Grade 9, Unit 1

Overview

This unit enables students to confirm and hone a common understanding of important literary elements, as well as a shared vocabulary for discussing them. Each story may be used to focus especially on a particular element, such as point of view in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe or symbolism in “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst. Teachers should choose stories that exemplify great storytelling and that they think are best for their students. The range of suggested works provides exposure to literature from a variety of cultures.

FOcus standards

These Focus Standards have been selected for the unit from the Common Core State Standards.

rL.9-10.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

rL.9-10.5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

w.9-10.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.

essential QUestion

Why do we tell stories?

literary elements and the short storythis unit, the first of six, uses the short story as the vehicle for reviewing common literary elements, as well as for appreciating the art of great storytelling.

0002083030.INDD 3 2/19/2014 7:03:40 PM

COPYRIG

HTED M

ATERIAL

4 | Common Core CUrriCUlUm: enGlish | Grades 9-12

sL.9-10.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, build-ing on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

L.9-10.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

L.9-10.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

suggested Objectives

● Identify and explain plot structure (i.e., exposition, rising action, crisis/climax, falling action, resolution/denouement) in short stories.

● Understand and explain why plots in short stories usually focus on a single event.

● Analyze how authors create the setting in a short story.

● Define the concept of theme and identify the theme(s) in stories read.

● Identify and explain characterization techniques in short stories.

● Identify and explain the use of figurative language in short stories.

● Analyze how authors create tone in short stories.

● Identify the point of view in a short story and analyze how point of view affects the reader’s interpretation of the story.

● Write a coherent essay of literary analysis with a clear thesis statement, at least three pieces of evidence from texts, and a strong introduction and conclusion.

● Define and refine research questions; cite sources accurately, distinguishing between paraphrasing and quoting.

suggested wOrks

(E) indicates a CCSS exemplar text; (EA) indicates a text from a writer with other works identified as exemplars.

Literary textsShort Stories

● “The Black Cat” (Edgar Allan Poe) (EA)

● “The Cask of Amontillado” (Edgar Allan Poe) (EA)

● Drinking Coffee Elsewhere: Stories (ZZ Packer)

● “Everyday Use” (Alice Walker) (EA)

● “The Gift of the Magi” (O. Henry) (E)

● “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” (Leo Tolstoy)

● “The Kitchen Boy” (Alaa Al Aswany)

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Grade 9, Unit 1 | literary elements and the short story | 5

● “The Minister’s Black Veil” (Nathaniel Hawthorne) (EA)

● “The Most Dangerous Game” (Richard Connell)

● “The Overcoat” (Nikolai Gogol) (EA)

● Points of View: An Anthology of Short Stories (James Moffett and Kenneth L. McElheny, eds.) (1968 edition)

● “The Scarlet Ibis” (James Hurst)

● “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” (James Thurber) (EA)

● “The Tell-Tale Heart” (Edgar Allan Poe) (EA)

inFOrmatiOnaL texts[None for this unit]

art, music, and mediaArt

● Emanuel Leutze, Washington Crossing the Delaware (1851)

● Jacob Lawrence, On the Way (1990)

● Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam Sistine Chapel (c. 1511)

● Pablo Picasso, Young Acrobat on a Ball (1905)

● Roy DeCarava, Untitled (1950)

● Sultan Muhammad, From a Khamseh of Nizami (1539–1543)

● Tina Barney, Marina’s Room (1987)

Music ● “The Bonnie Lass o’ Fyvie” (“Peggy-O”) (Folk ballad)

● “Clothesline Saga” (Bob Dylan)

● “Me and Bobby McGee” (Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster)

● “Peter and The Wolf” (Sergei Prokofiev)

● “Variations on an Original Theme (‘Enigma’)” (Edward Elgar)

Film ● Ang Lee, dir., “Chosen” (2001) (and other BMW short films)

● Ken Burns, dir., Brooklyn Bridge (1981)

● Martin Scorsese, dir., No Direction Home (2005)

sampLe activities and assessments

For a full scoring rubric, see the Appendix.

