Fell, Technology Integration Plan

Technology Integration Plan

Meribeth Fell
 Fell, Technology Integration Plan

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Week 5 Introduce Unit: Library: Timeline Timeline Activity Read Trifles in Read Trifles in
Universal Theme Activity Cont / class class
VODcast* presentations
HW: read “A&P”
and “When in
Disgrace”
Week 6 Universal Theme Library research Collaborate on Presentations of Venn Diagram
Task 1 day: find MLA works cited individual charts Activity
Form groups connection – group work to class
Discuss Theme between themes HW: complete
and local, national, HW: complete HW: submit online journals and
HW: Blackboard and world issues charts submit online
reading quizzes HW: conduct more
research
Week 7 Word Choice Groups: explicate Presentations of Presentations Lecture:
Activity assigned poem group assigned continued Formalism
Introduction / poem
VODcast* HW: submit Word
Choice activity
online
Week 8 Unit Paper Bring working Compile evidence Revise and Final peer review
VODcast* thesis to class, for theme in each organize argument in class
Groups: identify conference with work, conference for theme / outline
possible themes in teacher and group, with teacher and HW: submit final
all three works revise in class group Conference with draft online
HW: submit online teacher
Discussion for
peer review offer Evening optional
feedback to others wimba chat /
conference
Week 9 Scholarly Review Library MLA citation Library: Library cont.
VODcast Orientation / review / Expanding your
Select text Galileo corrections research

HW: Select and Share sources

create citations for
three articles MLA
Week 10 Scholarly Review Peer review and Scholarly Review: Draft Due: peer Final Scholarly
Continued teacher conference VODcast review in class / review due online
Annotations: draft for annotations Review sample teacher conference
in class HW: submit final Scholarly Reviews In class reflection
annotations online Optional Wimba and self-
conference at night assessment
*VODcasts included in the Integrated Unit Plan for Applications of Instructional Technology
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Universal See Intro VODcast Grade 9th grade Language

Theme Level Arts/Literature
Stage 2 – Determine Acceptable Evidence
Content Standards:
ELA9RL2 The student identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of theme in literary works
from various genres and provides evidence from the works to support understanding. The
student
a. Applies knowledge of the concept that the theme or meaning of a selection
represents a universal view or comment on life or society and provides support
from the text for the identified theme.
b. Evaluates how an author‟s choice of words advances the theme or purpose of a
work.
c. Applies knowledge of the concept that a text can contain more than one theme.
d. Compares and contrasts the presentation of a theme or topic across genres and
explains how the selection of genre affects the delivery of universal ideas about
life and society.

Students will understand that:

 Works of literature can have more than one theme.

 Different perspectives can make texts appear differently to others.
 Genre affects theme.
 Literature is a reflection of life.
 Everything is an argument.

Related Misconceptions:
 Texts only have one theme and that is what the teacher says it is.
 Knowing “What happened” in a story, poem, or play is enough to “understand” the
text.
 Literature, once read, is understood.

Essential Questions
Overarching Questions: Topical Questions:

What is literature? What role does diction play in determining

theme?
Why does literature matter?
How do the elements of literature guide
How can literature help us better understand interpretations of theme in various genres of
ourselves and others? literature?

How do critical perspectives guide interpretations

of theme in various genres of literature?

How can relationships shape who we are and

how we relate to others?
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Stage 2 - Evidence
Performance Tasks
Universal Theme
Goal (ELA9RL2.a)
Applies knowledge of the concept that the theme or meaning of a selection represents a universal view
or comment on life or society and provides support from the text for the identified theme.

At the end of this activity, students will be able to:

 Explain the “big picture” of theme
 Interpret the significance of the elements in theme
 Apply their understanding of theme by listing and connecting themes to current events
 Accept various perspectives on theme and incorporate other‟s ideas into their own view of theme
 Identify with at least one universal theme from the texts in this unit
 Reflect on their understanding of literary themes as universal and relevant to themselves and to
others.

Role
Student as inside and outside observer – Students will identify and summarize one theme from a
selected work and provide evidence of that theme. Students will make connections to personal, local,
national, and world stories that exemplify the selected theme. Personal connections will be short
reflections of 500 words. Connections to local, national, and world stories will require locating,
reading, summarizing, connecting, and citing news articles from online or paper sources. Connections
should be recent (within last 10 years, if possible).

