The Green Magnet School for Career Exploration

NYC DOE Magnet Program

Districts 25 and 28

School M. S. 217 Robert A. Van Wyck

The Green Magnet School for Career Exploration

Grade: 8

Teacher: MS. T. L. SAPP

Department/
Discipline / ENGLISH / ELA
UNIT / THE HISTORY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES.
TITLE / WHY DID SLAVERY FLOURISH IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?
ESSENTIAL QUESTION (S) / · HOW CAN WE OVERCOME RACIAL OPPRESSION AND/OR INJUSTICES IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN RACIAL TOLERANCE AND HARMONY?
· HOW DO PEOPLE MAINTAIN SELF-WORTH WHEN FACED WITH OPPRESSION?
FOCUSING QUESTION (S) / WHY DID SLAVERY BECOME A PART OF U.S. HISTORY AND HOW HAS IT “SHAPED” AMERICA?
SUGGESTED TIME FRAME / 4 TO 6 WEEKS
Magnet Standards/
Big Ideas/Theme / INQUIRY, SUSTAINABILITY, ACTIVISM, AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY.
Essential Question(s)
· HOW CAN WE OVERCOME RACIAL OPPRESSION AND/OR INJUSTICES IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN RACIAL TOLERANCE AND HARMONY?
· HOW DO PEOPLE MAINTAIN SELF-WORTH WHEN FACED WITH OPPRESSION?
· FOCUSING QUESTION (S)
· WHY DID SLAVERY BECOME A PART OF U.S. HISTORY AND HOW HAS IT “SHAPED” AMERICA?
Unit Name / THE ORIGIN OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES FROM 1619 – 1865.
Mini-unit Titles / HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:.
WHERE AND WHEN DID SLAVERY 1ST EVOLVE IN THE USA?
WHAT WERE THE REASONS OR RATIONALE IN THE DECISION TO ENSLAVE AFRICAN-AMERICANS?
INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK NIGHTJOHN.
WHAT DID THE DAILY LIFE OF A FIELD AND HOUSE SLAVE CONSIST OF?
CHARACTERIZATION: WHAT IMPRESSION DO YOU HAVE OF SARNY/ CLEL WALLER / DELIE; HOW DO WE LEARN OF NIGHTJOHN’S ANTICIPATED ARRIVAL?
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD:
HOW DID SLAVES MANAGE TO ESCAPE FROM THEIR PLANTATIONS?
WHAT SYSTEM AND VARIOUS METHODS DID SLAVES RELY ON WHEN PLANNING TO ESCAPE?
INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK SARNY; THE CIVIL WAR: CAUSES AND EFFECTS
HOW WILL LEARNING TO READ IMPACT SARNY’S LIFE?
WHY DID AMERICA BECOME ENGAGED IN CIVIL WAR, AND WHAT EFFECT DID IT TOLL ON OUR NATION AND ITS PEOPLE?
HOW WERE THE NON-FICTION NARRATIVES OF EX SLAVES’ LIVES SIMILAR TO THE CHARACTERS MET IN THE BOOKS NIGHTJOHN AND SARNY?
Unit’s Culminating Project (Brief Description)
QUILT PROJECT: A JOURNEY BACK IN TIME.
TASK: EACH STUDENT WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE SIX (6) “QUILTING FRAMES”. CONSTRUCTION PAPER OF VIBRANT HUES IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED! YOUR QUILT SQUARE BORDERS MUST BE DECORATED BY DRAWINGS THAT DEPICT THE PLIGHT THAT THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN SLAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE JOURNEY FROM AFRICA, AND IN THE DAILY WOES OF BEING ENSLAVED.
THE INFORMATION THAT YOUR INDIVIDUAL SQUARES (6) FOR THE CLASS QUILT WILL INCLUDE AN ORIGINAL SIMILE AND METAPHOR BASED ON A SCENE FROM EACH BOOK.
ONE BASED ON A SCENE FROM NIGHTJOHN, AND ONE FROM SARNY.
ONE SQUARE MUST CONTAIN AN ACTUAL STATEMENT FORMATTED INTO A QUOTE WITH YOUR INTERPRETATION OF IT.
ONE SQUARE WILL BE A RE-TELL OF THE EX-SLAVE NARRATIVE READ IN CLASS; HOW DID HIS/HER LIFE COMPARE WITH THAT OF SARNY?
THE REMAINING TWO SQUARES SHOULD INCLUDE A SYMBOL, THAT IS RECOGNIZED AS A CODE, AND WAS USED TO AID IN ESCAPING SLAVERY.
YOUR FINAL SQUARE WILL BE AN ACROSTIC POEM BASED ON ANY CHARACTER FROM EITHER BOOK; ACROSTIC POEM DETAILS MUST RELATE BACK TO ITS SOURCE.
Stage 1- Desired Results
Standards-Based Learning Goals
Green Magnet Standards
Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
Danielson’s Framework for Teaching.
Danielson’s Framework for Teaching Rubrics
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation
· Demonstrating Knowledge of Content and Pedagogy
· Demonstrating Knowledge of Students
· Setting Instructional Outcomes
· Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources
· Designing Coherent Instruction
· Designing Student Assessments / Domain 3: Instruction
· Expectations of learning
· Explanation of content
· Use of oral and written language
· Using Questioning and Discussion Techniques
· Engaging Students in Learning
· Using Assessment/self-assessment in Instruction
Domain 2: Creating an Environment of Respect and Rapport
· Teacher interaction with students
· 
· 
· d
·  / Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities
· Reflecting on Teaching · Communicating with Families
· Participating in a Professional Community · Growing and Developing Professionally
Concepts
Big Ideas for this Unit/Magnet Themes:
Sustainability
Sense of Place
Activism
