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Arthur Miller’s All My Sons

Subject: English Language Arts

Grade: 11
Estimated time: seven 50-minute sessions
Unit author: Jessi Headrick

Unit Preview

1) Direct Instruction:

Description of direct instruction on a concept or some contexts for the assigned reading may be
found on pages 2-3 and 6-10.

2) Collaborative Learning:

Description of methods for facilitating collaborative learning may be found on pages 3-4.

3) Objective Assessment:

An objective measure of student completion, comprehension, and retention of the assigned

reading may be found on pages 4-5.

4) Subjective Assessment:

A subjective measure of students’ abilities to analyze and critically engage with the assigned
reading may be found on pages 8-10.

5) Annotated Bibliography:

An annotated bibliography of resources and scholarly research in the field of English education
may be found on pages 11-16.

6) Time Log:

A time log, which documents the time spent working on the learning unit, may be found on page
17.

7) Self-Evaluation:

A written reflective self-evaluation, which frames the time spent working on the learning unit,
may be found on pages 18-20.
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Session 1

Objectives

Students will:
1) Learn some background information and historical context for Arthur Miller’s All My Sons.
2) View “The U.S. Homefront During WWII” and discuss the video’s key points.
3) View “American Factories Change to Support World War II” and discuss the video’s key points.

Resources

Materials and technology:

 Computer
 Projector
 Background Information & Historical Context PowerPoint (double-click the following link)

Background
Information & Historical Context.pptx

Websites:
 YouTube (“The U.S. Homefront During WWII” and “American Factories Change to Support World
War II” are embedded in the Background Information & Historical Context PowerPoint.)

Standards

Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts:

 11.1.R: Students will develop and apply effective communication skills through speaking and
active listening.

Instructional Plan

1) Have the first slide of the Background Information & Historical Context PowerPoint pulled up as
students enter class.
2) Once class has begun, move to the second slide of the Background Information & Historical
Context PowerPoint, and go over the objectives with the students.
3) Moving on to the third slide, ask if any students have read or heard of Arthur Miller before.
Death of a Salesman and The Crucible are taught in many high schools.
4) After students have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present the information
about Arthur Miller.
5) Moving on to the fourth slide, present the first bullet of information about All My Sons, and ask
students what was going on in U.S. history around 1947. Although World War II ended in 1945,
that’s the answer to go for.
6) Click for the second bullet to appear, and present the information about the true story All My
Sons was based on.
7) Moving on to the fifth slide, ask students what things were like on the U.S. homefront during
World War II.
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8) After students have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present the information
about the U.S. homefront.
9) Click on the video icon to play “The U.S. Homefront During WWII.”
10) After the video has played, ask students how life across the country was altered during World
War II, according to the video. Possible answers include: food, gas, and clothing were rationed;
communities conducted scrap metal drives; to help build the armaments necessary to win the
war, women found employment as electricians, welders, and riveters in defense plants;
Japanese Americans had their rights as citizens stripped from them; people in the U.S. grew
increasingly dependent on radio reports for news of the fighting overseas; and while popular
entertainment served to demonize the nation’s enemies, it also was viewed as an escapist outlet
that allowed Americans brief respites from war worries.
11) After students have responded, ask what the role of the American worker was during World
War II, according to the video. A possible answer might be: From the outset of the war, it was
clear that enormous quantities of airplanes, tanks, warships, rifles, and other armaments would
be essential to beat America’s aggressors. U.S. workers played a vital role in the production of
such war-related materials.
12) After students have responded, move on to the sixth slide, and ask if they know what happened
to American factories during the war.
13) After students have responded, click on the video icon to play “American Factories Change to
Support World War II.”
14) After the video has played, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present the information about
U.S. factories.
15) Moving on to the seventh slide, let the students know a pre-reading activity for All My Sons is on
the agenda for next class period.
16) Ask students if they have any questions, comments, or concerns about the material presented in
the lecture.

Session 2

Objectives

Students will:
1) Begin the Anticipation Guide for All My Sons, independently responding to statements that may
challenge or support their preconceived ideas about key concepts in the play.
2) Collaboratively discuss and debate their responses to the Anticipation Guide.

Resources

Printouts:
 Anticipation Guide (double-click the following link)

Anticipation
Guide.docx
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Standards

Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts:

 11.1.R: Students will develop and apply effective communication skills through speaking and
active listening.
 11.1.W: Students will develop and apply effective communication skills through speaking and
active listening to create individual and group projects and presentations.

Instructional Plan

1) As students enter class, distribute the Anticipation Guide.

2) Once class has begun, give directions for the assignment. The students should read each
statement on the Anticipation Guide and respond in the left column whether they agree or
disagree with each one. Advise them to think about why they agree or disagree.
3) Once everyone has completed that portion of the assignment, conduct a class survey to see how
students responded and why.
4) Read the first statement on the Anticipation Guide aloud, and have the students get into small
groups (3-5 members) with people who responded to the statement in the same way they did.
5) Once the students are in groups, ask them to collaborate about their reasons for agreeing or
disagreeing with the statement.
6) After a few minutes, ask one person from each group to share what the group discussed.
7) Repeat this process for the remaining seven statements.
8) At the end of class, tell the students to save their Anticipation Guides for later. After they have
read the play, they will be asked to reevaluate their responses to the statements in the right
column of the Anticipation Guide.
9) Also, tell the students they will begin reading and discussing All My Sons next class period.

Sessions 3-5

Objectives

Students will:
1) Read and discuss All My Sons.
2) Complete a Reading Quiz for All My Sons.

Resources

Materials:
 All My Sons by Arthur Miller

Printouts:
 Reading Quiz (double-click the following link)

Reading Quiz.docx
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Standards

Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts:

 11.1.R: Students will develop and apply effective communication skills through speaking and
active listening.
 11.2.R: Students will read and comprehend increasingly complex literary and informational
texts.
 11.4.R: Students will expand academic, domain-appropriate, grade-level vocabularies through
reading, word study, and class discussion.

Instructional Plan

1) Before each session, arrange the classroom seats/desks in a circle.

2) At the beginning of the first session, ask for nine volunteers to read the parts of Joe Keller, Kate
Keller, Chris Keller, Ann Deever, Dr. Jim Bayliss, Sue Bayliss, Frank Lubey, Lydia Lubey, and Bert.
3) Tell the students that plays are meant to be performed rather than read silently to oneself, so
they will be reading the play aloud, together in class.
4) As the students read, pause for discussion.
5) Try to get through the first act by the end of the first session. If that doesn’t happen, have the
students finish the reading for homework before the next session. Encourage the students to
form their own groups outside of class for reading.
6) At the beginning of the second session, ask for nine new volunteers to read the parts of Joe
Keller, Kate Keller, Chris Keller, Ann Deever, George Deever, Dr. Jim Bayliss, Sue Bayliss, Frank
Lubey, and Lydia Lubey.
7) As the students read, pause for discussion.
8) Try to get through the second act by the end of the second session. If that doesn’t happen, have
the students finish the reading for homework before the next session. Again, encourage the
students to form their own groups outside of class for reading.
9) At the beginning of the third session, ask for five new volunteers to read the parts of Joe Keller,
Kate Keller, Chris Keller, Ann Deever, and Dr. Jim Bayliss.
10) As the students read, pause for discussion.
11) Try to get through the third act by the end of the third session. If that doesn’t happen, have the
students finish reading the play for homework before the next session. Again, encourage the
students to form their own groups outside of class for reading.
12) Towards the end of the third session (or whenever the students have finished the play),
distribute the Reading Quiz.
13) Give directions for the Reading Quiz. The students are to match the numbered pieces of
dialogue to the lettered characters who speak. For pieces of dialogue with multiple speakers,
the students should identify the speaker of the dialogue in italics. All characters will be used at
least once, but some may be used more than once.
14) Ask the students if they have any questions, comments, or concerns about the Reading Quiz.
15) Tell the students they may tun their quizzes in as soon as they are done, but they should return
to their desks and sit quietly until everyone has finished.
16) At the end of class, tell the students they will start discussing themes in All My Sons next class
period.
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Session 6

Objectives

Students will:
1) Learn the definition of “theme.”
2) Discuss potential themes in All My Sons.
3) Complete the Anticipation Guide for All My Sons.

