TCSS
RL
RI
W
SL
L
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Reading Literary
Reading Informational
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Language
Troup County School System
English/Language Arts Curriculum Map
British Literature and Composition
Thematic Unit #1—Anglo-Saxon and Medieval: From Legend to History
Bravery, Dignity, and Beauty
Big Idea / Unit Goal:

The goal for this unit is to explore and analyze the theme of Bravery, Dignity,
and Beauty across Anglo-Saxon and Medieval British literature and informational
texts with an in-depth focus on GSE priority standards.
Length of Unit:

31 Days
Unit 1 Common Assessment Blueprint
Unit 1 Checklist
Unit Essential Question(s):
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How does Anglo-Saxon literature reflect the values and behaviors of this time
period?
What are the key poetic elements of Anglo-Saxon poetry and how do these
elements reflects the oral tradition in which the poem was created?
How does the epic hero reflect the Anglo-Saxon culture?
What are the roles of women in both Anglo-Saxon and Medieval cultures?
Priority Standards:
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RL1, RL3, RL4
RI6, RI7, RI9
W2, W3, W7, W8
Support Standards:
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RL2, RL5, RL7
RI1, RI4,
W9
L2, L3
Reading Focus: Literary
Writing Focus: Informative/Explanatory
Text Resources:
Extended Text:
Primary Writing Tasks:
Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales
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Short Texts (Mixture of Literary and Informational thematically connected texts)
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Ballads: “Get Up and Bar the Door,” “Lord Randall,” or comparative ballads
Poetry: “Wife’s Lament” or “Frederico’s Falcon”
“The Prologue” to The Canterbury Tales
“The Pardoner’s Tale” or “The Wife of Bath’s Tale”
“Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”
Sutton Hoo article
Anglo-Saxon Excavation article
John Gardner’s Grendel excerpt
“Teen Heroes” article
Heorot and the Guest-Hall of Eden: Symbolic Metaphor and the Design of
Beowulf
Excerpt from The Art of Beowulf
Students will compose an essay comparing and contrasting the Wife of Bath
from The Canterbury Tales and the wife from “The Wife’s Lament.”
Using a primary piece of text and/or accompanying informational texts,
students will compose an essay citing specific textual evidence to support and
demonstrate their understanding of the text’s central idea?
Narrative Writing Tasks:
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Rewrite a scene or scenes from Beowulf from the point of view of another
character, showing how interpretation of events and actions change according
to the point of view from which they are experienced.
Students select a character from Chaucer’s General Prologue of The
Canterbury Tales. Student then changes the narrative style to first person. How
does the character’s self-perception differ from Chaucer’s view of that
character?
Research Connections:
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Sutton Hoo excavation/Anglo-Saxon background
TCSS
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“Women in Anglo-Saxon Literature” article
“Marriage in Crisis article” (“Wife’s Lament”)
“Chivalry and Courtly Love”
“Chivalry and Courtly Love: Ideal, but Unreal”
Additional Materials:
Graphic art project (group)
Routine Writing (Notes, summaries, process journals, and short responses
across all genres):

Journals (and those related to the capstone project)

