Unit 2: The Canadian Teenager
Understanding our identities, and the factors influence them can help us understand our values, perceptions, strengths and weaknesses, and work towards becoming confident in our own skin. In this unit, students will study a variety of both fiction and nonfiction texts around the theme of "teenagers" and ask themselves "What does it mean to be a Canadian teenager in 2016?" As they explore this big idea, they will also explore the reading process, paragraph writing process, and the differences between fact, fiction, and opinion. |
Unit Assignments & Activities
ASSIGNMENT/ACTIVITY |
DESCRIPTION |
RESOURCES |
6) The Infographic (final project) Programs: Piktochart Hand In: loginname_infographic Due Dates: Part 1 (Topic): Fri/Dec. 16 Part 2 (Questions): Mon/Dec. 19 Part 3 (Infographic): Fri/Jan. 20 |
For this unit's final project, you will be creating an infographic on a "teen issue" of your choice. This issue can be anything (school appropriate) that has an impact on teenage behaviour, values, appearance, relationships, etc.! Some example topics from last year were the impact of: vaping, teenage pregnancy, underage drinking, and music. In order to make an infographic, you need to gather facts and statistics that will be ON the infographic! You will do this by creating your very own questionnaire (survey) that will be completed by some of the other grade 9 and 10 classes at NACI! The responses you get on your surveys will become the data set you use to create your infographic :) |
5) The Media Influence Programs: Microsoft Word, BeFunky.com Hand In: loginname_collage Due Date: Friday, December 16th |
The final factor we will be discussing in class is one of the larges, both in terms of impact and actual size: The Media! In this lesson, we will be exploring how the different types (and there are MANY) of media can shape the teenage personality, thought patterns, and behavior. After doing some informal research, you will examine 5 aspects of your character (appearance, behaviour, personality, activities/interests and relationships), and the media sources that helped create them! |
4) The Peer Influence Programs: Microsoft Word Hand In: MeanGirls_PartA, MeanGirls_PartB Due Dates: Part A: Thursday, Dec 8 Part B: Monday, Dec. 12 |
Another factor that shapes who we are as teenagers, is who we associate with at school! In this lesson, we will be exploring how our peers (friends, enemies, frenemies, and all the others who surround us each day) can shape the teenage personality, thought patterns, and behavior. After viewing the film, Mean Girls, you will have to decide whether teenage stereotypes developed by our peers are true, false, or somewhere in between, and just how big of an the people our own age can have on who we are. |
Text: Mean Girls film (which we will watch in class) Assignment: Mean Girls Part A (Comprehension Questions) Assignment: Mean Girls Part B (Stereotypes: Fact or Fiction) |
3) The Parental Influence Programs:Microsoft Word Hand In: loginname_ParentsSEXYGraphicOrganizer Due Date: Wednesday, Nov. 23rd |
Another factor that shapes who we are as teenagers, is how we are raised! In this lesson, we will be exploring how our parents (or whoever it is that raised us) can shape the teenage personality, thought patterns, and behavior. After reading about a variety of perspectives on parenting, you will have to decide what type of parenting you think has the most positive influence on teenagers. After all, who better to ask this question to than teenagers, themselves? |
2) The Biological Influence Programs: Video and Microsoft Word Hand In: loginname_BrainSEXYGraphic Organizer Due Date: Thursday, Nov. 17th |
One of factors, and probably the most major factor, that shapes who we are as teenagers, is our brains! In this lesson, we will be exploring how the brain can shape the teenage personality, thought patterns, and behavior! After learning about how a teenager's biology impacts who they are, you will have to decide whether or not you believe teenagers are really as bad as people say they are. |
1) Reading Process Chart Program: Microsoft Word Hand In: login_ReadingProcess (.doc) Due Date: Wednesday, Nov. 2nd |
The Canadian Teenager - where to begin? Fortunately, you have unlimited access to a great starting point - yourself! As we read the article "Youth Survey: Generation Tame" ask yourself whether or not any of the article's information about teenage values fits in with your ideas and experiences when it comes to being a teenager in this generation. Before, during and after this reading, we will also take a good, hard look at the reading process by completing the "Reading Process Chart." Before downloading any unit resources, make sure that you create a new folder inside your ELA folder called "Unit 2 - The Canadian Teenager." |
Additional Resources
Online Image Editors
Picmonkey (photo editing site) PixlrExpress (photo editing site) BeFunky (photo editing site) Free, Copyright-Free Audio
Sound Bible (sound effects) YouTube Audio Library (independent music and sound effects) Bensound (independent music) Free Music Archive (independent music) |
Copyright-Free Photos & Graphics
Creative Commons (copyright-free images, audio & video) Morgue File (use the free search option) Pexels (high-quality stock images) Albumarium (high-quality stock images) Free Pik (vector images, photographs, PSD files, and more) Open ClipArt Gallery (free clipart graphics) Clkr Clipart Gallery (free clipart by the people for the people) Classroom Clipart (free clipart for school use) The Noun Project (icons for just about anything) Giphy (shareable memes and GIFs) |