Expressing Yourself: Women in the Arts

Lesson 5
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ELA

Unit 3

6th Grade

Lesson 5 of 27

Objective


Explain how Copeland uses figurative and descriptive language to communicate her feelings about dance.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina by Misty Copeland  — pp. 66-75 (page break) and pp. 90 - 97 (page break)

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

Identify the figurative language that Copeland uses in the following sentence: “Nothing like ballet, where the movements rippled like water, where a spin that blended strength and grace could transform a dull room into a music box, and the dancer became the beautiful miniature turning round and round inside.” (p. 68) What idea is she trying to communicate about ballet through this figurative language? Carefully explain your thinking.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Close Read Questions

  • How does Misty’s relationship with ballet change during this time in her life? Provide specific evidence from today’s reading to support your answer.

  • What is the meaning and impact of the metaphor Copeland uses in the following sentence: "But I also knew when I found out I wasn’t going to be able to do ballet anymore, how the hurt had stung my soul" (p. 67). What idea does it communicate to the reader?

  • Summarize what Copeland is trying to communicate in this sentence: “I began to see the vista to a world beyond what I had ever previously imagined.” (p. 97) How does her use of a metaphor help the reader understand her meaning?

Exit Ticket

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Vocabulary


Text-based

prodigy

n.

(p. 71)

a young person with exceptional skill or ability

intuition

n.

(p. 91)

the ability to understand something immediately

something one knows from a feeling or instinct 

Literary Terms

simile

n.

the comparison of two unlike things using “like” or “as” to indicate what is being compared in order to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of one of those things.

metaphor

n.

the comparison of two unlike things in order to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of one of those things.

Homework


  • Provide students with the following summary of Chapters 5 and 6:
    • Misty participates in a summer ballet intensive in San Francisco, where she makes many friends, develops her skill, and receives significant positive feedback.
    • The conflict between Cindy and Misty’s mother intensifies.
    • Misty’s mother tells Misty that she has to move home. Cindy encourages Misty to seek emancipation (legally separate) from her mother.
    • There is a vicious court battle between Cindy and Misty’s mother. Misty’s mother wins, and Misty moves home.
    • The court battle gets a lot of media attention, which Misty hates.
    • Misty continues to dance and many ballet companies want her to study and dance with them.
    • Misty moves to New York after she graduates high school and joins the American Ballet Theater. She is quickly promoted to the corps de ballet.

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. 155 – 171

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • What was life like for Misty in the corps du ballet?

  • How does Misty injure herself? What happens as a result of her injury?

  • How is Misty treated by the staff at ABT when she returns after her injury?

  • How does Copeland feel about her body now, according to what she writes at the end of chapter 8?

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Common Core Standards


  • L.6.5 — Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
  • L.6.5.a — Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.
  • RI.6.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings.

Supporting Standards

L.6.5.b
L.6.5.c
L.6.6
RI.6.1
RI.6.2
RI.6.5
RI.6.7
RI.6.10
SL.6.1
SL.6.6
W.6.1.a
W.6.1.b
W.6.4
W.6.9
W.6.9.b
W.6.10
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