Concept Unit Lesson Plan

Unit Working Title: Building a Community of Individual Voices

Unit Big Idea (Concept/Theme): Unique Voices
Unit Primary Skill focus:

Week:1 of 3
Plan # 3 of 9
Minutes: 90
Plan type: Full Detail

Content Requirement Satisfied:

- Vocabulary
- Instruction that uses text as a mentor

We are beginning the year with a reading of Thank You Maam By Langston Hughes. The
purpose of this lesson is to begin the year with a reading that encourages students to see the
differences in every individual and to acknowledge that everyone has a voice that deserves to be
heard. Regardless of our background, we are all a part of a community, thus we all have a voice
that should be heard. This is a mixed community of students from different backgrounds with
different Lexile, levels performing at different academic levels. As the first big in-class reading
experience, students will be asked to apply what they learn about background/perspective and
voice, to aid them in writing their classroom rules.

Unit Learning Objectives:

1. Students will understand that every voice has a right to be heard.
4. Students will be able to listen actively to their peers and the teacher.
5. Analyze the authors expressive purpose in different literary texts.

Lesson Learning Objectives:

Cognitive:
a. Students will understand that communities are made up of differences.
b. Students will know the two meaning of voice as it relates to building a classroom
community:
a. The sound that comes out of a persons mouth when they are speaking
b. Someones expressed thought based on experiences, beliefs, or perspective.
Affective:
c. Students will value the differences in our classroom community and their communities
outside of class.
Performance:
d. Student will be able to apply concepts of building a community of different voices guide
their comprehension of the two different perspectives in a text.
 e. Students will identify conflicts in the narrative and evaluate characters choice in
responding to the conflict.
f. Students will create a story map to identify elements of the narrative plot.

SOLs:
6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative
nonfiction, and poetry.
l) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process.

COMMON CORE:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.6
Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.

Method of Assessment:
Diagnostic
The second day of class,
student completed a reading
comprehension pre-test. They
were given the The Story of
An Hour by Kate Chopin,
followed by a series of reading
comprehension questions.
Formative
Students will be tasked with
completing a Story Map of the
Thank You Maam by Langston
Hughes. They will be completing
their map with a partner.
1,4,a.b,c,d,e
Summative
Students will complete a character
choice worksheet assignment, in
which they have to show their
comprehension of the text by
identifying conflicts, and
evaluating the choices the
character makes.

e, 1,4,5, a.b,c,d,e,f

Procedures/Instructional Strategies

Beginning Room Arrangement: As students come to class, they will sit in their assigned seat.
The class is set up in a double U shape with one inner U and an outer U. In this arrangement,
students have do a lot of work with elbow partners and the person or people sitting behind them
for group work.

[5 min.] Greeting
Hello everyone! Hows it going? In best way you know how, I want you to silently, and without
getting out your seats show me how you are feeling right now? You can give me a smile, or a
frown or anything that doesnt require talking or getting out of your seat. Ready, set, go!

It looks like some of you are feeling great today and others of you might need some help getting
there. Now, I want you to look to your neighbor and make the silliest face you know how to
make. Pretend you are on snapchat. If possible, try and make someone in the room laugh.
[laughter may erupt]
Now I want you to look at someone you made laugh, ask yourself, do I already know their name?
If not, ask them to remind you. If you didnt make anyone laugh, just find someone in the room
who didnt make anyone else neither and say hello. You have 10 seconds.

Great, now we are going to spend 2 minutes introducing each other again to the whole class. I
want you guys to learn each others names and become familiar with one another. When it is
your turn, Hi Im _______ and I made_______ laugh, or Hi Im _______ and I met_______
today. Who would like to start?

We will then spend about 2 minutes going over names again.

[6 Min.] Bridge/Hook/Opening to Lesson:

Now that weve all had a chance to reintroduce ourselves, I want you all to look at the
Anticipation Guide you had to complete for your Do Now. Lets go over some of these answers.
Listen to how you will participate. For every question I am going to ask you to stand up if you
either said agree or disagree. Listen to what I ask so you know you are standing up for the right
answer. Stand up if you did not agree with the first statement? It said people from similar
backgrounds think the same.

I will alternate so student have a chance to get up. Some may have put agreed for all answers or
disagreed for all of their answers. I will keep count of students responses to gauge if the
majority responses have changed at the end of class. Also, I will draw on sticks to give a few
students a chance to share their reasoning. The sticks will make the cold calling random, that
way students do not feel I am purposefully not giving them a chance to share their reasoning. I
imagine with the nature of the questions on the anticipation guide that many students will want to
share their reasoning.

[15 Min.] Reading Guided Questions

I was really interested to see some of your thoughts through our anticipation guide. I wonder if
any of you will change your mind by the end of the day. Im going to pass out our next activity.
Please take out a pencil as I pass out the reading. When you have the reading and a pencil out, I
want you to show me what a responsible and ready to learn student looks like.

