Grade 8 ELA Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
Unit Big Idea: Change
Segment Idea: Equity is reached through change
Suggested Duration: 15 days
What do we want all students to learn?
Claim 1: Read closely and analytically to
comprehend a range of increasingly
complex literary and informational texts.
Claim 2: Produce effective and wellgrounded writing for a range of purposes
and audiences.
When reading about unit content,
students will . . .
When writing about unit content,
students will . . .
SBAC TARGETS
SBAC TARGETS
T1-KEY DETAILS: (RL1, RL3)
Cite the textual evidence that most
strongly supports an analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text. (RL1)
Analyze how particular lines of
dialogue or incidents in a story or
drama propel the action, reveal
aspects of a character, or provoke a
decision. (RL3)
T2-CENTRAL IDEAS: (RL2)
Determine a theme or central idea of a
text and analyze its development over
the course of the text, including its
relationship to the characters, setting,
and plot; provide an objective
summary of the text. (RL2)
Skills and Concepts
T1, T3, T6-WRITE/REVISE BRIEF TEXTNarrative, Informational/Explanatory,
Opinion/Argument (W1, W2, W3)
T2-COMPOSE FULL TEXT-Narrative
(W3, W3a, W3b, W3c, W3d, W3e)
Unit 3
T4-COMPOSE FULL TEXTInformational/Explanatory (W2, W2a,
W2b, W2c, W2d, W2e, W2f)
Unit 1
T3-WORD MEANINGS: (RL4, L4a,b,c,
L5c)
T5-USE TEXT FEATURES: (W2a, W2b)
Introduce a topic or thesis statement
clearly, previewing what is to follow;
organize ideas, concepts, and
information into broader categories:
include formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and
multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension. (W2a)
Determine the meaning of words and
Develop the topic with relevant, well
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Claim 3: Employ effective speaking and
listening skills for a range of purposes
and audiences.
Claim 4: Engage in research/inquiry to
investigate topics and to analyze,
integrate, and present information.
When listening, speaking and
collaborating around unit content,
students will . . .
When conducting research or presenting
projects, focused on unit content and big
ideas, students will . . .
SBAC TARGETS
SBAC TARGETS
T1-LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY
USE: (L3a, L6)
T1-PLAN & RESEARCH: (SL2, SL3, SL4,
W6, W7)
L3a: Unit 3
L6: See Claim 10
SL2: See Claim 3, T3
SL3: See Claim 3, T4
SL4: See Claim 3, T3
W6: See Claim 2, T10
T2-CLARIFY MESSAGE: (L3a, L6)
L3a: Unit 3
L6: See Claim 10
T3-PLAN/SPEAK/PRESENT: (SL2, SL4,
SL5, SL6)
Analyze the purpose of information
presented in diverse media and
formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively,
orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g.,
social, commercial, political) behind
its presentation. (SL2)
Present claims and findings (e.g.,
argument, narrative, response to
literature presentations), emphasizing
salient points in a focused, coherent
manner with relevant evidence, sound
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
Conduct short research projects to
answer a question (including a selfgenerated question), drawing on
several sources and generating
additional related, focused questions
that allow for multiple avenues of
exploration. (W7)
T2-INTERPRET & INTEGRATE: (RI9, W8,
W9)
Gather relevant information from
multiple print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source;
and quote or paraphrase the data and
conclusions of others while avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard
10/18/13
phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of
specific word choices on meaning and
tone, including analogies to other
texts. (RL4)
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning
of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a
clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase. (L4a)
chosen facts, definitions, concrete
details, quotations, or other
information and examples. (W2b)
valid reasoning, and well-chosen
details; use appropriate eye contact,
adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation. (SL4)
T7-COMPOSE FULL TEXTOPINION/ARGUMENT: (W1a,b,c,d,
W3, W4, W5,W9)
Integrate multimedia and visual
displays into presentations to clarify
information, strengthen claims and
evidence, and add interest. (SL5)
Write arguments to support claims
with clear reasons and relevant
evidence. (W1)
Use common, grade-appropriate Greek
or Latin affixes and roots as clues to
the meaning of a word (e.g., precede,
recede, and secede). (L4b)
Introduce claim(s) (W1a)
Consult general and specialized
reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and
digital, to find the pronunciation of a
word or determine or clarify its precise
meaning or its part of speech or trace
the etymology of words.(L4c)
Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and
supports the argument presented.
(W1e)
Distinguish among the connotations
(associations) of words with similar
denotations (definitions) (e.g.,
bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent,
resolute). (L5c)
Establish and maintain a formal style.
(W1d)
Produce clear and coherent writing in
which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (W4)
With some guidance and support from
peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by
planning. (W5)
T4-REASONING AND EVALUATION:
(RL2, RL3, RL6)
W9: See Unit 2, Seg 2
RL2: See Claim 1, T2
RL3: See Claim 1, T1
T8-LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY
USE: (W2d,W3d,L3a,L6)
Analyze [the] differences in the points
of view of the characters and the
audience or reader (e.g., created
through the use of dramatic irony)
create such effects as suspense or
Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic. (W2d)
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts
and tasks, demonstrating command of
formal English when indicated or
appropriate. (SL6)
T4-LISTEN/INTERPRET: (SL1, SL2, SL3,
SL6)
Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-one,
in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 8 topics,
texts, and issues, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
(SL1)
SL2: See Claim 3, T3
Delineate a speaker’s argument and
specific claims. (SL3)
SL6: See Claim 3, T3
Use precise words and phrases,
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
format for citation. (W8)
RI9: See Claim 1, T11
W9: See Unit 2, Seg 2
T3-EVALUATE INFORMATION
RESOURCES: (W9)
W9: See Claim 2, T3
T4-USE EVIDENCE: (RI9, W8, W9)
RI9: See Claim 1, T11
W8: See Claim 4, T2
W9: See Claim 2, T3
T5-LANGUAGE & VOCABULARY USE:
(W2d, W3d, L3a, L6)
Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic. (W2d)
Use precise words and phrases,
relevant descriptive details, and
sensory language to capture the action
and convey experiences and events.
(W3d)
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases;
gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression. (L6)
T6-EDIT/CLARIFY: (L1, L2)
L1: See Claim 2, T9
L2: See Claim 2, T9
10/18/13
humor. (RL6)
T5-ANALYSIS WITHIN AND ACROSS
TEXT: (RL6, RL7, RL9)
RL6: See Claim 1 T4
RL7: Unit 3
Analyze how a modern work of fiction
draws on themes from myths,
traditional stories, or religious works
such as the Bible, including describing
how the material is rendered new.
(RL9)
T6-TEXT STRUCTURE AND FEATURES:
(RL5)
Compare and contrast the structure of
two or more texts and analyze how the
differing structure of each text
contributes to its meaning and style.
(RL5)
T7-LANGUAGE USE: (L5, L5a-b)
Demonstrate understanding of
figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings. (L5)
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal
irony, puns) in context. (L5a)
relevant descriptive details, and
sensory language to capture the action
and convey experiences and events.
(W3d)
L3a: Unit 3
T9-EDIT/CLARIFY: (L1, L2)
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking. (L1)
Explain the function of verbals
(gerunds, participles, infinitives) in
general and their function in
particular sentences. (L1a)
Form and use verbs in the active and
passive voice. (L1b)
Form and use verbs in the indicative,
imperative, interrogative, conditional,
and subjunctive mood. (L1c)
L1d: Unit 3
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing. (L2)
T8-KEY DETAILS: (RI1, RI3)
Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis,
dash) to indicate a pause or break.
(L2a)
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
W6: See Claim 2, T10
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases;
gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression. (L6)
Use the relationship between
particular words to better understand
each of the words. (L5b)
Cite the textual evidence that most
T7-TECHNOLOGY: (W6)
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
strongly supports an analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text. (RI1)
Analyze how a text makes connections
among and distinctions between
individuals, ideas, or events (e.g.,
through comparisons, analogies, or
categories). (RI3)
T9-CENTRAL IDEAS: (RI2)
Determine a central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its
relationship to supporting ideas;
provide an objective summary of the
text. (RI2)
Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.
(L2b)
Spell correctly. (L2c)
T10-TECHNOLOGY: (W6)
Use technology, including the
Internet, to produce and publish
writing as well as to interact and
collaborate with others. (W6)
T10-WORD MEANINGS: (RI4, L4a,b,c
L5c, L6)
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze the
impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including
analogies. (RI4)
L4a: See Claim 1, T3
L4b: See Claim 1, T3
L4c: See Claim 1, T3
L5c: See Claim 1, T3
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases;
gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression. (L6)
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
T11-REASONING AND EVALUATION:
(RI3, RI6, RI8, RI9)
Determine an author’s point of view
or purpose in a text. (RI6)
Delineate and evaluate the argument
and specific claims in a text. (RI8)
Analyze a case in which two or more
texts provide conflicting information
on the same topic. (RI9)
RI3: See Claim 1, T8
T12-ANALYSIS WITHIN AND ACROSS
TEXT: (RI7, RI9)
RI7: Unit 3
RI9: See Claim 1, T11
T13-TEXT STRUCTURES AND
FEATURES: (RI5, RI7)
Analyze in detail the structure of a
specific paragraph in a text, including
the role of particular sentences in
developing and refining a key concept.
(RI5)
RI7: Unit 3
T14-LANGUAGE USE: (L4, L5, L5a, L5b)
Determine or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-meaning words
or phrases based on grade 8 reading
and content, choosing flexibly from a
range of strategies. (L4)
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
Demonstrate understanding of
figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings. (L5)
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal
irony, puns) in context. (L5a)
Use the relationship between
particular words to better understand
each of the words. (L5b)
Reading
Analyzing—phrases or sentences to
indicate parts of a whole.
(Language Considerations: verbs such as
contain, entail, consist of; quantifiers such
as some, almost all, a few, hardly any)
Since I see _________, I know it is
organized by _________.
I see __________ and I can
tell___________.
Compare/Contrast—identifying the
similarities and differences between two
or more texts. (Language Considerations:
coordinating conjunctions, and, but, yet,
or; adverbials such as similarly, likewise,
in contrast, instead, despite this)
The way they are alike is that they both
are/have ________, but what is
different is that ___________ is/has
________.
Language Functions and Considerations
Writing
Argumentation—sentences to present a
point of view with the intent of
communicating or supporting a particular
position or conviction. (Language
Considerations: expressions such as in my
opinion, it seems to me; adverbials such
as since, because, although, however)
I think that ________ should _________
because ________. (complex sentences
using modals and clauses)
Listening and Speaking
Clarifying—specific statements with
expanded verb phrases to clarify difficult
vocabulary, inadequate information,
challenging syntax, or
metaphorical/idiomatic expressions.
(Language Considerations: verbs and verb
phrases in statements; domain specific
vocabulary used)
In this text, the word ___________ has a
different connotation from the way it was
presented in ____________.
Interpret—interpret a wide range of long
and complex texts, appreciating subtle
distinction of style and implicit as well as
explicit meaning. (Language
Considerations: language of propaganda,
complex sentences; domain specific
vocabulary used)
The author presents the topic in such
a way, as to suggest ____________.
There are several major differences
between _______ and _______.
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Presentation
Analyzing—identify purpose of
information.
(Language Considerations: verbs such as
contain, entail, consist of; quantifiers such
as some, almost all, a few, hardly any)
I see __________ and I can
tell___________.
There is/are _______ that show me
_______.
We can interpret _______ as
__________.
This is significant because
__________.
Interpret—interpret a wide range of long
and complex texts, appreciating subtle
distinction of style and implicit as well as
explicit meaning. (Language
Considerations: language of propaganda,
complex sentences; domain specific
vocabulary used)
The author presents the topic in such
a way, as to suggest ____________.
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
How will we know if they have learned it?
In ____ Instructional days students will be able to . . . . .
Sample Learning Outcome:
Analyze the differences in the points of view of the
characters and the audience or reader in a modern work
of fiction and a traditional story (RL6, RL9).
Performance Descriptor:
After reading the selections, students will compare and
contrast how points of view of character and the reader
in modern works of literature and traditional texts.
How will we respond when learning has not occurred?
Sample of formative performance question:
Evidence of the skills and concepts can be elicited from
selected response or constructed response assessment
items. Multiple assessment items should be
constructed.
(Selected response) While using “The Gettysburg
Address” and “I Have a Dream”, choose all that apply to
the points of view of both Martin Luther King Jr. and
Abraham Lincoln.
a. Both men share the idea of equality.
b. Both men believe in freedom.
c. Both men make references to a higher power.
