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Unit Lesson Plan: Identity Curriculum Theory and Methods: Content Specific Pedagogy for Secondary English /Language Arts University of California Riverside Spring 2015 Tiffany Guy

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Thematic and Argumentative Questions: Are race and ethnicity synonymous with identity What and who defines our identity I choose to look at the idea of identity because I think often students especially the junior high to high school age have trouble figuring out who they are. They tend to cling to other’s perspectives of themselves as truth or societies ideas of who they should be. With working with ELD students who all come from different cultures with different points of view I wanted to choose a topic that would celebrate diversity and possibly give students the opportunity to learn about different perspectives and points of view. Hopefully helping them to not only better understand our diverse world but also better understand themselves. Timeline: We will begin this unit with a look at the unit question we will talk a bit about what we think it means and the plan and learning objectives for the unit. We will begin our course work with two circle maps that the students create. One circle map will be about what they think identity means the other will be about words they think describe themselves. We will then read both of the poems chosen in order to begin to look at different points of view on identity. We will then begin reading the major work text The River Between Us by Richard Peck. We will read the text and do various activities during the reading process including literature circles grammar and vocabulary activities and completing text based questions. After reading the novel we will then look at the two non-fiction texts. The students will write an acrostic poem about themselves and their identity. We will be able to look at identity race and ethnicity through the different time periods presents in the three texts and look at how ideas of identity have changed or stayed the same over time. The culmination of the unit will be an essay about identity. Major Work: In the book The River Between Us by Richard Peck two girls from different social backgrounds become unexpected friends. The book follows their journey and friendship during the Civil War. It takes a hard look at race and how it can affect our identities. This book offers a powerful message for any student it ask students to question how race and the color of skin can affect how the world perceives us and how we perceive ourselves. Peck R. 2005 The River Between Us. Penguin Young Readers Group. Non-Fiction: In the text Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges the reader gets a first person look at the struggle a 6 year old girl went through just to go to school. It looks at the power of courage and challenging what people say you should do based on your race or ethnicity. Bridges R. 1999 Through My Eyes. Scholastic Inc. I chose to use the article Malala the Powerful by Kristin Lewis because it tells the story of Malala Yousafzai and her struggle to push beyond what her society was telling her not letting them define her identity or the identity of any young girl and having the courage to fight for what she believed in.

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http://cdn.scope.scholastic.com/sites/default/files/uploads_scope/issues/090113/pdfs/SCOPE- 090113-Nonfiction.pdf Grammar and Vocabulary: I not only each ELD but I also work with the AVID program at my high school I tutor AVID students and work closely with the program coordinator. I see the effectiveness of man of the strategies that AVID uses including their handouts for grammar. I use it with my students and would use it for this unit as well for vocabulary in the various texts. An example can be found here. http://www.avidweekly.org/assets/pdf/AW- Instructional20Template12201320Vocabulary20Aware.pdf We will also look at the writing style of a story within a story like what is used in The River Between Us. In addition to this we will look at the use of metaphors and similes throughout the text and why authors use these rhetorical devices. Writing: -The students will write an acrostic poem about themselves and their identity. -Answer the following question “What is identity” support your answer with examples from the texts we have read this unit. Think about the following questions. Who and what do I identify with Does my race and ethnicity define my identity -Answer the following question support your answer with examples from the texts we have read this unit. Does identity change over time or is it static How or why is there change or a lack of it Give specific examples. Poetry: -The students will write an acrostic poem about themselves and their identity. -“Come Up From the Fields Father” –Walt Whitman I chose this poem because it is about the Civil War time period like in the book The River Between us. It also deals with loss and the tragedies of war again an idea addressed in the book. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/51785 -“Culture” by Sutha Rajakumar I choose the following poem to include in this unit study because I think that culture also has a part in defining identity. I think it would be good for students to to think about this idea as they are all from different countries and often are forced to leave their families and cultures behind so it would be good for them to remember that culture can stay with you and help to define your identity if they want it to.

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“Culture” by Sutha Rajakumar Inherited from the fore fathers of ours Cultures in the world have surfaced and disappeared But each one has a distinct uniqueness of its own Impact was great on the people Social economic and politic Culture...........a single word which influences the way of life From the birth in womb To the dead in the tomb An essence of life it gives Without it we do not have an identity in this world Be proud of your origin Be proud of your native culture And preserve it As it may disappear one day just like the others have We might embrace the modern styles But always remember our roots Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 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. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3 Analyze how complex characters e.g. those with multiple or conflicting motivations develop over the course of a text interact with other characters and advance the plot or develop the theme. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text including figurative and connotative meanings analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone e.g. how the language evokes a sense of time and place how it sets a formal or informal tone. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.10 By the end of grade 9 read and comprehend literature including stories dramas and poems in the grades 9-10 text complexity band proficiently with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. Text Based Questions:

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The River Between Us 1. Compare and contrast the personalities of Delphine and Tilly. How do they differ How are they alike 2. Analyze why the time period of the book affects how some people might not think that Delphine and Tilly should be friends. 3. Choose two characters from the story compare and contrast how war affected them in the story. Cite evidence from the text to support your answer. 4. Use context clues to asses why Tilly is so upset when she finds Noah’s book Hardee’s Tactics at Camp Defiance. 5. Why do you think Delphine was passing herself off as white even though she has African American ancestry Malala the Powerful 1. Why are school and education important 2. Think of something that means a great deal to you would you fight for that no matter what If so how 3. Hypothesize how you think Malala must have felt living in constant fear. 4. Can you relate to Malala being told she cannot do something that is important to her If so how 5. Evaluate the actions Malala’s family leading up to her attack. Should they have continued to support her speaking out for education even with the threats against her life or was it their job as her parents to protect her and force her to step out of the spotlight and give up her fight for educational rights