Language and Power Mini Unit Plan-Katie Nolt

1. Introduction/ General Information

a. Unit Title/Theme: Language and Power- how people use language to
develop a unique voice
b. Areas of interdisciplinary integration:
i. Linguistics- students will be asked to challenge assumptions they
hold about language
ii. Sociology- students will look at how societal conventions and
prejudices effect language use and perceptions
c. Grade level: 9th Grade Language Arts
d. Introduction: In this unit students will be given a number of writing
samples and literature that contain a variety of dialects and voices.
Through class discussion and personal writing reflections, students will be
asked to draw conclusions about the role of an authors unique voice in
writing and why its important for authors to be authentic in their writing.
In addition, students will be challenged to examine and identify prejudices
and assumptions held about language and voice in society. Whose voices
are heard? Whose voices are held as less important? Why is there a
distinction?
e. Unit Rationale: This unit is important because it forces students to
challenge their own ideas about language and the speakers of language.
Students are going to be entering into a diverse society with people who
hold different beliefs, values, and cultural practices. They will also
encounter people who speak and communicate differently than them.
With this in mind, it is important as educators to prepare them to be openminded and culturally aware citizens. These students have the power to
continue or to eradicate linguistic prejudice and it is vital to develop
curriculum that addresses these issues. (Zuidema, 667) It is also
important to help them to identify and appreciate their own unique voices.
These voices will be the next to shape and change the world. Christensen
argues, Rather than banning students home languages from the
classroom through correction, we can use literature study to teach students
to respect and value languages from diverse communities, including their
own.(11)
2.

Academic Standards/ Assessment Anchors:

a. Standard: CC.1.3.9-10D: Determine an authors point of view and
analyze how rhetoric advances the point of view
i. Anchor: L.F.2: Analyzing and interpreting literature fiction
b. Standard CC. 1.3.9-10F: Analyze how words and phrases shape meaning
and tone in texts
i. Anchor: L.F.2: Analyzing and interpreting literature fiction
c. Standard CC. 1.4.9-10H: Write with a sharp distinct focus identifying
topic, task, and audience. Introduce the precise claim
i. Anchor: C.P. 1: Writing to Persuade- Persuasion

d. Standard CC. 1.4.9X: Write routinely over extended time frames (time
for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
setting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific tasks
e. Standard CC. 1.5.9-10A: Initiate and participate effectively in arrange of
collaborative discussions on grade level topics, texts and issues, building
on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively
3.

Unit Goals
a. Upon completion of this unit students will be able to,
i. Define and explain key vocabulary such as: voice, dialect,
colloquialism, and Standard American English (SAE)
ii. Locate regional dialects of the United States on an isogloss map
and be able to identify the patterns of regional dialects of the
United States
iii. Identify key dialectal features within literature
iv. Explain in oral and written form, the role of voice and dialect in
literature

4. Pre-Assessment
a. In order to assess students knowledge of the instructional objectives, they
will complete an informal journaling activity. Students will be asked the
following questions:
i. What is dialect?
ii. Who speaks a dialect?
iii. What is Standard American English?
iv. Is there a correct way to speak?
b. After reading students journal entries, I will make adjustments to the
lesson plans based on students pre-understanding of the topic
5. Differentiated Learning Rationale
a. There will be students with special needs in my classroom
i. Although it is hard to anticipate specific needs and adaptations of
specific students, I have provided my students with note packets.
These packets help students to be aware of what they need to
know. It also will help students that struggle to keep up during the
lecture-based instruction.
b. Anticipated class size is within 20-25 students
i. Class discussions will be complimented by journal activities in
order to ensure that all students have adequate time to process and
express ideas
c. There will be students from different race and ethnic groups in my
classroom
i. Literature and dialects studied in this unit are from people of
varying racial, ethnic, and dialectal groups

