ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCES
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS RESOURCESSOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY UNIT PLAN
General Description
I designed this unit to address my students' need to develop an awareness of the world around them and their roles in it. I want to help them begin to see themselves as active members of society and to form their own opinions about major social issues. I teach this as the last unit of the term. It serves as a culminating project for the class and helps prepare students to enter the world beyond high school.
I use literary works from various periods of British literature to help my students grasp the power of literature as an instrument for social change. The titles I have listed are merely suggestions. Any other similar works would certainly work. In particular, some classes cannot handle "A Modest Proposal." In such cases, I would use an excerpt from Gulliver's Travels instead. Political cartoons and any current news items from magazines, newspapers, etc. should be added where appropriate. I would also consider supplementing the British literature with American works to make the issues more relevant to students.
The most important part of the unit, in my opinion, is the final project. It emphasizes informed decision-making and requires students to work toward consensus. Even in cases where they simply agree to disagree, I think students make major strides toward becoming cooperative participants in a democratic society. Internet research of some topics may be problematic due to filtering software. I always let my technologist know what we are doing, and she makes adjustments for my students as needed. It might also be beneficial to give your principal a list of your topics beforehand, particularly if they are controversial.
Michelle Roberts, Greene County Schools
| Activity Description | Approx. Time | Strands | Exp | Info | Arg |
Crit | Lit | G/L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory | ||||||||
Class discussion and brainstorming: What is social responsibility? Why does it matter? |
15 min. | O | 1.02 | 2.02 | ||||
Journal entry: How can I make a difference? |
15 min. | W | 1.01 | 2.03 | ||||
| During | ||||||||
Class reading of excerpts from Swift's "A Modest Proposal" |
2 days |
O W |
4.02 | 5.01 5.02 |
||||
Write your own "Modest Proposal." What do you want to change? How far can you go to make your point? |
1 day | W
|
1.02 | 3.02 | 6.01 6.02 |
|||
Read excerpt from Mary Wollstonecraft's "A
Vindication of the Rights of Women" and discuss modern women's
rights issues. |
1 day | O W |
1.02 | 2.01 2.02 |
4.01 | 5.01 5.02 |
||
Read Shelley's song "Men of England"
and the first chapter of Orwell's Animal Farm. How and why does
Orwell echo Shelley? Is it effective? |
1 day | O W |
2.01 | 4.02 | ||||
Finish reading and discussing Animal Farm. |
4 days | O W |
2.01 | 4.01 | ||||
Write an essay discussing the effectiveness of Animal
Farm as an instrument of social change. Be sure to address the use of
animals. |
1 day | W | 1.01 1.02 |
2.01 | 3.02 | 6.01 6.02 |
||
Read Tony Blair's "The Rights We Enjoy, the Duties We Owe." Talk about current social issues and responsibilities. Class brainstorming of major social issues students find interesting. |
1 day | O W |
3.01 | 4.01 | 5.01 5.02 |
|||
| Culminating | ||||||||
In groups of 3-4, research one of the social issues
mentioned in the class brainstorming (cloning and stem cells, school
prayer, etc.). Be sure to research all sides of your issue before deciding
where your group stands. Report your findings to the class using PowerPoint,
videos, etc. to support your presentation. Surveys, interviews, etc.
may be included. You should also keep a journal of your group's
experiences, problems you encounter, and how you solve those problems. |
2 weeks | O W M/T |
1.01 1.02 |
2.01 2.03 |
3.01 3.02 |
4.01 | 5.01 5.02 |
6.01 6.02 |
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