ELA Unit Planning for Long Way Down

Revenge vs. Justice

Course Title and Grade Book Title and Author Start and End Date

Freshmen English Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds 4 Week Unit

5 Days a Week
55 Minute Classes

Learning Objectives and Learning Outcomes

Explore Complex Characters and Their Examine Texts through a Critical Examine Moral Choices and How
Identity and Ethical Lens They Affect Others

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Learning Outcomes: Learning Outcomes: Learning Outcomes:
In order to deepen their understanding of In order to deepen their understanding In order to deepen their understanding of
the text, themselves, each other, and the of the text, themselves, each other, and the text, themselves, each other, and the
world, students will . . . the world, students will . . . world, students will . . .

● Examine the many factors that can ● Critically and ethically analyze ● Analyze the author’s
representation of individual and
shape an individual’s identity. thematic development and literary
collective agency in the text and
craft in order to draw connections
compare and contrast it to their
● Engage with real and imagined between the text and their lives. own beliefs and experiences in the
stories that help them understand ● Analyze the internal and external world.
their own experiences and how conflicts that characters face and ● Demonstrate an increased sense of
others experience the world. the impact these conflicts can confidence in their ability to
have on an individual’s choices communicate their ideas orally and
and actions, both in the text and in writing.
in the real world.

Focus Standards (CCSS)

Reading
● 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.
● 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
● Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences
drawn from the text.

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Writing
● Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective techniques, well-chosen details,
and well-structured event sequences.
Speaking and Listening
● Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own
clearly and persuasively.

Unit Essential Question(s)

What is more justified Revenge or Justice?

Summative Assessment Prompt

Create a One-Pager that will include the theme of Long Way Down, three symbols in Long Way Down and how they represent
one character in the novel, as well as three quotes that will support the theme and symbols in your One-Pager. There will
also be one creative option that you will implement into the project. The One-Pager must be filled with color as well as the
whole page filled out, with no white space, as well as little to no pencil.

Summative Assessment Description and Timeline

Describe the summative assessment task. Consider how it will help students engage with the essential question
and the anchor text as they practice the skills and dispositions they have learned over the course of the unit.

After reading, discussing, and writing about Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, students now have the opportunity to show
their understanding and insight through a creative project of their choosing.
The purpose of this project is to give students an alternative way to show a deeper understanding of the novel and its main
characters. Students should take time to consider which option will allow them to play to their strengths and best

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demonstrate their knowledge and insight.
Review the options below and choose one for your creative response to Long Way Down. If you have another idea for a
creative response, discuss it with your teacher.

When do you plan to introduce the summative assessment to your students? How long will students have to
complete the summative assessment?

I plan to introduce this summative assessment at the end of the 1st week of the unit, after we have gotten introduced to the
novel, we can know what the end project will be and what will need to be the requirements for the final project.

I plan to give students one full week to work on the summative assessment and it will be the last week of the unit.

Week Reading Schedule Ideas for Classroom Learning Experiences and Skills Development

1 Pages/Ch: Pages 1-84 ● Introduction to the unit, definition of revenge vs justice.

○ Discussion on examples of revenge vs justice, and the difference
between the two
○ [Link]
201402/don-t-confuse-revenge-justice-five-key-differences
● Mini-Lesson & Practice: Map out the characters in the book and the
different direct and indirect characterization for each character

2 Pages/Ch: Pages 85-192 ● Introduction into conflicts

○ Discussion of different types of conflict
● Mini-Lesson & Practice: Go back to our character map and start mapping
out events that have happened to each character and what type of

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 conflict is affecting the characters
● Discuss what the conflicts could lead to and how the conflict influences
their actions.

3 Pages/Ch: Pages 193-306 ● Map out the characters and the symbols related to the characters, as well
as a theme statement.
○ Practice how the symbols relate to the characters, and use quotes
from the novel to support your theme and symbols

4 Summative Assessment One-Pager Week! Use the Brainstorm to practice organizing your choices for your
One-Pager. These choices will help answer the essential question “What is more
justified Revenge or Justice?” Then begin putting your One-Pager poster together
on either a physical page or online on Canva.

