1

The Ballad of Jack Smith

Bloom S. Burg Literature for Young Adults Dr. Michael Sherry Spring 2013

Technology Support S, 5/16/13 1:46 PM

Comment [1]: J

Table of Contents Part 1: Learning about a Student 4. Introductory Letter 5. Artifact 1: Student Observation 6. Student Observation Analysis 7. Artifact 2:Student Interview 8. Student Interview Analysis 10. Artifact 3: Teacher Interview and Analysis 12. Artifact 4: Science Teacher Interview and Analysis 13. Artifact 5:Example of Student Work 17. Example of Student Work Analysis Part 2: Designing Instruction 19. Rationale 20. Lesson plans 27. Civil rights worksheet (part of lesson #2) 30. References

Part 1: Learning about a Student

Introductory Letter

I was given the invaluable opportunity to join and watch a classroom over almost an entire semester with this INSIDER project. I was able to gain firsthand exposure for the first time since completing my teacher observation packet. I was able to get a more in-depth look at the classroom with a teacher (Mrs. Stevens) that I did not previously know in a school district (Silent Pines High) that I was also not familiar with. I ended up going to one of Mrs. Stevenss 12th grade classroom once a week for about two months. I ended up observing a student by the name of Jack. Although I picked him due to his engagement in class, I ended up finding out that he was a very diverse young man; he was homeschooled until 8th grade and had recently came out as homosexual. As an individual student, Jack made it clear that he did not like to read. Still, however, he enjoyed English class, looked forward to it, and always seemed engaged. For that reason, I wanted to make my lesson plans activity-based rather than textually-based. My overall approach would be to hold the students interests in a flexible way that has students actively participating. I want them to be engaged while reading about people from the past who they may feel are not relatable. Though I want to cater to Jack, its clear that an English class requires reading, and I feel like Jack would benefit from reading due to the fact that he planned on going to college. For that reason, I did incorporate a text into the lesson plans.

Artifact 1: Observation of Jack in Mrs. Stevens classroom

5 Time 11:23 Observation

Jack is sitting in the middle of the room towards the front.

Interpretation
Jacks choice of seat might reflect his interest in the class; I noticed that students who seemed less engaged and more inclined to talk to each other sat towards the back or the side of the class.

11:25 11:26

The teacher sits on a stool in front of the class, and they begin going over a chapter review sheet for Lord of the Flies. Jack raised his hand to answer the first question on the review sheet, but Mrs. Stevens instead opts to randomly pick on students. A few questions later, I notice Jack erasing a part of his sheet and writing another answer in. The teacher asks Jack to answer a follow-up question, and he answers correctly. After a few more follow-up questions, Jack raised his hand when the class got to the next main question of the review sheet. The teacher, however, picked a different student. Jack once again raised his hand to answer one of the main review sheet questions, though he wasnt picked to answer it. By this point there have been two more questions asked. Jack rose his hand for each of them but was not chosen by Mrs. Stevens. Jack seemed to be familiar with the material very early on, and he may have had confidence when wanting to answer the first question. Jack may have had a question wrong and was quick to correct it; it seems he is paying attention to the review session. Jack thoughtfully responded to the teacher and knew the correct answer about the text. Jacks confidence may have been high towards this point, as he began raising his hand more frequently

11:28

11:32 11:35 11:38 11:43

I feel that Mrs. Stevens was confident in Jacks abilities, as well as the abilities of a few of the other students who constantly have been raising their hands. She instead opts to ask questions to students who may not be paying as much attention.

11:49 11:53 11:54 11:59 12:04

Mrs. Stevens selects Jack to answer a question, though his initial answer wasnt as thorough as Mrs. Stevens was looking for. She instead asks another student to clarify the answer. Mrs. Stevens concluded the lesson and told the students to read for the last ten minutes of class. Jack began reading his book, much like the majority of the other students Jack still is reading diligently while other students have put their heads on their desks, put their books away, or began talking to other students Jack got out of his seat and started waiting by the door for the bell to ring, and he waited there for about two minutes before the bell rang and he was excused. Two other students also starting lining up to leave.