Note: Textual evidence should be used to support all arguments advanced in seminars and in all essays. Page and word counts for essays are not provided, but attention should be paid to the requirements regarding the use of evidence, for example, to determine the likely length of good essays.

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6 | Common Core CUrriCUlUm: enGlish | Grades 9-12

1. reading Literature, inFOrmative writingSelect a short story and write an essay that analyzes how a particular literary element plays

a part in the essence and workings of one of the chosen stories. State your thesis clearly and include at least three pieces of evidence to support it. Your teacher may give you the opportu-nity to write your first draft on a shared online document and receive feedback from classmates before publication. (RL.9-10.1, W.9-10.2)

2. art, speaking and ListeningHow do artists create narratives? Select two works of art to view as a class. Compare the two

works, focusing the discussion on the relationship between character and setting, and on how the artists combined these to suggest a narrative. (SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.2)

3. art, reading Literature, inFOrmative writingSelect a short story and an artwork and write an essay in which you discuss the use of sym-

bolism in each. State your thesis clearly and include at least three pieces of evidence to support it. An optional extension is to create a digital slide presentation in which you set up a visual comparison between the two works. (RL.9-10.4, W.9-10.2, SL.9-10.6)

4. reading Literature, inFOrmative writingIn an essay, discuss the “slow motion” depiction of the murder in Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”

and consider how Poe’s craft affects the relationship between the narrator and his victim. State your thesis clearly and include at least three pieces of evidence to support it. (RL.9-10.4, W.9-10.2)

5. reading Literature, perFOrmanceSelect a one-minute passage from one of the short stories and recite it from memory. Include

an introduction that states:

● The story the excerpt is from

● Who wrote it

● Which literary element it exemplifies and why

Record your recitation using a video camera so you can evaluate your performance for accuracy. (RL.9-10.2, SL.9-10.6)

6. reading Literature, speaking and ListeningSeminar: Is Montresor (from Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado”) a reliable narrator? Cite at

least three reasons to support your argument. The seminar question may also be used as an essay topic. Your teacher may give you the opportunity to share your initial thoughts on the classroom blog in order to get feedback from your classmates. (RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3, SL.9-10.1, SL.9-10.3, SL.9-10.4, SL.9-10.6)

7. research, reading inFOrmatiOnaL text, inFOrmative writingSelect one of the authors from the short story unit and conduct an author study. Begin by

defining a research question and refine it as necessary. The research should include an auto-biographical or biographical text, another story by the same author, and/or a critical essay that addresses a specific aspect of the author’s style. Include at least three references to the author’s work and to other sources. Cite sources carefully and distinguish clearly between paraphrasing and quoting. (RL.9-10.1, RI.9-10.1, W.9-10.2, W.9-10.7, W.9-10.8)

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Grade 9, Unit 1 | literary elements and the short story | 7

8. Language usageParts of Speech Reviewverbs: principal parts of verbs, especially irregular past and past participles; simple, perfect, and progressive tenses; agreement of subject and verb, especially with collective nouns

nouns: common, proper, concrete, abstract, countable, collective, compound, possessive, gerunds

Select a paragraph from a short story or novel and identify all the verbs. Name the tense of each verb you find. (L.9-10.3)

Look at a photograph, painting, or magazine advertisement for at least three minutes. On a piece of paper, draw two intersecting lines to make four squares (one for each category: people, places, things, and ideas). In each square, list the nouns by category that you see in the image. Note whether they are abstract or concrete nouns. (L.9-10.3)

9. Language mechanicsCapitalization of Common and Proper NounsIdentify the nouns in Activity 8 and determine whether they are common or proper nouns; capi-talize them if necessary. (L.9-10.2)

additiOnaL OnLine resOurces

● Analyzing Irony and Symbolism in a Short Story (Louisiana Department of Education) (RL.9-10.4, RL.9-10.5)

● Lesson Plans for “The Scarlet Ibis” (WebEnglishTeacher) (RL.9-10.2)

