Table of Contents

Introduction Part IIntroduction Artifact IObservations & Analysis Artifact IIInterview with Student & Analysis Artifact IIISample of Student Work & Analysis Artifact IVInterview with Teacher & Analysis Artifact VInterview with Community Person & Analysis Part II Rationale Big Question Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 3 Reference Page 3 4-32 4-12 13-19 20-23 24-27 28-32 33-50 33-34 35-36 37-41 42-45 46-51 52

Introduction
When I was first introduced to the INSIDER assignment, I recognized that my task was to find an individual who was marginalized in the classroom. My expectations were to find a student that was quiet, didnt care, and I would be the one to help motivate them, help them work harder, help them progress, and ultimately help them to see that they mean something. To my surprise, on the first day of observations, I found myself forced to pick a student from an Honors American Literature course, in which most (if not all) of the students knew what they were doing, participated well, and had shiny grades. It was a bit of a disappointment. I witnessed as the students formed their literature circles, astutely analyzing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and working well in their discussions over themes and character development. I didnt think I would find my quiet, not quite up to par student. I observed four different students the first day of observations, hoping to find one that matched up with my cooperating teachers pick. On my second day, however, I walked in the classroom only to find that the literature circles were over and the students were forced to resume their self-picked seats. I found my girl. She was sitting alone in the back table and had more to teach me than I could have ever expected. Working with Lauranah has taught me that every student can perform well in a classroom if they choose to, but that doesnt mean they have the smoothest life. I obser ved her for about three weeks before I started interviewing her and meeting with her one-on-one. Day after day, she would sit alone at that back table and speak to no one. In literature circles, she offered good discussion topics and opinions, but the next day, shed go back to herself. I found that her home life was something no one took interest in and most didnt seem to ask about. As my main goal in this assignment, I wanted to really know her and learn why and how she got to where she was now. I learned that though she had a tough home life, she was determined to persevere through her hardships, learn from her familys mistakes, as well as her own, and overcome the barriers that are set before her. Hearing her journey made me think of a similar story told by Jeannette Walls in her novel, The Glass Castle, in which she narrates her life and journey through her and her familys hardships. I gave the text to Lauranah and was thrilled when she got back to me three days later exclaiming her love for the book. We talked about it for a good while and I knew it was a text worth designing my INSIDER lesson plans around and hopefully integrate it into my future classroom!

Observations
Tuesday 2/19/13 Time 10:08-11:03 Student 1 11:06-11:49 Student 2 Observation Very Quiet Looked around a lot Nodded in agreement, rather than giving opinion/reaction/input Hardly any vocalization Withdrawn from group Seems to daydream or ponder Maintained an awkward demeanor Interpretation May be naturally shy Teacher Comments Student Comments Said she was sick that day

May have some issues going on socially at school or home life problems

She was absent from school that day Absenteeism issuesays its habitual Could also be naturally shy She has a lot of outside/social issues Doesnt normally interact with those kind of students

11:06-11:49

Student 3

Had a tough girl demeanor BUT She smiled at me as she entered the classroom Interaction with group was very lively Seemed to know a lot about the text, giving a lot of feedback and participation in discussion

Just because shes different in style and appearance, doesnt necessarily mean she has the issues associated with that style. Shes very intelligent and interested in whats going on in the text and discussion with peers

Thursday 2/21/13 Time 10:08-11:03 Student 4 Observation Very quiet today Seems to be thinking about something Didnt participate much in the bell ringer Keeps tapping his fingers anxiously Was more interactive with lesson on Tuesday through the group discussion than he is today through independent work Sat alone at the back table Participated well in discussion, giving answers to questions (without raising hand) When given the option to work together, she still stayed working alone Interpretation Could be having a bad day in school socially Could be tired Teacher Comments Student Comments

11:06-11:49 Student 3

Maybe he likes the opportunity to socialize with students that he wouldnt normally socialize with outside the classroom Seeing as shes not in a literature circle today, shes not forced to interact with others, so perhaps shes more introverted Her participation without raising her hand showed me that shes willing to give open feedback to the discussion

11:06-11:49 Student 2

Absent today

Tuesday 2/26/13 Time 11:06

STUDENT 3Lauranah Observation Came into the classroom and sat down in her literature circle, throwing her hands up in the air after slamming her books on the table Tattoo on her chestR Significance? I had no time yesterday Didnt do literature circle assignmentShe was discussion director Laughs with her group about not doing the assignment Interpretation Frustrated by something coming into class and/or frustrated with the group shes put in

11:11

11:16

11:21

While student teacher came over to sit with their group, student held her hand on her head, quickly scrawling down questions for discussion/finishing her assignment Cracks neck and clears throat Cracks elbows Continues to fill out homework sheet Questions for group always begin with How do you feel about Went back to quietly working on assignment Pops head up and joins in on discussion Asks a question How do you feel about Clears throat Goes back to working on homework assignment Drops pen Joins back in on discussion Helps look up answer 12 is when theyre on the steamboat Drops pen again Looks intently at group, observing them, and listening 6

Clear now why she was frustrated coming into class--said she didnt have time yesterday, perhaps she was busy with activities, other homework, family events/chores, job Her laughing within the group could be a way of making it seem less awkward for her because she was the only one in the group who didnt do the assignmentLaugh with them so they cant say theyre laughing at you Focused on trying to get something down for the assignment

Interested in hearing what others thoughts, feelings, reactions, and opinions are about the text and involving them in discussion Seems to be writing questions for homework assignment while others talk over answer/thoughts/reactions/feelings/opinions

to questions Gives feedback/contribution to discussion--Debates with group on Hucks intentions of helping Jim out says Huck wants the adventure and uses an excuse

Even though she didnt complete her part of the homework assignment, she still likes to participate in groups discussion of the text and ask others questions about how they are feeling about certain passage Bored with where side comments between two boys Seems to get along with other group members

11:26

11:31

Rests head on hand Laughs with some other members of the group Writes some things down and pops head back up to make comment to another boy Laughs with group He said his familyyeah, his family Lets boy next to her extend his leg into her sitting spacelooks to see who kicked her, recognizes his foot and leg, and disregards it. Throws pen at one boy talking Goes back to listening to other group members Gives opinion(s) and thoughts Extends arms across table and stretches out a bit Okay, I get it to boy she threw pen at boy she threw pen at. Boy says Shut up *Student 3*, you never agree with me anyway.

Clarifying part of a passage for other group members showing some leadership/interest in guiding others

11:36

He must have said something she disagreed withdoes she have a short fuse?

11:41 11:46

End of period is approachingprobably just tired She obviously has some riffs between her and other students.

