MIAMI- DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Office of Academics and Transformation
Department of Language Arts/Reading
English Language Arts (ELA) Exemplar Lesson
GRADE 11– Teacher Copy
Learning Objectives
Quarter 4, Week 35: 05/06/13 – 05/10/13
th
This lesson examines the literary criticism of the writings of Phillis Wheatley by her 18 century contemporaries. Through repeated readings of
targeted sections and the effective use of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led), students will recognize common themes
that emerge regarding America’s first African-American poet. At this point, students should develop text-based questions and actively define
unfamiliar words. Varying the length and purpose for writing (paraphrasing, objective summarization, documented analysis) provides time for
evidentiary writing that supports deeper understanding of text. Teachers further scaffold activities to address individual students’ needs.
Rationale: This lesson explores the controversy over Wheatley’s literary abilities as reflected in the Wheatley “trials.” By looking at two significant
works of Wheatley’s legacy, students will analyze not only the historical literary dispute, but also the artistic merits of Wheatley’s work.
Text Title(s): from The Trials of Phillis Wheatley (Henry Louis Gates, Jr.) , “On Being Brought from Africa to America” (Wheatley) and "To the Right
Honourable William Earl of Dartmouth" (Wheatley) - link to the text: http://www.neh.gov/about/awards/jefferson-lecture/henry-louis-gates-jrlecture
Genre/Text Structure: Public documents – Primary Source Informational Nonfiction / Literary Nonfiction (Lecture) and Literary Fiction (Poetry)
Targeted Text Selections
excerpt The Trials of Phillis Wheatley
“On Being Brought from Africa to America”
"To the Right Honourable William Earl of Dartmouth"
Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
RI.11-12; RL.11-12; SL.11-12; W.11-12; L.11-12
http://www.corestandards.org
Lesson Sequence
PERFORMANCE TASK /CULMINATING INDEPENDENT WRITING ASSESSMENT:
Write a 1-2 page documented analysis of the literary criticism of Wheatley and the artistic merits of two of her poems.
Activity 1:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Wheatley’s legacy in the African American literary tradition?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Students will read the excerpted section of The Trials of Phillis Wheatley its entirety. For advanced students, consider using the entire lecture
by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. “Mister Jefferson and The Trials of Phillis Wheatley” at http://www.neh.gov/about/awards/jefferson-lecture/henrylouis-gates-jr-lecture. Avoid giving any background context or instructional guidance at the outset. Use a close reading approach so that
students rely exclusively on the text for meaning.
After reading the passage independently, listen as the piece is read aloud by the teacher /or skillful students/or in table groups. The order of
the student silent read and the read aloud may be reversed depending on the intent of the lesson and specific learners’ needs.
Rereading is embedded in the text-dependent questions and discussion activities. The sequence of questions is not random, but rather
carefully crafted to build toward more coherent understanding.
As students move through the close reading, check for understanding of academic and domain specific vocabulary.
Students write a short impression of Wheatley in their Reader Response journals. By referring to evidence from the text, students repeatedly
encounter the topic to stimulate a deeper, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
Activity 2:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What dilemma does Gates’ lecture introduce?
What inference can you draw about Boston society in 1772?
1.
2.
3.
Returning to The Trials of Phillis Wheatley the teacher leads students through a small set of text-dependent questions. Students are urged to
develop their own text-dependent questions to compel closer rereading and analysis. The targeted text should be in front of the students as
they engage in their discussions.
During the instructional sequence, it is important to linger over Gate’s use of syntax and diction. If necessary, chunk information at the
phrase level to provide supported practice in deciphering complex sentences.
The use of student-created graphic organizers and summary statements are essential for organizing and collecting thoughts for the
culminating writing activity.
Activity 3:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Wheatley’s message in the poems?
What values and beliefs are evident?
2012-2013
1
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Week 35: 05/06/13 – 05/10/13
What poetic devices are employed in Wheatley’s poetry?
Does Wheatley’s writing merit artistic acclaim?
1.
Students will read two poems by Phillis Wheatley: “On Being Brought from Africa to America” and "To the Right Honourable William Earl of
Dartmouth.” Avoid giving any background context or instructional guidance at the outset. Use a close reading approach so that students rely
exclusively on the text for meaning.
After reading the poems independently, listen as each piece is read aloud by the teacher /or skillful students/or in table groups. The order of
the student silent read and the read aloud may be reversed depending on the intent of the lesson and specific learners’ needs.
As students move through the close reading, check for understanding of archaic and domain specific vocabulary. If necessary, chunk language
at the phrase level to provide supported practice in deciphering complex stanzas.
In table groups, discuss the poetic devices Wheatley uses in the poems. Discuss the artistic merits of each poem.
Students write a short impression of the poetic devices and artistic merit of each poem in their response journals. By referring to evidence
from the text, the students repeatedly encounter the topic to stimulate a deeper, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Activity 4:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Phillis Wheatley’s legacy in the African American literary tradition?
Despite her domestic status, how did Phillis advance the genre of the slave narrative?
1.
2.
Use Communication, Information and Media connections at www.classzone.com, www.discoveryeducation.com, or other online resources
(http://www.loc.gov/search/?q=phillis+wheatley+america%27s ) to examine the genre of the slave narrative.
Direct students to take notes from selected segments at Discovery Education including:
Early African American Writers
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=8FAAE241-AD73-406B-B04FCB43DB0282AE&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US
Phyllis Wheatley Becomes America’s First Black Poet
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=02628E56-8E34-41DC-8F9A2551A2ECAE42&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US
Phyllis Wheatley
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=7DF11BC5-73B2-4B13-A756C5476EDA86D4&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US
3.
Continue to use the graphic organizers or response journals as a means to organize thoughts for prewriting activities.
Activity 5:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Wheatley’s contribution to the African American literary tradition?
Based on the readings, was Wheatley judged fairly?
1.
Conduct a final discussion of text-dependent questions and allow time for students to complete notes on Wheatley’s life and literary
legacy.
2. Students prepare to write a 1-2 page documented analysis of America’s first African-American poet.
3. Use the student-generated graphic organizers, summation statements, and personal response notes to write a well-supported response.
4. Allow an extended amount of time for students to write a 1-2 page documented response. Use the 30-point mode-specific rubric to score
the summative assessment.
