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Yearlong Plan
Fall 2012 – Spring 2013
Smoky Hill High School
(Home of the Buffaloes)
International Baccalaureate Program
IB English 11
(11th grade)
Tyler Szalwinski
EDUC 463, 10/10/11
~ Who – and what – is worth loving? ~
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Context
Located at 16100 E. Smoky Hill Road in Aurora, Colorado, Smoky Hill High School is
the only school in the Cherry Creek School District (CCSD) “that has two International
Baccalaureate (IB) programs under one roof: the Diploma Programme and the Middle Years
Programme.” For the sake of this context, though, we will only consider the Diploma
Programme, which is typically designated for juniors and seniors.
The two-year Diploma Programme entails rigorous coursework and intensive extracurricular activities. My yearlong plan, which focuses on an IB English 11 course, will adhere to
the academic standards of the IB programme – students are expected to be knowledgeable,
principled, and open-minded as they strive “to create a better and more peaceful world” (ibo.org).
This IB English 11 course will consist of twenty eight total juniors (ages 16-17), fifteen
of whom will be female and thirteen of whom will be male. Unlike the city of Aurora, though,
whose white, Hispanic and African American populations account for 48%, 30.6%, and 14.6%1
of the total population, respectively, my class will have a wider range of ethnicities. Nine
students will be Caucasian, seven will be Asian (Eastern and Western, including the Middle
East), five will be Hispanic, four will be African-American, and three will be of either mixed or
aboriginal descent. All students will either be proficient or advanced in their English language
skills, but nine of them will have a native language other than English (data will be collected
from standardized tests and all other applicable assessments). All students will also be involved
with other school-sponsored activities, like athletics, music, or department-related clubs
(“Mathletes,” debate, drama, etc.). These commitments will galvanize a learning environment
rich with perspective.
Nearly all of these students will have a family income that is slightly higher than
Aurora’s median average of $45,904.2 After all, Smoky Hill High School must pay an annual fee
1
2
www.City-data.com/city/Aurora-Colorado.html
Ibid
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of $10,2003 to institute the IB programme; the costs of this program are distributed to the
students and families enrolled in it, which is a worthy financial investment – valuable college
credit, often worth more than the initial costs of the program, is earned upon successful
graduation and completion of IB assessments.
Because of this monetary investment, parents and families will be extremely engaged
with their students’ education. I will create a “Blackboard” account for this class so that families
have transparent access to the syllabus, nightly homework assignments, academic links, and
other important announcements/resources. Disputes over the curriculum – literary choices,
pedagogy, learning paradigms – will be settled civically and democratically at monthly PTCO
meetings, as well as through email and telephone communication. This kind of community
engagement will fine-tune the mechanisms of our classroom.
IB students are of the highest academic and intellectual caliber, whether they have
perceived mental handicaps or not. One of my students will have high-functioning autism
(Asperger’s Syndrome), which will be fully addressed in his individualized education program
(IEP). Another student will suffer from severe asthma, which will be fully accommodated by her
individual 504. The greatest challenge in a class like this, for the teacher, is to ensure
challenging coursework and Socratic class periods. I must be a master facilitator of student
interaction, disagreement, revelation and inquiry.
Smoky Hill High School operates on a block schedule, which means that our class will
convene every other day from 10:34am – 12:08pm.
Classroom Diagram
N
B
G
G
3
G
www.ibo.org/become/fees
B
B
B
G
G
G
B
B
B
G
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Rug that unites opposing sides of the classroom (would
ideally be adorned with cultural insignia).
W
G
B
B
G
G
G
G
My
Desk
G
B
B
E
G
B
B
G
S
The above diagram depicts my ideal classroom. Each square represents a student desk,
with G standing for girl, and B standing for boy. This does not have to be a permanent seating
arrangement; students will be seated according to whatever activity we are performing. Having
two large clusters of desks on opposite sides of the classroom symbolizes the dialectical
mentality with which we will approach the curriculum. It might also suggest classroom division
– an “us vs. them” mentality – but only if the seating arrangement remains fixed throughout the
year. Each cluster will look across the center rug to the other cluster. Though spatially opposite,
the two clusters will work symbiotically to break down and resolve binaries between characters,
concepts, plot points, etc.
The cardinal directions (N.E.S.W.) will also be posted on each one of my walls. I will use
these directions to enact formative assessment, i.e. “If you think that Tea Cake loves Janie (Their
Eyes Were Watching God), stand on the East side of the room. If you don’t think he loves her,
stand on the West side of the room. If you feel iffy, stand somewhere in between.” Not only does
this stimulate kinesthetic learners, but it also encourages analytical thinking. I would ask a
student to defend his or her choice, using textual evidence. This kind of active pedagogy will
aptly complement my overarching concept, seen below.
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***NOTE*** The lines on the N and NE side of the classroom represent windows. The
double lines on the W side of the classroom represent a dry-erase board. The short line attached
to a “cheerio” represents the classroom door.
Overarching Concept
~ Who – and what – is worth loving? ~
Love is something that can ebb and flow, fluctuate and flail. It is also something that can
stand firm and unconditionally, until death does its part. It can even transcend the fleshy confines
of earthy existence, and reign free in the hereafter. Love can also breed hate, depending on the
circumstances (and to think dialectically about love, we have to mention hatred). Love, above all,
is something that each one of my students understands intuitively, and deals with regularly.
Throughout the course of the year, we will delve into the depths of love. Here are some essential
questions:
1. What is love? How is it treated by different cultures?
2. Why do people love? Is love an inherent human emotion? Can love be classified as an
emotion, or is it something more, like a state of mind?
3. Is it possible for someone to be void of love? Does the number one reason for committing
suicide have to do, more than anything, with the feeling that nobody loves you?
4. What is the love taxonomy? That is, what kinds of love are there? Interpersonal?
Intrapersonal? Courtly? Patriotic? Delusional? Unrequited? Obsessive? Puppy-dog?
Familial? Sexual? Platonic? Think of love as a mathematical equation: lovex…love to the
Xth degree.
5. Can love be the product of collective hatred? (think of cults, i.e. KKK, Nazis, other hate
groups, etc.)
6. What is the number one thing/figure/idea that a person should love?
7. How do we express our love? What mediums do we use to show our love?
8. Is all love subjective, or does love have objective criteria by which it can be evaluated?
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The complex notion of love will be arranged into six different units, each one lasting
between thirty and forty days. Six total units, at about thirty days a piece, equals a total of
one-hundred and eighty instructional days. Because love is so fluid, and stretches across
multiple units, final assessments will be cumulative (TBD).
The six units will hinge upon the following acronym: S.P.E.R.M.C. You might think it
vulgar to use “sperm” in the acronym; when my high school English teacher introduced this,
I thought it was vulgar, but now I think of it as an effective mnemonic device (I still
remember it to this day). The acronym is delineated below, and each letter aligns with not
only a specific unit of instruction, but also a curricular framework.
1. S = Self/Social framework
a. How does love relate to your self and your social milieu? Familial relationships
fall into this category.
2. P = Political framework
a. How does love relate to power dynamics in different societies? (Bushido code, i.e.
suicide)
3. E = Economic framework
a. Can you be in love with the accumulation of money? What happens to marital and
familial love when the economic infrastructure is unstable? Gold-diggers, anyone?
4. R = Religious framework
a. ***NOTE*** To abide by the establishment clause, pronounced in the first
amendment of the United States Constitution, there will be no proselytizing,
prayer, or official religious endorsement in class.
5. M = Militaristic framework
a. Dulce et Decorum Est – “It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.” What is
the relationship between love and patriotism, love and nationalism, love and
jingoism, love and death?
6. C = Cultural framework (with an emphasis on contemporary culture)
a. How is love presented in the mainstream media? Think about “16 and Pregnant,”
“Teen Mom,” “Jersey Shore,” billboard music, text messaging (lyl – “love you
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lots”), social media, etc. Is love becoming more and more of a commodity?
(eHarmony.com/match.com)
The reason I start with the social/self framework is because I want students to situate
themselves in the context of the class. I want them to start by thinking of what they deal with
more than anything else – themselves.
I end with the cultural framework because it ties everything together. It’s like the
historical head of the love pimple. It reorients the students to the immediate contexts in which
they live.
The order of the interior frameworks (political love, economic love, religious love, and
militaristic love) is not drastically important because, as previously mentioned, love is fluid and
all-pervasive. A good teacher reintroduces and refamiliarizes previous concepts and models how
they connect to the present moment.
An underlying goal of this class is dual-purpose pedagogy. While learning about love, we
will subconsciously learn to love each other, which is the pinnacle of an IB education.
IB English 11 – Eleventh Grade
Unit #1 – Love Through the Lens of Self and Society – Five Weeks
Content and Goals: When we ask ourselves the question, “Who – and what – is worth loving?”
the most common response is “family and friends.” This is a solid answer; however, there is one
thing even more worthy of love – yourself. At an age when students might struggle to love
themselves (15-17 years old), it becomes increasingly important to understand and practice selflove. The ultimate goal of this unit is for students to realize that the flesh and bone of their
existence – not to mention the depth of their spirit – is all that they will ever tangibly possess in
their lives. From first breath to last, the only thing that students will ever wholly control is
themselves, which is no easy task! So, then, if this is true, we must discover who our selves
really are; that way we can discover what kind of love our selves really need in order to succeed.
We will explore our intrapersonal terrains by focusing on the following content procedures:
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 Me-bags – this is a fun way for students to practice oral expression and listening as a
means for describing themselves and learning about others. Each student will compile a
bag (duffel bag, purse, stringy, burlap sack) of meaningful personal items that reflect
his or her identity. Students will explain what the item is and what it means to them.
The class can ask follow-up questions like “How would you react if you lost this item?”
or “If you could only choose ONE item, which would it be and why?” This activity will
introduce the concept that students are uniquely defined by their experiences and
backgrounds. It will also foster strong interpersonal skills – you will show undivided
attention to your peers because you want the same respectful treatment in return.
 Reflective journal entries – this writing procedure is meant to give students a
contemplative, yet creative way of deciphering themselves and their connections to text,
community, world, etc.. Each student’s journal is private property, meaning that it can
be treated and dealt with according to the discretion of the owner. Through our look at
mentor texts and syntax gems (excerpts from professional writers), students will be
encouraged to meet and surpass eleventh grade standards for “Writing and
Composition” (3.1.a.iii-iv). Nearly all of these entries will deal directly with thoughts
on self-love – what makes us love ourselves? Do we ever feel void of love? Is love –
eros, philia, agape – the purpose of our lives? (we will write for fifteen minutes of inclass time, once a week…plus any extra student additions).
 Nightly blog posts/forum discussions – Because we will be reading Wuthering Heights (a
lengthy text), nightly blog posts will be simple and non-time-consuming. They will,
however, stir ongoing classroom dialogue, which means that they will have to
“cite…textual evidence to support analysis”.
Texts:

