Time: 30 hours
Activity 1 | Activity 2
| Activity 3 | Activity 4
| Activity 5 | Activity 6
This unit
emphasises the process of developing study skills such as vocabulary
development, the writing process, research, time management, self-evaluation,
and goal-setting through analysis of the short story, poetry and non-fiction
prose. The theme, Coming of Age, allows students to explore their lives as
members of a family, society, and a faith community through the study of a
variety of literary genres and associated print and media material. Through
discussions of differences in rites of passage among societies, students are
encouraged to examine the ethical issues of bias and inclusion. Students
reflect on the past while examining and preparing for the challenges of the
future. In the light of gospel values, students examine their personal lives,
abilities, and aspirations influencing life's choices and opportunities. As
students move toward being effective communicators, they are encouraged,
through oral and written presentations, to find their own voices and their
God-given potential. The culminating activity uses the full writing process as
students’ reactions to literature are gathered, polished
and published.
Note:
Please see Unit
Synopsis Chart – Course Overview, p. 3.
Time: 360 minutes
In this
introductory activity, students are made aware of the skill development
expectations, classroom routines, and guiding themes of the course. Students
develop oral language skills such as communication strategies, pronunciation,
and intonation through guided, whole class, and group discussion of literature
on the theme of personal journeys in the contexts of family, society and faith.
With an emphasis on inclusion, students also examine differences in rites of
passage as seen in Canadian, their own, and other cultures. Knowledge of
literary elements and devices, text analysis, vocabulary development, and
reading strategies are developed through a variety of readings and through
written responses. Students are encouraged to integrate faith with life as they
compare and contrast, write and speak about their own rites of passage, both in
the past and to come. The activity culminates with a small research project and
a class presentation, which introduces techniques for accessing community
support materials. Diagnostic and formative evaluation is emphasized to assist
students in goal setting.
Ontario
Catholic School Graduate Expectations
CGE1i -
integrates faith with life;
CGE4g -
examines and reflects on one’s personal values, abilities and aspirations
influencing life’s choices and opportunities;
CGE6c -
values and honours the important role of family in society.
Strand(s): Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing,
Social and Cultural Competence
Overall
Expectations
DORV.01 -
communicate orally in English in a wide variety of daily activities in the
community, the classroom, and the workplace;
DORV.03 -
use appropriate language and non-verbal communication strategies in a variety
of situations;
DREV.01 -
read and respond to literature with teacher guidance;
DREV.02 - use a range of strategies to build
vocabulary;
DREV.04 -
locate, evaluate and use information from a variety of sources for academic,
social, and career purposes, including guided research projects;
DWRV.01 -
write in a variety of forms appropriate to different subject areas, personal
needs, and career goals, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.04 -
use the sentence patterns and conventions of standard Canadian English most of
the time in written work;
DSCV.01 -
demonstrate understanding of the rights and responsibilities of living in
Canada;
DSCV.02 -
demonstrate flexibility as learners in different teaching and learning
situations.
Specific
Expectations
DOR1.03 -
use a variety of communication strategies to bridge gaps in their
English-language knowledge;
DOR1.04 -
use the pronunciation, stress rhythm, and intonation patterns of spoken English
with accuracy most of the time;
DOR1.05 -
participate in classroom discussions and oral presentations;
DOR1.07 -
use a variety of transition phrases in classroom discussions or oral
presentations;
DOR2.02 -
correct some common grammatical errors in their own speech;
DOR3.05 -
use polite forms to negotiate and reach consensus in small group tasks;
DRE1.01 -
identify some cross cultural themes in literature;
DRE1.02 -
identify and explain literary elements and devices in teacher-selected texts;
DRE2.01 -
use a variety of strategies to develop vocabulary;
DRE2.02 -
infer the meanings of many Latin-based words from context and from prefixes and
suffixes, and word roots;
DRE3.01 -
recognize the elements and purposes of different forms of texts and participate
in
discussions about them;
DRE3.02 -
skim texts for main idea and organization;
DRE3.03 -
scan texts for specific information;
DRE4.01 -
use knowledge of a variety of conventions of formal texts to locate
information;
DWR1.01 -
write and carry out assignments in different subject areas;
DWR2.02 -
use transition words and a variety of sentence patterns to express
relationships;
DWR3.01 -
spell words accurately in final drafts;
DWR3.02 -
use periods, commas, apostrophes, quotations marks, colons, and parentheses
correctly in final drafts;
DWR3.05 -
use common tenses and verb phrases, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions,
prepositions of direction and time, and interrogative and negative
constructions appropriately and with accuracy
most of the time;
DSC1.03 -
identify and use the skills to seek assistance in the school and community;
DSC2.03 -
participate fully in group activities.
·
In
this introductory activity teachers need to ascertain the backgrounds and skill
levels of the students. The autobiographical profile provides some background
of each student and should be collected and photocopied. A file of this
information is a useful tool for ongoing diagnostic assessment. At each stage
of the course, teachers should to be aware that students may not be familiar
with Canadian classroom expectations, and be prepared to review and assist
where necessary.
·
To
establish a consistent and routine method of developing vocabulary, students
organize a Vocabulary/Structure Journal, to be entitled “Words, words, words”,
divided under the following headings: Prefixes and Suffixes: Idioms and Slang
Expressions; Literary Terms; Research Terms; Technical Terms (computer,
Internet); and Register (with explanation). Using teacher specifications,
students draw up an assessment chart at the front of the book, reflecting
report card categories regarding learning skills and effort.
·
Have
a set of dictionaries ready for classroom use as students review dictionary and
word attack skills for their personal glossaries.
·
Students
are to keep a portfolio of written work for polishing and publishing purposes
throughout the course.
·
Create
a checklist for diagnostic/formative assessment of oral skills and non-verbal
communication in group interaction and formal oral situations. Suggested
headings are: Participation; Use of communication strategies to bridge gaps;
Use of polite forms; Pronunciation, Stress, Rhythm, Intonation; Transition
phrases; Self-correction. Make students aware of these expectations by
distributing copies or posting in the classroom.
·
Create
an autobiographical profile sheet for students to complete or use the
following:
Know Thyself. Please
answer the following questions. Be honest, but remember that you will be
sharing these with a classmate who will use what you have written to introduce
you to the class.
1.Name: 2.Date of
Birth: 3. Last School Attended: 4. List ten words that best describe you: 5.
Name something you dislike doing. Why? 6. How do you spend time after school
and on weekends? 7. Of all the things you do in your free time, what do you
like the most? 8. What does friendship mean to you? 9. What are your favorite
TV shows? 10. What magazines or books do you enjoy reading? 11.What major goals
in your life are you working on right now? 12. If you could be someone other
than yourself, whom would you choose to be? Why? 13.What is the funniest thing
that ever happened to you? 14.What career do you wish to pursue when you
graduate? 15. How do you picture yourself twenty years from now? 16. What do
you like best about the Canadian school system? 17. What do you like least
about the Canadian school system?
·
Obtain
copies of stories to be analysed in the activity: “Early Days” by Maria
Campbell (p. 38 In Touch); “Jason
Kovak, the Quick and the Brave” (p. 42, Visions).
Teachers may substitute other stories with similar themes. Keep Cancopy
restrictions in mind.
·
Provide
students with a list of transition phrases related to comparison, contrast,
cause and effect, time sequence, and concluding statement. Be prepared to model
their use.
·
Create
a rubric for diagnostic, formative and summative assessment of writing.
Suggested categories: Uses appropriate conventions; Uses transition words; Uses
variety of sentence patterns; Spells words accurately; Uses periods, commas,
apostrophes, quotations marks, colons, and parentheses correctly; Provides
title page correctly formatted; Acknowledges sources. Or adapt Catholic
Profiles, ESLCO Appendix 1.5.1 Writing Assessment Rubric for Paragraph.
·
Create
a short diagnostic quiz on literary terms based on “Jason Kovak, the Quick and
the Brave” (or another suitable story dealing with growing up). Questions could
include: “What is the point of view of the story?”, “Who is the narrator?”,
“Name the protagonist.”, “Name the antagonist.”, “Describe the main internal
conflict.”, “Describe the main external conflict.”, “What is the setting?”,
“What is the theme?” Also provide students with a sample plot line.