Notes, summaries, and short responses
Argumentative Essay
Informative/Explanatory Essay
Sutton Hoo Teacher Notes
Sutton Hoo Student Notes
Anglo-Saxon Riddles
Kennings
General Essay Rubric
Reading Journals
Reading Journals rubric
Video: Malala Yousafzai
Video: Ballad of Frankie and Johnny
Lessons for Unit 1 (all lessons are hyperlinked below):
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ELA12.1: Capstone: Focus on conducting research, gathering information from sources, documenting sources, citing strong and thorough textual evidence, and drawing
evidence from sources (W7, W8, RI1, W9)
ELA12.1.1: Focus on citing textual evidence, analyzing effects of structure, and determining author’s point of view and purpose (RL1, RL5, RI6)
ELA12.1.2: Focus on analyzing author’s choices, determining meanings of words and phrases, writing narratives, and demonstrating command of standard English (RL3,
RL4, W3, L2)
ELA12.1.3: Focus on citing textual evidence and analyzing effects of structure (RL1, RL5)
ELA12.1.4: Focus on determining meanings of words and phrases and analyzing impact of author’s choices (RL4, RL3)
ELA12.1.5: Focus on determining meanings of words and phrases and applying knowledge of language (RL4, L3)
ELA12.1.6: Focus on analyzing impact of author’s choices, writing narratives, determining and analyzing central idea development, determining meaning and impact of
words and phrases, and analyzing effects of structure (RL3, W3, RL2, RL4, RL5)
ELA12.1.7: Focus on analyzing impact of author’s choices, citing textual evidence, and determining meaning of words and phrases (RL3, RL1, RL4)
ELA12.1.8: Focus on integrating information from multiple formats, determining point of view or purpose, writing informative texts, analyzing impact of author’s choices,
citing textual evidence, determining meaning of words and phrases, and demonstrating command of Standard English (RI7, RI6, W2, RL3, RI1, RI4, L2)
ELA12.1.9: Focus on analyzing impact of author’s choices, determining and analyzing theme development, summarizing, analyzing effects of structure, and determining
author’s point of view and purpose (RL3, RL2, RL5, RI6)
ELA12.1.10: Focus on analyzing foundational historical and literary documents, citing textual evidence, and determining meaning of words and phrases (RI9, RI1, RI4)
Georgia Standards of
Excellence (GSE)
ELAGSE11-12RL1: Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text,
including determining where the text
leaves matters uncertain.
ELAGSE11-12RL2: Determine two or
more themes or central ideas of a text and
analyze their development over the course
Essential Questions
Vocabulary
Lessons and Resources
How does one cite strong and thorough
textual evidence to support analysis?
Cite
Textual evidence
Inferences
Explicit
Analysis
ELA12.1.1
ELA12.1.3
ELA12.1.7
What is the central idea of a piece of
literature and how do ideas interact and
build on one another? How does one
Theme
Central idea
Analyze
ELA12.1.6
ELA12.1.9
TCSS
of the text, including how they interact and
build on one another to produce a complex
account; provide an objective summary of
the text.
provide an objective summary of a text?
ELAGSE11-12RL3: Analyze the impact of
the author’s choices regarding how to
develop and relate elements of a story or
drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the
action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).
ELAGSE11-12RL4: Determine the
meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in the text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact
of specific word choices on meaning and
tone, including words with multiple
meanings or language that is particularly
fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include
Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
ELAGSE11-12RL5: Analyze how an
author’s choices concerning how to
structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the
choice of where to begin or end a story,
the choice to provide a comedic or tragic
resolution) contribute to its overall
structure and meaning as well as its
aesthetic impact.
ELAGSE11-12RI1: Cite strong and
thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text,
including determining where the text
leaves matters uncertain.
ELAGSE11-12RI4: Determine the
meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in a text, including figurative,
connotative, and technical meanings;
analyze how an author uses and refines
the meaning of a key term or terms over
the course of a text (e.g., how Madison
defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
ELAGSE11-12RI6: Determine an author’s
point of view or purpose in a text in which
the rhetoric is particularly effective,
analyzing how style and content contribute
to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of
the text.
ELAGSE11-12RI7: Integrate and evaluate
What are the effects of an author’s choices
regarding setting, order, and character
development?
Cite
Evidence
Support
Inferences
Objective
Characters
Analyze
Development
ELA12.1.2
ELA12.1.4
ELA12.1.6
ELA12.1.7
ELA12.1.8
ELA12.1.9
ELA12.1.2
ELA12.1.4
ELA12.1.5
ELA12.1.6
ELA12.1.7
What are figurative and connotative
meanings? How do words and phrases
impact an author’s meaning and tone?
How does an author’s word choice impact
engagement and beauty?
Diction
Figurative
Connotation
Denotation
Tone
Context
Syntax
Engaging
How does the author’s structure impact the
meaning and aesthetic impact of a text?
Structure
Mood/atmosphere
Comedic
Tragic
Resolution
aesthetic
ELA12.1.1
ELA12.1.3
ELA12.1.6
ELA12.1.9
What are effective ways to cite textual
evidence to best analyze literature?
Cite
Textual evidence
Inferences
Explicit
Analysis
ELA12.1: Capstone
ELA12.1.8
ELA12.1.10
What are strategies used in clarifying the
meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in a text?
Diction
Figurative meaning
Connotative
Technical
ELA12.1.8
ELA12.1.10
How does the author’s point of view or
purpose impact the power of
persuasiveness or beauty of his/her text?
Point of view
Purpose
Rhetoric
Persuasiveness
ELA12.1.1
ELA12.1.8
ELA12.1.9
How can I integrate multiple sources to
Integrate
ELA12.1.8
TCSS
multiple sources of information presented
in different media or formats (e.g., visually,
quantitatively) as well as in words in order
to address a question or solve a problem.
ELAGSE11-12RI9: Analyze foundational
US documents of historical and literary
significance (including The Declaration of
Independence, the Preamble to the
Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and
Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address) for
their themes, purposes, and rhetorical
features For British Literature, American
Literature, and Multicultural Literature use
comparable documents of historical
significance.
ELAGSE11-12W2: Write
informative/explanatory texts to examine
and convey complex ideas, concepts, and
information clearly and accurately through
the effective selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
a. Introduce a topic; organize complex
ideas, concepts, and information so
that each new element builds on
that which precedes it to create a
unified whole; include formatting
(e.g., headings), graphics (e.g.,
figures, tables), and multimedia
when useful to aiding
comprehension.
b. Develop the topic thoroughly by
selecting the most significant and
relevant facts, extended definitions,
concrete details, quotations, or
other information and examples
appropriate to the audience's
knowledge of the topic.
c. Use appropriate and varied
transitions and syntax to link the
major sections of the text, create
cohesion, and clarify the
relationships among complex ideas
and concepts.
d. Use precise language, domainspecific vocabulary, and techniques
such as metaphor, simile, and
analogy to manage the complexity
of the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal
best answer a question or reach a
solution? How does one determine the
quality of a source?
Evaluate
Media (visual, aural, quantitative, film)
What are the prevalent themes, purposes,
th
and rhetorical features of U.S. (11 ) or
th
British (12 ) foundational documents of
literary and historical significance?
Foundational documents
Theme
Purpose
Rhetoric
Analyze
ELA12.1.10
How does one choose the most significant
and relevant facts appropriate to the
audience’s knowledge of the topic?
Informative
Explanatory
Organization
Objectivity
Transition
Topic
Concrete details
Quotations
Paraphrase
Cohesion
ELA12.1.8
TCSS
style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.
f. Provide a concluding statement or
section that follows from and
supports the information or
explanation presented (e.g.,
articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).
ELAGSE11-12W3: Write narratives to
develop real or imagined experiences or
events using effective technique, wellchosen details, and well-structured event
sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by
setting out a problem, situation, or
observation and its significance,
establishing one or multiple point(s)
of view, and introducing a narrator
and/or characters; create a smooth
progression of experiences or
events.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as
dialogue, pacing, description,
reflection, and multiple plot lines, to
develop experiences, events,
and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of techniques to
sequence events so that they build
on one another to create a
coherent whole and build toward a
particular tone and outcome (e.g., a
sense of mystery, suspense,
growth, or resolution).
d. Use precise words and phrases,
telling details, and sensory
language to convey a vivid picture
of the experiences, events, setting,
and/or characters.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows
from and reflects on what is
experienced, observed, or resolved
over the course of the narrative.
ELAGSE11-12W7: Conduct short as well
as more sustained research projects to
answer a question (including a selfgenerated question) or solve a problem;
narrow or broaden the inquiry when
What is narrative writing? How does a
writer use narrative techniques to convey
meaning and engage the reader?
Narrative
Pacing
Voice/narrative voice
Style
Point of view
Experience
Technique
Details
Well-structured
Sequences
Imagery
Sensory language
Aesthetics
ELA12.1.2
ELA12.1.6
What is effective research?
Sustained
Research
Inquiry
Synthesis
Investigation
ELA12.1: Capstone
TCSS
appropriate; synthesize multiple sources
on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under
investigation.
ELAGSE11-12W8: Gather relevant
information from multiple authoritative print
and digital sources, using advanced
searches effectively; assess the strengths
and limitations of each source in terms of
the task, purpose, and audience; integrate
information into the text selectively to
maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding
plagiarism and overreliance on any one
source and following a standard format for
citation.
ELAGSE11-12W9: Draw evidence from
literary or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
a. Apply grades 11-12 Reading
standards to literature (e.g.,
"Demonstrate knowledge of
eighteenth-, nineteenth- and earlytwentieth-century foundational
works of American literature,
including how two or more texts
from the same period treat similar
themes or topics").
b. Apply grades 11-12 Reading
standards to literary nonfiction
(e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the
reasoning in seminal U.S. texts,
including the application of
constitutional principles and use of
legal reasoning [e.g., in U.S.
Supreme Court Case majority
opinions and dissents] and the
premises, purposes, and
arguments in works of public
advocacy [e.g., The Federalist,
presidential addresses]").
ELAGSE11-12L2: Demonstrate
command of the conventions of standard
English capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
a. Observe hyphenation conventions.
b. Spell correctly.
ELAGSE11-12L3: Apply knowledge of
language to understand how language
functions in different contexts, to make
Primary sources
Interview
How do I gather relevant information from
various authoritative print sources? How
do I determine a source’s usefulness?
How do I include information selectively to
maintain flow of ideas and avoid
plagiarism? Why is following a standard
format (MLA) for citation important, and
how do I follow this format?
Print sources
Digital sources
Search engines
Paraphrasing
Summarizing
Quoting
MLA format
Citation
Works cited/bibliography
Parenthetical citation
ELA12.1: Capstone
How do I use evidence from texts to
support my analysis, reflection, and
research?
Textual evidence
Analysis
Reflection
Research
ELA12.1: Capstone
How do I demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling?
How do I use a hyphen and/or dash
correctly?
Standard English
Capitalization
Punctuation
Hyphen
Dash
ELA12.1.2
ELA12.1.8
How do I apply my knowledge of language
to effectively communicate and
comprehend intended meanings and
Standard English
Style
Communicate
ELA12.1.5
TCSS
effective choices for meaning or style, and
to comprehend more fully when reading or
listening.
a. Vary syntax for effect, consulting
references (e.g., Tufte's Artful
Sentences) for guidance as needed;
apply an understanding of syntax to
the study of complex texts when
reading.
styles?
Comprehend
How do I vary my syntax for effect?
Syntax
TCSS
Lessons for British Literature Unit 1
The following pages are the lessons for the unit that have been linked at the
beginning of the document. These lessons are based on identified GSE
high-priority standards and incorporate unit texts and resources.
TCSS
ELA12.1 Research/Journals (Capstone)
Note: ELA will have the responsibility for the Research paper of the Capstone Project as well as
Journal entries. Most of the journal entries include reading an article and writing a journal response
that includes incorporating textual evidence. Working with students on how to write these journal
entries should provide opportunities to teach how to paraphrase and incorporate direct quotations and
how to use MLA style to properly cite sources. Reference this lesson for materials related to
Capstone.
Learning Target(s)
I can:
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Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
identify and/or generate their own research question or problem
adapt the scope of topic (narrow or broaden) based on research
findings
analyze and determine the relevance of data and information
collected based on the research questions(s)
synthesize information gathered from multiple print and online
sources
assess the strengths and limitations of a source used for
research
evaluate sources to determine their strengths and weaknesses
evaluate sources' effectiveness in speaking to writer's task,
audience, and purpose
recognize the value of using a variety of sources, rather than
relying heavily on a single source
integrate evidence collected during research into their writing
while avoiding plagiarism
use required format correctly
Priority Standards:
ELAGSE11-12W7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research
projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or
solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
ELAGSE11-12W8: Gather relevant information from multiple
authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches
effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms
of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text
selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and
overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for
citation.
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE11-12RI1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence
to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
 ELAGSE11-12W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational
texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
b. Apply grades 11-12 Reading standards to literary
nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in
seminal U.S. texts, including the application of
constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning [e.g.,
in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and
dissents] and the premises, purposes, and arguments in
works of public advocacy [e.g., The Federalist,
TCSS
presidential addresses]")
Resources for Instruction
Capstone Manual
Journal #1
Journal #2
Time Allocated
Days will be embedded throughout the first semester.
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)

