Steve Penn - University of Missouri–St. Louiswadsworthbrownd/Fall WFT 2010/Penn... · Draft 4 -...

Fall 2010

University of Missouri St. Louis

Curriculum and Methods – 4885

Writing for Teachers - 4880

Fall 2010

Steve Penn

’m a runner. Not racing to the finish line of life, but passing

through it with a positive motivation to see as much scenery

as possible before…well, before you-know-what.

I like to “jog the valleys and sprint the hills” (also Penn).

Sometimes life is tough; those are the hills. That’s when I dig

deep, put my head down, and sprint through. That way I can get

back to a pace that I enjoy. And, that’s when life is good – the

valleys. That’s when I like to slow it down, catch my breath,

and jog it out. Because eventually, it will be time to sprint up

another hill again…

As an English teacher, I intend to use the curriculum and methods that keep

students moving. “It’s not just what you teach; it’s how you teach it.” –

WB. Using excitement, enthusiasm, and creativity, my goal is to pass the baton

of ambition to future runners, sprinters, and joggers, instilling learning for a

lifetime. We don’t finish high school in four years and stop learning, trying, or

doing. The same goes for college, a profession, or a race. We are always

moving. We are always learning.

Since my first baby steps, I’ve maintained an ambition for learning thanks to

parents, grandparents, family, teachers, soccer coaches, bosses, and friends.

Now, I’m 27 and I can run, skip, jog, stutter-step, run in place, doe-si-doe, jig,

and drop step. But, I couldn’t have learned anything by myself.

Without the people helping to guide me, point me in the right direction, and

steer me away from danger, I might not have recognized the opportunity to

become one of them as well – a soccer coach or a teacher. Teachers are not

only guides, they’re also the people on the side of a road handing the runners

cups of water, holding encouraging signs, cheering, and helping. Now, it’s my

turn to help, be a cheerleader, and guide others to the finish line.

I

“Life is a trail without a map, but instead people to

help guide you through the dark maze of a forest that

is as much beautiful as it is scary.” – Penn.

Culture Essay

“The World That You Create”

Steve Penn

Draft 4 - Final

September 21, 2010

“The World That You Create”

Family:

Welcome to our home. It is filled with artwork and photography that my mom has created. She is an artist

constantly painting new work and replacing those that have over-stayed their welcome, moving them to their

new home in the basement. We are middle-class. We don’t have a cobblestone patio – too expensive. No,

that’s outdoor acrylic, painted to look like rocks. We don’t have Greek arches and columns in the laundry room

– couldn’t afford them. Those are painted too. “You live in the world that you create,” she says. Susie Penn has

quoted herself and the words are seen painted on the wall in the garage immediately before entering our

home. It lives here.

Just my mom and me since I was one. My parents got divorced and Dad’s on the run. She wanted six boys, but I was the only son. And, the world that we’ve created is a happy one.

In elementary school there was a parent’s newsletter. Sometimes kids from the school were quoted and

printed in the articles. In one article the topic was, “What Kind of Food Does Your Mommy Make for Dinner?”

“She makes Pizza Hut and Taco Bell and McDonald’s and Burger King…” Steve Penn age 9. My mom

never had the time to learn to cook. Single moms are on the go.

My mom got married, had a kid, and got divorced before the age of 23. Her biggest regret: she never got to

finish college. Getting a degree was the only thing she ever told me that I had to do.

Susie Penn worked her way up to middle-class. She took-on crafty odd jobs. For extra money, she made

Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas decorations to sell at craft shows. She worked an around-

the-clock, sweatshop operation of hot gluing brooms to snowmen and tying American Flag ribbons into bows.

She painted scary jack-o-lanterns, pastel colored eggs, and mini Santa Claus statues. She painted large rocks

to look like flower beds, people’s houses, and little yard characters. She was a rock. Five years old, I would

pretend to be a customer of the show, “Ooh! This lady has some nice work?!” hoping to attract some inside

sales among elderly church going women in North St. Louis. I was advertising.

Love and Encouragement: Two things my mom has given me the most of. But, if there is a driving force that

pushes us, a glue that binds us, a fuel that lights the Penn Family fire, a perpetual motion that swings us in

circles around a center, it is creativity. We have both adopted creativity into our personalities, but I believe that

mine is inherited. She passed me the creative torch. We’ve been known to compete at times, but we always

encourage, support, and promote each other’s work. We’re a team.

I would like to create a team relationship in my classroom. I would like for it to not only be my job to help guide

and coach optimistic, creative thinkers, educated readers, and versatile writers, but I would like the students to

support each other as well. I would like them to become teammates with a sense of community in an

emotionally safe learning environment. Students need to believe in “the promise” – hope in a college

education, working hard, and being a good citizen. As they develop, I will positively reinforce, encourage, and

reward their efforts and accomplishments.

Susie Penn was eventually rewarded. She has been a successful copy writer and creative director in

advertising for fifteen years. Since then, I have had fifteen years of brainstorming experience. I can remember

discussing creative briefs, campaign concepts, ad ideas, and jingles on my way to soccer practice. We thought

of them as brain exercises. Sometimes a headline or sub-head would appear on a billboard or a print ad that I

could take credit for. Example: Allergy campaign for an ear, eye, nose, and throat office: “From Achoo To

Ahaa!” I was 14. I would like to use similar brain exercises with students in my English class to promote

creative thinking and to show how the subject matter could relate to a college major or a future occupation. My

goal is to prepare students for a smooth transition into a university and ultimately, a positive integration into

society.

Guilty Admission: My mom has been known to state that she is the president of the Steve Penn Fan Club. I

don’t know if I have ever said that I am the president of hers?

Creative Parenting Techniques of My Mom:

Breakfast for dinner. Dessert for Breakfast.

Speaking foreign languages with no knowledge of that language. Ever heard of the term Eeasquibah? It’s

French.

Face Painting

Purposely singing off key to Christmas carols as a form of irritation and eventual humor.

Variety Shows

She wrote me children’s books when I was learning to read: Dream Boats and Where Do Shadows Go? I

was the main character.

(Plastic) Sword Fights

Generation:

As marketing research widens its jaws on the culture of my generation, I have been labeled into a family of

many other twenty somethings that have returned home during the recession. Recently, I found out that I am a

“Boomerang Child” of a “Helicopter Parent” – a 26 year old that has moved back home after “having left the

nest.” Also, my overprotective mom watched my every move as a child. She still does.

!WARNING! You are about to witness labeling. It is a dangerous game. By labeling someone into a certain category,

labelers limit their expectations of a person and confine them to a stereotype.

In terms of a label, my generation sits on the fence. We’re not Generation X (29 – 49 years of age), and we’re

not Generation Y or “Why?” also known as Millennials (no exact age determiners, but birth dates ranging from

the late 80’s to 2000’s). I am too young to be a Generation X’er, but too old to be Generation Y. My age group

is in No Man’s Land – no labels, no limits, no filters, and no restrictions.

But, despite our lack of definition, we are not unknown.

In the world that I’ve created, my labels are my own.

Bc we wud rthr txt o FB u a mssg thn call u on the phn,

how about, “Generation Social Network” or “Generation GNOME?”

Generation Social Network (SN) launched the Facebook, Myspace, YouTube, LinkedIn phenomenon. Go

ahead Generation X, you can have Ben Stiller. We’ve got Mark Zuckerberg. When Facebook got underway six

years ago we were college students with raging hormones and ready to “meet” each other. Gen SN got Social

Networks off the ground like the Baby Boomers launched rockets from NASA and like Gen Y launched Justin

Bieber’s career. Although, neither we nor anyone else knew of the marketing and advertising stampede that

would soon follow after.

Researchers report that teachers have lost the attention of Gen Y’s to Social Networking. Students today are

desensitized to the analogue format of lecture and traditional essentialist forms of teaching. But, that’s where

we come in.

Leave gaining the interest of younger generations to us. Using their curiosity in social networks, I will speak to

and about their culture in Facebook terms that will relate. “Assignment: What Is Your „About Me?‟” I will think

about their language. “If you could text any historical figure, who would you choose? What would you say –

„MR. LNCLN, R U UR DEAD?‟” I will teach younger folks how to create a website, shoot a video, and edit

through Final Cut Pro. “Assignment: Create a YouTube Video and Post It to Our Class Website.” I will let them

apply their interests in the classroom and have them ahead of their peers upon entering college.

