High School to College and Career Transitions
Senior English Redesigned:
A 12th-grade English
Transitional Course
Southern
Regional
Education
Board
592 Tenth Street, N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 875-9211
www.sreb.org / Life Lessons
Unit Plan
1
Life Lessons Unit– Overview
Unit Plan Overview
Unit Title: Life LessonsCourse Name: Senior English Redesigned
Grade Level(s): 12
Unit Overview
Students will read selected poetry and prose with a focus on learning how to improve their own writing. They will use the writing process to produce a personal narrative essay that might also be used as a college application essay, and they will carry out research related to their post graduation plans which will be shared through a brochure. Students will also select a book to read and then discuss with a group in order to make connections to the essential questions of the unit.
Timeframe: 10 90-minute classes
Essential Questions: (Open-ended style which promote in-depth investigation)
1. What are the life lessons that have the most meaning for me?
2. How does the poet use language to tell the truth about his/her life experiences?
3. How can poetry inform and improve my prose?
4. What is the connection between life lessons and my personal goals?
SREB Readiness Indicators6. Identify the elements of texts and analyze the author’s development of them.
7. Compose writing that conveys a clear main point with logical support.
8. Edit and revise writing for the strongest effect.
10. Use research skills to locate, gather, evaluate, and organize information for different purposes.
State/Local Standards: Mississippi
Mississippi Standards:
2. The student will comprehend, respond to, interpret, or evaluate a variety of texts of increasing levels of difficulty.
§ The student will interpret textual evidence of details, organization, and language to predict, draw conclusions, or determine author’s purpose.
§ The student will analyze literary elements in multiple texts from a variety of genres to assess the effectiveness of patterns and connections in literary text and in informational texts.
3. The student will produce, analyze, or evaluate effective communication.
§ The student will use the writing process.
§ The student will compose a personal essay in the narrative mode.
§ The student will compose functional documents (e.g., college applications).
4. The student will use standard English grammar, mechanics, and sentence to communicate.
§ Verbs
§ Commas
§ Appropriate subordination or coordination
§ Concise wording
Acknowledgment(s): Broome High School and Elizabeth Bailey
1
Life Lessons Unit– Overview
Unit Plan Overview
Literacy Strategies / Habits of Success_X_ Admit/Exit slips
_X_ Graphic organizer
_X_ Know/Want to Know/Learn Chart (KWL)
_X_ Open-response questions
___ Two-column/Cornell notes
___ Re-telling
___ Reflection
___ Jigsaw reading
_X_ Peer Review
_X_ Peer Editing
___ Anticipation Guide
___ RAFT (Role/Audience/
Format/ Topic)
___ Summarization (GIST)
(Generating Interactions Between Schemata and Text)
___ Paired Reading
_X_ Other / 1. ___ Create Relationships
Teamwork/responsibility/effective communication
2. ___ Study, Manage Time, Organize
Organization/time management/study skills
3. ___ Improve Reading/Writing Skills
Use reading and writing to learn strategies
4. ___ Improve Mathematics Skills
Estimate/compute/solve/synthesize
5. _X_ Set Goals/Plan
Set goals/plan/monitor progress
6. _X_ Access Resources
Research/analyze/utilize
Assessments: Pre, Daily/Weekly and Post
Daily/Weekly: (Included on daily activities plans)
§ Quizzes (Attachments 33 and 34)
§ Writing Portfolio Checks (Attachment 35)
§ Book Plan and Reading Responses (Attachment 12)
§ Student and Teacher evaluation of book discussion (Attachment 28)
Post-assessment consists of two parts
1. Content-based (traditional paper and pencil test) test (Attachment 31)
2. Performance- or product-based
§ Portrait Poem Oral Presentation (Attachment 5)
§ Personal Essay (Attachment 19)
§ Post-Graduation Research Product (Attachment 25b)
1
Life Lessons Unit– Overview
Daily Activities Plan
Unit Title: Life Lessons
Day 1 of 10
SREB’s Readiness Indicator(s) for Daily Activities6. Identify the elements of texts and analyze the author’s development of them.
10. Use research skills to locate, gather, evaluate, and organize information for different purposes.
State/District Standard(s) for Daily Activities: Mississippi
2a. The student will interpret textual evidence of details, organization, and language to predict, draw conclusions, or determine author’s purpose.
2b. The student will analyze literary elements in multiple texts from a variety of genres to assess the effectiveness of patterns and connections in literary text and in informational texts.
