Youngstown City Schools Curriculum Project
ENGLISH / LANGUAGE ARTS - - Grade 8
Unit #3: STRANGE AND MYSTERIOUS (4 weeks) 2013-2014
SYNOPSIS: Students will delve into events that go outside the ordinary or explainable. Through literature, students will experience the strange, the scary, the suspenseful, and the macabre side of fiction. They will read works that have withstood the test of time from masters such as Edgar Allan Poe. Non-fiction articles will reveal examples of the unexplained or bizarre events reported in today’s news. Students will analyze how the author develops the theme or central idea - - often using dialogue and character. They will examine the vocabulary of texts, with a particular focus on figurative language and connotation. Students will strengthen their writing skills, including how to plan, write, and edit their work, how to write narratives, and firm up their grammar, punctuation, and spelling skills. By the end of the Unit, students will analyze an unfamiliar piece of fiction and write a short story (narrative) which reflects the theme of strange and mysterious based on the reading, discussions and note-taking from this unit.NOTE: This Unit contains the Narrative Paper.
STANDARDS
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 the 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 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 8.6 Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.
W 8.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-
structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by establishing a context and point of view and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically.
b. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
c. Use a variety of transition words, phrases, and clauses to convey sequence, signal shifts from one time frame or setting to another, and show the relationships among experiences and events.
d. Use precise words and phrases, relevant descriptive details, and sensory language to capture the action and convey experiences and events.
e. Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
W 8.4 Produce clean and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose and audience.
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.
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.
L 8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
a. Use punctuation (comma, ellipsis, dash) to indicate a pause or break.
b. Use an ellipsis to indicate an omission.
c. Spell correctly.
L 8.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
a. Use verbs in the active and passive voice and in the conditional and subjunctive mood to achieve particular effects (e.g., emphasizing the actor or the action; expressing uncertainty or describing a state contrary to fact).
L 8.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., verbal irony, puns) in context.
b. Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.
c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute).
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.
Materials
FICTION / DRAMA / POETRY / VIDEO / NON-FICTIONGrade 8 Text: “Tales of the Strange and Mysterious” (text, pp169-259)
“The Tell Tale Heart,” Edgar Allan Poe (text, pp. 201-208)
“The Landlady,” Roald Dahl (text, pp. 170-183) / “The Monkey’s Paw,”
W.W. Jacobs (text, pp. 196-199) / “The Listener,”
(text, p 180) / “The Landlady”
“The Monkey’s Paw” on You Tube / Newspaper/magazine articles
Video of Edgar Allan Poe
Key Terms
General Vocabulary / Literary Skills / Writing Skills / Speaking /Listening and Language Skillsmacabre
suspense
ordinary
extraordinary
bed-and-breakfast / explicit details
inferences
theme or central idea
character points of view
dialogue
narrator point of view
dramatic irony
connotation
denotation
independent reading
context
analyze
figurative language
ellipsis
/ narrative
introduction
context
description
pacing
development
transitions
organization
style
task
audience
purpose
journaling
conventions of standard English
grade-appropriate vocabulary / collaborative discussions
listening skills
read-aloud
purpose of information in diverse media
public speaking
conventions of standard English
grade-appropriate vocabulary
MOTIVATION / TEACHER NOTES
1. Teacher asks students to write a response to What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you? in their journals; students share journals, and provide each other feedback.
2. Teacher shares with the class some strange and scary urban legends. Teacher brainstorms and discusses with students a list of elements/words that make something mysterious or suspenseful, recording them on a wall chart as it goes along; students are invited to add their own as well.
3. Teacher circles key vocabulary words from this list, and adds others to be featured during the Unit. These vocabulary words and attributes of “strange and mysterious” should remain hanging throughout the Unit. Students record in Journals / Notebooks. (L. 8.3 and L 8.6)
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MOTIVATION, cont’d / TEACHER NOTES
4. Teacher helps students set goals for the Unit (1 personal and 1 academic); Ss record in Notebooks / Journals.
5. Teacher previews “authentic assessments” as expectations for the Unit (i.e., explains what students will be expected to accomplish by the end of the Unit). Teacher reminds students about Independent Reading requirement; see Unit #1.
TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES / TEACHER NOTES /
1. Teacher asks students to recall Roald Dahl’s books, James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, highlighting the themes of strange, mysterious, and unfamiliar. Teacher introduces “The Landlady” by providing an activity focused on foreshadowing. Teacher asks students if they can define the term, foreshadowing. Teacher asks students to record the definition of the term and examples used in class in their Journals. Other elements of a mystery story (e.g., suspense, anticipation, red herrings, etc.) are also discussed and recorded. A “detective” activity for “The Landlady” is Attachment #1; may move to Activity #7.
2. Teacher asks students what they know about beds-and-breakfasts. Students describe the type of house and what they think they would find inside.
3. Teacher lists a few key vocabulary from the story on the board to guide students’ reading. (RL 8.4)
(L 8.5)
4. Teacher begins the story aloud, then students read the remainder - - some aloud as volunteers, some choral, some in 2s, and some silently. Teacher mixes approach, checking for understanding as it goes along. Teacher discusses what happened to the character, Billy Weaver. Students answer questions about the plot development, including taxidermy. Teacher directs students to write a summary of the work. If needed, students may refer to Attachment #2 for a sample summary and guidelines. (RL 8.2 and RL 8.3)
5. After the reading is complete, students work in dyads to complete the Directed Reading Guide - - Attachment #3. Teacher continually refers students to wall chart listing attributes of mystery. (RL 8.4) (L 8.5)
6. During de-brief on the Directed Reading Guide, teacher reminds students about figurative language and connotations. Teacher may Google “figurative language” for more examples. OPTION: May use attached worksheet; see Attachment #4.
OPTIONAL ( if time permits)
7. Teacher distributes taxidermy handout (Attachment #5); students s read in 3s, taking notes about the “hobby.” Teacher leads students in a discussion about why information is presented in diverse media formats (visually, orally, quantitatively), and how to evaluate the presenters’ motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind the presentation. One example may focus on the animal-rights lobby re: taxidermy. Ss take notes. (SL 8.2)
OPTIONAL ( if time permits)
8. Students write a journal response to (e.g., ) “The most suspenseful movie I’ve seen is . . . .” or “If I had the power to grant three wishes, I would . . . .” These responses will be shared in class. (W 8.4)
9. Teacher reminds students about point of view (1st, 3rd, etc.) - - quizzing them to be sure they can distinguish among them and determine the impact; teacher asks students who has heard of irony ? Dramatic irony, in particular. (RL 8.6) After the examples, teacher asks students for additional examples.
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TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES, cont’d / TEACHER NOTES
[ 9. cont’d ]
* dramatic irony = actor thinks one thing, audience knows another ( e.g., character thinks he’s been arrested for picking up a hitchhiker, he’s actually been arrested for murder; his comment,
“I’ve done it several times,” draws a laugh. Othello thinks Desdemona has been unfaithful, but Iago has deceived him. In North by Northwest, the audience knows Cary Grant is not Thornhill, but James Mason and Eva Marie Saint think he is - - so the chase provides excitement. )
10. Teacher leads the students through a preview of “The Monkey’s Paw” (text, pp.186-189) examining key words, and phrases, and pictures in the text. Teachdr asks students to make predictions about the story based on this brief overview.
11. Teacher reminds students about how authors often use connotative and figurative language to enrich their style, create a meaningful tone, and thus enhance reader satisfaction with the work. See Attachment #4. (RL 8.4)
12. Students begin “The Monkey’s Paw,” volunteering to read as one of the characters. Teacher stops the reading at key intervals to ask students questions and check for understanding; students rotate among characters and continue the reading. (RL 8.6)
13. Teacher discusses irony in “The Monkey’s Paw,” and students cite examples of irony and how the author uses it to build suspense in the story. Teacher adds to the wall charts words used to create mystery and suspense. Again, teacher refers students to wall chart of “mystery” attributes. (RL 8.4; L 8.5 and L 8.6)
14. Teacher shows video about the personal life of Edgar Allan Poe. Students take notes using bullet points to identify how the events of his life led to the darkness in his writing - - how his life contributed to his strange and mysterious writing. Students discuss how film presents such information differently than print. (SL 8.2)
Teacher asks students to name things that scare students. Teacher records students responses on the board. Following the discussion, students are asked to identify the top 10 items. The teacher helps students compare “scary” and “mysterious” as depicted in film vs print. (SL 8.2) Teacher adds to the wall charts words used to create mystery and suspense. (RL 8.4; L 8.5 and L 8.6)
15. Teacher leads students to examine the cover and title of “The Tell Tale Heart” and asks students to predict what the story is about.