Resources

Materials and technology:

 Computer
 Projector
 Theme PowerPoint (double-click the following link)

Theme.pptx

Printouts:
 Anticipation Guide (double-click the following link)

Anticipation
Guide.docx

Standards

Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts:

 11.1.R: Students will develop and apply effective communication skills through speaking and
active listening.
 11.2.R: Students will read and comprehend increasingly complex literary and informational
texts.
 11.4.R.1: Students will increase knowledge of academic, domain-appropriate, grade-level
vocabulary to infer meaning of grade-level text.

Instructional Plan

1) Have the first slide of the Theme PowerPoint pulled up as students enter class.
2) Once class has begun, move to the second slide of the Theme PowerPoint, and go over the
objectives with the students.
3) Moving on to the third slide, ask students if they know what “theme” is.
4) After they have responded, click for a definition of “themes” to appear. Emphasize the
importance of the definition’s two parts.
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5) Moving on to the fourth slide, ask the students if they can think of any themes in All My Sons.
What abstract ideas does Miller examine in the play? What insights does he seem to offer about
each? What textual evidence do the students have to support their ideas?
6) Moving on to the fifth slide, introduce the first potential theme of relatedness, and ask the
students what insights Miller might offer about this concept in the play.
7) After they have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present some of the
considerations pertaining to the theme of relatedness.
8) Ask the students to return to the Anticipation Guide they started working on in the second
session. The first statement pertains to the theme of relatedness, so ask the students to
reevaluate their response to it. Based on what they now know about Miller’s insights in the play,
they might disagree with the statement.
9) Moving on to the sixth slide, introduce the second potential theme of the nuclear family, and
ask the students what insights Miller might offer about this concept in the play. To begin, they
might contrast characters’ opinions about an individual’s responsibilities to the family versus
society at large.
10) After they have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present some of the
considerations pertaining to the theme of the nuclear family. As an example for the second
bullet: Joe attempted to cover up his mistake at the plant and blamed it on Steve in order to
protect the Keller family and ensure their financial success. But Joe’s fatal decision leads Steve
to land in prison, ruining Annie and George’s family; its later, unintended consequences
jeopardize the married happiness of Chris and Annie and cause Joe to commit suicide. This is the
final unwinding of the Keller family, as Kate tells Chris in the final scene to go off with Annie and
begin a new life far away—a fresh start untainted by the tragedy of the Kellers.
11) Ask the students to return to the Anticipation Guide. The second statement pertains to the
theme of the nuclear family, so ask the students to reevaluate their response to it. Based on
what they now know about Miller’s insights in the play, they might agree with the statement.
12) Moving on to the seventh slide, introduce the third potential theme of the past, and ask the
students what insights Miller might offer about this concept in the play.
13) After they have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present some of the
considerations pertaining to the theme of the past.
14) Ask the students to return to the Anticipation Guide. The third statement pertains to the theme
of the past, so ask the students to reevaluate their response to it. Based on what they now know
about Miller’s insights in the play, they might agree with the statement.
15) Moving on to the eighth slide, introduce the fourth potential theme of denial and self-
deception, and ask the students what insights Miller might offer about this concept in the play.
16) After they have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present some of the
considerations pertaining to the theme of denial and self-deception.
17) Ask the students to return to the Anticipation Guide. The fourth statement pertains to the
theme of denial and self-deception, so ask the students to reevaluate their response to it. Based
on what they now know about Miller’s insights in the play, they might agree with the statement.
18) Moving on to the ninth slide, introduce the fifth potential theme of idealism, and ask the
students what insights Miller might offer about this concept in the play.
19) After they have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present some of the
considerations pertaining to the theme of idealism.
20) Ask the students to return to the Anticipation Guide. The fifth statement pertains to the theme
of idealism, so ask the students to reevaluate their response to it. Based on what they now
know about Miller’s insights in the play, they might disagree with the statement.
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21) Moving on to the tenth slide, introduce the sixth potential theme of business, and ask the
students what insights Miller might offer about this concept in the play.
22) After they have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present some of the
considerations pertaining to the theme of business.
23) Ask the students to return to the Anticipation Guide. The sixth statement pertains to the theme
of business, so ask the students to reevaluate their response to it. Based on what they now
know about Miller’s insights in the play, they might disagree with the statement.
24) Moving on to the eleventh slide, introduce the seventh potential theme of blame, and ask the
students what insights Miller might offer about this concept in the play.
25) After they have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present some of the
considerations pertaining to the theme of blame.
26) Ask the students to return to the Anticipation Guide. The seventh statement pertains to the
theme of blame, so ask the students to reevaluate their response to it. Based on what they now
know about Miller’s insights in the play, they might disagree with the statement.
27) Moving on to the twelfth slide, introduce the eighth potential theme of the American Dream,
and ask the students what insights Miller might offer about this concept in the play.
28) After they have responded, click for a bulleted list to appear, and present some of the
considerations pertaining to the theme of the American Dream.
29) For the second bullet, ask the students what Joe sacrifices for economic success. Possible
answers include: basic human decency (consider the pilots), a successful family life, his business
partner, his own son, etc.
30) For the fourth bullet, ask the students what examples (other than Joe) there are in the play that
economic mobility alone can be detrimental. Possible answers include: George (He abandons his
hometown for big city success.), the Baylisses (There is a rift in the Bayliss marriage over Jim’s
desire to do unprofitable research.), etc.
31) Ask the students to return to the Anticipation Guide. The eighth statement pertains to the
theme of denial and self-deception, so ask the students to reevaluate their response to it. Based
on what they now know about Miller’s insights in the play, they might agree with the statement.
32) Moving on to the thirteenth slide, tell the students they will begin the unit writing assignment
next class period.
33) Ask students if they have any questions, comments, or concerns about the material presented in
the lecture.