● “The Minister’s Black Veil” Study Questions (Mr. Burnett’s Classroom) (RL.9-10.1, RL.9-10.2, RL.9-10.3)

terminOLOgy

Character, characterization

Figurative language

Irony (e.g., dramatic, situational, verbal)

Narrator

Parable

Plot (i.e., exposition, rising action, crisis/climax, falling action, resolution/denouement)

Point of view

Sensory imagery

Setting

Style

Symbol, symbolism

Theme

Tone

0002083030.INDD 7 2/19/2014 7:03:47 PM

8 | Common Core CUrriCUlUm: enGlish | Grades 9-12

Gra

de N

ine,

Uni

t One

Sam

ple

Less

on P

lan

“The

Gift

of t

he M

agi”

by O

. Hen

ry

In th

is s

erie

s of

thre

e le

sson

s, s

tude

nts

read

“Th

e G

ift o

f the

Mag

i” by

O. H

enry

, and

they

:

Perf

orm

a c

lose

read

ing

of “

The

Gift

of t

he M

agi”

(RL.

9-10

.1, R

L.9-

10.3

, RL.

9-10

.4, R

L.9-

10.5

, L.9

-10

.5)

Exam

ine

the

elem

ents

of t

he s

hort

sto

ry (R

L.9-

10.1,

RL.

9-10

.3, R

L.9-

10.4

, RL.

9-10

.5, S

L.9-

10.1)

Expl

ore

the

them

es o

f “Th

e G

ift o

f the

Mag

i” (R

L.9-

10.2

, W.9

-10

.1, S

L.9-

10.1)

Sum

mar

y

Less

on I:

“Th

e G

ift o

f the

Mag

i”: A

Clo

se R

eadi

ngLe

sson

II: T

he E

lem

ents

of t

he S

hort

Sto

ryA

nnot

ate

“The

Gift

of t

he M

agi”

for l

itera

ry s

tyle

(RL.

9-10

.1,

RL.9

-10

.4, R

L.9-

10.5

)

Not

e th

e fo

llow

ing:

Nar

rato

r’s v

oice

Use

of h

umor

Pres

ence

and

pur

pose

of a

llite

ratio

ns

Repe

titio

ns

Colo

rs

(RL.

9-10

.1, R

L.9-

10.4

, RL.

9-10

.5, L

.9-1

0.5

)

Revi

ew a

nnot

atio

ns (R

L.9-

10.1,

RL.

9-10

.4, R

L.9-

10.5

, SL.

9-10

.1,

SL.9

-10

.3)

Inco

rpor

ate

anno

tatio

ns w

hile

revi

sitin

g th

e pl

ot o

f “Th

e G

ift

of th

e M

agi”

(RL.

9-10

.1, R

L.9-

10.3

, RL.

9-10

.4, R

L.9-

10.5

,

SL.9

-10

.1, S

L.9-

10.3

)

Not

e th

e se

ttin

g of

the

stor

y (R

L.9-

10.1)

Expl

ore

the

deve

lopm

ent o

f the

con

flict

in th

e st

ory

(RL.

9-10

.1,

RL.9

-10

.5, S

L.9-

10.1)

Exam

ine

O. H

enry

’s de

pict

ion

of th

e re

latio

nshi

p be

twee

n D

ella

and

Jim (R

L.9-

10.1,

RL.

9-10

.3, S

L.9-

10.1)

0002083030.INDD 8 2/19/2014 7:03:48 PM

Grade 9, Unit 1 | literary elements and the short story | 9

Less

on II

I: Th

emes

in “

The

Gift

of t

he M

agi”

Iden

tify

the

sour

ce o

f the

title

of t

he s

tory

(RL.

9-10

.9)

Prob

e th

e na

ture

of t

he c

oupl

e’s g

ifts

(RL.

9-10

.1, R

L.9-

10.2

,

RL.9

-10

.3, S

L.9-

10.1)

Expl

ore

the

purp

ose

of th

e fin

al p

arag

raph

of t

he s

tory

(RL.

9-

10.1,

RL.

