Language Arts Lab Curriculum — Grade 10
September 2015
Overview
The Language Arts Lab curriculum strictly adheres to the Common Core State Standards. The
class serves as a support to further prepare students for the demands of college and career-readiness.
These standards call for the progressive development of reading comprehension in order to allow
students to gain a deeper understanding from fictional and informational text, as a means of preparing
them for credit-bearing academic college courses as well as workforce training programs. Through
reading an array of contemporary literature and challenging informational text in a range of subjects,
students are expected to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their
perspectives. Moreover, the ability to write logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound
reasoning, and relevant evidence, including research writing and the use of evidence to support a
claim, is a cornerstone of the writing standards, which are essential elements in Language Arts Lab
curriculum. In addition, just as media and technology are integrated throughout school and everyday
life in the twenty-first century, skills related to media use (both critical analysis and production of
media) are also integrated throughout the standards for Language Arts Lab.
PCTI Curriculum Unit Planner
Content Area:
Unit Plan Title:
CCS Standard(s) Addressed
Language Arts Lab
Unit 1: Ourselves and Others
Grade(s)
10
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how
it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text,
interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.5
Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and
manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.9
Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme
or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.10
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of the
grades 9-10 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence.
Content Area:
Unit Plan Title:
Language Arts Lab
Unit 1: Ourselves and Others
Grade(s)
10
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.2
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.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and wellstructured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.6
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.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
Essential Questions






How can we show respect to others?
How can adversity in life make us stronger?
Can one person change the world?
How does literature help us understand what it means to be human?
How does one’s upbringing change his/her view of society and the world?
What is your definition of a hero?
Anchor Text




Wonder – RJ Palacio
Wonder - RJ Palacio - via Curriculet
Wonder – PDF - http://www.lakewoodcityschools.org/userfiles/2658/Wonder%20-%20comp%203_8%20%20audiopdf.pdf
Wonder – Audiobook - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anWMLkelmEk
Informational Texts
Required
 Treacher-Collins Syndrome - http://www.ccakids.com/assets/syndromebk_treacher-collins.pdf
 YouTube Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgB7_KpBDss
 A School’s “Peace Room” Aims to End Fighting in the Halls - https://www.newsela.com/articles/studentsconflicts/id/301/
 Mexico Targets Bullying with a National Campaign - https://www.newsela.com/articles/mexico-bullies/id/4459/
Optional
 Choose Kind Campaign - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4psz--ziXB4
 Choose Kind Campaign - http://choosekind.tumblr.com/
 Say My Name - Anti Bullying Song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndcJwu0FctA
 How Do You Define Yourself - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c62Aqdlzvqk
Short Texts
Required
 Kendra’s Wish:
http://www.treachercollins.org/tcs/Kendras_Wish.html
 Welcome to Holland:
http://www.treachercollins.org/tcs/Holland.html
Optional
 The Julian Chapter: A Wonder Story
 The Lottery
 What of This Goldfish, Would You
Wish?
Content Area:
Unit Plan Title:
Suggested Writing Assessments
Language Arts Lab
Unit 1: Ourselves and Others
Grade(s)
10
Research/Textual Analysis & Synthesis: (Pre-benchmark) Should high school start an hour later?
Narrative Writing: Write a personal narrative in which you recall a time when you did not act in an appropriate manner.
How you affected the other person? How you could have responded differently? How did you mature through that
experience?
Textual Analysis: Using quotations from the book and/or reference to specific situations, analyze one character.
(Possibilities: Auggie, Olivia, Jack, Justin, Summer, Miranda) What motivates this character? What character traits define
him or her? Does this person change throughout the course of the book, and if so, in what way?
Literary Analysis: How does RJ Palacio use allusion in the novel and what impact does it have on the meaning and tone of
the story?
Reading Journals: Students will respond to a variety of teacher prompts about the novel Wonder and their reading
experience.
Novel Project:
Coat of Arms - You will need to research “Coat of Arms” and produce a meaningful product inspired by a
character from the novel Wonder. You will come up with a symbolic animal, tool/weapon, motto and two colors for your
character. You must write a two page description as to what each of the symbols mean, why you chose them, and how it
ties into the character. Be specific in relating it to events in the book, included page numbers whenever possible to cite
correctly.
