RL
RI
W
SL
L
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Reading Literary
Reading Informational
Writing
Speaking and Listening
Language
TCSS
Troup County School System
English/Language Arts Curriculum Map
British Literature and Composition
Thematic Unit # 6—Modern and Post-Modern: Time of Rapid Change
Alienation, Upheaval, and Justice
Big Idea / Unit Goal:

The goal for this unit is to explore and analyze the themes of Alienation,
Upheaval, and Justice in Modern and Post-modern British literature and related
informational texts with a focus on GSE priority standards.
Length of Unit:

30 Days
Unit 6 Checklist
Unit Essential Question(s):
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How does literature shape or reflect society?
What is the relationship of the writer to tradition?
What are the root causes of alienation within modern society and how do
these juxtapose with alienation in our society?
How does society react to upheaval?
What does society value in this time, what values are consistent throughout
time?
Priority Standards:
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RL1, RL2, RL3, RL4, RL6, RL9
RI1, RI2, RI3, RI4, RI6, RI7
W2, W3, W9
L1, L2, L4, L5. L6
SL1, SL2, SL4, SL5, SL6
Reading Focus: Literary
Writing Focus: Informative/Explanatory
Text Resources:
Extended Text (Choose one of the following as your extended text):
Primary Writing Tasks:
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And Then There Were None
Brave New World
Pygmalion
Mrs. Dalloway
Short Texts (Mixture of Literary and Informational thematically connected texts)
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William Butler Yeats, T.S. Eliot, W.H. Auden, Louis MacNeice, Stephen
Spender, Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, Rupert Brooke, Dylan Thomas,
Anita Desai
New British Nonfiction pp. 1460-1461
Connecting War Writings Past and Present pp. 1280-1281
“The Demon Lover”
“The Rocking Horse Winner”
Theme of Alienation in Modern Literature
How to Deal with Loneliness
Background information: Post Modernism
History of the Mystery Genre
The Mystery of Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie and the Detective Film
Batman and the Problem With Vigilante Justice: A Love Story
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Referring to at least 3 texts from the modern era, explain the causes of
alienation within that time period.
Considering several poems about war from the Modern era as well as available
resources from the media center, write brief essay detailing life for the British
World War I foot soldier. Be sure to refer to lines from the texts of the poems
and/or informational texts found in the media center in your response. Be sure
to have a clear introduction with a clear thesis statement. One page minimum.
Imagine you are the book reviewer for your local newspaper. Write a book
review in response to And Then There Were None that provides information
about the novel and reflects on its quality but that does not give away the
surprise ending. (NOTE: This can be adapted to any of the extended texts in
this unit).
Narrative Writing Tasks:
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Poets juxtapose an image of war with an image of another kind. Write a short
response to war that you have observed. Include direct references from at least
two poems.
After reading Pygmalion, And Then There Were None, or Brave New World,
select a minor character from the text who still, even in a small way, plays an
important role regarding the plot and/or theme of the text. Next, write a
thorough diary entry written by that character detailing an important scene from
the novel that he witnesses. Make sure the character writes in detail about the
TCSS
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The Little Known World of the Vigilante
History of the Vigilante
Brave New World and the Threat of Technological Growth
Aldous Huxley, Media, and Popular Culture
Research Connections:
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Additional Materials:
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event described and also expresses his reaction to this critical event.
War poetry power point
World War I War Poetry video
Teaching Guide for And Then There Were None
Senior letter
Senior Farewell Address
The Soundtrack to Senior Year
Senior Research

Each student will research the idea of vigilante justice and find informational
articles for evidentiary support.
Research the stories of soldiers who have fought in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
Write and present a brief monologue told in the voice of that soldier. Be sure to
incorporate actual ideas, images, and or words relating to the soldier's
experience at war.
Some critics have suggested that And Then There Were None is an especially
enduring novel because it subverts some of the plot conventions evident in the
classic murder mystery stories that helped establish the genre. After looking
into what others have noted about the conventions and evolution of the murder
mystery genre, write an essay that explains how And Then There Were None
adjusts these conventions. Make sure to use specific evidence from your
readings to support your ideas.
Routine Writing (Notes, summaries, process journals, and short responses
across all genres):

Journals, notes, summaries, short responses
Lessons for Unit 5 (all lessons are hyperlinked below):
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ELA12.6: Capstone: Focus on presentation skills for Final Capstone Project (SL4, SL5, SL6)
ELA12.6.1: Focus on citing textual evidence, determining and analyzing themes, analyzing point of view or purpose, and reading foundational British works (RL1, RL2,
RL6, RL9)
ELA12.6.2: Focus on citing textual evidence, determining and analyzing themes, analyzing point of view or purpose, and reading foundational British works (RL1, RL2,
RL6, RL9)
ELA12.6.3: Focus on determining and analyzing themes, analyzing point of view, citing textual evidence, and analyzing author’s choices on how ideas are presented (RL2,
RL6, RL1, RL3, RI3)
ELA12.6.4: Focus on determining and analyzing themes, citing textual evidence, determining point of view or purpose, analyzing authors choice, and writing narratives
(RL2, RL1, RL3, RI6, W3)
ELA12.6.5: Focus on determining and analyzing themes, writing informative/explanatory texts, and citing textual evidence (RL2, W2, RL1)
ELA12.6.6: Focus on citing textual evidence and determining meanings of words and phrases (RL1, RL4, 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
of the text, including how they interact and
build on one another to produce a complex
Essential Questions
Vocabulary
Lessons and Resources
How does one cite strong and thorough
textual evidence to support analysis?
Cite
Textual evidence
Inferences
Explicit
Analysis
ELA12.6.1
ELA12.6.2
ELA12.6.3
ELA12.6.4
ELA12.6.5
What is the central idea of a piece of
literature and how do ideas interact and
build on one another? How does one
provide an objective summary of a text?
Theme
Central idea
Analyze
Cite
Evidence
ELA12.6.1
ELA12.6.2
ELA12.6.3
ELA12.6.4
ELA12.6.5
TCSS
account; provide an objective summary of
the text.
Support
Inferences
Objective
Characters
Analyze
Development
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.)
What are the effects of an author’s choices
regarding setting, order, and character
development?
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
ELA12.6.6
ELAGSE11-12RL6: Analyze a case in
which grasping point of view requires
distinguishing what is directly stated in a
text from what is really meant (e.g., satire,
sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
ELAGSE11-12RL9: Demonstrate
knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and
early twentieth-century foundational works
(of American Literature, British Literature,
World Literature, or Multicultural
Literature), including how two or more
texts from the same period treat similar
themes or topics.
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.
ELAGSE11-12RI2: Determine two or
more 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 provide a complex
analysis; provide an objective summary of
the text.
ELAGSE11-12RI3: Analyze a complex
set of ideas or sequence of events and
explain how specific individuals, ideas, or
events interact and develop over the
course of the text.
