Journeys & Survival

Focus: Reading Closely and Writing to Learn

Students explore the experiences of people of Southern Sudan during and after the Second Sudanese Civil War. They build proficiency in using textual evidence to support ideas in their writing, both in shorter responses and in an extended essay. They read A Long Walk to Water, analyzing the points of view of the central characters, Salva and Nya. Students focus on one key theme: how individuals survive in challenging environments. The novel is paired with complex informational texts on Sudan. Students then combine research about Sudan with quotes from the novel and craft a research- based two-voice poem.