Students explore the Taliban's influence on the Middle East through the lens of human rights in the book The Breadwinner, and practice narrative writing by rewriting scenes from other point of views.
In this unit students explore the Taliban influence on the Middle East through the eyes of multiple young women. In the core text, The Breadwinner, students experience how the Taliban presence in Afghanistan drastically altered Parvana and her family’s life. Students will be challenged to think about what constitutes basic human rights and the way in which the Taliban violated the human rights of many Afghanistan citizens. Students will also be challenged to think about women’s rights, especially in regard to education and freedom, and how both were constantly at risk under Taliban rule. Finally, students will realize that a positive attitude, dedication to family, and drive to be self-reliant can help people survive, and thrive, in the worst of situations. In the second part of the unit, students read about the experiences of real children living in Afghanistan after the Taliban left. Through those experiences, students explore how education and women’s rights are still restricted in Afghanistan and grapple with what it will take to create a society where women have access to the same basic freedoms as men. In the last part of the unit, students meet Malala Yousafzai and analyze how her positive attitude and drive help her fight for women’s rights in Pakistan despite facing incredible challenges and threats. Over the course of the entire unit, it is our hope that students will build a deeper understanding of the importance of women’s rights and access to education around the world, particularly in the Middle East.
As readers, this unit builds onto unit one by pushing students to compare and contrast characters and analyze character point of view at an even deeper level. Students will be challenged to close read the text, make accurate annotations, and quote accurately in order to develop theories about key characters in and across texts. In this unit, students will also begin to use informational texts, particularly memories and first-person accounts, to help build a deeper understanding of fiction texts. The focus for informational reading is similar to the focus for fiction, and students will analyze how the point of view influences the way in which events are described.
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Book: The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis (Groundwood Books, 2015) — 710L
Book: Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely through a Never-Ending War by Deborah Ellis (Groundwood Books, 2012)
Book: I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai and Patricia McCormick (Brown Books for Young Readers, 2016)
Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading (Grade 5 Unit 2)
See Text Selection Rationale
These assessments accompany this unit to help gauge student understanding of key unit content and skills. Additional progress monitoring suggestions are included throughout the unit.
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The Breadwinner — Author's Note and Forward
RL.5.3
Describe what inspired Deborah Ellis to write The Breadwinner and what she hoped to accomplish.
The Breadwinner — Ch. 1
RL.5.1
RL.5.3
Describe the setting of The Breadwinner and what it is like where Parvana lives.
The Breadwinner — Ch. 2
RL.5.3
Analyze how the author characterizes Parvana and how the author develops characterization.
The Breadwinner — Ch. 3-4
RL.5.3
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.2
Analyze how Parvana, Mother, and Nooria respond to Father’s disappearance and how their responses help build a deeper understanding of character.
Narrative Writing
The Breadwinner
RL.5.6
W.5.3
W.5.3.a
W.5.3.b
W.5.3.d
Rewrite a section of The Breadwinner from another character’s point of view.
The Breadwinner — Ch. 5-6
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Compare and contrast Parvana’s, Nooria’s, and Mother’s responses to Parvana dressing as a boy and how their responses help to build a deeper understanding of character.
The Breadwinner — Ch. 7-8
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Analyze the ways in which Parvana has taken on her father's role.
Narrative Writing
The Breadwinner
RL.5.6
W.5.3
W.5.3.a
W.5.3.b
W.5.3.d
Rewrite sections of The Breadwinner from another character’s point of view.
The Breadwinner — Ch. 9-10
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Explain why Shauzia says that some people wouldn’t mind being dug up and if that makes their actions justifiable.
The Breadwinner — Ch. 11-12
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Describe Shauzia’s and Parvana’s plans for the future and why they both want different things.
Narrative Writing
The Breadwinner
RL.5.6
W.5.3
W.5.3.a
W.5.3.b
W.5.3.d
Rewrite sections of The Breadwinner from another character’s point of view.
The Breadwinner — Ch. 13-14
RL.5.2
RL.5.3
L.5.2.c
Defend if Parvana was right to be losing hope and what advice you would give her.
The Breadwinner — Ch. 15
RL.5.2
RL.5.3
L.5.2.c
Debate if it is naive of Parvana to hope that things will get better and if hope is a useless emotion in a time of war and oppression.
2 days
Narrative Writing
The Breadwinner
W.5.3
W.5.3.a
W.5.3.b
W.5.3.d
L.5.1.c
L.5.1.d
Rewrite sections of The Breadwinner from another character’s point of view.
Discussion & Writing
The Breadwinner
RL.5.2
W.5.9
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.6
Determine the themes in The Breadwinner and explain how different characters respond to the major themes by using key details from the text to determine theme.
Discussion
The Breadwinner
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.6
Analyze and debate unit essential questions using details and understandings from The Breadwinner.
Writing
The Breadwinner
RL.5.2
RL.5.9
W.5.1
W.5.1.a
W.5.1.c
W.5.1.d
Write a paragraph to answer a unit essential question.
Kids of Kabul — Faranoz and Shabona
RI.5.3
RI.5.6
L.5.3.b
Explain if Faranoz and Shabona share the same point of view on a woman’s right to education and what events or experiences have shaped their points of view.
Kids of Kabul — Zuhal and Palwasha
RI.5.6
Explain if Zuhal and Palwasha share the same point of view on how to improve women’s rights and what events or experiences have shaped their points of view.
Kids of Kabul — Sara and Sigrullah
RI.5.6
Explain if Sara and Sigrullah share the same point of view on how to improve women’s rights and what events or experiences have shaped their points of view.
Discussion & Writing
Kids of Kabul
W.5.1
W.5.1.a
W.5.1.c
W.5.1.d
W.5.9
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.6
Analyze and debate unit essential questions using details and understandings from Kids of Kabul.
I Am Malala — pp. 44–55, 60–65
RL.5.3
RL.5.6
Explain what terrorism feels like and how Malala’s point of view compares to others’ in the unit.
I Am Malala — pp. 69–80
RL.5.3
RI.5.6
Describe how the author characterizes Malala and her family and how the author develops that characterization.
I Am Malala — pp. 117–130
RL.5.2
RL.5.3
RI.5.6
Defend if “Targeted” is the best name for the section.
I Am Malala — pp. 157–164, 186–193
RL.5.2
RL.5.3
SL.5.6
Pick three or four words that best describe Malala and defend why.
Discussion
The Breadwinner
I Am Malala
RL.5.3
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.2
SL.5.6
Defend if Malala is or is not an ordinary girl by stating a claim and supporting the claim with evidence from the text and videos.
Discussion
Kids of Kabul
I Am Malala
The Breadwinner
RL.5.2
SL.5.1
SL.5.1.a
SL.5.1.b
SL.5.2
SL.5.6
Debate and analyze unit essential questions using details from all three core unit texts.
Writing
Kids of Kabul
I Am Malala
The Breadwinner
W.5.1
W.5.1.a
W.5.1.c
W.5.1.d
W.5.9
L.5.1.a
L.5.2.b
Write a paragraph to answer a unit essential question.
4 days
Writing
Kids of Kabul
I Am Malala
The Breadwinner
W.5.1
W.5.1.a
W.5.1.c
W.5.1.d
W.5.9
Write a magazine article that informs readers about a key theme from the unit by stating a claim and providing evidence from the entire unit.
Assessment
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