9th Grade English: Heroes and Sheroes
Fall 2015/Spring 2016
Instruction: 4-5 weeks
Testing/Remediation: 1 Week (CFA)
Rationale:
The archetype of the “hero” is a central figure in many great literary works, both classic and modern. Our final unit in ENG I will
focus on “heroes and sheroes” across time. We will explore the motif of the “hero’s quest” and how this motif can be found in many
diverse texts, from Greek tragedies to comic books. By understanding the common traits, motives, and actions of the hero
archetype in a text, students will gain the tools necessary to comprehend characters, plots, and themes across literature. The
previous thematic units (Illusion vs. Reality, Interrelationships and Self-Reliance, and What Does It Mean to Be Human?) will also
be referenced here, as we make connections between themes and texts covered during this semester.
Theme, Concepts,
& Essential
Questions
CCSS
Theme:
Heroes and Sheroes
RL.9.1-10
RI. 9. 1-10
Enduring
Understandings:
Heroes in diverse
texts all share
common
characteristics.
W.9.1-10
Archetype model as
it pertains to
L.9.1-6
SL.9.1-6
Demonstration of
Student
Understanding
Targeted StandardsBased
Essential Skills
Formative
Assessments:
- Quick Writes
- Exit tickets
- Engrade quizzes
- Constructed
response questions
- RAFT writing
Reading:
Literary terms:
- the “hero” archetype
- the “hero’s quest”
motif
Summative
Assessment:
“Epic” Project:
Writing:
Continue the writing
process:
Review previouslylearned terms
Targeted
Standards-Based
Strategies
Reading:
- SQ3R
- annotation
- 3-2-1 summary
- close reading
- QAR
- GIST
- vocabulary
context clues
- graphic
organizers
Resources
Anchor Text(s):
The Oedipus
Trilogy
The Odyssey
Harry Potter by
J.K. Rowling
The Hobbit/The
Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien
Oedipus, The
Odyssey, or
Beowulf.
Essential
Questions:
•
Do the attributes
of a hero remain
the same over
time?
• When does a
positive
personality trait
become a tragic
flaw?
• What is the role of
a hero or "sheroe"
(coined by Maya
Angelou) in a
culture?
translating classic
epic into a new time
period OR rewrite
into children’s book
“The Hero’s
Quest” Project:
Create a graphic
novella featuring an
original hero and
the hero’s quest
motif
- prewriting
- outlining
- drafting
- editing
- revising
- publishing
Argumentative
writing:
- claims
- thesis
- evidence
-refutation
- voice
Speaking:
- participating in
whole class and small
group discussions
- formal presentations
• How do various
cultures reward /
recognize their
heroes and
sheroes?
Listening:
- whole class / small
group / partner
discussions
- note-taking skills
(Cornell Notes)
• Why is it
important for
people and
cultures to
construct
narratives about
their experience?
Language:
Vocabulary:
- continue morphology
–continue to introduce
Latin and Greek roots
Writing:
- summarizing and
paraphrasing
informational text
- outlining,
drafting, editing,
revising essays
Speaking:
- group protocols
Listening:
- group protocols
Supplemental
Texts:
TV Shows:
“Hercules”
“Xena”
“She-Ra”
“He-Man”
“Superman”
Comic books
Language:
Grammar:
- DOLs
- peer editing
- passage editing
Technology:
- Quizlet (online
flash cards and
review games)
- Quia.com
- SAS Curriculum
Pathways Writing
Reviser
- wordnik.com
- vocabulary in context
• What is the
relevance of
studying
multicultural
texts?
• How does the
media shape our
view of the world
and ourselves?
• In a culture
where we are
bombarded with
other people trying
to define us, how
do we make
decisions for
ourselves?
Grammar:
- review of topics
covered in previous
units
Technology:
- online research sites
- online research
evaluation tools
- online citation tools