DesigningaStandardsBasedUnit

Gradelevel:SubjectArea:English9
UnitTopic:Culture

ContentStandards

RI.910.5RI.910.7RI.910.9W.910.2W.910.5W.910.7W.910.9L.910.5SL.910.1
5.Analyze[indetail]howanauthorsideasorclaimsaredevelopedandrefined[by
particularsentences,paragraphs,orlargerportionsofatext](e.g.,asectionorchapter).
(RI.910.5.)(DOK2,3)
7.Analyzevariousaccountsofasubject[toldindifferentmediums](e.g.,apersonslife
storyinbothprintandmultimedia),determiningwhichdetailsareemphasized[ineach
account].(RI.910.7.)(DOK3,4)
9.AnalyzeseminalU.S.documentsofhistoricalandliterarysignificance(e.g.,Washingtons
FarewellAddress,theGettysburgAddress,RooseveltsFourFreedomsspeech,Kings
LetterfromBirminghamJail),includinghowtheyaddressrelatedthemesandconcepts.
(RI.910.9.)(DOK3,4)(AREWEDOINGTHIS?)
2.Writeinformative/explanatorytexts[toexamineandconveycomplexideas,concepts,and
informationclearlyandaccuratelythroughtheeffectiveselection,organization,and
analysisofcontent].
5.Developandstrengthenwriting[asneeded]byplanning,revising,editing,rewriting,or
tryinganewapproach,focusingonaddressingwhatismostsignificantforaspecific
purposeandaudience.(EditingforconventionsshoulddemonstratecommandofLanguage
standards13uptoandincludinggrades910.)(W.910.5.)(DOK1,2,3,4)
7.Conductshortaswellasmoresustainedresearchprojects[toansweraquestion]
(includingaselfgeneratedquestion)or[solveaproblem]narroworbroadentheinquiry
[whenappropriate]synthesizemultiplesourcesonthesubject,demonstrating
understandingofthesubjectunderinvestigation.(W.910.7)(DOK2,3,4)
9.Drawevidencefromliteraryorinformationaltexts[tosupportanalysis,reflection,and
research].
1.Initiateandparticipateeffectivelyinarangeofcollaborativediscussions(oneonone,in
groups,andteacherled)withdiversepartnersongrades910topics,texts,andissues,
buildingonothers'ideasandexpressingtheirownclearlyandpersuasively.

PreplanningandAssessment

Whoaremystudents?(Homelanguage,currentEnglishproficiency,depthof
backgroundknowledge,relatedtothisunitofstudyandotheracademicassetsand
learningneeds)
English speaking students - Very few have family backgrounds / cultures different than Americanized version

Special education- need a lot of scaffolds to assist with writing, editing and reading material.

Whatexperiencesandperspectivesdomystudentsbringtothisunit?(Sociocultural
backgrounds,perspectives,interests)
Thisisnotaverydiverseareatherefore,relyingonsomeoutsideperspectivesmaybereally
important.However,personalexperiencesandtripscanbeusedtobringindifferentthoughts
andideas.

LearningOutcomes

KeyConcepts:Whataretheenduring
understandingsorkeyconceptsforthis
unit?
Theunitisbasedonaseriesofquestions
tryingtoreachtheanswertothequestion,
WhoamIreally?Thisisaunitcomposedof
differentoraltraditions,discussionsand
interviewswithfamilymembers,andliterature
wewillbereadingbasedoffofcultural
heritage.Thestudentswillbeinterviewinga
grandparentorparentiftheydonothave
grandparentsstillalive.Theywillbeasking
themquestionstogettoknowthem,andwill
becreatingawritteninterpretationand
podcastofoneofthestoriestheyhearfrom
theirlovedone.

Thestudentswillbediscussingculture,their
stories,andwhatitallmeanstothemaswell
ashowstoriesshapeculture.Thestudents
willbewritingIAMpoetryoncetheyhave
hadanopportunitytoresearchtheir
backgroundandlistentotheirfamiliesand
fellowstudentsdescribetheirlineage.The
studentswillparticipateinaseminarcovering
thequestionswepulloutofoursmallgroup
discussionoffamily,culture,andwhatmakes
upanindividualspersonalbeliefandmoral
system.

Wewillbereadinganddiscussingliterature
fromdifferentculturesandhighlightingthe

EssentialQuestions:Whatessential
questionsframetherelevance,functionor
roleofthekeyconcepts?

ESSENTIALQUESTIONS:

WhoAmI?

Whatisyourstory?

Thiswillbetheguidingquestiontokeepus
goingthroughthelesson.Wewillalsobe
coveringquestionstobuildustothispoint
including,butnotlimitedto
Whatisculture?
HowdoescultureinfluencewhoIam?
HowdoIfitintothestoryofmy
family?
Whatimportancedoescultureplayon
literature?,
Howdoourstoriesimpactand
shareaboutourculture?
WhatstorieswillIpassonto
mychildren?

comparisonsandcontrasts.
Thestudentswillcompleteaculminating
researchpaperbasedofftheirinterviewsand
researchforthreeaspectsoftheirculture,
whichhasshapedthemthemost.

