Exploring Personal Identity and Character ELA Unit Class (Montessori Inspired)
During this 8-week class, learners will explore the ideas of personal identity and examine shorter texts from various genres—nonfiction, poetry, spoken word, and short stories—in which diverse characters explore their identities.
Elissa Pugh, MA & MEd
Average rating:
4.3
Number of reviews:(3)
What's included
16 live meetings
14 hrs 40 mins in-class hoursHomework
1-2 hours per week. includedAssessment
Formal assessments, such as quizzes and tests, will not be given. Learners will be assessed through observation, discussions, and writing activities.Grading
Grades and/or a certificate of completion can be provided by request.Class Experience
US Grade 6 - 9
Join our 8-week class to delve into the complexities of personal and social identity. Explore topics such as individual temperament, conflicts between social and personal identities, and diverse approaches to identity acceptance. Analyze a variety of texts, including nonfiction, poetry, spoken word, and short stories, featuring characters navigating their identities. Reflect on your own identity while honing your critical thinking skills. Craft a free verse narrative poem and a personal narrative/reflection to express your journey. Engage in dynamic discussions, including small-group hexagonal discussions, whole-group discussions, and a Socratic seminar. Discover more about yourself and the world around you in this immersive learning experience. Week 1: Class Activities: Identity Charts, Discussion, and Writing Prompt Readings: Poem: “I'm Nobody! Who are you? (260)” by Emily Dickinson Week 2: Class Activities: My Honest Poem Writing Activity Readings: Excerpt: Counting Descent by Clint Smith p. 13 Poem: “Soles” Excerpt: Counting Descent by Clint Smith p. 25 Poem: “Counterfactual” Week 3: Class Activities: Discussion and Writing Prompt Readings: Excerpt: Fresh Ink: An Anthology pp. 194-209 Short Story: "Super Human" by Nicola Yoon Excerpt: How Beautiful the Ordinary: Twelve Stories of Identity pp. 63-72 Short Story: “Trev” by Jacqueline Woodson Week 4: Class Activities: Hexagonal Discussion and Writing Prompt Readings: Excerpt: One Good Story, That One by Thomas King pp. 133-147 Short Story: "Borders" Excerpt: The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories by Ken Liu pp. 26-43 Short Story: “The Paper Menagerie” Week 5: Class Activities: Discussion and Writing Prompt Readings: Poem: “Hair” by Elizabeth Acevedo Written Text: “Hair” by Elizabeth Acevedo Week 6: Class Activities: Hexagonal Discussion, and Writing Prompt Readings: Video: “Our Fight for Disability Rights and Why We’re Not Done Yet” by Judith Heumann Video: “Judy Heumann Reads an Excerpt from Her Memoir Being Heumann” by Judith Heumann Week 7: Class Activities: Personal Identity Narrative/Reflection Introduction and Socratic Seminar Prep Readings: “In ‘Turning Red’ I Finally Saw Myself Reflected in a Main Character” by Evelyn Kwong Week 8: Class Activities: Personal Identity Narrative/Reflection and Socratic Seminar
Learning Goals
Educational Goals and Specific Learning Outcomes:
Essential Questions
• What is identity, both personal and social? How are those identities sometimes in conflict with each other?
• What factors impact how and when we can fully be our authentic selves?
• How can shorter texts from different voices, cultures, and experiences help us examine our own identities?
Vocabulary
• text-based
• abstraction
• abate
• brittle
• counterfactual
• concede
• confer
• defiant
• deride
• dissipate
• existential
• formidable
• freight
• frivolous
• gravitas
• inherent
• inalienable
• inane
• litany
• menagerie
• misanthrope
• mundane
• paradox
• pensive
• pundit
• reclamation
• temperament
• tinny
• translucent
• wallow
Literary Terms
• diction
• ethos
• figurative language
• first person
• flashback
• imagery
• logos
• metaphor
• mood
• motif
• narrative
• point of view
• pathos
• personification
• rhetoric
• rhyme
• scheme
• second person
• simile
• stanza
• structure
• symbol
• third person limited
• theme
• third person omniscient
• third person
• tone
Core Standards
L.9-10.1 L.9-10.2 L.9-10.5 RI.9-10.1 RI.9-10.2 RI.9-10.3
RI.9-10.4 RI.9-10.5 RI.9-10.6 RI.9-10.7 RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2
RL.9-10.3 RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.5 RL.9-10.6 SL.9-10.1 SL.9-10.1.a
SL.9-10.1.b SL.9-10.1.c SL.9-10.1.d SL.9-10.3 SL.9-10.6 W.9-10.1
W.9-10.2 W.9-10.2.d W.9-10.3 W.9-10.4 W.9-10.5 W.9-10.9
W.9-10.10
Supporting Standards
L.9-10.1 L.9-10.2 L.9-10.6 RI.9-10.1 RI.9-10.2 RI.9-10.9
RI.9-10.10 RL.9-10.1 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.4 RL.9-10.5 RL.9-10.10
SL.9-10.1 SL.9-10.4 SL.9-10.6 W.9-10.1 W.9-10.9 W.9-10.10
Syllabus
Standards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)16 Lessons
over 8 WeeksLesson 1:
Identity Charts
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Identity and Introversion
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
My Honest Poem Writing Activity
55 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
My Honest Poem Writing Activity
55 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Learning Needs
I strive to meet all learners where they are by providing empathetic support, accommodations, and adjustments whenever needed. I am happy to answer any questions or discuss any concerns a student and/or parent may have.
Language of Instruction
English
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined November, 2019
4.3
3reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from Xavier University
Master's Degree in English from Belmont University
***This class is modeled on the thematic and cyclical approach seen in many adolescent Montessori classroom environments.***
I am a trained and experienced Montessori teacher. I believe in individualized, student-led education.Reviews
Live Group Course
$30
weekly2x per week, 8 weeks
55 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 11-16
4-14 learners per class
