Sara Sleyster

Unit Title: Choose Wisely

Grade level: 12th
Length of unit: 4 weeks
Stage 1 Desired Results

Enduring Understandings/Generalizations:

Meaning
Essential Questions:

Writers make choices.

x What choices do authors need to make?
Nonfiction writing requires supporting evidence.
x How do authors establish credibility in narrative writing?
Writers place value on the stories they tell.
x What stories are worth telling?
Authors of nonfiction narratives leave imprints of
x How does who we are influence what we write about?
themselves.
x How can feedback be useful to an author?
x Authors can benefit from feedback on their writing.
Knowledge & Skills Acquisition
Learning Goals:
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.11-12.3
Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a
story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.5
Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end
a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its
aesthetic impact.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-
structured event sequences.
x
x
x
x

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.3.a
Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation and its significance, establishing one or
multiple point(s) of view, and introducing a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or events.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.3.b
Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences,
events, and/or characters.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.3.c
Use a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward
a particular tone and outcome (e.g., a sense of mystery, suspense, growth, or resolution).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.3.d
Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events,
setting, and/or characters.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.3.e
Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the
narrative.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.5
Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on
addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
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x

Key Literary Concepts: theme, point of view, voice,

satire, sarcasm, irony, understatement, hyperbole,
paradox, creative license
About the use of sensory language in storytelling.
The impact of choices on readers: choosing a
subject, point of view, sequencing, flashbacks,
dialogue, voice, details, ending

x Write a nonfiction essay in which they establish themselves

as credible authors.
x Provide constructive criticism to peers in a writing workshop.
x Use sensory language, story sequencing, and dialogue to
establish credibility in their writing.
x writing choices to determine credibility.
x Zle in nonfiction writing.

x
x
x

Credible sources: how to determine credibility,

interview techniques, using a variety of sources,
first-person accounts
The writing process of planning, revising, editing,
and rewriting.
The difference between reflecting and remembering.
Vocabulary words necessary to comprehend the
texts.

x
x
x
x
x

Make connections between the texts and their own writing.

Reflect on their essay and the choices they had to make.
Interview a source to collect information for their essay.
Create questions for an interview.
Produce clear and coherent writing to tell a story.

Resources/Materials:
Literature:
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
Excerpt from Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Excerpt from ,VDDFV6WRUP$0DQD7LPHDQGWKH'HDGOiest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson
Article:
Farmer leaves $10 million and lots of questions behind in western Iowa.\OH0XQVRQ7KH'HV0RLQHV
Register
Video:
Interview of Jon Krakauer explaining his inspiration and research (YouTube)
Interview of Erik Larson explaining his craft (YouTube)
Stage 2 Evidence (Assessment)
Types of assessment: Selected-Response (tests, quizzes); Personal Communication (interview, oral exam,
discussion); Written Response (short constructed response questions, entrance/exit slips, essays);
Performance Assessment (role-play, Simulation, labs, dramatization)

Pre-assessment:
Anticipation guide concerning choices that authors make. Students will answer the questions at the beginning of the unit and
after.
Formative Assessment:
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x

Quick write journal entries

Story Elements Analysis graphic organizer
Compare and Contrast chart between book and newspaper article
Give one-Get one activity
Four Corners activity
Tri-Circle Venn diagram
Student interest quiz
Story planning worksheet
Read Around Groups peer editing

Summative Assessment:
x

Nonfiction article with reflective letter: Students will write a 3 to 5 page nonfiction paper on a topic of their choice using
supporting evidence. Along with the nonfiction article, they will write a justification letter to the teacher explaining why
their article should be studied in class. The letter will explain the choices they made to write the piece, details on how
they support their claims, and why they believe it is a story worth telling.

UbD Pacing Calendar

Monday

Tuesday

1
Anticipation guide:
Gather student
perception on choices
authors make.
Introduce students to
Essential Questions.
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stories are worth
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Students will have time
to think and answer the
question in a journal
entry. Then will do a
Think-Pair-Share over the
question.
Start reading Into the
Wild as a whole group.
Will look at cover,
picture, map, and then
the teacher will read the
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Chapter 1 out loud.

