LESSONS

Fiction

Great Depression

UNIT 6: COMPASSION LESSON 1: LEARNING COMPASSION FROM LITERATURE SUMMARY: The Prohuman Grade 8 curriculum is aligned to two sets of standards: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Character and Social Emotional Development (CSED) National Guidelines. The full collection of units introduces all nine of the prohuman character strengths: optimism, grit, gratitude, curiosity, courage, compassion, fairness, understanding, and humanity. In Unit 6, Lesson 1, “Learning Compassion from Literature,” students will learn examples of compassion from a classic work of literature, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Students will develop their critical thinking and writing skills by answering questions about the text. Additionally, students will advance their academic dialogue skills by discussing the book with classmates. SUGGESTED TIME: 1 class period to introduce the text; 1 class period to discuss the text If desired, additional class periods can be devoted to in-class silent reading of the text While page numbers of different editions of the text will vary, the novella is divided into six sections: Assignment 1: Introduction to George and Lennie End of section: “The sycamore leaves whispered in a little night breeze.” Assignment 2: Arrival at the Ranch End of section: “The dog raised his head, but when Curley jerked out, the grizzled head sank to the floor again.” Assignment 3: The Development of the Dream End of section: “Well, get the hell out and wash your face.” Assignment 4: Scene with Crooks End of section: “He pulled out his shirt at the back, poured a little liniment in his pink palm, and, reaching around, he fell slowly to rubbing his back.” Assignment 5: The Tragedy End of section: “Old Candy lay down in the hay and covered his eyes with his arm.” Assignment 6: The Resolution Students should complete the short-answer questions on the worksheet as they read the book. Allow at least 50 minutes for in-class discussion of the short-answer questions on the worksheet. RELATED SUBJECT: English Language Arts LEARNING OUTCOMES: Read a classic work of literature Identify and analyze the book’s genre, point of view, characters, setting, and plot Identify and analyze the book’s central ideas Write answers to questions about the book, demonstrating an understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar Engage effectively in collaborative discussions about the book REQUIRED MATERIALS: Book: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck Video: John Steinbeck - Nobel Prize Author by Biography (~ 3 min) Video: Of Mice and Men film (1992) free on Tubi, Rated PG-13 (1 hour, 51 min) Prohuman Grade 8 Unit 6 Worksheet 1: Learning Compassion from Literature ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.A Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.B Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.C Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.D Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.3 Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET Moral Character A5 Understand and explain why caring (and helping others) should never be motivated by the likelihood of being recognized or rewarded for your help or support Moral Character A6 List and explain the reasons why people sometimes do not care or help others Performance Character A6 Describe a role model who demonstrates a positive attitude, effort, and grit Social-Awareness A1 Experience and demonstrate empathy Social-Awareness A3 Demonstrate respect for other people’s opinions and perspectives Social-Awareness A4 Analyze the impact of stereotyping, discrimination, and prejudice (at school, in the community and beyond) Social-Awareness A5 Practice “perspective taking” as a strategy to strengthen your acceptance of others Social-Awareness A6 Demonstrate awareness and understanding that despite differences, all people have similar needs, feelings and wants Responsible and Ethical Decision-Making A3 Write about and share a principle you want to live by that you learned from a family member, book, movie, or personal experience LESSON PROCEDURE Step 1: Introduce the novella, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, by playing this short video for context about the author and his historical context: John Steinbeck - Nobel Prize Author by Biography (~ 3 min) Step 2: Have students complete Of Mice and Men either through multiple in-class silent reading sessions or as homework. Students should complete the short-answer questions on the worksheet as they read the book. Step 3: After students have completed the book and short answer questions, allow at least 50 minutes for in-class discussion of the short-answer questions on the worksheet. EXTENSION ACTIVITY: Watch the film Of Mice and Men (1992) Of Mice and Men Film (1992) free on Tubi, Rated PG-13 (1 hour, 51 min) For extra credit, students should write a two-page essay response to the following prompt: Does the book or the film