Digital Unit Plan Template

Late Chrysanthemums Mr. Rivera

English Language Arts Grade 9
CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):

Key Ideas and Details CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped
and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

Craft and Structure CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.6

Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of
world literature.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.9

Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the
Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare).

Comprehension and Collaboration CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1

Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–
10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.4

b Plan, memorize, and present a recitation (e.g., poem, selection from a speech or dramatic soliloquy) that: conveys the meaning of the selection
and includes appropriate performance techniques (e.g., tone, rate, voice modulation) to achieve the desired aesthetic effect. (9th or 10th grade) CA

Range of Writing CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.10

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a
range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Big Ideas/Unit Goals:

Where have all the flowers gone?
What is to become of flowers?
Why do fireflies die so young?

How are short stories similar across time and place?

How do short stories differ across time and place?
How do you write a short story?

What are characteristics of a short story?

What is the structure of a short story?
Unit Summary:

- Students are to explore, describe, analyze, interpret, and discuss short stories of various kinds—including but not limited to by length,
by country, by era.
- Students are to compare / contrast short stories of various kinds—including but not limited to by length, by country, by era.
- Students will adapt the short stories to the vernacular of their choice using the medium of film; videos are uploaded on YouTube and
screened during class time.
- Students are to carefully compose and share original, personal short stories.
What is to become of flowers? The unit is designed around the theme of impermanence/transience, and the emotions derived. Students
begin the year exploring short literature in the effort to dissect the form and interpret meaning across various cultures and time periods,
considering how the theme of transformation takes shape within a culture at a certain time. Upon exposure to the shorts, they formulate
ideas on the structure and characteristics of short fiction, leading to the opportunity to create personal works using the form. The works
are interpreted and adapted to an alternate vernacular and setting using the medium of film—to be screened via YouTube as a platform
to express culturally specific voices. The communal experience in each stage is prevalent—both in testing to see how effective the works
are for this audience, and in keeping with the idea that the works only last as long as there are readers to keep them alive.

Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level:
Responses in a Hat:
Things We Lost
This activity follows the introduction of
the essential questions [“Where have all
the flowers gone? What is to become of
flowers? Why do fireflies die so young?”].
Based on oral prompts, students write
responses on index cards. Oral prompts
include “Write 3 things you have lost that
you wish you still had,” or “Write 3 things
you have lost that you don’t mind are
gone,” or “Tell me where you think people
go when they die.” Index cards tossed into
a derby hat, which is eventually passed
forward. Responses are charted
anonymously on a projected screen to
compare answers in the class. Discussion
is set to follow.
Resource & Discussion
“Mid Day”
This activity follows “Responses in a Hat”
exercise. The class is set to view a
screening of my short film “Mid Day,”
which centers on the unit theme of
impermanence. Discussion is set to follow.
Formative:
Flashcards
Metamorphoses
Book I Terms
This activity follows an introduction to Metamorphoses,
but precedes the reading of the text itself. Students work
in pairs to study the terms from Book I using the class-
made set of flashcards on Quizlet. By the time we get the
text, students are aware of the world of Metamorphoses
and the context in which is was written.
Handout
Minimalism
Responses
This activity works as a supplemental exercise to a
lecture of minimalism. The lecture ties in several excepts
of the works in the unit, including works by Sappho and
Fredric Brown. The guided notes provide opportunities
for students to reflect and think critically on the content
while making connections to the essential questions.
Journal
Warm Ups
This activity is collected and checked on a weekly basis
during the unit. Each day begins with a prompt to be
responded to in respective journals. Prompts either relate
to looking at previous material in a new light, or looking
forward to new material in anticipation. If a prompt
requires personal responses, it is assured that instructor
does not read these particular responses.
Visual
Metamorphoses Poster
This activity follows the class reading of Metamorphoses
Book I. The emphasis is placed on a visual of a key
scene/character selected by the student. Surrounding
material includes what related quotes express about the
text, a hypothetical question/response in relation to the
theme, and one thing the student connected with
concerning the selected scene/character. Posters are
displayed in sequential order, to visually illustrate the
transformations illustrated in the text.
Summative:
Late Spring Film Festival
Short Work in New Vernacular
This activity follows the unit readings and
is intended to illustrate how creators adapt
previously-released works in an engaging
way. Students are to be formed into groups
of 4-5 and will choose a text, adapt it to a
new setting in a written script/screenplay,
film/edit the adaptation, and upload the
film on YouTube—all to be presented in
the class film festival. Class awards set to
follow.
Writing
Personal Work
Following the group activity [though
introduced long before], students are given
the opportunity to write a new, personal
work on the unit theme. Throughout the
unit, students have explored, analyzed,
interpret, and discussed short-form
literature of various kinds—including but
not limited to by length, by country, by
era. By now, it is in my hope the students
have been inspired in some way. This is
their opportunity for their individual voice
to bloom in short literary form.
Lesson 1 (Teacher Lecture)

