Culminating Project: Middle School Unit Plan
Latoya Y. McCormick
University of Phoenix
Ms. Tammy Mahony
EDD/549 Curriculum Development and Instruction Middle School
May 26, 2014
Survival is an element in life that all creatures face on a daily basis. Humans have been
surviving for thousands of years, but the question is whether mere survival is enough. Over the
course of time, human beings have been faced with various forms of adversity and have had to
endure extreme depths of suffering. The Hunger Games written by Suzanne Collins falls into the
genre of Dystopian Literature where social problems are addressed. The essential question for
this unit is whether survival is more important than protecting one’s basic human rights. Is it
more important to stand firm individually or to stand firm collectively. This unit is related to 8th
grade ELA because it deals with issues that students in today’s world find relevant and in some
forms face routinely. Though the survival aspect differs in that students in 21st century rural
North Carolina are not forced into an arena to violently kill each other, they are forced into social
situations where they are figuratively fighting to survive.
This unit is relatable to all 8th grade students and can be modified easily for differentiated
instruction. The unit provides opportunities for pairing of the anchor text to various forms of
Informational text, the integration of poetry focusing on lyrical content, it appeals to and
addresses the majority of the Common Core State Standards and allows for interdisciplinary
focus through Social Studies. Social Studies elements are involved in the unit in that there are
some geographical details that need to be addressed in reference to the location of the Capitol
and the other 12 districts in the country of Panem. In order for students to be able to draw
conclusions, make inferences, and understand the text, they must have a clear understanding of
the geography of North America in their current state by comparing and contrasting them to the
condition which is Panem many years in the future.
This unit is comprised of several activities and lessons. For the purpose of this
assignment, only 5 will be addressed. The following lessons are integral to this unit:

Engagement: This lesson is meant to engage the students in reading the text by seeing
how the concepts in the text are linked to issues that have happened in the past and
continue to happen. This draws the students in, answers questions, and allows students to
see ways to relate to the text.

Literacy Circles: Students begin working with groups chose by teacher. They each are
responsible for a role in the group in relation to the activities to be completed

Dystopia vs. Utopia: Students make real world connections to dystopian society and
Utopian society.

Characterizations: students work on characterization and create facebook pages via the
Facebook paper template.

