Understanding by Design Unit Template

Romeo and Juliet Drama Study 9

Title of Unit Grade Level
ELA 9 (second semester) Exploring Loyalty, 24 days
Subject Love, and Relationships Time Frame
Bryce Bulgis
Developed By

Stage 1 - Identify Desired Results

Broad Areas of Learning

How are the BAL incorporated into this unit?

Students will become lifelong learners as they gain understandings of how to properly and confidently read, write, and speak the English
language, specifically Shakespearean English. They will use these skills throughout their entire lives and to further their understanding of the
English language in future language classes. Students will gain a sense of self, community, and place as they try to understand the struggles
endured by Romeo and Juliet and the familial and locational influences that acted against them. Finally, students will become engaged
citizens as they analyze the power of language and its influence towards relationships, love, and loyalty in the play and how these influences
can lead to dire consequences for everyone involved.
Cross-Curricular Competencies
How will this unit promote the CCC?

This unit will challenge students to develop thinking by exploring and understanding the central issues present in the play: loyalty, love, and
relationships. Students will develop their identities and concepts of interdependence through studying the doomed lovers own struggles with
those ideas and what they could have done differently to avoid their tragic end. Furthermore, students will take a stance at the end of the unit
by voicing their individual opinions about themes in the play via a Socratic Circle class activity. Students will develop literacies by
completing multiple assignments throughout the unit that test their proficiency of basic and complex representation methods. The main goal
of these assignments is to encourage students to think critically and creatively while maintaining a clear message. Finally, students will
develop social responsibility by discussing the events and characters morals in the play to see if there was anything that could or could not
have been done differently to positively contribute to the physical, social, and cultural environments that are present in the play. This
competency will be fully developed when students present their critical scene interpretations at the end of the unit.
Learning Outcomes
What relevant goals will this unit address?
(must come from curriculum; include the designations e.g. IN2.1)
Note: Outcomes that are italicized will be the primary focus of this unit.

CR9.1b View, listen to, read, comprehend, and respond to a variety of texts that address identity (e.g., Exploring Loyalty, Love, and
Relationships), social responsibility (e.g., Equal Opportunity), and efficacy (e.g., Surviving and Conquering).

CR9.2b Select and use appropriate strategies to construct meaning before (e.g., formulating focus questions), during (e.g., adjusting rate to
the specific purpose and difficulty of the text), and after (e.g., analyzing and evaluating) viewing, listening, and reading.

CR9.3b Use pragmatic (e.g., language suitable for intended audience), textual (e.g., authors thesis or argument, how author organized text to
achieve unity, coherence, and effect), syntactic (e.g., parallel structures), semantic/lexical/morphological (e.g., connotation and denotation),
graphophonic (e.g., common spellings and variants for effect or dialect), and other cues (e.g., fonts, colour) to construct and to confirm
meaning.

CR9.5b Listen purposefully to understand, analyze, and evaluate oral information and ideas from a range of texts including directions and
speeches, recognizing train of thought, main points, and presentation techniques.

CR9.8b Read grade 9 appropriate texts to increase fluency and expression (150+wcpm orally; 215-260 silently).

CC9.1b Create various visual, multimedia, oral, and written texts that explore identity (e.g., Exploring Loyalty, Love, and Relationships),
social responsibility (e.g., Equal Opportunity), and efficacy (e.g., Surviving and Conquering).

CC9.3b Select and use appropriate strategies to communicate meaning before (e.g., considering and valuing own observations, experiences,
ideas, and opinions as sources for ideas), during (e.g., shaping and reshaping drafts with audience and purpose in mind), and after (e.g.,
ensuring that all parts support the main idea or thesis) speaking, writing, and other representing activities.

CC9.4b Use pragmatic (e.g., inclusive language that supports people across cultures, genders, ages, and abilities), textual (e.g., strong leads,
coherent body, and effective endings), syntactic (e.g., subordination to show more precisely the relationships between ideas),
semantic/lexical/morphological (e.g., both the denotative and connotative meaning of words), graphophonic (e.g., knowledge of spelling
patterns and rules to identify, analyze, and correct spelling errors), and other cues (e.g., combine print and visuals to enhance presentations) to
construct and to communicate meaning.

CC9.6b Use oral language to interact purposefully, confidently, and appropriately in a variety of situations including participating in one-to-
one, small group, and large group discussions (e.g., prompting and supporting others, solving problems, resolving conflicts, building
consensus, articulating and explaining personal viewpoint, discussing preferences, speaking to extend current understanding, celebrating
special events and accomplishments).

