MISSION STATEMENT
The Bethlehem Area School District, in partnership with the home and
community, is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment in
which each student will attain the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary
to become a productive citizen and lifelong learner in our technologically
demanding and culturally diverse society.
Course: English
Course #: 100, 101, 102
Text: Beers, Kylene, et al. Elements of Literature, Third Course. Austin: Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, 2005.
Level: Grade 9
Written By: Laurie Sage, Ali Tannous and Crystal George
Dept. Chairs: Natalie Chickey and George Ziegler
Prepared: SY 2009-10
Board Approved: July 2010
Course Descriptions:
English 9
Possessing students with a wide range of abilities, the English 9 course
enables students of all levels to read critically, think about text and writing on
a more analytical level, and improve writing skills through vocabulary and
language practice. This course provides the opportunity to differentiate
instruction through facilitating the opportunity for some students to use the
“Remediation” techniques, while others might benefit from the
“Extensions.”
English 9/Critical Literacy
English 9/Critical Literacy supports students in exploring and enhancing
analytical and critical reading, essay writing, and language skills. Specific
strategies that engage students before, during, and after reading provide the
groundwork needed for students to become more critical readers. Emphasis
on language and usage is emphasized through vocabulary activities, and
students are encouraged to transfer that knowledge into their own writing.
Activities that can aid critical literacy students and provide more support can
be found under the heading, “Remediation.”
Honors English 9
The philosophy for 9th grade Honors English focuses on engaging
motivated, curious learners in a period of rigorous learning that enables
them to enhance their skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The
course extends the English 9 curriculum through a more challenging
workload and intensifies expectations to facilitate independent and critical
inquiry both in and outside of the classroom.
While the course engages the students in many of the core texts of the
English 9 curriculum, it encourages students to look beyond surface analysis,
facilitating a more complex and critical outlook on literature, its nuances,
and its connection to the world’s realities. The course also possesses
increased rigor for writing, analytically, reflectively, and informatively.
Further, Honors English 9 includes a summer reading component, requiring
students to read and reflect on complex pieces of literature independently
before furthering their analysis through in class activities. In the curriculum,
activities designed for Honors English students can be found under
“Extensions.”
English 9: Life’s Pathways
Unit Title: Unit #1 - Identify and Self
Subject/Course: English 9
Estimated Instructional Time: 4 weeks
Instructional Focus
Big Idea:
Life’s complex pathways require students to recognize challenges in their lives and in the lives of characters.
Reading comprehension enhances critical thinking and is constructed through the intentional interaction between reader
and text.
Essential Questions:
Guiding Questions:
1. What are life’s complex pathways?
1. Explanation- How does adversity affect life’s pathways?
2. How does adversity positively and negatively affect
2. Interpretation- How does adversity influence a person’s
people’s lives?
decisions and actions?
3. Application- What problem-solving strategies can people
use to overcome adversity?
4. Perspective- How does a person’s point of view affect
how he or she overcomes adversity?
5. Empathy- How might it feel to personally deal with
adversity that affects life’s pathways?
6. Self-Knowledge- What personal qualities have helped
you to deal with life’s adversity?
Unit Objectives:
Enabling Objectives:
1. The students will recognize how author’s purpose and
Explore
use of literary and poetic devices affect life’s pathways.
• Explore and develop thesis essay
2. The student will read and analyze several genres of
• Explore and develop literary analysis
fiction and nonfiction texts.
• Explore and develop research essay
3. The students will apply reading strategies to critically
• Explore and develop thesis essay with research (5
analyze text.
paragraphs and 2-3 sources)
4. The students will expand his or her vocabulary by
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
learning and using words from the text.
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
5. The students will acquire knowledge of literary terms.
from text
6. The students will use knowledge of literary terms to
• Explore identification of author's strategies
identify and recognize terms within various genres of
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
literature.
settings, etc.)
7. The students will acquire knowledge of dramatic
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
devices and recognize them in the text.
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
8. The students will construct and deliver an oral
from text
presentation related to life’s pathways.
• Explore identification of author's strategies
9. The students will develop listening and communication • Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
skills to make them competent and coherent
settings, etc.)
communicators.
• Explore and develop terms and conventions of drama as a
10. The students will produce a thesis driven essay.
genre
11. The students will read and analyze research articles,
• Explore universal themes
internet resources, and print sources.
• Explore tragic hero
12. The students will compose a research essay following
• Explore character development
MLA format.
• Explore analysis of poetry
13. The students will produce a literary analysis essay
based on text.
14. The students will become independent thinkers and
demonstrate appropriate use of study skills.
15. The students will demonstrate the clarity of language
through coherent writing.
Develop
• Develop context clues
• Develop word-recognition skills
• Develop affixes and prefixes
• Develop terms and conventions of the short story as a
genre
• Develop BDA reading strategies
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop terms and conventions of poetry as a genre
• Develop study skills
• Develop note-taking skills
• Develop organizational skills
• Develop test-taking strategies
Texts / Resource Materials
Core Texts/Resources:
Poetry
1. “Thumbprint” (Daybook, 80)
2. “Where I’m From” (Daybook, 196)
3. “Hanging Fire” (Snapshots, 25)
Supplemental Texts/Resources:
Novel/Drama Choices
1. Big Mouth, Ugly Girl
2. Hole In My Life
3. The Glass Menagerie
Short Fiction
1. “Initiation” (Holt, 5)
Short Fiction
1. “Rules of the Game” (Adventures in Reading)
2. “Helen on Eighty-Sixth Street” (Holt, 127)
Nonfiction
1. “Memoir” (Daybook, 74)
Nonfiction
1. The Color of Water
Activities
Poetry:
“Thumbprint” by Eve Merriam (Daybook, 80)
Purpose:
• Students will be introduced to the theme of the unit and basic poetry terms.
• Students will gain a basic understanding of the unit theme through the analysis of the poem
“Thumbprint.”
• Students will link the uniqueness of individual identity to a personal thumbprint.
Before:
• Students will take a print of their thumb and analyze what the thumbprint represents using “Thumbprint
Analysis Sheet.”
• Students will determine if their personality matches the descriptions on the analysis sheet.
• Students will discuss what a thumbprint is used for (police record, id’s, etc.), leading to the idea of a
unique identifier.
During:
• While teacher reads aloud, students will write both reactions and questions to foster subsequent
discussion.
• Students will engage in a teacher-led discussion focusing on the meaning of the poem and the poetic
devices used to reinforce the theme.
After:
• Using the personal thumbprint, as a symbol of unique identity, discuss the importance of appreciating
and nurturing one’s own unique identity.
• Students will do a one-sentence summary of “Thumbprint” and relate it to the theme of one’s identity.
“Hanging Fire” by Audrey Lord (Snapshots, 25)
Purpose:
• Students will gain an understanding of the personal struggle to maintain one’s identity by identifying
fears and difficulties that they have faced while growing up.
• Students will also understand the purpose of poetic devices and point of view to convey the poem’s
meaning.
Before:
• Students will make predictions based on the title.
• Students will complete a journal entry: What do you struggle with as a teenager?
• Using a word splash or wall paint, students will predict what the narrator’s struggle in the poem will be.
During:
• Students will complete multiple reads focusing on “talking to the text” activities.
 The first read will focus on the reader’s personal connection with text.
 The second read will be to identify the meaning/main idea of the poem.
 The third read will focus on the analysis of poetic devices, such as structure, point of view,
voice, and repetition.
After:
• Through discussion students will share their responses to the analysis of the poem to determine the
critical worth of the poem to a teenage audience.
“Where I’m From” by George L. Lyon (Daybook, 196)
Purpose:
• Students will exam the use of vivid details in poetry.
• Students will examine their origins to further understand what makes them unique and different from
others.
Before:
• Students will create a drawing incorporating details that clearly depict the environment of their early
years.
• Using their drawings, students will discuss landmarks, memories, and characteristics specific to their
early home life and neighborhood.
• Options: If student is intimidated with the quick draw, a list of vivid written images will work as well.
During:
• After first reading, students will discuss unknown words and phrases.
• While reading, students will make a list of images that stand out to the reader.
• Based on reading and analysis, students will answer the question, “Where is the author from?”
After:
• Students will discuss the use of imagery in the poem to create concrete pictures in the reader’s mind.
• Students will determine the theme of the poem and connect it to the theme of one’s identity.
After All Poems:
• Students will choose one of the three poems to imitate in a personal writing about their identity.
• Using these three poems and other poems as models, students will strive to incorporate the themes and
poetic devices studied during this unit such as, imagery, repetition, figurative language, and alliteration.
Short Fiction:
“Initiation” by Sylvia Plath (Holt, 5)
Purpose:
• Students will be introduced to the short story genre.
• Students will continue to explore the theme of self/identity.
• Students will identify the effects of peer pressure in various situations.
Before:
• Using primary sources, students will gain background knowledge on initiation practices and hazing in
fraternities and sororities.
• Students may view film clips from the movie Skulls or the show Veronica Mars.
• Students will make predictions about the story using the title and discussions of fraternities/sororities.
• Students will write a paragraph snapshot making predictions about story.
• Students will examine the author’s age as related to the students.
During:
• Students will follow a guided reading model (see Holt p. 15).
• Given a model of a think-aloud, students will think-aloud the text.
• Students will continue reading while connecting to the text through post-it notes.
After:
• Students will reread the story to examine the literary devices used.
• Students will discuss the author’s choice and use of literary devices and its effect on the story.
• Students will compare the story to primary source documents of current events.
• Working in groups, students will write mini narratives including internal/external conflicts that apply to
teenage life (see “Extending and Evaluating” activity in Holt p. 15).
Personal Memoir:
“Memoir” by Ann Hood (Daybook, 74)
Purpose:
• Students will be introduced to autobiographical and nonfiction pieces with an emphasis on the personal
memoir.
• Students will continue to explore the theme of one’s identity.
Before:
• Students will reflect on memories triggered by previous readings.
• Student will define the characteristics of a memoir as compared to a personal narrative (see Daybook,
76).
• Students will make predictions about the author’s gender.
During:
• Students will read in pairs (think-pair-share) and brainstorm a list of what makes this memoir engaging.
• As a class, students will create a master list of the details and imagery that make the memoir engaging.
After:
• Students will discuss the effect the author’s use of imagery has in the creation of the memory.
• Students will brainstorm vivid personal memories from their own past.
• Students will isolate a “snapshot moment” from their favorite/most memorable event.
• Students will list sensory images from that moment.
• Students will write a memoir of their snapshot moment.
Novel:
Big Mouth, Ugly Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
Purpose:
• Students will be introduced to the genre of the novel.
• Students will examine the finding of identity/self by major characters in the novel.
Before:
• Students will discuss the presence and ramifications of rumors in school.
• Students will make a comic strip that shows how a rumor starts and ends using Comic Life (can be a
group activity or an individual project).
• Students will share their strips and discuss commonalities among the groups.
• Students will make predictions about the events of the book and the characters based on this pre-reading
activity and the title of the book.
During:
• Students will create character bulletin boards to explore changes in the characters over the course of the
novel and the characters’ dominant traits.
• Students will also use character maps and journaling to make connections between the characters’ and
students’ lives.
• Students will examine how Joyce Carol Oates’ use of grammar techniques (hyphen, parenthesis,
dialogue, sentence variation, etc.) influences her style.
• Students will “pass notes” about important details in the novel through a bulletin board blog (create
screen names - notes on index cards – post on board).
• Students will compare the characteristics of a novel with the characteristics of the short story.
After:
• Students will discuss the character development of the main characters throughout the novel.
• Students will discuss the plot structure of the novel.
• Students will write a character analysis focusing on a character’s dominant trait.
• An option can be for students to write a book review; however, if this option is chosen, students must
be taught how to write a review.
• Another option is to have students create a personal Life Map to show how students’ lives have
changed and evolved. Students can utilize laptops, digital scanners, digital cameras, I-Movie, Garage
Band, and CD-Rom
Key Terms
allusion, personification, simile, alliteration, repetition, theme, irony, chronological plot, character, setting, author’s style,
foreshadowing, empathy, imagery, setting, metaphor, flashback, character, short story (plot), conflict, character, third
person point-of-view, suspense, epiphany, symbol, mood, tone, protagonist, antagonist, first person point-of-view, voice,
inference
Assessments
Summative
• Unit Tests
• Model poem
• Snapshot Memoir
• About Me Project
o Students will create an “About Me” page from I-Web that includes their poem, memoir, and other
information about themselves.
o The “About Me” project will include the use of laptops, Garage Band (to have reluctant speakers record
their poems), and I-Web (to create a digital scrapbook page).
o Students will present their “About Me” pages to the class.
•
iMovie Project
o Students will create life maps on iMovie that highlight 7-10 events of their lives.
o Students will share memoirs with the class and submit for portfolio.
Formative
• Quizzes
• In Class Discussions
• Group Work
• Admit/Exit Slips
• Journal Entries
• Note-Taking
Differentiated Instruction
Extension
• Incorporate independent reading opportunities
• Encourage students to read short stories by the same author or in the same genre
• Use contemporary examples of video, music, and other formats to find common themes, characters, and plots of
short fiction
• Students examine criticisms of stories
• Students write a memory play
• Students analyze abstract art and relate it to themes, characters, and symbols of a text
• Students write a review of a written work
• Student led and group discussions analyzing the author’s search for identity in The Color of Water
• Create and respond to wikis and blogs based on literature
Remediation
• Use Holt adapted reader and Holt online resources
• Provide opportunities for revision on individual and group work through cooperative learning situations
• Teacher-directed discussions with specific guiding questions
• More frequent formative assessments
• More explicit strategy instruction
Special Education
• Allow partner/small group work in class
• Provide models/examples of terms, ideas, writing
• Provide background information before reading, i.e. time period, author, culture, etc.
• Provide chunking of test materials
• Extended time for assessments
• Provide graphic organizers for organization
• One on one instruction
• Follow IEP accommodations
ESOL
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use role playing, objects, pictures, and graphic organizers to create associations and support meaning
Paraphrase questions
Ask questions and encourage to offer explanations and summaries
Simplify questions by replacing lengthy or complex sentences with shorter, declarative phrases and sentences
Pair ESOL students with proficient, English speakers
Use heterogeneous grouping and cooperative learning situations
PA Standards / Anchors / Eligible Content
PA Standards:
1.1.11.A Locate various texts, media and traditional resources for assigned and independent projects before reading.
1.1.11.B Analyze the structure of informational materials explaining how authors used these to achieve their purposes.
1.1.11.C Use knowledge of root words and words from literary works to recognize and understand the meaning of new
words during reading. Use these words accurately in speaking and writing.
1.1.11.D Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were
most effective in learning from a variety of texts.
1.1.11.E Establish a reading vocabulary by identifying and correctly using new words acquired through the study of their
relationships to other words. Use a dictionary or related reference.
1.1.11.F Understand the meaning of and apply key vocabulary across the various subject areas.
1.1.11.G Demonstrate after reading understanding and interpretation of both fiction and nonfiction text, including public
documents.
1.1.11.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading.
1.2.11.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas.
1.3.11.A Read and understand works of literature.
1.3.11.B Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar
genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style.
1.3.11.C Analyze the effectiveness, in terms of literary quality, of the author’s use of literary devices.
1.3.11.F Read and respond to nonfiction and fiction including poetry and drama.
1.4.11.B Write complex informational pieces.
1.5.11.A Write with a sharp, distinct focus.
