Eric W. Maroney
Lesson 1
Objective:
1) Read and annotate historical documents. 2) Make connections between historical documents and
The Color Purple
. 3) Understand the influence historical/material/social conditions have on the creation of culture.
Warms up:
Respond to the following in a brief paragraph If literary scholars were to studying a novel set in
current year
, what events over the last 5 -10 years might influence the setting, characters or story?
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Facilitate a discussion about the warm up writing by selecting several students to share their ideas.
Ask:
The Color Purple takes place in the early 20
th
century, what do you know about this time period? What specific events might contribute to the novel? Feminism was becoming more prevalent when the novel was written, how might this impact the novel? What do you know about feminism or the Women’s Rights Movement?
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Introduce the theme of the performance task and unit. Students should have a clear understanding of the performance task well before they begin writing it. Explain that throughout this unit we are going to study The Color Purple as a work of culture. We are interested in what the novel suggests to us about the values and beliefs of the late 1960’s and 1970’s. At the end of the unit we will write a comparative analysis essay tracing the moral development of a character throughout the text and its accompanying film adaptation.
Teacher Note:
It is helpful to provide students with a written copy of the performance task early on. The class can then refer back to this document periodically to anchor discussions and assignments.
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Quick Write: What is morality? Where does it come from? Is it constant/unchanging? What are the kinds of experiences that shape a person’s morality?
After students have completed the quick write, ask them to share in pairs. Next, select several pairs to share their ideas with the whole class.
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Jig Saw Part 1: Arrange students into groups of 4-5. Distribute a different document to each group. Explain that the documents represent different ideas that emerged from the 2
nd
wave of the Women’s Rights Movement. Instruct students to read and annotate the documents paying special attention to words or concepts they find unfamiliar. After students have read and annotated the text, they will discuss their observations, questions and ideas.
Teacher Note:
In a jigsaw activity, it is helpful to group students by ability to differentiate for reading levels. It is also helpful to provide each group with a laptop or tablet to reference unfamiliar words or ideas. If technology is limited, students may be able to use smart phones to access the same information.
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Jigsaw Part 2: After students have completed the annotations and discussion described in part 1, regroup students so that each new groups includes a student who studied a different document. In this new grouping students will create a matrix on chart paper summarizing they key ideas from each document.
Combahee River Collective Statement
|
Womanist
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NOW Statement of Purpose
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The Politics of Housework
|
Teacher Note:
Alternative/additional texts that embody the various ideas of the Civil Rights Movement could be included in the selections as well. For example, A speech by Martin Luther King, a speech by Malcolm X, the Black Panther’s 10-point program, etc. For struggling readers, an excerpt of a longer essay may be more appropriate.
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Closure:
Exit writing: How might the ideas represented in the various documents we discussed today shape a person or character’s sense of right and wrong? How might the ideas impact a novel or work of art emerging from this period?
Lesson 2
Objectives:
1) Prepare for and engage in collaborative discussion about a text. 2) Compare and contrast the same story told over different mediums 3) Analyze how medium and artists choices convey a political message.
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Warm up:
Read pages 39-42. What is the purpose of this scene? How does Walker achieve this purpose through detail, word choice or imagery?
Teacher Notes:
In this short letter, Celie describes a confrontation between herself and Sophia. Harpo, Celie’s stepson and Sophia’s husband, is concerned because Sophia lacks the acquiescence women are expected to exhibit. Harpo, having sought Celie’s advice, is instructed to beat Sophia; however, Sophia is the stronger of the two and defends herself well. In this entry, Sophia confronts Celie for have advised Harpo to assault her.
Once students have completed warm up writing, facilitate a brief discussion.
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Say:
As we have discussed in the past, artists choices including the media the artwork is presented in, impact the meaning. Today, we will examine three versions of the same text and participate in a seminar discussion to compare and contrast the works.
Teacher Notes:
Distribute graphic organizer to facilitate note taking (see Teaching Strategies).
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Using an LCD projector, play the film scene that correlates with the text. The scene can be found https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v5JjUZpAPk or 43 minutes and 32 seconds into the movie. The clip should be played 2-3 times during which students should take notes.
Teacher Notes:
During this scene Sophia stomps through the cornfield to confront Celie. Her walk is aggressive and masculine. She opens the conversation accusingly, “You told Harpo to beat me.” Sohpia continues stating, “All my life I’ve had to fight. I had to fight my Daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my brothers. Girl child aint safe in a family of mens.” Throughout her speech, Sofia’s voice and mannerisms remain aggressive and angry. Celie responds, “This life be over soon. Heaven lasts always.” She appears ashamed and afraid. Her brow is furrowed and she wears a concerned look on her face. Sofia answers her,” You better bash Mister’s head in and worry about heaven later.” AS Sophia speaks her expression remains rigid and angry. Her tone is curt and she stomps off through the cornfield. The scene suggests a divide between the two women. The tone is dominated by shame and anger though some comedy is interwoven as the scene cuts between the women’s confrontation and Harpo trying to convince his father his facial injuries are due to the mule and not the fight he lost to Sophia.
