Spence Farmer

Dr. Soderberg

Adolescent Literature

14 April 2022

Portfolio Project: King and the Dragonflies

Overview & Thesis Letter:

Dear Teacher,

The following portfolio makes a case for the inclusion of the young adult novel King and

the Dragonflies, written by Kacen Callender, into your literature curriculum. The novel is a fresh

and insightful catalyst for productive class discussion, approaching the social issues most

relevant to students today with kind and entertaining thoughtfulness. Included in this portfolio

are three major items, a mock-up visual display for a classroom bulletin board to be paired with

your unit, an eight-day unit plan for teaching the book, and an example cumulative assessment

and rubric. Each item draws from the book to help students make connections between

themselves and the text in accordance with IDOE standards. The contents of the packet work to

move the novel from a passive student experience into structured classroom conversations,

constructivist in-class and out-of-class activities and engaging grammatical lessons.

The first item you will find in this portfolio letter is a visual display, intended for a

classroom bulletin board or wall inspired by the text. Students engage with a teacher’s lessons

aesthetically even before they do intellectually – using this display either directly or as an

inspiration for your own classroom decoration is a great way to engage visual learners and break

the ice for students who struggle to jump right into a text. Consider using a display such as this

one (perhaps, in tandem with a digital presentation exhibiting key symbols, settings, and objects
from the text) in the initial phases of your unit to spark student discussion. What adjectives or

emotions do they associate with the images? How does the visual language of the pieces connect

to previous texts or works your familiar with? What might a book that inspired these pieces be

about? This can be a great way to incorporate visual literacy, creative writing, and multi-media

comprehension into the classroom. Even before entering into the world of the text, your students

will be engaging with the symbolic language and themes of the piece through another means of

understanding. This is also the perfect opportunity to represent the author of the novel, telling the

students a little bit about them and adding another layer of connection to the text itself.

The next item is a series of fiction-reading unit plan based upon King and the

Dragonflies. This item is the main content of the portfolio, offering a cohesive approach to

reading and interacting with the text while covering multiple essential IDOE educational

standards. Included in the unit plan is a Task Analysis with Unit Objectives and a Rationale

statement articulating the direction of the unit and its direct connection to state standards. Then,

there are a variety of individual lesson plans, walking through a multi-stage engagement with the

text as a class. These lessons are designed to ease young readers into a difficult discussion on the

major social issues in the text. Each lesson draws on the tenants of Constructivist pedagogical

theory, focusing on student participation, scaffolding, and a multidisciplinary approach to

grappling with the text and its major ideas.

Finally, I’ve included the rubric and assignment sheet for a cumulative assessment

project from the unit plan as the third item in this portfolio. Students will be scripting and

recording their own book review video-essay as a final assessment for the unit. Students will

need to provide textual evidence to back up their points as they summarize, analyze, and

formulate opinions on the novel. The videos can be extemporaneous with flashcards of the
speaker’s major points or can be fully manuscript. Each student will be assessed on the quality of

their brief plot summary, evidence-based textual analysis, and how they are developed into an

assertion of opinion on the novel as a whole.

Intended Audience & Impact:

King and the Dragonflies is a text directed mostly at middle-grade readers, and in this

portfolio, I have shaped my materials around a hypothetical 8th-grade classroom. That being said,

King and the Dragonflies works as a novel for any age level, dealing with complex topics such

as philosophy, grief, and abuse, treating its readers with respect enough to engage with King’s

internal and external conflicted worlds. With the application of external theoretical lenses,

secondary texts, and a healthy dose of social awareness, King and the Dragonflies opens up to

older readers as an intriguing new example of young adult literature and becomes a relevant

jumping off point for a number of more mature conversations.

