Ninth Grade - ELA
1: Semester 1
Unit 1: Lord of the Flies
Lesson 1
The Call
Students are asked in Option 2 to create utopia and dystopia lists and then ask someone else to do the same and compare the lists, noting conflicting items. In Option 1 students record titles of dystopian novels and films and analyze settings, plot ideas, and central struggles across works, then predict which elements they might see in Lord of the Flies. The Wrapping Up section prompts students to prepare to discuss questions about survival, leadership qualities, and whether a utopia is possible, which requires sharing and responding to ideas.
Lesson 2
Life on the Island
The lesson includes discussion prompts such as "Who is the better leader, Ralph or Jack?" and other "Questions to Discuss" that invite students to compare viewpoints. The STEAL character pages require students to record textual examples (speech, actions, looks, thoughts, effect on others) and make inferences, linking evidence to interpretations. Homework and activities ask students to add to their character pages as they read, encouraging students to revise and connect their ideas across chapters.
Lesson 3
Paths in the Jungle
Students read and annotate an article and complete an organizer that asks for the author's main argument/thesis, key supporting points, and "Your reaction to the thesis." Students are instructed to evaluate the writer's view and decide a final opinion, and the Parent Plan lists citing strong and thorough textual evidence as a skill. Students also engage in a character journal activity where they adopt another character's point of view, and discussion prompts ask students to explain why they agree or disagree with others' opinions.
Lesson 5
Not Hunting, But Hunted
Students are asked to prepare to discuss and defend the laws they draft (Option 1 and Option 2) and to consider different responses when prompts note that "answers will vary" and may be optimistic or pessimistic. The Option 2 prompt asks students to create a system for adopting laws and to "be prepared to discuss and defend their points of view," which asks students to justify their views. The prompt to "think about what you have learned about world history" and to "use this understanding" asks students to make connections between evidence from history and the fictional situation.
Lesson 6
Symbolism, Part 1
Students are asked to choose an interpretation for each symbol on the Student Activity Page (e.g., Piggy's glasses: science and technology, intelligence, civilization) and write a text-based explanation to support their choice, which requires justifying their own view with evidence. The Wrapping Up section asks students to consider other people's interpretations and to perform their own evaluation, prompting reflection on diverse perspectives. Discussion questions (e.g., about the conch's changing importance) give students prompts that could lead to oral exchange of differing viewpoints.
Lesson 7
Bowed and Bowed Again
Students complete the "The Beast" activity in which they predict Jack's, Piggy's, and Ralph's responses based on the characters' knowledge and then re-evaluate those responses using the reader's knowledge, explicitly asking them to compare perspectives. Discussion prompts and Questions to Discuss ask students to explain why some boys join Jack, to contrast Robert's and Jack's suggestions, and to identify examples of dramatic irony in other texts, which require students to cite reasons for different viewpoints. The parent-plan notes and answer keys model using textual evidence (e.g., none of the boys have been hurt by a beast; the boy with the mark dies in a fire set by the boys) for supporting responses.
Lesson 8
Defects of Human Nature
Students are asked to choose minor themes that support Golding's major theme and to support those choices by referring to details from the novel (Option 1 and Option 2 require 3–4 sentence explanations). Discussion prompts ask students to compare Ralph and Jack and to explain who has more power and why, prompting students to defend and justify their positions with textual examples. Vocabulary and theme activities require students to use textual evidence and reasoned explanation to connect details to broader thematic claims.
Lesson 9
Symbolism, Part 2
The lesson repeatedly notes that interpretations will vary and that only unthoughtful, text-unbased ideas are wrong, which prompts students to consider and compare differing views. Activity 1 and Activity 2 ask students to generate interpretations (archetype labels and allegorical meanings) and to fill out pages that invite multiple possible answers. The "Questions to Discuss" and teacher notes indicate classroom discussion about characters' motivations and decisions, which creates opportunities for students to hear diverse perspectives.
Lesson 10
Which Is Better?
Students are prompted to discuss questions such as "What does it mean to be civilized?" and whether shelters and nonviolence define civilization, which requires them to state and defend viewpoints in class discussion. Students complete a two-column chart comparing similarities and differences between the boys and early peoples, which asks them to articulate contrasts and connections. Students write a one-page journal entry from a character's point of view analyzing Jack's leadership versus Ralph's and relating those views to the boys' prior civilized lives, which asks them to justify and connect ideas to textual events.
Lesson 11
The Film
Students watch the 1963 film and complete a "Movie vs. Book" chart identifying similarities and differences in characters, setting, theme, and plot. Students answer journal questions that ask whether omitted scenes were critical and to explain why, requiring them to justify their views with evidence. The lesson includes "Questions to Discuss" and prompts to review students' reflections, which set up opportunities for classroom discussion about the film and novel.