Both men are advocating to end slavery.
How will we respond when learning has already occurred?
Curricular Connections: English Language Arts, History, ELD, and Science
Integrated Content Questions
How can equity be achieved through change?
English Language Arts
RL9, RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI8; “I Have a Dream;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 773-775
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI8; “The Gettysburg Address;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 770-772
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL6, RL9; “The First Americans;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 3; Pages 405-409
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5, RL6; “Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 2; Pages 212-221
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5; “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 761-764
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5; “Fragment on Slavery, 1854;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 760
RL3, RL4, RL5, RL6, RL9; “The Treasure of Lemon Brown”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 14-27
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL5, RL9; “The New Colossus;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 400-402
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5 RL9; from “The Odyssey;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 2; Pages 273-274
RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5, RL9; “Beowulf;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 5; Pages 612-615
RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5; “Paul Revere’s Ride;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 5; Pages 591-599
RL2, RL4, RL5; “My Mother Pieced Quilts;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 500-504
RL2, RL5; “Sweater/Suéter;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 505
RL2, RL5; “A Word is Dead;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 510-511
RL2, RL5; “The Word/La Palabra;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 511
RL2, RL5; “Ode to Thanks;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 5; Pages 627-631
RI2, RI3, RI5, RI6, RI10; “The Scientific Method;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 137-143
RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI10; “Don’t Know Much About Liberty;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 2; Pages 249-253
RI1, RI4, RI10; “Hawaiian Teen Named Top Young Scientist;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 145-148
History-Social Science
RI1, RI6, RI8; “Information and Propaganda;” Holt United States History; Chapter 13; Pages 398-399
RI6; “Determine Different Points of View”; Holt United States History; Chapter 4; Page 136
RI6; “Personal Conviction and Bias;” Holt United States History; Chapter 11; Page 368
RI6; “Interpreting Political Cartoons;” Holt United States History; Chapter 15; Page 504
RI6; “Bias and Historical Events;” Holt United States History; Chapter 8; Page 258
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6 Various Political Cartoons (throughout); Holt United States History; ; Pages 214, 243, 292, 482, 519, 581, 630, 656
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6; “Washington’s Farewell Address;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 210 & R43
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Compromise and the Slave Trade;” Holt United States History; Chapter; Page 128
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Role of a Citizen;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 203
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Fighting Discrimination;” Holt United States History; Chapter 19; Page 624
W1a-e; “Writing a Persuasive Essay;” Holt United States History; Chapter 20; Page 668
Science
RI8, W1a, W1b; “Section Review, number 6;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 137
W2a-f; “Chapter Review;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 153
RI1, RI2, RI4, W3; “Weird Science;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 156
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, W2; “Science, Technology, and Society;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 156
RI9; “Development of the Atomic Theory;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Pages 164-169 (Dalton vs. Rutherford vs. Modern)
W1a-e; “Writing Skills;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Page 185
RI1, RI2, RI4, W2; “Weird Science;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Page 188
RI1, RI2, RI4, W1, W7; “Careers;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Page 189
Suggested Close Reading selections
ELA:
RL 9, RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI8; “I Have a Dream;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 773-775 (Style/analogy)
RL9; “The New Colossus;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 400-402 (analogies)
RL5; “A Word is Dead;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 510-511 (Style)
RL5; from “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 761-764 (pg. 763 analogy/style)
RL1, RL2, RL3; “Flowers for Algernon”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 30-63 ( See EdModo)
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
HSS:
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6; “Washington’s Farewell Address;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 210 & R43
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Role of a Citizen;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 203
Academic Vocabulary/Domain Specific Words
Academic Vocabulary
ELA:
device, distinctive, interpret, figurative language, literary devices, figurative meaning, connotative meaning, impact, specific word choice, allusions, figures of speech,
metaphors, similes, personification, imagery, symbol, dialogue, dialect, theme, character types, point of view, myths, traditional stories, religious stories, formal style,
informal style, attitude, tradition, setting, parallel episodes, conflict, provoke, decision, argument, delineate, evaluate, sound, relevant, sufficient, conflicting
information, matters of fact, claims, interpretation, analysis, reflection, research, diverse media, motives, internal conflict, external conflict, climax, resolution,
alliteration, repetition, sonnet, rhyme scheme, free verse, alliteration, epic, ode, narrative, lyric poem
HSS:
Agreement, neutral, circumstances, incentive, criteria, contemporary, explicit, elements, propaganda, technique, fact, point of view, differ, bias, stereotype
SCI:
Constituent, interact, chemical Structure, specific, rephrase
Domain Specific Words
ELA:
impromptu, tentatively, intently, probing, ominous, detract, nobly, creed, oasis, “glory of the Lord,” yearning, teeming, “Greek fame,” patriots, wholesome, proverbs,
legends, Zeus, abated, Scylla and Charybdis, catapulted, Thrinacia, nymph, purge, scorn, frayed, somber, taut, denounce, perpetuate, conceded, hypocrisy, aghast,
impetuous, diplomat, refugees, superiors, fate, observation, hypothesis, necessarily, scholarship, competition, formulated, correlate, verify
HSS:
Intimidated, comprehensive, diffusion, posterity, cultivate, inviolate, Farewell Address, diffusion, Three-Fifths Compromise, division, prohibit, admission, bondage
SCI:
Element, compound, mixture, solvent, solution, concentration, atom, electron, nucleus, electron cloud, proton, atomic mass unit, atomic number
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
The following resource for text dependent questions and close reading is from the Anthology Alignment Project on edmodo.com. Teachers may access other resources by
completing the following steps:
Basal Alignment Project
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Go to Edmodo.com
Complete teacher sign up information
Once in Edmodo – on your account, then go to Join Group – left hand section of page
Enter group code pkx4sp for the Anthology Alignment Project and select join
Once in the Anthology Alignment Project tab, Select Folders
Select Holt
a. Story selections are by grade and selection title
Unit 1
Title: Flowers for Algernon 1
Suggested Time:
5-7 days (45 minutes per day)
Common Core ELA Standards: RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3; W8.1, W8.4, W8.9; SL8.1; L.8.1, L.8.2
[Additional Tasks: RI8.8, RI8.9]
Teacher Instructions
Preparing for Teaching
1.
Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis. Please do not read this to the students. This is a description for teachers about the big ideas and key
understanding that students should take away after completing this task.
Big Ideas and Key Understandings:
•
Students should work through the idea that different levels of intelligence, emotional and intellectual, lead to different types of interactions with people and
society.
•
Students should evaluate moral/ethical decisions of characters.
Synopsis
A mentally challenged man is presented with an opportunity to have an operation that will triple his intelligence. The story chronicles the journey that he takes as his
intelligence progresses and regresses.
2.
Read the entire selection, keeping in mind the Big Ideas and Key Understandings.
This story is a “duplicate.” (It is found in other anthologies, as well.) This particular revision was completed by a teacher who uses a different anthology than you, so the page numbers have been removed. This may require you to make some
adjustments/add page numbers to some of the questions.
1
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
3.
Re-read the text while noting the stopping points for the Text Dependent Questions and teaching Tier II/academic vocabulary.
During Teaching
1.
Anticipatory Set: Discuss the following questions with students to guide deeper understanding of the main themes of the story: What is intelligence? Can a person ever be
too smart? What is meant by the saying “ignorance is bliss”?
2.
Students read the entire selection independently.
3.
Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along or students take turns reading aloud to each other in pairs or small groups. Depending on the text length and
student need, the teacher may choose to read the full text or a passage aloud. For a particularly complex text, the teacher may choose to reverse the order of steps 1 and 2.
4.
Students and teacher re-read the text while stopping to respond to and discuss the questions, continually returning to the text. A variety of methods can be used to
structure the reading and discussion (i.e., whole class discussion, think-pair-share, independent written response, group work, etc.)
Text Dependent Questions
Text-dependent Questions
Using evidence from Progress Report 1, who is Charlie
Gordon?
What do we learn about Charlie Gordon’s character from
Progress Report 2?
On pg. ___, why does the author tell us that Charlie thinks,
“maybe white mice are smarter than other mice?”
Is Charlie a good candidate for the experiment?
What do we learn about Charlie through his own analysis of
Robinson Crusoe?
On p. ___, what does Charlie mean when he says “I felt
naked”?
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Evidence-based Answers
He says, “My name is Charlie Gordon. I am 37 years old and 2 weeks ago was my birthday.” Based upon his
writing and the fact that he says, “They can make me smart” we can infer that he is of below-average
intelligence and he wants to be smart.
When he says, “I had my rabbits foot in my pockit” we learn that he is superstitious; he says “I spilled ink too”,
revealing that he has no ability to think abstractly. Make sure students understand Charlie’s test phobia and
desire to be right or smart by his persistence with the test. Also, “I’m a slow reeder too in Miss Kinnians class
for slow adults but I’m trying very hard” shows that Charlie wants to be smart.
This line indicates that he is aware that there are differing levels of intelligence. (Students may also reflect
upon racial inequality hinted at by the “white” mice terminology – refer to time period of 1965 – historically
relevant).
The doctors are looking for a subject that has a low I.Q., but is willing to work. Charlie mentions that he “felt
proud when he [Dr. Strauss] said that not everybody with an eye-q of 68 had that thing [motivation].” The
doctor’s mention of apathy and being uncooperative are directly related to motivation. They need a patient
that has motivation because they are going to complete many tests on the subject and they are going to
monitor intellectual growth, thus they need someone who is willing to try.
(Some readers may also feel that Charlie is too sensitive and should not participate in the study. This is
acceptable so long as text evidence is used to support the answer.)
Based upon the quotes, “He’s all alone and has no friends,” “marooned on a desert island,” and “I hope he gets
a friend and not be lonely,” Charlie is coming to understand what loneliness is. Some students may also see the
direct comparison between Charlie and Robinson Crusoe. Also, his ability to think about someone else and
their place in the world shows an increased emotional intelligence.
Other lines surrounding the line “I felt naked” show Charlie’s embarrassment. These lines include: “I wanted to
hide myself, and I ran out into the street and I threw-up,” and “Charlie is blushing.”
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
On p. ___, how have Charlie’s feeling changed from earlier in
the story?
What do you think that the “pair of bats tugging at something”
and “two men fencing with swords” symbolizes?
(Note: give a Rorschach to show how the test is administered)
At the bottom of p. ___ it says, “when I left afterwards, I found
myself trembling,” why does Charlie react this way?
On page ___, Miss Kinnian remarks to Charlie,” I just hope I
wasn’t wrong to advise you to go into this in the first place.”
Looking back through the text, and considering your own
beliefs, do you feel that Miss Kinnian properly advised Charlie
to go through with the experiment?
How does the following passage, “it was evil when Eve
listened to the snake and ate from the tree of knowledge,”
compare to Charlie and his experience?
At this point in the story, how are things going for Charlie?
How does this connect to what the author told us before?
(If students struggle to identify Charlie’s social isolation, the
following question will provide more support. “What evidence
do you have that Charlie’s heightened intelligence has created
difficulties in his relationship with others?”
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
The “nakedness” is a reference to the Garden of Eden and the casting out of Adam and Eve from Paradise after
they have eaten from the Tree of Knowledge (this mention of nakedness will later be used in reference to
Fanny’s remarks about the evilness of Adam and Eve and even later alluded to when Charlie is unable to read
Paradise Lost and has lost the knowledge that he gained.)
Charlie is beginning to understand social acceptance and question the motives of others. Earlier in the text, on
p. 39 Charlie says “We had a lot of fun at the factory today.” Then, he tells a story about George losing a
package and sometimes people will say, “Look, he really pulled a Charlie Gordon. They’re really my friends and
they like me.”
This passage shows that he was unaware of being made fun of and had no shame or embarrassment about his
intelligence. In comparison, Charlie’s understanding about “nakedness” allows the reader to see Charlie’s
progression toward understanding that not every one is his friend and laughing with him, especially Joe and
Frank.
Possible answers include the two doctors arguing, Charlie’s subconscious and conscious desires conflicting,
Charlie’s old life versus new life, Charlie’s emotional versus intellectual intelligence
Note: if students struggle in generating these answers, tell them to look at the conflicts that arise in the story.
He says, “I felt like I’d seen both men clearly for the first time.” Charlie is coming to realize that the doctors
have motives that go beyond simply helping him become smarter. And, Doctor Nemur calls Charlie “his
experiment.” Clearly, this shows that Doctor Nemur views Charlie as a professional asset and not as a patient.
Charlie is learning that people, himself included, act with ulterior motives in mind. This understanding is
essential to his emotional growth.