With this thinking my generation will post our mark on the educational chalkboard of success like we’ve done

many times on each other’s walls. We’re talented, activists, innovative, and compassionate. As we’ve shown,

we are interested in who you are. We want to learn about you. What are your likes, dislikes, favorite movies,

favorite quotes? Who are your friends? We care. Generation SN knows that the growth and broadening of

Hope can correlate to limitless expectations.

We’ve seen that social networking can make a

difference. We elected a President.

So, go ahead fellow Boomerangs, free load while

you still can. Kill two birds with one stone. Go

back to school and get certified to teach. Live at

your parent’s and take advantage of the washing

machine that also dries, folds, and places your

clothes neatly on your bed with a note attached

saying, “This is the last time!” Enjoy your career

while you pay back your student loans because,

there’s plenty of time to do that.

Education:

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” - Chinese Proverb

I have always been interested in orienteering - paced map reading with given locations taking participants on a

route of control points through unfamiliar terrain. I like having direction, yet testing myself and navigating my

own way through different environments. My ambition for learning has been focused on expounding personal

interests towards an objective, all the time meeting expectations or control points that would guide me to an

education. In what, I’m not sure exactly. The objective – no idea, but the idea was to go somewhere.

I’m still expounding. My focus right now is a morally satisfying career – learning to teach, but I have created a

long trail to get here:

In high school I loved art. Drawing, painting, sculpting, print making, ceramics, pottery, all led me through

productive teenage years. Art kept me occupied during school…for awhile. I learned how to see things from a

different perspective, but I imagined that there was more terrain to cover out there.

Music is Art’s Siamese twin and I soon found that I was connected to both. I learned guitar, banjo, bass, and

drums. I listened to all genres, Rock and Roll, Indie Rock, Emo, Bluegrass, Newgrass and Jamgrass, Hip Hop,

Electronica, and Country. I communicated with others through music. We traded CD’s and tablature. I wrote

songs, created bands, band names, broke up with bands for creative differences and got back together “for the

sake of the music, man.” I liked the idea of a team.

I played for many St. Louis soccer teams. For a fast growing young man, soccer was a time consuming,

constructive, physical outlet. I studied the game, played club ball for premier nationally ranked teams, received

awards as a high school athlete, and earned a soccer scholarship in college.

I majored in English: Creative Writing. I was encouraged to express myself and I felt that this particular subject

matter could provide a future of control points. I found a voice and learned that there were ways in the world to

make a living writing. “I know someone in advertising!”

First real job out of college: Account Coordinator and wrote copy for an agency on The Hill in St. Louis. It was

right up my alley – beer, wine, and liquor sales promotion and marketing. I created party events for bars and

promotional concepts for independent liquor store and grocery franchises. I learned demographics, how speak

to people in masses, how to attract and engage, and how to sell an idea. It was a great job, but I soon

discovered that selling massive amounts of alcohol to young people and, in general, the advertising industry as

a whole was not the morally satisfying route that I was looking for, and I needed to redirect my career. I had

always wanted to teach.

I saw a connection between teaching and advertising, a thread stitching together all of my interests, education,

and control points to my career. I wanted to teach English because it would allow me to venture into other

subject matters like I’ve done all my life. I could show students the relationship between art and music, and

teach them about the concept of Team. As a coach, I could help athletes direct themselves academically

towards a successful college career. I would be able to stress the importance of not only finding an

intellectually fulfilling career, but one that is morally satisfying. I will be living proof of the value of finding your

own way.

And, this is where I am today – I’m 26.

I figure if I’m lucky, I’ve lived about a quarter of my life so far,

that’s less than a foot on a yard stick with plenty more to go.

As I inch along,

I want to become even more spiral,

continually building and gaining new interests while rounding out a staircase for others to follow. A staircase

case unlike mine,

but customized for individuals,

for students who understand

that we live in the world that we create.

“Writing Is for Reading” Spring 2011 Writing Program: Overview

Program: “Writing Is for Reading” Spring 2011 Writing Program

Units: Creative Writing – “Can This Be Love?” (Drama), “Hero’s and Monsters” (Fictional Narrative),

and “Poetry/Grammar Soup” (Poetry)

Analytic Writing – “Essay Writing” (Essays) and “Grammar/Poetry Soup” (Grammar)

Literature: Sample Essay Articles, the Hunger Games (to be read along with “Hero’s and Monsters” Unit),

Various Poems – Billy Collins, “Fishing On the Susquehanna in July”

Length: Semester-Long (16 Weeks) – 4 weeks of Drama, 4 weeks of Essays, 4 Weeks of Fictional

Narrative, 4 Weeks of Poetry/Grammar Soup

Rationale of Program:

When we write, we construct a world for our words to live in. We are building our words a home. Good writing

needs a blueprint, a foundation, a framework that can structure ideas into a place that a reader would want to

visit and return to. Throughout a high school student’s career, he or she will be asked to compose many

different forms of writing. The English I Writing Program, “Writing Is for Reading,” will introduce two categories

of writing processes – analytic and creative writing, both including structure, technique, and formulas for

producing excellent writing at the freshman level. Communication Arts Teachers concern themselves with the

freshman transition from middle school thinking children into productive secondary students. Analytic and

Creative Writing foundations are intended to introduce freshmen to academic writing with future high school,

college, and professional assignments in context. “Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger

context - a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.”

- Eero Saarinen, Architect: St. Louis Arch.

Summary of the Program Calendar:

The semester-long “Writing Is for Reading” Spring 2011 Writing Program will be segregated into two analytic

and three creative writing sections. Within the analytic portion of the writing program we will focus on standard

essay format and grammar. Within the creative writing portion of the unit we will discover the narrative

elements of fiction, drama, and poetry.

“Writing Is for Reading” will begin with a four week introductory writing lesson alongside the play “Romeo and

Juliet,” within the unit “Can This Be Love?” Students will be writing and producing a parody of the play. During

the following four weeks, we will learn Standard Essay Format discussing paragraph organization, lead

sentences, transition sentences, and conclusions. Next, we will begin a four week creative writing project that

will coincide with the literature unit - “Hero’s and Monster’s.” Students will create a fictional narrative story

including literary elements learned throughout the lesson. For the last four weeks of the semester, we will

experience a variety of alternating lessons of Poetry and Grammar in a section of the program called,

“Poetry/Grammar Soup.” During this time, students will have the opportunity to revise writing projects “as

needed” based on Grammar lessons taught throughout this section of the program. Because revision is a key

element to the writing process, students decide when their work is final – their grade will depend on it. Students

will also read, write, and share poetry portfolios created as a summative assessment of the Poetry Soup Unit.

Each week will include a variety of lesson plans, yet a routine, stable calendar. The week will begin with a Pre-

Reading/Writing Lesson based on a theme of the week. The following day we will read examples of the theme

using articles and literature. We will follow-up reading days with a Post-Read Activity. We are then ready to

either Write, Research, or Revise with a purpose – three days of preparation to guide the creative process.

Most weeks will end with Collaborative Learning as a class or in groups. Finally, after each section, we will

somehow showcase our work in a gallery extravaganza because WRITING IS FOR READING!

Summary of Work Presented in this Document:

This document includes a collection of writing ambitions. Instead of focusing on one specific unit of writing, I

attempted to expand this concept over the course of my Student Teaching semester. Each lesson plan

presented serves as a sample of writing techniques taught throughout the program. Two lessons focus on

Analytic Essays, two lessons on Fictional Narrative, one lesson on Poetry and one lesson combining Poetry

and Grammar. I thought that to create a Writing Program would be a way for me to take this assignment one

step further and show a full, encompassing range of curriculum and methods learned throughout my

experience in this course.

We will ask ourselves these essential questions:

What are the differences between analytic and creative writing?

What is good writing? What elements make up good essay writing? What is my writing strategy?

What elements make up fictional narrative? How do I use them?

What is my poetic voice?

Where are there grammatical problems in my writing? How do I fix them?

Analytic Writing Objectives:

We will learn…

Standard essay format – Tell‟em what you‟re gonna tell‟em. Tell‟em. Tell‟em what you told‟em.

Analytic Writing Techniques – Lead and transition sentences, paragraph organization, and conclusions

Delayed or “as needed” instruction on Grammar – subject verb agreement, punctuation, and sentence

and paragraph structure

Creative Writing Objectives:

We will learn…

Literary Elements – Genre, Theme, Plot, Dialogue, Language Style, Protagonists and Antagonists,

Character Development, Rising/Falling Action and Climax, and Resolution

Poetry Styles and Techniques

Use of Peer Review – Poetry Circles, PQP for Narrative Fiction and Play

Materials and Resources:

Elements of Literature Textbook – Romeo and Juliet

The Hunger Games

Handouts of Various Poems – Billy Collins, “Fishing On the Susquehanna in July”

Internet Access

Essay Articles showing examples of weekly themes

Means of Assessment:

Formative Assessment: Homework, Reading/Grammar Quizzes, Poetry, Journals

Summative Assessments:

- Original Play – Each student will have a role within a group creating a parody of the play

Romeo and Juliet.

