Running head: LOOKING BACKWARDS, MOVING FORWARDSksuweb.kennesaw.edu/~jcope/Eng7701/Summer04/Final/KathieWo… · Web viewLooking Backwards, Moving Forwards: Memories to Memoirs

Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards 1

Running head: LOOKING BACKWARDS, MOVING FORWARDS

Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards:

Memories to Memoirs

Thematic Unit Plan

Kathie K. Wood

Kennesaw State University


I chose “Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards” as the

theme for my eighth grade students this year. It is a

transition year and most of my students spend their eighth

grade year ready to move on to high school. Because of this

anxious attitude, I find many eighth graders lose an

important year of growth, both academically as well as

emotionally, anticipating what is coming next. I remember

doing this myself, “Life will be so much more fun in high

school and I will be more independent. If I could just get

out of high school and get to college, then things will

really be exciting. I am tired of all of this studying; I’m

just ready for a real job. The dating world is fine, but

I’ll be much more content when I am finally married.” Those

thoughts continued and I am just now learning to enjoy where

I am and who I am becoming. I would like to encourage my

students this year to live in the moment; to look back on

their pasts, reflect on who they are as individuals, and

then begin to make positive steps toward their futures.

My unit theme is called “Memories to Memoirs” and it

will be a unit that I will teach within the first quarter of

the school year. I usually spend the beginning weeks of the

school year getting to know my students and creating an

atmosphere where they feel comfortable. Prior to beginning

this unit I will teach the rituals and routines of Reading


and Writing Workshop. The basic classroom mechanics will be

in place and students will know where to go when they enter

the room and what behaviors are expected of them. I have

chosen to keep the Reading/ Writing Workshop format in place

for this unit because I believe, based on reading Nancie

Atwell, Linda Rief, and Laura Robb, that students should

have the opportunity to read and write in an authentic way

each and every day. It was a challenge for me to incorporate

a thematic unit into the workshop and try to keep both the

reading and writing parts in sync.

I will begin the unit by immersing my students in the

genre of memoirs. After reading the book Thinking through

Genre by Heather Lattimer, I have come to realize that

students cannot write in a specific genre until they have

read within that genre. In Reading Workshop I will begin the

unit with a brief inquiry discussion in order to find out

what students know about memoirs. I will then have them

participate in a book pass using a variety of children’s

books and decide which books are memoirs and which books are

not. I believe children’s books are a good way to begin this

immersion process; we will all be able to begin this unit

with the same background knowledge. Studying authors such as

Laura Robb in Teaching Reading in Middle School and Goudvis

and Harvey in their book Strategies that Work, has convinced


me that children’s books are not just for “little” children

anymore. We will spend several days examining these

touchtone texts and creating our working definition of a

memoir.

In this beginning part of the “Memories to Memoirs”

unit we will also be looking at our own pasts and thinking

about the memories that have stayed with us. In Writing

Workshop students will create positive and negative graphs,

an activity that Linda Rief and Jim Burke use in their

classrooms, as a way to remember the important events in our

pasts. The students will complete other activities as well

that will help them begin thinking about the moments in

their lives that have helped to make them who they are

today. This memory searching will lead to an opportunity for

the students to share one event in the form of storytelling.

After students have begun to formulate a definition of

memoirs and have begun to collect their own memories we will

move our readings to a more difficult level. I will read

aloud to students short stories and excerpts from novels

that stay within the memoir form. We will begin to look as a

class and then as individuals at memoirs being more than an

event but really an account of a person’s experience.

Experience involves emotion and feeling. Students will use

the sticky note method to begin marking texts at places


where the author shows feelings and emotions. At this point

we will discuss Nancie Atwell’s term “So What?” All good

memoirs have a “So What?” a reason for being written. All

memoirists have a reason to write and a message to send to

the reader. Students will begin reflecting individually in

their reading/writing logs and in small groups about the

author’s messages they find in the excerpts and short

stories that we read in class.

