Turning a Lesson into a Unit

Worksheet Steps 1-10*	Step Activity
Grading Period Content Planning	Understanding Satire Satire and Mark Twain Historical Background/ Begin reading Review and Close Read Chapter 4 Compare/Contrast Movie and Book EQ: Does the movie serve the same satirical purpose as the book?  Support your answer with evidence from both. Analysis Paragraph on a Satirical Scene from the book (working toward later skits)  Read and pre-write Essay Analysis Essay EQ: How is Mark Twain’s use of satire in Huckleberry Finn reflective of his personal views?  Satire Skits
Unit/Week Organization	Understanding Satire Minor Content Areas: Satirical terminology, Model application of terminology, Group work application of terminology, Close read and analyze a short written work, Knowledge check
Scope & Sequence	Monday: Satirical Terminology (Introduce larger topic and define devices) Tuesday: Model Application of Terminology (Use a short video to understand an apply the devices) Wednesday: Group Work Application of Terminology (Students work in groups to find devices in two more short videos) Thursday: Close Read and Analyze a Short Written Work       (As a class, we will close read and analyze a short story written by Mark Twain) Friday: Knowledge Check (A quiz on satirical devices, their application, and analysis)
Content Area Standards	ELA Reading (Literature), Standard 6 Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in the text from what is really means (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Learner Outcome/Objective	Students will be able to identify and analyze the author’s point of view based on their use of a particular satirical style and devices. Students will be able to tell what the author really means based on the words they use, even if those words seem to mean the opposite of their surface meaning.
Pre-Assessment/Warm Up/Prior Learning Connection (Formative Assessment)	Students will be shown the following cartoon: They will write for 5 minutes answering the following questions:   1. What story is this picture telling?   2. Is it a happy or sad picture? How do you know?   3. Is this picture asking the viewer to change in any way?  If so, what change?  How do you know? They will then talk to a partner about their answers. Each pair will share one of their findings with the class. The teacher will use students’ answers as the jumping off point to start talking about satirical devices. As the teacher takes students through the PowerPoint of devices, she will connect those devices to real world tv shows, movies, and other media.  The goal being students recognize that satire is literally all around them and be able to determine the message behind this form of humor. By having students answer simple questions as a lead-in, the teacher gets an informal baseline of what the students already know about satire.  At that point, the teacher can use that knowledge in their explanation of the terminology. As with the study of rhetorical devices that the students will have done earlier in the year, the study of satire is more about being able to recognize is and analyze it than it is about the specific terminology.  Starting without terminology builds students’ confidence.
Teaching Strategy/Learning Activity	Monday – Graffiti.  As part of their sharing during the warm-up, students will write the answers they discussed with their partners on large sheets of paper around the room.  This way they all have a chance to share, but no one has the pressure of talking about an unfamiliar topic with the whole class.  The teacher can then easily refer back to these answers as they move through the lecture. Tuesday – Teacher Model.  As a class, we will watch a video and fill-in our analysis charts.  The students will then begin to work in small groups to analyze two more videos. Wednesday – Small Groups.  Students will finish work on the videos and we will begin analysis of a short story by Mark Twain.  This time, there will be no teacher model and the students will immediately set to working in groups. Thursday – Vocabulary Bingo.  Students will get Bingo sheets with satirical devices on them.  Teacher will give either a definition or an example and students will check-off the device.  This will help students assess their own knowledge and give them a quick guide as to what they should focus their study time on for the quiz. Friday – Quiz.  Students will demonstrate their learning over the course of the week on a short (no more than 30 question) quiz.  The teacher will use this assessment data to determine what, if anything, needs re-teaching before moving into the larger unit.
Ongoing Assessment/Check for Understanding	We will use group and class discussion to assess and guide student learning through the lesson and unit. The mini-unit culminates in a satire quiz where students will demonstrate their knowledge of satirical devices by providing examples of each and analyzing a final cartoon.
Post-Assessment/Closure	Students will take a quiz to determine their knowledge of satirical terms, their definitions, and how to use them to analyze instances of satire in media. Rubric for satire quiz: 4 3 2 1 Content Correctly defines 90% or more of the satirical terms Correctly defines 75% or more of the satirical terms Correctly defines 65% or more of the satirical terms Correctly defines 65% or fewer of the satirical terms Examples Provides accurate examples of 90% or more of the terms Provides accurate examples of 75% or more of the terms Provides passable examples of 65% or more of the terms Provides inaccurate or no examples of the terms Comprehension Accurately addresses 90% or more of the questions Accurately addresses 75% or more of the questions Accurately addresses 65% or more of the questions Accurately addresses 65% or fewer of the questions Analysis of Cartoon Accurately determines purpose and point of view Almost accurately determines purpose and point of view Attempts, but struggles to determine purpose and point of view Fails to determine purpose and point of view
Review/Grade/Reflect	After grading the students’ quizzes, I will assess where the students need more review in regard to devices and analysis.  With that information, I will review with the students before we move forward with reading Huckleberry Finn.

