GENERAL INFORMATION

Subject(s)
LanguageArts(English)
TopicorUnitofStudy
Debate,Persuasion
Concept(s)
Essentialquestions:
Howcanindividualswhohavedifferingopinionsbandtogetherforthecommongood?
Howshouldindividualsrespondtothechallengestosocialjustice?
Howcanwefightinjustice?

Grade/Level
Grade8
TimeAllotment
1classperiods.1.25Hrs.perclass.
AssessmentofPriorKnowledge
Studentswillusethecriticalthinkingknowledgethattheyhaveacquiredthroughoutthedebateunit.This
willincludeanalyzingacomplexsocialproblemanddiscoveringanswersusingpoetryandinformational
text.
InstructionalMaterials
Studentswillneedawritingutensil,apieceofpaper,andtheHoltMcDougalLiteraturetextbook(pp.804
5and8589).
Resources

Materialsandresources:
Prezipresentationtool

Summary
Studentswillapplyvariouscriticalthinkingskillsinordertodiscusssocialjustice.Theclasswillstartwith
a"Write,RightNow!"writingpromptthatwillthenleadintothebulkofthelesson.Duringthelesson,
studentswillreadapoemandinformationaltextaboutsitinsandrespond/reflectonthecontentofeach.
Thelessonwillendwithaneditorialexercisesthatallowsstudentstoswaythereadersoftheirnewspaper
totheirsideoftheargument.

STANDARDS AND OBJECTIVES

Standards
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MDMarylandCollegeandCareerReadyStandardsMathandELA/Literacy(2013)

Subject:EnglishLanguageArts&LiteracyinHistory/SocialStudies,Science,andTechnicalSubjects

GradeRangeforELACCRAnchorStandard:612
Strand:Reading
Area:CraftandStructure
CCRAnchorStandard:
5.Analyzethestructureoftexts,includinghowspecificsentences,paragraphs,andlargerportionsofthetext(e.g.,asection,
chapter,scene,orstanza)relatetoeachotherandthewhole.
Strand:Writing
Area:ProductionandDistributionofWriting
CCRAnchorStandard:
4.Produceclearandcoherentwritinginwhichthedevelopment,organization,andstyleareappropriatetotask,purpose,and
audience.

USANat.CouncilofTeachersofEnglish:StandardsfortheEnglishLanguageArts

Standard1.:Studentsreadawiderangeofprintandnonprinttextstobuildanunderstandingoftexts,ofthemselves,andof
theculturesoftheUnitedStatesandtheworld;toacquirenewinformation;torespondtotheneedsanddemandsofsociety
andtheworkplace;andforpersonalfulfillment.Amongthesetextsarefictionandnonfiction,classicandcontemporary
works.
Standard11.:Studentsparticipateasknowledgeable,reflective,creative,andcriticalmembersofavarietyofliteracy
communities.

LessonObjective(s)
Studentswillapplyvariousstrategiesandtechniquesfromtheentiredebateunit.
Studentsexamineandquestionvariouscurrentproblems.
Studentswillcreateashorteditorialtosharewithclassmates.

Affectiveobjectives:
Studentswillattachabeliefdirectlytothegroup'sdiscussion.
Studentswillappreciateandacknowledgeothers'opinions.
Studentswillunderstandthevaluesofothers.

PROCEDURES AND MODIFICATIONS

Introduction(Motivation)
Thestudentswillhavetenminutestorespondtothedaily"Write,RightNow!"prompttoday'sprompt
asksstudenthowhe/sheknowswhatisright.
Teaching/Activities
1.Followingthemotivationactivity,studentswillhavetimetosharetheiranswersandstartadiscussion
withotherclassmateswithdifferingopinions.Thediscussioncanlastuptofiveminutes.
2.Studentswillbeaskedhowtheythinkchangeoccurstheywillbegivenafewminutestothink
individuallyandthentheywillbeaskedtosharewiththeirneighbor.Theinstructorwillaskforstudentsto
sharetheiranswerswiththeclass.
3.Theinstructorwillthenaskstudentstobrainstormsomeworldeventsthathavecausedangerand
frustrationtowardonegroupofpeople.Thestudentswillalsobeaskedwhatitwouldtaketochangethe
mindsofthosewhothinkdifferently.

4.Studentswillread"SitIns"byMargaretWalkerandanexcerptfromADreamofFreedombyDiane
McWhorter.
5.ThestudentswillbeaskedwhichsidewasrightduringtheCivilRightsMovement;thereisanobvious
answerandstudentsshouldbeabletodeterminethis.
6.Asthefinalactivity,studentswillhavetowriteaneditorialfortheMountSavageTimestheymust
respondtothequestion"Howcanwefightinjustice?"Studentswillbeabletosharetheiranswersiftime
allows.
Closure
Studentswillshareanddiscusstheireditorials.Iftimeallows,theinstructorwillhandbackfinaldebate
grades.
DifferentiatedInstruction
Ihaveafewgiftedandtalentedstudentsinthisblock.Ihaveaplannedafewextensionassignmentsthat
willbenefittheiracceleratedthinkingskills.Theseincludestudyingotherpiecesofliteraturefromother
periodsthatincludedsocialinjustices.

ASSESSMENT / EVALUATION
Assessment/Rubrics
Studentswillbeformativelyassessedthroughthefinaleditorialactivity.
Reflections
Thislessonwasplannedinordertodemonstratehowdebatestrategiesandcriticalthinkingcanbeapplied
to"realworld"problemsinthiscase,theclassdealtwithproblemswithinjusticeandprejudice.The
studentsseemedtounderstandtheconceptsandtheapplication,butIfeellikeIwasn'tspecificenoughin
thefinalactivity,whichcausedafewquestionto"popup"anddelaythewritingprocess.Thelessonended
ourdebate/persuasiveunitperfectly,though;studentsalwaysseemtoaskwhentheyaregoingtousewhat
theylearnintherealworld,andthislessonallowedstudentstousetheircriticalthinkingskillstotackle
injusticeinaproactivemanner.