Curriculum / ELA / 6th Grade / Unit 1: Developing Resilience: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 / Lesson 13
ELA
Unit 1
6th Grade
Lesson 13 of 32
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Explain the impact of literary devices and how they help develop mood and meaning in the poem "The Children's Hour."
Poem: “The Children's Hour” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved
What does the speaker mean when he says he will “put you down into the dungeon”? How does this metaphor develop the message in the poem? Provide evidence from the poem to support your answer.
An example response to the Target Task at the level of detail expected of the students.
Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding
What is the mood of the first four stanzas of the poem? What specific descriptive words and phrases help to develop this mood?
Why does Henry Wadsworth Longfellow most likely use the metaphor of a castle in this poem? Explain your thinking.
Who is the speaker addressing at the beginning of the poem? Who is he addressing in the last three stanzas of the poem? Provide evidence from the poem to support your answer.
What does the speaker most likely mean when he talks about the walls of the castle crumbling at the very end of the poem? Explain your thinking.
Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text
stanza
n.
a grouping of lines in a poem that is separated from the next grouping by a line space.
metaphor
the comparison of two unlike things in order to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of one of those things.
mood
the emotional “atmosphere” of a scene in a text, which often evokes feelings in the reader.
extended metaphor
a metaphor that continues and is developed over the course of a poem or text
speaker
the "voice" of the poem
Reading and/or task to be completed at home in preparation for the next lesson.
To ensure that students are prepared for the next lesson, have students complete the following reading for homework. Use guidance from the next lesson to identify any additional language or background support students may need while independently engaging with the text.
Book: The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis pp. 104 – 106
While reading, answer the following questions.
Where does this scene take place?
Who are the characters in this scene?
What is the mood in this scene? How do you know?
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L.6.5 — Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
L.6.5.a — Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.
RL.6.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
L.6.5.b — Use the relationship between particular words (e.g., cause/effect, part/whole, item/category) to better understand each of the words.
L.6.5.c — Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations (definitions) (e.g., stingy, scrimping, economical, unwasteful, thrifty).
L.6.6 — Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
RL.6.1 — Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RL.6.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
RL.6.10 — By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the grades 6—8 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.
SL.6.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.6.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
W.6.1 — Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
W.6.1.a — Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.
W.6.1.b — Support claim(s) with clear reasons and relevant evidence, using credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
W.6.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.6.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
W.6.9.a — Apply grade 6 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres [e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories] in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics").
W.6.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Lesson 12
Lesson 14
Describe how author Christopher Paul Curtis establishes setting in The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963.
RL.6.3 RL.6.6
Explain how author Christopher Paul Curtis develops the narrator’s unique point of view in The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963.
L.6.1 RL.6.6
Explain how Christopher Paul Curtis develops Kenny’s point of view of himself and other characters.
Writing
Unpack a prompt, study a mentor text, and gather evidence in preparation for writing a paragraph response.
RL.6.3 W.6.1 W.6.5
Synthesize annotations and create a strong outline for a paragraph response.
Draft a paragraph response and revise for analysis.
RL.6.3 W.6.1.a W.6.1.b W.6.1.c W.6.5
Explain how and why characters respond and change in The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963.
RL.6.3
Explain how author Christopher Paul Curtis develops the point of view of his narrator and other characters in The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963.
RL.6.6
Provide an objective summary of a nonfiction text.
RI.6.2
Provide an objective summary and determine the central idea of a nonfiction article.
Write an objective summary of a section of text in The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963.
RL.6.2
Explain how author Christopher Paul Curtis develops the point of view of his narrator and characters through word choice.
RL.6.4 RL.6.6
L.6.5 L.6.5.a RL.6.4
Gather evidence and create an outline in response to a writing prompt.
RL.6.9 W.6.1 W.6.5
Draft and revise a paragraph response, focusing on writing strong claims, analysis, and introducing evidence effectively.
RL.6.9 W.6.1 W.6.1.a W.6.1.b W.6.1.c
Write an objective summary of a section of The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963.
Explain the purpose and impact of the "Green Book” using text, audio, and visual resources.
RI.6.7
Explain how author Christopher Paul Curtis develops and contrasts characters’ perspectives in The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963.
Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues, and then check the accuracy of inferred definitions using a reference text.
L.6.4 L.6.4.a L.6.4.c L.6.4.d RL.6.4
Explain how characters respond and change as the plot of The Watsons go to Birmingham –1963 progresses.
Unpack a prompt, study a Mentor Text, and begin a plan for rewriting a scene from The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 from a new perspective.
W.6.3 W.6.5
Outline and draft narratives.
W.6.3 W.6.3.a W.6.3.b W.6.5
Revise narratives for descriptive language and sensory details, and identify the cases of pronouns in writing.
L.6.1 L.6.1.a W.6.3 W.6.3.a W.6.3.b W.6.3.d
Explain how Christopher Paul Curtis uses sensory details to develop mood in The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963.
RL.6.4
Identify Kenny’s point of view and explain how it changes over the course of a chapter and the text overall.
Explain the impact of George Wallace’s “Segregation Forever” speech using text and photographic resources.
Explain how Randall develops voice and perspective in the poem “The Ballad of Birmingham."
RL.6.2 RL.6.6 RL.6.9
Socratic Seminar
Take a clear position on a question and share evidence to support that point of view in a Socratic dialogue.
SL.6.1 SL.6.1.a SL.6.1.b SL.6.4
Unpack the expectations of a writing task, study a mentor text, and begin to plan a personal narrative.
Outline and begin to draft narratives.
W.6.3 W.6.3.a W.6.5
Write strong conclusions and revise drafts for descriptive language.
W.6.3 W.6.3.b W.6.3.d W.6.3.e W.6.5
Provide peer feedback and self-assess using a rubric.
Assessment – 2 days
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