11.19.07 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Chapter 1

Title: Defining Injustice: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Chapter 1

Author: M. Hill

Subject: ELA

Grade: 6

Week: 11.19

Unit/Lesson Plan #:

Unit theme: Identity in Interaction, Diversity

Textbook references: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Learning objectives:

- To respond critically to/analyze a shared text

- To understand perspective in relationship to characters in a text

- To analyze historical fiction in terms of the deeper social implications of a text

Key Questions, Concepts, or Themes:

- From what perspective is the story being told? How does perspective influence our understanding of events?

- What conclusions might we draw about the time period, characters, plot, etc.?
- How does formulating questions help us to better understand the text?

- What parts of the text did we find offensive? How does this shape our views of the text and the social climate of the time period portrayed?

Stage 1:

Warm-up: (in ELA journal) Imagine you are one of the children introduced in chapter 1 (Cassie, Little Man, Christopher John, Stacey, Jeremy, Claude, or T.J.). Write a poem from that character's point of view expressing your views about your walk to school.

Stage 2:

Share & discuss class poems from various character's perspectives.

Discussion points:

- Perspective: From what perspective is the story being told? How does this influence the telling of the story? (give a description of the first day of school (especially the clothing issue!) from the perspective of Mary Lou Wellever, in contrast to Cassie's description on p. 11).

- How does perspective shape our understanding of the social climate of the text?

- Injustice in the text - what examples of injustice do you see in the text? [Look at and closely analyze passages that students bring up].

Stage 3:

- Predictions: what are they, and how do we make them?

Homework: Attached

Assessments: (attach/link copies)

_x_ Group assessment

__ Observation of process/student work

__ Self-assessment by student

_x_ Teacher generated assignment (oral participation rubric)

__ Written project

__ Test/Quiz

__ Other: ____________________________________