MR.

NORTHROP – ENGLISH 9 UNIT PLANNING

Unit 4 – Novel Study

Unit Title: Fictional Exploration – Never Let Me Go Subject/Course: English Language Arts
Grade: 9th Author Name: Tuck Northrop

Stage 2: Enduring Understandings & Essential Questions

Enduring Understandings: Essential Questions:

Students will understand that… Students must consider…

● Reading great literature deepens and makes ● In the age of digital media, why is it important to
vivid our experiences by sensitizing us to what read great literature?
is most important, precious, and beautiful in life ● In the face of adversity, what causes some
● Great literature explores universal themes and individuals to prevail and others to fail?
reveals truths about the human experience ● Why do humans need myths?
● A topic is a concrete subject, whereas a theme is ● Why do universal themes exist in literature;
a main idea or underlying message about the themes that are relevant and essential to all
topic the author wishes to convey cultures and societies?
● Theme is developed through characterization, ● How does a theme differ from a topic?
conflict, setting, anecdotes, repetition, and ● How does theme transcend text and format?
patterning, depending on the text ● How do you identify and analyze universal
● Readers can induce theme by reading and themes?
analyzing a text on multiple levels ● What is the relationship between characterization
● Universal themes transcend cultures, but may and theme?
manifest differently depending on the culture ● What is the relationship between symbolism and
o Mythology & religion provide foundational, theme?
cross-cultural themes ● What is the relationship between setting,
● Character development & interaction often symbolism, and theme?
deepen thematic meaning
● A utopia is an imagined community or society
that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect
qualities for its citizens
● Humans strive for utopia, but scarcity of
resources and the conflicting drives and desires
of the world’s stakeholders create competition,
which creates power dynamics, which, when
exploited, can lead to a dystopia, the most
imperfect society imaginable
● Dystopian literature serves to warn readers
about the negative results possible if a current
ideology, technology, or behavioral pattern is
extrapolated over time

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