Unit 3: Power through Race
Weeks 8-11 Calendar- Fall Semester (20 Days)
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Rationale
In our third unit, students will expand their definitions of power by examining the role that racial differences play. To achieve this, students will be reading To Kill A Mockingbird, accompanied by various poetry and music written by African Americans. We will also be reading a number of documents to understand this novel through its historical context. We will further examine social tolerance through this novel by continuing our discussion on stereotyping. Students will see how stereotyping leads to injustice through the novel in parallel with stereotyping they may face in their own lives. Students will also study character throughout the novel by tracking each character and how they evolve and change. These two areas of focus will be brought together in a mock trial as students' final assignment. Through the mock trial, students will be asked to anticipate how a designated character would respond to a morally trying scenario.
It is important for students to learn to make connections between texts. By reading poems, songs, and informational historical texts parallel with To Kill A Mockingbird, students will learn to develop connections between a diverse range of linked texts. "As they make intertextual connections, students can consider thematic relationships between different texts" (Beach, Thein, Webb, Teaching to Exceed the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards, 54). Reading connected texts will also give students multiple perspective on the same topic. These perspectives will help students better formulate an opinion of the topic they are learning. A large topic of this unit is characterization. Colorado State Standards RL.8.2, RL.8.3, and RL.8.6 all address elements of understanding character. Through the planned activities for this unit, students will be comfortable analyzing characters personality, transformations, and perspectives through textual evidence. Students will use their new found knowledge of character to assist them in their mock trial. The mock trial will not only assess students knowledge of character perspective, but will also give students insight into how the legal system functions. Applying this assessment to a real world situation will help give students "skills, knowledge, and confidence to...be well-informed and responcable citizens" (Colorado Academic Standards in Reading, Writing, and Communicating) I hope that this course will not only give students English-content specific instruction, but will also help prepare students to be active, informed citizens.
It is important for students to learn to make connections between texts. By reading poems, songs, and informational historical texts parallel with To Kill A Mockingbird, students will learn to develop connections between a diverse range of linked texts. "As they make intertextual connections, students can consider thematic relationships between different texts" (Beach, Thein, Webb, Teaching to Exceed the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards, 54). Reading connected texts will also give students multiple perspective on the same topic. These perspectives will help students better formulate an opinion of the topic they are learning. A large topic of this unit is characterization. Colorado State Standards RL.8.2, RL.8.3, and RL.8.6 all address elements of understanding character. Through the planned activities for this unit, students will be comfortable analyzing characters personality, transformations, and perspectives through textual evidence. Students will use their new found knowledge of character to assist them in their mock trial. The mock trial will not only assess students knowledge of character perspective, but will also give students insight into how the legal system functions. Applying this assessment to a real world situation will help give students "skills, knowledge, and confidence to...be well-informed and responcable citizens" (Colorado Academic Standards in Reading, Writing, and Communicating) I hope that this course will not only give students English-content specific instruction, but will also help prepare students to be active, informed citizens.
Goals
- Understand the role race plays in defining power
- Map characters throughout the course of the novel and visualize how they change
- Identify and explain connection between what students hear, read, and view and their personal ideas and beliefs
- Understand how a trial works and the roles needed for a successful trial
- Compare and contrast a movie to the novel in order to understand the effect of changes on how we understand a story.
