A. Engage the Learner - RL.7.1 (5 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Students respond to questions on Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 1.

• Once students have completed their entrance tickets, use a total participation technique to review their responses.

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

• With students, use the vocabulary strategies on the Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart to deconstruct the word legacy (anything contributed or created by someone who is no longer living or active and which continues to be of influence or impact). Record this term on the academic word wall with translations in home languages, where appropriate, and invite students to record words in their vocabulary logs.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

As necessary, encourage students to orally rehearse their responses to the entrance ticket with a partner before writing. Oral rehearsal increases their confidence and achievement with speaking, listening, and writing skills. 

For the entrance ticket, encourage students to work in pairs to use the words in the questions to form sentence frames to answer the questions. As necessary, model doing so with the first item: 

The quote applies to my life because . . . 

The quote applies to the Harlem Renaissance because . . . 

A. Build Background Knowledge – RL.7.1, RI.7.1 (30 minutes)

• Review appropriate learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

“I can use evidence from art and texts to draw inferences about the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance.”

• Inform students that now they will participate in the protocol Building Background Knowledge. Remind students that they engaged in this protocol in Unit 2. Explain that this is an excellent protocol for working together to build context for the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance. 

• Ask students to form groups of four and number themselves 1–4. Distribute to each group a set of four different-colored markers, a response chart, and lined paper. Ask students to each choose a marker that they will use for the duration of the protocol. Remind students that they will be collaborating in groups, so they should keep in mind the Discussion Norms by referring to the Discussion Norms anchor chart.

• Distribute the Building Background Knowledge protocol. Review items 1–4 of the directions with students, explaining that in the Building Background Knowledge protocol, they will first examine a “mystery text,” individually taking notes on it. Inform students that the mystery text is actually a video clip, so they may want to take notes about it on a piece of lined paper. Next, they will discuss the mystery text in their group and the student who is Number 1 will record a web or image in the outer box on the group’s chart paper that shows the group’s understanding of the text. Distribute devices to students and help them access the video clip of Alvin Ailey’s Uptown (http://eled.org/0208).

• Ask students to watch the first half of the video clip of Alvin Ailey’s Uptown and display the Techniques anchor chart to provide the following techniques students can use when writing about or discussing dance:

  • Acting: using facial expressions and body language to create meaning

  • Formations: where the dancers are in relation to each other

  • Musicality: matching body movements to the music (e.g., dancing quickly to fast songs, dancing slowly to slow songs)

• Encourage students to add these terms and choreographer (a person who creates the dance movements, or choreography, for a dance show) to their vocabulary logs.

• Ask students to rewatch the first half of the video clip of Alvin Ailey’s Uptown. Have volunteers model using the dance terms to describe what the dancers are doing and how their actions create a mood or meaning. As necessary, ask the following questions to support students in analyzing the dance:

“How are the dancers positioned in relation to each other? Are they doing the same dance movements or different ones?” (They are dancing in a circle. They are doing the same dance movements.)

“What ideas do these formations or dance positions suggest? How do these formations develop the idea of collaboration?” (The dancers are collaborating or working together to make the dance.)

“What do their facial expressions and body language suggest about their feelings?” (They look happy, excited, like they’re having fun.)

“How are the dancers matching their dance movements to the music? What feelings do the music and dance moves convey?” (The dancers are dancing quickly with upbeat, joyful, fun moves, which match the upbeat, happy music. This upbeat dancing conveys a feeling of joy, excitement, happiness.)

“What connections can you make between this dance and other works from the Harlem Renaissance? Why do you make this connection?” (The collaboration and joy remind me of the sculpture and poem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” because those works also communicated the idea of collaboration to create something joyful or beautiful.)

• Release students to individually watch the entire video clip of Alvin Ailey’s Uptown and take notes on the mystery text.

• After several minutes, ask students to share their notes with their groups as Student 1 records their ideas in a web or image in the outer box on the group’s response chart, drafting on lined paper as needed. If necessary, display a response chart and model recording part of a web or image, or ask volunteers to do so to support students’ understanding of the task. ▲

• Review items 5–6 of the Building Background Knowledge protocol. Ensure that students understand that they will each examine a “common text,” individually taking notes, annotating, and text coding it, especially paying specific attention to any new information they learn and marking it with an N. Explain to students that they may want to take notes about the common text on a piece of lined paper. Distribute copies of Building Background Knowledge Resources: Common Text. Explain that this is the common text that all will read. As necessary, display the common text and model or ask volunteers to model annotating and text coding a portion of the text. ▲ Release students to individually read, annotate, text code, and take notes on the common text.

• After several minutes, ask students to share their annotations and notes with their groups as Student 2 records their ideas in a web or image in the second box on the group’s response chart, drafting on lined paper as needed. If necessary, display a piece of chart paper and model recording part of a web or image, or ask volunteers to do so to support students’ understanding of the task. ▲

• Review items 7–10 of the Building Background Knowledge protocol. Ensure that students understand that each member of the group will now examine a different text, individually taking notes, annotating, and text coding it, marking N on any new information they learn. Explain to students that they may want to take notes about their individual text on a piece of lined paper. Release groups to distribute an expert text to each member of their group. Explain that the expert texts are in One Last Word and on a website. Ensure that each group has three copies of One Last Word: one for the preface on page 1, another for “Emergency Measures” on page 11, and another for James Ransome’s artwork on page 13. Circulate to help students access Matthew Rushing’s podcast about creating the ballet Uptown (http://eled.org/0208). Students can individually read or examine, annotate, and take notes on their expert text. 

