Critical Lens Unit
This unit equips students with the ability to think critically about and analyze texts from multiple angles using critical lenses such as the feminist, socioeconomic, historical, and cultural lens. A critical lens unit connects literature to the real world and fosters a deeper understanding of societal issues, encouraging students to explore history, psychology, as well as themes of social justice, identity, and cultural diversity within literature. This not only makes literature more relevant and meaningful to students but also instills in them a sense of empathy and cultural and historical awareness.
In this 3-week, 51 page unit, each daily lesson plan is aligned to core standards, provides "I can" statements for a daily learning target, and is broken down by minutes. You are provided with a daily bell ringer, as well as lessons, materials, discussion questions, activities, and assessments with rubrics.
What makes this unit great for student choice is how students can apply a critical lens to any text. Since we offer guiding questions, students get a lot of support while they deeply analyze their favorite texts through lenses they are interested in. Three students could theoretically watch The Hate You Give, or read Sula, with one student choosing to analyze it through a socioeconomic lens, one through the feminist lens, and the third through a historical lens. In this unit, all of our lenses come with guiding questions that help students analyze their chosen text.
Feel free to add or substitute texts based on your students’ interests - the unit is written to apply universally.
Daily Overview:
Day 1
Lesson: Introduction to critical lenses with a warm-up using "Peter Pan"
Resources: “Introduction to Critical Lenses: A Warm Up,” “Seven Critical Lenses: Guided Questions for Easy Analysis” handout.
Days 2-4
Lesson: Group work on critical lens analysis anchor charts.
Resources: Anchor Chart Rubric (included in the “Seven Critical Lenses: Guided Questions for Easy Analysis” handout).
Days 5-6
Lesson: Reading and critical lens analysis of “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie.
Resources: Annotation Guide.
Day 7
Lesson: Reading of “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu.
Days 8-9
Lesson: Critical lens analysis of “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu.
Resources: A copy of "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu, Critical Lens Analysis guiding questions.
Days 10-12
Lesson: Reading and critical lens analysis of “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker.
Resources: Copy of "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker Comprehension Questions and Answer Key, Critical Lens Analysis guiding questions.
Day 13
Lesson: New Criticism analysis, whole-class evidence and citation gathering using “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie. (You can also use any familiar text)
Resources: “Finding Evidence in a New Criticism Literary Analysis” guide, Supporting Evidence Graphic Organizer.
Days 14-15
Lesson: Modeling Composition: New Criticism Essay, based on “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie.
Resources: None specified beyond the analysis framework.
Day 16
Lesson: Introduction to Critical Lens Literary Analysis Essay, including transitional phrases and essay structure.
Resources: Transitional Phrases resource, essay instructions and rubric, and outline.
Days 17-21
Student composition and writing workshops, continuing to develop essays on the texts analyzed throughout the unit.
Resources: Essay Self Checklists, outline organizer, and rubric.
This unit equips students with the ability to think critically about and analyze texts from multiple angles using critical lenses such as the feminist, socioeconomic, historical, and cultural lens. A critical lens unit connects literature to the real world and fosters a deeper understanding of societal issues, encouraging students to explore history, psychology, as well as themes of social justice, identity, and cultural diversity within literature. This not only makes literature more relevant and meaningful to students but also instills in them a sense of empathy and cultural and historical awareness.
In this 3-week, 51 page unit, each daily lesson plan is aligned to core standards, provides "I can" statements for a daily learning target, and is broken down by minutes. You are provided with a daily bell ringer, as well as lessons, materials, discussion questions, activities, and assessments with rubrics.
What makes this unit great for student choice is how students can apply a critical lens to any text. Since we offer guiding questions, students get a lot of support while they deeply analyze their favorite texts through lenses they are interested in. Three students could theoretically watch The Hate You Give, or read Sula, with one student choosing to analyze it through a socioeconomic lens, one through the feminist lens, and the third through a historical lens. In this unit, all of our lenses come with guiding questions that help students analyze their chosen text.
Feel free to add or substitute texts based on your students’ interests - the unit is written to apply universally.
Daily Overview:
Day 1
Lesson: Introduction to critical lenses with a warm-up using "Peter Pan"
Resources: “Introduction to Critical Lenses: A Warm Up,” “Seven Critical Lenses: Guided Questions for Easy Analysis” handout.