Session 7

Objectives

Students will:
1) Review the definition for “theme.”
2) Review potential themes in All My Sons.
3) View “Celebrating Arthur Miller at One Hundred.”
4) Begin the unit writing assignment, an analytic essay on a selected theme in All My Sons.

Resources

Materials and technology:

 Computer
 Projector
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 Theme PowerPoint (double-click the following link)

Theme.pptx

Printouts:
 Analytic Essay Assignment (double-click the following link)

Analytic Essay
Assignment.docx

Websites:
 YouTube (“Celebrating Arthur Miller at One Hundred” is embedded in the Theme PowerPoint.)

Standards

Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts:

 11.1.R: Students will develop and apply effective communication skills through speaking and
active listening.
 11.2.R: Students will read and comprehend increasingly complex literary and informational
texts.
 11.4.R.1: Students will increase knowledge of academic, domain-appropriate, grade-level
vocabulary to infer meaning of grade-level text.
 11.2.W: Students will develop and strengthen writing by engaging in a recursive process that
includes prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
 11.3.W.3: Students will elaborate on ideas by using logical reasoning and illustrative examples to
connect evidences to claim(s).
 11.3.W.4: Students will (1) introduce precise, informed claims, (2) distinguish them from
alternate or opposing claims, (3) organize claims, counterclaims, and evidence in a way that
provides a logical sequence for the entire argument, and (4) provide the most relevant
evidences to develop balanced arguments, using credible sources.
 11.3.W.5: Students will use words, phrases, clauses, and varied syntax to connect all parts of the
argument and create cohesion and include a conclusion that follows logically from the
information presented and supports the argument.
 11.4.W: Students will apply knowledge of vocabularies to communicate by using descriptive,
academic, and domain-appropriate abstract and concrete words in their writing.
 11.5.W: Students will demonstrate command of Standard English grammar, mechanics, and
usage through writing and other modes of communication.
 11.8.W: Students will write independently over extended periods of time and for shorter
timeframes, vary their modes of expression to suit audience and task, and/or be able to apply
new understandings in an original way.

