Introduction
All the units in this year are based off of the Colorado standards for Reading, Writing, and
Communicating. There are three units that precede this unit. The first unit deals with oral storytelling
and features the work of Sherman Alexie. Students will learn the elements of oral storytelling and the
techniques of being a successful public speaker. This will also help the students with writing realistic
dialogue. The second unit focuses on William Shakespeare’s, The Tempest. Along with reading and
dissecting the play, students will write a formal persuasive essay using the information they have found
from the play, as well as from the character study. The third unit that comes right before this unit is on
poetry. Students will be going over many different models of poetry in order for them to create their
own poetry portfolio. Their portfolio will have many different types of poetry, but they will have a
choice on which forms to include. The combination of the persuasive essay and poetry unit will be the
perfect lead into writing a short story.
The students that will be taking part in this unit are in a tenth grade English class. Because we
are in the fourth unit of the year, there has already been a sense of community established. The
majority of students are girls, but not by much. The student’s abilities are average with a few outliers
on either side. The student’s interest in this class varies but they stay engaged for the most part. There
are kids from all different groups, which makes for a very rich learning community.
This unit fits into the overall plan for the year because students are going to be writing in many
different genres this year; oral storytelling, formal essay writing, poetry, narratives, and this unit –
short story writing. The plan is to expose students to many different forms of writing so that they
realize there is more to the English class than boring grammar lessons and painstaking essay writing
activities. Oftentimes, creative writing is not included in curriculum due to the pressure of preparing
students for standardized testing. Many feel that it has no merit and is not a productive strategy to
incorporate into the classroom. I feel that letting students write about what they want to write about,
and giving them some free reign really will keep them more interested in English class. That is why
short story writing is an entire unit in the plan for the year.
Texts
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Course Texts:
o Romeo and Juliet No Fear Shakespeare Graphic Novel – SparkNotes Editors
o Define Normal – Julie Anne Peters
o “Meeting the Mugger” – Norma Fox Mazer (Short Story)
Book Club Books:
o Skinny by Ibi Kaslik
o The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chybosky
o Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
o The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Articles:
o “4 Ways Social Media is Changing Your Relationships”
o “Relationships on Facebook, Social Networks”
o “Teenage dating in the 1950s”
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o “Should We Bring Back 1950’s Dating Rules?”
Video:
o “Love, Relationships, and Social Media”
Alternate Book Club Books:
o Catcher and the Rye by J.D. Salinger
o Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Understanding By Design Unit Template
Title of Unit
Curriculum Area
Developed By
Relationships
Grade Level
10th Grade
English
Time Frame
5 Weeks (90 minute periods 3x
a week)
Micah Lepore
Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)
Content Standards
3. Writing and Composition
1. Literary or narrative genres feature a variety of stylistic devices to engage or entertain an audience
a. Write narratives that develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen
and well-structured event sequences
c. Use a variety of strategies to evaluate whether the writing is presented in a creative and reflective manner
Understandings
Overarching Understanding
Relationships affect our lives in many different,
often life-changing, ways.
details
Essential Questions
Overarching
How is conflict an
inevitable part of
relationships?
How do we determine
Related Misconceptions
a healthy relationship
Sometimes students over share so teachers should
from a hurtful one?
avoid novels that provoke personal reactions, as well
as assignments that do the same.
Topical
How do our
relationships change
in adolescence?
What should an
adolescent do after a
traumatic event or
relationship?
How do relationships
change due to the
new societal
pressures (i.e. social
networking sites)?
Sometimes change and conflict in relationships is a
good thing.
Should not be teaching the importance of romantic
relationships to teenagers in the, “16 and pregnant”
generation.
Knowledge
Skills
Students will know…
- How relationships can impact a life in both positive
and negative ways.
- How relationships can reveal our human nature.
- How to determine a healthy relationship from a
hurtful relationship.
- How to include various stylistic elements to create
Students will be able to…
- Analyze models for the impact of relationships
on character’s lives.
- Thoughtfully and constructively respond to a
peers work.
- Discuss relationships in many different ways
from a mature standpoint.
an engaging short story. (Catchy first paragraph,
setting, plot, etc.)
- Create a presentation on a digital medium of
their choice (i.e. wiki, glog, PowerPoint, Prezi,
etc.).
Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)
Performance Task Description
Goal
The students will understand how relationships and conflicts are two main
components of writing an engaging short story.
Role Author
Audience Teacher/Peers
Students will be writing a short story that includes all of the elements
Situation discussed in class. (Catchy first paragraph, setting, plot, P.O.V., etc.) This is
explained more clearly on the Short Story Assignment Sheet.
Product/Performance Short story that meets the given requirements.
Standards Ideas and Voice
Other Evidence
In class discussions, Book Club Book Groups, writing prompts, responding to articles, and participation
in mini lessons.
Learning Plan (Stage 3)
Where are your students headed?
Where have they been? How will you
make sure the students know where
they are going?
Students are headed towards using a culmination of
everything they have learned about dialogue from the oral
storytelling unit, organizing their thoughts from the formal
writing unit, and how to use poetic language from the
poetry unit in order to write a successful short story. The
students should be well prepared for the writing of a
creative short story due to the units we have just gone
through. There will be many mini lessons in this unit to finetune their writing. They know where they are going because
I introduce the short story assignment at the beginning of
the unit and there are parts of it due along the way. The
students will learn the importance of revision and editing
through the many workshops that they go through in this
unit, as well as the ones that were incorporated into the
essay-writing unit. At this point, students should have a very
big toolbox that they have built up through the other units
that will aid in the writing of a short story. The first piece of
reading in this unit is a short story so the students will get a
first hand look at a dtory that they could potentially model
their story after. They will be frontloaded with information
so that they have more then enough material to use when
the time comes for them to begin writing.
How will you hook students at the
beginning of the unit?
I will hook students at the beginning of this unit by reading a
short story called, “Meeting the Mugger” by Norma Fox
Mazer. This short story is in an anthology compiled by Judy
Blume called, Places I Never Meant to Be, that is, “original
stories by censored writers”. This story will engage the
students because writing that is censored is intriguing to
them. None of the pieces in this book are censored, they just
come from writers who have been. We’re also going to
follow up the reading of that short story with a discussion
about family. Every student has a family, whether it is a
happy family or not, so they all have material to work with.
Students like to talk about themselves and family is one
thing that they have in common. Whether it is a parent or a
guardian, there are always stories to be told concerning
family. This short story really represents a non-traditional
family, which is why I wanted the students to read it. I
wanted to provide a model that shows a non-traditional
family. Not every family is the stereotypical family so I
picked a piece that most students will be able to relate to.
What events will help students
experience and explore the big idea
and questions in the unit? How will
you equip them with needed skills and
knowledge?
The students will explore what it means to be in a healthy
relationship, whether that means with their family, friends,
or significant others. Each relationship is important to this
unit, as well as to these students. They will be reading many
stories that deal with relationships and the conflicts that
arise when you are an adolescent. They will be having
numerous discussions with their peers so they can get new
insights into relationships, and see how they affect people
from all sides. There is a piece of literature that matches up
to each of the topical questions that we are going over. The
students will spend time answering each question in many
different ways: discussion, writing prompts, book club
books, writing vignettes, etc. We will also be having mini
lessons that will be recorded in their writer’s journals so
they have a resource as they start writing. This tool will
become essential for the completion of requirements for the
short story.
How will you cause students to reflect
There will be multiple times for the students to reflect and
and rethink? How will you guide them
in rehearsing, revising, and refining
their work?
rethink in this unit. There are debriefing activities after we
finish each book that will require students to think back on
the book and make connections with the overarching
questions. They will also be meeting several times in their
book club groups in order to prepare a presentation that will
require them to pull specific passages from the book. I will
help them in revising their work because I have built in two
peer workshops that will be guided with a provided
checklist, as well as time for one-on-one conferences for the
students who need it and the ones who sign up for them.
How will you help students to exhibit
and self-evaluate their growing skills,
knowledge, and understanding
throughout the unit?
They will be grading themselves in the group evaluation and
individual evaluation worksheets for the book club book
groups. The book club assignment additionally requires
them to do an individual evaluation They will also participate
in writing prompts that will be tailored to the class the day
before in order for students to evaluate their understanding
throughout the unit. They will be turning their journals in for
a grade, but I will be looking over those specific entries to
make sure that the student’s skills are growing. If not, I
would create an extra specific mini lesson to try and get
them back on track.
How will you tailor and otherwise
personalize the learning plan to
optimize the engagement and
effectiveness of ALL students, without
compromising the goals of the unit?
