Curricular Resources > 2007 Volume I > Unit 1 (07.01.01) > Section 6

American Voices: Listening to Fiction, Poetry, and Prose

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 07.01.01

Unit Guide

The Search for Self: Voices of Adolescence in Literature

Sean Griffin

Tools for this unit:

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Lesson Plans

I have included sample lesson plans from each of the three main sections of this unit; Listening for voices in the classroom; The literature; and "Open Mic Fridays." Each of the lessons involves journal writing and is designed to help students gather material for open mic Fridays and the culminating project. All of the lessons are also a great way for students to find a way to discover their own voice in their writing.

Sample Lesson Plan One-Listening for voices in the classroom.

Objectives

1 Students will reflect on "Raymond's Run" as a class
2 Students will respond to guiding questions on literature
3 Students will discuss connections with literature and their own lives
4 Students will create written response in relation to class discussions.

Materials

1 Students' journals
2 "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara
3 Discussion questions

Initiation Ask students to choose their favorite piece of dialogue from "Raymond's Run" and read it out loud as if they were Squeaky. Allow several students to share and then initiate discussion by asking students to respond to a few response questions in their journals. Tell students they have seven minutes to respond and to just quickly jot down ideas on a few of the questions you have prepared. Procedure I find it very important to help students prepare for anything that is "impromptu." They need to sort of prime their brains for discussion or (as you'll see later) even for open mic. Discussions will run smoother when students have had a chance to prepare response ahead of time. Have response questions written on an overhead or blackboard ready for students to answer. Among the questions you can use are: What do you hear in Squeaky's voice; What does her voice tell you about Squeaky? How does voice reveal character in the story? How can you relate to Squeaky? Have you ever had to take care of a younger sibling? Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever had to stand up for yourself? What do you love to do? What are your fears? Once students have had a chance to think about the questions, I'll have them sit in a large circle and we'll begin to talk about how they feel. Students will not really need to look at their journals, the discussion will feed off of itself. I serve as moderator and let students talk as much as possible Closure Ask students to jot down in their journal the most important or insightful point that they got out of today's discussion. Homework is to write a poem or a paragraph on something we discussed. Have the students share the next day. Have discussions on a weekly basis as you go through this unit. Intertwine journal writing and discussion and try to allow students to begin to discover their own voice.

Sample Lesson Plan-Two- From the literature section; Harlem in Poetry

Objectives

1 Students will listen to the poem "Harlem" written by Walter Dean Meyers
2 Students will identify images from the poem
3 Students will create a web in which they will write images of their own hometown
4 Students will write poems named after their own hometowns
5 Students will share poetry

Materials

1 Students' journals
2 "Harlem" by Walter Dean Meyers (recorded version if possible)
3 tape recorder
4 web organizers

Initiation Ask students what an image is. Take a few minutes to talk about how important images are to poets. I often tell students poets paint pictures in our minds through words and images. Ask students to give you examples of images from literature or poetry that they are familiar with. Sometimes I will have students draw an image and then describe it in words on the back of the drawing. Procedure After talking about images, ask students to listen closely as Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs reads "Harlem" to them from cassette. The Scholastic Book recording and illustrated version of this poem is wonderful for this part of the unit. Students listen very closely and you can have a student show the class the illustrations in the book as it is read. Before beginning ask students to jot down the images that really strike them. There are many images in the poem that the students love. Ask the class to share the images that they enjoyed. Reiterate how images really put a picture in our minds through some of the examples. Now give students a web organizer. Ask them to write their own hometown in the center and to think of some images that remind them of their hometown. Share some of the images they come up with. Now students are ready to write their own hometown poem. They may have to finish it for homework. Be sure to share with the class. Closure If anyone is ready, ask them to share their poem!

Sample lesson plan three; From the literature section; Troubled kids

Objectives

1 Students will review poetry/prose from Bronx Masquerade
2 Students will brainstorm what really bothers them
3 Students will write a paragraph and a poem about something that bothers them

Initiation Ask students to pick out one of their favorite pairs of work from Bronx Masquerade . Allow a few students to read out loud those sections. Procedure After your brief discussion on the pairs of writings from Bronx Masquerade , ask students to brainstorm about what bothers them. Have a student write on the board or overhead as they call out what they dislike (little brothers or sisters; parents yelling; teachers getting in your face; friends that talk too much, etc.) After a brief class share of our pet peeves and problems, ask students to choose one of the ideas just shared and to write a brief paragraph in their journal in which they talk about that problem. Closure Ask if any students are willing to share their responses. For homework ask students to write an additional poem on the subject. Sample Lesson Plan-Four- From the "Open mic Friday" section; Singing the blues In this lesson students are invited to explore the Harlem Renaissance, blues and the open mic. As mentioned before students need to be primed for open mic Fridays. They will have lots of materials as the unit roles on, but be sure to start each Friday with a mini-lesson and short writing activity. Objectives

1 Students will discuss the roots of jazz
2 Students will brainstorm "The blues"
2 Students will listen to selections of music from the Harlem Renaissance
3 Students will write their own blues lyrics
4 Students will share work in open mic format

Initiation Put some jazz on the radio in your room. Grab some classic Louis Armstrong or Billie Holiday and watch the kids tune into you. Procedure Lead students in a discussion of the music. See if anyone can identify what they just heard and ask them if they know where jazz comes from. Explain to them that much of today's music has its roots in jazz and the blues. Ask students to tell you what blues is about. Brainstorm with the students. Once you have your list, ask a student to give you a blues beat. Now play some blues selections for the students to hear. Finally ask students to come up with some of their own blues lyrics. Tell them it can be serious or it can be silly. One of my students this year wrote "The Spaghetti Blues." Finally if anyone can play a harmonica or a guitar, give your students a blues beat and ask them to come up and share their lyrics with the class. Closure As students are sharing their work, ask others to respond in their journals to what they are hearing.

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