Final Project
Now You Have the Conch
The lesson invites students to "challenge and debate the different interpretations of Golding's ideas" and suggests they "debate the book with a friend or family member" while developing opinions. Students are directed to share drafts with a family member for feedback (Check step) and to use peer-editing forms ("You Are the Editor") to compare a draft to the prompt and rubric and offer practical suggestions. The essay tasks require students to construct and support a thesis with textual evidence, and the editor pages prompt reviewers to note points that conflict with the book or need clearer explanation.
Unit 2: Short Stories
Lesson 1
The Gift of the Magi
Students answer interpretive questions that require explanation and justification (for example, explaining how Jim and Della can be both unwise and wise and identifying the story's central theme). Students research allusions (the Magi, Queen of Sheba, King Solomon) and write journal sentences explaining how that knowledge contributes to their understanding, making connections between evidence and interpretation. Students record and explain instances of situational and dramatic irony and respond to guided discussion prompts about character sacrifices and thematic comparisons.
Lesson 4
Characterization
Students are asked to state opinions and provide evidence (Question #1 asks whether Roger should be in jail and to justify their answer, and Question #2 explicitly asks students to "Support your answer with evidence from the story"). Students prepare and discuss ideas from the Characterization activity (students must identify direct and indirect characterization examples, highlight them, and "Be prepared to discuss your ideas"). The lesson's discussion prompts (e.g., "Questions to Discuss" about Mrs. Jones' motives and what lessons she tried to teach Roger) create opportunities for students to express and justify differing interpretations about characters and theme.
Lesson 5
Edgar Allan Poe
Students list textual evidence for and against the narrator's reliability on the "Crazy Like a Fox?" activity, then answer whether the narrator is reliable, which requires them to justify a position with evidence. Students record specific examples of foreshadowing in a journal and explain what each instance refers to, requiring explanation and use of textual reasoning. The "Questions to Discuss" and open-ended short-answer items invite students to offer varying interpretations (answers may vary) about Poe's choices and the story's purposes.
Lesson 6
The Lottery
The Controversy activity asks students to compare The Lottery with another book or movie and to answer whether people's concerns or complaints about the book/movie were valid and why, prompting students to justify their views. The lesson states that readers may disagree on symbol meanings and instructs students to provide specific textual evidence to support their interpretations, which models qualifying and justifying claims. Discussion prompts (e.g., contrasting Mrs. Delacroix's behavior, meanings of character names, and societal reflections) require students to consider multiple interpretations and engage in discussion about differing viewpoints.
Lesson 7
Everyday Use
Students are asked to discuss and justify who should receive the quilts and whether Dee's anger is justified, which requires them to state and defend an opinion using textual evidence. The "Questions to Discuss" prompts ask students to compare Dee and Maggie's views on heritage and to weigh benefits and drawbacks of Dee's name change, prompting analysis of opposing perspectives. Activity 2 has students rewrite a scene from another character's point of view and write a reflection on how the change alters meaning, which has students explicitly adopt and evaluate a different perspective.
Lesson 8
Harrison Bergeron
Students are asked to listen to online discussions and "be prepared to discuss [their] own thoughts" after watching a video about equality, and they must respond in journal entries that require explanation rather than yes/no answers. Discussion prompts and "Questions to Discuss" ask students to compare the written story and film, evaluate the filmmaker's changes, and explain why those changes were made. Activities require students to compare/contrast versions (fill out the activity page) and to state reasons for their preferences, which asks them to articulate and explain viewpoints.
Unit 3: Grammar, Part I
Lesson 3
Pronoun Problems
Students prepare and deliver a poster or short slideshow in which they explain pronoun reference errors in their own words, provide two example sentences with errors, and show corrected versions. The lesson encourages students to share their poster or presentation with family and to answer family members' questions about points that aren't clear. The lesson includes teacher/parent discussion prompts that ask students to identify and correct pronoun reference problems and to explain their corrections.
Lesson 4
Commas
Students are asked to explain their punctuation choices for three sentences in Activity 4, requiring them to justify why they selected commas, dashes, or parentheses over the alternatives. The homework asks students to watch a video about the Oxford comma and write in their journal whether they think it should be used, explaining why or why not, which requires students to qualify and justify their own view. The Parent Plan includes "Questions to Discuss," prompting students to discuss pauses at commas and the meaning of parenthetical expressions, which can elicit exchange of ideas.
Lesson 6
Colons and Semicolons
Students prepare formal opening statements for both the semicolon and the colon, including required examples that demonstrate rules and usage. Students orally present those statements to a judge and answer follow-up questions, providing example sentences and evidence to defend their explanations. The courtroom activity instructs students to revise explanations if questioned and to demonstrate understanding with specific examples and reasoning.
