Goal
: Students will explore the connection between decisions they make now and their future.
Lesson One: “Love Child”
Pressures related to sex are something many students are bombarded with in their own lives, through their friends, in movies and television shows. As such there will not be much background discussion prior to discussion. Every student will have some personal experience to draw from. Guidelines will have already been established as to how to conduct successful discussions. Everyone will have the opportunity to comment and raise differing positions, but it will be done in an orderly fashion, allowing everyone the opportunity to hear and respond. These activities will take 3 days to complete.
Content Standard 1.0: Reading
Content Standard 2.0: Writing
Content Standard 6.0: English/Integrated Arts
Materials:
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Copy of the lyrics to “Love Child” by Diana Ross. Can be obtained from the Internet at http://lyrics.coolfreepages.com/Lyrics/1969/821969.html
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Recorded version of the song “Love Child”. This song is available on several collections, including
Love Child
,
25
th
Anniversary
,
Compact Command Performances
(20 Greatest Hits), and
The Ultimate Collection
.
Objectives:
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Students will listen to and read the lyrics for “Love Child” by Diana Ross.
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Students will examine the character traits exhibited by the singer. Some of these may include courage and truth. They will evaluate the effectiveness of displaying these traits through the song genre.
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Students will discuss the timeless nature of the issue of deciding when to have sex. This song was at the top of the charts in 1969 and the topic is still present in many forms of media.
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Students will brainstorm possible outcomes of this ‘discussion’ between the singer and the boyfriend.
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After discussion, students will create a dialogue of the events that occur after she explains her situation and feelings to the boyfriend. Students will be given the option of responding to the song with a lyrical response from the male point of view, or to write the ensuing dialogue in a play format.
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Students will self edit and peer edit their writing prior to sharing with the class.
Lesson Two: “Grand Goblin”
Pressure from our families is something we all feel. Families can affect many decisions one makes. Some students behave in strict accordance to their parents wishes while resenting the lack of control, others oppose everything their parent say. Students will discuss this phenomenon, and move toward the realization that while family is important, their ultimate fate rests on them. For background information students will need to review the Ku Klux Klan’s history and current status. This information can be obtained from the websites listed in the bibliography.
Content Standard 1.0: Reading
Content Standard 2.0: Writing
Content Standard 6.0: English/Integrated Arts
Materials:
Copy of Play Without Endings
Objectives:
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Students will brainstorm the sources of pressure they feel is imposed on them.
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Teacher will focus discussion on family pressure and how it affects the choices we make.
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Students will be assigned roles and read “Grand Goblin” aloud.
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After reading, students will write a response journal to the play. The prompt will be “How did reading this play make you feel? Which character could you identify with? How do you believe Michael will react to the situation he is in? Why?”
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Students will create a flow chart showing 2 possible outcomes of the story- what may occur if Michael goes along with his father, and what may occur if he opposes him.
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Students will break into two groups, and one group will act out the first scenario and the other group will act out the second scenario.
Lesson Three: “Responsibility”
The group of students that will be participating in this curriculum will probably not have had much experience reading poems. This poem is very short, and not difficult to decipher the meaning. The reference to “the bars that imprison me” can be analyzed on different levels, but the image of the prison bars will be one that my students can instantly relate with.
Content Standard 1.0: Reading
Content Standard 2.0: Writing
Materials:
Copy of “Responsibility” by Paul LaVasseur
Objectives:
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Students will read “Responsibility” out loud as a class.
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Students will discuss the message of the poem.
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The class will discuss the poem in relation to Hyde’s words. Is this poem representing any of the guiding principles? Is it contrary to some of the words?
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Students will write a response journal answering the question: “How does reading this poem make you feel? Do you believe this poem is effective at making the reader think about the choices they make? Why or why not?”
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Students will draw a picture of the feeling they get from the poem.
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Students will have the opportunity to share their pictures and an explanation with the class.
