Unit Plan: Teaching Literary Elements

Nick Veeder

Professor Mueller

English 611

8/22/2012

Unit Plan: Teaching Literary Elements

Rationale:

My unit, the first unit of the year for 6th grade ELA, will focus on teaching literary elements through a variety of texts. These literary elements include setting, characters, conflict, plot, point of view, theme, tone, and mood. Most of these "literary elements" are addressed in the Common Core, and having an emerging understanding of them, I feel, is urgent for 6th graders to meet grade level expectations of the Reading Standards for Literature. These expectations are that 6th graders will be able to:

2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgements.

3. Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond to change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

6. Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.

9. Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics

10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Students will also practice Speaking and Listening Standards outlined in the Common Core, which emphasizes that 6th graders will be able to:

1.Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

2. Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.

Though conflict is not specifically mentioned in the Reading Standards for Literature, I think it's embedded in standard 3, as students are expected to "Describe… how the characters respond to change as the plot moves toward a resolution." Similarly, having an understanding of setting, I think can be important in determining how a theme or central idea can be "conveyed through particular details" (Standard 2). While tone and mood are typically learned in high school English, the interplay these concepts share with setting and theme make them (tone and mood) applicable and, in my opinion, worth learning with the other literary terms.

The state's expectations for students to learn the literary elements makes me feel justified in teaching them. However, even if it weren't for the state, I would still be excited and motivated to teach the literary elements through literature because of the value such a study would yield. Reading literature is a practical pursuit in that it helps to educate and make people aware of realities in the world as well as in themselves. Rosenblatt outlines two benefits to studying literature when she says that "it [literature] can yield the kind of fulfillment that we call aesthetic—it can be enjoyed in itself—and at the same time have a social origin and social effects" (23). Indeed, part of the reason I read is to connect with other characters; like meeting and spending time with actual people, this process is simply fun, and I think it's part of what Rosenblatt had in mind when says "it can be enjoyed in itself" (23). Yet getting to know literary characters can also be edifying and instructive—what I believe Rosenblatt means when referring to "social effects." In their book, Fresh Takes on Teaching Literary Elements, Smith and Wilhelm touch on the social implications of studying characterization,

Getting to know—really getting to know—literary characters enriches our reading and our lives. Think of all of the essential questions that motivate our reading that depend on our understanding of literary characters: What does it mean to be a good parent (or teacher or friend)? What makes a real hero? To what extent do we discover (as opposed to create) our true selves? (21)

By studying characterization, students may increase their understanding and awareness of these very questions. Smith and Wilhelm say, "The ultimate purpose of reading literature is to explore what kind of person we want to be as well as how to become that kind of person and avoid becoming something else" (59). As far as studying literature goes, this is a rather high aim, but one that can be aided, specifically, through studying characterization.

I will begin my Unit Plan on the literary elements by starting with characters and then moving to setting, which I will focus on for this paper. I think characterization will be a good "hook" to start the unit because at this point (at the start of the year) the students and I will still be getting to know each other. What things are important for understanding characters? As Smith and Wilhelm discuss in their book, I'd want students to think about the various ways we see and understand people—through their actions, language, thoughts, body language, physical descriptions, as well as how others relate to them in social settings. Becoming aware of how these different criteria help us to understand personality, students should become better equipped to meet new characters in texts, and perhaps even in the real world.

After characters, I plan to introduce students to setting. Understanding setting as composed of time and place is helpful for understanding the limits and confines of an environment, including its social mores. Raising awareness of the different layers of setting—the macrosystem, mesosystem, and microsystem, as Smith and Wilhelm outline—will make readers more conscientious of how a text's setting affects its characters. Hopefully, after learning how to look at setting objectively, students will become better readers of textual and real world settings.

Considerations:

Because some of my students have learning disabilities, I might scaffold or vary in-class reading activities, from "popcorn" style reading, to literature circles, to simply having the teacher read aloud to the class, depending on the ability personality of each class. Taking into account the different classes, I might similarly adjust lesson activities—e.g., convert independent projects to small group projects, scaffold graphic organizers and handouts, etc.—depending on each class' ability. These Considerations are implied for all of the lessons described hereafter. While these lessons are written for regular education level classes, there will be one class I teach for students with special needs, for which I plan to make accomodations and the aforementioned adjustments, as necessary.

Also, most of these lessons err on the lengthy side, and might require more than the estimated span of 50 minutes. In cases where lessons are not finished, the class will resume where it left off for the next day.

