Module 1: Finding Home: Refugees
Students read the novel, Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai, and analyze how critical incidents reveal the nature of the main character. Students will analyze the impact of specific word choice on tone and meaning. They also will read informational texts to learn more about the history of war in Vietnam. Students will work in research groups to study the experiences of refugees from one of several cultures and then write two, researched-based free verse narrative poems.
Standards-aligned Questions:
• How do critical incidents reveal character?
• How can we tell powerful stories about people’s experiences?
• How does the text make connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas or events?
• What does it look like to write appropriate to task, purpose and audience?
• How does the structure of text differ to impact meaning and style?
Module 2: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Students read and analyze Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, focusing on theme and character development. Students build background knowledge as they explore the appeal and authorship of Shakespeare. They also compare a film version of the play with Shakespeare’s original script. Students write an argumentative essay. They will conclude the module by writing a narrative from the point of view of one of the characters in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Throughout the module, students will engage in discussions about Shakespeare, his universal appeal and the themes within the play.
Standards- aligned Questions:
• When comparing and contrasting a story presented using different types of media (novel, script, play, movie), what are the advantages and disadvantages of using different types of media to present a story?
• When writing a narrative from the point of view of one character in a story, how does a writer decide when to connect and diverge from the original work?
• How does an author develop the narrator’s point of view and perspective?
Module 3: The Civil Rights Movement and the Little Rock Nine
Students read the memoir, A Mighty Long Way by Carlotta Walls, LaNier and Lisa Frazier Page and a photo essay titled Little Rock Girl 1957 by Shelley Tougas and consider the different ways in which the story of the Little Rock Nine has been told. They begin by reading primary sources, such as the Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision and the dissenting opinion by Justice Harlan. Students then analyze the role of various mediums (photographs, speeches, television reports, newspaper articles, etc.) in depicting the Little Rock Nine and write an informational essay. Students end the module by presenting a song choice for a film soundtrack and photographs to lift up as key events in a film based on the memoir.
Standards-aligned Questions:
• How does studying multiple sources about the same topic but from different perspectives build understanding?
• How can you compare photographs to text that relate to the same topic or incident?
• How does language affect how the author conveys a message or satisfy a specific purpose?
Module 4: Sustainability of the US Food Supply Chain
Students read Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma while analyzing Michael Pollan’s arguments and the evidence he uses to support his claims about food supply chains. Students engage in a research project in which they further investigate the consequences of each of the food chains and the stakeholders affected in those food chains. Students use a decision-making framework to help them understand the implications of various choices and take a position. They finish by writing a position paper and create a product featuring their position that they share with their peers.
Standards-aligned Questions:
• How can you determine if an author or speaker uses sufficient relevant evidence and sound reasoning to support his or her claim?
• How can I support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources while demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text?
• How does reading for research help me to form an opinion and make an argument?