UNIT NAME:

Picture Book / Visual Literacy

COURSE / GRADE:
Language Arts 10-1 / 10-2
DATE UNIT BEGINS:
November 16
SCHOOL:
LCI
GOALS OF UNIT
Goal 1. Students will listen,
speak, read, write, view and
represent
to explore thoughts, ideas,
feelings and experiences
1.1: Discover and Explore
1.2: Clarify and Extend

DATE UNIT ENDS:

December
TEACHER: Miss Lammi
TRANSFER TASK VISION OF STUDENT
The student will be able to....
Identify themes and symbols within layers of text and
images.

MEANING
Understandings:
The student will
understand that...
Goal 2. Students will listen,
There is often
speak,
more to a book
read, write, view and represent
than meets the
to comprehend and respond
eye.
personally and critically to
Authors can use
oral,
images as a way
print and other media texts
to advance their
2.1: Construct meaning from
opinions and
text and context
comment on
2.2: Understand and
societal norms.
appreciate textual forms,
elements and techniques

Essential Questions:
Students will keep considering...

How do themes influence

human nature?
How does applying a critical
perspective affect an
understanding and enjoyment
of a text?
How can an author use a work
of fiction to make a statement
about society?

LEARNER EXPECTATIONS
Goal 3. Students will listen,
speak, read, write, view and
Disciplines:
Expectations:
represent to manage ideas and Language Arts
Goal 1:
information.
1.1.1 Form tentative understandings,
3.1 Determine inquiry or
interpretations and positions
research requirements
1.1.2 Experiment with language,
3.2 Follow a plan of inquiry
image and structure
1.2.1: Consider new perspectives
Goal 4. Students will listen,
1.2.3 Set personal goals for
speak, read, write, view and
language growth
represent
Goal 2:
to create oral, print, visual and
2.1.1: Discern and analyze context
multimedia texts, and enhance

the clarity and artistry of

communication
4.1: Develop and present a
variety of print and non print
texts
4.2: Improve thoughtfulness,
effectiveness and correctness
in communication
Goal 5. Students will listen,
speak, read, write, view and
represent to respect, support
and collaborate with others
5.1: Respect others and
strengthen community
5.2: Work within a group

2.2.1: Relate form, structure and

medium to purpose, audience and
content
2.2.2: Relate elements, devices and
techniques to created effects
2.3.1 Connect self, text, culture and
milieu
2.3.2 Evaluate the verisimilitude,
appropriateness and significance of
print and nonprint texts
2.3.3 Appreciate the effectiveness
and artistry of print and nonprint
texts
Goal 4:
4.1.1: Assess text creation context
4.1.2: Consider and address from,
structure and medium
4.1.3: Develop content
4.1.4 Use production, publication
and presentation strategies and
technologies consistent with context
4.2.1: Enhance thought and
understanding and support and
detail
4.2.2 Enhance organization
4.2.3 Consider and address matters
of choice
Goal 5:
5.1.1 Use language and image to
show respect and consideration
5.1.2: Appreciate diversity of
expression, opinion and perspective
5.1.3 Recognize accomplishments
and events
5.2.1: Cooperate with others and
contribute to group process
5.2.2: Understand and evaluate
group process

RATIONALE:
I created this unit as a fun and meaningful way to end the semester. I
think students would have fun revisiting old favorites from their childhood
and examining them in a new light. After an entire semester of providing

scaffolding for critical analytical thought, I believe students will be able to

enjoy analyzing picture books and be able to make some really interesting
interpretations, while incorporating supporting evidence from the text into
their discussions.
This unit will appeal to many students because even the ones who are
operating at a lower reading level can still find success here; the picture
books create an easy read, but depending on where each student is at, they
may be able to pull even more information from the text to form a more
insightful interpretation of the material.
Essentially, this unit will inform me as to how well I was able to provide
them with the proper scaffolding throughout the year in order for them to all
be successful at a something like this. So, not only will the unit allow
students to truly demonstrate the abilities theyve acquired throughout this
year, but it will also tell me how I need to adapt for future classes.
ACTIVITIES:

Picture Book Creation (10-1 & 10-2): (summative) - Students will

create a picture book based on a theme of their own choosing. In -2,
students will also have to incorporate at least one other element that
weve discussed over the course of the year (symbolism, archetypes,
literary devices). I want to see if it will be at all possible to present the
picture books to a group of elementary school students to give my
students an appropriate audience and create some incentive from
project completion.
In -1, students will have to create a story that encompasses a
theme, 2 archetypes, and symbolism (color symbolism is welcome).
Students will be creating these picture books and also possible
presenting them to children, as well as their peers.
Picture Book Reflection (10-1 & 10-2): (formative) Students will
reflect on what the process of creating a picture book was like. They
will talk about their strengths and weaknesses, things that they love
about their book, things they would change, and how they have grown
throughout this project, etc.
Peer Picture Book Analysis / Presentation / Reflection (10-1):
(summative) Just like in the poetry unit at the beginning of the year,
students will analyze someone elses picture book in the class. This
time instead of writing an essay, they will give a presentation to the
class, done through any program of their choosing (Prezi, PowerPoint,
etc.). It is important that students learn how to present information in
an appropriate and effective manner. The final part of this assignment
will be for the author of the picture book to reflect on what it was like
to have someone else analyze their book was their interpretation
spot on? Did it open their eyes to a new perspective? What might they
change? Strengths/Weaknesses, etc.

