NCTE Content Folio Appendix

NCTE Content Folio Appendix
Appendix A:
MGRP Project Website: http://hjd5684.wix.com/mgrp
Appendix B:
Building a Positive Classroom Environment Handout Articles:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/building-positive-trusting-classroom-jose-vilson
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept08/vol66/num01/Seven-Strategiesfor-Building-Positive-Classrooms.aspx
Appendix C:
Brianna Resto
EDC 448
ELL Interview
13 March 2014
Part I: Pre-Interview Reflection
When communicating with people from different cultures, I think its important to
understand the other individuals culture extensively, as their background may significantly
influence how they communicate with others. For example, some languages contain a formal
dialogue to be used with strangers and people that you should respect. Knowing this could
prevent an uncomfortable situation in addressing others from one of these cultures. Something I
find easy about communicating with people from different cultures is using body language.
Physical cues are usually similar across numerous cultures, and so most individuals with
understand at least the gist of what you are trying to say. Something I find difficult about
communicating with people from different cultures is the language barrier that may exist. It is
very difficult to get ideas across to an individual that does not speak your language and vice
versa. Ive seen many instances of cultural misunderstanding hampering communication, the
majority associated with a lack of knowledge in anothers language. Sometimes the students just
dont understand what their teachers are trying to teach them and the teachers dont understand
what the students are asking them. This problem is prominent in my practicum classrooms. Ive
encountered this situation personally when I was providing one-on-one help to a student who
spoke almost no English. He was asking me to help him fill out a worksheet, and when I tried to
point him in the right direction, he did not understand what I was trying to say, even as I was
trying my best to use basic English. Only when I incorporated body language and physical cues
did the student understand what I was trying to say to him. Due to this situation and others like
it, I would say that I am definitely on my way to becoming an effective communicator with
people from different cultures, but I have a lot to learn.
Part II: The Interview
1. How long have you been in the US?
C has been in the US for about six years now, since she came over from the Dominican
Republic at the end of third grade.
2. How long have you been studying English?
C has been studying English since she came to the US, so about six years.
3. Do you travel to your familys country of origin? If yes, what do you do when you are
there? If no, what do you know about your familys country of origin?
C goes back to the Dominican Republic every summer. Her and her family spend about a
month just hanging out with relatives and friends.
4. With whom do you speak English/native language?
C speaks English with her friends, teachers, and her young niece (so that she may learn
the language while shes still young), but speaks solely Spanish with her family as her
parents do not know how to speak Englsh.
5. When/where do you speak your native language/English?
C speaks English at school and in public, as she speaks solely Spanish at home.
6. What sorts of feelings and/or ideas can you express more easily in your native language,
which are easier in English?
C told me that she finds that when she is angry, the words come out quicker and more
naturally in Spanish. She said that nothing is really easier in English, but that she can
express her feelings and ideas in English if she needs to.
7. When you are in class, do you tend to think in English or your native language?
C said that the language that she thinks in depends on the class and the teacher. If a
teacher speaks to her in English, then her thoughts will be in English, but if the teacher
speaks to her in Spanish, then her thoughts will be in Spanish. From there, she would just
translate them into English if it was required for the task.
8. What does a new ELL need to know to be successful learning English in RI/in this
school?
C stated that the most important thing that a new ELL student needs to know when first
learning English, not just here, but everywhere, is that they need to not be afraid to speak
English out loud. They should not be self-conscious about any accent or difficulty that
they may have, because if they do not speak it they will not learn it as quickly.
9. Are there teachers or other professionals in this school that speak your first language? Do
you feel more supported or closer to them than your other teachers?
Cs Math teacher speaks Spanish as well as English to her class while instructing them.
She claims that this is helpful as sometimes there are terms in Spanish that are necessary
for learning, but that she doesnt have the words for in English. Though this is the case, C
says that this doesnt necessarily make her feel closer to these teachers than her other,
non-Spanish speaking teachers.
10. Have you noticed any differences in WAYS that people communicate in your familys
language versus the ways people communicate in English?
C claims that the main difference that she has noticed between English and Spanish is
that the formal side of the Spanish language, the one that is reserved for addressing
strangers and those that you should esteem, is non-existent in
English.
Part III: Post-Interview Reflection
Looking back at my experiences with students from different cultures, I have realized
that, while I have some basic, necessary skills and knowledge for communicating with them, I
still have a lot to improve upon. Though it may take some time, I feel that I definitely need to
improve my language skills. As the majority of the students that I have come across in my
practicum are from the Dominican Republic, I would begin this process by focusing on Spanish.
If I can learn to speak it even at a basic level, it would be extremely useful in communicating
with students who are new to the US and speak little-to-no English. Not only would they be able
to understand me more clearly, but I would be able to understand them as well.
The fact that Ive seen communication hinder learning on such an extreme level during
my practicum experience leads me to question the strictness of English-only classroom policies.
Yes, I believe that students should be immersed in the language they are trying to learn so that
they may learn it more completely and at a faster rate, but I think that students should be able to
use their native language if absolutely necessary, at least in the beginning stages of their English
education. I think that forcing them to solely use a language that they are not yet even partially
proficient in is not aiding them in any way. The ELL student that I interviewed stated that she
thinks that new ELLs learning English should not be afraid to speak it because remaining quiet
hinders learning, but are policies like these intimidating students into silence?
Appendix D:
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
State Standards:
GLEs/GSEs
National Content
Standards:
Context of the
Lesson
Where does this
lesson fit in the
curriculum and
instructional
context? Is it the
6th Grade/ELA
Literature Circles/Character Trait Mini Lesson
RL.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text
says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.6.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature,
including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6-8 text
complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the
high end of the range.
L.6.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general
academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather
vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase
important to comprehension or expression.
SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on
grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and
expressing their own clearly.
This lesson will be implemented on Thursday, February 12th in an
English/Language Arts class during the last period of the day.
Students are currently in the middle of a unit in which they are
reading different books in groups of four or five. During each
class period, they work in their literature circles reading their
books out loud together, unless they were absent and need to catch
up to the others, making note of important information using a
variety of post-it categories. Using this information they each
opening of a unit or
a series of lessons?
Opportunities
to Learn
Definition:
Materials, Learners
and Environments
Objectives
Three parts:
verb, criterion,
conditions
complete one role sheet which will be collected on Friday every

week. On this particular day, I will be implementing a mini lesson
before they break into their groups which is designed to help
students with the Character Trait role sheet.
Plans to differentiate instruction:
I will implement a number of strategies during my lesson that will
account for some of the different learners in the classroom. For the
Auditory learners, during my mini lesson I will be reading the
information on the worksheet that I have made for them out loud.
We will participate in a short discussion about said information,
and they will also be communicating orally with their classmates
during literature circles. For the Visual learners, students will each
be given a worksheet containing the information being taught
during the mini lesson. This will allow them to follow along as I
read and go back to it if they need to. The application of post-its
into their books appeals to the Tactile learners in the class because
it allows them to physically record important information from the
text.
Accommodations and modifications:
The book that each group is reading is tailored to their particular
reading levels, so there is a range of difficulty throughout the
classroom. Some students are not as neat as others when writing
out their post-its, so those that need them have been given post-its
with lines which allow them to write neatly and evenly. If a
student had been turning in role sheets at the end of the week that
were illegible, we have given them the option of typing out their
role sheets on their Chromebooks instead of handwriting them.
Materials:
Literature Circle books
Role sheets
Post-its
Character trait worksheets
Chromebooks
Cooperative feedback sheet
Students will be able to define and utilize unfamiliar vocabulary,
make inferences, identify character traits, form connections, and
pinpoint important plot points using textual evidence from their
books.
Students will be able to identify the difference between a
character trait and a characters emotion, using textual evidence to
support their answers.
Students will be able to analyze three different examples and
identify whether a character trait or a characters emotion is being
described using the definitions provided. They will support their

answers using textual evidence.
Instructional
Procedures
Opening:
To open this lesson, I will be implementing a mini lesson about
character traits vs. a characters emotion. I will give a brief
definition of the two, highlighting their differences, and then we
will complete the character trait vs. a characters emotion
worksheet. We will do two out of the three examples together as a
class, and students will be asked to complete the final example
independently. After the mini lesson, students will transition into
their literature circle groups in which they will complete the rest of
the lesson.
Engagement:
The materials handler in each group will come up to the front of
the room to grab their books and cooperative feedback sheets.
Students will then take turns reading out loud in their groups. As
they read they will be recording any important information about
the text on post-its. Throughout the class period, I will be spending
about 3-5 minutes with each group. I will sit with them and ask
them for a summary of whats going in in their books currently,
discuss the content of their post-its, and answer any questions that
they may have about the text. Once they have read for about 10-15
minutes, I will ask them to finish up the page they are currently
reading and begin work on their role sheets. At this point in the
unit, we are asking that they complete their worksheets
independently, so I will be walking around answering general
questions but I will not be checking content.
Assessment
Reflections
Closure:
To close this lesson, I will stop students about 5 minutes before
the end of the class period and ask them to complete their
cooperative feedback sheets. This will allow them to reflect on the
class period, noting what worked for them and what didnt.
Students will be informally assessed after the class period using
cooperative feedback sheets. Each group will fill out a worksheet
indicating what they thought worked well for them during the
lesson and what they need to work on. Students will be assessed
formally using their individual role sheets. These sheets are graded
using a 5-point scale. A 1 would need vast improvements, a 2 is
working toward the standard, a 3 meets the standard, a 4 exceeds
the standard, and a 5 goes above and beyond to exceed the
standard.
Student Work Sample 1 Approaching Proficiency:
Student Work Sample 2 Proficient:
Student Work Sample 3 Exceeds Proficiency:
(Front)
(Back)
Lesson Implementation:
Overall, I think this lesson went very well. The mini lesson at the
beginning of the class certainly helped some students understand
the difference between a character trait and a characters emotion.
I know this because a few of them communicated to me that they
were revising their role sheets because they had realized that they
had mistakenly chosen emotions from their book. This mini lesson
adhered to RIBTS 3.2, in that I took their previous knowledge of
the differences between a character trait and a characters emotion,
whether that knowledge was correct or incorrect, and worked with
it to either reinforce what they already knew or to correct any
misunderstandings that they may have had on the subject. The way
I conducted my mini lesson coincided with RIBTS 4.1, in that I
incorporated for Auditory listeners by reading the examples on the
worksheet out loud with them and for Visual learners by handing
out the worksheet with said examples on them. Having this
worksheet in front of them allowed students to read along with me
taking in the information, the clarifications between the two
concepts and the examples, themselves. Once the mini lesson was
over, I asked students to transition into their literature circle
groups and I was very proud of the transition. The materials

handler went right up to the side of the room to retrieve the books,
the permanent placement of said books exemplifying RIBTS 6.3,
and everyone else silently made their way to their seats. I believe
that this success can be attributed to my attention to giving stepby-step directions that let them know my expectations of their
behavior at a particular point in class, which adheres to RIBTS
6.1. The students work in these groups every day in ELA and they
really enjoy it. They picked these books out themselves based on
personal interest, a choice that aligns with RIBTS 4.2, but are also
grouped by reading level. They are really enjoying them, which is
something extremely rewarding to see. While they were working
in their literature circle groups, they stayed on task for the most
part (I only had to step in a few times to stifle side conversations
and keep the noise level down) and worked well collaboratively
and independently, corresponding with RIBTS 6.6. This unit is all
about communication, whether it be between myself and a group,
the group members, or a student and the book. My involvement
coincides with RIBTS 8.1 because I spend time with each group
and make sure that I start a conversation about what their reading.
I ask them about whats happening within the story, what their
reactions were to a certain part, what they think is going to happen
next, why they think a character acted the way that they did, what
information they decided to include on their post-its, etc. Im also
clarifying anything that they may have questions about and
offering real life examples of events happening in their book to
make it easier for them to connect to and understand. Their
communication throughout the whole process aligns with RIBTS
8.4 because they are orally sharing their ideas through discussion
as well as sharing them in writing via their post-its on important
information and their role sheets. Though this lesson was
extremely successful in my opinion, there are some things that I
would do differently. I would spend more time with the Shadow
and How to Steal a Dog groups, Shadow because they were a bit
chatty and off-task and How to Steal a Dog because they were
slow to start reading due to a small group argument and were a bit
behind. Instead of the 2-3 minutes that I spent with them I think
they would have benefitted from at least 5. With these extra
minutes I would have read a few pages for both of these groups
myself and completed a post-it with each. I would have also given
students a clear time frame for each part of the lesson so they
knew how long they would have on each task, corresponding with
RIBTS 6.4.
Appendix E:
Lesson Plan Template
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
State Standards:
GLEs/GSEs
Or Common Core
State Standards:
th
6 Grade/English/Language Arts
The Pinballs Vocabulary
RL.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
are used in a text, including figurative and connotative
meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on
meaning and tone.
W.6.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the
development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, and audience.
W.6.6 Use technology, including the internet, to produce and

publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with
others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills
to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
This lesson was implemented on Friday, October 24th, 2014 in
Context of the
two 6th grade English/Language Arts classes, one of which is
Lesson
collaborative and contains a number of students with IEPs.
Where does this lesson
fit in the curriculum and Students in both classes have been reading the book The
instructional context? Is Pinballs by Betsy Byars. This lesson comes as they get into
the final five chapters. While reading, they have been creating
it the opening of a unit
post-it notes that address different aspects of the text, such as
or a series of lessons?
the characters, the settings, the plot, and the vocabulary used
by the author. Using some of the more difficult words from
the chapters that they have already read, which they may or
may not have indicated that they had questions about on their
sticky notes, I created a packet to help them develop skills in
inferring definitions, using the text and online resources to
find correct information, and reflecting on the experience.
Opportunities to
I engaged a number of different learners during my lesson by
Learn
adapting different instructional techniques. I reached Tactile
learners by giving students their own physical copy of the
Definition: Materials,
vocabulary packet that they were asked to fill out and by
Learners and
allowing them to look up the definition of each word on their
Environments
Chromebooks. I reached Visual learners by writing examples
of acceptable sentences on the board and I reached Auditory
learners by talking students through the first example and
repeating the directions several times.
One accommodation that I made for students was devoting the
entire first page of the packet to the directions. This way, if
they needed to see them again or they had any questions, they
had their own copy to read over right at their desks. Another
accommodation that I made was writing out examples in
complete sentences on the board. This gave students a visual
of both what their sentences should look like (complete and
properly written) and what kind of answers they should be
producing. In addition to these accommodations, it was
necessary to differentiate instruction between the two periods
while giving this lesson because the population of students
with IEPs is so high in the collaborative class. I went over the
first word with the first class, helping them arrive to their own
answers using guiding questions and examples, and generally
they understood what the assignment entailed. Some of them
had questions while they were working, but going through
one of the words with them was enough to show them what I
wanted and they were able to complete the packet. In the
second class, things moved a lot slower. There were some
behavioral issues that I had to correct, which took time away
from the lesson, and some students were just not grasping
what they were supposed to do. I had to go into much more
depth with the example, and as a result they did not get
enough time to complete the entire packet.
Environment factors:
I taught this lesson first during lunch period and then during
the last period of the day on a Friday, so students were less
attentive than they may have been normally. The timing
definitely contributed to some of the behavioral problems that
I encountered.
Objectives
Materials:
Google Chromebooks/dictionary
Vocabulary packet
The Pinballs by Betsy Byars
Students will be able to infer the definitions of five words
found in their texts solely based on the context around them.
Students will be able to effectively navigate the internet in
order to locate the correct definitions of five words from their
texts.
Students will be able to write one complete, original sentence
for each of the five words that is successful in relating the
meaning of each word to the reader.
Opening:
Instructional
Procedures
To start, I first introduced myself to the class because I had

never formally taught them a lesson before. I then took the
opportunity to make a teachable moment out of the mistakes
that I made on the directions page of the packet. In editing the
lesson, I had omitted a word and forgot to change the number
on the packet, and I had also accidentally added a comma
where I shouldnt have. Of course, I didnt realize any of this
until I had already made over fifty copies, but instead of
panicking about it, I decided to allow students the opportunity
to correct my mistakes. It was a great mini grammar practice,
as well as a way to get students personally involved in the
lesson.
To begin my actual lesson, I first asked students to raise their
hands if they had had questions about the vocabulary that they
found within the text while reading. A number of them raised
their hands. From there, I explained the directions for the
activity, directing students to the front page of their packets.
Engagement:
Even with my explanation of the directions, students were still
a bit unsure about being able to complete the work, so instead
of just letting them try out the packet on their own, I went
through the exercise with first word, criticized, with each
class. The first part of which is a question: What do you
think the word means? I first asked them if they had any
ideas as to what they thought the word meant. The first class
was eager to share their thoughts, but the collaborative class
was a bit more resistant. They didnt offer any ideas, so I had
to provide them with one to work with myself. I wrote the
first class ideas on the board, modeling the correct sentence
structure in which they should be writing:
I think that criticized means judging someone.
Criticized means telling someone that they did something
wrong.
I did the same for the collaborative class, writing out my
example in complete sentences:
I think that criticized means being mean to someone for no
reason.
Criticized means being mean to someone for no reason.
Once these predictions were established, I moved on to the
second part of the activity. During this part, I asked students
to look at the sentences before and after the word in the text,
the context of the word, and relate whether or not this context
changed their minds about what they originally believed the
words meaning to be. I instructed students to open their
books and turn to the page where criticized appears in the
text, and then read the paragraph in which it was found out
loud to them. Once they had heard the context surrounding the
word, I asked students whether or not this new information
had changed their minds about their previous predictions.
Some said yes, while others maintained that their initial
inference was correct. In the next part of the exercise, they
found out for sure whether they were right or wrong. I asked
students to take out their Google Chromebooks and navigate
to dictionary.com. I then instructed them to put criticized in
the search bar at the top of the page, locate the actual
definition of the word, and write it down for future reference.
Once they had obtained the proper definition for criticized, I
asked the students to come up with an original sentence that
would relate the definition of the word effectively to readers,
but that was also unrelated to the book, as this was something
that they had been doing frequently in the past during class
practice with vocabulary sentence making. I gave them a few
minutes to think and write down some ideas, and then I asked
them to share out. The first class offered a number of wellwritten, varying examples, but the second class had more
trouble developing sentences. In order to motivate them, I
offered some of the examples that the other class gave. This
seemed to make them more confident and reassured them that
their ideas were just as valid.
Closure:
Before sending the students off to complete the rest of the
packet on their own, I went over the directions one more time
(because with middle school students you can never be too
thorough). While they were working, I was walking around
answering their questions and helping them fix their sentence
structures.
Assessment
Reflections
This section to be
completed only if lesson
plan is implemented.
Cite RIPTS and national
As the majority of students in both classes were not done with

the assignment by the time each period ended, they were
asked to complete it for homework. They received a
homework grade for it on the following Monday, and they
have been assessed on the skills gained during the exercise as
they have taken a vocabulary test modeled after my packet
during the following weeks.
Student Work Sample 1 Approaching Proficiency: N/A
Student Work Sample 2 Proficient: N/A
teacher candidate
standards here
Student Work Sample 3 Exceeds Proficiency: N/A

I think that this lesson went really well in terms of student
participation and skill transfer. The majority was really
involved and eager to volunteer, and I think that the students
really took something away from this. I also believe that I did
well accommodating for the multitude of learners that exist in
these two classes in the way that I gave examples during
instruction and formatted my packet (RIPTS 4.1). Like I said
previously, the second, collaborative class was more of a
challenge for me behavior-wise. Because I had to stop and
address misbehavior a few times during this class, they did
not complete as much as the first class did during silent work
time, and so they had more to do for homework (hence why I
dont have examples of student work - they were not
finished/kept the assignment to study from in order to prepare
for their assessment). Some of the students were absolutely
devastated by this news, one even cried, and I really didnt
know what to do about it. I asked this student if she was okay,
and she told me that she was upset because she had so much
homework, so I told her that if she managed her time well this
weekend she would be done with it quickly and be able to
enjoy herself. This seemed to appease her a bit, but she was
still visibly upset when she left the room. I received some
fantastic feedback from my CT after the lesson; she praised
the parts of my lesson that she thought I did well, like giving
the directions multiple times over and going through the first
word with them to give them a model to follow, and she also
gave me tips to improve on for next time, such as having an
overhead ready with the paragraph from which to read on it as
some students were not paying attention while following
along in their own books. (RIPTS 7.1 & RIPTS 10.1). She
liked that I asked the students questions throughout the lesson,
keeping up a dialogue with them. It gets them involved with
their learning by making them look further into a topic by
thinking about it than just listening to me talk about it for an
hour (RIPTS 5.2 & RIPTS 5.4). Overall, I really enjoyed
teaching this lesson, and I feel that the students enjoyed it as
well.
Name ___________________
The Pinballs Vocabulary Packet

Within this packet are six vocabulary
words taken from The Pinballs by Betsy
Byars.
To complete this packet, you will:
1. Give what you believe the definition
of the word to be
2. Use the context from the book to
support or rethink your original
prediction
3. Use your Chromebooks to look up
the actual definition of the word
4. Write a sentence using the word
and its definition correctly
The Pinballs Vocabulary
1. Criticized (Ch.14 pg.69)

What do you think the word means?
Read the sentences around the word. Do they make you

change your mind about what you think the definition is? If
so, write your new idea here.
Go to dictionary.com on your Chromebooks, look up the

actual definition of the word, and write it here.
Write a sentence using the word correctly that does not

connect to the book.
2. Fidget (Ch.15 pg.74)



