way Gone, Ishmael Beah (nonfiction 920L)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer (fiction 940L)
6/5/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
6
English II
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: Exposing Hypocrisy
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
To Kill a Mockingbird,
Harper Lee (Literary,
Appendix B Exemplar)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections marked with a hollow bullet are available in the
Holt textbook
• “Chapter 13” and “Chapter 14,” from The Jungle, Upton
Sinclair
• “Desiree’s Baby,” Kate Chopin
• Excerpts from Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe
o “The Pedestrian” (pages 57-61)
• “The Sky is Gray”, Ernest Gaines
• Poetry selections relevant to theme based on teacher
preferences. Suggested poets: Langston Hughes, Nikki
Giovanni, Claude Mckay, Gwendolyn Brooks
o “Brutus’s Funeral Speech” (page 1030)
Students will learn the various means that
people use to expose their perspective of
the hypocrisy or ignoble motives of
society and individuals. Students will
engage with texts that have persuasive
power and examine how argument is
created. Through this set, they will come
to understand the immeasurable power of
words and language. The variety of texts
allows students to explore rhetoric in a
variety of media.
Informational Texts
• Excerpts from Silent Spring, Rachel Carson
• “How ‘Silent Spring’ Ignited the Environmental Movement,”
Eliza Griswold
• “Remarks to the Senate in Support of a Declaration of
Conscience,” Margaret Smith Chase (Appendix B Exemplar)
• “I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King, Jr. (Appendix B
Exemplar)
• Dorothea Lange article
• Interactive Website—
law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scottsboro/scottsb.h
tm
Using the internet and print resources,
research the development of investigative
journalism, specifically focusing on
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists. How has
this form of journalism affected society?
Select a Pulitzer Prize winner and research
his or her work. Write an informative,
multimedia essay that explains how the
journalist’s work reveals truth and offers
an evaluation of the value of the work for
society as a whole.
Text Complexity
Rationale
The quantitative measures
of many of these texts are
Appendix B exemplars
and/or range towards the
higher end of the
recommended range for the
9-10 grade band, which
moves students naturally
towards the expectations of
college and career
readiness.
Sample Research 7
Common Core State
Standards 6
Reading
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.910.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5,
RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.7, RL.910.9, RL.9-10.10
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.910.3, RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.5,
RI.9-10.6, RI.9-10.7, RI.910.8, RI.9-10.9, RI.9-10.10
Writing
W.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.910.3, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5,
W.9-10.6, W.9-10.7, W.910.8, W.9-10.9, W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2,SL.910.3, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5,
SL.9-10.6
Language
L.9-10.1, L.9-10.2, L.9-10.3,
L.9-10.4, L.9-10.5, L.9-10.6
6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
7
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/5/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
7
English II
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: Exposing Hypocrisy
•
•
•
Timeline-http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/scottsboro/timeline/
(In text) “The War Escalates”, “Dear Folks”, “Declaration of
Independence from the Vietnam War”
(In text) “A State Championship Versus Runner’s
Conscience”
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• Clips from Supersize Me and Food, Inc.
• “I Have a Dream,” Martin Luther King, Jr. (Audio/Video)
• Various print and non-print advertisements or public service
announcements
• Center for Investigative Reporting: http://CIROnline.org
• Audio: A People’s History of the United States: “The Black
Revolt” by Howard Zen
• primary sources about the Scottsboro
Boys http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/scottsboro/
• Great Depression photos—
www.English.illinois.edu/maps/depression/photoessay.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/12/02/dustbowl.photo/
• Video of Jim Crow Laws—classroomclips.org/video/785
See Holt Elements of Literature, Teacher’s Edition, page T21 for
“Selections by Alternative Themes” for additional texts on the
theme of “Doing the Right Thing” and “Friends and Enemies.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
American Rhetoric website
Pulitzer Prize website
To Kill A Mockingbird and the Scottsboro Boys Trial: Profiles in Courage http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/kill-mockingbird-and-scottsboro-boys-trial-profiles-courage
Great Depression Art www.artsconnected.org/collection/146204/the-great-depression?print=true#(1)
The Great Depression and the Arts http://newdeal.feri.org/nchs/
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
A Lesson Before Dying, (fiction 750L)
Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser (informational 1240L)
6/5/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
8
English II
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Four: Ambition and Failure
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
The Tragedy of Macbeth,
William Shakespeare
(Literary, Appendix B
Exemplar)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections marked with a hollow bullet are available in the
Holt textbook
• Oedipus Rex, Sophocles (Appendix B Exemplar, Drama)
• “Ozymandias” Percy Bysshe Shelley (Appendix B Exemplar,
Poem)
• “Musee des Beaux Arts,” W.H. Auden (Appendix B Exemplar,
Poem), “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus,” William Carlos
Williams, and/or “Flying and Falling,” Jack Gilbert (Poem)
• “The Story of Daedalus and Icarus,” Metamorphoses, Ovid
Students will explore the ideas of
ambition and failure, good and evil. They
will learn that conflicts serve as the basis
of a text’s meaning and that
distinguishing the internal and external
conflicts of a story reveal the conflicting
motivations of complex characters.
Students will come to understand how
complex characters advance a plot and
develop a theme, reflecting real life in
which conflicting motivations propel
humans to act in different ways.
Text Complexity
Rationale
The texts in this unit vary in
their complexity but are
largely placed toward the
end of the recommended
text complexity range of the
9-10 grade band. Each text
will initially require some
scaffolding for students to
comprehend and analyze,
but students should be able
to move toward
independently reading and
analyzing the texts by the
conclusion of the unit.
Informational Texts
• Excerpts from The Lucifer Effect, Phillip Zimbardo
• Select brief quotations on the nature of morality (for
rhetorical analysis)
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• “Philip Zimbardo- The Lucifer Effect- Part 3 and Part 4”
• Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, Pieter Bruegel (Art)
• Angels and Demons, M. C. Escher (Art)
• TEDTalk: Are We Really in Control of Our Own Decisions?,
Dan Ariely
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme, see Holt
Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for the table of
contents listing “Selections by Alternative Themes.”
Sample Research 9
Students will use the texts from this set
and conduct independent research on
current and historical events to gather
evidence for a researched argumentative
essay that establishes a position in
response to either of the following
questions:
• Is man’s failure the result of internal
flaws or external forces?
• Is man inherently good or evil?
Common Core State
Standards 8
Reading
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.910.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5,
RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.7, RL.910.9, RL.9-10.10
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.3,
RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.5, RI.9-10.6,
RI.9-10.7, RI.9-10.8, RI.9-10.9,
RI.9-10.10
Writing
W.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.910.3, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5,
W.9-10.6, W.9-10.7, W.910.8, W.9-10.9, W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2,SL.9-10.3,
SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.5, SL.9-10.6
Language
L.9-10.1, L.9-10.2, L.9-10.3,
L.9-10.4, L.9-10.5, L.9-10.6
8
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
9
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
6/5/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
9
English II
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Four: Ambition and Failure
Possible Teacher Resources:
“The Acoustical Macbeth,” The University of Chicago
Google Lit Trips (There is a “trip” posted for Macbeth.)
The Cambridge School Shakespeare edition of Macbeth contains images of different versions of the play, excellent questions and activities for analyzing key scenes, and
staging activities for individuals, partners, and groups. The Ideas and Activities section after the play provides several good resources to support teaching and learning.
Additionally, The Folger Shakespeare Library edition of Macbeth contains introductory material for teachers to understand Shakespeare’s theater and the play itself. There is a
new release of a Folger Shakespeare staging of Macbeth directed by Teller and Aaron Posner which stages the play like a supernatural horror film.
6/5/13 SAMPLE DRAFT
10
English III
Purpose of
Planning
Build students’
knowledge:
Illustrate how
knowledge builds
through texts within
and across grades
Increase text
1
complexity :
Illustrate how text
complexity increases
within and across
grades
Unit One
The Crucible, Arthur Miller (Literary) or
Our Town, Thorton Wilder (Literary,
Appendix B exemplar and suggested
anchor text for LDOE unit three)
LDOE anchor text: Undaunted
Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas
Jefferson, and the Opening of the
American West, Stephen Ambrose
(Informational)
Unit Theme: Tradition and Change
Students will learn more about the
founding ideals of our country and
consider how those ideals have evolved
over time. Students will explore the
concepts of tradition and change,
communities versus individuals, and
how obligation to moral or social justice
compels people to act, whether
consciously or unconsciously.
These anchor texts are exemplars from
Appendix B. They are not only
challenging, but also will require
additional scaffolding because we are
showing how the American ideal has
evolved throughout our American
history.
Year-at-a-Glance (SAMPLE)
Unit Two
The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel
Hawthorne (Literary, Appendix B
Exemplar)
LDOE anchor text is the same.
Unit Theme: Religion and the
American Identity
Students will explore the role and
impact religion had on the
establishment of the American
colonies and its continued
influence throughout the
formation of the American identity.
These anchor texts are exemplars
from Appendix B. They are not
only challenging but also will
require additional scaffolding
because each work reveals
complex meaning and features of
the text, making them appropriate
th
for the 11 -CCR grade.
Unit Three
A Farewell to Arms, Ernest
Hemingway (Literary) or Red
Badge of Courage, Stephen Crane
(Literary)
LDOE anchor text: Our Town,
Thorton Wilder (Literary, Appendix
B exemplar)
Unit Theme: The American Hero
Students will examine various
definitions of heroism within the
scope of American literature. They
will explore different perspectives
and consider the motivation of
how society defines a hero at
different points in history. This
unit reflects the spirit of selfdiscovery, as well as unwitting
confidence that is prominent in
American literature.
Some of the literary texts dip
th
below the 11 -CCR grade band;
however, the complex meaning
and features of the texts make
them appropriate for the 11-CCR
grade band. Students should
demonstrate the ability to read
that text independently.
1
Unit Four
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott
Fitzgerald (Literary)
LDOE anchor text: The American
Dream: A Short History of an Idea
that Shaped a Nation Jim Cullen
(Informational)
Unit Theme: The American Dream
Students will learn about the
American Dream and explore the
ideas through various texts. They
will explore how foundational
American literature treats the topic
and consider different perspectives.
These anchor texts are exemplars
from Appendix B. They are not only
challenging but also will require
additional scaffolding because we
are showing how the American
Dream is evident in much of our
American literary canon.
By the end of grade 11, students should demonstrate the ability to read texts in the 11-CCR grade band proficiently, which scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range (RL.11-12.10, RI.1112.10). This plan provides direction for whole-class instruction with opportunities for student collaboration and rereading. Support for students outside of whole-class instruction should build student
proficiency with reading grade-level texts. This might involve: for weaker readers—continued fluency work and reading of easier, related texts to support, not substitute or replace, the whole-class
text; for on-level readers—continued support for students in reading the whole-class text (i.e., additional readings of specific passages with text-dependent questions); or, for advanced readers—
extension work with more challenging texts. Students should also engage in regular independent reading of self-selected texts.
Return to Table of Contents
Integrate standards
around texts:
Provide multiple
opportunities for
students to develop
their literacy
The PARCC Model Content Frameworks provide an overview of how the standards can be integrated and centered around the reading of complex texts. The
frameworks include:
•
A sample visual of how a year might be organized,
•
An overview of the Common Core State Standard expectations in grade 11,
•
Writing standards progression from grades 11-12 to grades 11-12, and
•
Speaking and Listening standards progression from grades 11-12 to grades 11-12.
The plan below provides a sample of the specific year-long content for English III based on the PARCC Model Content Frameworks.
English III
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One: Tradition and Change
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Common Core State Standards 2
The Crucible, Arthur Miller
(Literary) or
Our Town, Thorton Wilder (Literary,
Appendix B exemplar and
suggested anchor text for LDOE unit
three)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the
Holt textbook.
o The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
o “I Hear America Singing,” Walt Whitman
o “Mending Wall,” Robert Frost (Appendix B)
o “A Rose for Emily,” William Faulkner
o selected poems of Langston Hughes
o “The Story of an Hour” and/or “Silk Stockings,” Kate
Chopin
o “This is my letter to the World,” Emily Dickinson
Students will learn more about the
founding ideals of our country and
consider how those ideals have
evolved over time. Students will
explore the concepts of tradition
and change, communities versus
individuals, and how obligation to
moral or social justice compels
people to act, whether consciously
or unconsciously.
Reading
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3,
RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.6,
RL.11-12.7, RL.11-12.9, RL.11-12.10
LDOE anchor text: Undaunted
Courage: Meriwether Lewis,
Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening
of the American West, Stephen
Ambrose (Informational)
Text Complexity Rationale
These anchor texts are exemplars
from Appendix B. They are not only
challenging but also will require
additional scaffolding because we
are showing how the American
ideal has evolved throughout our
American history.
2
Informational Texts
o Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson
(Appendix B) and Common Sense, Thomas Paine
(Appendix B)
o “Civil Disobedience,” Henry David Thoreau and “SelfReliance,” Ralph Waldo Emerson
• Excerpts from Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam
• Pages 21-26 of “Individual and Community: Creating
Common Purpose” from Civic Revolutionaries:
Igniting the Passion for Change in America’s
Sample Research 3
Students will write a critical
essay/literary analysis on one of the
literary texts in the set. They
research literary criticism on the
text, develop a thesis, and defend
their claims using evidence.
Another option: Students will
examine how a character in one of
RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3,
RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5, RI.11-12.6,
RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9,
RI.11-12.10
Writing
W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.3,
W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6,
W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9,
W.11-12.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2,SL.11-12.3,
SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5, SL.11-12.6
Language
L.11-12.1, L.11-12.2, L.11-12.3,
L.11-12.4, L.11-12.5, L.11-12.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
3
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English III
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One: Tradition and Change
o
o
Communities, Douglas Henton, John G. Melville, and
Kimberly A. Walesh
“Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King
Excerpt from Frederick Douglass’s Autobiography of
Frederick Douglass and “My Bondage and My
Freedom”
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art,
Graphics)
• Excerpts from film Huckleberry Finn
• Audio of “Gettysburg Address”
(AmericanRhetoric.org)
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme,
see Holt Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for the
table of contents listing “Selections by Alternative
Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
Civil Disobedience, Harold Bloom
the literary texts displays the values
of one of the informational texts.
Then they will write an
argumentative essay in which they
make a claim about the character
and defend the claim with
evidence.
English III
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two: Religion and the American Identity
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Common Core State Standards 4
The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel
Hawthorne (Literary, Appendix B
Exemplar)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the
Holt textbook.
• Inherit the Wind, Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin
Lee
o “The Devil and Tom Walker,” Washington Irving
o “The Minister’s Black Veil,” Nathaniel Hawthorne
o “On Being Brought from Africa to America,” Phillis
Wheatley
o “Thanatopsis,” William Cullen Bryant
o Selected poems of Emily Dickinson (“Because I could
not stop for Death,” “I heard a Fly buzz when I died,”
and “Apparently with no Surprise”
o “Design,” Robert Frost
Students will explore the role and
impact religion had on the
establishment of the American
colonies and its continued influence
throughout the formation of the
American identity. Foundational
literary works, speeches, and
documents illustrate the nature of
religious influence on periods in US
history, and other informational
texts provide students the
opportunity to discuss the nature of
religious influence in modern
America.
Reading
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3,
RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.6,
RL.11-12.7, RL.11-12.9, RL.11-12.10
LDOE anchor text is the same.
Text Complexity Rationale
The anchor text is an exemplar
from Appendix B. It is not only
challenging but also will require
additional scaffolding because of
the complex meaning and
features of the text, making it
th
appropriate for the 11 -CCR
grade placement.
