Common Core Reading
Grades 6-12
Michelle Greenop
Hopkins High School
MichGree@hpsvikings.org
Unique to the Common Core?

Reader’s Notebook - my journey with
this item prior to the Common Core
and following the Common Core.
My Reading Log/CC Reading Log
Common Core Reading Unit 1

Introduction to the Reader’s Workshop:
◦ 6th and 8th
 “The Independent Reading Workshop is a systematic way of supporting and
guiding students as they read on their own. Students will learn to organize
their thinking through the use of reading strategy tools kept in reading
folders. Teachers begin each session with a brief mini-lesson that targets a
specific reading skill or strategy. Students are then encouraged to silently
read books of their own choosing while the teacher monitors and confers
with individuals. At the closure of each session, students share in
partnerships or whole group discussions to identify strategies and new
learning that has occurred.”
◦ 11th
 “Independent readers build a repertoire of reading habits and strategies to
engage with the ideas and meanings in creative nonfiction. They develop an
understanding of how the text works to express the central ideas
developed across a text. In personal reading and peer conversations, they
build their understanding of how creative nonfiction texts are written at the
same time they build an understanding of the ideas and evidence the writer
uses to inform or persuade a reader.”
Things to Consider
Students need reading time in class! This means
you may walk in on your teachers reading with
their students…gasp! But you should not worry –
this is actually a good thing. 
11th Grade CC Independent Reading Unit:
“The primary purpose for this unit is for
students to read a significant number of pages
in and out of school daily. To prioritize volume
of reading, in-class reading time must be 3035 minutes daily.”
“The unit is designed to follow the Launching Unit,
and can kick off students’ independent reading for
the year.”
1.
Things to Consider
2.
The CC places a focus upon
independent reading but small
group or large group discussions.
Things to Consider
3.
Teachers may wish to
build a classroom
library: Do you have
grants or other funding
to help with that?
11th Grade Suggested Texts
Helping Students Choose Books
This handout starts out 6th grade
reading. The assumption is that
students will be able to use
these ideas in the subsequent
years to select appropriate
books (although this lesson
reoccurs in a few of the
subsequent years). Throughout
6-12, teachers will still need to
be mindful of helping students to
select books and using
conferencing to check on
student selection.
High School
Variations
Types of Reading Units
Introduction to Independent Reading
 Narrative Reading (frequently a novel study
or genre study)
 Informational Reading (articles of the
week can help with this)

English Teachers Need CrossCurricular Help

Students MUST be reading in all content
areas. The Common Core and Smarter
Balanced Assessment expect a high volume
of informational reading. This cannot
happen in just the English classroom.
Pilot of 11th Grade Narrative
Reading Unit

The following slides are from my pilot run
of the Narrative Reading: Satire Unit. I
have only included pieces of that unit, but
wanted to give you an idea of what it
might look like in a classroom.
English 11
Pre-Reading Survey

Complete the pre-reading survey.

This survey asks students to evaluate
their reading habits, patterns,
confidence, and success.
Calvin and Hobbes: War and
Peace
Let’s read the comic strip: Calvin and
Hobbes War and Peace.png
 Next, let’s fill out the chart for the comic
strip.
 Let’s look at lines that use devices of satire:
For this purpose, we will identify rhetorical
questions, exaggeration, stereotyping, and
pointing out the obvious.
 This is checking what you already know – if
you aren’t familiar with Satire or the above
devices, just do your best. We will
compare answers in a bit.

Example for Calvin and Hobbes:
Frame #
Example or Line
Device(s)
Possible Central Idea or Theme
1
“How come we play war and not peace?”
Rhetorical Question
Humans are really interested in
fighting
2
“Too few role models.”
Exaggeration
Not enough people are
peacemakers
3
“I’ll be the fearless American defender of
liberty and democracy”
Stereotyping, exaggeration
Americans see themselves as
defenders of liberty and democracy.
4
“You can be the loathsome Godless
Communist oppressor.”
Stereotyping, exaggeration
Americans see others as the evil in
the world.
8
“Kind of a stupid game, isn’t it?
Pointing out the obvious
The pointlessness of war, as they
both immediately die.
Contemporary Examples of Satire

Contemporary Examples of Satire.pdf

Which examples are you familiar with?
Have you thought of them as something
that mocks society to propel change?
Why or why not?
Introduction to Satire
Definition: the use of wit or humor to point
out something that is wrong with society.
 Purpose: to elicit change.
 Satire is used to open man’s eyes to what
is wrong in order to improve society’s
behavior or thought patterns.
 Huck Finn is considered “a humorous
satire of human nature and American
culture” (EMC viii).