3. Juvenile (Ch.15 pg.78)



4. Wicker (Ch.16 pg.80)




5. Hunched (Ch.16 pg.84)




Appendix F:
Brianna Resto
EDC 402
Lesson Plan
8 April 2014
Part One: Setting Up the Learning Environment
Practicum Student: Maria is a 9th grade student who just came to the United States a little under a year ago. She
can speak English better than some of her classmates and understands what is said to her, but still struggles with
unfamiliar vocabulary, capitalization, punctuation, and common grammar rules. Her spelling is decent, but
sometimes she stumbles when given a word that does not sound how it is spelled. She has above average
intelligence and is eager to learn, but is held back by her loud, rambunctious learning environment. She has
trouble focusing on her assignments as her peers are yelling around her while she is working and while the
instructor is teaching. I have also observed that Maria is slightly unorganized when it comes to her classwork,
though I dont know if this is a chronic problem in her other classes. Unfortunately, Maria also lives in poverty.
This is not an uncommon problem in this particular district, as many of her classmates are in the same situation.
Accommodations and Modifications:
Cameron
-a classroom free of distracting items
-placement near the front of the room
-reward system for good behavior (behavior contract)
-emphasis on important information from the lesson
-quick pace during instruction
-hands-on activities (appears to be a tactile learner due to his interest in figuring out how things work)
-graphic organizers
-illustrations/pictures paired with texts
-audio books to combat his difficulty with reading comprehension
-behavior reminders
-daily class schedules to keep him on task
-sticky notes to mark important information while reading
-Kurzweil software for listening to textbooks and other readings, as well as for organizing papers and
other assignments
-Dragon software for typing assignments

Marcus
-behavior reminders
-behavior contract/positive behavioral intervention plan
-integration of art into lessons (collaborate with art teacher)
-hands-on activities (appears to be a tactile learner due to his interest in art)
-graphic organizers
-organizational system for classroom supplies
-schedules of classes and daily class activities
Judy
-time to work independently
-a carefully selected buddy to work with during group time
-a daily classroom routine and early notification of changes in the routine
-visual schedules (Boardmaker)
-behavior reminders for classroom interactions
-social skills training (teaching to take turns while speaking with someone)
-incorporation of interests into the classroom (collaborate with science teacher)
Gage
-AlphaSmart for typing notes
-consistent classroom arrangement that allows him mobility
-walking buddy to assist him in moving around the classroom and school in case he loses his balance
-Dragon software (if it can understand his speech patterns) for typing assignments
-allow another student or a paraprofessional to assist him with writing and other hands-o activities if no
computer is available
-allow him to record lessons (if he is unable to finish an assignment during class time, her can then work
on it at his own pace at home)
-allow him to fill out electronic versions of tests and worksheets when available
-have a lower demand of accuracy when he is handwriting an assignment (focus on content and
comprehension)
-allow verbal responses when possible
Maria
-provide instructors who are willing to look into her culture and understand any differences that may
exist
-establish communication with the family
-enrollment in an ESL program
-a safe/calm school environment
-a minimal amount of work assigned to be done at home with the assistance of a parent
-high but realistic expectations
-a peer tutor
-access to a Spanish/English dictionary
-vocabulary sheets of relevant terms that she may not be familiar with (provided prior to the start of a
lesson)
-PALS
-academic helpers (reading/writing skills and processes, class rules, academic vocab)
-an organizational system for classwork
Co-Teaching Model: During my lesson, I will be implementing team teaching between myself and the special
education teacher. We will both be teaching the content equally, side-by-side, to the class as a whole. When
students are asked to work in pairs during the lesson, we will take equal responsibility in walking around the
room in order to monitor their work and answer any questions that they may have. I selected this model because
the reading strategy that we are modeling for the students may be better understood if we bounce questions back
and forth, as the students may be wondering the same things that we are addressing but are too afraid to ask. It
will also be beneficial to students to observe multiple approaches to the same strategy, as they may prefer one
over the other. As the majority of the lesson will be taught in a large group instruction format, teaming is the
strategy that will keep the students the most interested and attentive.
Grade Level: 9th/10th Length of Lesson: 90 minutes/1 class period Subject: English/Language Arts
Objectives
Standards:
CC.SS.ELA-Literacy.RL9-10.3 Analyze how complex characters (eg. Those with
multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with
other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
RI-10-4.1. Identifying, describing, or making logical predictions about a character
(such as protagonist or antagonist), setting problem/solution, or plots/subplots, as
appropriate to the text; or identifying any significant changes in character,
relationships, or setting over time; or identifying rising action, climax, or falling
action.
RI-10-7.3 Organizing information to show understanding or relationships among
facts, ideas, and events (i.e. Representing main/central ideas or details within text
through charting, mapping, paraphrasing, summarizing, comparing/contrasting,
outlining, or connecting information with related ideas)
Learning Objective:
Students will be able to write a well-developed, one paragraph composition about
one of the main characters of Jane Austens Pride & Prejudice using at least four
facts that they have extracted from the text by using close reading strategies.
Will each student with an IEP be working on that objective? If not, specify the
modified objective for that student.
Gage:
Students will be able to write a one paragraph composition about one of the main
characters of Jane Austens Pride & Prejudice using at least four facts that they
have extracted from the text by using close reading strategies.
Gage will be reaching this objective in a different way than the other students in the
class (he will be typing his composition/reflection due to his difficulty with fine
motor skills (i.e. holding a pencil).
Maria:
Students will be able to write a one paragraph composition about one of the main
characters of Jane Austens Pride & Prejudice using at least 2 facts that they have
extracted from the text by using close reading strategies.
Instructional
Materials &
Every other student with an IEP will be working towards the original learning
objective.
Materials:
-Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Dover, 1995. Print. (one per
Resources
student)
The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. My Sisters: Problematic to Practically Perfect-Ep:2
Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 12 Apr. 2012. Web. 3 Apr. 2014.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yq7aJ2uVBg&list=PL6690D980D8A65D08)
-The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. My Parents: Opposingly Supportive-Ep:3 Online
video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 16 Apr. 2012. Web. 3 Apr. 2014.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e926p_3UXes&list=PL6690D980D8A65D08)
-A set of 10 Pride & Prejudice character sheets for each student (but theyll only
need a few in this lesson
-One digital set of Pride & Prejudice character sheets for Gage
-Audio recording of Pride & Prejudice (https://librivox.org/pride-and-prejudice-byjane-austen/)
-Literacy strategy academic helper (one for each student)
-Vocabulary sheet for Maria
-Comic book Pride & Prejudice for Cameron
-Lesson schedules for Cameron and Marcus
-Visual lesson schedule for Judy
-Behavior reminders for Cameron and Marcus
-Interaction reminder for Judy
-Class schedule for Marcus
Instructional
Activities
Tasks
Technology:
I will need access to a computer/projector screen in order to show the YouTube
videos to the students. I will also need a computer for Gage to type into the digital
copies of the character sheets and type out his composition/reflection.
Opening:
Special Ed Teacher: Prior to the opening of this lesson the Special Education
teacher will pass out the character sheets that the students will be filling out as
theyre introduced to new characters while reading Pride & Prejudice (MI:
Spatial). We will then open the lesson in the following way:
Gen. Ed Teacher: Good morning students! Today we will begin the long
anticipated Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. This novel fits right in with the
theme of the unit that we have been working on, which is?-Thats right! The value
of classic works in our society. Were going to listen to the first chapter of the novel
out loud together - its short, dont worry - and then were going to go back and
read through the chapter in order to look for key information about the characters.
Youll take that information and put it into the character sheets that have been
handed out to you. We will do a few examples with you first so that you get the hang
of it, and then well let you work on the rest of the chapter with a partner. You may
be wondering why we want you to learn to pull information out of a text this way. I
believe that Ms. T has the answer to that.
Special Ed Teacher: Im glad you asked Ms. R! Knowing what exactly makes each
character tick and understanding the relationships between them will help you to
comprehend the action of the story more fully. I know it sounds daunting, but once
you get the hang of it youll be close reading without even trying! This technique
will not only be useful in your English/Language Arts classes, but in all situations
that require you to read a text and pull out vital information. However, before we
begin with the book, wed like to give you a taste of what you have to look forward
to as far as characterization in Austens novel, so were going to pull up two videos
from the Lizzie Bennet Diaries web series, a modern take on Pride & Prejudice told
through the Vlog of Lizzie Bennet, who in this case, is a grad school dealing with,
and also growing with, her crazy family (MI: Spatial).
We would then pull up and watch Episodes 2 and 3 of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries to
give students a sneak peak of the plot of the novel and what we want them to know
about the characters. Showing these videos should also open students up to reading
the novel; they will hopefully hook the students by showing them that it is
interesting and has relevance to their lives.
Engagement:
This part of the lesson is where students will be analyzing the text for important
information, first with help from myself and the special education teacher, and then
in pairs. I will begin the lesson by playing an audio recording of the first chapter of
the novel out loud and asking the students to follow along in their print copies
(UDL). Once we have finished listening, we will go back through the chapter as a
class to pick out information about the characters in the first few pages of the novel.
When the special education teacher and I have demonstrated the correct way of
drawing important information from the text, we will let the students comb through
the remainder of the first chapter in pairs. This will allow them to get practice with
the skill on their own while still having a support in place in case anything is
unclear. The information that we gather as a class, and the facts that they pull out in
pairs will be put into their character sheets for later discussion. This part of the
lesson would proceed as such:
Gen. Ed Teacher: *plays audio recording* Now that we have heard the first
chapter of the text, let us go back and see what we have learned about a few of
Austens characters. Were going to be practicing a lot of inferring in order to
understand her characters. Lets read this sentence over again, Do not you want
to know who has taken it? cried his wife impatiently.Ms. T, how does this
dialogue make a reader believe that Mrs. Bennet is impatient?
Special Ed Teacher: Well Ms. R, from the way that she speaks to her husband, I
can assume that Mrs. Bennet is an impatient woman. She doesnt come right out
and say Mrs. Bennet is impatient, but what she does do is use impatient as an
adjective to describe how she says something to Mr. Bennet. This will happen a lot
throughout the text when a character is speaking, so keep this clue in mind for later.
Lets do one more together.
From there, the special education teacher will lead the students through one more
example, but this time she will leave much of the diagnostic work to them. She will
do this by asking them to examine the textual clues in the sentences following the
Mrs. Bennet analysis in order to assign a trait to Mr. Bingley. She would do so by
questioning them in this way:
Special Ed Teacher: Who was this section of the text about? Good. Mr. Bingley.
What did we learn about him in this excerpt? Right, that he is rich, single, and
just took up residence at Netherfield. Be sure to put that on your sheet! Where did
we find this information? Right! In the dialogue between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.
This section was more literal than the Mrs. Bennet one wasnt it? Sometimes it will
be that easy to find information. Make sure that you pay attention to the dialogue in
the novel and what characters may be saying about other characters. It could be
important! In fact, it most likely is.
From there, I would give the class the directions to break up into pairs and go
through the rest of the chapter picking out information in the ways that we modelled
for them (MI: Interpersonal). We will be sitting in on groups to see how they are
getting along with the text and what kind of information that they are recording. If a
large number seem to be having trouble with the exercise, even with help from one
of us or a partner, we will pull the class together again and work with them as a
whole to complete the chapter.
Assessment
Learner Factors
Closure:
To close this lesson, we will invite students to share what they have learned about
the characters in the first chapter of the novel, with both the special education
teacher and I calling on students who volunteer. We will then ask them to point out
any differences or similarities that they noticed between the characters in the Vlog
episodes of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries and the characters in the actual text. This will
serve as a way of getting them to think about how the novels been updated and
interacted with since the nineteenth century (MI: Logical). Before the end of class,
students will be required to compose a composition about one of the characters that
they encountered in the first chapter of the novel. It will be at least one paragraph in
length and will incorporate at least four of the facts that they have gathered from the
text. We will also ask that they write a sentence or two reflecting upon what they
learned about extracting important information from a complex text. The purpose of
this reflection is (1) to get the students thinking about the technique that we were
trying to teach them, mainly why it is important and how well they can execute it
(MI: Intrapersonal), and (2) so that we may know whether or not we were
effective in teaching this particular literacy strategy.
In order to assess this lesson and the success of the objective that I have set in place,
I will collect the composition that students will be composing at the end of class. I
will judge students on a check minus, check, and check plus scale. Students will
receive a check minus if they do not meet the length requirement, if they do not
include at least four facts, and if their composition is poorly developed. Students
will receive a check if they meet most of the requirements, but perhaps have missed
a fact or have not written quite enough. Students will receive a check plus if they
have met all requirements with proficiency.
Developmental Levels:
This lesson accommodates different developmental levels of students in reading.
Instead of having them read the first chapter of the novel on their own, they are
listening to an audio recording while also following along with the printed copies
that they have at their desks. The pairing of these resources will be engaging to all
students and will simultaneously assist those reading below grade level in
understanding the text.
IEP Accommodations/Modifications:
Cameron
-I will remove distracting posters from the wall and other eye-catching objects from
my classroom so that he may focus fully on the tasks that he must complete.
-A behavior reminder will be on display on his desk to remind him how he should
act during the lesson.
-Placement at the front of the room so that he can focus on the special education
teacher and I while we are instructing the class.
-We will keep the pace of the lesson quick so that he remains engaged in it and put
an emphasis on the important information regarding close reading.
-The graphic organizer layout of the character trait sheets will help him organize his
thoughts and record information.
-If he is having difficulty decoding the text after being assisted by an instructor and
his partner, he will be allowed to look at a comic book version of Pride & Prejudice
side-by-side with the text. As the comic book follows the same plot order as the
book, the pictures in the comic will help Cameron understand what is happening in
the novel.
-He will benefit from listening to the audio version of the first chapter of the text
with the rest of the class as he may be able to comprehend the text more easily by
listening to it. If this is the case and he would like to listen to the rest of it, the
recording will be available for him to use from any computer with internet access.
Cameron will also be provided access to Kurzweil software for this purpose.
-A lesson schedule will be provided at the beginning of class so that he knows what
is going to be happening during this lesson and when.
-In addition to the graphic organizer, he will be provided with sticky notes to mark
the important information that he finds in the texts as he reads.
-The school will provide access to Dragon software if he chooses to speak his
composition instead of writing it out, as he has a hard time getting his thoughts onto
paper.
-Cameron will have a behavior contract in place with his teachers. If he has behaved
during the lesson and has completed all of the work that he has been asked to do, he
will be allowed to have free time on the computer.
Marcus
-A behavior reminder will be on display on his desk to remind him how he should
act during the lesson.
-Marcus will have a behavior contract in place with his teachers. If he pays attention
to the lesson and completes all of his work he will be allowed to draw for the
remainder of the period.
-In lieu of writing a composition, Marcus will be given the option of drawing a
picture of one of the characters that embodies the four traits that he has found about
them. This option will cater to the tactile nature of his learning needs and his
interest in art. His drawing will be graded in the same way as the composition
regarding the inclusion of the four traits, but it will be judged for effort rather than
technical writing abilities.
-He will have a folder where he is to keep all of the work that he is handing in so
that he stays organized and everything that needs to be graded gets graded.
-A schedule of his classes will be shown to him at the end of class so he knows
where he is expected to be next period. A lesson schedule will be given to him at
the beginning of class so that he knows whats happening during the lesson and
when.
Judy
-She will be given the option to work alone during the paired portion of the lesson
as she may be anxious following the whole-group instruction style of the first part
of the lesson.
-If she decides to work with a partner, she will be paired with a preselected buddy
that she works with in class on a regular basis.
-A visual class schedule will be provided at the beginning of class so that she knows
what will be happening during the lesson and when.
-A behavior reminder for classroom interactions will be displayed on her desk that
serves to remind her how to act when speaking/working with peers and instructors.
Gage
-He will be given access to a computer for typing into a digital version of the
character sheets and typing his composition/reflection due to the difficulty that he
has with fine motor skills (holding a pencil). If his speech can be understood by the
software, he will also be provided access to the Dragon text-to-speech system for
creating his composition/reflection.
-The desks in my classroom will be arranged in a consistent manner that allows him
mobility. (rows with plenty of room in between them and a clear path to the door
and necessary supplies)
-The student that sits next to him will be his assigned walking buddy. They will
walk with him around the classroom, ready to assist him in case he loses his
balance.
-The lesson will be recorded and sent home with him in the event that he does not
have time to complete the composition/reflection in class. This allows him the time
he needs to work on it at his own pace and finish it to the best of his abilities.
-He will also be given the option of verbally telling either the special education
teacher or I four things that he has learned about a character and what he learned
about finding information in a complex text.
-His composition will be judged more on content (the inclusion of facts and
comprehension of the character that he is writing about) than his writing proficiency
(grammar, spelling, sentence structure).
Maria
-She will have access to a Spanish/English dictionary during the lesson in case she
doesnt understand a word that is being used in class.
-A vocabulary sheet of novel specific terms with English definitions and their
Spanish translations will be provided prior to the start of the lesson.
-She will have a folder where she is to keep all of the work that she is handing in so
that she stays organized and everything that needs to be graded gets graded.
-She will be held to high but realistic expectations. Her composition will be judged
more on content (the inclusion of facts and comprehension of the character that she
is writing about) than her writing proficiency (grammar, spelling, sentence
structure).
In addition to these accommodations/modifications, each student in the class will be
receiving an academic helper with tips for pulling important information from a
complex text (UDL).
Multiple Intelligences:
Spatial:
-character sheet graphic organizers
-viewing YouTube videos
Interpersonal:
-group work in pairs to complete an analysis on the characters in the first chapter
Logical:
-class discussion about the characters towards the end of the lesson
Intrapersonal:
-reflection about the knowledge gained by students during the lesson
UDL:
-academic helper for literacy strategy
-audio recording of the first chapter of the novel
Enrichment Activities:
Students who have completed the work before the rest of the class may choose to
either proceed onto chapter two of Pride & Prejudice, performing the same close
reading analysis of the characters, or they may log into a computer and watch more
of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries YouTube videos. This will allow them to either
practice the technique that we have taught them, or to immerse themselves in a
modern interpretation of a classic text that has thrived and is still being interacted
with today (the concept that the unit is based on).
Grouping:
When students are working in their pairs, I will use a heterogeneous configuration
based on their reading levels to group them. I will arrange them this way so that
those reading at a higher level may assist those that may struggle with the text, as it
is complex.
Changes to Classroom:
Besides the adjustments made to the classroom for students with an IEP, there will
be no further changes.
Things to remember
when collecting
information from
a complex text:
Pay attention to
dialogue! (What
they are saying
may be important!)
Take your time! (In
order to close
read you have to
pay attention to the
text)
Know what youre
looking for ahead
of time!
Take notes! (Youll
remember it better
if you write it down)
Have fun!
Things to remember
when youre in our
classroom:
Be kind to others
(and theyll be
kind to you!)
Raise your hand
and wait to be
called on if youd
like to speak
If you get
frustrated, count
to ten and take
a deep breath
Listen when Ms. T,
Ms. R and your
fellow classmates
are speaking
Participation is
key in learning
Were happy youre
here!
-Ms. T and Ms. R
Things to remember
when interacting with
your peers and
teachers:
Wait your turn
to speak
patiently
Be respectful
of others
interests
You dont
have
to look them in
the eye (but
facing them helps
them hear you!)
Dont be
nervous (they
want to hear
what you
have to say!)
Appendix G:
Brianna Resto
Educational Objectives English
EDC 371
21, September, 2013
Educational Objectives for English

1. Comprehends the main themes in Catcher in the Rye
1.1 Explains the significance of the alienation of Holden Caulfield
1.2 Identifies examples of growing up in the novel
1.3 Explains the importance of the phoniness of the adult world
2. Understands the meanings of the main symbols in Catcher in the Rye
2.1 Explains the importance of the catcher in the rye itself
2.2 Describes the meaning behind the red hunting cap
2.3 Explains the significance of the ducks in central park
Appendix H:
Brianna Resto
ENG 241
Anthony Amore
9 October 2012
A Bifocal Visionary
When America was developed, it began acquiring its own collective identity. This
identity relates to any individual willing to look at what the people think of themselves as a unit.
Benjamin Franklin, a common and influential representative figure of early America, made his
contribution to the literature of the time with a number of notable pieces of writing, two of which
being The Way to Wealth and Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America. Both of these
pieces remark on our collective view of self as a new country, stating that we regard recognition
and wealth, productivity, and devoutness in the highest esteem.
The terms recognition and wealth go well hand-in-hand as a singular concept, as more
often than not an individual in possession of one of these attributes will have the other in some
degree. Benjamin Franklin was an individual who put a high value on these traits, and, using his
writing, set an example for other Americans to admire them as well. In The Way to Wealth,
Benjamin Franklin states,
I concluded at length, that the People were the best Judges of my Merit; for they
buy my Works; and besides, in my Rambles, where I am not personally known, I
have frequently heard one or other of my Adages repeated, with, as Poor Richard
says, as the End ont; this gave me some Satisfaction, as it showed not only that
my Instructions were regarded, but discovered likewise some Respect for my Authority;
and I own, that to encourage the Practice of remembering and repeating those wise
Sentences, I have sometimes quoted myself with great Gravity (193).
Today, we still put a high value in recognition and wealth, as celebrities, who are more
often than not in possession of both, are revered by our society. Just look at Oprah Winfrey, or
Donald Trump. Our society idolizes them. It was the same for, say, wealthy landowners in
Franklins time. Everyone knew who they were and respected them for their wealth and power.
Productivity, in the eyes of these early Americans, was the catalyst of our civilization.
Without productivity, the settlers of the Plymouth plantation, the plantation that William
Bradford had related to the readers of that time, would have perished. Franklin also understood
the value of productivity in life, as in The Way to Wealth he states,
It would be thought a hard Government that should tax its People one tenth Part of their
Time, to be employed in its Service. But Idleness taxes many of us much more, if we
reckon all that is spent in idle Employments or Amusements, that amount to nothing.
Sloth, by bringing on Diseases, absolutely shortens LifeBut dost thou love Life, then do
not squander Time, for thats the Stuff Life is made of, as Poor Richard Says. How
much more than is necessary do we spend in Sleep! forgetting that The sleeping Fox
catches no Poultry, and that there will be sleeping enough in the Grave, as Poor Richard
says. If Time be of all Things the most precious, wasting Time must be, as Poor Richard
says, the greatest Prodigality, since, as he elsewhere tells us, Lost Time is never found
again; and what we call Time-enough, always proves little enough. Let us then up and be
doing, and doing to the Purpose; so by Diligence shall we do more with less Perplexity.
Sloth makes all Things difficult, but Industry all easy, as Poor Richard says; and He that
riseth late, must trot all Day, and shall scarce overtake his Business at Night. While
Laziness travels so slowly, that Poverty soon overtakes him, as we read in Poor Richard,
who adds, Drive thy Business, let not that drive thee; and Early to Bed, and early to rise,
makes a Man healthy, wealthy, and wise (194).
Though he rambles quite a bit in this particular passage, the point that Franklin was trying to
make in this piece was a valid one, especially back then. Without productivity, without the
efforts of the people that came over from England, the colonization of this country would have
failed completely. By having this view on productivity, Franklin is also making a statement on
the evolution of America. Without productivity, our civilization would not, could not, evolve.
Looking at our current situation in the world, we are still a highly productive country. We
are always evolving and looking for ways to better ourselves, whether it be technologically,
mentally, morally, financially, etc. Being in a depression does hinder some of this progress of
course, but that has not stopped the want or the need to succeed that we have internalized from
living in this culture set up for us by our forefathers.
An enormously coveted trait in the time of the settlers was spirituality. The pilgrims came
over from England to separate themselves from the Church of England. They did not like the fact
that the Church of England had succumbed to ornamentation, and the fact that said
ornamentation was being pushed upon them. They wanted their religion to be pure, so they fled
to the new world. However, once they arrived, they began doing pushing their religion onto the
Native Americans, essentially becoming those that they were trying to escape. The settlers
thought that their religion was far superior to the Native Americans. On this topic, Benjamin
Franklin relates a meeting between a minister and the Susquenehanah tribe in Remarks
Concerning the Savages of North America,
A Swedish Minister, having assembled the chiefs of the Susquehanah Indians, made a
Sermon to them, acquainting them with the principal historical Facts on which our
Religion is foundedWhen he had finished, an Indian Orator stood up to thank him.
What you have told us, says he, is all very good We are much obligd by your
kindness in coming so far, to tell us these Things which you have heard from your
Mothers. In return, I will tell you some of those we heard from oursThe good
Missionary, disgusted with this idle Tale, said, What I delivered to you were sacred
Truths; but what you tell me is mere Fable, Fiction, and Falsehood. (203)
The Swedish minister in this anecdote is certainly not impressed by the Susquehanah tribes
religion. He seems to think that it is just a bunch of stories with no real grounding in proof, and
his religion is absolutely one-hundred percent true. By including this tale in his work, he is
presenting the contemporary reader with the ugly side of the early Americans religion. Back
then, however, any reader, as long as they were not Native American and were religious, would
have seen the Swedish Minister in the right here, claiming that all the Native Americans
worshiped were just fables.
Our society used to believe that our religion was above all, however we have moved past
this in most senses, instituting laws that allow religious freedom. These laws allow any
individual may practice what they believe and not be victim to other imposing religions. We
have a smattering of races and cultures living in our country today, something that was not
present all those years ago, and this had let us develop a religious tolerance.
In Benjamin Franklins days, things like recognition, wealth, productivity, and
devoutness were important in the lives of the people. They valued these attributes and aspired to
possess them; they aspired to live by them. To some extent, depending on the trait that you
choose, we still do today. Individuals still look up to celebrities and wish their lives were theirs,
they work hard all week long to support their families, and they pray. This is how it was in the
past and this is how it will be for years to come.
Appendix I:
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
State Standards:
GLEs/GSEs
National Content
Standards:
11th Grade/English (American Lit.)

