The Power of Adolescent voice

Example Texts

The house on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

The higher power of Lucky by Susan Patron
Mufaro's beautiful daughters by John Steptoe

Instructional Focus
1. Reading Focus: ELACC6RI2-Determine a central idea of a text and how it is
conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct
from personal opinions or judgments.

2. Writing Focus: ELACC6W3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined

experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and wellstructured event sequences
Activity: Character Blog
Students will create an online narrative through an edublog using the voice of a character they
chose from one of the three texts. Within this blog students are to write from the perspective of
whatever character they chose. Students can include what the character may have thought the
main idea of the story was from their point of view, any thoughts on figurative languages that
was used within the text, changes they wished would have happened, etc. I believe this
assignment will help students organize, create, design, and present their understandings of the
concepts taught from this unit, while applying technology to their understanding.
Assessment: I will assess students through discussion, individual/guided practice, class journals,
homework, and their character blog presentations by the rubric below. For this unit students will
need:
Access to the three texts
Technology (Internet access to create blog)
Informational text concerning background knowledge of book/author
Visual aids for text
Audio books
Teacher Name: Ms. Adams
Student Name:

________________________________________

CATEGORY

Background

Background does not

detract from text or
other graphics.
Choice of
background is
consistent from card
to card and is
appropriate for the
topic.

Background does not Background does not

detract from text or
detract from text or
other graphics.
other graphics.
Choice of
background is
consistent from card
to card.

Background makes it
difficult to see text or
competes with other
graphics on the page.

Originality

Presentation shows
considerable
originality and
inventiveness. The
content and ideas
are presented in a
unique and
interesting way.

Presentation shows
some originality and
inventiveness. The
content and ideas
are presented in an
interesting way.

Presentation is a
rehash of other
people\'s ideas and/or
graphics and shows
very little attempt at
original thought.

Spelling and
Grammar

Presentation has no
misspellings or
grammatical errors.

Presentation has 1-2 Presentation has 1-2 Presentation has

misspellings, but no grammatical errors
more than 2
grammatical errors. but no misspellings. grammatical and/or
spelling errors.

Effectiveness

Project includes all

material needed to
gain a comfortable
understanding of the
topic. It is a highly
effective study guide.

Project includes most

material needed to
gain a comfortable
understanding of the
material but is
lacking one or two
key elements. It is an
adequate study
guide.

Presentation shows
an attempt at
originality and
inventiveness on 1-2
cards.

Project is missing
more than two key
elements. It would
make an incomplete
study guide.

Project is lacking
several key elements
and has inaccuracies
that make it a poor
study guide.