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A Thousand Splendid Suns Unit Plan

Blair Bucci, Kaitlyn Henaghan, and Claire Wilmsen



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Student Population: Kaitlyn Henaghan

We are teaching in a high school in central Illinois in a 10th grade English classroom. Each

regular class period is 50 minutes long. The school district is 41.2 percent white, 34.9 percent

black, 9.7 percent Asian, 8.8 percent Hispanic, and 5.4 Middle Eastern. About half of these

students are low income and will receive free or reduced lunches.

There are 23 students in the classroom, 10 boys and 13 girls. 5 of these students are African

American, 3 are Hispanic, and there is 1 Asian (Chinese) student. The Asian student and 1 of theHispanic students are English Language Learners. The African American students speak with

African American Vernacular English.

Twelve of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and are classified as coming from a

low-income family. Two of the students have ADD and another student has mild autism, and

these students often have trouble staying focused on tasks. The reading level of the class ranges

from 8th to 12th grade, but a majority of the students are reading at the 10th grade level.

There is a projector in the classroom that can hook up to the teacher‟s laptop. There is a dry erase

board at the front of the classroom. There are also copies available for each student of The

Awakening and A Thousand Splendid Suns so they are able to take the book home for reading

assignments. Copies of additional texts will also be available for students.

Theoretical Rational:

Our overarching question for our entire unit is “How have gender roles changed or remained the same throughout different time periods, settings, and cultures?” and “How are

people impacted by these beliefs?” The texts we have chosen support these questions becausethey both portray the struggles for women living in male-dominated societies. The characters in

these texts share similar experiences despite the fact that one text takes place in New Orleans in1899 and the other is set in Afghanistan from the 1970s-2000s. Our final goal for the class to

have achieved throughout this unit is to be able to answer the previous questions. We came up

with the progression of our unit with this goal in mind, (Burke 267). In exploring thesequestions we included the themes of ethnicity, race, relationships, family, and identity and how

each theme affects or are affected by our question.

Theme was one of several elements we focused on throughout the unit. We felt this wasan important component of the unit because that is something that students will continue to use

to develop their critical thinking skills for the future. Theme is also a big focus because that is

what connects these two texts together. We emphasized the similar themes that existed despite

the differences in setting, time period, and culture. Another integral factor we focused on wasthe idea of point of view and being open to accepting different points of view. We accomplished

this by having several lessons involving writing, speaking, and performing as a character in the

story. These activities developed students‟ thinking skills because they had to study the

characters.Another one of our goals was to develop cultivated thinkers; we aimed to accomplish this

through exposing our students to as much variety as possible. We have included a wide variety



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of activities and assessments throughout the unit which include reading, writing, speaking,

listening, constructing, and performing. By incorporating all of these aspects of literacy, we areable to address the strengths and struggles of students in order to prepare them to be college-

ready students. By doing this we are able to touch on a lot of the Illinois State English Language

Arts goal and the Common Core English Language Arts Standards. We also incorporated variety

through the texts we used. From these texts, students learned about a range of historical eventsand were exposed to a variation of points of view.

We chose to design our unit this way, beginning with The Awakening because it takes

place first chronologically and is a traditional piece of American literature. We sequenced into A

Thousand Splendid Suns because it still features some of the themes that were similar to those of

the cannon text. This piece of literature qualifies for the Common Core standard which requires

students to read from a non-American point of view. Using The Awakening as our basis for therest of the unit allowed us to have students begin exploring our focus questions through a text

that would seem more relatable to them, as it takes place in America and they will have

background knowledge of historical events in America. Then when we read A Thousand

Splendid Suns, the history was new but the themes were able to be recognized from having

background knowledge to relate them to. While we read the books sequentially, we still wantedto discuss and relate them together, so we have several lessons which tie the two texts together so

that students can transcend the knowledge they have learned across their reading experiences.The two texts share similar themes and messages, but they are different enough as to where it is

still meaningful for students to read both texts. As mentioned, the books take place almost one-

hundred years apart in places that are across the globe from each other. The plots, character

developments, and writing styles are both distinctly dissimilar from each other.To enhance the unit we decided to show the film, The Kite Runner , within our unit for

several reasons. First, since the protagonists in both texts are females, we wanted to show a text

that was from a male point of view. Also, we thought it would provide a useful picture andbackground for A Thousand Splendid Suns since they share the same author and both take place

in Afghanistan around the same time period. This allows for students to gain new knowledge

about A Thousand Splendid Suns through the use of another text. Plus, we wanted to incorporate

different forms of text and use technology to engage the students.Throughout the entire unit we focused on establishing the classroom as a safe

environment so that students would feel at ease sharing their thoughts and experiences

(Weinstein 28). In order to maintain this environment we did not include tests or quizzes as partof our assessments. By using papers and projects for cumulative assessments we felt that it

would make students feel more at ease and allow them to provide a better expression of their

understanding of the material rather than just regurgitating information on a written exam.Regular everyday activities also focused on incorporating the practice of skills such as writing

conventions and vocabulary. By basing the exercises used to strengthen these skills on the

readings, it makes the task more relevant and therefore engaging to the students.

Works Cited

Burke, Jim. The English Teacher’s Companion: A Complete Guid e to Classroom, Curriculum,

and the Profession. 3rd

Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Print. 2008.Weinstein, Carol S., Novodvorsky, Ingrid. Middle and Secondary Classroom Management:

Lessons from Research and Practice. 4th

Edition. New York, NY: McGraw Hill

Companies. Print. 2011.



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Anchor Texts: Claire Wilmsen

Usage of texts

This unit begins with the text The Awakening and concludes with A Thousand Splendid

Suns. The order of the texts go in chronological order, stating with the past and continuing on to

modern day depictions of similar themes. The texts are introduced consecutively to show thesimilarities and the differences of gender norms in literature across time and culture.

The Awakening by Kate ChopinThis novel tells the story of Edna Pontellier a young married woman in the late 1800s. In

the story she is vacationing in Grande Isle with her husband Leonce and other wealthy

inhabitants of the nearby New Orleans. Throughout the novel Edna struggles to accept her placein a patriarchal society. She realizes that she does not fit the role of a doting wife and mother.

Edna experiences a journey of self-discovery as she distances herself from her marriage and

societal expectations and begins to explore her capacity of self-expression by creating art. In the

end Edna realizes that after she has experienced the freedom outside of her marriage she cannot

go back. However she feels that there is no true place for her in society. Edna returns to thevacation spot in Grande Isle and swims out into the ocean never to return.

Kate Chopin: Author Biography and Update

Kate Chopin was born Kate O'Flaherty in St. Louis, Missouri in 1850 to Eliza and

Thomas O'Flaherty. She was the third of five children, but the only child to live past the age of

twenty-five. In 1855, at age five, she was sent to The Sacred Heart Academy, a Catholicboarding school in St. Louis. Her father was killed two months later when a train on which he

was riding crossed a bridge that collapsed. For the next two years she lived at home with her

mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, all of them widows. Her great-grandmother,Victoria Verdon Charleville oversaw her education and taught her French, music, and the gossip

on St. Louis women of the past. Kate O'Flaherty grew up surrounded by smart, independent,

single women. They were also savvy and came from a long line of groundbreaking women.

Victoria's own mother had been the first woman in St. Louis to obtain legal separation from herhusband, after which she raised her five children and ran a shipping business on the Mississippi.

Until Kate was sixteen, no married couples lived in her home, although it was full of brothers,

uncles, cousins, and borders. Kate returned to the Sacred Heart Academy and was top of herclass. She won medals, was elected into the elite Children of Mary Society, and delivered the

commencement address.

In 1870, at the age of twenty, she married Oscar Chopin, the son of a wealthy cotton-

growing family in Louisiana. Oscar adored his wife, admired her independence and intelligence.

After their marriage they lived in New Orleans where she had five boys and two girls, all beforeshe was twenty-eight. Oscar was not an able businessman, and they were forced to move to hisold home in a small Louisiana parish. Oscar died of swamp fever there in 1882 and Kate took

over the running of his general store and plantation for over a year.

In 1884 she sold up and moved back to St. Louis to live with her mother. Sadly, Eliza

died the next year, leaving Kate alone with her children again. To support herself and her young

family, she began to write. She was immediately successful and wrote short stories about people



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she had known in Louisiana. The Awakening was inspired by a true story of a New Orleans

woman who was infamous in the French Quarter. The Awakening was published in 1899, and bythen she was well known as both a local colorist and a woman writer, and had published over

one hundred stories, essays, and sketches in literary magazines.

As a writer, Kate Chopin wrote very rapidly and without much revision. The content andmessage of The Awakening caused an uproar and Chopin was denied admission into the St. Louis

Fine Art Club based on its publication. She was terribly hurt by the reaction to the book and inthe remaining five years of her life she wrote only a few short stories, and only a small number

of those were published. Like Edna, she paid the price for defying societal rules. Kate died

abruptly of a cerebral hemorrhage on August 22 1904.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

A Thousand Splendid Suns tells the story of two women from Afghanistan and howtragedy and fate cause their lives to intersect. The story begins with Mariam a young villager girl

of illegitimate birth living with her mother in a solitary hut in Herat. When Mariam runs awayfrom home to ask her wealthy father to take her in her mother commits suicide and leavesMariam guilt ridden for life. Mariam is married off as a 14-year-old girl to a man much older

than her. Mariam experiences a long line of small tragedies that make up the majority of heradult life. In the second part of the novel the story of Laila is told. Laila is a young girl from

Kabul who lives with her mother and father. Laila‟s father who works as a schoolteacherencourages her to work hard in school so that she can attend a university. The family experiences

several violent political upheavals close to home until only Laila is left alive. Laila now without

a family or a home ends up living with Mariam and her husband and their lives are changed

forever.

Khaled Hosseini: Biography and UpdateKhaled Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1965. His father was a diplomat with

the Afghan Foreign Ministry and his mother taught Farsi and History at a large high school in

Kabul. In 1976, the Afghan Foreign Ministry relocated the Hosseini family to Paris. They were

ready to return to Kabul in 1980, but by then Afghanistan had already witnessed a bloodycommunist coup and the invasion of the Soviet army. The Hosseinis sought and were granted

political asylum in the United States. In September of 1980, Hosseini's family moved to San

Jose, California. Hosseini graduated from high school in 1984 and enrolled at Santa Clara

University where he earned a bachelor's degree in Biology in 1988. The following year, heentered the University of California-San Diego's School of Medicine, where he earned a Medical

Degree in 1993. He completed his residency at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Hosseini

was a practicing internist between 1996 and 2004.

While in medical practice, Hosseini began writing his first novel, The Kite Runner , in

March of 2001. In 2003, The Kite Runner , was published and has since become an internationalbestseller, published in 70 countries. In 2006 he was named a goodwill envoy to UNHCR, the

United Nations Refugee Agency. His second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns was published in

May of 2007. Currently, A Thousand Splendid Suns is published in 60 countries. Khaled has

been working to provide humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan through The Khaled Hosseini



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Foundation. The concept for The Khaled Hosseini Foundation was inspired by a trip to

Afghanistan Khaled made in 2007 with the UNHCR. He lives in northern California.

Works Cited:

Wyatt, Neal. "Biography of Kate Chopin." Biography of Kate Chopin. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec.

2012."Khaled Hosseini | Biography." Author Bytes. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2012.

<http://www.khaledhosseini.com/hosseini-bio.html>

Historical Contexts: Blair Bucci

The Awakening

Creole Society

“Mrs. Pontellier, though she had married a Creole, was not thoroughly at home in the society of

Creoles; never before had she been thrown so intimately among them. There were only Creoles

that summer at Lebrun's. They all knew each other, and felt like one large family, among

whom existed the most amicable relations. A characteristic which distinguished them and whichimpressed Mrs. Pontellier most forcibly was their entire absence of prudery. Their freedom of

expression was at first incomprehensible to her, though she had no difficulty in reconciling itwith a lofty chastity which in the Creole woman seems to be inborn and unmistakable,” (23).

In the Creole society, it is believed that a man has full power over his wife. Women areconsidered to be possessions of their husbands, and it is the duty of the wife to tend to the

husband and children. This is important to the text because Edna feels disconnected from her

husband and children and does not fulfill her wifely duties as declared by the Creoles. It is

because of the beliefs of this society that Edna feels that she is a prisoner in her marriage andbecomes greatly unhappy. Throughout the novel she defies the expectations of the Creole

society which creates more and more tension between her and her husband, children, and other

Creoles.

The above quote shows the protagonist, Edna Pontellier‟s, disconnect with the Creole society. Itsets up the plot line for conflicts between her and members of this society, even though sheshould technically be considered one of these members through her marriage to a Creole.

Because the quote states that there are only Creoles around her, to me it shows how overruled

she is and will be when she defies the expectations these people have of her. It also tells howisolated she will be and already is. It also shows this woman as a character of revolution in that

she is the only person who resists the standards of women in this mini-culture.

The website listed below describes the beliefs of the Creole society, explains who its members

were, and major defining aspects of the culture including architecture and clothing.

Bauman, Harriet. French Creoles in Louisiana: An American Tale. Yale-New Haven Teachers

Institute. 1992. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.<http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1992/2/92.02.02.x.html.>



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Feminist Movement

“‟I know that; I told you I couldn't explain. Her whole attitude -- toward me and everybody andeverything -- has changed. You know I have a quick temper, but I don't want to quarrel or be

rude to a woman, especially my wife; yet I'm driven to it, and feel like ten thousand devils after

I've made a fool of myself. She's making it devilishly uncomfortable for me,‟ he went on

nervously. „She's got some sort of notion in her head concerning the eternal rights of women; and-- you understand -- we meet in the morning at the breakfast table.‟

The old gentleman lifted his shaggy eyebrows, protruded his thick nether lip, and tapped the

arms of his chair with his cushioned fingertips.

„What have you been doing to her, Pontellier?‟

„Doing! Parbleu!’

„Has she,‟ asked the Doctor, with a smile, „has she been associating of late with a circle of pseudo-intellectual women -- super-spiritual superior beings? My wife has been telling me about

them,‟” (171).

The Awakening takes place in 1899 while the feminist movement was taking place. From this

quote you can see that men, especially those of the Creole society, did not take women‟s rightsseriously. In this passage Mr. Pontellier thinks his wife is sick because she is not acting like a

typical wife is expected to, to which the doctor responds by asking if she is taking part in thefeminist movement.

This is significant because we now do not hold such expectations in today‟s society for how

women should act. While social norms still exist, they are not as strict as they were during thetime this book takes place. The extent to which the beliefs that women should devote their lives

to their husbands and sons were accepted as norms of society shows how much of a struggle

Edna has to go through in this book. She is viewed as a possible ill or insane for opposing suchexpectations.

This entire piece is viewed as one of the first examples of feminist literature in how it opposes

the norms and behaviors that women were expected to uphold. The pressure created by thesebeliefs are what drive Edna to the point of realization that she will never be able to overcome the

imbalance of power between men and women which is her struggle throughout the entire piece.

The website listed below talks about the origin of the feminist movement and lists and describes

important events of the movement.

Haslanger, Sally, Tuana, Nancy and O'Connor, Peg, "Topics in Feminism". The Stanford

Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2012. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

<http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2012/entries/feminism-topics/>.

Industrial Revolution

“‟You are burnt beyond recognition,‟ he added, looking at his wife as one looks at a valuable

piece of personal property which has suffered some damage,” (3).



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While the Industrial Revolution is not mentioned directly within The Awakening, the premise is

greatly dependent on this historical event. The Industrial Revolution was the cause for thegrowth of American society and the development of a new upper class and middle class, which

the Pontelliers belong to, most likely because of the economic growth form the revolution.

The Industrial Revolution also led to an increase in jobs for women which then gave women

more empowerment during the feminist movement which also plays a big role in this novel.

The Industrial Revolution also contributes to this piece because it led to the increase in clothing

and textile industry. In this piece there are many important examples of clothing imagery that areused to enhance the themes of the piece.

In my reading, I found the Industrial Revolution to be an integral factor in the setting andbackground of this text. An after effect of the revolution was the growth of consumerism.

Leonce Pontellier also participates in this desire of possession and consumerism. He is very fond

of owning and buying things; he feels as though his wife is a possession of his and that he can

buy his children‟s love just as any other possession. The passage above displays this mindset of

Edna‟s husband.

The following resource explains major events within the Industrial Revolution and the effects ithad on America, including effects of women.

Dublin, Thomas. “Women and the Early Industrial Revolution in the United States”. History

Now. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. 17 Dec. 2012.<http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/jackson-lincoln/essays/women-and-early-

industrial-revolution-united-states>.

A Thousand Splendid Suns (and The Kite Runner )

The People’s Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, Death of Muhammad Daoud Khan

“‟A revolutionary council of the armed forces has been established, and our watan will now be

known as the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,‟ Abdul Qader said. „The era of aristocracy,nepotism, and inequality is over, fellow hamwatans. We have ended decades of tyranny. Power

is now in the hands of the masses and freedom-loving people. A glorious new era in the historyof our country is afoot. A new Afghanistan is born. We assure you that you have nothing to fear,

fellow Afghans. The new regime will maintain the utmost respect for principles, both Islamic

and democratic. This is a time of rejoicing and celebration,‟” (102).

The People‟s Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was a party with Marxist principles thatoverthrew the Afghan government. They were strongly supported by the Soviet Union, who

intervened when the PDPA showed signs of deterioration. This invasion sparked the creation of the Islamic Unity of Afghanistan Muhajideen and the Afghan Civil War.

The passage above shows that the PDRA portrayed itself as a liberating party which aimed to

unite the beliefs of all Afghans. However, in the text we are shown the harsh laws and customsput in place by this group and see the horrifying effects of this civil war. One of the

protagonists, Laila‟s, brothers join to fight with the Muhajideen and are killed, and her parents



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are also killed during an attack. Because of the death of her parents, she marries Rasheed, who is

also married to the other protagonist of the story, Mariam. This is important to the story becausethe rest of the plot relies on the marriage between these three characters.

I also think that this historical event is significant to the book because it creates a parallel

between the conflicts occurring at a national level to the conflicts existing within the city, Kabul,and the family at focus. The resource listed below gives a history of the People‟s DemocraticRepublic of Afghanistan and describes the major events and people during its existence.

“1978-1992: Democratic Republic of Afghanistan”. Afghanistan Documentation Project .

Washington DC: American University Washington College of Law.Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

<http://www.afghandocproject.org/index.php/contact-us/24-1978to1992>.

Victory of the Mujahideen

“Najibullah surrendered at last and was given sanctuary in the UN compound near Darulaman

Palace, south of the city. The jihad was over. The various communist regimes that had held power since the night Laila was born were all defeated. Mammy‟s heroes, Ahmad‟s and Noor‟s

brothers-in-war, had won. And now, after more than a decade of sacrificing everything, of

leaving behind their families to live in mountains and fight for Afghanistan‟s sovereignty, theMujahideen were coming to Kabul, in flesh, blood, and battle-weary bone,” (159).

This event marks the conclusion of the civil war described in the previous section about the

People‟s Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. After the death of Laila‟s two brothers, Laila‟smother, Fariba, frequently exclaims that she will not be satisfied until her brother‟s enemies are

defeated. She also said she would not leave Afghanistan until she witnessed this defeat happen.Because she refused to leave, she and her husband are killed ruing an attack, as mentioned in the

previous section. Consequently, she is never able to see the defeat of her son‟s enemies, so Lailamakes it an objective of hers to witness for her mother and brothers.

Similar to the parallel between the national and personal conflicts created by the People‟sDemocratic Republic of Afghanistan, to me, this event is an act of liberation, not just for the

nation of Afghanistan, but also for Laila. After this event occurs, Laila is finally able to livehappily ever after with the mad she truly loves, rather than the man who took her in as if she

were a possession. This event is still a major celebration in Afghanistan as it has been declared a

national holiday known as Muhajideen Victory Day.

