Grade: 11

Subject: AP Language
NCSCOS Standard: Language 11-12 Standard 3
Date: Day One
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more
fully when reading or listening
Materials needed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NriDTxseog (stop at 5:10)
Daybooks
Pens/Pencil
https://prezi.com/a1bpnvgx7kyg/edit/#2_30863873
http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofamericanenglishdoyouspeakquiz/ (Inserted
into Prezi)
Objectives of the day:
I can define and discuss dialect.
I can relate the idea of dialect to the language used in the South.

Show Amy Walker video on American accents. (5 minutes)

-

As students are watching the video, have them write in their daybooks what
they are thinking as she covers each accent.
I.E. Students may think about how weird each accent sounds if they have
never heard it, or they could write if they know anyone that talks a certain
way.
The purpose behind this is it will get students thinking about the varieties of
Standard American English that exist all around us. As To Kill a Mockingbird
will be read, we will be focusing on the Southern American regional dialect
and how it plays a role in the culture of the novel. The language of the novel
helps set up the overall action and setting of the novel, so this activity will
get students to thinking about dialect/accents, and how different they may
be.

Think-Pair-Share on video. (5-10 minutes)

-

After the video is over, have students pair up and share their findings with
each other.
During this time, students should be thinking about:
Differences and similarities between the accents
Relationships to anyone who speaks using these accents

Awareness of differences in speaking in this area alone or in travels across

the country
Awareness of ones own accent/how a students may speak
Teacher should be walking around and monitoring during this time.
Participate as needed.
The purpose of this is a chance to allow students to think about how they
speak and how those that they are related with speak. By partnering up with
a fellow student, they can help each other discover the differences that exist
in Standard American English.

Brief Prezi/lecture of dialect. (5-10 minutes)

-

Teacher will give lecture based on Prezi (attached).

As teacher is lecturing, students should be writing and taking notes in their
daybooks for future reference.
This will be a chance for the teacher to give a name to what they have been
talking about up until this point. The teacher can give their knowledge on the
subject, and this will give a foundation for learning for eventual
understanding of Southern American regional dialect. This will eventually lead
into the novel.
This will be the beginning of the scaffolding process of talking about dialect.
Students will be made aware of the term dialect, what that means, and how
they can apply this to a piece of literature.

Independent Work: Dialect Quiz (attached and inserted on Prezi on

class website). (10-15 minutes)
-Prior to this activity, the Prezi should be on the class website and should be
made easily accessible to student.
-Have students either pull out their devices for this activity. If they do not have
appropriate devices, the laptop cart can be made available for students.
-Have students go to class website and access the quiz. Allow students to have
time to take quiz.
-Students can apply what has been learned home and have time to reflect on
this as they take the quiz.
Group discussion on results from quiz. (10-15 minutes)
-Upon completion of quiz, have whole class come together and allow some
discussion on results from quiz.
-During this time, the teacher should serve as more of a facilitator and only
intervene when needed.
-Potential questions for discussion could include:
* What were your results?
*Why do you think you got these results?

*Do you agree with your results?

*Were your results shocking, or did you get what you expect?
A formative assessment will be observing students responses to the
quiz.
Exit ticket: Have students write briefly in their daybooks about their
results. This will be collected at the end of the day and graded based
on completion. (5 minutes)

Grade: 11
Subject: AP Language
NCSCOS Standard: Language 11-12 Standard 3
Date: Day Two
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more
fully when reading or listening
Materials:
Video on Southern Linguistics http://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/the-true-reasonbehind-the-hillbilly-accent/84222753/
Prezi (will be made and attached later)
Sticky notes
Pencils/Pens
Daybooks
Notecards
Objectives of the day:
I can define and discuss linguistics.
I can discuss my relationship to being Southern in reference with the setting of the
next novel.

