Megan Davis

EDUC 3601 Curriculum and Instruction for English Majors

Dr. Leah Fowler and Dr. Robin Bright
Revised Unit Plan 27 April 2015

Unit Plan: Non-Fiction

Identification Information
Title: To Engage or Persuade? - Unveiling Non-Fiction Texts
Dates: Monday, March 9, 2015 to Thursday, April 2, 2015 16 Days
Teachers Name:
School: CHHS Crescent Heights High School, Medicine Hat, Alberta
Overview
This genre-based unit exposes Grade 11 students to a wide variety of Non-Fiction texts. The unit is
broken up into three subfields: personal essay, speech, and multi-media. This unit gives students the
opportunity to develop a personal philosophy through the form of a personal essay. Students will spend
time analysing other personal essays to identify strengths and weaknesses; students will then synthesize
these observations into their own personal essays. Secondly, this unit gives students the opportunity to
analyse speeches for context, purpose, audience, situation, and rhetorical devices. Students will be
encouraged to think deeply about rhetoric and explore rhetoric through the creation of their own speech.
Finally, this unit gives students the opportunity to apply rhetorical knowledge for the analysis of several
forms of multi-media. This unit encourages students to think critically about Non-Fiction texts and to
recognise the purpose behind and the rhetoric within written, oral, and multi-media forms of Non-Fiction.
Students will work closely with This I Believe essays inspired by the 1950s radio series hosted by
Edward R. Murrow. Student will work closely with several current, powerful speeches such as Emma
Watsons speech for the United Nations. Finally, students will work closely with multi-media sources such
as TED Talks, Newspaper Websites, Blogs, and other forms of social media.
Language Arts: Throughout the duration of this unit, students will engage heavily in all six strands of
language arts.
Reading
-Personal
Essays (Text)
-Speeches
(Text)
-Media Texts

Writing
-Personal
Essays
-Summaries
-Analysis
Graphic
Organisers
-Personal
Reflections

Listening
-Personal
Essays
(Readings
and Podcasts)
-Speeches
(YouTube)
-Media Texts
TED Talks
-Partner/Class
Discussion

Speaking
-Personal
Essays
(Optional
Presentation)
-Speech
Presentations
(Optional
Presentation)
-Partner/Class
Discussion

Viewing
-Mortified
Nation
Excerpts
(YouTube)
-Speeches
(YouTube)
-Media Texts
-TED Talks

Representing
-Personal
Essays
-Personal
Speeches
(Written and
Oral)

Rationale
This unit addresses the growing need for young people to view Non-Fictional sources through a
critical lens. The multi-media jungle of the modern world inundates students with thousands of messages;
this unit works to provide students with the tools to unveil these messages, to recognise the purpose
behind these messages, and the rhetorical tools used to engage/persuade the audience. These tools will
help students regain their intellectual autonomy in a busy and overwhelming world of information. I
designed this unit with the interests of the student in mind; I include relevant, up-to-date sources for
instruction and analysis, and I incorporate meaningful performance tasks where students are given the
opportunity to explore their own thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and express them through written and oral
forms. This unit will strengthen a students ability to critically approach and analyze all texts which will
transfer to all units of study in English Language Arts as well as other areas of study. The ability to
recognise purpose and rhetoric within texts is fundamental for agency within society.
The General Learning Outcomes this unit targets are:
GLO 1: Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences
GLO 2: Comprehend literature and other texts in oral, print, visual and multimedia forms, and
respond personally, critically, and creatively
GLO 4: Create oral, print, visual and multimedia texts, and enhance the clarity and artistry of
communication
I chose the This I Believe series to explore GLO 1 because of its modern and relevant popularity,
the ease of access for students, and the ability for students to choose their own essays to read and explore.
I chose the personal essay to target GLO 1 and GLO 4 to softly introduce students to a popular NonFiction form, to explore this form through creative personal experience, and to allow students to develop
their own personal philosophies. I chose current speeches such as Emma Watsons UN speech, TED
Talks, and other media sources to explore GLO 2 to familiarize students with inspiring, positive rolemodels while also providing students with the opportunity to choose relevant and exciting material to
reflect on personally, critically, and creatively. I chose the speech to target GLO 4 so students can explore
this powerful form through creative personal experience, and to allow students the opportunity to choose
an issue meaningful to them and to speak on this meaningful issue of choice.
Resources/Materials
Planning Resources:
Bridging English (5th Edition) by Joseph O. Milner, Lucy M. Milner, and Joan F. Mitchell
50 Instructional Routines to Develop Content Literacy (3rd Edition) by Douglas Fisher, William G. Brozo,
Nancy Frey, and Gay Ivey
Guide to Implementation Alberta Education http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/program/english/resources/ela-guide.aspx

Lesson Resources
Art and Copy Preview - http://www.artandcopyfilm.org/

Mortified Nation (Website) - http://mortifiednation.com/

Mortified Nation clip Teen Angst and Tupac (YouTube) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mnWYXi5_TKs
Recommended Viewing: Mortified Nation (Documentary) - Netflix
This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women edited by Jay Allison
and Dan Gediman
This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women edited by Jay
Allison and Dan Gediman
This I Believe: A Public Dialogue about Belief One Essay at a Time (Website) http://thisibelieve.org/

BlackPast.org (Website) - http://www.blackpast.org/classroom/rhetorical-analysis-compare-andcontrast-four-speeches-civil-rights

Emma Watsons UN Speech (YouTube) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-iFl4qhBsE
Full Transcript of Emma Watson's Speech on Gender Equality at the UN - Taken from:
http://sociology.about.com/od/Current-Events-in-Sociological-Context/fl/Full-Transcript-ofEmma-Watsons-Speech-on-Gender-Equality-at-the-UN.htm
Malala Yousafzai Addresses United Nations Youth Assembly (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rNhZu3ttIU
Malala Yousafzais speech at the Youth Takeover of the United Nations - Taken from:
https://secure.aworldatschool.org/page/content/the-text-of-malala-yousafzais-speech-at-the-unitednations/
Severn Suzuki Speaking at UN Earth Summit 1992 (YouTube) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=uZsDliXzyAY
Severn Suzukis Speech at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 1992 Taken from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
http://www.google.ca/url?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F
%2Fwww.achieve.org%2Ffiles%2FELAg11PersuasionArgument.docx&ei=LfDzVM2yLNelyAT_3ICQCw&usg=AFQjCNHYJYLO_fM7_qcI
P1dCh-YujZKUVg&bvm=bv.87269000,d.aWw
Why I Think This World Should End (YouTube) -https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=itvnQ2QB4yc
On Genres of Documentary Rhetoric http://www.criticalcommons.org/Members/ccManager/commentaries/on-genres-of-documentaryrhetoric
Born Into Brothels (Netflix)
Miss Representation (Netflix)
Video Games: The Movie (Netflix)

Help Im Alive Lyrics By Metric: http://www.metrolyrics.com/help-im-alive-lyricsmetric.html

Dont Stop Me Know Lyrics By Queen: http://www.metrolyrics.com/dont-stop-me-nowlyrics-queen.html

TED Talks Website: http://www.ted.com/ or

TEDx Teen Website: http://tedxteen.com/

Other Websites for Potential Multi-Media Sources:

Newspaper Websites:
The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/
The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
The Calgary Herald: http://calgaryherald.com/
The Lethbridge Herald: http://lethbridgeherald.com/
Medicine Hat News: http://medicinehatnews.com/
Magazine Websites:
List of Canadian Magazines (Wikipedia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_magazines
Macleans: http://www.macleans.ca/
The Walrus: http://thewalrus.ca/
Adbusters: https://www.adbusters.org/
Subterrain Magazine: http://www.subterrain.ca/
The Rolling Stone Magazine: http://www.rollingstone.com/
Under the Radar Magazine: http://www.undertheradarmag.com/
Multimedia Websites:
Ricker Mercer.com (Website) - http://www.rickmercer.com/
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (Website) - http://www.nbc.com/the-tonightshow/filters/jokes
Blogs:
Presentation Zen (Blog) - http://www.presentationzen.com/presentationzen/