In addition to being written for primarily young adult audiences, the text is certainly

addressed to LGBTQ+ readers and people of color, insofar as the text’s central themes revolve

around the intersection of these two identities within King. King and the Dragonflies can work as

a means to introduce social justice topics into your classroom’s curriculum, offering a grounded

protagonist who is wrestling with these two large identity-forces within himself and in his

relationships. Callender writes with a real sensitivity and nuance that benefits readers who have

identities similar to King and readers who do not to connect with the protagonist in that way. The

text works as a great example of healthy representation as well as a bridge to connect students

unfamiliar with the themes of the novel and their peers who share elements of King’s identity.
 Additionally, the text is addressed to readers struggling with grief – King’s loss of his

brother informs much of the internal and external action of the book, and his path towards self-

actualization is dependent on reckoning with that grief. For young readers and students in

classroom environments, this makes the book a great way of encouraging healthy conversation

around all of these topics which can be hard to breach. In fact, even if student readers are hesitant

to bring up their own personal comparisons to King’s loss, the book is a fantastic way to

facilitate the processing of the heavy emotions around loss, ostracization, and internal

uncertainty.

King and the Dragonflies, works along all these theoretical dimensions, while

simultaneously being an engaging classroom read. The novel is a good length to work through

during the scope of a school year (not too long, but with enough content to satisfy a healthy unit)

and has elements of adventure, romance, social negotiation, and self-realization.

King and the Dragonflies Unit Plan

Spence Farmer

University of Southern Indiana

ENG 344: Adolescent Literature

Dr. Laura Soderberg

April 14, 2022

 Task Analysis

This unit plan is a fiction-reading unit for a hypothetical 8th grade class. As per the IDOE

Standards, students will be able to comprehend and engage with a fictional text. Students will

extrapolate and discuss the major themes of the text, citing textual evidence to prove their

presence within the text. Students will also write their own critical analysis of the text,

articulating their own interpretation of the text and opinions about the piece. Finally, they will

present their informative writing in a cohesive video presentation, mimicking the format of an

online book review.

Unit Objectives

 I can identify and analyze the central themes of a work of fiction and how it is reflected in the

characters, setting, and plot of the work. (8.RL.2.2)

 I can analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a work of literature propel the

action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. (8.RL.2.3)

 I can craft original dialogue, utilizing quotation marks and punctuation. (8.W.3.3)

 I can reflect on and articulate the point of view of a character from a different culture, including

how heritage, traditions, attitudes, and beliefs inform their thinking and choices. (8.RL.3.2)
 Lesson Plan 1 – Spectrum Opinions

Indiana College and Career Ready Academic

Teacher-Developed Outcomes/Objectives
Standards
1. I can draft, finalize, and present a clear, cohesive
argumentative debate in front of the class, utilizing
SL.4.1; W.3.1
transitions and all the elements of an effective
argument

Assessment Informal Assessment – Introductory Activity

Time Frame 45 minutes

Bellringer (5 mins): HABIT Journal – When is it helpful to argue with someone

Introduction
else? When is it not? Explain your reasoning.

Classroom Conversation (10 mins): Discuss HABIT Journal entries with the class.

Expectations Speech (5 mins): Appropriate listening skills, expectations for

activity, classroom norms around “talking stick” object.

Introductory Activity (20 mins): Spectrum Opinions – teacher reads a provocative

statement (examples listed below); students spend a minute or two writing
down what their stance is and why (index card worth of info). Then, students are
told to get up from their chair and stand where on the spectrum of “Strongly
Agree” to “Strongly Disagree” labeled in the room. Go across the spectrum and
Lesson Body
ask students for a brief explanation of their opinion.

Statement examples:
“Middle Schoolers are too young to know who they like romantically.”
“It’s okay to keep a secret from your family if a friend asks you to.”
“Lying can sometimes be a good thing.”
“Your friends help you discover who you are.”
“Best friends should know everything about each other.”
Etc.