The class seems to respect Mrs. Stevens, and Jack is using the free reading time to his advantage

Though he gave most of the time to reading, jack also eventually lost interest in the lesson.

Analysis

Jack was one of the two students that caught my attention during my initial observation. Though he wasnt my first choice of students to observe, Mrs. Stevens suggested him. He was seemed to be engaged throughout the entire discussion of Lord of the Flies, and he seemed to really enjoy the class. Unlike many of the other students, I didnt notice Jack talking to other students during the classroom; he was very quiet and reserved when it came to socializing with the other students in the class. I didnt know if this was because he wasnt friends with many other students or perhaps because he was involved with the lesson. He clearly was eager to answer questions from the review sheet, and it really seemed like he wanted to let his voice be heard by the class. As a teacher, I feel like I would greatly appreciate students like him who are not only familiar with the texts, but also are willing to talk about them. Interestingly, Jack clearly seemed to have read and understood the book even though he claimed in his interview that he didnt like to read. This shows that Jack is willing to do school work even though he doesnt enjoy it, and I feel as if that is a testament to his maturity that each of his teachers give him. He clearly comprehended and had familiarity, showing that his reading skills are respectable. Though he used most of the free-reading time, his interest in the novel tapered off by the end of the class. As a teacher, I ideally would plan on having the entire class period timed appropriately in order to make sure the class doesnt have time that is off-topic. I realize that this is an idealistic viewpoint that is simply going to vary between classes, days, and school years.

Artifact 2: Student Interview with Jack Smith I was homeschooled up until my 8th grade year, so as far as literary resources go, I had many books at my dispense as a child. I had English books, math books, science books, really all the types of books that you would find in a normal public school. I did not enjoy reading and tried to avoid it as much as possible even though the class I do the best in is English. I told myself I would only read if it was needed for my education and never for my free time. I cant say that I talk any differently at school than I do at home. Im still the same respectful person I am at home that I am at school. I make sure I never sound like I am from this area; I make sure I speak with intelligence and thought. If I do have a word exclusive to this area slip out, I stop, and immediately correct myself. English class has not always been the easiest class for me in my first years of high school, but as I grew older and started grasping the ideas I was learning and actually really started looking forward to that class. I do not enjoy [reading] at all, but I will read it if its for the betterment of my education, absolutely. I would say that being asked to read over being assigned material, like a project, is much different. Id rather work on a project more than read a book. I do not enjoy reading not even if it is assigned for educational purposes but I am much more willing to do so if it is. I do watch TV and play video games but those two things I rarely watch or play for long periods of time, and rarely with others. As far as social media goes I think these days everyone is involved in it, and if you think about it, everyone is participating in doing so together. I worked my way up from a small position [in the TV Production Club] to being the Senior Director and Producer of the show every morning. After high school I plan to attend Temple Universitys main campus in Philadelphia and pursue a major in Media Studies & Production. Afterwards, I plan on working in radio, but even further down the road working for a record label and help progress the music industry.

Analysis: The interview with Jack went really well, and he was extremely willing to answer my questions thoroughly. The first thing that really caught my eye was his answer to my question about linguistics; Jack was very adamant about not wanting to sound like his was from his local, rural Pennsylvania region. He also clearly sought to be respectful both at school and at home. This coincides with each of the teacher interviews which described him as mature. The fact that he was homeschooled may lend itself to his eloquence in speaking; he may not have had as much social exposure to the local dialects of the region. I feel that I would try, as a teacher, to be welcoming for many local dialects. I know that I personally have certain regional words and pronunciations, and they would naturally be noticeable when I speak in class. As a role model, I could show Jack that dialect is not an indicator of intelligence or education. When it comes to setting guidelines for writing and in-class speeches, I would be open to allowing students to use their own local varieties. Im glad that Jack enjoys speaking with maturity, but it is most definitely a misconception when people think that proper equates to intelligence. The only thing that Jack was more adamant about than not wanting to sound like he was from his region was the fact that he did not enjoy reading. As a prospective English teacher, I felt bad hearing that this young man had such a great dislike for reading. It seems like a simple fact that a lot of students dont like to read, and although its important to cater to individual student desires, it does not seem possible or even plausible to have an English classroom with no reading. He also looks forward to English class, which further seems like a kind of paradox. Although he does best in English class, he still does not like to read. He said that he would rather work on a project than read a book, so he most likely would enjoy hands-on projects such as web quests, posters, and papers instead of just reading. I dont think that his aversion to reading is necessarily an aversion to work, as he shows a willingness to participate in school due to the fact that he has such a prominent role in the TV club. His essay was also well-written and received a good grade, and he clearly has aspirations to go to college and become successful. Jacks homeschooling definitely equated in a surplus of literary sponsors. It seems his parents or guardians had many books on hand and encouraged him to learn. By not having a gap between his childhood home life and his childhood schooling, I feel that Jack may have developed his dislike for reading. He did consume other sorts of media, such as television and
Technology Support S, 5/16/13 1:50 PM
Comment [3]: APPLICATION/CONNECTIONS :0