Everyone looks very prepared! I am happy with what quality student behavior you guys are
exhibiting. We are going to divide into groups of four. We are going to count off. When I get to
you, say what your number is. Lets count until 5 and then start over. Remember your number. It
is your group number. When I am done giving directions, you are going to move to the area of
the room where you see your number. In your groups, you will read the story together. Take turns
reading and whenever you get to the stop markers, stop and answer the questions as a group.
[15 Min.] Character Choice

Everyone has been working so hard in their groups. I am very proud of your concentration and I
would love to see this continue. I have an interesting and fun activity planned but before we do,
we are going to do a character choice chart. I have passed out your next worksheet for you to
work on in your groups. You will use the short story and look at the two main characters. You
will write down a choice a character made, say why they made that choice, and evaluate their
choice. When you evaluate, you can say what you think about their choice. Maybe you liked it,
maybe you didnt.

Model:
For example, Roger makes the choice to steal a purse. He makes this choice because he is poor
and hungry. I think his choice was bad but he felt like he had no other choice. Maybe he thought
this was the only way to get food. What questions do we have about the character choice
worksheet?

[20 min] If I were, I would:

On the back of the character choice worksheet, I want you guys to come up with a list of things
you would have done in if you were in Rogers circumstances. You came be talking about why he
stole the purse or what you would do if you were taken in by the woman you tried to rob.

Your statement should read,

If I were Roger, I would______________________.

Similarly, you are going to want to put yourself in Mrs. Bates shoes and come up with a list of
things you would have done in her place.

Your statement should read,

If I were Roger, I would______________________.

I am going to give you about 8 minutes to come up with a list of things. I want to remind you all
to be respectful of different people and perspectives as you come up with your If I were list.

Time is up everyone. In just a few minutes, after I finish giving directions, I am going to divide
you in two groups. You are going to count off by twos. The ones will be on my right, and the twos
will be on my left. We are going leave the middle as a stage. One member from each group will
come up and say their if I were quote. The other group will then respond to their perspective
in a respectful way. You dont have to agree with their statement. You may not even like it, but
you respond respectfully.
When I say respect, I mean showing that you value someone elses opinion even if you dont
agree with what they think and how they expressed. Once you have gone and the other group has
responded to you, the responder stays up on the stage and the next member from the next team
comes up. Does everyone understand? I will go first in case there are any confusions.

If I were Roger, I would ask someone for food or money Other group would then respond to
me.

[3 min] Closing:

Thank you all for sharing your voices. We got to hear everyones opinion about the two
characters in Thank You Maam by Langston Hughes. Before we leave today, I want you all to
take out your Anticipation guides. Take about 2 minutes to reread it and fill it out.

Did anyones answers change before and after? Why and how?

[Discussion]

Thank you for all being so active and participating today. I thank you all because I had a chance
to hear each and every one of your individual voices. Your only homework for tonight is to
reread the short story. We are going to use it again tomorrow.

Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students:

Samuel finishes his reading assignments ahead of everyone. He also finishes many of his
assignments before everyone. He is very intelligent, but is also disruptive when he feels threaten
by the other students who sometimes bully him. I will ask Samuel to work on his assignment by
the carpet (it is a very cozy area. Privilege, not a punishment). When he is finished, I will give
him a one pager activity so he can stay away from his bullies and not disrupt other students
learning.

Materials Needed (list):

- All Appendixes
Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers,
handouts, etc.)
- Appendix A: Anticipation Guide
- Appendix B: Thank You Maam
- Appendix C: Character Choice Sheet

Appendix A: Anticipation Guide

Anticipation Guide
Name _____________________________ Date _____________
 Statement Agree or Agree or
Disagree Disagree

People from similar backgrounds think the same.

If you are caught committing a crime, it doesnt matter what you have to say
because everyone knows you are guilty.

Only weak people give second chances when someone has done something to
harm them.

One person can speak for a majority.

All criminals should be treated the same way.

Appendix B: Thank You Maam

Name:________________________________________Period:___________Date:__________

Thank You, Ma'am

by Langston Hughes
She was a large woman with a large purse that had everything in it but hammer and nails. It had a long
strap, and she carried it slung across her shoulder. It was about eleven oclock at night, and she was
walking alone, when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse. The strap broke with the single
tug the boy gave it from behind. But the boys weight and the weight of the purse combined caused him to
lose his balance so, instead of taking off full blast as he had hoped, the boy fell on his back on the
sidewalk, and his legs flew up. the large woman simply turned around and kicked him right square in his
blue-jeaned sitter. Then she reached down, picked the boy up by his shirt front, and shook him until his
teeth rattled.

After that the woman said, "Pick up my pocketbook, boy, and give it here." She still held him. But she
bent down enough to permit him to stoop and pick up her purse. Then she said, "Now aint you ashamed
of yourself?"

Firmly gripped by his shirt front, the boy said, "Yesm."

The woman said, "What did you want to do it for?"

The boy said, "I didnt aim to."

She said, "You a lie!"

By that time two or three people passed, stopped, turned to look, and some stood watching.

"If I turn you loose, will you run?" asked the woman.

"Yesm," said the boy.

"Then I wont turn you loose," said the woman. She did not release him.

"Im very sorry, lady, Im sorry," whispered the boy.

