Grade - Unit Title

Unit 2, Bend 1 Table of ContentsUnit Title

Section Page Number

Unit Essential Questions Unit Goals and Sub Goals (Task Analysis) Unit Language (Spanish, Russian, English) Unit Assessment Checklist Unit Assessment Rubric Sample Unit Calendar

1 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Grade

Content: Unit 2, Bend 1 (Sessions 1-8)

Dates of Unit:

4 weeks

Unit Bend Title:

The Thematic Essay

Stage 1 Identify Desired Results

Standards:

(Alpha-numeric listing of standards incorporated in the unit)

W.8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.W.8.2.d. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topicW.8.3.b.,d. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.W.8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.)W.8.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including grade 8 on page 53.)W.8.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with othersW.8.9.a Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new”)W.8.10 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 discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

2 | P a g e

Grade - Unit TitleRL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.8.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

RL.8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

RL.8.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

SL.8.2 Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

SL.8.3 Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

SL.8.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

SL.8.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 8 Language standards 1 and 3 on page 53 for specific expectations.)

L.8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

3 | P a g e

Grade - Unit TitleL.8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

L.8.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

L.8.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

L.8.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Essential Questions: How do authors develop a theme through craft moves, character details, and scenes in the plot?

How are claims supported by using textual evidence and addressing counterarguments?

*Before this unit begins, your students will need to have already read the texts that they will be analyzing. Consider choosing a certain genre or theme/topic to let students choose various texts to read, so that all texts have a commonality the whole class can discuss, for example dystopian stories like “All summer in a day” by Ray Bradbury, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Divergent by Veronica Roth.

**Also, each student should have at least one person in the class who is writing about the same text, and these two partners should sit together during this unit and bend. A group of four or more can be a club of two-partner teams.

***Keep in mind that the first five minutes of any lesson are very important for engaging student interest. However, remember that a mini-lesson should be short (no more than 10 minutes) because the bulk of the time students should be writing because people learn to write best by actually writing.

4 | P a g e

Grade - Unit TitleGoals: SWBAT determine the best

theme of a text from among several possible options.

SWBAT cite textual evidence to support their claim regarding the theme of a text.

SWBAT identify craft patterns an author has used to show the theme of a text.

SWBAT draft, revise, and edit a literary essay that includes strong voice, structure, counterarguments, and cited textual evidence.

Learning Targets

Session 1: Looking for themes all around us

Session 2: Reading closely to develop themes

Session 3: Fine-tuning themes by studying author’s craft

Session 4: Drafting essays

*Notes to teacher

*Session homework

I can identify multiple possible interpretations of the theme of a text, and determine which theme I believe is best.

(*Themes should be expressed as full ideas/sentences, rather than simple terms (which are considered issues or motifs, rather than themes. For example, rather than calling the theme “friendship,” a theme might be something like, “Friendships can be like anchors, holding you down.”)

I can cite small, key moments of the text when themes are revealed or come to life.

I can find patterns in the craft moves an author has used in a text and explain how this supports or reveal the theme.

*To support this, teacher should guide students in turning to portions of the text that made a deep impression, rather than combing the text looking for literary devices. Also, encourage students to use scholarly language (the actual name of the devices, for example).

I can select an essay structure that supports my thesis.

I can write [an academic, literary essay] with a unique

5 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Titlevoice.

*Session 1 Homework: Write 1.5-2 pages in your writing notebook, either another theme entry or two, or dig deeper into a theme entry written in class, exploring how the theme plays out in other parts of the text. Follow the same steps taken in class, and e-mail your entry to your partner and read theirs before class tomorrow.

*Session 2 Homework: Continue to collect entries about the themes in your texts, and spend some time writing about the overarching themes, as well as zoom in on critical scenes to see what those scenes reveal. Write at least two more pages in your notebook.

*Session 3 Homework: Plan out the essay you will write, including a claim (a thesis) and the evidence you will use to support it. Create at least one written outline.

*Session 4 Homework: Write a good first draft of your essay by tomorrow.

*Anchor charts needed:

1. “How to write a thematic essay,” p.18.

2. “Thought prompts to push writers to speculate about themes in a text,” FIG. 1-1, p.10.

*Anchor charts needed:

1. “Frame a study of author’s craft in a way your students can understand,” p.27.

2. “Literary devices authors use to highlight theme,” p.28.

*Anchor charts needed:

1. “What makes a great essay?” p.41.

Learning Targets

Session 5: Finding the courage to revise your thinking

Session 6: Clarifying relationships between evidence & ideas

Session 7: Counterargument within literary essays

Session 8: Editing using all your know

6 | P a g e

Grade - Unit TitleI can determine where my writing isn’t “working” and revise my own essay in ways that improve its quality.

I can use logical reasoning (for example with a syllogism (“If a and b, then c”)) to explain the relationship between my claim about the theme and the textual evidence that supports my claim.

I can counter other possible interpretations of [the theme of] a text other than the one I claim as my own, and address counterarguments to show that my claim is stronger.

