Jamie Kaminski

Dr. Devlin-Scherer

Educational Evaluation

October 10, 2002

RATIONALE

Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde- what do these names have in common?  They are characters in a certain  literary genre that is popular for its elements of suspense, puzzlement, and the questionable unknown that draw the reader deeper and deeper into the plot of the story.  Mystery is a theme in literature that values these elements and maintains the reader’s attention throughout the duration of the story.  People often enjoy mystery because they can read about the curious events that unfold in a character’s situation, but they do not have to live them in real life.  The fiction of mystery is often what draws people closer; it is something that they can read about and imagine the world that they characters are in, but they can at the same time separate themselves from the parts that they would not want to deal with in real life.  That is what makes it so interesting.  A mystery is defined as, “A hidden or secret thing; a matter unexplained or inexplicable; something beyond human knowledge or comprehension; a riddle or enigma” (Oxford English Dictionary).  Who doesn’t want to know or learn about secrets?

                In mystery literature, students can learn these different elements of mystery, as well as develop and strengthen their skills as readers and analytic interpreters.  They can creatively place themselves inside the mystery and work to solve the questions before the characters do.  They can interpret the text in terms of:

       Character analysis

       Setting

       Imagery, symbols

       Foreshadowing

       Clues

       Sequence of events

       Personal reactions

By focusing on literature in general, students require skill in reading carefully, retaining information, critical thinking, and expression of ideas.  Students must be able to read the literature, and remember what it says before they can do more advanced tasks like critical analysis and discussing their own ideas.  Standard 3.1 of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Language Arts Literacy  states that, “All students will understand and apply the knowledge of sounds, letters and words in written English to become independent and fluent readers, and will read a variety of materials and texts with fluency and comprehension.”  This unit plan requires the skills expressed in the content standard from basic to advanced levels.

                Reading literature as a basis for classroom activity often sparks student participation in the form of discussion and specifically with mystery, inquiry and questioning.  These skills not only enhance a learning environment supportive of sharing ideas and diverse attitudes, but also are skills that at a high school level in which students are expected to develop proficiency.  Standard 3.3 and 3.4 of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards encompass the ideas of a students’ need for the ability to contribute to discussion, and actively listen when not participating.  The standards are as follow: Standard 3.3: “All students will speak in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.”  Standard 3.4: “All students will listen actively to information from a variety of sources in a variety of situations.”  Both standards will be fulfilled in this unit because of the variety of possibilities that mystery literature lends to in-class activities and student participation.

                In terms of goals for the unit, the standards must be fulfilled in a manner in which they are advanced on and synthesized due to the grade level of the students.  At a high school level, students should be moving away from focusing on basic skills towards applying these skills to different concepts and situations.  In addition,

       Students will be able to identify the theme of mystery within texts, and state the elements that make the literary work a mystery.

       Students will be able to critically analyze elements within the text such as imagery, symbols, language and themes.

       Students will be able to follow character changes and sequence of events in terms of “solving the mystery.”

       Students will be able to succeed in the learning targets for knowledge, reasoning, skills, products and affective participation.

These goals are to be completed through the student activities in reading, discussion and assessment products throughout the duration of the mystery unit.

                Why use the theme of mystery as the focus of a literature unit?  At a high school level, many students have had experience reading the classic works of literature, but have they had the opportunity to expand their reading knowledge in an area of literature outside of those classic works?  Introducing a thematic unit grabs the students’ interest because it is something different from what they are used to.  They often hear that they will be reading American Literature, British Literature, Romantic Literature or Poetry, and this announcement almost always sends signals in their heads that the unit will be “boring.”  Face it, students today do not always love literature, so something like mystery changes the normal flow of lessons, and almost catches the students off guard.  They enter the unit with a curiosity for what it will include and flash back to their childhoods of reading about Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys.  This past interest motivates them to offer their attention at least long enough to discover what they will be reading, and their interest grows the more they get into each story that they read.  What they quickly forget about is that the mystery works that they will be reading are still written by the same popular authors that they would groan about if they were told to read “American Literature.” Mysteries are is significant for their learning because of that fact that they are still learning about the popular authors, the periods/ backgrounds in which they wrote, critical analysis and reading comprehension that they will need for future English courses.  The theme of mystery is just a way of keeping the students’ attention, with that element of secrets that immediately draws them in.  In high school students tend to be interested in gossip and what’s going on with everyone at school, so hearing that they will learn about people’s deep secrets is almost like telling them that they are going to get clued in on the latest gossip. 

