UNIT OBJECTIVES

These reflect the big (i.e., general) student learnings (and what you will
eventually assess):

COGNITIVE (to know and understand)

Students will UNDERSTAND that

1. The ability to imagine themselves in another persons situation can

help them empathize
with their choices and feelings.
a) Reading and writing is a way to practice empathy.
b) The definition of empathy.

2. Art is a way to share different global perspectives.

a) Point of view shapes the way a story is told and received.
i) Writers use voice in different ways, with different characters, to share
experiences and stories the way they want them to be told.
b) Difficult situations can be sources of inspiration for art and writing.

3. Different background and life experiences are valuable.

a) Artists emerge from all types of cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
b) Students will value different perspectives from reading a collection of diverse
texts.
c) Students will value different perspectives from writing responses to a
collection of diverse texts.

4. Acknowledging different perspectives enables us to build stronger

relationships.
a) Valuing differing perspectives enables a stronger, more positive classroom
community.

Students will KNOW that

5. Literature, music, visual art and film are all forms of art that seek to
communicate a shared
experience.

6. The use of reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout

the reading process is essential in guiding students to engagement and
meaningful interpretation of the text.
a) Pausing while thinking about a text can help them actively construct
meaning.
b) Annotating while reading is a way of monitoring thinking and active reading.
 c) Personal interpretations, or student-generated understanding and meaning
from a text, can be used to make connections and to construct understanding
of larger themes as well as social or political functions.
i) Creating connections to a character in a text is a way of practicing empathy.
ii) Identifying visualization helps to create a picture in the mind as they read.
d) Interpretations of a text or a character can change as a text progresses and
the reader is presented with new information.

7. Writing is an ongoing process, rather than a linear one.

a) Editing and revising are crucial pathways to making a piece of writing clearer
and more powerful to the reader.
i) Revision involves changing the content or shape of the work while editing
involves mechanics.
ii) Grammar conventions, such as proper punctuation, allow for ease of
discourse between author and reader.

8. Good writing utilizes sentence variety.

a) An independent clause is a complete thought, or a sentence that can stand
alone as a single sentence.
b) Commas and coordinating conjunctions are used to combine two independent
clauses.

AFFECTIVE (to feel/value) & NON-COGNITIVE

Students will be able to feel

9. Confidence in working collaboratively with peers.

a) Confidence in working in small-group Think-Alouds.
b) Confidence in working in small-group workshops.

10. Empowered through their ability to storytell through their writing and
performance.
a) Students will feel empowered through their writing of a narrative considering
a different perspective.
b) Students will feel empowered through their construction and performance of
their Found Poems.
c) Empowered by their ability to continue to change and improve their writing.

Students will be able to value

11. The contributions of their peers in collaborative groups.

a) Through active listening.
b) In small-group Think-Alouds.
c) Feedback in small-group and partner workshops.
 PERFORMATIVE (to do)

Students will be able to

12. Write from the perspective of another person.

a) Craft a narrative response piece using a mentor text, occupying a perspective
different from their own.

13. Describe how word choice and imagery contribute to the meaning of a
text.
a) Choose appropriate words when communicating about perspective.
b) Create Found poems using words and images chosen from their Alternate
Perspective Entries.
c) Revise Found Poems using strong vocabulary collected throughout unit.
d) Revise in small-group workshop, incorporating feedback.

14. Identify strong words and phrases within a piece of text.

a) Extract strong words and phrases from their own Alternate Perspective
Journal Entries for the creation of a Found Poem.

15. Analyze perspective from a variety of artistic media.

a) Analyze perspective through discussion.
i) Using the Think-Aloud strategy to interpret the text in small groups.
b) Analyze perspective through writing.
i) Use logographs simultaneously with Think-Alouds to demonstrate immediate
engagement with the text in conjunction with annotations used to preserve
student thoughts and progress directly in the text for later reference.
ii) Interpret and respond in writing to Latin and Native American artwork in
different artistic mediums, including short stories, novel excerpts, and a
painting.
c) Analyze perspective through reflection.
i) Explain their thought processes verbally, thinking metacognitively, in Think-
Aloud and use of annotations to their small groups.
ii) Refer back to their annotated texts to reflect on their interpretation and
construction of meaning through personal response.

16. Express empathy for someone different from themselves.

a) For a character from a text.
b) For someone else through discussion.
i) Using the Think-Aloud strategy to interpret the text in small groups.
c) For someone else through writing.
i) Use logographs simultaneously with Think-Alouds to demonstrate immediate
engagement with the text in conjunction with annotations used to preserve
student thoughts and progress directly in the text for later reference.
ii) Interpret and respond in writing to Latin and Native American artwork in
different artistic mediums, including short stories, novel excerpts, and a
painting.
d) For someone else through reflection.
i) Explain their thought processes verbally, thinking metacognitively, in Think-
Aloud and use of annotations to their small groups.
ii) Refer back to their annotated texts to reflect on their interpretation and
construction of meaning through personal response.

17. Incorporate proper punctuation in their writing.

a) Edit their Alternate Perspective Journal Entries, adding necessary punctuation
where appropriate.

18. Incorporate coordinating conjunctions in their writing.

a) Edit/revise their Alternate Perspective Journal Entries, incorporating use of
coordinating conjunctions where appropriate.

19. Present a piece of work through a spoken performance.

a) Read the Found Poem piece they have written with feeling and emotion,
communicating with an audience through art.

20. Practice active listening.

a) Listen thoughtfully to the contributions of their peers.
b) Ask follow-up questions relating to the topic of discussion and prior discussion
by peers.
c) Practice respect by not speaking while others are speaking.
d) Allow room into the conversation for others.