There will be surface level reading quizzes almost every day
for the previous night’s reading homework. If they did the
reading they will easily pass. They act as refreshers more
then quizzes. Students will grade their quizzes themselves
and I will collect their scores. That way the students, as well
as the teacher, will know that they have completed the
necessary reading. Each student will be writing daily in his or
her writing journals. There aren’t many requirements for the
journals, just that they show some effort. Each student is
able to work at his or her own pace, and develop his or her
own ideas. This won’t restrict the goals of this unit because
it is something that won’t be heavily graded so they can feel
free to express themselves however they would like (but still
remaining appropriate). There will also always be a handout
that will accompany my oral directions so that the visual
learners will also stay engaged. There will be choices of
different forms for students to complete their journal
entries in; so they might draw a 6 panel comic, write a letter,
a poem, a bulleted list, a dear diary entry, etc.
How will you organize and sequence
the learning activities to optimize the
engagement and achievement of ALL
I started this unit with “Meeting the Mugger” because I want
students to immediately relate and want to participate in
this unit. Relationships are a topic that all teenagers connect
students?
with, especially if they can relate with the characters. They
will have multiple places to respond to what is going on in
class in their writer’s journals, which will keep the students
engaged throughout. All students will be included in the
discussion of relationships because it is part of the human
condition, making relationships is something that we all do.
Every text that is included in this unit contributes to the idea
of adolescent relationships in this new generation. There are
many skills that the students will learn in this unit, writing
skills, as well as life skills.
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision
and Curriculum Development
ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (ppk)
Conceptual Unit Rationale
A main issue that concerns many teens and this unit in the semester is the relationships they
hold with the people in their lives. The relationships they have with their parents, friends, teachers,
and even their siblings are at the utmost importance during this phase of their lives. “To observant
adults and perhaps to adolescents too, the sole concern of growing up sometimes seems to be
establishing relationships with members of the opposite sex”(Beckman). Relationships are also a main
theme in many of the texts they read in high school for example, Romeo and Juliet and Define Normal.
Dealing with any kind of relationship is no small matter as a teen, and the issues can consume their
entire life. “Romantic attraction may play a role . . . but it is secondary to peer friendships and family
relationships. We discovered teens feeling hostile or affectionate toward parents, acting in peer groups
or in isolation-isolation that is voluntary or imposed, feeling helpless or powerful, feeling abandoned or
stifled by parents, feeling trapped or free, acting irresponsibly or assuming great responsibility for
others”(Beckman).
I am teaching this conceptual unit because relationships are hard to deal with when you are
also going through high school. Relationships make a huge impact on a teen’s life or they wouldn’t be a
main theme in so many novels. Being a teenager can truly be a difficult experience and sometimes
students just need to know that they aren’t alone and that we all go through hard times. Teens like to
be able to relate to what they are doing in class, reading about characters that they can connect to
keeps them engaged. Literature is a way for students to connect with characters, and realize the scope
of their lives and how the same issues often impact other teens. “Young adult books frequently show
young teens that they are not the only ones who experience problems and even turmoil when dealing
with their new bodies and sexuality, with changing relationships with parents and friends, with more
philosophically advanced ways of thinking about themselves, the world, and their place in it”(Carroll). I
believe that this is why it is important to include modern literature in the curriculum, so that more
students are able to relate to characters that have to deal with the new set of relationship dynamics
that come from things like social networking sites.
There is still a lot we can learn from the classical literature, but relationship dynamics are
changing so teachers need to cater to these new relationships skills that this generation relates to. This
is just one of the many of new relationship skills that this generation of teenagers is dealing with.
Smagorinsky justifies the teaching of this topic in two separate categories; relevance and human
development. The teaching of this unit is relevant because, “many readers find that they empathize
with, learn from, see hope through, or otherwise relate to characters’ dilemmas and predicaments.
Presumably, students take a greater interest in characters like themselves than they do in characters
and settings that fall well outside their range of experience”(Smagorinsky). This unit lends itself to
psychology and human development because, “literature often deals with common human
experiences about the pressures, changes, dilemmas, aspirations, conflicts, and so on that make
growing up (and being grown up) such a challenge. Adolescent literature in particular often features
youthful protagonists dealing with the kinds of problems that students are likely experiencing, both
those that have endured across the ages and those that are more current”(Smagorinsky). It is
important to teenagers on many levels that what they are doing in school acknowledges the difficulty
they are going through being a young adult, as they try to cultivate healthy relationships in their lives.
Relationships affect our lives in different, and often life changing ways. In adolescence all of our
relationships drastically change, it becomes important for them to talk to someone about the
traumatic events and relationships they have in their lives, and their relationships are affected by the
newly recognized social networking dynamics which can be both helpful and hurtful.
There are three types of relationships that start to change during a student’s adolescence;
familial, romantic, and peer relationships. We are going to start off the unit by reading the short story,
“Meeting the Mugger” by Norma Fox Mazer. This short story highlights the elements of a nontraditional family and the unique features each character possesses that make the family original and
constantly in flux. “During adolescence, relationships with parents and other family members undergo
significant changes. From middle childhood through adolescence, rates of parental support and
interaction decrease. These changes, however, do not usually reflect a detachment from parents, but
instead a renegotiation and transformation of parent-child relationships”(Shaffer). Adolescence is a
time of adjusting into new roles within the relationships between the child and the parent. As the child
grows up and becomes more detached, roles will inevitably change. Students can learn how to cope
with that change through writing and literature. It is important for students to see that not all families
live like the “American dream” stereotype, in which they have a stay-at-home mom, the whole family
gets along, there is a white picket fence, and food on the table every night. Every family is wacky in its
own way and that is an important model for students to be exposed to.
To start the conversation about romantic relationships we are going to read the Romeo and
Juliet No Fear Shakespeare Graphic Novel created by the SparkNotes Editors. Romeo and Juliet is a
required title in the ninth grade so students should have already gone through the Shakespeare version
of this play. This time they will be reading the graphic novel in order to be able to delve deeper into the
story without the language getting in the way. “The formation of romantic relationships is often
thought to be one of the important developmental tasks of adolescence, and these relationships have
significant implications for health and adjustment”(Shaffer). Romantic relationships are very important
to teenagers, so they can connect with the heartache that Romeo and Juliet have to go through. There
are many benefits to reading the graphic novel version; it is more interesting to students, is great for
visual and kinesthetic learners, and students are more apt to engage with a story they can understand
and relate to.
One of the most important relationships that teenagers cultivate while going through
adolescence is their friendship with peers. In the novel, Define Normal, by Julie Anne Peters a young,
bright student is matched up with the school’s goth chick for peer counseling. Antonia made some
pretty harsh judgments about the type of person Jazz was just by how she looked. This novel is a great
representative of an adolescent’s struggle to fit in and what can happen when you find a friend worth
fighting for under the most unlikely of circumstances. “Over the course of adolescence, they
increasingly turn to their peers for support as these relationships become more intimate in
nature”(Shaffer). Due to the separation from their parents, the other relationships in their lives truly
blossom, especially with friends. There is a lot for these students to learn about how to deal with all of
the changing relationships surrounding their high school lives, and literature is a great way to get these
students talking and getting knowledge about these real life skills.
With the changing of all of these relationship dynamics, it is important for adolescents to talk to
someone about traumatic events and relationships in their lives. In order to begin the conversation of
the importance of speaking up, the students will all be placed into book club groups. There will be four
books to choose from; Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Skinny by Ibi Kaslik, The Perks of Being a
Wallflower by Stephen Chybosky, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman
Alexie. Students will be choosing which books they want to read after they do some research about
what each book is about. I will be sending permission slips home with the students because these titles
sometimes can be seen as controversial. These books are, “stories of suffering and survival are
transformative in nature, a protest against silence and a call for personal and political change”(Lucas).
Students are drawn to books like these because they are sometimes going through rough times
themselves whether it is now, or in their recent pasts. I have alternate book choices prepared should
any students opt out.
One of the more recent issues teens are dealing with alongside the changing of their
relationships is the spin that social networks have placed on their relationships, which can be helpful
and hurtful. “While MySpace may have some negative aspects, it can provide a forum for teenagers to
develop a sense of their personal identity through communication with friends and strangers”(Rosen).
Love them or hate them, social networks are here to stay so we might as well embrace that fact and try