CONTENT OUTLINE

       Elements of Mystery

      Definition:  What is a mystery?

      Major elements:  What makes it a mystery?

       Suspense

       Plot

       Problem

       Clues

       Solution

       Ambiguity

       Emotions

       Surprise

       Sorting Clues

      Author:  Who wrote the text?

       Background

      Examples:  What forms/genres are they typically in?

       Short stories

       Novels

       Poems

       Movies

       Plays

       “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by, Washington Irving (1820)

      Author Background

      Read text

      Elements of Mystery

       See “major elements” above

      What is the plot?

       Mystery

       Clues

       Solution

      What are the themes/ morals involved?

       “The Prophetic Pictures” by, Nathaniel Hawthorne (1837)

      Author Background

      Read text

      Elements of Mystery

       See “major elements” above

      What is the plot?

       Mystery

       Clues

       Solution

      What are the themes/morals involved?

       “The Raven” by, Edgar Alan Poe (1845)

      Author Background

      Read text

      Elements of Mystery

       See “major elements” above

      What is the plot?

       Mystery

       Clues

       Solution

      What are the themes/ morals involved?

       “The Trailor Murder Mystery” by, Abraham Lincoln (1846)

      Author Background

      Read text

      Elements of Mystery

       See “major elements” above

      What is the plot?

       Mystery

       Clues

       Solution

      What are the themes/ morals involved?

       “The Case of Identity,” by, Arthur Conan Doyle (1892)

      Author Background

      Read text

      Elements of Mystery

       See “major elements” above

      What is the plot?

       Mystery

       Clues

       Solution

      What are the themes/ morals involved?

       Compare & Contrast

      What are the differences/similarities in:

       Author background

       Elements of mystery

       Plot

       How were the clues suggested?

       Themes/morals

LEARNING TARGETS

Knowledge

       Students will be able to accurately define what a mystery is and list the elements that are key components to a mystery.

       Students will be able to summarize, in their own words, a piece of literature, in a clear and concise manner.

       Students will be able to identify passages from text that they have read, and correctly match the name of the work and the author to the passage.

Reasoning

      Students will be able to completely analyze the plot process of a mystery (problem, clues, and solution) in a short answer form.

      Students will be able to make valid connections between the five texts and other previously read texts. 

Skills

       Students will be able to, correctly and completely, using MLA format and the five texts, construct a bibliography for a paper.

       Students will be able to critically and proficiently read texts and take notes to retain information.

Products

       Students, in groups, will be able to act out/perform a scene from one of the short stories, using props and costumes.

       Students will be able to thoroughly rewrite the ending of one of the short stories to create a different outcome of the plot.

       Students will be able to creatively and accurately create an Inspiration® web for all of the five texts.

Affective

       Students will be able to honestly express their views and opinions on a text orally in a formal class discussion. 

       Students will be able to recognize and record the emotions and reactions that they feel while reading text.

LESSON PLANS

LESSON PLAN #1

Lesson Title:                       Elements of Mystery

Time:                                    Approximately 45 minutes

Teaching Method:            Direct Instruction

General Goal:

The main goal is for students to learn information on mysteries, the key elements connected with the theme, and what the unit will include.  This lesson will strengthen active listening skills along with memory/information retention.  The students will also strengthen writing/research skills in beginning a bibliography of the texts read in the unit.

Learning Objectives:

       Students will be able to accurately define what a mystery is, and list the elements that are key components to a mystery.

       Students will be able to, correctly and completely, using MLA format and the five texts, construct a bibliography for a paper.

NJ Core Curriculum Standards:

3.3.:        All students will speak in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.

                B.1.: Ask prepared and follow-up questions in interviews and other discussions.

3.4.:        All students will listen actively to information from a variety of sources in a variety of situations.

                A.1.: Explore and reflect on ideas while hearing and focusing attentively.

                B.1.: Listen to summarize, make judgments, and evaluate.

3.5.:        All students will access, view, evaluate, and respond to print, nonprint, and electronic texts and resources.