Instructional Plan

1) Have the fourteenth slide of the Theme PowerPoint pulled up as students enter class.
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2) Once class has begun, go over the objectives with the students.
3) Moving on to the fifteenth slide, ask the students if anyone remembers what “theme” is.
4) After they have responded, click for the definition of “themes” to appear. Again, emphasize the
importance of the definition’s two parts.
5) Moving on to the sixteenth slide, ask the students if anyone remembers what some potential
themes are in All My Sons.
6) After they have responded, click for a bulleted list of the themes discussed last session to
appear. Briefly remind the students of the insights Miller offers about these themes in the play.
7) Moving on to the seventeenth slide, click on the video icon to play “Celebrating Arthur Miller at
One Hundred.”
8) After the video has played, distribute the Analytic Essay Assignment.
9) Allow the students time to read the assignment on their own.
10) After everyone is finished reading, move on to the eighteenth slide, and ask students if they
have any questions, comments, or concerns about the assignment.
11) Before the students begin, emphasize that their success with the assignment depends on three
things. They must: 1) present the two parts of theme (an abstract idea + the insights the author
has to offer about that idea), 2) formulate a debatable thesis, and 3) support that thesis with
textual evidence.
12) At the end of class, tell the students they will be working on their essays in class for the next
several class periods.
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Resources

“All My Sons Themes.” GradeSaver, GradeSaver LLC, www.gradesaver.com/all-my-sons/study-

guide/themes. This website offers an extensive study guide for All My Sons. I used the

information about themes in my Anticipation Guide for Session 2 and in my Theme PowerPoint

for Sessions 6 and 7.

“American Factories Change to Support World War II.” PBS LearningMedia, PBS & WGBH Educational

Foundation, www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/24174024-0f9d-4e24-8499-

1b18e05f21fd/american-factories-change-to-support-world-war-ii-world-war-ii-

stories/#.WfYxTWhSxPY. This website offers PreK-12 educators more than 100,000 videos,

images, interactives, lesson plans, and articles drawn from critically acclaimed PBS programs and

from expert content contributors like The National Archives and NASA. Every resource on PBS

LearningMedia showcases subject, grade level, and alignment to national and Common Core

standards. I used the information from this article in my Background Information & Historical

Context PowerPoint for Session 1.

“American Factories Change to Support World War II.” YouTube, Iowa Public Television, 14 Sept. 2015,

youtu.be/xWRgG4MNe_k. As the title suggests, this is an informative video about American

factories during World War II. I originally discovered it while I was looking at the article from PBS

LearningMedia and decided to embed it in my Background Information & Historical Context

PowerPoint for Session 1.

Cox, Sandra. “All My Sons 1.” 5 Sept. 2017. This is a PowerPoint from a lecture by Dr. Sandra Cox in the

Department of English and Modern Languages at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS. The

lecture was presented by Dr. Cox in American Genre: Drama and Adapted Films. The focus of the

lecture was Arthur Miller’s All My Sons and aesthetic movements of the twentieth century. I

adapted its design for my own Background Information & Historical Context PowerPoint in
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Session 1. I also used some of the images and information contained in it for that same

PowerPoint in Session 1 and in my Theme PowerPoint for Sessions 6 and 7.

Cox, Sandra. “Comparative Analysis Paper.” 2017. This is a writing assignment designed by Dr. Sandra

Cox in the Department of English and Modern Languages at Pittsburg State University in

Pittsburg, KS. The assignment was designed for and assigned in American Genre: Drama and

Adapted Films. I adapted its contents for my Analytic Essay Assignment in Session 7.

Cox, Sandra. “Quiz 3: 20th Century Aesthetic Movements and Miller’s All My Sons.” 7 Sept. 2017. This is a

quiz designed by Dr. Sandra Cox in the Department of English and Modern Languages at

Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS. The quiz was designed for and administered in

American Genre: Drama and Adapted Films. I used some of its contents for part of my own

Reading Quiz in Session 5.

4th Row Films. Celebrating Arthur Miller at One Hundred. YouTube, Westport Country Playhouse, 16

Sept. 2015, youtu.be/Vt6_A_upfp8. This is a short documentary surveying the life, works, and

major themes of Arthur Miller; including interviews with prominent Miller scholars and artists,

historic images, and Miller’s own words. I embedded it in my Theme PowerPoint for Session 7.

Latosi-Sawin, Elizabeth. “‘What Do You Want?’: Some Suggestions for Making Written Assignments That

Students Can Follow.” Missouri Western State University. As the title suggests, this article

provides tips for creating writing assignments that students can follow. Latosi-Sawin provides a

sample assignment sheet, which I used as the basic structure for my Analytic Essay Assignment

in Session 7.

“Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts: 11th Grade.” Oklahoma State Department of

Education, 2016. As the title suggests, this PDF contains the Oklahoma Academic Standards for

English language arts instruction at the eleventh-grade level. As I designed my unit plan, I

consulted these standards frequently and incorporated them into each of the seven sessions.
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“Oklahoma School Testing Program: Grade 10 English Language Arts Test and Item Specifications.”

Measured Progress, 2016. This PDF provides extensive information regarding the Grade 10

English Language Arts test for state assessment in Oklahoma. Although the writing rubric it

provides was intended for tenth grade, I compared the state standards it lists for tenth grade

with the state standards for eleventh grade. Finding very little difference between the two, I

decided to use the rubric as the basis for my own in Session 7.

“The U.S. Home Front During World War II.” History.com, A+E Networks, 2010,

www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/us-home-front-during-world-war-ii. This website offers

extensive articles and videos on a variety of historical events and topics. I used the information

from this article in my Background Information & Historical Context PowerPoint for Session 1.

“The U.S. Homefront During WWII.” YouTube, History.com, 22 Sept. 2017, youtu.be/9aRVVae2i_c. As

the title suggests, this is an informative video about the U.S. homefront during World War II. I

originally discovered it while I was looking at the article from History.com and decided to embed

it in my Background Information & Historical Context PowerPoint for Session 1.

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Scholarly Research

Eastwell, Peter. “Self-Assessment: A Powerful Tool.” The Science Education Review, vol. 1, no. 1, 2002,

pp. 7–9. Education Resources Information Center, files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1058555.pdf. In this

peer-reviewed article, Peter Eastwell examines the value of student self-assessment, claiming,

“If the ultimate aim of education is to shift to the individual the responsibility for pursuing his

education, then self-assessment is a very valuable strategy.” Eastwell describes how he uses

self-assessment with his own upper primary and lower high school students. In order to monitor

and improve classroom participation, Eastwell asks his students to complete a rubric by rating

their performance on each criterion, summing the points, arriving at a total score, and turning

the rubric in. Eastwell follows up with praise and accurate assessments and provides

opportunities to discuss rubrics with those students whose self-assessment differs markedly

from his own observations. The empowering of students in this way builds self-esteem, a very

important component of personal growth. Eastwell concludes that self-assessment can easily be

used in conjunction with tasks like project work, cooperative learning, practical reports, and

homework.

Goulden, Rick. “On the Horns of a Dilemma: Is Reading Aloud Bad Pedagogy?” TESL Canada Journal, vol.

20, no. 1, 2002, pp. 74–82. Education Resources Information Center,

files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ659414.pdf. In this peer-reviewed article, Rick Goulden examines the

appropriateness of reading aloud in the classroom. Goulden concludes that this method can be

valuable, as it encourages students to be active participants in the reading and learning process.

According to Goulden, through simultaneously modeling and explaining how to engage a text,

teachers can encourage their students to develop the tools to do it themselves.

Vega, Vanessa, and Youki Terada. “Research Supports Collaborative Learning.” Edutopia, George Lucas

Educational Foundation, 5 Dec. 2012, www.edutopia.org/stw-collaborative-learning-research. In

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this article, Vanessa Vega and Youki Terada examine practices of discussion-based English

classes. According to a meta-analysis of research conducted at the College Preparatory School

(College Prep) in Oakland, California, two discussion practices that have the greatest effects on

improving students’ text comprehension are including a thematic focus (e.g., friendship) and

connecting theme to background knowledge (e.g., using the text or personal experience). In this

article, Vega and Terada also describe a discussion approach called collaborative reasoning.

With this approach, a teacher poses a question likely to incite different points of view, and

students provide reasons to support their positions. Collaborative reasoning aims to “encourage

students to use reasoned discourse as a means for choosing among alternative perspectives on

an issue” while drawing on personal experiences, background knowledge, or a text for

interpretive support. This approach has been shown to decrease teacher talk and control of the

topic.

Vega, Vanessa. “Integrated Studies Research Review.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation,

19 May 2013, www.edutopia.org/integrated-studies-research. In this research review,

integrated studies is defined as “the combination of two or more subjects in a lesson, project,

classroom, or curriculum.” According to the review, integrated studies is a great way to get

students more involved in school; it enhances motivation, problem-solving skills, content

knowledge, and deeper understanding of connections across subjects.

