Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts

Lesson 2
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ELA

Unit 3

6th Grade

Lesson 2 of 28

Objective


Explain how the prologue fits into the overall structure of Life in Motion and how specific sections of this chapter develop ideas about Copeland’s life.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland  pp. 1 – 8

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A Note for Teachers


Students will skip the first part of Chapter 1 in the homework following today’s lesson. Prior to the end of class, provide students with the following summary of pages 9–19 to aid comprehension, including significant characters:

  • Misty was born in Missouri but lived in California for most of her childhood.
  • Her family is multiracial. Misty’s mother and father are both biracial—African American and white.
  • As a child, Misty moves around frequently, as her mother breaks up with husbands/boyfriends and moves in with others.
  • Misty has five siblings.
  • Misty is an anxious, quiet, introverted child who strives to be perfect in everything she does.

Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

Both memoirs and biographies can be interesting and important, but they have very different goals for their reader. What is the benefit of reading a memoir of an artist’s experience rather than a biography? Explain your opinion and cite an example of a structural decision made by Copeland in the Prologue of Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina to support it.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Key Questions

  • What is the purpose of the prologue? Why does Copeland most likely begin her memoir describing a day when she is twenty-nine—and not from the very beginning of her life? Provide examples from the text to support your answer.

  • What idea does Copeland develop on pages 2 to 3 about what it means to be a true ballerina?

  • What is Copeland’s strategy behind her use of italics throughout the prologue? Cite evidence to support your answer.

  • What is the purpose of the last two paragraphs on page 7? What structural choices does Copeland make to support this purpose?

Exit Ticket

Assess student understanding and monitor progress toward this lesson's objective with an Exit Ticket.

Vocabulary


Literary Terms

prologue

a separate, introductory section of a text that generally provides context and details that are important to understanding the rest of the text

memoir

a narrative, written from the perspective of the author, about an important part of their life

structure

the way that a text is organized

Text-based

trailblazer

n.

(p. 6)

a pioneer; someone who is the first to do something significant

prestigious

adj.

(p. 1)

very respected and admired

Homework


To ensure that students are prepared for the next lesson, have students complete the following reading for homework. Use guidance from the next lesson to identify any additional language or background support students may need while independently engaging with the text.

  • Book: Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland  pp. 19 – 33 — start at page break

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • What does Misty like most about being in the talent show when she was five years old?

  • What is life like for Misty at home?

  • Who is Nadia Comaneci, and why is she important to Misty?

  • What happens when Misty tries out for the drill team?

  • What class does Misty’s drill team coach say she should take at the Boys and Girls Club? How does Misty respond to this suggestion?

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Common Core Standards


  • RI.6.3 — Analyze in detail how a key individual, event, or idea is introduced, illustrated, and elaborated in a text (e.g., through examples or anecdotes).
  • RI.6.5 — Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.

Supporting Standards

L.6.6
RI.6.1
RI.6.2
RI.6.4
RI.6.7
RI.6.10
SL.6.1
W.6.1.a
W.6.1.b
W.6.4
W.6.9
W.6.9.b
W.6.10

Next

Explain how Copeland introduces and illustrates ideas about her childhood and her discovery of dance.

Lesson 3
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