I can edit my literary essay to correct and advance my use of conventions.

I can express what I have learned about writing literary essays, and where I still struggle with the process.

I can identify logical fallacies (ie, false analogies, correlation vs. causation, or “straw man” false conclusion/overgeneralization) in my thinking and take the necessary steps to correct them.

*Anchor charts needed:

1. “Argument writing checklist,” p.48

*Anchor charts needed:

1. “Argument writing checklist,” p.48

2. “How to write a thematic essay,” p.111

3. “Basics of logical thinking,” p.57

4. “Some ways to clarify our logic,” p.58

*Anchor charts needed:

1. “Prompts to argue counterpoints in literary essays,” p.68

*Anchor charts needed:

1. “Argument writing checklist,” p.48

7 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title*Session 5 Homework: Continue/finish revising your essay, using the checklist for argument writing (above). Try to improve in areas you already do well, and find ways to use those techniques in other parts of your essay. Last, annotate your writing to point out the strength you named with your partner.

*Session 6 Homework: Revise your essay to clarify your logics, use transitions to explain your shifts in thinking, and generally make your writing stronger. Bring a finished draft to class for next session.

*Session 7 Homework:

Finish revising your literary essay draft, addressing counterarguments or changing your original claim is necessary.

*Session 8 Homework:

n/a

8 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Stage 2 Determine Assessment Evidence

ENGLISH Academic Language (What language will students need to sound like experts?)

Academic Language Function(s):

Hypothesizing & speculating

Supporting claims/opinions

Comparing

*passive voice/compound verbs

Academic Language Stems (to talk about their writing):

Easy for Beginners

Medium for Intermediate

Difficult for Advanced and Fluent

9 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Academic Vocabulary:

Assessment Tools:

Goals Rubric Assessment Checklist

10 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Stage 2 Determine Assessment Evidence

SPANISH Academic Language (What language will students need to sound like experts?)

Academic Language Function(s): Academic Language Stems (to talk about their writing):

Easy for Beginners

Medium for Intermediate

Difficult for Advanced and Fluent

Academic Vocabulary:

11 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Assessment Tools:

Goals Rubric Assessment Checklist

12 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Assessment Checklist – Unit 1 Bend 1

Student Name

I can

iden

tify

mul

tiple

po

ssib

le

inte

rpre

tatio

ns o

f the

I can

writ

e [a

n ac

adem

ic, l

itera

ry

essa

y] w

ith a

uni

que

I can

cite

smal

l, ke

y m

omen

ts o

f the

text

w

hen

them

es a

re

I can

find

patt

erns

in

the

craft

mov

es a

n au

thor

has

use

d in

a

I can

sele

ct a

n es

say

stru

ctur

e th

at

supp

orts

my

thes

is.

I can

det

erm

ine

whe

re

my

writi

ng is

n’t

“wor

king

” an

d re

vise

I can

exp

ress

wha

t I

have

lear

ned

abou

t w

riting

lite

rary

ess

ays,

I can

use

logi

cal

reas

onin

g (fo

r ex

ampl

e w

ith a

I can

iden

tify

logi

cal

falla

cies

(ie,

false

an

alog

ies,

cor

rela

tion

I can

cou

nter

oth

er

poss

ible

in

terp

reta

tions

of [

the

I can

edi

t my

liter

ary

essa

y to

cor

rect

and

ad

vanc

e m

y us

e of

13 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Lista de control – Unit 1 Bend 1

Student Name Notes

B = Beginning D = Developing P = Proficient M=Mastery

Unit of Study Argument Writing Checklist14 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

ELABORATION CRAFT SPELLINGPUNCTUATION/SENTENCE

STRUCTURE

15 | P a g e

OVERALL LEAD TRANSITIONS ENDING ORGANIZATION

Stud

ent N

ame

I lai

d ou

t an

argu

men

t abo

ut a

topi

c/te

xt

and

mad

e it

clea

r why

my

parti

cula

r ar

gum

ent i

s im

port

ant a

nd v

alid

. I s

taye

d fa

ir to

thos

e w

ho m

ight

disa

gree

with

me

by d

escr

ibin

g ho

w m

y po

sition

is o

ne o

f se

vera

l and

mak

ing

it cl

ear w

here

my

positi

on st

ands

in re

latio

n to

oth

ers.

After

hoo

king

the

read

er, I

pro

vide

d sp

ecifi

c co

ntex

t for

my

own

as w

ell a

s an

othe

r pos

ition

(s),

intr

oduc

ed m

y po

sition

, and

orie

nted

read

ers t

o th

e ov

eral

l lin

e of

arg

umen

t I p

lann

ed to

de

velo

p.

I use

d tr

ansiti

ons t

o le

ad th

e re

ader

acr

oss

part

s of t

he te

xt a

nd to

hel

p th

e re

ader

no

te h

ow p

arts

of t

he te

xt re

late

by

to

earli

er p

arts

. I u

sed

phra

ses s

uch

as n

ow

som

e ar

gue,

whi

le th

is m

ay b

e tr

ue, i

t is

also

the

case

that

, des

pite

this,

as s

tate

d ea

rlier

, tak

en a

s a w

hole

, thi

s is s

igni

fican

t be

caus

e, th

e ev

iden

ce p

oint

s to,

and

and

by

doin

g so

.

