Mighty Creatures: Touching Spirit Bear
Stirs Forgiveness and Healing
in the Hurt and the Angry
A Unit for Seventh Grade English Students at Manheim Township Middle School
Sara Eden Cozzens
December 8, 2012
Unit Theme: Forgiveness
Do not wrong or hate your neighbor, for it is not he that you wrong but yourself.
.—Pima Native American proverb.
Section I: Rationale
Rationale: Author Ben Mikaelsen himself, like possibly many of our students, endured a
lifetime of struggle in trying to heal and forgive from his past life’s events. He explains that “the
catalyst that finally brought me to the writing of Touching Spirit Bear was the day when I turned
the TV on and I heard those ominous words, ‘This morning in Littleton, Colorado, at a high
school called Columbine…’ …all of this (happened) because of mankind’s ability to be cruel and
because two boys could not find a way to deal with their anger. … I hope (this book) will help
students who are feeling lost to find their way back to a path where they can once again join that
wonderful journey called life.” (plea.org, 2012)
Nature, healing and ultimately—forgiveness—are pervasive themes in Touching Spirit Bear. The
wilderness island setting, spiritual and traditional Native American customs that are employed,
the centrality of nature, and the power of animals, all help lead the reader to digest the path of
personal healing and forgiveness.
Mikaelsen develops the theme of healing across several different dimensions. His leading
character, Cole, experiences the path of healing through physical torments, psychological and
emotional experiences, and through the community-involved justice system he must endure.
Throughout Touching Spirit Bear, Cole is challenged through these dimensions to both forgive
and to earn forgiveness.
The “Journal of Thought” published an article earlier this year that suggested one means of
motivation for forgiveness: “those who do (forgive) are deemed to be in a better psychological
state of mind as a result of having been released from their negative feelings and the hurt or
unpleasantness of the past, and of being freed to move on with their lives in more fulfilling or
engaging ways.” The article also suggested that those that forgive are freed from the negative
“labels” that may come from being a grudge-holding individual. (Stewart, Spring 2012)
Other benefits that may be attributed to forgiveness “include improvements in the relationships
between victims and wrongdoers.” It can “also pave the way to an easing of tension, fear, or hurt
within a group or community,” particularly one where there has been a pattern of deception and
pain. It is greatly possible that peace and stability among people may be produced as a result of
the act of forgiveness—and ultimately—through reconciliation. (Stewart, Spring 2012)
By studying Touching Spirit Bear through this unit plan, students may be able to identify and
work through their own anger, bitterness or resentment from personal events—at home, school,
or in their communities—where they have been in need of healing and forgiving, as well as
possibly needing to be forgiven for hurt they’ve caused themselves.
Ultimately this unit will also outfit students for the opportunity to learn the pathways and
possibilities to the freedom of employing acts of forgiveness and engaging in the reconciliation
of relationships. Doing so would allow the social and emotional state necessary to better benefit
from their schooling and positive life experiences.
Student Profiles:
Zeb: Focused and able learner
Zeb is a polite and focused African-American student on the Lightning Team at Manheim
Township Middle School. With a neat appearance and a long attention span, Zeb works
conscientiously in class, and had no hesitation to seek additional help. He came to his teachers
with questions in advance of the first grammar quiz; later he yielded the highest score of all the
seventh grade sections. His mother is also an English teacher and helps him outside of class. Zeb
has never been observed speaking out of turn in class, as so many of his peers that age usually
do, and though he isn’t an outcast, he’s rarely seen interacting with others on a social basis.
Zeb’s family’s religion requires him to miss several days at school each year.
Sydney: Shy, moderate achiever
Sydney is a quiet, focused seventh grade student, also on the Lightning Team at MTMS. She
seems extremely shy and is quiet in English class. Only on occasion does Sydney raise her hand,
but maintains an average grade. Her parents, who are extremely supportive of their children
academically and assist with schoolwork at home, have expressed to Sydney’s teachers that they
would like if she could be encouraged in order to increase her confidence. Her parents have
expressed that the place Sydney seems most comfortable is while dancing, playing instruments
and singing—where she excels mechanically but struggles with extreme stage fright. Sydney
comes from a good home and has good work habits and a small group of friends at school.
Jade: Intelligent but lost
Jade is a quiet, polite, well-dressed African-American student, also on the Lightning team at
MTMS. Jade is under close observation this year by guidance counselors, since all of her
teachers have observed that she has great difficulty in completing guided tasks in class; she is
often confused about directions, takes a long time to complete a task, or simply stares at her
worksheets blankly. Her parents claim she spends multiple hours each night on homework, even
for the most basic of assignments. Jade often needs redirected or individualized explanation for
assignments. Ironically though, her summative scores remain above average on the same
material that seems to confuse her in class. What is most puzzling is that the challenges that Jade
is facing is apparently new for this school year.
Candido: Silenced
Candido is an enthusiastic student in the seventh grade who willingly participates during class
discussions and projects. Despite his apparent intelligence and positive demeanor in class, any
work that is given to students to complete outside of class is never turned in by Candido which
has seriously threatened his overall grades. Though all of Candido’s teachers have had meetings
with him and his mother and incorporated several suggestions on how to aid the issue of his lack
of turning in homework, Candido remains strangely silent and wide-eyed during these
discussions and offers no suggestions on why he is having this issue. Friends of his have told
some teachers that Candido’s home life is unsupportive and that he is hungry—often having his
first meal of the day at school lunch after first sitting through five class periods and many times
having only cold cereal at home for dinner.
