o   Grade Level : 7-10

o   Big Ideas: Race Relations, Social Inequality, Prejudice

o   Summary: Take a trip back in time to the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression in this novel by Harper Lee. “To Kill A Mockingbird” follows Jean Louise Finch, better known as Scout, as she, her brother, Jem, and their neighbor, Dill grow and learn about the social issues in the rural south. Throughout the novel, the children find fascination originally in a town recluse that they have been trying to get to leave his house, and later, amidst a court case that will make turn the town upside down when Mayella Ewell, who is known as “white trash” in town, accuses Tom Robinson, a black farmhand, of rape and Atticus is assigned to Tom’s defensive team. 

o   Objectives: 

§  After having read Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”, students will discuss some of the themes of the text that are still relevant today. After engaging in discussions, students will be asked to fill out a graphic organizer discussing the differences that may have been shared between their own lives in comparison to their classmates with that of the books characters. For homework, the students will be asked to write a reflection on what was learned in class today, relating it back to “To Kill a Mockingbird” and citing textual evidence to support their statements. (9-10R3) (9-10W1) (9-10SL1)

§  After having viewed both mediums of Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird” and conducting a 3-step interview to convey the learners’ thoughts on the two, students will be able to compare and contrast the original text of the novel with the movie adaptation on the “Making Comparisons Graphic Organizer” Worksheet, completing at least 3 of 5 categories correctly. (8R7)

§  After having read Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”, students will create a piece of artwork in the medium of their choice to portray a scene, theme, or character within the text, including an explanation of their portrayal and a direct quote from the novel, receiving at least a 2 out of 3 according to a teacher created rubric. (9-10W4)

§  After having read the text, students will rewrite a scene from Boo Radley’s perspective, including details from the text, his feelings, and the inclusion of at least one other character, earning at least 3 out of 5 on a teacher created rubric.  (9-10W3)

§  After reading chapters of “To Kill A Mockingbird”, students will create a list of unknown words, completing a graphic organizer on assumed definition due to context in text, and actual dictionary definition, noting whether or not their assumption was correct, including a minimum of three words per chapter with each category filled. (8L4a)

o   Grade Level : 9-10

o   Big Ideas: Nature of Evil, Savagery, Man vs. Nature

o   Summary: While being evacuated during wartime, a group of British schoolboys’ plane was shot down over an uninhabited tropical island. The story follows along as the boys, elect a leader, receive roles, and attempt to maintain order despite differing views. When the semblance of structure shatters, two factions emerge along with the idea that there is a beast among them on the island. The boys, turning on one another, even kill two of their own before burning the forest which attracts the attention of a naval ship. The now savage children are saved by the naval officers and brought home to live with what they did. 

o   Objectives:

§  After reading “Lord of the Flies”, students will engage in small group debates on the themes of good vs. evil and how they relate to humanity with their peers serving as moderators and jury according to teacher established criteria and guidelines. (9-10SL1)

§  After completing the novel, students will rewrite a scene from a specific character’s point of view, remaining as accurate to the text as possible, earning at least a 75% out of 100% on a teacher created rubric.  (9-10W3)

§  After reading each chapter of the text, students will complete a graphic organizer to track the progression of characters and themes, completing each category with textual evidence. (9-10R2, 9-10R3)

§  After having read the novel, students will classify each character as static or dynamic with textual evidence to support their claim, earning atleast 70% out of 100% on a teacher created rubric. (9-10R3)

§  After having read the text "Lord of the Flies" and viewed the film adaptation, students will analyze the two, listing the details that are emphasized, altered, or absent on their graphic organizer, listing at least one significant detail that is emphasized, altered, or absent in each category. (9-10R7)

 

 

o   Grade Level : 9-11

o   Big Ideas: Love and Hate, Death, Sacrifice

o   Summary: Follow along in a family feud between the Montagues and Capulets that is tearing fair Verona in two. When the Montague boys crash the Capulet’s masquerade ball in search of a new love for Romeo, there is an instant connection between he and Juliet, a Capulet who is set to be betrothed to another. Despite the warring nature of their families, the two cannot stay apart and exchange vows of love before Father Lawrence agrees to marrying the young lovers in secret with the hopes of ending the feud between their families. When this is unsuccessful and loved ones of both Romeo and Juliet are killed in the crosshairs, Romeo is banished from Verona and Juliet’s wedding to Paris is being planned. Juliet, along with Friar Lawrence, concoct a plan to fake her death so she can run away to live happily ever after with Romeo. With the plan well in action, a supposedly dead Juliet is laid to rest in the tomb of her family but the news of the rouse doesn’t reach Romeo before the news of her death. Distraught with grief, Romeo decides that he would rather die than live without out so he goes to her tomb to kill himself. Moments after Romeo dies, Juliet awakens to his lifeless body and kills herself as well. Although the star-crossed lovers are both found to have perished, the families agree to end the long-standing feud in honor of their children. 

