Sarah Giesler

December 2012

Unit Plan

Teenage Dream or Wasteland?

Reflecting on Enduring Issues in Romeo and Juliet

Class: English 1 (9th Grade)

Primary Text:The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare

Goals of the Unit

  • Students will understand that literature reflects enduring themes.
  • Students will understand that literature reflects our own lives.
  • Students will understand that literature challenges us to fight for social justice.
  • Students will analyze literary elements in a text.

Common Core Standards

Reading:

  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.4
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.6
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.7
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.9
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.2
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.6
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.7

Writing

  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.4
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.5
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.6
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.7
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9a, 9b
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.10

Speaking and Listening

  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1, 1d
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.2

Language

  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.1
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.2
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.4a, 4c, 4d
  • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.5a, 5b

Objectives

Students will understand that literature reflects enduring themes.

  • Students will be able to identify modern incarnations of Romeo and Juliet themes. Students will be assessed with a blog post.
  • Students will be able to compare and contrast modern issues with past ones, particularly those found in Romeo and Juliet. Students will be with through a blog post.

Students will understand that literature reflects our own lives.

  • Students will be able to identify at least one way in which they can relate to Romeo and Juliet. Students will be assessed with a blog post and through journal entries.
  • Students will be able to compare and contrast their experiences with Romeo and Juliet. Students will be assessed with a blog post.

Students will understand that literature challenges us to fight for social justice.

  • Students will be able to research modern issues related to their connections to Romeo and Juliet. Students will be assessed with a blog post and a letter to the editor.
  • Students will be able to propose potential solutions for one of these issues. Students will be assessed with a blog post and a letter to the editor.
  • Students will be able to argue for implementation of these solutions. Students will be assessed with a blog post and a letter to the editor.

Students will analyze literary elements in a text.

  • Students will be able to identify literary elements within Romeo and Juliet. Students will be assessed with formative quizzes.
  • Students will be able to analyze how literary elements affect plot issues in Romeo and Juliet with which the students will have had experience. Students will be assessed with a literary analysis essay.

Essential Question

  • How do we connect to others through literature and other texts?

Texts Consumed

  • Primary Text
  • The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
  • Gang Violence
  • Scenes from West Side Story (film)
  • Excerpts from The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton
  • “Gun Baby” and “Baby Bed Cash,” Robert Yager (photography)
  • Teen Suicide
  • TWLOHA.com (website) – reading a website devoted to ending teen suicide
  • Scenes from Bully (documentary)
  • Culture Clashes
  • Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
  • “Will they ever stop?” (political cartoon)
  • News Articles:
  • “The Human Aspect to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” by AmramAltzman
  • “Will Terror Return to Israel?” by NogaTarnopolshy
  • “Israel Teens Arrested in Attack on Arabs” by Daniel Estrin
  • “How American Jews View Israel’s Latest Gaza Assault” by Joe Sterling
  • “Conflict Reawakens Bad Memories For Gaza Family” by Anthony Kuhn
  • Class Differences
  • Scenes from Pretty in Pink (film)
  • Excerpts from The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton
  • “The War Prayer,” Mark Twain (short story)
  • Parental Conflict / Family Influence
  • “The War Against Youth,” Stephen Marche (news article)
  • “Seventeen Syllables,” Hisaye Yamamoto
  • “Breaking Away from the Family,” Susan Terris (poem inspired by The Family, Marisol – modern art)
  • Romantic Relationships
  • Scenes from West Side Story (film)
  • Liner notes, Frank Ocean – hip hop/R&B artist comes out via album
  • Loving v. Virginia (court case) – Supreme Court rules anti-miscegenation laws unconstitutional
  • “The love story that changed history: Fascinating photographs of interracial marriage at a time when it was banned in 16 states,” Lydia Warren
  • “Attorney Bernard Cohen Argues the Lovings’ Case Before the Supreme Court” (audio)

Texts Produced

  • Blog Posts combining details from Romeo and Juliet and personal thoughts and/or experiences, linking to external websites related to current issues
  • Letter to the Editor arguing for the implementation of solutions to the current issue with which students connect
  • Literary Analysis Essay in which students analyze plot elements, characterization and figurative language in Romeo and Juliet

Assessments

  • Quizzes – formative assessments gauging students’ understanding of the play
  • Blog Posts, Letter to the Editor, Literary Analysis Essay – summative assessments gauging students’ mastery of the unit’s goals

