Design Topic _________ Subject(s) _______________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) _________

Understanding by Design

Unit Cover Page

Unit Title: Writing and Peer Review Grade Levels: 8th

Topic/Subject Areas: Writing and Peer Review

Key Words: conjunctions, pronouns, prepositional phrase, comparative, superlative

Designed By: Renee Fail Time Frame: 2 weeks

School District: Regent University School: Teacher Ed & IDS Dept.

Summary of Unit:
In this unit we will be reading and analyzing “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl,
and I will be teaching the students how to write using proper punctuation, grammar,
and spelling. At the end of this unit they will be able to use consistent verb tense and a
variety of sentences so that their writing flows well. They will also be learning the
importance of peer review and will have several opportunities to peer review a
classmate’s work and have their own peer reviewed.

Unit design status: X Completed template pages – stages 1, 2, 3

Completed blueprint for each performance task X Completed rubrics

Directions to students and teacher Materials and resources listed

x Suggested accommodations x Suggested extensions

Status: Initial draft (date: ___________) Revised draft (date: ____________)

Peer Reviewed Content Reviewed Field Tested Validated Anchored

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 1

Design Topic _________ Subject(s) _______________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) _________
STAGE 1 – DESIRED RESULTS
Unit Title: Writing and Peer Review
Established Goals:
8.8 The student will self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, punctuation, spelling, sentence
structure, paragraphing, and Standard English.
a) Use and punctuate correctly varied sentence structures to include conjunctions and transition
words.
b) Correctly use pronouns in prepositional phrases with compound objects.
c) Use a variety of sentence structures to infuse sentence variety in writing.
d) Maintain consistent verb tense across paragraphs.
e) Use comparative and superlative degrees in adverbs and adjectives.
f) Use quotation marks with dialogue and direct quotations.
g) Use correct spelling for frequently used words.
(VA English SOL 8.8)

Understandings: Students will understand that… Essential Questions:

1. Proper use of language and grammar will
strengthen writing, prevent miscommunication,
and increase chances of future professional
success.
2. Peer review is important because it promotes
constructive criticism, improves writing skills,
provides an outside perspective, and allows
students to learn from one another.
1. In what ways does knowledge of grammar and
language help you become a better reader and
writer?
2. How does improper use of language and
grammar affect communication?
3. Does knowledge of grammar and language
increase your chance of future success and if so,
how?
4. In what ways does peer review benefit the
writer?
5. In what ways does peer review benefit the
editor?

Students will know: Students will be able to:

1. conjunctions are words used to connect words,
sentences, or clauses, and overlap with transition
words, which are used to connect ideas or
paragraphs.
2. pronouns are nouns which can be substituted
for other nouns
3. prepositional phrases contain a preposition and
an object, which can be a compound object that
describes 2 or more things.
4. different sentence structures, including
declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and
imperative
5. maintaining a consistent verb tense when
writing is necessary to prevent the reader from
becoming confused
6. adverbs and adjectives can be comparative,
used to compare one thing to another, or
superlative, used to compare one thing to a group
7. to use quotation marks for dialogue and direct
Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005)
1. use conjugations and punctuation to write
cohesively
2. use and recognize pronouns, prepositional
phrases, and compound objects
3. write using a variety of sentence structures
including declarative, interrogative, exclamatory,
and imperative
4. maintain consistent verb tense when writing
5. use and recognize comparative and superlative
adverbs and adjectives
6. use quotation marks for dialogue and direct
quotations
7. edit classmate’s writing and provide
constructive criticism
8. spell frequently used words
2
Design Topic _________ Subject(s) _______________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) _________
quotations
8. peer review is helpful to the writer and editor
9. the proper spelling of frequently used words

STAGE 2 – ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Tasks:
1. The students will respond to writing prompt,
“Based on her actions and reactions in the story,
do you think Mary will be plagued with guilt for
the rest of her life? Why or Why not?”
2. GRASPS: In the role of defense attorney, the
students will write a defense for Mary Maloney
claiming insanity, using at least 3 quotes from the
story
3. The students will peer review each other’s
defense statements
Other Evidence:
1. Multiple choice quiz on the basic terminology
used in this unit
2. Error Correction using a piece of writing, I will
replace the transitions and conjunctions with the
wrong ones. I will have the students work in
teams of two to fix the paper
3. Comparative and superlative game: in groups
of three students will come up with 5 sentences
using comparative and/or superlative adjectives
and adverbs. For example, Jane has more siblings
that Lucy, but I have the most siblings.
(eslspeaking.org)

