Lorraine Delp

Unit Plan Cover Page

Unit Topic: The Synthesis Essay Time Frame: 3 Weeks

Subject/Course: Writing and Rhetoric for Today Grade Level: Juniors

CONTENT STANDARDS
Arizona Department of Education ELA Standards: 11th / 12th Grade
Reading Standards:
● 11-12.RL.1 • 11-12.RI.1 • 11-12.RI.6 • 11-12.RI.7
Writing Standards:
● 11-12.W.1 • 11-12.W.4 • 11-12.W.5 • 11-12.W.6 • 11-12.W.9 • 11-12.W.10
Speaking and Listening Standards:
● 11-12.SL.1 • 11-12.SL.3
Language Standards:
● 11-12.L.6
BIG IDEA/ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Big Idea: Everything is an argument. (Quarter Theme: How do cultural norms and values shape who we are?)

Essential Questions: What makes us who we are? How do texts speak to one another? What rhetorical appeals are at work in the text (written, video,
image)? How does seeing an issue from many sides impact our opinions?

ASSESSMENTS
1. Crime Scene Organizer Group Presentation
2. Synthesis Essay Rough Draft
3. Peer Revision Worksheet
4. Self-Revision Worksheet
5. Final Synthesis Essay
RESOURCES/MATERIALS
● Texts: Chapter 4 of Understanding Rhetoric (textbook), Identity Text #1 (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs), Identity Text #2 (Freud), Identity Text #3 (“The Post-
Millennials Should Scare the Hell Out of the GOP” by Ed Kilgore -- Article/Demographics-Politics), Identity Text #4(“Move Over, Millennials: How Generation Z
Is Disrupting Work As We Know It” by Katy Steinmetz -- Article/Values-College-Work), Identity Text #5 (“Gen Z: 18 Statistics About Today’s Newest Workers”
by Laura Berlinksy-Schine -- Editorial OR “EDITORIAL: Make Way for Generation Z” by Gino De La Paz), Identity Text #6 (“The ‘Founder’ Generation’s Creation
Myth” by Nathan Heller), Identity Cartoon (“Diversity” by Angelo Lopez), Gen Z Infographic, Identity Poem (“Generation Z” by Guerilla of the World)
● Videos: Relevant TED Talk Segment
● Handouts: Textbook Notetaker, Alphabet Brainstorming - Arguments, Crime Scene Organizer Handout, Peer Revision Worksheet, Self-Revision Worksheet,
Synthesis Essay Guidelines, Essay Outlining Organizer, PPP Notetakers
● PowerPoints: “How to Write a Precis,” “Citation,” “How to Write a Synthesis Essay,” “How to Pick Effective Source Texts”
Lorraine Delp
MONDAY (55 min.)
→ Daily Objective: SWBAT
describe in their own
words the components of
an effective argument. [BL:
Comprehension]
→ Bell work: Alphabet
Brainstorming – Arguments
→ Ch. 4 of Textbook (Read
aloud & discuss.)
→ Textbook Notetaker
→ Daily Objective: SWBAT
identify quotations in a
text that support a specific
claim. [BL: Analysis]
→ Assign each table-group
a different text that we’ve
been studying
→ Students create a Crime
Scene Organizer analyzing
their assigned text w/ aid
of Textbook Notetaker
TUESDAY (55)
→ Daily Objective: SWBAT list
the ways in which discussion
with their peers affected their
own viewpoint. [BL:
Evaluation]
→ Bell work: What are the top
3 most important facets of
your identity?
→ Reminder: Having
respectful discussions about
difficult topics
→ Philosophical Chairs
Anticipation Guide about
Identity Questions
→ Daily Objective: SWBAT
give an effective presentation.
[BL: Comprehension?]
→ Bell work: In table-groups,
share your best presentation
tips. As a class: each group
volunteers one tip.
→ Crime Scene Organizer
Presentations
Unit Calendar
WEDNESDAY (55)
→ Daily Objective: SWBAT
write a precis statement for
a given text. [BL: Synthesis]
→ Bell work: Anticipation
Guide about Identity
→ TED Talk clip
→ “How to Write a Precis”
→ Precis practice: TED Talk
→ Texts #1 & #2 precis
→ Identity Infographic precis
→ Daily Objective: SWBAT
write an effective thesis
statement and topic
sentences. [BL: Synthesis]
→ “How to Write a Synthesis
Essay” PPP & Notetaker
→ Students craft a thesis
statement and introduction
for their Synthesis Essay
→ Students pick 3 or more
texts from the provided list
and start filling in their Essay
Outlining Organizer with
topic sentences
THURSDAY (48)
→ Daily Objective: SWBAT
write three complete
citations in MLA format. [BL:
Application]
→ Bell work: Generative
Sentences w/ Vocab Terms
→ "Citation" mini-lesson &
PPP
→ Cartoon #1 precis &
citation
→ Texts #3 & #4 precis &
citation
→ Daily Objective: SWBAT
list the characteristics of an
effective source text. [BL:
Knowledge]
→ Bell work:
→ “How to Pick Effective
Source Texts” PPP &
Notetaker
→ Students will use the
internet or school library to
find one source text to
include in their synthesis
essay (What perspective is
missing?)
FRIDAY (45)
→ Daily Objective:
SWBAT explain in their
own words how a poem
can be an argument. [BL:
Comprehension]
→ Bell work: Can We
Trade? Activity with
Argument Vocab
→ Poem Analysis, precis &
citation
→ Texts #5 & #6, precis &
citation
→ Daily Objective:
SWBAT write three
paragraphs that model
the argument
organization guidelines.
[BL: Synthesis]
→ Bell work:
→ Lunch time! Paragraph
Elaboration activity
→ Writing & Conference
Time: Students can take a
# to conference with the
teacher about their essay.
If not conferencing,
students are writing.
Lorraine Delp
→ Daily Objective: SWBAT → Daily Objective: SWBAT → Daily Objective: SWBAT → Daily Objective: SWBAT → Daily Objective:
write a short paragraph write constructive feedback revise their essays for identify one question they SWBAT explain in their
reflecting on their rough about a piece of writing. [BL: clarity, language, proper have about their synthesis own words how their
draft. [BL: Evaluation] Evaluation] citation, and organization. essay. [BL: Evaluation] writing has changed
→ Bell work: → Bell work: [BL: Synthesis] → Bell work: based on self-evaluation
→ Rough drafts of essay → Peer Revision Worksheet → Bell work: → Writing Day and peer feedback. [BL:
due → Revision stations based on → Teacher Conference Day Evaluation]
→ Self-Revision Worksheet activities from worksheets → Bell work: Which
activity from the past two
weeks most helped you
improve your writing?
→ Closure of Unit: Board
Walk reflections (Synthesis
Essay Unit |I learned...)
→ Final draft of synthesis
essay due Monday