A COMMUNITY OF COMMUNICATION ARTS
Sarah Kruegar
Prefatory Statement
The title of this unit is “A Community of Communication Arts.” The unit will be focused on multiple aspects of community as a whole and the importance of individual roles in the building of a collective community. Students will use literature and writing to both learn about and impact their community. The unit will be focused mainly on writing. Excerpts from The House on Mango Street will be used to guide students in the writing of a short vignette piece which will focus on the use of figurative language. Furthermore, students will construct a professional letter or proposal to a community member of their choice, which they will later submit to that community member after numerous revisions and editing. Finally, students will use a webquest to guide them through the planning of a service learning project which they will write about through journaling and reflection. The unit will be compiled and assessed through a portfolio that students will submit at the completion of the unit.
The idea of this unit is to give students the tools they need to be active members in their community. The concepts they form and the resources they tap into during this unit will be beneficial to them for the remainder of their lives. The importance of appreciating and valuing multiple communities from a diverse perspective is a crucial part of building a broader view of the world and of the multiple values we hold as human beings. By including authors that are both male and female and of diverse races, students will have the opportunity to hear voices from numerous communities and draw on those voices as they look closer at their own community. This unit also gives students a chance to learn from experience and from hands-on action both in and out of the classroom. By empowering students to teach themselves, they are building skills to be life-long learners in their personal lives and in their communities.
Class Specification – This unit is geared toward 7th or 8th grade students. Students can be members or residents in the same city or different cities/communities to make this unit successful. An ideal group would be students who are able to work well together or are in need of acquiring the necessary skills to be cooperative learners. Preferably, a group of students with motivation and curiosity for the world around them will do well with this unit and benefit from its activities and assignments.
Students with special needs will benefit greatly from this unit due to its direct impact outside of the classroom. Close attention and guidance must be implemented specifically during the service learning project and the proposal writing assignment. Students who are not yet proficient or fluent in the English language (English Language Learners) will also need to be monitored and mentored more closely. Be sure to pair ELL students with peers in the class who will be extra helpful and sensitive during peer editing.
Although this unit is designed for 7th or 8th grade students, modifications can be made if this unit were to be taught at a higher level. To begin with, the rubrics would have to be more concise and detail oriented to fit the abilities of the older students. Also, the teacher could focus on more in depth discussion and application to pertinent social issues their community faces. Adjustments must also be made to meet different standards depending on the age group, which can be done by adding relevant assignments that build upon the desired standards.
Significant Assumptions-
For this unit, one can assume that:
Desired Standards to be met:
Minnesota State Standard grades 7 and 8:
- The unit will touch on many standards, but will primarily focus on Minnesota State Standard 2.A.1 which states:
II. WRITING
(Writing should be addressed across content areas and integrated into the curriculum.)
The student will write clearly and coherently for a variety of audiences and purposes.
A. Types of Writing
Standard: The student will create informative, expressive and persuasive writing.
The student will:
1. Write frequently in a variety of forms, including but not limited to the following:
poetry, stories, essays, editorials, letters, directions and research reports. By the end
of grade 8, the student will have written in all of the forms listed.
This unit addresses some, but not all of this standard through the writing of a professional proposal and a vignette.
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
Ongoing Activities-
Possible Whole Group Activities -
-Discussion on reading, prompt questions for journaling, writing progress, etc.
-Reading excerpts as a whole class
-Service Learning Project
Possible Small Group Activities -
Individual Activities –
Student Resources –
Unit Launch Activities – Refer to day 1 of weekly unit schedule
Organization of Unit –
Depending on what the class chooses to execute as a service learning project, the schedule is likely to be shifted based on preparation for the service learning project. Ideally, this unit would coincide across the curriculum so that students could be planning the service learning project in their Social Studies class.
WEEK ONE
Day 1: Unit Launch: In journal, draw, write a poem, or define what your community means to you. Be prepared to share this with a partner. Have students share with partner. Bring back to large class discussion and ask what different communities each of us belongs to (city community, school community, classroom community, family community, etc). Show U-Tube video of students participating in service learning project http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKHgUJdUy58 Read excerpt, “Something to Watch” from Children of theDust Bowl. Discuss the importance of helping one another and of voicing opinions in a constructive manner in order to continually change and develop the community. Introduce volunteer webquest (www.d.umn.edu/~krue0295, click on Community Webquest at top) and explain to students that we will be exploring the different volunteer options in our community and deciding together on a site to complete a service learning task.
Day 2: Students meet in the computer Lab for Webquest on community volunteer opportunities. Use the webquest guide sheet for students to complete and turn in on day 3.
Day 3: Finish Webquest and have students turn in their webquest guide sheets. Discuss ideas for a service learning project and as a class, decide on a service learning project for the class as a whole to complete during week 3.
Day 4: Refer to “Professional Proposal Writing” lesson plan attachment.
Day 5: Student’s Professional Proposal outlines are due today. Each student will write their own proposal. Begin class with the poem “Making a Difference”. Let students read poem, then prompt them with a journal question. Allow students to journal for 10 minutes. Assign students to peer editing groups (preferably groups of 3). Have students go over their outlines in their groups. Tell students that their rough draft (written, not typed) of their professional proposal is due on day 1 of week 2.
WEEK TWO
Day 1: Peer editing day of rough draft. Go over guidelines for peer editing and be sure all students understand their responsibilities as peer editors. Have students meet in their peer editing groups and revise their written rough draft of their proposals.
Day 2: Students meet in Computer Lab to type their revised proposals. Student’s finished proposal is due on day 4 of week 2.