- Essay Composition – Each student will research and write an essay of their choice

- Fictional Narrative – Each student will create a fictional story using literary elements

- Poetry – Each student will create a portfolio of original poetry

Heading Class: English I

Your Name: Mr. Penn

Name of Lesson: LP#1 “Writing Program Introduction”

Day: January 6, 2011

Objective Introduce students to two types of writing – analytic and creative writing. Used to

set-up the essential question, “What is the difference between analytic and creative

writing?”

Instructional

Framework

Initiating

Constructing

Lesson Plan

Format

Teacher Centered:

Teacher reads clear examples of analytic/expository writing and creative/narrative

writing.

Student Centered:

Create a list or Venn diagram of characteristics seen in both types of writing.

Grouping Whole Class

Materials &

Resources

Teacher – Chart Paper, Markers

Student – Examples: Analytic and Narrative

Strategies 1. Text Structure – Stephens & Brown

Review

Previous

Lessons

Basic reading and writing skills

New Material WHOLE CLASS - Initiating

Present the concept of different writing styles – analytic and creative/narrative

Guided

Practice

WHOLE CLASS - Constructing

Students and teacher read two example texts – one that is clearly analytic and one

clearly narrative.

Students and teacher create a list of characteristics of each kind of writing

Closure to

Lesson

WHOLE CLASS – Initiating

Teacher tells the students that within these two types of writing fall various formats

and concepts: Analytic – Essay. Creative – Drama, Narrative, and Poetry.

Throughout our Writing Program, we will explore each of these different styles.

Assignment INDIVIDUALLY - Constructing

Make a six column, three row table. Leave the top left cell blank. To the left of each

row, write the two writing styles – Analytic and Creative. At the top of each row,

write the formats and concepts – Drama, Narrative, Poetry, Essay, and Grammar.

In each open cell write something that you know, would like to learn, and have a

question about.


Your Name: Mr. Penn

Name of Lesson: LP#2 “Building an Essay”

Day: February 22, 2011

Objective To teach students standard essay format

Instructional

Framework

Constructing

Utilizing

Lesson Plan

Format

Teacher Centered:

(Utilizing) Teacher creates and explains the Essay Blueprint

Student Centered:

(Constructing) Students piece together a cut up version of the Essay Blueprint


Groups

Individuals

Materials &

Resources

School – Microsoft Word and Internet

Teacher – Handout

Student – Handout

Strategies 1. Essay Blueprint Presentation

2. Essay Blueprint Puzzle

3. Memory Game

Review Previous

Lessons

“Organization” is the Topic of the Week:

- Tell’em what you’re gonna tell’em. Tell’em. Tell’em what you told’em.

New Material WHOLE CLASS - Constructing

Teacher will explain the contents and blueprints of the handout. Students will

understand that this is a foundation for essay writing.

Guided Practice GROUP - Constructing

Blueprint Puzzle: Through group learning, students will piece together a cut up

version of the Essay Blueprint in order to assess their memory skills of the

strategy.

Closure to

Lesson

WHOLE CLASS – Utilizing

Memory Game: Formative assessment in which students are quizzed on their

knowledge of the essay format strategy.

Assignment INDIVIDUALLY - Utilizing

Students will be composing an essay as a summative assessment. The Essay

Blueprint will serve as a guideline for composing this document.

Building an Essay: Blueprint Handout

A large portion of academic writing in high school, college, and throughout your professional career

will consist of composing essays. This document will serve as a foundation or framework for

constructing your end-of-unit essay. Learn it! Study it! Build it!

Page #

Name

Teacher’s Name

Class

Date

Title: Hints at topic. Somehow relates to conclusion.

Lead sentence (Interesting Hook: Hooks reader into the essay). Background/Build-up information

about the topic (Ex: A Republican’s values tend to be more conservative about key issues whereas

Democrats are more progressive). Thesis statement (What have you concluded?). Tell‟em what you‟re

gonna tell‟em – Main Idea 1, Main Idea 2, and Main Idea 3 (Include the main ideas of each body

paragraph). Transition sentence into Main Idea 1 Topic…

Main Idea 1 Sentence (What is this paragraph about?). Support. Explanations. Show, don’t tell!!!

Typically, you will not use you, me, or I, unless the teacher directly says it’s appropriate, as it is with this

essay. Go back through each sentence and correct grammar. Re-read your Main Idea 1 Sentence.

Does it introduce the information provided in this paragraph? Transition sentence into Main Idea 2

Topic…

Main Idea 2 Sentence. Support. Explanations. Show, don’t tell!!! Go back through each sentence and

correct grammar. Re-read your Main Idea 2 Sentence. Does it introduce the information provided in

this paragraph? Transition sentence into Main Idea 3 Topic…

Main Idea 3 Sentence. Support. Explanations. Show, don’t tell!!! Go back through each sentence and

correct grammar. Re-read your Main Idea 3 Sentence. Does it introduce the information provided in

this paragraph? Transition sentence into Conclusion…

Conclusion should mirror the introduction. Summarize the thesis statement. Summarize your

main points using an effective argument. Tell’em what you told’em. Last line: try to creative hook the last

line of your conclusion to the main idea of the essay or the title.

Tell‟em

what

your

gonna

tell‟em

Tell‟em

Tell‟em

what

you

told‟em

1” Margin

1” Margin Essay Blueprint

Double Spaced. Arial, Size 12 Font


Your Name: Mr. Penn

Unit: Hero‟s and Monsters

Name of Lesson: LP#3 Rising/Falling Action and Climax “The Narrative

Action Equilibrium”

Day: March 28, 2011

Objective This diagram can be used as a tool to help students understand how Rising

Action, Falling Action, and Climax work in Fictional Narrative. This lesson will be

used to define the essential questions, “What elements make up fictional

narrative? How do I use them?”

Instructional

Framework

Initiating

Constructing

Utilizing

Lesson Plan

Format

Teacher Centerd:

Teacher will present and describe how the Narrative Action Equilibrium works

using the nursery rhyme “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”

Student Centered:

In groups, students will use nursery rhymes that they are familiar with to recreate

the diagram presented


Groups

Materials &

Resources

School – PowerPoint

Teacher – Narrative Action Equilibrium Diagram

Students – Prior knowledge of nursery rhymes

Strategies 1. Narrative Tool

Review

Previous

Lessons

“Rising/Falling Action and Climax” is the theme of the week.


Teacher will explain how the Narrative Action Equilibrium tool works using “The

Itsy Bitsy Spider.” This technique will allow students the opportunity to

comprehend the tool’s usefulness using a familiar storyline – Rising/Falling Action

and Climax are clearly presented in this song.

Guided

Practice

Groups - Constructing

Students will see that Narrative Action is seen in most fiction. They will construct Narrative Action Equilibriums in reference to nursery rhymes that they are familiar with. We will use the tool in reference to the literature that we are reading, The Hunger Games, as a part of the unit, “Hero’s and Monsters.”

Closure to

Lesson


This tool will later be used in order to help students create Rising/Falling Action

and a Climax in their Writing Program Fictional Narrative Summative

Assessments.

Assignment Groups – Constructing

What are other examples where stories have clear Rising/Falling Action and a

Climax? Skits, Movies, T.V. Shows? Watch a T.V. episode tonight. Record the

Rising/Falling Action and Climax seen. How did the episode end? (Segue into

Resolution)

Narrative Action Equilibrium

…Your tool for successful Fictional Narrative Writing.

A story has a beginning, middle, and an end. But, how do they work? We have learned what Rising

Action, Falling Action, and a Climax mean, but how are they used by writers to create a plot? The

Narrative Action Equilibrium is a tool that can be used to help us understand the plot of a story; more

specifically, the Rising/Falling Action and Climax. Below you will see a diagram of the Narrative

Action Equilibrium with descriptions of each literary element described. Notice how they work:

Now let‟s apply this diagram to a

well known nursery rhyme, “The

Itsty Bitsy Spider.” Please sing along

if you’d like…and feel free to use the

hand gestures! Notice how this tool

can be used to diagram the

elements of the story:

Your Assignment: What are

other examples of stories with clear

Rising/Falling Action and a Climax?

