English 10 – Unit 2: Exploring Culture through Fear and Monsters
Text Set/Unit Plan—9 weeks
Anchor Text
Book Groups
Reading:
19 Minutes by Jodi
Picoult
In Cold Blood by
Truman Capote
And Then There
Were None by
Agatha Christie
After the First
Death by Robert
Cormier
Essential
Questions
for Unit:
How does our
culture shape our
fears, and how are
our fears
represented by
monsters?
1
Related Texts
Fiction Texts
19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult
And Then There Were None by Agatha
Christie
After the First Death by Robert Cormier
Informational Texts
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
“Why We Crave Horror Movies” by Stephen
King
“Our Zombies, Ourselves” by James Parker
“Vampires Never Die” by Chuck Hogan and
Guillermo del Toro
Nonprint Texts (e.g., Media, Website, Video,
Film, Music, Art, Graphics)
 “Zombies: An Idea Worth Spreading” – a
TedTalk by Kyle Bishop
 World War Z, based on the novel of the
same name by Max Brooks
Building Student Knowledge &
Text Use:
During this unit, students will build on prior knowledge and
topics and extend analytical capabilities by looking at a
variety of fiction, non-fiction, and non-print texts that
examine how our cultural fears are expressed through
monsters (real, mythical, and imagined) in literature, film,
and narrative. This study will tie in nicely with the
Halloween holiday, which falls in the middle of the unit.
Students will analyze short non-fiction essays and other
texts that delineate the roles of various monsters in our
society, and they will watch the film World War Z (based on
the novel by Max Brooks). After reading and/or viewing
these texts, students will write an analytical essay
examining monsters and discussing how monsters
represent collective cultural feelings. Throughout the unit,
students will also be working in lit circles to read a fictional
text that explores events related to real life, modern day
“monsters” such as terrorists and criminals. Students will
work with their book groups to create a multimedia
presentation over the text to share with their peers.
Test Prep:
 Grammar Boot Camp: Sentence Structure &
Punctuation
ACT Prep
 ACT English pre-test
Common Core State
Standards
Reading
CCSS.9-10.RL.1, RL.2, RL.3
CCSS.9-10.RI.1, RI.2, RI.3,
RI.4, RI.5, RI.6
Writing
CCSS.9-10.W.2, W.4, W.5,
W.6, W.7, W.8
Speaking and Listening
CCSS.9-10.SL.1, SL.2, SL.3,
SL.4, SL.5, SL.6
Language
CCSS.9-10.L.1, L.2, L.3
ASSESSMENTS
CCSS
ALIGNMENT
Culminating
Writing Task
Full Length Process Essay (developed through the stages of the writing process) —100 points
How does our culture shape our fears, and how are our fears represented by monsters? After reading nonfiction
essays on contemporary monsters, write an essay in which you relate how contemporary monsters represent our collective
cultural fears. Support your discussion with evidence from the text(s). Include a works cited page.
Summative Evaluations
MID UNIT
Group
Research
Project &
Presentation
MID UNIT
In Class
Timed
Writing
2
Group Research Project (100 points)— Students will work with their lit circle groups to research the
author of their chosen text and create a formal presentation over the author and the text.
In Class Essays (100 points)—
Veteran’s Day Essay
Writing
CCSS.9-10.W2,
W.4, W.5, W.6,
W.7
CCSS ALIGNMENT
RL: 1,2,3
RI: 1,2,3
W: 2,4,5,6,7,8
SL: 1,2,4,5,6
L: 1
Writing
CCSS.9-10.W.2, W.4, W.5,
W.6, W.7, W.8
PACING FOR UNIT TWO -
10/19-10/23
Week 2.1
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
19
20
21
22
23
Discussion: Essential
Question
Read “Why We Crave
Horror Movies” by
Stephen King
Watch Ted Talk:
“Zombies: An Idea Worth
Spreading” by Kyle Bishop
Read/Analyze: “Our
Zombies, Ourselves” by
James Parker
Read/Analyze: “Why
Vampires Never Die” by
Chuck Hogan and
Guillermo Del Toro
Discuss Contemporary
monsters in
film/literature; Choose
texts for book groups
26
27
28
29
30
Watch World War Z
Watch World War Z
Watch World War Z
Discuss World War Z and
go over Unit 2 Essay
Prompt
Book Groups
2
3
4
5
6
Reading Day
ACT English Practice Exam
Work on Veteran’s Day
Essay & Unit 2 Essay
Work on Veteran’s Day
Essay & Unit 2 Essay
Work on Veteran’s Day
Essay & Unit 2 Essay
9
10
11
12
13
Book Groups
MLA Formatting
Rough Draft Due: Unit 2
Essay; Peer Review
Revise Unit 2 Essay
Unit 2 Essay Due; Book
Groups
10/2610/30
Week 2.2
HW
11/2-11/6
Week 2.3
HW
11/911/13
Week
2.4
HW
HW
3
11/1611/20
Week 2.5
16
17
18
19
20
Grammar Boot Camp:
Sentence Structure
Grammar Boot Camp:
Sentence Structure
Grammar Boot Camp:
Sentence Structure
Quiz #1
Book Groups
23
24
25
26
27
NO SCHOOL
NO SCHOOL
NO SCHOOL
NO SCHOOL
NO SCHOOL
30
1
2
3
4
Go over formal
presentations
Grammar Boot Camp:
Punctuation
Grammar Boot Camp:
Punctuation
Grammar Boot Camp:
Punctuation
Book Groups
7
8
9
10
11
Work with Book Groups
Work with Book Groups
Presentations
Presentations
Quiz 2
14
15
16
17
18
*Finals*
*Finals*
*Finals*
*Finals*
*Finals*
11/23-11/27
Week 2.6
HW
11/3012/4
Week
2.7
HW
12/712/11
Week 2.8
HW
12/14-12/18
Week 2.9
HW
HW
4
5