Saad's+Formative+Unit+Selections


 * Selected Narrative Lessons for “SPEAK” **

Day 0: The pre-assessment. Students will be asked to make predictions on the book based on its cover and title. The goal for this pre-assessment is for students to start making connections to the novel before they start reading it. It will not be graded. Also, students will begin their journal writing assignments. The first journal prompt will be for students to describe their group of friends, and how their group shapes their own personalities.

Day 6: Class Activity: Bare Tree set up on the classroom wall. Students will be broken up into four groups and each given green post-its. Each group will be responsible for writing down the themes, characters, symbolism and tone of the first marking period. Then as a class we will stick the post-its on the wall to represent Melinda’s first marking period.

Day 11: End of Second Marking Period. Class Activity. Bare Tree set up on the classroom wall. Students will be broken up into four groups and each given red post-its. Each group will be responsible for writing down the themes, characters, symbolism and tone of the second marking period. Then as a class we will stick the post-its on the wall to represent Melinda’s second marking period.

Day 14: Character Breakdown. Show the class the two identities Melinda has. On a large poster board there will be a picture of Melinda with a line splitting her body in half, symbolizing a split personality. In small groups, students will brainstorm characteristics of a “Depressed Melinda” on the right, and characteristics of a “Martha Melinda” on the left. Students will prepare to present their posters for the next day.

Day 27: End of Fourth Marking Period. Class activity: Bare Tree set up on the classroom wall. Students will be broken up into four groups and each given green post-its. Each group will be responsible for writing down the themes, characters, symbolism and tone of the fourth marking period. Then as a class we will stick the post-its on the wall to represent Melinda’s fourth marking period.

Students will be able to reflect on Melinda’s entire first year of high school by looking at this Bare Tree class project up on the wall. Finally, students will easily be able to track how the major themes, characters, symbols, and tones changed throughout the novel.