WID: Show video on Southern Linguistics (attached). As video is showing,

students should be writing in daybooks their thoughts and key points of
video. Following completion of the video, allow a minute or two for
reflection after video is over. (5-7 minutes)

Brief introduction to linguistics (10-15 minutes)

-Show Prezi for linguistics.
-Students should be taking notes of key concepts and terms listed in Prezi.
*Students should be listing key idea, concepts, and anything that they find
interesting and defining as needed.
*These notes will not be graded or checked, but students should be made aware of
the importance of understanding these concepts and that this will help their final
assignment go more smoothly as they craft it.
*Notes can be taken at students discretion using a variety of colors/styles, or they
can choose a more basic note-taking method.
-This is an opportunity for direct instruction and for the teacher to lay the foundation
of the concept of linguistics before taking on this unit.
Break off into small groups to talk about video (5-10 minutes)
-After lecture, students should get into groups of 3 or 4 to have a brief discussion on
video and the concept of linguistics.
(Put guide questions on Prezi)
-Guide questions include:
*What do you think of the concept of linguistics?
*Have you ever been made aware of the study of language?
*How do you think this relates to the work done with dialect yesterday?
*Why would studying language be important?
Bring class back together to have whole-class discussion based on the
small groups (5-10 minutes).
-Allow students to lead this discussion.
-The teacher should use the guiding questions on the Prezi as a guide for the
discussion.
-The teacher should be using this time to assess student understanding by
observing the class and the layout of the discussion.
Independent writing time in daybooks: What does being Southern mean
to you? (5-10 minutes)
-The prompt will be on the Prezi.
-Have students write in their daybooks based on the prompts.
-This should reflect the students individual experiences-whether this means being
from the South or moving to the South later on in life.

Have students summarize writing into 3 key statements (5-10 minutes)

-Have students take their overall thoughts and condense this into 3 pointed,
descriptive statements.
-They will first write these statements in their daybooks.
-Following writing in daybooks, pass out 3 sticky notes to each student and have
them write their statements, 1 for each note.
-Students should then place the stickys on their desk to where their classmates may
see them. (Everything should be cleared off desks for this).
Mini-crawl around the room (5-10 minutes)
-Pass out 5 more sticky notes to each student.
-Students are to now walk around the room and read everyones thoughts.
-Students are to comment on 5 peoples statements by writing on the sticky notes
and sticking them to the desk.
-These comments may be comments such as I have noticed this, too! or they may
be poised as questions such as Why do you think this here?.
-Following completion, students should return to their own desks.
Exit ticket: Students should read their comments and questions and briefly
write a paragraph on a notecards that addresses their thoughts on the
activity and the comments/questions they received. Make sure students
put their names on it. This will be collected and graded for completion.
Teacher may choose to respond on back of notecard. Formative
assessment. (10-15 minutes)

Grade: 11
Subject: AP Language
NCSCOS Standard: Language 11-12 Standard 3
Date: Day Three
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more
fully when reading or listening
Reading 11 Standard 10
By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poems, in the grades 11CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding
as needed at the high end of the range.
Materials:
Copy of To Kill a Mockingbird
Daybooks
https://prezi.com/a-ua5bsw94g2/edit/#1_24309637
Pens/pencils
Objectives of the day:
I can understand the basic information for To Kill a Mockingbird.
I can relate to southern dialect and culture used in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

I can begin to form a complex piece of writing and presentation based on personal
experiences and the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

WID: Why do you think Southern dialect is so distinguishable? Do you

enjoy Southern dialect? Why/why not? (5-7 minutes)
Brief review of linguistics/dialect (5-10 minutes)
-Teacher should ask questions to assess for student learning from the past two
lessons.
-Questions should include:
*What is dialect?
*What are some key features of Southern dialect?
*What is linguistics?
*Why should we study linguistics?
*What does all of this have to do with our next novel, To Kill a Mockingbird?
-Students will ask this and randomly call on students to answer.
-If for any reason a student struggles with a question, the teacher may ask the class
to help that student out.
This will be a formative assessment of the unit in checking for learning
required for the unit.
Brief introduction on To Kill a Mockingbird and Harper Lee. (5-10 minutes)
-Teacher will use Prezi to give brief introduction on the novel and the author.
-This lecture will provide basic background information on the novel and the author
that will help the students as they begin to read the novel.
-As teacher is lecturing, students should write down key points and terms in
daybooks.
Teacher will pass out copies of novel to students (2-3 minutes)
Popcorn reading of chapter 1 (15-20 minutes)
-Teacher will begin by reading first paragraph.
-Upon completion of first paragraph, teacher will call on a student to read next
paragraph.
-That student will then call on another student upon completion of their paragraph.
-This will continue until entire chapter is read.
Brief reflective writing on reading (5-10 minutes)

-Have students write in daybooks based on the reading of chapter 1.

