Claiming Our Place: LGBTQ+ Experiences in the United States

Lesson 12
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ELA

Unit 6

7th Grade

Lesson 12 of 20

Objective


Make connections between larger legal concepts and events in The 57 Bus, drawing evidence from both texts to support ideas.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater  pp. 134 – 160

  • Article: “Hate Crimes, Explained” by Swathi Shanmugasundaram  — End after section “What Motivates Hate Offenders”

  • Website: Hate Crimes by FBI.gov 

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

Read the FBI's definition of hate crimes. Based on the FBI’s definition, do you think that Richard’s actions qualify as a hate crime? Provide evidence from the "Interview" chapters (beginning on pages 134, 139, and 142) and carefully explain your thinking.

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Close Read Questions

  • Why does Slater most likely include the chapter "Miranda Warning"? What important information does the reader learn from this chapter?

  • Reread the section "What Motivates Hate Offenders" from "Hate Crimes, Explained." Which of the motivations best fits with Richard’s actions? Go back to pages 110 through 113 to find evidence to support your answer.

  • Why does Slater most likely include the chapters "This is Real" (pp. 146–150) and "Still Kinda Dying"? (pp. 157–159) What ideas does she develop in these chapters? Provide two pieces of evidence to support your answer.

Discussion Questions

  • How do you feel after hearing Richard’s interview with the police? Does it change the way you think about him? Why or why not?

Vocabulary


Text-based

callous

adj.

insensitive and cruel; heartless

Homework


  • Reread pages 151–154.

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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).
  • RI.7.5 — Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.

Supporting Standards

L.7.6
RI.7.1
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
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