Audience
Students should assume their audience is other students of literature.

Situation
Groups of students will be given a text (each group gets a different text – self-selected), work together
to identify a theme, and work individually to complete the activity. Students will be given some class
time and library time to complete this activity, but much of it will be completed at home.

Performance
The final product is a summary chart of evidence of universality of theme. All sources should be cited
using MLA format, and work should be submitted online.
Students will come to class prepared to discuss the different themes, the different personal
connections, and the local, national, and world connections to the themes.

Standards / Criteria

Each chart must adhere to MLA format and include cited examples. Students‟ work will be peer
judged. Once all the assignments are submitted, the teacher will publish all of them, and students
should respond to at least three other student‟s charts (all three must come from three different texts –
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excluding the student‟s own text). Respond specifically to the following: 1) agree or disagree with the
stated theme and support your ideas; 2) Comment on one of the news articles; 3) Ask a question
relating to one of the connections or one of the articles or the theme.

Word Choice (See .mp4 file)

Goals (ELA9FL2.b & c)
Students will evaluate how an author‟s choice of words advances the theme or purpose of a
work.

Applies knowledge of the concept that a text can contain more than one theme.

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

 Explain how word choice influences theme
 Interpret the significance word choice in advancing the theme or purpose of the work
 Apply their understanding of word choice by completing the word choice activity
 Accept different perspectives of the significance of word choice and incorporate other‟s ideas into
their own view of diction and theme.
 Accept others‟ response to connotative meanings of words as vital to the interpretation process
 Reflect and objectively self-assess their initial and ultimate definition of literature and the
importance of word choice in advancing theme or purpose

Role
Student as “reader of text” – students, with guidance and prompting from the teacher, will explicate a
short poem or short excerpt from at text, identify specific choices in diction that advance the given
theme of the text, and support their argument with evidence from the text (at least three).

Audience
Students should assume their audience consists of other students of literature.

Situation
Students will all work with the same text, but with different excerpts and different themes.
Themes will be provided by the teacher, but excerpts must be identified by the students.

Performance
Students will complete the attached chart for the chosen excerpt and submit the explication as
an assignment online.

Standards / Criteria for Success:

Each chart must adhere to MLA format and include cited examples. Students‟ work will be peer
judged. Once all the assignments are submitted, the teacher will publish all of the assignments
so that students can see how differently the text can be approached and how many themes are
possible for one text. Students will then read and respond to at least three other student
explications with the following: 1) agree with something; 2) disagree with something; 3) ask
a question related to the explication. Students will then come to class prepared to discuss the
different themes.
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Unit Paper (see Unit Paper VODcast)

Goal (ELA9RL2.d)
Compares and contrasts the presentation of a theme or topic across genres and explains how
the selection of genre affects the delivery of universal ideas about life and society.

Role
Student as thematic proponent across genre;

Audience
Students should assume their audience is other students of literature.

Situation
Students have been working on developing various themes for all of the texts in this unit and
will use that understanding to write a critical analysis of theme for all three texts.

Performance
Students will complete the following tasks:
1. Identify a theme that applies to all three texts (story, poem, play)
2. Submit a working thesis to the teacher (arguable)
3. Explain the evidence for that theme in each work
4. Submit a draft of these thematic evidence for peer review
5. Revise and integrate an argument for significance of genre in advancing this theme
6. Conference with the teacher to discuss argumentative techniques
7. Revise and submit final draft

