What Does It Mean To Learn?

A Thematic Unit On Memoirs For 8th Grade ELA Presented By Michael Oliveri On November 24th 2012

2 Table Of Contents Page 1: Title Page Page 2: Table Of Contents Page 3: Overview Page 4: Overview (Cont.) Page 5: Overview (Cont.) Page 6: Text Set Page 7: Unit Plan Schedule Page 8: Unit Plan Schedule (Cont.) Page 9: Unit Plan Schedule (Cont.) Page 10: Unit Plan Schedule (Cont.) Page 11: Unit Plan Schedule (Cont.) Page 12: Unit Plan Schedule (Cont.) Page 13: Reading Questions Page 14: Reading Questions (Cont.) Page 15: Assignment Handout Page 16: Student Self-Assessment Page 17: Assignment Rubric

Overview Summary: Students will read Looking For Alaska by John Green, focusing on the major theme of learning and the overarching question: What does it mean to learn? The culminating project will be a presentation to a 5th grade class of a memoir where students felt that they learned something profound in a situation or experience outside of school. The topical understandings/questions tying into the text are how do authors use emotion and perspectives to reach readers? How are different texts organized to suit their purposes? And how does one construct a text appropriately suited for a set audience? Overarching EQs & EUs OEQ: What are the advantages of writing a memoir? OEU: Writing a memoir allows an author to depict a personal experience with the upmost accuracy. This can be used both for the authors personal enjoyment, and or, to display a lesson to readers. OEQ: How do literary elements play into a good memoir? OEU: Establishing and exhibiting literary elements like setting, imagery, narrative, characters, ect, are the components that bring texts to life for the readers. They make the memoir portray a vivid experience, lifelike enough for the readers to capture every detail. OEQ: What do good writing skills do for a memoir? OEU: Perfecting writing skills provides organization and cohesion to any text. The memoir will flow more naturally, reinforcing to the reader that this is a genuine experience. OEQ: How is editing/revising an essential part of finalizing a memoir? OEU Revisions are crucial when finalizing any text. Authors must go back, check every component and piece of their writing for mistakes, and it also provides an opportunity to add new material and improve the text. OEQ: How does one do a presentation that does their memoir justice? OEU: The delivery of the memoir is the authors chance to add vocal emotion, adding a new element to the text. Speaking, story- telling skills, and tone help establish emotion in the text, and keep the listeners active and interested. Rational: Administrators: Administrators will approve of this lesson because it teaches students the more abstract concepts of learning, while still teaching students correct writing. This assignment covers NYSCC Standards two, four, and five, and upon completion of this assignment students understanding of the English language, and writing skills will improve, thus improving the results of the students standardized and state tests.

4 Students: Students will enjoy this lesson because it offers a lot of room for the students to explore the concept of learning, and to do self-reflective, meaningful work that they can share with others. This work theyre doing is something that will be close and meaningful to them, and knowing that they will be sharing theyre work this will drive them to produce the best-finished product that they can. Colleagues: Colleagues will support this lesson because of the overall understandings and standers that it covers. A unit based around the question: What does it mean to learn? could potentially change or influence the way the students feel about learning in general, and in turn, their behavior in all of their other classes could change for the better. This could change in the students mentally about learning could help teachers in fields outside of English like math or science. Project-based Leaning: As Barell states in Project-Based Learning, A long-term inquiry strategy is set of learning experiences that, over time, engages students in identifying questions worth pursuing, researching, analyzing, and reporting the findings (Barell 3132). The overall project in this unit is a self-reflective memoir that challenges the students current notion of learning. The anchor text is the unit is a perfect match with this concept of learning through experiences, and combined with journals and selfreflective work, the students final memoir presented to the class with make themselves, and the listeners believers in the idea that learning in much more than whats taking place in the classroom. Interdisciplinary Justification: This unit has great potential to effect the way to students learn outside of the ELA classroom. By successfully getting students to re-examine their concept of learning their entire attitude about learning could change in every class. A big concept of this idea of learning, and as it fits in with the text, is learning by experience. This concept could go easily into a history classroom, and a joint-classroom activity could be planned where students have to site various examples throughout history where there was learning through experience. A joint activity like this one could even further this challenge of traditional learning because now its being taught within the context of historical, real world events. Respect For Difference: The final writing assignment being a memoir, there is a lot of room for creativity and personalized writing style. I would want the students to make this absolutely their own, and would encourage them to make it as authentic as possible, while still keeping in mind making the text appropriate for the 5th grade audience. Its perfectly understandable that a persons age, gender, ethnicity, ect. Influences a persons language and writing style, and I will encourage this uniqueness, but keep reinforcing and reminding students of the audience that they will be reading it to. Assessments: The evidence indicating students progression and eventual mastery of the unit will be the continuing re-evaluation of the concept of learning. I will really look at the students memoir, and consider how what theyre writing about reflects their new definition of learning. Students will be writing reflectively in journals, where they will be assessing their weekly progress, and can sort out what they are thinking and learning