Students can take many viewpoints on this issue and sight multiple moral reasons behind the ethics of the
operation. Looking back at the text, students might cite Miss Kinnian’s earlier comments on page ___, where it
says, “She read some of the Progress Reports and she looked at me kind of funny. She says Im a fine person
and Ill show them all. I asked her why. She said never mind but I shouldnt feel bad if I find out that everybody
isn’t nice like I think. . . Then she got something in her eye and she had to run out to the ladys room.” Miss
Kinnian's comments show that she is aware of negative consequences with the experiment, such as the fact
that people are mean spirited, will use others for their own glory, and will use others to gain profit. Very early
on in the short story, in progress report 4, when the doctors decide that Charlie will be their subject, Charlie
th
remarks,” Their going to use me.” On the April 27 progress report, the doctors also argue about the ethics of
the experiment and publishing results too early. They also call Charlie an “experiment” instead of a patient.
Charlie’s operation is equivalent to Eve eating from the tree of knowledge. His increased intelligence has
shown him a darker side of human nature. Students may reference the experiment on Charlie, his awareness of
Frank and Joe making fun of him, or the experimentation on animals and human subjects.
On p. ___ he says that he “seldom speaks to anyone” and “Dr. Nemur appears to be uncomfortable around
me”. He says “I must be careful to speak and write clearly and simply so people won’t laugh.” When talking to
Miss Kinnian, he says that “when I tried to explain she stopped me and laughed.” While Charlie has increased
his intellectual intelligence, emotional intelligence takes much more time and experience to develop. People
laughed at Charlie both before AND after his operation.
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
Using context clues from the passage on p. 54, “I felt sick
inside as I looked at his dull, vacuous smile, the wide, bright
eyes of a child, uncertain but eager to please. They were
laughing at me because he was mentally retarded, “ what does
the word vacuous mean?
What does the anecdote of the dishwasher boy reveal about
Charlie?
On pages ___ and ___, what is driving Charlie?
Vacuous means void and empty like a vacuum. Context clues are “The wide bright eyes of a child, uncertain but
eager to please”; “vacant eyes”; “an uncertain grin”
He says, “I felt sick inside as I looked at his dull, vacuous smile…I felt ashamed for both of us.” Charlie has
realized that he was once ridiculed like the dishwasher boy and he, too, misunderstood the taunting as
acceptance. He had the same vacuous, unaware existence. He says, “It infuriated me to think that not so long
ago I, like this boy, had foolishly played the clown. And I had almost forgotten.” (Higher level students might
use the plate as a symbol for Charlie’s brokenness)
It is the same force that propelled him to work so hard when he was mentally disabled: a strong desire to
succeed. At the moment, however, he realizes that time is probably running out for him.
Charlie could also just have a strong desire to understand the inequality of intelligence that he struggled to
comprehend when he was mentally challenged. On page ___, in reference to the calculus of intelligence,
Charlie remarks, “In a sense it is the problem I have been concerned with all my life.” Some students might
indicate that this is the driving force for Charlie’s diligence to complete his data.
On May 31, Charlie says, “I’ve got to know if and when it will
happen to me,” what evidence exists that Charlie will or will
not regress like Algernon?
What are some of Charlie’s symptoms of deterioration in his
June 5 progress report?
Likewise, it would be valid for students to say that he wants to show up Dr. Nemus and Dr. Strauss, or that he
feels a moral obligation to stand up for those who are mentally challenged who might be possible test subjects
after his own mental decline. He makes references to this at the end of the book on page 62 when he says,
“Anyway I bet Im the first dumb person n the world who ever found out something important for sience.”
On p. ___ Algernon was “unusually disturbed and vicious.” Charlie tells the reader that “he [Algernon] snapped
at my hand.” Charlie also says that Algernon is “less cooperative,” and “everyone is upset about what this may
mean.” All of the above quotes suggest that Charlie will in fact regress like Algernon because the reader has
been given several examples of Charlie’s changing personality. Prior to this incident, Charlie snaps at Miss
Kinnian when she is unable to understand his intellectual discussion on Vrostadt.
Also, Algernon is also being characterized the same way as many of Charlie’s lower-IQ peers were at the
beginning of the story.
Possible answers include: motor activity is impaired, reduction of glandular activity, accelerated loss of
coordination, and progressive amnesia.
On p. ___, what words or phrases help you define the word
senility?
Senility means the loss of mental ability. “amnesia”, “second childhood”, and “deteriorating rapidly”
What evidence suggests Joe and Frank have or have not
developed as characters?
On p. ___ Joe says, “leave him alone you lousy cracker or I’ll break your neck.” Student can argue both sides
because Joe has identified the moral depravity of making fun of someone yet still uses a racial slur to attack the
attacker. (Some kids may come back to the “white mouse” comment from earlier in the text with this racial
commentary here).
1. Charlie changed but then regressed back to an intellectual place very similar to where he began. On p.
___, before his regression, he says, "I'd hidden the picture of the old Charlie Gordon from myself because
now that I was intelligent it was something that had to be pushed out of my mind. But today in looking at
that boy, for the first time I saw what I had been. I was just like him!" But, later Charlie says "Please tell Dr.
What evidence in the text do you have that Charlie has or
hasn’t changed since the beginning of the story?
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
Nemur not to be such a grouch when people laugh at him and he would have more friends", indicating that
Charlie has regressed back to a point where he does not understand the nature of friendship.
2. Charlie has changed by the end of the story. When he initially finds out that his "friends" were just mean
people who made fun of him, he says, on p. ___, "Everyone was looking at me and laughing and I felt naked.
I wanted to hide myself. I ran out into the street and I threw up." He cannot handle the embarrassment.
However, at the end, when he says, "Please tell Dr. Nemur not to be such a grouch when people laught at
him and he would have more friends. Its easy to make frends if you let people laught and you" he is
showing the ability to let the embarrassment go. He has recognized that he will be happier if he lets go of
his shame.
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
Tier II/Academic Vocabulary
Meaning needs to be provided
Meaning can be learned from context
These words require less time to learn
(They are concrete or describe an object/event/
process/characteristic that is familiar to students)
These words require more time to learn
(They are abstract, have multiple meanings, are a part
of a word family, or are likely to appear again in future texts)
marooned (spelled marooned)
“to pull a Charlie Gordon”
feeble minded
opportunist
acquire, despised, petition
cowered
cooperative, peering
irritable, instability
motor activity
impaired, senility
plateau
psychology
contrary
“narrow specialization; the broader aspects of background were neglected far more than
necessary.” *Note: spend time to interpret this because it marks an increase in his
intelligence and allows the reader to avoid attempting to decode all words on pages 51-53.
vacuous, mirrored, vacant
inferior
regress (ion)
deterioration
Rorscharch (spelled raw shok initially)
amazed (meant to mean a maze), motivation (spelled motor- vation
initially)
fencing
neurosurgeons, “ride on his coattails”
smirking
illiteracy
Apathetic (appears as apat** in the text)
IQ= Intelligence Quotient (appears as “eye-q)
*Note- an IQ below 80 designates mental retardation (mentally challenged) ), discouraged
(spelled discoridged)
tree of knowledge
subconscious and conscious
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
vicious
“artificially increased intelligence deteriorates proportionally to the quantity of increase”
(break down the sentence to see how Charlie will regress)
“general smoothing of the cerebral convolutions as well as deepening and broadening of brain
fissures” (go through what this means to show that Charlie has permanent brain damage)
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 1
10/18/13
Grade 8 ELA Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
Unit Big Idea: Change
Segment Idea: Equity is reached through change
Suggested Duration: 15 days
What do we want all students to learn?
Claim 1: Read closely and analytically to
comprehend a range of increasingly
complex literary and informational texts.
Claim 2: Produce effective and wellgrounded writing for a range of purposes
and audiences.
When reading about unit content,
students will . . .
When writing about unit content,
students will . . .
SBAC TARGETS
SBAC TARGETS
T1-KEY DETAILS: (RL1, RL3)
Cite the textual evidence that most
strongly supports an analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text. (RL1)
Analyze how particular lines of
dialogue or incidents in a story or
drama propel the action, reveal
aspects of a character. (RL3)
T2-CENTRAL IDEAS: (RL2)
Determine a theme or central idea of a
text and analyze its development over
the course of the text, including its
relationship to the characters, setting,
and plot; provide an objective
summary of the text. (RL2)
T3-WORD MEANINGS: (RL4, L4a,b,c,
L5c)
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text,
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Claim 3: Employ effective speaking and
listening skills for a range of purposes
and audiences.
Skills and Concepts
T1, T3, T6-WRITE/REVISE BRIEF TEXTNarrative, Informational/Explanatory,
Opinion/Argument (W1, W2, W3)
T2-COMPOSE FULL TEXT-Narrative
(W3, W3a, W3b, W3c, W3d, W3e)
When listening, speaking and
collaborating around unit content,
students will . . .
When conducting research or presenting
projects, focused on unit content and big
ideas, students will . . .
SBAC TARGETS
SBAC TARGETS
T1-LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY
USE: (L3a, L6)
T1-PLAN & RESEARCH: (SL2, SL3,
SL4,W6, W7)
L3a: Unit 3
L6: See Claim 1, T10
SL2: See Claim 3, T3
SL3: See Claim 3, T4
SL4: See Claim 3, T3
W6: See Claim 2, T10
T2-CLARIFY MESSAGE: (L3a,L6)
Unit 3
T4- COMPOSE FULL TEXTInformational/Explanatory (W2, W2a,
W2b, W2c, W2d, W2e, W2f)
Unit 1
T5-USE TEXT FEATURES: (W2a, W2b)
Introduce a topic or thesis statement
clearly, previewing what is to follow;
organize ideas, concepts, and
information into broader categories:
include formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and
multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension. (W2a)
Claim 4: Engage in research/inquiry to
investigate topics and to analyze,
integrate, and present information.
L3a: Unit 3
L6: See Claim 1, T10
T3-PLAN/SPEAK/PRESENT: (SL2, SL4,
SL5, SL6)
Analyze the purpose of information
presented in diverse media and
formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively,
orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g.,
social, commercial, political) behind its
presentation. (SL2)
Present claims and findings (e.g.,
argument, narrative, response to
literature presentations), emphasizing
salient points in a focused, coherent
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
Conduct short research projects to
answer a question (including a selfgenerated question), drawing on
several sources and generating
additional related, focused questions
that allow for multiple avenues of
exploration. (W7)
T2-INTERPRET & INTEGRATE: (RI9, W8,
W9)
Gather relevant information from
multiple print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source;
and quote or paraphrase the data and
conclusions of others while avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard
10/18/13
including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of
specific word choices on meaning and
tone, including analogies to other
texts. (RL4)
Develop the topic with relevant, well
chosen facts, definitions, concrete
details, quotations, or other
information and examples. (W2b)
manner with relevant evidence, sound
valid reasoning, and well-chosen
details; use appropriate eye contact,
adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation. (SL4)
format for citation. (W8)
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning
of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a
clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase. (L4a)
T7-COMPOSE FULL TEXTOPINION/ARGUMENT: (W1a,b,c,d,
W3, W4, W5,W9)
Integrate multimedia and visual
displays into presentations to clarify
information, strengthen claims and
evidence, and add interest. (SL5)
T3-EVALUATE INFORMATION
RESOURCES: (W9)
Use common, grade-appropriate Greek
or Latin affixes and roots as clues to
the meaning of a word (e.g., precede,
recede, and secede). (L4b)
Consult general and specialized
reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and
digital, to find the pronunciation of a
word or determine or clarify its precise
meaning or its part of speech or trace
the etymology of words.(L4c)
Write arguments to support claims
with clear reasons and relevant
evidence. (W1)
Introduce claim(s) acknowledge and
distinguish the claim(s) from alternate
or opposing claims, and organize the
reasons and evidence logically. (W1a)
Support claim(s) with logical
reasoning and relevant evidence,
using accurate, credible sources and
demonstrating an understanding of
the topic or text. (W1b)
Distinguish among the connotations
(associations) of words with similar
denotations (definitions) (e.g.,
bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent,
resolute). (L5c)
Establish and maintain a formal style.
(W1d)
T4-REASONING AND EVALUATION:
(RL2, RL3, RL6)
Produce clear and coherent writing in
which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (W4)
RL2: See Claim 1, T2
RL3: See Claim 1, T1
Analyze [the] differences in the points
of view of the characters and the
audience or reader (e.g., created
through the use of dramatic irony
[and other literary devices]) create
such effects as suspense or humor.
