2012-13 and 2013-14 Transitional Comprehensive Curriculum
English III
Unit 7: The Mid/Late Twentieth Century and Beyond in American Literature
Time Frame: Approximately four weeks
Unit Description
This unit focuses on reading and responding to the short stories, poetry, web sources and media
resources of the mid/late twentieth century. A variety of reading and comprehension strategies
will help students analyze contemporary literature, relate to the historical context, and appreciate
the value of life-long reading and learning. Use of available technology will provide research and
publishing opportunities and real-world experience. Grammar and vocabulary study will
continue within the context of the literature.
Student Understandings
The essential goals of this unit are to interpret and analyze the literature of the mid/late twentieth
century. Students will recognize the impact of technology on twentieth-century society, its
authors, and their works. Students will also express supported responses to the texts and focus on
examining the effects of the literary elements and devices on the varied genres of the day.
Guiding Questions
1. Can students identify characteristics of the mid/late twentieth century and explain
how they are reflected in the literature of the age?
2. Can students explain how works by contemporary American writers of various
cultures convey their perceptions of American life?
3. Can students describe how the experiences recorded by contemporary authors
compare to real-life experiences?
4. Can students determine how the modern media affect contemporary attitudes?
5. Can students use correct manuscript form and current technology to produce writing
for real-world experience?
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Unit 7 Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) and Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
GLE #
01a.
01b.
01c.
02a.
02b.
02d.
09a.
09b.
09c.
09d.
09f.
09g.
14a.
14b.
14c.
14d.
Grade-Level Expectations
GLE Text and Benchmarks
Extend basic and technical vocabulary using a variety of strategies, including
analysis of an author’s word choice (ELA-1-H1)
Extend basic and technical vocabulary using a variety of strategies, including
use of related forms of words (ELA-1-H1)
Extend basic and technical vocabulary using a variety of strategies, including
analysis of analogous statements (ELA-1-H1)
Analyze the significance of complex literary and rhetorical devices in
American, British, or world texts, including apostrophes (ELA-1-H2)
Analyze the significance of complex literary and rhetorical devices in
American, British, or world texts, including rhetorical questions (ELA-1-H2)
Analyze the significance of complex literary and rhetorical devices in
American, British, or world texts, including implicit metaphors (metonymy
and synecdoche) (ELA-1-H2)
Demonstrate understanding of information in American, British, and world
literature using a variety of strategies, including interpreting and evaluating
presentation of events and information (ELA-7-H1)
Demonstrate understanding of information in American, British, and world
literature using a variety of strategies, including evaluating the credibility of
arguments in nonfiction works (ELA-7-H1)
Demonstrate understanding of information in American, British, and world
literature using a variety of strategies, including making inferences and
drawing conclusions (ELA-7-H1)
Demonstrate understanding of information in American, British, and world
literature using a variety of strategies, including evaluating the author’s use of
complex literary elements, (e.g., symbolism, themes, characterization, ideas)
(ELA-7-H1)
Demonstrate understanding of information in American, British, and world
literature using a variety of strategies, including making predictions and
generalizations about ideas and information (ELA-7-H1)
Demonstrate understanding of information in American, British, and world
literature using a variety of strategies, including critiquing the strengths and
generalizations about ideas and information(ELA-7-H1)
Develop complex compositions, essays, and reports that include a clearly
stated central idea/thesis statement (ELA-2-H1)
Develop complex compositions, essays, and reports that include a clear,
overall structure (e.g., introduction, body, appropriate conclusion) (ELA-2-H1)
Develop complex compositions, essays, and reports that include supporting
paragraphs organized in a logical sequence (e.g., spatial order, order of
importance, ascending/descending order, chronological order, parallel
construction (ELA-2-H1)
Develop complex compositions, essays, and reports that include transitional
words, phrases, and devices that unify throughout (ELA-2-H1)
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16a.
16b.
16c.
16d.
16e.
16f.
16g.
17c.
17d.
21.
22a.
22b.
23a.
23b.
23c.
23d.
23e.
23f.
23g.
24.
26b.
29a.
