Unit Plan - Phase III

7/30/2019 Unit Plan - Phase III

1/22

How Much of What You Hear Can You Really Believe?

A Thematic Unit on Authority and Opinion Formation

For 11th Grade ELA

Presented by Madison Giannattasio

On [Date] for AED 341


2/22

Table of Contents

Overview . . . . . . . . . . 3

Summary . . . . . . . . . 3

Rationale . . . . . . . . . 3

Administrators . . . . . . . 3

Students . . . . . . . . 3

Colleagues/Practitioners of Critical Pedagogy . . . 3

Project-Based Learning . . . . . . . 4

Interdisciplinary Justification . . . . . . 4

Respect for Difference . . . . . . . 4

Assessments . . . . . . . . . 5

Text Set . . . . . . . . . . 6

Unit Plan Schedule . . . . . . . . . 8

Handouts . . . . . . . . . . 16

Culminating Project Handout . . . . . . 16

Culminating Project Rubric . . . . . . . 20


3/22

Overview

Summary

The following details a unit based on the anchor text Delirium by Lauren Oliver based

around the idea of authority. More specifically, the notion that not everything an authority figure

tells you must be true; there is room for reason and research about controversial issues so that

one can come up with a well-rounded and well-informed opinion on a matter. To display what

they have learned, students will work in small groups to put together a ten to fifteen minute

documentary about a controversial issue of their choice, including interviews and their ownresearch, which will be presented to the community at the end of the unit.

Overarching Essential Question: How much of what you hear can you really believe?

Overarching Essential Understanding: Students will understand that, to fully

understand a controversial issue, they must take in all sides of it, rather than take it all at

face value based on what a person of authority, like a teacher, tells them to be true.

Rationale

Administrators

While at first, the notion of questioning the influence authority should have on a student

can seem extreme, the real goal behind it is very simple. In a world where colleges anduniversities are much more competitive with regards to admittance, students need to be equipped

with the skills to argue their case, make well-rounded opinions, and be able to defend them in

i t i d I dditi thi ki d f it ill t h t d t h kill th t ill


4/22

While it appeals to students in that it is hands on as opposed to a hefty research paper, it

teaches them the same skills, as well as more complicated visual and media literacies. They also

will enjoy the freedom that comes with choosing their own topic because it will likely be a

subject theyre interested in, encouraging their best work. What seems like a fun, easy, project, is

actually the equivalent amount ofif not more thanwork as a research paper. Furthermore, by

bringing it out to the community through the premiere night at the end of the unit, it will give the

project a sense of purpose because it is for more than the teachers and classmates eyes only.

Project-Based Learning

This unit plan is based off of the Project-Based Learning model, worked out by John

Barell. As Barell writes and emphasizes, this plan is driven by the notion that it must be

authentic. His book states, With authentic assessment and achievement we emphasize using

complex intellectual processes found in life experiencesto ensure students understand content

and can apply learning to life beyond the classroom (32). In other words, by teaching skills that

will be used throughout the rest of their lives through content, students will become stronger

learners. Ive taken that approach, focusing on encouraging open-mindedness and argumentative

skills through the lens ofDelirium and channel it all into their final projects: a documentary that

will be shown to different members of the community and having a purpose beyond getting a

good grade.

Interdisciplinary Justification

The skills learned in this unitnamely; research media and cognitive skillsare very


5/22

Assessments

Throughout the unit, there are multiple forms of assessment that can be used to measurethe growth of the students knowledge. On days devoted to looking atDelirium, a paragraph

answer will be written to a question that pertains to that nights reading. Some may be collected,

while others checked over to make sure some work was done. This will encourage students to

keep up with the readings. On days where skills for putting together their documentaries are

taught, they will be expected to have at least a one-paragraph entry written in their Research

Journals either about the unit for that class, orabout work they have done on the documentary

and how they are grappling with the information. There are no set questions because this space isto be used for personal reflection, contemplation, and planning. After the previously listed

formative assessments are completed, students will be fully prepared to take on the summative

project; The documentaries, which will be displayed, upon completion, to an audience of

community members. After the documentaries have been shown to both the class and the public,

they will be asked to complete their Research Journals with an extended reflection about the

process. The major assessment, however, is their documentary and presentation as a whole. It

will be graded by how well they fulfilled the criteria set in the rubric with regards to content,

creativity, and digital-media skills.


6/22

Text Set

Anchor Text:

Oliver, Lauren.Delirium. New York: Harper, 2011. Print.