to discover the impact they are having on our students. We will be watching a video and reading two
articles about the issues created by social networks. We will also be reading an article about teenagers
in the 1950s and how customs have changed. Students will be receiving many different perspectives
and comparing and contrasting how times have changed.
There are a few counterarguments that I can think of that would oppose some elements of this
unit plan. The first possible opposition that comes to mind is that sometimes students over share
when they are asked to write personal narratives. Some people believe that teachers should avoid
novels that provoke emotional reactions as well as assignments that do the same. Although reporting
violence, abuse, etc. is mandatory and essential for student safety, writing is therapeutic and
sometimes it is more important to expose those emotions in order to process and heal. I will have the
students write their personal reactions in their writer’s journals and if they write something that they
would not like me to read, they can put a red “x” on the top of the entry and I will skip over it. I will be
grading the journals by quantity and effort. As long as the students have the correct number of journal
entries and the length seems about right, I won’t be looking over every single entry. I will let students
know at the beginning of the semester about the rules of mandatory reporting, so that no one is taken
off guard should they over share in a piece of writing.
Another counterargument that could come up is that sometimes the change and conflict in a
relationship can be a good thing. I absolutely agree with this statement and that is why I have included
books like Define Normal and Speak, because they show how sometimes conflict can bring a
relationship closer, as well as sometimes destroy it. It is important to me that all my students get
perspectives from both sides of the spectrum, so they are exposed to all aspects of relationships, not
just the happy lovey aspects.
Perhaps the most important counterargument is that teachers shouldn’t be teaching the
importance of romantic relationships to teenagers in the “16 and Pregnant” generation. Studies have
shown that these television shows actually have decreased the amount of teenage pregnancies due to
how they depict real life situations that are far from glamorous. “Among those teens who have
watched MTV’s, “16 and Pregnant,” 82% think the show helps teens better understand the challenges
of teen pregnancy, parenthood, and how to avoid it,” while “most teens (79% of girls and 67% of boys)
agree with the statement: ‘When a TV show or character I like deals with teen pregnancy, it makes me
think more about my own risk of becoming pregnant/causing a pregnancy and how to avoid
it.’”(Dehnart). Although there will always be an exception to the rule, seeing first hand what real
teenagers have to go through is a great way for them to see how hard being a teenage parent actually
is.
We never stop learning about relationships and how they fit into our lives. It is something that
will always be a part of our lives so it is important that teenagers know that and start to understand
how to deal with new relationships. Relationships rule teenager’s lives at this point of adolescence and
they will appreciate a unit that addresses something that is so important to them. Literature about
how teenagers get through rough times, almost always includes a friend, family member, or love
interest that helps to pull them out of their rough patch. It is also important for teens to learn how to
foster a healthy relationship and to see models of successful friendships, familial relationships, and
romantic relationships. Some students don’t have models of healthy relationships at home, so it is
important for them to see that relationships can work and be a beneficial part of their lives. That is
what this unit will provide to them.
Works Cited
Beckman, Judith M. and Belden, Elizabeth A. “Making Connections: Friendships and Family
Relationships.” English Journal 66.7 Oct. (1987). Web. 2 April 2011.
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/1987/0766-oct1987/EJ0766Making.pdf
Carroll, Pamela Sissi. “Today’s Teens, Their Problems, and Their Literature: Revisiting G. Robert
Carlsen’s Books and the Teenage Reader Thirty Years Later.” English Journal 86.3 March (1997).
Web. 3 April 2011.
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/0863-march97/EJ0863Todays.PDF
Dehnart, Andy. "16 and Pregnant Helps Prevent Teen Births." Reality Blurred 12/23/10: Web. 9
Apr 2011.
http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/16_and_pregnant/2010_Dec_23_teen_pregnancy_s
urvey
Gallo, Don. “Bold Books for Teenagers.” English Journal 96.3 Jan. (2007). Web. 3 April 2011.
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/0963-jan07/EJ0963Bold.pdf
Lucas, Janet. “Getting Personal: Responding to Student Self-Disclosure.” Teaching English in the TwoYear College 44.3 May (2007). Web. 7 April 2011.
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/TETYC/0344-may07/TE0344Getting.pdf
Rice, Jeff. “Networks and New Media.” College English 69.2 Nov. (2006). Web. April 7 2011.
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/CE/0692-nov06/CE0692Networks.pdf
Ricker-Wilson, Carol. “Busting Textual Bodices: Gender, Reading, and the Popular Romance.” English
Journal 83.8 Jan. (1999). Web. 2 April 2011.
http://www.ncte.org/library/NCTEFiles/Resources/Journals/EJ/0883-jan99/EJ0883Busting.PDF
Rosen, Larry. “Adolescents in MySpace: Identity Formation, Friendship and Sexual Predators.”
California State University, Dominguez Hills June (2006). Web. 8 April 2011.
http://74.125.155.132/scholar?q=cache:1u7oizuFLqEJ:scholar.google.com/+social+networking+negativ
e+effects+on+teens&hl=en&as_sdt=0,6
Shaffer, Laura, and Furman Wyndol. "The Role of Romantic Relationships in Adolescent
Development." University of Denver (2003). Web. 8 Apr 2011.
http://www.du.edu/psychology/relationshipcenter/publications/pdfs/Theroleofromanticrelationshipsi
nadolescent.pdf
Smagorinsky, Peter. Teaching English by Design: How to Create and Carry Out Instructional Units.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2008. Print.
Calendar
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
FRIDAY
- Family Prompt
- “Meeting the Mugger” – Mazer
- Family Discussion
- Introduce S.S. Assignment (Pro)
- Hand out Seminar WS
- Plot prompt
- Short Story Plot Brainstorm
- MINI LESSON: Setting
- Proposal Sharing
- Romeo and Juliet: Act II
- Reading Quiz
- Relationships Socratic Seminar
HW: Romeo and Juliet: Act I and
Short Story Proposal and
Seminar Worksheet (Due Fri)
- Reading Quiz
- Romeo and Juliet Tableau
- Book Talk for BCB
- Setting Prompt
- Assign BCB Groups
- Hand out permission slips
DUE: Short Story Proposal
HW: Seminar Worksheet and
Romeo and Juliet: Act III
- Define Normal found
poetry/picture walk activity
- Define Normal Discussion
- Hand back story proposals
- MINI LESSON: “Catchy” first ¶
DUE: Socratic Seminar WS
HW: Romeo and Juliet: Act IV
and V
- Reading Quiz
- MINI LESSON: P.O.V.
- Workshop of first paragraph
HW: Define Normal: ¼ of book
and bring home permission slips
that are due next Friday
- Reading Quiz
- MINI LESSON: Character
Development
- P.O.V. and ¶ debrief: Jeopardy
HW: Define Normal: ¼ of book
and catchy first paragraph of
short story
- Go over BCB assignment
- Hand out worksheet to groups
- Groups meet, assign roles,
decide how much reading to do
and complete/discuss the
worksheet
DUE: Permission Slips and first ¶
HW: Define Normal: finish book
and short story draft due Friday
- MINI LESSONS:
-Explode a Moment
- Practice Time
- Peer Workshop – Ideas
HW: ¼ of BCBs
- Peer Workshop – Conventions
- Peer Workshop – Sentence
Fluency
- 1-on-1 Conferences
HW: Short Story Draft
- BCB Group discussion of
relationships in book
- Groups complete worksheet
HW: ¼ of BCBs and revise Stories HW: Finish BCBs
- Book Club presentations
- Article on 1950s dating
- Warm Fuzzies
- Discussion about dating
- Vignette Prompt
DUE: Individual Evaluations
HW: Short Story Drafts
HW: Finish Vignette and polish
Short Story
DUE: Short Story Draft
HW: ¼ of BCBs and revise Short
Story Drafts
- BCB Reading Quiz
- BCB Groups meet in computer
lab to work on presentations.
- Group Evaluations
HW: Individual Evaluations
- Article on social networks
- Video Clip
- Small Group Discussion
- Read Around of Vignettes
DUE: Short Story and Vignettes.
Lesson Plans
LEAD LESSON
DAY1 (Monday)
Standards:
Reading, Writing, and Communicating
2. Reading for All Purposes
2. The development of new ideas and concepts within informational and persuasive
manuscripts.
b. Provide a response to text that expresses an insight (such as an author’s
perspective or the nature of conflict) or use text based information to solve a
problem not identified in the text (for example, use information from a variety of
sources to provide a response to a text that expresses an insight)
- The students will be examining a short story in order to provide a response to
the nature of conflict within relationships that the story presents.
Objective:
- The students will be able to read the short story and recognize elements of relationships that are
both helpful and hurtful.
Link:
So far this year the students have been experimenting with many different genres of writing.
We have started to build up the student’s toolbox in the back of their writer’s journals with all of the
great writing techniques they have learned this far. They will incorporate the techniques they have
used for the past three units to create a great short story. This first lesson’s goal is to acquaint the
students with the idea of familial relationships and how they affect their lives in this day and age. The
students will be reading a short story on the first day that will serve as a great model to their own
writing of a short story. The story we will read highlights a non-traditional family and once they have
finished reading they will have a conversation about it. We will also talk about the student’s own
families. They will be filling out a worksheet as we read aloud together so when we are done reading
the story, they have some material already prepared for the discussion. They will delve deeper in the
material if they are given something to look for, as well as knowing that there is a discussion to come.
Students will need to know how to respond thoughtfully and respectfully. We all don't share the same
background so the student will have to treat our discussion with care. This class has already built up a
safe community; it is now a matter of maintaining it.
During the discussion they will need to support their contributions with a passage from the
short story. The students will also be required to rephrase what the person said that spoke before
them. This way the students stay engaged and form a community where every student feels
comfortable to speak. After the discussion has hit a lull, we will go over a few assignments that will be
due as the week progresses so that students have as much time as possible to put into writing their
own stories later on. The skills the students learn in this first reading and discussion will carry on
throughout this unit in the few other discussions that we will have.
Materials:
 Class copies of “Meeting the Mugger” by Norma Fox Mazer
 Meeting the Mugger Handout
 Short Story Assignment Sheet
 Socratic Seminar Worksheet
 Whiteboard and Markers
 Family Writing Prompt
 Writer’s Journals
Instruction:
TIME
2 mins