Develop complex compositions using writing processes such as selecting topic
and form (e.g., determining purpose and audience) (ELA-H2-H3)
Develop complex compositions using writing processes such as prewriting
(e.g., brainstorming, clustering, outlining, generating main idea/thesis
statements (ELA-2-H3)
Develop complex compositions using writing processes such as drafting (e.g.,
determining purpose and audience) (ELA-H2-H3)
Develop complex compositions using writing processes such as conferencing
with peers and teachers (ELA-2-H3)
Develop complex compositions using writing processes such as revising for
content and structure based on feedback (ELA-H2-H3)
Develop complex compositions using writing processes such as
proofreading/editing to improve conventions of language (ELA-H2-H3)
Develop complex compositions using writing processes such as publishing
using available technology (ELA-H2-H3)
Use the various modes to write compositions, such as a research project (ELA2-H4)
Use the various modes to write complex compositions, including literary
analyses that incorporate research (ELA-2-H4)
Apply standard rules of sentence formation, such as parallel structure (ELA-3H2)
Apply standard rules of usage, for example: avoid splitting infinitives (ELA-3H2)
Apply standard rules of usage, for example: use the subjunctive mood
appropriately (ELA-3-H2)
Apply standard rules of mechanics and punctuation for parentheses (ELA-3H2)
Apply standard rules of mechanics and punctuation for brackets (ELA-3-H2)
Apply standard rules of mechanics and punctuation for dashes (ELA-3-H2)
Apply standard rules of mechanics and punctuation, including commas after
introductory adverb clauses and long introductory phrases (ELA-3-H2)
Apply standard rules of mechanics and punctuation quotation marks for
secondary quotations (ELA-3-H2)
Apply standard rules of mechanics and punctuation for internal capitalization
(ELA-3-H2)
Apply standard rules of mechanics and punctuation for manuscript form (ELA3-H2)
Use a variety of resources (e.g., dictionaries, thesauruses, glossaries,
technology) and textual features (e.g., definitional footnotes, sidebars) to
verify word spellings (ELA-3-H3)
Select language appropriate to specific purposes and audiences for speaking,
including conducting interviews/surveys of classmates or the general public
(ELA-4-H1)
Deliver presentations that include language, diction, and syntax selected to suit
a purpose and impact an audience (ELA-4-H3)
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29b.
31b.
32a.
32b.
32c.
32d.
34a.
34b.
35b.
38a.
Deliver presentations that include delivery techniques including repetition, eye
contact, and appeal to emotion suited to a purpose and audience (ELA-4-H3)
Deliver oral presentations, including responses that analyze information in
texts and media (ELA-4-H4)
Give oral and written analyses of media information, including identifying
logical fallacies (e.g., attack ad hominem, false causality, overgeneralization,
bandwagon effect) used in oral addresses (ELA-4-H5)
Give oral and written analyses of media information, including analyzing the
techniques used in media messages for a particular audience (ELA-4-H5)
Give oral and written analyses of media information, including critiquing a
speaker’s diction and syntax in relation to the purpose of an oral presentation
(ELA-4-H5)
Give oral and written analyses of media information, including critiquing
strategies (e.g., advertisements, propaganda techniques, visual representations,
special effects) used by the media to inform, persuade, entertain, and transmit
culture (ELA-4-H5)
Select and critique relevant information for a research project using the
organizational features of a variety of resources, including print texts (e.g.,
prefaces, appendices, annotations, citations, bibliographic references) (ELA-5H1)
Select and critique relevant information for a research project using the
organizational features of a variety of resources, including electronic texts
(e.g., database keyword searches, search engines, e-mail addresses) (ELA-5H1)
Locate, analyze, and synthesize information from a variety of complex
resources, including electronic sources (e.g., Web sites or databases) (ELA-5H2)
Write extended research reports (e.g., historical investigations, reports about
high interest and library subjects) which include researched information and
supports main ideas (ELA-5-H3)
38b.
Write extended research reports (e.g., historical investigations, reports about
high interest and library subjects) which include facts, details, examples, and
explanations from sources (ELA-5-H3)
38c.
Write extended research reports (e.g., historical investigations, reports about
high interest and library subjects) which include graphics when appropriate
(ELA-5-H3)
38d.