-Questions will be on Prezi, and will include:
*What are you thinking now?
*What elements of Southern dialect/linguistics are you seeing?
*What do you expect to read next?
*What elements of Southern culture are you seeing present in the reading?
Introduce students to unit summative assessment (5-10 minutes)
-Teacher will pass out to students handout on memory box project/southern
memoire writing project (will be made later).
(Groups of 3 for each major character. Present at least 5 items in a box that you
think relates to that character. Be prepared to justify your items as a group. Each
person must present for an equal amount of time (1-2 minutes per item).)
Introduce My Southern memory box memoire
(Students will write at least 5 pages on their memory box of items that relate to
their Southern experience. Reference at least 3 characters in the novel. This is a
personal narrative, but should show understanding of self and the text.)
Allow students to sign up for groups based on characters here.
Homework: Read chapter 2. As you are reading, take notes based on the
character for which you are planning on doing a memory box. If your
character has not appeared yet, continue to take note of the use of
Southern dialect in the novel and reflect on how it is helping your
understanding.

(The following lessons are from my implementation of my lessons in class.)

(This is the 15-minute demonstration.)
Grade: 11
Subject: AP Language
NCSCOS Standard: Language 11-12 Standard 3
Date: 19 September 2016
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more
fully when reading or listening
Materials needed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NriDTxseog (stop at 5:10)
Daybooks
Pens/Pencil
https://prezi.com/a1bpnvgx7kyg/edit/#2_30863873
http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofamericanenglishdoyouspeakquiz/ (Inserted
into Prezi)

Show Amy Walker video on American accents. (5 minutes)

-

As students are watching the video, have them write in their daybooks what
they are thinking as she covers each accent.
I.E. Students may think about how weird each accent sounds if they have
never heard it, or they could write if they know anyone that talks a certain
way.
The purpose behind this is it will get students thinking about the varieties of
Standard American English that exist all around us. As To Kill a Mockingbird
will be read, we will be focusing on the Southern American regional dialect
and how it plays a role in the culture of the novel. The language of the novel
helps set up the overall action and setting of the novel, so this activity will
get students to thinking about dialect/accents, and how different they may
be.

Think-Pair-Share on video. (3-5 minutes)

-

After the video is over, have students pair up and share their findings with
each other.
During this time, students should be thinking about:
Differences and similarities between the accents
Relationships to anyone who speaks using these accents
Awareness of differences in speaking in this area alone or in travels across
the country
Awareness of ones own accent/how a students may speak
Teacher should be walking around and monitoring during this time.
Participate as needed.
The purpose of this is a chance to allow students to think about how they
speak and how those that they are related with speak. By partnering up with
a fellow student, they can help each other discover the differences that exist
in Standard American English.

Brief Prezi/lecture of dialect. (3-5 minutes)

-

Teacher will give lecture based on Prezi (attached).

As teacher is lecturing, students should be writing and taking notes in their
daybooks for future reference.
This will be a chance for the teacher to give a name to what they have been
talking about up until this point. The teacher can give their knowledge on the
subject, and this will give a foundation for learning for eventual
understanding of Southern American regional dialect. This will eventually lead
into the novel.
This will be the beginning of the scaffolding process of talking about dialect.
Students will be made aware of the term dialect, what that means, and how
they can apply this to a piece of literature.

To do at home: Dialect Quiz (attached and inserted on Prezi on class

website).

-Students can apply what has been learned home and have time to reflect on
this as they take the quiz.
-This will lead to a discussion tomorrow on the results of the quiz and a
discussion on Southern American regional dialect.

(This is the 30-minute demonstration.)

Grade: 11
Subject: AP Language
NCSCOS Standard: Language 11-12 Standard 3
Date: Day Two (10/17/2016)
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more
fully when reading or listening
Materials needed:
Daybooks
Pens/pencils

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNqY6ftqGq0
http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/southernese.html
http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/yankeetest.html
https://prezi.com/g0b9keswhpjd/edit/#13

Objectives of the day:

I can define and discuss linguistics.
I can translate a piece of writing from standard English into Southern English.

