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| What makes a story worth telling/retelling? |
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| Students explore the role of cultural representation through both informational and literary reading. They analyze texts surrounding the issue. Because this unit involves students engaging in individual inquiry around shorter texts, it is recommended that you make space on a regular basis for reading a shared novel that connects to the purpose for this unit. There are various ways to have students engage with the shared text: with daily read alouds and discussions, informal book clubs, or a combination of the two. The shared novels are not expected to be taught as novel study (i.e. with explicit lessons or independent assignments leading toward mastery of the content of the book itself); rather they are intended to engage students in the Essential Questions and to create shared schema so that students may make connections to the lessons, the short shared texts, and possibly to their independent choice reading in a supported way. Because of this, you may choose to engage in the shared reading opportunities before the first lesson of this unit, and you may continue to integrate your shared reading routines as you introduce the lessons that follow. Novels that may work well for shared reading around the Essential Questions include (but are not limited to): Everything Sad is Untrue: A True Story by Daniel Nayeri, When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller, The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor. More information on suggested texts for this unit can be found in the suggested text list.
In addition to a shared novel, the lessons outlined below will provide several short shared texts that are both narrative and informational to support this study of representation in traditional literature of multiple cultures. As they progress throughout the unit, students will work either in groups or independently to inquire about a tale from a culture not typically represented by mainstream American media and will develop an essay and corresponding presentation to a focus group at a movie studio to determine whether or not to develop plans for this story’s telling or retelling. In a written analysis, students will elaborate on the points made in their presentation.
Though it is not required, if you choose to connect students’ independent reading to this unit through independent choice reading and/or book clubs, you may do that by either having students read other texts written by and that depict the culture they are exploring in their inquiry for their “pitch'' or you may have them explore the genre of retellings. The Suggested Text List can get you started in making these connections should you choose to do so.
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| MI: English Language Arts 6-12 Key Ideas and Details
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. RL.8.1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. RL.8.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text. 6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. RL.8.6.Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. RL.8.7. Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. 9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. RL.8.9. Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity
10. Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. RL.8.10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6–8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. 9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. W.8.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. W.8.9a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new”). Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. SL.8.4. Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with relevant evidence, sound valid reasoning, and well-chosen details; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. Vocabulary Acquisition and Use
4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate. L.8.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words or phrases based on grade 8 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. L.8.4a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. L.8.4b. Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word (e.g., precede, recede, secede). L.8.4c. 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 or its part of speech. L.8.4d. Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary). © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved. | |
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| - Who decides whose stories get told?
How do we recognize when there are voices missing or underrepresented? How does the context affect how an audience reads/views a story? What ideas and themes from classic/traditional literature endure and have relevance today? Which details get outdated?
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| Pre-assessments: Students work independently to identify a story they feel should be (or should not be) made into a movie. They articulate their stance and support it with textual evidence, as well as with evidence from instruction during the unit. Students’ writing supports them as they present their ideas to a focus group of peers.
The single point rubrics used in the summative assessment may also be used for pre-assessment purposes.
Suggestions for Summative Assessment: Students select a fairy tale/folktale/fable and create a written analysis of the tale. Then, students select applicable portions of their written analysis to use during a simulated focus group presentation. Single point rubrics can help guide feedback and reflection for this assessment. | Applying Consulting Deciding Determining Presenting Supporting Verifying |
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| Click here to access detailed lesson plans for this unit. For additional context and support with the instructional approaches in all of the units, please click here.
| These units are intended to be a free curriculum resource available widely at no cost to Michigan schools and teachers. Because of this, the lessons in these units contain links to any required instructional materials for implementing individual lessons. In order to support the instructional practices throughout the units, your district should consider providing resources and materials in the following areas: - Suggested anchor and mentor texts: Throughout the units, you will find suggested texts to use as anchor and mentor texts when modeling reading and writing instruction. Because the units are built around standards and instructional practices, they are not about the content found within any given text, and so any suggested text may be substituted for alternate texts as appropriate given the focus and standards of the unit. Text selection in these units prioritizes diverse representation of characters, situations, and authors including, but not limited to, racial and ethnic background, gender, LGBTQ+ identity, genre, format (e.g. graphic novels, novels in verse, etc.), and complexity levels. If you are considering alternate or additional texts, it is critical to the integrity of these units that diverse representation is maintained. If you wish to use the suggested texts included in the unit, you can find free-access materials linked within each lesson template. Because the unit writers prioritized a commitment to engaging, inclusive texts, there are some suggestions for texts and trade books that are not available in free, open-access platforms. Texts that you may want to consider purchasing for teacher and/or student use can be found within the unit as well as in this document that lists Texts and Resources to Consider Purchasing . For schools that own a Newsela ELA subscription, this document provides suggested Newsela resources to supplement each unit.
- Abundant choice reading materials: Because these units are built upon workshop principles, students’ opportunity to independently select and engage in a wide range and volume of reading is critical. Access to school libraries and media specialists will significantly support implementation of these units. Additionally, individual classroom libraries will provide further and crucial resources necessary for the differentiation and gradual release of responsibility necessary to implementing these units with fidelity.
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