Write extended research reports (e.g., historical investigations, reports about
high interest and library subjects) which include complete documentation (e.g.,
endnotes or parenthetical citations, works cited lists or bibliographies)
consistent with a specified style guide (ELA-5-H3)
Use word processing and/or technology to draft, revise, and publish various
works, including functional documents (e.g., requests for information,
resumes, letters of complaint, memos, proposals), using formatting techniques
that make the document user friendly (ELA-5-H4)
39a.
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39c
Use word processing and/or technology to draft, revise, and publish various
works, including research reports on high-interest and literary topics (ELA-5H4)
40a.
Use selected style guides to produce complex reports that include credit for
sources (e.g., appropriate parenthetical documentation and notes) (ELA-5-H5)
40b.
Use selected style guides to produce complex reports that include standard
formatting for source acknowledgement (ELA-5-H5)
ELA CCSS
CCSS#
CCSS Text
Reading Standards for Literature
RL.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including
determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RL.11-12.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text,
including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific
word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or
language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include
Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
RL.11-12.9
Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentiethcentury foundational works of American literature, including how two or more
texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.
RL.11-12.10 By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grade 11–CCR text complexity band proficiently,
with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
Reading Standards for Informational Texts
RI.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including
determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
RI.11-12.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text,
including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an
author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a
text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
RI.11-12.10
By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grade
11-CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the
high end of the range.
Writing Standards
W.11-12.1a,
Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts,
b, c, d
using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
a. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the
claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and
create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims,
reasons, and evidence.
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the
most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and
limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge
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W.11-12.7
W.11-12.9b
W.11-12.10
level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major
sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between
claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s)
and counterclaims.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to
the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question
(including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden
the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject,
demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis,
reflection, and research.
b. Apply grades 11-12 Reading standards to literary non-fiction (e.g.,
“Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the
application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning [e.g., in
U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and dissents] and the premises,
purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy [e.g., The Federalist,
presidential addresses]”).
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range
of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Speaking and Listening Standards
SL.11-12.5
Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and
interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings,
reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
Language Standards
L.11-12.4a, c, Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown or multiple-meaning words and
d
phrases based on grades 11-12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a
range of strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a
word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a
word or phrase.
c. Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries,
glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of
a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its
etymology, or its standard usage.
d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase
(e.g., by checking inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).
L.11-12.5a
Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and
nuances in word meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and
analyze their role in the text.
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L.11-12.6
Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and
phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college
and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary
knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or
expression.
Sample Activities
Activity 1: Ongoing Independent Reading (GLEs: 09a, 09b, 09c, 09f, 09g; CCSS: RL.1112.1, RL.11-12.10, RI.11-12.1)
Materials List: teacher-provided independent reading lists
Throughout each of these units, students should explore a wide range of authors and texts, with a
focus on American authors, in addition to the readings required in whole-class activities. To
encourage students to be independent and thoughtful readers, they should investigate subjects
and ideas that matter to them through their own choices in independent reading activities. This
will show them that reading can be useful, enjoyable, and relevant in their everyday lives. This
practice may be especially important if students are reluctant readers or are not accustomed to
reading independently. Monitor this reading, making sure to incorporate both oral and written
responses to the text. Written responses should be entered in a reading log citing strong and
thorough textual evidence to support ideas, questions, reactions, evaluations, and reflections
relative to the texts they read.
For example, if students are reading a nonfiction book of their choice, you might ask them to
interpret and evaluate the way the writer presents events and information and/or to evaluate the
credibility of the author’s argument(s). This might be done through short journal entries as
students progress through the book or through a written review after students finish the book.
You might ask students to make predictions or generalizations about an article before reading the
article and then have them critique the strengths and weaknesses of ideas in that same article
after reading. Be sure that students cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support their
analysis of the text. Again, this might be done in daily journals or learning logs (view literacy
strategy descriptions). A learning log notebook is a binder or some other repository that students
maintain in order to record ideas, questions, reactions, and reflections and to summarize newly
learned content. A learning log notebook offers students a place to reflect on their own learning
and will help them build a more thorough understanding of a particular text.
