2013

Slave Narrative Unit Plan

Tonya K. Schauwecker ~ Purdue University

EDCI - 568 | Dr. V. Walker

Driving Question: How do the negative effects of slavery resonate in our society today and can they be reversed through the same actions slaves took to gain their freedom? What is the context in which it will be used? Students will research and present their findings during the Slave Narratives unit in English II American Literature at Horizon Science Academy Toledo, an inner-city public charter school. The school has two computer labs and laptop carts that students are able to use if teachers submit lesson plans to the instructional coordinator for approval. For the most part, students use Facebook and Twitter regularly, as well as Wikipedia and SparkNotes. What important discipline-based concepts/standards will it address? (I understand that project-based lessons should only include two or three standards and benchmarks, however, the CCSS standards and benchmarks overlap to the point that there are many that will be addressed in this unit.)
1. Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. RI.9-10.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. 2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. Craft and Structure 4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. RI.9-10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper). 9. Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. RI.9-10.9. Analyze seminal U.S. documents of historical and literary significance (e.g., Washingtons Farewell Address, the Gettysburg Address, Roosevelts Four Freedoms speech, Kings Letter from Birmingham Jail), including how they address related themes and concepts.

Who are your learners? Students are predominantly African-American 14 to 17 year olds and range in grades from ninth to eleventh. Seven students in the class did not pass it last year and are repeating the class this year. Students are familiar with various technologies available to them, although many do not have cell phones or computers at home due to financial difficulties. The majority of students at this school

(89%) take part in the free lunch program. What do you expect them to learn in this unit? Students will be able to: o Explain why slavery did not end with the ratification of the 13th Amendment o Understand and explain the changes that took place after the passage of Circular 3591 o Identify the terms that were used in place of slavery and what each new term meant for African Americans o Identify common discourse elements in slave narratives and use textual evidence as support to discuss and apply new knowledge to project public service announcement o Identify and explain persuasive rhetorical devices in slave narratives o Apply persuasive techniques to a public service announcement that identifies a lasting effect of slavery on society based on classroom discussions and research o Plan and create a storyboard draft of the public service announcement o Create a public service announcement o Identify and evaluate what they have learned in this unit o Evaluate the quality of their work What knowledge, performances, and dispositions do you expect your students to acquire? Students will understand that the effects of slavery still exist in society today and that their actions and beliefs often contribute to these lasting effects. Students will come to the understanding that having an education will open doors for them and lead them to freedom of choice and freedom from economic hardship. Students will then create a public service announcement that will translate their new understanding to students that have not learned these valuable lessons. What 21st century skills will they gain? Life and Career Skills Students will learn how to do research, collaborate cooperatively, communicate effectively and formally, and apply new technology skills Learning and Innovation Skills Students will learn to: think about the texts critically in order to synthesize information and present their ideas meaningfully, to collaborate cooperatively, communicate effectively and formally, and use creativity to produce their public service announcements. Information, Media, and Technology Skills Students will use a variety of Web 2.0 tools to create their public service announcements, complete research, and come to an understanding of the texts, themes, and ideas in the unit.

Core Subjects Skills Students will use reading and writing skills that conform to standards of the English language in an academic and career setting. What makes your question meaningful and authentic to your students? Many students are apathetic to learning and the words, This is doing too much! is often the reply when assignments are hand ed out. The majority of students have not had educational experiences that were fulfilling or enjoyable. Engaging and motivating these students has been a difficult task. This unit will show them that slavery not only has lasting effects on society today, but that they often contribute to these lasting effects through their actions or inactions. As African-Americans, and the likely descendants of slaves, they need to see the importance of an education and how many of their own family members were denied and fought for the right to be educated. Overall Assessment Plan Monitoring of Student Learning - Students will complete a variety of tasks that will be assessed through formative and summative assessments. This unit includes a wide variety of tasks, research questions, readings, and project opportunities for all learning types to engage and excel. Students will work individually and in groups to learn the history behind slave narratives, the purpose of slave narratives, and the lasting effects of slavery in tod ays society as they relate directly to the students. In order to assess learning, the teacher will complete both formal and informal assessments: Informal: Question and answer sessions during group and individual work, graphic organizers for research and understanding, and Web 2.0 applications to express learning throughout the unit. Students will create two drafts of their public service announcement through a storyboard that will provide feedback before they begin video production. Formal: The final unit assessment will be the application of a rubric to a student produced 2-3 minute video public service announcement that includes a lasting effect of slavery on todays society and the use of persuasive rhetoric to combat that l asting effect.

Objectives Students will be able to: Explain why slavery did not end with the ratification of the 13th Amendment Understand and explain the changes that took place after the passage of Circular 3591 Identify the terms that were used in place of slavery and what each new term meant for African Americans

Investigations

Activities Students will:

Scaffolds

Tools

Assessments

When did African Americans no longer have to work without pay in the south? How was slavery perpetuated after the Civil War and the ratification of the 13th Amendment?

View the video Slavery by Another Name from www.PBS.org Participate in a class discussion after viewing

Students will be given a guided notes handout to help them answer identify important information

Guided notes worksheet Slavery by Another Name video from www.PBS.org

Guided notes worksheet completion *Sample Questions: 1. How was slavery perpetuated after the Civil War and the ratification of the 13th Amendment? 2. What three names did slavery change to after the Civil War? 3. When was Circular 3591 passed and what did is mean for African Americans?