Thursday 2/28/13 Time 11:06 Observation Walked into the classroom and sat alone at the back table Proceeded to focus on Bell Ringer Pulling on lip Teacher: How do you decide whats right and wrong? 7 Interpretation No literature circle today, so shes not forced to interact with peersshe prefers to be alone. Thinking In the beginning, Student 3 felt

11:11

11:16

Student 3: (Blurts out) Everyone is different. -Another student responds after raising handStudent 3: (Raises hand) You can use the way you were raised, your religion, or society. Teacher: How do YOU decide? Student 3: How I was raised. Holds paper in front of mouth while listening intently to student telling his experience of when he had to make a moral decision. Zones out while girl talks about personal problem Sits with arms crossed Student 3: It depends. If you dont believe in what the law says saygay marriagethen you should be able to break the law because its not what you believe. If its non-violent and youre doing it for a good cause, you should be able to break it. (While she was answering, she had to speak up over others talking). Works on in class assignmentHucks Conscience Thinking Process: Moral Decision Making Writing Assignment Argumentationwhile student teacher is still explaining assignment and instructions

comfortable enough to exclaim her thought without raising her hand; however, I think after she saw the other student raise her hand, Student 3 then felt inclined to follow the trend. Being that he seems to be a quiet student, I think his willingness to share his story piqued Student 3s interest. Bored She isnt afraid to speak her mind. She also shows her respect for others when theyre talking; however, when she contributes, others talk over her. As she works diligently on the assignment, I get the impression that she enjoys writingshe didnt wait to hear the instructions and explanations, so she also likes to work ahead if she has a grasp on whats required. Her desire to work alone shows her independence and showcases her intrapersonal multiple intelligence. May be catching on that Im observing her. Thinks about what shes writing instead of writing anything. Worked ahead, so could have had the time advantage, but she also seems pretty sharp with whats going on in the class. Thinking about somethingshows no interest in engaging with conversations

11:21

11:26

11:31

Student teacher gave students the option to work togetherStudent 3 didnt take the opportunity to work with others. Continues to work on assignmentwe catch eye contact as she fixes her hair. Pauses writing to think Fixes hair and continues to work on writing Finishes assignment early

11:36 11:41 11:46

Sits quietly, folding paper and fixing hair Texts underneath the table 8

going on around her.

Time 11:06 11:11 11:16

Observation Entered the classroom in her usual backseat Puts deodorant on discretely Follows along with instructions Plays with hairstopped listening to instructions when student teacher started talking Clears throat Takes some time and reads instructions over again independently follows words with the tip of her pencil Ponders on directions and writing assignment Works on writing assignment Jitters in seat, shaking legs Clears throat Continues to work on writing assignment Cracks elbows and continues writing Pushes hair back from face and continues writing Stops and reflects, reading back what she wrotefollowing along with pencil again Flips through pages, searching for quotes

Interpretation Not easily embarrassed Focused on assignment Listens intently Not very interested in student teachers comments/questions

11:21

Anxious about something

11:26

11:31

Asks student teacher a question (I cant hear what they say) Continues to work independently on assignment Teacher asks if Id like to speak with her nowhe hesitates and says, Maybe not. She seems pretty into it now, so well wait. Puts head down on arm and writes intensely Closes book and stretches out before going back to writing Puts head back on hand Pauses writing and examines nails Continues writing after a couple minutes 10

Takes it to the text to look for answers and quotes to back up whatever shes writing Not afraid to ask for some guidance Shows interest and care about assignment Others can see the focus and seriousness she takes in her work.

11:36

11:41 11:46

Analysis of Observations
To begin, I set up my observations in a way that would help me to match the observation with the interpretation. For some things Lauranah did, I didnt necessarily draw a specific interpretation or conclusion from it, so I knew that itd be easier to match particular colors. Those that are in just black, or dont have a matching color are simply observations with no interpretation. In my observations, I found that Lauranah participated really well when she was forced to engage with others in the literature circles. She had a lot to offer as far as discussion topics and really picked up on the on-going themes of the text and character developments, and she also did a great job interacting with the other students in general. I found that even though she sits by herself and appears to be an intrapersonal learner on the days they dont have to do literature circles, she still does well socializing. It also showed me that she wont initiate the socialization; she has to be initiated within it by someone else first, which also demonstrates her shy character. I also noticed that she can sometimes seem bored through the lessons in which literature circles arent a part of. When the student teacher was covering certain aspects of the novel, Lauranah would text and seem completely disinterested; however, if you got discussion going, rather than lecture, Lauranah perked up and contributed her thoughts. I felt that perhaps some of the material they were covering in class was not challenging enough for Lauranah. Seeming to be advanced in the way she participated and contributed to discussion and exchange of thoughts and opinions, I dont think the student teacher asked higher-level questions that met Lauranahs needs. She also seemed interested in what some of her peers had to say about the text and didnt seem afraid to take a different standpoint on a particular issue. I think the key to getting her involved would be asking her either personal questions that challenge her standpoint and perspective on issues and/or giving her more opportunities to work with her peers in discussion groups. As far as her work ethic in the class, its clear that she is very determined to do well. Her participation, as was said before, was great and very critical, but her engagement in the writing prompts also surprised me because although she seemed bored certain days, she always seemed to take her 11

writing assignments/classwork seriously, unlike other students who would daydream, text, complain, and/or talk about how they dont know what to write about. Her overall engagement in the class struck me because it showed her interest in education, her interest in current issues, and her maturity compared to her peers.

12

Interviews Lauranah
1. Tell me about yourself. Where are you from? Do you have any siblings? I work better on my own. I dont like a lot of people because of the arrogance shown and the way others can be disrespectful. But when people do get to know me, Im really outgoing and crazy. I also like to help people as much as I can, even though I dont like people. Im just good with communicating and talking to people. My dad and my stepmom live up here. My mom left me when I was 6 years old. My family and I lived in Florida, and moved up here to PA, and moved back to Florida, just to move back here to PA. Im used to the southern hospitality, so I dont really like the people up here, so hopefully, Ill be able to move out of here when the time comes. I dont know how many because when I moved back down to Florida and enrolled as Lauranah Brand, everyone was like You look just like your brother! and I was like What? I dont have a brother and they all said, YeahChris and so we met up one day and talked about who our dads were and then he asked, Okaybetter yet, lets ask who your mom is. So I told him, Elise Brand. And he was just like Thats my mom but she left him too when he was 8 months. So Im not sure how many others there are, but I have two blood siblingstwo sisterswho are in 8th grade and in 10th grade. And I also have two stepsisters one who lives with her dad and one who moved out. I wont let something be handed to me. I know I have to work for it and thats how its been my whole lifeif I dont work for it, I dont get it. 2. Do you read/write outside of school? What kinds of reading/writing? Where at? With whom? If not, how come? Yeah, Ive written a few thingslike poems and songs and stuff. I really enjoy fantasy and sci-fi because theyre an escape from reality. I hate reading about realistic issues because I just think its really overwhelming and just too overrated sometimes. 3. When you have to read something you dont like, what do you do? I just skim through it mainlyand try to get the general gist of whats going on, but just because I dont like something doesnt mean I just stop reading itI just try to get a general understanding so that I can contribute to class somehow. 13

4. When you do read something you like/dont like what tends to happen to your attitude toward reading? Just because I read something I dont like, doesnt mean it changes my attitude towards reading. I like to draw, listen to music, and watch moviesplay pool with my family. I love war moviesPearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down, and other sci-fi/fantasy moviesOH! And Disney. I dont care how old you are, I love Disney. 7. Do you have a significant other? I dohe is 22 years oldand I met him through my friends grandma because when we went to her house, she insisted that she bring all her grandsons over to the house and he was among them. So, we started talking and hes a truck driver so he would call me when he was out on the road and wed talk about anything and everythingand eventually started dating. 8. What kind of music do you listen to? Pretty much anything. I listen to indie and screamobut I also listen to jazz, swing, Ray Charleshes my idoland anything really. I used to listen to rap stuff, but now its all just about butt and sex and all that crap. 9. Whats your favorite/least favorite subject? Why? My favorite subject used to be mathbut not anymore because its way crazy, but now its woodshop mainly. And other than woodshop? Id have to say English. But I hate reading Huck Finn because I just feel like Mark Twain contradicts himself because hes trying to make fun of societys inability to let racism go, yet he proceeds on using the term nigger on every other pageso I dont see how it works. 10. How do you feel about your English class? I like it because I like to read and stuff, but Im not a fan of our student teacher because I dont feel like she challenges us enough and I also dont like what were reading. 11. What are your friends like? What do you all do for fun? In school/outside of school?