How is point of view related to satire,
sarcasm, irony, or understatement?
Analyze
Satire
Sarcasm
Irony
Understatement
Foundational works
Themes
Topics
Compare/contrast
ELA12.6.1
ELA12.6.2
ELA12.6.3
What are effective ways to cite textual
evidence to best analyze literature?
Cite
Textual evidence
Inferences
Explicit
Analysis
ELA12.6.6
What are central ideas in a text and how
do they develop over the course of that
text? How does one provide a summary of
the text
Central idea/main idea
Analyze
Complex
Objective
Summarize
Outline
ELA12.6.3
How are complex ideas or sequences of
events developed throughout a piece of
literature?
Sequence
Interact
Develop
ELA12.6.3
How does a work reflect its time period?
How do two texts from the same time
period treat similar themes or topics?
ELA12.6.3
ELA12.6.4
ELA12.6.5
ELA12.6.1
ELA12.6.2
TCSS
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
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.
ELAGSE11-12W2: 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
What are strategies used in clarifying the
meaning of words and phrases as they are
used in a text?
Diction
Figurative meaning
Connotative
Technical
ELA12.6.6
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
ELA12.6.3
ELA12.6.4
How can I integrate multiple sources to
best answer a question or reach a
solution? How does one determine the
quality of a source?
Integrate
Evaluate
Media (visual, aural, quantitative, film)
ELA12.6.2
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
ELA12.6.5
TCSS
of the topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal
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.
ELAGSE11-12W6: Use technology,
including the Internet, to produce, publish,
and update individual or shared writing
products in response to ongoing feedback,
including new arguments or information.
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
ELA12.6.3
ELA12.6.4
How can technology impact the writing
process?
Technology
Produce
Publish
Ongoing
Feedback
ELA12.6.5
ELA12.6.6
TCSS
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]").
ELAGSE11-12W10: Write routinely over
extended time frames (time for research,
reflection, and revision) and shorter time
frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for
a range of tasks, purposes, and
audiences.
ELAGSE11-12L1: Demonstrate
command of the conventions of standard
English grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
a. Apply the understanding that usage
is a matter of convention, can change
over time, and is sometimes
contested.
b. Resolve issues of complex or
contested usage, consulting
references (e.g., Merriam-Webster's
Dictionary of English Usage, Garner's
Modern American Usage) as needed.
ELAGSE11-12L2: Demonstrate
command of the conventions of standard
English capitalization, punctuation, and
spelling when writing.
a. Observe hyphenation conventions.
b. Spell correctly.
How do I use evidence from texts to
support my analysis, reflection, and
research?
Arguments
Textual evidence
Analysis
Reflection
Research
ELA12.6.1
ELA12.6.2
ELA12.6.3
ELA12.6.4
ELA12.6.5
ELA12.6.6
How do I write effectively for a range of
tasks, purposes, and audiences?
Task
Purpose
Audience
ELA12.6.1
ELA12.6.2
How do I demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English grammar
and usage?
Standard English
ELA12.6.3
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
ELA12.6.3
ELA12.6.4
ELA12.6.6
TCSS
ELAGSE11-12L4: Determine or clarify
the meaning of unknown and multiplemeaning words and phrases based on
grades 11-12 reading and content,
choosing flexibly from a range of
strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall
meaning of a sentence, paragraph,
or text; a word's position or function
in a sentence) as a clue to the
meaning of a word or phrase.
b. Identify and correctly use patterns of
word changes that indicate different
meanings or parts of speech (e.g.,
conceive, conception, conceivable).
c. 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, its part of speech, its
etymology, or its standard usage.
d. Verify the preliminary determination
of the meaning of a word or phrase
(e.g., by checking the inferred
meaning in context or in a dictionary).
ELAGSE11-12L5: Demonstrate
understanding of figurative language, word
relationships, and nuances in word
meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g.,
hyperbole, paradox) in context and
analyze their role in the text.
b. Analyze nuances in the meaning of
words with similar denotations.
ELAGSE11-12L6: Acquire and use
accurately general academic and domainspecific words and phrases, sufficient for
reading, writing, speaking, and listening at
the college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence in gathering
vocabulary knowledge when considering a
word or phrase important to
comprehension or expression.
ELAGSE11-12SL1: Initiate and participate
effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions(one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others’ ideas and expressing
What are effective strategies to determine
or clarify meaning of unknown words and
phrases?
Clarify
Multiple-meaning
flexibility
ELA12.6.6
How does understanding of figurative
language, word relationships, and nuance
affect word meaning?
Figurative language
Nuances
Hyperbole
Paradox
Denotation
ELA12.6.1
ELA12.6.2
ELA12.6.6
How do I acquire and use accurately
general academic and domain-specific
words and phrases?
General academic words and phrases
Domain-specific words and phrases
ELA12.6.6
How do I participate in a range of
collaborative discussions to express ideas
and listen to others?
Collaborative discussions
Textual evidence
Collegial discussions
Response
Diverse perspectives
Qualify
ELA12.6.1
ELA12.6.2
ELA12.6.4
ELA12.6.5
ELA12.6.6
TCSS
their own clearly and persuasively.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having
read and researched material under study;
explicitly draw on that preparation by
referring to evidence from texts and other
research on the topic or issue to stimulate
a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of
ideas.
b. Work with peers to set rules for collegial
discussions and decision-making, set clear
goals and deadlines, and establish
individual roles as needed.
c. Propel conversations by posing and
responding to questions that probe
reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing
for a full range of positions on a topic or
issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and
conclusions; and promote divergent and
creative perspectives.
d. Respond thoughtfully to diverse
perspectives; synthesize comments,
claims, and evidence made on all sides of
an issue; resolve contradictions when
possible; and determine what additional
information or research is required to
deepen the investigation or complete the
task.
ELAGSE11-12SL2: Integrate multiple
sources of information presented in
diverse formats and media (e.g., visually,
quantitatively, orally) in order to make
informed decisions and solve problems,
evaluating the credibility and accuracy of
each source and noting any discrepancies
among the data.
ELAGSE11-12SL4: Present information,
findings, and supporting evidence,
conveying a clear and distinct perspective,
such that listeners can follow the line of
reasoning, alternative or opposing
perspectives are addressed, and the
organization, development, substance, and
style are appropriate to purpose, audience,
and a range or formal and informal tasks.
ELAGSE11-12SL5: Make strategic use of
digital media (e.g., textual, graphical,
audio, visual, and interactive elements) in
presentations to enhance understanding of
findings, reasoning, and evidence and to
add interest.
Justify
Evidence
Reasoning
What are the appropriate sources of
information used to make informed
decisions and solve problems?