Lesson Plan 1: Language Basics

1. Conceptual Unit Goals
a. Define and explain key vocabulary such as: voice, dialect,
colloquialism, and Standard American English (SAE)
2. Lesson Objectives
a. Given a list of key vocabulary, students will be able to define the key
terms of the unit
b. Given a list of key vocabulary, students will be able to provide
illuminating examples for each term
c. At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be to explain the
difference between dialect and accent
3. Motivational Device
a. Class Discussion- Share thoughts and ideas from pre-assessment
journal entry
i. What is dialect?
ii. Who speaks a dialect?
iii. What is Standard American English?
iv. Is there a correct way to speak?
4. Standards
a. Standard CC. 1.4.9X: Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a
single setting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific tasks
b. Standard CC. 1.5.9-10A: Initiate and participate effectively in
arrange of collaborative discussions on grade level topics, texts and
issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively
5. Materials
a. Writing Journals and Note Packet
6. Technology
a. Computer, PowerPoint, Projector/Smart board
7. Lesson Outline
a. Activity One (30 minutes)
i. PowerPoint presentation of key vocabulary- students will be
asked to write definitions and examples of each vocabulary
word in their note packet (See attached)
1. Dialect
2. Accent
3. Dialect vs. Accent

4. Pronunciation
5. Lexicon
6. Colloquialism
7. Grammar
8. Speech Communities
9. Jargon
10. Standard American English
b. Activity Two (10 minutes)
i. Small Group Discussion
1. Students will brainstorm with a partner to come up with
examples of variances in pronunciation, lexicon, and
grammar across different dialect groups.
2. They will also discuss different speech communities
they are a part of and list jargon or vocabulary that are
unique to that specific speech community
8. Assessment
a. Ticket out the Door (5 minutes)
i. Students will be asked to provide one example of variance in
pronunciation, lexicon, or grammar.
ii. They also must provide an example of a speech community and
jargon used by that speech community
9. Homework
a. Students must complete a one-page journal entry on the importance of
jargon or specific vocabulary for a speech community. Why is it
important? How does it add to group identity? How might jargon be a
negative thing? Students may focus on one specific speech
community or they may talk about speech communities in general.
10. Differentiated Learning Activity
a. Learning Styles
i. There will be a combination of auditory, visual, kinesthetic,
verbal learners, etc. in my classroom. In order to provide for
each unique learner, I have differentiated instruction
1. Auditory learners- I will discuss vocabulary and
concepts orally
2. Visual learners- I will provide a PowerPoint
Presentation and a note packet during the lecture
3. Kinesthetic Learners- Class discussions and journaling
will help these students to engage and stay on task
4. Verbal learners- Time for class discussion will help
these students to process and understand the materi

Katie Nolt 12/10/14 11:08 AM

Comment [1]: Here I am asking students
to share about the cultural and ethnic
groups they are a part of. I am fulfilling
NCTE standard 2.2 Fosters Familiarity
with students own/others culture

Katie Nolt 12/10/14 11:12 AM

Comment [2]: Here I am asking students
to think critically about different groups and
why they may speak or do things the way
that they do. I am fulfilling NCTE standard
4.4 Promotes Respect and Support for
differences

Lesson Plan 2: Dialect in the United States

1. Conceptual Unit Goals
a. Define and explain key vocabulary such as: voice, dialect,
colloquialism, and Standard American English (SAE)
b. Explain in written form, the role of voice and dialect in literature
2. Lesson Objectives
a. Given a map of the United States, students will be able to locate key
dialectal regions of the United States
b. At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able define the terms:
dialect regions, isogloss maps, prestigious dialects, and stigmatized
dialects.
c. At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able explain, verbally
or orally, the benefits and limitations of isogloss maps.
3. Motivational Device
a. Video-US Language Attitudes (3:58):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kW3K3OclnE
4. Standards
a. Standard CC. 1.4.9X: Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a
single setting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific tasks
b. Standard CC. 1.5.9-10A: Initiate and participate effectively in
arrange of collaborative discussions on grade level topics, texts and
issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively
5. Materials
a. Map of the United States, colored pencils to shade regions, To Kill a
Mockingbird novels or paper handouts of text
6. Technology
a. Computer, Projector/Smart board, laptop cart
7. Lesson Outline
a. Activity One (5 minutes)
i. Independent activity1. Given a map of the United States, students will identify
where they believe dialect regions are located. They
will also write down patterns of those dialect regions.
(See attached)
2. Students will then take turns labeling the regions on the
Smart board.

