Sarah Giesler
December 2012
Unit Plan
Teenage Dream or Wasteland?
Reflecting on Enduring Issues in Romeo and Juliet
Class: English 1 (9th Grade)
Primary Text: The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
Goals of the Unit
 Students will understand that literature reflects enduring themes.
 Students will understand that literature reflects our own lives.
 Students will understand that literature challenges us to fight for social justice.
 Students will analyze literary elements in a text.
Common Core Standards
Reading:
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.6
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.7
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.9
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.2
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.6
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.7
Writing
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.5
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.6
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.7
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9a, 9b
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.10
Speaking and Listening
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1, 1d
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.2
Language
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.1
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.2
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.4a, 4c, 4d
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.5a, 5b
Objectives
Students will understand that literature reflects enduring themes.

Students will be able to identify modern incarnations of Romeo and Juliet themes.
Students will be assessed with a blog post.

Students will be able to compare and contrast modern issues with past ones,
particularly those found in Romeo and Juliet. Students will be with through a blog post.
Students will understand that literature reflects our own lives.

Students will be able to identify at least one way in which they can relate to Romeo and
Juliet. Students will be assessed with a blog post and through journal entries.

Students will be able to compare and contrast their experiences with Romeo and Juliet.
Students will be assessed with a blog post.
Students will understand that literature challenges us to fight for social justice.

Students will be able to research modern issues related to their connections to Romeo
and Juliet. Students will be assessed with a blog post and a letter to the editor.

Students will be able to propose potential solutions for one of these issues. Students will
be assessed with a blog post and a letter to the editor.

Students will be able to argue for implementation of these solutions. Students will be
assessed with a blog post and a letter to the editor.
Students will analyze literary elements in a text.

Students will be able to identify literary elements within Romeo and Juliet. Students will
be assessed with formative quizzes.

