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Project Title: Gaining Perspective on Different Cultures

2. Unit Topic: The Sun is Also a Sun by Nicola Yoon
3. Grade Level and Course: High School English, 10th grade.
4. CA Content Standards addressed:.
Reading Standards for Literature, 9-10 Grades
3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations)
develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or
develop the theme.
6. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of
literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.
Writing Standards, 9-10 Grades
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts,
and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and
analysis of content.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or
shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s capacity to link to other
information and to display information flexibly and dynamically.
Speaking and Listening Standards, 9-10 Grades
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly, concisely, and logically
(using appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation) such that
listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, substance,
and style are appropriate to purpose (e.g., argument, narrative, informative, response to
literature presentations), audience, and task.
5. Driving Question: Why is it important to teach diverse books in the classroom; how does it impact
the students in a positive manner?
6. Project Summary: The project is broken up into three sections: reading, research and writing, and
presentation. First the students will read Nicola Yoon’s The Sun is Also a Sun to gain the concept
of Windows and Mirrors to begin the discussion and research assignment as to why it is important
to include diverse novels. After discussing the novel and understanding the cultures of Jamaica
and South Korea, students begin the research and writing portion. Individually or in groups of no
more than 3, students will research why it is important to include diverse novels for society and
for themselves. The students will then research a culture of their choosing, it can be their own
culture or a culture the wish to learn more about. Students that work individual will write a 3-4
page paper, groups of 2 will write a 4-5 page paper, and groups of 3 will write a 5-6 page paper;
this insures that students are writing approximately the same amount. The final section is
presentation, whether individual or as a group, students will present why they believe it is
important to include diverse books and the culture they researched.
7. Final Products: A research paper ranging in 3-6 pages including properly cited and annotated
sources; a visual in the form of the students choice, i.e. poster board collage, powerpoint, Prezi;
and a presentation dictating the knowledge they have gained of their chosen culture.
8. How Student Products will be Assessed: Students will be assessed through multiple rubrics: one
for the research paper, for the visual, and presentation. Assessments for participation will also
come into factor for grades: students working in groups will give an anonymous assessment of
fellow peers to give the teacher insight to who did what work and how much. There will be two
grades if students worked in a group: individual grade for each section and a group grade for each
section.