A. Engage the Learner (5 minutes)

• As students enter the room, remind them of the norms for the Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face protocol. Remind students to use a quiet signal such as a raised hand to show that they are done discussing with their partner. If students enter the room at different times, write the directions for Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face on an anchor chart or on the board, and draw students' attention to the directions and norms as they enter the room. Ask students to retrieve their homework poetry responses from Lesson 4 homework. If students have not completed their homework they can do so at this time.

• Ask students to stand back-to-back with a partner. Read aloud the first prompt:

"With your partner, share your poem or other work inspired by the Harlem Renaissance. After you share your work, your partner will provide one star and one step for your work. Next, your partner will share his or her work and you will provide one star and one step for your partner's work."

• Ask students to go face to face and share their work and feedback with their partner. 

• Use the quiet signal to silence the room, and invite students to find a new partner, and stand back to back with that partner. Repeat the original prompt.

• Ask students to go face to face and share their responses with their partner.

• 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.

B. Return End of Unit 2 Assessments with Feedback (5 minutes)

• Return students' End of Unit 2 Assessments with feedback, and allow students time to review feedback and write their name on the board if they require support.

A. Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Analyze Structure, Language, and Theme: “The Sculptor” (30 minutes)

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

“I can analyze how the structure of ‘The Sculptor’ contributes to its meaning.”

“I can determine the meaning of figurative language in ‘The Sculptor.’”

“I can determine a theme and trace its development over the course of ‘The Sculptor.’”

• Distribute Mid-Unit 3 Assessment: Analyze Structure, Language, and Theme in “The Sculptor” and Analyze Poetry note-catchers ▲ as necessary. The differentiated note-catcher supports students in writing about structure, figurative language, and themes with sentence starters. ▲ Tell students that for this assessment, they will read the poem “The Sculptor” and answer selected response questions and constructed response questions to analyze how the poet uses structure and language to develop a theme.

• Read the directions for each part of the assessment aloud as students follow along. Answer clarifying questions.

• Before students begin the assessment, ask them to Think-Pair-Share:

“What value does the task of a reading assessment have for you beyond this class? Why?” (Responses will vary but may include: This task has a lot of value for me because I will have to take reading assessments and analyze poetry in most of my high school and college classes.)

“What will help you succeed on this assessment?” (Responses will vary but may include: Using my strategies to answer selected response questions and writing a paragraph with a topic sentence, at least two pieces of evidence, and a concluding statement will help me succeed in this task.)

• Direct students’ attention to the following materials:

  • Academic and domain-specific word walls

  • Close Readers Do These Things anchor chart

  • Strategies to Answer Selected Response Questions anchor chart

  • Vocabulary log

  • Print or online dictionaries

• Remind students to refer to these materials as they read the assessment text and answer the assessment questions.

• Remind students that because this is an assessment, they should complete it independently in silence. Focus students on the Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart and review perseverance, taking initiative, and taking responsibility. Remind students that because they will be reading and answering questions independently for the assessment, they will need to practice these habits.

• Invite students to begin the assessment.

• While they are taking the assessment, circulate to monitor and document their test-taking skills.

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

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

Before the mid-unit assessment in Work Time A, challenge students to underline key vocabulary in the assessment directions as they are read aloud together as a class. Invite students who need lighter support to restate or clarify information for students who need heavier support. These supports ensure that students understand each task included in the assessment.

Before Work Time A, consider whether students need to use the Analyze Poetry note-catcher ▲ that was distributed in Unit 3, Lesson 2. This resource includes sentence frames that support students in comprehension and writing about the structure, language, and themes in the poems. If students do not need the scaffold, remove it to promote independence.

In Work Time A, read the directions for the assessment slowly, twice, and also post them. This ensures that ELLs who may not be able to easily follow the language of the directions have multiple opportunities to access them.