5. What do you like to do for fun? 6. Whats your favorite movie?

14

I have acquaintances, but not really best friends. I just feel like people in our school arent always honest, and theyre just fakeso thats why I dont really associate myself with them. Outside of school I usually just draw by myself and hang out with my familyplay pool and stuff. I love to draw. I draw mainly women and the female body, just because its what I know so well. But I also tried writing my own fantasy story once, but my dad reset the whole computer, so that got lost. Ive written a few poems here and there too when Ive been in the mood, or just had a lot on my mind.

12. Do you enjoy writing anythingstories, songs, poems, and/or art?

13. Do you speak differently at home than at school? Examples? Not really... The military is an option for me, but Im looking more into construction because Im really hands-on and Id like to build things. Im in this thing called Career Link that helps you find out about different scholarships and sort of guides you throughout high school. During the summer, Ill be job shadowing someone in the career field I would like to go into, but Ill be getting paid for it too. I also went to Vo-Tech when I was in 9th grade. I was in Auto Body, Health Occupations, and Welding, but I hated Health Occupations. The most I learned in that was how to make a bed. I also took Printing Tech, but the only thing that kept my interest was Welding. But when I came back in my 10th grade year, I realized I liked high school more than Vo-Tech because I had more choices and I got to pick what I wanted and I realized that when I went back into Vo-Tech, before I permanently stayed in high school, I didnt like Welding anymore because I get bored easily and Welding was boring. Woodshop on the other hand, was different because when you build something, you build something new after every project and I really like that. 15. Would you like to go to college? If not, how come? If you do, where would you like to go? Have you already begun applying? What would you like to major in? How have your experiences in high school shaped/prepared you for what youre going to face/expe rience in the real world and/or in college? Because Ive seen how my family is throughout the years and how nothing is given to us, Ive learned to work for everything I have. I have my own job, I pay for my own things, I help my family out, and Im terrified of failing because when I fail, its just something 15

14. What do you want to do when you grow up? Do you have any future plans?

Im not used to. But, my stepmom helps me out because she helps me see that without these failures, I can never learn and bu ild myself back up. And because my family hasnt ever really had much, I want to work for something so that I can just be the best I can be. I want to get out of here hopefully, and apply to a tech school which is usually just two years.

16

Analysis of Lauranahs Interview

My interview with Lauranah went great. I found out so much about her personality, her background, her aspirations, and it felt like in the single hour we were together, I was really getting a glimpse into her life. It startled me at first because I wasnt expecti ng her to be so honest with me. She didnt hold back when answering questions and she seemed really comfortable around me, which made me feel like she was thankful that someone is taking interest in hearing about her life and how she is where she is now. In my interview, the biggest thing that stood out to me was her home life. Its clear that just because shes in honors courses, doesnt mean that she has the top notch lifestyle. Her stories about her dad and mom really stood out to me because it showed me that she doesnt have the best of examples to follow, and even though she has an older sister, she still doesnt have a positive role-model in her life other than her stepmom, who has a story of her own. Talking about her background with her gave me a sense of who she was and why she is striving so hard to be the best she can be; she truly wants to overcome her hardships and set an example for her younger siblings. Knowing where she comes from explains her seriousness about her education and why she perseveres the way she does. Its also intriguing to me because she doesnt necessarily have a literacy sponsor at home that she can model herself after. She is he r own model, learning from her experiences. At school, I think she depends largely on her teachers and the guidance they provide and the push they give her to keep achieving her academic goals. Aside from her background, I found her social life to be interesting because it illuminated her maturity for her age and also her distaste for conformity. It was clear from our discussion about friends and people of the school that she doesnt really get involved with them because she sees how easily it is to get caught up in unnecessary drama. This question led me to why she often sticks to herself and why shes afraid to get involved with others during class; she doesnt identify with other girls or boys in the school. However, in our later discussions, we talked about getting more involved and the possibility of her becoming more open to socialization, even if she doesnt identify with others, she can still learn a lot from them 17

and they from her. Overall, she showed me how determined she was to overcome her circumstances, how dedicated she was to furthering her education, and her love for learning and experiencing new things, places, and people. The interview also showed me how open she was to change and how easily to adapts to her surroundings and whatever is being thrown her way, which helps for learning because she can take on challenges. When implementing my data from our interview together into lessons for Lauranah, I would love to incorporate group work and activities for her because I do feel that she can improve in the area of socialization and working with others, not just because she is more apt to being alone, but also because I feel that she has so much insight to offer her peers. I also noticed in our interview that she had mentioned that she aspires to serve as a role model to her younger siblings, which gives me a sense of her desire to lead. In this case, through the process of group work and pairing her with her peers, she would have more opportunities to be in the leadership role and to take charge of certain aspects and jobs of her group. In addition, knowing her advanced thought process, I would prompt her with higher level questions to provoke and challenge her thoughts, choices, and perspectives, as well as projects or activities that she can complete using her hands; something she can be proud of creating and something that is different than what shes accustomed too. Because she enjoys art and building things that she feels she can be proud of, I want to give her the opportunity to express that creativity, and the chance to portray her thoughts through not just discussion and writing, but also through craft. Im thankful to hear that when a particular text doesnt appeal to her, she musters through it just so that she can participate in class; however, I think if she were to be given certain things to look for while reading, that may motivate her to not just skim it, but rather read underneath the surface. I would also like to see her engage in her own reading by posting notes in the margins and mentioning certain areas she found interesting, or if she did find it boring, mention why she felt it to be uninteresting, and/or areas of the text she may have questions about. Because she likes to be challenged, I think this would be a great reading strategy to use because it would engage her in the reading far better than just asking her to participate in something she finds boring. In addition to the three types of analyses, I also had the opportunity to ask her about her curious tattoo and I learned that when covered up in certain areas, every part of the R, which stands for Remember, commemorates the loss of a loved one. For 18

example, when you cover the lower slant of the letter, it resembles a P which stands for her step-sister Patience who died from suicide, which is marked by the suicide symbol thats attached just at the end of the P. Learning about the craft that went into creating her own tattoo has illuminated her visual-spatial intelligence because it shows her ability to craft something and interpret different meanings off of a single letter. In order to incorporate this aspect of learning into my lessons will go along with the opportunity for her to graphically design something or build something in which she is able to use her mind and her hands together to interpret and create.