4
Informational Texts
o “The Life of Olaudinah Equiano”
• Possible resources: “First Amendment: Free Exercise
Clause” and “Religion and the Founding of the American
Republic” (found in the Possible Teacher Resources)
• Abraham Lincoln’s second inaugural address
• “Models of Christian Charity” Jonathan Winthrop
o Excerpt from “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,”
Jonathan Edwards
Sample Research 5
Students will investigate challenges
to and the limits of the “Free
Exercise Clause” of the First
Amendment to the Constitution of
the U.S. They will select a topic
that examines the role of religion in
America (e.g., Supreme Court cases
RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3,
RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5, RI.11-12.6,
RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9,
RI.11-12.10
Writing
W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.3,
W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6,
W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9,
W.11-12.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2,SL.11-12.3,
SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5, SL.11-12.6
Language
L.11-12.1, L.11-12.2, L.11-12.3,
L.11-12.4, L.11-12.5, L.11-12.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
5
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English III
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two: Religion and the American Identity
•
•
•
•
“Volume II, Chapter V: How Religion in the United
States Avails Itself of Democratic Tendencies” from
Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville (Appendix
B)
Wisconsin v. Yoder (No. 70-110), Supreme Court of the
United States
“John Brown’s Speech to the Court at his Trial”, John
Brown
“’Nones’ on the Rise,” The Pew Forum on Religion &
Public Life (October 9, 2012)
over religious matters, separation
of church and state, role of religion
in historical events, religious cults,
etc.) and then write a report that
first explains their topic and then
defends or disputes the importance
of the “Free Exercise Clause” of the
First Amendment of the
Constitution of the U.S.
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art,
Graphics)
• Audio of “Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God”
(YouTube)
• Negro Spirituals (audio—also YouTube)
• Chief Seattle’s Oration 1854 (YouTube)
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme, see
Holt Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for the table of
contents listing “Selections by Alternative Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
The following are some possible student resources for research topics and information:
“First Amendment: Free Exercise Clause (1791),” Bill of Rights Institute; “The Church in the Southern Black Community” from Documenting the American South, The University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; “A Summary of Native American Religions,” David Ruvolo; “Religion and the Founding of the American Republic,” Library of Congress; “Politics
and Economy: God and Government” from NOW with David Brancaccio, PBS; “The Bill of Rights Legacy” from Creating the United States, Library of Congress; “Divining
America: Religion in American History” from TeacherServe, National Humanities Center
English III
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: The American Hero
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
A Farewell to Arms, Ernest
Hemingway or Red Badge of
Courage, Stephen Crane
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the
Holt textbook.
o Song of Myself #33 and “Sight in Camp,” Walt
Whitman
• “the Gift Outright,” Robert Frost
• “Part 1: The Wild Land,” O Pioneers! Willa Cather
• “Chapter 8,” “Chapter 24,” “Chapter 26,” “Chapter
27,” “Chapter 28, and “Chapter 42” from Roughing
It, Mark Twain
• “The Luck of Roaring Camp,” Bret Harte
o “Mystery of Heroism,” Stephen Crane
o “Soldier’s Home,” Ernest Hemingway
o “A Worn Path,” Eudora Welty
o “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” James Thurber
Students will examine various
definitions of heroism within the
scope of American literature.
They will explore different
perspectives and consider the
motivation of how society
defines a hero at different points
in history. This unit reflects the
spirit of self-discovery, as well as
unwitting confidence that is
prominent in American literature.
LDOE anchor text: Our Town,
Thorton Wilder (Literary, Appendix
B exemplar)
Text Complexity Rationale
Some of the literary texts dip below
th
the 11 -CCR grade band; however,
the complex meaning and features
of the texts make them appropriate
for the 11-CCR grade band.
Students should demonstrate the
ability to read that text
independently.
6
Informational Texts
o Chief Joseph’s “I Will Fight No More”
o News article on Harriet Tubman from
Commonwealth and Freeman’s Record “The Most
Remarkable Woman of This Age”
o “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” Harriet Jacobs
Sample Research 7
Students will investigate various
characteristics of how society, as
well as literature, defines a hero.
Research will be presented to the
class via Powerpoint or other
media-based presentations.
Students will use the research
process to locate and organize
Common Core State Standards 6
Reading
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3,
RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.6,
RL.11-12.7, RL.11-12.9, RL.11-12.10
RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3,
RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5, RI.11-12.6,
RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9,
RI.11-12.10
Writing
W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.3,
W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6,
W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9,
W.11-12.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2,SL.11-12.3,
SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5, SL.11-12.6
Language
L.11-12.1, L.11-12.2, L.11-12.3, L.1112.4, L.11-12.5, L.11-12.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
7
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English III
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: The American Hero
•
•
o
o
Black Boy, Richard Wright
“The West: its Mythmakers and Archetypes”—
English textbook, p. 752
“The Girl Who Wouldn’t Talk” from the Woman
Warrior, Maxine Hong Kingston
William Faulkner’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art,
Graphics)
• Interview “Men at War: An Interview with Shelby
Foote” Ken Burns
• Biography.com—war heroes
• American Progress, John Gast (art) and an
explanation
• Rosie the Riveter--poster
• Washington Crossing the Delaware, Emanuel Leutze
• Bucking, Newell Wyeth
• The Last of the Mohicans, Newell Wyeth
• American Marines Raising American Flag at
Suribachi, Iwo Jima, Joel Rosenthal (photojournalist)
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme,
see Holt Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for the
table of contents listing “Selections by Alternative
Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
information from a variety of
print or electronic resources and
document sources used in
standard format for
acknowledgement (MLA).
English III
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Four: The American Dream
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott
Fitzgerald (Literary)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in
the Holt textbook.
o “Speaking of Courage,” Tim O’Brien
• “Contents of the Dead Man’s Pocket,” Jack Finney
• “The Egg,” Sherwood Anderson
o Teacher-selected poems by various writers
including Langston Hughes, Rita Dove, Billy Collins,
and Countee Cullen
Informational Texts
• The American Dream: A Short History of an Idea
that Shaped a Nation, Jim Cullen
• Volume II: Chapter XIII, Why the Americans are so
Restless in the Midst of Their Prosperity,” Alexis
de Tocqueville (Appendix B)
• “A Quilt of a Country,” Anna Quindlen (Appendix
B)
o Robert E. Lee’s Letter to his Son
o Abigail Adams Letter to John Adams
o “Dust Tracks on a Road,” Zora Neale Hurston’s
o “The Fallacy of Success,” G.K. Chesterton
o “In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens,” Alice Walker
o “Straw into Gold,” Sandra Cisneros
Students will learn about the American
Dream and explore the ideas through
various texts. They will explore how
foundational American literature treats
the topic and consider different
perspectives.
LDOE anchor text: The American
Dream: A Short History of an Idea
that Shaped a Nation Jim Cullen
(Informational)
Text Complexity Rationale
These anchor texts are exemplars
from Appendix B. They are not only
challenging but also will require
additional scaffolding because we
are showing how the American
Dream is evident in much of our
American literary canon.
8
Sample Research 9
Students will independently research a
topic of their choice related to the
American Dream. They will write an
essay and then create a multimedia
presentation for the class. As part of
the presentation, each student
presenter should develop discussion
questions about the presentation and
topics presented and lead a discussion
of the class. Students will evaluate the
student presenters for the quality of
the research, explanation and support
of the stance, rhetoric, and
presentation.
Common Core State
Standards 8
Reading
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3,
RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.6,
RL.11-12.7, RL.11-12.9, RL.1112.10
RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3,
RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5, RI.11-12.6,
RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9,
RI.11-12.10
Writing
W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.3,
W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6,
W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9,
W.11-12.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2,SL.11-12.3,
SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5, SL.11-12.6
Language
L.11-12.1, L.11-12.2, L.11-12.3,
L.11-12.4, L.11-12.5, L.11-12.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed
statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional
information and specific examples are available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
9
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be
done after students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance
tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English III
Unit Four: The American Dream
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art,
Graphics)
• “Grad Who Beat the Odds Asks, Why Not the
Others?” Claudio Sanchez (audio—You Tube)
• “American Dream Faces Harsh New Reality” Ari
Shapiro (audio—YouTube)
• “Hollywood Dreams of Wealth, Youth, and
Beauty” Bob Mondello (audio—YouTube)
• Teacher-selected art and music from the Harlem
Renaissance
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme,
see Holt Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for
the table of contents listing “Selections by Alternative
Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Purpose of
Planning
Build students’
knowledge:
Illustrate how
knowledge builds
through texts within
and across grades
Increase text
1
complexity :
Illustrate how text
complexity
increases within
and across grades
Integrate standards
around texts:
Provide multiple
opportunities for
students to develop
their literacy
English IV
Unit One
Unit Two
Beowulf, (Literary, translation that is
sufficiently complex for grade 12)
“Prologue” to the Canterbury Tales,
Geoffrey Chaucer (Literary)
LDOE anchor text: “Prologue” to the
Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer
(Literary); placed at Unit Two by LPSS
teachers
LDOE anchor text: Beowulf, (Literary,
translation that is sufficiently
complex for grade 12); placed at Unit
One by LPSS teachers
Unit Theme: The Hero’s Journey
Students will explore the qualities of the
hero and the importance of the heroic
journey
Unit Theme: Social Class and Power
Students will learn how social
economic status influences and has
impacted our society historically and
today.
The anchor text is non-prose, so the
readability cannot be reliably
determined. Due to its archaic
language, though, it is highly complex.
The anchor text is non-prose, so the
readability cannot be reliably
determined. Due to its archaic language,
though, it is highly complex.
Year-at-a-Glance (SAMPLE)
Unit Three
The Tragedy of Hamlet, William
Shakespeare (Literary, Appendix B
Exemplar)
LDOE anchor text is the same.
Unit Theme: Love, Madness, and
Revenge
Students will explore the concept of
revenge, its relationship to madness,
and its consequences. They will also
explore the treatment of women.
The readability of the anchor text is
complex. The related texts and
assignments range in complexity and
offer visual aid and shorter texts as
support.
Unit Four
Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift (Literary)
LDOE anchor text is the same for LDOE
Unit Five; LDOE anchor text for Unit Four
(eliminated by LPSS teachers) is ”Politics
and the English Language,” George Orwell
(Informational, Appendix B Exemplar)
Unit Theme: Writing and Social Action
This set looks more in depth at the
techniques that writers use to express their
thoughts about social issues and persuade
others to do the same.
The anchor text and related texts fall in the
11-CCR grade band.
The PARCC Model Content Frameworks provide an overview of how the standards can be integrated and centered around the reading of complex texts. The frameworks
include:
•
A sample visual of how a year might be organized,
•
An overview of the Common Core State Standard expectations in grade 12,
•
Writing standards progression from grade 9-10 to grades 11-12, and
•
Speaking and Listening standards progression from grade 9-10 to grades 11-12.
The plan below provides a sample of the specific year-long content for English I based on the PARCC Model Content Frameworks.
1
By the end of grade 12, students should demonstrate the ability to read and understand texts in the 11-12 grade band independently and proficiently (RL.11-12.10, RI.11-12.10). This plan provides
direction for whole-class instruction with opportunities for student collaboration and rereading. Support for students outside of whole-class instruction should build student proficiency with
reading grade-level texts. This might involve: for weaker readers—continued fluency work and reading of easier, related texts to support, not substitute or replace, the whole-class text; for on-level
readers—continued support for students in reading the whole-class text (i.e., additional readings of specific passages with text-dependent questions); or, for advanced readers—extension work
with more challenging texts. Students should also engage in regular independent reading of self-selected texts.
Return to Table of Contents
English IV
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit One: The Hero’s Journey
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Beowulf, (Literary, translation that is
sufficiently complex for grade 12)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are
available in the Holt textbook.
o Excerpt from Grendel, John Gardner
o Le Morte d’Arthur, Sir Thomas Mallory
• Excerpt (Merlin’s training of Arthur)
from The Once and Future King, T.H. White
• Excerpts from The Perfect Storm, Sebastian
Junger and Into Thin Air, John Krakauer
o “The Wanderer”
o Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Drawing on knowledge of the quest
gained in grades 4 and 9 and the
concept of storytelling woven
throughout the earlier grades,
students will learn the essential
qualities of a leader and/or hero and
the journey that it takes to get him
there. They will consider how AngloSaxon and Medieval writings have
influenced the concept of modernday heroes in literature.
Informational Texts
• Excerpts (Example) from The Hero with a
Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell
• “Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics,”
J.R.R. Tolkien
o “Life in 999: A Grim Struggle”, Howard G.
Chua-Eoan
o “The Fury of the Northmen”, Ellen Ashdown
Sample Research 3
LDOE anchor text: “Prologue” to the
Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer
(Literary); placed at Unit Two by LPSS
teachers
Text Complexity Rationale
The anchor text is non-prose, so the
readability cannot be reliably determined.
Due to its archaic language, though, it is
highly complex. The Road and Life of Pi
may have low Lexile scores, but their
content matter and theme make them
appropriate reading for seniors. The
related texts range in complexity. Grendel
and The Once and Future King have
readabilities that measure below the 11CCR grade band. Choose carefully the
excerpts to include, making sure they
contain enough complex meaning or
structure and allow students to
2
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film,
Music, Art, Graphics)
• Mythos III: The Shaping of Western Tradition,
Conduct and present independent
research about the quest as an
internal discovery of self and the
world.
Another Option:
Compare the quality or qualities of
two heroes in two different texts.
Common Core State Standards 2
Reading
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3,
RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.6,
RL.11-12.7, RL.11-12.9, RL.11-12.10
RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3,
RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5, RI.11-12.6,
RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9,
RI.11-12.10
Writing
W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.3,
W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6,
W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9,
W.11-12.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2,SL.11-12.3,
SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5, SL.11-12.6
Language
L.11-12.1, L.11-12.2, L.11-12.3, L.1112.4, L.11-12.5, L.11-12.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
3
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English IV
Unit One: The Hero’s Journey
demonstrate independence in reading the
texts.
•
•
•
•
PBS
“Power of Myth (1 of 6): Joseph Campbell
with Bill Moyers Hero’s Adventure” (Video)
Teacher-Selected Pixar Short Films
Beowulf Graphic Novels
Life of Pi and/or The Road
For additional texts that may relate to the unit
theme, see Holt Elements of Literature
Teacher’s Edition for the table of contents
listing “Selections by Alternative Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
NOTE: If you choose an optional text, some of the related texts will need to change as well.
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
English IV
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Two: Social Class and Power
Anchor Text
Related Texts
“Prologue” to the Canterbury
Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer (Literary)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the Holt
textbook.
o “Pardoner’s Tale,” Geoffrey Chaucer
o “Wife of Bath’s Tale,” Geoffrey Chaucer
•
“The Clothier’s Delight”
o “Lord Randall”
o “Get Up and Bar the Door”
o From A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Mary
Wollstonecraft
o Saboteur, Ha Jin
o “The Jewels”, Guy de Maupassant
LDOE anchor text: Beowulf,
(Literary, translation that is
sufficiently complex for grade
12); placed at Unit One by LPSS
teachers
Text Complexity Rationale
The main anchor text is nonprose, so the readability cannot
be reliably determined. Due to its
archaic language, though, it is
highly complex. The optional
anchor texts would be considered
th
11 -CCR. The related texts range
in complexity measuring above
the 11-CCR band. Due to its
complexity, it will require
additional teacher scaffolding.
4
Informational Texts
• “What Were the Guilds in the Middle Ages?,” Gillian
MacDonald
• Teacher-selected articles from Newsweek about economic
social status
o from The Education of Women, Daniel Defoe
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art,
Graphics)
• “The Clothier’s Delight” (Audio)
• Modern Country Music Ballads
• Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre
Building Student
Knowledge
Students will learn how
socioeconomic status
impacts the negotiation of
power. Additionally, students
will consider how women
have negotiated their place
in society.