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and supports
the argument presented. (W1e)
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts
and tasks, demonstrating command of
formal English when indicated or
appropriate. (SL6)
T4-LISTEN/INTERPRET: (SL1, SL2, SL3,
SL6)
Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-one,
in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 8 topics,
texts, and issues, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
(SL1)
Delineate a speaker’s argument and
specific claims. (SL3)
SL2: See Claim 3, T3
SL6: See Claim 3, T3
With some guidance and support from
peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by
planning. (W5)
Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
RI9: See Claim 1, T11
W9: Claim 2, T7
W9: See Claim 2, T7
T4-USE EVIDENCE: (RI9, W8, W9)
RI9: See Claim 1, T11
W8: See Claim 4, T2
W9: See Claim 2, T7
T5-LANGUAGE & VOCABULARY USE:
(W2d, W3d, L3a, L6)
Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic. (W2d)
Use precise words and phrases,
relevant descriptive details, and
sensory language to capture the action
and convey experiences and events.
(W3d)
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases;
gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression. (L6)
T6-EDIT/CLARIFY: (L1, L1a-c, L2, L2a-c)
L1: See Claim 2, T9
10/18/13
(RL6)
analysis, reflection, and research.
(W9)
L2: See Claim 2, T9
T5-ANALYSIS WITHIN AND ACROSS
TEXT: (RL6, RL7, RL9)
Apply grade 8 Reading standards to
literature (e.g., “Analyze how a
modern work of fiction draws on
themes, patterns of events, or
character types from myths,
traditional stories, or religious works
such as the Bible, including describing
how the material is rendered new”).
(W9a)
T7-TECHNOLOGY: (W6)
RL6: See Claim 1, T4
RL7: Unit 3
Analyze how a modern work of fiction
draws on themes from myths,
traditional stories, or religious works
such as the Bible, including describing
how the material is rendered new.
(RL9)
T6-TEXT STRUCTURE AND FEATURES:
(RL5)
Compare and contrast the structure of
two or more texts and analyze how the
differing structure of each text
contributes to its meaning and style.
(RL5)
T7-LANGUAGE USE: (L5, L5a-b)
Demonstrate understanding of
figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings. (L5)
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal
irony, puns) in context. (L5a)
Use the relationship between
particular words to better understand
each of the words. (L5b)
T8-KEY DETAILS: (RI1, RI3)
Cite the textual evidence that most
strongly supports an analysis of what
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
W6: See Claim 2, T10
Apply grade 8 Reading standards to
literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate
and evaluate the argument and
specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is sound and
the evidence is relevant and
sufficient; recognize when irrelevant
evidence is introduced”). (W9b)
T8-LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY
USE: (W2d, W3d, L3a, L6)
Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic. (W2d)
Use precise words and phrases,
relevant descriptive details, and
sensory language to capture the action
and convey experiences and events.
(W3d)
L3a: Unit 3
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases;
gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text. (RI1)
Analyze how a text makes connections
among and distinctions between
individuals, ideas, or events (e.g.,
through comparisons, analogies, or
categories). (RI3)
T9-CENTRAL IDEAS: (RI2)
Determine a central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its
relationship to supporting ideas;
provide an objective summary of the
text. (RI2)
T10-WORD MEANINGS: (RI4, L4a,b,c
L5c, L6)
expression. (L6)
T9-EDIT/CLARIFY: (L1,L2)
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking. (L1)
Explain the function of verbals
(gerunds, participles, infinitives) in
general and their function in particular
sentences. (L1a)
Form and use verbs in the active and
passive voice. (L1b)
Form and use verbs in the indicative,
imperative, interrogative, conditional,
and subjunctive mood. (L1c)
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze the impact
of specific word choices on meaning
and tone, including analogies. (RI4)
L1d: Unit 3
L4a: See Claim 1, T3
L4b: See Claim 1, T3
L4c: See Claim 1, T3
L5c: See Claim 1, T3
Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis,
dash) to indicate a pause or break.
(L2a)
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases;
gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression. (L6)
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing. (L2)
Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.
(L2b)
Spell correctly. (L2c)
T10-TECHNOLOGY: (W6)
Use technology, including the Internet,
to produce and publish writing as well
as to interact and collaborate with
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
T11-REASONING AND EVALUATION:
(RI3, RI6, RI8, RI9)
others. (W6)
Determine an author’s point of view or
purpose in a text and analyze how the
author acknowledges and responds to
conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
(RI6)
Delineate and evaluate the argument
and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is sound and
the evidence is relevant and sufficient;
recognize when irrelevant evidence is
introduced. (RI8)
Analyze a case in which two or more
texts provide conflicting information
on the same topic and identify where
the texts disagree on matters of fact
or interpretation. (RI9)
RI3: See Claim 1, T8
T12-ANALYSIS WITHIN AND ACROSS
TEXT: (RI7, RI9)
RI7: Unit 3
RI9: See Claim 1, T11
T13-TEXT STRUCTURES AND
FEATURES: (RI5, RI7)
Analyze in detail the structure of a
specific paragraph in a text, including
the role of particular sentences in
developing and refining a key concept.
(RI5)
RI7: Unit 3
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
T14-LANGUAGE USE: (L4, L5, L5a, L5b)
Determine or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-meaning words
or phrases based on grade 8 reading
and content, choosing flexibly from a
range of strategies. (L4)
Demonstrate understanding of
figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings. (L5)
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal
irony, puns) in context. (L5a)
Use the relationship between
particular words to better understand
each of the words. (L5b)
Reading
Analyzing—phrases or sentences to
indicate parts of a whole.
(Language Considerations: verbs such as
contain, entail, consist of; quantifiers such
as some, almost all, a few, hardly any)
Since I see _________, I know it is
organized by _________.
I see __________ and I can
tell___________.
Compare/Contrast—identifying the
similarities and differences between two
or more texts. (Language Considerations:
coordinating conjunctions, and, but, yet,
or; adverbials such as similarly, likewise,
in contrast, instead, despite this)
The way they are alike is that they both
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Language Functions and Considerations
Writing
Argumentation—sentences to present a
point of view with the intent of
communicating or supporting a particular
position or conviction. (Language
Considerations: expressions such as in my
opinion, it seems to me; adverbials such
as since, because, although, however)
I think that ________ should _________
because ________. (complex sentences
using modals and clauses)
Listening and Speaking
Clarifying—specific statements with
expanded verb phrases to clarify difficult
vocabulary, inadequate information,
challenging syntax, or
metaphorical/idiomatic expressions.
(Language Considerations: verbs and verb
phrases in statements; domain specific
vocabulary used)
In this text, the word ___________ has a
different connotation from the way it was
presented in ____________.
Interpret—interpret a wide range of long
and complex texts, appreciating subtle
distinction of style and implicit as well as
explicit meaning. (Language
Considerations: language of propaganda,
complex sentences; domain specific
vocabulary used)
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
Presentation
Analyzing—identify purpose of
information.
(Language Considerations: verbs such as
contain, entail, consist of; quantifiers such
as some, almost all, a few, hardly any)
I see __________ and I can
tell___________.
There is/are _______ that show me
_______.
We can interpret _______ as
__________.
This is significant because
__________.
Interpret—interpret a wide range of long
and complex texts, appreciating subtle
10/18/13
are/have ________, but what is
different is that ___________ is/has
________.
The author presents the topic in such
a way, as to suggest ____________.
There are several major differences
between _______ and _______.
distinction of style and implicit as well as
explicit meaning. (Language
Considerations: language of propaganda,
complex sentences; domain specific
vocabulary used)
The author presents the topic in such
a way, as to suggest ____________.
How will we know if they have learned it?
In ____ Instructional days students will be able to . . . . .
Sample Learning Outcome:
Analyze the differences in the points of view of the
characters and the audience or reader in a modern work
of fiction and a traditional story (RL6, RL9).
Performance Descriptor:
After reading the selections, students will compare and
contrast how points of view of character and the reader
in modern works of literature and traditional texts.
Sample of formative performance question:
Evidence of the skills and concepts can be elicited from
selected response or constructed response assessment
items. Multiple assessment items should be
constructed.
(Selected response) While using “The Gettysburg
Address” and “I Have a Dream”, choose all that apply to
the points of view of both Martin Luther King Jr. and
Abraham Lincoln.
a. Both men share the idea of equality.
b. Both men believe in freedom.
c. Both men make references to a higher power.
Both men are advocating to end slavery.
How will we respond when learning has not occurred?
How will we respond when learning has already occurred?
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
Curricular Connections: English Language Arts, History, ELD, and Science
Integrated Content Questions
How can equity be achieved through change?
English Language Arts
RL9, RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI8; “I Have a Dream;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 773-775
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI8; “The Gettysburg Address;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 770-772
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL6, RL9; “The First Americans;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 3; Pages 405-409
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5, RL6; “Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 2; Pages 212-221
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5; “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 761-764
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5; “Fragment on Slavery, 1854;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 760
RL3, RL4, RL5, RL6, RL9; “The Treasure of Lemon Brown”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 14-27
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL5, RL9; “The New Colossus;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 400-402
RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5 RL9; from “The Odyssey;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 2; Pages 273-274
RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5, RL9; “Beowulf;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 5; Pages 612-615
RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5; “Paul Revere’s Ride;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 5; Pages 591-599
RL2, RL4, RL5; “My Mother Pieced Quilts;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 500-504
RL2, RL5; “Sweater/Suéter;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 505
RL2, RL5; “A Word is Dead;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 510-511
RL2, RL5; “The Word/La Palabra;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 511
RL2, RL5; “Ode to Thanks;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 5; Pages 627-631
RI2, RI3, RI5, RI6, RI10; “The Scientific Method;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 137-143
RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI10; “Don’t Know Much About Liberty;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 2; Pages 249-253
RI1, RI4, RI10; “Hawaiian Teen Named Top Young Scientist;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 145-148
History-Social Science
RI1, RI6, RI8; “Information and Propaganda;” Holt United States History; Chapter 13; Pages 398-399
RI6; “Determine Different Points of View”; Holt United States History; Chapter 4; Page 136
RI6; “Personal Conviction and Bias;” Holt United States History; Chapter 11; Page 368
RI6; “Interpreting Political Cartoons;” Holt United States History; Chapter 15; Page 504
RI6; “Bias and Historical Events;” Holt United States History; Chapter 8; Page 258
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6 Various Political Cartoons (throughout); Holt United States History; ; Pages 214, 243, 292, 482, 519, 581, 630, 656
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6; “Washington’s Farewell Address;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 210 & R43
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Compromise and the Slave Trade;” Holt United States History; Chapter; Page 128
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Role of a Citizen;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 203
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Fighting Discrimination;” Holt United States History; Chapter 19; Page 624
W1a-e; “Writing a Persuasive Essay;” Holt United States History; Chapter 20; Page 668
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
Science
RI8, W1a, W1b; “Section Review, number 6;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 137
W2a-f; “Chapter Review;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 153
RI1, RI2, RI4, W3; “Weird Science;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 156
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, W2; “Science, Technology, and Society;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 156
RI9; “Development of the Atomic Theory;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Pages 164-169 (Dalton vs. Rutherford vs. Modern)
W1a-e; “Writing Skills;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Page 185
RI1, RI2, RI4, W2; “Weird Science;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Page 188
RI1, RI2, RI4, W1, W7; “Careers;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Page 189
Suggested Close Reading selections
ELA:
RL 9, RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI8; “I Have a Dream;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 773-775 (Style/analogy)
RL9; “The New Colossus;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 400-402 (analogies)
RL5; “A Word is Dead;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 510-511 (Style)
RL5; from “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 761-764 (pg. 763 analogy/style)
RL1, RL2, RL3; “Flowers for Algernon”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 30-63 ( See EdModo)
HSS:
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6; “Washington’s Farewell Address;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 210 & R43
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Role of a Citizen;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 203
Academic Vocabulary/Domain Specific Words
Academic Vocabulary
ELA:
device, distinctive, interpret, figurative language, literary devices, figurative meaning, connotative meaning, impact, specific word choice, allusions, figures of speech,
metaphors, similes, personification, imagery, symbol, dialogue, dialect, theme, character types, point of view, myths, traditional stories, religious stories, formal style,
informal style, attitude, tradition, setting, parallel episodes, conflict, provoke, decision, argument, delineate, evaluate, sound, relevant, sufficient, conflicting
information, matters of fact, claims, interpretation, analysis, reflection, research, diverse media, motives, internal conflict, external conflict, climax, resolution,
alliteration, repetition, sonnet, rhyme scheme, free verse, alliteration, epic, ode, narrative, lyric poem
HSS:
Agreement, neutral, circumstances, incentive, criteria, contemporary, explicit, elements, propaganda, technique, fact, point of view, differ, bias, stereotype
SCI:
Constituent, interact, chemical Structure, specific, rephrase
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
Domain Specific Words
ELA:
impromptu, tentatively, intently, probing, ominous, detract, nobly, creed, oasis, “glory of the Lord,” yearning, teeming, “Greek fame,” patriots, wholesome, proverbs,
legends, Zeus, abated, Scylla and Charybdis, catapulted, Thrinacia, nymph, purge, scorn, frayed, somber, taut, denounce, perpetuate, conceded, hypocrisy, aghast,
impetuous, diplomat, refugees, superiors, fate, observation, hypothesis, necessarily, scholarship, competition, formulated, correlate, verify
HSS:
Intimidated, comprehensive, diffusion, posterity, cultivate, inviolate, Farewell Address, diffusion, Three-Fifths Compromise, division, prohibit, admission, bondage
SCI:
Element, compound, mixture, solvent, solution, concentration, atom, electron, nucleus, electron cloud, proton, atomic mass unit, atomic number
The following resource for text dependent questions and close reading is from the Anthology Alignment Project on edmodo.com. Teachers may access other resources by
completing the following steps:
Basal Alignment Project
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Go to Edmodo.com
Complete teacher sign up information
Once in Edmodo – on your account, then go to Join Group – left hand section of page
Enter group code pkx4sp for the Anthology Alignment Project and select join
Once in the Anthology Alignment Project tab, Select Folders
Select Holt
a. Story selections are by grade and selection title
Unit 1
Title: Flowers for Algernon 1
Suggested Time:
5-7 days (45 minutes per day)
Common Core ELA Standards: RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3; W8.1, W8.4, W8.9; SL8.1; L.8.1, L.8.2
[Additional Tasks: RI8.8, RI8.9]
This story is a “duplicate.” (It is found in other anthologies, as well.) This particular revision was completed by a teacher who uses a different anthology than you, so the page numbers have been removed. This may require you to make some
adjustments/add page numbers to some of the questions.