• After several minutes, ask students to share the new information they learned from their expert text with their groups. Once all members have shared their expert text, Student 3 records a summary of all the new information learned from the expert texts in the middle box of the response chart, drafting on loose leaf paper as needed. If necessary, model beginning a summary, or ask volunteers to do so to support students’ understanding of the task. Students can use the model sentences as frames for their own summaries. ▲

• Finally, direct Student 4 of each group to create a graphic illustration of all the group’s learning on the topic in the middle box of the response chart, drafting on lined paper as necessary.

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

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

Before releasing students to analyze the mystery text in Work Time A, ensure that they understand the task. Ask students to Turn and Talk to rephrase the task and then have volunteers share-out. Then draw on students' assets and previous experience by asking if any dance or have gone to dance shows. Invite those students with this expertise to share their experience and possibly the aspects of dancing (music, acting, position of dancers, etc.). As needed, students can first practice their sharing with a partner to ensure their confidence in sharing with the class their experience and expertise. Asset-based instruction increases students' confidence and engagement with the topic of legacy of the Harlem Renaissance.

In Work Time A, read the common text with students, pause after reading each paragraph, and allow time for students to jot down the gist. If they are unable to understand a paragraph enough to record a gist, they should Turn and Talk with a partner to figure out the gist of the paragraph together. Taking time to record gists will ensure comprehension.

In Work Time A, ensure that students are assigned an expert text that they can read and comprehend. Reserve the written expert texts only for students who are reading above their grade level in English. Also, as necessary, encourage students to discuss their expert text with a partner who read the same text to ensure they have the confidence, comprehension, and language to share the text with their group.

At the end of Work Time A, as time allows, remind students of the work they did in the Language Dive in Module 3, Unit 1, Lesson 7, especially their work with present perfect verb tense. Ask volunteers to explain to the group how to form the present perfect tense (have/has + past participle). Ask students to share examples. Then ask students to consider the verb tenses of the common text and their expert texts (mostly simple present or simple past). Ask students to choose one sentence from the common or expert text and Think-Pair-Share about why the writers used the simple present or past tense and how the meaning of the sentence would change if they used the present perfect tense. (It would mean that the events in the sentences were still true or happening now. Or it would push the events into the past from the present.)

Before releasing students to analyze the mystery text in Work Time A, ensure that they understand the task. Ask students to Turn and Talk to rephrase the task and then have volunteers share-out. Then draw on students' assets and previous experience by asking if any dance or have gone to dance shows. Invite those students with this expertise to share their experience and possibly the aspects of dancing (music, acting, position of dancers, etc.). If students don't have the language or comfort to share their experience, they can draw or write about it or tell a partner or the teacher, who can share it with the class. Asset-based instruction increases students' confidence and engagement with the topic of legacy of the Harlem Renaissance.

Also for the mystery text in Work Time A, as necessary draw together a group of students who need heavier support and model analyzing some of the video, using a think-aloud to ensure students have the language to discuss the image. For example:

The dancers are dancing in a circle. They are all doing the same dance moves. This seems to show the theme of collaboration or working together.

In Work Time A, to support students in reading the common text, draw together a group of students who need heavier support and read aloud the common text, pausing at the end of each paragraph for students to Turn and Talk to tell the gist, highlight keywords and phrases, and even illustrate the text in the margins. Review students gists, highlights, and illustrations before moving on to the next paragraph. Taking time to record gists and highlight the text will ensure comprehension.

In Work Time A, assign the visual text to students who need heavier support. Also, gradually release responsibility in the expert text portion of the protocol, encourage students to join with their peers who have the same expert text to read or examine and discuss their text together before sharing with their groups. Circulate to ensure students understand and can speak about their texts. As necessary, provide the following sentence frames for students to practice in pairs and then use with their groups:

My expert text was about . . .

From the text, I learned . . .

A. Chalk Talk – RI.7.1 (10 minutes)

• Post each group’s chart paper on the wall. Invite students to study one another’s response charts, noticing similarities and differences. Invite students to record compliments, similarities, and differences on sticky notes beside students’ response charts and respond to one another’s sticky notes. Remind students to leave substantive, thoughtful sticky notes that go beyond “good job.” Invite students to model substantive, thoughtful sticky notes before beginning the Chalk Talk.

• Distribute Homework: QuickWrite about Legacy▲ as necessary. The differentiated homework supports students in writing responses with sentence frames. ▲

• Invite students to reflect on the habits of character focus in this lesson, discussing what went well and what could be improved next time.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

To ensure that students can fully participate in the Chalk Talk protocol, draw them together in group and provide sentence frames they can use on their sticky notes:

Yes! I also learned that . . . 

This is a good connection because . . . 

Wow! This surprises me because . . . 

On this part I wonder . . .