LearningOutcome(s):Whatwillstudents
knowandbeabletodoindependently?
Icansummarizetextobjectively
Icananalyzethewriterspurposeand
claims
Icanexplainhowdetailsofwritersor
characterscultureshapesandrefines
thedevelopmentofanidea
throughoutthetext.
Icancompleteasustainedresearch
projectasIworkthroughthewriting
andrevisionprocess
Icanbroadenornarrowmyresearch
questionasneeded
Icancommunicatemyunderstanding
oftheresearchtopicinawaythat
otherscanunderstand
Icancitetextualevidencetosupport
myclaims

LanguageOutcome(s):Whatlanguagewill
studentsneedtocomprehendorproduce
inordertoachievethelearning
outcomes?

Culture,norms,folkways,taboo,sanctions,
mores,values,instinct,language,
perspective,objective

Assessment

FormativeAssessment:HowwillI
formativelyassesswhatmystudents
knowandareabletodoinrelationtothe
learningandlanguageoutcomes?
WhoAmIPoem
HeadvsHeartArt
Interviews
Compare/Contrastselftoother
cultures
BlogReflectionsafterspeakers/
culturalperspectives
Discussionforums(throughout)

SummativeAssessment:Whatwill
studentsneedtodoordemonstrateina
summativeassessment,performancetask
orculminatingproject?
ResearchPaper:
Rubric

InstructionandEngagement

Whatresources(technology,multimedia,text)willsupportstudentlearning?
VocarooPodcastofinterviews
Versoapp.comOnlinediscussion
WeVideo3wordsvideo_______
Skype/GoogleHangouts/SpeakersConnecttoothercultures
WeeblyHousingallmaterialsforprojectinterviews,blogreflectionscomparing
cultureswithown,3wordsvideo,researchpaper,researchmaterials
LITERATURE:
WhyisCultureImportant?
(Article)
Norms(Essay)byMaryFjestad
WhoAmI
(Poem)byFaigieRabin
Compare/ContrastWritingsandReflections
EverydayUse(Shortstory)byAliceWalker
MothertoSon(poem)byLangstonHughes
QuiltofaCountry(argument)byAnnaQuindlen
Onceuponatime(ShortStory)byNadineGordimer
BadInfluences(AnIslandLikeYouch1)byJudithOrtizCofer
MakingtheFutureBetter,Together(blog)byEbooPatel
VietnamWall(poem)AlbertoRios
Whatsubjectspecificandacademicvocabularywillstudentsneedtoknowanduse?
ResearchCRAAPPPTest,Interview,podcasting,
Whatscaffolds,modificationsoraccommodationsmightsupportstudentlearning?
Masterpiecesentencesinstruction
SIxtraitsrubricforselfassessment
Blueprintforwriting
Researchinstepbystepprocess
Whatisthesequenceoftheunitskeytopics,concepts,activitiesandtasks?
WhoAmIPoem

read
andcompleteyourown
HeadvsHeartArt
Interviews
Compare/Contrastselftoothercultures
BlogReflectionsafterspeakers/culturalperspectives
Discussionforums(throughout)
Researchpaper

PredictionsandNextSteps

Whatareyourpredictionsaboutstudentlearning?Whatmightbepossible
misconceptions?

Studentsarenotfromaverydiversepopulationtherefore,theywillneedsomeinformation
andsupportstohelpthemtoseeotherpeoplesperspectives.Also,therearestruggling
writerswhoneedhelpwithsentencestructureandwillneedscaffoldingtohelpinthisarea.
Othersareverydisorganizedandneedawarehouseforalltheirmaterialstheycanaccess
anywhere.Therefore,(Gardner)willbeusingWeeblytostoreandcollectmaterials.Thiswill
allowthemtokeeptheirprojectandforgradingtobedonethroughouttheproject.
Howmightcollaboratingwithcolleagues,families,andcommunitymemberssupport
studentlearning?
Colleagues(workingtogethertoensurewearecreatingaresearchproject,whichfits
theessentialquestionsandunderstandings.)
Familiesbeingwillingtobeinterviewed
CommunitymembersIhavetwosetuptocomeandspeakaboutdifferentculturesin
thearmedforces,overseasandfittinginacrosscultures.Ialsohavemultiple
contactsIamgoingtoconnectwithoverseastoassistindevelopingsomeperspective
instudents.
ARETHEREANYCULTURALGROUPSINAREAWHOWOULDCOME
SPEAKTOSTUDENTS?PROVIDERESOURCES?

QUESTIONSIHAVE:

1. Whatresourcesareweaskingthemtouseasevidenceintheirpapers?
2. Whatdoweneedtocoverforthemtoanswerthequestions?
3. Dowegivethemsomechoicesinreadingmaterialsowehaveavarietyandour
discussioncanbemoremeaningfulifwehavedifferences?
4. Whatisthepurposeinreadingthedifferentculturesiftheyareonlybeingaskedto
reflectontheirown?
a. ThisiswhyIaddedtheCompare/Contrastofcultures
5. ShouldwechangetheresearchpaperquestiontoCompare/Contrastthreeaspectsof
yourculturewithoneyouareinterestedinlearningmoreabout?
a. Thentheyhavetoresearchandsharetheirresearchaboutwhotheyarein
comparisontoanothercultureintheworld.
b. Thus,wewouldneedtoteachthemcompareandcontrastformatingforpaper
andredotherubric.
c. Thiswouldincludeourcomparingstandards