WID: Show YouTube video on Southern Linguistics (linked above). As video

is showing, students should be writing down thoughts in their daybooks.
These may include reactions, thoughts, ideas, questions, etc. After video
has completed, give students a few extra minutes to finish their thoughts.
(5 mins)
Brief lecture on linguistics (5-7 mins)
-Pull up Prezi (linked above) (this would be linked in the classroom homepage).
-Teacher should go through Prezi and explain the concept of linguistics to students.
-As teacher is lecturing, students should be taking notes in daybook.
-Students should be writing down key terms and definitions as well as thoughts,
questions, or anything that they feel is important to learning.
-At one point in the Prezi (insert slide here), there will be sentences that the teacher
will have the students say. This is to ensure student engagement and allows the
teacher to see that students are processing the idea of linguistics.
(Assessment: Teacher will have students read sayings out loud to class.
Teacher will be able to see that students are processing the overall idea of
linguistics and that students are engaged in learning by doing this.)
Code swtiching activity (10-15 minutes)
-Following the lecture on Prezi, there will be a paragraph on slide 7.
-Students are to get into groups of 3 or 4.
-Have students work together to translate the paragraph using the Southern
dictionary on webpage (linked above).
-Students should have devices (iPhones, laptops, etc.) or a laptop cart will be made
available.

-Students are to translate the paragraph into a new paragraph using the Southern
dictionary.
-Teacher should walk around and monitor students as this is happening.
-Students will demonstrate that they will understand the vast differences in the
English language by seeing how one might translate writing or any kind of language
from standard dialect into a regional dialect, which is a key feature in linguistics.
-Following completion of activity, one student from each group should read their
groups paragraph out loud to the class.
(Assessment: Teacher will observe students working in groups to check for
understanding of linguistics and dialect in action. Teacher will also hear
students translations and check for understanding of code switching. )
Homework: Class quiz Are you a Yankee or a Rebel? (linked in Prezi) (5
mins)
-Students will do quiz (linked on Prezi on class homepage) at home.
-Following completion of quiz, students should bring results to class the next day to
be discussed as to how Southern linguistics relates to them as English speakers.

(This is the 45-minute implementation.)

Grade: 11
Subject: AP Language
NCSCOS Standard: Language 11-12 Standard 3
Date: 30 November 2016
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different
contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more
fully when reading or listening
Reading 11 Standard 10

By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poems, in the grades 11CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding
as needed at the high end of the range.
Materials:
Copy of To Kill a Mockingbird
Daybooks
https://prezi.com/a-ua5bsw94g2/edit/#1_24309637
Pens/pencils
Objectives of the day:
I can understand the basic information for To Kill a Mockingbird.
I can relate to southern dialect and culture used in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.
I can begin to form a complex piece of writing and presentation based on personal
experiences and the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

WID: Why do you think Southern dialect is so distinguishable? Do you

enjoy Southern dialect? Why/why not? (5-7 minutes)
*Teacher should read prompt out loud to students at the beginning of class.
*Students should respond in their daybooks to the prompt.
*Teacher may choose to play music (softly) during this time if desired.

Prezi to introduce To Kill a Mockingbird (5 minutes)

*After Writing into the Day is finished, teacher should pull up Prezi for the
class.
*As teacher works their way through the presentation, students may ask
questions or choose to take note of anything that they feel is important in
their daybooks. These can be done at the discretion of the student.
*This is a time for the teacher to offer some direct instruction to lay the
foundation of the novel for students so they might understand it more as they
are reading.

Pass out copies of To Kill a Mockingbird (1-2 minutes)

*Teacher should pass out copies of novel to students.
*Students should be reminded that they are to take good care of the novel or
they will be responsible for the purchase of a new one.
*Students will be allowed to take novel home as there will be reading for
homework most nights.

Teacher-led reading of chapter 1 (15-20 minutes)

*Have students turn to chapter one.
*Teacher will read this aloud to students so that students can see the dialect
at work and hear it before they tackle reading on their own.
*As the teacher is reading, the teacher should stop every now and again to
check for understanding.
*This may be done by singling out a student and asking what just happened
or simply by saying something along the lines of Who can tell me what just
happened?.
*Other questions might be Do you see the Southern dialect at work in the
text?, Is this hard to understand to you as a reader?, Based on the small
town we live in, can you picture the setting in the way that Harper Lee
described it?, etc.
*This will serve as a form of assessment for understanding of the text.

Pass out assignment sheet for memory box/southern memoir assignment

(5-10 minutes)
*Following completion of the reading, the teacher should distribute the
assignment sheet (attached) of the memory box/southern memoir
assignment.
*Teacher should explain the requirements of the assignment.
*The teacher should take any questions that are related to the assignment.

