Unit Plan—Touching Spirit Bear
Rationale
A. In order for students to fully understand the many literary elements they
must study literature that encompasses a wide variety of such devices.
Touching Spirit Bear is a powerful depiction of how external forces, such as
rejection, intolerance, and abuse can tear an individual, family, and
community apart. By providing additional enrichment throughout the
students’ study of this novel, the students will become knowledgeable of
the different literary elements incorporated to aid the reader in
understanding the major key concepts of the novel.
B. This unit will be interesting to the students and is developmentally
appropriate because this age group is beginning to experience some of
the situations and forces experienced by the main character, Cole
Matthews. The students will be intrigued by the mysteriousness and sinister
side of Cole, and will be able to relate to the thoughts and feelings of this
young, mislead boy.
C. NYS ELA Standards
D. Key Concepts/ Essential Questions
 Week One
o “Setting”
o How do you define setting?
o What is the setting of Touching Spirit Bear?
 Week Two
o “Characterization”
o What is characterization?
o Characterization of the different characters in the novel
 Week Three
o “Similes/Metaphors”
 Week Four
o “Internal/External Conflict”
o What conflicts does Cole come up against?
E. Student Learning Goals:
Knowledge:
The student will:
 Read and view a genre of literature (novel) based on a
particular culture and historical period (modern day,
Native American culture)
 Interpret the work using a variety of literary elements,


i.e., characterization, setting, conflict, etc.
Visualize and interpret the experience of various
characters in the novel through role-playing activities
Understand important relationship dynamics between
characters in the novel
Skills:
The student will:
 Read aloud expressively to convey a clear interpretation
of the work
 Respond to and interpret the text with reference to the
time period and by drawing on his/her own personal
experiences and knowledge
 Use Standard English skillfully and with an individual style
 Recognize and understand advanced vocabulary words
that appear in the novel
 Understand and use relevant literary terms, including
static/dynamic characters, external/internal conflict
Disposition:
The student will:
 Explore the following fundamentals and universal ideas
found in the literary work—intolerance, rejection, change,
intolerance, justice, abuse, and courage
 Link major themes to the novel’s concepts and ideas in
other disciplines
Unit Map for Touching Spirit Bear
Includes scope and sequence, core activities, instructional strategies, learning
environment and resources, integration opportunities, and assessments.
Week of
9/15-916
Activities
Resources
Assessments
1. Journal Free-Write; What
is racism?
1. Computer lab w/
Internet access
2. Worksheet on group
research topic
1. Free-write
assignment
2. Ticket out the
door
3. Poster
presentation
4. Racism quiz
1. To Kill A Mockingbird
books (one for each student)
2. Rubrics and assignment
sheets
1. Journal responses
2. Journal group
participation
3. Large group
discussion
4. Chapter Quiz
(Individual)
2. Viewing of Racism Video
Clip
(Whole class)
3. Group research topic
Introduction
(Technology Integration)
of To Kill A
4. Creative poster project
Mockingbird
(Small group)
5. Group presentation of
research topic using poster
(Small group; large group)
9/19-9/23
1. Books handed out
2. Organization of journal
(Large group; individual)
3. Calendar of assignments
discussed (Large group)
Organization 4. Journal groups
organized
(Small group)
5. Large group discussion
of Chapters 1-3 (Large group)
6. Quiz on Chapters 1-3
(Individual)
9/26-9/30
1. Note taking using
“guided notes”, The Great
Depression
(Individual)
2. Discussion of the setting
(Large group)
The Great
Depression
3. “How they Managed”
activity; budget planning with
1. Power point
presentation
2. Budget Planning
worksheet
3. Price list from 1930s
4. Computer, for power
point presentation
1. Note sheet
2. Student responses
to class discussion
3. Budget Planning
worksheet
4. Budget Planning
reflection worksheet
5. Journals responses
6. Literature Groups/
Large group
discussion
7. Chapter quiz
1. Article “A Crime That
Refuses to Give Up Its
Ghosts”
2. Think-Pair-Share
worksheet
3. Questions attached to
article
4. “Choose One”
worksheet
1. Journal responses
2. Student responses
to class discussion
3. Think-Pair-Share
worksheet
4. “Choose One”
essay assignment
5. Journals responses
6. Literature Groups/
Large group
discussion
7. Chapter quiz
typical income of a family in
during The Great Depression
(Small group)
4. Journal Assignment
(Individual)
5. Literature Groups
(Small group; Large group)
6. Quiz on Chapters 4-9
(Individual)
10/3-10/7
1. Viewing of To Kill A
Mockingbird-Part I
(Large group)
2. Journal Free-Write;
Quotation by Plato
(Individual)
Lynching:
Emmett Till
3. Dipstick Activity;
questioning students at
random according to
popsicle sticks
(Large group)
4. Reading of “A Crime
That Refuses to Give Up Its
Ghosts”
(Large group)
5. Think-Pair-Share;
questions attached to
article
(Individual; Small group)
6. “Choose One”
assignment
(Individual)
7. Journal Assignment
(Individual)
8. Literature Groups
(Small group; Large group)
9. Quiz on Chapters 9-14
(Individual)
10/12-10/14
Protest
Songs
1. Protest songs listening
activity (Large group)
2. “Strange Fruit” listening
exercise (Large group)
3. Strange Fruit worksheet
1. Protest songs CD
2. “Strange Fruit” analysis
worksheet
1. Discussion
participation
2. “Strange Fruit”
worksheet
3. Journals responses
4. Literature Groups/
Large group
discussion
5. Chapter quiz
1. To Kill A Mockingbird
Film
2. Jeopardy game
1. Discussion
participation
2. Journals responses
3. Literature Groups/
Large group
discussion
4. Final test
(Individual)
4. Journal Assignment
(Individual)
5. Literature Groups
(Small group; Large group)
6. Quiz on Chapters 16-22
(Individual)
10/17-10/21
1. Film (Large group)
2. Jeopardy Game-review
(Large group)
3. Final test (Individual)
4. Journal Assignment
Loose Ends
(Individual)
5. Literature Groups
(Small group; Large group)
6. Final Test
(Individual)