Investigating Untold Stories and Our Stories

Name:

Reading, Writing, Creating, Expressing Who we are and what we believe

All I need is one mic -Nas

Major Fo !s o" the #nit:

Wh$ are o!r stories important%
We are going to begin a project aimed at helping you discover a little bit more about yourself and what is important to you. We will read and talk about why peoples stories and experiences are important. eading other peoples stories will serve as a model for creating our own writing portfolios. !hrough personal narratives" poems" art and vignettes you will share what stories and experiences matter to you. #ou will submit two final submissions to the class $%ine" which will be a collaborative representation of the work of your eighth grade class. Essential &!estions:
1) Whose Stories get told and who tells them? What happens when peoples stories arent told? 2) What are messages you hear about your identity, how are you framed in the media, and who are you really? 3) Why do our stories matter? In the course of history, what is my history?

Major 'arts o" the #nit:

repare and maintain an organi(ed writing port"olio of all the different writing assignments you create during the unit repare and maintain your Catharsis )o!rnal, with daily entries repare a high !uality polished vis!al s!bmission to the class "ine repare a high !uality polished written s!bmission to the class "ine #reate a 'hilosoph$ o" Me about where you see yourself in four years #onduct an interview with a family member or someone close to you about their story, and what they $now about your history 'resent your writing or artistic wor$ to the class during the publication party

*o! Will +e ,raded -n:

'oints 'roje t .spe t and /es ription o" . eptable Wor0: 2 pts 'arti ipation in lass3M!si 4ele tion: %ou are acti&ely engaged, and a
positi&e influence in class' %ou participate respectfully, and are producti&e during wor$ time' %ou hand in a music selection with description (at least three or four sentences per section) ahead of time to )s' *ates, and gi&e a brief introduction to the class about your music -ne -rgani(ed 'ort"olio and )o!rnal: + neatly $ept poc$et folder that

What1s Not . eptable% /o it over i"

&ach day you have the opportunity to start fresh with your behavior. 'f you are disruptive or dont do classwork" this will affect your grade. 'f you never submit or present a song" or if you forget it is your day to present you will have one more chance to do it over. (issing parts or handouts" disorgani)ed papers everywhere" no order to things" a ripped or mangled folder" losing the folder* +ournal is empty" lost" or shows minimal effort

56pts includes all your handouts and readings for the unit' It includes all drafts
of writing from each of the sections of this unit including !uic$writes' ,ournal shows that you participated and were reflecti&e each day we used them either through art, words or both'

52pts (at least one page) that e.presses your hopes, dreams and goals for the
ne.t four years of high school' It is reflecti&e, and addresses challenges you ha&e o&ercome or anticipate in the coming years'

'hilosoph$ o" Me: #reate a highly detailed, neat, organi-ed written wor$

,isorgani)ed" misspelled words" messy. -acking personal voice or connection

56 pts

Interview: #onduct an inter&iew with a family member or someone close to you who can share their story/ +n e.perience they had that was important, a significant e&ent in their life etc' +nd also, can gi&e you a little bit of your own history' 0.press how this helps you understand who you are and your identity -ne Written 8ine 4!bmission: olished and edited submission of one 1his should be edited and submitted in a professional and clear manner' It should be written neatly and creati&ely li$e the model "ines we loo$ at' 2r, submission should be typed

,isorgani)ed" messy" incomplete. 'nterview seems rushed or not reflective. 'f you feel like this assignment will be hard for you to complete based on work schedules of your family" please let (s. .ates know /S/0 and you will receive an alternative assignment 1ard to read" not changed from the first draft" messy" disorgani)ed" no clear title or organi)ation.

76 pts of your writing pieces from your portfolio (Short story, &ignette, poem)'

76 pts drawing) 3as to be in pen or mar$er or paint444if you use pencil please
trace neatly o&er it so it is able to be copied clearly in the "ine' )ust include artists statement e.plaining why you chose to submit this particular piece and what it means to you'

-ne artisti 8ine 4!bmission: ( olitical cartoon, comic, collage,

(essy" not a lot of thought put into it" it seems rushed or last minute. 2o artists statement or weak artists statement.

9e$ :erms :o 9now ; #se /!ring the #nit:

Major :erms
3atharsis

/e"inition o" the :erm

(5oun) 1he process of releasing, and thereby pro&iding relief from, strong or repressed emotions6 emotional release (Noun) A short written scene that focuses on one moment or gives a detailed description of a character, idea, setting, or object.

Examples
1hrough writing and creating we will e.perience atharsis< 1he 3ouse on )ango Street has many different vignettes about family and growing up'

4ignette

'dentity

(5oun) 1he !ualities, beliefs, etc', that ma$e a

particular person or group different from others

3ulture

(5ouns) + shared system of meanings, beliefs, &alues and beha&iors through which we interpret our e.periences' (5oun) + set of ideas about how to do something or how to li&e (5oun) + categori-ation of people according to shared culture, language, or geographic region'

0hilosophy &thnicity

4alues Stereotype

(5oun) a person8s principles or standards of beha&ior6 one8s 9udgment of what is important in life' (5oun) + generali-ed picture of a person, created without ta$ing the whole person into account

)usic, language and food are all different parts of someones !lt!re< 3er main coo$ing philosoph$ is to use only fresh ingredients' )y grandmother immigrated to the 7S from Italy, so part of my ethni it$ is Italian 3onesty is one of the val!es that my mom passed down to me' When we stereot$pe a group of people, we depict all of the indi&iduals within that group as ha&ing the same characteristics'

General Schedule: Monday Tues (April (April 28) 29) Holocaust Holocaust inish!up Museu" Field Trip Wed (April 30) #e$rie %&e lection a$out Museu" and 'rap up o unit Thurs (May 1st) Fri (May 2nd) (ntroduction to !.oo*in+ at untold Our Stories Our stories and Voices Unit histories/ !Hand out unit plan and e)pectations As*in+: Why aren0t these stories told in "ainstrea" As*in+: What is a schoolin+,ineAnd e)plorin+ Ho' does *no'in+ e)a"ples these histories help us understand oursel1es-

Mon May 2

Tues May 3

Wed May4

Thurs May 8

Fri May 9

Ho' does Ho' do 'e 'rite a short poetry help us story a$out our li1ese)press 'ho 'e are(Where (0" Fro" 5oe"s) (ntroduce 6on+ o the day7 Mon May 12 Tues May 13

6hort 6tory! 6hort 5hilosophy o Me Ho' can an e1eryday story 'rap 8nor"al9 e1ent $e an up Who a" ( and 'ho do ( i"portant story to tellhope to $eHo' can "y stru++les and successes shape ho' ( enter hi+h school-

Wed May 1: Ho' can co"ic strips%+raphic no1els help us e)press oursel1es-

Thurs May Fri May 13 12 What is a <i+nette continued 1i+netteHo' is it di erent ro" a short story-

#oes art say What is a political cartoona$out 'ho 'e Ho' does it help us read the are- (photos; 'orldpictures; paintin+s; dra'in+s) What is an artist0s state"ent-

Mon May 19 5olish su$"issions and peer editin+

Tues May 20 5olish

Wed May 21

Thurs May 22 Ms/ =ates0 LAST DAY

Finishin+ touches on Author Celebration!!!!!!! ,ine 'ith >ditors!in! ( inal su$"issions handed in ?hie $y END OF DAY) 5ut ,ine on!line on the class 'e$site