Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Name:
10th Grade Honors Zach Halpern
January 2015
Date:
Unit Description: A literature unit on A Tale of Two Cities, which includes an overlapping
writing unit. Students will write 4-5 page papers at the end of the unit and two short papers in the
middle. The unit will focus on Dickens use of foreshadowing and the pathetic fallacy; his
method of characterization; the novels themes of inequality, revenge; Dickens tone as analyzed
through close reading.
Student Demographics/description of class for which unit is intended: The class
is an honors level class. Two students are ELLs; they are advanced and no longer take ESL
classes, but Ill still be on the lookout for helping them with language difficulties. There are no
special education students, though some students are struggling with the work. Some students are
very anxious about their schoolwork, which impacts attendance.
STAGE ONE - Established Goals
Relevant Standards/Intended Learning Outcomes and Goals:
Common Core Standards:
1. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including
figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word
choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how
it sets a formal or informal tone).
2. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.6
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.
3. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says
explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
4. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
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.
5. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.3
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. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.3
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts,
to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading
or listening.
7. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
based on grades 9-10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
8. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.6
Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases,
sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness
level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a
word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
WIDA Standards: Writing-Level 5-Bridging: Rich descriptive discourse with complex
sentences - Cohesive and organized related ideas - Compound, complex grammatical
constructions (e.g., multiple phrases and clauses)- A broad range of sentence patterns
characteristic of particular content areas - Technical and abstract content-area
language - Words and expressions with shades of meaning for each content area
Essential Question(s):
1. What are effective ways to respond to
injustice?
2. Why did Dickens choose to write a novel
about the events leading up to the French
Revolution, which occurred in 1789, during
the Victorian era in 1859?
3. How does Dickens reveal/create his
characters?
4. How and why does Dickens use
foreshadowing and the pathetic fallacy?
5. What are characteristics of Dickens tone
when he writes about the 3rd Estate? And the
aristocracy?
in a short essay.
4. Use transitions when writing arguments
within paragraphs and between
paragraphs.
Other Evidence to be Collected: Exit tickets that recap daily lessons, homework
writing assignments (i.e. short answer questions).
Student Self-Assessment and Reflection: Students will write two selfassessments: one of their short essay and one of their final essay
1.
Chapter 1
Introduction to
novel. Read
chapter 1
together.
2.
Chapter 2-3
Debate Activity
3.
Chapter 4
Reading Quiz
5.
Continue
Close reading
Questions
6.
II.4-6
Quick recap
Drawing
Dickens
characters/Dic
kens
illustrators
7.
II.6-8
Vocabulary
Notes on
Dickens
Characters
8.
II.9-12
Close-reading
questions
Notes on
Foreshadowing
9.
II.13-15
Short writing
activity:
Foreshadowing
10.
II.16-18
Tableau
Vivant/Perfor
mances
11.
Vocab Quiz
Finish
performances
12.
II.19-21
Dramatic
Adaptation of
a Scene
13.
Finish book II
Performances
And closereading questions
14.
III. 1-2
Performances
and close-reading
questions
15.
III.3-5
Connecting to
Current Events
16.
III.6-7
Connecting to
Current
Events
(continued)
17.
Group closereading
activity
18.
III.8-9
Group closereading
activity
(continued)
Reading Quiz
19.
III.10-12
Close Reading of
a Passage
(Short Writing
Activity)
20.
III. 13-14
Group Closereading
21.
Finish Book
Final Paper
Prep
22.
Review:
Trivia
Competition
23.
Review:
Trivia
Competition
24.
Review for
Socratic
Seminar
25.
Socratic Seminar