ELA UNIT PLANNING
UNIT: Battle of the Sexes: Gender Roles in Chaucerian Literature and Life
TIME FRAME: 10-15 days (90 minute block)
TEACHER/GR: Chandra Manning ELA 11-12/CCR__
Unit Summary and Rationale:(Outlines the components of the unit and the reasoning for their inclusion):
Students will use evidence collected from close reading and discussion to compose arguments with clear claims and counterclaims on gender roles
in literature and life. In an effort to provide students multiple ways to show learning, there are three summative assessments in this unit.
 Published argument-based written response
 Objective test with constructed response
 Oral performance tasks from choice board (e.g. podcast, lesson, debate, VoiceThread)
One of the three is a performance assessment. Again, student choice, teamwork, and leadership are emphasized with the use of a choice board
and student-generated rubric for the performance task. Work during the unit will help to support students to be successful with the summative
assessments. Most of the major tasks have students working collaboratively, writing, speaking, and referring to the text. Key tasks that scaffold
skills:
 1-minute presentation
 Learning/summary frames
 Interactive notebook (with vocabulary and reading graphic organizers)
 Interactive stations
 Silent Tea Party
 Human continuum
Technology, collaboration, and kinesthetic activities are embedded into instruction to help keep student engagement high.
Unit Connection College and Career Ready Descriptions: Teachers will select at least one of the following lenses to act as the overlay for the unit. These are
the descriptors that must be included to ensure the unit is fully aligned to the CCSS and relevant to the college and career ready student.
Students will demonstrate independence.
Students will value evidence.
Students will build strong content knowledge.
 Students will respond to the varying demands of audience, task, and discipline.
 Students will critique as well as comprehend.
 Students will use technology and digital media strategically and capably.
 Students will develop an understanding of other perspectives and cultures.
September 20, 2012
Unit Standards: Teachers should list the standards to be addressed within the unit.
Reading
Literature X Informational Text X
RL/I 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/I4. 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.
RL/I 6. Analyze a case in which
grasping a point of view requires
distinguishing what is directly stated
in a text from what is really meant
(e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or
understatement).
**Extension Task
RL 7. Analyze multiple
interpretations of a story, drama, or
poem (e.g., recorded or live
production of a play or recorded
novel or poetry), evaluating how
each version interprets the source
text. (Include at least one play by
Shakespeare and one play by an
American dramatist.)
September 20, 2012
Writing
Speaking and Listening
W 1. Write arguments to support
claims in an analysis of substantive
topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and
sufficient evidence.
SL 1.a-d. Initiate and participate
effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others‘ ideas and
expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
W 4. Produce clear and coherent
writing in which the
development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
W 9. Draw evidence from literary
or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
SL 3. Evaluate a speaker‘s point of view,
reasoning, and use of evidence and
rhetoric, assessing the stance,
premises, links among ideas, word
choice, points of emphasis, and tone
used.
SL 6. Adapt speech to a variety of
contexts and tasks, demonstrating a
command of formal English when
indicated or appropriate.
Language
L 1. Demonstrate command of the
conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or
speaking.
L 3. Apply knowledge of language to
understand how language functions
in different contexts, to make
effective choices for meaning or
style, and to comprehend more fully
when reading or listening.
L 5. 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.
b. Analyze nuances in the meaning
of words with similar denotations.
L 6. Acquire and use accurately
general academic and domainspecific 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.
Big Ideas: These are what students will discover as a result of
instruction and learning activities. They are the main ideas of the
learning, the conclusions, or the generalizations. Big Ideas should be
open-ended and apply to more than one area of study.
Great literature is intentionally crafted to explore enduring human
themes transferrable across time and place.
Essential Questions: Essential questions center on major issues, problems,
concerns, interests, or themes relevant to the classroom. Essential
questions should lead students to discover the big ideas. They need to go
beyond who, what and where. They need to lead to the how and why.
How do you “read between the lines”?
The effectiveness of an argument depends on the clarity of the
claims, the logic of the reasoning, and the supportive evidence.
What makes an argument effective? How do I evaluate an argument?
As one’s knowledge base increases, the quality of thinking, meaningmaking and communication can improve.
How do the interpretations of other readers influence my own
understanding of the text?
Knowledge: What should students know by the end of the lesson?
Students will know that effective readers are able to identify and communicate themes by close reading of details coupled with outside
knowledge from research, others’ interpretations, and analysis of text structure.
Learning Tasks: Teachers list the various tasks students will engage in throughout the unit, include use of media/other forms of information.
Students will be skilled at…
 Analyzing details and themes
 Correctly using evidence from literary texts for academic communication
 Collaborative discussion
 Managing themselves in teams
September 20, 2012
Reading Tasks
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Annotating Texts
Tableau
Interactive Notebook
 Assimilating prior
knowledge
 Rereading/close reading
 Summarizing
 Synthesizing Information
 Identify and interpret
figurative language
 Critiquing author’s choices
Writing Tasks
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Review of writing process
(VoiceThread presentation)
Interactive Notebook
 Completing graphic organizers
 Quick writes (analytic,
reflective)
Create products that are
appropriate to audience and
purpose
Literary citation practice
Discussion Tasks
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Language/Vocabulary Tasks
Written and virtual discussions
o Silent Wall
o Paired discussions using a
Dialectic Response
Journal Graphic
Organizer
o Moodle discussion
Partner, small group, and whole
group discussions
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Argument terms foldable
Word relationships (Kick Me)
Illustrate, Describe, Elaborate,
Associate (I.D.E.A. chart)
Using context clues
“Nun’s Priest’s Tale” Vocabulary
Tier 1: merry, widow
Tier 2: cock, bill, seize, purge, lodge, vile
Tier 3 (context): azure, poltroon,
melancholy, treason
Tier 3 (unit): moral, beast fable
“WOB Tale” Vocabulary
Tier 1: widow, knight, poverty
Tier 2: court, implore, rebuke, maid, vice,
taxed, fair
Tier 3 (context): sovereignty, bequeath
friar, forlorn, gentleman
Tier 3 (unit): frame story, narrator,
moral, argument, satire, irony, sarcasm,
connotation, denotation
Assessment Evidences: List types of assessments that will be used throughout the course of the unit.