Student Learning Objective: Acceptable Evidence Lesson Activities:

- Students are to (Assessments): Minimalism Guided Notes
explore, describe, - Embedded within the
Minimalism Guided
analyze, interpret, Notes are various
and discuss short opportunities for
stories of various reflections and
kinds—including but hypothetical thinking.
not limited to by
length, by country, by
era.
Lesson 2 (Webercise/ iPad Lesson)

Student Learning Objective: Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities:

- Students are to - iPad Graphic Organizer - iPad Lesson [This event follows the relevant readings in this unit. Students are formed
compare / contrast into groups of 4-5 and will discuss/present comparisons of two randomly-generated short
short stories of works that we have read in class during the last two weeks].
various kinds— 1. Once groups/works have been selected, copy/paste the “Compare and Contrast” link
including but not to your GoogleDoc from here: https://www.controlaltachieve.com/2017/05/graphic-
limited to by length, org- drawings.html [or create a similar diagram on your own]. Feel free to adapt the
by country, by era. diagram to fit your needs as a group.
2. Discuss ways how the two randomly-selected works are different and similar. Add
ideas in the diagram appropriately as the discussion blooms. You may want to
consider the following attributes to get you started: time, place, vernacular, language,
length, author’s technique/ aesthetics, characters, theme, narrative, arc [changes over
time], genre, and/or reader responses.
3. Be sure to include these questions on your diagrams:
-
place?
-

4. Prepare 3-5 minute oral presentation. I would like you to consider:


- Are there any other settings/vernaculars/mediums you could visualize for an adaptation of
any
of these works?

- This final question is open to anyone in the group for any of the works that we have read.

Lesson 3 (Graphic Organizer)

Student Learning Objective: Acceptable Evidence:
- Students are to - Araby Tea Party
explore, describe, Guest has written an
analyze, interpret, acceptable to substantial
and discuss short amount of reactions,
observations, inferences,
stories of various and relevant questions.
kinds—including but
not limited to by Quotations are provided to
length, by country, by
support writer’s claims.
era.
The responses feel personal
and well-reflected.
Lesson Activities:
Araby Tea Party
Welcome to the world of “Araby.”
In this lesson we use an anticipatory set of quotations to introduce character, setting, and
theme of James Joyce’s “Araby.”
Ten meaningful quotes and an eleventh slip featuring the title “Araby” have been
previously selected from the opening pages of the story and have already been distributed
to you and your classmates at random as you have entered the venue.
You have also been equipped with a two-column anticipatory set of topic boxes. We will
look over the questions before the tea party begins. As seen on the handout, space is
available for you to write appropriate reactions, observations, and/or inferences about the
upcoming quotes.

The Tea Party

1 - Half of you will be seated. The other half will move around the room connecting non-
verbally [shake hands or simply nod] with seated guests. Ensure you find guests who do
not have the same quote as you.

2 - Upon reading each other’s quotes [silently], you and your guest are to attempt to
connect quotations to corresponding topic boxes, writing reactions/observations/
inferences on the anticipation guide. If you are unable to connect a quote to any certain
topic, react in the “Miscellaneous” section. Many quotations can be applied to multiple
topic boxes. There is also a “Questions” section for you to voice questions concerning the
quotations. This tea session will last for three minutes before switching partners.

3 - We will repeat this process [as a class] until 5 tea sessions have been fulfilled.

4 - Discussion is set to follow the tea sessions. Be sure to fill out missing sections, and
feel free to add to other sections.
Unit Resources:
Metamorphoses Book I - Ovid [trans. Rolfe Humphries]
“The Creation”

“The Four Ages”
“Jove’s Intervention”
“The Story of Lycaon”
“The Flood”
“Deucalion and Pyrrha”
“Apollo and Daphne”
“Jove and Io”
Poems by Sappho

“Separate Ways” - Higuchi Ichiyō

“Araby” - James Joyce

“The Nine Billion Names of God” - Arthur C. Clarke "The End" - Frederic Brown

“Mid Day” on Vimeo

“The Nine Billion Names of God” as a Radio Show
“Apollo and Daphne” as Animation
“Araby” Student Short Film
Ran Trailer
O Brother Where Art Thou? Trailer
The Killing of a Sacred Deer Trailer

Minimalism
Ozu’s Pillow Shots
“Runaway Horses” by Philip Glass

iPad Lesson
Compare and Constrast Diagram
Useful Websites:
Haiku Generator
“Araby” Audio Recording
On Basho
On Lacrimae rerum
On mono no aware
On Crafting Short Fiction
Glimmer Train, on Championing Emerging Writers
Micro-Flash Fiction