English Language Arts 6-9: Sample Unit: Surviving Life's Challenges

Sample Unit
Pushed to the Limit: Surviving Life's Challenges (Grade 7)

Contexts: Personal, Social, Inquiry, Environmental, Philosophical
Time Line: 5-7 weeks

Objectives

The foundational objectives develop gradually and continuously throughout the Middle Level. The following learning objectives have been selected as the focus for this grade 7 sample unit.

Speaking

Students will extend their abilities to recognize that talk is an important tool for communicating, thinking, and learning.

identify specific ways that talk helps to clarify thinking
identify specific ways that talk helps in exploring ideas and expressing understanding
use talk to share feelings and opinions.

Students will extend their abilities to practise the behaviours of effective speakers.

organize ideas and opinions in appropriate formats in preparation for sharing or presenting orally
summarize ideas discussed and state own view in light of the discussion.

Students will extend their abilities to speak fluently in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes and audiences.

speak to describe own and others' experiences
participate effectively in group discussions.

Listening

Students will extend their abilities to recognize that listening is an active, constructive process.

demonstrate willingness to be active listeners
value listening as a means of learning and enjoyment.

Students will extend their abilities to practise the behaviours of effective, active listeners.

concentrate on the message of the speaker(s) and respond with interest.

Students will extend their abilities to listen effectively in a variety of situations for a variety of purposes.

listen in order to follow directions, participate in a discussion, and appreciate or enjoy.

Writing

Students will extend their abilities to recognize that writing is a constructive and recursive process.

value their own experiences, opinions, observations, and ideas as sources for authentic writing.

Students will extend their abilities to practise the behaviours of effective writers.

generate and explore ideas for writing using a variety of pre-writing techniques
shape and develop pre-writing into a written draft by using formats appropriate to purpose and audience
reflect upon own writing, and revise for clarity of meaning and appropriate detail by adding, rearranging, or deleting ideas
respond sensitively and constructively during peer conferences
consciously attend to the conventions and rules of written language when revising
proofread and edit to ensure that word choices are vivid and that they accurately convey the intended meaning
polish final drafts, when required, using pre-established criteria appropriate to chosen format
share writing-in-progress and final drafts in various ways.

Reading

Students will extend their abilities to recognize that reading is an active, constructive process.

recognize that reading is an active process in which readers interact with text to construct meaning within the context of their own understanding and experiences.

Students will extend their abilities to practise the behaviours of effective, strategic readers

with prompting, draw on prior knowledge and experience when constructing meaning and responding to text
make and confirm or correct predictions
use cues (graphophonic, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic) to construct meaning from text
reflect on their personal and critical response to what they read, and share their responses with others
consider others' responses in reshaping and extending their own responses.

Students will extend their abilities to read fluently and confidently a variety of texts for a variety of purposes.

read willingly when prompted or when seeking relevant information
identify with and develop a personal appreciation of characters in a story.

Integrated Language Study

Students will extend their abilities to:

know that a sentence requires a subject and a predicate
write simple sentences
combine simple sentences into compound and complex sentences for effectiveness and clarity of communication
revise wordy sentences by editing out words and phrases that are unnecessary to the meaning of the sentence
recognize and produce conventional spellings of common, familiar words
use resources such as spelling rules (e.g., i before e except after c), graphophonic cues, dictionaries, peers, and teachers to assist when spelling unfamiliar words.

Common Essential Learnings

Many of the objectives for English language arts also develop knowledge, skills, and processes related to the C.E.L.s of Communication, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Values and Skills, and Independent learning. In addition, other C.E.L.s may be emphasized, depending upon the unit topic or theme. Objectives related to the C.E.L.s for this sample unit are stated below to provide direction for teachers. However, emphasis on particular C.E.L.s within a unit does not preclude the development of other C.E.L.s.

The following objectives related to the C.E.L.s were selected for this sample unit:

give reflective, emotional, and imaginative responses to what they read, listen to, or view (CCT)
rethink previous learning (CCT)
demonstrate respect for all persons regardless of race, gender, age, or ability (PSVS)
demonstrate empathy, sympathy, fairness, loyalty, co-operation, and patience for others (PSVS)
make choices in learning that reflect their needs and interests (IL)
co-operate with teachers to determine and monitor their learning processes and products (IL).

Unit Focus and Direction

Middle Level students who are striving to develop their own confidence and strategies for coping with a variety of daily challenges are intrigued by stories about real and fictional characters who are "pushed to the limit" by challenging situations and events. Through reading experiences, Middle Level students may recognize that they are not the only ones who have emotional or moral burdens and social and cultural conflicts. If students recognize some aspect of themselves or their lives in a character or situation, they may discover possibilities for their own growth toward independence and maturity; therefore, it is crucial that all students be engaged in excellent literature and resources that include characters with whom they can identify.

This unit provides opportunities for students to explore situations and events that involve personal and social challenges. Students are encouraged to identify with characters who demonstrate their personal courage and determination, their social commitment, and their physical or intellectual capabilities in life-like situations. In the process of struggling to survive, alone or as part of a group, the characters change. Often, so do Middle Level students who interact with these characters in their reading, writing, listening, and speaking experiences.