Tentative Schedule

Week 1

Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday
Goal: Introduction to Shakespeare and Romeo & Juliet; Reading the graphic novel / Goal: Begin reading the play / Goal: Continue reading the play / Goal: Finish the play / Goal: How to analyze literature in writing
Procedures: Present brief background information, have students choose characters, read the graphic novel Shakespeare Romeo & Juliet / Procedures: Students jot down thoughts to discussion question; choose characters and read the play out loud; we discuss the play so far, the themes we see emerging and the discussion question; reading quiz / Procedures: Students jot down thoughts to discussion question; read the play out loud; we discuss the play so far, the themes we see emerging and the discussion question / Procedures: Students jot down thoughts to discussion question; read the play out loud; we discuss the play and its themes, particularly discussion questions and students’ overall reactions; reading quiz / Procedures: Students respond to a discussion question related to literary elements in the play; we discuss how to analyze these elements and then write about them (I model); we brainstorm possible issues and elements to explore
Closure: Discussion of the graphic novel; students journal about their thoughts so far / Closure: students journal about their reactions / Closure: students journal about their reactions / Closure: students journal about their reactions / Closure: Students fill out exit slips explaining initial plans for the literary analysis essay
Assessment: Monitoring students’ comprehension during discussion / Assessment: Monitoring students’ comprehension during discussion, reading quiz / Assessment: Monitoring students’ comprehension during discussion / Assessment: Monitoring students’ comprehension during discussion, reading quiz, reading through students journals and responding / Assessment: Monitoring of students’ understanding during class and in exit slips
Materials: Introduction Prezi, graphic novel / Materials: Discussion question, play, quiz / Materials: Discussion question, play / Materials: Discussion question, play, quiz / Materials:

Week 2

Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday
Goals: Connecting modern issues to themes in Romeo & Juliet – Gang violence / Goals: Connecting modern issues to themes in Romeo & Juliet – Teen suicide / Goals: Connecting modern issues to themes in Romeo & Juliet – Cultural Conflicts / Goals: Connecting modern issues to themes in Romeo & Juliet – Romance / Goals: Connecting modern issues to themes in Romeo & Juliet – Family conflict
Procedures: Classroom gang activity; students read excerpts from The Outsiders; watch scenes from West Side Story; discuss these examples of gang violence and connections to the play, as well as modern examples / Procedures: Students write about discussion question about teen suicide in the play; explore TWLOHA.com; view scenes from Bully; discuss these examples of gang violence and connections to the play, as well as modern examples / Procedures: Students write about discussion question about group differences in the play; watch scenes from Pretty in Pink and read excerpts from The Outsiders; read articles about Israel/Palestine; discuss these examples and connections to the play and their lives. / Procedures: Students write about discussion question about romantic relationships in the play; read Frank Ocean’s liner notes and info about the Loving case; discuss these and other love issues in the play, their lives and society / Procedures: Students write about discussion question about family issues; skim “The War Against Youth” and “Breaking Away from the Family” and “Seventeen Syllables”; discuss these issues in their lives and the play, also in other areas of society
Closure: Students journal about connections to this theme or reactions to it. / Closure: Students journal about connections to this theme or reactions to it. / Closure: Students journal about connections to this theme or reactions to it. Read “The War Prayer” tonight. / Closure: Students journal about connections to this theme or reactions to it. / Closure: Students journal about connections to this theme or reactions to it; turn in journals.
Assessment: Blog post about students’ connections to the play thus far; monitoring during class / Assessment: Monitoring during class / Assessment: Essay draft due today; monitoring during class / Assessment: Blog post about students’ connections to the play thus far; monitoring during class / Assessment: Monitoring during class, student journals
Materials: film, novel excerpts, laptops / Materials: film, laptops / Materials: film, novel, articles, short story / Materials: texts / Materials: texts

Week 3

Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday
Goals: Research modern issues from Romeo & Juliet and our lives / Goals: Working toward our writing goals / Goals: Peer Editing our literary analyses / Goals: Peer Editing our letters to the editor / Goals: Reflecting on Romeo & Juliet and its themes
Procedures: Students respond to a discussion question; model how to research solutions to issues; students research an issue from the play they wish to address; students “speed date” to share their findings with each other / Procedures: Students respond to a discussion question; look at letters to the editor to see what elements they share; students work on letters to the editor and second drafts of literary analyses / Procedures: Students respond to a discussion question; review the steps of peer editing and traits of a good editor; peer edit literary analysis essays / Procedures: Students respond to a discussion question; peer edit letters to the editor; students make final changes to their letters and we send them to the KC Star (or another publication); time to work on final essay drafts / Procedures: Students respond to a discussion question; small group discussions about the themes we explored and how we found connections to the play; bring this to the entire group; next unit is about issues we are passionate about (researching them and reporting back) – how should we proceed, do you think?
Closure: Students write an exit slip identifying the issue they are researching and solving / Closure: Students journal about their writing processes; 2nd essay drafts due tomorrow / Closure: Students review their drafts; exit slips about the biggest things they need to work on / Closure: Students journal about their writing processes and thoughts so far. / Closure: Exit slips with ideas about how we should explore topics in the next unit
Assessment: Blog post due; exit slips; monitoring during class / Assessment: Monitoring during class / Assessment: Monitoring during class; exit slips / Assessment: Monitoring during class; letters to the editor due today / Assessment: Literary analysis essays due today
Materials: newspapers,laptops, index cards / Materials: letters to the editor / Materials: / Materials: / Materials: