The Principia School
Cross Curricular Unit –English / Non-Western Civ. / Science / Math
Unit Title – Flying High – Driven to Explore –
The Challenges of Exploration and New Discoveries
Jodi Fielding – jodi.fielding@principia.edu
Theme: The Explorer’s Journey
Students will understand that:
Explorers are often defined by their ability to overcome challenges.
Exploration is reflective of the explorer’s character and life experience.
Exploration and discovery impact both the explorer and society in both negative and positive ways.
Exploration and discovery carry with it implied responsibility.
Essential Questions:
What are the characteristics of an explorer?
How is an explorer or heroes’ journey defined?
How is the explorer’s character reflective of the exploration?
What types of responsibility does an explorer have to themselves and others – family, society, environment,
and world?
School Wide Enduring Understandings:
 Reading critically – analyzing the author’s purpose and connecting the work to ideas outside the text –
improve the reader’s comprehension, thinking, and writing.
 Readers read for a variety of purposes, and different purposes require different strategies and
responses.
 Literature communicates ideas, reflects cultural values, and expresses the human imagination; equally
important, it brings enrichment and joy.
 Literature in all its forms enhances our understanding of human experience and invites us to grapple
with complex question about the human condition.
 Purpose and style determine the style and format of writing.
Common Core Academic Standards:
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RL.9-10.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text,
including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
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RL.9-10.3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a
text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
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RL.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a
sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).
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W.9-10.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details,
and well-structured event sequences.
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W.9-10.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)
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W.9-10.5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach,
focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
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W.9-10.6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products, taking
advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
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SL.9-10.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
Unit Long Performance Tasks:
 Into task – Today/Real World Connections – Combined class – CIAO
 English Text reading/annotation – “The Rocket Man” by Ray Bradbury
 Annotation - Guided Annotation and Reader Response –
 Dialectical Journal – Close reading skills – Analysis of specific text pieces
 Journal Writing – Reflective Response
 Character response writing
 Socratic Seminar / Improv. Role Play
 Think/Pair/Share
 Thumbs Up/Down
 Lightning Round
 Round Robin Read
Summative Assessment options:
 Character-to-Character Response Letters
 Write a letter or resume convincing a ruling authority or employer of one’s ability to take on an
explorer role.
Exploration – “The Rocket Man” – The Explorer’s Journey
Objective: Building on previous discussions about qualities that make for self-improvement and
growth, students will evaluate the personal qualities necessary to be an explorer, to think of these
qualities in relationship to oneself, and to examine the impact of exploration on family, society,
environment, and world.
Procedure
Day 1 – Team Teaching Day – 45 minute classes
Essential questions posted in the room
INTO - Imagine you are going on an exploration of lands unknown. In your OneNote, reflect on what you
would take with you. Explorers often took gifts with them. List three items you would take on a discovery
voyage to an unknown land. Then tell why you would take the item. Food, clothes, money, and basic
necessities are already a given. Focus on items that are representative of the ideas or culture you want to
share. Write what that item represents for you and WHY you feel it is important to take.
Continue with small group sharing – 4/5 corners of room - Then share with larger class the BEST ideas that
students heard from others.
Can do lightning round of 1 aspect of US culture you would explain to new people – something abstract, not
concrete.
Show list of interesting things taken into space:
http://mentalfloss.com/article/54342/9-unusual-things-astronauts-brought-space
Whole Class – Qualities that make someone an explorer – share out.
Today/Real World Connection: Show a clip from National Geographic about emerging explorers. Use CIAO
form for responses from students.
•Commitment – What is the explorer committed to?
•Inspiration – What inspires/inspired the explorer?
•Action – How did the explorer take action?
•Outcome – What was the outcome of their action?
Pause the movie after each explorer to discuss the CIAO questions above.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I4XauSEXqg
Journal free-write and share on the following questions:
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What does it mean to be an explorer?
Who are some explorers that you are familiar with? (list 4)
What qualities (be specific) do you think these explorers expressed?
What is the difference between discovery and exploration? Use dictionary definitions to help you.
How is discovery linked to exploration?
Can you have one without the other?