Closure (5 mins): Regroup and pass out HW Assignment: Reading pp.1-# “Write
Closure down each character you are introduced to in a provided ‘Character Tracker’
worksheet, try to write down 2-3 things you observe about each character”

Research or
Constructivism
Theoretical Base
 Lesson Plan 2 – Character Tracker Sheets

Indiana College and Career Ready Academic

Teacher-Developed Outcomes/Objectives
Standards
I can identify and analyze the central themes of a
work of fiction and how it is reflected in the
8.RL.2.2
characters, setting, and plot of the work

Assessment In Progress Assessment – Character Tracker Sheets

Time Frame 45 minutes

Bellringer (5 mins): HABIT Journal – What are three adjectives you’d use to
Introduction
describe yourself? Why did you choose them?
Classroom Conversation (5 mins): Discuss HABIT Journal entries.

Establish Criteria (15 mins): Students retrieve their homework: bullet points of
observations and characters introduced in K+DF so far. Have students discuss in
their seating pods (3-4 students each) what they wrote down. Each student
group should make a master list, ranking any repeat observations or items they
all agree with at the top of their list.
Lesson Body
(10 mins): Then, generate a web in front of the class with student responses –
each group should contribute 2-3 observations from their discussions.

(Character Tracker Sheets are formatted in a table, where one column is for the
character name and the other column is for observations)

Closure (5 mins): Students turn in their assignment from last night and the
Closure
groupwork from class that day on the way out. HW: Reading pp.#-#

Research or
Constructivism
Theoretical Base
 Lesson Plan 3 – Intersectionality Conversation

Indiana College and Career Ready Academic

Teacher-Developed Outcomes/Objectives
Standards
I can reflect on and articulate the point of view of
a character from a different culture, including how
heritage, traditions, attitudes, and beliefs inform 8.RL.3.2
their thinking and choices.

Assessment Informal – Classroom Participation

Time Frame 45 minutes

Bellringer (5 mins): HABIT Journal – What is one important element of your

Introduction
identity? How does it affect who you are and how you live?

Classroom Conversation (10 mins): Discuss HABIT Journal entries

Refresher (10 mins) – Bring back the Character Webs produced at the end of last
class and finish any characters that you need to with the students in their
groups.

Lesson Body Small Lecture (10 mins): Define Intersectionality for students, utilize video
resources about Crenshaw’s theory, and give a basic framework for
understanding identity and how it impacts characters.

(5 mins) Categorize a few observations made about King and his friends into
either “Identity or Personality” as a class as an example for the homework.

Closure (5 mins): HW: Read pp.#-# and add to character sheet, noticing which
Closure observations may fall into an “identity” category and which are actions or
personality traits.

Research or
Constructivism
Theoretical Base
 Lesson Plan 4 – Dialogue and Quotation Conventions

Indiana College and Career Ready Academic

Teacher-Developed Outcomes/Objectives
Standards
I can craft original dialogue, utilizing quotation
8.W.3.3
marks and punctuation.

Assessment Character Sheet Check, Starting Grammar Lesson

Time Frame 45 minutes

Bellringer (5 mins): HABIT Journal – Describe a situation in which you let your
Introduction
emotions get the better of you. What did you learn?

Classroom Conversation (5 mins): Discuss HABIT Journal

Dialogue Assignment:
Introduce activity (5 mins): students will be writing their own version of the
dialogue between King and Sandy when King finds Sandy in the tent in his
backyard. Writers can imagine a similar or completely different reaction from
King while making their dialogue.
Grammar Lesson (15 mins): Over quotation and punctuation placement – use
Lesson Body
examples from K+TD text in Sandy and King’s conversation. Teach the placement
rules briefly, then have students volunteer to come up to the board and mark
where punctuation should go on blank examples.

In class work time (10 mins): Students begin their work on the dialogue
assignment, teacher is available to answer any questions. Students should use at
least one example of each kind of punctuation mark in tandem with their
quotations to demonstrate mastery.

Closure (5 mins): HW: finish dialogue assignment (about one page, typed, of
Closure
conversation between King and Sandy – correctly punctuated!).

