You Laugh But It’s True: Humor and Institutional Racism in Born a Crime

Lesson 17
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ELA

Unit 2

9th Grade

Lesson 17 of 25

Objective


Emulate Noah’s writing style by creating a short narrative description of a place using description and imagery.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah  pp. 205 – 206 — Chapter 16: "The Cheese Boys"

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

Choose your own neighborhood or a neighborhood you know well and/or have spent a lot of time in. Describe that place using vivid imagery to develop the reader’s understanding of setting.

Sample Response

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Vocabulary


Literary Terms

second person point of view

narrative perspective in which the writer speaks to the audience

simile

the comparison of two unlike things using "like" or "as" to indicate what is being compared in order to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of one of those things

metaphor

the comparison of two unlike things in order to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of one of those things

Homework


Born a Crime, Chapter 17: "The World Doesn’t Love You"

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • How does Trevor’s mother feel about the boys he spends time with in Alex?

  • Why is Trevor arrested?

  • Who does he call? What does he ask this person to do?

  • What reputation do colored people have in South Africa?

  • Who is "the Hulk"? How does Trevor connect with him?

  • What does Trevor do when he gets in front of the judge?

  • How does Trevor think his mother will react when she gets home? How does he actually react?

Annotation Focus

Note down places where Trevor makes assumptions about others, and where they make assumptions about him.

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Standards


  • W.9-10.3 — Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
  • W.9-10.3.b — Use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, description, reflection, and multiple plot lines, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters.
  • W.9-10.3.d — Use precise words and phrases, telling details, and sensory language to convey a vivid picture of the experiences, events, setting, and/or characters.
  • W.9-10.4 — Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • W.9-10.5 — Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

Supporting Standards

RI.9-10.4

Next

Analyze how Noah develops different ideas within Chapter 17, and make connections between events in this chapter and those that have occurred previously in the text.

Lesson 18
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Lesson Map

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