Unit 4: Poetry
Lesson 1
Introduction to Poetry
Students brainstorm and write their own definition of poetry, then read a page of poets' quotations and are prompted to discuss how their definitions differ from the poets' definitions and which appealed to them and why. Students are instructed to add to or revise their original definition based on what they read, requiring them to justify changes in light of the poets' perspectives. In Activity 2 and homework, students identify word choices, explain why an original word is more effective than synonyms, and answer questions that ask them to explain how a poem adds to their understanding of poetry.
Lesson 2
Sound and Rhythm
Students are prompted to discuss differences between the audio and printed versions of "Lord Randall" and to explain what musical qualities the poem has, indicating classroom discussion about interpretations. Students are asked to identify and label examples of alliteration, assonance, and consonance in Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay," and to choose one example and write a short response about why the repetition is effective, which requires justifying an interpretation with textual evidence. The lesson includes a "Questions to Discuss" list and multiple oral prompts (e.g., effects of meter, the change in "The Tyger") that ask students to explain effects and reasons in group discussion.
Lesson 4
Voice and Tone
Students are asked to write a short letter as a poem's speaker or to write new lines in another character's voice, and directions require that they "refer to parts of the poem and explain why you are saying what you are saying," which asks students to justify their perspective with textual evidence. Students complete comparison tasks for tone (e.g., "How are the last two poems alike? How are they different?"), which asks them to state similarities and differences between texts. Discussion prompts (Questions to Discuss) ask students to explain how voice/point of view in "Richard Cory" affects meaning, prompting consideration of different perspectives.
Lesson 6
Fooling with Words
Students watch a video featuring eleven poets with diverse perspectives and are asked to decide which poets they like best and explain why. Discussion prompts ask, "Which poets did you enjoy? Why?" and include a reflective worksheet section where students explain why they chose a poet and what was appealing about the poet's work or delivery. The activities instruct students to articulate their preferences and to think about similarities and differences in how poets create.
Lesson 8
Types of Poems
Students compare multiple interpretations of Walt Whitman's "A Noiseless Patient Spider" by watching three animator videos and answering questions about how each artist interpreted the poem and how the interpretations were similar or different. Students complete an Ekphrasis Analysis chart where they synthesize findings about artwork and poem, explaining what the poem says about the art and how the poet adds or changes meaning. Discussion prompts ask students to explain and defend readings (e.g., why free verse is still poetry; what "Beauty is truth, truth beauty" means), encouraging explanation of their views.
Lesson 10
Poems and Poets
Students research and prepare a one-page biographical presentation about a poet from another country (Activity 3) and are encouraged to discuss what they found interesting or unusual about the poet and country (Parent Plan sections). The lesson includes explicit discussion prompts (Questions to Discuss) asking students to say which poem they enjoyed and what surprised them about the country or culture. Students also write a journal response analyzing a poem and explaining how cultural references enrich the poem (Activity 4), which asks them to use biographical and cultural evidence to support their interpretation.
Unit 5: Nonfiction
Lesson 1
Types of Nonfiction
Students are asked to compare books by ‘‘comparing themes, viewpoints, thoughts about character identity, and evidence about the book's accuracy'' and to support those comparisons with specific examples on the "All About a Person" activity page. The lesson asks students to read an interview with Patricia McCormick and explain her role and whether that involvement changes the book's classification, prompting students to justify their view with evidence. In Activity 2 students read a Guardian article about different cultures' approaches to fiction/nonfiction and write a short journal response arguing whether those approaches make more sense than the English system.
Lesson 2
Pakistan
Students read chapters that present multiple perspectives (e.g., descriptions of village life, the Taliban's rules, the Radio Mullah, and the mufti's visit) and answer comprehension questions about those differing viewpoints. Students are asked discussion prompts that require considering alternative views, such as the advantages and disadvantages of living in the Swat Valley and why an earthquake might be framed as "A Warning from God." Students research historical and cultural context about Pakistan using book text and web sources, which provides evidence they can use when discussing viewpoints.
Lesson 5
Displacement
Students examine photographs of schools worldwide and write assumptions and first-person statements from the point of view of pictured students (Option 1), which requires them to consider perspectives different from their own. In Option 2 students read an article about how children get to school and are instructed to "discuss the article with you," prompting spoken exchange about diverse experiences. The "Questions to Discuss" section asks students to explain why some countries forbid homeschooling and to reflect on surprising aspects of classroom pictures, encouraging consideration of different cultural policies and viewpoints.