CC9.7b Use oral language intentionally to express a range of information and ideas in formal and informal situations including dramatic
readings of poems, monologues, scenes from plays, and stories and presenting reasoned arguments of opposing viewpoints.
CC9.9b Experiment with a variety of text forms (e.g., debates, meetings, presentations to unfamiliar audiences, poetry, prcis, short script,
advice column, video documentary, comic strip) and techniques (e.g., tone, persona, point of view, imagery, dialogue, figurative language).
AR9.1b Assess personal strengths and needs as a viewer, listener, reader, representer, speaker, and writer and contributions to the community
of learners, and develop goals based on assessment and work toward them.
AR9.2b Assess own and others work for clarity, correctness, and impact.
Enduring Understandings
What understandings about the big ideas are desired? (what you want
students to understand & be able to use several years from now)
What misunderstandings are predictable?
Students will understand that...
People will form many relationships throughout their lives. Some of
these will cause them to grow into better people while others may
prove to be detrimental to who they are and the kind of people they
wish to be. All relationships have moments when people can walk away
from them for the betterment of their lives. However, there may be
other influencing factors that make it difficult for people to end those
relationships, factors such as loyalty to certain people and feelings of
love and happiness with people involved in the relationships.
Related misconceptions
Students may misunderstand how hard it can be for people to abandon
certain relationships that they are in. Others may struggle with the
concept of love and its influence on people because they may be too
young to have experienced true love and passion with other people.
Knowledge:
What knowledge will students acquire as a result of this unit? This
content knowledge may come from the indicators, or might also
address pre-requisite knowledge that students will need for this unit.
Students will know
Outcome: CR9.1b, Indicators:
b. View, listen to, and read a variety of texts related to the theme or
topic of study and show comprehension and demonstrate response by:
Understanding the ideas: Effectively summarize and explain the ideas
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry into the content?
(open-ended questions that stimulate thought and inquiry linked to
the content of the enduring understanding)
Content specific.
Which type of relationship romantic, familial, or friendship is
most important for human beings to have?
Why do people need each other?
What does it mean to be a loyal and true friend?
What does it mean to belong and to be loyal to our family?
What does it mean to be in love?
Why would someone want to leave a relationship?
Skills
What skills will students acquire as a result of this unit? List the
skills and/or behaviours that students will be able to exhibit as a
result of their work in this unit. These will come from the
indicators.
Students will be able to
Outcome: CR9.1b, Indicators:
d. Paraphrase texts content, purpose, and point of view.
e. Describe and give examples to explain personal criteria for
assessing and responding to what is viewed, heard, and read.
in texts; cite details that support the main ideas; make logical
inferences; interpret obvious themes or authors message logically.
Understanding, using, and evaluating the text structures and
(language) features to construct meaning: Evaluate key text features
(e.g., headings, diagrams, paragraphs, plot); evaluate organization and
structural cues (e.g., problem/solution, compare/contrast, cause/effect,
order of importance, time order) within texts; evaluate techniques in
texts (e.g., symbolism, personification, irony, hyperbole, parallelism,
colour, repetition); make thoughtful and critical response to craft in a
variety of texts; identify how texts were constructed, shaped, and
produced.
Responding to and interpreting texts: Offer reactions and opinions
about texts; make, explain, and justify reactions and personal
connections to texts; make explicit and deliberate connections with
previous knowledge and experiences; give opinions and make
judgements supported by reasons, explanations, and evidence; make
judgements and draw conclusions about ideas on the basis of evidence;
make logical interpretations of the authors message; make and support
inferences about characters feelings, motivations, and point of view;
organize response and interpretation around several clear ideas or
premises.
c. View, listen to, read, and respond to a variety of engaging, age-
appropriate texts related to the theme or topic of study that support the
development of critical and creative thinking and analysis skills and
enrich classroom discussion.
Outcome: CR9.3b, Indicators:
a. Recognize and comprehend the particular purpose, intended
audience, register (pragmatic cues), textual structures and patterns
(textual cues), sentence patterns (syntactical), word patterns and
meanings (lexical/semantic/morphological), sound patterns
(graphophonic cues), and other cues in visual, oral, print, and
multimedia (including digital) texts.
b. Use language cues and conventions to construct, monitor, and
f. Identify and explain connections between what is viewed, heard,
and read and personal ideas and beliefs.
l. Determine creators, speakers, writers purpose, attitude, and
perspective.
v. Interpret and report on information from texts viewed, heard, or
read.
Outcome: CR9.2b, Indicator:
a. Use before, during, and after strategies appropriate to text and
purpose.
Outcome: CC9.1b, Indicators:
b. Create and present speeches, writing, and other representations
that feature the following qualities:
Message Content or Ideas (Meaning): Focuses on main ideas and
information for audience and purpose; provides relevant details,
examples, and explanations; is accurate, complete, and uses own
words; shows some individuality or originality in literary texts;
contains ideas and images that create an impact.
Organization and Coherence (Form): Introduces the topic and
purpose; provide context; sticks to the topic; easy to follow with
related ideas grouped together (sequence is logical); uses a variety
of connecting words; creates a logical ending; includes appropriate,
and required text features (e.g., titles, headings, diagrams,
illustrations) is correctly constructed; uses paragraphs that have
main ideas and supporting details.
Language Conventions (Style and Language Choices): Uses
clear purpose and language; shows a good sense of audience;
contains description and variety in diction; contains a variety of
sentence lengths and varied sentence beginnings; demonstrates the
use of several different conjunctions; formulates simple, compound,
confirm meaning including:
Pragmatic: Recognize and understand how language of text was
chosen to suit intended audiences and purposes; recognize and explain
function and purpose of texts including informing, persuading,
narrating, describing; recognize use and register of language (e.g.,
formal, informal, colloquialism, jargon, slang, clichs); detect use of
emotional appeal or persuasive language (e.g., testimonials, emotional
appeals, bandwagon effects); recognize variations in language, accent,
and dialect in community, country, and texts; discern
authors/presenters overall intent.
Textual: Recognize and explain how structures and features of texts
can work to shape understanding including form/genre, artistic devices
(e.g., personification, figurative language including similes and
metaphors, exaggeration, symbolism), elements (e.g., point of view,
conflict, theme, supporting arguments) and text features (e.g., credits,
headings, diagrams, columns, sidebar, pull-quotes); understand range of
standard forms for texts including paragraphs and multi-paragraph
compositions; recognize point of view employed (including third
person) for a particular purpose; recognize organizational patterns
within texts (e.g., chronological, enumerative, procedural,
problem/solution, cause/effect, comparison/contrast); recognize how
language and techniques create a dominant impression, mood, tone,
and style.
Syntactical: Recognize and comprehend sentences that are complete,
and interesting; recognize and comprehend sentence structures
including compound and complex sentences used for variety, interest,
and effect; recognize how effective co-ordination, subordination, and
apposition of ideas make sentences clear and varied; recognize parallel
structure or balanced sentences; recognize active (versus) passive
verbs; recognize effective capitalization and punctuation including
periods, commas, semicolons, quotation marks, colons, dashes, and
hyphens.
Semantic/Lexical/Morphological: Recognize and comprehend words
that are appropriate for audience, purpose, and context and capture a
particular aspect of intended meaning; recognize and interpret the
and complex sentences (avoiding run-ons and fragments); applies
the conventions of oral and written language, including correct
spelling, correct punctuation (including use of colon, dash, and
hyphen), syntactically complete and correct sentences (avoiding
run-ons and fragments), uses legible cursive handwriting and clear
representations which are visually accurate, legible, and neatly
presented.
c. Create original texts to communicate and demonstrate
understanding of forms and techniques.
d. Use speaking, writing, and other forms of representing to
respond to experiences and to texts.
Outcome: CC9.3b, Indicator:
b. Progress through stages/phases of the creating process (i.e.,
before [pre-], during [drafting], and after [revising] presenting) as
needed.
Outcome: CC9.6b, Indicators:
a. Use talk to explore own and others ideas and to express
understanding.
b. Read aloud short prose passages to support a point.
c. Participate in dramatic speaking experiences such as role plays
and dramatic readings.
d. Give oral presentations to different audiences for various
purposes, such as summaries, narratives, persuasive topics, inquiry
projects, and impromptu and dramatic speeches.
e. Demonstrate respect for the needs, rights, and feelings of others.
f. Establish a controlling impression or coherent thesis that conveys
a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject and maintain a
consistent tone and focus through the presentation.
denotative and connotative meaning of words; use context, prefixes,
suffixes, root words, sounds, and reference tools including dictionaries,
thesauri, and handbooks to determine meaning of words; use the
knowledge of Indigenous, Norse, Greek, Roman, and other narratives
to understand the origin and meaning of words.
Outcome: CR9.5b, Indicators:
a. Demonstrate effective, active listening behaviours including listening
with clearly identified purpose in mind; adapting listening and focus to
purpose and situation; keeping an open mind and considering ideas that
differ from own; making notes to assist recall and inquiry; recognizing
overall organization, transition cues, and key ideas and issues;
interacting appropriately for clarification; recalling and summarizing
main ideas and conclusions.
b. Examine others ideas in discussion to extend own understanding.
c. Demonstrate an understanding of the main ideas, events, issues, or
themes in a variety of oral, literary, and informational texts.
d. Participate constructively in individual conversations, and small
group and whole class discussion and debate.
e. Recognize the effects of significant verbal and non-verbal language
in effective communication.
g. Analyze the speakers viewpoint and argument for validity and
supporting evidence.
h. Enhance understanding by discussing interpretations with others.
i. Ask probing questions to elicit information including evidence to
support presenters claims and conclusions.
k. Evaluate the overall effectiveness of an oral or multimedia
presentation.
Outcome: CR9.8b, Indicators:
g. Support a position acknowledging opposing views.
h. Organize ideas in appropriate format and sequence ideas and
information clearly and logically.
i. Move smoothly and logically from one point to another.
j. Adjust language and tone to suit audience, purpose, and situation.
k. Adjust volume, tone, pitch, and pace of speech to create effect
and enhance communication.
l. Use gestures, facial expressions, visual aids, and other non-verbal
cues effectively to enhance meaning of talk.
m. Hold audiences attention.
n. Present ideas and opinion in response to a topic or presentation.
o. Apply rules for co-operative or whole class debate and discussion
on controversial issues.
p. Solve a problem or understand a task through group co-
operation.
q. Define group roles using consensus to ensure task is understood
and completed.
r. Analyze oral statements made by self and others.
s. Generalize from several comments and points made.
t. Experiment with speaking in formal situations (e.g., debates,
meetings, presentation to an unfamiliar audience).
Outcome: CC9.7b, Indicators:
a. Use talk to explore own and others ideas and to express

