The

Changing American Dream Eleventh Grade Honors By Bloom S. Burg Prepared for TCSS Fall 2010 Dr Sherry

 Table of Contents

Introduction Rationale

Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 9 Page 11 Page 13 Page 15 Page 16 Page 18 Page 19 Page 21 Page 24 Page 27 Page 30 Page 33 Page 33 Pages 34-37 Page 38

Guiding Questions/Goals Unit Overview Lesson 1: Introduction to Unit Lesson 2: Review of My Brother Sam is Dead Lesson 3: Presentations on My Brother Sam is Dead Lesson 4: Introduction to Uncle Toms Cabin Lesson 5: Uncle Toms Cabin, Part 2 Lesson 6 : Comparison of My Brother Sam and Uncle Toms Cabin Lesson 7: Introduction to Death of a Salesman Lesson 8: Character Analysis: Death of a Salesman Lesson 9: Family Dynamics in Death of a Salesman Lesson 10: Trials for Death of a Salesman Characters Lesson 11: Socratic Circle on Death of a Salesman Lesson 12: Timeline of the American Dream through History Lesson 13: Timeline Presentations and Discussion Lessons 14-15: Scene Presentations on Death of a Salesman Rubrics and Checklists Summative Writing Prompt

 Introduction to the Classroom This classroom is a coed eleventh grade honors American Literature classroom in a suburban school district. As a class, the students are creative and driven, although they can sometimes get off task. Most of the students aspire to go onto college in two years and are bright, motivated students. There is a range of strengths, with some of the students having a strong inclination towards history as well as English. Throughout the year, students have focused on viewing social issues throughout literature. They have completed a unit on bullying and pressure, as well as various units that look at historical time periods and the literature produced by the periods contemporaries. Since many of the students have a strong interest in history, our next unit will focus on protest literature and how the genre has changed the course of American history. This unit will continue from where the American Dream unit left off in the 1950s and follow through to the Vietnam and Iraqi Wars. The rest of the year will bring the students up to contemporary American literature. The classroom set-up is the basic lines of desks facing the chalkboard, since the room is also used by another teacher during other periods. The room is large enough to be rearranged without much hassle, so when the lessons require a majority of group work the room will be arranged in groups of desks by the students before class begins.

Comment [1]: Love how youve envisioned context, setting, and audience hereboth helpful for tailoring this unit and useful for you, I think, to consider the factors that might influence your teaching/revision of this unit J

 Rationale Many students are exposed to the idea of the American Dream during their high school English and/or history classes. The typical study is focused on the era of the 1920s-1950s, with an emphasis on the idea that hard work and perseverance will change an individuals place in life. In my unit on the American Dream, the students will explore how the idea of the American Dream has changed throughout Americas history, specifically from the Revolutionary War to the 1950s era. I would theoretically teach this unit in the spring of eleventh grade so that the students would (hopefully) have been exposed to the history behind the time periods we will study. By eleventh grade, students are beginning to understand the society in which they live and seeing its strengths as well as its weaknesses; a unit focusing on the changing definition of the American Dream will further this understanding and allow students the chance to explore what their generation and society sees as a dream. I will focus on the following works in my unit: My Brother Sam Is Dead by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier; excerpts of Uncle Toms Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe; and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, the latter being the main focus of the unit. Since Death of a Salesman is a standard work in many high school classrooms, the unit will focus its attention on the play and use the other works as a means of comparison of the overall themes across historical time periods. Students will have already read My Brother Sam is Dead as required summer reading; this unit will provide accountability for the summer homework. The novel will be primarily used as a way to introduce the American Dream in the revolutionary time period and compare it to the other time periods. The works will be read in chronological order, with an emphasis on how the dream of America has changed over time and within different circumstances to provide unity to the works. I feel that the unit does a good job incorporating different types of works and is diverse enough to hold the interest of the varied students in the classroom; this diversity in the works will, of course, be paralleled with diversity in the lesson plans to accommodate the different learning styles, abilities, etc. of the students. The different styles of writing and time periods depicted allow for activities and discussions ranging from the effects of war and slavery to the pressures society puts on the individual man. Thematically, we will focus on the importance of freedom in the idea of the American Dream and how the definition of freedom changes and evolves depending on different circumstances. At the culmination of the unit, students will be able to clearly see a progression of thoughts concerning what makes individuals free and how those thoughts created a shift in the idea of a unified dream throughout Americas history. Taking the works studied in this unit a step further, students will be able to define todays definition of freedom and create a modern version of the American Dream. This unit will introduce the students to different styles of writing and literature a play, a historical novel, and a work of young adult literature. I feel that it is important for students to have experience with all of these different genres in order to expand their definition of literature and understand it as a whole. Students will also gain practice with comparing and contrasting across works by following the theme of the American Dream throughout the unit. Some individuals, of course, will be opposed to parts of my unit. Uncle Toms Cabin may be seen as a work too long and detailed for the demanding unit, so I will provide students with select chapters to understand the gist of the work. While we will still read the text of Death of a Salesman, I will also have students watch parts of a film adaptation of the play, with a major project centering on an oral report and screening of key scenes of the play. As for the darker content of the play, I would argue that by eleventh grade students have already been exposed to so much violence and dark imagery through television and movies that perhaps Willy Lomans character would make them stop and think deeper about the inner struggle of dark characters the next time they view a dramatic work.

Comment [2]: Like how youve addressed the importance of these texts/foci for this audience, as well as possible counter- arguments J

 Big Questions 1. What does it mean to be free? 2. How have definitions of freedom been changed in different historical situations? 3. What is the American Dream? How is it alike or different from your definition of your American Dream? How do you see both of these in your life? Goals 1. Trace the American Dream throughout the course of history. 2. Explore how different historical circumstances change the idea of the American Dream and freedom. 3. Compare and contrast themes and characters motivations in different works and genres of literature. 4. Comprehend basic elements of the work, including plot and character development. 5. Define their own version of the American Dream.

Comment [3]: Rephrase this last Q to complement the first two? Comment [4]: Love how these break down the Big Questions into manageable partsyou really got this way of structuring a Unit J

 Unit Overview and Goals Lesson 1 I Have A Dream motivation (5) Time period webquests Overview of unit Lesson 2 Revolutionary War time period presentations My Brother Sam is Dead review game (4) Lesson 3 Definitions for novel (1) Presentations of definitions Lesson 4 Civil War time period presentations Reading workshop for Uncle Toms Cabin (4) Lesson 5 Uncle Toms Cabin, continued (4) Definitions for Uncle Toms Cabin (1,2) Lesson 6 Presentations for Uncle Toms Cabin Jigsaw on definitions/comparison of the two works (2) Lesson 7 1950s time period presentations Introduction to Death of a Salesman (3) Lesson 8 Character debate (4) Stock characters discussion (4) Lesson 9 Discussion of homework/family dynamics in the play (3, 4) Model of choosing a scene Lesson 10 Character trials (2, 3, 4) Lesson 11 Definitions for Death of a Salesman (1) Socratic circle (2) Lesson 12 American Dream song motivation/comparison to I Have a Dream motivation ( 5) Creation of American Dream timeline throughout history (1) Lesson 13 Timeline presentations (1) Lessons 14 & 15 Scene presentations (4)
Comment [5]: Smart way to provide an overview and link each part to your unit goals ALIGNMENT/UNITY J I notice 5 gets less time than the others. Why? I sometimes use a table for this kind of thing to make it even easier to see.

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 1: Introduction to Unit TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.1.11D: Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were most effective in learning from a variety of texts. 1.6.11B: Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction). 1.6.11A: Listen to others. 1.6.11E: Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: Today were going to start our unit on the American Dream. To start it off, were going to watch a speech of one very influential Americans dream. INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will watch Dr Martin Luther King Jrs I Have A Dream speech in order to compare an American dream in 1963 to their own idea of an American dream now. Students will complete a webquest about one of the time periods covered by the works in the unit in order to gain historical context of the works. Students will synthesize answers from their completed webquests in order to create presentations to the class on their assigned time period. MATERIALS NEEDED: Markers, poster paper, journals TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer and projector, computer for each student RESOURCES: -I Have A Dream speech by Dr Martin Luther King Jr, found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZLvSnr6s50&feature=related -Dreaming Through History: A Study of the American Dream webquest, found at http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=81432 LESSON TYPE: Discovery learning LESSON OUTLINE: I. Introduction to the American Dream (10 minutes) A. Watch I Have A Dream speech at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZLvSnr6s50&feature=related B. Discuss main points of speech. 1. What are some of Dr Martin Luther King Jrs dreams? 2. Do you think these dreams are still applicable to us as Americans today? 3. How has America changed since the time this speech was given? 4. Did the changes that America has gone through since the Civil Rights Movement affect the dreams we now have? C. Pass out the journals. Have students create their own version of I Have A Dream. This could be a speech, drawing, poem, etc. Save the assignment in their journals for use at the end of the unit. II. Time Period Webquest (20 minutes) A. Have students log onto their computers and complete the time period webquests, found at http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=81432 B. When they are finished, have students submit their answers to the class web page. III. Creating Posters (15 minutes) A. Group students together according to the time periods they researched in the webquest.

Comment [6]: Youve used this formulation consistently to ALIGN with your unit goals J

Comment [7]: Helping students RELATE and also compare (ALIGNed with final assessment) J

B. Students will synthesize answers onto a poster for a presentation to the class at their assigned times (Civil War with Uncle Toms Cabin; Twentieth century with Death of a Salesman). IV. Overview of Unit (5 minutes) A. Give students a brief overview of the unit agenda. 1. Review My Brother Sam Is Dead. 2. Read excerpts from Uncle Toms Cabin and Death of a Salesman. 3. Track the American Dream throughout Americas history. B. Introduce assessments. 1. Summative assessment a. Students will have a choice of either creative writing or essay writing. b. It will be in a take-home format. c. Rubric will follow as unit progresses. 2. Introduce presentations. a. Time period presentations i. They will be based on webquest completed in class. ii. Informal grade based on completion. b. Death of a Salesman scene presentations i. After reading play, students choose scene of importance to a character or to the whole of the play and give a 2-3 minute presentation on the scene and its importance. ii. Students must also write an accompanying half-page explanation on the
importance of the scene.

iii. Rubric will be provided at a later date. DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Copy of Dr Martin Luther King Jrs speech for hearing impairments; allow students to work in partners if they find the computers hard to see and read. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Observe students as they are completing activities. Make sure the webquests answer questions completely, and all answers are represented on the posters. HOMEWORK: Review My Brother Sam Is Dead characters, plot summary, key quotes, etc. It will be basis for the review game tomorrow. REFLECTION: How well were the students able to complete the webquests? Could students apply the ideas presented in I Have A Dream to America today? Could they apply it to their own lives?

Comment [8]: These last two questions get at things that I think should be represented in your formative assessment section J

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 2: My Brother Sam Is Dead review game TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.6.11A: Listen to others. 1.6.11E: Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: Today were going to play a review game of your summer required reading novel, My Brother Sam is Dead. INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will present on the historical background of the Revolutionary War in order to gain an understanding of the historical context of the novel. Students will correctly answer the questions in a review game in order to review the plot of the novel My Brother Sam is Dead. Students will define the terms freedom and American Dream according to the novel in order to understand the viewpoints of the time period. MATERIALS NEEDED: Poster paper, markers TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer, projector LESSON TYPE: Presentation, game LESSON OUTLINE: I. Time period presentation: Revolutionary War (10 minutes) A. Group work (5 minutes) 1. Presentation group should prepare for presentation of their poster. 2. Other students should divide into groups of 3-4 to discuss My Brother Sam is Dead and what they reviewed for homework last night. Students will be playing a review game with the rest of the period, so they should have incentive to stay on task. 3. Revolutionary War group will present to the class; other students should practice good listening skills (paying attention, respectful, etc) while taking notes for their future reference. II. My Brother Sam is Dead review game (25 minutes) A. Bring up the PowerPoint review game. B. Students will be competing together as one class. Tell students that they will be competing as a class against other sections from their grade level to see which class earned the most money. The class with the largest earnings will win a free reading day at a later point in the year! C. Pick the value, click on the number, and answer the question. Continue until values run out. III. Definitions of freedom and American Dream for My Brother Sam (15 minutes) A. Have students get into time period groups. 1. Ask students to brainstorm ways that My Brother Sam defines freedom and the American dream. a. Questions to think about: Is there a sense of group solidarity with these terms, or are they more focused on the individual? Do any of the

characters have conflicting definitions? If so, how else is the conflict depicted in the novel? What do these definitions say about the attitudes of the time period? Do they say anything about the daily life of the time? 2. If the group finishes discussing, students may synthesize answers on a poster to hang in the classroom for the duration of the unit. If the discussions run long, students should finish the definitions for homework and will have an opportunity to create the posters in class before they present. II. Closure (2 minutes) A. Assign homework. B. Ask for questions regarding the homework. DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Students who have trouble listening and taking notes at the same time may discuss the notes with a peer after the presentation. Students who have a visual disability may move closer to the overhead or have a copy of the questions for the game. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Observe class during the activities; class participation. Make sure students are referencing specific points in the novel and backing up their answers with clear support from the text. HOMEWORK: Finish defining freedom and American Dream according to the novel in your journals. REFLECTION: Did the students learn from their classmates presentation? Were they able to successfully complete the review game? Did they understand the concepts of the definitions?