Holstead, Lt. Joseph R. “Afghan Victory Day Celebrated in Kabul”. Afghanistan International

Security Assistance Force. NATO. Web. 17 Dec. 2012.

<http://www.isaf.nato.int/article/news/afghan-victory-day-celebrated-in-kabul.html>.

September 11th

“The TV is tuned to BBC. On the screen is a building, a tower, black smoke billowing from itstop floors. Tariq says something to Sayeed and Sayeed is in mid-reply when a plane appears

from the corner of the screen. It crashes into the adjacent tower, exploding into a fireball that



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dwarfs any ball of fire that Laila has ever seen. A collective yelp rise from everyone in the

lobby. In less than two hours, both towers have collapsed. Soon all the TV stations are talkingabout Afghanistan and the Taliban and Osama bin Laden,” (384).

This even was shocking and horrifying to the Afghan people in this book, but it was not as

monumentous of an event as it is to us in America. While the everyday people of Afghanistanviewed this as a tragic event, they were also somewhat relieved because it meant that the

Americans would finally intervene in Afghanistan, as they had been waiting for. It is mentioned

several times in the novel that citizens of Afghanistan hope the Americans will come to stop allof the attacks and resolve the ongoing conflicts within their nation.

I think this is an important part of the book because it shows the perspective of the Afghanistanpeople. When this event took place in America, it was as though everyone in Afghanistan was

the enemy, but from reading this passage, and also the article from the resource listed below, we

can see the perspective of the other side and see that they were just as shocked as we were.

Tokhi, Fareed. “Afghanistan Before and After 9/11 from the Perspective of an Afghan Muslimstudying near Ground Zero”. New York, NY: New York University. 15 Dec. 2001. Web.

17 Dec. 2012. < http://www.nyu.edu/classes/keefer/joe/tokhi10.html>.

Annotations:

Claire‟s Annotations

http://www.madglibs.com – This resource is a free website in which you can generate your own MadLibs. There are options to make original Mad Libs and to use pre-created ones. This website also gives

you the option to print the activities out as worksheets or to fill them out electronically.

Special Education for Today's Teachers: An Introduction – This textbook by Rosenberg is anintroductory text about accommodating students with special education needs. I chose to use this

text to inform my accommodations for my students.

"Voices of NY Video: Back Home, to a War Zone" – This is a Voices of NY video by Kanika

Chadda and Peter Moskowitz. This video a true account of a reporter who was born in

Afghanistan. The video follows the reporter as she returns back to her war torn country for thefirst time since she left as a child. I chose to include this video to help students realize the reality

of the themes in this novel. I wanted the students to see that even though the book is a work of

fiction, events in the novel have occurred in real life.

“Kabul” – In the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, two lines of this poem by Tabrizi, Saib-e are

included. The title of the novel also comes from this poem. The poem is about the beauty of the

city of Kabul. I wanted to incorporate this poem because it is an opportunity to introduce poetry

while reading the novel in a relevant way. The poem also can help students to understand moreabout the city that most of the text is set in.

http://www.madglibs.com/

http://voicesofny.org/2012/08/video-back-home-to-a-war-zone/


http://www.afghan-network.net/Culture/kabul_poem.html

http://www.afghan-network.net/Culture/kabul_poem.html


http://www.madglibs.com/



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How to Read Literature like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading between

the Lines – I included one chapter of this text by Thomas C. Foster. The chapter is aboutsymbolism and how to identify it within a text. This chapter will help students to think abstractly

and get them warmed up before the beginning of the lesson. This chapter also includes examples

that students can refer to throughout the unit.

Symbolism – This YouTube video is a brief video that explains what symbolism is. I chose to

include this source as a quick review for students about the concept before the beginning of the

lesson. This video explains what symbolism is and provides students with visuals to go alongwith the examples.

Grooveshark - Free Music Streaming – This website will be used to play music during class on the daysthat students are working on their soundtrack projects. This website can also be used for students‟presentations. This resource allows students to use whatever music they prefer for the project without

requiring them to purchase it. It also allows me to review the appropriateness of the music before

permitting students to play it in class.

Blair‟s Annotations

Lesson Plan 2: Article Presentations

The following two articles are being used to provide background knowledge about the Soviet

Invasion, which was a major event within the text A Thousand Splendid Suns, and also

communism to give even more information. Students will read these articles and use theinformation they obtain for it to present to the rest of the class.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1499983/Soviet-invasion-of-Afghanistan

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/129104/communism

The following two articles are being used to provide background knowledge about the Taliban.

This group had a major influence on the setting and culture throughout the text A Thousand

Splendid Suns. Students will read these articles and use the information they obtain for it to

present to the rest of the class.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/07/taliban.explainer/index.html http://www.cfr.org/afghanistan/taliban-afghanistan/p10551

The following two articles are being used to provide background knowledge about the history of

the ethnic/tribal divides within Afghanistan. These cultural divides are prevalent throughout the

plot and character relations throughout the text A Thousand Splendid Suns. Students will read

these articles and use the information they obtain for it to present to the rest of the class.http://countrystudies.us/afghanistan/54.htm

http://www.nps.edu/programs/ccs/Ethnic_identity.html

The following two articles are being used to provide background knowledge about Ahmad Shah

Massoud. Massoud was a prominent figure, and eventual leader, within Afghanistan during the

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNfHfIAQoQk


http://www.grooveshark.com/






http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/07/taliban.explainer/index.html


http://www.cfr.org/afghanistan/taliban-afghanistan/p10551


http://countrystudies.us/afghanistan/54.htm














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time period of A Thousand Splendid Suns. He is mentioned frequently for being very

controversial in his tactics. Students will read these articles and use the information they obtainfor it to present to the rest of the class.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1340726/Ahmad-Shah-Massoud.html

http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/yest/asmasood.html

The following two articles are being used to provide background knowledge about the history

societal beliefs and customs of Afghanistan. These customs and beliefs play an important role inthe plot and character developments within A Thousand Splendid Suns. Students will read these

articles and use the information they obtain for it to present to the rest of the class.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/opinion/the-women-ofc-afghanistan.html http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/7798/Afghanistan/226137/Daily-life-and-social-

customs

Kaitlyn‟s Annotations

Twilight : https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0412/5aced0eb41d2e/5aced0f0df296.jpg

I used this movie poster because it is based off of a movie and book that many of thestudents of this age group can recognize. This will help them when they are creating posters of

their own, directly seeing how a book can translate into movie poster form. This movie poster

may appeal more to the girls in class.

The Amazing Spiderman: http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/amazing-spider-man-movie-

poster.jpg

I chose this movie poster because it portrays a character that most students in the classwould be familiar with. This movie is an action film more than it is a romance, so this can help

demonstrate a different appeal. This movie may appeal more to the males in the class.

Avatar: https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0412/5aced0eb41d2e/5aced0f0eda14.jpg

I chose this movie poster because it was such a unique and popular movie that I thought it

would be interesting for the students to see how it was promoted to audience. Most students in

the classroom would be familiar with this movie, and it is gender neutral.

Elf: https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0412/5aced0eb41d2e/5aced0f17ac41.jpg

I chose this movie poster because it demonstrates yet another appeal for audiences,comedy. I want the students to see the vast approaches that movie studios use when creating their

posters so the students can see all the options that they have. Although they likely will not use

comedy in their posters, it is good to see the other useful techniques such as visual appearance

and organization that this poster uses.

Wordle link: http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/6157237/A_Thousand_Splendid_Suns_Pt_2

I used the Wordle so the students are able to visually see what the most used words arethroughout the chapter. This can help students figure out what words are going to be most

important throughout the chapter and can guide their prediction making. They can also consider





http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/opinion/the-women-ofc-afghanistan.html


http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/7798/Afghanistan/226137/Daily-life-and-social-customs



http://www.impawards.com/2008/posters/twilight.jpg



http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/amazing-spider-man-movie-poster.jpg




http://www.impawards.com/2009/posters/avatar.jpg



http://images.moviepostershop.com/elf-movie-poster-2003-1020190734.jpg



http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/6157237/A_Thousand_Splendid_Suns_Pt_2
















13

the events from the previous chapter while they are viewing the Wordle to make even stronger

predictions.

Assessment:

Throughout the unit students will be assessed through both formative and summative

assessments. The students will be expected to participate in class but this will not be a gradedvalue. The largest percentage of the students‟ grades will come from the projects they willcomplete in this unit. The projects will span the course of several days and students will be

provided with plenty of time during class to work on these projects and use school resources.There is only one formal paper for this unit therefore it only comprises 10% of the overall graded

work in the class. However students will be writing frequently throughout the unit. The in class

activities and assigned homework will ensure that students are reading closely, thinkingcritically, and practicing good writing techniques. The breakdown of point values in percentage

form is as follows:

In class work 30%

Homework 25%Formal Paper 10%

Projects 35%

Calendar:

S M T W T F S

31

1

Awakening

Debate Activity

(LP1)

2

Awakening

Debate Activity

Cont. (LP1)

3

Introduce

Awakening final

paper

4

Work on

Awakening paper

5

Peer Review for

paper

6

7

8Splendid Suns

Intro

HW: Ch 1 & 2

9Farsi words &

vocab (LP2)

HW: Ch 3

10How to usecontext to make

predictions

HW: Ch 4

11

HW: Ch 5

12

HW: Ch 6 & 713



14

14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 1 2 3 4

5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 1617

18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30 31 1



15

LP 1 Blair Bucci

Title: The Awakening Debate

Time: Two class periods, 100 minutes

Theory into Practice:“Conversation as Curriculum: Using Talk to Help Students Think” (Burke 241). Burke

recommends a variety of activities to use in this theory, including debates, class discussions, and

arguments. All of these activities require collaborative talk which empowers students in comingtogether to share and form new ideas. This activity is a combination of debate, class discussion,

and arguments. Students will choose a stance on a topic and use contextual material to defend

their decisions. Students will then discuss, defend, and question theirs and others‟ stances on thesame topic. This activity will promote new ideas and ways of thinking as mentioned in the

theory.

“Using Writing to Help Students Think” (Burke 245). Burke describes the significance of

having students respond to other students‟ ideas. Doing this places emphasis on listening anddeveloping new ideas. During this activity students will participate in a class debate about

particular interpretations to the ending of the novel, The Awakening. Students are to take astance on the question in focus, but must also pay attention to the opposing viewpoint. Doing

this is meant to open students‟ minds to the possibility of another perspective and to further develop students‟ own perspectives.

Objectives: By the end of this activity students will have practiced strong reading and writing

skills of using context material to form and support a particular stance of an argument. Students

will also be participating in a classroom debate and will therefore be exercising skills of speakingand listening. Students will need to have prepared statements to support their claims, and also

other examples prepared to use as rebuttals from opposing viewpoints. Students will share and

be exposed to multiple viewpoints meant to enhance their reading and thinking.

Materials: Copy of the Awakening, Debate Discussion handout

Preparation: Students will have completed the novel The Awakening and severalactivities/handouts about the book. Have seats arranged in two groups facing each other for day

two.

Procedure:

Day one: Read the final chapter of The Awakening together as a class. Discuss whatstudents think the ending means. Does Edna die? Is it a suicide? Accident? How can you

tell? Main question: Is Edna liberated through her death? Offer up opposing viewpoints if

most of the class sides one way or another. Introduce activity- students will take a side,

“Edna is liberated” vs. “Edna is not liberated”. Class will have the remainder of this classperiod to formulate and build their stance while completing handout (attached). Students

may work individually or with others who share their stance. Students need to useexamples from the text, but can also use any other material from previous activities about

this novel. Students will share and debate their sides the following day in class.



16

Day two: Read the final pages of the book once more. Have students sit according totheir position on the topic (desks will be arranged in two groups facing each other; one

group for each viewpoint). To begin discussion, pick one viewpoint and have severalstudents give their arguments, and then have several students from the opposite side

answer and give their viewpoints. Allow discussion to flow freely. If conversation

reaches a stand-still offer a discussion question to promote further discussion. Studentswill be filling out an additional handout (attached) in which they take notes on both sides

of the argument.

Students will be writing a paper on this topic after this activity, so they will want to takedetailed notes and hang on to them for reference.

Discussion Ideas:

How does the recurring symbol of bird imagery affect the ending of the book?

What does Edna mean by “she would give up the unessential, but she would never

sacrifice herself for her children” (300)?

Why does Edna say that she will be back in time for dinner?

What is the significance of Edna requesting to have fish for dinner?

Language and Accommodations:

Languages: ELL and AAVE students will be allowed to record notes and handouts in their

preferred language (but will have to explain what is written to teacher in English). Students may

work with partners or in small groups if they want peer assistance. I will provide a translated

copy of the final chapter in Spanish and Chinese for these students to have so they can morecomfortably form and support their arguments.

Accommodations: I will provide a handout with a list of thinking points for students with ADDand autism (attached). The point of this handout will be to get students focused on particular

elements of the novel which will generate ideas and stances. Students will be given pagenumbers associated with each guided question to find examples of support. Students will be able

to use these guided questions as part of their arguments. These students will be allowed to movearound during activities.

Assessment:

Students will turn in all handouts to be assessed. Assessment will be based on students‟ abilitiesto use evidence from the book to support claims. These handouts will be returned as soon as

possible so students can use them for reference during paper. Student performance during classdebate will also be assessed (rubric attached). Rubric for future paper assignment is also

attached.

Extension Ideas:

Students will be writing a formal paper based on this argument.

During A Thousand Splendid Suns, there will be a journal response prompt connectingthat novel to this assignment.

Have students respond to their peer‟s arguments/performances. Were they effective intheir argument?



17

Source of Activity:

This activity was inspired by a lesson plan that was co-created with my field experience mentorin the s pring semester of 2012. This teacher was Kristi McGee. She introduced me to the “Takea Stand” activity in which students choose how much they agree with a particular standpoint for

an issue. Students then participate in a class conversation to explain their outlook and listen to

other students‟ outlooks.

Resources and References:

Burke, Jim. The English Teacher’s Companion: A Complete Guide to Classroom, Curriculum,


Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Print. 2008.

Rubrics were made using rubistar.4teachers.org

Illinois State English Language Arts Goals:

4.A.4b Apply listening skills in practical settings (e.g., classroom note taking, interpersonal

conflict situations, giving and receiving directions, evaluating persuasive messages.Students will achieve this standard when they participate in the debate. While other students

share their arguments, listeners will evaluate the effectiveness of the speaker‟s persuasivemessages. Students will then have to react to such messages during their own speaking.

2.B.4b Analyze form, content, purpose and major themes of American literature and literature of

other countries in their historical perspectives

This standard will be achieved because students will be analyzing the aspects of the novel listedabove. The example of literature being used is American.

Common Core English Language Arts Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative

discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9 – 10 topics,

texts, and issues, building on others‟ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

This standard will be achieved during the debate/discussion portion of the activity. This uniqetype of discussion will create a wider range of speaking/listening situations in the classroom for

students to participate within. They will have to convey their ideas effectively for this type of

setting.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey

complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection,organization, and analysis of content.

This is an appropriate standard for this activity because students will be writing and presenting

information exploring the question at hand: Is Edna‟s death at the end of The Awakening an act

of liberation or defeat?

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/9-10/1/


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/9-10/2/






18

Name ____________________________

The Awakening Conclusion

Circle the statement below which best describes your interpretation of the ending of The

Awakening. Use the rest of this handout to record examples of evidence from the text

and/or other class materials to support your argument. In the left column record quotes

you wish to use, and in the right column explain why these quotes support your claim.

Edna’s death is an act of liberation. Edna’s death is an act of defeat.

Example of Evidence Reason for Support



19

The Awakening Conclusion Part 2

Use this handout to record the arguments you and your classmates make during this

discussion. Fill in the columns with corresponding examples of arguments made and

examples of evidence used.

Edna’s death is an act of liberation. Edna’s death is an act of defeat.

Do you still agree with your original stance? Why or Why not?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________



20

Guide Questions for The Awakening Argument

Bird Symbolism: What do birds represent throughout the story? What role do they play in

this final chapter?

______________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Color and Clothing imagery: What patterns exist within the colors and clothing described

throughout the story? What do these patterns tell you about the final chapter of the book?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________Emotions and Relationships: Who are some of Edna’s positive relationships with?

Negative? Who is mentioned during this final chapter? What might that tell you about

Edna’s emotions during this passage?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Scenery: Pay close attention to the way the setting is described by Edna in this final

passage. What feelings and emotions are evoked from this?______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________



21

Class Debate : The Awakening Conclusion

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Information All information

presented in the

debate was clear,accurate and

thorough.

Most information

presented in the

debate was clear,accurate and

thorough.

Most information

presented in the

debate was clear andaccurate, but was not

usually thorough.

Information had

several inaccuracies

OR was usually notclear.

Use of Contextual

Material

Every major point

was well supported

with several relevant

facts, statistics

and/or examples.

Every major point

was adequately

supported with

relevant facts,

statistics and/or

examples.

Every major point

was supported with

facts, statistics

and/or examples, but

the relevance of

some was

questionable.

Every point was not

supported.

Organization All arguments were

clearly tied to anidea (premise) and

organized in a tight,

logical fashion.

Most arguments

were clearly tied toan idea (premise)

and organized in a

tight, logical

fashion.

All arguments were

clearly tied to anidea (premise) but

the organization was

sometimes not clear

or logical.

Arguments were not

clearly tied to anidea (premise).

Rebuttal All counter-

arguments were

accurate, relevant

and strong.

Most counter-

arguments were

accurate, relevant,

and strong.

Most counter-

arguments were

accurate and

relevant, but several

were weak.

Counter-arguments

were not accurate

and/or relevant



22

Essay : The Awakening Paper

CATEGORY4 -

Above Standards

3 -

Meets Standards

2 -

Approaching Standards

1 -

Below Standards

Position

Statement

The position

statement providesa clear, strong

statement of the

author\'s position

on the topic.

The position

statement providesa clear statement

of the author\'s

position on the

topic.

A position statement is

present, but does notmake the author\'s

position clear.

There is no

position statement.

Support for

Position

Includes 3 or more

pieces of evidence

that support the

position statement.

The writer

anticipates the

reader\'s concerns,

biases or

arguments and has

provided at least 1

counter-argument.

Includes 3 or more

pieces of evidence

that support the

position

statement.

Includes 2 pieces of

evidence that support the

position statement.

Includes 1 or

fewer pieces of

evidence

Evidence

and

Examples

All of the evidence

and examples are

specific, relevant

and explanations

are given that

show how each

piece of evidence

supports the

author\'s position.

Most of the

evidence and

examples are

specific, relevant

and explanations

are given that

show how each

piece of evidence

supports the

author\'s position.

At least one of the pieces

of evidence and examples

is relevant and has an

explanation that shows

how that piece of

evidence supports the

author\'s position.

Evidence and

examples are NOT

relevant AND/OR

are not explained.

Audience Demonstrates a

clear

understanding of

the potential

reader. Anticipates

reader\'s questions

and provides

thorough answers

appropriate for

that audience.

Demonstrates a

general

understanding of

the potential

reader and uses

vocabulary and

arguments

appropriate for

that audience.

Demonstrates some

understanding of the

potential reader and uses

arguments appropriate for

that audience.

It is not clear who

the author is

writing for.

Grammar &

Spelling

Author makes no

errors in grammar

or spelling thatdistract the reader

from the content.

Author makes 1-2

errors in grammar

or spelling thatdistract the reader

from the content.

Author makes 3-4 errors

in grammar or spelling

that distract the readerfrom the content.

Author makes

more than 4 errors

in grammar orspelling that

distract the reader

from the content.

LP 2 Claire Wilmsen



23

Expanding Your Vocabulary and Identifying Farsi Words

Theory Into Practice BackgroundI. Theories and Concepts

In chapter 5 of The English Teacher’s Companion, Burke lists reasons why teachingstudents a wide range of vocabulary is useful. He mentions that it can help students

understand difficult texts, aid them in expressing themselves more precisely, raise theirscores on standardized texts, and empower them socially by giving them the language of

the culture of power (116, Burke). This vocabulary lesson encompasses this message.

