“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
― Joseph Campbell
Being a member of my family has always meant mastering the art of argument. Whether
it was over a torah portion in temple or why we should get a puppy, argument has always been a
part of my life. Because of this, my family nurtured in me a love of reading anything from
philosophy to adventure stories, and in turn, creative writing. For me so much of the English
discipline is about nurturing a love for reading and
writing. Once a child can see that reading and writing
can be an outlet, an escape from the rest of the world,
or a tool to show others how to make that world better,
they have a reason to work at it. It is this passion that I
want to bring to my classroom.
Despite this strong belief, I haven’t always
wanted to be a teacher. In fact, after college, I spent
three years working as a Communications Specialist in
the corporate sector. Editing training documents in
such a setting
showed me
how rare it is to be able to write well in the business
setting, a revelation that I could never have imagined.
There are so many brilliant analysts and marketing
directors that lack a basic comfort with language. This
vulnerability is such a simple thing to fix, and it would
make them so much more successful to improve by
admitting to it, but they are afraid to do anything about
it. If I can help
students gain that
comfort before they
leave public
education, they can be that much more successful in the
workforce, possibly even improving the world we live in. As
hard as it was to admit that I had chosen the wrong path for
me, realizing what I could impact made it worth the fear of
trading in a stable income for another degree. I hope that I can
use my experiences in communications to help students
discover what they are capable of.
The first picture to the right is of me administering a
belt test at Truman. The student in the picture is my brother’s
grappling partner Thomas. The second picture is of my friend
Becca and I as camp councilors in Colorado last summer. The
bottom picture to the right is of my mom, my brother, and me
the day that I earned my blackbelt.
"If it is in our hearts to question the ways of the world, then it
is in our hands to change it" – Leigh Gilmore
Unit: Slaughterhouse 5
Class: Juniors – English III
Teacher: Leigh Gilmore
Date: Spring 2013
The Overview
The Rationale:
English III uses American Literature as a lens to understand what it means to be an individual as
well as a member of a culture and society. As an American, our identity as a nation is shaped by
a mere 300 plus years of history and a connection to the many countries that our families
emigrated from. This defines our view of our role in both world wars and the decisions we made
as participants on a national and individual level. In order to continue the curricular aim of
introspection and searching for identity, this unit will focus on Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse 5, a
book with increasingly complex subject matter and style. Students will use the tools of analysis,
group dialogue, argument, and textual deconstruction to evaluate Vonnegut’s message (if there is
one) as well as decide if his creative interpretation of Dresden through the eyes of Billy Pilgrim
provides something that a historical text cannot. Key terms will include: satire, sarcasm,
reliability, and vice. Focus of this unit relies on a collaborative presentation of the subject (both
History, Art, and English). For this reason, students are given a challenge for their summative
assessment: how can you accurately portray a historical moment? This challenge will culminate
in a mock trial of Vonnegut (defending his portrayal of PTSD) against the families of war
veterans. Emphasis for this challenge will be on literary criticism, research, and reflection.
The Summary:
Students will read “Slaughterhouse 5” by Kurt Vonnegut. They will discuss the nature of war as
a setting for stories, reliability of narrators, satire, sarcasm, nonlinear storytelling, and vice. They
will continually discuss their perspective, historical accuracy, and respond to others as they read.
Next students will be given a problem to solve: “How can you accurately portray a historical
moment?” using historical information and literary criticism skills that they have been practicing
throughout the year. They will use their findings to either prosecute or defend Vonnegut’s
interpretation of war through the eyes of a soldier.
