Reflecting on an MYP Unit Natalie Beals George Mason University · 2018-09-10 · English textbook: “Zlateh the Goat” by Isaac Bashevis Singer, “Dragon, Dragon” by John Gardner,

Running head: REFLECTING ON AN MYP UNIT 1

Reflecting on an MYP Unit

Natalie Beals

George Mason University

REFLECTING ON AN MYP UNIT 2

Abstract

The following paper reflects on the process of planning and teaching a Middle Years

Programme (MYP) unit. The first section of the paper explains the inquiry conducted by this

unit, including conceptual base in a global context, the resources selected to convey this

conceptual understanding, and the summative assessments measuring the students’

understanding of the various concepts presented in the unit. The second section elaborates upon

the specific learning activities practiced in the daily lessons. Special attention is given to

differentiation and student action. The third section describes the implementation of this unit at

an American middle school, and the fourth section is composed of final reflective thoughts on

the entire unit planning process.


Reflecting on an MYP Unit

The unit plan described by this paper was composed for a Middle Years Programme

(MYP) year one Language A classroom. It was applied in four sixth grade English classes at a

public middle school in the rural piedmont region of Virginia. One was an inclusion class

containing two students with documented reading disabilities and twelve students who failed the

Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) reading test the previous year. Another was an honors

class, made up of gifted and high-achieving students. The other two were general education

classes with the reading and writing ability level ranging from low to high. The students were

predominantly white and came from upper middle or working class families.

In accordance with the Virginia SOL, sixth grade students should be able to identify the

literary elements specific to fictional narratives as well as analyze and explain how the author

uses these elements to support a central conflict or theme. These objectives coordinate with the

International Baccalaureate’s (IB) MYP content objective that students “understand and analyze

the language, content, structure, meaning and significance of both familiar and previously unseen

oral, written and visual texts” (IBO, 2013a, p. 4). Prior to this unit, students had already studied

basic fictional terms such as plot, characters, and setting, and special attention had been given to

the plot diagram, emphasizing such terms as conflict, climax, and resolution. The unit

expounded upon through this paper seeks to deepen students’ understanding of how these

fictional terms contribute to meaning in a narrative (see Appendix A for Unit Planner and Unit

Planner Overview Chart).

Inquiry

Key concept and statement of inquiry


This unit plan is organized under the key concept of relationships, with the related

language concepts of conflict, character, and theme. Though many textbooks and curricular

layouts teach the ideas of character, conflict, and theme under the topic of fiction—or, as is the

case with the textbook used in this classroom, alongside a specific genre, such as short stories—

an understanding of these ideas is limited without understanding the bigger ideas under which

they operate. Erickson (2002), in her argument for a concept-based curriculum, states that

“filtering” topics through a much larger idea “requires a higher-level, integrative thinking

ability” (p. 8). In other words, organizing curriculum as conceptual framework provides a

deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the content. Concept-based curriculum also

provides students with a “mental schema” (Erickson, 2002, p. 51) through which they can

transfer knowledge and understanding to real world applications. Such a curriculum also

supports the IB’s mission that students become lifelong learners who are open minded in their

approach to new information: “Concepts promote a broad approach to education that can

encompass many ways of thinking, inspire a variety of experiences, and open doors to exciting

and highly relevant interdisciplinary learning” (IBO, 2013b, p. 3). By organizing the unit under

a concept, the unit presents a more complex look at the topic, demanding higher-order thinking

and providing a structural framework with which to transfer information to other areas of study.

In their study of character, conflict, and theme, I wanted the students to extend their

learning beyond listing or identifying various examples of these devices in literature, and to be

able to see how these devices work together to convey meaning in a work of literature. Such an

understanding would require students to analyze the author’s use of characterization and conflict,

infer themes based on the relationship between the two, and synthesize meaning based on the


interaction among conflict, character, and theme. In understanding this relationship, students

would deepen their understanding of the language concepts, and would have a mental scaffold

set up to transfer relational understanding across the content areas. For example, the same skills

that students use to understand how character and conflict present theme are used in history class

to understand the factors that caused and perpetuated of the Great Depression or in science class

to see how the adjusting of one variable can impact the outcome of an experiment.

When first composing this unit, I thought that the global context would be identities and

relationships, since relationships was the key concept. This global context, however, suggests

that personal relationships are part of the human experience and help define who we are as a

species and as individuals (IBO, 2013b). While human identities and relationships provide a

stimulating backdrop for the study of literature, a structural relationship, such as that among

character, conflict, and theme, suggests the context of personal and cultural expression.

Because themes are the beliefs, perceptions, or ideals of a person or culture, as articulated

through the characters and conflict of a fictional narrative, they become an expression of that

individual or culture.