Integrate
Diverse
Credibility
Discrepancies
Data
ELA12.6.2
How does my presentation (style,
organization, etc.) affect my audience’s
understanding? How can I best present a
clear and distinct perspective, such that
listeners can follow my reasoning?
Clarity
Concise
Logical
Organization
Development
Substance
Style
Purpose
Audience
Task
Strategic
Digital media
Enhance
Reasoning
Evidence
ELA12.6: Capstone
ELA12.6.6
How does digital media affect the
understanding of a speech or
presentation?
ELA12.6: Capstone
TCSS
ELAGSE11-12SL6: Adapt speech to a
variety of contexts and tasks,
demonstrating a command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate.
(See grades 11–12 Language standards 1
and 3 for specific expectations.)
Why and how do I adapt my speech to
content, task, audience, and purpose?
Adapt
Formal English
ELA12.6: Capstone
TCSS
Lessons for British Literature Unit 6
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
ELA12.6: Capstone
Note: Second semester ELA will have the responsibility for having students complete the final journal
entry for the Capstone Project as well as prepare for the Final Presentation. Reference this lesson for
materials related to Capstone.
Learning Target(s)
I can:

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
 Standards:
Priority

ELAGSE11-12SL4:
Present information, findings, and supporting
evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that
listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing
perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development,
substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a
range or formal and informal tasks.
ELAGSE11-12SL5: Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual,
graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to
enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to
add interest.
ELAGSE11-12SL6: Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks,
demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or
appropriate. (See grades 11–12 Language standards 1 and 3 for
specific expectations.)
Resources for Instruction
Capstone Manual
Capstone Presentation Rubric
Time Allocated
Days will be embedded throughout the second semester.
EQ



How does my presentation (style, organization, etc.) affect my
audience’s understanding? How can I best present a clear and
distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow my
reasoning?
How does digital media affect the understanding of a speech or
presentation?
Why and how do I adapt my speech to content, task, audience,
and purpose?
TCSS
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Provide students opportunities to present orally and make connections
to the Capstone Project expectations.
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher
Input (I Do/Modeling)

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated
Instruction (We Do)

Independent
Practice (You Do)
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluati
on of Lesson
Expectations for the Capstone in this unit include:
 Work on building presentation skills by allowing students
opportunities to work on Oral Presentations with feedback
 Provide students with guidance in completion of the
presentation.
It will be important to teach students the skills they will need to
successfully present information to an audience. Review the
Capstone Presentation Checklist with the students to ensure their
understanding of the expectations. ELA teachers will also be
involved in having students sign up for the presentations, and this
grade will be a Major grade for the ELA class.
Capstone Presentation Score will be a major grade for the ELA class.
TCSS
ELA12.6.1
Learning Target(s):
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Students will be able to define and understand in context common
poetic devices, such as rhyme and sound, interpret a poem and present
that interpretation to other students, recognize and understand the
poetic forms of elegy and villanelle, and compare and contrast poems
via active class discussion and well-supported written analysis.
Priority Standards
ELAGSERL.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to
support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.
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.
ELAGSE11-12RL6: Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is
really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
ELAGSE11-12RL9: Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-,
nineteenth- and early twentieth-century foundational works (of
American Literature, British Literature, World Literature, or Multicultural
Literature), including how two or more texts from the same period treat
similar themes or topics.
Support Standards
ELAGSEW.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
ELAGSE11-12W10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time
for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
ELAGSE11-12SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
ELAGSE11-12L5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language,
word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
To an Athlete Dying Young poem
Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night poem
Venn Diagram
Thomas death worksheet
Housman death worksheet
Green textbook: Housman page 1092; Thomas page 1390
2 days
How do Housman and Thomas present death in their poems and how
does the theme of death vary across poetry?
Perhaps the most important first step for students in closely analyzing a
poem is to hear and/or read the poem aloud. This initial activity, which
should take about 20 minutes, is meant to start a general discussion of
the poems while also preparing students for their own in-depth analysis
of both poems.
First have a student volunteer read "To an Athlete Dying Young" to the
class, and then read the poem again yourself. Alternatively, to help
visually set the stage of "To an Athlete Dying Young," have students
stand and form two lines. Then ask for a student volunteer to read the
poem while walking through the student lines; this reading set-up
visually mimics the poem's two processionals: 1) cheering the young
TCSS
athlete after a victory and 2) carrying the coffin during a funeral
procession.
Introduce the form of the elegy, including the rhyme scheme (aabb),
stanza form of quatrains, and iambic tetrameter. Note that an elegy
typically presents a speaker who both mourns and grieves the subject
while also praising him or her as a way of acknowledging and
sometimes even accepting the fact of death. Launch the initial
discussion of this poem by focusing on the form: How does this form
influence the tone of "To An Athlete Dying Young"? (Teacher Note:
Although the poem is about the death of a young man, the tone is
upbeat and positive. In the end, the subject actually is praised for dying
before he grows too old for glory and honor).
Re-read the following two stanzas, asking students to pay attention to
the sounds they hear the most prominently:
To-day, the road all runners come, Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down, Townsman of a stiller town.
Smart lad, to slip betimes away From fields where glory does not stay,
And early though the laurel grows It withers quicker than the rose.
Continue the initial discussion of the poem, using the following
questions:
What sounds stand out in these lines? [Teacher Note: point out the
consonance of "s" sounds: Shoulder, set, threshold, townsman, stiller,
smart, slip, betimes, fields, does, stay, grows, withers, rose.]
What kind of mood do these sounds create?
What visual images do these sounds evoke?
What is the relationship between sound and the stanza's meaning?
[Teacher Note: The soft "s" alliteration and consonance (in a general
sense, repeated consonants) creates a sense of calm and quiet,
readying the dead subject for "the stiller town."]
Now ask students to contrast the prominent sounds in these stanzas to
the fourth stanza, using the following questions:
What sounds stand out in these lines? [Teacher Note: point out the
consonance of "hard c" sounds: cannot, record, cut.]
What kind of mood do these sounds create?
What visual images do these sounds evoke? [Cheering].
What is the relationship between sound and the stanza's meaning?
[Teacher Note: The hard "c" consonance reminds readers of the
cheering when the young athlete first was carried "shoulder-high"
through town; now the cheering has been displaced by silence.]
Before turning to Thomas' poem, introduce the villanelle form. Point out
that a villanelle, by contrast to an elegy, is a rigid form that historically
featured more light-hearted and simple themes. Ask students to pay
attention to the form as they hear the poem, considering the following
guiding question: Why do you think Thomas chose this form for "Do Not
Go Gentle into That Good Night"? (Teacher Note: The characteristic
refrains allow Thomas' poem to build momentum, ultimately fortifying
the subject as he faces his father's death. The form's rigid rhyme
scheme allows the poem to take on a meditative quality, turning the
form's historical dance song qualities into a solemn "song" about death
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and dying).
