Blog

Unit: Creating Monsters
SOI: Creations often reflect key elements of the creator’s minds.
Primary Unit text: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; Percy Shelley’s selected poems (Ozymindias et al); Taylor Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” and excerpts from Milton’s Paradise Lost and other alluded texts in Frankenstein.
Key concept: Creativity and Identity
Related concept(s): Intertextuality and Style
Global context exploration: Scientific and technical innovation
GOAL- Students will write a creative narrative that integrates Romantic, Gothic, and/or Dark Romantic elements in order to create an original story that acts as a warning to society and current trends or investigations in modern and future science and technology.
ROLE- You and your classmates are a team of writers developing creative narratives to pitch for an upcoming competition designed to pay homage to the Romantic, Gothic, and/or Dark Romantic era of art and literature while addressing concerns around modern science and technology.
AUDIENCE- Competition judges who represent potential companies interested in picking up and further developing the storylines as a series (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Bone & Ink Press, The Atlantic, and more)
SITUATION- Students identify an issue involving current scientific and technological exploration and the impact this might have on the world and develop a story acting as a warning to society of such pursuits while applying their understanding of Romantic, Gothic, and/or Dark Romantic stylistic elements to bring the story to life.
PRODUCT- Students will write a creative narrative (drama, short story, narrative poem, etc…) applying Romantic, Gothic, and/or Dark Romantic stylistic elements.
Challenge- Students collaborate as a “team of writers” to create insightful and intricate story intersections, such as sub-plots, stories within stories, and/or allusions that connect multiple stories
8-7
6-5
4-3
2-1
0
A i- analyse the content, context, language, structure, technique and style of text(s) and the relationships among texts
The student:
provides perceptive identification and comment upon significant aspects of texts
The student:
provides substantial identification and comment upon significant aspects of texts
The student:
provides adequate identification and comment upon significant aspects of texts.
The student:
provides minimal identification and comment upon significant aspects of texts
The student:
does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
identifies specific characteristics of Romantic, Gothic, or Dark Romantic literature and is able to clearly explain how they incorporated these characteristics in their original stories,
provides a clear analysis of how they incorporated clear structural techniques studied and analyzed throughout the unit, such as: 1. Parallelism,

2. frame story, 3. cyclical story structure, 4. allusion, and/or 5. embedded storylines.
8-7
6-5
4-3
2-1
0
A iv- evaluate similarities and differences by connecting features across and within genres and texts.
compares and contrasts features within and between texts.
describes some similarities and differences in features across and within and between texts.
identifies some similarities and differences in features within and between texts.
identifies few similarities and differences in features within and between texts.
does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
Through an “author talk back” where students effectively compares and contrasts the choices made in creating own “monster stories” and authors’ choices and textual features studied during the unit:
identify specific characteristics and techniques relevant to Romantic and/or Gothic styles and
effectively evaluate how well they incorporated these characteristics in their own writing.
8-7
6-5
4-3
2-1
0
C i- produce texts that demonstrate insight, imagination and sensitivity while exploring and reflecting critically on new perspectives and ideas arising from personal engagement with the creative process
produces texts that demonstrate a high degree of personal engagement with the creative process; demonstrates a high degree of thought or imagination and perceptive exploration of new perspectives and ideas
produces texts that demonstrate considerable personal engagement with the creative process; demonstrates considerable thought or imagination and substantial exploration of new perspectives and ideas
The student:
produces texts that demonstrate adequate personal engagement with the creative process; demonstrates some thought or imagination and some exploration of new perspectives and ideas
produces texts that demonstrate limited personal engagement with the creative process; demonstrates a limited degree of thought or imagination and minimal exploration of new perspectives and ideas
does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.
creates an original, “modern-day Frankenstein” story that contains Gothic, Romantic, or Dark Romantic elements and provides an intriguing perspective of the possible outcomes of a contemporary scientific pursuit.
creates an intricately structured story by creating a frame story and/or sub-plots, develops effective foil characters, purposefully utilizes sensory imagery, and develops a minimum of 5 of the traits related to either Romantic, Gothic, or Dark Romantic literature.
clearly shows how the setting influences the characters, especially the protagonist.
Develops unique perspectives and ideas that reflect modern-day scientific pursuits and the implications such pursuits might have on individuals and/or humanity. (What makes a monster? Who are the true monsters?)