Eng. 9 Unit 2: Reading Fiction Strategically

Eng. 9 Unit 2: Reading Fiction Strategically (APPROXIMATELY 4 weeks – 14 lessons)Rapert

Unit Purpose • Students develop strategies for close reading: key ideas and details • Students use a variety of fictional texts (micro fiction, short stories, and a novel) to practice identifying important details as a way of understanding the author’s purpose. • They learn basic truths about all fictional characters (they want something, they change or do not change, and there’s a cost). • They identify basic story elements like point of view, setting, three-part story structure, and put these pieces together to understand the author’s purpose. • They make predictions based on their knowledge of story structure, write summaries, and collect important passages and quotes to discover theme and meaning. • They learn that the character’s relationships with others and the way s/he deals with the conflict reveals a great deal about who the character is and what the author’s central idea is. • They identify themes, make cross-textual connections, and consider how fictional texts connect to their lives.

Session 1: Self-Monitoring of Comprehension • Focus: Developing strategies for close reading: key ideas and details • Readers use strategies to monitor and fix their understanding. They • notice when the text is not making sense. • stop and ask questions. • re-read to clarify confusions. • predict what will happen next. • “To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” -Edmund Burke

Session 1: To Do • Materials: “The Life of Walter Mitty” • 1. Part 1 of the story is read and analyzed by the teacher • 2. With a partner, students mimic the teacher’s analysis for Part 2. They monitor their comprehension with a partner. They discuss where they get confused, have questions, find important details, and they then summarize the section. • 3. Students continue reading the story with a pen, closely analyzing and engaging the text. • 4. Students will be asked to report out to the class at hour’s end (if time does not allow, students will finish the story as homework, annotating closely).

Session 2: Three Parts of an Engaging Story • Goal: Readers know how stories are structured and they use this knowledge to predict and summarize before, during, and after reading. • “We love to expect, and when expectation is either disappointed or gratified, we want to be again expecting.” –Samuel Johnson

Session 2: To DO • Materials: “Flu” & "Wallet" • 1. The following incredibly short stories have, as all stories do, three relatively predictable parts: a problem or desire, a character’s attempt to deal with the problem or desire, and a resolution to the problem. • Lost, then found. Too bad. –Graeme Gibson • Failed SAT. Lost scholarship. Invented rocket. – William Shatner • Longed for him. Got him. Shoot.–Margaret Atwood. • For sale: Baby shoes. Never Worn.---Ernest Hemingway • I sit next to her, saying nothing. –Marlon Jiminez

Session 2: To Do contd. • 2. Students turn to a partner and summarize, in just a few words, a story they’ve read or a movie or TV show they’ve seen lately, like the samples above. • Several pairs report out their examples for discussion to illustrate the problem, the character’s attempt to deal with the problem or desire, and the resolution. • 3. Students invent their own three-part stories in just a few sentences and share with a partner. Try perhaps to write the three parts of a love story or a detective story because they are predictable genres. • Students report out and submit.

Session 2: To DO contd. • 4. “Flu” --students work in pairs to bracket the three parts, label, and write a brief (three sentence) summary of “Flu.” • 5. “Wallet” --students work in pairs to bracket the three parts, label, and write a brief (three sentence) summary of “Wallet.”

Session 3: Identifying and Connecting Important Details • Focus: Readers use strategies to understand the central idea of the story. They identify important details and connect those details throughout a story. • Materials: “Fear” & “Worry”

Session 3: To Do • Details in literature to focus on: actions, dialogue, or description that reveals the event. It might reveal character or motivation. • Review “The Wallet.” Think aloud as you notice details. • Return to “Flu” and re-read it, looking for important details that reveal meaning. • Read “Fear” and do an interactive read of the first third or so. Stop at the key details and discuss. • How do you know it’s important? All events, actions, and dialogue are not created equal. Good readers notice important details as they read. • See annotated teacher’s copy for sample.

Session 3: To Do contd. 5. Students read the next section of “Fear” with a partner and highlight or underline what they think are important details. Class check. 6. Students continue to read “Fear” and identify important details that they highlight or underline as they read. 7. Students share their highlighting or underlining. (This could be done in pairs or as a whole class.) They then connect the details to try and discover what the meaning or central idea of the story is. Students report out how connecting the details helped them to understand the meaning or the central idea. 8. Independently, students read “Worry” and underline important details. They should connect the key details in order to figure out the meaning or central idea of the story and write it in a sentence or two. Submit for assessment.