Targeted Text Selection
Vocabulary
Teacher Activities and Techniques
excerpt from The Trials of Phillis Wheatley lecture
Text-Dependent Questions
p. 2 - She would have been familiar with the names of the underlined words:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
gentlemen assembled in this room. For there, perhaps with insufficient
What is Phillis Wheatley’s legacy in the African American
gathered in a semicircle, would have sat an astonishingly contextual clues
literary tradition?
influential group of the colony's citizens determined to
BOLD words: Tier Two
Return to the text and ask students to write a small set of
satisfy for themselves, and thus put to rest, fundamental
words
guiding questions about the document. The following set of
questions about the authenticity of this woman's literary
text-based questions serves ONLY to guide the discussion
achievements. Their interrogation of this witness, and her
toward the culminating writing activity.
answers, would determine not only this woman's fate, but
the subsequent direction of the antislavery movement, as
well as the birth of what a later commentator would call
2012-2013
(Q1) Identify 4 – 5 key ideas in Gates’ lecture. Include textual
2
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Week 35: 05/06/13 – 05/10/13
"a new species of literature," the literature written by
slaves.
p. 4 - What an astounding collection of people were
gathered in the room that morning--relations and rivals,
friends, and foes. Here truly was a full plenum of talent
and privilege, cultivation and power. There were six
staunch loyalists, and several signal figures in the battle
for independence. Of these eighteen gentlemen, nearly all
were Harvard graduates and a majority were slaveholders.
In the hands of this group, a self-constituted judge and
jury, rested the fate of a teenage slave named Phillis
Wheatley, and to a certain extent the destiny of the
African American people, on that October day in 1772.
Why had this august tribunal been assembled by John
Wheatley, Phillis's master? They had one simple charge:
to determine whether Phillis Wheatley was truly the
author of the poems she claimed to have written.
support and an explanation of each key idea.
line 18- selfconstituted judge and
jury: self-appointed
judge and jury
Possible answer.
Major ideas are expressed concerning the focus and
consequences of the “trials” of Phillis Wheatley.
A group of Boston’s citizens was gathered to assess
Wheatley’s abilities.
Wheatley’s literary accomplishments are identified, giving
credibility to her intellectual abilities.
The impact of the “trials” is addressed, acknowledging
that the publishing of Wheatley’s book of poetry marks the
beginning of an African American literary tradition.
(Q2) What dilemma does Gates’ lecture introduce?
line 20 – august:
impressive; eminent;
dignified
Possible answer.
The dilemma: “They [august tribunal] had one simple charge: to
determine whether Phillis Wheatley was truly the author of the
poems she claimed to have written.”
(Q3) What inference can you draw about Boston society in
1772?
excerpt The Trials of Phillis Wheatley
p. 5 -Without any Assistance from School Education,
and by only what she was taught in the Family, she, in
sixteen Months Time from her Arrival, attained the
English Language, to which she was an utter Stranger
before, to such a Degree, as to read any, the most
difficult Parts of the Sacred Writings to the great
Astonishment of all who heard her.
As to her Writing, her own Curiosity led her to it; and
this she learnt in so short a time, that in the Year
1765, she wrote a letter to the Reverend Mr. Occom,
the Indian Minister, while in England.
She has great Inclination to learn the Latin tongue, and
has made some progress in it. This Relation is given by
her Master who bought her, and with whom she now
lives.
2012-2013
Possible answer.
Although the “respectable characters in Boston” were educated
men, there was still great prejudice and uncertainty about the
intellectual abilities of women and people of color.
(Q4) Reread these sections from p. 5. Paraphrase by rewriting
in your own words. Write a summary of the impressions of
Wheatley’s intellect.
Answers will vary. Possible paraphrasing:
Without any training from public schools, and by what she
learned from Mary, after 16 months of arriving in America from
Africa, Phillis could speak the English language. She had no
knowledge of English before tutoring, but could now fluently
read the most difficult parts of the Bible astonishing everyone.
As far as her writing, Phillis’ own curiosity led her to it. She
learned in a short time and in 1765 she wrote a letter to the
Indian Minister, Reverend Mr. Occom. She has a great desire to
learn Latin and has made some progress. This report is written
by her Master [John Wheatley] who bought her as a slave and
with whom she now lives in Boston.
(Q5) Summarize the controversy Gates’
Wheatley’s texts.
explores over
Possible answer.
Captured as a slave and transported to the American colonies as
a child, Wheatley was purchased and performed domestic
chores in the Wheatley household of Boston. A precocious child,
Phillis learned to read and write with the assistance of the
Wheatly’s daughter. Phillis studied Latin, the Bible, and classical
literature including Greek mythology. Because of the prevailing
th
thinking of the late 18 century, many citizens questioned
Wheatley’s intellectual abilities and hence, the depth of her
literary abilities. Gates’ lecture explores the controversy of
th
racism of the late 18 century and the beginnings of the AfricanAmerican literary tradition.
3
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
1
3
5
7
Targeted Text Selection
“On Being Brought from Africa to America”
p. 12 of Gates’ lecture - lines 1 - 8
“Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
“Their colour is a diabolic die,”
Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.
Week 35: 05/06/13 – 05/10/13
Vocabulary
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Wheatley’s message in the poems?
What values and beliefs are evident?
What poetic devices are employed in Wheatley’s
poetry?
Does Wheatley’s writing merit artistic acclaim?
(Q6) What is Wheatley’s message in this poem?
Possible answer.
Wheatley’s message is controversial because it does not
condemn slavery, but rather uses lustrous terms (line 1) about
the “mercy” shown by the slave traders.
Despite the
circumstances of capture, transport and life as a slave, the poem
has a strong message of redemption and Christian beliefs.
(Q7) What values and beliefs are evident?
Possible answer.
Wheatley honors God and the power to forgive. Lines 2- 3
“…taught my benighted soul to understand that there’s a God”
and lines 7 – 8 note that “Christians, Negros, black as Cain / May
be refin’d, and join th’ angelic train.”
(Q8) What is Wheatley’s message in this poem?
"To the Right Honourable William Earl of Dartmouth."
lines 1 – 12
Possible answer.
Wheatley acknowledges her regret and sorrow for her lost
childhood to the “tyrannic sway” (line 12) of her “cruel fate” (line
5). The message is one of condescension for the slave trade that
(line 6) “…snatch’d from Afric’s happy seat” a young life resulting
in “sorrows labour in my parent’s breasts.”
1
Should you, my lord, while you peruse my song,
Wonder from whence my love of Freedom sprung,
3 Whence flow these wishes for the common good,
By feeling hearts alone best understood,
5 I, young in life, by seeming cruel fate
Was snatch'd from Afric's fancy'd happy seat:
7 What pangs excruciating must molest,
What sorrows labour in my parent's breasts
9 Steel'd was that soul and by no misery mov'd
That from a father seiz'd his babe belov'd:
11 Such, such my case. And can I then but pray
Others may never feel tyrannic sway?
Cross Genre Connections:
Use Communication, Information and Media
connections at www.classzone.com,
www.discoveryeducation.com, or other online
resources (www.libraryofcongress or
2012-2013
Teacher Activities and Techniques
Text-Dependent Questions
(Q9) What values and beliefs are evident?
Possible answer.
Wheatley clearly values family (lines 5 – 8 and line 10). She
bemoans the “tyrannic sway” of slavery, but also recognizes in
line 2 that her “freedom sprung” from learning to read and
write, thus contributing to the slave narratives.
(Q10) How does the theme change from “On Being Brought
from Africa to America” to the message expressed in “To the
Right Honourable William Earl of Darmouth”?
