Me, Myself, and I: Examining Personal Identity in Short Texts

Lesson 6
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ELA

Unit 1

9th Grade

Lesson 6 of 20

Objective


Analyze how diction establishes and shifts the mood in a poem to convey meaning.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Counting Descent by Clint Smith  p. 13 — Poem: "Soles"

  • Book: Counting Descent by Clint Smith  p. 25 — Poem: "Counterfactual"

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Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

How does Clint Smith's experience in "Counterfactual" reveal the conflict that can exist between personal and social identities? Provide specific evidence from the poem and carefully explain your thinking.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Close Read Questions

  • What is the mood of the opening two stanzas of the poem? What diction contributes to that mood?

  • How does the arrival of Smith's father change the mood of the scene in the poem? What diction contributes to that change in mood?

  • In the final stanza, how has Clint Smith's understanding of this moment changed?

Vocabulary


Literary Terms

mood

n.

the emotional "atmosphere" of a text, which often evokes feelings in the reader

diction

n.

a speaker or writer's word choice

Text-based

counterfactual

adj.

relating to or expressing what has not happened or is not the case (the title)

deride

v.

to ridicule

Homework


Read "Super Human" by Nicola Yoon.

  • Book: Fresh Ink: An Anthology 

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • What message does X broadcast on all media? 

  • Why is Syrita chosen to speak to X?

  • What did X save Syrita from two years ago?

  • What does the media focus on when speaking about X's identity? What does this reveal?

  • What events did X not show up to?

  • Where does X live? Why is that surprising to Syrita?

  • How is Syrita different after X saved her?

  • What happened to X that causes him to lose faith in humanity?

  • What does X share about his family? Who/what gave him his powers?

  • What does Syrita say to convince X not to destroy the world?

  • What does Syrita decide to do at the end? Why?

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Standards


  • RL.9-10.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • RL.9-10.3 — Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
  • RL.9-10.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

Supporting Standards

L.9-10.1
L.9-10.6
RL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.1
SL.9-10.6
W.9-10.9

Next

Analyze how narrative perspective, structure, and characterization shape the reader's understanding of a story's ending.

Lesson 7
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