Technology Support S, 5/16/13 1:50 PM

Comment [2]: J

video games (though alone and in small amounts, and he seemed to be interested in social media with his friends.

10

Artifact 3: Teacher Interview with Mrs. Stevens (English) Jack's vocabulary both verbal and written is college appropriate. We discuss books he has read and liked, his senior courses include an advanced math class and physics. So, reading is a given. Jack's English grade has improved by a 12% margin over the school year. As his confidence and understanding of analysis rose, class discussions, written assignments, and test scores followed. When participating in group work, he takes whatever role is necessary for the success of the group. If negatively confronted by folks in a group, he will shut down. this makes group work a challenge for me! Jack is very comfortable with himself. This year he openly came out and his classmates readily accepted his life choices. But, because of these life choices, Jack surrounds himself with a group of very solid friends who all rank in the top 10% of the class. Jack is very mature for his age and suffered a bit of bullying from other students. These factors make him much more empathic towards those who are afflicted by negative circumstances. This maturity is reflected within his writing and speaking. Jack devoted much of his personal time to help make our schools first Empty Bowl fundraiser a success. He created the ad for our school's TV station, sold tickets, and helped man the kitchen the day of the event. He is also senior director of our school's TV studio and news broadcast. Analysis: I felt that my interview with Mrs. Stevens went very well, and she was able to help me grasp a fuller picture of Jack and his character. I had no idea that Jack was homosexual when I first chose and observed him. From a linguistic aspect, Mrs. Stevens comments on his strong vocabulary, as well as his maturity that manifests itself in his writing and speaking. Once again it seems that Jack tries to do his best to sound mature and educated whenever possible. As an English teacher, I would most likely value his willingness to use prescriptively proper grammar during discussion and writing. Having him speak in class might even set a positive example for how students are to professionally speak and act. Despite his disdain for reading that he told me about, Mrs. Stevens sees Jack as a strong reader and a hard worker. She commented on his activism with the fundraiser and his increase in comfort when it comes to topics pertaining to the English class. The close friend group that Mrs. Stevens mentions seems

11

to be a group of encouraging sponsors when it comes to classroom performance. She did mention, however, that he will shut down if he is ever confronted negatively during group work. There also might be a problem with bullying in the classroom; as a gay student, Jack may be a target. I feel like teaching literature that tackles topics such as bullying and stereotyping would be beneficial for the class.

12

Artifact 4: Interview with Mr. Ryder (Science teacher) Jack pays attention and asks questions on a daily basis. I believe he tries hard and studies to prepare for tests. I believe he is an individual and does what he thinks is right. Jack has better speaking skills than most of his peers and does not use local slang from the region. When asked if he was familiar about Jacks involvement in communities or groups, Mr. Ryder said No, I know he works as a chef at [a local restaurant]. Analysis: My interview with Mr. Ryder wasnt as thorough or as in-depth as the interview with Mrs. Stevens or Jack, but I was able to procure more examples about the kind of student Jack is. It helped me complete the picture of his character, so to speak, and provided me with more of a background of who Jack is as a student and as an individual. Jacks performance in both of these classes seems to be strong; he is engaged in class and apparently prepares for tests, showing that he has grasped basic skills related to reading, studying, and being a student. It wasnt until this interview that realized that Jack worked at a restaurant (it hadnt come up during my interview with Jack or Mrs. Stevens). Mr. Ryders description of Jack further shows that he does not like to use slang terms of local region; Mr. Ryder goes as far to say that his speaking skills are better than most of his peers. Though Jack said that he looked forward most to English class, it seems that he cares about his science class because of the fact that he is engaged in class and seems to try hard and study. His view of Jack as an individual shows that Jack is perhaps not influenced by his peers to the extent of some other students. His sponsors of literacy in this case may be intrinsic. Combined with the peer group mentioned by Mrs. Stevens, Jacks motivation in the classroom seems to come from a varied amount of sources.

