Multidisciplinary Unit
Title: Origins of the American Tradition
Emphasis and Level: Junior American Literature
Goals:
The students will recognize the effects of nature on literature.
and their culture.The students will learn about the different Native American peoples
The students will recognize the religious backgrounds of the early settlers of this country, and they will recognize why they believed they had the right to settle this country.
The students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of this time period through required assignments and projects, and through
their choice of projects.The students will be able to present their project comfortably as an
oral presentation.Objectives:
The students will read the required selections and do the assigned comprehension questions.
The students will continue to develop their language arts skills through selected activities.
The students will be able to demonstrate in-depth knowledge about topics of their choice.
The students will be able to demonstrate proficient knowledge of the literary terms associated with the unit.
The students will create a portfolio of assignments that have beenthoroughly developed.
The students will create a computer generated word document.
The student will create a Power Point presentation that is equalto his or her ability.
Activities:
The students will have required, assigned work from the unit. These assignments will include: vocabulary studies, comprehension questions, developing literary skills questions, language art studies and composition activities.
Within and in addition to the required elements of the unit the students will be able to choose group activities, in-depth work, and personal projects to include in their unit work.
Learning Activities:
(Some Choices)
Review and instruction of Web surfing.
Review and/or instruction of Word.
Review and/or instruction of Power Point.
Project Choices:
Map Making Native American studies
Researching Explorers Native American art
Research Thanksgiving Native American agriculture
Research Colonies Land Bridge
Pocahantas Squanto/Sammoset
Protestant Revolution Archeological sites
Great Awakening Historical portrayals
The Mayflower (Subjects to be Arranged)
Colonial American agricultural practices
Weaponry
Materials and Resources:
Web sites
Encyclopedias
Histories
Sciences
Required Materials:
Students will be required to have a three ring binder or with without pockets to keep their materials. They may choose to use design methods to improve on the quality of their presentations. Scrapbook tools, and/or art/craft tools may be used to enhance the quality of the presentation(s).
Assessment:
Assessment of the students’ work will take place through a three partpresentation of materials, completion of assigned work and testing.
1. The student will create a working portfolio of the required assignments and their own projects.
2. The student will create a Power Point presentation according to his or her ability.
3. The student will present (orally) a part of their portfolio successfully.
The assessment of the portfolio will be done by a rubric.
Daily Assignments:
Week 1
Day 1 Overview of unit. Notes on the Colonial Period.
Day 2 Introduce requirements for this unit, portfolio, rubrics, and project choices.
Day 3 Continue Day 2- Student participation in assessment tool and project choices.
Day 4 Assign Readings/ comprehension questions (Native American poetry)
Day 5 Discuss poetry and the literary terms as applied to the poetry.
Symbolism, allegory, myth, hymn,
Week 2
Day 1 Students choose a project concerning Native American studies.
Journal Entry – How does the poem "Song of the Sky Loom" make you feel? Or Think of an art form to describe yourself. Are you a painting, sculpture, a musical work, a ceramic pot, a
patchwork quilt? Write a short paper identifying the art form and explain why you chose it. The students will create this document on a word processing program.
Day 2 Notes – Overview of Jamestown Colony, John Smith, Native Americans, Pocahantas
Day 3 Visit the John Smith website. Group work( assigned groups)
Group one – research John Smith’s early life
Group two – research John Smith and the Jamestown Colony
Group three – research John Smith’s later life
Group four – research Jamestown’s terrain, climate, flora, fauna, and the effects of the land on the settlers.
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For interested students – research what is known about Pocahantas.o
What role did she play in establishing relations with the colonies?o
What type of life did she live?o
What about her kidnapping?o
What about her death in England?o
Was Pocahantas’s relationship with Europeans as good natured as Smith would have the Europeans believe?
Day 4 Work day
Day 5 Create a cluster chart of what we know of the Puritans.
Pilgrims Miles Standish
Separatist Movement Squanto
Wm. Bradford Plymouth colony
Use of Word, or Inspriation
Week 3
Day 1 Project Possibility – Mayflower
Construction Diagram Wood types
Size and Dimension Crew/ Passengers
Project Possibility
Plymouth Colony Costumes/Clothing
Homes/architecture Working conditions
Housewife Farmers
Skilled labor Ministers
Day 4 Work Day
Day 5 "New England Primer"
Project – Possible Power Point presentation
Create a Pop Culture Alphabet Book
Create an original alphabet book – incorporate today’s culture.
For example: S is for Shakespeare in Love
Week 4
Day 1 Anne Bradstreet – Overview, Notes, Poetry Assignment
Day 2 Work Day
Day 3 Jonathan Edwards – "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"
Day 4 Create a Chart comparing the goals of several leaders in the Puritan movement. Movement leaders Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox
Day 5 Work Day
Rubric Assessment Template
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Rubric PortfolioUnit One American Literature |
Content Required |
Content Additional |
Organization |
Collaboration |
Student Reflection |
Power Point Presentation |
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The Student(s) will complete the project requirements with a satisfactory level of completeness. (Required) The student will complete the required readings, writing assignments, and vocabulary studies.
Content (Additional) The student will complete additional research that will include cross-curricular elements. These elements may be taken from agricultural studies, science studies, social studies, and historical and biographical studies.
Organization The student will demonstrate an adequate ability to organize his/her portfolio.
Collaboration The student will be able to demonstrate how he/she collaborated with his/her partner or others to produce the work.
Student Reflection(s) The student will have completed a student reflection on the content of the portfolio. The reflection will be written in essay form.
Power Point The student will be able to create a Power Point presentation according to his or her level of ability.
Verbal Presentation The student will be able to successfully present his or her project or an element of his or her portfolio to the class and me.