·
Be
prepared to direct students to locate appropriate pamphlets and websites for
their research project. Government of
Canada Services for You contains a comprehensive list of current websites
to access support material for a variety of government services. Other useful
and comprehensive websites are www.elections.ca and www.canada.ca.
·
Create
an expectations sheet for a mini research project including a rubric for peer
evaluation.
·
Have
a class set of pamphlets, unrelated to the mini project, available to practise
scanning and skimming techniques. Provide a number of suitable questions
including a general skimming question about main idea and organization, and
about four specific scanning questions on specific content.
·
This
activity offers a number of teachable moments for the discussion of ethical
issues involving bias and inclusions, such as, reaction to information on the
autobiographical profiles; the position of Native Canadians in Canadian Society;
people in society who have been labelled as different or marginalized;
comparison of rites of passage in different societies.
Students
placed in ESLDO are assumed to have language skills equivalent to those
required to complete ESLCO. Newcomers to Ontario without wide experience in the
Canadian educational system may still need assistance in these areas: group
work, self and peer assessment, oral presentations, story elements, simple
paragraph structure, accessing material in pamphlet form and through databases.
1. As an introductory task, students complete
the autobiographical profile (see Planning Notes).
2. Students form pairs to share some of the
responses from their profiles. They are reminded to respect the uniqueness and
value of each person and the need for sensitivity in dealing with each other’s
information. They then take turns introducing their partner to the class by
giving a brief summary of what they have learned from the discussion. The
teacher completes a checklist of oral skills for diagnostic purposes (see
Planning Notes). The teacher collects the profiles as a source of background
information about students (see Planning Notes).
3. The teacher introduces the unit which will
include reading various forms of literature to improve reading skills and
vocabulary; analysing literature and understanding different genres to prepare
for success in regular English classes; exploring personal development in order
to understand strengths; setting goals and developing the tools to achieve
them. Students note down the categories for “Words, words, words”,
Vocabulary/Structure Journals (see Planning Notes) and a time line for
purchasing and organizing the booklet is set.
4. The teacher introduces the short memoir,
“Early Days” by Maria Campbell, by reading and discussing the short
introduction. Explanation and discussion of terms such as Métis and halfbreed,
as well as some background on the relationship of First Nations to the Canadian
society,
may be necessary.
5. Students read the story as a class with
teacher assistance and comment where necessary. Students record unfamiliar
words for inclusion in their Vocabulary/Structure Journals. Where appropriate,
the teacher reviews dictionary format to encourage awareness of root words but
emphasizes that meaning is best discerned from context whenever possible.
6. In a teacher-led discussion, students are
encouraged to share memories of their own childhood which were triggered by the
events in the story: importance of family, houses they have lived in, best
friends, tricks played on them, or people and places in their neighbourhood.
7. Following this brainstorming task, students
write their own short memoir of one childhood experience. They will write one
paragraph of about 150 words and will demonstrate correct paragraph structure.
Students will follow the writing process: writing first and polished draft,
undertaking self and peer editing, demonstrating ability to check spelling,
punctuation, and structure, and finally, using appropriate presentation. During
the in-class writing of the first draft, the teacher circulates to advise and
assist. Students complete the first draft for homework. Peer editing,
rewriting, and final presentation of the paragraph are concurrent with the
remainder of the activity.
8. The
teacher introduces “Jason Kovak, the Quick and the Brave”, a story of a shy
adolescent who is trying to find himself and be a part of the adult world. As
this is a lengthy story, it should be read in class with teacher guidance.
There are many examples of slang, idioms, and unfamiliar words allowing
students to use word attack skills and record new expressions in their
Vocabulary/Structure Journals. Reading is halted at significant moments to
allow students to predict coming events.
9. As a comprehension check, the teacher reviews
the concept of a plot line. Students, working in pairs or small groups, create
their own plot lines of the story and then compare results.
10. For diagnostic purposes, the teacher conducts
a short quiz on the components of the story (see Planning Notes). This is taken
up in class and provides an opportunity to review the meaning of literary terms
and make notes in student Vocabulary/Structure Journals.
11. In the story, Jason still feels himself to be
a child although he is longing to join the adult world. Students discuss
significant events in their childhood which were milestones to growing up
because they seem to point to being more in control. Responses will vary
according to cultural background providing an opportunity for the teacher to
model and expect respectful listening. Students who have experienced political
or economic chaos in their pasts may share more dramatic stories, which must be
accepted with sensitivity.
12. Working in groups, students gather these
moments and, using a web diagram, categorize them: family, faith, possessions,
skills, knowledge, and so on. Students are encouraged to develop their own
categories and are reminded to respect and value the opinions of others during
group discussion. The teacher circulates to offer advice and monitor group
interaction. Groups report on the results of their discussion as well as any
disagreements that arose during the exercise and how these were resolved.
Diagnostic observation of oral skills continues.
13. The teacher reviews some transition phrases
and models sentences using them. For example: “I found out there was no Santa
Claus when I was about seven. As a
result I felt quite sad. However,
I also felt smarter than my brother who still believed.” (Be prepared to
explain any cultural references that may be new to students.) Students attempt
their own sentences using transition phrases in written
and oral format.
14. In the next task arising from the story,
students are introduced to the idea of rites of passage: the events that move
us from the world of childhood to the world of the adult. Students list and
discuss rites of passage in their own, other, and Canadian societies and are
encouraged to compare and contrast. To emphasize the commonality of many of
these rites of passage across societies, students use a Venn diagram as a
graphic organizer. This is an opportunity to discuss the issue of bias and to
promote inclusion. Topics emerging from the discussion could include: age bias
in treatment of Grade 9 students by older students; gender bias in education
and socialization of boys versus girls. Students examine important steps toward
adulthood that they have already taken, or anticipate taking under headings
such as Faith, Family, Society: Rights and Responsibilities.
15. Using the list of topics generated, the class
develops a series of mini research projects. Students choose a topic such as
getting a driver’s license; getting a marriage license; taking marriage vows;
being allowed to drink; leaving home; getting a job; earning the minimum wage;
giving blood; voting; Confirmation. Depending on class size and number of
topics created, students will either work alone or in groups. Their task is to
find background material (pamphlets, Church documents, web sites) which can be
easily photo copied or can be collected in bulk. Students are asked not to show
their pamphlet to other groups.
16. In preparation for the presentation, and while
students locate their material, using a teacher supplied pamphlet, students
practise skimming techniques as they identify the main idea and methods of
organization. Students then scan the pamphlet for specific information
requested by the teacher.
17. Having
collected material appropriate to their topic, students create a list of
questions (including a general, skimming question about main idea and
organization, and about four specific scanning questions on specific content)
based on their material. Once the teacher has checked these questions, groups
exchange materials and have a skimming/scanning “race” to see how quickly they
can locate the required information.
18. In the class discussion that follows, students
share their successful techniques in locating the material and the information.
19. Students use teacher supplied rubric to
evaluate their peers’ research projects and questions.
20. The teacher shares the results of diagnostic
testing and observation to allow students to self correct and establish goals.
·
Checklist
to assess oral skills throughout the activity. (Formative and diagnostic:
DOR1.03, DOR1.04, DOR1.05, DOR1.07, DOR2.02, DOR3.05, DSC2.03)
·
Rubric
for memoir paragraph. See Planning Notes or adapt Catholic Profiles, ESLCO
Appendix 1.5.1 Writing Assessment Rubric for Paragraph (Formative and
diagnostic: DWR1.01, DWR2.02, DWR3.01, DWR3.02, DWR3.05)
·
Quiz
for literary terms. (Formative and diagnostic: DRE1.01, DRE1.02)
·
Peer
assessment of mini research project for completion and variety and relevance of
questions. Teacher supplied rubric. (Formative and Summative: DRE3.01, DRE3.02,
DRE3.03, DRE4.01, DSC1.03)
Barry,
James, Glen Huser, and Sharon Siamon. In
Touch. Scarborough: Nelson Canada. 1993.