Display a “map” of the assessment to reference while explaining directions to the mid-unit assessment. This will reduce ambiguity and give students a clearer picture of what they can expect so that they can better allocate their time and attentional resources. Provide students with colored pencils or highlighters so that they can mark up the map as needed. Example:

Part I: 

1. Read each excerpt several times, whisper-reading them aloud as necessary. Consider finding each excerpt in your copy of the story, so you get the context and understand the excerpts better.

2. Read each question and each possible answer.

3. Cross out incorrect answers.

4. Select the best answer to the question. 

5. Repeat steps 2–4 for each item in the assessment.

Part II:

6. Read the prompt for item 7.

7. Write a paragraph with

a. a topic sentence that restates and answers the prompt.

b. two pieces of evidence (quotes or examples) from the text.

c. sentences that explain how the evidence supports your answer.

d. a concluding sentence that restates and answers the prompt.

B. Track Progress - RL.7.4 (10 minutes)

• Give students specific, positive feedback on their completion of the End of Unit 2 Assessment.

• Distribute the Track Progress folders, Track Progress: Read, Understand, and Explain New Text, and several blank sticky notes to each student.

• Focus students on the Work to Become Effective Learners anchor chart. Remind students that they will take responsibility for their own learning as they track their progress.

• Tell students the sticky notes are for them to find evidence in their assessment work of the following criteria:

  • RL.7.4 , L.7.4

• Guide students through completing the recording form.

• Incorporate reflection on and awareness of the following academic mindsets: "I can succeed at this" and "My ability and competence grow with my effort."

• Ask students to Think-Pair-Share: 

"What helped you to be successful at that task? How much effort did you put in on this task? How did your effort affect your learning?" (Responses will vary, but may include: I was successful at that task because I focused and worked hard. I also understood what I was doing and what was being asked of me, which helped me succeed as well.)

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

C. Language Dive: "The Sculptor," Lines 6-7 - RL.7.4 (10 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to facilitate a Language Dive with the following reflection sentence from the text:

  • "My father says hard work is the clay dreams are molded from."

• Use the accompanying materials to facilitate the Language Dive:

  • Language Dive Guide: "The Sculptor," Lines 6-7 (for teacher reference)

  • Language Dive: "The Sculptor," Lines 6-7 Sentence Chunk Chart (for teacher reference)

  • Language Dive: "The Sculptor," Lines 6-7 sentence chunk strips

  • Language Dive: "The Sculptor," Lines 6-7 note-catcher (example for teacher reference)

  • Language Dive: "The Sculptor," Lines 6-7 note-catcher

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

During the Language Dive of Work Time C, students analyze Grimes' use of figurative language. Invite ELLs to remind their classmates who need heavier support what figurative language is and how to interpret it. (Figurative language has another meaning besides what the words mean literally or in the dictionary. To interpret it, describe the concrete or familiar object or activity to better understand what the writer is saying about the abstract or unfamiliar object.) Encourage students to identify other examples of figurative language in "The Sculptor" and work in pairs to interpret these examples. They can share their ideas with classmates who need heavier support. Additional practice in identifying, interpreting, and explaining figurative language will improve students' analysis, speaking, and listening skills.

During the Language Dive of Work Time C, some students may need additional support as they complete the sentence frame in the Practice section (Hard work is the _____ [noun phrase] dreams _____ [verb phrase]. Ask students to work together to generate a list of common activities that could represent hard work (garden/grow in, wood/are built from, dough/are baked in, etc.) As necessary, model using a student-generated idea to complete the sentence frame: "Hard work is the garden dreams grow in."

A. Add to the Museum Collection - RL.7.2 (15 minutes)

• Inform students that they will now add "Emergency Measures," "On Bully Patrol," "David's Old Soul," and "The Sculptor" to the classroom museum collection, where various texts and artworks are already located. Ask students to retrieve their copies of these texts. As necessary, remind students that at the beginning of the module they set aside this space to collect all the works that they will study from the Harlem Renaissance.

• Explain to students that before they add these additional works to the museum collection, they will discuss how the works interact with each other either in terms of structure, language, and theme.

• Ask students to form triads and, as they do so, distribute copies of the Interactive Flowchart directions. Read aloud the steps. Remind students that they have participated in this protocol before, during Module 2. As necessary, model how to complete the activity.

