Teacher(s) Tijwana Nesbary, Melissa Noriega

Subject group and discipline Language and literature: Language and literature

Unit title

MYP Year

Unit 6: The Power of Protest

Year 4

Unit duration 3 weeks (15 hours)

Inquiry: Establishing the purpose of the unit

Key concept

Related concept(s)

Creativity

Language and literature

Genres
Theme

Global context
Style

Fairness and development

Statement of inquiry
Creative expression helps people deal with issues of peace and conflict throughout history.
Inquiry questions
Factual What are the essential elements of protest
Conceptual How is song and poetry an effective
poetry and song?
form of protest?
Elements of protest poetry and song
Form of protest

Objectives

Summative assessment

Outline of summative assessment task(s) including assessment

A: Analysing
criteria:
analyse the content, context, language,
structure, technique and style of text(s) and the
relationships among texts
analyse the effects of the creators choices on
an audience
justify opinions and ideas, using examples,
explanations and terminology
evaluate similarities and differences by
connecting features across and within genres and
texts.
D: Using language
use appropriate and varied vocabulary, sentence
structures and forms of expression
write and speak in a register and style that serve
the context and intention
use correct grammar, syntax and punctuation

Middle Years Programme Unit planner

Debatable Are poetry and song effective formats

for creating change?
Impact of poetry and song

Relationship between summative assessment task(s) and

statement of inquiry:

In the summative assessment students will need to

explain how the songs/poems help their audiences deal
with issues of peace and conflict and justify their
interpretations with textual evidence.

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Analysis
March

31
Tuesday

9:00 AM

Comparative Analysis (A, D)

Goal: To analyze two songs/poems
to determine which is better at
reaching it's audience
Role: You are a music critic
Audience: Your audience is teens
and young adults who read music
blogs
Situation: The challenge involves
identifying criteria by which protest
poems/songs should be judged
and justifying your opinion in
writing of which poem/song best
meets those criteria
Product: You will write a 400-500
word analysis of two poems/songs
Standards: Your performance
needs to analyze the content,
context, language, structure,
technique and style of texts and
the relationships among texts;
analyze the effects of the creator's
choices on an audience; justify
opinions and ideas, using
examples, explanations and
terminology; evaluate similarities
and differences by connecting
features across and within genres.

Approaches to learning (ATL)

Thinking

Middle Years Programme Unit planner

IX. Creative thinking skills

Generating novel ideas and considering new
perspectives
Make unexpected or unusual connections between
objects and/or ideas
Practise visible thinking strategies and techniques

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Action: Teaching and learning through inquiry

Content

Learning process
Learning Experiences

Standards:

Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
Reading: Informational Text
Key Ideas and Details
1. Cite strong and thorough textual
evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text.
Craft and Structure
6. Determine an authors point of view or
purpose in a text and analyze how an author
uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or
purpose.
Writing
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in
which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and
audience. (Grade-specific expectations for
writing types are defined in standards 13
above.)
Language
Knowledge of Language
3. Apply knowledge of language to
understand how language functions in
different contexts, to make effective choices
for meaning or style, and to comprehend
more fully when reading or listening.

Middle Years Programme Unit planner

Rubrics and examples will be provided for annotation, presentations, and essays
Students will participate in close readings of texts as a whole class/teacher-led, in small groups/peer-led, and
independently/self-led
Teacher will model annotating, presentations, and essays through think aloud and modeling
Students will develop a better understanding of vocabulary and literary terms through word analysis and
concept maps
Students will do weekly reflective writing prompts and share with peers and teacher for further development
Students will have weekly quizzes to assess master of the skills and concepts
Teaching strategies

Feedback orally during discussion of texts and tasks

Feedback in writing through shared Google docs and on written assessments
Extended time for reading and assessments
Work one-on-one with CTT teacher
Provide assistance with organizational skills
Give multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery
Limit number of skills assessed at one time

Describe how you will differentiate teaching & learning for this unit?
Extended time for reading and assessments
Work one-on-one with CTT teacher
Provide assistance with organizational skills

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 Vocabulary Acquisition and Use

5. Demonstrate understanding of figurative
language, word relationships, and nuances in
word meanings.

Give multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery

Limit number of skills assessed at one time

Resources
Journal:
Bob Dylan Bob Links, http://my.execpc.com/~billp61/boblink.html,
Accessed 17th September, 2006. (Links to sites on Dylan and his
works).
Eminem Planet, http://www.eminem-planet.com/biography.html,
Accessed 17th September, 2006. (Pictures and Bio).
Eminems World, http://www.eminemworld.com/,
Accessed 17th September, 2006. (Lyrics, bio and pictures).
Freedom and Protest Songs of the United States,
http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/historical/freedom.html,
Accessed 17th September, 2006. (Links to composers such as Dylan and
Guthrie).
Hurricane Carter the Other Side of the Story, http://www.graphicwitness.com/carter/,
Accessed 17th September, 2006.
Top ten Myths about Rubin Hurricane Carter, http://members.shaw.ca/cartermyths/,
Accessed 17th September, 2006.
Vibe Australia
- Archie Roach, http://www.vibe.com.au/vibe/corporate/celebrity_vibe/showceleb.asp?id=29,
Accessed 17th September, 2006. (Bio on Archie Roach)
Yusef
Komunyakaa,http://www.ibiblio.org/ipa/komunyakaa/,
Accessed 17th September, 2006 (Poetry and bio)
ZNets
Selected Anti-War Songs, http://www.zmag.org/Songs/songarchive.htm,
Accessed 17th September, 2006. (Lyrics of anti-war songs)

Middle Years Programme Unit planner

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Reflection: Considering the planning, process and impact of the inquiry

Prior to teaching the unit

During teaching

After teaching the unit

What do we know about students preferences and

patterns of interaction?
I know that students love to listen to music and
discuss their interpretations of songs.

Middle Years Programme Unit planner

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