Vega, Vanessa. “Social and Emotional Learning Research Review.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational

Foundation, 7 Nov. 2012, www.edutopia.org/sel-research-learning-outcomes. In this research

review, social and emotional learning is defined in terms of five key competencies: self-

awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-

making. Two questions that relate to self-awareness include “What are my thoughts and

feelings?” and “What causes those thoughts and feelings?” Similarly, two questions that relate
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to social awareness include “How can I better understand other people’s thoughts and

feelings?” and “How can I better understand why people feel and think the way they do?”

Zacharis, Nick Z. “Innovative Assessment for Learning Enhancement: Issues and Practices.”

Contemporary Issues In Education Research, vol. 3, no. 1, Jan. 2010, pp. 61–70. Education

Resources Information Center, files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1072576.pdf. In this peer-reviewed

article, Nick Zacharis examines the difference between formative and summative assessment.

Zacharis claims that summative assessment is indispensable for determining whether or not

students meet content standards and for monitoring the effectiveness of teaching. According to

Zacharis, “Summative assessments, in the form of tests and examinations, are a key source of

extrinsic motivation for learning and, although they are deemed promoting surface learning and

generating negative emotions (such as fear, panic and anxiety), are comprehensive in nature

and provide accountability.”

 Headrick 17

Time Log

9/24/17
9:00 AM-12:00 PM viewed “Celebrating Arthur Miller at One Hundred” and took notes, viewed “The U.S.
Homefront During WWII,” drafted an outline for the unit plan, and began researching for the annotated
bibliography (180 minutes)
6:30 PM-8:30 PM finished researching for the annotated bibliography and began writing the unit
objectives (120 minutes)

9/25/17
6:30 AM-8:00 AM finished writing the unit objectives and began writing their justifications (90 minutes)
12:30 PM-1:45 PM continued writing the justifications (75 minutes)
4:30 PM-5:30 PM continued writing the justifications (60 minutes)
6:30 PM-7:30 PM continued writing the justifications (60 minutes)

10/16/17
12:00 PM-1:45 PM researched writing rubrics and the Oklahoma Academic Standards for English
Language Arts (105 minutes)
5:00 PM-9:00 PM began designing the Analytic Essay Assignment and its rubric (240 minutes)

10/17/17
8:00 AM-8:40 AM finished designing the Analytic Essay Assignment and its rubric (40 minutes)

10/28/17
6:00 AM-12:00 PM began researching possible quizzes and designing my own Reading Quiz (360
minutes)
12:15 PM-12:45 PM designed the Anticipation Guide (90 minutes)
12:45 PM-3:55 PM designed the Background Information & Historical Context PowerPoint (190 minutes)
4:45 PM-9:15 PM designed the Theme PowerPoint (270 minutes)

10/29/17
6:30 AM-12:00 PM began writing the unit plan (330 minutes)
12:50 PM-2:30 PM finished writing the unit plan (100 minutes)
2:30 PM-5:30 PM began writing the annotated bibliography (180 minutes)

11/18/17
6:45 AM-7:35 AM finished writing the annotated bibliography (50 minutes)

Total time spent working on the Departmental Academic Honors Project = 2,540 minutes (a little over 42
hours)
 Headrick 18

Self-Evaluation

In the completion of my Departmental Academic Honors Project this semester in ENGL-565:

American Drama and Adapted Films, there were three things I found most beneficial: 1) the alignment of

my unit plan with the Oklahoma Academic Standards for English Language Arts, 2) the application of

scholarly research to the design of my unit plan, and 3) an increase in awareness of the time

management skills required to successfully produce a well-designed learning unit.

Prior to working on this Departmental Academic Honors Project, I was completely unfamiliar

with the Oklahoma Academic Standards. Although I was educated in Oklahoma from prekindergarten

through twelfth grade, I had never seen the standards for any subject. Because I plan to return to

Oklahoma and teach there after I graduate from Pittsburg State, I thought it might be useful for me to

become familiar with the state’s standards, and this project provided an opportunity for me to do so.

