Gauging Student Needs

1. Gauging Student Needs By Victoria Blue

2. Unit TitleThe Odyssey: Exploring a True Hero, Women’s Roles • Unit Summary • Students will explore one of the major themes in The Odyssey, a hero and all the modern characteristics of a good leader. Students will answer: What qualities does a true hero possess? What must one do in order to be a good leader? How can we assess good leaders? The final question: Does Odysseus exhibit the qualities of a true hero? Why or why not? Provide detailed evidence. Students will discuss women’s roles in various cultures and times.

3. Unit Plan Overview: • Subject Area • English 1 • Grade Level • Ninth grade • Approximate Time Needed • Over a span of 4 weeks

4. Unit FoundationTargeted Content Standards and Benchmarks • 1.01 Narrate personal experiences that offer an audience: • scenes and incidents located effectively in time and place. • vivid impressions of being in a setting and a sense of engagement in the events occurring. • appreciation for the significance of the account. • a sense of the narrator's personal voic

5. Unit Foundation: Cont’d • 1.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by: • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose. • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text. • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text. • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details. • summarizing key events and/or points from text. • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text. • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases. • making connections between works, self and related topics. • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style. • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.

6. Cont’d • 2.04 Form and refine a question for investigation, using a topic of personal choice, and answer that question by: • deciding upon and using appropriate methods such as interviews with experts, observations, finding print and non-print sources, and using interactive technology or media. • prioritizing and organizing the information. • incorporating effective media and technology to inform or explain. • reporting (in written and/or presentational form) the research in an appropriate form for a specified audience.

7. Cont’d • .01 Study argument by: • examining relevant reasons and evidence. • noting the progression of ideas that substantiate the proposal. • analyzing style, tone, and use of language for a particular effect. • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical, or cultural influences contexts, or biases. • identifying and analyzing rhetorical strategies that support proposals.

8. Cont’d • 3.02 Express an informed opinion that: • states clearly a personal view. • is logical and coherent. • engages the reader's interest or curiosity.

9. Cont’d • 5.01 Read and analyze various literary works by: • using effective reading strategies for preparation, engagement, reflection. • recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction (e.g., myths, legends, short stories, novels), nonfiction (e.g., essays, biographies, autobiographies, historical documents), poetry (e.g., epics, sonnets, lyric poetry, ballads) and drama (e.g., tragedy, comedy). • interpreting literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, dialogue, diction, and imagery. • understanding the importance of tone, mood, diction, and style. • explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings. • explaining how point of view is developed and its effect on literary texts. • determining a character's traits from his/her actions, speech, appearance, or what others say about him or her. • explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements. • making thematic connections among literary texts and media and contemporary issues. • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts. • producing creative responses that follow the conventions of a specific genre and using appropriate literary devices for that genre

10. Cont’d • 6.01 Demonstrate an understanding of conventional written and spoken expression that: • editing for spelling and mechanics (punctuation and capitalization).

11. Student Objectives/Learning Outcomes • Students will be able to narrate personal experiences and relate them to complex text , both print and nonprint, analyze and support a formed view, and edit for spelling and mechanics.

12. Curriculum-Framing QuestionsEssential Question • What steps can we take to improve society? What are roles and how do they change?

13. Unit Questions • Does Odysseus exhibit the qualities of a true hero? Why or why not? Provide detailed evidence. What characteristics does Odysseus possess? What must one do in order to be a good leader? How can we assess good leaders? How has the women’s roles in various time periods and cultures changed over the years? What are the roles of Greek women?

14. Content Questions • What are some examples of good leaders that you know? What are some good leaders in Thomasville High? What are some similarities and differences between women’s roles in the past compared to modern times?