Primary = Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte.

Supplementary material:
a. Aristotle’s 3 types of love (Eros, Philia, Agape) – online article
(http://www.iep.utm.edu/love)
b. Narcissus and Echo, from book three of Ovid’s Metamorphosis
c. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – how does love relate to each of these needs?
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d. Song: “Where is the love?’ by the Black Eyed Peas
e. My parents – or other loving couple that I know – will attend class.
Weekly Focus:

Week 1 – Who are you? Who are your peers? (Me-Bags, reflective journals, begin
Wuthering Heights - WH).

Week 2 – What is love? Aristotle’s types of love (continue WH, introduce unit
assessment – see below).

Week 3 – When love stinks! Narcissus and Echo (continue WH).

Week 4 – Love-making (get your mind out of the gutter). Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
(continue WH).

Week 5 – “Where is the Love?” by the Black Eyed Peas (Finish WH, bring loving couple
into class)
Unit Assessment:
1. Transform one of your journal entries into a two-page comparative analysis of your love
experiences, and the love experiences between Heathcliff and Catherine in Wuthering
Heights.
2. When you think about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which one(s) are you in the greatest
need of? In other words, which one is void in your life? Why is it your number one need
in life, and how will you achieve it? Use the following criteria to draft your thoughts:
relevance, clarity, accuracy, fairness, significance, depth, breadth, logic, and precision.
Since this is a very personal assignment, post it to your private page on the blackboard
website.
Standards And How They Are Addressed
Unit 1: Love and Self/Society

1 – Oral Expression and Listening (1.1.a; 1.2.a.iv)
o 1.1.a – students will give informal talks using an appropriate level of verbal and
nonverbal language when they present the contents of their me-bags.
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o 1.2.a.iv – students will listen critically to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the
presentations of peers, by asking questions and providing feedback.

2 – Reading for All Purposes (2.1.a.ii; 2.2.a.i; 2.2.b.ii; 2.3.a.i)
o 2.1.a.ii – Students will determine at least two themes or central ideas in Narcissus
and Echo; they will then provide an objective summary of the text, which they
will use to analyze the narcissism and unrequited love that goes on in the halls of
their very own high school.
o 2.2.a.i - students will cite strong and thorough textual evidence from Wuthering
Heights to respond to nightly forum discussions that a) expound upon explicit
meanings, and b) inquire the meaning of uncertain matters.
o 2.2.b.ii – students will use the graphical representation of “Maslow’s Hierarchy of
Needs” to complement their comprehension and enhance their critical analyses of
both Wuthering Heights and Narcissus and Echo.
o 2.3.a.i – Emily Bronte’s syntax can be challenging to decipher. As a class, we will
apply an understanding of syntax (I will write difficult sentences on the board) to
the study of her complex passages. We will also discuss why she might use
different syntax for different characters.