Some questions that students may explore during this unit include the following:

What is a challenge?
What are some events or situations that might push people to their limits?
What does it mean to survive life's challenges?
When people are pushed to their limits, how do they feel? How do they deal with the challenge? What kinds of things do they do? Who do they call upon for help?
What are some things that might happen when someone is pushed to the limit?
Do all people have the same limits or find the same things challenging?
How do people change when they survive their challenges? Do they change physically, emotionally, spiritually ...?
What is the effect of the challenging experience on the people involved?
What healing is necessary following the survival of the challenging experience?
What did the healing process include?

In the process of exploring what characters do when pushed to the limit, students may also reflect upon questions such as the following:

What are some things that might push me to my limits?
What are some challenges in my life?
Have I encountered difficult challenges in the past?
How did I feel? How did I deal with it? What did I do? Who helped me?
How have I changed as a result of being pushed to my limits?

Throughout the unit, students will engage in the language processes of speaking, listening, writing, and reading in an integrated manner. It is important to provide for integrated language study in context, whenever it is relevant and required. Some suggestions are made in the lesson plans; however, teachers will need to determine their students' needs and ability levels to decide when and where to provide language study support.

Students will need:

one three-ring binder with three dividers for mini-lesson information, individual vocabulary study, and individual spelling monitoring
one bound notebook for Reader Response activities
one writing folder/portfolio.

Adaptive Dimension

The Adaptive Dimension empowers teachers to make adjustments in a variety of areas in order to meet individual student needs. Throughout this unit, teachers should make adjustments as required in learning environment, instruction, curriculum topics, resources, and assessment and evaluation. The duration of the adaptation may range from five minutes of individual assistance to whole class instruction over an extended time frame. See the introductory section of this curriculum guide for more information about the Adaptive Dimension.

Instructional Strategies

Throughout this unit teachers will use a variety of instructional strategies. Each lesson includes some methods from each of the following strategies: direct instruction, indirect instruction, independent study, and interactive instruction. Instructional Approaches: A Framework for Professional Practice (Saskatchewan Education, 1991) provides detailed information about each of these strategies and describes methods of instruction that fit into each strategy.

Assessment and Evaluation Strategies

This unit provides opportunities for the use of the following strategies:

self-assessment, peer assessment, teacher assessment

observation checklists

anecdotal notes

writing portfolios

rating scales and rubrics

Reader Response Journals

individualized spelling and vocabulary records

oral presentations.

Teachers should use a variety of assessment tools on a daily basis. Sample assessment tools are provided in this curriculum guide. These may be used as printed, or they may be adapted to accommodate observation of specific lesson objectives and student needs. Teachers should make students aware of the criteria for their assessment and evaluation early in the unit. Whenever possible and appropriate, students should be involved in establishing these criteria.

Resources

The bibliography lists resources that may be used for this unit; however, teachers may find it necessary to select other resources that are more appropriate for their students' needs and interests. In addition, there may be resources that are already known by the teacher or that are more readily available at the time.

Note: The bibliography that accompanies this guide will be updated regularly to include suitable new releases. Teachers are encouraged to select resources from the bibliography and from their own repertoire of literature, considering the needs and interests of their students.

Teacher Preparation

Select a wide variety of resources that are appropriate to the theme and the students, and organize these into a classroom collection. As well as novels, include magazines, newspapers, and anthologies, and a range of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Students may choose from these for independent reading. Audio and video recordings can also be useful supplements to print media.
Select five or six novels appropriate to the theme (four or five copies of each, depending upon class size) for students' guided reading experiences. Choices may be made from the bibliography or from other available, appropriate resources. Sub-themes of the unit's survival theme have been webbed, and books identified within these sub-themes (see the following pages for an example). Teachers may choose to select books that relate to one sub-theme, select books that relate to a variety of the sub-themes, or develop other sub-themes.
Select one short novel appropriate to the theme for a teacher read-aloud. Some possible choices for this unit include Tikta'liktak, Carver, Journey, and The Barn (see the bibliography for annotations). Each of these is short and has characters who experience a challenge and survive when pushed to the limit. It is essential for teachers to read the chosen book prior to reading it aloud to the students. This prevents any surprises and enhances the effectiveness of the read-aloud.
Determine how class times and procedures will be structured. The following are some considerations: the structure and organization of the writing process; the time and organization for Reader Response, Literature Circles and independent reading; the number of oracy activities and their structure; how language study will be integrated; expectations regarding Vocabulary Logs and personal spelling lists; and the assessment and evaluation of the unit. (Teachers may wish to determine some or all of the procedures in collaboration with students; however, it is useful to have considered the possibilities beforehand).
Prepare a unit overview handout for students. See the following pages for an example and a sample concept web of novel titles related to unit sub-themes.
Prepare a Literature Circle folder for each Literature Circle group. The folder, to be kept in the classroom, should contain the following items:
Literature Circle Information Sheet (one copy). This provides the group with information about the reading of the novel, group discussions, and group roles.
Individual Reading Schedule (one copy for each member of the group). This is an individual recordkeeping sheet for each student. It provides the teacher and student with information about the students' reading progress.
Role Sheets for each of the following: Discussion Co-ordinator, Summarizer, Language Master, and Recorder. (Alternative roles may be chosen depending upon students' abilities and needs.)
Literature Circle Projects (one copy for each member of the group). This informs students about continuing projects and about their choices for an end of the unit novel celebration project. See Lesson 10 for an example.
Using different coloured paper for each folder item can make for easy reference when the teacher is explaining their uses. See samples of the forms described above in the Reading section of the curriculum.

