(field trip)
Film excerpt viewing 50 minutes
“Break-out” seminar sessions differentiated by interest and learning profile
50–60 minutes
Whole-class discussion on identity and the media
15 minutes
Lunch and “canteen” simulation celebration
90–120 minutes
Homework: E-journal assignment 15–20 minutes
Homework: Unit evaluation
PRE-ASSESSMENT
(30–50 minutes)L E S S O N S E Q U E N C E A N D D E S C R I P T I O N T E A C H E R C O M M E N T A R Y
Pre-assessment.Before beginning this unit, use an informal assessment, like a questionnaire, to pre-assess the students’
prior knowledge of the historical era and related cultural genres, their technological skills, and their learning styles.
Ask students to rank their interests and strengths in areas relating to the topic.
It is also helpful to review students’ performance on any sec- ondary English and history standards assessments (particu- larly students’ writing skills) to determine students’ areas of strength and areas for improvement.
As expected, we found that the depth of prior knowledge varied from stu- dent to student. Because a portion of the unit deals with technology, it was necessary to determine student readi- ness for technology application so that we could provide appropriate scaffolding. The culminating project requires both technological skills and independent work, so we also needed to determine which students should receive coaching and direction to meet time lines and ensure high standards.
Homework: Preparatory reflective journal assignment.The day before the beginning of the unit, ask students to view Felix Vallotton’sVerdun(1917) on a bookmarked Web site (or provide a color photocopy of the painting for those who do not have access to the Internet). Ask students to discuss the painting in a journal reflection. Their task is to interpret the action or “plot” of the painting, citing visual cues that support their assertions.
We wanted students to prepare for the first day of the unit by writing about their perspectives on the painting the night before.
LESSON 1 Introduction: Looking Through the “I”s
(1 block) Concepts:Identity, PerspectiveGEN1; SD3; SD6–14; SD23; SD26
L E S S O N S E Q U E N C E A N D D E S C R I P T I O N T E A C H E R C O M M E N T A R Y
Guiding questions:How does your view of the world compare to others’ views of the world? How can this shape personal identity? What causes us to see through others’ “I”s and what happens when we do?
We like to begin lessons by providing students with guiding questions that support the principles we will explore that day.
Readiness group assignments and interpretations discus- sion.Divide students into readiness groups and distribute copies of theTiered Discussion Questions(see Sample 5.1, page 207) focused on Vallotton’sVerdun. The different ques- tion sets serve as “lenses” in that they’re designed to solicit a particular interpretation of the painting.
We placed students in differentiated groups here based on the outcomes of ongoing assessment of student writ- ing and critical thinking conducted during the early part of the semester.
The discussion questions are differen- tiated based on increasing complexity and abstractness.
Students present their group findings to the whole class.
Discuss why and how they interpreted the painting from different perspectives and what that reveals about personal identity.
Our purpose here was to help stu- dents discover the disparity between differing views among groups and their personal views. We wanted them to inductively experience the connection between the concept of identity and the varied perspectives illuminated in art and other media.
Introduction of unit concepts.Explain the concept of the unit through an analogy of looking through bifocal lenses.
The view that seems farther away and more encompassing—
the identity of a larger group—is contrasted to the view that is nearer—the identity of the individual.
The goal of this discussion was to draw the distinction between the macro and micro view of perspective.
Use prepared transparencies during this discussion: one showing a pair of bifocal eyeglasses, a plain black circle (to suggest a contact lens), and a set of various colored over- lay “lenses” displaying symbols that represent major concepts and groups of the World War eras (a red swastika, a green Star of David, a blue U.S. Army star, a yellow peace symbol, and so on).
Place each symbol transparency, in turn, on top of the “con- tact lens,” and briefly note the views the symbol represents.
Conclude by covering the contact lens with a transparency depicting a question mark. Tell students that throughout the unit, they will work on identifying their own views.
This activity appeals to visual/spatial learners and offers another venue for students to explore the unit’s funda- mental concepts.
Poem by Yeats and class discussion.Students read and dis- cuss W. B. Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming,” focusing on a
“vision” of war and its effect on human experience.