Session 4: Three Truths about Characters • Focus: Readers know three truths about characters in a story: • 1. they want something • 2. they change or do not change • 3. there is a cost and they pay a price.

Definitions of Lit Terms • Foreshadow: a writer gives hints or clues as to what is to come • Point of View: Position from which the writer tells the story • 1st: As a character in the story (I, me) • 3rd Limited: Limited to one character’s thoughts and feelings, not actually that character in the action, but follows one character closely (she, he, they) • Omniscient: Narrator knows all, views story from many vantage points • Conflict: the struggle between two forces • Internal: within a character’s heart/mind • External: against another, society, nature • Irony: Difference between what is stated and what is. • Cosmic: Universe is unjust or beyond control of character/victim of fate(poor farmer prays for rain—gets a flood that destroys all he has) • Dramatic: audience knows what character does not (horror movie killer in closet) • Situational: expectation versus reality (sheriff’s kid is drug dealer)

Session 4: To do • Materials: “So I Ain’t No Good Girl” & all other stories so far • Return to “Walter Mitty”. Class lists the details that reveal what the character wants, how they change (or do not change), and what the cost is for the character. • In pairs, students return to “Worry” and identify the want, the change and the cost in that story. They report out in a class discussion. • Students read “So I Ain’t No Good Girl.” • Students identify the character’s want, evidence of change or the lack thereof, and the cost. • They circle the details that reveal these character truths. They label for each character truth in the margin. (See annotated text.) • Students hypothesize about what they think the story is about, and the author’s purpose. • Students share the details they marked and their hypotheses in a class discussion.

Session 4 Contd.: I Ain’t No Good Girl • Triple Reading Method • 1st reading: A Closer Look-you read for meaning, summary, and annotated as you read-specifically trying to understand character’s wants • 2nd reading: Literary Devices: This time you pulled out literary devices and looked at the meaning of author choices (detail analysis) • 3rd reading: Overall theme/claim. This time, you will read to understand the overall theme or claim the author is making within the story.

Making a Claim about Literature • Consider what the author is saying about the character’s conflicts, what the character did or did not learn, and what price they had to pay. • Now, what TRUTH do you feel the writer is pointing out through this story? • Phrase it as a claim. This becomes the theme. • Write this in a well constructed paragraph • Topic sentence (Author Sharaon Flake, in “I Ain’t No Good Girl” claims: __________________________(insert theme here) • In one sentence summarize the story. • Give evidence from the story to support the claim. • Explain how it proves the claim in 2 or more sentences. • SUBMIT IN SCHOOLOGY

Session 5: Independent Practice: Applying Comprehension Strategies and Knowledge of Text Structure • Focus: Readers use comprehension strategies and their understanding of text structures to connect story details and understand the central idea(s) [theme]. • “The answer is always in the entire story, not a piece of it. “ –Jim Harrison

Session 5: to do • Materials: • 3 copies of Independent Practice: Applying Comprehension Strategies and Knowledge of Text Structure • copies of short stories: “Marigolds”, “The Scarlet Ibis”, “A Man Called Horse”, or “Most Dangerous Game” [all in textbook] • a copy of a teacher model of story “A & P” for all students to view.

Session 5: to do contd. • Teacher reads the beginning of “A & P” modeling reading strategies and pointing out major story elements, analyzing the text structure and identifying and connecting details to hypothesize about the central idea (theme). • Students fill out 1 copy of Independent Practice: Applying Comprehension Strategies and Knowledge of Text Structure as a guide for the reading and annotating of “A & P”. • Students read the next section “A & P” with a partner. They discuss their reading strategies and point out major story elements, analyze the text structure and identify and connect details to hypothesize about the central idea (theme). • Students read “A & P” with a pen, annotating as they go, and then filling out the accompanying handout.

Session 5: to do contd. • 5. Students choose 1 story from the text to analyze independently. • “Marigolds”, The Scarlet Ibis”, “A Man Called Horse”, or “Most Dangerous Game” [all in textbook] • Students analyze the stories using the Independent Practice: Applying Comprehension Strategies and Knowledge of Text Structure worksheet. • 2 class periods will be granted. • Submit for assessment.