New York: 1920s and Now
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis
of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn
from the text, including determining where the text leaves
matters uncertain.
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and
explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and
develop over the course of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.8
Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print
and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively;
assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of

the task, purpose, and audience; integrate information into the
text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding
plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following
a standard format for citation..
Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to
answer a question (including a self-generated question) or
solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when
appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject,
demonstrating understanding of the subject under
investigation.
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
This lesson will be implemented on Friday, March 27th in an
Context of the
English III class during the last period of the day. Students
Lesson
have just begun reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott
fit in the curriculum and Fitzgerald. They have only read the first chapter, so Im still
instructional context? Is in the middle of fleshing out the exposition of the story. I will
be giving this lesson in order to help students visualize and
understand the setting of the novel. We will be discussing
what New York City and Long Island were like in the 1920s
when Gatsby takes place, as well as comparing them to what
theyre like today. This will allow students to delve into the
setting to see if any changes have occurred or if Fitzgeralds
New York is still fully intact.
Opportunities to
I will implement a number of strategies during my lesson that
Learn
will account for some of the different learners in the
classroom. For the Auditory learners, we will be conducting a
verbal discussion throughout the lesson. These students will
Learners and
also benefit from the video that I will be showing the class
Environments
about modern day Long Island. The Visual learners will
appreciate the pictures of 1920s New York City and present
day New York City that I will show to them, illustrating the
changes that have taken place. Like the Auditory learners,
they will also appreciate the video that I will be showing to
the class.
Some students in this class do not have the self-motivation to
take notes during class. In order to make sure that each
student has the information discussed in class as well as an
example of the work that they will be completing
independently over the weekend, I will be filling out the
graphic organizers for 1920s New York City and present day
New York City myself. These graphic organizers will then be
copied and distributed to each student.
Objectives
Three parts: verb,
criterion, conditions
Materials & technology:

- Projector Screen
- New York City Graphic Organizers
- Long Island Graphic Organizers
- White board
- Computer/Internet (for at home research)
Students will understand and be able to describe the
differences between New York City in the 1920s and present
day New York City.
Students will gather relevant information regarding Long
Island in the 1920s from several different sources and record
them in a graphic organizer.
Instructional
Procedures
Students will gather relevant information regarding present

day Long Island from several different sources and record
them in a graphic organizer.
Opening:
To begin this lesson, I will ask students to answer the
following prompt in a few sentences:
What do you think that New York City in the 1920s was
like? Is it different than modern day New York City?
Once they have responded to the prompt, we will discuss their
answers as a class. This discussion will take us into the
engagement part of the lesson, which is highlighting the
differences and similarities between the two time periods and
how this relates to The Great Gatsby.
Engagement:
Once we have discussed their responses, I will show students
the PowerPoint that I have created which contains pictures of
areas in New York City in the 1920s and those same areas
today in the present day. We will discuss what these places
are, what they were like in the 1920s and what they are like
today using information that I have gathered through my own
research. When we have finished going over New York City, I
will segue into examining Long Island with a video from the
Literary Tourist, a man who goes around the world visiting
places found in his favorite books. Once students have been
introduced to the topic, I will assign their homework for the
weekend: a mini research project.
Assessment
Reflections
This section to be
Closure:
To close this lesson, I will go over the research that I want
students to complete over the weekend. They will be asked to
research and gather information on Long Island in the 1920s
and Long Island in the present day, putting said information
into graphic organizers as I had done and exemplified with
New York City.
Students graphic organizers will be assessed using a checkminus, check, and check-plus system. A check-minus will be
given if a student either didnt complete a graphic organizer or
if their information is incorrect or a relevant. They will then
receive only 5 points out of 15. A check will be given if a
student has completed their graphic organizers adequately and
entirely. Some information may be lacking detail or be
incorrect. They will receive 10 points out of 15. A check-plus
will be given if a student has completed their graphic
organizers entirely and they are detailed, accurate, and
relevant. They will receive 15 points out of 15.
Student Work Sample 1 Approaching Proficiency: TBA
Student Work Sample 2 Proficient: TBA
Student Work Sample 3 Exceeds Proficiency: TBA
I think that this lesson went very well and that it provided a
lot of useful information regarding 1920s New York to my
students (RIBTS 1.1 & 1.2). They studied the 1920s in history
last year, but I wanted to focus them on aspects of this time
period that would be key in fully understanding The Great
Gatsby (RIBTS 4.2). My class did very well with my Do
Now exercise, even though this was the first time that I had
implemented one in this setting. It gave them a chance to
personally connect to the material, and a good majority of the
class participated, sharing what they had written down
(RIBTS 3.2). I think that the few minutes they took to collect
their thoughts made all the difference and gave them the time
they needed to really respond. They provided a variety of
thoughts which generated a detailed discussion which brought
them to the topic of todays lesson (RIBTS 8.1, 8.2, 8.4). I
thought the class enjoyed having visual examples in the form
of pictures comparing the housing, nightlife, residents, and

areas/landmarks of New York in the 1920s and today (RIBTS
2.3, 2.4, 4.1, 8.2). It was a reflex that when my technology
failed me and my computer restarted itself to update to keep
going on without it and go back to it later, and this allowed
my students to maintain their interest in the lesson (which was
amazing to me that I even had in the first place because it was
last period on a Friday).They grumbled a bit about their
homework, but I think that they appreciated having my notes
(RIBTS 2.3, 4.4) as an example and Im confident that they
will turn in good work on Monday. If I were to do this lesson
again, I would modify the research organizers that I gave
them to complete, including a section where they could write
the sources that they pulled from. I would also focus more on
the issue of race in the 1920s vs today because it is a topic that
appears in Gatsby in the very first chapter, and I would make
sure that I updated my computer before class.
Residents
Houses
Party Life
1920s
Long
Island
Other
Interesting Facts
Residents
Houses
Present
Day Long
Island
Party Life
Other
Interesting Facts
Residents
Houses
Present
Day New
York City
Party Life
Other
Interesting Facts
Residents
Houses
Party Life
1920s
New
York City
Other
Interesting Facts
Appendix J:
Article read on the relevance of The Great Gatsby to younger generations today:
Gatsby's Green Light Beckons a New Set of Strivers
Appendix K:
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
State Standards:
GLEs/GSEs
National Content
Standards:
11th Grade/English
Chapter 6/The Great Gatsby and Color
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and
persuasively.
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and
explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and
develop over the course of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2
Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and
analyze their development over the course of the text,
including how they interact and build on one another to
produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of
the text.
This lesson will be implemented on Monday, April 27, 2015
Context of the
in a junior level English class during the last period of the
Lesson
day. It comes towards the end of a unit on The Great Gatsby,
fit in the curriculum and right after students read Chapter 6, and its purpose is to both
instructional context? Is discuss the plot, character, and theme development that took
place in Chapter 6 as well as to engage students in unpacking
the color symbolism found throughout the novel.
Opportunities to
There are a variety of different learners in my classroom, and
Learn
I will accommodate for them by implementing a number of
different instructional strategies. For Visual learners, I will be
showing students a clip from the Gatsby movie, they will be
Learners and
able to refer back to worksheets that they have filled out in a
Environments
previous lesson, and they will also be able to see key
information from our whole-group discussion up on the board
as I will be writing them down while we talk. Auditory
learners will also benefit from listening to the movie clip as

well as paying attention during the class discussion that will
be taking place.
There are no accommodations or modifications to be
implemented in this lesson as it is mainly discussion based.
Those students who were not in possession of a color chart
will be given one and asked to add to it as we discuss each
colors meaning in relation to the text.
Objectives
Three parts: verb,
Instructional
Procedures

-The Great Gatsby movie/TV
-The Great Gatsby color chart (previously filled in)
-Chapter 6 Note sheet
-White board
Students will be able to summarize the key events of their
assigned reading from F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby.
Students will be able to isolate significant colors utilized in a
cinematic representation of their assigned reading, inferring
their situational meanings and representations.
Students will be able to integrate previous research on colors
that are significant to The Great Gatsby in an oral discussion
regarding a cinematic representation of their assigned reading.
Opening:
To open this lesson, I will first ask students to recap what
happened during the 6th chapter of The Great Gatsby, as they
were assigned to read it and complete the accompanying note
sheet for homework. I will then review a few specific
questions from their note sheet regarding the major themes of
the novel in order to ascertain that they understood what they
have read. This conversation will lead us to the engagement
part of the lesson, in which students will be watching a clip
from the Gatsby movie that will cover a portion of Chapter 6.
Engagement:
During this part of the lesson, I will be showing students a
clip from the Gatsby movie that encompasses Gatsbys past
and how he made something of himself when he had nothing.
Prior to starting the movie, I will ask the class to pay close
attention to the colors that they notice used in each scene.
When it is over, I will ask them which color they noticed the
most, which should be blue. I will then write blue on the
board and ask students to tell me what they found it means
and represents with their previous research, recording this

information on the board as we go. We will discuss its
meaning in relation to this particular scene in the movie,
Chapter 6, and the novel as a whole. Once we have covered
blue, we will repeat this process for other colors that make an
appearance in the clip including white and yellow.
Assessment
Reflections
This section to be
Closure:
To close, I will review the importance of this lesson. I will
remind students that color is a prominent motif in The Great
Gatsby, as we had discussed in the past, and that they should
be paying attention to it as they read on. I will also assign he
first 12 pages of Chapter 7 and the Chapter 7 Part: 1 note
sheet for homework.
Students will not be assessed on this lesson individually, but
will be formally assessed on this information during their
Socratic seminar at the end of the unit.
In a nutshell, this lesson did not go as I had planned. Only
about two students actually did their homework, so going over
some of the Chapter 6 note sheet questions in depth would
have been like pulling teeth. Instead, I asked one of the
students who had read to quickly go over with the rest of the
class what happened in this chapter and what we now know
about Gatsby as a character. I then jumped right into the
movie clip color analysis, which was something that students
could participate in and understand whether they had read the
material or not, though it would resonate more if they had.
This part of the lesson went well, as students were engaged
and generated a great discussion regarding the meaning of
each color and how they are used within the novel. I ended up
doing some on-the-fly research with the class about the
symbolic meaning of gold as we found it was prevalent in the
text and their research on yellow was a bit scant and didnt fit
in some cases. This ended up turning up a number of relevant
results that students were able to easily connect to the text.
When we had finished this portion of the lesson, we still had
some time left over, so I decided that I would review a
question or two from the note sheet, explaining context as

needed. Though this was not how I envisioned my lesson, I
still feel as if my students walked away from it with a greater
knowledge of an important aspect of the text.
Appendix L:
Brianna Resto
EDC 449
Stefani Singer
19 October 2013
Apply #6
F. Scott Fitzgerald
1) Winter Dreams Dexter Green is a teenage caddy at the Sherry Island Golf club, and he
longs to be rich like its members. One day he meets Judy Jones, and quits his job to
pursue a higher education that will afford him the opportunity to make the fortune that he
desires. Once he achieves this goal, he meets Judy again several times only to be met
with disappointment and shattered dreams.
The Great Gatsby Nick Carraway moves in next door to the mysterious Jay Gatsby.
Gatsby throws lavish parties constantly though no one really knows who he is.
Eventually, Nick meets Gatsby and they become friends. Once they have formed a
relationship, it is revealed that Gatsby and Daisy, Nicks cousin, used to be romantically
involved and that Gatsby is still wildly in love with Daisy. He has a whole life planned
out for them, but Daisys cold shoulder and his untimely death effectively put a stop to
that.
This Side of Paradise This novel follows a young man on a journey of self-discovery.
Amory Blaine is a young man who attends Princeton University and seems to have a very
promising future. The reader sees him fall in love, fall out of love, go to war (kind of),
fall in love a second time, and finally have his heart broken. Amory ends up losing
everything he ever had.
2) Common elements of authors craft in these texts are:
The Dark Side of the American Dream This theme is apparent in Winter Dreams in
Dexters desire to become rich and marry Judy, it is present in The Great Gatsby in the
way that Gatsby has strived to acquire wealth and has planned out his future with Daisy,
and its also present in This Side of Paradise in Amorys efforts to have a successful
future with a woman that he loves. In each of these pieces, this dream is never realized
and falls apart in front of the protagonists eyes.
Hollowness of the Upper Class In each of these texts, characters presented to be part of
the upper class are shallow and self-centered. They appear to be without a care in the
world and use their money to hurt others. In Winter Dreams a character that exemplifies
this theme would be Judy, in The Great Gatsby Tom Buchanan and other East Egg-ers
exemplify this theme, and in This Side of Paradise Rosalind Connage, the woman that
breaks off their engagement because she didnt want to marry into poverty, is a prime
example of hollow.
3) A literary element I would focus on would be symbolism. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses

numerous symbols throughout his literary works that portray a greater meaning to the
reader and are important to understanding the text on a deeper, more complete level. In
Winter Dreams it is the boat and the golf balls, in The Great Gatsby it is the green light at
the end of Daisys dock and the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and in This Side of Paradise
it is alcohol and Princeton.
4) A writing strategy that I would focus on would be the weaving of motifs throughout a
narrative. Fitzgerald uses motifs in his writing to help develop and inform the reader as to
the major themes of the text. In Winter Dreams, he uses the motifs of similes and winter
itself, in The Great Gatsby, he uses geography and weather, and in This Side of Paradise
the motifs being utilized are egotism and alcohol (also a symbol). A possible activity that
I could use to cover this strategy would be coming up with a short story (about a page) in
small groups to deliver to the class that contains a motif.
5) One grammar study that I would focus on would be descriptive language. Fitzgerald
implements adjectives to create a vivid picture for the reader, and to also reveal attributes
about his characters. For this focus, I could provide the students with examples of
Fitzgeralds extravagant descriptors and allow them to take an object that one may
normally find boring, and apply descriptors in the Fitzgerald style to make it interesting.
This would just be a short exercise to get them familiar with usage and with what theyll
be seeing in the texts.
Appendix M:
Grade/
Content
Area
Lesson
Title
th
6 Grade/Academic Strategies (ELA)
Their/There/Theyre
L.6.4. Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiplemeaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content,
choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.6.6. Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic
and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge
when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or
expression.
L.6.1. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English
grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
th
Context of This lesson will be implemented on Friday, March 6 in an Academic
the Lesson Strategies (ELA) class during the second to last period of the day. This
lesson comes as the first lesson of three in a mini unit (three days) on
homophones. These words prove to be confusing to a number of
students, which has become clear to me when grading their written
assignments. The goal of this lesson is to help them figure out which
word to use in a specific situation.
Opportunit Plans to differentiate instruction:
ies to Learn I will implement a number of strategies during my lesson in order to
account for the different learners in the classroom. For the Auditory
learners, I will be playing a video to the class containing a song about
Definition:
the differences between the words their, there, and theyre. This
Materials,
video will also appeal to the Visual learners because there are some
Learners and
interesting graphics employed that enhance the song and relate the
Environments
information. The Auditory learners will also benefit from the fact that I
will be reading the information on their worksheets out loud to them,
about which we will then conduct a short discussion. We will also
verbally go over the practice worksheet as a class at the end of the
period. The Visual learners in the room will like having a tangible
worksheet to look back on should they need to, and the Tactile learners
will appreciate this worksheet as well because they are able to actively
fill it out. The quiz that I have found for students to take on their
Chromebooks should they finish the worksheet early will also appeal to
tactile learners and allow them to do something active and relevant
while they wait for others to finish.
State
Standards:
GLEs/GSEs
National
Content
Standards:

If a students handwriting is illegible, they will be allowed to type out
the answers to the practice worksheet on their Chromebooks. If a

student finishes early, I have a few websites lined up with quizzes to test
their knowledge on their vs. there vs. theyre.
- Their/There/Theyre information sheet
- Their/There/Theyre worksheet
- Chromebooks
- Their/There/Theyre
song
by
Johnathan
Mann
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKNOUx5BAH4)
- Their/There/Theyre
quiz
(http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_quiz/their_vs_there_vs_t
heyre_1.asp [optional])
Objectives
Three parts:
verb,
criterion,
conditions
Instruction
al
Procedures
Students will be able to give the definition of a homophone and identify

the difficulties that may result because of them.
Students will be able to give the definitions of the words there,
their, and theyre and identify when each should be used.
Students will be able to analyze 20 different examples and conclude
whether each one requires the word there, their, or theyre in
order to be grammatically correct.
Opening:
To open this lesson, I will first let students know why we are going over
the differences in definitions and usages of these three words. I will tell
them that mistakes like this are the most common ones that I have seen
while grading their work. I will then show them a YouTube video
containing a catchy song about the differences between there, their,
and theyre. Once we have established the reason for the lesson and it
has been introduced in a way that they will enjoy, I will pass out the rule
sheet for the usage of each word and we will go over it together as a
class.
Engagement:
I will first read the definition of a homophone out loud and discuss it
with them. When we have gone over this definition, we will then discuss
the rules for the usage of each word. Once I am confident that they
understand the differences between the words and know when to use
them, I will give them a practice worksheet to complete. If a student
finishes this worksheet quickly, I will allow them to get out their
Chromebooks and visit a link that I will have put up on the board that
will take them to a quiz about there,their, and theyre.
Closure:
To close this lesson, we will go over the answers to the worksheet
Assessment
Reflections
together. We will also have one final discussion about the differences
between these words and I will answer any final answers that they may
have.
Students will be grading using a check-minus, check, and check-plus
system for completion. A check-minus will be awarded to a student who
did not complete nor understand the assignment. A check will be given
to a student who completed the worksheet entirely, but made a few
errors along the way. Finally, a check-plus will be given to a student
who completed the entire worksheet perfectly, or even went above and
beyond to complete it.
This section to
be completed
only if lesson
plan is
implemented.
I think that this lesson started off well, but the class became restless and
inattentive by the end. I chose this particular video because the use of
homophones like there, their, and theyre is something that Ive
noticed my students struggle with on occasion. I told them this, and
related to them that they werent the only ones and that its bound to
happen when they try to write quickly (RIBTS 1.1). Though they have
been struggling, this is something that theyll need to master in order to
become exemplary writers in all subjects (RIBTS 2.2). To introduce the
lesson, I showed students a humorous video explaining the instances
when you would use each word (RIBTS 2.4). I thought they would
enjoy this because its visual, catchy, accurate and informative (RIBTS
2.3 & 3.1). The video was also an effective way to appeal to Visual and
Auditory learners in the class, who sometimes get left out (RIBTS 4.1 &
8.2). Unfortunately, the ring leader of the class, if you will, wasnt
interested, and so the rest of my students werent either. They were
attentive while we were going over the rule sheet containing the
different ways to use there, their, and theyre as well as when they
were completing the physical handout that I gave them, but when those
that were done moved on to complete the online quiz (RIBTS 4.4), the
conversations in the room got out of hand. I tried to gain their attention
back, but as soon as they were quiet, they would start all over again. It
was a constant struggle for the rest of the period. When I was confident
that those actually working had at least finished the worksheet, I brought
them together as a class to go over the answers (RIPBTS 8.4). I asked a
different student to read each question and say what their answer was. I
would ask them how they arrived at their answer and reinforce the
lesson by explaining why it was correct or incorrect using the usage
rules for each homophone (RIBTS 8.1). I was constantly stopping and
putting the class on hold because of the talking and subsequent laughing
going on, and even threatening to and actually keeping the class for an
extra minute after the bell rang didnt make a difference in behavior. If I
were to do this lesson over again, I would have prepared another online
quiz or worksheet for students to work on, because it took some only a
few minutes. I also would have improved upon the worksheet and made
it more relevant to students and their interests.
Name ____________________
There/Their/Theyre
The words there, their, and theyre are homophones.
Homophones are words that are pronounced the same, but are
spelled differently and have different meanings. This can
sometimes make it hard to figure out which one to use in a
particular sentence while writing. In order to make this easier,
keep the following rules in mind:
The word theyre is always a contraction. Use it only
when you can substitute they are.
Ex. Theyre coming home next weekend.
The word their is always a pronoun. Use it to show
ownership.
Ex. I think that their dog is extremely loud.
The word there is used as an adverb or pronoun. It is
used to show a place or a position, to tell the existence of
something, or when the verb comes before the subject in
a sentence.
Ex. I put the book over there on the table.
Appendix N:
EDC 371
Brianna Resto
PATAR
November 19, 2013
Grade Level: 8th grade