Next play for students the audio clip of Thomas reading "Do Not Go
Gentle into That Good Night", a link from Modern American Poetry.
Play the audio clip a second time, asking students at this point just to
write down repeated words. After playing the clips, ask students the
following questions to continue the initial discussion of these poems:
Instructional Delivery

Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)

Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)

Independent Practice
(You Do)
What repeated phrases and words did you hear and write down?
What emotions do you think the poet conveys as he is reading the
poem?
What did you notice about this poem's form?
What are the effects of the repetition on the poem's mood or tone?
Why do you think Thomas turned to the villanelle form instead of the
traditional elegy?
Can you identify stages of loss throughout Thomas' villanelle?
Small Group Analysis
To transition to this small group activity, review the following poetic
terms, available via a link from the American Academy of Poets, with
students. First ask students to define the terms, and then fill in any
gaps in their understanding. This step should take about 7–8 minutes.
Metaphor
Refrain
Repetition
Rhyme
Speaker (Persona)
Stanza
Tone
After introducing students to the poems and common terms, break
students into four small groups to have them conduct in-depth analysis
of the poems' form and meaning. Assign two groups to "To an Athlete
Dying Young" and two groups to "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good
Night." Hand out the corresponding student analysis worksheet to each
group. Ask each student group to analyze its assigned poem in small
groups via active discussion. Tell each group select a note taker to
record the group's response on the worksheet, and point out that each
group will present its worksheet responses to the full class.
Housman Death Poetry Worksheet
Thomas Death Poetry Worksheet
This activity should take about 15–20 minutes. As students are
participating in their small group discussion, visit each group for 4–5
minutes to listen and offer assistance as needed. Make sure all
students are participating in the discussion. Be sure to help the Thomas
groups understand the villanelle form.
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
Student Presentations and Class Discussion
During this full class activity (Day 2 of the lesson), first have each
Housman group present its responses (as recorded in the worksheet),
followed by the Thomas groups; a different person can present each
response. Encourage the second group for each poem to respond to
each other during each group presentation, and vice versa. Allow 6-7
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minutes for each group presentation. After each poem is presented by
both groups, ask for questions and fill in any gaps in understanding.
After all groups have presented their responses, hand out a Venn
Diagram worksheet to each small group. Direct the groups to compare
and contrast the poems by completing the Venn diagrams using the
following guiding questions (allow 15 minutes for this activity):
How do the speakers differ? How are they similar?
How would you describe the tone of each poem? How does the tone of
each poem differ? Is the tone the same at certain parts of the poem?
How is the use of sound devices similar in each poem? How is it
different?
What are the similarities and differences of the poems' rhyme
schemes?
What effect does Thomas' use of the villanelle form have on the tone of
"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" in contrast to "To an Athlete
Dying Young"?
What are the similarities and differences between each poem's
presentations of death?
How else would you compare and contrast these poems?
Wrap up this activity by reviewing the similarities and differences of the
poems, asking for student input during this final discussion.
TCSS
ELA12.6.2
Learning Target(s):
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
Students will explore the historical context of "World War I poetry,”
define and understand in context common poetic devices, compare and
contrast poems via active class discussion, and provide a wellsupported, written analysis of the relationship between a poem's form
and its content.
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.
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.
ELAGSEW.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
ELAGSE11-12RL6: Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is
really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
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.
ELAGSE11-12RL9: Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-,
nineteenth- and early twentieth-century foundational works (of
American Literature, British Literature, World Literature, or Multicultural
Literature), including how two or more texts from the same period treat
similar themes or topics.
ELAGSE11-12W10: Write routinely over extended time frames (time
for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
ELAGSE11-12SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
ELAGSE11-12L5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language,
word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
ELAGSE11-12SL2: Integrate multiple sources of information presented
in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in
order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the
credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies
among the data.
Poetry of the Great War
A Documentary Chronology
Imageshttp://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/images-war of War
WWI Photoessay
Poster Analysis Worksheet
Break of Day in the Trenches
Poetic Devices Worksheet
Lit Web Glossary
The Things That Make a Soldier Great
Dulce et Decorum est
2 days
What are some common poetic devices, and how are they used to
present and interpret WWI?
TCSS
What is the relationship between a poem's form and its content?
Activity 1. The War in Context
If time allows, consider using the following EDSITEment lesson plans to
provide an overview of World War I:
 "A Documentary Chronology of World War I." (See in particular
the Chronology of WWI)
 "The Images of War" as a general context of the power of war
images.
For further overview of the war, consider having students review
the WWI Photoessay to gain a general sense of the Great War.
Students might consider the following questions:
What do these photos suggest about the mood of the new soldiers?
The mood of the civilians? What is the overall feeling that these photos
evoke? How would you describe the weaponry of the photos of "The
Somme, 1916."? Please note that some of these photos have
potentially disturbing images of wounded and killed soldiers
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)
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Activity 2. Poetic Analysis Warm-up Exercises
Symbolism and Imagery: "Through Darkness to Light"
Many poetic devices, such as symbolism and imagery, can be used
and understood outside the context of poetry. Ask students to provide a
general definition for symbolism and imagery. The Purdue Online
Writing Lab, available through the EDSITEment-reviewed Internet
Public Library, provides a useful worksheet detailing these literary
terms. While imagery helps set the tone and mood in a work, symbols
tend to create a more pointed, one-to-one relationship between a
symbol and the feeling or object to which it refers. In a western film, for
example, the imagery of tumbleweed sets a tone of desolation and
tension, while the hero's white hat and the villain's black hat are
symbols of good and evil. Point out to students that symbolism in WWI
posters can help us understand the general mood of the U.S. and Great
Britain during the era of "The Great War"—before, during, and after the
War. Show, for example, the "A Wonderful Opportunity for
You" American solider recruitment poster housed at the National
Archives and the "Only Road for an Englishman: Through Darkness to
Light" poster from the Library of Congress' American Memory Project.
Using the National Archives Poster Analysis Worksheet as a guide,
discuss the posters' textual and visual rhetoric with your class at large.
Then focus on the symbolism of light and darkness as students discuss
the posters in more detail.
Symbolism and Imagery: Working with the posters and analysis
worksheet, ask students to point out and discuss the symbols and
imagery they identify in each poster. Additional considerations:
For the first poster, focus on the circular image behind the solider. Point
out how that image evokes the sun (via its color, the circle, etc.).
Discuss the sun's symbolism within the context of this poster. Then ask
students to describe the soldier's mood by pointing to additional
aspects of the poster that lead to their conclusions (e.g., the soldier's
smile, his hurried pace, etc.).
For the second poster, ask students to describe the textual and visual
references to darkness and light, and discuss how darkness and light
are used symbolically in this poster.
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In the Trenches
Mention to students that trench warfare was a defining aspect of WWI.
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Ask students to keep in mind the symbolism of darkness and light as
they are learning more about WWI in and from the trenches.