Unit Plan: The Literary Elements

Sub-Unit I: Characters

Grade level: 6th

Class: ELA

Duration: 50 minutes

Lesson Plan 1: Introduction to Characterization

Objectives:

Students will analyze and infer character traits based on the text, "Summer Loving" by Phil Gardener.
Students will discuss different ways we can analyze and understand characters—through theiractions, thoughts/emotions, physical descriptions, and how others relate to them.
Students will practice describing characters based on their actions and thoughts.

Materials:

Micro fiction handout: "Summer Loving" by Phil Gardener
Handout: "Describing Characters Based on Their Actions and Thoughts"

Process:

To begin this unit on characters, the teacher asks, "Why are characters important to a story?" Teacher calls on students and facilitates a brief discussion to explore different answers to this question.
Teacher gives students the micro fiction piece, "Summer Loving" (with the last line omitted) by Phil Gardener, and asks for volunteers to read the first three paragraphs aloud.
Based on the title and first three paragraphs, the teacher asks students to infer characteristics about the male and female described therein. After reminding students that there are no wrong answers, the teacher might ask, "How do you envision these characters? Give some support for your inferences." Teacher writes down well-supported responses on the board.
Using student responses, the teacher asks how each characteristic can be classified. (All characterization in the first three paragraphs is based on the characters' actions, thoughts/emotions, physical descriptions, and how they relate to each other).
Teacher then asks students to write one more sentence or paragraph to end the story, based on how each student envisions the characters. Teacher will call on volunteers to read their endings. The teacher will then read Phil Gardener's ending, which will likely come as a surprise.
Teacher will go over the ways to understand a character—as depicted in "Summer Loving"—through actions, thoughts/emotions, physical descriptions, how others relate to the character in question. The teacher will then give a two-sided handout: "Describing Characters Based on Their Actions and Thoughts" (Smith 40, 42). Students will work independently to finish the first side (actions) in class.
Teacher will go over the first side of the handout with the class, and facilitate a brief discussion. (Maybe ask, "Do you agree that actions speak louder than words?")
For homework, students will finish both sides.

Assessment:

On-task behavior and participation in the discussion and individual activity (informal)

Homework:

Finish handout: "Describing Characters Based on Their Actions and Thoughts"

Lesson Plan 2: Components of Characterization

Objectives:

Students will practice identifying and describing characters based on their physical descriptions (appearance), body language, language, and how others relate to them.

Materials:

Handouts: "Describing Characters Based on Physical Description and Body Language"; "Describing Characters Based on Their Language and How Others Relate to Them"
Micro fiction handout: "Lunch" by Noel Allain
Computer attached to an overhead projector to show pictures: "American Gothic" (Wood); "Therese Berard" (Renoir); "The Gulf Stream" (Homer)

Process:

Teacher will circulate and check off the day's homework, the completed handout from the day before: "Describing Characters Based on Their Actions and Thoughts." Teacher will call on students to volunteer their homework answers.
Teacher will ask students, "What can physical appearance reveal about a person? When is, or isn't, a person's appearance a reliable indicator of his or her personality?" Students may respond while teacher facilitates a brief discussion.
Teacher will project images of famous paintings—"American Gothic" (Wood); "Therese Berard" (Renoir); "The Gulf Stream" (Homer)—one at a time, asking students what they can (or can't) ascertain from the subjects in these paintings.
Teacher will give students the handout "Describing Characters Based on Physical Description and Body Language" (Smith 43, 44), which students will work on (individually or in groups, depending on the class). As students work on the handout, teacher will circulate through the room to check for understanding and offer help, as needed.
When students are finished, teacher will ask students to volunteer their answers to go over the handout.
After going over "Describing Characters Based on Physical Description and Body Language", the teacher will give students "Lunch" by Noel Allain, and ask for volunteers to read aloud.
After reading, teacher will ask students to describe the two characters therein, Noel and David, based on evidence from the text. Teacher will write responses on the board.
Using student responses, the teacher asks how students ascertained the character of both subjects. (The characterization in this story is mostly based on language, thoughts, and how others relate to the character).
Teacher will give students the handout, "Describing Characters Based on Their Language and How Others Relate to Them" (Smith 41, 45) which students may work on together in small groups and complete individually for homework.

Assessment:

Completion of homework: "Describing Characters Based on Their Actions and Thoughts" (formal)
Effort towards and completion of classwork:"Describing Characters Based on Physical Description and Body Language" (formal)
On-task behavior and participation in the discussion and individual/group activity (informal)

Homework:

Finish handout: "Describing Characters Based on Their Language and How Others Relate to Them."

