West Haven Public Schools Unit Planning Organizer Subject: English Language Arts Grade: 8 Unit 1: The Making of a Good Story Pacing: 29 days Essential Question(s): 1. What makes a story worth reading? 2. How do we engage in meaningful conversation?. How can a word reveal its meaning? 4. What are the structures of narrative writing, and how can I employ them? 5. How do I become part of a community of readers and writers? What rules and routines should we adopt in this classroom? Big Idea(s): 1. Writers depend on a variety of devices and techniques to craft a good story. 2. Listening actively, synthesizing the ideas of others, and responding appropriately generate meaningful conversation.. Word parts are clues to word meaning. 4. Effective writing requires attention to specific techniques. 5. Coming to class prepared for participating in discussions and respecting the ideas of others builds a strong community of readers and writers.
Common Core State Standards (includes West Haven s Priority Common Core Standards in BOLD and Supporting Standards) CCSS ELA 8 Standards to be Assessed: RL.: 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.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. SL.1c: Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas. W.c: Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events. W.d: Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. L.1d: Recognize and correct inappropriate shifts in verb voice and mood. L.4b: Use common, grade appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede). Supporting Standards W.: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well structured event sequences. W.a: Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. W.b: Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. W.e: Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
W.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 purpose and audience have been addressed. SL.1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussion (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. SL.1a: 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. SL.1b: Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. L.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. L.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. L.2c: Spell correctly. L.: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. L.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. L.4a: 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. R.L.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.
Unwrapped Concepts and Skills, and Bloom Levels (BL) Concepts (Need to Know) Skills (Able to Do) Bloom s Level RL. dialogue incidents action character decision RL.6 point of view character audience reader effects (such as): dramatic irony suspense humor RL. analyze (how dialogue or incidents propel action) analyze (how dialogue or incidents reveal character) analyze (how dialogue or incidents provoke a decision) RL.6 analyze (how differences in the point of view of characters and audience or reader create effects) 4 4 4 4 W.c Transitions sequence words phrases clauses W.c use (transition words, phrases, and clauses)
shifts in time setting relationships among experiences events convey (sequence) signal (shifts in time or setting) show (relationships among experiences and events) 4 W.d precise words and phrases relevant descriptive details sensory language action experiences events W.d use (precise words and phrases) use (relevant descriptive details) use (sensory language) capture (action) convey (experiences) convey (events), 6 2, 4 SL.1c questions that connect ideas relevant evidence relevant observations relevant ideas SL.1c pose (questions that connect ideas) respond (with relevant evidence, observations, ideas) 5 1
L.1d Inappropriate shifts in verb voice mood L.1d recognize (inappropriate shifts in verb voice) recognize (inappropriate shifts in mood) correct (inappropriate shifts in verb voice) correct (inappropriate shifts in mood) 1 L.4b Greek or Latin affixes Greek or Latin roots L.4b use (Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word) Assessments Common Pre Assessment (Followed by Data Team Analysis): Attached
Required Reading: Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes (Page in Elements of Literature) Optional Reading: The Broken Chain, Holt Assessment (T), Literary Response and Analysis pages 17 19 The Green Mamba, Elements of Literature, page 241, Enrichment Practice the Strategy, Elements of Literature, pages 248 249 Mrs. Flowers, Elements of Literature, Viewing the Art, page 187 (T) Mrs. Flowers, Holt Literature, Response and Analysis, 1 5 and Writing Mrs. Flowers, Holt Assessment (T), Literary Response and Analysis, pages 52 55 Read Before You Read: Character s Influence and Main Idea, page 185 Complete Class Survey and Background: Maya Angelou, page 185 (Youtube: Biography of Maya Angelou) Read Mrs. Flowers, pages 186 189 Read the poem, Still I Rise Analyze and discuss Complete page 191, Response and Analysis, if time permits Enrichment: Comparing Messages, page 191 9/11 Narratives (optional Man In The Red Bandana http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6929979
Required Independent Reading: Teacher should give students 15 20 minutes to independently read per class. Students will choose their own books, based on genre suggested by teacher. Required Writing of a Personal Narrative o Writer's Craft, pg. 28: Personal Narrative Unit o Dialogue Worksheets/Exercises in Writers Craft, pg. 24 27 o Narrative PPT saved on our PC s *** Technology should be incorporated into the unit through the use of websites, power points and videos. In addition, students should engage in activities that involve casual and formal research throughout the year. Suggested websites: Thinkfinity.org CBASwrite.com Readwritethink.org http://www.uen.org/core/core.do?coursenum=4280 (Lesson plans for all CCSS) www.elc.byu.edu/classes/buck/w_garden/students/students _narrative.html#gabriela Suggested Weekly Planner **EVERY DAY CLASS STARTS WITH PROOFREADING PRACTICE/DOL ** SEE BELOW FOR LINKS** **EVERY DAY CLASS ENDS WITH SSR (15 20 MINUTES)**
Week One Class contract/establish classroom rules and routines (SSR and DOL) Introductory Activities Fall DRP Pre CA Review Essential Questions and Word Wall Week Two Notes on Quotations Quotation Practice Review Literary Terms Notes Literary Terms Activities Teacher choice for introduction to short stories/literary terms: The Green Mamba ; The Land Lady ; The Broken Chain ; etc. Week Three Focus on Point of View, Inference, and Irony for Flowers for Algernon Complete Practice the Strategy: Making Inferences, Practice 1, page 248 Enrichment: Optional: Advanced Learners, page 24 (T) Anticipation guide for Flowers for Algernon Maze activity Preview Vocabulary for Flowers for Algernon Body Biography Begin reading Flowers for Algernon Study guide questions while reading Week Four Finish reading Flowers for Algernon Body Biography Study guide questions while reading Flowers for Algernon Vocab Quiz
Flowers for Algernon Reading Quiz Go over Transitions/Chronological order Sensory Details Week Five Week Six Notes on how to write a Personal Narrative (Page 116 121 in Elements of Literature) *PowerPoint Practice writing thesis statement Brainstorming/Pre Writing activities Begin writing Personal Narrative on graphic organizer (Introduction, Setting, Suspense, Main Event, End of Story, Conclusion) Peer Review Revision Review Post CA Re test / Re teach Unit 1 Performance Task Suggested websites: Thinkfinity.org CBASwrite.com Readwritethink.org http://www.uen.org/core/core.do?coursenum=4280 (Lesson plans for all CCSS) www.elc.byu.edu/classes/buck/w_garden/students/students _narrative.html#gabriela Vocabulary /Word Wall English Elaboration Enrichment/Extension English Writer s Craft, pg. 45 Interdisciplinary Connections English See Performance Task
Sensory Detail Chronologic al Order Introduction Conclusion Dialogue Drafting Revision Show, Don't Tell Sentence Syntax Greek and Latin Roots Reading Dialogue Plot Character Point of View Audience Dramatic Irony Suspense Humor Collegial Collaboratio n / Discussion Relevant Evidence Observation Drama PROOFREADING IMPORTANT http://www.sbusd.org/cms/lib/ca 01000811/Centricity/Domain/42/D ailyparagraph.pdf http://mrsmac.weebly.com/uploa ds/2/8/6/9/2869271/proofreading_ and_editing.pdf Journal entries from other character POV in Green Mamba (in HOLT) Reading Elements (T), pg. 189, Family/Community Activity Elements (T) pg. 190, Advanced Learners Elements (T), pg. 18, Advanced Learners Elements (T), pg. 241 and pg. 24, Advanced Learners Reading Elements (T), pg. 21, Science Elements (T), pg. 245, Science