10 mins

3 mins



5 mins



30 mins


15 mins

10 mins




The Teacher Will . . .
Write the prompt on the board.
Ask students to pull out their
writer’s journal and get started on
the daily prompt.
Pass out copies of “Meeting the
Mugger”.
Also hand out the worksheet
Give class thirty seconds to wrap up
their last thought.
Ask to have some students share.
Give a brief introduction to the
short story we are about to read,
and about the book it came out of.
Give a brief description of the
handout and tell students that there
will be a discussion afterwards.
Ask for volunteers to help read the
story.
Read short story aloud
Give students a minute to wrap up
their thoughts on the worksheet
after we finish reading.
Lead a discussion on family
relationships based off of the
worksheet.
Pass out the Short Story Assignment
Sheet.
Read through it with the students.
Point out the proposal that is due
the next class and explain it.
Ask if there are any questions.

The Students Will . . .
Pull out their journals and read the
prompt.

Write on the given prompt for ten
minutes.

Volunteer to share their responses if
they would like to.
Listen with a lover’s ear if they would
not like to share.
Students will listen to the overview.
Volunteer to read if they so choose.









Follow along with the short story,
and read if they have volunteered.
Fill out the provided worksheet while
they read.
Participate in discussion.
Share at least once.
Read through short story assignment
sheet and highlight important dates/
things to remember.
Write that proposal is due the next
class in their planners.
10 mins


5 mins




Pass out the Socratic Seminar
Worksheet that will be due on
Friday.
Explain what a Socratic Seminar is
and that each student will need to
have this worksheet completed in
order to participate in class on
Friday.
Ask if there are any questions.
Ask students to talk to a partner
about the short story they are
thinking about writing.
Collect their discussion worksheet.
Mention to students that the first
act of Romeo and Juliet will be
homework.






Listen and highlight anything they
need to on the seminar worksheet.
Write in their planners that it is due
on Friday.
Ask any looming questions.
Talk to a partner about their ideas for
their short stories.
Turn in discussion worksheet.
Write homework in planners.
Assessment:
 Completion of the Meeting the Mugger Worksheet.
 Shared at least once during the discussion.
Differentiation:
 Students who have IEPs or 504s can turn in their completed worksheet for discussion credit.
 Advanced students will be given a higher required word count for their short stories.
 Struggling students will be given a lower required word count for their short stories.
o There will also be other accommodations of the requirement available if they are
needed.
 Students choose their own premise for their short stories and story proposals.
 The proposals will be due Wednesday, but they can propose to write about whatever they want.
As long as it is appropriate and feasible, it will be approved.
Name:
Meeting The Mugger
By Norma Fox Mazer
While we read the short story, “Meeting the Mugger,” fill out the worksheet below. You do not have to
write in complete sentences, but make sure you have something prepared to say for the discussion
that we will have after reading. You will be required to speak at least once during the discussion.
1. List three ways your family is the same or different than the family in the story:
1.
2.
3.
2. What language sticks out to you as similar to your own family’s language? If your family is nothing
like the family in the story them list ways that your family’s language differs:
-
-
-
3. Passages that stuck out to you and why they did:
-
-
-
Name:
Socratic Seminar Worksheet
Relationships
DUE: Friday (Day 3)
Please complete this worksheet before class on Friday. You must have completed the worksheet in
order to participate in the discussion. You will be required to speak up at least once during the
discussion. Follow the discussion rules that we set up together at the beginning of the semester. Be
appropriate and respectful towards the other students in class and their opinions.
1. What are three important elements of having a successful relationship with family, friends, or
significant other? Why are they important to you?
1.
2.
3.
2. Name three issues that the characters in “Meeting the Mugger” struggle with? Why do you think the
characters feel that way?
1.
2.
3.
3. List three passages that show relationship issues in the two texts that we have read. What should
the characters have done different? Or did they react the best way possible? Why?
1.
2.
3.
4. List three instances that show a healthy relationship and three that show a hurtful relationship. Give
support. (Write the location of the passage and then support your claim. You don’t have to write out
the quote.)
HELPFUL
HURTFUL
1.
1.
2.
2.
3.
3.
Name:
Short Story Assignment Sheet
DUE: Friday (Day 15)
INSTUCTIONS:
Throughout this unit we will be using certain elements to write captivating short stories. You will be
writing a short story that will have certain requirements that need to be fulfilled. The story proposal
will be a one-paragraph description of what your short story will be about. The required elements are:
_____ Strong sense of setting.
_____ Catchy First Paragraph.
_____ First Person P.O.V.
_____ Two round characters (there must be a relationship in the story).
_____ Explode a moment.
_____ Dialogue
_____ 1500 – 3000 words.
DUE DATES:
 Story Proposal due Day 2
 Catchy First Paragraph due Day 6
 Short Story Draft due Day 9
 Short Story Final due Day 15
POINTS:
 Sense of setting (5 points)
 Catchy first paragraph (20 points)
 Consistent First Person P.O.V. (5 points)
 Two characters (relationship) (5 points)
 1500-300 words (5 points)
 Explode a moment (10 points)
 Dialogue (10 points)
 Adhering to the rubric (40 points)
___________/ 60 points (required elements)
___________/ 40 points (rubric)
TOTAL = ___________/ 100 points
Name:
Short Story Rubric
1
Conventions
(5 points)
2
3
4
Story has many
grammar/spelling
mistakes that take
away from
understanding
Story has some
grammar/spelling
mistakes that take
away from
understanding
Story has occasional
grammar/spelling
mistakes that do not
take away from
understanding
Story has few or
no grammar/
spelling mistakes
Story has little or no
creativity and is not
interesting
Story has little or no
creativity but barely
holds reader interest
Story has adequate
creativity and holds
reader interest
Story has
abundant
creativity and
captivates reader
Characters have
some description but
is only somewhat
consistent
Characters are round
but have some flaws
Characters are
round and have
vivid description
_____/ 10
Characters are not
very well described
or displayed
characterization is
not very consistent
Content &
Relationships
(10 points)
Little understanding
of author’s intent or
relationship issues.
Reader has some
understanding of the
relationship issues,
but it may be vague
Reader is given a
mainly clear picture
of the relationship
issues, however it
may falter in parts
Plot is not well
conveyed and is
improperly
structured; lacks
structure
Plot is has some
difficulties is
improperly
structured in parts
and has some
structure
Plot is well conveyed
and is generally
structured well
Reader is clear
about the
relationship
issues, it is
maintained
consistently
throughout the
story
Plot is excellently
conveyed and
follows an
effective story
structure
_____/ 5
Creativity
(5 points)
_____/ 5
Characters
(10 points)
_____/ 10
Story
Structure/Plot
(10 points)
_____/ 10
/40
http://plone.rockyview.ab.ca/bchurch/Members/dkeenan/english-20-1/unit-1-short-stories/assignments-andguides/Short%20Story%20Rubric%20English%2020%202007.doc/view
DAY 2 (Wednesday)
Standards:
Reading, Writing, and Communicating
3. Writing and Composition
1. Literary or narrative genres feature a variety of stylistic devices to engage or entertain
an audience
a. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
ii. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey
a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.
- I will be teaching the students a thirty-minute mini-lesson on how to write a
realistic setting. They will be taking their notes in the “toolbox” section of their
writer’s journals.
Objective:
- The students will be able to write a convincing setting using the suggestions from the mini-lesson.
Link:
In our last class we went over elements of hurtful and healthy love relationships. Today we will
be talking about how to set the perfect setting in a story. Your story will include some sort of
relationship and in order for your reader to feel immersed in your writing, you need to set yourself up
for success by thinking hard about the setting. There is a lot more to incorporating a setting than some
people think at first. We will be going over what elements you can use to insure you are on target.
Materials:
 Plot Prompt Overhead
 Whiteboard and Markers
 Writer’s Notebook
 Romeo and Juliet: Act II
 Overhead Projector
 Copies of Setting worksheet
 Photographs
Instruction:
TIME
2 mins


