Understanding by Design Lesson Plan

Title of Unit Reading Enrichment: 6th 7th 8th Grade

Grade Level
Wednesday Wars
Curriculum Area ELA/Reading 3 segments
Initial hooking segment
Time Frame discussion
breakout activity.

Developed By Sally Gazaway

Stage 1: Identify Desired Results
Content Standards
Georgia Standards of Excellence

ELAGSE6RL10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of the range.
ELAGSE6SL1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
ELAGSE6L3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading,
or listening.

ELAGSE7RL10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as
needed at the high end of the range.
ELAGSE7SL1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
ELAGSE7L3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading,
or listening.

ELAGSE8RL10: By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories,
dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and
proficiently.
ELAGSE8SL1: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics and texts, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly.
ELAGSE8L3: Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading,
or listening.

Understandings
Essential Questions
Overarching Understanding
-Themes in literature Overarching Questions:
-Awards for literature -What makes a book a Newberry Award
-Significance of genre contender?
-What are overall themes of literature?
Related Misconceptions -Why is historical fiction significant to learning?
-the story is about a boy’s Wednesday
afternoon Topical Questions:
-The story is about the relationship between -What are the themes of Wednesday Wars?
Holling and his teacher -What types of relationships are we reading
about in the book?
-What is the historical and literary significance of
the book?
Knowledge Skills
Students will know… Students will be able to…

● The content and significance of the Newberry ● Discuss themes and plot lines of a story.
Award winning Wednesday Wars
● Use context clues to solve problems
● how to recognize themes within the plot of a
story. ● Use DiscoveryED and Destiny.
● context clues within text.

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

Performance Task Description
Goal Students will show understanding of knowledge from their reading by
solving clues to the breakout boxes based on the book.
Role Students are the investigators.
Audience 6th 7th 8th grade students
Students will work in the Media Center with the computers in the Media
Situation
Center as well as the Break out boxes
Product/ Students will breakout of the box using clues based on the book.
Performance

AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner

Standard 1: Teaching for Learning
1.1 Knowledge of learners and learning
1.2 Effective and knowledgeable teacher
1.4 Integration of twenty-first century skills and learning standards
Standards Standard 2: Literacy and Reading
2.1 Literature
2.2 Reading promotion
Standard 3: Information and Knowledge
3.1 Efficient and ethical information-seeking behavior
3.2 Access to information
 3.3 Information technology
3.4 Research and knowledge creation
Standard 4: Advocacy and Leadership
4.1. Networking with the library community
4.3 Leadership
4.4 Advocacy
Stage 3: Learning Plan
Where are your students Students will read the book Wednesday Wars. This book was part
headed? Where have they of “The Big Read”. This is a county wide initiative that involves the
been? How will you make schools, public libraries, and the Golden Isles Arts and
sure the students know Humanities. One book is chosen for each school level
where they are going? (Elementary, Middle, High). Wednesday Wars was the book
chosen for the middle grades. Students are given the book talk
presentation at the beginning of “The Big Read” month.
How will you hook Students are given the presentation Book Talk. It is a video
students at the beginning created with MyBrainPop from BrainPop.com. The video is
of the unit? presented on morning announcements to the entire school.
What events will help Students will be given the opportunity to read the book and take
students experience and the AR (Accelerated Reader) test to participate in a “Big Read
explore the big idea and Event” in the media center with the media specialist (in this case,
questions in the unit? How me). The Golden Isles Arts and Humanities provides a class set of
will you equip them with the book that they choose. The media specialist has made it
needed skills and available for check out and put a check out limit of two weeks on
knowledge?
the book to maximize the student availability of the book. The
media center already had a few copies of the book to start as
well.
How will you cause Students will reflect on the book when they take the test. They
students to reflect and will also use information from the book as clues for the breakout
rethink? How will you box activity to be held during the “Big Read Event”.
guide them in rehearsing,
revising, and refining their
work?
How will you help students Students will show their skills, knowledge and understanding
to exhibit and self-evaluate throughout the unit by checking out the book, reading the book,
their growing skills, taking the AR test, the discussion portion of the unit, and the
knowledge, and breakout box activity.
understanding throughout
the unit?
How will you tailor and The unit is a voluntary participation to tailor to the interest of the
otherwise personalize the students. Engagement is their choice. There is extrinsic incentive
learning plan to optimize to participate because of the event at the end. The event includes
the engagement and the breakout box activity as well as refreshments. The media
effectiveness of ALL
 students, without specialist and teachers throughout the building encourage
compromising the goals of students to participate.
the unit?
How will you organize and Sequence will start with the initial book talk and announcement
sequence the learning of the event. Students will then show interest and discuss the
activities to optimize the book with the media specialist to make sure they will be engaged
engagement and and encouraged to read the book. Students will read the book
achievement of ALL and take the AR test. Students who take the test will be made into
students? groups for the event. It will be mixed groups of grade levels and
scores from the test to make sure everyone has equal opportunity
to breakout. Students will be involved in a book discussion at the
beginning of the event that they will identify themes of the book
and talk about the interesting parts of the book. Students will
then be given the clues to the break out box. They will work
together as a group to solve the clues and unlock the series of
locks on the box. The clues include comprehension questions,
math problems, maps, using the media center catalog, books, and
DiscoveryEducation.com

From: Wiggins, Grant and J. Mc Tighe. (1998). Understanding by Design, Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
Below are the clues that were used in the Breakout Box activity.

