Cheryl+Koerts-Brock

Teaching Unit Proposal for publication on "Teach Secondary Writing Wiki

Name of Assignment =Slavery in the United States of America= Name of Preparer Cheri Koerts-Brock Grade Level This assignment is applicable in grades 9-10. Target group is the average student population, to A.P. =Overview= Students will begin this assignment by reading a short story intended to evoke feelings of empathy from the reader. Multi-genre research is involved; multi-level learning occurs through the utilization of a variety of literature, film, and other visual aids.

=From Theory to Practice= ➢ Rural Sites / Teaching Slavery ➢ English 4790 / The Scar by, Cecil Foster ➢ Teaching Secondary Writing =Student Objectives= Students will gain critical thinking skills, organization and planning skills, to become more articulate and creative, group participation, as well as coming to terms with aspects of our countries past they may not be aware of, and finally students will acquire greater communication skills to help them assimilate into the evermore diverse population of today. =Michigan ELA Content Expectations= CE 2.1.2 Make supported inferences and draw conclusions based on informational print and multimedia features (e.g., prefaces, appendices, marginal notes, illustrations, bibliographies, author’s pages, footnotes, diagrams, tables, charts, maps, time lines, graphs, and other visual and special effects) and explain how authors and speakers use them to infer the organization of text and enhance understanding, convey meaning, and inspire or mislead audiences. CE 1.4.4 Interpret, synthesize, and evaluate information/findings in various print sources and media (e.g., fact and opinion, comprehensiveness of the evidence, bias, varied perspectives, motives and credibility of the author, date of publication) to draw conclusions and implications. CE 2.3.4 Critically interpret primary and secondary research-related documents (e.g., historical and government documents, newspapers, critical and technical articles, and subject-specific books).STANDARD 2.3 Develop as a reader, listener, and viewer for personal, social, and political purposes, through independent and collaborative reading. CE 2.3.1 Read, listen to, and view diverse texts for multiple purposes such as learning complex procedures, making work-place decisions, or pursuing in-depth studies. CE 2.3.2 Read, view, and/or listen independently to a variety of ﬁction, nonﬁction, and multimedia genres based on student interest and curiosity. CE 2.3.3 Critically read and interpret instructions for a variety of tasks (e.g., completing assignments, using software, writing college and job applications). CE 2.3.4 Critically interpret primary and secondary research-related documents (e.g., historical and government documents, newspapers, critical and technical articles, and subject-speciﬁc books). CE 2.3.5 Engage in self-assessment as a reader, listener, and viewer, while monitoring comprehension and using a variety of strategies to overcome difﬁculties when constructing and conveying meaning. CE 2.3.6 Reﬂect on personal understanding of reading, listening, and viewing; set personal learning goals; and take responsibility for personal growth. CE 2.3.7 Participate as an active member of a reading, listening, and viewing community, collaboratively selecting materials to read or events to view and enjoy (e.g., book talks, literature circles, ﬁlm clubs). CE 2.3.8 Develop and apply personal, shared, and academic criteria to evaluate own and others’ oral, written, and visual texts.

=Week One=

Monday / Announce and explain expectations/objectives for unit. Discovery discussion to access prior subject knowledge. Random selection by counting off into the following groups:

1. Slave Owners/Masters 2. Slave Men-Old 3. Slave Men-Adult 4. Slave Child-Boy 5. Slave Infant-Boy 6. Slave Women-Old 7. Slave Women-Adult 8. Slave Child-Girl 9. Slave Infant-Girl

Tuesday / Hand out copies slave registry pages. Have students write about the lives of the slaves on their list.

Wednesday / Students read-around from their writing.

Thursday / Teach basic grammar review.

Friday / Free Fridays / Students may read from personal choice book.

=Week Two=

Monday / Group discussion about the assigned slave or owner identities including the random chance of being born the way we are without the power of personal choice, fairness, rights, lack of identity of slaves as evidenced on the property list of the owners handed out in week 1, and the monetary values assigned to often nameless human beings.

Tuesday / Teach the political aspects of slavery and the Civil War.

Wednesday / Review Dr. Martin Luther King, show DVD of his __I Have a Dream__ speech.

Thursday / Students write about what they have learned thus far, it may be in report, story, or poetic form.

Friday / Free Fridays / Students may read from personal choice book.

=Week Three=

Monday / Students View the first half of the DVD __AMISTAD__, followed by group discussion.

Tuesday / Students view the second half of DVD __AMISTAD,__ followed by group discussion.

Wednesday / Students divide into 3 groups to include all previous identity assignments. Groups compose a skit, story, or poem expressing what life is like for them in their identities.

Thursday / Students continue group work.

Friday / Groups read around their stories, poems, or perform their skits.

=Peer Editing=

Organizations Recommendations

Content Suggestions

Helpful Hints