OthelloUnitPart2

Lesson Plan

Racism in the Media and Society

Objective: Students will identify the racist undertones in the play. Students will be able to identify forms of racism in our society.

Method:

1. Students will journal the following (10min)

Go through text and find any racist dialogues.

-Do you think that there is a racist undertone to the play? Why or why not?

-In what ways is our society racist.

- Think about the media in our country

2. Discussion (30min)

-Students discuss their journal entries

-Get students to talk about unintentional racism.

Examples:

Magazines contain mostly white women and men

Most T.V. shows are made up of all white casts

Most movie stars are white

T.V. adds mostly contain white actors and spokespersons

Many people on the news are white

3. Wrap up discussion and have students journal what they think about everything said in the class period. How does it make you feel?

Assessment: I will know students understand the racism in the play "Othello" when I read their journals. They will all have their reasons for why they think the play has racist undertones and quotes to back them up. The students will also show me their understanding through the class discussion.

Love Tokens

Your job is to choose an item that is used today, or has been used in the past to represent love. Examples of these items are wedding rings, flowers, and hearts. You need to research the item you choose and find out why it is given as a token of love. Your paper should include:

1. A clear introduction

2. A nicely constructed body that tells the reader why the item is a love token

3. A conclusion that wraps up the paper and retells what you stated in the

introduction

4. Grammatical and spelling errors should be kept to a minimum

5. Attached to the final copy of your paper should be your rough drafts with your peer responses.

6. You will also need to turn in a short bibliography, it can be written at the end of your paper. It is short and there is no need to put it on its own page.

Make these papers fun and interesting! You don't need to follow the five-paragraph essay, although it may be helpful.

Compare and Contrast

This assignment you need to pick a movie that has one or both of the themes we have been studying in "Othello". The two themes are jealousy and racism . While watching this movie takes notes on ideas you might want to use in your paper. This is a pretty open paper, but remember the point of it is that I want to know that you understand the themes of the play. Some ideas to help you if you are having trouble getting started are:

How do the main characters in "Othello" and your movie differ in their behaviors?

How is the theme or themes dealt with in the play and the movie?

How does the difference in the times in which the play and movie were

written affect it?

It should not be hard to pick out the comparisons and differences. The hard part is going to arrange them in your paper so that it flows together nicely and does not jump around. You need to give detailed examples to back up your reasons for the comparisons and contrasts. If it makes the paper easier focus on one or the other. Are the play and movie comparable? Are the play and movie very different? In short, I want a well-organized paper with detailed examples that let me know you understand the themes of this play and that they are still relevant today.

When you turn this paper in you need to have:

Final Paper

Drafts with peer responses

Your grammar and spelling logs

Plot Summary

You need to pick a character from the play "Othello" and give a plot summary using that characters voice. Think about what the character would think about the other characters' actions. Would they approve or disapprove? Remember every character is going to have biases and see things in a different light. Think about how they would tell the story.

You are writing this instead of taking a final, so take it seriously. I want these papers to be interesting and told through the voice of the character you choose. I am not looking for a boring plot summary told by you. I want you to become the character for this paper.

When you turn in this paper you need to have:

Final Paper

Drafts with peer responses

Your grammar and spelling logs

Grades: The journal entries are going to be checked off in the grade book. They have to be done in order to get a grade for the class. The students are allowed to miss one journal entry, if missing more than one they must make them up. The students will be graded on the process of their papers along with the final papers.

Peer-response: A total of six for the unit. Excellent 15 Satisfactory 10 Poor 5

First Draft: Student must have a first draft ready for peer-response. 5 or 0

Revise: Students must show changes in paper reflecting peer-responses. 10, 5, or 0

Final Draft:

Clear thesis sentence up to 10 pts

Content of paper up to 20 pts

Grammatical errors: 5 or less 10pts, 5-10 7pts, 10-15 5pts, more than 15 0pts

Conclusion paragraph up to 10pts

All three papers will follow this grading scale. The plot summary paper will be worth a total of 100 points since it is the final exam for this unit. The extra 50 points will be broken down by the following criteria

Character's voice up to 15pts

Follows the play's storyline up to 20pts

Shows character's biases and beliefs up to 15pts

Note: Students will have the option to fix papers for extra points. For example, if the student only got 10pts for content they can rewrite the paper for a maximum of 5 extra pts. They will not be allowed extra points on grammatical or spelling errors. They should be checking their papers using their grammar and spelling logs.