Independent Practice
(You Do)
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
Expectations for the Capstone in this unit include:
 Assign research paper by August 22 (due date is no later than
November 18)
 Completion of Project Proposal by August 26
 Completion of Journal #1 by August 26
 Completion of Journal #2 by September 23
It will be important to teach students the skills they will need to
successfully read and cite from text, as well as to research to gather
information. A lesson on source credibility will help students as they
identify sources for use in their research paper. Students will also need
instruction on MLA format including works cited page and internal
citations for their research paper.
TCSS
ELA12.1.1
Learning Target(s):
I can:
 draw inferences from literary texts to make and support an
analysis that uses strong and thorough evidence gathered from
reading
 determine where the text leaves matters uncertain and be able
to infer what happens next
 support my conclusions with explicit and implicit textual
evidence
 synthesize evidence collected from the text to best support my
conclusions
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Priority Standards:
ELAGSERL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE12RL5: Analyze how an author's choices concerning
how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of
where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic
or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and
meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
 ELAGSE11-12RI6: Determine an author’s point of view or
purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective,
analyzing how style and content contribute to the power,
persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
Resources for Instruction
Hero Anticipation Guide
Teen Heroes article
Focus on Literary Forms, Defining the Epic, pgs. 34-35
The Epic Poem background notes
Characteristics of Epic Heroes
Anglo-Saxons and Beowulf PowerPoint
from Beowulf, pgs. 36-65
Jigsaw Protocol
Beowulf, Part 1 Reading Questions
Beowulf, Part 2 Reading Questions
Beowulf, Part 3 Reading Questions
John Gardner’s Grendel excerpt
Questions for Grendel excerpt
Informational Texts to connect to Beowulf: (You may want to use some
of these either in whole or using excerpts to allow the students to
connect what they have studied with informational texts. These can be
used as activators or summarizers. Another option is that you could
assign different articles to different groups of students and have them
present findings to the class. Focus on citing evidence and determining
author’s point of view and/or purpose.)
 Sutton Hoo article and website
 Anglo-Saxon Excavation article
 Heorot and the Guest-Hall of Eden: Symbolic Metaphor and the
Design of Beowulf
 Excerpt from The Art of Beowulf
TCSS
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
 “Women in Anglo-Saxon Literature” article
4-5 days
How does Beowulf characterize the epic hero?
How is an epic hero different from modern heroes?
Have students complete the Hero Anticipation Guide by responding to
each statement. You may want to have them answer independently
and talk with a partner or small group before sharing with the class. You
may want to only have them respond with agree or disagree at this
point and have them write about their responses later in the lesson.
For other day’s lessons, you could use excerpts of the Teen Heroes
article to focus on modern heroes.
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)