b. Activity Two (20 minutes)

i. Lecture1. After students are done labeling the regions on the
Smart board, I will show them an actual isogloss map
of the United States
a. What is the purpose of an isogloss map?
b. What are dialect regions?
c. What are the limitations of an isogloss region?
d. Why cant we identify each region accurately?
2. We will then go through each region and identify some
key features of the regions
c. Activity Three (20 minutes)
i. Discussion
1. Partner Discussion and response
a. What are the dangers of labeling specific dialect
regions?
b. What does it mean to be prestigious?
c. Are there dialects that are seen as more
prestigious than others? What dialects are they?
d. Are there dialects that are stigmatized or seen as
less intelligent? What dialects are they?
e. Why do you think these distinctions about
different dialects exist?
2. Class discussiona. Students will synthesis what they discussed with
their partner and share it with the class.
Students are free to debate or offer up counter
arguments to peers ideas
8. Assessment
a. Participation-Students will be assessed based on their participation in
the partner and class discussion. They will be assessed based on their
involvement and understanding of the key components of the lesson
9. Homework
a. In preparation for Lesson 3, students will read chapters 5-6 of To Kill a
Mockingbird
10. Differentiated Learning Activity
a. Limited English Proficiency (LEP)- In order to account for students
in the classroom with LEP, I have provided a two-part discussion
activity. The first is with a partner and the second is with the whole
class. I will pair these students with students that have English
proficiency. The discussions in small groups will allow these students
to learn from peers as well as gain confidence in their answers. I will
also be walking around during this time to answer questions.

Lesson 3: Voice and Dialect in Literature

1. Conceptual Unit Goal
a. Identify key dialectal features within literature
b. Explain in oral and written form, the role of voice and dialect in literature
2. Lesson Objectives
a. Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to explain the
importance of voice and dialect in literature
b. Given the text, students will be able to identify dialectal patterns and
lexicon within the literature
c. Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to identify certain
situations where Standard American English would be inappropriate
3. Motivational Device
a. Video: How and why we read (6 minutes)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSYw502dJNY
4. Standards
a. Standard: CC.1.3.9-10D: Determine an authors point of view and
analyze how rhetoric advances the point of view
i.
Anchor: L.F.2: Analyzing and interpreting literature
fiction
b. Standard CC. 1.3.9-10F: Analyze how words and phrases shape meaning
and tone in texts
5. Materials
a. Dialect worksheet, To Kill a Mockingbird, Journals
6. Technology
a. Computer, Projector
7. Lesson Outline
a. Class Discussion (10 minutes)
i.
Response to video questions:
ii.
What does reading and writing allow us to do?
iii.
Why is language and voice important?
iv.
What is the danger of using unauthentic or unoriginal
language?
b. Group Work (15 minutes)
i. Students will work together to complete the To Kill a
Mockingbird: Dialect and Voice Worksheet (see attached)
ii. They will translate selected passages from the novel to their
own modern dialect

iii. The groups will then share their translations with the class.
c. Class Discussion (15 minutes)
i. What would have happened if Harper Lee had used all
Standard American English in this novel?
ii. What would have been lost if he had?
iii. What does the dialogue and language reveal about the
characters and the setting?
iv. How can we relate the video we watched in the beginning of
class to the novel?
v. Looking at page 56-57, when does the Lee use SAE and
when does he deviate from SAE?
8. Assessment
a. Ticket out the Door- (4 minutes)-Students will write down a time or
situation that writing in SAE would be inappropriate.
9. Homework
a. Journal Entry- Students will expand upon their ticket out the door topic
by answering the following questions
i. Why would it be inappropriate?
ii. What would be lost if you wrote in SAE?
iii. How might your audience respond?
10. Differentiated Learning Activity
1. Socio-economic status- I will have students of varying socio-economic
statuses. By reading literature with characters that interact with people of
differing economic statuses, it will provide a place to dialogue about social
issues and equality in society.

