Unit: “Flowers for Algernon”
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UNIT: “FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON” ANCHOR TEXT1 UNIT FOCUS “Flowers for Algernon,” Daniel Keyes2 (literary) Students consider the nature of knowledge and the human desire to seek improvement. Through the RELATED TEXTS various texts, students explore what we learn about ourselves through our interactions with and Literary Texts (Fiction) treatment of others. Even more, students compare various perspectives on this topic to form their • Section I: “How Fire Was Given to Men” own conclusion. This unit can connect to science. and Section II: “How Diseases and Cares Text Use: Analyze plot and character development, write argumentative essays using claims from text, Came Among Men” from The Story of compare facts and opinions from multiple sources Prometheus in Old Greek Stories, James Baldwin Reading: RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3, RL.8.4, RL.8.5, RL.8.6, RL.8.7, RL.8.9, RL.8.10, RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, • “Chapter 4,” “Chapter 13,” and “Chapter RI.8.4, RI.8.5, RI.8.6, RI.8.8, RI.8.9, RI.8.10 17” of Frankenstein; or the Modern Writing: W.8.1a-e, W.8.2a-f, W.8.3a-e, W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.6, W.8.7, W.8.8, W.8.9a-b, W.8.10 Prometheus, Mary Shelley • “Demeter’s Prayer to Hades,” Rita Dove Speaking and Listening: SL.8.1a-d, SL.8.3, SL.8.4, SL.8.6 • “The Scarlet Ibis,” James Hurst Language: L.8.1a, c-d; L.8.2a-c; L.8.3a; L.8.4a-d; L.8.5a-c; L.8.6 Informational Texts (Nonfiction) • “What’s in an Inkblot? Some Say, Not CONTENTS Much,” Erica Goode • “Neuroethics,” Neuroscience for Kids Page 240: Text Set and Unit Focus (website) • “IQ Tests are ‘Meaningless and Too Page 241: “Flowers for Algernon” Unit Overview Simplistic’ Claim Researchers,” Nicholas Pages 242-245: Summative Unit Assessments: Culminating Writing Task, Cold-Read Assessment, and McDermott Extension Task • “Does IQ Test Really Measure Intelligence?,” Denise Mann Page 246: ELA Instructional Framework Nonprint Texts (Fiction or Nonfiction) (e.g., Pages 247-262: Text Sequence and Use for Whole-Class Instruction Media, Video, Film, Music, Art, Graphics) • Charly, Ralph Nelson (film) 1 A complete version of this unit is available as a Grade 8 Sample Unit Plan at http://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/year-long-scope-sequence. 2 This plan uses the short story version commonly anthologized in grade 8 textbooks. The novel contains sensitive material. English Language Arts, Grade 8: “Flowers for Algernon” 240 “Flowers for Algernon” Unit Overview Unit Focus Summative Unit Assessments Daily Tasks • Topic: The nature of knowledge A culminating writing task: Daily instruction helps students read and understand text • Themes: Explore various and express that understanding. • perspectives on how humans Analyze plot and character • The Story of acquire and use knowledge development Lesson 1: Prometheus in Old Greek Stories • (sample tasks) • Text Use: Analyze plot and Write argumentative essays using claims from text • Lesson 2: Progress Reports 1-3 of “Flowers for Algernon” character development, write (sample tasks) argumentative essays using A cold-read assessment: • Lesson 3: “What’s in an Inkblot? Some Say, Not Much” claims from text, compare facts (sample tasks) and opinions from multiple • Read and understand complex texts • Lesson 4: Progress Reports 4-8 of “Flowers for Algernon” sources • Write in response to text • Lesson 5: Progress Report 9 of “Flowers for Algernon” (sample tasks) An extension task: • Lesson 6: Chapter 4 of Frankenstein, Progress Report 10 of “Flowers for Algernon,” “How Fire Was Given to Men” • Build and deliver an argument from The Story of Prometheus (sample tasks) based on research • Lesson 7: Progress Report 11 of “Flowers for Algernon,” • Compare facts and opinions from “Chapters 13 and 17” of Frankenstein multiple sources • Lesson 8: Progress Report 11 of “Flowers for Algernon,” “Demeter’s Prayer to Hades” (sample tasks) • Lesson 9: Progress Report 12 of “Flowers for Algernon,” “How Diseases and Cares Came Upon Men” from The Story of Prometheus (culminating writing task) • Lesson 10: “The Scarlet Ibis,” James Hurst (sample tasks) • Lesson 11: Charly (Film) • Lesson 12: “Neuroethics,” Neuroscience for Kids (extension task) • Lesson 13: “IQ Tests are ‘Meaningless and Too Simplistic’ Claim Researchers,” “Does IQ Test Really Measure Intelligence?” (cold-read assessment) English Language Arts, Grade 8: “Flowers for Algernon” 241 SUMMATIVE UNIT ASSESSMENTS CULMINATING WRITING TASK3 Has Charlie fundamentally changed from the beginning of the text? Was his life improved as a result of the surgery? Write an argumentative essay in which you state a claim about Charlie’s improvement. Support your claims with reasons and evidence from the text that show how the author’s choices (i.e., point of view/dramatic irony and text structure) affect the answers to the questions above. Teacher Note: Students should write a multiparagraph essay that introduces a claim about Charlie and the success of the surgery. Essays