MATERIALS:
The following is a list of materials needed for this unit. Materials may be
added or removed according to the needs of the class.
Picture Books :
- The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
- Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall
- Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
- The Last Polar Bear by Jean Craighead George
- And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
- The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
- The Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff
- The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen

Coloring Utensils
Magazines
Pencils/Paper

UNIT OVERVIEW* - December 5 December 22 (Approx. lessons

weeks)
Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday
7
Lesson 3
-Picture Book
Gallery Walk
6
5
students will
Lesson 2
Lesson 1
look through
Continue group
Intro to Book Talks
and read
analysis of The
-Class Analysis of
picture books to
Giving Tree
The Giving Tree
pull inspiration
from. They may
bring their own
from home if
they get it
approved by
me.

Thursday

Friday

8
Lesson 4
Picture Book
Creation
-Work period

9
Lesson 5
Picture Book
Creation
-Work period

12
Lesson 6
Work Period

15
Lesson 9
14
PB Reflections 16
Lesson 8
13
(-2)
Lesson 10
Work period (-2)
Lesson 7
Catch up Day (-2)
Work period (-2)
Analyzing
Analyzing a
Peers Book
Final class to
peers picture
PB Reflections
(Book
create
book (-1)
BOOK LABS
Laptops)
presentations (-1)
(Book Laptops)

22
Lesson 14
21
Fun Christmas
20
19
Lesson 13
Class (-2)
Lesson 12
Lesson 11
Book Talks (-2) Crafts/Xmas
Book Talks (-2)
Book Talk Practice
Writing
Class (-2)
Presentations (- prompts
Presentations (1)
1)
Presentations (-1)
Final
Reflection (-1)

23
Last Day of
Classes Fun
Christmas Class!
Saying Goodbye

*Time table can be adjusted as needed.

1. Overview:

PictureBooksisathematicunitdesignedtoteachgrades101&102VisualLiteracyin
EnglishLanguageArtsthrough...

Daily Instruction The unit will begin with a book talk, tutorial on
what to look for, and class discussion of one of my own childhood
favorites: The Giving Tree. Over the course of the semester, students
will have received plenty of scaffolding in order for them to be
successful with this task. There will be less explicit daily instruction in
this unit, as I want students to have this opportunity to truly exemplify
what they have learned.

Practice and Application Students will receive the opportunity to

look through many picture books and revisit some of their favorites at
home from when they were kids. I hope that the nostalgia that this unit
brings will encourage students to get excited about literature and

maybe even do some extra reading outside of the classroom if they

dont do so already. Students will create their own picture books in
class, where I will be circulating to prompt for ideas, and use strategies
such as Socratic questioning in order to push students to think critically
and add more depth to their train of thought.

Class Activities Throughoutthecourseoftheunit,studentswillbeformatively

assessedviaclassactivities(classandgroupdiscussions,oneononechats,groupwork
andindividualwork).Theirwillingnesstoengage,andthequalityofinformationthey
providetheirpeerswithwillhelpmedeterminewhereeveryoneisat.Thevarious
activitiesthatwilltakeplacewillbewaystoseehowwellIscaffoldedstudentsforthis
typeofunit,aswellasgivestudentsthechangetoexemplifytheiranalyticalskills.
Studentswillbeexpectedtoexplainsymbols,discusscharacterization,importantthemes
andmotifs,summarizetheplot,aswellasreflectontheirownlearningprocesses.

Assessment and Evaluation Forthisunit,studentswillbeassessedand

evaluatedinseveralways.Dailyassessmentwillincludeteacherobservation,individual
participationinclassactivities,includingdiscussion,andeffortputintotheactivities
(formative).Studentswillalsobealsobeassessedontheirownpicturebookcreation,an
analyticalpresentationofapeersbook,andtheirfinalreflection(summative).

Presentation Averbalunitoutlinewillbegiventothestudentsonthefirstdayof
classwhichwillgivethemanoverviewoftheobjectives,activities,andassessments.I
wantstudentstobegivenclearexpectationsrightatthebeginningsothattheyknowwhat
isexpectedofthemthroughoutthecourseoftheunit.

2. Rationale:

Program of Studies Picture Books satisfies several of the

requirements of the Alberta Curriculum through both general and
specific learner objectives.

Content and Activities All of the activities that will accompany

reading the text will serve as a means to deepen student learning and
implement important aspects into their long term memory
ELA Strand Graphic Organizer:

Reading Writing

Listening

Speaking

Viewing

Representi
ng

Reading
various
picture
books

Presentation
s
Stories

Reading
other
students
stories

Class
discussion

Presentatio Book Talks

ns
Instruction

Reflection
s
Reflections

Presentation
Presentations Presentation
s
s
Visual
Class
Representatio Picture
discussion
ns a.k.a.
Books
Picture Books
Book Talks
Book Talks