Outcomes/Objectives/Goals

Specific Learning Outcomes for Assessment:

Skill Development Outcomes (30%):

2.2.2 g. Analyze persuasive techniques used in a variety of print and non-print texts

2.1.1 a. Describe the text creators purpose, and analyze target audience
2.2.2 a. Explain how rhetorical devices and stylistic techniques used in print and non-print texts create
clarity, coherence, and emphasis
2.2.2 b. Explain how various textual elements and stylistic techniques contribute to the creation of
atmosphere, tone and voice
2.2.2 f. Differentiate between effective and ineffective presentations, and analyze the differences

Summative Assignment Outcomes (60%):

4.1.3 a. Take ownership of text creation, by selecting or crafting a topic, concept or idea that is
personally meaningful and engaging
4.1.3 c. Establish a focus for text creation, and communicate scope by framing an effective controlling
idea or describing a strong unifying effect
4.1.3 e. Develop content to support a controlling idea or to produce a unifying effect
4.1.3 g. Incorporate effective examples from personal experience and/or from concepts and ideas from
exploration or 4.1.1 b. Identify purpose and target audience for text creation, and select strategies to
accomplish purpose and engage audience
4.2.1 b. Review the accuracy, specificity, precision, vividness and relevance of details, events, images,
facts or other data intended to support a controlling idea or to develop a unifying effect
Summative Assignment Reflection (10%):
4.1.1 b. Identify purpose and target audience for text creation, and select strategies to accomplish
purpose and engage audience

4.1.1 a. Reflect on the purposes for text creation and on own motives for selecting strategies to engage
an audience
2.2.2 f. Differentiate between effective and ineffective presentations, and analyze the differences

Goals
Students will understand:
Non-Fiction implicitly asserts a moral/ethical stance.
Authors of Non-Fiction use rhetorical devices to engage and/or persuade an audience.
The media is a powerful rhetorical tool with the potential for mass public persuasion.
Ultimately, it is my hope that from this unit, students will better recognise and understand the
persuasive nature of Non-Fiction. My hope is that students will understand the importance of developing a
personal philosophy and a critical eye to better navigate these texts.

Learning Activities and Instructional Strategies

March/April
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

9 Getting
to Know
Each Other
& Intro to
Portfolio

10 Intro to
Non-Fiction

11 Intro to
This I
Believe

12 This I
Believe
Analysis
Computer
Room

13 PD Day

14

15

16 Mrs.
Boyds
Project Day

17 Mrs.
Boyds
Project Day

18 This I
Believe
Writing
Class
Computer
Room

19 This I
Believe
Writing
Class

21

22

23 Intro to
Speech and
Rhetoric

24 Speech
Analysis
iPads in the
Library

25 Speech
Writing
Class
Computer
Room

26 Speech
Writing
Class

29

30 Work
Period

31
Documentary
Analysis

1 Media
Analysis
iPads in the
Library

2 TED Talk
Analysis
iPads in the
Learning
Lab

20 This I
Believe
Writing
Class
-SelfAssessment
*Optional
Peer
Assessment
Computer
Room
27 Speech
Writing
Class
-SelfAssessment
*Optional
Peer
Assessment
Computer
Room
3 Good
Friday No
School

28

Day 1: Getting to Know Each Other and Introduction to the Portfolio The first day of this unit will
be spent getting to know each other better. Throughout this unit, we will be exploring ourselves and our
personal beliefs and start expressing ourselves and our personal beliefs through written essays, speeches,
and class dialogue. In order to make the most of this opportunity, the class must feel safe with me and the
class environment. Today, I will establish my codes of conduct regarding cell phones and respect.
Activities: Connecting Stories Icebreaker, Student Interest Questions, 20 Questions (student question the
teacher). After these activities, I will introduce the Non-Fiction Portfolio so students are aware of the unit
assessment practices. I will explain to students why I chose the portfolio, the protocols surrounding the
portfolio, and how I will mark the portfolio. To close the class, I will introduce the students to the power
of non-fiction persuasion by showing the preview for the documentary Art and Copy. We will close
with brief written reflection answering the question: What are your thoughts on Non-Fiction? General
Learning Outcome 1.
Day 2: Introduction to Non-Fiction - Students will begin this unit by sharing previous knowledge about
Non-Fiction. As a group, we will brainstorm different types of Non-Fiction using Wordle. Wordle will
emphasize the most popular and least popular or most known and unknown forms of Non-Fiction. The
Wordle document will lend itself well to comparison later on in the unit. I will provide students with a
formative graphic organiser to record/organise terms, definitions, thoughts, and ideas (KWL chart
included). Students will fill out the K and the W section of the KWL chart. I will provide an introductory
PowerPoint presentation reviewing different types of Non-Fiction biography, autobiography, memoir,
letters, journals (Mortified Nation). Included in this presentation is a Mini-Memoir Challenge and a
Types of Essays Activity. Students will then write as many personal statement beliefs as they can in
their graphic organiser. To end the class, I will provide students with a unit outline/checklist and share my
goals for the unit. Focus: General Outcome 2.
The subsequent 5-6 days will tentatively follow the Unit Plan Based on This I Believe Essays
found on page 284 of Chapter 9 in Bridging English (5th Edition).
Day 3: Introduction to This I Believe Today, we will go outside to conduct the What Do You
Believe activity; this activity prompts students to think about their values and beliefs. Outside, we will
mark two ends of a continuum. One end will represent Agree and the other end will represent
Disagree. Students can stand in the middle to show varying strengths of opinions. After reading each
statement, I will allow for students to think about their stance then move to the position that reflects their
stance. Personal stories are encouraged to support their beliefs or ambiguities.
The Statements:
Life is fair.
What goes around comes around.
Love conquers all.
An eye for an eye
You cant depend on anyone else; you can depend only on yourself.

 There is one special person for everyone.

Money cant buy happiness.
Doing whats right means obeying the law.
After the activity outside, we will return to the classroom students will add to their personal belief
statements while the activity is still fresh in their minds. We will finish the PowerPoint presentation from
the previous day and review the different types of essays. I will introduce the personal essay and read
aloud a This I Believe essay Tony Hawks essay. I will introduce the This I Believe mini-theme and
the This I Believe website. I will explain that this essay allows for more creativity and informal
language than critical essays. Allow students time to ask/discuss any questions/concerns. For homework:
students will be encouraged to informally interview a family member or role model about significant life
experiences, believes, and opinions (sample interview questions in graphic organiser). General Learning
Outcome 1.
Day 4: This I Believe Essay Analysis For this class, students will peruse the This I Believe
website and read/listen to as many essays as they can to learn about different ways to approach the
assignment. Each student will receive a graphic organiser to summarise and reflect on the strengths and
weaknesses of two essays. At the end of this class, students will add to their personal belief statements and
brainstorm a potential topic for their own essay. Discuss writing rubric just in case they want to start
writing over the weekend. Focus: General Outcome 2.
Day 5: This I Believe Essay Writing Today, students will write their personal belief essays (500
words). For this assignment, I will introduce the essay outline and I will review the essay rubric. I will
encourage students to post their This I Believe thesis statements on the class Padlet page for myself and
other students to see. I will interact with individual students and evaluate the potential success of their
essay topics. If students are having trouble, I will refer students back to the This I Believe website or
help prompt ideas with inspirational quotes. ALL students MUST hand in what they have written at the
end of class for formative feedback from me. General Outcome 4.
Day 6: This I Believe Essay Writing In this class, we will review the strengths and weaknesses of
the essay we read online. We will identify important descriptor words of a good essay and post them to a
class Wordle. Students will continue to work on their essays today in class. Students who need help or
have questions can write their names on the board for a one-on-one meeting with me. General Outcome 4.
Day 7: This I Believe Essay Writing In this class, I will introduce self-assessment to the students.
All students must complete a self-assessment on their essay. There will be extra forms available for an
optional peer assessment. I will also hand out the This I Believe Essay Reflections to be completed for
the portfolio. The rest of the class will be given as a work period. Essays are due Monday for feedback or
to be handed in at the end of the unit in the portfolio. General Learning Outcome 4.
The subsequent 5 days will introduce students to speeches and rhetoric.
Day 8: Introduction to Speech and Rhetoric - This class will be informational. I will introduce the topic
of speeches. We will have a class discussion around speeches. Do students know of any famous speeches?

What reason do people write and deliver speeches? Can students give any examples? This will open up
discussion around contexts of speeches (for example, historical contexts). I will then move on to purpose,
audience, situation; I will discuss ethos, logos, pathos; I will also introduce rhetorical devices. The
activity in this class will be based around rhetorical devices (Jigsaw with I Have a Dream Speech).
Everyone will receive a copy of I Have a Dream. There will be 7 different centers with 7 different
rhetorical devices. Students will rotate through all rhetorical device centers and find at least one example
of each rhetorical device in their own copy of the speech. Focus: General Outcome 2.
Day 9: Speech Summary and Analysis We will begin this class with a formative pop-quiz on the
rhetorical devices we learned yesterday in class. I will then introduce the Speech Analysis assignment.
Students will choose one of three speeches (Emma Watson, Malala Yousafzai, or Severn Suzuki) to watch
- with a written copy also available. Students will summarize and analyse the speech for the context, the
purpose, the audience, the situation, and two rhetorical devices. The three groups will then meet as a class
and discuss the three issues represented in the speeches (Womens Rights, Freedom of Education, and
Environmental Stewardship). Students will then brainstorm topics for their own speech. Focus: General
Outcome 2.
Day 10: Speech Writing We still start todays class with a class discussion. I will have individuals
voluntarily summarize their speech for the class and contribute to the discussion with personal thoughts if they would recommend the speech and why or why not. Students will take what they a have learned
about persuasive writing context, purpose, audience, situation, and rhetorical devices and apply this
knowledge in a short speech (500 words) on a topic of their own choosing. I will introduce the speech
outline. In their speech, students must explicitly state the context, purpose, audience, situation, and two
rhetorical devices used. I will then hand out a list of social issues for students to brainstorm a social issue
they could write a speech on. Students will be given a formative brainstorming handout to outline their
speeches. General Outcome 4.
Day 11: Speech Writing I will start todays class by showing the YouTube video Why I Think the
World Should End. We will watch it once and then we will watch a second time to attempt to identify as
many rhetorical devices as we can. After the second viewing of the video, we will have a class discussion
on the rhetorical devices we identified. After this lesson, students will continue their work on their
speeches. General Outcome 2 and 4.
Day 12: Speech Writing - In this class, students will conduct a self-assessment on their speech. There
will be extra forms available for an optional peer assessment. I will also hand out the Speech Reflections
to be completed for the portfolio. The rest of the class will be given as a work period. Speeches are due
Monday for feedback or to be handed in at the end of the unit in the portfolio. General Learning Outcome
4.
Day 13: Work Period Today, I will review the portfolio outline and requirements, and give the students
the period to organise their portfolios and complete any unfinished assignments.

Day 14: Documentary Analysis I will begin todays class by reviewing ethos, logos, and pathos. I will
then introduce the students to recognising rhetoric in documentaries by looking at The Inconvenient
Truth. We will then have a class discussion and answer the question: What are some ways
documentaries persuade audiences? We will then review the documentary notes as a class (1 copy for
each group). I will have each student create an analysis chart, then we will watch the first two minutes of
three documentaries (Born Into Brothels, MISS Representation, and Video Games: The Movie) and
analyse visuals, sound, and editing. I will make sure to point out the songs used for MISS Representation
(Help Im Alive Metric) and for Video Games: The Movie (Dont Stop Me Now Queen). General
Learning Outcome 2.
Day 15: Media Analysis - For this assignment, students will visit different media centers in the library to
analyze different types of media (Newspaper, Magazines, Websites). This assignment will encourage the
students to quickly pull out essential elements (topic, context, purpose, audience, situation, rhetorical
strategies) from several different media forms. This assignment will exemplify knowledge learned
throughout the unit. General Outcome 2.
Day 16: TED Talk Summary and Analysis I will begin class by introducing students to the TED
website. I will show them where to find talks of interest. Using iPads, students will watch a TED Talk of
choice, summarize the talk, and explain how various stylistic techniques contribute to the creation of
atmosphere, tone and voice. This is additional practice at explaining how rhetorical devices and stylistic
techniques used in speech create clarity, coherence, and emphasis. Focus: General Outcome 2.
***Complete Portfolios due after Easter Break***

Assessment and Evaluation Plan

Stage 1 Desired Results
Established Goals:
GLO 1: Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences
GLO 2: Comprehend literature and other texts in oral, print, visual and multimedia forms, and respond
personally, critically and creatively
GLO 4: Create oral, print, visual and multimedia texts, and enhance the clarity and artistry of
communication
Understandings:

Essential Questions:

Students will understand that

Non-Fiction implicitly asserts a

moral/ethical stance
Authors of Non-Fiction use rhetorical
devices to engage and/or persuade an
audience
The media is a powerful rhetorical tool
with the potential for mass public
persuasion

Is Non-Fiction fact or opinion?

Is rhetoric good or bad?
How is social media (Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram) used to persuade?

Students will know:

Students will be able to do

2.2.2 g. Analyze persuasive techniques used in a

variety of print and non-print texts

Organize knowledge, thoughts, and ideas in a graphic

organizer

2.1.1 a. Describe the text creators purpose, and

analyze target audience

Summarize personal essays, speeches, talks, and other

media forms

2.2.2 a. Explain how rhetorical devices and

stylistic techniques used in print and non-print
texts create clarity, coherence, and emphasis

Analyze personal essays for strengths and weaknesses

2.2.2 b. Explain how various textual elements

and stylistic techniques contribute to the
creation of atmosphere, tone and voice

Evaluate personal essays through peer and selfassessment

2.2.2 f. Differentiate between effective and

ineffective presentations, and analyze the

Synthesize understanding of a strong personal essay and

differences

create ones own personal essay

4.1.3 a. Take ownership of text creation, by

selecting or crafting a topic, concept or idea that
is personally meaningful and engaging

Deconstruct speeches for context, purpose, audience, and

situation

4.1.3 c. Establish a focus for text creation, and

communicate scope by framing an effective
controlling idea or describing a strong unifying
effect

Synthesize understanding of a strong speech and

construct ones own paying special attention to context,
purpose, audience, and situation

4.1.3 e. Develop content to support a controlling Present a speech

idea or to produce a unifying effect
4.1.3 g. Incorporate effective examples from
personal experience and/or from concepts and
ideas from exploration

Evaluate TED Talks and other forms of Media for

context, purpose, audience, and situation

4.1.1 b. Identify purpose and target audience for

text creation, and select strategies to accomplish
purpose and engage audience
4.2.1 b. Review the accuracy, specificity,
precision, vividness and relevance of details,
events, images, facts or other data intended to
support a controlling idea or to develop a
unifying effect
4.1.1 a. Reflect on the purposes for text creation
and on own motives for selecting strategies to
engage an audience
PORTFOLIO
Summative
Learning
Outcomes

(30% Skill Development/60% Summative Assignment/10%

Reflection)
Title

2.2.2 g. Analyze
persuasive techniques
used in a variety of print
and non-print texts

Speech Analysis or
Media Analysis or
TED Talk Analysis

This I Believe
Essay or
Personal Speech

Essay Reflection
or Speech
Reflection

2.1.1 a. Describe the text

creators purpose, and
analyze target audience

2.2.2 a. Explain how

rhetorical devices and
stylistic techniques used
in print and non-print
texts create clarity,
coherence, and emphasis

2.2.2 b. Explain how

various textual elements
and stylistic techniques
contribute to the creation
of atmosphere, tone and
voice

2.2.2 f. Differentiate
between effective and
ineffective presentations,
and analyze the
differences

4.1.3 a. Take ownership

of text creation, by
selecting or crafting a
topic, concept or idea that
is personally meaningful
and engaging

4.1.3 c. Establish a focus

for text creation, and
communicate scope by
framing an effective
controlling idea or
describing a strong
unifying effect

4.1.3 e. Develop content

to support a controlling
idea or to produce a
unifying effect

4.1.1 b. Identify purpose

and target audience for
text creation, and select
strategies to accomplish
purpose and engage
audience or 4.1.1 b.
Identify purpose and
target audience for text
creation, and select
strategies to accomplish
purpose and engage
audience

4.2.1 b. Review the

accuracy, specificity,
precision, vividness and
relevance of details,
events, images, facts or
other data intended to
support a controlling idea
or to develop a unifying
effect

4.1.1 a. Reflect on the

purposes for text creation
and on own motives for
selecting strategies to
engage an audience

*Pre-assessment will occur at the beginning of each sub-section of the unit This I Believe, Speech, &
TED Talks/Newspaper/Media. I will lead pre-assessment by asking focused essential questions and
allowing for student reflection/discussion. Strategies I will include are: Think-Pair-Share and Class
Discussion. Technologies I will use are Wordle and Padlet.
*Additional formative assessments include:

An Ongoing Graphic Organizer

This I Believe Analysis
Peer and Self- Evaluation for the This I Believe Essay
I Have a Dream Analysis
Personal Speech Outline
Peer and Self Evaluation for the Personal Speech

***I will provide thorough written feedback on all of these formative assignments

Assessment Tool Overview

Brief Description

Assessmen
t FOR
Learning

Portfolio

The portfolio is an all-encompassing tool that will allow for student autonomy
in selecting which assignments they wish to provide for summative assessment.
The portfolio will require students to finish all assignments before assessment,
but students will be able to self-select which assignments they feel best meet
curriculum outcomes. The portfolio provides students increased autonomy and
illustrates clear progress for students, teachers, and parents.

Ongoing Graphic
Organizer and Checklist

This tool is an ongoing graphic organizer with a KWL Chart, a Types

of Non-Fiction Note-Taking Area, and Scaffolding for Unit Subfields
(Personal Philosophy Statements and Speech Development). This is
a space for students to develop their knowledge base, personal beliefs,
and ideas. This formative tool will encourage and illustrate learning and
progress for the student. It also acts as a reference guide throughout the
unit.

This I Believe Essay

Summaries and
Reflection

Using iPads, students will read, summarize, and reflect on the strengths
and weaknesses of at least two This I Believe essays of choice. This
tool illustrates student knowledge of what makes a good essay and
prepares the student to write their own essay. Exposure to other essays
and reflection will guide student writing and help students develop their
own personal philosophies.

Peer and Self Evaluation

A peer and self-evaluation rating scale will be provided for each student.
Exposure to other students papers will deepen each students
understanding of the assignment, broaden approach ideas, and illuminate
any changes that need to be made in the personal essay. Peer and selfevaluations will also be conducted for the speeches.

This I Believe Essay

with a Reflection

The self-reflective nature of this essay accompanied with the explicit

assignment reflection largely guides the student to recognize what he/she
learned about his/herself and essay writing. The evolution of the writing
process with a finished product is a mini-portfolio for the
teacher/student/parent to recognize learning.

Assessment Tool

Speech Analysis

Using iPads, students will choose one speech to watch (YouTube) with a
written copy also available for close analysis. The purpose of this
assignment is to assess if students recognize the influence of context on a
speaker, the purpose, the audience, and the situation. This assignment
will also illustrate if students recognize and understand the impact of
rhetorical devices on language.

Speech with a Reflection

Students will take what they a have learned about persuasive writing
context, purpose, audience, situation, and rhetorical devices and apply
this knowledge in a short speech on a topic of their own choosing. In the
speech, the student must explicitly state the context, purpose, audience,
situation, and two rhetorical devices used. The results of this speech will
be a good indicator of student understanding and allow for necessary
changes to be made for the upcoming analysis assignments. Students will
reflect on their learning and state strengths/weaknesses regarding
rhetoric.

Media Analysis

For this assignment, students will visit different media centers in the
class to analyze different types of media. This assignment will encourage
the students to quickly pull out essential elements (topic, context,
purpose, audience, situation, rhetorical strategies) from several different
media forms. This assignment will exemplify knowledge learned
throughout the unit.

TED Talk Analysis

Using iPads, students will watch a TED Talk of choice, summarize the
talk and explain how various stylistic techniques contribute to the
creation of atmosphere, tone and voice. This additional practice at
explaining how rhetorical devices and stylistic techniques used in speech
create clarity, coherence, and emphasis, provides the teacher with a better
understanding of how well students understand the material. With this
assignment, progress can be illustrated to parents, etc.

Extension Enrichment/Special Considerations/Differentiated Instruction

I designed this unit with student engagement as the focus. I chose relevant resources and
incorporated all six strands of English Language Arts. The formative ongoing graphic organiser
is a visual tool to help each student record, organise, and develop knowledge, thoughts, and
ideas. Although this tool will be helpful for all students, this tool will be especially helpful for
students with exceptionalities. I will also provide each student with a calendar checklist for
similar purposes. Organisational tools are extremely beneficial for students with exceptionalities.
I designed all of the analysis assignments so that each student could peruse websites at
their own pace and choose their own videos/resources for analysis. The analysis assignments are
designed so that each student can enter into the assignment at their own level. Short answer
questions allow for students to express their thoughts and ideas in individual ways. With short
answer questions, I can see different levels of critical thought and gauge if the outcomes are met
through these individual responses. Once the analysis assignment is complete, students will be
encouraged to continue reading/watching relevant resources for continued learning. Gifted
students will not be given extra work, but will be able to continue to explore
essays/podcasts/videos of interest for pleasure.
The larger performance tasks are equally open to interpretation. Students are given the
opportunity to choose their own topic for their speech. There is one student in this class with an
exceptionality; he needs isolation during testing, so I will organise for him to write his test in
such an environment.
This unit plan incorporates a variety of individual and collaborative formative activities
during instruction that will include all learners. Extra resources (notes) will be available for all
students during lessons. I will make my slide show presentations/notes/assessment tools
available for all students on the class website.
Connections to Other Areas of Curriculum and/or Other Language Units
The next unit I will teach for this class of students is Poetry. I wish to incorporate slam
poetry into the Poetry unit. The Non-Fiction unit scaffolds perfectly for a slam-poetry
performance task. In order to feel confident writing position poetry, one must have a personal
philosophy and be conscious of issues that are meaningful to the self. The This I Believe essay
develops a stronger personal philosophy and the speech illuminates issues each student may be
passionate about. I also scaffold for presentations in front of the class. For the personal essays
and speeches, student may present their paper if they wish. For the slam poetry presentation,
these students will be more confident and better prepared for the task at hand. Chances are they
will enjoy the experience more as well.
English Language Arts is closely tied with Social Studies; this unit explores speech which
has many strong ties with pivotal historical moments and politics. This unit also explores media
and subsequently current events, which is another connection to social studies.
I will use many forms of technology throughout this unit: Wordle, Poll Everywhere,
SMART Board, PowerPoint Presentations, iPads, and Computers. This unit meets all of the ICT