3 – Writing and Composition (3.1.a.iii-iv; 3.2.a.iii; 3.3.e)
o 3.1.a.iii-iv – students will keep writing journals throughout the year to comment
on everything from the texts we are reading to the emotions they are feeling.
When students make text-to-self connections, they will use sensory language to
convey vivid pictures of the experiences and/ or characters they describe. Students
will also use these journals to create a coherent whole and build toward a
particular tone or outcome that makes sense of their lives in relation to love.
o 3.2.a.iii – students will clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons that
they encounter in nightly forum discussions in order to strengthen their own
claims or arguments.
o 3.3.e – students will use the internet (forum discussion) to update shared writing
products in response to ongoing feedback. The forum discussion will either be on
the class “Blackboard” site, or a separate class Wiki.
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
4 – Research and Reasoning (4.1.d; 4.2.e; 4.3.b)
o 4.1.d – when students conduct interviews for their culminating assessment, they
will evaluate the bias, credibility and reliability of those sources, simply by
compiling background information (what is your name? what is your position in
society?)
o 4.2.e – to make sense of their interview results, students will also monitor and
assess the extent to which their own beliefs and biases influenced their reactions
to the viewpoints and logic of others (e.g. if a student from a conservative family
interviews a bi-racial couple, he or she must reconcile perceived differences in
viewpoint, value, attitude, etc.)
o 4.3.b – students will assess the thinking in one of their unit assessments by putting
criteria such as relevance, clarity, accuracy, fairness, significance, depth, breadth,
logic, and precision at the forefront of their minds.
Unit #2 – Love Through the Lens of Self and Politics – Four Weeks
Content and Goals: Love is probably the last thing that people associate with politics. Just think
about political advertisements – not exactly lovely. The goal of this unit is for students to think
of politics as more than just corruption and cajolery on Capitol Hill. Instead, we will think about
politics as a system of complex power dynamics within a given context. Students will improve
their conceptual understanding of how they, as individuals, fit intricately into a tangled web of
political relations – at home, at school, and at large. They will investigate how our impressions,
appearances, networks, backgrounds, bank accounts, lineages, and resumes – among other
variables – all influence our political stature in life. More importantly, though, they will be
skillful interpreters of how love connections – platonic, disloyal, passionate, patriotic – can either
disparage one’s political standing or improve it. We will unravel the sticky spool of politics and
love by engaging in the following content procedures:
 Political Symbolism Prezi – I will begin this unit by bombarding my students with
symbols that, advertently or not, mark political affiliation. My prezi will address a
holistic array of symbols, both accurate and inaccurate. For example, I would claim that
the bald eagle on the American dollar is a political symbol for free-market capitalism.
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This might not be true; the class would discuss what makes a symbol stand unanimously
for something, and what makes a symbol more prone to disagreement. The “Hammer
and Sickle” insignia of communism would follow the bald eagle. As a class, we would
surmise why this symbol represents communism. Students would bring their own
political symbols to class, and then use logical reasoning to explain them. For example,
a student might bring a hammer to class and explain how it is a political symbol of the
working class in America, and how his Dad must work overtime just to put food on the
table. From our understanding of political symbols, we would delve into ideology – our
lived relations to reality – and how we might love, or show an affinity towards, certain
policies, social groups, political organizations, clubs, etc.
 Identity-Wheel Discourse – this activity will complement the symbolism prezi; it will
align political affiliation more so with human qualities than with symbols. Those human
qualities, of course, consist of the 8-9 main identities that we use to categorize ourselves:
race, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic class, sexual orientation, religious affiliation,
ability (physical, emotional, mental), first-language, urban/rural upbringing. ***WE
WILL NOT LIMIT OURSELVES STRICTLY TO THESE CATEGORIES*** The
identity wheel, though, will contain only these categories. We will discuss how each
category plays a defining role in not only our identities, but also in our political statures.
We will discuss labels of primary potency (the categories that other people have the
strongest perceptions of), and how, because of one categorical label, someone’s political
stature is almost invariably fixed. We will talk about which labels serve as obstacles,
which ones serve as privileges, and how students can navigate these labels for political
success.
 Campaign-Ad Spoof – Because unit two will be concurrent with a presidential election,
we will analyze political advertisements and then satirize them. Or we will create
rebuttal advertisements. The point of this activity is for students to pinpoint the audience
and purpose of certain ads, and then create an inverse purpose and audience, using
specific language terms to do so. Students will spend one class period working in groups
to write a short script; they will spend half of the next class period acting out their
spoof/rebuttal, focusing on symbols and identities.
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 OED Analysis of Othello – we will read parts of the play in class. While doing so, we will
apply a reading strategy from Kylene Beers’ When Kids Can’t Read to the text. IB
students can obviously read, and at an advanced level, but they will still benefit from the
“Say Something” activity (105). As they “comment on what’s happening” in the text,
they will likely need clarification on Shakespeare’s diction, more than anything else.
This is when they will make a list of 3-4 confusing words (or more) that Shakespeare
uses, which they will then investigate in the Oxford English Dictionary. Students will
determine which sense the word is being used in, and how it affects the meaning of the
sentence. We will do this for every act in the play.
 Youtube video synopses – look at youtube clips of Cinderella, Maid in Manhattan, and
Romeo and Juliet to gain another perspective of political love, namely, forbidden love.
Students will draw on their own experiences to discuss why certain love relationships do
not – and cannot flourish.
Texts:

Primary = Othello, by Shakespeare

Supplementary material:
a. NPR audio file: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5426125
Interpretation of Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” as it relates to building a
fence on the Mexico – U.S. border.
b. Synopses of Cinderella, Maid in Manhattan, Romeo and Juliet
i. Transpolitical relationships
c. Oxford English Dictionary
Weekly Focus:

Week 1 – political symbolism and semiotics + identity construction/alchemy (begin
Othello).

Week 2 – love and political rhetoric (continue Othello; create political ad spoofs/rebuttal;
introduce unit assessment).
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
Week 3 – forbidden love: transpolitical relationships that cause trouble and grief
(continue Othello; review synopses and watch YouTube videos on these relationships –
mentioned above).

Week 4 – language of love (finish Othello; conduct OED investigations – students define
words from Othello, but also research three love idioms, e.g. to wear a heart on one’s
sleeve).
Unit Assessment:
1. Explain how love can either transcend political differences or be stifled by them – use
textual examples from the unit to support your claim(s). Choose your mode of
presentation (poster, image, essay, prezi, photo-album, etc.), but make sure that it is
accompanied by a three-minute presentation.
2. In a one-page forum posting, put yourself in Othello’s shoes and ask yourself the
following question: Who – and what – is worth loving? In order to receive full credit, you
must also write two additional comments on the postings of other students, either
agreeing or disagreeing with their claims. Use textual evidence.
Standards and How They Are Addressed
Unit 2: Love and Self/Politics

1 – Oral Expression and Listening (1.1.e; 1.2.a.vi; 1.2.b)
o 1.1.e – students will use content-specific terminology that is unique to
particular political perspectives and contexts when they explain the
significance of their political symbols.
o 1.2.a.vi – during identity-wheel discourse, differences are bound to arise. As a
class, we will respond thoughtfully to this diversity; we will resolve
contradictions when possible, and we will determine what is required to
deepen the investigation of our individual and collective identities.
o 1.2.b – the political symbolism prezi will be the integration of multiple
sources of information (visual, quantitative, symbolic) that will enable us to
evaluate the credibility and accuracy of our sources.
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
2 – Reading for All Purposes (2.1.a.iii; 2.1.b.i; 2.2.a.iv; 2.3.b.iii)
o 2.1.a.iii – while looking at a condensed version of Romeo and Juliet (to be
used as an illustrative text), students will analyze why Shakespeare developed
and related elements of the drama in the way that he did (e.g. how does the
introduction and development of both Romeo and Juliet emphasize the
political dynamics between them?)
o 2.1.b.i – Shakespeare’s language often conveys meaning beyond the
denotation. Students will use the Oxford English Dictionary to pinpoint the
connotative meanings of his language, and to understand how certain word
choices impact the meaning and tone.
o 2.2.a.iv – while students listen to a National Public Radio (NPR) audio file
about Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall,” and its relation to the border between
the USA and Mexico, they will also be reading the manuscript. Students will
read – and listen to – this persuasive text in order to complete a specific task
of their own (shape a personal opinion about whether or not good fences do,
in fact, make good neighbors).
o 2.3.b.iii – not only will students be consulting the OED (general reference
material) to uncover the meaning of Shakespeare’s syntax, but they will also
be using it to define the political rhetoric that they encounter in our political
ad rebuke activity.

3 – Writing and Composition (3.1.a.i; 3.2.a.i; 3.2.b.vi)
o 3.1.a.i – because this unit will take place during a presidential election,
students will be investigating language usage in political campaign
advertisements (primarily TV commercials). They will either satirize the
advertisements or create rebuttal advertisements. Either way, they will be
setting out a problem and its significance (based on the original
advertisement); they will also establish a different point of view, and use
narrators/characters to create a smooth progression of certain experiences.
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o 3.2.a.i – students will refine the persuasiveness of their advertisements by
introducing precise claims, discerning opposing claims, and organizing
logically sequential evidence.
o 3.2.b.vi – students will provide a statement that supports the information in
their advertisements (“So, fellow citizens, it is I – Marack O’Romney – who
will lead our resurgence of economic prosperity.”).