19

20

21

Analysis of Student Work

Seeing Lauranahs work was really remarkable because it speaks of her as an individual. In her writing, she talks about her personal experiences with judgment and bullying from both perspectives: being judged and being the one who is judging. Its rare because often we hear about how were judged, but rarely do we admit that were the ones judging. I think it takes a certain level of maturity for a high school student to admit that. I also found her writing to be fairly well developed compared to some other students work that I was able to analyze as well. To me, it means that perhaps she enjoys writing about certain prompts that relate to her personally, and questions that she can connect to because of her experiences. Her level of understanding is highlighted because it showcases her ability to take whats learned in the classroom and bridge it with bigger social issues going on in her school, community, and society. Her ability to expand on the prompts illustrates her strong feelings about the subject and allows her to connect her own experiences to others situations as well. From what Ive gathered from my observations of her participation in class, her interview, and what shes written about in her work, I can tell her strong suit is building off of what she knows. In her response to the higher moral values prompt, she responds aggressively and passionately about her beliefs in disobeying the law if it means changing her values and beliefs about something. Her closing statement resounds so strongly because she created an image of individuals being caged like animals, forced to do something against their nature, and put an additional emphasis on the word forced and why must we be caged? In her second piece of work, she gave an interesting short response to the book cover topic because although she seems to be conscious of her judgment of others, she wrote about the cover of a book and the way it intrigued her based off its cover. I thought it to be an interesting response because its not like I can say she totally contradicted herself by doing this, because she didnt. In our conversations together, shes admi tted to me that she often catches herself judging others, but quickly tries to refrain because she recognizes that its wrong and unfair. It told me that shes really mature for admitting something like that because whether wed like to believe it or not, its something that all of humanity is guilty of. 22

In my lessons, I would love to implement opportunities for Lauranah to express herself through writing since she seems to be strong in this particular area. I know journal entries are a great way to get students to write about whats going on in their lives, but I would also like Lauranah to use her experiences to help her view and read texts with a critical eye. As she reads a particular text, it may be helpful to incorporate different strategies such as posting her ideas, reactions, and thoughts in the margins, or asking her to write a reflection on what shes read and allow her that time to elaborate on her thoughts and develop something that she finds worthwhile in the reading, or lesson for that day. In her work, she seems to feel very strongly about who we are in individuals and who we pretend to be in front of others, and I think its great to see that she doesnt censor her true emotions on the topic and through discussion, free write, and readings that pertain to this, I think she can bring a lot to the table.

23

Teacher
1. Whatre your perspectives on this student? I remember you had originally said that you were looking for someone that wouldnt maybe fit into the mode of what you would call a traditional student and even though shes in all the honors classes, I always, as I observed my class and the dynamics of that class, it always seemed as though she was on the outside. She wasnt one of the in-crowd with that group. She always handled herself pretty well in terms of group work, she participated, and during moments of downtime, she would have her head in a book or doing some type of work and even at the end of class she would always be doing something while everyone else was talking. In the hallwa ys, Id see the same thingtypically, the honors kids would travel together from class to class, but she pretty much stayed away from that. 2. How well does this student perform in other subjects? I get the impression that shes a good student. This is probably a fault of mine, but I havent really gotten into performance tracker to look at her test scores because I have never experienced any problems with her. Shes a consistent participator in class, she writes well, does well in assignments, and does well in her exams. Usually, if I have trouble with a student in my class, I will look into their records with another class, but I have never gotten that red flag with her. Like I said, at times when I would come into class, shed be reading a book or during any available moment, shed be doing something productive. 3. Do you know if this student has plans of going to college? If so, what college do they plan on applying to? Have they already began looking/applying? How has your class helped this student to prepare for what they may be majoring in? Not specifically, but given the fact that shes enrolled in honors classes, I think she probably has some aspirations for going to college. I think we have a good college track. The honors classes and AP courses lend themselves well to college preparation. I did find the fact that shes in Woodshop to be very interesting because it is atypical for a girl and very possible that she is the only female in the class, so Im not sure how that plays into her future goals. But I think it goes along with the idea of her being an outsider; shes an independent thinker. I dont perceive her to be the kind of student who goes along with what others are doingshe thinks on her own. 4. What are their strengths as learners? Areas of improvement?

24

I think shes a good writer and I also think shes very analytical. She will look at a situation and think through it in a complex way. She can understand complex issues, think through them, and clearly communicate her thoughts on them. When we talk of issues related to literature were reading in class, she will not comment first. Shes not one to shoot up her hand right away; shell listen to what others have to say and then shell give her opinion. She illustrates a certain maturity in her thinking and creativity in the way shell relate our discussion to real world issues which is ultimately what you want. I think her outsider mentality is good because it demonstrates a certain level of independent thinking, but I think that she could be open to communication with her peers. She does seem to work well in groups, but I think it is isolated; she gravitates towards certain people in that group so I think she can be a little more social with students who arent really her type. I dont really know how she is with her own circle of friends, but I think thats something that would be interesting to gauge.

5. How do they learn best? How does this student best engage in the classroom lesson(s)? Thats an interesting question. I think she responds very well to discussion because shes a good reader, which allows her to process information through discussion. She doesnt need to have something in front of herhands-on. She can process and understand through discussion, so I think shes strong in that area. 6. How are their interactions with you in the classroom different than interactions outside the classroom? Well, based on my observation of her and what weve come up with so far, I would say their pretty much the same. Now, prior to you being here, I wouldnt necessarily know how to answer that question. But, I get the impression that shes pretty much the same. 7. Of what communities/groups is this student a member? I know shes in the shop class, chorus, swing choir, and Modern Eras. Outside, I know she works at Boyers Market. Im not entirely sure about how she interacts with her family at home. I live next to Boyers Market, so I noticed that she has a job there, which would make me wonder about her a little bit. So, when you came to me, and told me you wanted to work with her, I started picking up on her a lot more than I did prior to. 10. Is this student a strong reader? How can you tell? 25

8. How does the student speak/write differently here than perhaps at home?

9. What are some other interesting things you may know/experienced with this student?

I can tell shes a strong reader because of the way she participates through discussion and writing in class. Like I said, her ability to think through complex issues and relate them to issues outside the classroom illustrates her mature level of thinking and understanding.

26

Analysis of Mr. Klacks Interview

When I interviewed Mr. Klack, I was a little disappointed to hear that he barely knew anything about Lauranah, yet he suggested her as my INSIDER student; perhaps because no one knew much about her. The interview went really well though because I was able to see that her learning style, from Mr. Klack s perspective, matched up to her learning style from my perspective and that her performance level was very much advanced in comparison to other students. It was also worth noting that both he and I picked up on the socialization aspect as one of Lauranahs improvement areas because of what she can offer to others and what others can offer to her. Both of us talked about ways she could socialize more and the benefits she would gain from it. Talking to him about Lauranah helped confirm my beliefs about her level of understanding and perspective of complex issues, as well as her maturity level compared to her peers and how she has grown from her background and environment. Some strategies that may be useful in getting Lauranah to interact with her peers would be not only literature circles, but also group projects and activities that require her and her peers to exchange ideas and work collaboratively in creating something. Because Lauranah has experience working at the market and performing with a partner in front of large audiences in choir and swing choir, she proves that she can put herself out there, but I think that she is shy when she is called to initiate it. Having her work in various groups can help her to create a social bond with her peers and draw on different connections as they bridge their experiences, thoughts, opinions, and reactions from the text to each others lives. Reflecting on Lauranahs ability to interact with others, but reluctance to initiate it can work in a classroom if she is giv en more opportunities to get to know her peers. In this way, she can build connections through experiences. In addition, although she is strong in discussion, her love of building and creating something with her hands requires implementation of more hands-on projects and activities. Planning ahead for my instruction, Id incorporate more classroom activities so that Lauranah and her peers can have the opportunity to create, express, and draw on each others experiences in order to create connections and social interaction. 27