Standards / Criteria
Criteria Unacceptable Proficient Mastery
Thematic Focus The focus of the paper Thematic connections Sophisticated thematic
is not theme at all. (0 or are made, but focus is connections are made
1 pt) lost; themes are between texts; (3pts)
identified but
unconnected (2pts)
Organization Lacks organizational Proficient organization Exceptional
topic sentences or but lacks some organization with
breaks in paragraphs organizational topic precise topic sentences
are illogical; no sentences or breaks in and logical breaks in
paragraphs exist. (0 or paragraphs are illogical paragraphs (3pts)
1 pt) (2pts)
Supporting Evidence Lacks supporting Supporting evidence Insightful supporting
evidence or no may not always evidence from the text
connection is made advance the thesis or advances the thesis and
between cited evidence support the main ideas; appropriately supports
and the focus of the often supporting the main ideas of the
paper. (0 or 1 pt) evidence is unclear essay (3pts)
(2pts)
Mechanics / Grammar Numerous errors in Few errors in style, Polished, well-crafted
style, diction, or diction, or punctuation; sentences with effective
punctuation, spelling no spelling or careless style, diction, and
and careless errors (0 errors (.5pts) punctuation (1pt)
or 1 pt)
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Scholarly Review
Goal (ELA9RL2.a, b, c, d)
The student identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of theme in literary works from
various genres and provides evidence from the works to support understanding. The student
a. Applies knowledge of the concept that the theme or meaning of a selection
represents a universal view or comment on life or society and provides support
from the text for the identified theme.
b. Evaluates how an author‟s choice of words advances the theme or purpose of a
work.
c. Applies knowledge of the concept that a text can contain more than one theme.
d. Compares and contrasts the presentation of a theme or topic across genres and
explains how the selection of genre affects the delivery of universal ideas about
life and society.
Role
The students will investigate the critical perspectives related to their chosen topic in at least
three texts from the unit. This research encounter should expose students to the universality
of theme in literature and in life as well as highlight the value of diction, and other literary
elements in advancing the theme or purpose of the works. Students will also become aware of
the differing critical perspectives (literary theory) and evaluate the value of such criticism.

Audience
Students should assume their audience consists of other students of literature and other
scholarly students interested in these works of literature.

Situation
Students must learn the art of research, but to do this, they must struggle a bit. Students will
become easily frustrated and so must receive numerous comments and feedback for each step,
but they must also realize that research is a process that is rarely finished completely. They
must learn to appreciate the struggles of finding information, determining the accuracy of that
information, and incorporating that information into a working framework of understanding of
a concept or idea.

Performance
See the guidelines for performance as outlined in the following assignment.

Standards / Criteria
Scholarly reviews will be published for the entire class to review. Students will receive peer
reviewed comments, but final evaluation will be by the teacher. Effective reviews will include
connected articles, focused on similar or related content, a variety of sources and adhere to the
minimum number of articles/pages (5/15). Sources will not all come from the same journal or
book, and the review obviously indicates a thorough review of the literature available on the
topic and not just the most immediate sources located through research.
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Criteria Unsatisfactory Proficient Mastery