13

Artifact 5: Example of student work (paper)

14

15

16

17

Analysis: This piece of writing not only received a grade in the A range, but it is professionally written and utilizes quotes from multiple sources. One thing I noticed about the citation paper of Jack's is the fact that all of his sources were from the internet. This may be due to the ease of online sources or perhaps due to a lack of exposure to nonfiction texts at this point in education. From personal experience, I remember that I wrote the majority of my high school paper with internet sources when there were no hard-copy text requirements. There is an unneeded comma when he said "known as, Montpelier" as well as an unneeded comma towards the bottom of the first page when listing the quote. He uses another comma at the bottom of the second page that is unnecessary. Ive noticed that comma usage is something that plagues writers even at the college level, and it seems that Jack may be overcorrecting with his use of commas. The teacher also noted three times when he didn't use a capital letter on the second page and once again notes the lack of capitalization of "revolutionary war" on the third page. On this third page, he correctly capitalized "Continental Congress," which was one of the capitalization errors he made on the second page. The sentence at the bottom of page one omits a subject and uses the present tense, which is inconsistent with the rest of the paper. These errors are all relatively minor in nature, and its clear that Jack knows how to articulate himself. He clearly makes the argument in his paper successfully, and the conventions errors are relatively minimal. I found his somewhat satirical comment about Samuel Adams being more than "the alcoholic beverage" to be interesting; he shows self-awareness about an important American icon and how his name power has perhaps been skewed. He does show an appreciation for Adams hard work and dedication towards his goals, however. I compared his comment about Sam Adams beer to his ideas about not wanting to sound like he is from his local region and how he might see himself as different from the average high school student, or even the average American.
Technology Support S, 5/17/13 3:51 AM
Comment [4]: J

18

Part 2: Designing Instruction

19

Rationale: Jack is a hardworking senior in high school in a rural, predominantly white school. By observing texts about a truly American figure, Jack and his classroom might be able to relate to the problem relating to prejudice and stereotyping. Linguistically, I feel that holding an oral presentation during the lessons would help Jack become comfortable with listening to his peers as they speak from their local dialects. For this reason, Ive chose to downplay the importance of proper grammar and spelling; these lessons encourage comprehension and thoughts about society. When considering my choice of topic and text for my lesson plans, I decided to go with the story of Jackie Robinson. Many of the texts in my young adult literature class dealt with stereotyping and prejudice. I observed Jacks class as they studied units of Lord of the Flies as well as the Holocaust; each of these units seemed to teach great lessons about the power of groups and their possible influences and abuses of power. My idea for a series of classes on Jackie Robinson could be seen as an extension of what these students were doing in class. I feel that by focusing on the plight of African Americans in sports the students could ideally see that the plight of gay rights parallels the civil rights movement of the mid 20th Century. This, in theory, could lead the students to see Jack as more of an equal. I contemplated using a text that overtly deals with homosexual, but I felt that such a text may have been uncomfortable to Jack and could have singled him out. My more subtle approach is less confrontation and perhaps more understandable to the other students.

20

Big Question: In what ways has the idea of Liberty and Justice for all been questioned in modern American times?

Lesson 1: Introduction to Jackie Robinson Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 1112 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1d 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.

