Declaring Identity: Being Jazz (2020)

Lesson 10
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ELA

Unit 11

6th Grade

Lesson 10 of 28

Objective


Explain how Jazz communicates her point of view by developing an authentic narrative voice.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen by Jazz Jennings  pp. 63 – 73

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

This book is written using a conversational tone—Jazz’s narration sounds very much like a teenager would speak. What specific words, phrases, and sentences develop this conversational tone? What impact does this tone have on the reader?

Key Questions


  • What words and phrases help to develop Jazz’s confident tone on page 64? Select two and explain how they demonstrate Jazz’s self-confidence.
  • What is Jazz’s point of view on kids playing “doctor”? How does she convey this point of view? Provide at least one piece of evidence from the text to support your answer. (p. 66)

  • How does Jazz communicate her point of view on having accidents at school? Provide at least two pieces of evidence from the text to support your answer. (pp. 71-73)

  • Discussion: How does hearing Jazz’s story impact other trans people? How does hearing the story of other trans people impact Jazz?

Lesson Guidance


Standard and Literary Concepts

  • Ask students to consider the tone of this book: does this book sound like other books you have read in ELA? What is different about the narration? Why do you think it sounds different from other books you have read?
  • Remind students that even nonfiction books have a “narrator”—in this case, the narrator is Jazz. She has a distinctive “voice” when she’s writing (that’s what makes books interesting!). A narrator’s voice—and specifically their word choice and tone—can give the reader a lot of information about the way the narrator sees the world. Because Jazz is a young person writing about her own life, her narrative voice is different from an older person writing about his or her life.

Notes

  • Today’s reading includes a discussion of “playing doctor,” which students may have reactions to. It also mentions Jazz’s genitals.

Homework

  • Read Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen, pages 73–84.

Common Core Standards


  • RI.6.6 — Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and explain how it is conveyed in the text.
  • RL.6.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

Next

Explain how Jazz uses examples and anecdotes to introduce, illustrate, and elaborate on ideas in her memoir.

Lesson 11
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