10 mins

The Teacher Will . . .
Put the prompt on the overhead
projector.
Ask students to pull out their
writer’s journals and get started on
the daily prompt.
Write “plot” in a circle on the board
in order to create a web once the
students have finished writing.


The Students Will . . .
Pull out their journals and read the
prompt.
Write on the given prompt for ten
minutes.
3 mins


10 mins

30 mins








15 mins



20 mins


1 min


Give class thirty seconds to wrap up
their last thought.
Ask to have some students share.

We will brainstorm plot ideas
together on the board to get the
juices flowing.
Pass out Setting worksheets.
Read the first part of the worksheet
out loud.
Number students off from 1 to 5
and get them into small groups.
Tell students to flip into the
“toolbox” section of their writer’s
journals.
Pass around the tape so they can
tape the worksheets into their
notebooks.
Hand each group a photograph and
ask them to complete the first
activity on the worksheet.
Once everyone is done with the first
part, ask each group to share.
Then tell students to go on to the
second activity and then ask groups
to share out once they are all
finished.
Tell students that they will now be
sharing their proposals with two
other people.
Give them time to share.
After they have shared, collect the
proposals.
Tell students to pull out Romeo and
Juliet and let them know that we
will be reading Act II together in
class.
Assign roles for: Mercutio, Benvolio,
Romeo, Juliet, Friar Lawrence,
Juliet’s nurse, and Peter.
Remind students that the seminar
worksheet is due on Friday.
Tell students that Act III is due in the
next class for a reading quiz.













Volunteer to share their responses if
they would like to.
Listen with a lover’s ear if they would
not like to share.
Students will volunteer their plot
ideas or just ones that sound
interesting to them.
Get into assigned groups.
Listen to instructions.
Open up to the toolbox.
Tape notes on setting onto a blank
page.
Collaborate for activity 1.
Share.
Collaborate for activity 2.
Share.
Listen to directions.
Share proposals with two other
peers.
After, turn the proposals in.


Pull out Romeo and Juliet.
Follow along and read their part if
they have one.

Write in their planners that it is due
on Friday.
Assessment:
 Completion of the Short Story Proposal.
 Input during the brainstorm.
 Input during the setting mini-lesson.
Differentiation:
 Using a graphic novel as opposed to the real text.
 Students can offer up whatever plot ideas that they have during the brainstorm.
 Students are allowed to share their proposals with whomever they chose, as long as it is with
more than one other person.
 Small groups for the setting activity can be grouped specially by student’s needs.
Plot Prompt
With two existing characters (or two new ones—just be sure they are fairly
well developed), construct a very tense situation where these two individuals
must confront each other face to face. If one character is hot-headed, he
might be taunting the other character. Perhaps there is an impatient,
temperamental salesman trying to assist a very slow-paced, talkative young
woman who can’t seem to get to the point.
The idea in this exercise is to confront a confrontation, so to speak, between
two characters. Tension is a breeding ground for plot, and with a little bit of
thinking, this exercise can be a lot of fun.
http://www.suite101.com/content/5-fiction-writing-prompts-for-plot-a152987
Setting Worksheet
(Adapted from Amber Anderson’s worksheet, Spring 2011)
Eudora Welty said, “Every story would be another story, and unrecognizable if it took up its characters
and plot and happened somewhere else… Fiction depends for its life on place. Place is the crossroads
of circumstance, the proving ground of, What happened? Who’s here? Who’s coming?...”
Writers describe the world they know. Sights, sounds, colors, and textures are all vividly painted in
words as an artist paints images on canvas. A writer imagines a story to be happening in a place that is
rooted in his or her mind. The location of a story’s actions, along with the time in which it occurs, is the
setting.
Setting is created by language. How many or how few details we learn is up to the author. Many
authors leave a lot of these details up to the reader’s imagination.
What Setting Tells Us
In William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,” the narrator carefully describes the house that Miss Emily
lives in. This description helps us picture a decaying Mississippi town in the post-Civil War South. We
also learn about Miss Emily’s resistance to change.
“It was a big, squarrish frame house that had once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and
scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies, set on what had once been our most
select street. But garages and cotton gins had encroached and obliterated even the august names of
that neighborhood; only Miss Emily’s house was left, listing its stubborn and coquettish decay above
the cotton wagons and the gasoline pumps—an eyesore among eyesores”.
Later we enter the house itself and, eventually, end up inside one particular room. The physical details
of the setting become linked with the values, ideals, and attitudes of that place in different times.
Setting can add an important dimension of meaning, reflecting character and embodying theme.
Activity One (complete in Writer’s Notebook):
Study the given picture and explain how the setting influences or defines the character within the
picture. You will need to define the character and then explain what it is in the setting that makes you
draw the conclusions that you do about the character.



Write down your impressions of the character. These impressions do not have to be complete
sentences. Who is this character ad how does he think and feel in this moment of time?
Give a physical description of the setting. Where is the character? What time of day is it? Use
sensory imagery to pain the picture in words.
Pull all your ideas together in a paragraph that explains what it is in the setting that led you to
describe the character the way you did?
Activity Two:
Study the given picture and place yourself within the setting. Using vivid imagery and figurative
language that appeals to as many of the five senses as you can, make your chosen setting come alive to
someone who is not with you.



Begin your narrative description by stating, “I am sitting, standing, walking (use an action verb)
in…
In the course of your description, be sure to relate how this setting makes you feel. Does your
description evoke or spark any personal memories of similar settings or feelings? Be sure to
include these in your narrative. Remember: it is said that the sense of smell brings back the
strongest memories.
Complete this in only eight to ten sentences.
DAY 3 (Friday)
Standards:
Reading, Writing, and Communicating
1. Oral Expression and Listening
1. Content that is gathered carefully and organized well successfully influences the
audience
a. Present information, finding, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and
logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization,
development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and
task.
- The students will be participating in a Socratic Seminar where they will have to
speak up and support their claims with evidence. They will also be required to be
appropriate and to respect their audience.
Objectives:
- The students will be able to prove that they have kept up on their reading
- The students will participate in a successful, respectful discussion while keeping their peers in mind.
Link:
Last time we discussed plot ideas and how to write a convincing setting. The reading of Romeo
and Juliet that we read aloud in our last class as well as the short story that we read on Monday will be
a big part of the discussion we have today. These two texts have showed us a lot about relationships
and today in class we will be talking about everything that they have shown.
Materials:
 Copies of Reading Quizzes
 Completion Checklist
Instruction:
TIME
2 mins


15 mins

The Teacher Will . . .
As students enter class and get
settled in, walk around with the
Completion Checklist (a checklist
with student names) and make sure
that every student has their Socratic
seminar worksheet completed.
The students who come with it not
completed will be asked to finish
their worksheet in the hall and then
can join the discussion once they
are done for credit.
Pass out the Reading Quiz.




The Students Will . . .
Pull out their Socratic Seminar
Worksheets.
Go out to the hall if they do not have
it finished.
Put their names on their quizzes once
they have received them.
Complete quiz.
3 mins


60 mins

10 mins

Collect quizzes.
Explain the rule of a Socratic
seminar.
Listen while the students discuss
and keep track of who speaks up.
Tell students to pull out their
Writer’s notebooks and write down
anything that they heard in the
discussion that was interesting to
them, or anything that they wanted
to say but didn’t get a chance to.



Get Socratic Seminar worksheet in
front of them and listen to
instructions.
Discuss.
Debrief from the discussion in their
journals.
Assessment:
 Completion of the Socratic Seminar Worksheet.
 Input during the Socratic Seminar.
 Reading Quiz.
Differentiation:
 Students who didn't complete the worksheet can finish it in the hall and then rejoin the
discussion.
 An altered reading quiz for the students who struggle to complete their reading homework.
 Allow special needs students to turn in “point cards”. Throughout the discussion they can write
the speaking points they wanted to make during the discussion on a notecard and turn it in to
me at the end of the discussion for speaking credit.
Name:
Romeo and Juliet Reading Quiz
(Through Act III)
10 points
1. To which city does Romeo go after being exiled from Verona?
(A) Padua
(B) Rome
(C) Venice
(D) Mantua
2. Why is Romeo exiled?
(A) For killing Tybalt
(B) For marrying Juliet against her father’s will
(C) For killing Mercutio
(D) For publicly admitting his atheism
3. Who performs Romeo and Juliet’s marriage?
(A) Friar John
(B) Friar Lawrence
(C) Father Vincentio
(D) Mercutio
4. Explain why Romeo and Juliet have to keep their marriage a secret (2 – 3 sentences):
Their parents are rivals and would be furious. Juliet is already promised to another man.
5. Describe Juliet’s dilemma in the first three acts (2 – 3 sentences):
She is in love with Romeo and can't tell anyone about it. She is also set to marry Paris, who is
anything but the Romeo that she desires.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/quiz.html
DAY 4 (Monday)
Standards:
Reading, Writing, and Communicating
3. Writing and Composition
1. Literary or narrative genres feature a variety of stylistic devices to engage or entertain
an audience
a. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences
- The students will be writing a journal entry about the setting of their short
stories in progress. They will need to adhere to the above standards in order to
create an intriguing setting.
1. Oral Expression and Listening
2. Effectively operating in small and large groups to accomplish a goal requires active
listening
a. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (oneon-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grades 9 – 10 topics,
texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively
- The students will be participating in a Tableau where they will be assigned a
scene from Romeo and Juliet to create a living picture.
Objectives:
- The students will show that they have grasped the knowledge of writing a good setting.
- The students will be able to show their knowledge of a text by participating in a tableau, frozen living
pictures, activity.
Link:
Last week we spent time learning about setting and today we are going to see how much the
students remember. We will be having a reading quiz over the final acts of the Shakespeare play and
will be starting the class with a writing prompt about setting. We are starting a new section of this unit
and will be going over friendships in the book Define Normal. I will also be introducing the book club
books to the students in a book talk.
Materials:
 Copies of Reading Quizzes
 Setting Prompt Overhead
 Overhead Projector
 Tableau Instructions Overhead
 Book Talk Talking Points
 Copies of Book Club Books
 Assigned Book Club Book Groups list
 Permission Slips
 Playing Cards
Instruction:
TIME
10 mins
20 mins




10 mins
30 mins



10 mins




5 mins


5 mins



The Teacher Will . . .
Pass out Reading Quiz.
Put Tableau activity Instruction
Sheet on the overhead.
Give directions verbally and check
for student understanding before
they start.
Number students off with playing
cards 1-6.
Give students participation grades.
Give a book talk on the four book
club books.
Tell students to get out a half page
of paper and rank the books in
order of the ones they want to read
most.
Collect book club selections.
Put the setting prompt on the
overhead projector.
Ask students to pull out their
writer’s journals and get started on
the daily prompt.
Arrange the BCB (Book Club Book)
Groups based off what the students
have chosen.
Give class thirty seconds to wrap up
their last thought.
Ask to have some students share.
Hand out permission slips to the
respective BCB groups.
Tell students that the permission
slips are due on Friday.
Remind students that they will be
reading the first fourth of Define
Normal for homework.
Assessment:
 Reading Quiz
 Input during the Tableau activity.






The Students Will . . .
Put their names on their quizzes once
they have received them.
Complete quiz.
Listen to directions.
Meet in assigned groups.
Create a Tableau for the chosen
scene.
Get ready to present it to the class.



Present Tableaus.
Listen to book talk.
Pull out a piece a paper and rank the
books in the order of which ones
they want to read most.


Get out Writer’s journals.
Write on the given prompt for ten
minutes.

Volunteer to share their responses if
they would like to.
Listen with a lover’s ear if they would
not like to share.
Write in their planners when the
permission slips are due and to read
the assigned reading.