This book will be the anchor text of this course. It is a young adult novel that chronicles

the experiences of seventeen-year-old Lena in a futuristic dystopian society that in some way

resembles Orwells 1984. Love is considered a diseaseAmor Deliria Nervosaand young men

and women are kept segregated from each other until they turn eighteen and are eligible to

receive the Cure. The Cure is a laparoscopic lobotomy where the part of the brain that registers

love is cut off from the rest of the body and people become complacent human beings. Lena,

then, must deal with becoming infected and doing everything she can to break free from the

government who has been feeding her lies on the dangers of love and the reality of the world

around her. Therein lies the usefulness of the text. It takes something that seems inconceivable

love being considered a diseaseand makes it a reality where students can see both sides of the

picture, but Lena cannot. It shows the development of her character as she comes to realize that

not everything shes been told is true and that it is up to her to get down to the facts and set

herself free.

Ancillary Texts:

Lake, Nick.In Darkness. New York: Bloomsbury, 2012. 93-105. Print.

In Darkness is a young adult novel about a Haitian boy who is trapped by an earthquake

in complete darkness in the ruins of an old hospital. In this dark place, he starts to hallucinate and


7/22

will argue as to how love couldand couldntbe seen as a disease, subsequently discovering the

way any text can be twisted to suit a persons beliefs.

Shakespeare, William. "Sonnet 18." Shakespeare-Online. Ed. Amanda Mabillard. N.p., 4 Feb.

2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. .

Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeareone of the most well-known of his many works

opening with,Shall I compare thee to a summers day? is yet another literary work that appears

in OliversDelirium. In the context of the novel, it is a forbidden poem which she only hears and

learns about through Alex in the Wilds, about love. They will use this text within the context of

Delirium to examine why the government would have banned such a poem using deductive

reasoning.

Spurlock, Morgan, perf. Super Size Me. 2004. Kathbur Pictures. DVD.

Super Size Me is a documentary written and performed by Morgan Spurlock that explores

the rising impactas well as health implicationsthat come with the McDonalds food branch.

He goes around the country eating only McDonalds every day, and his health is examinedclosely to measure the effects. The goal is that showing this film will help enhance the

experience of students as they make their own documentaries. More likely than not, students will

go into this unit with the preconceived notion that documentaries are boring and dry, something

that may deter them from wanting to do a project like this. By showing Super Size Me, which is

both factual and entertaining, it opens their mind to the more creative possibilities that they can

take with a project such as this one.


8/22

Unit Plan Schedule

Week Oneo Monday

To Do Introduce Unit and Essential Question Hand out Texts Hand out Culminating Project Worksheet

Homework None

o Tuesday To Do

TEQ: We seeRomeo and Julietby Shakespeare as a classic lovestory in todays society, but in Lenas, it is a cautionary tale. Why

do you think it is, (or isnt), an ideal story to be used to cautionagainst love?

TEU: Text can be manipulated in a multitude of ways to fit acertain perspective.

Examine selections ofRomeo and Juliet Homework

Read Ch. 14 ofDelirium You know you cant be happy unless youre unhappy sometimes,

right? (23). To what degree do you agree with Hanas statement?

Conversely, can you see the allure of the Cure?o Wednesday

To Do TEQ: Why do we trust the facts we get in documentaries?


9/22

love is more deadly than a werewolf or a vampire, classic monsters

for todays society?

o Friday To Do TEQ: Why are documentaries a valuable source for trusted

information?

TEU: Documentaries are expected to draw their factualinformation from reliable and current sources. By searching

databases and examining the strengths and weaknesses of a text,

more of an understanding of a subject can be obtained.

Homework Research Journals

Week Twoo Monday

To Do TEQ: Lena discovers Hana has been rather rebellious against the

government lately. Do you think the authoritative government is

right in imposing these restrictions? Why or why not? TEU: There is no real black and white with controversial matters

such as how much or little power a government should have.

Opinions vary and there is no set answerthat is how an issue

becomes controversial. Homework

Read Ch. 78 ofDelirium There has been a lot of imagery surrounding flames and fire so

far in the book. Find examples and write what you think thesymbol represents.

o Tuesday To Do


10/22

Read Ch. 9 ofDelirium This is the first time that Lena has ever been around this many

uncured boys. Why do you think the government keeps the gendersso segregated? Do you think there are other reasons aside from the

risk of infection?

o Thursday To Do

TEQ: What effect does genre have on the way it is perceived by anaudience?

