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

Discussion

Build background on Trevor Noah and South Africa.

Standards

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

Discussion

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. Quinta — (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

Narrative Writing

Brainstorm and plan a mini-memoir that uses an informal and conversational tone as well as description and dialogue.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — Chapters 1–4

Standards

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

Narrative Writing

Emulate Noah's tone in short narrative scenes using an informal and conversational tone as well as description and dialogue.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — Chapters 1–4

Standards

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

Narrative Writing

Revise a mini-memoir using feedback from a peer review.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood — Chapters 1–4

Standards

W.9-10.3W.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

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

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

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

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

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

Performance Task

Develop a topic into a thematic statement, gather evidence to support that theme, and determine style choices for a one-pager.

Standards

RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3W.9-10.4W.9-10.5

Performance Task

Analyze a central theme developed over the course of Born a Crime, sharing one’s understanding in a one-pager format.

One-Pager Planning Graphic Organizer (G9, U2, L21–22)
One-Pager Template (G9, U2)

Standards

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

Develop keywords, identify artifacts, and take notes on sources.

Standards

W.9-10.5W.9-10.7W.9-10.8

Write well-researched, informative artifact labels.

Standards

W.9-10.2W.9-10.4

Peer review artifact labels and design an exhibit.

Standards

W.9-10.5W.9-10.6

Explore digital exhibits to synthesize learning on South African culture.

Standards

SL.9-10.5W.9-10.6

Writing

Overview

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.

Writing Prompt and Rubric Handout (G9, U2)
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)
Self/Peer Feedback Form (G9, U2, L10)

Standards

L.9-10.1W.9-10.2W.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.

Apartheid One-Pager Sample Response (G9, U2, L10)
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