Common Core State Standards
Examples of ways the Unbroken Curriculum meets the Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Speaking and Listening.9-10.1
1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
The Harkness Table Discussions clearly meet the criteria of this standard.
CCSS.ELA-Informational Text.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
The quote analysis sections of the curriculum meet this standard. For example see Quote Analysis 2, question 4.
For additional Unbroken Curriculum that specifically meets the Common Core Standards, see the lesson that follows, titled “Resilience”.
Resilience Teacher Lesson Plan
Common Core Standards addressed in this lesson:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.3
Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.9-10.5
Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance an explanation or analysis.
Lesson Objective: Students will demonstrate their ability to provide textual evidence to support their analysis of key passages of Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken Adapted for Young Adults.
Instructions for Teachers:
This lesson would be introduced after students have read and completed the first three sections of the young adult version of Unbroken. The teacher will instruct the students to think of themselves as lawyers defending a statement with evidence to prove that the statement is indeed true. Explain to students that in the first half of this lesson you will be modeling how to use and analyze textual evidence effectively.
To begin, have students briefly go back to Chap. 10 from section 2 of the book and skim through the text and look at the photos. Give 10 minutes for this.
Ask the students what they most remember about this chapter. Now tell them that you want to prove that while “The Whole Island was Blowing Up,” both bravery and self-sacrifice were demonstrated. You may want to pause and discuss the meaning of self-sacrifice here.
Then submit the two following pieces of textual evidence to the students -
• Textual Evidence - P. 88 “Dozens of natives crowded into a large white church. Realizing it would stand out brilliantly, a marine ran in and ordered the natives out. When they wouldn’t move, he drew his sidearm. They scattered.”
Textual Evidence - P. 88 “Someone running by the infirmary saw Pillsbury, raced in, and carried him into a tiny cement building where the other wounded had been taken.”
Discuss how this evidence demonstrates both characteristics of bravery and self-sacrifice.
Explain to students that you have just demonstrated how to find textual evidence that supports a claim. In this case, the textual evidence demonstrated the characteristics of bravery and self-sacrifice. Tell them that later, in small groups, they will be asked to find textual evidence that demonstrates the characteristic of resilience.
Explain that they will also be asked to infer or analyze textual evidence in an effective way. To demonstrate this skill present the following piece of textual evidence:
• Textual Evidence - P. 95 from chapter 11 “Nobody’s Going to Live Through This” begins with, “On Thursday, May 27, 1943, Louie rose at five a.m. He pulled on his workout clothes, hiked to the runway, and began his morning mile run. Four minutes and twelve seconds later, he finished. It was a dazzling time, given that he was running in sand. He was in the best shape of his life.”
Now ask students to infer why this last piece of information will be important given the events that are about to follow. Give them time to think and discuss their answers in small groups before sharing out with the whole class. Possible student answer: It will be extremely helpful that Louie was in the best shape of his life just before the airplane went down because both surviving the crash and life in the raft will be so physically strenuous.
Explain to students that next we want to find instances of Laura Hillenbrand using details in her text to add to the suspense, as she takes us through contributing factors of the airplane crash. You may want to pause here and discuss the meaning of the term contributing factors. Provide the following 3 pieces of textual evidence to students, all of which are contributing factors to the crash.
• Textual Evidence - P. 97 from Chap. 11 “Cuppernell asked if he could switch seats with Phil, taking over as pilot.”
Ask students what they could infer from the text. Possible student answer: This will only add to the upcoming emergency because both Cuppernell and Phil will probably be disoriented due to not being in their normal positions.
• Textual Evidence - P. 97 “Because Green Hornet was already very low, Phil and Cuppernell had only seconds to save the plane.”
Ask students what they could infer about the reason the plane was so low. Possible student answer: They had dropped down to 800 feet to fly below the clouds so they could better see the ocean. However, this was the worst time for the plane to be so low because when Engine No. 1 died the bomber began dropping quickly toward the ocean. If they ever needed to be higher in the sky to buy them time to right the plane, it was now.
Textual Evidence: P. 97 “To minimize drag from the broken engine, they needed to “feather” it. Normally this was Cuppernell’s job, but now he was in the pilot’s seat… he shouted for the new engineer to come feather the engine. The new engineer ran forward. There were four feathering buttons, one for each engine… the engineer banged on a button. The engineer had hit the wrong button. Both leftward engines were now dead.”
Ask students what they could infer from this. Possible student answer: This will only add to the emergency because both engines on the one side of the plane are dead which will probably make the plane roll on one side sending it into a spiral.
Now explain to students that it is their turn to both analyze and use textual evidence in an effective way. Now pass out the Resilience Graphic Organizer to students.
Students will complete this work in small groups of four.
An answer key is provided for teacher reference for the Resilience Graphic Organizer.
