Honoring Our Role Models by Art Vallicelli

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Honoring Our Role Modelsby Art Vallicelli

• Audience 6th Grade
• Length of Unit 4-5 weeks

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Objectives

• To read a variety of literature in terms of
  genre and culture
• To implement reading techniques that vary from
  the age-old round-robin technique
• To read and write about role models in students
  lives
• To learn and share about others students
  experiences with role models
• To see how language is employed to write for a
  specific purpose
• To write personal responses to literature

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Shared Objectives

• To form a unified definition of the term role
  model from examples and personal experience
• To apply a unified definition of role model
  and examples from literature to write factually
  and creatively
• To understand, through literature, that the
  characteristics of a role model are universal,
  from a family member to an actor/actress

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Criteria for Selecting Books

• Can the student identify with the role model or
  main characters?
• Does the language captivate the reader enough to
  sincerely hold interest?
• Does the poem or book evoke emotion?
• Does the author avoid stereotyping?
• Are the thematic statements of the poem/book
  worthwhile? Do the various themes report a
  deeper message than the obvious plot?
• Is the information accurate, complete, and
  unbiased?

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Week One Learning from History and Fact

• Question of Significance
• What is a role model and where do we find them in
  our lives?
• Begin the unit with A Role Model Is exercise
• Use these ideas to form a concept wall that is
  to be hung in class
• Have the students journal about a role model in
  their life, either famous or personal
• Spend Day Two in the library searching for a
  quality autobiography or biography
• A list of good role models and good books should
  be provided

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Week One Learning from History and Fact

• Reading Techniques
• - Most reading should be completed in class,
  assigning only a small number of pages to read at
  home
• Have students read silently stop them to wonder
  aloud and jot down these ideas in their
  journals. These should be thoughts about what
  their role model is going to do, how s/he will
  handle certain situations, etc.
• Prepare a sheet of guided questions for students
  to answer that covers the basics of what a role
  model consists of
• Have students write down new vocab/concepts that
  appear in their biography that help describe
  their role model

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Week One Learning from History and Fact

• At the end of the biography section, do a
  Readers Circle.
• Have the students share their books with each
  other in groups
• What did their role model do that was
  significant?
• Do they deem this person worthy of role model
  status?
• What did the role model do that separated
  him/her from someone else?
• Do they recommend the book?
• These responses should be reported back to the
  whole class (because the general public should
  always be aware of good literature!)
• Finally, at the end of Week One, update the
  concept wall with new concepts that popped up in
  the biographies

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Week OneLearning from History and Fact

• Writing Workshop
• Write a brief (one-two page) narrative about a
  famous role model that has affected their life
• It does not have to be someone who had a
  personal effect but rather someone they look up
  to
• It can be the person they read their biography
  about
• It cannot be a personal acquaintance, as the
  students will be writing on these people later
• Think about
• Whos a great role model in society that makes
  the news (or doesnt make the news)?
• How do they represent the qualities on the
  concept wall? Cite examples
• What does this role model do that makes them
  earn such a title?

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Week Two/ThreeLearning from Language

• Question of Significance
• How can people who arent famous become role
  models?
• Lets see some examples from poetry
• As a class, have students read a poem to the
  class from a book of poetry
• This will start by having the teacher read a few
  poems first
• Use props and classroom lighting to make a
  poetry reading atmosphere
• Try and use volunteers when available
• Writing Activity -Jot down three emotions that
  arise from hearing these poems and what separates
  a role model from one another

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Week Two/Three Learning from Language

• Reading Techniques
• In groups, have students read a different volume
  of poetry each day
• As a group, answer these questions
• What type of language is used to describe the
  role model?
• Cite examples
• Did you like or dislike this volume of poetry?
  For what reasons?
• What emotions bring the poetry to life?

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Week Two/Three Learning from Language

• Writing Workshop
• First Day
• Write an imitation poem (or an original poem) on
  a personal role model (i.e. parent, sibling,
  grandparent, friend, etc.)
• Be sure to give examples and allow for time to
  flip through poetry books to see different styles
  and topics
• Second Day
• Using the concept wall, insert new lines to the
  poem to add depth and new qualities to make the
  poem a more personal and creative endeavor
• Allow for time to share these, if anyone wants
  to
• Finally, at the end of Week Two/Three, update
  the concept wall, both adding and deleting
  concepts

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Week Four/FiveLearning from Fiction

• Question of Significance
• How can a fictional character represent our
  concept wall?
• Lets see some examples from fictional novels
• Read fictional novels about role models and
  their relationships with other people

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Week Four/FiveLearning from Fiction

• Reading Techniques
• Use purpose setting questions to answer questions
  about plot, character, and thematic development
• Ask students to wonder aloud again, only this
  time be sure to have them predict what events
  will happen next
• - Jot these predictions down in a journal

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Week Four/FiveLearning from Fiction

• Writing Workshop
• Day One
• Create a character through a graphic organizer
• Be sure to give the character physical, mental,
  and behavioral traits there should be prompts
  for this provided by the teacher
• Surround the outside of the character with
  actions on how their role model leads by example
  or exemplifies our concepts in thought
• Day Two
• Using the detailed character sketch and the
  surrounding actions, write a brief (one-two)
  story that exemplify both his/her actions and
  his/her traits of being a role model