School Profile:
Manheim Township School District has long had a reputation among those living in Lancaster
County as a wealthy and affluent district. Situated in north central Lancaster County, Pa. and
encompassing a large territory of students drawn from much the most expensive housing in the
area, the district has only recently been recognized as being more diverse, Manheim Township
teachers have said. A small portion of the school territory includes the very northern reaches of
the more urban Lancaster City, and some lower income families have moved into that area so
that their children may attend this reputable school district. As a result, Township’s diversity has
continued to expand; the school defines both gifted and special needs categories and
accommodates with special classroom instruction and schedules for students in those groups.
Township’s test scores still remain strong; 2011 PSSA results show that eighth grade students
lead the pack in the district with a slight edge over high school scores in both reading and writing
categories, revealing that 85 to 90 percent of students are at or above the “proficient” level, and
well surpass averages for the state in all subjects. (Trulia.com, 2012)
Some of Manheim Township’s prosperous reputation also stems from news about construction
and athletic resources. Much buzz has been created by the 2010 completion of the $10 million
development of synthetic turf and natural grass fields at the school’s sports complex. School
teams such as football and lacrosse even have their own websites that boast the advantages and
sponsorships of this expensive endeavor. In an effort to ease the burden on the township's
taxpayers, the school has even proposed to charge athletic groups like little league baseball to use
its fields. (Murse, 2010) Comments can also be also be heard in the classroom by athletes
themselves, complaining about playing away games on fields that are not of the same quality of
their literal “home turf”.
The district has also just this year completed a fifth and sixth grade intermediate school that is
separate from the elementary and the middle schools, pushing much needed updates to the
middle school back by five years. The new intermediate school helps take pressure off the
students so they may prepare for middle school before entering into it; it also allows both the
intermediate and middle schools to stay a smaller, more manageable population size and perhaps
creates a less intimidating and more intimate atmosphere for students, parents and
administration. (Trulia.com, 2012)
However the middle school suffers from 44-year-old construction that includes problem factors
such as dangerous asbestos in need of removal. Some teachers have openly commented that they
feel the middle school is the last school in the district to receive funds for updates. Unlike the
newer high school building, the middle school has a very low computer-to-student ratio with
only two computer labs and portable laptop carts that can be signed out for a period by the
teacher. No classrooms have “smart boards” and white boards are in only the rooms designed for
a special use. Therefore an observation of a typical MTMS classroom would render that it is not
as wealthy as what may be expected by the reputation the district has in the community.
However as a positive note, proposals are currently in the works to provide more technology to
the school through such programs as one funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
(O'Gorman, 2012)
The middle school works in a team setting, where a group of teachers representing different
curriculums work together in close proximity in an area of the school referred to as a “pod”.
Students are placed on a team—and with the exception of ELL’s and other special needs
programs—stay with that team in that area of the school for the entire year. Students are mostly
integrated as for the exception of gifted and alternate curriculum (students or delinquents who
were previously expelled who are in probation-type of classrooms), there are no other “levels” of
learners isolated from each other. As a result, the average classroom size of the school is 24
students; class characteristics may range between under or above proficient test-takers and
learners. The particular classes this unit will be used in have no students who are ELL’s or who
have IEP’s.
Section II: Unit Goals and Understandings
Essential Questions:
 What are the roadblocks to and the process of forgiveness?
 How does culture influence ideas of justice and healing?
 Can people change?
Enduring Understandings:
 Forgiveness is beneficial to everyone
 Forgiveness is essential to healing
 Personal conflict shapes our lives
Overarching Understanding: The ability to forgive comes through self-knowledge and the
openness to accepting others’ perspectives.
Students will Know, Understand and Do:
Students will know…
…how to turn the book’s plot and characters into visual maps
…how to make predictions in the text
…new vocabulary introduced in the book
…how to mimic a newspaper article
…how to effectively work in groups and partnerships
…how to work with a group in using technology for presentations
Students will understand…
…how a non-traditional justice system works
…how to identify true feelings in others and relate to those feelings
…the value in forgiveness and healing processes
…how to realign real-life trial scenarios into potential alternative justice situations
…the different types of conflict and ideas for its resolution
…how to assess, prioritize and relate to the experiences of their peers
Students will (do)…
…work through comprehension questions which will act as study guides for each chapter
…make conflict and character maps
…write a circle justice newspaper article based on a found scenario
…journal the understood thoughts and feelings of different characters
…write a forgiveness letter
…participate in a choice group and individual projects
…associate symbols with their own experiences
…educate their peers
UbD Facets of Understanding:
Explain: Through projects and assessments such as the Elements of Plot Study, students will be
able to explain elements of the story such as character perspective and plot conflicts.
Interpret: Students will be able to decipher the text and reveal this understanding through
activities such as comprehensive chapter questions and Venn diagrams.
Apply: Students will be able to take the lessons learned from Touching Spirit Bear and apply
those themes to their own lives through summative assessment projects such as a Collage, a Cake
Analogy or an Individual Totem Pole project. This application will aid in the development of
understanding their own identities.
Have Perspective: Through the use of formative assessments such as the ongoing character
journal entries, students will be stretched to view circumstances and experiences through varying
viewpoints allowing further understanding and value on the unit theme of forgiveness.
Empathize: Students will analyze the actions of the main characters in the text with the intention
of understanding the characters’ motivations. Students will reveal the understanding of these
motivations through activities such as the Talk Show and the Peer Court Role Play. They will
also find relevance in the text and relate that relevance to their own lives through assessment
projects such as the Anger Management exercise.
Gain Self-knowledge: As a main facet of this unit plan and an overarching understanding of
these lessons, a key to forgiveness is self-knowledge. Through multiple activities that ask the
student to shift perspectives and viewpoints such as journal activities and Group Totem Pole
creation, students will learn to search their own feelings about forgiveness as well as be more
aware to alternate perspectives.
