Curriculum / ELA / 9th Grade / Unit 2: You Laugh But It’s True: Humor and Institutional Racism in Born a Crime / Lesson 21

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

Lesson 21

ELA

Unit 2

9th Grade

Lesson 21 of 21

The unit's Socratic Seminar and Performance Task are the primary assessments in this unit. The following additional assessments also accompany Unit 2. For more guidance, see the Summative Assessments Teacher Tool.

Warm Read Assessment

The Warm Read Assessment measures students' ability to apply the core reading standards and their knowledge from the unit to comprehend new, topically or thematically aligned texts. It includes multiple choice and an optional on-demand essay.

Vocabulary Assessment

The Vocabulary Assessment measures students' acquisition of text-based vocabulary words from the unit.

Lesson 20

Lesson Map

Build background on Trevor Noah and South Africa.

Standards

SL.9-10.1SL.9-10.1.cSL.9-10.1.d

Examine primary sources to develop knowledge about apartheid.

Bantustans, Republic of South Africa and South-West Africa
“Act Number 30 of 1950”
“'Where Shall I Go?'”
Mr. V. Qunta — (55:01–58:01)
Eddie Daniels — (01:38–23:00)
The Signs that Defined the Apartheid
“The 'Crime' of Martial Sex”
Scene of Alexandra Township (1)
Scene of Alexandra Township (2)
Umlazi Township crate housing
“Wathint' abafazi, wathint' imbokodo”
Police at Sharpeville Massacre
“This Photo Galvanized the World Against Apartheid. Here’s the Story Behind It”

Standards

RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.7

Analyze how Noah develops the setting, establishes the tone, and introduces the characters in the first chapter of Born a Crime.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood pp. 3–17 — Chapter 1: "Run"

Standards

RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.4RI.9-10.5

Analyze how Noah develops his central idea that apartheid laws were unjust, unsustainable, and incoherent.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood pp. 19–31 — Chapter 2: "Born a Crime"

Standards

RI.9-10.2

Analyze how Noah develops the reader’s understanding of his unique experiences navigating life as a mixed-race person in South Africa.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — Chapters 3 ("Trevor, Pray") and 4 ("Chameleon")

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3

Write a narrative scene that uses an informal and conversational tone as well as description and dialogue.

Standards

W.9-10.3.bW.9-10.3.dW.9-10.4W.9-10.5

Examine how apartheid policies, laws, and beliefs impacted character growth and development.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — Chapter 5: "The Second Girl"

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.5

progress
monitoring

progress
monitoring

Analyze how Noah characterizes his parents, their parenting, and his relationship with them.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — Chapters 6 ("Loopholes") and 8 ("Robert")

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.5

Analyze Mandela’s inaugural speech for diction, repetition, and imagery and how these contribute to his rhetorical purpose.

“Inaugural Speech”

Standards

L.9-10.5RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.4RI.9-10.6

progress
monitoring

progress
monitoring

Create an informative one-pager depicting a South African individual's work on ending the system of apartheid.

Day 1 - Researching

Research a topic by taking notes on sources using summarizing, paraphrasing, quoting, and synthesizing.

One-Pager Writing Prompt and Rubric Handout (G9, U2, L10)
Sources for Informative One-Pager (G9, U2, L10)
Research Note-Taking Graphic Organizer (G9, U2, L10)

Standards

W.9-10.7W.9-10.8W.9-10.9

Day 2 - Language

Use appositive phrases in an informative paragraph to rename, add details, or further define a noun.

Appositive Phrases Practice Sheet (G9, U2, L10)
Informative Paragraph Graphic Organizer (G9, U2, L10)

Standards

L.9-10.1.bW.9-10.2.bW.9-10.8

Day 3 - Drafting

Draft an informative one-pager using text features to present information clearly and compellingly on an informative one-pager.

One-Pager Planning Graphic Organizer (G9, U2, L10)
One-Pager Template (G9, U2)
Text Features Visual (G9, U2, L10)

Standards

W.9-10.2W.9-10.4W.9-10.5

Identify similarities and differences in the portrayal of South Africa’s colored community in Born a Crime Chapter 9 and a news report.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood pp. 115–126 — Chapter 9: "The Mulberry Tree"
“South Africa's coloured community: 'Still marginalised after apartheid'” — (00:00–04:00)

Standards

RI.9-10.5RI.9-10.7

Analyze how a nonfiction article develops the idea that race is a social construct.

“Race and Racial Identity Are Social Constructs” — paragraph 1
“Tyla’s racial identity: South African singer sparks culture war”

Standards

RI.9-10.2

Analyze how Noah develops the reader's understanding of his unique experiences navigating life as a mixed-race person in South Africa.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — Chapters 11 ("Outsider") and 13 ("Colorblind")

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.5

progress
monitoring

progress
monitoring

Analyze how Noah develops the reader’s understanding of life in Alex township and how his experience there shaped his perspective.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — Chapter 16: "The Cheese Boys"

Standards

RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.4RI.9-10.5W.9-10.3

progress
monitoring

progress
monitoring

Analyze how Noah develops ideas about race and language and make connections between events in this chapter and those that have occurred previously in the text.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — Chapter 17: "The World Doesn't Love You"

Standards

RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.5

progress
monitoring

progress
monitoring

Analyze how Abel’s presence impacts Trevor’s life.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood pp. 247–272 — Chapter 18: "My Mother’s Life" (to "She said it totally . . . ")

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3

Analyze how the structural choices at the end of the memoir connect to its opening.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood pp. 272–285 — Chapter 18: "My Mother’s Life" (from "Eventually she did leave")

Standards

RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3

Socratic Seminar

Prepare for a Socratic Seminar on overarching questions for Born a Crime.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — full text

Standards

RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3W.9-10.1

Socratic Seminar

Engage in a summative Socratic Seminar about the larger themes and ideas of Born a Crime, supporting arguments with strong and thorough textual evidence.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — full text

Standards

SL.9-10.1SL.9-10.3SL.9-10.4SL.9-10.6

Create an informative museum exhibit depicting an aspect of South Africa's vibrant culture.

Day 1 - Research

Research a topic by adjusting keywords to find and take notes on relevant and credible sources.

Performance Task Writing Prompt and Rubric Handout (G9, U2, L20)
Evaluating Information: Applying the CRAAP Test (G9–12)
Research Note-Taking Graphic Organizer (G9, U2, L20)

Standards

W.9-10.7W.9-10.8

Day 2 - Research

Identify, research, and take notes on 2–3 artifacts to include in your virtual museum exhibit.

Research Note-Taking Graphic Organizer (G9, U2, L20)

Standards

W.9-10.5W.9-10.8

Day 3 - Writing

Write well-researched, informative artifact labels, using at least one appositive phrase in each label.

Artifact Label Template (G9, U2, L20)

Standards

L.9-10.1.bW.9-10.2W.9-10.2.bW.9-10.4W.9-10.8

Day 4 - Drafting

Draft a museum exhibit using at least one interactive text feature to clearly present information and engage the audience.

Museum Exhibit Planning Sheet (G9, U2, L20)
Museum Exhibit Template (G9, U2, L20)

Standards

W.9-10.2.aW.9-10.4W.9-10.6

Day 5 - Peer Review

Provide feedback on a group member's section of the exhibit and then use peer feedback to improve one's own section of the exhibit.

Miriam Makeba Exhibit Section Draft (G9, U2, L20)

Standards

L.9-10.1.bW.9-10.2W.9-10.4W.9-10.5

2 days

If additional assessment is needed, use the Warm Read and/or Vocabulary Assessments to gauge student understanding of unit content and skills.

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