Movies? T.V. Shows? Reality

Shows? Watch a television episode

tonight. Note in your journals the

Rising/Falling Action and Climax seen using the Narrative Action Equilibrium.

How did the episode end? Could you have created better narrative? Tell me about it!

Composition:

Literary element

that frames a story

and brings it all

together.

Protagonist: Hero

Antagonist: Villain

Rising Action:

Hero’s downfall.

Villain’s rise.

Conflict: The

major problem or

theme.

Plot Line: What is

happening

throughout the

story.

Falling Action:

Hero’s rise.

Villain’s demise.

Climax: Major

turning point in the

story

Resolution: How

the story ends. The

moral we learn.

Conflict

Rising Action Falling Action Climax

Resolution


Your Name: Mr. Penn

Unit: Poetry Soup

Name of Lesson: LP#4 “Voice Mix!”

Day: May 4, 2011

Objective Students will understand how voice is translated through poetry. Through music

and lyrics, a connection will be made among the concepts of voice, poetry, and

writing. This lesson will be used to define the essential question, “What is my

poetic voice?”

Instructional

Framework

Initiating

Constructing

Utilizing

Lesson Plan

Format

Student Centered:

Students will create music videos using a poem or the will create a poem using a

song.

Grouping Groups

Materials &

Resources

School – PowerPoint

Teacher – Selected Poems/Songs, Lyrics cut up from song print out, Glue

Strategies 1. “Voice Mix!” Differentiated Instruction

Review

Previous

Lessons

“Voice” is the theme of the week.


Students will be introduced to the concept of “Voice.” Every voice is different and

has a unique ability to permeate the mood, personality, or essence of a writer.

Guided

Practice

Groups - Constructing

Students will have three options:

1. Create a music video using a PowerPoint slide show: Using music, images, and text from a poem, students will capture the voice of the poet in a slide show music video. Students will first select a song that represents the voice of the poet. Then they will insert a variety of images into a PPT slide show also related to the poet’s voice. Poems will be selected from a list provided by the teacher.

2. Create a poem from a song: The teacher will provide bags of cut-up song lyrics. The students will cut and paste the lyrics onto construction paper. They will be asked to use their own “Voice.”

3. Create a song from a poem: Do you have musical abilities? Write and compose a song using a poem. Can you capture the voice through music?

Closure to

Lesson


Music videos and Song poems will be showcased to the class.

Assignment INDIVIDUALLY – Utilizing

Find an outside example of a poem or song. What is its voice? Read it before

tomorrow’s journal. You will be asked to tell me about your choice text’s voice.


Your Name: Mr. Penn

Unit: Poetry Grammar Soup

Name of Lesson: LP#5 “Combining Grammar and Poetry”

Day: May 17, 2011

Objective Students will discuss the meaning of a poem. We will then examine the grammar

used to by the poet achieve it. We will use this lesson to define the essential

question, “Where are there grammatical problems in my writing? How do I fix

them?”

Instructional

Framework

Initiating

Constructing

Utilizing

Lesson Plan

Format

Teacher Centered:

Teacher will read the poem, “Fishing On the Susquehanna in July,” by Billy Collins

and begin a discussion on the meaning of the poem.

The teacher will then ask the students to find the verbs and adjectives. How does

grammar play a part in the meaning of the poem? What do the verbs and

adjectives have in common?

Student Centered:

Students write an initial response to the meaning of the poem. Then, students will

contribute their insights in a circular discussion – Poetry 360.

Students will actively find the parts of speech used to convey a deeper meaning.


Individual

Materials &

Resources

Teacher – The poem, “Fishing On the Susquehanna in July,” by Billy Collins

Student – Pencil and Paper

Strategies 1. “Combine Grammar and Reading” Jim Burke, p. 145

Review

Previous

Lessons

“Grammar” is the theme of the week.

- Prior knowledge of adjectives


Along with the teacher, students will read the poem, “Fishing On the Susquehanna

in July.” As a class we will discuss the meaning of the poem.

Guided

Practice

Whole Class – Constructing

Students will initially write a response as to the meaning of the poem. We will then share our insights in a poetry circle. This will serve as an introduction to our peer evaluation process – Poetry 360 – which we will participate in each Friday of the Poetry/Grammar Soup Unit.

Closure to

Lesson

Individually – Utilizing

Students will find the verbs and adjectives in the poem. We will discuss how these

parts of speech help to develop the meaning of the poem and what they have in

common.

Assignment INDIVIDUALLY – Utilizing

Remember the writing assignments we’ve done up to this point? How can you use

active verbs and adjectives to glorify your writing? Take some time to revise your

Essay, Fictional Narrative, and Poetry for a re-evaluation of your grade.

Fishing On the Susquehanna in July

I have never been fishing on the Susquehanna

or on any river for that matter

to be perfectly honest.

Not in July or any month

have I had the pleasure -- if it is a pleasure --

of fishing on the Susquehanna.

I am more likely to be found

in a quiet room like this one --

a painting of a woman on the wall,

a bowl of tangerines on the table --

trying to manufacture the sensation

of fishing on the Susquehanna.

There is little doubt

that others have been fishing

on the Susquehanna,

rowing upstream in a wooden boat,

sliding the oars under the water

then raising them to drip in the light.

But the nearest I have ever come to

fishing on the Susquehanna

was one afternoon in a museum in Philadelphia,

when I balanced a little egg of time

in front of a painting

in which that river curled around a bend

under a blue cloud-ruffled sky,

dense trees along the banks,

and a fellow with a red bandana

sitting in a small, green

flat-bottom boat

holding the thin whip of a pole.

That is something I am unlikely

ever to do, I remember

saying to myself and the person next to me.

Then I blinked and moved on

to other American scenes

of haystacks, water whitening over rocks,

even one of a brown hare

who seemed so wired with alertness

I imagined him springing right out of the frame.

Billy Collins

January

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

3 4 5 6 Begin: Can This Be

Love?

Writing Program

Intro

7 Intro Activity

Explain Unit and Summative

Assessment

10

Pre-Read:

What is Genre?

Vocab HD

11

During Read:

Find Genre

Examples

12 Post Read:

Formative

Assessment

Music Video Slide

Show

13

Preparing for Play

Journal

14

Collaborative Learning:

“What is Love?”

17 18

Pre-Read:

What is Plot?

Vocab HD

19

During Read:

Find Plot Sequence

20

Post Read:

Plot Sequence Activity

21


“I love you, Man!” Many types of

love

24

Pre-Read:

What is Dialogue?

Vocab HD

25

During Read:

Find Dialogue

26

Post Read:

Facebook Convo

Activity

27

Preparing for Play

Journal

28


“Chemistry” Biological science to

love

31 Pre-Read:

What is Language

Style?

Vocab HD

February


1

During Read:

Where is Language

Style?

2

Post Read:

Secret Admirer

Activity

3

Preparing for Play

Journal

4

Collaborative

Learning:

5 Love Languages

7 Play Rehearsal Day 8 9 10 11 End: Can This Be

Love?

14

Valentine’s Day

Extravaganza

15

Begin: Essay

Writing

Intro – Graphic

Organizer

16 Pre-Write:

Brain Storm Essay

Topics

Research

17 Write:

Brainstorm/Research/

Outline

18

21 22 Pre-Read/Write:

Essay Organization

Essay Blueprint

23 Read:

Example - Essay

Organization

24 Research:

Topics for Essays

Turn in Copy of

Research

25 Write:

Organize Essay using

Research

Create Draft 1

28 Pre-Read/Write:

Sentence Techniques - Lead

and Transitions

April


1 Collaborative

Learning:

4 Pre-

Read/Write:

Character Dev

5 Read:

Lit – Use of Character

Development

6 Post-Read:

Character Dev

Activity

7 Write:

Character Dev

8 Collaborative

Learning:

11 Pre-

Read/Write:

Resolution

12 Read:

Lit – Use of Resolution

13 Post-Read:

Resolution Activity

14 Write:

Resolution for Fictional Narrative

15 Showcase!

18 Showcase! 19 Finish Reading Lit

Prepare for Summative

Assessment for Lit

20 Finish Reading Lit

Prepare for

Summative

Assessment for Lit

21 Summative Assessment for Lit:

Using lit elements learned respond

to writing prompts

22

25 26 Begin Choice Unit:

Poetry/Grammar

Soup

27 Pre-Read:

What is prose?

28 Read:

Prose

29 Post-Read:

Prose Activity

March


1 Read:

Example –

Lead/Transition Sent.