A video to help teach satire...

Below is one of my favorite video's to help teach satire.  Not only is it funny and easy to understand, but gives the students clear examples of several of the satirical devices the students will have learned and will work with when we get into reading Huckleberry Finn.

Analyzing this video is the first step for students to learning how to determine author's/creator's purpose and how they use satire as a means of conveying that purpose to their audience.

Here is the video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHmLljk2t8M

And here is the accompanying analysis I will model with the students:

Clip Title Describe what happened- Explicit	“Put a Bird on It” Two people go into a shop and put birds on the merchandise to make it more “artsy”.
Who and/or what is the target of satire?	The “Maker” Culture
What is the  desired change?	Stop calling things art, or your own art, just because you added or took away one thing.  Ex.: Sticking a bird (or other image) on something doesn’t mean you created it or turned it into art.
What is the TONE? (Horatian or Juvenalian?)	Horatian
FORM of satire (burlesque, caricature, farce, lampoon, parody, travesty)	Lampoon/Travesty
DEVICES used (circle all) exaggeration                    understatement    incongruity                      deflation            linguistic games              surprise               irony                                invective         mock encomium             grotesque           comic juxtaposition        mock epic/heroic       parody                             inflation        diminution	Explain each device used- where/why/how does it appear? Implicit Exaggeration coupled with deflation - They take the “maker” culture, reduce it down to a base element and over-blow that element.  They put birds on items that would never need decoration such as a piece of toast Comic juxtaposition/Grotesque - fake birds vs. real bird and gross factor when all of the birds enter the store. Surprise - after all their talk of putting birds on things, a bird suddenly flies into the shop. Inflation - Two ways: 1. Putting birds on things like you created something. 2. A bird flies in the shop and they freak out and kill it like it’s the most disgusting thing in the world. Invective - Male character insults female character when putting a bird on something leads to injury Irony - The birds that are praised and loved at the end are despised as they destroy the store.

Thoughts on Warm-ups

For my classes, we use the same format for warm-ups every day.  Students come in, take out paper and pencil, and do a quick write to answer a question.  After writing for about 5 minutes, they turn and talk about their answers with a partner, then each pair shares their answer with the class.  As a structure, this gets the students focused in on a question, it starts them discussing, and it will tell me what at least half the class knows about the question.  And because of the two different types of discussion, those students who are confused or need extra help get the start of that help.

Specifically, when I start to teach about a new topic, I create warm-ups that start students thinking about the topic in non-academic terms.  For example, to start my unit on satire, I would show the students the following picture:

And simply ask them to write about what they notice.  Specifically:
1. What story is this picture telling?
2. Is it a happy or sad picture?  How do you know?
3. Is this picture asking the viewer to change in any way?  How do you know?

These questions seem overly simple, but they are perfect to engage students in the complicated topic of satire without overwhelming them with a lot of terminology.  Each question points to an element of the larger topic of satire and as we deconstruct the warm-up as a class, I have the opportunity to insert academic terminology into the discussion.

Turning one lesson plan into a full unit plan

A. Unpack the Common Core standard

Standard:  ELA Reading (Literature), Standard 6

Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in the text from what it really means (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

Key noun(s): Point of View, Satire

Key verb(s): Analyze, Grasp, Distinguish

B. Scope and Sequence of Content

According to Paula Rutherford, “The rules of the road for teaching are to Frame the Learning by asking them what they already know, presenting new information, and asking them to make connections as you go” (2012, p. 4).  In my view, this means that I need to let students get a good look at the man behind the curtain.  I cannot just be their Great and Powerful Oz, I should be their navigator as they drive down the educational road.  If they know where I expect them to go, they are more likely to get there the first and be able to find that place again on their own.

