Multidisciplinary
Unit
Kandy
Punt
English
III
June
2000
English III(American Literature, Advanced Composition)
Social Studies (American History, Geography, and Government)
Science
Technology
This unit will last approximately 9 weeks, and will meet many of the South Dakota Content Standards.
Goals:
This unit was designed to develop in my students an understanding and an appreciation of the obstacles faced during the 1930’s. It was also designed to develop an appreciation for all that was accomplished in industry and technology because of these obstacles.
Literature Goals:
Read (with daily assignments) John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath
Learn new vocabulary.
Comprehension
Composition
Goals:
Research
Note Taking
Setting Topic Limits
Prewriting
Drafting
Revising
Editing
Documenting Sources
History Goals:
Learn causes of The Depression
Learn effects of The Depression
Geography
Goals:
Learn Regions of the United States
Learn how each was affected by the changes in weather patterns during The Depression
Government Goals:
Learn how Congress and the President reacted to the crisis created by the drought and The Depression
Science
Goals:
Learn about new agricultural advances made during this period
Learn how to graft plants
Technology Goals:
Research using the internet
Create new documents using Word processing
Learn how to save material to folders
Learn how to create a Power Point presentation
Literature objectives:
Students will read The Grapes of Wrath , using daily assignments and class discussions with 100% participation.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of vocabulary from the novel, using worksheets with100% participation.
Students will demonstrate comprehension of the daily reading assignments during class discussion with 100% participation.
Composition Objectives:
Students will research materials related to The Depression and the 1930’s using The Internet Library and other print sources with 100% participation.
Students will limit the focus of their topics with 100% accuracy.
Students will construct note cards and outlines from them with 80% accuracy.
Students will create a draft of a 7-10 page paper with 100 % participation.
Student will use the revision process to peer edit papers with partners will 85% accuracy.
Students will revise their own papers with 100% participation.
Students will edit their papers and create a final copy with 100% participation and 80% accuracy.
Students will document all sources using a works cites page with 100% accuracy.
History Objectives:
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the causes of The Depression through class discussion and in their papers with 100% participation.
Students will demonstrate and understanding of the effects of The Depression through class discussion and in their papers with 100% participation.
Geography Objectives:
Students will chart the regions of the United States with 100% accuracy on maps provided.
Students will graph the weather patterns and effects of those patterns for each of these areas with 100% participation and 85% accuracy.
Government Objectives:
Students will demonstrate understanding Congress’s reaction to the stock market crash through classroom discussion with 100% participation.
Students will demonstrate understanding of The New Deal and other programs of the FDR Administration through classroom discussion and worksheets with 100% participation.
Science Objectives:
Students will demonstrate knowledge of agricultural advances of The Depression in class discussion with 100% participation.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of grafting by grafting plants working in small groups.
Technology Objectives:
Students will use the internet as a research tool with 100% participation.
Students will create a research paper as a word document with 100% participation and 85% accuracy.
Students will save their documents to their own folders at each stage of the writing project with 100% accuracy.
Students will work with partners to create and present Power Point presentations that showcase their research projects with 100% participation.
Materials Needed
.
Enough Copies of The Grapes of Wrath for each student, myself, and the learning lab instructor.
Intrnet Library networked to the computer lab,
An available computer for each student.
Worksheets, quizzes and tests for the novel and for information presented during class discussion. These are created by Kandy Punt . Vocabulary lists, and part of the final test over the novel come from Perfection Learning Company ( copyright 1974 ).
Examples of these quizzes and tests are at the end of this unit.
Read the novel The Grapes of Wrath
Research and write a paper about one or more aspects of the 1930’s (must be approved by the teacher)
In pairs or small groups, create a power point presentation incorporating art, news clips, and other information, using information from books, the internet, and interviews.
Graft plants- pairs
Map and graph weather changes and effects on regions of the US-pairs
Students will read approximately 30-40 pages per day. There will be daily quizzes worth 5 points each. Students will also be responsible for vocabulary assignments, which will be turned in weekly. Students will also be required to participate in daily discussions. Points will be given for each discussion.
At the end of the novel, students will take a written test, part of which comes from Perfection Learning (1974) and part teacher created essay. (Questions at the end of unit)
This portion will take approximately 7 weeks and will be done while working on other activities.
Students will research, create note card, develop an outline, and draft a research paper over an approved topic related to the Depression or the 1930’s.
Drafts will be peer edited, and revised. Revised drafts will be turned in for teacher evaluation. Final copies will be the final assignments in this area. This activity will take approximately 7 weeks and will be done in conjunction with other projects.
At the beginning of the unit, students will be given a map of the US. As we discuss the drought and its effects. Students will graph changes in patterns. They may also choose to chart the course of the Joad family, from the novel. This activity
Students will experiment with plant grafting after discussing those chapters in the novel. They will decide why grafting would be beneficial as weather patterns change and drought conditions emerge.
Internet research
Word processing
File management
Power Point
Students in English III will already have the skills needed to do the technology part of this unit.
All goals will be met through class discussions during the introduction and while discussing the impact of the drought and The Depression on the characters in the novel. There will not be separate assessment for these areas.
This unit meets the following SD Language Standards:
Reading #’s 1,2,4,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,20,21,22,24,25,26,27,30,32,and 33.
Writing 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,14,15,16,17,20,26,27,28,29,34,36,37,38,39, and 40.
Listening and Viewing 1,2,3,4,8,9,10,11,12,13,15,16, 17,18,19,and 20.
Speaking1,2,3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,and 31.
It also meets the following SD Social Studies Standards:
History1,2,3,and7
Government3and 5
Geography 1,2,3,6,7,8,10,11,and14.
It also meets the following Science Standards:
Nature of Science 14 and 15
Life Science 14 and 15
Community Resources:
A variety of elderly people students will be contacting for interviews
Assessment
Students will be assessed through observation, use of quizzes and tests, check points for the research paper, presentation, and other completed items.