Standards Addressed
- Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text. (CCSS: RL.8.2)
- Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. (CCSS: SL.8.1)
- Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.(CCSS: W.8.1)
- Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. (CCSS: RL.8.7)
Texts
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
Lawyer Atticus Finch defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic, Puliter Prize-winning novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white woman. Through the eyes of Atticus's children, Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unanswering honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930's. (Overview from BarnsandNoble.com)
Lawyer Atticus Finch defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic, Puliter Prize-winning novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white woman. Through the eyes of Atticus's children, Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unanswering honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930's. (Overview from BarnsandNoble.com)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Based on Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning book of 1961. Atticus Finch is a lawyer in a racially divided Alabama town in the 1930s. He agrees to defend a young black man who is accused of raping a white woman. Many of the townspeople try to get Atticus to pull out of the trial, but he decides to go ahead. How will the trial turn out - and will it change any of the racial tension in the town? (Overview from IMDb.com)
Based on Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning book of 1961. Atticus Finch is a lawyer in a racially divided Alabama town in the 1930s. He agrees to defend a young black man who is accused of raping a white woman. Many of the townspeople try to get Atticus to pull out of the trial, but he decides to go ahead. How will the trial turn out - and will it change any of the racial tension in the town? (Overview from IMDb.com)
Poems: "Black Misery" and "I too Sing America", by Langston Hughes, “I know why the caged bird sings”, by Maya Angelou, “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Music: "Strange Fruit", Billie Holiday
Readings: "Help! Is it Dr., Mrs., or Ms.?", by Cynthia Grosso, “The shocking story of approved killing in Mississippi”, Look Magazine, "The Scottsboro Boys Trials", UMKC School of Law
Music: "Strange Fruit", Billie Holiday
Readings: "Help! Is it Dr., Mrs., or Ms.?", by Cynthia Grosso, “The shocking story of approved killing in Mississippi”, Look Magazine, "The Scottsboro Boys Trials", UMKC School of Law
Activities and Assessments
Character Mapping
Students will be given a character chart when we begin reading the novel and asked to fill it out periodically while reading. This chart will help them keep track of all the characters and remember specific things about them. Near the end of the unit, students will complete the life-size character map activity. This activity will have students pick a character they identify with and pinpoint specific motives, emotions, relationships, desires, ect. of that specific character. In this activity, students will trace themselves on butcher paper and turn their outline into a character map, labeling according to handout sheet. The finished products will be displayed on classroom walls when they are complete.
Students will be given a character chart when we begin reading the novel and asked to fill it out periodically while reading. This chart will help them keep track of all the characters and remember specific things about them. Near the end of the unit, students will complete the life-size character map activity. This activity will have students pick a character they identify with and pinpoint specific motives, emotions, relationships, desires, ect. of that specific character. In this activity, students will trace themselves on butcher paper and turn their outline into a character map, labeling according to handout sheet. The finished products will be displayed on classroom walls when they are complete.
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Paper Bag Activity
Student will find newspaper/magazine clippings, small objects, or photographs to find things that symbolize aspects of their personalities. They will sort their items into two piles, aspects of themselves they share with other and aspects they keep to themselves. Using paper bags, students will put their internal objects inside the bag and glue their external objects to the outside of the bag. In class, students will share their collages, only if they are comfortable. After sharing the bags, we will discuss what prejudice is, how it occurs in society, in school, and in To Kill a Mockingbird. We will also discuss why prejudice occurs and how inward and outward qualities contribute to prejudices.
*Adapted from Unit plan by Chris Murphy, Brad Dingler, Lisa Yu
Students will be assessed on completion. They must have multiple images for both the inside and outside of their paper bags.
Urban Legends Activity
Students will create a character map of Boo Radley after completing a close reading on chapter one. We will work through the steps of creating a character map as a class, following step by step instructions. Students will create a drawing of how they picture Boo Radley and use quotes from the book to answer specific questions about his character (see Character Maps Activity for more detailed information). Discuss student drawings of Boo Radley, asking students why they choose to draw him in the way that they did. I will then present students with information on a few urban legends. Students will then be given a set of pictures showing different unique people. Each student will choose one photo to create an urban legend from. They should follow the format of the urban legends read in class while writing their own. Students will share their urban legends with the class. After they share we will discuss how urban legends form from stereotypes, drawing on our discussion from the previous unit. Finally, we will discuss how Boo Radley works as an urban legends in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Students will be graded on the completion of their character map, in adherence to the structure given in class. Their urban legends will be assessed on completion, adherence to the urban legends modeled in class. They must give a physical description, provide a location it is found in, and list some of its attributes.
Exploring Bird Allusions through Poetry
Students will begin by writing about the significance of the title of the novel in their journals. What does this story have to do with killing a mockingbird anyways? Next I will give a third of the class information about finches, a third information about mockingbirds, and a third information about robins. After learning about their specific bird. Students will then get into groups of three, one student who learned about each bird, and share out about the bird they read about. Students will fill out a tree chart graphic organizer showing how each of these types of birds are portrayed through in the text. After students discuss how bird allusions work in To Kill a Mockingbird, they will read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and "Sympathy". They will write a short (250 words) blog response to how how bird allusions work in one of these two poems using their graphic organizer.