Sample Research 5
Compose a multi-paragraph
essay that analyzes thematic
development across several
texts. Use further research of
literary criticism to provide
additional support. Sample
topics might include:
a. the role of the middle
class
b. the role of woman
Common Core State
Standards 4
Reading
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3,
RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.6,
RL.11-12.7, RL.11-12.9, RL.1112.10
RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3,
RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5, RI.11-12.6,
RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9,
RI.11-12.10
Writing
W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.3,
W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6,
W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9,
W.11-12.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2,SL.11-12.3,
SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5, SL.11-12.6
Language
L.11-12.1, L.11-12.2, L.11-12.3,
L.11-12.4, L.11-12.5, L.11-12.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
5
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English IV
Unit Two: Social Class and Power
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme, see Holt
Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for the table of contents
listing “Selections by Alternative Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
NOTE: If you choose an optional text, some of the related texts will need to change as well.
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
English IV
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: Love, Madness, and Revenge
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
The Tragedy of Hamlet,
William Shakespeare (Literary,
Appendix B Exemplar)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the Holt
textbook.
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Tom Stoppard
(Drama)
• “The Cask of Amontillado,” Edgar Allan Poe (Appendix B
Exemplar)
• “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” T.S. Eliot (Appendix
B Exemplar, Poem)
o “The Lady of Shalott,” Alfred Lord Tennyson
• “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Charlotte Gilman
o from Female Orations, Margaret Cavendish*
o “To the Ladies,” Mary, Lady Chudleigh*
Students will explore the concept of
revenge, its relationship to madness,
and its consequences. They will also
explore the treatment of women in
the play and come to understand the
weaknesses in Hamlet. They will
consider Hamlet’s point of view and
evaluate whether Hamlet is feigning
madness. Students will learn about
the characteristics of a tragedy and
how multiple meanings of words
affect interpretation of Shakespeare.
LDOE anchor text is the same.
Text Complexity Rationale
Several of the texts in this set,
including the anchor text, are
from Appendix B. The
readability of the anchor text is
extremely complex and falls at
the top of the 11-CCR grade
band. The related texts and
assignments range in
complexity and offer visual aid
and shorter texts to support
understanding of anchor text.
6
Informational Texts
• “The Real or Assumed Madness of Hamlet,” Simon
Blackmore
• “New Words in Hamlet?,” Karen Kay
• Excerpt from The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer, Arthur
Schopenhauer
• “Hamlet and His Problems,” T.S. Eliot
o “Shakespeare’s Sister” from A Room of One’s Own,
Virginia Woolf
Sample Research 7
Students will investigate a single,
repeated word from Hamlet. They
will use the online OED to discover
the word’s evolution and multiple
meanings, and then apply that
knowledge to lines in the play to
examine the various interpretations
that can result. Present to the class.
(Links to a directions, word lists, and
Common Core State
Standards 6
Reading
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3,
RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.6,
RL.11-12.7, RL.11-12.9, RL.1112.10
RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.11-12.3,
RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5, RI.11-12.6,
RI.11-12.7, RI.11-12.8, RI.11-12.9,
RI.11-12.10
Writing
W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.11-12.3,
W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5, W.11-12.6,
W.11-12.7, W.11-12.8, W.11-12.9,
W.11-12.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2,SL.11-12.3,
SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5, SL.11-12.6
Language
L.11-12.1, L.11-12.2, L.11-12.3,
L.11-12.4, L.11-12.5, L.11-12.6
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
7
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English IV
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Three: Love, Madness, and Revenge
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art,
Graphics)
• Film clips from multiple versions of Hamlet nd/or
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
• Ophelia, John Everett Millais (Art) and Ophelia, Henrietta
Rae (Art)
• The Lady of Shalott, John William Waterhouse (Art)
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme, see
Holt Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for the table of
contents listing “Selections by Alternative Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
King Lear, William Shakespeare
Othello, William Shakespeare
NOTE: If you choose an optional text, some of the related texts will need to change as well.
student exemplars are available in
Possible Teacher Resources.)
Another option:
Select one of the contrasting themes
in Hamlet (e.g., passion vs. reason,
madness vs. sanity, appearance vs.
reality, etc.) and explore the
development of the contrasting
themes across several texts.
English IV
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Four: Writing and Social Action
Anchor Text
Related Texts
Building Student Knowledge
Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan
Swift (Literary)
Literary Texts
NOTE: Selections with a hollow bullet are available in the Holt
textbook.
o “A Modest Proposal,” Jonathan Swift*
o “The Rape of the Lock,” Alexander Pope*
o from Candide, by Voltaire*
o from Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes*
• Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw (Drama)
• Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich
• “Politics and the English Language” from All Art is Propaganda,
George Orwell
Students will continue to learn
that people use the written
word to express their thoughts
and ideas about social issues
and attempt to persuade others
to do the same. They will
explore advanced rhetorical
devices, including satire and
allegory, and come to
understand how they can use
devices and techniques to
advance their own arguments.
LDOE anchor text is the
same for LDOE Unit Five;
LDOE anchor text for Unit
Four (eliminated by LPSS
teachers) is ”Politics and the
English Language,” George
Orwell (Informational,
Appendix B Exemplar)
Text Complexity Rationale
The anchor text(s) and
related texts fall in the 11CCR grade band. When
selecting additional texts to
use (i.e., from The Onion),
make sure they are of
sufficient complexity to
support continued student
growth toward college and
career readiness.
Informational Texts
• “Modern Satire Loses Its Bite,” Nicholas Swisher
• “Why I Blog,” Andrew Sullivan
• “The Devil’s Dictionary,” Ambrose Bierce
• The Onion (online), teacher-selected articles
o “The Sting of Satire,” Robert DeMaria, Jr.
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• Editorial cartoons
• Gulliver’s Travels, Charles Sturridge (1996) and Gulliver’s Travels,
Rob Letterman (2010)
• Animal Farm
• Ted Talks “A Surprising New Language”
Sample Research 9
Students will investigate a
modern work of satire (print or
nonprint). They will write an
argumentative essay defending
or disputing the argument
presented in “Modern Satire
Loses Its Bite.” Students will
present their example of satire
and argument to the class.
Common Core State
Standards 8
Reading
RL.11-12.1, RL.11-12.2, RL.1112.3, RL.11-12.4, RL.11-12.5,
RL.11-12.6, RL.11-12.7, RL.1112.9, RL.11-12.10
RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.2, RI.1112.3, RI.11-12.4, RI.11-12.5,
RI.11-12.6, RI.11-12.7, RI.1112.8, RI.11-12.9, RI.11-12.10
Writing
W.11-12.1, W.11-12.2, W.1112.3, W.11-12.4, W.11-12.5,
W.11-12.6, W.11-12.7, W.1112.8, W.11-12.9, W.11-12.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.11-12.1, SL.11-12.2,SL.1112.3, SL.11-12.4, SL.11-12.5,
SL.11-12.6
Language
L.11-12.1, L.11-12.2, L.11-12.3,
L.11-12.4, L.11-12.5, L.11-12.6
They will then select a social
8
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
9
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
English IV
Year-in-Detail (SAMPLE)
Unit Four: Writing and Social Action
For additional texts that may relate to the unit theme, see Holt
Elements of Literature Teacher’s Edition for the table of contents
listing “Selections by Alternative Themes.”
Possible Teacher Resources:
Possible Alternate Anchor Texts:
Animal Farm, George Orwell
Limbo: Blue Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams, Alfred Lubrang
Outliers, by Malcolm Gladwell
issue to satirize, research the
issue in depth, and then create
their own satire (e.g., cartoon,
advertisement, play, etc.) that
identifies the problem in need
of change and offers a Swiftstyle solution that supports the
need for social reform. They will
then present their proposal to
class and students will write an
essay evaluating both a
classmate’s speech and written
proposal, analyzing the rhetoric
and evidence used in both.
Protocol for Alternate Text Set Selection
Instructions
Please complete the following form. Partial or complete substitutions of text sets are subject to the permission of the
principal.
Course:____________________________________
Current Text Set
Proposed Text Set
Explain the need for substitution
Are any of the texts repeated in another grade?
Yes______
No______
Does the new/altered set meet the criteria for a strong text set? 1
Yes______
No_____
Do any of the new titles in the text set appear in Appendix B of the CCSS? 2
Yes_____
No_____
Are the new titles recommended for a different grade level in Appendix B of the CCSS? Yes_____
No_____
1
See the “Guide for Creating a Text Set for Whole-Class Instruction: Kindergarten through Grade 12” available from the LDE at
http://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/teacher-toolbox-resources/guide---how-to-create-a-text-set-for-whole-class-instructiongrades-k-12.pdf?sfvrsn=3
2
Available at http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_B.pdf
Return to Table of Contents
Who has reviewed the new/altered text set?
_____Academic Specialist
Signature:______________________
_____Instructional Strategist
Signature:______________________
_____Assistant Principal assigned to ELA
Signature:______________________
Principal Approval
_____Approved
_____Denied
Comments
Rationale for New Text Set
See the attached “Guide for Creating a Text Set for Whole-Class Instruction: Kindergarten through Grade 12.”
Text Complexity Analysis of
_________(title)
by _________(author)
Text Description
Briefly describe the text.
Recommended Complexity Band:
Qualitative Measures
Quantitative Measure
Meaning/Purpose: (Briefly explain the levels of meaning (Literary Text) or purpose
(Informational text.)
Complexity Band Level (provide range):
Lexile or Other Quantitative Measure of the Text:
Text Structure: (Briefly describe the structure, organization, and other features of
the text.)
Considerations for Reader and Task
Language Features: (Briefly describe the conventions and clarity of the language
used in the text, including the complexity of the vocabulary and sentence
structures.)
Knowledge Demands: (Briefly describe the knowledge demands the text requires
of students.)
Below are factors to consider with respect to the reader and task (See attached
guiding questions to assist each teacher in filling out this section for his or her own
class):
Potential Challenges this Text Poses:
Major Instructional Areas of Focus (3-4 CCS Standards) for this Text:
Differentiation/Supports for Students:
Recommended Placement
Briefly explain the recommended placement of the text in a particular grade band.
Optional: Created by _______________________(name, state, e-mail, date)
Reviewed by _______________________(name, state, e-mail, date)
Guide for Creating a Text Set for Whole-Class Instruction:
Kindergarten through Grade 12
Introduction
The Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and
Technical Subjects (CCSS for ELA/Literacy) focus on building student ability to read and understand grade-level
complex texts and express that understanding clearly through writing and speaking. Teachers must ensure
students are independently and proficiently meeting the expectations of the CCSS for ELA/Literacy in the context
of reading complex texts, and organizing a curriculum around a series of text sets can provide a rich context.
What is a text set?
A text set is a collection of texts (e.g., novels, passages, articles, film, art, websites, etc.) organized around an
anchor text. Each set has a purpose based on the way the texts are related. When texts are organized to “talk to
one another,” students are able to build knowledge about the way complex texts represent certain topics,
comment on life, and provide insight into different cultures, perspectives, or time periods.
Strong Text Set
Anchor Text: Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
Related Texts:
• “Burning a Book,” William Stafford (Poem)
• “The Book Burnings,” United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum (Informational)
• “You Have Insulted Me: A Letter,” Kurt Vonnegut
(Informational)
• Excerpts from The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak
(Appendix B Exemplar)
• “Learning to Read and Write,” Frederick Douglass
(Informational)
• “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and
Me,” Sherman Alexie (Informational)
Weak Text Set
Anchor Text: Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
Related Texts:
• “‘Chaos:’ Gunman Ambushes, Kills Two Firefighters
at New York Blaze,” Catherine Shoichet and Greg
Botelho (CNN) (Informational)
• “Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Press,” Mary
Bellis (About.com) (Informational)
• Fahrenheit 451, Francois Truffaut (Film)
• “About Ray Bradbury: Biography” (Informational)
• “The Pedestrian,” Ray Bradbury (Literary)
• The Children’s Story, James Clavell (Literary)
What makes this a strong set?
• Connections build knowledge about censorship
• Thematic connections encourage students to think
about the social and political effects of literacy
• Encourages purposeful rereading and deep analysis
What makes this a weak set?
• Connections are sometimes superficial or tangential
• Unclear how a teacher would use texts to support
student understanding about a topic or themes
• Encourages reading the text once and moving on
Selecting Texts
Selecting appropriate texts is critical for aligning to the CCSS for ELA/Literacy. While there are no set criteria, the
following questions can help guide the selection of texts.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Will the text interest students or does it provide opportunities for building stamina and perseverance?
Is the content age-appropriate?
Does the text meet the text complexity standards of the CCSS, or is it included in Appendix B of the CCSS?
Does the text offer multiple opportunities for students to meet the expectations of various CCSS strands 1?
Is the text authentic and high quality? Does it contain accurate and meaningful information and content?
Does the text represent or include diverse perspectives from different cultures?
Is the text available (through an anthology, electronically, or easily available for purchasing)?
1
For example, RI.5.6 asks students to analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting similarities and differences in
the point of view they represent. Some of the texts for the year/course must support the specific CCSS.
1
Creating a Text Set
Organizing text into sets is best done in collaboration with others. While the following steps can be used as a
guide for getting started, the process is likely to include many cycles of drafting and revision.
Step 1: Select anchor texts based on understandings to be gained through text
Consider the knowledge and skills students should have at the end of the grade or course as well as
the above text selection criteria to select anchor texts.
Consider the following questions for this step:
• What skills do literate college and career ready students possess?
• What are the end-of-year student performance expectations?
• What aspects of complex texts based on the grade-level CCSS should students understand at the
end of the year? (e.g., “Texts provide insight into different cultures” (RL.2.9 or RL.9-10.6) or “The
way an author structures a text contributes to its meaning” (RI.6.5 or RL.11-12.5))
• How might a student’s experience of the school day be more integrated across the disciplines?
(e.g., What knowledge in history, science, and the arts can be gained, reinforced, extended,
challenged, or fictionalized through texts? What knowledge in history, science, or the arts can help
students build knowledge that would be useful for understanding texts in English language arts?)
Step 2: Determine a purpose for the set, select related texts, and organize the sets
A text set can serve multiple purposes based on the way the texts connect: topically (including content from
other disciplines), conceptually or thematically, by style (author, genre, or treatment), or by providing
needed background information for the anchor text or offering a different perspective from the anchor text.
Most sets should incorporate a variety and balance of text formats (print, media, art, visual texts, etc.),
lengths, and types (defined on pages 31 and 57 of the CCSS for ELA/Literacy).
Once the text sets are formed, organize the sets across the year, paying attention to building knowledge and
increasing text complexity. Make sure to collaborate with teachers from different grade levels, so that the
knowledge and text complexity is also built across the grade levels or courses.
Consider the following questions for this step:
• Do the texts in the set relate in a clear and purposeful way?
• Do the sets build knowledge within and across grades?
• Do the sets support text complexity requirements of the CCSS and increase over time?
• Have considerations been made for variety and balance of text formats, lengths, and types?
Step 3: Identify the appropriate standards and possible student inquiry tasks
The PARCC Model Content Frameworks chart illustrates how reading, writing, and research are integrated
around complex texts. There is no checklist of standards to be taught—teachers will likely teach every
grade-specific standard multiple times throughout the year in the context of different text sets. What
changes from text set to text set is the focus and emphasis on the types of texts read and written about;
what remains constant is the cultivation of students’ literacy skills.
Consider the following questions for this step:
• What standards are met through the text set?
• What areas for student investigation will deepen or extend students’ understanding of the texts
and concepts of the set?
2
Step 4: Refine the text set
Evaluate your sets for the following criteria and make necessary revisions so they are strong and provide
opportunities for students to meet the expectations of the CCSS for ELA/Literacy:
Strong text sets
Build students’ knowledge and include texts with
focused and purposeful connections
Increase in text complexity within and across sets to
support student achievement of grade-level
complexity demands of CCSS 2
Contain accurate and authentic texts worthy of study
Meet several CCSS from multiple strands
Weak text sets
Contain texts that are not related across sets or are
superficially connected
Have erratic text complexity levels that do not
support the staircase of text complexity in the CCSS 3
Contain inaccurate texts or only commissioned texts
from textbooks
Only align to a single strand or a few standards
Resources for Locating Texts
Texts and resources for locating texts for classroom use are available through a variety of electronic sites.
