Narrative Courage Unit

Applicable Common Core State Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the
course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary
of the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the
action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone,
including analogies or allusions to other texts.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.5 Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the
differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.6 Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience
or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3a Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and
point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence
that unfolds naturally and logically.
o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3b Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing,
description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3c Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to
convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the
relationships among experiences and events.
o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3d Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details,
and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
o CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the
narrated experiences or events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization,
and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types
are defined in standards 13 above.)
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and
strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing
on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and
present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate
with others.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and
revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two).
Courage
Unit Plan

Day
Objectives
Common Core State
Standards
1
Read Raymonds Run by Toni Cade Bambara.
Discuss Hazel and Raymonds relationship.
Who had to be courageous in this story?
How?
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2
2
Read Stop the Sun by Gary Paulsen.
Discuss the dynamics between Terry and his father.
Ask higher level thinking question
How would you feel if you were in Terrys
Shoes?
How would the story be different if Terry
never questioned his father about Vietnam?
Why did some soldiers have Vietnam
syndrome but not all of them?
Where was the climax in this story?
3
Compare Raymonds Run and Stop the Sun
Pair and share
o List the courageous things that
happened in each
o Why was it important for the
characters to step out of their
comfort zone?
Think Like a writer
o What made these stories so
interesting?
o What did the authors do to pull the
reader in?
o Find the strong vocabulary in each.
4
Show short Youtube film: Ronans Escape
Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XLcfdkkHQE

Cut film short when Ronan is walking into the field.
This is a film about a boy who is bullied at school
and goes home to commit suicide, if you cut the film
short the students will not know that he dies.

Students will complete a worksheet while watching
the film. (Attached at the end of document)

Discuss questions on the worksheet. This will be a
powerful day in your service learning project.

Be sure to discuss how Ronans day would be
different if he had someone that would stand up for
him.

Discuss personal experiences. Depending on your
students it may be okay to go into deeper topics
such as suicide.

5
Warm-up: Discuss courageous people we have read
or talked about in class.

Quick Write: Give students time to write, explain
that it should be like a hot pencil time where they
write as much as they can in the time that they
have, however, they will have more time than they
typically have.

Topic: Write about a time you or someone you know
had to be courageous.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3a
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3b
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3c
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3d
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3e

Students will now begin writing a narrative story about a time someone had to be courageous. Refer
to the attached smarter balanced rubric to see what needs to be included.

6
ALWAYS MODEL EACH STEP FOR THE STUDENTS
Story Map: Look at prewriting from yesterday to
create a story map that shows in detail what goes
on in your story.

Character Personality Traits: Give all characters
names and write down a minimum of five adjectives
to describe them.

7
Character Analysis Sheet: Actions and Outcomes

Students will elaborate on their three events from
their story map. Students must include dialogue,
actions, and what decision was made based on the
action.

This will work as a more complete story outline.


8
Figurative Language Lesson (worksheet attached)
Introduce figurative language
Show examples that students will know
Put examples on the Elmo and have
students hold up hand to show which type
of figurative language is being used.
Discuss how they should use figurative
language in their narrative writing
8
Introduction:
Think like a writer:
look back at Stop the Sun and Raymonds
Run and analyze their introduction
Ask guiding questions to guide your
students in thinking like a writer.
o What should be included in a
introduction?
o What should an introduction
look/sound like?
o What shouldnt we do in an
introduction?

Take out ******* sheet to create an introduction:
Model the process, have *****sheet out,
and write your introduction, think out loud
so students can hear your thought process.
Use white boards to have students write the lead of
their introduction paragraph. Have students pair
and share to give each other advice. Teacher should
be walking around to give students feedback.

9
Self/peer edit and revise introduction.
Teacher collects to grade
10
Event one and two:
Model the process, have***** sheet out,
and write your event one. Think out loud so
students can hear your thought process.
Have students write their event one and
raise their hand so that the teacher can
check to make sure they are on the right
track

11
Self/peer edit and revise event one and two.
Teacher collects to grade
12
Event three:
Have students look through Stop the Sun to
find the Climax
Discuss the importance of setting the reader
up for the main part of the story
What did Gary Paulsen do to make you as a
reader excited about what was about to
happen?
The climax will be where main character
does something courageous.
Model writing the climax of your story with
the **** sheet out in front of you
Remind students to write in third person,
use dialogue, use strong vocabulary, and
add figurative language.

13 Self/peer edit and revise event 3. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.5

14
Conclusion:
Have student look back at the conclusion of
Raymonds Run
What should be included in a narrative
writing conclusion?
What should not be in your conclusion
when writing narrative pieces?

15
Self/peer edit and revise event 3.
Teacher collects event three and conclusion to
grade.
16
Students should have all of their drafts back by now.
Explain how the students were graded and
show example grade sheets
If students lost points or has an X on any of
the grammatical features they will know
they have to fix it for their final draft
Be sure to see the teacher if you have a See
Me note on your writing
Begin writing final rough draft with all issues
fixed

17
Publish Stories!
Students should already know that we will
be sharing these stories.
The students need to choose how they
would like to present their narrative writing
They can type it so that it is a professional
looking story.
They could make a picture book so that it is
more kid friendly for sharing with younger
students.

Allow 2 class periods to publish story
18
Service Learning- Share Stories
Class circle
Students will have the opportunity to share
their stories with classmates.
Once students have shared the stories with
members of their classroom they will have
an opportunity to share with younger
students

19
Share stories with sixth graders who may
feel pressured by other students
Students are aware that not everyone will
be able to share their story with younger
students, the students who followed the
guidelines and created a strong piece of
writing will have the opportunity to meet
with a student who could possibly need a
boost of courage
By sharing their stories with younger
students they will be able to discuss the fact
that there will be times in middle school and
in life that they will have to be courageous.
This will also promote positive relationships
across grades in our building.

Courage Essay Prewriting
Ronans Escape

1. Pretend that you go to school with Ronan. Describe Ronan. What does he look like?
What type of personality does he have? In general, what happens to him at school?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________

2. In detail describe one of the times Ronan was bullied, as if you were there.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Describe how Ronan being bullied made you feel. Explain how you stood up for Ronan while
he was being bullied.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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4. Describe the bullys reaction after you stood up for Ronan. Describe Ronans reaction.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________

5. Describe what school is like for Ronan now.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
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Applicable Common Core State Standards

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