Curriculum Units

Who’s the Real Monster? Analyzing Persuasion in Classic Stories

The unit will begin by looking at real life examples of propaganda and how propaganda is used to create feelings in the viewer. We will discuss how propaganda is used in writing through words and illustrations to create monsters. This unit will focus specifically on the well-loved story of Little Red Riding Hood. Students will read and analyze various versions of Little Red Riding Hood.  They will explore point of view and determine who the monster in each version is. …Continue Reading Who’s the Real Monster? Analyzing Persuasion in Classic Stories

Unearthing the Past: How Fossils Tell the Story of Life on Earth

Exposing the complexities of evolutionary processes that have molded life on Earth, comparative anatomy is not only an exercise in categorization; rather, it is a journey through time. The path of life is a magnificent trip that is interlaced with shared characteristics, adaptations, and the intriguing stories of our ancestors. As we continue to seek answers from fossils and modern species alike, we are continuously reminded of the remarkable journey of life….Continue Reading Unearthing the Past: How Fossils Tell the Story of Life on Earth

Weaving Words: How Young Students Use Poetry to Connect Culture and Self

This curriculum unit is designed to integrate grade-level English Language Arts standards through an immersive exploration of poetry. By engaging students in a variety of multisensory learning experiences, this unit fosters meaningful, real-world connections between poetry, personal expression, and interdisciplinary studies. Through creative writing, performance, and analysis, students will deepen their understanding of poetry’s role in shaping identity, culture, and global perspectives….Continue Reading Weaving Words: How Young Students Use Poetry to Connect Culture and Self

Watch Out! Here Comes the Wolf!

This unit aims to explore the evolution of the wolf character in children’s literature through a series of stories. It provides students with an opportunity to reflect on the varying representations of the wolf and understand the significance of character development over time. By engaging in creative activities like mask-making, sculpture, and group murals, students will actively reinterpret the wolf’s character and relate it to real-life scenarios….Continue Reading Watch Out! Here Comes the Wolf!

My Class Pet is a Monster: Understanding the Biology and Mythology of Snakes

Through the lens of monster theory, students will explore how the serpent myths in different cultures evolved to portray the snake as a monster. The student can re-write the monster’s story and transform the myth to become relevant for the current times. We will be using Rick Riordan’s popular series of books based upon Greek myths….Continue Reading My Class Pet is a Monster: Understanding the Biology and Mythology of Snakes

Looking Through the Monster Glass: The Monstrous Feminine and Awad’s Bunny

Students will create multimedia presentations connecting monster theory to a select pop culture movie or TV show and their own podcasts, interviewing a monster from Bunny. The unit will end with an essay where they write an academic monster analysis for a fictional journal, where they will get a true understanding of the recursive writing process and what it means to be peer reviewed. …Continue Reading Looking Through the Monster Glass: The Monstrous Feminine and Awad’s Bunny

Bridging Cultures: Boosting Reading Skills and Awareness with Poetry

This poetry curriculum unit is designed to enhance various reading skills, including comprehension, along with cultural sensitivity through the inclusion of culturally representative poetry that aligns with the various backgrounds of my students.  Centered on third-grade Oklahoma literacy standards, the unit uses poetry as a powerful tool to create fluency, vocabulary, and interpretive skills through practices like repeated reading, annotation, and close reading. …Continue Reading Bridging Cultures: Boosting Reading Skills and Awareness with Poetry

Poet’s Delight

In this unit, I will use poetry and song lyrics from Black artists that students will analyze. We will discuss the themes of the poems. We will discuss what the artists are expressing, and message the authors are communicating to the world. The poems will not solely focus on the struggle and trauma Black Americans have faced, but also the joy, resistance, and universal human experiences….Continue Reading Poet’s Delight

Nuclear Fusion as a Sustainable Energy Source

In alignment with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Physics course themes of nuclear physics, electromagnetic fields, and thermodynamics, students will deepen their understanding of the energy stored in the nucleus of the atom and societal efforts to solve the energy crisis. Our investigation focuses on the intersection of energy, heat engines, turbines, greenhouse effects, and the atomic nature of matter….Continue Reading Nuclear Fusion as a Sustainable Energy Source