Research or
Constructivism
Theoretical Base
 Lesson Plan 5 – Book Review Setup

Indiana College and Career Ready Academic

Teacher-Developed Outcomes/Objectives
Standards
I can identify and analyze the central themes of a
work of fiction and how it is reflected in the
8.RL.2.2
characters, setting, and plot of the work.

Assessment Starting Book Review Cumulative Assessment

Time Frame 45 minutes

Bellringer (5 mins): HABIT Journal – What’s your favorite book? What made you
Introduction
enjoy that that book?

Classroom Conversations (10 mins): Discuss HABIT Journal

Introduce Book Review Assignment:

Watch Example (5 mins) – brief, educational video book review on a book

previously read in class to model the expectations for the upcoming assignment

Design Student-Led Rubric (10 mins) - Ask students what they observed in the
video, make a list of the observations, what students thought was successful or
Lesson Body
unsuccessful in the video review.

Transition to introducing assignment – students will be producing their own

book reviews. Starting with Summaries.

Summary Lesson (13 mins) – what makes a good plot summary, mark major
points in the plot without spoiling the ending… what incidents in the novel are
necessary to understand the scope of the book… etc.

Closure Closure (2 mins): Regroup, HW: read pp.#-#

Research or
Constructivism
Theoretical Base
 Lesson Plan 6 – Two-Sentence Summaries

Indiana College and Career Ready Academic

Teacher-Developed Outcomes/Objectives
Standards
I can analyze how particular lines of dialogue or
incidents in a work of literature propel the action,
8.RL.2.3
reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a
decision.

Assessment Two Sentence Summaries – In Class Activity

Time Frame 45 minutes

Bellringer (5 mins): HABIT Journal – Write down what you did this morning in
Introduction
one paragraph. Now write down what you did this morning in one sentence.

Classroom Conversation (5 mins): Discuss HABIT Journal Prompt

Two sentence summaries (30 mins) classroom activity:

Break out into groups of 3-4 students, every group is assigned a well-known
fairytale of which they must identify out the most important plot points and
make a two-sentence summary in a span of 3-4 minutes.
Lesson Body
These summaries are then shared with the class. Classmates and the instructor
can comment on the strengths and weaknesses of each group’s summary. This
could be done more than once with different fairytales if need be.
Repeat with new stories for a few rounds! Make a game out of it and have
students vote which summaries were most successful. Notice what makes a
successful summary and write those qualities on the board.

Closure (5 mins): Regroup, reflect on the activity as a class – Wrap up. HW: Read
Closure
pp.#-#

Research or
Constructivism
Theoretical Base
 Lesson Plan 8 – Citation Scavenger Hunt

Indiana College and Career Ready Academic

Teacher-Developed Outcomes/Objectives
Standards
I can find, summarize, and accurately cite reliable
W.5
sources of information to back my claims

Assessment Scavenger Hunt – to be turned in

Time Frame 45 minutes

Bellringer (5 mins): HABIT Journal – What do you think has King done well in the
Introduction
novel so far? What mistakes has he made? Explain.
Classroom Conversation (5 mins): Discuss HABIT Journal Prompt

Citation Scavenger Hunt: (25 mins): Explain that citing sources is useful for
backing up claims. Start this activity with providing students with premade
example claims, then have them find sources that back those claims up. This can
be formatted in rounds to make it more “game-like”. The claims can be about
characters in the novel, plot elements, or bigger themes of the book. The
Lesson Body examples should start concrete and move towards the abstract.

This activity could be done in groups given your assessment of student abilities
up to this point – the teacher should be circulating and making sure students are
on track and not encountering many roadblocks. Between “rounds”, have the
whole class regroup and review their experience. Likely time for about 3 different
claims.

Closure (5 mins): Regroup and get a feel for how students handled a slightly
more “independent” research day. No homework. Note: If students are still
struggling, it’d be worth reiterating some of the tough points of citation and
Closure research and doing another scavenger hunt day with them! Maybe day 1 is
group focused, and day 2 is individual focused. After this portion of the unit,
students should be proficient enough at research to find and cite textual
examples on their own.