*Adapted from Unit plan by Chris Murphy, Brad Dingler, Lisa Yu
Students will be assessed on their ability to work collaboratively and teach their peers. They will be assessed on the length of their blog response, their analysis of the poems, and their connection to To Kill A Mockingbird.
Power from Titles
In this activity, students will learn when to use honorific titles and what their use implies. They will begin by reading "Help! Is it Dr., Mrs., or Ms.?", by Cynthia Grosso. Ask students why people have titles. Give students a character list from To Kill a Mockingbird. Students will then provide the correct titles for each character and note a description of why each character has that title. Why do some characters have titles, while others do not? What is the significance of a person’s title? What are effects a person’s title?
*Adapted from Unit plan by Chris Murphy, Brad Dingler, Lisa Yu
This activity will be assessed on student's completion of the character list with correct titles and explanations.
Student will find newspaper/magazine clippings, small objects, or photographs to find things that symbolize aspects of their personalities. They will sort their items into two piles, aspects of themselves they share with other and aspects they keep to themselves. Using paper bags, students will put their internal objects inside the bag and glue their external objects to the outside of the bag. In class, students will share their collages, only if they are comfortable. After sharing the bags, we will discuss what prejudice is, how it occurs in society, in school, and in To Kill a Mockingbird. We will also discuss why prejudice occurs and how inward and outward qualities contribute to prejudices.
*Adapted from Unit plan by Chris Murphy, Brad Dingler, Lisa Yu
Students will be assessed on completion. They must have multiple images for both the inside and outside of their paper bags.
Urban Legends Activity
Students will create a character map of Boo Radley after completing a close reading on chapter one. We will work through the steps of creating a character map as a class, following step by step instructions. Students will create a drawing of how they picture Boo Radley and use quotes from the book to answer specific questions about his character (see Character Maps Activity for more detailed information). Discuss student drawings of Boo Radley, asking students why they choose to draw him in the way that they did. I will then present students with information on a few urban legends. Students will then be given a set of pictures showing different unique people. Each student will choose one photo to create an urban legend from. They should follow the format of the urban legends read in class while writing their own. Students will share their urban legends with the class. After they share we will discuss how urban legends form from stereotypes, drawing on our discussion from the previous unit. Finally, we will discuss how Boo Radley works as an urban legends in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Students will be graded on the completion of their character map, in adherence to the structure given in class. Their urban legends will be assessed on completion, adherence to the urban legends modeled in class. They must give a physical description, provide a location it is found in, and list some of its attributes.
Exploring Bird Allusions through Poetry
Students will begin by writing about the significance of the title of the novel in their journals. What does this story have to do with killing a mockingbird anyways? Next I will give a third of the class information about finches, a third information about mockingbirds, and a third information about robins. After learning about their specific bird. Students will then get into groups of three, one student who learned about each bird, and share out about the bird they read about. Students will fill out a tree chart graphic organizer showing how each of these types of birds are portrayed through in the text. After students discuss how bird allusions work in To Kill a Mockingbird, they will read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and "Sympathy". They will write a short (250 words) blog response to how how bird allusions work in one of these two poems using their graphic organizer.
*Adapted from Unit plan by Chris Murphy, Brad Dingler, Lisa Yu
Students will be assessed on their ability to work collaboratively and teach their peers. They will be assessed on the length of their blog response, their analysis of the poems, and their connection to To Kill A Mockingbird.
Power from Titles
In this activity, students will learn when to use honorific titles and what their use implies. They will begin by reading "Help! Is it Dr., Mrs., or Ms.?", by Cynthia Grosso. Ask students why people have titles. Give students a character list from To Kill a Mockingbird. Students will then provide the correct titles for each character and note a description of why each character has that title. Why do some characters have titles, while others do not? What is the significance of a person’s title? What are effects a person’s title?
*Adapted from Unit plan by Chris Murphy, Brad Dingler, Lisa Yu
This activity will be assessed on student's completion of the character list with correct titles and explanations.
character_list.docx | |
File Size: | 14 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Movie activity
While watching the movie, students will complete a double bubble map noting the similarities and differences between the movie and the novel. Students will write a short blog response (250 words) describing some of the changes made in the movie. Students should consider why the director would choose to make these changes and what effect those changes had on the story being told.
