|Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute||Home| This curriculum unit
is designed for high school students to read, write and discuss
voice by reading Latina and female African American literature.
Voice is a literary device used by authors to convey a
particular mood or tone in his/her writing. The tone and mood
are created by word choice and fluency; elements that make
writing such a deliberate and precise act. This unit uses the
writing of Sandra Cisneros, Julia Alvarez, Nikki Giovanni and
Ntozake Shange and asks students to identify elements of voice
in each of the writer's work. Students will also write personal
vignettes, poems and responses using the selected pieces as
models. The goal of the unit is to have students recognize voice
and the techniques writers use to create their voice and
message. Students will produce a portfolio of their best work
based on their understanding of voice and the writers.
(Recommended for English and Language Arts, grades 11-12.)