S+Barton+Lindsey

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=Summary of Unit= Welcome to our unit on “The Grapes of Wrath,” John Steinbeck’s account of the Great Depression. In order to fully grasp the significance of the text, first consider vocabulary. You must be able to understand the role of allegory, irony, paradox, and tone within the novel. From here, consider the people who play an important role within the text and contemplate the way setting influences these characters and their behavior. Finally, pay close attention to symbolism seen within the novel, such as the turtle, the “monster” of the bank, the importance of Rose of Sharon’s pregnancy, the death of the family dog, and the rotting fruit. As you create your products, trace the family’s journey and contemplate the importance of each event seen within the novel. Your final product will involve using Google Earth to create a case against land owners by tracing the family’s journey across country and showing the struggles they faced in their travels.

=Establish Goals= Maine Learning Results: English Language Arts – A. Reading A2. Literary Texts Grades 9-Diploma: “The Grapes of Wrath” Students read text within a grade appropriate span of text complexity, and present analysis of fiction using excerpts from the text to defend their assertions. a.Identify and describe settings and characters. = = =Students will understand that=
 * setting plays a large role in “The Grapes of Wrath” and setting demonstrates the characters’ behavior as well as the mood of the text.
 * literary devices are used to emphasis the drastic circumstances faced by the family.
 * desperation hinders the family’s dignity as they are forced to make life or death choices.

= = =Essential Questions=
 * // Why does setting influence the behavior of characters as well as the mood of the text? Why does setting have such a large impact? //
 * // How do literary devices depict a sense of hope or despair within the novel? //
 * // How is the dignity of the characters tested with each challenge they are faced with? //

= = =Students will know=
 * // Vocabulary: allegory, irony, paradox, and tone. //
 * // Important People: Ma and Pa Joad, Tom, Al and Noah Joad, Grampa and Grandma Joad, Rose of Sharon, Connie and Jim Casey //
 * // Symbolism: the turtle, the “monster” of the bank, pregnancy, death of the family dog, rotting fruit. //

= = =Students will be able to=
 * // identify and describe settings and characters. //
 * // retell the sequence of events and include essential details. //
 * // use a flexible range of before, during, and after reading strategies to deepen understanding of the author's meaning. //
 * // answer questions about information found directly in the text. //
 * // consider the situation, setting, and a character's traits, motivations, and feelings to determine the causes for that character's actions. //
 * // recognize the effects of common literary devices including imagery, symbolism, or metaphors. //

**Performance Task Overview**
 * You are on a team of lawyers working to defend a family forced off of their land during the depression. In order to collect evidence that the family deserves retribution, use Google Earth to pinpoint the multiple locations where the family has suffered injustices. After marking the locations, formulate an argument to present to the court explaining the significance of each location and how it has affected the family members. Analyze textual evidence and include quotes and statements from family members, as well as photos showing the damage that has been done to the family. As a lawyer defending a family who has encountered suffering due to the loss of their land during the Great Depression, you and your team are working to obtain retribution from the bankers and land owners who forced the family off their land. Your classmates are the jury and your teacher is the judge. In order to gain the retribution the family deserves, you must present a compelling argument. The information is to be presented before the jury in a courtroom. You will use Google Earth as a means of collecting information, and each location found on Google Earth will be supported through quotes and statements by family members, as well as photos and an explanation of each locations relevance. Your product will be judged upon bookmarked locations, the importance of setting, relevance, individual explanation, visual emphasis and organization. Your presentation will be judged upon staying in character, professionalism, preparedness, whether the argument is convincing, whether you were sympathetic to your family's struggles, and whether you spoke clearly. ||

Product/Presentation: You will use Google Earth as a means of collecting information, and each location found on Google Earth will be supported through quotes and statements by family members, as well as photos and an explanation of each locations relevance. Standards (criteria from both rubrics): comprehension, content, facial expression, professional, speaks clearly, preparation, stays focused.

