Digital Unit Plan Template

Unit Title: “Listen to Me, I Know What I’m Talking About” Name: Mr. Michael J. Criste

Content Area: English Language Arts Grade Level: 11th-12th

CA Content Standard(s)/Common Core Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient
evidence.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.A Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or
opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.B Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each while pointing out
the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level, concerns, values, and possible biases.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.C Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the
relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.D Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in
which they are writing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1.E Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

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.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update individual or shared writing products in response to
ongoing feedback, including new arguments or information.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a
problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; assess the
strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas,
avoiding plagiarism and over reliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9.A Apply grades 11-12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-
twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics”).
Big Ideas/Unit Goals:

Curriculum-Framing Questions and/or Essential Questions:

1.) How can we change someone’s mind?

2.) How can we convince others that we are right?
3.) How can we get others to do the right thing?
4.) Why are you so confident that you know better?
5.) When does an argument “cross the line?”
6.) In a professional argument, is it ever appropriate to get personal against your adversary?
7.) When does an argument become an attack?

Unit Summary:

This is a unit that is useful for the class to revisit throughout the school year, with continuing advancement in content and application. First, students will be
prompted with individually assigned and prescribed topics pertaining to either their past or current lives. Next, students will be provided with literature and/or
literary nonfiction, from which to expound upon, and then side with, as either a proponent or opponent of the work’s author. By the end of this course, all
students will have produced proficient and professional argumentation on substantive topics pertaining to today’s society. All students will subsequently
complete this unit having acquired the deeper learning competencies and skills of 21st Century Learning: Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and
Creativity.

Assessment Plan:

Entry-Level: Formative: Summative:

1.) Guided Notes from Teacher Lecture
2.) Group Discussions on Debate Topics
3.) Research Chart
1.) Classroom Debates/Oral Communication 1.) First Draft of Argumentative Essay, based on
2.) Diagram of Mentor Text thoroughly researched topic, containing a thesis,
3.) Brain POP Quiz objection, reply, and three main points in support of
4.) Argument Formulation Graphic Organizer the overarching claim and/or recommendation.
5.) 3-Pillar Support Graphic Organizer
6.) Discussion Questions on Mentor Text
7.) Minimal Five-Part Structure Quiz
8.) Persuasion Map Interactive: Essay Outline

Lesson 1 (Teacher Lecture)

Student Learning Objective:
Students will discuss the
many facets of debate,
engage in higher level
thinking by responding to
one of the big idea questions
presented, conduct assisted
research, and begin to
construct an introductory
paragraph.
Lesson 2 (Webercise/ iPad Lesson)
Student Learning Objective:
Students will implement
and hone their collection
and interaction strategies
by engaging in structured
teamwork, shared
leadership, and
collaborative analysis.
Lesson 3 (Graphic Organizer)
Acceptable Evidence
(Assessments):
Students will provide
written responses to
questions and a completed
graphic organizer.
Acceptable Evidence:
Students will demonstrate
sufficient integration of
content by first passing a
quiz, providing a name for
an assigned abstract-
themed speech
demonstrating conceptual
understanding and
inference, and then display
their organization in their
participation on two
provided graphic
organizers.
Lesson Activities:
1.) Guided Notes
2.) Teacher Facilitated Group Discussion
3.) Research - Graphic Organizer
4.) Introductory Paragraph - Graphic Organizer
Lesson Activities:
Step 1: Teacher divides students into jigsaw groups (5-6 students per group).
Step 2: One student per group is appointed as the leader.
Step 3: Day’s lesson is now broken down into 6 segments.
Step 4: Each student takes one of the segments.
Step 5: Students read over their segments to become familiar with them.
Step 6: Now, students regroup with the other students working on the same segment.
Step 7: After conferring and collaborating, students return to their original groups.
Step 8: Each student then presents his or her segment to their group.
Step 9: Teacher now floats from group to group to observe and/or help.
Step 10: At the end of the session, students complete a summative quiz on the material.
Student Learning Objective:
Students will demonstrate
layered understanding of
demanding, highly-rated
Lexile mentor texts, and
engage with the author by
asking questions and posing
their own ideas and/or
responses.
Unit Resources:
Acceptable Evidence:
The provided graphic
organizer demands that the
students break down their
assigned texts into each of
its constituent parts,
showing an organized
understanding of the
complemented literary
devices and rhetoric.
Lesson Activities:
1.) Students choose either Argument 1 or 2.
2.) They then print the transcription of their chosen essay/speech.
3.) While reading, students are instructed to take thorough notes and annotations (in pencil), and
highlight key words or phrases to remind them of their thoughts when referring back later.
4.) Once they’re finished reading their chosen essay and marked it up sufficiently, they then will
open up the Gliffy Graphic Organizer Interactive, and enter the key information from their
notes.
5.) This will ensure that the students synthesize their analyses of their essays, in order to fit into
their graphic organizers.
https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/coretexts/_files/resources/texts/1775%20Patrick%20Henry%20Liberty%20or%20Death.pdf
https://youtu.be/tAmgEa1B1vI
http://a4esl.org/
https://quizlet.com/latest
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/grammar?t=practice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9slylqZ1MOk&feature=youtu.be
https://youtu.be/JTN9Nx8VYtk
http://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit/
https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/paine.htm
https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plan/common-sense-rhetoric-popular-democracy#sect-introduction
http://www.history.org/media/audio/Libordth.mp3
https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/coretexts/_files/resources/texts/1775%20Patrick%20Henry%20Liberty%20or%20Death.pdf
https://campus.aynrand.org/lexicon/argument-from-intimidation
https://youtu.be/sKuZmsMetOA
https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/persuasive-writing/
https://creately.com/
https://www.gliffy.com/
Useful Websites:

http://www.k12reader.com/
http://teacher.depaul.edu/Reading_NONFICTION_Grade4.html
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/k12/teachers.html
http://www.edudemic.com/learning-curve-report-education/
https://techmatrix.org/
https://www.grammarly.com/
https://www.icivics.org/
https://www.brainpop.com/
http://www.readwritethink.org/
https://edsitement.neh.gov/
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
https://www.jigsaw.org/
https://del.icio.us/
https://cloud.acrobat.com/
www.watchknowlearn.org/
https://ed.ted.com/
https://amara.org/en/
https://www.teachertube.com/signup
https://learnzillion.com/landing
https://www.pbs.org/
https://www.edutopia.org/
https://www.teachingchannel.org/
https://newsela.com/
https://www.newsinlevels.com/
http://www.fortheteachers.org/
https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/
https://www.commonlit.org/
http://www.booksthatgrow.com/
https://www.readinga-z.com/
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/
https://www.elacommoncorelessonplans.com/
http://educationnorthwest.org/traits
https://www.lipsum.com/
https://www.onenote.com/learningtools