Unit: The Iraq War
Work: Novel
The Lone Survivor
The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and
the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
by Marcus Luttrell, Navy SEAL
Timeline: 6-7 weeks
Essential Questions: What were the causes of the Iraq War? How did the Taliban
come to power in Afghanistan? How did our military infiltrate the Taliban’s groups?
How did our military, especially the special forces, operate in Afghanistan? What
personal and physical sacrifices does it take to become a Navy SEAL AND what
sacrifices do they make for our country? How have the Rules of Engagement changed
how wars are fought?
Literary elements in the novel: Allusion, foreshadowing, juxtaposition, mood, irony, and
symbolism
Formative Assessments
1. Chapter questions
2. Character sheets
3. Blog entries
4. In class journals
5. Rhetorical analysis of George Bush’s speech
Summative Assessments
1. Chapter sections quizzes
2. Post Mortem group activity
3. Literary Cubes group activity
4. Analyze setting worksheet
5. Unit test
6. Socratic Seminar—Rules of Engagement
Activities and standards covered:
1. Pre-reading non-fiction—Michel-Guillaume Jean de Crevecoeur’s “What is an
American” essay. Compare and contrast our modern idea of what it means to be
an American versus an 18th century French immigrant’s idea of being an American.
2. Segue into what it means to be a true American patriot. In class journal.
a. Production and Distribution of Writing--Produce clear and coherent writing
in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience
3. View clips from History Channel documentary on the Iraq War
4. View Taliban PowerPoint
5. Discuss pre reading sheet questions over Taliban PowerPoint
a. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas—Integrate and evaluate multiple
sources of information presented in different media or formats as well as
in words in order to address a question or solve a problem
6. Review literary terms
7. Read prologue, chapter 1, and chapter 2
8. Discuss literary elements as we read chs1-5: mood, juxtaposition, foreshadowing,
allusion
a. Craft and Structure--Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings: analyze
the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words
with multiple meanings or language that is fresh and engaging
b. Knowledge of Language--Demonstrate understanding of figurative language,
word relationships, and nuances in word meanings
c. Knowledge of Language --Acquire and use accurately general academic and
domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing,
speaking, listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate
independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or
phrase important to comprehension or expression
9. Write a one paragraph blog entry to analyze a quote from pg. 66 about how SEALs
feel when they come back from combat
a. Production and Distribution of Writing--Produce clear and coherent writing
in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience
10. Work on question sheets and discuss answers
a. Key Ideas and Details--Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to
support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as draw inferences
from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters
uncertain.
b. Key Ideas and Details--Analyze the impact of the author’s choices
regarding how to develop and relate the elements of the story (where it is
set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and
developed).
c. Craft and Structure--Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings: analyze
the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words
with multiple meanings or language that is fresh and engaging
d. Craft and Structure--Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to
structure specific parts of a text (where to begin the story) contribute to
it overall structure
e. Craft and Structure----Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really
meant (sarcasm, irony, understatement)
f. Knowledge of Language --Demonstrate understanding of figurative
language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings
g. Knowledge of Language --Interpret figures of speech in context and
analyze their role in the text
11. Create character sheets for main characters and discuss their traits. Also
discuss the evidence for the traits (what Luttrell says about the characters,
what the characters say, what the characters do)
a. Production and Distribution of Writing --Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as draw
inferences from the text, including determining where the text leaves
matters uncertain.
b. Key Ideas and Details--Analyze the impact of the author’s choices
regarding how to develop and relate the elements of the story (where it is
set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and
developed).
c. Craft and Structure--Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to
structure specific parts of a text (where to begin or end a story)
contribute to it overall structure
d.