a. Demonstrate the behaviours of an effective, active reader including
preparing to read by previewing, asking questions, setting purpose,
considering what is known and what needs to be known, adjusting rate
to specific purpose, making connections, and making inferences based
on text and prior knowledge, re-reading, summarizing, and
paraphrasing.
b. Locate and analyze the elements of setting, characterization, and plot
to construct understanding of how characters influence the progression
and resolution of the plot.
c. Analyze the authors form, technique, and use of language.
d. Identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the purpose, structure, and
elements of non-fiction.
e. Analyze and evaluate the ideas presented in texts.
f. Compare values expressed in texts through author and through
characters to own values.
g. Draw and support conclusions and opinions about authors message,
values, point of view, and craft.
h. Recognize how text contributed to own understanding of self, roles
in society, and relationships with others.
i. Respond critically to text ideas and authors craft by using textual
evidence to support interpretations.
j. Identify and analyze techniques and elements such as figurative
language and rhetorical and stylistic features of texts.
k. Consider more complex and alternative interpretations.
l. Select, independently, texts which address learning needs and
interests.
understanding.
b. Read aloud short prose passages to support a point.
c. Participate in dramatic speaking experiences such as role plays
and dramatic readings.
d. Give oral presentations to different audiences for various
purposes, such as summaries, narratives, persuasive topics, inquiry
projects, and impromptu and dramatic speeches.
e. Demonstrate respect for the needs, rights, and feelings of others.
f. Establish a controlling impression or coherent thesis that conveys
a clear and distinctive perspective on the subject and maintain a
consistent tone and focus through the presentation.
g. Support a position acknowledging opposing views.
h. Organize ideas in appropriate format and sequence ideas and
information clearly and logically.
i. Move smoothly and logically from one point to another.
j. Adjust language and tone to suit audience, purpose, and situation.
k. Adjust volume, tone, pitch, and pace of speech to create effect
and enhance communication.
l. Use gestures, facial expressions, visual aids, and other non-verbal
cues effectively to enhance meaning of talk.
m. Hold audiences attention.
n. Present ideas and opinion in response to a topic or presentation.
o. Apply rules for co-operative or whole class debate and discussion
on controversial issues.

