Catalyst Unit Plan
“The Important Things in Life”
Written By: Phil Ververis, Lisa Orrin, Rebekah Moeller, Devin Petersen, Anne Lutke
Rationale
High school can be a difficult time for students, especially towards the end of high school when they are getting ready to make that big transition to college. They have many worries. Am I going to end up with my first choice college? What if I get rejected? What am I going to pick as a major? What do I want to do with my life? Worrying about these types of things can make the transition from high school to college even more daunting. In addition, when other things begin to happen in life that throws students off track, it can create havoc for the already-stressful anticipation of their future. In retrospect, it’s important for students to relax, sit down and ask themselves: How important is x compared to z? Or, What is really the most important thing in life? This unit is not only aimed at students who are getting ready to attend college, but a wide array of students with different goals and dreams. Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel, Catalyst, is the central piece of literature for this unit. The central theme is “The Important Things in Life.” Whether headed off to college after high school or not, the literature in this unit will hopefully help students realize that what’s stressing them out —college or whatever else it may be—may not actually be the most important thing in life.
In addition to teaching students about things that are important in life, this book could stimulate the students’ interest in reading. Students, in most cases, should find this book’s plot, characters, and situations very relatable to their own lives. Lastly, there are some lessons/morals that students may catch on to if they are to read this novel. This is an opportunity for them to gain an understanding of different events and get them to realize that there are sometimes more important things in life than their personal ambitions. To some people, things that are actually important are not obvious on the surface. As an example, Kate Malone, even after the Litch’s house had burned down, was still concerned with being admitted to MIT. She was appalled that Teri and her son were moved in; at the same time, her number one concern was MIT.
During this unit plan, students will encounter many relatable experiences. The students will have the opportunity to look at a relatable character (the protagonist of the novel, Kate) that made some mistakes during the novel; additionally, the students will hopefully learn something from Kate’s actions. After reading this novel, students should be able to see how Kate’s mindset and life’s priorities changed during the novel. The students will be looking at Kate Malone and analyzing her; this could give students the opportunity to think about some of their personal priorities and revamp them to live more fully. In addition to Catalyst, some of the other genres and literature presented will be Jay McGraw’s Life Strategies for Teens, news articles from the New York Times, short stories, and poetry. These other readings will be used to supplement Catalyst and will hopefully enhance the theme of this unit, “the important things in life.”
In order for students to think about some of the situations in the novel and look at themselves differently, interaction between students will be essential. This unit will consistently involve students writing journals and sharing their ideas with their classmates. When students have the opportunity to share their ideas with other students, it gives them more opportunities to broaden their horizon with what’s important in their lives.
Overall the students will be immersed into the novel Catalyst and the main theme of the unit: “The Important Things in Life” through the activities the students participate in and the intertextual studies.
Catalyst 20-Day Lesson Plan
Day 1:
In-Class Activity: They will each receive a copy of the novel, and be asked to read the back of the book. After they have read the back of the book, students will be informed what the definition of catalyst is. Then they will b asked to write a summary of the book based on what the title means, and what they read on the back of the book. Hopefully the summary will reflect the themes that will be focused on throughout the unit. Homework: Read pages: 1-37 Formative Assessment: Complete first interpretive reading log (see below).
Day 2:
In-Class Activity: Students will complete a character sketch for Kate, Reverend Malone, Toby, Mitch, Teri, and Sara. Based on the character sketches, students will be asked if any of Catalyst’s characters relate to characters in another story they read. Homework: Read pages: 37 -64 and complete second reading log. Formative Assessment: Complete second reading log.
Day 3:
In-Class Activity: Students will discuss as a class what Kate’s mindset is towards college, her family, friends, and everything going on in her life. What are her main concerns? Do they feel she is an optimistic person or a pessimist? Should she have other concerns? Have students identify a person in their life (? without naming the person?) who could identify with Kate and why. Homework: Read pages: 65-93 Formative Assessment: Complete third reading log.
Day 4:
In-Class Activity: Students will be asked to get into groups of four. Each group will be handed a few college applications for colleges around the world. Each group will then compile a list of what similar qualities does each application have and what qualities are different. Then, students will be asked to individually answer the question, “What else should colleges know about each person that applies to their institution?” In order to answer this question, students will write down three things that each college application is missing, and what they think would be relevant to have on a college application. Homework: Read pages: 93-123 Formative Assessment: Complete fourth reading log.