9-10

.9, S

L.9-

10.1)

Exam

ine

the

clai

m b

y W

illia

m S

aroy

an th

at O

. Hen

ry “c

leve

rly .

. .

told

his

sto

ry, c

once

alin

g be

hind

laug

hing

lang

uage

a p

rofo

und

love

for t

he g

reat

mas

ses

of p

eopl

e w

ho a

re fr

eque

ntly

cal

led

the

little

peo

ple”

(RL.

9-10

.1, R

L.9-

10.2

, W.9

-10

.1, S

L.9-

10.1

)

Less

on I:

“Th

e G

ift o

f the

Mag

i”: A

Clo

se R

eadi

ngO

bjec

tives

Ann

otat

e “T

he G

ift o

f the

Mag

i” fo

r lite

rary

sty

le (R

L.9-

10.1,

RL.

9-10

.4, R

L.9-

10.5

)

Not

e th

e fo

llow

ing:

○

Nar

rato

r’s v

oice

○

Use

of h

umor

○

Pres

ence

and

pur

pose

of a

llite

ratio

ns

○Re

petit

ions

○

Colo

rs (R

L.9-

10.1,

RL.

9-10

.4, R

L.9-

10.5

, L.9

-10

.5)

Revi

ew a

nnot

atio

ns (R

L.9-

10.1,

RL.

9-10

.4, R

L.9-

10.5

, SL.

9-10

.1, S

L.9-

10.3

)

Requ

ired

Mat

eria

ls

□C

lass

set

of “

The

Gift

of t

he M

agi”

by O

. Hen

ry

0002083030.INDD 9 2/19/2014 7:03:48 PM

10 | Common Core CUrriCUlUm: enGlish | Grades 9-12

Proc

edur

es1.

Lead

-In:

Stud

ents

exa

min

e an

nota

tion

guid

elin

es (t

each

ers

can

use

inte

ract

ive

whi

tebo

ards

, ove

rhea

d pr

ojec

tors

, etc

.).

“The

re w

as c

lear

ly n

othi

ng to

do

but f

lop

dow

n on

the

shab

by li

ttle

cou

ch a

nd h

owl.

So

Del

la d

id it

. Whi

ch in

stig

ates

the

mor

al re

flect

ion

that

life

is m

ade

up o

f sob

s, s

niff

les,

and

smile

s, w

ith s

niff

les

pred

omin

atin

g.” [W

hat i

s th

e na

rrato

r’s a

ttitu

de h

ere?

]

[hum

or a

llite

ratio

n]

“Del

la fi

nish

ed h

er c

ry a

nd a

tten

ded

to h

er c

heek

s w

ith th

e po

wde

r rag

. She

sto

od b

y th

e

[Inve

stig

ate

the

use

of g

ray—

setu

p to

par

agra

ph?]

win

dow

and

look

ed o

ut d

ully

at a

gra

y ca

t wal

king

a g

ray

fenc

e in

a g

ray

back

yard

.”

[met

apho

r int

eres

ting

view

]

“Oh,

and

the

next

two

hour

s tr

ippe

d by

on

rosy

win

gs. F

orge

t the

has

hed

met

apho

r. Sh

e

was

rans

acki

ng th

e st

ores

for J

im’s

pres

ent.”

[Nar

rato

r is

criti

cal o

f his

own

met

apho

r—w

hat d

oes

that

do?

]

2. S

tep

by S

tep:

a.

Stud

ents

, ind

ivid

ually

or i

n pa

irs, a

nnot

ate

“The

Gift

of t

he M

agi”

for:

○

Nar

rato

r’s v

oice

○

Use

of h

umor

○

Pres

ence

and

pur

pose

of a

llite

ratio

ns

○Re

petit

ions

○

Colo

rs

b. T

he c

lass

dis

cuss

ion

that

follo

ws

clos

ely

refle

cts

the

stud

ents

’ ann

otat

ions

.

c.

Dur

ing

the

clas

s di

scus

sion

, the

stu

dent

s co

ntin

ue to

take

not

es a

nd a

nnot

ate

the

stor

y.