Unit-aligned standards: Pennsylvania Department of Education: Academic Standards for
English Language Arts, grades 6-12
 1.2 Reading Informational Text
Students read, understand, and respond to informational text – with emphasis on comprehension,
making connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
 1.3 Reading Literature
Students read and respond to works of literature - with emphasis on comprehension, making
connections among ideas and between texts with focus on textual evidence.
 1.4 Writing
Students write for different purposes and audiences. Students write clear and focused text to
convey a well-defined perspective and appropriate content.
 1.5 Speaking and Listening
Students present appropriately in formal speaking situations, listen critically, and respond
intelligently as individuals or in group discussions.
(Pa. Common Core Standards*, 2012)
*PLEASE NOTE: The above standards are denoted in Section IV that follows in the form of “CC
1.2, CC 1.3, CC 1.4, and CC 1.5
Main Texts:
Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen
(ALA Best Book Award for Young Adults)
Supplementary Texts and Materials:
“A Poison Tree” poem by William Blake: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-poison-tree/
Two media articles about alternative justice systems in Alaska and Minnesota:
http://juneauempire.com/state/2012-03-18/alaska-courts-taking-new-approach-rural-justice
http://justcomm.org/circleMN/circ-stb.htm
Kanye stealing the mic footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeuHxZURHls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Ptb7rknN0&feature=related
Phantom of the Opera’s “Down Once More/ Track Down this Murderer” video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Z0pDRG_t0
Other Phantom of the Opera Scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t75STnoaR1w
Restorative Justice Introduction video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqaqrDnhzDw&feature=related
MTV/True Life video: http://www.mtv.com/videos/true-life-im-being-sent-away-by-myparents/1666921/playlist.jhtml
Comprehension questions for each chapter:
http://www.benmikaelsen.com/TSB_Reading_Guide_Packet.pdf
Journal rubric for distribution to students and for teacher guidance:
http://www.sacsc.ca/upload/pdf/Circle%20Justice-L%201-The%20Anger%20WithinJ%20Gardner-Eng20.pdf
Characters’ Feelings Chart for Summative Assessments:
http://www.benmikaelsen.com/TSB_Reading_Guide_Packet.pdf
Section III: Assessment Plan
Formative Assessment Tools and Essential Question (EQ), Enduring Understanding (EU)
& Student Goal Alignments:
Intro Week:
Lyric Interpretation
 EU: Forgiveness is Beneficial to
Everyone
 EU: Personal Conflict Shapes our
Lives
Thematic Freewriting from Real-Life
Scenario Videos
 Goal: Journaling & Understanding
the Thoughts of Others
 EQ: Can People Change?
Poem Interpretation
 EU: Forgiveness is Essential to
Healing
Preliminary Research Jigsaw
 Goal: Educating Peers
 EQ: How Does Culture Influence
Ideas of Justice and Healing?
Unit Begins:
Related Pre-Reading Activity &
Assessments
 Goal: Making Text Predictions
 Goal: Understand New Vocabulary
Comprehension Questions
Word Splash/Vocabulary Exercise
 Goal: Effectively Working in Groups
 Goal: Identifying True Feelings of
Others
Journal Warm-Ups
 EQ: Roadblocks & Process of Forgiveness
Character List Warm-Ups
 Goal: Identify and Relate to True
Feelings in Others
Anger Management Exercise
 Goal: Assess, Prioritize and Relate to
the Experiences of Peers
Quiz on Part 1
Perfect Justice jigsaw activity
 Goal: Educating Peers
Write a Circle Justice newspaper article
 Goal: Learn How a Non-Traditional
Justice System Works
 Goal: How to Mimic a Newspaper
Article
Create a Character Map
Create a Conflict Map
 Goal: Identify Feelings in Others
 Goal: How to Turn the Book’s Plot
and Characters into Visual Maps
Write a Forgiveness Letter
 Goal: What is the Process of
Forgiveness?
Quiz on Part Two
Summative Assessments (see below)
 Goal: How to Effectively work in
Groups or Partnerships
 EU: Personal Conflict Shapes our
Lives
Summative Assessment: In a Tic Tac Toe Format; each student picks three
activities/assessments going across or diagonal.{Activities are designated as individual (I) or
group (G).} Students must present at least one group project* during the final week. Assessments
are designed to cover the “Six Facets of Understanding”. (Wiggins, 2005)
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Participate in a peer court role play
Talk Show
Character Feelings Chart
Cake Analogy
Individual Totem Pole
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Literary Elements study
Venn diagram
Collage
Group Totem Pole
UbD Facet of
Understanding
Explanation and
Interpretation
Application and
Perspective
Empathy and SelfKnowledge
Activity
Character Feelings
Chart (I)
Collage (I)
Peer court role play*
(G)
Activity
Venn Diagrams (I)
Cake Analogy Project
(I)
Group Totem Pole *
(G)
Activity
Literary Elements
Study (I)
Individual Totem
Pole (I)
Talk Show* (G)
*Differentiated Instruction model 1/2
Section IV: Learning and Teaching Experiences
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Lyric Interpretation: Students will be asked to stretch their thinking early in the unit by
this non-limiting activity that asks for out-of-the-box thinking.
Thematic Freewriting from Real-Life Scenario Videos: Students will have the
opportunity during the introductory week to self-assess their preliminary opinions on the
topics based upon exposure to stories watched on video.
