In the first half of the unit, students read informational texts relevant to Summer of the Mariposas and the topic to determine central idea. In the second half of the unit, students write a literary analysis essay using the Painted Essay® structure to compare and contrast how La Llorona was portrayed in Summer of the Mariposas with the original story, to explain how Guadalupe Garcia McCall has rendered the story new. For their end of unit assessment, students write another essay explaining how they modernized their own monster in the narrative piece they wrote in Unit 2.

For homework, students will continue to preread chapters of Summer of the Mariposas before discussing them in class. On any day that a prereading of a chapter is not assigned, students should continue their independent research reading by reading for at least 20 minutes and responding to a prompt. Additionally, students should continue independent research reading over the weekends.

Why do we see evidence of myths and traditional stories in modern narratives? How and why can we modernize myths and traditional stories to be meaningful to today's audiences? In this module, students develop their ability to analyze narratives and create their own stories and to analyze informational essays and create their own as they learn about Latin American folklore.

Students begin Unit 1 by reading Summer of the Mariposas by Guadalupe Garcia McCall. Theme and point of view are introduced through the text, as well as discussion norms, as students discuss their responses to the text. They also analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the reader create effects like suspense or humor. While reading Summer of the Mariposas, they closely read complex informational texts about the folklore of Mexico. In the second half of Unit 1, students analyze how incidents in the story reveal aspects of a character in order to prepare for a Socratic Seminar discussion. Theme is introduced and tracked in preparation for Unit 2.

In Unit 2, students continue to read Summer of the Mariposas. The first half of the unit focuses on theme in Summer of the Mariposas, analyzing how themes have developed over the course of the text and writing summaries. In the second half of the unit, students write a new scene for Summer of the Mariposas in which they modernize a different Latin American folklore “monster” as a replacement for one of the other monsters chosen by McCall. In order to do this, students research a monster from Latin American folklore to choose.

In the first half of Unit 3, students read the informational author’s note for Summer of the Mariposas as well as a model essay to determine central idea and write a summary. In the second half of the unit, students write a literary analysis essay using the Painted Essay® structure comparing and contrasting how La Llorona was portrayed in Summer of the Mariposas with the original story to explain how McCall has rendered the story new. For their end of unit assessment, students write another essay explaining how they modernized their own monster in the narrative piece they wrote in Unit 2.

Finally, for their performance task, students create a webpage for both their narratives and their essays, enriching their communities by raising awareness about Latin American folklore.

In this unit, students continue to explore the topic of Japanese American internment and analyze how significant ideas from Farewell to Manzanar are conveyed in the film adaptation of the text. In the first half of the unit, students read part 2 of Farewell to Manzanar and continue to track connections and distinctions between individuals, ideas, and events in the text and answer selected and constructed response questions about connection and distinctions, point of view, vocabulary, and language to consider meaning in the text. For example, students consider how the authors use figurative language to make a connection between the narrator Jeanne Wakatsuki’s baton and her father to convey Jeanne’s anger toward her father. This work prepares students for the Mid-Unit 2 Assessment. Students also watch the third segment of the film adaptation of Farewell to Manzanar in Lesson 3 and continue to track the extent to which the film Farewell to Manzanar stays faithful to or departs from the text.

In the second half of Unit 2, students read the final chapters of Farewell to Manzanar while tracking connections and distinctions in the text and finish watching the film adaptation of Farewell to Manzanar. For the End of Unit 2 Assessment, students choose a significant idea from Farewell to Manzanar and write a literary argument essay to evaluate how effectively the film conveys this significant idea. In preparation for this assessment, students analyze a model essay that centers on how the film conveys the significant idea that Jeanne Wakatsuki’s youth impacts her understanding of events in the text. They will then plan and draft a practice essay with partners to evaluate how the film conveys the significant idea that Jeanne’s father feels deeply conflicted loyalties, both to Japan and to America. Finally, they will plan and draft their assessment over a series of scaffolded lessons.

In Module 4, students learn about the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. They study the experiences of survivors of internment, focusing most centrally on the experiences conveyed in the anchor text, Farewell to Manzanar. This memoir, told through the eyes of Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston, chronicles the experiences of her and her family at the Japanese American internment camp Manzanar. Through close examination of this text and of other supplemental texts that provide context about the impact of internment, students deepen their understanding of this dark time in history and of the lessons that can be learned from it.

