21st Century Learner Standards Collaboration Planning Sheet

Grade Level:

11

Teacher/Team:

Content area(s): American Literature

Schumacher/LMS

Unit(s) of Study: Universal Themes

Planning Date: 10/2/11

Timeline: 11/24 12/18

Content Standards/Benchmarks/Indicators: Reading 1.2 TSW locate, evaluate, and use primary and secondary resources.
Reading 1.4 TSW analyze literature to identify stated or implied themes. Reading 1.7 TSW analyze literary works. Writing 2.1 TSW
write using standard English conventions. Writing 2.2 TSW write compositions with focus, related ideas, and supporting details,
citing sources as necessary. Writing 2. 5 TSW demonstrate the ability to self-generate questions, summarize, outline, and take
notes. Speaking 3.2 TSW deliver an oral presentation that demonstrates consideration of audience, purpose, and information.
21st Century Learner
1. Inquire, think
2. Draw conclusions,
3. Share knowledge and 4. Pursue personal and
Standards
critically, and gain
make informed
participate ethically and aesthetic growth.
knowledge.
decisions, apply
productively as
(Type standard, strand, and
knowledge to new
members of our
indicator in rectangles below,
situations, and create
democratic society.
e.g., 1.1.1)
new knowledge.
Strands
Skills
Dispositions in Action
Responsibilities
Self-Assessment Str.

1.1.1;
1.2.2;
1.3.1;
1.4.1;

1.1.6
1.2.5
1.3.3; 1.3.5
1.4.3

2.1.1; 2.1.3; 2.1.6

2.2.1; 2.2.4
2.3.1
2.4.2;

Learning Activities/Projects:
1. Introduction of project guidelines & class
discussion on themes in literature
2. Direction in the selection of a book to be read
independently in the next two weeks
3. Direction in the use of google.docs for use as an
online book response journal & discussion with
English teacher & LMS. The journal will be a
discussion point from which the student can
determine the theme of his/her choice & the
question he/she has about that theme & the
method of presentation.
4. Search for real-life event/s that reflect the theme
shown in the literature.
5. Time to prepare PowerPoint, Imovie, or Prezi
presentation in class.

3.1.1
3.2.1
3.4.1; .3.4.2

Materials/Resources Needed:
1. Whiteboard/dry erase markers
2. A book written by an American
author
3. Google.com account/access to the
computer lab to create account &
begin journal
4. Elibrary/Wilson Web/other online
databases. Current publications in
the library.
5.

Access to the computer lab/Internet

4.1.5; 4.1.7
4.3.1
4.4.3
Person(s) Responsible:
1. English teacher
2. English teacher/LMS
3. English teacher/
LMS

4. English teacher/LMS

5. English teacher

How will we assess learning?

The presentation of thematic information and connection to the world will be graded using the archdiocesan
standard assessment rubric (classroom teacher). The information literacy standards will be evaluated using
the information literacy checklist (library media specialist).

Comments/Evaluation of Unit:
Created by Sherry R. Crow Courtesy Colorado Springs District 11; adapted 2008

Materials
Books

Twain, Mark

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

The Perfection Form Company

1979

Steinbeck, John

Of Mice and Men

Penguin Books

1993

OBrien, Tim

The Things They Carried

Houghton Mifflin

1990

Kesey, Ken

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest

Signet

1963

Individual books written by American authors and selected by the students for reading independently during the two week time period given.
Shakespeare, William

Hamlet

Signet Classics

1999

Magazines
Time, Newsweek, Nebraska Life, Readers Digest, Catholic Digest, and any other magazines available in the St. Francis Library
Web Sites
www.google.com
http://nebraskaccess.ne.gov
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
http://prezi.com
Computer Programs
Microsoft Power Point
Apple IMovie

The Instruction Process

This project is a culmination of the English 11 class.

