Exploring Human Rights: The Breadwinner

Lesson 1
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ELA

Unit 2

5th Grade

Lesson 1 of 30

Objective


Describe what inspired Deborah Ellis to write The Breadwinner and what she hoped to accomplish.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: The Breadwinner: 15th Anniversary Edition by Deborah Ellis  — Author's Note and Forward

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

What inspired Deborah Ellis to write The Breadwinner? What did she hope to accomplish? Why? 

Sample Response

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Key Questions


  • The author uses the following words to describe life in Afghanistan from 1979 to the early 1990s: brutality, fierce, prolonged, impoverished, grief, and terror. Why does the author use these words? What do they show about Afghanistan at the time? (Author's Note) 

  • Describe the Taliban militia. How did they influence Afghan society? (Author's Note)

  • The author states that "Afghanistan is far from being a nation of peace." Explain why. (Author's Note)

  • Why did the United States get involved in Afghanistan? What influence did they have on Afghan society? (Author's Note)

  • Why does Deborah Ellis encourage people to learn about Afghanistan? (Author's Note)

  • Why does the author start by describing how long it’s been since each war ended? (Foreword)

  • How does the author describe war and what it does to people? (Foreword)

  • Read the following quotation. "Through all the tales of crime and chaos, there have been heroes—giants of courage—who, in big ways and small, put human decency about all else." What is human decency? Describe some of the heroes the author mentions. (Foreword)

Vocabulary


brutality

n.

cruel, harsh, and violent treatment of someone

impoverished

v.

to make poor

restrictive

adj.

limiting or controlling someone or something

decency

n.

honest behavior

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Common Core Standards


  • RL.5.3 — Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).

Supporting Standards

L.5.4.b
RF.5.3
RF.5.4
RI.5.10
RL.5.1
RL.5.4
SL.5.1
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Lesson 2

Lesson Map

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