Having determined the key concept, related concepts, and global context, the statement of

inquiry for this unit was constructed as follows: “In fictional narratives, an analysis of characters

and conflict reveals themes relevant to the experience of a person or culture.” Such a statement

necessitates an in-depth study of literature, but is not a narrow statement that precludes students

from pursuing their own questions about character, conflict, and theme. Students must think

critically in order to synthesize meaning in a narrative, a skill developed in the unit’s conceptual

questions. The statement of inquiry is also relevant to students because if theme is dependent


upon a person’s or culture’s perceptions, then the students’ personal and cultural perceptions are

valid and necessary to the analysis of a narrative’s theme. This relevance is expanded in the

unit’s debatable inquiry question: “Is the theme of a story the result of the author’s writing or the

reader’s understanding?” (see Appendix A for all the factual, conceptual, and debatable

questions in the Unit Plan).

Resources

In deciding literary content for this unit, I selected four short stories from the students’

English textbook: “Zlateh the Goat” by Isaac Bashevis Singer, “Dragon, Dragon” by John

Gardner, “The All-American Slurp” by Lensey Namioka, and “Aaron’s Gift” by Myron Levoy.

These stories were chosen for their clear illustrations of character, conflict, and theme and

because each presents a culture or setting different from that to which most of the students in

these particular classes are accustomed. I opted with short stories over a longer novel because I

wanted students to be able to study characterization, conflict, and theme through the perspectives

of multiple sources. Once these stories were selected, the conceptual and debatable lines of

inquiry to follow during class discussions could be tailored to reference each story: How does the

youngest brother’s change in character impact the plot of “Dragon, Dragon”? How does the

conflict in “The All-American Slurp” illustrate the theme of the story? How is the theme of

“Dragon, Dragon” similar to that of “Aaron’s Gift”?

Summative assessments

Before delving into the details of the daily lesson plans, it was important that I determine

what the practical purpose of the unit would be. Yes, I wanted the students to understand

specific concepts, but understanding alone cannot be assessed unless students do something to


show that they understand. Wiggins (1998) contends that the purpose of assessment should be to

promote student understanding and that assessments should be authentic, employing skills that

are used in the “real world” outside school. I knew from the conception of this unit plan that one

of the summative assessments would be a mulitparagraph paper explaining how character and

conflict work together within a specific narrative to illustrate a theme. Such a paper would

require students to reflect on their understanding and explain the relationship among conflict,

character and theme, while also employing specific literacy skills, including compiling details to

support an argument, citing quotes and referencing specific examples in a text, and transitioning

fluidly between thoughts (see Appendix B for Theme Analysis Essay Rubric). This assignment

complies with the MYP principle that assessment “promote a deep understanding of subject

content” and “promote the development of higher-order cognitive skills” (IBO, 2008b, p. 41).

I thought that a shorter writing assignment earlier in the unit could provide another

summative assessment, so I incorporated the Writing Workshop on characterization. I then

realized that this workshop, as the term suggests, was practice more than performance—a

formative assessment building skills necessary for the final paper. One performance that

students would have to master before the final paper, however, was how to recognize an author’s

characterization within a narrative. This understanding led to the development of the word

collage (see Appendix B for Word Collage Rubric). The word collage would assess a student’s

ability to identify an author’s direct characterization and to infer qualities of a character based on

the author’s indirect characterization. It also would develop students’ creative thinking skills in

that they would have to come up with many words to describe a character, generating synonyms

and perceiving a character in unconventional ways. This project also would incorporate the


students’ choice of artistic media, even offering the technology option of the WordleTM for those

who may not be as artistically inclined.

Action

Formative assessments and class activities

Once the conceptual framework and summative assessments were determined, the fun

details of the day-to-day activities could be developed. In planning these learning engagements,

I designed activities that would support the unit’s statement of inquiry, engage the students at

their learning levels, and develop skills needed for future study. Because the overall concept of

this unit is the relationship among character, conflict, and theme, I chose specific learning

activities that would aid students in their understanding of this concept. For example, comparing

and contrasting the cultural practices among the characters in “The All-American Slurp” would

help students to understand the theme that despite cultural differences, human beings still share

many similarities. Similarly, the graphic organizer completed during the reading of “Dragon,

Dragon” helps to solidify an understanding of characterization, which is a stepping stone to

understanding theme (see Appendix C for Characterization Handout).

Since I would be teaching this unit in an inclusion class, an honors class, and two general

education classes, it was also important that I differentiated particular aspects of the lesson in

order to reach all students at their learning levels. Tomlinson (2008) refers to differentiation as

“student-aware teaching” (p. 27) and argues that students become more successful learners as a

result of teachers’ tailoring lessons to suit student needs. Likewise, a principle of the MYP is

that “teachers differentiate learning experiences to accommodate the range of abilities and

learning styles in the group” (IBO, 2008b, p. 60). Within these four classes would be


academically gifted learners, English language learners (ELL), and students with disabilities.

Gifted learners often take pride in originality, so the unit incorporates multiple opportunities for

students to choose a direction for their inquiry. Students with reading or writing disabilities

would be able to assemble their outline and track discussions using a provided graphic organizer

(see Appendix C). In classes with ELL students, special care would be given to see that upper

level vocabulary and phrases that are biased in their assumption of cultural norms would be

explained.

Besides these students with documented learning differences, I knew that ability would

manifest itself in more than merely a high end, a low end, and a middle range; as a result, I also

considered such learning preferences as global/analytic, interpersonal/intrapersonal,

audio/visual/kinesthetic, and verbal/numeric (see Appendix A for a description of these

considerations). Even though some researchers, such as Riener and Willingham (2010), contend

that the concept of learning styles is a myth and that the way in which one learns depends on the

content being studied, providing students with multiple exposures to a concept will also provide

multiple opportunities to reach them at whatever style, preference, or level of attention they find

themselves. In this way, students “interact with their environments in a variety of ways,

including physically, socially and intellectually” (IBO, 2008b, p. 60).

Finally, in planning the activities of this unit, I incorporated specific skills that could be

developed during the learning experiences. Collaboration is an essential part of the IB

curriculum: IB learners are expected to be communicators who rely on positive interaction with

others in order to further their learning (IBO, 2008a). Four lessons during the unit specifically

require small group or pair discussions, and three include working with others to accomplish a


task—the Venn diagram during the theme study of “The All-American Slurp,” the peer review of

the Theme Analysis Essay outline, and the historical connections research while studying

“Aaron’s Gift.” Other IB approaches to learning that are developed over the course of this unit

include critical thinking skills—developed through numerous class and small group discussions,

particularly the discussion on day 4 of who determines the theme of a story—and reflection

skills—developed in the reflection completed after each story and formally assessed in the theme

section of the Theme Analysis Essay.

Though some choice has been given to students in which story to use for the final paper

and in the artistic direction chosen for word collage, students need to be given the opportunity to

pursue their own inquiry. According to the IB, “[i]nquiry can take many forms, yet the most

successful form is when students’ questions and inquiries are genuine and take them from

existing knowledge to new levels of understanding” (IBO, 2008b, p. 62). One way that I have

sought to encourage student inquiry is by having students complete a reflection after reading

each story (see Appendix C for Reflection Handout). This reflection reviews key elements of the

story and allows students to assemble their own thoughts and questions concerning the story and

the class discussion about it. On day six in the unit, half the class is given over to a mostly

student-led discussion following some of these lines of inquiry and addressing areas of

confusion.

Implementation

I was able to teach the first four lessons of this unit over the course of five days. Due to

the imperfect track record of this particular group of students to complete assigned reading at

home, I opted to read “Zlateh the Goat” in class, requiring an extra day. Students had already


been introduced to conflict in a prior unit that emphasized the plot diagram and readily made the

jump toward qualifying different types of conflict. One class even initiated a discussion of

whether fighting an illness is an internal conflict because the enemy is inside them, or an external

conflict because a virus is part of nature, which is an external force. One particularly rewarding

learning experience was the kinesthetic activity in which students were to adopt a pose to label a

conflict scenario as “man vs. man,” “man vs. nature,” or “man vs. self.” Students seemed to

enjoy the activity—the inclusion class and the honors class were particularly enthusiastic—and

while this activity may not have been the sole factor in the students’ retaining the knowledge,

types of conflict have not yet had to be retaught when referenced in lessons now months later.

When reading “Dragon, Dragon,” students followed along in their books while listening

to the audio recording of the story provided by the textbook publishers. This recording was

humorous and offered fun sound effects for the dragon’s laughter and the wizard’s spells, but it

also allowed students to pause in their reading and jot down notes about characterization without

losing the flow of the story. Students completed the chart organizing direct and indirect

characterization of the character they selected, and provided clever arrangements of these words

in their word collages (see Appendix D for Student Word Samples). Some students had

difficulty in coming up with more descriptive words than were on their graphic organizer, and

multiple thesauruses were not available, so some “collages” displayed a lot of white space

between the sparse descriptions. Other students had the idea to use their vocabulary books as a

source and were able to find many more words to describe their character. The Writing

Workshop in the fourth lesson was the first time that the students in my class had been

introduced to writing an opinion statement and supporting it with specific textual references; it


served as a good introduction to a skill that the students have since—in later lessons—practiced

many more times and begun to improve.

Once the unit began to address the conceptual questions of how characterization and

conflict work together to illustrate a theme, students began to struggle. Due to the difficulty in

conceiving the abstract relationship of the three language concepts or a communication failure on

my part or some other unknown factor, I had to discontinue the planned layout of the unit and

slow down the pace of teaching. I was, however, able to salvage the Theme Analysis Essay from

my planned unit and revise it to suit the concepts examined much later during a novel study. At

the point in which this paper was written, students had turned in a rough draft of this essay.

Final Reflection

This unit planning process, from brainstorming to final reflection, was long and labor-

intense. Since this has been the first full unit that I have designed according to IB standards and

one of the first under a conceptual framework, I found myself constantly evaluating and

reevaluating the purpose and effectiveness of each objective, activity, and assessment. Even the

shuffling of words in constructing the statement of inquiry proved a daunting task as I explored

multiple ways to combine the key concept, related concepts, and global context. Completing the

process on my own instilled a respect for the IB’s focus on collaboration among teachers.

Though the workload alone necessitates teamwork, collaborative planning involves a wealth of

ideas, experiences, and perspectives that delve to the heart of what the unit wishes to convey.

Despite the exertion, the process was also rewarding. In grappling with the conceptual

layout of the plan and reflecting on the process as I worked, I came to understand the content

itself at a deeper level. I have always taught character, conflict, and theme as separate language


concepts, but in the process of selecting a key concept, I observed how the three are related to

and reliant upon each other. I also would not have connected theme to personal and cultural

expression if I had not endeavored to succinctly state the inquiry of the unit. When considering

the depth to which teachers analyze the purpose and direction of an MYP unit, it is little wonder

that such a unit can engage students in a deeper understanding of the material. Though my

students struggled with the pacing of the unit after the first few lessons, their first foray into

linking character with conflict was ultimately successful. Now—two months after the unit—as

they are writing papers on their novels, they themselves are explaining the relationship between

character and conflict and how these two narrative elements work together to convey a theme.

Though I do not, as of now, work in an IB school and am not currently required to design

my class curriculum using MYP unit planners, the curriculum design principles upheld by this

unit plan are transferrable. The practice of framing a unit around a concept and backwards

planning from the end results to the daily learning experiences is one that I will continue to

conduct in my own classroom. By reflectively planning—constantly asking myself how I came

to an understanding or why I chose a specific class activity—I can knit my lessons into a dense,

purposeful unit that keeps students at the center, makes learning relevant to students’ lives, and

challenges students to pursue learning beyond the classroom.


References

Erickson, H. L. (2002). Concept-based curriculum and instruction: Teaching beyond the facts.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.

International Baccalaureate Organization. (2008a). IB learner profile booklet. Retrieved

September 30, 2013, from

http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/documents/general/g_0_iboxx_amo_1002_1a_e.pdf

International Baccalaureate Organization. (2008b). MYP: From principles into practice.

Retrieved September 8, 2013, from

http://occ.ibo.org/ibis/documents/myp/m_g_mypxx_mon_0808_1_e.pdf

International Baccalaureate Organization. (2013a). Language A in the MYP. Retrieved

November 5, 2013 from

http://xmltwo.ibo.org/publications/MYP/m_1_langa_guu_0901_2/html/production-

app3.ibo.org/publication/149/part/1/chapter/3.html

International Baccalaureate Organization. (2013b). Using the MYP unit planner. (Unpublished

document).

Riener, C., & Willingham, D. (2010). The Myth of Learning Styles. Change, 42(5), 32–35.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2008). The Goals of Differentiation. Part of a Special Issue Entitled Giving

Students Ownership of Learning, 66(3), 26–30.

Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative assessment: Designing assessments to inform and improve

student performance. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers.


Appendix A

Unit Planner and Unit Planner Overview

Figure 1

Unit Planner

MYP unit planner

Teacher(s) Natalie Beals Subject group and discipline

Language A

Unit title Character, Conflict, and Theme MYP year Year 1 Unit duration (hrs)

10

INQUIRY: establishing purpose of the unit

Key concept Related concept(s) Global context

Relationships

Character, conflict, theme Personal and Cultural Expression

Statement of inquiry

In fictional narratives, an analysis of characters and conflict reveals themes relevant to the experience of a person or culture.

Inquiry questions

Factual – What are the different types of conflict? What is the difference between direct and indirect characterization? What is the conflict in “Zlateh the Goat,” and what type of conflict is this? (The same questions are asked for “Dragon, Dragon,” “All-American Slurp,” and “Aaron’s Gift.”) Who are the protagonist and antagonist in “Dragon, Dragon”? What is the theme of “The All-American Slurp”? What is the theme of “Aaron’s Gift”?

Conceptual – What is characterization? What is conflict? What is theme? How can a change in character affect the outcome of a story’s conflict? (How does the youngest brother’s change in character impact the plot of “Dragon, Dragon”?) How do character and conflict work together to illustrate a theme? (How does the conflict in “The All-American Slurp” illustrate the theme of the story?) Why do different stories have similar themes? (How is the theme of “Dragon, Dragon” similar to that of “Aaron’s Gift”?)

Debatable –Is the theme of a story the result of the author’s writing or the reader’s understanding?

Objectives Summative assessment


A Content (receptive and productive)

understand and analyze the language, content, structure, meaning and significance of both familiar and previously unseen oral, written and visual texts

express an informed and independent response to literary and non-literary texts

B Organization

organize ideas and arguments in a sustained, coherent and logical manner

C Style and language mechanics

use language to narrate, describe, analyse, explain, argue, persuade, inform, entertain and express feelings

use correct grammar and syntax

use appropriate and varied sentence structure

use correct spelling (alphabetic languages) or writing (character languages)

Outline of summative assessment task(s) including assessment criteria:

Word Collage Students will select a character from “The Tail” or “Dragon, Dragon” and will identify and infer multiple traits that describe this character. They will then compile these traits in an artistic collage using art supplies or the WordleTM tool at www.wordle.net.