Show students the following trench photos from the EDSITEment
resource Photos of the Great War and videos from The Wilfred Owen
Multimedia Digital Archive, a link from the EDSITEment-reviewed
Academy of American Poets site, and ask them first to imagine and
then discuss what life in the trenches must have been like (e.g.,
darkness, underground, cramped quarters, rats, sounds, etc.). You
might consider putting students into groups for this exercise, asking
each to examine a single photograph or film before returning to a larger
discussion about the war.
French soldiers in Alsace using trench periscope
British troops August 1916 during the Battle of the Somme
Belgian troops entrenched along a railway line
Panning shot over a wrecked trench with entrances to intact dugouts,
1916 (when you reach the page, click on the numbered ID link to
access the video)
Trench junction at Martinpuich with infantry, some carrying boxes of
grenades, moving up, presumably to the front line, 1916 (when you
reach the page, click on the numbered ID link to access the video)
High angle shot of trench, 1916 (when you reach the page, click on the
numbered ID link to access the video)
Have student volunteers read the following first-hand retrospective
accounts of life in the trenches from the EDSITEment-reviewed WWI
Primary Documents Archive, and then lead a class discussion to sum
up the symbolism of darkness vs. light. Ask students whether certain
symbols can change over time. To give this question some context, you
can discuss the image of "dawn" in the second account of the trenches.
The following questions can help generate discussion:
How does the soldier describe "yesterday's dawn" at the end of this
excerpt?
How does his description of dawn change by the next day? Revisit
the "A Wonderful Opportunity for You" poster, and compare MacGill's
description of dawn to the symbol of the sun in the poster. A larger
question is "In what ways did WWI change the symbolism of
sun/light/dawn?"
From WWI Primary Documents Archive:
By Philip Curme: By January the Battalion had moved to the front line—
arriving at night. "The darkness was continually illuminated, for a
thousand very lights hung from the black velvet sky. Rifle shots and the
traversing fire of machine-guns startled the air; monstrous rats came to
life from behind the sandbags, scampering boldly ... through the mud. A
door opened or a sackcloth curtain swung aside, revealing a candlelit
dugout ... Gradually imperceptibly, the black & white pictures of the
night were coloured by the sun. A dark phantasmal mass became a
hooded farm wagon, derelict. For a space the war slept. By day there
was stillness, broken now and then by a sniper firing suddenly ... or by
a bombardment scattering men & things. Day was appallingly prosaic
but night was beautiful & romantic. When the lights shot up into the sky
the trenches became like fairyland." "Though only a thousand yards
away from the German trenches, this spot seemed far away from the
war. The undergrowth round the chateau was a riot of wild & garden
flowers. Dogs barked at the guns, the vagrant cuckoo called to its mate
and nightingales sang through the hours of darkness."
By Patrick MacGill: A RIM of grey clouds clustered thick on the horizon
as if hiding some wonderful secret from the eyes of men. Above my
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head the stars were twinkling, a soft breeze swung over the open, and
moist gusts caught me in the face as I picked my way carefully through
the still figures in brown and grey that lay all over the stony face of the
level lands. A spinney on the right was wrapped in shadow, and when,
for a moment, I stood to listen, vague whispers and secret rustlings
could be heard all around. The hour before the dawn was full of
wonder, the world in which I moved was pregnant with mystery. "Who
are these?" I asked myself as I looked at the still figures in khaki.
"Where is the life, the vitality of yesterday's dawn; the fire of eager
eyes, the mad pulsing of roving blood, and the great heart of young
adventure? Has the roving, the vitality and the fire come to this; gone
out like sparks from a star-shell falling in a pond? What are these things
here? What am I? What is the purpose served by all this demolition and
waste?" Like a child in the dark I put myself the question, but there was
no answer. The stars wheel on their courses over the dance of death
and the feast of joy, ever the same.
Read out loud Isaac Rosenberg's poem "Break of Day in the Trenches"
(1916). Define the terms metaphor and simile, and ask students what
comparison Rosenberg makes to describe the trenches. Ask students
to make comparisons between life in the trenches and more familiar
settings/experiences, etc. How does Rosenberg feel about life in the
trenches? How is nature portrayed in this poem? In an earlier exercise,
students explored the use of light and dark in recruitment posters—how
does light and dark work as symbols in this poem? Students should
support their answer with concrete details from the poem.
Activity 3. Close Analysis of Poetic Form and Content
Poetic Devices
Hand out the Poetic Devices Worksheet. Work with students to define
the literary terms, and ask students to take notes in the definitions
section of the worksheet. Norton's LitWeb Glossary.
Assign the following two poems for students to read for the next class
period, and ask students to find examples of each poetic device from
the assigned poems as they are reading the poems on their own time.
Point out to students that they should consider as well the effects a
poem's lack of certain devices has on the poem at large (e.g., the lack
of meter, rhyme, etc.) Mention to students that they should be prepared
to discuss the poems during the next class period.
Poems:
Edgar Guest's "The Things That Make a Soldier Great" (1918)
Wilfred Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est" (1917)
Poetic Devices:
metaphor/simile
symbol
imagery
rhyme
meter/pacing
tone
alliteration
consonance
assonance
Devote the second class period to close analysis of the selected WWI
poems. Start by reading out loud Edgar Guest's "The Things That Make
a Soldier Great" (1917). You should read the poem out loud, and then
have a student volunteer read the poem again. Use the following
questions to generate a class discussion:
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Meter: You can use this poem to give a basic overview of how a
poem's meter fundamentally is tied to the poem's syllable count per
line. Ask students if they noticed a consistent syllabic pattern. Count the
number of syllables with students, and then define meter as the number
of stressed beats per line. There is no need to go into an advanced
lesson on meter and scansion; instead, point out how Guest's lines
have a consistent pattern of "beats." Ask students to notice how the
consistent beat of Guest's poem evokes the consistent beat of
marching soldiers, thereby adding to the poems patriotic call for
soldiers to join the fight. For an extended lesson on meter, refer to the
EDSITEment lesson "Listening to Poetry: Sounds of the Sonnet." You
can note that this poem is a ballad (printed with long ballad lines of
iambic heptameter), a form that is meant to sound song-like.
Rhyme: Use this poem to discuss rhyme. Ask students the following
questions:
As you were listening to the poem, did you hear the rhyme scheme?
How would you describe this rhyming? (Song-like or "sing-songy")?
Where have you heard this type of rhyming? (Note that children's
songs, or nursery rhymes, often are in short ballad form).
What emotional response does this poem's rhyme scheme elicit? How
do the meter and rhyme scheme contribute to the poem's mood?