1.5.11.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic.
1.5.11.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization.
1.5.11.D Write with a command of the stylistic aspects of composition.
1.5.11.E Revise writing to improve style, word choice, sentence variety and a subtlety of meaning after rethinking how
questions of purpose, audience and genre have been addressed.
1.5.11.F Edit writing using the conventions of language.
1.5.11.G Present and/or defend written work for publication when appropriate.
1.6.11.A Listen to others.
1.6.11.B Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction).
1.6.11.C Speak using skills appropriate to formal speech situations.
1.6.11.D Contribute to discussions.
1.6.11.E Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations.
3.6.10.B Apply knowledge of information technologies of encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing, retrieving, and
decoding.
3.7.10.C Apply basic computer operations and concepts (solutions to basic hardware and software problems, advanced
input devices, hardware setup, software installation, operating system problems, keyboarding).
3.7.10.D Utilize computer software to solve specific problems (legal use of software, graphic manipulation, basic
multimedia applications, word processing, database, and spreadsheet skills, use of multiple software applications, use of
specialized software).
3.7.10.E Apply basic computer communications systems (online services, basic parts of a network, webpage components,
transferring files, online research).
Anchors/Eligible Content:
R11.A.1.1 Identify and apply the meaning of vocabulary (fiction)
R11.A.1.2 Identify and apply word recognition skills (fiction)
R11.A.1.3 Make inferences, draw conclusions, and make generalizations based on text (fiction)
R11.A.1.4 Identify and explain main ideas and relevant details (fiction)
R11.A.1.5 Summarize a fictional text as a whole
R11.A.1.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.2.2 Identify, interpret, describe, and analyze the point of view of the narrator in fictional and nonfictional text
R11.A.2.5 Summarize a nonfictional text as a whole
R11.A.2.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.3.1 Interpret, describe, analyze the characteristics and uses of facts and opinions in nonfictional text
R11.B.3.2 Distinguish between essential and nonessential information between or within texts
Unit Title: Unit #2 - Being an Outsider
Subject/Course: English 9
Estimated Instructional Time: 4 weeks
Instructional Focus
Big Idea:
Life’s complex pathways require students to recognize challenges in their lives and in the lives of characters.
Reading comprehension enhances critical thinking and is constructed through the intentional interaction between reader
and text.
Essential Questions:
1. What are life’s complex pathways?
2. How does adversity positively and negatively affect
people’s lives?
Unit Objectives:
1. The students will recognize how author’s purpose and
use of literary and poetic devices affect life’s pathways.
2. The student will read and analyze several genres of
fiction and nonfiction texts.
3. The students will apply reading strategies to critically
analyze text.
4. The students will expand his or her vocabulary by
learning and using words from the text.
5. The students will acquire knowledge of literary terms.
6. The students will use knowledge of literary terms to
identify and recognize terms within various genres of
literature.
7. The students will acquire knowledge of dramatic
devices and recognize them in the text.
8. The students will construct and deliver an oral
presentation related to life’s pathways.
9. The students will develop listening and communication
skills to make them competent and coherent
Guiding Questions:
1. Explanation- How does adversity affect life’s pathways?
2. Interpretation- How does adversity influence a person’s
decisions and actions?
3. Application- What problem-solving strategies can people
use to overcome adversity?
4. Perspective- How does a person’s point of view affect
how he or she overcomes adversity?
5. Empathy- How might it feel to personally deal with
adversity that affects life’s pathways?
6. Self-Knowledge- What personal qualities have helped
you to deal with life’s adversity?
Enabling Objectives:
Explore
• Explore and develop thesis essay
• Explore and develop literary analysis
• Explore and develop research essay
• Explore and develop thesis essay with research (5
paragraphs and 2-3 sources)
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
from text
• Explore identification of author's strategies
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
settings, etc.)
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
from text
• Explore identification of author's strategies
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
settings, etc.)
communicators.
10. The students will produce a thesis driven essay.
11. The students will read and analyze research articles,
internet resources, and print sources.
12. The students will compose a research essay following
MLA format.
13. The students will produce a literary analysis essay
based on text.
14. The students will become independent thinkers and
demonstrate appropriate use of study skills.
15. The students will demonstrate the clarity of language
through coherent writing.
•
•
•
•
•
Explore and develop terms and conventions of drama as
a genre
Explore universal themes
Explore tragic hero
Explore character development
Explore analysis of poetry
Develop
• Develop context clues
• Develop word-recognition skills
• Develop affixes and prefixes
• Develop terms and conventions of the short story as a
genre
• Develop BDA reading strategies
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop terms and conventions of poetry as a genre
• Develop study skills
• Develop note-taking skills
• Develop organizational skills
• Develop test-taking strategies
Texts / Resource Materials
Core Texts/Resources:
Poetry
1. “The World is Not a Pleasant Place to Be” (Holt, 52)
2. “Exile” (Holt, 306)
3. “Interment” (Holt, 513)
4. “Illegal Alien” (Holt, 549)
5. “Boy at the Window” (Holt, 527)
6. “Lost” (Holt, 475)
7. “Almost Ready” (Snapshots, 53)
Short Fiction
1. “Salvador Late or Early” (Holt, 638)
2. “Caline” (Holt, 575)
3. “To Da-duh, in Memoriam” (Holt, 609)
Supplemental Texts/Resources:
Short Fiction
1. “Jared” (Snapshots, 36)
2. “Dear Marcia” (Snapshots, 12)
3. “A Letter from the Fringe” (Snapshots, 235)
Novel/Drama Choices
1. Speak
2. Life in the Fat Lane
3. The Education of Littletree
4. Big Mouth, Ugly Girl
5. 1984
Nonfiction
1. The Color of Water
Nonfiction
1. “How to Eat a Guava” (Holt, 625)
Activities
Poetry:
“The World is Not a Pleasant Place to Be” by Nikki Giovanni (Holt, 52)
Purpose:
• Students will gain a clear understanding of the theme of isolation and alienation evident in this unit.
Before:
• In a free write style, students will describe a time and situation in which they felt out of place, clearly
showing the emotions they experienced.
During:
• Students will listen to the poem being read and list examples of metaphor and personification.
• The students will reread the poem in groups of 3-4 and discuss how the metaphors and personification
show the theme of being an outsider.
• The students will read and discuss the poem and focus on the power of using metaphor and
personification.
After:
• Students will change the words of the poem to fit their own lives.
• Students will share their changes with a small group and/or with the class.
• Students will write or discuss how their poem reflects what they need to make their world a pleasant
place to be.
“Almost Ready” by Arnold Adoff (Snapshots, 53)
Purpose:
• Students will understand that what they consider to be typical behaviors of teenagers are the same
behaviors that people stereotypically associate with teenagers.
• Students will determine whether or not stereotyping is a valid way to judge someone.
Before:
• Students will complete a Word Splash using words given to them from the poem by the teacher.
• Students will share their writings and discuss any similarities and/or differences.
• Students will discuss the stereotype of “cool” vs. “un-cool.”
• Students will discuss the various “masks” people wear.
During:
• In pairs, students will read the poem several times using different inflections, emphasis, rate, and
volume.
• Students will prepare a reading for the class using inflection, emphasis, rate, and volume to emphasize
the meaning of the poem.
• With their partners, students will draw conclusions as to why the narrator chooses to wear the mask.
After:
• Each pair of students will present its reading to the class. The class will offer feedback as to the
group’s creative reading (how it influenced the meaning/reading of the poem).
• Students will share their conclusions about why the narrator chooses to wear the mask.
• Students will revisit the discussion about the various masks people wear.
• In pairs, students can write an experimental poem showing the characteristic traits and details teenagers
use to create masks.
“Exile” by Julia Alvarez (Holt, 306)
“Interment” by Julia S. Kono (Holt, 513)
“Illegal Alien” by Pat Mora (Holt, 549)
Purpose:
• Students will identify the common theme of being an outsider throughout the three poems.
• Students will compare different author’s writing styles and approaches to the same theme: stranger in a
strange land, quest for a new life, forced exile.
Before:
• Students will review the titles of the poems and predict a common theme.
• Students will discuss what each of the terms/titles means to them (activate prior knowledge).
During:
• In groups of four, students will read each poem. They will find a similar theme and then support their
themes with examples from the text.
• Another possible activity is to have students jigsaw the poems. Assign students numbers 1, 2, or 3.
Each number reads a different poem and follows the directions for the above activity. Then, the
students form groups and share and discuss their poems.
After:
• Groups will present their findings to the class.
• The class will discuss the similarities and the differences from group to group.
• Using the supporting details found in the text, the class will reread the poems as
a group and discuss the effectiveness of each author’s writing style.
“Boy at the Window” by Richard Wilbur (Holt, 527)
”Lost” by Carl Sandburg (Holt, 475)
Purpose:
• Students will identify and imitate the use of powerful imagery to communicate a theme.
Before:
• Students will write detailed descriptions from an image projected on the screen. Students should be
sure to incorporate sensory details.
During:
• While listening to the poems as they are read aloud, students will record any powerful images that they
hear.
After:
• Students will share the images they found.
• The class will discuss how the imagery enhances the poems.
• Students will play Imagery Taboo. Students must describe a scene without using specified words.
(This can also be a pre-reading activity – images can be taken from the poems to be read.)
Short Fiction:
“Salvador Late or Early” by Sandra Cisneros (Holt, 638)
Purpose:
• Students will examine how an author’s particular style enhances a story.
Before:
• As a class, students will have a discussion of what style means while creating a list of writing
techniques and literary devices that create style.
During:
• As a class, students will listen to the teacher read the two to three times.
• After they have listened, students will make a list of reactions to the reading.
After:
• As students discuss their list of reactions, they will make connections to the list of stylistic devices
created during pre-reading.
• Students will clearly depict Salvador’s life and personality. They will discuss how so much information
is conveyed in such a brief writing due to the author’s style.
“Caline” by Kate Chopin (Holt, 575)
Purpose:
• Students will discuss how the motivation for change may set someone up for unrealistic expectations.
• Students will realize how change can be both frightening and exciting.
• Students will gain an understanding of author’s style focusing on word choice, sentence structure, and
use of literary devices.
• Students will understand how borders – geographical, cultural, social – can be both comforting and
limiting.
Before:
• Students will write about a time when they crossed a border and explain what happened.
• Students can also write about their dreams, i.e. what will their life be like twenty years in the future.
• Show the students pictures of various urban and rural locations. Students will make a list of words to
describe each picture and define the mood evoked by the details within each image.
• Students will have a “Tea Party.” Each student will be given an index card with a quote from the story.
(Quotes will focus on imagery and details from her home life, descriptions of the people on the train,
and description and details of her experience in the city.) Some students will have the same quote.
Students will then move around the room and share their quotes with one another. As they share
quotes, students will try to make connections and draw conclusions about what is happening in the
story.
During:
• As the students read, they will jot down images that depict Caline’s childhood world, the people on the
train, and her new world in the city.
• Responding to the text, students will indicate the mood at the beginning of the story and the end of the
story.
• Students will give examples of Chopin’s vivid images and fluent sentence structures to show her unique
style.
• Students will realize how Chopin’s concise, pithy style conveys deep meaning.
After:
• Using the images gathered during the reading, students will create a chart of the images of the country
versus the images of the city found in the story. Students will make connections between the images on
the chart and the images from the pre-reading activity.
• Students will draw conclusions about the differences Caline would have experienced.
• Using evidence from the story and the conclusions drawn from chart, students will interpret the mood
and the meaning of the last paragraph of the story.
• Students will make comparisons and contrasts between “Caline” and “Salvador Late or Early” in terms
of style.
“To Da-duh, in Memoriam” by Paule Marshall (Holt, 609)
Purpose:
• Students will realize how change can be both frightening and exciting.
• Students will gain an understanding of author’s style focusing on word choice, sentence structure, and
use of literary devices.
• Students will understand how borders – geographical, cultural, social – can be both comforting and
limiting.
• Students will understand the significance of flashback and first person point of view to enhance the
story.
• Students will understand the importance of historical time period and location to a story’s significance
and theme.
Before:
• Students will refer to the discussion of the images related to rural and city locations.
• Using the text references in both the teacher and student editions, students will gain an understanding of
the importance of the authentic time period, location, and author connection to this story.
During:
• Students will listen to the beginning of the flashback read aloud.
• Students will make a list of their reactions concerning the use of flashback, the beginning details of
setting that indicate departure and arrival, and the initial descriptions of the grandmother.
• Students will react to the author’s style based on what they have learned about style from the previous
two selections.
• Students will be placed in structured reading groups in which they have the option of reading silently
and responding to the text, or reading the story aloud and responding individually to the text.
Responses will focus on any questions the students have with regards to comprehension or analysis of
the text.
• Students should pay attention to the narrator’s sharing her experiences of New York City with her
grandmother.
After:
• In their structured reading groups, students will work together to answer and address and questions that
were elicited during the reading of the text.
• Students will list ways in which the grandmother’s experiences and environment are different from her
granddaughter’s.
• Students will discuss the value of the elderly and their years of wisdom and experience.
• In their groups, students will create a chart contrasting Marshall’s writing style with that of Cisneros
and Chopin.
Nonfiction:
“How to Eat a Guava” by Esmeralda Santiago (Holt p. 625)
Purpose:
• Students will gain an understanding of author’s style focusing on word choice, sentence structure, and
use of literary devices in a nonfiction piece.
• Students will understand how time influences memories.
• Students will understand the significance of flashback and first person point of view to enhance the
story.
• Students will understand the importance of historical time period and location to a story’s significance
and theme.
Before:
• Students will write about their favorite food and their memories related to that particular food (see
Quick Write instructions Holt p. 623).
• As a class, students will clarify the difference between tone and mood.
During:
• Students will read the selection, paying close attention to the sensory images created by the author’s
imagery and sensory details.
After:
• Students will discuss how this selection clearly shows the difference between Esmeralda’s current life
and her past.
• Students will discuss how once again a short, concise writing can have such an impact.
• Students will discuss the tone and the mood of the writing, clearly establishing the difference between
the two terms.
Optional Novel Choice:
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Purpose:
• Students will further explore the themes of alienation based on personal fears, conflicts, and alienations.
• Students will gain an understanding of character development and conflict to cause a character’s
epiphany.
• Students will further explore the elements of author’s style: word choice, figurative language, etc.
Before:
• In groups, students will brainstorm stereotypical roles found within any group of people.
• Students will create a list of characteristics upon which these stereotypes are based. (The cafeteria
scene in Means Girls may be used to illustrate this concept.)
• Students will write and/or discuss any truly significant and/or traumatic experience(s) which caused a
change in their behavior or beliefs.
• Students will be randomly grouped and assigned stereotypical roles to profile. “You are a…” tell what
the character will be about.
During:
• Students will read the novel independently with directed reading responses provided by the teacher,
such as Say Something, Think-Pair-Share, journaling focusing on the presence and impact of cliques in
school, class discussion, Learning Logs, Crystal Ball, Post-its, Word Splash.
After:
• Students will discuss the main character’s traumatic experience and its impact on her actions and beliefs
(epiphany).
• Students will discuss the steps taken by the protagonist to overcome her traumatic experience and
continue with her life.
• Using knowledge gained about style during the course of the unit, students will evaluate the author’s
style in terms of their personal preferences.