Independent Practice
(You Do)
Lead a discussion on the statements in the Hero Anticipation Guide.
Explain to students that we will be reading about an Anglo-Saxon hero
and that they should consider how the epic they will read connects to
their own views on heroes.
Provide direct instruction on Epic poetry. They should have studied
The Odyssey in 9th grade, so use what they know to make connections.
Use Focus on Literary Forms, Defining the Epic, pgs. 34-35, The Epic
Poem background notes, and Characteristics of Epic Heroes as needed
to make students aware of this information.
Introduce students to the epic poem Beowulf. You may want to use the
Anglo-Saxons and Beowulf PowerPoint. (You may want to show parts
of the PowerPoint over different class periods instead of all at once).
Using appropriate strategies, read selections from Beowulf, pages 3665. You may want to start reading as a whole group, but you may want
to then allow students to read parts in small groups or independently. A
Jigsaw would be a good way to provide students opportunities to
access parts of the text and then work collaboratively to discuss with
others. While reading, students should focus on finding evidence and
taking notes to support that Beowulf is an epic hero. Use the Beowulf
text-dependent Questions for Parts 1, 2, and 3 as appropriate.
As an extension, you may want to have students read John Gardner’s
Grendel excerpt and respond to the questions. Students will look at
point of view and the effects. As a follow-up, students can write a
narrative in which they rewrite a scene or scenes from Beowulf from the
point of view of another character, showing how interpretation of events
and actions change according to the point of view from which they are
experienced.
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
(NOTE: The lesson that follows, ELA12.1.2, relates to analyzing
the author’s use of kennings. You may want to embed that lesson
in your reading of Beowulf, so that students have opportunities to
look for kennings while reading).
Have students select at least one statement from the anticipation guide
and that they strongly agree or disagree with and provide a paragraph
in which they support their opinion, using evidence from their
background and from their study of Beowulf.
TCSS
OR
Have students write a paragraph or brief essay that explains how
Beowulf fits the criteria of being an epic hero. Students should cite
strong and thorough textual evidence from the poem in their response.
TCSS
ELA12.1.2
Learning Target(s):
I can:
 analyze an author's choices regarding the development of literary
elements in a story or drama (setting, plot, characterization)
 analyze the impact of author's choices regarding the development
of literary elements on the story or drama itself and/or the reader
 analyze text for word choice and analyze how the use of language
advances the plot or affects the tone or pacing of the work
 determine how word choice affects meaning and advances the plot
 analyze how specific word choice creates fresh, engaging, and
aesthetically pleasing text
 analyze how words with multiple meanings create aesthetically
pleasing text
 examine the specific patterns of diction in the text and determine its
specific impact and overall meaning
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Priority Standards:
ELAGSE12RL3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding
how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a
story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).
ELAGSE12RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;
analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly
fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other
authors.)
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE11-12W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen
details, and well-structured event sequences.
 ELAGSE12L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
a. Observe hyphenation conventions.
b. Spell correctly.
Resources for Instruction
Kenning vs. Stock Epithets handout
Kenning background PowerPoint
Practice modern kennings
Kenning allusions
Kenning Practice
Rubric
Hyphen Use from Owl Purdue
Hyphen Rules from grammarbook.com
Hyphen Tips
Hyphen Practice
Interactive Hyphen Quiz
from Beowulf, pgs. 36-65
Personal Epic Instructions Version 1 or Version 2
Personal Epic Rubric
2-3 days
Time Allocated
TCSS
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
How do kennings add to the poetic beauty of poem such as Beowulf?
How do kennings reflect the traditional British interest in wordplay
(puns, riddles)?
What is a hyphen, and how is it correctly used?
Define kenning. (Kenning vs. Stock Epithets handout)
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)
Students will understand the definition of a kenning and how it
contributes to Anglo-Saxon poetry. Students will learn how to identify
kennings in Beowulf as well as write their own. The students will use
this knowledge when reading Beowulf.

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
Provide Kenning in Anglo-Saxon literature background information.
Kenning background PowerPoint.
Practice modern-day kennings:
Consider carefully how you could creatively rename each of the
following through the use of the kenning technique.

Independent Practice
(You Do)
1. a teacher
2. a bus driver
3. firemen
4. television
5. meatloaf
6. police
7. pop tarts
8. music
9. love
10. computer
As students read Beowulf, they should look for examples of kennings
and explain the meanings and impact of the kennings. The teacher
explains that Anglo‐Saxon literature, in general, and Beowulf, in
particular, is replete with a type of figurative language called a kenning.
The kenning “sky‐candle” in Beowulf refers to the sun. The teacher
asks the students to identify the punctuation used in sky‐candle. Noting
that one use of the hyphen is to put together two different words to
make one term, as happens in sky‐candle, the teacher begins to
discuss the use of hyphens in today’s English. Information about
hyphens can be found in many sources including:
 Hyphen Use from Owl Purdue
 Hyphen Rules from grammarbook.com
 Hyphen Tips
Provide instruction on use of hyphens. You may want to extend this
over several lessons, but this standard should be thoroughly taught in
this unit as it will be assessed. Suggested lesson from Trent Lorcher:



Write a paragraph on the board or project one on to the board.
Give each student a hyphen, easily constructed by drawing a
small line on a chunk of paper with tape or a magnet on the
back.
Instruct students to come up one by one and insert hyphens in
the paragraph.
TCSS


Be sure to tell them that two hyphens = one dash.
Make your own paragraph or try this one:
The Peruvian Iguana the best loved animal of the South
American jungle survives by eating the bark of a weeping
willow. Oak, walnut, beech those are its secondary foods. One
year I'm pretty sure it was pre Argentina winning the World Cup
a Peruvian Iguana ran for president of the jungle and narrowly
defeated Pele and Maradona and became president elect of the
greater Peruvian jungle. The election on account of a little
known clause preventing Iguanas and other amphibious like
creatures from becoming president elect of a South American
jungle is still argued about fifty three and one fourth year later.
The teacher reviews the correct use of hyphens and dashes in
the paragraph, as follows:
The Peruvian Iguana—the best‐loved animal of the South
American jungle—survives by eating the bark of a weeping
willow. Oak, walnut, beech—those are its secondary foods. One
year—I'm pretty sure it was pre‐Argentina winning the World
Cup—a Peruvian Iguana ran for president of the jungle and
narrowly defeated Pele and Maradona and became president‐
elect of the greater Peruvian jungle. The election—on account
of a little‐known clause preventing Iguanas and other
amphibious‐like creatures from becoming president‐elect of a
South American jungle—Is still argued about fifty‐three and onefourth year later.
In pairs or small groups, students practice hyphenating using
the Hyphenation Practice handout. Students should be prepared
to defend their decisions, that is, to explain why they chose to
place hyphens where they did. After a review of the correct
answers to the Hyphenation Practice handout, students
individually will write a paragraph in which they correctly use at
least five hyphens, including at least one compound adjective,
at least one prefix joined to a capitalized word, and at least one
compound number. The teacher may allow the students to
select a topic of their choice for the paragraph or may assign a
topic. Students will swap paragraphs with a partner for peer
review and make corrections as necessary.
Kennings in Beowulf:
Explain the allusions for each kenning (Kenning allusions).
After completion of reading Beowulf, assign students to complete a
personal epic in which they have to apply their knowledge and
understanding of epic poetry, kennings, alliteration, and other elements.
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
Kenning Poem Assignment
Create a kenning poem about any subject that is important to you, and
that is appropriate for school.
You must write and turn in 15 kennings about your topic.
TCSS
Requirements for Kenning Poems:
Title must tell who/what the poem is about
Must have at least 15 kennings within the poem.
All kennings must be about the same subject
Poem must be typed, single spaced, and ready for display
You may include a drawing or graphic to enhance your kenning.
Rubric
TCSS
ELA12.1.3
Learning Target(s):
I can:
 draw inferences from literary texts to make and support an
analysis that uses strong and thorough evidence gathered from
reading
 determine where the text leaves matters uncertain and be able
to infer what happens next
 support my conclusions with explicit and implicit textual
evidence
 synthesize evidence collected from the text to best support my
conclusions
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Priority Standards:
ELAGSERL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE12RL5: Analyze how an author's choices concerning
how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of
where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic
or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and
meaning as well as its aesthetic impact
Resources for Instruction
Characteristics of Epic Heroes
from Beowulf, pgs. 36-65
Beowulf Activity (can be used as a carousel activity)
Video: Malala Yousafzai
Chromebooks
Time Allocated
3 days
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
How is an epic hero different from modern heroes?
Turn and talk with a partner about what you know about epic heroes.
For another day’s activator, you may want to watch an interview with
Malala to allow students to discuss qualities that make her a hero.
Have them compare and contrast how she relates with the epic hero
and their own views of heroes.
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)