2013-2014
Activity 2: Ongoing Independent Reading (GLEs: 09a, 9b, 9c, 9f, 9g; CCSS: RL.11-12.1,
RL.11-12.10, RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.10)
Activity 1 should be extended to include literary nonfiction in the grade 11-CCR text complexity
band, and any scaffolding should be done at the high end of the range. Monitor and review
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students’ reading logs to verify texts meet appropriate complexity. Written responses entered in
reading logs must cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support ideas, questions,
reactions, evaluations, and reflections relative to the texts they read.
Activity 3: Ongoing Vocabulary Study (GLEs: 01a, 01b, 01c, 21, 23d, 24)
Materials List: student vocabulary logs, Checklist of Common Errors BLM
To extend basic and technical vocabulary, students will record both student- and teacherselected new and unfamiliar vocabulary in an ongoing vocabulary log. This log should include a
definition, the part of speech, and a sentence for each word. Sentences should contain
appropriate context and enough detail to convey the meaning of the word. Students should refer
to the Checklist of Common Errors BLM to apply the standard rules of mechanics and
punctuation, focusing on using parallel structure, avoiding split infinitives, and using commas
after introductory adverb clauses and long introductory phrases. Here is what a student example
might look like:
Providence (noun) – an instance of divine care.
William Bradford often writes of “providence” in Of Plymouth Plantation.
Providence kept the Pilgrims alive and helped them adapt to life in the
New World.
Procure (verb) – to get by special effort; to obtain
As the early pilgrims tried to settle in the New World, it was difficult to
procure enough food for their families.
2013-2014
Activity 4: Ongoing Vocabulary Study (GLEs: 01a, 01b, 01c; CCSS: RL.11-12.4, RI.1112.4, L.11-12.4a, L.11-12.4c, L.11-12.4d L.11-12.5a, L.11-12.6)
This activity will replace current Activity 3 in 2013-2014.
Materials List: a teacher-selected list of important words related to Colonial Period texts and
tasks
To extend general academic and content-specific vocabulary, students will create vocabulary
self-awareness charts (view literacy strategy descriptions) at the beginning of each unit. These
charts will help students identify what vocabulary words they know as well as what vocabulary
words they need to learn in order to fully comprehend each reading. These charts should also
help students determine the meaning of words or phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative, connotative, and technical meanings. Students will then use their charts to analyze the
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following: 1) the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with
multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful; 2) how an author
uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text; 3) figures of speech
(e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and their role in the text.
Over the course of the unit, students should revisit their self-awareness charts to add new
information and update their growing knowledge about key vocabulary. Students may use these
charts at the end of each unit to prepare for assessments or as a resource when writing for various
purposes.
Teaching Process:
1. Provide students with a list of important words at the beginning of the reading or unit and
have students write them in a vocabulary self-assessment chart (see example below).
These words should be selected from the literature being studied or from the necessary
background information at the beginning of each unit. Vocabulary selections should aid
students in analyzing author’s word choice, in analyzing analogous statements, and in
understanding the use of related word forms.
2. Ask students to complete the chart before the lesson begins by rating each vocabulary
word according to their level of familiarity and understanding. A check mark (√)
indicates a high degree of comfort and knowledge, a question mark (?) indicates
uncertainty, and a minus sign (-) indicates the word is brand new to them.
3. Also, ask students to try to supply a definition and example for each word. For words
with question marks or minus signs, students may have to make guesses about definitions
and examples.
4. Over the course of the reading or unit, allow time for students to revisit their selfawareness charts. The goal is to bring all students to a comfortable level with the unit’s
important content terminology. Have students continually revisit their vocabulary charts
to revise their entries. This will give them multiple opportunities to practice and extend
their growing understanding of the words.
EXAMPLE:
Word
√ ? -
Example
Definition
Providence
Solace
Feigned
Procure
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Activity 5: Ongoing Writing Prompts to Assess Understanding of Texts (GLEs: 09c, 09f;
CCSS: RL.11-12.1, RI.11-12.1, W.11-12.10)
Materials List: prompts, note cards
Students will use writing-for-understanding-texts strategies such as the following:
 entrance cards as a lesson initiation activity
 “Stop and Writes” as a comprehension, reflection, or prediction activity during reading
 annotated text as a during-reading activity
 exit cards as a lesson closure activity
 SQPL or student questions for purposeful learning (view literacy strategy descriptions),
which promote purposeful reading and learning by prompting students to ask and answer
their own questions about content.