o   Objectives:

§  After reading each scene, students will note unknown vocabulary and phrases, consulting the glossary, foot notes, the internet, etc. to determine meaning that cannot be found through context clues, with at least one example from each scene. (9-10L4d, 9-10L5) 

§  After having read the play, students will analyze Romeo and Juliet’s choice of death and evaluate their decision according to teacher created criteria, determining whether or not it was an understandable choice based upon their textual evidence and argument, earning at least a 4 out of 5 on the teacher created rubric. (9-10SL3)

§  After having read the play, students will watch the film adaptation and compare the two for major differences, citing at least eight in a graphic organizer. (9-10R7)

§  After having read and discussed the play, students will write an alternate ending from the point of view of Romeo or Juliet, meeting the criteria presented in the teacher created rubric and earning at least 7 out of 10. (9-10W3)

§  After having read Act 1, students will evaluate specific scenes, exploring the theme of love, students will create a text conversation between Romeo and Juliet, portraying their thoughts and emotions in 180 characters of less, earning at least a 4 out of 5 on a teacher created rubric. 

o   Grade Level : 9-12

o   Big Ideas : Life and Death, Fate, Love, Friendship

o   Summary: The Donna Hosie story follows the recently deceased, 17-year-old, Mitchell Johnson who is paying his dues in Hell’s accounting office. While at work, he overhears stories of a time travel device that he just has to get his hands on so he wasn’t hit by the bus that sent him here. But his plans to steal the device and get his ticket back to the land of the living don’t quite go as desired when his friends want to go back too. 

o   Objectives: 

§  After reading the text, students will find at least 10 examples of figurative language and explain why they believe the author chose to include them, getting at least a 7 out of 10 according to a teacher created rubric. (9-10L5)

§  After completing the text, students will compare the hell presented in the text to that of others they have seen (books, tv, movies, etc) to come up with a depiction of their own personal vision of hell, earning at least a 2 out of 3 according to a teacher created rubric. (9-10W5, 9-10W6, 9-10R7)

§  After completing Hosie’s book, students will discuss the themes of Life and Death in the text and how they are explored, answering whether they see them to be fitting and accurate with their extended response earning at least a 3 out of 5 according to a teacher created rubric. (9-10R2)

§  After reading portions of the text, students will be asked to analyze the characters in the text and their decisions through the completion of a graphic organizer, with at least two examples per character. (9-10R3)

§  After finishing the novel, students will retell the story from the point of view of another character, remaining as true to the text as possible and earning at least 75% out of 100% according to a teacher created rubric. (9-10W3)

 

o   Grade Level : 9-12

o   Big Ideas: Coming of Age, Sexuality, Transformation, Friendship, Self-Acceptance, 

o   Summary: “Some Assembly Required” follows the author, Arin Andrews, through the story of his early life to his transition and gender reassignment from female to male during his junior year of high school. In this memoir, Andrews shares the nitty gritty details of the challenges faced as a boy in a girl’s body, the anger and humiliation that came with getting kicked out of his private school, and all the physical and mental challenges that he had to face as he transitioned. Andrews also takes the time to discuss finding love and breaking up as a transgender youth. He finds and loses love through Katie Hill, another transgender teen who can understand the struggles he had to go through. “Some Assembly Required” is a true coming of age story that teens everywhere can learn from to face and take down obstacles, the importance of family, friendship, and first love. But the main takeaway from this story is that regardless of gender, sexuality, religion, etc., growing up and self-acceptance does not come with an instruction manual or perfectly constructed – there will always be some assembly required. 

o   Objectives: 

§  After having read “Some Assembly Required”, students will reflect on Arin’s story and perspective in a journaling activity, citing at least one quote that elicited an emotional response. (9-10R6)

§  After having read “Some Assembly Required”, students will engage in a think-pair-share to analyze the text for figurative language and implicit and explicit messages within the text, at least 3 out of 5 questions correctly on the short answer questions. (9-10L5)

§  After having read excerpts from the text, students will be asked to find another example of a character who undergoes a difficult change in their life and discuss how they went about it in comparison to Arin, students will then complete the extended response question, earning at least a 7 out of 10 according to a teacher created rubric. (9-10R3)

§  After completing the novel, students will engage in partner discussions to choose at least one theme in the text and analyze its development before presenting it to the class, meeting at least 3 out of 5 on the teacher created rubric. (9-10R2)

§  After completing the novel, students will write a review of the novel, complete with a rating, developing their own criteria and rubric by which they evaluated the text, students will receive a minimum of 75% out of 100% on their project according to the teacher created rubric. (9-10R9)