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English 1 Curriculum: Identity 2015 – 2016

Lawrence High School

English 1 Curriculum Map: 2015-2016

Course Description: 9th Grade English is a yearlong course focused on the development of essential reading skills, the clear articulation of one’s ideas through writing, and the language, speaking, and listening skills that provide a solid foundation for success in grades 10-12 as students progress towards college and career readiness. Since the transition to high school and early adolescence in general are periods of great change, inquiry, and self-exploration, the content of 9th Grade English will be oriented around the theme of identity—what it is, how it develops and changes, and how it is expressed or communicated. The year will begin with a survey of identity, through which students will enumerate the many factors that influence and shape an individual’s identity as they read short stories, poems, creative nonfiction, and informational texts. Subsequent units will focus on exploring those factors in greater depth through the lens of extended works of fiction, drama, and memoir. These include Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, and Ishmael Beah’s A Long Way Gone. The essential learning outcomes of 9th grade English correlate with those outlined in the Common Core-aligned Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy and with the Lawrence High School Core Values and 21st Century Learning Expectations. By engaging students in thoughtful analysis of complex topics and texts, the course ultimately endeavors to enable students with the essential skills necessary to be autonomous learners who can access, interpret, and create information.

Overarching Essential Questions Overarching Enduring Understandings

What is identity and how is it constructed?

How is identity expressed? What is a person’s role and

responsibility as an individual in a larger community?

How can the study of literature shape identity?

Individual identity is constructed by a variety of factors, including but not limited to one’s family, genetics, society/community, nationality, ethnicity, belief systems, experiences, and choices.

Expressions of individual identity are varied and can be both conscious and subconscious, intentional and unintentional.

Individuals have certain responsibilities to and roles within the communities they inhabit, and these roles can shift over time.

Through the exploration of universal human experiences and the examination of human nature, the act of reading literature can bridge connections between human beings and help us understand who we are, what motivates us, and what our responsibilities are to one another.

Unit Overview

Unit 1: How Identity is Constructed and Expressed

Unit 2: Cultural Identity and the Role of the Family

Unit 3: The Intersection of Individuality and Social Norms

Unit 4: Painted Masks: The Individual Without Civilization

Unit 5: Dehumanization and the Reconstruction of Identity


Unit 1: How Identity is Constructed and Expressed August 24th – October 23rd (42 instructional days)

Stage 1 Desired Results ESTABLISHED GOALS (2011 Common Core integrated Massachusetts English Language Arts and Literacy Grades 9-10 Curriculum Frameworks)

Reading Standards for Literature RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.10

Writing Standards

W.9-10.1a-e W.9-10.4 W.9-10.5 W.9-10.9a W.9-10.10

Speaking and Listening Standards

SL.9-10.1.a-d SL.9-10.4 SL.9-10.5 SL.9-10.6

Language Standards

L.9-10.1 L.9-10.2 L.9-10.4b L.9-10.4d L.9-10.6

Transfer Students will be able to independently use their learning to…

communicate effectively with diverse audiences for a variety of purposes. evaluate and synthesize information, utilizing that information effectively. collaborate effectively and actively with others to accomplish a wide array of goals and

objectives. support original claims and theses with logical arguments and evidence. utilize current technology to conduct research, support critical thinking, enhance

learning, and communicate with others. demonstrate the ability to monitor individual strengths and weaknesses.

Meaning UNDERSTANDINGS Students will understand that…

1. individual identity is constructed by a variety of factors, including but not limited to one’s family, genetics, society/community, nationality, ethnicity, belief systems, experiences, and choices.

2. expressions of individual identity are varied and can be both conscious and subconscious, intentional and unintentional.

3. through the exploration of universal human experiences and the examination of human nature, analysis of literature can bridge connections between human beings and help us understand who we are, what motivates us, and what our responsibilities are to one another.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 1. What is identity and how is it

constructed? 2. How is identity expressed? 3. How can the study of literature

shape identity?

Acquisition Students will know…

1. course requirements in terms of the Students will be skilled at…

1. organizational skills essential for


organization of materials/notes/binder/ writing portfolio/vocabulary journal, etc.

2. the meaning of the following literary terms as they apply to fiction and poetry: character, characterization, dialogue, plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution), setting, theme, mood, tone, and conflict.

3. the meaning and application of the terms summarize, analyze, illustrate, main idea, supporting detail, and evidence.

