Unit Rationale
This unit will use Katherine Howe’s young adult novel Conversion to discuss the theme of hysteria and the concept of the media and its contributions to certain situations, specifically events where mass hysteria has occurred. There have been several points throughout history where mass hysteria has transpired, and modern society is not exempt from the threat of mass hysteria occurring again. For this reason, it is essential to expose students to the idea of hysteria, and expand their understanding of the media and its contributions in certain circumstances. Because hysteria and the media are the main topics of discussion for this unit, students will be taught how hysteria occurs and how the media contributes to mass hysteria. By using Katherine Howe’s Conversion, which is a somewhat modern take of the Salem Witch Trials incorporated with actual events that occurred in a high school in upstate New York where several girls began displaying strange symptoms for unexplained reasons, students will be able to analyze and evaluate hysteria and the media through texts that are relevant to their own lives. It is extremely important for students to understand how and why mass hysteria occurs, and how the media influences and contributes to hysteria, so that if they find themselves in situations where hysteria is present they can know how to refrain from contributing to the chaos, and understand why it is important to do so.
Throughout the unit, students will be participating in reading and writing activities, small and large reading group discussions, and a Socratic Seminar. Students will also be creating a project and completing a final analysis essay. At the beginning of the unit, students will be discussing the theme of hysteria and the concept of the media. As the unit progresses, they will discuss, analyze, and evaluate various forms of media, such as: broadcasting media (television and radio), periodical media (newspapers and magazines), and social media (blogs, Facebook, and Twitter). With each form of media the students analyze and evaluate, they will also be participating in small media activities where they will create their own form of media. By the end of the unit, students will have created a large media project that includes their own newscast or radio broadcast, newspaper or magazine article, and social media thread. They will also complete an analytical essay in which they discuss the influence and contributions of the media in Conversion using evidence from the text. The unit will require students to identify themes and main ideas, form their own opinions, and support their claims with evidence. Each of these objectives correlates with Common Core Standards, and are aimed to cultivate students’ reading, writing, analytical, critical, and higher order thinking skills. It is essential to provide students with content that they find relevant in order to spur engagement while simultaneously building skills that they will utilize through the rest of their lives.
Throughout the unit, students will be participating in reading and writing activities, small and large reading group discussions, and a Socratic Seminar. Students will also be creating a project and completing a final analysis essay. At the beginning of the unit, students will be discussing the theme of hysteria and the concept of the media. As the unit progresses, they will discuss, analyze, and evaluate various forms of media, such as: broadcasting media (television and radio), periodical media (newspapers and magazines), and social media (blogs, Facebook, and Twitter). With each form of media the students analyze and evaluate, they will also be participating in small media activities where they will create their own form of media. By the end of the unit, students will have created a large media project that includes their own newscast or radio broadcast, newspaper or magazine article, and social media thread. They will also complete an analytical essay in which they discuss the influence and contributions of the media in Conversion using evidence from the text. The unit will require students to identify themes and main ideas, form their own opinions, and support their claims with evidence. Each of these objectives correlates with Common Core Standards, and are aimed to cultivate students’ reading, writing, analytical, critical, and higher order thinking skills. It is essential to provide students with content that they find relevant in order to spur engagement while simultaneously building skills that they will utilize through the rest of their lives.