2 Write:

Lead and

Transition

Sentences for Draft

1

Turn In Draft 1

3 Revision:

Revise Draft 1Content

4

Collaborative

Learning:

Peer Evaluation

7Pre-Read/Write:

Conclusions

8 Read:

Conclusions

9 Write:

Conclusions Final

Draft

10 Write:

Essay Final Drafts

11

Showcase

Extravaganza!

14 15 16 17 18

21 Begin: Hero’s and

Monsters Unit, Intro to Lit

Writing Program:

Fictional Narrative

Summative Assess

Intro

22 Pre-Read/Write:

Protag and Antag

23 Read:

Lit – Use of Pro

and Antag

24 Write:

Create Pro’s and

Antag’s for Fictional

Narrative

25

Collaborative

Learning: What are

Hero’s/Vilans?

28 Pre-Read/Write:

Rising/Falling Action,

Climax – Narrative

Action Equilibrium

29 Read:

Lit – Use of

Rising/Falling Action

and Climax

30 Post-Read:

Rising/Falling

Action and Climax

Activity

31 Write:

Create Rising/Falling

Action and Climax for

Fictional Narrative

May


2 Pre-Read:

What is voice?

3 Read:

Poems with Examples of

Voice

4 Post Read:

Voice Mix

5 Write:

Poetry using

Voice

6 Collaborative Learning:

Poetry 360

9 Pre-Read:

What is rhythm?

10 Read:

Poems using rhythm

11Post-Read:

Rhythm activity

12 Write:

Rap song using

rhythm

13 Collaborative Learning:

Poetry 360

16 Pre-Read:

Biggest Grammar Problems

in Narratives and Essays

17 Read:

Narratives and Essays from

Writing Program

Combining Poetry

and Grammar

18 Post Read:

Correct Grammar

Activity

19 Revise:

Narratives and

Essays

20 Collaborative Learning

23 Portfolio Turn-In 24 End: Choice 25 26 27

30 31

M, Tu, F of a 5 day Week A Day – 50 min

Wed of a 5 Day Week B Day – 1:35 (1, 3, 5, 7)

Thursdays of a 5 Day Week C Day – 1:35 (2, 4, 6, Release

12:55)

Thursdays of a 5 Day Week

(1/mo)

D Day – 1:15 (2, 4, 6, Release

11:55)

Final Exams

No School

“Writing Is for Reading”

Spring 2011 Writing Program - Student Calendar

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5

January 6) Begin Writing

Program

10) Creative: Plot

13) Creative:

Play Write

18-20) Creative:

Plot

24) Creative:

Dialogue

27) Creative: Play

Write

31) Creative: Language

Style

February 3) Creative:

Play Write

8-10) Showcase! 15) Analytic:

Essay Writing

Intro

16-17) Analytic:

B.U.R.G.E.R.

22) Analytic:

Blueprint

28) Analytic:

Lead and Transition

Sentences

March 2-3) Analytic:

Write Essays

7-10) Analytic:

Conclusions

11) Showcase

14-18) No School! 21) Creative: Begin

Fictional Narrative

22-24) Creative:

Pro’s and Ant’s

28) Creative:

Rising/Falling and

Climax

April 1) Collaborative

Learning Day

4-7) Creative:

Character Dev

11-14) Creative:

Resolution

18) Showcase!

19) Summative for

Lit Novel

26) Begin

Poetry/Grammar Soup

27) Creative: Prose

May 2-5) Creative:

Voice

6) Creative:

Poetry 360

9) Creative:

Rhythm

13) Creative:

Poetry 360

16) Analytic:

Grammar

Problems

17-19) Revise

Portfolio

23) Portfolio Turn-

In

25-26) Finals!

30) Summer!!


Your Name: Mr. Penn

Name of Lesson: “Good Writing: The McEssay Graphic Organizer”

Day: February 15, 2011

Objective Introduce the elements that make up Good Writing. This lesson will be used to

define the questions, “What is good writing? What elements make up good essay

writing? What is my writing strategy?”

Instructional

Framework

Initiating

Constructing

Utilizing

Lesson Plan

Format

Teacher Centered:

Teacher presents The McEssay analogy to help students better understand Good

Writing. Teacher presents an acronym for beginning the writing process.

Student Centered:

Students use the graphic organizer to create a template for Good Writing.

Students create an acronym for beginning writing process. Vote on best acronym

to be applied throughout Writing Unit.


Groups

Individuals

Materials &

Resources

School – Overhead

Teacher – Overhead Image

Student – Pencil Paper

Strategies 1. Analogy – Stephens & Brown 2. Beyond SQ3R – Stephens & Brown

Review

Previous

Lessons

Students are beginning the Essay Writing Unit. This is an introductory lesson plan.


Good Writing is like a McDonald’s Hamburger:

Buns: Intro and Conclusion Paragraphs

Meat: Body Paragraphs

Cheese: Theme or Voice

Lettuce: Crisp, concise writing style

Tomatoes: Juicy details

Wrapper: Title that wraps up the meaning of essay

WHOLE CLASS – Constructing: Beyond SQ3R

Explain the writing strategy acronym: B.U.R.G.E.R.

Brainstorm

Understand Your Topic

Research

Generate an Outline

Evolve Your Writing into a McEssay

Revise

Guided

Practice

GROUPS – Constructing

Students create an acronym for their writing process.

Closure to

Lesson

WHOLE CLASS – Constructing

As a class, vote on a writing strategy to be used throughout the Essay Unit.


Apply the writing strategy as we begin our Essay Unit.

Graphic Organizer

Fill in the blanks along with Mr. Penn’s Presentation.

With your group, create a writing strategy.

B. _____________________

U. _____________________

R. _____________________

G. _____________________

E. _____________________

R. _____________________

What‟s your writing strategy?

Fictional Narrative Summative Assessment – “Hero‟s and Monsters”

Are you a hero? Or, are you a monster?

We have read, learned, and practiced the elements that make up a

fictional narrative story. Now, it’s your turn to showcase your

knowledge! For this section of the Spring 2011 Writing Program, you

will be assessed on your ability to write a fictional narrative

including the literary elements learned in this unit:

Protagonists and Antagonists

Rising/Falling Action and Climax

Character Development

Resolution

Also, pay attention to the literary elements learned in “Can This Be Love?”

o Genre

o Plot

o Dialogue

o Language Style

So, are you a hero or a monster? Include yourself as a character in the story as either a hero or a

monster. Is your character dynamic (does he/she develop)? Or, are you static (no development)?

Format Options:

1. Children‟s Book - Have you ever read a children’s book? They include literary elements as

well. This option allows you to write a children’s book including the literary elements that you

have learned.

Service Learning Bonus Points: With your permission, the stories that you create will be

donated to the elementary school reading program, Students as Mentors. In conjunction with

the A+ Program, you might have the opportunity to read your story to a classroom of

elementary students.

2. Slide Show – Here’s a chance for you to direct and animate a slide show of your fictional

narrative story. Using Power Point, your story will live in a digital environment that can be

presented to the class during “Showcase!” Use the literary elements that you have learned.

Digital Technology Bonus Points: You can include images, sound effects, voiceover, and

music if you’d like! (See me for digital help)

3. Short Story – This is the BIG ENCHILADA! The BIG CAHUNA! The BIG ONE! Do you want to

be a writer? Welcome to the starting line. Test your writing and creative abilities by developing

a short story. Be sure to use your knowledge of each literary element. What’s the topic?

What’s the genre? What’s the story? You decide. See you at the finish line!

Speech and Drama Bonus Points: Want to perform your story? Share it with the class

because WRITING IS FOR READING!

I can‟t wait to see what you create! – Mr. Penn

“Hero‟s and Monsters” Fictional Narrative

Summative Assessment Rubric

Creativity 0 - 6 7 - 13 14 - 20 40

Possible

Originality The story shows no

originality what-so-

ever. I literally

yawned.

The story is

traditional and

conventional. I could

anticipate what would

happen next.

The work successfully shows

original characters,

experimentation, and story line.

You’re an original!

Engaging I have no idea how

the piece ended

because I quit

reading.

The story was

somewhat interesting.

I managed to finish

the piece.

I was enthralled with excitement

and couldn’t put it down. I want

to read more!

Narrative 0 - 6 7 - 13 14 - 20 60

Possible

Characters Your characters

were uniform.

There was no

development

witnessed.

There was some

character confusion,

but you have the right

idea…

There were clear Protagonists

and Antagonists. The characters

were somehow defined through

the work as static or dynamic.

You’re a character!

Story Missing two or all

storyline elements.

Some action

problems. Missing

one of the three.

Your story included Rising

Action, Falling Action, and a

Climax.

