Fences (2020)

Lesson 4
icon/ela/white

ELA

Unit 9

8th Grade

Lesson 4 of 17

Objective


Describe the tension between Lyons and Troy by making inferences about character's relationships.

Historically contextualize the 1950's setting of Fences by examining other historical events before and after Fences takes place.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Fences by August Wilson  pp. 14 – 20

Fishtank Plus

Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.

Target Task


Writing Prompt

There is clearly tension (conflict) between Lyons and Troy. Choose two sentences from the text that Wilson uses to show a conflict between the two characters. Explain how each quote shows conflict and why you think there is conflict between these two characters.

Key Questions


  • What can you infer about Troy and Lyons’s relationship? What pieces of evidence make you think that? 
  • pp. 17–18: How do Troy and Lyons’s work ethics conflict? Explain in your own words using evidence from the text. 
  • Activity to historically contextualize Fences:

Fences is set in the late 1950s. For each event or era, write “Pre” if it happened before Fences is set or “Post” if it happened after Fences is set.

_____ Slavery officially ends in the United States.

_____ Jackie Robinson becomes the first African-American baseball player in the major leagues.

_____  The civil rights movement begins.

_____ Harriet Tubman saves countless lives and wins the freedom of thousands of slaves through the Underground Railroad.

_____ School desegregation begins in Boston; this was approximately 15 years after Melba Pattillo Beals integrated an Arkansas high school.

_____  Martin Luther King Jr. gives his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

_____ Reconstruction begins; though African-Americans are now free, the political and social climate in the country does not allow them much more safety or freedom than they had had during slavery.

_____ Barack Obama, an African-American, is elected President of the United States.

Common Core Standards


  • RL.8.3 — Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.
icon/arrow/right/large copy

Lesson 3

icon/arrow/right/large

Lesson 5

Lesson Map

A7CB09C2-D12F-4F55-80DB-37298FF0A765

Request a Demo

See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption.

Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption.

Contact Information

School Information

What courses are you interested in?

ELA

Math

Are you interested in onboarding professional learning for your teachers and instructional leaders?

Yes

No

Any other information you would like to provide about your school?

Effective Instruction Made Easy

Effective Instruction Made Easy

Access rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free