5 for themselves. Towards the end I will ask them to write out a self-assessment reflection journal, simply stating what they learned, what questions they still have, and how they think they did overall with the unit. After reading the students journals and listening to them present their memoirs I will provide them with feedback, and my thoughts on how I think they did with the unit; it is my hope that students would be excited enough about writing a memoir that they would want to go home and share it with their parents and family.

Text Set & Annotated Bibliography Text Set For : What Counts As Learning? Anchor Text: Looking For Alaska

1. Hipschman, Ron. Sports Science. 2011. Exploratorium, San Francisco. Web. 14 Nov 2012. http://www.exploratorium.edu/explore/staff_picks/sports_science/ This is the staff picture of the week at Exploratorium, the museum of science, art and human perception. In this picture they depict the more mathematical aspects of sports known as sports science. This is extremely relevant when considering what counts for learning, the science and mathematics of sports is what turns good athletics into great athletes, and its an aspect of learning of a sport that few consider. 2.A Cherokee Legend Story Bell, David, ed. "Poetry For The Journey ." Davidstanleybell.com . David Stanley Bell., n.d. Web. 14 Nov 2012. <http://www.davidstanleybell.com/wisdom/story-twowolves.htm>. This link is to a old Cherokee story about a grandfather telling his grandson about the good and evil in each man, and how its every mans choice on which he lets out. This story serves many purposes; first it is a portal to new knowledge about Native Americans. Second, its a great story on personal reflection, and self knowledge, learning about the inner workings of the human mind, and how to demonstrate self-control. 3.Dead Poet Society Trailer Dead Poets Society (1989) Original Trailer. 2010. Video. YoutubeWeb. 16 Nov 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrBk780aOis>. This link is to the youtube video for the trailer of the Dead Poet Society, a 1989 film. This trailer has extreme relevance to Looking For Alaska because both texts portray the story of coming into ones manhood through experiences. They both also parallel the idea and theme that learning can take place in any form in any context.

Unit Plan Schedule Week One (Introduction) Monday Topic: Memoir Introduction TEQ: What is a memoir? TEU: Personal piece of writing that tells a story Skill: Understanding Read pages 0-25 Questions: 1. What do you think Miles meant when he explained that he was going To seek a Great Perhaps? pg 5 2. Can you think of your own personal Great Perhaps? 3. How do you think Green constructs the character Chip? 4. Comment on his statement to Miles, Miles, as in to go before I sleep? pg 10 Tuesday Topic: Introduce Assignment TEQ: Why write a memoir? TEU: To draw from personal experience in hopes to make connections and motivate the 5th grade students Skill: Understanding Wednesday Topic: Brainstorming Ideas TEQ: What kinds of things would be good memoirs for this assignment? TEU: Experiences that taught students something would be best suited for assignment Skill: Creative thinking Read Pages 25-50 Questions: 1. Does Miles Swim in the lake have any symbolic meaning behind it? 2. Give an example of the author using emotion while writing for Alaska 3. How does this emotion affect you as a reader? 4. Why do you think Miles enjoyed the idea of not making a truce with Kevin? Thursday Topic: Practice writing memoirs Assignment: Write a memoir from the point of view of one of the characters in Looking For Alaska TEQ: How can we being practicing our writing? TEU: Writing from different perspectives can be very insightful Standards: W.7.2. , W.7.3