version tell a more impactful version of the story? Write a 2-page essay in which you explain your position and support it with three reasons, citing specific examples from the book and/or the film. GRADE 8 UNIT 6 WORKSHEET 1: LEARNING COMPASSION FROM LITERATURE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER WHILE READING Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: Why do you think Steinbeck opens the story with a description of the landscape? What impact did it have on you as you entered into the story? How does Steinbeck characterize George and Lennie using their dialogue? What is George’s issue with Lennie? What is George and Lennie’s dream, and why is it important to them? What does George observe about “groups that go around the ranches alone”? Give two examples of how Steinbeck portrays characters who experience loneliness. How is Crooks mistreated due to the color of his skin? Why do you think Crooks changes his mind and no longer wants to help with “hoein’ and doin’ odd jobs”? Why do you think that Lennie hallucinates at the end of the story? What is the significance of the hallucination? How does the fate of Candy's dog foreshadow what will happen to Lennie? At the end of the novella, why do you think George took the action he did? To what extent do you think it was an act of compassion? What did you learn about compassion from this book, and how can you show more compassion? EXTENSION ACTIVITY: Watch the film Of Mice and Men (1992) Of Mice and Men film (1992) free on Tubi, Rated PG-13 (1 hour, 51 min) For extra credit, students should write a two-page essay response to the following prompt: Does the book or the film version tell a more impactful version of the story? Write a 2-page essay in which you explain your position and support it with three reasons, citing specific examples from the book and/or the film.

Nonfiction

UNIT 6: COMPASSION LESSON 2: LEARNING COMPASSION FROM NONFICTION TEXTS SUMMARY: The Prohuman Grade 8 curriculum is aligned to two sets of standards: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Character and Social Emotional Development (CSED) National Guidelines. The full collection of units introduces all nine of the prohuman character strengths: optimism, grit, gratitude, curiosity, courage, compassion, fairness, understanding, and humanity. In Unit 6, Lesson 2, “Learning Compassion from Nonfiction Texts,” students will develop their reading comprehension skills by reading two works of creative nonfiction focused on the experiences of an author who lives with a disability. Additionally, students will develop their critical thinking skills by answering questions about the essays and advance their academic dialogue skills by participating in a class discussion about the essays. SUGGESTED TIME: 1 class period to introduce and read the essays, and to complete the short-answer questions 1 class period to discuss the essays RELATED SUBJECT: English Language Arts LEARNING OUTCOMES: Read short essays and demonstrate an understanding of the central ideas Write answers to questions about the essays, demonstrating an understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar Engage respectfully in collaborative discussions about the essays REQUIRED MATERIALS: Video: The Social Model of Disability | NDACA by Creative Connection (~3 min) Video: The Story of Free Wheelchair Mission (2024 Update) by Free Wheelchair Mission (~2 min) Essay: “Hail Able Bodies” by Ashley Caveda. Southeast Review. Volume 33.2 Essay: “A Defense of Dependence” by Ashley Caveda. Pattern Magazine. (2024) Prohuman Grade 8 Unit 6 Worksheet 2: Learning Compassion from Nonfiction Texts ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1 Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.3 Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.6 Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.10 By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET Performance Character A6 Describe a role model who demonstrates a positive attitude, effort, and grit Social-Awareness A1 Experience and demonstrate empathy Social-Awareness A3 Demonstrate respect for other people’s opinions and perspectives Social-Awareness A4 Analyze the impact of stereotyping, discrimination, and prejudice (at school, in the community and beyond Social-Awareness A5 Practice “perspective taking” as a strategy to strengthen your acceptance of others Social-Awareness A6 Demonstrate awareness and understanding that despite differences, all people have similar needs, feelings and wants Responsible and Ethical Decision-Making A3 Write about and share a principle you want to live by that you learned from a family member, book, movie, or personal experience LESSON PROCEDURE Step 1: Explain that we will read two short essays by an author who was paralyzed at age six in a car accident and now uses a wheelchair. These essays are about her experiences living with a disability. Step 2: Introduce students to the medical model and the social model of disability. Play