th Grade Essential Questions: What does it mean to be an Up-stander? Why is it important? What is the most effective way of connecting a quote and its meaning to history? Standards: RL.8.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text. W.8.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. Objectives Assessments SWBAT reflect on their thoughts about the theme the poem and the Holocaust. RL.8.2 Reflect on the poem and what it means to stand up for what is right. SWBAT write a quote response that effective explains the quote and connects it to the world idea expressed in the prompt. W.8.2 Rotating Response Activity with prompts and organizers.
Timed Quote Response.
Materials: First They Came Poem; four different Historically Significant Prompts with attached graphic organizer; Timed Prompt. Prior Knowledge: Practice with text to world connection, previous use of specific graphic organizer to assist students in following the form, knowledge of the Holocaust and victims from assembly/speaker (Marion Blumenthal Lazan, Holocaust Survivor), We Are Witnesses (collection of victim diaries with background) chapters and group presentations, A Tragedy Revealed (short text about Anne Frank based on interviews of the people who knew her). Opening: A copy of First They Came will be placed on every desk before students enter the class. Students will be instructed to clear off their desks and the poem will be read aloud by the teacher and students will be given the chance to share their initial reaction with the class. (2m) Instruction: After the poem is read aloud, students will reread, and write a brief reflection about what it means to them to stand up for what is right and share their responses with the class. (3m) Students will practice making text to world connections and following the form they have been using all week by completing graphic organizers in response to the given prompt (Rotating Response Activity). Each section of the organizer will be timed (5m each). Once time is up, students will pass the prompt to the left so that each group will respond to each quote and have practice. (25m) Students will take out two sheets of loose leaf paper and receive a prompt for their summative text to world quote response and will receive a half hour to write. Before students begin, instruct them to carefully read the prompt, follow directions, use the form we have been practicing, and use their background knowledge on the topic to add detail. (30m) Differentiation: After reading the poem First they Came, students will write their own informal response about their own beliefs about standing up for what is right/against what is wrong. Students will respond to four different prompts during the rotating response activity. Each prompt focuses on a different event in History (Revolutionary War, Slavery, The Great Depression, and Civil Rights), so that different interests and knowledge basses can be engaged. After connecting the quote to the given historical event, students will make any connection they please to further explain the meaning of the quote (text to text, world, or self). Learning Types: Visual Poem handout, Prompts and graphic organizers, peer responses on rotating organizer; Auditory Poem read aloud, discussion n what it means to stand up, teacher instructions; Kinesthetic writing responses, rotating organizers, reading peer responses. Questions: What does it mean to be an Up-stander? Why is it important? (Analysis Using prior knowledge, especially that of the Holocaust, students will analyze the importance of the role of up-stander in society, namely, in times of horrible injustice.) Transitions: Now that we have a general idea of what it means to be an up-stander in one context, we will take a look at some other historical settings in which people stood up and practice our text to world quote responses. Now that we have practiced our responses It is time! Clear off your desks and take out two sheets of loose leaf; we will be writing our final text to world quote responses. Connections: The poem and final prompt are in the historical context of the Holocaust. Each prompt for the Rotating Response Activity focuses on a different event in History (Revolutionary War, Slavery, The Great Depression, and Civil Rights). Classroom Management: Students will be told not to talk while reflecting on the poem and that they will be able to share in a few minutes once everyone has had a chance to reflect. During the rotating response activity, students will be reminded of the time remaining on the timer, teacher will be moving through the room, assisting students as they work and helping them make connections and properly follow the form.
Closing: Write the word Up-stander on the board and ask students to respond with qualities that describe someone who stands up against injustice when they see it. (5m) Homework: Vocab quiz tomorrow.