TPE 1

TPE 1.3: Connects content with real life contexts and provides active learning experiences.

What is this?

I created this learning unit for the beginning of 9th grade as a project for EDUC 358: Literacy in the Content Area, taking inspiration from the thesis of Book Love (Kittle, 2013): "Every student needs to know the power of a reading life" (p. 23). It includes student learning goals, essential questions, formative and summative assessments, and four weeks of daily lesson plans which guide students through the process of conceptualizing themselves as readers, developing their personal taste in books, and accessing the reading resources available to them.

Why did I choose it?

I chose this unit because it is one of my best examples of authentic, experiential learning grounded in the practices of disciplinary experts. The activities in the unit include games, setting reading goals, crafting to-read-next lists, resource presentations, book cover analysis, blurb writing, library navigation, book reviewing, beginner literary analysis, and debate. All of these are—or bridge to—what an active reading life and expertise in the field of English look like outside the classroom and throughout life, not just in my class.

What did I learn?

When crafting this unit, I learned how to access and incorporate so many resources available to me (including textbooks, works of literature, online sources both new and familiar, and journal articles) in order to create meaningful learning experiences for students. I also understood for the first time the direct correlation between my passion on a topic and the richness of curriculum I create. I had the most fun making this unit of almost anything I've made or written in college, and my enjoyment shows up in the quality of the project.