Research or
Constructivism
Theoretical Base
 Assessment List:

Based Spectrum Opinion Day –

Students perform the introductory activity again, but this time, they back up their claims and

stance with cited sources that they can incorporate into their verbal explanations.

A formative and relatively relaxed assessment of the student’s ability to accurately find, cite,

and incorporate sources into an argument and demonstrate that knowledge informally in front of

the class. This provides an authentic audience for students to deliver their best work to and helps

them warm up to publicly presenting their claims even in the face of opposing views.

Two Sentence Summaries –

Students are given a well-known fairytale, and in groups, come to a consensus on the best way to

summarize the whole story into a two-sentence phrase.

The goal for this assignment is to have a fun and creative method for students to think critically

about reducing long narratives into brief summations. Using narratives students should already

be familiar with helps to work this summarizing “muscle” before applying the skill to their

cumulative assessment.

Book Review Video –

Assignment Sheet Below

 VIDEO BOOK REVIEW

King and the Dragonflies Summative Assessment

Students! You’ve been commissioned to produce a professional book review for King

and the Dragonflies as a 3-4-minute video giving your summary, analysis, and opinion of the

book! It’s your job to let the public know whether or not they should buy the novel: be clear and

concise and make sure you keep in mind your target audience has not read the book yet!

Your review will have three different elements:

- Summarize the text

- Explain the major themes of the novel

- Give your opinion about the book!

You will write a 2-3 page script that you will then perform as a video recording

approximately 3-4 minutes long. Both the script and the video will count towards your final

grade – make your video engaging for any potential viewers! It is your job to connect all three

sections of your review to textual evidence – you will be verbally citing page numbers or

elements of the plot in your review. Create a brief summary of the events of the book (without

giving away the ending to your intended audience!). Then talk about the central ideas and themes

of the novel. Finally, give your opinion on the book: whether you liked or disliked it, its okay!

Just share your thoughts respectfully and comment on who might be a good candidate to enjoy

this book.

See the Rubric on the back of this page for further details.
Book Review Rubric:
CATEGORY 100%-90% 80%-70% 60%-50% 49%-0% Score

Summary + Themes The Summary and The Summary and The Summary and Theme The Summary and /25
Theme portion of the Theme portion of the portion of the review delivers Theme portion of the
review delivers a very review delivers an a less than effective survey of review delivers a poor
effective survey of the adequate survey of the the text. Few or no points survey of the text. The
text. The points made text. The points made made are backed up by the points made are scant
are backed up by an are backed up by some text. and are not backed up by
appropriate amount of sources. sources.
sources.
Opinion The Opinion portion of The opinion portion of The opinion portion of the The opinion portion of /25
the video cites textual the video cites textual video cites little textual the video does not cite
evidence in detail, evidence, providing evidence, providing few textual evidence, gives
providing great examples and examples and little no or poor examples,
examples and explanations while explanation. The ideas shared and is disrespectful in
explanations while respectfully expressing are rude or tactless. tone.
respectfully expressing the student’s opinion of
the student’s opinion of the piece.
the piece.
Creativity Students show great Students show Students show some Students show no /10
enthusiasm and enthusiasm and enthusiasm and creativity enthusiasm or creativity
creativity through their creativity through their through their writing and through their writing and
writing and their writing and their their performance, but it is their performance.
performance. performance. lackluster overall. Minimal effort.

Technical Author makes minimal Author makes a Author makes a distracting Author makes a large /10
errors in grammar or noticeable amount of amount of errors in grammar amount of errors in
delivery that distract errors in grammar or or delivery that detracts from grammar or delivery that
the listener from the delivery. the content. distracts the reader from
content. the content.

Student Self-Assessment:

Criteria Points Possible Points Comments/AIF

Coherent thoughts and ideas 5

Criteria within given prompt was met 5

Delivery was clear and enthusiastic 5

Creativity and originality 5