4. the structure of a paragraph that makes a claim about a text/passage and supports it with evidence (including how topic sentences, transitions, evidence, and conclusions function in a paragraph).

5. conventions of standard English capitalization and punctuation when writing.

6. basic rules for MLA parenthetical citation. 7. the use and function of nouns, pronouns,

prepositions, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, and word families.

8. the difference between positive, comparative, and superlative adjectives/adverbs.

success in high school: organizing notes/binders, taking notes, annotating texts, keeping an agenda, etc.

2. applying elements of fiction to short stories, poems and short works of literary nonfiction.

3. structuring paragraphs to support a claim about what a text says and using transitions cohesively.

4. incorporating properly cited evidence from a text to support a claim about what the text says explicitly or inferences drawn from the text.

5. applying the conventions of standard English capitalization and punctuation when writing.

6. using parts of speech effectively in sentence writing and as a strategy for inferring the meanings of unfamiliar words.

Stage 2 - Evidence Evaluative Criteria Assessment Evidence

1. Rubric for writing pre-assessment and evaluation of objective academic/content vocabulary questions

2. Rubric for reflective essay assignment 3. Rubrics for analytical paragraph writing that

assess topic sentence, inclusion of evidence, transitions, and conclusion

4. Rubric for Group Project and Presentation

PERFORMANCE TASK(S): 1. ELA skills and knowledge pre-assessment: analytical writing (paragraph

based on analysis of a passage) and academic/content vocabulary (objective questions)

2. Reflective writing assignment on individual identity 3. 3 text-based analytical paragraphs 4. Small Group Short Story Project and Presentation

OTHER EVIDENCE:


1. Objective scoring of grammar pre-assessment 2. Rubric measuring note-taking and annotation

skills 3. Literary terms/academic vocabulary quiz that

incorporates selected response and short answer application of terms

4. Objective grammar quiz 5. Objective scoring of vocabulary quiz 6. Participation rubric based on Speaking and

Listening Standards 9-10.1a–1d and 9-10.6

1. Short grammar pre-assessment focusing on parts of speech and their function

2. Periodic submission of content notes and annotated passages 3. Quiz on literary terms and academic vocabulary 4. Grammar quiz: parts of speech 5. Creation of academic/content vocabulary journal with a post-unit

assessment on words generated from readings/analysis 6. Observation of individual participation in collaborative discussions in

which students build on others’ ideas and express their own ideas clearly and persuasively.

Stage 3 – Learning Plan Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction

Students will… complete a pre-assessment of their analytical writing skills and established understanding of academic/content vocabulary. set up writing portfolios and create first student-annotated entry using pre-assessment response. set up vocabulary journals in which they will compile definitions and examples of new vocabulary pulled from readings as well as

explicitly taught academic/content vocabulary. Lists of words will be generated by teacher and by students as they encounter unknown words (quiz at end of unit).

engage in course theme by reading, annotating, and responding to short texts oriented around the topic of one’s name, including: o Sandra Cisneros’s “My Name” (short story) o Marge Piercy’s “If I had been called Sabrina or Ann, she said” (poem) o Jorje Chica’s “Jorje” (student model essay)

participate in short lessons on annotation and the difference between summarizing, analyzing, evaluating, identifying, and illustrating.

practice close reading and annotation as they learn specific literary terms paired with analysis of the following short stories: o Julia Alvarez’s “Snow” (skills focus: imagery and characterization) o Junot Diaz’s “Fiesta, 1980” (skills focus: characterization, conflict, symbolism) o Langston Hughes’s “Thank You, Ma’m” (skills focus: dialect, characterization, setting, and theme) o Amy Tan’s “Rules of the Game” (skills focus: setting, characterization, narration, tone, and theme) o Dave Eggers’s “After I Was Thrown in the River and Before I Drowned” (skills focus: tone, style, characterization,

inferencing) o Francesca Lia Block’s “Glass” (skills focus: adaptation/allusion, symbolism, characterization, and theme) o Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” (skills focus: setting, inferencing, dialect, characterization) o Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” (skills focus: conflict, plot structure, suspense) o Chinua Achebe’s “Dead Men’s Path” (skills focus: irony, characterization, and theme) o James Hurst’s “The Scarlet Ibis” (Honors Portfolio reading assignment)

engage in a small group short story project in which they analyze one of the short stories listed below, apply elements of fiction,