Choir Director
1. Whatre your perspectives on this student? Shes a different kind of girlwhen I first saw her, I knew she was a kind of out of the woodwork sort of girl. I can also seeI mean, I dont know a lot about her life, but I do know that her older sister passed through here once under me and they seem similar in some ways, but different in others. Obviously, her older sister dropped out and went into Cyber School, but as far as socially, both of them are pretty much the samethey dont talk to anyone. 2. Do you know whether or not this student has plans of going to college? If so, what would they like to major in? How can you help them in achieving these goals/plans? I dont really know of her future plans? I can tell shes not a die-hard chorus kid, but shes interestingthats for sure.

3. What is their background/home life like? I can tell she must have some kind of baggage coming in here because we had a little chat in the beginning when I wanted her to try out for my advanced groups, and she did, and she got in. However, when she was in, I told her, This is itno mistakes, this is advanced stuff that you have to work hard for. Well, she came into my office later and was crying and just said, Im not worthy of this group. I dont think Im going to continue with it because I just cant do it. And I said to her, Okay. Well, let me just tell you that you are just as talented as any of those girls in there and if you put in the effort you may even be better. I know you have it in you, you just have to try. So, think about it over night because the decision is yours. She came back the next day and decided it was going to work. 4. How do you think these influences affect the student in the classroom? I think she likes it here, but I know she doesnt click well with the other girls and I also know that shes not a die-hard music girl. I can see that its not her passion and/or what she really wants to do in the future, which is okay. But, I dont really think there is much of a difference between here and in the classroom other than friends really. Here, she tends to gravitate toward the safer kidsthe ones who are quiet, cause no trouble, and are exactly what I said, safe. I also know that her social life background tends to sway her different directions. I had an incident with her this past weekend at our concert performance because one of the other girls came to me and said, Can you believe Lauranah. And I said, What do you 28

meanCan I believe Lauranah what about her? and my girl said, Mrs. Brinkshe got high with another girl right before our performance! and I was shocked. I didnt know what to do. I still dont know what to do. I want to confront her about it because although she appears to be the type to mix with that crowd, her personality doesnt show that aspect. Shes better than that and I think she knows that, but I can see some of her friends, or rather, some other kids who can have the ability to influence that side of her and bring out that aspect. So, itll be interesting to see what happensI just dont want to say anything and risk getting my other girls in trouble and then the process of going through administration and getting them involved, let alone parents. So, well see. But itll be interesting to find out the truthif thats what I get. Who knows. 5. What is the student like in this environment, as opposed to the classroom environment? I dont think shes any different. I can see she shares a close relationship with her partner in swing choir, but other than that, I know that her personality is pretty edgy no matter what environment shes in. 6. How well does the student balance extra-curricular activities and academics? She works a lot over the weekends and I know that she often misses some of our shows because she has workwhich really upsets the group, but I dont know how she does in her other classes. 7. What other things does this student enjoy? She seems to like to read and drawand based on what I can see of her personality, I would imagine that she reverts to these activities because shes not really social. 8. How well does this student engage/interact with others? She doesnt really talk to anyone other than her partner and some of the quieter girls. I know that her older sister had the same problem of talking to people, or rather not talking to people, and she seems to be the same way. I also know that in the beginning, some of the girls who have been here for a while were giving her a hard time because she is a stand-offish girl and she does have an edgy attitude, but the girls were wondering why I asked her to try out and why I took her. They didnt want her in the group and they didnt think she was dedicated to it like they were. Which theyre right, shes not. Like I said, its clear that shes not pursuing a passion for music or a future with it, and thats okay. Shes talented and that is why I asked her to be a part of our advanced group because I know she can do it even though its not what she wants in her future. So, I know that in Modern Eras she doesnt really 29

click with the girls. In Choir, shes okay and in Swing Choir, she is also okay. Like I said, in Swing, she gets along really well with her dance partner. 9. Do you know any other groups this student is a part of? Just my Modern Eras chorus group and she works at the Super Mart in town. I also know shes in woodshop, but thats about it. Well, like the one we already talked about in the beginning, and as of right nowIm kind of in a position where I have to confront her about the possibility of smoking pot before our performance on Sunday, because someone came to me with that issue and obviously, I need to address itso well see how that goes. 11. Are you familiar with any of this students goals and/or aspirations? I know its not related to musicand I also know that she seems to try really hard for whatever it is she wants to do in the future, but I dont really know what that is.

10. What are some other experiences you have had with this student?

30

Analysis of Mrs. Brinks Interview

Interviewing Mrs. Brink was incredibly insightful to Lauranahs character outside of the classroom. Because our interview was very last minute, I did not get the chance to record our conversation and record the questions and answers exactly how they came afterward. Instead, I highlighted some aspects of our conversation that I felt illuminated Lauranahs personality outside of the classroom.. Although Lauranahs character doesnt shift from how she acts in the classroom as opposed to outside the classroom, I did learn from our interview that Lauranah got a lot of trouble for being different and wanting to participate in choir, let alone an advanced group for choir. It was startling to hear how the other girls in choir didnt want Lauranah to participate in their group at all because of how different she was from them. It made me realize that even though Lauranah extended herself beyond what shes comfortable in, she wasnt welcomed with open arms and then her willingness to take herself out of the group also surprised me because in our interview together, she gave me this heartfelt talk about how she hated giving up and failing, and yet here she was, ready to give up in choir just because some girls didnt want her in there and because she believed herself to be incapable o f keeping up with the group. It was really hard to hear, but also so great because Lauranah obviously overcame those obstacles and continued to participate in the group. It also showed me Lauranahs willingness to take on challenges, as well as her ability to take on more extra-curricular activities, despite her outside job and her demanding academics. When Mrs. Brink informed me about Lauranah possibly participating in drugs before their concert, I couldnt help but feel defensive of her character because I know she seems like that type, but that doesnt necessarily mean its true. And I also felt like if these girls are trying desperately to exterminate Lauranah from their choir groups, how reliable is their information? I took it to Mr. Klack and asked his opinion on the situation and he told me that because Lauranah seems comfortable with me in disclosing private information, perhaps shell be willing to let me in on that particular issue. When I asked her about it in the interview, my question wasnt about getting high before the concert, but rather, Have you ever 31

participated in drugs and/or alcohol? She told me she has and that her friends often participate in it, but she recognizes that marijuana is the gateway drug, and because of what shes witnessed with her dad and her mom, she doesnt want that to happen to her. She also informed me that she doesnt like the way it makes her feel, even though others try hard to push it upon her. Hearing this told me that she struggles with peer pressure and is surrounded by different influences that can sway her either direction. It reminded me of the socialization aspectif Lauranah surrounded herself with good influences, kids who dont partake in drugs and alcohol, she may be less susceptible to participating in these activities. However, I can see how she may feel inclined to participate depending on the crowd shes with. Then again, her personality is so headstrong and determined, so I cant say any of this with confidence. What I can say, however, is that its clear that she battles a very difficult fight with two opposing forces. Thinking ahead for the text that Ive picked has made me see that connection more between her and the heroine in the text: One big battlechoose the path youre going to follow. Aside from that, my interview with Mrs. Brink has also enlightened me because she encouraged Lauranah to step out of her shell and express herself through song, even though she doesnt seem like the type, because shes talented. Participating in the arts contributes to Lauranahs linguistic development through various languages expressed through song, and different poems that are composed into musical melodies. Bridging academics together with various forms of art helps her to see things from different perspectives and view texts with a deeper understanding and/or appreciation because of what she may have been exposed to through music. Incorporating Lauranahs love for music and participation in choir helps me to plan my lessons because since she is experienced in music, she can learn through that specific intelligence and acquire knowledge through abstract, creative forms.

