Unit Plan Ideas

My unit plan is going to be for a sixth grade classroom. The standards that my unit is going to cover are: 6.7.3.3, which covers writing narratives and creative texts. The class is going to be reading A Raisin in the Sun. We are going to be analyzing this play in order to help students identify characters, setting, plot, and other elements that are present in narratives. Most of the focus of this unit plan is going to be the writing process and working with peers to review and edit their writing.

Each day we are going to focus on one element of narratives: characters, setting, plot. The plot is going to take a few days, because we are going to be examining each piece of the plot: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and solution. As students are writing and looking at each of these elements in A Raisin in the Sun, they will be writing their own and working together to help develop one another's writing.

The final part of this unit, I would like to incorporate students being able to publish their work online, possibly in a blog. I think I will have them create one at the beginning of the class. Also I want to include students typing their work on Google Docs, so when it comes time to revise, classmates and I will be able to edit online to make it more convenient.

Unit Plan - The Writing Process

The link below is a unit plan found on Teachers Net. It is the process of writing an essay. There are a total of nine steps and the author of the unit plan says it requires about 90 minutes per step.

http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1555.html

I think this would be a useful unit plan because each step is very detailed and says specifically what needs to happen at each step before proceeding onto the next. Each step builds on the next and eventually includes editing and peer reviewing. I think there could be an additional few steps that include brainstorming or letting students select their own topic for writing. This sounds as if the teacher only gives them three topics to select from. I would let students choose. I also like that students are given opportunities to discuss the topics and throw some ideas around before they begin the actual writing process. I would add handouts that guide students toward organizing their ideas before they write it out. Another handout I would include would be to writing thesis, topic sentences, etc.

Student Writing: Student to Student

I watched the video online regarding student writing and how to encourage positive peer review. This segment was very helpful and full of great ideas that I plan to incorporate into my classroom. The first teacher incorporated peer reviewing in groups of four with an adult who served as the facilitator and reporter. This helped the students stay on track. The method they followed used three steps. First students identify in the piece of writing what is working and how it is effective. It is important to start with positive feedback in order for the student to feel comfortable with being vulnerable in their writing and sharing it with their peers. Second the readers ask the author questions about the writing. It is important to ask questions, rather than just saying "I don't get it." With that type of response, it is easy for the author to feel trapped and not have the ability to move forward. The final step is where the author asks readers questions about the writing, maybe targeting areas they had trouble writing.

All the teachers made a point of using your own writing as an example and letting students practice giving proper feedback through your work. Modeling is very important.

Another method that I found very useful was called P.A.T.S. Praise; ask a question (clarify or expand); tell what stuck in your mind; suggest. I like this method as well because it tells the reviewer what needs to be addressed. I like seeing the teacher using their own pieces of writing, not as exemplars, but giving students the opportunity to review that work and practice before they begin working on their peers writing.

Extra Credit: American Born Chinese

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. United States: First Second, 2006.

Annotation: There are fables, really bad stereotypes and real life, when all of this combine for Jin, all hell breaks lose. It is his responsibility to make sure life is running smoothly and when he doesn't, he is made to answer to a higher power, the Monkey of Flower Fruit Mountain; and this monkey knows kung-fu.

Justification: When I began reading this book, I had no idea it was a graphic novel, and had no idea that I would love it! When I began reading it, I thought that I would not enjoy this format at all, but I was completely wrong. I like that Yang has three stories happening consecutively: there is the real Chinese boy, the stereotype Chinese man, and the Chinese fable of the Monkey. I love how each of the stories progress, and because of the graphic novel nature, it is very easy to read and follow along. The end was a little harder for me to understand, it might be difficult for me to understand because I am not a usual comic book reader. All three of the stories came together in the end, in order to teach a moral, but it was confusing to me how each of the was exactly related to one another. However, I liked how there was humor in the book, because you aren't able to accept yourself if you aren't willing to make a joke of yourself once in a while.

I would recommend this book, because it is a different read, and fun to look at! It has a great moral to the story, everything happens for a reason and be yourself and appreciate people for who they are.

Genre Category: Printz, Graphic Novel, Multi-Cultural

Extra Credit: Speak

Halse, Laurie Anderson. Speak. New York, New York: Penguin Group: 2001.

Annotation: Melinda doesn't speak. After she called the cops at a party, no one speaks to her either. She has become someone whom she doesn't even recognize herself, biting through her lip until it bleeds. The party changed her, she will never be the same. She can't trust anyone, but she begins to find refuge in Mr. Freeman, the crazy art teacher. He tells her to become the tree, and she does, and that is where she finds answers and the strength to carry on.