Friday Topic: Practice writing memoirs Assignment: Write a memoir about a time youve shared with your family TEQ: How do we being to personalize our writing? TEU: A good way is to start by drawing on past experiences Standards: W.7.2 , W.7.3 Read pages 50-75 Questions: 1. After reading about the Jury situation and the date, how do you feel Miles is doing in his quest for his Great Perhaps? 2. Try to image viewing Alaska from her boyfriend Jakes perspective. How do you think he feels about his girlfriends free-spiritedness and promiscuity? 3. How would you have answered the final exam question: What is the most important question human beings must answer? pg 70 Week Two (Memoir Components) Monday Topic: Setting TEQ: What does the setting in a text do for the reader? TEU: Setting is vital; it provides a context for the readers and sets the stage for the story Skills: Constructing and crafting settings Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3 Read pages 75-100 Questions: 1. Was Miles family holding him back from his great perhaps? 2. Why could that be part of the reason he chose to stay at school for Thanksgiving? 3. What do you think Alaska means when she says, Im just so scared of ghosts, Pudge. And home is full of them.? Pg 80 Tuesday Topic: Imagery TEQ: Why is imagery important in a text? TEU: Imagery makes texts more transparent to the readers, painting a picture in their heads and giving them a visual Skills: Creating imagery in texts Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3 Wednesday Topic: Writing narrative TEQ: What purpose does an authors narrative serve? TEU: Narrative dictates the view from which the story is told, opening up possibilities for different voices and perspectives Skills: Writing in the 1st person

9 Standards: W.7.1 , W.7.2 , W.7.3 Read pages 100-125 Questions: 1. How do you think Miles felt about his first prank execution? 2. Comment on Miles explanation of his Best day of his life pg 115 3. In what way is Miles experiencing and learning about life in a new way, never before? Thursday Topic: Constructing characters TEQ: How does an author construct his characters to make them real to the readers? TEU: Characters are constructed as real people, with past experiences and vivid details to make them transparent to readers Skills: Character development Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3

Friday Topic: Writing for audience TEQ: How does an author write, being mindful of their audience? TEU: Authors write, keeping in mind who their text will be speaking to, and frame their writing accordingly Skills: Writing for audience Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3 , W.7.4 Read pages 125-150 Questions: 1. What do you think caused Alaskas tantrum? 2. What do you think Alakas passing means for Miles? 3. Whats your interpretation of Miles thoughts on page 144? Week Three (Fine-tuning specific writing skills) Monday Topic: Establishing relationships TEQ: Why is it important to establish a relationship with your readers when writing a memoir? TEU: A relationship is important in order for the readers to connect with your memoir and truly be motivated Skills: Writing to establish relationships Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4 Read pages 150-175 Questions:

10 1. Looking at Alaskas death through Chips perspective, how do you think he feels? 2. What is your answer to the Generals question: How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?! ? 3. What does this have to do with your Great Perhaps? Tuesday Topic: Emotions TEQ: How does writing with emotions help us to establish relationships with our readers? TEU: Emotional writing effects the reader and makes them feel what the characters are feeling, making them apart of your memoir and experience Skills: Writing with emotion Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4. Wednesday Topic: Word choice TEQ: What is the purpose of choosing some words over others? TEU: Every word has a unique meaning, being meticulous with word choice will contribute greatly to the general tone of your memoir Skills: Choosing proper words in writing Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5 Read pages 175-200 Questions: 1. How does Miles actions on page 180 reflect his transformation since he came to Culver Creek? 2. Give another example of an experience that showed his maturation? Thursday Topic: Adjectives TEQ: Why is descriptive language so important when writing? TEU: Descriptive language turns good writing into great writing; it develops every component and every element in the text more. Skills: Writing with more descriptive language Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5

Friday Topic: Transitions TEQ: What are the qualities of a smooth transition, and what does it do? TEU: A smooth transition is a clever shift in the text without causing a break, and is vital to the overall organization and flow of the students memoir Skills: Writing transitions Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5

11 Read pages 200-End Questions: 1. What are your thoughts on Miles answer to the final exam question: How will you get out of this labyrinth of suffering?? 2. Has Miles found his Great Perhaps? 3. If so, how did he come to find it? Week Four (Revising) Monday Topic: Creating a title TEQ: What does a good title do for the text, and for the reader? TEU: A good title is creative and sets the tone for the memoir; and lets the readers know what to expect Skills: Writing a clever title Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5

Tuesday Topic: Removing the unessentials TEQ: What are the pros of Ernest Hemingways Iceberg Theory? TEU: The minimalist style of writing (Iceberg Theory) was used to cut out all the unessential bulk of writing Skills: Condensing students writing Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5