Characterization Essay Students will write a multiparagraph essay, analyzing one character and exploring the how the relationship between this character and the story’s conflict illustrate the story’s theme.

Relationship between summative assessment task(s) and statement of inquiry:

This assignment assesses a student’s ability to identify an author’s direct characterization and to infer qualities of a character based on the author’s indirect characterization. Understanding characterization is key to understanding the relationship among character, conflict, and theme.

This assessment requires a more extensive look at the relationship among conflict, character, and theme. Students must infer the story’s theme (or one of the themes) based on their analysis of character and conflict, and they must explain how characterization and conflict in the story illustrate the theme.

Approaches to learning (ATL)

I. Communication skills Exchanging thoughts, messages and information effectively through interaction

• Give and receive meaningful feedback • Negotiate ideas and knowledge with peers and teachers

Reading, writing and using language to gather and communicate information • Read critically and for comprehension • Make inferences and draw conclusions • Use a variety of organizers for academic writing tasks • Structure information in summaries, essays and reports

II. Collaboration skills Working effectively with others

• Manage and resolve conflict and work collaboratively in teams • Listen actively to other perspectives and ideas • Give and receive meaningful feedback

III. Organization skills Managing time and tasks effectively

• Plan short- and long-term assignments; meet deadlines


• Use appropriate strategies for organizing complex information

V. Reflection skills (Re-)considering the process of learning; choosing and using ATL skills

• Consider content – What did I learn about today? – What don’t I yet understand? – What questions do I have now?

• Focus on the process of creating by imitating the work of others VI. Information literacy skills Finding, interpreting, judging and creating information

• Make connections between various sources of information • Create references and citations, use footnotes/endnotes and construct a bibliography according to

recognized conventions VIII. Critical thinking skills Analyzing and evaluating issues and ideas

• Gather and organize relevant information to formulate an argument • Draw reasonable conclusions and generalizations • Consider ideas from multiple perspectives

IX. Creative thinking skills Generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives

• Use brainstorming and visual diagrams to generate new ideas and inquiries • Make unexpected or unusual connections between objects and/or ideas

X. Transfer skills Utilizing skills and knowledge in multiple contexts

• Make connections between subject groups and disciplines

ACTION: teaching and learning through inquiry

Content Learning process

Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL)

6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. a) Identify the elements of

narrative structure, including setting, character, plot, conflict, and theme.

e) Use prior and background knowledge as context for new learning.

f) Use information in the text to draw conclusions and make inferences.

Learning experiences and teaching strategies

Students will read four short stories in order to study character, conflict, and theme.

Students will use a performing arts game to identify types of conflict presented in a scenario.

Students will engage in discussions (in both small and large groups) that analyze the stories’ uses of character, conflict, and theme and synthesize new understandings about the stories.

Students will chart examples of characterization in “Dragon, Dragon” as they read.

Students will use think-pair-share activities to form their own thoughts, compare their thoughts to another person’s, and reevaluate their original thoughts before sharing with the class.

Students will compare and contrast the cultural practices of the two families described in “The All-American Slurp.”

Students will peer-evaluate each other’s outlines for the Theme Analysis


g) Explain how character and plot development are used in a selection to support a central conflict or story line.

6.7 The student will write narration, description, exposition, and persuasion. b) Use a variety of prewriting

strategies including graphic organizers to generate and organize ideas.

c) Organize writing structure to fit mode or topic.

f) Write multiparagraph compositions with elaboration and unity.

Essay.

Students will research the historical background of “Aaron’s Gift” in order to engage in a discussion on theme.

Formative assessment

Students will complete a reflection for each story.

Students will chart examples of characterization in “Dragon, Dragon” as they read.

Students will write a paragraph describing a trait of one of the characters in “Dragon, Dragon” and supporting this description with specific textual references.

Students will, in small groups, create a Venn diagram illustrating the similarities and differences between the two families in “The All-American Slurp.”

Students will complete an outline for their Theme Analysis Essay in preparation for writing.

Differentiation

Global/Analytic Learners – Students who tend to see the “big picture” will appreciate the interconnectedness of character, conflict, and theme, and the discussion of theme as a personal or cultural expression will allow them to “zoom out” and observe the greater literary context for studying specific plot elements. For students who prefer a more step-by-step method of learning, the progression from conflict to characterization to theme will allow them to build knowledge gradually and in a logical progression. The Writing Workshop will also help them practice skills needed for the later Theme Analysis Essay.

Interpersonal/Intrapersonal Learners – Since a Language A class requires solo work and collaboration, it is important that both scenarios are offered in order to address the needs of all the students. Students have the opportunity to work collaboratively in the class discussions and in the peer review of the Theme Analysis Essay outline. Students have the opportunity to work on their own in the Word Collage and on the Theme Analysis Essay.

Audio/Visual/Kinesthetic Learners – As part of a course on reading and writing, this unit is more conducive to visual learning; however, stories will be read aloud during class, benefiting students who prefer auditory information. Since many students also benefit from a kinesthetic application of content, the performing arts game is also included as a method of teaching different types of conflict.