Teacher as Reflective Practitioner

Observations made during daily classroom instruction and learning help teachers to question and reflect upon their practice. When teachers ask questions about such things as the effects of their instruction, student engagement in activities, and student progress, they find ways to improve their practice and make learning more rewarding for their students. Within each lesson of the sample unit, one or two questions provide possibilities for teacher reflection; teachers may use these questions or develop their own questions, depending upon their purposes and needs. Often, teachers record their observations, questions, and reflection in journals or notebooks as a means of maintaining records of decisions that have helped shape their practice.

Activities in this Unit

The suggested times for activities within each lesson are approximate and are intended only to serve as guidelines. Teachers may need to adjust these times according to their students' needs, interests, responses, and requirements.

The following chart outlines the unit's activities that will provide students with integrated experiences in writing, reading, speaking, and listening.

Writing

personal experience narrative

news article

poem

Reader Response
Reading

teacher read-alouds

sustained silent reading of short selections and Literature Circle novel

independent reading selections

Speaking

Reader Response

discussion during Literature Circles and during peer and teacher writing conferences

group presentations

Talking Circle
Listening

during pair, small group, and whole class discussions

Literature Circles

writing conferences

Authors' Circle

Pushed to the Limit: Surviving Life's Challenges
Sample Unit Overview for Students

What's it all about?

Each of us, almost every day, faces and deals with a variety of challenges. Some are huge and difficult to deal with, while others are small and easier to overcome. Throughout this unit we will read about characters, real and fictional, who experience challenges, both big and small. We will think about their challenges and try to understand the choices they made when they were pushed to their limits. We will also write and talk about their challenges, and in the process write and talk about challenges we have experienced. During the unit we will explore such questions as:

What are some events or situations that might push people to their limits?
What is a challenge?
What does it mean to "survive" life's challenges?
When people are pushed to their limits, how do they feel? How do they deal with the challenge? What kinds of things do they do? Who do they call upon for help?
What are some things that might happen when someone is pushed to the limit?
Do all people have the same limits or find the same things challenging?
What are the qualities or characteristics of a survivor?
How do people change when they survive especially difficult challenges?
What is the effect of the challenging experience on the people involved?
What healing was necessary following the survival of the challenging experience?
What did the healing process include?

In the process of exploring what characters do when pushed to the limit we will also reflect upon questions such as:

What are some things that might push me to my limits?
What are some challenges in my life?
Have I encountered difficult challenges in the past?
How did I feel? How did I deal with it? What did I do? Who helped me?
How have I changed as a result of being pushed to my limits?

What will we do?

Reading and Reader Response

Guided Reading: one teacher read-aloud novel, one Literature Circle novel, and a variety of short stories, poems, and nonfiction selections

Literature Circle Groups: daily projects and a group presentation project
Independent Reading: each student will set goals for reading independently
Reading Logs and Reader Response Journals
Vocabulary Logs and Individual Spelling Lists

Writer's Workshop: Writing Process

Every student will write in the following formats: personal experience narrative, news article, and poem.
Every student will write at least other piece(s) in formats of their choice.
Writing folders, portfolios, and writing logs are required.

Speaking and Listening

Students will be involved in such oral activities as Talking Circles, large and small group discussions, Literature Circles, writing conferences, and at least oral presentation(s).

How will I be assessed and evaluated?

Self-assessment

You will be required to complete checklists to assess how well you are doing during the processes of reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Peer Assessment

At times, peers will use checklists or writing conferences to provide information about what and how you are doing, and you will do the same for others.

Teacher Assessment and Evaluation

Daily Assessment: Checklists, rating scales, and notes will be used to record information about your work processes and products.
End of Unit Evaluation: Your Reading Logs and Reader Response will be worth ___ %, your writing activities will be worth ____%, and your speaking and listening activities will be worth ____%.

Get started and have fun!!

Some questions that I have about this unit are: _____________________________________

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Writing personal experience narrative news article poem Reader Response	Reading teacher read-alouds sustained silent reading of short selections and Literature Circle novel independent reading selections
Speaking Reader Response discussion during Literature Circles and during peer and teacher writing conferences group presentations Talking Circle	Listening during pair, small group, and whole class discussions Literature Circles writing conferences Authors' Circle

Sample Unit Pushed to the Limit: Surviving Life's Challenges (Grade 7)