Lesson 6
A Day Like Any Other
Students are asked to use the APE strategy (Answer, Prove, Extend) to analyze decisions, requiring them to provide a clear answer, cite textual evidence or quotations to support that answer, and give their own opinion, explanation, or connection. The activity page instructs students to be prepared to discuss their opinion about whether a decision was a good one and why, and the parent plan directs teachers to discuss students' answers and explanations with them. The "Prove" and "Extend" steps explicitly require students to justify their views with evidence and to make connections to the text, the world, or personal experience.
Lesson 7
Life in England
Students watch an 11-minute documentary excerpt and take notes comparing the filmmaker's account with Malala's memoir, with specific prompts about the father's role, the filmmaker's focus, and impressions of Malala's mother. Students are asked to be prepared to discuss how the book and video differ in emphasis and impact and to consider why viewers might form different impressions. Discussion prompts explicitly ask students to consider whether Malala's father or the media bear responsibility, which asks them to weigh evidence and reasoning. The parent plan also directs students to prepare for and participate in conversations with diverse partners about these differences.
Lesson 8
Civil Rights
Students read excerpts from "Letter from Birmingham Jail," underline portions, and explicitly identify whether they agree with Dr. King's reasoning and describe their own opinions in a double-entry diary. Students complete the "Students in Action" graphic organizer by listing reasons for and against children participating in the march and then write their considered overall opinion, weighing competing perspectives. Students answer journal prompts asking which of Dr. King's arguments was most persuasive and explain why, and they match and explain historical figures King referenced, making connections between evidence and interpretation.
Lesson 9
Civil Disobedience
Students analyze paired excerpts from Thoreau and King in Activity 1 by highlighting similar phrases and filling an "Overlapping Ideas" box, directly identifying points of agreement between the two authors. In Activity 2, students read opposing quotes on America, government, and voting, choose which thinker they agree with more, and explain how their views align in the "Your Views" space, requiring them to justify their position with textual evidence. The parent/teacher prompts also ask students to reflect on ideas from the thinker they did not choose and to discuss whether those ideas hold value, prompting consideration of alternative perspectives.
Lesson 10
Learning from the Past
Students read and analyze Elie Wiesel's speech and are asked in Activity 3 to "skim Wiesel's speech and look for a statement that is a universal truth" and then draft a paragraph comparing that statement with one or two other advocates (Malala, MLK, or Thoreau), using quotes to support their argument. Activity 2 asks students to read an excerpt of Dr. King, watch him deliver it, "reflect on the difference" and be prepared to discuss how delivery changes understanding, which requires students to consider and discuss different perspectives on communication. Activity 4 asks students to synthesize the contributions of multiple activists into a museum wall, which has students make connections across sources and present a formal explanation of their chosen point.
Lesson 11
A Boy's Story
Students are asked to consider and discuss debatable prompts such as "Can learning about the horrors of the past help prevent future conflicts?" and "Is war ever justified?", which requires engaging with differing viewpoints. Students watch an author interview and answer questions about what the author says the book tries to explain, requiring them to interpret and respond to the author's perspective. Questions to Discuss ask students to compare this memoir with Malala's and to share impressions, prompting students to articulate and contrast perspectives.
Lesson 12
Running from War
Students must use the APE strategy for homework, which requires them to Answer a question, Prove their answer with a quotation from the text, and Extend by explaining how the quotation supports their answer and offering an opinion or prediction. In Activity 2 students share their recorded or drawn memories with a parent, grandparent, or older sibling and discuss which details differ, requiring them to respond to another person's perspective about the accuracy of their memory. The lesson's discussion prompts (e.g., "Do you think the author's explanation...Why or why not?" and other Questions to Discuss) ask students to explain beliefs and react to others' viewpoints in class conversation.
Lesson 13
Child Soldier
Students are asked to write a journal response to the memoir-accuracy controversy that presents two opposing viewpoints (supporters vs. detractors) and to explain whether Beah's accuracy matters, which requires weighing evidence and justifying a position. In Activity 2, students complete a "Different Accounts" worksheet comparing what the book says and what the video says and then are "be prepared to discuss your answers," prompting them to summarize agreements and differences between sources. The "Child Soldiers" activity asks students to list advantages and disadvantages from different points of view (commander vs. child), which requires considering diverse perspectives and connecting those perspectives to evidence from the text and video.
Lesson 14
Rehabilitation
Students compare the lieutenant's speech and the RUF child's viewpoint (Activity 1 and Option 2) and are asked to consider whether the army or rebels committed war crimes, citing page numbers and quotations as evidence. The "RUF vs. Government Soldiers" worksheet directs students to mark actions as committed by both sides or only one side, which requires summarizing points of agreement and disagreement. Option 2 and the "Wiesel's Words" activity ask students to state a conclusion and support it with specific examples or quotations from the text and video, requiring them to justify their views and make connections to broader ideas.
