Unit Plan- PSII

Grade 11
Short Story Unit
Sabrina Kyle
Unit Rationale
The students in this Grade 11 (20-1 and 20-2) English Language Arts class will be using

various texts to explore theme under the overarching inquiry question, “How can small actions or

decisions result in dire consequences for ourselves and others?” The students will explore the

inquiry question through a number of highly engaging short stories. This Grade 11 class is

located in the rural town of Vauxhall, Alberta, and has a total of 25 students. This unit will be

comprised of 21 lessons and work days over the span of 4 weeks. The class will run for 1 hour

per day from Monday to Thursday, and 45 minutes on Friday’s. The classroom configuration

will vary depending on the day and the method of content delivery and student interactions from

that day. The students are organized in groups of roughly six, and have their desks in a circle

facing inwards. This is an opportune seating arrangement given the collaborative and discussion

based nature of the unit.

The major focus of the unit will be centered on analyzing themes in a variety of short

stories. Short stories can be used to explore complex inquiry questions, discern themes in the

author’s writing and reveal the elements to students that are the basis of short story to allow write

their own short stories. It is an excellent opportunity for educators to address a number of

essential outcomes, over many weeks, while maintaining student interest and engagement by

presenting a variety stories. Students will largely be focusing on exploring themes throughout the

texts, but will also be engaging with a number of other literary elements such as character,

setting, conflict, and plot. As narrative writing is also a major focus in this unit, students will not

only learn to identify themes in short story, but will also learn the essential building blocks to

writing their own stories and narratives. At the beginning of every class, students will engage in

a short writing activity in order to foster creativity and practice their writing in a low-risk
environment. These activities will help students become more comfortable with writing, creating

narrative, and generating ideas, which will help prepare them for their major narrative writing

summative assessments in this unit.

The short story offers many advantages to the educator when exploring complex ideas, or

simply exploring the medium of short story itself. The texts are shorter in nature, which allows

the reader to tackle big concepts and multiple ideas in a smaller number of pages. This

accommodates both the accomplished and developing reader. The sense of accomplishment in

finishing the story can be motivation for students to go on to the next story, increasing the

number of stories student readers can access in a relatively short time. Throughout the course of

this unit, students will be engaging with five main texts, The Lady, or the Tiger? by Frank R.

Stockton, A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury, Button Button by Richard Matheson, The Most

Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, and The Sniper by Liam O'Flaherty. These texts will help

students explore the literary element of theme, while also engaging with the overarching inquiry

question of the unit, “How can small actions or decisions result in dire consequences for

ourselves and others?”

Unit Inquiry Question

 How can small actions or decisions result in dire consequences for ourselves and others?

Essential Questions

 Do our choices matter?

 What is the relationship between decisions and consequences?

 How can a person’s decisions and actions change his/her life?

General Learning Outcomes

General Outcome 1 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to explore

thoughts, ideas, feelings and experiences.

General Outcome 2 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to comprehend

literature and other texts in oral, print, visual and multimedia forms, and respond personally,

critically and creatively.

General Outcome 4 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to create oral,

print, visual and multimedia texts, and enhance the clarity and artistry of communication.

General Outcome 5 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view and represent to respect,

support and collaborate with others.

Specific Learning Outcomes

(20-1)

1.1.1 Form tentative understandings, interpretations and positions

b. assess the potential of understandings, interpretations and positions on ideas and issues

communicated by literature and other texts by connecting own and others’ explorations,

and by exploring additional aspects of these texts

1.2.1 Consider new perspectives

b. compare own ideas, perspectives and interpretations with those of others, through a

variety of means, to expand perceptions and understandings when exploring and

responding to texts [for example, pro–con charts, alternative Internet search engines,

comparison tables and think–pair–share charts]