Research - Investigate any topic within the novel that you would like to know more about and present the
information to the class in an appropriate format. This is NOT a summary of the book, but an extension of one aspect of
the book. Formats for presentation include: Google Presentation, digital brochure, or digital newsletter.
Movie Cast Selection - You are the producer, choose your cast for a new movie made about your book. You
may NOT do this project if your book was made into a movie within the last ten years. Choose a minimum of ten
characters, describe them in the book, Find one contemporary actor to play them, and then discuss why that person was
cast; similar physical characteristics, similar personality, previously played a similar character, etc. You will present the ten
characters in your book to the class using the presentation program of your choice. (Google Slides, Prezi, Slides.com)
Research/Textual Analysis & Synthesis: (First benchmark) Is exclusion a form of bullying - even if it does not involve
physical harm to the person targeted? And is it possible to take a strong personal stand against bullying?
Targeted Skills – Reading
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific
textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting
details and ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.3
Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.5
Analyze the structure of texts, including how specific sentences, paragraphs, and larger portions of the text
(e.g., a section, chapter, scene, or stanza) relate to each other and the whole.
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 1: Ourselves and Others
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.6
Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
Grade(s)
10
Targeted Skills - Language
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when
writing.
Writing and Grammar Focus
Parts of a Sentence
Punctuation
Sentence Problems
Paragraph Structure
Vocabulary
Resources (websites, Blackboard, documents, etc.)
HMH Collections – Textbook
Curriculet - Wonder by RJ Palacio
Collections - Performance Assessments Workbook
Blackboard
Google Apps for Education
No Red Ink
Online Audio Text
iPad
Chromebook
Suggested Time Frame:
10 Weeks
PCTI Curriculum Unit Planner
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 2: The Art of Argumentative Writing
10
CCSS Standard(s) Addressed
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.2
Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is
shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.3
Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made,
how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical
meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court
opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.5
Analyze in detail how an author's ideas or claims are developed and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger
portions of a text (e.g., a section or chapter).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.6
Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of
view or purpose.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.7
Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person's life story in both print and multimedia),
determining which details are emphasized in each account.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence
is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.9
Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g., Washington's Farewell Address, the Gettysburg
Address, Roosevelt's Four Freedoms speech, King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail"), including how they address related
themes and concepts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.10
By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 9-10 text complexity band
independently and proficiently.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.2
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.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.5
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.
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 2: The Art of Argumentative Writing
10
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.6
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.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.8
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.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
Essential Questions



What writing conventions (i.e., Author’s Purpose, Perspective, Point-of-View, Validity) must the reader consider
and use to understand and assimilate complex text?
How do writers structure their work to reflect their message?
In what ways can writing influence or change the way society functions?
Anchor Text



Curriculet - USA Today
Collections: Writers Interactive Board - Writing an Argument
Student Selected Novel for Pair/Group Independent Reading: See Appendix A
Informational Texts
Required:
 Collections: The Power of Media
 The Modern City and the Municipal Franchise for Women Jane Addams - Collections
 from Message to Congress on Indian Policy - Andrew Jackson Collections
Optional:
 from Nonviolence - Mohandas K. Gandhi
- Collections
 Teacher selected current newspaper or
magazine articles
Short Texts
Required:
 My Life as a Bat - Collections - Margaret
Atwood
 Hope for Animals and Their World - Jane
Goodall
Optional:
 Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas - Collections Frederick Douglas
 Civil Disobedience - Tale Blazers - Henry David Thoreau
 The Gettysburg Address and Other Writings - Tale
Blazers - Abraham Lincoln
 Walden Pond "Economy" - Tale Blazers - Henry David
Thoreau
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 2: The Art of Argumentative Writing
10
Suggested Writing Assessments
Research/Textual Analysis & Synthesis: (Instructional Unit) Should kids get eBooks in school? PARCC workbook, Chapter 5,
pg. 160 - 180.