The writing process: Students address how changes in the text can impact the entire text
and the integrity of the text can be threatened.
LDC Module Unit Plan
Module title:
Survival vs. Human Rights
Module description
(overview):
Template task
(include number,
type, level):
Teaching task:
Students will read The Hungers Games with several informational text pieces (articles and non-fiction excerpts) and use information attained with
prior knowledge to make a determination as to whether survival skills are more important than basic human rights.
Task 12: [insert critical focus question] After reading ________ (informational texts) on ________(content), write a (report or substitute) in
which you define and explain _________(content). Support your discussion with evidence and texts.
Reading texts:
The Hunger Games, Night, The Diary of Anne Frank, and Lord of the Flies, The Lottery, “An End to War vs. The Animal Instinct to Survive,”
“Band in Fatal Hazing to Perform Again,” song lyrics (poetic devices) “Pumped-up Kicks”
8th
Grade(s)/Level:
Is survival more important than basic human rights? After reading The Hunger Games, "Band in Fatal Hazing to Perform Again," "An End to War vs. The Animal
Instinct to Survive," and excerpts from “The Lottery,” Night, Lord of the Flies, and The Diary of Anne Frank on survival, write a survival guide for a character from
The Hunger Games in which you define and explain the conflict between human rights and survival. Support your discussion with evidence from the texts.
Discipline: (e.g.,
ELA, science,
history, other?)
Course:
English Language Arts with Social Studies elements (geography, social problems within a dystopian/utopian society)
Explanatory Notes
Author(s):
Students will need: active reading skills, note-taking skills (Cornell Notes), research, plagiarism/ source citation, transitioning, organization of ideas,
proof-reading/peer editing, North American geography/social studies skills relating text to reality
Latoya Y. McCormick
Literacy Standards:
R.L 8.1, R.L. 8.2, R.L. 8.7, R.I. 8.2, R.I 8.3, R.I. 8.6, W 8.9, W 8.4, W 8.2, W 8.5, S.L 8.5, L 8.6, L 8.2, L. 8.4…see standards listing below
Contact
information:
Latoya.mccormick@robeson.k12.nc.us
8th grade English Language Arts
LDC Instructional Unit Plan
Task Prompt#_12_ (select from the list of template tasks)
Task Prompt: Is survival more important than basic human rights? After reading The Hunger Games, "Band in Fatal Hazing to Perform
Again," "An End to War vs. The Animal Instinct to Survive," and excerpts from Night, Lord of the Flies, and The Diary of Anne Frank on
survival, write a survival guide for a character from The Hunger Games in which you define and explain the conflict between human rights
and survival. Support your discussion with evidence from the texts.
Literacy/Content Skills
Standard
Day #
What Instruction?
How will you teach this skill?
1.Preparing for the Task
-Task Engagement _x_
-Task Analysis _x_
-Project Planning __
-Content Skill _x_
2.Reading Process
- Active Reading _x__ AR
- Essential Vocabulary _x_ EV
- Note-taking _x_ NT
-Organizing ____O
-Academic Integrity ____AI
-Content Skill _x_ CS
R.I 8.4
R.I 8.6
S.L 8.5
L 8.4
L 8.6
W 8.4
R.I 8.1
R.I 8.3
R.I 8.2
R.I 8.4
R.I. 8.6
W 8.4
W 8.10
L 8.5
L 8.4
L 8.6
S.L 8.4
S.L 8.1
W 8.8
W 8.9
W 8.6
W 8.5
R.L 8.1
1
2-20
TE: Students will answer the
question: “what are human rights?”
They will use context clues and draw
inferences to define human rights.
CS: Students will view “The Story of
Human Rights” on Smart board via
Youtube.com
http://youtu.be/oh3BbLk5UIQ
to learn true meaning.
CS: Teacher will provide a brief
overview revisiting Cornell Notetaking.
TA: Provide task prompt Facilitate
sharing out.
NT: Introduce packet of primary and
secondary sources; revisit Cornell
Note-taking strategy (model).
AR1: Present students with
examples via Smart Board with
examples of active reading. Teacher
models active reading on Smart
Board with excepts from different
types of literary sources
AR2: Discussion on student content
from readings. Present PowerPoint
presentations/Youtube video clips.
Facilitate group discussion regarding
student notes.
___Argumentative
_x_ Informational/Explanatory
___Narrative
Student Work
What will students do to
demonstrate their learning?
 Students will respond to
question.
 Students will take Cornell
Notes during video
making note of three (3)
different examples of
human rights
 Students will then use a
thinking map to show
different examples of
human rights in their own
words showing a relation
with their own lives.
 Students will summarize
task in their notebooks in
their own words.
 Students will use Cornell
Note-taking sheet to
complete all notes on
human rights and
survivals. Students will
extract ideas from each
source using the Cornell
Note process.
 Students will model to
class examples of active
reading through excerpts
on Smart board.
 Students will show
evidence of active
reading using Cornell
Notes, study guide, and
literacy circle job handout
Assessment
How will you assess that they have
learned this skill?
Formative/Summative
FORMATIVE
 Through student responses
 Through answers via paddle
boards
 Thinking maps
 Accurate paraphrasing of prompt
SUMMATIVE
 Students use Cornell Notes to
respond to 5 short multiple
choice questions on the video on
the history of Human Rights.
Submitted as an exit ticket for a
quiz grade.






FORMATIVE
Uses Cornell Notes for all notetaking
Short quiz on Cornell Notes
Short quiz on active reading
Completion of study guide per
chapter
Complete notes from 2-3 sources
(articles or text) daily.
Completion of graphic organizers
R.L 8.2
R.L 8.3
R.L 8.4
R.L 8.5
R.L 8.6
R.L 8.7
R.L 8.9
R.L 8.10
AR3: Facilitate the use of literacy
circles

AR4: Facilitate the usage of
inferences within the text
AR5: Facilitate the usage of study
guide by students. Teacher will
model how to record information
from the text.
AR6: Present students with GIST
activity with informational text
related to novel.

CS: Teacher will provide the
students with Power Point/Youtube
visual on symbolism, Imagery, and
figurative language. Teacher will
reiterate the ideas linked to theme
and tone. –Teacher will model to
class determining the central theme
of a literary work.
AR7: Facilitate the students in the
usage of the S-I-F-T activity where
students identify the symbolism,
imagery, figurative language,
theme/tone
EV: Facilitate class-wide and small
group discussions where students
brainstorm about text-dependent
terms; share examples of key terms
and definitions. Model wordmapping activities.


sheets while reading
novel.
Students will work
collaboratively within
literacy circles. Each
student will have a job for
which he or she is
responsible: Dictionary
Detective, Making
Connections, Illustrator,
Reading Discussion
Director, and Story
Mapper.
Students will complete
graphic organizers and
Cornell Notes while
reading and watching
slide shows/video clips.
Students utilize study
guides to collect and
record text-dependent
data from the novel.
Students will complete
reading in groups, then
work collaboratively to
summarize the reading
materials per the GIST
guidelines.

Students will take Cornell
Notes on symbolism,
imagery, figurative
language, and
tone/theme.