ISBN 0-17-603900-7
Gallo,
Donald R. Visions. New York: Dell
Publishing Group Inc., 1988. ISBN 0-440-20208-6
Internet
Sites
www.elections.ca
www.canada.ca
Government of Canada Services for
You. Minister of
Public Works and Government Services Catalogue No. PF4-2/200. ISBN
0-662-65033-6
www.curriculum.org
·
Pair
students exhibiting problems with concepts or materials with a stronger partner
for support
·
Provide
bilingual dictionaries to support Vocabulary/Structure Journals
·
Be
prepared to review Canadian classroom expectations where necessary, keeping
student background as revealed in student autobiographical profiles in mind
Time: 360 minutes
Students
are examining, building on, and extending the skills and insights introduced in
Activity 1. Students read short prose selections and poems, which examine
self-assessment and goal-setting. Oral skills are developed through discussions
and jigsaw group interaction. Note-taking, summary writing, and independent
learning skills are developed and an understanding of literary terms is
broadened through analysis of Scripture and selected writing on the themes of
blueprints and planning for the future. Students examine the importance of
character based on Christian values, friendship, family, faith, and appropriate
goal setting for a successful, productive and faith-directed life. Students
demonstrate respect for others as they work in groups and share information in
formal and informal settings. Students continue to use appropriate word attack
skills and to build vocabulary. They will use the correct format in answers to
comprehension questions, using quotation marks, ellipses, and colons. In the
final activity of this unit, students extend their knowledge of conventions
appropriate to a variety of written forms; use the writing process; and strive
for accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Strand(s):
Oral
and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing, Social and Cultural Competence
Ontario
Catholic School Graduate Expectations
CGE1g -
understands that one’s purpose or call in life comes from God and strives to
discern and live out this call through life’s journey;
CGE3d -
makes decisions in the light of gospel values with an informed moral
conscience;
CGE4e -
sets appropriate goals and priorities in school, work, and personal life.
Overall
Expectations
DORV.01 -
communicate orally in English in a wide variety of daily activities in the
community, the classroom, and the workplace;
DORV.03 -
use appropriate language and non-verbal communication strategies in a variety
of situations;
DREV.01 -
read and respond to literature with teacher guidance;
DREV.02 -
use a range of strategies to build vocabulary;
DREV.04 -
locate, evaluate and use information from a variety of sources for academic,
social, and career purposes, including guided research projects;
DWRV.01 -
write in a variety of forms appropriate to different subject areas, personal
needs, and career goals, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.02 -
use the writing process to prepare final drafts, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.03 -
arrange ideas in logical order and present in linked paragraphs;
DWRV.04 -
use the sentence patterns and conventions of standard Canadian English most of
the time in written work;
DSCV.01 -
demonstrate understanding of the rights and responsibilities of living in
Canada.
Specific
Expectations
DOR1.05 -
participate in classroom discussions and oral presentations;
DOR1.06 -
provide a summary of group discussion or activity;
DOR1.09 -
take notes from a classroom presentation, using written outline or graphic
organizer as a guide;
DOR1.10 -
express and support a point of view in classroom discussion;
DOR1.11 -
use formal speech for oral classroom presentations;
DRE1.01 -
identify some cross-cultural themes in literature;
DRE1.02 -
identify and explain literary elements and devices in teacher selected texts;
DRE1.03 -
make inferences about writer's point of view or a character's actions;
DRE2.01 - use a variety of strategies to build
vocabulary;
DRE2.02 -
infer meaning of many Latin-based words from context and from prefixes and
suffixes;
DWR1.02 -
write for career-related purposes;
DWR1.03 -
select and use appropriate forms for personal and creative writing;
DWR1.05 -
use the conventions appropriate to particular forms of writing;
DWR2.03 -
edit to improve style;
DWR2.02 -
use transition words and a variety of sentence patterns to express
relationships such as comparison and contrast;
DWR2.05 -
produce final drafts, using appropriate writing tools;
DWR2.06 -
use word processing software to compose and edit pieces of writing;
DWR3.01 -
spell words accurately in final drafts;
DWR3.02 -
use periods, commas, apostrophes, quotations marks, colons, and parentheses
correctly in final drafts;
DWR3.04 -
use ellipses to show that words have been omitted from a quotation;
DWR3.05 -
use common tenses and verb phrases, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions,
prepositions of direction and time, and interrogative and negative
constructions appropriately and with accuracy
most of the time;
DSC2.01 -
participate effectively in a variety of teaching and learning situations;
DSC2.03 -
participate fully in group activities.
·
Some
familiarity with paragraph and sentence structure, transition words and
phrases, group work expectations, use of colon and parenthesis.
·
From
the story “New Directions” by Maya Angelou (p.21, Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now), create a list of
vocabulary/expressions that may be unfamiliar to students such as: concede,
amicably, domestic, meticulously, cotton gin, brazier, savours, spectres,
ominous, unpalatable.
·
Create
discussion/comprehension questions for “New Directions” which direct students
to locate and identify character and tone. Suggested questions: 1. What is the
author’s attitude toward William Johnson? 2.What tone does she use to convey
this attitude? 3. Give one quotation which shows the tone being used. 4. Give
three adjectives to describe Annie Johnson. For each one, provide three
examples from the text to show how this adjective accurately describes her. 5.
What is the message or theme of the story? Try to write it in your own words.
·
Create
an assessment tool for comprehension questions. (Subject of answer made clear
by repeating part of the question; use of textual proof; quotation marks,
ellipses, and colons used appropriately; accurate use of language structure;
useful and accurate editing as work is taken up.)
·
Collect
a series of literary pieces connected with the theme of blueprints for new
directions. Suggestions include: 23rd Psalm (faith in God’s love); “Pages from
a Diary” by Sylvia Plath; p. 85, In Touch
(decisions); from Voices Past and Present:
p. 318 – “Richard Corey” by Edward Arlington Robinson (money and happiness); p.
65 – “Warren Pryor” (following your dreams); and from Poems by Maya Angelou: p. 163 – “Just Like Job” (need for faith on
any journey), p. 165 – “Call Letters: Mrs V.” (need for courage); p. 69 –
“Alone” (need for friendship, family); p. 54 – “Picken Em Up and Layin Em Down”
(need for commitment).
·
Create
a set of guide questions for literature being read and discussed by groups.
Suggestions include: Who is the speaker? What form (poetry, prose, biography,
journal) is the piece written in? What is happening in the story/poem? What is
the main setting? What is the theme? How can it be applied to young people who
are trying to find success in this world? Find one simile
and one metaphor.
·
Create
jigsaw groups keeping oral fluency and comfort level of individual students in
mind. Students who find oral presentations difficult can be paired with another
student from their “expert” group for the presentation in the “learning” group.
·
Create
rubric for peer evaluation of presentations. This could be done in consultation
with the class. Possible categories: Useful summary, Interesting presentation,
Point of view well supported by textual evidence, Clear and easy to understand
(or adapt ESLEO Catholic Profiles Appendix 4.2.2 Jigsaw Peer Evaluation, 4.2.3
Jigsaw Self Evaluation 4.2.4 Jigsaw Presentation).
·
Create
a rubric to assess written responses.
·
The
poems and prose of Maya Angelou offer further opportunities for examination of
bias issues.
1. As a pre-reading activity for the story/essay
“New Directions” by Maya Angelou, students return to the autobiographical
profiles they completed in Activity 1. After looking at their answers to “What
major goals are you working on right now?” and “What career do you wish to
pursue when you graduate?” students list the requirements to achieve their
aims. The teacher guides the discussion to include a broad range of ideas
including character traits, personal sacrifices, support of family, and a life
built on faith.
2. Following the discussion in step 1, students
are given an assignment, which they may work on throughout Activity 2, as a
final response to the theme under consideration. They will present, in the form
of a poster or collage, a self analysis/personal resume, evaluating such things
as their strengths and weaknesses, personal goals, obstacles they may face and
what they will need to overcome them, counting their blessings, and the role of
faith in their lives. These collages will be shared with the class in a brief
oral presentation.
3. The teacher introduces “New Directions” by
Maya Angelou as a story that deals with the theme of achieving goals and
provides a brief biography of the writer. Students predict the type of setting,
character, and theme which could emerge from her background as a member of a
minority group suffering discrimination. The literary term “tone” is introduced
and the term “character” broadened to include how the character is revealed by the
writer.
4. Working in groups, with teacher monitoring,
students read the story, taking turns and stopping for clarification and to
explore unfamiliar vocabulary. The teacher lists some of the words likely to
need explanation and suggests useful approaches to assist in finding meaning
(see Planning Notes). New vocabulary is added to Vocabulary/Structure Journals
as students use context, dictionary and word structure to understand meaning.
