NYC DOE Magnet Program Districts 25 and 28

Grade 7 School: MS217 Teacher: Mrs. Tonia Taylor

COURS E UNIT TITLE
ESSENTIAL QUESTION SUGGESTED TIME FRAME THEME
LITERACY , GRADE 7

Forged by Fire, Song of the Trees An Urban Life, A Rural Life

HOW DOES ENVIRONMENT AFFECT OUR LIVES? FOUR WEEKS How do the characters settings influence their values and beliefs?

Essential Question
How does our environment influence our values and beliefs?

Unit Name Mini-unit Titles

Urban vs Rural

Forged by Fire An Urban Life Song of the Trees A Rural Life Research for culmination project Presentations

Units Culminating Project (Brief Description)

Students will act as social workers and use the internet to seek out help that would be available for the character Gerald and his family. What kind of help is available for Geralds mother? For Angel? Students should be willing to visit the school social worker to determine whether there is a plan of action for students in crisis. I will be willing to set up this meeting. Students will later pretend to be either Gerald or Angel. They will pretend to visit the Logan family and record the similarities and differences between their environment, values, and beliefs and the Logans.

Stage 1- Desired Results Standards-Based Learning Goals CCS: RL1 - Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL2 - Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. RL3 and Magnet Sense of Place: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
CCS: W3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. W7. Conduct short research projects to answer question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation. W8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively. W6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources. W9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. CCS: SL1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. a. Come to discussions prepared having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. b. Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. CCS: L1.Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. a. Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences. b. Choose among simple, compound, complex, and compoundcomplex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas. c. Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers. L2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Use a comma to separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt). b. Spell correctly. L3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.

Big Ideas for this Unit: How does environment influence our lives?

Concepts Magnet School Theme: How to create a sustainable life. Relevant/Connected Big Idea: How do the characters settings influence their values?

Enduring Understandings: We can learn about ones values by studying his or her background.

Overarching Essential Question(s): How can reading, thinking, writing, listening, and expressing help us envision, describe and create a sustainable, good life?

Content (nouns) Students will know -setting -plot -characterization -figurative language -point of view -multiple perspectives -Inferencing -predicting -supporting details -sensory details -cause and effect -meaning in context -Forged by Fire -Song of the Trees -vocabulary -conflict Elements of a compare/contrast essay Research Note-taking

Content and Skills Skills (verbs) Students will be able to Students will be able to identify time, place, and era. Students will be able to compare and contrast characters from different novels and settings Students will identify sensory details Students will determine relevant/irrelevant information Students will be able to identify cause and effect in a piece of literature and connect it to their own lives. Students will be able to identify the meaning of words in context.

Stage 2- Summative Assessment Evidence If students understand, know and are able to do the items in Stage 1, they should be able to show their understanding by completing an authentic task found in the world beyond the classroom. Design the Culminating/Summative Project:

G- (goal):

R- (role):

A(audience): S(situation): P- (purpose and product):

The goal is to research and compose a plan of action to provide a safe, sustainable environment for Gerald and his family. Students will also compare and contrast the environment in Forged by Fire to Song of the Trees and include the sustainable components from Song of the Trees in planning Students will act as social workers. They will use the internet to research help for the character Gerald and his family. The goal would be to provide support in school, afterschool, and during the summer: camp, a host family, tutoring, etc. What kind of help is available for Geralds mother? For Angel? Students should be willing to visit the schools social worker to determine whether there is a plan of action for students in crisis. I will be willing to set up this meeting. They will present their findings in groups. Individually, they will be required to either take on the role of Gerald or Angel. They will pretend to visit the family from the novel Song of the Trees. They will keep a diary comparing their home environment, values, and beliefs to the home environment, values, and beliefs of the Logan family. Note: Each group must turn in a three paged paper describing their findings. The target audience is a family court judge.

You need to convince a family court judge that there is a plan in place for the success of Gerald and his family.

Using the research, students will find different support systems for Gerald, his mother, and sister that includes programs that will potentially connect them to nature, sports, and adult role models. Students will also pretend to be the characters Gerald or Angel. They will pretend to spend a week with the Logan family from the novel Song of the Trees. They will keep a diary, comparing their home

environment, values, and beliefs to the environment, values and beliefs of the Logan family.

S- (standards for performance):

Standards-Based Learning Goals CCS: RL1 - Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL2 - Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text. RL3 and Magnet Sense of Place: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).
CCS: W3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and wellstructured event sequences. d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events. W7. Conduct short research projects to answer question, drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation. W8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively. W6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and link to and cite sources as well as to interact and collaborate with others, including linking to and citing sources. W9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. CCS: SL1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. a. Come to discussions prepared having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. b. Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. CCS: L1.Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. a. Explain the function of phrases and clauses in general and their function in specific sentences. b. Choose among simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences to signal differing relationships among ideas. c. Place phrases and clauses within a sentence, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers. L2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. a. Use a comma to

separate coordinate adjectives (e.g., It was a fascinating, enjoyable movie but not He wore an old[,] green shirt). b. Spell correctly. L3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. Choose language that expresses ideas precisely and concisely, recognizing and eliminating wordiness and redundancy.

