Students explore the American experience through the story of an African-American family struggling to achieve their dreams.
A Raisin in the Sun is a meditation on the American Dream and the ways that race can be a nearly insurmountable barrier to achieving tit. This award-winning play follows the story of the Youngers, a working-class African-American family living in a cramped kitchenette apartment on the South Side of Chicago in the 1950s. Three generations share the apartment, which is barely large enough to fit the five people who live there let alone the dreams each one has for his or her future and the future of their family.
This text is the third book that students will read this year and the first drama. Student will begin the unit with three nonfiction texts that provide schema around the Great Migration and the history of housing discrimination against African Americans. Contextualizing this play within its historical moment provides students with the knowledge necessary to unpack the specific and universal themes Hansberry explores. Additionally, students will watch several scenes from the 1961 film version and analyze the way that filmmakers draw viewers into a story through techniques specific to the media. Through this story of an African-American family in a segregated northern city in the 1950s, A Raisin in the Sun continues the year’s exploration of what it means to be an American; how race, gender, and class shape a person’s identity; and whether all people in this country have equal access to opportunity.
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Play: A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (Vintage, 2004) — 1100-1200L
Poem: “Harlem” by Langston Hughes (the Poetry Foundation)
Article: “A Better Life: Creating the American Dream” by Kate Ellis and Ellen Guettler (American Public Media, 2009)
Article: “The Great Migration: The African American Exodus from The South” by Dan Kopf (Priceonomics)
Radio Segment: “The Scarlet E, Part II: 40 Acres” (WNYC Studios)
Movie: A Raisin in the Sun
Poem: Say my name by Idris Goodwin
This assessment accompanies Unit 3 and should be given on the suggested assessment day or after completing the unit.
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affluent arbitrary aspiration assimilationist atrocity bitter defer eccentric exploitation futile incredulous mutilate nonplussed plaintive
actors' choices acts alliteration camera angle camera movement color/lighting connotation cuts denotation dialogue dialect diegetic sound imagery metaphor monologue non-diegetic sound pacing relevant rhyme schemes scenes set setting simile stanza stage directions sufficient tone
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“A Better Life” — “Introduction,” “Roots of the American Dream," and “The Modern American Dream”
RI.7.3
Define the American Dream and explain how and why it has changed over time.
“The Great Migration” — “Introduction,” “The First Wave of the Great Migration," and “The Second Wave”
RI.7.2
RI.7.3
Determine the causes and impacts of the Great Migration and explain how the author develops his central ideas.
“The Scarlet E, Part II: 40 Acres” — 1:15–13:19 and 16:53–18:11
RI.7.8
Identify the claims made in a radio story and assess whether the evidence used to support those claims is relevant and sufficient.
“Harlem”
RL.7.2
RL.7.4
Explain the meaning and impact of word choice and literary devices in Langston Hughes’s “Harlem,” and how they work together to develop theme.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 24 – 35 — end at “women with small minds”
RL.7.3
Identify features of setting and explain how setting shapes characters in A Raisin in the Sun.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 35 – 46
RL.7.6
Identify characters’ points of view in A Raisin in the Sun and explain how the playwright develops differences in perspective.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 46 – 60 — begin at “BENEATHA comes in” and end at “The bell rings”
RL.7.6
Identify characters’ points of view in A Raisin in the Sun and explain how the playwright develops differences in perspective.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 60 – 75 — start at BENEATHA “Oh, my god…”
RL.7.6
Identify characters’ points of view in A Raisin in the Sun and explain how the playwright develops differences in perspective.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 68 – 75
A Raisin in the Sun — 43:09–54:55
RL.7.7
Compare and contrast the film version of A Raisin in the Sun with the original text and explain the impact of specific techniques used by the filmmakers.
Writing
“Say my name”
RL.7.4
W.7.9
Closely read a poem and support inferences and conclusions with strong evidence.
Writing
“Say my name”
W.8.1
W.8.1.a
W.8.1.b
W.8.1.d
W.8.1.e
Analyze the meaning and impact of specific words and phrases used in the poem, “Say my name” in a short written response.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 76 – 86 — end at “Beneatha and George exit”
RL.7.6
Identify characters’ points of view in A Raisin in the Sun and explain what their words and actions reveal about them.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 86 – 95 — begin after “Beneatha and George exit”
RL.7.3
Explain how the physical and historical setting of A Raisin in the Sun impacts characters.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 96 – 110
RL.7.6
Identify and contrast different characters’ perspectives in A Raisin in the Sun, and explain how they change.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 110 – 124 — end at "(the bell rings)"
RL.7.4
Explain the impact of specific word choice on mood and meaning in A Raisin in the Sun, and how word choice reveals a character’s perspective.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 110 – 124
A Raisin in the Sun — 1:21:55-1:33:02
RL.7.7
Compare and contrast the film version of A Raisin in the Sun with the original text by identifying techniques used by the filmmakers and their impact on mood and meaning.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 124 – 130
RL.7.4
Explain the impact of word choice on mood and tone in A Raisin in the Sun.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 131 – 140 — end at "...and hold on to what you got"
RL.7.6
Identify characters’ points of view in A Raisin in the Sun and explain how the playwright develops differences and changes in perspective.
A Raisin in the Sun pp. 140 – 151
RL.7.6
Identify and contrast different characters’ perspectives in A Raisin in the Sun, and explain how they change.
Socratic Seminar
A Raisin in the Sun
RL.7.1
SL.7.1.a
Clearly articulate original ideas and support them with appropriate evidence from A Raisin in the Sun.
Actively engage in a Socratic Seminar by coming to class prepared with appropriate evidence to support their ideas.
Writing
W.7.1
W.7.1.b
L.7.1.a
Explain the expectations of the writing task and begin to gather evidence from supplemental texts.
Writing
W.7.1
W.7.1.a
L.7.1.c
Construct a strong thesis statement and compose effective body paragraphs.
Writing
W.7.1
W.7.1.c
W.7.1.d
W.7.1.e
L.7.1.c
Draft an introduction and conclusion and revise essay for clarity, mechanics, and organization.
2 days
Assessment
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