Vocabulary
Possible answer.
Wheatley’s poem addresses the human costs of the slave trade.
She acknowledges the “cruel fate”, “pangs excruciating must
molest”, and the “tyrannic sway” of slavery. The tone and
theme of the poem is one of regret and nostalgia for her lost
family and heritage. Line 2 states, however, Wheatley’s “love of
Freedom” indicating that her circumstances in Boston were
superior to those of other African slaves.
Teacher Activities and Techniques
Text-Dependent Questions
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Wheatley’s legacy in the African American literary
tradition?
Despite her domestic status, how did Wheatley use poetry
to tell her story of enslavement?
4
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Week 35: 05/06/13 – 05/10/13
http://www.loc.gov/search/?q=phillis+wheatley+americ
a%27s ) to examine the genre of the slave narrative.
Formative Assessment/ Rubrics
Summative Assessment/Culminating Independent
Writing Task
Collaborative (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) discussion(s) on text-dependent
comprehension questions and written responses (paraphrasing, objective
summarization, documented analysis, reader response journals) serve as prewriting
assignments and formative assessments.
Write a 1-2 page documented analysis of the literary criticism of Wheatley and the
artist merits of two poems.
Possible answer.
A 30-point mode-specific rubric defines the writing expectations for the summative
assessment.
Extension Activities/Further Resources
Technology:
www.discoveryeducation.com – (see links embedded in pacing guide)
www.classzone.com
www.libraryofcongress
For further information regarding this document contact the Department of Language Arts/Reading, Secondary District Instructional Supervisors,
Dr. Erin Cuartas, Ms. Laurie Kaplan or Dr. Sharon Scruggs-Williams, 305-995-3122; for ELL questions, contact the Division of Bilingual Education and
World Languages District Supervisor, Ms. Caridad Perez, 305-995-1962.
2012-2013
5
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Week 35: 05/06/13 – 05/10/13
Student Copy
Targeted Text Selection
excerpt The Trials of Phillis Wheatley
p. 2 - She would have been familiar with the names of the
gentlemen assembled in this room. For there, perhaps
gathered in a semicircle, would have sat an astonishingly
influential group of the colony's citizens determined to
satisfy for themselves, and thus put to rest, fundamental
questions about the authenticity of this woman's literary
achievements. Their interrogation of this witness, and her
answers, would determine not only this woman's fate, but
the subsequent direction of the antislavery movement, as
well as the birth of what a later commentator would call
"a new species of literature," the literature written by
slaves.
p. 4 - What an astounding collection of people were
gathered in the room that morning--relations and rivals,
friends, and foes. Here truly was a full plenum of talent
and privilege, cultivation and power. There were six
staunch loyalists, and several signal figures in the battle
for independence. Of these eighteen gentlemen, nearly all
were Harvard graduates and a majority were slaveholders.
In the hands of this group, a self-constituted judge and
jury, rested the fate of a teenage slave named Phillis
Wheatley, and to a certain extent the destiny of the
African American people, on that October day in 1772.
Why had this august tribunal been assembled by John
Wheatley, Phillis's master? They had one simple charge:
to determine whether Phillis Wheatley was truly the
author of the poems she claimed to have written.
excerpt The Trials of Phillis Wheatley
p. 5 -Without any Assistance from School Education,
and by only what she was taught in the Family, she, in
sixteen Months Time from her Arrival, attained the
English Language, to which she was an utter Stranger
before, to such a Degree, as to read any, the most
difficult Parts of the Sacred Writings to the great
Astonishment of all who heard her.
As to her Writing, her own Curiosity led her to it; and
this she learnt in so short a time, that in the Year
1765, she wrote a letter to the Reverend Mr. Occom,
the Indian Minister, while in England.
Vocabulary
underlined words:
with insufficient
contextual clues
BOLD words: Tier Two
words
Student Generated
Text-Dependent Questions
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Phillis Wheatley’s legacy in the African American
literary tradition?
Return to the text and write a small set of guiding questions
about the document.
(Q1) Identify 4 – 5 key ideas in Gates’ lecture. Include textual
support from the passage and explain the significance of each
idea.
Possible answer.
(Q2) What dilemma does Gates’ lecture introduce?
Possible answer.
line 18- selfconstituted judge and
jury: s
(Q3) What inference can you draw about Boston society in
1772?
Possible answer.
line 20 – august:
(Q4) Reread this section of text. Paraphrase the text by
rewriting in your own words. Write a summary of the
impressions of Wheatley’s intellect.
Possible answer.
(Q5) Summarize the controversy Gates’ explores over
Wheatley’s texts.
Possible answer.
She has great Inclination to learn the Latin tongue, and
has made some progress in it. This Relation is given by
her Master who bought her, and with whom she now
lives.
2012-2013
6
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
1
3
5
7
Targeted Text Selection
“On Being Brought from Africa to America”
lines 1 - 8
Twas mercy brought me from my Pagan land,
Taught my benighted soul to understand
That there's a God, that there's a Saviour too:
Once I redemption neither sought nor knew.
Some view our sable race with scornful eye,
Their colour is a diabolic die,
Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain,
May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train.
Week 35: 05/06/13 – 05/10/13
Vocabulary
Teacher Activities and Techniques
Text-Dependent Questions
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Wheatley’s message in the poems?
What values and beliefs are evident?
What poetic devices are employed in Wheatley’s
poetry?
Does Wheatley’s writing merit artistic acclaim?
(Q6) What is Wheatley’s message in this poem?
Possible answer.
(Q7) What values and beliefs are evident?
Possible answer.
"To the Right Honourable William Earl of Dartmouth."
lines 1 – 12
(Q8) What is Wheatley’s message in this poem?
Possible answer.
1
Should you, my lord, while you peruse my song,
Wonder from whence my love of Freedom sprung,
3 Whence flow these wishes for the common good,
By feeling hearts alone best understood,
5 I, young in life, by seeming cruel fate
Was snatch'd from Afric's fancy'd happy seat:
7 What pangs excruciating must molest,
What sorrows labour in my parent's breasts
9 Steel'd was that soul and by no misery mov'd
That from a father seiz'd his babe belov'd:
11 Such, such my case. And can I then but pray
Others may never feel tyrannic sway?
(Q9) What values and beliefs are evident?
Possible answer.
(Q10) How does the theme change from “On Being Brought
from Africa to America” to the message expressed in “To the
Right Honourable William Earl of Darmouth”?
Possible answer.
Cross Genre Connections:
Use Communication, Information and Media
connections at www.classzone.com,
www.discoveryeducation.com, or other online
resources (www.libraryofcongress or
http://www.loc.gov/search/?q=phillis+wheatley+americ
a%27s ) to examine the genre of the slave narrative.
Summative Assessment/ Culminating Independent
Writing Task
2012-2013
Vocabulary
Teacher Activities and Techniques
Text-Dependent Questions
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Phillis Wheatley’s legacy in the African American
literary tradition?