Resolution The story ended

abruptly and I failed

to see the

resolution.

The ending was

somewhat confusing,

but I got it…

Your story had a clear, concise

ending including a glorious

resolution. I learned something.

Total

Points

/100

TOTAL

Power, Corruption, and Deception Unit Title: “Power, Corruption, and Deception”

Lesson Title: “PCD Magazine©”

Level: 10th Grade

Teacher: Mr. Penn

Literature: The Tragedy of Julius Caesar

Length: 6 Week Unit, Spring 2011

Rationale of Unit Theme:

According to Erik Erikson, development for adolescents up to the age of 12-18 mostly depends upon what is

done to us. High school students have reached this age and development now depends primarily upon what

we do. As teenagers’ lives become more complex, they attempt to find their own identity, understand social

interactions, and grapple moral issues. In this unit, students will have the opportunity to relate their own

identities and moral consciousness to historically powerful, corrupt, and deceptive people, events, and groups.

We will also explore the literature that has initiated and followed these movements. We will ask ourselves

these essential questions:

What is power? How do you get it? How do you keep it?

How do people use intimidation to gain or keep power?

What can be corrupted? How does power corrupt?

Why lie? Are there degrees of deception? Is lying ever ethical?

Summary of Unit:

Students will create a magazine publication as a class showcasing examples of PCD, their opinions on the

issues, why or the reason the events took place, and/or predictions to what the outcome will be in the future.

The publication will include non-fiction and fictional articles as well as advertisements showing examples of

PCD. As we read William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar throughout the unit, we will be able to compare our

publication findings to scenes and Acts from the play for better understanding.

Objectives:

Students will learn how to research issues on a topic or specific group and thus, problem solving skills

will be exercised.

Students will synthesize information found and creatively retell a story in their own words.

Students will learn Microsoft Word skills including image incorporation and formatting techniques.

Students will use their research findings to make connections with the play Julius Caesar for better

understanding.

Materials and Resources:

Microsoft Word

Internet

The textbook – Elements of Literature: Fourth Course

Means of Assessment:

Magazine Publication: Students will act as journalist and create original magazine articles for a class

publication. Students will be graded on ability to synthesize and creatively retell a story of Power,

Corruption, and Deception. This form of assessment will allow the students’ work to be showcased to

others.

Heading Class: English II

Your Name: Mr. Penn

Name of Lesson: “Formatting: Guiding the Reader‟s Eye”


Objective To find examples of media that will be useful in formatting magazine articles and ads

Instructional

Framework

Constructing

Utilizing

Lesson Plan

Format

Teacher Centered:

(Utilizing) Direct Instruction – providing information and building skills

(Constructing) Concept – introducing a new theory, symbol, idea

Student Centered:

(Constructing) Brief Discussion


Individuals

Materials &

Resources

School – Microsoft Word and Internet

Teacher – Magazines

Student – Post-It’s

Strategies 1. Concept Collection

2. Article/Ad Format Template

Review

Previous

Lessons

“Media” is the Topic of the Week:

- What are different forms of media? - Why is “The Media” effective? What are they doing well?

New Material

INDIVIDUALLY - Constructing

Students will divide their paper into four columns and label them: Familiar Concepts,

Evidence, New Concepts, and Evidence.

Students fill out the column “Familiar Concepts” with ideas about what type of magazine

and media articles that they already know they like. Examples of these ideas will be written

into the first “Evidence” column.

Students will peruse through provided magazines finding new examples of article and

advertisement formats that they like. They will use post-its to mark the page and make a

note in the “New Concepts” of what specifically that they like about the article or

advertisements. The post-it provides the evidence.

Guided

Practice

WHOLE CLASS - Constructing

As a class we will discuss the Familiar and New Concepts identified by individuals in the

class. We will compare and contrast our lists in order to create a master list.

Based on feedback from the whole class I will create a master list of ideas, concepts, and

formatting styles that the students like. We will discuss “what about these articles attracts

your attention?”

I will create a Direct Instruction document incorporating formatting styles from our Concept

Collection exercise. Students will use the document in order to format their magazine

articles and advertisements.

Closure to

Lesson

Show students work samples of articles and advertisements that I’ve created using the

class master list of attractive formatting concepts.

Provide students with a handout explaining “How To” recreate a similarly formatted article

or advertisement.


Based on your previously chosen Genre and Topic, choose a format from the list of

provided formatting options to use in your article or ad for PCD Magazine.

Practice formats using “Greek copy” (Oisdfnd sodifdi oiwerenfeo)

How well have your followed the directions/recreated your selected format? Have you

added any new ideas to your list of “New Concepts”?

What would you like to add to your page? Is it found on the master list of attractive

formatting concepts?

Heading Class: English II

Your Name: Mr. Penn

Name of Lesson: “Conflict of Interest”


Objective To expose students to their own views on conflicting isssues. Create Community

Instructional

Framework

Constructing

Utilizing

Lesson Plan

Format

Student Centered:

Cooperative Learning


Pairs

Individuals

Materials &

Resources

Teacher – List of scenarios

Student – Honesty, Pencil and Paper

Strategies 1. R2-Q-A 2. Red Light. Green Light! 3. Class Discussion

Review

Previous

Lessons

“Conflict” is the Topic of the Week:

- What is conflict?

New Material Students are given a list of briefly described conflicting scenarios. At the beginning of each

scenario the passage says, “Green Light!” Students are to read until they see the phrase,

“Red Light.” At this point, the students stop and write a response to the scenario. This

process repeats until all scenarios have been read by each individual student.

In Pairs, the students share their “Red Light.” responses and discuss similarities or conflicts in

opinion.

The class will then come together and discuss reactions to conflicting scenarios.

Guided

Practice

Teacher creates a list of conflicting scenarios such as, “Is it ever okay to lie?” Describe a

scenario that puts students on the fence.

Closure to

Lesson

Conflict Mediation suggestions

Assignment What is the conflict presented in the topic you’ve chosen to write about for the magazine?

How did this person or group choose to react or respond to this conflict?

Do you agree or disagree with their actions/reactions? Why? What would have you done

differently?

January


3 4 5 6 Begin: Power, Corruption,

and Deception

7 Intro Activity

Explain Unit and Summative

Assessment

10

Pre-Read:

What is Media?

Vocab HD

11

During Read:

Read Julius Caesar

Find Media Examples

12

Post Read:

Formative Assessment

Preparing for Magazine:

Choose Genre, Topic, and

Format

13

Con Dev: Examples of

Publications

Research Topic for Magazine

Article

14


“What is Power?”

17 18

Pre-Read:

What is Gossip?

Vocab HD

19

During Read:

Read Julius Caesar

Find Gossip

20

Post Read:

Gossip Activity

21


“How is intimidation used to gain

power?”

24

Pre-Read:

What is Conflict?

Vocab HD

25

During Read:

Read Julius Caesar

Find Conflict

26

Post Read:

Conflict Activity

Research for Magazine Article

27

Direct Instruction Act:

“Formatting Your Magazine

Article”

Journal

28


“Conflict of Interest Activity”

31

Pre-Read:

What is Propaganda?

Vocab HD

February


1

During Read:

Read Julius Caesar

Where is Propaganda?

2

Post Read:

Create Propaganda

3

Create Your Magazine Article

Journal

4


“Is lying ever ethical?”

“Front Page” Activity

7

Pre-Read:

What are Character

Roles?

Vocab HD

8

During Read:

Where are Character Roles?

9

Post Read:

Facebook Activity

10

Finalizing Magazine Articles

11


“Who has the Power?”

14

Valentine’s Day

Extravaganza

15 16 17 End: Power, Corruption,

and Deception

18

21 22 Begin: “Taking a Stand” 23 24 25

28

Showcase Magazine Articles and Ads. Discuss Future Distribution

Student Calendar

“Power, Corruption, and Deception”

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

Monday 10) Media

Vocab HD

No School! 24) Protag’s

and Antag’s

Vocab HD

31)

Propaganda

Vocab HD

7) Character

Roles?

Vocab HD

14) V-Day

Extra!

Tuesday 11) Read JC

Media

Examples

18) Gossip

Vocab HD

25) Read JC

Find Pro’s

and Ant’s

1) Read JC

Prop Ex.

8) Read JC

Find

Character

Roles

15) Present

Magazine

Articles

Wednesday 12) Format

PCD Topic 4

Magazine

19) Read JC

Find Gossip

26) Pro’s and

Ant’s Activity

Research

2) Create

Propaganda

9) Facebook

Activity

16) Present

Magazine

Articles

Produce Mags

Thursday 13)

Research

Topic

20) Gossip

Activity

27) Format

UR Magazine

Article

3) Create UR

Magazine

Article

10) Finish

Magazine

Article

17) Distribute

Magazines to

School

Friday 14) What is

Power?