Session 6: Historical Significance--Novel unit of mice and men • Readers apply what they know about a particular point in history to understand the context of the story. “If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday.” -Pearl S. Buck

Session 6: to do • Materials: Novel Of Mice and Men and handout Historical Period Research • Teacher introduces the novel briefly • Students use the Internet to research the historical period in which the novel is set. • Use the research handout Historical Period Research. • Student groups choose which category they would like to research, making sure that all pertinent categories are covered. • Students research the chosen category, filling out the associated section of the handout. • Students report out findings group by group. Students take notes about the other categories on the handout as groups present.

Session 6: to do contd. • What are some generalizations about the time period? How do you predict the time period will play a part in the novel we are about to read/are reading/ just read? • Students turn to group member and brainstorm predictions or conclusions about connections between the time period and Of Mice and Men. • Groups share their predictions or conclusions about connections between the time period and the novel with the class.

Session 7: Novel Kick-off • Materials: Terminology-Elements of an Engaging Story, Reading A Novel Strategically/ Part 1, Of Mice and Men. • Students will look for story elements that reveal setting, characters, point of view, internal and external stories, and the conflict or trouble that the main character is faced with in Part 1. (Students will read Part 1 over two days, so the handout will be due at the beginning of Session 9.) • The teacher reads Of Mice and Menaloud, as students follow along. The teacher will stop periodically to model analysis.

Session 7: Novel Kick-off to do contd. • Students read another section of the text in pairs and identify story elements together. • Students continue to read the novel and respond to the questions on the Reading A Novel Strategically/ Part 1 handout in their reader’s/writer’s notebooks. This will be reviewed at the beginning of Session 9. • an appropriate stopping point for the day is the end of Chap. 1 • In pairs, students share their findings about the novel so far. • Assignment: Of Mice and MenChapter 2. • Students will complete as much of the Reading A Novel Strategically/ Part 1 handout as possible.

Session 8: Summarizing and Predicting • Focus: Readers notice details and make predictions to connect the information gathered in the introduction to new information as they proceed through the novel (Part II). Readers develop a theory of the central idea of the novel. • Materials: Reading Summary Checklist, Important Quotations from the Novel chart

Session 8: To Do To cement comprehension, strong readers summarize. • Write a summary of Chapter 2 –Of Mice and Men being mindful of the criteria on the Reading Summary Checklist.(submit in Schoology) Ex. (from “So I Ain’t No Good Girl”) The narrator tolerates it when her boyfriend cheats on her, takes her money, and won’t spend time with her. She even accepts his physical abuse. This is best seen when she apologizes when he hits her. She thinks she is not attractive or worth anything; therefore, she is lucky to have such a handsome boyfriend. A theme that seems to be present here is that people should think they are deserving of being treated with respect even if they feel unworthy.

Session 8 Contd. Part 2 Strong readers recognize significant details that reveal character, conflict, and lead to theme. • Find 5 meaningful quotes from Chap. 1 & 2. -Use the Quote Chart -Work with partner to determine what is revealed. -Submit for assessment.

Session 9: Character Relationships • Of Mice and Men, part 2 is Chapters 3 and 4. • Focus: Readers learn about characters from their relationships with others. • “There really are no characters in [novels]; there are relationships.” Arthur Miller

Session 9: to do • Materials: Analyzing Character Relationships, Reading a Novel Strategically/ Part 2,Analyzing Character Relationships in Part 2 of the Novel. • Part 2 of a fictional piece shows the characters living in the world. The action of the plot deepens the reader’s understanding of the characters. In the novel, the reader begins to understand multiple layers of the plot. As they accumulate details about how the main character interacts with other characters, ask them to consider what this shows about the main character. • The reader learns something important about the main character when scrutinizing the way they talk, act, and think when with another character.

Session 9: to do contd. • Students fill out the handout Analyzing Character Relationships in Part 2 of the Novel. • They will come to the next class prepared with a 3-sentence summary of the reading, 2 quotes which they feel are important, and a completed Analyzing Character Relationships in Part 2(ch. 3 & 4)handout.

Session 10: Problems for the Character • Focus: Readers learn about characters through the problems they face. Readers use this knowledge to predict what will happen in the end of the novel (Part III). They focus their theories through discussion with other readers and examination of their own thinking. • Materials: Predicting How the Character Will Deal with the Problem.

Session 10: to do • Students brainstorm actions and choices George and Lenniemight make in Part 3 that will complicate or fix their problem. All write these ideas on the left-side of a t-chart. • On the right-side of the chart, students consider what the possible actions and choices each character might make would reveal about the character. • Students finish reading Chapter 5and write the 3-sentence summaries, locate two important quotes, and finish filling out the Predicting How the Character Will Deal With the Problem handout.

