Standards and Backwards Mapping

8^th Grade Reading Literature (Key Ideas and Details) Standard

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character or provoke a decision.

Backwards mapping is the process of starting with an end goal or objective and working backwards to create learning experiences and activities that help students meet the desired objectives that were established first. This strategy is effective because it ensures that teachers are helping their students meet the end goals by designing their lesson plans around them. Most often, the end goals will be common core state standards and for this activity, I have chosen the above standard for 8^th grade reading class. I chose this standard because of my passion for reading and the grade level (I plan on teaching ELA middle school).

3 Proficiencies

Students will identify major and minor characters in a story or drama.

Students will analyze how particular lines of dialog in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

Students will analyze how particular incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

3 Assessments

Class discussion questions at the end of each reading assignment throughout the entirety of the story or drama

Short quizzes about the major plot points and character dialog throughout the entirety of the story or drama

Summarizing the story or drama with emphasis on character dialog and plot points at the end of the unit

3 Learning Experiences

Character Mapping: This activity involves giving students a blank figure that they can draw and color on as they read the story. The student’s should add things that pertain to the character’s personality (ie. A businessman could be wearing a suit and a green tie that represents greed or money). They also keep track of important dialog that comes from that particular character.

Story Mapping: Story mapping is similar to character mapping but pertains to significant plots throughout the story. The students can do this as a class on a blank bulletin board. When students identify a major plot point, they map it on the board. As the story progresses, it’s easy for student to refer back to the map to remember key details.

Creating a Movie Trailer: The story is being turned into a Hollywood Blockbuster! Students write an outline and create a movie trailer based on the major plot points on the story. A good trailer will tease the story by summarizing important dialog and incidents without giving away the ending.