Poem Interpretation: Though this exercise is similar to the Lyric Interpretation activity,
in helps students hone in more closely on the topic of forgiveness by utilizing guided
questions. CC 1.3
Preliminary Research Jigsaw: In this activity, students are prepared for the
responsibility and accountability of educating their peers and effectively working in
groups and partnerships. CC 1.2
Pre-Reading Related text and Cooperative Carousel Activity: Students will
understand through discussion that this poem is suggesting that if anger is left to grow it
can become deadly. CC 1.3 and 1.5
Pre-Reading Assessment Parts One and Two: Students will discover how much
information can be learned with minimal prompts, as well as be able to make inferences
and develop ideas based upon a small amount of information; they will also transfer some
of these ideas into a free write activity. CC 1.3
Comprehension Questions: Guided chapter comprehension questions and
accompanying discussion will help both students and teacher evaluate areas of the text
that may be difficult or more understandable. CC 1.3 and 1.4
Word Splash/Vocabulary Exercise: Reaping the benefits of group work and
collaboration, this exercise asks students to use rationale and explanation to visually
categorize vocabulary words from the text.
Journal Warm-Ups: This ongoing journaling activity will ask the student to shift
perspectives and viewpoints, as well as search their own feelings about forgiveness; it
also asks the students to be aware of alternate perspectives. CC 1.4
Character List Warm-Ups: A mini, visual exercise that aids students in the
understanding of the part of speech which is the “adjective”, students will also be
exposed to teacher examples of other adjectives that they will help categorize. This
activity also help students learn new vocabulary words. CC 1.4
Anger Management Exercise: This text-to-self exercise helps students find relevance in
the text and relate that relevance to situations in their own lives. CC 1.3 and 1.4
Perfect Justice jigsaw activity: Working in groups of two; this read, summarize and
respond activity will act as a jigsaw; students will not only learn information about
another article as explained through their peer partner, but they will also find themselves
responsible to educate their partner on their own assigned article. CC 1.2, 1.4 and 1.5
Write a Circle Justice newspaper article: Here students will do research to find a reallife crime/trial situation that is interesting to them, and then translate that case into a
alternative-type of “Circle Justice” case. Students will also follow a guided graphic
organizer to help them develop this new case into a mock newspaper article. CC 1.2 and
1.4
Create a Character Map: This activity is designed to help students visually organize the
characters in the story as well as show the relationships between them. CC 1.3
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Create a Conflict Map: This activity helps students understand that the “conflict” in the
story is a struggle between two forces. Working from the perspective of four major types
of conflict—person vs. person, person vs. nature, person vs. society, or person vs. self—
students will both identify these types of conflict in the story and also illustrate the
resolution as it occurs in the story. CC 1.3
Write a Forgiveness Letter: This activity asks students to search deeply within their
interpretation and tolerance of the characters in the story and model a mode of
forgiveness. The letter is to aid students’ in dealing with their own bitterness and
resentment that they may have from their own lives, as they attempt to empathize and
understand the wrong-doings of the main character in the book. CC 1.4
Quiz on Part Two: This quiz will assess the outer levels of the “Three-Ring Audit
Process” (Wiggins, 2005) by testing on concepts from the book that are worth being
familiar with. CC 1.3 and 1.4
Summative Tic Tac Toe Projects (Students will do 3):
o Participate in a peer court role play*: Students will work in a group to create
and act out a mock court situation where the lead character is in “Circle Justice”
trial. CC 1.5
o Talk Show*: Students will work in a group to create and act out a mock talk
show situation where characters from the book are being interviewed on
television. CC 1.5
o Character Feelings Chart: Students will fill-in a chart by that is organized four
main characters from the book and five different types of emotions, while
describing the incident and citing when each of the characters experienced that
feeling in the book. CC 1.4
o Cake Analogy: Students will make lists of the good and bad “ingredients” that
make up their own lives, and then transfer those lists into a visual layer cake that
shows what they are made up of. CC 1.4
o Individual Totem Pole: Students will design their own 2-dimensional totem pole
that captures the essence of their unique personalities. Building their own totem
poles and sharing them with their class will allow students to better understand
symbolism and to reflect about their own experiences.
o Literary Elements study: Students will fill in a chart by interpreting literary
elements from the books such as setting, flashback and imagery. CC 1.4
o Venn diagram: Students will create two Venn diagrams where they will interpret
relationships in the book. Example: Cole and the baby sparrow. CC 1.4
o Collage: Students will apply their individual perspectives of the books lessons
and themes by creating 3-D collages using their choice of approved modern
resource such as a blog, a glog or a Prezi, etc. CC 1.4 and1.5
o Group Totem Pole: Following a rubric of specific requirements, students will
self-survey their experiences and then create a 3-dimensional totem pole that
symbolizes the experiences of the group. Students will be asked to prioritize their
poles by placing the most common and what they consider important aspects of
the group working from the top down.
(* Students will film these activities to show for their final presentations.)
W.H.E.R.E.T.O. PLAN
W. Helping students identify and work through anger, bitterness or resentment and being
open to healing and forgiving (for both those persons they may have hurt and those they
may have been hurt by) is why this plan was developed. It does so by exposing the
students to a multitude of resources and perspectives on the unit’s topics.
H. Allowing students to be aware of interesting and engaging aspects of both modern and
alternative connections to anger and justice through these multiple resources is the hook
this plan employs.
E. Providing students with a multitude of outlets, resources and a variety of tasks and
assessments where they can exercise their perspectives and opinions will equip them for
success and enduring understanding.
R. As the author of this unit plan, I am and will continually rethink and revise this unit
as I discover new resources, activities and/or assessments that I think would more
effective and/or engaging.
E. Students will have a large variety of opportunity for self-evaluation and reflection
through activities such as journaling, evaluating lyrics, authoring articles, role plays, and
more.
T. This unit plan is ultimately tailored to meet the needs of all kinds of personalities and
students learners by incorporating deliberate differentiated instruction throughout the
unit. The summative assessments also allow for student choice and variety.
O. This forgiveness unit is organized carefully and mindfully; the introductory weeks
are a variety of activities, conversations and student reflections that provide a background
to the relevance of the topics of forgiveness and alternative justice to the students’ lives.
The consecutive lessons are designed to “ramp up” and help students to be open to see
alternative perspectives and shift their feeling and understandings along the way.
Section V: Lesson Plans
Unit Points Total: 185
WEEK ONE: INTRODUCTION TO THEME
Day 1: Group Collaboration Ice Breaker: spaghetti and marshmallow tower construction
contest.
Day 2: Approaching Texts--Interpretation: students will read selected song lyrics and make
notations alongside with their interpretations. They will then watch the corresponding videos on
these songs about forgiveness and discuss different perceptions about the text. The
interpretations will be “splashed” on the board and discussed as a group.
Word Splash Method: Write one word on the board to describe what they saw in the video.
Describe the character’s feelings when forgiving, forgiven.
Songs:
Evanescence’s “Forgive Me”
Taylor Swift’s “You’re still an innocent”
(After Kanye West stole the mic from Taylor Swift for winning an award over Beyoncé, she
wrote this song.)
Stealing the mic footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeuHxZURHls
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Ptb7rknN0&feature=related
Another refrain from the song more specifically targets Kanye: “You’re 32 and still growing up
now…..Who you are is not what you did.”
Source:http://thecomet.com/posts/taylor_swift_kanye_west_update
Phantom of the Opera’s “Down Once More/ Track Down this Murderer”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Z0pDRG_t0 (this video cuts the phantom’s violence
towards Raul out which might be too graphic.) The important part is that students know the
backstory of The Phantom of the Opera to understand the video. If we want to show the jealousy
that sparks this scene this is a great video to lead up to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t75STnoaR1w
Day 3: Thematic and Interest-Sparking Exercise
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Restorative Justice Introduction video (10 min.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqaqrDnhzDw&feature=related
Show introductory segment(s) of this MTV/True Life video on students being sent
away for restorative justice (10 min.) (show the remainder of the video at the
conclusion of the Touching Spirit Bear Unit: http://www.mtv.com/videos/true-life-imbeing-sent-away-by-my-parents/1666921/playlist.jhtml
Classroom Discussion (5 min.) with teacher’s prompts:
o What advantages might this type of punishment have?
 How it better for the guilty and/or the victim?
o What disadvantages could be found with this type of punishment?
 Would the victim(s) of the crime(s) feel that justice was served?
 What needs to happen in order for the victim(s) to support this type of
justice?
Student Freewrite/First Unit Journal Entry (15 min.): Students are to take a side on
how they feel about the use of restorative/alternative justice and how effective it is in the
role of forgiveness.
Day 4: Related Thematic Pre-Reading Activity: “A Poison Tree” poem by William Blake (40
minutes)
Hand out copies of the poem. Students should make a note next to each line of the poem
explaining what they think the author is trying to say.
Then in groups of five students each, students should discuss the following questions based on
the poem using the Cooperative Carousel activity: (Circle Justice Lesson, 2012). Each student
should be assigned one question (below) and will record the groups’ answer at the bottom of
their poem paper.
1. Explain the contrast in the first stanza.
-The contrast is between sharing our anger and keeping it a secret.
2. What metaphor is introduced in the second stanza?
-The growth of anger is being compared to the growth of a tree.
3. What reason might the speaker’s enemy have had to steal the apple?
-The enemy wanted to steal the apple because he knew it belonged to the speaker.
4. Explain the meaning of the last two lines.
-The foe (enemy) was killed by the speaker’s anger.
5. What does the apple symbolize?
-The apple is a symbol for the danger which anger can cause—the poison.
The poem can be found at: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-poison-tree/
Day 5:Traditional Juvenile Justice System Research: Students will be broken into three
groups and use books pulled at the library and/or computers to fill in a graphic organizer with
information about of one of the following topics:
1. Native American/Spirit Bear history (below basic students)
2. Our nation’s justice system for juveniles (moderate students)
3. Trends or traits of forgiveness in different cultures (advanced students)
TEAM JIGSAW
RESEARCH
Prompt 1
Native
American/Spirit Bear
History
What is the definition
of “Native
American”?
Prompt 2
Describe the physical
characteristics of
a“Spirit Bear”
Prompt 3
Where does the
“Spirit Bear” live?
Prompt 4
How is the “Spirit
Bear” related to
Native Americans?
National Justice
System for Juveniles
What is the definition
of a “juvenile” and of
a “juvenile
delinquent”?
What is the basic
process for justice
when an adult
commits a felony?
What is the basic
process for justice
when a juvenile
commits a felony?
List three main
differences between
trying an adult and a
juvenile in court.
Trends/traits of
forgiveness among
various cultures
What is the definition
of forgiveness?
How is forgiveness
treated in Native
American cultures?
Write three to five
possible benefits of
forgiveness.
Are there any possible
disadvantages to
forgiveness? Cite an
example of at least
one.
Prompt 5
What does the “Spirit Does our nation’s
Research forgiveness
Bear” symbolize?
treatment of juveniles in one other culture
differ greatly from
besides American or
other countries? How? Native American and
Give an example of
point out an
one comparison.
interesting fact you
find about that culture
and the way they
legally or personally
treat, perform or feel
about forgiveness.
*Differentiated Instruction model 2/2. A copy of this table is provided to each student on a
two-sided sheet; one side is as shown and the other side is blank for filling in the information
(see next).
TEAM JIGSAW
RESEARCH
Prompt 1
Native
American/Spirit Bear
History
National Justice
System for Juveniles
Trends/traits of
forgiveness among
various cultures
Prompt 2
Prompt 3
Prompt 4
Prompt 5
(Reserve graphic organizer for use in jigsaw on Day 6 and also for an activity on Days 17 &
18.).