Each session of the unit is tied to one or more of the Oklahoma Academic Standards for English

Language Arts, as is the rubric for the unit writing assignment. I adapted the rubric from the 2016-2017

Oklahoma Academic Standards – Grade 10 Writing Rubric by adjusting it to meet the eleventh-grade

standards.

In addition to applying my research of the Oklahoma Academic Standards to the design of my

unit plan, I also benefitted from this Departmental Academic Honors Project in the application of

scholarly research to the design of my unit plan. Although I have been required to complete an

annotated bibliography of my resources in unit plans I have designed for other classes, I have never

been required to conduct scholarly research for a unit plan, let alone apply such research to the design

of a learning unit. All six sources of my scholarly research were located using Edutopia and the Education

Resources Information Center (ERIC). The former is a comprehensive website and online community

that publishes evidence- and practice-based learning strategies for K-12 education, and the latter is an
 Headrick 19

online digital library of education research and information sponsored by the Institute of Education

Sciences (IES) of the United States Department of Education.

In the design of my instructional plan for Session 1, I applied my research of integrated studies

from Vanessa Vega’s “Integrated Studies Research Review,” which was located on Edutopia. In the

design of my instructional plan for Session 2, I applied my research of social and emotional learning from

Vega’s “Social and Emotional Learning Research Review” and my research of collaborative reasoning

from Vega and Youki Terada’s article “Research Supports Collaborative Learning,” both of which were

located on Edutopia. In the design of my instructional plan for Sessions 3-5, I applied my research of

reading aloud from Rick Goulden’s “On the Horns of a Dilemma: Is Reading Aloud Bad Pedagogy?” and

my research of summative assessment from Nick Zacharis’s “Innovative Assessment for Learning

Enhancement: Issues and Practices,” both of which were located using the ERIC database. Lastly, in the

design of my instructional plan for Sessions 6 and 7, I applied my research of discussion-based practices

in English classes from Vega and Terada’s Edutopia article previously mentioned and my research of self-

assessment from Peter Eastwell’s “Self-Assessment: A Powerful Tool,” which was located using the ERIC

database.

Although I learned a great deal in applying my research of the Oklahoma Academic Standards

and my scholarly research from Edutopia and the ERIC to the design of my unit plan, perhaps the

greatest thing I gained from this Departmental Academic Honors Project was an increased awareness of

the time required to successfully produce a well-designed learning unit. As you can see from my time log

on page seventeen, I spent over forty-two hours working on the project. I would reflect on where

additional time should be built into future planning timelines, but, honestly, every aspect of designing

this unit plan was a lengthy process. Therefore, I’m not sure the consideration should be so much where

additional time should be spent, but how I might shorten the time spent in future planning endeavors.
 Headrick 20

“You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.” That’s the advice I have heard time and again from

experienced teachers. One of the biggest challenges teachers face in their careers is time management,

therefore, many of them will tell you that creating every lesson or unit plan “from scratch” is not always

the best use of time. Many teachers use materials they find online or materials they borrow from other

teachers to avoid spending something like forty-two hours creating what already exists. I’m not saying

my unit plan for All My Sons already existed, but I did spend a considerable amount of time designing

materials that, although some were modeled after resources I took from other people, were, for the

most part, original in their content. I think it’s important to know how to design a lesson or unit plan all

on one’s own, but I also know that when I begin teaching, I won’t always have the time to do so. In the

completion of this project, that advice I’ve heard repeated time and again rang true.

It’s important to note, too, in this discussion of not reinventing the wheel, that I designed

several materials for this unit plan that I could use in future planning endeavors. The analytic essay

assignment, writing rubric, and anticipation guide are a few examples. The analytic essay assignment

would need to be modified to suit the literature students are analyzing, the writing rubric could easily be

used without modification in an eleventh-grade class or with some modification in other high school

grades, and the anticipation guide would simply need modified statements that fit the purpose or topic

of discussion.

I could go on about what all I learned in the completion of my Departmental Academic Honors

Project, but the three things I have discussed were the most beneficial to me. Because of this project, I

am now more familiar with the Oklahoma Academic Standards for my content area, I have experience in

applying those standards and scholarly research in the design of a unit plan, and I have a greater

awareness of how much time is required to successfully produce a well-designed learning unit. It may

have taken me forty-two long hours to complete this project, but the value of it is priceless.