12. View video clips from Navy SEAL website about SEAL training. Watch for people
in the book (Ensign Burns).
a. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas--Integrate and evaluate multiple
sources of information presented in different media formats as well as
words in order to address a question or solve a problem
13. Chart locations on both a Middle East map and map of Afghanistan as Luttrell
mentions them in the novel
a. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas--Integrate and evaluate multiple
sources of information presented in different media formats as well as
words in order to address a question or solve a problem
14. Read and listen to George W. Bush’s Address to the Nation on 9/11 and analyze
for rhetorical devices and allusions.
a. Craft and Structure--Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the
structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including
whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.
b. Craft and Structure--Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a
text in which the rhetoric is particularly effective, analyzing how style and
content contribute to the power, persuasiveness, or beauty of the text.
c. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas--Integrate and evaluate multiple
sources of information presented in different media formats as well as
words in order to address a question or solve a problem
15. Continue to discuss how Luttrell’s foreshadowing about the ROE (rules of
engagement) affect the outcome of Operation Redwing (chs 6-8 mainly)
16. Continue to discuss how Luttrell’s thorough description of SEAL training provides
the foundation for the reason behind the SEALs perseverance during the
firefight of Operation Redwing
a. Key Ideas and Details--Determine two or more central ideas of a text and
analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they
interact and build on one another to provide complex analysis; provide an
objective summary of the text
b. Key Ideas and Details--Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of
events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact to
develop over the course of the text
17. Continue to discuss literary elements and add symbolism when students begin chs
6-8
a. Craft and Structure--Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really
meant (sarcasm, irony, understatement)
b. Knowledge of Language--Demonstrate understanding of figurative language,
word relationships, and nuances in word meanings
c. Knowledge of Language--Interpret figures of speech in context and analyze
their role in the text
d. Production and Distribution of Writing --Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as draw
inferences from the text, including determining where the text leaves
matters uncertain.
18. Read chs 9-11
a. Craft and Structure--Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really
meant (sarcasm, irony, understatement)
b. Knowledge of Language--Demonstrate understanding of figurative language,
word relationships, and nuances in word meanings
c. Knowledge of Language--Interpret figures of speech in context and analyze
their role in the text
d. Production and Distribution of Writing --Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as draw
inferences from the text, including determining where the text leaves
matters uncertain.
e. Key Ideas and Details--Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to
structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end
a story) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its
aesthetic impact
f. Key Ideas and Details--Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of
events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact to
develop over the course of the text
19. Write a one paragraph blog entry connecting Luttrell’s quote on pg.290 to his
thorough description of SEAL training in chs 3-5
a. Production and Distribution of Writing--Produce clear and coherent writing
in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience
b. Craft and Structure--Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to
structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end
a story) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its
aesthetic impact
c. Key Ideas and Details--Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of
events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact to
develop over the course of the text
20. Watch Night Stalker video on YouTube
21. Read last chapter and epilogue and students create multiple levels of questions
for these
a. Standards will vary depending upon which parts of the text students
choose for questions
22. Post Mortem Group Activity
a. Knowledge of Language--Demonstrate understanding of figurative language,
word relationships, and nuances in word meanings
b. Knowledge of Language --Interpret figures of speech in context and
analyze their role in the text
c. Production and Distribution of Writing --Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as draw
inferences from the text, including determining where the text leaves
matters uncertain.
d. Craft and Structure--Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really
meant (sarcasm, irony, understatement)
e. Craft and Structure--Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings: analyze
the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words
with multiple meanings or language that is fresh and engaging
23. Literary Cubes Group Activity
24. Analyze setting worksheet
a. Craft and Structure--Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to
structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end
a story) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its
aesthetic impact
b. Key Ideas and Details--Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of
events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact to
develop over the course of the text
25. Unit test
26. Collaborate with JROTC instructor to get recent copy of the Rules of
Engagement (ROE)
27. Socratic Seminar—analyze and offer changes for the ROE
a. Comprehension and Collaboration--Initiate and participate in a range of
collaborative discussions
b. Comprehension and Collaboration--Come to discussions prepared, having
read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that
preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the
topic or issue to stimulate thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas
c. Comprehension and Collaboration--Work with peers to promote civil,
democratic discussions and decision making, set clear goals and deadlines,
and establish individual roles as needed
d. Comprehension and Collaboration--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
e. Comprehension and Collaboration--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
f. Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas--Present information, findings, and
supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that
listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing
perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance,
an style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and
informal tasks