Considerations:

Because some of my students have learning disabilities, I will allow them to work on the handouts in small groups, by reading aloud together. There is a lot of activity in this lesson that may not be completed in 50 minutes, in which case I'll postpone the process and continue in the next class.

Lesson Plan 3: Applying the Modes of Characterization

Objectives:

Students will practice practice applying the "Six Modes of Characterization" (actions, language, thoughts, body language, physical descriptions, how others relate to the character in question) to two characters in a video.
Students will practice describing a character based on his speech.

Materials:

Handout: "Six Modes of Characterization"
Excerpt from "One-Eyed Cat" by Paula Fox, with graphic organizer
Excerpt, "Kim",from Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman.
Computer attached to an overhead projector, with speakers

Process:

Students will take out homework, "Describing Characters Based on Their Language and How Others Relate to Them," which teacher will check off and call on students to share their answers for the class.
Teacher will give students the graphic organizer, "Six Modes of Characterization," and explain it.
Teacher will play a video compilation of Mac vs. PC ads, asking students to fill out the "Six Modes of Characterization," by citing specific examples from the video.
Teacher will ask students how they responded to the various categories (Modes) to describe Mac and PC, and facilitate a brief discussion about the activity.
Teacher will give students an excerpt from "One-Eyed Cat" by Paula Fox, instructing students to answer the graphic organizer questions about Uncle Hilary, based on his speech as well as other dialogue in the story. Depending on the class, students will read the excerpt and complete the graphic organizer either alone or in small groups. Teacher will circulate around the room, checking student progress and offering help, as needed
When students are finished reading and completing the graphic organzier, teacher will ask students to share their answers with the class and facilitate a brief discussion about this activity.
In the remaining time, teacher will ask students to take out their journal or a piece of lined paper and respond to the following journal prompt: Describe a time when you realized and emotion or desire that you decided to be intentional about and act on. How did act on your desire? How did you feel afterward?
Teacher will explain that this emotion/desire must go beyond the needs of hunger (food) and rest (sleep); it is something that was an intentioned goal.
When finished, students may share their responses with the class if they wish.
Teacher will give students homework: to read "Kim"from Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman.

Assessment:

Completion of homework: "Describing Characters Based on Their Language and How Others Relate to Them."
Effort towards and completion of classwork:
"Six Modes of Characterization" for Mac vs. PC
Reading "One-Eyed Cat" by Paula Fox and completing the graphic organizer
Journal entry: emotions before and after undertaking a goal
On-task behavior and participation in the discussion and individual/group activity (informal)

Homework:

Read "Kim"from Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman.

Considerations:

This lesson is especially long. If students do not get to the end, they may finish the journal prompt for homework. Again, as in previous lessons, because of different levels/abilities in classes, I may do the reading of "One-Eyed Cat" aloud myself while everyone follows along, and let some classes complete the graphic organizer in groups.

Lesson Plan 4: Character Thoughts and Feelings, and Our Thoughts and Feelings Toward Characters

Objectives:

Students will infer a character's thoughts and feelings from a text.
Students will evaluate and rank five different characters on the basis of personal opinion.
Students will orally state reasons from a text in effort to persuade other group members.

Materials:

Excerpt, "Kim",from Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman (given last class)
Handout: "What Makes a Good Father?"

Process:

Teacher will ask if any students want to share their journal entries from the day before.
Teacher will give students a "Do-Now" did-you-read-it-quiz: one or two questions to recite content, facts, events, (Bloom's first order of questions) from "Kim."
Teacher will collect Do-Now's, and go over possible or correct answers.
Students will re-read "Kim"aloudin "popcorn" style.
In small groups, students will find evidence of Kim's thoughts and feelings before and after planting the beans.
Teacher will facilitate a discussion to go over answers from 5.
Teacher will give handout: "What Makes a Good Father?" (Smith 38-39) and explain the activity, whereby students will read the descriptions of five fathers and rank them in order of who they think is best.
When students have completed ranking the fathers, teacher will poll the class to see what students had to say for each father.
Teacher will break class apart into small, hetergenous groups to give students a chance to state why the father they chose is the "best."
Afterward, teacher will re-poll class to see if any answers have changed.
Teacher will write six vocabulary words on the board—vow, anxious, routine, gnawing, mauled, spasm—for students to copy, look up, and write original sentences for each for homework.

Assessment: