Resources (Literature)

UNIT PLAN ORGANIZER

Anchor Text (Novel): The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

How many chapters? 26 Chapters

Grade (-1 or -2?): ELA 9

What THEME will organize the novel study?

Importance of language and culture to one’s identity.

What are ECHO TEXTS you can use alongside the anchor text to extend students’ thinking and exploration of the theme?
• “I Lost My Talk” by Rita Joe. Poem.
• The Scream. Kent Monkman. Painting.
• Videos on residential schools
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOkcqFQNGrs
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaExH3StuqY
• Video interview with Cherie Dimaline
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0tnLVEmJRg&t=1s

What SKILLS do you want to use this novel to teach?

• Textual analysis
• Connect literature to history
• Respond to a text critically and creatively
• Utilize evidence from a text to support an argument
 Focused Language
Outcomes Arts
(pick those central to
the unit)
• 2.1 Use strategies and cues Reading
o Use prior knowledge: use previous reading experiences, personal experiences and prior Writing
knowledge as a basis for reflecting on and interpreting ideas encountered in texts Listening
o Use comprehension strategies: identify explicit and implicit ideas and information in texts; Speaking
listen and respond to various interpretations of the same text
• 2.2 Respond to Texts
o Experience various texts: identify and discuss how timeless themes are developed in a
variety of oral, print and other media texts
o Experience various texts: consider historical context when developing own points of view
or interpretations of oral, print and other media texts
o Experience various texts: express the themes of oral, print or other media texts in different
forms or genres
o Construct meaning from text: identify and discuss theme and point of view in oral, print
and other media texts
o Construct meaning from text: relate the themes, emotions and experiences portrayed in
oral, print and other media texts to issues of personal interest or significance
• 3.1 Plan and Focus
o Focus attention: assess adequacy, accuracy, detail and appropriateness of oral, print and
other media texts to support or further develop arguments, opinions or points of view
o Plan to gather information: select information sources that will provide effective support,
convincing argument or unique perspectives
• 3.3 Organize, Record, and Evaluate
o Organize information: develop coherence by relating all key ideas to the overall purpose of
the oral, print or other media text
o Record information: select and record ideas and information that will support an opinion or
point of view, appeal to the audience, and suit the tone and length of the chosen form of oral,
 print or other media text
• 4.2 Attend to Conventions
o Attend to grammar and usage: use a variety of strategies to make effective transitions
between sentences and paragraphs in own writing

Key Activities:
Opening Developmental Culminating

● Intro slideshow notes ● Chapter notes ● Business email workshop

● I Lost My Talk poem analysis
● Comprehension quizzes ● Business email writing
● Exit slips ● Unit test
● Quick write activities
● Foreshadow activity
● Lincoln/Travis character discussions

Assessments:
Formative:
Intro notes
Poem analysis and discussion
Chapter notes
Comprehension quizzes
Exit slips
Quick write activities

Summative:
Business email
Unit test

Date Day of Pages Chapter # (1) Read Aloud, (2) Mini-Lesson + Independent Reading, (3) Homework,
the Unit or (4) Activity
March 12 1 N/A N/A Activity - “I Lost My Talk” poem analysis and Intro slideshow/notes
13 2 pp. 1-17 1 Read Aloud - Ch. 1 “Frenchie’s Coming-To Story”
Activity - Ch. 1 questions
14 3 pp. 18-31 2, 3 Read Aloud - Ch. 2 “The Fire” and Ch. 3 “The Story: Part One”
Activity - Ch. 2 + 3 questions
Mini-lesson - Climate Change
18 4 (2x pp. 32-56 4, 5, 6 Read Aloud - Ch. 4 “Magic Words”
block) Activity - Ch. 4 Questions and question catch-up (as needed)
Activity - Quick Write response to quote

Read Aloud - Ch. 5 “Haunted in the Bush” and Ch. 6 “A Plague of Madness”
Activity - Ch. 5 + 6 questions
Activity - Foreshadowing Quote identification
19 5 pp. 56-79 7 Read Aloud - Ch. 7 “Four Winds”
Activity - Ch. 7 questions
20 6 pp. 80-99 8, 9, 10 Read Aloud - Ch. 8 “Wab’s Coming-To Story,” Ch. 9 “Story: Part Two,” and Ch.
10 “Back Into the Woods”
Activity - Ch. 8, 9, 10 questions
21 7 pp. 100- 11, 12, 13 Read Aloud - Ch. 11 “Miigwans’ Coming-To Story,” Ch. 12 “Finding Direction,”
117 Ch. 13 “Potential of Change”
Activity - All questions Ch. 1-13 completion/catch-up/study
25 8 (2x pp. 118- 14, 15 Activity - The Marrow Thieves first half (Ch. 1-13) comprehension quiz
block) 137 Read Aloud - Ch. 14 “The Other Indians,” Ch. 15 “The Way it All Changed”
Activity - Ch. 14 + 15 questions
Activity - Travis and Lincoln character comparisons
26 9 pp. 138- 16, 17 Read Aloud - Ch. 16 “The Long Stumble,” Ch. 17 “Rogarou Comes Hunting”
153 Activity - Ch. 16 + 17 questions
27 10 pp. 154- 18, 19 Read Aloud - Ch. 18 “On the Road,” Ch. 19 “Found”
170 Activity - Ch. 18 + 19 questions
28 11 pp. 171- 20 Read Aloud - Ch. 20 “The Miracle of Minerva”
174 Activity - Ch. 20 questions; question catch-up
 Activity - quick write response to quote
April 9 12 pp. 21, 22 Read Aloud - Ch. 21 “Loss,” Ch. 22 “The Circle”
Activity - Ch. 21 + 22 questions
10 13 pp. 23, 24 Read Aloud - Ch. 23 “Word Arrives in Black,” Ch. 24 “Lost and Found and Lost”
Activity - Ch. 23 + 24 questions
11 14 pp. 25, 26 Read Aloud - Ch. 25 “Kiiwen,” Ch. 26 “Locks Mean Nothing to Ghosts”
Activity - Ch. 25 + 26 questions.
15 15 (2x N/A N/A Activity - The Marrow Thieves second half (Ch. 14-26) comprehension quiz
block) Activity - Business email research
16 16 N/A N/A Activity - Business email workshop
17 17 N/A N/A Activity - Business email writing; when done, study time for Unit Test
18 18 N/A N/A Activity - Unit Test writing

Chapter Audiobook lengths:

1. 34:06
2. 9:21
3. 17:57
4. 17:02
5. 19:10
6. 8:08
7. 48:44
8. 12:50
9. 6:04
10. 16:25
11. 14:36
12. 4:25
13. 11:56
14. 22:21
15. 14:27
16. 15:58
17. 13:57
 18. 12:44
19. 19:47
20. 5:55
21. 16:23
22. 14:00
23. 17:29
24. 17:53
25. 15:13
26. 22:40
TOTAL APPROX. TIME: ~7hrs 4min