In th

e co

nclu

sion,

I de

scrib

ed th

e sig

nific

ance

of m

y ar

gum

ent f

or

stak

ehol

ders

, or o

ffere

d ad

ditio

nal i

nsig

hts,

im

plic

ation

s, q

uesti

ons,

or c

halle

nges

.

I org

anize

d cl

aim

s, c

ount

ercl

aim

s, re

ason

s,

and

evid

ence

into

secti

ons a

nd c

larifi

ed

how

secti

ons a

re c

onne

cted

.

I cre

ated

an

orga

niza

tiona

l str

uctu

re th

at

supp

orts

a re

ader

’s g

row

ing

unde

rsta

ndin

g ac

ross

the

who

le o

f my

argu

men

t, ar

rang

ing

the

secti

ons t

o bu

ild o

n ea

ch

othe

r in

a lo

gica

l, co

mpe

lling

fash

ion.

- = Not Yet √ = Starting To + = Yes!

Grade - Unit Title

Stud

ent N

ame

I bro

ught

out

the

aspe

cts o

f the

arg

umen

t th

at w

ere

mos

t sig

nific

ant t

o m

y au

dien

ce

and

to m

y ov

eral

l pur

pose

(s).

I inc

orpo

rate

d tr

ustw

orth

y an

d sig

nific

ant

sour

ces a

nd e

xpla

ined

if a

nd w

hen

a so

urce

se

emed

pro

blem

atic.

I ana

lyze

d th

e re

leva

nce

of th

e re

ason

s and

ev

iden

ce fo

r my

clai

ms a

s wel

l as f

or th

e co

unte

rcla

im(s

) and

hel

ped

the

read

er

unde

rsta

nd w

hat e

ach

positi

on is

sayi

ng.

I m

ade

sure

all

of m

y an

alys

is le

d m

y re

ader

s to

follo

w m

y lin

e of

arg

umen

t.

I int

ende

d to

affe

ct m

y re

ader

in p

artic

ular

w

ays-

to m

ake

the

read

er th

ink,

real

ize, o

r fe

el a

par

ticul

ar w

ay- a

nd I

chos

e la

ngua

ge

to d

o th

at.

I con

siste

ntly

use

d co

mpa

rison

s, a

nalo

gies

, vi

vid

exam

ples

, ane

cdot

es, o

r oth

er

rhet

oric

al d

evic

es to

hel

p re

ader

s fol

low

m

y th

inki

ng a

nd g

rasp

the

mea

ning

and

sig

nific

ance

of a

poi

nt o

r a p

iece

of

evid

ence

.

I var

ied

my

tone

to m

atch

the

diffe

rent

pu

rpos

es o

f diff

eren

t sec

tions

of m

y ar

gum

ent.

I spe

lled

tech

nica

l voc

abul

ary

and

liter

ary

voca

bula

ry a

ccur

atel

y. I

spel

led

mat

eria

ls in

cita

tions

acc

ordi

ng to

sour

ces,

and

sp

elle

d ci

tatio

ns a

ccur

atel

y.

I use

d di

ffere

nt se

nten

ce st

ruct

ures

to

achi

eve

diffe

rent

pur

pose

s thr

ough

out m

y ar

gum

ent.

I use

d ve

rb te

nses

that

shift

whe

n ne

eded

, de

cidi

ng b

etw

een

activ

e an

d pa

ssiv

e vo

ice

whe

re a

ppro

pria

te.

I use

d in

tern

al p

unct

uatio

n eff

ectiv

ely,

in

clud

ing

the

use

of e

llips

es to

acc

urat

ely

inse

rt e

xcer

pts f

rom

sour

ces.

16 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Stage 3 Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

SAMPLE UNIT CALENDAR

17 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

18 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

Anchor Chart:

“How to write a thematic essay”Unit 2, Bend 1, p.111

19 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

“Prompts to push writers to speculate about themes in a text”Unit 2, Bend 1, Session 1, Fig. 1-1, p. 10

20 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

“Frame a study of author’s craft in a way your students can understand”Unit 2, Bend 1, Session 3, p. 27

21 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

“Literary devices that authors use to highlight themes”Unit 2, Bend 1, Session 3, p.28

22 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

“How to write an author’s craft essay”U2B1, p.111

23 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

“Argument writing checklist”Unit 2, Bend 1, Session 5, p.48

24 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

“Basics of logical thinking”

Unit 2, Bend 1, Session 6, p.57

(first set shows logical thinking, second set shows logical fallacy)

25 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

“Some ways to clarify our logic”

Unit 2, Bend 1, Session 6, p.58

26 | P a g e

Grade - Unit Title

“Prompts to argue counterpoints in literary essays”

Unit 2, Bend 1, Session 7, p.68

27 | P a g e