A. Engage the Learner - RL.6.6 (5 minutes)

• Direct students to retrieve their Analyze Point of View: Two Roads note-catcher and anchor text, Two Roads. Instruct students to fill in the row for chapter 12 about Superintendent Morrell's point of view towards American Indians, recalling the reading they did in the previous lesson. Students should also reference the Author's Methods anchor chart. Use equity sticks to call on students to share their entries. Refer to Analyze Point of View: Two Roads note-catcher (example for teacher reference) as needed.

• Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as the previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson, reminding students of any learning targets that are similar to or the same as previous lessons.

A. Read Two Roads, Chapters 13 and 14 – RL.6.6, L.6.5 (15 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Read chapters 13 and 14 of the text, using Text Guide: Two Roads (for teacher reference) for comprehension and vocabulary questions as needed. Students who are ready to read independently or in small groups should be released to this independence. Students continue to record the gist on sticky notes, unpack and record unfamiliar vocabulary, and reflect on their reading as they choose. Students continue to identify how characters in the text demonstrate habits of character. Refer to the Gist anchor chart: Two Roads (example for teacher reference) and chapter synopsis as needed, as well as any other appropriate resources.

• Gist of chapter 13: Cal learns about discipline at Challagi. Students have daily chores; one is locked in a wooden box for punishment.

• Gist of chapter 14: Cal meets Possum, a fellow student. He gives Cal his own nickname, Jay Bird, to tease him for being so quiet.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS

To reinforce L.6.1e work and to help students relate to the content of the lesson, develop an extension activity in which students explore their own code- or style-switching among different languages or varieties of English. Invite students who need lighter support to draw a "map" of the primary spheres in their lives (e.g., home; school; the soccer field; a grandparent's house) and indicate which language or language variety they speak in each environment. Students should also include statements that explain why they use one language over another in each environment (e.g., because my grandmother only speaks Arabic; because most of the other students on my soccer team are English speakers). Challenge students to produce a summary statement that synthesizes the practice and purpose of code-switching in their own lives.

• Ask:

“What similes does Bruchac use on pages 150–152?” (“feeling like a lamb being led to the slaughter,” “pointing his finger like a gun at the boy’s chest,” “those three words hit like arrows shot into my chest,” “Ready to get shaved like a sheep?”)

• Ask:

“What do the connotations of the words and phrases used in these similes help to convey about Cal’s point of view toward what he is experiencing in this chapter?” (These four similes are all related in that they describe animals being at the mercy of humans, either in terms of being farmed—slaughter and shaving—or hunted. These examples of figurative language help to convey the idea that Cal is feeling powerless and at the mercy of the powers around him. He also seems to be waiting for terrible things to happen. It is interesting also that Possum and Cal both have nicknames that are animals [Possum and a bird].)

“What connections do you notice between Cal’s point of view in this chapter and that of Zitkala-Sa from her memoir?” (Zitkala-Sa also uses figurative language that conveys her feeling of being treated like a captive animal. In “Iron Routine,” she says “I have many times trudged in the day's harness heavy-footed, like a dumb sick brute.” In “The Cutting of My Hair,” she says “I was only one of many little animals driven by a herder.”)

• Refocus whole group. Direct students to retrieve their Analyze Point of View: Two Roads note-catcher handout. Instruct students to fill in the row for chapter 14 using the example discussed and add notes about connections to Zitkala-Sa at the bottom of the note-catcher. Use equity sticks to call on students to share their entries. Refer to Analyze Point of View: Two Roads note-catcher (example for teacher reference) as needed.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS

To reinforce L.6.1e work and to help students relate to the content of the lesson, develop an extension activity in which students explore their own code- or style-switching among different languages or varieties of English. Invite students who need heavier support to draw a "map" of the primary spheres in their lives (e.g., home; school; the soccer field; a grandparent's house) and indicate which language or language variety they speak in each environment (i.e., by writing a few words from that language within each sphere). Encourage students to reflect aloud, in small groups, on how and why their language use changes in each environment.

• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

B. Analyze Language Variety - RL.6.3, L.6.1e (20 minutes)

• Direct students to their predetermined partner for the next task.

• Explain that one method authors use to reveal information about a character is the character's dialogue. The variety of language a character uses can give the reader insight into the character. The next activity will focus on Possum's language to gain understanding of his character.

• Distribute Possum Quotes Sentence Strips. Provide one set of sentence strips to each pair of students.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS

To reinforce L.6.1e work and to help students relate to the content of the lesson, develop an extension activity in which students explore their own code- or style-switching among different languages or varieties of English. Invite students who need lighter support to draw a "map" of the primary spheres in their lives (e.g., home; school; the soccer field; a grandparent's house) and indicate which language or language variety they speak in each environment. Students should also include statements that explain why they use one language over another in each environment (e.g., because my grandmother only speaks Arabic; because most of the other students on my soccer team are English speakers). Challenge students to produce a summary statement that synthesizes the practice and purpose of code-switching in their own lives.

• Tell students that they will be separating the sentence strips into two categories: 1) Possum may be speaking to a friend. 2) Possum may be speaking to an adult of authority.

• Direct students to the Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart. Remind students of what effective collaboration looks like and sounds like.

• Invite students to begin collaborating with their partners to separate the sentences into the two categories.

• Circulate and monitor student progress. Ask probing questions to pairs that seem to need assistance.

• Strategically use combinations of Conversation Cues to deepen students' thinking:

"Can you say more about that?" (Goal 1)

"Why do you think that?" (Goal 3)

"Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why?" (Goal 4)

• Regain students' focus. Distribute Analyze Language: Possum note-catcher.

• Read the directions for Part I and read the column headings. Clarify any student misconceptions regarding the task. Reference Analyze Language: Possum note-catcher (example for teacher reference) as needed.

• Instruct students to not move on to Part II of the activity until asked to do so later in the lesson.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS

To reinforce L.6.1e work and to help students relate to the content of the lesson, develop an extension activity in which students explore their own code- or style-switching among different languages or varieties of English. Invite students who need heavier support to draw a "map" of the primary spheres in their lives (e.g., home; school; the soccer field; a grandparent's house) and indicate which language or language variety they speak in each environment (i.e., by writing a few words from that language within each sphere). Encourage students to reflect aloud, in small groups, on how and why their language use changes in each environment.

• Direct students to begin working with their partner to fill in the note-catcher.

• Regain students' focus. Read the directions for Part II. Clarify any student misconceptions regarding the task.

• Monitor student discussions. Redirect student conversation that tries to incorporate other factors in Possum's character analysis beside his language variety.

• Invite students to turn and talk to another student who is not their partner to share responses to the discussion question.

• Use equity sticks to call on three students to share their response to the discussion question.

• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning targets.

A. Analyze Character: Possum - RL.6.3, L.6.1e (5 minutes)

• Regain students' focus. Read the directions for Part III of the Analyze Language: Possum note-catcher. Clarify any student misconceptions regarding the task.

• Instruct students to complete Part III of the note-catcher.

• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their habit of character focus for this lesson.