Outcome: CC9.4b, Indicators:
b. Use and apply language cues and conventions to communicate
meaning including:
Pragmatic: Demonstrate confidence in using language in a variety of
formal and informal contexts, both inside and outside the classroom;
use inclusive language that supports and demonstrates respect for
people across cultures, genders, ages, and abilities; use appropriate
language to participate in public events, occasions, or traditions; adjust
use of language to suit audiences and purposes; use appropriate register
of language (i.e., formal, informal, colloquial); avoid jargon, slang, and
clichs; use emotional appeal or persuasive language (e.g., testimonials,
emotional appeals, bandwagon effects); use standard Canadian English
that follows accepted rules of usage; avoid the personal I/you in
formal communication; use appropriate register, role, tone, and usage;
address communication to a specific audience; ensure voice/tone is
appropriate to audience and text type.
Textual: Use structures and features of texts including form/genre,
artistic devices (e.g., personification, figurative language including
similes and metaphors, exaggeration, symbolism), elements (e.g., point
of view, conflict, theme, supporting arguments) and text features (e.g.,
credits, headings, diagrams, columns, sidebar, pull-quotes); use a range
of standard forms for texts including paragraphs and multi-paragraph
compositions; use appropriate point of view (including third person) for
purpose; use organizational patterns within texts (chronological,
enumerative, procedural, problem/solution, cause/effect,
comparison/contrast); craft strong leads, coherent bodies, and effective
conclusions; maintain focus and ensure unity and coherence in text
from beginning to end; use effective transition words; include covering
page and list of references; use language and techniques to create a
dominant impression, mood, tone, and style.
Syntactical: Ensure that sentences are complete, interesting, and on
topic; use clear sentence structures that contain a verb and its subject
(average spoken sentence length 10.5 words; average length of
sentences in freewriting 10.2; in rewriting 9.8); combine sentences
p. Solve a problem or understand a task through group co-
operation.
q. Define group roles using consensus to ensure task is understood
and completed.
r. Analyze oral statements made by self and others.
s. Generalize from several comments and points made.
t. Experiment with speaking in formal situations (e.g., debates,
meetings, presentation to an unfamiliar audience).
Outcome: AR9.1b and AR9.2b, Indicators:
a. Evaluate and modify own roles in group interactions in a variety
of contexts.
b. Establish and use relevant criteria and relevant vocabulary to
evaluate group process and personal contributions and propose
suggestions for development.
c. Use criteria/rubric to evaluate oral presentations including
purpose, delivery techniques, content, visual aids, body language,
and facial expressions.
d. Monitor progress in achieving language communication goals.
e. Reflect on attainment of personal goals for effective language
learning and use.
f. Review and refine speaking, writing, and other representing skills
and strategies, through reflection, feedback, and self-assessment.
g. Determine personal language strengths.
h. Determine personal language learning goals.
i. Articulate performance related to viewing, listening, and reading
to form compound and complex sentences for variety, interest, and processes and strategies and reflect on growth as viewer, listener,
effect; use complete sentences with appropriate subordination and and reader of texts of increasing complexity.
modification; use subordination to show more precisely the relationship
between ideas (e.g., because, although, when) and to avoid a string of j. State appropriate and achievable improvement goals based on
compound sentences; make sentences more precise by reducing a main self-analysis; choose and apply strategies appropriate to
idea (clause) to a subordinate idea (clause); reduce, when appropriate, a improvement goals and reflect on progress in achieving those goals.
subordinate clause to a phrase or single word; recognize that effective
co-ordination, subordination, and apposition of ideas make sentences k. Use criteria to examine qualities of own and others work.
clear and varied; recognize and use parallel structure or balanced
sentences for parallel ideas; use active versus passive verbs; vary
sentence beginnings; ensure agreement of subjects, verbs, and
pronouns; use correct pronouns acting as subjects or objects (e.g., Him
and his brother); correctly place qualifiers; use effective
capitalization and punctuation including periods, commas, semicolons,
quotation marks, colons, dashes, and hyphens; punctuate correctly titles
of various media.