Despite her domestic status, how did Phillis use poetry to
tell her story of enslavement?
Write a 1-2 page documented analysis of the literary criticism of Wheatley and the
artist merits of two poems.
7
MIAMI- DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Office of Academics and Transformation
Department of Language Arts/Reading
English Language Arts (ELA) Exemplar Lesson
GRADE 11 – Teacher Copy
Learning Objectives
Week 36: 05/13/13 – 05/17/13
This lesson concludes an examination of African American literary tradition. Through repeated readings of targeted sections and the effective use of
collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led), students recognize common themes that deal with African-American authors’
expression of cultural affirmation. At this point, students should develop text-based questions and actively define unfamiliar words. Varying the
length and purpose for writing provides time for evidentiary writing that supports deeper understanding of text. Teachers may need to further scaffold
activities to address individual students’ needs.
th
Rationale: This lesson explores Baldwin’s provocative letter to his nephew in which he questions 20 century racial politics. By looking at two
significant works of African American literature, students will contrast the multiple perspectives and the common theme of racial freedom in America.
Text Title(s): My Dungeon Shook (James Baldwin)
McDougal Littell Literature , p. 1194
Genre/Text Structure: Public documents – Primary Source Informational Nonfiction / Literary Nonfiction
Targeted Text Selections
My Dungeon Shook, p. 1196, lines 16 - 52 and lines 60 - 78
Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
RI.11-12; RL.11-12; SL.11-12; W.11-12
http://www.corestandards.org
Lesson Sequence
PERFORMANCE TASK /CULMINATING INDEPENDENT WRITING ASSESSMENT:
Write a 1-2 page documented analysis comparing and contrasting the values and beliefs in Henry Louis Gates, Jr. excerpt “The Trials of Phillis
Wheatley” (see week 35) and James Baldwin’s ideals in the letter to his nephew. Analyze the argument that advances the common themes that
emerge in the evolution of the African American literary tradition.
Activity 1:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Baldwin’s message?
What is Baldwin’s purpose for writing the letter?
1. The students will read “My Dungeon Shook” its entirety. Avoid giving any background context or instructional guidance at the outset. Use a
close reading approach so that students rely exclusively on the text for meaning.
2. After reading the passage independently, listen as the piece is read aloud by the teacher /or skillful students/ or an audio rereading at
www.classzone.com. The order of the student silent read and the read aloud may be reversed depending on the intent of the lesson and specific
learners’ needs.
3. Rereading is embedded in the text-dependent questions and discussion activities. The sequence of questions is not random, but rather carefully
crafted to build toward more coherent understanding.
4. Students write a 1-page reflection of their understanding of Baldwin’s perspective. Use a student generated graphic organizers or response
journals to build and extend understanding of the passage. By referring to the evidence from the text, the students repeatedly encounter the topic
to stimulate a deeper, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
Activity 2:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
How are Baldwin’s views connected to the views of Gates in “The Trials of Phillis Wheatley”?
What common theme emerges?
1. Returning to the essay, the teacher will lead students through a set of text-dependent questions from the targeted passage to compel closer
rereading and analysis. The targeted text should be in front of the students as they engage in their discussions and develop their own textbased questions.
2. Students should be held accountable for actively engaging in vocabulary acquisition.
3. The use of graphic organizers and summary statements are essential for organizing and collecting thoughts for the culminating writing activity.
Activity 3:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
How are events of the 1950s and 1960s reflected in American literature?
What common themes emerge?
2012-2013
1
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Week 36: 05/13/13 – 05/17/13
1.
Use Communication, Information and Media connections at www.classzone.com, www.discoveryeducation.com, or other online resources
(The Harlem Renaissance ) to examine the genre of protest literature.
Cultural Contributions of Black Americans: A Literary Renaissance and A Vision of Beauty
Post Harlem Renaissance
In Black and White: Conversations with African American Writers: Gloria Naylor
Freedom Comes to Birmingham
I Have a Dream
A Change is Gonna Come
2. Discussions lead to additional avenues of inquiry. By referring to the evidence from various multimedia resources, the students repeatedly
encounter the issues, stimulating a deeper, well-reasoned exchange of ideas as they build and extend their understanding of the issues.
3. Continue to use the student generated graphic organizers or response journals to organize thoughts for prewriting activities.
Activity 4:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
How are the beliefs, values and principles expressed in Baldwin’s writing symbolized in the images?
What common themes emerge in paintings and photographs from the 1950s and 1960s?
1.
2.
Display or provide copies of Charly Palmer’s painting, Father, and photographs from the I Am a Man Movement at the Library of Congress
website.
Write a summation of the visual clues the artist uses to suggest state of mind and convey the theme.
Activity 5:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
How are Baldwin’s views connected to the views of Gates in “The Trials of Phillis Wheatley”?
What common theme emerges?
1.
Conduct a final discussion of text-dependent questions and allow time for students to complete notes on the purpose and themes evidenced
in Gates’ and Baldwin’s pieces.
2. Students prepare to write a documented analysis of the legacy of African American literature. Use the graphic organizers, summation
statements, and personal response notes to write a well-supported response.
3. Allow an extended amount of time for students to write a 1-2 page documented response. Use the 30-point mode-specific rubric to score the
summative assessment.
Targeted Text Selection
Vocabulary
Teacher Activities and Techniques
“My Dungeon Shook”
Text-Dependent Questions
p. 1196, lines 16- 52
I have known both of you all your lives, have carried underlined words:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
your Daddy in my arms and on my shoulders, kissed and with insufficient
What is Baldwin’s message?
spanked him and watched him learn to walk. I don’t know contextual clues
What is Baldwin’s purpose for writing the letter?
if you’ve known anybody from that far back; if you’ve
BOLD words: Tier Two
Return to the text and ask students to write a small set of
loved anybody that long, first as an infant, then as a child,
words
guiding questions about the document. The following set of
then as a man, you gain a strange perspective on time and
text-based questions serves ONLY to guide the discussion
human pain and effort. Other people cannot see what I
toward the culminating writing activity.
see whenever I look into your father’s face, for behind
your father’s face as it is today are all those other faces
which were his. Let him laugh and I see a cellar your
father does not remember and a house he does not
remember and I hear in his present laughter his laughter
as a child. Let him curse and I remember him falling down
the cellar steps, and howling, and I remember, with pain,
his tears, which my hand or your grandmother’s so easily
wiped away. But no one’s hand can wipe away those tears
he sheds invisibly today, which one hears in his laughter
and in his speech and in his songs. I know what the world
has done to my brother and how narrowly he has survived
it. And I know, which is much worse, and this is the crime
of which I accuse my country and my countrymen, and
for which neither I nor time nor history will ever forgive
them, that they have destroyed and are destroying
hundreds of thousands of lives and do not know it and do
not want to know it. One can be, indeed one must strive
to become, tough and philosophical concerning
2012-2013
(Q1) What accusations does Baldwin make?
Possible answer.
