Lesson Seven
Lesson Seven
Lesson Seven
Big Idea (Concept/Theme): dystopian/utopian societies Unit Primary Skill focus: annotation Week 3 of 4; Plan #7 of 12; [90 mins.] Plan type: Full-Detail Content Requirement Satisfied: Reading Experience, Mentor Text Critical Learning Objectives (numbered) [from my Unit Preface], followed by Specific lesson objectives (lettered) being taught in this lesson: SWBAT: Cognitive (know/understand): 2. Students will know that dystopian and utopian texts are often based off of social issues. C. Students will understand the central messages about equality and diversity discussed in Harrison Bergeron. (8.5g) 3. Students will understand that societies define their values and act in accordance with the rules they create. G. Students will understand that Constitutional Amendments affect the way our country is structured and run. (8.5l) Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive: 4. Students will both value and question aspects of their own society. C. Students will know both positives and negatives of our societys notion of equality. (8.5l) 5. Students will exist as part of a classroom community. E. Students will be able to collaborate successfully and respectfully. (CCSS.ELALiteracy.SL.8.1b, CCSS.8.1d) Performance (do): 6. Students will be able to analyze dystopian and utopian texts. E. Students will be able to participate in an analytical discussion about Harrison Bergeron. (CCSS.SL.8.1b, CCSS.SL.8.1d, 8.5b) 8. Students will be able to annotate texts. D. Students will be able to independently annotate Harrison Bergeron. (8.5m)
SOLs: 8.5 The student will read and analyze a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. - b) Make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information - using evidence from text as support. - g) Identify and ask questions that clarify various viewpoints. - l) Use prior and background knowledge as a context for new learning. - m) Use reading strategies to monitor comprehension throughout the reading process. CCSs: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.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. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-onone, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. - CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1b Follow rules for collegial discussions and decisionmaking, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed. - CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1d Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.
Procedures/Instructional Strategies Beginning Room Arrangement: Student desks will be arranged in small group clusters of four or five. 1. [10 mins.] Opening to lesson: Recalling Harrison Bergeron Good morning, guys! Today were going to finish up the story we started the other day, Harrison Bergeron. Before we begin, I want you all to think back to what weve read so far. Take five minutes and write in your journals, trying to recall as much as possible about the story. This warm-up allows them to activate the knowledge from yesterday and focus their minds back onto the text. After their five minutes are up, I will say, Okay, now I want you to turn to your team and work together to recall what happened in the story so far. You all have five minutes to discuss. Students will discuss the work with their group for five minutes. I will walk around and help students remember key information, if needed.
2. [15 mins.] Step 1: Independent reading - second half of Harrison Bergeron + annotation exercise using double-entry journals DURING READING Okay, everyone. Today, well be finishing up the short story we started yesterday, Harrison Bergeron. Before we begin, are there any questions from what you all read the other day? Student 1: Ive been thinking about George and Hazel. Why dont they try to stop whats happening to them? I mean, George seems to realize that somethings wrong, but they dont do anything about it. Student 2: Well, they would get fined and go to jail if they tried to fight it. Student 1: Yeah, so? They should do it anyway! They should stand up for themselves! I totally would if I were them. Me: Thats a great question, Tony! I agree that its tough watching George and Hazel sit passively without fighting the restrictions placed on them by society. As we finish the story, pay attention to what Tony was saying. Why arent they fighting back? I think the rest of the story will give a little insight into their behavior. Today, were going to finish up Harrison Bergeron. Were going to do the annotation activity again, too. Does everyone remember how to do this? [Students nod.] Great! Remember to mark up your thoughts about the text as well as any unfamiliar vocabulary terms. Please return to the annotation sheet I gave you all a few days ago if you need help on specific ways you can interact with the text. Remember that you are in communication with the work! Ill give you all about ten minutes to finish up the story. If youre done, again, reflect on what you might want to share with your group members. Students will read the second half of Harrison Bergeron. This section shows George and Hazel watching TV, introduces Harrison Bergeron, and demonstrates his tragic end as a rebellious martyr. Students will read the story printed out in double-entry journal style just as they did yesterday, taking notes throughout, asking questions, responding to the author, identifying confusing parts, or stating opinions about the text. 3. [20 mins.] Step 2: Small Group Discussion POST-READING Is everyone finished? [Students nod.] Okay, go ahead and get back into your small groups. I want you to spend time discussing the text and your questions that you had just as you did last class. Please share your annotations with each other and help each other define any difficult vocabulary you came across. I want you all to do this for about five minutes. When finished with their annotations, I will hand out post-reading worksheets and different colored pencils to each group. [See appendix] These questions push past basic plot questions, encouraging students to consider the work in-depth and create interpretations.