1
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
Teacher Instructions
Preparing for Teaching
1.
Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis. Please do not read this to the students. This is a description for teachers about the big ideas and key
understanding that students should take away after completing this task.
Big Ideas and Key Understandings:
•
Students should work through the idea that different levels of intelligence, emotional and intellectual, lead to different types of interactions with people and
society.
•
Students should evaluate moral/ethical decisions of characters.
Synopsis
A mentally challenged man is presented with an opportunity to have an operation that will triple his intelligence. The story chronicles the journey that he takes as his
intelligence progresses and regresses.
2.
Read the entire selection, keeping in mind the Big Ideas and Key Understandings.
3.
Re-read the text while noting the stopping points for the Text Dependent Questions and teaching Tier II/academic vocabulary.
During Teaching
1.
Anticipatory Set: Discuss the following questions with students to guide deeper understanding of the main themes of the story: What is intelligence? Can a person ever be
too smart? What is meant by the saying “ignorance is bliss”?
2.
Students read the entire selection independently.
3.
Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along or students take turns reading aloud to each other in pairs or small groups. Depending on the text length and
student need, the teacher may choose to read the full text or a passage aloud. For a particularly complex text, the teacher may choose to reverse the order of steps 1 and 2.
4.
Students and teacher re-read the text while stopping to respond to and discuss the questions, continually returning to the text. A variety of methods can be used to
structure the reading and discussion (i.e., whole class discussion, think-pair-share, independent written response, group work, etc.)
Text Dependent Questions
Text-dependent Questions
Using evidence from Progress Report 1, who is Charlie
Gordon?
What do we learn about Charlie Gordon’s character from
Progress Report 2?
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Evidence-based Answers
He says, “My name is Charlie Gordon. I am 37 years old and 2 weeks ago was my birthday.” Based upon his
writing and the fact that he says, “They can make me smart” we can infer that he is of below-average
intelligence and he wants to be smart.
When he says, “I had my rabbits foot in my pockit” we learn that he is superstitious; he says “I spilled ink too”,
revealing that he has no ability to think abstractly. Make sure students understand Charlie’s test phobia and
desire to be right or smart by his persistence with the test. Also, “I’m a slow reeder too in Miss Kinnians class
for slow adults but I’m trying very hard” shows that Charlie wants to be smart.
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
On pg. ___, why does the author tell us that Charlie thinks,
“maybe white mice are smarter than other mice?”
Is Charlie a good candidate for the experiment?
What do we learn about Charlie through his own analysis of
Robinson Crusoe?
On p. ___, what does Charlie mean when he says “I felt
naked”?
On p. ___, how have Charlie’s feeling changed from earlier in
the story?
What do you think that the “pair of bats tugging at something”
and “two men fencing with swords” symbolizes?
(Note: give a Rorschach to show how the test is administered)
At the bottom of p. ___ it says, “when I left afterwards, I found
myself trembling,” why does Charlie react this way?
On page ___, Miss Kinnian remarks to Charlie,” I just hope I
wasn’t wrong to advise you to go into this in the first place.”
Looking back through the text, and considering your own
beliefs, do you feel that Miss Kinnian properly advised Charlie
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
This line indicates that he is aware that there are differing levels of intelligence. (Students may also reflect
upon racial inequality hinted at by the “white” mice terminology – refer to time period of 1965 – historically
relevant).
The doctors are looking for a subject that has a low I.Q., but is willing to work. Charlie mentions that he “felt
proud when he [Dr. Strauss] said that not everybody with an eye-q of 68 had that thing [motivation].” The
doctor’s mention of apathy and being uncooperative are directly related to motivation. They need a patient
that has motivation because they are going to complete many tests on the subject and they are going to
monitor intellectual growth, thus they need someone who is willing to try.
(Some readers may also feel that Charlie is too sensitive and should not participate in the study. This is
acceptable so long as text evidence is used to support the answer.)
Based upon the quotes, “He’s all alone and has no friends,” “marooned on a desert island,” and “I hope he gets
a friend and not be lonely,” Charlie is coming to understand what loneliness is. Some students may also see the
direct comparison between Charlie and Robinson Crusoe. Also, his ability to think about someone else and
their place in the world shows an increased emotional intelligence.
Other lines surrounding the line “I felt naked” show Charlie’s embarrassment. These lines include: “I wanted to
hide myself, and I ran out into the street and I threw-up,” and “Charlie is blushing.”
The “nakedness” is a reference to the Garden of Eden and the casting out of Adam and Eve from Paradise after
they have eaten from the Tree of Knowledge (this mention of nakedness will later be used in reference to
Fanny’s remarks about the evilness of Adam and Eve and even later alluded to when Charlie is unable to read
Paradise Lost and has lost the knowledge that he gained.)
Charlie is beginning to understand social acceptance and question the motives of others. Earlier in the text, on
p. 39 Charlie says “We had a lot of fun at the factory today.” Then, he tells a story about George losing a
package and sometimes people will say, “Look, he really pulled a Charlie Gordon. They’re really my friends and
they like me.”
This passage shows that he was unaware of being made fun of and had no shame or embarrassment about his
intelligence. In comparison, Charlie’s understanding about “nakedness” allows the reader to see Charlie’s
progression toward understanding that not every one is his friend and laughing with him, especially Joe and
Frank.
Possible answers include the two doctors arguing, Charlie’s subconscious and conscious desires conflicting,
Charlie’s old life versus new life, Charlie’s emotional versus intellectual intelligence
Note: if students struggle in generating these answers, tell them to look at the conflicts that arise in the story.
He says, “I felt like I’d seen both men clearly for the first time.” Charlie is coming to realize that the doctors
have motives that go beyond simply helping him become smarter. And, Doctor Nemur calls Charlie “his
experiment.” Clearly, this shows that Doctor Nemur views Charlie as a professional asset and not as a patient.
Charlie is learning that people, himself included, act with ulterior motives in mind. This understanding is
essential to his emotional growth.
Students can take many viewpoints on this issue and sight multiple moral reasons behind the ethics of the
operation. Looking back at the text, students might cite Miss Kinnian’s earlier comments on page ___, where it
says, “She read some of the Progress Reports and she looked at me kind of funny. She says Im a fine person
and Ill show them all. I asked her why. She said never mind but I shouldnt feel bad if I find out that everybody
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
to go through with the experiment?
How does the following passage, “it was evil when Eve
listened to the snake and ate from the tree of knowledge,”
compare to Charlie and his experience?
At this point in the story, how are things going for Charlie?
How does this connect to what the author told us before?
(If students struggle to identify Charlie’s social isolation, the
following question will provide more support. “What evidence
do you have that Charlie’s heightened intelligence has created
difficulties in his relationship with others?”
Using context clues from the passage on p. 54, “I felt sick
inside as I looked at his dull, vacuous smile, the wide, bright
eyes of a child, uncertain but eager to please. They were
laughing at me because he was mentally retarded, “ what does
the word vacuous mean?
What does the anecdote of the dishwasher boy reveal about
Charlie?
On pages ___ and ___, what is driving Charlie?
isn’t nice like I think. . . Then she got something in her eye and she had to run out to the ladys room.” Miss
Kinnian's comments show that she is aware of negative consequences with the experiment, such as the fact
that people are mean spirited, will use others for their own glory, and will use others to gain profit. Very early
on in the short story, in progress report 4, when the doctors decide that Charlie will be their subject, Charlie
th
remarks,” Their going to use me.” On the April 27 progress report, the doctors also argue about the ethics of
the experiment and publishing results too early. They also call Charlie an “experiment” instead of a patient.
Charlie’s operation is equivalent to Eve eating from the tree of knowledge. His increased intelligence has
shown him a darker side of human nature. Students may reference the experiment on Charlie, his awareness of
Frank and Joe making fun of him, or the experimentation on animals and human subjects.
On p. ___ he says that he “seldom speaks to anyone” and “Dr. Nemur appears to be uncomfortable around
me”. He says “I must be careful to speak and write clearly and simply so people won’t laugh.” When talking to
Miss Kinnian, he says that “when I tried to explain she stopped me and laughed.” While Charlie has increased
his intellectual intelligence, emotional intelligence takes much more time and experience to develop. People
laughed at Charlie both before AND after his operation.
Vacuous means void and empty like a vacuum. Context clues are “The wide bright eyes of a child, uncertain but
eager to please”; “vacant eyes”; “an uncertain grin”
He says, “I felt sick inside as I looked at his dull, vacuous smile…I felt ashamed for both of us.” Charlie has
realized that he was once ridiculed like the dishwasher boy and he, too, misunderstood the taunting as
acceptance. He had the same vacuous, unaware existence. He says, “It infuriated me to think that not so long
ago I, like this boy, had foolishly played the clown. And I had almost forgotten.” (Higher level students might
use the plate as a symbol for Charlie’s brokenness)
It is the same force that propelled him to work so hard when he was mentally disabled: a strong desire to
succeed. At the moment, however, he realizes that time is probably running out for him.
Charlie could also just have a strong desire to understand the inequality of intelligence that he struggled to
comprehend when he was mentally challenged. On page ___, in reference to the calculus of intelligence,
Charlie remarks, “In a sense it is the problem I have been concerned with all my life.” Some students might
indicate that this is the driving force for Charlie’s diligence to complete his data.
On May 31, Charlie says, “I’ve got to know if and when it will
happen to me,” what evidence exists that Charlie will or will
not regress like Algernon?
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Likewise, it would be valid for students to say that he wants to show up Dr. Nemus and Dr. Strauss, or that he
feels a moral obligation to stand up for those who are mentally challenged who might be possible test subjects
after his own mental decline. He makes references to this at the end of the book on page 62 when he says,
“Anyway I bet Im the first dumb person n the world who ever found out something important for science.”
On p. ___ Algernon was “unusually disturbed and vicious.” Charlie tells the reader that “he [Algernon] snapped
at my hand.” Charlie also says that Algernon is “less cooperative,” and “everyone is upset about what this may
mean.” All of the above quotes suggest that Charlie will in fact regress like Algernon because the reader has
been given several examples of Charlie’s changing personality. Prior to this incident, Charlie snaps at Miss
Kinnian when she is unable to understand his intellectual discussion on Vrostadt.
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
Also, Algernon is also being characterized the same way as many of Charlie’s lower-IQ peers were at the
beginning of the story.
What are some of Charlie’s symptoms of deterioration in his
June 5 progress report?
Possible answers include: motor activity is impaired, reduction of glandular activity, accelerated loss of
coordination, and progressive amnesia.
On p. ___, what words or phrases help you define the word
senility?