Book club Book choices.
Participation in the Writer’s journal prompt.
Differentiation:
 An altered reading quiz for the students who struggle to complete their reading homework.
 Students are allowed to choose their books, because they write their top three choices I have
the ability to put kids in certain groups if I feel like it is necessary.
Name:
Romeo and Juliet Reading Quiz
(Through the end)
10 points
1. Who discovers Juliet after she takes Friar Lawrence’s potion?
(A) Lady Capulet
(B) Capulet
(C) Paris
(D) The Nurse
2. Who proposes that a gold statue of Juliet be built in Verona?
(A) Montague
(B) Lady Capulet
(C) Paris
(D) Romeo
3. How and where does Romeo commit suicide?
(A) With a dagger in the orchard
(B) With a rope in the public square
(C) With a sword in Juliet’s bedchamber
(D) With poison in Juliet’s tomb
4. Describe the sleeping potion that Friar Lawrence gives to Juliet (2 – 3 sentences):
Makes Juliet’s body act like she is dead. Her breathing stops, her blood goes cold, and her joints
stiffen. For about three hours.
5. Explain what went wrong with Juliet and Friar Lawrence’s plan (2 – 3 sentences):
Romeo’s friend tells him the news that Juliet has been found dead, before the letter get to him
that Friar Lawrence wrote describing the plan. So Romeo thinks Juliet is actually dead and goes
to the tomb and commits suicide.
http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/romeojuliet/quiz.html
Romeo and Juliet Tableau
Form a tableau that represents your understanding of the plot twist in the
story. At what point do things change in this play? What is the climax? Talk
amongst your partners and formulate a “living, still picture” of the scene that
contains the plot twist that you will present in front of the class. The class will
guess which scene you are portraying based off of your living picture. You will
get ready in front of the class and then I will say, “freeze” and you must
freeze into your living picture while we guess your chosen scene.
Working with a group etiquette:
Make sure each member is included and each voice gets heard. The best idea
of the group might be with someone who won’t speak up on their own.
Setting Prompt
Meaningful details can help you establish setting and atmosphere. Answer
these questions in your journals:
1. Where does the scene take place?
2. What do the immediate surroundings look like?
3. What time of day is it?
4. How does the point-of-view character feel emotionally?
5. What do they feel physically?
6. What do the characters hear?
7. What do those sounds remind them of?
8. What do their voices sound like?
9. What do the characters facial expressions look like?
10. What are they physically doing at this moment?
http://writeitsideways.com/21-writing-prompts-for-setting-a-scene-in-your-novel/
Book Talk for Book Club Books
(Teacher’s talking points)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chybosky:
What is most notable about this funny, touching, memorable first novel from Stephen Chbosky is the
resounding accuracy with which the author captures the voice of a boy teetering on the brink of
adulthood. Charlie is a freshman. And while's he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means
popular. He's a wallflower--shy and introspective, and intelligent beyond his years, if not very savvy in
the social arts. We learn about Charlie through the letters he writes to someone of undisclosed name,
age, and gender, a stylistic technique that adds to the heart-wrenching earnestness saturating this
teen's story. Charlie encounters the same struggles that many kids face in high school--how to make
friends, the intensity of a crush, family tensions, a first relationship, exploring sexuality, experimenting
with drugs--but he must also deal with his best friend's recent suicide. Charlie's letters take on the
intimate feel of a journal as he shares his day-to-day thoughts and feelings:
I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why
they're here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And I wonder how smart they were when they were fifteen.
Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's had their
heart broken that day, and how they are able to cope with having three quizzes and a book report due
on top of that. Or wondering who did the heart breaking. And wondering why.
With the help of a teacher who recognizes his wisdom and intuition, and his two friends, seniors
Samantha and Patrick, Charlie mostly manages to avoid the depression he feels creeping up like kudzu.
When it all becomes too much, after a shocking realization about his beloved late Aunt Helen, Charlie
retreats from reality for a while. But he makes it back in due time, ready to face his sophomore year
and all that it may bring. Charlie, sincerely searching for that feeling of "being infinite," is a kindred
spirit to the generation that's been slapped with the label X.
http://www.amazon.com/Perks-Being-Wallflower-StephenChbosky/dp/0671027344/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304100557&sr=8-1
Skinny by Ibi Kaslik:
In her first year of med school, 22-year-old Giselle Vasco seems to have it all together. But a lifetime of
bitter relations with her deceased father is slowly catching up, and she falls into a downward spiral that
her mother and her younger sister, Holly, are powerless to stop. Skinny, though, is much more than a
study of one young woman's battle with anorexia. What starts as Giselle's story quickly develops into a
rich and powerful tapestry of a whole family. When Thomas and Vesla Vasco emigrated from Hungary
in the 1970s to escape communism's rigid caste system, Vesla was already pregnant, and Thomas had
always questioned whether the baby was his. His doubts color his whole relationship with his older
daughter, and when Holly is born eight years later, the divide becomes more apparent. Holly, a natural
athlete, struggles to understand and avert her sister's self-loathing. The chapters alternate between
the sisters' voices, and the ability to see the events unfolding through their eyes adds a depth and a
poignancy that would not have been possible with a single narrator.
http://www.amazon.com/Skinny-IbiKaslik/dp/B001G8WGVQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304100695&sr=1-1
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson:
Since the beginning of the school year, high school freshman Melinda has found that it's been getting
harder and harder for her to speak out loud: "My throat is always sore, my lips raw.... Every time I try
to talk to my parents or a teacher, I sputter or freeze.... It's like I have some kind of spastic laryngitis."
What could have caused Melinda to suddenly fall mute? Could it be due to the fact that no one at
school is speaking to her because she called the cops and got everyone busted at the seniors' big endof-summer party? Or maybe it's because her parents' only form of communication is a Post-It note
written on their way out the door to their nine-to-whenever jobs. While these things bother Melinda,
deep down she knows the real reason why she's been struck mute...
http://www.amazon.com/Speak-Laurie-HalseAnderson/dp/0312674392/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304100892&sr=1-2
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie:
Exploring Indian identity, both self and tribal, Alexie's first young adult novel is a semiautobiographical
chronicle of Arnold Spirit, aka Junior, a Spokane Indian from Wellpinit, WA. The bright 14-year-old was
born with water on the brain, is regularly the target of bullies, and loves to draw. He says, "I think the
world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats." He expects
disaster when he transfers from the reservation school to the rich, white school in Reardan, but soon
finds himself making friends with both geeky and popular students and starting on the basketball team.
Meeting his old classmates on the court, Junior grapples with questions about what constitutes one's
community, identity, and tribe. The daily struggles of reservation life and the tragic deaths of the
protagonist's grandmother, dog, and older sister would be all but unbearable without the humor and
resilience of spirit with which Junior faces the world. The many characters, on and off the rez, with
whom he has dealings are portrayed with compassion and verve, particularly the adults in his extended
family.
http://www.amazon.com/Absolutely-True-Diary-Part-TimeIndian/dp/0316013692/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304101003&sr=1-1
Permission Slips
To the parents/guardians of _________________________
I am writing to you to inform you that in your child’s English Language Arts class we will be covering a
unit shortly regarding adolescent issues, including: teen choice, friendship, and change. We will be
reading Stephen Chbosky’s novel, Perks of Being a Wallflower. The unit will approach themes of drugs,
sexuality, and suicide, which our literature, media and other supplemental texts and articles will cover.
My goal as your child’s teacher is not to force beliefs upon your student, but rather challenge them to
analyze difficult topics in a mature fashion. I also hope to expose your child to literature and themes
that they can directly relate to in order to allow them to gain a greater appreciation for reading. The
content of this unit will in no way exceed or degrade the standards set by the school nor the district.
Whatever is presented will be done tastefully and as censored as possible, so that there is a
compromise reached between our standards and your concerns for your child. With that said, if you
feel the content in this unit is inappropriate for your child, or you feel that your child will not be able to
handle this unit in a mature fashion, please contact me and/or indicate on the permission form below,
and a new lesson plan covering similar themes in a novel with a less graphic presentation will be
written up for your child (Catcher in the Rye). I thank you for your time and willingness to better your
child’s education.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lepore
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I, ____________________________, give permission for my child, ___________________________ ,
to participate in the study/reading of the novel, Perks of Being a Wallflower in class.
____________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/showthread.php?t=63797
To the parents/guardians of _________________________
I am writing to you to inform you that in your child’s English Language Arts class we will be covering a
unit shortly regarding adolescent issues, including: teen choice, friendship, and change. We will be
reading Ibi Kaslik’s novel, Skinny. The unit will approach themes of drugs, anorexia, and suicide, which
our literature, media and other supplemental texts and articles will cover. My goal as your child’s
teacher is not to force beliefs upon your student, but rather challenge them to analyze difficult topics
in a mature fashion. I also hope to expose your child to literature and themes that they can directly
relate to in order to allow them to gain a greater appreciation for reading. The content of this unit will
in no way exceed or degrade the standards set by the school nor the district. Whatever is presented
will be done tastefully and as censored as possible, so that there is a compromise reached between our
standards and your concerns for your child. With that said, if you feel the content in this unit is
inappropriate for your child, or you feel that your child will not be able to handle this unit in a mature
fashion, please contact me and/or indicate on the permission form below, and a new lesson plan
covering similar themes in a novel with a less graphic presentation will be written up for your child
(Pride and Prejudice). I thank you for your time and willingness to better your child’s education.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lepore
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I, ____________________________, give permission for my child, ___________________________ ,
to participate in the study/reading of the novel, Skinny in class.
____________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/showthread.php?t=63797
To the parents/guardians of _________________________
I am writing to you to inform you that in your child’s English Language Arts class we will be covering a
unit shortly regarding adolescent issues, including: teen choice, friendship, and change. We will be
reading Laurie Anne Halse’s novel, Speak. The unit will approach themes of alcohol, sexuality, and
sexual harassment, which our literature, media and other supplemental texts and articles will cover.
My goal as your child’s teacher is not to force beliefs upon your student, but rather challenge them to
analyze difficult topics in a mature fashion. I also hope to expose your child to literature and themes
that they can directly relate to in order to allow them to gain a greater appreciation for reading. The
content of this unit will in no way exceed or degrade the standards set by the school nor the district.
Whatever is presented will be done tastefully and as censored as possible, so that there is a
compromise reached between our standards and your concerns for your child. With that said, if you
feel the content in this unit is inappropriate for your child, or you feel that your child will not be able to
handle this unit in a mature fashion, please contact me and/or indicate on the permission form below,
and a new lesson plan covering similar themes in a novel with a less graphic presentation will be
written up for your child (Pride and Prejudice). I thank you for your time and willingness to better your
child’s education.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lepore
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I, ____________________________, give permission for my child, ___________________________ ,
to participate in the study/reading of the novel, Speak in class.
____________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/showthread.php?t=63797
To the parents/guardians of _________________________
I am writing to you to inform you that in your child’s English Language Arts class we will be covering a
unit shortly regarding adolescent issues, including: teen choice, friendship, and change. We will be
reading Laurie Sherman Alexie’s novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. The unit will
approach themes of racism and stereotypes. My goal as your child’s teacher is not to force beliefs upon
your student, but rather challenge them to analyze difficult topics in a mature fashion. I also hope to
expose your child to literature and themes that they can directly relate to in order to allow them to
gain a greater appreciation for reading. The content of this unit will in no way exceed or degrade the
standards set by the school nor the district. Whatever is presented will be done tastefully and as
censored as possible, so that there is a compromise reached between our standards and your concerns
for your child. With that said, if you feel the content in this unit is inappropriate for your child, or you
feel that your child will not be able to handle this unit in a mature fashion, please contact me and/or
indicate on the permission form below, and a new lesson plan covering similar themes in a novel with a
less graphic presentation will be written up for your child (Catcher and the Rye). I thank you for your
time and willingness to better your child’s education.
Sincerely,
Ms. Lepore
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I, ____________________________, give permission for my child, ___________________________ ,
to participate in the study/reading of the novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian in
class.
____________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature
http://forums.atozteacherstuff.com/showthread.php?t=63797
DAY 5 (Wednesday)
Standards:
Reading, Writing, and Communicating
3. Writing and Composition
1. Literary or narrative genres feature a variety of stylistic devices to engage or entertain
an audience
a. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using
effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences
- The students will be learning about how to write a catchy first paragraph and
they will need to choose specific details to make it hook the reader.
2. Organizational writing patterns inform or persuade an audience
a. Write informal/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content
iv. Collect, organize, and evaluate materials to support ideas
- The students will be participating in a found poetry activity where they will
have to collect, organize, and evaluate post-it notes from other students in order
to make a found poem of heir own.
Objective:
- The students will be able to analyze a text for a discussion.
- The students will be able to write a catchy first paragraph for their short stories.
Link:
Last week we talked about how to create a really good setting, and at this period we will be
building off of that in order to write catchy first paragraphs for the student’s short stories in progress.
In Romeo and Juliet we learn that relationships with significant others can affect the entire family.
Today we will be talking about the developing friendship between Antonia and Jazz and what their
friendship dynamics are all about.
Materials:
 Six photographs
 Post-it Notes
 Tape
 Define Normal discussion questions
 Playing Cards
 Candy
 Copies of Catchy First Paragraph worksheet
 Graded story proposals
Instruction:
TIME
Before