Careers
Technology / Vocabulary: PLANTATION, WITCHIN’, TROUGH, PALLET, KETTLE, OVERSEER, TROUBLES, SIGNIFIES, CONFEDERACY, UNION, SCRIMMAGE, PONDERS, GOURD, CASTRATED, OCTOROON, EUNUCH, STAMMER CORDIALS, INJUSTICE, TOLERANCE, PREJUDICE, DISCRIMINATE, LARD, ENSLAVE, CREED, GUTTER, EMANCIPATION, THICKET, BAYONET, HEX, GLINTING, RENEGADE, DESERTERS, ENCAMPED, BRACING, BALE, BURIAL, SPECTACLES, VAULT , CANVAS, INTERVIEW, MAGGOTS, SHRED, EXTREMITY, CHISEL, HARMONY, PRE-CURSOR, INTERPRETATE, SUSTAINABILITY, ACTIVISM, ANALYZE, AMBASSADOR, ABOLITIONIST, ANTICIPATE, EMPOWERING
Enduring Understandings: I). EDUCATION QUOTES
a). “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela
b).”Education makes a people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave.” Baron Henry Peter Brougham
II). DISCRIMINATION
a). “Few people can be happy unless they hate some other person, nation or creed”- Bertrand Russell
b). “To keep a black man in the gutter a white man must stay in the gutter to hold him there”. Booker T. Washington
“Until justice is blind to color, until education is unaware of race, until opportunity is unconcerned with the color of men’s skins, emancipation will be a proclamation but not a fact.” Lyndon B. Johnson
III). RACE
“When you can read, you allow yourself the opportunity to see yourself as you’d like to be rather than whom you are.” Terry Sapp
“I know I got it made while the masses of black people are catchin’ hell, but as long as they ain’t free, I ain’t free.” Muhammad Ali / Essential Question(s):
·  HOW CAN WE OVERCOME RACIAL OPPRESSION AND/OR INJUSTICES IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN RACIAL TOLERANCE AND HARMONY?
·  HOW DO PEOPLE MAINTAIN SELF-WORTH WHEN FACED WITH OPPRESSION?
Content and Skills
Content (nouns)
Students will know… THE ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY / NOVEL: ( SETTING, PLOT, CONFLICT, CHARACTERIZATION, AND RESOLUTION).
AROSTIC POEMS, IMPROVISATIONS,
History of slavery in U. S. slaves
Slave narratives
Underground Railroad / Skills (verbs)
Students will be able to… ANALYZE CONTENT, MAKE PREDICTIONS, DRAW CONCLUSIONS, FORMULATE OPINIONS, FIND FACTS, RE-TELL/INTERPRET,
Stage 2- Summative Assessment Evidence
If students understand, know and are able to do the items in Stage 1, they should be able to show their understanding by completing an authentic task found in the world beyond the classroom.
Design the Culminating/Summative Project:
G- (goal): / SUDENTS WILL READ NIGHTJOHN, A READING OF HISTORICAL FICTION, AND ITS SEQUEL SARNY THAT UNVEILS THE HORRORS OF SLAVERY. .STUDENTS WILL DISCUSS AND ANALYZE THEIR FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS ON RACISM, PREJUDICES, AND THE VALUE OF AN EDUCATION.
R- (role): / STUDENTS WILL BECOME HISTORIANS, EDITORS, RESEARCHERS AND/OR INVESTIGATORS TO EXPLORE, ANALYZE, INTERPRET AND DISCUSS PAST DOCUMENTED CASES OF SLAVERY IN AMERICA; STUDENTS WILL ALSO EXPLORE THE LANGUAGE OF SLAVES IN ORDER TO DISPLAY AN UNDERSTANDING IN INTERPRETATION.
A- (audience): / STUDENTS WILL PRESENT EVIDENCE READ IN INTERVIEW FINDINGS TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST FORMULATED OPINIONS TO FELLOW CLASSMATES AND FAMILY MEMBERS; STUDENTS THUS WILL BECOME “AMBASSADORS” OF THEIR COMMUNITIES PORTRAYING AND PROJECTING RACIAL HARMONY.
S- (situation): / FOR OVER A PERIOD OF 400 YEARS, AFRICAN-AMERICANS WERE FORCED INTO SLAVERY; THEY WERE TREATED WORSE THAN DOGS, AND DENIED THEIR INALIENABLE RIGHTS. SLAVERY PLAYED A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE PRE-CURSORS OF THE CIVIL WAR. STUDENTS WILL BE CHALLENGED TO EVALUATE THE MORAL RIGHTS AND WRONGS OF SLAVERY.
P- (purpose and product): / Quilts on Readings. POWERPOINT BASED ON THE RISE OF SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES; FOUND AT www.pppst.com. READING AND REVIEW OF ACTUAL SLAVE NARRATIVES AT www.slaveryinamerica.org. ESSAYS BASED ON THE HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN AMERICA- SLAVERY’S ORIGIN, DAILY LIVES OF SLAVES, AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, FOUND AT scholastic.com. RE-CREATION OF SCENES FROM NIGHTJOHN AND SARNY.
S- (standards for performance): / RL.8.3. Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
RL.8.1. Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
W.8.1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
a.  Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
W.8.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.
a.  Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
Responding to Literature
W.8. 11. Create a presentation, art work, or text in response to a literary work with a commentary that identifies connections and explains divergences from the original.