"Um-hum! And your face is dirty. I got a great mind to wash your face for you. Aint you got nobody
home to tell you to wash your face?"

"Nom," said the boy.

"Then it will get washed this evening," said the large woman starting up the street, dragging the
frightened boy behind her.

He looked as if he were fourteen or fifteen, frail and willow-wild, in tennis shoes and blue jeans.

The woman said, "You ought to be my son. I would teach you right from wrong. Least I can do right now
is to wash your face. Are you hungry?"

"Nom," said the being dragged boy. "I just want you to turn me loose."

"Was I bothering you when I turned that corner?" asked the woman.
"Nom."

"But you put yourself in contact with me," said the woman. "If you think that that contact is not going to
last awhile, you got another though coming. When I get through with you, sir, you are going to remember
Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones."

Sweat popped out on the boys face and he began to struggle. Mrs. Jones stopped, jerked him around in
front of her, put a half-nelson about his neck, and continued to drag him up the street. When she got to her
door, she dragged the boy inside, down a hall, and into a large kitchenette-furnished room at the rear of
the house. She switched on the light and left the door open. The boy could hear other roomers laughing
and talking in the large house. Some of their doors were open, too, so he knew he and the woman were
not alone. The woman still had him by the neck in the middle of her room.

She said, "What is your name?"

"Roger," answered the boy.

"Then, roger, you go to that sink and wash your face," said the woman, whereupon she turned him loose--
at last. Roger looked at the doorlooked at the womanlooked at the doorand went to the sink.

Let the water run until it gets warm," she said. "Heres a clean towel."

"You gonna take me to jail?" asked the boy, bending over the sink.

"Not with that face, I would not take you nowhere," said the woman. "Here I am trying to get home to
cook me a bite to eat and you snatch my pocketbook! Maybe, you aint been to your supper either, late as
it be. Have you?"

"Theres nobody home at my house," said the boy.

"Then well eat," said the woman, "I believe youre hungryor been hungryto try to snatch my
pocketbook."

"I wanted a pair of blue suede shoes," said the boy.

"Well, you didnt have to snatch my pocketbook to get some suede shoes," said Mrs. Luella Bates
Washington Jones. "You could of asked me."

"Mam?"

The water dripping from his face, the boy looked at her. There was a long pause. A very long pause. After
he had dried his face and not knowing what else to do dried it again, the boy turned around, wondering
what next. The door was open. He could make a dash for it down the hall. He could run, run, run, run,
run!

The woman was sitting on the day-bed. After a while she said, "I were young once and I wanted things I
could not get."

There was another long pause. The boys mouth opened. Then he frowned, but not knowing he frowned.
 The woman said, "Um-hum! You thought I was going to say but, didnt you? You thought I was going to
say, but I didnt snatch peoples pocketbooks. Well, I wasnt going to say that." Pause. Silence. "I have
done things, too, which I would not tell you, sonneither tell God, if he didnt already know. So you set
down while I fix us something to eat. You might run that comb through your hair so you will look
presentable."

In another corner of the room behind a screen was a gas plate and an icebox. Mrs. Jones got up and went
behind the screen. The woman did not watch the boy to see if he was going to run now, nor did
she watch her purse which she left behind her on the day-bed. But the boy took care to sit on the Mistrusted: v.
far side of the room where he thought she could easily see him out of the corner other eye, if she doubted
wanted to. He did not trust the woman not to trust him. And he did not want to be mistrusted
now.

"Do you need somebody to go to the store," asked the boy, "maybe to get some milk or
something?"

"Dont believe I do," said the woman, "unless you just want sweet milk yourself. I was going to
make cocoa out of this canned mild I got her."

"That will be fine," said the boy.

She heated some lima beans and ham she had in the icebox, made the cocoa, and set the table. The
woman did not ask the boy anything about where he lived, or his folks, or anything else that would
embarrass him. Instead, as they ate, she told him about her job in a hotel beauty-shop that stayed open
late, what the work was like, and how all kinds of women came in and out, blondes, red-heads, and
Spanish. Then she cut him a half of her ten-cent cake.

"Eat some more, son," she said.

When they were finished eating she got up and said, "Now, here, take this ten dollars and
Latching: to buy yourself some blue suede shoes. And next time, do not make the mistake of latching
grasp or attach onto my pocketbook nor nobody elsesbecause shoes come be devilish like that will burn
oneself your feet. I got to get my rest now. But I wish you would behave yourself, son, from here
on in."

She led him down the hall to the front door and opened it. "Goodnight!" Behave yourself,
boy!" she said, looking out into the street.

The boy wanted to say something else other that "Thank you, mam" to Mrs. Luella Barren: adj.
Bates Washington Jones, but he couldnt do so as he turned at the barren stoop and looked back at sterile or empty
the large woman in the door. He barely managed to say "Thank you" before she shut the door. And
he never saw her again.

Appendix C: Character Choice Sheet

Name___________________________________________ Period______
Date______________
 Choice Made Why choice was made Evaluate Choice

Roger Ex: Stole Handbag

Mrs. Luella Bates

Washington Jones