Wednesday Topic: Adding details TEQ: Are details part of the unessential bulk that should be cut out of writing? TEU: Details are one of the essentials of writing a memoir; they set the stage and make things more realistic for the reader Skills: Writing with detail Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5

Thursday Topic: Character descriptions TEQ: How does adding details help us to create more vivid characters? TEU: More descriptive language can be used to make the characters in the memoir extremely real, giving it genuine authenticity Skills: Character description and development Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5

Friday

12 Topic: Conclusions TEQ: What purpose does a conclusion serve? TEU: Conclusions bring the entire memoir to a close, tying up the lose ends, and depict the overall theme the readers should walk away with Skills: Constructing conclusions Standards: W.7.2 ,.W. 7.3, W.7.4, W.7.5

Week Five (Public Speaking) Monday Topic: Doing presentations TEQ: How is the presentation a crucial component of this assignment? TEU: The presentation is the delivery of all the students hard work, it needs carful planning, and its the victory lap Skills: Presenting a text Standards: W.7.4 ,.W. 7.5, W.7.6, W.7.10.

Tuesday Topic: Storytelling TEQ: How will good storytelling skills improve the presentation? TEU: Good story telling is like transitions; it will provide flow and cohesion to the presentation Skills: Organizational speaking Standards: W.7.4 ,.W. 7.5, W.7.6, W.7.10.

Wednesday Topic: Tone TEQ: How does tone help the speaker connect to the listeners? TEU: Speaking with tone exemplifies the mood of the characters at that time, allowing the listeners to feel the emotions going on Skills: Speaking with tone Standards: W.7.4 ,.W. 7.5, W.7.6, W.7.10.

Thursday Topic: Revisions TEQ: How will students revise their work and come up with a finished product TEU: Students should go back and look at all the components and skills covered in class Skills: Revising Standards: W.7.4 ,.W. 7.5, W.7.6, W.7.10. Friday Final Presentations To 5th Grade Class*

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Developing Readings/Reading Questions Monday week 1 Pages 0-25 1. What do you think Miles meant when he explained that he was going To seek a Great Perhaps? pg 5 2. Can you think of your own personal Great Perhaps? 3. How do you think Green constructs the character Chip? 4. Comment on his statement to Miles, Miles, as in to go before I sleep? pg 10 Wednesday week 1 Pages 25-50 1. Does Miles Swim in the lake have any symbolic meaning behind it? 2. Give an example of the author using emotion while writing for Alaska 3. How does this emotion affect you as a reader? 4. Why do you think Miles enjoyed the idea of not making a truce with Kevin? Friday week 1Pages 50-75 1. After reading about the Jury situation and the date, how do you feel Miles is doing in his quest for his Great Perhaps? 2. Try to image viewing Alaska from her boyfriend Jakes perspective. How do you think he feels about his girlfriends free-spiritedness and promiscuity? 3. How would you have answered the final exam question: What is the most important question human beings must answer? pg 70 Monday week 2 Pages 75-100 1. Was Miles family holding him back from his great perhaps? 2. Why could that be part of the reason he chose to stay at school for Thanksgiving? 3. What do you think Alaska means when she says, Im just so scared of ghosts, Pudge. And home is full of them.? Pg 80 Wednesday week 2 Pages 100-125

14 1. How do you think Miles felt about his first prank execution? 2. Comment on Miles explanation of his Best day of his life pg 115 3. In what way is Miles experiencing and learning about life in a new way, never before? Friday week 2 Pages 125-150 1. What do you think caused Alaskas tantrum? 2. What do you think Alakas passing means for Miles? 3. Whats your interpretation of Miles thoughts on page 144? Monday week 3 Pages 150-175 1. Looking at Alaskas death through Chips perspective, how do you think he feels? 2. What is your answer to the Generals question: How will I ever get out of this labyrinth?! ? 3. What does this have to do with your Great Perhaps? Wednesday week 3 Pages 175-200 1. How does Miles actions on page 180 reflect his transformation since he came to Culver Creek? 2. Give another example of an experience that showed his maturation Friday week 3 Pages 200-End 1. What are your thoughts on Miles answer to the final exam question: How will you get out of this labyrinth of suffering?? 2. Has Miles found his Great Perhaps? 3. If so, how did he come to find it?

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Name _____________

Date_______________

I Go To Seek A Great Perhaps.

How Has Experience Taught You?