THE ORIGIN OF SLAVERY IN AMERICA; 1619 - 1865

“COMING TO AMERICA”: THE PLIGHT OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN SLAVE.

Dear Student:

Today you will embark on a 4 – 6 week journey back in time! You’ll be re-visiting a period of history that America isn’t proud to have been a part of. You will meet courageous, exciting, callous, and kind characters; you’ll also “meet” actual people who’ve experienced the throes of slavery!

In addition to reading 2 novels by Gary Paulsen entitled NIGHTJOHN and SARNY, students will have active role playing, portraying selected characters from either text. Students you’ll also be assuming the roles of historian, interviewer, and Racial Harmony Ambassadors.

As you re-discover the cause and repercussions of slavery in America you’ll also develop a sense of reasoning and understanding of the importance of education. Each of you will be assigned various ‘roles” throughout the course of the unit.

In celebration of our varied findings, students will work collaboratively and individually to create a class quilt that will highlight an array of activities done throughout this unit. For example, you’ll be asked to provide:

· written responses such as interpretations of scenes taken from either novel

· interesting facts found in slave narratives

· a simile and/or metaphor that applies to either book

· the creation of a symbol or code that could’ve led a slave to freedom!

Class quilts will be formulated by placing each student’s 6 “frames of quilting” together.

You will be required to create a mini power point that will highlight your individual findings. Please share this notice with your parent(s) and/or guardian(s) , and return with yours and your parent or guardian’s signature.

