Diversity Lesson Plan

Book: All American Boys

Author: Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds

Published: September 29, 2015

Grade Level: 8th Grade

Subject: English

Multicultural Theme: Prejudice and Social Injustice

Materials: The book All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds, Paper, Pencils, Dry erase
board and dry erase marker, Plot structure Diagram

Standard: CCSS.ELA- Literacy. R L. 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.

CCSS.ELA – Literacy R.L 8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama
propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

Objective: Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding of important events and the characters
using the Plot/character outline with 95% accuracy.

Students will be able to examine how people develop stereotypes and to consider how stereotypes can
lead to prejudice and social injustice today by relating it to the story with 95% accuracy by peer/group
discussion.

Procedure
Introduce: Present the All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds. Ask the class if
they have or anyone they know, have ever been stereo typed or discriminated against by a raise of hands,
then continue.

Read: Teacher will have students read the book at home.

Discuss: Teacher will be addressing questions to the students regarding certain events and
characters in the book; afterwards there will be an open class discussion allowing students to voice their
opinions.
• Question 1: While reading Rashaad’s encounter with police brutality what
current events come to mind?
 • Question 2: If the roles were switched in the book, how do you think Quinn
and Rashaad would have dealt differently? Do you think Quinn would
have received the same treatment? If so, how do you think Rashaad
would have reacted?
• Question 3: Throughout the book Quinn describes his relationship with
Paul Galouzzo (police officer) and his family. In your opinion, would that
have influenced you and your reaction?
• Question 4: #Rashidisabsentagain was used through the book to give the
attack experienced by Rashaad a voice. Do you think media is beneficial
in aiding and exposing social injustice?
• Question 5: Quinn’s stance during the beginning of the book is neutral, do
you believe that Quinn is aiding social injustice by his silence or do you
think his silence is ineffective?
Activities:
• Students will be filling out their character/plot outline
file:///C:/Users/AARON/Documents/Allamericanboysplotoutline.pdf to
demonstrate their understanding on the reading material
• Teacher will be reading words describing people and their roles for
example: teacher, farmer, policeman, mother etc. The students will then
be placed in groups; each will have to provide characteristics for the word
given. Then each group will post their responses on the board. Students
will then reflect on the reasoning behind their choices.

Evaluation: Teacher checks students character/plot outline and response to discussion questions.