Independent Practice
(You Do)
After reading Beowulf, have students participate in all or parts of the
following Beowulf Activity.
Step One
Teacher leads a discussion with the class to determine what makes
Beowulf a hero. Ask students to refer to the text and name the specific
activity that identifies Beowulf as a hero, such as “fought Grendel with
no weapons.” As students give responses, list them on the board. After
the list is generated, ask students to generalize from the specific
details, the heroic traits that the list suggests. Typical responses are
strength, wisdom, physical appearance, speaking ability, loyalty,
occupation, bravery. Record these traits on the board.
TCSS
Step Two
Transfer the traits to the left vertical column of a piece of bulletin board
paper that has been formatted as a chart and taped or fastened to one
wall in the room. Next, ask students to name some contemporary
fictional heroes (limit to five or six heroes). Popular names that typically
come up are Batman, Superman, Indiana Jones, James Bond, Rambo.
Write these names, along with Beowulf’s, across the top of the bulletin
board paper. With the class, complete the columns for Beowulf; for
example, beside the trait strength, the class would record “has the
strength of 30 men.”
Step Three
Divide the class into small groups and assign each group a hero from
the chart. Instruct each group to discuss its assigned hero in terms of
the traits listed on the chart, such as bravery, wisdom, loyalty, etc. The
objective is to give specific examples to illustrate the particular trait for
the hero. As soon as the group has completed its discussion, someone
from the group should complete the columns on the chart for the
group’s hero by filling in the specific example under the appropriate
column. After the chart is completed for all the heroes, one member
from each group will discuss the assigned hero, and then the teacher
should lead the class in a discussion that draws the conclusion that
heroes across the ages share basically the same traits. These activities
should be accomplished in one class period.
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
Step Four (Optional; may be adapted to include fewer heroes)
Students will spend the next two class periods completing the project.
This project asks students to select 10-15 heroes from various areas,
explain in specific terms why each one is a hero, and organize the
information in the format of a booklet. They may need to use
Chromebooks to research this information in order to provide evidence.
Students self-assessment: Rubric for Beowulf booklet
TCSS
ELA12.1.4
Learning Target(s):
I can:
 draw inferences from literary text to make and support an analysis
that uses strong and thorough evidence gathered from reading
 determine where the text leaves matters uncertain and be able to
infer what happens next
 support their conclusions with explicit and implicit textual evidence
 synthesize evidence collected from the text to best support their
conclusions
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Priority Standards:
ELAGSE12RL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE11-12RL4: Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple
meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or
beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
The Hero’s Journey
Text books, markers, poster paper
2-3 days
What are the characteristics of an epic hero? How do these
characteristics relate to the stages of a hero’s journey? What sections
of the text of Beowulf are parallel to the stages of the hero’s journey?
In groups, students brainstorm about the specific qualities of epic
heroes and specific points in the text where these qualities are
revealed. Students then complete a half page journal entry entitled,
“Beowulf is an Epic Hero, and I can prove it.” (half page)
Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
After reading the epic poem Beowulf, students will demonstrate
thorough understanding of the qualities of epic heroes and familiarize
themselves with the stages of the hero’s journey.
Teacher leads discussion of Stage One of the Hero’s Journey:

Independent Practice
(You Do)
THE ORDINARY WORLD. The hero, uneasy, uncomfortable or
unaware, is introduced sympathetically so the audience can identify
with the situation or dilemma. The hero is shown against a background
of environment, heredity, and personal history. Some kind of polarity in
the hero’s life is pulling in different directions and causing stress.
Some points to discuss and model (overhead or Powerpoint) might
include:
1. Beowulf is, although related to his king, clearly not immediately inline to inherit the throne of Geatland.
2. He is clearly depicted as a young man.
3. He is clearly willing, able, and more than ready for adventure—and to
prove himself worthy of his king’s respect and favor.
TCSS
4. In short, the scop telling this tale would have painted a clearly
sympathetic picture of young Beowulf.
Students then read and think about Stage Two of the Hero’s Journey:
THE CALL TO ADVENTURE. Something shakes up the situation,
either from external pressures or from something rising up from deep
within, so the hero must face the beginnings of change.
Students, using textbooks, look for specific passages which relate to
Stage Two of the Hero’s Journey. Teacher assists students as needed
and facilitates a shared discussion of the parts of the text, as identified
by the student groups, relating to the “Call to Adventure.” These
passages may include:
1. From across the sea, Beowulf receives the news of Grendel’s
evil actions in Denmark.
2. He immediately feels the need to sail across the sea to assist
Hrothgar.
3. He accepts this mission as part of his fate—to do any less
would shame him in the eyes of his king.
Students then begin to look for passages in the text that relate—if
possible—to all of the remaining stages of the Hero’s Journey.
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
In groups, students create large posters which align the descriptions of
the stages of the Hero’s Journey (stages 3-12) with a combination of
paraphrased passages and direct citations. Students post work around
the room. This would be a good activity to Jigsaw.
Students present their group posters to the class—each group member
explaining the groups work related to at least two stages. Teachers
may also want to assign a summative quiz to evaluate student learning.
TCSS
ELA12.1.5
Learning Target(s):
I can:
 analyze text for word choice and analyze how the use of language
advances the plot or affects the tone or pacing of the work
 determine how word choice affects meaning and advances the plot
 analyze how specific word choice creates fresh, engaging, and
aesthetically pleasing text
 analyze how words with multiple meanings create aesthetically
pleasing text
 examine the specific patterns of diction in the text and determine its
specific impact and overall meaning
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Priority Standards:
ELAGSE12RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;
analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly
fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other
authors).
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE12L3: Apply knowledge of language to understand
how language functions in different contexts, to make effective
choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully
when reading or listening.
Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
“The Ruin” translations
2 days
How do translators’ choices impact the readers’ understanding of the
poem?
In this lesson, students will examine the impact of a translator’s choices
and explore how multiple interpretations of a single literary work can
provide a greater and more profound understanding of that text.
Students will explore the impact of one word choice over another and
the effects of those choices on the reader.
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Prior to reading the poem “The Ruin,” explain to the students that the
island of Britain was an attractive place for invasion. The original
inhabitants, people who had ventured to the island during prehistoric
times, were displaced by the Celts, who in their turn were taken over by
the Roman Empire under Emperor Claudius in 43 AD. Britain, with its
relatively moderate climate and rich tin resources, proved a tempting
prize for Rome. Throughout the period of Roman occupation of the
island, a rich cultural mix of the Imperial occupiers and the original
culture sprang up, and Roman roadways, baths, buildings, structures,
and walls came to occupy many of what still remain the major cities of
Britain – including, of course, the city of Londinium (London), and the
southern city of Bath.
For approximately the next four centuries Rome occupied the
island, but the empire weakened as time progressed, and gradually
Roman troops began to be recalled to the capital to defend it against
the increasing might of the Huns, the Goths, the Visigoths, and other
tribes who threatened Rome’s borders in Europe. In the year 410,
Emperor Honorius replied to a request for more troops by saying that
TCSS
the Romano-Britons were effectively on their own. Following that point,
Roman cultural influence in Britain sharply declined.
However, whenever there is a power vacuum, someone is
always happy to fill it. In this case, the “someones” were three
Germanic tribes from Western Europe, the Angles, the Saxons, and the
Jutes. Conflict over control of the island ensued, but by the early 600s,
the invading Anglo-Saxons were victorious. Until the conquest of Angleland (England) by the Normans in 1066, Anglo-Saxon and Danish
culture would continue to dominate. The poem “The Ruin” is found in
the Exeter Book, an anthology of Anglo-Saxon poetry compiled in the
tenth century – the largest collection of Old English literature extant.
The book’s collection is wonderfully diverse, with riddles, elegies, and
other poems providing a wealth of insight into this culture and its poetic
style and traditions.
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)