• Bartleby.com: A free online collection of public domain texts
• Lit2Go: A free online collection of classic texts, including PDF and audio versions
• American Literature: Another free online collection of texts
• TumbleBook Library and TumbleBookCloud Junior: Free online collections of contemporary texts with audio
• The Learning Network (The New York Times): A blog that highlights useful articles and content for
classrooms
• National Geographic Explorer: A subscription-based classroom magazine with free public online access
• Article of the Week (Kelly Gallagher) and an explanation for how this is done (grades 6-12)
• The Reading & Writing Project (Columbia University): Resources for building classroom libraries and text sets
• Additional search engines for similar books based on topic and/or readability level: Scholastic Book
Wizard, ReadKiddoRead, Book Pig, Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site, and GoodReads
• Public libraries and school libraries often publish similar book lists or “If you like x, then try reading y” lists
2
While choice of books is allowable, make sure the options are comparably complex (i.e., such as in literature circles, when groups
of students select different books to read, discuss, and then share with the class).
3
For example, students read different, leveled versions of the same text for whole-class instruction or a teacher selects books for
whole-class instruction that are from several grade levels below to match student reading ability, not grade-level expectations.
3
Establishing Big Ideas
“Big ideas are important and enduring. [They] are transferable beyond the scope of a particular unit
(e.g., adaptation, allegory, the American Dream, signigicant figures). Big ideas are the building material
of understandings. They can be thought of as the meaningful patterns that enable one to connect the
dots of otherwise fragmented knowledge.” (Understanding by Design, Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe).
Big Ideas are overarching questions that are the focus of each unit. Big Ideas are questions that
students should be able to answer once the unit is complete. Throughout the unit, student knowledge is
built through the use of the texts. Big Ideas should continuously be referenced throughout daily lessons
to establish the connection between texts.
Big Ideas can be derived from the “Unit Focus” on state module samples and from the “Building Student
Knowledge” on the district module samples.
Return to Table of Contents
Assessments
Students will demonstrate understanding of the “big ideas” through three assessments per
unit.
1.
Culminating Writing Task
•
2.
Cold-Read Assessment
•
3.
assesses whether students met the expectations of the CCSS while demonstrating
understanding of the anchor text.
assesses whether students can read “new” text(s) and apply the same level of
understanding and mastery of the CCSS.
Extension Task and Accompanying Presentation
•
assesses student ability to apply understanding of the “big ideas” to other texts, their
lives, and /or the real world
**Notes:
1. Sample assessments are included in the State Sample Units.
2. Other assessments (formal and informal) should be used throughout the unit to check for student
understanding, as needed.
3. The Instructional Coaches invite you to email your assessments for feedback.
1. Culminating Writing Task
The Culminating Writing Task should be a formal persuasive, informational, or
narrative writing piece that requires textual evidence from one or more texts. The
task should address the unit focus and encompass all big ideas. For further
considerations, see “Facets of Understanding” and “Writing in the Common Core” in
the Resources section.
Big Ideas: (if completing form electronically, cut and paste same, as they remain the same
for each assessment in a unit.)
1.
2.
3.
Text(s):
1.
2.
Student Prompt:
CCSS Alignment:
RL
RI
W
L
2. Cold- Read Assessment
The Cold-Read Assessment should include a text or excerpt with which students are
unfamiliar. Students will respond to this text without support. This can assess
concepts and should be a combination of multiple choice and constructed response
questions. Passages from the textbook are suggested, as they may have existing
questions sets that can be used for this assessment.
Big Ideas: (if completing form electronically, cut and paste same, as they remain the same
for each assessment in a unit.)
1.
2.
3.
Text(s):
1.
2.
Student Prompt:
CCSS Alignment:
RL
RI
L
3. Extension Task and Accompanying Presentation
The Extension Task and Accompanying Presentation should reflect the Big Ideas of
the unit. While providing textual evidence, students may analyze theme
development and/or how words, actions, interactions and conflicts provide a
comment on life that is similar or different for each text. Presentation may include:
visual displays, appropriate speech and command of formal English, multimedia
demonstration, focus and cohesion of pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and
exmples.
Big Ideas: (if completing form electronically, cut and paste same, as they remain the same
for each assessment in a unit.)
1.
2.
3.
Text(s):
1.
2.
Student Prompt:
CCSS Alignment:
RL/RI
W
SL
L
Day- to-Day Planning
The following process is suggested to ensure appropriate consideration
is given to the texts and assessments when planning day-to-day lessons.
1. Set your assessment dates. Choose when the Culminating Writing Task, Cold-Read Assessment, and
Extension Task with Accompanying Presentation will take place in your nine- week unit.
2. Decide how you will use the text set. There are many things to consider while making this decision.
Use the following “thought questions” as guidance:
To consider with each text, initially: How can this text be used? Why would it be used? What are the
students expected to do with this text? (A text may have multiple purposes)
It may be helpful to use index cards or sticky notes to organize this information. Write the title of each
text on a card/note annotating the answers to the following questions. Being able to physically shuffle
and organize this information may help you build the “road map” for the unit.
a. What purpose(s) do the supplemental texts have in relation to the anchor text?
b. What are the complexities of the supplementary texts? How can the texts be
categorized/organized?
c. Can any supplemental texts be used to support student understanding of others? (This
may help in ordering them.)
d. Can any texts be paired? What would be the purpose of the pairing? (Compare/contrast,
scaffold, background information)
e. Can your anchor text be divided into sections?
3. Once the texts’ purposes have been defined, begin planning daily lessons. Consider the following
questions in the daily planning:
a. Is the academic vocabulary used throughout the daily activities leading up to the
assessment? Does this “road map” provide time to familiarize students with this language?
b. Do the lessons scaffold the necessary skills throughout the unit for proficiency on the
assessments?
English Language Arts
Grade 7 Unit One Sample
1
Anchor Text
The Giver, Lois Lowry
(Literary)
Text Complexity
Rationale
While the readability of
the anchor text falls
below the text complexity
grade-level band, the
meaning of the text is
layered and complex,
asking students to think
about sophisticated social
and political concepts.
The related texts are
similar in complexity to
the anchor. Students
should be able to read
the words of these texts
independently, but
teacher scaffolding and
support through
discussions and
collaborative group work
will help students fully
understand the texts.
English Language Arts Grade 7: Sample Text Set/Unit Plan
Related Texts
Literary Texts
• Excerpt from The Hunger Games, Suzanne
Collins
• “The Human Abstract,” William Blake (Poem)
• “Harrison Bergeron,” Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
• “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost (Poem)
Informational Texts
• “Preamble,” Constitution of the United
States
• Additional texts about topics that support
students’ understanding of the anchor text
(as needed), such as “Individual Rights and
Community Responsibilities,” Pat Nanzer
• “Newberry Acceptance Speech, June 1994,”
Lois Lowry
Non-print Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video,
Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
• Clip from The Hunger Games, Gary Ross
(Film)
• “Imagine,” John Lennon (Song and video)
• 2081, Chandler Tuttle
• The Truman Show, Peter Weir (Film)
Unit Focus
Through the study of dystopian literature and
related texts, students will explore common themes.
They will analyze how our lives and belief systems
are shaped and challenged by our perceptions,
knowledge, and memory. They will consider how
their choices and actions affect others. They will
evaluate whether perfection in communities is
worth the necessary sacrifices of emotions and
human connections. They will come to understand
the importance of knowledge and memory.
3
Sample Research
Create structured independent reading of additional
dystopian novels. Have students complete
assignments with their text and then present
information to the class. For students reading
similar texts, create opportunities for discussion.
Some example texts:
• Maze Runner, James Dashner
• Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
• Unwind, Neal Shusterman
• Divergent, Veronica Roth
• Uglies, Scott Westerfeld
• Feed, M.T. Anderson
• 1984, George Orwell
Possible Common Core State
2
Standards
Reading
RL.7.1, RL.7.2., RL.7.3, RL.7.4, RL.7.6, RL
.7.7, RL.7.9, RL.7.10
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3, RI.7.4, RI.7.6, RI.7.
9, RI.7.10
Writing
W.7.1a-e, W.7.2af, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.6, W.7.7, W.7.8,
W.7.9a-b, W.7.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.7.1a-d, SL.7.2, SL.7.4, SL.7.5, SL.7.6
Language
L.7.1a, L.7.2a-b, L.7.3a, L.7.4a-d, L.7.5ac, L.7.6
1
The focal point of the unit and organizing feature of the text set. Students should demonstrate understanding of this text through the unit assessments.
The listed standards represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014, all the CCSS
should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are available in the
Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
3
Refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after students have read, written, and spoken
about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected and indicated through the possible
Reading and Writing Standards.
2
1
Return to Table of Contents
English Language Arts
Grade 7 Unit One Sample
OVERVIEW
What will students know and be able to do by the end of this unit?
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the unit focus and meet the expectations of the Common Core State Standards on the unit assessments.
Unit Focus
The “big ideas” of this unit include:
1. How are our belief systems shaped
and challenged by perceptions,
knowledge, and memory?
2. How do our choices and actions affect
others?
3. Is perfection worth the sacrifice it
takes to achieve?
4. What are common themes of
dystopian literature?
Unit Assessment
Daily Performance Tasks
Students will demonstrate understanding of
the “big ideas” through various assessments:
Daily instruction and tasks aligned to
the CCSS prepare students to meet the
expectations of the unit assessments.
1. A culminating writing task, which assesses
whether students met the expectations of
the CCSS while demonstrating
understanding of the anchor text.
2. A cold-read assessment, which assesses
whether students can read “new” text(s)
and apply the same level of understanding
and mastery of the CCSS.
3. An extension task and accompanying
presentation, which assesses student ability
to apply understanding of the “big ideas” to
other texts, their lives, and/or the real
world.
Students will demonstrate their daily:
1. Understanding of texts and the “big
ideas” by meeting grade level CCSS
expectations for reading, listening,
and language;
2. Ability to express their
understanding by meeting grade
level CCSS expectations for speaking,
writing, and language.
2
English Language Arts
Grade 7 Unit One Sample
ASSESSMENTS
TYPE
Culminating
Writing Task
CONTENT
Student Prompt: Analyze how Jonas’ point of view is developed and contrasted with the points of view of
other characters in The Giver. How does his point of view, along with the resulting conflict, affect the
reader’s understanding of the text and develop a theme? Write an essay that demonstrates command of
proper grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling, and uses grade-appropriate words and phrases. Cite
several pieces of textual evidence to support the analysis.
CCSS ALIGNMENT
RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RL.7.6, W.
7.1ae, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.9a, W.7.10,
L.7.2a-b, L.7.3a, L.7.6
Teacher Note: Students are asked to
• explain Jonas’ point of view (Unit Focus #1)
• explain other characters’ points of view (Unit Focus #1)
• explain how these differences create a conflict (Unit Focus #2)
• determine a resulting theme and explain how it is developed (Unit Focus #1, #3, and #4)
Return to Unit Overview
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
TYPE
CONTENT
Student Prompt: Read “The Road Not Taken,” and the “Newberry Acceptance Speech, June 1994.” Then
answer a combination of multiple-choice and constructed-response questions 4. Sample questions:
1. What are the speaker’s beliefs about choice in “The Road Not Taken” and how are his beliefs
developed? Provide at least two details from the poem to support your response.
2. Compare the speaker’s beliefs about choice in “The Road Not Taken” to Jonas’ beliefs about choice in
The Giver. Provide at least one detail from both texts to support your response.
Cold-Read
Assessment 3. Select one of the memories Lois Lowry shares in her acceptance speech. Summarize how the memory is
portrayed in The Giver. Then explain how Lois Lowry uses and alters her memories to create a part of
The Giver. Provide details from both texts to support your response.
Teacher Note: Students are asked to
• explain how the concept of choice is explored in various texts (Unit Focus #2)
• determine how story develops from memory (Unit Focus #1)
Return to Unit Overview
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
4
CCSS ALIGNMENT
(Note: Standards alignment
depends on question content)
RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RL.7.4, RL.
7.6, RL.7.9, RL.7.10; RI.7.1, RI.7.2
, RI.7.3, RI.7.4, RI.7.10;
W.7.4, W.7.9ab, W.7.10; L.7.1a, L.7.3a, L.7.4a,
L.7.5a-b, L.7.6
Ensure that students have access to the complete texts as they are testing.
3
English Language Arts
Grade 7 Unit One Sample
ASSESSMENTS
TYPE
CONTENT
CCSS ALIGNMENT
Student Prompt: In The Giver and your independent reading novel, you examined the measures taken to
create utopian societies. In collaborative groups:
• Identify how each society achieves or falls short of achieving perfection based on the principles
they’ve established and determine a resulting theme that is central to both texts
• Analyze and compare how the theme is developed over the course of each text (i.e., How do the
RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3; W.7.4, W.
words, actions, interactions, and conflicts of the characters provide a comment on life that is similar
7.6, W.7.9a, W.7.10; SL.7.1aor different in the two texts?)
d, SL.7.4, SL.7.5, SL.7.6; L.7.2a• Record the analysis of the group (e.g., via notes, journal, graphic organizer) and include several pieces
Extension
b, L.7.3a, L.7.6
of cited textual evidence
Task and
• Create a multimedia presentation that presents the group’s claims and findings in a focused and
Formal
coherent manner that includes pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples. Incorporate visual
Presentation
displays to clarify claims and findings and emphasize salient points
• Present the information to the class using appropriate speech that demonstrates command of formal
English
Teacher Note: Students are asked to
• identify how the society in each novel attempts to achieve perfection (Unit Focus #1, #2, and #3)
• evaluate the results of each society’s attempt to achieve perfection (Unit Focus #3)
• determine a resulting theme common to both texts and explain how it is developed (Unit Focus #1, #2, #3, and #4)
• create a multimedia presentation to present claims and gathered information
Return to Unit Overview
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
4
English Language Arts
Grade 7 Unit One Sample
PACING OF TEXTS AND TASKS
INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS
TEXT(S) 5
Days 1-2
“Preamble,” Constitution of the United States and Chapter 1 of The Giver (Focus 6: First section of Chapter 1)
Days 3-5
Chapters 2-8 of The Giver (Focus: Last page of Chapter 3)
Days 6-10
Days 11-12
Days 13-16
Days 17-19
Days 20-21
Days 22-23
Days 24-28
Excerpt from The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins and corresponding film clip from The Hunger Games, Gary
Ross and Chapters 9-11 of The Giver (Focus: Second half of Chapters 9 and 11)
Chapter 12 of The Giver and possible texts on color science (as needed); begin independent reading of
dystopian novel with independent and collaborative activities
“Preamble,” Constitution of the United States
“The Human Abstract,” William Blake and “Imagine,” John Lennon and Chapters 13-16 of The Giver
(Focus: First part of Chapter 13, Chapter 13 from “‘Do you advise them often?’ Jonas was a little frightened
at the thought…” until the end of that section, and the second section of Chapter 16); continue independent
reading of dystopian novel
Chapters 17-19 of The Giver (Focus: Last pages of Chapter 18 and all of Chapter 19); continue independent
reading of dystopian novel
Chapters 20-23 of The Giver (Focus: Last pages of the novel); continue independent reading of dystopian
novel
“Harrison Bergeron,” Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and 2081, Chandler Tuttle; continue independent reading of
dystopian novel
CCSS ALIGNMENT
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
Days 29-31
Culminating Writing Task from Unit One Assessments; continue independent reading of dystopian novel
Days 32-34
The Truman Show, Peter Weir (Film); finish independent reading of dystopian novel
Days 35-39
Extension Task from Unit One Assessments, group collaboration and presentation preparation
Unit One Assessments
Days 40-42
Formal Presentations from Unit One Assessments
Unit One Assessments
Days 43-45
Cold-Read Assessment from Unit One Assessments
Unit One Assessments
Unit One Assessments
Sample Daily
Performance Tasks
5
Texts can be written or visual, print or multimedia.
