Your browser has JavaScript turned off. You will be able to view the contents of this web site if you turn JavaScript on. Open your browser preferences and enable JavaScript. You do not have to restart your browser or your computer after you enable JavaScript. Simply click the RELOAD button.

MastHead - Top Left Logo Image Faces in a circleStudent at ComputerStudents on stairs
Mr. Fife's & Ms. Vandertie's Page    Cross Middle School
stary2
Home
Current Grades
Voter Registration
What is this 21st Century Stuff About?
Book Reviews
Unit Goals
Class Calendar
Tutoring Available for K-12 Students
Unit Goals

Responses to Power

Desired Results

What transfer goals and content goals will be met?

Use evidence to support opinion
Speak on topic and add value to the conversation (pause to think, paraphrase and add).
Synthesize information gathered from a variety of sources for a specific purpose
Identify and describe formal and informal powers
Compare and contrast response to formal and informal powers
Articulate and evaluate responses to formal and informal powers
Understand and articulate their freedom to choose and the responsibility to your community
Identify ways to effect change in government policies
Understand and articulate non-negotiable core basis for judgement and decision making
Articulate class theme to relevant stakeholders
Understand the factors involved in people's reaction to power
Articulate ways the past can inform the present

What should students come away understanding?

Reflection is a process that leads to a deeper understanding of self and others.
I am free to choose my behavior and attitude; this freedom has consequences for myself and others.
There are different ideas about freedom and responsibility; my own ideas may change over time.
I have a responsibility to advocate for the greater good of the class and community.
There is a process in creating written or design products.
I am aware of my personal values and can articulate them.
I can select sides of an issue based on my values and defend my choice based on evidence.
I need to be a critical reader, listener and observer to be able to reach an informed decision.
People's response to power can lead to long term change
A knowledge of our past (powers and responses) can inform our our choices and understanding of today
Inaction is a choice with consequences

What essential questions will students explore and address?

What do freedom and responsibility mean to me?
What does quality reflection look like?
What does a quality table conversation look and sound like?
How do I address a crowd and get my point across?
What do I need to be mindful of when designing a display?
What is the role of the individual citizen in governmental decisions?
How can an individual work for change in the status quo?
How do you define what is just or unjust?
What is the impact of action or inaction in the face of injustice?
How do bias and propaganda affect decision making?
What impact does media have on decision making?
What impact do past events have on our lives today?


What knowledge and skill will students leave with?

An increased level of self-awareness
Personal definition of freedom and responsibility
Ability to write a competent reflection
Participate meaningfully in a structured table conversation
Public speaking (large crowd)
Incorporate and evaluate elements of design
Providing quality feedback to peers
Ability to connect historical events, current events and literature to core basis.
Response to power by working both within and outside the system
Make relevant inferences about text supported by text evidence (R 3.1.10)
Compare and contrast the central ideas and concepts from a selected readings on specific topics (R 3.1.11)
Determine the author's specific purpose for writing persuasive text (R 3.3.1)
Determine the author's bias - propaganda
Evaluate effectiveness of facts used to support an author's argument (R 3.3.2)
Representation in government
Understand the appropriate means to effect change (SS 3.3.4)
Summarize from informational text
Using reading strategies to interpret informational text (eg. cause and effect, inference) (R1.6.7)
Synthesize a variety of sources
Components of the writing process (Strand 1) Writing components (Strand 2)
Emphasis on similarities and differences using multiple sources of evidence (R 1.6.5)
Graphic organizers (pre-writing)
Use graphic organizers to clarify meaning of text (R 1.6.4)
Working in collaboration with others

Stage 2: Assessment Evidence

What performances and products will reveal evidence of understanding?

Written reflections evidence the student connects self to experience and impact on others (what, so what, now what)
Table conversations (what, so what, now what), reach collective understanding. Requires inquiry, paraphrase/summary,
consensus, report.
Students consistently demonstrate classroom procedures with little or no prompting. (Quality individual reflection, quality
paired sharing, quality table talk, quality exit feedback, group listening, whole group speaking)
Clearly state opinion and support with evidence in spoken and written form
Identify injustice
Identify and evaluate responses to injustice
Compare and contrast past events to the present
Media item (Digital Story/Movie Maker/?)

What other evidence will be collected to reflect other desired results?

Daily reflections should evidence self-awareness and connections to others
We see supportive behavior, pauses, paraphrasing
Peer revision and editing
Students begin to seek input on ideas from peers and teachers
Detailed conversations requiring more than a one sentence response
Students describe connections between/reasons for activities
Greater acceptance of differences is observable