Transcript three PPT - MFA for Educators

Three’s a Great Crowd: Literature, Music
&Art
Massachusetts Standards:
9.7 Relate a literary work to the seminal ideas of its time
11.6 Apply knowledge of the concept that a text can contain
more than one theme.
11.7 Analyze and compare texts that express a universal
theme, and locate support in the text for the identified
theme
Brief Summary of Unit
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This eight-day mini unit concludes a larger four or five-week unit (the length of the unit is
contingent on the established reading ability of the class) that features Margret Atwood’s,
The Handmaid’s Tale as the central work of literature. Students will learn to identify and
analyze different themes found in literature, art and music. Using a close reading task that
focuses on formal literary elements, combined with reader response journals that allow
students to explore their personal reactions to, and feelings about the supplementary novel,
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, the students will be able to establish a working
methodology for thematic analysis.
In-class work will include using the PATRIOT Act as a model to analyze themes in current
literature, as well as historical visual propaganda (that both supports and opposes the Act).
Students will analyze a song of their choice in which they will identify a theme (or more than
one, if possible), and demonstrate the criteria used in their analyses. The teacher will have
modeled the methods of analysis prior to the culminating assignment. Thus for the Exhibit
Project: Part I, students will understand how to find a universal theme in literature, visual art,
and music/song lyrics. Moreover, students will find a universal theme that also transcends a
particular time period or era.
The second part of the final project will be a reflective essay, in which the students will be
able to reflect on their learning and the importance of the final project.
• Essential Question
Is it possible for a
particular theme found
in a work of literature to
have relevance in a time
other than the time in
which it was written?
Does it matter? Why?
• Topical Question
What is a universal
theme from The
Handmaid’s Tale that is
relevant in the 21st
century, as well as prior
to when it was written
(1985)?
Culminating Task: Part 1
The first part of the culminating project will incorporate
the activities of the mini-lesson. In class activities and
performance tasks provided the scaffolding for this
project. The students will find an interesting universal
theme in The Handmaid’s Tale, and find that theme in a
song and work of artanalyze the theme while paying
particular attention to formal elements. The analysis will
include a close reading of at least three passages from
the novel; a formal analysis of the lyrics/music of a song;
and a work of art. The literature, song, and art may not
be products of the same era. Students will organize their
presentation as if it were an exhibit.
Why this is worth
doing
As students assess the
work of other students,
they will understand that
there can be several
themes found within a
work of literature, piece of
visual art, and music/song.
Through this exercise they
will experience the
universality of themes.
Part II
After completing the Exhibit, students will
reflect on the unit in its entirety. The student
will be asked to reflect on important themes
found in the novel, as well as the value of
finding a universal theme in a work of
literature, visual art, and music/song. Most
importantly, student will reflect on his or her
methods of analysis, and how this leads to a
greater understanding of a universal theme.
Ahh…Reflection
Now that your _____ (adverb) ______(adjective) exhibition is becoming a mere memory, it is time to
reflect on all the hard work that you’ve done. It is time to ask ,“Why did I even do this project?”
“What was so important?”
For your final task of the unit, write an essay that answers why this theme is important to you. You
should also reflect on the Exhibition Project and discuss any new understandings that you have
developed as a result of completing the project or commenting on other student projects. Some
questions to think about as you compose your essay:
*Why did you choose this theme?
*What makes this theme universal?
*What makes it important- To you? To others?
*Did you find (in your project or a student’s) that you connected to one medium (art, literature, or song
lyrics) more than you did to another? Why do you think this is the case?
*Did you find it easy or difficult to find a
*Would it be sufficient to read a novel or look at a piece of art and analyze it based on only one theme?
Consider how this might hinder the audience’s experience and/or the integrity of the work.
You should discuss a couple of the questions from this list. However, do not limit your essay by
simply answering a couple of these questions- you should be using these questions as a foundation
to create an in-depth, cohesive paper.
Assessment:
Paper should be 3-5pages in length
*This paper will be assessed based on quality, not necessarily quantity (though it must be at least 3
pages).While this paper is more of a reflective piece, it will be scored heavily based on depth of
thought and strength of voice.
Assessment will follow the ELA Scoring Guide for Compositions