Unit Plan: Finding the Voice of Change

Emily Lott ESDE 6116: Fall 2012 Unit Plan: Finding the Voice of Change

Unit plan component Description of component Introduction: This unit plan is designed to not only educate students about  Finding the Voice of Change individuals that have made a difference in the world, but also to help  Emily Lott each student find the voice that will help continue social change in th  8 grade America. They will analyze speeches and a poem to learn the language  15 Days, 3 Weeks of power through discourse, culminating in a speech presented by each  Global Social Justice student in the class about a social issue of the current day. Enduring Understandings  Reading is a process by which we Introduction: Making a Community Connection not only learn and gain -Martin Luther King, Jr. information from an author, but “I have a Dream” also spread the knowledge of social issue and engage in the Long Text: Making a Global Connection power of social change. -“I am the first Accused,” 1964 speech Nelson Mandela  Writing is a medium in which we *Last Third of the Speech can share our understandings and articulate those understandings. Through writing we can express Short Text: Read often by Mandela while in prison concerns for social issues and also -“Invictus,” published in 1875 articulate our understandings of William Ernest Henley these issues.

 Speeches are a way in which we present both prepared works and impromptu works to an audience. Through speeches we can reach a larger audience and share social issues. Overview: Reading Informational: Key Ideas, Craft and  The focus of this unit is to assist Structure, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas students in 8th grade to exhibit a ELACC8RI1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of culmination of their skills learned what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. in middle school, in regards to ELACC8RI3: Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions English/Language Arts. Students between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or are expected to learn the power of categories). language through daily exercises and practice with powerful ELACC8RI4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a speakers and other texts. They will text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to also be expected to complete their other texts. own speech that will be presented and studied by their peers. ELACC8RI7: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic Essential Questions or idea.  How can the medium of speech ELACC8RI8: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, change the ways in which citizens assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; view their country? recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.  What type of language is used by speakers when they are attempting Writing: Text Types and Purposes, Production and to gain attention from an Distribution audience? ELACC8W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.  What is the purpose behind a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., Nelson Mandela’s 1964 speech? charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.  How does “Invictus” empower its b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples. c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts. readers? How is it similar to d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. Nelson Mandela’s speech? How is e. Establish and maintain a formal style. it different? f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information or explanation presented.

Side Note:  Due to the length of this unit, students will be able to cover more ELACC8W4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade- skills than routinely expected. specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3 above.) ELACC8W6: Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing & present the relationships between info. and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others. (Continued on following page) Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration, Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas ELACC8SL3: Delineate a speaker’s argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced. ELACC8SL4: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. ELACC8SL5: Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

Theory into Practice: 5 sources Introduction: Making a Community Connection BBC. (2012). Nelson Mandela: -Martin Luther King, Jr. Teacher’s Resources. Retrieved “I have a Dream” from -Audio and Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UV1fs8lAbg http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/pri -Text: maryhistory/famouspeople/nelson _mandela/teachers_resources.sht http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm ml Degnan-Veness, Coleen. (2007). Long Text: Making a Global Connection Teacher’s Notes. Penguin Active -“I am the first Accused,” 1964 speech Reading: Nelson Mandela. Nelson Mandela Retrieved from -Audio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqvsub7nrhk http://www.penguinreaders.com/pd -Text: http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/mandela.htm f/downloads/par/level2/TN- NelsonMandela.pdf Short Text: Read often by Mandela while in prison Google Cultural Institute. (2012). -“Invictus,” published in 1875 Nelson Mandela Centre of William Ernest Henley Memory. Retrieved from -Audio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__XawMZcSLU http://archive.nelsonmandela.org -Text: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/invictus/ /#!home -Video of Morgan Freeman’s Role as Nelson Mandela in “Invictus”: PBS: Frontline. (2012). The Long http://tryingoutweb24ed.blogspot.com/2012/06/intermediate- Walk of Nelson Mandela: Viewers’ puctuation-using-commas.html and Teachers’ Guide. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/ frontline/shows/mandela/teach/

Teaching Timeline Week One: Seeing the Dream -Day One: Martin Luther King Speech and Discussion Week One: Seeing the Dream -Day Two: Discussion of Nelson Mandela (Note-Taking Guide)  This week is organized to -Day Three: Continued Discussion of Mandela and Presentation of introduce students into the idea of Audio of Nelson Mandela speeches and authoritative -Day Four: Discuss of Mandela’s strengths and skills as a voice/skills. writer/speaker (Look for these things on day 5) -Day Five: Starting the text work with Nelson Mandela (Read portion Week Two: Building the Dream aloud) Graphic Organizer to aid text work  This week is organized to help Week Two: Building the Dream students begin to build upon other -Day Six: Continued discussion of Mandela Text texts the elements of effective -Day Seven: Finish review of text. Review for quiz speech in two different mediums. -Day Eight: Quiz over Mandela Text (No more than 20 min) Introduction to Invictus Week Three: Speaking the -Day Nine: Discussion of Invictus (Guided notes) Dream Day Ten: Class Debate-Speech vs. Poem  This week is organized to help Week Three: Speaking the Dream students build ideas and their own -Day Eleven: Choose topic for personal speech, begin brainstorming speeches for a cumulative and writing presentation at the end of the unit. -Day Twelve: Write Speech, Three Paragraphs Min. (Speech for Homework) -Day Thirteen: Peer Review -Day Fourteen: Presentations (Peer Reports) -Day Fifteen: Presentations (Peer Reports)

Student Learning Assessments: Formative Assessments  Formative Assessment: o Exit Tickets:  Exit Ticket, Lesson 3: . Lesson 2 ELACC8RI7: Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using o Brainstorming Map different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to o present a particular topic or idea.  Summative Assessment: o Quiz over Nelson Mandela  Brainstorming Map, Lesson 4: o Final Speech Packet ELACC8W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, Completed organization, and analysis of relevant content. o a. Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information into broader categories; include formatting  Formative Assessment Grading (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. Plan: o Exit Tickets are based on competition. They provide Summative Assessments insight for the instructor.  Quiz over Nelson Mandela: Multiple Choice Quiz graded on correctness. Dependent on facts provided by instructor.  Summative Assessment Grading Plan: ELACC8RI3: Analyze how a text makes connections among and o Rubric for Final Speech distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories). o Packet Completion Grade  Final Speech Packet: Rubric Entitled “Speech Presentation Rubric”

ELACC8SL4: Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

Lesson Plans  Lesson_1: Introduction to Nelson Mandela. Day 2  Lesson_2: Starting to Work with Nelson Mandela’s Text. Day5  Lesson_3: Class Debate Speech v Poem. Day 10  Lesson_4: Speech Topic Selection. Day11  Lesson_5: Peer Review. Day 13

Instructional Strategies  Lesson_2: I/We/You Strategy  Lesson_5: On Your Mark Formatting and Design Final drafts should be proofread for errors. Final drafts should follow unit plan template provided and follow basic webpage design rules.