and present their thoughtful analysis of theme to the class: o Kurt Vonnegut’s “Harrison Bergeron” (skills focus: science fiction genre, characterization, conflict, and theme) o Guy de Maupassant’s “The Necklace” (skills focus: irony, characterization, setting, and theme) o Saki’s “The Interlopers” (skills focus: analyzing rising action/suspense, setting, mood, conflict, and irony) o Isaac Bashevis Singer’s “The Washwoman” (skills focus: characterization, setting, tone, and theme) o Ray Bradbury’s “All Summer in a Day” (skills focus: science fiction genre, characterization, conflict, setting, and mood)

practice close reading and annotation as they learn specific literary terms paired with analysis of the following poems: o Julio Noboa Polanco’s “Identity” (poem) o George Ella Lyon’s “Where I’m From” (poem) o Chief the Poet’s “Where I’m From” (spoken word poem) o Langston Hughes’s “Theme for English B” (poem) o Billy Collins’s “On Turning Ten” (poem) o Rod McKuen’s “Twenty-Five: The Coming of the Rain” (poem) o Sarah Kay and Phil Kaye’s “When Love Arrives” (spoken word poem)

engage in lessons on the structure of an analytical/argumentative paragraph: topic sentence, transitions, examples, incorporating direct evidence, citation, and conclusions.

write 3 text-based analytical/argumentative paragraphs based on unit readings listed above, with a different literary focus for each (characterization, theme, setting, tone, etc.)

engage in grammar lessons reviewing/teaching parts of speech (nouns, pronouns, prepositions, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs); the difference between positive, comparative, and superlative adjectives/adverbs; how an awareness of parts of speech leads to an understanding of word families; and using understanding of how words function in a sentence to infer the meanings of unfamiliar words in context (followed by quiz).


Unit 2: Cultural Identity and the Role of the Family October 26th – January 8th (42 instructional days)


Reading Standards for Literature RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL9-10.4* RL9-10.5* RL.9-10.10

Reading Standards for Informational Texts

RI.9-10.1* RI.9-10.2* RI.9-10.9*

Writing Standards

W.9-10.1a-e W.9-10.4 W.9-10.5 W.9-10.6* W.9-10.9a W.9-10.10


SL.9-10.1.a-d SL.9-10.4 SL.9-10.6

Language Standards

L.9-10.1


communicate effectively with diverse audiences for a variety of purposes. evaluate and synthesize information, utilizing that information effectively. collaborate effectively and actively with others to accomplish a wide array of goals and

objectives. support original claims and theses with logical arguments and evidence. exhibit empathy and compassion towards others. act with resiliency and persistence when facing challenging tasks. demonstrate the ability to monitor individual strengths and weaknesses.


1. culture is established by and within different communities and is a term with myriad connotations and representations.

2. cultural identities and their implications on the identity of the individual have changed over the course of modern history and taken on new meaning in a globalized world.

3. the role of the family is one of the most formative and foundational factors that shapes an individual’s identity.

4. just as identity is shaped by different communities and experiences, so too does the individual express his or her identity differently within different contexts.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 1. What is culture? 2. How does culture shape identity in

the modern world? 3. How do family structures impact

one’s identity? 4. How does one express one’s identity

in different communities and contexts?


1. the meaning of the following literary terms as they apply to the novel: character, characterization, dialogue, plot (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution),

Students will be skilled at… 1. reading and analyzing a novel. 2. applying elements of fiction to

interpretation of the text, with a focus on characterization, conflict,


L.9-10.2 L.9-10.3* L.9-10.4a* L.9-10.4d L.9-10.5a* L.9-10.5b* L.9-10.6

*denotes newly introduced standards

setting, theme, mood, tone, and conflict. 2. elements of informational texts: author’s

purpose, main ideas, argument, supporting details, structure/organization, and tone.

3. elements of poetry: line, stanza, mood, tone, rhythm, imagery, and figurative language (including similes, metaphors, and personification).

4. how the structure of a body paragraph mirrors the overall structure of a multi-paragraph essay (eg connections between topic sentence and theme).

5. the structure of introductory paragraphs, body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph in an argumentative essay.

6. conventions of standard English capitalization and punctuation when writing.

7. the structure of an MLA works cited page. 8. the six different types of context clues.

and theme. 3. reading and analyzing short

informational texts. 4. reading and analyzing poetry. 5. making thematic connections

between different texts and identifying how text type influences meaning.

6. transitioning from single paragraph argumentative writing to multi-paragraph compositions.

7. using graphic organizers and outlines to write a 5-paragraph essay that includes a strong thesis and supports that thesis with relevant evidence from the text broken into 3 body paragraphs, each oriented around a distinct idea.