Current Events: The required article is worth 10pts. Each additional article is worth one extra credit point with a maximum of five.

Class Participation: Students are required to participate in class discussions. I will not be giving points for this unless a problem arises. Students will randomly be called on to answer. I feel that their journals and group work give them the security to speak to the class during discussions. This section also includes checks in the grade book for bringing in questions from the reading and for the guest speakers. Any time there is group work, students will get a check for using their time productively. These checks are used to determine a student's grade if they are in between two grades.

Name of Item:

Love Token Paper

Learning Area:

Write and Speak

Content Standard:

Academic Writing

Educational Level:

High School

Submission Type:

Assessment Task

Standard Specification: Those parts of the standard that are assessed in this task are bolded.

A student shall demonstrate the ability to write using grammar, language mechanics, and other conventions of standard written English for a variety of academic purposes and situations by writing original compositions that:

• describe, narrate, or explain observations of human events or situations;

• analyze patterns and relationships of ideas, topics, or themes;

• construct support for a position, argument, plan, or idea; and

• evaluate an idea, topic, or theme based on expressed criteria.

Large Processes and Concepts: The items from the Large Processes and Concepts for this learning area that are addressed in this assessment task are bolded in the right hand column.

The following bolded large processes and concepts are covered in this assessment task.

brainstorm/generate

draft

conference

revise

edit

publish

Evidence of Learning: The following product(s) supply evidence of student learning.

A Descriptive Paper

Task Summary: The following is a brief summary of this assessment task.

Students write a paper in which they choose a love token from today or sometime in the past. They need to research the love token they choose and explain what the significance of the object is.

Feedback Checklist : Items in the checklist are aligned with the standard and describe the quality criteria for each piece of evidence. Items indicate what is being assessed and how well it needs to be demonstrated.

Task Checklist Y = Yes N = No Evidence Shown
Student	Type of Evidence	Teacher
	Content and Style
	Students select a love token
	Students research on love token selected, need two sources

	Students include information for why the object became a love token
	Students accurately site information in paper
	Paper conveys that the student understands the concept of developing a paper around a central theme.
	Efficacy and Paper Trail
	Language is appropriate
	Sentence structure is varied and complex
	Grammar, usage, spelling and mechanics are correct
	Engagement in various strategies or steps of writing process is effectively demonstrated

Task Description: Includes clear, step-by-step, instructions.

Choose an object that has been a love token at sometime, such as a ring or flowers.

Research the reasons why this object represents love. Pick two sources to use in the paper.

Write a paper that explains to the reader the reasons why this object became a token of love. You will then meet in your writing groups to evaluate each other's papers. You will then revise your papers before turning in a final draft.

Step One: Because relationships among students are important to how well the groups will perform they should be established carefully. You need to confidentially list the members of the class you would prefer to write with, those whom you could not write with or note if you really have no preference. Using this information I establish groups of three or four students that have at least one preferred student match for each student in the group. Writing teams are announced to the class.

Step Two: Brainstorm objects they would like to research.

Step Three: Research your topic on the Internet and collect two sources.

Step Four: Write a first draft on the significance of their item.

Step Five: Student Reflection: You will meet in your writing groups and proofread papers. You will be answering questions like the one listed. Does the writer have a thesis statement and clear blueprint? Does the paper have transitions and /or topic sentences? Does the paper present clear documented reasons for why the item is a love token? Is the paper interesting?

Step Six: Schedule a conference with the teacher if necessary.

Step Seven: Proofread carefully for grammar, usage, spelling and mechanical errors.

Step Eight: Turn in notes, drafts, peer responses, and final copy.

Step Nine: Go through paper for mistakes. Add these to your Grammar and Spelling Logs for future papers.

Step Ten: Fix any errors on the paper and turn in new draft to portfolio folder.

Step Eleven: The audience for your writing includes your classmates and your teacher.

