Eng4c Unit Plan 1

Unit Plan Course:ENG4C Unit 1 : This I Believe Unit Description

This unit will focus on the Oral Communication strand but it will also serve as a diagnostic for the overall expectations in the Reading and Literature Studies, Writing, and Media Studies strands. The theme for the unit will revolve around the idea of personal belief and how one can defend and support an opinion Big Ideas and Essential Skills How do you effectively explain your beliefs and share them with others? • Listening to Understand • Speaking to Communicate • Reflecting on Skills and Strategies Culminating Task

Personal Oral Essay

Lessons Welcome to ENG4C Introductions and discuss expectations: course outline, paperwork Either go down to computer lab to demonstrate class website or use data projector to demonstrate and ask students to fill out questionnaire at home. Introduce unit 1 by having students make a web about their personal beliefs. Model this first for the class. Reading Diagnostic Check that questionnaire has been completed. Discuss webs from previous day: What are some of the factors that influence our personal beliefs? What causes people to change their beliefs? Students will read the personal essay “The Dignity of Work” and complete a reading diagnostic. Reflection: What are some of the strategies you used to make meaning from the text? (Oral diagnostic)

Expectations

Assessment strategies D=diagnostic F=formative S=summative

O 2.1, 2.3, R 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 2.3, 3.2, 4.1

Reading diagnostic (d) Class discussion (d) Observation (d)

Writing Diagnostic Students will be given a series of writing prompts and sample responses and then asked to respond personally. The Pursuit of Happiness Fear Society Who do you admire? If possible, book the computer lab for this activity. Reflect on strategies used to generate ideas, get past blocks, express ideas. (oral diagnostic) Media Diagnostic Students will examine a number of different media texts in small groups and analyze them in terms of what each “text” says about the beliefs of its creator. “Texts” could include magazines, product packaging, TV commercial, movie trailer, movie poster, books, web page, etc. Class poll about the types of media they consume on a daily basis. Book Selection Visit the library to select independent reading material. Books may be fiction or non-fiction. Students will use these books to practice reading strategies explicitly modeled in class. Blogging task: Visit the class blog and respond to the post: What are your first impressions of the book you chose Personal Essay Intro Students will read/listen to a variety of essays from This I Believe. Teacher will first do a read-aloud/shared reading of one essay. With class develop an anchor chart describing how the author develops and supports an opinion. In small groups students will examine other essays and determine how the authors develop and support opinions. Evaluate using level 1,2,3,or 4. They will present these using a method such as “one stays the rest stray” or jigsaw.

O 2.1, 2.3, W 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.1

Writing diagnostic (d) Class discussion (d)

M 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2.2, 4.1

Note-taking sheet (d)

W 2.1

Blog reflection (d)

O 1.1, 1.4,1.7

Anchor chart (f) Student moderation of essays (f)

Personal Oral Essay: creating a rubric Discuss examples of the This I Believe essays. Review anchor chart. What were the characteristics that all the essays had in common? What are the characteristics that the really strong essays had that set them apart? Then remind students that these are meant to be heard on the radio, rather than read. What does this change? Have students develop rubrics in small groups and then compare Begin brainstorming ideas for personal oral essays Personal Oral Essay: drafting Mini lesson on developing an outline. Teacher models developing outline of personal essay and gets input from students. Students then create outlines. Teacher will conference with individual students while they are working. Students will be expected to have outline done by the end of class. Personal Oral Essay: drafting Mini lesson on different ways to support ideas. Drafting/conferencing time Listening Strategies Develop a definition of what active listening looks like, sounds like and feels like. Role play. Discuss strategies students use when listening to increase their comprehension. Practise these strategies while listening to/watching one of Rick Mercer’s rants. Discuss what strategies were successful and which ones weren’t. Try again while watching a different one. Analysing oral texts Students will view two different speeches and analyse the speaker’s use of rhetorical devices, vocal technique, and visual elements. Create an anchor chart about the characteristics of a good speech. Use Sir Ken Robinson talk: Do Schools Kill Creativity Ask students to reflect on what they plan to add to their personal oral essay based on this.

O 1.1, 1.4,1.7, 1.9 W 1.1, 1.2, 1.4

Rubric (f) Brainstorming (f)

W 1.2, 1.4, 2.1

Observation/conference Outline (f)

W 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.7,

Conference Draft (f)

O 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 3,1

Observation (d/f) Role-play (f)

O 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9

Written reflections (f)

Revising Personal Oral Essay W 2.6, (3.1, 3.2, Draft (d) for mechanics Students will revise their essays based on their anchor charts 3.3, 3.4) Observation and teacher and what they learned from analysing oral texts. O 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2 checklist (f) Teacher reviews what active listening looks like and sounds Revision slips (f) like. In small groups students will take turns reading their essays. The group members will practise active listening skills and are advised to give readers a strength, weakness, and next step based on criteria identified. Revising Personal Oral Essay W 2.6 Annotated drafts (f) Mini-lesson on annotating essay O 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, Students will be given time to revise essays based on student 2.6 feed back and will be instructed to mark up their essays indicating where they plan to pause, underline areas for emphasis, speed up, slow down, etc. Discussion about presentation of the essays. Students will be asked to record their reading of the personal essay in digital format. For those who do not have access to technology, a recording time will by arranged. Presentations O 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.7, Audio presentation of oral essays After all files have been uploaded to class blog, students will 1.9, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, (s) have time in the computer lab to listen to the personal essays. 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 3.1 They will be asked to comment on the essays in a professional and courteous manner. Essays will be assessed based on the rubric created by teachers and students. Planning notes: Independent reading will be on-going as will weekly reflections in class blog. The majority of the assessments for this unit are diagnostic and will inform specific foci for following units. Activities will be modified based on availability of technology.