Comment [9]: Like how these questions probe for specific examples and evaluation J

Comment [10]: J

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 3: Wrap-Up My Brother Sam TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.1.11G: Demonstrate after reading understanding and interpretation of both fiction and nonfiction text, including public documents. 1.3.11B: Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style. 1.6.11A: Listen to others. 1.6.11E: Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: Today were going to be finishing up our discussion of the ideas of freedom and the American Dream in My Brother Sam is Dead. INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will view an educational parody video in order to compare and contrast the mediums of text and music/film. Students will synthesize on a poster the concepts of freedom and American Dream according to the novel in order to demonstrate knowledge of the important themes of the novel. Students will use textual evidence to enhance their posters claims about the themes of the novel in order to practice finding supporting evidence. MATERIALS NEEDED: Markers, poster paper, first excerpt of Uncle Toms Cabin (chapter 9) TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer and projector RESOURCES: Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration video, found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZfRaWAtBVg&feature=related LESSON TYPE: Group work, presentation LESSON OUTLINE: I. Too Late to Apologize: A Declaration Video (5 minutes) A. Ask students to compare the emotions in the video to the ones they found in the novel. Which were the same? Which were different? Do you think either medium was better suited for a particular emotion? Which one? Did one of the mediums do a better job portraying the colonists ideas of freedom than the other? Why? B. Write answers in journals; students will document responses to opening videos throughout the unit so they can see a tangible progression of their ideas about the American Dream and freedom throughout the unit.. II. Definitions for My Brother Sam (15 minutes) A. Students work in time period groups to synthesize their answers to last nights homework onto posters. B. Poster must include: 1. Definitions for freedom and American Dream in novel. 2. Example of an instance where a character gains (or loses) freedom according to the novels definition. 3. Quote from the novel as evidence of the definitions. III. Presentations on the definitions (25 minutes) A. Students will present posters to classmates.

Comment [11]: Love how these questions get at reading like writers (or thinking about the effects of certain language choices on a reader), and how keeping track of answers throughout the unit allows them to deeply engage with that writers craft goal (as well as scaffolding content for final assessment) J

Comment [12]: A DIVERSITY of media and ways of organizing classroom interactions J

B. While their classmates are presenting, students will fill out the worksheet and turn it in at the end of class to receive a participation grade. C. Presentations should spark discussions on characters and themes of the novel, so allow students time to discuss discrepancies between the groups. IV. Wrap-up (5 minutes) A. Pass out first excerpt for Uncle Toms Cabin. B. Tell students they will begin the Civil War and Uncle Toms Cabin tomorrow. 1. Give group presenting on the Civil War time to prepare for tomorrows presentation (they should be able to come in to class and be ready to go). Let other students begin to read the excerpts for homework. DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Provide scaffold notes for students who have issues listening and taking notes at the same time. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Student posters and presentation worksheets. Make sure students are explaining the quotes on the posters with clear examples why they chose the quotes they did. In the discussion, students should be able to back up their interpretations with evidence and be able to hold their ground when challenged. HOMEWORK: Read the first excerpt of Uncle Toms Cabin until page 11. While youre reading, make sure to note where you see a characters perception of freedom and dreams for use in class tomorrow. REFLECTION: Were the students able to understand the differences between the ways the text and the music video presented Revolutionary Americas idea of freedom? Did the student presentations spark as much discussion as desired? Did the students understand the main themes of the novel?

Comment [13]: Emphasis on using textual evidence in these assessment sections specificity without requiring a particular interpretation J How might you assess/scaffold for Organization?

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 4: Uncle Toms Cabin, Part 1 TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.1.11D: Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were most effective in learning from a variety of texts. 1.1.11H: Demonstrate fluency and comprehension in reading. 1.3.11A: Read and understand works of literature. 1.3.11B: Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style. 1.6.11A: Listen to others. 1.6.11E: Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: Can you imagine literature as a catalyst for war? INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will watch a video connecting Uncle Toms Cabin and the Civil War in order to understand the role of literature in pivotal historical moments. Students will present a poster on the historical background of the Civil War in order to practice public speaking skills. Students will keep letter journals between two partners in order to track their personal growth in their literary analysis skills throughout the year. MATERIALS NEEDED: Letter journals TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer and projector RESOURCES: Abolitionism Abe Lincoln, Uncle Toms Cabin and Bloody KS video, found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d9A-ankoQc LESSON TYPE: Individual/pair work, presentation LESSON OUTLINE: I. Abolitionism Video (5 minutes) A. Ask students to think about the repercussions of Harriet Beecher Stowes strong stance on slavery in a time where maintaining the status quo was the name of the game. Was she justified, or do you think she should have kept her audience more in mind? B. Write answers in journals. II. Civil War History Presentation (5 minutes) A. Allow students in Civil War history group to regroup and set up their presentation. B. Civil War group will present to the class; other students should practice good listening skills (paying attention, respectful, etc) while taking notes for their future reference. III. Reading Workshop (35 minutes) A. Students will spend the remainder of the period in a reading workshop for the rest of chapter nine and chapter twelve. During the reading workshop, students will write letters in their journals to classmates (pair them up according to alphabetical

Comment [14]: Im impressed by the fact that youve found these provocative videos and posed questions which should spark debate J I notice that students write answers in their journals and then move on to another activity. Allow time to discuss answers? This way, the journaling is taken up during the class and students who are not as disposed to writing for individual reflection still feel it is worthwhile.

order; last student with first student and so on) about any aspect of the excerpts they are reading. B. There should be a minimum of eight exchanges (four per partner) for the duration of Uncle Toms Cabin. Students will have one other opportunity for a reading workshop in class; other exchanges should be done for homework, so make sure partners have worked out a schedule for exchanges. Entries must be at least half a page in length, but students are encouraged to go above and beyond the minimum requirements if they are motivated by the discussion. They must include at least one reference to the text (paraphrasing a scenario, quote, etc) in each letter. C. The letter writing will be continued throughout the following units until the end of the year in order for students to tangibly see a progression in their analyzing skills throughout the year. D. Students will finish the rest of chapter twelve for homework, so they should be concentrating on reading whatever they can in class. IV. Wrap-up (5 minutes) A. Ask students for any questions regarding the letter journals. B. Assign homework. DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Allow students to type out letters if there are fine motor skills issues. Provide a larger font for the excerpts for anyone who has visual impairments. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Time period presentation, letter journals. Students should be creating meaningful responses that satisfy all of the established guidelines and build on each others responses. HOMEWORK: Finish reading chapter twelve and follow the letter schedule that you and your partner agreed on. REFLECTION: How did the students take to the reading workshop? Were they focused and on task for most of the time? Does the content of the letters reflect their thinking about the text?