Lesson 15
A New Life
Students complete a "Comparing Memoirs" activity that asks them to evaluate and compare authors' purposes, styles, and uses of rhetoric and to answer questions that invite differing opinions (e.g., which book they enjoyed more and why). The plan asks students to be "prepared to discuss" whether the details each book included were appropriate and directs students to draw evidence from the texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. The nonprofit/webpage/flyer activities also require students to represent an organization's purpose and accomplishments, which asks them to use textual and web-based information to justify statements.
2: Semester 2
Unit 1: Ender's Game
Lesson 1
Born to Genius
The Parent Plan lists the collaborative discussion standard as a Skills goal. The "Your Views on the Issues" activity asks students to rate positions before and after reading and to "be prepared to discuss your answers" and "explain their reasoning." The "Questions to Discuss" prompts ask students to consider different societal perspectives (e.g., military control, leadership in crisis) and to be prepared to discuss varied responses.
Lesson 2
We're People, Not Thirds
Students are asked discussion questions that require defending or explaining their positions (e.g., "Do you think Ender should have beat up Stilson? Why or why not?" and "Why would Stilson say, 'We're people, not Thirds?'"), which prompt justification and interpretation. The Planned Procreation activity explicitly asks students to brainstorm reasons from multiple perspectives (religious, environmental/ethical, personal/financial, governmental/legal), requiring consideration of diverse viewpoints and collection of supporting facts. The Option 2 research task asks students to record ten facts about eugenics or reasons for limiting children, which asks them to gather evidence relevant to viewpoints.
Lesson 3
Science Fiction
Students are prompted to consider debate questions such as "What is the difference between a preemptive attack and self defense?" and "Can violence solve a problem without creating a new problem?," which asks them to weigh different perspectives. In the "Questions to Discuss" section, students are asked to react to Graff's pronouncements and to point out oversimplifications or misinformation (e.g., noting that Graff's claims may be exaggerated or unsupported), which requires students to qualify or challenge a presented viewpoint and offer reasoning. The parent notes include suggested student responses that model pointing out disagreement and providing reasons why Graff's claims may be inaccurate.
Lesson 4
Divergence
Students are prompted to discuss open-ended prompts such as "How does competition affect friendship?" and "What is the difference between an authority figure and a leader?" in the "Ideas to Think About" and "Questions to Discuss" sections. Students are asked to respond to sensitive, opinion-based prompts (for example, discussing the author's use of a racial slur) where "Answers will vary," indicating opportunities for verbal exchange of perspectives. The Parent Plan skill asks students to analyze how complex characters develop and interact, which can involve articulating and comparing viewpoints about characters like Bernard and Bonzo.
Lesson 5
Movement and Time
Students are prompted to discuss controversial claims (e.g., "Do you think Dink is right when he tells Ender the buggers have been destroyed and the government lies...") that require taking positions and considering alternatives. Students have an optional partner activity in which they hand pipe‑cleaner figures to a friend and narrate that friend's motions, which involves interacting and responding to another person's actions. Several questions and answer keys note that "answers will vary," signaling that students will generate and state differing viewpoints about characters' motives and actions.
Lesson 6
Performance Is Personal
Students are asked to explain how conversations among authority figures create tension by showing conflicting opinions and to provide a text example (Text Structure Question 2), which requires identifying and summarizing points of disagreement. Discussion prompts ask students to consider provocative, differing viewpoints (e.g., the use of an ethnic slur and Dink's claim that there is no bugger threat) and to state whether they agree, prompting justification of their positions. In the Competing Commanders activity students select evaluation criteria, assign scores, and rank commanders, which requires them to form and record a justified point of view about leadership.
Lesson 7
Leaders Motivate
Students write journal entries explaining why Peter and Valentine adopt the personas of Locke and Demosthenes, which requires them to adopt and explain alternative perspectives. Students collaborate by contributing to each other's writing as Locke/Demosthenes, reflecting on how each authorial voice differs. Students match leadership quotes to characters and write reasons explaining those matches, making connections between evidence from the novel and interpretive claims. Discussion prompts ask students to consider and talk about differing viewpoints (e.g., Valentine vs. Peter, motivations for actions).
Lesson 8
Flies and Self-Loathing
Students are asked to complete a compare-and-contrast graphic organizer comparing Lord of the Flies and Ender's Game (Activity 2), which prompts analysis of settings, leadership, themes, fears, responsibilities, and consequences. Discussion prompts ask students to evaluate Ender's self-perception (e.g., whether Ender can evaluate himself objectively) and to consider whether adults' decisions at Battle School are wise, which invites students to justify their viewpoints. The lesson states that answers will be evaluated for the depth of insights and the way students describe similarities and differences, encouraging use of evidence and reasoning.