outcomes outlined in the Alberta Education Program of Studies for Division IV http://education.alberta.ca/media/453069/pofs.pdf. This unit incorporates technology in practical
and meaningful ways and encourages students to explore and analyse multimedia texts.
This unit will also meet several 21st Century Student Learner Outcomes. There are four
outcomes for the 21st Century Learner:
1. Core Subjects (the 3 Rs) and 21st Century Themes
2. Learning and Innovation Skills
Creativity and Innovation
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Communication and Collaboration
3. Information, Media and Technology Skills
Information Literacy
Media Literacy
ICT Literacy
4. Life and Career Skills
This unit especially focuses on Outcome 3 and 4. Students will directly develop information,
media, and ICT literacy through the analysis assignments. The understandings students will
develop throughout this unit also apply directly to life and career skills.
Plan for Accompanying Bulletin Board Display
If I have bulletin board space available, I will have an ongoing collaborative board where
students can post personal belief statements on post-its. This will help other students develop
their own personal belief statements.

Reflection: Pre-Practicum and Post-Practicum

I have spent a lot of time planning for this unit, so I truly hope everything goes to plan
BUT I am not nave; I understand that anything could happen at a moments notice. One major
concern is timing. With my lack of teaching experience, I am unsure if the amount of time I have
given the students for assignments/performance tasks/tests is enough. I adjusted my timing
throughout the unit. I gave student three full days to write their essays and their speeches. I also
incorporated a work period day where students could catch-up on any assignments they needed
more time on. This class also gave students the opportunity to organise their portfolios. I am also
wondering if I am being too ambitious with my mini-themes (personal essay writing/rhetoric and
speech writing/media analysis). It is better to have too much than not enough though, and I can
always drop tasks if necessary (as long as I dont accidentally drop a summative task!). The
mini-themes ended up working out well for students. The students greatly enjoyed the This I
Believe mini-unit. The Speech mini-unit was less popular, but students enjoyed learning about
rhetoric. Some students would have preferred more time learning about rhetorical devices. I like
the mini-units because it kept the unit interesting; student did not get bored during this unit.
With the incorporation/dependence on technology for several of my assignments, I
should develop a back-up plan just in case the technology is not available or if the technology
fails to work. Overall, technology was not a problem throughout the unit. There were several
different technology venues at my school the library (iPads, Chrome-Books) and the English
Lab. Everything worked out well. Another concern I have is about assessment. I am concerned
about how I will manage to catch students up if they miss several classes (welcome to the world
of teaching I guess). I am so thankful I went with the portfolio for this unit. It turns out there
were several students missing the week before Easter on school-organised trips there were
three international trips. The portfolio allowed me to sign off on assignments that missing
students were not required to do. Luckily, I had several assignments assessing the same
outcomes, so as longs as missing students completed one assignment from each category, I could
assess them. The students who were away were required to complete all assignments except for
the two analysis assignments in the last week; this meant that missing students had only the
Speech Analysis for assessment in the skill development category. Overall, I feel very confident
with my plan, which wasnt the case only a few short days ago. I was nervous to take on a NonFiction unit, but now that I have invested so much time and effort into the plan, I am ready to test
it out. Overall, I am very happy with this unit. I am very happy I was able to incorporate a
Documentary Analysis lesson. This was the highlight for me and the students did very well on
their formative analysis chart. If I were to make any changes to this unit, I would incorporate
Advertisement Analysis and spend more time reviewing rhetorical devices in speeches and in the
media. The students were the most excited about the This I Believe mini-unit; many students
chose the essay for assessment and everyone did exceptionally well on this essay.
I think the students will enjoy the resources I incorporated into the plan. I worked hard to
choose modern, relevant texts, and to access these texts using the available technology. I also
make use of the computer room and the learning lab in this unit (a room with white boards,
tables, bean bag chairs, etc.). I am hoping the change of scenery will be fun for the class.

My approach to unit planning for this unit evolved in unexpected ways. I decided it
would be easiest to begin with the assessment tools, but I very quickly understood it would be
difficult to choose assessment tools without a better grasp on class activities. After much trial and
error, I think I have discovered my preferred strategy for unit planning. Choose a theme, plan
activities around this theme, decide which activities are formative and which are summative,
decide on grade values, create the activities (align these activities with outcomes), fill out the
assessment graphic organiser, build individual lesson plans. DONE! Even though I had a
complete unit plan ready before practicum, the unit still changed as I taught it. Studentunderstanding and interests greatly impacted how I conducted my lessons, the content of my
lessons, and the time given for assignments.
Overall, I am extremely happy with this unit. The students enjoyed it and found it very
valuable. The students commented on how much they enjoyed being able to choose their own
topics for their essays and speeches and how much they enjoyed choosing which assignments I
would assess at the end of the unit. I am very happy with my portfolio approach to assessment
and would deliver a unit in this fashion again.

LESSON PLANS: (FIRST FOUR OF THE UNIT)

Lesson

Day 1: Introductions and Intro to

Date

9 March 2015

Title/Focus

Portfolio

Subject/Grad
e Level
Unit

English 20-1

Time
Duratio
n

83 Minutes (15
Minutes of Free
Reading)

To Engage or Persuade - Unveiling NonFiction Texts

Teacher

Miss Davis

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes
:
Specific
Learning
Outcomes
:

GLO 1: Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences.

GLO 3: Manage ideas and information

1.1.1 Form tentative understandings, interpretations, and positions

3.2.1 Select, record and organize information
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Understand the purpose of a portfolio

Understand how to use a portfolio
Understand my assessment strategies and the portfolio rubric
Assess personal understandings of media/advertising/Non-Fiction.
ASSESSMENTS

Observations:

Key Questions:

Products/Performa
nces:

Observe the level of confusion within the class continually ask

students if further clarification is needed
Do the students understand the purpose of the portfolio?
Do the students understand how to use the portfolio?
Do the students understand the assessment strategies and the
portfolio rubric?
What are the students individual understandings of
media/advertising/Non-Fiction?
A started portfolio

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Worksheets
SMART Board/Projector

Connecting Stories Icebreaker:

http://www.icebreakers.ws/smallgroup/connecting-stories.html
Art & Copy Preview:
http://www.artandcopyfilm.org/

PROCEDURE
Prior to lesson/
Advance
Organizer/Agenda

Print: 1) Student Interest Questions 2) Student Calendar 3) Portfolio

Outline 4) Portfolio Rubric
Prepare Portfolios
Introduction

Expectations for
Learning and
Behavior
Introductions:

Time

Cell phones: Face down on the top corner of student

desks
5 Minutes
Remind students of the importance of respect
within the classroom during discussion/activities
Connecting Stories Icebreaker: This is a fun get-to-know
you game that is all about finding common
experiences/themes between people. The first person
begins by sharing an interesting memory or experience that
they have. The next person can tell a related story that has
any similar themes or elements to the previous story.
30
Student Interest Questions: Have students fill out the
Minutes
student interest questions so I can get to know them better.
20 Questions: Allow the students the opportunity to ask
questions about me so they know who I am. I will make it
clear I can pass on any questions I dont feel are
appropriate.

Assessment of
Prior Knowledge
Transition to Body

Have any of you ever built a portfolio in a class before?