Verbal/Numeric Learners – As part of a Language A course, this unit caters more to verbal learners; however, numeric learners will benefit from the step-by-step sequence of the graphic organizers and the layout of the Theme Analysis Essay.

Academically Gifted Learners – Academically gifted learners may be


grouped together during small group discussions and will have the opportunity to delve more deeply into content. The choices of character offered in the “Dragon, Dragon” activity and the characterization essay also allows students to challenge themselves with a more unconventional character. The historical/cultural connection observed in “Aaron’s Gift” provides a look at literature that extends beyond English class.

English Language Learners – During the reading of a story, upper level vocabulary and phrases that are biased in their assumption of cultural norms will be explained. The peer editing of the outline will also help students who may have difficulty formulating their thoughts into English sentences.

Learners with other Disabilities – Students who need scaffolding may receive a graphic organizer during discussions that help them to categorize their information. These students may also require some type of graphic organizer in order to write their paragraph during the Writing Workshop. Students with disabilities related to writing may use a computer to compose their summative assessments.

Resources

Short stories in textbook (Pearson Prentice Hall. (2007). Prentice Hall Literature. (Penguin Edition). Boston: Pearson

Education, Inc.)

“Zlateh the Goat” by Isaac Bashevis Singer

“Dragon, Dragon” by John Gardner

“The All-American Slurp” by Lensey Namioka

“Aaron’s Gift” by Myron Levoy

Handouts

Reflection sheets

Characterization Chart

Scaffolded handouts for discussions and outline

Rubrics for summative assessments

Art Supplies (paper, colored pencils, markers, etc.)

Electronic Resources

Classroom computers

Biographical information on Lensey Namioka

Mobile computer lab

Student electronic devices

REFLECTION: considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry

Prior to teaching the unit During teaching After teaching the unit


This unit is ambitious, and requires a great deal from the students. However, if students can see the relationship among conflict, character, and theme, they will have a deeper understanding of the content they are reading and they will be prepared to recognize other relationships as well. This unit lays the foundations for a study of intertextuality, as well as an understanding of how all elements in a narrative work together to express a story.

Students are struggling with understanding how conflict and character relate to each other. Except for the honors class, they also do not grasp theme. I think the abstract nature of theme is difficult for some of them to grasp. The activities for character and conflict have gone smoothly, though. The word collages and characterization paragraph show that students are successfully able to conduct a character analysis.

When I revisit this unit in future years, I will adjust the pacing so that students can build more gradually into an understanding of theme. Discussing theme in relation to one or two stories was not enough to prepare them to write the Theme Analysis Paper. I think that in future years, I will also spend more time focusing on ideas and the difference between concrete and abstract before delving into theme. This might go along well with a noun study. I think that part of the reason theme has been so difficult is because many sixth graders are still making the developmental transition from concrete to abstract thinking; they need more guidance before being asked to analyze theme on their own.


Figure 2

Unit Planner Overview Chart

Unit Planner Title: Character, Conflict, and Theme Grade Level: 6th (MYP Year 1)

Transdisciplinary/Content Theme: Relationships

Global context: Personal and Cultural Expression

Statement of inquiry: In fictional narratives, an analysis of characters and conflict reveals themes

relevant to the experience of a person or culture.

Day 1

Objective(s)

The students will be able to distinguish between internal and external conflict.

The students will be able to identify which type of conflict is present in a narrative.

Learning Activities

Take notes on internal and external conflict (including distinguishing among “man vs. man,” “man vs. nature,” and “man vs. self” conflicts)

Play a brief game in which students are given a scenario and must strike a pose illustrating whether the scenario exhibits a “man vs. man,” “man vs. nature,” and “man vs. self” conflict. Students will choose at the beginning of the game which pose represents each type of conflict.

Review the previous night’s reading of “Zlateh the Goat.”

Discuss conflict in “Zlateh the Goat.”

Complete a reflection on “Zlateh the Goat.” Assessment

Reflection on “Zlateh the Goat.”

Day 2

Objective(s)

The students will be able to infer traits of a literary character based on details in the narrative.

Learning Activities

Introduce characterization using “Zlateh the Goat” as a reference.

Start reading “Dragon, Dragon” and discuss characterization and other literary elements.

Use a graphic organizer to chart character traits of one of the characters in “Dragon, Dragon.” The graphic will show a descriptive word, a detail from the story to support this description, and the page number on which this detail was found.

Assessment

The graphic organizer is a formative assessment that will be finished tomorrow.

Day 3 Objective(s)

The students will be able to infer traits of a literary character based on details in the narrative.


Learning Activities

Finish reading “Dragon, Dragon” and discuss characterization and other literary elements.

Finish graphic organizer charting character traits of one of the characters in “Dragon, Dragon.”

Compile character traits into a word collage of the character, using paper and art supplies or a WordleTM (www.wordle.net).

Complete a reflection on “Dragon, Dragon.” (Finish for homework if there is not enough time to complete it in class.)