Lesson 10
View from Valentine
Students are prompted to consider and discuss multiple perspectives through the "Ideas to Think About" and "Questions to Discuss" prompts (e.g., evaluating authority figures, distinguishing leaders from authorities, whether governments can gain power by stoking fear). Students read Chapter 13 focusing on Valentine's viewpoint and are asked to imagine how the story changes when told from different characters' perspectives, which asks students to compare and consider alternative perspectives. The discussion prompts ask students to relate personal experiences (e.g., changing opinions about someone after getting to know them), which invites exchange of diverse viewpoints in group talk.
Lesson 11
Thud, Whump, Huut
Students compare specific scenes in the book to scenes in the movie or pages in the comic, take notes on what information or dialogue was omitted or changed, and decide which version is more effective. The Comic Adaptation activity page asks students to list narration or dialogue that was omitted or changed and to judge whether the comic communicated the omitted material, prompting evaluation of evidence. Discussion prompts ask students to explain which version was more effective and why and to discuss their notes with a parent, which requires articulating and defending a point of view.
Lesson 12
Campbell's Comparisons
Students retake the initial "Issues" survey, compare their new answers to their pre-reading answers, and are asked to be prepared to discuss any changes and provide examples from Ender's Game that influenced them. The lesson includes discussion prompts (e.g., questions about Dink's and Mazer's perspectives and whether the buggers are a threat) that require students to consider and articulate differing viewpoints. The "Ideas to Think About" section lists debatable prompts (fear and government, sacrificing freedoms, why soldiers fight) that students can use to explore and respond to diverse perspectives.
Lesson 13
The Enemy's Gate Is Down
Students are prompted to discuss and defend interpretations in the discussion questions (e.g., whether the Graff subplot is more crucial than the Peter/Valentine subplot and what themes would be missing if a subplot were removed). The lesson asks students to consider and respond to competing ideas in the "Ideas to Think About" prompts (e.g., whether a government can gain power by stoking fear and whether fear causes people to give up freedoms). The "Questions to Discuss" explicitly invites students to weigh alternative explanations (e.g., whether Ender would have acted differently with more friends and why adults kept him isolated).
Final Project
Think-Tac-Toe
Students are asked to compare and contrast military and civilian leadership in two to three paragraphs (Box 5), which requires them to analyze differing leadership perspectives and support their comparisons with examples from the text. In the Historical References activity (Box 8), students research NATO and the Warsaw Pact, list two similarities and two differences, and explain why the author used the historical reference, which asks them to justify interpretations using evidence. The Leadership or Power? activity (Box 4) asks students to insert historical quotes into imagined conversations, prompting them to consider how different viewpoints might fit within character dialogue.
Unit 3: Informational Texts
Lesson 1
What Are Informational Texts?
Students watch Malcolm Gladwell's TED talk, jot down prior knowledge about David and Goliath, and are asked to be prepared to discuss questions that compare Gladwell's interpretation with the traditional view (e.g., why David is seen as an underdog and ways David may have had advantages). The Parent Plan directs a discussion that explicitly asks students whether Gladwell's interpretation affects religious beliefs about David and whether it makes David less brave, prompting students to respond to an alternative perspective. Students also read Outliers and answer comprehension questions that require citing evidence (e.g., explaining why Rosetans had excellent health).
Lesson 2
Outliers
Activity 1 asks students to analyze Gladwell's use of analogy and to re-read the Roseto study paragraphs to explain how that study applies to Gladwell's approach, prompting students to make connections between evidence and interpretation. Homework questions #2 and #3 require students to explain why the birthday cutoff affects hockey success and to apply a similar principle to education, asking for justification based on the text. The "Questions to Discuss" and Wrapping Up prompts invite students to discuss factors affecting success (e.g., in sports) and to consider different ideas about reading preferences, creating opportunities for classroom discussion.
Lesson 4
The 10,000 Hour Rule
Students are prompted to discuss and answer guided questions (e.g., "Do you think Gladwell believes that talent and/or intelligence are important…?" and "Do you think Gladwell believes that luck has anything to do with success?"), which requires them to state and support interpretations. The Skills and activities ask students to cite textual evidence, analyze how the author develops ideas, and explain author intent (Activity 1 and the Parent Plan skill list), prompting students to justify their views with evidence. The homework asks students to translate marked evidence about The Beatles or Bill Gates into a visual representation that ties the example to the chapter's larger ideas, requiring students to make connections in light of evidence presented.