Lesson 4: Voice and Dialect in Literature 2

1. Conceptual Unit Goals
a. Upon completion of this unit students will be able to, identify key dialectal
features within literature
b. Upon completion of this unit students will be able to explain in oral and
written form, the role of voice and dialect in literature
2. Lesson Objectives
a. Given the text, students will be able to read and analyze the use of voice
and language in the text
b. Given a journal prompt, students will be able to articulate how society
effects language learning
3. Motivational Devices (5 minutes)
a. Some students will share their journal entries about SAE and its
appropriateness and inappropriateness in certain situations
4. Standards
a. Standard: CC.1.3.9-10D: Determine an authors point of view and
analyze how rhetoric advances the point of view
ii.
Anchor: L.F.2: Analyzing and interpreting literature
fiction
b. Standard CC. 1.3.9-10F: Analyze how words and phrases shape meaning
and tone in texts
5. Materials
a. Copies of poems, highlighters, journals
6. Technology
a. None
7. Lesson Outline
a. Class Reading (10 minutes)
i. Read aloud, Elena and Learning English: Chorus in Many Voices
by Pat Mora
ii. Students will be asked to follow along as others read and highlight
lines of the poems that stick out to them.
b. Class Discussion (15 minutes)-Students will be expected to take notes on
their Literature Handout (see attached)
i. Learning English: Chorus in Many Voices
1. What is this poem about?
2. What are themes in this poem?

Katie Nolt 12/10/14 11:15 AM

Comment [3]: In this unit I am asking
students to read and analyze several
different types of writing. Through this
activity, I am fulfilling NCTE standard 3.5
Knows/uses extensive range of literature

3. Who is the speaker?

4. What is unique about the language, capitalization, and
pronunciation in this poem?
5. How do these features emphasize the themes in the poem?
6. How would using Standard American English change or
detract from the meaning of this poem?
ii. Elena
1. How does the speaker feel about language?
2. How does she use Spanish to enhance the meaning of the
poem?
3. What kinds of language and syntactic structure does she
use?
4. How do these features add to the authenticity of the
speakers voice?
5. How is language viewed in this poem?
6. Why might the speakers husband not want her to learn
English?
7. Why does she feel that she needs to learn English?
8. Thematically, what do these two poems have in common?
c. Journaling and Reflection (20 minutes)- Students will be asked to
answer the following questions with personal experiences and examples
from the text
i. The speaker in both of these poems felt pressure to speak and
pronounce words correctly when learning English.
1. Why did she feel pressure?
2. Why was this pressure so devastating for her?
3. Have you ever felt pressure to speak in a certain way?
4. How did this make you feel about language and about
communicating?
8. Assessment
a. Journal Entries
i. Students will be assessed through their journal entries. I will be
checking to make sure that students back up their responses to the
questions with examples from the poems.
9. Homework
a. Review and Brainstorming- Student will be responsible for reviewing all
notes and journal entries compiled throughout the unit. They should also
begin to brainstorm about a topic for their final project
10. Differentiated Learning Activity
a. a. Gender- Race/Ethnicity- There will be students in my classroom that
are from varying racial and ethnic backgrounds. In order to provide a
culturally diverse and stimulating environment, we are reading literature