Students will model the
central theme of
supplemental text
individually and within
literacy circles

Students practice in the
class and model to

Completion of frayer model
vocabulary maps and
development/usage of personal
glossary.

Completion of literacy circle jobs
with the group providing a
summary of the text and making
a prediction based upon textual
evidence as to what will happen
next.

Students will use chart paper to
present GIST activity to the class.
The class will then work together
to determine the central themes
to articles and find relationships
between the informational text
and the novel.

Students will use GIST format to
create a Twitter post from one
character to another using
textual evidence, students are
limited to no more than 140
written characters.

Students will take a short quiz
identifying central theme.
Students will take complete an
assignment (handout) on
figurative language and assess
each other within their literacy
circles.
Students will work in groups to





3. Transition to Writing
- Bridging ___
- Organizing Thinking OT
- Understanding the reading UR
-Content Skill ___``
4. Writing Process
-Prewriting _x__
-Drafting _x__
-Revising _x__
-Editing_x_
-Content Skill _x_
R.I 8.1
W 8.8
W 8.9
W 8.6
W 8.5
R.I 8.3
S.L 8.1
S.L 8.2
S.L 8.5
L. 8.5
L. 8.6
L 8.4
W 8.10
W 8.4
W 8.8
10-15
15-20
OT: Facilitate class-wide and small
discussion groups on making
alternate endings to commonly
known stories.
Teacher reiterates the use of notetaking as related to preparing a piece
of literature.
UR: Teacher shows clips of the
movie to introduce students to idea
of literature to film adaptations.

PREWRITING: Teacher will reintroduce the writing
assignment/final project to the
students. Teacher will model an
example of the finished work. A
rubric will be provided to the
students for the final project.


teacher and class how to
use the SIFT model
Students collaborate to
determine the best
possible meanings to
terms, sequence, and
plot.
Students use SIFT activity
to identify symbolism,
imagery, figurative
language, theme/tone
from the novel.
Students will brainstorm
in small groups about
definitions using context
clues. Students will use
Frayer model to create
their own glossary of
terms related to the
texts.
Students work in groups
collaboratively to develop
alternate endings to well
known fables, short
stories including textual
evidence as background
in the re-write of the
ending.
Students will view the
film adaptation with the
purpose of taking note of
the differences in the film
adaptation from the
literary work.
Students will begin
brainstorming individually
about the character
whose fate they would
like to change by allowing
them to survive by
making a list of pros and
cons as to why the person
should survive.
teach the class about symbolism,
imagery, figurative language

Students will complete a writing
assignment based upon the text
by re-writing the selection
without or by changing figurative
language, symbolism, imagery,
and tone/theme.

Students present as a group the
original format of the story, then
perform a re-enactment of the
alternate ending with each
student in the group having a role
to play including narrator.

Students will complete a double
bubble thinking map or Venn
diagram comparing and
contrasting the film to the
literary work.

Students will complete and turn
in a survival guide.
Students will also turn in a rubric
on their partner identifying what
they think and how well the
project was performed.
As an alternative, students can
create a cookbook for the
residents of District 12. Students


W 8.9
W 8.6
W 8.5
R.I 8.10
DRAFTING: Teacher will facilitate
the drafting process by modeling a
rough draft.

REVISING: Teacher will facilitate the
revision process by modeling the
process of making revisions.

EDITING: Teacher will facilitate the
editing process by modeling the
process of editing.

CS: The writing process, annotating,
editing, peer reviewing.

The students begin
drafting by producing
thinking maps as to how
the character died in the
text and how he or she
could survive.
Students will begin the
revision process by
ensuring an adequate
amount of textual
evidence to include
quotes from the
character that led to their
demise or tragic downfall.
Students will revise draft
to have sound spelling,
capitalization,
punctuation and
grammar. Adjust
formatting as needed to
provide clear, appealing
text.
Students will peer review
the work of others using
the peer revision
worksheet/rubric and
provide comments to
include one positive, one
thing they will change,
and one question.


must research cookbooks and
recipes in order to learn the
format, then link their ideas to
the text. These recipes must be
written for starving, low income
people. To maintain the integrity
of the story, students must write
from the perspective of “Greasy
Sae” and use the ingredients that
are most prominent in District 12.
Students will all complete a book
trailer using Animoto.com on
ipads to create a 30 second video
providing a preview of the
storyline. Students cannot use
any pictures from the film
adaptation for this assignment
-an example of book trailer:
Click this link to view Catching
Fire book trailer
Upon completion, students must
complete an Accelerated Reading
quiz online.
Book Trailer using Animoto.com
Double Bubble Example
Venn Diagram Example
Survival Guide and Cookbook