Unit Plan Overview

Unit:
Stage 1- Desired Results
Connections to Context:
Until this point, students have had little
contact with the Holocaust, or any other
world literature. They are mature enough to
handle the Holocaust literature and at the
age where they should be forming opinions
about such events in world history. It is
presented in an appropriately Christian way,
allowing students to make connections with
their own faith.
Established Goals
(What content standards and program- or
mission-related goal(s) will the unit address?
What habits of mind and cross-disciplinary
st
goal(s)- for example 21
century skills, core
competencies- will this unit address?
Include source and identifying number)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.9
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.10
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support
analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
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.
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and
analyze in detail its development over the course of
the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and
refined by specific details; provide an objective
summary of the text.

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to
Explain what poetry can reveal about the Holocaust
Build on their skill at connecting literature and historical events
Form and express opinions on impactful historical events such as the Holocaust
(What kinds of long-term independent accomplishments are desired?)

UNDERSTANDINGS
Students will understand that
The there are certain aspects about Holocaust poetry
that differentiates it from other poems.
o This can occur both in the mechanics of
the poems and the actual content
Poetry reveals a different, more personal kind of
history than the history books

Meaning
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will keep considering
Whether or not Holocaust still affects current literature
What other events historical events have had significant
impacts on art and literature
(What thought-provoking questions will foster inquiry, meaningmaking and transfer?)

(What specically do you want students to understand?

What inferences should they make?)

Acquisition of Knowledge, Skill and Values/Commitments/Dispositions

Students will know
Students will be skilled at
Students will exhibit
The specifics of what makes a poem Connecting poems to actual
Various emotions such as
different from prose
historical events
frustration anger or empathy after
Key literary elements of poetry and
Engaging with the texts (ie,
reading poems
how they showcase themselves in
reading to find more than just the
Curiosity towards other historical
Holocaust poetry (ie, theme, simile,
answers to the questions)
aspects of literature
personification, etc.)
Comparing multiple poems in
A desire to prevent future events
Backgrounds and traits of certain
terms of how they are written and
such as the Holocaust from
major Holocaust poets such as
what they accomplish
happening
Charles Reznikoff and Mikls
(What discrete skills and processes should (What values and commitments and
Radnti.
students be able to use?)

attitudes should students acquire or

wrestle with?)

(What facts and basic concepts should

students know and be
able to recall?)
Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011)
The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units
and Van Brummelen (2002)
Steppingstones to Curriculum

Evaluative Criteria
Class discussion
To evaluate student progress, I will
use a list of names and mark checks
next to students that exhibit the
desire results
Group discussion
I will check on students who are
participating in their groups and
monitor their class discussion as
well.
Journals
I will have a list/rubric of things
that Im looking for in their
journals. These wont be graded,
but used to keep track of progress. I
will be looking for insightful
commentary on the text and
original thought

(What criteria will be used in each assessment

to evaluate attainment of the desired results?)
(Regardless of the format of the assessment,
what qualities are most important?)

Stage 2- Evidence
Students will show their learning by
PERFORMANCE TASK(S):
Answering questions or making comments during discussion and in small groups
Displaying engagement with the texts through the discussion and in their journals
Completing worksheets and taking notes along with the PowerPoint
Marking up poems while reading
Working with other students to create an original poem
Watching a video on testimony and being able to answer questions about it

(How will students demonstrate their understanding- meaning-making and transfer- through complex performance?)

OTHER EVIDENCE:

(What other evidence will you collect to determine whether Stage 1 goals were achieved?

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011)

The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units
and Van Brummelen (2002)
Steppingstones to Curriculum

Stage 3- Learning Plan

I will dedicated the entire first lesson to pre-assessment on poems before focusing specifically on Holocaust poetry. We will do a Kahoot, we will compile a list on what we
think poetry is, and we will have a discussion on that list. In a way, I am currently pre-assessing them as we work through our reading on another Holocaust book. I am
making note of who seems to be understanding the book and who seems to be struggling. They almost all seem to grasp the event well from a historical perspective.
(What pre-assessments will you use to check students prior knowledge, skill levels, and potential misconceptions?)

Learning Events
Student success at transfer, meaning, and acquisition depends upon their participation in these
learning events
Lesson 1:
-As a class, brainstorm list of what we think a poem is and discuss
-Read
My Papas Waltz
and partake in corresponding activity
-Collaborate with classmates to arrive at an understanding of the poem
-Take Kahoot and share ideas on the learning that went on
Lesson 2:
-Come together as a class and write a poem together. After it has been written, evaluate the
poem aesthetically and mechanically.
-Read the poem,
Forced March
by
MiklsRadnti.Markupthepoem,writedownquestionsthey
haveandbepreparedtodiscussitasaclass
SplitupintogroupsanddothesamethingbutforadifferentMiklsRadntipoem.Then,briefly
presentthispoemtotheclass

Lesson3:
Discussiononwhattestimonyis.Isitmorethanastory?Doesithavetobereligious?
WatchvideoofLecraestestimony.Discusscertainthingsthattheynoticedinthevideo.
DiscussionthequotesbyTheodorAdornoandElieWiesel.
ReadthepoembyCharlesReznikoffandapplyskillslearnedintheprevioustwodays
Comparepoemstophotographsand
Journalaftermainclassportionisfinished.Finishjournalathomeifunfinished
Lesson 4:
-Read and annotate
Tugboat at Daybreak
by Lillian Morrison.
-Discussion about literary terms. What terms do we already know? What terms do we want
to know?
-Filling out worksheet by following the powerpoint
-Get into groups and present a term to the class

Progress Monitoring
(How will you monitor students
progress toward acquisition, meaning,
and transfer during lesson events?)

I will use the class list and make checks

next to students that are making the
expected progress
I will also be able to monitor their
journals at any time, so I can evaluate
progress that way

(How will students monitor their

own progress toward acquisition,
meaning, and transfer?)

I will provide them rubrics before they start

the final project.
Their journals also allow for their own
monitoring of their learning

(What are potential rough spots and

student misunderstandings?)

Students may not consider poetry

interesting enough in order to

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011)

The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units
and Van Brummelen (2002)
Steppingstones to Curriculum

Lesson 5:
-Collaborate with group and assign roles
-Explore provided resources and chose a poem
-Spend time researching the poem and looking for pictures that compare to the poem
-Create a powerpoint of the poem, showcasing skills that have been learned
-Present the powerpoint to the class

(How will students get the feedback they

need?)

Google Docs allow me to leave feedback,

but I will also make give comments on
their smaller projects. The final project
will have a rubric that I will mark up.

(Does the learning plan reflect principles of learning and best practices?)
(Is there tight alignment with Stages 1 and 2?)

Based on Wiggins and McTighe (2011)

The Understanding by Design Guide to Creating High-Quality Units
and Van Brummelen (2002)
Steppingstones to Curriculum