ILC ELA 6: Module 3b - Understanding Perspectives 2nd Semester

In this eight-week module, students explore the concept of perspective using the book World Without Fish by Mark Kurlansky. 

In Unit 1, students focus on the author's point of view and idea development. Students are involved in a study of how an author introduces, illustrates, and elaborates on an idea and how an author conveys his or her point of view. The focus of Unit 1 is the first half of the book, in which Mark Kurlansky describes the problem. Through close reading of this text, students will learn multiple strategies for acquiring and using academic vocabulary. In the second half of the unit, students analyze Mark Kurlansky’s point of view in excerpts of the text and how he conveys that point of view. At the end of Unit 1, students are assessed on their analysis of the point of view and how it is conveyed in a new excerpt of the text. 

In Unit 2, students focus on narrator's point of view and evidence of the author's perspective in Carl Hiaasen’s Flush. As students read the novel, students will also read excerpts of interviews with Carl Hiaasen in order to determine how his geographic location has shaped his perspective and how his perspective is evident in Flush. Through the close reading of these texts, students will learn multiple strategies for acquiring and using academic vocabulary. At the end of Unit 2, having read the novel, students will write a short, on-demand response explaining how living in Florida affected Carl Hiaasen’s perspective of the ocean and ocean conservation, supported by details from Flush that show evidence of Hiaasen’s perspective. 

In Unit 3, students return to World Without Fish by Mark Kulansky and pursue further research about overfishing to write an informative consumer guide about buying fish to be put in a grocery store. Students will: Research information about overfishing, sustainable fishing methods, case studies of depleted fish species, and suggestions for buying fish caught using sustainable methods. Evaluate research to choose that which is most relevant and compelling. Analyze authentic informative consumer guides to generate criteria for an effective informative consumer guide. Compile the most relevant and compelling research into an informative consumer guide.