Baldwin accuses mankind of being capable of destruction and
death without feeling any notable remorse (lines 34-35).
Baldwin has seen his brother grow up and be slowly destroyed
by the whites’ perceptions of and limitations on African
Americans (lines 26-29). His brother has narrowly escaped the
death of his own self-definition.
(Q2) Cite textual evidence to demonstrate that Baldwin
effectively makes his point about mankind.
Possible answer.
Baldwin proves his point effectively by examples to show how
well he knows his brother (lines 16-26), which qualifies him to
note the near destruction his brother has faced due to the
whites. He justifies well his inability to forgive mankind by
2
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
destruction and death, for this is what most of mankind
has been best at since we have heard of man. (But
remember: most of mankind is not all of mankind.) But it
is not permissible that the authors of devastation should
also be innocent. It is the innocence which constitutes the
crime.
Now, my dear namesake, these innocent and wellmeaning people, your countrymen, have caused you to be
born under conditions not very far removed from those
described for us by Charles Dickens in the London of more
than a hundred years ago. (I hear the chorus of the
innocents screaming, “No! This is not true! How bitter you
are!”—but I am writing this letter to you, to try to tell you
something about how to handle them, for most of them
do not yet really know that you exist. I know the
conditions under which you were born, for I was Your
countrymen were not there, and haven’t made it yet. Your
grandmother was also there, and no one has ever accused
her of being bitter. I suggest that the innocents check with
her. She isn’t hard to find. Your countrymen don’t know
that she exists, either, though she has been working for
them all their lives.)
Well, you were born, here you came, something like
fifteen years ago; and though your father and mother and
grandmother, looking about the streets through which
they were carrying you, staring at the walls into which
they brought you, had every reason to be heavyhearted,
yet they were not.
page 1197, lines 60 – 78
This innocent country set you down in a ghetto in
which, in fact, it intended that you should perish. Let me
spell out precisely what I mean by that, for the heart of
the matter is here, and the root of my dispute with my
country. You were born where you were born and faced
the future that you faced because you were black and for
no other reason. The limits of your ambition were, thus,
expected to be set forever. You were born into a society
which spelled out with brutal clarity, and in as many ways
as possible, that you were a worthless human being. You
were not expected to aspire to excellence: you were
expected to make peace with mediocrity. Wherever you
have turned, James, in your short time on this earth, you
have been told where you could go and what you could do
(and how you could do it) and where you could live and
whom you could marry. I know your countrymen do not
agree with me about this, and I hear them saying, “You
exaggerate.” They do not know Harlem, and I do. So do
you. Take no one’s word for anything, including mine—
but trust your experience. c
Know whence you came. If you know whence you
came, there is really no limit to where you can go. The
details and symbols of your life have been deliberately
constructed to make you believe what white people say
about you. Please try to remember that what they
believe, as well as what they do and cause you to endure,
does not testify to your inferiority but to their inhumanity
and fear.
Cross Genre Connections:
2012-2013
Week 36: 05/13/13 – 05/17/13
describing the many other African-American lives that have been
destroyed, without anybody recognizing it (lines 29-33). His
points about a brutal mankind seem both poignant and true.
line 37 – constitutes:
to amount to; equal
(Q3) Reread lines 60 - 73. Which sentence BEST expresses the
basis for Baldwin’s anger?
Possible answer.
Lines 65 – 66 express Baldwin’s anger: “You were born into a
society which spelled out with brutal clarity, and in as many
ways as possible, that you were a worthless human being.”
(Q4) Sum up Baldwin’s view of whites.
line 68 – mediocrity:
lack of quality or
excellence
Possible answer.
Baldwin is saying that it is unfair for the people (whites) who are
doing the destroying to be innocent or unaware of what they are
doing.
The fact that people are ignorant about the
consequences of racism is unforgivable, or a crime. Baldwin
explains that society has been wrongly tearing down African
American’s self-worth for a long time, which has caused them to
feel worthless.
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
How are events of the 1950s and 1960s reflected in
American literature?
What common themes emerge?
3
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Week 36: 05/13/13 – 05/17/13
1.
Use Discovery Education Curriculum Aligned Resources
or other online sources to examine the genre of protest
literature.
2. Continue to use the graphic organizers or response
journals as a means to organize thoughts for prewriting
activities.
Cultural Contributions of Black Americans: A Literary
Renaissance and A Vision of Beauty
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=7
9F93149-891F-416B-827418874A3B0DCE&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US
Post Harlem Renaissance
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=7
9F93149-891F-416B-827418874A3B0DCE&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US
In Black and White: Conversations with African American
Writers: Gloria Naylor
http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=4
1E067D8-6927-47BF-B4C505BAEAE646FC&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US
Freedom Comes to Birmingham
I Have a Dream
A Change is Gonna Come
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
How are the beliefs, values and principles expressed in
Baldwin’s writing symbolized in the images?
What common themes emerge in paintings and
photographs from the 1950s and 1960s?
Cross Genre Connections:
Father, Charly Palmer
(Q5) What stories are created in the images?
Photo from I Am a
Man Movement
Possible answer. The story that the images seem to be telling is
the ongoing struggle of African Americans for dignity and human
rights. The tall man in the center of Palmer’s painting is dressed
in a simple but dignified manner. He is linked to the silhouetted
protesters behind him by the protest sign that he carries,
asserting his humanity. The small boy in the forefront has his
hand outstretched, linking him to the other figures in the
painting in a plea for recognition. The photo from the I Am a
Man Movement of the civil rights era clearly shows the
magnitude of racial injustice in the 1950s and 1960s. The faces
of resolute black men depict their assertion of their long
concealed masculine role.
(Q6) How do these images relate to the theme of Baldwin’s
letter?
Possible answer. Both images explore the impact of the civil
rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s on the notions of
th
manhood. In the early 20 century, racism forced African
Americans to hide their true identifies. Black men were often
singled out as highly visible examples of the racial rules that
predominated in society. Survival frequently meant disguising
their masculinity and becoming essentially invisible members of
society. The I Am a Man Movement was a crusade for racial
equality. The placards worn by the men boldly state, “I am a
man” asserting their rightful place in American society.
2012-2013
4
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Formative Assessment/Rubrics
Summative Assessment/Culminating Independent
Writing Task
Extension Activities/Further Resources
Week 36: 05/13/13 – 05/17/13
Student collaborative discussion(s) on self-generated text-dependent comprehension
questions and written responses (paraphrasing, objective summarization, reader
response journals) serve as prewriting assignments and formative assessments.
Write a 1-2 page documented analysis comparing and contrasting the values and
beliefs in Henry Louis Gates, Jr. excerpt “The Trials of Phillis Wheatley” and James
Baldwin’s ideals in the letter to his nephew. Analyze the argument that advances
the common themes that emerge in the evolution of the African American literary
tradition.
Possible answer.
A 30-point mode-specific rubric defines the writing expectations for the summative
assessment.