should cite several pieces of textual evidence, including direct quotations with page numbers, organize reasons and evidence logically, create cohesion through words, phrases, and clauses, and provide a related conclusion. (RL.8.1, RL.8.2, RL.8.3, W.8.1a, b, c, e; W.8.4, W.8.5, W.8.9b, W.8.10, L.8.2a-b) The completed writing should use grade-appropriate words and phrases, and demonstrate command of proper grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling. (W.8.1d, L.8.1c, d; L.8.2c, L.8.3a, L.8.6) Use peer and teacher conferencing as well as small-group writing time to target student weaknesses. (W.8.4, W.8.5) UNIT FOCUS UNIT ASSESSMENT DAILY TASKS What should students learn from the texts? What shows students have learned it? Which tasks help students learn it? • Topic: The nature of knowledge This task assesses: Read and understand text: • Themes: Explore various perspectives on • Analyzing plot and character development • Lesson 1 (sample tasks included) how humans acquire and use knowledge • Writing argumentative essays using claims • Lesson 2 (sample tasks included) • Text Use: Analyze plot and character from text • Lesson 4 development, write argumentative essays Express understanding of text: using claims from text, compare facts and • Lesson 5 (sample tasks included) opinions from multiple sources • Lesson 6 (sample tasks included) • Lesson 7 • Lesson 8 (sample tasks included) • Lesson 9 (use this task) 3 Culminating Writing Task: Students express their final understanding of the anchor text and demonstrate meeting the expectations of the standards through a written essay. English Language Arts, Grade 8: “Flowers for Algernon” 242 COLD-READ ASSESSMENT4 Read “IQ Tests are ‘Meaningless and Too Simplistic’ Claim Researchers” by Nicholas McDermott and “Does IQ Test Really Measure Intelligence?” by Denise Mann independently, and answer a combination of multiple-choice and constructed-response questions5 about the texts and in comparison to the other texts in the unit. Use evidence for all answers. Sample questions: • Identify the various viewpoints in “Does IQ Test Really Measure Intelligence?” How does Mann introduce and acknowledge each viewpoint in the article? (RI.8.1, RI.8.6) • In Progress Report 10 (April 21) from “Flowers for Algernon,” Charlie comments, “I’m not sure what an I.Q. is. Dr. Nemur said it was something that measured how intelligent you were—like a scale in the drugstore weighs pounds. But Dr. Strauss had a big argument with him and said an I.Q. didn’t weigh intelligence at all. He said an I.Q. showed how much intelligence you could get, like the numbers on the outside of a measuring cup. You still had to fill the cup up with stuff. Then when I asked Burt [. .] he said that both of them were wrong [. .]. Burt says that the I.Q. measures a lot of different things including some of the things you learned already, and it really isn’t any good at all.” Which character’s opinion (Dr. Nemur or Dr. Strauss) is most supported by the two articles you read? Cite textual evidence to support your response. (RL.8.1, RL.8.3, RI.8.1, RI.8.9) • Identify how the two informational texts contain conflicting information and/or disagree, and then explain whether their disagreement is based on fact or opinion. Provide evidence from both texts to support your response. (RI.8.1, RI.8.9) UNIT FOCUS UNIT ASSESSMENT DAILY TASKS What should students learn from the texts? What shows students have learned it? Which tasks help students learn it? • Topic: The nature of knowledge This task focuses on: Read and understand text: • Themes: Explore various perspectives on • Reading and understanding complex texts • Lesson 3 (sample tasks included) how humans acquire and use knowledge • Writing in response to text • Text Use: Analyze plot and character Express understanding of text: development, write argumentative essays • Lesson 5 (sample tasks included) using claims from text, compare facts and • Lesson 10 (sample tasks included) opinions from multiple sources • Lesson 13 (use this task) 4 Cold-Read Assessment: Students read a text or texts independently and answer a series of multiple-choice and constructed-response questions. While the text(s) relate to the unit focus, the text(s) have not been taught during the unit. Additional assessment guidance is available at http://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/classroom-support-toolbox/teacher-support- toolbox/end-of-year-assessments. (double-check this link; I got an error message) 5 Ensure that students have access to the complete texts as they are testing. English Language Arts, Grade 8: “Flowers for Algernon” 243 EXTENSION TASK6 According to William Safire, “Neuroethics is the examination of what is right and wrong, good and bad about the treatment of, perfections of, and welcome invasion or worrisome manipulation of the human brain.” After reading “Flowers for Algernon” and “Neuroethics,” Neuroscience for Kids (Website), conduct research to prepare for a formal debate about one of the following topics: • The use of science and/or technology to alter brain function • The use of IQ tests for determining a person’s intelligence.