Stage 1

Standard that Guides My Unit of Instruction:

ELA College and Career Readiness Anchor Language Standard—Grades 11-12:

5. DEMONSTRATE understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word meanings.

The Prioritized Benchmarks Aligned to Above Standard for Grades 11 and 12

1. DEMONSTRATE understanding of figurative language and INTERPRET figures of speech in context.

2. DETERMINE the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text and ANALYZE nuances in word meanings.

3. CHOOSE flexibly from a range of strategies to DETERMINE meaning of unknown words.

4. ANALYZE the impact of specific word choices and UNDERSTAND how language functions in different contexts.

5. APPLY knowledge of language to COMPREHEND more fully when reading or listening.

Essential Learning Outcomes

Essential Questions

1. What is figurative language and how does it affect communication?
2. What is the difference between figurative language and figures of speech?
3. How do I recognize when a word has more than one meaning or a special meaning in a text and then determine what the intended meaning is?
4. What are all the strategies to use when finding the meaning to words?
5. How does the language and words we use affect how other people understand us when we are speaking or writing?
6. How can I come to a better understanding of my readings from beginning to end?

Big Ideas

1. Figurative language can be used to more clearly express our thoughts and feelings by adding unique color and more specific expression to the way someone writes or speaks.
2. Figures of speech are the building blocks for figurative language. There are many kinds of figures of speech (hyperbole, paradox, metaphor, symbolism etc.) that can be recognized through practice—both in reading and one's own writing.
3. Writers use words that grab a readers attention. Often these come with both denotative and connotative meanings in the context they are used. This use of word choice broadens the meaning of a text.
4. By using a dictionary, thesaurus, the internet, footnotes and the context of the word, you will be able to come to a clear definition of any unknown word you come across.
5. Everyone uses his or her own personal language when speaking or writing in order communicate in a way that is most true to the self. By having a greater knowledge of how language affects the way we communicate, you will have a greater means to communicate in a way that is honest, thoughtful, and most importantly, you.
6. By using close and active reading techniques, you will be able to have a larger grasp and understanding of a text as a whole.

Learning Targets and I Can Statements

1. Identify the use of figurative language in a text or speech.

• I can identify figurative language when I see or hear it.

2. Analyze figurative language and how it affects communication.

• I can analyze how figurative language affects communication.

3. Utilize specific figures of speech with confidence in writing.

• I can confidently use specific figures of speech in my own writing for a desired effect.

4. Determine denotative and connotative meanings of a word in context.

• I can determine the denotative and connotative meanings of a word in the context it is used.

5. Evaluate the denotative and connotative meanings of a word and their affects on the overall meaning of a text.

• I can evaluate how a word's denotative and connotative meanings affect a text.

6. Locate unknown words in a text using active reading strategies.

• I can locate words I don't know by using active reading strategies.

7. Infer the meaning of an unknown word by examining the context and usage of the word.

• I can infer the meaning an unknown word by examining the context and usage of the word.

8. Support inferred meanings of unknown words by consulting a source such as dictionary or other reference materials.

• I can support my interferences of unknown words by consulting a source such as a dictionary.

9. Understand the role language plays in our society in how we communicate.

• I can understand the role language plays in our society in how we communicate.

10. Make specific choices in the use of language to communicate in a way that is true to one's self and what is being shared.

• I can make specific choices in my own use of language to communicate in a way that is true to myself and what I want to share.

11. Justify language choices in one's own writing and understand how these choices reflect upon the writer and affect an audience.

• I can justify the language choices in my written work and understand how they reflect upon me as a writer and affect my audience.

12. Identify several active reading techniques.

• I can identify several active reading techniques.

13. Decide what active reading technique works best for me to comprehend an entire text.

• I can decide what active reading technique works best for me.

14. Demonstrate how active reading can further my understanding of a text.

• I can demonstrate how active reading can further my understanding of a text.

Key Skills and Vocabulary

Skills	Concepts (Nouns)
Locate(1) Demonstrate (2) Understand (2) Comprehend (2) Examine(3) Utilize(3) Make (3) Determine (4) Evaluate(4) Infer(4) Decide(4) Analyze (4) Support(5) Justify(5)	Language Function of Language Figurative Language Figures of Speech Language Conventions Effective Choices of Language Writing Reading Listening Usage Word Meanings Strategies to Find Meaning Figurative Meaning Connotations Denotations Multiple-meaning Words Word Relationships Nuances in Words Word Choice Text Context Role in text Style Tone

The Learning Progression

The unit will begin with the general concepts of language and how language is used to communicate. This might include exercises that build greater understanding and appreciation for what language brings to the human race. The class will then learn more about specific language devices, with an emphasis on figures of speech and word meanings. The students will be presented with clear examples of the devices they don't yet understand or recognize. Later, the class will progress into looking at how language devices affect language and communication as a whole. A variety of examples from past and present as well as a mix of genres will be examined to analyze how language is effective. At the end of the unit, the students will create a sample of writing or give a speech with careful attention to their use of language.