Overview / Description: In this unit, our anchor text is Romeo and Juliet. Through the exploration of the text, we focus on "theme," and learn about vocabulary, text structures, and analyze meaning. There is a clear and explicit purpose for instruction, although it could be made clearer to students at the beginning of the unit. Students learn about familial dynamics, sacrifice, and how their choices mold and change their lives. The unit itself integrates reading of the text, writing about the text in relation to students' own lives, an art analysis response, and formal "theme" essay including textual support. Students use speaking and listening through assigned focus groups that focus on elements like foreshadowing, language, symbolism, setting, and theme. At the end of the unit, students further apply their understanding of theme in the creation of a public service announcement video and presentation. 

Learning goals/objectives:

After completing this activity, students should be able to...

• analyze and interpret author's choices in language
• plan, write, edit, and revise a standard, 5-paragraph essay
• determine a central theme in a text
• cite and format sources using proper MLA citations (in-text & works cited)
• analyze artwork and its symbolism in relation to a text
• research and evaluate credible sources
• write, construct, and present a public service announcement

Workplace Readiness Skill: 

Content Standards:

• Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
• Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that relate the current discussion to broader themes or larger ideas; actively incorporate others into the discussion; and clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions. 
• Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
• Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
• Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.
• Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
• Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment.
  

Materials: Daily lesson plans provided in the link below:

Assessment: 

ATTACHMENTS