What Is the Relationship Between Ambition, Power, and Corruption?

A Study of Ambition, Power and Human Nature
Unifying Concept: Challenges of Human Nature
Overview:In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the protagonist is a man who allows his ambition and desire for power to corrupt him, leaving him desolate, broken and alone. Victor Frankenstein is a representation of the idea that the pursuit of individual greatness often comes at the expense of others. October Mourning and A Wreath forEmmitt Till are poetic homages to two young men who suffered and were killed due to the evil nature of man. All three works reveal a dark reality of human nature: power corrupts. But it is only when we fully comprehend human nature can we begin to develop the skills to guard against it.
Purpose:
To analyze the universal nature of man in the context of the pursuit of greatness, intellectual superiority, and self-interest.
To examine the connection between ambition, power, and corruption in human behavior and the impact that power has on society.
To evaluate and reveal the transformation of a tragic hero, from one who has aspirations to help mankind to one whose single-minded pursuit of greatness and power causes his personal downfall and the demise of others.
Enduring Understandings:
1. Tragedy often provides an outlet for the political and social turmoil in society.
2. Effective writers support their claims using strong evidence and logical reasoning. / Essential Questions:

What is the relationship between ambition, power, and corruption?

Does tragedy provide a way to purge negative emotions and restore balance in society?

Target Standards are emphasized during the quarter and used in a formal assessment to evaluate student mastery.
Highly-Leveraged1arethe most essential for students to learn because they have endurance (knowledge and skills are relevant throughout a student's lifetime); leverage (knowledge and skills are used across multiple content areas); and essentiality (knowledge and skills are necessary for success in future courses or grade levels).
12.RI.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).
12.RI.5 Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of the structure an author uses in his or her exposition or argument, including whether the structure makes points clear, convincing, and engaging.
12.W.1Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.
Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
12.L.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech (e.g., conceive, conception, conceivable).
Consult general and specialized reference materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, its etymology, or its standard usage.
Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

Supportingare related standards that support the highly-leveraged standards in and across grade levels.
12.RL.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)
12.RL.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
12.RI.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
12.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Produce clear and coherent functional writing (e.g., formal letters, experiments, notes/messages, labels, timelines, graphs/tables, procedures, invitations, envelopes, maps, captions, diagrams) in which the development and organization are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience.
12.SL.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Come to discussions prepared having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
Work with peers to promote civil, democratic discussions and decision-making, set clear goals and deadlines, and establish individual roles as needed.
Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.

Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the investigation or complete the task.
12.SL.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
12.L.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and is sometimes contested.

b. Resolve issues of complex or contested usage, consulting references (e.g., Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage, Garner’s Modern American Usage) as needed.
Constant Standards are addressed routinely every quarter.
RL.1
R.L.10
RI.10
W.5
W.6 / W.10
SL.6
L.2
L.6
Selected Readings of Complex Texts
Extended/Short Texts:
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
“A Vindication of the Rights of Women” by Mary Wollstonecraft / Multicultural Adoptions:
October Mourning, Leslea Newman
A Wreath for Emmett Till, Marilyn Nelson / Scholastic Leveled Bookroom Adoptions:
Additional Instructional Resources
Electronic Resources and Alternative Media:
Alternative Media for Module 1

Alternative Media for Module 3

Alternative Media for Module 4

Alternative Media for Module 6

Argumentative Writing Guide

Argumentative Rubric

DOK Levels

DOK Stems

Hess’s Matrix

Socratic Seminar

MLA Guide from the Purdue Online Writing Lab

Free Master Teacher Lesson Plans

Performance Assessments
Formative Assessments:
On-demand writing and reflections on the text
Activating Prior Knowledge Assignment
Questioning and Student-led discussions on the readings
Dialectical Reader Response Journals
Research Project and Presentation
Vocabulary in Context Assignment / Summative Assessments:
Quizzes by section and/or chapter
Mid-unit Test
End of Unit Test
Final Argumentative Essay

1This definition for highly-leveraged standards was adapted from the “power standard” definition on the website of Millis Public Schools, K-12, in Massachusetts, USA.