4 – Research and Reasoning (4.2.a)
o 4.2.a – in order for students to build their own advertisements, they must first
analyze the complex situations at work in other advertisements; they must
question the purpose, points of view, assumptions and consequences of what
political figureheads are trying to convey.
Unit #3 – Love Through the Lens of Self and Economy – Five Weeks
Content and Goals: An economy is “the complex of human activities concerned with the
production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services,” (thefreedictionary.com). The
goal of this unit is to consider love – and lust – as a variable that fits into this definition. In other
words, we will look at texts that are concerned with the production, distribution, and
consumption of love and lust, both tangibly and intangibly. How do we give and receive love?
What do love exchanges look like? A sugar daddy often produces financial wealth that is
consumed by a vixen, or gold digger, in exchange for sexual favors – this is an example of
love/lust economy. A concerned citizen, on the other hand, shows his or her love for humanity by
producing and distributing blankets to the homeless. An intangible example of love economy
would be the husband who nurses the crying baby all night so that his wife can sleep. He
sacrifices his own well-being for the sake of his wife’s. Not only will students learn how the
expression of love can fit into an economic equation, but they will also learn how differing
variables within that equation can produce different kinds of love. The following content
procedures will coordinate our understanding of this love economy:
 I love…so much that…Students will share examples of how they express love (for people,
places, passions, etc.). For example, a student might say “I love snowboarding so much
that I would stand in my boxers for six straight hours, in the shivering cold, just to earn a
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lift-ticket!” Someone else might say “I love my mom so much that I would kill anyone
who might try to harm her!” Not only will this activity illustrate the outrageous things
people do for love, but it will also prove – more than likely – that authentic love is
always shown, never told, and therefore, compatible with our economic equation.
 “Money, Love, Power” Game – The class will be divided into three groups. Each group
will be assigned to a different category (money, love, or power). There will then be a
round robin deliberation about which category is the best; that is, which one is the most
likely to grant success, happiness, or overall well-being. Groups will take turns arguing
that “_____ is the best because…” Once a group has delivered its argument, other groups
are allowed to retort. For example, the “money” people might tell the “love” people that
“even though love can lead to a happy family, it does not put food on the table, and
without food on the table, how are people supposed to love?” As the teacher, I will
moderate the deliberation if it gets out of hand; likewise, I will facilitate it when students
run out of things to say.

“Worldly Holidays”- The class will be divided into smaller groups (4-5 students each).
Each group will draw a holiday from a top hat. Choices will range from Valentine’s Day
to Your Spouse/Significant Other’s Birthday, to Independence Day, to Christmas
(students can change holidays if, for religious purposes, they cannot interact with the one
they draw). Holidays differ in purpose, of course, but they all commemorate some rite of
passage, or some historical/personal significance. Students will investigate the economic
implications of each holiday. Other implications – cultural, political, etc. – can be used to
augment the economic focal point of the investigation. Students will seek to explain how
the love/lust economy operates in each of these holidays by a) interviewing friends and
family, b) recalling personal experiences, and c) researching primary texts.
 Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice – This archetypal play about love and money will
illustrate the intricacies of the love economy. Students will not read this play as a
springboard for creative application; instead, they will read it for comprehension and
foundational understanding.
 Protest pieces – Students will read quotes from the most famous protests – Martin Luther
King and civil rights; Mohandis Ghandi and the apartheid; Tiananmen square protest;
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Chilean students protest government; local labor union or teacher strikes, etc. – and
analyze the effectiveness of the protest “structure” (the protests themselves will be
considered as texts, following the dramatic structure of freytag’s Pyramid). Students
might notice a common pattern: protests are galvanized by multilateral injustices, but the
most striking injustice is usually one of economy. Students will then write an exposition
about a contemporary issue that they would protest (Nike’s neo-imperialist sweat shops;
Maquiladoras in Mexico; child sex-trafficking in Oakland, etc.). Since the unit deals
with love and the economy, students will focus on writing about an economic injustice –
rather than a social or political injustice – as the impetus for social action (protest).
 Introduction of L.O.V.E. project – Students will conduct a self-guided research project
using primary and secondary sources to present their understandings of love. The first
component of this project entails interviews with couples – straight, gay, short-term,
long-term, old, young, etc. Students will have to evaluate the reliability of their sources,
as well as “monitor and assess the extent to which their own beliefs and biases
influenced their reactions to the viewpoints and logic of others.”
Texts:

Primary = Das Kapital: A Novel of Love and Money Markets, by Viken Berbarian.

Supplementary Material:
o Non-fiction articles on prostitution, philanthropy, charity, fundraising, etc.
o Song: “Conflict Diamonds” by Lupe Fiasco.
o Song: “Gold Digger” by Kanye West and Jamie Foxx.
o Dinero, Amor, Poder model from “Don Francisco Presenta” on Univision.
o Protest pieces/Holidays – students research at library.
o Condensed version of Merchant of Venice by Shakespeare.
Weekly Focus:

Week 1 – Love as an economy (begin Das Kapital; read non-fiction articles to understand
love economy; introduce culminating assessment – L.O.V.E. Project – ask students to
think about Maslow’s Hierarchy when they conduct interviews).
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
Week 2 – Love economy in art (continue Das Kapital; listen to both songs mentioned
above, plus any songs suggested by students; begin looking at Merchant of Venice – half
in class, half homework).

Week 3 – Love economy in time (continue Das Kapital; finish Merchant of Venice; begin
protest pieces).

Week 4 – Love economy in space (continue Das Kapital; begin holiday presentations;
continue protest pieces).

Week 5 – Love economy in review (finish Das Kapital; continue/finish protest pieces;
round robin deliberation of Dinero, Amor, Poder AKA Money, Love, Power).
Unit Assessment:
1. Protest pieces – students synthesize ideas from informational texts in order to design their
own protests. They write the procedure, background information, and details of their
protests with a clear focus, coherent organization, and sufficient elaboration. They
present their pieces – skit, poster board, you tube video, powerpoint, manuscript, etc. – to
the class and use language appropriate for purpose and audience. The audience
demonstrates skill in inferential and evaluative listening by actively participating in the
presentations. Students walk away with a profound sense of how love – or lack thereof –
drives nearly all of our actions.
2. Online forum discussion – students explain how Merchant of Venice and Das Kapital
fulfill the love economy.
Standards and How They Are Addressed
Unit 3: Love and Self/Economy
 1 – Oral Expression and Listening (1.1.c; 1.2.a.ii)
o 1.1.c – students will practice hyperbole – and its corresponding verbal and
nonverbal cues – to deliver oral talks when they perform the “I love…so much
that…” exercise.
o 1.2.c – when we play the “Money, Love, Power” game, students will evaluate
each other’s reasoning, use of evidence, word choice, and points of emphasis, in
order to retort with their own reasoning and points of evidence.
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 2 – Reading for All Purposes (2.2.a.v; 2.2.b.iii; 2.3.c.i)
o 2.2.a.v – before students read informational texts on prostitution, philanthropy,
charity, and fundraising, we will predict what new knowledge or understanding
might come to fruition. We will conduct an informal K-W-L, focusing
predominantly on what we want to know: how the concepts fit into the love
economy that we discussed at the beginning of the unit.
o 2.2.b.iii – students will analyze and evaluate the structure of protests. Students
will think of protests as texts (structures) orchestrated by a collective author, and
they will decide whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and
engaging.
o 2.3.c.i – students will interpret the rhetorical figures of speech used in protests
(hyperbole, paradox, anaphora, etc.) and analyze their effectiveness,
consequences, outcomes, etc.
 3 – Writing and Composition (3.2.b.i; 3.2.b.ii; 3.3.d)
o 3.2.b.i – students will introduce a topic and organize it into a unified whole, using
supporting evidence (graphics, data, etc.) to explain not only what they are
protesting, but how they would protest it.
o 3.2.b.ii – students will develop their topics by selecting relevant facts, significant
details, quotations, and other information that is appropriate to the audience.
o 3.3.d – knowing that their audience will be other socially concerned citizens,
students will plan, revise, edit, and rewrite according to the demands and interests
of a socially invested populous. During writing-workshop, students will know
whether or not they should try a new approach to their protest exposition.
 4 – Research and Reasoning (4.1.b; 4.3.c)
o 4.1.b – in conducting their social protest expositions and their American holiday
presentations, students will research multiple authoritative sources, They will
also be highly selective in their research choices, in order to maintain the flow of
their arguments.
o 4.3.c – social protests engage a myriad of intellectual perspectives, faculties, and
predispositions. Students will enter empathetically into competing points of view,
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and exercise confident reasoning, humility, flexibility, and open-mindedness (as
applicable).
Unit #4 – Love Through the Lens of Self and Religion – Four Weeks
Content and Goals: Religion is definitely a controversial topic – especially in a public school.
It is safe to say that religious disagreement has been, and continues to be, one of the primary
reasons for people to discriminate against and persecute each other. On the other hand, religious
affiliation can be the crux of one’s existence. It can be the single most driving force in one’s life.
The goal of this unit is for students to make sense of religion for themselves. Some students
might think of religion in its macro sense – that is, religion as the overarching framework in life,
the ultimate guiding principle. These students were more than likely raised in devout families
who subscribed faithfully and earnestly to religious duties – church, prayer, sacraments, etc.
Other students, who grew up in non-denominational families, might think of religion in its micro
sense – that is, religion as a latent reason for existence, a yet-to-be-discovered driving force. My
endorsement of religion, as the teacher, will be non-denominational, and will be thought of as “a
cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion,”
(thefreedictionary.com). Our textual canon for this unit will include everything from the main
tenets of an Abrahamic religion – Christianity, Islam, Judaism – to the more conceptualized
ideals of “conscientious devotion.” We will address this unit by partaking in the following
content procedures:

OED: etymology of Siddhartha and Religion – Students will investigate the origin of
Siddhartha’s name, as well as the root meanings of religion. Siddhartha’s name derives
from two Sanskrit words – siddha, meaning “achieved”, and artha, meaning
“meaning.” Together, then, these two words signal Siddhartha, and mean “one who
has achieved the meaning of existence.” Students will contemplate their own
“meaning(s) of existence” by drafting individualized mantras. I will provide the Hindu
definition of mantra, which is “a sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer, meditation,
or incantation, such as an invocation of a god, a magic spell, or a syllable or portion of
scripture containing mystical potentialities,” (thefreedictionary.com). Students can
alter and adapt this definition as they see fit.
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
Nightly Forum Postings – students will write short reading responses for homework
each night. These postings will cover a broad range of topics, but they will focus
mainly on the development of Siddhartha’s spiritual journey.

Religion at a glance – the class will be divided into six groups. Each group will be
responsible for one of the following religions – Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism,
Buddhism, and an aboriginal/natural religion. Students will compile their information
on different religions by using a worksheet provided in class (asking questions like
“Who is the spiritual leader of this religion? and What is the algorithm for salvation in
this religion?” This worksheet will also provide a list of credible resources). The next
class period will consist of jigsaw groups so that everyone has a basic understanding of
the main religions. (I will narrate my experience of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and I
will retell the story of the Lucky Magpie that I learned from the Lakota Sioux.)

Webquest + Martyrdom – students will spend one day in the computer lab conducting
a webquest. The topic they will pursue is martyrdom, which is relevant to the unit
because a martyr pursues something with an unflinching zeal, and often operates under
the guidance of a mantra. The purpose of this webquest is for students to answer the
following questions: What is a martyr? What does he or she do to be a martyr? What
are some examples of historic and contemporary martyrs? What are the conditions of
martyrdom? When is martyrdom good? When is it bad? This webquest will be read in
tandem with The Martyr, a poem by Abdelrahim Mahmud.

Zeal Appeal – from our research on martyrs and religion, we will understand that zeal enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance
– is an integral part of achieving the meaning of your existence. Students will create
autobiographical case studies in reference to the development of their own zeal appeal.
They will share with the class the Religion of Me. In other words, they will be making
self-portraits that illustrate their zealous pursuits thus far in life, and the ambitious
dreams that they have for the future (“I have been studying Spanish diligently since
middle school. I want to defeat Hugo Chavez in an election for the presidency of
Venezuela.”). They should consider what their legacies will be; i.e. what their
tombstones will say about them. Students will synthesize their knowledge from the
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unit to create their zeal appeal, which can also be created through a medium of the
student’s choice.
Texts:

Primary: Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse.

Supplementary material:
a. Religion at a Glance + credible resources
b. Martyrdom webquest
c. Any personal texts that students might use for their Zeal Appeal projects.
d. Poem – “The Martyr” by Abdelrahim Mahmud
Weekly Focus:

Week 1 – Meaning of Existence (begin Siddhartha; conduct OED investigation; work on
personal mantras).

Week 2 – Meaning of Religion (continue Siddhartha; introduce Zeal Appeal assignment;
conduct religious jigsaw puzzle; part one of culminating assessment is due – introduce
part two)

Week 3 – Meaning of Martyrdom (continue Siddhartha; workshop Zeal Appeal
assignment; conduct martyrdom webquest and read Mahmud poem)

Week 4 – Religion of Me (finish Siddhartha; present Zeal Appeal projects)
Assessments:
1. Zeal Appeal presentation – guidelines and rubrics TBA.
2. Religious etiquette – students will obviously present opposing viewpoints on religion.
These contradictions can ruffle some serious feathers. When disagreement arises – as it
inevitably will – students will use appropriate and respectful language to come to
understandings and resolutions. This will be assessed as participation.***NOTE***
Students will – at all times – be aware of, and understand the application of, the
Establishment Clause as it is enumerated in the U.S. Constitution.
Standards and How They Are Addressed
Unit 4: Love and Self/Religion
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
1 – Oral Expression and Listening (1.1.e; 1.2.a)
o 1.1.e – when students present their findings on different religions (jigsaw
puzzle), they must identify and explain the terminology that is unique to the
religions that they investigate (How do Buddhists define Nirvana?).
o 1.2.a – after the jigsaw presentations, students will participate effectively in a
teacher-led discussion that builds on the ideas that were previously expressed.

2 – Reading for All Purposes (2.2.a.iii; 2.2.c.i; 2.3.b.iv)
o 2.2.a.iii – students will identify how the specific sequence of events that
Siddhartha endures develops his achievement of meaning. This will take place
on the nightly forum postings.
o 2.2.c.i – students will delineate the application of constitutional principles
(Establishment Clause) and use of legal reasoning.
o 2.3.b.iv – students will verify they preliminary determination of the meaning
of a word (Nirvana, asceticism) by checking the explicit and inferred
meanings in a dictionary.

3 – Writing and Composition (3.1.a.vi; 3.2.a.iv; 3.3.a.ii)
o 3.1.a.vi – when students workshop their Zeal Appeal assignments, they will
evaluate whether the writing is presented in a clear and engaging manner by
seeking feedback from peers and from the teacher.
o 3.2.a.iv – when students complete the Martyrdom Webquest worksheet, they
will establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone, while attending
to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing
(expository pieces should avoid subjective commentary).
o 3.3.a.ii – students will resolve issues of complex or contested religious
language when they elucidate the terminology in their Zeal Appeal
assignments.

