Claiming Our Place: LGBTQ+ Experiences in the United States (2021)

Lesson 15
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ELA

Unit 6

7th Grade

Lesson 15 of 20

Objective


Explain the way that events affect individuals’ emotions, beliefs, and behavior in The 57 Bus.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater  pp. 191 – 222

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Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

How is the way people respond to Sasha different from the way they respond to Richard? How is the response similar? Provide at least two pieces describing the response to each character from today’s reading. Carefully explain your thinking.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Close Read Questions

  • What impact has Richard’s arrest and charges had on his friends? How do they feel about the way people are talking about Richard, and how do they make sense of Richard’s actions? Provide specific evidence to support your answer from pages 191 through 197.

  • How do the students at Oakland High (who do not know Richard) respond to the news of the fire and Richard’s arrest? What are some of the reasons they respond the way they do? Provide evidence from pages 193 through 195 to support your answer.

  • How does religious faith shape the way that Richard and his mother think about their situation? What is the impact of faith on their mindset? Provide specific evidence from the text.

Discussion Questions

  • Reread the passage on pages 202–203 about the young man who was harassed by classmates because he was Black. What are your reactions to this story and to the outcomes of this case? Why do you think that Richard’s case was treated differently?

Vocabulary


Text-based

lenient

adj.

not harsh, severe, or strict 

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: The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater  pp. 223 – 254

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • How is Sasha's health at this point in the text?

  • How does Sasha's mother initially respond to the idea of meeting Jasmine?

  • How does she feel when they eventually do meet?

  • What is restorative justice?

  • How do the students involved in the restorative justice session at Oakland High feel afterwards?

  • How does Richard's lawyer respond to the idea of restorative justice in this case?

  • Why is Sasha's mother so proud to see Sasha go to college?

  • What is happening with Richard's case while Sasha leaves for college?

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Common Core Standards


  • RI.7.3 — Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).

Supporting Standards

L.7.5
L.7.6
RI.7.1
RI.7.2
RI.7.4
RI.7.10
SL.7.1
SL.7.6
W.7.1
W.7.1.a
W.7.1.b
W.7.4
W.7.9
W.7.9.b
W.7.10

Next

Explain how specific chapters in The 57 Bus fit into the overall structure of the text, and develop the reader’s understanding of characters and ideas.

Lesson 16
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