For this lesson I also took into consideration the text Special Education for Today’s Teachers. Inthis text the academic challenges for students with ADHD are listed as, “inability to pay closeattention to details, carelessness in school work, difficulty sustaining attention, and difficulty

with organization” (Rosenberg, 239). I looked at all of these challenges and addressed them

through the activities in this lesson. By having the students keep track of the vocabulary wordson a classroom wall all students will have access to them and be able to look at their definitions

at any time if they need a reference. This also helps students who have a hard time keepingthings organized because it eliminates a piece of paper that students would have to keep track of.

According to Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students in Secondary Schools ,“Traditional high school reading lists often lack diver sity. Diversifying reading lists will help

prepare students more effectively for college-level reading” (Faltis and Coulter, 87). I took this

into account for this lesson and for this unit overall based on the texts that I chose. A Thousand

Splendid Suns is a diverse text rich in culture-specific vocabulary. This lesson will help studentsto identify the language used and to get the most out of it in the text. This will also help them to

develop skills to identify any other culture specific language that they may encounter in the

future.

This lesson reflects the teaching philosophy reflected in Weinstein‟s Middle and

Secondary Classroom Management. Weinstein states, “Most problems of disorder inclassrooms can be avoided if teachers foster positive student-teacher relationships,

implement engaging instruction, and use good preventive management strategies”(Weinstein, 6). The Mad Libs activity and the student-selected vocabulary words will

help to keep students engaged and interested in the lesson and also provide them with a

sense of ownership over their own learning because they have choice.II. Background/ Content Information

Before the start of this lesson students will already have read chapters 1 and 2 of the novel AThousand Splendid Suns

A wall in the classroom will be dedicated to the class‟ vocabulary list

Mad Libs handouts will be passed out to students and filled out using their own words

III. Explanation of Background/ Content Information In order for students to get started on this activity it helps if they have already began reading the

text. They are to go back through the text and select Farsi words (they are italicized) and

unfamiliar words to identify.

A wall in the classroom will be dedicated to keeping track of the words that students choose todefine from the text. They will be displayed throughout the unit to be used in activities and toencourage students to use a wider range of vocabulary in their writing.



24

The activity that the students will do to use the vocabulary and Farsi words will be Mad Libs.Students will be able to use any of the words they identify as a class. This will help them to

remember the words‟ meanings, parts of speech, and correct usages. This will also be anengaging activity that will include the entire class.

IV. Link to future Lessons

The use of Farsi words will continue throughout the text and students will continue to track themon the designated wall

By looking up self-selected vocabulary words this will also get students in the habit of lookingup words they do not know

The activity will also help them to work on the skill of determining the meaning of words based

on context clues

The activity will encourage the students to use a wider range of vocabulary in their writing

Objectives

From this lesson students should be able to:

Choose Farsi words and self-selected vocabulary words from the reading

Make predictions about the meaning of these words based on context Look up the definitions of these words

Keep a class log of the words they research as they continue to read

Use the vocabulary and Farsi words properly in the Mad Lib activity and in their writing

MaterialsThis lesson will require the following:

Copies of the novel for each student

Dictionaries for class to use

Display on wall for the Vocabulary Collection

Note cards

Markers

Tape

Mad Lib worksheets

Preparation

Prior to class I will need to:

Prepare wall in the classroom to serve as the display for the class‟ vocabulary words

Create and print out Mad Lib worksheets for all students

Procedure

Opening When students first arrive in class I will ask them to take out their copies of A Thousand

Splendid Suns, a piece of paper, and something to write with. (1min)

I will introduce the activity to the students by first asking them if they came across any words inthe previous night‟s reading that they were unfamiliar with. I will then instruct the class to gothrough the first two chapters and write down five of those words. Students will be required to

choose at least one Farsi word out of the five they select (words in the text that are in Farsi are

italicized). (5min)



25

Next I will assign the students a partner and they will together use a context clues to define theFarsi words and a dictionary to define the words that are in English. The students will be

required to write down their definitions and agree on them as a pair. (10min)

When students have completed their vocabulary words they will be given markers and computerpaper to make posters for their words. I will have a display set up on one of the classroom walls

and the students will tape their words up on the wall. (7-10 min)Body

As a class we will go over the words that are up on the wall. I will make any necessarycorrections and answer any questions (5-7 min)

Next I will pass out Mad Libs worksheets (taken from http://www.madglibs.com) and students

will fill them out using the vocabulary list we have created as a class. We will briefly go over theparts of speech as a review so that students will not have trouble with the worksheets.

Students will work in the same pairs as before. If time allows both students will complete aworksheet. (7 min)

Closing

To wrap up the activity I will ask a few groups of students to share their Mad Libs with the class.

If any errors are made we will discuss as a class why each item is incorrect. (5 min) Students will be encouraged to add to the wall display of vocabulary words throughout the unit.

We will end class with a brief discussion about how using a diverse range of vocabulary can

improve writing.

Before students leave class I will have them fill out an exit slip. On the exit slip students will berequired to use one of the vocabulary words in an original sentence.

Discussion Ideas1) In what ways could expanding your vocabulary improve your writing?

2) Why do you think the author includes words in Farsi in the novel?

3) What does it mean to have an authentic voice as a writer?

Language Accommodations

In my class there are two English Language Learner students who may require accommodations. One of

the student‟s first language is Spanish, the other‟s is Chinese. This lesson accommodates them in thefollowing ways:

The lesson begins with a class discussion of what words are unfamiliar. These students will havethe opportunity to ask any questions they may have about the meaning of words without feeling

threatened because this is what the entire class will be doing

Students will be working in pairs that I will assign. The pairs will be mixed heterogeneouslybased on reading comprehension levels. This is based on Faltis and Coulter‟s statement,

“Grouping students heterogeneously not only integrates students who might otherwise have

minimal contact, but also improves the performance of all members of a learning community”(Faltis and Coulter, 38).

Special Education Accommodations:

There are several students who require special education accommodations in this class. This lessonaccommodates them in the following ways:



26

The lesson incorporates many different small activities, discussions, and work periods. Bybreaking the class period up into small segments students will be aided in maintaining their focus

in class.

The directions for this lesson will also be stated very explicitly so that students understand whatis expected of them. I will be walking around during work periods to offer students additional

support as well. The structure of the lesson encourages the students to use each other as resources and work

together. This will help all students to get the most out of the lesson and in particular should be

beneficial to the student with mild Autism. This student should feel comfortable being in the

social situations for this lesson because they are very structured.

Assessment

In order to assess the effectiveness of this lesson I will:

Walk around as students are working in pairs to ensure that all students are contributing

Collect the students‟ Mad Lib worksheets to see if they are making mistakes on identifying partsof speech. This will also hold them accountable for completing the worksheets

Collect the exit slips to determine if the students are using the new vocabulary words correctly

Extension Ideas:To extend this activity I could

Assign students to add additional vocabulary words for each chapter they read of the novel

Require the students to use the vocabulary words in their papers that I will assign later in the unit

Have the students create their own Mad Lib and exchange with a partner for further practice

Source of Activity: The idea of using Mad Libs for teaching the parts of speech comes from my elementary school teacher

Mrs. Marquart. Although she used this technique for a 6th

grade class I still believe that it can work in a

high school setting. Mad lib worksheets that could be printed and used for this lesson can be found athttp://www.madglibs.com. The idea to display the words in the classroom for the entire unit comes from

my most recent cooperating teacher as she frequently displayed student work in the classroom for

students to contribute to and use as a reference.


Burke, Jim. The English Teacher's Companion. 3rd. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2008. Print.

Faltis, C.J. & Coulter, C.A. (2008). Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students in

Secondary Schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon

Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. New York: Riverhead, 2007. Print

"Mad:)Takes - Free Mad Libs Online." Mad:)Takes. N.p., Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

<http://www.madglibs.com/>.

Rosenberg, Michael S., David L. Westling, and James McLeskey. Special Education for

Today's Teachers: An Introduction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merill/PrenticeHall, 2008. Print.



27

Weinstein, Carol Simon., and Carol Simon. Weinstein. Middle and Secondary Classroom

Management: Lessons from Research and Practice. 4th Ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Print.

Illinois State English Language Arts Goals:Knowledge Indicator 1E - The competent teacher understands the impact of linguistic and cultural

diversity on learning and communication.

This lesson takes into consideration students‟ diversity in language. It provides students

with the opportunity to look at another culture‟s specific vocabulary and recognizes the

legitimacy of languages and vocabulary outside of Standard English.

Performance Indicator 1J – The competent teacher differentiates strategies, materials, pace,

levels of complexity, and language to introduce concepts and principles so that they are

meaningful to students at varying levels of development and to students with diverse learning

needs.

This lesson incorporates many different activities that break up the period. Students areable to work with partners at their own desired pace. The activities also work together to

help students learn new vocabulary and usage in a way that is engaging yet effective.


CC.9-10.L.4.a Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of asentence, paragraph, or text; a word‟s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaningof a word or phrase.

In this lesson students must use the context clues in the text to determine the meaning of the words in Farsi.

CC.9-10.L.4.c Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: Consult general and specialized reference

materials (e.g., dictionaries, glossaries, thesauruses), both print and digital, to find the

pronunciation of a word or determine or clarify its precise meaning, its part of speech, or itsetymology.

In this lesson students will also select words to look up in the dictionary. They will define

these vocabulary words and then have to know their part of speech/function in order touse them in the planned activities.



28

LP 3 Blair Bucci

Title: Article Presentation

Time: One class period, 50 minutes

Theory into Practice Background“Standards for Speaking and Listening” (Burke 224). Burke claims that different speaking

contexts have different standards to abide by. Students should practice speaking and listening

not just through formal presentations or speeches, but rather in a variety of situations so as topractice speaking in a mixture of ways. This type of speaking will range on the less-formal end

of the spectrum. Students are to present their findings of particular articles to the rest of the

class. Hey will do so by presenting information and summarizing the articles using a projector infront of the class. By having students practice speaking in less formal situations in front of the

class I believe it will make them more comfortable for when the type of speaking is more formal.

Students will also practice listening in different settings. While this will be similar to listening to

a teacher, it will prepare students to be attentive listeners when their peers speak in class.

“Designing and Implementing Effective Group Work” (Weinstein 267). Weinstein explains the

use of cooperative group work as “coordinating individual efforts to produce a final group

product,” (Weinstein 269). This form of group work is suitable for this particular assignmentbecause it is a short activity meant for students to be able to focus on one topic and be able to

share their findings with the rest of the class so that students may be exposed to multiple topics

in a quick way. In this activity students will be placed into one of five groups; each group willhave an assigned topic with articles about the topic which they are to read and summarize for the

class. This theory connects to this activity because the students will use what they have each

gotten out of the readings in order to produce a short presentation for the rest of the classtogether.

Objectives: By the end of this lesson students should obtain knowledge of topics covered in the

book in order to enhance their reading and understanding of the content. Students will havenotes to refer back to during reading to have a better idea of how the topics we discuss affect the

plot and characters. Students will also practice working in groups and oral presentation skills.

Students will read nonfiction texts and practice weeding out necessary information from entiretext in order to share precise and useful knowledge with the rest of the class.

Materials

Enough copies of each article for group members, printed on brightly-colored paper

(different color for each group/topic)

Handout to record notes on

Preparation

Have copies of articles made

Have heterogeneous groups prepared (five groups of 4-5 members)

Have desks arrange in five pods with group members listed at corresponding pods

Have transparencies, markers, projector ready



29

Procedure

Students arrive and find assigned groups/seats

Ask where book takes place (Afghanistan), ask what students know about Afghanistan(probably will mention 9/11, Al Qaeda, terrorism), ask when this takes place (1970s-80s),

ask if anyone knows anything that were taking place at this time. (about 5 minutes) Explain that history plays important role in this piece, historical fiction. Having

background knowledge will enhance reading and understanding.

Explain activity

o Each group will be given a topic to „research‟. Will have two articles about each

topic. Read each article and record/highlight important information.Teach/present this information to the rest of the class. Record important facts (at

least 5) on transparency; present to class using the projector. Rest of class will

take notes on each topic to use as reference material for the rest of the novel.

o Each member must contribute (mark initials next to the fact(s) contributed byeach member), each person must speak during presentation

o Groups will have about 20 minutes to work, and 5 minutes to present.o Presentations will include introduction of topic, was it a person, event, group,

issue? Give basic facts, background. Talk about article. Tell how topic connects

to the novel.

Group Topics and Articles

o Soviet Invasion (and Communism)http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1499983/Soviet-invasion-of-Afghanistan


o Taliban

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/07/taliban.explainer/index.html http://www.cfr.org/afghanistan/taliban-afghanistan/p10551

o Tribal Conflicthttp://countrystudies.us/afghanistan/54.htm http://www.nps.edu/programs/ccs/Ethnic_identity.html

o Ahmad Shah Massoud

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1340726/Ahmad-Shah-Massoud.html http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/yest/asmasood.html

o Women‟s Roles

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/opinion/the-women-of-afghanistan.html


Discussion Ideas After presentations have students write a response about how they think each of the

things we just learned about will/have already effected the novel

Discuss how each knowledge of these events/issues effect understanding of the book

Languages and Accommodations

Languages: Provide translated copies of articles for ELL students (one is Spanish, one in

Chinese). Allow students to record notes on presentations in preferred language.



































30

Accommodations: Students with specials needs will be given handouts to organize and record

their notes while they are working in groups. Because assessment will not include students‟abilities to record notes while groups present, students with special needs will not be required to

take notes. Instead, the next day I will provide a handout recalling the information which was

presented so that these students can focus on the presentations and absorb this informationwithout being distracted and preoccupied by trying to simultaneously listening and writing.

AssessmentGroups will turn in their transparencies to be assessed. Students will also be assessed on how

well they work together in groups; Did everyone participate? Did group members stay on task?

Did everything get accomplished in allotted time? Did groups work together at a reasonablevolume so as to not disrupt others? Presentations will be part of assessment as well; Did

everyone speak? Did members speak at clearly, loudly, at a reasonable pace? Was the

information presented useful, meaningful, and accurate?

Extension Ideas Students look up another topic outside of class to share with the rest of class.

Students pick one of the topics they just heard about and write about how this topic has orwill/may affect the story.

Class makes a timeline and fills in where all of the events/people/issues fit in. Use thistimeline to refer to during the novel. Can also fill in parts of the novel on the timeline.

Source of Activity

This activity was inspired by the “jig saw” activity which was used frequently in CI 403 under the direction of Professor Willis. It resembles this activity in that texts are divided up into

groups, rather than making each group read every text. It differs from this activity because

instead of having groups members intersperse with other to share information, groups with justpresent to everyone else together.

This was also inspired by having students act as teachers to share knowledge with the rest of the

class. This technique was highly emphasized by Professor Dressman during the courses CI 401

and CI 402.

Resources and References

Burke, Jim. The English T eacher’s Companion: A Complete Guide to Classroom, Curriculum,

and the Profession. 3rd Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Print. 2008.

Weinstein, Carol S., Novodvorsky, Ingrid. Middle and Secondary Classroom Management:




Articles

"Afghanistan". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. EncyclopædiaBritannica Inc., 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2012

<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/7798/Afghanistan/226137/Daily-life-and

social-customs>.








31

“Ahmad Shah Massoud”. The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited . 17 Sep. 2001. Web.

15 Dec. 2012. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1340726/Ahmad-Shah-Massoud.html.>

Bajoria, Jayshree. “The Taliban in Afghanistan”. Council on Foreign Relations. 6 Oct. 2011.

Web. 15 Dec. 2012. <www.cfr.org/afghanistan/taliban-afghanistan/p10551.>

Blood, Peter R. “Tribes”. Afghanistan: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 2001. Web. 15 Dec. 2012. <countrystudies.us/afganistan/54.htm.>

"Communism". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia

Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/129104/communism >.

“Ethnic Identity in Afghanistan”. Program for Culture and Conflict Studies. U.S. Navy. Web.

15 Dec. 2012. <http://www.nps.edu/programs/ccs/Ethnic_identity.html.>

Qazi, Abdullah. “Biography: Ahmad Shah Massoud”. Afghanistan Online. 18 Nov. 2007. Web.

15 Dec. 2012. <http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/yest/asmasood.html.>

“Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan”. Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.

Encyclapedia Brittanica Inc., 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.

<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1499983/Soviet-invasin0of-Afghanistan>.“Taliban‟s History in Afghanistan”. CNN World. Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting

System, Inc. 8 Dec. 2010. Web. 15 Dec. 2012.<http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/07/taliban.explainer/index.html.>

“The Women of Afghanistan”. The New York Times. The New York Times Company. 15 Aug.

2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/opinion/the-women-of-

afghanistan.html?_r=1&.>

Illinois State English Language Arts Goals 4.A.4a Apply listening skills as individuals and members of a group in a variety of settings (e.g.,lectures, discussions, conversations, team projects, presentations, interviews).

This standard will be achieved because students will have to actively listen to the presentations

from their peers. This setting is different from listening to a teacher lecture or another student‟s

formal speech, which will create a wider range of presentations to listen to.

4.B.4b Use group discussion skills to assume leadership and participant roles within an assigned

project or to reach a group goal.Students will be working together in groups to produce a small presentation. It will be up to

students to take on certain group roles. All students will have to take on a leadership role,

though, when they present the information they have read.

Common Core English Language Arts StandardsCCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of

what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.Students must use actual facts from articles in their presentations and will be using these details

to form a basic argument/stance about the topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.4 Present information, findings, and supporting evidence clearly,concisely, and logically such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization,

development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and task.


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RI/9-10/1/









32

Groups will present information they have read about a certain topic in order to share this

knowledge with peers. Presentation should follow the guidelines listed in this particular standardso as to practice speech skills, and to benefit the listener.



33

LP 4 Kaitlyn Henaghan

TITLE Chapter 16 Prediction A Thousand Splendid Suns

TIME 50 minutes

THEORY INTO PRACTICE BACKGROUND

The “interrupted reading” strategy that I am incorporating in this lesson is useful becausestudents can stop and discuss the predictions of each portion of the chapter before moving on

(Burke, 233). This also gives the students the chance to discuss any confusing events or ideasthat are discussed up until this point. This is very beneficial for ELL students, but I also chose

this activity because supports that are positive for ELL students are often helpful for all students

because many cognitive aspects for reading are similar in English (NCTE). This lesson is an

example of completely cooperative learning: the students are doing equal shares of the reading,

helping each other on predictions, and build on each other‟s ideas (Weinstein, 269).Prior to this lesson, the students will have already read up to Chapter 16, and they can use

this information to help make their predictions for what is going to happen next. They will alsohave practiced making predictions in other units, and can recall this information for when they

are making predictions about A Thousand Splendid Suns. This lesson is linked to future lesson

because the students began Part 2 of the novel, and this is a beginning point to get them thinking

about what is going to come for the rest of the book. This skill is going to be useful in a futurelesson when a student has to make predictions about what they think happened after the story

ends.

OBJECTIVES

Student will be able to…

Demonstrate comprehension of what they have read so far (Part 1).

Practice out loud reading skills in pairs, as well as practicing etiquette.

Practice prediction-making skills and use evidence from text to support predictions.

Articulate predictions and ideas out loud, both within partnered reading and in groupdiscussion.

MATERIALSWordle link: http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/6157237/A_Thousand_Splendid_Suns_Pt_2

Pen and Paper (provided by students)

Prediction Worksheet

Copy of A Thousand Splendid Suns

PREPARATION

Create Wordle using summary of Chapter 16. Make sure that Wordle is pulled up on laptop and

that laptop is connected to overhead projector. Make sure the Prediction Chart worksheet isready to be handed out to each student. The notebook paper is for the students to make any

additional notes while they view the Wordle or read the chapter and is provided by the students.