Course: English/Language Arts
Subject: English
Title: The Wave Text-Based Writing Response
Content Standards:
This task is designed to assess Common Core State Standards ELA-Literacy.W.8.1,
which states that students should be able to write arguments to support claims with clear
reasons and relevant evidence. Under this general standard, this task is more specifically
addressing ELA-Literacy.W.8.1a, which states that students should be able to introduce
claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and
organize the reasons and evidence logically, and ELA-Literacy.W.8.1b, which states that
students should be able to support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using
accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. This task
was also designed to assess ELA-Literacy.W.8.9, which states that students should be able to
draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Instructional Objectives:
1. Develop a claim based on textual clues in response to a prompt.
2. Draw evidence from text in order to provide reasoning for a claim.
3. Expand on how the support taken from text backs-up a claim.
Relating the Task to Objectives and Content Standards:
This task relates to the ELA-Literacy Common Core State Standards listed above because
students are asked to formulate a claim on a specific topic based on what they have read, and
then argue that claim using reasons that are supported by evidence directly from the text. They
are also expected to acknowledge counterclaims that may refute their argument and the evidence
behind them in their response.
This task relates to the instructional objective listed above because students will be
developing a claim based on their opinion on a given prompt, they will be drawing evidence
from the text that will be reasoning behind their claim, and they will be expanding on this text in
their own words, explaining the significance of the evidence and indirectly explaining why they
chose it.
The Task:
The task is an argumentative writing response based on a play called The Wave
that my students read in their Holocaust unit. The play relates the story of a teacher who decides
to perform an activity with his students that is supposed to teach them about discipline and the
suppression of individuality that took place in Germany during WWI. They formed a group
reminiscent of the Nazi Youth, which unintentionally spread like wildfire throughout the school
and proceeded to cause serious problems for all. The task is to be completed once they have
finished the play, and will recall the argumentative writing that they worked with extensively in
the first quarter. They will first be given the prompt Do you think that the activity that Mr. Ross
implemented in the school was beneficial to the students? Why or why not? Use evidence from
the text to support your answer. Students will then decide whether they believe that the activity
was beneficial or not for the students in the play. Once they have picked a side of the argument,
they will form their claim, in which they will state their opinion and the reasons behind it. They
will then present their reasons individually, providing evidence that they gathered directly from
the play. Once they have discussed each reason and expanded on their chosen quotes in their
own words, they will present a counterclaim which will also be supported by textual evidence.
This counterclaim should then be refuted by the student as they return to their original claim. At
the end of their response, students should then add a concluding statement that summarizes their
argument, reiterating the reasons behind it and effectively bringing it to a close.
What the Students Will Receive:
The Wave Text-Based Writing Response
Do you think that the activity that Mr. Ross implemented in the school was
beneficial to the students? Why or why not? Use evidence from the text to
support your answer.
Time Expectancy:
This task should take students anywhere from thirty to forty-five minutes. Should they
not complete it within the class period, they will be allowed to take it home and finish it for
homework.
Grading/Rubric:
Students will be graded using a rubric that the school adopted from the Delaware
Department of Education This rubric scores on reading/research, development, organization, and
language/conventions. In the reading/research category, students will be evaluated on their use of
available resources, the use of evidence to support their opinions, and the credibility of their
sources. In the development category, students will be assessed on how they address each aspect
of the task, the focus of their response, establishing the significance of their claim,
acknowledging any existing counterclaims, and how skillfully theu suppost their claims with the
textual evidence. In the organization category, students will be assessed on how effectively they
introduce their claim, how they organize reasons and evidence, how effectively they use words
and phrases to create cohesion and to clarify relationships, and how effective their concluding
statement supports the argument presented.Finally, in the language/conventions category,
students will be assessed on their command of standard English conventions, how skillfully they
employ language and tone that is appropriate to the audience and purpose, the construction of
their sentences, and the format of their citations.
Appendix O:
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
State Standards:
GLEs/GSEs
National Content
Standards:
11th Grade/English
Chapter 8/The holocaust of The Great Gatsby
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain
how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over
the course of the text.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a
text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings;
analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a key term
or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines
faction in Federalist No. 10).
Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in
different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as
in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
This lesson will be implemented on Thursday, April 30th, 2015 in a
Context of the
junior level English class during the last period of the day. It comes
Lesson
towards the end of a unit on The Great Gatsby, right after students
fit in the curriculum and read Chapter 8, and its purpose is to both discuss the plot, character,
instructional context? Is and theme development that took place in Chapter 8 as well as to
engage students in unpacking word meaning in relation to the
action of the story and what has taken place.
Opportunities to
There are a variety of different learners in my classroom, and I will
Learn
accommodate for them by implementing a number of different
instructional strategies. For Visual learners, I will be putting up a
slide which displays the quote from which the vocabulary word that
Learners and
they are studying was taken. Auditory learners will benefit from my
Environments
reading said quote aloud, as well as the classroom discussion that
will be fueled by their research, and Tactile learners will be able to
actively engage with the lesson during the research component.
Students who have handwriting that is difficult to read have been
told that they may be able to type the assignment instead of
handwriting it.
Objectives
Three parts: verb,

-Chromebook cart
-Vocabulary Study worksheet
-PowerPoint/TV projector
-Ch. 8 Note sheet
Students will be able to summarize the key events of their assigned
reading from F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby.
Students will be able to define the word holocaust and determine
its origin.
Students will be able to explain who John Milton is and how he has
utilized the word holocaust.
Students will be able to integrate the knowledge obtained using
internet research in an oral discussion about their assigned reading
from The Great Gatsby.
Opening:
To open this lesson, I will first ask students to recap what happened
during the 8th chapter of The Great Gatsby, as they were assigned
Instructional
Procedures
to read it and complete the accompanying note sheet for homework.

This conversation will lead us into the main topic of the lesson,
which is a focus on the meaning of the last sentence of the chapter.
Once we have gone over what has happened, something I like to do
to make sure they are all on the same page, students will complete a
Do Now response that asks them Whats the first thing that comes
to your mind when you think of the word holocaust? Im
expecting a lot of responses related to the Holocaust of the 1940s,
though it had not yet occurred at the time the book was published.
From there, I will ask students to answer three research based
questions about the word holocaust using their Chromebooks.
Engagement:
Students will go up to the Chromebook cart to get a computer and
will then proceed to research the answers to the following
questions:
What is the dictionary definition of the word holocaust?
What is the origin of the word holocaust?
Who is John Milton? How did he use the word holocaust?
When they have concluded their research, they will be asked to put
their Chromebooks away and begin thinking about the discussion
questions at the bottom of the worksheet. When most of the class
has finished, I will go over the research questions with them,
facilitating a whole-group discussion. When we have reviewed
these questions, we will move on to the discussion questions which
were designed to bring their research back to the novel.
Closure:
Students will verbally respond to the following discussion
questions:
Referring to the way the word was originally used in the English
language, who are the sacrifices consumed by fire?
Who were they sacrificed to?
What is Nick indicating by saying that, the holocaust was
complete (162)?
These questions will allow students to utilize the information that
they have just obtained and connect it back to the text. I will
elaborate where I need to in order to make the connection between
the meaning of the word holocaust and the action of the novel
clear. Once I am confident that they understand, I will collect their
work and assign Chapter 9.
Assessment
Reflections
This section to be
Students will be assessed on a 20-point scale based on the

completion of their work. If a question on their worksheet is
incomplete or missing, a point will be removed. Students will only
receive a 0 if they have neglected to complete the assignment.

Overall, this lesson did not go exactly as I had planned, but it
turned out well regardless. For this class, I had queued up the
Gatsby movie to the death scene just in case I needed it because this
particular period does not like to read for homework. Like I had
anticipated, most had not read Chapter 8 and I had to supplement
the plot development that they were missing with a movie clip.
Once they were all on the same page, the lesson went smoothly.
They were respectful with the Chromebooks, only using them for
research purposes, and they found the correct information that I had
wanted them to find. Our discussion was knowledgeable and
informative and I feel as if they walked away with a better
understanding and appreciation of Fitzgeralds word choice. If I
were to do this lesson again, I would go a bit deeper into the fire
symbolism and try to decipher with them what that fire could have
been in the novel. I would also fix my worksheet, because a lack of