Students will then sign out their Touching Spirit Bear books. (40 minutes)
WEEK TWO
Day 6: Research Jigsaw: Students will rotate through the room in jigsaw of groups of three and
collect information from their classmates to fill in their graphic organizers on the missing topics
that they didn’t research. Students will each be asked to share one new thing they learned from
the activity. (30 minutes)
Personal Attribute Closing:Teacher will share photos of the author with his “pet” bear, as well as
her own photos of her interaction with two black bears owned by a Native American man in the
Poconos, Pa. Teacher will ask for students to share any personal animal stories they may have.
(10 minutes)
Day 7: Pre-reading assessment; Part One: Getting familiar with the novel (20 minutes)
Students will work individually to complete and then share the following questions on a sheet of
paper:
1. Who is the author?
2. What does the title suggest to you about the book?
3. When was the book first copyrighted?
5. What does the cover suggest to you about the book?
On the reverse side of the above paper, students are to use the terms below in a free write to
predict what will happen in the story. Students should be prepared to share their ideas to the
class, first in groups of three and then a spokesperson from each group will share one.
1. bully
2. abused child
3. Spirit Bear
4. Tlingit Indians
5. totem poles
6. forgiveness
7. circle of life
Pre-reading assessment; Part Two: the “Reading Protocol” (20 minutes)
Students will make predictions for the story on a sheet of paper divided into two sections:


Post-first paragraph reading
Post-first chapter reading
After the sections are read aloud in class, students will complete their prediction sections and
volunteers will share them to the entire class in their choice of a “snowball fight”. A “snowball
fight consists of students crumbling up their papers and throwing them across the room. Each
student then selects a new “snowball” and the teacher will select students to randomly read the
snowballs they now possess.
Students will understand how conclusions can be drawn about an entire book based upon a small
amount of informative detail.
Day 8: Classroom Reading: Chapters 2 & 3 with comprehension questions*: (40 minutes)
After the chapters are read aloud or silently in class, students will work in groups to complete
study guide questions.* The teacher will assist with any difficult areas during the completion and
follow up with going through the questions out loud as a class period wrap-up.
*comprehension questions for each chapter can be found at:
http://www.benmikaelsen.com/TSB_Reading_Guide_Packet.pdf
(TSB Reading Guide, 2012)
Day 9: Pre-Reading Warm-Up; Word Splash/Vocabulary Exercise: (40 minutes)
Students will form groups and cut up papers with the following words and arrange them into
groups under their own headers/categories. Students will then be asked to share one of their
categories by writing their heading and words on the chalkboard. A representative will be asked
to explain their rationale. A class-wide vote will then be conducted on choosing the final
categories and subtopics:
Detention centre
punish
Creator
Circle of Justice
defense lawyer
guilty plea
skiff
convicted
soul
juvenile delinquent
patience
depositions
Tlingit
probation
sincere
Spirit Bear
honesty
survival
banishment
gentleness
strength
healing contract
innocent
protected bay
prosecutor
victim
(A Novel Study, 2012)
Day 10: Classroom Reading: Chapters 4 & 5 with comprehension questions*: (40 minutes)
WEEK THREE
Journal Warm-Up Project Begins: (to take place at beginning of class on designated chapter
reading days marked with two asterisks**)
Students will begin designated** chapter reading days with a journal-writing warm-up. Students
will be asked to keep their journals in the classroom for convenience as well as for the teacher to
make comments on and guide the depth of their entries.
The students should write their entries based on the perspective of the designated character.
Journal rubric for distribution to students and for teacher guidance can be found at:
http://www.sacsc.ca/upload/pdf/Circle%20Justice-L%201-The%20Anger%20Within-J%20Gardner-Eng20.pdf
Day 11: Classroom Reading: Chapter 6 and 7 with journal warm-up** on Cole Matthews
(entry, 5 points): (40 minutes)
Day 12: Classroom Reading: Chapters 8 & 9 with comprehension questions*: (40 minutes)
Day 13: Anger Management Exercise (5 points): Student worksheet and sharing (20 minutes)
Worksheet directions: Cole has some anger management issues throughout the book. He also has
to deal with the consequences because of his actions. Write about a time when you were angry or
someone was angry at you. Why were you/they angry? What did you/they do? Were there any
consequences because of your/their actions?
Would you do anything differently if you were in the same situation again? Describe.
Students will be asked to form pairs and share the information from the worksheet above. They
will then staple this sheet inside of the unit journals.
Classroom Reading: Chapter 10: (20 minutes)
Day 14: Character List Warm-Up Wall(1): (20 minutes)
Students will list adjectives that describe the characters in the story in their journals:
Cole Matthews
Peter Driscal
Garvey
Rosey
Students verbally share their descriptive adjectives from their worksheet as the teacher makes
them visible to the entire class on a character wall in the classroom. The teacher will suggest
additional adjectives for the students to decipher and categorize.
Classroom Reading: Chapter 11 (20 minutes)
Day 15: Classroom Reading: Chapter 12 with comprehension questions * (40 minutes)
WEEK FOUR
Day 16: Classroom Reading: Chapter 13 with journal warm-up on Peter Driscal (entry, 5
points)**: (40 minutes)
PART TWO OF TOUCHING SPIRIT BEAR UNIT BEGINS
Days 17 & 18 Perfect Justice article jigsaw activity (10 points): (40 minutes)
Students will be divided into groups of two; each group will receive one copy of both articles.
Students will work individually to complete the questions on the side of a two-sided worksheet
that corresponds to their own article (see next page).