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 Questions to Consider

● Why do you want to teach this unit? How are you hoping that it will benefit students? Also, how would you like

this plan to “stretch” your thinking as a teacher?

○ I want to teach this unit because it is a complex topic and a complex question, one that doesn’t have a right or

wrong answer. But it is one that students can use their personal experience as well as newly learned

experiences of fictional characters and real-life people to help them think on the question and come up with an

answer. The question of Revenge vs. Justice is a topic that is relevant today and it is hard to tell what is the

difference between the two and which one is more justifiable.

○ I hope students benefit from this unit by exploring how circumstances and conflicts can shape a person's

choices whether or not not those choices are right or wrong.

○ I think this will stretch my thinking as a teacher by having a very deep discussion on the characters of Long Way

Down and how the circumstances of their life have shaped their choices and actions. These discussions will give

me new insights when students give their own opinions using their own experiences and the experiences of the

characters to shape their ideas of the book and the topic of revenge vs. justice. The goal is that hopefully, I will

hear new ideas that I have not even thought of after we read the book.

● Philosophy and connections to social justice.

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 ○ My goal is to use a novel that uses diverse characters as well as complex situations and differing cultures and

experiences. This novel's topic deals with gun violence and revenge through gang violence and losing family

members to gun violence. These topics are relevant and can be prevalent for some students.

● Some pertinent literature and theory.

○ Using Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

○ Not sure about others just yet.

● Materials needed in the unit.

○ Students will have access to the novel via four different modalities

■ Physical Novel

■ Graphic Novel

■ Digital Novel

■ Audiobook

○ Assignments are also posted online in Canvas as well as printed copies to differentiate for students that prefer

physical copies of assignments

● A scope and sequence.

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 ○ The unit will be 4 weeks long, and the book will take about 2-3 weeks to get through then we have a mini-lesson

and practice each day as we read the book

○ The last week is devoted completely to the creative project, where the students will plan the One-Pager, and

then put it together.

● A few anchor lessons.

○ Characterization Map

○ Symbols Station

○ Long Way Down Graphic Organizer

● Learning experiences for your students. How will this unit help them to learn to engage in the world in a more

complex and meaningful way? How do they add to/co-construct the unit?

○ Students will be reading a novel that deals with diverse characters, and experiences. The main question we are

diving into is an open-ended question, that doesn’t have a right or wrong answer, and it is one that can be

applied when thinking of the world outside of school. This unit also will open students up to differing cultures

understanding them and building respect and empathy towards other cultures and ethnicities.

● Assessment/student voice?

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 ○ Students will constantly be able to use their voice within this unit, by daily discussions and a student-led socratic

seminar when we finish the book. Students also get the opportunity to have student voice and choice with their

final creative One-Pager project.

● Student social-emotional learning (SEL)?

○ Students will have opportunities to practice SEL self standards as well as social standards. When I chose this

novel, I did it because of the diverse characters and differing cultures and experiences that I myself haven’t

experienced, and more than likely a lot of students may not have experienced either. This is done so students

have the opportunity to learn about new experiences and differing cultures through this chosen novel.

○ Standard 4—Social Awareness: Individuals can take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse

backgrounds and cultures.

■ Benchmark 4B: Demonstrates an awareness and respect for similarities and differences among

community, cultural, and social groups.

● How will you evaluate yourself?

○ When the unit is over, and the projects have been presented and shared. I will use a feedback form where the

students will grade me, and assess how well I supported them through this unit, and where they felt I could

improve so they could be more successful. This form will also include Which assignments they felt were the most

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helpful and why, as well as the assignments they felt weren’t as helpful and how I can improve them or maybe

they could be thrown out.

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