Title of Lesson
The Effect of the Past on the Present
Grade Level
12th grade
Curriculum Area
English Literature
Time Frame
10-15 classes (80 minute blocks)
Developed By
Regina Covington
Identify Desired Results (Stage 1)
Content Standards
· 3.1.12.G.3 Compare and evaluate the relationship between past literary traditions and contemporary writing.
· 3.1.12.G.4 Analyze how works of a given period reflect historical and social events and conditions.
· 3.1.12.G.6 Interpret how literary devices affect reading emotions and understanding.
· 3.1.12.G.7 Analyze and evaluate figurative language within a text (e.g. irony, paradox, metaphor, simile, personification)
· 3.1.12.H.1 Select appropriate electronic media for research and evaluate the quality of the information received.
· 3.2.12.A.1 Engage in the full writing process by writing daily and for sustained amounts of time.
· 3.2.12.A.3 Use strategies such as graphic organizers and outlines to plan and write drafts according to the intended message, audience, and purpose for writing.
· 3.2.12.D.2 Write a variety of essays that supports judgments with relevant and substantial evidence and well-chosen details.
· 3.2.12.D.3 Evaluate the impact of an author’s decisions regarding tone, word choice, style, content, point of view, literary elements, and literary merit, and produce an interpretation of overall effectiveness.
· 3.3.12.A.2 Support, modify, or refute a position in small or large group discussions.
· 3.3.12.D.3 Demonstrate effective delivery strategies (e.g., eye contact, body language, volume, intonation, and articulation) when speaking.
· 3.3.12.D.6 Use a rubric to self-assess and improve oral presentations.
· 3.4.12.A.3 Demonstrate active listening by taking notes, asking relevant questions, making meaningful comments, and providing constructive feedback to ideas in a persuasive speech, oral interpretation of a literary selection, or scientific or educational presentation.
· 3.4.12.A.4 Identify and define unfamiliar vocabulary through context in oral communication.
· 3.5.12.A.1 Understand the messages that are representations of social reality and vary by historic time periods and parts of the world.
Understandings
Overarching Understanding
How literary elements contribute to analyzing literature.
Importance of individuals knowing their past.
The role of a genealogist.
Related Misconceptions
What one does not know won’t hurt them.
Essential Question(s)
Overarching
How do authors use literary elements to establish underlying themes/messages ?
Does analyzing and reading have the same meaning ?
What is a genealogist ?
Topical
How does Toni Morrison use literary elements such as (symbols, magical realism, allusion, motif, simile, metaphor, flashback, themes and myths) to convey a message ?
How does one’s past effect the future ?
What is the importance of knowing your past ?
Knowledge
Students will know…
The difference between reading and analyzing.
How oral traditions reflect the knowledge of an individual’s past.
How identify and interpret various literary and analytical elements, as well as, their significance to the overall theme of the novel.
Skills
Students will be able to…
Modify, refute or discuss a topic.
Read, analyze and critique fiction.
Plan, organize and write and well-organized essay.
Substantiate within discussions and writing based on a fiction.
Identify and interpret literary elements.
Research and record their family history.
Prepare and present a Power Point presentation based on the political allusions found within a fiction.
Assessment Evidence (Stage 2)
Performance Task Description
Goal
Interpret literature and understand the importance of knowing the past through research.
Role
Genealogist or historian.
Audience
Other genealogists/historians.
Situation
You are the newly appointed genealogist who has been hired by a family to use your expertise to research their family history.
Product/Performance
Genealogist will conduct research through oral traditions, narratives, etc… The final product will be the completion of a family tree in addition to a TIMELINE ( start out as far back as a family’s roots can be traced and then plot a time line based on each major event); GEOGRAPHY ( map their ancestors’ travels that brought them to America); PHYSICAL FEATURES (photos); JOURNALISM ( video tape interviews with a grandparent or great-grandparent).
Standards
Same as above.
Other Evidence
Daily journal (written and oral) responses based on assigned readings and literary analysis during which students provide substantiation from text to support their answers.
Timed writings.
Formal essay assignments: Due at conclusion of novel.
Power Point presentation: Based on a documented historical event or the historical impact of a real person alluded to in the novel. In addition, discuss the value of the historical text beneath the fictional text of the novel.
Novel test : Based on the overall comprehension and literary analysis of text which includes a writing prompt.