What types of responsibility does an explorer have to themselves and others – family, society,
environment, and world?
How are YOU a modern day explorer?
ENGLISH - Exploration
English - “The Rocket Man” by Ray Bradbury
Activities:
Text Analysis –
Annotate text – students read and self-annotate followed by in-class Annotation Station sharing annotations
and adding to individual work..
Close read of selected passages – Students respond to quotes in paper copy of text.
Dialectical Journal
Socratic Seminar Discussion / Role Play
Character-to-Character Response Letter
Day 2 – English class w/o History – 45 minutes
Meaning Making
Introduce the literature –
 Into - OneNote Journal Reflective Response – Have you ever loved doing something so much
that you didn’t want to stop – even when you knew it was best to stop and that you had to, and
even tried to stop – so much so that you just couldn’t stop thinking and dreaming about the
activity until you finally get to do it again?
Each student reads aloud their response. Before reading, students highlight one or two words that they feel tie
to the character or idea of being an explorer. After students share their piece, they tell what they highlighted.
At the same time each student is reading, other students capture the word or phrase they think reflects the
theme of exploration. Share out and have recorder list all on board. OR - After hearing all of them, students
highlight a word or phrase from their response that they think ties with the idea of being an explorer. Share
those in a lightning round and have a student record on the board the ideas shared from the responses.
Review students’ journal free-write responses from previous day – RICH WILL DO THIS IN HISTORY Block Days
Introduce “The Rocket Man” by Ray Bradbury – Pass out copies of story – pens/pencils/highlighters for
annotation
Genre – Science Fiction
Setting – Future
What is Science Fiction – to you – Group definition and share out
Literary Science Fiction – define – talk about examples
Introduce Ray Bradbury:
1920 – 2012
Show web site. Students skim to pull out interesting/important points – student share out.
http://www.biography.com/people/ray-bradbury-9223240#death-and-legacy
Begin text:
Pass out packet
Name on top
Genre – Science Fiction
Setting – Future Earth
“…it should be the function of every science fiction writer around….To offer hope. To name the problem and
then offer the solution. And I do, all the time." – Ray Bradbury
Review Essential Questions for the unit. Students write the EQ’s on the front page of their packet and highlight
them.
Begin reading – Teacher directed annotations
Home Practice– Finish reading the short story with student annotations
Day 3 – - 90 minute block classes
Class Intro:
Music Connect –
Meaning Making
“Walking on the Moon” by The Police – playing as students enter class
https://www.youtube.com/watch;?v=K2BlPcG74eo
“Rocket Man” by Elton John – On the back of their reading packet, students write down lines or ideas from the
lyrics that connect with the short story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCf23ZTFaDM
In groups, find text connections to the lines you pulled from the song. Be ready to share out the line and text
connections.
Use the lyric connections as the basis for beginning conversations about the literature. After this brief sharing,
students complete the following journal response.
OneNote Journal Response:
Knowledge – storyline, plot
Skill– Characterization, Point-of-View
RL9-10.2 / RL9-10.3 /RL9-10.4
Go back to the reflective response from yesterday and find your highlighted word or words. Write that word or
phrase on a new reflective response page in your OneNote. Imagine you are one of the characters in the story.
Write a note or letter to your family that incorporates your word/phrase to relay your inner thoughts,
frustrations, and feelings to your family members. Write from the character’s point of view.
Journal sharing – Each student reads theirs aloud. As students present, other students engage with each
student’s writing by typing on their OneNote page a word or phrase that stands out to them from the each
entry they hear. Lightning Round sharing at the very end.
Text review
Knowledge Goal – Plot, Storyline, Theme, Characterization, Literary Devices
RL9-10.2 / RL9-10.3 / RL9-10.4
Through questions/answer method and small group pair/share, review the text. Have students share out
specific pieces of text that reveal their ideas. Students should engage by listening and adding annotations and
other notes to their reading packet. Some starting questions might include:
 What did you think of the literature?
 Characterization – for each character with specific textual support
 What is a defense mechanism? How do each of the characters employ a defense mechanism? Why?
 How is struggle and tension relayed in the text? – Discuss dichotomy
 How is mechanization used in the story?
 Major themes? – Struggle between selfish desire and practical need. Self-centered desires are the cause
of human unhappiness. Viable human connections are an important part of leading a happy life.
 Author’s use of repetition, specific diction choices, speed/tempo, metaphor, imagery, personification,
simile, parallel structure.
Before the end of class, students choose a partner to work with. In their pair team, each student selects one of
the characters from the story that they will represent in their summative writing piece. Explain that they will be
taking on the character of this person and writing to the other character – their teammate. After making
decisions about their team partner and character, review dialectical journal home practice.
Home Practice
Skill Goal – Literary Analysis,
RL9-10.1 / RL9-10.2 / RL9-10.3 / RL9-10.4/RL9-10.9
Pick a passage that you feel clearly represents the characterization and emotional state of your chosen
character. Complete a dialectical journal entry on the passage. Follow the instruction handout for dialectical
journal.
Day 4 –
½ day – 23 minute classes
Grouping: Students self-select groups of three – Dad, Mom, Lily
Music:
Meaning Making
Space Oddity by David Bowie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_M3uw29U1U
Dialectical Journal Sharing: Open Dialectical Journal home practice. What EQ best relates to your journal
entry from last night? Put the EQ on your entry. Groups then share their journal entries – Round Robin Read.
Pick top entry. Share out top entries. Email the OneNote page to Mrs. Fielding for assessment.
Review Home Practice Home Practice –
Skill Goal – Literary Analysis,
RL9-10.1 / RL9-10.2 / RL9-10.3 / RL9-10.4
Complete TWO Dialectical Journal entries. – Character / Quote/ Essential Question connect. Find two quotes
that relate to your character. Connect one of the EQ’s to each quote. As you analyze the quotes, write from
the point-of-view of your chosen character.
The Dialectical Journal instructions are posted on Edline on the right side below Assignments.
Day 5 and 6 – 45 minute classes
Meaning Making
Knowledge – RL9-10.4 Literary Devices`
Skill Goal W9-10.2
Grouping - Students in teams with all three characters – Lily, Dad, Doug
Music connect: Marching to Mars by Sammy Hagar
With flight simulator view:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M-JCEqJUAE
Lyrics: - Print out
OneNote notes, then find and annotate examples in text:
Personification:
Flashback:
Annotation Station –Groups compare annotation work. Share out their “top marks.” –
Review Dialectical Journal Entries – Team share – round robin w/written responses. Team responses – On
paper, share one new or eye-opening idea about each character gleaned from the other DJ entries. New
recorder with each DJ entry shared. Names of team members on paper and submit at the end of sharing.
Share out to the class the ideas on each character from each group. Students take notes on their text packets.
Regular English
Meaning Making –
Skill - SL 9-10.1
Intro to Socratic Seminar – Starbucks Conversations - Small group of similar characters discuss their viewpoint
– Use the following questions as starters:
 Dad: How is your character reflective of your exploration/job as a Rocket Man?
 Doug: What are the characteristics an explorer?
 Lily: What types of responsibility does an explorer – Rocket Man – have to others? – family, society…
Honors Class – Socratic Seminar– Starbucks Coffee Clutch – Select 5 students represent similar characters in
the text. In a circle, discuss your lives with a focus on the following Essential Question:
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Dad: How is your character reflective of your exploration/job as a Rocket Man?
Doug: What are the characteristics an explorer?
Lily: What types of responsibility does an explorer – Rocket Man – have to others? – family, society…
Music Connect: Star Wars Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rQSJDLM8ZE
Student Groups – Common characters or character pairs
Continue with Socratic Seminar/Role Play:
 Career Counseling
 School Vice-Principal’s Office
 Parent-Teacher - Student Conference
 Family Counseling
 Campfire Chat
 Couples Counseling
Introduce Summative Assignment. Suggestion – Try to have enough time to do the brainstorm scaffolding
mentioned below. Students needed direction for each paragraph – cover CIAO in intro, Essential Questions
throughout, 2 direct references to text in the body paragraph, etc…
Summative Assignment:
Transfer
W9-10.3 / W9-10.4 / W9-10.5 / W9-10.6
Character-to-Character Response Letter –
Establish Pairs
Each student takes on one of the story characters
In google drive, create a document titled Last Name.Character Letter
Character-to-Character Response Letter:
From the viewpoint of your chosen character, write a letter to your partner character sharing with him/her your
thoughts regarding your family situation and possible solutions. Share other character feelings or emotions
based on the text. In your letter, make reference to actual aspects of the characters and the “push and pull
factors” – the motivators and struggles that are evident in the text. Include connections to specific words and
thoughts relayed by the characters.
Begin with pre-writing:
 C = Commitment – What is the character committed to?
 I = Inspiration – What inspires this character?
 A = Action – What action is evident from this character?
 O = Outcome – What outcomes are evident for this character?
Your letter should follow our structured model, though it may be less formal and include the use of first and
second person. While you may adapt the structure below, your writing is expected to demonstrate the quality
standards for writing taught at the freshman level.
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Paragraph 1 (6 sentences – TS, ST1, 1, 2, 3, CS) = Introduce your concerns. Remember you are writing
from the viewpoint of your character. Cover the CIAO items from your brainstorming.
Paragraph 2 (10 sentences – TS, ST1, 1, 2, 3, ST2, 1, 2, 3, CS) = Get specific about the situation,
emotions, and problem(s) as your character sees it. Identify the “push and pull factors” – the motivators
and struggles evident in the text. Make sure you have reference to at least 2 specific situations from the
story. For example, you can talk about the gardening scene or the time they take a trip. Pick moments
from the story that help show your character's thoughts. Also weave in ideas that answer the 4
Essential Questions.
Paragraph 3 (6 sentences – TS, ST1, 1, 2, 3, CS) = Present some possible solutions.
Focus on writing from the point-of-view of your character based on how that character is portrayed in the
text. Take on their persona – emotions and feelings – and relay those in the letter. You may use work from
your Dialectical Journals.
Include a closing – Sincerely, Character’s Name
After the letters are written, share the letter in googledrive with your partner character.
As your character, respond to the letter you have received with at least three quality comments
(Control+Alt+M) through the letter. Remember to stay in character and write from their point of view. Include
textual references in the comments.
Review grading rubric.
Alternate Assignment:
Letter or Resume: Keeping in mind the discussion questions, the students will next write their own letter
requesting funding and supplies for a job exploring a “new frontier.” The letter or resume should be an attempt
to convince the ruling power of the explorer’s fitness for the job. The product will be a combination of creative
writing and analysis of their own strengths and weaknesses as they see themselves now and in the future.
Extra Notes if done as a resume - Once the resumes have been finished, the students can role play a job
interview with one student being him or herself as portrayed in the resume, and the other student the person
in charge of a large space agency. It might be interesting to try to pair up students with differing opinions
about the requirements for this kind of job. The interviewer should be encouraged to really scrutinize the
applicant’s resume to ask many questions and the applicant should act very eager to get the job.
Day 7 –
90 minute block classes
Grouping - Common character pairs
Music Connection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lORcpT89t9c
Work day on summative assignment –
Scaffolding for writing (do the brainstorming with the pre-writing) –
Review CIAO and have students include ideas on each item in their intro/1st paragraph.
On PowerPoint, review Essential Questions and brainstorm answers for each question.
Brainstorm various scenarios – writing a “last” letter to family, writing the night before the trip,
Show sample of previous student work.
Day 8 –
Music – Student choice – Moody Blues Once Upon a Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8NhSU1o5o0
Students come with letter ready.
Finalize Letter:
 Review Grading Rubric
 Remove ST Format
 Indent Paragraphs
 Choose a font
 Friendly Letter Format
Share Letter with your Team Character
Respond as your character by adding comments to the letter you receive.
Additional Enrichment
Music –
Argument validating using songs as instructional tool:
http://www.nysreading.org/sites/default/files/Building%2520Schema-2.pdf
Illustrated Journals – Art –
St. Louis Arch as a symbol of man’s continued desire for exploration and discovery.
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