TEU: Every genre has its strengths and limitations. Students willbe able to dissect different genres for their underlying purposes.


o Friday To Do

TEQ: Look at the descriptions of the four phases ofAmor DeliriaNervosa at the top of chapter ten, (147). From the perspective of a

foreign visitor to this planet, upon viewing a person undergoingthese symptoms, could love really be considered a disease?

TEU: Society engrains in people, a set of understandings of what isnormal, and what is abnormal; what is learned, and what is innate.

Homework Read Ch. 1012 ofDelirium Take it from me: If you hear the past speaking to you, feel it

tugging at your back and running its fingers up your spine, the best

thing to dothe only thingis run (176). Do you agree withLenas advice?

Week Threeo Monday


11/22

Look at section ofIn Darkness Homework

Read Ch. 1314 ofDelirium Lena comes to a major realization over these two chapters

regarding her opinion on the Invalids versus the Raiders. Describe

a time when you learned that a stereotype you may have had turned

out not to be true.

o Wednesday To Do

TEQ: Why is knowing the audience important? TEU: By understanding the audience, it alters the perspectives and

biases to highlight. If an audience shares a collected viewpoint,

while it is important to display that point, its also key to put moreof an emphasis on the other varying perspectives to add to their

understanding. Homework

Research Journalso

Thursday To Do

TEQ: They told us that love was a disease. They told us it wouldkill us in the end. For the very first time I realize that this, too,

might be a lie (280). What is the significance of this quote?

TEU: There are many ideas that people take as facts withoutbothering to question the truths behind them.

Homework Read Ch. 1517 ofDelirium Alex and Lena impart on a big step at the end of this section. It is

arguably one of her biggest acts of rebellion against authority so

far in the novel Using what you know so far as well as your own


12/22

and after. The rest of the world falls away on either side.Before

and afterand during, a moment no bigger or longer than an edge.

Using closer reading, what is Lena trying to convey to the reader? TEU: Defining moments such as this have a heavy impact on a

persons identity, and much can be learned about the self through

introspection about such defining moments, as well as anunderstanding built about where a belief or opinion comes from.

Homework Read Ch. 1819 inDelirium Alex recites two love poems to Lena: Sonnet 18 by William

Shakespeare, and Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.Select one of these poems and read it. Select some lines that you

think might have stood out to Lena and write down why.

o Tuesday To Do

TEQ: How can different literary elements such as simile, metaphor,and hyperbole effect what the audience gains from the text?

TEU: By incorporating and weaving in literary elements, it addscreativity and emphasis in key areas, becoming more appealing tothe audience as well as supplementing an argument.


o Wednesday To Do

TEQ: A pretty big bombshell is dropped on Lena at the end ofchapter twenty. Is it enough to change her perspective about hermother? What does it take to change a persons views after beingset one way for so long?

TEU: With an open mind opinions can change; this comes with


13/22

TEQ: Lena gets a clear look at the other side of the President andConsortiums regime in chapter twenty-two. On top of that, she

now has to bear the burden of wondering what the true fate of hermother was. Consider the phrase, Ignorance is bliss. Do youthink it applies, or is Lena better off for knowing, even if it is

painful?

TEU: Ignorance can have a powerful impact on a personsperspective and it can be drawn from many different sources. It

usually blinds a person to other perspectives, and therein lies the

challenge of using logic to argue their case.

Homework Read Ch. 2223 inDelirium They say the cure is about happiness, but I understand now that it

isnt, and it never was. Its about fear: fear of pain, fear of hurt,

fear, fear, feara blind animal existence, bumping between walls,shuffling between ever-narrowing hallways, terrified and dull and

stupid (383). Is this an accurate way to examine human nature?

How above animal-kind is man really? Week Five

o Monday To Do

TEQ: Who is a true authority figure? TEU: Society heavily dictates who can act as an authority figure as

it varies all over the world and from culture to culture.


o Tuesday To Do

TEQ: Reflect back on a question from earlier in the unit regarding


14/22


o Thursday To Do TEQ: Reflect back to the question that was brought up at the start

of the unit: How much of what you hear can you really believe?

In what way can this text be used as a resource in helping youdevelop an answer to that question?

TEU: All different genres of text are applicable and have use whenexploring different inquiries.

Homework Read Ch. 27 ofDelirium Look at your prediction for what might happen at the end of the

novel. How close were you to what actually happened? Did you

like the ending? If not, write an argument why using supportingdetails from the novel.

o Friday

To Do Tech lesson: How to work a video camera and the editing software.