Name line required me to guess as to whose paper was whose in
the other period. I think I would try to explain the holy trinity
symbol a little more in depth as well, though it may take too long
and is not that pressing of an issue with the text.
Reflection:
I believe that this task is fair for diverse learners because it may be modified easily to
meet their needs. For learners who learn with differing learning styles, the task may be presented
in multiple ways. The assignment may be projected or written on the board so that students may
read it, which is beneficial to visual learners, and the directions may additionally be read out
loud, which is beneficial to auditory learners. The only learning style group that is difficult to
incorporate is the tactile learners. I have to question whether or not a handout would solve this
problem, though it seems as though that would be a strategy which is more beneficial to visual
learners. As for socioeconomic status, this task is fair, as the use of outside materials, such as a
computer to type the response, was not required. If the use of a computer to was made necessary,
the task may be unfair to some, as not every student has a computer at home due to financial
reasons. As for the geographic location of these students, this task is fair as it is left fairly open to
interpretation. It is not targeted towards a certain group of students that are from a specific area,
and opposing opinions are encouraged. As long as a response has evidence directly from the text
to support it, it cannot be wrong. If a students location had an impact on the argument that they
chose to support or the reasons that they choose, it is not a detriment to them as the text offers
evidence for both sides. This assessment could be improved by finding a way to more fully
incorporate tactile learners and by having a more defined time frame, though the latter is
impossible to really determine in the classroom. Its never certain how long students will actually
take once their given an assignment.
Appendix P:
Brianna Resto
Kathleen Davis
ENG 432
9 December 2013
A Not-So-Brief History of the English Dictionary
Dictionaries are vastly useful tools not only to the English majors of the word, but to any
individual seeking the proper use of a language. They have been around as long as the human
race has been making attempts to standardize the use of language. The first known dictionaries
date all the way back to 2300 BCE and are simply lists of commonly used words on tablets.
They have certainly come a long way, considering the dictionaries being published today.
English dictionaries in particular have a long and comprehensive history that continues to expand
to this very day.
However, before English dictionaries could even exist, they needed a name. In the year
1220, John Garland coined the word dictionary itself in the title of his text Dictionarius.
Garland was born in England, but went to France to study when he was young. As many
lexicographers had done, he became a teacher, and was chosen to be Master of Grammar at the
new university in Toulouse in 1229. Eventually, supposedly in 1232, he returned to Paris where
he later died, which theoretically occurred in 1272.
Clearly, not much is known about Garland, but Dictionarius provides readers with some
clues. It is estimated that he was around the age of twenty-five when he wrote the text, and its
content gives scholars hints as to his character. Of Garland, Barbara Blatt Rubin relates, He was
an observant man, curious and well informed about many subjects. That much of the information
he presents now seems quaint, mere superstition or ignorance is the fault of the age, not John.
His ideas of anatomy and physiology are those of his own time; he errs with all the learned men
of the 13th century, (Rubin, 4). The fact that he may not have discussed information that would
be found groundbreaking today is more to do with Garlands time and not with his own
understanding of the world. Rubin goes on to observe,
His interest in botany and zoology is evident. Very obviously he is interested in money
and how it is acquired. And the long passage on weapons and siege engines that ends
with the unfulfilled promise of another chapter on the subject, gives an indication of
interest in martial as well as spiritual mattersIndeed, the Dictionarius introduces a
many-sided young man (Rubin, 4).
John Garland was clearly a highly educated many and had a countless number of interests that he
addresses within the pages of his dictionary.
In Garlands time, Latin was the language spoken in schools. Due to this, Dictionarius
was written with the intention of helping students acquire a command of Latin needed in
everyday speech. Barbara Blatt Rubin describes,
The method used by this medieval teacher is to take the reader on a leisurely walk
through Paris as it was in the second decade of the 13th century. He describes the booths
of the tradesmen, the hawkers, the merchants, the wares offered, the craftsmen, the foods
and some of the temptations everywhere ready to beguile young clerks. The book is as
jumbled and unplanned as the crowded, busting Paris he walked through, but the methods
of a real teacher are obvious, (Rubin, 1).
Though it bears, as well as creates, the name, it is not formatted in the same way as the
dictionaries that are published today.
It was not until 1592 that Richard Mulcaster compiled the first dictionary that was
recognized as such. Mulcaster attended Eaton School and then received his higher education at
Kings College in Cambridge. He became headmaster of two different schools in England,
utilizing unconventional methods of teaching.
His sound system of education included music, drawing and playing, and he demanded
that as much care should be exercised on the physical development of children as on their
studies; accordingly, the mental training of bodily weak boys was to begin much later
than that of entirely healthy ones. Girls were to receive a high degree of scholastic
education, including foreign tongues and "sonme" rhetoric and logic. Above all, a
thorough elementary instructioni must precede the higher studies, and the Universities
ought to become seminla- ries of thorough grammar teachers (Wiener, 131).
He introduced music, physical education, and drama in to classroom, as he believed them to be
as important as reading or writing. Mulcaster also believed in rights for girls to receive an
education. His departure from the norm in education also trickles down into the way that he
views the English language.
Mulcaster disliked the fact that English was not included in the curriculum of most
schools during the sixteenth century. The language was not considered for literary purposes
when compared to other foreign languages such as French, Spanish and Latin. It just did not
possess the prestige that they had, even though it was the English peoples mother tongue. Due
to this, there was no guide to inform the general public of its rules of grammar and spelling.
There was but one man in all those days of apathy for the mother-tongue who loved its past, did
not despair for the present, and predicted for it a glorious future, a man who indicated the road
on which it must travel towards its destiny, and who himself took the initiative in improving it.
That man was Richard Mulcaster, (Wiener, 131). Richard Mulcaster did not approve of the lack
of appreciation for the English language, and so he set out to rectify the situation. He created
Elementarie in an attempt to bring some respect and standardization to the language.
Before Mulcaster, there had never been an attempt made to make the English language
accessible to more individuals. He was not blind to the imperfections of the language and
admitted its uncouth condition and lack of cunning, but he believed these to be mere
accidents of the time which could be easily overcome, (Wiener 133). He knew what he was
getting into before he embarked on this mission, he knew that English was not without its faults,
but even so he thought the language to be worth the difficulty. Though it was considered to be
the first English dictionary, the term is used loosely as Elementarie contained no definitions. It
was a non-comprehensive compilation of eight-thousand English words, some of which are still
in use today, and was more concerned the spelling of these words rather than what they meant.
This text was an attempt by Mulcaster to organize the English language, to standardize it, so that
someday scholars might recognize the greatness in it.
The first purely English dictionary was created by Robert Cawdrey in 1604 and was titled
A Table Alphabeticall. Not much is known about Cawdrey; it is understood that he was a
schoolmaster, even without having attended college, and later, he was ordained as a deacon.
Eventually, he was made rector of South Luffenham. Unfortunately, Cawdreys sympathy
towards Puritan teachings got him in trouble with the church and cost him his rectory. He
returned to teaching once his stint in the church was over.
Cawdreys A Table Alphabeticall, as he tells us, was meant for a female audience, and
was written to cater more to the literary needs of women than of men. A Table Alphabeticall,
declares on the title page of its first edition in 1604 that it has been gathered for the benefit &
helpe of Ladies, Gentle- women, or any other unskilfull persons. Whereby they may the more
easilie and better understand many hard English wordes, which they shall heare or read in
Scriptures, Sermons, or elsewhere, and also be made able to use the same aptly themselves,
(Brown, 134). As he wanted to also reach any unskilfull persons, readers can infer that
Cawdrey was promoting the spread of knowledge, not only to women, but also to the general
population that has received minimal education. With this goal in mind, his dictionary contained
more difficult or unfamiliar words that would be used in everyday speech by the more educated
individuals. The main source of Cawdrey's dictionary is therefore to be found, I believe, in
pedagogical works and school- books,5 many of which contained lists of words to be studied for
spelling, pronunciation, syllabication, etc. The addition of definitions to such lists was a natural
step, (Noyes, 601). Using his background in teaching, he turned to books and took the words
found in these texts that were already considered to be worth knowing and added his own
definitions to them. He did this in the hopes that uneducated individuals would benefit from
knowing what these words actually meant and then be able to use them more readily in everyday
conversation. Still, because it addressed only a certain set of words, this dictionary was not as
reliable as the ones around today.
However, Samuel Johnsons A Dictionary of the English Language was the first truly
reliable English dictionary. Johnson was born in Lichfield, Stafforshire in 1709, and he was a
devout Anglican and a committed Tory. Samuel Johnson (1709-84) was in many ways the 18thcentury Englishman writ large - gruff but good hearted, independent, honest, deeply traditional
and conservative in his values but bold in defending them, full of practical wisdom and good
sense. Above all, though, he was a man of letters, (Lipking, 140). He was an educated man
with a good character. Johnson possessed a number of talents in the literary arts, and he certainly
did not confine himself to one field of interest or to one literary form but took all writing as his
province, (Lipking, 140). Not only was he perhaps the most influential lexicographer, but he
was also an accomplished poet, literary critic, moralist, essayist, biographer, and editor. To
many readers, then as now, what mattered most about Johnson was what he had told them about
how to live. He was a sage, and adviser, a moralist whose mind was free from cant, a great man
who cared about the daily problems of common people, (Lipking, 143). In his writings, he
related to readers the importance of life and how to lead a full one. He cared about the people he
was writing for, and therefore they cared about him; he was a most beloved writer to the readers
of that time.
While making his own leaps and bounds in the lexicographic world, Johnson still
believed in acknowledging others work. Samuel Johnson, whose dictionary certainly
dominated lexicography in the second half of the century, recom-mended the usage of earlier
generations as a model, in preference to current usage, (McIntosh, 3). He is giving credit where
credit is due and prefers to build off of the effort of his predecessors. No one could write a
dictionary without leaning upon his forerunners; indeed, it would be silly to attempt it, for once a
good definition has been framed there is no way to improve it, (Noyes, 599). In creating his
own dictionary, Johnson does not start from scratch. He merely perfects the format, making it a
useful tool for many, not just the poorly educated. He highlighted this intention to draw
information from previous efforts in his Plan of a Dictionary of the English Language. Though
he did not start from scratch, Johnsons work is still considered a monumental feat in the literary
world.
It took Johnson eight years to compile A Dictionary of the English Language by himself,
significantly longer than he had originally anticipated. The text contains over forty-thousand
words, which were each defined in detail. In addition to a definition, each word was
accompanied by a literary quotation which illustrates its meaning in a different way. Johnson
most frequently quoted Dryden, Milton, and Shakespeare. Johnson also utilized other additives
that set his work aside from the rest. Not only did he define a word, but also discussed the usage
of the word, so as to make it easier to incorporate into speech or writing. He also adds elements
of humor and prejudice into his definitions that make them all the more appealing to readers.
While he comes off as whimsical in the wording of his entries, Johnson was nothing but
meticulous while working on compiling this dictionary. Some words have numerous definitions
along with illustrations, quotes, and note on meaning. When it was completed, the dictionary
was so massive that it was necessary for it to be printed in four volumes. Johnsons dictionary
was considered to be the authority on the English language until 1884 when the Oxford English
Dictionary, the OED, began making its appearance.
The production of a dictionary as massive as the OED did not happen overnight. In 1857,
the Philological Society of London decided that the existing English dictionaries were unsuitable
for use and called for a reexamination of the language. Though the declaration for change had
been made, the actual process did not begin until many years later. An agreement was finally
made with Oxford University Press and James A. H. Murray, the man chosen to be editor of the
dictionary, in 1879 and work finally began on the text. The new dictionary was planned as a
four-volume, 6,400-page work that would include all English language vocabulary from the
Early Middle English period (1150 AD) onward, plus some earlier words if they had continued
to be used into Middle English, (OED). The total time estimated that they would need to
complete the project was quoted to be ten years. Though progress was being made, they soon
realized that they had possibly bitten off more than they could chew. Once five years had passed
and they had only reached the word ant, the Oxford University Press and Murray decided that
they would need to reconsider their timeline.
In 1884, while the OED was in the process of being compiled, short fascicles of the text
were beginning to be released. These small parts were not being printed under the OED name,
but instead were known as part of a dictionary titled A New English Dictionary on Historical
Principles. Once they began publishing these fascicles, Murray and his team understood that this
dictionary would need to be much more comprehensive than previously imagined. It took forty
years for their work to be accomplished; in 1928, the tenth and final volume of the ten-volume
dictionary was completed. The final product contained over a whopping four-hundred thousand
words and phrases. Unfortunately, Murray did not get to see the culmination of his work as he
died in 1915.
Though the last volume was published, the dictionary was still not really finished. As
language is always evolving, it was necessary to begin updating it as soon as it was released, a
task on which the two remaining editors took. A Supplement to the dictionary was published in
1933, as well as a twelve volume reprint of the original work bearing the new name: the Oxford
English Dictionary. In 195, Robert Burchfield became editor for a new Supplement that would
replace the old volume and include much new information on the language obtained in the
intervening years, (OED). This new, longer Supplement was published in four volumes
spanning between 1972 and 1986.
As language evolves, so does our communication and technology. In 1982, Oxford
University Press began debating how to update the dictionary so that it was in sync with the
modern age. Bespoke computer systems were built for both pre-processing the text and editing
it in electronic form; text was marked up in the (then) novel SGML encoding scheme; the pages
of the old edition and the Supplement were typed again by 120 keyboarders; and more than 50
proofreaders checked the results of their work, (History of the OED).They decided that the
methods of compiling entries would have to be updated, and that source material should be
transferred to an electronic medium. In 1989 this second edition of the Supplement was
published with nearly eighty-five percent of the updating being completed by software. In 1992
the Oxford English Dictionary again made history when a CD-ROM edition of the work was
published. Suddenly a massive, twenty-volume work that takes up four feet of shelf space and
weighs 150 pounds is reduced to a slim, shiny disk that takes up virtually no space and weighs
just a few ounces, (History of the OED). The invention of the CD-ROM made the OED even
more accessible than it once was. It was suddenly lightweight, portable, and offered faster
referencing. An individual may now look into a words origins or quotations in a matter of
seconds. This format attracted various types of readers, not only the scholarly community. In
the year 2000, an even bigger feat was accomplished when the Oxford English Dictionary
became available as an online publication, which made it readily available at the fingertips of
millions of browsers. As of late, the entire OED is undergoing a massive update, the first since
Murray and his team completed it.
English dictionaries have an exceedingly vast history that begins with John Garland in
1220, but is still being written today with the further publication of the Oxford English
Dictionary. There have been a number of forms, types, and purposes for these dictionaries, but
they all contribute something to the world of literary practices over the years. Without them, the
English language may not be what it is today. The future of English dictionaries is not certain,
for language is always changing, but it will certainly be bright, adj. and n. 1. Shining; emitting,
reflecting, or pervaded by much light, (Oxford English Dictionary).
Works Cited
Brown, Sylvia. "Women and the Godly Art of Rhetoric: Robert Cawdrey's Puritan
Dictionary." SEL Studies in English Literature 1500-1900 41.1 (2001): 133-48. Print.
Garlande, John De. "The Dictionarius of John De Garlande." Trans. Barbara B. Rubin.
Coronado Press (1981): 1-50. Web.
"History of the OED." Oxford English Dictionary. N.p., 2013. Web. 12 Dec. 2013.
Lipking, Lawrence. "The Death and Life of Samuel Johnson." The Wilson Quarterly 8
(1984): 140-51. Print.
McIntosh, Carey. "Eighteenth-Century English Dictionaries and the Enlightenment." The
Yearbook of English Studies 28 (1998): 3-18. Print.
Noyes, Gertrude. "The English Dictionary from Cawdrey to Johnson 1604-1755." The
William and Mary Quarterly 3 (1946): 597-99. Print.
Noyes, Gertrude. "The First English Dictionary, Cawdrey's Table Alphabeticall." Modern
Language Notes 58 (1943): 600-05. Print.
Oxford English Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2013.
Wiener, Leo. "Richard Mulcaster, An Elizabethan Philologist." Modern Language Notes
12 (1897): 65-70. Print
Appendix Q:
Article used in the Ancient Greek Language Lesson:
Appendix R:
Brianna Resto
ENG 396
Professor Rojas
10 April 2014
You Know Nothing
Nature is a mystery to man. Attempts have been made at unraveling its secrets, some of
which have been successful while other phenomena go unexplained. Man, being man, wants
what it cannot have, and so it grasps at these explanations anyway. Mankind seeks to acquire all
of the knowledge that it is able to obtain. Is this in vain? Can it ever really understand the
mysteries of the universe? Henry David Thoreaus Walking examines the search itself for such
knowledge and its implications through a transcendentalist lens, while Walt Whitmans As I
Ebbd with the Ocean of Life and Emily Dickinsons I started Early-Took my Dog exemplify
this pursuit by exploring the use of personification to build a connection with the ocean and
understand its character.
Thoreaus Walking leaves little to the readers imagination, as it recounts just what one
would believe it would: a series of walks around his neighborhood. As he relates some of the
walks that he has undertaken, Thoreau begins to discuss why walks are taken by man in the first
place. He states, I wish to speak a word for Nature, for absolute freedom and wildness, as
contrasted with a freedom and culture merely civil-to regard man as an inhabitant, or a part and
parcel of Nature, rather than a member of society, (Thoreau, 1). He goes on to later reveal,
My desire for knowledge is intermittent, but my desire to bathe my head in atmospheres
unknown to my feet is perennial and constant, (Thoreau, 17). Describing the relationship
between man and nature in this way, Thoreau is drawing upon transcendentalist beliefs to
explain why individuals gain enjoyment from walking.
Transcendentalists believe that in order to obtain ultimate knowledge about the universe
and the higher power, one needs to stop seeking it and let nature answer any questions about its
own existence. Ralph Waldo Emerson explains in Nature, In like manner, nature is already, in
its forms and tendencies, describing its own design, (125). It should be left alone to run its own
course and mankind should just sit back and observe, collecting knowledge as it watches.
Thoreau deliberates the knowledge of man stating,
A mans ignorance sometimes is not only useful, but beautiful-while his knowledge, so
called, is oftentimes worse than useless, besides being ugly. Which is the best man to
deal with-he who knows nothing about a subject, and, what is extremely rare, knows that
he knows nothing, or he who really knows something about it, but thinks that he knows
all? (Thoreau, 17).
He goes on to claim,
I do not know that this higher knowledge amounts to anything more definite than a novel
and grand surprise on a sudden revelation of the insufficiency of all that we called
Knowledge before-a discovery that there are more things in heaven and earth than are
dreamed of in our philosophy. It is the lighting up of the mist by the sun. Man cannot
know any higher sense than this, any more than he can look serenely and with impunity
in the face of the sun (Thoreau, 17).
He is arguing that mans knowledge is useless, and that one who knows nothing is better than
one who knows anything. Thoreau asserts that no one may claim to know more than nature
allows them to know. This is why a connection with nature is sought out, because all of the
useful knowledge that any individual may hope to gain comes from interactions with it. This is
why he walks, and this is why man is lured to the outdoors.
Walt Whitman can attest to this, as his poem As I Eddd with the Ocean of Life
narrates the tale of a self-inspired protagonist who is drawn to the shores of Paumanok and
realizes that he knows nothing at all. He admits, I perceive I have not really understood any
thing, not a single/object, and that no man ever can, /Nature here in sight of the sea taking
advantage of me to dart/upon me and sting me, /Because I have dared to open my mouth to sing
at all, (Whitman, 247). Nature, in this instance the sea, is punishing the protagonist of the
poem for ever assuming that he ever understood it at all. Though this is the case, he does not
cease his quest for understanding about the sea. In order to make it easier to fathom the inner
workings of the watery depths, Whitman attempts to make them more familiar to readers by
implementing personification. The narrator reports, As I walkd where the ripples continually
wash you/Paumanok,/Where they rustle up hoarse and sibilant,/Where the fierce old mother
endlessly cries for her/castaways, (Whitman, 246). He continues the image of the crying mother
further on in the poem, stating, Cease not your moaning you fierce old mother, (Whitman,
248). Whitman depicts the sea as a mother crying for her lost children, beseeching them to
return. As it is described as a fierce mother, one may attribute it with traits such as
overbearing, protective, and strong. In addition to the mother figure, Whitman also eludes to the
ocean as a father figure. The narrator implores, Kiss me my father,/Touch me with your lips as I
touch those I love,/Breathe to me while I hold you close the secret of the/murmuring envy,
(Whitman, 248). This figure is guiding and well-informed, as it possesses a secret that the
protagonist desires. It can be discerned from the context of the poem and its relation to
Thoreaus transcendental musings that the secret is that of nature. He is urging the ocean to
reveal it to him so that he may understand, but it will not give up its knowledge so easily.
Emily Dickinsons I started Early-Took my Dog employs a similar use of
personification, but proves to be more general than Whitmans. This may be a result of her lack
of actual experience with the ocean due to her status as a recluse. She states, But no Man moved
Me-till the Tide/Went past my simple Shoe-/And past my Apron-and my Belt/And past my
Boddice-too-/And made as He would eat me up-/As wholly as a Dew (Dickinson, 1). As
opposed to a father, the tide is described as a generalized male figure, one that appears to be
attempting to consume the protagonist of the poem. She goes on to illustrate, And He-He
followed-close behind-/I felt His Silver Heel/Opon my Ancle (Dickinson, 1). The figurative
man is pursuing her, nipping at her ankles and filling her shoes, slowing her down. Finally, she
declares, Until We met the Solid Town-/No One He seemed to know-/And bowing-with a
Mighty look-/At me-The Sea withdrew... (Dickinson, 1). It is only when she comes upon the
town, where the rest of the people dwell, does the sea retreat. Alluding to it as a person may have
been necessary in order for Dickinson to write about the ocean, as she had never seen it herself.
Her knowledge was limited to all that she could gain from literature. She had to find a way to put
nature into terms that she could relate believably to readers, and so she used her experiences with
human behavior to create the character of the tide.
Nature has eluded even the brightest minds of mankind, and according to the
transcendentalists like Thoreau, it should stay that way. Even so, an understanding of nature is
still desired. Poets like Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman attempt to uncover it by
personifying aspects of nature into terms that readers can understand and identify with. Though
pieces like this exist, as well as scientific works that explain a great deal of the more complex
aspects of nature, man has barely begun to scratch the surface of its mysteries. Is society too far
removed from the simplicity of enjoying nature for what it is to admit that we really know
nothing in order to learn everything?
Works Cited
Dickinson, Emily, and Ralph William Franklin. "I Started Early-Took My Dog." The Poems of
Emily Dickinson. Cambridge (Mass.): Belknap of Harvard UP, 2005. Print.
Thoreau, Henry David. Walking. Dallas: Heritage, 1989. The Atlantic. 31 Jan. 2014. Web. 10
Apr. 2014.
Whitman, Walt. "As I Ebb'd with the Ocean of Life." Leaves of Grass. Print.
Appendix S:
Brianna Resto
ENG 432
Test #3
3 December, 2013
Take Home Test #3
1. Chapter 5 of American English discusses four types of grammar: Prescriptive,
Descriptive, Mental, and Generative. Describe these four types, and discuss the
relationships between them. Your book does not go into detail about these relationships,
but it gives you the material you need to think about and analyze them.
It is widely accepted that we are born with and maintain an instinctive mental
grammar, which is an inherent knowledge about the rules of a language. This type of
grammar is what allows children to learn their native languages in a few years without
any formal guidance; it is the foundation upon which we all start learning how to speak.
Without it, language acquisition would be a much more trying process. According to
American English, these rules concern the structures and combinations of sounds,
words, and sentences, as well as their assigned meanings, (pg. 84). In order to describe
how mental grammar works, linguists hypothesized generative grammar, which
according to American English, is a small set of rules that could theoretically generate
an infinite number of grammatical sentences, (98). This set of grammar rules goes hand
in hand with mental grammar. The main idea of generative grammar is that mental
grammar can be separated into two different sets of rules: phrase structure rules and
transformation rules. With these two rules, an individual may make every possible
sentence in their language.
Once an individual enters school, they build upon mental grammar by learning
prescriptive grammar. The rules of prescriptive grammar are the language rules that are
learned in schools. These rules usually represent a language required in schools and the
government and are intended to help users of the language advance their use of it.
Prescriptive grammar is considered to be proper grammar, so if an individual possessed
mental grammar but not prescriptive, they would be able to speak in a way that others
would understand, but it would not be in a way that the majority would say was proper.
Unlike prescriptive grammar, descriptive grammar describes the structures of a
language, which allows it to be studied. Descriptive linguists believe that individuals
should study English as it is being used, not how it should be being used as prescriptive
linguists believe. Describing the structures of a language instead of prescribing them
permits linguists to be more objective than subjective when analyzing the use of said
language.
2. Chapter 6 of American English addresses the phonology of American English, and details
the particular ways that individual phonemes are pronounced. You have learned from
many chapters weve read that there is a strong connection between language and
community. Read the famous biblical story of The Shibboleth below (The Book of
Judges 12: 1-6). Then explain what is happening in the story, both in terms of phonemic
difference (including the points of articulation see page 109; you will also need to
reference page 106), and in terms of language community and power.
1 The men of Ephraim called out their forces, crossed over to Zaphon and said to
Jephthah, "Why did you go to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with
you? We're going to burn down your house over your head." 2 Jephthah answered, "I
and my people were engaged in a great struggle with the Ammonites, and although I
called, you didn't save me out of their hands. 3 When I saw that you wouldn't help, I
took my life in my hands and crossed over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD
gave me the victory over them. Now why have you come up today to fight me?" 4
Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. The
Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, "You Gileadites are
renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh." 5 The Gileadites captured the fords of the
Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a survivor of Ephraim said, "Let me cross
over," the men of Gilead asked him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he replied, "No," 6
they said, "All right, say 'Shibboleth.' If he said, "Sibboleth," because he could not
pronounce the word correctly, they seized him and killed him at the fords of the
Jordan. Forty-two thousand Ephraimites were killed at that time.
There is a lot going on in this story phonetically. The phonetic difference
between how the Gileadites and the Ephraimites pronounce the word Shibboleth
has become a matter of life and death. Ephraimites are apparently unable to
pronounce the sh sound, and pronounce the word without the h. Their place of
articulation must be alveolar, while the Gileadites place of articulation must be the
alveolo-palatal, though they are both unvoiced fricative in manner.
The Gileadites have created their own language community, as they are a
group of language users who share the use of a specific language adapted to fill their
needs, and the Ephraimites are being identified as another. The Gileadites are also
claiming their language to be the privileged language. This is shown in the fact that
they are being given the privilege of being able to kill the Ephraimites for not being
able to pronounce a word the same way that they do; their language is the dominant
language in this situation and they use it to exercise great power over the
Ephraimites.
3. Using the resources of American English chapter 8 and relevant sections of chapter
9, discuss the use of accent and dialect in one of the following movies (you can use
more scenes than shown below if you want):
Snatch (with Brad Pitt)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGDO-9hfaiI
In this clip from the movie Snatch, two accents and two different dialects are
being depicted with the dialogue. The accent being spoken with by the two men coming
from the car is British English. Speaking in this accent, they pronounce their vowels
differently than an American English speaker would, especially in words like dog,
you, and cant. They produce them in different areas of their mouths and so they
create different sounds. According to American English, this accent may indicate their
regional and social identity. In the clip, their accent is thick and sometimes a little
difficult to understand, which is usually indicative of an upbringing in a lower class
neighborhood. The dialect that they speak in may come from the lower London area, but
it may also have been picked up during relations with the criminals while fixing boxing
matches. Being in close contact with speakers of this dialect may have rubbed off on the
pair of them.
The Irish Gypsy, or pikey that the pair came looking for speaks with an
English/Irish accent. It happens to be tainted with some British English due to their
location in the countryside. The way he speaks is difficult to understand, as it is fast and
a muddled mixture of two different accents. The pikey is also hard to understand because
he tends to mumble frequently. Whether or not this is a result of his mixed dialect is not
clear. The other Irish Gypsies living in this compound speak with the same accent, and so
their language truly became a dialect as it is a variety of language spoken by people of a
particular region or social group that varies in systematic ways from other varieties of the
same language, (Amberg, 146).
Looking closer at the Irish Gypsy dialect, one must wonder how it formed. Since
dialects are regional, my best guess is that Irish individuals and English individuals
settled in this area together and, through prolonged language contact, their accents
eventually merged to form this new dialect.
4. What if the languages of the world were people whose goal is to survive and thrive?
Using the resources of chapter 9 in American English and chapters 13 and 14 in History
of Languages, think about the characteristics of individual languages, as well as group
dynamics, that would determine whether one survived or not. Have fun with this one!
Individual languages that flourish are fluid; they are always evolving and
adjusting with its speakers. They also have to have a name, because without a name, the
language does not have an identity, and without an identity the language does not exist.
There should also be rules for how to use and study the language, which cannot be easily
bent or broken. A survivor language should also be accessible to many different types
of people, because of this it should not only possesses characteristics of overt prestige,
but also covert prestige. It should contain slang that appeals to younger speakers, and
jargon to use within a particular field. A thriving language also needs to have speakers,
because without them there is no reason for a language to exist in the first place.
It is also helpful to a language to have a political base. For example, should a
language be declared a national language and be used in schools, the government, etc., it
will have a much more solid backing than one with no unified support. The predominant
language will always be in a much better position than a sparser language. Languages
also have a much better chance at survival if they are passed down through generations of
families. If the youth is not taught certain dying languages, how are they supposed to pass
them down themselves? They cannot.
Another factor involved in the survival of a language is isolation, especially if it is
a smaller language. If a group of speakers is in an area by themselves, there is no chance
for a contamination of their language. However, if they are placed in close vicinity with
another group of speakers, prolonged language contact may have an effect and create a
brand new language, which would be great, but not for the existence of the original
languages.
5. Identify the article you've chosen to read from the "Reading Options for test three" folder
in Sakai (there are two). Discuss two points you find interesting in the essay and how the
essay is relevant to our coursework.
I chose to read the article about Language and Diversity. One point that I thought
was interesting the fact that no one is actually monolingual, even if they do not know
how to speak a foreign language, because we know how to talk to a number of people in
varying situations. We know how to speak to coworkers, to family, to teachers, and we
know when to use these methods and when not to use them. According to the article, we
all have to have widely different registers, genres and style in our repetoires, because
social life is not unified, static, or homogeneous, (Blommaert, 6). Each one of us has a
host of languages that we use on a daily basis in their appropriate contexts.
Another point that I found interesting was that of all of the different speech
communities that we belong to. You can be in a speech community at home, with
friends, in your town, at your job, etc. You are always part of a community, no matter
where you are. Were not only part of these communities, but we also have jobs within
them. As the article puts it, we are old and expert members of our families but can be
young and apprentice members of professional communities, (Blommaert, 7).
This essay is relevant to our coursework because at the beginning of the semester
we learned about both using a language in certain contexts and being part of a language
community. This article reiterates these lessons in the scope of diversity by showing how
different all aspects of language can be and are.
6. Extra credit (one point each): transcribe the following into modern English spelling:
a. s - sang
b. ti - tea
c. aj - shy
d. md - mud
e. ilIn - elision
Appendix T:
Miss Resto
Dooley Middle School
Rm. 136
Burgundy Warriors
6th Grade English/Language Arts
Good Morning,
Welcome to my classroom and thank you for covering for me today! Below you will find
my schedule and an outline and worksheets for a short mini-lesson on descriptive language.
While writing, the majority of my students struggle when trying to select vivid words that will
give the reader a clear picture of what theyre describing, and as a result I have a hard time
picturing what should be strong, vibrant images that leap off of the page. This mini-lesson will
use Haiku poetry to give students the opportunity to play with descriptive language and
manipulate it in a way that enhances the readers image of what the writer is attempting to
portray.
Enjoy your day and happy teaching,
Miss Resto
P.S. If you need anything, Mrs. Jones across the hall will be happy to help!
Descriptive Language Mini-Lesson Outline

1. Take attendance
2. Hand out Descriptive Language Haikus worksheet
a. Attached is a teachers copy for you with guiding questions for a quick
discussion about Haikus, descriptive language, and an example Haiku that I
wrote, as well as a blank one for you to copy for the students (the copier is down
the hall in the teachers lounge Rm. 140).
3. Go over the definition and format of a Haiku, the definition of a syllable, and why
descriptive language is important to readers
a. This information can be found on the front of the worksheet so that you and the
students may refer to it at any time.
4. Introduce the activity
a. Students will be writing a Haiku about their favorite animal. They will not say
what the animal is in the Haiku, but instead will use descriptive language to
paint a detailed picture of this animal that will allow readers to guess what it is.
They are required to use a minimum of 2 vivid verbs, 1 noteworthy noun, and
2 admirable adjectives, and are allowed to use their Chromebooks to gather
ideas that will enhance their writing.
5. Go over my example with the students
a. On your copy of the worksheet I have written an example of the kind and quality
of Haiku that I am expecting them to write. My students produce their best work
when they are given a good model, so please make sure that you are reviewing
the format I used (5-7-5 syllable pattern), the content (have them guess which
animal I was writing about), and descriptive language that I included (I have
color coded the words).
6. Let them work independently to write their own Haikus
a. My students are a bit chatty; they like to share and talk about their work with
each other, so a dull murmur is normal and allowed in my classroom.
7. Ask students to share out
a. Let the students that would like to share read their Haikus to the class and ask
their peers to guess what animal they were writing about.
8. If there is still time left in class, have students draw pictures of the animals that they
wrote about on a separate piece of paper (there is some computer paper in my top
drawer)
9. Collect worksheets at the end of class
Name
Date
Descriptive Language Haikus