1.1.12.D: Demonstrate comprehension / understanding before reading, during reading, and after reading on a variety of grade level texts to support understanding of a variety of literary works from different cultures and literary movements. 1.6.12.A: Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group situations. 1.5.12.F: Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and editing. Spell all words correctly. Use capital letters correctly. Punctuate correctly Use correct grammar and sentence formation. 1.6.12.A: Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group situations. Respond with grade level appropriate questions, ideas, information or opinions. Objectives: 1. Students will be able to thoughtfully respond to a given prompt in order to demonstrate comprehension skills. 2. Students will actively think about modern civil rights problems in the United States in order to make realizations about their awareness of social surroundings. Materials:

Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM

Comment [5]: This lesson is a before reading part of the lesson, and Im assuming the Jackie Robinson book to be a continuation of texts such as Lord of the Flies and the unit on the Holocaust that I saw Jacks class studying.

21

Writing journals Notebook paper Teachers computer and projector 20 copies of What I Learned from Jackie Robinson Activities: 1. (5 minutes) Students will commit a pre-writing activity that sees them respond in their personal classroom writing journal to a prompt written on the board. The prompt will read Were you ever the victim of stereotyping? How did it make you feel? 2. (5 minutes) Students will watch a mini biography video about Jackie Robinson (located at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILIA20AqA5I ) 3. (15 minutes) Students will answer the following questions on a separate sheet of notebook paper: A. Why do you think Robinson was originally shunned by his fans and teammates? B. Do you think it was a good decision for Robinson to turn the other cheek when faced with racial insults and threats? What would you have done in a similar situation C. Are there still racial barriers in America? What are some examples that you have noticed in our society? 4. (15 minutes) The teacher will then begin a class-wide discussion. Each question will be discussed for about 5 minutes, and participation will be optional. 5. (5 minutes) Students will individually be assigned chapters from What I Learned from Jackie Robinson (Erskine and Rocks), and they will be informed that they are to chose the most important quote in their chapter and talk about it for about 1-2 minutes, two class periods from the current day. 6. Students will hand in their answers to the questions at the end of class. They will be informed that there are doing a civil rights internet worksheet tomorrow in class, and that there are two days before the students will be asked to present a quote from their assigned chapter of the text.
Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM
Comment [8]: Jacks teacher mentioned that he will shut down if he receives negative criticism in his group. For this reason I think an individual project would be good for him. I also noticed in class that Jack raised his hand a lot; I think he is very eager and willing to speak in front of class and to share his knowledge. His work artifact was a paper that was well-written and earned a 95%. There are 14 chapters in the book, and I am assuming the class to consist of about 20 students. Each student will get their own chapter, and six students will be tasked to do a repeat of a chapter.

Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM

Comment [6]: I intend to have the journal entries be personal and only to evoke thought as a kind of bell-ringer activity. Jack and the rest of the students are able to be as personal as they want to be. I do realize that there is less responsibility if they dont share the work, though I would attempt to circulate the room and make sure the students are at least writing something.

Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM

Comment [7]: My reasoning for choosing Jackie Robinson as an example for the classroom is because it wouldnt seem obvious that I was catering to Jacks homosexuality. I feel that there are comparisons that all of the children can learn about equality when viewing a minority group that is perhaps no longer in the spotlight of civil rights discussions.

Technology Support S, 5/17/13 3:58 AM

Comment [9]: J Or maybe everyone does two, and the whole class could do four together as practice?

22

Assessments: 1. The three questions will be graded by a checklist for completion. Each response is supposed to be: -On-topic -Thoughtfully and adequately answers question
Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM
Comment [10]: While this description is subjective, I feel that it would be better to leave things open to interpretation rather than having arbitrary guidelines for length and grammar that might restrict creative writing and thought.

Technology Support S, 5/17/13 3:57 AM

Lesson 2: Civil Rights Internet Worksheet Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 13 above.)

Comment [11]: Agreed. Now, how might you help students understand how to do this? SCAFFOLDING

Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM

Comment [12]: The idea behind this day in the short unit is to get a background for civil rights in the United States. A project like this may be more engaging for a student like Jack, who said he much rather liked to do projects rather than read.

