Learning Unit : Revised

LU Title Alaskan Wilderness Adventure

Author(s): Carolyn Buckley

Grade Level:7

School Address:Perry Jr. High

Topic/Subject Area: English

School Phone/Fax:

Email: Cbuckley@nhart-perry.moric.org

Declarative

Procedural

Know facts about plot, setting, characterization in the novel Julie of the Wolves

 Use the writing process

 Know vocabulary from the novel

 Use the vocabulary process

 Know definitions of literary techniques and identify them in the novel

 Use research process

Know facts about Alaska: geography, natural phenomenon, animals, cultures 

 Use the reading process

 Present and discuss information and ideas orally

 Use technology to research, process, and present information

Standard #1 Language for information and understanding

Standard # 2 Language for literary response and expression

Key Idea:: 1. Listening and reading to acquire information and understanding involves collecting data, facts, and ideas, discovering relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and using knowledge from oral, written, and electronic sources.

• interpret and analyze information from textbooks and nonfiction books for young adults, as well as reference
• materials, audio and media presentations, oral interviews, graphs, charts, diagrams, and electronic data bases
• intended for a general audience
• compare and synthesize information from different sources
• use a wide variety of strategies for selecting, organizing, and categorizing information
• relate new information to prior knowledge and experience
• understand and use the text features that make information accessible and usable, such as format, sequence, level

2. Speaking and writing to acquire and transmit information requires asking probing and clarifying questions,interpreting information in one's own words, applying information from one context to another, and presenting the information and interpretation clearly, concisely and comprehensibly.

• produce oral and written reports on topics related to all school subjects
• establish an authoritative stance on the subject and provide references to establish the validity and verifiability of the information presented
• develop information with appropriate supporting material, such as facts, details, illustrative examples or anecdotes, and exclude extraneous material
• use the process of pre-writing, drafting, revising, and proofreading (the "writing process") to produce
• well-constructed informational texts
• use standard English for formal presentations of information, selecting appropriate grammatical constructions and vocabulary, using a variety of sentence structures, and observing the rules of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

Key Idea: Listening and reading for literary response involves comprehending, interpreting, and critiquing imaginative texts inevery medium, drawing on personal experiences and knowledge to understand the text, and recognizing the social, historical and cultural features of the text.

• read and view texts and performances from a wide range of authors, subjects, and genres
• understand and identify the distinguishing features of the major genres and use them to aid their interpretation and discussion of literature
• identify significant literary elements (including metaphor, symbolism, foreshadowing, dialect, rhyme, meter,irony, climax) and use those elements to interpret the work
• recognize different levels of meaning
• read aloud with expression, conveying the meaning and mood of a work

2. Speaking and writing for literary response involves presenting interpretations, analyses, and reaction to the content and language of a text. Speaking and writing for literary expression involves producing imaginative texts that use language and text structures that are inventive and often multilayered.

• present responses to and interpretations of literature, making reference to the literary elements found in the text and connections with their personal knowledge and experience
• produce interpretations of literary works that identify different levels of meaning and comment on their significance and effect
• write stories, poems, literary essays, and plays that observe the conventions of the genre and contain interesting and effective language and voice use standard English effectively

Standard # 3 Language for critical analysis and evaluation

Key Ideas. Listening and reading to analyze and evaluate experiences, ideas, information, and issues requires using evaluative criteria from a variety of perspectives and recognizing the difference in evaluations based on different sets of criteria.

• analyze, interpret, and evaluate information, ideas, organization, and language from academic and nonacademic texts, such as textbooks, public documents, book and movie reviews, and editorials
• evaluate their own and others' work based on a variety of criteria (e.g., logic, clarity, comprehensiveness, conciseness, originality, conventionality) and recognize the varying effectiveness of different approaches.

What declarative knowledge should students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of the unit, the student will know or understand…

What experiences or activities will be used to help students acquire & integrate this knowledge?

What strategies will be used to help students construct meaning, organize and/or store the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Listen to and read the novel as a way of gaining information about culture, survival, and animal communication, analyzing what they hear or read

Read the novel independently and through shared class reading. Answer study guide questions. Discuss in class and groups.

Reading response journals

Graphic organizers

Study guides

Reciprocal teaching

Students read and answer study guide questions for homework. Working in groups, they share their responses. When the answers are different, they refer to the text. Teacher circulates and encourages. At the end of class, questions to the group are raised. Students summarize and predict what will happen. Study guides are evaluated.

