Grade 8: Unit 1 Framework

Based on a class meeting time of 55 minutes, 5x/week.

Placement of Engaging Learning Activity
PLC will begin collecting articles to use in class.
We need to know students access to technology
Week One
Monday
Organizing our
thinking and
defining
ourselves.

1. Introductions
2. Expectations
3. Forms
4. Condensed
intro to thinking
maps in general

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

1. Preassessment
for Unit 1

1. Thinking Map
#2-

1.Thinking
Map #3

1. Launch
Book Club
BookTeacher
also discuss
good book club
participants
maybe
establish
expectations
with class?

2. Thinking
Map #1expectations
for self, class,
teacher

2. Use non
fiction piece to
begin
generating
questions about
how we define
ourselves?
Culture?

Definition of
self?

2.Use of text
to illustrate
self? Poem?
Dickinson?
Bishop? Plath?
Hughes?
Poem from
same culture
as Shabanu?

3. Begin
Journal or
Writing
Minilesson #1

*Mark

2. Use Kylene
Beers Activity
with non
fiction article
that supports
book club
book.

3. Begin
Vocabulary
Study to
coincide with
book club
book.

Assessment,
determine
strengths and
gaps in
learning. Look
at framework
and adjust to
fit student
needs.

*identify
students who
will be actors
in the first
reading group
model session
on Tuesday
and inform
them.

Meet with PLC

to determine
MiniLessons

Assessments:
Kylene Beers
Activity
Assessments:
Assessments:
Thinking Map 1
Thinking Map 2

Thinking Map
3
Self-illustration
product

CFA?
PLC Discuss
need for
BUFFER DAY.

Week Two
Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Generating
Research
Questions
and
Narrowing
them.

1. Book
Club

1. Journal Entry

1. Book Club

1. Journal Entry

Use nonfiction
article to
continue
generating
questions about
book club book.

Thinking Map
redux
Teacher Model,
complete as a
class.

Freewrite
Friday

1. Released
Test Question
as Journal
Entry

2. Teacher
read a portion

Thinking
Map based
on book
club
reading.

2. Teacher
Model Intro
jobs; preassigned
students do

(assign purpose
for reading
Thinking Map
practice or
Journal Entry.)

1a. Teacher
models
groupwork,
gives roles to
students.

2. Students
create a
concept map
to support the
reasoning for
their answers
to questions
from
yesterdays

of Shabanu-

2a. Teacher
minilesson to
begin question
generation
using text.
Use Jim Burke
Handout.

a skit about
good
reading
groups.

3.
Minilesson
on Writing
or Reading.

What are we
curious about?

transition into:

class.

2. Focused lesson
on narrowing our
questions and
reading with a
purpose

Present as a
group to the
class.

3. Class will
determine 4-5
questions for
research based
on Cultural roles
and expectations,
etc.

2. Students
research
questions in
groups using
teacher
provided
articles.

Teacher model
research with a
good
nonfiction text
and a thinking
map.

(Gradual Release
Model)

4. Focused
Vocabulary
Lesson

*Teacherhelp
narrow question
list; find 2 good
articles per topic
to give groups.
Students in
groups will use
articles to
generate and
answer research
questions.

*Meet briefly
with students
about skit.
Give parts
here or Friday?

3. Class
consensus on
1-3 questions
for research.

Assessment:
Assessment:

Jim Burke
Handout

Student quick
response
Assessment

Assessment
BC Thinking

Assessments
Concept Map

Map

BC Thinking
Map

Observations
during BC

Minilesson
response

to support
answers
3 questions
CFA?
PLC Discuss
need for
BUFFER DAY.

Week Three
Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Evaluating
Credible and
Reliable
Sources

1. Book Club

1. Journal EntryQuestions? Use

Frosts Road
Less Taken;
compare to BC
Bookpaths
chosenelicit
slippery
meaningnot
necessarily
positive

1. Book Club

1. Freewrite
Friday

1. Released
Test Question
as Journal
Entry

2. Teacher led
minilesson
about sources.

3. Students
complete a
Thinking Map
about credible
and reliable
sources.

2. Teacher led
minilesson
research prep
for media
center.
Possibly lead
groups through
a TM to answer
one of the
cultural
research
questions
about
Shabanu.

2. Class to
Media Center to
Identify
Resources
multimedia and
hardcopy. Each
student will find
1-2 sources to
answer one of
the questions.

Will MC
Coordinator

2. Teacher
Led
Minilesson:
Giving Credit
to
writers/artists
.refer to
sources found
yesterday.

2. Students
prepare final
product to
share with
class.

3. Focused
Vocabulary
Lesson
3.Students:
Use Think in
Threes Jim
Burke
handout to
examine why
its important
to give credit.
Work in

lead session or
do we need to
create
something?

groups of 3.

Assessment
RF Poem
Responses
2 Questions
Assessment
Thinking map

Assessment

Assessment

Book Club

Assessment
CFA?

TM?

Think in
Threes

PLC Discuss
need for
BUFFER DAY.

Week Four
Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

1. Released
Test Question
as Journal

1. Book Club

BUFFER

BUFFER

BUFFER

Entry

2. Students
share their
products

Post
Assessment
*Mark
Assessment,
determine
strengths and
gaps in
learning. Look
at framework
and adjust to
fit student
needs.
Meet with PLC
to determine
interventions
and
enrichments.

Interpret matters of fact-Unit 1

20 days
Categorization
Sequencing
Double Bubble

Guiding questions, why when

Week Two
Launch a book for book club--Shabanu
News articles about topics
Based on what we have been reading, what questions do you have? Muslim,
religion, role of women, history, norms, society
Mini lesson for question focus, start your research curious about; generate
questions
End of week 2, have a question
Week Three
Resources, reliable vs unreliable

Week Four
Post assessment

Womens rights
Afghani issues
Your choice or familys honor
Society morals

Practice book club 5 minutes, 7 minutes, then talk about rules/procedures

Coverlook at symbolism, color, gender, tradition