Brain storming on southern memoir (5-10 minutes)

*In daybooks, students should take the time to brainstorm for their southern
memoir.
*Ideally, students should write 5 key statements that they feel relates to
them as members of Southern culture.
*This can include anything from the language that they use/hear, experiences
that they have had, or anything else that they feel is appropriate for this.
*Have students write these down and remind students that this will be
elaborated upon in more detail for the eventual memoir.
*Teacher should walk around and check with to students to make sure that
they are understanding what they are supposed to do and if they have any
questions about the assignment.

Homework: Have students read chapter 2. Students should take note of

key plot points and elements of theme that they are seeing in the reading.
Bring these notes tomorrow to check for reading completion. Students
should also come to class prepared to choose a character for the group
memory box presentations.

Planning Commentary
1. Central Focus
a. Describe the central focus and purpose of the content you will
teach in the learning segment. The central focus and purpose of the
content that I will be teaching is to focus on Southern dialect and the
language around To Kill a Mockingbird. This will be used to enhance the
knowledge of the novel. In particular, this until will enhance learning and
knowledge of the language, characterization, plot, and all other elements

of literature present in the novel. Students will be able to use the

background and elements surrounding the novel to construct meaning
and a deeper interpretation of the novel than just reading the novel and
discussing it.
b. Provide the title, author (or, if a film, the director), and a short
description (about a paragraph in length) of salient features of
the text(s) that a reviewer of your evidence, who is unfamiliar
with the text(s), needs to know in order to understand your
instruction. If there is more than one text, indicate the lesson(s)
where each text will be the focus. The primary text of my unit will be
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This novel is based in the fictional
town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s, in which racism is rampant and
society seems to be quiet on the surface. Two children, Jem and Scout, are
the children of a lawyer, Atticus, who represents a black man in court who
is charged in the rape of a young white girl. Things go awry for the family
as they face challenges due to Atticus position on the controversial issue
in the small community. As death and violence is threatened on various
members of the family, Atticus stays strong on his belief that Tom
Robinson is innocent and should not be charged solely on the color of his
skin. This novel is a beautiful representation of Southern living and paints
a picture of innocence that students will never forget.
c. Given the central focus, describe how the standards and learning
objectives within your learning segment address students
abilities to use the textual references to construct meaning from,
interpret, or respond to complex text and create a written
product, interpreting or responding to complex features of a text.
Students will be using historical and cultural context to apply new
knowledge to this novel. This is based on the North Carolina Standard
Course of Study reading literature for 11th grade standard 10 By the end
of grade 11, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas,
and poems, in the grades 11CCR text complexity band proficiently, with
scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range and the 11 th grade
language standard 3 Apply knowledge of language to understand how
language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for
meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or
listening. They will not just take the novel at face value. Instead, they will
understand the Southern culture at the time of the novel based on the
southern dialect and the racism that was present at the time of the novel.
History and language will be brought in that will show students that a
novel is a reflection of the time and place for which it was written. In
addition to this, students will be working toward working on reflection of
themselves as Southerners, whether this means they have lived in the
South their entire life or if they moved to the South later on in life.
Students will tie this reflection into the text, which will bring that personal
tie-in that will help students make a connection with the text. Students will
be able to walk away from the text with a deeper understanding of both
the text and themselves in relation to the text after this unit.

d. Explain how your plans build on each other to help students make
connections between textual references, constructions of
meaning from, interpretations of, and responses to a text to
deepen their learning of English Language Arts. Each lesson will
deepen understanding of the text based on the culture and language used
in the novel. Students will be made aware of life in the South in the 1930s
and will be able to use this to relate to living in the South present-day. This
will allow students to use what is happening in the world today and in the
time of the novel to understand the setting, plot, theme, and the
characters in the novel.
2. Knowledge of Students to Inform Teaching
a. Prior academic learning and prerequisite skills related to the
central focusCite evidence of what students know, what they
can do, and what they are still learning to do. Students have had
experience interpreting text before and using history and setting to relate
to text in novels such as Of Mice and Men. Students have focused on
language and their use of language in rhetoric in essays and intensive
practice of AP essay prompts from the past in which students are required
to use formal language in essays that reflect rhetorical understanding.
Students have used rhetoric in various other essays prior to this novel.
Students have been required to produce college-level personal and textual
analyses in various forms of in-class and out-of-class writing pieces.
b. Personal, cultural, and community assets related to the central
focusWhat do you know about your students everyday
experiences, cultural and language backgrounds and practices,
and interests? Students are currently living in Southern United States.
They currently reside in/around Boiling Springs, North Carolina. Students
more than likely live in a rural area. Students are at Crest High School,
which is located in a rural portion of Cleveland County. Students are in 11 th
grade, and should have understanding of themselves as Southerners by
this point in their lives. Some may have transplanted to the South,
which means they may have a different perspective to bring to the unit.
Some students are athletes, and others are involved in various other
extracurricular activities. All students are native English speakers.
3. Supporting Students English Language Arts Learning
a. Justify how your understanding of your students prior academic
learning and personal, cultural, and community assets (from
prompts 2ab above) guided your choice or adaptation of learning
tasks and materials. Be explicit about the connections between
the learning tasks and students prior academic learning, their
assets, and research/theory. Not all students may be from the South,
so there must be some sort of connection between a students former life
and the life they live currently as students in the South. While students
who are from the South might be aware of the idea Southern dialect, the
lesson plans for this unit allow all of my students, both those from the
South and those that have transplanted to the South the opportunity to
see the connection between dialect and the language that we all speak