Identify common discourse elements in slave narratives and use textual evidence as support to discuss and apply new knowledge to project public service announcement

What are some of the common traits in each of the slave narratives we read and or listen to?

Read and listen to a variety of slave narratives, noting common elements

Graphic organizer will have some common elements or discourse styles already identified, students just have to mark the appropriate space and fill in a quote from the text for evidence.

Discourse styles graphic organizer to help students identify common elements The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Oladuah Equiano, The Narrative of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Uncle Toms Cabin Guided openended questions when discussion slows

Graphic organizer completion (See Discourse Styles Organizer 2C)

Could these common elements would also be in other slave narratives that we have not read or in todays literature and writing (such as predominantly African American music, television shows, or movies)?

Class discussion after completion of the readings

Students will help lead the discussion so all students can participate

Participation and quality of statements

Identify and explain persuasive rhetorical devices in slave narratives

How do slave narratives use persuasive rhetoric as abolitionist propaganda?

Review persuasive techniques and propaganda

Review of previously learned persuasive techniques and persuasive writing requirements Assist students in identifying ethos, logos, and pathos, in the various slave narratives

Graphic organizer of persuasive rhetoric in slave narratives

Completion of the graphic organizer (See Propaganda Organizer 2C)

What makes a slave narrative persuasive?

Class discussion

Graphic organizer of persuasive rhetoric in slave narratives

Participation and quality of statements

Completion of the graphic organizer (See Propaganda Organizer 2C) How can we apply persuasive techniques to a public service announcement? Activity 1 for PSA Production: Students will work with their groups to choose rhetorical devices they believe would be most useful to their projects Ask guiding questions when students struggle with making the best choices for their projects Paper and writing utensils Group discussion Peer review of partner participation Application of rubric to public service announcement Example: Rubric requirements for full points: PSA must include Participation and quality of statements during class discussion

at least three persuasive techniques

Apply persuasive techniques to a public service announcement that identifies a lasting effect of slavery on society based on classroom discussions and research

Do some of the situations, beliefs, actions, and cultural norms during slavery still exist today in the African American community?

Activity 2 for PSA Production Class discussion: students will share stories, cultural norms and traditions to connect the past with the present. Students and teacher will have a class discussion of stereotypes and how they relate to slavery.

Teacher will ask questions that will help students come to further investigation instead of answering questions asked.

Group and class discussion

Participation and quality of statements during class discussion Peer review of partner participation Application of rubric to public service announcement Example: Rubric requirements for full points: PSA must address at least one relevant continuing effect of slavery on the African American community today

What parts of the current African American culture be traced to slavery?

Activity 3 for PSA Production: Students will research of the lasting effects of slavery

Teacher will provide news articles or search topics to help students find relevant

Relevant search terms for Internet search Internet

Peer review of partner participation Application of rubric to public service announcement

What laws were in place to restrict African Americans from obtaining an education?

information on the Internet.

Paper and writing utensils

Example: Rubric requirements for full points: PSA must include at least three relevant facts with proper credit given during the credits portion

How can students express the theme education equals freedom in a persuasive public service announcement? How can students express a need for societal change in a public service announcement? How can students merge research information into one document for easy access and organization? Students will merge research information into a Quizlet.com set Teacher will lead students to video tutorial if they need help with Quizlet.com and student technology aids will assist students as needed Quizlet.com Completion of at least 5 fact slides with relevant information in a Quizlet.com set

Plan and create a storyboard draft of the public service announcement

How do you create a storyboard?

Activity 4 for PSA production: Students will plan their PSAs using a six-panel storyboard draft that identifies the persuasive techniques used in the PSA and the societal issue that will be addressed Upon review, groups will modify drafts of the storyboard to use for final production of PSAs

Explanation of a storyboard and why they are used to plan a PSA

Storyboard handout

Storyboard Template worksheet draft one and draft two

Create a public service announcement

How do you create a public service announcement?

Activity 5 for PSA production: Filming and final production of PSA

Student technology aids and group videographers will assist groups with filming, editing, and production of the final projects

Video camera Editing software YouTube.com

PSA Rubric application to final project (See Public Service Announcement Rubric 2C)

Identify and evaluate what they have learned in this unit

What have you learned in this unit and how has this unit been relevant to your lives?

Write a debriefing reflective essay that discusses what they have learned in the unit and how these lessons are relevant to their lives

Teacher will post essay questions on the board and ask guiding questions if students need additional help thinking about what they have learned and how this new knowledge applies to their lives

Paper and writing utensil

Evaluate the quality of their work

How well did your group work together?

Students will evaluate themselves and their group members production of the PSAs

Peer evaluation worksheet

Group evaluation worksheet (See Group Evaluation 2C)

APPENDIX: Discourse Styles Organizer 2C Propaganda Organizer 2C Storyboard Template 2C Public Service Announcement Rubric 2C Group Evaluation 2C

References: Allan, C. (2013, April 01). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/tpt/slavery-by-another-name Beecher Stowe, H. Uncle Tom's Cabin. University of Virginia. Retrieved from http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/StoCabi.html Douglass, F. (1995). Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass. New York City: Dover Pubns. Equiano, O. (1999). The life of Olaudah Equiano, or, Gustavus Vassa, the African . Mineola: Dover Publications Inc. Jacobs, H. A. (1990). Incidents in the life of a slave girl. New York: Oxford University Press, USA. Pollard, S. (2012). Slavery by another name. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/tpt/slavery-by-another-name/watch/ Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2011). Framework for 21st century learning. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/overview/skills-framework www.YouTube.com