To be effective to your audience you need the following; writing has a clear focus, appropriate through language, varied and complex sentence structure, careful organization, correctly applied conventions or written English and coherence

Special Notes: Includes any tips or special instructions.

The peer-response teams are established by students indicating which students they would work well with, and which students they would not work well with. The teacher, using this information and knowledge of students and their work, establishes teams of three-four students. The greatest difficulty for students working together is their over-scheduled lives. The greatest benefit is for students to see even the best students make mistakes.

The work must be validated as original through a ‘paper trail,' observations, and/or conference. That is, you must present evidence of your engagement in the writing process:

• Prewriting

• Drafting

• Conferencing (with both peers and your teacher)

• Revising

• Reflecting (which includes applying each task's feedback checklist to each writing assignment)

• Preparing final copy; and

• Publishing

Author Information:

Name: Stacy Schweim	E-mail: schw0621@d.umn.edu
Organization: UMD

Name of Item:

Write a plot summary

Learning Area:

Write and Speak

Content Standard:

Academic Writing

Educational Level:

High School

Submission Type:

Assessment Task

Standard Specification: Those parts of the standard that are assessed in this task are bolded.

• describe, narrate, or explain observations of human events or situations;

• analyze patterns and relationships of ideas, topics, or themes;

• construct support for a position, argument, plan, or idea; and

• evaluate an idea, topic, or theme based on expressed criteria.

Large Processes and Concepts: The items from the Large Processes and Concepts for this learning area that are addressed in this assessment task are bolded in the right hand column.

The following bolded large processes and concepts are covered in this assessment task.

brainstorm/generate

draft

conference

revise

edit

publish

Evidence of Learning: The following product(s) supply evidence of student learning.

A Descriptive Paper

Task Summary: The following is a brief summary of this assessment task.

Students write a paper in which they rewrite a plot summary on “Othello” through a characters point of view.

Task Checklist Y = Yes N = No Evidence Shown
Student	Type of Evidence	Teacher
	Content and Style
	Plot summary focuses on main events of play
	Plot summary is narrated from a different character's viewpoint

	Creates a compelling description of place, events and people
	Summary accurately conveys voice of characters
	Summary accurately conveys bias and interests of characters
	Efficacy and Paper Trail
	Language is appropriate
	Sentence structure is varied and complex
	Grammar, usage, spelling and mechanics are correct
	Engagement in various strategies or steps of writing process is effectively demonstrated

Task Description: Includes clear, step-by-step, instructions.

Choose a character a character and narrate a plot summary through the eyes of this character. Be sure to convey the voice, background, bias and interests of the chosen character.

Step One: Because relationships among students are important to how well the groups will perform they should be established carefully. You will confidentially list the members of the class you would prefer to write with, those whom you could not write with or note if you really have no preference. Using this information I establish groups of three or four students that have at least one preferred student match for each student in the group. Writing teams are announced to the class.

Step Two: Brainstorm characters they would like to retell the play as.

Step Three: Write a first draft from the character's viewpoint.

Step Four: Student Reflection: Read the draft aloud checking for authenticity. Would the character really do and say these things? What evidence from the text do you have to confirm this? Have you presented the voice of the character accurately? Does the information you have included give us important insights into the character or theme that we didn't have before? Have you used the speech patterns of the character accurately?

Step Five: Schedule a conference with the teacher if necessary.

Step Six: Rewrite draft adding new content, and changing content reflecting on what your peers have told you. Revise for appropriate language, sentence structure, authenticity of character and actions.

Step Seven: You need to go through your Grammar and Spelling Logs fixing grammatical errors in your paper.

Step Eight: Read your papers aloud to the class.

Step Nine: Turn in notes, drafts, grammar and spelling logs, and final copy.

Special Notes: Includes any tips or special instructions.

This is a part of a set of three assessment tasks over the span of one unit:

• Rewrite a plot summary

• Literary Analysis Paper

The audience for your writing includes your classmates and your teacher. For all written work, assume your audience has read the work in question, but not thought as carefully about it as you have.

Effective writing has a clear focus, appropriate through language, varied and complex sentence structure, careful organization, correctly applied conventions of written English and coherence.