32

Rationale of Text: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Through my interactions with Lauranah, I saw that she was a really strong, independent, creative, maturing, and beautiful girl. She had a lo going on at home, yet she was so determined to push herself, push her boundaries and exceed expectations and hardships. She was determined to persevere and overcome whatever got in her way because she saw the importance of making something for herself. She wanted to set an example for her younger siblings and further her education by learning from her parents mistakes, as well as her own. In our discussions with each other, I kept thinking about a book I read over the summer, The Glass Castle, in which the author struggles with similar hardships: fathers addiction, mothers abandonment (mentally), and the authors journey to grow up and handle situations with just herself and her siblings. In Lauranahs life, she faces the difficulties of living with her drug-addict father, his poor choices that led them to financial hardships, the abandonment of her mother at a young age, and the weight of taking care of her younger siblings. Having been left by her mother at the age of six, Lauranah didnt have that maternal example in her life and was left to the care of her dad; however, her hasnt been much of a positive role model for her either, as he still suffers from addiction and continues to engage in illegal activities. These two females have a lot in common. I know that reading about Jeannettes journey through her hardships taught me that we are the author and creator of our own life and we have the power to sway which direction we go. It also taught me that there are bigger things in this world to worry about and that people around me have it much worse and I can see that through our one-on-ones, Lauranah felt the same. So, I introduced her to it. I was apprehensive, though, because I know she told me she really loved fantasy books. Throwing a nonfiction book her way made me afraid that she would reject it, but after talking to her about it, she seemed really interested. I gave her the text Tuesday, and she had it finished by Friday. I was amazed. We spent some time talking about how it is possible to be living in absolute nothing, but still change our surroundings and

33

outcomes. And I was happy that we had read it together because I could see that it served as an inspiring story for Lauranah and helped her to be motivated to keep persevering and pushing to overcome the hardships of life.

34

Big Question: What does it mean to be the author and creator of our own lives?
I chose this Big Question because I felt that it had the ability to encompass the deeper meaning from this text. I think this question resembles what I want my students to take away from this unit because its something that will hopefully, carry with them throughout their life. Often times, I feel like I missed out on authentic and meaningful lessons and learning in high school and I dont want to miss that opportunity when I teach my students. Asking this question will continue to remind my students that they have the ability to take their situations and make something beautiful out of them. In addition, I think it relates incredibly well to The Glass Castle because of Jeannette Walls journey in poverty and hardships and what she did to overcome her circumstances. Reviewing the Common Core Standards, I think this text ties in really well with Reading Informational Text including, CC.1.2.11-12.C Analyze the interaction and development of a complex set of ideas, sequence of events, or specific individuals over the course of the text and CC.1.2.11-12.D Evaluate how an authors point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text because although these are based off of informational texts, I think they can be geared towards the way in which Jeannette develops her story through her perspective(s) of her life and situations, as well as the way in which she interacts with her family members. Analyzing the relationships between the characters in the text offers a lot of insight and open opportunities for comparing and contrasting current issues. In Reading Literature, I think The Glass Castle fits really well with CC.1.3.11-12.A Determine and analyze the relationship between two or more themes or central ideas of a text, including the development and interaction of the themes; provide an objective summary of the text. Because English classes require conversation of various texts, its necessary to pick out and analyze different themes occurring throughout the story. Being able to discuss whats going on in the text is vital to good discussion and further questioning on different topics. In addition to that, there is CC.1.3.11-12.B Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of 35

what the text says explicitly, as well as inferences, and conclusions based on and related to an authors implicit and explicit assumptions and beliefs. In a group discussion about a piece of literature, its critical to be able to back up your standpoint with textual evidence and the ability to support your claim by taking it to the text. Without evidence, it doesnt make for a good argument and/or perspective(s). I think both my text and Big Question can meet the requirements of these standards, if not echo them in some way throughout the course of the unit. In addition, although I havent listed all of them, I think my lessons can also touch upon other standards, allowing my students to grow in these particular areas that are necessary by the state. I think Ive chosen a book thats a little out of the ordinary for a high school classroom; however, as I said, I think it has a lot to offer individuals because it digs deeper underneath our everyday lives and struggles and forces us to ask ourselves, What am I complaining about today? What can I be thankful for in my life today? How can I take my struggles and flip them over to make me a better person? Theyre not typical questions that students are expected to know for high-stakes testing, but rather, they are meaningful questions that can be with us every day, helping us to look at life a little differently. To me, thats the importance of teaching: To help my students in the long run and educate them to view life with a critical, creative, and unique eye and hopefully, real-life accounts, such as Jeannettes journey will help my students to open up and take away lifelong messages that will help them through any given situation they may find themselves in.

36

Lesson One: Introduction to The Glass Castle

UNIT: The Glass Castle LESSON: Introduction TIME LENGTH: 100 minutes PA COMMON CORE STANDARDS: 1. 9.4.12. A: Evaluate an individuals philosophical statement on a work in the arts and its relationship to ones own life based on knowledge and experience. 2. CC.1.4.11-12.M: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events. 3. CC.1.4.11-12.O: Use narrative techniques such as dialogue, description, reflection, multiple plotlines, and pacing to develop experiences, events, and/or characters; use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, settings, and/or characters. 4. CC.1.4.11-12.P: Create a smooth progression of experiences or events using a variety of techniques to sequence events so that they build on one another to create a coherent whole and build toward a particular tone and outcome; provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative. OBJECTIVES: 1. Given different magazines and images, students will be able to create their own collage of words and images that they feel describe who they are in order to tell their own personal story through abstract art. 2. Upon completing the collage activity, students will be asked to turn to a partner and share what they have created in order to discuss different perspectives and points of view on the difficulties they may be facing and/or how their art portrays different aspects about who they are (If students dont feel comfortable sharing, let them know that they can reflect on their own art privately by writing a reaction to what theyve composed and explaining their work). 3. Students will be able to construct their own narrative within their journals in order to reflect on different challenges they face in life.