21) How is

intimidation used

to gain Power?

28) Why Lie? 4) Is Lying Ever

Ethical?

Read Do the

Right Thing

11) Who has

the Power?

No School!

Mag Day

Read Day

Group Learn

Work Day

PCD Magazine is the newest publication to hit the shelves. We

are looking for committed, insightful, thorough English II

journalists who are willing to expose deception and the

corruption of power. For the next few weeks, each student

will be researching a topic and composing a page to be submitted

to our class publication, PCD Magazine. After all pages have been submitted, Mr. Penn will act as the

editor. He will compile and arrange all documents into a professional looking magazine that can be

distributed throughout the school, to home, or showcased to friends…it’s up to you! Choose from the

list of genres, topics, and formats below to get started:

Genre:

Fiction

Non-Fiction

Advertisement

Topic:

Power

Corruption

Deception

Story:

PCD Person

PCD Group

PCD Event

Format for a Non-Fiction Piece:

Non-Fiction Research/Journalistic Approach

Report Card

Comic Strip

Movie Review

Profile or Biography

Format for a Fiction Piece:

Fictional Q & A

Fictional Gossip Column

Top Ten List and Why?

(Ex: Top 10 Most Powerful People)

Format for a Fictional Advertisement

must include:

Product or Service

Headline, Tagline, Copy, Sub-headline

Images, Art Direction

Optional: Can include a spokesperson

(Some sort of article would accompany this

piece explaining your reasoning for your

argument/grades.)

Tired of sweating

bullets when

you’re under

oath? Now,

thanks to

Deception

Deodorant, you

can lie through

your teeth and

smell fresh as a

daisy!

Deception

Deception The deodorant that keeps you dry

when you lie.

My pits aren’t sweating! Or, are they?

Power, Corruption, and Deception Magazine Rubric for Grading

CONTENT 0 - 10 11 - 20 21 - 30 60

Possible

Accuracy The information

provided is

inaccurate. Very

little research was

done. You missed

it.

Some of the

information

provided is

inaccurate.

However, there

was evident

research done. At

least on target.

The information

provided is

accurate. A high

amount of research

has been done.

Exactly on point.

Insight The work was

regurgitated word-

for-word. No

insight what-so-

ever.

You have a

perspective. A

story is told using

some insight.

You have a unique

perspective.

Original insight is

used in connection

to a story. Profound

statements.

WRITING 0 - 6 7 - 13 14 - 20 40

Possible

Creativity No creative juice

used. Dry and

bland.

There was some

creative juice

used in this work.

Tasty.

You have used

fresh squeezed

creative juices to

formulate this work.

Delicious!!

Voice There is no use of

voice. You

whispered.

There is some

usage of voice.

Sometimes hard

to identify.

Monotone.

You or your

characters have a

defined voice that

is engaging. Sang

and Shouted off the

page!!

Total Points /100 TOTAL

Writing Assignment

“Crater”

Steve Penn

Draft 4 - Final

October 5, 2010

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~John Muir

“Crater”

Excerpt from the Global Gazette

“First Come, First Serve”

By Dr. Yuri Tereshkova, Anti-Lunar Expansion Agency

Life on the Moon has become a phenomenon of reality. It is a frontier to be captured, a new world to be

colonized. National organizations and private global companies race to capitalize on its resources and amenities.

Heavy competition, greed, and the wide spread increased lunar tourist market have given rise to many emerging

development companies attempting to exploit human interests of creating a Moon civilization.

Spacecraft pirating and Moon squatting have exploded tensions among competing lunar teams. Military

tactics have been issued. One such tactic is the use of scouts to observe potential Moon development plots in

order to initiate construction. There are currently two main pioneering lunar development companies leading the

evolution of life on the Moon, Vladoff PSV from Russia and Vision Galactic USA. They have attracted many

high profile investors and interested consumers along the way. However, many scientists question human

existence on the Moon and its effect on our orbital neighbor. How will it affect nature at home? Can Earth

survive? Can we?

Your ancestors got us to America. Whose ancestors will get us to the Moon?

With Vision Galactic, we can get there

together. Vision Galactic is looking for willing

participants to engage in an intensive three-year training

program at the Lunar Republic’s Center for Research and

Development. We are conquering the possibility of not

only establishing permanent human life on the Moon, but

helping vacationers experience its beauty as well.

Luxurious living, lunar communities, and infrastructure are

our goal, but we need your help. We have many

instrumental lunar development positions available for

men and women interested in an adventurous career in

universal outreach and exploration. Vision Galactic is writing the history books for future generations because

life on the Moon is not far away. We can get there together.

Vision Galactic: Mission 405

Location: Sector D-4, Cape of Sinus Medii

Project: The Copernicus Hotel and Lighthouse Tower

Sector D-4 and the Cape of Sinus Medii lie directly at the Moon’s center – 0 degrees latitude and longitude. To

the western border of D-4, a massive, shadowy 560-mile lunar sea named Mare Insularum. Off the coast of

this cape provides a beautifully clear view of Copernicus, a 60- mile, visibly bright white crater in the middle of

this large dark lunar sea. Vision Galactic architects have designed a hotel community and lighthouse tower

overlooking Mare’s dark sea from the Cape of Sinus Medii focusing on the majestic crater Copernicus.

Rocket Man. Thought Journal, Day 1: Mission Overview

Once again, I was on a four-man scout team. Our team’s mission: to confirm that Sector D-4, our assigned

location for developing The Copernicus Hotel and Lighthouse Tower, was uninhabited by Vladoff PSV. Our

team was to surveillance a 20-mile plot range establishing a safe construction site for the next six months.

Moon Doggie and I posted up for a two night stake out while the team cased the perimeter for any challenges

or neighboring sites posing a threat. We watched for Vladoff spies known to follow Vision Scout Teams, swoop

in on plot space, and dig before foundation teams arrived. It was our team’s job to secure the area and make

sure that we were alone.

Rocket Man. Thought Journal, Day 1: Drop-Off

Rock and debris scattered into a mushroom cloud slowly swallowed by the atmosphere as our ship, Superman,

landed to drop us off. My team members combed the area south of D-4, while Moon Doggie and I camped and

waited. We were left with a single wide space shack, a temporary living module about the size of a camping

trailer equipped with a bed, a message communicator, and a first aid station. Soon, I would need to revisit my

bruised thumb after finishing my to-do list.

The week before launch had become a blur.

Andy could remember hammering something and seeing her out of the corner of his eye, smashing his

thumbnail, cursing, and looking to see if she had seen him.

He remembered her blonde hair and the way it draped over her blue hospital scrubs. Her head phones on, she

made rounds to patients and checked them off her to-do list. When she would get to Andy, she said his name.

Now, she was oblivious to him. He wondered if she would ever know who he was before they had taken him.

Or, would she only see him as a check on her list.

The giant craft rose and flew south like a flamingo over the Everglades, and as Superman left us, I waved. I

babied my injured thumb crossing it into my hand’s palm, waving four fingers and oscillating my wrist

resembling the Queen of England. Moon Doggie wagged his tail as he detailed our surroundings. D-4 camp

was a desert of moon gravel and hydrant sized rocks that he would mark one by one. There were Moon

Mountains in the distance and strange shadows lurking long and dark from crater lips formed from fresh

asteroid showers. Everything was white and pure. It was untouched, unmanned, a blank sheet to color.

“Adios amigos,” Moon Doggie barked into his K-9 translator which had been accidentally converted to Spanish.

I returned the switch to English and he thanked me by licking the glass of his helmet. We took one accidental

step together in the same direction and hesitated, nearly crashing into each other. He looked at me with

familiar excitement, the way he used to when he was a pup on the first day of summer before jumping into the

lake from the boat dock to chase a tennis ball I had thrown. I trailed him as we ran around our site like two kids

staying home from school on a snow day playing tag. We bounced along the dunes in slow motion. I’d skip

moon rocks and he’d retrieve them, bringing them back to me from a claw provided to him from his space suit.

We explored moon caves, practiced jumping from tall boulders, and played. We took full advantage of our two

day vacation from gravity. We were visitors from Earth. It would not be forever, but we were thankful for time.