Comment [15]: Like how this, too, provides a continuity, as well as an opportunity for exchange J

Comment [16]: How important is the unique responses criterion to you? How might you model the journal responses for students to illustrate this and other criteria in order to ensure that students are using this tool in the way you envision?

UNIT: The American Dream

LESSON 5: Uncle Toms Cabin, Part 2 TIME: 50 minutes

Summary: Students finish the reading for Uncle Toms Cabin and begin to define freedom and the American Dream according to Uncle Toms Cabin. Homework: Finish definitions for the novel and be prepared to make posters and present the next day.

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 6: Wrap-Up Uncle Toms Cabin TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.1.11D: Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were most effective in learning from a variety of texts. 1.3.11B: Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style. 1.6.11A: Listen to others. 1.6.11D: Contribute to discussions. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: What part does motivation play in morality? INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will create definitions for the concepts of freedom and the American Dream as presented in Uncle Toms Cabin in order to fully comprehend main themes of the novel. Students will participate in a jigsaw discussion in order to demonstrate textual knowledge and understanding of the concepts presented in the novel. Students will compare and contrast Uncle Toms Cabin with My Brother Sam is Dead in order to document the historical changes that impacted American society between the two novels. MATERIALS NEEDED: Poster paper, markers TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer and projector RESOURCES: The Emancipation Strategy video, found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUVkXthLz4w LESSON TYPE: Jigsaw LESSON OUTLINE: I. The Emancipation Strategy Video (5 minutes) A. Ask students to consider the morality of Lincolns motivations for the Civil War. Does the fact that he has a secondary agenda for the war make it less meaningful? How would you have felt as a soldier supportive of the underlying cause or offended because you hadnt been told the whole story? B. Write answers in journals. II. Definitions for Uncle Toms Cabin (15 minutes) A. Have students get in four groups with five students in each group. They will be making poster definitions for Uncle Toms Cabin like they did for My Brother Sam is Dead. B. Two groups will concentrate on defining freedom in the novel and two will concentrate on defining the American Dream. Have students create posters for the definitions. C. Students will jigsaw with the other groups, so they should make sure they have a thorough understanding of their assigned concepts. III. Jigsaw (25 minutes) A. Students will divide their initial group in two pairs of partners and match with another pair that created definitions for the other concept (American Dream with freedom).

Comment [17]: Like how this asks students to identifyhigher-order thinking and preparation for creative writing J

B. Have students explain their definitions and reasoning behind their definitions to the other pair. Make sure the group comes to a consensus on each others ideas. C. After the group has brought each other up to speed, have the students compare the definitions they created for Uncle Toms Cabin and My Brother Sam is Dead. This comparison should center on the historical changes that occurred between the two works time periods and how the works depict those changes. The students can record their ideas in any creative way they like on a poster, chart, timeline, etc. D. Have students share their comparisons with the class. IV. Wrap-up (5 minutes) A. Ask students for one way in which the historical context has changed from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War. Tell them our next work will focus on the 1940s-1950s. B. Assign homework. DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Provide some key spots in the novel for students who are having trouble with the concepts of the lesson. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Posters, observe how students do in the discussions and jigsaw. Students should be able to clearly support their assertions for their groups definitions with references to the texts. Additionally, students should pass judgment on how well the works depict the historical changes during the time period. HOMEWORK: Brainstorm ways in which you think America has changed from the Civil War until the 1950s. What do you expect to have changed in the definitions of freedom and the American Dream? REFLECTION: Was it easier for students to understand how Uncle Toms Cabin defined freedom and the American Dream after doing the same activity for My Brother Sam? Were the students able to successfully compare the definitions for both works? Could they see themes that carried over to the next century?

Comment [18]: Clear ALIGNMENT with unit goals/assessments J

Comment [19]: Organizing a compare/contrast like this can bring certain pitfalls (for instance, students may not always tell why a similarity or difference is important)how might you address/assess this?

UNIT: The American Dream

LESSON 7: Introduction to Death of a Salesman

Summary: Time period group that researched the 1950s presents their poster to the class. Students are introduced to the concepts in the play and begin to read in class. Homework: Read the rest of the first section of the play.

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 8: Character Analysis: Death of a Salesman TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.1.11D: Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were most effective in learning from a variety of texts. 1.3.11B: Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style. 1.6.11A: Listen to others. 1.6.11E: Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: What can motivate us to act in one way or another? INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will collaborate as a group to determine a particular characters views on specific events in the play in order to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the play. Students will participate in a debate as specific characters of the play in order to gain experience in backing up assertions against opposing forces. Students will be introduced to the concept of stock characters and brainstorm which characters in Death of a Salesman could be considered stock characters in order to understand more about the characters found in the play. MATERIALS NEEDED: Stock characters handout TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer and projector RESOURCES: -America in the 1950s video, found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wAa3V1EVQI&feature=related -List of popular stock characters, found at http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Stock_characters -Cultural stereotypes in stock characters, found at http://narrative.georgetown.edu/wiki/index.php/Stock_character LESSON TYPE: Role play/debate LESSON OUTLINE: I. America in the 1950s Video (5 minutes) A. Have students watch the film and think about the similarities between the 1950s and now. Are we as busy as the film portrayed the 1950s to be? How do you think that has impacted what we consider success? What have we lost from being so busy? B. Write answers in journals. II. Character Debate (30 minutes) A. Have students count off by fours and form four groups. Assign each family member (Happy, Biff, Willy, Linda) to each group. B. Allow students ten minutes to prepare for the debate in their groups. 1. Groups should be coming to a consensus on the characters views on: a. Happys and Biffs successes in life thus far. b. Willys loss of his job. c. Lindas protection of Willy in his failing mental health.

