Each of the following lessons will be for an hour and ten minute class period.
Initiation
: We are starting a unit called "Civil Discourse in America." The unit will focus on the outsider's perspective on the ills of society. In addition we will focus on the development of voice. We will be reading a variety of literature as you can see from the bibliography. Before we launch into the reading I would like you to explore some key concepts in the unit. The key ideas are outsiders, civility, wildness and voice.
Individual Practice
: Students will write responses to the following questions in their journals.
What does "civil" mean? What constitutes "civil language"? When is it important to use civil language? When is uncivil language appropriate? When and why is uncivil language used? How have American ideas about what is civil changed over time? What are civil rights? What is voice? Who are the voices from the outside?
Group Practice
: Students will share their responses with the class. All of the students are responsible for taking notes on what is being said. We call this "listening with a pen."
Closure
: What conclusions or new insights do you have about the unit themes based on the class discussion? Jot down your ideas in your journal. Tonight for homework you will be reading Maya Angelou. Think about voice while reading.
Homework
: Read excerpt from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou.
The second lesson will focus on voice and Maya Angelou.
Initiation
: I will play a reading of the I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings excerpt. How did hearing the excerpt affect your understanding of the text?
Individual Practice
: Respond to the following quote in writing. "Your grandmother says you read a lot. Every chance you get. That's good, but not good enough. Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with the shades of deeper meaning."
If you need guidance in writing the response use the following questions: Who is speaking to whom? What does the quote mean? Why is it significant?
Group Practice
: Students will share their responses to the quote. I will also encourage them to draw connections to their own sense of voice.
Closure
: Describe your own voice. How is it unique? Describe one incident or person that helped you to develop your voice. What helps Marguerite develop her voice?
The next lesson is not ordered as the lesson that would come after the previous lesson. This lesson would appear later in the unit.
Initiation
: We will be reading a few Claude McKay sonnets. Each of them comments on the conditions in America at the time of the Harlem Renaissance. Claude McKay may exist outside of the mainstream white society but he uses both civilized and wild means to convey his messages.
Group Practice
: One student will read the poem, "America" out loud. Students will then underline a line or word or words that stand out to them. Another student will read the poem out loud. As this person reads, the rest of the class will read their underlined passages with him. If the students are into it which they usually are we will read it a third time.
Individual Practice
: Students will write about a line or word in the poem that they think is important. They will explain why they think it is significant.
Group Practice
: Students will share their responses.
Individual Practice
: If the students have not already discussed the following, I will hand out additional questions.
What literary devices does McKay utilize?
How do the traditions of the sonnet contribute to the meaning of the poem?
What kind of imagery does McKay use?
How does the poem combine the civil and wild?
Closure
:
What new insight do have about the poem?