*If you do not have assessments for this unit, they should be created before moving on to the lesson design*
DIAGNOSTIC
FORMATIVE
SUMMATIVE
Writing Process Google Form
“Nun’s Priest’s Tale”:
Wordle and KWL (NB)
“WoB Tale”:
Silent Tea Party
September 20, 2012
Medieval Gender WordPress Magazine:
Jigsaw reading with 1 minute presentations
Articles and Courtly Love:
 Think Pair Share
 Shaping Up Review
“Nun’s Priest’s Tale”:
Argument written response based on “Nun’s
Priest’s Tale” and gender roles articles (rubric)
published on class wiki/blog
50/50 test with objective questions and
extended constructed response
questions(analysis and argument) based on
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IDEA Vocabulary Chart (NB)
Interactive Stations
o Wall of Silence
o Tableau
o Circle Discussion
Learning/Summary Frame (NB)
“Wife of Bath’s Tale” and informational texts
Unit Choice Board
(rubric sample) students help to generate
rubric based on I Can statements for unit
“WoB Tale”:
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EdsitementWoB Launchpad
“It Says, I Say, and So” or Meaning & Tone Table
(NB)
 Kick Me Vocabulary (diagnostic or during
instruction)
 Vocabulary organizer (NB)
 Dialectic Response Journal (NB)
 Rhetorical device chart (NB)
 Reading Like a Historian: Art
 Class discussion
o Human Continuum
 Close Reading Guiding Questions
o Strategies
 Socrative/Poll Everywhere/Exit Tickets
**Extension Activity with “The Wedding of Sir
Gawain and Dame Ragnell” Alike and Different
Organizer
NB=Interactive Notebook
Text(s) Selections/Resources(generated by both teacher and student)
Teachers will list the genres/titles/resources for study and indicate text complexity:
EdsitementWoB Student Launchpad http://edsitement.neh.gov/student-resource/launchpad-chaucers-wife-bath
Informational Nonfiction
September 20, 2012
“Gender Roles Sow the Seeds of Violence, Researchers Say” http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-11-08/features/0011080272_1_gender-roles-violencecarol-gilligan
“Medieval Gender” WordPress Magazinehttp://www.medievalgender.org.uk/
“The Art of Courtly Love” Andreas Capellanus (translated to Modern English)
http://laurelamtower.com/zeugma/images/TheArtOfCourtlyLove.pdf
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/capellanus.asp
Song Lyrics:
“It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World” (James Brown) http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/jamesbrown/itsamansmansmansworld.html
“If I Were a Boy” (Beyonce)
Baba Brinkman http://bababrinkman.bandcamp.com/track/wife-of-bath
Literary
“Nun’s Priest’s Tale”
Teacher copy with margin noteshttp://docs.dcps.net/textbooks/Books%20not%20on%20laptop%20image/Literature-Library/DOC/N/NUNSTALE.PDF
(modern translation) http://machias.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/translation/ct/21npt.html
“Prologue to Wife of Bath’s Tale” (modern translation) http://machias.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/translation/ct/07wbt.html
“Wife of Bath’s Tale” (with Prologue excerpt)
http://www.midwayisd.org/cms/lib/TX01000662/Centricity/Domain/189/The%20Wife%20of%20Bath%20Literature.pdf
**(Extension Reading) “The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell” http://www.lone-star.net/mall/literature/gawain.htm
**(Extension Reading) “Chaivitel” by Marie de France http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/jshoaf/Marie/chaitivel.pdf
Art
“Backgrounds to Romance” http://cla.calpoly.edu/~dschwart/engl513/courtly/courtly.htm
Video
Chanticleer and the Fox
Wife of Bath’s Talehttp://youtu.be/_XJCOmcKadQ
A Knight’s Tale
Notes ( include accommodations/grouping/modifications):
Student choice for summative oral performance task
During Instruction
ELLs and Struggling Readers:
 Summary and sentence frames
 Close reading and question stems
 Visual vocabulary activities
 Graphic organizers
 Kinesthetic activities
September 20, 2012
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AIG:
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21st Century-style translation for Chaucer
o Modern stories to highlight gender roles (Vogue and Seventeen magazines)
o Baba Brinkman
o Prologue translation (eChaucer)
Audio version for tale
Flexible grouping
Choice and independence with Edsitement Study
Technology choice for summative assessment
Additional reading “The Wedding…”
Choice and independence Edsitement Study
Kinesthetic activities
Final Assessment
Word/phrase bank for constructed response (ELLs/EC)
Fewer and/or grouped answer choices (ELLs/EC)
Choice in final performance assessment product
Student-generated rubric
Technology choice for summative
September 20, 2012