Key Terms
personification, repetition, inference, symbolism, inflection, theme, style, simile, connotation, denotation, tone, voice,
metaphor, allusion, imagery, diction, character, figurative language, mood, flashback, setting, conflict, predict, plot, point
of view, characterization, plot twist, irony, foreshadowing, epiphany
Assessments
Summative
• Unit Tests
• Five-Paragraph Thesis-Driven Essay
• iMovie Project
o Students will develop an I-Movie exploring cliques and alienation within their school and community,
including interviews, personal reflection, and research.
o Students will use research skills using online databases and WebQuests.
o Students will discuss copyright infringement and validity of websites.
o Students will compile research, storyboards, create interview questions and conduct interviews, and capture
images and video clips.
o Students will share projects with the class. Students will post the projects on the school websites. Students
will share the project with other classes.
Formative
• Quizzes
• In-Class Discussions
• Group Work
• Admit/Exit Slips
• Journal Entries
• Note-Taking
Differentiated Instruction
Extension
• Incorporate independent reading opportunities
• Encourage students to read short stories by the same author or in the same genre
• Use contemporary examples of video, music, and other formats to find common themes, characters, and plots of
short fiction
• Students examine criticisms of stories
• Students write a review of a written work
• Student-led and group discussions analyzing the author’s struggle with being an outsider in The Color of Water
• Form literature circles and have students discuss the theme of being an outsider as used in The Education of
Littletree
• Create and respond to wikis and blogs based on literature
• Students research various time periods and incidences in American history when citizens of a variety of races
were treated as outsiders
• Students will analyze character, themes, setting in 1984
Remediation
• Use Holt adapted reader and Holt online resources
• Provide opportunities for revision on individual and group work through cooperative learning situations
• Teacher-directed discussions with specific guiding questions
• More frequent formative assessments
• More explicit strategy instruction
• Students begin by writing a paragraph before developing a five-paragraph thesis-driven essay
Special Education
• Allow partner/small group work in class
• Provide models/examples of terms, ideas, writing
• Provide background information before reading, i.e. time period, author, culture, etc.
• Provide chunking of test materials
• Extended time for assessments
• Provide graphic organizers for organization
• One on one instruction
• Follow IEP accommodations
ESOL
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use role playing, objects, pictures, and graphic organizers to create associations and support meaning
Paraphrase questions
Ask questions and encourage to offer explanations and summaries
Simplify questions by replacing lengthy or complex sentences with shorter, declarative phrases and sentences
Pair ESOL students with proficient, English speakers
Use heterogeneous grouping and cooperative learning situations
PA Standards / Anchors / Eligible Content
PA Standards:
1.1.11.A Locate various texts, media and traditional resources for assigned and independent projects before reading.
1.1.11.B Analyze the structure of informational materials explaining how authors used these to achieve their purposes.
1.1.11.C Use knowledge of root words and words from literary works to recognize and understand the meaning of new
words during reading. Use these words accurately in speaking and writing.
1.1.11.D Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were
most effective in learning from a variety of texts.
1.1.11.E Establish a reading vocabulary by identifying and correctly using new words acquired through the study of their
relationships to other words. Use a dictionary or related reference.
1.1.11.F Understand the meaning of and apply key vocabulary across the various subject areas.
1.1.11.G Demonstrate after reading understanding and interpretation of both fiction and nonfiction text, including public
documents.
1.1.11.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading.
1.2.11.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas.
1.3.11.A Read and understand works of literature.
1.3.11.B Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar
genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style.
1.3.11.C Analyze the effectiveness, in terms of literary quality, of the author’s use of literary devices.
1.3.11.F Read and respond to nonfiction and fiction including poetry and drama.
1.4.11.B Write complex informational pieces.
1.5.11.A Write with a sharp, distinct focus.
1.5.11.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic.
1.5.11.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization.
1.5.11.D Write with a command of the stylistic aspects of composition.
1.5.11.E Revise writing to improve style, word choice, sentence variety and a subtlety of meaning after rethinking how
questions of purpose, audience and genre have been addressed.
1.5.11.F Edit writing using the conventions of language.
1.5.11.G Present and/or defend written work for publication when appropriate.
1.6.11.A Listen to others.
1.6.11.B Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction).
1.6.11.C Speak using skills appropriate to formal speech situations.
1.6.11.D Contribute to discussions.
1.6.11.E Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations.
3.6.10.B Apply knowledge of information technologies of encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing, retrieving, and
decoding.
3.7.10.C Apply basic computer operations and concepts (solutions to basic hardware and software problems, advanced
input devices, hardware setup, software installation, operating system problems, keyboarding).
3.7.10.D Utilize computer software to solve specific problems (legal use of software, graphic manipulation, basic
multimedia applications, word processing, database, and spreadsheet skills, use of multiple software applications, use of
specialized software).
3.7.10.E Apply basic computer communications systems (online services, basic parts of a network, webpage components,
transferring files, online research).
Anchors/Eligible Content:
R11.A.1.1 Identify and apply the meaning of vocabulary (fiction)
R11.A.1.2 Identify and apply word recognition skills (fiction)
R11.A.1.3 Make inferences, draw conclusions, and make generalizations based on text (fiction)
R11.A.1.4 Identify and explain main ideas and relevant details (fiction)
R11.A.1.5 Summarize a fictional text as a whole
R11.A.1.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.2.2 Identify, interpret, describe, and analyze the point of view of the narrator in fictional and nonfictional text
R11.A.2.5 Summarize a nonfictional text as a whole
R11.A.2.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.3.1 Interpret, describe, analyze the characteristics and uses of facts and opinions in nonfictional text
R11.B.3.2 Distinguish between essential and nonessential information between or within texts
Unit Title: Unit #3 - Friends and Enemies
Subject/Course: English 9
Estimated Instructional Time: 4 weeks
Instructional Focus
Big Idea:
Life’s complex pathways require students to recognize challenges in their lives and in the lives of characters.
Reading comprehension enhances critical thinking and is constructed through the intentional interaction between reader
and text.
Essential Questions:
1. What are life’s complex pathways?
2. How does adversity positively and negatively affect
people’s lives?
Unit Objectives:
1. The students will recognize how author’s purpose and
use of literary and poetic devices affect life’s pathways.
2. The student will read and analyze several genres of
fiction and nonfiction texts.
3. The students will apply reading strategies to critically
analyze text.
4. The students will expand his or her vocabulary by
learning and using words from the text.
5. The students will acquire knowledge of literary terms.
6. The students will use knowledge of literary terms to
identify and recognize terms within various genres of
literature.
7. The students will acquire knowledge of dramatic
devices and recognize them in the text.
8. The students will construct and deliver an oral
presentation related to life’s pathways.
9. The students will develop listening and communication
Guiding Questions:
1. Explanation- How does adversity affect life’s pathways?
2. Interpretation- How does adversity influence a person’s
decisions and actions?
3. Application- What problem-solving strategies can people
use to overcome adversity?
4. Perspective- How does a person’s point of view affect
how he or she overcomes adversity?
5. Empathy- How might it feel to personally deal with
adversity that affects life’s pathways?
6. Self-Knowledge- What personal qualities have helped
you to deal with life’s adversity?
Enabling Objectives:
Explore
• Explore and develop thesis essay
• Explore and develop literary analysis
• Explore and develop research essay
• Explore and develop thesis essay with research (5
paragraphs and 2-3 sources)
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
from text
• Explore identification of author's strategies
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
settings, etc.)
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
from text
• Explore identification of author's strategies
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
skills to make them competent and coherent
communicators.
10. The students will produce a thesis driven essay.
11. The students will read and analyze research articles,
internet resources, and print sources.
12. The students will compose a research essay following
MLA format.
13. The students will produce a literary analysis essay
based on text.
14. The students will become independent thinkers and
demonstrate appropriate use of study skills.
15. The students will demonstrate the clarity of language
through coherent writing.
•
•
•
•
•
settings, etc.)
Explore and develop terms and conventions of drama as
a genre
Explore universal themes
Explore tragic hero
Explore character development
Explore analysis of poetry
Develop
• Develop context clues
• Develop word-recognition skills
• Develop affixes and prefixes
• Develop terms and conventions of the short story as a
genre
• Develop BDA reading strategies
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop terms and conventions of poetry as a genre
• Develop study skills
• Develop note-taking skills
• Develop organizational skills
• Develop test-taking strategies
Texts / Resource Materials
Core Texts/Resources:
Poetry
1. “Thoughts of Hanoi” (The Holt Reader, 115)
Supplemental Texts/Resources:
Short Fiction
1. “Full Circle” (Holt, 173)
2. “Love in L.A.” by Dagoberto Gilb
Short Fiction
1. “The Cask of Amontillado” (Holt, 210)
2. “Disguises” (Holt, 249)
3. “My Delicate Heart Condition” (The Holt Reader, 92)
4. “The Sniper” (Holt, 261)
Novel/Drama Choices
1. Life in the Fat Lane
2. Lord of the Flies
Nonfiction
1. “Poe’s Final Days” (Holt, 222)
2. “Poe’s Death is Rewritten as Case of Rabies, Not
Telltale Alcohol” (Holt, 225)
3. “If Only Poe Had Succeeded When He Said Nevermore
to Drink” (Holt, 227)
4. “Rabies Death Theory” (Holt, 228)
5. “A Country Divided” (Holt, 281)
6. “Lives in the Crossfire” (Holt, 286)
7. “Internment” (Holt, 288)
8. “Peace Isn’t Impossible” (Holt, 290)
Activities
Poetry:
Optional poetry to connect to “The Sniper”:
“Thoughts of Hanoi” by Nguyen Thi Vinh (The Holt Reader, 115)
Purpose:
• Students will understand how different genres can express universal themes.
• Students will understand that civil war has the same effects no matter where on earth it occurs.
• Students will gain an understanding of the difficult task of the poet to condense the narrative and theme
into the limited space and structure of a poem.
Before:
• Students will review the events of “The Sniper” and the nonfiction pieces.
• Students will review poetic devices.
During:
• Students will read the poem several times focusing on sound, structure, and story.
After:
• Using the graphic organizer Imagery Wheel (The Holt Reader Teacher’s Manual p. 216), students will
list the poem’s imagery according to the five senses and give their overall impression of the poem and
the author’s message.
• In order to determine personal reading preferences, students will discuss which genre had the most
impact on them and why.
Optional Activities:
• Students will complete the Skills Practice in The Holt Reader p. 118 and Test Practice in The Holt
Reader pp. 118-119.
Short Fiction:
“The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe (Holt, 210)
Purpose:
• Students will do a Quick Write using a Venn diagram to contrast the characteristics associated with the
words “friends” and “enemies.” (See Make the Connection Quick Write” Holt p. 248)
• Students will understand that Poe is the father of the short story.
• Students will gain a better understanding of the literary terms relevant to the short story as a genre.
Before:
• Students will discuss idea of “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”
• Students will complete an Anticipation Guide exploring friends vs. enemies.
• Students will discuss times betrayal between friends has happened.
• Students will do a Quick Write exploring the idea of sweet revenge (see Holt p. 210)
• Students will complete a Word Splash in order to gain an understanding of Poe’s complex style.
• Students will complete a Probable Passage in order to better understand setting, character, conflict,
outcome, etc.
During:
• Students will listen to the audio version as they read the text.
• Students will stop to summarize after first sentence, first paragraph, etc.
• At designated points, the students will stop to make predictions and inferences in order to better
understand the text.
After:
• Students view a 15-minute video dramatizing the story to further understand the story meaning and
details.
• Using the Placemat activity, students will summarize the story.
• Students will look for evidence of the literary devices used by Poe to create the single effect of suspense
upon the reader.
• Students will determine whether or not Montresor is a reliable narrator (see Unreliable Narrator
worksheet, Holt Adapted Reader p. 49).
“Disguises” by Jean Fong Kwok (Holt, 249)
Purpose:
• Students will gain an understanding of the plight of someone in a foreign environment
• Students will trace character development, understanding internal and external conflicts.
Before:
• Students will discuss the possible implications of title (what words/images does the word “disguise”
evoke in students?).
• Viewing pictures of people from different cultures, students write quick responses of their reaction.
• Students will discuss their reactions to understand the differences between stereotype and truth.
• Students will discuss a time when they did something out of kindness and whether or not they expected
something in return.
• Students will do a Quick Write about the difficulties faced by being dropped in the middle of another
culture/country.
• Students will read Holt p. 248 to gain an understanding of Mrs. Chen’s cultural background.
During:
• Students will follow along during an oral reading of the story.
• Students will question and discuss the cultural references they do not understand.
• During reading, students will stop where appropriate to summarize and identify flashbacks.
• During reading, students will stop to make inferences regarding the characters’ actions.
• Based on their inferences, students will determine the characters’ internal and external conflicts.
After:
• Students will discuss Mrs. Chen’s internal and external conflicts throughout the story and what Mrs.
Chen learns about herself and her world.
• Students will discuss the motivation of young man at end of story.
• Student will write a one-sentence theme for the story.
• Students will discuss what motivates people to be kind, and whether or not kindness breeds more
kindness.
• Students will create a connection to the story by describing their own cultural customs.
“My Delicate Heart Condition” by Toni Cade Bambara (The Holt Reader, 92)
Purpose:
• Students gain a better understanding first person narrator, reliable narrator, internal and external
conflict, and character development.
• Student will understand how first person narration affects an author’s style by creating a distinct voice.
• Students will further understand the importance of kindness and loyalty friendship.
Before:
• After viewing a picture, students will draw conclusions. Students will share their conclusions and
realize the many different possible interpretations.
• Students will discuss a time they jumped to conclusions.
• Students will discuss the difference between literal and figurative meanings.
• Students will discuss how voice is influenced by an author’s style.
During:
• Individually, students will read the first part of the story (about Harriet and the Fly Family). As they
read, students will write down any questions they have about the story.
• As a class, students will discuss the first part of the story and clarify any questions they have.
• Individually, students will continue to read the story until the final break.
• Again, students will stop and discuss the events of the story.
• Students will make predictions about the end of the story.
• Students will finish reading the story and determine whether or not their predictions were correct.
After:
• Students will discuss Harriet’s dominant trait and support the trait with evidence from the text (see
Skills Practice, The Holt Reader, 103).
• Students will examine how Harriet’s misconceptions affect her behavior.
• Students will make connections to the story by referring to the pre-reading discussion of how jumping
to conclusions affects one’s behavior.
• For test-taking practice, students will complete the Skills Review - Literature and the Skills Review Vocabulary Development in The Holt Reader pages 104 – 105.
“The Sniper” by Liam O’ Flaherty (Holt, 261)
Purpose:
• The student will understand conflict, both internal and external, and its connection to plot sequence.
• Students will understand irony and its use for a surprise ending.
• Students will understand the elements of plot.
• Students will understand the impact of civil war upon humanity, turning friends into enemies.
• Students will connect the fiction to the nonfiction, gaining an understanding that art reflects life.
Before:
• Students will discuss the idea of conflict, especially within families and between friends.
• Students will read the background information provided on Holt p. 261 and will make connections to
the nonfiction selections about this topic.
• Students will respond to the title and make connections to current events.
• Students will define the elements of the plot line.
• Students will read the author biography on Holt p. 266 in order to understand the author’s perspective.
During:
• Students will follow along as the story is read aloud, stopping at needed points in the story for
clarification and explanation.
After:
• Students will discuss the events of the story, focusing on the sniper’s actions, thoughts, and reactions.
