Goals for the unit
Our goals for this unit are to understand the elements of satire and how they work to make satire important as a writing tool. To that end, you will be looking at elements of satire as well as documenting how you see those elements in various texts. By the end of the unit, you will write your own piece of satire using the various techniques.
Standards
Our standards for the unit include
ELAGSE11-12RL1 - Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
ELAGSE11-12 RL2 - Determine two or more themes or central ideas of text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account.
ELAGSE11-12RL3 - Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.
ELAGSE11-12RL6 - Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant.
ELAGSE 11-12RL11 - Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
ELAGSE11-12W3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
Georgia Standards
ELAGSE11-12RL1 - Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
ELAGSE11-12 RL2 - Determine two or more themes or central ideas of text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account.
ELAGSE11-12RL3 - Analyze the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.
ELAGSE11-12RL6 - Analyze a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant.
ELAGSE 11-12RL11 - Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
ELAGSE11-12W3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
Georgia Standards
Learning Plan
Students will follow the plan below to discover the value and understand how authors utilize satirical elements to address societal ills. Please note that each of these texts are examples of satire and NOT to be taken literally. Remember that satire uses extreme exaggeration to make a point - not to actually do something.
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Satirical Elements Video |
Now that you have a preview of satire, let's look at some examples.
The most well-known piece of satire is A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift. While he proposes to eat Irish babies, he does not mean it literally. He makes a point to show that the famine going on in Ireland at the time was ruthlessly killing the Irish people. Swift was actually a minister and sent his essay A Modest Proposal to the English Parliament to make a point that they needed to do something about this horrific problem. He wanted the English parliament to act to change how the Irish were treated and was making fun of the ruling aristocracy for their blatant hypocrisy and absentee landlord and protection of these people on their lands. He makes fun of what the English aristocracy do with their time and how they view people. Just below this paragraph is a list of guided reading questions to help you understand the text. Once you've read the text, I've included an explanatory video afterwards to help you understand how to view the text. If you are still having difficulty (because this IS a complex text, please email me so we can set up a time to Zoom.
a_modest_proposal_-_guided_reading_questions.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |
a_modest_proposal_text.pdf | |
File Size: | 36 kb |
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After reading A Modest Proposal then take a reading quiz to make sure you have understood the text. The link below will take you to a Microsoft Forms link for your quiz. Make sure you are using Windows Ten as the test mode is utilized.
Reading Quiz
Reading Quiz
Now Let's Read the excerpt from Hard Times
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Remember that like Swift, Charles Dickens wrote to try to change the way education was done. We are reading the first chapter only! Feel free to read more if you like; I particularly love his writing myself. He was paid by the word, so he is quite wordy. The link below is to the whole text so stop after chapter one for the assignment. I've also included guided reading questions in the link below.
Hard Times |
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hard_times_analysis.docx | |
File Size: | 12 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Now Let's show what we've learned...
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As a Summative Assessment, you will write your own piece of satire on a topic of your choice. Remember to share it with me through either Google or Microsoft for grading. The rubric for the piece is attached. Let's see if you can do as well as our models. As your first time, I don't expect perfection, but you can redo for a higher grade. |