Argumentative Writing: It is often suggested that the best way for a school district to save money is to eliminate certain
extracurricular activities by either reducing the number of varsity sports available to students or getting rid of certain
student clubs. Some people assert that, although these activities may be enjoyable to students, they are not necessarily
vital to the educational experience. What do you think? Are these activities an important part of the student experience,
or are they just an unnecessary privilege? Write an essay in which you argue whether extracurricular activities are
necessary or unnecessary. Cite specific reasons or examples to support your viewpoint.
Textual Writing: What is Addam’s argument, and do you support it? Why or why not?
Textual Writing: If you were a member of a Native American tribe affected by this policy, what objections might you make
to its provisions?
Reading Journals: Students will respond to a variety of teacher prompts about their independent reading selection.
Novel Project:
Poetry Book - Create a poetry book that will include six original poems: 1 Cinquain, 1 Concrete, 1 Diamonte,
1 Limerick, 1 Haiku, and 1 Acrostic. A glossary of the six terms and an introductory letter explaining why you picked your
theme for each poem and how it relates to your book. The poems can be from your own perspective or it can be from the
perspective of one of the characters.
Travel Brochure - Create a travel brochure for people to visit a place in your book. Choose six aspects of the
book that you wish to highlight and match pictures with your descriptions. A separate one page description of why each
category was chosen and how it relates to the book also needs to be included.
Timeline - You are the historian, take us through the major events, telling the story but without giving too
much away. This project includes: One digital presentation, in chronological order, of the 10 events that took place in your
novel. Also, showing where your main character meets five important characters in the story. You will share your
presentation with your class.
Research/Textual Analysis & Synthesis: (Second benchmark at end of MP2) Should a businesses have the right to ban
teenagers?
Targeted Skills – Reading:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.7
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in
words.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.8
Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the
relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 2: The Art of Argumentative Writing
10
Targeted Skills – Writing:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.1
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through
the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose,
and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.7
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of
the subject under investigation.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.8
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and
integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Targeted Skills – Speaking Listening:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.1
Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on
others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.2
Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.3
Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the
organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.6
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and communicative tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated
or appropriate.
Targeted Skills – Language:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.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.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing
meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate.
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 2: The Art of Argumentative Writing
10
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.6
Acquire and use accurately a range of 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 encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.
Writing and Grammar Focus:
Parts of a Sentence
Punctuation
Sentence Problems
Paragraph Structure
RST Structure
Resources (websites, Blackboard, documents, etc.)
Curriculet - USA Today
HMH Collections – Textbook
Collections - Performance Assessments
Collections - Online Interactive Lessons
Collections - Interactive Whiteboard Grammar Lessons
Common Core: PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessments, Grades 9-12 by Dennis Fare
Perfection Learning Tale Blazer Series
Blackboard
Google Apps for Education
Overdrive
No Red Ink
iPad
Chromebook
Suggested Time Frame:
10 Weeks
PCTI Curriculum Unit Planner
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 3: Understanding Narrative Writing
10
CCS Standard(s) Addressed
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including
how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text,
interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.5
Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and
manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.6
Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States,
drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and
well-structured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose,
and audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.5
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.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.5
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.
Essential Questions





What is the essence of narrative writing?
How do communication skills enhance self-expression?
How do writers and artists organize or construct text to convey meaning?
How does the author’s voice influence how the audience feels about the characters?
How does the perspective of a character influence the reader’s reaction to an event?
Anchor Text
Collections
National Novel Writing Month’s Young Novelist Workbook
Student Selected Novel for Independent Reading
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 3: Understanding Narrative Writing
10
Informational Texts
Required:
 Storyville: Why Write Short Stories At All?: https://litreactor.com/columns/storyville-why-write-short-stories-atall
 Novel Wise - Collections
 WordSharp - Interactive Vocabulary Tutor - Collections
Optional:
 Revise Narrative Writing: https://learnzillion.com/lessonsets/857
Short Texts
Required:
 The Wife’s Story - Ursula K. Le Guin
Optional:
 She Walks in Beauty - George Gordon, Lord Byron - Collections
 Ode on Solitude - Alexander Pope - Collections
Suggested Writing Assessments
Narrative Writing: Complete the end of The Wife’s Story from given point.