Day 5:
In-Class Activity: Students will be asked to make a list of what values are deemed important in their life. They will then make a list of what other values besides getting into MIT are important to Kate’s life. The class will then discuss what their values mean to themselves and what Kate’s values mean to Kate. Students will discuss how they would feel if these values were put at risk. Would they act the same as Kate or different? Homework: Read pages 123-139 Formative Assessment: Complete fifth reading log.
[ Lessons 6-20 are not required for this Preliminary Unit]
Day 6:
In-Class Activity: Students will compare and contrast the characters of Terri and Kate with a partner. They will discuss these comparisons and differences as a class. Students will discuss how these comparisons contributed to Kate and Teri’s relationship throughout the story and how Kate had to adjust/cope with Teri being in her life. Homework: Read Pages: 140-169 Formative Assessment: Complete sixth reading log.
Day 7:
In-Class Activity: Students will write and turn in a journal entry on whether or not they like Terri’s character and whether or not they find her relatable. They must list why. Then, Students will partner up and discuss what they wrote.
The class will be divided in half. The students will be participating in a debate over the character of Terri. Half the class will argue that Terri is worth liking and the other side will argue that she got what she deserve. Each side will have about five to ten minutes to argue their case and must give valid reasons. Homework: Read pages: 170-209 Formative Assessment: Complete seventh reading log. Also write a reflection on the debate and focus on the topic: “Should we think about the unlikeable people in our lives and what we owe them?”
Day 8:
In-Class Activity: As a class, students will have today to discuss any other controversies they feel the novel has. What do they agree or disagree with? What did the book not cover that they wish it would have? Have any students found themselves in similar predicaments to the characters in this novel? Homework: Read pages: 210-231 Formative Assessment: Complete eighth and last reading log. Also write a reflection on today’s discussion and focus on the topic: “What would they have done differently that Kate?”
Day 9: In-Class Activity: Students will form groups of four and write a list of what Kate was like at the beginning of the novel and what her wants were. They will also make another list of what Kate was like at the end of the novel and what her wants were. As a class, the students will determine what Kate’s changing points were in the novel. Student will also discuss why did Kate change? What made her change? Formative Assessment: For homework, Students will be asked to write a two page alternate ending to the novel.
Day 10: In-Class Activity: Students will be asked to take out the summary of the book they wrote the first day of the unit. They will then have to get into groups of four and come up with a new synopsis for the back of the book Catalyst. Formative Assessment: The groups will write a new synopsis. This new synopsis should include what chemistry and the word catalyst has to do with Kate’s changes in the novel. Each group will share their new synopsis with the class.
Day 11: Inter-textual Study: Students will read two magazine articles that are related to college. New York Times "Applications to Colleges Are Breaking Records" http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/17/education/17admissions.html New York Times “Elite College Reporting Record Lows in Admission" http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/education/01admission.html
In-class Activity: Students will write a journal entry explaining how Kate she could have used some of the tips listed in the articles before applying to MIT.
Formative Assessment: Students will chose an activity from the “Activity Choice Sheet” (see sheet after unit schedule) and complete it as homework. Students must relate it to the two articles.
Day 12: Inter-textual Study: Students will read the short story: "Where are you going, where have you been" Joyce Carol Oates Formative Assessment: Students will chose an activity from the “Activity Choice Sheet” and complete it in class. They will be asked to relate the short story to Catalyst in this activity.
Day 13 Inter-textual Study: Students will magazine article from: NextStepMagazine.com called "How to get into College." http://www.nextstepmagazine.com/nextstep/articlePage1.aspx? artId=3225&categoryId=54
In-Class Activity: Students will write a journal entry on whether or not they agree/disagree to article and state why. This activity will be followed by a discussion. Formative Assessment: Students will chose an activity from the “Activity Choice Sheet” for the article and complete it as homework.