Homework Work on Culminating Project Research Journals

Week Sixo Monday

To Do In class time to finish projects

Homework Work on Culminating Project Research Journals


15/22

o Friday To Do

TEQ: What have I learned? Discuss, as a class, the benefits and downsides of a unit like this.

Did it work? Where could it have been better? Homework A handwritten reflection as the last entry in the reflection journals about

their own part in the project and detailing some of their experiences,

critiquing their work as well as highlighting the strong points.


16/22

Get Some

Whats this all about?

The Get Some Perspective project is as simple and yet complex as it sounds. Get

perspective? Get perspective on what? Thats up to you. Listed below are a multitude of different

controversial issues in the world today. Some are broad, while some are more specific. In groups

of four or so students, you will be delving into one of these topics that you all agree on and

getting all of the perspectives there are to be had. Everyone has a side and a bias, so now, itstime to uncover the truth for you and become experts on the subject.

Once a topic is set and research begins, you will build off of tools I give you in class, as

well as your own creative minds, and your group will create a documentary of about ten to

fifteen minutes in length where you do your absolute best to tell all sides of the storybut heres

the catch: can you make the documentary without lending any bias to one perspective.

Throughout this project, you will be making constant entries of at least one paragraph where youcan explore any part of your topic that youd like. If your opinion changed, write it down. If you

found a source that gave statistics that keep running through your head, write it down. If you are

h i t bl ith hi it it d Thi i l t h i l k d I ill


17/22

Researching the topic using databases and reliable sources and compiling a set list todraw from.

Keeping notes in research journal throughout the process. Interviewing different members of the community on a video recorder. Create a documentary covering skills learned in class that utilizes research and interviews

that with explain the issue in an unbiased way.

Presenting this documentary to an audience with a wide viewership. Reflecting on the process.

What can I choose from, then?

You can choose from any of the following areas that the group as a whole comes to agreement

on:

Same-Sex Marriage Abortion Euthanasia Death Penalty Immigration Health Care Right to Birth Control Stem-Cell Research Animal Testing

Legalizing Marijuana Gun Control The War on Terror Sexism in Pop Culture


18/22

Simple! Attached is a rubric that I will be filling out after I receive all of the finished

pieces to this puzzle. I will be keeping an eye on your progress throughout the unit by

periodicallyand sporadicallycollecting your Research Journals to make sure youre keepingup with the work, or at the very least, thinking about your own views on the issue and

brainstorming ideas to measure your progress and process throughout. The next step comes when

I watch your lovely finished documentaries and grade them on how well you:

Researched the Topic Conducted Interviews Handled Avoiding Bias Use of Tone and Evidence of Clarity Creativity with regards to Literary Elements

This will be the largest chunk of your grade [see rubric]. The last portion is based on your last

entry in your Research Journals: your reflection. This may not be the most point-heavy area, but

this is where you get to tell me directly what you learned, what you didnt learned, complaints,

comments, concerns, revelations, mental breakdowns, thrills, chills, ect., that you encounteredover the course of this project. In this reflection, I will also ask you to give yourself a grade, and

tell me why, based off of the rubric. I will take this number into account when I tally up your

points, so be honest. And if you give yourself a 100, without a concrete reason, in the hopes Ill

agree with you, you will get a very disapproving look from me and I will not take the number

into consideration. You have been warned.

Anything else?

HAVE FUN WITH THIS! The more enjoyment and interest you put into this topic, the better

your documentary will turn out. People are going to see this, so put your best foot forward and


19/22

a. Explore topics dealing with different cultures and world viewpoints.

[W 11-12] 4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, andstyle are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

[SL 11-12] 5. Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and

interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and

evidence and to add interest.

[SL 11-12] 4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and

distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing

perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are

appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

[W 11-12] 10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and

revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes,

and audiences.


20/22

Get Some Perspective! Rubric

Generalization Quality 6

Excellent

5

Good

4

Fair

3

Average

2

Below Average

1/0

Poor

Research Skills

Use of

legitimate

sources from

educational

databases

Proper citation

skills

How well

researched wasyour topic?

Were your sources

legitimate?

Were they cited

correctly?

The topic was

very wellresearched with a

varied wealth of

sources. All

sources were

cited correctly.

The topic was

well researchedwith a number

of sources, most

of which were

cited correctly.

The topic was

researched withseveral sources.

Some errors in

citation.