5. Before students answer comprehension
questions (see Planning Notes), the teacher outlines the correct format for
answering questions: repeating part of the question to introduce the answer,
use of textual proof, correct use of quotation marks, ellipses, and colons.
Questions are completed for homework, if necessary. As the questions are taken
up in class, students are directed to make corrections in another colour ink,
or in pencil. The teacher stresses that good note-taking, when work is being
corrected in class, is an important skill. Work is collected for evaluation and
returned for discussion at a convenient time later in the activity.
6. Using a jigsaw format, students will next
read and interpret selected pieces of writing which further explore the theme
of blueprints for new directions. Students are divided into small groups and
given a literature selection to read (see Planning Notes). These groups, known
as the “experts”, read and discuss the work they have been assigned. They use a
set of teacher supplied questions to guide them in analysing the work (see
Planning Notes). Each member of the group must have his/her own set of notes,
as he/she will be teaching this information in another group setting. The
teacher encourages each group to consider how they will present their literary
selection and analysis. As the students work in their groups, the teacher
circulates offering suggestions and assistance.
A member of each “expert” group is then assigned to a new group called
the “learners”. Each learner group should have at least one member of each expert
group. Taking turns, the “experts” present their assigned literary selection
with their interpretation.
7. During the jigsaw presentations, students
practise note taking. To guide them, they use the outline questions which were
used for the literary analysis. Students are encouraged to ask questions and
also to listen respectfully and show appreciation for the efforts of their
peers. Using the rubric on oral representations (see Planning Notes) the
“learners” evaluate the “experts.”
8. Each group provides the teacher with two or
three questions for its piece. The teacher compiles this into a class test.
9. Using the full writing process, students
respond to the literature read in a form of their choice: diary, personal
letter, extension, newspaper item, reflection, or poem. The teacher reviews the
conventions associated with these forms of writing. Students take notes on
these conventions and refer to them when editing the work of others during the
writing process.
10. Finally, students present their collage
personal resumes which were assigned in step 2.
·
Assessment
tool for comprehension questions (see Planning Notes). (Formative: DWR3.02,
DWR3.04, DWR3.05; DRE2.01, DRE2.02, DSC2.01)
·
Oral
presentation of literary piece in jigsaw setting. Peer evaluation. (See
Planning Notes or adapt ESL EO Catholic Profiles Appendix 4.2.2 Jigsaw Peer
Evaluation, 4.2.3 Jigsaw Self Evaluation, 4.2.4 Jigsaw Presentation) (Formative
and Summative: DOR1.05, DOR1.06, DOR1.10, DOR1.11, DSC2.03, DSC1.01)
·
Test
based on student presentations. (Summative: DOR1.09, DRE.01, DRE1.02, DRE1.03)
·
Creative
written response. (Summative: DWR1.03, DWR1.05; DWR2.03, DWR2.05, DWR2.06;
DWR3.01, DWR3.05)
·
Personal
resume in creative form and oral presentation. (Summative: DSC2.01, DWR1.02,
DOR1.11)
·
Pair
students exhibiting difficulties with concepts or materials with a stronger
partner in
jigsaw activity.
·
Permit
taping of oral presentations for students who are uncomfortable with presenting
in front of a class. Tapes can be used for further review or to monitor
personal progress.
Angelou,
Maya. Poems. New York: Bantam Books,
1993. ISBN 0-553-25576-2
Angelou,
Maya. Wouldn't Take Nothing for My
Journey Now. New York: Bantam Books, 1994.
ISBN 0-553-56907-4
Barry,
James, Glen Huser, and Sharon Siamon. In
Touch. Scarborough: Nelson Canada. 1993.
ISBN 0-17-603900-7
Holy Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Catholic
Bible Press, 1990. ISBN: 0-88834-019-2
Porter,
Jessie. Voices Past and Present.
Toronto: Wall & Emerson, Inc., 2000. ISBN 1-895131-19-7
Internet
Sites
www.curriculum.org
– ESLEO Catholic Profiles Appendix 4.2.2 Jigsaw Peer Evaluation, 4.2.3 Jigsaw
Self Evaluation, 4.2.4 Jigsaw Presentation
Time: 180 minutes
Students focus on the skills and
attitudes which will allow them to succeed in school-related subjects, the
working world, and as faith-directed members of family and society. Canadian
classroom expectations around time management, note-taking, peer marking, oral
response, and group work; family obligations; the nature of work and Christian
vocation; workplace protocol; identity, self-respect, self-worth; and the place
of leisure in a balanced life are addressed through reading and discussions of
selected scripts and autobiographical prose. Students will also improve their
understanding and use of idioms, slang, polite greetings and appropriate
register through role-play and scripted presentations.
Ontario
Catholic School Graduate Expectations
CGE1d -
develops attitudes and values founded on Catholic social teaching and acts to
promote social responsibility, human solidarity and the common good;
CGE1i -
integrates faith with life;
CGE1j -
recognizes that “sin, human weakness, conflict and forgiveness are part of
the human journey” and that the cross, the ultimate sign of forgiveness is at
the heart of redemption. (Witnesses to Faith);
CGE3e -
adopts a holistic approach to life by integrating learning from various subject
areas and experience;
CGE4e -
sets appropriate goals and priorities in school, work and personal life;
CGE4g -
examines and reflects on one’s personal values, abilities and aspirations
influencing life’s choices and opportunities;
CGE4h -
participates in leisure and fitness activities for a balanced and healthy
lifestyle;
CGE6c -
values and honours the important role of the family in society.
Strand(s): Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing,
Social and Cultural Competence
Overall
Expectations
DORV.01 -
communicate orally in English in a wide variety of daily activities in the
community, the classroom, and the workplace;
DORV.02 -
use the elements of English grammar with increasing accuracy in speech;
DORV.03 -
use appropriate language and non-verbal communication strategies in a variety
of situations;
DREV.01 -
read and respond to literature, with teacher guidance;
DREV.02 -
use a range of strategies to build vocabulary;
DWRV.01 -
write in a variety of forms appropriate to different subject areas, personal
needs, and career goals, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.02 -
use the writing process to prepare final drafts, with teacher guidance;
DSCV.01 -
demonstrate understanding of the rights and responsibilities of living in Canada;
DSCV.02 -
demonstrate flexibility as learners in different teaching and learning
situations.
Specific
Expectations
DOR3.01 -
analyse social contexts to determine the appropriate type of language to use;
DOR3.02 -
recognize and respond appropriately to verbal and non-verbal cues;
DOR3.03 -
use formal and informal styles of language appropriately;
DOR3.04 -
use some idioms and slang where appropriate;
DOR3.05 -
use polite forms to negotiate and reach consensus in small-group tasks;
DRE2.01 -
use a variety of strategies to build vocabulary;
DRE2.02 -
infer the meaning of many Latin-based words from context and from prefixes,
suffixes,
and word roots;
DRE3.02 - skim texts for main ideas and overall
organization;
DRE3.03 - scan texts for specific information;
DSC2.03 -
participate fully in group activities.
·
Students
add to their Vocabulary/Structure Journals.
·
Obtain
a copy of the school’s antiracism policy.
·
Prepare:
1. checklist or rating scale to assess cooperative group skills, 2. checklist
or marking scheme for peer assessment of the autobiographical stories which
will assess comprehension questions, discussion questions/summaries, advice for
success, and oral presentation skills. (Or see Catholic profiles at
www.curriculum.org for assessment tools which can be modified to suit.
Specifically see English for School and Work: Appendix 1.3 Rated checklist for
Oral Presentations and Appendix 1.5 Checklist for Assessing Group Work, also
English in Daily Life: Appendix 4.2 Oral Presentation – Teacher/Peer
Checklist.)
·
Prepare
a self-assessment tool for student videotape and oral presentation of
Dialogues: School Scenes. Students could be involved in setting expectations
for this assessment.
·
Distribute
and discuss assessment tools with students to allow them to meet expectations.
·
Familiarity
with group work/cooperative skills practised in Activities 1 and 2.
·
Familiarity
with oral presentation skills.
1. The teacher designs a Mind Map on the board
filling in the middle circle with the words Adapting
to School and then asks the students to reflect on the adjustments they
have had to make to the Ontario classroom. Students have reflected upon a
similar topic in Activity 1 and could refer back to their responses to
questions on what they enjoy least or most about the Canadian school system.