8. incorporating properly cited evidence from a text to support a claim about what the text says explicitly or inferences drawn from the text.

9. applying the conventions of standard English capitalization and punctuation when writing.

10. creating an MLA works cited page aligned with correct parenthetical citation.

11. using context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words.


1. Rubric for reflective essay assignment

2. Rubrics for analytical paragraph writing

PERFORMANCE TASK(S): 1. Pre-reading narrative essay on cultural identity 2. Two text-based analytical paragraphs (one on conflict; one on characterization) 3. Multiple identities mask project


3. Rubric for mask project 4. Rubric for multi-paragraph

argumentative essay

4. Post-reading 5-paragraph argumentative essay based on prompt connected to the novel and unit essential questions

1. Rubric measuring note-taking and

annotation skills 2. TPCASTT rubric 3. Objective scoring of vocabulary quiz 4. Objective scoring of context clues

quiz 5. Participation rubric based on

Speaking and Listening Standards 9-10.1a–1d and 9-10.6

OTHER EVIDENCE: 1. Periodic submission of content notes, annotated pre-reading articles, and

annotated passages 2. Poetry TPCASTT for one assigned poem 3. Quiz on types and application of context clues 4. Periodic review of academic/content vocabulary journal with a post-unit

assessment on words generated from readings/analysis 5. Observation of individual participation in collaborative discussions in which

students build on others’ ideas and express their own ideas clearly and persuasively.


Students will… write a pre-reading narrative essay on the student’s cultural identity. read and annotate short informational texts that build background on topics related to the novel, such as early interactions

between European colonists and Native Americans, the Indian Removal Act, the establishment of reservations, and life on modern day reservations. The skill focus will be on identifying main ideas and author’s purpose. Readings pulled from the following list:

o “Blankets for the Dead” from Us and Them o “Columbus and the Indians” from Howard Zinn’s A Young People’s History of the United States o Andrew Jackson’s Message to Congress “On Indian Removal” (supplemented with the History channel’s video on Andrew

Jackson’s Indian Removal Act) o Benjamin Franklin’s “Remarks Concerning the Natives of North America” o Speech made by Chief Ten Bears in October of 1867: “Where the Wind Blew Free…” o New York Times article “On the Reservation and Off, Schools See a Changing Tide” by Kirk Johnson (May 25, 2008) o ABC News video “Battling Alcohol on the Pine Ridge Reservation” (October 13, 2011)

write a one paragraph response to a prompt requiring them to incorporate evidence from one or more of the above-mentioned articles.

read and analyze the novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, with close reading strategies employed to practice targeted literary analysis skills such as evaluating tone, identifying the impact of mood, the importance of setting, how characters are developed, etc.

continue adding to vocabulary journal. write two formal text-based analytical paragraphs in response to questions about specific literary elements (one on conflict; one

on characterization). engage in short lessons on poetry using Native American poets. Teacher will use TPCASTT approach to poetry analysis and model


for the class how to use the organizer using one poem. Students will then independently complete one TPCASTT of a poem not read together as a class. Possible poets:

o Chief Joseph’s “I Shall Fight No More Forever” o Joy Harjo (selected poems) o Diane Burns’s “Sure You Can Ask Me a Personal Question” o Santee Frazier (selected poems) o Adrian Louis’s “The Sacred Circle”

engage in short lessons on the six different types of context clues (definition, example, synonym, antonym, inference, and punctuation) with follow up activities in which students practice and apply this skill (practice followed by quiz).

complete a project that builds off the novel’s thematic preoccupation with struggling to maintain conflicting identities at the same time. Students will design a two-sided mask that uses symbols and images to relay two different identities or roles they simultaneously maintain (eg: identity as a student vs identity in the home/family, internal/private identity vs external public/identity, two different national or cultural identities, etc.). Students will write a short reflection that explains the differences between these two aspects of their identity and the symbolism of the images they chose to include in their depiction.

engage in writing lessons that bridge paragraph and multi-paragraph writing with graphic organizers provided to illustrate the structure and organization of each paragraph.

engage in lessons on writing a strong thesis statement and corresponding topic sentences for body paragraphs. engage in a short lesson on how to create an MLA works cited page. write a summative argumentative essay assignment on the novel with a prompt tied to unit essential questions (direct instruction

provided throughout the brainstorming, planning, drafting, and revision process).