In their senior year, students can take either the regular English 12 class or a college English course for dual credit. We must assess their skills before
they graduate (according to archdiocesan Catholic school standards), so we do this in 11th grade before the class splits up into two separate courses.
Step 1: We discuss theme in class as a group, listing possible themes on the board and using the literature weve read together as a basis for
discussion. We will also talk about real life situations in which many of the themes can be seen. We will use their knowledge of history and current
events as a basis for this discussion.
Step 2: Students will go to the library to select individual books to read.
Step 3: Students will go to the library set up an account on google.com and create a document entitled English 11 Journal. They will allow me
access to this document so that I can respond to their journal entries. Students will be informed that they will have two weeks to read the book, with
some time provided each day in class for reading &/or journaling on googledocs. They will be given a handout for the journal requirements.
Step 4: Students will be informed that the end product will be a PowerPoint, Prezi, or IMovie in which they show the ways that the same themes
that exist in literature also exist in real-life situations. They will be informed that the presentations will show their cumulative learning of the skills
and be presented with the skills/standards that will be assessed.
Step 5: Once the two weeks of reading time has passed, we will move into the next phase of the assignment, which is for the student to create the
final product. Students will be given to research real-life situations that also show the theme they choose for their presentation. They will journal on
these as well, allowing me access to their journals. A minimum of two will be included in the presentation with proper source citations given.
Step 6: Students will present their final product to the class. The LMS and principal will be invited to attend the presentations.
The LMS will check off the Information Literacy Standards as the students are completing their projects in the library computer lab.
The English teacher will assess the archdiocesan standards and grade the project during the presentation and after if a relook is necessary.

Information Literacy Standards Checklist

21st Century Learner Standards
Class: English 11
Project: Theme as it Relates to Life
Students

Tasks
Students will follow an inquiry-based
process in seeking knowledge and make
real-life world connections 1.1.1
Students will read in order to make
inferences and gather meaning 1.1.6
Students will pose questions and
investigate the answers 1.2.1
Students will show adaptability by
changing the inquiry when necessary to
achieve success 1.2.5
Students will respect copyright 1.3.1;
follow ethical/legal guidelines when
gathering information 1.3.3; and use
information technology responsibly
1.3.5
Students will monitor their own
information-seeking process and adapt
as necessary 1.4.1; and seek feedback
from teachers & peers to guide the
process 1.4.3
Students will apply critical thinking
skills to construct new understandings
2.1.1; 2.1.3
Students will use the writing process and
technology skills to express new
understandings 2.1.6
Students
will
adapt
information
strategies and seek additional resources
when clear conclusions cannot be
drawn. 2.2.1
Students

Tasks
Students will complete products to
express learning 2.2.4
Students will connect understanding to
the real world 2.3.1
Students will reflect on systematic
process and assess for completeness of
investigation 2.4.2; reflect on the
learning & the final product 3.1.1, 3.4.1;
3.4.2
Students will formally present ideas
3.2.1
Students will connect ideas own interest
and previous knowledge and experience
4.1.5
Students will use information tools to
share information (googledocs) 4.1.7
Students will participate in the exchange
of ideas in person and electronically
4.3.1
Students will recognize how to focus
efforts in personal learning 4.4.3

Content Standards Assessment Rubric

Class: English 11
Project: Theme as it Relates to Life

Student: ___________________________________________________
Journal entries
One entry is included each day

_______ / 140

10

Entries respond to the daily prompts

10

Personal reflection is included as the final journal entry

10

10

10

12

14

16

18

20

10

10

12

14

16

18

20

10

12

14

16

18

20

Thematic Question
The question is stated clearly in the presentation
Thesis Statement
Answer to the question is stated clearly in thesis statement & included
In presentation
Book/theme
The book and the chosen theme are explained clearly
Quotes (a minimum of two) from the book are used to illustrate the theme
Real life events connection to theme
The real life events are clearly explained
The connection to the theme is shown clearly
Sources
Internal Citations
Sources are cited within the project when referring to a specific source
Reference page
A works cited page is given at the end and it is formatted correctly in
MLA style