34

PROCEDURE

OPENING:

Bell ringer: Write a brief, 2 paragraph summary about what has happened thus far in A

Thousand Splendid Suns. This will be collected as a reading check to make sure students

are doing assigned homework (10 minutes) Show Chapter 16 Wordle to class. Have class fill out box 1 on prediction chart about

what they think is going to happen in Part 2 (Chapter 16 is the first chapter of Part 2). (3

minutes)

Discuss predictions with class. (6 minutes)

BODY:

Read Chapter 16 quietly in pairs. At each page break in the chapter (there are there are

two, three including the end of the chapter), the students should individually make

predictions as to what they think is going to happen next and what evidence is causingthem to make this prediction. The pair should then discuss the predictions each of them

wrote before moving on to the next reading section. At the end of Chapter 16, thestudents will make a prediction about what they think is going to happen next in thebook (25 minutes).

CLOSING:

The class will come together in a group discussion and volunteer to explain what they

think is going to happen and why (6 minutes).

DISCUSSION IDEAS

How is this section already connected or similar to Part 1? Different?

How was Mariam from Part 1 similar to Edna from The Awakening? What role do the different men in A Thousand Splendid Suns play so far?

LANGUAGES ACCOMMODATIONSSharing the Wordle at the beginning of the class and having the students make

predictions as a class is useful for the ELL students to understand the task that is being asked of

them. Wordle is also a visually appealing unit of technology: it takes the words from a textprovided and makes the words that show up the most frequently biggest. This will help the ELL

students recognize the relativity of how important certain words are in comparison to others.

The “interrupted reading” technique benefits the ELL students (Burke, 234). They are

able to practice reading out loud, but in a more intimate setting so they may feel more

comfortable. This strategy also gives the ELL students time to ask questions in case they arehaving trouble understanding some of the words or interpretations. ESL students often take

metaphors literally, so I would pair them with a student in the class that is willing to help them

make the appropriate connection. The ELL students should only read out loud as much as theyfeel comfortable.

SPECIAL EDUCATION ACCOMMODATIONS



35

Working in a completely cooperative group will be beneficial for the students with

disabilities in my classroom because they will be able to better stay on task. In a one-on-oneinteraction, there is less opportunity for distraction. I will continue to walk around the classroom

throughout the assignment so that students remember to work quietly: this will also eliminate a

distraction that the students with disabilities may typically encounter.

The worksheet for the assignment is considered a “guided worksheet”. It has veryspecific, but simple instructions on top. There are also specific titled rows and columns, which

will help the student organize their information better. Students with disabilities also benefit

from written instructions because they have something to be continuously referring to as theycomplete the assignment. The students with special needs should only read out loud as much as

they feel comfortable.

ASSESSMENT

Bell ringer will be collected just as a formative check to see if students are doing reading. They

either get a point, or they do not.

The students will then be assessed based on the worksheet they are going to turn in for the

lesson. I am going to be grading them based on their ability to come up with predictions as wellas their ability to use evidence to support their claims.

Student provides reasonable predictions for every box=4 points

Student provides acceptable evidence for each prediction=4 points

TOTAL POINTS: 8 8=A 7=B 6=C 5=D <5=F

Essentially, they will earn one point for each box, provided that the information in the box is

relevant and thoughtful.

EXTENSION IDEAS

At the end of each chapter, the students can make brief predictions about what they think is going to happen next in the novel.

When they are finished with all reading assignments for the unit, the students can write ashort story about what they think happened after the book‟s conclusion.

Students can create a PSA about the events that are occurring in the Middle East to help

raise awareness to people living in the United States.

SOURCE OF ACTIVITY

I would like to thank a teacher I worked with at a local public school for inspiring this idea. Sheused partner reading and predictions an incredible amount in her classroom, and I thought it wasvery effective and helped the students build relationships with one another. I would also like to

thank a fellow classmate: I observed her teach a lesson about predictions and she emphasized

how important it was to pause and give students time to make predictions throughout the reading.I would also like to thank my Curriculum and Instruction professors for providing me with

helpful strategies for accommodating the diverse needs of instruction and introducing me to

different facets of differentiated instruction.



36

RESOURCES AND REFERENCES

Burke, Jim. The English Teacher's Companion. 3rd. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2008.Print.

Henaghan, Kaitlyn. “A Thousand Splendid Suns Part 2”

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/6157237/A_Thousand_Splendid_Suns_Pt_2 Online.December 17, 2012.

Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. New York: Riverhead, 2007. Print.

National Council of Teachers of English “English Language Learners”. The Council

Chronicle. 2008. Online

Weinstein, Carol Simon. Middle and Secondary Classroom Management: Lessons from

Research and Practice. 4th Ed. Boston: McGraw-

Hill, 2007. Print.

ILLINOIS STATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GOALS

My standard is Learning Environment .

My Knowledge Indicator is “4C) understands how to help students work cooperatively and

productively in groups”. This is evident in my lesson because I am having my students work inpairs in order to have them build their predictions off of each other. I also want them to read out

loud together because they can help each other out if one of them does not know a word‟spronunciation or meaning. Throughout the lesson, I will walk around the classroom to ensure

that all students are working respectfully and talking quietly so they do not disturb the class.

My Performance Indicator is “4J) creates clear expectations and procedures for communication

and behavior and a physical setting conducive to achieving classroom goals”. This is applicable

to my lesson because I am going to make sure that my students understand the directions that areexpected of them before they begin the assignment. I am also going to reiterate the fact that Iexpect them to stay on task while in their groups and work cooperatively with their seat partners.

COMMON CORE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS

“CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners

on grades 9 –10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others‟ ideas and expressing their

own clearly and persuasively.” This is present in my lesson because my students aregoing to be working in one on one groups, which is going to help them practice their out

loud reading skills and their ability to have a discussion about what they think is going to

happen next in the text. After hearing what the other has to say, a student may reconsidertheir prediction and feel that their partner may be on the right track. It will require

discussion as well as building off of each other‟s ideas.

“ CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to supportanalysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.” This

is relevant to my lesson because not only do the students have to make predictions basedon what they have read, but they need to support it with evidence pulled directly from the

novel.



http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RL/9-10/1/







37

PREDICTION WORKSHEET

NAME:

INSTRUCTIONS: The first column indicated the points in Chapter 16 that you are

required to stop in make a prediction. The middle column is for your prediction, and thebox on the far right is the evidence that lead you to make this claim. You will partner-read

and work on your predictions with your seat partners, but you each will need to fill out

your own worksheet.

PREDICTIONS EVIDENCE

WORDLE

PREDICTION

BREAK 1

BREAK 2

END OF

CHAPTER



38

Blair Bucci

Title: Compare and Contrast The Kite Runner

Time: Three class periods; 150 minutes

Theory into Practice:“Evolving Notions of Literacy” (Burke 35). In this section Burke describes the four keyliteracies, one of which being situated knowledge. This type of literacy involves “the ability to

translate among modes, speech events, signs, and stance” (Burke 36). During this lessonstudents will be viewing the film The Kite Runner as an anchor text to the novel A Thousand

Splendid Suns. Using a film as an anchor text with a novel will exercise the students‟ abilities to

absorb information from different types of texts and presentations. They will also practice

negotiated knowledge which is concerned with students‟ ability to look at an issue from multiplepoints of views.

“Multimodal Literacies and Technology” (NCTE). This statement by the NCTE states,

“integration of multiple modes of communication and expression can enhance or transform themeaning of the work beyond illustration or decoration.” Technology is a major part of students‟

lives and so by incorporating it into the classroom will make material more relevant andengaging to them. Students will be watching a film which takes place during the same time and

in the same place as the novel we are reading in class, however the protagonists have very

different backgrounds and consequently have different experiences during the same events. By

seeing these experiences through different forms students will be able to transfer their knowledgefrom each mode to the other to enhance their reading and viewing experiences.

Objectives: After this activity students will gain more knowledge of the time and setting of thenovel A Thousand Splendid Suns through watching the film The Kite Runner . This film will be

used because it is based off of a novel written by the same author as the class novel and takes

place during the same time period. Students will gain new perspective on what they are reading

by seeing some of the same issues through a different point of view. By watching the film andcomparing and contrasting it to the book, students will improve their knowledge and

understanding of the material and how authors use different techniques to create different

characters and outlook s. They will also see how the historical events we are learning abouteffect different people based on gender and social class.

Materials: Film, Handout to record notes on

Preparation: Have film and TV reserved. Have handouts copied. Have a letter to

parents/guardians sent home ahead of time explaining that there is a controversial scene in the

movie; if parents show concern then this portion of the movie will be skipped.

Procedure:

Movie runtime is 120 minutes; will be spread out over 3 class period.

Day One: Students arrive, explain sequence of events for next three days. Class will bewatching The Kite Runner , movie based on a book written by the same author as A

Thousand Splendid Suns. Ask students what some things that they think they will be



39

seeing in the movie that they have read about. During the movie students will fill out a

chart (their choice of organization: Venn diagram, T-chart, etc.) in which they recordsimilarities and differences between the pieces. Watch movie, fill in chart.

Day Two: Before watching movie have every student write at least one similarity ordifference on the board, briefly discuss. Continue watching movie and filling out chart.

Day Three: Finish movie and chart. Add more to statements on board from previous day.Students will complete an additional writing assignment reflecting on the similarities anddifference they have recorded. Students will answer the following prompt: Choose 2

similarities and 2 differences you have recorded and explain how/why they are different

or similar in about two paragraphs. Then write a reflection in which you explore thereasons for why these similarities and difference exist, ex. culture, gender, social class,

politics. Students will complete this assignment outside of class and turn it in the

following day.

Discussion Ideas

What were some things in the movie that agreed or disagreed with what you pictured in

the book? What are some stylistic features of each text that give tell you each was written by the

same author?

Do you think the author was more effective writing in the male perspective over thefemale? Why or why not?

How are the family structures similar or different? How do family structures compare tosocial structures and customs?


Languages: Much of the film is spoken in Farsi with the use of English subtitles. Since these goby quickly and may be hard for the ELL students to read on the screen I will provide a translated

copy of the screenplay if possible for these two students to have. These students will also beallowed to record their notes and a draft of their response in their preferred languages, however

the written response at the end of the film will need to be written in English.

Accommodations: The students with ADD and autism will be given stress balls to hold onto

during the movie to be able to have some movement throughout the class period. I will also notewhen less important parts of the movie take place and tell these students they may get up for a

minute or so to get a drink of water and walk around to relieve some energy so that that they will

not miss something important. I will also provide a guided handout for these students to use tofill out their notes. (Handout attached)

Assessment:Students will be assessed on their compare and contrast notes and their responses at the end of the film. Assessment breakdown will be as follows:

Compare and Contrast Notes

At least 5 examples of differences and similarities (10 total) 10pts

Journal Response

Discusses 2 similiarities and 2 differences 8pts



40

Uses other contextual material to analyze similarities and differences 4pts

Student acknowledges other forces‟ (culture, gender, etc) contribution to these 4ptsUses proper writing conventions 2pts

At least 1 page in length 2pts

Total 30pts

Extension Ideas Students use knowledge they have from the film to make predictions about the rest of the

novel

Students continue adding similarities and differences as we finish the rest of the novel

Students compose a scene in which a character from the film encounters a character fromthe novel

Source of Activity

I owe the inspiration of this activity to any teacher that had shown a movie in class in

accompaniment with a novel. Also, to the author of the books A Thousand Splendid Suns and

The Kite Runner , Khaled Hosseini, for crating both texts.

Resources and ReferencesBurke, Jim. The English Teacher’s Companion: A Complete Guide to Classroom, Curriculum,


Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Print. 2008.

“Multimodal Literacies and Technology”. National Council on Teachers of English. 27 Aug.2008. Web. 15 Dec. 2012. <http://www.ncte.org/governance/MultimodalLiteracies.>

Illinois State English Language Arts Goals

2.A.4c Describe relationships between the author‟s style, literary form (e.g., short stories,novels, drama, fables, biographies, documentaries, poetry, essays) and intended effect on the

reader.

Students will discuss and write about similarities and differences of the author‟s style betweenthe film and the novel.

2.B.4a Critique ideas and impressions generated by oral, visual, written and electronic materials.

Students will be comparing the viewpoints demonstrated through film and a novel. This willinclude the effects that each mode has on such viewpoints.

Common Core English Language Arts Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English

grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Students will practice and will be assessed on grammatical conventions within their journal

responses.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1d Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, summarize points

of agreement and disagreement, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views andunderstanding and make new connections in light of the evidence and reasoning presented.

Area of focus during this activity will be on the viewpoints of the main characters that differ in

gender, background, socioeconomic class, and culture. Students will also share their ownviewpoints.

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/9-10/1/


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/9-10/1/d/






41

Compare and Contrast A Thousand Splendid Suns to The Kite Runner

Splendid Suns Both The Kite Runner

Family

Politics,

Customs,

Hist.

Events

Gender

Roles

Social

Class

Other



42


TITLE Part 1 and 2 Theme Collage

TIME50 minutes

THEORY INTO PRACTICE BACKGROUNDStudents will need some time to brainstorm and think creatively for this lesson, which

may end up taking more time than planned: because of this, I am going to apply flexibility to this

lesson (Burke, 274). One of my extension ideas is that students may need to work on thisassignment another day in class. If I realize that students are working really hard and are still not

finishing it on time, this can be arranged. Another big part of this lesson is cooperation: I am

going to require my students to work in a “helping permitted” situation: that is, they can share

magazines and markers, but they are still required to do their own individual assignments

(Weinstein, 269). By working cooperatively and respectfully throughout the unit in theclassroom, the students are building their own classroom community. This, in turn, will prepare

them for participating in outside of school communities (Faltis, 33).Prior to this lesson, the students will have read both Parts 1 and 2. In a previous unit, they

will have learned themes and how to identify themes: I am having them practice this skill several

times throughout the unit because it will make interpreting literature much easier for them in the

future. They will need to effectively pick out one over-arching theme between the two chaptersin order to make a successful collage. The project may need to be continued in the lesson

immediately following this one, but it would not take up more time than this. They will need to

keep the themes in mind as they continue to read the book and work on their character journalsand other assignments to see how, if at all, it is evolving.

OBJECTIVES

Student will be able to…

Recognize and understand a significant theme across both Parts 1 and 2.

Apply present day images to support his/her theme idea.

Work quietly and individually on his/her own collage.

Effectively organize information in an appealing and comprehensible way to create his collage.

Critically think while viewing peers‟ collages.

MATERIALS Large construction paper

MarkersMultiple magazines

Tape

PREPARATION Make sure there is enough construction paper for each student in the classroom. Students willhave to share markers, but I will bring in about 50 and the students can share as they work. I will



43

make sure the dry erase board is already free of any other writing before beginning my class. I

will bring in a number of different magazines so students have a wide range of images to choosefrom. For example, I will bring in National Geographic as well as Good Housekeeping. I will

ask around my friends and family and see if they are willing to donate old magazines they do not

want anymore as well as buy and bring in my own. I will also ask the students in the classes

leading up to this one if they are willing to bring in any magazines from home that they do notneed anymore and would not mind cutting pictures from.

PROCEDURE

OPENING:

Discuss possible themes from Part 1 and Part 2 of A Thousand Splendid Suns as a class.Write themes on dry erase board (7 minutes).

Provide students with verbal instructions of collage: they will be using pictures from thenumerous magazines I will have provided as well as their own drawings. Materials will

also be handed out at this time (3 minutes).BODY:

Students will create their theme collages individually. They are allowed to talk quietlyamongst each other because they are going to be sharing markers and magazines.

However, the actual project is an individual effort. When students finish their collages,they should tape it anywhere on the walls of the classroom (30 minutes).

CLOSING:

Student will write exit slip, briefly summarizing the theme that they chose and how it wasrepresented in their collage (10 minutes).

DISCUSSION IDEAS What was the most common theme that was portrayed in the collages of your peers?

How did you decide what theme you wanted to portray?

How are some of these themes related to the themes we discussed from The Awakening?

LANGUAGES ACCOMMODATIONS

This lesson can be beneficial for the Chinese and Hispanic students because they maywork better expressing the content through pictures and brief captions rather than an extensive

paper about theme. However, I do still want all students to practice writing in some way, which

is why I am requiring the students to write a brief explanation of the theme that they chose and

how it is represented in their collage. This can be beneficial for the ELL students because I will

be grading based on the content of their response, not their grammar or conventions. If theirexplanation and collage are both completely incomprehensible, I will provide the student with

the opportunity to meet with me before or after class so I can help them better understand eitherthe definition of theme or what the assignment was asking them.

SPECIAL EDUCATION ACCOMMODATIONSThe students with ADD and autism in this unit may be very distracted by the magazine

images and have a hard time staying on track during this lesson: I will continuously walk around



44

the classroom and make sure that they are progressing on the assignment to ensure that this is not

the case. The classroom is allowed to talk, but I will remind them to keep the noise level to aminimum: excess conversations and noise can be over-stimulating to a student with a disability.

During the class discussion, I will write the themes that are brought up on the dry erase

board. This is something the student with a disability can refer to if they are having trouble

coming up with an idea of their own to focus on. However, I still expect them to be able toexplain how the theme is relevant in A Thousand Splendid Suns and how their collage is an

appropriate depiction of this theme. I will consistenly make sure that all students are aware of

how much time they are getting on each activity and how much time is remaining several timesthroughout the lesson: this can reduce the stress that students with disabilities feel about not

being able to finish on time. I will also remind all students that as long as everyone is working

hard and staying focused, they may be able to have an extra in-class work day. This may help thestudents with disabilities in the classroom relax, knowing that they do not have to rush through

the assignment but that they do have to work hard and focus on it during the whole class period.

ASSESSMENT

This is an appropriate assessment because I want to make sure that the student understands the

relationship between the first two parts of the novel. I also want to assess the students on the timeand effort they put into the project in order to make it appealing and comprehensible. I also feel

that the student needs to be able to explain their theme so that I know they did not just choose

random pictures that all seemed to fit in one category: the theme needs to be explained in regards

to A Thousand Splendid Suns.

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

tention to Theme The student gives a

reasonableexplanation of how

every item in thecollage is related to

the chosen theme. For

most items, therelationship is clear

without explanation.

The student gives a

reasonableexplanation of how

most items in thecollage are related to

the chosen theme. For

many of the items, therelationship is clear

without explanation.

The student gives a

fairly reasonableexplanation of how

most items in thecollage are chosen to

the assigned theme.

The student\'s

explanations are wand illustrate diffic

understanding howrelate items to the

chosen theme.

me and Effort Class time was used

wisely. Much timeand effort went into

the planning anddesign of the collage.

Class time was used

wisely. Student couldhave put in more time

and effort.

Class time was not

always used wisely.

Class time was not

used wisely.

ality of

nstruction

The collage showsconsiderable attention

to construction. The

items are neatlytrimmed. All items

are carefully and

The collage showsattention to

construction. The


are carefully and

The collage showssome attention to

construction. Most


are securely attached

The collage was putogether sloppily.

Items appear to be

\"slapped on\". Piemay be loose or

hanging over the



45

securely attached to

the backing. Thereare no stray marks,

smudges or glue

stains. Nothing is

hanging over theedges.

securely attached to

the backing. A fewbarely noticeable

stray marks, smudges

or glue stains are

present. Nothing ishanging over the

edges.

to the backing. A few

barely noticeablestray marks, smudges

or glue stains are

present. Nothing is

hanging over theedges.

edges. Smudges,

stains, rips, unevenedges, and/or stray

marks are evident.

les and Text Titles and text werewritten clearly and

were easy to read

from a distance. Textvaried in color, size

and/or style for

different text

elements.

Titles and text werewritten clearly and

were easy to read

close-up. Text variedin color, size and/or

style for different text

elements.

Titles and text werewritten clearly and

were easy to read

close-up. There waslittle variation in the

appearance of text.

Titles and/or text ahard to read, even

when the reader is

close.

SCORING GUIDE:

Total points: 16. 14-16=A 11-13= B 8-10=C 5-7=D <5=F

EXTENSION IDEAS

If students do not finish collage in class, they can spend time working on it the next day and the

schedule can be adapted.