Katie Nolt 12/10/14 11:17 AM

Comment [4]: Here I am trying to get
students to think about how language
operates and functions in society. By doing
this I am fulfilling NCTE Standard 4.7
Emphasizes varied purposes for
language

that depicts a wide range of characters from different racial and ethnic
groups.
Lessons 5-7: Final Language Project
1. Conceptual Unit Goals
a. Explain in oral and written form, the role of voice and dialect in
literature
2. Lesson Objectives
a. Students will be able to recall unit topics and use them to develop a
unique language project
b. Given various resources, students will be able to complete a final
project that is pertinent to the unit
3. Motivational Devices
a. Review key concepts of the Unit including (10 minutes):
i. Dialect/ Language vocabulary
ii. Dialect regions
iii. Voice in literature
iv. The use of dialect in To Kill a Mockingbird
v. Standard American English
vi. Speakers in Pat Mora poems
vii. Societal language pressure
4. Standards
a. Standard: CC.1.3.9-10D: Determine an authors point of view
and analyze how rhetoric advances the point of view
i. Anchor: L.F.2: Analyzing and interpreting literature
fiction
b. Standard CC. 1.3.9-10F: Analyze how words and phrases shape
meaning and tone in texts
i. Anchor: L.F.2: Analyzing and interpreting literature
fiction
c. Standard CC. 1.4.9-10H: Write with a sharp distinct focus
identifying topic, task, and audience. Introduce the precise claim
i. Anchor: C.P. 1: Writing to Persuade- Persuasion
d. Standard CC. 1.4.9X: Write routinely over extended time frames
(time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames
(a single setting or a day or two for a range of discipline-specific
tasks
e. Standard CC. 1.5.9-10A: Initiate and participate effectively in
arrange of collaborative discussions on grade level topics, texts and
issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly
and persuasively

5. Materials
a. scratch paper, colored pencils
6. Technology
a. Projector, PowerPoint presentation, laptop cart
7. Lesson Outline
a. Explanation of final project (10 minutes)
i. Expectations
ii. Guideline (see attached)
iii. Deadlines
iv. Answer Questions
b. Independent Work (20 minutes)
i. Students will then begin their projects. They are free to use
the laptops or other resources throughout the room
ii. I will be walking around the room to answer questions and
make sure that everyone is on task
8. Assessment
a. Final Project- the assessment of this lesson will be the final
project that will be due a week from this lesson. Students will be
given three days total to work on the project in class.
9. Homework
a. Final Project- Students will be expected to work on their projects
outside of class in order to ensure that they can finish it in a timely
manner.
10. Differentiated Learning Activity
a. Learning Styles/ Special Needs- In order to accommodate
students with different learning styles and special needs, I have
developed project guidelines that are diverse. Students can pick
and choose what they would like to focus on and they are not
limited to writing an essay. The time to work on the project in
class will also allow me to assist and motivate students that need it.

Name______________________________

Date______________________________

Unit 1: Language and Power

Lesson 1: Language Basics
Vocabulary
1.Dialect__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. Accent_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. Pronunciation__________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. Lexicon________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. Colloquialism
______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
6. Grammar______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
7. Speech Community
_____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
8. Jargon_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

9. Standard American English (SAE)_______________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Examples of Vocabulary:
1. Dialect2. Accent3. Pronunciation4. Lexicon5. Colloquialism6. Grammar7. Speech Communities8. Jargon9. Standard American English-

Name____________________________________

Date______________________________________

Unit: Language and Power

Lesson 2: Dialects in the United States
Dialect Regions

Directions: On the map draw lines and label dialect regions of the United States. Be
sure to support your estimates with patterns or features of that dialect region.

Name_____________________________ Date___________________________
Unit: Language and Power
Lesson: Voice and Dialect in LiteratureTo Kill a Mockingbird
Directions: Read the lines taken from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird below. Then
translate these lines into your own dialect. It is ok to have different translations
among your group. Be sure to translate into actual speech.

1. You look right puny for going on seven.________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________.
2. Mr. Radley must have scared them out of their wit. _______________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
3. I think your dress is mighty becoming.__________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
4. No need to be afraid of him son, since hes all bluff._______________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
5. Dont let me catch you remarkin on their ways like you was so high and
mighty _______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.
6. I was on the verge of leavin-I done done my time for this year.______________
_______________________________________________________________________.
7. When summer comes youll have to keep your head about far worse things.
_______________________________________________________________________.
8. Dont you fret.______________________________________________________.
9. Dont have any picture shows here, except Jesus ones in the courthouse
sometimes. ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________.
10. Atticus aint never whipped me since I can remember and I plan to keep it that
way. _________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________.