We are going to use a portfolio for this unit; I will explain
to you the purpose for using a portfolio, how to use a
portfolio, and how I will mark the portfolio at the end of
the unit.
Body

Learning Activity

Portfolios: Pass out the portfolios. Explain that the

Time
15

#1

portfolios will stay in the classroom so I can provide

feedback on assignments. Hand out the Calendar/Checklist
(explain all assignments must be completed before I will
mark the portfolio). Encourage students to number
handouts so they are in the proper order in the portfolio
(organization is key!). Hand out the portfolio outline and
explain. Hand out the portfolio rubric and explain. Ask
students if there are any questions.

Assessments/
Differentiation:

Assessment: Questioning Do the students understand?

Learning Activity
#2

Art & Copy: Introduce the theme of the unit with this
video clip. Explain that this is a highly recommended
documentary about creativity and persuasion in
advertising/media. Discuss quotes from the video clip:
[Advertising] changes the perception of everything, You
can manufacture any feeling you want to manufacture,
I think many times what [consumers] think they are
buying is what they wish their lives would be. Are
advertisements statements? Are advertisements
persuading consumers? How do they persuade
consumers? Explain, in order to navigate persuasive NonFiction, one must recognize persuasive Non-Fiction so
we will learn about different types of Non-Fiction. One
must also develop a strong personal philosophy to hold fast
in such a media-crazy, persuasive environment. Over the
next week we will develop personal philosophies before
navigating persuasive Non-Fiction.

Assessments/
Differentiation

Differentiation: The portfolio is an effective tool for student

differentiation.

10
Minutes

Assessment: Group discussion.

Differentiation: Student can scribble down
thoughts/idea/questions on a piece of paper and add it to
the portfolio (Optional)
Closure

Assessment of
Learning:

Minutes

Observation/questioning throughout the lesson

Time

Feedback From
Students:

Ask the students how they feel about starting this unit.
Thumbs up/down.

Feedback To
Students

Indicate to students that I will give regular feedback on

assignments within the portfolio.

Transition To Next
Lesson

Tomorrow we will learn more about specific types of NonFiction.

Sponge
Activity/Activities

Set goals for the unit.

Reflections from
the lesson

Todays class was awesome! The students were highly engaged and I
am looking forward to working with them more! I am very happy I
spent the majority of class time getting to know the students. Several
different activities kept things exciting and helped students gradually
warm up enough to speak/share/discuss. I am very pleased with the
student interest questionnaire! This was a helpful/interesting tool that I
will use again! The students were receptive to the portfolio and
listened well during the instruction. The video was highly interesting
for students and piqued a lot of great discussion. I did not have enough
activities to fill the class time oops so I had to make use of my
sponge activity! I had students reflect on their feelings around NonFiction texts and set two goals for the unit! These comments were
highly beneficial and will impact my teaching for the next lesson!

Lesson
Title/Focus

Day 2: Introduction to Non-Fiction

Unit

Date

10
Seconds

10 March 2015

Subject/Grad
e Level
Unit

English 20-1

Time
Duratio
n

83 Minutes (15
Minutes of Free
Reading)

To Engage or Persuade? - Unveiling

Non-Fiction Texts

Teacher

Miss Davis

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes
:
Specific
Learning
Outcomes
:

GLO 1: Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences

GLO 2: Comprehend literature and other texts in oral, print, visual and
multimedia forms, and respond personally, critically, and creatively
1.1.1 Form tentative understandings, interpretations and positions
2.1.3 Engage prior knowledge: a. Reflect on and describe strategies used to
engage prior knowledge as a means of assisting comprehension of new texts;
and select, monitor and modify strategies as needed.
2.1.3 Engage prior knowledge: b. Assess personal expectations for texts to be
studied in light of prior experiences with and observations about similar
contexts, content and text forms.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will:
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Engage prior knowledge on Non-Fiction

Indicate what they wish to learn about Non-Fiction
Contribute ideas to a class Wordle
Engage in and contribute thoughts during PowerPoint presentation
Reflect on and begin to articulate personal beliefs in writing
ASSESSMENTS

Observations:

Key Questions:

I will observe completion level of the KW on the KWL charts

I will observe texting participation for the class Wordle
I will observe student engagement during PowerPoint
I will observe completion level of Personal Statement Beliefs in the
Graphic Organizer
What do students already know/think/feel about Non-Fiction?
What do students want to know about Non-Fiction?
What do students believe?
How can students use Non-Fiction forms to express their

personal philosophies?
Products/Performa Complete KW of the KWL chart
nces:
Complete class Wordle
Semi-complete Personal Belief Statements
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
Bridging English (5th Edition) by Joseph O.
Milner, Lucy M. Milner, and Joan F.
Mitchell

Graphic Organizer
Cell Phones & Wordle
PowerPoint & SMART Board/Projector

Poll Everywhere http://www.polleverywhere.com/

Mini-Memoirs: Your Life in Six Words http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/SixWord-Memoirs-O-Magazine-MiniMemoirs
Types of Essays: End of Confusion http://www.time4writing.com/writingresources/types-of-essays/
What is a Personal Essay? https://davehood59.wordpress.com/2010
/05/02/what-is-a-personal-essay/
Mortified Nation (Website) http://mortifiednation.com/
Mortified Nation clip Teen Angst and Tupac
(YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mnWYXi5_TKs
Mortified Nation (Documentary) Netflix
(Recommended)
This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of
Remarkable Men and Women edited by
Jay Allison and Dan Gediman
This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies
of Remarkable Men and Women edited
by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman
PROCEDURE
Prior to lesson/
Advance
Organizer/Agenda

Prepare/Print Graphic Organizers

Prepare Wordle document
Prepare PowerPoint Presentation

Select an appropriate This I Believe essay

Prepare/Print Unit Outlines/Checklist
Introduction
Expectations for
Learning and
Behavior

Attention Grabber

Assessment of
Prior Knowledge

Transition to Body

Cell phones: Face down on the top corner of student

desks
Remind students of the importance of respect
5 Minutes
within the classroom and during
discussion/activities
5 Minutes to Discuss the Previous Days
Reflections
Class Wordle - As a class, we will brainstorm different
types of Non-Fiction using Wordle. This tool will include
all students and emphasize the most popular Non-Fiction
10
forms and the least popular Non-Fiction Forms. This
Minutes
document will be saved and re-assessed at the end of the
unit.
KWL Chart - Pass out the graphic organizer and explain
to students what it is, how they should use it, and why they
should use it. Tell students the graphic organizer is a
formative assignment but I will sign off on the organizer at
the end of the unit. Students need to indicate to me how
they used it and illustrate progress in learning. Have
student fill out the K section of the KWL chart in the
graphic organizer

5 Minutes

Have students fill out the W section of the KWL chart

Body

Learning Activity
#1

Time

PowerPoint Presentation I will provide an introductory

slide-show presentation reviewing different types of NonFiction autobiography, memoir, letters, journals
(Mortified Nation). I will reassure students I will not expect
them to read aloud from their personal journals in class ;)
We will speak about how intimate Non-Fiction can be and
the personal benefits of sharing ones
thoughts/ideas/beliefs/experiences. I will then transition
into essays and discuss the different types of essays.
Finally, I will introduce the personal essay. We will
readdress the intimacy of personal essays. I will deepen

Time
40
Minutes

student understanding of this form by reading aloud a This

I Believe essay.
Assessments/
Differentiation

All students will be encouraged to speak/ask

questions/share throughout the lesson. If students have
thoughts and are too shy to share, they are welcome write
these ideas down in their graphic organizer in the Daily
Notes/Thoughts/Questions section. This way, students can
ponder these questions and come back to them later
throughout the unit. Perhaps the student will gain the
confidence to examine this question later in the unit or
perhaps they will show me the questions and speak with me
on an individual level for more insight.