every day. This new knowledge will benefit my students in the way that
they can better understand the language of the novel, considering the fact
that it is so rich with Southern dialect. By laying out the idea of dialect
(specifically Southern dialect) for my students, they will be able to make
better connections with the novel and seek to understand themselves
better as speakers of English in the South and in America as a whole.
Students from the South will have to relate to all of their experiences and
synthesize this into complex thinking so that they might relate their
experiences to the novel. Students will ultimately be relating to the
Southern experience to both themselves and the novel. This will involve
some higher-order thinking and will force students to be involved and
participate in the reading and interpreting of the novel.
b. Describe and justify why your instructional strategies and
planned supports are appropriate for the whole class, individuals,
and/or groups of students with specific learning needs. This is a
class of academically gifted students. This is an AP class in a high school,
so that means that these students should be used to interpreting and
analyzing a text at a higher level than other students. In addition to this,
students should be able to form personal textual analyses based on
readings from a text at a more complex level than other students. That
means that this unit will be intensively paced and will delve deeper into
the novel than I might do with learners of other abilities. For this unit, I use
videos, such as the American accents video by Amy Walker and the
Hillbilly Dialect video. By having these videos in my unit, my students
will be able to see the power of dialect and language in action, and this
will awaken their awareness to the differences that exist between us all as
speakers of English. Also, bringing in the sticky notes for the various
activities listed in the lesson plans, such as the mini-crawl of reading
comprehension, will allow the students to apply higher-order thinking skills
to the novel that they are reading, and they will build off of each others
learning as students and this will these students create that deeper
understanding of the novel that is characteristic of many AP classes and
students that perform at a higher level than traditional students.
c. Describe common student errors or misunderstandings within
your central focus and how you will address them. Some common
misunderstandings of this unit may include ideas such as, So, Southern
dialect is okay everywhere? and Is the novel only about racism?. These
lessons, specifically the lessons in which I introduce dialect and Southern
dialect, will address these misunderstandings in the way that students will
see that Southern dialect may only be appropriate in certain situations
such as those that are more informal and that the novel is about the
Southern experience and how innocence may be lost easily.
4. Supporting English Language Arts Development Through Language
a. Language Function. Using information about your students
language assets and needs, identify one language function
essential for your students to construct meaning from, respond
to, or interpret text. Students will be able to use dialect to interpret the