Independent Practice
(You Do)
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
If possible, visit the following website:
http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/
This website, featuring the Roman ruins in the city of Bath, England is
particularly informative, with beautifully vivid slide shows detailing the
city’s architecture, engineering, and rich history.
Journaling: Imagine that you are an Anglo-Saxon invader. Most of your
buildings are constructed from wattle and daub (stick frame for mud
walls). By contrast, the Roman structures tended to be built of concrete,
tile, and stone; many of their buildings, walls, aqueducts, and baths
required advanced skills in architecture and engineering to construct. If
you came upon Bath as an Anglo-Saxon invader, what assumptions
would you make about the makers of this place? How would you regard
them?
Students should be given the The Ruin translations and be instructed to
fold the copy down the middle, looking at Translation #1 first and
Translation #2 second, and then finally both of them together,
comparing one version with another. As they read both poems, please
have them annotate the handouts by making note of the following:
1. Anglo-Saxon poetry made heavy use of alliteration – that is, repeated
sounds at the beginning of a series of words in a line or lines of poetry,
as in the classic “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
2. Note at least five moments in each poems where you see alliteration,
kennings, or possible kennings in the translated poems.
3. What is the author’s attitude toward the builders of this place? What
is your evidence for this belief?
4. What moment or image in each poem did you find the most effective
at conveying the sense of this ruined place and the author’s attitude
about the builders of it? Why did you find this moment the most
effective? Note: You do not have to pick the same image from both
poems. Treat them as if they were independent works.
Individual Reflection – Postreading
When students have had ample opportunity to read the two poems,
noting alliteration, kennings, the author’s tone, and any other striking
images, encourage them to answer the following questions briefly in
writing before pairing with others for group discussion.
1. Question 4 above asked you, “What moment or image in each poem
did you find the most effective at conveying the sense of this ruined
place and the author’s attitude about the builders of it?” Did you choose
the same image or moment from both poems?
1a. If you chose different images or moments, why was this moment
TCSS
more effectively translated in one version rather than in the other? What
quality was there about the words or images that more effectively
communicated the power of that moment than the other poem did?
1b. If you chose the same moment, what quality was there about the
words or images in both translations that most effectively
communicated the power of this moment?
2. Which one did you prefer? Why? 3. Which one “feels” more
genuinely Anglo-Saxon? Why?
4. Which one most effectively communicated a sense of the people and
place? Why?
5. Did the author’s tone or attitude toward his subject seem to stay the
same in both works, or did it seem different in Translation #1 than in
Translation #2? Explain.
6. Which version most effectively used alliteration? Cite your favorite
example and explain why you felt it was particularly effective.
TCSS
ELA12.1.6
Learning Target(s):
I can:
 analyze an author's choices regarding the development of literary
elements in a story or drama (setting, plot, characterization)
 analyze the impact of author's choices regarding the development
of literary elements on the story or drama itself and/or the reader
 formulate a real or imagined experience
 engage and orient the reader by clearly setting out a situation and
its significance
 develop experiences, events, and/or characters by using effective
narrative techniques
 incorporate well-chosen details into an original narrative
 structure narratives with appropriate sequencing so they build
toward a particular tone and outcome
 be able to manipulate time within a narrative as a means of
developing complex event sequences
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Priority Standards:
ELAGSE12RL3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding
how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a
story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).
ELAGSE12W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details,
and well-structured event sequences.
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE12RL2: Determine two or more themes or central
ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of
the text, including how they interact and build on one another to
produce a complex account and provide an objective summary
of the text.
 ELAGSE12RL4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases
as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or
language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.
(Include Shakespeare as well as other authors).
 ELAGSE12RL5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning
how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of
where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic
or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and
meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
Resources for Instruction
“Hey Joe” lyrics
“A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” lyrics
Ballad of Birmingham
Checklist for Ballads
Lord Randall ballad
Barbara Allen ballad
Sir Patrick Spence
Traditional Ballad writing assignment
Rubric for Original Ballad
Group Participation Assessment
TCSS
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Self-Reflection assessment
2-3 days
How are medieval and modern ballads similar? What ballad
characteristics are found in modern day ballads?
In groups, have students find lyrics to one of these songs, “Hey Joe,” “A
Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall,” or “The Ballad of Birmingham.” If students find
several versions of lyrics (as they will with “Hey Joe”), all the better
because one characteristic of ballads is that there are often variations
of words.
Instructional Delivery
In this lesson, students will compare Medieval ballads with modern
ones. Provide direct instruction on characteristics of ballads.
Students will compare Medieval ballads with modern ones.Ask students
to look for ways the ballads from the activator match with the
characteristics that are listed on the Checklist for Ballads.

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
In groups, ask students to use the Venn Diagram to compare the
modern ballads with another similar ballad. Suggestions: “A Hard
Rain’s Gonna Fall” and “Lord Rendal,” “Hey Joe” and “Barbara Allen,”
“Ballad of Birmingham” and “Sir Patrick Spence.”