16. Teacher leads discussion with students asking, What is the breaking point of what we can and cannot accept? Students provide examples of their annoyances (e.g., snoring, cracking gum, staring a person down, the dark, storms). Teacher adds to the wall charts words used to create mystery and suspense. (RL 8.4; L 8.5 and L 8.6)
17. Teacher orally reads a teaser section of “The Tell Tale Heart” to the class, then involves students in the reading. (i.e., teacher has divided the story into 700-900-word passages to expedite success; some sections are read silently by individual students; some sections are read orally by students working in dyads - - reading to each other; some sections are read aloud by student volunteers; and some sections are read by the teacher). The teacher unfolds a wall-chart, on which has been written the following “elements,” and T directs students to watch and listen for each. Students will record in Journals/Notebooks: (RL 8.2; RL 8.3; RL 8.4; RL 8.6; L 8.5,and L 8.6)
a. characters
b. the narrator (and his tone or viewpoint)
b. setting details
c. major plot events
d. language and imagery
e. “suspense” words and phrases (dark, foreboding language)
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TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES, cont’d / TEACHER NOTES
OPTION: some students may listen on an audiotape, following along with the class, and stopping at the same intervals as the class to answer questions and record information. (RL 8.2; RL 8.3; RL 8.4; RL 8.6; L 8.5,and L 8.6)
18. Teacher reviews the criteria for the Narrative, referring to the structure of the stories read in the Unit; students work in triads to examine one of the 3 narratives read, and complete the Narrative Rubric and guiding Checklist (Attachment #6). NOTE: for this activity, the triads use the space around each of the first NINE criteria to record how their text addressed the criteria. This same Rubric can be used to guide each student in writing his or her own narrative. (W 8.3; W 8.4; W 8.5; L 8.2; L 8.3; L 8.5; L 8.6)
19. Students create a Pre-Write for their original Narrative. (W 8.3; W 8.4; W 8.5; L 8.2; L 8.3; L 8.5; L 8.6)
20. Teacher asks students to write a short story/narrative that focuses on the emotion on their word webs. Students are also directed to use the vocabulary from word walls created earlier in the unit.
(W 8.3 and W 8.4 and W 8.5) (L 8.2 and L 8.3 and L 8.5)
TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT / TEACHER NOTES
1. Unit Test ( consisting of multiple choice and 2- and 4-point essay items on Standards)
2. Quizzes
3. Journals / Notebook entries
4. Directed Reading Guides and Worksheets
AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT / TEACHER NOTES
Each student will - -
1. Complete the writing of a short story/narrative. (W 8.3; W 8.4; W 8.5; L 8.2; L 8.3; L 8.5; L 8.6)
2. Analyze a passage from a NEW (not read during the Unit) FICTION dealing with the strange and the mysterious; from that analysis, the student will - - [ on a response form provided ]
a. determine the theme or central idea of the text, and show how it is developed through the piece (RL 8.2)
b. write an objective summary of the passage (RL 8.2)
c. analyze how lines of dialogue and/or story incidents propel the action, reveal character, and/or provoke a decision. (RL 8.3)
d. analyze the author’s language, including figurative and connotative language, and the impact of word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. (RL 8.4)
e. analyze how differences in points of view of the characters and the audience or reader create such effects as suspense or humor. (RL 8.6)
3. Evaluate his and her personal and academic goals for the Unit.
Authentic Assessment ELA Grade 8, Unit 3 “Strange and Mysterious”