Learning Activity
#2

Personal Belief Statements - Students will then write as

many personal statement beliefs as they can in their graphic
organizer. To end the class, I will provide students with a
unit outline/checklist and share my goals for the unit.

Assessments/
Differentiation

Students are given the freedom to write as many personal

statement beliefs as they wish in their graphic organizers.
Students who wish to share personal beliefs can post
personal statements on the class board for others to read.
This will help students who are struggling with the
development of their own personal philosophies.
Closure

Assessment of
Learning:

All assessment in this class are formative. I will informally

observe the completion of the KW sections of the KWL
chart and the progress of the Personal Statement of Beliefs
section of the graphic organizer.

Feedback From
Students:

After I hand out the unit outline/checklist for perusal, I will

ask students to gauge their excitement using thumbs
up/thumbs down.

Feedback To
Students

Thank the students for participation, for the contribution of

great thoughts/ideas, and for sharing personal
feelings/beliefs/experiences.

Transition To Next
Lesson

Tomorrow we will explore personal beliefs in more depth

and introduce our first assignment.

(Extra)

Time

Sponge
Activity/Activities

Sharing personal statement of beliefs as a class (optional).

Reflections from
the lesson

I feel like this class was highly successful. We were able to cover a lot
of ground on Non-Fiction in one class, without getting too
overwhelmed. At first, the students were hesitant about using their
phones to text to Wordle, but after a few bumps, they quite enjoyed it,
and all agreed they would like to do something like that again I will
make sure to do so. The slide-show was also interesting. I did my best
to make the PowerPoint as engaging as possible, and I think the
students found it meaningful. The slides did go on for a while though,
and by the end, the students were ready to finish. So I skipped the last
two slides and moved on to the belief statements. I understand how
hard it is to sit for too long. We will cover the last few slides in
tomorrows class, and enjoy an activity outside! I think the class
deserves it after doing so well today

Narrative Essays

Descriptive Essays

Expository Essays

Persuasive Essays

In a/an ____________ essay, the writer tells a story about a real-life experience. While telling a
story may sound easy to do, the ____________ essay challenges students to think and write
about themselves. When writing a/an _____________ essay, writers should try to involve the
reader by making the story as vivid as possible. The fact that _____________ essays are usually
written in the first person helps engage the reader. I sentences give readers a feeling of being
part of the story. A well-crafted _____________ essay will also build towards drawing a
conclusion or making a personal statement.
A cousin of the _____________ essay, a/an ____________ essay paints a picture with words. A
writer might describe a person, place, object, or even memory of special significance. However,
this type of essay is not description for descriptions sake. The _____________ essay strives to
communicate a deeper meaning through the description. In a/an _____________ essay, the writer
should show, not tell, through the use of colorful words and sensory details. The best
______________ essays appeal to the readers emotions, with a result that is highly evocative.
The _______________ essay is an informative piece of writing that presents a balanced analysis
of a topic. In a/an ______________ essay, the writer explains or defines a topic, using facts,
statistics, and examples. ____________ writing encompasses a wide range of essay variations,
such as the comparison and contrast essay, the cause and effect essay, and the how to or
process essay. Because ______________ essays are based on facts and not personal feelings,
writers dont reveal their emotions or write in the first person.
While like a/an ______________ essay in its presentation of facts, the goal of the
______________ essay is to convince the reader to accept the writers point of view or
recommendation. The writer must build a case using facts and logic, as well as examples, expert
opinion, and sound reasoning. The writer should present all sides of the argument, but must be
able to communicate clearly and without equivocation why a certain position is correct.

Lesson

Day 3: This I Believe

Date

11 March 2015

Title/Focus
Subject/Grad
e Level

English 20-1

Time
Duratio
n

Unit

To Engage or Persuade - Unveiling

Non-Fiction Texts

Teacher

83 Minutes - 15
Minutes of Free
Reading = 68
Minutes
Miss Davis

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes
:

GLO 1: Explore thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences

GLO 2: Comprehend literature and other texts in oral, print, visual and
multimedia forms, and respond personally, critically, and creatively
GLO 5: Respect, support and collaborate with others

Specific
Learning
Outcomes
:

1.1.1 Form tentative understandings, interpretations and positions

1.2.1 Consider new perspectives
2.2.1 Relate form, structure and medium to purpose, audience and content
5.1.2 Appreciate diversity of expression, opinion and perspective
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will:
10. Evaluate personal understandings of, interpretations of, and positions on, personal
beliefs
11. Evaluate and appreciate the diverse perspectives of classmates
12. Comprehend the characteristics of a personal essay
ASSESSMENTS
Observations:

I will informally observe student participation during class activities

and note the level of student engagement (sharing/discussion)
Key Questions:
What do students believe?
Do students feel confident sharing their beliefs?
Are personal essays a good way to identify and share personal
beliefs?
Products/Performa Participation in Agree or Disagree
nces:
Completion of Notes & Interview

Semi-Complete Personal Belief Statements

LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
Bridging English (5th Edition) by Joseph O.
Milner, Lucy M. Milner, and Joan F.
Mitchell

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

PowerPoint Presentation & SMART
Board/Projector

This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of

Remarkable Men and Women edited by
Jay Allison and Dan Gediman
This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies
of Remarkable Men and Women edited
by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman
PROCEDURE
Prior to lesson/
Advance
Organizer/Agenda

Prepare PowerPoint Presentation

Introduction
Expectations for
Learning and

Behavior

Time

Cell phones: Face down on the top corner of student desks

Remind students of the importance of respect within the
classroom and during discussion/activities
***HEADPHONE FOR TOMORROW!!!
3 Minutes

Attention Grabber

Question: As students come in for class, have the question

What Do You Believe? written on the board. This will
prompt students to start thinking about what they believe
and prepare them for the first activity.

Assessment of
Prior Knowledge

Question: Ask students Have you ever voiced your

beliefs in a public setting? How often have you had to
stand up for what you believe in in a public setting? This
question will encourage students to share experiences
which will warm them up for even deeper sharing in the
first activity.

Transition to Body

In the next activity, you will have a chance to explore your

beliefs by physically representing where you stand on an

idea/issue.
Body
Learning Activity
#1

Time

What Do You Think? This activity prompts students

to think about their values and beliefs. One wall in the
classroom will represent Agree and the opposite wall will
represent Disagree. Students can stand in the middle to
show varying strengths of opinions. After reading each
statement, allow for students to think about their stance
then move to the position that reflects their stance. Personal
stories are encouraged to support their beliefs or
ambiguities.

The Statements:

30 Mins

Life is fair.
What goes around comes around.
Love conquers all.
An eye for an eye
You cant depend on anyone else; you can depend
only on yourself.
There is one special person for everyone.
Money cant buy happiness.
Doing whats right means obeying the law.

Assessments/
Differentiation:

If there are students who find this activity too difficult

(they dont know) or if this activity makes the class feel too
uncomfortable. Students can choose to write their answers
privately in their graphic organizer.

Learning Activity
#2

Finish PowerPoint Presentation Have students

complete their graphic organizer. Discuss the differences
between personal essays, memoirs, and personal narratives.
Explain that this essay allows for more creativity and
informal language than critical essays.
This I Believe Introduction - Introduce the This I
Believe concept read intro to book 1. Read an example
essay. Show students the website. Review essay

25 Mins

requirements. Allow students time to ask/discuss any

questions/concerns.
Assessments/
Differentiation

Allow students the time to ask questions and speak among

themselves for clarification of the assignment expectations.