• Students will discuss the sniper’s personality traits to determine if he is heartless or zealous.
• Students will discuss the story’s surprise ending and the statement it makes about war.
Optional activity:
• In order to understand the importance of a provocative and thoughtful ending, students will write the
last line of their own short story.
• If time permits, students working alone or in groups, may develop a short story (following a specified
plot structure) that leads to their personal dramatic ending.
Nonfiction:
“Poe’s Final Days” by Kenneth Silverman (Holt, 222)
“Poe’s Death is Rewritten as Case of Rabies, Not Telltale Alcohol” by The New
York Times (Holt, 225)
“If Only Poe Had Succeeded When He Said Nevermore to Drink” by Robert E.
Benedetto (Holt, 227)
“Rabies Death Theory” by R. Michael Benitez, M.D. (Holt, 228)
Purpose:
• Students will gain an understanding of Poe as a prominent American literary figure.
• Students will learn reading skills necessary for nonfiction.
• Students will understand how to determine the validity of both primary and secondary sources.
• Students will determine main ideas and supporting details in a work of nonfiction.
• Students will compare and contrast the evidence found in the different nonfiction selections.
• Students will learn the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing
Before:
• Students will learn reading skills necessary for reading nonfiction by reading Holt (page 221).
During:
• In small groups, students will read through the selections once for meaning.
• One student from each group will reread a selection and determine the main idea and supporting details
of each. The student will write a summary of the selection to be presented to his/her group.
After:
• Students will present the summary to the group.
• The group will discuss the validity of the sources.
• Based on the evidence, students will determine which theory they believe.
• Students will realize that although Poe’s death makes for great mystery, his literary contributions make
him one of America’s most prominent writers.
“A Country Divided” by Patricia McMahon (Holt, 281)
“Lives in the Crossfire” by Laurel Holliday (Holt, 286)
“Internment” by Margaret McCrory (Holt, 288)
“Peace Isn’t Impossible” by George J. Mitchell (Holt, 290)
Purpose:
• Students will learn reading skills necessary for nonfiction.
• Students will understand how to determine the validity of both primary and secondary sources.
• Students will determine main ideas and supporting details in a work of nonfiction.
• Students will compare and contrast the evidence found in the different nonfiction selections.
• Students will learn the difference between summarizing and paraphrasing.
• Students will understand the need to determine an author’s purpose when reading nonfiction.
• Students will understand the historical significance of the time period.
• Students will understand the impact of war and conflict upon humanity.
Before:
• Students will continue to use the reading skill necessary to understand nonfiction by reading Holt p. 281
as an introduction to these selections.
• Students will discuss what they already know about the conflict in Ireland.
• Students will be told the focus for reading the selections is to gain background knowledge to be able to
understand the short story “The Sniper” and to define each author’s purpose.
During:
• Students will read the selections, stopping at the end of each selection to write down what they think the
author’s purpose is.
After:
• Students will share their responses.
• Students will complete the Test Practice in Holt pp. 292-293.
Novel:
Life in the Fat Lane by Cherie Bennett
Purpose:
• Students will understand the novel as a genre and determine its similarities to and differences from the
short story.
• Students will understand the unfairness of judging someone based on appearance.
• Students will understand the power of modern day media in the creation of stereotypes and perceptions.
• Students will further their understanding of the use of literary terms within a longer work of fiction.
Before:
• Students will write journal entries that will analyze discrimination in different forms: a time when they
unfairly judged someone, when someone unfairly judged them, America’s obsession with weight, the
diet industry, the American idea of beauty, what is beautiful, what makes a good friend, the role of
cliques and/or gangs, etc. (All of the above entries may also be used as discussion starters.)
• Students will complete an Anticipation Guide focusing on the above topics.
During:
• Students will use journal entries and class discussions to make connections with the novel.
• As they read, students will develop a Character on the Wall where students are free to add character
traits and descriptions to help form a mental picture as well as understand character motivations and
reaction.
• Students will discuss themes, characters, and plot at appropriate stopping points in the reading
After:
• Students will discuss character development of the main characters, focusing on all of the literary terms
related to character.
• Students will discuss the theme of the novel relating the message to the journal entries and discussions
in order to make connections to real life.
• Students will write a character analysis, using evidence from the text to defend a dominant trait
Key Terms
non-fiction, supporting details, main idea, compare, contrast, primary vs. secondary source, paraphrase, summarize,
verbal irony, dramatic irony, foreshadowing, setting, reliable narrator, point of view, suspense, mood, tone, symbol,
flashback, internal vs. external conflict, direct vs. indirect characterization, figurative language, first person narrator,
irony, author’s purpose, synthesize, plot, cause and effect, theme, imagery, inferences, poetic devices, novel structure,
epiphany
Assessments
Summative
• Unit Tests
• Novel Project with Life in the Fat Lane – Role on Wall/Character on Wall, Venn Diagram comparing and
contrasting Lara before and after, write an additional chapter which ends the book
• In-Class Debate with Poe articles – How did he actually die?
• Understanding the difference between primary and secondary sources using “The Sniper” articles
Formative
• Quizzes
• In-Class Discussions
• Group Work
• Admit/Exit Slips
• Journal Entries
• Note-Taking
Differentiated Instruction
Extension
• Incorporate independent reading opportunities
• Encourage students to read short stories by the same author or in the same genre
• Use contemporary examples of video, music, and other formats to find common themes, characters, and plots of
short fiction
• Students examine criticisms of stories
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students write a review of a written work
Create and respond to wikis and blogs based on literature
Research past Nobel Peace Prize winners (based on “Peace Isn’t Impossible” article)
Analyze the division of the island as related to the theme of “Friends and Enemies” in Lord of the Flies
Students will create an “Island Survival Guide” which can include survival necessities, a map of the island, an
analysis of important symbols and characters, and ways to prevent this from ending tragically
Students will analyze the effect of point of view in “Love in L.A.”
Remediation
• Use Holt adapted reader and Holt online resources
• Provide opportunities for revision on individual and group work through cooperative learning situations
• Teacher-directed discussions with specific guiding questions
• More frequent formative assessments
• More explicit strategy instruction
• Listen to “The Cask of Amontillado” audio version or read the children’s version before reading the actual story
• Keep character journals/timelines of main characters’ actions in Life in the Fat Lane
• Read Life in the Fat Lane in class, with partners, or in small groups
• Probable Passage for “Full Circle”
Special Education
• Allow partner/small group work in class
• Provide models/examples of terms, ideas, writing
• Provide background information before reading, i.e. time period, author, culture, etc.
• Provide chunking of test materials
• Extended time for assessments
• Provide graphic organizers for organization
• One on one instruction
• Follow IEP accommodations
ESOL
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use role playing, objects, pictures, and graphic organizers to create associations and support meaning
Paraphrase questions
Ask questions and encourage to offer explanations and summaries
Simplify questions by replacing lengthy or complex sentences with shorter, declarative phrases and sentences
Pair ESOL students with proficient, English speakers
Use heterogeneous grouping and cooperative learning situations
PA Standards / Anchors / Eligible Content
PA Standards:
1.1.11.A Locate various texts, media and traditional resources for assigned and independent projects before reading.
1.1.11.B Analyze the structure of informational materials explaining how authors used these to achieve their purposes.
1.1.11.C Use knowledge of root words and words from literary works to recognize and understand the meaning of new
words during reading. Use these words accurately in speaking and writing.
1.1.11.D Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were
most effective in learning from a variety of texts.
1.1.11.E Establish a reading vocabulary by identifying and correctly using new words acquired through the study of their
relationships to other words. Use a dictionary or related reference.
1.1.11.F Understand the meaning of and apply key vocabulary across the various subject areas.
1.1.11.G Demonstrate after reading understanding and interpretation of both fiction and nonfiction text, including public
documents.
1.1.11.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading.
1.2.11.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas.
1.3.11.A Read and understand works of literature.
1.3.11.B Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar
genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style.
1.3.11.C Analyze the effectiveness, in terms of literary quality, of the author’s use of literary devices.
1.3.11.F Read and respond to nonfiction and fiction including poetry and drama.
1.4.11.B Write complex informational pieces.
1.5.11.A Write with a sharp, distinct focus.
1.5.11.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic.
1.5.11.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization.
1.5.11.D Write with a command of the stylistic aspects of composition.
1.5.11.E Revise writing to improve style, word choice, sentence variety and a subtlety of meaning after rethinking how
questions of purpose, audience and genre have been addressed.
1.5.11.F Edit writing using the conventions of language.
1.5.11.G Present and/or defend written work for publication when appropriate.
1.6.11.A Listen to others.
1.6.11.B Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction).
1.6.11.C Speak using skills appropriate to formal speech situations.
1.6.11.D Contribute to discussions.
1.6.11.E Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations.
3.6.10.B Apply knowledge of information technologies of encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing, retrieving, and
decoding.
3.7.10.C Apply basic computer operations and concepts (solutions to basic hardware and software problems, advanced
input devices, hardware setup, software installation, operating system problems, keyboarding).
3.7.10.D Utilize computer software to solve specific problems (legal use of software, graphic manipulation, basic
multimedia applications, word processing, database, and spreadsheet skills, use of multiple software applications, use of
specialized software).
3.7.10.E Apply basic computer communications systems (online services, basic parts of a network, webpage components,
transferring files, online research).
Anchors/Eligible Content:
R11.A.1.1 Identify and apply the meaning of vocabulary (fiction)
R11.A.1.2 Identify and apply word recognition skills (fiction)
R11.A.1.3 Make inferences, draw conclusions, and make generalizations based on text (fiction)
R11.A.1.4 Identify and explain main ideas and relevant details (fiction)
R11.A.1.5 Summarize a fictional text as a whole
R11.A.1.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.2.2 Identify, interpret, describe, and analyze the point of view of the narrator in fictional and nonfictional text
R11.A.2.5 Summarize a nonfictional text as a whole
R11.A.2.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.3.1 Interpret, describe, analyze the characteristics and uses of facts and opinions in nonfictional text
R11.B.3.2 Distinguish between essential and nonessential information between or within texts
Unit Title: Unit #4 - Courage
Subject/Course: English 9
Estimated Instructional Time: 4 Weeks
Instructional Focus
Big Idea:
Life’s complex pathways require students to recognize challenges in their lives and in the lives of characters.
Reading comprehension of enhances critical thinking and is constructed through the intentional interaction between
reader and text.
Essential Questions:
Guiding Questions:
1. What are life’s complex pathways?
1. Explanation- How does adversity affect life’s pathways?
2. How does adversity positively and negatively affect
2. Interpretation- How does adversity influence a person’s
people’s lives?
decisions and actions?
3. Application- What problem-solving strategies can people
use to overcome adversity?
4. Perspective- How does a person’s point of view affect
how he or she overcomes adversity?
5. Empathy- How might it feel to personally deal with
adversity that affects life’s pathways?
6. Self-Knowledge- What personal qualities have helped
you to deal with life’s adversity?
Unit Objectives:
Enabling Objectives:
1. The students will recognize how author’s purpose and
Explore
use of literary and poetic devices affect life’s pathways.
• Explore and develop thesis essay
2. The student will read and analyze several genres of
• Explore and develop literary analysis
fiction and nonfiction texts.
• Explore and develop research essay
3. The students will apply reading strategies to critically
• Explore and develop thesis essay with research (5
analyze text.
paragraphs and 2-3 sources)
4. The students will expand his or her vocabulary by
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
learning and using words from the text.
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
5. The students will acquire knowledge of literary terms.
from text
6. The students will use knowledge of literary terms to
• Explore identification of author's strategies
identify and recognize terms within various genres of
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
literature.
settings, etc.)
7. The students will acquire knowledge of dramatic
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
devices and recognize them in the text.
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
8. The students will construct and deliver an oral
from text
presentation related to life’s pathways.
• Explore identification of author's strategies
9. The students will develop listening and communication • Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
skills to make them competent and coherent
settings, etc.)
communicators.
• Explore and develop terms and conventions of drama as
10. The students will produce a thesis driven essay.
a genre
11. The students will read and analyze research articles,
• Explore universal themes
internet resources, and print sources.
• Explore tragic hero
12. The students will compose a research essay following
• Explore character development
MLA format.
• Explore analysis of poetry
13. The students will produce a literary analysis essay
based on text.
14. The students will become independent thinkers and
demonstrate appropriate use of study skills.
15. The students will demonstrate the clarity of language
through coherent writing.
Develop
• Develop context clues
• Develop word-recognition skills
• Develop affixes and prefixes
• Develop terms and conventions of the short story as a
genre
• Develop BDA reading strategies
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop terms and conventions of poetry as a genre
• Develop study skills
• Develop note-taking skills
• Develop organizational skills
• Develop test-taking strategies
Texts / Resource Materials
Core Texts/Resources:
Short Fiction
1. “The Most Dangerous Game” (Holt, 16)
Nonfiction
1. “Can Animals Think?” (Holt, 39)
2. Newspaper Articles
Poetry
1.“My Father is a Simple Man” (Holt, 74)
2. “The Courage That My Mother Had” by Edna St. 3.
Vincent Millay (Holt, 537)
4. “Women Work” by Maya Angelou – (Holt, 485)
5. “Women” by Alice Walker – (Holt, 524)
6. “Daily” by Naomi Shihab Nye (Holt, 486)
7. “Los Ancianos” by Pat Mora (Holt, 356)
8. “9/11 Tribute Poem” by Billy Collins
Supplemental Texts/Resources:
Short Fiction
1. “Gift of the Magi” (Holt, 349)
2. “The Necklace” (Holt, 198)
3. “Harrison Bergeron” (Holt, 99)
4. “Ambush” (from The Things They Carried)
5. “War” (Jack London)
6. “The Survivor” (Walter Moudy)
7. “The Sniper” (Holt, 262)
Novel/Drama Choices
1. Life In The Fat Lane
2. 1984
Activities
Poetry:
“My Father is a Simple Man” (Holt, 74)
“The Courage That My Mother Had” by Edna St. Vincent Millay (Holt, 537)
“Women Work” by Maya Angelou (Holt, 485)
“Women” by Alice Walker (Holt, 524)
“Daily” by Naomi Shihab Nye (Holt, 486)
“Los Ancianos” by Pat Mora (Holt, 356)
“9/11 Tribute Poem” by Billy Collins
Purpose:
• Students will continue to explore the many definitions of courage.
• Students will continue to explore the power of poetry as a genre.
Before:
• Students will discuss the different types of courage, focusing on large acts of bravery versus quiet
moments of personal courage.
• Students will create a brief narrative snapshot showing a moment of courage by someone within their
personal world.
• Students will share their responses.
• Students will review reading skills necessary to better understand poetry.
During:
• Students will read both silently and aloud the different poetry selections, using the poetry-reading skills
with each piece. (The teacher will model these reading strategies and use different strategies with each
piece.)
• Students will annotate the poems with questions, connections, and responses as they read.
• Students will note and react to the structure of the poem on the page, noting line length and blank space.
• Students will note both rhyme scheme and free verse.
After:
• Students will discuss meaning of each poem.
• Using the annotations during reading, students will discuss the sound, structure, style, and story of each
poem.