                C.3.: Recognize that creators of media and performances use a number of forms, techniques, and technologies to convey their messages.

Materials/Resources:

       Computer w/ projector and screen

       PowerPoint Presentation

       Presentation handouts for each student

       Writing utensil (each student should have)

       Crossword Puzzle (for each student)

       Oxford English Dictionary Online-  http://dictionary.oed.com/entrance.dtl

This website is a useful teacher reference for varied definitions along with the connotations and denotations for words.  It also provides a history of the word, and uses.

Procedure for Teaching:

1.             Anticipatory Set:

What is the mystery behind mysteries?  Mysteries are full of secrets, problems, clues, and solutions.  The subject matter and provocative plots tend to attract many readers and audiences to mystery, in any form or genre. (5 min)

Questions:

       What is a mystery?

       What are the components of a mystery?

       What makes a good mystery?

       How does an audience typically react to a mystery story?

       Do you like mysteries?  Why?

2.             Input:

                The main idea that the students will need before they start the unit plan is that literature works share many similar aspects, whether it be author, time period, genre, or theme.  This unit plan is based on theme, and coincidentally, all of the works fall into relatively the same time period.  This information, found mainly within the PowerPoint presentation, will be a good foundation for the introductions of each of the literature selections. Overall, the students just need general, defining information before they enter deeper into the unit lessons. (10 min)

3.         Check for Understanding:

                The understanding of the general goal of the lesson will be assessed with a crossword puzzle on the information from the PowerPoint, along with questions on the final unit test (potentially matching, fill-in-the-blank, or short answer questions) relating to the same information.  The crossword puzzle will serve as a basis for retention of the information, and the questions on the final test will show overall understanding and potential application of the information learned at an introductory level. (5 min)

                Questions:

       What is a mystery?

       What are the main elements?

       Who are some famous authors who wrote mysteries?

       What genres are mysteries found in?

       What reactions do characters have within mystery pieces?

4.             Guided Practice:

                Guided practice will include the crossword puzzle involving the terms from the presentation.  This puzzle will be completed individually, without a word bank, and for the first 5-10 minutes, without the aid of the note handouts.  This process allows the teacher to observe how much information the students retained without reviewing notes, from the PowerPoint presentation, in addition to how effective the presentation was in providing clear information.  This also allows the teacher time to give individual attention to students who may have some questions.  The students will also be guided by the teacher in the format for the MLA bibliography.  This will be the time in which they can ask any questions that they have about the format. (10 min)

5.             Independent Practice:

                Independent practice is also a component of the guided practice activity because the students must work alone for the first 5-10 minutes before they are allowed to review their notes or the PowerPoint presentation again.  They must work on their own, without the word bank, to recover the information they have just learned.  The independent practice is also continued throughout the unit plan as a whole in the respect that that students will be expected to read most of the texts on their own, and they will be responsible for understanding the key elements, plot, and other items in each text.  For homework, the students will be assigned the first entry in the bibliography of texts.  They will be corrected as a homework assignment.  Independent practice is an ongoing process in this unit.  (15 min)

Student Product:

Students will hand in their crossword puzzles at the end of class, and their first entry to the bibliography at the beginning of the following class.  The bibliography assignment will be for homework.

Assessment:

The assessment of the separate sections are discussed in “Guided Practice,” and “Independent Practice.”  Overall, assessment will be in the correction, and completion of the crossword puzzle, and will count as an in class assignment.  The bibliography will be graded on a 1-5 scale, 1 being incomplete, and 5 being complete and correct.  This will be weighted as a homework assignment.

LESSON PLAN #2

Lesson Title:                       Reading “The Prophetic Pictures” for Meaning

Time:                                    Approximately 45 minutes

Teaching Method:            Reading for Meaning

General Goal:

The general goal is for students to become more effective readers.  The exercise will strengthen the students’ reading skills and teach them to try to obtain more information from reading.  More specifically, the students will have a good understanding of “The Prophetic Pictures” through comprehensive reading.

Learning Objectives:

       Students will be able to critically and proficiently read texts and take notes to retain information.

       Students will be able to rewrite the ending of one of the short stories to create a different outcome of the plot.

       Students will be able to recognize and record the emotions and reactions that they feel while reading.

NJ Core Curriculum Standards:

3.1:         All students will understand and apply the knowledge of sounds, letters, and words in written English to become independent and fluent readers, and will read a variety of materials and texts with fluency and comprehension.

E.1.:  Identify, assess, and apply personal reading strategies that were most effective in previous   learning from a variety of texts.

E.3.:  Judge the most effective graphic organizers to use with various text types for memory retention and monitoring comprehension.

G.2.:  Identify, describe, evaluate, and synthesize the central ideas in informational texts.

Materials/Resources:

       “The Prophetic Pictures” short story handout for each student

       Writing Utensil (students should have)

       Note paper (optional)

Procedure for Teaching:

1.             Initiation:

                  Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the most famous authors in American Literature. He lived from 1804 to 1864 in New England.  He attended college and then decided to make a serious living for himself in writing. It is commonly known that he wrote novels, such as The Scarlet Letter, and The House of Seven Gables, but did you know that he also wrote short stories?  This story, “The Prophetic Pictures” was written by Hawthorne in his period of isolation.  It was included in a collection of stories titles, “Twice-Told Tales.”  The short story has many of the elements that could classify this as a mystery.  You are now going to read the short story, and then there will be some questions for you to answer about what you read.  Make sure you read carefully because the questions will reflect how well you read.  If you read well the first time, you may not have to go back to the text for every question.

Before Lesson Questions

       Who was Nathaniel Hawthorne?

       Have you ever heard of any of the works that he has written?

       What do you think the story is about?

       What time period do you think the story is set in?

       Why is reading carefully so important?

2.             Sequence of Learning Activities:

1.       Initiation

2.       Hand out dittos

3.       Explain instructions

4.       Ask for questions (5)

5.       Students read story (10)

6.       Students answer questions (10)

7.       Review and discuss answers (7)

8.       Discuss story (10)

9.       Closure

3.             After Reading Discussion

       What are the themes you can see in the text?

       What are the elements of mystery that you remember noticing?

       What do you think Hawthorne based this story on?

4.             Closure:

                After the questions and discussion of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, you should all have a fairly good understanding of the story.  We have clarified as much as possible through verbal and written interaction with the text, so as to provide a good foundation for your reading.  You may chose to read the story again if you do not fully understand it, but this exercise should have helped with comprehension.  Effective reading skills are very important for every subject because it is crucial that you read carefully for things like tests, labs, and problems.  There is a section on the SAT that is similar to this format, so what you have just done is basic SAT preparation.  Outside of school, reading carefully will make follow directions to a certain destination easier and making sure you know what you are getting when you order off a menu.  Reading is very important, and if you are reading, you should do it effectively.  You may think that it takes more time to read carefully, but it is the opposite.  If you take your time to understand, you most likely will not have to go back a second or third time to read something, because you read it too fast the first time.  When you read for meaning, you understand the substance of the piece often times the substance is one of the most important aspects of the story. 

Student Product:

The student product for this lesson will be the completed Reading for Meaning handout on the short story.

Assessment:

Students will be graded on completeness of answer, and correctness for the ones that can be graded on that basis.  For the affective questions, they will be graded on depth of answer and completeness.  This assignment will be weighted as an in-class assignment.

STUDENT WORKSHEET:

Understanding

1.  _________    Walter Ludlow and Elinor are lovers.

                        How do you know this?

2.  _________    Painters were very common in the time of the story, and special talent was not something unusual.

                        How do you know this?

3.  _________    Elinor and Walter are going to be painted by the Painter.

                        How do you know this?

Understanding

4.  _________    The Painter can paint the true feelings within his model.

                        How do you know this?

5.  _________    Elinor is hiding a deep secret from Walter.

                        How do you know this?

6.  _________    Walter is suspicious of the Painter’s talents and his intentions in painting.

                        How do you know this?

Synthesis

7.  _________    I would like to be painted by this curiously talented Painter.

                        Why or why not?

8.  _________    I believe that some people have the ability to read other people’s minds.

                        Why or why not?

9.  _________    I think that if you work hard enough, any talent can be mastered, with or without previous skill. Why or Why not?

