Digital Unit Plan Template Unit Title: From Graveyard Book to Jungle Book then Your Own Book

Content Area: English

CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

Name: J.P. Fisher Grade Level: 8th Grade

Reading Standard #3 Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories). Writing Standard #3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured
event sequences.

Big Ideas:

Students will learn how to analyze and connect two different stories(Graveyard Book and Jungle Book) with similar premises(kid growing up and being raised in an unconventional setting with non-human parents) yet different settings(graveyard vs. jungle). Students will learn how to create and articulate a coherent story based off the premises of the Graveyard Book and Jungle Book yet with their own chosen setting. For example: My story would be the Moon Book, itd be about a boy who grew up on the moon and was raised by Aliens.

Unit Goals and Objectives:

While working independently, students will be able to analyze the books and write out their thoughts about characters, themes, setting, and other literary devices that have been taught throughout the year in their journals. Textual evidence will be required for each thought of theirs. While working in class, students will be able to gather with other students and discuss their thoughts about the books with one another in a big group and in small groups. This will solidify their understanding of the books and get them comfortable with expressing their thoughts with others. The last objective will be to incorporate everything gathered in lectures, personal writing, and in class discussion in order for students to create and present their own book thus challenging them to apply what they learned through creative writing.

Unit Summary:

Howdy y'all! This unit is designed for J.P. Fisher's 8th grade English class. It is a Digital Unit that cover the Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and the Jungle Book Disney Adaption. In this unit, students will learn how to analyze two different text, one of which served as inspiration for the other, compare and contrast general writing themes and literary devices especially the importance of setting. After analyzing both texts, students will be scaffolded to start their own creative writing by incorporating the basic premise of the two covered texts as well as other themes. they will be challenged and guided throughout the lessons and utilize technology throughout this unit. Therefore, students must be prepared to read two books and write out their thoughts about the stories, proficiently comprehend them enough to discuss them with peers, and take everything they learned from the lectures and discussions to make their own story inspired by both of the books.

Assessment Plan: Entry-Level: Brainstorm: What is a story? Formative: Quiz: Jungle and Graveyard Book reading comprehension (http://quizlet.com/_nnws6) Journals: Writing skills on Jungle and Graveyard Book Circle Time: Measure critical thinking through classroom discussion Book Builder Proposals/Rough Drafts: Creative application of everything learned Summative: Participation: How active a student was throughout the entire lesson(especially in classroom discussion: http://www.uen.org/Rubric/rubric.cgi?rubric_id=29283) Book Presentation: Final Assessment of everything learned and applied

Lesson 1 Student Learning Objective: While working Acceptable Evidence: Input in journals Instructional Strategies:
Lesson Activities: Lecture and then write in journals with guided notes provided by teacher. Read

and lecture on the stories of the Graveyard Book and Jungle Book and then have

independently, students will be able to analyze the books and write out their thoughts about characters, themes, setting, and other literary devices that have been taught throughout the year in their journals. Textual evidence will be required for each thought of theirs. Lesson 2 Student Learning Objective: While working in class, students will be able to gather with other students and discuss their thoughts about the books with one another in a big group and in small groups. This will solidify their understanding of the books and get them comfortable with expressing their thoughts with others. Lesson 3 Student Learning Objective: The last objective will be to incorporate everything gathered in lectures, personal writing, and in class discussion in order for students to create and present their own book thus challenging them to Acceptable Evidence: Created Books Acceptable Evidence: Notes from discussion and dialogues and graphic organizer.

Communication X Collection Collaboration Presentation X Organization Interaction

students be able to personally and independently compare and contrast to juxtaposed stories and for them to write out their observations and analysis in their journals in order to develop their analytical skills as readers and lead to better writing skills.

Instructional Strategies: X Communication X Collection X Collaboration Presentation X Organization X Interaction

Lesson Activities: Class discussion and graphic organizer. Gather students in discussions circles

or a large forum(depending on class size) to share their personal thoughts on both stories in order to help students feed off each others analysis and create robust dialogues of thought which will boost their comprehension of the stories.

Instructional Strategies: X Communication Collection Collaboration X Presentation Organization X Interaction

Lesson Activities: Creating personal books through incorporating everything learned thus far.

Assign students the task of having them(individually or in groups) create their own story with the same premise as the two stories, but in a different setting in order to develop their ability to write narratives that are wellstructured, creative, and incorporate themes from inspiring works.

apply what they learned through creative writing. Unit Resources:

Graveyard Book http://edmerls.com/ow_userfiles/plugins/forum/attachment_29_5177f8d857f0d_Neil-Gaiman-The-Graveyard-Book.pdf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOF01vb4Rec

Jungle Book http://www.literaturepage.com/read/thejunglebook.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmFW4tntpik

Useful Websites:

Presentation Tools: http://bookbuilder.cast.org/ http://www.digitalstoryteller.org/

http://www.comiclife.com/