Unit 3: The Intersection of Individuality and Social Norms January 19th – February 12th (24 instructional days)


Reading Standards for Literature RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.4 MA.8.A* RL.9-10.10


RI.9-10.1 RI.9-10.2 RI.9-10.3* RI.9-10.4* RI.9-10.5* RI.9-10.8* RI.9-10.10*

Writing Standards

W.9-10.1a-e W.9-10.4 W.9-10.5 W.9-10.6 W.9-10.7* W.9-10.8* W.9-10.9a W.9-10.10


Communicate effectively with diverse audiences for a variety of purposes Evaluate and synthesize information, utilizing that information effectively Collaborate effectively and actively with others to accomplish a wide array of goals

and objectives Support original claims and theses with logical arguments and evidence Utilize current technology to conduct research, support critical thinking, enhance

learning, and communicate with others Exhibit empathy and compassion towards others Act with resiliency and persistence when facing challenging tasks Demonstrate the ability to monitor individual strengths and weaknesses


1. individual identity is shaped by the communities one inhabits and the social norms of those communities.

2. at times, a person’s expression of his or her individuality comes into conflict with the rules or norms of society and the individual must decide whether to conform or take a stand against the norms.

3. mob mentality behavior can result in many individuals mimicking the actions of those with whom they may not agree, which can lead to unfair victimization, marginalization, and targeting of those who refuse to follow along.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 1. How does one’s community or

society shape one’s identity? 2. What happens when individual

identity conflicts with the norms of a community or society?

3. What are the dangers of a “mob” or “herd” mentality?

Acquisition


Speaking and Listening Standards SL.9-10.1.a-d SL.9-10.3* SL.9-10.4 SL.9-10.5* SL.9-10.6

Language Standards

L.9-10.1 L.9-10.2 L.9-10.3 L.9-10.4a L.9-10.4d L.9-10.5a L.9-10.5b L.9-10.6


Students will know… 1. the different types of databases and

other library/media center resources available to them and the differences between credible and unreliable sources

2. the historical context of both Salem in the 17th century and the United States in the 1950s, and that there are often different accounts of the same events/subjects, with certain accounts lending themselves to specific text types and mediums

3. elements of modern drama (how characterization differs in drama than in the novel, the function of stage directions and dialogue, the application of Freytag’s pyramid, etc).

4. the elements of a persuasive essay 5. the difference between connotative

and denotative meaning, homonyms, and homophones

Students will be skilled at… 1. using databases and credible

sources to conduct short research tasks on an assigned topic, citing findings correctly using MLA citation, compiling the most important information about a topic into a presentation that utilizes multimedia components, and articulately presenting research to an audience of their peers

2. identifying how an author can use historical settings to convey ideas about present social issues

3. applying elements of drama to their reading and understanding of the genre

4. identifying symbolism, characterization, conflict, and theme in a work of drama

5. constructing a convincing argument within a persuasive essay by incorporating properly cited textual evidence as well as non-textual methods of persuasion

6. applying the conventions of standard English capitalization and punctuation when writing

7. distinguishing between multiple meaning words, shades of meaning, connotative/denotative meanings, and commonly confused words


1. Rubric for mini-research project that includes scoring of annotated articles/collected evidence,

PERFORMANCE TASK(S): 1. Mini-research project and presentation 2. 2-3 analytical paragraphs based on prompts about the text


synthesis of information, citation, and presentation skills

2. Rubric for analytical paragraphs 3. Rubric for

characterization/costuming project 4. Rubric for persuasive essay

3. Characterization/Costuming Project 4. Post-reading persuasive essay

1. Rubric measuring note-taking and annotation skills

2. Objective scoring of quiz on connotative vs denotative meaning, homonyms, homophones, and commonly confused words

3. Objective scoring of vocabulary quiz 4. Participation rubric based on


OTHER EVIDENCE: 1. Periodic submission of content notes and annotated passages 2. Quiz on connotative vs denotative meaning, homonyms, homophones, and

commonly confused words 3. Periodic review of academic/content vocabulary journal with a post-unit


students build on others’ ideas and express their own ideas clearly and persuasively


Students will… complete a pre-reading mini-research project that introduces them to library resources and credible sources found via online

database searches while helping them build background on topics related to the play, such as McCarthyism/The Red Scare, black listing, Puritan culture, the Salem Witch Trials, and the life and work of Arthur Miller. Small groups will each be given a different research question, will use online library resources to conduct research that answers their question (with support from teacher and library specialists), and will present their research to the class, who will take notes on the topic.