And it would seem that, once they know the sequence and the destination, the scope of their learning must be brought under control so that students are not overwhelmed by too much information or unrealistic expectations.  In my previous post, I mentioned the “Curve of Forgetting” very briefly.  It would seem that many experts (outside of AVID) agree that this “Curve of Forgetting” is both real and needs to be constantly addressed in the classroom.  As long ago as 1885, Hermann Ebbinghaus postulated, “47 percent of forgetting occurs in the first twenty minutes [after a lesson] with 62 percent occurring within the first day” (Rutherford, 2012, p. 1).  This suggests that the scope of your units should be deep and narrow in order to be able to touch on the same concept for several days in a row to reduce the amount of time given over to forgetting. 

Additionally, if we want students’ learning to be applicable outside the classroom, they need to constantly demonstrate those skills in new ways.  Howard Gardner says, “I consider an individual to have understood when he or she can take knowledge, concepts, skills, and facts and apply them in new situations where they are appropriate” (Rutherford, 2012, p. 1).  So, if we make the sequence transparent for our students, keep the scope focused in tight, use the concepts frequently in the classroom, and give students varying situations in which to apply the skills, we should be well on our way to a classroom where real and concrete learning can be seen not only on tests and projects, but in the real world as well.

C. Unit plan chart

This unit is meant to take 5-6 50 minute class periods, or 2 regular days and 2 block schedule days.  Because it is an introduction to Satire in preparation for a longer unit applying that knowledge to Huckleberry Finn, the scope is both narrow and broad.  I will not cover many devices that fall outside the realm of those used in the book, but in order to get them into the concepts, we do have to talk broadly about what satire is and how it is used.  The 5-6 days look something like this:

Day 1              Satire PowerPoint

(Introduction to the topic and devices)

Days 2-3        Analysis worksheet

(Apply those devices)

Day 3-5          “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” story analysis

(Apply and analyze devices in a short work by Mark Twain)

Day 5 or 6     Satire Quiz

(knowledge check to see if anything needs re-teaching before moving into

reading Huckleberry Finn)

Day of the Week	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Day 5
Essential Question	What is satire?	How can we identify when satire is in use?	How can we identify when satire is in use?	For what purpose do artists utilize satire?	What is satire?
Standard (write out)	ELA Reading (Literature), Standard 6 Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in the text from what it really means (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).	ELA Reading (Literature), Standard 6 Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in the text from what it really means (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).	ELA Reading (Literature), Standard 6 Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in the text from what it really means (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).	ELA Reading (Literature), Standard 6 Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in the text from what it really means (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).	ELA Reading (Literature), Standard 6 Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in the text from what it really means (e.g. satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).
Relevance	Identifying types of humor used in everyday media	Understanding why that humor is used for greater comedic value from everyday media	Understanding why that humor is used for greater comedic value from everyday media	Understanding the message and motive behind the use of satire for greater insight into the media students consume	Identify, describe, and analyze satire in media for greater understanding and humor
Real World Application	Understanding how and why satire is used gives students the ability to discern when a form of media is supposed to be taken seriously or laughed at.	Understanding how and why satire is used gives students the ability to discern when a form of media is supposed to be taken seriously or laughed at.	Understanding how and why satire is used gives students the ability to discern when a form of media is supposed to be taken seriously or laughed at.	Understanding how and why satire is used gives students the ability to discern when a form of media is supposed to be taken seriously or laughed at.	Understanding how and why satire is used gives students the ability to discern when a form of media is supposed to be taken seriously or laughed at.
Purpose for Learning	Understand and analyze satire in Huckleberry Finn	Understand and analyze satire in Huckleberry Finn	Understand and analyze satire in Huckleberry Finn	Understand and analyze satire in Huckleberry Finn	Understand and analyze satire in Huckleberry Finn

References

California Department of Education (March 2013). English Language Arts 6-12. In California Common Core State Standards English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. Retrieved from https://nu.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-3514815-dt-content-rid6663297_1/users/021059800/finalelaccssstandards.pdf

Rutherford, P. (2012). Active Learning and Engagement Strategies. Alexandria, VA: Just ASK Publications & Professional Development.

A (brief) discussion on Content

Mostly, the ELA modules emphasized for me how well I am already doing in aligning my classroom with common core.  The two big things that stuck out for me were the following:

1. There is a large focus on vocabulary acquisition and an emphasis on the fact that said vocabulary is necessary not only for English for for all other academic subjects as well.  Yet, it seems to suggest that acquiring this vocabulary should primarily take place in the English classroom.  However, would it not be better to purposefully introduce and use this vocabulary across all the relevant subjects in order to increase the chances that students truly assimilate the vocabulary instead of just learning it for a test or quiz?  I ask this because I absolutely abide by something called "The Curve of Forgetting."  If you haven't worked with it, I highly suggest you look it up.