In Unit 1, students are introduced to the anchor text. They analyze how the text makes connections among and distinctions between important individuals, ideas, or events, tracking these connections and distinctions in a note-catcher. They also begin to develop an anchor chart to highlight significant ideas that emerge from the text, including the ways in which Jeanne and her family members are impacted by internment. To further develop the background knowledge needed to interpret the events described in the text, students examine images and primary source documents that center on other Japanese American internment experiences. Also in Unit 1, students watch two segments of the Farewell to Manzanar film. They focus on key moments, noting the extent to which the film stays faithful to or departs from the text. Students also examine how significant ideas from the text are conveyed in the film. The assessments of the unit evaluate students’ abilities (a) to analyze the connections and distinctions made in a new chapter of the text and (b) to discuss the causes and impacts of Japanese American internment in a collaborative discussion.

In the first half of Unit 2, students finish reading the anchor text and watch the two final segments of the Farewell to Manzanar film. They continue analyzing connections and distinctions, identifying significant ideas, and evaluating the film’s depiction of events in the text. They also analyze the points of view of different individuals in the text. The Mid-Unit 2 Assessment challenges students to demonstrate these analytical skills with a new chapter of the text. In the second half of Unit 2, students revisit the Painted Essay® structure to analyze a model literary argument essay that addresses the following prompt: One significant idea in the text Farewell to Manzanar is that Jeanne’s youth impacts her understanding of events in the text. How effectively does the film Farewell to Manzanar convey this significant idea? Using a similar prompt about the significant idea that Papa feels conflicted loyalties to both the United States and Japan, students write collaborative argument essays that prepare them to produce their own independent argument essays during the end of unit assessment. These essays work with the same question but invite students to choose a different significant idea on which to focus.

In the first half of Unit 3, students engage with supplemental texts that help them better understand the impact and legacy of internment. First, students read about the efforts of some Japanese Americans to seek redress, or reparations, for their incarceration. Then, they read about the negative psychological effects of internment and about the protests of internment survivors against modern-day migrant detention centers. With these supplemental texts as well as the anchor text in mind, students develop a list of “lessons from internment”: enduring understandings that can be taken away from the study of Japanese American internment. For the Mid-Unit 3 Assessment, students collaboratively discuss these lessons from internment and how they are embodied by the redress movement. In the second half of Unit 3, students apply this learning to their own communities. They conduct research about and then interviews with activist organizations whose work embodies, in some way, these lessons of internment. Students present their findings during the End of Unit 3 Assessment.

For their performance task, students participate in small group discussions during the “Activist Assembly.” With classmates and members of the local community, students discuss the best ways to apply lessons from internment to their own communities, using evidence from their research of local organizations to support their ideas.

All written work should be assessed using a rubric. Using a set of criteria linked to standards not only allows for uniform evaluation, but helps students understand what is important about an assignment and encourages them to reflect on their work.

RAFT is a writing strategy that helps students understand their role as a writer, the audience they will address, the varied formats for writing, and the topic they'll be writing about. By using this strategy, teachers encourage students to write creatively, to consider a topic from a different perspective, and to gain practice writing for different audiences. Students learn to respond to a writing prompt that requires them to think about various perspectives (Santa & Havens, 1995):

Learn how to conduct effective peer and teacher writing conferences to improve student writing.

This BBC Skillswise introduction to editing and proofreading shows how to check spelling and grammar at different stages of writing. Includes nine downloadable practice sheets for different stages and types of writing. [1:04]

A detailed account of how to improve one's writing through the process of the peer review. Includes basic information and content-specific additions, such as peer review guidelines, questions, and online resources.

A detailed source for professional editing and proofreading strategies. Links on the right offer several pages of text for both editing and proofreading, including guidelines and samples for each.

This modular ELA collection for grades 6–12 invites students to explore the complexity of identity and develop a sense of agency as they reflect on what it means to grow up in the world today.

The collection includes:
- Back to School Toolkit
- Introductory lesson
- Multi-genre text sets
- Unit Guide for teaching Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming
- Unit Planning Guide for developing a unit on a book of your choice
- Book Club Guide
- Whole School Read Planning Guide

The resources in this collection help you diversify the range of stories that students read and combine reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills with ethical and empathic reflection.

What does the editing process consist of for your students? Use this informative site to learn more about editing.

This video lesson discusses reviewing a composition to ensure that it meets the assignment. [9:00]

This video lesson discusses the benefits of reading a composition out loud as an editing technique. [7:55]

An excellent tip sheet on how to evaluate and edit a completed draft of a research paper. Includes in-depth information and examples.

This lesson introduces the importance of revision in the writing process. [6:46] CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.5; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.WHST.6-8.5 Develop and strengthen writing

This site examines all aspects of the rewriting process. Includes advice on how to use computers during the process, comments on peer editing, links to related topics, and an editing checklist.

This writing lesson teaches students how to become self-editors by learning to judge and critique their work.

Excellent lesson that teaches a new and more relevant way of conducting a peer review. Through the PQP (Praise-Question-Polish) process students gain a greater understanding of how to review others' work as well as improve their own writing style. Great site!