text through the language of the text. Students will use the wording of the
novel to think about rhetoric and how it may vary from person to person.
Students will be made aware of the fact that not everyone speaks the
same version of English, and that is okay because we are unique as
speakers of English. Students will be made aware of formal vs informal
English and how to differentiate between when one may be appropriate
more so than the other.
b. Identify a key learning task from your plans that provides
students with opportunities to practice using the language
function identified above. Identify the lesson in which the
learning task occurs. (Give lesson day/number.) In lesson day 2,
students will take knowledge of Southern dialect and apply it to
themselves. They will be made to understand the social/cultural contexts
of dialect and what this means to a speaker of English. They will see this
in the video that introduces the day for Writing into the Day in which they
will see that Southern Dialect is not an unintelligent dialect, but is
instead an offspring of the original English that many settlers were
believed to speak in the early years of America. They will think about this
as they refer to themselves as speakers of Southern American dialect and
how they are viewed in society. In addition to this, they will think about
the power of dialect in our country and why they feel there is a standard
dialect. This will help with the eventual memoire in which students will be
required to relate their experiences as Southerners to the characters in
the novel. Students will use this day to begin thinking of themselves as
Southerners and will begin at the base level of the language they use
every day. This will play a major role in their memoires that they will write
later on in the unit.
c. Additional Language Demands. Given the language function and
learning task identified above, describe the following associated
language demands (written or oral) students need to understand
and/or use: Vocabulary plus at least one of the following: Syntax
or Discourse. Students will be able to define linguistics as the study of
language and how it is spoken in society. Students will have a greater
understanding of this term and understand how it relates to them as
speakers of English. In addition to this, students will think about discourse
by thinking about the language of the novel and how this relates to them
as readers and learners of the English language.
d. Language Supports. Refer to your lesson plans and instructional
materials as needed in your response to the prompt. Identify and
describe the planned instructional supports (during and/or prior
to the learning task) to help students understand, develop, and
use the identified language demands (language function,
vocabulary, discourse, or syntax). Students will use videos to see and
demonstrate learning in action. Students will use sticky notes for
independent practice and will allow students to reflect on each others
thinking. Sticky notes will also be used for formative assessments along
the course of the unit so that the teacher might monitor learning and

ensure that students are understanding the various aspects of the overall
conceptual unit. Students will use daybooks for writing, thinking on paper,
and they will make written connections with characters in the novel and
the plot and themes of the novel. The teacher may use the daybooks as
assessment methods to monitor and evaluate student learning as the
conceptual unit progresses.
5. Monitoring Student Learning
a. Describe how your planned formal and informal assessments,
including a written product, will provide direct evidence of
students abilities to construct meaning from, interpret, OR
respond to a complex text throughout the learning segment. As
the unit progresses, students will keep a running journal of items
mentioned in the text in relation to a character of their choosing that will
ultimately form a group presentation of a memory box of 3-5 items and a
rationale on those items for the character that group chose. Students will
be required to cite from the text and show understanding of text through
presenting the memory box. Students will also sharpen presentation skills,
such as clear speech, effective volume, and logical flow of information
from the presentation. Teacher will observe students through group
discussion on text and understanding of text. This will show the teacher
that students are comprehending the text which will make the memory
box and memoire assignment easier on the students as they can relate to
a good understanding of the text.
b. Explain how the design or adaptation of your planned
assessments allows students with specific needs to demonstrate
their learning. Students will develop higher order thinking skills, which is
something that many academically students already possess. Students
will be able to sharpen these skills and use them at a higher level than in
previous learning. Students will be using higher-order thinking to go
beyond interpreting novels and using various information to synthesize
and produce a deep understanding of the text. Students will also be
applying knowledge and understanding of rhetorical skills for the eventual
AP exam, which will have a great deal of rhetoric based on text and
interpretation of text.

Memory Box/Southern Memoir

Assignment
What are we doing? Over the next few weeks, we will be reading the novel To Kill
a Mockingbird in which Southern culture and dialect is displayed in a big way. As we
read the novel, you will choose groups of 2 to trace key lines/scenes attached to a
character of your choice, and you will bring at least 5 items (no more than 10) to
class in a memory box for a 3-5 minute presentation to the class. In addition to
this, you will be writing your own Southern experience memoir in which you will be
thinking about yourself as a Southerner, whether you moved here or are a native.
You will be thinking about yourself as a speaker of Southern American dialect, a
member of Southern culture, and other ways that you feel make you Southern.
You will be tying this to at least 3 characters in the novel by quoting directly from
the novel. For example, if I wanted to say that my experience was similar to that of
Scout in the way that I did not fit in, I would cite a few places from the novel to tie
this in to my piece. This must be at least 4 pages.

Characters for group presentation:

Atticus Finch
Jem Finch
Scout Finch

Tom Robinson
Mayella Ewell
Bob Ewell
Boo Radley
Dill Harris

Important dates: Begin reading To Kill a Mockingbird on Wednesday, February 1.

BE SURE TO KEEP READING JOURNALS BASED ON THE CHARACTERS THAT YOU
CHOOSE ON THIS DATE.
Peer edit memoirs: Monday, February 13. (Bring 3 copies to class for peer edit
groups.)
Memoirs due and group presentations: Friday, February 24. (Memoirs must be
brought to class or in Google drive by 11:59 pm on Thursday, February 23.)

See attached rubrics for grading of group presentations and southern

memoir.