Comment [20]: Love this RELEVANT question J

2. Groups will be debating as their characters, so each student should have a thorough understanding of the reasoning behind the groups consensus. C. After the groups have come to their consensus, have students form a circle around one group of four desks. One representative from each group should begin the debate in the middle as their characters. Ask students to begin the discussion with the first question in part B and work down the list. D. At any point in time, a student from the outside circle may tap their group member on the shoulder and take their place in the debate, continuing the topic of conversation. Each student should talk in the debate at least once. E. After the students have gotten through the three main points, have them compare how the social positions of each character may affect their views. For example, Biffs social position as a former jock and part of the popular crowd may impact how he reacts to Willys public episodes of failing mental health. III. Stock Characters (10 minutes) A. Hand out list of the common stock characters in literature. B. Ask students if they have ever come across the idea of stock characters in another English class. What types of characters were presented? C. Brainstorm reasons why authors use stock characters. Do you think its like taking the easy way out or does it help the reader in some way? Explain idea of stock characters as cultural stereotypes. What stock characters might we have for our culture? Do you see any of the characters in Death of a Salesman as stock characters? IV. Wrap-up (5 minutes) A. Ask a student to share one thing they learned about a character from the debate. B. Assign homework. . DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Provide larger fonts on the handouts for students with visual impairments. Allow students to write notes in the debate for students who have difficulty forming ideas and stating them. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Observe students during the debate and discussion of stock characters. They should be comparing how the roles each character plays impacts how they react to the issues that arise during the play. The stock character discussion should spark discussion about how characters of the play can be seen as stock characters (most obviously Willy). HOMEWORK: Read the next section of the play. Choose a character and in 1-2 paragraphs, explain how they portray aspects of a certain stock character. This could be from the list or from a part of todays society that you see as relevant to that character. REFLECTION: Were the students able to connect the idea of stock characters to characters in Death of a Salesman? How strong were the debates? Were the students able to concretely back up their assertions in the debate and effectively argue against their peers?

Comment [21]: Like how this gets at cultural stereotypes/pressures as another way of thinking about conceptions of the American Dream: is it always positive to have such a dream proffered? To what ends does ambition drive us as Americans?

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 9: Family Dynamics in Death of a Salesman TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.1.11D: Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were most effective in learning from a variety of texts. 1.3.11B: Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style. 1.6.11A: Listen to others. 1.6.11E: Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: How does our place in society (whether public society or the roles in our family) affect how we interact with those closest to us? INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will watch a movie of Yellowcards song Death of a Salesman in order to begin understanding how family dynamics play into a characters actions. Students will discuss the reading assigned for last nights homework in order to further their understanding of both the plot of the play and the characters motivations behind their actions. Students will watch a model of the thought processes behind choosing an influential scene of a movie in order to internalize some of the thoughts and make assertions about influential scenes in Death of a Salesman. MATERIALS NEEDED: Death of a Salesman scene presentation rubric TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer and projector RESOURCES: -Death of a Salesman by Yellowcard video, found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtcYOACkHY&playnext=1&list=PLA699FAA6347F6B4B&index=38 -Inception movie, directed by Christopher Nolan, found at www.netflix.com LESSON TYPE: Discussion LESSON OUTLINE: I. Yellowcard Death of a Salesman Video (5 minutes) A. Have students watch the video and read the lyrics. Do you think that the lyrics reflect the relationship of Willy and his sons? If not right now, do you think it ever did? Of those three characters, whose viewpoint do you think is best expressed by the song? What implications on the play does that viewpoint have? B. Write answers in journals. II. Discussion on Homework Readings (30 minutes) A. Ask students if they have any questions on their homework readings last night. Have the class discuss answers together. B. After addressing all students questions, discuss the following questions: 3. How did you react to Biff and Happys behavior at Franks Chop House? Does the knowledge that Biff discovered Willys infidelity in person change you how view Biff? What about Willy?

Comment [22]: Love how this uses another medium (DIVERSITY) and again asks students to identify (RELEVANT, and ALIGNED with the creative writing aspect of the final assessment) J

4. Do you think that Linda or Happy have any knowledge of Willys affair? Why or why not? 5. At this point in the play, what is each characters dream? Which do you see as attainable at this point in time? Why? 6. If you were Happy or Biff, would you consider Lindas assertions about Willys mental health legitimate? What would persuade you one way or the other? III. Choosing a Scene/Reviewing Presentation Criteria (10 minutes) A. Model the process involved in choosing a scene for students, using the first Limbo scene from Inception. 1. Scene shows a crucial point in the characters development: Mal is a recreation of Cobbs memory of his wife, and her attempts to keep him in Limbo show that he isnt ready himself yet to leave her in the past. 2. Symbols of the scene include the elevator, which symbolizes Cobbs descent into unreality over the course of the movie. 3. This scene is influential in the rest of the movie because it shows why Cobb cannot be an architect anymore Mal has taken over his unconscious and now tries to sabotage everything. On a deeper level, it shows the detrimental effects Mal now has on his life. In this scene, Ariadne shows just how determined she is to understand Cobb and the world in which she finds herself. B. Ask students if they have any questions about the thought process behind choosing an influential scene. Pass out the presentation rubrics and go over each criterion, making sure students fully understand what will be expected of them. C. Tell students that they are to think about what scene they would like to do. Since they will finish the last third of the play for homework, they should come into class tomorrow with three possible scenes in case someone chooses their favorite. Tomorrow, students will sign up for presentations in chronological scene order. IV. Wrap-up (5 minutes) A. Ask students to consider how the play would be changed if the family dynamic was different and share with the class. B. Assign homework. .DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Provide a sheet of the song lyrics for students who have a hard time listening and reading information at the same time. Give a quick overview of Inception for any students who have not seen the film. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Make sure all students are participating in the discussion with answers that clearly show that they have read and understood the play. HOMEWORK: Read the next section of the play. Have your top three choices of scenes picked out to sign up for time slots tomorrow. REFLECTION: Were students able to make meaningful connections between the family dynamic and the motivation of some of the family characters during the discussion? Did they

Comment [23]: Smart to choose and model with a contemporary movie RELEVANT J Not all students may have seen this, and its a complex story (dreams within dreams and what is/isnt real)possible pitfalls?

Comment [24]: Compare this to your Wrap-up questionwhat are you looking for, specifically?

provide thought-provoking answers to the questions? Did the students follow the example for the scene presentations and walk away with a clear understanding of the project requirements?

Comment [25]: These questions, to me, are more appropriate to assessing your lesson than what youve written under assessment.