Culminating Project
(Write the Task as the students will see it) Student Task
PART 1: You and your classmates will work in groups to find help for Gerald and his family. The goal is to provide support groups for Gerald, Geralds mother, and Angel. Use the internet to locate organizations in your local area. You will need to find several support groups for Geralds mother. For example, you may want to locate several places where she could receive counseling for her drug abuse issues. You may also need to find groups that would help with parenting skills, finding employment, and a career. All of your information must be documented. For Gerald and Angel, it is important to identify support that they potentially would be given in a school setting. I will set up a meeting with the school social worker in order for you to document this information. However, you must use the internet and your own resources to identify a camp that would be inexpensive and suitable for Gerald and Angel. You are also expected to look into finding a host family. Look online to find out what a host family is and record the information that would be necessary for setting up a potential host family for Gerald and Angel. I will be speaking more about host families during class. You and your group must meet with me to discuss the role each member individually. Although each member will be responsible for a division of the work, the group will ultimately receive a group grade for this portion of the project. Your group must turn in one typed paper, which includes all of the documented information. Part 2: You will either pretend to be Gerald or Angel. You will keep a diary, documenting your week long stay with the Logans. You will compare and contrast your environment, values, and beliefs. Include the priorities of the Logan family versus your familys priorities. This portion of your project does not have to be typed. You will be graded on your specific details and creativity. You will document what life is like living with the Logans for seven days. Your experiences should be connected to what you know about the Logans and their lifestyle.

Rubric for Culminating Project

Research 4 The groups research was thorough. Support systems were located for each individual member of Geralds family. The students were able to identify the major function of each organization found. The presentation was thorough. Each member was able to present their information accurately. They spoke loudly and had good eye contact. 3 The group was able to locate most of the support systems. However, their research was not thorough. They were unable to completely identify t he function of each organization located. The presentation was acceptable. However, some group members were missing information that would be helpful to Gerald and his family. Most members spoke clearly and maintained good eye contact. The diary documented seven days of life with the Logan Family. The experiences and character traits described were 2 The group was able to locate only a few of the organizations that would benefit Gerald and his family. They were unable to identify the function of each group they located. 1 The group did not understand the task but attempted to complete it.

Presentation

Most members were unable to clearly articulate their findings. Some members may have been able to speak clearly and maintain good eye contact.

The information that was shared was insufficient to complete the task given.

diary

The diary documented seven days of life with the Logan family. The experiences and character traits described were

The diary documented seven days of life with the Logan family. The experiences and character traits described were

The diary documented less than seven days of life with the Logan family. The experiences and character traits

accurate and reflect what is known of Gerald, Angel, and The Logans.

fairly accurate and reflect most of what is known about Gerald, Angel, and the Logan family.

sketchy and not very accurate

described were not accurate.

Rubric for Culminating Project

Mini-Unit Title Big Ideas of the mini-unit/ Concept Statement Knowledge Important content to know about mini-unit (nouns) Skills What should students be able to do? (verbs) Connection to Magnet Theme Possible Topical Essential/ Focus Questions Mini-Unit Assessment Benchmarks, Scaffolding Towards Culminating Project

Forged by Fire

Environment

-setting -plot -characterization -figurative language -point of view -multiple perspectives -Inferencing -predicting -supporting details -sensory details -cause and effect -meaning in context -Forged by Fire -vocabulary -conflict -setting -plot -characterization -figurative language

Students will be able to summarize the novel, identify literary components, and define vocabulary words germane to the novel.

Sense of Place. Our environment shapes our values and beliefs.

How does Geralds environment help to determine his values, beliefs, and priorities?

Free Write Exit Ticket Standardiz ed TestMultiple Choice

The skills in this mini-unit will facilitate the students ability to create Gerald or Angels diary, which will be written as a first person narrative. Students will be expected to employ many of the literary components throughout their diary entries.

Song of the Trees

Environment

Students will be able to summarize the novel, identify literary components, and

Sense of Place. Our environment shapes our values and

How does the Logans environment help to shape their values, beliefs,

Standard basedmultiple choice test.

The skills in this mini-unit will facilitate the students ability to create

-point of view -multiple perspectives -Inference -predicting -supporting details -sensory details -cause and effect -meaning in context -Forged by Fire -vocabulary -conflict

beliefs. Sustainabilit y How can we use the tools in our environment to create a sustainable future?

define vocabulary words germane to the novel.

and priorities?

Gerald or Angels diary, which will be written as a first person narrative. Students will be expected to employ many of the literary components throughout their diary entries.
The information identified in this mini-unit will enable the students to facilitate their role as social workers for the culminating project. The information identified will serve as proof of work done during weeks 1-3.

Research

Researching support systems.