engage in lessons on elements of drama (Freytag’s pyramid, characterization in drama, author’s notes, stage directions, etc.). read and analyze The Crucible by Arthur Miller (audio disc available to listen to actors’ portrayal of key scenes). continue adding to vocabulary journal. complete characterization charting (paying attention to how characterization in drama differs from characterization in

novels/short stories) and create modern character posters with explanation of costuming choices. explore symbolism and theme in The Crucible, with clear distinctions between thematic preoccupations (topics) and statements of

theme. write 2-3 text-based analytical/argumentative paragraphs based on unit readings. watch an interview of Miller discussing connections between The Crucible and McCarthyism/The Red Scare. watch, analyze, and discuss the 1991 film Guilty by Suspicion, making connections to the play. watch and discuss all or parts of the 1996 film The Crucible. engage in lessons on connotative versus denotative meaning, homonyms, homophones, and commonly confused words.


engage in lessons on elements of persuasion, including ethos, pathos, logos, and other marketing and persuasive techniques (with connections to the play and in preparation for final essay).

write a post-reading persuasive essay with a prompt tied to unit essential questions and events of the play; direct instruction provided throughout the brainstorming, planning, drafting, and revision process.


Unit 4: Painted Masks: The Individual Without Civilization February 22nd – April 8th (34 instructional days)


Reading Standards for Literature RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.4 MA.8.A RL.9-10.10

Writing Standards

W.9-10.1a-e W.9-10.3a-e* MA.3.A* W.9-10.4 W.9-10.5 W.9-10.6 W.9-10.9a W.9-10.10


SL.9-10.1.a-d SL.9-10.4 SL.9-10.6

Language Standards

L.9-10.1 L.9-10.2 L.9-10.3 L.9-10.4a L.9-10.4d



and objectives Support original claims and theses with logical arguments and evidence Act with resiliency and persistence when facing challenging tasks Demonstrate the ability to monitor individual strengths and weaknesses


1. civilization and laws are human constructs meant to maintain order and protect the rights and safety of individuals.

2. power can have a significant impact on a person’s identity, behavior, and role within a group.

3. the individual is often shaped and influenced by the behavior and collective identity of a group, but can also stand up to or impact said group.

4. understanding the historical context of a novel can shape the reader’s understanding of its characters, themes, and the author’s purpose for writing.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 1. What happens to individuals and

their identities in the absence of civilization?

2. How does one’s power (or lack of power) within a group impact one’s identity?

3. How does collective identity impact the identity of the individual?

4. Why is it important to examine the historical context within which a text is written?


1. the difference between internal/private identity and

Students will be skilled at… 1. reflecting on their own identity and

identifying the aspects they express


L.9-10.5a L.9-10.5b L.9-10.6

external/public identity. 2. all literary terms/elements of fiction

learned in previous units and their application to a new novel.

3. the four different types of conflict encountered in modern fiction (person vs. self, person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. nature).

4. elements of allegory and its reliance on symbolism.

5. that the same themes can be relayed by texts with vastly different plots, settings, and conflicts.

6. the elements of an argumentative essay and how to employ them independently.

7. the difference between simple subjects, simple predicates, complete subjects, and complete predicates.

8. what constitutes a sentence fragment and a run-on sentence and how to correct both.

publicly versus those they maintain privately.

2. applying elements of fiction to the reading of a novel with greater independence and less teacher scaffolding than in previous units.

3. identifying how an author’s integration of different types of conflict within a novel relays complex themes.

4. identifying allegorical elements of the novel and the author’s corresponding use of symbolism.

5. making connections between multiple works and evaluating how authors relay themes differently.

6. writing a multi-paragraph argumentative essay with greater independence and with greater sophistication and insight in regard to the incorporation of direct evidence from a text.

7. identifying simple subjects, simple predicates, complete subjects, and complete predicates, and applying this awareness of structure to their own sentence writing.

8. identifying and correcting sentence fragments and run-on sentences in their own writing and the writing of their peers.