4 – Research and Reasoning (4.1.e)
o 4.1.e – to answer the complex question of “What is my Zeal Appeal?” students
will draw from several sources, which means that they must document those
sources using the style sheet of the Modern Language Association (MLA).
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Unit #5 – Love Through the Lens of Self and Military – Five Weeks
Content and Goals: Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori: “It is sweet and fitting to die for
one’s country.” To die for your country – and for it to be sweet and fitting – must mean that you
are brimming with patriotic love. And while you don’t have to be in the military to love your
country, those who are in the armed forces usually love their country the most. They hear the
“call to arms,” and they sacrifice much of their personal freedom to fight for the freedom of
others. Some civilians, on the other hand, are forced to fight in the military against their own will
– this is called conscription. For these people, Dulce Et Decorum Est Pro Patria Mori holds the
most bitter irony. The goal of this unit is to examine how love is expressed in a time of war, for
people both directly and indirectly involved. We will see a budding romance in For Whom the
Bell Tolls; we will see the purest form of patriotism in “The Night of a Thousand Suicides”; the
songs we listen to will show us a love for peace and mellow militaries (dialectical thinking). The
military also affects our self-love; watching the movie “Brothers,” and looking at American
propaganda from WWII will show this to us. By enacting the following content procedures, we
will invoke our sympathy and understanding for those who are living – and loving – in the
military.

Civil War Reenactment – your class is on the brink of a civil war.! The Westerners want
to secede from the classroom by abolishing all learning materials. For them, the only life
worth living is one “without the dirty paws of classroom politics pushing perfunctory
pedagogies and tainted textbooks down our throats!” They claim that higher learning can
be achieved on their own. The Easterners, however, know that a structured classroom –
one approved by the Department of Education – is the only thing that will earn them
certifiable credit. In a struggling economy, when employers only consider people with
certifiable credit, the Easterners know full well that they must preserve the union. This
“war” will last two and a half class periods. We will spend the first class period defining
the parameters of the battle – who the Westerners and Easterners are, what they want and
value, and what their conditions are. The next class period will be the battle. Instead of
using canons and other physical projectiles, we will fight with verbal artillery. Students
will come to discussions prepared, having read and researched the materials under study,
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so that they can use rhetorical claims – ethos, logos, pathos – to defeat the sentiment and
logic of the other side. We will spend the next half-class period reflecting on what did
and did not work in the battle. We will also discuss how love played a role in the battle.

Double-entry Journals – Although For Whom the Bell Tolls is at an eighth-grade reading
level, it still deals with some complex and emotionally heavy issues. Students will be
asked to write double-entry journals (Beers, 127) as they read the text, making special
note of death/suicide. At the end of every week, we will share our entries and determine
whether or not there are any common themes or patterns.

Rosie the Riveter, The Night of a Thousand Suicides, and Brothers – students will submit
online postings that describe what kind of love they think is present in each of these
“texts.”

What is it good for? – Pretend you are Robert Jordan, the main character of For Whom
the Bell Tolls. You do NOT want to blow up the bridge, as you have been commanded,
and face certain death. Instead, you want to practice your cerebral talents and convince
Golz that this war is good for nothing. You will write a persuasive letter to your
commander, pleading to end the war. You will apply rhetorical strategies to make your
case. I will read all of the letters, pretending that I am the commander. The three letters
that I find most persuasive will be shared at the end of class.

The Trajectory of a Bullet – figurative poetry: students will use Wilfred Owen’s poem
(Dulce Et Decorum Est…) to write their own figurative poems. Before they begin, I will
model my very own poem – The Trajectory of a Bullet (which I have yet to write) – and
show it uses figurative language. I will then provide my students with a list of figurative
language elements.
Texts:

Primary = For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemingway

Supplementary Material:
o Short story: “The Night of a Thousand Suicides,” by Teruhiko Asada (Japanese
Samurai code – Bushido).
o Movie: “Brothers,” directed by Jim Sheridan
o Poem: Dulce Et Decorum Est…by Wilfred Owen
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o Songs: War (What is it Good For?), by Edwin Starr; If I Were President, by
Wyclef Jean
o “Rosie the Riveter” posters and corresponding background information.
o War Veteran Attends Class
Weekly Focus:

Week 1 – Civil War: The Split of Self (Begin For Whom the Bell Tolls; reenact the civil
war; begin double entry journals)

Week 2 – Total War: The Loss of Self (Continue For Whom the Bell Tolls; read The
Night of a Thousand Suicides; deadline for part two of culminating assessment –
introduce part three)

Week 3 – Total War: The Discovery of Self (Continue For Whom the Bell Tolls; look at
Rosie the Riveter posters and read background information; listen to unit songs and begin
“What is it Good For?” letters)

Week 4 – Family War: When Your Loved Ones are Shell-Shocked (Continue For Whom
the Bell Tolls; watch the movie, “Brothers”; share letters from prior week; begin
figurative poetry assignments)

Week 5 – Defeating War: How sweet it is to LIVE for one’s country (finish For Whom
the Bell Tolls; Q & A with War Veteran; share figurative poetry)
Unit Assessments:
1. “What is it Good For?” letters, Figurative Poetry Assignments, and online forum postings.
2. Military Love Anthology (MLA) – using your double-entry journals and textual evidence,
identify and explain three different ways in which love is expressed, either in the novel,
in your own life, or a synthesis of both.
Standards and How They Are Addressed
Unit 5: Love and Self/Military
 1 – Oral Expression and Listening (1.2.a.i; 1.2.a.v)
o 1.2.a.i – during the enactment of the civil war, students will “battle” prepared,
having read and researched material under study. They will also refer to texts
and other research to stimulate a thoughtful, well-researched exchange of ideas.
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o 1.2.a.v – if a student deviates from the pre-determined parameters of our
“battle” (discussion), we will analyze his or her resources for validity, and
admonish accordingly.
 2 – Reading for All Purposes (2.1.a.ii; 2.1.b.iii; 2.3.a)
o 2.1.a.ii – students will determine how two central ideas – suicide/death and
camaraderie/love – develop over the course of the text and how they interact
and build on one another to produce a complex account.
o 2.1.b.iii – when students listen to War (What Is It Good For?) by Edwin Starr,
they will consider how the style and point of view of the song is influenced by
its historical context.
o 2.3.a – students will understand how language functions in our supplementary
texts – and how it affects choices for meaning or style – by contemplating their
own knowledge of language.
 3 – Writing and Composition (3.1.a.i; 3.2.a; 3.3.a.iii)
o 3.1.a.i – when students write their figurative poems, and their double-entry
journals, they will engage and orient the reader by setting out an observation
and its significance, and by creating a smooth progression of experiences or
events.
o 3.2.a – students will write arguments to support claims in an analysis of
substantive texts (For Whom the Bell Tolls), using valid reasoning and
sufficient evidence when they complete their double-entry journals and their
supplementary material commentaries.
o 3.3.a.iii – students will write a variety of phrases (absolute, appositive, etc.)
accurately and purposefully when they write their figurative poems (this will be
scaffolded by a short mini-lesson.)
 4 – Research and Reasoning (4.2.d; 4.3.d)
o 4.2.d – students will analyze and address the logic of the interdisciplinary
domains inherent in reasoning through complex situations when they
participate in a “Q&A” discussion with a war veteran.
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o 4.3.d – students will also evaluate the reasoning of the war veteran for quality,
strong-sense thinking. Likewise, the war veteran will be invited to evaluate the
reasoning of the students.
Unit #6 – Love Through the Lens of Self and Culture – Four Weeks
Content and Goals: Since there are arguably thousands of different cultures on this planet, and
subcultures of those cultures, it can be hard to define such a relative and abstract concept. For the
sake of this unit, though, we will define culture as that which we talk about (conversation), that
which matters to us (relevance), and that which is spatially immediate to us (location). The goal
of this unit, then, is to discover how cultural constructs are built by love, affected by love, and
even transformed by love. What happens when people from opposite cultures fall in love? We
will think about transcegenation –interracial procreation – and how society reacts to it. We will
also analyze the purpose of popular adolescent culture – shows like Jersey Shore and Teen Mom,
social media like Twitter and FaceBook – and how its audience reacts to and participates in it.
We will answer the question, “What does our culture say about us and how we love?” We will
compare our results to the results we find when answering the question, “How does living in the
18th and 19th centuries compare with life in the 21st century?” Students will buoy their skills of
cultural perception by conducting the following content procedures:

Cultural Mind-Mapping – students will come to a consensus on the definition of
culture, one that can be regarded almost universally (agreed upon by most people).
We will distill the ideas of conversation, relevance, and location – students can either
accept or reject these ideas, and justify why. We will post our mind-map on the wall
so that students can refer to it throughout the unit, and make necessary additions,
subtractions, revisions, etc.

