Through this unit I would like the students to see that there are many factors that go into the decision making process. I want students to understand that they have a lot of freedom over their lives and the directions it can take. Students will understand the importance of thinking things through before they act. The fundemental purpose of this unit, however, is to get students talking and sharing in the class. This unit is meant to be fun and to grab the students' attention.

1) Use technology tools and resources for managing and communicating personal/professional information (e.g., finances, schedules, addresses, purchases, correspondence). Investigate and apply expert systems, intelligent agents, and simulations in real-world situations. 2) Routinely and efficiently use online information resources to meet needs for collaboration, research, publications, communications, and productivity. Students will research an author using the internet--I will give them 10 questions to answer about a particular author (Alexander Pushkin). I will then have them copy down directions to get to the web page. Students will watch the video version of the "Monkey's Paw."

Standard 2: Evaluates information critically and competently, as described by the following indicators: 1.determines accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness; 2.distinguishes among facts, point of view, and opinion; 3.identifies inaccurate and misleading information; 4.selects information appropriate to the problem or question at hand. 2) Standard 4: Pursues information related to personal interests. 3) Standard 9: Participates effectively in groups to pursue and generate information,

The relevance for the fundamental understandings is that students will, increasingly, have to make more decisions in their lives as they are given more responsibility. I want to challenge the way students think about the things they'll have to decide on in the future so that they are better prepared when they actually make those decisions. For example, marriage; many students at this grade level (10th) can be very superficial when it comes to choosing a mate and are misinformed or have misanalized what relationships are suppose to be about.

Summary: I will have students do summaries on a two or three of the short stories or narrative poem. Essay: students will write an essay analyzing the poem "Truth," by Gwendolyn Brooks. Multiples Choice test: if I do this I am going to set it up like the GRE or LSAT analysis test. I will also most likely have a summarization exercise or short answer questions on the test as well.

1) Group Work--students will work in groups to learn how to work as part of a team. 2) Daily Language Practice--this helps students practice and master their knowledge of puntuation, grammar and mechanics. 3) Group and Class discussion--this help students practice and better their speaking skills. As the questions for these discussions are interesting (Eg. go to the right side of the class if you agree with this statement and to the left if you disagree: People should always get married for love or Real men don't cry.) they encourage debate and thus techniques for persuasion. 4) Quizzes--holds students accountable for their reading. 5) Journal Writing--helps students think about issues relevant to their readings and helps them generate ideas for discussions. 6) Essay--assesses their ability to analyze a piece of fiction.

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1) Standard Title: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS (3.2) Students communicate in English and other languages using information, concepts, prose, symbols, reports, audio and video recordings, speeches, graphic displays, and computer-based programs. 2)Standard Title: CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKERS (3.4) Students use creative thinking skills to generate new ideas, make the best decisions, recognize and solve problems through reasoning, interpret symbolic data, and develop efficient techniques for lifelong learning.

Intro Unit lesson 6:Gwen. Brooks cont
Introductory Unit: Lesson 7
Intro-Unit lesson 5:Gwendolyn Brooks