Session 11: Dealing with the Problem • Readers learn about characters by examining how they deal with the problem. • “A character, to be acceptable as more than a chess piece has to be ignorant of the future, unsure about the past, and not at all sure of what he’s supposed to be doing.” • -Anthony Burgess

Session 11: to do • Students read the final section of Of Mice and Men Chapter 6 and write a three sentence summary and locate two important quotes. • Inner outer circle formation: students explain of their thoughts about what the character’s choices reveals about the character, and what they think the author is trying to say (central idea) by having the character make this choice. Switch partners three times. • Students write a one-page analysis in their Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebooks about how the character deals with the problem in the last reading section and what it says about him/her. They should make specific references to the text. • SUBMIT

Session 12: Examining the Novel as a Whole to Understand Themes • Readers consider the story as a whole to understand the central ideas that are expressed (theme). • “A novel is never anything, but a philosophy put into images. “ -Albert Camus

Session 12: to do • Students meet with their discussion groups to review the passages they have deemed important in their reading. • Using their notes from the Reader’s/ Writer’s notebooks, they should choose five of the most important quotes and write each one on a 3’ x 5’ sticky note, including page numbers. • Students put them on the board at the front of the room. • Students should gather around the quotes to try to categorize the quotes by theme words. Jot the theme words that come out of this discussion. (For example, students might come up with theme words like Loneliness, Companionship,Mercy, Obligations, or Dreams.)

Session 12: to do contd. 4. The teacher explains how the theme word can be expressed as a thematic statement. 5. In their discussion groups, students brainstorm a complete sentence that express a central ideas or Of Mice and Men. • examples should be shared with the class. 6. Write each of the statements at the top of a sheet of butcher block paper and post the sheets in the corners of the room. • Collectively, students review the quotes on the board and determine which ones fall under each theme heading. • As they locate appropriate quotes, they should move the sticky notes and post them on the corresponding poster • As a group, they select two or three of the most appropriate quotes for each thematic statement. • Consider and discuss the following: What’s the writer trying to get us to understand? Why should we care? How does it impact our life?

Session 12: to do contd. • 7. Students choose a thematic statement and quotation to write about. They will write a one-page entry in their Reader’s/ Writer’s Notebooks about how the quotation is evidence of the thematic statement [submit for assessment].

Objective novel test • Students log onto Schoology to take the Of Mice and Men Unit objective test over: • Major literary elements: conflict, characterization, symbolism/motifs, irony, author technique and choices • Submit for assessment

Session 13: Text-to-Text Connections • Focus: Readers connect to other texts, other genres, and their world. • Materials used for comparison/enhancement: • Film Of Mice and Men (1992) • Short stories: Gary Soto’s “The Savings Book ” from Living Up the Street and “Wonamona,” by Jerry Spinelli.

Session 13: to do • Students view the film and read the two stories, jotting notes about the selections’ connections to the novel. • In small groups, students discuss the differences between the film version. • Does the film version best captures the author’s purpose? Why do you think so? • In small groups, students discuss the connections between the stories to the novel. • How do these other texts enhance or muddy our understanding of the novel’s themes? • Groups should submit a one-page summary for each prompt • SUBMIT FOR ASSESSMENT

Session 14: Personal Relevance Focus: • 1. Readers determine a theme and decide upon the literature’s personal relevance. • 2. Writers properly cite their sources. Materials: • M.L.A. format guide

Session 14: to do • Theme Collage: requirements for the personal connections collage students are to complete, including: • a poster title that is a theme from the novel • at least four key quotes relating to and supporting the theme • pictures and/or news headlines to show the theme’s pertinence in today’s world • page-long explanation of how the writer’s own life can be connected to the novel’s themes or central idea.

Session 14: To Do contd. • Students search through magazines, newspapers, etc. to find headlines and articles that connect with the novel’s themes and central ideas. • Students create a collage • Students share their products with classmates by posting their personal connections collages around the room. • Students circulate around the room to view each poster. SUBMIT FOR ASSESSMENT

Session 14: to do contd. Personal Response/Reaction Essay Students respond in their Reader’s/Writer’s Notebooks about the novel as a whole. • Prompt: • What is an important message about life in this book? What impact did the novel have on my life? • Length: 1 ½ pages • SUBMIT FOR ASSESSMENT

UNIT FINISHED

Eng. 9 Unit 2: Reading Fiction Strategically