Students will be able to analyze how literary elements affect plot issues in Romeo and
Juliet with which the students will have had experience. Students will be assessed with a
literary analysis essay.
Essential Question
 How do we connect to others through literature and other texts?
Texts Consumed
 Primary Text
o The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
 Gang Violence
o Scenes from West Side Story (film)
o Excerpts from The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton
o “Gun Baby” and “Baby Bed Cash,” Robert Yager (photography)
 Teen Suicide
o TWLOHA.com (website) – reading a website devoted to ending teen suicide
o Scenes from Bully (documentary)
 Culture Clashes
o Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
 “Will they ever stop?” (political cartoon)
 News Articles:
 “The Human Aspect to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” by Amram
Altzman
 “Will Terror Return to Israel?” by Noga Tarnopolshy
 “Israel Teens Arrested in Attack on Arabs” by Daniel Estrin
 “How American Jews View Israel’s Latest Gaza Assault” by Joe
Sterling
 “Conflict Reawakens Bad Memories For Gaza Family” by Anthony
Kuhn
o Class Differences
 Scenes from Pretty in Pink (film)
 Excerpts from The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton
o “The War Prayer,” Mark Twain (short story)
 Parental Conflict / Family Influence
o “The War Against Youth,” Stephen Marche (news article)
o “Seventeen Syllables,” Hisaye Yamamoto
o “Breaking Away from the Family,” Susan Terris (poem inspired by The Family,
Marisol – modern art)
 Romantic Relationships
o Scenes from West Side Story (film)
o Liner notes, Frank Ocean – hip hop/R&B artist comes out via album
o Loving v. Virginia (court case) – Supreme Court rules anti-miscegenation laws
unconstitutional
 “The love story that changed history: Fascinating photographs of
interracial marriage at a time when it was banned in 16 states,” Lydia
Warren
 “Attorney Bernard Cohen Argues the Lovings’ Case Before the Supreme
Court” (audio)
Texts Produced
 Blog Posts combining details from Romeo and Juliet and personal thoughts and/or
experiences, linking to external websites related to current issues
 Letter to the Editor arguing for the implementation of solutions to the current issue
with which students connect
 Literary Analysis Essay in which students analyze plot elements, characterization and
figurative language in Romeo and Juliet
Assessments
 Quizzes – formative assessments gauging students’ understanding of the play
 Blog Posts, Letter to the Editor, Literary Analysis Essay – summative assessments
gauging students’ mastery of the unit’s goals
Tentative Schedule
Week 1
Monday
Goal: Introduction
to Shakespeare and
Romeo & Juliet;
Reading the graphic
novel
Procedures: Present
brief background
information, have
students choose
characters, read the
graphic novel
Shakespeare Romeo
& Juliet
Tuesday
Goal: Begin reading
the play
Wednesday
Goal: Continue
reading the play
Thursday
Goal: Finish the play
Friday
Goal: How to
analyze literature in
writing
Procedures:
Students jot down
thoughts to
discussion question;
choose characters
and read the play
out loud; we discuss
the play so far, the
themes we see
emerging and the
discussion question;
reading quiz
Procedures:
Students jot down
thoughts to
discussion question;
read the play out
loud; we discuss the
play so far, the
themes we see
emerging and the
discussion question
Procedures:
Students jot down
thoughts to
discussion question;
read the play out
loud; we discuss the
play and its themes,
particularly
discussion questions
and students’ overall
reactions; reading
quiz
Closure: Discussion
of the graphic novel;
students journal
about their thoughts
so far
Closure: students
journal about their
reactions
Closure: students
journal about their
reactions
Closure: students
journal about their
reactions
Assessment:
Monitoring
students’
comprehension
during discussion
Assessment:
Monitoring
students’
comprehension
during discussion,
reading quiz
Assessment:
Monitoring
students’
comprehension
during discussion
Materials:
Introduction Prezi,
graphic novel
Materials:
Discussion question,
play, quiz
Materials:
Discussion question,
play
Assessment:
Monitoring
students’
comprehension
during discussion,
reading quiz, reading
through students
journals and
responding
Materials:
Discussion question,
play, quiz
Procedures:
Students respond to
a discussion
question related to
literary elements in
the play; we discuss
how to analyze
these elements and
then write about
them (I model); we
brainstorm possible
issues and elements
to explore
Closure: Students
fill out exit slips
explaining initial
plans for the
literary analysis
essay
Assessment:
Monitoring of
students’
understanding
during class and in
exit slips
Materials:
Week 2
Monday
Goals: Connecting
modern issues to
themes in Romeo &
Juliet – Gang
violence
Procedures:
Classroom gang
activity; students
read excerpts from
The Outsiders;
watch scenes from
West Side Story;
discuss these
examples of gang
violence and
connections to the
play, as well as
modern examples
Tuesday
Goals: Connecting
modern issues to
themes in Romeo &
Juliet – Teen suicide
Closure: Students
journal about
connections to this
theme or reactions
to it.
Closure: Students
journal about
connections to this
theme or reactions
to it.
Assessment: Blog
post about
students’
connections to the
play thus far;
monitoring during
class
Materials: film,
novel excerpts,
laptops
Assessment:
Monitoring during
class
Procedures:
Students write about
discussion question
about teen suicide in
the play; explore
TWLOHA.com; view
scenes from Bully;
discuss these
examples of gang
violence and
connections to the
play, as well as
modern examples
Materials: film,
laptops
Wednesday
Goals: Connecting
modern issues to
themes in Romeo &
Juliet – Cultural
Conflicts
Procedures: Students
write about
discussion question
about group
differences in the
play; watch scenes
from Pretty in Pink
and read excerpts
from The Outsiders;
read articles about
Israel/Palestine;
discuss these
examples and
connections to the
play and their lives.
Closure: Students
journal about
connections to this
theme or reactions to
it. Read “The War
Prayer” tonight.
Assessment: Essay
draft due today;
monitoring during
class
Materials: film, novel,
articles, short story
Thursday
Goals: Connecting
modern issues to
themes in Romeo &
Juliet – Romance
Procedures:
Students write
about discussion
question about
romantic
relationships in the
play; read Frank
Ocean’s liner notes
and info about the
Loving case; discuss
these and other
love issues in the
play, their lives and
society
Closure: Students
journal about
connections to this
theme or reactions
to it.
Assessment: Blog
post about
students’
connections to the
play thus far;
monitoring during
class
Materials: texts
Friday
Goals: Connecting
modern issues to
themes in Romeo &
Juliet – Family
conflict
Procedures:
Students write
about discussion
question about
family issues; skim
“The War Against
Youth” and
“Breaking Away
from the Family”
and “Seventeen
Syllables”; discuss
these issues in their
lives and the play,
also in other areas
of society
Closure: Students
journal about
connections to this
theme or reactions
to it; turn in
journals.
Assessment:
Monitoring during
class, student
journals
Materials: texts
Week 3
Monday
Goals: Research
modern issues from
Romeo & Juliet and
our lives
Procedures:
Students respond to
a discussion
question; model
how to research
solutions to issues;
students research an
issue from the play
they wish to
address; students
“speed date” to
share their findings
with each other
Tuesday
Goals: Working
toward our writing
goals
Wednesday
Goals: Peer Editing
our literary analyses
Thursday
Goals: Peer Editing
our letters to the
editor
Friday
Goals: Reflecting on
Romeo & Juliet and
its themes
Procedures:
Students respond to
a discussion
question; look at
letters to the editor
to see what
elements they
share; students
work on letters to
the editor and
second drafts of
literary analyses
Procedures:
Students respond to
a discussion
question; review the
steps of peer editing
and traits of a good
editor; peer edit
literary analysis
essays
Procedures:
Students respond to
a discussion
question; peer edit
letters to the editor;
students make final
changes to their
letters and we send
them to the KC Star
(or another
publication); time to
work on final essay
drafts
Closure: Students
write an exit slip
identifying the issue
they are researching
and solving
Assessment: Blog
post due; exit slips;
monitoring during
class
Materials:
newspapers,
laptops, index cards
Closure: Students
journal about their
writing processes;
2nd essay drafts due
tomorrow
Assessment:
Monitoring during
class
Closure: Students
review their drafts;
exit slips about the
biggest things they
need to work on
Assessment:
Monitoring during
class; exit slips
Closure: Students
journal about their
writing processes
and thoughts so far.
Procedures:
Students respond to
a discussion
question; small
group discussions
about the themes
we explored and
how we found
connections to the
play; bring this to
the entire group;
next unit is about
issues we are
passionate about
(researching them
and reporting back)
– how should we
proceed, do you
think?
Closure: Exit slips
with ideas about
how we should
explore topics in the
next unit
Assessment:
Literary analysis
essays due today
Materials: letters to
the editor
Materials:
Assessment:
Monitoring during
class; letters to the
editor due today
Materials:
Materials: