IMPACT STUDY: SEVENTH GRADE ENGLISH UNIT ON TWO SHORT STORIES

Impact Study: Seventh Grade English Unit on Two Short Stories Hannah Kassebaum University of Mary Washington Fall 2013

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Introduction

During the 2013-2014 school year, I interned at a middle school in the suburban Stafford County under the guidance of an instructor with thirteen years of experience. My attendance for the impact study fell during the month of October. For the first two weeks, I observed my mentor and the dynamics of her classroom, getting to know the students and obtaining an idea of their prior knowledge. As the month progressed, I took a more active role in the classroom, taking over lessons and team-teaching with my mentor. For the last two weeks of October, I conducted my unit as the primary teacher of the class, guiding them through the short stories The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, as well as instructing them on the concepts of conflict, mood, tone, and foreshadowing. The County, the School System, and the School Stafford County is a suburban area northwest of the city of Fredericksburg and the county of Spotsylvania, northwest of King George County, south of Fauquier and Prince William Counties, north of Caroline county, and east of Culpeper County. The county is served by Route 1, Interstate 95, and the Virginia Railway Express, making it popular choice of residency for many commuters to D. C., Fairfax, and Quantico. This military and political presence brings wealth to the county; in fact, Stafford was listed as the sixth wealthiest county in the United States in 2012, per the annual report issued by Forbes magazine. I include this figure only to suggest the lifestyles and economic status of my students families, which is markedly different from those to which I have been accustomed. My school is one of eight middle schools serving the county, which also consists of seventeen elementary schools and five high schools, a sign of the high student population. Over the past few years, the division has experienced an increase of local youths, which has led to

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES recent school constructions and ongoing additions. The demographic information portrayed below comes from the Virginia Department of Educations Fall Membership report. Ive included the 6th grade numbers reported in 2012-2013, as Im currently working with the 7th grade population. Table 1: Stafford County Demographics Gender White Black Hispanic Male Female Total 564 585 1,149 206 174 380 158 149 307

Asian 30 27 57

American Indian 6 5 11

Hawaiian 2 7 9

Two+ 78 66 144

Total 1,044 1,013 2,057

The school of my placement is located at the center of a traditional neighborhood, from whence many students walk or ride their bicycles, and is within a short drive from several other subdivisions. Thus, many students live near each other, and see each other in communities outside of school hours. As the center of the community, the school experiences a high level of support from parents and other locals, as evidenced by attendance at sporting and fundraising events. The following information represents the 6th grade population of my middle school from the 2012-2013 school year. Table 2: School Demographics Gender White Black Hispanic Male Female Total 70 61 131 17 14 31 16 13 29

Asian 5 3 8

American Hawaiian Indian 0 1 2 2 2 3

Two+ 6 10 16

Total 115 105 220

The Classroom I was responsible for the instruction of three classes, which I saw each day for 84 minutes. These students were grouped as a team, so they saw each other throughout the day as they changed to mathematics, civics, and science. My students, thus, were familiar with each other and had the time to become well acquainted with me during the month-long internship.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Also, because the students remained with the same teachers, I had the opportunity to check on students progress and behavior in other subjects. My demographic table is based on my observations of the class, so they are not supported by written evidence. I am including the demographics for all three classes. Table 3: Core 1 Demographics Gender White 9 Male 9 Female 18 Total Table 4: Core 2 Demographics Gender White 7 Male 7 Female 14 Total Table 5: Core 3 Demographics Gender White 6 Male 7 Female 13 Total

Black 0 2 2

Hispanic 2 1 3

Asian 0 1 1

Total 11 13 24

Black 3 2 5

Hispanic 2 1 3

Asian 3 0 3

Total 15 10 25

Black 1 1 2 Unit Goals and Objectives

Hispanic 0 2 2

Total 7 10 17

During my time at this placement, I conducted a unit on The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, two classic short stories often taught in the middle school setting. My unit addressed Language Arts SOL 7.4 d, e, f, SOL 7.5 a, d, f, l, and SOL 7.7 b, c, and g, which are portrayed in Table 6. The unit also addressed aspects of the National Standards expected of schools, including standards 1, 2, 3, 11, and 12, which can be seen in Table 7. Table 6: Language Arts SOLs SOL Expectation The student will read to determine the meanings and pronunciations of unfamiliar 7.4 words and phrases within authentic texts. d Identify connotations. e Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words. f Extend general and specialized vocabulary through reading.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES 7.5 a d f l 7.7 b c g The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. Describe the element of narrative structure including conflict. Describe the impact of word choice, imagery, and literary devices including figurative language (mood and tone). Use prior and background knowledge as a context for new learning. Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process. The student will write in a variety of forms with an emphasis on exposition, narration, and persuasion. Use a variety of prewriting strategies including graphic organizers to generate and organize ideas. Organize writing structure to fit mode or topic. Select vocabulary and information to enhance the tone.

Table 7: National Standards Standard Expectation Students read a wide range of print texts to build an understanding of texts; to acquire 1 new information; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and classic works. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build 2 an understanding of the many dimensions of human experience. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, evaluate, and appreciate 3 texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, and their understanding of textual features. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a 11 variety of literacy communities. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes. 12 By the end of my teaching term, I expected my students to know the plots of The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, including the settings, characters, and climaxes. I intended for them to understand the different types of conflicts and the differences between mood and tone. This knowledge and understanding would be evidenced by their abilities to identify types of conflict, determine uses of mood and tone, and appropriately provide examples of the three concepts. To assist their reading of the stories, I expected them to define new vocabulary words based on context clues, their connotations, and actual denotations. Along the way, students also gained knowledge of grammatical terms like subject, predicate, prepositional phrase, and direct object, which they were expected to identify within sentences.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Assessment Plan

This unit was book-ended by a formal assessment of 25 questions, ten of which involved matching vocabulary words to their definitions, six involved multiple choice regarding types of conflict, four involved short answers identifying types of conflict, and five involved multiple choice regarding mood and tone. On a daily basis I conducted informal assessments, such as questioning my students and inviting their discussion and participation to establish prior knowledge and experience. The students responded to daily writing prompts, which assessed their abilities to provide examples of certain concepts or to apply text to their own lives, which I observed either by reading their answers or allowing them to share. Each week, they completed vocabulary worksheets, creating connotations of each term based on context clues and finding the denotations of the terms, which were shared to ensure correct answers. After introducing conflict, I provided an oral quiz for the students to identify different types based on examples. Throughout the unit, students participated in group work, like a readers theater of The Monkeys Paw, a Venn diagram contrasting the story to the Lego video adaptation, visual depictions of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and a gallery walk-about to review the major topics of the previous weeks.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Lesson Plans Monday, October 21, 2013 Title: Introduction to The Monkeys Paw Time Frame: 84 minutes

Class Description/Rationale: This will be the third consecutive week the students will have seen me, but the first lesson I will teach independently. I intend to create background knowledge to serve as a basis for further exploration in this study, which will extend over the week. I will provide students with a worksheet listing vocabulary terms unfamiliar to them, looking at words from The Monkeys Paw that include Greek and Latin roots they have been studying. The first day, I want students to use context clues to provide a connotation of the terms. If we have time, I will review the worksheets before moving them onward. Materials: The Monkeys Paw Essential Questions/Big Ideas: The Monkeys Paw is considered a classic scary story. What elements of the story appeal to audiences? How does The Monkeys Paw depict conflict? VA SOLs: 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts.* a. Describe the element of narrative structure including conflict. f. Use prior and background knowledge as a context for new learning. l. Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process. Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Knowledge Outcomes: Know elements of The Monkeys Paw (characters, setting, plot, conflicts) Skills/Process Outcomes: Create connotations of vocabulary based on context clues. Identify subject, verb, and prepositional phrases. Concept Outcomes: Understand appealing attributes of the story. Assessments: Diagnostic: pre-assessment Formative: Student completion of DOL, timed writing and writing prompts, vocabulary worksheets Activities/Procedures: 1. Daily Oral Language (DOL) This is an ongoing aspect of the days schedule, and a key element of my mentor teachers lessons. Students practice grammar by analyzing sentences displayed on the white board. The sentences go into the students notebooks, and then are analyzed on the board by volunteers. This week they are identifying subjects, verbs, and prepositional phrases (as well as prepositions and objects of prepositions). (10 minutes) 2. Assessment Students will complete the 25 question assessment. In case of frustration, I will warn students that this is not a grade; it is just to tell me what they already know

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES

before we begin instruction over the next two weeks. As they finish the assessment, they will begin working on the vocabulary worksheet. (20 minutes) 3. Vocabulary Students will complete the vocabulary worksheet of five words from The Monkeys Paw. First, students provide a connotation of the terms based on the context clues provided, and then they will use a dictionary to properly define the term. We will review the worksheets later. (10 minutes) 4. Writing I will assign daily writing prompts to encourage the students to exercise the skill of expressing themselves. Next semester they will be participating in writing workshops, and I wish to begin building their portfolios now. Core 1 will complete a timed writing assignment from the week before, already completed by cores 2 and 3, while the later classes complete the writing prompt. The prompt is designed to prepare students for reading The Monkeys Paw. Today, we will share writings, though we wont do that each day. (45 minutes) a. Prompt If you could have three wishes, what would they be? Now, how could those wishes backfire? Appendices: Vocabulary worksheet, assessment, DOL, writing prompts

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Tuesday, October 22, 2013 Title: Concept Development of Conflict Time Frame: 84 minutes Class Description/Rationale: As the second class, I will provide students with the word conflict and ask them to develop the concept within groups and as a class. Materials: The Monkeys Paw props

Essential Questions/Big Ideas: The Monkeys Paw is considered a classic scary story. What elements of the story appeal to audiences? How does The Monkeys Paw depict conflict? How does enacting a story improve students comprehension? VA SOLs: 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. a. Describe the element of narrative structure including conflict. f. Use prior and background knowledge as a context for new learning. Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Knowledge Outcomes: Know plot and characters of The Monkeys Paw. Skills/Process Outcomes: Visualize story. Define terms. Identify subject, verb, and prepositional phrases. Concept Outcomes: Determine concept of conflict based on discussion. Assessments: Formative: Class discussion, development of concept, vocabulary worksheet Activities/Procedures: 1. DOL Students analyze subjects, verbs, and prepositional phrases. (10 min.) 2. Instruction Concept development with conflict. I will write the term on the board, and invite students to develop definitions and examples of conflict. These will be written on the board, and students will work with their group members to organize their contributions into lists, which they will then label. We will share the labels with the class, writing them on the board, and then work to find ways to combine or re-label some of those lists. The final stage is to summarize the activity by providing a 1-2 definition of the term conflict. (30 min.) 3. Writing Daily prompt. (20 min.) a. Tell about a time when you were in a conflict. Include the main story elements you already know exposition, initiating event, rising actions, climax, falling actions, resolution. 4. Reading Read The Monkeys Paw as a group. I will list volunteers names on the board in the order they plan to read, so they can monitor their own turns. (34 min.) Appendices: The Monkeys Paw

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Wednesday, October 23, 2013 Title: The Monkeys Paw and Six Types of Conflict Time Frame: 84 minutes

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Class Description/Rationale: After developing the concept of conflict, I plan to go deeper into the types of conflict one can find within texts. Materials: The Monkeys Paw Essential Questions/Big Ideas: The Monkeys Paw is considered a classic scary story. What elements of the story appeal to audiences? How does The Monkeys Paw depict conflict? VA SOLs: 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. a. Describe the element of narrative structure including conflict. 7.7 The student will write in a variety of forms with an emphasis on exposition, narration, and persuasion. b. Use a variety of prewriting strategies including graphic organizers to generate and organize ideas. Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Knowledge Outcomes: Know six types of conflict. Skills/Process Outcomes: Adapt The Monkeys Paw. Find examples of conflict within text. Identify subject, verb, and prepositional phrases. Concept Outcomes: Identify types of conflict within examples. Assessments: Formative: Class discussion, completion of posters (rubric), completion of scripts Activities/Procedures: 1. DOL Students identify subjects, verbs, and prepositional phrases (10 min.) 2. Instruction Direct instruction in the types of conflicts. To solidify the notes from yesterdays class, students will write a formal definition of conflict, followed by the six types that the school uses for instruction. (15 min.) a. 6 Ms machine, monster (mystery), man, mind, mob (most), Mother Nature. 3. Reading Students will work in groups, assigned by me, to find conflicts within The Monkeys Paw. Each group will be responsible for a type of conflict. On poster paper, they will label the conflict type, define it, and portray the examples they found in the story. (20 min.) a. We will share the posters for the class. (10 min.) 4. Writing I plan to have students begin their readers theater scripts. I will cut the story into short segments, which I will assign to students groups. They will adapt their segments into scripts to be performed for the class. (30 min.) Appendices: poster assignment, Readers Theater segments

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Thursday, October 24, 2013 Title: Six Ms of Conflict Time Frame: 84 minutes Class Description/Rationale: This is an opportunity to enact the readers theatre the students have worked on the previous day. They are to prove their comprehension of The Monkeys Paw by incorporating the storys elements within their own adaptations. Materials: The Monkeys Paw

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Essential Questions/Big Ideas: The Monkeys Paw is considered a classic scary story. What elements of the story appeal to audiences? How does The Monkeys Paw depict conflict? VA SOLs: 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. a. Describe the element of narrative structure including conflict. 7.7 The student will write in a variety of forms with an emphasis on exposition, narration, and persuasion. b. Use a variety of prewriting strategies including graphic organizers to generate an organize ideas. c. Organize writing structure to fit mode or topic. Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Knowledge Outcomes: Know types of conflict. Skills/Process Outcomes: Plan and create adaptations of The Monkeys Paw. Identify subject, verb, and prepositional phrases. Concept Outcomes: Identify types of conflicts based upon scenarios. Assessments: Formative: Readers theater scripts Summative: Conflict quiz, Readers theater Activities/Procedures: 1. DOL Students identify subjects, verbs, and prepositional phrases. (10 min.) 2. Conflict assessment To assess students comprehension of conflicts and types of conflicts, they will answer a short oral quiz by identifying which of the 6 Ms are found in popular examples of literature or television shows. (10 min.) 3. Writing & Reading Students will work in groups to adapt their assigned pieces of The Monkeys Paw into scripts. (40 min.) 4. Readers theater Students perform the scripts in order, depicting the story visually for their audience. (20 min.) Appendices: conflict quiz

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Friday, October 25, 2013 Title: Assessment of The Monkeys Paw Time Frame: 84 minutes

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Class Description/Rationale: I may be absent this day. If so, I will plan for a showing of The Monkeys Paw. The students will be expected to complete a Venn diagram about the similarities and differences between the text and the story. Materials: The Monkeys Paw Essential Questions/Big Ideas: The Monkeys Paw is considered a classic scary story. What elements of the story appeal to audiences? How does The Monkeys Paw depict conflict? VA SOLs: 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Knowledge Outcomes: Know the characters, plot, and setting of The Monkeys Paw. Skills/Process Outcomes: Enact adaptations of The Monkeys Paw. Identify subject, verb, and prepositional phrases. Concept Outcomes: Identify differences and similarities between Jacobs story and students creations. Assessments: Summative: Comprehension assessment, Venn diagram Activities/Procedures: 1. DOL Students complete their weekly quiz on DOLs. (10 min.) 2. Vocabulary Students complete their weekly quiz on their Greek and Latin roots, an ongoing unit for my mentor teacher. (10 min.) 3. Reading Students complete their comprehension assessment of The Monkeys Paw. For scaffolding, they will be able to use copies of the story to answer questions, if needed. (20 min.) 4. Video Students will watch the Lego video adaptation of The Monkeys Paw and complete a Venn diagram comparing the story to the video. They will list at least 10 similarities or differences. (45 min.) Appendices: Venn diagram, comprehension assessment, Youtube link

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Monday, October 28, 2013 Title: Introduction to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Time Frame: 84 minutes Class Description/Rationale: This begins my second week of instruction and happens to coincide with Halloween week. We will study The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and the differences between mood and tone. To spend the optimal amount of time discussing the story and the concepts, I expect the students to read Sleepy Hollow over the weekend. Materials: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Essential Questions/Big Ideas: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is considered a classic scary story. What elements of the story appeal to audiences? How does The Legend of Sleepy Hollow depict mood? How does it depict tone? VA SOLs: 7.4 The student will read to determine the meanings and pronunciations of unfamiliar words and phrases within authentic texts. d. Identify connotations. e. Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words. 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. d. Describe the impact of word choice, imagery, and literary devices including figurative language (mood and tone). f. Use prior and background knowledge as a context for new learning. Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Knowledge Outcomes: Know the characters, setting, and plot of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Skills/Process Outcomes: Identify and define unknown words. Identify subject, verb, prepositional phrases, direct objects, and indirect objects. Concept Outcomes: Begin comparing mood and tone. Assessments: Formative: Class discussion, vocabulary worksheets, group drawings

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Activities/Procedures: 1. DOL I will instruct the students in the differences between direct and indirect objects and how to identify the two. Students will then add these two parts of speech to their lists of identification. They will now identify direct objects, indirect objects, subjects, verbs, and prepositional phrases. (15 min.) 2. Instruction Suchman model of mood and tone. I will teach students the order of this activity: group brainstorming, asking questions, group discussions, a second round of questions, creating theories, and summary evaluation. I present the students with a problem, and they follow the procedure to define the terms mood and tone. They will ask me the questions they brainstorm, and I can only answer their questions with a yes or no before writing correct questions on the board. They will take these correct

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questions to create 1 sentence definitions of the two words. The final stage is to evaluate the process by describing changes they would make when doing this activity again. (70 min.) a. Problem One of my students came into class on the day of a quiz on mood and tone. He had studied all night in preparation for this quiz, and he felt confident for this quiz. He knew it! Then, though, as he walked through the door, the worst thing ever happened. He forgot everything hed studied! Can we help him review mood and tone before he has to take the quiz? 3. Vocabulary Students will begin working on vocabulary worksheets of five terms used in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. These worksheets are very similar to those theyd completed the week before, where the students create connotations of the words based on context clues provided, and then look up the words in the dictionary to find the denotative meanings. Appendices: Suchman prompt, vocabulary worksheet

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Tuesday, October 29, 2013 Title: Mysterious Twins Mood and Tone Time Frame: 84 minutes

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Class Description/Rationale: I will introduce mood and tone this class. I will incorporate the Suchman model, which will invite students to describe what they already know about mood and tone, particularly by drawing similarities and differences between the two. Materials: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Essential Questions/Big Ideas: Mood and tone are two story elements easily confused. How can students tell the two apart? How does The Legend of Sleepy Hollow depict mood and tone? VA SOLs: 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. d. Describe the impact of word choice, imagery, and literary devices including figurative language (mood and tone). Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Knowledge Outcomes: Know differences between mood and tone. Skills/Process Outcomes: Identify mood and tone used in story. Identify subject, verb, prepositional phrases, direct objects, and indirect objects. Concept Outcomes: Create class definitions of mood and tone (through Suchman model). Assessments: Formative: Suchman model, student contributions Activities/Procedures: 1. DOL Students identify direct and indirect objects, subjects, verbs, and prepositional phrases. (10 min.) 2. Instruction While watching a Brainpop video of mood and tone, students should be taking notes to create their own definitions of the two. To solidify the Suchman model from yesterday, we will finalize definitions of mood and tone and provide examples. (10 min.) 3. Writing Daily prompt. (30 min.) a. Write a setting with a certain mood, or a dialogue using a certain tone. If you have time, write the opposite type. If you still have time, change your mood of the setting to the opposite if it starts out gloomy, make it peaceful. We had time to share writings. 4. Reading Students will listen to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow while they read along. (30 min.) Appendices: Brainpop, audio clip

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Wednesday, October 30, 2013 Title: Focus on Foreshadowing in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Time Frame: 84 minutes

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Class Description/Rationale: This class will finalize conceptions created in the previous days discussion. It will include a focus on tone which will be followed by a focus on mood. I expect that studying the two on different days will help them stand out as distinct concepts. Materials: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, packets for visuals Essential Questions/Big Ideas: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is considered a classic scary story. How does Sleepy Hollow depict tone? VA SOLs: 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. d. Describe the impact of word choice, imagery, and literary devices including figurative language (foreshadowing). 7.7 The student will write in a variety of forms with an emphasis on exposition, narration, and persuasion. Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Knowledge Outcomes: Know definition of foreshadowing. Skills/Process Outcomes: Create examples of foreshadowing. Identify subject, verb, prepositional phrases, direct objects, and indirect objects. Concept Outcomes: Identify uses of foreshadowing within media. Assessments: Formative: Visuals Activities/Procedures: 1. DOL Students identify direct and indirect objects, subjects, verbs, and prepositional phrases. (10 min.) 2. Instruction Direct instruction in foreshadowing, including definition and examples. (10 min.) 3. Writing Daily prompt. (10 min.) a. Describe an example of foreshadowing youve found in literature, television show, or film. Include exposition, initiating event, rising actions, climax, falling actions, and resolution. Describe the event or symbol that foreshadows and describe if the event takes place or not. 4. Reading Draw a visual depiction of setting and characters from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. They each receive a packet of papers; the first is for the town of Sleepy Hollow, the following three are for one of the four characters (Ichabod Crane, Katrina Von Tassel, Brom Bones, or the Headless Horseman). Each image must be supported with textual evidence. (55 min.) Appendices: packet for visuals

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Thursday, October 31, 2013 Title: Review of The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Time Frame: 84 minutes

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Class Description/Rationale: This is expected to be the final day of teaching prior to assessing the students. The lesson plans, thus, may be worked into the previous days plans. This plan includes a focus on mood, designed to clarify Tuesdays discussion. Materials: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Essential Questions/Big Ideas: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is considered a classic scary story. How does Sleepy Hollow depict mood? VA SOLs: 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. d. Describe the impact of word choice, imagery, and literary devices including figurative language (foreshadowing, mood and tone). Learning Outcomes: Knowledge Outcomes: Know definition of conflict, mood, tone, foreshadowing. Know the characters, setting, and plot of The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Skills/Process Outcomes: Create examples of conflict, mood, tone, and foreshadowing. Identify subject, verb, prepositional phrases, direct objects, and indirect objects. Concept Outcomes: Identify uses of conflict, mood, tone, and foreshadowing within The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Assessments: Formative: Gallery Activities/Procedures: 1. DOL Students identify direct and indirect objects, subjects, verbs, and prepositional phrases. (10 min.) 2. Library Students visit the library to browse and check out books. (15 min.) 3. Vocabulary I review the vocabulary worksheets with the students, to be sure they have the correct answers. (5 min.) 4. Reading Students complete their visual depictions. (20 min.) 5. Review Students participate in a gallery by walking around the room and writing questions, definitions, and examples on one of six poster papers. There is one each for The Monkeys Paw, conflict, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, mood, tone, and foreshadowing. Students will share the posters they started with, after finishing the cycle. (30 min.) Appendices: poster paper

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Friday, November 1, 2013 Title: Assessment of The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Time Frame: 84 minutes

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Class Description/Rationale: The final day of my attendance will consist of a post-assessment for the students, which will be compared to the pre-assessment. Materials: The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Essential Questions/Big Ideas: The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow are considered classic examples of scary stories. What elements of The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow appeal to audiences? How does The Monkeys Paw depict conflict? How does The Legend of Sleepy Hollow depict mood and tone? VA SOLs: 7.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts. a. Describe the element of narrative structure including conflict. d. Describe the impact of word choice, imagery, and literary devices including figurative language (mood and tone). Learning Outcomes/Objectives: Knowledge Outcomes: Know various vocabulary words, plot structures, and concepts of two stories. Skills/Process Outcomes: Compare and contrast mood and tone. Identify examples of mood, tone, and conflict. Identify subject, verb, prepositional phrases, direct objects, and indirect objects. Concept Outcomes: Conflict, mood, and tone Assessments: Summative: comprehension assessment, post-assessment Activities/Procedures: 1. DOL Students complete weekly quiz on DOL. (10 min.) 2. Vocabulary Students complete weekly quiz on Greek and Latin roots. (10 min.) 3. Reading Students finish their comprehension assessment for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. After 10 minutes of quiet work, students may use their stories for help. (15 min.) 4. Post-Assessment Students will complete their post-assessments, which will show me what they have learned over the past two weeks. (10 min.) 5. Video Students will watch Disney version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to celebrate finishing all four assessments. (40 min.) Appendices: post-assessment, comprehension assessment, YouTube The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Data Analysis My first class consisted of twenty-four students, but four of them were considered null for my study, as they had been absent for either the pre- or post-assessment. In order to depict the classroom population, Ive labeled the students based on their gender and race. The first letters indicate gender (boy or girl), while the second indicate race (White, Black, Hispanic, or Asian). In the class, there were fourteen White students, eight boys and six girls; two Black

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students, both girls; three Hispanic students, two boys and one girl, and one Asian student, a girl. While most students made some improvement by the time of their post-assessment, one students grade deteriorated (BW6) and two students maintained their original grade (GW2 and GH1). The highest gain was of 68% (BW7), the lowest was -8% (as I said, BW6), the mean was 18.1%, and the median and mode were 16%. The individual learning gains for the class can be seen in Table 8, and the chart of the classs assessment scores can be seen in Graph 1. Table 8: Core 1 Individual Learning Gains Student Pre-Assessment 56% BW1 72% BW2 40% BW4 40% BW5 68% BW6 32% BW7 44% BW8 24% BW9 40% GW1 44% GW2 76% GW4 52% GW6 64% GW7 60% GW8 48% GB1 52% GB2 32% BH1 72% BH2 48% GH1 56% GA1

Post-Assessment 78% 92% 64% 68% 60% 100% 56% 56% 52% 44% 80% 68% 80% 80% 72% 64% 48% 88% 48% 84%

Learning Gain +22% +20% +24% +28% -8% +68% +12% +32% +12% 0% +4% +16% +16% +20% +24% +12% +16% +16% 0% +28%

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Graph 1: Core 1 Assessment Scores

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 GH1 GB1 GB2 GW1 GW2 GW4 GW6 GW7 GW8 BW1 BW2 BW4 BW5 BW6 BW7 BW8 BW9 GA1 BH1 BH2

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Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES

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My second class consisted of twenty-five students, but because of two students absences, their results are considered null for my study. The group has been labeled in the same way as the first class. There are thirteen White students, seven boys and six girls; four Black students, three boys and one girl; three Hispanic students, two boys and one girl; and three Asian students, all boys. Like the previous class, most students showed improvement in their post-assessments, though two students showed deterioration (GW2 and GW4), and two students remained neutral (BW3 and GB1). The highest percentage of improvement was 44% (GW1), the lowest was -8% (GW4), the mean was 18.7%, the median was 20%, and the mode was 12%. The individual learning gains are furthered depicted in Table 9, and their assessment scores are in Graph 2. Table 9: Core 2 Individual Learning Gains Student Pre-Assessment 36% BW1 36% BW2 44% BW3 36% BW4 36% BW5 44% BW6 44% BW7 40% GW1 64% GW2 40% GW4 32% GW5 52% GW6 56% GW7 56% BB1 44% BB2 48% BB3 56% GB1 40% BH1 48% BH2 32% GH1 44% BA1 36% BA2 52% BA3

Post-Assessment 48% 48% 44% 60% 72% 72% 72% 84% 60% 32% 56% 60% 68% 70% 60% 88% 56% 72% 60% 56% 64% 72% 72%

Learning Gain +12% +12% 0% +24% +36% +28% +28% +44% -4% -8% +24% +8% +12% +14% +16% +40% 0% +32% +12% +24% +20% +36% +20%

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Graph 2: Core 2 Assessment Scores

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 BW1 BW2 BW3 BW4 BW5 BW6 BW7 GW1 GW2 GW4 GW5 GW6 GW7 BB1 BB2 BB3 GB1 BH1 BH2 GH1 BA1 BA2 BA3 Pre-Assessment

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Post-Assessment

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES

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The third class consists of seventeen students, all of whom were present on both days of assessments. There are thirteen White students, six boys and seven girls; two Black students, one boy and one girl; and two Hispanic students, both girls. This was the only class with consistent improvement, as nobody maintained a constant score between the two assessments or experienced a decline in their scores. The highest score increase was 48% (BW6) and the lowest was 4% (GW1); meanwhile, the mean score increase was 23.1%, and the median and mode were both 24%. The students individual learning gains can be found in Table 10, and their scores are in Graph 3. Table 10: Core 3 Individual Learning Gains Student Pre-Assessment 60% BW1 52% BW2 36% BW3 32% BW4 24% BW5 40% BW6 44% GW1 32% GW2 48% GW3 40% GW4 60% GW5 60% GW6 32% GW7 44% BB1 32% GB1 64% GH1 44% GH2

Post-Assessment 72% 76% 80% 56% 64% 88% 48% 48% 60% 48% 92% 84% 68% 64% 56% 72% 60%

Learning Gain +12% +24% +44% +24% +40% +48% +4% +16% +12% +8% +32% +24% +36% +20% +24% +8% +16%

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Graph 3: Core 3 Assessment Scores

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Pre-Assessment

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Post-Assessment

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Assessment The aggregate assessment scores can be found in Graphs 1-3, posted in the previous section. Those graphs show the scores earned on the pre- and post-assessments by Cores 1-3,

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respectively. The assessment included three sections: vocabulary, conflict, and mood and tone. The vocabulary section consisted of ten matching questions, the conflict section consisted of six multiple choice and four short answer, and the mood and tone section consisted of five multiple choice. The assessment has been included at the end of this study. In the following subsections, I have analyzed the sections of the assessment, describing my methods of instruction as well as studying the improvements of the students. Possible suggestions for further improvement will be found in the following section, titled Reflection. Before the assessment, students had the opportunity to participate in a gallery as a means to review the material of the unit. Students were assigned to one of six groups, with whom they walked around the room and wrote on six pieces of poster paper. Their writings included comments, questions, and examples for The Monkeys Paw, conflict, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, mood, tone, and foreshadowing. After writing on each of the pages, students returned to their original topic, where they began, and summarized their classmates contributions for the rest of the class. Because foreshadowing was added to the unit after my original planning, it was not included on either of the assessments. Vocabulary Subsection. In the vocabulary section of the test, I presented students with ten unfamiliar terms, five each from The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and asked them to match the terms to their definitions. I chose words that either used Greek or Latin roots or recurred in the texts often. For The Monkeys Paw, I used perils, avaricious, confirmation,

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES apathy, and oppressive. From The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, I drew the terms formidable, pedagogue, melancholy, sympathy, and approbation. To address the vocabulary portions of the unit, I assigned the students one vocabulary worksheet each week, which they were to complete before we read the texts. The worksheets were designed with a context clue using each term, a box for students to write their connotative understanding of the term, and a denotative definition from the class set of dictionaries. We reviewed these worksheets after several days, prior to the comprehension assessment. Before taking the post-

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assessment, I warned students to review both vocabulary worksheets, as the terms were used in the first section. As you can see in the below graphs (Graphs 4-6), few students knew the terms before experiencing this unit. Those who scored well on the pre-assessment are known readers, who have probably encountered the terms in previous literature. One of these, Core 1s GW4, is the only student to correctly match all ten terms to their definitions in the pre-assessment; she maintained that score through the post-assessment. On the other hand, on the pre-assessment, eight students in total scored a zero on the vocabulary section (two from Core 1, two from Core 2, four from Core 3). By the time of the post-assessment, all eight students improved their score clearly. Most other students also exhibited growth in their vocabulary score; thirteen achieved perfect scores (seven from Core 1, two from Core 2, four from Core 3). Five students maintained their original scores (three from Core 1, two from Core 3), and five students also exhibited deterioration in their scores (three from Core 1, two from Core 2).

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Graph 4: Core 1 Vocabulary

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

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GW1

GW2

GW4

GW6

GW7

GW8

GH1

GB1

GB2

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GA1

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IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Graph 5: Core 2 Vocabulary

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 BW1 BW2 BW3 BW4 BW5 BW6 BW7 GW1 GW2 GW4 GW5 GW6 GW7 BB1 BB2 BB3 GB1 BH1 BH2 GH1 BA1 BA2 BA3 Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

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Group 6: Core 3 Vocabulary

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Conflict Subsection.

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My inclusion of conflict in the context of The Monkeys Paw came at the behest of my mentor teacher, as the two are typically taught together. I used the instruction format my mentor teacher and her peers use each year, classifying the conflicts into six types. They use the mnemonic device of the six ms to remind students that each type begins with an m man, mind, Mother Nature, mob, machine, and monster. The subject and its terminology are a continuation of lessons the students first encountered last year, so most have had some prior experience with the topic. The pre-assessment asked students to select examples of the six ms from multiple choice options and to identify four scenarios as a type of conflict. I introduced the notion of conflict through the concept attainment model, which I followed with direct instruction, student-prompted notes, a writing prompt to describe a personal conflict, and a group activity during which students sought examples of the six ms in the text of The Monkeys Paw. To assess their knowledge, I presented the students with an oral quiz, expecting them to answer identify the type of conflict in each example I read. These examples typically came from popular literature or film. As can be seen in Graphs 7-9, students scored significantly higher on the conflict section of their pre-assessment than their vocabulary section; though nobody failed the section, neither did anyone achieve a perfect score. Even after instruction, only one student, Core 1s BW&, earned a 100% in the section when taking his post-assessment. As can be seen in the graphs, the students scores remained fairly close from the pre-assessment through the post-. In fact, eleven students maintained their original scores in this section (five in Core 1, four in Core 2, and two in Core 3), while eight students experienced deterioration in their scores (three in Core 1 and five in Core 2). Only Core 3 showed zero signs of decline, echoing a trend from the vocabulary section.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES

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IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Graph 7: Core 1 Conflict

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

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GW1

GW2

GW4

GW6

GW7

GW8

GH1

GB1

GB2

BW1

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BW4

BW5

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BW7

BW8

Graph 8: Core 2 Conflict

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 BW1 BW2 BW3 BW4 BW5 BW6 BW7 GW1 GW2 GW4 GW5 GW6 GW7 BB1 BB2 BB3 GB1 BH1 BH2 GH1 BA1 BA2 BA3 Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

BW9

GA1

BH1

BH2

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Graph 9: Core 3 Conflict

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

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Mood and Tone Subsection. The mood and tone lessons fell within the context of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, again at the suggestion of my mentor teacher. This section of the assessment was in the form of five multiple choice questions, and students were expected to select the answers that best define the two terms. I introduced the topic through the Suchman inquiry model, which was supplemented with a BrainPop video, direct instruction, student-prompted notes, and writing prompts. Students used their knowledge and examples discussed during note-taking to create their own settings and dialogues with specific moods and tones. The smaller question pool in this section (half the size of the other two) allows for less room for error on the part of the students. This may be reflected in their scores, which can be seen in Graphs 10-12. Most students scored in the mid-range on either the pre- or postassessment, or on both. On the pre-assessment, only three students earned a perfect score (two in Core 1 and one in Core 2), whereas seven students accomplished the achievement on the post-

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES

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assessment (five in Core 1 and two in Core 2). On the other end of the spectrum, one student in Core 1 scored a zero on the pre-assessment (BW4), and one of his classmates scored the same on the post-assessment (GH1); these were the only zeros recorded on this section of the assessment. Of the scores which remained the same, I observed eleven (six in Core 1, one in Core 2, and four in Core 3). A total of seventeen students declined in their scores from the pre- to the postassessment (three in Core 1, eleven in Core 2, three in Core 3). This section of the assessment resulted in the lowest scores and the highest amount of neutral and negative gains of the assessment, as can be seen in the following graphs. Graph 10: Core 1 Mood and Tone
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

GW1

GH1

GW2

GW4

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GW8

BW1

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IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Graph 11: Core 2 Mood and Tone
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 BW1 BW2 BW3 BW4 BW5 BW6 BW7 GW1 GW2 GW4 GW5 GW6 GW7 BB1 BB2 BB3 GB1 BH1 BH2 GH1 BA1 BA2 BA3 Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

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Graph 12: Core 3 Mood and Tone

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Reflection

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In review of my unit, I noticed several areas of instruction that could use improvement, as well as a few which proved successful. Some elements stood out immediately, creating strong reactions as soon as they were employed, while others only caused consideration after the end of the unit. During the post-assessment, I asked the students for personal reflections upon the previous two weeks. Upon review of those reflections, I found common trends that mirrored my own thoughts of the unit. Key factors of the unit which initiated comment from my students and my own thoughts included the assessment, writing prompts, vocabulary, mood and tone, and group work. Assessments From the start, the assessment challenged students with its level of difficulty. Several of the terms were outside of the students comfort zones, and the original definitions included even more unfamiliar terms. For the post-assessment, in fact, I changed the definitions to echo those which the students had found in the dictionary and studied over the two weeks. By using language familiar to the students, I was able to scaffold the vocabulary section of the postassessment to a level comfortable, and thus nonthreatening, without losing the need for my students to know the material. Students likewise commented on the assessments. They were already accustomed to taking short weekly assessments on the DOLs and their Greek and Latin roots; with my presence and instruction, they also took comprehension quizzes on The Monkeys Paw and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. On the final Friday, my students took four quizzes altogether, including the post-assessment. Several students responded to this high amount of testing in their prompting, wishing simply for less Friday tests.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Writing Prompts My decision to initiate writing prompts during my unit was vital to my personal

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philosophy about English education, but highly unpopular with students. I expected students to write for ten minutes almost daily, which typically gave them enough time to finish a rough paragraph. These prompts asked students to connect the days lessons to their own personal experiences, moving them beyond the passive nature of listening toward the active nature of creating, thus progressing students thinking along Blooms taxonomy. The prompts also began preparing the students for next semester, when I will expect students to regularly record their ideas and reactions. These writings will then serve as the basis for a long-term period of writing workshops. Reading the students responses proved to be quite entertaining, as the responses ranged from strongly negative to highly positive often with the same student. In class, I heard the expected responses of groaning and complaining each time I announced the prompt, though the soundtrack occasionally mixed with requests for student-suggested prompts, like superpowers or free-choice Fridays. This burgeoning interest gives me hope that next semesters writing assignments, which will incorporate much more student choice and independence, will prove successful. Of the thirteen students who mentioned the writing prompts in their reflections, eight expressed a positive attitude for the activity, while five disliked the task. The detractors claimed to have a lack of ideas when faced with spontaneous writing assignments; interestingly enough, these students shared excellent contributions, when allowed to read the assignments aloud. Vocabulary In terms of instruction, I could have either focused more attention on studying the vocabulary terms or disregarded the terms completely. Had I spent more time on the words, I

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES could have more strongly solidified the students understanding of the terms, potentially by implementing the vocabulary in their own creative sentences. On the other hand, had I

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disregarded the words, I could have used the time focusing more intensely upon conflict or mood and tone. I believe the students would have understood the stories plots and themes, even without complete grasps over the vocabulary. In their reflections, students expressed similar concerns. They enjoyed using connotation and denotation to understand a terms meaning, and they appreciated learning the vocabulary before encountering it in the stories, but they would have appreciated the lessons more had we spent more time on the terms. Several students expressed the concern that they had missed a lesson, as it seemed we simply hadnt spent enough time for them to appropriately comprehend the vocabulary. Across all three of my classes, nineteen students mentioned vocabulary as an aspect of the unit which made an impression, with opinions split down the middle; nine students enjoyed learning the new terms, but ten disliked the method of instruction. Mood and Tone I was pleasantly surprised by the success of the Suchman model when teaching mood and tone. I had expected students to have previous knowledge of the terms, but they seemed unfamiliar when they first encountered the two. Instead of teaching the concepts simply through notes, I wanted to invite active engagement and student cognition. They did well with the activity, connecting the terms to everyday usage mood as a kids attitude, tone as a parents voice. Throughout the week, I felt that students comprehended the terms very well, and I expected high scores on the post-assessment. I was unpleasantly surprised, however, by the actual scores, as the mood and tone section of the assessment lacked the improvement I expected. Those scores can be seen, again, in Graphs 10-12.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES After the popularity of the short story choices, mood and tone were the most discussed topics of the student reflections. Across all three classes, twenty-four mentioned the concepts. Eleven expressed a confidence in mood and tone, many of them grateful for their use of the