Task: You are going to be writing a detailed memoirs of a time or experience you have had where you felt that you learned something out of the ordinary, or something profound that could not be learned in a class. Relate this back to the Big Picture: What does it mean to learn? Be conscientious in your writing because eventually you will share your memoirs with a 5 th grade class, in hopes to inspire them as they go on to middle school! The goals of this performance are: - To write reflectively -To write for specific audiences -To consider the kinds of learning that can take place outside of the classroom -To write emotionally -To inspire the readers -To challenge the notion that learning is something that can only be done in the classroom -To motivate students to be active participants in your own learning You will be graded on the criteria on the following rubric, and also be required to fill out a selfassessment sheet, doing your own reflection on the assignment and your progression and understanding of the overall meaning. This assignment covers CCS: W.7.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. W.7.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience W.7.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop, organization, and style are

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appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

Name _____________

Date_______________

Self Assessment

What did you expect when you first received this assignment?

How do you feel you progressed throughout the assignment? Why?

List 3-5 things youve learned by doing the assignment

Has your opinion of what it means to learn changed since starting the assignment? How so?

Do you have any unanswered or new questions?

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Generalizati on VOICE AUDIENCE/ PURPOSE/T ONE SENTENCE VARIETY USAGE Quality 6 Response s at this level: Students present an extremel y well thought out memoir, consciou sly done appropri ately for the specific audience 5 Response s at this level: Students present a carefully well thought out memoir, consciousl y done appropria tely for the specific audience 4 Response s at this level: Students present a well thought out memoir, knowingly done for the appropria te audience 3 Response s at this level: Students present a thought out memoir, knowingly done for the appropria te audience 2 Response s at this level: Students present a memoir, slightly considerin g the audience 1 Response s at this level: Students present a memoir, barely considerin g the audience

Language Use: the extent to which the response reveals an awareness of audience and purpose through effective use of words, sentence structure, and sentence variety

SUPPORT: DEVEL OPMEN T RELEV ANCE CONTR OL

Developme nt: the extent to which ideas are elaborated using specific and relevant evidence from the text(s)

GLBOAL ORGANIZAT ION/ COHESION CONTROL TRANSITIO N CONVENTIO NS

Organizatio n: the extent to which the response exhibits direction, shape, and coherence Convention s: the extent to which the response exhibits convention al spelling, punctuatio n, paragraphi

Students maintain an extensive and constant developm ent in their memoir, using the text thoroughl y to support their ideas Students exhibit an extremel y cohesive and wellorganize d final memoir Students display an extremel y grammat ically sound memoir (2-3 Grammat

Students maintain an widesprea d and constant developm ent in their memoir, using the text carefully to support their ideas Students exhibit a cohesive and wellorganized final memoir

Students maintain a sound developm ent in their memoir, using the text to support their ideas

Students maintain a good developm ent in their memoir, using the text to support their ideas

Students maintain developm ent in their memoir, using the text sparingly to support their ideas

Students maintain little or no developm ent in their memoir, and rarely use the text to support their ideas

Students exhibit a cohesive and organized final memoir

Students exhibit a cohesive and organized final t memoir throughou t most Students display a memoir with several grammati cal mistakes (-9 errors)

Students exhibit a final memoir lacking in cohesion and organizati on Students display a memoir with numerous grammati cal mistakes (10errors)

Students exhibit little or no organizati on in their memoir

Students display a very grammati cally sound memoir (4-6 Grammati cal errors)

Students display an average grammati cally sound memoir (7-8 Grammati cal errors)

Students display a memoir with excessive amounts of grammati cal mistakes (12-

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ng, capitalizati on, grammar, and usage CLARITY COHESION THESIS ENLIGHTEN MENT ON TOPIC ical errors) errors)

Meaning: the extent to which the response exhibits sound understand ing, interpretati on, and analysis of the task and text(s)

Students display an extensiv e understa nding of the task, the text, and how the text transfers to the essential understa nding

Students display a great understan ding of the task, the text, and how the text transfers to the essential understan ding

Students display a wellrounded understan ding of the task, the text, and how the text transfers to the essential understan dings

Students display a decent understan ding of the task and text, and a basic understan ding of how the text exhibits the essential understan dings

Students display somewhat of an understan ding of the task and the text, and a small understan ding of how the text exhibits the essential understan dings

Students display little understan ding of the task and text, and are lacking an understan ding of how the text links to the essential understan dings