The topic was

shown to beresearched in

through two or

three limited

sources. Many

errors in citation.

The topic was

examined throughone or two poor

sources. Little or

no citation.

One or no

sources wereused. Any

citations were

done

incorrectly or

completely

missing.

Interviews

Ability to form

informative

questions

Questions

avoided holding

a bias

Ability to utilize

all different

sides of an

argument

Were questions

asked informativeand well-worded?

Was there any bias

shown throughout

on the part of the

interviewer?

Were multiple

perspectives

displayed?

The interview

was conductedwith informative

and unbiased

questions. All

available

perspectives

were displayed

throughout.

The interview

was conductedwith

informative and

unbiased

questions. Most

perspectives

were displayed

throughout

The interview

was conductedwith mostly

informative and

unbiased

questions. Most

perspectives

were displayed

throughout

The interview was

conducted withmostly

informative and

some biased

questions. Some

perspectives were

displayed

throughout.

The interview was

conducted withsome informative

and some biased

questions.

Different

perspectives were

lacking.

The interview

was conductedwith poorly

informative

and biased

questions. Only

one or two

perspectives

were displayed.


21/22

21

Bias

Skill regarding

maintaining an

unbiased

position

Demonstration

of capabilities at

showing all

perspectives

How successful

was your group in

keeping the

documentary

unbiased?

Were there a wide

range of

perspectives

considered?

Very successful

at eliminating a

bias and showed

a very wide

range of

perspectives.

Successful at

eliminating a

bias and

showed a wide

range of

perspectives.

Successful at

eliminating some

bias and showing

a range of

perspectives.

Showed some bias

throughout, but a

fair range of

perspectives were

show

Showed bias

throughout and

lacking multiple

perspectives.

Heavily biased

and showing

only one or two

perspectives.

Tone

Ability to keep

tone even and

set throughout

Clarity

Ability to keep

the argument

clear and

concise

throughout

Was an

informational but

interesting tone

was set

throughout? Were

the arguments clear

and concise

throughout?

Overall product

was set with a

very

informational

and interesting

tone, and the

different

arguments were

very clear and

concise.

Overall product

was set with an

informational

and interesting

tone, and the

different

arguments were

clear and

concise.

Overall product

was set with an

informational

tone and the

different

arguments were

mostly clear and

concise.

Overall product

was set with an

informational

tone, but was not

displayed

throughout, and

the different

arguments were

fairly clear and

concise.

Overall product

was set with a

varied and

uninteresting tone,

and the different

arguments lacked

some clarity.

Overall product

lacked any real

use of tone and

the different

arguments

were unclear.

Creativity

Displays ability

to use different

literary elements

throughout final

project

Was there a

creative flair to the

presentation? Were

different literary

elements utilized?

There was a very

prominent

creative flair that

utilized many

different literary

elements.

There was a

prominent

creative flair

that utilized

many different

literary

elements.

There was some

creative flair that

utilized some

literary elements.

There was some

creativity shown,

but very few

literary elements.

There was a

lacking in creative

flair, and only one

or two literary

elements were

shown.

There was no

creativity in the

piece and one

or no literary

elements were

present.

Research

Journals

Ability to

research and use

introspection

during the

writing process

Did you keep up

with the journal

entries as listed in

the syllabus? Were

they in depth and

thoughtful?

There were many

different journal

entries that were

very deep and

thought-

provoking.

There were

many different

journal entries

that were deep

and thought-

provoking.

There were

different journal

entries that were

thought-

provoking.

There were

different journal

entries, though

only some were

thought-

provoking.

There were not

many journal

entries and only

some were

thought-

provoking.

Very few to no

journal entries

and they lacked

any real

demonstration

of

introspection.


22/22

22

to help improve

upon overall

outcome

Reflection

Displays a

reflection

process that

determines

growth over

time

How well did you

reflect back on all

of the work you put

into this project?

Was your

reflection honest

and introspective?

A careful

analysis of the

process was

demonstrated

and there was

very honest

critiquing

evident.

A careful

analysis of the

process was

demonstrated

and there was

honest

critiquing

evident.

An analysis of

the process was

demonstrated

and there was

honest critiquing

evident.

An analysis of the

process was

demonstrated and

there was some

critiquing evident.

A limited analysis

of the process was

demonstrated and

there was minimal

critiquing evident.

There was little

to no evidence

of analysis and

critiquing

evident.

Unit Plan - Phase III

Documents

Transcript of Unit Plan - Phase III