Sincerely,

Ms. T. L. Sapp; Teacher of Literacy

STUDENT’S SIGNATURE______DATE______

PARENT / GUARDIAN SIGNATURE______DATE______

Rubric

TASK / P.L. 4
A+ - A
100 - 90 / P.L. 3
B+ - B
89 - 80 / P.L. 2
C+ - C
79 - 70 / P.L. 1
D – F
69 - 55
COMPREHENSION,
SETTING, AND PLOT. / MASTERY UNDERSTANDING;
EXCELLENCE IN ABILITY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS TO PAST AND PRESENT EVENTS OF SIMILARITY. / ABOVE AVERAGE UNDERSTANDING;
THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING AND ABILITY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS TO PAST AND PRESENT EVENTS OF SIMILARITY. / AVERAGE UNDERSTANDING, BUT MAY BE CONFUSING AT TIMES; ABILITY IN MAKING CONNECTIONS TO PAST AND PRESENT EVENTS OF SIMILARITY ARE MINIMUMLY SATISFACTORY. / BELOW AVERAGE UNDERSTANDING; CONFUSION IS PREVALENT THROUGHOUT; ABILITY TO MAKE PAST AND PRESENT CONNECTIONS IS POOR.
CHARACTERIZATION / OUTSTANDING ABILITY TO CHARACTERIZE SELECTED CHARACTERS; OUTSTANDING DEMONSTRATION OF ROLE-PLAYING; OUTSTANDING ABILITY AT FORMULATING OPINIONS THRU WRITING. / ABOVE AVERAGE ABILITY TO CHARACTERIZE SELECTED CHARACTERS, VERY GOOD DEMONSTRATION OF ROLE-PLAYING; ABOVE AVERAGE UNDERSTANDING AT FORMULATING OPINIONS THRU WRITING. / AVERAGE UNDERSTANDING IN CHARACTERIZING SELECTED CHARACTERS, BUT EVIDENCE OF CONFUSION IS PRESENT; MINIMUM ABILITY AT FORMULATING OPINIONS THRU WRITING. / UNABLE TO DISTINGUISH CHARACTERISTICS OF SELECTED CHARACTERS, POOR DEMONSTRATION OF ROLE-PLAYING; MANY INACCURACIES EVIDENT IN OPINIONS FORMULATED THRU WRITING.
VOCABULARY
METAPHORS
SIMILES
DIALECT / DEMONSTRATES EXCELLENCE IN RECOGNIZING AND ANALYZING METAPHORS & SIMILES; ABILITY TO READ THRU THE BOOKS’ DIALOGUE WITH CONFIDENCE, ACCURACY, AND MASTERY UNDERSTANDING. / DEMONSTRATES ABOVE AVERAGE ABILITY IN RECOGNIZING AND ANALYZING METAPHORS & SIMILES; ABILITY TO READ THRU THE BOOKS’ DIALOGUE WITH CONFIDENCE, MAINLY ACCURATE, AND DEMONSTRATES A HIGH LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING. / DEMONSTRATES AVERAGE ABILITY IN RECOGNIZING METAPHORS & SIMILES; CONFU- SION EVIDENT AT TIMES IN ABILITY TO READ WITH FLUENCY AND/OR ACCURACY; MINIMUM CONFIDENCE PRESENT IN VOICE. / A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF METAPHORS AND/OR SIMILES STRONGLY PRESENT; ABILITY TO READ AND/OR TRANSLATE BOOKS’ DIALOGUE IS POOR.
SYNTHESIS
APPLICATION
( HARMONY QUILT ) / STUDENT PROJECT IS DONE IN A SUPERIOR FASHION; APPLICATION OF SIMILE & METAPHOR DEMONSTRATES EXCELLENT INSIGHT IN THE COMPREHENDING OF BOTH BOOKS AND SLAVE NARRATIVES. EVIDENCE OF COMMITMENT IS SEEN IN PROJECT QUILT. / STUDENT PROJECT IS DONE IN A GREAT FASHION; APPLICATION OF SIMILE & METAPHOR DEMONSTRATES AN ABOVE LEVEL OF INSIGHT IN THE COMPREHENDING OF BOTH BOOKS AND SLAVE NARRATIVES. EVIDENCE OF COMMITMENT IS SEEN IN PROJECT QUILT, BUT MAY HAVE 2 – 3 FLAWS. / STUDENT PROJECT IS SATISFACTORILY COMPLETED; AVERAGE APPLICATION OF SIMILE & METAPHOR; DEMONSTRATES A MINIMUM TO AVERAGE INSIGHT IN BOOKS’ COMPREHENSION & SLAVE NARRATIVES. SOME EVIDENCE OF COMMITMENT SEEN IN PROJECT QUILT, BUT MANY ERRORS ( 5 – 7 ) ARE PRESENT. / STUDENT PROJECT IS POORLY DONE AND/OR INCOMPLETE; POOR, OR NO USE OF SIMILE AND/OR METAPHOR PRES- ENT IN QUILT FRAMES; PROJECT IS NON-PRESENTABLE; NO EVIDENCE OF IN- SIGHT OF EITHER BOOK, NOR SLAVE NARRATIVES ; LACK OF COMMITMENT SEEN IN INCOMPLETED QUILT; MORE THAN 10 ERRORS CITED.

22

Mini-Unit Plan.

Culminating Project

Mini-Unit Title / Big Ideas of the mini-unit / Knowledge
Important content to know about mini-unit (nouns) / Skills
What should students be able to do?
(verbs) / Vocabulary / Possible Essential and Focusing Questions / Mini-Unit
Assessment / Benchmarks, Scaffolding Towards Culminating Project
INTRODUCTION TO SLAVERY:
AFRICAN-AMERI-CANS ARRIVE IN JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA.
WHAT WAS THE FATE OF THOSE ABOARD THE SHIP FROM / INQUIRY
Sense of Place
Sustainability / STUDENTS WILL KNOW WHEN / WHERE SLAVERY BEGAN; THE RELATIONSHIP BE- TWEEN SLAVE & MASTER; CASH CROPS; PREJUDICES AND RACISM: DO THEY DIFFER? / STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHEN AND WHERE SLAVERY EVOLVED BY CREATING A MAP OF JAMESTOWN, VA.
STUDENTS WILL BE ABLLE TO COMPARE / CONTRAST THE LIFE OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER SLAVERY. / Abolish