Day 14: Summative Assessment: In class students will write and turn in a journal entry Inter-textual Study: Poem: "The Layers" Stanley Kunitz
In-Class Activity: Minilesson on poetic devices. After minilesson, students will connect poetic devices to ones used in the novel. They will analyze poem as a class. Students will link observations and make conclusions based on evidence found in the poem. Formative Assessment: Students will chose an activity from the “Activity Choice Sheet” and complete it as homework. They will be asked to relate the poem to Catalyst in this activity.
Day 15: In-Class Activity: Minilesson: Constructing a paper. Students will also sample analysis papers done by other students in previous classes.
Summative Assessment Assigned: Students will be completing an essay based on the themes studied in class and will be asked to relate it back to Catalyst and the other texts studied. The description of the summative assessment is attached. (see sheet after unit schedule) Homework: Writing assignment: Create thesis statement for essay.
Day 16: Inter-Textual Study: Life Law #6 : “There is no Reality only Perception” from the book, Life Strategies for Teenagers by Jay McGraw
In-Class Activity: Student will discuss Life Law #6, and how it relates to the characters in Catalyst. Students will also share and discuss thesis statements they came up with over the weekend. Formative Assessment: Students will choose an activity from the “Activity Choice Sheet” and relate it to Life Law #6 for homework.
Day 17: Inter-Textual Study: Poem: "The Girl who Loved the Sky" Anita Endrezze In-Class Activity and Formative Assessment: Students will chose an activity from the “Activity Choice Sheet” and complete it in class. They will be asked to relate the short story to Catalyst in this activity. Homework: Rough draft of paper due in two days.
Day 18: In-Class Activity: Minilesson: MLA formatting. Formative Assessment: Students will form groups of four and be handed a few different forms of research. For example: a magazine, newspaper article, picture, book, and encyclopedia. They will be asked to write the correct MLA format for each and turn it in. Homework: Work on rough draft.
Day 19: Summative Assessment: Students will hand in rough drafts after peer reviewing papers. Students will be provided feedback sheets. In-Class Activity: Discussion on the benefits of peer reviewing papers. Class will also clear up any questions remaining about the essay. Homework: Make corrections for final paper.
Day 20: Summative Assessment: Essay Due. In-Class Activity: “Dear Teacher” letter writing activity for first part of class. Students share what they came up with in their papers, sharing what they thought about the unit, etc.
READING LOG (Formative Assessment)
NAME______DATE______PERIOD______READING LOG #______
TITLE OF BOOK ______
AUTHOR______PAGE #'S
READ______thru______
To what degree are you currently enjoying the book? Circle One
(Lowest) 1 2 3 4 5 (Highest)
SUMMARY of PAGES READ: ______
______
______
______
REFLECTION QUESTION: (Choose a question from the list and write it here.)
______
______
COMMENT ON ABOVE QUESTION: (Relate your answer to what you have read.)
______
______
______
______
QUOTATION: found on page #______
______CONNECTION: (Relate this section of your book to something you have seen/experienced/read before.)
______
______
______
Interpretive Reading Log
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: q Why did you select this book? q What clues did the author give you to help you predict what was going to happen? q Would you like to acquire a personality trait of a particular character in this book? What is the trait and why would you like it? q Is the setting important to your book? Why or why not? q What do you know now that you didn't know before you read this book? q How has your thinking changed after reading this book? q What questions about this book would you like answered? q Would you like to read more books by this author? Why or why not? q What character do you like best in this book? Why? q What character do you like least in this book? Why? q How does the author create suspense? Why do you want to keep reading? q If you could change the ending of this book, what would you change? Why? q Did the book end the way you thought it would? Why or why not? q Which character changed the most in this book? Explain. q Did any characters make poor decisions? Who and what were they? q Who is the main character in this book? What is he/she like? q What character would you like to be in this book? Why? q What confuses you in this book? Explain. q If you could introduce a character from your book to your family, who would it be and why? q Describe the cover of your book. Why do you think the author or publisher chose this particular cover? q What is the main problem faced by characters in this book? How do they solve it? q Who are the "good" people in your book? What makes them good? q Who are the "bad" people in your book? What makes them bad? q What questions would you like to ask the author of your book? Why? q Have you ever read this book before? Would you like to read this book again? Why or why not? q Did you disagree with anyone's actions/choices? Who and why? q Is there a theme or "big idea" in this book that is appealing to you? Describe it. q Can you think of any advice that you would like to give to one of the characters? What is that advice and why do they need it? q What is something that you hate about this novel? Why? q What in this novel made you really mad? Why? q What is something you really love about this novel? Why? q What in this novel amused you or made you laugh? Why? q What in this novel made you cry? Why? q What in this novel touched you deeply? Why? q WRITE YOUR OWN QUESTION.