Day 3: Refer to Figurative Language/Vignette Writing Lesson Plan
Day4 : Begin class by journaling about an interesting person in their neighborhood (ask them not to give names). Hand out and explain Figurative Language/Vignette Writing assignment. Tell students that they could possibly use this person as inspiration for their vignette writing assignment. Give more examples of vignette writing samples. Have students practice writing descriptive language (have them create one example for each form of descriptive writing from the hand out) with their person of inspiration in mind. Student’s finished proposals are due today.
Day 5: Use this day for students to begin writing their vignettes. Use this time to answer any questions about the assignment and to guide students in their writing. Student’s rough draft of their vignette will be due on day 1 of week 3.
WEEK 3
Day 1: Use a local newspaper article to prompt student’s journaling question of How does this article reflect the values of our community? Use this day to peer edit vignette assignment in peer editing group. Have students use the rubric as a guideline. Finished vignette writing assignment is due on day 3 of week 3 (can be word processed or neatly hand written).
Day 2: Handout portfolio guidelines/checklist and explain what is required of students for their final portfolio. Hand back completed professional proposal to students. Those whose proposals are ready to be mailed to addressee can begin preparing proposals for the mail. Students whose proposals are not ready to be submitted to addressee can go over suggestions for improvements made by the teacher. Use this class period to also touch base on service learning project and use this time as preparation for the event.
Day 3: SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT!! (Students will use the entire day, or a portion of the day to be out in the community executing their service learning project plans. This works especially well if the Middle School is set up in teams. Possibilities of interdisciplinary learning may also be paired with the English assignments)
Day 4: Reflection of service learning project through journaling and by working on reflection assignment. Tell students that they should bring materials for their portfolio to the next class as it will be used for a work day to compile their portfolios.
Day 5: Work day for portfolios.
WEEK 4-
Day 1- Final day to work on portfolios in class. Portfolios are due on following day.
Day 2 – Use this final day to have students share their favorite part of their portfolio with the class or share their most insightful memory from the unit. Turn in portfolios.
Making A Difference
by: Unknow
If each grain of sand were to say: If each drop of water were to say:
If each note of music were to say: If each word were to say: If each brick were to say: If each seed were to say: If each of us were to say: You and I do make the difference, |
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Any language that goes beyond the literal meaning of words in order to furnish new effects or fresh insights into an idea or a subject. The most common figures of speech are simile, metaphor, and alliteration.
Imagery
Language that appeals to the senses. Descriptions of people or objects stated in terms of our senses.
Simile
A figure of speech which involves a direct comparison between two unlike things, usually with the words like or as. Example: The muscles on his brawny arms are strong as iron bands.
Metaphor
A figure of speech which involves an implied comparison between two relatively unlike things using a form of be. The comparison is not announced by like or as. Example: The road was a ribbon of moonlight.
Alliteration
Repeated consonant sounds occurring at the beginning of words or within words. Alliteration is used to create melody, establish mood, call attention to important words, and point out similarities and contrasts. Example: wide-eyed and wondering while we wait for others to waken.
Personification
A figure of speech which gives the qualities of a person to an animal, an object, or an idea. It is a comparison which the author uses to show something in an entirely new light, to communicate a certain feeling or attitude towards it and to control the way a reader perceives it. Example: a brave handsome brute fell with a creaking rending cry--the author is giving a tree human qualities.
Onomatopoeia
The use of words that mimic sounds. They appeal to our sense of hearing and they help bring a description to life. A string of syllables the author has made up to represent the way a sound really sounds. Example: Caarackle!
Hyperbole
An exaggerated statement used to heighten effect. It is not used to mislead the reader, but to emphasize a point. Example: She’s said so on several million occasions
ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
By The Beatles
Words are flying out like
endless rain into a paper cup
They slither while they pass
They slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow waves of joy
are drifting thorough my open mind
Possessing and caressing me
Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Images of broken light which
dance before me like a million eyes
That call me on and on across the universe
Thoughts meander like a
restless wind inside a letter box
they tumble blindly as
they make their way across the universe
Jai guru deva om
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world
Sounds of laughter shades of life
are ringing through my open ears
exciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which
shines around me like a million suns
It calls me on and on across the universe
Community Webquest Guide
Explore the Boys and Girls Club website. List a couple of projects or activities our class could set up that would be fun and educational to students younger than you?
Click on the Environmental Opportunities link at the bottom of the webquest. Next, scroll down and click on the goals of the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative. Read through the ideas on the page. What activity would you be interested in doing as a class to help our environment in our community (doesn’t necessarily have to be an idea from the websit7e)?
Click on the Preparing Meals for Families in Need link located at the bottom of the webquest page. Explore the links on the left side of the Domiano Soup Kitchen page. What other types of aid does the Domiano Center provide for people and families in the community?
Click on the See What Other Students are Doing link at the bottom of the webquest page. Read through some of these great examples of students just like you helping their community. List the three projects on this page that you are most interested in.
Portfolio Guidelines
Everyone will be creating a personal portfolio showcasing their work and experiences from our unit “A Community of Communication Arts.” Feel free to be creative and have fun with this assignment. Be sure to include everything listed on the checklist below.
Proposal writing assignment and rough draft ________
Vignette writing assignment and rough draft ________
Three journal responses from class ________
A one page reflection on our service learning project _______
Art work or pictures that represent our service learning project ________
A cover page _______
A conclusion paragraph explaining what you learned and your favorite part of the unit _______
Each of these items on the checklist is worth 5 points, so be sure to include them all in your final portfolio. 5 points of extra credit are available for creativity and anything extra you would like to add from the unit.