Senility means the loss of mental ability. “amnesia”, “second childhood”, and “deteriorating rapidly”
What evidence suggests Joe and Frank have or have not
developed as characters?
On p. ___ Joe says, “leave him alone you lousy cracker or I’ll break your neck.” Student can argue both sides
because Joe has identified the moral depravity of making fun of someone yet still uses a racial slur to attack the
attacker. (Some kids may come back to the “white mouse” comment from earlier in the text with this racial
commentary here).
1. Charlie changed but then regressed back to an intellectual place very similar to where he began. On p. ___,
before his regression, he says, "I'd hidden the picture of the old Charlie Gordon from myself because now that I
was intelligent it was something that had to be pushed out of my mind. But today in looking at that boy, for the
first time I saw what I had been. I was just like him!" But, later Charlie says "Please tell Dr. Nemur not to be
such a grouch when people laugh at him and he would have more friends", indicating that Charlie has
regressed back to a point where he does not understand the nature of friendship.
What evidence in the text do you have that Charlie has or
hasn’t changed since the beginning of the story?
2. Charlie has changed by the end of the story. When he initially finds out that his "friends" were just mean
people who made fun of him, he says, on p. ___, "Everyone was looking at me and laughing and I felt naked. I
wanted to hide myself. I ran out into the street and I threw up." He cannot handle the embarrassment.
However, at the end, when he says, "Please tell Dr. Nemur not to be such a grouch when people laugh at him
and he would have more friends. It’s easy to make friends if you let people laugh at you" he is showing the
ability to let the embarrassment go. He has recognized that he will be happier if he lets go of his shame.
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
Tier II/Academic Vocabulary
Meaning needs to be provided
Meaning can be learned from context
These words require less time to learn
(They are concrete or describe an object/event/
process/characteristic that is familiar to students)
These words require more time to learn
(They are abstract, have multiple meanings, are a part
of a word family, or are likely to appear again in future texts)
marooned (spelled marooned)
“to pull a Charlie Gordon”
feeble minded
opportunist
acquire, despised, petition
cowered
cooperative, peering
irritable, instability
motor activity
impaired, senility
plateau
psychology
contrary
“narrow specialization; the broader aspects of background were neglected far more than
necessary.” *Note: spend time to interpret this because it marks an increase in his
intelligence and allows the reader to avoid attempting to decode all words on pages 51-53.
vacuous, mirrored, vacant
inferior
regress (ion)
deterioration
Rorscharch (spelled raw shok initially)
amazed (meant to mean a maze), motivation (spelled motor- vation
initially)
fencing
neurosurgeons, “ride on his coattails”
smirking
illiteracy
Apathetic (appears as apat** in the text)
IQ= Intelligence Quotient (appears as “eye-q)
*Note- an IQ below 80 designates mental retardation (mentally challenged) ), discouraged
(spelled discoridged)
tree of knowledge
subconscious and conscious
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
vicious
“artificially increased intelligence deteriorates proportionally to the quantity of increase”
(break down the sentence to see how Charlie will regress)
“general smoothing of the cerebral convolutions as well as deepening and broadening of brain
fissures” (go through what this means to show that Charlie has permanent brain damage)
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 2
10/18/13
Grade 8 ELA Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
Unit Big Idea: Change
Segment Idea: People and things adapt to change.
Suggested Duration: 15 days
What do we want all students to learn?
Claim 1: Read closely and analytically to
comprehend a range of increasingly
complex literary and informational texts.
Claim 2: Produce effective and wellgrounded writing for a range of purposes
and audiences.
When reading about unit content,
students will . . .
When writing about unit content,
students will . . .
SBAC TARGETS
SBAC TARGETS
T1-KEY DETAILS: (RL1, RL3)
Cite the textual evidence that most
strongly supports an analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text. (RL1)
Analyze how particular lines of
dialogue or incidents in a story or
drama propel the action, reveal
aspects of a character provoke a
decision. (RL3)
T2-CENTRAL IDEAS: (RL2)
Determine a theme or central idea of a
text and analyze its development over
the course of the text, including its
relationship to the characters, setting,
and plot; provide an objective
summary of the text. (RL2)
T3-WORD MEANINGS: (RL4, L4a,b,c,
L5c)
Determine the meaning of words and
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Claim 3: Employ effective speaking and
listening skills for a range of purposes
and audiences.
Skills and Concepts
T1, T3, T6-WRITE/REVISE BRIEF TEXTNarrative, Informational/Explanatory,
Opinion/Argument (W1, W2, W3)
T2- COMPOSE FULL TEXT-Narrative
(W3, W3a, W3b, W3c, W3d, W3e)
When listening, speaking and
collaborating around unit content,
students will . . .
When conducting research or presenting
projects, focused on unit content and big
ideas, students will . . .
SBAC TARGETS
SBAC TARGETS
T1-LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY
USE: (L3a,L6)
T1-PLAN & RESEARCH: (SL2, SL3, SL4,
W6, W7)
L3a: Unit 3
L6: See Claim 1, T10
SL2: See Claim 3, T3
SL3: See Claim 3, T4
SL4: See Claim 3, T3
W6: See Claim 2, T10
T2-CLARIFY MESSAGE: (L3a,L6)
Unit 3
T4- COMPOSE FULL TEXTInformational/Explanatory (W2, W2a,
W2b, W2c, W2d, W2e, W2f)
Unit 1
T5-USE TEXT FEATURES: (W2a, W2b)
Introduce a topic or thesis statement
clearly, previewing what is to follow;
organize ideas, concepts, and
information into broader categories:
include formatting (e.g., headings),
graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and
multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension. (W2a)
Claim 4: Engage in research/inquiry to
investigate topics and to analyze,
integrate, and present information.
L3a: Unit 3
L6: See Claim 1,T10
T3-PLAN/SPEAK/PRESENT: (SL2, SL4,
SL5, SL6)
Analyze the purpose of information
presented in diverse media and
formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively,
orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g.,
social, commercial, political) behind its
presentation. (SL2)
Present claims and findings (e.g.,
argument, narrative, response to
literature presentations), emphasizing
salient points in a focused, coherent
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
Conduct short research projects to
answer a question (including a selfgenerated question), drawing on
several sources and generating
additional related, focused questions
that allow for multiple avenues of
exploration. (W7)
T2-INTERPRET & INTEGRATE: (RI9, W8,
W9)
Gather relevant information from
multiple print and digital sources, using
search terms effectively; assess the
credibility and accuracy of each source;
and quote or paraphrase the data and
conclusions of others while avoiding
plagiarism and following a standard
10/29/13
phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of
specific word choices on meaning and
tone, including analogies to other
texts. (RL4)
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning
of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a
clue to the meaning of a word or
phrase. (L4a)
Use common, grade-appropriate Greek
or Latin affixes and roots as clues to
the meaning of a word (e.g., precede,
recede, and secede). (L4b)
Consult general and specialized
reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and
digital, to find the pronunciation of a
word or determine or clarify its precise
meaning or its part of speech or trace
the etymology of words.(L4c)
Distinguish among the connotations
(associations) of words with similar
denotations (definitions) (e.g.,
bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent,
resolute). (L5c)
T4-REASONING AND EVALUATION:
(RL2, RL3, RL6)
RL2: See Claim 1, T2
RL3: See Claim 1, T1
Analyze [the] differences in the points
of view of the characters and the
audience or reader (e.g., created
through the use of dramatic irony [and
other literary devices]) create such
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Develop the topic with relevant, well
chosen facts, definitions, concrete
details, quotations, or other
information and examples. (W2b)
manner with relevant evidence, sound
valid reasoning, and well-chosen
details; use appropriate eye contact,
adequate volume, and clear
pronunciation. (SL4)
format for citation. (W8)
T7-COMPOSE FULL TEXTOPINION/ARGUMENT: (W1a,b,c,d,
W3, W4, W5,W9)
Integrate multimedia and visual
displays into presentations to clarify
information, strengthen claims and
evidence, and add interest. (SL5)
T3-EVALUATE INFORMATION
RESOURCES: (W9)
Write arguments to support claims
with clear reasons and relevant
evidence. (W1)
Introduce claim(s) acknowledge and
distinguish the claim(s) from alternate
or opposing claims, and organize the
reasons and evidence logically. (W1a)
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning
and relevant evidence, using accurate,
credible sources and demonstrating an
understanding of the topic or text.
(W1b)
Use words, phrases, and clauses to
create cohesion and clarify the
relationships among claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
(W2c)
Establish and maintain a formal style.
(W1d)
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts
and tasks, demonstrating command of
formal English when indicated or
appropriate. (SL6)
T4-LISTEN/INTERPRET: (SL1, SL2, SL3,
SL6)
Engage effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (one-on-one,
in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 8 topics,
texts, and issues, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
(SL1)
Delineate a speaker’s argument and
specific claims. (SL3)
SL2: See Claim 3, T3
SL6: See Claim 3, T3
Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and supports
the argument presented. (W1e)
Produce clear and coherent writing in
which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (W4)
RI9: See Claim 1, T11
W9: Claim 2, T7
W9: See Claim 2, T7
T4-USE EVIDENCE: (RI9, W8, W9)
RI9: See Claim 1, T11
W8: See Claim 4, T2
W9: See Claim 2, T7
T5-LANGUAGE & VOCABULARY USE:
(W2d, W3d, L3a, L6)
Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic. (W2d)
Use precise words and phrases,
relevant descriptive details, and
sensory language to capture the action
and convey experiences and events.
(W3d)
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases;
gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression. (L6)
T6-EDIT/CLARIFY: (L1, L1a-c, L2, L2a-c)
L1: See Claim 2, T9
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
effects as suspense or humor. (RL6)
T5-ANALYSIS WITHIN AND ACROSS
TEXT: (RL6, RL7, RL9)
RL6: See Claim 1 T4
RL7: Unit 3
Analyze how a modern work of fiction
draws on themes from myths,
traditional stories, or religious works
such as the Bible, including describing
how the material is rendered new.
(RL9)
T6-TEXT STRUCTURE AND FEATURES:
(RL5)
Compare and contrast the structure of
two or more texts and analyze how the
differing structure of each text
contributes to its meaning and style.
(RL5)
With some guidance and support from
peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by
planning. (W5)
L2: See Claim 2, T9
Draw evidence from literary or
informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research. (W9)
W6: See Claim 2, T10
T7-TECHNOLOGY: (W6)
Apply grade 8 Reading standards to
literature (e.g., “Analyze how a
modern work of fiction draws on
themes, patterns of events, or
character types from myths, traditional
stories, or religious works such as the
Bible, including describing how the
material is rendered new”). (W9a)
Apply grade 8 Reading standards to
literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and
evaluate the argument and specific
claims in a text, assessing whether the
reasoning is sound and the evidence is
relevant and sufficient; recognize
when irrelevant evidence is
introduced”). (W9b)
T7-LANGUAGE USE: (L5, L5a-b)
Demonstrate understanding of
figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings. (L5)
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal
irony, puns) in context. (L5a)
Use the relationship between
particular words to better understand
each of the words. (L5b)
T8-KEY DETAILS: (RI1, RI3)
Cite the textual evidence that most
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
T8-LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY
USE: (W2d, W3d, L3a, L6)
Use precise language and domainspecific vocabulary to inform about or
explain the topic. (W2d)
Use precise words and phrases,
relevant descriptive details, and
sensory language to capture the action
and convey experiences and events.
(W3d)
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases;
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
strongly supports an analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text. (RI1)
Analyze how a text makes connections
among and distinctions between
individuals, ideas, or events (e.g.,
through comparisons, analogies, or
categories). (RI3)
T9-CENTRAL IDEAS: (RI2)
Determine a central idea of a text and
analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its
relationship to supporting ideas;
provide an objective summary of the
text. (RI2)
gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression. (L6)
L3a: Unit 3
T9-EDIT/CLARIFY: (L1, L2)
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking. (L1)
Explain the function of verbals
(gerunds, participles, infinitives) in
general and their function in particular
sentences. (L1a)
T10-WORD MEANINGS: (RI4, L4a,b,c
L5c, L6)
Form and use verbs in the active and
passive voice. (L1b)
Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze the impact
of specific word choices on meaning
and tone, including analogies. (RI4)
Form and use verbs in the indicative,
imperative, interrogative, conditional,
and subjunctive mood. (L1c)
L4a: See Claim 1, T3
L4b: See Claim 1, T3
L4c: See Claim 1, T3
L5c: See Claim 1, T3
Acquire and use accurately gradeappropriate general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases;
gather vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or
expression.(L6)
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
L1d: Unit 3
Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing. (L2)
Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis,
dash) to indicate a pause or break.
