Reading

Enrichment Unit

Title of Unit Curriculum Area

Dystopian Fiction Reading Enrichment English/Language Arts

Grade Level Time Frame

6-8 (5) 15 minute segments

Stage 1 Identify Desired Results

Established Goals & Content Standards: AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner 1.1.2; 4.1.5 Use prior & background knowledge as context for new learning. 1.1.9; 2.1.5; 3.1.2 Collaborate with others. 1.2.2 Demonstrate confidence and self-direction by making independent choices. 1.2.3; 4.1.3 Demonstrate creativity by using multiple resources and formats to respond to literature. 1.3.4; 3.2.1; 3.2.2; 3.3.5 Contribute to exchange of ideas within the learning community. 1.3.5 Use information technology responsibly. 1.4.2; 4.3.1 Use interaction with and feedback from teachers and peers to guide inquiry. 1.4.4 Seek appropriate help when needed. 2.1.2; 4.1.6 Organize knowledge so that it is useful. 2.1.4; 3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools to analyze/organize information. 2.1.6; 2.2.4; 3.1.3 Use the writing process, media & visual literacy, and technology skills to complete products that express new understanding. 2.3.1; 3.3.4 Connect understanding to the real world. 2.3.2; 3.3.1; 3.3.2; 4.4.4 Consider diverse and global perspectives in drawing conclusions. 3.4.2 Assess the quality and effectiveness of the learning product. Common Core Georgia Performance Standards ELA6RL2; ELA7RL2; ELA8RL2 Determine the theme or central idea of a text; provide a summary of the text. ELA6RL3; ELA7RL3; ELA8RL3 Describe/analyze how elements of a story interact enhance each other (plot, setting, character, dialogue, etc.). ELACC6RL10; ELACC7RL10; ELACC8RL10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed.

Understandings
Students will understand that: o Elements of a story, such as plot, setting, and characterization interact to enhance each other as well theme. o Literature can have a variety of themes and purposes. o Personal experience and background knowledge with the collaboration and exchange of ideas with others can contribute to the understanding of a text. Related Misconceptions: o The theme of a work is not a summary of the work or the topic of the work. o Fiction authors do not always write with the sole purpose of entertaining. Overarching Questions: 1. How does reading connect me to others within my own community and around the world? 2. How can I use what I know and have learned to contribute to the knowledge and experience of those around me? 3. How can I show that my interpretation of a text is reliable? 4. How can I persuade others to read the same literature I have enjoyed by appealing to a variety of cultural senses? 5. What techniques inspire me to read?

Essential Questions
Topical Questions: 1. What are the elements of fiction, and how do they interact to build a story? 2. How do I find the theme of a work? 3. What technologies are available to me to share my ideas about what I read? 4. What is a genre, and where does dystopian fiction fit in?

Knowledge and Skills Knowledge Skills

Students will know: the value of literature as it applies to the common human experience over time and space. They will know the basic elements of any story and avenues that are available for discussing ideas.

Students will be able to: isolate the elements of fiction within a text, determine the theme for a literary work, and apply knowledge of such things to a discussion of the work using collaborative technologies.

Stage 2 - Evidence Performance Task(s)

Be s ure to indicate: (audience, goal, role, & situation, product performance, purpose, s tandards, & criteria) You have been hired by Amazon.com to read and review a newly popular genre known as dystopian fiction. Amazon wants to be able to direct customers searching for dystopian novels to your reviews and filmed book talks. (AUDIENCE & GOAL) You will work as Amazons junior book editors to find, read, and analyze a variety of dystopian fiction novels. (ROLE, & SITUATION) For your analyses and reviews to be accepted, you must first prove that you have read the book thoroughly by passing a comprehensive q uiz. Next, you must utilize the Amazon guidelines for reviews and book talks which will be provided to you. (PRODUCT PERFORMANCE & P URPOSE) Your jobs depend o n your professional presentations. The reviews should b e detailed, address all of the Amazon guidelines, and include both a well-written s cript and final video, both without grammatical error. The book talks should b e thoroughly scripted and rehearsed. (STANDARDS & CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS) ** This assignment requires students to interpret a new genre of fiction. When writing r eviews and filming b ook talks, they will b e required to explain the reasoning and justifications behind their conclusions. The r eviews also require the students to apply their k nowledge of elements of fiction such as theme, plot, mood, setting, and characterization to real-time and authentic purposes. The reviews will also require that students take into account the perspectives of a variety of age groups and cultures. Additionally, empathy for others may be a byproduct of requiring students to examine their r eviews under the context of age and cultural perspectives. Finally, self-knowledge will be addressed as students gauge their own success b ased on the r ubric.