Make a similar collage, but connecting themes from entire book of A Thousand Splendid Suns

and The Awakening.

Write an essay about a theme in A Thousand Splendid Suns and compare it to a theme in The Kite

Runner movie.

Find one article either online or in the newspaper related to the events that occurred or are

occurring in Afghanistan.

SOURCE OF ACTIVITY

I would like to thank my high school literature teacher for inspiring this activity. We hadto do collages about the main theme of our personal lives, but I think it translates perfectly into

doing the theme of a text. I would also like to thank my SPED 405 professor for adequately

preparing me for accommodations I will have to make for my students, specifically for

emphasizing the importance of differentiated instruction. I would also like to thank my CIinstructors for preparing me for the diversity that is going to be prevalent in my classroom.


Burke, Jim. The English Teacher's Companion. 3rd. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2008.

Faltis, C.J. & Coulter, C.A. (2008). Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students

in Secondary Schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon



46


Research and Practice. 4th Ed. Boston: McGraw- Hill, 2007. Print.


My standard is Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge

My Knowledge Indicator is “2B) understands major concepts, assumptions, debates, and

principles; processes of inquiry; and theories that are central to the disciplines;” This is present inmy lesson because I am having my students focus on the themes from the novel, and having

them practice being able to represent these themes. The concepts of theme and representation are

two very prominent literary elements: the more students practice identifying themes, the more

critically they will read texts in the future.

My Performance Indicator is “2K) engages students in the processes of critical thinking andinquiry and addresses standards of evidence of the disciplines”. This is evident in my lesson

because I am asking my students to critically think about A Thousand Splendid Suns andexamine the content between Parts 1 and 2 to find a common theme. During the beginning

discussion about possible themes, I will require my students to provide evidence from the text to

help the class understand where the theme was derived from.


“CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyzein detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and isshaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.” This is

evident in my lesson because I am asking my students to analyze the themes between

both Part 1 and 2, which demonstrates their ability to recognize how a theme develops as

a text progresses.

“CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1a Come to discussions prepared, having read andresearched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to

evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful,well-reasoned exchange of ideas.” This is a very important standard for this lesson. If thestudents have not read both Part 1 and 2 by this time, they will have a very hard time

making an acceptable theme collage. Coming to class prepared with an understanding of the reading is very beneficial.


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/9-10/1/a/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/SL/9-10/1/a/




47

LP 7 Claire Wilmsen

A Thousand Splendid Suns: Poetry and the Home Land

Theory Into Practice Background

I. Theories and Concepts In Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students in Secondary Schools it is states that,

“You should plan and organize your classroom discussions and activities so that the

language used with students seeks to accomplish three interrelated language goals geared

to helping them: A. Make meaning with oral and written language B. Understand how oral

and written language operates as codes of language sounds, letters, words, sentence

conventions, and cultural meanings to make sense of and convey meaning; and C. Use oral

and written language as tools for learning about academic content in both real and

imagined communities of practice” (Faltis and Coulter, 39). This lesson helps students to

look at the poem and decipher what it means and how it conveys meaning when used

within the novel.


with organization” (Rosenberg, 239). I looked at all of these challenges and addressed themthrough the activities in this lesson by incorporated many modes of presentation. Students will

listen to the poem being read aloud to them, use visual representations to work through the text,

watch a video and compare it to the poem and text, and create their own poetry. Students will beworking independently, with small groups, and as a collective class. The variety in the lesson and

structured plan will help students to maintain focus and stay on track.

The idea to have students create their own poems after analyzing the one in the lessoncomes from The English Teacher's Companion. Author, Burke, explains, “Construction-

of a class, of knowledge, of relationships, of meaning, of a story- implies occupation in both senses of the word: to work and inhabit”(Burke, 9).

II. Background/ Content Information

“Kabul” by Saib-e-Tabrizi

Video from Voices of NY (http://voicesofny.org/2012/08/video-back-home-to-a-war-zone/)

III. Explanation of Background/ Content Information

Two lines of this poem are featured in the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. This poem is wherethe title of the book comes from. This poem is about the city of Kabul, the setting of the novel,and will provide the students with an image of the city from a positive viewpoint.

The video is about a reporter who was born in Afghanistan but left when she was very young dueto the war going on. The reporter decides to travel back to her old hometown and talks about

how she still feels nostalgic for her home. This will help students to understand what thecharacters in the novel are going through when they have to leave Kabul. It will help them to see

why they would want to return to their hometown even though it has seen so much destruction

and tragedy.

I will use both sources to help students to connect to their own experiences and to write theirown poems.

IV. Link to future Lessons

The idea of returning home will be visited again at the conclusion of the novel



48

In the lesson when students compare characters we will discuss their attitudes toward Kabul andthe differences in their upbringings

We will discuss the opinions the characters have of Afghanistan compared to what we as a classknow/think about the Middle East.

ObjectivesFrom this lesson students should be able to:

Recognize and identify literary devices employed in the poem “Kabul”

Interpret the meaning and tone of the poem

Connect the poem, especially the 2 lines featured in the novel, with the plot thus far

Watch the video from Voices of NY and make connections to the text

Write their own poems about their hometown


Copies of the poem for each student

SMART board and access to internet for the video Highlighters in different colors for students

Blank paper for students to work with (for writing their own poems)

Preparation

Prior to class I will need to:

Remind students to get caught up/ stay on track with the reading the day before the lesson

Make copies of the poem for each student

Divide students up into groups for the small group activity

Procedure

Opening

To start class I will hand out a copy of the poem “Kabul” to each student. I will have the studentstake out their copies of the novel and I will read aloud the passage when the two lines of the

poem are introduced in the text. (3 min)

Then I will read the entire poem aloud to the class and ask them to just listen and think aboutwhat they think the poem is trying to portray. I will then read the poem aloud a second time but

this time I will instruct the class to take notes on their sheet about their interpretations. (4-5min)

Next I will lead the class through a discussion of what the poem is about using guided questions.For example, how do you think the author feels about Kabul? What lines make you think that?

Etc. (5 min)

I will then break the students up into small groups and assign each group a stanza of the poem.The students of each group will have to interpret their stanza and identify any literary devices. I

will pass out highlighters of different colors for groups to use to identify these devices. (5min)

Then I will go around the room and each group will share their stanzas with the class, (5min)Body

At this point the class should have discussed that the poem was a poem about someone singingthe praises of their hometown. We will discuss why Laila‟s father is quoting this poem as they

are packing to leave the war-torn city of Kabul. (3-5min)



49

Next I will show the video from Voices of NY. I will ask students to compare the reporter in thisvideo to the characters in the text. We will talk about what it means to have a hometown, what it

means to leave your home, and why this is important to people. We will also brainstorm on theSMART board what sort of things (tangible and intangible) make a home feel like home. (7-10

min)

Closing Students will spend the remaining time in class writing their own poems about their hometown

or any other place that is special to them. Students will be given a rubric for the poem to show

what is expected of them. Students will have to finish their poems for homework. (10min)

Discussion Ideas1) Make a list of what comes to mind when you think of home. IS your list mostly sensory details, items,

or people?

2) If your family had to leave your home because it was no longer safe (like Laila‟s) and you could onlytake one item with you what would you choose?

3) Make a prediction for the text: do you think Laila will ever return to her childhood home? What about

Mariam?




For the final poem activity students are allowed to incorporate words in other languages ordialects if that is relevant to the theme. Since the assignment is to write a poem about yourhometown students with English as a second language and students who speak other languages at

home are encouraged to write in the way they feel most comfortable and capable of expression.

Discuss as a class the tasks that students need to accomplish during class time as well as

distribute written copies of the directions to the class. This will ensure that every studentunderstands clearly what is expected of him or her.

If need be, I will provide students with translations of the instructions. (If students had needed

translations of either text, those would have already been provided in previous lessons).

Special Education Accommodations:There are several students who require special education accommodations in this class. This lesson

accommodates them in the following ways:

For students who have trouble focusing this lesson plan is accommodating because it breaksdown a long and difficult poem into smaller sections.

Also, for students who require more time to process information this lesson accommodates them

by having the poem activity due the next day. This way the students can continue to work ontheir poems at home. Also, students will have access to the rubric and the assignment written out

because I will pass out copies of both for all students.

The structure of the lesson encourages the students to use each other as resources and work together. This will help all students to get the most out of the lesson and in particular should be

beneficial to the student with mild Autism. This student should feel comfortable being in the

social situations for this lesson because they are very structured.



50

Assessment


Monitor students during the activity and discussions to make sure that everyone is participating

Collect and grade the poems based on the following rubric:

3 2 1 CommentsRequirements All of the written

requirements (10 lines,

2 labeled uses of

figurative language,

rhyme scheme labeled)

were met.

Almost all the written

requirements were

met.

Many

requirements

were not met.

Title Title is creative, sparks

interest and is related to

the poem and topic.

Title is related to the

poem and topic.

No title.

Spelling and

Punctuation

There are no spelling or

punctuation errors in

the final draft.

There is one spelling

or punctuation error in

the final draft.

The final draft

has more than 3

spelling and

punctuationerrors.

Total:___/3

Extension Ideas:

To extend this activity I could

Have students draw illustrations to represent their poems

Have a whole-class poetry jam in which students would recite their poems in front of the class

Have students decide which lines of their poem best represent their message like the two lines of

“Kabul” that are featured in the novel

Have students all submit their poetry via email, then insert all of their poems into a wordle

(www.wordle.net) to see what all of the class‟ poems have in common. This could be followedwith a discussion about what makes a home feel like home.

Source of Activity:

I chose to incorporate this poem into the unit because it is where the title of the novel comes from. Theauthor, Khaled Hosseini, provided the author of the poem in the back of the novel. I was inspired to add

the poetry writing activity by an activity I did in high school. I also thought that having students write

poems about their hometowns would be a way for everyone to feel connected to the text.


Burke, Jim. The English Teacher's Companion. 3rd. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2008. Print.

Chadda, Kanika, and Peter Moskowitz. "Voices of NY Video: Back Home, to a War Zone."

Voices of NY Video Back Home to a War Zone Comments. N.p. Web. 13 Dec. 2012.

Faltis, C.J. & Coulter, C.A. (2008). Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students in

Secondary Schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon




51


Today's Teachers: An Introduction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice

Hall, 2008. Print.

Tabrizi, Saib-e. ""Kabul"" Afghan Network . N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2012.


Knowledge Indicator 5F – The competent teacher knows strategies to maximize studentattentiveness and engagement.

This lesson incorporates several different forms of instruction to keep students engaged.It has students working together, watching a video, using the SMART board, and creating

their own products.

Performance Indicator 7J – The competent teacher uses assessment results to determine studentperformance levels, identify learning targets, select appropriate research-based instructional

strategies and implement instruction to enhance learning outcomes.

This lesson includes a graded student-generated product in its conclusion. Students are gradedbased off a very specific rubric that they will have access to as they are completing their work.This will promote students to creating quality products and ensures that they understand what is

expected of them.


CC.9-10.R.L.4 Craft and Structure: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they areused in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of

specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time andplace; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

For this lesson students have to recognize the figurative language used in the poem. They

have to use the figurative language and other context clues to determine the meaning and

the tone of the poem. They also have to understand how to use elements of figurativelanguage for when they compose their own poems.

CC.9-10.R.I.7 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas: Analyze various accounts of a subject told in

different mediums (e.g., a person‟s life story in both print and multimedia), determining whichdetails are emphasized in each account.

Students will look at the ideas conveyed in the novel, the poem, and the video. All of themediums tell a similar story and students will have to compare and contrast them.



52

This poem was written in the 17th Century by Saib-e-Tabrizi

(Translated by Dr. Josephine Davis)

KABUL

Ah! How beautiful is Kabul encircled by her arid mountains

And Rose, of the trails of thorns she envies

Her gusts of powdered soil, slightly sting my eyesBut I love her, for knowing and loving are born of this same dust

My song exhalts her dazzling tulips

And at the beauty of her trees, I blush

How sparkling the water flows from Pul-I-Bastaan!May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!

Khizr chose the path to Kabul in order to reach Paradise

For her mountains brought him close to the delights of heaven

From the fort with sprawling walls, A Dragon of protection

Each stone is there more precious than the treasure of Shayagan

Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye

Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass

One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs

And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls

Her laughter of mornings has the gaiety of flowersHer nights of darkness, the reflections of lustrous hair

Her melodious nightingales, with passion sing their songs

Ardent tunes, as leaves enflamed, cascading from their throats

And I, I sing in the gardens of Jahanara, of Sharbara

And even the trumpets of heaven envy their green pastures



53


TITLEJournal Introduction

TIME 50 minutes


Burke uses the example of the “character log”, which is very similar to what thischaracter journal. He suggests prompting students with broad questions about the characters in

the book to get the student to start thinking more complexly (Burke, 196). However, I think Iwould rather have the student write each week and discuss the character‟s emotion or perspective

based on the events that have happened during that week‟s reading assignment. The events thatoccurred can be the “journal jump start”, which Burke explains can get the student to begin

thinking about what it is they want to write about (Burke, 191). Most any event can be used as

this technique. I also provide students with several questions to think about on the worksheet incase they are having a hard time getting started. The idea that the students should have a choice

in what they write is another big aspect of this lesson. Giving students the freedom to choose acharacter, choose a journal topic, and choose what appropriate feeling to express can be very

empowering and help a student understand that they are respected individuals in the classroom

(Faltis and Coulter, 90).

Prior to this lesson, the students will have read 29 chapters of the book, including all of Part 1 and Part 2. They will have met all of the characters that they can use for their journal.

They will also have learned grammar rules in previous units, and these should be applied

appropriately to the journals. The students will be doing several journal entries throughout theunit in order to continue analyzing a character and practicing their grammar skills.

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to…

Write in the style of the character he chose, demonstrating that he understands the character and

plot well enough to write from this different perspective.

Construct a paper implies good knowledge of grammar rules and spelling.

Work cooperatively in partners.

MATERIALS

Pen and paper (provided by each student)

Handout of journal Instructions

PREPARATIONCreate journal instruction worksheet. Print and make copies so that there are enough for

each student in the classroom to have his own. Make sure all of the journal instruction handoutsare ready to be passed out.

PROCEDURE



54

OPENING:

Handout journal instructions. Read out loud as a class (6 minutes).

BODY:

Student begins independently working on journal of character of his choice (other than

Laila and Mariam). The journal should be up to one full page, handwritten. (20 minutes Students will exchange their character journals in groups of three, which are made up of

people that are sitting nearest them in the classroom. The first time, each student will be

grading based on content and perspective relevance. (10 minutes).

Students will exchange their journals with the other person in their group of three. This

time, students will review the paper based on grammar (10 minutes).

CLOSING:

Students will get their original journal back. Based on the comments of their peers andtheir own opinions, students will write a brief paragraph about what their strengths andweaknesses are for their character journal. The journal entry and reflection will be

collected and given feedback for students to keep in mind for their future character journals of the unit. (4 minutes).

DISCUSSION IDEAS

What was most challenging about trying to write from a different perspective than thoseprovided by Mariam or Laila?

How did you choose what character you were going to write as?

Was the way the book is written ineffective because you only get two perspectives?Would it have been better if there were more? Explain.

What if the book was only written about Mariam‟s story? What would have been lost?

Gained?


For this first journal entry, I am having students work in peer groups. I feel like this is an

effective accommodation for an ELL student. These students may be unsure of exactly what theyare supposed to be writing about: they can quietly ask the other people in their peer group. The

written feedback provided by the other students in their group will also be beneficial because

they can refer back to what their strengths and weaknesses are when they are making their journals in the future.

The ELL students can also take this time to practice their writing skills. I expect the

grammar and syntax to be appropriate, and the students in the classroom will only improve with

time and practice. This journaling is also a way for the ELL students to get more deeply involvedwith A Thousand Splendid Suns. They may have been overwhelmed by all of the characters and

lost track of the content: focusing on one specific character‟s perspective of how things are

unfolding can help the ELL student do the same.


The students with disabilities in my classroom will benefit from the written instructionsthat are going to be provided on the handout. This will not only benefit them for this lesson, but



55

also for all lessons that require them to do journal writing for this particular unit. The group peer

evaluations will also be beneficial for the students with disabilities because they will be able toask questions of their peers in a smaller group setting.

I will also make sure to consistently tell the class how much time they have left for each

peer editing session. Students with disabilities are also distracted by not knowing how much time

is left for any given lesson and can become so unfocused that they do not edit their peers‟ papers.The journal is also a good way to help provide structure for the ELL students while still giving

them a choice: that is, they are told to use specific events or relationships from the book to

compose their journal entry, but they are able to choose which events and which character theywant to write about. Choice for all students is consistently an important feature to utilize in the

classroom. The worksheet will also provide “jump start” questions for students to think about

while they are writing, which is helpful for students that may have trouble beginning papers orfocusing on a topic to talk about.

ASSESSMENT

I am assessing the students based on 4 main categories for each journal. This is an appropriateassessment because it determines if the students understand the content of A Thousand Splendid

Suns, can appropriately apply it via the journal medium, and demonstrate effective writing skills.This will be a formative assessment because I will be looking for student improvement with each

journal entry. The student will receive a copy of the rubric at the beginning of the lesson so they

know what they should be aiming for when they write.

Student demonstrates appropriate reactions, emotions, and perspective based on the

character chosen.

Student demonstrates strong writing skills, with few grammatical or spelling errors.

Student‟s journal is organized in a comprehensible way.

Student uses relevant content from A Thousand Splendid Suns while creating journal.

TOTAL OUT OF 4

4=A 3=B 2=C 1=D 0=F



56

EXTENSION IDEAS

Write a letter to another character in the book as the character that you did your journal

on. Keep in mind how they feel about the person they are writing to. Use appropriateletter writing format.

Make a character web to use as a resource that helps depict how all the characters areconnected.

Make an ongoing timeline to hang somewhere in the classroom when different historicalevents happen. This will help the students remember historical context as they continue toread A Thousand Splendid Suns and create their journals.

SOURCE OF ACTIVITY

I would like to thank a teacher I observed last semester for inspiring this lesson. I sawpeer editing groups work really successfully in her class in groups of three, and the students

really enjoyed the chance to interact with each other. I would also like to thank my Curriculumand Instruction teachers for providing me with the resources I needed to successfully teach mylessons to a diverse group of students. I would also like to thank my Special Education teacher

for providing me with information on how to best accommodate students with different

disabilities.



Faltis, C.J. & Coulter, C.A. (2008). Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students

in Secondary Schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon

ILLINOIS STATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GOALSMy standard is Planning For Differentiated Instruction

My Knowledge Indicator is “3C) understands cultural, linguistic, cognitive, physical, and social

and emotional differences, and considers the needs of each student when planning instruction”.This is present in my lesson because I am aware that not all students process content in the same

way. I think this lesson will benefit the special needs students because it gives them the

opportunity to practice their writing skills and focus more deeply on the content of the novel. If these students did not stop once a week for this writing activity, they might continue reading the

book without fully understanding what is happening.

My Performance Indicator is “3H) establishes high expectations for each student‟s learning and behavior”. This is present in my lesson because I am holding my students, including ELL and

students with disabilities, responsible for the work that they turn in. I am setting expectations for

each student based on their individual ability, and make accommodations such as peer evaluationso that they are able to reach these expectations.



57


“CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.6 Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience

reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of

world literature.” This is evident in my lesson because I am asking the students to writefrom the point of view of the characters, which are living in the Middle East throughoutthe entirety of the book, specifically Afghanistan and Pakistan. The cultural experience

depicted is vastly different than that of the United States, and the students are required to

mentally place themselves in this challenging position.

“CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiencesor events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event

sequences.” This is present in my lesson because students are required to write from the

point of view of their character, but it also has to demonstrate the fact that theyunderstand the text and the experiences that the character would have had. The details the

student uses are going to be derived from the events and character relationships that existin the book.