Learning Plan (Stage 3)
Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going ?
Successfully analyzing a significant piece of literature while inquiring about the history of their families.
Successfully analyzing a significant piece of literature while researching American history and its’ relevance to the work of fiction.
How will you hook students at the beginning of the unit?
Students will respond in journal to question: “How can you see the future when you’re living in the past ?” Can the ignorance of your past effects your future ?” Students will view segments from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., African American Lives, a documentary based on the research of family history through the use of DNA and Genealogy to give insight into the past. Gates studies families from notables such as Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Rock and Morgan Freeman to name a few.
What events will help students experience and explore the big idea and questions in the unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
A Genealogist from the New Jersey Historic Society will visit the class to discuss and explore the importance of knowing their past, as well as, various ways to obtain this information such as oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis and narratives.
How will you cause students to reflect and rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing, revising, and refining their work ?
Question and Answer (Q & A) Session, daily journals, timed writings and discussions will assists in guiding and refining their works.
How will you help students to exhibit and self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge, and understanding throughout the unit?
Students will exhibit and self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge and understanding throughout the unit through rubrics, daily journals and discussions, integration of technology, visit from the New Jersey Historic Society and historical research.
How will you tailor and otherwise personalize the learning plan to optimize the engagement and effectiveness of ALL students, without compromising the goals of the unit ?
Share my family history through photos (slides) and heirlooms, as well as, participate in the Family Research Project.
How will you organize and sequence the learning activities to optimize the engagement and achievement of ALL students ?
Hook students with journal question and segment from video.
Introduce novel, Song of Solomon, with background information on Toni Morrison, as well as, time period novel takes place.
Independent reading of The Willie Lynch Letter.
Reading Schedule (Unit Packet w/ due dates and various assignments)
Myth of Icarus and Flying Africans Folktales
Daily journal (written/oral) response
Daily Thematic and Analytical focus.
Color Symbolism
Importance of names.
Poem: “A Bronzeville Mother Loiters in Mississippi. Meanwhile a Mississippi Mother Burns Bacon” by Gwendolyn Brooks
Research historical event.
New Jersey Historic Society Genealogist visit.
Review rubric on oral presentations.
Family tree/Genealogist assignment presentations.
Research historical event.
Power Point Presentation on historical event.
Novel Test
Formal Essays
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ISBN # 0-87120-313-8 (ppk)
6 comments:
Regina,
I think it's wonderful that you are trying to teach our students the importance of learning about our past. Being a history teacher, it is a constant struggle to get them to understand the significance. As we go through the year, I try to get them to see the impact that history has had on our very own lives. The majority begin to appreciate the story of our past.
Your activity of having them take on the role of historian or genealogist is amazing. It has them apply what they have learned. By giving them the hands on experience later on they will be able to transfer it into their own lives.
Journal writing is great for reflection but most of the time the only one that gets to read it is the teacher. I'm not sure if you have thought about it have their peers read and comment on their writing. I see that it is a 12th grade class. They may be mature enough and skilled to be able to do this sort of activity.
Regina,
Nicely done. Having them assume the role of geneologists hammers home the important points of the novel while making real world connections for them. Good essential questions as well.
Barry,
I am relieved you thought the essential questions were on point. For me, that was the most difficult aspect of this assignment. I can't wait to implement into my class.
Regina,
I love this lesson plan! I think students would gain a lot from it personally, and the connection to literature makes it even more worthwile.
My only question is how students who have been adopted would feel about in-depth assignments related to family history. I'd like to think that plenty of kids would feel extremely connected to their adopted families and would be eager to research their history, but I'd be afraid of upsetting anyone for whom this could be a sensitive subject.
Not trying to knock the assignment in the slightest because I honestly think it's excellent--just curious what your thoughts are regarding this aspect of it.
Jill,
I've thought a lot about that concept and I've figured that those students would study their adopted family's history. With planning lessons such as this there will be snags, even what some people would consider "offensive." However, the overall theme of the lesson is "how the past effects the present." It doesn't necessarily have to be their biological family that is researched. As long as they familiarize themselves with the concept and the importance of it.
Regina,
I like that way of looking at it! I think that line of logic would work perfectly in the unlikely event that kids or parents questioned anything since the objectives are sound and strong and clearly not meant to offend anyone :-)
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