LESSON PLAN # 3

Lesson Title:                       Inquiring about “The Raven”

Time:                                    Approximately 45 minutes

Teaching Methods:          Inquiry

General Goal:

The general goal of this lesson is to strengthen the students questioning skills, and to discuss opinions that exist before reading the story.  This lesson will serve as an introduction for “The Raven.”

Learning Objectives:

      Students will be able to honestly express their views and opinions on a text orally in an informal class discussion.

NJ Core Curriculum Standards:

3.2.:        All students will write in a clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.

D.1.:  Employ the most effective writing formats and strategies for the purpose and audience.

3.3.:        All students will speak in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.

A.4.: Summarize and evaluate tentative conclusions and take the initiative in moving discussions

         to the next stage.

B.6.: Respond to audience questions by providing clarification, illustration, definition, and

         elaboration.

3.4.:        All students will listen actively to information from a variety of sources in a variety of situations.

A.1.:  Explore and reflect on ideas while hearing and focusing attentively.

B.1.:   Listen to summarize, make judgments, and evaluate.

B.4.:   Listen and respond appropriately to a debate.

3.5.:        All students will access, view, evaluate and respond to print, nonprint, and electronic texts and resources.

A.3.:  Identify and select media forms appropriate for the viewer’s purpose.

Materials/Resources:

      Picture handout for each student

      Enlarged picture (overhead)

      Overhead projector

      Paper

      Writing Utensil

      www.Poedecoder.com/ essays/raven

This website will serve as a good basis for interpretation ideas, and symbols that not all of the students may consider in their analysis.  This is a teaching tool; it will not be given to the students.

Procedure for Teaching:

PHASE 1-

Students are asked these questions, and are given time to think about the answers. (approx. 5 min)

      What do you see?

      What is it? 

      How many possibilities does it have for looking like something specific?

      What kind of picture is this? (photograph, sketch, clipart, painting, etc.)

      How many things can you see in the picture?

      How old do you think the picture is?

      What could this relate to in class?

      Are there any visual illusions?

      What is the main focus in the picture?

PHASE 2-

Students ask questions to the teacher, but the questions will probably be like: (approx. 10 min)

      Is that a specific kind of bird?

      Who is the statue of?

      Where are they?

      Is it a photo?

      Is this important to a story?

PHASE 3-

Now that you have answers to your “yes/no” questions, and have established that the picture is indeed a raven, you have some more information on the picture that you may not have considered at a first glance.  So, the next question is, what does this raven symbolize, and what are the connotations or denotations that are associated with it?  Also, what do you think that this picture relates to?  Write a short paragraph explaining the answer to these questions and why you decided on the answers.  Make sure you include evidence from the picture and some of the ideas we have discussed in previous classes.  Take time to do that now.  (approx. 15 min)

PHASE 4-

                Can someone please share an answer to one of the questions that you just responded to?  How did you come to those conclusions?  What do you know about ravens, and what do you think this picture relates to?  The common connotations that are associated with such are bird are typically negative.  Can anyone tell me why they are negative?  The common raven is easily tamed, but is mischievous and thievish, and has been popularly regarded as a bird of evil omen and mysterious character.  This brings us to Edgar Alan Poe’s poem titled “The Raven.”  From what we have just discussed, what do you think this poem is going to be about?  For a little background information, Edgar Alan Poe lived from 1809 to 1849.  His grew up without his biological parents, and attended West Point.  He eventually traveled to many cities, working to establish a career.  Poe wrote for magazines and became editor of a few review journals.  He began publishing his stories and gained fame with time.  Poe is a currently remembered as a classic American author known for his science fictions, gothic stories and poems, and detective stories.  Keep this background information in mind when you read “The Raven.”  Also remember to refer to the key elements of mystery, and the inquiry paragraph you just wrote.  This information will aid you in interpreting the poem with more ease.

Student Product:

The student product will be in-omit-responses to the handout of the inquiry picture.

Assessment:

The assessment will be in participation of the discussions and the depth and completeness of the inquiry handout.  The participation will go towards an overall participation grade and the handout will be an in-class assignment.

STUDENT WORKSHEET:

www.poedecoder.com/ essays/ raven

Directions:  Write a short paragraph explaining the answer to these questions and explain why you think so.  Make sure you include evidence from the picture and some of the ideas we have discussed in class. 