Write the first two lines of the poem on a whiteboard or chalkboard as
follows:
The things that make a soldier great and send him out to die,
To face the flaming cannon's mouth nor ever question why,
Now compare the poem as written above to "Mary Had a Little
Lamb": Mary had a little lamb its fleece was white as snow
and everywhere that Mary went The lamb was sure to go
Tone and Images: Building on the questions above, be sure to
elaborate on the poet's tone. Ask students the following questions:
How would you describe the poet's mood and/or the emotions the
poem evokes?
What specific images contribute to the poet's tone (e.g., lilacs, tulips,
children, flag, home, garden)? Why or how do these images affect the
tone at large?
Note that "[The established poet] Robert Graves criticised [Poet
Wilfred] Owen for not abiding by the rules of metre, and it is true that
"Disabled" seems loosely organised with its apparently arbitrary
irregularities of stanza, metre and rhyme. Perhaps Owen felt, not
unreasonably, that a poet was entitled to break the rules as long as he
knew them first" [Noted by Literary Critic Kenneth Simcox, 2001].
Keeping Owen's use of meter in mind, read out loud Wilfred
Owen's "Dulce et Decorum Est" (1917). Have students note and
compare the titles of these poems; "Dulce et Decorum Est" roughly
translates as "It is sweet and proper to die for one's country."
Lead another class discussion about this poem based on the following
questions:
Meter/Rhyme:
Ask students if they hear a clear meter and rhyme scheme when this
poem is read aloud? [Mention how the lack of consistent beats detracts
from the rhyme scheme that is actually present in the poem.] Ask
students to review the first stanza of Owen's poem, and compare it to
the first stanza of "The Things That Make a Soldier Great."
Bent double, like old beggars under sacks, Knock-kneed,
TCSS
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Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation of
Lesson
coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Men marched asleep. Many had lost their boots
But limped on, blood-shod. All went lame; all blind;
Drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots Of tired,
outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.
The things that make a soldier great and send him out to die,
To face the flaming cannon's mouth nor ever question why,
Are lilacs by a little porch, the row of tulips red,
The peonies and pansies, too, the old petunia bed,
The grass plot where his children play, the roses on the wall:
'Tis these that make a soldier great. He's fighting for them all.
Does this poem sound song-like as "The Things That Make a Soldier
Great"? Why not? [Note that the heavy ballad beats are not present in
this poem]. What is the mood/tone of this poem? Discuss how this lack
of clearly organized beats changes the tone of the poem; it is far from
"sing-songy."
Alliteration, Consonance, Assonance: Ask students to define
alliteration (repetition of initial sounds), consonance (repetition of
consonant sounds initially and/or within a word), and assonance
(repetition of vowel sounds initially and/or within a word). Focus of the
first four lines of Owen's poem: Bent double, like old beggars under
sacks,
Knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge,
Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs
And towards our distant rest began to trudge.
Discuss, for example, the hard "c" consonance of within the first few
lines of "Dulce" (sacks, Knock-kneed, coughing, like, cursed, backs).
Ask students what this consonance brings to mind (i.e., the sound of
coughing itself):
As an example of assonance, point to the "u" sounds within the first few
lines (including the ending of lines 2 and
Explain to students that this case of assonance, the "u" sounds slow
down and therefore draw out the lines. Again form marries content as
the soldiers "trudge" through "sludge."
Pacing: Turn to the lines "Gas! Gas! Quick, boys!-An ecstasy of
fumbling," to draw attention to the changed pace of the poem. Ask
students what effect the use of one syllable words has on the poem's
pace.
Additional Analysis: Break students into small groups, and have each
group discuss the last two stanzas of the poem for 10 minutes.
Regroup for full class discussion of the remainder of the poem.
TCSS
ELA12.6.3
Learning Target(s):
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Students will understand the nature of stream of consciousness
narration and its impacts upon the readers’ understanding of a text.
Students will produce an example of stream of consciousness writing.
Priority 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.
ELAGSE11-12RL6: Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is
really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
ELAGSERL.11-12.1 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.
ELAGSERL.11-12.3 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).
ELAGSERI.11-12.2 Determine two or more 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 provide a complex analysis;
provide an objective summary of the text.
ELAGSERI.11-12.3 Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of
events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact
and develop over the course of the text.
ELAGSERI.11-12.6 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.
ELAGSEW.11-12.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details,
and well-structured event sequences.
Support Standards
ELAGSE11-12W9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
ELAGSE11-12SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
ELAGSE11-12L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Stream of Consciousness PowerPoint
Stream of Consciousness writing practice power point
Bread by Margaret Atwood
1 day
What is stream of consciousness? How does it impact the readers’
understanding/appreciation of a text?
Stream of Consciousness informational slides
Practice writing stream of consciousness
TCSS
Instructional Delivery
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Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
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Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
Independent Practice (You
Do)
Students should read "Bread" by Margaret Atwood.
After reading the passage, students should pair up and complete the
following:
Discuss the meaning and purpose of the work.
Highlight (in yellow) any words or phrases that are repeated throughout
the essay.
Student pairs should complete a basic “storyboard” analyzing the
development of Atwood’s essay. Each frame should include the
following:
--The first sentence from each paragraph should be in the top row.
--An illustration of the activity in the paragraph should be in the
second row.
--The setting and action involving the bread should be in the third
row.
As a class, students should discuss the use of stream of consciousness
in “Bread.” Students should be able to explain how Atwood does not
follow a chronologic time line in the selection.
On their individual "hard copies" of the essay, students should draw a
slash (/) each time Atwood shifts thoughts or ideas. Students should
turn to the person sitting next to them and compare annotations.
As a class students should explore how Atwood depicts her “multitude
of thoughts” throughout the passage.
As a class students should also discuss how the bread takes on greater
significance throughout the passage.
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation of
Lesson
Students will be able to explain how Atwood develops the “bread” motif
throughout her essay.
Journaling Prompt - Close your eyes for a minute and imagine you are
skydiving. Write about the physical sensations and the thoughts you
have.
Journaling Prompt - Sit yourself in a favorite spot, or imagine an ideal
place and describe it as an expanding bubble or sphere. Start with the
center which is you, how you feel, your thoughts. Slowly expand, taking
note of subtle nuances around you. Expand the sphere beyond your
field of vision.
Journaling Prompt - Hold your hands out in front of you, palms down.
Imagine that you have a total of six strings tied around your fingers.
Write about the objects that are dangling from the strings.
TCSS
ELA12.6.4
Learning Target(s):
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Students will explore the concept of genre and generate a list of
conventions for a given genre, critique a list of genre conventions to
reveal the social norms behind them, generate a list of genre
conventions with awareness of the social norms that inform them,
compose a text that responds to a list of genre conventions, and reflect
on their text and the ways in which it adheres to and deviates from
genre conventions for effect.
Priority 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.
ELAGSERL.11-12.1 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.
ELAGSERL.11-12.3 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).
ELAGSERI.11-12.6 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.
ELAGSEW.11-12.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined
experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details,
and well-structured event sequences.