Analyze and interpret ideas, information, and language in the novel

Teacher directed discussion of literary elements

Teacher generated vocabulary list

Study guide

Think/pair, share

Use all senses

Vocabulary chart with "show you know"- students create an image of the word

Throughout the reading and discussion of the novel, discuss the author’s use of literary techniques. Use the study guides, graphic organizers, readers’ response journals, helping students discern the effects of the literary techniques on the story. Students play "pictionary", using the SYK’s on the vocab chart.

Synthesize, interpret, and make connections about Alaska- geography, culture, animals.

Read books in the classroom that have information about Alaska. Refer students to the internet sites about Alaska. Show the video Alaska, the Last Frontier and note culture, geography, animals as shown in the video.

Readers Response

Cooperative groups

KWL

Structured note-taking

Students work in groups moving through the various stations set up in class, taking notes about Alaska. They discuss these ideas in cooperative groups. Students fill out a KWL before watching the video and then take structured notes while viewing it. These notes will be useful for the culminating activity.

What procedural knowledge will students be in the process of acquiring & integrating? As a result of this unit, students will be able to:

What will be done to help students construct models, shape & internalize the knowledge?

Describe what will be done.

Writing Process

Think aloud

Graphic organizers for prewriting

Modeling

Review writing process

Think aloud the planning and organization of a deductive essay based on constructing support for or against a character’s decision in the story. Students draft an essay from the study guides, notes, and graphic organizer.

Vocabulary process

Imaging

Modeling

Show images of words for students, explaining how they help with learning definitions. Have students image and include these images in their vocab charts

What knowledge will students be extending and refining? Specifically, they will be extending and refining their understanding of…

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe what will be done.

Synthesize, interpret, and make connections setting and facts the author used in the novel Julie of the Wolves

Comparing

Classifying

Inductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning

Error Analysis

Analyzing Perspectives

X Constructing Support

Abstracting

Other:

Using notes taken from the video Wolves at our Door and a nonfiction article about the author read in class, students will write an essay showing how Julie of the Wolves reflects the author’s life experiences and facts she knew about wolves.

 What knowledge will students be using meaningfully? Specifically, they will be demonstrating their understanding of and ability to..

What reasoning process will they be using?

Describe what will be done.

Create a brochure about Alaska, showing their understanding of culture, interesting activities, animals found there, geographic features, and natural phenomenon . The purpose will be to inform and create interest in a persuasive way about the state of Alaska. They will use technology to obtain information, to find pictures or graphics, and to create a final product. This final product will be share as the presenter takes on the role of travel agent in an oral presentation.

Decision Making

(selecting from seemingly equal alternatives or examining the decisions of others)

Problem Solving

(seeking to achieve a goal by over coming constraints or limiting conditions)

Invention **

(creating something to meet a need or improve on a situation)

Experimental Inquiry (generating an explanation for a phenomenon and testing the explanation)

Investigation

(resolving confusions or contradictions related to a historical event, a hypothetical past or future event, or to the defining characteristics of something)

Systems Analysis(analyzing the parts of a system and how they interact)

Other:

Using notes taken throughout the unit, students will choose aspects of Alaska to research. Directions will be given as to exactly WHAT must be in the bochure and the kind of writing required. Time will be spent in the library for students to use technology in the process. Students will then use the information to create a travel brochure which includes writing and pictures about Alaska. These brochures will then be presented in front of the class.

Elements

Scale

Identifies product

Identifies standards or criteria

Revises and edits product

Meets need

Weights

4

Brochure creatively presents the required criteria (persuasive/ all directions are followed/ all writing is exemplary)

Brochure presents ALL of the standards as directed:

Six pieces of original writing as directed/ each piece accompanied with a colored picture/ map of Alaska is included

Brochure shows polished work and excellent effort.

Brochure thoroughly persuades the audience.

3

Brochure accurately presents the required criteria in an interesting manner

Brochure presents MOST of the standards as directed.

Brochure shows good work but more editing is needed.

Brochure somewhat persuades the audience.

2

Brochure is accurate but not very insightful or creative

Brochure presents SOME of the standards as directed.

Brochure needs more revision and editing.

Brochure is NOT very persuasive.

1

Brochure is not accurate or interesting

Brochure presents VERY FEW of the standards as directed.

Brochure is poorly revised and edited.

Brochure does NOT meet the need.