UNIT: Ray Bradbury TIME FRAME: 4 to 5 Weeks GRADE: 8 th Unit Summary and Rationale: The Ray Bradbury author study aligns with the instructional shifts in the common core state standards for English/ Language Arts. The rational for the unit is to explore the genre of science fiction through the works of Ray Bradbury and understand how his life and times affected his writing. Students focus on close reading of the text and in-depth thinking, which will improve their reading and writing skills, while reading grade level appropriate work. This unit will allow them to analyze a specific author s style, setting, characters, themes, and perspectives in both small and large group settings, which will develop a deep understanding of the author- what characterizes the writing structure, and worldview on an author s work. Unit Connection College and Career Ready Descriptions: Students will demonstrate independence. Students will value evidence. Students will build strong content knowledge. Students will respond to the varying demands of audience, task, and discipline. Students will critique as well as comprehend. Students will use technology and digital media strategically and capably. Unit Standards: Reading (Including Foundational Skills) RL 8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL 8.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text. RL 8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. RL 8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. RL 8.5 Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the Writing W 8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1 3 above.) a. Produce text (print or nonprint) that explores a variety of cultures and perspectives. W 8.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well Speaking and Listening SL 8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. b. Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and Language L 8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. a. Explain the function of verbals (gerunds, participles, infinitives) in general and their function in particular sentences. b. Form and use verbs in the active and passive voice. c. Form and use verbs in the indicative, imperative, interrogative, conditional, and subjunctive mood. d. Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood. L 8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break. b. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission. c. Spell correctly. L 8.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact).
differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style. RL 8.6 Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor. a. Analyze full-length novels, short stories, poems, and other genres by authors who represent diverse world cultures. RL 8.7 Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. RL 8.9 Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new. RL 8.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6 8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. RL 8.11 Interpret, analyze, and evaluate narratives, poetry, and drama, artistically and ethically by making connections to: other texts, ideas, cultural perspectives, eras, personal events, and situations. a. Self-select text to develop personal preferences. b. Establish and use criteria to classify, select, and evaluate texts to make informed judgments about the quality of the pieces. purpose and audience have been addressed. W 8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new ). W 8.11 Create a presentation, art work, or text in response to a literary work with a commentary that identifies connections and explains divergences from the original. a. Make wellsupported personal, cultural, textual, and thematic connections across genres. define individual roles as needed. c. Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas. d. Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented. e. Seek to understand other perspectives and cultures and communicate effectively with audiences or individuals from varied backgrounds. SL 8.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. SL 8.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. L 8.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact). L 8.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede). c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning or its part of speech. d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). L 8.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings. a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context. b. Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words. c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations L 8.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
Essential Questions/Learning Objectives 1) How do we identify the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text? 2) How does an author s biographical information play a part of his writing style? 3) How can historical quotes be used to further analyze a piece of writing? 4) How do the elements of a text format change when change to a movie format? 5) How does close reading of a text facilitate the analysis of a text? Big Ideas/ Expected Learning As a result of the study, students will: 1) Listen to prose and poetry being read aloud, read the texts aloud, and read them independently. 2) Discuss the meaning and importance of literature. 3) Celebrate the sounds and structures of poetry and explore its connection to music and language. 4) Meet with small groups to share their reactions and identify the elements and structure of both Myer s writing and literary texts. Learning Tasks: Reading Tasks Writing Tasks Discussion Tasks Language/Vocabulary Tasks Read deeply in the fictional, non-fictional, and poetic texts of Walter Dean Myers Analyze the effects of setting in a story or poem See lessons 2 page 55, and lesson 7 page 89 Analyze characterization in a text See lesson 1 page 45, lesson 3 page 61, lesson 4 page 65, lesson 6 page 77, and lesson 12 page 119 Annotate a text See lesson 7 page 89, lesson 8 page 95, and lesson 11 page 109 Analyze theme See lesson 1 page 45, lesson 4 page 65, lesson 12 page 119, and lesson 15 page 139 Make connections between and among texts See lesson 3 page 61, lesson 4 page 65, lesson 6 page 77, and lesson 14 page 129 Respond to texts in notebook Analyze how Walter Dean Myers life influenced his works Write short responses to a text Create and add to an attribute chart on the works of Walter Dean Myers Ongoing throughout the unit Draft and publish a formal literary response that identifies a common theme in three of Walter Dean Myers works See lessons 15 through 17, pages 139 through 155 Participate in book discussion groups See lessons 6, 9, 11, 14, and 18 Analyze how Walter Dean Myers life influenced his works - Present information on an independently read short story by Walter Dean Myers See lessons 12 through 13, pages 119 through 127 Revise and edit a formal literary response that identifies a common theme in three of Walter Dean Myers works - lessons 15 through 17, pages 139 through 155
Assessments: DIAGNOSTIC FORMATIVE SUMMATIVE AIMS Web Testing Conferencing Response to Literature See lessons 12 through 13, pages 119 through 127 NWEA Testing Book discussion groups/tasks - See lessons 6, 9, 11, 14, and 18 Poetry Portfolio Short story presentations See lessons 12 through 13, pages 119 through 127 In class responses, written and oral, to Walter Dean Myers texts Student identification of literary terms in Harlem Exit Slips Informal Binder Checks Whole Class Text (s) Selection: A Christmas Story Bridges Big Joe s Funeral from 145 th Street Short The Streak from 145 th Street Short Harlem The Story of the Three Kingdoms Small Group Short Story Selection: Fighter from 145 th Street Short Monkeyman from 145 th Street Short Kitty and Mack: A Love Story from 145 th Street Short Block Patry 145 th Street Style from 145 th Street Short Book Discussion Group Texts: At Her Majesty s Request Autobiography of My Dead Brother Bad Boy Crystal Handbook for Boys Riot Scorpions Slam!
Lesson Notes: Insert biographical activities as teachers see fit before starting the lesson 1. Pre-assessment would fit well after lesson 1 to determine students knowledge of theme and ability to support with a text. The response does not need to be an essay; a paragraph may suffice. Lesson 4, page 66, contains great ideas that would be more applicable earlier in the year. Adapt or omit as needed. Lessons 6 through 10 all discuss the poem, Harlem. Adapt or omit as needed. Book discussion lessons, number 6, 9, 11, 14, and 18, may need to be moved in order to allow students more time to complete independent reading of texts in class. Additional Lessons Close examination of a text Analysis of specific lines in a text How do lines connect to a whole piece Additional story stories from 145 th Street Short as needed and fit, see lesson 12, page119, for stories not covered. Author s purpose