MYP unit planner

Unit title Japanese Literature: Cultural Perspective

Teacher(s) R. Price

Subject and grade level MYP Language A Year 2

Time frame and duration 6-8 weeks

Stage 1: Integrate significant concept, area of interaction and unit question

Area of interaction focus Significant concept(s) Which area of interaction will be our focus? What are the big ideas? What do we want our Why have we chosen this? students to retain for years into the future?

Environment Reading about other cultures helps one develop appreciation and support for Unit engages students in addressing the differences. effects of actions and attitudes of one environment on another. The correct action in a situation may vary by culture

MYP unit question

How does one use his or her knowledge of other cultures to make informed and responsible choices?

Assessment What task(s) will allow students the opportunity to respond to the unit question? What will constitute acceptable evidence of understanding? How will students show what they have understood?

Analytical essay comparing and contrasting examples of Japanese art, music, and poetry Short creative work reflecting the cultural ideals of pre-World War II Japan.

Which specific MYP objectives will be addressed during this unit?

* Reading- identify the various elements of a story make predictions, using and verifying various clues summarize and explain the main ideas and cite details that support them identify a writer’s perspective or character’s motivation compare themselves and their own experiences with literary characters to enrich understanding begin to make inferences reflect on a discuss issues and topics that emerge when reading begin to recognize and describe the elements of different genres select appropriate strategies for different reading purposes identify the main ideas in information materials and explain how the details support the main ideas identify some stylistic devices used in literary works (simile, personification, etc.) and explain each consult a dictionary for unknown words use punctuation to understand what is read use a variety of conventions of formal texts to locate information (index, table of contents, etc.) * Writing- plan, draft, revise, and proofread writing on paper and on screen compose a variety of clear and concise sentences write narratives that include setting, plot, and characterization write in a variety of modes of writing use some literacy terms effectively experiment with and use new vocabulary understand and use the parts of speech correctly use correct punctuation and capitalization write clear, concise paragraphs creative writing be neat and legible, and use appropriate presentational devices use dictionaries and thesauruses efficiently

Which MYP assessment criteria will be used?

Literary analysis writing- Criteria A, B, and C Creative writing – Criteria A, B, and C

Stage 2: Backward planning: from the assessment to the learning activities through inquiry

Content What knowledge and/or skills (from the course overview) are going to be used to enable the student to respond to the unit question? What (if any) state, provincial, district, or local standards/skills are to be addressed? How can they be unpacked to develop the significant concept(s) for stage 1? Content What knowledge and/or skills (from the course overview) are going to be used to enable the student to respond to the unit question?  Modes of writing  Short story format  Short story vocabulary  Elements of literature  Students will read and understand a variety of materials.  Students will write and speak for a variety of purposes & audience.  Students write and speak using conventional grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.  Students apply thinking skills to their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.  Students read to locate, select, and make use of relevant information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sources.  Students read and recognize literature as a record of human experience. Knowledge and/or skills  writing using clear, concise sentences and paragraphs  write personal memoir  expository paragraphs focusing on literary analysis  development of a thesis statement and supporting paragraphs in an essay  identify the literary elements of the short story  elements of literature  modes of writing  grammar  parts of speech  nonfiction and fiction reading comprehension skills  creative writing story from art prompt  vocabulary for the study of the short story

Approaches to learning How will this unit contribute to the overall development of subject-specific and general approaches to learning skills?

Collaboration-Students will work in collaborative groups to respond to literature with respect to others’ points of view and cultural differences.

Learning experiences Teaching strategies How will we use formative assessment to give students feedback How will students know what is expected of them? Will during the unit? they see examples, rubrics, templates? What different teaching methodologies will we employ? How will students acquire the knowledge and practise the skills required? How will they practise applying How are we differentiating teaching and learning for all? How have these? we made provision for those learning in a language other than their mother tongue? How have we considered those with special Do the students have enough prior knowledge? How will educational needs? we know?

Learning Activities Formative Assessment Individual Individual summaries and responses reading each novel section Group vocabulary and responses summarizing plot Methodologies selecting vocabulary Summarizing literature responding to literature Responding to literature Small group discussion Small Group Shared writing sharing individual summaries and responses Differentiation creating group response Homogenous grouping by reading level selecting and defining vocabulary

Communication of Expectations Examples Written directions Modeling Presentation Scenario Rubrics

Resources What resources are available to us? How will our classroom environment, local environment and/or the community be used to facilitate students’ experiences during the unit?

Literature: traditional Japanese fairy tales and folk tales (translated), traditional Japanese short stories(translated), examples of Japanese poetry (translated) References: books on Japanese block printing, books on Japanese watercolour painting Music: recorded performances of pre-World War II Japanese music

Ongoing reflections and evaluation

In keeping an ongoing record, consider the following questions. There are further stimulus questions at the end of the “Planning for teaching and learning” section of MYP: From principles into practice. Students and teachers What did we find compelling? Were our disciplinary knowledge/skills challenged in any way? What inquiries arose during the learning? What, if any, extension activities arose? How did we reflect—both on the unit and on our own learning? Which attributes of the learner profile were encouraged through this unit? What opportunities were there for student-initiated action?

Possible connections How successful was the collaboration with other teachers within my subject group and from other subject groups? What interdisciplinary understandings were or could be forged through collaboration with other subjects? Assessment Were students able to demonstrate their learning? How did the assessment tasks allow students to demonstrate the learning objectives identified for this unit? How did I make sure students were invited to achieve at all levels of the criteria descriptors? Are we prepared for the next stage? Data collection How did we decide on the data to collect? Was it useful?

The author would like to thank Mr(s) Oehling and Dastis, the authors of “Roles in Society” for information incorporated in this unit planner

Figure 12 MYP unit planner