Prompts should address comprehension, higher-order thinking, and inferences from texts.
Students should cite strong and thorough textual evidence from related texts to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as when making inferences, including
determining where the text leaves the matters uncertain. Prompts can be used to begin
discussions or for assessments.
Example prompts:
 Summarize Rita Dove’s poem “Testimonial.” Describe the mood of the poem, citing
specific words and phrases to support your ideas.
 What themes are illustrated in your particular short story? In your opinion, why did
the author focus on these themes? Use textual evidence to support your ideas.
Teaching Process for SQPL
1. Create and present an SQPL lesson by generating a statement that will cause
students to wonder, challenge, and question. (e.g., The Puritans were lawless
people who detested moral values and religions of all sorts.)
2. Allow students to pair up and generate two to three questions they would like
answered. Questions should be related to the statement and not farfetched or
parodies.
3. Allow groups to share their questions with the whole class; as questions are
shared, they should be written on the board, and some teacher-generated questions
may be added to the list.
4. As students read and/or listen to the information source, they should try to answer
their questions. As content is covered, stop periodically to have pairs discuss
which questions can be answered. Allow groups to share their answers with the
class. Students should record questions and answers for later study.
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Activity 6: Ongoing Grammar Study (GLEs: 21, 22a, 22b, 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, 23e, 23f, 23g)
Materials List: mini-lesson activities, student writing samples, practice exercises, Checklist of
Common Errors BLM
Facilitate a classroom discussion during the drafting/revising process of any composition on
sentence formation problems (i.e., parallel structure, split infinitives, etc.) or standard rules of
usage or mechanics (i.e., subjunctive mood, parentheses, brackets, dashes, commas after
introductory adverb clauses and long introductory phrases, quotation marks for secondary
quotations, internal capitalization, and manuscript form). Discussion will be based on the
common errors in student writing samples using the Checklist of Common Errors BLM. Minilesson activities will be from student-generated examples and will be ongoing and skill specific.
Ideally, the mini-lessons will become differentiated for students’ specific needs and will be
integrated within student writing assignments and not taught in isolation. For example, require
students to correct their errors on graded compositions, but also require them to keep track of
their errors using an error log. Have students note grammar, mechanic, or usage rules for their
most common mistakes in their error logs. You might review the most common errors and those
rules as a whole class.
Activity 7: The Effects of the Media on the 20th and 21st Centuries (GLEs: 09a, 09c, 09f,
17c, 26b, 31b, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, 39a; CCSS: RI.11-12.1, RI.11-12.10, W.11-12.7, W.1112.9b)
Materials List: Analysis of Media Presentations BLM
Before introducing students to this activity, facilitate a discussion of the media using an
anticipation guide (view literacy strategy descriptions) that will stimulate interest in the concept
of the effects of the media on society. Present students with statements and response options
either in handout form, written on the board, or reflected by projector. Allow students to respond
individually to the statements; then have students discuss their responses either as a whole class
or in small groups. Do not reveal the answers at this point. Transition from the discussion by
telling students that they are about to study the effects of the media in the early twenty-first
century through today.
Sample anticipation guide questions:
1. The media is defined mainly as news programs and newspapers.
True
False
2. MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter are not considered part of the
media.
True
False
3. The government forces all television and radio stations to censor
any advertisement that is false or misleading.
True
False
4. I often buy a product after seeing a commercial advertising it on
TV.
True
False
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5. I never allow my beliefs to be swayed by the media.