Semantic/Lexical/Morphological: Use words that are appropriate for

audience, purpose, and context and capture a particular aspect of
intended meaning; use specific words and synonyms for variety; use
common homonyms (e.g., through/threw) and often confused words
(e.g., affect/effect) correctly; avoid overused and misused words (e.g.,
irregardless, anyways, among/between); consider both the denotative
and connotative meaning of words; avoid wordiness, mixed metaphors,
or fancy words; use reference tools including dictionaries, thesauri,
and handbooks to determine meaning of words; check spelling, and
verify usage; recognize and use words figuratively and for imagery;
spell most words correctly using Canadian spelling; use a variety of
strategies and resources to learn the correct spelling of words; use
knowledge of spelling generalizations; demonstrate and use new
vocabulary appropriately.

Graphophonic: Enunciate clearly and carefully, and correctly

pronounce words with proper emphasis; use knowledge of a range of
spelling patterns, including sound-symbol relationships and rules, to
help identify, analyze, and correct spelling errors.

Other Cues: Use volume and presentation techniques appropriate to

audience and purpose; use appropriate non-verbal cues (including
gestures, physical movements, facial expressions, eye contact, and
body language), sound effects, visuals, and multimedia aids to enhance
presentation; combine print and visuals to enhance presentations; use
printing (e.g., for labels on a map) and cursive writing (e.g., for writing
a report) appropriate to purpose; write legibly with appropriate speed
and control; arrange and balance words and visuals as well as fonts
(typefaces/print) in order to send a coherent and clear message to
specific audiences; ensure that graphics, sound, and technology
enhance representations.

Outcome: CC9.9b, Indicators:

a. Prepare compositions (including essays), reports, presentations, and

inquiry or research projects with adequate detail for audience
understanding.

b. Experiment with and use memorable language effectively.

f. Write clear and focused narrative, descriptive, expository, and

persuasive essays (at least 1,500 words).

g. Write response to texts to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the

significant ideas of literary texts and support important ideas and
viewpoints through accurate and detailed references to the text, and
demonstrate awareness of the authors use of language.

i. Write texts that relate clear ideas or events in a coherent manner

using specific details.

l. Create descriptive texts (a profile of a character) as follows:

- present a clear and colourful picture of the person

- include sensory details and vivid words

- use dialogue when appropriate

- develop a logical order (e.g., background, physical description).

m. Create persuasive texts (e.g., a persuasive essay, a letter to the
editor) as follows:

- include a well-defined thesis (i.e., one that makes a clear and

knowledgeable judgement)

- state a position clearly and convincingly

- provide support by fact, reasons, examples, explanations, and

evidence to support position

- differentiate fact from opinion and support argument with detailed

reasoning and examples

- structure ideas and arguments in a sustained and logical fashion

- maintain a reasonable tone

- address viewers, listeners, or readers concerns, biases, expectations,

and counterclaims.