37

MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: Begin class by showing students a collage of images and words you have made that describe who you are. Open up discussion on different aspects of your life that students may have questions about (5 minutes). MATERIALS: 1. Markers 2. Pens/Pencils 3. Magazines (15-20 depending on class size) 4. Glue sticks 5. Scissors 6. Tape 7. Journals ACTIVITIES: 1. Begin the class with motivational device (5 minutes). 2. Instruct students to create their own using the materials provided (30 minutes). a. Encourage them to dig deep in expression, but still keep it school appropriate b. Inform them that should the situation be found inappropriate, it may be subjected to the guidance office. c. If students finish early on their work, instruct them to proceed in writing their reflection of their artwork in preparation to prepare and/or to analyze privately. 3. Once students have finished creating their artwork, ask them to share with someone next to them (5 minutes). a. If they dont feel comfortable, they can reflect on it privately in their journals. Inform them that it may be read by you at a later time. b. Ask students to analyze each others works and draw out certain parallels between the image or word portrayed and the individual who created it. c. Ask students to explain their work to their peer and demonstrate why they chose certain images and/or words. 4. Once students have finished with their artwork, introduce the narrative (15 minutes) . a. Begin PowerPoint on the narrative b. Ask students to take notes on what the narrative contains 38

c. Inform them that they can use the PowerPoint as a guide to writing their own narrative. 5. Students will begin composing their own narrative in their journal (40 minutes): Tell a story in which you were faced with a difficult challenge in your life. There are no specific guidelines of how they tell the story; however, inform them that it must be school appropriate and if it is found inappropriate, it may be subjected to guidance. Inform students that they will be evaluated on the effectiveness of their narrative and whether or not they followed the elements of a narrative. It will be collected at the end of the period. If students are struggling, prompt them will some guiding questions: a. How did it make you feel? b. How did you adapt? c. Who was involved? d. How did it shape you as a person? e. Is it a challenge that you still struggle with today? CLOSURE (3 minutes): 1. Assign reading for The Glass Castle 2. Ask students to take notes while reading and respond to the text through use of sticky notes. ASSESSMENT: 1. Evaluate students narratives based off the provided checklist: Was their story a sequence of events? Organized? Did it include various characters and a distinguished voice narrating the story? Was there a specific conflict that was involved? Is there a resolution or a solution to their story? Did they include the elements of a story? HOMEWORK: 1. To finish their narrative if they didnt in class. 2. Read up to Part II of The Glass Castle 39

Narrative PowerPoint Outline (iWrite)Lesson One

Narrative Text Whats Your Story? Story = Narrative

Narratives Fiction Nonfiction

What makes a narrative a narrative? Sequence or order Characters or people Conflict or problem Resolution or solution

Whats narrative nonfiction? Explaining how to do something in steps. Describing an event as it happenedlike a story. Using story elementsliterary elements to tell a news story. Narratives tend to follow a chronological patternfrom beginning to end. Narratives, however, do not tell everything. Dont tell everything. Dont tell about your whole life with your aunt. Tell about the time she took you to shop for a new pair of shoes for your first day of school.

Sequence or Order

Be Selective

40

Invitation to Read: What Does the Writer Focus on? I never thought I was a good runner, until the day in gym class when I won the mile race. The course was marked with colorful flags, and the sight of the flags seemed to fire me up (Write Source Gr. 5, page 84)

Invitation to Write Think about conflicts youve had getting into trouble, arguing, fighting, problems, etc. Make a list.

Sensory Details Take your topic and use these sentence stems to think more about your topic. I see I hear I smell I feel I taste

41

Lesson Two: Discussing Parts I & II of The Glass Castle

UNIT: The Glass Castle LESSON: Discussing Parts I & II of The Glass Castle TIME LENGTH: 50 minutes PA COMMON CORE STANDARDS: 1. CC.1.3.1112.A: Determine and analyze the relationship between two or more themes or central ideas of a text, including the development and interaction of the themes; provide an objective summary of the text. 2. CC.1.3.1112.B: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly, as well as inferences and conclusions based on and related to an authors implicit and explicit assumptions and beliefs. OBECTIVES: 1. Upon completing Parts I & II of The Glass Castle, students will be able to participate in a group discussion about their reactions to the text so far in order to exchange different opinions, reactions, perspectives, and analytical approaches to the themes and circumstances of Jeannettes life. 2. After discussion on reactions about the text, student s will participate in further discussion based off the key questions in order to prove their ability to cite textual evidence and support their claims and opinions on the text. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: Ask students to recall their narratives they wrote prior to this lesson. How do their situations compare and/or contrast to Jeanettes? What did they think when they were reading about the beginnings of Jeannettes journey? (10 minutes). MATERIALS: 1. Bodies 2. Voices 3. Journals 4. Pens/Pencils 5. Text

42

ACTIVITIES: 1. Ask students to arrange their desks in a circle so that they are facing one another. 2. Begin discussion with motivational device (10 minutes). a. Think about what you wrote about in your narrative the other day. How do your situations compare with Jeannettes? b. What feelings have been evoked after reading some of Jeannettes childhood so far? 3. Spend the remainder of the class discussing the novel up to Part II (30 minutes). a. Begin discussion by asking students to open the floor for discussion, drawing out points of the text they enjoyed, thought were interesting, and/or would like to talk about. b. If students dont respond, prompt them with as many of the following questions as time allows. Allow students to elaborate on each question as they respond. Theyre not meant for every one to be asked and answered, but rather as a guideline for discussion: i. Jeannettes story open s up with a scene of her sitting in the taxi cab as she observes her mother digging trash from a dumpster. Why do you think Jeannette chose to hide from her mother at first? When the two women agree to meet in person, Jeannette offers her mother help (shelter, food, clothing, etc.) but Rose Mary declines the offer and accuses Jeannette of having values that are confused and that Jeannette is the one who needs help. Do you agree or disagree with Roses accusation of Jeannette? How do Jeannette and her mothers lives differ from each other? How are they similar? Why do you think Jeannette chose to open her journey with this particular scene? ii. After this particular scene, we are introduced to a scene in which Jeannette is severely burned in a fire. What caused that fire? What does this make you think about her parenting? Why do you think Jeannette, despite her ill condition, liked being in the hospital so much? After recovering from her severe burns, Jeannette becomes obsessed with conquering her fear of fire to the point where she develops an obsession over the element itself. Why do you think she is so consumed with the element that almost killed her? What does this say about her character? iii. After reading the first two parts to this story, it is clear that the Walls children have immense difficulties that they face, forcing them to take on responsibilities that are often expected of parents. What does this make you think about the age in which 43

children can handle certain situations? Do you think they are too young to be dealing with things such as runaways, abuse, and brokenness? At what age do you feel children can handle themselves? Do you think children should be given more rights? iv. It is clear that Jeannette has a close relationship with her father. Why do you think Jeannettes faith in Rex is so critical and meaningful to him? How does he depend on this faith in relation to his actions? Do you think if he had the support of his other children, he would still feel the same about Jeannette? Why or why not? v. In connection with talking about Rexs character, why do you think building the Glass Castle is so important to him? What is the metaphor behind the Glass Castle? What does it mean to him and Jeannette in terms of their relationship? vi. Throughout the text thus far, we have insight on the ways in which Rose Marys character resembles that of a free-lance artist. How do you think Rose Marys passion for art impacts the condition of the family? What does this make you think about sacrificing ones passion for the condition of the family? How do you feel about Rose Marys character so far? vii. In thinking about Rex and Roses characters, do you feel that they are good parents so far? Why or why not? Why is it that if they are failing in some areas, that their children still adore them as mother and father? Is it okay for parents to fail at certain times in their lives? What examples can you share? How have you and your parents grown from these situations? Are parents supposed to be the leaders all the time or is it okay for kids to take on their responsibilities as well? viii. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each character so far? How are they battling with their conditions as individuals and how are they battling their conditions together as a family? ix. What places have the Walls family moved to so far in the text? How can moving around so much impact a childs life and development? Imagine yourself in each characters shoes, taking on their perspectivehow do you think they are dealing with the constant traveling? Why is the Walls family always on the skedaddle? x. In Part I of the text, Rex exclaims, Suffering when youre young is good for you. How do you respond to this statement? Do you agree or disagree with it? Why not? In relation to the Walls children, they face a certain amount of suffering every day, yet they are clearly well educated. In this situation, what do you think is more important: a stable home and family or a good education? CLOSURE: Ask the students to make predictions about their next reading assignment in their journals (10 minutes). 1. What do you think will happen once they move to West Virginia? What opportunities does the state hold for them? 44