Possible answers could include: learning a new language, teaching methods,
class size, student behaviour, many cultures, achievement/marks, and parental
pressure or stress. Student responses are then added to the Mind Map. The
students copy the Mind Map into their notebooks.
2. Next, the teacher asks what the students need
in order to cope with the adjustments and writes the beginning parts of
sentences using the words time, patience, effort, courage, for
example, “You need time because…You need patience because…You need effort
because…You need courage because…” The students complete the sentences in their
notebooks, first, and then share their responses orally.
3. As a whole class task, the teacher asks the
students if they have been bullied at school (elaborating on the meaning of
bully/bullying), how they felt, and what they did. This could be a very
personal, sensitive issue with some students and only volunteered responses
should be discussed. It is also an opportunity for discussion of Christian
responsibility to nurture and value each individual. Next the students examine
the glossary of new vocabulary for the first autobiographical story, “Standing
Up to Bullies” (p. 67). The students then add parts of the vocabulary to their
Vocabulary/Structure Journals (idiomatic expressions and slang). The teacher
can read the story aloud to the class or students can take turns reading. The
students are asked to respond orally to the corresponding comprehension
questions (on p.102), as well as the discussion questions (“Responding”),
wherein the definition of discrimination is studied. The school’s antiracism
policy is distributed, examined, and included in the discussion. The teacher
points out that the author of the story was successful in overcoming the
bullies and in making an adjustment to Canada.
The students are then asked to scan
the text for specific words that indicate a successful/winning attitude or
personal qualities and practices of the author (such as determination,
willingness to participate, making friends, practising, building confidence,
having goals, taking an active part). These words/expressions could be added to
the student journals as a list of skills/attitudes/ qualities required for
success.
4. The teacher then tells the students that they
will read (in small groups) the rest of the autobiographical stories about
other ESL students’ adjustments to life and school in Canada. Using the section
called “Student Voices” in the text Voices
Past and Present, students read one of the four autobiographical selections
per group: “Go Home”, “Skipping Classes”, “Pearl Harbour”, “Making a
Difference”. They answer corresponding questions to check understanding
(pp.102-104); take notes to summarize the group discussion of questions in the
Responding section (pp.102-104); include new vocabulary in their
Vocabulary/Structure Journals; prepare a brief oral presentation about the story
(main idea) and what advice for success the story suggests. Cooperative group
skills are reviewed by the teacher, and individual roles/responsibilities
decided upon within each group. Some suggestions are reader, writer, presenter,
task organizer/timer. Once the groups have started working, the teacher
circulates assessing cooperative groups skills with a prepared checklist or
rating scale. Provide students with hard copy, or post it in the classroom to
emphasize expectations.
5. Each group presents the main idea of its
story (difficult names, skipping classes/running away from problems, cultural
prejudice, helping others), a summary of the group discussion, and what advice
for success the story suggests, while peers/classmates add information to their
Vocabulary/Structure Journals and evaluate the presentations using a prepared
checklist or marking scheme. The teacher collects the peer-assessment when all
groups have presented and tabulates average scores for each group as
evaluation.
6. The teacher continues to focus the students’
attention on adjustments by examining the fact that many Canadian teenagers
work in the summer or after school at part-time jobs. Topics such as why
teenagers work; how many hours teenagers should work so in order to balance study
and leisure activities; minimum wage; how the money earned should be used
(spent/saved/to help parents); finding a job; filling out applications/writing
resumes; job interviews; and the specific difficulties faced by immigrant
teens, are discussed. In addition, as Catholics, the teachings of the Church
about the nature of work are examined. The teacher writes the following
excerpts from Catechism of The Catholic
Church (pp. 642-643) or provides enough copies of the text for students to
read: Work is a duty. “If any one will not work, let him not eat. Work honours
the Creator’s gifts and talents received from him. It can also be redemptive…In
work, the person exercises and fulfills in part the potential inscribed in his
nature. Everyone should be able to draw from work the means of providing for
his life and that of his family, and of serving the human community.” These
statements are examined and discussed.
7. Next, in pairs or small groups, students read
dialogues which depict negative attitudes and a lack of skills for success in
the world of work and school, in Voices
Past and Present, section “Dialogues: School Scenes” (pp. 79-95). Each pair
or group is assigned a dialogue (“Summer Job”, “Small Group Discussion”,
“Future Plans”, “Exam”, “Class Weekend”, “School Pressure”, “The Greatest
Teacher”) to read, rehearse, videotape, and present to the rest of the class.
In the presentation, students point out the wrong attitudes or lack of skills
and provide suggestions for successful attitudes and identify the skills needed
for success. Students should use the questions for each dialogue (on
pp.105-107) as a guide for their presentations. As each pair or group presents,
the rest of the students make notes/additions to their Vocabulary/Structure
Journals. Each student also completes a self-assessment (prepared by the
teacher) reflecting on effort, contribution, and quality of the finished
product: videotape and oral presentation.
·
Checklist
for cooperative group skills. (Formative: DOR3.01, 3.02, 3.03, 3.05; DSC2.03)
·
Peer-assessment
for group work and oral presentation of autobiographical stories of adjustment.
(Summative: DRE2.02, 3.02, 3.03; DSC2.03)
·
Self-assessment
for pair/small group work of video and oral presentations of dialogues.
·
Summative:
(DOR3.02, 3.03, 3.04, DSC2.03)
·
Use
first language when appropriate and bilingual dictionaries.
·
Use
taped texts as a support for print material.
·
Provide
peer/buddy support especially for reading and written exercises.
Porter,
Jessie, ed. Voices Past and Present.
Toronto: Wall & Emerson, Inc., 2000. ISBN 1-895131-19-7
The
Holy See. Catechism of The Catholic
Church. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1995. ISBN
0-385-47967-0
Internet
Sites
www.curriculum.org
Time: 180 minutes
Drawing
on the skills needed for success examined in Activity 3 and the self-assessment
initiated in Activities 1 and 2, students reflect on their “dream job” taking
into account the Catholic teachings on the meaning and purpose of work.
Students practise note-taking and participate in locating information and
applying time management skills to a mini research project on a specific
career. Students are encouraged to use the resources of the school, community,
media and technology and to be aware of the ethics involved in issues such as
plagiarism and piracy. Research terminology, appropriate reading strategies,
vocabulary development, note-taking using a graphic organizer, resume, cover
letter, and journal
writing are addressed.
Ontario
Catholic School Graduate Expectations
CGE1g -
understands that one’s purpose or call in life comes from God and strives to
discern and live out this call throughout life’s journey;
CGE2b -
reads, understands and uses written materials effectively;
CGE4c -
takes initiative and demonstrates Christian leadership;
CGE4f -
applies effective communication, decision-making, problem solving, time and
resource management skills;
CGE5b -
thinks critically about the meaning and purpose of work;
CGE5h -
applies skills for employability, self-employment and entrepreneurship relative
to Christian vocation;
CGE7b -
accepts accountability for one’s own actions.
Strand(s): Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing,
Social and Cultural Competence
Overall
Expectations
DORV.01 -
communicate orally in English in a wide variety of daily activities in the
community, the classroom, and the workplace;
DREV.02 -
use a range of strategies to build vocabulary;
DREV.04 -
locate, evaluate, and use information from a variety of sources for academic,
social, and career purposes, including guided research projects;
DWRV.01 -
write in a variety of forms appropriate to different subject areas, personal
needs, and career goals, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.02 -
use the writing process to prepare final drafts, with teacher guidance;
DSCV.02 -
demonstrate flexibility as learners in different teaching and learning
situations.
Specific
Expectations
DRE2.01 -
use a variety of strategies to build vocabulary;
DRE3.02 -
skim texts for main ideas and overall organization;
DRE3.03 -
scan texts for specific information;
DRE3.04 -
determine meaning in texts that contain complex grammatical elements;
DRE3.06 -
identify facts, opinions, and perspectives in text;
DRE4.01 -
use knowledge of a variety of conventions of formal texts to locate
information;
DRE4.02 -
compare ideas and information from a variety of sources for guided research
projects;
DRE4.03 -
summarize main points for guided research projects, using graphic organizers;
DWR1.02 -
write for career-related purposes;
DWR1.05 -
use conventions appropriate to particular forms of writing;
DWR2.05 -
produce final drafts, using appropriate writing tools;
DWR2.06 -
use word-processing software to compose and edit pieces of writing;
DWR3.01 -
spell words accurately in final drafts, including subject-specific terms;
DSC1.03 -
identify and use the skills needed to seek assistance in the school and
community;
DSC2.01 -
participate effectively in a variety of learning and teaching situations;
DSC2.02 -
use study skills effectively.