Writing Strategies:
- Daily reading reflections on essential question
- Gallery Walk – written conversations (paraphrase, restate, argue, further a statement)
- Brainstorm sessions as a class and individually
- Grammar talk – sentence structure for intentional fragments
- Style – disguise writing in original author’s work
Objectives: DESE GLE standards include but are not limited to the following:
2,3 1.5,1.6: During Reading
a.i Utilize reading strategies of self-questioning and correction
a.ii Utilize the reading strategy of inference
2,3 1.6,3.5: Post Reading
a.iii,iv,v Apply the post-reading skill of reflecting, analyzing, and drawing conclusions to
comprehend and interpret text
2,3,7 1.6: Making Connections
a.i, ii, iii Compare, contrast, analyze, and evaluate connections between information and
relationships in various genre (fiction and nonfiction works), between text ideas and personal
experiences, between text ideas and the world by analyzing and evaluating the relationship
between literature and its historical period and culture
2,3,4 2.1: Summary Writing
a.i, a.ii Write complete research papers/projects that develop a thesis, contain information
from multiple sources and conform to a style manual (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago)
Length of Curriculum: 4 weeks (50 minutes for 5 days a week)
Materials and Resources:
 (a) School – aprox. 60 copies of “Slaughterhouse 5” by Kurt Vonnegut
- computer access for JSTOR research for at least 4 days
- printer access for summative project
 (b) Me – Gallery Walk – Dresden Materials (images, videos, plus..)
- Art samples from historic period
- Vonnegut background summary
- Satire summary and possible handout
- Article on nonlinear stories
 (c) Students
- computer access
- paper
- writing utensils
Means of Assessment: Summative and Formative
(a) The summative assessment – Mock trial on presenting a historical moment in fiction
(b) summative assessment format = rubric
(c) Formative assessments:
- Daily Reading Reflections
- Annotated book checks
- Draft work and peer reviews
- Debate preparation
- Discussion Participation
- (Maybe a pop quiz if needed)
Cooperative Learning Model Lesson Plan
Teacher: Leigh Gilmore
Subject: English
Grade Level: 11
Topic: Dresden Cooperative Learning approach: Group Investigation
Stage in Unit: Initiating (pre-reading activity)
Objective(s): After visiting various stations that present the bombing of Dresden, students will be able to
reflect on each artifact individually for author perspective and how that perspective impacts the overall
view of the event, using evidence and inference style reflection skills.
Materials needed: books, paper, worksheets, pencils, station materials (3 computers/printed docs or pics)
Timeframe (2 class periods or 100 minutes)
Phase 1: Introduction: Clarify goals and establish set. (5 minutes)
- Previously introduced the topic of Dresden and Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse 5”
- Will now take a deeper look at the bombing of Dresden though a paired gallery walk, using actual
artifacts and reflecting on them
- Understanding of this information will be necessary to succeeding in your reading and preparing
for your assignments throughout this unit.
Phase 2: Present information (outline of content):
- Each group will be given 6-7 minutes at each station to investigate and reflect on your artifact. Be
sure to fill out your worksheets as you go, in order to refer back to them throughout this unit.
- Provide worksheets
Phase 3: Organize students into learning teams:
- Place students into groups and assign them to initial stations
Phase 4: Assist team work and study: (70 minutes)
- Move among the groups to monitor and assist/answer questions
- Continue to walk around and monitor. Remind students that behavior results in loss of points
Phase 5: Test on the materials: (30 minutes or remainder)
- Host larger group discussions on overall interpretation
o Would this affect an American soldier differently than a Dresden citizen? explain
- Finally they should construct 2 questions and answers based on what they have seen during the
gallery walk and how they think it might relate to the book. (store for later use)
Phase 6: Provide team recognition
- Recognize good inferential thinking and strong organic discussions.
Discussion Model Lesson Plan
Teacher: Leigh Gilmore
Subject: English
Level: 11th Grade
Topic: Slaughterhouse 5
Objective(s):
After reading halfway through Slaughterhouse, students will discuss selected quotes for author
intent and narrator reliability, contributing meaningfully (new idea or expanding on other views
beyond what already has been stated) throughout the gallery walk.
Materials needed:
Slaughterhouse 5 Books, pencils, poster paper, quotes
Phase 1: Clarify aims and establish set:
- Recently completed chapter 5 of Slaughterhouse 5 and have been focusing on use of satire,
narrator voice, and use of non-linear time adjustments
- Will now look at selected quotes in detail through a gallery walk
Phase 2: Focus the discussion:
- Divide students into groups of 4 and place each group at a quote station:
"We went to the New York World's Fair, saw what the past had been like, according to the Ford Motor
Car Company and Walt Disney, saw what the future would be like, according to General Motors. And I
asked myself about the present: how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep."
- Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five, Chapter 1
"He is in a constant state of stage fright, he says, because he never knows what part of his life he is going
to have to act in next."
- Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five, Chapter 2
"I am a Tralfamadorian, seeing all time as you might see a stretch of the Rocky Mountains. All time is all
time. It does not change. It does not lend itself to warnings or explanations. It simply is."
- Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five, Chapter 4
"So they were trying to re-invent themselves and their universe... Science fiction was a big help."
- Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five, Chapter 5
-
First round of instructions: Rephrase the quote in your own words….agree or disagree, and state
why?
Phase 3: Hold the discussion:
 Listen to responses and provide feedback (using questioning techniques as outlined) (redirect,
clarify, hint, paraphrase, etc)
 Remind students who are not actively participating that they are required to add at least three
times to the conversation
 Participation is tracked against the attendance sheet, and newer ideas are noted for potential use in
exam questions
Remainder of instructions are below:
Group 2: Look at Group 1’s paraphrase of the quote. Is it accurate? Correct if necessary. What would be
the counterargument to Group 1’s stance?
Group 3: Select a side and further that argument with at least 2 points added
Group 4: Final say. What can you add? Can you think of any source to reference that would help support
either side? What would they say?
Group 5: Return to first quote and review the conversation. (each group outlines final thoughts and
conclusions for the class)
Phase 4: End the discussion:
- close and summarize the discussion
- Explain that some of the points raised will reappear on the essay or exam. Continue to think about
your answers because you may be asked to elaborate on them.
Phase 5: Debrief the discussion:
- ask students to jot down two points that they found interesting or frustrating during the discussion as an
exit slip and one question that they wished they would have asked instead
Problem-Based Instruction Model Lesson Plan
Teacher: Leigh Gilmore
Subject: Slaughterhouse 5
Level: 11th Grade
Problem: Bullying in Schools
Timeframe: 4 days
Content Objective(s):
After discussing a relevant issue presented in a novel, students will demonstrate the ability to research
(with multiple sources included) a problem, summarize it to an outside audience, and effectively argue
their stance.
Process Objective(s):
After discussing the possible purpose of Slaughterhouse 5, students continued to debate on whether or not
the novel fairly treated war veterans and their families. As a result, students are given 3 days to research
for the defense or prosecution, preparing to put Vonnegut on trial for libel. On the final day they will
present their case.
Materials needed:
Library or access to internet, paper, pencil, Vonnegut novel
Phase 1: Introduction: Orient students to the problem:
- Recently students had a heated discussion about libel and use of veteran perspective in antiwar
books.
- Ask students to suggest possible reasons why Vonnegut’s book would hurt veterans/families or
help them. Is this libel?
- Explain to students that they will work in groups to research for either defense or prosecution (or
as Vonnegut himself) (3 days in library to complete entire assignment) to put Vonnegut on trial.
- Outline parameters of the assignment and answer questions (3 sources with at least 1 primary
source included, bibliography, at least two full pages double spaced for reflection paper (outline
what you did and why you did it))
Phase 2: Organize students for study:
- Place students in groups (aiming for a mix of stronger and struggling students) (one or 2 students
selected to be Vonnegut)
- Allow each group to determine research strategy (if they cannot agree, provide cues)
Phase 3: Assist independent and group investigation:
- In the library students begin researching their side and develop at least 4 points of argument
- Walk around and suggest various keywords to enter into the search engine, possible sources to
investigate, answer questions
- Monitor time spent:
o By the end of day one, students should have all sources
o Day 2 - should have argument points selected and developed
o Day 3 - should have preparation completed against opposition
Phase 4: Develop and present artifacts and exhibits:
- Day 4 – Debate!!! (alternate between prosecution and defense for opening statements, argument,
response, and closing arguments)
- (Group score on participation, inclusion of necessary parts, effective use of persuasive style)
Phase 5: Analyze and evaluate the problem-solving process:
- Discussion of which points appeared to be most effective overall, how they would have changed
their research…
-
Write a personal reflection individually of what they discovered, if their ideas have changed as a
result of the project, how they would have done it differently
(Score individually on writing quality and consideration of all questions)