=Expectations= In order to ensure that we are all ready to hold a discussion based on the reading material, it is essential that all reading and assignments are completed before the start of class.
 * Respect:** We will hold class discussions each day to discuss the readings. In order for everyone to feel comfortable discussing in class, everyone must show respect for all comments made, regardless if the comment differs from your own opinion.
 * Participation:** All students are expected to participate. Each student takes in text differently, thus it is essential that we all work together to create a well developed meaning of the text.
 * Absences:** If you are absent from a class it is your responsibility to see me about the work you missed as soon as you get back to school. We will discuss opportunities to meet and discuss work and information missed.
 * Redo:** If you receive a bad grade on an assignment you may do the work over again for a better grade. Students will conference with me before making up work in order to discuss a strong approach to completing the work.
 * Plagiarism:** If a students plagiarizes an assignment they will be caught and they will fail the assignment with no chance at redoing it. It is unacceptable to steal someone else's work put your own name on it. If you have any questions about quotes or citing sources please feel free to ask me. It is always better to be overly cautious when giving credit.

=Benchmarks= (Note, if you generally have a hard time speaking in class, come to speak with me in order to ensure that your communication needs are met)
 * Attendance and participation - 50 points**: I will be grading your participation based upon whole class discussions, small group discussions, and partner discussions. Your participation is valuable to me in order to understand your interpretations of the text, and it is valuable to the class as a whole to hear each student's perspective. Each student must expect and recognize that there are differing views in society, therefore students must give one another time to explain their views without interrupting or belittling.
 * Peer Work - 50 points**: We will frequently work in groups during this class, whether to discuss the text or to work on projects. While working in groups, you will have the opportunity to present your ideas and raise questions that you might not have understood in your own reading of the text. Remember that respect is essential in working with peers and that all students should listen to one another and consider all perspectives.
 * Daily Classwork/Homework - 50 points**: In order to get the most out of this class, reading the book before each class period is essential. The assigned chapters should be read with notes or highlights to help you during the class discussion. In addition, take advantage of in class time to get work done. This will help you to manage your time and will also allow you to seek help from myself as well as your peers.
 * Capzles - 150 points**: Your Capzle should be used to create a scrapbook of the Joads journey. Be creative and represent the journey in a way that you think best captures the characters. Remember, empathy is essential in creating this scrapbook as your goal is to view the journey from the characters' perspective.
 * Comic Life - 150 points**: You are creating a brochure advertising work and prosperity in California. It is your choice how you would like to represent the tone and voice within this product. Decide whether you believe the migrants were led to California under false pretenses or if farmers believed that work was available, and show your opinion indirectly through your wording within your brochure.
 * PicLib - 150 points**: You will create an interactive dictionary using PicLib. After creating a list of words or symbols that were difficult to understand, you will put the words and definitions on PicLib, creating a resource for yourself as well as your classmates.
 * iMovie of an Extended Ending - 150 points**: You will examine the end of the story and create a script of how you would have wanted Steinbeck to continue the story. Make sure to carefully examine the characters, and recognize how they have behaved throughout the novel to determine character actions and the interactions of family members within your continuance of the story.
 * iMovie of Symbolism - 150 points**: You will be working with a team to interpret a symbol within the novel and act it out in a creative manner. Discuss the importance of symbolism within the novel and consider why your symbol has such a powerful role within the novel.
 * Garage Band - 150 points**: Your task is to work in a team to create three radio broadcasts depicting the Depression from various perspectives. You have already viewed the Depression through the eyes of migrant families, now researce to understand how others were affected and how they viewed the migrants as well as the Depression.
 * Blog - 50 points**: Students will submit the scripts to both the Garage Band and the iMovies to me through their blogs. This way, I can check the scripts as they are completed and return them with feedback during the next class. It is important that they are in on time so that I am able to evaluate them before the next class.
 * Google Earth Creation - 125 points**: You will use Google Earth as a means of collecting information, and each location found on Google Earth will be supported through quotes and statements by family members, as well as photos and an explanation of each locations relevance. The product will be graded based on bookmarked locations, show the importance of setting, relevance to the text, your individual explanation, visual emphasis through photos, and organization of photos and text.
 * Google Earth Presentation - 125 points**: The Google Earth presentation requires that you act as a lawyer for a migrant family. Consider the struggles they have faced along their journey and the way these struggles have changed changed character perspective and family interactions. Present a compelling argument. The following components must be met: you must stay in character, act professionally, be prepared, be convincing, act sympathetically, and speak clearly.

=Grading Scale= A (93 -100), A- (90 - 92), B+ (87 - 89), B (83 - 86), B- (80 - 82),C+(77 - 79), C (73-76), C- (70 - 72), D+(67 - 69), D (63 - 66), D- (60 - 62), F (0 - 59).