“I hated school, I hated my life, and I hated my environment at one time, but one teacher on one great day changed that forever. He is the reason I want to teach and I strive to touch students’ lives the way he did mine.”

In life, we come across remarkable and influential mentors that help shape and mold us into who we become and what we aspire to be. Mr. Michael Dupong, mentioned above, is the teacher who has most affected my choice to teach. On the first day of my eighth grade English class I walked into a darkened room with a blue screen on the wall. Once the bell rang, he turned on an excerpt from Dead Poet Society to foreshadow the weeks to come with poetry, but also in life (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQtmGcdSDAI) and then another to remind us that we must constantly look and think in different ways (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8fu-hq3S7A). After the clip we jumped on our chairs and described something that we had not noticed before and were asked to write about it. I had never been introduced to a course like this, nor had I ever witnessed such creativity in curriculum. I thought it was amazing! Teaching literature presents the opportunity to share a passion for Literature in new, inventive, and exciting ways - that is what I had to do with my life!

Throughout high school I also found an appreciation for theatre and public speaking. This has become just as much a part of my life as literature. Through stage production experience in directing, acting, sound / light production, properties, set design, and improvisation I have gained amazing experience and appreciation for literature, but was also able to accumulate new aspects of history and math that I was unable to appreciate before. I will always seize the opportunity for new experiences, life lessons, and learning opportunities; however, I would still be hating everything in the world if it was not for the extensive support from family and friends and the amazing teachers and mentors I have encountered since.

"Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today."~James Dean~

Character ChroniclesSenior CompositionMs. Caitlynn Ward

Fall 2010

Rationale: In order to create a cohesive learning environment for all students, they must learn the basic fundamentals of character education. In order to incorporate this into classroom curriculum, each student will be required to write a biography about an author, a critique of a story, or a comparative essay which must relate to the school’s character word of the month. This will be a month long process every month of the school year in order to obtain an article from each student to be published in a monthly magazine for all students and teachers of the school to read. Not only will these ongoing processes create independent learning for students who are preparing to enter college and move past the repetitious lifestyle of high school, but it will also be a cause for incorporating literature into character education that can be circulated within the school.

Summary: Each month our unit will be comprised of poetry and prose relating to character education while still maintaining curriculum standards and comprehensive testing, but the student’s major writing assignment each month will be centered around the character building word of the month and how the literature that we are reading relates to the word. There will be three groups: biographers, critiques, and comparing experts. The character words; trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, citizenship, honesty, courage, diligence, and integrity will be the base of all monthly unit plans.

Objectives:

Reading Fluency- with fluency: accuracy, comprehension and appropriate expressionadjusting reading rate to difficulty and type of text Pre-Reading- access prior knowledge, preview, predict with text support or rationale, set a purpose and rate for readingDuring Reading- utilize strategies to: determine meaning of unknown words, self-monitor comprehension, question the text, infer, visualize, paraphrase, summarizePost reading- Apply post-reading skills to comprehend, interpret, analyze, and evaluate text: identify and explain the relationship between the main idea and supporting details, question to clarify, reflect, draw conclusionsMaking Connections-Compare, contrast, analyze and evaluate connections:text to text (information and relationships in various fiction and non-fiction works), text to self (text ideas and own experiences) , text to world (text ideas and the world by analyzing and evaluating the relationship between literature and its historical period and culture)Literary Techniques- Analyze and evaluate literary techniques, sensory details, figurative language, and sound devices previously introducedLiterary Elements-Use details from text(s) to: demonstrate comprehension skills previously introduced, analyze: character, plot, setting, point of view, analyze the development of a theme across genres, evaluate the effect of tone on the overall meaning of workWriting Process- Apply a writing process to write effectively in various forms and types of writingAudience and Purpose- Compose text:showing awareness of audience, choosing a form and point of view appropriate to purpose and audienceIdeas and Content- Compose text with: strong controlling idea, relevant specific details, complex ideas, freshness of thoughtOrganization and Sentence Structure- Compose text with: effective beginning, middle, and end, a logical order, effective paragraphing, cohesive devices, varied sentence structure, clarity of expression, active voiceForms/Types/ Modes of Writing- Compose a variety of texts: using narrative, descriptive, expository, and/or persuasive features, in various formats, including workplace communications (resume, letter of application, follow-up letter) including; summary, literary analysis, and reflective writing