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 10: Trial of Death of a Salesman Characters TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.1.11D: Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were most effective in learning from a variety of texts. 1.3.11B: Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style. 1.6.11A: Listen to others. 1.6.11D: Contribute to discussions. 1.6.11E: Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: Today were going to put the Loman family on trial. INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will watch a video on the current state of the American Dream in order to connect the 1950s American Dream presented in Death of a Salesman to the current recession-era American Dream. Students will participate in a discussion on the homework reading in order to push their understanding of the play by explaining confusing parts to their classmates. Students will participate in a mock trial of the characters in the Loman family in order to practice questioning characters motives in literature and to understand the transient quality of the American Dream. MATERIALS NEEDED: Journals TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer and projector RESOURCES: What Happened to the American Dream? video, found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAjKEijzEGg LESSON TYPE: Role play LESSON OUTLINE: I. What Happened to the American Dream? Video (5 minutes) A. Have students watch the video. What kinds of parallels do you see in the timeline of the American Dream presented in the video and the dreams weve been looking at during class? How did you react to the professors ideas that the American Dream was perverted in the last decade? Do you think the sentiments expressed by the family are accurate? How do they match up with the sentiments in your own life? How are they different? B. Record answers in journals. II. Homework Review (10 minutes) C. Ask students for any questions they may have had while finishing the last third of the play. Answer as a class. D. While the class is discussing last nights reading, pass around a sign-up sheet for the scene presentations. Explain that each student must pick a different scene (if absolutely necessary, two students may do one scene). Students will be placed in chronological order for the presentations.

Comment [26]: J RELEVANCE

Comment [27]: Powerful! This may also be a touchy subjecthow might you and students prepare for this?

III. Character Trials (30 minutes) A. Have the class brainstorm what constitutes each characters American Dream. Make students back up their assertions with specific textual evidence from the play, citing specific instances that gave particular insight into the characters mind. B. After students have determined each dream, divide the class in three to begin the character trials, with two groups of desks facing each other and the third facing the other two to form a triangle. 1. Assign one team to be the defendant and one to be the prosecutor (in the desks facing each other); the third will be the jury. The defending team will argue that the character was not given the opportunity to save their American Dream, while the prosecuting team will argue that the character did not try hard enough. Both sides must back up their assertions with specific instances in the text. 2. Begin with Willy; have the prosecuting team question the defending team. Make sure that students are respectful and not resorting to name-calling or other disrespectful actions in order to prove their point. The defending team should attempt to defend their position through the answers they give to the prosecuting team. 3. Once the prosecuting team has finished questioning, the jury should deliberate and come to a decision on whether or not the character is guilty of giving up on his or her American Dream. 4. Switch the groups clockwise and continue the same trial system for Biff, Linda, and Happy for as long as the period allows. For remaining characters after the period ends, have students write down at least three examples of evidence for both the prosecutor and the defendant (six in total) and turn them in for credit tomorrow. IV. Homework and Closure (2 minutes) A. Remind students that they are to be working on both their scene presentations as well as their final assessments. Both are due within the next week. B. No reading for tonight, but make sure students write down evidence for any characters not discussed in the trials. DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Allow students with visual issues to move forward to watch the movie. Provide a transcript of the movie for students with hearing impairments. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Observe students as they complete the trials. They should be correctly using evidence from the play to back up their assertions and questions. They should begin to question the characters motives behind actions instead of just accepting the actions. HOMEWORK: For any character not included in the trials, write down at least three examples of evidence for both the prosecution and defense (six in all). Continue to work on scene presentations and final assessments.

Comment [28]: Model this with an example dialogue?

Comment [29]: Good observation task J: makes students accountable to each other.

Comment [30]: J

REFLECTION: How did the students respond to the open-ended prompts in the trial activity? Were they able to fill in the blanks and come up with insightful questions that probed the other teams understanding of the play? Were both sides able to use evidence to back up their own viewpoint? Did students gain understanding from questioning the characters movements?

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 11: Socratic Circle on Death of a Salesman TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.1.11D: Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were most effective in learning from a variety of texts. 1.3.11B: Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style. 1.6.11A: Listen to others. 1.6.11D: Contribute to discussions. 1.6.11E: Participate in small and large group discussions and presentations. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: In order to compare the works weve been studying were going to follow in the footsteps of one of historys most famous thinkers. INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will watch an interview with President Barack Obama in order to practice finding changes in the American Dream throughout history. Students will define Death of a Salesmans ideas of the American Dream and freedom in order to compare them to the other works of the unit. Students will participate in a Socratic circle in order to compare the works studied throughout the unit in terms of themes, characters, symbols, etc. and begin to see the change in the American Dream throughout history. MATERIALS NEEDED: Markers, poster paper, journals, blanket TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer and projector RESOURCES: President Obama: American Dream Still Attainable video, found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_ifLALnCeI&feature=related LESSON TYPE: Socratic circle LESSON OUTLINE: I. American Dream Still Attainable Video (5 minutes) A. Have student watch the video. As a part of the younger generation, do you agree with the questioner that the American Dream is not an attainable idea anymore? Why do you think President Obama believes that people around the world aspire to be like Americans? Do you agree with his sentiments? This interview is from some years ago. Do you think the changes that have occurred since then helped or hindered the American Dream? B. Respond in your journals. II. Definitions for Death of a Salesman (10 minutes) A. Have students get into two groups. They will be defining the plays ideas of the American Dream and freedom for use in a Socratic circle. Pass out poster paper and markers. B. Students must include a definition for both terms on the poster. They should have textual evidence to back up their definitions, but they do not need to be included

on the poster. The group will be divided up between the Socratic circle groups, so each member should have a good understanding of the groups thought process. C. The Socratic circle will compare the definitions for all of the works in the unit, so the group should review the other works with any extra time. III. Socratic Circle (30 minutes) A. Divide each group in two and pair opposite groups together (half of group A with half of group B). Form a circle with half of the desks in the center of the room and place the blanket in the center of the circle. B. Have the first group sit on the blanket and the second group sit in the chairs. Explain that the Socratic circle was developed by Socrates as a way to explore new ideas and concepts through discussion. The outside of the circle will be primarily observation, while the inner circle will be the participants. The groups will switch halfway through. C. Students should practice good listening skills (polite responses, paying attention to the speaker, no belittling comments, etc) while inside the circle. Each student should talk at least once while inside the circle. Socratic circles are student-lead, so students should not look to the teacher for validation of their answers. Allow students to work through silences, stepping in only if the silence continues for more than about two minutes. D. To begin the first discussion, ask if any students had a particularly illuminating idea about the definitions for Death of a Salesman. If nobody volunteers, have students share their groups definitions as a starting point and discuss any discrepancies between the groups, etc. E. For the second discussion, ask students to focus on comparisons with the other works in the unit. Tell them to think about similarities and differences in the characters, themes, symbols, etc. for ideas. F. As a member of the outside circle, students should write down at least two questions they would pose during the discussion to illuminate another aspect of the work. Have them include a brief description of the discussion leading up to the question and a possible way they might answer their own question. Collect as the students are leaving for participation points for the day. IV. Conclusion (5 minutes) A. Ask students for feedback on their experience within the Socratic circle. Are there any suggestions for how it could have been smoother or more engaging? What were their favorite and least favorite parts? B. Tell students to think about the timeline of the American Dream throughout the works studied in this unit. Tomorrow they will make a timeline as a class, so for homework they should complete a rough draft. DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Allow students with physical disabilities to sit in chairs as part of the inner circle. For students who have trouble listening and taking notes, require only one question from the outer circle.