Student Self-Assessment and Reflection

1. The students will write a paragraph about a person that they aspire to be and offer at least three
reasons why, with an example to support each reason, using at least two superlatives.
2. One minute Problem (Teachertoolkit.com)At the beginning of each class, I will offer the students 3
sentences with a grammatical or spelling error that they must correct or sentence component that they
must recognize, such as a compound object. I will go over the answers with the class after they have
had the opportunity to answer.
3. the student will fill out an exit ticket with two things they learned from the lesson and one question
or confusion they still have. (teachertoolkit.com)

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 3

Design Topic _________ Subject(s) _______________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) _________

STAGE 3 – LEARNING PLAN

Summary of Learning Activities:
1. Hook: Read Lamb to the Slaughter in class, using accents, stopping to elaborate on difficult
words, ask questions and identify the protagonist, antagonist, conflict, climax, resolution, and
themes.
2. Students will respond to writing prompt: “based on her actions in the story, do you think Mary
will or will not be plagued with guilt for the rest of her life?”
3. Presentation: Students will read their writing prompt answers to the class
4. Preassessment: I will write several grammatically incorrect sentences on the board and have
the students write correct the sentences and write them down on a paper to turn in.
5. Introduce GRASPS activity
6. GRASPS activity
7. GRASPS peer review and revision
8. GRASPS presentation
9. Discuss the definitions and differences between the 4 sentence types, declarative, imperative,
exclamatory, and interrogatory. Students will come up with example of each to share.
10. Introduce Aspiration paragraph and picture
11. Aspiration paragraph: students will write a paragraph about a person that they aspire to be and
offer at least three reasons why, with an example to support each reason, using at least two
superlatives. (Differentiation by interest)
12. Presentation: Students will bring a picture of the person they aspire to be(can be real picture or
picture they drew) to class and read their paragraph to the class. The paragraph and picture
will be put on the wall.
13. Quiz
14. Unit Test
15. Cooperative Learning 1: Transitions and conjunctions, Error correction: using a piece of
writing, I will replace the transitions and conjunctions with the wrong ones. I will have the
students work in teams of two to fix the paper. (eslactivity.org)
16. Cooperative Learning 2: Comparative and Superlative Game: in groups of three students will
come up with 5 sentences using comparative and/or superlative adjectives and adverbs. For
example, Jane has more siblings that Lucy, but I have the most siblings.
17. Cooperative Learning 3: pronoun worksheet- working in groups of two, students will read
story with each pronoun underlined and identify the noun to which each pronoun refers.
(Differentiation: struggling students can learn from working with more advanced ones, while
more advanced students can learn from teaching struggling students)
18. Instructional Strategy 1: Four corners: each corner the classroom is one type of sentence,
declarative, imperative, exclamatory, interrogatory. I will say a sentence and the students will
go to whatever corner of the classroom the sentence fits into. (the teachertoolkit.com)
19. Instructional Strategy 2: Turn and Talk- Students will work in groups of 3 for 5 minutes to
discuss and determine what they believe the main theme of the story is. One person from each
group will share with the class. (theteachertoolkit.com)
20. Instructional Strategy 3: Review using white board wipe out (theteachertoolkit.com)

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 4

Design Topic _________ Subject(s) _______________ Grade(s) _______ Designer(s) _________

Stage 3 – Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

1. Read Lamb to the
Slaughter in class, discuss
2. Students determine
theme in groups of 3
3. Mary’s guilt writing
activity
4. Preassessment
5. Presentation of
yesterday’s writing
6. Introduce GRASPS
activity
7. Complete GRASPS 9. GRASPS peer review 11.Pronoun Worksheet
activity and correction 12. Four Corners Game
8. Discuss the different
types of sentences,
students create examples

13. GRASPS presentation 15. Comparative and 17. Quiz 19. Aspiration paragraph 21. Unit Test
14. Introduce Aspiration Superlative Game 18. Aspiration paragraph presentation
Paragraph and Picture 16. Transitions and activity 20. Review
Conjunctions, Error
Correction

Source: Understanding by Design, Unit Design Planning Template (Wiggins/McTighe 2005) 5