Length: This will be a monthly process to build student’s reading comprehension skills and writing. At the beginning of each month a handout will be presented with the authors and readings that relate to the character word of the month and the students will pull a group name from an envelope so they can meet with their group and delegate duties within their group. The second week the groups will meet again to discuss their findings and give suggestions to anyone struggling

with their assignment. The third week each student will read their draft to their group for peer review. The last week will have extreme emphasis on editing and revising within the group before their section of the magazine is handed in for publishing.

Materials and Resources: Computers and printers should be provided from the school, along with appropriate reading material. A smart board, projector, and television with DVD player will also be imperative for presenting additional media material to the class.

Assessment: Formative: Participation points will be given for completing each step of the assignment on time. Check marks will be rewarded by peer evaluation both for the student being reviewed and the person reviewing. Oral feedback will be provided during discussion times within the 3 group settings to ensure that students stay motivated and on track. The third week drafts will be submitted for written comments and suggestions.Summative: 60% of the unit grade will be assessed from the final essay draft students will hand in for publishing. They may revise if needed, but the final draft will be published in the class magazine.

Character ChroniclesSenior CompositionMs. Caitlynn Ward

Fall 2010

Week 1Monday: Introduce character word of the month, Handout: Character word and literature, assign groups and let students

delegate dutiesTuesday: Begin literature relating to character word (To Kill a Mockingbird)Wednesday: Continue literature (TKM)Thursday: Continue literature (TKM)Friday: Quiz and continue literature (TKM)

Week 2Monday: Students meet with groups to discuss their findings and give advice to students struggling with the assignmentTuesday: Continue literature (Poetry)Wednesday: Continue literature (Poetry)Thursday: Continue literature (Poetry)Friday: Quiz and continue literature

Week 3Monday: Students read first draft aloud within their group and perform peer reviewsTuesday: Students read first draft aloud within their group and perform peer reviewsWednesday: Computer lab dayThursday: Students hand in second draft, continue literatureFriday: Quiz and continue literature

Week 4Monday: Extra credit due, hand back second draft with suggestions and comments, wrap up literatureTuesday: Test on literature material, format brainstorm and presentation of extra credit / student body submissionsWednesday: Edit and revise within groupsThursday: Computer lab dayFriday: Submit articles and illustrations

Week 5Monday: Computer lab day (construction of magazine)Tuesday: Reflection: In class discussion about the finished product (what works and does not)

Senior Composition Ms. Ward

Tolerance and you October 1, 2010

Objective To introduce the theme of tolerance and begin project planning

Instructional

Framework

Initiating&Constructing&Utilizing

Lesson Plan

Format

Student Centered

Student Centered:

Initializing and Constructing: Discussion

Constructing: Cooperative Learning

Utilizing:Problem Solving

Teacher Centered:

Initializing: Concept – introducing a new theory, symbol, idea

Grouping Whole Class and groups

Materials & Resources

School – Computer and smart board / projector and dry erase board, 28 copies of To Kill a Mockingbird

Teacher – Images and planning guide

Student – pen and paper

Strategies 1.What’s in a picture?

2. Brainstorming: What is tolerance?

3.ACTION with FACTS; A Planning Guide

Review Previous

Lessons

Continuing our monthly magazine with a large focus on character education and how it relates to literature.

New Material

Initializing:

Presenting the character word of the month: Tolerance.

Begin by presenting pictures of social, cultural, and religious context to which many people disapprove or the students are familiar with the discrimination towards them (i.e Martin Luther King, Muslims, the Holocaust, etc.). Have the students come up with ideas of how these images relate to one another and what may be the overriding theme of our next unit.

Have the students define tolerance by brainstorming and making connections(to self, to text, to the world), which help them later in the unit when they begin to make these connections to the literature presented to them.

Guided Practice Utilizing:

Students will be given a handout describing all of the literature that will be focused on in the month (This month includes the “I Had a Dream Speech”, To Kill a Mockingbird, many poems, etc.). The students will use the ACTION with FACTS planning guide to delegate stories and duties among themselves in order to begin their articles for the magazine.

ACTION; A. Assignment, C. Create, T. Timeline, I. Ideas. O. Organize, N. notes

Closure toLesson

Watch movie clip of To Kill a Mockingbird

Assignment Reading from To Kill a Mockingbird

Heading Senior Composition Ms. Ward

Making Connections and Coming Together October 8, 2010

Objective Make connections from the text to reality and ensure the FACTS are recognized

Instructional

Framework

Initiating&Constructing&Utilizing

Lesson Plan

Format

Teacher Centered:

Constructing: Direct Instruction – providing information and building skills

Constructing: Presentation – demonstrating

Student Centered:

Constructing and Utilizing: Discussion

Constructing and Utilizing: Cooperative Learning

Grouping Pairs & Individuals

Materials & Resources

School – 28 copies of To Kill a Mockingbird

Teacher – Comprehension Connections Chart

Student – pen and paper

Strategies 1.Comprehension Connections

2. ACTION WITH FACTS

3.

Review Previous

Lessons

Over the weekend the class finished their reading of To Kill a Mockingbird and it is time to wrap up this novel and move on to poetry, but before we can do that we must make this story real to us. What does it mean and how does it relate to our life or our character word of the month?

New Material Constructing: Making Comprehension Connections at this point would not be a new concept. The students must create a chart relating the novel to these three categories: text to self, text to text, or text to world. Doing this they will have a better understanding of how this novel exuberates tolerance in many ways.

After doing this as an individual students should get into their magazine groups to discuss their findings and compare their comprehension connections charts.

Guided Practice Utilizing: ACTION with FACTS. They learned during week one how to use ACTION to help plan and begin their magazine assignment. Now they must utilize a new tool; FACTS: F. Feedback, A. Adjust, C. Contribute, T. Think, S. Self-Assessment.

This is in class time to discuss, ask questions, and review progress of the magazine assignment.

Closure toLesson

Listen to John Lennon’s “Imagine”

Assignment

Read first three poems on tolerance and complete poetry analysis

Character Chronicles

Senior Composition

Ms. Caitlynn Ward

Fall 2010

Rubric:

Individual 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20Understanding of Materials

Disregarded correlation between character word and literature/ neither understood

Disconnect between character word and literature provided, but both are vaguely understood

Minor misconceptions of literature, but clear understanding of character word

Clear display of character education and literature comprehension

Mechanics and Usage Many errors Few errors Minor errors No errorFormat Confusing and

unreadableClustered but readable

Minor layout and readability issues

Good form and easily readable

Development of Ideas and Reason

Ideas and reason presented are not developed or questioned

Beginning stage of development, but should be pushed further

Interesting ideas and concepts presented relatively well

Motivational writing that consumes the reader

Creativity Very little creativity in work

Somewhat creative, but needs more thought

Creative, but somewhat unoriginal

Very creative and original

Individual total: ____________

Group 0-10 11-15 16-20 21-25Ability to meet deadlines

3 + days late(possible 0 credit)

2 days late 1 day late On time

Teamwork and communication

Not a team player and keeps ideas to themselves

Somewhat consistent teamwork, very little ideas

Fairly consistent teamwork , but contributes ideas

Very Consistent teamwork and contribution of ideas

Group total: _______________

Grand total: _______________