Epic Poem
From Homer’s Odyssey
Before:
• Students will research gods and goddesses
• Students will familiarize themselves with The Illiad and its connections to The Odyssey
• Students will explore the epic poem and its style
• Students will research information about Greek culture
• Students will watch excerpts from the movie Helen of Troy
• Students will create a company related to a god or goddress’s power by creating a keynote or visual that
advertises the company
During:
• Students contrast movie and text
• Students will develop note taking skills by maintaining an organized journal of summaries, characters, and plot
• Students will visualize monsters through building and drawing them
• Students will analyze Odysseus as a round character and/or epic hero
• Students will dramatize episodes from the text
• Students will analyze qualities of an epic
• Students will make real world connections between Greek heroes and modern heroes
After
• Students write a character analysis essay on Odysseus
• Students write a literary analysis essay
• Students will take a unit test on the Odysseus and its themes
Short Fiction:
“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell (Holt, 16)
Purpose:
• Students will discover the many layers of the concept of courage.
• Students will continue to understand the importance of literary devices in fiction.
• Students will continue to interact with text to gain a better understanding while reading.
Before:
• Students will complete the Anticipation Guide “Take the Courage Test” from SIRS Discoverer.
• Students will do a Quick Write on the quote, “The world is made up of two classes – the hunters and the
hunted.”
• Students will discuss their responses.
• Students will do a Quick Write on whether or not animals feel.
During:
• Students will read the opening of the story and identify the mood of the story.
• Students will make predictions based on the mood.
• While reading, students will stop and make predictions based on the clue statements indicated in the
text.
• Students will use sticky notes to interact with text while reading, focusing on setting, predictions, and
conflict/plot.
• While reading, students will complete an “I Feel” chart from the point of view of Rainsford
After:
• Students will return to the original writing prompt(s) and revisit their answers.
• Students will rewrite their responses from the pint of view of Rainsford.
• Students will discuss the plot structure of the story and its surprise ending.
• Students can “Take the Test Practice” in The Holt Reader p. 36.
• In order to understand the importance of gathering text evidence, students will write a factual
newspaper account about the events on the island.
Nonfiction:
“Can Animals Think?” by Eugene Linden (Holt, 39)
Purpose:
• Students will practice research skills of gathering information through summary, paraphrase, and direct
quote.
• Students will learn the importance of the Works Cited by creating a Works Cited entry.
Before:
• Students will share personal stories about animals in their lives that obviously showed a thought process
and/or outsmarted humans.
• Students’ purpose for reading the selection will be to gather research on the topic, “Can Animals
Think?”
During:
• Students will read the selection in groups of three. Each student will be responsible for finding
appropriate supporting details on one page. Each student will create a summary, a paraphrase, and a
direct quote.
After:
• Students will write a Works Cited entry, which will appear at the end of their paragraph, for the article.
• In their groups, students jigsaw their details.
• The groups will choose the best supporting detail from each person.
• Using Inspiration, the group will put the details together in a web.
• From the web, the group will create a research paragraph incorporating their details and defending the
topic.
• Each group will present and compare paragraphs.
Newspaper articles related to unit
Purpose:
• Students will reinforce research skills.
• Students will continue to practice MLA format and Works Cited entries.
Before:
• Students will find nonfiction articles related to the theme of courage, being sure to have publishing
information.
• Students will give a one-sentence summary about the article.
During:
• Students will read everyone else’s articles, keeping track of personal favorites.
• After reading is completed, students will rate the top three articles in order of preference.
(The teacher will have to make copies of the articles for students to use.)
After:
• Students will create citations for their three favorite articles.
• Students will create annotations for each of three articles. The annotations will include a brief
summary, the connection to theme of courage, and why they chose the article.
Key Terms
plot, antagonist, protagonist, conflict, foreshadowing, flashback, suspense, mood, setting (as an antagonist), point of view,
author’s purpose, evaluate, expository text, generalization, context clues, informal text, nonfiction, paraphrase, print
media, reading critically, research, primary and secondary source, validity, poetic devices, theme, epic/homeric simile,
epic hero, epithet, epic poem, round/flat character
Assessments
Summative
• Unit Tests
• Literary Analysis/Character Analysis Essay
• Tribute Poem
o Using what they have learned about sound, structure, style, and story, students will create a tribute poem
about someone who has demonstrated courage in their own lives. The teacher will determine the
requirements.
o If time permits, students can create a visual such as an iMovie or iDVD to accompany the poem.
Formative
• Quizzes
• In Class Discussions
• Group Work
• Admit/Exit Slips
• Journal Entries
• Note-Taking
Differentiated Instruction
Extensions
• Complete “Manhunt” activity for “The Most Dangerous Game”
• Analyze character, plot, and theme as related to courage in 1984
• Incorporate independent reading opportunities
• Encourage students to read short stories by the same author or in the same genre
• Use contemporary examples of video, music, and other formats to find common themes, characters, and plots of
short fiction
• Students examine criticisms of stories
• Students read personally chosen short stories and complete class presentations based on critical readings of those
stories
• Compare the presence the courage in “The Sniper,” “The Survivor,” “Ambush,” and “War”
Remediation
• Use Holt adapted reader and Holt online resources
• Provide opportunities for revision on individual and group work through cooperative learning situations
• Teacher-directed discussions with specific guiding questions
• More frequent formative assessments
• More explicit strategy instruction
• Create a model poem based on “Woman Work”
• Keep character journals or timelines of the main characters’ actions in Life in the Fat Lane
• Read Life In the Fat Lane in partners or small groups
• For “9/11 Tribute Poem,” complete background research
Special Education
• Allow partner/small group work in class
• Provide models/examples of terms, ideas, writing
• Provide background information before reading, i.e. time period, author, culture, etc.
• Provide chunking of test materials
• Extended time for assessments
• Provide graphic organizers for organization
• One on one instruction
• Follow IEP accommodations
• Use resources found in Holt Reading Solutions
ESOL
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use role playing, objects, pictures, and graphic organizers to create associations and support meaning
Paraphrase questions
Ask questions and encourage to offer explanations and summaries
Simplify questions by replacing lengthy or complex sentences with shorter, declarative phrases and sentences
Pair ESOL students with proficient, English speakers
Use heterogeneous grouping and cooperative learning situations
PA Standards / Anchors / Eligible Content
PA Standards:
1.1.11.A Locate various texts, media and traditional resources for assigned and independent projects before reading.
1.1.11.B Analyze the structure of informational materials explaining how authors used these to achieve their purposes.
1.1.11.C Use knowledge of root words and words from literary works to recognize and understand the meaning of new
words during reading. Use these words accurately in speaking and writing.
1.1.11.D Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were
most effective in learning from a variety of texts.
1.1.11.E Establish a reading vocabulary by identifying and correctly using new words acquired through the study of their
relationships to other words. Use a dictionary or related reference.
1.1.11.F Understand the meaning of and apply key vocabulary across the various subject areas.
1.1.11.G Demonstrate after reading understanding and interpretation of both fiction and nonfiction text, including public
documents.
1.1.11.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading.
1.2.11.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas.
1.3.11.A Read and understand works of literature.
1.3.11.B Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar
genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style.
1.3.11.C Analyze the effectiveness, in terms of literary quality, of the author’s use of literary devices.
1.3.11.F Read and respond to nonfiction and fiction including poetry and drama.
1.4.11.B Write complex informational pieces.
1.5.11.A Write with a sharp, distinct focus.
1.5.11.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic.
1.5.11.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization.
1.5.11.D Write with a command of the stylistic aspects of composition.
1.5.11.E Revise writing to improve style, word choice, sentence variety and a subtlety of meaning after rethinking how
questions of purpose, audience and genre have been addressed.
1.5.11.F Edit writing using the conventions of language.
1.5.11.G Present and/or defend written work for publication when appropriate.
1.6.11.A Listen to others.
1.6.11.B Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction).
1.6.11.C Speak using skills appropriate to formal speech situations.
1.6.11.D Contribute to discussions.
1.6.11.E Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations.
3.6.10.B Apply knowledge of information technologies of encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing, retrieving, and
decoding.
3.7.10.C Apply basic computer operations and concepts (solutions to basic hardware and software problems, advanced
input devices, hardware setup, software installation, operating system problems, keyboarding).
3.7.10.D Utilize computer software to solve specific problems (legal use of software, graphic manipulation, basic
multimedia applications, word processing, database, and spreadsheet skills, use of multiple software applications, use of
specialized software).
3.7.10.E Apply basic computer communications systems (online services, basic parts of a network, webpage components,
transferring files, online research).
Anchors/Eligible Content:
R11.A.1.1 Identify and apply the meaning of vocabulary (fiction)
R11.A.1.2 Identify and apply word recognition skills (fiction)
R11.A.1.3 Make inferences, draw conclusions, and make generalizations based on text (fiction)
R11.A.1.4 Identify and explain main ideas and relevant details (fiction)
R11.A.1.5 Summarize a fictional text as a whole
R11.A.1.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.2.2 Identify, interpret, describe, and analyze the point of view of the narrator in fictional and nonfictional text
R11.A.2.5 Summarize a nonfictional text as a whole
R11.A.2.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.3.1 Interpret, describe, analyze the characteristics and uses of facts and opinions in nonfictional text
R11.B.3.2 Distinguish between essential and nonessential information between or within texts
Unit Title: Unit #5 - Justice vs. Injustice
Subject/Course: English 9
Estimated Instructional Time: 4 weeks
Instructional Focus
Big Idea:
Life’s complex pathways require students to recognize challenges in their lives and in the lives of characters.
Reading comprehension enhances critical thinking and is constructed through the intentional interaction between reader
and text.
Essential Questions:
1. What are life’s complex pathways?
2. How does adversity positively and negatively affect
people’s lives?
Unit Objectives:
1. The students will recognize how author’s purpose and
use of literary and poetic devices affect life’s pathways.
2. The student will read and analyze several genres of
fiction and nonfiction texts.
3. The students will apply reading strategies to critically
analyze text.
4. The students will expand his or her vocabulary by
learning and using words from the text.
5. The students will acquire knowledge of literary terms.
6. The students will use knowledge of literary terms to
identify and recognize terms within various genres of
literature.
7. The students will acquire knowledge of dramatic
devices and recognize them in the text.
8. The students will construct and deliver an oral
presentation related to life’s pathways.
9. The students will develop listening and communication
skills to make them competent and coherent
communicators.
10. The students will produce a thesis driven essay.
11. The students will read and analyze research articles,
internet resources, and print sources.
12. The students will compose a research essay following
MLA format.
13. The students will produce a literary analysis essay
based on text.
14. The students will become independent thinkers and
demonstrate appropriate use of study skills.
15. The students will demonstrate the clarity of language
through coherent writing.
Guiding Questions:
1. Explanation- How does adversity affect life’s pathways?
2. Interpretation- How does adversity influence a person’s
decisions and actions?
3. Application- What problem-solving strategies can people
use to overcome adversity?
4. Perspective- How does a person’s point of view affect
how he or she overcomes adversity?
5. Empathy- How might it feel to personally deal with
adversity that affects life’s pathways?
6. Self-Knowledge- What personal qualities have helped
you to deal with life’s adversity?
Enabling Objectives:
Explore
• Explore and develop thesis essay
• Explore and develop literary analysis
• Explore and develop research essay
• Explore and develop thesis essay with research (5
paragraphs and 2-3 sources)
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
from text
• Explore identification of author's strategies
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
settings, etc.)
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
from text
• Explore identification of author's strategies
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
settings, etc.)
• Explore and develop terms and conventions of drama as
a genre
• Explore universal themes
• Explore tragic hero
• Explore character development
• Explore analysis of poetry
Develop
• Develop context clues
• Develop word-recognition skills
• Develop affixes and prefixes
• Develop terms and conventions of the short story as a
genre
• Develop BDA reading strategies
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop terms and conventions of poetry as a genre
• Develop study skills
• Develop note-taking skills
• Develop organizational skills
•
Develop test-taking strategies
Texts / Resource Materials
Core Texts/Resources:
Poetry
1. “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes
2. “Ballad of Birmingham” (Holt, 540)
Supplemental Texts/Resources:
Novel/Drama Choices
1. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
(screenplay by Francis Goodrich)
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (screenplay by
Horton Foote)
(Intersperse full-length texts with screenplays or vice-versa)
Nonfiction
1. “A Defense of the Jury System” (Holt, 370)
2. Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (www.pbs.org)
3. “The History Behind the Ballad” (Holt, 542)
(companion to poem)
4. “Weapons of the Spirit” (Holt, 447)
5. “Letter to President Roosevelt” (Holt, 448)
6. “On the Abolition of the Threat of War”(Holt, 450)
7. “The Arms Race” (Holt, 451)
8. In the Camps: Teens Who Survived the Nazi
Concentration Camps by Toby Axelrod
9. Diary entries from teenagers living through the
Holocaust
3. The Devil’s Arithmetic
Activities
Poetry:
Holocaust poems
“I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes
“Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall (Holt, 540)
Purpose:
• Students will gain an understanding of the themes of justice and injustice.
• Students will gain knowledge of the historical significance of the time period.
Before:
(The teacher will connect the before activities with the various reading selections.)
• Students will recall prior knowledge about the historical significance of the time period.
• Students will respond to pictures of the historical time period.
• In writing, students will speculate what it would have been like to live in that time period.
• Students will gain a better understanding of the time period through Web quests.
• Students will gain a better understanding of the time period through viewing video clips of the time
period.
• Students will complete various activities to help them understand the time period, such as the Suitcase
activity (If the student were being sent to a concentration camp, what things would he/she take with
him/her?).
During:
• Students will engage in a variety of activities to connect with the poetry. Students will annotate the
poems with questions and reactions in order to understand the meaning of the poem.
• Students will annotate the poems with connections to relate to the poets’ experiences.
• Students will begin Learning Log diaries by writing reactions to the poems. These logs will be
expanded upon during the various readings in this unit.
After:
• Students will discuss their reactions to the poems.
• Students will discuss the messages of the poems.
• Students will discuss the poetic devices used to enhance the messages of the poems.
• Students will connect their reactions to the poems to the pre-reading activities.
• If doing the Suitcase activity, students will review what was packed – is it important?
Nonfiction:
“A Defense of the Jury System” by Thomas M. Ross, Esq. (Holt, 370)
Scottsboro: An American Tragedy (www.pbs.org)
“The History Behind the Ballad” by Taylor Branch (Holt, 542) (companion to
poem)
“Weapons of the Spirit” by Albert Einstein (Holt, 447)
“Letter to President Roosevelt” by Albert Einstein (Holt, 448)
“On the Abolition of the Threat of War” by Albert Einstein (Holt, 450)
“The Arms Race” by Albert Einstein (Holt, 451)
In the Camps: Teens Who Survived the Nazi Concentration Camps by Toby Axelrod
Diary entries from teenagers living through the Holocaust
Purpose:
• Students will read nonfiction and primary sources related to time period to gain more understanding of
the time period.
• Students will continue to develop the strategies needed for the research process.
Before:
(The teacher will connect the before activities with the various reading selections.)
• Students will complete a K-W-W-L related to one of the topics.
• Students will discuss propaganda techniques, especially those used by political leaders.
• Students will view movie clips and/or complete web quests to learn more about the time period.
During:
• Students will continue to annotate text with reactions, questions, and connections.
• Students will continue to add to their Learning Log diaries.
After:
• Students will discuss the author’s purpose of the selections.
• Using various articles, students will continue to develop the skills of paraphrasing, summarizing, and
quoting.
• Students will write responses to events depicted in the articles.
• Students will write responses to the important messages found in the articles.