Resilience Graphic Organizer
Name________________________________ Name______________________________
Name________________________________ Name______________________________
Resilience Graphic Organizer
Directions: In groups of 3-4, students complete the following questions.
After the crash, the text says, “Phil felt strangely fearless. He watched the ocean rotating up at him and thought, there’s nothing more I can do.” How might this state of mind contribute to Phil’s surviving the crash?
Now let’s look at Louie. Provide at least 2 pieces of textual evidence from chapter 12, “Downed” demonstrating Louie’s resilience. (Think of yourself as a lawyer, proving your case)
1) Textual Evidence:
What can you infer from this textual evidence?
2) Textual Evidence:
What can you infer from this textual evidence?
Provide 2 pieces of textual evidence from chapter 14 “Thirst” demonstrating Louie’s resilience.
1) Textual Evidence:
What can you infer from this textual evidence?
2) Textual Evidence:
What can you infer from this textual evidence?
Resilience Graphic Organizer Answer Key
Name______________________________ Name_____________________________
Name_______________________________ Name_____________________________
Resilience Graphic Organizer Answer Key
Directions: In groups of 3-4, students complete the following questions.
After the crash the text says, “Phil felt strangely fearless. He watched the ocean rotating up at him and thought, there’s nothing more I can do.” How might this state of mind contribute to Phil’s surviving the crash?
Possible answer: Because he is calm and not panicking he will probably be able to think more clearly when he regains consciousness. This will help him make decisions which will lead to his survival. Also this calm will help his body to heal faster which will contribute to his physical strength.
Now let’s look at Louie. Provide at least 2 pieces of textual evidence from chapter 12, “Downed” demonstrating Louie’s resilience. (Think of yourself as a lawyer, proving your case)
NOTE: In this answer key you will find 3 possible pieces of textual evidence as well as what students can infer from that evidence. Students are only asked to give 2.
1) Textual Evidence:
Possible answer: P. 103 “Louie knew he had to stop Phil’s bleeding, but if he lost the rafts, they’d all perish… As the raft slid hopelessly out of reach, Louie looked back at Phil and Mac, sharing the recognition that their chance was lost. Then he saw a cord trailing behind the raft. He snatched it, reeled the raft to him, and climbed aboard. He grabbed the oars, rowed to the second raft, and tied the two together.”
What can you infer from this textual evidence?
Possible answer: Even after surviving such a terrifying crash Louie had the presence of mind to make good decisions and to stay calm enough to secure the rafts needed for their survival.
2) Textual Evidence:
Possible answer: P. 104 “There were two gashes on Phil’s forehead, spurting blood. Louie ran his fingers down Phil’s throat until he felt a pulse, the carotid artery, then put Mac’s hand on it and told him to press down.”
What can you infer from this textual evidence?
Possible answer: Louie had the presence of mind to do what it took to stop Phil’s bleeding as quickly as possible. Even Mac was able to help because of Louie’s quick thinking.
3) Textual Evidence:
Possible answer: P. 105 “Louie established rules. Each man would eat one square of chocolate in the morning, one in the evening. Louie allowed one water tin per man, with each man allowed two or three sips a day. Eating and drinking at this rate, they could stretch the supplies for a few days.”
What can you infer from this textual evidence?
Possible answer: When leadership was needed, Louie demonstrated it. His rules seemed fair and they would contribute to each mans’ survival.
Provide 2 pieces of textual evidence from chapter 14 “Thirst” demonstrating Louie’s resilience.
1) Textual Evidence:
Possible answer: P. 113 “Louie was lying back … when he felt something alight on his head. It was an Albatross…. They tried to eat it but gagged from the stench…. At least they finally had bait. Louie tied a small hook to a fishing line, baited it with albatross meat, and fed it into the water…. Louie felt a tug and pulled up the line. on it hung a slender fish…. Louie had demonstrated that if they were persistent and resourceful, they could catch food, and he and Phil felt inspired."
What can you infer from this textual evidence?
Possible answer: Even though the whole process of getting bait was difficult, they persevered. Through their resourcefulness they found a way to use whatever opportunities presented themselves in order to survive.
2) Textual Evidence:
Possible answer: P. 114 “[Louie] remembered a college instructor telling him to think of the brain as a muscle, needing exercise to stay in shape. Louie was determined to keep himself and the others lucid. Soon after the crash, Louie began peppering Phil and Mac with questions on every conceivable subject. … For Louie and Phil, the conversations kept their minds sharp, pulled them out of their suffering, and set the future before them as something to live for.”
What can you infer from this textual evidence?
Possible answer: Louie was taking initiative to keep them mentally sharp which could only help them survive this harrowing ordeal.
As a licensed user of the UNBROKEN CURRICULUM, please feel free to copy and paste the LESSON PLANS into Word or PDF’s files for distributions to your students.