Introduction to Satire: Say it
another way…
“A literary work that ridicules its subject
through the use of techniques such as
exaggeration, reversal, incongruity, and/or
parody in order to make a comment or
criticism about it.”
 “Satire is a genre of literature, and
sometimes graphic and performing arts, in
which vices, follies, abuses, and
shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally
with the intent of shaming individuals, and
society itself, into improvement.”

As you read the following pieces:

In your writer’s notebook, write down
your reaction to each piece. Then, with
your assigned small group, take 5
minutes to discuss those reactions.
Satirical Pieces
“Michael Vick Not Sure He’s Got Another 4-12 Season in Him”
“PHILADELPHIA—Newly re-signed Eagles quarterback Michael
Vick, 32, revealed in a candid interview Thursday that he’s not
confident he has another 4-12 season left in him. “If you’re asking
me to be totally honest, I’m not sure lightning can strike twice and
I’ll be able to perform like I did last season again,” said Vick, adding
that given his age and the particular situation in Philadelphia, most
players would feel fortunate to reach two wins. “Now, don’t get me
wrong, I’m going to play my hardest in hopes of reaching six or
seven wins, but after being in the league for as long as I have, you
begin to realize what’s possible and what’s not.” In the wake of
Vick’s comments, second-year backup quarterback Nick Foles said
that if the situation arises, he’s more than ready to step in for any
number of hard-fought losses.”
http://www.theonion.com/articles/michael-vick-not-sure-hes-gotanother-412-season-i,31314/
Obama Wastes Our Money On Himself
Written by dutch
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Barrack Obama has been accused of squandering the American's tax dollars on himself and his
extraordinarily extravagant life style.
Over the past weekend Obama has been holed up at the Floridian Golf Club playing golf with Tiger
Woods and has not allowed himself once to be photographed by the press contingent of disgruntled media pundits
who have been left 'cooling their heels' in the Holiday Inn.
Angry pundits have accused Obama of 'being selfish' and of squandering the taxpayers 'hard earned
cash' on a life of luxury and indolence.
Michelle Obama or 'Marie Antoinette' has mean while been enjoying another taxpayers funded 'jolly'
skiing in Aspen with daughters Malia and Sasha. Her 'let them eat cake attitude' is really getting on the 'nerves' of
ordinary Americans.
Obama and his wife, Michelle, have relished living it up in luxury at the White House in a style fit for a
King and have lavished luxuries on themselves and their family.
Michelle Obama has been accused of being a 'material girl' and of being on a 'permanent vacation'.
Barrack is inordinately fond of having 'golf days'. The Obamas love 'junketing' around the US on Air Force One.
One commentator said that Barrack and Michelle are 'only in it for the freebies' and his never known a president to
'cash in' so blatantly into the 'millionaire lifestyle'.
Whilst normal mortals are struggling to pay for basic necessities the Obamas are seen 'wallowing in
excess'.
One disillusioned aide said, "They pretend to come from a poor, working class background but are
living like kings." Some Republicans have dismissed them as 'vulgar' and 'nouveau riche' in the way they flaunt
their designer clothes and their rock-star lifestyle.
Fox News have dubbed Barrack and Michelle Obama as America's 'royal couple'. "it has been one
long party at our expense for the King and Queen at the court of Camelot; but so little good taste."
It has been said whilst telling other Americans to 'forego their annual vacation' the Obamas were
blatantly seen going skiing and playing golf at the public's expense.

http://www.thespoof.com/news/us/112713/obama-wastes-our-money-on-himself#this
Saturday Night Live: Satire
Galore?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_357531963-37/snl-skit-skewerscomplaints-about-the-iphone-5/
Satire and its Methods
Based upon the examples and the
several definitions you were given,
hopefully you have at least a basic
understanding of what satire is. But,
authors use various types of satire and
various literary devices to convey satire.
 Read/mark the two handouts “Satire”
and “Satirical Devices.” Be familiar with
these so you can find and identify
examples in various forms of satire.