Performance Task(s) Rubric(s)

Video : Book Review
Teacher Name: Ms. Garner Student Name: ________________________________________ CATEGORY 4 3 Length of Video was 2.5-3.5 Video was 1.5-2.5 Video/Script minutes long. Script minutes long. Script was thorough and was thorough and without grammatical had few grammatical errors. errors.

2 Video was .5 - 1 minutes long. Script was lacking and had several grammatical errors.

1 Video was less than 30 seconds. There was no prepared script.

Videography -Clarity

Video did not rock/shake and the focus was excellent throughout.

Video did not rock/shake and the focus was excellent for the majority of the video. Video is interesting but purpose is somewhat unclear.

Video had a little rocking/shaking, but the focus was excellent throughout . Video is not very interesting and purpose is somewhat unclear.

Problems with rocking/shaking AND focus.

Interest and Purpose

Elements

Video has a clear and interesting purpose in that the student clearly defines whether (s)he would recommend the book to other readers. All of the elements of fiction were discussed thoroughly including plot, setting, and characterization. Student showed excellent knowledge of content, needing no cues and showing no hesitation in explaining the theme, mood, tone, and pace of the book.

Video is not interesting and has no discernable purpose.

All of the elements of fiction were addressed but lacked depth.

Only two of the three elements were discussed.

Only one of the three elements were discussed.

Knowledge

Student relied slightly on script for discussion points, but still showed complete knowledge of the book's theme, mood, tone, and pace.

Student relied heavily on note cards for discussion points and demonstrated only partial knowledge of the book's theme, mood, tone, and pace.

Student was unable to demonstrate knowledge of the book's theme, mood, tone, and pace.

Other Evidence
(e.g. tests, quizzes, work samples, observations)
o Students will be informally assessed based on group participation and discussion. o They will also receive a formal grade for their performance on a comprehensive quiz on their selected book. o They will receive a formal grade, using the rubric, for their final book review.

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

o Students will be afforded the opportunity to assess their formal comprehensive quiz performance and address questions that theyve were answered incorrectly. o Students will use the provided rubric to assess their own progress.

Stage 3 - Learning Plan

Learning Activities:
Segment 1 Day 1 WH Media Specialist will introduce the new, popular genre of dystopian fiction by explaining how a dystopian society compares to a Utopian society, by discussing and showing clips from popular dystopian films, and by reading book excerpts and reviews from popular dystopian fiction. This segment will serve as the hook and introduction to the entire unit. Segment 2 Day 2 ET Students will select their own dystopian books to read and discuss among themselves in small groups. This part of the unit will have to extend beyond the classroom and even beyond the units designated time period to allow students time to finish their books. Segment 3 Day 3 RT Students will create accounts within the Media Centers online card catalog social network to post guided reviews of the books theyve read and participate in discussions with other students as they actively read. Segment 4 Day 4 EO Students will evaluate the books theyve read for character development, pace, setting, mood, and theme and be featured in video recorded book talks/commercials on the morning announcements. Segment 5 Day 5 REO The fifth days segment will be used to complete any activities that were not completed in the previous 4 segments and to review and evaluate work from the beginning of the week.

WHERETO: Where/What/Why Hook/ Hold Equip Rethink/Revise Evaluate(Self) Tailor(Differentiate) Organize