Unit One Theme: Stories of Survival. This unit will look at texts that will show people going through difficult situations. We will look at how people react to these situations and how it shapes the person they become.
Essential Question: How are people shaped by the challenges they face?
Unit Final Exam: 100 pts. Approximate date: October 14th Students will be assessed through multiple choice, short response and extended response questions. Students should review assignments, notes, and feedback in order to prepare for the exam.
Learning Activities: These activities are the day to day task that occur in the classroom. These activities will represent the learning targets of the unit.
Unit Formal Writing Task: Approximate Due Date: October 14th The Two Faces of June As we read through the story Tuesday of the other June we are introduced to the character June, who goes through the challenge of being bullied. We are able to see how June changes throughout the story as she deals with this situation.
Task Breakdown: When reading a text we need to look at the characters Actions, Thoughts, and Statements to determine the characteristic traits of a character. Students will develop a folding character card that will show how June has changed throughout the story “Tuesday of the Other June.” Students will choose two traits that June demonstrated at the beginning of the story. For each trait they will need to show evidence from the text that supports this trait (an action, a thought, a quote, try to have at least one of each). 30 pts. Students will choose two traits that June demonstrated at the end of the story. For these traits the students must again show actions, thoughts, or quotes that support this trait. (try to find at least one of each) 30 pts. Student will then write a paragraph that explain the changes that June went through in the story. 30 pts. Students will then put this information on their fold out character card. They must also design what the face of June looks like on the front of the character card. 10 pts.
Culminating Task: Approximate Due Date: October 14th We have seen how authors develop a character and a plot throughout a text. The expectation of your Culminating Task, is for you to develop the beginning of a narrative story in which a character you develop, will face a difficult challenge/situation. Your narrative story (beginning) should introduce the character. This character’s traits should be demonstrated through their actions, thoughts or things that the character says. The setting should be clear and the conflict or problem should being to develop in the beginning of your story. Reading Text for Unit 1 Tuesday of the Other June Dirk the Protecter When Gertrude Grew Great The Wallet The Breakaway A Boat to Nowhere
Reading Responses: Students will be expected to hand in Reading Responses (on assigned dates). Students will read novels during the course of a unit, they will be assigned Reading Responses that are based on a prompt and must respond to this prompt. Reading responses are to be done on loose leaf paper so that they can be handed in.
Reading Response #1 Due Monday October 5 Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life One of Rafe’s biggest challenges is his confrontations with Miller the Killer. What could Rafe do to get on the good side of a kid who has bad sides?
Reading Response #2 Due Friday October 16 How does Rafe break his no-hurt rule by his antics on Halloween Day? Who does he hurt? What decision does he make as a result of the pain he inflicts?
The Learning Targets that will be cover in this Unit: Reading: Read closely and make logical inferences as I read. Cite specific examples and details from the text to support conclusions I make. Identify the theme of a narrative story. Describe the structure of a narrative and how portions of the story relate to one another. Describe and sequence series of events in a narrative plot. Explain how events help illustrate key ideas in a story. Explain how a character changes throughout the plot of a story. Describe how characters respond as the plot moves forward. Understand and explain how the point of view is developed by the narrator or speaker.
Language: Identify the meaning of unknown words and phrases as they are used in a text. Explain the impact that word choice has on tone and mood of a story Writing: Construct short responses using ICE Construct extended responses based upon fully developed tasks.
Performance Task / Extended Response: Based on excerpt from Alice in Wonderland, imagine what would happen to Alice if this story continued. Write a story telling what happens next and how Alice reacts. Use the same narrative point of view as in the passage, and make Alice’s actions and behaviors consistent with her character in the passage. In your essay be sure to:Describe what happens to Alice in the future Use the same narrative point of view Make Alice’s actions and behaviors consistent with her character in the passage