The focus passages contain opportunities for rich instruction of the CCSS and allow students the opportunities to meet the expectations of the CCSS; they can be examined
closely and read multiple times. For additional information about pacing and the different instructional purposes for texts, refer to the Guide for Pacing Texts.
6
5
Appendix
A1
English Language Arts
Grade 7 Unit One Sample
DAILY PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
DAYS 1-2
Text Connections
Text One:
“Preamble,”
Constitution of the
United States
This text provides opportunities for students to read a complex text with teacher support. Students will closely examine the academic
vocabulary and explore how the structure of a sentence can reflect and emphasizes its ideas. Students will be asked to return to the
Preamble later in the unit for research, so this first lesson focuses on understanding the Preamble so they can later apply that
understanding in research. Additionally, closely reading complex texts with teacher support can help students develop strategies for
understanding complex texts they will be required to read on their own on the Cold-Read Assessment.
Reader and Task Considerations
Students are likely to need support understanding the language of the Preamble to determine meaning. This text is best done as a read
along with multiple rereadings for distinct purposes. (RI.7.10)
Text Connections
Text Two:
Chapter 1 of The Giver
(Focus: First section of
Chapter 1)
Chapter 1 of The Giver establishes the setting and introduces many of the characters in Jonas’ world. Students are asked to focus on the
similarities and differences between Jonas’ world and our own. The focus passage introduces the idea of language precision, allowing for
student exploration of the meaning and emotions we attach to words.
Reader and Task Considerations
Focus on the first section of Chapter 1 of The Giver for students to read along for close analytic reading to determine deep meaning and
have students read the rest of the chapter independently or in collaborative groups. (RL.7.10)
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Determine the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases in the Preamble by using context as a clue. For example, have students identify the
verb in each phrase (i.e., establish, insure, provide, promote, secure, ordain, and establish). With a partner, determine a meaning based on context and verify using a
dictionary. Then, evaluate the relationships of the words through analogies, identifying synonyms and antonyms, or by identifying the similarities and differences of
the words (e.g., visually using a Venn diagram) to demonstrate understanding of the words and their use in the Preamble. Discuss the change in meaning that would
result from substituting different verbs for those that are used. (L.7.4a, L.7.4d, L.7.5b, L.7.6)
• Analyze the syntax of the Preamble and interaction of ideas. Provide a written explanation of the function and meaning of each phrase and clause of the Preamble,
citing several pieces of textual evidence. (RI.7.1, RI.7.3, L.7.1a, W.7.9b, W.7.10)
• Ongoing throughout the unit: Determine the meaning of the word release at various points in The Giver based on context clues, and track the changes in meaning
over the course of the text in notes/journal or using a graphic organizer. (RL.7.1, RL.7.4, W.7.10, L.7.4a)
• Ongoing throughout the unit: Discuss word choice, language precision, and clarity by focusing on the connotation of words with similar denotations in The Giver.
(RL.7.4, L.7.5c, L.7.6)
• Provide a written objective summary of the setting of Jonas’ community after reading Chapter 1. Then working collaboratively, use the summary to make meaning
of the text by discussing how it is similar and different from our own. Consider why the author might create a world that is so distinctly different yet so similar,
citing several pieces of textual evidence. (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.10, W.7.9a, W.7.10, SL.7.1a-d)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A2
English Language Arts Grade 7 Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 3-5
Text Connections
Text: Chapters 2-8 of
The Giver (Focus: The
last pages of Chapter 3)
These chapters provide students with additional insight into the structure of Jonas’ community and the many rules that have been
established to ensure sameness. The text helps to establish Jonas’ initial point of view, which is not that different from those in his
community. Students begin to see that Jonas’ beliefs are shaped by his perceptions and the knowledge that he has at this point in
the novel (Unit Focus #1). This focus begins to prepare students for the Culminating Writing Task.
Reader and Task Considerations
Focus on the last pages of Chapter 3 of The Giver for students to read along for close analytic reading to determine deep meaning
and have students read the rest of the chapters independently or in collaborative groups. (RL.7.10)
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Ongoing throughout the unit: Determine the meaning of the word release at various points in The Giver based on context clues, and track the changes in
meaning over the course of the text in notes/journal or using a graphic organizer. (RL.7.1, RL.7.4, W.7.10, L.7.4a)
• In Chapter 3, provide a written objective summary of the incident with the apple. Analyze how the flashback interacts with the present events of the plot to
provide information necessary for determining meaning in the story. Then, through small-group or class discussion, draw conclusions about the meaning of
the following quote, “It was different only in the addition to it of the newchild with his pale, solemn, knowing eyes” (25). As a group, write a well-developed
paragraph that uses evidence from the text to predict why the newchild is described in this way. (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RL.7.10, W.7.9a, W.7.10)
• Ongoing throughout the unit: Discuss word choice, language precision, and clarity by focusing on the connotation of words with similar denotations in The
Giver. Then, using the written responses from Chapter 3, work with peers to choose and edit language in writing that expresses ideas precisely and
concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy. (RL.7.1, RL.7.4, RI.7.4, W.7.5, L.7.3a, L.7.5c, L.7.6)
• Note: As students need additional support in understanding concepts discussed in The Giver, locate texts that provide necessary information for building
student knowledge, i.e., while reading Chapters 6-7, if students need additional support in understanding the concept of individuals and communities, read
“Individual Rights and Community Responsibilities,” Pat Nanzer (RL.7.10)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A3
English Language Arts Grade 7 Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 6-10
Text One:
Excerpt from The Hunger
Games of “The Reaping”
(end of Chapter 1 and
Chapter 2; as needed, the
passage about how names
are entered), Suzanne
Collins and a clip of “The
Reaping” from The Hunger
Games, Gary Ross
Text Two:
Chapters 9-11 of The Giver
(Focus: Second half of
Chapters 9 and 11)
Text Connections
The Hunger Games depicts Panem, a modern-day United States with a completely different social structure. This excerpt is of “The Reaping”
in which children of each district are selected as tributes for a fight-to-the death competition. Students are asked to consider: When
individuals make sacrifices for the community, who does the sacrifice benefit? This prepares students to analyze how their choices affect
others (Unit Focus #2) and evaluate societies that eliminate personal choice (Unit Focus #3). The exploration of these concepts begins
preparing students to understand their independent reading in later lessons and complete the Extension Task.
Reader and Task Considerations
Students should be able to read The Hunger Games, but they may need help understanding the text. Working in pairs or collaborative groups
with teacher support may help students to read and analyze this text. (RL.7.10) The video should be used for comparison after students have
first read and engaged with the text. It should enhance student understanding gained through text first, not replace it.
Text Connections
These chapters explore Jonas’ selection. Students begin to see Jonas’s changing point of view—as Jonas is enlightened by new knowledge
about the community, the reader is enlightened—which encourages them to further consider and refine their understanding of how Jonas’
beliefs are shaped by his perceptions and knowledge (Unit Focus #1). This prepares students for the Culminating Writing Task. Students also
begin to see the sacrifices made in Jonas’s community to ensure sameness and are invited to begin questioning the value of the society’s
belief system (Unit Focus #3).
Reader and Task Considerations
Focus on the second half of Chapters 9 and 11 of The Giver for students to read along for close analytic reading to determine deep meaning
and have students read the rest of the chapters independently or in collaborative groups. (RL.7.10) As Jonas begins to question, the reader is
invited to question as well, so students could be invited to create and ask their own questions for group discussions. Teachers should
monitor groups to make sure the questions remain focused on the text.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Ongoing throughout the unit: Determine the meaning of the word release at various points in The Giver based on context clues, and track the changes in meaning over the
course of the text in notes/journal or using a graphic organizer. (RL.7.1, RL.7.4, W.7.10, L.7.4a)
• In small groups, compare and contrast the passage from The Hunger Games to the film version of the same passage (in notes). Then, using a teacher-designed graphic
organizer, determine the main point the director makes in the film, identifying the techniques he uses to support his point and explaining how the effect of the techniques
enhances or differs from the written version. Cite evidence to support inferences drawn about why the author or director may have made particular artistic choices.
(RL.7.1, RL.7.7, SL.7.1a-d, SL.7.2)
• Independently examine and annotate the focus passages in these chapters of The Giver to create text-dependent questions, which focus on analyzing and understanding
the meaning of the text. Work collaboratively to answer the questions, citing several pieces of textual evidence. (RL.7.1, RL.7.10, SL.7.1a-d) (Teacher Note: Standards
alignment depends on the content of student questions. Provide students with a structure that focuses them on creating questions about theme (RL.7.2), story elements
(RL.7.3), language (RL.7.4), and point of view (RL.7.6). This will be a challenging exercise, but it will help teachers gain information about student understanding of the text.)
• Identify Katniss’ choice and compare and contrast her selection against Jonas’ in a written essay. Consider how each selection benefits the community and how each
selection affects the main character (Katniss and Jonas) and other individuals in the community. Work with peers to choose and edit language in writing that expresses ideas
precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy. (RL.7.1, RL.7.3, W.7.2a-f, W.7.4, W.7.5, W.7.9a, W.7.10, L.7.2a-b, L.7.3a)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A4
English Language Arts Grade 7 Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 11-12
Text Connections
Text One:
Chapter 12 of The Giver
and possible texts on
the science and
psychology of (as
needed)
Chapter 12 of The Giver reveals a surprise about Jonas’ community. This chapter continues to build student understanding about how our
belief systems are shaped by our perceptions and knowledge (Unit Focus #1), sees the world in a completely different way now.
Additionally, this chapter emphasizes some of the sacrifices made in Jonas’ society to achieve sameness and perfection, and students are
encouraged to begin evaluating the cost of those sacrifices (Unit Focus #3).
Reader and Task Considerations
This chapter is best read as read along to facilitate the surprise element of the chapter for common understanding. Students are likely to
have questions about the process and rationale behind the absence of color in Jonas’ community. Bringing in additional texts about the
science and psychology behind color can help students build an understanding about this issue in the novel.
Text Two:
Text Connections
Dystopian novels for
• Similar to The Giver, young adult dystopian novels explore belief systems, morality, and follow a main character or characters seeking
independent reading,
“truth” and awareness while gaining independence. These types of questions and themes resonate with young adults who, in their own
e.g., Maze Runner,
way, identify with the same struggles as the main character(s).
James Dashner; Hunger • Each dystopian novel addresses themes and concepts similar to The Giver, creating opportunities for comparisons. For example,
Games, Suzanne Collins;
students who choose to read The Hunger Games for independent reading should have opportunities to compare and contrast the
actions and choices of Katniss and Jonas as each try to right what they see as fundamental flaws in their community.
Unwind, Neal
Shusterman; Divergent, Reader and Task Considerations
Veronica Roth; Uglies,
The complexity of the identified novels is suitable for independent reading at grade 7. The texts are listed in order of complexity from least
Scott Westerfeld; Feed,
to greatest, with 1984 being well suited for more advanced readers. That said, no students should be prevented from challenging
M.T. Anderson; or 1984, themselves. Teachers might assign novels or provide options to students, but students are more likely to be interested if they are able to
choose.
George Orwell
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Ongoing throughout the unit: Discuss word choice, language precision, and clarity by focusing on the connotation of words with similar denotations in The Giver.
(RL.7.1, RL.7.4, L.7.5c, L.7.6)
• Note: As students need additional support in understanding concepts discussed in The Giver, locate texts that provide necessary information for building student
knowledge, i.e., after reading Chapter 12, students might read about the science behind seeing color and/or the meaning of colors in different cultures and color
psychology. (RL.7.10) Use these texts to support exploration of key questions for Chapter 12: Why did Jonas’ society remove the ability to see color? (RL.7.1, RL.7.3)
• Independent Reading: Provide structured time in class for students (approximately 20 minutes daily) to independently read their dystopian novel (i.e., as a
beginning activity). Students might also need to read at home if they are not able to finish during class (i.e., allow students to “checkout” books as needed). As they
are reading, students should keep track of their progress in the novel as well as any questions and reflections in a journal or on sticky notes. They should also
complete teacher-created questions or activities. Since groups of students will likely be reading the same novel, some class time could be used for student-led
collaboration around a set of questions (either teacher- or student-created) about the shared text. Grades for independent reading can be based on completion
checks, a portfolio of completed work, or quick understanding quizzes at various points in the reading. (RL.7.10)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A5
English Language Arts Grade 7 Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 13-16
Text Connections
Text: “Preamble,”
Constitution of the
United States
The Preamble provides opportunities for exploration of how societies and their belief systems are established, supported, and
challenged, providing concrete connections for students between the seemingly different world of The Giver and the world in which
they live (Unit Focus #1). In the foundation of a society, choices are made that affect its members. In parallel, the founders of
Jonas’s society choose to go to sameness and rid citizens of their choices (Unit Focus #2). Engaging in this research allows students
to explore how a society builds on what it values and prepares them to explore thematic concepts in later lessons: Should choice be
allowed if people make choices that negatively affect others? Is experiencing colors, joy, and love worth also experiencing pain, war,
and hate? Is perfection worth the sacrifice it takes to obtain it? (Unit Focus #3 and #4) Additionally, this research task also provides
students the chance to practice inquiry skills they will use to complete the Unit One Assessments Extension Task.
Reader and Task Considerations
As students have previously studied the Preamble, they will need to demonstrate more independence in applying the concepts of
the Preamble to current events. Teachers may still need to support some students in making the connections. (RI.7.10)
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• In collaborative groups, conduct a short research project to answer the question, “How are the principles of the Preamble supported and challenged through
current events?” Locate 2-3 credible and accurate current event texts by different authors (i.e., articles, video, etc.) which support and/or challenge one of
the principles of the Preamble. Summarize the texts, determining the central ideas and each author’s point of view or purpose, and then analyze the texts
for how the authors distinguish their position and shape their presentation of ideas by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations
of facts. Present the findings to the class in a multimedia presentation.
(RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.6, RI.7.9, W.7.7, W.7.8, W.7.9b, W.7.10, SL.7.1b, SL.7.4, SL.7.5, SL.7.6)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A6
English Language Arts Grade 7 Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 17-19
Text Connections
These texts address similar concepts to The Giver. On a superficial level, they both consider “What ifs?” On a deeper level, both texts
question whether perfection is obtainable or even desired. Students are encouraged to analyze how belief systems are shaped and
challenged by knowledge, and memory (Unit Focus #1), consider how our choices and actions affect others (Unit Focus #2), and evaluate
the benefits and consequences of seeking perfection (Unit Focus #3).
Text One:
“The Human Abstract,”
William Blake (Poem)
Reader and Task Considerations
and “Imagine,” John
Lennon (Song and video) Despite some of the references to other ideas or concepts, most students are likely to understand the meaning of “Imagine” during the
first or second listening, especially in connection to reading The Giver. “The Human Abstract” is more complex. The extended metaphor of
the tree creates an abstract layer of meaning and will require multiple readings. Students are likely to need support in analyzing “The
Human Abstract,” using a poetry analysis strategy, like TP-CASTT, and/or working in collaborative groups.
Text Two:
Chapters 13-16 of The
Giver (Focus: Parts of
Chapter 13 and the
second section of
Chapter 16)
Connections to Anchor Text and Building Student Knowledge
Chapters 13-16 of The Giver address a similar question and dilemma to the poem and song. These chapters continue to expose the
sacrifices made to achieve perfection and the lack of awareness those around Jonas possess. Jonas begins to understand pain and the
importance of knowing and choice. Students continue to explore their understanding of Unit Focus #1, #2, and #3.
Reader and Task Considerations
Focus on the first part of Chapter 13, then Chapter 13 from “‘Do you advise them often?’ Jonas was a little frightened…” until the end of
that section, and the second section of Chapter 16. Student should read along with these sections for close analytic reading to determine
deep meaning and read the rest of the chapters independently or in collaborative groups. (RL.7.10)
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Closely read “The Human Abstract” to analyze and interpret the words, phrases, and syntax for meaning and their function in the poem.
