| LU Title: An Introduction to Literature and Tolerance | Author(s): Rebecca M. Bedell |
| Grade Level: 9-10 | School : Oppenheim- Ephratah CS |
| Topic/Subject Area: English | Address: 6486 St.
Hwy. 29 St. Johnsville, New York 13452 |
| Email: Email: bedellr@oecs.k12.ny.u | Phone/Fax:
518-568-2014 518- 568-2941 |
Learning Context
This experience has been created to introduce students to the novel, Flowers for Algernon,
written by Daniel Keyes. As well as introducing the novel, it is my hope that students will
come away with a better understanding and tolerance of individuals with disabilities. In
this experience, students will experience and display an understanding of English Language Arts and Career Development and Occupational Studies standards.
Connection to Standards
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.
Performance Indicators:
Interpret and analyze complex informational texts and presentations, including
technical manuals, professional journals, newspaper and broadcast editorials,
electronic networks, political speeches and debates, and primary source material
in their subject area courses (activity one)
Synthesize information from diverse sources and identify complexities and
discrepancies in the information (activity two and activity three)
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.
Performance Indicator:
Select a focus, organization, and point of view for oral and written presentations (activity
two and activity three)
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.
Performance Indicator:
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 (activity four)
Benchmark:
Question the explanations they hear from others and read about, seeking clarification
and comparing them with their own observations and understandings. (activity one and
activity four)
Personal qualities generally include competence in self-management and the ability to plan, organize, and take independent action.
Performance Indicator:
Demonstrate leadership skills in setting goals, monitoring progress, and improving their
performance. (activity four)
Within this unit, activities will be customized to fulfill each of the above mentioned standards.
Essential Questions
How does society treat individuals with disabilities? How is Robert Deniro’s character treated in the film, Awakenings. Could society’s response to his character have any baring on his actions? What is the definition of disability?
Declarative Procedural
Students will understand: Students will be able to:
-listen to and read the novel Flowers for -effectively use the writing process by using
Algernon and the film Awakenings as a way a word processor
of gaining information and analyzing what
he/she reads or hears -use a combination of strategies (linguistic and interpretive) to construct meaning
-cooperatively web the characteristics from the reading and viewing
of a disability
-explain how specific disabilities may
-display a basic understanding of how to affect a persons life
use a community resource such as the library
and the Internet -write an essay in answer to an assignment
with regard to specific literature and film
-students will keep a reading reaction journal on Flowers for Algernon
-Show the movie Awakenings
Activity One:
-After students have viewed the movie, they will use the BOOKENDS strategy to web the
characteristics of a disability
-The BOOKEND Collaboration Strategy from Acquiring/Integrating Knowledge: A Guide to
Constructing Learning Units is the following:
“Partners discuss their ideas/questions after reading, listening or viewing something (the
movie). The partners would then discuss any new information learned after the task.”
-Students will then work in a THINK-PAIR-SHARE Collaboration Strategy, from Acquiring/Integrating Knowledge: A Guide to Constructing Learning Units, setting to list those characteristics that apply to the film
-Each group will then list their characteristics on the board
-Using the CORNERS activity, students will then be asked to decide which list best
describes the situation portrayed in the film
-The CORNERS Activity from Acquiring/integrating Knowledge: A Guide to Constructing Learning Units is as follows:
“Corners is a cooperative learning structure which requires students to make choices, to have reasons to support their choices and to practice listening carefully to other points of view. As an activator, Corners can get students energized around a topic and invested in learning more about it. It also affords the teacher an opportunity to gather data about students’ prior knowledge, dispositions and ways of thinking about the topic.
The steps involved are listed below.
9. Review reasons supporting each choice back at desks (Acquiring/Integrating Knowledge:
A Guide to Constructing Learning Units).
Activity Two:
-Students will then be asked to research individuals (biographies) with disabilities in the library or on the Internet (see “Resources” for suggested websites) , and describe how their lives
are affected by their disability
Activity Three:
-Students will then construct a well written 2-3 page paper describing how disabilities affect an
individual’s life. (Students will be asked to incorporate some of the characteristics they discovered in the group activities.)
Activity Four:
-During this time frame, as a class, students will begin reading Flowers for Algernon
-Students will begin keeping a reading reaction journal
Instructional/Environmental Modifications
Students should be given access to a computer with Internet capabilities. Students will also be required to work in groups and at the blackboard, which will have students out of their seats for short periods of time. No other environmental modifications should be required. Allow students with classifications to work hand in hand with Resources Teachers. Teacher should be prepared to make the necessary time, testing, and test taking modifications as needed.
Time Required
The time required from the actual start of the movie, to students beginning to read the novel is roughly seven days. The movie runs four full class days, and the student activities run three days. The due date of the short research paper will run over the seven days. Student journal time will run the entire length of the novel.
Resources
- One copy of the film Awakenings, starring Robert Deniro and Robin Williams
- A classroom set of the novel Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes
- Acquiring/Integrating Knowledge: A Guide to Constructing Learning Units
- Computers with Internet access and word processing capabilities
- Student created or store purchased journals
Biographical Website:
Biographical Sources http://vweb.sau.edu/bestinfo/Refdesk/Biograph/bioindex.htm
Disability Websites:
Disabilities Information Resources www.dinf.org
Infotrac (Health Issues Database) http://infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/nysl_ce_opp
*Students will be supplied with copies of the rubrics prior to activities in assessment section.
Activity One: Assessment for Group Activities (CDOS 3a.3 and ELA 1.2)
Students will be graded according to the following rubric:
4–Students are cooperative, insightful, and involved with the group
3–Students display some involvement and cooperation
2–Students display very little interest and are only moderately involved
1–No cooperation or involvement
0–Students are disruptive and distractive to the group
Activity Two: Assessment for Research
Observe and assist students while doing research as they are utilizing resources and identifying
important information
Activity Three: Assessment for Research Paper (ELA 1.1 and ELA 1.2)
4–Has met deadline
Conforms to Standards of English
Presented in a coherent and neat fashion
Topic is covered and knowledge is displayed
3–May not have met deadline, but student made arrangements with teacher
Conforms to Standards of English, but may contain fewer than 5 errors
Work is understandable and neat
Gaps in knowledge are evident
2–Has missed deadline
Errors are evident and number more than 10+
Lacking in organization, but some meaning is evident
Very little knowledge is displayed
1–Has missed deadline
Errors are numerous and destroy the meaning of the content
No evidence of cohesion or logical order
Little or no knowledge is displayed
0–No work is handed in
Activity Four: Assessment for the Reading Response Journal (ELA 2.2)
Students will develop a peer review and grading system (emphasis on constructive criticism).
They may use a check system (+/-) and construct a comment sheet.
Student Work
Student work is unavailable at this time.
Reflection
As a student and as a teacher, I have always loved this novel. It is my hope that through this learning experience, I am able to transmit my love of the written word to my students. It is also
my hope to help foster an understanding and tolerance for those individuals who are disabled.
Through group work feedback, Internet research, and journal writing, it is my hope that students
are exposed to diversity and acceptance.
With the recent stress place on cultural diversity and inclusion, teachers should be able to modify
this experience to include celebrities such as Christopher Reeve and Tom Cruise, historical
figures such as Einstein, and the people who live down the street.