NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

12.4.1 Unit Overview

“I’m going to do something. Get hold of myself and
make myself a new life!”
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams
Texts
“A Daily Joy to be Alive” by Jimmy Santiago Baca

Number of Lessons
14
in Unit

Introduction
In the first unit of Module 12.4, students continue to refine the reading, writing, and discussion skills
they have been using in the English Language Arts classroom throughout the year. This unit fosters
students’ independent learning by decreasing scaffolds in key text analysis lessons. Additionally,
students continue to develop their informative, argument, and narrative writing skills as they engage in
several writing activities over the course of the unit.

In this unit, students read A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, analyzing how the
characters’ development relates to the play’s central ideas of power dynamics, nostalgia, and identity.
Additionally, students view excerpts from the film version of A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Elia
Kazan, and analyze how the film interprets the play. Students also read and analyze the poem “A Daily
Joy to Be Alive” by Jimmy Santiago Baca and consider how Baca develops the central ideas of identity
and exercise of power throughout the poem.

For the End-of-Unit Assessment, students select one of two prompts and craft a formal, multi-paragraph
response to the selected prompt. Each prompt option requires students to draw on textual evidence
from both the play and the poem. The first option is an informative prompt: What does it mean to be “in
the ruins / of new beginnings” (lines 20–21) for the speaker in “A Daily Joy to Be Alive” and a character
from A Streetcar Named Desire? The second option is an argument prompt: To what extent are
individuals free to shape their own identities? Use evidence from A Streetcar Named Desire and “A Daily
Joy to Be Alive” to support your argument.

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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

Literacy Skills and Habits

 Read closely for textual details
 Annotate texts to support comprehension and analysis
 Engage in productive, evidence-based discussions about texts
 Collect and organize evidence from texts to support analysis in writing and discussions
 Use vocabulary strategies to define unknown words
 Independently read a text in preparation for supported analysis
 Paraphrase and quote relevant evidence from a text
 Make claims about texts using specific textual evidence
 Independently read and annotate text in preparation for evidence-based discussion
 Analyze multiple interpretations of a source text
 Generate and respond to questions in scholarly discourse
 Practice narrative, argument, and informative writing techniques and skills

Standards for This Unit

College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading
CCRA.R.9 Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build
knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take.
CCS Standards: Reading — Literature
RL.11-12.2 Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their
development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on
one another to provide a complex account; provide an objective summary of the
text.
RL.11-12.3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate
elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered,
how the characters are introduced and developed).
RL.11-12.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a
text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a
comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well
as its aesthetic impact.
RL.11-12.7 Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g., recorded or live
production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version
interprets the source text. (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play

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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

by an American dramatist.)
CCS Standards: Reading — Informational
None.
CCS Standards: Writing
W.11-12.1.d- Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts,
e* using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
argument presented.
W.11-12.2.a-f* Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas,
concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
a. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that
each new element builds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole;
include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and
multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.
f. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant
facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information
and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
g. Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of
the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas
and concepts.
h. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as
metaphor, simile, and analogy to manage the complexity of the topic.
i. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the
norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
j. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the
significance of the topic).
W.11-12.3.a, Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective
b, d technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
a. Engage and orient the reader by setting out a problem, situation, or observation
and its significance, establishing one or multiple point(s) of view, and introducing
a narrator and/or characters; create a smooth progression of experiences or
events.

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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

k. Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and

multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters
d. Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a
vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.
W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and
style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.11-12.9.a Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.
a. Apply grades 11–12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Demonstrate
knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational
works of American literature, including how two or more texts from the same
period treat similar themes or topics”).
CCS Standards: Speaking & Listening
SL.11-12.1.a, c, Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-
d one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 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.
c. Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe
reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic
or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote
divergent and creative perspectives.
l. Respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives; synthesize comments, claims, and
evidence made on all sides of an issue; resolve contradictions when possible; and
determine what additional information or research is required to deepen the
investigation or complete the task.
CCS Standards: Language

L.11-12.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage
when writing or speaking.

L.11-12.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization,

punctuation, and spelling when writing.

L.11-12.4.a Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and

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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range
of strategies.
a. Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s
position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

L.11-12.5.a Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances

in word meanings.
a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g., hyperbole, paradox) in context and analyze their
role in the text.

Note: Bold text indicates targeted standards that will be assessed in the unit.

*The assessed writing standard will depend upon the individual student’s selected prompt in the End-of-Unit Assessment.

Unit Assessments
Ongoing Assessment
Standards RL.11-12.2, RL.11-12.3, RL.11-12.5, RL.11-12.7
Assessed
Description of Students participate in reading and discussion, write informally in response to text-
Assessment based prompts, and participate in evidence-based discussions.

End-of-Unit Assessment
Standards CCRA.R.9, RL.11-12.2, W.11-12.1.d, e*, W.11-12.2.a-f*, L.11-12.1, L.11-12.2
Assessed *The assessed writing standard will depend upon the individual student’s selected prompt in the End-
of-Unit Assessment.
Description of Students craft a formal, multi-paragraph response to one of two prompts of their
Assessment choice. Each of the two options requires students to consider both the play A
Streetcar Named Desire and the poem “A Daily Joy to Be Alive” as they craft their
responses. The first option is an informative prompt: What does it mean to be “in
the ruins / of new beginnings” (lines 20–21) for the speaker in “A Daily Joy to Be
Alive” and a character from A Streetcar Named Desire? The second option is an
argument prompt: To what extent are individuals free to shape their own
identities? Use evidence from A Streetcar Named Desire and “A Daily Joy to Be
Alive” to support your argument.

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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

Unit-at-a-Glance Calendar
Lesson Text Learning Outcomes/Goals
1 A Streetcar Named Desire In this first lesson of the unit and module, students begin
by Tennessee Williams, their analysis of Tennessee Williams’s play A Streetcar
Scene One Named Desire. This lesson serves as an introduction to the
module in which students explore how various authors
develop the interrelated central ideas of identity, nostalgia,
home, and power. In this lesson, students read Scene One of
A Streetcar Named Desire as a whole class before analyzing
the relationship between setting and character.
2 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students read and analyze Scene Two of A
by Tennessee Williams, Streetcar Named Desire, focusing on the relationship
Scene Two between Stanley and Blanche and how it develops over the
course of the scene in relation to the loss of Belle Reve.
Students perform a dramatic reading together in small
groups before responding to questions.
3 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students read and analyze Scene Three of A
by Tennessee Williams, Streetcar Named Desire. In this scene, Mitch and Blanche get
Scene Three acquainted, and Stanley becomes angry during a game of
poker and becomes physically violent with Stella. Students
consider how each character exercises power in the scene,
and apply their analysis in an independently written response
at the beginning of the lesson. This response informs
students’ participation in a whole-class discussion that
follows.

4 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students read and analyze Scenes Four and
by Tennessee Williams, Five of A Streetcar Named Desire, in which Blanche and Stella
Scenes Four and Five discuss the violence of poker night, and Stanley hints at
unflattering details about Blanche’s former life in Laurel.
Student groups read the scenes aloud in a Dramatic Reading
and analyze how central ideas develop over the course of the
two scenes.

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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

Lesson Text Learning Outcomes/Goals

5 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students read and analyze Scene Six of A
by Tennessee Williams, Streetcar Named Desire, in which Blanche and Mitch return
Scene Six from their date. Students read the scene aloud in pairs, and
then independently identify three instances in this scene that
demonstrate the central ideas of power dynamics and
identity. Students use their notes and annotations to guide
small group discussions about what roles power dynamics
and identity play in Blanche’s interactions with Mitch.
6 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students read and analyze Scenes Seven and
by Tennessee Williams, Eight of A Streetcar Named Desire, in which Stanley informs
Scenes Seven and Eight Stella of the information he has gathered about Blanche’s life
in Laurel and presents Blanche with a bus ticket at her
birthday dinner. Students explore the development of
Stanley’s character through his interactions with Blanche and
Stella, and analyze his motivations for his treatment of
Blanche.
7 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students read and analyze Scene Nine of A
by Tennessee Williams, Streetcar Named Desire, in which Mitch arrives to confront
Scene Nine Blanche and makes advances toward her before she forces
him to leave. Students first engage in a whole-class
discussion of the ways in which the relationship between
Mitch and Blanche has changed between Scene Six and
Scene Nine. Students then participate in a jigsaw discussion
of how Blanche and Mitch attempt to exercise power in
Scene Nine and the extent to which each is successful in
doing so.
8 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students read and analyze Scene Ten of A
by Tennessee Williams, Streetcar Named Desire, in which Stanley and Blanche are
Scene Ten alone together in the apartment, and Stanley physically
assaults Blanche. Students discuss how Blanche and Stanley’s
interactions contribute to the development of their
respective characters and how their interactions further
develop and refine the play’s central ideas.

