Curriculum / ELA / 8th Grade / Unit 1: Facing Prejudice: All American Boys / Lesson 24
ELA
Unit 1
8th Grade
Lesson 24 of 29
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Unpack the expectations of a narrative writing task, study a Mentor Text, and brainstorm possible topics.
Book: All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely — pp. 22–23, 37–38
Book: Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh — forward
Rubric: Narrative Writing Rubric (G8, U1, L24-28)
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Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved
Students should generate three possible topics in response to the prompt:
One of the unique features of All American Boys is the way it is structured. While most novels written in the first person are told from one character's perspective, this text has two first-person narrators. This structure gives the reader insight into both characters' experiences and understanding of the world.
In this task, you will explore the way that two people's perspectives on a specific incident can be similar and different. Write a short, first-person narrative about a significant moment in your life. You will then write the same scene but from the perspective of another person who was there.
The tone and topic of your narratives are up to you—they can be funny, surprising, sad, thought-provoking, etc.—but must introduce a central conflict/problem, contain at least two characters, and describe a true event from your life.
Your narratives should:
An example response to the Target Task at the level of detail expected of the students.
Reading and/or task to be completed at home in preparation for the next lesson.
Select the incident you plan to write on and note down what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the incident, and how you felt at each of these points in time.
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W.8.3 — Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
W.8.5 — With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
L.8.6 — 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.8.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
RL.8.10 — By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6—8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
SL.8.1 — Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.
SL.8.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
W.8.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
W.8.10 — 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 23
Lesson 25
Define significant terms related to racial justice.
L.8.6 RI.8.2
Explain how specific events and sections of text in All American Boys reveal aspects of Rashad’s character and his perspective.
RL.8.3
Explain how specific events and sections of text in All American Boys reveal aspects of Quinn’s character and his perspective.
Explain how racism and racial bias shape the way that characters in All American Boys—and people more generally—are viewed.
RI.8.3 RL.8.3
Writing
Unpack a prompt, study a mentor text, and gather evidence in preparation for writing a paragraph response.
RI.8.3 W.8.1 W.8.5 W.8.9
Outline and a paragraph response, including a strong claim statement, important details, and a concluding statement.
RL.8.3 W.8.1 W.8.1.a W.8.1.e W.8.5
Draft and revise a paragraph response, focusing on writing strong analysis.
RL.8.3 W.8.1 W.8.1.b W.8.1.c W.8.5
Explain how Smith uses figurative language in his TED Talk to develop and support his central idea.
RI.8.2 RI.8.4
Explain how authors Reynolds and Kiely use figurative language and word choice to provide insight into characters’ emotions.
L.8.5 L.8.5.a RL.8.4
Explain how events and lines of text reveal characters’ perspectives of themselves and others in All American Boys.
Explain the impact of Rashad’s assault on characters and their perspectives in All American Boys.
Explain how events in All American Boys reveal and challenge characters' beliefs.
Outline a paragraph analyzing how Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely explore the topic of invisibility in All American Boys.
RL.8.2 W.8.1 W.8.5 W.8.9
Plan, draft, and revise a paragraph response.
RL.8.2 W.8.1 W.8.1.a W.8.1.b W.8.1.c W.8.5
Explain how specific events in All American Boys reveal and/or change Rashad's perspective.
Explain how Quinn makes the decision to attend the rally, and the impact of this decision in All American Boys.
Determine the technical meaning of words using context clues and reference texts to develop an understanding of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
L.8.4.a L.8.4.c L.8.4.d RI.8.4
Draw conclusions about Quinn and Rashad’s perspectives based on what they say and do in All American Boys.
Describe the structure of All American Boys and explain how it contributes to the text’s meaning.
RL.8.5
Determine themes in All American Boys and explain how they are developed over the course of the text.
RL.8.2
Determine Precious Fondren’s purpose in her article. Clearly and succinctly present information about a Black woman killed by police.
RI.8.6
Explain how writers use figurative language and make structural choices to develop and support key ideas.
L.8.5 RI.8.4
Socratic Seminar
Engage in a Socratic Seminar with classmates, drawing evidence from unit texts, and carefully explaining reasoning.
SL.8.1 SL.8.1.a SL.8.1.b SL.8.4
W.8.3 W.8.5
Outline and begin to draft a personal narrative.
W.8.3 W.8.3.a W.8.5
Revise narratives for descriptive details, sensory language, and dialogue.
W.8.3 W.8.3.b W.8.3.d
Outline and begin to draft a narrative written from a different character's perspective.
Revise both narratives for transition words and edit for verbals.
L.8.1 L.8.1.a W.8.3 W.8.3.c W.8.5
Assessment – 2 days
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