TitleIII Learning Experience

Learning Context | Procedure | Instructional/Environmental Modifications | Time Required | Resources | Assessment Plan | Student Work | Reflection

LEARNING CONTEXT

Purpose or Focus of Experience

 T he purpose of this experience is for students to investigate and explore the essential question: "What is the average soldier's image of war, based on an examination of the experience of an author using the literary technique of Impressionism?" and share this information with other eleventh graders by using the software program Powerpoint.

Connection to Standards

 ELA 2 Language for Literary Response and Expression: Speaking and Writing for literary response involves presenting interpretations, analyses and reactions to the content and language of a text.

Essential Question

 What is the average soldier's image of war, based on an examination of the experience of an author using the literary technique of Impressionism?

Content Knowledge: Declarative, Procedural

Declarative Knowledge:

The students will understand the concepts of Impressionism and theme.

The students will know that writing which utilizes visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and/or gustatory images is Impressionism.

Students will understand Impressionism as the L of the KWL.

Students will know that a theme may present an insight into life, a vision of events.

The students will know that authors use Impressionism to show the main character's vision of events, the theme.

The students will know the basic rules for utilizing the software Powerpoint.

Procedural Knowledge:

Students will study The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.

Students will find a definition and explanation of the terms "Impressionism" and "theme."

Students will choose a section of narration which presents Henry Fleming's vision of war.

Students will analyze this section to determine which images invoke the senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, taste.

Students will create a hard copy infographic, a chart or graph, of the senses used in the selected section of the novel.

Students will write a five to six paragraph essay discussing the primary senses utilized and the image of war (hence, the theme).

PROCEDURE

1 Students will review the novel Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane.

2. Students will do a KWL worksheet on "Impressionism" and "theme" to determine their background understanding of the concepts.

3. Students will do a vocabulary page in which they define each word and come up with examples. Construct Meaning

4. Students will choose a partner for the project or may choose to work independently.

5. Partners will choose a section one to three paragraphs in length from the novel to analyze.

6. Partners would work one day in class to classify images as sight, sound, touch, taste or smell and prepare an infographic based on this analysis.

 7. Partners would determine based on the two or three most frequently used senses what image of war Crane presents.

8. Individually, students would each write a first draft of a five to six paragraph essay presenting

9. Partners would read each other's essays and decide on a common theme to present.

10. Three days will be reserved in the computer room for presentation development.

Extending and Refining

1. Students will be taught or reintroduced to the software Powerpoint that they will be using to present their findings.
2. Partners will prepare their presentation.
3. Partners will present their analysis and interpretation of their chosen excerpt and the insight into life it produces to the class.

11. The class members will peer evaluate with one warm comment and one question which partners answer.

12. To check for understanding each student will revise/rewrite the five to six paragraph essay presenting the insight into life from the excerpt.
(Chronologically ordered description of all teacher & student activities and interactions.)the insight into life shown in the excerpt being analyzed.

INSTRUCTIONAL/ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS

Exploratory Assessment: Students will have begun the analysis with a partner the second and the teacher can be floating around the room to informally check for understanding and give help as groups work. Students will finish the infographic by day two for the teacher to check for understanding and to make sure the student is on track. By day five students would produce the first draft of their essay which the teacher could evaluate. Special Education teachers have access to the computer room and a working knowledge of Powerpoint and are able to support students.

End Assessment: Students will produce a Powerpoint presentation with a partner and an essay individually. The essay will be graded on a rubric to fit special needs according to IEPs.

Environmental Modifications: Special Education teachers all have access to the library, their own computers, and a working knowledge of Powerpoint and are able to support students that are easily distracted during large group projects.

TIME REQUIRED

Frontloading: 45 minute periods1-2 days (one to two)

• KWL
• Vocabulary
• Choice of excerpt

Analysis: 2-3 days (two to three 45 minute periods)

• Image classification
• Infographic (hard copy)
• Determination of theme
• First copy of essay
• Writing (outside of class)
• Partner sharing

Computer presentation work: 3 days (three 45 minute periods)

Presentation/Peer evaluation: 1-2 days (one to two 45 minute periods)

Essay -- Final Revision/Clean copy: 1-2 days (one to two 45 minute periods)

RESOURCES

Computer Lab; Powerpoint software

Graph paper, markers, calculators

Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane

ASSESSMENT PLAN

Formative Assessments:

Informal monitoring of group work

Hard copy of analysis

First copy of essay

Summative Assessments/Performance-based:

Powerpoint Presentation

Essay on theme
(Include samples of rubrics, checklists, etc.)

 SCORING RUBRIC

THEME ESSAY

Meaning:

in-depth analysis-, insightful ideas - 6

thorough analysis-, explicit ideas – 5

good analysis-. implicit ideas – 4

basic analysis'. superficial ideas – 3

confused analysis,- unclear ideas – 2

incorrect analysis-, unfounded ideas - 1

Development:

clear and full details - 6

consistent and relevant details – 5

uneven supporting details – 4

some details – 3

few or vague details – 2

minimal details - 1

Organization:

clear, logical structure'. Skillful transitions - 6

clear, logical structure-, appropriate transitions - 5

logical sequence of ideas-, weak internal paragraph structure - 4

some structure but loses focus - 3

suggest focus but no organization - 2

no focus but attempted organization - 1

Language Use:

sophisticated language and sentence structure - 6

Original language and some sentence variation - 5

appropriate language for audience - 4

Language from documents - 3

Unsuitable language for intended audience - 2

immature language and sentence structure - 1

Conventions:

essentially no errors - 6

occasional errors in sophisticated structures - 5

errors that do not hinder comprehension - 4

some errors that hinder comprehension - 3

frequent errors that hinder comprehension - 2

constant basic errors far below grade level - 1

REFLECTION

This unit is designed, hopefully, to give students experience in dealing with both the concepts of Impressionism and theme. The unit necessitates the availability of a tech teacher who can prepare students to use the Powerpoint program to its potential. Because of its ability to utilize specifically visual (color, pictures) and auditory input, I feel that Powerpoint presentations would help students with the analysis of the Impressionist images in preparation for their presentation of the essay stating the theme.