·
Students
continue additions to their Vocabulary/Structure Journal.
·
Locate
a copy of the short story, “Dream Job” p. 23-29 Visions (or another story of choice describing a job experience and
loss of identity).
·
Book
the computer/cross-curricular lab for 2 hours/2 classes or substitute
individual/after school time use of library or home computers.
·
Prepare
a graphic organizer that can be used for career research.
·
Invite
a guidance counsellor, a human resource specialist, a Career Studies or a TAP
(Teacher Advisory Program) teacher to the class as a resource/speaker.
·
Find
out what the guidance office has in terms of career reference
(books/pamphlets/software programs/kits/websites) and make a resource list for
student use.
·
Collect
examples of cover letters and resumes that are effective, simple and
straightforward and make copies for students.
·
Arrange
to have several copies of classified ads and career sections from local
newspapers, as well as college and university calendars (available from
guidance office).
·
Create
a model time management log (2.5 hours with 15 minute intervals) to encompass
approximately 2.5 classes as an example for student assignment.
·
Create
a rubric or marking guide to evaluate the mini research project “Dream Job”
evaluating the following components: inclusion of a graphic organizer
(brainstorming activity), variety of sources, job description summary,
educational requirements or path, cover letter, resume, time log,
reflection journal.
·
Some
computer skills using word-processing software and conducting Internet
research.
·
Familiarity
with the writing process.
·
Some
familiarity with simple resume and business letter format (ESLCO).
1. The
teacher writes the following on the board: “Dream Job”, Job, Salary, Do’s,
Don’ts, Problem, in a vertical fashion, using a left margin (on the board)
leaving room after each heading for indented nuggets/numbers (1, 2, 3…) and
asks the students to copy the headings and format into their notebooks. Then
the teacher explains that the students will hear a story from which they are to
extract information according to the headings.
2. Before actually reading the story, the
teacher reminds the students that being successful academically consists of
going to class regularly, reading (the textbook, novel, article), and being
able to listen and take good notes. Therefore, good study skills include good
note-taking skills. Good notes must be clear and well-organized so that
students can study from them. The teacher then writes on the board and explains
the three main criteria for good notes: write only the most important words,
key words (these are content words such as verbs, nouns, adjectives and
numbers); write as little as possible, but make sure to include the main points
of a story/lecture/oral presentation and use abbreviations and symbols to save
time; organize the notes with main headings (main points/ideas) at the left
margin of the page and indent for supporting detail or examples (as in Step 1
above). Students copy the criteria into their notebooks.
3. The teacher reads “Dream Job” aloud as the
students listen and write the pieces of information they have been asked for.
4. Students then pair up and compare, discuss,
and adjust the information they have written
under each heading.
5. As a final step, the teacher asks the pairs
to share their answers while writing the responses on the board under the
appropriate headings. The responses are then discussed from the viewpoint of
irony (in the title), successful attitudes/habits/skills, work place protocol
(including workplace ethics), and the nature of work (which they examined using
Catechism of the Catholic Church in
Activity 3).
6. The students are asked to reflect on their
own “Dream Job”(already discussed in Activity 2). Creating a graphic organizer
of their own (Mind Map, Venn Diagram), they list areas of interest (such as
cars, children, plants, sports, music) and brainstorm possible related
occupations to create a career cluster (cars
– designer, mechanic, driver).
7. The teacher shares examples of cover letters
and resumes with the students, discussing format, content/information,
organization, types of fonts.
8. The students then begin a mini-research
project of their dream job which includes: graphic organizer (from Step 6),
research incorporating personal interview, Internet and print sources,
resulting in a short description of the job, the average salary, the
educational requirements, a cover letter and resume as if applying for the job,
time log, and a journal reflection stating why the job suits the student
(personality, talents/strengths, interests, and Christian service). Students
will need to review and build on the simple resume format followed in ESLCO.
9. Students
make use of all school facilities: guidance office/counsellors, TAP teachers,
Library/Resource Centre, computer lab (for writing of cover letter, resume, and
personal journal as well as to search the Internet), career related software,
Internet sites and print materials. Students are reminded of the ethics
involved in issues such as plagiarism and piracy and how they relate to
Christian teaching.
10. Once again, students are reminded of
successful study skills, which include time-management. The teacher hands out a
time-management log (see Planning Notes) for the students to maintain over the
course of the research and product creation stages.
11. The teacher evaluates the research projects
using a prepared rubric or marking guide
(see Planning Notes).
·
Rubric
or marking guide to assess mini-research project, Dream Job (see Planning
Notes). (Summative: DRE3.02, 3.03, 3.04, 3.06, 4.01, 4.02, 4.03; DWR1.02, 1.05,
2.05, 2.06, 3.01; DSC1.03, 2.01, 2.02)
·
Pair
and group students for support.
·
Teacher-student
coaching/conferences.
·
Use
bilingual dictionaries.
·
Extend
time for completion of research project.
·
Students
capable of enrichment should be encouraged to research and act upon specific
employment/ volunteer opportunities related to their Dream Job within the
community.
Career-related
software, Internet sites, print materials found in school guidance office and
TAP curriculum
Guidance
counsellors
Gallo,
Donald R. Visions. New York: Dell
Publishing Group Inc., 1988. ISBN 0-440-20208-6
Time: 420 minutes
In Activity 5, students further
develop critical thinking, reading, writing, oral, study, and presentation
skills through the examination of a variety of non-fiction and poetry. They explore
themes dealing with the internal and external conflicts and challenges of
adolescence. They have the opportunity to read works by their peers and reflect
on the situations and decision making involved in growing up. Students are
encouraged to respect others and to share their thoughts and feelings as they
integrate faith and
life as young Christians.
Ontario
Catholic School Graduate Expectations
CGE2b
- reads, understands, and uses written materials effectively;
CGE2c
- presents information and ideas clearly and honestly and with sensitivity to
others;
CGE4a
- demonstrates a confident and positive sense of self and respect for dignity
and
welfare of others;
CGE4g
- examines and reflects on one’s personal values, abilities and aspirations
influencing life’s choices and opportunities.
Strand(s): Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing,
Social and Cultural Competence
Overall
Expectations
DORV.01 -
communicate orally in English in a wide variety of daily activities in the
community, the classroom and the workplace;
DORV.03 -
use appropriate language and non-verbal communication strategies in a variety
of situations;
DREV.01 -
read and respond to literature, with teacher guidance;
DREV.03 -
extract information from grade-level texts, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.01 -
write in a variety of forms appropriate to different subject areas, personal
needs, and career goals, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.02 -
use the writing process to prepare final drafts, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.03 -
arrange ideas in logical order an present them in linked paragraphs;
DSCV.02 -
demonstrate flexibility as learners in different teaching and learning
situations.
Specific
Expectations
DOR1.03 -
use a variety of communication strategies to bridge gaps in their
English-language knowledge (e.g., ask for clarification; paraphrase; use facial
expressions and gestures to convey meaning);
DOR1.04 -
use the pronunciation, stress, rhythm, and intonation patterns of spoken
English with accuracy most of the time;
DOR1.05 -
participate in classroom discussions and oral presentations;
DOR1.11 -
use formal speech for oral communication;
DOR3.03 -
use formal and informal styles of language appropriately (e.g., compare and
role-play the use of forms of address in different situations);
DOR3.05 -
use polite forms to negotiate and reach consensus in small-group tasks (e.g., Would
you like to…?, How about…?, Don’t you think…?);
DRE1.02 -
identify and explain literary elements and devices in teacher-selected texts
(e.g., theme, character development, plot, setting, simile, metaphor);
DRE1.03 -
make inferences about a writer’s point of view or a character’s actions;
DWR1.03 -
select and use appropriate forms for personal and creative writing (e.g.,
diaries, journals, personal letters and e-mail messages, dialogues, poetry,
narratives);
DWR1.04 -
use descriptive words and phrases to convey mood, atmosphere, and emotion;
DWR2.01 -
write a passage of three or more paragraphs to develop a central idea;
DWR2.03 -
edit to improve writing style (e.g., to convey a personal voice, to stress
objectivity);
DWR2.05 -
produce final drafts, using appropriate writing tools (e.g., dictionaries,
editing checklists);
DWR2.06 -
use word-processing software to compose and edit pieces of writing;
DWR3.01 -
spell words accurately in final drafts, including subject-specific terms;
DWR3.02 -
use periods, commas, apostrophes, quotation marks, colons, and parentheses
correctly in final drafts;
DSC2.03 -
participate fully in group activities, (e.g., contribute productively to all
group tasks, assist others in the group, and help keep the group on task).