(L2a)
Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.
(L2b)
Spell correctly. (L2c)
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
T11-REASONING AND EVALUATION:
(RI3, RI6, RI8, RI9)
Determine an author’s point of view or
purpose in a text and analyze how the
author acknowledges and responds to
conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
(RI6)
T10-TECHNOLOGY: (W6)
Use technology, including the Internet,
to produce and publish writing as well
as to interact and collaborate with
others. (W6)
Delineate and evaluate the argument
and specific claims in a text, assessing
whether the reasoning is sound and
the evidence is relevant and sufficient;
recognize when irrelevant evidence is
introduced. (RI8)
Analyze a case in which two or more
texts provide conflicting information
on the same topic and identify where
the texts disagree on matters of fact or
interpretation. (RI9)
RI3: See Claim 1, T8
T12-ANALYSIS WITHIN AND ACROSS
TEXT: (RI7, RI9)
RI7: Unit 3
RI9: See Claim 1, T11
T13-TEXT STRUCTURES AND
FEATURES: (RI5, RI7)
Analyze in detail the structure of a
specific paragraph in a text, including
the role of particular sentences in
developing and refining a key concept.
(RI5)
Analyze the use of text features (e.g.,
graphics, headers, captions) in
consumer materials. (RI5a)
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
RI7: Unit 3
T14-LANGUAGE USE: (L4, L5, L5a, L5b)
Determine or clarify the meaning of
unknown and multiple-meaning words
or phrases based on grade 8 reading
and content, choosing flexibly from a
range of strategies. (L4)
Demonstrate understanding of
figurative language, word relationships,
and nuances in word meanings. (L5)
Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal
irony, puns) in context. (L5a)
Use the relationship between
particular words to better understand
each of the words. (L5b)
Reading
Analyzing—phrases or sentences to
indicate parts of a whole.
(Language Considerations: verbs such as
contain, entail, consist of; quantifiers such
as some, almost all, a few, hardly any)
Since I see _________, I know it is
organized by _________.
I see __________ and I can
tell___________.
Compare/Contrast—identifying the
similarities and differences between two
or more texts. (Language Considerations:
coordinating conjunctions, and, but, yet,
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Language Functions and Considerations
Writing
Argumentation—sentences to present a
point of view with the intent of
communicating or supporting a particular
position or conviction. (Language
Considerations: expressions such as in my
opinion, it seems to me; adverbials such
as since, because, although, however)
I think that ________ should _________
because ________. (complex sentences
using modals and clauses)
Listening and Speaking
Clarifying—specific statements with
expanded verb phrases to clarify difficult
vocabulary, inadequate information,
challenging syntax, or
metaphorical/idiomatic expressions.
(Language Considerations: verbs and verb
phrases in statements; domain specific
vocabulary used)
In this text, the word ___________ has a
different connotation from the way it was
presented in ____________.
Interpret—interpret a wide range of long
and complex texts, appreciating subtle
distinction of style and implicit as well as
explicit meaning. (Language
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
Presentation
Analyzing—identify purpose of
information.
(Language Considerations: verbs such as
contain, entail, consist of; quantifiers such
as some, almost all, a few, hardly any)
I see __________ and I can
tell___________.
There is/are _______ that show me
_______.
We can interpret _______ as
__________.
This is significant because
10/29/13
or; adverbials such as similarly, likewise,
in contrast, instead, despite this)
Considerations: language of propaganda,
complex sentences; domain specific
vocabulary used)
The way they are alike is that they both
are/have ________, but what is
different is that ___________ is/has
________.
The author presents the topic in such
a way, as to suggest ____________.
There are several major differences
between _______ and _______.
__________.
Interpret—interpret a wide range of long
and complex texts, appreciating subtle
distinction of style and implicit as well as
explicit meaning. (Language
Considerations: language of propaganda,
complex sentences; domain specific
vocabulary used)
The author presents the topic in such
a way, as to suggest ____________.
How will we know if they have learned it?
In ____ Instructional days students will be able to . . . . .
Sample Learning Outcome:
Analyze the differences in the points of view of the
characters and the audience or reader in a modern work
of fiction and a traditional story (RL6, RL9).
Performance Descriptor:
After reading the selections, students will compare and
contrast how points of view of character and the reader
in modern works of literature and traditional texts.
Sample of formative performance question:
Evidence of the skills and concepts can be elicited from
selected response or constructed response assessment
items. Multiple assessment items should be
constructed.
(Selected response) While using “The Gettysburg
Address” and “I Have a Dream”, choose all that apply to
the points of view of both Martin Luther King Jr. and
Abraham Lincoln.
a. Both men share the idea of equality.
b. Both men believe in freedom.
c. Both men make references to a higher power.
Both men are advocating to end slavery.
How will we respond when learning has not occurred?
How will we respond when learning has already occurred?
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
Curricular Connections: English Language Arts, History, ELD, and Science
Integrated Content Questions
How can equity be achieved through change?
English Language Arts
RL9, RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI8; “I Have a Dream;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 773-775
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI8; “The Gettysburg Address;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 770-772
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL6, RL9; “The First Americans;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 3; Pages 405-409
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5, RL6; “Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 2; Pages 212-221
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5; “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 761-764
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5; “Fragment on Slavery, 1854;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 760
RL3, RL4, RL5, RL6, RL9; “The Treasure of Lemon Brown”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 14-27
RL1, RL2, RL3, RL5, RL9; “The New Colossus;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 400-402
RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5 RL9; from “The Odyssey;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 2; Pages 273-274
RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5, RL9; “Beowulf;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 5; Pages 612-615
RL2, RL3, RL4, RL5; “Paul Revere’s Ride;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 5; Pages 591-599
RL2, RL4, RL5; “My Mother Pieced Quilts;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 500-504
RL2, RL5; “Sweater/Suéter;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 505
RL2, RL5; “A Word is Dead;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 510-511
RL2, RL5; “The Word/La Palabra;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 511
RL2, RL5; “Ode to Thanks;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 5; Pages 627-631
RI2, RI3, RI5, RI6, RI10; “The Scientific Method;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 137-143
RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI10; “Don’t Know Much About Liberty;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 2; Pages 249-253
RI1, RI4, RI10; “Hawaiian Teen Named Top Young Scientist;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 145-148
History-Social Science
RI1, RI6, RI8; “Information and Propaganda;” Holt United States History; Chapter 13; Pages 398-399
RI6; “Determine Different Points of View”; Holt United States History; Chapter 4; Page 136
RI6; “Personal Conviction and Bias;” Holt United States History; Chapter 11; Page 368
RI6; “Interpreting Political Cartoons;” Holt United States History; Chapter 15; Page 504
RI6; “Bias and Historical Events;” Holt United States History; Chapter 8; Page 258
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6 Various Political Cartoons (throughout); Holt United States History; ; Pages 214, 243, 292, 482, 519, 581, 630, 656
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6; “Washington’s Farewell Address;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 210 & R43
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Compromise and the Slave Trade;” Holt United States History; Chapter; Page 128
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Role of a Citizen;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 203
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Fighting Discrimination;” Holt United States History; Chapter 19; Page 624
W1a-e; “Writing a Persuasive Essay;” Holt United States History; Chapter 20; Page 668
Science
RI8, W1a, W1b; “Section Review, number 6;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 137
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
W2a-f; “Chapter Review;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 153
RI1, RI2, RI4, W3; “Weird Science;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 156
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, W2; “Science, Technology, and Society;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 5; Page 156
RI9; “Development of the Atomic Theory;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Pages 164-169 (Dalton vs. Rutherford vs. Modern)
W1a-e; “Writing Skills;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Page 185
RI1, RI2, RI4, W2; “Weird Science;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Page 188
RI1, RI2, RI4, W1, W7; “Careers;” Holt Physical Science; Chapter 6; Page 189
Suggested Close Reading selections
ELA:
RL 9, RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6, RI8; “I Have a Dream;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 773-775 (Style/analogy)
RL9; “The New Colossus;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 400-402 (analogies)
RL5; “A Word is Dead;” Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 4; Pages 510-511 (Style)
RL5; from “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 7; Pages 761-764 (pg. 763 analogy/style)
RL1, RL2, RL3; “Flowers for Algernon”; Holt Literature and Language Arts; Chapter 1; Pages 30-63 ( See EdModo)
HSS:
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI5, RI6; “Washington’s Farewell Address;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 210 & R43
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6; “Role of a Citizen;” Holt United States History; Chapter 6; Page 203
Academic Vocabulary/Domain Specific Words
Academic Vocabulary
ELA:
device, distinctive, interpret, figurative language, literary devices, figurative meaning, connotative meaning, impact, specific word choice, allusions, figures of speech,
metaphors, similes, personification, imagery, symbol, dialogue, dialect, theme, character types, point of view, myths, traditional stories, religious stories, formal style,
informal style, attitude, tradition, setting, parallel episodes, conflict, provoke, decision, argument, delineate, evaluate, sound, relevant, sufficient, conflicting
information, matters of fact, claims, interpretation, analysis, reflection, research, diverse media, motives, internal conflict, external conflict, climax, resolution,
alliteration, repetition, sonnet, rhyme scheme, free verse, alliteration, epic, ode, narrative, lyric poem
HSS:
Agreement, neutral, circumstances, incentive, criteria, contemporary, explicit, elements, propaganda, technique, fact, point of view, differ, bias, stereotype
SCI:
Constituent, interact, chemical Structure, specific, rephrase
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
Domain Specific Words
ELA:
impromptu, tentatively, intently, probing, ominous, detract, nobly, creed, oasis, “glory of the Lord,” yearning, teeming, “Greek fame,” patriots, wholesome, proverbs,
legends, Zeus, abated, Scylla and Charybdis, catapulted, Thrinacia, nymph, purge, scorn, frayed, somber, taut, denounce, perpetuate, conceded, hypocrisy, aghast,
impetuous, diplomat, refugees, superiors, fate, observation, hypothesis, necessarily, scholarship, competition, formulated, correlate, verify
HSS:
Intimidated, comprehensive, diffusion, posterity, cultivate, inviolate, Farewell Address, diffusion, Three-Fifths Compromise, division, prohibit, admission, bondage
SCI:
Element, compound, mixture, solvent, solution, concentration, atom, electron, nucleus, electron cloud, proton, atomic mass unit, atomic number
The following resource for text dependent questions and close reading is from the Anthology Alignment Project on edmodo.com. Teachers may access other resources by
completing the following steps:
Basal Alignment Project
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Go to Edmodo.com
Complete teacher sign up information
Once in Edmodo – on your account, then go to Join Group – left hand section of page
Enter group code pkx4sp for the Anthology Alignment Project and select join
Once in the Anthology Alignment Project tab, Select Folders
Select Holt
a. Story selections are by grade and selection title
Unit 1
Title: Flowers for Algernon 1
Suggested Time:
5-7 days (45 minutes per day)
Common Core ELA Standards: RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3; W8.1, W8.4, W8.9; SL8.1; L.8.1, L.8.2
[Additional Tasks: RI8.8, RI8.9]
This story is a “duplicate.” (It is found in other anthologies, as well.) This particular revision was completed by a teacher who uses a different anthology than you, so the page numbers have been removed. This may require you to make some
adjustments/add page numbers to some of the questions.
1
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
Teacher Instructions
Preparing for Teaching
1.
Read the Big Ideas and Key Understandings and the Synopsis. Please do not read this to the students. This is a description for teachers about the big ideas and key
understanding that students should take away after completing this task.
Big Ideas and Key Understandings:
•
Students should work through the idea that different levels of intelligence, emotional and intellectual, lead to different types of interactions with people and
society.
•
Students should evaluate moral/ethical decisions of characters.
Synopsis
A mentally challenged man is presented with an opportunity to have an operation that will triple his intelligence. The story chronicles the journey that he takes as his
intelligence progresses and regresses.
2.
Read the entire selection, keeping in mind the Big Ideas and Key Understandings.
3.
Re-read the text while noting the stopping points for the Text Dependent Questions and teaching Tier II/academic vocabulary.
During Teaching
1.
Anticipatory Set: Discuss the following questions with students to guide deeper understanding of the main themes of the story: What is intelligence? Can a person ever be
too smart? What is meant by the saying “ignorance is bliss”?
2.
Students read the entire selection independently.
3.
Teacher reads the text aloud while students follow along or students take turns reading aloud to each other in pairs or small groups. Depending on the text length and
student need, the teacher may choose to read the full text or a passage aloud. For a particularly complex text, the teacher may choose to reverse the order of steps 1 and 2.
