Activity One: Introduce the unit with mentor texts
The activity will introduce the goals of the unit. Students will experience Harrison’s approach to sharing the lives of some of the world’s heroes and illustrating them in her iconic style as Little Leaders. These inviting texts will prepare students to think about bold leaders and visionaries. Students will keep journal entries (illustrations and texts) as they learn about new and interesting people.
Materials: Little Dreamers: Visionary Women Around the World, t-chart on chart paper with question, chart to track content from text (examples below), student journals
To introduce the unit on the, students will learn about various women and men discussed in throughout the texts. Students will listen to Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History and Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History. Collect some responses from the students.
Begin by asking some questions to activate background knowledge and build communication: Why are we reading about these people? What do you notice about them? Do you notice what they have in common?
Ask students the question posted on the chart, “What are some ways people can help our world be better?” Record any answers and ideas on the left side titled “What We Know.” Read-aloud time occurs over several lessons about 15-20 minutes each to introduce two to three new biographies. Using the following format, choose profiles/biographies in response to specific student interest to log information for future reference.
Prepare T-Chart
What are some ways people can help our world be better?
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What We Know
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What We Have Learned
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Prepare text content chart
Learning about Bold and Visionary Men and Women
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Scientists
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Artists
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Musicians
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Athletes
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Reformers
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Activity Two: Being Bold
This lesson is designed to help pupils explore ideas and speculate about themes in the books. They should feel free to discuss anything that comes to mind.
Lead-in questions: What does the title, ‘Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History’, make you think about? What does it mean to be ‘bold’?
Task 1: Teachers will select four images for student reference. In small groups, students will choose one of the illustrations from the text.
Discuss the following questions:
- What does your illustration taken from the text show?
- How do you think it represents being ‘bold’? Consider images, colors, shapes, actions of the characters.
- Can you find any important objects or symbols in your illustration?
Students will share their findings with the class.
Task 2: Look at the four illustrations again. Can you find some of the following things and label them?
Task 3: Now that students have found all the things above, write down what you think each of them could represent and what it tells us about the women included in the book. Students will use their journals to document their learning.
Image
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What could it represent?
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What it tells us about these women
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Prompt students: “Imagine you are included in the book. Draw two things that would symbolize how bold you are. Remember to consider what the images represent and what they say about you.”
Activity Three: Being Visionary
Lead-in questions: What does it mean to be ‘visionary’? How do you think being ‘visionary’ is different from being ‘bold’? Help students to understand that one is a state of action and one is a state of thinking.
Task 1: In small groups, choose one of the illustrations from Little Leaders: Visionary Women Around the World.
Discuss the following questions:
- What does your illustration taken from Little Leaders: Visionary Women Around the World show?
- How do you think it represents that particular woman’s ‘vision’? Can you guess each woman’s ‘vision’?
- Can you find any important objects or symbols in your illustration? Present your group’s findings back to the class.
Task 2: In pairs, can you find clues in the illustrations to match each of the four women to the places they are from? What clues can you find?
Task 3: Share the following statement:
It is important to celebrate inspirational and visionary women from all across the globe.
Discuss as a class your thoughts and ideas about the statement, including whether you agree or disagree and why, as well as whether you would add to the statement in any way:
Activity Four: Exceptional Men
Lead-in questions: When have you heard the word ‘exceptional’? Can you use the word in a sentence? What do you think it means to be ‘exceptional’? Why do you think it is important to celebrate both men and women through history?
Task 1: In small groups, choose one of the illustrations from Little Leaders: Exceptional Men in Black History.
Discuss the following questions:
- What does your illustration taken from text?
- How do you think it represents how each man might be ‘exceptional’?
- Can you find any important objects or symbols in your illustration?
Present your group’s findings back to the class.
Task 2:
Share the following statement:
It is important to celebrate people equally based on their achievements, no matter their background, race, or gender.
Discuss as a class your thoughts and ideas about the statement, including whether you agree or disagree and why, as well as whether you would add to the statement in any way.
Task 3:
Create your own Little Leaders booklet in which you celebrate the achievements of at
least two people who have inspired you. Make sure that you include people of different
backgrounds, ethnicities, and genders. Use Vashti Harrison’s style as a model to help you create the illustrations to go alongside your descriptive text.
Activity Five: Field Trip to Yale Art Museum
We are fortunate to have access to free field trips within the city limits. A trip to the museum would offer the students an opportunity to see portraits and artists’ work. Students will prepare with a digital tour of some works of art they will visit, draw, and write about in their journals. Students will use the format of Little Leaders to share their thoughts with their peers in the classroom.