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writing prompts as an aid in practicing the skill. Meanwhile, thirteen students still expressed an apprehension about the two skills, wishing theyd had more opportunities to find and identify examples of mood and tone already extant in literature. They would have liked seeking these concepts in The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, an idea I completely supported and would have implemented, if Id had enough time. Group Work A very popular aspect of the unit was the element of group work, which occurred through activities like the readers theater, group posters, and the gallery review. These assignments required students to use multiple levels of literacy in their completion, typically in the forms of reading, synthesizing, and writing. During the readers theater, students were assigned to adapt their texts and visualize the story, which they then enacted for their audience. The group posters required that students know the definitions of types of conflicts and how they would look within texts. The gallery review allowed students to move around the room and synthesize their knowledge into questions, comments, examples, and even visuals of the six components of the unit. Both the students and I enjoyed these projects, which produced excellent results while drawing on the students creativity and activity. The only matter of concern in terms of these group-themed projects is the potential for students to become overwhelmed by group work, especially as they produce group activities in their other core subjects. In the future, I would prefer to allow students to work independently for the most part, with group activities serving as a rare opportunity meant to be enjoyed, not squandered.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Group work was strongly mentioned in the students reflections. Fourteen students mentioned group projects as a whole, while five more mentioned the readers theater, one enjoyed the group posters, and thirteen specified the gallery review. All of the responses were phrased positively, with most students requesting more of them in future classes. In particular,

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one student wished to perform The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, while another wished the group posters had been used for mood and tone. The closest an answer came to a complaint was one students mention of her group members lack of contribution while working together. For the most part, I was surprised at the absence of students complaints, as their boredom with group work seemed obvious to me after the first few weeks.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Appendices I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. Pre-Assessment Writing Prompts The Monkeys Paw Vocabulary Worksheet Conflict Assessment The Monkeys Paw Comprehension Assessment The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Vocabulary Worksheet Suchman Model Prompt The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Comprehension Assessment Post-Assessment 41 43 44 46 47 48 50 51 52

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IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES I. Pre-Assessment

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Directions: Answer the following questions to the best of your ability. Part I. Vocabulary 1. Perils 2. Avaricious 3. Confirmation 4. Apathy 5. Oppressive 6. Formidable 7. Pedagogue 8. Melancholy 9. Sympathy 10. Approbation Part II. Conflict 11. Identify the example that shows conflict with Man. a. Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius b. Deciding whether or not to cheat a. a teacher b. absence of emotions c. approval, commendation d. agreement of emotions e. greedy, covetous f. a gloomy state of mind g. causing fear, apprehension, or dread h. exposure to injury, loss, or destruction i. causing discomfort by being excessive or intense j. the act of confirming, or establishing, a truth

c. Colonists declaring independence d. Football game between two teams

12. Identify the example that shows conflict with Mother Nature. a. Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius c. Colonists declaring independence b. Deciding whether or not to cheat d. Football game between two teams 13. Identify the example that shows conflict with mob. a. Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius b. Deciding whether or not to cheat

c. Colonists declaring independence d. Football game between two teams

14. Identify the example that shows conflict with machine. a. Your parents wont raise your allowance c. Cell phones distract students b. A dog chases you home from school d. You flip a coin and lose 15. Identify the example that shows conflict with mind. a. Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius b. Deciding whether or not to cheat

c. Colonists declaring independence d. Football game between two teams

16. Identify the example that shows conflict with monster. a. Your parents wont raise your allowance c. Cell phones distract students b. A dog chases you home from school d. You flip a coin and lose

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES

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17. Which type of conflict is portrayed in this example? Man versus A climbing expedition trapped in a blizzard on Mount Everest. 18. Which type of conflict is portrayed in this example? Man versus Many critics are debating whether or not to change the name of Washingtons football team. 19. Which type of conflict is portrayed in this example? A student is bullying classmates. Man versus

20. Which type of conflict is portrayed in this example? Man versus Your horoscope today warned you of possible decreases in wealth, health, or finances. Part III. Skills 21. Mood can best be defined as a. Attitude of author b. Actions of characters 22. Tone can best be defined as a. Attitude of author b. Actions of characters

c. Setting of text d. Thoughts of reader

c. Setting of text d. Thoughts of reader

23. Which of the following does NOT affect the mood of a reader? a. Setting c. Theme b. Cover of the text d. Voice 24. Which of the following does NOT influence the tone of a text? a. Word choice c. Readers attitude b. Figurative language d. Imagery 25. What is the relationship between the author and the tone of a piece of literature? a. Author creates tone through scenes and word choices b. Author leaves interpretation of tone to readers c. Author always communicates tone through the main character d. Author discovers tone after publishing his text

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES II. Writing Prompts

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This is a list of writing prompts planned for my unit of study. Some were ideas that I actually ignored, while others are ideas that came at the last minute. The final prompt is one several students wished they could have written, and several asked if they could choose their own prompts on Fridays. 1. If you had three wishes, what would you wish for? How could they backfire? 2. Respond to The Monkeys Paw. What did you think of the ending? 3. Tell about a time when you were in a conflict. Include the elements of a short story exposition, initiating event, rising actions, climax, falling actions, and resolution. 4. With your group members, adapt your assigned segment of The Monkeys Paw into a script you can use during a readers theater. You will present this tomorrow. This prompt could span two days. 5. Rewrite the ending of The Monkeys Paw. How would you change it? 6. What is something youre afraid of (movie, situation, animal, etc.)? 7. Create a scene depicting a certain mood (celebratory, dejected, spooky, etc.), or a dialogue depicting a certain tone (victorious, angry, excited, etc.). If you finish one, work on the other. If you write both, change the mood or tone! 8. Describe an example of foreshadowing that youve found in a book, comic, movie, or tv show. Include the story elements of exposition, initiating event, rising actions, climax, falling actions, and resolution. 9. Reflect upon the previous two weeks. You might share what you learned, what you struggled with, what you enjoyed, or what you might have liked to have done more often. 10. What superpower do you wish you could have, and why would you choose it?

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES III. The Monkeys Paw Vocabulary Worksheet

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Vocabulary. Using the context clues provided and the roots you may recognize, define the vocabulary terms in your own words. This will be the connotations of the terms. Tomorrow, we will use dictionaries to find the denotations of the words, which we will compare to the connotations. Context clue: putting his king into such sharp and unnecessary perils that it even provoked comment from the white-haired old lady knitting placidly by perils the fire. Your definition: Term:

Denotation:

Term: avaricious

Context clue: Speaking of money Im afraid itll turn you in to a mean, avaricious man, and we shall have to disown you.

Your definition:

Denotation:

Term: confirmation Your definition:

Context clue: the sinister meaning of the assurance dawned upon her and she saw the awful confirmation of her fears in the others perverted face.

Denotation:

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES

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Term: apathy

Context clue: But the days passed, and expectation gave place to resignation the hopeless resignation of the old, sometimes miscalled, apathy.

Your definition:

Denotation:

Context clue: The darkness was oppressive, and after lying for some time screwing up his courage, he took the box of matches, and striking one, went oppressive downstairs for a candle. Your definition: Term:

Denotation:

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES IV. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Conflict Assessment

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Katniss stands as a symbol against the Capitol. In Eagle Eye, the video recording device attempts to control world events. Scrooge turns against his past with the help of a few midnight visitors. Sharks attack several boats in Jaws. Luke Skywalker battles Darth Vader. The Titanic strikes an iceberg. In The Hunger Games, the arenas are designed to defeat the competitors. Voldemort invades the Ministry of Magic. In Divergent, Tris must decide upon which faction she wants to join. Percy Jackson outwits a Cyclops.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES V. The Monkeys Paw Multiple Choice. Write the letter of the best answer. The Monkeys Paw Comprehension Assessment

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1. Sergeant Major Morriss attitude toward the monkeys paw could best be described as a. Angry b. Terrified c. Respectful d. Disappointed

2. What does the story suggest about Morriss personal experiences with the monkeys paw? a. b. c. d. His wishes had mixed results. All of his wishes had pleasant results. All of his wishes had terrible results. He, himself, never wished on the monkeys paw.

3. What attitude does Herbert display toward his fathers wish on the monkeys paw? a. Fearful c. Disgusted b. Amazed d. Lighthearted 4. When the monkeys paw moves in his hand, Mr. Whites response could best be described as a. Reassured c. Fascinated b. Excited and hopeful d. Frightened and disgusted Short Answer. Briefly answer the following questions in the space provided or on the back. 1. State at least 3 conflicts AND explain what type they are.

2. State all 3 wishes AND tell what happens as a result of each.

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES VI. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Vocabulary Worksheet

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Vocabulary. Using the context clues provided and the roots you may recognize, define the vocabulary terms in your own words. These will be the connotations of the terms. Then, use dictionaries to find the denotations of the words, which you will compare to the connotations. Term: formidable Your definition: Context clue: The school-house stood in a rather lonely but pleasant situation, just at the foot of a woody hill, with a brook running close by and a formidable birch tree growing at one end of it.

Denotation:

Term: pedagogue Your definition:

Context clue: Speaking of Ichabod Crane the worthy pedagogue got on tolerably enough, and was thought, by all who understood nothing of the labor of headwork, to have a wonderfully easy life of it.

Denotation:

Term: melancholy Your definition:

Context clue: No signs of life occurred near him, but occasionally the melancholy chirp of a cricket

Denotation:

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES Term: sympathy Context clue: Speaking of Major Andres tree The common people regarded it with a mixture of respect and superstition, partly out of sympathy for the fate of its ill-starred namesake, and partly from the tales of strange sights and doleful lamentations told concerning it.

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Your definition:

Denotation:

Term: approbation Your definition:

Context clue: When his story was concluded, there was much laughter and approbation, particularly from two or three deputy aldermen who had been asleep the greater part of the time.

Denotation:

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES VII. Suchman Model Prompt

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One of my students, Jimmy, comes into class ready for a test on mood and tone. He had studied all week, and last night he had even stayed up late cramming, just in case. Jimmy knew the material absolutely, and was completely compared for the test. As he walks through those doors, however, the absolute worst happens. You guessed it he forgot everything! In the ten minutes which remain in his homeroom, Jimmy needs to figure out the difference between mood and tone. Can you help him remember what they mean before he has to take the test?

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES VIII. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Comprehension Assessment

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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Who Am I? Write the name of the character who best fits the following description (one point each). 1. 2. 3. 4. Short, curly black hair; double-jointed, broad-shouldered Mixture of ancient and modern fashion, nicest foot and ankle Flat head, large green glassy eyes Hessian trooper, fought in the Revolutionary War

Multiple Choice. Circle the letter of the correct answer (one point each). 5. Sleepy Hollow is situated along the side of what river? a. Erie c. Nile b. Hudson d. Platte 6. Which of the following best described the mood of the story? a. spooky c. lively b. melancholy d. romantic 7. Which of the following best described the tone of this line, spoken by Brom? And then I lifted all five men with one hand! a. sarcastic c. humorous b. boastful d. exhausted 8. How is the following line an example of foreshadowing? There once was a valley that was said to be the quietest place in the world. a. The word was hints that the valley is no longer there. b. The word quietest hints that the valley is peaceful. c. The words valley and world hint where Sleepy Hollow is. d. The words was and quiet hint that the valley might not be as quiet as expected. 9. Brom Bones was popular because a. he beat up Ichabod Crane b. he was afraid all the time 10. At the end of the story Brom Bones a. has disappeared b. is married to Katrina . c. he was kind to everyone d. he was good looking . c. leaves the town of Sleepy Hollow d. becomes the new school teacher

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES IX. Post-Assessment

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Directions: Answer the following questions to the best of your ability. Part I. Vocabulary 1. Perils 2. Avaricious 3. Confirmation 4. Apathy 5. Oppressive 6. Formidable 7. Pedagogue 8. Melancholy 9. Sympathy 10. Approbation Part II. Conflict 11. Identify the example that shows conflict with Man. a. Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius b. Deciding whether or not to cheat a. a teacher b. without emotion c. act of approving, formally or officially d. similar emotions e. greedy, especially for money f. depressed in spirits g. arousing fear h. exposure to injury, loss, or destruction i. causing discomfort by being excessive or intense j. the act of confirming, or establishing, a truth

c. Colonists declaring independence d. Football game between two teams

12. Identify the example that shows conflict with Mother Nature. a. Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius c. Colonists declaring independence b. Deciding whether or not to cheat d. Football game between two teams 13. Identify the example that shows conflict with mob. a. Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius b. Deciding whether or not to cheat

c. Colonists declaring independence d. Football game between two teams

14. Identify the example that shows conflict with machine. a. Your parents wont raise your allowance c. Cell phones distract students b. A dog chases you home from school d. You flip a coin and lose 15. Identify the example that shows conflict with mind. a. Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius b. Deciding whether or not to cheat

c. Colonists declaring independence d. Football game between two teams

16. Identify the example that shows conflict with monster. a. Your parents wont raise your allowance c. Cell phones distract students b. A dog chases you home from school d. You flip a coin and lose

IMPACT STUDY: SHORT STORIES

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17. Which type of conflict is portrayed in this example? Man versus A climbing expedition trapped in a blizzard on Mount Everest. 18. Which type of conflict is portrayed in this example? Man versus Many critics are debating whether or not to change the name of Washingtons football team. 19. Which type of conflict is portrayed in this example? A student is bullying classmates. Man versus

20. Which type of conflict is portrayed in this example? Man versus Your horoscope today warned you of possible decreases in wealth, health, or finances. Part III. Skills 21. Mood can best be defined as a. Attitude of author b. Actions of characters 22. Tone can best be defined as a. Attitude of author b. Actions of characters

c. Setting of text d. Thoughts of reader

c. Setting of text d. Thoughts of reader

23. Which of the following does NOT affect the mood of a reader? a. Setting c. Theme b. Cover of the text d. Voice 24. Which of the following does NOT influence the tone of a text? a. Word choice c. Readers attitude b. Figurative language d. Imagery 25. What is the relationship between the author and the tone of a piece of literature? a. Author creates tone through scenes and word choices b. Author leaves interpretation of tone to readers c. Author always communicates tone through the main character d. Author discovers tone after publishing his text Part IV. Writing. On a separate sheet of paper, reflect upon the previous two weeks. You might share what you learned, what you struggled with, what you enjoyed, or what you might have liked to have done more often. This is for my eyes only, so I appreciate your honesty. Write at least one paragraph, but you can write more if you like.