Name__________________________

Date__________________________

Unit: Language and Power

Lesson 4: Voice and Dialect in Literature:
Poems by Pat Mora
Note Packet
Learning English: Chorus in Many Voices
1. What is this poem about?

2. What are themes in this poem?

3. Who is the speaker?

4. What is unique about the language, capitalization, and pronunciation in

this poem?

5. How do these features emphasize the themes in the poem?

6. How would using Standard American English change or detract from the
meaning of this poem?

Elena
1. How does the speaker feel about language?

2. How does she use Spanish to enhance the meaning of the poem?

3. What kinds of language and syntactic structure does she use?

4. How do these features add to the authenticity of the speakers voice?

5. How is language viewed in this poem?

6. Why might the speakers husband not want her to learn English?

7. Why does she feel that she needs to learn English?

8. Thematically, what do these two poems have in common?

Katie Nolt 12/10/14 11:27 AM

Comment [5]: Here I am asking students
to think critically about language and how
language functions socially and culturally in
society. Here I am fulfilling NCTE Standard
2.5 Connects to
sociocultural/educational developments

Name______________________________ Date________________________________
Unit: Language and Power
Final Project Guidelines
In order to complete your final project you must review the material from this unit.
Question you may ask yourself while brainstorming for ideas

What have I learned about language?

What is Standard American English? How does it function in
society? What should its role be in society?
What are dialects? What makes some dialects more prestigious?
How do these new concepts change my ideas about language?
How does some of the literature we read during this unit relate to
experiences Ive had?
How might some of these topics effect how I respond to others
use of language?
What aspects of my voice or dialect am I less likely to express to
other people? Why is that I feel I cant use my voice in writing or
other avenues?
What is the relationship between language and culture?

The above questions are just some topics you may choose to explore for your final
project. The goal of this project is to synthesize and apply the material from this unit. It
is important that you pull information from the notes, class discussions, and journal
entries. You can also supplement your project with additional resources.
How do you display the information you have found?

Write a poem about language or voice

Write a persuasive essay
Write a short story or drama utilizing different dialect patterns
Create a brochure
Create short film about language variation
Compare and contrast the poems we read

The above are just some of the options you may choose to use. You are welcome to think
outside of these ideas. Just make sure that your knowledge of the subject is made clear
through your project.
Deadlines: Topic and Project Idea by October 10th
Final Project Due: October 18th

Sources
Christensen, Linda. "Finding Voice: Learning about Language and Power." Voices from
the middle 18.3 (2011): 9. Print.
Department of Linguistics The Ohio State University. "Theories of Language Acquistion."
Language Files. Eds. Anouschka Bergmann, Kathleen Currie Hall, and Sharon
Miriam Ross. 10th ed.The Ohio State University Press, 2007. 311. Print.
Lee, Harper. "Chapter 5." To Kill a Mockingbird. Warner Books ed. Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania: Harper and Row Publishers, 1960. 41. Print.
Mora, Pat. "Elena." My Own True Name: New and Selected Poems for Young Adults.
Houston, Texas: Arte Pblico Press, 2000. 40. Print
Mora, Pat. "Learning English: Chorus in Many Voices." My Own True Name: New and
Selected Poems for Young Adults. Houston, Texas: Arte Pblico Press, 2000. 41.
Print.
"Standards Focus: Dialect and Slang." Elbakry English. 2007.Web.
<http://www.elbakryenglish.com/uploads/1/3/3/2/13323909/dialect__slang.pdf>.
Zuidema, Leah A. "Myth Education: Rationale and Stratgies for Teaching Against
Linguistic Prejudice." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 48.8 (2005): 666.
Print.