video: The Social Model of Disability | NDACA by Creative Connection (~3 min) Step 3: It is important to define the literary device of interior monologue to understand the second essay we will be reading, “Hail Able Bodies.” An interior monologue is a narrative technique that exhibits the thoughts passing through the minds of the main character or narrator. These ideas may be either loosely related impressions approaching free association or more rationally structured sequences of thought and emotion. (Source: Encyclopedia Britannica) Step 4: Have students silently read the short essays. (~15 min) Tell students, when they finish reading, to write their answers to the questions on the worksheet. (~20 min) Step 5: Have a class discussion of the short-answer questions on the worksheet. It may be necessary to devote a second class period to a full-class discussion. Step 6: Explain that, fortunately, organizations help people around the world who need a wheelchair. One of these organizations is called the Free Wheelchair Mission. Play video: The Story of Free Wheelchair Mission (2024 Update) by Free Wheelchair Mission (~2 min) Explain that in the next lesson, we will write a fundraising letter for the Free Wheelchair Mission to send to our family and friends. GRADE 8 UNIT 6 WORKSHEET 2: LEARNING COMPASSION FROM NONFICTION TEXTS Vocabulary Ableism - Prejudice and discrimination aimed at disabled people, often with a patronizing desire to “cure” their disability and make them “normal.” (Source: American Psychological Association) Interior monologue - A narrative technique that exhibits the thoughts passing through the minds of the main character or narrator. These ideas may be either loosely related impressions approaching free association or more rationally structured sequences of thought and emotion. (Source: Encyclopedia Britannica) Internalized ableism - This happens when disabled people absorb and enact negative beliefs and prejudiced values about disability that are prevalent in society. Internalized ableism is a form of discrimination against oneself and others with disabilities, rooted in the view that disability is a source of shame, should be concealed, or warrants refusal of support or accessibility. (Source: Disabilities: Insights from Across Fields and Around the World). Medical model of disability - Disability is seen as an impairment in a body system or function that is inherently pathological. From this perspective, the goal is to return the system or function to as close to “normal” as possible. The medical model suggests that professionals with specialized training are the “experts” in disability. People with disabilities are expected to follow the advice of these “experts.” (Source: American Psychological Association) Social model of disability - Disability is seen as the result of a mismatch between the disabled person and the environment (both physical and social). It is this environment that creates the handicaps and barriers, not the disability. From this perspective, the way to address disability is to change the environment and society, rather than people with disabilities (Source: American Psychological Association) QUESTIONS TO ANSWER WHILE READING THE ESSAYS “Hail Able Bodies” and “A Defense of Dependence” by Ashley Caveda: In the essay “Hail Able Bodies,” the author describes a wide range of complex emotions. List as many emotions as you can find. The essay “Hail Able Bodies” is an interior monologue. Encyclopedia Britannica describes two types: (1) loosely related impressions approaching free association, and (2) more rationally structured sequences of thought and emotion. Do you think the author uses one type more than the other, or a combination of both? Why do you think this? In “Hail Able Bodies,” how does the author show internalized ableism? When reflecting on the essay, “Hail Able Bodies,” the author said, “It represents a negative thought spiral about the shame of being a disabled person and needing help from other people, but it doesn’t necessarily represent my entire disability experience.” With that in mind, where is one place where the author says something that you think reflects this negative thought spiral, rather than how she feels all the time? Why do you think the author titled the essay “Hail Able Bodies”? What is the meaning of the word “hail”? Why do you think she repeats the word “hail” at the end of the essay? In “A Defense of Dependence,” what does the author show about the impact the medical model of disability has had on her? In “A Defense of Dependence” what is one example the author gives of “the rampant ableism around and within” her? In “A Defense of Dependence” what does the author see as the benefits of “discovering and dismantling ableism in yourself”? While not everyone has a disability, many people struggle with negative thoughts about themselves. How do the author’s experiences show this aspect of the human condition? What did you learn about compassion from these essays?

Social Studies

UNIT 6: COMPASSION LESSON 3: WRITING A FUNDRAISING LETTER SUMMARY: The Prohuman Grade 8 curriculum is aligned to two sets of standards: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Character and Social Emotional Development (CSED) National Guidelines. The full collection of units introduces all nine of the prohuman character strengths: optimism, grit, gratitude, curiosity, courage, compassion, fairness, understanding, and humanity. In Unit 6, Lesson 3, “Writing a Fundraising Letter,” students will learn tried and true techniques for writing effective fundraising letters and put their knowledge into practice by writing a fundraising letter to help raise money for the nonprofit organization discussed earlier in this unit: Free Wheelchair Mission. SUGGESTED TIME: 1 class period RELATED SUBJECT: English Language Arts LEARNING OUTCOMES: Write a persuasive fundraising letter Provide evidence to support claims from the nonprofit organization website Free Wheelchair Mission REQUIRED MATERIALS: Video: The Story of Free Wheelchair Mission (2024 Update) by Free Wheelchair Mission (~2 min) Prohuman Grade 8 Unit 6 Worksheet 3: Writing a Fundraising Letter ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1.B Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1.C Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1.E Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET Social-Awareness A1 Experience and demonstrate empathy Social-Awareness A5 Practice “perspective taking” as a strategy to strengthen your acceptance of others Social-Awareness A6 Demonstrate awareness and understanding that despite differences, all people have similar needs, feelings and wants Interpersonal/ Relationship Skills A5 Understand and practice positive collaboration and cooperation skills (e.g., teamwork) Responsible and Ethical Decision-Making A3 Write about and share a principle you want to live by that you learned from a family member, book, movie, or personal experience LESSON PROCEDURE Step 1: Explain that students will write a fundraising letter for the organization we learned about earlier in this unit: Free Wheelchair Mission. Play video: The Story of Free Wheelchair Mission (2024 Update) by Free Wheelchair Mission (~2 min) The guidelines for the fundraising letter are on the worksheet. Explain that students will share their letters with three classmates for peer review. It is recommended that the teacher assign the groups. Explain that students' essays will be evaluated on the criteria listed on the worksheet. Step 2: Discuss seven best practices for writing a fundraising letter (adapted from The Storytelling Nonprofit): 1. Know your audience Why would the person care about this letter? What would they consider important about the message? What can create a connection between my writing and the reader? 2. Make it easy to read. Make sure that all paragraphs are concise and easy to scan. Sometimes, paragraphs may just only be one sentence. You’ll also want to strategically use bolding or italics to call extra attention to key points in your letter. Keep the readers’ eyes moving. 3. Get to the point early. Make sure people know why you’re writing to them, what's in it for them, and why they should continue to read. 4. Write as if you’re having a conversation. No one wants to read an impersonal letter that sounds like it was written from a template. As freelance direct mail writer Harry B. Walsh wrote, “The tone of a good direct mail letter is as direct and personal as the writer’s skill can make it … It’s a message from one letter writer to one letter reader.” 5. Create a sense of urgency. One of the ways to do this is by giving a deadline on which the fundraiser ends. You could also talk about the need for something getting done sooner rather than later, and actually giving people good reasons why that needs to happen today. 6. Show donors they’re part of the change. Good fundraising writing communicates to donors how they're going to make a difference. 7. Tell an interesting story. We will look at an example of how a fundraising letter did this. Step 3: The letter on the next page is considered by many to be one of the greatest fundraising letters ever written. It was written to raise money for Covenant House, a shelter for homeless children. The letter was mailed repeatedly for years and turned Covenant House into a well-funded organization. GRADE 8 UNIT 6 WORKSHEET 3: WRITING A FUNDRAISING LETTER Assignment: Write a fundraising letter of 1-2 pages with the goal of inspiring readers to donate to the nonprofit organization Free Wheelchair Mission. Fundraising Letter Evaluation Criteria: Your letter will be evaluated on the extent to which it does the following: Meets the 1-2 page length requirement. Makes it clear why the reader should care about this organization. Is easy to read. Gets to the point early. Uses a conversational tone. Creates a sense of urgency. Show readers how they’re part of the change. Tells an interesting story.