(RL.7.1; RL.7.4; RL.7.10; L.7.1a; L.7.4a, d; L.7.5a-c)
• Ongoing throughout the unit: Discuss word choice, language precision, and clarity by focusing on the connotation of words with similar denotations in The Giver
and the two poems. (RL.7.4, L.7.5c, L.7.6)
• While reading Chapters 13-16 of The Giver, work collaboratively to analyze how the structure of the community affects various characters in the story, citing several
pieces of textual evidence to support the analysis. (Example questions to consider: What do the actions of the characters indicate about their understanding of the
community? How does this affect Jonas? How does Jonas begin to make choices that he did not make before? What does this mean? What does Jonas realize?)
Record the analysis on a graphic organizer. (RL.7.1; RL.7.3; W.7.9a; W.7.10; SL.7.1a, c-d)
• Determine the meaning of utopia and dystopia using Greek and Latin roots, support understanding of the words by determining their relationship, and verify the
meaning of words by drawing on and citing evidence from texts read in the unit. (RL.7.1; L.4b, d; L.7.5b)
• Conduct a Socratic seminar focused on the following questions: “Are the costs of reaching perfection (as presented in The Giver) worth living a perfect life? Is that
kind of life ‘perfect’?” Cite evidence from the texts that are being read in class. During the seminar, keep track of the reasons and textual evidence on a graphic
organizer or in notes. (RL.7.1, SL.7.1a-d, SL.7.6)
• Independent Reading: Continue to offer time for students to read and/or discuss their independent reading dystopian novel. (RL.7.10, SL.7.1a, c-d)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A7
English Language Arts Grade 7 Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 20-21
Text Connections
Text: Chapters 17-19 of
The Giver (Focus: Last
pages of Chapter 18 and
all of Chapter 19)
Chapters 17-19 expose the meaning of release and the secret of the Giver’s failure with the previous Receiver of Memory. These
chapters are shocking and heart-wrenching as the reader experiences the moment with Jonas and we “see” as he “sees.” The
process of exposing truth in these chapters invites students to question the values of Jonas’ community and the choices and
sacrifices that were made (Unit Focus #2). Students are also encouraged to analyze how belief systems are shaped and challenged
by perceptions, knowledge, and memory (Unit Focus #1) and evaluate the consequences of seeking perfection through the extreme
example provided in The Giver (Unit Focus #3). These chapters also prepare students to think about the concept of memory, which
indirectly prepares them for the Cold-Read Assessment.
Reader and Task Considerations
Chapters 17-19 are best read aloud with students following along as the material is often sensitive. This allows the reveal to happen
simultaneously and allows the teacher to handle any sensitive questions or comments with maturity.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• What does it mean in Chapter 18 that “memories are forever?” (RL.7.1, RL.7.4)
• Why was it important for Jonas to watch the release in Chapter 19? (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.6)
• Verify the meaning of the word release. Discuss how the meaning changes and is developed over the course of the text. Identify a theme that is revealed at
this point in The Giver. How does the knowledge and meaning that Jonas gains about release reveal this theme?
(RL.7.1; RL.7.2; RL.7.4; W.7.9a; W.7.10; L.7.4a, d; L.7.6)
• Independent Reading: Continue to offer time for students to read and/or discuss their independent reading dystopian novel. (RL.7.10, SL.7.1a, c-d)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A8
English Language Arts Grade 7 Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 22-23
Text Connections
Text: Chapters 20-23 of
The Giver (Focus: Last
pages of the novel)
The ending of the novel is ambiguous. Students are invited to develop their own theories about what happens at the end of the
novel, inviting readers to make a choice, which Jonas’ community does not get to make (Unit Focus #2). These chapters also support
students in developing skills that will be useful for completing the Culminating Writing Task (i.e., locating and citing relevant
evidence and closely reading and rereading a complex text for determining meaning). Additionally, the ideas of choice and memory
that are explored through the ambiguous ending will support student understanding of concepts expressed in Lowry’s Newberry
acceptance speech on the Cold-Read Assessment.
Reader and Task Considerations
Chapters 20-22 can be read quickly and independently, as the pacing is quick and these chapters take on the feel of an adventure
story. Due to the ambiguous ending, teachers will likely want to read Chapter23 aloud as students follow along. The end of the
novel will likely frustrate many students. Teachers should prepare to spend some time reading and rereading the ending with
students, developing theories about what happened, and finding evidence to support the theories. As time allows or as an extension
for advanced students, students could finish the ending so it is no longer ambiguous. (W.7.3a-e) It is important to discuss, though,
why the author chose to have an ambiguous ending.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Provide a written objective summary of the last pages of The Giver. Then use the summary to make meaning of the text: What happens at the end of the
novel? Conduct a group discussion to present and discuss the various theories as a class. Select one theory presented and then cite several pieces of textual
evidence to support the theory. Use a graphic organizer or notes to record the theories and evidence.
(RL.7.1; RL.7.2; RL.7.10; W.7.4; W.7.9a; W.7.10; SL.7.1a, c-d; SL.7.6; L.7.6)
• Conduct a small-group or whole-class discussion with the following questions: How does Lois Lowry create ambiguity at the end of the novel? (For example:
On page 175, it says, “Dimly, from a nearly forgotten perception as blurred as the substance itself, Jonas recalled what the whiteness was.” Is Jonas
experiencing the snow or remembering the snow? How do earlier scenes in the plot of the novel make this moment ambiguous?) Why is the ending
ambiguous? In other words, why might Lois Lowry choose not to resolve the novel? How is the concept of choice explored in The Giver? Why do various
characters in The Giver make or not make choices and how do the reader’s choices contribute to the meaning of the text? Cite textual evidence to support
responses. (RL.7.1, RL.7.3, SL.7.1a-d, L.7.6)
• Independent Reading: Continue to offer time for students to read and/or discuss their independent reading dystopian novel. (RL.7.10, SL.7.1a, c-d)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A9
English Language Arts Grade 7 Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 24-28
Text Connections
Text: “Harrison
Bergeron,” Kurt
Vonnegut, Jr. and 2081,
Chandler Tuttle
This text imagines a world where everyone is made equal. No one is more attractive, intelligent, or articulate than anyone else.
Similar to Jonas, Harrison Bergeron is aware of his society’s iniquities and chooses to actively rebel (Unit Focus #2). We are also
introduced to Harrison’s parents who, like Jonas’s parents, remain unaware of their son’s enlightenment and rebellion. This text
allows students to explore common themes across dystopian texts (Unit Focus #4) to prepare them for the Extension Task, and draw
comparisons between the points of view of Harrison and Jonas and how they interact with other characters and their society, which
prepares students to complete the Culminating Writing Task. Students continue to analyze how our belief systems are shaped and
challenged by perceptions, knowledge, and memory (Unit Focus #1) and evaluate the benefits and consequences of seeking
perfection (Unit Focus #3).
Reader and Task Considerations
The readability of this text isn’t overly complex due to a large amount of dialogue, but the qualitative features of the text are very
complex. Similar to The Giver, references to invented concepts and terminology make understanding of the text more complex. This
text is best read aloud first by an expert, fluent reader and then closely read in small groups for various purposes and with
opportunities for discussion about key words, sentences, and paragraphs. (RL.7.10) The video is best used for comparison after
students have first read and engaged with the text several times.
Note: This text is satirical, which adds to its complexity. While a few advanced readers might pick up on the satire and resulting
humor, students are not expected to understand satire until the grades 11-12 standards. As such, it is important that students not
be held accountable for that feature of this text. For advanced learners, though, this could be a place for extending their learning.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Objectively summarize “Harrison Bergeron” in collaborative groups. (RL.7.2, W.7.10, SL.7.1a-d)
• Using a graphic organizer, identify the characters in “Harrison Bergeron” and how they are described in the text. Focus on Vonnegut’s word choice and
determine the connotative meaning of words and phrases used to describe different characters. Then use the graphic organizer to analyze how the author
develops and contrasts the different characters in “Harrison Bergeron,” including their points of view.
(RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RL.7.4, RL.7.6, W.7.9a, SL.7.1a, L.7.5c, L.7.6)
• What are the similarities and differences in the point of view of Harrison and Jonas and the way each character responds to his society and interacts with
other characters? Respond in writing, citing textual evidence. (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3, RL.7.6, W.7.9a, W.7.10)
• Compare and contrast “Harrison Bergeron” to 2081. Determine the main point the director tries to make in the film, identifying the techniques he uses to
support his point and explaining how the effect of the techniques enhances or differs from the written version. Cite evidence to support inferences drawn
about why the author or director may have made particular artistic choices. (RL.7.1, RL.7.7, W.7.9a, W.7.10, SL.7.2, L.7.6)
• Conduct a discussion about the difference between equality and sameness, emphasizing their connotative uses in “Harrison Bergeron” and The Giver. Then
make a claim about what either text is saying about equality and/or sameness, citing textual evidence.
(RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.4, SL.7.1a, SL.7.6, L.7.5b, L.7.5c, L.7.6)
• Independent Reading: Continue to offer time for students to read and/or discuss their independent reading dystopian novel. (RL.7.10, SL.7.1a, c-d)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A10
English Language Arts Grade 7 Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 32-34
Text Connections
This film follows the life of Truman, a boy adopted by a company to live a perfect life in a world constructed for television. The
events in Truman’s life are carefully scripted, but Truman is not living a script. Although he longs for adventure and leaving his alltoo-perfect life, he doesn’t question. That is, until things around him start to appear differently and then Truman sets out to
discover what he believes to be missing in his life.
Text: The Truman Show,
Peter Weir (Film)
This film is similar to The Giver and other stories in this set, as it tells the story of an individual who gains awareness and begins
questioning, while those around him remain in the dark. This film mirrors many of the texts read in the unit. It reinforces some of
the more abstract concepts and ideas that students may have not fully understood in reading the texts.
Students prepare to complete the Extension Task by exploring common themes of dystopian literature (Unit Focus #4).
Reader and Task Considerations
The complexity of this film results from the structure of a “show within a show.” Students may need a chance to discuss the
structure of the plot following the first class of viewing. Once the basic premise is established, though, students are likely to pick up
on many of the complexities and utopian/dystopian features as they have read many similar texts over the course of the unit.
Depending on time, teachers might show several clips instead of the entire film.
Students may need a way to record evidence as they are viewing the film, since it will not be easy to show the film a second time for
them to gather evidence. As such, they will need some preview of their tasks and/or a viewing guide so they can gather relevant
evidence as they watch the film.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Conduct a Socratic seminar or fishbowl discussion allowing students to draw evidence-based comparisons between Truman, Jonas, Harrison, and Katniss,
the events of the film and The Giver, and the unit texts’ presentation of and take on thematic ideas such as:
o How is our view of the world shaped and formed? In particular, how do we develop a belief in what is “right” and what is “wrong”?
o How do we know what we think or perceive is accurate or true?
o Should we suffer as the result of someone else’s choices?
o Why is memory important?
o Is it better to be aware of pain or never know pain at all? Explain. (RL.7.1, RL.7.2, RL.7.3, SL.7.1a-d, SL.7.6)
• Independent Reading: Continue to offer time for students to finish reading their independent reading dystopian novel. (RL.7.10)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A11
English II
Unit One Sample
English Language Arts Grade 10: Sample Text Set/Unit Plan
Anchor Text
Things Fall Apart, Chinua
Achebe (Literary,
Appendix B Exemplar)
Text Complexity
Rationale
The anchor text is an
exemplar from Appendix
B. While the readability
falls below the band, it
contains complex
characters with
competing motivations,
which make it suitable for
grade 10. The related
texts provide a range of
complexity that meets
the requirements for the
9-10 grade band.
Related Texts
Literary Texts
• “The White Man’s Burden,” Rudyard Kipling
• “Languages,” Carl Sandburg
• “The Tower of Babel,” Genesis 11, The Holy
Bible
• “The Second Coming,” William Butler Yeats
• Excerpts of the demonstration garden
(pages 25-42 and 62-63) from The
Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
Informational Texts
• Excerpts from “Chinua Achebe: The Art of
Fiction No. 139,” Jerome Brooks, The Paris
Review, Issue #133, Winter 1994 (Interview)
• Pages 1-4 from “An African Voice,” Katie
Bacon, The Atlantic Online, August 2, 2000
(Interview)
• “Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan (Appendix B
Exemplar)
• “Aria,” Richard Rodriguez
Nonprint Texts (Media, Website, Video, Film,
Music, Art, Graphics)
th
th
• Pre-Colonial Africa, 17 and 18 Centuries
and The Colonization of Africa, 1870-1910,
Ward, Prothero, and Leathes, The
Cambridge Modern History Atlas
Unit Focus
Students will learn what happens when cultures collide or
merge from the perspective of the “other.” They will come
to understand the effects of globalization, cultural diffusion,
and the struggle between tradition and change when
accompanied by the domination and marginalization of
cultures. Students will also learn to discuss the literary
merits of various texts by talking about their form, theme,
language, and style. This unit connects to themes of
geography, specifically culture and language.
2
Sample Research
In an interview from The Atlantic Online, Chinua Achebe
says, “There may be cultures that may sadly have to go,
because no one is rooting for them, but we should make the
effort to prevent this. We have to hold this conversation,
which is a conversation of stories, a conversation of
languages, and see what happens.” Using the texts from
this unit and additional information gathered from
independent research, create an informative multimedia
presentation in which you explain the significance of
language in preserving a person’s cultural identity. Use
specific examples from the readings and your research to
support your explanation.
Possible Common Core State
1
Standards
Reading
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3,
RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5, RL.9-10.6,
RL.9-10.9, RL.9-10.10
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.3,
RI.9-10.4 , RI.9-10.5, RI.9-10.6,
RI.9-10.7, RI.9-10.10
Writing
W.9-10.1a-e , W.9-10.2a-f, W.910.3a-e, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5,
W.9-10.6, W.9-10.7 , W.9-10.8,
W.9-10.9a-b, W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
SL.9-10.1a-d, SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.4,
SL.9-10.5, SL.9-10.6
Language
L.9-10.1a-b; L.9-10.2a-c; L.9-10.3;
L.9-10.4a-d; L.9-10.5a-b; L.9-10.6
Possible Teacher Resources
EdSitement Things Fall Apart Lesson resources
Google Lit Trips (Possible resource for tracing the geography of the text and/or the basis of a student-inquiry activity.)
1
The possible standards for the listed texts represent the full range and integration of the Common Core State Standards. While all the CCSS will not be formally assessed statewide in 2013-2014,
all the CCSS should be taught, as the non-assessed standards are essential for students to meet the expectations of the assessed standards. Additional information and specific examples are
available in the Assessment Guidance 2013-2014 document.
2
“Research” throughout this plan refers to student-led inquiry activities; these are extension tasks that allow students to make connections with texts. These activities should be done after
students have read, written, and spoken about each individual text and demonstrated their understanding of the text. Additional reading and writing performance tasks with the texts are expected
and indicated through the possible Reading and Writing Standards.
1
English II
Unit One Sample
OVERVIEW
What will students know and be able to do by the end of this unit?
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the unit focus and meet the expectations of the Common Core State Standards on the unit assessments.
Unit Focus
The “big ideas” of this unit include:
1. What is the relationship between a
personal identity and a cultural
identity?
2. What is the impact when cultures
interact?
3. How does language function in a
culture?
4. How does our point of view affect how
we interact with other cultures?
Unit Assessment
Daily Performance Tasks
Students will demonstrate understanding of
the “big ideas” through various assessments:
Daily instruction and tasks aligned to
the CCSS prepare students to meet the
expectations of the unit assessments.
1. A culminating writing task, which assesses
whether students met the expectations of
the CCSS while demonstrating
understanding of the anchor text.