1. Rubric for Short Narrative Writing Task

2. Rubric for Conflict and Theme Project

PERFORMANCE TASK(S): 1. Short Narrative Writing Task 2. Conflict and Theme Project 3. 2-3 one-paragraph responses based on specific prompts related to the novel or


3. Rubric for one-paragraph responses 4. Rubric for argumentative essay

supplementary texts 4. Multi-paragraph argumentative essay on the novel


2. Objective scoring of quiz on simple subjects, simple predicates, complete subjects, complete predicates, sentence fragments, and run-on sentences

3. Objective scoring of vocabulary quiz 4. Participation rubric based on


OTHER EVIDENCE: 1. Periodic submission of content notes and annotated passages 2. Quiz on simple subjects, simple predicates, complete subjects, complete predicates,

sentence fragments, and run-on sentences 3. Periodic review of academic/content vocabulary journal with a post-unit




Students will… build background knowledge by pre-reading non-fiction articles on William Golding and his experiences during World War II, with

a complementary short video on the evacuation of children during the war. read and analyze William Golding’s novel Lord of the Flies with close reading strategies employed to practice targeted literary

analysis skills such as identifying conflicts, analyzing imagery and setting and its impact on mood, characterization, etc. continue adding to vocabulary journal. complete a short narrative writing task for which they will assume the role of one of the characters and write a letter home to a

friend or family member describing life on the island and emerging conflicts (they will tie in appropriate details from the text and mirror the tone and personality of the character based on existing characterization within the novel).

watch excerpts of Philip Zimbardo’s TED Talk on “The Psychology of Evil” and supplement with readings on The Milgram Experiment, The Stanford Prison Experiment, and The Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse of the early 2000s. Students make connections between the ideas presented in these real events and themes of the novel.

write 2-3 text-based analytical/argumentative paragraphs based on unit readings. read an excerpt from Stephen King’s “Introduction to the Centenary Edition of Lord of the Flies” (wait until about 2/3 of the way

through the novel or later) and write an analysis of King’s perspective on the universality of the novel. chart conflicts while reading (person vs. self, person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. nature) and complete a post-reading

project in which they artistically represent one example of each type of conflict, identify one quote that represents each conflict, and articulate one overarching theme the author is developing through all of the identified conflicts.

watch key scenes from the 1963 film Lord of the Flies and/or the 1990 film adaptation, identifying and evaluating differences in plot, characterization, and overall effects on the audience’s understanding of the work as a whole.

engage in lessons on simple subjects, simple predicates, complete subjects, complete predicates, fragments, and run-on sentences. write a summative argumentative essay on the novel based on a prompt tied to a unit essential question (limited scaffolding


provided throughout the planning, drafting, and revision stages).


Unit 5: Dehumanization and the Reconstruction of Identity April 11th – May 31st (31 instructional days)


Reading Standards for Literature RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.5* RL.9-10.6* MA.8.A RL.9-10.9* RL.9-10.10


RI.9-10.1 RI.9-10.2 RI.9-10.3 RI.9-10.4 RI.9-10.5 RI.9-10.7* RI.9-10.8* RI.9-10.10

Writing Standards

W.9-10.1a-e W.9-10.4 W.9-10.5 W.9-10.6 W.9-10.7 W.9-10.8



and objectives Support original claims and theses with logical arguments and evidence Utilize current technology to conduct research, support critical thinking, enhance

learning, and communicate with others Exhibit empathy and compassion towards others Act with resiliency and persistence when facing challenging tasks Demonstrate the ability to monitor individual strengths and weaknesses


1. dehumanization is the refusal to acknowledge a person’s dignity, worth, and individuality, and it is especially prevalent in times of war or other extreme conflict.

2. severe trauma and exposure to dehumanization can destroy a person’s individuality and fundamentally change his or her behavior.

3. the process of reconstructing identity or ‘becoming human’ again after extreme trauma is an arduous one but is possible with the right supports.

4. reading memoirs can teach us more about the human experience, our own culture and identity, and how

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS 1. What is dehumanization and how

does it occur? 2. Are there factors that can destroy a

person’s identity or humanity? 3. Once destroyed, can identity be

reconstructed? 4. What can reading literature about

real life experiences vastly different from our own teach us about our own lives?


W.9-10.9a W.9-10.10


SL.9-10.1.a-d SL.9-10.3 SL.9-10.4

Language Standards

L.9-10.1 L.9-10.2 L.9-10.3 L.9-10.4a L.9-10.4d L.9-10.5a L.9-10.5b L.9-10.6


to overcome challenges we may encounter in our lives.


1. background information about the civil war in Sierra Leone (1991-2002) and its use of child soldiers.

2. elements of the memoir genre and its parallels to fiction.

3. various structural elements of a narrative, such as flashback, tension, suspense, etc.

4. what a motif is and how authors use them to reveal theme.