Lesson 5
Harlan, Kentucky
Students read Chapter 6 content about the culture of honor and the University of Michigan experiment and answer questions that compare northern and southern reactions, prompting consideration of differing regional perspectives. Students are asked in discussion prompts to consider how they would have reacted to the insult and why Gladwell focuses on a small town, which asks them to articulate and reflect on personal viewpoints. Students research local stereotypes and who settled their area as homework and then share their findings with family, which asks them to compare perspectives and offer informal conclusions about cultural influences.
Lesson 6
The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes
Students read a critical blog post (Activity 4) and then either prepare an oral summary of the blog's main objections and answer focused discussion questions (Activity 5, Option 1) or complete a chart that pairs each criticism with Gladwell's response and evaluates its effectiveness (Activity 5, Option 2). Discussion prompts ask students to judge credibility, identify the strongest or weakest objections, and state whether the blog changed their mind and why. Journal and wrap-up prompts ask students to connect the debate to other texts (A Long Way Gone) and to cultural evidence (Hofstede scores).
Lesson 7
Rice Paddies and Math Tests
Students are asked to present findings to a parent explaining how the Chinese counting system works and why the English system can be more difficult, which requires explaining and supporting a point of view. Students are prompted to discuss with a parent whether their opinions changed about math ability, the 10,000-hour rule, and innate talent, which asks them to reflect on evidence and reasoning. Students must create an infographic that draws evidence from the text to support analysis and communicate findings, requiring them to make connections based on evidence.
Lesson 9
Writing about History
Students compare three secondary summaries of the Sand Creek Massacre and are asked to list facts all sources agree upon (Question #1). Students analyze multiple primary eyewitness testimonies (Smith, Brent, Chivington) and complete a graphic organizer that links specific primary-source evidence to claims in secondary accounts. Students evaluate contrasting perspectives by examining pro-Chivington editorials and by creating a split-perspective magazine cover or by writing an editorial defending the Indians' side using facts from the sources.
Lesson 10
Science Writing
Students are asked to evaluate and explain specific claims from the science booklet (e.g., about noncontact forces and fictitious forces) and to identify the methods the author uses to explain terms, which requires supporting or justifying interpretations with textual evidence. The activity asks students to judge audience appropriateness and provide suggestions for improvement, prompting them to state and defend their views about the text. Homework requires students to compare the written explanation to a video and discuss with a parent which version made the concept more understandable, asking for specific reasons and pros/cons.
Lesson 12
Logical Fallacies
Students read and annotate primary texts (e.g., Andrew Jackson's speech) and are instructed to find at least three passages that show fallacious reasoning and to be prepared to discuss which fallacies they associate with each selection. Students are asked to verbally defend their selections and to research and identify fallacies in political speeches, which requires them to cite evidence and explain their reasoning. The lesson includes discussion prompts (e.g., whether misleading arguments are intentional and whether that matters) that ask students to consider and respond to differing viewpoints.
Final Project
Argumentative Research Essay
Students are directed to investigate, acknowledge, and refute a counterargument as part of their five-paragraph essay and are explicitly asked to draft a concession and refutation paragraph (Part 7). The "Present the Evidence" activity asks students to record source quotes, reflect on what the evidence makes them think, and then state both a thesis and the opposing viewpoint. Parts of the research process (Part 4) ask students to note when sources contradict one another and to take notes recording both points of view and their sources. The oral presentation checklist and rubrics require students to include and explain the counterargument when presenting.
Unit 4: Drama
Lesson 2
How to Read Drama
Students are prompted to discuss differing viewpoints with questions such as "The title Trifles shows the different perspectives of men and women on trifles. How?" and "At first Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters do not have the same opinion about Minnie Foster. What changes?" Students are asked to answer journal questions and complete the Applying Aristotle's Six Elements activity using evidence from the play (e.g., identifying clues, explaining motive, and explaining symbols such as the bird). The activities require students to explain character motivations and ethical choices (e.g., "Are the women's actions ethically moral?"), which asks them to justify interpretations based on text evidence.
Lesson 3
Life and Times
Students are prompted to discuss why Hansberry's play was "so revolutionary" and to answer open-ended questions where "answers may vary," which asks them to explain and justify their thinking. Students are asked to watch a Civil Rights Act video, jot down major points, and be ready to answer questions that require summarizing causes and effects from the video. The Skills section explicitly lists preparing for and participating in conversations with diverse partners, indicating that students will engage in oral discussion and build on others' ideas.
Lesson 4
A Raisin in the Sun
Students answer open-ended discussion questions that require justification, for example "Do you think Walter should have given Travis the money? Why or why not?" and "Do you feel Beneatha respects her mother? Why or why not?" Students listen to dialect samples and take notes to discuss differences and personal reactions, and they watch videos about first-generation college students and write journal responses about what led those students to college and whether college is necessary for their own success. Students collaborate when they stage scenes or direct peers for performances, which requires responding to and building on others' ideas during rehearsal and presentation.
