Subject English

Grade 11

Unit Short Stories

Title The Shivering Tree

Rationale

We start the unit on stories with the theme of creation myths to first discuss the beginning of things. Thus, we begin by contemplating the most fundamental questions regarding existence and creation in which the rest of the stories and narrative we study will find their context.

Resources - Music: Bjork - Cosmonogy - Handout: Bjork - Cosmonogy Lyrics and Exit Slip. - Viewpoints 11. The Shivering Tree - A Good Man is Hard to Find handout - Access to projector, laptop, speakers, adapter - Roger Grays Video, PDF document, and paintings Objectives The following are prescribed learning outcomes, taken from the BC Ministry of Education, pertaining to this unit of study. - demonstrate a willingness to take a tentative stance, tolerate ambiguity, explore multiple perspectives and consider more than one interpretation. - support their opinions.

Assessment

Formative: both during class-discussion and the content of the exit slip - Students engagement with the text and the subject matter - Willingness to appreciate alternative perspectives and interpretations - To be able to support their comments and interpretations with convincing reasons - Students can begin reading silently A Good Man is Hard to Find - Students can draw one of the creation stories considered in class.

Extensions

Modifications - if all students are finished the exit-slip early, then we can have a class discussion about the final question.

Opening

- Teacher welcomes the students, projects the homework and asks the students to write it down as he takes attendance. - Teacher overviews the plan of the day - Teacher overviews the objectives of the day, checking for understanding, and relating them to the formative assessment portion of the lesson - Teacher projects the lyrics to Cosmogony and reads the poem - Students are asked to close their eyes and listen to the song. Teacher plays Cosmology by Bjork. - As students listen, teacher hands out the lyrics handout. - Students read the poem and respond to the question on the handout silently. Creation Stories: Cosmogony by Bjork Roger Grays Presentation Exit Slip

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Activities

Roger Grays Presentation: - Teacher presents Roger Gray. - Teacher projects the story on the board as Roger Gray reads. - Teacher is available on the computer to search the internet or to show Mr. Grays work when necessary. Exit Slip: - Why are they not all the same? students respond to this question silently. Teacher reminds them of the objective to support their opinions. They are asked to hand-in their exit slip on the way out, being reminded that this is only for formative assessment and so only for completion marks. - Teacher walks around the classroom, answers any questions and ensures that students are on task. - While students write their Exit Slip teacher hands out A Good Man is Hard to Find Home Work: - guiding questions for A Good Man is Hard to Find: Come up with 3 questions that you do not yet know how to answer and that you think can be answered informatively.

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Closure

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Bjork - Cosmonogy heaven heaven's bodies whirl around me make me wonder and they say: back then our universe was an empty seauntil a silver fox and her cunning mate began to sing a song that became the world we know and they say: back then our universe was a coal-black egguntil the god inside burst out and from its shattered shell he made what became the world we know and they say: back then our universe was an endless landuntil our ancestors woke up and before they went back to sleep they carved it up into the world we know and they say: back then our universe wasn't even thereuntil a sudden bang there was lightwas soundwas matter and it all became the world we know