Anticipated Times*
(90-minute Block Schedule) / Sequence of Instruction / Activities Checklist
10 minutes / Get Started
DOL:
§ Andy built a snowman and Jeff played with his dog.
§ Dan struggled with his homework so his father helped him.
(Answers to DOL in Notes each day)
Write the essential questions on the board or overhead. Ask volunteers to read them aloud. (Post these in the room for the duration of the unit.)
Admit Slip:
What are lessons for life? Where do we get the laws that we live by? / § Admit slip
§ Grammar editing exercise
§ Review essential questions
5 minutes / Engage
Share some of the admit slip responses.
Suggest that students “read” poetry almost more than any other genre because most of the music they listen to is poetry.
Ask them to brainstorm titles of the songs they listen to that have poetic lyrics. List on chart paper. / § Brainstorm
15 minutes / Explore
Play “Video” by India Arie.
Give students handouts of the lyrics of the song (Attachment 1) Lead whole group discussion:
§ Is this poetry? Why or why not?
§ What important life lesson has IA learned? / § Play audio
§ Discussion
5 minutes / Explain
Poets—and that includes song writers—work to choose the most exact words, the fewest words, the most perfect phrasing to express their feelings. We hear a song or a poem, and the first thing we do is experience the sound of the words. We can take a closer look to get inside the meaning of the words.
Distribute SALT charts (Attachment 2) and place one on the overhead.
Explain as follows:
This is a tool to help us understand the song or poem from the inside out.
S - speaker and subject
A - attitude (tone, mood)
L - language and literary devices that stand out
T - theme (meaning) / § Explain process
10 minutes / Practice Together
Complete the SALT chart on “Video” together.
Lead whole group discussion:
§ Who is the speaker?
§ What kind of person is she?
§ How do you know?
§ What is her attitude?
§ How do you know?
§ List the details that Arie includes about herself.
§ Discuss the implication of these details.
§ How do you feel about her? Why? / § Whole group graphic organizers
15 minutes / Practice in Teams/Groups/Buddy-pairs
Play “Perhaps Vampires Is a Bit Strong But...” by the Arctic Monkeys. Distribute lyrics handouts (Attachment 3)
Students will work in small group (3-4) to summarize and analyze the poem they choose from those read aloud. (Attachment 4) The groups will use SALT charts to analyze the poem. / § Practice active reading strategies
10 minutes / Practice Alone
Distribute the Self-Portrait Poem Project guide and rubric (Attachment 5). Answer questions about the project.
Refer again to the brainstormed list of songs for ideas. Teacher may also provide poetry books or online poetry sites such as.
1. http://www.favoritepoem.org/poems/index.html
2. http://poetry-portal.com/
Turn in selection for project on Day 2. / § Design individual investigation/project
15 minutes / Evaluate Understanding (Daily/Weekly/
Post-Assessment)
One paragraph response: Why do we need poetry and prose? Based on your experience with both, consider how the two genres are different and what each offers to you. / § Open-response question(s)
minutes / Closing Activities
Exit Slip:
Have your feelings about poetry changed since this class started? How have they changed? Why?
Homework:
Write a 1 page “Question Paper” (Directions in Attachment 6) on the topic “Graduation and Beyond”
Research in books and online to find your “portrait” poem. / § Assign/explain homework
§ Exit slip
5
Life Lessons Unit– Day 1
Daily Activities Plan
As Needed / Enrichment/Extension/Re-teaching/Accommodation(s)
Enrichment:
Have interested students find quotations that inspire them and represent a life lesson.
Extension:
Conduct a mini-lesson on commas if students struggle with the DOL.
Accommodation:
Offer tutoring for students who have difficulty with the assignments. / § Review
§ Tutoring
§ Individual assignment
Resources/Instructional Materials Needed
§ Attachments 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
§ Transparencies
§ Overhead Projector
§ Vis-à-vis markers
§ CDs of songs
§ CD player
§ Chart Paper
§ Markers
Notes
DOL Answers:
Andy built a snowman, and Jeff played with this dog. Dan struggled with his homework, so his father helped him.
Depending on the style guide your school uses, sentence one may not have a comma before the conjunction.
5
Life Lessons Unit– Day 1
Daily Activities Plan
Unit Title: Life Lessons
Day 2 of 10
SREB’s Readiness Indicator(s) for Daily Activities6. Identify the elements of texts and analyze the author’s development of them.