Comprehensive Scope of research lacks Scope of research is Scope of research is

comprehensive somewhat comprehensive and
coverage; merely uses comprehensive but provides a clear
the “fast and easy” lacks some perspective overview of the
ideas (0-4 pts) or relevant insight (5-14 research available (15-
pts) 20 pts)
Content Lacks connections Somewhat relevant but Insightful and relevant
between ideas and not insightful connections between
provides little or no connections between article ideas; clearly
insight into the “big article ideas; provides demonstrates mastery
picture”(0-4 pts) some insight into the of the “big picture”(15-
“big picture”(5-14 pts) 20 pts)
Organization Lacks organizational Proficient organization Exceptional
topic sentences or but lacks some organization with
breaks in paragraphs organizational topic precise topic sentences
are illogical; few or no sentences or breaks in and logical breaks in
paragraphs exist. (0 or paragraphs are illogical paragraphs (15-20pts)
0-4 pts) (5-14pts)
Documentation Style Little or no similarity Somewhat accurate; Completely accurate;
to MLA format; no few errors but adheres all citations clearly
citations at all (0-4 pts) most closely to MLA(5- adhere to MLA format
14 pts)- (15-20 pts)
Mechanics / Grammar Numerous errors in Few errors in style, Polished, well-crafted
style, diction, or diction, or punctuation; sentences with effective
punctuation, spelling no spelling or careless style, diction, and
and careless errors (0-4 errors (5-9pts) punctuation (10pt)
pts)
Self-Awareness Demonstrates little or Demonstrates some Demonstrates mastery
no skill in problem- skill in problem-solving ability to problem-solve
solving while while researching, but while researching;
researching; only allows some obstacles to should have no
selects topics/articles interfere with learning; difficulty transferring
that are easily found; might have some research skills to a new
would have difficulty difficulty transferring project (10 pts)
transferring research research skills to a new
skills to a new project project (5-9 pts)
(0-4 pts)
Other Evidence
 Define Literature (class definition) – working definition to be revised throughout the
unit. Students and teacher will perform a “think aloud” and will list likely criteria for
literature, probably sticking to literary classics, fiction, drama, and poetry, but an effort
should be made to include other forms of literature as well. End the class period with
a One Minute Paper (see below)
 Timeline of “Great Works of Literature” Timelines are useful tools for helping
students understand the entirety of an event, a series of events, or the duration of
numerous events. But the creation of a literary history timeline will help students
interpret the value of literature, explain the importance of universal themes and the
role universal themes play in solidifying literature‟s place in history, perceive
universal themes from various perspectives (cultural, gender, historical, religious,
etc.), and value the placement of each event on the Literature Timeline.
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 One Minute Papers: This repetitive, information check for understanding activity
(add-on to other assignments) is an alternative use of the typical one-minute paper
assignment which usually only asks: 1) what was the most important point made in
class today, 2) and what unanswered question do you still have? This assignment will
be used to monitor students‟ understanding of a particular assignment, a particular
discussion, or just a class period. (Multiple submissions on variants of the following
questions)
o What is literature?
o Why does literature matter?
o How can literature help us better understand ourselves and others?
 Venn Diagram: Venn Diagrams are used to show relationships between things (for
lack of a better universal term). For this activity, we will look at several texts and
attempt to find connections between the themes of the texts.
 Journals: Journals are individual responses to the text but are not literal recall. These
Academic Prompts were created using the six facets and require students to think
critically about the text and write their ideas in clear, concise paragraphs.”Open-ended
questions or problems that require the student to think critically, not just recall
knowledge, and to prepare a specific academic response, product, or performance”
(142).
 Quizzes: Quizzes will consist of simple, content-focused items that:
o Assess for factual information, concepts, and discrete skill
o Use selected-response
o Are convergent, typically having a single, best answer
o May be easily scored using an answer key or machine (or group grade)
o Are typically secure (i.e., items are not known in advance) (142)
 Other Informal Checks for Understanding may include observation of student
group and individual work, questioning, and review of student work in progress.
Students may be asked to indicate (raised hands, or other positive sign) when they
understand a concept, or raise a question mark-placard when they don‟t understand
something.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection is included in the actual performance task
assignment sheets. At times, the self-assessment and reflection is done as a One-Minute
paper, and at other times, it is done as the conclusion to the activity.

1. What did you learn about theme that you didn‟t know before this lesson/unit?
2. How does your definition of literature differ now compared to the beginning of the
lesson/unit/semester (see original one-minute paper)
3. How has your understanding of the significance of literature changed during the
lesson/the unit? (Review your original one-minute paper).

Six Facet Rubric

The Six Facet Rubric would be used to assess journal entries and other checks for
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understanding.

Concept Unacceptable Proficient Mastery

Explanation Provides inaccurate or Provides somewhat Provides accurate,
incoherent explanation of accurate and coherent coherent, and thorough
the idea explanation of the idea, explanation of the idea
but the explanation may
not be thorough
Interpretation Does not make Makes somewhat Makes meaningful
meaningful connections meaningful connections connections between
in the text beyond literal between ideas, but come ideas, revealing
understanding of their connections rely significant understanding
merely on literal of meaning deeper than
understanding literal understanding
Application Does not make Attempts to make Makes appropriate
connections with the connections with the connections with the
outside world or with outside world or with outside world or with
themselves themselves, but some themselves
connections are merely
surface connections
Perspective Does not see or reveal Provides somewhat Provides insightful or
insights through changes credible revelations unusual revelations
in perspective through change in through change in
perspective, but some of perspective
the insights lack
substance or evidence
from the text
Empathy Lacks sensitivity to Somewhat demonstrates Demonstrates sensitivity
differences in others and sensitivity toward others and are open to
may even lack tack when but seem resistant to differences in others
responding to differences some differences
Self-Knowledge Seems unable to reflect Somewhat demonstrates Demonstrates reflective
on their own reflective insight, but and self-adjusting insight
understandings or short- perhaps lack the self- into themselves
comings. adjustment necessary to
really grow and learn
about themselves
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Word Choice – Activity

