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VISION

For children to become fully

functioning persons, their
basic needs must be met.
They need to feel they are
loved and understood; they
must feel they are members
of a group significant to
them; they must feel they are
achieving and growing toward
independence. (37)
VISION

1. Share literature that

discusses adversity and how to
overcome it
2. Develop compassion for
others and themselves
3. Explore their own
connections to the theme
through a multi-genre project
AUDIENCE
Text set will address many of the issues
faced by students in my school
A few thought-provoking studies have
suggested that children prefer those
stories that best represent their own
way of looking at the worldstories
that mirror their experiences, needs,
fears, and desires at a given age (32)
Topics close to home increase student
engagement
RATIONALE
Present circumstances + strength in the
face of adversity= Future
Poverty, reading disabilities...so what?
Kiefer and Tyson explain that in the middle
school years, students, begin to develop
abstract theoretical thought; they are no
longer dependent on concrete evidence but
can reason from hypotheses to logical
conclusions. This allows them to think of
possibilities for their lives that are contrary
to their prior experience and enables them
to see the future in new ways. (35)
DESCRIPTION OF TEXT SET
PROJECT STEPS
-Guided notes throughout literacy
stations of the qualities of each genre
and examples
-Chart of possible projects discussed with
class
-Review stations
-Independent/partner work with individual
conferences
-CELEBRATE!
-Self-assess projects and work during unit
-Assess projects themselves and the unit
 PROJECT CHOICES
Create
Find a poem or
short passage that
fits into the theme
of Overcoming
Adversity. On a
clean sheet of
copy paper, write
the title and
author, copy the
poem and
illustrate.
Create a comic
strip/graphic novel
(at least 8 bars)
relating to the
 PROJECT CHOICES
Write
Write a poem,
song, or rap that
fits into the theme
of Overcoming
Adversity.
Research
someone you
admire or find
interesting. Create
a timeline of the
most important
events in their life.
Write one
paragraph
explaining how
 PROJECT CHOICES
Present
Find a poem or
short passage that
fits into the theme
of Overcoming
Adversity. You
will share this
poem with the
class.
Research someone
you admire or find
interesting.
Pretending to be
that person,
explain to the
class some things