• Place the Interactive Flowchart cards and arrow cards on the board using magnets, tape, or technology. Leave space between the cards.

• Model and review the Interactive Flowchart activity directions:

1. Choose an Interactive Flowchart card. Read the card aloud (e.g., "The Sculptor").

2. Using an arrow card, connect this card to another Interactive Flowchart card by form, language and/or theme (e.g., "Calling Dreams").

3. Read the second card aloud.

4. Explain why the two Interactive Flowchart cards belong together, how one shows collaboration with the other by form, language, and/or theme. ("The Sculptor" is connected to "Calling Dreams" by the theme of working hard to make dreams come true. In "The Sculptor," the speaker explains that dreams are "carved, muscled into something solid, something true." In "Calling Dreams," the speaker tells of reaching dreams immediately: "now, at length, I rise, I wake!" Both poems are about making dreams come true.)

5. Another member of the group takes a turn by either:

• • Adding a new arrow and another card anywhere on the flowchart.

  • Verbally explaining a new connection between any of the cards already connected on the table.

  • Writing an element of structure (form, repetition, rhyme), element of language (figurative, connotative), or theme from the poetry or artwork on an index card and then using an arrow to add it to the flowchart.

6. Take turns using the remaining Interactive Flowchart cards and continuing to explain the connections between them.

7. The activity ends when time is up or when all cards have been used and group members have explained all the connections they see.

• Invite students to create the Interactive Flowchart in triads. Once students complete their flowcharts, ask volunteers to share with the class one new connection they made. Ask:

"How do the poetry, songs, script, and artwork connect with one another?" (Many of them connect by themes. For example, many of the poems and the two short stories develop a theme about working hard to achieve one's dreams.)

"What connections can you make in form or structure?" (Because of the Golden Shovel form, many of Grimes' poems share the same theme as the poems from the Harlem Renaissance.)

"What connections can you make in use of language?" (The Golden Shovel form means that the same words and images show up in the Harlem Renaissance poems as in Grimes' poems.)

"What connections can you make in theme?" (The poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" develops the theme that people can draw strength from their past. The poem "David's Old Soul" takes the idea of finding strength in the past and applies it to a personal situation. The speaker in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" was showing the rich history and strength of black people. In "David's Old Soul," the speaker finds strength "deep" within himself to help others. From Hughes' poem, Grimes uses the line "my soul has grown deep like the rivers." This line shows how people can be connected to something deep within them and to the past. It seems that David has found strength within himself. That strength might also come from the people before him.)

• Invite four students to formally introduce and add the following works to the museum:

  • Nikki Grimes, "Emergency Measures"

  • Nikki Grimes, "On Bully Patrol"

  • Nikki Grimes, "David's Old Soul"

  • Nikki Grimes, "The Sculptor" 

• Remind students to use a loud, clear, formal presentation voice to announce the title and author of each work, and invite them to share how the piece connects to another in structure, language, and/or theme.

MEETING STUDENTS' NEEDS 

In the Add to the Museum Collection activity of Closing and Assessment A, ensure that students are strategically grouped to best support and challenge them. This may mean mixed groupings by language or content proficiency. However, ensure that there are at least two students from each level and that there is no more than one level of difference among the students in a group. Strategic grouping affords students the opportunity of supporting and being challenged by others.

In the Add to the Museum Collection activity of Closing and Assessment A, ensure that students are strategically grouped to best support them. This may mean mixed groupings by language or content proficiency. However, ensure that there are at least two students from each level and that there is no more than one level of difference among the students in a group. Strategic grouping affords students the opportunity of supporting and being challenged by others.

B. Independent Research Reading Share - RI.7.10 (15 minutes)

• Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as with the previous lessons to guide students to share their independent research reading, reminding students that the purpose of research reading is to build their content knowledge, domain-specific vocabulary, and achievement on reading complex texts.

• Refer to the Independent Reading Sample Plans to guide students through a research reading share or use another routine.

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