Stage 2 Assessment Evidence

Performance Task
Through what authentic performance task will students demonstrate the desired understandings, knowledge, and skills? (Describes the
learning activity in story form. Typically, the P.T. describes a scenario or situation that requires students to apply knowledge and skills to
demonstrate their understanding in a real life situation. Describe your performance task scenario below.)
By what criteria will performances of understanding be judged?
GRASPS Elements of the Performance Task
G Goal At the end of the unit, students will be required to complete a critical scene interpretation assignment
What should students accomplish in which they will work individually and in groups to present scenes to the class, discuss their
by completing this task? significances in written assignments, and assess themselves and each other. Students will be given the
R Role assignments information sheets on the first day of the unit and they will be informed of the
What role (perspective) will your expectations. Midway through the unit, we will discuss the assignment in greater detail and the forming
students be taking? of groups will begin. Students will have a list of scenes to choose from, and each group must present
A Audience one scene to the class. Each student is expected to portray at least one character from the scene (actual
Who is the relevant audience? number depends on which scene and how many members are in a group). In their groups, they will
contribute to group journals, and then when each group presents they will complete feedback forms that
S Situation assess all groups interpretations. Individually, they will complete character analyses (of the character
The context or challenge provided they portray OR of a character that is present in their scene), and before-and-after goal sheets in which
to the student. they outline their goals to improve themselves in multiple areas and then they self-reflect on how well
they achieved those goals and why. Finally, students will be assessed on their readings of the characters
they portray. For this assignment, the Goal is for students to become more confident speakers towards a
group of people and for them to continue to work on their analytical, critical thinking, and writing
skills. Their Roles will be as speakers, writers, viewers, assessors, and self-reflecters. The Audience
P Product, Performance will be everyone involved in the class, including me and their classmates who will be assessing each
What product/performance will the other in respectful and helpful ways. The Situation is that students will be challenged to show
student create? intellectual courage to their classmates and to me by performing a variety of tasks that test them in
multiple areas such as writing and speaking. The Products will include multiple assignments (both
individual and group style) and each student will Perform a character reading to the audience.
Examples of Standards and Criteria for all of the performance task assignments are attached to the unit
plan.
S Standards & Criteria for
Success Rubrics attached to Unit Plan
Create the rubric for the
Performance Task
Other Evidence Student Self-Assessment
Through what other evidence (work samples, observations, quizzes, How will students reflect upon or self-assess their learning?
tests, journals or other means) will students demonstrate achievement
of the desired results? Formative and summative assessments should
be used throughout the unit to arrive at the outcomes.
Throughout this unit, students will complete multiple formative When students write their formative paragraphs in class and
writing assignments such as impromptu paragraphs that will be contribute to class discussions, I expect that these assignments will
handed in to me at the end of those particular lessons, paragraphs that cause them to think about how well they understand the question (and
respond to essential questions that I give to them. These are used to the text) as they think about how to respond in critical and analytical
assess their growth in their writing and critical thinking skills. Daily frameworks. For the critical scene interpretation assignment, students
class discussions will guide me because I will get a sense of how are required to self-assess themselves as part of the assignments
advanced their analytical, presenting, and critical thinking skills are expectations in regards to their skills in multiple areas. Furthermore,
as the unit progresses. They will also partake in multiple formative students will help me create the grading rubrics for all assignments
activities such as think-pair-share, 3-2-1, exit slips, and role on the related to the critical scene interpretation assignment, which will
wall, which is when they describe characters feelings, actions, and force them to think about their own skills and areas of weakness in
thoughts on a silhouette image. For summative assessment, students the unit and English language arts as a whole. Multiple times
will each complete a 50-question multiple choice comprehension throughout the unit students must engage in think-pair-share activities
exam at the end of the unit that will assess their understandings of the (or variances of informal mini group discussions) where they discuss
texts themes, issues, and events. They will also write 3-4 page essays with each other basic character and plot details to make sure they
responding to argumentative questions that I give to them. have the right understandings of the text. The exit slips that they will
complete will encourage them to self-assess what they understand
and what I can do to help them. Finally, students will do 1-2 minute
 presentations about certain characters halfway through the unit. They
must defend their viewpoints on the characters, which will require
them to evaluate their own understandings of them and if they are
giving them proper justice in defending them.

