Unit Plan: Rural Settings in North America “It Happened in the Country”
Start date: October 22, 2012 – November 30, 2012 (6 weeks)
Essential Question:
What does the rural setting contribute to these stories?
Focus Standards
RL.8.5: Compare and contrast the structure of two or more
texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text
contributes to its meaning and style.
RI.8.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its
development over the course of the text, including its
relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary
of the text.
RI.8.7: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using
different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video,
multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
W.8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons
and relevant evidence.
Objectives

Compare and contrast story characters, plots, themes,
and settings in stories about rural North America.

Evaluate the structure of various texts and discuss the
effect of structure on their meaning.

Write an argument, supported by clear reasons and
evidence, about a memorable portrayal of rural North
America.

Recognize nuances in meaning among similar words
(e.g., rural, agrarian, agriculture, hamlet, village,
country, and countryside, rustic).
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.
SL.8.1(c): Propel conversations by posing and responding to
questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing
for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify,
or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and
creative perspectives.
SL.8.1(d): Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives;
synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides
of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and
determine what additional information or research is required
to deepen the investigation or complete the task.
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.
L.8.4(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.
L.8.4 (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).
Assessments




Narrative writing
Informative Writing
Research Project
Unit 2 Common Core Assessment
Word Study
Where do words come from? How does
knowing their origin help us not only to
spell the words, but also to understand
their meaning? Add words found, learned,
and used throughout this unit to your
personal dictionary (e.g., rural, agrarian,
agriculture, hamlet, village, country, and
countryside, rustic). This dictionary will
be used all year to explore the semantics
(meanings) of words and their origins.
Vocabulary
 Travelogue
 Ellipses
 Prose
 Poetry
 Figurative
 Connotative
 Tone
 Genre
 Explicit/implicit textual evidence
(L.8.4)
As a class, create a Vocabulary Word Wall
bulletin board where, throughout the year,
you will add and sort words as you learn
them in each unit of study. (L.8.4)
Literary Text Links
Introduction Books (picture stories)
A Mountain Alphabet (Margriet Ruurs) (as an introduction to this unit)
Shared
Read Aloud
B is for Big Sky Country: A Montana Alphabet (Sneed B. Collard, III and Joanna Yardley) (as an
introduction to this unit)
P is for Piñata: A Mexico Alphabet (Tony Johnston) (as an introduction to this unit)
Novel/Short Story:
America Street: A Multicultural Anthology of Stories (Anne Mazer)
Nine Stories (J.D. Salinger)
The Umbrella Man and Other Stories (Roald Dahl) (EA)
Poems :
 Mending Wall” (Robert Frost) (EA)
 My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States (Lee Bennett Hopkins)
 Spoon River Anthology (Edgar Lee Masters)
 “The Railway Train” (Emily Dickinson) (E)
Informational Text:
 North Carolina Ferry System Schedule
 Sun Suckers and Moon Cursers (Richard and Joyce Wolkemir)
 African-Americans in the Old West (Cornerstones of Freedom Series) (Tom McGowen)
 California Invasive Plant Council (Invasive Plant Inventory) (E)
 Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet out of Idaho (Jon Katz) (E)
 Never Cry Wolf: The Amazing True Story of Life Among
Art
Edward Hopper, Cape Cod Evening (1939)
Edward Hopper, Early Sunday Morning (1930)
Edward Hopper, Gas (1940)
Grant Wood, American Gothic (1930)
Language Connection:
 Edit a newspaper article or magazine article (or a classmate’s essay) by changing passive to active voice when possible.
Discuss with your partner how these changes affect the tone and/or meaning of the text. (L.8.3)