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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

Lesson Text Learning Outcomes/Goals

9 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students read and analyze Scene Eleven of A
by Tennessee Williams, Streetcar Named Desire, in which Stella and Stanley have
Scene Eleven arranged for Blanche to be sent to a state psychiatric
institution. Students work in small groups to answer four
guiding discussion questions about the excerpt, focusing on
character development and Williams’s choices about how to
end the play.

10 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students review and analyze A Streetcar
by Tennessee Williams Named Desire in its entirety. Students discuss the characters
and forces that contribute to Blanche’s desperate
predicament in Scene Eleven and engage in a Round Robin
discussion of the following prompt: What characters or
forces contribute to Blanche’s predicament in Scene Eleven?

11 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students consider their analysis of the entire
by Tennessee Williams and play A Streetcar Named Desire in relation to three film
the film A Streetcar Named segments from the 1951 film version of A Streetcar Named
Desire (1950) directed by Desire, directed by Elia Kazan. Students analyze the film,
Elia Kazan comparing the directorial choices to Tennessee Williams’s
play and identifying aspects that demonstrate a unique
interpretation by Kazan. As they view the film, students
record their observations on the A Streetcar Named Desire
Film Viewing Tool. Students use their observations as the
basis for a discussion of character development, setting, and
cinematic choices in the selected film segments.

12 A Streetcar Named Desire In this lesson, students view two additional segments from
by Tennessee Williams and Elia Kazan’s 1951 film version of A Streetcar Named Desire
the film A Streetcar Named and continue to record their observations on the A Streetcar
Desire (1950) directed by Named Desire Film Viewing Tool. Students continue to
Elia Kazan analyze the film, comparing the directorial choices to
Tennessee Williams’s play and identifying aspects that
demonstrate a unique interpretation by Kazan.

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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

Lesson Text Learning Outcomes/Goals

13 “A Daily Joy to Be Alive” by In this lesson, students read and analyze Jimmy Santiago
Jimmy Santiago Baca Baca’s poem “A Daily Joy to Be Alive.” Students read the
poem in its entirety and consider how the speaker describes
his dream of pursuing an ideal version of himself. Students
analyze the development of central ideas in the poem.

14 A Streetcar Named Desire In this final lesson of the unit, the 12.4.1 End-of-Unit
by Tennessee Williams and Assessment, students craft a formal, multi-paragraph
“A Daily Joy to Be Alive” by response to one of two prompts of their choice. The first
Jimmy Santiago Baca option is an informative prompt: What does it mean to be “in
the ruins / of new beginnings” (Baca lines 20–21) for the
speaker in “A Daily Joy to Be Alive” and a character from A
Streetcar Named Desire? The second option is an argument
prompt: To what extent are individuals free to shape their
own identities? Use evidence from A Streetcar Named Desire
and “A Daily Joy to Be Alive” to support your argument.

Preparation, Materials, and Resources

Preparation

 Read and annotate A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and “A Daily Joy to Be Alive” by
Jimmy Santiago Baca.
 View A Streetcar Named Desire film directed by Elia Kazan.
 Review the Short Response Rubric and Checklist (optional).
 Review the 12.4 Speaking and Listening Rubric and Checklist.
 Review the 12.4 Narrative Writing Rubric and Checklist.
 Review the 12.4.1 End-of-Unit Text Analysis Rubric and Checklist.
 Review all unit standards and post in classroom.

Materials and Resources

 Copies of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire (film excerpts)
directed by Elia Kazan, and “A Daily Joy to Be Alive” by Jimmy Santiago Baca
 Writing utensils including pencils, pens, markers, and highlighters
 Chart paper

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NYS Common Core ELA & Literacy Curriculum Grade 12 • Module 4 • Unit 1 Overview

 Methods for collecting student work: student notebooks, folders, etc.

 Access to technology (if possible): interactive whiteboard, document camera, LCD projector,
computers for individual students (for writing activities)
 Self-stick notes for students
 Copies of handouts and tools for each student: see materials list in individual lesson plans
 Copies of the Short Response Rubric and Checklist (optional)
 Copies of the 12.4 Speaking and Listening Rubric and Checklist
 Copies of the 12.4 Narrative Writing Rubric and Checklist
 Copies of the 12.4 Common Core Learning Standards Tool (optional)
 Copies of the 12.4.1 End-of-Unit Text Analysis Rubric and Checklist

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