Stage 3 Learning Plan

What teaching and learning experiences will you use to:
achieve the desired results identified in Stage 1?
equip students to complete the assessment tasks identified in Stage 2?
Where are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going?
What experiences do the learners bring to the unit? How have the interests of the learners been ascertained? Have the learners been
part of the pre-planning in any way? What individual needs do you anticipate will need to be addressed?
Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to enhance learning?
My students are headed towards greater critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills. I will get a sense of where they have been by evaluating
their first formative written assignments early in the unit as they complete them, which will consist of impromptu paragraph writing and in-
class discussions. On the first day of the unit I will give students a brief overview of what to expect during the course of their studies of Romeo
and Juliet, including the assignments and general classroom expectations. All students will bring their own unique conceptions and experiences
of love, loyalty, relationships, and identity as we discuss the texts themes, issues, events, and characters. I hope to get a sense of where their
interests lie on the first day of the unit by getting them to write about a broad discussion question. Since this should be their first major study of
a Shakespearean play, I reserve the right to have everything fairly structured for them. However, I do provide intellectual freedom for all
formative assignments, and their end-of-unit assignment asks them to help plan with me. I also will be open to any feedback they have about
the set-up of the unit as time progresses. I anticipate that students will need guidance with the language of the play, so I have no problem
translating passages for them as needed. Moreover, I expect to guide their development of their proper writing skills, and I am prepared to be
the main facilitator for many of our discussions in case students are struggling with what to say and how to say it. Our learning will all take
place in the classroom where they can best focus and be subjected to the least amount of distractions. I will monitor students learning as we
progress through the unit and I will make any necessary adjustments to seating arrangements, class activities, and forms of assessment as
required.
How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)

Our first lesson in the unit will begin with me asking the students how many of them know something about William Shakespeare. If many of
the students respond positively, then I will have them do a think-pair-share activity in which they brainstorm what they know about the
playwright. Then, we will discuss this as a class with me writing their responses on the board. I will then show them a brief summary video of
the playwrights life, which will segue into the units main focus on Romeo and Juliet. We will discuss in an open and collaborative manner so
students feel like their opinions are wanted and respected in the classroom environment. This in return should help engage them because they
are being equipped with the necessary background information to guide them as they progress through the text, which should lead to less
confusion and a lesser chance of them withdrawing from the text.
What events will help students experience and explore the enduring understandings and essential questions in the unit? How will you
equip them with needed skills and knowledge?
# Lesson Title Lesson Activities CCCs Resources

1 Introduction One day- DT William

Have them engage in a think-pair-share motivating activity about the author and then show DL Shakespeare
them the video. Hand out texts, author information sheets, and the end-of-unit assignment video link,
sheets. Discuss the texts main themes and issues so students get a solid background of what to copies of
expect for the unit. Students complete the lesson with their first formative assignment Romeo and
responding to a thematic question. Juliet, author
info sheets,
end-of-unit
assignment
sheets
2 The First Act One day- DT
Hand them back their formative paragraphs and explain general critiques. Read through the
Prologue, Act 1.1, 1.2. Discuss the characters and plot details presented so far. Students must
complete exit slips that briefly discuss the characters presented thus far and what attributes
characterize them.
One day-
Read through the rest of Act One, including 1.3, 1.4, 1.5. Discuss the characters and plot
details presented so far. Students will engage in think-pair-share activities about what they
think of the play so far and they must justify their stances.
3 The Second One day- DT
Act Read through 2.0, 2.1, 2.2. Discuss the characters and plot details presented so far. Students
will complete 3-2-1 slips at the end of the lesson that outline things they learned, things they
want to learn, and questions they have.
One day-
Go over the 3-2-1 slips from the previous lesson, especially the questions. Read through the
rest of Act Two, including 2.3, 2.4, 2.5. Discuss the characters and plot details presented so far.
4 The Third Act One day- DT Role on the
+ Read through 3.1, 3.2, 3.3. Discuss the characters and plot details presented so far. Students DI&I wall sheets,
Presentations complete the lesson with their second formative assignment responding to a thematic question. DL public
One day- DSR speaking video
Students will read each others formative paragraphs and critique them in think-pair-share link,
activities with advice and guidance from me regarding expectations of their written work. public
Read through the rest of Act Three, including 3.4, 3.5. Each student will do a role on the speaking
wall activity on the characters of Romeo, Juliet, Capulet, and a character of their choice. They summary
must show me their rough copies of what they think they understand about the characters sheets, rubric
before they can complete their final versions, which must be presented to the class. templates,
One day- essay
 Students will finish their role on the wall activities and then they will each present their assignment
work to the class as a form of informal presentations. I expect all will finish, depending on the sheets
size of the class. These presentations will only be 1-2 minutes each.
One day-
Discuss the characters and plot details presented so far as well as the presentations that each
student did. Following this is a workshop on public speaking facilitated by me to prepare them
for their end-of-unit assignments. Hand out public speaking summary sheets. Students will
also watch an informational video on public speaking.
One day-
As a class we will craft the marking rubrics for the end-of-unit assignment and clarify what
students need to do for it. Groups for the assignment will also be decided. Hand out essay
assignment sheets so they can begin thinking about it.
5 The Fourth One day- DT
Act Read through the entire fourth act, including 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4. Discuss the characters and plot DL
details presented so far. Students complete the lesson with their third formative assignment
responding to a thematic question.
6 The Fifth Act One day- DT
Students will read each others formative paragraphs and critique them in think-pair-share
activities with advice and guidance from me regarding expectations of their written work.
Read through the entire fifth act, including 5.1, 5.2, 5.3. Discuss the characters and the
resolution of the play. Students will divide into their groups for the end-of-unit assignment and
decide on which scenes they will interpret.
7 The End-Of- Three days- DT
Unit Students will spend three days preparing their interpretations and completing their assignments DI&I
Assignment as part of it with guidance from me. DSR
Preparation
8 The End-Of- Two days- DT
Unit There will be two days allocated for all groups to present their interpretations, depending on DI&I
Assignment how many groups are formed. DSR
Interpretation
s
9 Digital Three days- DT Digital version
Viewing There will be three days allocated for everyone to watch the digital version of the play. DI&I of Romeo and
DL Juliet
10 Exam One day- DT Exam copies
Students will write the 50-question multiple choice comprehension exam for this unit.