Days 2-4
Lesson: Group work on critical lens analysis anchor charts.
Resources: Anchor Chart Rubric (included in the “Seven Critical Lenses: Guided Questions for Easy Analysis” handout).
Days 5-6
Lesson: Reading and critical lens analysis of “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie.
Resources: Annotation Guide.
Day 7
Lesson: Reading of “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu.
Days 8-9
Lesson: Critical lens analysis of “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu.
Resources: A copy of "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu, Critical Lens Analysis guiding questions.
Days 10-12
Lesson: Reading and critical lens analysis of “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker.
Resources: Copy of "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker Comprehension Questions and Answer Key, Critical Lens Analysis guiding questions.
Day 13
Lesson: New Criticism analysis, whole-class evidence and citation gathering using “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie. (You can also use any familiar text)
Resources: “Finding Evidence in a New Criticism Literary Analysis” guide, Supporting Evidence Graphic Organizer.
Days 14-15
Lesson: Modeling Composition: New Criticism Essay, based on “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie.
Resources: None specified beyond the analysis framework.
Day 16
Lesson: Introduction to Critical Lens Literary Analysis Essay, including transitional phrases and essay structure.
Resources: Transitional Phrases resource, essay instructions and rubric, and outline.
Days 17-21
Student composition and writing workshops, continuing to develop essays on the texts analyzed throughout the unit.
Resources: Essay Self Checklists, outline organizer, and rubric.
This unit equips students with the ability to think critically about and analyze texts from multiple angles using critical lenses such as the feminist, socioeconomic, historical, and cultural lens. A critical lens unit connects literature to the real world and fosters a deeper understanding of societal issues, encouraging students to explore history, psychology, as well as themes of social justice, identity, and cultural diversity within literature. This not only makes literature more relevant and meaningful to students but also instills in them a sense of empathy and cultural and historical awareness.
In this 3-week, 51 page unit, each daily lesson plan is aligned to core standards, provides "I can" statements for a daily learning target, and is broken down by minutes. You are provided with a daily bell ringer, as well as lessons, materials, discussion questions, activities, and assessments with rubrics.
What makes this unit great for student choice is how students can apply a critical lens to any text. Since we offer guiding questions, students get a lot of support while they deeply analyze their favorite texts through lenses they are interested in. Three students could theoretically watch The Hate You Give, or read Sula, with one student choosing to analyze it through a socioeconomic lens, one through the feminist lens, and the third through a historical lens. In this unit, all of our lenses come with guiding questions that help students analyze their chosen text.
Feel free to add or substitute texts based on your students’ interests - the unit is written to apply universally.
Daily Overview:
Day 1
Lesson: Introduction to critical lenses with a warm-up using "Peter Pan"
Resources: “Introduction to Critical Lenses: A Warm Up,” “Seven Critical Lenses: Guided Questions for Easy Analysis” handout.
Days 2-4
Lesson: Group work on critical lens analysis anchor charts.
Resources: Anchor Chart Rubric (included in the “Seven Critical Lenses: Guided Questions for Easy Analysis” handout).
Days 5-6
Lesson: Reading and critical lens analysis of “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie.
Resources: Annotation Guide.
Day 7
Lesson: Reading of “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu.
Days 8-9
Lesson: Critical lens analysis of “The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu.
Resources: A copy of "The Paper Menagerie" by Ken Liu, Critical Lens Analysis guiding questions.
Days 10-12
Lesson: Reading and critical lens analysis of “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker.
Resources: Copy of "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker Comprehension Questions and Answer Key, Critical Lens Analysis guiding questions.
Day 13
Lesson: New Criticism analysis, whole-class evidence and citation gathering using “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie. (You can also use any familiar text)
Resources: “Finding Evidence in a New Criticism Literary Analysis” guide, Supporting Evidence Graphic Organizer.
Days 14-15
Lesson: Modeling Composition: New Criticism Essay, based on “Indian Education” by Sherman Alexie.
Resources: None specified beyond the analysis framework.
Day 16
Lesson: Introduction to Critical Lens Literary Analysis Essay, including transitional phrases and essay structure.
Resources: Transitional Phrases resource, essay instructions and rubric, and outline.
Days 17-21
Student composition and writing workshops, continuing to develop essays on the texts analyzed throughout the unit.
Resources: Essay Self Checklists, outline organizer, and rubric.