Adapted from www.kidzone.ws/poetry/haiku3.htm
What is a Haiku?
Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry. A Haiku poem is
usually about an aspect of nature and is made up of 3 lines.
There are always 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second line,
and 5 in the last line.
What is a syllable?
A syllable is a part of a word pronounced as a unit. It is usually
made up of a vowel alone or a vowel with one or more
consonants. The word syllable has three syllables: syl-la-ble
Here is a Haiku to help you remember its format:
I am first with five
Then seven in the middle
Five again to end
Why is descriptive language important for readers and how
does this relate to Haikus?
Descriptive language can greatly enhance the pictures that
individuals develop in their minds as they read, but if used
incorrectly or too sparsely, a reader may become confused or
bored. Descriptive language is especially important in Haikus
because of their rigid formatting and short length. The

effectiveness of a Haiku depends on this strong language to
create a vibrant image of its subject matter that will be
convincing to readers.
Activity:
Use descriptive language to write a Haiku about your favorite
animal. Dont tell the reader what your animal is, as the goal
of this activity is to see if they can guess it based on the mental
image that you have created. Can you convince your readers?
While writing use at least:
1 noteworthy noun (these nouns are important to recognize)
2 vivid verbs (these verbs are shocking instead of just
yelling youre screeching or shrieking)
& 2 admirable adjectives (these adjectives make you do a
double take - hot water is instead
scorching or blistering)
(5)
(7)
(5)
Teachers Copy
Descriptive Language Haikus
Adapted from www.kidzone.ws/poetry/haiku3.htm
Opening Question: Has you ever heard of a Haiku or written

one before?
What is a Haiku?
Haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry. A Haiku poem is
usually about an aspect of nature and is made up of 3 lines.
There are always 5 syllables in the first line, 7 in the second line,
and 5 in the last line.
Discussion Question: Do you know what a syllable is?
What is a syllable?
A syllable is a part of a word pronounced as a unit. It is usually
made up of a vowel alone or a vowel with one or more
consonants. The word syllable has three syllables: syl-la-ble
Here is a Haiku to help you remember its format:
I am first with five
Then seven in the middle
Five again to end
Discussion Question: What is descriptive language?
Why is descriptive language important for readers and how

does this relate to Haikus?
Descriptive language can greatly enhance the pictures that
individuals develop in their minds as they read, but if used
incorrectly or too sparsely, a reader may become confused or
bored. Descriptive language is especially important in Haikus
because of their rigid formatting and short length. The
effectiveness of a Haiku depends on this strong language to
create a vibrant image of its subject matter that will be
convincing to readers.
Activity:
Use descriptive language to write a Haiku about your favorite
animal. Dont tell the reader what your animal is, as the goal
of this activity is to see if they can guess it based on the mental
image that you have created. Can you convince your readers?
While writing use at least:
1 noteworthy noun (these nouns are important to recognize)
2 vivid verbs (these verbs are shocking instead of just
yelling youre screeching or shrieking)
& 2 admirable adjectives (these adjectives make you do a
double take - hot water is instead
scorching or blistering)
(5) Vast wings beat swiftly
(7) Gliding high in the expanse
(5) Flamboyant feathers
Animal: Parrot
Discussion Question: Could you see the parrot in your mind
before I told you what Miss Resto had written about?
Appendix U:
Name
This entire paragraph is one giant run-on sentence. As you read, separate out the
complete sentences with a slash mark ( / ). When you have finished, rewrite the
paragraph correctly using complete sentences.
Run-on sentences are sentences that contain two or more sentences joined
together without punctuation just because a sentence is long does not mean
that it is a run-on sentence each part of a run-on sentence should be able to
stand on its own run-on sentences make it hard for readers to understand
what the writer is writing about you should reread everything that you write
to make sure that you are not using run-on sentences.
Appendix V:
Grade/Content
Area
Lesson Title
6th Grade/Academic Strategies (ELA)
Trivia Review
L.6.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general
State Standards:
GLEs/GSEs
academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather
vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase
National Content
Standards:
important to comprehension or expression.
SL.6.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with
diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building
on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
This lesson will be implemented on Thursday, March 12th in
Context of the
an Academic Strategies (ELA) class during the second period
Lesson
of the day. Students have just finished a three-day mini unit
fit in the curriculum and on three different sets of homophones, There/Their/Theyre,
instructional context? Is Too/To/Two, and Your/Youre. With the PARCC exam
quickly approaching, instead of starting something new, I
wanted to review a lot of the basic skills that students have
gained throughout the year thus far.
Opportunities to
The strategies that I utilize throughout my lesson will account
Learn
for the different learners in the room. Visual learners will
benefit from the quiz questions being made readily available
to them at their level on their Chromebooks, as well as the
Learners and
fact that the trivia questions contain visuals that help to
Environments
enhance the content. Tactile learners will appreciate the fact
that they will be using their Chromebooks to answer the trivia
questions and Auditory learners will benefit from the fact that
I will be reading each question and its respective answers out
loud before they answer them. Auditory learners will also
thrive on the conversations that they will be having between
themselves and their group members while working out the
answer to each question.
If a student does not feel comfortable working with others or
is misbehaving and disrupting the class, they will be asked to
leave the group and work on the PARCC practice test
independently. If students are having a difficult time
answering the questions, we will switch to whole group and
complete the rest of the review together.
Objectives
Three parts: verb,
Instructional
Procedures
- Chromebooks
- Nearpod.com
- Trivia prizes
Students will be able to define 6 grade appropriate vocabulary
words and phrases.
Students will apply a general knowledge of proper
punctuation in answering 6 questions.
Students will apply a general knowledge of proper grammar
in answering 8 questions.
Opening:
Before I start this lesson, I will tell students that we will be
competing in a trivia game on their Chromebooks. I will then
explain that it is good to review what they already know and
how well they can implement certain skills, especially with
PARCC right around the corner. Once they know why we are
completing this lesson, I will direct them to the Nearpod
website where the presentation for the game is located, and
once each group is connected and all on the same page, we
will begin the lesson.
Engagement:
During this lesson, it is my job to facilitate the trivia game,
because whats on their screens does not advance unless mine
moves forward. As we go through each question, I will be
reading them out loud as well as all of their options for
answers. They will converse in groups and decide amongst
themselves which they believe to be correct. Once they have
decided, they will select their answer on their Chromebooks
which will then be sent to me via a data page for each
question. After the correct answer has been revealed, I will
answer any questions that they may have regarding why that
specific answer was correct and why theirs was wrong. I will
also be keeping score on the board in order to indicate who
the winning team is at the end of the period.
Assessment
Closure:
After the winning group has been announced and collected
their prizes, I will review any questions that gave the majority
of the class any difficulty and then ask students if they have
any further questions about any of the concepts or skills
reviewed during the game. If they do, I will be sure to answer
them to the best of my abilities.
Students will be assessed informally during this lesson. I will
be recording which groups arrived at the correct answer on the
Reflections
This section to be
board in order to decide on a winner of the game. If the

majority of the groups were to get a question wrong, I will
record that question and go back to it at the end of the game.
Overall, I think that this review went well and was helpful for
students. They were visibly stressed out about the PARCC
exam, so I wanted to review some key concepts and rules that
they would definitely encounter on the test (RIBTS 2.2). Their
frustration stems from the fact that they think that they know
less than they actually do, so I wanted to make it clear to them
that they had the content knowledge, as well as the ability to
build upon it with some new information that they may not
have encountered in the past (RIBTS 3.1). Making the review
something that they could do on their Chromebooks definitely
made it more interesting and fun to them than your average
PARCC prep (RIBTS 2.4 & 4.2). Students also enjoyed
working in groups during the review, conversing with their
classmates and discussing the different answers in order to
choose the correct one (RIBTS 8.4). In my role as facilitator,
it was my job to read the questions and answers aloud to
students, as well as to go over the correct and incorrect
answers after each group had submitted their choice. In this
role, I was given the opportunity to clarify the information
and clear up any confusion that students may have regarding
the material (RIBTS 8.1). If I were to do this lesson over
again, I would make a worksheet to go along with the review,
probably a worksheet to record each individual students
answers to the questions. This would be turned in at the end of
the period and would allow me to see where each student
stands with the material. I would also increase the difficulty of
the questions, as I seemed to have underestimated the abilities
of my students. Each group got almost every question correct,
the more unfamiliar material proving to be more difficult.
Another adjustment that I would make would be to group
students by name ahead of time. I had a specific strategy for
how I would move the desks around to make groups before I
went in, but a few absences in the class threw off my plan.
Appendix W:
C:\Users\Brianna\Documents\EDC 448 Text Set.pptm
Appendix X:
Appendix Y:
Pen Pal Package Book Report

Your child is participating in a language arts group project. Each group
will create a pen pal package book report. The entire project will be
done in class. Attached are the student directions and rubrics. This
project will be worth two language arts test grades. Each student will
choose a specific role and write his/her section. See attached criteria.
The student will be graded on his/her individual piece.
I know my child __________________________________ is working

on a group book report in language arts class. I know this project is
worth two language arts test grades.
____________________________________________________
Parent Signature

General Directions
Your group is responsible for creating a pen pal package book
report of your literature circle book. All of the following general
directions should be considered when completing group and individual
components.
Use a manila envelope.
The entire outside of the envelope must be decorated.
The flap of the envelope should have all of the group members
names on it.
Your pen pal has never read this book before, so use a lot of detail.
Each member must choose one role.
All pictures and objects must be hand drawn and colored.
Neatness is expected, be careful of pencil and eraser marks.
You should type or write neatly.
Spelling and grammar will be graded.
Be creative! Use a variety of material and alternate between
drawing and creating things.

Role: Character Analyst
Your role is to analyze two main characters from the book. Choose two
personality traits to describe each character. Give examples from the text
to support your answer. Draw and label the two main characters
according to the descriptions in the story. Place each character picture
and written description inside the manila envelope. Be sure to cite
evidence from the text.
Book Report Rubric

5 Detailed colored picture/object which has a relevant connection to
the book. The written part of your role is skillfully developed with detail
and elaboration. There are no errors in spelling, grammar, or
punctuation. Everything is extremely neat and highly creative.
4 Colored picture/object which has relevant connection to the book.
The written part of your role is fully developed. There are minor errors
in spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Everything is neat and creative.
The written part of your role is mostly developed and lacking detail and
elaboration. There are occasional errors in spelling, grammar, or
punctuation. Everything is neat and mostly creative.
2 Picture/object which has a weak connection to the book. The written
part of your role is partially developed and lacking detail and
elaboration. There are many errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation
which may impede understanding. Some parts are neat, but lack
creativity.
1-Picture/object which does not have a connection to the book. The
written part of your role is not developed and lacks detail and
elaboration. There are frequent and varied errors in spelling, grammar,
or punctuation which can significantly impede understanding. Very few
parts are neat and lack creativity.
Role: Summarizer
Your role is to write a summary of the book for your pen pal. You will
also choose an object that is significant to the story to either create or
draw a picture of. This will be put inside the manila envelope with your
summary.
Book Report Rubric

creativity.
Role: Designers (Two People)

Your role is to design the outside of the manila envelope. You will pick
your favorite part of the story and draw the scene on one side of the
envelope. On an index card you will describe the scene and tell why it is
your favorite.
Book Report Rubric

creativity.
Role: Designers (Two People)

Your role is to design the outside of the manila envelope. You will pick
your favorite part of the story and draw the scene on one side of the
envelope. On an index card you will describe the scene and tell why it is
your favorite.
Book Report Rubric

creativity.
Role: Critic
Since your pen pal has never read your book, your role is to write a book
review. Say what you liked and didnt like about the plot, characters,
themes, etc. You will be required to use textual evidence from the text to
support your answers. In addition to your review, you will include a
drawing of the cover of the book.
Book Report Rubric

creativity.
Book Report Rubric

creativity.
Appendix Z:
Sitting in the library trying to write this was torture, no offense. For the life of me, I could not
come up with a topic. I was thinking about writing about going back to school, about my student
teaching placements, about the rain, about how stressed I was, about how hungry I was sitting
there, but then I started thinking about home and I finally decided to tell you about my dogs
because I probably miss them more than I miss my own mother (sorry mom). They're only an
hour away, but while I can talk to my family while I'm away at school I can't catch up with my
furry brother and sisters via Facebook or iMessage.
Bonnie is the newest member to our pack, as we call it. She is only one year old and
weighs over a hundred pounds, but that's normal for a Bullmastiff, so we're not too concerned.
Unfortunately for her, most of her weight is fat, unlike her leaner older brother, and as a result
she waddles a bit when she walks. We think it's adorable, and what she lacks in physique, she
certainly makes up for in love. Despite her size, Bon-Bon thinks she is a lap dog, and has made it
her mission in life to be as close to you as possible. As soon as you sit down on our couch, your
lap, your legs, and maybe even your chest, are fair game for a good snuggle. Even though my
legs go numb within minutes and sometimes I have trouble breathing, I can't bear to push her off
when she looks up at me with those amber eyes and that atrocious under bite.
Clyde is Bonnie's partner in crime; they are attached at the hip. As I mentioned before,
he's leaner than his sister, made of pure muscle instead of fat, but he weighs just as much. He has
the sweetest temperament I've ever seen in a dog, giving the gentlest of licks on the nose and
happily rolling over to receive the belly rubs that we are equally as happy to give. He's always
excited to see people, so excited that he knocks over everything within a two-foot radius because
his tail is wagging too hard.
Ruby, our rescued Rottweiler, does not appreciate this behavior. We dont know how she
began her life, but we do know that now she tends to spend her afternoons lounging on the
loveseat and barking at the other dogs. Now her mission in life is to smell as good as possible.
She loves fragrance, and as a result she has taken to rubbing herself back and forth across my
legs or against my hair as Im leaning down to pet her, but only if Im freshly showered. My one
qualm with Ruby is that she is very much against anyone entering the house, including myself
when I find the time to come home after weeks away at school.
Once I convince Ruby that Im not an intruder by giving her a head scratch, I can finally
make it to my room where I get to see my best friend, the little ball of fluff that sleeps with me
every night while Im home, my seven pound Shih-Tzu, Tallulah. She is my favorite, and, in my
opinion, the cutest being on this planet. Because she is so tiny, Ive taken to carrying her around
the house with me wherever I go, and shes more than content to being treated like a human baby
in this regard. Like Bonnie she is a lap dog, probably the most committed to the lap dog lifestyle
that Ive ever seen, but unlike Bonnie shes small enough to get away with it. The one thing you
really have to watch with Tallulah around is food. If she can reach it, shes going for it. Of
course we never trained her in any way, so she has no idea what shes doing is wrong. We
figured that shes small enough to hold off, you just have to be on your guard.
So this is what I have to look forward to every time I consent to make the hour drive back
home: my Bon, my Bub, Ruby Girl, and Ulah. I make sure that I spend time with each of them
because what they say is absolutely true, that your dogs may only be part of your life, but for
them, youre everything.
Appendix AA:
The Great Gatsby
Color Chart
Colors
White
Blue
Yellow
Green
What it symbolizes
How it is used in the book (pg #)
Gray
Appendix BB:
Brianna Resto
Professor Mandel
ENG 379
18 February 2013
Your Rebirth
Jay McInerneys Bright Lights Big City chronicles the endeavors of an unnamed
protagonist struggling to find his niche in the world. Throughout the novel, he is, in a sense,
experiencing his rebirth. When initially introduced, he is scrambling to feel something, anything.
As the novel goes on, his life is beginning to straighten out, and by the end he is back where he
started, yet with new purpose. This journey is indicated in the symbol of the bald girl in the club,
the protagonists intrigue with the coma baby, and the language and word choice utilized in the
narration produced in the last two chapters.
The bald girl, who strikes up a conversation with the protagonist at the beginning of the
novel, serves as an introduction to the reader of the reality that he does not want to face. He
protagonist must accept the things that have happened to him in the past and move on; he must
be reborn into civilization, brand new and ready to start again. On some unconscious level, the
protagonist knows what is in store for him. He states, The bald girl is emblematic of the
problem, (3). She is the embodiment of what is to come, and he is repulsed.
The bald girl, due to her lack of hair, physically resembles a baby. The scar tattoo on her head
also plays a part in her significance to this theme of rebirth, in that the long, sutured gash
represents the trouble the protagonist is having coming to terms with the fact that he must reenter
the world as a functional member of society. The gash is sutured because the time has come for
this process to begin, but still appears open because he is not mentally ready to accept such an
enormous undertaking.
The coma baby serves a similar purpose in the text. While it does not symbolize the
expedition he is about to embark upon, it does represent the protagonist himself. He identifies
with the coma baby, and that is why he keeps the reader updated on its progress throughout the
novel. Essentially, the protagonist is the coma baby, and its development runs parallel to the
development in his own life. When the protagonist has a dream involving the coma baby, he is
fundamentally having a conversation with his unconscious self. He asks it if its going to come
out, and the baby replies, If the old lady goes, Im going with her, (55). He is determined to die
with his mother should she perish; he does not want to live without her. This line is reminiscent
to one spoken later on in the novel by the protagonist of his mothers death. He declares, Torn
between thinking it was your duty to throw yourself on her pyre and her wish that you should not
waste time mourning, you knew no reaction that satisfied both conditions, (161). As the coma
baby, he believes that he should not exist in a world where his mother did not. Not knowing what
to do with himself, he disappeared, faded into the background, and this is the account of his notso-triumphant return.
In the chapter titled Coma Baby Lives! there is absolutely no mention of the coma baby
at all. So why did McInerney title the chapter this way? As the protagonist is one with the coma
baby, this chapter is all about his own revival. It is fitting that this is the chapter in which he
meets Vicky, because he believes that she may be the one who could make you forget your
cares and woes, (91). The protagonist is beginning to feel like a human being again as he warms
up to new people and experiences. He lives!
After his mothers death, the protagonist completely shut off. He stopped actively
participating in life, and began to coast through his days in shock induced numbness, a walking
coma if you will. The narrator admits, After the funeral it seemed as if you were wandering
around your own interior looking for signs of life, finding nothing but empty rooms and white
walls. You kept waiting for the onset of grief. You are beginning to suspect that it arrived nine
months later, disguised as your response to Amandas departure, (162). The protagonist was in
this state for 9 months, the average term of pregnancy for a woman, and the phrase your own
interior suggests an enclosed space, much like a placenta. This passage strongly suggests that
the protagonist is within a womb of some sort being brought to term in order to be reborn. The
white walls mentioned in this portion of the text signify a blank slate, a new start. The last line
of the novel, You will have to learn everything all over again, (182), conveys the protagonists
new beginning as it indicates that he is starting from scratch with no prior knowledge. He is an
infant once again.
Throughout Bright Lights Big City, the language and word choice, the protagonists
fascination with the coma baby, and the bald girl in the club indicate his rebirth. The novel
follows this character through the last week or so of his redevelopment and, finally, brings us to
his revival. His mothers death left him broken, to the point where he could no longer function
normally. He withdrew into himself for a time in order to rediscover who he was and what really
matters to him. Nine months later, he has been cleansed and is ready to begin anew.
Works Cited
McInerney, Jay. Bright Lights, Big City: A Novel. New York: Vintage Contemporaries, 1984.
Print.
Appendix CC: Brianna Resto

