The Warmth of Other Suns (2020)

Lesson 1
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ELA

Unit 10

8th Grade

Lesson 1 of 8

Objective


Analyze a Richard Wright poem for theme and tone.

Explain why the author alludes to a specific line in a Richard Wright poem.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson  pp. 5 – 6 — “One-Way Ticket”

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Target Task


Multiple Choice

Which statement best captures the theme of the poem by Richard Wright?

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Which two pieces of diction best support the answer above?

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What is the tone of the poem?

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Which two pieces of diction best supports the answer above?

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Writing Prompt

Isabel Wilkerson, the author of The Warmth of Other Sons, deliberately “stole” Richard Wright’s phrase from the eighth line of his poem as the title of her text. Why did she allude to this specific line? Based on our understanding of the poem, what do you think her text is about?

Key Questions


  • What verb does the poet want to jump out at you in the first two verses?
  • Why does the poet use that specific verb? What does it reveal?
  • What adjective does the poet want to jump out at you in the first four verses?
  • Why does the poet use that specific adjective? What does it reveal?
  • What is the central idea of the poem? Which diction makes you think that?
  • What is the tone of the poem? Which lines make you think that?
  • Based on your understanding of the poem, what do you think Wilkerson's text will be about?
  • What is the central idea of pp. 3-6? How do you know?
  • What is the tone of pp. 5-6? Which diction makes you think that?
  • How does the author develop the tone in Langston Hughes's "One-Way Ticket"?
  • What are the advantages/ disadvantages of expressing individual experiences through poetry?

Notes


  • You may want to include a mini lesson on allusion during this lesson.
  • This lesson connects to the assessment.

Common Core Standards


  • RI.8.6 — Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.
  • RL.8.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • RL.8.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
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Lesson 2

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