3. C

losu

re:

Rem

ind

the

stud

ents

to re

read

“Th

e G

ift o

f the

Mag

i” in

pre

para

tion

for f

urth

er d

iscu

ssio

n.

0002083030.INDD 10 2/19/2014 7:03:48 PM

Grade 9, Unit 1 | literary elements and the short story | 11

Diff

eren

tiatio

nAd

vanc

ed

●Se

lect

stu

dent

vol

unte

ers

to p

ract

ice

read

ing

sect

ions

alo

ud p

rior t

o th

is le

sson

or w

hile

oth

er s

tude

nts

are

still

wor

king

on

anno

ta-

tions

. The

stu

dent

s sh

ould

pra

ctic

e re

adin

g dr

amat

ical

ly, r

ecor

ded

with

a v

ideo

cam

era,

so

they

can

eva

luat

e an

d im

prov

e th

eir

perf

orm

ance

s.

●

Enco

urag

e st

uden

ts to

rese

arch

O. H

enry

and

pre

pare

a b

iogr

aphy

of h

is li

fe fo

r cla

ssm

ates

. Stu

dent

s sh

ould

als

o re

sear

ch w

hat

insp

ired

O. H

enry

to w

rite

“The

Gift

of t

he M

agi,”

and

pre

sent

this

info

rmat

ion

as a

pod

cast

or a

n on

line

post

er.

●

Allo

w s

tude

nts

to c

hoos

e an

othe

r sho

rt s

tory

by

O. H

enry

to a

nnot

ate,

and

com

pare

and

con

tras

t it w

ith “

The

Gift

of t

he M

agi.”

●

Enco

urag

e st

uden

ts to

cre

ate

a m

oder

n-da

y in

terp

reta

tion

of th

e sh

ort s

tory

. The

y m

ust b

e ab

le to

just

ify h

ow th

e m

oder

n ve

rsio

n

stay

s tr

ue to

the

orig

inal

inte

nt o

f the

sto

ry, w

hile

als

o ch

angi

ng it

s st

yle.

Per

haps

cha

lleng

e th

em to

cre

ate

a m

ovie

pre

sent

atio

n of

thei

r mod

ern-

day

inte

rpre

tatio

n.

Stru

gglin

g

●Re

ad/r

erea

d th

e sh

ort s

tory

to s

tude

nts

and

allo

w th

em to

list

en to

a p

rere

cord

ed v

ersi

on o

n an

MP3

pla

yer.

●

Be p

repa

red

with

a li

st o

f gui

ding

que

stio

ns to

sup

port

stu

dent

s in

thei

r ann

otat

ions

(e.g

., H

ow d

o w

e di

stin

guis

h th

e na

rrat

or’s

voic

e?

Whe

re d

o yo

u th

ink

he is

usi

ng h

umor

or o

ther

lite

rary

dev

ices

?). S

tude

nts

can

mar

k th

eir s

tory

with

stic

ky n

otes

prio

r to

clas

s di

scus

-

sion

. Alte

rnat

ivel

y, h

ave

the

elem

ents

that

you

wan

t ann

otat

ed u

nder

lined

on

the

stor

y an

d ha

ve s

tude

nts

expl

ain

the

unde

rlini

ng.

●

Giv

e st

uden

ts a

wor

kshe

et o

f the

sto

ry to

writ

e on

dur

ing

clas

s di

scus

sion

, pos

sibl

y ev

en w

ith s

ketc

hes

(or o

ther

non

lingu

istic

repr

e-

sent

atio

ns) t

o he

lp a

id m

emor

y an

d un

ders

tand

ing.

Alte

rnat

ivel

y, a

llow

them

to a

nnot

ate

in a

text

doc

umen

t.

Hom

ewor

k/A

sses

smen

tRe

read

“Th

e G

ift o

f the

Mag

i.”

0002083030.INDD 11 2/19/2014 7:03:48 PM

0002083030.INDD 12 2/19/2014 7:03:48 PM