Lesson 5
Act II
Students are asked to write Reader Response Paragraphs using the APE method (Answer, Prove, Extend), which requires them to state a position, provide textual evidence, and make connections. In the "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" activity students read excerpts and answer which character might say each quote, explaining and justifying their choices. The music homework asks students to listen to multiple songs and explain what each song says about the American Dream and why it was written, prompting interpretation and connection across media.
Lesson 6
Act III
Students are asked opinion and justification questions such as "Do you think Beneatha should marry and move to Africa? Why or why not?" and "Do you think it is a good idea for the Youngers to move into a neighborhood where they are not wanted? Why or why not?", which require students to state and support personal views. The Student Activity Page asks students to relate Hughes's similes to a character's experience and explain which comparison best describes what happens to that character's deferred dream, prompting students to make connections between text evidence and their interpretations. The "Questions to Discuss" section lists prompts (e.g., Mama's reaction, Walter's becoming a man) that invite students to explain and support interpretations in a discussion format.
Lesson 9
Romeo and Juliet
Students are asked to discuss Globe Theatre prompts with a parent, including listing at least three challenges actors faced, which requires them to state reasons and support a position. Students write journal responses about arranged marriage prompts that require listing pros and cons and answering "Do you think people should always be able to choose the person they will marry? Explain," asking them to justify their views. Students summarize the most important events of scenes in their journals, practicing concise summary of textual content.
Lesson 10
Figurative Language
The spouse-survey activity requires students to complete a personal survey, collect a parent's survey, compare the two, and discuss similarities, differences, and surprising answers. Journal prompts ask students to relate the play to their own lives and to imagine what they would say to Romeo as Friar Lawrence, which asks them to state and explain their own position. The parent-plan discussion questions (e.g., "What did you learn about your parent's expectations for your spouse?" and "Do you think Friar Lawrence is a good influence on Romeo?") prompt students to talk about others' perspectives and evaluate them.
Lesson 12
Time and Tension
Students read Act IV, answer targeted questions, and write a journal summary of the most important event, which asks them to state and support an interpretation. The student activity asks students to analyze specific scenes (e.g., Friar Lawrence's monologue, Capulet's repetition, the Nurse's lines) and to count time-related words, requiring them to use textual evidence to explain how time creates tension. The lesson includes 'Questions to Discuss' that prompt students to discuss other ways Shakespeare creates tension and to explain what Juliet's urgency shows about her, implying opportunities for oral exchange of ideas.
Lesson 13
Tragic Hero
Students are asked to watch a video about types of heroes and then write journal responses explaining how Romeo and Juliet do or do not meet the video's tragic-hero criteria, including whether they agree with the video's claim about Romeo's major flaw. In the Timeline and Character Development activity, students fill in scene-by-scene actions, decide whether characters are static or dynamic and round or flat, and provide explanations supporting those conclusions. In the Pyramus and Thisbe activity, students read Ovid excerpts and explicitly identify similarities between that story and Romeo and Juliet, making textual connections.
Lesson 14
Modern Retelling
Students are asked to use the Two Versions activity page to note specific differences between the Luhrmann film and the Globe Theatre performance, including character portrayals, major changes, setting, and color. The assignment requires students to choose three areas of difference, write a thesis, and use the APE method (Answer, Prove with specific examples from both productions, Extend by discussing significance) to support their claims. The Questions to Discuss prompt (e.g., "Why did the director…?" and "What would you change…?") invites students to articulate reasons and consider alternative interpretations.
Final Project
Drama
Students must present all three mini-projects to an audience and, in presentations, explain their choices (e.g., provide explanations for costume and set design decisions). Several projects require students to justify choices in writing (costume paragraphs, set-design explanation, playlist descriptions) and to cite outside sources with a Works Cited page. The rubric evaluates Presentation and Content (understanding of the play), which requires students to defend their interpretations and engage an audience.
Semester Exam
Semester Exam
Students are asked to complete Part IV: Discussion, selecting three prompts that require them to take a position and support it in 1–3 paragraph answers (e.g., question E asks students to argue for or against teaching Shakespeare and use specific textual experience; question D asks them to choose which type of writing is more challenging and justify their view). Question F explicitly asks students to consider criticisms of Gladwell's chapter and to weigh informational versus persuasive features, prompting students to connect evidence and reasoning. Multiple short-answer and essay prompts require explanation, examples, and justification (e.g., explaining cultural factors in Outliers, explaining why a counterargument is useful).