Jeremy Oertel
Tedu353
Unit Summary Outline
Subject: 10th Grade English
Learning Level: Average. I expect students to have some background writing and responding to different kinds of writing, such as poetry, plays, essays, and narratives. This unit is not to emphasize grammar, but to use meaningful historical content as the foundation for writing activities.
Rationale: This unit is differs from others by its focus on primary-source documents, and its general war theme. War is a very relevant topic for today’s students. It is also meaningful in the way it combines the issue of war into writing exercises, and gives several opportunities to respond and critique several different styles of writing. Also, rather than homogenizing such war-coverage by giving all students the same text, the openness of the subject-matter provides a fertile environment for constructivist learning. Students can choose their own level of involvement in terms of how close they want to get to the subject-matter. They can choose to study documentary writing, poetry, fiction, and primary-sources, among other. The end result is that students have more control over how they wish to interact with this material while also giving all the students a very diverse presentation experience.
Leading Questions: Students should spend some significant time addressing the context of their texts. They should identify many factors which can influence the way a text is written, and the way it is read. They should use this information when they begin writing. Overall, this exercise will assist students in critically analyzing texts in the future. These questions are summarized in lesson 4 and 5.
Standards: (Reading/Literature) A12.1 Use effective reading strategies. Particularly “gather information to help achieve understanding.” A12.2 Read, Interpret, and critically analyze literature. Particularly “explain how details of language, setting, plot, etc, combine to produce a dominant tone, effect, or theme.” (Writing) B12.1 Create writing to communicate. Particularly “write creative fiction that includes an authentic setting, plot, characters, etc.” B12.2 Plan, edit, and revise writing. Particularly “develop a composition through a series of drafts.”
Assessments: Students will be evaluated regularly through class discussion (informal/holistic). Daily journal entries will constitute a large portion of the assessment (formal/holistic). The three drafts of the writing exercise constitute a formal assessment (formal/analytic). The class presentation of content will be the final assessment (informal/holistic).
Materials: Students will be offered a variety of potential sources for materials which are outlined in lesson 2. Additionally students can contribute and choose their own materials upon consultation with the teacher.
Lessons: The unit is composed of eight lessons. The first is solely introductory. The second through the sixth involve choosing and responding to a text, and writing based on that text. The final two lessons are presentation days.