At this point students will be ready to look at the

qualities of effective and ineffective memoirs. Atwell does

a nice job of teaching these mini-lessons by modeling an

example of her own memoir that just doesn’t work. I will do

the same for my students in Writing Workshop. I will also

model an effective memoir for comparison. Students will be

able to begin to “read like writers” as they reflect upon

the memoirs that they read and enjoyed. As they begin to

draft their own work, they will have many pieces of

literature available to use as models.

In Reading Workshop I will continue to read aloud the

beginnings of several short memoirs and then allow my

students to read the remainder of the texts individually.

Memoirs are a perfect genre to teach the reading strategy of

making connections. I know that it is important to teach the

elements of literature, but that it is even more important


for me to make sure that my students understand what they

read. Teaching students to connect texts to themselves, to

other texts, and to the world around them is one way to

scaffold comprehension.

As we enter the third week of this unit students will

participate in a book pass with novels that are memoirs. At

the end of the workshop time that day each student will have

a memoir in hand to begin reading individually during

Reading Workshop. Students will use sticky notes to mark

places in their novels where they make connections and they

will respond to me in the form of a friendly letter. I will

respond back to them.

At this point in Writing Workshop students are drafting

their own memoirs. Mini-lessons will be taught on the topics

of engaging beginnings, making sure that your memoir has a

“So What?”, and getting rid of “Really Bad Words.” I will

also spend time focusing on good word choice using Noden’s

book Image Grammar as a resource.

As students read deeper into their novels, I will teach

them about Literature Circles using Harvey Daniel’s book as

my model. Students will be responsible for practicing each

role in class during workshop time and at home for homework.

After completing individual novels, students will be able to


participate in literature circles, as we will read four

required texts from our literature books (Prentice Hall).

Each student will be required to share his knowledge of

the completed novel by completing an Alternative Book

Report. This activity will allow students to apply their

knowledge in a creative activity and will encourage students

to practice sharing orally with others in a large group

setting.

As students are continuing to draft and revise their

own memoirs, I will be focusing my writing mini-lessons on

using language that creates a picture, incorporating

thoughts and feelings into the piece, and getting rid of

extraneous information or avoiding clutter. Students will be

using the 6+1 Traits rubric as required by our district to

assess their writing throughout the writing process.

Opportunities for teacher conferences, self-revision, and

peer conferences will help students know if their work is

good enough.

Our unit on memoirs will culminate with an opportunity

for students to share, to celebrate, and to reflect.

Students will share their own published memoirs with the

class and will have the opportunity to reflect on what they

learned from the lessons of others. I believe that this

unit, “Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards: Memories to


Memoirs,” is an excellent way to begin the school year. I

hope that I can help my students stop long enough this year

to reflect on their pasts, enjoy the moment, and make wise

plans for the future.

Reading and Literature

Standard: The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts. Evidence: Literature Circle Roles demonstrate ability to make connections, visualize, and question.

Evidence: Determining the So What? in a memoir shows that student can assess theme and author’s meaning.

Evidence: Alternate Book Reports give students a way to demonstrate application of knowledge about the novel they read.

Standard: The student understands new vocabulary and uses it correctly in reading and writing.

Evidence: Students choose their own vocabulary from the novel that they are reading.

Evidence: Students use the vocabulary squares activity to learn new vocabulary.

Evidence: Students participate in activities that help them to avoid “dead” words in their writing and use strong nouns, verbs, and adjectives instead.

Reading Across the Curriculum

Standard: The student reads a minimum of 25 grade-level appropriate books per year from a variety of subject disciplines.


Evidence: Each student will read one novel during this unit.

Standard: The student participates in discussions related to curricular learning in all subject areas.

Evidence: Students will participate in Literature Circles.

Evidence: Students will respond to text in reading and writing logs, as well as in the form of a friendly letter.

Writing

Standard: The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational structure, sets a context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and signals a satisfying closure.

Evidence: Mini-lessons were taught and students were assessed on the following: focus, an engaging beginning, and the structure of a memoir.

Standard: The student demonstrates competence in a variety of genres.

Evidence: The student produces a narrative account that is true and has a message: memoir.

Standard: The student produces a response to literature.

Evidence: Students respond to literature in the form of a friendly letter as well as in a response log.

Evidence: Students ask and questions about a piece of literature as they perform the task of Discussion Director in Literature Circles.

