Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: The Ramayana Name: Danny Yit

Content Area: English: Critical Thinking Grade Level: 11-12
CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):
CCSS ELA Literacy SL 11-12 1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own
clearly and persuasively.

CCSS ELA Literacy RL 11-12 2: Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the
course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective
summary of the text.

CCSS ELA Literacy RL 11-12 4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative
and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple
meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful (include Shakespeare as well as other authors.)

Big Ideas/Unit Goals:

The identification of various themes and the general ideas that are presented through the text is a task that will be beneficial in
a number of other aspects of English as well as a foundation for various other subjects. The method in which the author presents
the themes and how the themes interact with one another within the text creates a dense novel in that there is a plethora of
information that can contribute to a readers understanding, appreciation, and the readers ability to delve deeper.

As we cover The Ramayana, I would like us to extend our understanding of the short story by keeping these questions in mind:

1. Does the origin of the tale affect how it is to be perceived?

2. How are the characters lives affected in their attempt at self-discovery?
3. Is the manner in which the characters are raised indicative of their approach to life?
4. Is there anything presented in the story that can be dismissed simply because it is 2017? How current is the novel?
5. How influential can this book be for another adolescent? For society?

Student Learning Objectives

Students will discuss how this story can be related to the current world.
 Students engage in conversation in small groups identifying the themes of the story, acknowledging the use of voice and
tone, and looking into figurative and literal meaning.
Students will be asked to write a paper that encompasses the character development, identifying the themes and
acknowledging how they are woven together.

Unit Summary:

The Ramayana is a folk tale that is to precede another Indian work known as The Bhagavad-Gita. While The Bhagavad-Gita
addresses a more adult audience but is also much lengthier, The Ramayana addresses the younger audience.

The first lesson of the unit will address the reading. As this is a folktale it is intended to bestow upon the reader something that
is to be carried with them throughout the life, the discussion will address whether or not this is actually the case. Folktales are
only relevant in the modern world if the lessons taught can still serve purpose. The discussion will be conducted as a Socratic
circle, in which there will be two circles, one larger circle on the outside and another smaller one in the center. The first question
will be addressed to the inner circle in which they will discuss a particular theme to great extent. If anybody part of the outside
circle would like to contribute, that individual will move in and sit in an empty chair in the inner circle and wait to contribute
his/her piece. The subject matter that the inner circle will be discussed prior to the start of the discussion as I would like the
students to choose something that they feel most passionate about as this will assist in lesson three.

The second lesson of the unit will put the aforementioned groups together again. In this, they will discuss what was not covered
in the Socratic Circle in further detail or further flesh out what was touched upon in the Circle. This section will have a focus on
the cultural elements that the folk tale has been placed in IE Indian culture. This will provide the students another angle in which
they can analyze and dissect the story, as opposed to seeing the story from a western civilizations eye and an eye that only
looks at the story from what the story presents to the reader, we are looking at it from the perspective of the people that had
written the story and their way of life.

The third lesson of the unit is one in which the students will be asked to present what they had discussed in the Socratic Circle as
well as within their small groups. The previous two lessons are to stack upon each other and this third lesson should only allow
the ideas to follow into place. As groups have been determined in the first step, the presentations will be helping the other
groups fill in the void that they have as a result of focusing on their own subject matter.

WEBSITE:

The Ramayana is a folk tale that is to precede another Indian work known as The Bhagavad-Gita. While The Bhagavad-Gita
addresses a more adult audience but is also much lengthier, The Ramayana addresses the younger audience. The first lesson
will address the reading itself. As this is considered a folktale and folktales are known to bestow upon the young readers (or
listeners) a general guideline as to establishing a moral code. The second lesson will involve a much more in-depth discussion
exploring the text in greater detail acknowledging the themes of the story and unraveling the figurative and literal meanings of
the text. We will wrap this class up with a group presentation that will help in assisting the rest of the class understand the
particular aspect of the story that the student had been asked to examine, whether it is the metamorphoses that the character
had gone under or the manifestation of a particular theme of the story.

Assessment Plan:
Entry-Level: Formative: Summative:

Students will participate in various class
discussions on a number of different
sizes.
Discuss what makes a great king?
Students are asked to document the
assigned readings by writing short
personal journal entries that will relate
the subject matter to themselves to
enforce the understanding of concepts.
Write a journal for the assigned readings
relating to the subject matter presented,
whether it is theme, character
development, etc.
Diagram the phases of Campbells Heros
Journey in relation to The Ramayana
Identify the characters and what
archetype they most fit.
Quiz covering the Heros journey,
Archetypes, and reading comprehension
(themes, characters, sequences,
vocabulary, etc).
Students are to present the various
assigned themes of the story to the class
to further elaborate on the text in a
visual format with the use of technology.
Students are to get together in small
groups and present their respective
themes and describe how they are
prevalent in the story.
Students are to discuss and reflect on the
story, pointing out things that stood out,
were surprising, etc.

Lesson 1 (Teacher Lecture)

Student Learning Acceptable Evidence Lesson Activities:
Objective: (Assessments):
Socratic Circle: There Based on the guided notes that had been provided and completed, our discussions
Students will discuss will be two circles, will progress in the manner that the notes progress. By discussing the various
how this story can be one of which is larger contributions placed by social class, along with some basic knowledge to place the
related to the current and on the outside various concepts into context, we will reach the answers to question such as how
world. with a smaller within. does Rama combat the situations that he is is placed in as being heir to the throne?
The smaller circle will Does he expect to be treated differently being heir to the throne? How do other
be moving the people view him? What is the tale trying to bestow upon readers through this
discussion forward viewpoint?
with the instructor
posing questions with
the outside circle
chiming in if required.
The circles will then
exchange members
throughout the
question as different
themes are discussed.

Lesson 2 (Webercise/ iPad Lesson)

Student Learning Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities:
Objective:
Understanding of the Students will get into small groups and discuss the story, delving deeper into the
Students engage in themes of the story by meaning of this folk tale. However, while the first lesson focuses on Ramas position
conversation in small providing textual in the story, this section will focus on the cultural influences that contribute to the
groups identifying the evidence. As this is story, providing us with a sense of parallax. We must always consider the various
angles in which the story can be examined.
themes of the story, meant to establish the
acknowledging the moral compass of a
use of voice and tone, child, the underlying
and looking into meaning within the
figurative and literal context should be
meaning. explored and
discussed.
Lesson 3 (Graphic Organizer)
Student Learning Acceptable Evidence: Lesson Activities:
Objective:
Students will create a In the same small groups that the students were asked to discuss the story in
Students will be graphic aid to be greater detail, the students are asked to create a graphic that will be presented in
asked to create a presented in class front of the class.
graphic that which will display the
encompasses the characters change
character throughout the story
development, while addressing the
identifying the theme that is most
themes and associated with that
acknowledging how portion of the text.
they are woven The aid can come in
together. the form of a
Powerpoint, Video,
Prezi, etc.
Unit Resources:

Ramayana The Great Indian Epic

The Bhagavad Gita Cartoon Movie

Ancient Indias Contributions to the World - video

The History of India, Part One: From Ancient Times - video

Ramayana Quest Adventure game

Super Ramayana Brothers

Ramayana Trivia and Questions

Quick Guide to the Ramayana

Ramayana Flashcards

Comparing and Contrasting the Ramayana and the Bhagavad-Gita

Useful Websites:

The Reading Life podcast

A Quick Guide to the Ramayana