Novel/Drama:
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (screenplay by Francis Goodrich)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (screenplay by Horton Foote)
(Intersperse full-length texts with screenplays or vice-versa)
Purpose:
• Students will compare the genre of a screenplay to the genre of a novel.
• Students will continue to explore the theme of justice vs. injustice.
• Students will understand the concept of passive resistance versus violent rebellion.
• Students will understand the horrors of oppression and prejudice.
• Students will gain an appreciation for the courageous heroes of the time period.
Before:
• Students will discuss the conventions of a screenplay and what makes it different from a novel.
• Students will have a class discussion bringing together all prior knowledge from the poetry and
nonfiction selections.
During:
• Students will have assigned roles and read aloud the screenplay.
• After logical breaks in the play, students will discuss reactions and predictions.
• Students will dramatize portions of the screenplay.
• Students will continue to write responses in their Learning Logs.
• Students will create character logs and/or charts.
• Students will use Ticket Out/Exit Statements as a closure activity at the end of each section of reading.
After:
• Students will watch selected scenes or whole film:
Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001)
The Devil’s Arithmetic
Anne Frank Remembered (1995) – Documentary
To Kill a Mockingbird (1960)
• After reviewing their Learning Logs, students will identify their three most significant reactions to the
injustices of the time period.
• Students will then write a paragraph indicating what they have learned during this unit.
• Students will share their reactions and life lessons with the class.
• Students will discuss the heroic characters and real people met during this unit.
• Students will revisit the idea of courage in the face of injustice.
Key Terms
poetic devices, theme, author’s purpose, bias, cause and effect, editorials, evaluate, expository text, generalization,
context clues, informational text, non-fiction, paraphrase, print media, propaganda, research, primary vs. secondary
sources, validity, allusion, analysis, dialogue, genre, inference, point of view, plot, text structure
Assessments
Summative
• Unit Tests
• Five-Paragraph Thesis-Driven Essay with Research
• Research Presentations
Formative
• Quizzes
• In-Class Discussions
• Group Work
• Admit/Exit Slips
• Journal Entries
• Note-Taking
• Webquest
Differentiated Instruction
Extension
• Incorporate independent reading opportunities
• Encourage students to read short stories by the same author or in the same genre
• Use contemporary examples of video, music, and other formats to find common themes, characters, and plots of
short fiction
• Students examine criticisms of stories
• Students write a review of a written work
• Create and respond to wikis and blogs based on literature
• Compare the events of To Kill a Mockingbird to the “Ballad of Birmingham” and the events during the Civil
Rights movement
• Keep a scrapbook of the major justices and injustices that occur throughout To Kill a Mockingbird
• Compare and contrast the movie and the novel (To Kill a Mockingbird)
• Students will write a literary analysis of To Kill a Mockingbird based on life lessons learned
Remediation
• Use Holt adapted reader and Holt online resources
• Provide opportunities for revision on individual and group work through cooperative learning situations
• Teacher-directed discussions with specific guiding questions
• More frequent formative assessments
• More explicit strategy instruction
• Read the screenplay version of To Kill a Mockingbird
• Students will act out selected scenes from the screenplay
• Watch selected scenes of the movies that parallel the novels
• Students will work in pairs to complete the research presentation and essay
Special Education
• Allow partner/small group work in class
• Provide models/examples of terms, ideas, writing
• Provide background information before reading, i.e. time period, author, culture, etc.
• Provide chunking of test materials
• Extended time for assessments
• Provide graphic organizers for organization
• One on one instruction
• Be aware of IEP accommodation
ESOL
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use role playing, objects, pictures, and graphic organizers to create associations and support meaning
Paraphrase questions
Ask questions and encourage to offer explanations and summaries
Simplify questions by replacing lengthy or complex sentences with shorter, declarative phrases and sentences
Pair ESOL students with proficient, English speakers
Use heterogeneous grouping and cooperative learning situations
PA Standards / Anchors / Eligible Content
PA Standards:
1.1.11.A Locate various texts, media and traditional resources for assigned and independent projects before reading.
1.1.11.B Analyze the structure of informational materials explaining how authors used these to achieve their purposes.
1.1.11.C Use knowledge of root words and words from literary works to recognize and understand the meaning of new
words during reading. Use these words accurately in speaking and writing.
1.1.11.D Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were
most effective in learning from a variety of texts.
1.1.11.E Establish a reading vocabulary by identifying and correctly using new words acquired through the study of their
relationships to other words. Use a dictionary or related reference.
1.1.11.F Understand the meaning of and apply key vocabulary across the various subject areas.
1.1.11.G Demonstrate after reading understanding and interpretation of both fiction and nonfiction text, including public
documents.
1.1.11.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading.
1.2.11.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas.
1.3.11.A Read and understand works of literature.
1.3.11.B Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar
genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style.
1.3.11.C Analyze the effectiveness, in terms of literary quality, of the author’s use of literary devices.
1.3.11.F Read and respond to nonfiction and fiction including poetry and drama.
1.4.11.B Write complex informational pieces.
1.5.11.A Write with a sharp, distinct focus.
1.5.11.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic.
1.5.11.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization.
1.5.11.D Write with a command of the stylistic aspects of composition.
1.5.11.E Revise writing to improve style, word choice, sentence variety and a subtlety of meaning after rethinking how
questions of purpose, audience and genre have been addressed.
1.5.11.F Edit writing using the conventions of language.
1.5.11.G Present and/or defend written work for publication when appropriate.
1.6.11.A Listen to others.
1.6.11.B Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction).
1.6.11.C Speak using skills appropriate to formal speech situations.
1.6.11.D Contribute to discussions.
1.6.11.E Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations.
3.6.10.B Apply knowledge of information technologies of encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing, retrieving, and
decoding.
3.7.10.C Apply basic computer operations and concepts (solutions to basic hardware and software problems, advanced
input devices, hardware setup, software installation, operating system problems, keyboarding).
3.7.10.D Utilize computer software to solve specific problems (legal use of software, graphic manipulation, basic
multimedia applications, word processing, database, and spreadsheet skills, use of multiple software applications, use of
specialized software).
3.7.10.E Apply basic computer communications systems (online services, basic parts of a network, webpage components,
transferring files, online research).
Anchors/Eligible Content:
R11.A.1.1 Identify and apply the meaning of vocabulary (fiction)
R11.A.1.2 Identify and apply word recognition skills (fiction)
R11.A.1.3 Make inferences, draw conclusions, and make generalizations based on text (fiction)
R11.A.1.4 Identify and explain main ideas and relevant details (fiction)
R11.A.1.5 Summarize a fictional text as a whole
R11.A.1.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.2.2 Identify, interpret, describe, and analyze the point of view of the narrator in fictional and nonfictional text
R11.A.2.5 Summarize a nonfictional text as a whole
R11.A.2.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.3.1 Interpret, describe, analyze the characteristics and uses of facts and opinions in nonfictional text
R11.B.3.2 Distinguish between essential and nonessential information between or within texts
Unit Title: Unit #6 -Decisions and Consequences
Subject/Course: English 9
Estimated Instructional Time: 4 Weeks
Instructional Focus
Big Idea:
Life’s complex pathways require students to recognize challenges in their lives and in the lives of characters.
Reading comprehension of enhances critical thinking nd is constructed through the intentional interaction between reader
and text.
Essential Questions:
1. What are life’s complex pathways?
2. How does adversity positively and negatively affect
people’s lives?
Unit Objectives:
1. The students will recognize how author’s purpose and
use of literary and poetic devices affect life’s pathways.
2. The student will read and analyze several genres of
fiction and nonfiction texts.
3. The students will apply reading strategies to critically
analyze text.
4. The students will expand his or her vocabulary by
learning and using words from the text.
5. The students will acquire knowledge of literary terms.
6. The students will use knowledge of literary terms to
identify and recognize terms within various genres of
literature.
7. The students will acquire knowledge of dramatic
devices and recognize them in the text.
8. The students will construct and deliver an oral
presentation related to life’s pathways.
9. The students will develop listening and communication
skills to make them competent and coherent
communicators.
10. The students will produce a thesis driven essay.
11. The students will read and analyze research articles,
internet resources, and print sources.
12. The students will compose a research essay following
MLA format.
13. The students will produce a literary analysis essay
Guiding Questions:
1. Explanation- How does adversity affect life’s pathways?
2. Interpretation- How does adversity influence a person’s
decisions and actions?
3. Application- What problem-solving strategies can people
use to overcome adversity?
4. Perspective- How does a person’s point of view affect
how he or she overcomes adversity?
5. Empathy- How might it feel to personally deal with
adversity that affects life’s pathways?
6. Self-Knowledge- What personal qualities have helped
you to deal with life’s adversity?
Enabling Objectives:
Explore
• Explore and develop thesis essay
• Explore and develop literary analysis
• Explore and develop research essay
• Explore and develop thesis essay with research (5
paragraphs and 2-3 sources)
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
from text
• Explore identification of author's strategies
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
settings, etc.)
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
from text
• Explore identification of author's strategies
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
settings, etc.)
• Explore and develop terms and conventions of drama as
a genre
• Explore universal themes
• Explore tragic hero
• Explore character development
• Explore analysis of poetry
based on text.
14. The students will become independent thinkers and
demonstrate appropriate use of study skills.
15. The students will demonstrate the clarity of language
through coherent writing.
Develop
• Develop context clues
• Develop word-recognition skills
• Develop affixes and prefixes
• Develop terms and conventions of the short story as a
genre
• Develop BDA reading strategies
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop terms and conventions of poetry as a genre
• Develop study skills
• Develop note-taking skills
• Develop organizational skills
• Develop test-taking strategies
Texts / Resource Materials
Core Texts/Resources:
Poetry
1.“Forgive My Guilt” (Holt, 150)
2. from The Book of Questions “XXII” “XLIV”
(Snapshots, 185)
3. “Race Politics” (Daybook, 164)
4. “We Real Cool” (Hip Hop Poetry)
Short Fiction
1. “Poison” (Holt, 338)
2. “Marigolds” (Holt 141)
3. “The Scarlet Ibis” (Holt, 415)
4. “The Necklace” (Holt, 197)
Nonfiction
1. “Romeo and Juliet in Bosnia” (Holt, 1035)
2. from Always Running (Daybook, 160)
Supplemental Texts/Resources:
Short Fiction
1. “The Kugelmass Episode” (Woody Allen)
2. “Story of an Hour” (Kate Chopin)
3. “A Jury of Her Peers” (Susan Glaspell)
4. “Ambush” (from The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien)
5. “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” (Ernest
Hemingway)
6. “The Chaser” (John Collier)
7. “The Visit” (Walter Dean Myers)
Novel/Drama Choices
1. Lord of the Flies
2. Ethan Frome
3. Romeo and Juliet
Nonfiction
1. Hole In My Life
Activities
Poetry:
“Forgive My Guilt” by Robert T. Tristram Coffin (Holt, 150)
Purpose:
• Students will begin an exploration of the theme decisions and consequences.
• Students will continue to explore poetic devices.
• Students will continue to contrast poetry and the short story.
Before:
• Students will do a Quick Write to define guilt.
• Students will discuss the concept of guilt and times when they felt a sense of guilt.
• Students will describe guilt using a simile or a metaphor.
• Students will share their similes and metaphors.
During:
• Students will read the poem aloud together multiple times in class, annotating the poem for sound,
structure, style, and story.
After:
• Students will discuss the importance of first person point of view to the poem.
• Students will discuss the images created through the similes and metaphors used by the poet.
• Students will discuss the poet’s ability to show the intensity of his guilt and how one bad decision has
stayed with him for his entire life.
• When other selections have been read, this poem can be referred to for purposes of comparisons.
from The Book of Questions “XXII” “XLIV” by Pablo Neruda (Snapshots, 185)
Purpose:
• Students will explore the theme of decisions and consequences.
• Students will understand the differences between poetry and the short story, focusing on the author’s
use of word choice and imagery.
Before:
• Students will discuss teenage relationships with a significant other and the many conflicts and problems
inherent in such relationships, such as rumors, endings, maturity.
• Students will discuss why teens want to grow up so fast and what childhood activities they miss or still
pursue.
During:
• Students will read the poems carefully several times and annotate possible answers to the questions.
After:
• Students will share their answers with the class as a basis for discussion.
“’Race Politics” by Luis J. Rodriguez (Daybook p. 164)
Purpose:
• Students will gain the distinct knowledge of how the poet’s job is different from that of the narrative
storyteller.
• Students will explore the importance of the exact word and image to the author’s purpose.
Before:
• Students will share their list of words and images recorded after reading from Always Running on page
162 of the Daybook.
• Students will discuss the reasons for their choices.
During:
• Students will read the poem silently and aloud, noting the images created.
After:
• Students will compare the images in the poem to the images on their lists.
• Students will discuss the structure and sound of the poem and its effectiveness in creating the author’s
strong message.
• Students will discuss which format was more effective and why.
• Students will discuss how an author’s purpose may direct the choice of genre.
• Students will reread the last line of the poem and continue their discussion of the rage of the oppressed.
“We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks (Hip Hop Poetry, 47 – Liberty text)
Purpose:
• Students will continue the exploration of poetry as a genre.
• Students will explore the verbal irony used in the poem.
• Students will understand the many connotations of the word “cool” as used in the poem.
Before:
• Students will discuss their personal connotation of the word “cool.”
• Students will listen to the scenario on Poets.org that inspired Brooks to write the poem.
During:
• Students will look at the poem in pairs and attempt to read it as they believe Brooks intended it to be
read.
• Students will listen to Brooks read her poem three times, focusing on her intended tone, mood, and
sentence structure.
After:
• Students will discuss the false notion of being “cool” and the reality of the consequences as described
by Brooks.
• Students will discuss how Brooks’ reading makes the message even more powerful.
Short Fiction:
“Marigolds” by Eugenia W. Collier (Holt, 141)
Purpose:
• Students will recognize the use of literary devices in the short story.
• Students will understand how a character’s internal and external conflicts can provide motivation for
change and/or realization.
• Students will explore the theme of decisions and consequences and its impact on our daily lives.
Before:
• Students will read the background information on Holt p. 140 to understand the time period.
• Students will read “Meet the Writer” on Holt p. 149 to further put the story in context.
• Students will do a Quick Write about a time in their youth when they saw (or were a part of) a group
who did something they didn’t agree with. Students will consider if they would do something
differently if they had the chance to live that moment over again.
• Students will discuss their Quick Writes.
• To explore the concept of flashback, students will do a quick sketch of a childhood memory that has
stayed with them in precise detail.
• Students will share their sketches and explain why that memory has stayed so vivid.
• Students will discuss the concept of misplaced anger or aggression and its effects on society.
During:
• Using bookmarks, students will track the internal conflicts of the narrator.
• Students will speculate about what motivates the children to annoy and taunt Miss Lottie and eventually
to destroy her prized possession.
After:
• Students will compare the narrator’s conflict in “Marigolds” to the narrator’s conflict in “Forgive my
Guilt.”
• Students will discuss the cultural context of the story and how the author’s actions reflect events of the
Great Depression and the oppression of African Americans.
• Carefully examining the end of the story, students will discuss what motivates the narrator’s epiphany
and her coming of age.
• Students will do a Quick Write clearly explaining or describing an event or incident when they realized
that they were no longer children.
“The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant (Holt, 197)
Purpose:
• Students will continue to explore the theme of decisions and consequences.