Standard: The student consistently uses the writing process to develop, revise, and evaluate writing.

Evidence: All students will participate in writing workshop which is founded on the writing process.

Listening, Speaking, and Viewing


Standard: The student participates in student-to-teacher, student-to-student, and group verbal interactions.

Evidence: Students will participate in Literature Circles. Students will participate in peer and group conferences about their writing.

Standard: The student listens to and views various forms of text and media in order to gather and share information, persuade others, and express and understand ideas.

Evidence: Students will use storytelling as a mode of presentation to share an event in their past. Students will also read aloud their published pieces of writing.

Works Consulted

Atwell, N. (2002). Lessons that change writers. Portsmouth,

NH: Heinemann.

Burke, J. (2002). Tools for thought. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann.

Culham, R. (2003). 6+1 traits of writing. New York, NY:

Scholastic.

Harvey, D. (2002). Literature circles. Portland, ME:

Stenhouse.

Goudvis, A., & Harvey, S. (2000). Strategies that work:

Teaching comprehension to enhance understanding.

Portland, ME: Stenhouse.

Kurstedt, R. & Koutras, M. (2000). Teaching writing with

picture books as models. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Lattimer, H. (2003). Thinking through genre. Portland, ME:


Stenhouse.

Noden, H. (1999). Image grammar. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Rief, L. (1992). Seeking diversity. Portsmouth, NH:

Heinemann.

Robb, L. (2000). Teaching reading in middle school. New

York, NY: Scholastic.

Zemelman, S., Daniels, H. & Hyde, A. Best Practice.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Novels and Picture Books

Novels:

Go Ask Alice –Anonymous

Jay’s Journal –Anonymous

It’s Not About the Bike –Lance Armstrong

You Remind me of You –Eireann Corrigan

Cinderella –Adeline Yen Mah

The Cage –Ruth Minsky Sender

One Writer’s Beginnings –Eudora Welty

Touching the Void –Joe Simpson

Kind of the Mild Frontier –Chris Crutcher

Black Boy –Richard Wright

Bad Boy –Walter Dean Myers

Night –Elie Wiesel

Zlata’s Diary –Zlata Filipovic


My Everest Story –Mark Pfetzer and Jack Galvin

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings –Maya Angelou

Boy –Roald Dahl

My Losing Season –Pat Conroy

When I Was Your Age –James Howe

An American Childhood –Annie Dillard

My Life –Bill Clinton

The Heart of a Woman –Maya Angelou

Gather Together in my Name –Maya Angelou

All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes –Maya Angelou

Childtimes –Eloise Greenfield

House on Mango Street –Sandra Cisneros

Guts –Gary Paulsen

Memories of a Catholic Girlhood –Mary McCarthy

Angela’s Ashes –Frank McCourt

This Boy’s Life –Tobias Wolf

Little by Little –Jean Little

Picture Books

All the Places to Love –Patricia McLachlan

An Angel for Solomon Singer –Cynthia Rylant

Fireflies –Julie Brinckloe

Midnight in the Mountains –Julie Lawson

My Mama Had a Dancing Heart –Libba Moore Gray


Roxaboxen –Barbara Conny

Tar Beach –Faith Ringold

The Memory Box –Mary Bahr

When the Relatives Came –Cynthia Rylant

When I Was Young in the Mountains –Cynthia Rylant

Thank You Mr. Falker –Patricia Polacco

Chicken Sunday –Patricia Polacco

Thematic Unit: Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards: Memories to Memoirs7 Week Unit Calendar 14

MondayDay 1

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Readers’ Workshop:

Mini-Lesson:What is a memoir? Inquiry investigation, brainstorm, create chart

Workshop:Pass the picture books- Memoir or Not?

Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Thank You Mr. Falker

Mini-Lesson:What is a memoir? List characteristics to chart

Workshop:Individual reading

Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:When I Was Young in the Mountains



Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:An Angel for Solomon Singer



Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:My Mama Had a Dancing Heart


Workshop:Students work in small groups to read a picture book and list qualities of a memoir-All the Places to Love-Fireflies-Midnight in the Mountains-Roxaboxen-Tar Beach-The Memory Box-When the Relatives Came

Writers’ Workshop:

Mini-Lesson:Our own memoriesWorkshop:Positives and Negatives Graph


Mini-Lesson:Our own memoriesWorkshop:Positives and Negatives Graph


Mini-Lesson:Questions for memoiristsWorkshop:Work on questions


Mini-Lesson:Storytelling: Elements of a oral taleWorkshop:Choose story to tell and begin working on presentation


Mini-Lesson:Storytelling: Elements of a oral taleDiscuss rubricWorkshop:Choose story to tell and begin working on presentation


MondayDay 5


Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:“Everything Will Be Okay”-J. Howe inWhen I Was Your Age

Mini-Lesson:Recognizing author’s experience as more than events

Workshop:Students read remainder of text individually using sticky notes to show evidence of experienceDiscuss in small groups

Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:“I An Not the Center of the Universe”-W.D. Myers inBad Boy

Mini-Lesson:Recognizing author’s experience as more than events

Workshop:Students read remainder of text individually using sticky notes to show evidence of experienceDiscuss in small groups

Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:“Before and After”-L. Armstrong in It’s Not About the Bike

Mini-Lesson:Recognizing author’s meaning/ The So What?

Workshop:Students read remainder of text individually using sticky notes to show evidence of experience as well as the author’s meaningDiscuss in small groups

Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Segment of My Losing Season-P. Conroy

Mini-Lesson:Recognizing author’s meaning/ The So What?

Workshop:Students read remainder of text individually using sticky notes to show evidence of experience as well as the author’s meaningDiscuss in small groups

Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Chapter 9:I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings-M. Angelou

Mini-Lesson:Responding to Literature: Writing about meaning in reading/ writing log

Workshop:Students read the remainder of the text and write in their reading/ writing logs


Workshop:Students practice storytelling memories in small groups


Workshop:Storytelling Presentations


Workshop:Storytelling Presentations


Mini-Lesson:Effective and Ineffective MemoirsModel: Ineffective Workshop:Begin envisioning and brainstorming


Mini-Lesson:Effective and Ineffective MemoirsModel: EffectiveWorkshop:Begin drafting



MondayDay 11


Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:“The Great Rat Hunt” L. Yep in When I Was Your Age

Mini-Lesson:Reviewing the So What? in a memoir

Workshop:Students read the remainder of the story and reflect in their reading/ writing logs

Readers’Workshop:

Mini-Lesson:Book Pass of memoirs

Workshop:Students begin reading chosen novel

Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Learning to Swim –A. Turner (a memoir in a series of poems)

Mini-Lesson:Reading Strategy: Making ConnectionsText to Self

Workshop:Reading memoirs and using sticky notes to make connections

Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Reading Strategy: Making ConnectionsText to Text

Workshop:Reading memoirs and using sticky notes to make connections

Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Reading Strategy: Making ConnectionsText to World

Workshop:Reading memoirs and using sticky notes to make connectionsReflecting in the Friendly Letter Format


Mini-Lesson:Effective memoirs have a So What? What is yours? Workshop:Students drafting. I will circulate and conference about So What?


Mini-Lesson:Effective memoirs have a So What? What is yours? Introduce rubric Workshop:Students drafting. I will circulate and conference about So What?


Mini-Lesson:Effective memoirs have engaging beginnings: ActionWorkshop:Students rewrite beginning: actionContinue drafting


Mini-Lesson:Effective memoirs have engaging beginnings:DialogueWorkshop:Students rewrite beginning: dialogueContinue drafting


Mini-Lesson:Effective memoirs have engaging beginnings:ReflectionWorkshop:Students rewrite beginning: reflectionContinue drafting



MondayDay 16


Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Vocabulary Squares: Choosing 6 words from your own novel

Workshop:Read and work on vocabulary squares

Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Vocabulary Word Wall with Squares

Workshop:Reading independently

Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Introducing Literature Circle Roles:Discussion DirectorWriting “big” questions (to be assessed by the teacher)

Workshop:Write 5 “big” questionsContinue reading independently

Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:You Remind Me of You (a memoir in a series of poems)

Mini-Lesson:Introducing Literature Circle Roles:Passage MasterHighlighting important passages

