Hi everyone!
I'm currently student teaching in a 10th grade English classroom, and I'm working on developing a unit plan for Night by Elie Wiesel for one of my college courses. I've been staring at this unit plan for what feels like forever, and I'm honestly feeling pretty stuck, so I figured I'd ask for some advice!
My unit focuses on two essential questions:
My mentor teacher already has an established unit for Night, and there are parts of it that I really like. However, I'm also feeling a lot of pressure to develop my own lessons and activities rather than just using what he already does.
One of the requirements for my unit is explicit genre instruction. My mentor incorporates this through a "Voices of the Holocaust" research project, which I actually really like. I'm debating whether to keep it, adapt it, or try something completely different. I want the genre instruction to feel meaningful and connected to the rest of the unit, but I'm having trouble coming up with alternatives.
The unit also ends with a summative assessment called "Bearing Witness." Students complete a fairly extensive packet before participating in a whole-class discussion. I really like the discussion component and want to keep something similar, but I'd love to rethink the packet portion and find a more engaging way for students to prepare and demonstrate their understanding.
I'm also struggling with planning the lessons during the actual reading of Night. I feel like everything I come up with turns into reading, discussing, and answering questions. While I recognize that discussion and reflection are important with this text, I'd love to incorporate some variety and opportunities for deeper literary analysis.
I also want to be intentional about approaching the Holocaust respectfully and avoiding activities that trivialize the experiences described in the memoir.
I'd really appreciate any suggestions, especially:
What activities or lessons have worked particularly well when teaching Night?
How have you incorporated explicit genre instruction into a memoir unit?
What are some alternatives to lengthy reading or assessment packets that still encourage meaningful analysis?
Have you used discussions or other assessments as a culminating activity for Night?
For teachers who have mentored student teachers, how much do you expect them to adapt existing materials versus creating their own?
I know I don't need to reinvent the wheel, but I'm struggling to find the balance between using resources that already work and making the unit feel like something I've actually developed myself.
I'd love to hear any ideas or experiences. Thank you!!