Internet use. Sports Nature Role models

Students will be able to utilize information from the internet in order to find support systems for Gerald, Angel, and Geralds mom. Students will articulate the information they have researched in groups.

sustainabilit y
What resources can be located and utilized by Gerald and his family? Exit tickets

Presentatio ns

sharing

Support systems Diary entries Comparing and contrasting.

Description of support systems to further sustainablity

How can effectively articulate our knowledge of the resources that will benefit Gerald and his family.

Questionn aire.

Unit Resources Books: Forged by Fire, Song of the Trees, Websites: To be determined by the students Teacher Materials: Excerpts from the novel Our America by LeAlan Jones and Lloyd Newman, any poetry that would lend itself to the description of life in a rural area or urban area. Other:

A Week at a Glance Week 1 (Replicate this page as necessary)

WHERE is the student going and what is expected HOOK with needed skills to experience and explore Opportunity to REVISE and RETHINK their understanding Monday 1 Content Focus: FORGED BY FIRE Setting/ Plot / Vocabulary Hook: Identify the similarities and differences between the setting in Forged by Fire and the setting in your life. Daily Assessment: Exit Ticket: Identify the setting and plot of Forged by Fire HW: Use vocabulary words in context Tuesday - 2 Content Focus: FORGED BY FIRE Characterization/ POV / Multiple Perspectives Hook: We can understand a character by identifying with their feelings and perspective in a given situation. Daily Assessment: Free Write: Have you, or someone you know, experienced living with a person who has abused a drug? Describe your feelings/experience.

Allow students to EVALUATE work and implications TAILOR work to student needs Be ORGANIZED to maximize engagement Thursday 4 Content Focus: FORGED BY FIRE Inferring/ Predicting/ Identifying supporting details Hook: Predict the fate of Gerald and Angel. What can we infer about Angel based on her reaction to her stepfather? Daily Assessment: Define reading comprehension strategies and include details from the reading. Friday - 5 Content Focus: FOREGED BY FIRE Sensory Details/ Cause and Effect Hook: Envision the five senses; identify them how do the five senses create an image in the readers mind? Daily Assessment: Identify three instances of cause and effect within the novel

Wednesday- 3 Content Focus: FORGED BY FIRE Conflict Hook: Explain: Does substance abuse, neglect, and molestation happen only in an urban environment? Could it potentially take place in others as well? Daily Assessment: Identify the problem that the main character faces.

Weekly Assessment (must be aligned to the NYS/NYC exams):

Multiple Choice Test/Short Response including reading comprehension strategies identified (Prediction, Inference, Recalling Facts and Details, POV, Cause and Effect) Short Response - Identifying characterization/Plot/Perspective within Forged by Fire

What have the students produced that scaffolds towards the units of culminating assessment? ( for example, if the units culminating assessment Is a newspaper perhaps the students have written an article). Interpreting and identifying with characters environment Understanding point-of-view and a characters trials and tribulations Interpretation of ones environment and how it shapes their beliefs Free writes in preparation for essays

A Week at a Glance Week 2 WHERE is the student going and what is expected Allow students to EVALUATE work and implications HOOK with needed skills to experience and explore TAILOR work to student needs Opportunity to REVISE and RETHINK their understanding Be ORGANIZED to maximize engagement Monday 1 Content Focus: SONG OF THE TREES Figurative Language Hook: Identify/Interpret figurative language (personification, similes, metaphors, sensory language)- How does it help you see what youre reading? Daily Assessment: Create the landscape/setting of Song of the Trees via a technological or artistic medium Tuesday - 2 Content Focus: SONG OF THE TREES Conflict Hook: Identify the conflict in the story Daily Assessment: Describe the similarities and differences between the conflict of Song of the Trees and Forged by Fire. Wednesday- 3 Content Focus: SONG OF THE TREES Sense of Place Characterization Hook: How does your environment shape your values and beliefs about the world around you? Daily Assessment: Interpret how Gerald feels about his environment. How do the Logans feel about their environment? Thursday 4 Content Focus: SONG OF THE TREES Sense of Place POV Characterization (Cassie, Mama, Logan, Christopher, Little Man) Friday - 5 Content Focus: SONG OF THE TREES Hook: You shall find out how hard is the way up and down another mans stairs Daily Assessment: Interpretation of the quote in relation to the two novels.

Hook: How does your environment shape your values and beliefs about the world around you? Daily Assessment: In a brief essay, describe how the Logans reaction is an indication of their love and value of the land? Weekly Assessment: (must be aligned to the NYS/NYC exams): Multiple Choice Test/Short Response including reading comprehension strategies identified (Prediction, Inference, Recalling Facts and Details, POV, Cause and Effect) Short Response - Identifying characterization/Plot/Perspective within Song of the Trees

What have the students produced that scaffolds towards the units culminating assessment? (for example if the units culminating assessment is a newspaper perhaps the students have written an article.) Students, at this point in the unit, have a firm reflective stance on the characters in question. They have a firm understanding of sense of place and how ones place affects ones experiences with the world around them. After this preparation, they are ready to start the research component of the unit. Products produced Brief essay Landscape description Reflective writing in writing journals