True
False
6. Superbowl commercials are meant to entertain, not persuade.
True
False
After a teacher-facilitated overview of the role of the media in the early twenty-first century,
students will examine the effects of the media on the public. In small groups, students will
complete the following activities:
 view examples of media presentations (e.g., televised advertisements, political speeches,
political advertisements, documentaries, web-based advertisements)
 analyze each example by identifying the purpose, audience, and persuasive techniques,
such as “time pressure” or “band wagon”
 critique the effectiveness of each example by using the graphic organizer (view literacy
strategy descriptions) on the Analysis of Media Presentations BLM
 generate, distribute, and collect a questionnaire to survey parents regarding changes in
media that have occurred in their lifetimes
Each group will then develop a brief presentation of their findings that includes the following:
 conclusions about the effects of the media on twentieth-century American
society and on modern society (conclusions should be based on evidence
gathered during the analysis process)
 perspectives acquired from results of questionnaire
 personal observations of the influence of media and how it has or has not
changed over time
As closure, have students revisit their anticipation guides to discuss whether their initial
perceptions and/or understanding of the media have changed and what they learned in the lesson
that influenced their new thinking about the statements in the guide.
2013-2014
Activity 8: The Effects of the Media on the 20th and 21st Centuries (CCSS: SL.11-12.5,
L.11-12.6)
Materials List: Analysis of Media Presentations BLM, access to digital media, general and
specific reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses)
Activity 7 should be extended by incorporating the strategic use of digital media in a more
thoroughly developed presentation. Groups should include textual, graphic, audio, visual, and/or
interactive elements in their presentations for the purpose of enhancing understanding and adding
interest. Presentations should also include accurate use of both academic and domain-specific
words and phrases.
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Activity 9: Modern Poetry (GLEs: 02a, 02b, 02d, 09a, 09d; CCSS: RL.11-12.1, RL.1112.10, W.11-12.1a, W.11-12.1b, W.11-12.1c, W.11-12.1d)
Materials List: selected poems for study, Questioning the Content BLM (see unit 2, activity 8),
Analyzing Modern Poetry BLM
Initiate a review of the poetry studied throughout the course (i.e., Bradstreet, Taylor, Emerson,
Whitman, Dickinson, Longfellow). Invite students to offer their own perceptions and opinions of
poetry, both historical and modern, in a brief class discussion.
Students will read several works of representative contemporary poets, such as Nikki Giovanni,
Gwendolyn Brooks, Rita Dove, or Billy Collins. In small groups, students should read each
poem and analyze the style, tone, and substance. They should use a modified form of
Questioning the Content (QtC) (view literacy strategy descriptions) to interact with the poetry
and build real-life connections to the text. QtC encourages readers to use the questioning process
to construct meaning of content and to think at higher levels about the content they are reading
and from which they are expected to learn.
Students should attempt an independent reading of their assigned poems before forming groups.
They should also answer the following QtC questions on their own before discussing in groups:
 What is the poem about?
 What is the overall message of the poem?
 What is being talked about in the poem?
 The poem says _______, but what does that really mean?
 Why was ______ word used?
 Does the poem make sense?
 What do we need to better understand the meaning of the poem?
Students should compare individual answers with those of the group and briefly discuss any
similarities and differences. Next, groups should reread the poems again, this time orally, and
modify their answers to the QtC questions after a brief discussion of each poem. Students, still
working in groups, should then use their QtC answers to help them complete the Analyzing
Modern Poetry BLM. The groups should present their findings in whole-class discussion.
Students should offer opinions about their favorite or least favorite pieces and how these poems
might be similar or different from the poetry studied earlier in the curriculum.
Next, students will write a brief, yet formal composition based on the following prompt: “Is
poetry as meaningful to modern society as it was to past generations?” Students’ compositions
should include a precise claim, valid reasoning, rebuttal of the opposition’s point of view, a
logical sequence of relevant support, and varied transitional elements. These compositions may
be assessed using the English III End-of-Course writing rubric.