Theme:

Text (MLA format)

Excerpt:

Summary of excerpt:

Relationship of excerpt to
the entire text:

Evidence #1: select

Evidence #2:

Evidence #3:

Self-Assessment: Reflect on
your understanding of the
role of word choice and
other elements in the
advancement of theme and
purpose in literature.
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Universal Theme – Activity

Text Cited MLA format:

Summary argument of theme

Evidence from text #1:

Evidence from text #2:

Evidence from text #3:

Personal connection to theme (reflection):

Local connection to theme (news article or

other hard source – summarize and cite):

National connection to theme (news article

or other hard source – summarize and cite):

World connection to theme (news article or

other hard source – summarize and cite):

Self-Assessment: Reflect on your

understanding of literary themes as
universal and relevant to ourselves and to
others.
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Timeline Activity
Standard (ELA9RL2.d)

Compares and contrasts the presentation of a theme or topic across genres and explains how the
selection of genre affects the delivery of universal ideas about life and society.
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
 Explain the “big picture” of literary history
 Interpret the significance of the big events on other events
 Apply their understanding of literary history by choosing their top 10 events
 Accept different perspectives of the significance of literary history and incorporate other‟s
ideas into their own view of literary history.
 Include major events in history that weren‟t necessarily related to personal interests (i.e.
include events from non-western literary history)
 Reflect and objectively self-assess their initial and ultimate definition of literature and the
importance of literary history

Overview: Timelines are useful tools for helping students understand the entirety of an event, a
series of events, or the duration of numerous events. But the creation of a literary history timeline
will help students interpret the value of literature, explain the importance of universal themes and
the role universal themes play in solidifying literature‟s place in history, perceive universal
themes from various perspectives (cultural, gender, historical, religious, etc.), and value the
placement of each event on the Literature Timeline.

Assignment: Students will complete the following steps:

1. Students will write a one-minute paper reflecting on their understanding of the following
questions:
 What are some major works of literature? (What is literature?)
 Why are these works important? (Why does literature matter?)
 Why do we still read these works of literature today (if they are older) or why are these
works popular (if written today)? (How can literature help us better understand ourselves
and others?)
2. Students will complete a WebSearch, searching for the “beginning” of literature. Using the
class definition of literature (does it include oral works, written down later, or does literary
history begin with the first written works – this will vary from class to class, depending on
the working definition of literature at the time of the assignment. Place “the beginning” on
the timeline.
3. Students will select an ending point. Will the timeline include current literary events? Or
will the timeline end sometime earlier than today (nothing today is considered of value to that
timeline). Place this last event on the timeline.
4. Students will select eight other major events of significance in literary history. These events
may include publications of texts, inventions of technology that changed the literary world, or
the rise and fall of particular styles of writing.
5. The class will combine their events into one large class Timeline
6. The class will revise the working definition of literature.
7. Students will write a one-minute paper reflecting on their understanding of the following
questions:
 What is literature?
 Why does literature matter?
 How can literature help us better understand ourselves and others?
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Venn Diagram Activity

Goal/Standard (ELA9RL2.a, c,d)

 Applies knowledge of the concept that the theme or meaning of a selection represents a
universal view or comment on life or society and provides support from the text for the
identified theme.
 Applies knowledge of the concept that a text can contain more than one theme.
 Compares and contrasts the presentation of a theme or topic across genres and explains
how the selection of genre affects the delivery of universal ideas about life and society.

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

 Explain the “big picture” of theme
 Interpret the significance of the elements in theme
 Apply their understanding of theme by listing and connecting themes of multiple texts
 Accept various perspectives on theme and incorporate other‟s ideas into their own view of
theme
 Identify with at least one universal theme from the texts in this unit
 Reflect and objectively self-assess their initial and ultimate definition of literature and the
importance of theme in literature and in life

Overview
Venn Diagrams are used to show relationships between things (for lack of a better
universal term). For this activity, we will look at several texts and attempt to find
connections between the themes of the texts. Below, you will find a sample Venn
Diagram. Yes, it is simple, but it should demonstrate the point of this activity.