Narrative Writing: Multiple writing assignments from the National Novel Writing Month’s Young Novelist Workbook
Novel Project:
Prequel, Sequel - Write at least a five page prequel or sequel to your novel to add additional information to
the story as you imagine it to happen. Be sure to use dialogue and be sure to use it correctly. Although this is your
additional material, the style of writing should stay true to the original text. You will share your prequel or sequel with the
class.
Alternate Ending - Were you surprised by the end of your novel? Think you can do better? Write at least a
five page ending to your novel as you think the story should have ended. Be sure to use dialogue and be sure to use it
correctly. Although this is your ending, the style of writing should stay true to the original text. Stay in the same voice and
writing style that the original author began. If you have not yet completed the book, work from that point forward.
Movie / Drama - Choose a scene or several scenes from your story to act out. You can also create a new
scene that wasn’t in the novel i.e. - a new ending or an extension of a scene from the novel. This is not an impromptu
production. Your scene must be mapped out and you should be following a script. You can video your actors doing the
scene to ensure it turns out the way you want.
Research/Textual Analysis & Synthesis: (Final benchmark at end of MP3) The issue of the legalization of marijuana is
slowly coming to the forefront of society. In the past month two states have passed bills allowing for the legalization of the
recreational use of marijuana. Some believe this is a great way to reduce crime and generate tax revenue for the
government if it is properly regulated. However, some believe that marijuana is a gateway drug and users will find their
way to harder, more dangerous drugs. Should New Jersey legalize marijuana?
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 3: Understanding Narrative Writing
10
Targeted Skills – Reading
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence
when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and
ideas.
Targeted Skills – Writing:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and wellstructured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose,
and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.10
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.
Targeted Skills – Speaking & Listening:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the
organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5
Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of
presentations.
Targeted Skills – Language:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.5
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Writing and Grammar Focus:
Parts of a Sentence
Punctuation
Sentence Problems
Paragraph Structure
Dialogue
Descriptive Vocabulary
Narrative Structure
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 3: Understanding Narrative Writing
Resources (websites, Blackboard, documents, etc.)
National Novel Writing Month’s Young Novelist Workbook
HMH Collections – Textbook
Collections - Online Interactive Lesson - NovelWise
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The Creative Teacher's Guide to NaNoWriMo: How to Write a Novel in the Classroom
Overdrive
Blackboard
Google Apps for Education
No Red Ink
iPad
Chromebook
Suggested Time Frame:
10 Weeks
Grade(s)
10
PCTI Curriculum Unit Planner
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 4: A Novel Idea – Independent Reading
10
CCS Standard(s) Addressed
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how
it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3
Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text,
interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings;
analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time
and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.5
Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and
manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.6
Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States,
drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.7
Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or
absent in each treatment
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and wellstructured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.5
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.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.6
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.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.10
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.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 4: A Novel Idea – Independent Reading
10
Essential Questions
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How can I improve my reading performance?
How can you use language to empower yourself?
How does language influence the way we think, act, and perceive the world?
What makes a story timeless?
How can we use evaluation and reflection to improve our writing?
Anchor Text
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Student Selected Novel for Independent Reading
National Novel Writing Month’s Young Novelist Workbook
Collections
Informational Texts
Required:
 http://www.openculture.com/2015/04/kurt-vonneguts-8-tips-on-howto-write-a-good-short-story.html
 http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/shortstory/
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/18/short-story-tips_n_3947152.html
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/short-story-writing/
Optional:
 Excerpts from On Writing Stephen King
Short Texts
Required:
 145th Street: Short Stories - Walter Dean
Myers
Optional:
 Putting Freytag's Pyramid To Use In Charting Your Own (And
Others') Stories http://writinghorrorfiction.blogspot.com/2011/03/puttingfreytags-pyramid-to-use-in.html
 “The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell PowerPoint http://goo.gl/TnfVxW
Suggested Writing Assessments
Textual Writing: Compare two different books you've read -- how has your EXPERIENCE of reading them been different? If
one was easier to read than the other, why? Really think about it, describe how it felt to read each title.
Novel project: Students will compose a short novel; rich in vocabulary, characters, figurative language, and all parts of
Freytag's pyramid to show a command of the process of writing. They will defend choices made in setting, conflict,
dialogue, character voice, and pacing.