We chose Yeats’s poem because we decided its apocalyptic nature would make an impression on students and set the serious tone of the unit.
After students read the poem, ask them the following questions:
• What would you expect to appear at asecond coming and how does that differ from Yeats’s view?
• What is the symbolism of his vision?
• What historical forces do you think prompt people, including poets, to predict vast upheavals, new civiliza- tions, and even the end of the world?
• What shapes the poet’s views?
Introduction of the Virtual Memorial Project.Explain the final project, which involves the creation of a Web site of a
“Virtual Memorial Museum” displaying the students’ culmi- nating unit project.
Introducing the culminating project at this point was a way to inspire stu- dents and show them this unit would lead to an authentic product.
Homework: E-journal assignment differentiated by readiness.Assign each student one of three reflection prompts based on readiness.
Prompt 1 (Below Grade-Level Learners)
What do you think the poets of today “see” in our world?
Prompt 2 (Grade-Level Learners)
How does looking through “different lenses” explain the events of September 11, 2001?
Prompt 3 (Advanced Learners)
What might be a modern symbol to represent the 21st century? Explain.
Students’ groupings for the painting determined their prompt assignment.
We decided journal prompts would be a regular, ongoing assignment.
Note:Arranging for students to use an “e-journal” to chronicle their reflections throughout this unit is a way to reinforce the technological component of the final project and increase stu- dent accountability. Under this arrangement, students log into a Web site to record their reflections and responses to prompts. They also have the option to read classmates’ reflec- tions. The teacher has the option of accessing e-journals dur- ing class discussions.
Programs such as Blackboard and CyberLearning Labs are useful for set- ting up and coordinating this type of activity.
Introduction of the real-world video diary option.After explaining the e-journal process, instruct students that at arranged times throughout the unit, they may respond to any of the concepts from the lessons in a “real-world” video diary entry. This response is optional.
These entries can be edited and streamed onto the Web site with student and parent permission.
Video diary entries are featured in a variety of current television shows popular with our students. We felt that giving them the opportunity to do such an entry would not only rein- force the concept of struggle with individual identity, but would also motivate students and heighten their interest in the unit.
Note:The video diary entry requires both equipment and a separate location where students can be alone with the cam- era for 5 to 10 minutes each. Students might make appoint- ments with the media specialist before or after school, or during lunch or any other free time during the school day.
LESSON 2 It’s Not Just a Job
(2 blocks)Concepts:Identity, Conflict, Perspective GEN1; SD3, SD6–14, SD22, SD25–26
L E S S O N S E Q U E N C E A N D D E S C R I P T I O N T E A C H E R C O M M E N T A R Y
Guiding questions:What does it mean to be a soldier? Is it a job? What are the qualifications or tasks? Should a soldier’s job be classified as an “occupation”?
In general, we like to use guiding questions as anticipatory sets, posting them in the class and using them as seeds for discussion. In this unit, some questions are more rhetorical and some are more literal, but all frame the thinking for the day’s lesson.
Carousel brainstorming in random small groups.Assign students randomly to groups of approximately four or five.
Post sheets of chart paper for each group at various points in the room, or use sections of whiteboards/chalkboards. Groups brainstorm answers to the question, “What jobs do soldiers perform?” elaborating as much as possible.
On cue, groups classify the soldier’s jobs they brainstormed, categorizing like tasks and assigning a name to each category.
For examples, the categories might be equipment preparation, guard duty, and active battle.
Next, also on cue, the small groups move from chart to chart, adding helpful feedback to the other groups’ key category def- initions.
Finally, reconvene as a whole group and agree on the key cat- egories of a soldier’s jobs.
This lesson features flexible grouping, with random groups in the carousel brainstorming and readiness-based groups in the poetry study that fol- lows. Flexible grouping is a way to ensure students are working with a variety of peers in one class period.
Tiered poetry reading and “transparency talk” classifica- tion differentiated by readiness.Divide students into readi- ness groups and assign specific poems that match reading and writing levels.
Students’ readiness group assign- ments were based on reading level, prior writing products, ongoing infor- mal assessment (observations, discus- sion, etc.), and ability to self-assess.