Wednesday

2
Quick Write journal
entry: What questions do
you hope the author
answers next?

Thursday

3
Video: Students will
watch an interview with
Krakauer.

Lecture: Journalistic
Lecture: Choices authors writing, research, and
make: point of view and sources.
sequencing
Students will read an
Students will use a Story
article a newspaper
Elements Analysis
article about a man
graphic organizer to use who had died.
when reading. They will
work in small groups to
Students will work
add characters, setting, independently on a
and POV from the first
Compare and Contrast
chapter.
Chart that focuses on
the choices the
Listen to Chapters 2 and newspaper article
3 using an audio
author and Krakauer
recording of book.
made.
HW: Read Chapters 4
and 5.

Friday

Quick write journal entry:

How did Krakauer give
McCandless a voice in
Chapters 4 and 5?

Give one-Get one:

Students will go around
room and share their
questions with each
other. They need to give
and get questions until
they have five questions
they think are best.

Whole class discussion

on using documents to
give voice to characters
who cannot be
interviewed.
Listen to Chapters 6 and
7.
HW: What are three
questions you would ask
McCandless about his
story so far?

Lecture: Open-ended
questions, creating
interview questions.
Introduce upcoming
nonfiction writing
assignment.
Teacher will read an
excerpt from Unbroken
while students follow
along. They will
annotate their copy by
underlining key facts
and writing questions in
the margin the author
might have asked.
HW: Read Chapters 8
and 9.

6
Four corners: Students
will be asked questions
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the three texts.
Group work: Students
work in pre-arranged
groups to discuss and
complete a Tri-Circle
Venn diagram on the
author choices from the
three texts.
Teacher reads Chapter
10 out loud.

7
Quick write journal entry:
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choice to use a non-
linear timeline affect the
story?
Whole class discussion
on pros and cons of
linear and non-linear
timelines.

8
Video: students will
watch an interview with
Erik Larson
Lecture: creative license
in nonfiction and
establishing credibility
with supporting
evidence.
Students will read an
excerpt from ,VDDFV
Storm. They will
annotate their copy
noting details or
dialogue that fall under
creative license.

Listen to Chapters 12
and 13 using audio
recording of book.

HW: Read Chapter 11

9
Quick write journal entry:
Does creative license in
nonfiction have a limit?
Why or why not?
Teacher reads Chapter
15 out loud.
Think-pair-share on
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a biographical account
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credibility.

10
Pop Quiz: Students will
take a quiz that asks
them about their
interests and thoughts
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Listen to Chapters 16
and 17.
If time, find a partner to
begin brainstorming
ideas for nonfiction
writing project.
HW: Read Chapter 18
and epilogue

HW: Read Chapter 14

11
Quick write journal entry:
Which of the four
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did you prefer and why?
Whole class discussion
on end of book.

12
Lecture: Set up
nonfiction writing
assignment.
Students will be given a
blank story planning
sheet and time to write
out their writing
assignment ideas.
HW: Finish planning
sheet

13
Research day: Students
will be given time to look
for source materials
while teacher reviews
topic choices and plans.
HW: Interview sources.

14

15

Lecture: Difference
between reflecting and
remembering.

Quick write journal entry:

Why is your nonfiction
story worth telling?

Continue research or
begin drafting

Lecture: Using sensory

language in storytelling.

HW: Keep drafting and

finish interviews.

Students will be given

time to draft.
HW: Finish rough draft

16
Lecture: Set up Read
Around Groups peer
editing
Students divided into
heterogeneous groups
and use RAG comment
sheets.

17
Quick write journal entry:
What feedback item did
you find most useful?
Revise papers.

18
Lecture: Review
justification letter that
accompanies paper

19
Bell ringer: Have
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anticipation guide.

Continue revising
Student-teacher
conferences.

Final drafting day

Continue student-
teacher conferences

HW: Final paper and

letter due Monday.

20
Pre-assessment for next
unit.