Four Main Methods of Satire Review

Exaggeration: “To enlarge, increase, or represent
something beyond normal bounds so that it becomes
ridiculous and its faults can be seen.”

Incongruity: “To present things that are out of place or are
absurd in relation to its surroundings.”

Reversal: “To present the opposite of the normal order
(e.g., the order of events, hierarchical order).”

Parody: “To imitate the techniques and/or style of some
person, place, or thing.”

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroomresources/lesson-plans/exploring-satire-with-shrek810.html?tab=4#tabs
Shrek Example

While you watch the Shrek clip, look for
examples of the four methods of satire.
Shrek Example





Exaggeration: Princess Fiona fights and successfully defeats
Robin Hood and all of his Merry Men without any help and without
any weapons.
Incongruity: Princess Fiona uses her ponytail to deliver a
knockout punch to one of the Merry Men. While frozen in a mid-air
martial arts kick, Princess Fiona pauses to fix her disheveled hair
before knocking out two of the Merry Men.
Reversal: The roles of the hero and the damsel in distress have
been reversed. In this clip, it is Princess Fiona, the rescuee, who
fights and defeats the foe.
Parody: The fight scene is an exaggerated imitation of the martial
arts style and special effects used in movies such as The Matrix
and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lessonplans/exploring-satire-with-shrek-810.html?tab=4#tabs
Shrek’s criticism of society
 The traditional story of the knight rescuing the
damsel-in-distress is not a realistic depiction of
the roles filled by men and women in modern
society.
 Current Hollywood action movies like The Matrix
have become ridiculous because they are too
focused on special effects.
Two Main Types of Satire (Based
on TONE)

“Juvenalian satire, in literature, [is] any
bitter and ironic criticism of
contemporary persons and institutions
that is filled with personal invective,
angry moral indignation, and pessimism”
(Britanica).
http://www.drradloff.com/documents/satire.pdf
Horatian Satire
“Horatian Satire…playfully criticizes some social vice through gentle, mild, and
light-hearted humor. It directs wit, exaggeration, and self-deprecating humor
toward what it identifies as folly, rather than evil. Horatian satire’s sympathetic
tone is common in modern society.”
http://www.drradloff.com/documents/satire.pdf
The Simpsons: “Magical Tablet
Device”

http://www.fox.com/thesimpsons/videos/

Fill out the “Analyzing Point of View and
Character in Satire” Chart
Introduction to Parody

Goodnight Moon

Goodnight iPad:
http://www.amazon.com/GoodnightiPad-Parody-nextgeneration/dp/0399158561/ref=sr_1_1?i
e=UTF8&qid=1364316989&sr=81&keywords=Goodnight+iPad
The Butter Battle and Goodnight
iPad
An understanding of Satire can require
knowledge of the specific time period or
culture.
What is The Butter Battle about?
What is Goodnight iPad about?
Why/how would knowing the cultural
background help your understanding?
What wrong in each world do the authors
suggest need to be fixed?
Interesting Quote

“Good satire comes from anger. It
comes from a sense of injustice, that
there are wrongs in the world that need
to be fixed. And what better place to get
that well of venom and outrage boiling
that a newsroom, because you’re on the
front lines.” Carl Hiaasen
“A Modest Proposal”

Read “A Modest Proposal” and write
answers to the discussion questions.
Be prepared to share your responses
with the class.
Swift, Jonathan. “A Modest Proposal.” 1729. PDF File.
Historical Background Project

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
Mark Twain assumes his readers have
the background knowledge needed to
identify the problems he is satirizing.
So, we need to get up to speed on the
past…
Satire Hunt
Today, you will be working 2 other people to find
specific examples of satire in Huck Finn. Follow
the directions on the handout – start with finding
your evidence and then work on creating your
poster. Your poster is due tomorrow at the
beginning of the hour. I will hang them around the
room so we can all look at them .
 You may choose your groups, but choose wisely.
You are earning points for today based upon your
work ethic.

A Teacher’s Reflection
We read several other satirical pieces in a
variety of genres, including informational.
 I combined this with the Literary Essay
Writing Unit.

◦ Student comment on the availability of similar
essays online…
Realities of Scheduling: Trimesters

These units are made with a full year (2
semesters) in mind. Therefore, changes
need to be made for schedules that do
not meet that expectation.
Questions