Curriculum Map

Created in TE 407, Fall 2008

Reflection/Revision, Spring 2009

A major component of teaching is to engage in reflective practices. I

created this Curriculum Map for my TE 407 class; this was one of the first
major assignments I had where I had to think and plan like a teacher. It was
completed early in the semester, and I have learned so much throughout this
year, that I thought it would be beneficial to reflect upon where I was and
how my thinking has changed. My comments are a mixture of my opinions
on how I would change the units based on the evolution of my thinking and
planning as a teacher.
Texts Assessments Eng Goals # of Weeks
Unit 1: We “We Are The 1) Write a poem Song/Poetr 5 Weeks
Are the World” by similar to the y
World Michael song “We Are
Jackson and the World” Novel
Others
2) Presentation Graphic
American of individual Novel
Born culture/
Chinese by culture of Diversity
Gene Yang choice Literature

Life of Pi by 3) Create CE 1.2.2

Yann Martel character that
is affiliated CE 1.5.1
Things Fall with a culture
Apart by and compose CE 2.1.2
Chinua a short story
Achebe CE 2.2.3

CE 2.3.8

CE 3.1.1

CE 3.1.7

CE 4.2.2

CE 4.2.3

Wow, major changes in thought with this unit. First, I would never have a unit
that is based around “multicultural” literature. I want the focus in my class to
be on the literature itself, not on the superficial label it is given. I believe that
all literature is “cultural,” therefore having a unit framed around diversity in
literature frames it otherwise for my students. Also, in this unit, I have my
class reading 3 books in 5 weeks. This seems so incredibly unreasonable
factoring in the other aspects I wanted to cover. If I want to focus on
culture’s influence in literature, excerpts would work or I need to lengthen the
unit. This could be a good time to have students look at their culture too. I
do like the diverse forms of text I use in the unit as well as the assignments,
but I would definitely change the title of the unit to frame it differently for my
students.

Unit Texts Assessments Eng Goals # of Weeks

Unit 2: It’s To Kill A 1) Film Analysis of 5 Weeks

Time to Mockingbird Analysis Film
Change by Harper Lee Paper
Novel
Brave New 2) Create a
World by dystopia Creative
Aldous Huxley using 2 Thinking
forms of Critical
Excerpt media
of1984 by Thinking
George Orwell CE 1.2.3
A Modest CE 3.1.1
Proposal by
Jonathan Swift CE 3.1.2

Film: The CE 3.4.1

Truman Show
or
Pleasantville

Again, when looking at this unit, the first thing I notice is how much I try to
accomplish in only 5 weeks. I feel that all of my novel choices are great for
the unit and the overall goal of the unit, but there is no way I would be able
to sufficiently cover these books in only 5 weeks. Also, looking at the books, I
would probably eliminate To Kill a Mockingbird. Though it does call for
change, as the unit suggests, I feel the unit and final assessment would be
best served with the more satirical societal critiques. Also, I would
incorporate more choices for the film analysis. I think it would be neat to give
students the option of doing some transmediation of their film analysis draft.
This option would even meet more standards!
Unit Texts Assessments Eng Goals # of Weeks

Unit 3: Now Hamlet by 1) Create own Novel 8 Weeks

and Then William character in
Shakespeare the style Play
shown in The Oral
Film: Hamlet Canterbury Presentatio
The Tales n
Canterbury 2) Book
Tales by Poetry
Review in form
Geoffrey of an Interview Diversity
Chaucer Literature
3)Comparison
The Amazing Paper Technology
Adventures of between a
Kavalier and contemporary CE 1.2.3
Clay by work and a
Michael CE 1.3.1
classic work
Chabon
CE 1.5.4
4) Relate a
The Alchemist song or poem CE 2.1.2
by Paulo (1980s and
Coelho later) to a big CE 2.5.1

Assorted idea in novel

CE 3.1.1
Poems by 5)
Sylvia Plath CE 3.1.2
Representatio
Assorted n of a theme CE 3.1.5
Poems by in a poem or
novel using CE 3.1.8
Robert Frost
multi-media
CE 3.2.5
Rime of the (one must be
Ancient of the
Mariner by technology
Samuel Taylor genre)
Coleridge

I like the idea of comparing works of literature from different time periods,
but my choices are too drastic. I would rather have a continuum as opposed
to extremes. I think Hamlet will be a good choice because it covers a new
genre and it has multiple film adaptations that will be a good comparison
text. To avoid too much old/middle English overlap, I would only do certain
parts of The Canterbury Tales. This will give my students enough knowledge
to complete one assessment while not focusing too much on one time period.
I would eliminate The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay because of its
length. Though I do like the novel as a contemporary text, there are other
novels I could choose that would fit the role. I would most likely use a novel
that is more focused on an individual’s struggle because that would be similar
to the other texts of the unit. Instead of the comparison paper, I would have
students write a personal narrative. This helps them connect to the notion of
changes over time. Though the unit focuses on literature and how it has
changed, looking at their lives and seeing how their past affects who they are
now would be a good transition out of the unit. Students may have the
option to write a narrative for a character from one of the novels or plays
read.

For this unit, I would remove The Lord of the Flies novel as well as the parody.
Instead, I would include some of Edgar Allen Poe’s poetry. These poems
would highlight an internal conflict and present battles in other forms. Along
with this, I would show the Simpson’s episode that is a parody of Tell Tale
Heart to help them visualize the conflict while helping them transfer this
ability to identify conflict from text to media. This will also add variety to the
type of text my students would be exposed to while giving me more flexibility
with time within the unit.

Unit Texts Assessments Eng Goals # of Weeks

Unit 5: Catcher in 1) Keep a Novel 5 Weeks

Welcome to the Rye by journal for
My Life J.D. Salinger the Diary
duration of Film
White Teeth the unit
by Zadie Characteriza
Smith 2) Create a tion
photo
The Perks of album or CE 1.2.2
Being a soundtrack
Wallflower by from the CE 1.2.3
Stephen point of
Chbosky CE 2.3.6
view of a
Film: White main CE 2.3.8
Teeth dir. By character
CE 3.1.1
Simon Burke
CE 3.2.2

CE 4.2.1

CE 4.2.4

Looking at this unit, the only change I would make would be finding a way to
make reading White Teeth work. It is a very long and complicated text, so
putting it in this short unit would not work. I would eliminate the film and
only use excerpts from the novel. This will let me use White Teeth while not
taking up as much time. I would also want to use The Brimstone Journals
because it will present multiple points of view, including that of an adolescent
female. This text is presented in a journal/diary format, but this will add to
class discussions when analyzing how the diary form is similar and different
in The Brimstone Journals and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Unit Texts Assessments Eng Goals # of Weeks

Unit 6: Can The 1) Research Current 7 Weeks

You Hear Me Poisonwood current issue Events
Now? Bible by in Africa,
Barbra relate it to Film
Kingsolver The Interview
Poisonwood Skills
In Cold Bible
Blood by CE 1.4.1
Truman 2) Write
Capote Newscast or CE 2.3.2
Newspaper
The Curious article on CE 3.1.1
Incident of scene in
the Dog in CE 3.1.2
novel or film
the
CE 3.1.5
Nighttime by 3) Pick a
Mark character and CE 3.1.6
Haddon prepare a
debate on a CE 3.1.8
Film: Crash topic
dir. By Paul CE 4.2.1
Haggis
CE 4.2.2

CE 4.2.3

For this unit, I would eliminate The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Nighttime because it really doesn’t fit the writing style of the other pieces.
This unit focuses on perspectives, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Nighttime is written from the protagonist’s perspective. Removing this book
is also good because there isn’t enough time in this unit for so many lengthy
books. This unit would be a good time to bring in advertisements and
propaganda to see how they target certain people. It follows perspectives
while engaging students in critical thinking and analysis of the world around
them.

General Comments
• I see some variety with the assessments I chose, but there are so
many other possibilities! I could incorporate so much more technology
and variety with texts.
• I would also embed choices for my students. Most of the assessments
do not offer options, and if I give my students the chance to choose,
they will be more likely to engage with at least one option.
• I tend to put too much into my units. Every single one had an
unrealistic amount of material to cover in its entirety. Seeing this, I see
how my experience with planning is really teaching me what could be
accomplished. I do feel that all of the texts I chose have merit in a
classroom, so this may be a good time for me to use literature circles.
• I know it’s not shown in the unit, but just reviewing these books made
me realize how much potential I had to make connects to the lives of
my students depending on how I conducted the discussions.
• I don’t have a theme that arches over all the units, but I would
consider moving the units around after I made some changes to the
texts and assessments. A lot of my books put the focus on an
individual, so working with identity would be a possibility. It would also
be a good way to get to know my students. This would probably make
the material more interesting for many students because they could
view the characters as people and try to connect to their situations.
• One final assessment I would definitely add is a portfolio. The work my
students complete over the year will be great testaments to how much
they have grown. It will also help students develop pride in the work
they complete. It would be a fitting end to the year that focuses so
much on the individual.