UNIT 6: COMPASSION LESSON 4: PEER REVIEW OF FUNDRAISING LETTERS SUMMARY: The Prohuman Grade 8 curriculum is aligned to two sets of standards: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts and Character and Social Emotional Development (CSED) National Guidelines. The full collection of units introduces all nine of the prohuman character strengths: optimism, grit, gratitude, curiosity, courage, compassion, fairness, understanding, and humanity. In Unit 6, Lesson 4, “Peer Review of Fundraising Letters,” students will review three classmates’ letters. They will write a one-page peer review letter for each student in their group and participate in respectful discussions in which they share the successful aspects of their classmates’ writing and provide constructive feedback for revision. SUGGESTED TIME: 1 class period for students to read their peer review group’s writings and write a peer review letter for each classmate (letters they don’t complete in class can be finished as homework); 1 class period for peer review workshops RELATED SUBJECT: English Language Arts LEARNING OUTCOMES: Read classmates’ writings and write a one-page peer review letter, for each classmate, to develop assessment and constructive feedback skills Engage in collaborative discussions with peers With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing REQUIRED MATERIALS: Prohuman Grade 8 Unit 6 Worksheet 4: Peer Review of Fundraising Letters ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.9.B Apply grade 8 reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced"). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.A Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.B Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.C Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.D Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.3 Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET Intellectual Character A4 Understand what it means to be an “active listener” (e.g., intellectual humility) Intellectual Character B2 Practice and receive feedback on the ability to be an “active listener” Social-Awareness A3 Demonstrate respect for other people’s opinions and perspectives Social-Awareness A5 Practice “perspective taking” as a strategy to strengthen your acceptance of others Interpersonal/ Relationship Skills A1 Recognize and monitor how your facial expressions, body language, and tone impact your interactions with others Interpersonal/ Relationship Skills A5 Understand and practice positive collaboration and cooperation skills (e.g., teamwork) Responsible and Ethical Decision-Making A3 Write about and share a principle you want to live by that you learned from a family member, book, movie, or personal experience LESSON PROCEDURE Step 1: Explain that peer review is the process of sharing one's writing with and receiving feedback from fellow students. Peer review helps you to become a better reader, writer, and collaborator. The peer review process will also help you to develop your evaluation skills. Step 2: Break students into peer review groups of 4. Each student will make/give copies of their writing to the 3 other students in their group. Each student will be responsible for reading their classmates’ writing and writing a one-page peer review letter, for each classmate, in advance of the peer review workshop. Peer review guidelines are on the worksheet. Step 3: Spend one class period on peer review. Each student’s writing should have 15 minutes of discussion in the peer review groups. Step 4: Students should read all their peer review letters and revise their writing. Students should submit the first draft, all peer review letters, and the second draft to the teacher for feedback. Step 5: Students should read teacher feedback, complete a final revision, and submit the revision—along with all previous drafts and peer review letters—to the teacher for a final grade. GRADE 8 UNIT 6 WORKSHEET 4: PEER REVIEW OF FUNDRAISING LETTERS Write a one-page peer review letter for each member of your group. Provide feedback as though you were speaking to the writer directly. Be kind! In the first paragraph, explain what you see as the writer’s goals for the piece. In the second paragraph, explain what you think the writer did well. In the third paragraph, explain what you think the writer can improve.