Cultural Soap-Box – share (in class) an experience that you had with another culture.
Answer the following questions: What made the culture different from your own?
What made this experience memorable, either for better or for worse? Who – if
anyone – exemplified the principles of this culture? How do people show love in this
culture? How has your interaction with this culture changed your identity? Do you
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think that your culture rubbed off on their culture? Please share any mementos,
artifacts, pictures, etc.

Vignette Sweat! – students will be divided into groups, and each group will have a
vignette from Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street. The point of this activity
is for students to interpret how Cisneros is presenting culture. Interpreting the
constructs of another culture takes serious work…lots of mental sweat. If students
agree that conversation – the way we use language to interact – is a key tenet of
culture, they will determine how each vignettes is conversing with the reader. What
kind of language does each vignette use to convey meaning to the reader? What
literary techniques does each vignette use to portray the culture of the protagonists?
Why is the language that she uses suitable for the culture of an adolescent girl
growing up in a poor neighborhood? Groups will take turns reporting their
interpretations to the class.

Interactive Work-Shop with Slam-Poet Jovan Mays – Jovan Mays will perform one of
his slam poems. Afterwards, he will deconstruct the process by which he created and
conducted the poems, and demonstrate how his culture is inherent in all of his poetry.
Students will realize that any form of composition – memoir, narrative, poem, short
story, etc. – undergoes a thorough process of revision, editing, and work-shopping.
Students will be able to share their own work with Jovan Mays in order to receive
feedback, tips and advice.

Audio Recording of Culture Clash Article – As a class, we will listen to an audio file
from http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/resources/transcripts/116.html that is titled
“America and Political Islam: Clash of Cultures or Clash of Interests?” (transcripts
will also be distributed to the class). After the audio file, we will discuss what the
difference is between clashing cultures and clashing interests (cultures are relative,
whereas interests are situational) Students will then spend fifteen to twenty minutes
writing in their journals to justify their positions: does this dilemma seem to be a clash
of cultures or a clash of interests?

Spatial Culture – students will be moving around the class for this activity, which
asks them to migrate to different sides of the room (N, S, E, W) to answer certain
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question. Students will be shaping the identities of their ideal cultures. As the
facilitator, I will be asking the questions. For example, I would ask students to move
to the North side of the room if they would like their cultural greetings and salutations
to be marked by close physical intimacy (kisses on the cheek). Students who would
prefer to have less intimate greetings (a head nod) would move to the South side of
the classroom. My questions would deal with a wide range of topics: everything from
dining, to recreation, to driving and garage sales. Each student would then pretend that
his or her own culture was going extinct! The students would write an
expository/persuasive text describing their culture, and then argue why it should be
saved from extinction.

Glogorama – I will create a Glog that has excerpts, scenes, captions, and blurbs from
all contemporary pop culture – Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, Twitter, Facebook and
eHarmony. Students will be open to add or subtract examples. Students will then
conduct a fishbowl activity that answers the question, “What do these shows and
social mediums say about our culture and how we love?” Most students will be
naturally aware of this pop culture, so they will more than likely have a lot to
contribute/discuss.
Texts:

Primary = Season of Migration to the North, by Tayeb Salih

Supplementary Material:
o Vignettes from The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros
o Audio file from Carnegie Council
o Slam poet, Jovan Mays, attends class
o Pop Culture Glog – Jersey Shore, Teen Mom, Twitter, Facebook, eHarmony
Weekly Focus:

Week 1 – Culture from Beyond (begin Season of Migration to the North; cultural mindmapping; cultural soap-boxing)

Week 2 – Culture from Without (continue Season of Migration to the North; Vignette
Sweat; part three deadline – students will workshop and make final revisions)
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
Week 3 – Culture from Above (continue Season of Migration to the North; Jovan Mays
attends class; audio file activity)

Week 4 – Culture from Within (finish Season of Migration to the North; spatial-culture
activity; Glogorama; ***PRESENT LOVE PORTFOLIOS***)
Unit Assessments:
1. Active participation in fishbowl discussion, spatial culture activity, and cultural soapboxing.
2. Write a two page forum posting that answers the following question: What is the main
theme in Season of Migration to the North? Provide at least three quotes from the text to
defend your choice. Use class discussions and activities to shape your paper, but make
sure you cite them!
Standards and How They Are Addressed
Unit 6: Love and Self/Culture

1 – Oral Expression and Listening (1.1.b; 1.2.a)
o 1.1.b – students will deliver formal oral presentations for an intended purpose
and audience, using effective verbal and non-verbal communication, when
they do their cultural soapbox assignment
o 1.2.a – students will participate effectively in collaborative group discussions
on contemporary pop culture when they conduct their fishbowl activities.

2 – Reading for All Purposes (2.1.b; 2.3.b.i)
o 2.1.b – students will analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning
and tone, including language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful,
when they do the Vignette Sweat activity.
o 2.2.d.i – by the end of this unit (which is at the end of the year), students will
have read and comprehended literary nonfiction in the grades 11-CCR text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of
the range.
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o 2.3.b.i – students will use context as a clue to the meaning of a word when
they read the somewhat complicated manuscript of the Carnegie institute
audio file.

3 – Writing and Composition (3.2.a.ii; 3.2.iii; 3.3)
o 3.2.a.ii – students develop claims and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly,
supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths
and limitations of both, when they write about the Culture-Clash article.
o 3.2.a.iii – when students attempt to preserve the cultures they have concocted,
they will use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to clarify the
relationships between claims and reasons, reasons and evidence, and claims
and counterclaims.
o 3.3. – when slam poet, Jovan Mays, attends class, students will learn that
writing demands ongoing revisions and refinements for grammar, usage,
mechanics and clarity.