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Activity 10: A Researched Literary Analysis of Modern Short Fiction (GLEs: 09a, 09d, 14a,
14b, 14c, 14d, 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, 16f, 16g, 17d, 23g, 34a, 34b, 35b, 38a, 38b, 38c, 38d,
39c, 40a, 40b)
Materials List: topic list, Literary Analysis Assessment Rubric BLM
Students will choose an author of contemporary short stories and one work by that author to
analyze from a teacher-provided list of authors, such as Ray Bradbury, James Baldwin, Bernard
Malamud, Ann Beattie, or Tim O’Brien. They will access print sources and web databases to
locate information in reliable sources, such as http://www.ebscohost.com/, and will apply the
research process (e.g., skimming and scanning, note-taking, outlining, summarizing). Students
will then use word processing and/or technology to draft, revise, and publish a research report
that utilizes correct documentation of all sources. The research paper should include the
following:
 author’s life
 time period and relevant influences or writing movement
 author’s writing style
 analysis of one piece of short fiction based on published critical analysis
Students will incorporate the following elements in their research:
 peer grouping or conferencing with the teacher for revision of drafts
 proper conventions for source documentation, including parenthetical documentation for
textual references
 editing techniques to apply standard rules of sentence formation, including use of parallel
structure
 editing techniques to apply standard rules of usage, such as avoiding split infinitives and
using subjunctive mood appropriately
 editing techniques to apply standard rules of mechanics and punctuation, including use of
parentheses and commas after introductory clauses and phrases
 available technology to publish the report
The paper may be assessed using the Literary Analysis Assessment Rubric BLM.
Activity 11: Literature of Our Time (GLEs: 29a, 29b; CCSS: RL.11-12.9, RL.11-12.10,
W.11-12.10)
Materials List: photographs or Photomosaic used for Unit 1, Literature of Our Time BLM, a
recorded copy of Kenny Rogers’ song “Superman”
In whole-class discussion, students should chart a complete list of works they have studied
during the year. Then working in small groups, they should again brainstorm (view literacy
strategy descriptions) and list several major qualities, such as greed, hypocrisy, independence or
resourcefulness that each text has displayed about Americans in a particular time and place. The
class might also return to the original photographs they viewed at the beginning of the year as a
part of the discussion.
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Next, each group will demonstrate their understanding of American literature by completing a
text chain (view literacy strategy descriptions). Text chains are especially useful for promoting
application of content area concepts through writing. The process involves a small group of
students writing a short composition using the information and concepts being learned. The text
chain will include a beginning, middle, and a logical ending. By writing out new understandings
in a collaborative context, students provide themselves and the teacher a reflection of their
developing knowledge.
First, model the text chain process by brainstorming lines or sentences that could be crafted
related to the works of literature studied during the year. You might initiate the process by
writing the first line on the board, then eliciting a second line, a third line, and so on until the text
is completed with a total number of lines corresponding to the total number of group members.
Emphasize that the last student to contribute to the text chain must write a logical concluding
sentence. All the group members should then look over the text chain composition and check for
accuracy and logic relative to American literature.
For example, write the following sentence on the board: “American literature is very diverse
and complex.” Next, have each group contribute one sentence to the text chain.
 Group one might write “Early American literature can be traced back to the oral
tradition of Native Americans, the adventures of early explorers, and the struggles
of our first European settlers.”
 Group two might write “The writers of the American Revolution and the Age of
Reason also contributed to America’s vast body of literature and to its everchanging culture.”
 Group three might write “American writers of the National period gave us a uniquely
American literary identity with their romantic poetry and essays on social reform.”
 The next group might write “American realism gave way to discontented writers
disillusioned by the horrors of American’s Civil War.”
 Group five might add “Writers of the early 20th century refined the elements of
fictional writing while redefining the American identity.”
 The last group might write “Even now, American literature, influenced by writers
from all genres, including the media, is changing the way we see ourselves.”
The text chain should be written in paragraph form and look similar to this after each group has
contributed a sentence:
American literature is very diverse and complex. Early American literature can be traced
back to the oral tradition of Native Americans, the adventures of early explorers, and the
struggles of our first European settlers. The writers of the American Revolution and the
Age of Reason also contributed to America’s vast body of literature and to its everchanging culture. American writers of the National period gave us a uniquely American
literary identity with their romantic poetry and essays on social reform. American realism
gave way to discontented writers disillusioned by the horrors of American’s Civil War.
Writers of the early 20th century refined the elements of fictional writing while redefining
the American identity. Even now, American literature, influenced by writers from all
genres, including the media, is changing the way we see ourselves.
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After completing a general text chain on American literature as a whole, ask each group to
complete a text chain for each unit in American literature. To ensure that all group members are
participating equally, each member can initiate a text chain for one unit so that every group has
its own separate text chain for each unit. Groups may exchange their text chains with other
groups or share them with the entire class as a review.