ENG 347
Professor Faflik
25 April 2014
Whats a Genius to a Transcendentalist?
Transcendentalism is, in so many words, letting go of all of the academic, critical
knowledge that you have obtained during your lifetime and letting nature, as Emerson claims,
answer its own mysteries. Most transcendentalists believe that the more knowledge that one
gains in an attempt to understand the universe, the further they actually are from the truth.
According to their beliefs, once one lets go of all of the facts and all of the figures and just looks
around, they will see Gods design. This principle is expanded upon within Sampson Reeds
oration Genius, which brings to light the debate between genius, the ambition to possess vast
scientific, or generally academic, knowledge and the idealism of the transcendentalists. Reeds
argument for the transcendentalist approach to understanding is explained further by Octavius
Brooks Frothinghams Transcendentalism in New England: A History, is supported by Ralph
Waldo Emersons Nature, is exemplified by Henry David Thoreaus Walking, and is still being
refuted by modern day scientists who support evolution due to the concrete facts that have been
provided by observation, such as Bill Nye.
Sampson Reeds Genius claims that those who are educated fail to see the divinity in
the world around them. By seeking so much knowledge produced by man and not offered by
nature, they have blocked themselves from ever really unearthing the truth behind it all: Gods
creation of the universe. The narrator claims that The intellectual eye of man is formed to see
the light, not to make it (Reed, 22). Man was made to recognize God in the world around us,
but we are not meant to create Him. He goes on to state, There is something which is called
genius, that carries in itself the seeds of its own destruction. There is an ambition which hurries a
man after truth, and takes away the power of attaining it. There is a desire which is null, a lust
which is impotence, (Reed, 22). By attaining all of this knowledge, man is setting itself up to
fail. It is dooming itself with the burden of a chase that will never end, a realization that it wants
so desperately but will never obtain.
Reed also addresses religious individuals and their relation to genius specifically,
claiming that the acquisition of scientific information is a detriment to them. The narrator
explains, science will be full of life, as nature is full of God, (Reed, 25). Science is an ideal
tool for relating information on manmade society, life as many know it, but only nature will
reveal God to those who truly experience it in its purest form. An individual must choose one or
the other, as science and God may not coexist as one almost supposes the absence of the other,
(Reed, 24).
Octavius Brooks Frothinghams Transcendentalism in New England: A History brings to
light the roots of this opposition of beliefs as they began in England and Germany. As
transcendentalism is akin to idealism, the appreciation of reasonable aspects of the physical
world that makes up scientific genius is akin to materialism. The narrator declares of the middle
of the eighteenth century,
Skepticism and materialism had the floor. It was fashionable to ridicule the belief in
personal immorality, and in enlightened circles to deny the existence of God. The
doctrines of Christianity were abandoned to priests and women; philosophers deemed
them too absurd to be argued against. Had the assault been less witty and more scientific,
less acrimonious and more reasonable, less scornful and more consistent, its apparent
success might have been permanent, (Frothingham, 187).
Educated individuals of that time had begun to question the non-analytical views of the
transcendentalists. Their blind faith just did not make any sense, and practical judgment
(Frothingham, 188) took its place. However mocked, transcendentalism made rebuttal with
religion at its core. The narrator tells,
It was time for a reaction to set in; and it came in the form of Transcendentalism. The
sensational philosophy, it was contended, could not supply a basis for faith. Its first
principle wasThere is nothing in the intellect that was not first in the senses. From
this principle nothing but skepticism could proceed. How, for instance, asks the
Transcendentalist, can the sensational philosophy of Locke and his disciples give us
anything approaching to a certainty of the existence of God? The senses furnish no
evidence of it. God is not an object of sensation, (Frothingham, 188).
Transcendentalists assert that God cannot be detected by the senses, making material evidence of
the nature that he created, including man himself, irrelevant. The narrator goes on to relate, All
we have is a tradition of GodThe wonder lacks evidence; and to prove the wonder a miracle, is
beyond achievement. A possibility, or at most, a probability of Gods existence is all that
sensationalism, with every advantage given it, can supply, (Frothingham, 189). Knowledge of
the material world and the evidence that it can offer of the existence of God is hypothetical at
best. The senses are not reliable, as they report things as they exist in relations, not as they exist
in themselves, (Frothingham, 189). Though this may be the case, Framinghams examination
reveals to the reader that the transcendentalists beliefs are not at sturdy as they believe them to
be. The narrator cautions,
But beliefs thus appropriated are insecurely held. The inactivity of the mind cannot be
guaranteed; a slight disturbance of its tamely acquiescent condition may set its whole
scheme of opinions afloat. A sentence on a printed page, a word let fall in conversation, a
discovered fact, an awakened suspicion, a suggestion of doubt by a friend, may stir the
thought whose movement will bring the whole structure down, (Frothingham, 195).
A man with no knowledge, essentially a blank slate, is fragile, and balances on the precarious
edge of either recognizing God in all around him without question or letting his curiosities get
the better of him.
Ralph Waldo Emersons cautions against these curiosities and the cultivation of ones
mind in Nature, a text that was inspired by Reeds Genius. The narrator declares that, All
science has one aim, namely, to find a theory of nature. We have theories of races and of
functions, but scarcely yet a remote approximation to an idea of creation. We are now so far
from the road to truth, that religious teachers dispute and hate each other, and speculative men
are esteemed unsound and frivolous, (Emerson, 126). By attempting to explain nature with
scientific reasoning and logic, man has steered themselves in the wrong direction. They are
moving further from the truth which one can only uncover by observing nature in its purest
state, untainted by academic knowledge. The narrator goes on to state, To speak truly, few adult
persons can see natureThe sun illuminates only the eye of man, but shines into the eye and the
heart of the child, (Emerson, 127). Man loses their wonder of nature as they get older and
wiser; adults have more knowledge than a child, and as a result they can see less. The
development of their minds has slowly stripped away the ability of the beauty of nature to
resonate with them on a spiritual level.
Henry David Thoreaus Walking is an exemplification of this resonation. The
protagonist, Thoreau himself, denies physical knowledge of the world in favor of all that he can
learn upon his numerous walks. As he begins to relate some of his experiences, he begins to
ponder why men take walks in the first place. He states, I wish to speak a word for Nature, for
absolute freedom and wildness, as contrasted with a freedom and culture merely civil-to regard
man as an inhabitant, or a part and parcel of Nature, rather than a member of society, (Thoreau,
1). He goes on to reveal, My desire for knowledge is intermittent, but my desire to bathe my
head in atmospheres unknown to my feet is perennial and constant, (Thoreau, 17). Instead of
pursuing factual knowledge about nature, though he does admit that he occasionally wishes to,
Thoreau would rather experience the world firsthand, to bathe his head in atmospheres
unknown to his feet. He desires to go where no man has gone before and let his spirit absorb all
there is to absorb.
Within his essay, Thoreau also deliberates the material knowledge of man and concludes
that it is more or less useless. He declares,
A mans ignorance sometimes is not only useful, but beautiful-while his knowledge, so
called, is oftentimes worse than useless, besides being ugly. Which is the best man to
deal with-he who knows nothing about a subject, and, what is extremely rare, knows that
he knows nothing, or he who really knows something about it, but thinks that he knows
all? (Thoreau, 17).
He goes on to claim,
I do not know that this higher knowledge amounts to anything more definite than a novel
and grand surprise on a sudden revelation of the insufficiency of all that we called
Knowledge before-a discovery that there are more things in heaven and earth than are
dreamed of in our philosophy. It is the lighting up of the mist by the sun. Man cannot
know any higher sense than this, any more than he can look serenely and with impunity
in the face of the sun (Thoreau, 17).
Thoreau is assuring the reader that a man who knows nothing is better than one who knows
anything at all. He asserts that no one may claim to know more than nature allows them to know;
all of the useful knowledge that any individual may hope to gain comes from interactions with
nature. This is why he walks, and this is why man is lured to the outdoors. They want to know
more.
This is desire for knowledge is something that has not changed throughout the years,
whether it be material or not, and a disconnect still exists between those that believe in the
physical evidence and those that put their faith in something that they cannot see, the modern day
materialists and idealists. The materialists are those of the scientific world, those that value
academics, analyzing data, and getting all that they can out of books so that they can make sense
of the world. The idealists are those that believe something because they are told that it is true,
reject the academic knowledge, and do not question it or evaluate it from any other point of view
but their own. From a religious perspective, this would be the clash of the evolutionists and
creationists, which recently came face-to-face in a debate between the Emmy Award-winning
educator Bill Nye and the best-selling Christian author Ken Ham. NPR highlights key arguments
from the debate, with Nye on the side of evolution, claiming, We are standing on millions of
layers of ancient life. How could those animals have lived their entire life, and formed these
layers, in just 4,000 years? There isn't enough time since Mr. Ham's flood for this limestone, that
we're standing on, to have come into existence." Ham replies with, "None of us saw the
sandstone or the shale being laid down. Bill Nye and I have the same Grand Canyon." Nye is
arguing with the use of scientific evidence regarding the age of the limestone, while Ham claims
that it just came into existence at the hand of God following the great flood described in the
Bible. Nye is the epitome of the materialist that is constantly on the hunt for physical proof of
the workings of the universe described by Thoreau, Emerson, Frothingham, and Reed. Nye even
said during the debate that if Ham could offer him tangible proof, he would concede and find his
argument to be valid. It is all about the facts for him. Ham is on the other side of this spectrum;
he is the idealist that credits the wonders of the world to spontaneous creation by God. The data
that he is examining is observed through a religious lens that explains away the numbers offered
by carbon dating and similar techniques. There is only one solution to the question of existence
for Ham, and that is the creation of nature and man by God and God alone.
Genius is looked down upon by transcendentalists, who regard nature as their teacher and
do not seek to know more than it offers. They do not need to see God to know that he is there.
Materialists do not live by this code. They strive to explain as much about the world as they can
with the help of tangible evidence gathered by academics such as scientists and researchers.
Sampson Reeds Genius, Octavius Brooks Frothinghams Transcendentalism in New England:
A History, Henry David Thoreaus Walking, and Ralph Waldo Emersons Nature relate the
negative transcendental sentiments towards the acquisition of such knowledge, while debates
between modern day figures such as evolutionist Bill Nye and creationist Ken Ham confirm that
the gap between these oppositional groups has not decreased since these texts were written. Will
the idealists and materialists ever get along? Or are they doomed to butt heads regarding the
origin of the universe for the rest of time? If the latter, they are off to a good start.
Works Cited
Chappell, Bill. "Watch The Creationism Vs. Evolution Debate: Ken Ham And Bill Nye." NPR.
NPR, 14 Feb. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2014.
Emerson, Ralph W. "Nature." Transcendentalism: A Reader. By Joel Myerson. Oxford: Oxford
UP, 2000. 125-57. Print.
Frothingham, Octavius Brooks. Transcendentalism in New England, a History. New York:
Harper, 1959. Print
Reed, Sampson. "Genius." Transcendentalism: A Reader. By Joel Myerson. Oxford: Oxford UP,
2000. 21-25. Print.
Thoreau, Henry David. Walking. Dallas: Heritage, 1989. The Atlantic. 31 Jan. 2014. Web. 10
Apr. 2014.
Appendix DD:
John Steinbeck essay read during Paradox and Dream Lesson:
Paradox and Dream
Students were then asked to complete a Summary Tweet, 140 characters or less, about their
section of the essay (I dont have a copy of this on my computer!)
Appendix EE:
Your Green Light

Now that we have completed the Great Gatsby, we are more than familiar
with Gatsbys green light, his American dream, of a privileged life with
Daisy Buchanan and how he failed to grasp it.
After reading Gatsbys Green Light Beckons a New Set of Strivers and
discussing how Gatsby is still able to offer valuable lessons and relevant
connections to younger generations, I want to know what your green light
is; What is it that you aspire to? What do you dream of accomplishing?
What do you want to work towards obtaining?
Write your response in the space provided below:
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Appendix FF:
Name _________________________________________________
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Note Sheet Chapter 9
Make sure that all of your answers are in complete sentences and include a claim, supported
with references to the text, including page numbers, and an explanation as to how that
reference supports your claim.
Attitudes of the Upper Class:
What do Tom and Daisy do after Gatsbys death?
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Why doesnt Nick resent Daisy when he resents everyone else who doesnt care that Gatsby has
died?
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The American Dream:
Describe Gatsbys father. What did he think of the life that Jimmy was living?
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Why would Gatsbys father be reluctant to put away the picture that Gatsby sent him of his
home?
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Geography (East vs. West):
Gatsbys father claims that, Jimmy always liked it better down East. He rose up to his position
in the East (168). What does this tell you about Gatsby in relation to what you know the East
represents?
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How does Nick view East Egg and West Egg at the end of the novel?
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Characters/Plot:
Do you think that Tom ever found out that Daisy was driving Gatsbys car on the night that
Myrtle died? Why or why not?
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Who did Nick invite to Gatsbys funeral? Who actually shows up?
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How did the way that Wolfsheim raised Gatsby differ from the way that Dan Cody educated
him?
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What happens between Nick and Jordan? Do you think that Jordan is telling the truth? Why or
why not?
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Bonus:
What is the original meaning of swastika?
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Appendix GG:
The Great Gatsby Alternative Essay Options

In lieu of participating in the final Great Gatsby Socratic seminar, you will be asked to complete
a fully developed, 5-paragraph essay on the topic of your choosing from the list of three below:
1. What does the geography of the novel, specifically the East and West, suggest about
its themes and characters? In what ways is setting important in The Great Gatsby?
Think about the importance of New York and consider how the places people live
reflect their personalities.
2. Trace the use of a reoccurring color throughout the novel. Is it attributed to a
character, a situation, a place, etc.? What does it represent and how does this
meaning contribute to ones understanding of the text?
3. How is the American dream represented throughout the novel? What is the
condition of the American dream in the 1920s? Does this change? How does F. Scott
Fitzgerald interpret the American dream? How does the American dream relate to
Gatsbys story?
Your essay must be in MLA format (1 margins, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, etc.) Look it up or come see me after class if youre not sure its correct!
Your essay must also include:
An interesting title Your title should intrigue me and draw me into your topic.
A strong thesis Tell me what the point of your essay is. What do you want to prove?
Relevant references and quotations pulled directly from the text Dont just tell me
something and expect me to believe it. You have to back it up.
Detailed explanations of your evidence Dont leave me wondering why you used a
particular piece of evidence. Explain how its relevant.
Do not copy someone elses work. If you are caught plagiarizing you will
automatically receive a 0, no exceptions. If you use an outside resource, cite it!
If youre not sure how, Perdue Owl and EasyBib are great resources.
Appendix HH:
Brianna Resto
Professor Mandel
ENG 379
30 April 2013
Generation X and History: A Story of Rejection
History is omnipresent. It exists in all things, is always evolving, is always growing, and
it possesses a great influence on the present and the future. Though this may be true, those of
Generation X tended to turn away from history, reject it; they acknowledged that it was there and
that it has had an effect on the lives that they now live, but they chose not to interact with it or
build upon it. GenXers did all in their power not to repeat the actions of those who came before
them, to have the choice to do anything, or to do nothing; this generation wanted something
better than their elders, and they wanted it to be all their own. This attitude is reflected upon in
texts that analytically explore this generation by authors such as Douglas Rushkoff, Martine
Delvaux, and Douglas Coupland. While some are exploring the relationship that Generation X
had with history, others are using their literature to embody it. Writers such as Jess Walter,
Sherman Alexie, and Bret Easton Ellis have created characters that exemplify this relationship
though each novel deals with a different aspect of history.
Sherman Alexies novel Reservation Blues deals primarily with cultural history and the
manner with which this history is treated by younger members of the Spokane tribe. Throughout
the novel, the reader may observe some of Alexies characters passing through three stages of a
relationship with their tribal history. These reflect Generation X attitudes that were exhibited
towards their own cultural past and give the reader a clearer picture of the way this generation
regarded such history. The first step that the characters had taken is realizing that what their
ancestors have suffered has left them with nothing of value to pass down to the future
generations. During the novel, there are numerous descriptions of the decrepit conditions that the
Spokanes are made to live in by the government. The narrator states, Thomas thought about all
the dreams that were murdered here, and the bones buried quickly just inches below the surface,
all waiting to break through the foundations of those government houses built by the Department
of Housing and Urban Development, (Alexie 7). The narrator goes on to describe the state of
Thomas HUD house, disclosing, the house has never really been finished because the
Bureau of Indian Affairs cut off the building money halfway through construction. The water
pipes froze every winter, and windows warped in the hot summer heat, (Alexie 7). Living on
this reservation means living on miniscule budgets in homes that are falling apart. They rely on
commodity food deliveries every month to survive, and walk around with unrealized dreams
tucked away in their back pockets. Their ancestors suffered, and for what? The characters in this
novel have next to nothing to call their own. GenXers have just as much to show for all of the
struggles that the baby boomers before them had to overcome. According to Rushkoff, they
received the baby boomers sloppy seconds. He affirms, Following the massive boomer
population, a huge lump in the snakes digestive tract called American history, we, the selfnamed baby busters, have learned to call this intestinal vacuum home, (Rushkoff 3). Members
of Generation X had a negative attitude towards the world that they were bequeathed because it
was so damaged. This is evident in how it is grotesquely described as an intestinal vacuum
caused by the baby boomers hindrance of their progress down the digestive tract of life.
The second step taken by Alexies characters is to acknowledge that while it has not left
them with much to work with, their cultural history is important as it has had a major influence
upon their lives. In the novel, Thomas Builds-the-Fire shows his appreciation for tradition by
telling tribal stories to anyone that will listen. The narrator claims, Thomas repeated stories
constantlyThomas Builds-the-Fires stories climbed into your clothes like sand, gave you
itches that could not be scratchedThose stories hung in your clothes and hair like smoke, and
no amount of laundry soap or shampoo washed them out, (Alexie 15). Storytelling is Thomas
way of making sure that his past is never forgotten. He knows that Spokane culture is important,
and therefore vies to keep it alive in this manner. GenXers share the same awareness of and
appreciation for culture, as they see it all around them and have for their entire lives. Rushkoff
claims,
GenXers live in a world we feel is geared to people ten to thirty years older than
ourselves. We watched as baby boomers went to college, got great jobs, crashed the
economy, and left nothing but McJobsWe watched rock n roll take over the nation
and then dry up like Mick Jagger before we got to collegeWe watched a sexual
revolution evolve into forced celibacy as the many excesses of the 1970s and 1980s
rotted into the sexually transmitted diseases of our 1990s, (Rushkoff 5).
Generation X witnessed culture evolve and then were left to muddle through the aftermath, for
example, working these McJobs and interacting with newly founded sexual values. They
cannot ignore their history, as their situations in life were a direct result of it.
The third and final step undergone in Reservation Blues is depicted in these characters
accepting how they are expected to live. From there, one may choose to disassociate themselves
with history as GenXers did, or strive for something greater as those in Alexies novel attempted
to do. The members of Coyote Springs are only half resigned to the reservation life that they see
so many others living. They are trying to make something of themselves, to live a greater life
than what their cultural past has laid out for them. Junior ponders, Listen, Polatkin added, if
we make it big, it just means we wont have to eat commodity food anymore, (Alexie 228). He
longs to be able to separate himself and the others from the government issued monotony that
they are faced with daily. By breaking out of the norm of the reservation and straying from what
they are expected to do, the band is personifying the Generation X practice of parting from
history. They do not feel as if they should have to follow the model for a stereotypical Spokan
existence. In Rushkoffs opinion, GenXers knew where they stood in relation to their cultural
past, set it aside, and did what they could with what they had. He states,
We did not ask to be encumbered with this legacy, but we have chosen to make the best
of it. Although sociologists may have cast us as the despondent thirteenth generationthe hopeless mutant children of a society temporarily gone awryBut our willingness to
accept our inheritance-to enjoy the wasteland bequeathed to us-has brought the members
of Generation X under the critical scrutiny of those who created and now, ironically,
reject us (Rushkoff 3).
GenXers were passed down a world that they accepted, but into which they did not quite fit. In
being rejected by the baby boomers, they were free to detach from the real world and its
expectations. They were determined to make a unique mark on the world, one free of cultural
influence that was not their own.
Though it relates millennial events, Jess Walters novel The Zero is effective in reflecting
the GenXer ideals of disengagement from history, as it is delivered through the mind of a
Generation X author. In the novel, Walter is presenting September 11th through the experiences
of a fictional police officer, Brian Remy. When confronted with the incidents of that day
Walters protagonist shuts down and tries to emotionally dissociate himself from his memories
as opposed to acknowledging them and dealing with them outright. His choice of inaction is
reminiscent of Martine Delvauxs whatever philosophy and Douglas Couplands notion of
option paralysis, both strategies being those which GenXers used to approach life. Remy applies
these models of behavior to the historical event that he is required to face on a daily basis,
creating an accurate portrait of the way a GenXer would react to such a catastrophe.
This even has had a significant impact on many lives. It has changed them. This
alteration is evident even in their physical appearance and their newly developed reverence of
any police officers that they may come across. The narrator notes this, observing, Broken-thats
how they looked to Remy. Busted up and put back together with pieces missing. They stood on
road blocks and behind barricades on the street, in flag t-shirts and stiff-brimmed ball caps,
animated by Paul and Brians passing like figures in an old Disney ride (Walter 9). To Remy,
the people of Manhattan appeared to be worn out and missing essential aspects of themselves,
but while he recognizes such a difference, the emotional relation to the effect of this tragedy is
just not there. He dehumanizes them, comparing them to animatronic Disney characters. By
doing so, he takes away all responsibility from himself to consider their pain and to relate to it
with his own. This disposition echoes Douglas Couplands option paralysis. Coupland states,
Option paralysis: The tendency, when given unlimited choices, to make none, (Coupland 139).
Remy is in a state of emotional paralysis. He has the choice to respond in any way to this event,
and he ultimately decides to not react at all. Remy rejects his newly found hero status; he does
not want anything to do with this pedestal that the citys residences are putting him on. The
narrator relates,
Second day at The Zero, hed found a section of a womans scalp gray and stiff in the
debrisAt least five times a day, Paul brought up the scalp. Whose scalp did Remy think
it was? Where did he think the rest of the head was? Would they simply bury the scalp?
Finally, Remy said he didnt want to talk about it anymore didnt want to talk about
what a piece of someones head felt like, how light it was, how stiff and lonesome and
worthless, or about how many more slick bags and meat trucks there were than they
needed, how the forces at work in this thing didnt leave big enough pieces for body bags,
(Walter 13).
Remy does not want to discuss this specific incident, or any incident related to that day,
anymore, but his partner, Paul, cannot seem to get enough of the subject. All he would like to do
is to move on, and so he tries to separate himself from the entire incident, though this is next to
impossible. In this, Remy is depicting to the reader an attitude that would have been held by a
GenXer exhibiting Martine Delvauxs theory of the whatever philosophy. Delvaux beigns, It
is in reaction to an inclination for paralyzing moral self-examination that members of what is
recognized as the thirteenth generation answer: whatever, (Delvaux 9). According to Delvaux,
Remys state of whatever has come to be out of his need to disappear within himself and to
explore his feelings privately, away from the reality of September 11th. He is denied this luxury,
and so he has implemented the use of the whatever. Delvaux goes on to explain, This
whatever philosophy, the wisdom of the undecidable, the indecipherable, the disengaged, is
symptomatic of a refusal to question as a whole as it dismisses explanations, intellectual
constructions and follow-ups. It goes as far as to eliminate feelings of anger (Delvaux 9).
Remy is following with this pattern, as he is disengaged with and is refusing to question the
events of that fateful day anymore. He is just trying to get on with his life, or even end it early by
committing suicide. His main objective, like those of Generation X, is to escape.
Millennials may, depending on the individual, approach September 11th differently, being
as plugged into social media and the news as they are. They seem to be a more hands on
generation, wanting to claim any piece of the tragedy that they can, while GenXers would feel
more comfortable turning the other cheek and taking a mental holiday. Analyzing a novel about
this event through the lens of a Generation X author gives the millennial reader a peek into how
this method of coping differs with their own and paints a picture of how GenXers may have
reacted to their own significant events in history.
Relations with family have also altered in the time between these two generations, as
millenials are known to have closer bonds with their families than those of Generation X.
Members of the latter generation tended to ignore their familial history; they did not aspire to
follow in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents, which resulted in no consideration for
their futures. This form of history was of little to no importance to GenXers as their generation
reveled in extricating themselves from what was considered to be the norm, which was
determined for them by members of older generations. Their elders had defined the world that
they were rejecting, hence their resistance to take after any of them. They simply do not agree
with, for example, the boomers ideals.
A depiction of this generational approach to life may be found in Bret Easton Ellis novel
Less Than Zero. The younger characters in the novel, such as Clay, Ellis protagonist, are
indifferent to the examples set by the adults that they come into contact with. The narrator states,
It doesnt bother me that my father leaves me waiting there for thirty minutes while hes in
some meeting and asks me why Im late, (Ellis 41). Clay does not question his fathers
behavior or urge him to change at all. The reader can discern from the blas way that this scene
is delivered, and the fact that it doesnt bother him, that Clay is completely unphased and
unconcerned by the example being set by his father. He is also readily able to disregard those of
the other adults around him. The narrator conveys, I can also see Blairs mother, who is sitting
by the bar, drinking a vodka gimlet, her hands shaking as she bring the drink to her mouth,
(Ellis 16). Blairs mother is noticed only in passing at this party. There is nothing significant
about the encounter, and there is no lasting impression given, she is just there. She is half
noticed, and then forgotten. The young adults in this novel look right through their parents and
figures of authority like they do not matter, because to the younger generation, they do not. Due
to this, Clay and his peers are left to operate as their own entities. They are free to make their
own decisions regarding what they want to do, not what others ask of them, even if their choices
lead them to failure.
Generation X had indulged in the same self-granted independence as utilized in the
lifestyle depicted in Ellis novel. According to Rushkoff, this has been repaid with dead end
choices. He claims,
Accepting unemployment or underemployment as a way of life, GenX college grads