Assessment

Graphic organizer charting characterization

Word collage of characterization

Reflection on “Dragon, Dragon”

Day 4

Objective(s)

Writing Workshop: Characterization

The students will be able to infer the theme(s) of a fictional narrative. Learning Activities

Plan and write a paragraph defending a character trait for a character in “Dragon, Dragon.” (half the class)

Discuss theme as a big idea important to an individual or culture. Consider whether theme is solely dependent upon the author or whether the reader can infer a theme that the author did not necessarily intend.

Identify, in small groups, possible themes in “Zlateh the Goat” and “Dragon, Dragon.” Support these inferences with details from the text. Students will share with the class after they have discussed with their groups.

Home work: Read “All-American Slurp.” Assessment

The Writing Workshop is one of the summative assessments of the unit.

Day 5

Objective(s)

The students will be able to infer the theme(s) of a fictional narrative. Learning Activities

Identify the primary and secondary conflicts in “The All-American Slurp” through a think-pair-share activity.

Compare and contrast the cultural differences between the Lin family and the Gleason family in small groups using a Venn diagram. Share these findings with the class.

Discuss, in these small groups, the theme of the story based on the main character’s internal and external conflicts.

Discuss, as a class, how this theme is both a personal expression of the author (using biographical information on Lensey Namioka’s website) and a “universal” theme expressed by many fictional narratives.

Complete a reflection on “All-American Slurp.” Assessment

Venn diagram on cultural differences presented in the story

Reflection on “The All-American Slurp”


Day 6

Objective(s)

The student will be able to explain the relationship among conflict, character, and theme, supporting analysis with specific textual references.

Learning Activities

Discuss student inquiry brought up in reflections. Address areas of confusion and interest from previous learning activities.

Introduce Theme Analysis Essay: Students will select one of the stories from earlier in the unit and will describe significant traits of a main character, using specific textual examples to support their analysis. They will then explain how the conflict of the story relates to their characterization. Finally, they will infer a theme of the story based on the conflict and their character’s involvement in it: this theme will be supported with specific textual references.

Brainstorm ideas for essay with a partner.

Begin outline of essay, using a graphic organizer to assemble thoughts if needed.

Assessment

Informal assessment of understanding through discussion at the beginning of class

Character Analysis outline

Theme Analysis Essay (due Day 10)

Day 7

Objective(s)


Learning Activities

Continue to assemble outline of Theme Analysis Essay. (Finish for homework if it is not completed in class.)

Assessment

Character Analysis outline


Day 8

Objective(s)


Learning Activities

Peer review outlines of Theme Analysis Essay. Students will use a checklist when reviewing in order to provide specific feedback.

Begin reading “Aaron’s Gift.”

Discuss, as a class, the characterization and conflict in “Aaron’s Gift.”

Homework: Use outline to compose the Theme Analysis Essay. Assessment

Informal assessment of understanding through class discussion


Day 9

Objective(s)


Learning Activities


Continue reading “Aaron’s Gift.”

After reading the flashback section about Aaron’s grandmother, in small groups, use classroom resources (history books, search engines on personal electronic devices, articles in the library database via the classroom computers) to research the historical events surrounding this flashback.

Predict a possible theme of “Aaron’s Gift” based on the conflict and historical references. Students will organize thoughts into a brief paragraph.

Homework: Finish Theme Analysis Essay. Assessment


Paragraph predicting theme of “Aaron’s Gift”


Day 10

Objective(s)


Theme Analysis Essay due today Learning Activities

Finish reading “Aaron’s Gift.”

Discuss the theme of the story in small groups. Students will compare this understanding of the theme with the predictions from yesterday and share these findings with the class.

Within the small groups, compare the theme of “Aaron’s Gift” to one other story from this unit and share findings with the class.

Complete a reflection on “Aaron’s Gift.” Assessment

Theme Analysis Essay


Reflection on “Aaron’s Gift”


Appendix B

Summative Assessment Rubrics

Figure B1

Word Collage

Word Collage

Name: _______________________________

Due: _______________________

Directions

This project is an artistic description of one of the characters in “Dragon, Dragon.” You will need to

identify the author’s direct characterization in the story and infer the indirect characterization from

what your character says, how your character acts, and how other characters relate to your character.

Arrange these words into a collage on a piece of paper. You may use art supplies in the classroom and

add artwork to your collage, or you may use www.wordle.com on the classroom computers to randomly

generate your words into a collage. Please be creative in your use of vocabulary and use multiple

descriptive words.

Grading Rubric

4 – Exceeds Expectations (A+ project)

3 – Meets Expectations (A- or B project)

2 – Approaching Expectations

(C project)

1 – Does not meet expectations

(D or F project)

Collage includes multiple (more than 15) words to describe the

character. Words selected are vivid and

specific.

Collage includes many (10-15) words to

describe the character. Words selected are vivid and specific.

Collage includes some (5-10) words to

describe the character. Some words are vivid

and specific, while others are bland and

generic.

Collage includes fewer than 5 words to

describe the character. Words selected are

bland and generalized.