Workshop:Find 5 important passagesContinue reading independently

Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Passage Master: Students share important passages from their novels and what these passages say about a character or the message in the book

Workshop:Continue reading independently


Mini-Lesson:Getting rid of “Really Bad Words”Workshop:Drafting


Mini-Lesson:Using specific nouns and verbsWorkshop:“Paint the personality behind the clothes”Drafting


Mini-Lesson:Adding details with specific verbsWorkshop:Drafting


Mini-Lesson:Adding details with adjectives and prepositional phrasesWorkshop:“Search for details in abstract slides?Drafting


Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Owl Moon-Jane YolenMini-Lesson:Language That appeals to the senses (sensory notes J.Burke)Workshop:Drafting and adding sensory language


MondayDay 21


Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Introducing Literature Circle Roles:IllustratorEnvisioning the deeper meanings in a novel

Workshop:Draw pictures and continue reading independently

Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Illustrator:Students share illustrations with the class and explain how they relate to their novels


Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Introduce Alternate Book ReportsRubric GivenStudents pick number


Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Introducing Literature Circle Roles:ConnectorReview making connectionsModel Friendly Letter Format

Workshop:Response to Literature in Friendly Letter Format and continue reading independently

Readers’Workshop:


Mini-Lesson:Share connectionsQuestions about ABR’s??

Workshop:Last day to read independently before ABR’s begin



Mini-Lesson:A movie behind your eyelids

Workshop:Drafting and Revising


Mini-Lesson:Write about a Pebble (focus in your memoir)



Mini-Lesson: Write about a Pebble (focus in your memoir)



Mini-Lesson:Thoughts and Feelings



Mini-Lesson:Thoughts and Feelings


MondayDay 26



Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Excerpt from An American Childhood- Annie Dillard

Workshop:# 1-7 ABR’sRead independently

Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Excerpt from Always Running


Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Excerpt fromGuts-Gary Paulsen


Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Excerpt from House on Mango Street-Sandra Cisneros


Readers’Workshop:

Read Aloud/Think Aloud:Excerpt from Angela’s Ashes-Frank McCourt

Mini-Lesson:Self-Reflection and Evaluation Workshop:Students complete self evaluation and reflection


Mini-Lesson:Revision and Self ConferencingUsing rubrics(polishing prose)

Workshop:Self Conferencing and Revision


Mini-Lesson:Revision and Group ConferencingUsing rubrics(polishing prose)

Workshop:Group Conferencing and Revision


Mini-Lesson:Good Titles

Workshop:Final Drafting and Revising


Mini-Lesson:Editing for prepositions, that, etc.

Workshop:Final Revising and Editing


Mini-Lesson:Final Copy Requirements

Workshop:Final Editing, RevisingBegin Publishing

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday


Day 31Readers’Workshop:

Mini-Lesson:Literature Circles: Review of Jobs:Discussion LeaderPassage MasterIllustratorConnector7 groups/ 4 members4 excerpts:Prentice Hall Literature Book:I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Travels With Charlie

An American Childhood

“Baseball”

Workshop:Read first storyHW: Prepare Job

Readers’Workshop:

Mini-Lesson:Accountable Talk

Workshop:Literature Circles Meet Individual and Group Reflection

Readers’Workshop:

Mini-Lesson:Large Group Reflection and Discussion- What worked, what didn’t

Workshop:Read second story HW: Prepare Job

Readers’Workshop:

Mini-Lesson:Literature Circle Reminders

Workshop:Literature Circles Meet

Individual and Group Reflection

Readers’Workshop:


Workshop:Read third story HW: Prepare Job


Mini-Lesson:Final Copy Requirements

Workshop:Publishing


Workshop:Celebrating, Sharing, and Reflecting








MondayDay 36

Tuesday Wednesday

Readers’Workshop:




Readers’Workshop:


Workshop:Read fourth story HW: Prepare Job

Readers’Workshop:




Documents

Running head: LOOKING BACKWARDS, MOVING FORWARDSksuweb.kennesaw.edu/~jcope/Eng7701/Summer04/Final/KathieWo… · Web viewLooking Backwards, Moving Forwards: Memories to Memoirs