settle for temp jobs to pay the rent or move back in with Mom and Dad, then spend our
real time making community access shows and countercultural zines or just hanging out
at the comics store talking about them, (Rushkoff 5).
GenXers defiance in regards to ending up like their parents, i.e. with a useful college degree and
a well-paying job that allows them to support a family, has left them to live a life of remedial
jobs and societal exile. However lousy an existence it may appear to be, members of Generation
X have consciously decided to live this way. Rushkoff goes on to explain, It is a conscious
effort to avoid engaging in anything that requires descent into the rat race or consumerist angst, a
neo-Buddhism where attachments of any kind break the awareness so valuable to surfers of a
consumer culture, (Rushkoff 6). GenXers went out of their way to be something that their
parents were not. They deny the way that the older generation had been raised and opt for
something, while subpar, all their own.
Generation X is a generation that worked towards leaving an original, unduplicated mark
on the world. They were a group of independent individuals who sought help from no one,
choosing to happily accept their inadequate inheritance and live in less than ideal conditions
because they could. As a result of this decision, GenXers rejected history in multiple forms. The
past held no value for them. Instances of this rejection are mimicked within literature both
published during Generation X and written by authors born during this era, and are also explored
and explained by scholars reading such texts. GenXer ideals have infiltrated these texts and give
the reader a depiction of Generation X interactions with cultural traditions, historical events, and
their familial relations. These depictions give millennial readers the opportunity to observe how
this relationship between Generation X and history has impacted their own generation and how
much more involved they are in the past.
Works Cited
Alexie, Sherman. Reservation Blues. New York: Grove, 1995. Print.
Coupland, Douglas. Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture. New York: St. Martin's,
1991. Print.
Delvaux, Martine. "The Exit of a Generation: The "Whatever" Philosophy." (1994): n. pag. Web.
Ellis, Bret Easton. Less than Zero. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1985. Print.
Rushkoff, Douglas. The GenX Reader. New York: Ballantine, 1994. Print.
Walter, Jess. The Zero: A Novel. New York: Regan, 2006. Print.
Appendix II:
Passing Praxis II Scores
Appendix JJ:
Brianna Resto
Kim Evelyn
ENG 252
22 April 2013
Then and Now
The poems that have come out of Englands Romantic period are found to reflect life in
London at that time as observed by their authors. Writers are still, to this day, creating
commentaries on life in London with their literature, such as in Chris Cleaves Incendiary. While
this novel and such poems were written years apart, they share the same setting which has
influenced them both and so they essentially perform the same function. Descriptions of the city
of London and its residents may be found both in Chris Cleaves Incendiary and in poems that
were written during Englands Romantic period by authors such as Mary Robinson and William
Blake. These descriptions serve to portray the dualistic qualities that the city possesses in terms
of class and living conditions, and together show how little has changed over time.
The city of London is diverse in and of itself. In Romantic English literature there is an
apparent contrast between what may be considered as the upper class architecture and lower
class. In Mary Robinsons poem January, 1795 the narrator observes, Lofty mansions, warm
and spaciousTheatres, and meeting-houses; /Balls, where simpring misses languish;
/Hospitals, and groans of anguish, (Robinson 79). In this poem, Robinson has created a
juxtaposition of the two opposing ideas of place that existed in London in, presumably, 1795.
There are those places where the upper class was prone to be, such as the aforementioned lofty
mansions and balls. Then there are places where the lower class was required to dwell, such
as the hospitals which produced groans of anguish.
This same juxtaposition still exists and may be found in Incendiary. Throughout the
novel, there is constant referral to London as a city of duality. The narrator describes,
There are 2 kinds of places on Barnet Grove. The first kind are very pricey old terraced
houses. The estate agents call them Georgian Gems With Extensive Potential For
Conversion To Fully Appointed Executive Flats With Easy Access To The City Of
London And Within A Stones Throw Of The Prestigious Columbia Road Flower
Market. The second kind of places are places like ours. They are flats in dirty brick tower
blocks they smell of chip fat inside (Cleave 5).
The narrator is indicating that there are two styles of living in modern day London, the lavish for
the rich and the run down for the poor. She goes on to ask, Which London is it that Allah
especially hates? Im asking because I dont see how a tourist could hate both Londons. The
SNEERING TOFFS London and the EVIL CRACK MUMS London I mean, (Cleave 27). The
narrator treats London like a two part city and not as a whole; she treats the rich London and the
poor London as separate entities. This characteristic is reminiscent of January, 1795 in that two
opposing qualities of living are defined and presented to the reader side by side so that they may
see the contrast plainly. They may see that the difference between the rich sections of London
and the poorer sections has not changed significantly since Robinsons time.
The city itself is not the only thing that embodies the concept of duality when in
literature; the people of London are just as divided as the city. The narrator of January, 1795
describes, Ladies gambling night and morning; /Fools the works of genius scorning; /Ancient
dames for girls mistaken, /Youthful damsels quite forsaken, (Robinson 79). Here we have the
same juxtaposition as with the citys buildings, but with Londons residents instead. Images of
the rich or the privelaged, the ladies, fools and ancient dames, and the poor or the
unfortunate, the youthful damsels, are placed next to each other in the poem so the difference
between the two may be observed. William Blakes London also exemplifies this difference
between classes. The narrator states, How the Chimney-sweepers cry/Every blackning Church
appalls, /And the hapless Soldiers sigh/Runs in blood down palace walls, (Blake, 132). The
chimney sweeps contrast those religious persons in the Church of England, while the soldiers
give their lives for the rich nobility tucked safe in their palaces.
The narrator in Incendiary is part of the lower middle class and her struggle would relate
to some of those described in Robinsons poem. She claims, My family was never rotten poor
we were hard up theres a difference. We were respectable we kept ourselves presentable but it
was a struggle I dont mind telling you, (Cleave 4). Class is prevalent in the structure of this
novel. There is a constant tension between the upper class and lower class throughout the entire
text. This may be seen in her sexual relationship with Jasper, who is part of the upper class. The
narrator observes, You could tell straight away Jasper Black had no business being in the East
End. He was one of those types who fancied a spot of Easy Access To The City Of London And
Within A Stones Throw Of The Prestigious Columbia Road Flower Market. The Sun calls them
SNEERING TOFFS, (Cleave 11). She and Jasper have nothing in common, and so their
relationship is strained. Only when Jasper loses it all and enters the realm of the lower class
while claiming that he will blow up parliament does the reader see a genuine connection
between the two. The narrators relationship with Petra Sutherland, Jaspers girlfriend, is never
resolved as she maintains her upper class status throughout the ordeal. The narrator confides,
Id never seen a meter go past 50 before. It made me feel a bit poorly. Petra didnt seem
bothered, (Cleave 154). There is always going to be a separation between the narrator and Petra
because they belong to two largely different types of people residing in London. It is as if there
is, and always was, an invisible wall separating the two classes that the upper class will not
breach because they do not want to and the lower class will not breach because they simply
cannot. Analyzing Romantic literature with texts such as these gives readers the opportunity to
observe that this fact has not changed as the nation has evolved. An individual is either on one
end of the spectrum or the other.
Studying literature from Englands Romantic period in comparison to modern literature
in terms of class structure in London would reveal to the reader that there are two opposing
ideals at work in both eras. During the Romantic period, as demonstrated by the poems of Mary
Robinson and William Blake, the poor lived in the slums and the rich were owners of mansions
and vast estates. In modern times, as displayed by novels such as Chris Cleaves Incendiary, the
poor lived in run down apartments while the rich were taking residence in nice, old homes. These
similarities may be seen in the descriptions given by these authors of the city of London itself
and the people that take residence within its streets. This duality of classes and conditions is
something that has remained essentially untouched all this time. This leaves the reader to wonder
whether or not London will always remain this way, outwardly unified but internally divided.
Works Cited
Cleave, Chris. Incendiary. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2011. Print.
Greenblatt, Stephen, and M. H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. New York:
W.W. Norton, 2012. Print.
Appendix KK:
Brianna Resto
ENG 241
Anthony Amore
12 November 2012
A Morbid Display of Human Nature
In a number of his writings, Edgar Allen Poe addresses the nature of the human mind.
Due to his dabbling in the inner workings of the human psyche, his characters have a convincing
realism to them that is hard for a lot of authors to achieve. In three of his works, The Raven, The
Tell-Tale Heart, and The Purloined Letter, Poe addresses some of the more problematic aspects
of the mind. In these pieces, his characters avoid their problems, are irrational, and have a limited
mental capacity for abstract thought.
In Poes poem The Raven, the protagonist, once they have come face to face with the
raven and its single utterance, shuts down completely. They refuse to fully acknowledge what is
happening to them. Of the ravens ability to speak, the narrator states, Doubtless, said I, what
it utters is only stock and store/Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful
Disaster/Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore, (790). The
protagonists method of dealing with the raven is to not actually deal with it at all. They write off
what it is saying as a passing curiosity. They think that if they ignore the bird, that it will go
away or disappear, but are proven wrong when the raven remains perched on their doorjamb.
Avoidance is a part of daily life for a lot of individuals. Some individuals just do not want
to/cannot deal with the trials of life, so they sweep them under the rug instead and try to
disregard them. For most, as shown in The Raven, this method is not overly successful.
In The Tell-Tale Heart, Poe touches upon another important aspect of human nature:
irrationality. The protagonist in this short story makes the decision to kill the old man without
any reason other than they did not like the old mans eye. The narrator states, Whenever it fell
upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees-very gradually-I made up my mind to take the
life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever, (809). The protagonist has no
concern for the old man, nor gives this plan a second thought. The ground on which this
character makes this decision is completely unfounded. The narrator says later on in the story,
but I found the eye always closed; and so it was impossible to do the work; for it was not the
old man who vexed me, but his Evil Eye, (810). The fact that the old man is attached to the eye
only matters to the protagonist when the old man is asleep. When the old man is not asleep, it is
as if he sees the eye as a single entity, as its own being. This is not true, but Poes character was
created to not be able to see the truth, to see that what they did was wrong. Being irrational is a
deeply innate part of human nature. If illogical decisions were never made, life would be boring
and monotonous.
The human mind is a complex thing. However, as complex as it is, most individuals are
limited when it comes to reason. Poe touches upon this point in The Purloined Letter. He casts
the image of a character, the Prefect, that is so set in his ways that when he is called upon to
think outside of the box, he simply cannot do it. Poes character Dupin, the man that ultimately
finds the letter, says to the Prefect in reaction to the description of the police forces thorough
examination of the thiefs Hotel, Perhaps it is the very simplicity of the thing which puts you at
fault, (815). The Prefect has been trained to search an area so thoroughly and uniformly
whenever necessary, that he cannot make the deviation from this process that is necessary to
actually find the letter that he is looking for. He is unable to make his mind work that way, so he
must rely on Dupin and his wits to save the day. The Prefect states to Dupin, The fact is, we
have all been a good deal puzzled because the affair is so simple, and yet it baffles us
altogether, (815). He is fully aware of his limitation, and the limitation of his officers, but can
apparently do nothing to rectify it. The Prefect is not the only one stuck in a singular way of
thinking; many members of society are narrow-minded as well. For example, scientists can only
think as the world as we know it being created through evolution, while devoutly religious
Christians choose to believe that God created the universe and everything inside of it.
Edgar Allen Poe delves into the depths of his mind to extract realistic traits of human
kind and transplant them into his writings. In The Raven, his protagonist tries everything to
disregard the raven into non-existence, in The Tell-Tale Heart, Poes character is fatally illogical,
and in The Purloined Letter, the Prefect is ultimately blinded due to his police training. Each of
these characteristics is a vital part of humanity, and they are seen every day. Giving these traits
to his characters, Poe creates a morbid display of human nature for the reader. He creates a
mirror into the mind.
Appendix LL:
Brianna Resto
EDC 430
Book Talk Climbing the Stairs
19 October 2014
1. Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman

2. This text falls under the genre of historical fiction, as it relates a fictional story but is set
in and accurately portrays an important historical time period.
3. The main character of the novel is Vidya, a fifteen year old girl living in British-occupied
India during World War II.
4. The main problem in the novel is that Vidya wants to finish school and go to college
before she marries, which goes against the norm for young girls in India. Her father had
promised that he would give her this opportunity, but an accident renders him incapable
of keeping his promise and the family must go to live with their strict relatives whose
main objective, as far as Vidya goes, is to find her a husband.
5. Vidya and her family live a somewhat abnormal life in British-occupied India during
World War II. They do not follow the strict lifestyle that the caste system calls for, and
so when an accident necessitates the family going to live with their orthodox relatives in
Madras, things change exponentially for them all.
6. The climax of the novel is when Vidya is offered something that she has never wanted
and she begins to consider it.
7. The important themes in the text are freedom of choice, acceptance, war, change, how
society in India views women and education, and following your dreams no matter what.
8. I chose this book because this was the authors first. I like reading an authors first novel
because I am able to experience the ideas and values that they thought were important
enough to warrant going through the effort of getting them published. I feel like they are
more passionate about their initial publication because they had to work harder to get
these published than the others.
9. I rate this book 4 out of 5 simply because it was not long enough. The story was
interesting and kept me hooked until the end, but I thought that the characters and the plot
could have been more developed and stretched out. The action happened quickly, a little
too quickly for my liking, and I felt like there couldve been more to Vidyas story.
10. Pg. 231-232 Dont look so worried, thatha said. I have given you my word about
college, and I havent forgotten. If Madras is still evacuated next year, I will send you to
college somewhere else This passage is relevant because it shows the reader that
Vidya is beginning to have a change of heart regarding marriage. This is the first time in
the novel that she considers having both an education and a family.
Appendix MM:
Unofficial Transcripts
University of Rhode Island
Office of Enrollment Services
35 Campus Avenue
Green Hall
Kingston, RI 02881
United States
Print Date : 2015-05-06
Name
: Brianna Resto
Student ID : 100446106
Reason
: Web Transcript Request

- - - - - Beginning of Undergraduate Record - - - - Fall 2011
Program : College of Hmn Sci & Srv - UC

Plan
: Secondary Education - BA Major
Session : Regular
EDC
102
Introduction To Amer Education
ENG
160
Literatures of the World
PSY
113
General Psychology
THE
100
Intro Theatre
URI
101
Tradition & Transform
Notes
WRT
3.00
4.00
3.00
3.00
3.00 A-
4.00 B
12.000
3.00 B
3.00 A
1.00
11.100
9.000
12.000
1.00 A-
3.700
: Supported by the Feinstein Enriching America Program Endowment

104
Writing to Inform and Explain
TERM GPA :
3.520
TERM TOTALS :
CUM GPA :
3.520
CUM TOTALS :
Dean's List
3.00
3.00 A
17.00
17.00
17.00
17.00
12.000
59.800
59.800
Good Standing
Spring 2012
Program : College of Arts & Science - UC
Plan
: English Major

Plan
Session : Regular
AST
108
Intro Astronomy:Stars&Galaxies
3.00
3.00 A
COM
100
Communication Fundamentals
EDC
279
Career Devel Seminar
1.00
1.00 A
4.000
ENG
110
Introduction to Literature
4.00
4.00 B+
13.200
MTH
111
Precalculus
PHL
204
3.00
12.000
3.00
3.00 A-
3.00 B+
Theories of Human Nature
3.00
TERM GPA :
3.610
TERM TOTALS :
CUM GPA :
3.560
CUM TOTALS :
9.900
3.00 A-
17.00
34.00
11.100
11.100
17.00
61.300
34.00
121.100
Dean's List
Good Standing
Fall 2012
Program : College of Arts and Sciences
Plan
: English Major

Plan
Session : Regular
EDC
250
Preprofessional Field Exp.
1.00
EDC
312
The Psychology of Learning
ENG
201
Principles of Literary Study
ENG
241
U.S. Literature I
4.00
3.00
4.00
1.00 S
3.00 A
4.00 A
4.00 A
12.000
16.000
16.000
GER
101
Beginning German I
3.00
TERM GPA :
4.000
TERM TOTALS :
CUM GPA :
3.690
CUM TOTALS :
3.00 A
15.00
49.00
12.000
15.00
56.000
49.00
177.100
Dean's List
Good Standing
Spring 2013
Plan
: English Major

Plan
Session : Regular
ENG
252
British Literature II
4.00
4.00 A
ENG
280
Introduction to Shakespeare
4.00
4.00 A
16.000
ENG
379
Contemporary Literature
4.00
4.00 A
16.000
GER
102
Beginning German II
NFS
207
General Nutrition
3.00
3.00
TERM GPA :
3.670
TERM TOTALS :
CUM GPA :
3.680
CUM TOTALS :
16.000
3.00 A3.00 C+
18.00
67.00
6.900
18.00
67.00
Dean's List
Good Standing
Fall 2013
Plan
: English Major
Program : College of Hum Sci & Services

Plan
Session : Regular
EDC
331
Clin Exp Second Education I
1.00
11.100
1.00 S
66.000
243.100
EDC
371
Educational Measurements
3.00
EDC
400
MiddleSchCurr Assess & Method
EDC
449
Teaching Adolescent Literature
ENG
251
British Literature I
ENG
432
Cultural History-English Lang
3.00 A-
3.00
3.00
4.00
TERM GPA :
3.590
TERM TOTALS :
CUM GPA :
3.660
CUM TOTALS :
3.00 B+
3.00 A
4.00 B+
4.00
11.100
85.00
12.000
13.200
4.00 A-
18.00
9.900
14.800
18.00
85.00
61.000
304.100
Dean's List
Good Standing
Spring 2014
Plan
: English Major

Plan
Session : Regular
EDC
332
Clin Exp Second Education II
1.00
EDC
402
The Education of Special Needs
EDC
448
Literacy Practices Content Sub
ENG
347
Antebellum US Lit & Culture
ENG
396
Literature of the Sea
SOC
240
Race and Ethnic Relations
4.00
CUM GPA :
3.710
CUM TOTALS :
3.00 A
4.00 A-
4.00 A
3.00
TERM TOTALS :
Fall 2014
3.00 A
4.00
3.930
Good Standing
3.00
3.00
TERM GPA :
Dean's List
1.00 S
12.000
14.800
16.000
3.00 A
18.00
12.000
12.000
18.00
66.800
103.00 103.00
370.900
Plan
: English Major

Plan
Session : Regular
EDC
415
Adolescents and Classroom Mgmt
EDC
430
Methods & Materials in Sec Ed
EDC
431
Clin Exp Second Education
EDC
435
The Teaching of Comp
EDC
478
Problems in Education
3.00
3.00
1.00
TERM GPA :
3.750
TERM TOTALS :
CUM GPA :
3.710
CUM TOTALS :
3.00 A
12.000
12.000
1.00 S
3.00
3.00
3.00 A
3.00 B
3.00 A
13.00
9.000
12.000
13.00
45.000
116.00 116.00
415.900
Dean's List
Good Standing
Spring 2015
Plan
: English Major

Plan
Session : Regular
EDC
484
Supervised Student Teaching
EDC
485
Seminar in Teaching
12.00
3.00
TERM GPA :
0.000
TERM TOTALS :
0.00
0.00
0.000
CUM GPA :
3.710
CUM TOTALS :
116.00 116.00
415.900
CUM TOTALS :
116.00 116.00
415.900
Undergraduate Career Totals

CUM GPA :
3.710
Appendix NN:
Group Speech PowerPoint on the Internet
Appendix OO:
EDC 448 Theory into Practice Conference Presentation
Appendix PP:
Formal/Informal Assessments
Formal/Informal Data
Appendix QQ:

NCTE Content Folio Appendix

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complete one role sheet which will be collected on Friday every

described using the definitions provided. They will support their

Student Work Sample 2 Proficient:

Student Work Sample 3 Exceeds Proficiency:

groups and I was very proud of the transition. The materials

W.6.6 Use technology, including the internet, to produce and

To start, I first introduced myself to the class because I had

As the majority of students in both classes were not done with

Student Work Sample 3 Exceeds Proficiency: N/A

The Pinballs Vocabulary Packet

1. Criticized (Ch.14 pg.69)

Read the sentences around the word. Do they make you

Go to dictionary.com on your Chromebooks, look up the

Write a sentence using the word correctly that does not

2. Fidget (Ch.15 pg.74)

Read the sentences around the word. Do they make you

Go to dictionary.com on your Chromebooks, look up the

3. Juvenile (Ch.15 pg.78)

Go to dictionary.com on your Chromebooks, look up the

Write a sentence using the word correctly that does not

4. Wicker (Ch.16 pg.80)

Read the sentences around the word. Do they make you

Go to dictionary.com on your Chromebooks, look up the

Write a sentence using the word correctly that does not

5. Hunched (Ch.16 pg.84)

Read the sentences around the word. Do they make you

Go to dictionary.com on your Chromebooks, look up the

Write a sentence using the word correctly that does not

-Dragon software for typing assignments

understanding the text.

Educational Objectives for English

11th Grade/English (American Lit.)

assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of

Materials & technology:

Students will gather relevant information regarding present

weekend: a mini research project.

of pictures comparing the housing, nightlife, residents, and

learners will also benefit from listening to the movie clip as

Materials & technology:

and represents with their previous research, recording this

question or two from the note sheet, explaining context as

2) Common elements of authors craft in these texts are:

3) A literary element I would focus on would be symbolism. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses

6 Grade/Academic Strategies (ELA)

Accommodations and modifications:

the answers to the practice worksheet on their Chromebooks. If a

Students will be able to give the definition of a homophone and identify

Student Work Sample 3 Exceeds Proficiency: N/A

Grade Level: 8th grade

The Wave Text-Based Writing Response

Materials & technology:

to read it and complete the accompanying note sheet for homework.

Students will be assessed on a 20-point scale based on the

Student Work Sample 3 Exceeds Proficiency: N/A

been in the novel. I would also fix my worksheet, because a lack of

Descriptive Language Mini-Lesson Outline

Descriptive Language Haikus

because of their rigid formatting and short length. The

Opening Question: Has you ever heard of a Haiku or written

Why is descriptive language important for readers and how

(7) Gliding high in the expanse

(5) Flamboyant feathers

6th Grade/Academic Strategies (ELA)