2. Do you think Mary will ever have the courage to abandon her alcoholic husband? Why or why not? 3. At what point do you think Rex will build the Glass Castle? Do you think it will ever occur? Why or why not? Why is building the Glass Castle so important to him? What does it show about his character? ASSESSMENT: 1. Students will be assessed on how well they participated and responded in class discussion. 2. Students will also be assessed on how well they supported their standpoint with textual evidence. HOMEWORK: 1. Assign students Parts III-V of The Glass Castle 2. Ask students to continue writing on post-its in the margin, but also ask them to answer the questions to the predictions they made in their journals.

45

Lesson Three: Concluding The Glass Castle

UNIT: The Glass Castle LESSON: Concluding The Glass Castle-Parts III-V TIME LENGTH: 100 minutes PA COMMON CORE STANDARDS: 1. CC.1.2.1112.C: Analyze the interaction and development of a complex set of ideas, sequence of events, or specific individuals over the course of the text. 2. CC.1.2.1112.D: Evaluate how an authors point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text. 3. CC.1.2.1112.L: Read and comprehend literary nonfiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently. 4. CC.1.3.1112.B: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly, as well as inferences and conclusions based on and related to an authors implicit and explicit assumptions and beliefs. OBJECTIVES: 1. Students will be discuss the remainder of the novel and reflect on critical passages as well as identify and share their favorite/most memorable passages. 2. Students will use Jeannettes situations and coping mechanisms as examples in order to reflect on the struggle(s) they composed in the first lesson and create new ways of overcoming that particular struggle(s). 3. Students will work with a partner and construct positive role-model traits in order to examine and reflect on what it means to be a positive role-model despite the circumstances that may surround you and/or that you have experienced. MOTIVATIONAL DEVICE: Show students a brief interview between Jeannette and Oprah Winfrey http://youtu.be/naAy_juIOQk. After students have watched the video, ask them to respond to Jeannettes shame that she felt about her family and how unleashing those emotions and fears have freed her and helped her to inspire others (10 minutes). MATERIALS: 1. Pens/Pencils 2. Journals 46

3. Magazines (20) 4. Scissors 5. Glue sticks 6. Tape 7. Bodies 8. Voices 9. Text ACTIVITIES: 1. Begin class with the motivational device (10 minutes) 2. Start discussion on the remaining parts of the text. Ask students to open the floor again with their responses to what they read. If they are reluctant to participate on their own, prompt them with the following questions (40 minutes): a. Jeannette Walls has said in interviews that because she had so little as a child, she really appreciated things when she finally got them. She also said, When I got to college, because I was paying for all of it myself, I knew why I was there. I knew how much each course was costing me. There was no way I was going to miss a class; I was going to get my moneys worth. Do you think that parents should give their kids less so they appreciate things more? Would you appreciate your possessions more if you were paying for it? If you are paying for it, do you think you treat the privilege differently than friends who are not? b. Are there any everyday heroes in this book? How do you know? Are they any individuals who might be everyday heroes if she or he simply made one major decision differently? From your own life experiences, are heroes born or made? Explain. c. Rose Mary tells Jeannette, Life is full of tragedy and comedyYou should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more (129). What other good pieces of advice do Rose Mary and Rex give their children? In what ways are Rose Mary and Rex good advisors/counselors to their children? d. Describe Jeannette's relationship to her siblings and discuss the role they played in one another's lives. How can you relate to this aspect of sibling bonds? Share your experiences.

47

e. In the end of the novel, Jeannette still seems to share a close bond with both of her parents. Why do you think this is so? How would you have responded to them if they were your parents? How have her bonds with them shaped her and made her a positive rolemodel? f. How does Jeannettes character serve as a model for someone who has created their own path despite the hardships they have faced? Can you relate to any other characters in the text who you feel have also exemplified this trait? How so? How can you learn from Jeannettes experiences when reflecting on your own struggles? 3. After completing discussion, ask students to pair themselves with a partner and complete a collage of what they think it means to be a positive role model (20 minutes). a. Instruct students to design an outline of a human b. Within that human, ask them to fill the spaces with positive characteristics of a good role-model 4. When students finish their work, ask them to present their character to their peers, explaining why they chose certain words and images to portray their positive role model (20 minutes). CLOSURE: 1. Ask students if they have any remaining questions and/or comments about the text. 2. Assign homework ASSESSMENT: 1. Students will be evaluated based off of how well they participated and responded in group discussion. 2. Students will be evaluated on how well they referenced the text and supported their claims and response(s) to discussion questions with textual evidence. 3. Students will be evaluated on the construction and creativity of their character: The character is portrayed in a positive light Both students spoke about the piece they created, giving detailed reasons why they chose a particular image and/or word to include within their characters space

48

 Students were able to draw on different reasons they included images based off of situations that occurred within the text (i.e.: I included the word trust in my character because although Jeannette couldnt rely on and trust her parents, she still was able to share that trust with her siblings). HOMEWORK: 1. Ask students to reflect on the Big Question that was introduced at the beginning of the unit: What does it mean to be the author and creator of their own life? 2. Ask them to brainstorm some responses to the BQ in preparation for their final assessment.

49

Final Assessment
After reflecting on the BQ: What does it mean to be the author and creator of your own life? ask students to tell their story through any medium/genre they choose. Instruct them to identify their hardship(s) and the way(s) in which they have overcome them and/or going to overcome them. Assess them according to whether or not they were able to: Identify the challenge(s) they are facing Identify who their inspirations are in life and who/what motivates them to succeed and persevere How these inspirations influence them to better their lives Different methods and strategies to overcome the barriers and challenges they are faced with How they can serve as a positive role model for others based off of their experiences How they have used others stories and situations to help shape their own perspectives and standpoints on lifes curveballs How they plan to grow from their experience and shape their struggles into something positive What it means to them to create their own story, controlling the way in which it ends.

50

Reference Page
1. Walls, Jeannette. The Glass Castle. New York: Scribner, 2005. Print. 2. Jeannette Walls Lets Go of Her Shame - Oprah's Lifeclass - Oprah Winfrey Network. 2005. Web. 3. iWrite. Mini Lesson on the Narrative. 2006. Web.

51