Comment [31]: Like how youve used this jigsaw-style reconfiguration to great effect several times in this unit J

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Observe students as part of the Socratic circle. They should be posing meaningful questions and answers that further the discussion and illuminate some part of the works. They should provide textual evidence as support for their assertions. HOMEWORK: Rough drafts of the timeline for the American Dream through the works. REFLECTION: Were the students able to participate in the Socratic circle? Did they look to the teacher for answers and validation? Were their questions and comments meaningful for the discussion?

UNIT: The American Dream LESSON 12: Timeline of American Dream through History TIME: 50 minutes STANDARDS: 1.1.11D: Identify, describe, evaluate and synthesize the essential ideas in text. Assess those reading strategies that were most effective in learning from a variety of texts. 1.3.11B: Analyze the relationships, uses and effectiveness of literary elements used by one or more authors in similar genres including characterization, setting, plot, theme, point of view, tone and style. 1.6.11B: Listen to selections of literature (fiction and/or nonfiction). 1.6.11D: Contribute to discussions. 1.6.11F: Use media for learning purposes. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: Today were going to make a giant visual representation of everything weve been doing in the unit so far. INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Students will listen to the song American Dream, write a reflection of their current American Dream, and compare it to their first I Have a Dream replica in their journals in order to trace the changes in their understanding of the American Dream throughout the unit. As a class, students will create a timeline of the American Dream in the works studied throughout the unit in order to tangibly see a progression of the American Dream throughout history. Students will create a frozen tableau of the American Dream in a work in order to practice creating symbols for a theme in a work. MATERIALS NEEDED: Markers, large poster paper, journals TECHNOLOGY NEEDED: Computer and projector RESOURCES: American Dream [Barack Obama Official Song], found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_m-eX-7d8s&feature=related LESSON TYPE: Group work LESSON OUTLINE: I. American Dream Song (20 minutes) A. Watch the video. Even though the artist is focusing on a specific race, do you feel that it resonates with people of all races? Why or why not? Do you think the lyrics do a good job of portraying Dr Martin Luther King Jrs I Have a Dream speech that we watched the first day of the unit? What are some of the dreams mentioned in the song by the artist, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, and President Barack Obama? Do you think they are interconnected? If so, how? B. Answer the questions posed in the journals. Write a brief description of your American Dream now. This could be in the form of a speech like Dr Martin Luther King Jrs, a song like the one you just watched, or any other medium you like. C. Look at your version of Dr Martin Luther King Jrs I Have a Dream that you wrote for the first lesson in the unit. Compare it to the one you just wrote. How do they match up? How are they different? What do you think accounted for any differences you see from the beginning of the unit to the end? Synthesize your answers to these questions in your journal.

Comment [32]: DIVERSITY of activities to represent this in different ways while also synthesizing J Addresses all learning styles, and I think students will understand and be excited by the chance to put it all together J

D. Ask for any volunteers to share how their dream has changed throughout the unit. Were any of the works more influential in changing your ideas? Were you surprised by any of the ideas and emotions expressed by any of the works? Were any of the characters in particular your favorite? Why? II. Timeline Creation (25 minutes) A. Have the class get into their time period groups. Tell them they will be working on the text that went with their time period Revolutionary War with My Brother Sam, Civil War with Uncle Toms Cabin and Twentieth century with Death of a Salesman. B. Students should discuss all of the following: 1. The version of the American Dream present in their work, including how the works idea of freedom plays into that dream. 2. What events in history led up to the viewpoints in their work. 3. Which character best embodies the works American Dream. C. After students have discussed, one member should write the historical events on the large poster board timeline. The group should be ready to present on their historical events and character tomorrow. D. In addition, the groups should have a human tableau that symbolizes the American Dream of their work. 1. For example, the group with the Revolutionary War might depict someone throwing a box marked tea over the side of an imaginary ship to represent how the colonists dream was a country of their own. It may also be more symbolic, if the students can make a strong case for the symbols they incorporate. 2. These do not need to be extremely detailed or sophisticated; students are encouraged to use labels or other easily-made props to get their point across. III. Wrap-Up (5 minutes) A. Ask students for any questions regarding the scene presentations, timeline presentations, or final writing assignment. Remind them that they should be working on the long-term assignments as well as the nights homework. B. Review the sign-up list for the scene presentations; make sure everyone knows when they will be presenting. DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING ACTIVITIES: Lyrics of the song for students who have hearing impairments; extra time on the activities if students need to work at a slower pace. FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: Observe students as they are completing activities. Look for insightful answers to the questions posed for the journal responses and creative answers for the timeline project. HOMEWORK: Finish anything thats left for your timeline for tomorrow. Make sure youre working on the scene presentations that are due in two days and the final writing assignment thats due in four days!

Comment [33]: Like how this becomes a collaborative effort for the class J

REFLECTION: Did the students draw connections between the first journal entry and todays journal entry? Were their reflections on their American Dream insightful and accurate? Were the students able to come up with a symbolic tableau for their works?

UNIT: The American Dream

LESSON 13: Timeline Presentation TIME: 50 minutes

Summary: Students present to the class their part of the timeline and their tableau from yesterday. The class will discuss the timeline, then place it in the classroom to save for the remainder of the semester. Homework: Prepare for scene presentations the next two days.

UNIT: The American Dream Salesman TIME: 50 minutes

LESSONS 14-15: Scene Presentations for Death of a

Summary: Students present their scenes for Death of a Salesman. Class will have time to discuss the scenes after the presentations. Homework: Finish final writing assignment due the next day.