Students will be assessed on completion of their blog response. Responses must use information from student's thinking map and address why changes were made from the book to the film.
While watching the movie, students will complete a double bubble map noting the similarities and differences between the movie and the novel. Students will write a short blog response (250 words) describing some of the changes made in the movie. Students should consider why the director would choose to make these changes and what effect those changes had on the story being told.
Students will be assessed on completion of their blog response. Responses must use information from student's thinking map and address why changes were made from the book to the film.
Culminating Assignment and Assessment
Mock Trial
For our culminating project, students will participate in a mock trial in which they will each represent a specific character from To Kill A Mockingbird. Students will begin by researching the Scottsboro Boys Trials. We will then discuss the necessary roles in a trial and how a trial would be run. The class will then be split into two groups, to participate in two different trials. Each student in each group will be given a role for the trial, such as prosecutor, witness, defendant, ect. They will then be given a character, such as Atticus, Tom Robinson, Mr. Heck Tate, ect. Finally, students will be given a case for their group of characters. Students will have to study their character and their role in the trial to prepare for the mock trial day. How would their character play their role in the trial? How would they reacted to being questioned as a witness? What questions would they ask as a lawyer? On the day of the trial the first group of students will run their trial and the second group would act as the jury. The groups will then switch, with the second group running their trial and the first group acting as the jury. We would also have a local or retired judge come to or classroom that day to make sure that students obey court rules and to help students reach a verdict.
The mock trial will be graded on students' knowledge of court proceedings and roles, students' knowledge and portrayal of their character, and on their assessment of the trial as a juror. Each student must have a solid understanding of how their role in court functions and carry out their duties are as that position. They will also be graded on how well they portray their assigned character. They should use their character maps as a guide for how they react in the mock court as their character. Do they answer questions in the way that their character would? Do they ask questions their character would? Do the act how their character would be expected to given the information from their character maps? Finally, students will be assessed on their responses as jurors. While playing the jury, students must decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty and then list three reasons presented in their trial to support their decision. They must also list why they were persuaded in the way that they were. Students will be graded on having completed all three above requirements in their juror reports.
*This culminating assignment will require students to draw on knowledge gain throughout the semester. They must use the information they have collected on characters to portray their designated character. Students must also draw on their knowledge of the historical time period to understand how a court trial would progress for To Kill A Mockingbird.
For our culminating project, students will participate in a mock trial in which they will each represent a specific character from To Kill A Mockingbird. Students will begin by researching the Scottsboro Boys Trials. We will then discuss the necessary roles in a trial and how a trial would be run. The class will then be split into two groups, to participate in two different trials. Each student in each group will be given a role for the trial, such as prosecutor, witness, defendant, ect. They will then be given a character, such as Atticus, Tom Robinson, Mr. Heck Tate, ect. Finally, students will be given a case for their group of characters. Students will have to study their character and their role in the trial to prepare for the mock trial day. How would their character play their role in the trial? How would they reacted to being questioned as a witness? What questions would they ask as a lawyer? On the day of the trial the first group of students will run their trial and the second group would act as the jury. The groups will then switch, with the second group running their trial and the first group acting as the jury. We would also have a local or retired judge come to or classroom that day to make sure that students obey court rules and to help students reach a verdict.
The mock trial will be graded on students' knowledge of court proceedings and roles, students' knowledge and portrayal of their character, and on their assessment of the trial as a juror. Each student must have a solid understanding of how their role in court functions and carry out their duties are as that position. They will also be graded on how well they portray their assigned character. They should use their character maps as a guide for how they react in the mock court as their character. Do they answer questions in the way that their character would? Do they ask questions their character would? Do the act how their character would be expected to given the information from their character maps? Finally, students will be assessed on their responses as jurors. While playing the jury, students must decide if the defendant is guilty or not guilty and then list three reasons presented in their trial to support their decision. They must also list why they were persuaded in the way that they were. Students will be graded on having completed all three above requirements in their juror reports.
*This culminating assignment will require students to draw on knowledge gain throughout the semester. They must use the information they have collected on characters to portray their designated character. Students must also draw on their knowledge of the historical time period to understand how a court trial would progress for To Kill A Mockingbird.