JOURNAL INSTRUCTION WORKSHEET IS ON THE NEXT PAGE.








58

JOURNAL INSTRUCTIONS

Choose a character. For each journal, create a one-page entry written from the perspective of the

character you chose. You may NOT choose Laila or Mariam, but all of the other characters are

acceptable options.

Some questions to consider:

What significant events have happened recently? Why did it happen?

What kind of relationships does this character have? With who?

What would the character want to write down and remember?

What does the character think might happen next?

These questions are just jumping off points. Feel free to write about anything, but make sure you

use relevant content from the book. You do not need to cite the book specifically, but you needto use specific events that are in the book.

***KEEP IN MIND*** You will be writing from the perspective of the SAME character

every week. Make sure you choose a character that you are going to want to get to know!



59

LP 9 Claire Wilmsen

Mariam and Laila: Compare and Contrast


I. Theories and Concepts This lesson reflects Faltis and Coulter‟s philosophy on assessment. According to them

assessment can be devastating to English language learners. Teachers need to ensure that

students are being assessed fairly (Faltis and Coulter, 162). For these reasons I have created myassessment of this lesson to accommodate ELL students in my class. The students are not

expected to do less than English proficient students, but by having the assessment focus on the

specific elements we discussed during class instead of on English grammar, all students are

being prepared to be successful if they participate during class


with organization” (Rosenberg, 239). I looked at all of these challenges and addressed themthrough the activities in this lesson by having students work with worksheets to guide them. I

also had students moving around in the classroom in between activities to help them to refocus.

Also, according to Burke in The English Teacher's Companion, “We always learn things better if we have to teach them to others” (Burke, 98). For this reason I have studentsworking cooperatively with one another. This lesson has students using each other as

resources to enhance learning.

II. Background/ Content Information

Students have previously done character analyses and have learned the terms characterization,direct characterization, and indirect characterization.

At this point in the unit students have read about both Mariam and Laila‟s childhoods.

III. Explanation of Background/ Content Information Because students have previously done character analyses we will only have to briefly go over

the terminology for this lesson

This gives the class a good starting point for where to begin their compare/contrast worksheetsIV. Link to future Lessons

Students will come back to this lesson later in the unit when the create journals for a character.They can use this information as a source of information.

We will also as a class revisit the predictions that students make at the end of this class period.We will discuss as a class how students made these predictions and if any of them came close to

being correct.

This lesson is also important for the future because it gives them practice using textual evidence

to support their claims. The class will likely be able to use the evidence they found today to helpsupport their claims when they are writing a paper for this unit.

Objectives

From this lesson students should be able to:

Compare and contrast the characterizations of the main characters Mariam and Laila

Be comfortable with conducting other character analyses based on this activity in the future



60

Find textual evidence in the novel to support the characterizations they put on their Venndiagram

Make predictions about the characters

Find textual evidence in the novel to explain the dynamic of the relationship between Mariamand Laila


Venn diagram handouts for all students

SMART board

Computer paper

PreparationPrior to class I will need to:

Print out Venn diagram sheets and character questions for each student

I will decide how the class will be split up into small groups

ProcedureOpening

I will begin class by giving students an opportunity to ask any questions or ask for clarificationon the reading thus far. We will briefly summarize where we are in the reading so far as a classso that everyone starts on the same page. (5 min)

I will then explain that we will be focusing on the characters Mariam and Laila. As a class we

will review the definition of characterization. We will discuss what the difference is between

direct characterization and indirect characterization. (5min)

Characterization is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character. Direct

characterization includes the adjectives that the author uses to describe a character. Indirect characterization

includes the actions of the character, the physical appearance of the character, the character‟s dialogue,other‟s reactions to the character, and the character‟s private thoughts)

Next I will assign one half of the class to start looking through the text and brainstorming

characterizations of Mariam and the other side of the class characterizations of Laila. Students

will be instructed to make a list on a sheet of scrap paper and will be encouraged to write downpage numbers. (5-7 min).

Body

I will pass out the Venn diagram charts to all the students and tell them that they will be workingon filling them out in small groups. I will divide the class up into groups of 4 (two students wholooked at characterizations of Mariam and two who looked at characterizations of Laila) and

have the students move their desks together. (3min)

I will then allow students to work in their groups to fill out the chart. (10-15 min)

Next we will come together as a class and discuss what the groups came up with. I will havestudents come up and write main ideas on the smart board and have all students take notes. Thisis to ensure that all groups end up with accurate information. (5min)

We will discuss how the characters are characterized differently depending on whose perspectiveit comes from. What do the characters think of themselves compared to what others think of

them? Etc. (5-7 min)Closing



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To wrap up the lesson the students will be given a blank sheet of paper. They will be given a fewminutes to think and then will be asked to write down a prediction for either one or both of the

characters we discussed. I will collect the predictions and hold onto them until we finish thenovel. (5-7 min)

Discussion Ideas1) Are Mariam and Laila more alike than they are different? Why or why not?

2) How does each of the characters feel about wearing burqas? Does this surprise you?

3) If Mariam and Laila had met on other circumstances do you think they would have gotten along?4) Tragedy can bring people together or tear them apart. Explain how this is true in relation to the novel

specifically considering the characters Mariam and Laila.

Language AccommodationsIn my class there are two English Language Learner students who may require accommodations. One of

the student‟s first language is Spanish, the other‟s is Chinese. This lesson accommodates them in the

following ways:

The class begins with a review/ summary of the reading. In the case that any of the studentsmisinterpreted the text or have any questions these concerns can be cleared up before the start of

the lesson.

When students are working in their small groups I will be going around the room to make surethat all students are comfortable with and capable of contributing to the discussion. I will also beanswering any questions that students might have.

If a student is better able to describe the characters and quotes in their first language then I willallow them to do so. If that is the case the students will still be expected to participate with the

group and will have to work with me to translate their ideas to the rest of the class.

Special Education Accommodations:

There are several students who require special education accommodations in this class. This lessonaccommodates them in the following ways:

This activity is accommodating to the students with ADHD because it allows students to interact

with one another but in a focused way. Students will have tasks they need to accomplish

throughout the lesson to keep them focused.

For the student with autism this activity will encourage him to work on his communication skillswith the class and with small groups.

However, if any students are uncomfortable speaking in front of the entire class, they can chooseto participate in other ways (small groups, partners, in writing).

Assessment

In order to assess the effectiveness of this lesson I will: Make sure that all students are participating cooperatively in their groups

Collect the Venn Diagram worksheets and grade for completion

Assess students as they are contributing to the class‟ main idea list on the SMART board.

I will collect the students‟ predictions. Students will receive a point for turning theirs in andpotentially extra credit if they predict correctly.

Extension Ideas:



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Have students create a scrapbook page for one or both of the characters. They could use thecharacterizations they found for Mariam and Laila to help them decide what each characterwould put on the page.

Have students choose a character from the Awakening to compare/contrast to either Laila or

Mariam and explain their choice in a short paper.

Source of Activity:

My inspiration for this lesson comes from a lesson that I wrote for the novel Flowers for Algernon. I

found that in books where the characters‟ lives have many similarities and intersections that a Venndiagram is a good way of organizing their traits. The idea for having the students potentially create

scrapbook pages for a character comes from a project I did in a college level history class.

Resources and References:Burke, Jim. The English Teacher's Companion. 3rd. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2008. Print.

Faltis, C.J. & Coulter, C.A. (2008). Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students inSecondary Schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon




Hall, 2008. Print.


Knowledge Indicator 3E – The competent teacher understands the appropriate role of

technology, including assistive technology, to address student needs, as well as how toincorporate contemporary tools and resources to maximize student learning;

This lesson has the students looking at characterization in the novel individually and insmall groups. However to accommodate all students‟ needs the content of the lesson is

also gone over together as a class on the SMART board. The ideas behind this lesson

address that students‟ have different learning styles and aim to work with everyone‟sstrengths.

Performance Indicator 4M – The competent teacher organizes, allocates, and manages time,

materials, technology, and physical space to provide active and equitable engagement of studentsin productive learning activities.

This lesson makes the most of all of the available class time. It begins with a brief review and avideo to introduce the subject and quickly moves onto the bulk of the lesson. This lesson is a

good example of bell-to-bell teaching. The structured format of the class will also help to keepstudents interested and engaged.




63

CC.9-10.R.L.3 Key Ideas and Details: Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with

multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with othercharacters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

This lesson requires students to look at the main characters of the text and compare and

contrast them. The lives of the characters are very different yet there are many ways thattheir lives intersect so students will have to explore this.

CC.9-10.R.L.1 Key Ideas and Details: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to supportanalysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Students are required in this lesson to back up all of their characterizations with evidencepulled from the text, Students must also explain how the quotes they choose support theirclaims.



64

Character Compare & Contrast Name:_________________

Date:___________________

Use evidence from the text to answer these questions. Please provide page numbers. Feel

free to include any other characterizations you find on the diagram.

1) What do you know about each character’s childhood? (hometown, family, hobbies,

education, relationships, hopes, fears, etc)

2) What do the characters look like?

3) What do others think about these characters?

MariamLaila



65


TITLE

Character Letters

TIME 50 minutes

THEORY INTO PRACTICE BACKGROUNDIt is obviously critical to incorporate writing skills within the classroom, but this can be

done through a number of different mediums. I wanted to utilize a type of writing that is useful

for the students‟ future, and letter writing of any kind felt to be one of the most beneficial

(Burke, 206). I chose friendly letter because it is the most basic of the letter writing formats, and

the content of the letters the students are going to be writing is going to be more informal than

the content of a business letter would be.The purpose of peer evaluation is to help students recognize their strengths and

weaknesses as help them build strong collaborative relationships. The students will be workingin a helping obligatory situation: that is, the students are required to help each other evaluate

their letters, but they each complete individual assignments (Weinstein, 269). This also makesthe students feel valued, that the feedback they are providing their peers is something of value.

Students will appreciate this recognition by the teacher (Burke, 305).

Prior to this lesson, they will have already chosen what character they are going to bewriting the letter from, because it is going to be the same character that they have been writing

journals for. They should have already done some exploration about the character, such as what

kinds of experiences he/she has had or what other characters he/she has strong relationships with.

They will also have learned the proper format of a letter, and should apply this knowledgecorrectly to this assignment. They should continue to access A Thousand Splendid Suns to help

best create their letter using specific events and themes. They can take the letter home to correct

and revisions they decided on during peer editing, and bring it in the following day to becollected for assessment. This lesson will help the student continue to get involved with the

character they will be continuing to incorporate into their student journals while simultaneously

exploring more content of A Thousand Splendid Suns.

OBJECTIVES

Student writes character letters in proper friendly letter format.

Student has clear understanding of their character‟s feelings towards the character thatthey are writing the letter to as well as their character‟s exper iences.

Student applies grammar and convention rules that were learned throughout the various

units. Student can identify strengths and weaknesses in letters during peer evaluation.

MATERIALSPen and paper (provided by student)

Exit Slip

Letter format worksheetCopies of rubric



66

Copy of A Thousand Splendid Suns for each student

PREPARATION

Create exit slip. Print and make copies of exit slip so that there is a copy for each student. Make

sure that each hand out is ready to be passed out at the beginning of the class. Class should haveletter format worksheet from the lesson the day prior that they will use for reference during the

lesson. Prepare rubric and copies of rubric to hand out to the class so they know what they are

being assessed on.

PROCEDURE

OPENING:

Students verbally refresh themselves on the format of a letter, going through the differentfeatures on the worksheet in a class discussion. Students can raise their hand and

volunteer to explain each part of the letter (4 minutes).

BODY:

Students will write a friendly letter in lieu of a character journal for events that haverecently occurred up to Chapter 42. The letter will be written to another character in the

book from the character that they have been writing their character journals for. Theyshould write it in the friendly letter format they learned the day previously (25 minutes).

Students will exchange their letters with their seat partners. Their partners will peer-editthe paper based on the letter format, content, and grammar and conventions (15 minutes).

CLOSING:

Students will complete exit slip, answering questions about the strengths and weaknesses

of their letter writing (6 minutes).

DISCUSSION IDEAS

Why is your character writing the letter at this particular time to this specific character?

How did you choose what was significant to include and what could be left out?

How have letters been significant in A Thousand Splendid Suns so far?

Write a letter to the United Nations to offer solutions for the issues in the Middle East(Burke, 207).


I have made several accommodations in order to help benefit the Chinese and Hispanic

ELL students within the classroom. Because the class just learned the proper format of a letterthe day before, they have a worksheet that they can refer to if they need any help refreshing their

memory on the way the format should look. The peer evaluation will also be useful for these

students because they can ask their peers for help if they are having trouble understandingsomething in the paper. I will be grading the students on grammar, but the students have a packet

of grammar rules from a previous unit that they can refer to throughout the semester if they need

a reference. Reflection in the exit slip can be much more informal, written for content and notgrammar. This is useful for the ELL students because they can recognize what parts they



67

struggled with the most while constructing the letter without worrying if they are spelling words

write or using appropriate punctuation.ELL students would also greatly benefit from meetings with me before or after school. I

could give them an extension on their letter as long as they met with me and demonstrated that

they wanted to write it to the best of their ability. In meetings with me, I can reteach them a

concept from the letter that they are obviously struggling with.


The special needs students in my classroom will benefit greatly from the worksheet withthe letter format on it that they received the day before to refer to as they write their letter. These

three students would be sitting relatively near the front, which would help them to better focus

on instructions that I am providing for this specific lesson. Working in pairs will help thestudents in case they need any clarification: they will be able to talk quietly with the person they

are working with if they need any assistance. Additionally, I will be walking around the

classroom and stopping at groups to ask how they are doing with the assignment, so I can make

sure that the students with disabilities are staying on task and understanding the task.

Like the ELL students, the special needs students can benefit from a reasonable extensionto complete their assignment. Many times, students with disabilities may be distracted by the

time limit. They should get as much as they can in class, but I will quietly let them know thatthey can complete the rest of it at home. They should still participate in peer reviews for the

portion that they have done. Throughout the class period, I will make the class aware of how

much time they have remaining to complete any given task: this can help the special needs

students because they will not have to constantly obsess over how much time is left.

ASSESSMENT

Students will be assessed on both their brief reflection exit slip, and on their revised paper whenit is turned in the next day. The student will be given the rubric prior to writing the paper, so they

will understand what is expected of them to achieve the highest possible score. The exit slip

score will be added to the final score of the letter assessment because it is a reflection based on

how they feel they are doing on the assignment based on their peer response. It is also used tomake sure that they are staying on task during class and working with their peers on the

evaluations. The items on the rubric are what I am focusing on to formatively assess where my

students are at in terms of these specific content areas.

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Format Complies with all therequirements for a

friendly letter.

Complies with almostall the requirements

for a friendly letter.

Complies withseveral of the

requirements for afriendly letter.

Complies with hany of the

requirements fofriendly letter.

Grammar & spelling

conventions)

Writer makes noerrors in grammar or

spelling.

Writer makes 1-2errors in grammar

and/or spelling.

Writer makes 3-4errors in grammar

and/or spelling

Writer makes mthan 4 errors in

grammar and/or

spelling.

Content Accuracy The letter contains at

least 5 appropriate

The letter contains 3-

4 appropriate details

The letter contains 1-

2 appropriate details

The letter conta

appropriate deta



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Total Points for actual letter: 12

EXIT SLIP: What were the strengths and weaknesses of your character letter? Please answer inno less than 5 sentences.

3 Points: Strengths and weaknesses are both described.2 Points: Only strengths or only weaknesses are described.

1 Point: Student did not write 5 sentences.

0 Points: Student did not write anything related to their strengths or weaknesses.

Total points for exit slip: 3. Will be added to assessment total of letter rubric

TOTAL POINTS FOR ASSESSMENT: 15 14-15=A 12-13=B 9-11=C 7-8=D <7=F

EXTENSION IDEAS

Students will take home their papers with their peers‟ comments and make the revisionsthey feel are appropriate, also recalling the strengths and witnesses they considered

during their exit slip reflection. They will turn it in the next day for a grade.

The students can exchange letters with their seat partners and answer the letter from the

point of view of the person the letter was addressed to. Students can write a poem based on the character they have been writing their journals

and letter for.

SOURCE OF ACTIVITYI would like to thank my English 481 classmates for aiding in inspiring the foundation of

this lesson. They would talk about how they would have their students create a Facebook for

characters in the book, making statuses and liking pages that they believe their characters wouldhave liked, which inspired my character journaling and letter writing. I would also like to thank

my Curriculum and Instruction professors for helping me accommodate to the diverse students

that are going to be in my classroom. I would also like to thank my Special Education teacher for

reminding me that all students learn differently, and students with disabilities will need extrasupport. This support should not be seen as having an advantage of other students in the

classroom, but helps level the playing field.



details about the

topic.

about the topic. about the topic. about the topic.



69



Research and Practice. 4th Ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print.


My standard is Reading, Writing, and Oral Communication

Knowledge Indicator: “6G) understands how to design, select, modify, and evaluate a wide rangeof materials for the content areas and the reading needs of the student;

6G)”. This is present in my lesson because I am requiring my students to use the content they

have read in A Thousand Splendid Suns and incorporate it into a written letter. This gives

students the opportunity to practice their reading skills and apply them to a writing assignment. Iam also having them work in peers: this will give them the opportunity to ask questions of the

person that wrote the letter they will be reviewing, in case they have trouble reading or

understanding the information.

Performance Indicator: “6O) teaches students to develop written text appropriate to the contentareas that utilizes organization (e.g., compare/contrast, problem/solution), focus, elaboration,

word choice, and standard conventions (e.g., punctuation, grammar)”. This is evident in mylesson because I am having my students make appropriate writing decisions based on how they

believe their character would write. This is hugely applicable to the word choice of the

characters, as well as what the focus of their letter would be. The organization type that thestudents are going to be using is a letter.


“CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those withmultiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other

characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.” This is present in my lesson

because students will be writing their letters in the middle of the text, and they have towrite based on what has happened and is happening to their characters. This can help

them explore the complexity of their character and how they have interacted with the

plot.

“CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3d Use precise words and phrases, telling details, andsensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or

characters.” This is present in my lessons because my students will need to be very

specific in what they are writing to the other character in order to portray what hashappened to them at this point in the book, using specific experiences from the text to

create a letter that flows.


http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/9-10/3/d/






70

Friendly Letter Format Worksheet is located on the next page.

FRIENDLY LETTER FORMAT WORKSHEET

(SENDER ADDRESS)

1234 Fun Lane

Campus, IL 61820(SALUTATION)

Dear Friend,

(BODY PARAGRAPH 1)

(BODY PARAGRAPH 2(

(BODY PARAGRAPH 3)

(etc.)

(SENDER CLOSING)Sincerely,

Me.



71

LP 11 Blair Bucci

Title: Silent Conversation Lesson


Theory into Practice Background:“Using Writing to Help Students Think” (Burke 245). Burke suggests writing to unveil the

subconscious thoughts that we are not always are of while we are reading something. By writing

we pay more attention to our thoughts at the time. During this lesson students will be using theirnovels and taking frequent pauses form reading to write an entry about what they are thinking

about as they read. In this activity students will be writing about what they are reading in the

novel to focus more on their own thoughts towards what is happening. They also will be sharingthese thoughts with a partner in order to possibly be exposed to another point of view to enhance

their experience.

“Building Caring Relationships among Students” (Weinstein 70). Weinstein recommends

conducting activities in which students are able to work cooperatively in order to form bonds andrelationships. Doing this will foster an environment of camaraderie and will allow students to

feel safer in class and more comfortable to participate in other scenarios. In this activity studentswill be working in pairs to read selected chapters from the class novel and then hold a silent

conversation through read for the duration of the reading. The material of this particular section

is very heavy and may evoke strong emotions and concerns from readers, so my having students

work silently together in pairs it will make the shared experience more private and intimate andcreate a stronger experience for the students. Through this shared experience students will be

able to form new bonds will each other.

Objectives: By the end of this lesson students should be used to and practice the skill of

reflecting and asking questions while reading in order to gain new perspective and make

predictions. Exercising these skills will enhance students‟ strength as readers and thinkers.

Students will also practice looking at issues at another point of view by sharing thoughts withothers. This will make students more empathetic to other experiences, cultures, identities, etc.

Materials: Novel, Paper, Pen

Preparation: Have students read up to chapter 45. Have partners prepared, have desks set up in

pairs with names on desks

Procedure:

Students arrive, find assigned seat

Briefly discuss what has last happened in the book (Ch. 44- Zalmai has just told Rasheedthat Tariq was at the house). Make predictions about what will happen

Explain silent discussion activity

o Everyone will be reading chapters 45-46 silently to themselves, every two pages

you will stop and write to your partner. Students will be given a guided handout to

use during this activity (handout attached). In your entries to your partner youcan ask a question, comment on something, make a connection, or predict



72

something. Then switch papers with your partner and respond to what they have

said. Return original papers to owner and read response. Return to reading andrepeat until you reach the end, you should finish with a total of 8 entries.

o When you have reached the end make a prediction about what will happen, share

with partner, respond, read.

After this, we will join as a class to discuss what was read and comments/questions thatwere made during your conversation. Then we will share predictions for the rest of the

book.

Students will turn in all entries/responses and prediction

Discussion Ideas

How did sharing ideas with a partner enhance or influence the way you thought aboutwhat you were reading?

Did you have similar reactions as your partner? If not, did his/her reaction affect or

change your own?

Do you think Mariam meant to kill Rasheed? Why or why not? If so, why did she want

to? What would you have done if you were Mariam?

Are Mariam‟s actions justified? How would you choose to punish her? How do you think she will be punished?


Languages: I will tell the English language learners that we will be conducting this activity thenight before so that they can read the section beforehand and be more comfortable with it during

the activity. This will give them the opportunity to ask me to clarify any parts which they were

confused by. Because I will be selecting the pairs on students to be working together

beforehand, I will make sure these two students are working with students that are good at

including other students and will be willing to work with their partner. Also, during this activityI will be walking around the class checking in on pairs, so I will tell these students to mark parts

of the novel that are giving them difficulty with a colored post-it note so that I can see that theyneed extra assistance and will come speak to them quietly so as to not draw attention from

others.

Accommodations: I will do all of the things for the students with special needs as I will be doingfor the ELL students, but with some additions. Since this activity requires students to focus for a

very long period of time, I will give the students with ADD and autism each a stress ball to hold

onto as they read to allow them to be doing something in their seat. I also will allow them to use

illustrations in their entries with their partners. I expect the reading portion of this activity to

take about 30 minutes so after each 10 minute segment I will give all students the option to takea break and walk and talk for two minutes to give students a chance to refocus.

AssessmentStudents will turn in their „conversations‟ and predictions at the end of class. These will be

assessed based on completion, using specific details from the book to formquestions/comments/predictions, responding to partners entries in a thoughtful manner, and



73

completing a longer prediction at the end of the passage based on information from the text and

other background knowledge. Grading breakdown will be as follows:

Conversation

Completion (8 Entries) 8pts

Used in text material to form comments, questions, etc. 8ptsResponded to partner‟s thoughts in a meaningful way 4pts

Prediction

Meets length requirement (1 page) 2ptsUsed in text material to support prediction 4pts

Used background knowledge to support prediction 4pts

Total 30pts

Extension Ideas

Pick 1 or 2 of the comments your partner wrote and write 1-2 paragraphs about how thiscompared to your own ideas. Did you agree? Disagree? Was this a new idea to you? Did

it change the way you continued your reading?

What Would You Do? Write a page as if you were a character in the story, Laila,Mariam, Zalmai, during this section and tell what you would do.

Source of Activity

This activity was something that was shown to our class by Professor Willis. We used articlesabout gay-rights and it showed us that this can be a good activity to use when reading material

that may be controversial or evoke strong emotions. This part of the story deals with intense

violence so I wanted to take a sensitive approach when reading and discussing the content.

Resources and References

Burke, Jim. The English Teacher’s Companion: A Complete Guide to Classroom, Curriculum,

and the Profession. 3

rd

Edition. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Print. 2008.Weinstein, Carol S., Novodvorsky, Ingrid. Middle and Secondary Classroom Management:




Illinois State English Language Arts Standards

1.C.4a Use questions and predictions to guide reading.Students will stop periodically while reading to make a comment or prediction or to ask a

question. Students will also compose a more thorough prediction at the end of the section being

read.

1.C.4b Explain and justify an interpretation of a text.Students will answer each others‟ questions or comments using details form the text to support

their claims.

Common Core English Language Arts Standards

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of

what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.






74

This standard will be achieved during this lesson because students will be answering questions

and comments that their partners have written by using support from the book.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1a Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or

opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s),

counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.Students may have conflicting interpretations as their partners. This will encourage them to

complete a deeper reading to find examples of evidence which can support their claim. Students

may also choose to be more accepting of the counterargument.

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/W/9-10/1/a/





75

Silent Conversation

My Name ______________________ My Partner’s Name ________________ ________

______________________________________________________________________________

Pgs. 344-345

My Comment/Question/Prediction

My Partner’s Response

______________________________________________________________________________

Pgs. 346-347



______________________________________________________________________________

Pgs. 348-349



______________________________________________________________________________

Pgs. 350-351





76

Pgs. 352-353



______________________________________________________________________________

Pgs. 354-355



______________________________________________________________________________

Pgs. 356-357



______________________________________________________________________________

Pgs. 358-360





77

Based on the chapters you have just read make a prediction for the next chapter, next few

chapters, or rest of the book. Your predictions must be based on information you have

read in the text or from other activities we have done. Use the designated space on this

sheet to record examples of evidence from the book or other notes. Then write your

prediction below.

Examples of Evidence

Prediction

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________



78

LP 12 Blair Bucci

Title: End of Part 3 Skits


Theory into Practice:“Setting the Stage: Building Background Through Anticipatory Activities” (Fisher 19). In this

theory, Fisher describes and recommends using activities in which student take on different

roles. By doing this, he says that students will think in new points of view, and will „research‟information in a more effective way because since they are acting as though they are actually in

the text, the information in the text becomes more relevant to them. Students will practice this

theory by taking on roles to create and perform a new scene which connects two texts we haveand are currently reading. In his activity, students will have to pay attention to the styles used by

the authors, and connect the pieces through common themes.

“Playing to Deepen Understanding of How Texts Work” (Wilhelm 135). Wilhelm strongly

encourages the use of dramatic enactments, activities in which students take on the role of someone else to perform an existing or created scene. By doing this, he says that reading

becomes more personal and immediate because the experiences of the character have becomemore real for the student. Some of the benefits from this type of activity include thinking with a

new point of view and acknowledging and experimenting with new writing/speaking styles.

Students will practice this theory as they take on the roles of characters from different pieces.

This will force students to think and speak as the characters would. Like Wilhelm says, they willalso be thinking in new points of view, because though these characters share some similar

experiences, they are very different characters in very different settings.

Objectives: By the end of this activity, students will be able to think in different points of view

as they will have to think, speak, and act as the characters from the novels would. This exercise

will also have them thinking about the motivations and styles of the author, as they will now

have to become the author as they write their scripts. Students will have to study the styles usedby the characters and styles so that they can replicate this in their own writing/acting. Students

will also be practicing narrative writing; they will have the opportunity to fictionalize some of

their writing/acting, but new ideas must be able to be supported by actual context from thepieces.

Materials: Papers from The Awakening, copies of A Thousand Splendid Suns and The

Awakening, paper, pens

Preparation: Tell students to keep their The Awakening papers when they are returned. Students

will have read Chapters 45-46 in previous class. Have writing prompt on the board. Have desksarranged in pods; three groups of 5, and two groups of 4, with groups members listed at each

pod. Students will have read chapter 47 for homework.

Procedure:

As students enter classroom they will begin a quick write activity. The prompt will tellthem to reflect on what has just happened in chapter 47. “Is Mariam‟s death an act of



79

liberation or defeat?” Then we will share responses and reflect briefly. Ask students how

this compares to The Awakening (about 5 minutes)

Introduce and begin activity: students will be working in groups to create and performskits connecting the pieces The Awakening, Edna, and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Activity: Students will write a script and perform a scene which ties the two texts

together. .

Discussion Ideas:

Did you view Mariam‟s/Edna‟s death as an act of liberation or defeat?

Did you have the same view for both? Why, why not?

What would you constitute as being an act of liberation or defeat?

Did either death influence your view on the other?

What does this tell you about gender roles across time periods and cultures?

Languages and Accommodations:

Languages: Students who are English Language Learners are suggested to write a draft of their

scripts/speaking roles in their native language and then a translated copy if they have difficultywriting in English to begin with. These students will not graded on their writing, not

performance.

Accommodations: Students with ADD and autism will be given an additional organizer to guide

them with taking notes for their assignment. This guide (attached) will be more explicit in what

they should be using in their assignment. It will also have suggested topics and themes for thestudents to look at when finding information to support their writing.

Assessment: Students will be assessed on their scripts and performances based on the criteria on

the rubric (attached). Main focus will be on students‟ abilities to connect themes and ideas from

the two texts, and also on their skills of being able to think and write as the author.

Extension Ideas:

Students write reflections on the performances of their peers

Have discussion about the similarities and differences they saw in skits

Source of Activity: This activity was inspired by the theory of using role play in Jeffrey

Wilhelm‟s book, Action Strategies for Deepening Comprehension.


Fisher, Douglas and Frey, Nancy. Improving Adolescent Literacy: Content Area Strategies at

Work . 3rd

Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. 2012. Print.

Wilhelm, Jeffery D. Action Strategies for Deepening Comprehension. New York, NY:

Scholastic , Inc. 2002. Print.


2.A.4d Describe the influence of the author‟s language structure and word choice to convey the

author‟s viewpoint.



80

Students will achieve this goal because they will have to pay attention to the writing style used

by the authors in two texts in order to compose their own text in which elements from each textare combined.

3.B.4a Produce documents that exhibit a range of writing techniques appropriate to purpose and

audience, with clarity of focus, logic of organization, appropriate elaboration and support andoverall coherence.

Students will be composing a script/screenplay, which is a variation of the type of writing they

have completed previously. They will also be writing from the point of view of differentcharacters, which requires that they will be using different styles for each character.


CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.3 Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or

conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and

advance the plot or develop the theme.

Students will have to use skills of analysis to study the way in which the characters at focus

interact with others so they that can formulate a conversation between characters.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or eventsusing effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Students will be composing an imagined sequence in which two characters from different texts

interact. Students will need to use effective techniques in order to replicate the styles of each

text and make their correspondence believable.









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The Awakening and Splendid Suns SkitIn this activity you and your group will write and perform a skit in which you

connect the two texts The Awakening and A Thousand Splendid Suns. This activity

will require that you use both material from the texts and also material which you

have created. You can be creative in how you choose to have all of yourcharacters come together and interact, but conversations should be supported by

the text. For example, you may choose to have Edna and Mariam meet at a

coffee shop to talk about their husbands.

Components

Writing must be in screenplay format

You should include topics regarding their relationships with their husbands,

friends, and family, society, and gender roles within your skit.

Use at least 3 quotes (total) from the texts.

You must write/speak in the style of each character; think about content,

vocab, style, etc.

Skit should be about 5 minutes (about 5 pages of script)

You MUST include Mariam and Edna as characters; others to choose from

are Mr. Pontellier, Rasheed, Laila, Zalmai, Tariq, Nana, or Jalil.

You may use the rest of this sheet to record and organize notes/connections.

The Awakening A Thousand Splendid Suns



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Additional Organization Guide

Edna Mariam

Relationship andexperience w/ husband

Relationship and

experience w/ friends

Relationship and

experience w/ family

Beliefs and customs of

society

Expectations regarding

gender roles



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Rubric

Assignment written in screenplay format. Uses standard conventions and format of a screenplay, including speaking

lines and actions.

5pts

Mentions details regarding marriage, friendship, family, society, and

gender roles at least once each

10pts

At least 5 minutes long

Script should be about 5 pages long

Each character should have at least 30 seconds of action/speaking

8pts

Uses at least 4 quotes from the texts

Should use quotes from each text, not all 4 from one

8pts

Portrayals of characters can be supported by context Writing replicates the style used by the author, speakers sound as they

would in the book

8pts

Uses style and vocabulary of the characters/authors Separate/different from using exact quotes

E.g. Mariam’s use of Farsi words

6pts

Members work and perform well together

Members work cooperatively and effectively

Speak clearly and audibly for audience

5pts

Total 50pts



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TITLE

A Thousand Splendid Suns Movie Poster

TIME 50 minutes


When creating my lessons, I always attempt to make it an enjoyable learning experience

for the student. According to Burke, “creativity is inherently joyful, challenging, and absorbing”,and I applied this theory when I was constructing this lesson (Burke, 7). By asking my students

to create a movie poster for a movie that does not exist, I am causing them to think in an original

way, but by doing something that they may actual enjoy engaging in. This activity is an example

of them “reconstructing text to better understand how [it] works and what [it] means” (Burke, 9).

I am also providing them with a general outline of what I expect of them, but am giving themfreedom to display their ideas on a movie poster in the way that they feel is going to be the most

meaningful (Burke, 9). According to Weinstein, it is important to have a good relationship withyour students and use preventative behavior whenever necessary (Weinstein, 6). This is evident

in my lesson because I am going to be walking around the classroom while the students work to

make sure students are staying on task and working quietly amongst their pairs. I do not mind if

they talk quietly, but they cannot be disruptive while their peers are working.Prior to this project, the class will have finished the entire book. We will have had in

class discussions about themes and significant scenes throughout the unit, so they should already

have an idea of possible things they can focus on for their project. For this lesson, students willneed to recall the meaning of theme and the overall plot of the book, or their movie poster will

likely not have good images or tagline. After this lesson, they have to finish working on their

posters the next day and present them in class. The last thing after the movie poster assessment is

going to be the soundtrack, in which they choose the music that they think would be appropriatefor the novel.

OBJECIVESStudents will be able to…

Recognize the appeals used in each example movie poster based on the appeals that theyhad learned during a previous unit.

Organize an appealing and appropriate movie poster, obviously considering the content

and themes from A Thousand Splendid Suns. Effectively collaborate with partner, and not one single student is doing all of the work.

MATERIALSPoster Board (1 board for each pair)

Markers

Example Movie Posters:

Twilight : https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0412/5aced0eb41d2e/5aced11156116.jpg







85

The Amazing Spiderman: http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/amazing-spider-man-

movie-poster.jpg

Avatar: https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0412/5aced0eb41d2e/5aced1121b1b2.jpg

Elf: https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0412/5aced0eb41d2e/5aced11221368.jpg

Copy of A Thousand Splendid Suns for each student

PREPARATIONConnect laptop to overhead projector. Pull up example movie posters of popular movies from the

Internet. Make sure the poster board is ready to be given to each pair of students. Have plenty of

markers (at least 50) so that each group can at least have three or four: they can switch amongsteach other as needed once they are handed out.

PROCEDURE

OPENING:

Students will view example movie posters on overhead projector (3 minutes)

The students will then raise their hands and explain why each movie poster was effectiveor appealing to them (5 minutes).

BODY:

The poster board and markers will be passed out to each pair of students while I giveverbal instructions about creating the movie poster: the movie poster needs to be visually

appealing and creative, include at least one image and one “tagline” to hook audiences.The students will be working with their seat partners. (2 minutes)

The students will design a movie poster in their pairs for A Thousand Splendid Suns usinga scene or theme that was important to them from the book.(35 minutes)

CLOSING:

Students will put their posters upside down on the ledge in the classroom so nothing canruin the image. They will continue working on them tomorrow. Markers should be turned

in to the bin in the front. (2 minutes)

Once in seats, students can raise their hands and volunteer for what order they will bepresenting their movie posters tomorrow. If students eventually stop volunteering, they

will be assigned to present at the end of the order based on the order of the rows they are

sitting in (4 minutes). Students will answer exit slip to reflect on what they have of their movie poster so far. (4

minutes).

DISCUSSION IDEAS

What is the main goal when creating a movie poster?

Who are you trying to appeal to most when specifically creating the A Thousand Splendid

Suns movie poster?

















86

What specific appeals did you think would work most when creating this poster? (Humor,fear, bandwagon, rational, etc)


There are two students in this classroom that are English Language Learners, and thislesson was created with that in mind. I am having them create a movie poster, which may be

beneficial for the ELL students because they may have a hard time putting what they are learning

into words effectively: giving them the opportunity to draw pictures can help them better expresstheir ideas.

All of the students in the class are working with their seat partners for this project. I will

already have the ELL students sitting next to peers that are comfortable with explaining

assignments to the ELL students. Working in pairs can be beneficial for the ELL studentsbecause they may feel more comfortable participating in a small setting than they would if they

were involved in a large group discussion. The partner setting is also a way for the ELL students

to build off of ideas that they are sharing with their partner. Often times, an ELL student may

feel completely lost on content if they are doing it alone, but this intimate setting gives them theoption to discuss and ask questions if they are confused.

The example posters are also beneficial for the ELL students. They may be unfamiliar

with the concept of a movie poster, so the images can help them to understand what they aretrying to accomplish. The discussion after each poster will also help the ELL student understand

why the poster used these particular images, which can be helpful for them even if they have not

seen the specific movie mentioned.


Two of my students has ADD and one of them has a mild case of Autism, which means

focus is an issue for these students. These three students would be seating near the front of the

classroom so they have less distractions between them and my instruction. I will also have all of the students completely clear their desks during the movie poster examples that I am going to be

putting up at the beginning of the class period: this will eliminate another possibility of distraction for these students.

Working in partners may help these students stay on task. I am going to remind all of the

students to remain relatively quiet while working in their pairs: the quietness can help the

students with disabilities concentrate more on what is happening within their own pair and helpthem to not focus on the noise that is going on in the rest of the classroom. Giving the class the

task to draw something on their movie poster is helpful for the students with disabilities as well

because often times they have trouble focusing on what exactly it is they want to say and may

struggle putting ideas into words: drawing can be a good substitute of expression.

ASSESSMENT

This is an appropriate assessment for the movie poster because it is assessing on the both the

students‟ understanding of the content as well as their ability to organize in an effective and

appealing way. The students will be able to see the rubric beforehand so they are aware of whatI will be assessing them on before they even start. This assessment will determine if the students

understand the significant moments from the book and apply them to a creative medium.



87

TOTAL: _______/12 11-12=A 9-10=B 7-8=C 5-6=D <5=F

EXTENSION IDEAS

Present the posters in class.

Come up with a cast for the Thousand Splendid Suns movie.

Have groups of students put on a skit using a chapter from the book, as long asthey are using an appropriate scene.

Write a review of the book that is going “to be published” in a literary magazine.

SOURCE OF ACTIVITY

I would like to thank one of the teachers I worked with in a local public high school forinspiring this idea. I saw the movie poster idea work in her classroom and thought it was a greatidea. I would also like to thank my SPED 405 professor for preparing me so adequately for how

to accommodate for the special education students that are going to be in my classroom. I would

also like to thank my CI professors from both this year and last year for preparing me for thediverse groups of students that I am definitely going to have in my classroom and teaching me

how to accommodate. I would also like to thank all of my education professors for reminding me

how important differentiated instruction is to help promote learning for all students.

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Content –

Accuracy

Student has very clear

understanding of aspecific attention-

getting scene from the

novel.

Student has decent

understanding of asignificant scene from

novel.

Student chose a scene

for poster that isunderstandable, but

does not really relate

a significant point inthe novel.

Student does no

apply acomprehensible

scene from the n

on poster.

Attractiveness The poster is

exceptionally

attractive in terms of

design, layout, andneatness.

The poster is

attractive in terms of

design, layout and

neatness.

The poster is

acceptably attractive

though it may be a bit

messy.

