Grade 10 Literature Unit
The Individual and His Role
in Society
·
Rationale
– Why is this unit important to students?
Adolescence is a time of confusion and conflicting
emotions. Teenagers are struggling to
reach maturity while at the same time desperately trying to cling to the simple
joys of childhood. They are becoming
more aware of the world around them while discovering the responsibilities of
the individual in society. This unit
will allow students to discover how various writers approach the themes of:
alienation and solitude, living life “deliberately” and “phoniness”. Through reading, journaling, class
discussion, and writing assignments students will realize the power of the
first person narrator in literature.
The students will see how others have fought to maintain their
individuality despite pressure to conform to societies’ expectations.
·
General
Objectives – Students will:
o
Identify the basic facts and
essential ideas in what they have read and/or viewed. Literature strand 9
o
Demonstrate an understanding
of the characteristics of different genres (essays, journals, novels). Literature strand 10
o
Identify, analyze, and apply
knowledge of the structure and elements of fiction and nonfiction, and provide
evidence from the text to support their meaning. Literature
strands 12 and 13
o
Identify and analyze how an
author’s choice of words appeals to the senses, sets mood and tone. Literature strand 15
o
Identify universal themes in
what they have read and relate them to contemporary life. Literature strand 11
o
Keep daily reader response
journals using double-entry diaries to record areas of understanding and/or
confusion. Composition strand 23
o
Complete writing assignments using different genres:
Informational, Persuasive, and Expressive.
Composition
strand 20
·
Materials
·
Excerpts
from Walden, Civil Disobedience, A Plea for Captain John Brown by Henry
David Thoreau *
·
Selected
entries from The Journals of Ralph Waldo Emerson by Ralph Waldo Emerson
*
·
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
·
Study
Guides with questions for each chapter of The Catcher in the Rye
·
Film:
The Dead Poets Society
Daily Activities
Each day will begin with the students reading a quote from
the blackboard. The quote will be taken
from one of the texts listed above.
They will spend five to ten minutes responding to the quote in their
journals. They will be instructed to
attempt to summarize the quote, their reactions, and any difficulties they may
have had interpreting the quote.
This will be followed by a brief class discussion of the
day’s quote and it’s meaningfulness in connection with the themes of this unit.
* Daily Quotes are subject
to change.
Topic: Alienation
Quote of the Day: Excerpt
from Walden “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately…”
Intro Activity: Journal Response 5-10 min.
Class will then discuss the
meaning of Thoreau’s words.
Main Activity:
Introduction to The Catcher in the Rye
The teacher will use handouts and lecture to provide the class with background information about the novel, J.D. Salinger, the ongoing controversy, and the reasons that the book evokes such strong reactions.
Homework: Read Chapters 1-5 and write at least two entries per chapter in double –entry diary. These entries will be checked after each homework assignment.
Answer study guide questions for each chapter.
Day 2
Topic: Loneliness
Quote of the Day: From R.W. Emerson, “Solitude is fearsome & heavy hearted. I have never known a man who had so much good accumulated upon him as I have… Yet leave me alone a few days, & I creep about as if in expectation of calamity.”
Intro Activity:
Journal Response 10
min.
Class will discuss if Emerson’s thoughts connect in any way to Holden Caulfield’s feelings.
Main Activity:
Discussion – Is Holden Lonely?
Class will discuss Holden’s loneliness vs. his judgmental and critical views of the people around him. Students will present opinions based on evidence from their reading.
Homework:
Read Chapters 6-10 and write at least two entries per chapter in
double-entry diary. Answer study guide
questions for each chapter.
Day 3
Quote of the Day: From Walden, “The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior.”
Intro Activity:
Journal Response
Students will write about and discuss Holden’s behavior. Does he act from a sense of righteousness or fear and insecurity? Compare Holden’s rationale to Thoreau’s
Main Activity:
Quiz – Chapters 1-10
Students will complete a brief quiz to evaluate their basic knowledge of the novel, i.e. Characters, setting, plot and theme in the chapters they have read.
The teacher will review the answers while the students correct their quizzes.
Homework:
Read chapters 11-16. Complete diary entries and study guide questions.
Day –4
Topic: Rebellion
Quote of the Day: From Walden “But I would say to my fellows, once and for all, As long as possible live free and uncommitted. It makes but little difference whether you are committed to a farm or the county jail.”
Intro Activity:
Journal Response
Class will respond to Thoreau’s rebellion against society’s expectations. Class will then discuss how Holden expresses his contempt for society’s conventions.
Main Activity: Discussion – What caused Holden’s disillusionment?
The class will discuss how Holden interprets the world around him. What made him so cynical? Was it the death of his brother Allie, or is the world really full of “phonies”?
Homework:
Read Chapters 17-22. Complete
diary entries and study guide questions.
Day 5
Topic: Childhood vs. adulthood
Quote of the Day: From Walden “Children, who play life, discern its true law and relations more clearly than men, who fail to live it worthily, but who think that they are wiser by experience, that is, by failure.”
Students will react to above quote, noting how it parallels Holden’s
opinions about childhood vs., adulthood.
Teacher will review answers while students correct their quizzes.
Homework: Read Chapters 23-26. Complete diary entries and study guide
questions.
Quote of the Day: From The Catcher in the Rye. “The thing with kids is, if they want to
grab for the gold ring, you have to let them do it, and not say anything. If they fall off, they fall off, but it’s
bad if you say anything to them.”
Intro Activity: Journal Response
Students
will write a reaction to the above quote.
Main Activity:
Discussion
The class will discuss the
conclusion of the novel, tying together all the themes covered in this
unit. We will discuss Holden’s state of
mind at the end of the story and whether the novel ends on an optimistic note.
Homework: The students are assigned to write a letter from Holden
Caulfield from his hotel room in New York City. They are to adapt the content and language to the particular
person being written to (audience).
Students may choose to write the letter to one of the following:
Henry David Thoreau
Phoebe Caulfield (his little sister)
Allie (his deceased little
brother)
Mr. Antolini (his former teacher)
Jane Gallagher
Main Activity: View the film The
Dead Poets Society
Students will watch the film
and take notes about any similar issues or themes in the movie and the novel.
Main Activity: End of Unit Exam
This exam will cover the entire unit, Thoreau,
Emerson, the novel, and the film. It will include quote and character identifications and essay questions.
Assessment: Students will be graded on:
Study guide 10%
Journal Response 15%
Quizzes 25%
Writing Assignment 25%
End of Unit Exam 25%