As a final review, have students complete the first page of the Literature of Our Time BLM.
Next, students should listen to the song “Superman” by Kenny Rogers. Ask students to jot down
all of the references Rogers makes in his song (e.g., Y2K, high gas prices, man on the moon, cell
phones, Tiger Woods, 9/11, etc.). Students will probably need to listen to the song more than
once to get a full list of every reference. After students have listed all of Rogers’ references to
significant historical events and important issues, have students continue their list by adding
events and/or issues relevant to today’s time.
After students have worked together to expand their list, explain to them that they may use this
list as inspiration for a new work of literature. Each student will make his or her own
contribution to American literature by writing something from any genre (a poem, an essay, a
short story, a speech, etc.) that reflects issues of our own time. Students should present their
completed works to the class. Instructions and an example rubric can be found on page two of
the Literature of Our Time BLM.
Please note that the song is not the focus of the activity. This song is a precursor to the activity to
encourage students to think about events, issues, ideas, etc. that have shaped their generation.
The point of the activity is that students understand how literature is shaped by events and how
events shape literature. The initial part of the activity is intended as a review of the entire course,
while the writing portion is meant to be reflective and fun. Students should be encouraged to
write pieces that reflect their lives, their generation, and/or their cultural differences, pieces that
will give future generations insight into our time.
Sample Assessments
General Guidelines
Use a variety of performance assessments to determine student understanding of content. Select
assessments that are consistent with the type of product that results from the student activities,
and develop a scoring rubric collaboratively with other teachers or students. The following are
samples of assessments that could be used for this unit:
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General Assessments

Students will record definitions and parts of speech of new and unfamiliar vocabulary in
an ongoing vocabulary chart and use those words correctly in sentences, making sure to
observe the standard rules of mechanics and punctuation (e.g., parentheses and brackets).
Activity-Specific Assessments

Activity #7: Students will examine the effects of the media on the public. In small
groups, students will complete the following activities:
 view examples of media presentations
 analyze each example by identifying the purpose, audience, and persuasive
techniques
 critique the effectiveness of each example by using the graphic organizer
(view literacy strategy descriptions) on the Analysis of Media Presentations
BLM
 generate, distribute, and collect a questionnaire to survey parents regarding
changes in media that have occurred in their lifetimes
Each group will then develop a brief presentation of their findings that includes
the following:
 conclusions about the effects of the media on twentieth century American
society
 perspectives acquired from results of questionnaire
 personal observations of the influence of media on twentieth century society
 Activity #9: Students will write a brief, yet formal, argument in response to the following
prompt: “Is poetry as meaningful to modern society as it was to past generations?”
The composition should include the following elements:
 A precise claim
 Valid reasoning
 Rebuttal of the opposition’s point of view
 A logical sequence of relevant support
 Varied transitional elements
The composition may be assessed using the EOC writing rubric for English III.
 Activity #10: Students will choose an author of contemporary short stories and one work
by that author to research and analyze in a formal research paper of literary analysis.
Students will then use word processing and/or technology to draft, revise, and publish a
research report that utilizes correct documentation of all sources.
The research paper should include:
 the author’s life
 the time period and relevant influences or writing movement
 the author’s writing style
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
an analysis of one piece of short fiction based on published critical analysis
The paper may be assessed on the following components by using the Literary Analysis
Assessment Rubric BLM :
 research processes, such as skimming/scanning, note-taking, outlining,
summarizing
 discussion of the author and work in an interesting, logically organized text
 cohesive paragraphs, varied sentence structure, and concise language
 evidence of a variety of both print and web resources
 application of the standard rules of sentence formation, usage, and mechanics
and punctuation
 application of format from a selected style guide to give proper credit for
sources and source acknowledgment

Activity #11: After students work in small groups to compose text chains for each
unit, they should use the review along with Kenny Rogers’ song “Superman” as
inspiration for their own works of literature. Students will chose a genre and compose
or create a piece of literature that reflects today’s events or issues. Students will
present these works to the class. The literary piece and the presentation may be
assessed using the rubric on the Literature of Our Time BLM.
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