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Historical documents are rich resources that enable us to look at the past while learning about how we see ourselves and how we see others. April Morning by Howard Fast is the novel from which this unit is developed.
Historical documents are rich resources that enable us to look at the past while learning about how we see ourselves and how we see others. April Morning by Howard Fast is the novel from which this unit is developed. The focus of these lessons is on the critical analysis of literature in the historical context of the American Revolution. The writing process is used as a means to measure the understanding and knowledge gained by the student after going through several exercises in document analysis. By using technology as a catalyst or tool, this lesson will provide learning options that lead to conceptual understanding. (author/ncl)
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This site provides an excellent resource that can be used as a an integrated unit of study combining American history with career-technical field classes. For Information Technology classes, students can watch the online "revolutionary eyewitness accounts" in preparation for discussing the political implications and critiquing the actors and scenes.
This site provides an excellent resource that can be used as a an integrated unit of study combining American history with career-technical field classes.
For Information Technology classes, students can watch the online "revolutionary eyewitness accounts" in preparation for discussing the political implications and critiquing the actors and scenes. Students could also choose one of the other listed viewpoint ideas and form groups to develop and produce a viewpoint of their own. This work would require experienced computer skills and application of English Language Arts research skills. IT students could also investigate the map section of the website to explore map-making and archiving. With today's technology, students can create their own versions of period maps. The teacher reviewer suggests that students use software such as Adobe for hand drawn items in their period maps and would have students download a sample of commercial map-making software such as http://profantasy.com/ which is free for 14 days. This activity allows students the opportunity to use new software while exploring map-making and topography as careers in their technical field. The role of technology today will be apparent while comparing Revolutionary and contemporary map-making techniques.
In a Marketing class, the teacher can create a lesson based on the clothing section found under "extensions." (Note: the first link in this section is dead.) Students choose an article of revolutionary era clothing and create a marketing plan to reintroduce it as current fashion, i.e. gentleman's breeches brought into fashion today by marketing them as a trendy fashion for women. Students create marketing plans, develop advertising, map release strategies, and determine cost of such a product to name a few. (jrs)
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| English Language Arts Standards |
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| Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard |  |
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| Benchmarks (8 - 10) |
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| A. | Apply reading comprehension strategies to understand grade-appropriate text. |
| B. | Demonstrate comprehension of print and electronic text by responding to questions (e.g., literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing). |
| C. | Use appropriate self-monitoring strategies for comprehension. |
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| Grade Level Indicators (Grade 8) |
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| 1. | Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions. |
| 2. | Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media. |
| 3. | Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back, note taking or summarizing what has been read so far in text. |
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| Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text Standard | |
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| Benchmarks (8 - 10) |
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| D. | Explain and analyze how an author appeals to an audience and develops an argument or viewpoint in text. |
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| Grade Level Indicators (Grade 8) |
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| 6. | Identify the author's purpose and intended audience for the text. |
| 7. | Analyze an author's argument, perspective or viewpoint and explain the development of key points. |
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| Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard | |
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| Benchmarks (8 - 10) |
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| A. | Analyze interactions between characters in literary text and how the interactions affect the plot. |
| B. | Explain and analyze how the context of setting and the author's choice of point of view impact a literary text. |
| C. | Identify the structural elements of the plot and explain how an author develops conflicts and plot to pace the events in literary text. |
| D. | Identify similar recurring themes across different works. |
| E. | Analyze the use of a genre to express a theme or topic. |
| F. | Identify and analyze how an author uses figurative language, sound devices and literary techniques to shape plot, set meaning and develop tone. |
| G. | Explain techniques used by authors to develop style. |
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| Grade Level Indicators (Grade 8) |
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| 1. | Identify and explain various types of characters (e.g., flat, round, dynamic, static) and how their interactions and conflicts affect the plot. |
| 2. | Analyze the influence of setting in relation to other literary elements. |
| 3. | Explain how authors pace action and use subplots, parallel episodes and climax. |
| 4. | Compare and contrast different points of view (e.g., first person and third person limited, omniscient, objective and subjective), and explain how voice affects literary text. |
| 5. | Identify and explain universal themes across different works by the same author and by different authors. |
| 6. | Explain how an author's choice of genre affects the expression of a theme or topic. |
| 7. | Identify examples of foreshadowing and flashback in a literary text. |
| 8. | Explain ways in which the author conveys mood and tone through word choice, figurative language, and syntax. |
| 9. | Examine symbols used in literary texts. |
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| Writing Process Standard | |
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| Benchmarks (8 - 10) |
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| A. | Formulate writing ideas and identify a topic appropriate to the purpose and audience. |
| B. | Determine the usefulness of organizers and apply appropriate pre-writing tasks. |
| C. | Use revision strategies to improve the style, variety of sentence structure, clarity of the controlling idea, logic, effectiveness of word choice and transitions between paragraphs, passages or ideas. |
| D. | Edit to improve sentence fluency, grammar and usage. |
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| Writing Applications Standard | |
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| Benchmarks (8 - 10) |
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| B. | Write responses to literature that extend beyond the summary and support references to the text, other works, other authors or to personal knowledge. |
| D. | Use documented textual evidence to justify interpretations of literature or to support a research topic. |
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| Research Standard | |
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| Benchmarks (8 - 10) |
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| B. | Evaluate the usefulness and credibility of data and sources. |
| C. | Organize information from various resources and select appropriate sources to support central ideas, concepts and themes. |
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| Communications: Oral and Visual Standard | |
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| Benchmarks (8 - 10) |
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| B. | Analyze the techniques used by speakers and media to influence an audience, and evaluate the effect this has on the credibility of a speaker or media message. |
| G. | Give presentations using a variety of delivery methods, visual displays and technology. |
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| Standards for the English Language Arts |
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| Range of materials and purposes for reading | |
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| Students read a wide range of print and non-print texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works. |
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| Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience. |
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| Reading strategies, language use, and conventions | |
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| Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics). |
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| Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes. |
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| Write, speak, and visually represent to create text | |
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| Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes. |
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| Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and non-print texts. |
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| Research and inquiry | |
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| Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience. |
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| Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge. |
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| Purposes for using spoken, written, and visual language | |
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| Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities. |
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| Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information). |
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| RESOURCE TYPE |
| Instructional Resource |
| PRACTICE LEVEL |
| Best Practice |
| STANDARDS ALIGNMENT |
| Grade 8 |
| CAREER FIELDS |
Information Technology;
Marketing |
| TOPICS |
English Language Arts --
Reading-Strategies & Skills;
Literature;
Children's Literature |
| OHIOWINS TOPICS |
Writing Applications;
Literature;
Literature;
Response to Literature;
Young Adult Literature;
Nonfiction;
Technology |
| FOUND IN |
AdLIT
Standards First
OhioWINS |
| KEYWORDS |
Revolutionary War;
April Morning;
Technology;
text analysis;
novel study |
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Author: Rita Bigham, Linda Joseph, Linda Resch
Publisher: Cyberbee
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