• Students will also explore the theme of being a slave to false values.
• Students will examine the significance of third-person-limited point of view to a story.
• Students will further examine literary devices within a short story.
Before:
• Students will read “Literary Focus,” “Reading Skills,” and “Background” on Holt p. 197 to prepare for
reading the story.
• Students will jot down their feelings about envy and identify any times they have seen or felt envy’s
negative effects.
During:
• Students will annotate the story will their personal reactions to Mathilde’s actions and thoughts.
After:
• Students will review their reaction to Mathilde and determine whether or not they feel sympathy for her
and explain why or why not.
• Students will discuss the irony evident at the end of this story and how it is effective to this author’s
purpose.
• Students will discuss whether or not Mathilde received poetic justice.
“The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst (Holt, 415)
Purpose:
• Students will continue to explore the literary devices used within the short story.
• Students will explore how maturity effects our decisions.
• Students will gain an understanding of how setting influences mood, and how mood influences theme.
Before:
• Students will read “Literary Focus,” “Reading Skills,” and “Background” on Holt p. 414 to prepare for
reading the story.
• Students will discuss the responsibilities of sibling to each other, focusing on older to younger.
• Students will do a Quick Write about pride, focusing on what makes them feel proud and the positive
and negative effects of pride.
• Students can also do the Tea Party activity using quotes from the story.
• Students will refer to the prior discussion on false values (“The Necklace”).
During:
• Students will read the story together as a class.
• Through annotation, students will trace the relationship of the brothers, stopping at certain points to
clarify motivation and conflict.
After:
• Students will discuss the symbolism in the story and its connection to the theme.
• Students will reread the last four paragraphs and discuss its impact to the author’s message.
• Using the brother’s epiphany, students will discuss the theme or message of the story.
• Students will discuss the foreshadowing evident throughout the story.
• Students will discuss how the use of flashback influences the telling of the story.
Optional writing activities:
• Students will choose a scene in the story and rewrite it from Doodle’s point of view. Students must
utilize figurative language to illustrate his viewpoint.
• Students will write a literary analysis paragraph discussing the brother’s epiphany and the events that
lead to his epiphany. They students will write a paragraph explaining how the events in the story reflect
an incident within their own lives or how they will use the lessons in the story to make a change in their
own lives.
• Students will write a eulogy for Doodle from the brother’s point of view.
“Poison” by Roald Dahl (Holt, 338)
Purpose:
• Students will understand the literary terms as used in a short story.
• The students will further understand the theme by realizing the consequences of speaking in haste or
anger.
• Students will explore the double meaning of the title.
Before:
• Students will read “Literary Focus” and “Background” on Holt p. 336 to prepare for reading the story.
• Students will do a Quick Write of a time they wish they had said something other than what they truly
wanted to say.
During:
• Students will read the story, stopping to make predictions.
• Students will pay particular attention to Dr. Ganderbai’s actions and plans, highlighting the ironic and
suspenseful elements.
After:
• Students will note the evidence of foreshadowing in the story and how it helps to build suspense.
• Students will discuss other elements in the story that built suspense for them personally.
• Students will discuss the double meaning of the title, focusing on the end of the story.
Nonfiction:
from Always Running by Luis J. Rodriguez (Daybook, 160)
Purpose:
• Students will understand the subjectivity present in an autobiography.
• Students will explore the importance of imagery, word choice, and description in the creation of the
author’s memory.
• Students will further explore the importance of a character’s dominant trait.
Before:
• Students will discuss their relationships with their siblings.
• Students will discuss a time in their childhoods when they felt completely misunderstood, and how that
misunderstanding made them feel.
During:
• Students will trace the direct and indirect characterization of the narrator and his brother Rano.
After:
• Students will discuss the characterization of Rano and how it leads to Luis’s epiphany.
• Students will determine Rano’s dominant trait.
• Students will refer back to their discussion on misplaced rage and how Rano’s decisions lead to
consequences.
• Students will reread the text, copying the most significant words and images that tell the story, in
preparation for the poem “Race Politics.”
“Romeo and Juliet in Bosnia” by Bob Herbert (Holt, 1035)
Purpose:
• Students will understand that the themes and conflict of Romeo and Juliet persist today.
Before:
• Students will discuss the timelessness of the themes in Romeo and Juliet.
• Students will make connections between these themes and their own lives.
During:
• Students will read the selection.
After:
• Students will discuss the article in order understand what impact prejudice and hatred can have on love.
Drama:
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Holt, 897 or Cliff’s Edition)
Purpose:
• Students will continue to explore drama as a genre.
• Students will continue to explore the literary terms relevant to drama.
• Students will gain an understanding of Shakespeare’s timelessness and universal appeal.
• Students will explore the Elizabethan era, focusing on language and dramatic conventions of the time
period.
• Students will continue to explore the theme of decisions and consequences through the critical analysis
of Romeo and Juliet.
Before:
• Students will identify the cultural contexts through researching Elizabethan England.
• Students will present their findings to the class.
• Students will view Shakespeare in the Classroom to further understand Elizabethan England.
• Students will read Holt pp. 890-896 for more background information.
• Students will explore Shakespearean sonnets.
• Students will complete an Anticipation Guide about love, hate, enemies, loyalty, betrayal, youth, age,
haste, and caution.
• Students will share their answers to the Anticipation Guide as a means of introducing the themes of the
play.
• Students will discuss the characteristics of their perfect mate.
• Students will view samples of Old, Middle, and Modern English to understand that Shakespeare is not
written in Old English.
• Students will practice using Shakespearean Insults to become familiar with the language.
• Students will read the “Rule of Love” from The Art of Courtly Love by Cappellanus to help understand
the Romeo’s actions and the timeless nature of the emotion.
• Before each section of the play, students will review the literary terms that appear in that section.
• Students will complete a Quote Toss activity before each section of the play (play will be divided into
three sections). Students will each be given a quote from the play to read. In order, students will
identify the speaker, act, and scene and then read the quote. As a class, students will try to determine
what is being said and how it relates to the action of the play.
During:
• After the quote toss, students will watch the video segment that corresponds to the section (Zefferelli’s
version).
• After viewing the segment, students will refer back to the text to review the action of the play,
important lines of dialogue, and literary term examples.
• Where appropriate, students will also discuss the themes presented in the anticipation guide.
• Students will also discuss relevant topics such as: Romeo as a tragic hero, Romeo’s and Juliet’s
decision making, women’s rights, love at first sight, arranged marriages, gangs/warring families,
commitment, spontaneity, young love, and how the story would be different if technology were
available.
• If time, students will choose a character and chart his/her actions and thoughts throughout the play.
• Students will create a log charting the major plot developments of the story.
After:
• Students will discuss the various versions of the play, using support to show likes and dislikes.
• Students will discuss characterization, conflicts, and themes.
• Students will discuss who’s to blame, using Prince’s quote of “all are punished” as a talking point.
• Students can modernize the lines of the text or perform a scene from the play to further familiarize
themselves with the action of the play.
Key Terms
imagery, inference, point of view, theme, mood, symbol, connotation, denotation, conflict, figurative language, simile,
metaphor, rhyme, verbal irony, tone, author’s purpose, voice, third person limited point of view, plot, character, irony,
character, poetic justice, characterization, epiphany, catharsis, flashback, foresight, dialogue, ambiguity, suspense, tragic
hero, comedy, tragedy, comic relief, foil, pun, paradox, hyperbole, oxymoron, aside, soliloquy, monologue, sonnet,
dramatic irony, situational irony, foreshadowing, iambic pentameter, rhythm, nonfiction, internal and external conflict,
autobiography, dominant trait
Assessments
Summative
• Unit Tests
• Five-Paragraph Literary Analysis Essay
o Students will write a literary analysis essay on a topic related to Romeo and Juliet with support from the
text. See Genre-Based Curriculum Guide for required components of the literary analysis essay-writing
unit.
• Character Wall Texts
• Dramatizations/Modernizations for Romeo and Juliet
Formative
• Quizzes
• In Class Discussions
• Group Work
• Admit/Exit Slips
• Journal Entries
• Note-Taking
Differentiated Instruction
Extensions
• Shakespearean Era Webquest
• Students create videos of modernizations or dramatizations of Romeo and Juliet
• Students create modern day interpretation projects for Romeo and Juliet (readwritethink.org)
• Group presentations on scenes of Romeo and Juliet
• Incorporate independent reading opportunities
• Encourage students to read short stories by the same author or in the same genre
• Use contemporary examples of video, music, and other formats to find common themes, characters, and plots of
short fiction
• Students examine criticisms of stories
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students read personally chosen short stories and complete class presentations based on critical readings of those
stories
Students analyze character and allegory in Lord of the Flies
Students create their own “theme” projects based on real world issues in Lord of the Flies
Students analyze the allegory to World War I in “The Scarlet Ibis”
Comparative literary analysis between Ethan Frome and Romeo and Juliet
Further analysis “Race Politics” through research and comparison of modern day politics
Remediation
• Use Holt adapted reader and Holt online resources
• Provide opportunities for revision on individual and group work through cooperative learning situations
• Teacher-directed discussions with specific guiding questions
• More frequent formative assessments
• More explicit strategy instruction
• Quickdraw to help students visualize the setting and characters of “The Scarlet Ibis”
• Use Parallel Text Series for Romeo and Juliet
Special Education
• Allow partner/small group work in class
• Provide models/examples of terms, ideas, writing
• Provide background information before reading, i.e. time period, author, culture, etc.
• Provide chunking of test materials
• Extended time for assessments
• Provide graphic organizers for organization
• One on one instruction
• Follow IEP accommodations
• Use resources found in Holt Reading Solutions
ESOL
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use role playing, objects, pictures, and graphic organizers to create associations and support meaning
Paraphrase questions
Ask questions and encourage to offer explanations and summaries
Simplify questions by replacing lengthy or complex sentences with shorter, declarative phrases and sentences
Pair ESOL students with proficient, English speakers
Use heterogeneous grouping and cooperative learning situations
PA Standards / Anchors / Eligible Content
PA Standards:
1.1.11.A Locate various texts, media and traditional resources for assigned and independent projects before reading.
1.1.11.B Analyze the structure of informational materials explaining how authors used these to achieve their purposes.
1.1.11.C Use knowledge of root words and words from literary works to recognize and understand the meaning of new
words during reading. Use these words accurately in speaking and writing.
1.1.11.D Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were
most effective in learning from a variety of texts.
1.1.11.E Establish a reading vocabulary by identifying and correctly using new words acquired through the study of their
relationships to other words. Use a
dictionary or related reference.
1.1.11.F Understand the meaning of and apply key vocabulary across the various subject areas.
1.1.11.G Demonstrate after reading understanding and interpretation of both fiction and nonfiction text, including public
documents.
1.1.11.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading.
1.2.11.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas.
1.3.11.A Read and understand works of literature.
1.3.11.B Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar
genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style.
1.3.11.C Analyze the effectiveness, in terms of literary quality, of the author’s use of literary devices.
1.3.11.F Read and respond to nonfiction and fiction including poetry and drama.
1.4.11.B Write complex informational pieces.
1.5.11.A Write with a sharp, distinct focus.
1.5.11.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic.
1.5.11.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization.
1.5.11.D Write with a command of the stylistic aspects of composition.
1.5.11.E Revise writing to improve style, word choice, sentence variety and a subtlety of meaning after rethinking how
questions of purpose, audience and genre have been addressed.
1.5.11.F Edit writing using the conventions of language.
1.5.11.G Present and/or defend written work for publication when appropriate.
1.6.11.A Listen to others.
1.6.11.B Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction).
1.6.11.C Speak using skills appropriate to formal speech situations.
1.6.11.D Contribute to discussions.
1.6.11.E Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations.
3.6.10.B Apply knowledge of information technologies of encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing, retrieving, and
decoding.
3.7.10.C Apply basic computer operations and concepts (solutions to basic hardware and software problems, advanced
input devices, hardware setup, software installation, operating system problems, keyboarding).
3.7.10.D Utilize computer software to solve specific problems (legal use of software, graphic manipulation, basic
multimedia applications, word processing, database, and spreadsheet skills, use of multiple software applications, use of
specialized software).
3.7.10.E Apply basic computer communications systems (online services, basic parts of a network, webpage components,
transferring files, online research).
Anchors/Eligible Content:
R11.A.1.1 Identify and apply the meaning of vocabulary (fiction)
R11.A.1.2 Identify and apply word recognition skills (fiction)
R11.A.1.3 Make inferences, draw conclusions, and make generalizations based on text (fiction)
R11.A.1.4 Identify and explain main ideas and relevant details (fiction)
R11.A.1.5 Summarize a fictional text as a whole
R11.A.1.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.2.2 Identify, interpret, describe, and analyze the point of view of the narrator in fictional and nonfictional text
R11.A.2.5 Summarize a nonfictional text as a whole
R11.A.2.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.3.1 Interpret, describe, analyze the characteristics and uses of facts and opinions in nonfictional text
R11.B.3.2 Distinguish between essential and nonessential information between or within texts
Unit Title: Unit #7 - Hopes and Dreams
Subject/Course: English 9
Estimated Instructional Time: 4 Weeks
Instructional Focus
Big Idea:
Life’s complex pathways require students to recognize challenges in their lives and in the lives of characters.
Reading comprehension enhances critical thinking and is constructed through the intentional interaction between reader
and text.
Essential Questions:
Guiding Questions:
1. What are life’s complex pathways?
1. Explanation- How does adversity affect life’s pathways?
2. How does adversity positively and negatively affect
2. Interpretation- How does adversity influence a person’s
people’s lives?
decisions and actions?
3. Application- What problem-solving strategies can people
use to overcome adversity?
4. Perspective- How does a person’s point of view affect
how he or she overcomes adversity?
5. Empathy- How might it feel to personally deal with
adversity that affects life’s pathways?
6. Self-Knowledge- What personal qualities have helped
you to deal with life’s adversity?
Unit Objectives:
Enabling Objectives:
1. The students will recognize how author’s purpose and
Explore
use of literary and poetic devices affect life’s pathways.
• Explore and develop thesis essay
2. The student will read and analyze several genres of
• Explore and develop literary analysis
fiction and nonfiction texts.
• Explore and develop research essay
3. The students will apply reading strategies to critically
• Explore and develop thesis essay with research (5
analyze text.
paragraphs and 2-3 sources)
4. The students will expand his or her vocabulary by
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
learning and using words from the text.
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
5. The students will acquire knowledge of literary terms.
from text
6. The students will use knowledge of literary terms to
• Explore identification of author's strategies
identify and recognize terms within various genres of
• Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
literature.
settings, etc.)
7. The students will acquire knowledge of dramatic
• Explore and develop analytical reading of text
devices and recognize them in the text.
• Explore and develop interpretation of text using support
8. The students will construct and deliver an oral
from text
presentation related to life’s pathways.
• Explore identification of author's strategies
9. The students will develop listening and communication • Explore comparison and contrast of texts (themes,
skills to make them competent and coherent
settings, etc.)
communicators.
• Explore and develop terms and conventions of drama as
10. The students will produce a thesis driven essay.
a genre
11. The students will read and analyze research articles,
• Explore universal themes
internet resources, and print sources.
• Explore tragic hero
12. The students will compose a research essay following
• Explore character development
MLA format.
• Explore analysis of poetry
13. The students will produce a literary analysis essay
based on text.
14. The students will become independent thinkers and
demonstrate appropriate use of study skills.