Compare similar characteristics between the following:

PIG
CANDY
BABY
(See the Venn Diagram example on the next page.)

Like the similarities between these three things, literature, too, has similarities. For this
unit, we have read a variety of literature, including short stories, poems, and plays, but
regardless of the genre, universal themes exist and are evident in all of the texts.

For this assignment students will work in groups,

1. Groups discuss themes and examples/evidence from the text
2. Groups will present themes to the class
3. Groups will revise their themes based on class suggestions
4. Class will unite to complete a Unit Venn Diagram (Smartboard or ELMO)
5. Students will complete the class lesson with a One-Minute Paper that addresses the
following:
 What is the most important thing you learned today?
 What do you wish you had learned?
 Discuss the following: what is literature, why does literature matter, and how does
literature help you understand yourself and others?
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Pig Baby

Smelly
Mammal
cute
Eats garbage Smell good

Messy
pink
Come in all sizes

Sticky
yummy

Variety of flavors
Variety of textures

Candy

(Venn Diagram is transparent on screen but prints solid – sorry)

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Trifles Quiz
1. The setting for the play is
a. On a farm
b. At a bus station
c. On a television show
d. In a football stadium
2. What is Mrs. Wright’s chief concern from jail?
a. The dead bird might be seen as evidence of her guilt
b. Her preserves might freeze
c. She left her house a wreck
d. She forgot to feed the dog
3. Mr. Wright dies by
a. A crushed skull
b. A heart attack
c. Strangulation
d. Food poisoning
4. Mr. Hale wanted to talk to Mr. Wright about what?
a. A falling fence
b. A wolf that was ravaging the cattle
c. A party phone
d. a business matter
5. Why do the men bring their wives to the house?
a. To help them investigate the crime
b. To clean the house – women’s work
c. To babysit the children
d. To gather some items for Mrs. Wright
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“A&P” Quiz
1. Where does Sammy work?
a. He is a lifeguard at the beach
b. He is the manager of the local diner
c. He is a cashier at the grocery store
d. He work as an electrician
2. Sammy argues with his boss because
a. His boss thinks he stole money
b. His boss is rude to the girls
c. His boss tries to make him go home early
d. His boss wants him to work more quickly
3. The girls are causing a scene because
a. They are wearing just their bathing suits
b. They are wearing spiked heels, lots of makeup, and “big hair”
c. They are loud and saying vulgar words
d. They are mad because they can’t find the item they want
4. Where does Sammy live?
a. In the college dorms
b. At home with his parents
c. With Stoksie
d. Alone in a studio apartment
5. What does Sammy do after arguing with his boss?
a. Punch him in the face
b. Walk the girls to the car and schedule a date with Queenie
c. Quit his job
d. Throw something through the window
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Journal Assignments
Complete each journal question by writing at least one paragraph and citing examples
from the text to support your ideas. Keep your journal questions ready for journal checks
in class. Not all journals will be collected at once, but may be collected at random.

“A&P” by John Updike

Elements of Fiction
 “A&P” is confined to one setting (the inside of the store) and a brief
period of time. How would the plot change if it began with Sammy
waking up at his house on the morning of the same day?
Explain
 What caused Sammy‟s change of heart? How do these events add up to
Sammy‟s decision at the end of the story?
Interpret
 What are the implications of Sammy‟s choice? What does his action
reveal about his life?
Application
 In an interview, John Updike writes:
The pictorial and the verbal are similar in that they both take place
in two dimensions on paper or canvas. . . . Drawing was a part of
the gentleman‟s equipment, in fact, in the nineteenth century, just
like operating a camera is for a twentieth-century person. . . .
Handwriting is itself a kind of drawing and the letters are in a way
visual objects. . . . I wanted to be a cartoonist but I fairly slowly
saw that there were others more gifted than I at drawing [, so] I
contented myself with being a writer in the theory that in a way
you . . . draw with words when you write.
Updike is talking about the importance of making the reader “see.” How
does Updike help us to see the scene he was describing? Choose two
images that you were able to see very clearly and analyze what Updike did
to help you see them.
Perspective
 Discuss the impact of Sammy‟s attitude on the narrative. Point to places
in the text where Sammy interprets events rather than reports them
objectively. How might this situation be reported differently (or left out
altogether) if the story were told by Stokesie, or Queenie, or someone else
in the story?
Empathy
 Whose values does the story seem to endorse? Whose values are
criticized? How do you know?