11 Essay writing Three days- DT

Students will spend three days writing their 3-4 page essays. Any extra time needed for the DI&I
 assignment must be done as homework.
Assess and Reflect (Stage 4)
Considerations
Required Areas of Study:
Is there alignment between outcomes, performance
assessment, and learning experiences?
Adaptive Dimension:
Have I made purposeful adjustments to the curriculum
content (not outcomes), instructional practices, and/or
the learning environment to meet the learning needs and
diversities of all my students?
DL
Comments
I believe there is alignment in multiple areas. First, students will need to formulate
arguments in relation to questions posed to them (which are based off of themes
and events encountered in the text) and defend their own work throughout the unit,
which aligns with outcomes CR9.1b, CR9.2b, and CR9.3b. Part of this includes
reading a grade-nine-level text that challenges them to synthesize information so
they can make sound judgements, which aligns with outcomes CR9.5b and CR
9.8b. They will also have to create various forms of work (and gain some
experience with drafting rough copies), such as written paragraphs, presentations,
and exit slips, that appropriately respond to what is presented to them in the text,
which aligns with outcomes CC 9.1b, CC9.3b, CC9.4b, and CC9.9b. Oral language
is a powerful tool that they will gain practice with as they engage in debates and
present information, which aligns with outcomes CC9.6b and CC9.7b. Finally,
students will be given an opportunity during the end-of-unit assignment to assess
their own strengths and weaknesses and make goals on how to improve themselves,
which aligns with outcome AR9.1b. Similarly, they will be given opportunities to
evaluate each other and to voice their opinions on each others work. In return, they
will get an idea of how they compare with other students and what they can do to
better their work, all of which aligns with outcome AR9.2b.
For struggling students:
I offer a variety of learning approaches, such as individual writing assignments,
partner and larger group collaborations, class discussions (with myself acting as the
facilitator), and small presentations to test students on a variety of situations. I also
allow students the opportunity to present their own work and explain their
reasoning, which should help with their critical thinking and presentation skills. I
plan on progressing through the text at a slow but steady pace so students do not
get left behind or confused by the subject matter.
For students who need a challenge:
Since this is a grade nine course, I feel I will provide students with open-ended
writing and discussion topics that can be approached from a multitude of ways,
allowing above-average students to express their creativity and critical thinking
skills while still remaining a part of the regular classroom dynamic and
expectation. Furthermore, there are various activities I have planned, such as group
work, presentations, and class discussions to challenge all students.
Instructional Approaches:
Do I use a variety of teacher directed and student
centered instructional approaches?
Resource Based Learning:
Do the students have access to various resources on an
ongoing basis?
FNM/I Content and Perspectives/Gender
Equity/Multicultural Education:
Have I nurtured and promoted diversity while honoring
each childs identity?
From: Wiggins, Grant and J. McTighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, ISBN #
0-87120-313-8 (pbk)
I believe that I do employ a right balance of teacher-directed and student-centered
instructional approaches through the use of class discussions (with myself acting as
the facilitator), partner and larger group activities, individual student presentations,
and individual student writing assignments.
For the activities and assignments I have planned as stated thus far, students do not
need to access any form of technology to aid them, albeit for computers equipped
with Microsoft Word so that they can type their summative assignments. All
assignment information sheets will be provided in paper form, and students will be
completing their formative assignments on paper by handwriting them. As for the
end-of-unit assignment, I will be available to consult with students regarding any
materials they need for their interpretations, but the general expectation is that they
will provide most of the materials themselves.
I believe that the formative assignments I require them to do grant them the
freedom to express their own ideas and arguments in different formats to nurture
diverse learning environments and diverse learning needs in the classroom. For
example, students will be presenting their ideas in the form of holistic reflective
paragraphs, exit slips, verbal discussions with the class, and presentable
interpretations.