·
Students
continue using their Vocabulary/Structure journals.
·
Have
a set of dictionaries, and thesauri available either in book form, CD-ROM, or
online for classroom use as students review dictionary skills and word attack
skills for their Vocabulary/Structure journals.
·
Assemble
a suitable collection of reading material - two selections each of nonfiction,
and prayer on the theme of self-knowledge suitable for teen readers. Suggested
sources are Voices Past and Present, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III, Holy Bible, and Dreams Alive: Prayers by Teenagers. Keep Cancopy restrictions in
mind.
·
Create
a Response to Nonfiction sheet for the students to use as a guide while
responding in journal form or use the following (these criteria can be used to
create a rubric for journal response):
Nonfiction short
stories provide readers with information about the issue or conflict presented
in the story. However, well-developed stories are able to present a personal
interpretation or a deeper and detailed understanding of the main subject the
author is attempting to convey. Use the following questions to help you explore
your feelings and thoughts about a piece of non-fiction.
1. What is the
universal message the author is attempting to convey in this story? 2. Who is
the target audience? What makes you think so? 3. What deeper truths does the
author uncover? Do you agree or disagree with his/ her point? Why? 4. What
conflict did the main character encounter? How did he/she resolve it? 5. What
is the tone and mood of the story?6. Is the change in the development or growth
of the main character effective and of interest to you? 7. What part of the
story do you find valuable to your growth? Why? 8 Which literary device did you
find particularly effective in the story’s development? 9. What connection have
you made to your personal life? 10. Does the title suit the theme of the story?
What makes you think so? 11. Is the author’s choice of an ending suitable?
·
Create
a terminology/reference sheet of poetic devices with terms such as, tone, mood,
form, imagery, and metaphor, for students to follow. Students will have many of
these terms recorded in their Vocabulary/Structure journals and can refer to
this source.
·
Create
a Response to Poetry sheet for students to use as a reading guide while
responding in journal form or use the following suggestion (use these criteria
to create a rubric to assess journal response): Poetry provides readers an opportunity to examine themselves as they
engage a poem. Your response to poetry is based on your experiences, thoughts
and beliefs. What a poem means to you is a reflection of yourself. Use the
questions below to guide you in the critical analysis of not only the poems but
of you.
1. What feelings does
this poem awaken in you? 2. What connections from the poem have you made to
your personal life? 3. What is the tone and mood of the poem? 4. What poetic
device(s) are present? How does the device(s) contribute to the overall effect
of the poem? 5. Does the title suit the theme of the poem? What makes you think
so? 6. Who is the speaker of the poem? How can you tell? Why do you suppose the
poet chose this particular voice? 7. Which of your senses does this poem stir?
8. What did you like most about the poem? What did you like least? 9. What is
the point of view of the poet? Do you agree or disagree? Why? 10. What part of
the story do you find valuable to your growth? Why?
·
Create
an explanatory handout for the Reading of Poetry with Music activity. Students
will: 1. Choose a poem with a suitable theme and have it checked by the
teacher; 2. Determine the mood of the poem and choose a piece of music that
reflects the mood; 3. Prepare a reading to this music including rehearsal.
Include a rubric for final assessment.
·
Assemble
a sampling of CDs and audiocassettes representing a variety of musical styles
to assist students who may have difficulty with this concept.
·
Create
a Response to Prayer sheet for students to use as a reading guide while
responding in journal form. The focus is on the form, tone, mood, poetic
devices, and the universal message of the prayer.
·
A
final note: the assessment and evaluation of all the polished journals must
focus on writing and editing skills, as well as whether the students were able
to interpret the universal message and succeeded in expressing their opinions
of the message.
·
An
understanding of literary terms, such as tone, mood, imagery, metaphor and
theme
·
An
understanding of skimming and scanning techniques
·
Skills
to engage in personal reflection in journal form
·
Skills
to successfully work in pairs
1. The teacher leads a discussion on moral
decision-making and the importance of truly knowing oneself as part of growing
up. The teacher then explains that, in Activity 5, the students will critically
interpret, analyse and write responses to a selection of non-fiction works,
poetry, and prayers as a guide to reflecting on one’s journey through
adolescence.
2. In small groups, students read to discover
the universal message in popular literature such as those on p. 281 in Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III;
(“Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle” - Lewis Carroll; and “You
have to be yourself. Be very honest about who and what you are. And if people
still like you, that’s fine. If they don’t, that’s their problem” - Sting.) The
students share their responses and attempt to reach consensus on the universal
message these quotes contain.
3. In the next tasks students examine two
non-fiction works from Chicken Soup for
the Teenage Soul III, “Happiness
from Within” by Diana McGill, on pages 285-287 and “Finding a Vision” by Talina
Sessler-Barker, on pages 329-332 (or other suitable non-fiction material). The
steps for this task
are as follows:
· the teacher and the students read the short stories aloud with the teacher assisting and commenting where necessary to check for comprehension;
· in small groups students brainstorm the universal message illustrated in the stories and later share responses with the whole class;
· the teacher introduces the journal response task and hands out a copy of Response to Non-fiction (see Planning Notes). The teacher explains the questions in the guide. The students use the guide to respond to the short stories in a journal. The journal responses begin in class and can be completed for homework;
· the students choose their best journal response to be peer-edited and polished for evaluation.
4. In the next task, the students read four
short stories of their choice, from Chicken
Soup for the Teenage Soul III,
Voices Past and Present, or New Canadian Voices (or other suitable
selections). They first use the Response to Non-Fiction as a guide to write
their personal responses in a short paragraph. Next, students rank the stories
most to least meaningful to them using the Top Four List (to be drawn up by the
students: three columns on a sheet of paper, headings for the columns as
follows: Ranking Favourites, Short Story/Author, and Personal Reaction). Once
this activity is completed, the students share their responses in small groups
and then hand in their ranking sheet.
5. The next task focuses on reading and
responding to poetry. The teacher hands out the terminology/reference sheet of
poetic devices (see Planning Notes). This is reviewed to ensure that students
are comfortable with the terms used. This activity is similar to the
non-fiction activity. The students critically interpret two poems from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III, “The Two Roads” by Whitney
Welch, on pages 300-302 and “Inspirations” by Tom Krause on pages 342-343. They
follow the process sequence explained in step 3. However, they use the Response
to Poetry (see Planning Notes) as the guide sheet for the journal response
writing activity.
6. In
the next task, the teacher introduces the Creative Reading of a Poem with Music
presentation (see Planning Notes). In pairs, students choose a poem dealing
with the theme of growing up from Chicken
Soup for the Teenage Soul III
(or other suitable sources). They choose music, which reflects the mood of the
poem, to accompany a dramatic reading of the poem. The student must use emotion
and appropriate tone when reading the poem. The teacher models a reading to
guide students. Give students opportunity to practise before they present to
the class.
7. In the next task, the teacher introduces the
prayer study with a definition of prayer. The teacher and students read aloud
two prayers either from the Holy Bible
or from Dreams Alive: Prayers by
Teenagers and interpret and critically analyse the form, mood, imagery, and
the universal
message in the prayers.
8. Students write a journal response to both
prayers and choose their best to be peer-edited and
polished for evaluation.
·
Non-fiction,
poetry, and prayer response journals, summative assessment: DWR1.03, .04,
DWR2.01, .03, .05, .06, DWR3.01, .02.
·
Top
Four List personal response, formative assessment: DRE1.03; DWR1.03, .04.
·
Creative
Reading of a Poem with Music Rubric: (Summative: DOR1.03, .04, .05, .11,
DOR3.03, .05; DSC2.03.
·
Pair
students exhibiting difficulties with concepts and/or materials with peer/buddy
support.
·
Review
material where necessary using teacher or peer support particularly in
Teaching/Learning Strategy 4.