2.1.2 Understand and interpret content

a. use a variety of strategies to comprehend literature and other texts [for example,

reading passages out loud, forming questions, making predictions, using context to

determine the connotative meanings of words, using graphic organizers and making

annotations], and develop strategies for close reading of literature in order to understand

contextual elements [for example, understanding subtext]

c. describe the relationships among plot, setting, character, atmosphere and theme when

studying a narrative

f. interpret figurative language, symbol and allusions; recognize imagery; and explain

how imagery contributes to atmosphere, characterization and theme in a text

2.2.2 Relate elements, devices and techniques to created effects

e. explain the contribution of motif and symbol to controlling idea and theme

2.3.2 Evaluate the verisimilitude, appropriateness and significance of print and nonprint texts

d. analyze and assess character and characterization in terms of consistency of behaviour,

motivation and plausibility, and in terms of contribution to theme [for example,

determine the meanings suggested by a change in a character’s behaviour or values]

f. assess the significance of a text’s theme or controlling idea, and the adequacy,

relevance and effectiveness of its supporting details, examples or illustrations, and

content in general

4.1.3 Develop content

a. take ownership of text creation, by selecting or crafting a topic, concept or idea that is

personally meaningful and engaging

5.1.1 Use language and image to show respect and consideration

a. monitor own use of verbal and nonverbal communication in order to convey respect

and consideration, as appropriate [for example, use euphemism and body language

appropriately and sensitively]

Specific Learning Outcomes

(20-2)

1.1.1 Form tentative understandings, interpretations and positions

b. assess the potential of understandings, interpretations and positions on ideas and issues

communicated by literature and other texts by connecting own and others’ explorations,

and by exploring additional aspects of these texts

1.2.1 Consider new perspectives

b. compare own ideas, perspectives and interpretations with those of others, through a

variety of means, to expand perceptions and understandings when exploring and

responding to texts [for example, pro–con charts, alternative Internet search engines,

comparison tables and think–pair–share charts]

2.1.2 Understand and interpret content

a. use a variety of strategies to comprehend literature and other texts [for example,

reading passages out loud, forming questions, making predictions, using context to

determine the connotative meanings of words, using graphic organizers and making

annotations], and develop strategies for close reading of literature in order to understand

contextual elements [for example, understanding subtext]

c. develop an understanding of the relationships among plot, setting and character when

studying a narrative text, by relating the text to personal experiences

f. identify figurative language [such as metaphor], symbol and familiar allusions in texts;

interpret figurative language in terms of its contribution to the meaning of a text; and
 explain how imagery contributes to the creation of atmosphere, theme and

characterization in a text

2.2.2 Relate elements, devices and techniques to created effects

e. explain the contribution of motif and symbol to controlling idea and theme

2.3.2 Evaluate the verisimilitude, appropriateness and significance of print and nonprint texts

d. analyze and assess character and characterization in terms of consistency of behaviour,

motivation and plausibility, and in terms of contribution to theme [for example,

determine the meanings suggested by a change in a character’s behaviour or values]

f. assess the significance of a text’s theme or controlling idea, and the effectiveness of the

content in terms of adequate and relevant supporting details, examples or illustrations

4.1.3 Develop content

a. take ownership of text creation, by selecting or crafting a topic, concept or idea that is

personally meaningful and engaging

5.1.1 Use language and image to show respect and consideration

a. monitor own use of verbal and nonverbal communication in order to convey respect

and consideration, as appropriate [for example, use euphemism and body language

appropriately and sensitively]

Resources

The Lady, or the Tiger? by Frank R. Stockton

A Sound of Thunder by Ray Bradbury

Button Button by Richard Matheson

The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell

The Sniper by Liam O'Flaherty
Unit Assessment Plan

Final
Think Writing Writing Writing
Creative Grand Writing Narrative
Learning Title Exit Slips
Journal
Pair Conversations Assignment Assignment Assignment
Assignment Writing
Share #1 #2 #3
Outcome #4 Assignment
s
Type
(Formative/Summative Formative Formative Formative Formative Summative Summative Summative Summative Summative
)

Weighting 0% 0% 0% 0% 10% 10% 10% 10% 60%

1.1.1
b. assess the potential of
understandings,
interpretations and
positions on ideas and ✓
issues communicated by ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
literature and other texts
by connecting own and
others’ explorations, and
by exploring additional
aspects of these texts
1.2.1
b. compare own ideas,
perspectives and
interpretations with those
of others, through a
✓
variety of means, to ✓
expand perceptions and
understandings when
exploring and responding
to texts [for example, pro–
con charts, alternative
Internet search engines,
comparison tables and
think–pair–share charts]