2. The reading and annotation strategy suggested in the module is a paired down version of an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) strategy.  In AVID, they call it "Marking the Text," and there are many things that students are taught to look for and to question in order to deepen their knowledge of whichever text they are working with in class.  I have found "Marking the Text" to be highly effective in not only helping students enhance their knowledge, but in helping me to determine where students are still confused and need more help from me.

On (finally) becoming a teacher...

As you can see by the other posts in this blog, I've never really been able to decide what I wanted to write to the world about.  I suppose this will also tell you that I can never decide what face I want to show to the world.  Each time I pick one, it is authentic and very much a part of me, but I always feel as if I am leaving out something that is essential.

So, at the risk of leaving out more than I say, this is me:

This photo was taken during my last year of graduate school while I was directing my MFA production of Romeo and Juliet (with an all-male cast).  Since graduating, I've worked for three different theatre companies, briefly started my own, moved from one coast to the other, got engaged, worked retail, substituted, got married, moved three times, started work on a teaching credential, and finally, had a baby.  Phew.  Been a busy six years.

I decided I wanted to teach when I was in high school.  I was dead set on being a history professor like my grandfather.  Once I got into college, I changed my mind and studied theatre.  I bounced around for a while, but I always came back to teaching as the thing I wanted to do.  After being out of grad school for a while, and having applied for quite a few college teaching jobs only to be turned down every time, I gave up on my dream.  Once I started substituting and got into the classroom, I remembered why I wanted to teach so much.  The more I substituted for high school, the more I came to love working with teenagers.  After a long-term sub job working with 11th graders, I knew it was time to get a teaching credential and continue working with high school students.  For me, my path has always been leading me to teaching.  No matter how hard I tried, I was never meant to do anything else.

How did your personality affect your choice of content area?

Whenever I take any sort of personality test, my results tend to be all over the map.  And depending on the test format, my results vary.  The first version of the test had me as ESFJ:

And the second had me as ESTJ:
Extraverted (E) 71%           Introverted (I) 29%
Sensing (S) 64%                 Intuitive (N) 36%
Thinking (T) 60%               Feeling (F) 40%
Judging (J) 59%                  Perceiving (P) 41%

None of those results are massive swings on either side.  What this tells me is that my personality tends in a direction, but it's very easy for me to see (and sometimes experience) the other options.  I think this is why I enjoy the study of English.  I love books.  I love to see the world through someone else's eyes, to experience their story.

However, if you look at my profile as concrete, I really should be teaching math or science; subjects where there is one right answer or one correct way of doing things.  But I love English.  I love that, given enough space, we can justify any position using only our words.  And I'm about to move into things to do with students, so...

How does or will your personality affect your relationships with your students?

I love being able to tell my students that, when working with concepts like rhetoric and argument, there are no wrong answers.  If you have the idea, can find evidence for it, and back it up with reasoning, then it's correct.  It doesn't matter if it's the answer I would have come up with.  This confuses many students and they feel lost at first, but watching them learn how to justify their position on any issue through what we learn in class is such a pleasure.

Right, back to my personality type.  Being extroverted, I love being around people, so my time in the classroom (most days) energizes me.  There are days when I feel like I'm teaching into a vacuum that are less than great, but mostly I love interacting with people all day.  And fortunately, because I am fairly balanced, I have the ability to relate to most of my students.

How will your teaching and learning style affect your teaching and your students' abilities to be successful?

I am definitely and aural learner.  This is consistent with what the learning style test told me.  According to that test, I am conclusively and Active learning, marginally an Intuitive learning (note that this is opposite of my Myers-Briggs profile), a Verbal learner, and a Global learner (again note that this is the opposite result).  The part of this that affects my teaching most is the verbal part.  I like to talk to my students.  I have to work really hard to accommodate other learning styles and teach to them.  I suppose it's lucky that I already know this about myself, but knowing doesn't make it any easier to actually fix in practice.  I have to work really hard when lesson planning to vary up my teaching style and make sure I'm not just talking at the students all the time.  It's a constant struggle.

Below is my teaching profile.  I will tell you that I honestly have no idea what these results mean.  I would seem to pull my style from every category, but I don't really know what the categories mean, how they interact, or if this is a good or bad thing.  I'll leave the results here and let you be the judge.

expert

formalauthority

personalmodel

facilitator

delegator

So that's me.  Or at least the teacher-y bit of me.