2. An extension task and accompanying
presentation, which assesses student ability
to apply understanding of the “big ideas” to
other texts, their lives, and/or the real
world.
3. A cold-read assessment, which assesses
whether students can read “new” text(s)
and apply the same level of understanding
and mastery of the CCSS.
Students will demonstrate their daily:
1. Understanding of texts and the “big
ideas” by meeting grade level CCSS
expectations for reading, listening,
and language;
2. Ability to express their
understanding by meeting grade
level CCSS expectations for speaking,
writing, and language.
2
English II
Unit One Sample
ASSESSMENTS
TYPE
CONTENT
Student Prompt: In a series of interviews with Jerome Brooks, Chinua Achebe says the following about Things Fall Apart: “[It]is a kind
of fundamental story of my condition that demanded to be heard….I believe in the complexity of the human story and that there’s no
way you can tell that story in one way and say, This is it. Always there will be someone who can tell it differently depending on where
they are standing….This is the way I think the world’s stories should be told—from many different perspectives.”
Culminating
Writing Task
Determine a theme of Things Fall Apart. Write an essay that analyzes how the theme emerges and is shaped over the course of the
novel through the development of the complex characters that reflect a cultural experience and capture the complexity of the human
story. Use proper grammar, conventions, spelling, and grade-appropriate words and phrases. Cite several pieces of textual evidence
to support the analysis.
Teacher Note: Students are asked to
• determine a theme of Things Fall Apart and analyze the how the theme is developed through the conflicts, motivations, and
interactions of complex characters (Unit Focus #1, #2, #3, #4)
• explain how the theme and its development reflect a cultural experience (Unit Focus #1 and #3)
• explain how the cultural experience reflects a different perspective or viewpoint (Unit Focus #2 and #4)
CCSS ALIGNMENT
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2,
RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.6,
RL.9-10.10; W.910.2a-f, W.9-10.4,
W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6,
W.9-10.9a, W.910.10; L.9-10.1a-b,
L.9-10.2a-c, L.9-10.3
Return to Unit Overview
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
TYPE
Extension
Task and
Formal
Presentation
CONTENT
Student Prompt: In an interview from The Atlantic Online, Chinua Achebe says, “There may be cultures that may sadly have to go,
because no one is rooting for them, but we should make the effort to prevent this. We have to hold this conversation, which is a
conversation of stories, a conversation of languages, and see what happens.” Using the texts from this unit and additional information
gathered from at least two reliable sources located through independent research (such as the Endangered Language Project
website), evaluate the role language plays in creating and preserving cultural identity.
Then, working collaboratively in a small group, create an informative multimedia product and presentation which synthesizes and
then presents the research findings and evaluations of each group member. Use a combination of images, graphics, and specific
examples from the readings and research as support. Use proper attribution to avoid plagiarism of all sources and follow MLA
guidelines.
Teacher Note: Students are asked to
• identify how language creates cultural identity (Unit Focus #1 and #3)
• evaluate the importance of language in preserving cultural identify (Unit Focus #1, #2, and #3)
• create a multimedia presentation to present the group evaluation and gathered information
CCSS ALIGNMENT
RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2,
RI.9-10.8, W.9-10.6,
W.9-10.7, W.9-10.8,
W.9-10.9a-b, W.910.10; SL.9-10.1a-d,
SL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.4,
SL.9-10.5, SL.9-10.6
Return to Unit Overview
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
3
English II
Unit One Sample
ASSESSMENTS
TYPE
Cold-Read
Assessment
CONTENT
Student Prompt: Read excerpted sections from Book One of The Poisonwood Bible (the scenes from pages 35-42 and 62-63 about the
3
demonstration garden) and access “The White Man’s Burden,” and Things Fall Apart . Then answer a combination of questions.
Sample questions:
1. What are Reverend Price’s stated and unstated intentions with the demonstration garden? How are these motivations revealed
in the text? Provide details from the passage to support your response.
2. How is the demonstration garden a metaphor for the ideas presented in “The White Man’s Burden?” How does the way
Reverend Price approaches the garden’s creation and receives Mama Tataba’s assistance illustrate the central idea of the poem?
3. Select one of the cultural collision scenes from Parts 2 or 3 from Things Fall Apart and analyze the thematic connections between
the scene from the novel and the excerpt from The Poisonwood Bible. Cite specific textual evidence from both works to support
your analysis.
Teacher Note: Students are asked to
• use parallel structure, various types of phrases, and compound sentences joined by semicolons and conjunctive adverbs in order
to strengthen the quality of their writing.
• make connections between texts to analyze conflicting motivations of different cultural viewpoints (Unit Focus #4)
• compare and contrast themes of texts and their comments on the causes and implications of cultural collisions (Unit Focus #2)
CCSS ALIGNMENT
(Note: Standards
alignment depends
on question content)
RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2,
RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4,
RL.9-10.6; W.910.2a-f, W.9-10.4,
W.9-10.9a, W.910.10; L.9-10.1a-b,
L.9-10.2a
Return to Unit Overview
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
3
Ensure that students have access to the complete texts as they are testing.
4
English II
Unit One Sample
PACING OF TEXTS AND TASKS
INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS
Day 1
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Things Fall Apart, Chapters 1-7 (p.3-62)
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Days 5-8
Things Fall Apart, Chapters 8-11 (p.63-109)
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Day 9-10
Things Fall Apart, Chapters 12-13 (p. 110-125) and Excerpts from “An African Voice” (pages 1-4)
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Days 11-12
Excerpts from “Chinua Achebe: The Art of Fiction No. 139” (pages 2 and 11)
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Days 13-15
Things Fall Apart, Chapters 14-19 (p. 129-167)
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Days 16-18
Things Fall Apart, Chapters 20-25 (p. 171-209) and “The Second Coming,” William Butler Yeats;
introduce the Culminating Writing Task
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Days 19-21
Culminating Writing Task work time: process, writers’ workshop, publishing
Days 23-24
Day 25
5
Colonization of Africa, 1870-1910, Ward, Prothero, and Leathes, The Cambridge Modern History Atlas
CCSS ALIGNMENT 5
Days 2-4
Day 22
4
TEXT(S) 4
“The White Man’s Burden,” Rudyard Kipling and Pre-Colonial Africa, 17th and 18th Centuries and The
Unit One Assessments
Excerpt from “Chinua Achebe: The Art of Fiction No. 139” (page 7); introduce the Extension Task
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
“Languages,” Carl Sandburg and “The Tower of Babel,” Genesis 11, The Holy Bible
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Collaboration on Extension Task
Unit One Assessments
Days 26-28
“Mother Tongue,” Amy Tan
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Day 29-30
Collaboration on Extension Task
Days 31-34
“Aria,” Richard Rodriguez
Days 35-39
Collaboration on Extension Task
Unit One Assessments
Days 40-43
Presentations
Unit One Assessments
Days 44-45
Cold-Read Assessment and Reflection Seminar
Unit One Assessments
Unit One Assessments
Sample Daily Performance Tasks
Texts can be written or visual, print or multimedia.
Activities, tasks, prompts, and resources are considered aligned to the CCSS when they create an environment conducive for students to meet the expectations of the CCSS.
5
Appendix
A1
English II
Unit One Sample
DAILY PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
DAY 1
Text Connections
Text One:
“The White Man’s
Burden,” Rudyard
Kipling
Text Two:
Pre-Colonial Africa, 17th
and 18th Centuries and
The Colonization of
Africa, 1870-1910,
Ward, Prothero, and
Leathes, The Cambridge
Modern History Atlas
“The White Man’s Burden” provides opportunities for analyzing a point of view reflected in a work from outside the United States.
Rudyard Kipling is widely considered “Britain’s imperialist poet,” and the poem served a rhetorical purpose when it was written for
President Roosevelt in 1899. Students will be able to determine the meaning of words and phrases and analyze their cumulative
impact on the meaning and the tone of the poem, considering how the meaning and tone convey a particular point of view. The
study of point of view connects to the study of point of view in Things Fall Apart (Unit Focus #4), and prepares students for the ColdRead Assessment.
Reader and Task Considerations
The poem contains a potentially offensive point of view if students do not understand the historical context of the poem. Thus, they
should be provided pre-reading that helps to establish the context of the poem before they read. The prefacing information on the
History Matters site allows for this discovery.
Text Connections
These maps allow students to explore the great change in Africa as a result of European Imperialism, to provide a visual image to
support the point of view expressed in the poem.
Reader and Task Considerations
The brief background information for each map provides context for the visuals, but should not be shared until after students have
had a change to explore the maps, make comparisons, and draw conclusions (including information gained from the poem) about
the cause and effect relationships which resulted in the significant change in the maps.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Ongoing throughout the unit: In all written responses, students will use parallel structure, various types of phrases, and compound sentences joined by
semicolons and conjunctive adverbs in order to strengthen the quality of their writing. (Note: This will need to be explicitly taught, reinforced, and refined
explicitly over the course of the unit through mini-lessons, beginning activities, peer editing, and/or teacher-student conferences.) (L.9-10.1a-b, L.9-10.2a)
• Closely read the introduction to “The White Man’s Burden” and collaborate on an oral summary of the context of the poem. Be prepared to share your
summary with the class. (RI.9-10.2 , SL.9-10.1a-b, SL.9-10.4 )
• Closely read and annotate “The White Man’s Burden” to analyze how the author’s words and phrases establish a tone and convey a point of view. (RL.910.4, RL.9-10.6, L.9-10.5a-b )
• Work collaboratively to view the maps. Analyze how the point of view expressed in the poem corroborates the changes seen in the maps. Conduct a Socratic
seminar that explores, “What do these texts convey about the relationship between Europeans and Africans?” Cite specific textual evidence from both
sources and identify which details are emphasized in the different texts. Be prepared to share your findings with the class. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.6,
RI.9-10.7 , SL.9-10.1a, c-d, SL.9-10.4 )
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A2
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 2-4
Text Connections
Text One:
Things Fall Apart,
Chapters 1-7, (p. 3-62)
Chapters 1-7 of Things Fall Apart establish the major characters, their motivations, the Igbo culture, and themes of the novel. Study
of this portion of the text should encourage students to read closely and discuss emerging ideas, characters, and themes, which will
prepare them for the Culminating Writing Task. Okonkwo’s character is illustrated through the limited omniscient narrator’s point of
view. Possible focus areas include the following:
• Chapter 1: the characterization of Unoka, Okonkwo’s father
• Chapter 2: the last part of the chapter beginning with “Okonkwo ruled his house with a heavy hand.”
• Chapter 4: the first two paragraphs
• Chapter 5: Okonkwo’s outburst with his gun
• Chapter 7: Ikemefuna’s murder
Reader and Task Considerations
The novel’s style is easy to read but will present challenges to students because of the cultural experiences Achebe presents.
Students will need to discuss and explore the meaning conveyed by the information provided. The novel’s style does not lend itself
to deep analysis of craft and structure but does present multiple opportunities for rich exploration of key ideas and details,
specifically Okonkwo’s character development and internal conflicts. For these reasons, teachers might consider reading the first
chapter aloud with students, providing class time to read in small groups, and assigning short sections for independent reading at
home. (RL.9-10.10 )
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• While independently reading and annotating Chapters 1-7 of Things Fall Apart, examine how Achebe establishes a point of view of the Igbo culture. (Note:
Teachers should expect students to read these chapters on their own in class or at home in advance of completing these tasks in class.) (RL.9-10.6, RL.910.10 )
• Ongoing throughout the novel study: Summarize the characters’ interactions and plot of the novel. (RL.9-10.2)
• Using a graphic organizer or other written format, identify the major characters of the novel, including possible protagonists and antagonists, and determine
their motivations as revealed through their interactions with each other and their environment. Consider as part of your analysis the author’s word choice
when describing the characters and their behaviors. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4)
• Work collaboratively to generate a working list of the Igbo people’s values. Cite specific evidence to support your interpretations, specifically noting where
the author’s language contributes to this understanding. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.6)
• Conduct a discussion focused on the following questions: How do Okonkwo’s thoughts and actions convey his motivations? How do Okonkwo’s motivations
help to establish some of the themes of the novel? (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.6, SL.9-10.4)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A3
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 5-8
Text Connections
Text One:
Things Fall Apart,
Chapters 8-11
(p. 63-109)
Chapters 8-11 of Things Fall Apart continue the development of Okonkwo’s character and his conflicting motivations. As his
character develops, the students will begin to understand why the Igbo culture might cause some of his internal conflict and how
individuals are shaped by the culture in which they live. This prepares them to understand Unit Focus #1 and #3 and to complete the
Culminating Writing Task. His relationship with Ezinma, his favorite daughter, emerges and shapes some of the themes of the novel
while Nwoye, his son, develops into a more complex, conflicted character. Possible focus areas and topics include the following:
• Chapter 8: the first two pages (Okonkwo’s reaction to Ikemefuna’s death)
• Chapter 9: the first paragraph
Reader and Task Considerations
These chapters contain many scenes that students may find less useful for study, but teachers should encourage them to consider
why Achebe might include them by asking focused questions that guide students to thematic interpretation and analysis. Especially
confusing might be the events surrounding Ezinma’s illness, but students should be supported through critical analyses of the
characters’ interactions, development of themes, and cultural experiences.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• While independently reading and annotating Chapters 8-11 of Things Fall Apart, examine how Achebe establishes a point of view of the Igbo culture. (Note:
Teachers should expect students to read these chapters on their own in class or at home in advance of completing these tasks in class.) (RL.9-10.6, RL.910.10)
• Objectively summarize key focus passages (identified under Text Connections). (RL.9-10.2)
• Working collaboratively, analyze in discussion and then writing how Okonkwo’s complex reaction to Ikemefuna’s death in chapters 8 and 9 enhances our
understanding of his character. (How does his reaction reveal his internal conflicts and develop a theme established in chapters 1 through 7?) Cite specific
textual evidence to support the analysis. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3, W.9-10.1a-e, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5 , W.9-10.9a, W.9-10.10 , SL.9-10.1a-d)
• Conduct a series of fishbowl discussions in response to the following: What does Okonkwo’s relationship with Ezinma reveal about his character and the
Igbo culture? How does his reaction to Ekwefi’s concern develop a theme established in chapters 1 through 7? (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4,
SL.9-10.1a-d, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.6 )
• Following the fishbowl discussions, write a brief timed analysis of the events of Chapters 8-11, explaining how these events develop a theme of the novel.
(RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, W.9-10.2a-f, W.9-10.9a, W.9-10.10)
• Ongoing throughout the unit: In all written responses, students will use parallel structure, various types of phrases, and compound sentences joined by
semicolons and conjunctive adverbs in order to strengthen the quality of their writing. (L.9-10.1a-b, L.9-10.2a)
Return to Sample Pacing Chart
A4
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 9-10
Text Connections
Text One:
Things Fall Apart,
Chapters 12-13
Chapters 12 and 13 of Things Fall Apart build to a climactic event in which Okonkwo’s usually impotent gun discharges and kills a
tribe member. The symbolic nature of this event and the resulting exile are powerful methods for developing an awareness of the
complexity of the Igbo culture and its effects on Okonkwo (Unit Focus #1). As a result, many of the themes of the novel develop
facets and nuance worthy of examination, which prepares students for the Culminating Writing Task.
Reader and Task Considerations
Students will require support through the analysis of the cultural experience of Okonkwo’s accident and resultant banishment as
they may inadvertently impose their 21st century Western ideology onto the Igbo people. Teachers will need to support class
discussions to guide students into an exploration of Achebe’s intentions.