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Using an LCD projector, show the Musical equivalent to the text. A clip of the Tony Awards performance can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM1pWvsi6d8 The clip should be played 2-3 times during which students take notes.
Teacher Notes:
The emphasis and tone of the Tony performance is markedly different from both the film and the text. The colors of the set are bright and the music, which begins low in scale and tempo, shifts to a faster tempo and higher scale, in what resembles a church spiritual. Sofia enters stage right and begins with an attack on Harpo, not Celie: “I love Harpo, God knows I do, but I kill him dead before I let him or anybody beat me.” The first verse of the song acknowledges Celie’s submissiveness and frailty but shows empathy for her. The bridge, repeated throughout the song is sung as Sofia’s character lifts her fist into the air in a cross between a punch and the historic symbol of peoples’ (worker/women/black/etc.) power. She sings, “and when a man just don’t give a damn…Hell, No!”
As the scene continues, the other female characters enter the stage each taking a turn adding to the claim that women must defend themselves. One character even brandishes a rifle. The scene is dominated by a show of female solidarity. The tone is upbeat and empowered. Unlike the close of the film and text, the musical performance resolves Sophia and Celie’s relationship. The scene ends with the two women embracing.
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Distribute discussion rubric (see Teaching Strategies) and explain protocol for seminar discussion.
Say: Now that we have viewed several versions of the same scene and taken some notes about our observations, we are going to have a discussion. As we discuss it is important to listen and make eye contact with the speaker. We will not raise our hands but will allow the discussion to flow organically.
Set a timer for 10-20 minutes and begin the discussion.
Teacher Notes:
As additional scaffolding, you might provide students with a copy of Costa’s levels of questioning stems[i] and instruct students to write 3 three level two or three questions (analysis and synthesis) before the discussion begins. Students can then use these questions to help generate discussion. The teacher can also write several discussion questions on the board to help scaffold for reluctant students.
Some examples might be:
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What political ideas or messages are present in each version?
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Is this the same story?
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Which version is more successful?
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How have the artists’ choices impacted the meaning?
Remind students that they are to be graded on their participation in seminar discussion and review the rubric once more. I sometimes allow students to take notes on the conversation and then show me the notes if they are shy about participating at first. During the discussion, student desks should be arranged in a circle so that each participant can be seen by one another. Participation can be tracked by drawing a circle or map of the classroom and then draw lines between speakers to indicate discussion exchanges.
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Closure
: Assign a journal writing, which should begin in class while ideas are fresh but may be completed for homework: Reflect on the seminar discussion. What ideas stuck out to you from this activity? What questions remain unresolved? What new questions or thoughts do you have?
Lesson 3
Objectives:
1) Analyze the development of a theme throughout a text. 2) Make text to world connections 3) Write a thesis statement
Warm up:
As students walk in, distribute a hand out including an excerpt from Kimberle Creshaw’s 1989 essay, “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics,” (see appendix 2). Students will read, annotate and reflect on the quote. After 4-5 minutes, students will engage in a pair-share. Teacher will then select several groups to share out.
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Paper Chat: Prior to class beginning hang large pieces of bulletin board paper or chart paper around the room. Label each piece with a major theme or motif that runs throughout the novel: racism, women and sexuality, violence, religion, and power. Give each student a marker and then instruct him or her to move about the room making notes on the chart paper without talking. The purpose of this activity is to create a dialogue without speaking. Notes might include memorable quotes from the novel, details, illustrations, flow charts or words. Encourage students to draw on other source material presented throughout the unit and include these ideas on the chart paper. Students should move about the room freely but must visit all stations.
Teacher Note:
You may have to model this activity on the board before moving into group work. Encourage students to respond to one another’s notes and drawings.
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Once students have completed the paper chat ask them to spend several minutes in a gallery walk, just observing what their classmates have written. Instruct students to select the station they feel most comfortable with and move to that area.
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In these self-selected groups students will synthesize their classmate’s ideas and generate a thesis statement. Instruct students to turn the chart paper over and respond to the following questions: 1) What ideas emerge from the notes? 2) If we consider the novel a work of culture, what does it suggest about the values and beliefs of the period it emerges from? 3) Generate a thematic thesis statement: What is Walker telling readers about this topic or idea?
Teacher Note:
By this point in the unit students should already have a clear idea that the period the novel emerges from are the late 1960’s throughout the 1970’s. Additionally, the thesis writing should be reinforced practice. If this is the first time students are writing thesis statements, a mini lesson modeling how to do so will be necessary.
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Each group will share their findings out with the class. Allow opportunity for classmates in other groups to comment.
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As classwork or homework, assign independent reading of the novel. As students read they will look for further evidence or examples of the themes discussed in class and compose a journal entry.
Journal:
Think about the themes we discussed earlier in class. Discuss something that came up in your reading today and how it relates to this theme.