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• Selected Lesson Plans
• Assessments
• The House On Mango Street
• The Kite Runner
• Bibliography & Annotations
• Supplementary Material / Teacher Resources

Objectives & Standards

Here are the objectives and standards we strive to uphold throughout this unit plan:

Objectives
-Students will make connections between the novels they read and their own lives to build an appreciation for literature as a reflection of the human condition.

-Students will use supplementary material to better understand the main stories they are reading and the themes they present.

-Students will use a variety of writing and oral assignments to improve their academic vocabulary and writing skills.

-Students will evaluate the effect characters’ decisions have on the plot of the novels and the relationships they form as a reflection of their societal and historical backgrounds.
 
 
Standards
1.B.5a Relate reading to prior knowledge and experience and make connections to related information.
Students will use their own experiences and historical knowledge from previous courses to further understand the two main novels we are reading in class.  They will also use supplemental materials to make further connections between their own lives and the characters in the texts. 

1.C.5a Use questions and predictions to guide reading across complex materials.
Students will discuss controversial, foreign, or otherwise challenging aspects of the novels.  Throughout the course of the unit we will guide discussion asking leading questions or giving worksheets/assignments that focuses their attention on a particular aspect of the books. 


2.A.5a Evaluate relationships between and among character, plot, setting, theme, conflict and resolution and their influence on the effectiveness of a literary piece.
Students will be thoroughly analyzing the characters and their relationships with each other as they affect the plots of the novels.  They will use these relationships to relate their own life experiences to the texts.  Students will judge whether certain key points or symbols of the books affect the outcomes they read about. 


2.B.5b Apply knowledge gained from literature as a means of understanding contemporary and historical economic, social and political issues and perspectives.
Students will learn the context of key historical events in the novels and use them to better understand the mindset of the characters and relate their own lives to the feelings they may experience now. 


5.B.5a Evaluate the usefulness of information to support a thesis, and present information in a logical manner in oral and written forms.
Students will work in groups and individually to develop polished essays and graphic presentations that show their understanding and interpretation of the novels.  Throughout the unit they will have several opportunities to work on their speaking skills as well as their writing skills to argue a point.