“When, in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes” by William Shakespeare

Elements of Poetry
 What are the characteristics of structure in this poem? Where do you
detect changes in thought or tone?
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 How many sections do you perceive in the poem? How does the rhyme
scheme signal section breaks?
Explain
 What caused the speaker to “scorn to change [his] state with kings”?
Interpret
 What does the final gg rhyme reveal about love?
Application
 How might changing the rhyme scheme help us to see the importance of
form?
Perspective
 Notice the implicit pun between “haply” – which means “by accident” –
and “happily.” How is “haply” different from “happily” in this poem?
 What are the strength and weaknesses of the diction in this poem?
Empathy
 How might the speaker feel about changing his state with current leaders?
With you?

Trifles by Susan Glaspell

Elements of Drama
 What is the significance of setting the play during winter?
 What is the significance of the kitchen as a setting for this play?
Explain
 What caused Mrs. Wright‟s unhappiness? How did her unhappiness affect
her?
 What might have happened if Mrs. Wright had joined the Women‟s
Society?
Interpret
 What does the men‟s attitudes about women‟s “trifles” reveal about their
society?
 What are the implications of these “trifles?
Application
 How might Mrs. Wright‟s situation compare with the speaker in
Shakespeare‟s sonnet or with Sammy from “A&P”?
Perspective
 What does the play suggest about the relative merits of men‟s and
women‟s perspectives? How do these different perspectives advance the
theme of the play?
Empathy
 Identify an exchange of dialogue that you found particularly powerful and
explain why. How would it feel to be one of the characters?
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Scholarly Review –Assignment (I use this assignment, but I tweaked it for this)
Overview
The purpose of a “Scholarly Review” is to describe and evaluate important research on a
topic. These reviews would be used by students or others who would like to see an
overview of the issues and available research on a particular topic. In writing a Scholarly
Review, your goal is to give an overview of the literature on a topic. You do that by
discussing the literature that is most relevant to your topic and your purposes, providing
clear and accurate summaries of appropriate source material, and describing relationships
among facts and concepts.

Assignment 1: (10 pts)

Choose a topic by selecting a theme that is relevant to three of the texts we
read for this unit. This topic selection is worth 10 points total, but your
topic must selected on time and remain mostly unchanged throughout the
duration of your research, so choose carefully. Points will be reduced by 1
point per day for late selections, and each change in topic will reduce this
portion of your grade by 2 points.
Write your topic and submit it.

Key Features of a Scholarly Review

Careful, thorough research. A scholarly review demands that you research all the
major literature on the topic – or at least the major literature available to you, given the
time you have. For this project, we will use the Galileo Database Service and use the
search criteria under Literature, Language, and Literary Criticism. Click on Literature
and Literary Criticism when given a choice. Use a KEYWORD search of your author
and title. Choose only full-text articles (articles are from academic journals), and see
what you can get. You will need five articles, each at least three pages long, but don‟t
settle for the first articles you find. Strive to find connections in your articles. Irrelevant
or unrelated articles may not receive as many points as more related articles.

Accurate, objective summaries of the relevant material. Readers expect your

scholarly review to objectively summarize the main ideas or conclusions of the texts
reviewed.

Critical evaluation of the material. A scholarly review offers an objective review of

the most important, relevant, and useful sources of information on its topic, so you must
evaluate each source to decide whether it should be included and then determine how it
advances understanding of the topic.