What does this raven symbolize, and what are the connotations and denotations that are associated with it?  What does the statue symbolize?  What is the relevance of the Raven resting on the Statue?  What do you think that this picture relates to? 

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LESSON PLAN #4

Lesson Title:                       “A Case of Identity” Showcase

Student:                               Jamie Kaminski

Grade Levels:                    10-12

Time:                                    approximately 45 minutes

Teaching Method:            Role-Play/ Cooperative learning

General Goal:

The general goal of this lesson is for the students to experience the method of role-playing and understand the emotions and strategies involved in mystery and performance.  This will serve as an intermediate  lesson for “A Case of Identity” by, Arthur Conan Doyle.

Learning Objectives:

       Students, in groups, will be able to act out/perform a scene from one of the short stories, using props and costumes.  The performance will be assessed formally and personally (self-assessment).

NJ Core Curriculum Standards:

3.1:         All students will understand and apply the knowledge of sounds, letters, and words in written English to become independent and fluent readers, and will read a variety of materials and texts with fluency and comprehension.

                D.2.:  Use appropriate rhythm, flow, meter, and pronunciation when reading.

                G.8.:  Interpret how literary devices affect reading emotions and understanding.

3.3:         All students will speak in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes.

                D.3.:  Demonstrate effective delivery strategies when speaking.

                D.5.: Modify oral communications through sensing audience confusion, and make impromptu

                          revisions in oral presentation.

                D.6.:  Use a rubric to self-assess and improve oral presentations.

Materials/Resources:

       “A Case of Identity” text

       note paper (optional)

       writing utensil (optional)

       classroom floor (to act out scene)

       scoring rubric

Procedure for Teaching:

1. The Warm-up

                Did you ever want to be in a movie, or want to imitate movie stars?  Some people say phrases like, “Oh that only happens in the movies…” but what about stories?  Do the same events that happen in movies also happen in stories?  Books often serve as the foundation, or the script for many movies and plays.  Can you think of any movies that have been made after books were written?  Off the top of my head, I know that Forrest Gump, Romeo and Juliet, and even the Legend of Sleepy Hollow became movies made relatively recently.  Today you are going to experience what actors do every day.  You are going to get into groups and act out a scene from “A Case of Identity,” where one of you lucky students gets to become the famous Sherlock Holmes.  I hope you all read the story carefully, because you will want to pick out a scene that can be acted out efficiently in the setting that you have to work with. (3 min)

2.  Selecting participants for the role-playing

                Who would be the people involved in acting out a scene like this?

       Sherlock Holmes

       Watson

       Miss Mary Sutherland

       Narrator

       Other roles may be negotiated  (15 min)

3. Preparing the audience to observe the enactment

                When it is your turn to be part of the audience, there are a couple things you should consider beforehand.  Keep in mind that your peers are acting this out according to how they think the scene would have happened, and the characters would have acted.  They may chose to represent the characters in any way they find effective.  Just remember that everyone is given the same task to think about how the scene would have really been like, and then recreate it.  Keep an open-mind and give your respectful attention to your peers. (2 min)

4.  The enactment

                The enactment is based on a scene from the short Sherlock Holmes story.  The students may pick any section of text, but it must be approved, and it must last a duration of about 4 minutes.  The criteria for assessment will be included on a rubric that the students will receive before they do their performances.  (20 min)

5.  Discussion and evaluation

                Audience:

       Summarize what the actors did.

       Why do you think they did these things…?

       How did it make you feel?

       What would you have done differently?

Actors:

       Why did you do what you did?

       Did you think about this beforehand?

       What would you have done differently?

       Are you satisfied with your performance?

Class as a whole:

       What were the emotions involved in the scene?

       Would you have wanted to live through this situation? Why?

       What clues did Sherlock Holmes use to solve the mystery?

       What types of questions did Holmes ask?

       What was Watson’s role in the plot?

       What kind of character was Miss Mary Sutherland?

       What was the mystery?

       What conclusions can you draw from the performances today? (5 min)

Student Product:

The products are the performance and the self-assessment rubric. The homework assignment of the re-written ending will be the at home product.

