Media Integration

As I'm writing my unit plan, I'm finding that media is a key part of my instruction.  For example, I'm using YouTube video clips to give visuals of parodies (songs and clips from movies).  Part of my unit is talking about song parodies-Something that I hope will keep students engaged and get them excited for the unit.  Also, I think clips, whether it be music videos or clips from movies, lighten the mood of the classroom and provide students with a visual of what we're talking about.

For example, one of the songs my students will be discussing is the song "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt and it's parody done by MadTV.  Incorporating popular culture should make for a lively discussion and high student engagement.

Writing Assessment

Writing assessment will be a large part of my summative assessment because I believe it is important for students to have practice with writing.  Throughout the unit, students will be required to keep journals that reflect on what we are reading.  These journals will help them to build their confidence in writing and make their summative assessment easier.

The options for summative assessment all include writing, but give options for students to write in different ways.  For example, students will be given the option of rewriting or "transforming" an original text (a creative but more formatted approach), or writing a skit that transforms a text (a skit allows students to have more fun with their writing because they are able to become the characters that they create).

The idea is to get students to realize that writing can exist in more than one format and that it can be fun.

Formative and Summative Assessment In a Unit Plan

If you recall my concept for a unit plan, it is based off of comparing and contrasting texts-Texts in their original form and texts rewritten (Romeo and Juliet vs. Gnomeo and Juliet).  Therefore, I am planning to use group discussion as my main form of formative assessment.  Group discussion will be both large group and small group, and students will be required to participate in the discussion.  Small group discussion may prove more effective if there are a number of shy students in the class because they will be more likely to share in a less intimidating setting.

Summative assessment in this particular unit plan will most likely a group project.  Groups will have to rewrite a fairytale or well known story.  They will have a few options: The could write it in the traditional story/essay format, or they could create a video or a skit.  The stories will be required to be at least two to three pages long and the skits/videos will have to be approximately five minutes long.

My main goal is to have students get creative and to have more practice working in groups.  It's my hope that students will be more enthusiastic about texts when they see them rewritten-It gives them examples of how different authors have taken liberty with texts and provides examples of creativity.