·
Make
groups of threes for the students exhibiting problems with oral presentation
skills.
·
Follow
up editing to the peer-edited journals.
·
Encourage
enrichment in dramatic reading (videotaping, costume, props, for example).
Canfield,
Jack, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kirkberger. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III. Florida: Health Communication, Inc., 2000. ISBN 1-55874-761-3
Koch,
Carl Ed. Dreams Alive: Prayers by
Teenagers. Minnesota: Saint-Mary’s Press Christian Brothers Publications,
1991. ISBN 0-88489-262-X
Porter,
Jessie. Voices Past and Present.
Toronto: Wall & Emerson, Inc., 2000. ISBN 1-895131-19-7
Porter,
Jessie. New Canadian Voices. Toronto:
Wall & Emerson, Inc., 1991 ISBN 1-895131-05-7
Time: 300 minutes
Students have the opportunity to
apply their knowledge and understanding of the components of non-fiction,
poetry, and prayer. Students engage in creative writing, reading, and listening
activities as they read and write their personal stories. They reflect on their
current situation, their morals and values, and their problem-solving and
decision-making abilities as they write their stories using non-fiction,
poetry, and prayer formats. Using the writing process, students choose and
assemble their best pieces to create and publish a class book, Our Voices.
Ontario
Catholic School Graduate Expectations
CGE2b -
reads, understands and uses written materials effectively;
CGE2c -
presents information and ideas clearly and honestly and with sensitivity to
others;
CGE4a - demonstrates a confident and positive
sense of self and respect for the dignity and
welfare of others;
CGE4g - examines and reflects on one’s personal
values, abilities and aspirations influencing life’s choices and opportunities.
Strand(s): Oral and Visual Communication, Reading, Writing,
Social and Cultural Competence
Overall
Expectations
DORV.01 -
communicate orally in English in a wide variety of daily activities in the
community, the classroom and the workplace;
DREV.02 -
use a range of strategies to build vocabulary;
DREV.03 -
extract information from grade-level texts, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.01 -
write in a variety of forms appropriate to different subject areas, personal
needs, and career goals, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.02 -
use the writing process to prepare final drafts, with teacher guidance;
DWRV.03 -
arrange ideas in logical order and present them in linked paragraphs;
DSCV.02 -
demonstrate flexibility as learners in different teaching and learning
situations.
Specific
Expectations
DOR1.05 -
participate in classroom discussions and oral presentations;
DRE2.01 -
use a variety of strategies to build vocabulary (e.g., check learner
dictionaries; keep a personal list of words and phrases; seek opportunities to
use new words);
DWR1.01 -
write in a variety of forms appropriate to different subject areas (e.g., short
reports, outlines, summaries, editorials, notes essays, examination answers);
DWR1.03 -
select and use appropriate forms for personal and creative writing (e.g.,
diaries, journals, personal letters and e-mail messages, dialogues, poetry,
narratives);
DWR1.04 -
use descriptive words and phrases to convey mood, atmosphere, and emotion;
DWR2.01 -
write a passage of three or more paragraphs to develop a central idea;
DWR2.03 -
edit to improve writing style (e.g., to convey a personal voice, to stress
objectivity);
DWR2.04 -
use visual elements to enhance the effectiveness of published text (e.g.,
margins for ease of reading, headings and typeface for emphasis);
DWR2.05 -
produce final drafts, using appropriate writing tools (e.g., dictionaries,
editing checklists);
DWR2.06 -
use word-processing software to compose and edit pieces of writing;
DWR2.07 -
use graphics software to format and embellish pieces of writing;
DWR3.01 -
spell words accurately in final drafts, including subject-specific terms;
DWR3.02 -
use periods, commas, apostrophes, quotation marks, colons, and parentheses
correctly in final drafts;
DSC2.03 -
participate fully in group activities, (e.g., contribute productively to all
group tasks, assist others in the group, and help keep the group on task).
·
The
students create a class book, Our Voices, which will include a collection of
non-fiction, poetry, and prayers written by them about growing up as
adolescents. They will present their book to the librarian, guidance
department, and administration.
·
Use
the Response to Non-Fiction and Response to Poetry guide sheets in Activity 5
to aid students as they write their own short stories and poems.
·
Review
the components of a prayer with the students (see Teaching/Learning Strategies,
Step 7 in Activity 5).
·
Borrow
the Self/Peer Editing Checklist in the ESLBO Catholic Profile on page xiv or
create one for students as they edit each other’s writing.
·
Create
a rubric that reflects the process and product writing and presentation of Our
Voices.
·
Book
the computers in the library or in the computer lab.
·
Students
should supply own discs to save work.
·
Poll
students for familiarity with software. If necessary, arrange for a seminar.
·
Book
Polaroid or digital camera for students to take pictures of themselves for Our
Voices. Where possible have the students in the Photography Art class take
pictures of the ESL students.
·
Obtain
high-quality printing paper and coils for Our Voices. Students, ESL teacher,
library, and guidance should receive a copy.
·
A
working understanding of literary terms, such as tone, mood, imagery, metaphor,
theme
and point of view.
·
An
understanding of skimming and scanning techniques.
·
An
understanding of creative response in three paragraphs or more.
·
Some
familiarity with critical interpretation of non-fiction, poetry, and prayers.
1. The teacher explains to the students that
they will write two each of non-fiction, poetry, and prayers for a class book,
Our Voices based on the situations and decision-making they have experienced as
part of growing up. Tell the students this class book will be displayed in the
library and in the guidance office.
2. The teacher reviews the Response to
Non-Fiction and Response to Poetry guide sheets from
Activity 5, for students to refer to when writing. Then the teacher reviews the
components of prayer (see Teaching/Learning Strategies, Step 7 in Activity 5)
for students to follow when writing their own prayers. The non-fiction writing
is a minimum of three paragraphs, the poems and the prayers are a minimum of 20
lines each, which can be written with or without rhyme.
3. The students peer-edit each other’s work. Use
the Self/Peer Editing Checklist (see Planning Notes).
4. The students use the computers to polish
their work and save to diskette.
5. The teacher and the students discuss and
decide on the graphics, student pictures, and the writing style format of the
class book. Students select the graphics that represent their works. The
graphics may be computer-generated or they can create their own art and scan
the artwork on to the computer. If possible, invite the Photography Art class
to take creative pictures of the students or have the students take their own
pictures.
6. Note: Student photos should not be
used unless the School District has a clear process for obtaining parental
permission, and this is used.
7. The students design a cover page for the
class book (an opportunity for enrichment).
8. Once the students’ creative writings,
graphics, and pictures are in the computer, the teacher or students print and
assemble the pages into a book. Distribute the class book to all the authors.
9. The teacher evaluates the final product in a
rubric that reflects the process and product
writing and presentation.
10. In small groups and in person, the students
invite the librarian, guidance counsellors, secretaries, custodians,
administration, and if possible the Photography Art class, to a reading and
viewing of their class book. (Refreshments may be suitable.)
·
Rubric
to assess process and product of the non-fiction, poetry, prayers, and
presentation of “Our Voices” (Formative and Summative: DRE2.0; DWR1.01, .03,
.04; DWR2.01, .03, .04, .05, .06, .07; DWR3.01, .02; DSC2.03)
·
Teacher
does a follow up editing to the peer editing of creative writing.
·
Pair
students exhibiting weaker computer skills with a students more adept at using
the computer.
·
Review
step-by-step instructions and process where necessary.
·
Make
groups of threes for the students experiencing difficulties with oral
presentation and/or format.
·
Allow
expectations of length and completion time to reflect student needs.
·
Encourage
enhanced or high achievers to be more creative and/or to be involved with the
cover design or final assembly of the student book, Our Voices.
Canfield,
Jack, Mark Victor Hansen, and Kimberly Kirkberger. Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul III. Florida: Health Communication, Inc., 2000. ISBN
1-55874-761-3
Koch,
Carl, ed. Dreams Alive: Prayers by
Teenagers. Minnesota: Saint-Mary’s Press Christian Brothers Publications,
1991. ISBN: 0-88489-262-X
Holy Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Catholic
Bible Press, 1990. ISBN: 0-88834-019-2
ESLBO,
Catholic Profile
Photography
class
School
personnel such as Guidance Staff, Librarian, Office Staff, Administration,
Custodians
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