2.1.2
a. use a variety of
strategies to comprehend
literature and other texts
[for example, reading
passages out loud, forming
questions, making
predictions, using context
to determine the
connotative meanings of
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
words, using graphic
organizers and making
annotations], and develop
strategies for close reading
of literature in order to
understand contextual
elements [for example,
understanding subtext]

2.1.2.
c. describe the
relationships among plot,
setting, character, ✓
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
atmosphere and theme ✓
when studying a
narrative

2.1.2.
f. interpret figurative
language, symbol and ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
allusions; recognize
imagery; and explain how
imagery contributes to
atmosphere,
characterization and theme
in a text

2.2.2
e. explain the contribution ✓ ✓ ✓
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
of motif and symbol to
controlling idea and theme
2.3.2
d. analyze and assess
character and
characterization in terms
of consistency of
behaviour, motivation and ✓ ✓
plausibility, and in terms  ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
of contribution to theme
[for example, determine
the meanings suggested by
a change in a character’s
behaviour or values]

2.3.2
f. assess the significance
of a text’s theme or
controlling idea, and the
adequacy, relevance and ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
effectiveness of its
supporting details,
examples or illustrations,
and content in general
4.1.3
a. take ownership of text
✓  ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
creation, by selecting or
crafting a topic, concept or
idea that is personally
meaningful and engaging

5.1.1
a. monitor own use of
verbal and nonverbal
communication in order to
convey respect and ✓
consideration, as
 ✓
appropriate [for example,
use euphemism and body
language appropriately
and sensitively]
Assessment Tool Overview

Assessment Assessment Assessment

Assessment Tool Brief Description FOR AS OF
Learning Learning Learning

The Exit Slip activity is a strategy that can

be delivered towards the end of the lesson to
assess your students understanding of the
material delivered within the lesson. The
teacher provides the students with one or
two questions at the end of class regarding
Exit Slips ✓ ✓
what they learned, or any remaining
questions they may have. The students are to
fill out a written responses on the piece of
paper, or “Exit Slip”, provided to them for
the teacher to collect at the door as they
leave at the end of class.
Throughout the course of the unit, students
will reflect on a series of writing prompts
through journal entries. At the beginning of
some classes, students will engage in a short
writing activity in order to foster creativity
and practice their writing in a low-risk
environment. These activities will help
students become more comfortable with
writing, creating narrative, and generating
ideas, which will help prepare them for their
Journal major narrative writing summative ✓ ✓
assessments in this unit. These prompts will
take the form of quick writes. Students will
be given time throughout class to write in
their journals. The journals will be used as
tool to engage students in creative writing
and spark creativity. The entries in this
journal will be formatively assessed, and
will not be marked, in order to allow
students to practice their writing in a low
risk setting.
 Students will be given questions or talking
prompts within class to discuss with their
Think/Pair/Share ✓ ✓
tables, then be given the opportunity to share
their ideas with the class.
Grand Conversations model a meaningful
discussion of literature, and encourage
responses, expansion, inquiry, and
exploration of the text. This activity
validates student input and provide a group
memory. Students have an opportunity to
share varied responses to literature. Overall,
this activity develops a greater
understanding of the selection than may be
possible as individuals. This is an
Grand Conversations ✓ ✓
opportunity for students to dive into some of
the deeper concepts of the story. This will be
a great way to facilitate discussion and
critical thought. Teacher will provide
guiding questions to start, then allow
students to direct and facilitate their
conversation. Students learn to delve deep
into intellectual inquiry: to explore issues,
share interpretations, and build on each
other’s evolving meanings.
At the end of each short story, students will
submit a one to two paragraph written
assignment based on the topic of theme.
Each short story will have a slightly different
Writing Assignments
prompt that encourages critical thinking and ✓ ✓
1,2,3,4
relates to a specific theme or idea studied
within the story. Time will be given in class
to complete these assignments, and they are
to be handed in on Google Classroom.
For the student’s final assignment, they will
choose one of the short studies we have
studied in class to write on. The students will
Final Narrative have the choice of rewrite the ending of the ✓ ✓
Writing Assignment short story, or rewriting parts of the story
from the perspective of another character.
Students in the 20-1 group will be expected
to write approximately 3-4 pages, and
students in the 20-2 group will be expected
to approximately write 2-3 pages. Students
will be given some time to work on this
assignment in class before handing it in on
Google Classroom.