1.1.12.D: Demonstrate comprehension / understanding before reading, during reading, and after reading on a variety of grade level texts to support understanding of a variety of literary works from different cultures and literary movements. 1.5.12.F: Use grade appropriate conventions of language when writing and editing. Spell all words correctly. Use capital letters correctly. Punctuate correctly Use correct grammar and sentence formation. Objectives: 1. Students will be able to thoughtfully respond to a given prompt in order to demonstrate comprehension skills. 2. Students will actively think about modern civil rights problems in the United States in order to make realizations about their awareness of social surroundings. 3. Students will demonstrate the ability to extract knowledge from web-based sources in order to provide thoughtful answers to given questions.

23

Materials: Writing journals Notebook paper Mobile computer lab Civil Rights worksheets (attached to back) Activities: 1. (5 minutes) Students will commit a pre-writing activity that sees them respond in their personal classroom writing journal to a prompt written on the board: Is liberty and justice for all a true statement? What evidence can you provide for your answer? What groups still have unequal rights in the country? 2. (5 minutes) The teacher will distribute the civil rights worksheets and students will be told to get computers row by row 3. (30 minutes) Students will be given the majority of the class time to thoroughly read and fill out answers to their worksheets. 4. (5 minutes) Students will be told to start shutting off their computers. Those who didnt finish their worksheets will be told to finish them for homework; they are to be handed in first thing at the beginning of the next class. Students will also be reminded that their presentations will occur over the next two days. Assessments: 1. Each students worksheet will be graded for completion Each of the nine responses is worth one point, and the responses must be -At least one complete sentence in length per individual question -Correctly and adequately answers question -Written with minimal spelling and grammatical errors
Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM
Comment [15]: I remember from personal experience, that high school students took projects more seriously if they were for a grade- by grading their internet worksheets, I would have a bit of insurance that they would answer their questions thoughtfully and properly.

Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM

Comment [13]: Mrs. Stevens classroom had a small lab of tablet PCs in the back of the room. While I understand not all classrooms and districts have this luxury, my worksheet could also be planned in advance to be done at a computer lab.

Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM

Comment [14]: This is another entry for the writing journal, and it is open-ended and subjective in nature.

Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM

Comment [16]: Most of the work in this lesson sequence has been opinionated so far. This worksheet, however, sets a limit on what is right or wrong. Students, in my opinion, should answer a few right-or-wrong questions, like they would in a math or science class, in combination with logical opinionated analysis.

24

Lesson 3: Presentations Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 1112 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1a 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. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1d 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.

1.1.12.D: Demonstrate comprehension / understanding before reading, during reading, and after reading on a variety of grade level texts to support understanding of a variety of literary works from different cultures and literary movements. 1.6.12.A: Listen critically and respond to others in small and large group situations. Respond with grade level appropriate questions, ideas, information or opinions. 1.6.12.B: Demonstrate awareness of audience using appropriate volume and clarity in formal presentations. Objectives: 1. Students will attentively listen to each others summaries pertaining to their assigned reading pieces in order to grasp an overall understanding of the text. 2. Students will give a 1-2 minute presentation in order to demonstrate familiarity with assigned reading and in order to be engaged in class.

25

3. Students will actively think about modern civil rights problems in the United States in order to make realizations about their awareness of social surroundings.

Materials: Writing journals Notebook paper Prompt sheet for homework

Activities: 1. (3 minutes) Students will have a Think-Pair-Share activity in which they talk about what passage/quote they chose and why. 2. (about 40 minutes) Students will then present the quotes/passages each of their individual chapters verbally at the front of the room. Students will be allowed to bring a sheet of paper with them as a guide for their short talk. All responses should be a minimum of one minute and a maximum of two minutes. After each question, I will open up the class for 1-2 minutes of discussion about the choice of quote that the student just presented, allowing any student to comment on the analysis that was just given. 3. (about 1 minutes) Students will be given a prompt for homework that they must write a thoughtful, one paragraph essay that is due the next day in class. This prompt will read Weve seen and read about the struggles of African Americans over the past couple of days. Compare the plight of African Americans to that of another racial or minority group. Does that group have equal rights to the majority? What kind of adversity have they faced?

Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM

Comment [17]: This activity will get the students ready to discuss their passage to the rest of the class

Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM

Comment [18]: Jack, when I observed him, really seemed to enjoy sharing his answers and opinions with the class. For this reason, I think that short oral presentations would be something he would enjoy. By having everyone present, it would be able to let everyone in the classs voice be heard, even if they were shy students.

Laptop 5/8/13 1:29 PM

Comment [19]: If the class runs out of time (and hopefully it would if there are long, thoughtful discussions), then I would have the rest of the students discuss their passages the next day.

Assessment 1. I will grade each students individual summary with a checklist Each of their short presentation should be is supposed to be: -At least one minute in length
Laptop 5/8/13 1:21 PM
Comment [20]: The summarization is going to be relatively subjective. I would just want to make sure that the students actively read and comprehended what they read. By sharing the contents of their individual chapter with the other students,

26

-On-topic -Thoughtfully and adequately answers question

27

Mr. Wagner

12th Grade Academic English

Civil Rights worksheet

Name:_______________________________ Period:_________ Using complete sentences, please answer the following question to the best of your ability Plessy vs. Ferguson: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/antebellum/landmark_plessy.html Who was Homer Plessy, and what did he do to get arrested? When did the trial of Plessy vs. Ferguson take place?

What is meant by the "separate but equal" doctrine established by this case?

What were some of the implications for non-white people after this case was ruled?

28

Brown vs. Board of Education http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/rights/landmark_brown.html What was Brown vs. the Board of Education? What year did it take place?

What are some of the tenants of the Fourteenth Amendment?

Technology Support S, 5/17/13 4:01 AM

Comment [21]:

In what ways do you think that this court case changed education today?

29

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/cor/coord/titlevi.php What did this act entail?

What are the consequences if a recipient of federal funding breaks the laws of this act?

Was this the true end of discrimination in our country? What are some post-1964 examples of discrimination and/or racism in the United States that you are familiar with?

30

References: Common core state standards initiative. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELALiteracy/W/11-12

Erskine, C., & Rocks, B. (2005). What i learned from Jackie Robinson. New York: McGrawHill.

Standards aligned system. Pennsylvania Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.pdesas.org/

RIFF/IN SIDER Bloom S. Burg W hat I learned from Jackie Robinson In w hat w ays has the idea of Liberty and Justice for all been questioned in m odern A m erican tim es?
Assignment Checklist: Introduction, artifacts/analyses, instructional sequence 5 artifacts Observation Interview (student) Interview (teacher) Interview (other) Student work Artifact analyses Linguistic analysis Reading strategies analysis Literacy analysis Connections to other artifacts Instructional Sequence Rationale/Big Q Assignment 3+ Lessons o Objectives o Materials o Activities o Assessment(s) Annotations relating planning to artifacts

Criterion

4.0 X X

3.0

2.0 1.0

Process/Conventions (10%) Completes all parts fully and on-time Application (30%) Applies knowledge of language variation, reading strategies, and students out-of-school literacy practices to artifact analyses and plans/annotations Relevance (15%) Relates insights from artifact analyses to plans/annotations

Alignment (15%) Connects objectives to assessments and Big Question/Rationale X

31 Scaffolding (15%) Builds logically from activities to assessments for learners Diversity (15%) Addresses various backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles X X

3.85 Bloom, thanks for your good work on this compelling lesson sequence. I like how youve annotated your plans to explain how your case study informed your planning. Your Rationale also provides a clear explanation of why the purpose of this lesson sequence matters and how the text/focus might benefit your student(s). I love your Big Question--both provocative and trenchant for the text and your students needs and interests. I like that youve included a variety of writing/groupwork activities for your audience that both appeal to Jacks interests and strengths (e.g., speaking, position writing) and also scaffold more serious engagement with the text and the Big Question (such as comparing civil rights then and now). In terms of genre, the connections between the objectives and the assessments/Big Question in your plans are clear, and I also have a clear sense of how youve connected these three lessons to each other closely. How might you use the journaling to build toward making it possible for students to complete the assessment and understand your thoughtful and adequate criteria for the chapter/passage interpretations? Thanks for your engagement in learning to adapt your instruction to students choices! Great work! J