Learning Activity
#3

Family Member/Role Model Interview - Students will be

encouraged to informally interview a family member or
role model about significant life experiences, believes, and
opinions. Students can develop their own questions of draw
from the sample interview questions in the graphic
organizer. When students are finished, they can add to their
personal belief statements.

Assessments/
Differentiation

Assessment: This is a very open assignment.

Differentiation: Students are given the opportunity to
develop their own questions and are also provided with
sample questions if they need.
Closure

Assessment of
Learning:

Ask students: Do you feel more confident about your

beliefs now?

Feedback From
Students:

Allow time for students to share.

Feedback To
Students

Thank the students for participation, for the contribution of

great thoughts/ideas, and for sharing personal
feelings/beliefs/experiences.

Transition To Next
Lesson

Tomorrow we will read/explore more This I Believe

essays to familiarize ourselves with the many approaches
to this Non-Fiction form.

Sponge
Activity/Activities

Reflections from
the lesson

10
Minutes

Time

Add personal belief statements to the class board.

This lesson was a blast to teach! The highlight was the What Do You
Believe activity. The weather was nice, so we took this activity

outdoors The responses were enlightening, touching, and powerful.

I feel like this may have been a class bonding experience. I was proud
of the students who were able to stand alone, and stand up for what
they believed in! This activity helped a lot of students create personal
belief statements. Reading Tony Hawks essay was a good choice.
Everyone was engaged, and I think the message was perfect for the
students. We quickly finished up our notes, introduced the This I
Believe concept, movement, website, then read over the outline. I will
re-address the outline again tomorrow for those who wish to start
writing over the weekend.

Lesson
Title/Focus

Day 4: This I Believe Analysis

Date

12 March 2015

Subject/Grad
e Level

English 20-1

Time
Duratio
n

Unit

To Engage or Persuade - Unveiling

Non-Fiction Texts

Teacher

83 Minutes - 15
Minutes of Free
Reading = 68
Minutes
Miss Davis

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning
Outcomes
:
Specific
Learning
Outcomes
:

GLO 2: Comprehend literature and other texts in oral, print, visual and
multimedia forms, and respond personally, critically, and creatively
GLO 3: Manage ideas and information
2.2 Understand and appreciate textual forms, elements and techniques
3.2.2 Evaluate sources and assess information
3.2.3 Form generalizations and conclusions
LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will:
13. Read/listen to several This I Believe essays
14. Summarize two essays of choice
15. Evaluate two essays for strengths and weaknesses
ASSESSMENTS
Observations:

I will informally observe student engagement during class (this is

largely an independent exploration day)
Key Questions:
What themes interest you?
What are the characteristics of a weak essay?
What are the characteristics of a strong essay?
Products/Performa Complete summary and reflection on two essays
nces:
LEARNING RESOURCES CONSULTED
Bridging English (5th Edition) by Joseph O.
Milner, Lucy M. Milner, and Joan F.
Mitchell
This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

SMART Board/Projector
Worksheets
English Lab Personal Computers

Remarkable Men and Women edited by

Jay Allison and Dan Gediman
This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies
of Remarkable Men and Women edited
by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman
This I Believe: A Public Dialogue About
Believe One Essay at a Time
(Website) - http://thisibelieve.org/
PROCEDURE
Prior to lesson/
Advance
Organizer/Agenda

Prepare SMART Board

Book English Lab
Introduction

Expectations for
Learning and

Behavior

Cell phones: away

Remind students of the importance of respect within the
classroom and during discussion/activities

Attention Grabber

This I Believe Reading I will start this lesson by

showing students the This I Believe website and where
they can find the essays. We will then read an essay
together on the SMART Board.

Assessment of
Prior Knowledge

Discussion As a class, we will brainstorm the strengths

and weaknesses of the essay we read together.

Transition to Body

Today you are going to peruse the This I Believe and

read/listen to as many essays as you can. By doing this, you
will see that there are many different approaches to
personal essays.
Body

Learning Activity
#1

Essay Summary and Analysis - For this activity, students

will peruse the This I Believe website with iPads and
read/listen to as many essays as they can to learn about
different ways to approach the assignment. Each student
will collect an iPad and find a spot in the classroom to
work. Each student will receive a summative (5%) graphic
organizer to summarize and reflect on the strengths and

Time

5-10

Time
40

weaknesses of two essays.

Assessments/
Differentiation:

Students who do not want to use the iPad can borrow one
of the This I Believe books for the class. Students will be
given the opportunity to sit wherever they wish, but this
will be an independent assignment. I will observe the level
of engagement. I may potentially end this time earlier for
sharing.

Learning Activity
#2

Brainstorm When students finish the worksheet and are

ready to move on, they may add to their personal belief
statements if they wish and brainstorm a potential topic for
their own essay.

Assessments/
Differentiation

As always, students may work on their personal beliefs

privately or post their beliefs on the class board.

Learning Activity
#3

Writing Outline and Rubric At the end of class, I will

take the time to review the writing rubric with students.
This way, student will have a better understanding of what
is expected of them in their essay and they can start writing
on the weekend if they wish.

Assessments/
Differentiation

Can you better recognize strengths and weaknesses of

personal essays?
Do you have a better understanding of what topic you
might choose for your personal essay?

Feedback From
Students:

Student collaboration on the writing rubric will give every

student the opportunity to contribute to the rubric and will
deepen student understanding of expectations.
Closure

Assessment of
Learning:

Exit slip with potential topic.

Feedback To
Students

Thank the students for participation, for the contribution of

great thoughts/ideas, and for sharing personal
feelings/beliefs/experiences.

Transition To Next
Lesson

Feel free to start writing your essays over the weekend.

You will be given Wednesdays class to write your
personal essays. Have a great weekend!

Time

Sponge
Activity/Activities

Reflections from
the lesson

Add personal belief statements to the class board.

For this class, I started with an I Believe image I found on Facebook.

It was a nice introduction for the story I chose to share with the class. I
read the essay . Instead of having a discussion about the essay, I
introduced the students to the analysis worksheet and spontaneously
used the essay to clarify instructions. It would have been MUCH better
to have students think of strengths and weakness for the essay. My
brevity made the instructions less clear. When we moved into the
computer room, I was INCREDIBLY impressed with the level of
student engagement. The room was silent as the students explored the
thisibelieve website for essays of interest. The assignments were very
well done as well As students were finishing, I had them move back
to the classroom to brainstorm for their own essay. This posed as a
difficulty for me; I had to run back and forth between rooms and nag
the brain-stormers In hindsight, a better discussion at the beginning
of class would have left less wasted time in the middle of class. I
encouraged students to pull out a piece of paper and modeled a web on
the board. Some students complied. Once all of the students returned to
the classroom, I had each student state one essay they read and whether
they liked it or not; this was an awesome way to end the class. This
activity illustrated whether or not students completed the activity and
their level of interest in the article. We didnt get to everyone, but it
was a nice way to keep students engaged until the end of class.

Appendices
A Student Interest Questionnaire
B Student Calendar/Checklist
C Portfolio Outline

D Portfolio Rubric
E Ongoing Graphic Organizer
F This I Believe Essay Outline
G This I Believe Essay Analysis
H This I Believe Essay Peer and Self-Reflection Rating Scale
I This I Believe Essay Teacher Rating Scale
J This I Believe Essay Reflection
K Martin Luther King Jr Speech
L Rhetorical Devices Sheet: Defining Terms
M Speech Analysis
N Emma Watson Speech
O - Malala Yousafzai Speech
P - Severn Suzuki
Q Personal Speech Outline
R Personal Speech Peer and Self-Evaluation Rating Scale
S Personal Speech Teacher Rating Scale with Reflection
T Oral Speech Formative Feedback Form
U Media Analysis
V TED Talk Analysis