Figure B2

Theme Analysis Essay Rubric

Theme Analysis Essay

Name: _______________________________

Outline due: _______________________

Essay due: ________________________

Directions

This is a three-part paper that explores the main character, conflict, and themes of one of the short

stories that you read in class. The purpose is to describe your character, to explain his or her

relationship to the story’s conflict, and to identify a theme that emerges from an understanding of

character and conflict.

Part 1: Characterization (two or three paragraphs, depending on how many traits/examples you provide)

________ Identify two or three personality traits of your character.

________ Provide textual references that support these traits.

Part 2: Conflict (one or two paragraphs, depending on how much you have to say)

________ Identify the primary conflict of the story.

________ Explain how your character is involved with or is affected by the conflict. (Be sure to

include whether or not your character changes as a result of the conflict.)

Part 3: Theme (one paragraph)

________ Use your analysis of characterization and conflict to infer the theme of the story.

________ Provide at least three textual references that support this theme.

________ Reflect on the process by which you came to understand the theme. Explain how it is

connected to the story’s characterization and conflict.


Grading Rubric

4 – Exceeds Expectations

3 – Meets Expectations

2 – Approaching Expectations

1 – Does not meet expectations

Characterization Paper describes two or more traits of the selected character. Paper cites multiple textual references to support their characterization.

Paper describes two traits of the selected character. Paper cites some textual references to support their characterization.

Paper describes two traits of the selected character. Paper cites only one or two textual references to support their characterization.

Paper describes only one trait of the selected character. There is little or no use of textual references to support characterization.

Conflict Paper describes the primary conflict of the story extremely clearly. Paper explains the character’s involvement using multiple specific details.

Paper describes the primary conflict of the story clearly. Paper explains the character’s involvement in the conflict using some specific details.

Paper describes the primary conflict of the story, though some details may be unclear. Paper explains the character’s involvement in the conflict using one or two specific details.

The description of the story’s primary conflict is unclear or lacking altogether. There is little or no reference to specific details when explaining the character’s involvement in the conflict.

Theme Paper illustrates the theme clearly, using more than three textual references. Reflection explaining the relationship among characterization, conflict, and theme is insightful and extremely clear.

Paper illustrates the theme clearly, using three textual references. Reflection explaining the relationship among characterization, conflict, and theme is thoughtful and clear.

Paper illustrates the theme, but some details are unclear and the description includes fewer than three textual references. Reflection explaining the relationship among characterization, conflict, and theme is unclear or lacking in personal insight.

Illustration of theme is unclear and includes little or no use of textual references. Reflection is unclear and there is no personal insight presented.

Mechanics of Writing1

Paper demonstrates consistent, though not necessarily perfect, control of sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

Paper demonstrates reasonable, but not consistent, control of sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

Paper demonstrates inconsistent control of several of sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

Paper demonstrates little or no control of sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.

1 Adapted from the Virginia Standards of Learning writing rubric


Appendix C

Handouts and Differentiated Organizers

Figure C1

Reflection Handout

Short Story Reflection

Title: _________________________________________ Author: ________________________________

Please answer the following content and reflection questions in complete sentences.

Review

Who are the key characters in this story?

What is the primary conflict of this story? What are some secondary conflicts?

What is the theme of the story? What details from the story make you think so?

Reflection

What do you think of the story?

What did you learn from the class discussion of the story?

What is still confusing about the class discussion or the story itself?

What new questions do you have to take a closer look at the story?


Figure C2

Characterization Handout

Name: ______________________________________ Date:__________________________________

Characterization Chart

Name of character: ________________________________

Direct Characterization

Quote from text with page number

Indirect Characterization

Word or phrase to describe character

Supporting quote from text with page number


Figure C3

Theme Analysis Essay Outline Scaffolding

Theme Analysis Essay Outline

Choose one character from the story and complete the characterization chart below, providing

at least two examples for direct characterization and two examples for indirect

characterization.

Character: ___________________________________

Direct Characterization Page # Character Trait

Indirect Characterization Page # Character Trait

What is the conflict of the story? How is your character connected to the conflict?

Do your character’s personality traits change over the course of the story? Explain your

answer.


What are some ideas about life (themes) that emerge from your character’s connection to the

conflict? Support your answer with details from the story.

Selected Theme: ____________________________________

Example from text (with page number) How does this example relate to theme?


Figure C4

Discussion Scaffolding

Name: _______________________________ Date: _______________________

Discussion Mapping

(keeping track of the discussion)

What do I think about the topic/how could I answer the question before the discussion?

What did other students have to say about the topic?

Do I agree? Why or why not?

Student 1

Student 2

Student 3

What can I contribute to the discussion now?

What do I understand better after the discussion?


Appendix D

Student Work Samples

Figure D1

Characterization Charts



Documents

Reflecting on an MYP Unit Natalie Beals George Mason University · 2018-09-10 · English textbook: “Zlateh the Goat” by Isaac Bashevis Singer, “Dragon, Dragon” by John Gardner,