A clear focus. Because a scholarly review provides an overview of your topic‟s main
issues and explains the main concepts underlying your research, it must be carefully
organized and clearly focused on your specific topic. If you‟re researching a topic with a
vast amount of material on it, you will need to narrow and define the topic to one you can
handle. In other words, if you choose Hamlet, you might consider only looking at articles
that deal with Hamlet‟s indecision, or his morose behavior, or articles that deal with the
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psychoanalytical analysis of Hamlet. Reading five articles of unrelated material isn‟t

what we‟re going for here. (You may not choose Hamlet for this assignment).

Assignment 2: (15 points)

Select three articles from your research and type them in MLA format.

Survey the materials. Begin by skimming the first articles you find. Try to decide what
is important and what people are “talking about.” Research is like an ongoing
conversation that takes place in writing over an extended period of time, so you are
joining the conversation late, and you need to catch up on the discussions taking place.
Once you are somewhat aware of the different threads of conversation, you might run a
new search, possibly trying new key terms that include ideas from your skimming. This
might help you have more focused reading. Remember, your five articles need to be
somewhat related or connected. Think of a party with multiple conversations going on. I
want you to experience all the conversations but report more thoroughly on one
conversation.

Take notes as you read. I know that many of you read on screen very well, but for this
project, I suggest you print the articles, mark them up with notes, and then create real
note cards – yes, the paper ones – with citations on the back, so you don‟t forget where
you got the information. Of course you could make notes in a Word document as well, if
you are more comfortable with that.

Look for any patterns, trends, controversies, contradictions. How do these sources
relate to one another? to your topic? Part of your purpose in reviewing the literature is to
identify important trends and issues pertaining to your topic – and to summarize such
patterns in your review. Look specifically at the different critical approaches to literature
(feminist, psychoanalytical, historical, reader-response, etc. look in your book on page for
more details, or refer to your handout from last unit).

Assignment 3: (75 pts)

Type your final five articles in MLA format (see your book for more information on MLA
format) and write a brief annotation for each article. The following information should help
you write appropriate annotations:

An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation. Therefore, an annotated bibliography includes

a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. For this assignment, your annotation
should include the following:

Explanation
What is the key idea in the article? What examples are used to support this idea?
Interpretation
What are the implications of this argument in the larger context of your research?
What does this argument reveal about the author‟s purpose?
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Application
How might the information or the argument in this article help you to understand the text
better or to understand other articles better?

Perspective
How is the argument in this article different from other perspectives on similar issues you‟ve
read about during this research project?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of this argument?

Empathy
How might this author feel about the other research material you‟ve encountered?

Self-Knowledge
How are my views about my topic shaped by the argument and evidence in this article?
What are the limits of my knowledge about this topic?
Where do I go from here?
Organizing your scholarly review. Although the easiest way to organize your materials
is purely by source, I do NOT want you to do it that way. What you should strive to find
are three or so main ideas or threads of conversation that your research material is
discussing, and organize your paper just like that. Then, within each main idea, explain
which sources discuss that idea. So it will look something like this:

Introduction: Introduce your subject and explain what you will focus on (do not use I).

First Main Idea: Summarize the first main idea you found throughout your reading, and
then explain how each source handles this idea.

Second Main Idea: Summarize the second main idea you found throughout your
reading, and then explain how each source handles this idea.
etc.

Conclusion: Summarize the trends or patterns you found, and draw any important
conclusions.

Assignment 4: Final Scholarly Review (100 pts)

Complete the final Scholarly Review as directed above. Include the
original annotations as well.
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Bibliography: Creating a Technology Integration Plan using Video Podcasting

“Poetry Explications.” Handouts and Links. The Writing Center, UNC, CH.

http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/poetry-explication.html. 20 Apr 2010.

“Poetry: Close Reading.” Writing in Literature. Purdue Online Writing Lab.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/751/1/. 20 April 2010.

Pike, David L. and Ana M. Acosta. Literature: A World of Writing. Boston” Longman,

2011.

Pirie, Bruce. “Unlocking Reading Processes.” Reshaping High School English. Urbana,

IL: NCTE, 1997. 33-49.

Roberts, Edgar V. “Writing About an Idea or Theme: The Meaning and the „Messages‟ in

Literature.” Writing About Literature. 12 ed. Boston: Longman, 2010. 123-135.

Somers, Albert B. Teaching Poetry in High School. Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1999.