Unit Overview

Realistic Fiction Unit Ms. Parr Context: This unit is designed for a 7th grade class during the required realistic fiction unit. Class periods are 70 minutes long. Unit: Tone and Themes of 1960’ America State Standards: R.NT.07.01, R.NT.07.04, R.CM.07.01, R.CM.07.03, W.GN.07.02, W.GN.07.03, S.CN.07.03, S.DS.07.04, L.CN.07.01, Anchor Text: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton Linking Texts:  Song: “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley  Song: “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” by The Beatles  Song: “Two of Us” by The Beatles  Song: “A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall” by Bob Dylan  Song: “My Generation” by The Who  Poem: Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost  Movie: Grease Essential Questions:  What can we learn about our own society from studying 1960’s America?  What themes and ideas were present in America in the 1960’s that are still present today?  How have themes and ideas about the world changed since the 1960’s?  What can we learn from an older generation that will inform us about our own lives?  How does social ostracism effect young people? Themes:  Social ostracism  Friendship  Forbidden love  Prejudice  Social awareness Formative Assessments:  Interview/notes  Song handout  Journals  Gang comparison worksheet Summative Assessment:

 Students will create and present a research presentation and short paper that focus on America in the 1960’s. They will have to do research, create a presentation and write a paper that informs their peers about their topic, but also shows how the topic is related to The Outsiders. Resources:  http://www.rockhall.com/teacher/sti-lesson-48/  The Research Paper Process, Form, and Content by Audrey J. Roth