Group Presentation Rubric

Excellent
*5*

Good
*4*

Average
*3*

Fair
*2*
Memor
y box
has 2
items.
Listen
er is
left
confus
ed
about
relatio
n to
novel.

Completi
on

Memory box has

at least 5 items.

Memory box
has 4 items.

Memory box
has 3 items.

Relations
hip to
novel

All items have

clear relation to
character from
novel and is
made apparent in
presentation.

All items
have a clear
connection
to character
from novel.
May not be
apparent in
presentatio
n.

Some items
have a
connection
to character
from novel.
Not really
discussed in
presentatio
n.

Poor
*1*

Memory box h
item or none
all.

No relation to
novel is appa
at all.

Distributi
on of
work
Presenta
tion style

Presenta
tion
Skills

Presenters take
turns presenting
memory box and
both presenters
seem
knowledgeable.
Presentation is
easy to follow.
There is a logical
flow to
presentation.
Presentation is
enjoyable to
listener.

Both speakers
are easy to
understand. They
speak with good
volume, clarity,
and are very
comfortable in
front of the class.

Only one
presenter
presents
and seems
informed.
Presentatio
n is easy to
follow, but
some areas
may not
seem as
logical as
others.
Presentatio
n is
enjoyable to
listener.
Both
speakers
are fairly
easy to
understand.
Volume and
clarity may
be a bit
difficult for
the listener.
Speakers
seem
comfortable
.

Presentatio
n has some
issues with
logical flow.
Listener
may have
some
questions
about
certain
areas of
presentatio
n.
Both
speakers
speak
rapidly and
at a poor
volume.
Presentatio
n is not very
understand
able for the
listener.
Speakers
seems quite
nervous.

Presen
tation
is
lackin
g
logic.
Listen
er is
left
confus
ed.

Both
speake
rs
speak
almost
too
fast or
too
low for
the
listene
r to
unders
tand
the
presen
tation.

Southern Memoir Rubric

Excelle

Good

Averag

Fair

Poor

Neither prese
seems
knowledgeab
and seems to
stumble throu
presentation.
Presentation
should not ha
been made. N
practice or lo
is evident.

Both speaker
cannot be
understood. P
presentation
overall.

nt
*5*

*4*

e
*3*

*2*

*1*

Personal
Reflection

Student
shows
amazing
ability to
reflect on
self as a
speaker of
Southern
dialect and
as a
member of
Southern
culture.

Student
shows
reflection
on self as
a speaker
of
Southern
dialect
and as a
member
of
Southern
culture.

Student
shows
some
reflection
on self as
either as
speaker of
Southern
dialect or
as a
member
of
Southern
culture.

No
reflection
present
in
memoir.

Relations
hip to
novel

Student
relates to
at least 3
major
characters
from the
novel.
There are
multiple
references
to the
novel and
the reader
can see
understan
ding of
major
themes
present in
the novel.

Student
brings in
connectio
ns from at
least 3
major
characters
from the
novel.
There are
reference
s to the
novel and
the reader
can see
understan
ding of
the novel.

Student
brings in
connectio
ns from 12 major
characters
. There
are some
connectio
ns to the
novel, but
the reader
could use
some
more to
understan
d the
connectio
n.

Page
Length

Piece is at
least 4
pages.

Piece is at
least 3
pages.

Piece is at
least 2
pages.

While
there is
some
reflectio
n on self
as a
member
of
Southern
culture,
the
reader is
left
wanting
more.
Student
relates
to 1-2
major
characte
rs. While
there are
some
connecti
ons to
the
novel,
the
reader is
not
really
sure
what
this has
to do
with the
piece of
writing.
Piece is
at least
a page.

Readabili

Piece is
well

There are
a few

There are
1-2 major

There
are a

There are
no
connectio
ns to the
novel or
to any
major
character
s present
in the
piece.

Piece is
not
submitte
d.
There are
far too

ty/
Mechanic
s

polished
with no
mechanica
l errors.
Reader
can clearly
understan
d all that
is being
stated.

Process
Work

Writer
participate
d in
process
work.

minor
mechanic
al errors.
Reader
can easily
understan
d what is
being
said.

mechanica
l errors.
Reader
has some
difficulty
understan
ding what
is being
said.

few
major
errors.
Reader
has a
great
deal of
difficulty
reading
the
piece.

many
errors for
the
reader to
understa
nd what
is being
stated.

No
participat
ion.