Subject: Unit 1 Dreams and Goals
Time Frame Need for Completion 4 Weeks
Grade Level: English III
Grading Period: 1st Nine Weeks
Unit Title: A Dream Deferred
Big Idea/Theme: The American Dream/Dreams Deferred
Understandings: America is deemed the land of opportunity but what happens when it doesn’t work
out?
Essential Questions:
1. What does it mean to live “the American dream”?
2. How has the American Dream changed over time?
3. What happens to a dream that has been deferred?
4. Does everyone have a tragic flaw?
5. What does it mean to have personal dignity and how do we develop it?
6. What is regret and what does one do with it?
7. Is failure an option?
8. Can failure ultimately be a success?
9. What makes people give up or continue their dreams even as it gets more difficult?
Curriculum Goals/Objectives
Expressive: 1.03 Prediction, inference, interpretation and textual connections
Expressive: 1.02 Personal connections: people, places, themes, attitudes, fallacies, truths
Research and Critical Analysis: 2.03; 4.01; 4.02 Analysis and synthesis
Research and Argument: 2.02; 3.03 Argument: establishing and defining point of view,
demonstrating how literary works reflect the culture that shaped them
Critical Analysis: 4.04 Identification of literary elements, basic recall of events
6.01 Demonstrate an understanding of the conventions of language
6.02 Discern and correct errors
Essential Skills/Vocabulary: Literary Component:
read actively, critically, and independently
develop a purpose question
identify main idea
examine the author’s purpose
examine multiple perspectives
analyze, interpret, and evaluate literature
respond critically, personally, and creatively to literature, in writing as well as in discussion and presentation
understand the historical context/framework of literature
make connections among literature
Essential Skills/Vocabulary Writing Component:
The student should be able to
write clearly and effectively in a number of writing contexts (journaling, creative non-fiction)
organize thoughts for an effective piece (This I Believe, I-Search paper)
write a clear, strong thesis indicative of an argument (This I Believe, I-Search paper)
use appropriate evidence to support a thesis (This I Believe, I-Search paper)
put evidence in context (in the case of literary criticism) (Higher order thinking questions)
write to discover his or her own voice (This I Believe; Philosophical Chairs)
Essential Skills/Vocabulary Grammar and Conventions:
revision
Voice and style, sentence variety, meaning-clarity, tone, standard usage vs. nonstandard
subject/verb agreement, phrases and clauses,
Assessment Task:
1.03; 1.02; 4.01; 4.02 Authentic Task: Phrase collage (basic recall, making connections); making
metaphors;
1.03; 3.03 Cooperative: Philosophical Chairs (suicide); making meaning out of the author’s use of
figurative language
1.01 Self Reflection: Quick writes; one pagers, journals
1.01; Written Piece: I-Search (research paper) Intro to: This I Believe essay; peer edit, teacher
feedback, revision, final draft
6.01 and 6.02 Conventions and Usage: Subject Verb Agreement and Effective Uses of Phrases
and Clauses (essay revision)
4.01; 4.02; 2.03 Reading: synthesizing information; sources; Ban Deodorant Ad Character
development
4.03; 6.01 Public Speaking: Drama
1.03; 5.03 Retention of Ideas: C-Notes; essential questions, reflection logs
2.01; 2.02; 2.03 Research: I-Search, sources, parenthetical documentation;
Materials Suggestions
Text Used:
Death of a Salesman
A Raisin in the Sun
The Great Gatsby
The Reluctant Fundamentalist
My `Antonia
A Dream Deferred
A. Miller
L. Hansberry
F. Scott Fitzerald
M. Hamid
W. Cather
L. Hughes
The Art of Racing in the Rain
G. Stein
Films Used:
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
John Q
The Pursuit of Happyness
J. Godey
J. Kearnes
S. Comrad