 Journal Assessment Name _____________________________ Each entry will be graded separately and worth five points; altogether, there will be a total of 50 points for the journaling assignment. Criteria for each entry are as follows: __/2: Journal entry fully answers the question(s) that were posed in class. __/2: Journal entry shows a connection to some aspect of the students life. __/1: Journal entry is thoughtful and brings up a unique point about the subject. Comments: ___________________________________________________________________________________ Time Period Presentations Name _____________________________ Each student will receive an individual grade out of five for their successful completion of the webquests; as a group, they will receive a grade for the presentation of their time period during the unit. See the webquest for details on the grade for completion of the webquest. ___/2: Presentation discussed all questions found on the introductory webquests and satisfies all of the requirements on the webquests evaluation page (content of the presentation). ___/2: All members have an equal role in the presentation. ___/1: Presenters are loud enough and have eye contact with the audience. Presentation Total: ___/5 Completion of Webquest Total: ___/5 Project Total: ___/10 Comments:

 Death of a Salesman Scene Presentations Name _____________________________ Content of Presentation: ____ / 10 Student demonstrates how scene is influential in the play or important to a characters development. Student gives an analysis of any symbols or themes found in the scene. Student clearly connects scene to the rest of the play. Presentation: ____ / 5 Eye contact is frequent and confident. Speech rate is not too fast or too slow. Speech pitch is varied (not monotone). Student is confident with material presented. Student is poised (not leaning, slouching, fidgeting, etc). Paper Analysis: ____ / 10 Mechanics are strong and any mistakes do not detract from the content of the paper. Student demonstrates full understanding of the scene and play as a whole. Student uses enough textual evidence to fully support the importance of the scene. Comments:

Comment [34]: What does this mean to you?

 Final Paper Rubric Name _____________________________ This rubric should be used in connection with the checklist on the reverse side. Criteria 4 Excellent! 3 Good! 2 - Fair 1 - Poor Organization There is a clear There is a logical There may be a There is no sense and logical progression of progression of of an organization progression of ideas that is ideas, but it is or logical ideas. All evidence sometimes clear. somewhat illogical progression of builds on top of The evidence is and murky. The ideas. Evidence each other and related and evidence is slightly does not relate to clearly supports supports the related to the the thesis. the thesis. thesis with some thesis, but does exceptions. not relate to itself. Evidence Thesis is worth Thesis is debatable Thesis is not There is no thesis. arguing and but may not debatable. Some Quotes may be debatable. There provide much quotes are absent or are enough quality insight into the included, but they incorrectly used. quotes to support work. There may are unrelated to Student the thesis, but not be quality quotes, the thesis or do demonstrates an too many to lose but there are not support the incorrect or the students either too few to students incomplete voice. Student support the thesis argument. Student understanding of demonstrates a or too many to demonstrates a the American thorough allow the student basic Dream. understanding of their own voice. understanding of the American Student the American Dream. demonstrates a Dream. good understanding of the American Dream. Readability Mechanics are Mechanics may Mechanics are Mechanics are appropriate to the not be incorrect for the glaringly incorrect. content area of immediately content area, but Mistakes make the the paper, and any connected to the the paper is still paper unreadable. mistakes do not content of the mostly coherent. compromise the paper. Mistakes papers coherency. may make the paper harder to read, but not impossible. Comments:
Comment [35]: J

 Final Paper Checklist Name _____________________________ This checklist should be used in connection with the rubric on the reverse side. While youre completing your project, make sure you refer frequently to the prompt on the final writing project that was handed out earlier in the unit. This will help you double-check that you have included everything in your papers! Creative Writing Option (Total Points Possible: 10) ___ Student clearly maintains the themes of the work. ___ Imitation of genre is clear and correct; student maintains basic aspects of the genre. ___ Summary explains all relevant choices (point of view, choice of genre, etc.) made throughout the creative writing piece and uses textual evidence to support those choices. ___ Summary compares other works and cites specific textual reasons why student did not choose other genres. ___ Summary contains a discussion of the works idea of the American Dream and clearly states how the creative writing piece maintains the same view as the work. ___ Length of both parts (creative writing piece and summary) meet minimum requirements. Total: _____ / 10 Analytical Essay Option (Total Points Possible: 10) ___ Student compares at least two time periods (either following the American Dream throughout history or at a specific turning point). ___ Student has a clear concept of the American Dream in the historical contexts discussed. ___ Paper relates textual evidence to historical events and contexts surrounding the works in order to support the claims made with the textual evidence. ___ Length of the paper meets the minimum requirement. Total: _____ / 10 Comments:

Comment [36]: I like how this ensures that students address the foci of the assignment, while the rubric measures the quality of the response J Will the rubric apply equally to the creative option? What other categories (e.g., style) might be necessary to evaluate that piece?

Final Writing Assignment Prompt

For your final writing assignment, you will have a choice: you may either write a creative writing piece or an analytical essay dealing with themes we have been discussing in class. Both options will be in a take-home format, so you wont get any class time to work on them. Please dont hesitate to ask me any questions you may have about either assignment! J OPTION ONE: CREATIVE WRITING
Choose your favorite work that we have studied and rewrite it in the form of one of the other literary genres we have studied in this unit. You may change the point of view or focus character if you wish, as long as it does not take away from the themes in the work that we have discussed in class. The length should be at least three pages (but you may go above and beyond if you feel inspired!). In addition, you must write a 1-2 page summary detailing why you chose the form you did and, if you made any changes in narrative voice why you made those changes. These decisions must be backed up by specific textual references (at least two). You must also give an explanation as to why you did not choose to rewrite your favorite piece in the other styles, again citing the texts themselves as reference. You must mention the works idea of the American Dream in your summary paper and show how your creative writing piece keeps the same theme as the original work. OPTION TWO: ANALYTICAL ESSAY The essay option is a little more straightforward: follow the American Dream through history, much like we have been studying in class. You may either choose to present a wide overview of the American Dream or focus on one specific point in history where the dream changed (for example, the differences between African American slaves dreams of freedom in Uncle Toms Cabin and the overall American Dream of the 1950s). You must demonstrate knowledge of at least two of the works we studied through specific textual references (at least two quotes from each work). The length of the paper should be at least four pages, and if you feel inspired, dont be afraid to keep going! GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Papers will be graded according to grammar and mechanics as well as an understanding of the American Dream themes and the works themselves. For the creative writing piece, you may use grammar more appropriate to the characters and situations, but you must successfully back up your decisions based on the texts (African American slave dialect in Uncle Toms Cabin, for example). A detailed rubric will be provided as the due date gets closer. DUE DATE: Last day of the unit. Late papers will automatically have five points deducted for each day they are late, up to half credit.

Comment [37]: Like how youve used CONTRAST and REPETITION to make this easier to understand J Why is the Option two heading smaller than Option one?