Technology:
www.discoveryeducation.com – (see links embedded in pacing guide)
www.classzone.com
www.libraryofcongress
For further information regarding this document contact the Department of Language Arts/Reading, Secondary District Instructional
Supervisors, Dr. Erin Cuartas, Ms. Laurie Kaplan or Dr. Sharon Scruggs-Williams, 305-995-3122; for ELL questions, contact the Division of
Bilingual Education and World Languages District Supervisor, Ms. Caridad Perez, 305-995-1962.
2012-2013
5
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Week 36: 05/13/13 – 05/17/13
Student Copy
Targeted Text Selection
“My Dungeon Shook”
p. 1196,lines 16- 52
lines 16 – 52
I have known both of you all your lives, have carried
your Daddy in my arms and on my shoulders, kissed and
spanked him and watched him learn to walk. I don’t know
if you’ve known anybody from that far back; if you’ve
loved anybody that long, first as an infant, then as a child,
then as a man, you gain a strange perspective on time and
human pain and effort. Other people cannot see what I
see whenever I look into your father’s face, for behind
your father’s face as it is today are all those other faces
which were his. Let him laugh and I see a cellar your
father does not remember and a house he does not
remember and I hear in his present laughter his laughter
as a child. Let him curse and I remember him falling down
the cellar steps, and howling, and I remember, with pain,
his tears, which my hand or your grandmother’s so easily
wiped away. But no one’s hand can wipe away those tears
he sheds invisibly today, which one hears in his laughter
and in his speech and in his songs. I know what the world
has done to my brother and how narrowly he has survived
it. And I know, which is much worse, and this is the crime
of which I accuse my country and my countrymen, and
for which neither I nor time nor history will ever forgive
them, that they have destroyed and are destroying
hundreds of thousands of lives and do not know it and do
not want to know it. One can be, indeed one must strive
to become, tough and philosophical concerning
destruction and death, for this is what most of mankind
has been best at since we have heard of man. (But
remember: most of mankind is not all of mankind.) But it
is not permissible that the authors of devastation should
also be innocent. It is the innocence which constitutes the
crime.
Now, my dear namesake, these innocent and wellmeaning people, your countrymen, have caused you to be
born under conditions not very far removed from those
described for us by Charles Dickens in the London of more
than a hundred years ago. (I hear the chorus of the
innocents screaming, “No! This is not true! How bitter you
are!”—but I am writing this letter to you, to try to tell you
something about how to handle them, for most of them
do not yet really know that you exist. I know the
conditions under which you were born, for I was Your
countrymen were not there, and haven’t made it yet. Your
grandmother was also there, and no one has ever accused
her of being bitter. I suggest that the innocents check with
her. She isn’t hard to find. Your countrymen don’t know
that she exists, either, though she has been working for
them all their lives.)
Well, you were born, here you came, something like
fifteen years ago; and though your father and mother and
grandmother, looking about the streets through which
they were carrying you, staring at the walls into which
they brought you, had every reason to be heavyhearted,
yet they were not.
2012-2013
Vocabulary
Student Generated
Text-Dependent Questions
underlined words:
with insufficient
contextual clues
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
What is Baldwin’s message?
What is Baldwin’s purpose for writing the letter?
BOLD words: Tier Two
words
Write a small set of guiding questions about the document.
(Q1) What accusations does Baldwin make?
Possible answer.
(Q2) Cite textual evidence to demonstrate that Baldwin
effectively makes his point about mankind.
Possible answer.
line 37 – constitutes:
to amount to; equal
6
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
page 1197, lines 60 – 78
This innocent country set you down in a ghetto in
which, in fact, it intended that you should perish. Let me
spell out precisely what I mean by that, for the heart of
the matter is here, and the root of my dispute with my
country. You were born where you were born and faced
the future that you faced because you were black and for
no other reason. The limits of your ambition were, thus,
expected to be set forever. You were born into a society
which spelled out with brutal clarity, and in as many ways
as possible, that you were a worthless human being. You
were not expected to aspire to excellence: you were
expected to make peace with mediocrity. Wherever you
have turned, James, in your short time on this earth, you
have been told where you could go and what you could do
(and how you could do it) and where you could live and
whom you could marry. I know your countrymen do not
agree with me about this, and I hear them saying, “You
exaggerate.” They do not know Harlem, and I do. So do
you. Take no one’s word for anything, including mine—
but trust your experience. c
Know whence you came. If you know whence you
came, there is really no limit to where you can go. The
details and symbols of your life have been deliberately
constructed to make you believe what white people say
about you. Please try to remember that what they
believe, as well as what they do and cause you to endure,
does not testify to your inferiority but to their inhumanity
and fear.
Cross Genre Connections:
Use Communication, Information and Media connections
at www.classzone.com, www.discoveryeducation.com, or
other online resources (The Harlem Renaissance ) to
examine the genre of protest literature.
Visual Arts Connections:
Father, Charly Palmer
Week 36: 05/13/13 – 05/17/13
(Q3) Reread lines 60 - 73. Which sentence BEST expresses the
basis for Baldwin’s anger?
Possible answer.
line 68 – mediocrity:
lack of quality or
excellence
(Q4) Sum up Baldwin’s view of whites.
Possible answer.
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
How are events of the 1950s and 1960s reflected in
American literature?
What common themes emerge?
1.
Continue to use the graphic organizers or response
journals as a means to organize thoughts for
prewriting activities.
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
How are the beliefs, values and principles expressed in
Baldwin’s writing symbolized in the images?
What common themes emerge in paintings and
photographs from the 1950s and 1960s?
(Q5) What stories are created in the images?
Possible answer.
(Q6) How do these images relate to the theme of Baldwin’s
letter?
Possible answer.
Photo from I Am a Man Movement
2012-2013
7
GRADE 11 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Summative Assessment/Culminating Independent
Writing Task
Week 36: 05/13/13 – 05/17/13
Write a 1-2 page documented analysis comparing and contrasting the values
and beliefs in Henry Louis Gates, Jr. excerpt “The Trials of Phillis Wheatley” and
James Baldwin’s ideals in the letter to his nephew. Explain the common
themes that emerge in the evolution of the African American literary tradition.
Possible answer.
2012-2013
8
Informational/Explanatory Writing – Independent Writing Assignment – Analysis of Phillis Wheatley
RUBRIC AND SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL 11 - 12 ELA
Informational/explanatory writing conveys information accurately. This kind of writing serves one or more closely related purposes: to increase readers’ knowledge of a subject, to help
readers better understand a procedure or process, or to provide readers with an enhanced comprehension of a concept. Informational/explanatory writing includes a wide array of genres,
including academic genres such as literary analyses, scientific and historical reports, summaries, and précis writing as well as forms of workplace and functional writing such as instructions,
manuals, memos, reports, applications, and resumes. (Appendix A, page 23 http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_A.pdf))
Student Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Period: ___________________ Final Score: ____________/30
Criterion
With practice, students become better able to develop a controlling idea and a
coherent focus on a topic and more skilled at selecting and incorporating relevant
examples, facts, and details into their writing.