Rocket Man. Weather Report, Day 1: “1200 hours. D-4, Northwest Cape overlooking Copernicus. Wonderful

sight. Got a First Quarter Moon here tonight they tell me. The bright reflection cast right along the border of

camp making the dust glitter and the moon rocks sparkle like disco balls. Tell Pink Floyd that I can see the dark

side of the Moon. It begins at the sea of Mare and it’s as black as ever. The crater Copernicus is glowing like a

single street light on a country road. No asteroids.”

Rocket Man. Thought Journal, Day 1: Evening

With an eyebrow lifted and directed at Moon Doggie, I shined my mask light under my chin and in a ghost story

voice I repeated, “No asteroids…Yet.” He whimpered and cocked his head to the side like a question mark.

The space shack mobilized itself, folding out legs that would remain stable should an asteroid shower rain. We

set up camp pretending to roast marshmallows around a circle of moon stones and yawned back and forth as

our Earth day hours began to slow us down. “Home, home on the range,” I whistled quietly as Moon Dog,

resting his head gently on my lap, drifted off for the night.

I was always glad to have his partnership on missions like this. Being alone was insanity, alone with a stadium

of stars watching you, emptiness in the openness, and Moon for as far as the horizon line reached. One man

subjected to the fear of infinite space.

“Just relax,” the nurse said beneath a blue face mask worn like a muzzle. “Count down from 10 and this will all

be over before you get to zero.”

Andy, also muzzled, listened to her calm soothing directions and was soon dreaming of his grandpa’s

cornfields in Nebraska. The doctor steadily made an incision.

Rocket Man. Thought Journal, Day 2: Morning

“Someone is here,” Moon Doggie panicked. I woke up and he began to lead me west towards their location

near the cape. As we walked the Moon’s bright sphere began to disappear. We approached the darkness of

the sea and the edge of the cape which we had yet to explore.

“Is there anybody out there?” I nervously sang in my head. An unfamiliar dune buggy darted by. Unseen, we

jumped behind a large rock and turned off our intercoms unsure what would happen to us if we were caught.

We remained silent as Vladoff’s spies drove away towards a PSV foundation crew setting up somewhere near-

by.

We had gotten too far from base to return as the wind began to blow up dust anticipating a storm I had seen

before. There would be an asteroid shower. Like a Renaissance archery division, rocks fell to the surface and

Vladoff’s crew ran into their units in preparation of the hits. Moon Doggie and I ducked under a crater cave we

found hidden near the cape’s edge. Asteroids spit and bounced fire from the moon rocks exploding and

smoking like tiny volcanoes, angry hornets buzzing and zipping by. We ducked and covered, peeking only to

see them getting bigger and faster.

“Brooughpfftt!!!” a large one hit between us and the ground was cut. I fell over the edge hitting sharp rocks and

other cliffs, bouncing my way to the dark, deep bottom of the lunar sea. I lay unconscious and when I awoke

the storm had ended. I was bruised, but still alive and breathing. However, my oxygen tank was damaged and

leaking quickly. I stood to call for help. Desperately, I whispered into our walkie-talkies, trying not to excite a

possible avalanche of rock. “Moon Doggie! Moon Dog! Moon!!”

“Rocket Man?” he barked. “You fell. Are you okay? I cannot see you. It is too dark. I have triggered my

emergency alarm to Superman. They are in route of our location.”

“Good boy. I’m not hurt, but my oxygen is leaking. Are you safe?”

“There are men approaching now that the storm has stopped. I am afraid, but I will not leave you.” I could hear

Moon Doggie issue a prerecorded message to the approaching men who I couldn’t see. “Warning, I am

property of Vision Galactic USA,” it said in Russian. “Please do not try to harm me. I am trained to kill.” I heard

the men laughing and talking, but I couldn’t understand them.

I pleaded for Moon Doggie to run, but then his voice was gone and so were the strangers’. I yelled and tried to

climb vertically up the cliff. Scrambling, I dug my feet in the soft dissolving sand that made up the bottom of the

sea. Alone, out of breath, and disoriented I tried to dig myself up. My thumb still throbbing, I grabbed rocks and

anything I could. I was light headed and exhausted, hallucinating tracers and small bright dots that looked like

fire flies. Reaching and searching through my pack I found the handle of a small hatchet axe. My oxygen alarm

was sounding and I was scared.

With one hard stick from my axe I pulled myself up onto a shelf. As I removed it to climb higher, a thin, strong

light shined out the rock face. Bright beams burst from the axe hole and blistered the darkness. Desperately, I

swung another power blast into the mysterious hole and a larger beam peered through the black rock. I

prodded my arm through and cleared enough space for my body to fit. Water began to dribble out. First, it

leaked like a faucet and then exploded with one full shot, the water splattering on my helmet and mask. I

heaved my torso through the blinding hole with no thought, but for air. The light was as brilliant as the sun. I

could see. It was Earth.

I stood. I turned and looked at what appeared to be a dirt hole that was now pouring endless amounts of water

off the rim of a platform where I was standing. The waterfall splashed and emptied below with no conservation.

I ripped off my helmet and coughed as I swallowed the rich air, clean and powerful. Slipping out of my space

suit, underneath a red long sleeved t-shirt and gray athletic shorts, I could see that I was hundreds of feet high.

The greenest trees blanketed and rolled over long hills swerving around blue rivers that stretched to the end of

my sight. There were no birds, no insects, no fish, no animals, and no humans. There was nothing, but Earth

and me.

In every direction were paths into a jungle. I followed one into a botanical room of colorful flowers bathing in a

sun that stared down at them between the trees. Patches of yellow leaves, large red berries, and purple lilac

clovers scattered perfectly around a garden of living plants uncorrupted by the hand of man. Along the dirt

path, fruit was segregated into families. Apples, oranges, grapes, tomatoes, and cantaloupes offered

themselves to me. Before putting a plum into my pocket, I held it and noticed how its ripe color camouflaged

my purple thumb nail as I pressed a small indention into its side. The trail invited me into an open cornfield

filled with fifteen-foot stalks that stretched in a spontaneous formation unlike those planted by my grandpa. I

tasted a cob and it was just like back home.

And then it happened as quickly as the asteroids fell, as quickly as Moon Doggie had vanished. The trees and

bushes began to shake furiously. The wind began to blow up dirt, plant parts flew and swirled around me, and

trees uprooted. The cornfield parted and led me as I ran away from a tornado of angry vegetation to the edge

of a cliff like the Cape of Mare. It was high and dark below, but I could hear and smell water. The tornado

followed and I had no choice. So I jumped.

I hit the water and everything went black. I sunk and couldn’t move my arms and legs, instead just my eyes,

but strangely, I wasn’t scared of drowning. I saw Moon Doggie swimming after a tennis ball at the lake back

home. I saw stars distant and twinkling and waving to each other. I saw Earth and the sun’s light shining on

just one side in the shape of a crescent. I saw the Moon. There were no hotels. There were no communities or

people. It was still. It was safe. It was real.

____________________________________________________________________________

Andy opened his eyes.

“Is he getting any better?” a voice said from the window close to where Andy was sitting Indian-style in red

certified hospital scrubs. Curled up in the corner of a small, sterilized, florescent white room, he chewed on the

end of his blackened, bruised thumb.

Dr. Tereshkova explained, “Dee partial lobotomy has concealed hes violent rageiz, but has left heem wit

prolonged epi-sodes of dream. Eet es an e-ffect known as intro-verted reality.” The loss of his frontal lobe had

left Andy with a recessed area in his brain resembling a dented loaf of bread. To the doctors, it was about as

useful as one as well.

Somehow, Andy understood that he was the subject of their conversation and that he was isolated from the

hospital staff. He saw the blonde nurse and tried to stand. Stumbling, he faced her in the window, assumed an

instinctive natural pose by leaning his shoulder on the padded wall, and crossed his front foot over the other.

Andy put his right hand into his pocket finding a warm soft plum. He pulled it out, took a bite, the juices running

and flowing down the sides of his mouth dripping wildly. The doctors looked at each other and then to the

nurse, noting in their clipboards curiously. “Look, he’s trying to say something,” one of them said.

Andy held the bitten plum up for her to see revealing a bright orange crater, a large fraction cut from its purple

skin. Smiling, he chewed the missing piece and returned the remaining portion of plum into his pocket.

“Andy,” she mouthed silently to him through the glass, sympathetically nodding in appreciation of the symbol.

Andy sat down Indian-style in the corner of the room again, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and counted

down from ten preparing for launch.

Date post:	17-Aug-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	1 times
Download:	0 times

Steve Penn - University of Missouri–St. Louiswadsworthbrownd/Fall WFT 2010/Penn... · Draft 4 -...

Documents