15. Student Sample • https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=15QBYNR4oTwjF1tnR7M-yE8-YlNiOHju7rDUF__uvyZc&hl=en# • Student Sample: The Odyssey Journal

16. Assessment PlanAssessment Timeline • Before project work begins Daily Journal Logs: Tracking Odysseus’ journey Anticipation Guide: What do you know about good leaders and making good decisions? K-W-L chart: a true hero

17. Cont’d • Students work on projects and complete tasks A mock trial: Is Odysseus a true hero? Daily Blogs: Students will reflect on Odysseus’ actions and respond to others’ comments.

18. Cont’d • After project work is completed Journal Reflection: Choose a view point. Is Odysseus considered a true hero? Revisit Anticipation Guide: Class Discussion- Has your viewpoint on a true hero changed? Why or why not?

19. Assessment Summary • Students will examine how Odysseus’ actions reflects a true hero. Students will first read and track Odysseus’ journey through each obstacle he faces. Before students read, they will complete an anticipation guide that will determine whether they demonstrate the necessary skills to be a good leader. In addition to the journal and anticipation guide, students will also complete a K-W-L chart on a true hero. Students will then research on various sites and resources what a good leader is and create a mock trial determining whether Odysseus is a true hero. Using google docs, students will answer and respond to questions daily. Finally, students will use a journal reflection to choose a viewpoint and decide whether Odysseus is a true hero. Students have to use literary terms in their reflections. During a class discussion, students will revisit the anticipation guide and discuss if their viewpoints have changed. As part of the ongoing modern themes project, students will also develop wiki pages that will analyze women’s roles in various time periods and cultures.

20. Assessment Examples • Questioning Probes to Illicit Higher Order Thinking

21. Assessment Examples • Journal Scoring Guide

22. Writing Checklist

23. Wiki Spaces • http://evolutionofwomen2010.wikispaces.com/

24. Unit DetailsPrerequisite Skills • Basic computer skills • Research skills on internet • Basic knowledge of literary terms

25. Instructional Procedures • As a class, we will read a local article on a local “hero.” Then, students will be asked to tell who is a hero to them. Students will complete an anticipation guide where they are asked about the characteristics of a hero. Second, they will complete a K-W-L chart to discuss what they know about a true hero, what they would like to know and what they believe they will learn after reading The Odyssey. Each student will use a journal, which will be an online blog, to track each obstacle that Odysseus encounters. The sides of the trial will be determined by “luck of the draw.” Students will have to defend the side that they are given. A mock trial will be created in the classroom. Students will create presentations with evidence of that proves that Odysseus is a true hero or is not a true hero. Students must analyze the literature and Odysseus’ journeys to prove their side of the trial. Groups will contain: a judge, jury (4 people), prosecutor and defense attorney, so each group will have at least 7 people. After the trial, students will choose a view point- the viewpoint will be either for Odysseus being a hero or against. The students will reflect on whether Odysseus is a true hero using the evidence brought forth in the mock trial. Finally, as a class, we will review the anticipation guide and discuss if Odysseus is a model hero. In addition to the modern theme of a true hero, students will also develop wiki pages analyzing women’s roles.

26. Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction • Special Needs Students • Follow the IEP plan • Modify assignments- limit amount of words etc. • Set goals for the student for each project • Step by step instructions • Guided examples of expectations for each assignment

27. Nonnative Speakers • Summarizing with illustrated texts • Dual language dictionaries • Accommodations/Modifications • Visual intructions and examples • Guided examples • Simple versions of texts

28. Gifted/Talented Students • Open ended questions • Class discussions • Peer tutors • In depth/advanced questions for assignments

29. Materials and Resources Required For Unit • Technology – Hardware Computers and Internet Connection

30. Technology Software • Internet Web Browser • Word Processing Document • Writing Reviser • Web page development • Desktop publishing

31. Printed Materials • Prentice Hall Literature – The Odyssey

32. Internet Resources

33. Other Resources • Other English teachers will observe the mock trial and speak on their true hero. Also, the guest English teacher will discuss Odysseus’ characteristics as a hero in text.