They are also able to use a variety of techniques to convey information, such as
naming, defining, describing, or differentiating different types or parts; comparing
or contrasting ideas or concepts; and citing an anecdote or a scenario to illustrate a
point.
Response to Prompt/Thesis
W.11-12.2a - 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.
W.11-12.2e - Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
W.11-12.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Organization
W.11-12.2a - 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.
W.11-12.2c- 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.
Evidence/Support
W.11-12.2b - 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.
Level 5
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Superior
Solid
Partial
Limited
Very Limited
Exceeds
expectations
Above
expectations
Meets
expectations
Approaching
expectations
Does not meet
expectations
5
4
3
2
1
skillful
purposeful style
5
logical order
skillful use of
transitions/syntax
competent
appropriate style
4
appropriate order
proficient use of
transitions/ syntax
adequate
sufficient style
3
some order
some use of
transitions/syntax
5
4
3
insightful
cohesive
skillful control with
evidence, citations
and/or quotes
thorough
cohesive
strong control with
evidence, citations
and/or quotes
sufficient
some cohesion
control with some
evidence, citations
and/or quotes
limited
inconsistent style
2
limited order
inappropriate use of
transitions/syntax
2
inappropriate
superficial
lacks cohesion
little specific
information with
few citations and/or
quotes
inadequate
attempts, but fails
at style
1
lacks order
inadequate use of
transitions/syntax
1
insufficient
irrelevant
no evidence of
specific
information,
citations and/or
quotes
Analysis
W.11-12.2b - Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and
5
relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
complex thinking
thorough
seamless
Structure
5
W.11-12.2f- 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).
Command of Language
W.11-12.2d - Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such
as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.
W.11-12.5 - Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant
for a specific purpose and audience.
L.11-12.1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
L.1-12.2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.11-12.3 - Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend
more fully when reading or listening.
effective closure
meaningful,
reflective
conclusion
4
some complex
thinking
relevant
4
closure
conclusion follows
implications
5
4
mature language
skillful use of
domain specific
terms
exemplary
command of
conventions
appropriate
language
domain specific
terms
command of
conventions
3
simplistic thinking
appropriate
3
sense of closure
conclusion
partially supports
explanation
3
inconsistent
language
some domain
specific terms
inconsistent
command of
conventions
2
flawed thinking
minimal
2
weak closure
inadequate
conclusion
2
limited language
few domain specific
terms
limited command of
conventions
1
inaccurate thinking
irrelevant
illogical
1
no evident closure
lacks conclusion
1
inappropriate
language
insufficient use of
domain specific
terms
weak command of
conventions
NOTE: The following writing standards are not specifically addressed in this lesson.
W.11-12.1 - Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W.11-12.6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to
other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
W.11-12.7 - Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the
inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
W.11-12.8 - Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in
answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Informational/Explanatory Writing – Independent Writing Assignment
Analysis of Phillis Wheatley
STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL 11 - 12 ELA
Informational/explanatory writing conveys information accurately. This kind of writing serves one or more closely related purposes: to increase readers’
knowledge of a subject, to help readers better understand a procedure or process, or to provide readers with an enhanced comprehension of a concept.
Informational/explanatory writing includes a wide array of genres, including academic genres such as literary analyses, scientific and historical reports,
summaries, and précis writing as well as forms of workplace and functional writing such as instructions, manuals, memos, reports, applications, and resumes.
(Appendix A, 23 http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_A.pdf)
Student Name: ____________________________________________ Period: ___________________ Final Score: ____________/30
Criterion
With practice, students become better able to
develop a controlling idea and a coherent focus on a
topic and more skilled at selecting and incorporating
relevant examples, facts, and details into their
writing.
They are also able to use a variety of techniques to
convey information, such as naming, defining,
describing, or differentiating different types or parts;
comparing or contrasting ideas or concepts; and
citing an anecdote or a scenario to illustrate a point.
Response to Prompt/Thesis
W.11-12.2a
Level 5
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Superior
Solid
Partial
Limited
Very
Limited
Exceeds
expectations
Above
expectations
Meets
expectations
Approaching
expectations
Does not
meet
expectations
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
Did you introduce the topic?
Did you organize complex ideas, concepts, and
information so that each new element builds on
preceding ideas?
W.11-12.2e
Does your response establish and maintain a formal
style and objective tone?
Does your writing attend to the norms and conventions
of the discipline in which you are writing?
W.11-12.4
Is your response clear and coherent?
Are the development, organization, and style
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience?
Organization
W.11-12.2a
Did you introduce the topic by organizing complex ideas,
concepts, and information?
Did you create a unified whole to aid comprehension?
W.11-12.2c
Did you use appropriate and varied transitions to link
major sections of the text?
Did you vary the syntax to create cohesion and clarify
the relationships among complex ideas and concepts?
Evidence/Support
W.11-12.2b
Did you develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the
most significant and relevant facts?
Analysis
W.11-12.2b
Is the topic thoroughly developed?
Did you include extended definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples
appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic?
Structure
W.11-12.2f
5
4
3
2
1
5
4
3
2
1
Did you provide a concluding statement or section?
Does the closure follow from and support the
information or explanation presented?
Command of Language
W.11-12.2d
Did you use precise language and domain-specific
vocabulary?
Did you consider techniques such as metaphor, simile,
and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic?
W.11-12.5
Did you plan, revise, edit, and rewrite?
Did you consider trying a new approach, focusing on
addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose
and audience?
L.11-12.1
Did you observe the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing?
L.1-12.2
Did you observe the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing?
L.11-12.3
Did you apply your knowledge of language, make
effective choices for meaning or style, and vary syntax
for effect?
NOTE: The following writing standards are not specifically addressed in this lesson.
W.11-12.1 - Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence.
W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and wellstructured event sequences.
W.11-12.6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking
advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
W.11-12.7 - Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or
solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating
understanding of the subject under investigation.
W.11-12.8 - Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively;
assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the
flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Informational/Explanatory Writing – Independent Writing Assignment – Comparison Gates - Baldwin
RUBRIC AND SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL 11 - 12 ELA
Informational/explanatory writing conveys information accurately. This kind of writing serves one or more closely related purposes: to increase readers’ knowledge of a subject, to help
readers better understand a procedure or process, or to provide readers with an enhanced comprehension of a concept. Informational/explanatory writing includes a wide array of genres,
including academic genres such as literary analyses, scientific and historical reports, summaries, and précis writing as well as forms of workplace and functional writing such as instructions,
manuals, memos, reports, applications, and resumes. (Appendix A, p. 23 at http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_A.pdf))
Student Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Period: ___________________ Final Score: ____________/30
Criterion
With practice, students become better able to develop a controlling idea and a
coherent focus on a topic and more skilled at selecting and incorporating relevant
examples, facts, and details into their writing.
They are also able to use a variety of techniques to convey information, such as
naming, defining, describing, or differentiating different types or parts; comparing
or contrasting ideas or concepts; and citing an anecdote or a scenario to illustrate a
point.
Response to Prompt/Thesis
W.11-12.2a - 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.
W.11-12.2e - Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
W.11-12.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Organization
W.11-12.2a - 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.
W.11-12.2c- 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.
Evidence/Support
W.11-12.2b - 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.
Level 5
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Superior
Solid
Partial
Limited
Very Limited
Exceeds
expectations
Above
expectations
Meets
expectations
Approaching
expectations
Does not meet
expectations
5
skillful
purposeful style
5
4
competent
appropriate style
4
3
adequate
sufficient style
3
logical order
skillful use of
transitions/syntax
sequences
purposefully
masterful parallel
construction
appropriate order
proficient use of
transitions/ syntax
sequences logically
obvious parallel
construction
some order
some use of
transitions/syntax
sequences
minimally
some elements of
parallelism
5
4
3
insightful
cohesive
skillful control with
evidence, citations
and/or quotes
thorough
cohesive
strong control with
evidence, citations
and/or quotes
sufficient
some cohesion
control with some
evidence, citations
and/or quotes
2
limited
inconsistent style
2
limited order
inappropriate use of
transitions/syntax
sequences illogically
little parallel
construction
2
inappropriate
superficial
lacks cohesion
little specific
information with
few citations and/or
quotes
1
inadequate
attempts, but fails
at style
1
lacks order
inadequate use of
transitions/syntax
fails to sequence
no evidence of
parallel
construction
1
insufficient
irrelevant
no evidence of
specific
information,
citations and/or
quotes
Analysis
W.11-12.2b - Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and
5
4
3
relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
complex thinking
thorough
seamless
Structure
5
4
3
effective closure
meaningful,
reflective
conclusion
closure
conclusion follows
implications
sense of closure
conclusion
partially supports
explanation
W.11-12.2f- 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).
Command of Language
W.11-12.2d - Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such
as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.
W.11-12.5 - Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant
for a specific purpose and audience.
L.11-12.1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
L.1-12.2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.11-12.3 - Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend
more fully when reading or listening.
some complex
thinking
relevant
5
4
mature language
skillful use of
domain specific
terms
exemplary
command of
conventions
appropriate
language
domain specific
terms
command of
conventions
simplistic thinking
appropriate
3
inconsistent
language
some domain
specific terms
inconsistent
command of
conventions
2
flawed thinking
minimal
2
weak closure
inadequate
conclusion
2
limited language
few domain specific
terms
limited command of
conventions
1
inaccurate thinking
irrelevant
illogical
1
no evident closure
lacks conclusion
1
inappropriate
language
insufficient use of
domain specific
terms
weak command of
conventions
NOTE: The following writing standards are not specifically addressed in this lesson.
W.11-12.1 - Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W.11-12.6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to
other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
W.11-12.7 - Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the
inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
W.11-12.8 - Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in
answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
Informational/Explanatory Writing – Independent Writing Assignment – Comparison Gates - Baldwin
RUBRIC AND SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL 11 - 12 ELA
Informational/explanatory writing conveys information accurately. This kind of writing serves one or more closely related purposes: to increase readers’ knowledge of a subject, to help
readers better understand a procedure or process, or to provide readers with an enhanced comprehension of a concept. Informational/explanatory writing includes a wide array of genres,
including academic genres such as literary analyses, scientific and historical reports, summaries, and précis writing as well as forms of workplace and functional writing such as instructions,
manuals, memos, reports, applications, and resumes. (Appendix A, p. 23 at http://www.corestandards.org/assets/Appendix_A.pdf))
Student Name: ___________________________________________________________________________ Period: ___________________ Final Score: ____________/30
Criterion
With practice, students become better able to develop a controlling idea and a
coherent focus on a topic and more skilled at selecting and incorporating relevant
examples, facts, and details into their writing.
They are also able to use a variety of techniques to convey information, such as
naming, defining, describing, or differentiating different types or parts; comparing
or contrasting ideas or concepts; and citing an anecdote or a scenario to illustrate a
point.
Response to Prompt/Thesis
W.11-12.2a - 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.
W.11-12.2e - Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
W.11-12.4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Organization
W.11-12.2a - 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.
W.11-12.2c- 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.
Evidence/Support
W.11-12.2b - 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.
Level 5
Level 4
Level 3
Level 2
Level 1
Superior
Solid
Partial
Limited
Very Limited
Exceeds
expectations
Above
expectations
Meets
expectations
Approaching
expectations
Does not meet
expectations
5
skillful
purposeful style
5
4
competent
appropriate style
4
3
adequate
sufficient style
3
logical order
skillful use of
transitions/syntax
sequences
purposefully
masterful parallel
construction
appropriate order
proficient use of
transitions/ syntax
sequences logically
obvious parallel
construction
some order
some use of
transitions/syntax
sequences
minimally
some elements of
parallelism
5
4
3
insightful
cohesive
skillful control with
evidence, citations
and/or quotes
thorough
cohesive
strong control with
evidence, citations
and/or quotes
sufficient
some cohesion
control with some
evidence, citations
and/or quotes
2
limited
inconsistent style
2
limited order
inappropriate use of
transitions/syntax
sequences illogically
little parallel
construction
2
inappropriate
superficial
lacks cohesion
little specific
information with
few citations and/or
quotes
1
inadequate
attempts, but fails
at style
1
lacks order
inadequate use of
transitions/syntax
fails to sequence
no evidence of
parallel
construction
1
insufficient
irrelevant
no evidence of
specific
information,
citations and/or
quotes
Analysis
W.11-12.2b - Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and
5
4
3
relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
complex thinking
thorough
seamless
Structure
5
4
3
effective closure
meaningful,
reflective
conclusion
closure
conclusion follows
implications
sense of closure
conclusion
partially supports
explanation
W.11-12.2f- 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).
Command of Language
W.11-12.2d - Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such
as metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.
W.11-12.5 - Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing,
rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant
for a specific purpose and audience.
L.11-12.1 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar
and usage when writing or speaking.
L.1-12.2 - Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
L.11-12.3 - Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend
more fully when reading or listening.
some complex
thinking
relevant
5
4
mature language
skillful use of
domain specific
terms
exemplary
command of
conventions
appropriate
language
domain specific
terms
command of
conventions
simplistic thinking
appropriate
3
inconsistent
language
some domain
specific terms
inconsistent
command of
conventions
2
flawed thinking
minimal
2
weak closure
inadequate
conclusion
2
limited language
few domain specific
terms
limited command of
conventions
1
inaccurate thinking
irrelevant
illogical
1
no evident closure
lacks conclusion
1
inappropriate
language
insufficient use of
domain specific
terms
weak command of
conventions
NOTE: The following writing standards are not specifically addressed in this lesson.
W.11-12.1 - Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
W.11-12.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W.11-12.6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to
other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
W.11-12.7 - Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the
inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
W.11-12.8 - Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in
answering the research question; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.