It’s been a crazy year. First, I had to learn all about some old
playwright name William Shakespeare. I made the Varsity cross-
country team and even went on my first Valentine’s Day date;
however, the craziest thing of all had to be Sycorax and Caliban. Mrs.
Baker asked me to take care of these hideous rats over the summer,
but there’s just one problem. Mrs. Baker locked them in a traveling,
and I can’t figure out how to unlock the box. Please help me, so I can
get Sycorax and Caliban some food and water.

Sincerely Stumped,
Holling Hoodhood

P.S.
Mrs. Baker left a few clues to help you figure out the combination to
the 5 locks.
● 3 digit numerical lock
● 4 digit numerical lock
● 5 letter word lock
● Directional lock
 ● Key lock

First clues: five groups (each group gets a different clue to start so
that they each find a different book holding a key to the lockbox)

Group 1:
The key is in Shakespeare’s words. He provides great insight on
many historical events. He wrote plays about kings, queens,
emperors. One of his most famous plays involves a deadly love
triangle. You know, some people aren’t meant to be together. I guess
it’s just DESTINY, but some people are just queen of denial
Shakespeare’s plays often end in poetic justice.
Group 2:
The key is in Shakespeare’s words. He often wrote about current
political situations, but they were a bit far stretched. I mean… was it
really Macbeth’s DESTINY to become king by way of multiple
homicides? What a tragedy.
Group 3:
The key is in Shakespeare’s words. He provides great insight on
many historical events. He wrote plays about kings, queens,
emperors. One of his most famous plays involves a deadly love
triangle. You know, some people aren’t meant to be together. I guess
it’s just DESTINY, but some people are just queens of denial.
Group 4:
The key is in Shakespeare’s words, but his words can be difficult to
understand. Thankfully, some people have translated a lot of his
works into versions that are easier to understand. Like who knew a
Midsummer Night’s Dream was a love story with fairies. It must have
been Shakespeare’s DESTINY to be famous.
Group 5:
The key is in Shakespeare’s words. He provides great insight on
many historical events. He wrote plays about kings, queens,
emperors. One of his most famous plays involves a deadly love
triangle. You know, some people aren’t meant to be together. I guess
it’s just DESTINY, but some people are just queens of denial.

Key:
1: Poetry for Young People- William Shakespeare- 821 SHA- pg 12.
2. Macbeth- 822.3 S
3. Shakespeare’s Stones-823 page 102
4. A Midsummer Night’s Dream- F Cov
5. Who’s Who in Shakespeare- 822.3 NEL page 42 Cleopatra

Another Clue: when the students find the key to the lockbox they get
a blacklight and another clue out of the box. The other clue is below.
They will find the clue at Discovery Education site. I shared a board
that I create with the students.
They use the bulletin board to determine the 4 digit lock.

Another clue: Menu from Valentine’s date. With a blacklight pen

circle an appetizer, entrée, dessert and beverage.
 Woolworth’s
Valentine’s Day Special
MENU
APPETIZERS
Cheese Fondue for Two $3.50
Shrimp Cocktail $5.00
Stuffed Celery Sticks $2.75

ENTREES
Chicken a la King $8.35
Beef Bourguignon $11.60
Beef Wellington $13.75
Lobster Newbery $17.25

DESSERTS
Baked Alaska $6.70
Crepe Suzette $5.90
Tunnel of Fudge $4.85
Chiffon Pie $5.75

BEVERAGES
Soda (various flavors) $1.50

On the ticket circle the subtotal and the tip with the blacklight pen. (the tip is the answer
to the 3 digit lock) Subtotal: 35.30 Tip: 3.53
 Woolworth’s Receipt NO.: 1001
Paid by: Holling Hoodhood Paid to: Woolworth’s

Description Valentine’s Day Dinner Special Amount in full

7. Appetizer (sharing)
8. Entrees
7. Dessert (sharing)
8. Sodas (plain) Subtotal ?
Discount(s) none
Tip (10%) ?
Total $38.83
Date: 2/14/1967 Received by: Flash Light

Another Clue: I created 10 comprehension questions from the book. I assigned

the letters from the lock to create a 5 digit word. I used the black light pen to
put a number (1-5) on 5 of the questions that were used for the answer to the
lock. The students had to solve the questions and then when they thought they
had the right answers they would use them in the order that is numbered on
the question with the blacklight pen. (I used the word TOADS because it
worked with my letter lock and Holling always said “Toads, Beetles, and
Bats” in the book. I included the questions below without the letter choices.

What Shakespeare play does Holling have a part in?

Much Ado about Nothing
Hamlet
The Tempest
Romeo and Juliet

What are the names of Mrs. Baker’s rats?

Scarus and Caius
Sycorax and Caliban
Seyton and Calchas
Solinus and Casca
Who refused to sign a ball for Holling?
Mickey Mantle
Joe Pepitone
Ralph Houk
Horace Clark

What was Holling’s favorite Caliban curse to use when he was frustrated?
“The red Plague rid you.”
“Pied Ninny.”
“Strange stuff, the dropsy drown you.”
“Toads, Beetles, Bats.”

Why was Holling the only one at school on Wednesday afternoons?

He was Protestant.
He was Jewish.
He was Catholic.
He was Episcopalian.

What war was Mrs. Baker’s husband fighting in?

Korean War
World War II
American Revolution
Vietnam War

What sport did Holling participate in?

Track
Soccer
Baseball
Tennis

Where did Holling have to go to bring his sister home?

Chicago
California
Minniapolis
New York City

Who became the Principal of Camillo Junior High at the end of the book?
Mr. Venderli
Mrs. Sidman
Mr. Guareschi
Mr. Petrelli

Did Luitenant Baker make it home from the war?

Yes
No

Another Clue: This clue was for the directional lock. The answer to the lock is
E,S,E,S,W,N,E,S. I created the map myself.