15. The students will demonstrate the clarity of language
through coherent writing.
Develop
• Develop context clues
• Develop word-recognition skills
• Develop affixes and prefixes
• Develop terms and conventions of the short story as a
genre
• Develop BDA reading strategies
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop connection of texts to self and world
• Develop terms and conventions of poetry as a genre
• Develop study skills
• Develop note-taking skills
• Develop organizational skills
• Develop test-taking strategies
Texts / Resource Materials
Core Texts/Resources:
Poetry
1. “Mother to Son” (Holt, 114)
2. “Ex-Basketball Player” (John Updike-online excerpt)
3. “Hope” is the thing with feathers” (Holt , 511)
4. “in Just” (Holt, 490)
5. “The Base Stealer” (Holt, 552)
6. “American Hero” (Holt, 552)
Short Fiction
1. “American History” (Holt, 661)
2. “Sunday in the Park” (Daybook, 22)
3. “Liberty” (Holt, 296)
Supplemental Texts/Resources:
Short Fiction
1. “The Scarlet Ibis” (Holt)
2. “Helen on Eighty Sixth Street” (Holt, 127)
Novel/Drama Choices
1. The Glass Menagerie
2. “The Sandbox”
3. A Hole in my Life
Nonfiction
1. The Color of Water
Nonfiction
1. “A Warm, Clear Day in Dallas” (Holt, 674)
2. “Address to Congress” (Holt, 680)
3. “Students React to President Kennedy’s Death (Holt,
682)
Activities
Poetry:
“Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes (Holt, 114)
Purpose:
• Students will explore the theme of hopes and dreams.
• Students will explore the use of dramatic monologue to express personal struggles.
• Students will explore the use of the extended metaphor to reinforce theme.
Before:
• Students will identify obstacles in daily life for both them and their parents.
During:
• Students will recite the poem aloud.
• Students will annotate the images used in the play.
• Students will identify the struggle of the narrator and her message to her son.
After:
• Students will share their reactions to the poem’s images and message.
“Ex-Basketball Player” by John Updike (online excerpt – Liberty)
Purpose:
• Students will explore the difference between a dream and a goal.
• Students will explore the use of personification within the poem.
Before:
• Students will discuss their hopes for the future.
• Students will discuss the difference between a dream and a goal.
During:
• Students will read the poem while annotating unknown vocabulary.
After:
• Students will discuss whether or not they believe the character achieved his/her dreams.
“Hope is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson (Holt, 511)
Purpose:
• Students will continue to explore the extended metaphor as a means of illustrating a theme.
Before:
• Students will choose an emotion and write down three metaphors that are associated with it.
During:
• Students will read and discuss the poem line by line to follow the extended metaphor.
After:
• Students will discuss the theme of the poem and the clarity of the emotion expressed.
“in Just” by e.e. Cummings (Holt, 490)
Purpose:
• Students will explore the unconventional style and structure of E.E. Cummings.
• Students will examine Cummings’ perspective of childhood hopes and dreams.
Before:
• Students will read the information on Holt p. 489 to prepare for reading the poem.
• Students will do a Quick Write on their favorite season of the year, focusing on the sensory images (see
Holt, 489).
During:
• Students will read the poem several times, noting questions and reactions to Cummings’ style and
structure.
After:
• Students will discuss their annotations in order to gain a better understanding of the poem.
• Students will discuss Cummings’ message and connect it to their own memories of a particular season.
“The Base Stealer” by Robert Francis (Holt, 552)
“American Hero” by Essex Hemphill (Holt, 552)
Purpose:
• Students will notice the narrative detail evident in both poems.
• Students will continue to explore the figurative language used to convey the snapshot of the moment in
the poem.
• Students will gain an understanding of the athlete as a part of the American dream.
Before:
• Students will do a Quick Write jotting down the images and feelings that occurred during a time when
they were a “star.”
• Students will read Holt (page 551) in preparation for reading the poem.
During:
• Students will read both poems several times.
After:
• Students will discuss the images created in both poems and the author’s ability to show rather than tell.
• Students will discuss the theme evident in the poem “American Hero.”
Short Fiction:
“American History” by Judith Ortiz Cofer (Holt, 661)
Purpose:
• Students will explore the importance of a time period on literature.
• Students will continue to explore the literary devices relevant to the short story.
• Students will continue to explore the theme of hopes and dreams.
• Students will explore the use of allusion within literature.
Before:
• Students will read Literary Focus, Reading Skills, and Background on Holt (page 660) as preparation
for the story.
During:
• Students will read the story, annotating any cultural or historical references.
After:
• Students will discuss the setting of the story, focusing on the significance of the time period.
• Students will discuss the harsh reality of the ending of the story and its relationship to the American
Dream.
• Students will discuss Elena’s realization at the end of the story and the significance of the snow.
“Sunday in the Park” by Bel Kaufman (Daybook, 22)
Purpose:
• Students will further explore external and internal conflict and how they lead to a character’s epiphany.
• Students will further explore the themes of hope and expectations versus harsh reality.
• Students will further explore the use of literary devices within a short story.
Before:
• Students will list the five most important traits they would look for in a mate.
• Students will share their lists and explain their rationale.
• Students will discuss the women in the types of movies little girls traditionally love (movies where the
princess is saved by the prince) versus the women the students’ mothers want them to be (independent).
During:
• Given an initial set up, students will do a dramatic reading of the story.
After:
• Students will discuss the internal and external conflicts.
• Students will discuss the husband’s and wife’s reactions.
• Students will discuss where the crisis and climax occur.
• Students will discuss the wife’s epiphany.
• Students will connect their pre-reading discussion with the wife’s epiphany and the husband’s reaction.
“Liberty” by Julia Alvarez (Holt, 296)
Purpose:
• Students will compare and contrast the reality of life in America versus the hopes and dreams of
immigrants.
• Students will continue to explore the literary devices used in a short story.
Before:
• Students will jot down a definition of the word “liberty” and what it means to them.
• Students will share their definitions and will discuss their interpretation of the quote on p. 297 (Holt).
During:
• Students will read the story, stopping to clarify the meaning and the narrator’s emotions as needed.
After:
• Students will discuss the internal and external conflicts faced by the narrator and her family.
• Students will discuss the family’s hopes as well as their fears.
• Students will discuss all the narrator must leave behind on her family’s quest for liberty.
• Students will discuss the symbolism of the narrator’s dog on their quest for liberty.
• Students will revisit their interpretation of the quote from the opening of the story.
Nonfiction:
“A Warm, Clear Day in Dallas” by Marta Randall (Holt, 674)
“Address to Congress” by Lyndon B. Johnson (Holt, 680)
“Students React to President Kennedy’s Death” by Girl Age Twelve, Grade Seven
(Holt, 682)
Purpose:
• Students will explore John F Kennedy’s dream for the nation and how the nation responded.
• Students will continue to explore nonfiction as a genre.
• Students will gain a better understanding of fact, opinion, bias, and author’s purpose.
Before:
• Students will read Holt (pages 674-675) in preparation for reading the selections.
• Students will Word Splash what they know about JFK.
• Students will discuss their Word Splash.
• After viewing Kennedy’s Inaugural Address to the nation, students will identify his dream for America.
During:
• While reading the selections, students will mark one fact and one opinion in each piece.
• Students will state a one to two sentence summary of each article.
After:
• Students will share their facts and opinions to clearly determine the difference.
• Students will discuss the significance of Kennedy’s presidency and the effect of his death upon the
nation as evidenced in the articles.
Novel:
A Hole in my Life by Jack Gantos
Purpose:
• Students will explore and identify the obstacles to the achievement of Jack Gantos’s hopes and dreams
through his coming-of-age autobiography.
Before:
• Students will complete an Anticipation Guide to determine the current values of students.
• Students will use the Tea Party activity to discuss high interest lines from the novel.
• Students will discuss the struggles of being a teenager and/or teenage writer.
During:
• Students will keep a journal of personal goals, accomplishments, and obstacles faced by Gantos along
his journey.
• Students will write diary entries from the viewpoints of various characters throughout the novel.
• Students will write a persuasive essay convincing Jack to go/not to go on his “journey” to New York.
• Students will use Jigsaw to identify major conflicts, create character profiles, analyze important quotes,
and identify the relationships between decisions and consequences in the novel.
• Students will analyze the use of allusions through identifying them in the text and completing a
webquest
• Students will further their knowledge of allusions through choosing one from the text and researching it
further
• Students will view excerpts from the classics Gantos mentions throughout the novel. Some sample
excerpts are below.
The Brothers Karamazov (Signet Classics) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky on page 8, page 158, and page 195
Martin Eden (Penguin American Library) by Jack London on page 89, and page 93
Naked Lunch by William S. Burroughs on page 112, and page 114
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams on page 51
After:
• Students will discuss the personality traits needed by Gantos to overcome his obstacles.
• Students will revisit their answers to the Anticipation Guide to see if their views/values have changed
after reading the book.
• Students will read sections of I am Not Joey Pigza and other books from the Pigza series to see how
many of the real people in Jack’s life inspired his fictional characters.
• Students will write letters to Mr. Gantos about their positive reactions to the book.
Key Terms
dramatic monologue, point of view, metaphor, extended metaphor, alliteration, figurative language, free verse poetry,
evaluate, analyze, elaborate, infer, compare/contrast, author’s purpose, fact vs. opinion, characterization, irony,
inferences, setting, internal/external conflict, epiphany, plot structure, third person limited, first person, symbol, setting,
memoir, predict
Assessments
Summative
• Unit Tests
• Students will reflect upon the literature read and analyzed during the course of the school year and choose one of
the themes with which they felt the strongest connection.
o Students will write an essay reflecting on one of these themes and its impact on their lives.
• Students will write a poem about hopes and dreams, modeling any author studied in the unit.
• Multigenre Research Project
• The students will research a chosen topic and support a thesis through the multi-genre approach.
• Students will brainstorm various topics.
• Students will develop a preface.
• Students will compile a bibliography page.
• Students will research their thesis, using texts, websites, journals, newspapers.
• Students will explore various forms of writing: CDs, interviews, journals, one act play, personal
commentary, announcement, monologue, radio broadcast, recipe, wanted poster, résumé, etc.
• Students will create a variety of pieces of genre writing with a common theme.
• Students will assemble their writings into a portfolio for presentation.
• Students will share their portfolios with classmates and the teacher.
Formative
• Quizzes
• In Class Discussions
• Group Work
• Admit/Exit Slips
• Journal Entries
• Note-Taking
Differentiated Instruction
Extensions
• Incorporate independent reading opportunities
• Encourage students to read short stories by the same author or in the same genre
• Use contemporary examples of video, music, and other formats to find common themes, characters, and plots of
short fiction
• Students examine criticisms of stories
• Students read personally chosen short stories and complete class presentations based on critical readings of those
stories
• Students will write a memory play similar to The Glass Menagerie
• Analyze art in comparison to themes, characters, and plot of short stories, poems, and dramas
• Explore hope and hopelessness in Modern American Drama through reading “The Sandbox” and The Glass
Menagerie
Remediation
• Use Holt adapted reader and Holt online resources
• Provide opportunities for revision on individual and group work through cooperative learning situations
• Teacher-directed discussions with specific guiding questions
• More frequent formative assessments
• More explicit strategy instruction
• Teacher led analysis of specific poems
• Students maintain and add to a character wall text of Jack Gantos
• Guiding questions for chapters of Hole in my Life
Special Education
• Allow partner/small group work in class
• Provide models/examples of terms, ideas, writing
• Provide background information before reading, i.e. time period, author, culture, etc.
• Provide chunking of test materials
• Extended time for assessments
• Provide graphic organizers for organization
• One on one instruction
• Follow IEP accommodations
• Use resources found in Holt Reading Solutions
ESOL
•
•
•
•
•
Use role playing, objects, pictures, and graphic organizers to create associations and support meaning
Paraphrase questions
Ask questions and encourage to offer explanations and summaries
Simplify questions by replacing lengthy or complex sentences with shorter, declarative phrases and sentences
Pair ESOL students with proficient, English speakers
•
Use heterogeneous grouping and cooperative learning situations
PA Standards / Anchors / Eligible Content
PA Standards:
1.1.11.A Locate various texts, media and traditional resources for assigned and independent projects before reading.
1.1.11.B Analyze the structure of informational materials explaining how authors used these to achieve their purposes.
1.1.11.C Use knowledge of root words and words from literary works to recognize and understand the meaning of new
words during reading. Use these words accurately in speaking and writing.
1.1.11.D Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were
most effective in learning from a variety of texts.
1.1.11.E Establish a reading vocabulary by identifying and correctly using new words acquired through the study of their
relationships to other words. Use a
dictionary or related reference.
1.1.11.F Understand the meaning of and apply key vocabulary across the various subject areas.
1.1.11.G Demonstrate after reading understanding and interpretation of both fiction and nonfiction text, including public
documents.
1.1.11.H Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading.
1.2.11.A Read and understand essential content of informational texts and documents in all academic areas.
1.3.11.A Read and understand works of literature.
1.3.11.B Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar
genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style.
1.3.11.C Analyze the effectiveness, in terms of literary quality, of the author’s use of literary devices.
1.3.11.F Read and respond to nonfiction and fiction including poetry and drama.
1.4.11.B Write complex informational pieces.
1.5.11.A Write with a sharp, distinct focus.
1.5.11.B Write using well-developed content appropriate for the topic.
1.5.11.C Write with controlled and/or subtle organization.
1.5.11.D Write with a command of the stylistic aspects of composition.
1.5.11.E Revise writing to improve style, word choice, sentence variety and a subtlety of meaning after rethinking how
questions of purpose, audience and genre have been addressed.
1.5.11.F Edit writing using the conventions of language.
1.5.11.G Present and/or defend written work for publication when appropriate.
1.6.11.A Listen to others.
1.6.11.B Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction).
1.6.11.C Speak using skills appropriate to formal speech situations.
1.6.11.D Contribute to discussions.
1.6.11.E Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations.
3.6.10.B Apply knowledge of information technologies of encoding, transmitting, receiving, storing, retrieving, and
decoding.
3.7.10.C Apply basic computer operations and concepts (solutions to basic hardware and software problems, advanced
input devices, hardware setup, software installation, operating system problems, keyboarding).
3.7.10.D Utilize computer software to solve specific problems (legal use of software, graphic manipulation, basic
multimedia applications, word processing, database, and spreadsheet skills, use of multiple software applications, use of
specialized software).
3.7.10.E Apply basic computer communications systems (online services, basic parts of a network, webpage components,
transferring files, online research).
Anchors/Eligible Content:
R11.A.1.1 Identify and apply the meaning of vocabulary (fiction)
R11.A.1.2 Identify and apply word recognition skills (fiction)
R11.A.1.3 Make inferences, draw conclusions, and make generalizations based on text (fiction)
R11.A.1.4 Identify and explain main ideas and relevant details (fiction)
R11.A.1.5 Summarize a fictional text as a whole
R11.A.1.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.2.2 Identify, interpret, describe, and analyze the point of view of the narrator in fictional and nonfictional text
R11.A.2.5 Summarize a nonfictional text as a whole
R11.A.2.6 Identify, describe, and analyze genre of text
R11.B.3.1 Interpret, describe, analyze the characteristics and uses of facts and opinions in nonfictional text
R11.B.3.2 Distinguish between essential and nonessential information between or within texts