Middletown Public Schools
Unit Planning Organizer
Grade
8
Duration 4-5 weeks
Subject
Unit Title
LA
Short Stories
Essential
Question
Standards
How do we determine a theme or central idea of a story?
How does point of view impact the audience/reader?
Objective
Students will be able to determine theme/central idea of a text.
Content
Theme: Choices
How do the choices characters make in a text impact the theme or
outcome of a story?
Skilled readers will be able to deepen their understanding of a
text by identifying theme.
Overarching Standards
CCSS RS.2.8 – Determine a theme or central idea of a text, and analyze its development over the course of a text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot.
Provide an objective summary of the text.
Priority and Supporting Common Core State Standards
Bold Standards are Priority
CCSS RL6.8Analyze how 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 humor.
CCSS RS.1.8 – Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly, as well as inferences drawn from the text.
Content Area Standards
Standard
CCSS RL6.8Analyze how differences in the
points of view of the characters and the
Grade ,
Skills
Concepts
What Students Need to Be Able to Do
What Students Need to Know
 Analyze
 Create


Differences in point of view
Effects such as suspense and humor
June 2012
audience or reader (e.g., created through the
use of dramatic irony) create such effects as
suspense or humor.
CCSS RS.2.8 – Determine a theme or
central idea of a text, and analyze its
development over the course of a text,
including its relationship to the characters,
setting, and plot. Provide an objective
summary of the text.
CCSS RS.1.8 – Cite the textual evidence
that most strongly supports an analysis of
what the text says explicitly, as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
Standard
 Determine
 Analyze
 Provide

Theme/ central idea of text
Development
Relationship to characters, setting, and
plot
Objective summary of the text



Textual evidence
Analysis of text
Explicit and inferential



 Cite
 Infer
Learning Progressions
Remediate Learning
Accelerate Learning
CCSS RS.2.8 – Determine a
theme or central idea of a text,
and analyze its development
over the course of a text,
including its relationship to the
characters, setting, and plot.
Provide an objective summary
of the text.
CCSS RL6.8Analyze how
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 humor.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and
how it is conveyed through particular details;
provide a summary of the text distinct from
personal opinions or judgments.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in
detail its development over the course of the text, including
how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details;
provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.6
Explain how an author develops the point of view
of the narrator or speaker in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.6
Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience
reflected in a work of literature from outside the United
States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
CCSS RS.1.8 – Cite the textual
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.1
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1
Grade ,
June 2012
evidence that most strongly
supports an analysis of what the
text says explicitly, as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis
of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
Suggested Materials
Texts
Media
“And Would You Like Fries With That” – Sharron A. Scott
Twilight Zone
“Black Holes and Basketball Sneakers” – Lori Aurelia Williams
“Ironic” song – Alanis Morrissette
“Thank You, Ma’am” – Langston Hughes
“The Necklace”
“After Twenty Years” – O. Henry
“Set Up”
“Richard Cory”
“Monkey’s Paw”
“Lamb to the Slaughter”
“Time Fix”
“The Angel”
“The Lady or the Tiger”
Various children’s stories and Greek and Roman myths
Performance Task
Pre and Post CFAs
Grade ,
Unit Assessments
Short Story
Informal Progress Monitoring Checks
June 2012