Independent Practice
(You Do)
Ask groups to share their findings with the others by reading their
chosen ballads and discussing the comparisons from their Venn
diagrams.
Explain that now students have a thorough understanding of ballad
Students should arrange themselves in groups and begin work on their
ballads. Ask students to use most of the period to compose and revise.
Advise students that they will be sharing their ballads with others.
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
Have students use the Checklist for Ballads and the Rubric for Original
Ballads to evaluate their own ballads or those of others.
Use the Group Participation Assessment Sheet to informally or formally
assess student work in their groups.
Students perform their ballads during class.
With their ballads completely composed, students should get into their
groups for a final read-through before their performances.
Give students a chance to make any last-minute changes and to decide
which group member(s) will be reading.
Use the Rubric for Original Ballads to assess students’ performances. If
desired, have students may hand in the final version of the ballad as
well.
Students may also use the Self-Reflection handout to assess their roles
in the group.
TCSS
ELA12.1.7
Learning Target(s):
I can:
 analyze an author's choices regarding the development of literary
elements in a story or drama (setting, plot, characterization)
 analyze the impact of author's choices regarding the development
of literary elements on the story or drama itself and/or the reader
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Priority Standards:
ELAGSE12RL3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding
how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a
story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE12RL1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to
support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
 ELAGSE11-12RL4: Determine the meaning of words and
phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple
meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or
beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
Geoffrey Chaucer and Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, pages 92120
Chaucer and The Canterbury Tales PowerPoint
The Canterbury Tales Character Chart
Internet access
Television News shows appropriate for your class (optional)
General classroom supplies (chart paper, markers, and so forth)
Resources related to the events and characters in the text to serve as a
collection of props for the segments. Students can contribute to this
collection of resources, bringing in appropriate items.
Interactive Literary Map
Novel News Rubric
Videotaping equipment (optional)
Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
3-5 days
What is character analysis? How does Chaucer reveal character traits
of his pilgrims through his descriptions of each character in the General
Prologue? How does character analysis relate to interviews of actual
people on a typical news program? What is setting? How does the
setting affect the plot and theme of a text?
Students review in-class notes from class activities related to the
reading of Chaucer’s General Prologue. Students think about four or
five characters that they feel they “know” the best.
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)
Students will explore the literary elements of character and setting in a
piece of fiction, analyze a piece of fiction for highlights and significant
passages, and compose original reactions to text, using Reader’s
Theater.
TCSS

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
Provide an introduction to The Canterbury Tales using the Chaucer and
The Canterbury Tales PowerPoint. Since the focus of the standard is
on how the characters are introduced and developed, you may want to
have students take notes citing evidence using a Character Chart.

Independent Practice
(You Do)
Students review in-class notes from class activities related to the
reading of Chaucer’s General Prologue. Students think about four or
five characters that they feel they “know” the best.
Day One: After students have read The General Prologue to the
Canterbury Tales:
1. Teacher introduces the activity: to prepare segments for a news
program based on incidents in Chaucer’s text. Students will be
responsible for props, simplified/representational costumes, and
the content of their segments.
2. Students brainstorm the things that go into a news program.
They write their list on the chart paper so that they can return to
the list in later sessions. They should use the traditional
"journalist's questions" to get discussion started:
Who appears on the news program?
What is covered on the news program?
Where are the programs taped?
When are the segments in the program shown (in what order)?
Why are the particular segments shown? Why were they chosen?
How do all the parts of the news program fit together?
3. Once students have some basic information gathered, teacher
may show one or more archived news programs (See CNN,
NBC, ABC for archived broadcasts). While they watch the
shows, ask students to look for things they can add to their list.
4. If showing archived news broadcasts: When the videos finish,
give students a few minutes to jot down their notes on scrap
paper.
5.
Students return to their brainstorming list and add details that
they gathered from watching the program.
6. Conclude the session by mapping out jobs that will need to be
done for every news segment. Invite students to identify the jobs
that are included on their brainstormed list. There can be news
anchors, investigative reporters, weather forecasters, and news
analysts. In addition to the jobs seen on camera, students may
add jobs such as the director, set designer, and camera
operator.
Day Two
TCSS
1. Review the assignment and the lists from the previous class.
Share the Novel News Broadcast Segments Rubric and discuss
the expectations and evaluation of the project.
2. Drawing from the list, students create a chart of the possible
segments the groups can produce (e.g., investigative report,
weather forecast, editorial commentary).
3. Divide students into small groups. Each group will produce a
news segment related to Chaucer’s text and focusing
specifically on three characters they have read about.
4. Students choose the kinds of segments for their group to
produce and the section (or sections) of the text that they will
draw upon for their segment(s). Encourage students to identify
the jobs that they will be doing.
5. Students use the Literary Elements Mapping Student Interactive
to gather facts and details about the characters they have
chosen. They can complete the Literary Elements Map as many
times as necessary (for multiple characters) to gather the
research for their news segment.
6. Ask students to come to the next session ready to begin writing
their segments. They should bring any materials they need to
class—the Literary Elements Mapping printouts, notes, as well
as props and other materials they may need for their segment.
Day Three:
1. Review the project and answer any questions; then, give
students the entire class period to write and practice their
segments.
2. Use Roy Peter Clark's If I Were a Carpenter: The Tools of the
Writer (informational text) to help students get started.
Emphasize that the "rules" are simply guidelines, not absolutes.
3. While students work, the teacher circulates among groups,
providing assistance as needed.
4. Ask students to come to the next session prepared to complete
a "dress rehearsal" by the end of the class. Again, they should
bring any materials they need to class—the novel they are
writing about, Literary Elements Mapping printouts, notes, and
props and material for their segment. For the rehearsal,
students should have all props and significant materials, but
they need not "dress" for the part.
Day Four:
1. Review the project and answer any questions. Segment time for
students: they should use half the class to finish any writing and
practice sessions. The other half of the class should be used for
TCSS
their "dress rehearsal."
2. While students work, circulate among groups, providing
assistance as needed.
3. Play the role of timekeeper as students work, letting them know
when they need to shift from preparation to the dress rehearsal.
Be sure to allow enough time at the end of class for students to
discuss the results of their rehearsal and make any revisions to
their scripts and plans.
4. Ask students to come to the next class session prepared to
perform their news segment for the rest of the class. They'll
need all props, simplistic/representative costumes, and any
additional materials.
Day Five:
1. Allow students a few minutes at the beginning of the class to
make last-minute preparations, get into costumes, and
assemble their props.
2. (Optional) If you are going to videotape the segments, set up
your video equipment and ensure that you're ready to film the
events.
3. Have each group perform their news segment, keeping strict
watch of time to ensure that all groups have adequate time to
share their work.
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
4. Between segments, invite students to discuss what they have
seen. This activity should be enjoyable for students; place the
emphasis on positive feedback and reinforcement.
The Novel News Broadcast Segments Rubric provides feedback
categories on both the use of details and information from the novel
and the staging and group work.
TCSS
ELA12.1.8
ELA12.1.7
Goal:
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
I can:
 analyze information presented in different media or formats and
determine which details are emphasized in each account
 use the information obtained from text and media to analyze
and present a meaningful and complete answer or solution
 determine the point of view or purpose in a text
 analyze rhetorical strategies the author used to convey his/her
message
 analyze if and how rhetoric added to the power and
persuasiveness of the message
 assess the author’s reliability as a source of information
 analyze an author's choices regarding the development of
literary elements in a story or drama (setting, plot,
characterization)
 analyze the impact of author's choices regarding the
development of literary elements on the story or drama itself
and/or the reader
 select an informative/explanatory topic that can be reasonably
explained or clarified within the text
 effectively organize complex ideas so that each new element
builds on the previous idea in order to create a unified whole
that communicates the author's purpose effectively
 develop the topic thoroughly by selecting and synthesizing the
most significant and relevant facts, definitions, concrete details,
and quotations appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the
topic
Priority Standards:
ELAGSE11-12RI7: Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of
information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually,
quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or
solve a problem.
ELAGSE11-12RI6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a
text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style
and content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the
text.
ELAGSE11-12W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and
convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and
accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of
content.
ELAGSE11-12RL3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices
regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g.,
where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed)
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE12RI1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to
support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
 ELAGSE12RI4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases
as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the
TCSS

Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g.,
how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
ELAGSE11-12L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions
of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling
when writing.
The Black Death: Bubonic Plague
Impact of Ebola
West Africa: Effects of Ebola
“The Pardoner’s Prologue” and “The Pardoner’s Tale,” pgs. 125-134
2-3 days
How can I integrate multiple sources to best answer a question or reach
a solution? How does one determine the quality of a source?
Students complete a journal entry by responding to the following
prompt: Is it realistic to believe that diseases such as Ebola pose a
serious threat to humanity? Discuss.
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)

Independent Practice
(You Do)
Students will understand and appreciate the devastating toll taken upon
the people of Europe as a result of the Black Death or bubonic plague.
Via reading of informational texts, students will understand the
similarities and differences between the impacts of two different
diseases occurring in vastly different time periods. Questions to
consider and discuss include the following:
 How did the plague arrive in Europe?
 What were the effects of the plague upon society other than the
obvious impact of mass death?
 How do the effects of the plague compare and contrast to the
effects of the Ebola outbreak in Africa?
 Do people fear disease when it is covered in the news or do
they fear it on an on-going basis?
While reading these articles, students should focus on author’s purpose
and point of view.
Prior to reading “The Pardoner’s Tale,” students complete journaling
activity and then read on-line articles (or teachers read aloud to them)
concerning the Black Plague and the Ebola.
Use appropriate strategies to read and analyze “The Pardoner’s Tale.”
Discuss that an author makes a conscious choice about developing and
relating a story and that those choices impact meaning. Spend some
time analyzing the how the author develops the setting, plot , and
characterization and how those choices impact the reader.
Ask students to consider what they have learned about the Black Death
as well as Ebola based on the articles and story they have read. By
referring directly to the texts of the articles (if used as handouts) or
through paraphrasing skills (if articles read aloud) students thoroughly
complete a Venn diagram and/or write an informational (brief) essay
comparing and contrasting the negative impacts of the two diseases.
Remind students that as they write, they need to pay attention to
standard English usage. Additionally, provide instruction as needed on
TCSS
writing informative essays and topics related to grammar and usage.
You will want to base these lesson topics on student writing done
previously in the unit.
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
Students discuss their findings.
TCSS
ELA12.1.9
Learning Target(s):
I can:


analyze an author's choices regarding the development of
literary elements in a story or drama (setting, plot,
characterization)
analyze the impact of author's choices regarding the
development of literary elements on the story or drama itself
and/or the reader
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Priority Standards:
ELAGSE11-12RL3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices
regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g.,
where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE11-12RL2: Determine two or more themes or central
ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of
the text, including how they interact and build on one another to
produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of
the text.
 ELAGSE12RL5: Analyze how an author's choices concerning
how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of
where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic
or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and
meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
 ELAGSE11-12RI6: Determine an author’s point of view or
purpose in a text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective,
analyzing how style and content contribute to the power,
persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
Resources for Instruction
“The Wife of Bath’s Tale” and/or “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”
Informational Texts to read in conjunction:
 “Chivalry and Courtly Love”
 “Chivalry and Courtly Love: Ideal, but Unreal”
Time Allocated
EQ
2-3 days
What are the effects of an author’s choices regarding setting, order,
and character development?
Have students read one of the informational texts included in this
lesson. After reading, they should turn and talk about what the article
says as well as what the author’s point of view or purpose is. They
should also discuss how whether these concepts are relevant in our
current society, and if so, how?
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
TCSS
Instructional Delivery


Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)
Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
Introduce the concept of chivalry and courtly love. Lead a discussion
on how these ideals can be seen in movies and in modern day society.
Use appropriate strategies to read “The Wife of Bath’s Tale” and/or “Sir
Gawain and the Green Knight.” While reading, students should focus
on the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and
relate elements of a story, as well as themes that emerge in the text.
Provide guidance and discussion of these elements.

Independent Practice
(You Do)
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
Answer the following question:
 What are the effects of an author’s choices regarding setting,
order, and character development?
TCSS
ELA12.1.10
Learning Target(s):
I can:




analyze significant foundational British documents for key
themes
discern the purposes of foundational documents by analyzing
theme and text structure
analyze rhetorical features of foundational documents and
evaluate their impact of meaning
analyze the combined role of themes, concepts, and rhetorical
devices in foundational documents
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Priority Standards:
ELAGSE11-12RI9: Analyze foundational US documents of historical
and literary significance (including The Declaration of Independence,
the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Lincoln’s
Second Inaugural Address) for their themes, purposes, and rhetorical
features For British Literature, American Literature, and Multicultural
Literature use comparable documents of historical significance.
Support Standards:
 ELAGSE12RI1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to
support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the
text leaves matters uncertain.
 ELAGSE12RI4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases
as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and
technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the
meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g.,
how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
Resources for Instruction
Magna Carta
Magna Carta Background information
Magna Carta Explanation Video
Time Allocated
1-2 days
EQ
What are some of the important basic rights we as Americans cherish?
How do these rights date all the way back to the Magna Carta?
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Students complete a journal entry based on the following prompt:
 What are the five (at least) most important rights we are
guaranteed as American citizens?
Instructional Delivery


Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)
Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
Students will understand that the Magna Carta foreshadows/influences
many of our Constitutional rights. Show the Magna Carta Explanation
Video and discuss.
Have students explore the rights given by the Magna Carta (as
discussed at the humanistic texts website). Students look for the rights
they have listed in their journals. Students should be able to find at
least three rights that we as Americans cherish that were also
discussed/outlined/provided for in the Magna Carta. You may want to
provide excerpts or different parts to different groups of students rather
than the entire document.
TCSS

Independent Practice
(You Do)
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
As a class, students write these important rights found in the Magna
Carta on sticky notes and place them on a larger poster labeled
“Freedoms Provided for in the Magna Carta.”
Students discuss basic rights.