The Teacher Will . . .
Tape the six photographs up around

The Students Will . . .
Be filtering in slowly from passing
Class

15 mins




5 mins

10 mins




5 mins



25 mins



the room.
Put three post-it notes on each
student’s desk.
Tell students to take their three
post-it notes and walk around the
room and look at all the pictures.
They must use all three of their
post-its on three different pictures.
They must write a one to two
sentence response and post it on
the corresponding picture.
Once they have posted all of their
post-its then they should sit back in
their seats.
Now that everyone has posted
three notes, you will go back up to
the pictures and pick up three postit notes that aren’t your own and
return to your desk.
Tell the students that they will be
creating a found poem with the
three post-its that they have picked
up.
The found poem should be about
what they have read so far in Define
Normal.
They can add words as they wish,
but they cannot change the
phrasing of the words on the postit.
They are allowed to choose chunks
from the post-its though, if they do
not want to use the whole thing.
Give class thirty seconds to wrap up
their last thought.
Ask to have some students share.
Collect found poems.
Now we will have a short discussion
about Define Normal.
Pass out a playing card to each
student face down.
Tell the students that they only get
one chance to speak and once they
period.



Listen to directions.
Walk around the room, respond to
pictures on the post-its, and post
their three notes to three different
pictures.
Go back to seats.

Go pick up three post-its that aren’t
their own and then sit back down.

Create found poem.

Volunteer to share their responses if
they would like to.
Listen with a lover’s ear if they would
not like to share.
Turn in found poem.
Have a discussion.
Flip card over once they have
spoken.





1 min

20 mins





3 mins


1 min


do, they have to flip their card over.
At the end of the discussion,
whoever has their card flipped over
will get a piece of candy, so the
students will be encouraged to ask
questions of others so everyone
gets a piece.
Pass out candy and hand back Story
Proposals.
Pass out Catchy Paragraph
worksheets.
Read the first part of the worksheet
out loud.
Tell students to flip into the
“toolbox” section of their writer’s
journals.
Pass around the tape so they can
tape the worksheets into their
notebooks.
Once everyone is done with the first
paragraph, ask if anyone would like
to share.
Give class thirty seconds to wrap up
their last thought.
Ask to have some students share.
Tell students to pull out their
planners
Remind students that permission
slips, the second ¼ of Define
Normal, and their first paragraphs
typed up are due in the next class.








Enjoy candy while teacher passes out
papers.
Listen to instructions.
Open up to the toolbox.
Tape notes onto a blank page.
Write an introductory paragraph.
Volunteer to share their responses if
they would like to.
Listen with a lover’s ear if they would
not like to share.
Put homework in planners.
Assessment:
 Completion of the found poem.
 Input during the discussion.
 Input during the catchy first paragraph mini-lesson.
Differentiation:
 Struggling students can have a copy of the prepared discussion questions so they know which
ones are coming and can formulate a response.
 Allow special needs students to turn in “point cards”. Throughout the discussion they can write
the speaking points they wanted to make during the discussion on a notecard and turn it in to
me at the end of the discussion for speaking credit and candy.
Picture Walk Photographs
http://www.caribbean-on-line.com/st-barts/local-stuff/woman-with-most-bodypiercings.html
http://www.easy-hairstyles.com/15/gothic-hairstyles/
http://purplepearl.wordpress.com/category/my-little-darn-mind/
http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/6-year-old-girl-patted-down-by-tsa-are-moronsrunning-our-government/question1671317/?page=6&link=ibaf&imgurl=http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2417/2120181102_107d06e4c
d.jpg&q=innocent%2Blooking%2Bwhite%2Bgirl
http://events.colostate.edu/day.asp?cd=4/10/2009&ID=7
http://keepittrill.com/online/2010/07/paul-wall-chamillionaire-speak-mixed-race-rap-duo-playedrole-careers-video/
Define Normal Discussion Questions
1)
Define what you think “normal” means. Is everyone normal? Is normal the best way to be?
Is normal the same for everyone?
2)
Have you ever judged a person on looks, only to find out later that he or she wasn’t at all
what you expected? Has that changed the way you view people?
3)
Whom do you identify most with in the book – Antonia of Jazz? Why?
4)
Make a list of the ways in which Antonia and Jazz are alike. Make a list of the ways in which
they are different.
5)
Freedom of expression is one of the privileges we enjoy in our country, and Jazz has
certainly exercised her right. How has it affected her relationship with her parents? Why do
appearance and attitude play such important roles in our lives?
http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:aKwmzDfQ4GcJ:www.teacherweb.com/nj/centralel
ementaryeastbrunswick/diversitycouncil/DNDiscussionQuestions.doc+discussion+questions+for+d
efine+normal&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjxWPBMeWcG5_6sL5w8CLQIxhYQFG6JpMRZujbc6q9UCY9Zopckx8zSalGu3l5n_IbUbLhEUnYPcWROKAf7uPv5hIYx4AmPNYe7no6SOK4ECmcGGDQ87O0GlO4o
Ir3jCYh5dI&sig=AHIEtbRtQoFnT_gk9RvmOCJbR2Xko0heJg
Catchy First Paragraph Worksheet
In today’s fast-moving world, the first sentence of your short story should catch your reader’s attention
with the unusual, the unexpected, an action, or a conflict. Begin with tension and immediacy.
Remember that short stories need to start close to their end.
I heard my neighbor through the wall.
Dry and uninteresting.
The neighbor behind us practiced scream therapy in his shower almost every day.
The second sentence catches the reader’s attention. Who is this guy who goes in his shower
every day and screams? Why does he do that? What, exactly, is“scream therapy”? Let’s keep
reading…
The first time I heard him, I stood in the bathroom listening at our shared wall for ten
minutes, debating the wisdom of calling the police. It was very different from living in the
duplex over middle-aged Mr. and Mrs. Brown and their two young sons in Duluth.
The rest of the paragraph introduces I and an internal conflict as the protagonist debates a course of
action and introduces an intriguing contrast of past and present setting.
“It is important to understand the basic elements of fiction writing before you consider how to put
everything together. This process is comparable to producing something delectable in the kitchen–any
ingredient that you put into your bowl of dough impacts your finished loaf of bread. To create a perfect
loaf, you must balance ingredients baked for the correct amount of time and enhanced with the right
polishing glaze.” -Laurel Yourke
Activity One (complete in your writer’s journal):
Based off of your short story proposal, write a catchy first paragraph that could possibly be pasted right
into your short story. Remember: What are the characters doing? What are they seeing? What are
they feeling? Sensing? Tasting? Smelling? Etc. This paragraph should be on sensory image overload.
http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative1/shortstory/#paragraph