Coming of Age: Short Stories

Lesson 15
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ELA

Unit 12

6th Grade

Lesson 15 of 28

Objective


Students will analyze Walter Dean Myer's legacy.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh  — Postscript Essay: "We Need Diverse Books" by Ellen Oh

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

What is Walter Dean Myers' legacy?

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Key Questions

  • According to the New York Times article, what role did reading play in Myers's life?

  • According to the New York Times article, what inspired Walter Dean Myers's books?

  • Reread the quote from Myers's op-ed piece "Children's Books: I Actually Thought We Would Revolutionize the Industry" in the postscript of Flying Lessons & Other Stories. Why is Myers concerned about the lack of representation in children's literature?

  • What does Walter Dean Meyers mean by "There is work to be done." in the postscript of Flying Lessons & Other Stories?

Exit Ticket

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Vocabulary


Text-based

humanity

n.

sympathy, concern or compassion that all humans feel (Lee)

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: Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh  — Forward: "Welcome to the Neighborhood" by Christopher Myers

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • Who is the author of this forward, Christopher Myers?

  • Why was cooking important to Walter Dean Myers?

  • What did Myers feel was part of his job as a writer?

  • What does Christopher Myers mean that "you are invited into all the stories"? (p. ix)

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Common Core Standards


  • RI.6.1 — Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
  • 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.6.7 — Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.

Supporting Standards

L.6.1
L.6.2
L.6.3
RI.6.10
SL.6.1
SL.6.1.a
SL.6.6
W.6.1
W.6.1.a
W.6.1.b
W.6.4
W.6.9
W.6.10

Next

Students will analyze the purpose of compiling the Flying Lessons and Other Stories anthology.

Lesson 16
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