5. how the events depicted in the memoir A Long Way Gone parallel themes studied in other works read this year as well as similar world events.

6. the structure of a well-written argumentative essay.

7. how modifiers function in a sentence.

8. what parallel structure and parallelism are.

Students will be skilled at… 1. independently using databases and

credible sources to conduct short research tasks on an assigned topic and compiling the most important information about a topic.

2. identifying elements of the memoir genre, including its subjectivity, and how it often parallels the format of a novel in its plot structure and inclusion of tension, conflict, symbolism, themes, and other literary techniques.

3. evaluating an author’s manipulation of structure and sequencing within a narrative, especially the effects of flashback.

4. identifying motifs while reading, making meaning out of their recurrence, and articulating how they reveal specific themes.

5. making connections between events that happen in multiple texts, historical events, and their own lives.

6. independently writing an argumentative essay that supports an original thesis tied to a text.

7. identifying and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers, and using modifiers correctly in their own writing.

8. appropriately using parallel structure and parallelism in their


writing.


1. Rubric for research/webquest 2. Rubrics for analytical paragraphs 3. Rubric for music project 4. Rubric for motif presentation 5. Rubric for argumentative essay

PERFORMANCE TASK(S): 1. Background research/webquest on Sierra Leonean civil war, blood diamonds, child

soldiers, and the life and work of Ishmael Beah 2. 2-3 one paragraph analytical responses to questions about pre-reading articles and

the memoir 3. Music Project 4. Motif Presentation 5. Multi-paragraph argumentative essay


2. Objective scoring of vocabulary quiz 3. Objective scoring of quiz on dangling

modifiers, misplaced modifiers, parallelism, and parallel structure

4. Participation rubric based on Speaking and Listening Standards 9-10.1a–1d and 9-10.6

OTHER EVIDENCE: 1. Periodic submission of content notes and annotated passages 2. Periodic review of academic/content vocabulary journal with a post-unit

assessment on words generated from readings/analysis 3. Quiz on dangling modifiers, misplaced modifiers, parallelism, and parallel structure 4. Observation of individual participation in collaborative discussions in which



Students will… conduct pre-reading background research/webquest that includes resources from multiple outlets and in a variety of textual

forms (articles, websites, videos, interviews, etc.) including: o Gale Database reference materials on Sierra Leone and blood diamonds o Biography in Context entry on Ishmael Beah o Errol Barnett’s “Ex-child-soldier: ‘Shooting became just like drinking a glass of water’” (CNN online article) o Excerpt of talk given by Beah posted on SchoolTube o Iquo B. Essien’s “Five Questions for Ishmael Beah” (The African Online interview with Beah) o Nick Tattersall’s “War Was Classroom for Sierra Leone Child Soldiers” (Reuters online article)

watch the film Hotel Rwanda to preview the concept of modern civil war and visualize the type of brutality exhibited in the Sierra Leone civil war around the same time (maps and enough context will be provided to students to distinguish the two countries and types of conflicts).

read and analyze the memoir A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, with particular focus on how the author plays with structure and sequencing in his narrative, incorporates motifs and symbols, and relays graphic/sensitive real events from his own life.


continue adding to vocabulary journal. engage in lessons on dangling modifiers, misplaced modifiers, parallelism, and parallel structure. engage in a mini-lesson on motif and its connection to symbolism and theme; then assign roles for tracking different motifs over

the course of the novel. watch various interviews with Beah, including his appearance on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. read short informational texts about the Egyptian Revolution/Arab Spring to help them understand how social media and

technology has changed the level of power and agency of an individual citizen, including: o Sam Gustin‘s “Social Media Sparked, Accelerated Egypt’s Revolutionary Fire” (from Wired Magazine Online, 2/11/11) o Jose Antonio Vargas’s “Spring Awakening: How an Egyptian Revolution Began on Facebook” (from The New York Times

Sunday Book Review, February 2012) complete an independent project through which they apply Beah’s emphasis on music as a humanizing force to their own lives by

selecting a song they find inspiring/impactful and making connections between the song, their lives, and Beah’s story. write 2-3 text-based analytical/argumentative paragraphs based on unit readings. create a motif presentation in which they synthesize their notes on the motif they tracked and present their analysis to the class

using digital media to relay the most important information and ideas. write a summative argumentative essay on the novel with a prompt tied to unit essential questions (planning, drafting, writing,

and revision process completed independently).

lawrence high school english 1 curriculum map: 2015-2016 ...€¦ · english 1 curriculum map:...

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