Reading Journals: Students will respond to a variety of teacher prompts about their independent reading selection.
Questions will revolve around the choices made by the writer and construction of the text overall.
Content Area:
Language Arts Lab
Grade(s)
Unit Plan Title:
Unit 4: A Novel Idea – Independent Reading
10
Targeted Skills – Reading:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.4
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative
meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.9
Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the
approaches the authors take.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.R.10
Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.5
Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of
presentations.
Targeted Skills – Writing:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and wellstructured event sequences.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose,
and audience.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.6
Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.10
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.
Targeted Skills – Language:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.L.6
Acquire and use accurately a range of 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 encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.
Resources (websites, Blackboard, documents, etc.)
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National Novel Writing Month’s Young Novelist Workbook
Overdrive
Collections
Blackboard
Suggested Time Frame:
10 Weeks
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Google Apps for Education
No Red Ink
iPad
Chromebook
Appendix A
Young Adult Novel Titles for Independent Reading Marking Period Two
1. I Am the Weapon - Allen Zadoff
2. Wish You Were Dead - Todd Strasser
3. Monster - Walter Dean Myers
4. The Selection - Kiera Cass
5. Tears of a Tiger - Sharon Draper
6. The Angel Experiment (Maximum Ride #1) - James Patterson
7. Dorothy Must Die - Danielle Paige
8. I Hunt Killers - Barry Lyga
9. Carter Finally Gets It - Brent Crawford
10. Crash - Lisa McMann
11. Cinder - Marissa Meyer
12. A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
13. Lockdown (Escape from Furnace #1) - Alexander Gordon Smith
Genre / Category
Titles
Biography
12
Dystopian
4, 7
Fantasy
7, 10, 11
Humor
9
Mystery
1, 2, 8
Realistic Fiction
3, 5
Romance
4, 10, 11
Science Fiction
6, 13
Thriller
1, 2, 13
Male
1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13
Female
2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12
450 Lexile
650 Lexile
670 Lexile
680 Lexile
700 Lexile
700 Lexile
720 Lexile
750 Lexile
760 Lexile
780 Lexile
790 Lexile
850 Lexile
1010 Lexile
Appendix B
Language Arts Lab: Proficiencies Chart
Skills
I = Introduced
D = Developed in depth
R = Refined
Demonstrate ability to listen effectively
D, R
Engage in group discussion
D, R
Develop a paragraph with clear sense of cohesion
D, R
Employ mechanics to generate clear sentences
D, R
Utilize prewriting strategies including graphic organizers
D, R
Edit/revise drafts of manuscripts
D, R
Adapt writing style to a "given" audience
D
Interpret information from multimedia sources
D
Engage in documentation of sources
D
Prepare (speech, essay, review reports) research papers
D
Compile a list of vocabulary words
D
Complete exercises on antonyms, analogies, sentence completions D
Practice strategies for improving comprehension
D
Recognize major literary forms
D
Identify themes
D
Place events in proper sequence
D
Infer character’s motives
D
Explain author’s purpose
D
Identify literary conventions (flashback, foreshadowing, etc.)
D
Interpret figurative language
D
Skills
I = Introduced
D = Developed in depth
R = Refined
React to persuasive text
D
Respond to open-ended questions
D
Complete a standardized writing sample
D
Practice test-taking strategies (develop, improve)
D
Instructional Strategies Based on Instructional Goals (Applying Universal Design for
Learning)
Instructional Strategies commonly utilized in Language Arts Lab:
· Maps, photographs, graphs, and other visuals
· Engaging in discussion (whole class/small group)
· Reading silently and aloud
· Listening and speaking activities
· Watching and responding to media
· Brainstorming (think-alouds/written)
· Listing
· Mapping
· Free writing
· Revising and editing
· Participating in small and large groups
· Researching to make connections to texts and classroom discussions
· Learning centers
· Collaborative projects
· Answering questions (oral/written)
· Summarizing
· Debating
· Analyzing texts, discussions, etc.
· Paraphrasing
· Peer teaching
· Conferring
· Playing games
· Creating games
· Note taking/note making
· Drafting/writing