Assessment:

Assessment will be both formal and informal.  There will be scores based on the scoring rubric for the performance, the active role of the audience, and the discussion questions afterwards.  The performance rubric will be weighted more than the audience role and discussion participation.  There will also be a homework assignment in which the students will be required to creatively rewrite the conclusion of the story, changing the solution and the outcome to be their own ideas as to how the story should end.  They must make the ending realistic in the sense that the teacher could ask them to act it out at the next class period.  This will be graded on creativeness, completeness, clarity, and grammar.

STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

LESSON PLAN #5

Lesson Title:                       Concept Mapping, & Compare & Contrast of all 5 Texts

Time:                                    Approximately 45 minutes

Teaching Method:            Technology, Compare & Contrast, Cooperative Learning

General Goals:

The students will recognize the connections, similarities and differences between all of the texts in the unit, and will be able to apply their computer skills to creating an Inspiration® Web.

Learning Objectives:

       Students will be able to creatively and accurately create an Inspiration® web for all five texts, demonstrating their understanding of each of the texts and the elements of mystery.

       Students will be able to make valid connections between the five texts and other previously read texts.

NJ Core Curriculum Standards:

3.1.:        All students will understand and apply the knowledge of sounds, letters, and words in written English to become independent and fluent readers and will read a variety of materials and texts with fluency and comprehension.

E.3.:  Judge the most effective graphic organizers to use with various text types for memory retention and monitoring comprehension.

G.10.:  Distinguish between essential and non-essential information

G.13.:  Analyze how an authors’ use of words creates tone and mood, and how choice of words advances the theme or purpose of the work.

H.5.:  Apply information gained from several sources or books on a single topic or by a single author to foster an argument, draw conclusions, or advance a position.

3.5:         All students will access, view, evaluate, and respond to print, nonprint, and electronic texts and resources.

C.1.:  Use print and electronic media texts to explore human relationships, new ideas, and aspects of culture.

Materials/Resources:

       Five short stories

       PowerPoint Handout (from first lesson plan)

       Writing utensil

       Computer Lab (computers & printers)

       Projector w/ computer connection & screen

       Inspiration®

       Microsoft Word

Procedure for Teaching:

1.             Initiation:

                After reading all five stories, I think you all have a good understanding of the theme of mystery

in literature, and the elements that make a mystery exactly that.  You all should still have the PowerPoint presentation handout from the first lesson in the unit, and you can take those out to use in this next activity.  What could you possibly do with those handouts, and the computers in front of you?  There are many programs that educational institutions offer to facilitate technology education among students.  One of these programs is Inspiration®.  This program serves as a devise to use for concept mapping.  Today, you are going to pair up and make a concept map of the information from the five stories, and then, using Microsoft Word, you are going to create a compare and contrast table based on your application of the story information.

2.             Process:

1.       Take students to computer lab (or have students meet there)

2.       Take attendance

3.       Have students sit at a computer, but do not allow them to turn them on yet

4.       Initiation

5.       Students may turn on/log on to computers (5 min)

6.       Introduce Inspiration® on the projector screen on your computer Why is this bar here?

7.       Students will follow along on their computers, while watching your screen

8.       Explain Inspiration®  (10 min)

9.       Ask for questions

10.    Give assignment

11.    Pair students randomly

12.    Allow 20 minutes to create Inspiration® Web

13.    Print out webs

14.    Show students how to make a table in Word (5 min)

15.    Assign the Word table for homework (if the students do not have access to a computer at home, they may recreate theirs on paper.)

16.    Closure

3.             Closure:

                What did you learn today about computer programs?  Would you like to use Inspiration® in the future?  In using this computer program you have also reviewed the material from the stories you have read in previous classes.  On top of simply reviewing the information, you have created webs to help you remember it, and study it for the test.  You will create the tables for homework, which will help you to connect the texts and review the main ideas.  In this one class period, think of how much you have accomplished.  And on top of that, did you have fun doing it?

Student Product:

The student products will be the Inspiration® webs and the compare and contrast table.

Assessment:

This lesson will be assessed in a couple forms.  The first would be the Inspiration® web that the students create.  This will be graded for clarity and completeness.  The second assessment will be on the compare and contrast table, and it will be graded based on the same elements as the concept web.  The third assessment will be on the final test, to see if the students used the information that they added into their concept maps, and if they retained the information from reading.

                                                        ASSESSMENT LIST