Spiral Analysis Anthony Pozdol

But what anchor standard? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.9 Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.

6th Grade Application Sample Assignment: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.6.9 Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics. Sample Assignment: In class, students will listen to the “Star Spangled Banner.” Students will then discuss the idea of patriotism in small groups. Following the small group discussion, the teacher jots down some ideas of patriotism that the students share from the discussion in their groups. Students are then asked to read, “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes. Students are asked to consider and discuss how Hughes’ poem fits into the ideas of patriotism listed on the board. Is it different? How so? Can it still be considered patriotic? Finally, students are asked to write about the differences between the approach to patriotism in the “Star Spangled Banner,” and the approach to patriotism in, “I, Too, Sing America.”

7th Grade Application Sample Assignment: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.9 Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history. Sample Assignment: During our reading of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, at a particular point students will read a brief historical overview of the Mississippi River towns (such as: http://dig.lib.niu.edu/twain/kastor-culture.html) Students will be divided into groups of four, and each group will be asked to discuss how Twain reinvents the historical Mississippi Valley of the mid 1800s. Using a large sheet of paper the groups will create lists of themes that are present both in the historical account, and in the novel. For example, how does Twain explore racism in the Mississippi Valley? Or, how does Twain reinterpret opportunity along the Mississippi River? As students discuss the common themes and the way Twain explores them, the teacher should be spending some time with each group and guiding the discussion through questioning where necessary. At the end of class, the groups will be asked to share their ideas they generated with the class.

8th Grade Application CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.9 Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new. Sample Assignment: Students will be reading the the graphic novel, American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang. The class will be divided into small groups and each group will be given a page from the graphic novel highlighting one of two characters: The Monkey King; or Tze Yo Tzuh. The groups will be asked to research the roots of both characters. (The teacher can model a search if necessary) Upon discussing their findings of the origins of each character, the groups will be asked to create an infographic(using piktochart) that states those origins of the character, and how Yang draws from and possibly even transforms each on their given page from the novel. During discussion and creation of the infographic the teacher would be making their rounds to guide discussion where necessary, and troubleshoot any technological issues.

9-10 Grade Application Sample Assignment: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.9-10.9 Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare). Sample Assignment: Following the reading of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, students will watch the film “10 Things I Hate About You.” Students will then be asked to write a short paper, in which they will be asked to identify the ways in which the adaptation was faithful, the ways in which the adaptation ventured into new territory, and finally students will be asked to consider how their own adaptation of the adaptation would look. After the paper has been collected, the teacher will give a mini lesson highlighting how the methods by which themes are portrayed change over time, but as seen even in their own adaptations, the themes themselves still link us to the narratives of old.

11-12 Grade Application Sample Assignment: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.9 Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics. Sample Assignment: Students will have read throughout the unit, Charles Johnson’s Middle Passage and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. After the reading of Invisible Man, but before the reading of Middle Passage, students will receive an author profile on Charles Johnson which will make mention of Ellison’s influence on him as a writer and thinker. Following the reading of both texts, students will be asked to write a paper that analyzes the relationship between race and identity as seen in both novels. How does Ellison’s influence come through in Johnson’s writing? Where do they differ?

Summary of Changes The end goal being sought through this anchor standard is for students to be able to demonstrate a breadth of knowledge of both texts and periods of time, and drawing from this knowledge, students should be skilled in making thematic and topical connections. From 6th grade to 7th grade the kinds of texts being studied go from open-ended to specific genres (from cross-genre and multiple forms, to fiction and historical accounts). The end goal in 7th grade also becomes more specific - to identify how an author uses or alters history in their fiction, as opposed to the broader exploring approaches to similar themes and topics). From 7th grade to 8th grade the specificity of text types again becomes more narrow. Students go from comparing fiction to a historical account in 7th grade, to analyzing how myths, traditional stories, and religious texts influence or “make new” certain modern works of fiction in 8th grade. From 8th grade to 9th-10th grade the standard is almost identical, however the little shift this time doesn’t have as much to do with text styles, but it shifts from a focus on the works themselves in 8th grade, to a focus on the author’s craft in transforming a source text in 9th-10th grades. From 9th-10th grade to 11th-12th grade the text types (foundational American), and the eras the text spring from (18th, 19th, 20th Century), become their most specific yet. The moves from compare and contrast to analyze; and from analyze to demonstration of knowledge are also completed here.

Analysis I find it interesting that at the start of the standard, the texts and formats to be utilized in the classroom are less specific. With each passing grade level, the standard allows for less freedom in text and format choice. While I’m not exactly infuriated by the fact that the selections get progressively narrower, I am curious as to why knowledge growth is accompanied by restriction. Is this the best way to meet the standard? Most of the changes you follow through this strand have to do with text types. That’s fine, I suppose. I only wonder when we start questioning whether we absolutely need the “foundational works of American literature” to teach the skill of making thematic connections. It’s not even that I have an issue with these texts, but I do question whether they need to be imposed through the standard. I’ve always felt that this kind of imposing begs the follow up question, “who gets to say what texts are the most necessary to know?” Or, “who gets to say what is foundational?” If I love the “foundational” texts, and I find them extremely useful for teaching, then by all means I’ll gladly use them. But in the event I don’t, there’s good writings to explore outside of the 18th century, outside of the 19th century, outside of the 20th century, outside of our country, and even inside of our country and inside of these centuries in the places we aren’t currently looking to utilize. If the anchor standard states the goal is to make thematic connections, in order to build knowledge and compare author approaches, then I see little reason to grow increasingly restricted in the texts we use. Surprisingly, since I’ve been so critical, I actually believe this is a solid anchor standard. This skill has real-life application. I only question the given progression.