4 – Research and Reasoning (4.2.c)
o 4.2.c – when students conduct their fishbowl activity, they will exercise
intellectual humility, intellectual flexibility, and intellectual open-mindedness.
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Culminating Assessment
L.O.V.E Portfolio (Loving Others Vicariously & Eternally)
As the title suggests, you – and a group of no more than four others – will be creating a portfolio.
This portfolio will be a poignant amalgamation of everything you have learned this year. It can
be presented online or in hard-copy. Primary and secondary research will also be conducted as a
means to bolster the project. In a nutshell, groups will share with the rest of the class what LOVE
means to them. The acronym I present – Loving Others Vicariously and Eternally – contends that
true love extends beyond the self, radiates towards others, and persists eternally. You can,
however, disregard this proposal. Maybe love, from your perspective, has nothing to do with
loving others vicariously and eternally! That is fine – just make sure you follow the guidelines.
Students will be graded on their fluency, coherence, organization, and creativity, among other
criteria. (The distribution of the following three parts will be scaffolded)
Three Parts:
1. Part one is introduced during unit three. The deadline for this part is in unit four, meaning
that students have approximately four weeks to conduct the interviews and format them
into the portfolios. Look below for specific details:
a. You will interview couples – straight, gay, long-term, short-term, old, young, etc.
This research will give you a first-hand account of all the shapes and forms in
which love exists. Feel free to interview widows, hopeless singles people, and
romantic visionaries. Who you interview is ultimately up to you! Some example
questions that you might ask: Do you love your significant other? Why? What
does he or she do that kindles your love? What emotions do you feel when you
are with this person? What do you feel when you are separated from this person?
Is there a special song, location, or memory that captures the essence of your
relationship? What are the highs and lows of your relationship? How did you
meet, and why were you attracted to this person? Would your love for this person
overcome any hypothetical infidelity? Why are you single? You get the
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picture…***REMINDER*** Your interviewees must consent to the interview by
granting their permission through a signed sheet!
2. Part two is introduced during unit four. The deadline for this part is in unit five, which
means that students will have approximately four weeks to conduct further research on
their projects. Groups must provide a one-page summary, in their own words (answering
the questions who? what? when? and where?) for each source that they use. They must
also include one follow-up question (the why? part) that could stimulate further research,
but functions as more of a rhetorical reflective question. Look below for more details:
a. Now is your chance to explore love outside of the context of our classroom.
Maybe you want to know how animals show love and compare that to how
humans show love. Or maybe you want to study love through anatomy. For
example, I have always wondered how the heart functions, physiologically, in
different stages of love. Does your heart really “skip a beat” when you see your
loved one? What does it actually look like when your heart breaks? Or maybe you
are interested in love through a psychological lens, and you want to collect
archives about so-called “heartless” people. Is there a common theme amongst
“heartless” people? The bottom line is that your group decides what to research!
Make sure that you use at least three credible sources (credible sources will be
explained when students visit the media center), and that you cite them according
to the MLA format. Don’t forget to write summaries and follow-up questions for
each source.
3. Part three is introduced during unit five. The deadline for this part is in unit six, which
means that students have approximately four weeks to incorporate their knowledge of the
course texts into their projects (this part comes last so that students will have been
exposed to all six primary texts). This is a crucial part of the culminating assessment
because it gauges student familiarity – and hopefully understanding – with the curriculum.
It also lets students induce their higher-level thinking skills; they bypass basic tests
(“write a five-paragraph essay about the plot structure of this novel”) in favor of making
their own meaning from the texts. Look below for more details:
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a. Now is your chance to make sense of everything that we have read this year. Your
group will provide evidence (quotes) from each primary text to build claims about
your understanding of love as it relates to you and to others. You want to make a
comprehensive statement about love based on the literature that you have read,
e.g. love always overcomes adversity; true love is a fallacy; love is always fickle;
love subscribes mostly to the “S” in “SPERMC,” etc. For example, your group
thinks that all love involves some pain. For your quotes to be legitimate, then,
they must have something to do with pain. You would look for diction that paints
a grim tone – words like struggle, broken, despairing and sick would likely
corroborate the thought that love hurts. Think about how your quotes relate to the
greater context of the novel, to the unit, and even to other novels from other units.
***NOTE*** Students will spend another day at the media center learning about
how to select concise and meaningful quotes.
b. Your group will present its comprehensive statement digitally (powerpoint,
prezi, poster, podcast, video, audiofile, snapshots, playbook, game, etc). All of
your quotes must be included! You will also explain your quotes verbally. In
other words, each member of the group must speak for at least two minutes about
a certain part of the digital presentation. Your verbal presentation must align with
your digital presentation. You don’t have to memorize your presentation, but you
do have to make sure that it runs smoothly.
c. Each group member must also write a one-page self-reflection. This reflection
will make students think: I just did all this research and compiled all this
information – so what? What does it mean to me?
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Language Arts Graphic
Reading
Writing
Listening
Speaking
Viewing
Visually
Representing
Unit 1
WH, N&E
Journals
Blogs
Unit 2
Me-Bags,
Me-Bags
Maslow’s
IDW
Youtube
Parents,
BEP
Othello,
Ad Spoof,
IDW,
NPR, OED
Unit
Prezi
Prezi, Ad
Spoof
Assessment
Unit 3
MOV, DK,
PP, Blogs
PP, NFA
I $, MLP,
I $, MLP,
WoHo,
WoHo
PP
Songs
Unit 4
Siddhartha,
Blogs,
OED,
Martyrdom
RAG
RAG
RAG
Zeal Appeal
Poem
Unit 5
Unit 6
FWTBT,
DEJ,
Civ. War.,
Civ. War,
RR,
The Night,
WIIGF,
Songs
Q&A
Brothers
Poem
Poem
THOMS,
Culture
CMM,
CMM,
SOMTTN
Clash
Vignette,
Vignette,
WoJoMa,
WoJoMa,
Glog
Glog
Key:

Unit 1:
o WH = Wuthering Heights
o
N & E = Narcissus and Echo
(movie)
Glog
Final
Presentation
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o BEP = Black Eyed Peas song
o Maslow’s = Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Unit 2:
o NPR = National Public Radio audio file
o OED = Oxford English Dictionary assignment
o IDW = Identity Wheel

Unit 3:
o MOV = Merchant of Venice
o DK = Das Kapital…
o PP = Protest Piece
o NFA = Non-fiction articles on philanthropy, charity, etc.
o I $ = “I love…so much that…”
o MLP = “Money, Love, Power” game
o WoHo = Worldly Holidays assignment

Unit 4:
o RAG = Religion at a glance

Unit 5:
o FWTBT = For Whom the Bell Tolls
o The Night = Short story: “The Night of a Thousand Suicides”
o DEJ = Double-entry journals
o WIIGF = “What is it good for?” assignment
o RR = Rosie the Riveter propaganda

Unit 6:
o THOMS = The House on Mango Street
o SOMTTN = Season of Migration to the North
o CMM = Cultural mind-mapping
o WoJoMa = Workshopping with Jovan Mays
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Self-Evaluation
When I was talking to a fellow classmate about this assignment, we both agreed that it
was a very valuable experience. In fact, the process of creating this yearlong plan just might be
the single most helpful part of my teacher preparation experience so far. Knowing how much
planning goes into a yearlong curriculum reminds me that I better not procrastinate! I shouldn’t
procrastinate now, either, but it is especially unacceptable – and unforgivable – as a teacher. I
mean, the stakes are so much higher. Dozens, if not hundreds, of real-life students depend on the
content that you design.
The exigency of teaching effectively – now firmly rooted in my brain – is what made this
assignment fun. I enjoyed building an overarching theme and trying to align my content with
assessment and my assessment with standards. Whether or not I did this coherently remains to be
seen; I do, however, believe that the greatest strength of this yearlong plan is its substance. The
language arts graphic (above) reveals that my students are enriched with a variety of learning
opportunities. They create and present their own protest pieces in unit three, which requires them
to read, write, listen, speak, and think about what catalyzes civil unrest. Other unit assessments,
like Zeal Appeal in unit four, ignite student activity in most of the language arts.
My accolades in this assignment are also my faults. Just because I can create these robust
activities does not mean that I can apply them practically. If education is all about measuring
student growth, then student assessments should clearly define what that growth is. At the very
least, those assessments should have objective and quantitative benchmarks. The assessments I
propose fall short. They are ambiguous. They allow for students to make meaning for themselves,
but at the expense of a flawed grading system, one that has pliable boundaries and flimsy
expectations.
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I exerted much time and energy into this assignment; every minute and every ounce paid
off. I now feel more confident in my efficacy as a teacher. Though I might never use this
yearlong plan exactly as it is, the process of designing one hundred and eighty days of instruction
has given me deep insight into the teaching profession. I would give myself an A-, 92 points out
of 100.
Honor Pledge
~I have not used any unauthorized sources on this assignmen.t~
Tyler M. Szalwinski
X:______________________________________________________________