Continue utilizing a mechanic/grammar bulletin board that will be update as the year progressed. Once the skills are taught
in a mini-lesson, they should be listed on the bulletin board
Discussion Points
Discussion Points
Discussion Points
Discussion Points
Discussion Points
(Short Stories)
(Informational Text)
(Articles)
(Poems)
Examine the Hopper
After reading selections
As you read novels
What "power of nature”
paintings. What is
from My America: A
and/or short stories from does Carson find in
different in these rural
Poetry Atlas of the
this
unit,
take
notes
in
"The
Marginal
World”?
works versus the urban
United States by Lee
your journal or on a
How does the structure
paintings viewed in the
Bennett Hopkins, select
spreadsheet about the
contribute to the
previous unit? Do you
your favorite poem.
story characters, plot,
meaning? Talk about
see a source of light in
How does the structure
theme, and setting. As
your ideas with a
Hopper’s paintings?
of poetry contribute to
you take notes about
partner. Then, in your
Where? Why do you
its meaning in a
these categories, think
journal or on the
different way than the
think he included the
structure of prose does?
classroom blog, discuss
elements that he did—or about how the setting
What does the poem
affects the story,
the phrase "the shore
left certain elements
out? What role do the
people play in these
works? (SL.8.1, SL.8.2,
SL.8.4, SL.8.5)
especially in
comparison with the
urban settings discussed
in the previous unit. Be
sure to note page
numbers with relevant
information or mark
your book with sticky
notes so you can cite the
text during class
discussion.
has a dual nature” in
your explanation and
cite additional support
from the text. (RI.8.1,
RI.8.2, RI.8.3, RL.8.4,
RI.8.5, RI.8.6, L.8.1a,b,
L.8.2a,b)
reveal about life in
America?
Who are the major
character(s)?
What is the problem
faced by the
character(s)? How does
he/she/they resolve the
problem?
What is the theme of the
novel? (i.e., good vs.
evil, overcoming
challenges, etc.)
What is the effect of the
setting(s) on the
characters?
Is the effect of the
setting stated or
implied?
What unique words and
phrases are used to
describe the setting(s)?
Short Story
Strategies
Title:
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.
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.
Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each
text contributes to its meaning and style.
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.
Poem
Strategies
Informational Text
Strategies
Partner reading: Having students work together in pairs to read a text to each other and
discover the main ideas of the story.
Repeated readings: the method of having students read passages orally three times in a
row and each time try to achieve a faster speed and fewer mistakes in fluency. If comprehension is being
targeted, students answer some different comprehension questions after each reading or retell the story.
Retelling: students verbally rehearse important story information by retelling a story to a
partner, using an outline. The outline guides them to pick out important ideas and back
them up with supporting information.
Title: See above
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well
as inferences drawn from a text.
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
Writing
Strategies
Writing Connections:
Short Stories
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 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.
Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively,
orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.
Title:
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant
descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
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.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop
experiences, events, and/or characters.
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.
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the
action and convey experiences and events.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience.
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.
Focus: Informative/Explanatory Writing
Write an informative/explanatory essay in response to the essential question: What does the rural
setting contribute to these stories? Make sure to include words and phrases learned as part of word
study, including figurative and connotative language. After your teacher reviews your first draft, work
with a partner to strengthen your writing and edit it, especially for active and passive voice and for the
use of ellipses to indicate an omission. Be prepared to record your essay and upload it as a podcast (or
other multimedia format of your choice) on the class web page for this unit. (W.8.4, W.8.9a,b, SL.8.1,
L.8.1a,b, L.8.2a,b)
Poems
After reading selections from My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States by Lee Bennett Hopkins,
select your favorite poem. How does the structure of poetry contribute to its meaning in a different way
than the structure of prose does? What does the poem reveal about life in America? Write responses to
these questions in your journal and share with a partner. Memorize and recite your favorite poem for
your classmates. Record it using a video camera so you can evaluate your performance. (RL.8.5,
SL.8.6)
Informational Text
What "power of nature” does Carson find in "The Marginal World”? How does the structure contribute
to the meaning? Talk about your ideas with a partner. Then, in your journal or on the classroom blog,
discuss the phrase "the shore has a dual nature” in your explanation and cite additional support from the
text. (RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, RL.8.4, RI.8.5, RI.8.6, L.8.1a,b, L.8.2a,b)
Article
Art
How is makes viewing art in a public setting different from viewing in a private setting?
Language
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.
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.
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).
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and 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).
Multimedia Connection
Introductory Activity: Your teacher will read A Mountain Alphabet by Margriet Ruurs or P Is for Piñata: A Mexico Alphabet by Tony
Johnston to the class. What was the author’s purpose in creating this text? Contrast the way in which these authors present rural life to
the way in which authors in the previous unit present urban life. What are the advantages and disadvantages to using picture books to
examine setting? How is this portrayal similar to or different from information you find online? Write responses to these questions in
your journal and share with a partner prior to class discussion. Consider creating your own ABC book or digital presentation while
reading the stories in this unit, and you will find it can be as easy or as complex as you choose to make it. (RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.6,
RI.8.7)
Portfolio Documents
 Digital presentation describing the authors purpose in creating the text A Mountain Alphabet
 Read and response topics
 Poem
 Informational text essay
 Common Core Unit 2 Assessment