Activity Choice Sheet
The Formative Assessment
Activity options: You may choose any of these activity questions for each journal. You may pick the same activity no more than twice. Make sure you pick an activity that relates to the text that was reviewed in class. Also be sure to relate the text to Catalyst. Include an explanation on how the texts and the novel relate.
1.) Do any songs remind you of one of the texts? If so, write the artist’s name and song title, in addition to the lyrics of the specific song. Then write a paragraph that explains how this song relates to the chosen text.
2.) Create a newspaper or gossip magazine front page that has at least 5 references to the texts, including Catalyst.
3.) Write a letter of advice to a friend who is applying to college. Be sure to base your letter on the texts’ information and Kate’s experiences. Why are you advising them and what are you advising them on?
4.) What 3 words describe one of the texts? How do these words capture the essence of these texts? Be sure to include evidence
5.) Create a comic strip of a specific part of the texts as it relates to your life or Catalyst.
6.) Take a Stand—Pretend that you are one side of a debate. Why is it important to further your education or have a life plan? Use the texts as evidence for your side, which is supporting the idea of a life plan and education.
7.) What If—What if you weren’t accepted to your top college choice? Or your life plan went awry? Using the texts, create a back-up plan.
The Summative Assessment
Kate has gone through an experience that not all high school students have gone though. MIT said Kate did not stand out or impress them with her first essay. After what she’s been through, compose an essay based on her new outlook.
Rewrite Kate’s MIT essay for her college application. Reflect on at least one of these ideas:
! How Kate’s a different person now than she was at the beginning of the novel.
! How Kate’s priorities have changed.
! What makes Kate stand out, now that you know her story.
! How Kate’s experiences with Terri have helped her grow and mature
Be sure to include:
ü Evidence for your reasoning.
ü Quote at least 2 passages from the book.
ü 3-4 pages, double spaced, 12 pt. font, 1 inch margins
ü A title page, including creative title, name, class hour, and due date
ü Incorporate at least two other texts that you have read from this unit into your essay- Make sure to quote them!
Catalyst Essay Rubric
Name______Teacher______Score______
SCORE
TRAITS
COMMENTS
EXCELLENT: 4 _____
ACCEPTABLE: 3 _____
BELOW AVERAGE: 2 _____
UNACCEPTABLE: 1 _____
CLEAR, WELL ORGANIZED, WELL DEVELOPED IDEAS r Main idea (thesis) is clear. r Topic Sentences and concluding sentences are used effectively in body paragraphs r Supporting details strongly support topic sentences; concrete detail/commentaryused effectively when appropriate. r Transitions are used to connect ideas between paragraphs. r Introduction, body, conclusion provide logical sequencing of ideas, leading to clear analysis or interpretation. r Shows an understanding of how literary elements are important to the interpretation.
VARIATION IN PARAGRAPHS r Lead Sentence captures the reader’s attention. r 2 independent clauses separated by semicolon r Compound sentence (Lil laughed loudly, but she was truly sad) r Appositive Phrase (Stephen King, a horror writer, believes…) r Intro. Adverb Clause (When the poet uses symbolism, she…)
WORD CHOICE/FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE r Vivid, lively verbs are used; passive voice not overused. r Imaginative, unusual adjectives are used. r No vague, overused, repetitive language is used. r Word choices are thoughtful and show evidence of the revision stage of the writing process. r Metaphor, simile, and personification are used effectively.
GRAMMAR, USAGE, MECHANICS r No run-on sentences r No sentence fragments r No contractions r Pronoun/antecedent agreement r No use of I, you, me, my, your, myself, yourself r Correct, consistent verb tense usage r Punctuation is correct. Capitalization is correct. r Spelling is correct.