Middle Level English Language Arts (ELA)
Grade 10A
The Mysteries of Life
Unit Overview
Context: Multi-genre thematic
Timeline: Approximately six - eight weeks (depending on depth of coverage of extended fiction)
The Mysteries of Life exposes the students to a variety of literary genre that will help the students recognized that life is
full of mysteries from the extraordinary to the common. Our brain has capabilities to imagine beyond our world and our
memory helps shapes us as we speculate on the role of destiny in our lives. Humans have always been searching for the
answers to life’s mysteries! On our quest for answers, we journey into worlds unknown: worlds within, worlds beyond, and
worlds remembered.
English Language Arts Goals and Outcomes Overview
Comprehend and Respond (CR)
CR A10.1 Comprehend and respond to a variety of visual, oral, print, and multimedia texts that address:
o
o
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identity (e.g., Foundational Stories);
social responsibility (e.g., Destiny and Challenges of Life); and
social action (agency) (e.g., Human Existence).
CR A10.2 View, interpret, summarize, and draw conclusions about the ideas and information presented in a variety of illustrations, charts, graphs, and television, film,
and video presentations including a documentary or current affairs program.
CR A10.3 Listen to, interpret, summarize, and draw conclusions about the ideas and information presented in a variety of literary and informational texts including group
discussions, oral readings, interviews, and prepared talks about a topic being studied.
CR A10.4 Read, interpret, and draw conclusions about the ideas, information, concepts, and themes presented in a variety of literary (including poems, plays, essays,
short stories, novels) and informational (including magazines, newspapers, and on-line information) texts.
Compose and Create (CC)
CC A10.1 Compose and create a range of visual, multimedia, oral, and written texts that explore:
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o
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identity (e.g., Foundational Stories);
social responsibility (e.g., Destiny and Challenges of Life); and
social action (agency) (e.g., Human Existence).
CC A10.2 Explain and present to a familiar audience the key ideas and events (actual or based on a text studied) through an appropriate combination of charts, diagrams,
sound, models, drama, and print.
CC A10.3 Use oral language to express a range of information and ideas in formal (including a prepared talk on a familiar topic, an oral presentation of a passage of prose
or poetry, and a retelling of a narrative or a recounting of an experience or event) and informal (discussion and group work) situations.
CC A10.4 Compose and create a variety of written literary (including a historical persona essay and a review) and informational (including an observation [eye-witness]
report and researched or technical report) texts attending to various elements of discourse (e.g., purpose, speaker, audience, form).
Assess and Reflect (AR)
AR A10.1 Establish and apply criteria to evaluate own and others’ work.
AR A10.2 Set personal language learning goals and select strategies to enhance growth in language learning.
Resources Used in This Unit
 Essays:
 Visuals:
 Magazine Articles: 10 Unsolved Mysteries of the Human Brain (Discovery)
 Songs: Who Am I – Counting Crowns
Who Am I – Les Miserables
 Short Stories: The Tell Tale Heart
Night Drive
Uneasy Homecoming
 Radio Play: The Monkey’s Paw
 Poetry: My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose
Sonnet 130
 Documentaries: Mystery of the Human Brain
 Movies: The Tell Tale Heart
The Monkey’s Paw
Purpose / Outcomes
Strategies and
Assessment
Learning Activities
Introduction Introduce the Unit Organizer and discuss the key
questions
Set purpose to unit
Anticipate Message
Set Purpose
AR10.2
AR A10.2
KWL
AR A10.2
Place Mat
Questions for Deeper Understanding:
 How can the human brain reach its potential?
 How is technology changing the human brain?
 How do our imaginations carry us beyond the borders of the
everyday world?
 How does imagination positively affect our personal lives, society,
and the workplace?
 Is there a master plan or are we masters of the plan?
 How do fantasy and science fiction prepare us to handle
tomorrow’s challenges?
Have students begin to fill in a KWL sheet on the topic of Life’s
Mysteries. Use the key questions to guide the ‘Know’ and ‘Wonder’
sections at this point.
Complete a Place Mat activity sheet to elicit ideas and deeper
thought from all students on the Mysteries of Life. The placemat
categories include: Mysteries of the human brain, Mysteries of the
world around us, Mysteries of our purpose in life, Mysteries of the
future
Mysteries of the Human Brain
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----Lead a class discussion and brainstorming session. Have the
students come up with a top ten list of the unsolved mysteries of the
human brain. Have the students record the ideas as a Top Ten List
for later reference.
Prepare to analyze a documentary by practicing the following skills.
Compare/Contrast, Cause/Effect, Levels of Questions, Note-making,
Cues and Conventions
Note-making
Cues and Conventions
Teacher information sheet for skill presentation
Cornell Note-making FRAME
Cues and Conventions FRAME
Mysteries of the Human Brain (14 minutes)
Discuss the steps in writing of a documentary review.
Writing a Documentary Review guide
CR A10.2
CC A10.4
Documentary Review
Have students write a review for the documentary.
CC A10.3
Note-making
Discuss the steps in writing a script for a documentary. Have
students take notes as you go over the following.
How to Write a Script for a Documentary
CC A10.2
Video Documentary
Have the students work in groups to create mini-documentaries on
topics of their choice. The documentaries should be a maximum of 3
minutes in length. Students will need to be very selective in their
choice of a topic and be concise and to the point! Scripting will be
important to make the documentary interesting and within the time
limit.
AR A10.1
Assessment Rubric
Documentary Assessment Rubric
Discovery Magazine article:
10 Unsolved Mysteries of the Human Brain
CR A10.4
Compare/Contrast
CC A 10.2
Compare the 10 mysteries listed in the article with the Top Ten list
created by the class at the beginning of the course.
Mini-research project on one of the unsolved mysteries of the
human brain. Have each student research and record approximately
10 facts or points on their selected brain mystery.
CC A10.2
Compare/Contrast
Have students who worked on the same topics compare their
findings (compare/contrast) and share the findings with the rest of
the class.
AR A10.2
Unit Organizer
Refer back to the Unit Organizer. Add jot notes to the section that
has been completed. What knowledge can be added to the various
Key Questions?
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Mysteries of this World and Beyond
CR A10.3
CR A10.4
Theme and Plot
Read and listen to the video clip of The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar
Allen Poe. The first time have them read and listen to enjoy the story
and gain understanding of the theme and plot. Discuss the story with
the class
The second time through, have the students record descriptive
Imagery
CR A10.2
Genre Comparison
CR A10.4
words and phrases that bring the story to life and make it powerful.
Have a discussion following the second time through.
Audio clip with words (16 minutes)
Now have the students watch the short movie version to see how
the director turned these words on a page into a visual genre. Have
the students record several of the key scenes and explain how the
powerful descriptive phrases were portrayed in the movie.
Tell Tale Heart movie (26 minutes)
Analysis FRAME
Have students read Night Drive by Will F. Jenkins. Review the parts
of a short story if necessary. Have them complete the short story
analysis handout on the literature.
Night Drive by Will F. Jenkins
Parts of a Short Story
Short Story Analysis
CC A10.4
Essay Planner
Have students read Uneasy Homecoming by Will F. Jenkins.
Review the short story essay outline and have them use the essay
planner to develop their essay.
Uneasy Homecoming by Will F. Jenkins
Short Story Essay Assignment Outline
5 Paragraph Essay planner
AR A10.2
Unit Organizer
CC A10.4
Refer back to the Unit Organizer. Add jot notes to the section that
has been completed. What knowledge can be added to the various
Key Questions?
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Fate and Destiny
Who will I become?
Who Am I – Les Miserables video clip
Song lyrics
CR A10.3
Who Am I – Casting Crowns video clip
Song lyrics
CR A10.4
Concept Comparison
FRAME
Compare the two songs titled ‘Who Am I’. How are they
similar/different?
CC A10.4
Paragraph
Write a personal paragraph titled “Who Am I.”
Why do we love who we do?
CR A10.2
AR A10.2
Compare/Contrast
Levels of Questioning
Cause/Effect
Note-making
RAFTs
The Mysteries of Love Documentary
Documentary Teaching Guide
Documentary (locate on PBS site)
My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose by Robert Burns audio clip
Poem Lyrics
Sonnet 130 by William Shakespeare
CC A10.4
Paragraph
Write a paragraph about the Mystery of Love.
AR A10.2
Unit Organizer
Refer back to the Unit Organizer. Add jot notes to the section that
has been completed. What knowledge can be added to the various
Key Questions?
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The Fantastic
The Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs
Script
Radio Play (myoldradio.com)
Short Movie (30 minutes)
CR A10.3
CR A10.2
Create own script and dramatic performance. Groups of 1 – 6
students.
CC A10.1
A Midsummer’s Nights Dream or Frankenstein could be studied as
an option at this point.
SparkNotes: Frankenstein
SparkNotes: Midsummer …
AR A10.2
Unit Organizer
Refer back to the Unit Organizer. Add jot notes to the section that
has been completed. What knowledge can be added to the various
Key Questions?
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----Unit Assessment
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