Support Standards
ELAGSE11-12W9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
ELAGSE11-12SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
ELAGSE11-12L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Genre Defining Sentences
Mystery Peer Feedback Guide
Knox’s 10 Commandments of Detective Fiction
The Hound of the Baskervilles teacher’s guide
Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre Definition
Genre List
Genre Study (ReadWriteThink lesson plans)
Guide to the Study of Literature
Other Sherlock Holmes stories
Everyone Loves a Mystery (ReadWriteThink lesson plans)
Mystery Cube Planning Sheet
4-5 days
What are the elements of the mystery genre? What social norms
influence the mystery genre?
SESSION ONE
1. After reading, viewing, or listening to a mystery such as The
Hound of the Baskervilles, ask students to write down all the
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Instructional Delivery
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Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
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Independent Practice (You
Do)
ways they knew the story was a mystery.
2. Have students share some of the features or characteristics
they listed. Record the examples on the board, a projector, or a
piece of chart paper.
3. Review with students the concept of genre, making sure that
that students have an acceptable grasp—both in terms of its
rigidity (guidelines that examples within a genre tend to follow or
characteristics that they tend to share) and flexibility (rarely
does an example follow all guidelines).
4. Share with students some background on the subgenre of
traditional detective fiction, the genre they have been
describing, and the essay "The Mystery Genre" which is part of
the Masterpiece Teacher's guide before projecting the “Ten
Commandments of Detective Fiction” from Ronald Knox, a
British mystery writer active in the 1920s.
5. Read over the commandments with students, clarifying any
unfamiliar words or concepts. Ask them to share their responses
regarding the validity or applicability of Knox’s rules. Students
will inevitably, and rightly, be surprised and offended at the fifth
commandment. Use his racist comment to begin a conversation
about genre as a construction of a certain period and set of
beliefs, not something that is rigid and unchangeable.
6. Elicit from students ways in which The Hound of the
Baskervilles follows and does not follow the guidelines Knox
suggested, reinforcing the understanding that genre
conventions are not completely rigid.
7. Then, using Knox’s Genre Commandments as an example,
work with students to generate an updated list of rules for a
“traditional mystery” that suits the realities of the present day.
For example, students might think about ways technology and
social networking should and should not be allowed to function
in a mystery.
8. Record students’ ideas on the board, a projector, or a piece of
chart paper. Ask students to think about this list—including
anything they would want to change or add—for the next
session.
SESSION TWO
1. Begin the session by reviewing the list of genre conventions for a
contemporary mystery that the class generated in the previous
session. Ask if students have any additional ideas they want to
share.
2. Facilitate a vote to select ten genre conventions that will be the
focus for the creative writing portion of the lesson.
3. Have students copy down the ten agreed-upon conventions so they
can refer to them as they work. Assure students that they do not
need to agree with every characteristic, since the notion of genre is
flexible and they will have the opportunity to bend and play with
characteristics in their own original writing.
4. Share with students that they will be getting the opportunity to write
their own mystery, using the conventions as a guide.
5. If you wish, provide students with the list of Genre-Defining
Sentences from a recent film adaptation of The Hound of the
Baskervilles that they can use as story starters or incorporate
throughout their story.
6. Challenge students to be aware of when they are purposefully using
a genre convention (from the list of conventions the class
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Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation of
Lesson
generated, Traditional Detective Fiction “Commandments”, or
the Genre-Defining Sentences handout) to make their story function
as a mystery—or when they are breaking, altering, or bending a
convention to make their story fresh and new.
7. Consider letting students use the Mystery Cube or provide
the Mystery Cube planning sheet to help students as they plan and
write their mystery.
8. Determine with students a date for a future session when students
will share their mysteries with a small group of peers. On the
determined date, students should bring three copies of their
completed mystery.
SESSION THREE
1. After students have had time to write their mysteries, select—or
have students select—groups of three for sharing their writing.
2. Distribute the Original Mystery Peer Feedback Guide and
explain to students that they will use this handout to record
some comments that they will eventually share with their peers.
Each student will give copies of his or her mystery to the others
in the group. The author will read his or her mystery as peers
follow along; stopping occasionally to record comments they
wish to offer.
3. After all three group members have read, students should take
turns offering their comments. They should use the space a the
bottom of the guide to record ideas they have for their own
writing now that they have listened to and commented on two
other mysteries.
4. Ask students to make any revisions or additions they feel are
appropriate based on the comments from their peers.
5. Have students write a reflective piece that highlights the
intentions behind their mystery’s adherence to and deviation
from the expectations for the genre.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT/REFLECTIONS
Focusing more on students’ reflective writing that the mystery itself,
look for evidence of students’ blind adherence to genre standards or
capricious or ineffective deviation from them and provide appropriate
corrective feedback on their drafts. Also look for evidence of thoughtful
use of the conventions to make the story identifiable as and function as
a mystery and justifiable deviations that enhance the effectiveness of
their story.
TCSS
ELA12.6.5
Learning Target(s):
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Students will work in pairs to cast their own movie version of the novel.
Students must have knowledge of the characters and setting from the
novel. Casting of the characters must correlate with the character traits
mentioned in the book. Students will collaborate on a multimedia
presentation that demonstrates understanding of characterization
presented in a novel.
Priority 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.
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.
ELAGSERL.11-12.1 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.
ELAGSERL.11-12.3 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
ELAGSE11-12W9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
ELAGSE11-12SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
ELAGSE11-12W6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce,
publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to
ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
Agatha Christie project
Project Group Evaluation
Multimedia Project Rubric
And Then There Were None character review
Character review quiz
2-3 days
How do authors use characterization to develop characters in a story?
What purpose is served, what comments on society does the author
make by having the main characters come from such varied social
classes?
9. Character match quiz
TCSS
Instructional Delivery
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Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
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Step 1. Students will be placed in pairs.
Step 2. Students will decide on the responsibilities of each person. (See
Handout)
Step 3. Each student will research and gather information for 7 slides.
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Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
Independent Practice (You
Do)
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation of
Lesson
Step 4. Students will work together and create a slide show of the
characters and setting of the novel.
Step 5. Students will work together to revise and edit their
project. Teacher assistance will also be used.
Step 6. Students will present their slide shows to the class. Each
student will present the components he or she was responsible for
completing
Student evaluation
Project Rubrics (assessment)
TCSS
ELA12.6.6
Learning Target(s):
Priority Standards:
 Support Standards
 Pre-requisite Learning
Students will define the literary terms utopia and dystopia, identify
dystopian characteristics in a film, and explain how dystopias criticize
contemporary trends, societal norms, or political systems.
Priority 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.)
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).
Support Standards
ELAGSE11-12SL1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
ELAGSE11-12SL4: Present information, findings, and supporting
evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners
can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives
are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and
style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range or formal and
informal tasks.
ELAGSE11-12L4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and
multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11-12 reading
and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
ELAGSE11-12L5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language,
word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
ELAGSE11-12L6: Acquire and use accurately general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level;
demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when
considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or
expression.
ELAGSE11-12W6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce,
publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to
ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.
ELAGSE11-12W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to
support analysis, reflection, and research.
ELAGSE11-12L2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of
standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
ELAGSE11-12SL2: Integrate multiple sources of information presented
in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in
order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the
credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies
among the data.
TCSS
Resources for Instruction
Time Allocated
EQ
Activator/Connection/Warm Up
Instructional Delivery
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Teaching Point/Mini
Lesson/Teacher Input (I
Do/Modeling)
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Guided Instruction/
Differentiated Instruction
(We Do)
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Independent Practice
(You Do)
Dystopia Definition and Characteristics
Dystopia Character Chart
Dystopian film clip guide
Youtube clip “The Real World” from the Matrix
Venn Diagram
Youtube Clip “Morpheus’ Proposal” from the Matrix
Youtube Clip “Down the Rabbit Hole” from the Matrix
Identifying Characteristics of the Dystopian Protagonist
Youtube Clip “Slimy Birth” from the Matrix
Youtube Clip “Gatekeepers” from the Matrix
3-4 days
How is a dystopian society different from a utopian society? Is our
country more of a dystopia or a utopia?
1. Ask students to brainstorm lists of characteristics that describe a
perfect society silently in their notebooks.
2. Once everyone has had a chance to jot down some answers,
ask students to share the characteristics with the class. Record
their responses on the board or on chart paper.
SESSION ONE
3. Introduce the following definition of utopia from the Dystopias:
Definition and Characteristics:
A place, state, or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics,
laws, customs, and conditions.
4. Have students identify connections between the class list of
characteristics for a perfect society and the definition of a
utopian society. Encourage students to fit the items from the
brainstormed list into the definition. Ask students whether the
items on their lists are aspects of politics, laws, customs,
conditions, or something else.
5. Show “The Real World” (Chapter 12, counter 0:38:39 to
0:44:22) from The Matrix, and ask students to think about their
list of the perfect society and the definition of utopia as they
view the clip.
6. Ask students to compare the society depicted in the film clip to
the utopias that they have described. Students should readily
point out that the world of the film is quite opposite from their
ideas of a perfect society.
7. Introduce the definition of a dystopia from Dystopias: Definition
and Characteristics:
A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and
the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate,
bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control. Dystopias,
through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, make a criticism about a
current trend, societal norm, or political system.
8. Pass out Dystopias: Definition and
Characteristics and Identifying Dystopian Characteristics.
9. Go over the information on the Dystopias: Definition and
Characteristics sheet, answering any questions.
10. Ask students to use the Dystopias: Definition and
Characteristics sheet to fill out the Identifying Dystopian
Characteristics chart. If desired, students can complete the
sheet in small groups rather than working individually.
11. Once students have completed the chart, gather the class and
have students share their findings.
12. Have students save their charts for use during later sessions.
13. For homework, have students use a venn diagram to compare
TCSS
and contrast the definitions for dystopia and utopia.
SESSION TWO
1. Review the material covered in the previous session by asking
students to share their Venn diagram printouts with the class.
2. Show “Morpheus’ Proposal” and “Down the Rabbit Hole”
(Chapters 8 and 9, counter #0:25:10-029:50) from The Matrix.
3. Identify the protagonist in the clips.
4. Discuss the difference between direct and implied information.
To provide an example, compare what is directly stated to what
is implied by the characters’ comments.
5. Arrange students in small groups.
6. Pass out copies of the Identifying Characteristics of a Dystopian
Protagonist chart, and ask students to use the information on
the Dystopias: Definition and Characteristics to fill out the sheet.
Ask students to focus both on direct and indirect information that
is communicated in the clip.
7. Gather the class, and ask groups to share their finding with the
class. Encourage discussion and exploration of the ways that
the clips extend and confirm their understanding of the
characteristics of a dystopia.
8. Review the types of dystopian controls listed on Dystopias:
Definition and Characteristics.
SESSION THREE
1. Have students share their journal observations with the class.
Encourage students to connect their thoughts to the types of
dystopian controls listed on the Dystopias: Definition and
Characteristics sheet.
2. Show students “Slimy Rebirth” (Chapter 10, 0:32:25 to 0:35:23)
and “The Gatekeepers” (Chapter 17, 0:56:30 to 0:58:53)
from The Matrix. Allow discussion of the dystopian
characteristics the clips exhibit between the clips.
3. Ask students to identify the aspects of dystopian society that
these clips focus on.
4. Return to the definition of dystopia:
A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and
the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate,
bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control. Dystopias,
through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, make a criticism about a
current trend, societal norm, or political system.
5. Ask students to focus on the second sentence of the definition.
6. Ask students to identify the “worst-case scenarios” that the film
clips explore. List their observations on the board or on chart
paper.
7. Review the list, and ask students to make some initial
suggestions of the trends, norms, and/or systems that the film
clip criticizes. Record their responses on the board or on chart
paper.
8. Arrange students in small groups and ask each group to
consider one or more of the following questions, referring to
notes and charts from previous sessions:
o What illusion of a perfect society is depicted in the clips
the class has viewed? What is the society like in reality?
o How are the members of this society being oppressed?
o What kind of control is used to keep the members of this
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society oppressed?
What current trend, societal norm, or political system is
exaggerated in this world?
o What criticism is made through this exaggeration in the
clips? What current trend, societal norm, or political
system is addressed?
9. Gather the class, and have students share their observations
and discussion.
10. Have students compare their findings to the lists gathered at the
beginning of the session.
11. Ask students to discuss how to apply what they have learned
about dystopias in this exploration to future readings. Begin by
asking students to brainstorm suggestions that they would give
to someone who was reading (or viewing) a dystopian work for
the first time.
12. Work students’ suggestions into a set of guidelines, and record
the ideas for use as the class reads and views additional texts.
Ticket Out the Door for Session Two: Ask students to complete a
journal entry in response to the following question: “What does this film
communicate about the world in the film? What controls the world in
this film and the people who live in that world?”
o
Summarizer/Closure/Evaluation
of Lesson
EXTENSIONS
 Use the handout Dystopian Film Clip Guide to identify one or
two additional dystopian film clips. Show the film clips to the
students. Ask students to use their knowledge of dystopian
characteristics to gather information, and use it to answer the
following questions:
 What illusion of a perfect society is depicted in this clip?
What is the society like in reality?
 How are the members of this society being oppressed?
 What kind of control is used to keep the members of this
society oppressed?
 What current trend, societal norm, or political system is
exaggerated?
 What criticism is made through this exaggeration? What
current trend, societal norm, or political system is
addressed?