4.
Students and teacher re-read the text while stopping to respond to and discuss the questions, continually returning to the text. A variety of methods can be used to
structure the reading and discussion (i.e., whole class discussion, think-pair-share, independent written response, group work, etc.)
Text Dependent Questions
Text-dependent Questions
Using evidence from Progress Report 1, who is Charlie
Gordon?
What do we learn about Charlie Gordon’s character from
Progress Report 2?
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Evidence-based Answers
He says, “My name is Charlie Gordon. I am 37 years old and 2 weeks ago was my birthday.” Based upon his
writing and the fact that he says, “They can make me smart” we can infer that he is of below-average
intelligence and he wants to be smart.
When he says, “I had my rabbits foot in my pockit” we learn that he is superstitious; he says “I spilled ink too”,
revealing that he has no ability to think abstractly. Make sure students understand Charlie’s test phobia and
desire to be right or smart by his persistence with the test. Also, “I’m a slow reeder too in Miss Kinnians class
for slow adults but I’m trying very hard” shows that Charlie wants to be smart.
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
On pg. ___, why does the author tell us that Charlie thinks,
“maybe white mice are smarter than other mice?”
Is Charlie a good candidate for the experiment?
What do we learn about Charlie through his own analysis of
Robinson Crusoe?
On p. ___, what does Charlie mean when he says “I felt
naked”?
On p. ___, how have Charlie’s feeling changed from earlier in
the story?
What do you think that the “pair of bats tugging at something”
and “two men fencing with swords” symbolizes?
(Note: give a Rorschach to show how the test is administered)
At the bottom of p. ___ it says, “when I left afterwards, I found
myself trembling,” why does Charlie react this way?
On page ___, Miss Kinnian remarks to Charlie,” I just hope I
wasn’t wrong to advise you to go into this in the first place.”
Looking back through the text, and considering your own
beliefs, do you feel that Miss Kinnian properly advised Charlie
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
This line indicates that he is aware that there are differing levels of intelligence. (Students may also reflect
upon racial inequality hinted at by the “white” mice terminology – refer to time period of 1965 – historically
relevant).
The doctors are looking for a subject that has a low I.Q., but is willing to work. Charlie mentions that he “felt
proud when he [Dr. Strauss] said that not everybody with an eye-q of 68 had that thing [motivation].” The
doctor’s mention of apathy and being uncooperative are directly related to motivation. They need a patient
that has motivation because they are going to complete many tests on the subject and they are going to
monitor intellectual growth, thus they need someone who is willing to try.
(Some readers may also feel that Charlie is too sensitive and should not participate in the study. This is
acceptable so long as text evidence is used to support the answer.)
Based upon the quotes, “He’s all alone and has no friends,” “marooned on a desert island,” and “I hope he gets
a friend and not be lonely,” Charlie is coming to understand what loneliness is. Some students may also see the
direct comparison between Charlie and Robinson Crusoe. Also, his ability to think about someone else and
their place in the world shows an increased emotional intelligence.
Other lines surrounding the line “I felt naked” show Charlie’s embarrassment. These lines include: “I wanted to
hide myself, and I ran out into the street and I threw-up,” and “Charlie is blushing.”
The “nakedness” is a reference to the Garden of Eden and the casting out of Adam and Eve from Paradise after
they have eaten from the Tree of Knowledge (this mention of nakedness will later be used in reference to
Fanny’s remarks about the evilness of Adam and Eve and even later alluded to when Charlie is unable to read
Paradise Lost and has lost the knowledge that he gained.)
Charlie is beginning to understand social acceptance and question the motives of others. Earlier in the text, on
p. 39 Charlie says “We had a lot of fun at the factory today.” Then, he tells a story about George losing a
package and sometimes people will say, “Look, he really pulled a Charlie Gordon. They’re really my friends and
they like me.”
This passage shows that he was unaware of being made fun of and had no shame or embarrassment about his
intelligence. In comparison, Charlie’s understanding about “nakedness” allows the reader to see Charlie’s
progression toward understanding that not every one is his friend and laughing with him, especially Joe and
Frank.
Possible answers include the two doctors arguing, Charlie’s subconscious and conscious desires conflicting,
Charlie’s old life versus new life, Charlie’s emotional versus intellectual intelligence
Note: if students struggle in generating these answers, tell them to look at the conflicts that arise in the story.
He says, “I felt like I’d seen both men clearly for the first time.” Charlie is coming to realize that the doctors
have motives that go beyond simply helping him become smarter. And, Doctor Nemur calls Charlie “his
experiment.” Clearly, this shows that Doctor Nemur views Charlie as a professional asset and not as a patient.
Charlie is learning that people, himself included, act with ulterior motives in mind. This understanding is
essential to his emotional growth.
Students can take many viewpoints on this issue and sight multiple moral reasons behind the ethics of the
operation. Looking back at the text, students might cite Miss Kinnian’s earlier comments on page ___, where it
says, “She read some of the Progress Reports and she looked at me kind of funny. She says Im a fine person
and Ill show them all. I asked her why. She said never mind but I shouldnt feel bad if I find out that everybody
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
to go through with the experiment?
How does the following passage, “it was evil when Eve
listened to the snake and ate from the tree of knowledge,”
compare to Charlie and his experience?
At this point in the story, how are things going for Charlie?
How does this connect to what the author told us before?
(If students struggle to identify Charlie’s social isolation, the
following question will provide more support. “What evidence
do you have that Charlie’s heightened intelligence has created
difficulties in his relationship with others?”
Using context clues from the passage on p. 54, “I felt sick
inside as I looked at his dull, vacuous smile, the wide, bright
eyes of a child, uncertain but eager to please. They were
laughing at me because he was mentally retarded, “ what does
the word vacuous mean?
What does the anecdote of the dishwasher boy reveal about
Charlie?
On pages ___ and ___, what is driving Charlie?
isn’t nice like I think. . . Then she got something in her eye and she had to run out to the ladys room.” Miss
Kinnian's comments show that she is aware of negative consequences with the experiment, such as the fact
that people are mean spirited, will use others for their own glory, and will use others to gain profit. Very early
on in the short story, in progress report 4, when the doctors decide that Charlie will be their subject, Charlie
th
remarks,” Their going to use me.” On the April 27 progress report, the doctors also argue about the ethics of
the experiment and publishing results too early. They also call Charlie an “experiment” instead of a patient.
Charlie’s operation is equivalent to Eve eating from the tree of knowledge. His increased intelligence has
shown him a darker side of human nature. Students may reference the experiment on Charlie, his awareness of
Frank and Joe making fun of him, or the experimentation on animals and human subjects.
On p. ___ he says that he “seldom speaks to anyone” and “Dr. Nemur appears to be uncomfortable around
me”. He says “I must be careful to speak and write clearly and simply so people won’t laugh.” When talking to
Miss Kinnian, he says that “when I tried to explain she stopped me and laughed.” While Charlie has increased
his intellectual intelligence, emotional intelligence takes much more time and experience to develop. People
laughed at Charlie both before AND after his operation.
Vacuous means void and empty like a vacuum. Context clues are “The wide bright eyes of a child, uncertain but
eager to please”; “vacant eyes”; “an uncertain grin”
He says, “I felt sick inside as I looked at his dull, vacuous smile…I felt ashamed for both of us.” Charlie has
realized that he was once ridiculed like the dishwasher boy and he, too, misunderstood the taunting as
acceptance. He had the same vacuous, unaware existence. He says, “It infuriated me to think that not so long
ago I, like this boy, had foolishly played the clown. And I had almost forgotten.” (Higher level students might
use the plate as a symbol for Charlie’s brokenness)
It is the same force that propelled him to work so hard when he was mentally disabled: a strong desire to
succeed. At the moment, however, he realizes that time is probably running out for him.
Charlie could also just have a strong desire to understand the inequality of intelligence that he struggled to
comprehend when he was mentally challenged. On page ___, in reference to the calculus of intelligence,
Charlie remarks, “In a sense it is the problem I have been concerned with all my life.” Some students might
indicate that this is the driving force for Charlie’s diligence to complete his data.
On May 31, Charlie says, “I’ve got to know if and when it will
happen to me,” what evidence exists that Charlie will or will
not regress like Algernon?
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Likewise, it would be valid for students to say that he wants to show up Dr. Nemus and Dr. Strauss, or that he
feels a moral obligation to stand up for those who are mentally challenged who might be possible test subjects
after his own mental decline. He makes references to this at the end of the book on page 62 when he says,
“Anyway I bet Im the first dumb person n the world who ever found out something important for sience.”
On p. ___ Algernon was “unusually disturbed and vicious.” Charlie tells the reader that “he [Algernon] snapped
at my hand.” Charlie also says that Algernon is “less cooperative,” and “everyone is upset about what this may
mean.” All of the above quotes suggest that Charlie will in fact regress like Algernon because the reader has
been given several examples of Charlie’s changing personality. Prior to this incident, Charlie snaps at Miss
Kinnian when she is unable to understand his intellectual discussion on Vrostadt.
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
Also, Algernon is also being characterized the same way as many of Charlie’s lower-IQ peers were at the
beginning of the story.
What are some of Charlie’s symptoms of deterioration in his
June 5 progress report?
Possible answers include: motor activity is impaired, reduction of glandular activity, accelerated loss of
coordination, and progressive amnesia.
On p. ___, what words or phrases help you define the word
senility?
Senility means the loss of mental ability. “amnesia”, “second childhood”, and “deteriorating rapidly”
What evidence suggests Joe and Frank have or have not
developed as characters?
On p. ___ Joe says, “leave him alone you lousy cracker or I’ll break your neck.” Student can argue both sides
because Joe has identified the moral depravity of making fun of someone yet still uses a racial slur to attack the
attacker. (Some kids may come back to the “white mouse” comment from earlier in the text with this racial
commentary here).
1. Charlie changed but then regressed back to an intellectual place very similar to where he began. On p. ___,
before his regression, he says, "I'd hidden the picture of the old Charlie Gordon from myself because now that I
was intelligent it was something that had to be pushed out of my mind. But today in looking at that boy, for the
first time I saw what I had been. I was just like him!" But, later Charlie says "Please tell Dr. Nemur not to be
such a grouch when people laugh at him and he would have more friends", indicating that Charlie has
regressed back to a point where he does not understand the nature of friendship.
What evidence in the text do you have that Charlie has or
hasn’t changed since the beginning of the story?
2. Charlie has changed by the end of the story. When he initially finds out that his "friends" were just mean
people who made fun of him, he says, on p. ___, "Everyone was looking at me and laughing and I felt naked. I
wanted to hide myself. I ran out into the street and I threw up." He cannot handle the embarrassment.
However, at the end, when he says, "Please tell Dr. Nemur not to be such a grouch when people laught at him
and he would have more friends. Its easy to make frends if you let people laught and you" he is showing the
ability to let the embarrassment go. He has recognized that he will be happier if he lets go of his shame.
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13
Tier II/Academic Vocabulary
Meaning needs to be provided
Meaning can be learned from context
These words require less time to learn
(They are concrete or describe an object/event/
process/characteristic that is familiar to students)
These words require more time to learn
(They are abstract, have multiple meanings, are a part
of a word family, or are likely to appear again in future texts)
marooned (spelled marooned)
“to pull a Charlie Gordon”
feeble minded
opportunist
acquire, despised, petition
cowered
cooperative, peering
irritable, instability
motor activity
impaired, senility
plateau
psychology
contrary
“narrow specialization; the broader aspects of background were neglected far more than
necessary.” *Note: spend time to interpret this because it marks an increase in his
intelligence and allows the reader to avoid attempting to decode all words on pages 51-53.
vacuous, mirrored, vacant
inferior
regress (ion)
deterioration
Rorscharch (spelled raw shok initially)
amazed (meant to mean a maze), motivation (spelled motor- vation
initially)
fencing
neurosurgeons, “ride on his coattails”
smirking
illiteracy
Apathetic (appears as apat** in the text)
IQ= Intelligence Quotient (appears as “eye-q)
*Note- an IQ below 80 designates mental retardation (mentally challenged) ), discouraged
(spelled discoridged)
tree of knowledge
subconscious and conscious
BCSD Curriculum & Standards
vicious
“artificially increased intelligence deteriorates proportionally to the quantity of increase”
(break down the sentence to see how Charlie will regress)
“general smoothing of the cerebral convolutions as well as deepening and broadening of brain
fissures” (go through what this means to show that Charlie has permanent brain damage)
Grade 8 English Language Arts Instructional Unit 2: Segment 3
10/29/13