For the next fifteen minutes, I want you all to spend time discussing and trying to answer these questions in your group. These dont necessarily have right or wrong answers. Instead, I want you all to speculate based off of what you know and have discussed about Harrison Bergeron. Make sure everyone in your group has contributed at least once to the group worksheet so I can make sure everyone is participating! Students will discuss for fifteen minutes and answer worksheet questions. I will walk around during this time to monitor and assist students when needed. After the fifteen minutes are up, I will have students turn their worksheets in for my review. 4. [40 mins.] Step 3: Amendment Assignment POST-READING So, I want you all to think back over what you read. We know that Kurt Vonnegut depicts America as a society striving for perfect equality, and that this attempt to make all people equal has led to depiction of this society as a dystopia. I want you all to think about how this happened. Does the author give any indication of what occurred to make this change? Student: The story says that some laws were passed, right? Me: Thats right. What laws, specifically? Student: Constitutional Amendments 211, 212, and 213. Me: Great. Does anyone know how many Constitutional Amendments we currently have? Student: 27! Me: Right! So, apparently, a lot has been happening from now until 2081! So, I want you to think about this a bit. Think about the rules weve been studying over the past few weeks. Weve made our own class rules and looked at the rules of dystopian societies weve read about. We know that a societys rules affect everyone in that society, sometimes positively and sometimes negatively. Amendments made to the Constitution change the way Americans function in our country. These fictional Amendments in Harrison Bergeron benefit a lot of people, people with handicaps who otherwise would have been misrepresented in society. So, maybe, for them this society would exist as a utopia. But for people like Harrison with specific strengths and talents, this society would be a dystopia because they are oppressed and unable to function to their full capacity. So, for the rest of class, were going to consider the magnitude of this societys rules. I want you all to imagine you are lawmakers who have just come up with the idea to create one of these Amendments and give the country perfect equality. You only have to choose one, but think critically about how the text depicts the social structure of America and how to word your amendment in a way that would implement this change. Im passing out worksheets [will pass out worksheets here see appendix] that gives a description of the assignment and models of Amendments that you can use to formulate your own
amendment. Youll have forty minutes to do this with your group. Everyone can come and get a computer, too youll be using Google Docs for this. Students will grab computers and will begin constructing their amendments. I will encourage them to brainstorm what the amendment may say before beginning to write. As groups work, I will walk around and answer questions. I will also have students share their Google Docs with me. 5. [5 mins] Closure: Journal Freewrite Great job, today! As you all leave, I want you to reflect on the process of writing an amendment today. What did this teach you about the way societies are structured? Freewrite in your journals for five minutes and consider this question. Students will answer this question until the bell rings. Methods of Assessment: Students behavior during discussion will help me gauge how well they are able to collaborate during discussion. (Objective 5E) Students annotated copies of Harrison Bergeron will help me assess students understanding of the annotation process. (Objective 8D) Students answering of the discussion questions will help me understand how well students interpreted the text. (Objective 2C, 6E) Students creation of amendments on Google Docs based off of Harrison Bergeron will help me measure both how well they understand the importance of rules and how well they understand the issues at the heart of the text. (Objective 2C, 3G) Students journal writings will help me understand how well students understood the significance of creating amendments. (Objective 3G)
Differentiated Instruction to accommodate one or more of my profiled students: Adam is a student of low socioeconomic status in Mrs. As classroom. He wears tattered clothing and often seems distracted or confused during class. Unlike most of the other students who converse freely with one another during group work, Adam seems to have few friends in the class. He sulks in the corner by himself at lunch. Adam misses a lot of class, and Mrs. A explained that he reads at a sixth grade level. Despite seeming to have few close friends at school, Adam is quiet but friendly in every interaction Ive had with him. He participates rarely in class but will ask for help on individual assignments if needed. I feel like individual attention would work well for him. For this assignment, I will pay attention to Adams behavior during discussion. If he (or other shy students) seems uncomfortable participating, I will explicitly ask a question that I know will
encourage him/them. If necessary, I can push Adam to share what he has observed or thought about the text by encouraging him to use his annotations in discussion. I will also encourage him to use the annotation worksheet I provided students if necessary. As I said in previous lessons, I have structured the class to encourage collaboration so students like Adam will have a support system. I have employed a lot of collaborative elements in this lesson to prop up Adam and other struggling students as they parse their way through the text. Materials Needed: Student journals Double-entry journals of Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut for each student Copies of Small Group Questions for each student Copies of Amendment assignment for each student White board and markers Student laptops Materials Appendix: (e.g., supplementary texts, Ppts, overheads, graphic organizers, handouts, etc.) Small Group Discussion Questions 1) Why arent George and Hazel more upset about their sons death?
2) What are the differences between the three different kinds of equality created by the text? a. Equal before God b. Equal before the law c. Equal in every which way
4) Who was advantaged in this society by the mandated equality? Who was disadvantaged?
5) What made Harrison different than the other characters in the story?
6) What handicaps does society impose on people today? Are all talented people encouraged to develop their talents? If so, how? If not, why not?
As Kurt Vonnegut notes in the first paragraph of Harrison Bergeron, the storys depiction of the United States is much different than it is now. The American people of 2081 live in a state of complete equality. Vonnegut declares, All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, and to the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General. Your assignment is to imagine what one of these Amendments may declare over the American people and spend time in your group writing this potential Amendment. To get you started, here are some of the current Constitutional Amendments. Use these as models as you construct your own with your group using Google Docs. AMENDMENT IV The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. AMENDMENT XIII Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. AMENDMENT XIX The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. AMENDMENT XXIV Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax. Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.