10. Use research skills to locate, gather, evaluate, and organize information for different purposes.
State/District Standard(s) for Daily Activities: Mississippi
2a. The student will interpret textual evidence of details, organization, and language to predict, draw conclusions, or determine author’s purpose.
2b. The student will analyze literary elements in multiple texts from a variety of genres to assess the effectiveness of patterns and connections in literary text and in informational texts.
4. The student will use standard English grammar, mechanics, and sentence to communicate: commas
Anticipated Times*
(90-minute Block Schedule) / Sequence of Instruction / Activities Checklist
10 minutes / Get Started
DOL:
Correct the following sentences:
§ When Sally called 911 the fireman rushed to her rescue.
§ Since it was raining we decided to go to the movies.
Respond to Exit Slips
Take up homework. (Read through students’ question papers and then return them to be placed in the working portfolio. Students should also turn in their “Portrait Poem” proposals. Look at these closely to be sure that appropriate choices are made. Return the proposal sheets with your OK or any feedback.) / § Grammar editing exercise
§ Respond to writing
5 minutes / Engage
Lead brief discussion on parental advice using questions such as: Do your parents give you advice? How do you feel about the advice? Do you take their advice? / § Discuss previous experiences
15 minutes / Explore
Brainstorm the things that parents give advice about (e.g., relationships, education, finances, work, character)
List the categories of advice on chart paper with room for specifics under each category.
Read “If” by Rudyard Kipling (Attachment 7)
Do SALT together on this poem.
Brainstorm the advice in the poem and list on chart paper under the category that seems appropriate.
Give students the “How Does the Poet Say It” chart. (Attachment 8) and instruct them to fill in the categories the class identified. / § Brainstorm
5 minutes / Explain
To help students understand the kinds of literary devices that poets use, give them a DIDLS chart. (Attachment 9). Use “If” to provide examples of details, imagery, diction, [figurative] language, and symbolism.
Say:
Let’s investigate other poems for advice from parents: / § Introduce graphic organizer
20 minutes / Practice in Teams/Groups/Buddy-pairs
Place students in small groups of 3-4 students. Give each group a “How Does the Poet Say It” chart on a transparency and assign each group one of the songs/poems in the poem packet (Attachments 10a, b, c, d):
“Just the Two of Us”
“Measure of a Man”
“I Hope You Dance”
“Advice to My Son”
§ Instruct the groups to read the poems aloud, SALT the poem they are assigned.
§ Make a list of the advice given.
§ Select their favorite phrases or lines and place these on the transparency chart along with their paraphrase of the poet’s words.
§ Ask them to discuss: What makes the poet’s words better than the paraphrase?
§ Share and add advice to chart. / § Practice Text Analysis strategy
10 minutes / Practice Alone
Write a letter to a younger person sharing the advice from the list that you feel is most important. Quote the poet/songwriter. Give the poet credit by stating the name of the poem and the name of the poet.
(Model – Attachment 11 )
Start in class and complete for homework. / § Draft writing
15 minutes / Explain
Give Book Talks on the following books which have themes about learning important lessons that help us know who we are:
- A Lesson Before Dying by Earnest Gaines
- The Color of Water by James McBride
- Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
(Have enough of each of the titles for about 1/3 of the class.)
Give students a chance to flip through the books, read the covers, etc. Based on book talks and flip-throughs, the students will select one of the books. / § Lecture with visuals
10 minutes / Closing Activities
Plan how you can read this book to be completed by Day 9. (Planning Chart Attachment 12)
Exit Slip:
Why did you choose this book? What lesson do you predict that the protagonist will learn? Who will he/she learn from? (Respond to these questions as the first journal entry for the reading log. This may be completed outside of class.)
Homework:
Complete the student questionnaire, a prewriting activity (Attachment 13) and bring it to class on
Day 4. / § Exit slip
As Needed / Enrichment/Extension/Re-teaching/
Accommodation(s)
Extension:
Have students mail letters to siblings or younger friends. These letters can be written to 9th graders.
Accommodation:
Mini-lessons on punctuating dependent phrases and clauses. Tutoring as needed / § Review
§ Tutoring
Resources/Instructional Materials Needed
Attachments 7, 8, 9, 10a-10d, 11, 12
§ Transparencies
§ Overhead Projector
§ Markers
Copies of the following books:
§ A Lesson Before Dying by Earnest Gaines
§ The Color of Water by James McBride
§ Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Notes
DOL Answers:
When Sally called 911, the fireman rushed to her rescue. Since it was raining, we decided to go to the movies.
8
Life Lessons Unit– Day 2
Daily Activities Plan