Text Connections
Text One:
Pages 8 and 11 from
“Chinua Achebe: The Art
of Fiction No. 139,”
Jerome Brooks, The
Paris Review, Issue
#133, Winter 1994
(Interview)
The excerpt from The Paris Review interview serves as a source for information about Achebe’s views on the interactions between
character, plot, and theme. Focus on his responses to the questions “Can you say something about the germination of a work…. and
“What is the place of plot?...” as these prompt students to consider how character and plot in Things Fall Apart interact to convey a
theme or central idea. Additionally, the short dialogue about the effect of Okonkwo’s character on readers from a variety of cultures
prompts discussion about the enduring ideas in the novel and the effect of cultural experiences in reading (Unit Focus #4).
Reader and Task Considerations
The first series of questions may require scaffolding for students to fully grasp Achebe’s central idea about the interconnectedness
of story elements, but they should be prompted to rely on the work done on previous performance tasks to support their
developing understanding. A rich examination of universal themes in world literature arises from the second excerpt, providing
students the opportunity to make intertextual connections to other works they have studied or read independently. (RI.9-10.10)
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• While independently reading and annotating Chapters 12-13 of Things Fall Apart, examine how Achebe establishes a point of view of the Igbo culture while.
(Note: Teachers should expect students to read these chapters on their own in class or at home in advance of completing these tasks in class.) (RL.9-10.6,
RL.9-10.10)
• Working with a partner, read aloud the two assigned excerpts from “Chinua Achebe: The Art of Fiction No. 139.” Collaborate on a written, concise, objective
summary of each of Achebe’s responses. Cite specific textual evidence within the summary. (RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.9b, W.9-10.10)
• Conduct a series of fishbowl discussions focused on the following questions: How do Okonkwo’s motivations and actions further the plot and develop the
themes of the novel? Cite specific textual evidence from the novel and the interview to support your responses. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4,
RL.9-10.6)
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A5
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 11-12
Text One:
Pages 1-4 from “An
African Voice,” Katie
Bacon, The Atlantic
Online, August 2, 2000
(Interview)
Text Connections
The excerpts from “An African Voice” provide students with Achebe’s point of view about “the process of ‘re-storying’ peoples who
had been knocked silent by all kinds of dispossession.” (Unit Focus #1, #2, and #3) Through developing their understanding of
Achebe’s point of view, students will be better equipped for an analysis of chapters 14-19 of Things Fall Apart.
Reader and Task Considerations
Achebe’s language in the interview is accessible for students, but students’ ability to understand his point of view will likely require
teacher support. This interview can be read aloud by students in partner-groups to support their reading and interpretation of
Achebe’s central ideas and point of view. (RI.9-10.10)
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Working with a partner, read aloud the first four pages of “An African Voice.” Collaborate on a written, concise, objective summary of each of Achebe’s
seven responses. Then independently, explain in writing the central idea of the excerpt and analyze how that idea develops and unfolds over the course of
the responses, including how it is shaped by the interviewer’s questions and Achebe’s use of language. Cite specific textual evidence to support your
analysis. (RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.3, RI.9-10.5, W.9-10.2a-f, W.9-10.9b, W.9-10.10)
• Conduct a Socratic seminar which evaluates Achebe’s success in illustrating through Part 1 of Things Fall Apart “a balance of stories where every people will
be able to contribute to a definition of themselves.” Students should cite specific textual evidence from the novel, the interview, and, possibly, the poem
from the opening of the unit, “The White Man’s Burden,” to support their responses. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.6, SL.9-10.1a-d, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.6)
• Write a brief personal reflection which evaluates how literature engages readers in developing an understanding of the human condition. Cite specific
textual evidence from Things Fall Apart to support your thinking. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, W.9-10.9a, W.9-10.10)
• Ongoing throughout the unit: In all written responses, students will use parallel structure, various types of phrases, and compound sentences joined by
semicolons and conjunctive adverbs in order to strengthen the quality of their writing. (L.9-10.1a-b, L.9-10.2a)
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A6
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 13-15
Text Connections
Text One:
Things Fall Apart,
Chapters 14-19
(p. 129-167)
These chapters comprise Part 2 of Things Fall Apart in which Okonkwo, his family, and his people begin to interact with European
missionaries and colonizers. This section of the novel introduces the concepts of cultural interaction and collision for examination
(Unit Focus #2 and #4).
Reader and Task Considerations
The action of this section proceeds more quickly than that of Part 1, so students should be able to manage the reading
independently; however, the complexity of the interactions between the Igbo people and the Europeans should be examined both
from the perspective of the Igbo and of the Europeans in order for students to understand the complexity of the themes that
Achebe establishes and develops in this section of the novel. Students need to be encouraged to use their knowledge and
understanding of the Igbo culture to analyze the cultural collisions from an objective point of view as they select the most critical
scenes for analysis.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• While independently reading and annotating Chapters 14-19 of Things Fall Apart, examine how Achebe establishes a point of view of the Igbo culture and its
interactions with European culture. (Note: Teachers should expect students to read these chapters on their own in class or at home in advance of
completing these tasks in class.) (RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.10)
• Work collaboratively to create an annotated timeline of the most critical interactions between the Igbo people and the Europeans in Part 2. Identify and
write a narrative summary of each event and evaluate its significance. In your narrative summaries, maintain an objective point of view (one which favors
neither the Igbo nor the Europeans) as you analyze how themes emerge and are developed through these interactions. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.6, W.910.9a, W.9-10.10)
• Following the timeline creation, write a brief timed analysis: Examine how the cultural collisions in Chapters 14-19 develop a theme of the novel. (RL.9-10.1,
RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.6, W.9-10.1a-e, W.9-10.9a, W.9-10.10)
• Ongoing throughout the unit: In all written responses, students will use parallel structure, various types of phrases, and compound sentences joined by
semicolons and conjunctive adverbs in order to strengthen the quality of their writing. (L.9-10.1a-b, L.9-10.2a)
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A7
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 16-18
Text Connections
Text One:
Things Fall Apart,
Chapters 20-25
(p.129-167)
In Part 3 of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo returns from exile and experiences European domination firsthand, which results in his
suicide in the final chapter. While the novel predominantly presents the Igbo point of view, Part 3 presents the European point of
view in several places, which should be studied in conjunction with “The Second Coming.” (Unit Focus #4)
Reader and Task Considerations
This section of the novel alternates between the Igbo and European point of view which students should be attentive to as they
read.
Text Connections
Text Two:
“The Second Coming,”
William Butler Yeats
The poem “The Second Coming” is the source of the title of Things Fall Apart; Achebe uses the opening four lines of the poem as the
epigraph of the novel and has discussed in interviews the relationship of the poem to the novel. The poem captures the domination
of European culture and the resulting dissolution of the Igbo culture illustrated in Part 3 of the novel. (Unit Focus #2)
Reader and Task Considerations
The language of the poem and the repeated allusions to Revelations will require multiple readings for comprehension and analysis.
(RL.9-10.10)
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• While independently reading and annotating Chapters 20-25 of Things Fall Apart, examine how Achebe establishes a point of view of the Igbo culture and its
interactions with European culture. (Note: Teachers should expect students to read these chapters on their own in class or at home in advance of
completing these tasks in class.) (RL.9-10.6, RL.9-10.10 )
• Locate and mark (with sticky note flags) the places in Part 3 where the European point of view is revealed. Objectively summarize the characters’ interaction
and plot of the novel. Then, on a graphic organizer or in a reader’s log, contrast the European point of view with that of the Igbo. Explain how alternating
points of view affect the development of the themes of the novel and cite textual evidence. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.6 , W.9-10.9a, W.9-10.10)
• Closely read “The Second Coming” and determine the meaning of key words and phrases to analyze how the language of the poem reveals the meaning.
Use a graphic organizer or poetry analysis strategy like TP-CASTT to aid comprehension and analysis. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.9, L.9-10.4a, c,
d, L.9-10.5b, L.9-10.6)
• Consider the following statement made by Achebe about the relationship between the poem and the novel: “That phrase ‘things fall apart’ seems to me just
right and appropriate.” Conduct a series of small-group discussions to locate specific evidence from the poem and throughout the novel prior to engaging in
a Socratic seminar. During the seminar, evaluate the appropriateness of the novel’s title given the central idea of the poem, and cite evidence to support
interpretations. Following the discussion, evaluate your own and your peers’ use of evidence in the seminar. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2 , RL.9-10.3, RL.9-10.4,
RL.9-10.6, SL.9-10.1a-d, SL.9-10.3, SL.9-10.4 )
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A8
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAY 22
Text One:
Excerpt from “Chinua
Achebe: The Art of
Fiction No. 139,” Jerome
Brooks, The Paris
Review, Issue #133,
Winter 1994 (Interview)
Text Connections
This excerpt from the interview is the question “Has your work been translated into Igbo? Is it important for it to be translated into
Igbo?” and Achebe’s response. The connection between culture and language is clearly established here in the context of the novel
study, so they will be able to see how the Extension Task connects to the novel and its themes.
Reader and Task Considerations
Students will need to understand the difference between dialects and language so that they can understand the cultural impact of
Dennis’ translation and invention of a dialect. This task is the introduction to the extension task, so teachers need to ensure student
comprehension of the connection between language and culture from Achebe’s point of view as a springboard for future analysis.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Introduce the extension task and then read Achebe’s response with your extension task group. Write a brief objective summary. (RI.9-10.2, W.9-10.10 )
• Write a brief personal reflection in response to the following question: “What is the relationship between language and culture?” Begin locating evidence
from the novel, the interview, and personal experiences to support research in the Extension Task. (RL/RI.9-10.1, RL/RI.9-10.2, W.9-10.9a-b, W.9-10.10)
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A9
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 23-24
Text Connections
Text One:
“Languages,” Carl
Sandburg
“Languages” offers an interpretation of the ephemeral quality of language and is thematically related to the anchor text. Just as
language is ephemeral, so too can be culture. As it develops and mixes, culture is threatened, as evidenced by the changes the Igbo
experience in Things Fall Apart (Unit Focus #2 and #3). Reading this text prepares students to complete the Extension Task.
Reader and Task Considerations
The poem will require multiple readings in order for students to develop an understanding of its extended metaphor and themes.
Students should apply the same poetry analysis strategy they have been using this unit in order to develop their independent
analysis skills. (RL.9-10.10)
Text Connections
Text Two:
“The Tower of Babel,”
Genesis 11, The Holy
Bible
This excerpt from Genesis reveals an explanation of the origin of languages. As language is generally unifying, in the excerpt
introduction of different languages causes fragmentation of the central culture, “scatter[ing] them abroad” because they do not
understand one another. In the same way, the Igbo culture becomes fragmented with the introduction of the European language
and culture. (Unit Focus #2 and #3)
Reader and Task Considerations
The connections between this excerpt and the poem will likely require multiple readings and supported analyses.
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Closely read the poem “Languages” using TP-CASTT or other analysis strategy. Recording the analysis through annotations and/or on a graphic organizer,
determine how Sandburg uses words and phrases to develop meaning and convey the central idea. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.4, L.9-10.5a-b, L.9-10.6)
• Closely read the excerpt from Genesis. Determine the central idea of the excerpt, including how it emerges and is shaped by the events of the story. Write
an objective summary of the story. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, W.9-10.10)
• As an extension task group, determine and analyze the central idea of each text and explain in writing how the two ideas relate. Then analyze how the texts
relate to Achebe’s point of view regarding languages. (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9.10.6, SL.9-10.1a, c-d, W.9-10.9a, W.9-10.10)
• Continue your personal reflection from the previous day: How did these two texts and your discussion further your understanding of the extension task?
What questions do you have about the connections between language and culture? How can you use research to find answers to your questions? (W.910.10)
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A10
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 26-28
Text Connections
Text One:
“Mother Tongue,” Amy
Tan (Appendix B
Exemplar)
Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue” is a personal reflection on the relationship between language and family connection (Unit Focus #1). In
the essay, Tan relates anecdotes about her mother’s use of English and its effect on her own use of English and her relationship with
her mother. In this essay, language is unifying for her personally because it helps her to “[make] sense of the world”; however, she
ponders language’s effects on the choices and lifestyles of others (Unit Focus #3).
Reader and Task Considerations
Tan’s essay is generally very readable, but teachers should read it aloud to students at least two times in order for them to “hear”
the different voices Tan captures. After initial read-alouds, students should be able to engage with the text independently in order
to make meaning from it. (RI.9-10.10)
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Identify places in the essay where Tan uses dialogue or quotations to capture her mother’s use of language in contrast to her own. Read these sections
closely and analyze in writing how these scenes help Tan achieve her purpose in the essay. (RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.6)
• Listen to the essay as it is read aloud and read along. As you read, think about the sections of the essay: How does Tan introduce her explicit and implicit
claims and develop them in the sections of the essay? Using horizontal lines, divide the essay into its sections based on Tan’s claims and elaboration on
those claims. Identify the purpose of each section, and, for each section of the essay, write an objective summary. Then, working in partner groups created
from your extension task group, make a list of Tan’s claims in the essay. Be prepared to share your findings with the class. (RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2 , RI.9-10.5,
RI.9-10.6)
• Finally, independently write a timed explanation of how Tan shapes and refines her claims about language through the sections, including the order in which
her points are made, how they are developed, and the connections drawn between the sections. (RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.3, RI.9-10.5, RI.9-10.6, W.910.2a-f, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.9b, W.9-10.10, L.9-10.6)
• Ongoing throughout the unit: In all written responses, students will use parallel structure, various types of phrases, and compound sentences joined by
semicolons and conjunctive adverbs in order to strengthen the quality of their writing. (L.9-10.1a-b, L.9-10.2a)
• Working with your extension task group, write a brief proposal for how “Mother Tongue” can be used in your group’s presentation. Be prepared to share
this proposal with one other group. (W.9-10.10)
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A11
English II Unit One Sample Daily Performance Tasks/Prompts
DAYS 31-34
Text Connections
Text One:
“Aria,” Richard
Rodriguez
“Aria” presents a slightly less optimistic view of language barriers than does Tan’s essay. Rodriguez chronicles the development of
his bilingualism and its effects on his relationships with his family and the world (Unit Focus #1, #3, and #4).
Reader and Task Considerations
Students should be attendant as they read to Rodriguez’s shifts in tone as they often signal shifts in his point of view of bilingualism
and the effects of it on an individual, a family, and a culture. Rodriguez’s language is lyrical and fluid and his syntax is more complex
than that of any other work in the unit, so teachers must support students throughout the study of this text in order to scaffold their
reading and analysis. (RI.9-10.10)
SAMPLE PERFORMANCE TASKS/PROMPTS
• Identify places in the essay where Rodriguez uses dialogue or quotations to capture his initial experiences with English. Read these sections closely and
analyze in writing how these scenes help Rodriguez achieve his purpose in the essay. (RI.9-10.1, RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.4, RI.9-10.6, W.9-10.9b, W.9-10.10 )
• Listen to the essay as it is read aloud and read along. As you read, think about the sections of the essay: How does Rodriguez introduce his explicit and
implicit claims and develop them in the sections of the essay? Using horizontal lines, divide the essay into its sections based on Rodriguez’s claims and
elaboration on those claims. Identify the purpose of each section, and, for each section of the essay, write an objective summary. Then, working in partner
groups created from your extension task group, make a list of Rodriguez’s claims in the essay. Be prepared to share your findings with the class. (RI.9-10.1,
RI.9-10.2, RI.9-10.5, RI.9-10.6)
• Using either Tan’s “Mother Tongue” or Rodriguez’s “Aria” as a mentor text, write a personal narrative essay about an experience in which language played a
role. (RL.9-10.10, W.9-10.3a-e, W.9-10.4, W.9-10.5, W.9-10.6, W.9-10.10, L.9-10.2c, L.9-10.6)
• Ongoing throughout the unit: In all written responses, students will use parallel structure, various types of phrases, and compound sentences joined by
semicolons and conjunctive adverbs in order to strengthen the quality of their writing. (L.9-10.1a-b, L.9-10.2a)
• Working with your extension task group, write a brief proposal for how “Aria” can be used in your group’s presentation. Be prepared to share this proposal
with one other group. (W.9-10.10)
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A12