After both groups have completed their own sections, they will take turns explaining the article
while using their worksheet as a guide. Each student will then fill in the other side of their
worksheet to complete the missing sections. However, the last question will be answered on their
own after hearing both sides of the jigsaw.
Articles can be found at:
http://justcomm.org/circleMN/circ-stb.htm
http://juneauempire.com/state/2012-03-18/alaska-courts-taking-new-approach-rural-justice
Perfect Justice article Jigsaw
1. Write one paragraph on the article while identifying the following:
a. Source
c. Time period
b. Author
d. Story summary
2. Write 5-8 bullet points that reflect the main ideas of the story








3. How is this different than our “traditional” justice system (use “maps” from Day 6)
4. Write a one paragraph response/opinion about the topic
Day 18 (remainder of class): Classroom Reading: Chapters 14 & 15 (20 minutes)
Day 19: Character List Warm-Up Wall (2): (30 minutes)
Students will complete a worksheet listing adjectives that describe the characters in the story:
Edwin
William Matthews
Cindy Matthews
Peter Driscal
Cole Matthews
Students verbally share their descriptive adjectives from their worksheet as the teacher makes
them visible to the entire class on a character wall in the classroom. The teacher will suggest
additional adjectives for the students to decipher and categorize.
Writing a circle justice newspaper article based on a found scenario (40 points):
Introduction (10 minutes)
Day 20: Classroom Reading: Chapter 16 (15 minutes)
Circle Justice newspaper article in-class rough draft writing: (25 minutes)
WEEK FIVE
Day 21: Classroom Reading: Chapter 17 (15 minutes)
Circle Justice newspaper article Googledocs computer lab: (25 minutes)
Day 22: Circle Justice newspaper article Googledocs computer lab peer reviews and
revisions day: (40 minutes)
Day 23: Circle Justice newspaper article Googledocs teacher feedback and final revision
day: (40 minutes)
Day 24: Circle Justice newspaper article due and full-class sharing
Day 25: Classroom Reading: Chapters 18 & 19 with comprehension questions*: (40
minutes)
WEEK SIX
Day 26: Classroom Reading: Chapters 20 & 21 with comprehension questions*: (40
minutes)
Day 27: Classroom Reading: Chapter 22 with journal warm-up** on Garvey (entry 5
points): (40 minutes)**
Day 28: Conflict map creation (5 points): Teacher will lead a discussion about the four types
of conflict in class and students will then work in pairs to complete the corresponding worksheet.
See worksheet next page. (40 minutes)
:
1. Person vs. Person:
2. Conflict Resolution:
1. Person vs. Nature:
2. Conflict Resolution:
1. Person vs. Society:
2. Conflict Resolution:
1. Person vs. Self:
2. Conflict Resolution:
Day 29: Classroom Reading: Chapter 26 with journal warm-up** on Edwin (entry 5
points)
Day 30: Classroom Reading: Chapter 27 with comprehension questions*: (40 minutes)**
WEEK SEVEN
Day 31: Write a forgiveness letter in your journal to character Cole Matthews from
character Peter Driscal (entry 5 points): This journal entry requires a standardized paragraph
format and has specific criteria that must be sited:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
Introductory paragraph (3 sentence minimum)
Explanation paragraph to Cole about how he felt prior to forgiveness/emotions and
reasons for resistance (5 sentence minimum)
Explanation paragraph to Cole about how he arrived to forgiveness/chose to
forgive/his path to understanding (5 sentence minimum)
Conclusion/closing paragraph (3 sentence minimum)
(40 minutes)
Day 32: Classroom Reading: Chapter 28 with journal warm-up on Cole Matthews** as a
post-reading activity (entry 5 points): (40 minutes)
Students’ entries must include elements of reflection, reconsideration and change during the
character’s journey.
Day 33: Class review for Unit Test
Day 34: Unit Test on Touching Spirit Bear(see next page) (40 points)
Touching Spirit Bear Unit Test
First and Last Name___________________________Per._____
I.
Plot – Place the events below in the correct order in which they
happened in the book. (Number 1-12 on the blanks.)
Example:#1 happened first in the book and #12 happened last.(12 points)
___Cole attacks the spirit bear with a spear.
___Cole carves a totem instead of making a canoe.
___Cole touches the spirit bear.
___Cole burns his shelter on the island
___Cole sees the fallen tree and asks the birds, “Are you okay?
___ Cole swims away from the island to try to escape
___ Peter comes to the island
___ Cole sees the bear for the first time and threatens to kill it.
___ Peter destroys part of Cole’s totem.
___ Cole throws away white hair from the bear.
___ On the island, Edwin teaches Cole a lesson about anger using a stick.
___ Cole and Peter carve a circle at the bottom of Cole’s totem.
II. Short Answer—Explain the meaning of each term as it applies to the book: (15 points)
Circle of Justice
Tlingit
Spirit Bear
banishment
healing contract
III. Conflict—Define and give at least one example from the book of each of the following
types of conflict. Use complete sentences in your answers: (12 points)
Person vs. Person:
Person vs. Nature:
Person vs. Society:
Person vs. Self:
Day 35: Built-in “Catch Up” Day: A day built in to aid in the case of unexpected school
closings or for other reasons that the unit may be running behind schedule.
WEEK EIGHT
Day 36 Warm-Up: Character List Warm-Up Wall group reflection discussion on how the
adjectives that were used to describe the characters may have changed since earlier in the
unit.
Days 36-40: Tic Tac Toe final projects and presentations(15 points each x 3 = 45 points
total):In a Tic Tac Toe Format; each student picks three activities/assessments going across or
diagonal.{Activities are designated as individual (I) or group (G).} Students must present at least
one group project* during the final week.