Justification for Nomination: At the beginning, I had a hard time relating to the main character, Melinda because of her pessimistic attitude. Everything was in her head, and to me, her feelings were not justified until the end when you find out the truth that she had been raped. There are signs and indicators to it, but she doesn't come out and say it until close to the end. Then when she comes out and says it, you are able to look back and come on a sort of journey with her, and see how she is growing and becoming a person that people want to be around. I found the teacher, Mr. Freeman a crucial part in this novel, because he makes Melinda identify with her feelings and makes her become the tree. Then at the end you are able to see the metaphor for her life and it's only the beginning of her life. It was hard to understand her attitude at first but then it becomes clear and the end, and the author makes you feel the emotions and fear that Melinda does. The book is great because it shows the struggle a lot of people have when it comes to sexual assault, but in the end it's telling people you need to speak up, be the hero and speak up for yourself, because if you don't, no one will on your behalf.

I recommend this because it shows that sexual assault of any sort, can easily happen to anyone, and it is important that we speak out about it. Sometimes it is hard to come out with the truth, but it is better than living with the hurt and pain; so speak out and you will be able to find people that care about you and will help you overcome this pain.

Genre Categories: Realistic/Edgy, Printz

Extra Credit: Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi

Chotjewitz, Daniel. Daniel Half Human and the Good Nazi. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2000.

Annotation: For Daniel, supporting Hitler seemed right, almost natural; until he found out he was half Jewish. He hated himself, and his family because they were Jewish and it was everything opposite he learned in school and everything he hated. His best friend was in the HJ, how could they be friends any longer? Who could he turn to, was there anyone left that he could trust with his secret, or would he be sent to a concentration camp like others in his family?

Justification for Nomination: Although this book is fiction, the author says it was based on things that did take place, but has been changed; while reading this book, I felt as if I were back in Nazi Germany. I felt the feelings that the main character Daniel felt when he was trying to keep his true identity hidden and then the relief and anger when it was revealed. There were parts of this book that I had a hard time keeping up with at the beginning, there were parts where it was present day, after the rise of Hitler, and the war, there were a few chapters that I had a hard time grasping on to. But these chapters began to become clearer and clearer as the book went on, and made more sense. This book is about finding truth and peace with who you are, even though it is extremely hard to do as a young adult. In this book Daniel struggles when he finds out who he really is, but finds out that some people do accept him no matter what. This book also highlights the prejudice that people faced, and their struggles just to be human, and live were so huge. There was another aspect of right and wrong that plays out throughout the entire book, and played a large part at the end of the book, that still leaves me a little puzzled as to how I feel about it; I'm not sure whether I thought it was right or wrong, I'm still thinking about it.

I would nominate this book because I feel that it is so much more than a young adult novel, it gives teens a deeper look into what life was life in Nazi Germany and creates feelings for those not present, which is all young adults. I think it is important for teens to see that there was life before cell phones and the internet.

Genre Category: Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, Realistic, Multi-Cultural

Extra Credit: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. New York, NY: Hatchett Book Group, 2009.

Annotation: Being a teenager is hard in any culture. Can you imagine growing up in two cultures, where you are hardly excepted in either, because you made the hardest decision of your life? Junior decided to leave the reservation to go to an all white school. Everyone hated him for it, including his best friend. Junior thought he had a lot to prove and he did. All while trying to grow up and find himself, he goes through so many tragedies that it's hard to imagine, but he continues to keep on and knows that something will eventually happen for him.

Justification: This is one of the best books that I've read in a very long time. The conversational tone of the author promotes an easy and engaging read. I enjoyed that the narrator shared his "drawings" to show his feelings and how he deals with life in general. It seems that his sharing his drawings and comic books, shows a piece of himself and shows that he is willing to be vulnerable in order to share his story, and I really appreciate it! The conversational tone also makes this book so much more relatable and emotional. It was hysterically funny in parts and extremely heart wrenching in others; which is real life, sometimes you just have to laugh or you'll never survive.

I absolutely nominate this book!! Reading this book has changed my first nominee (although I still love Looking for Alaska). Although there is heart break, there is so much learning and growing and laughter in this book, and it makes me think of my own life: there have been tragedies, but the only way to get through it, is to know who you are, appreciate the things you have, and lean on the people you love.

Genre Categories: Humor, Coming of Age, Multi-Cultural