The poster is

distractingly me

or very poorly

designed. It is noattractive.

Graphics -

Relevance

The tagline and

graphics are related tothe theme and make it

easier to understand.

The tagline is related

to the theme, andsome graphics most

make it easier to

understand.

The tagline does not

really to the theme,and some of the

graphics are related

to the topic, but it ishard to understand.

Neither the tagli

nor graphics relathe topic.



88


“The Amazing Spiderman. http://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/amazing-spider-man-

movie-poster.jpg. 2012. Online. 15, December 2012. “Avatar”. https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0412/5aced0eb41d2e/5aced11349609.jpg 2009. Online. 15

December, 2012.


“Elf”. https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0412/5aced0eb41d2e/5aced1134f5c3.jpg. 2008. Online. 15 December, 2012.


“Twilight”. https://reader009.{domain}/reader009/html5/0412/5aced0eb41d2e/5aced1135dddc.jpg2008. Online. 15December, 2012.


Research and Practice. 4th Ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2007. Print.

ILLINOIS STATE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GOALSMy standard is Planning For Differentiated Instruction

Knowledge Indicator “3E: understands the appropriate role of technology, including assistivetechnology, to address student needs, as well as how to incorporate contemporary tools and

resources to maximize student learning”. This is present in my lesson because I am using the

laptop and projector to display the movie posters. The movie posters are also tools derived from

pop culture that I am using to help students understand what is expected of them when they are

creating their own.

Performance Indicator “3Q: develops or selects relevant instructional content, materials,

resources, and strategies for differentiating instruction”. This is present in my lesson because Iam using movie poster examples that the students are likely familiar with as a way to help them

understand the relevance of the image that needs to be on their own poster.


“CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.5 Analyze how an author‟s choices concerning how tostructure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g.,

pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.” In this lesson,

students are required to recognize these choices because it will help them determine themood their movie poster should evoke. For example, it is unlikely that a student that

understood the author‟s choices would depict this movie poster in being a happy,

uplifting way.

“CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9-10.1b Use various types of phrases (noun, verb, adjectival,adverbial, participial, prepositional, absolute) and clauses (independent, dependent; noun,relative, adverbial) to convey specific meanings and add variety and interest to writing or












http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/9-10/1/b/

http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/L/9-10/1/b/









89

presentations.” This is represented in my lesson when the students are required to put a

“tagline” on their movie poster that will hook their audience. In order to do this, theyneed to choose a way to write an impactful phrase that would be most effective for their

goal of getting people interested in the movie.



90

LP 14 Claire Wilmsen

A Thousand Splendid Suns: Splendid Symbolism

Theory Into Practice BackgroundI. Theories and Concepts

In Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students in Secondary Schools, Faltis and Coultermention many ways that to ensure a classroom environment remains inclusive; students shouldbe given opportunities to participate actively, students at differing ability levels should be

integrated, students should be given choice, voice, and responsibility in class and many others

(Faltis and Coulter, 90). This lesson holds all students responsible for contributing but also gives

them many opportunities to do so.

This lesson helps to accommodate all students in the classroom. By giving students extra time to work

independently, collaborate in groups, and finally share out information, all students are given an adequate

amount of time to process information and make conclusions. This lesson provides access to all students

including those who may have learning disabilities.

For this lesson I also took into consideration the text Special Education for Today’s Teachers. Inthis text the academic challenges for students with ADHD are listed as, “inability to pay close

attention to details, carelessness in school work, difficulty sustaining attention, and difficulty

with organization” (Rosenberg, 239). This lesson takes this into account by providing students

with a variety of engaging activities throughout the period.

I have also incorporated group work in this lesson for the purpose of increasing students‟motivation and engagement. In Middle and Secondary Classroom Management

Weinstein states, “Motivation and learning are enhanced if students are allowed to work

with one another” (Weinstein, 231). II. Background/ Content Information

Short YouTube video about symbolism (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNfHfIAQoQk)

The Splendid Symbolism worksheet

How to Read Literature Like a Professor chapter 12III. Explanation of Background/ Content Information

This two-minute video will serve as a quick review for the class on symbolism. Also because ithas both visual and audio components it should help the students to become engaged with thelesson from the very beginning

The Splendid Symbolism worksheet will help students to organize their ideas and to keep track of the symbols they encounter as they continue to read the novel.

This chapter of the book How to Read Literature Like a Professor will help students tounderstand how to recognize symbols in the text. I want students to look at the 3 symbols I call

their attention to but I also want them to be able to pick out their own examplesIV. Link to future Lessons

The symbols that the students analyze during this lesson should be helpful to them as they beginto work on their soundtrack projects. Students can make use of these symbols when creating the

album art for their project and can use the textual evidence they find during this lesson to support

their choices.

Looking closely at symbols is a skill that students will utilize in the future beyond this novel andbeyond this unit



91

Looking at the text abstractly will help students to prepare for working on their projects


Explain what a symbol is an how it functions in a text

Identify symbols in A Thousand Splendid Suns Analyze the meaning behind the symbols in the text

Materials

This lesson will require the following:

Copies of A Thousand Splendid Suns for every student

Projector and access to internet

Copies of chapter 12 “Is that a symbol” of How to Read Literature Like a Professor

Symbolism worksheet for every student

Preparation

Prior to class I will need to: Make copies of the worksheets for all students

Print out copies of chapter 12 “Is that a symbol” of How to Read Literature Like a Professor for

every student

Make sure class is up to date on the reading

ProcedureOpening

I will begin class by showing the YouTube video about symbolism and then answer anyremaining questions students have about the topic (5 min)

Next I will pass out the copies of chapter 12 of the Foster book. As a class we will read anddiscuss the chapter. (7-10 min)

Body

I will pass out the symbolism worksheets to the class

As a class we will read the first passage. I will give the students time to respond to the questionsand then collaborate with a neighbor. Repeat this process for the remaining two passages.Students will be required to turn this worksheet in for credit (20 min)

I will ask for volunteers to share some of their ideas for each of the symbols and we will discuss

as a class (5-7 min)Closing

As a last activity I will ask students if they found any other symbols in their reading. We willalso take the time to think back to the book we read before this, The Awakening, and see if we

can recall any symbols from that text. (5min)

As a final discussion we will talk about how we can look for symbols in our reading in thefuture. (5min)

In the last few minutes of class I will pass out an exit slip. Student must write down a definitionof symbolism in their own words and an example (other than the 3 on the worksheet) that we

discussed today and turn it in before they leave. (3min)



92

Discussion Ideas

1) What is the purpose of incorporating symbols in a novel?2) Can symbols be in other things?

3) Were there any symbols present in the film The Kite Runner?

4) Think of an example where something could be a symbol for something good and bad.




Students will be provided with translations of the specific pages we will look at for the activity if it is necessary. Instructions can also be translated and provided to students.

This activity allows students to communicate verbally to think critically about the material andthis is accommodating to the students for whom English is a second language because theirspoken English is better than their written English.



The lesson incorporates many different small activities, discussions, and work periods. Bybreaking the class period up into small segments students will be aided in maintaining their focusin class.

The directions for this lesson will also be stated very explicitly so that students understand whatis expected of them. I will be walking around during work periods to offer students additional

support as well.

The structure of the lesson encourages the students to use each other as resources and work together. This will help all students to get the most out of the lesson and in particular should be

beneficial to the student with mild Autism. This student should feel comfortable being in thesocial situations for this lesson because they are very structured.

Assessment


Collect the worksheets and grade them based on completion

The students‟ definitions of symbolism will be graded out of 2 points. They will get one point forwriting a definition and one point for providing an example. If students are able to complete both

of these I can feel confident that they understood the lesson and paid attention to the discussion.

Extension Ideas:

To extend this activity I could Have students make posters to illustrate a symbol they found in the text

Have students write their own short story and incorporate symbolism into the writing

Show a short video clip and have students pick out examples of symbolism

Source of Activity:I was inspired to incorporate the text How to Read Literature Like a Professor in my CI class this

semester with Professor Willis. I think this text is perfect for helping 10th

grade students to think about a



93

text abstractly. I created the worksheet for students to keep track of the symbolism in the text. My idea

to have students complete an exit slip as an assessment came from a professor I had last year, HillarieWelsh. Thank you to all my inspirations!


Faltis, C.J. & Coulter, C.A. (2008). Teaching English Learners and Immigrant Students inSecondary Schools. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Allyn & Bacon

Foster, Thomas C. How to Read Literature like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to

Reading between the Lines. New York: Quill, 2003. Print.




Hall, 2008. Print.

Slkmcphee. "Symbolism." YouTube. YouTube, 23 Mar. 2008. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.



Print.


Knowledge Indicator 1E – The competent teacher understands the impact of linguistic and

cultural diversity on learning and communication.

This lesson reflects this standard because in the beginning of class I will show a video

that explains that symbolism may be different cross-culturally. This lesson does not makeassumptions about the students‟ prior knowledge. Instead it goes over the basics of thecontent so that all students begin at the same starting point.

Performance Indicator 1I – The competent teacher stimulates prior knowledge and links newideas to already familiar ideas and experiences.

This lesson has students look back at texts they have read earlier in the semester and comparethem to the current reading. This lesson on symbolism is also something that will continue to be

relevant to them as they look at literature throughout high school and even when they move on to

college level courses.


CC.9-10.R.ST.4 Craft and Structure: Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and otherdomain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context

relevant to grades 9 – 10 texts and topics.



94

This lesson requires students to analyze symbolism in the text and to find their ownexamples of symbolism as well. Students must understand how symbolism functions in a

text in order to complete the activities.

CC.9-10.R.I.5 Craft and Structure: Analyze in detail how an author‟s ideas or claims aredeveloped and refined by particular sentences, paragraphs, or larger portions of a text (e.g., a

section or chapter).

This lesson requires students to look closely at small portions of text and analyze theideas that are being portrayed. The worksheet has students focus on one page at a time to

identify the symbolism that is functioning within that page.



95

Name: _________________

Date:__________________

1. Go back and reread page 259 and then consider the following:-What is the main symbol here?

-What do you think it could mean?

-What could this symbol be foreshadowing?

-Is this a positive image or a negative one?

2. Reread page 275 and consider the following:-What is the main symbol here?




3. Reread page 343 and consider the following:-What is the main symbol here?






96

LP 15 Claire Wilmsen

A Thousand Splendid Suns: Introducing the Soundtrack Project


I. Theories and Concepts According to Carol Simon Weinstein‟s text Middle and Secondary Classroom

Management, there are five main functions of the classroom setting. These are security

and shelter, social contact, symbolic identification, task instrumentality, and pleasure(Weinstein, 27). Based on these functions I planned this lesson. The activity that I am

presenting is one that students can enjoy and use their creativity to produce while still

holding students to high expectations. The presentation portion of the project is also

important because it gives students an opportunity to get used to public speaking in a lowrisk situation.

For this lesson I also took into consideration the text Special Education for Today’s Teachers. Inthis text the academic challenges for students with ADHD are listed as, “inability to pay close

attention to details, carelessness in school work, difficulty sustaining attention, and difficultywith organization” (Rosenberg, 239). I looked at all of these challenges and addressed them

through the activities in this lesson

This lesson reflects the teaching philosophy reflected in Weinstein‟s Middle and

Secondary Classroom Management. Weinstein states, “Most problems of disorder inclassrooms can be avoided if teachers foster positive student-teacher relationships,

implement engaging instruction, and use good preventive management strategies”

(Weinstein, 6). This lesson is engaging for students because it allows them to presenttheir work in a variety of mediums. The project has a writing component, a visual

component, and incorporates their choice of music.

This lesson is also based on the text by Weinstein when it is stated, “When students

successfully engage in the practices of academic communities, which in turn belongto larger outside communities of practice, they imagine themselves as future

members of these outside communities” (Weinstein, 33). The presentation portion

of the project gives students an opportunity to take pride in their work and share it

with the community. II. Background/ Content Information

Example project

A Thousand Splendid Suns III. Explanation of Background/ Content Information

I will create an example project that we will go over as a class. The project will be available tothe students to look at while they are working on their own projects. This ensures that students

have not only instructions but also an example of what kind of work I am looking for.IV. Link to future Lessons

This lesson will introduce the project that the students will be working on for the next coupledays and will be presenting to the class


Select music that is relevant to the characters/events/themes/tones they are trying to portray



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Effectively use textual evidence to support their claims

Be prepared to present to the class in the following days

Produce a creative and relevant illustration to serve as the album cover for their project and be

able to explain it to the class


Access to the internet

Ability to play audio in classroom

Computer paper

Markers/colored pencils etc

PreparationPrior to class I will need to:

Create a sample project using the previous text, The Awakening

Select music to play during class

Gather all materials students will need to create the album covers for their projects

ProcedureOpening

As students walk into class I will have music playing through the computer and will have anexample project displayed in front of the class. I will ask students to take their seats and to takeout something to write with (2min)

I will begin by starting a class discussion. We will talk about the purpose of a soundtrack, anexamples they can think of, and what the cover art usually looks like on the cover of the

soundtrack album (5 min)

I will then explain to the students that I am assigning them a project in which they will create asoundtrack for the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. The soundtrack will either be for the entirenovel or for one specific character. As a class we will brainstorm ideas about what kind of music

could be included and I will answer any questions students may have. (7-10min)Body

Next I will pass out the written instructions for the project as well as the grading rubric. I willalso pass a sheet of paper around the room on which students can sign their names and request a

song to be played during our class‟ work time over the next few days. Students will be remindedthat the music they request to be played and the music they incorporate in their projects must be

appropriate and without swear words. (5 min)

I will then go over in detail my example project. The example will be for the text they readearlier in the unit, The Awakening. This example should make the expectations clear without

overly influencing students‟ decisions on what kind of songs to incorporate. (5-7 min)

Students will be provided with all the materials they need to get started on their projects and willbe allowed to talk to a partner as long as I see that work is being done. I will be walking around

helping students with ideas and with any questions. Music will be played in the classroom durinf

the work periods on www.grooveshark.com. (20-25 min)Closing



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Before the end of class I will go around and make sure that all of the students have started thewriting portion of part one and that they have ideas or have started part two. I will remind

students that they will need to make presentations for this project and that they will only havetwo more days to work in class on this project. (5min)

Discussion Ideas1) What genre of music did you use the most?

2) Could the same song depict both a happy scene and a sad scene? Can you think of any examples?

3) If you had to choose a song to represent yourself what would you choose and why?4) Does a song have to have lyrics to be meaningful?



the student‟s first language is Spanish, the other‟s is Chinese. This lesson accommodates them in the

following ways:

.This lesson allows students a lot of freedom with how they spend their time. Any students who

require special language accommodations can make arrangements with me more so than regularclasses.

Students are also allowed to choose whatever music (that is appropriate) to use in their projectsand this includes music in their first language.



For students who have trouble staying focused I will help them to structure a work schedule forthem at the beginning of the first work period. Students will have to check in with me to ensurethat they are not falling behind.

This lesson allows for students to receive plenty of one on one attention if they need it becausethere will be a lot of class time dedicated to working on these projects.

Also, the presentation portion is accommodating to all students because it is a good way forstudents to practice public speaking skills in a non-threatening environment.

AssessmentIn order to assess the effectiveness of this lesson I will:

Work with students as they create their projects and prepare to present making sure they arestaying on track

This project will be graded as a summative assessment. The rubric and instructions are attachedafter the end of the lesson plan

Extension Ideas:


Have students present another one of their songs and have the rest of the class guess what eventor character it is supposed to represent

Have students choose a song and use specific lines in the lyrics to explain their choice forrepresenting a specific element of the text



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Source of Activity:

My inspiration for creating this lesson was a similar project that I was assigned in high school. Mysophomore year English teacher had our class create soundtracks for the novel Frankenstein. I chose to

add the presentation aspect of the lesson because I thought it would make the project more meaningful

and give students an opportunity to practice speaking in front of the class.


"Grooveshark - Free Music Streaming." Grooveshark . N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2012.




Hall, 2008. Print.



Print.


Knowledge Indicator 4E – The competent teacher knows how to assess the instructionalenvironment to determine how best to meet a student‟s individual needs.

The most important part of this lesson is creating a comfortable and productive learningenvironment for students to work on their projects. The success of the lesson is also

dependent on the attention and support I will provide to students as they are working. Thestructure of the activities is meant to give students the opportunity to work independently

but also to have access to resources and assistance whenever they require it.

Performance Indicator 4K – The competent teacher uses strategies to create a smoothlyfunctioning learning community in which students assume responsibility for themselves and one

another, participate in decision-making, work collaboratively and independently, use appropriate

technology, and engage in purposeful learning activities.

This lesson requires students to make sure of all of the resources that I will provide to them andto use each other as resources. The purpose of this lesson is to create an effective and productivecreative community so that when the students present they are able to get one another engaged in

the material.


CC.9-10.R.I.1 Key Ideas and Details: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

This lesson allows students to choose songs that go along with the text based on theirown personal interpretations but it also requires students to use textual evidence to

support their choices.

CC.9-10.W.1.e Text Types and Purposes: Provide a concluding statement or section that follows

from and supports the argument presented.



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Students must create a soundtrack and album cover art that best represents the novel aswell as provide a written explanation for how they made their choices. Students must also

present their reasoning to the class as a conclusion.



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For this activity you will be creating a soundtrack for the novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. You

may either base your soundtrack on a specific character‟s life or create a soundtrack for the novelas a whole.

PART I

Your soundtrack must consist of at least 5 songs. You can choose any songs you like for this

assignment so long as you can support your choices. Each song should serve a purpose on yoursoundtrack. You may choose a song that you feel represents a particular character, event,

chapter, theme, or mood from A Thousand Splendid Suns. Along with each song selection you

must also provide at least 1 paragraph of explanation for why you chose the song. In your

paragraph you must explain what aspect of the novel the song represents (a character, event,theme etc) and use at least 1 example of textual evidence to support your claim. (This means

that in your explanation you should state what part of the book you are referring to!) Your song

selections and paragraphs must be typed out or written neatly on lined paper. Also, as areminder, a well-written paragraph should be at least 5 sentences long and should contain zero

grammatical errors. Check your work!

PART II

For the second component of this assignment you will be creating cover art for your CD. You

must include the name of the novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, and the name of the author,Khaled Hosseini, on the cover. Other that those two pieces of information you are free to

decorate the CD however you please. I will provide you with blank white paper for this part of

the assignment. You should decorate the cover in a way that you feel represents the novel. On

the back of your art work you must include at least 2 sentences explaining your cover art andwhat you were trying to achieve with it.

PART III

The final part of this assignment will be a brief presentation to the class. You will be allowed to

choose 1 song to present. You must provide me with the title and artist of your chosen song

before the due date if you want to share a clip of the song with the class. You will each haveapproximately 5 minutes to share your song and explanation regardless of whether or not you

choose to include a music clip.

As always come talk to me if you have any questions or need help!

30 20 10 Comments



S / 120

Part I -All 5 songs & 5

paragraphs included-Textual evidence

used for support

-Well thought out

work -Neat & with few to

no errors

-All 5 songs &

paragraphsincluded but

without textual

evidence

-More than a fewerrors

-Some songs &

paragraphs weremissing

-Many grammatical

errors

-Work is not neat

Part II - Cover artcompleted

- Title & author‟s

name present-Explanation on

back

-Neat & creative

-Cover art iscompleted but

either lacks the title

& author‟s name oris not neat

-Explanation on

back contains

many errors

-Cover art ismissing or reflects

that little effort has

been put into it-Explanation is

missing

Part III -Presented 1 songand explanation to

class

-Prepared forpresentation

-Spoke loud and

clearly

-Presented song butwas not fully

prepared or could

not be heard

-Completelyunprepared to

present

Overall -All work iscompleted & on time

-Meets all

expectations &shows effort was put

forth

-Work meets mostexpectations

-Some parts may

be missing or needmore work

-Significant portionof assignment

missing or

incomplete

Documents

Standard 5 Artifact 1