Literature, Life-Writing, and Identity

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 17.02.12

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Introduction
  2. Identity Formation
  3. Rationale
  4. Content Objectives
  5. Identity Unit Foci
  6. Lenses
  7. Teaching Strategies
  8. Teaching Activities
  9. Resources
  10. Appendix
  11. Notes

Keeping it Real: Non-Fiction and Identity Formation in Teens

Jennifer Leigh Vermillion

Published September 2017

Tools for this Unit:

Content Objectives

A familiarity with text structure and a confidence born of experience will develop as students consistently explore high-interest non-fiction texts. I envision this unit will encompass the first six weeks of the school year as shorter pieces will allow students (who invariably suffer schedule changes as late as four weeks into the school year) to slide into the content and it will allow me to develop interpersonal connections with my students while establishing a safe environment. The first week of the school year will focus on developing relationships, routines and rituals in the classroom and this unit will encompass the next five weeks. My hope is that students will develop an in-depth perception of what identity is and how it evolves over the course of a lifetime to reflect the experiences that shaped that individual.

Essential Questions

What is identity? What are the various factors that shape identity?

In what ways is our identity defined by others?

How do names alter one’s expectations for an individual’s identity?

To what extent and in what ways do others judge us based upon our speech?

In what ways is being a teenager particularly difficult in terms of identity formation?

How is identity differently expressed or altered by differing forms of non-fiction?

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