Participate in a peer court role play
Talk Show
Character Feelings Chart
Cake Analogy
Individual Totem Pole




Literary Elements study
Venn diagram
Collage
Group Totem Pole
UbD Facet of
Understanding
Explanation and
Interpretation
Application and
Perspective
Empathy and SelfKnowledge
Activity
Character Feelings
Chart (I)
Collage (I)
Peer court role play*
(G)
Activity
Venn Diagrams (I)
Cake Analogy Project
(I)
Group Totem Pole *
(G)
Activity
Literary Elements
Study (I)
Individual Totem
Pole (I)
Talk Show* (G)
Works Cited
A Novel Study. (2012, September). Retrieved from A Novel Study:
http://www.sd79.bc.ca/programs/abed/FN_resource_Touching_Spirit_Bear.pdf
Alaska courts taking new approach to rural justice. (2012, March 18). JuneauEmpire.com.
Circle Justice Lesson. (2012, September). Retrieved from The Society for Safe and Caring
Schools and Communities: http://www.sacsc.ca/upload/pdf/Circle%20Justice-L%201The%20Anger%20Within-J%20Gardner-Eng20.pdf
Murse, T. (2010, March 29). LancasterOnline.com. Retrieved from LancasterOnline.com:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/250468_Manheim-Township-might-charge-clubsto-use-fields.html
O'Gorman, J. P. (2012, September). Mobile Learning Committee. (S. E. Cozzens, Interviewer)
Pa. Common Core Standards*. (2012, September). Retrieved from Pennsylvania Department of
Education: Standards Aligned System; *(Note: source is the draft version of the PA
Common Core Standards, pending approval by the State Board).
plea.org. (2012, September). Retrieved from Plea.org:
http://docs.plea.org/pdf/Touching%20Spirit%20Bear%20Online.pdf
Several Minnesota communities are reviving an Indian... (1998, August 18). JustComm.org.
Stewart, D. (Spring 2012). Thinking about Forgiveness: A Philosophical Preamble to its
Cultivation in Schooling. Journal of Thought, 66-95.
Trulia.com. (2012, September). Retrieved from Trulia.com: http://www.trulia.com/schools/PALancaster/Manheim_Township_Middle_School/
TSB Reading Guide. (2012, September). Retrieved from BenMikaelsen.com.
Wiggins, Grant P. (2005) Understanding by Design. Alexandria: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
Unit Reflection
The unit plan you are holding in your hands will forever evolve; as it is highly
unlikely that I will teach this plan as it is written here. I imagine that not only
as I formatively assess my students’ understanding, interest and response to
the topics and themes, but also as I learn more about effective teaching
techniques, will I make changes to this preparation
I strived for a extensive variety of activities and assessments that would reach a
wide variety of learners and personalities in my—or any teacher’s—classroom.
But from the offset, my goals maintained their real estate in the forefront of my
mind: help my students understand the benefits of and appreciate acquiring the
skills of forgiveness. This charted my course toward assessing a large number of
conceptual ideas in the book such as conflict, alternative justice, Native
American philosophies and many other topics. I chose distinctly not to put a
priority on technical aspects that we focus largely on in many other English and
Reading classroom units—such as literary elements—in exchange for these
ideas that help our children to simply “navigate life”.
The other factor that played a huge impact in my planning was my students
themselves. Though my students are actual individuals in the classroom, their
stories are not completely unique to them alone. As fragile, developing seventh
graders, I needed to consider what challenges they endure both in and out of the
classroom. These battles that students fight may range from hunger to shyness
to a tendency for perfectionism. In knowing this about them, it played a huge
role in my decision to include song lyrics, media and film in the introductory
week of the unit. Through this incorporation, I hope my efforts help to bring my
students the ability to recognize truth and goodness in the world, as well as to
appreciate the beauty of reconciliation.
I chose to formally include Differentiated Instruction plans in both the
introductory week as well as in the final assessment week. I did so since these
were critical times and areas—ones in which laid the groundwork for
background knowledge as well as in their personal satisfaction in completing
the lessons, respectively. However now that I’m tuned in to the valued of
differentiation from the studies I learned in various courses this semester, I will
be keeping all aspects of this unit equally flexible. I believe this is my tendency,
after all, to approach teaching and student learning in an “organic” way,
therefore I am comfortable with the possible variance now that my groundwork
is laid.
This unit plan is important to me because it is very personal. Not only did I
greatly enjoy reading my main text, Touching Spirit Bear, but the natural and
Native American themes and forgiveness aspects are both a delicate and
private mission for me. My peer partner in this project—who completed her own
unit plan with forgiveness as the theme but based on a different book and had
more of an objective-based unit—had her own unique perspectives about our
theme. Her contributions and ideas for teaching her slightly older age group
transferred well in obtaining ideas for our introductory week activities. I also
appreciated her enthusiasm, conscientiousness, work ethic, and attention to
details as I speculate that we both found our theme of forgiveness to be one the
most critical and rewarding aspect of our unit planning.
My current teacher mentor at my student teaching placement may have
contributed more to this unit’s formation than any other aspect did; though she
did not do so much by words as she did by example. In the 200-some odd hours I
spent in her classroom this semester, I was able to learn from her teaching
examples and garner resources and ideas for these lessons and assessments that
I thought would be a good fit and effective in reaching and engaging my—or
most any—middle school students who would be studying this primary text.
The most challenging part of writing this plan was the sheer length and detailed
demands of it—all while knowing that it is merely a skeleton and will likely
evolve many times before, during and after its initial implementation. However
I am optimistic that in the process of navigating the path to write my first
multi-week unit plan, that I will have ushered myself to a place where I am a
stronger planner, a more confident unit writer, and a more successful teacher in
the future.