Curriculum / ELA / 8th Grade / Unit 1: Facing Prejudice: All American Boys / Lesson 13

Facing Prejudice: All American Boys

Lesson 13: Writing Project Overview

ELA

Unit 1

8th Grade

Lesson 13 of 25

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Lesson Map

Use academic vocabulary and a preview of the book to make predictions about the content of the core unit text.

All American Boys

Standards

RL.8.4

Identify a central idea of President Obama's speech and explain how he uses evidence to develop and support it.

“President Obama Speaks on Trayvon Martin”
“Remarks by the President on Trayvon Martin”

Standards

RI.8.1RI.8.2RI.8.3

Analyze how the authors of All American Boys characterize Rashad and develop his perspective in Chapter 1.

All American Boys pp. 1–23

Standards

RL.8.1RL.8.3RL.8.6

Compare Rashad's and Quinn's perspectives on the assault and explain how reading both perspectives deepens the reader's understanding of the event.

All American Boys pp. 24–40

Standards

RL.8.3RL.8.6

Explain how racism and racial bias shape the way that characters in All American Boys—and people more generally—are viewed.

All American Boys pp. 43–60
“A Conversation About Growing Up Black”

Standards

RI.8.1RI.8.3RL.8.1RL.8.3

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3 days

Write a paragraph that makes and supports a clear claim.

Day 1 - Planning

Gather evidence and write a clear topic sentence that directly answers the prompt.

Details Brainstorming Page (G8, U1, L6)

Standards

W.8.1W.8.4W.8.9

Day 2 - Planning

Create an outline to organize the strongest details and craft topic and concluding sentences.

Details Brainstorming Page (G8, U1, L6)
Single Paragraph Outline

Standards

W.8.1.aW.8.1.bW.8.1.e

Day 3 - Drafting

Use an outline to draft a paragraph by constructing complete sentences that develop details from the text and connect back to the topic sentence.

Single Paragraph Outline

Standards

W.8.1W.8.1.bW.8.1.c

Analyze how the speaker uses figurative language to develop and support his central idea.

“How to Raise a Black Son in America”
“How to Raise a Black Son in America”

Standards

RI.8.2RI.8.4

Analyze how the authors of All American Boys develop the narrators' perspectives.

All American Boys pp. 61–93

Standards

RL.8.3RL.8.4

Analyze how the authors develop the characters' perspectives of themselves and others in All American Boys.

All American Boys pp. 94–120

Standards

RL.8.1RL.8.3RL.8.6

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Analyze how being assaulted impacts Rashad and how witnessing the assault impacts Quinn and the community.

All American Boys pp. 123–162

Standards

RL.8.3RL.8.6

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Explain how key events in the chapter reveal Quinn's beliefs and contribute to a shift in his perspective.

All American Boys pp. 165–185

Standards

RL.8.1RL.8.3

Analyze how the authors explore the topic of invisibility in All American Boys.

All American Boys pp. 186–218 — (end at page break)

Standards

RL.8.2RL.8.3

2 days

Write a paragraph that makes and supports a clear claim.

Day 1 - Drafting / Revising

Revise a paragraph to elaborate on details in order to strengthen support for a claim.

Standards

W.8.1.bW.8.1.c

Day 2 - Revising / Language

Form and use verbs in both the active and passive voice to increase clarity and sentence variety.

Standards

L.8.1.bW.8.1

Analyze key events surrounding Selma in 1965 and explain, using evidence, why they became a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement.

“Selma: How the Selma-to-Montgomery marches 50 years ago helped end discrimination against black voters”

Standards

RI.8.1RI.8.2

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Explain how significant events both reveal and change characters' perspectives.

All American Boys pp. 218–246

Standards

RL.8.3RL.8.6

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Analyze how Quinn's engagement with civic responsibility reveals aspects of his character.

All American Boys pp. 249–267

Standards

RL.8.2RL.8.3

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Determine the technical meanings of words in context and explain how the protections and limitations of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution apply to various contexts.

The Constitution of the United States
“Selma: How the Selma-to-Montgomery marches 50 years ago helped end discrimination against black voters”
All American Boys

Standards

RI.8.2RI.8.4

Analyze how the authors' use of internal monologues both develops characters' perspectives and communicates a central idea.

All American Boys pp. 269–296

Standards

RL.8.2RL.8.3

Analyze the structure of All American Boys and explain how it helps to develop central ideas in the text.

All American Boys pp. 297–313

Standards

RL.8.2RL.8.6

Analyze why Black women's roles in social justice movements have often been overlooked, and explain how this develops the reader's understanding of All American Boys.

“How Did Black Women Leaders Contribute to the Successes of the Civil Rights Movement?”
All American Boys

Standards

RI.8.1RI.8.2RL.8.1RL.8.2

Determine themes in All American Boys and explain how they are developed over the course of the text.

All American Boys — whole text

Standards

RL.8.1RL.8.2

Compare and contrast how authors use language to develop thematic topics across multiple poems.

“Poem Resisting Arrest”
“How to Resist” — Foreword

Standards

RL.8.2RL.8.4

Socratic Seminar

Engage in a Socratic Seminar with peers, demonstrating a deep understanding of the text and topic by posing and responding to questions, and providing evidence to support ideas.

Standards

SL.8.1SL.8.1.aSL.8.1.bSL.8.4

5 days

Write a short, first-person narrative about a significant moment in your life. Then, write the same scene but from the perspective of another person who was there.

Day 1 - Planning

Analyze how All American Boys uses two perspectives to develop a shared incident, then brainstorm ideas for two first-person narratives about a significant incident.

Personal Narrative Brainstorming Page (G8, U1, L24)

Standards

W.8.3

Day 2 - Planning / Drafting

Logically organize a sequence of events and use precise language to draft one event.

Personal Narrative Brainstorming Page (G8, U1, L24)
Narrative Graphic Organizer (G6–8)

Standards

W.8.3.aW.8.3.d

Day 3 - Drafting

Draft two expositions that establish the narrator's perspective and engage the reader by introducing the context and characters.

Personal Narrative Brainstorming Page (G8, U1, L24)
Narrative Graphic Organizer (G6–8)

Standards

W.8.3.aW.8.3.bW.8.3.d

Day 4 - Drafting / Revising

Continue drafting personal narratives by adding dialogue and sensory language to develop characters' perspectives.

Standards

W.8.3.bW.8.3.d

Day 5 - Language / Revising

Revise each narrative to intentionally use active and passive voice to highlight perspective, add clarity, and strengthen meaning.

Standards

L.8.1.bW.8.3.d

2 days

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