Curriculum / ELA / 9th Grade / Unit 3: Power, Justice, and Culpability: Of Mice and Men and The Central Park Five / Lesson 26
ELA
Unit 3
9th Grade
Lesson 26 of 30
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Analyze how Burns uses descriptive language and specific details to communicate her perspective.
Book: The Central Park Five: The Untold Story Behind One of New York City's Most Infamous Crimes by Sarah Burns pp. 37 – 51
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Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved.
In a paragraph, analyze how Burns uses specific details to convey her argument about the law enforcement involved in this case. Additionally, explain how her word choice reveals her perspective. Provide specific examples from this chapter to support your answer.
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Questions about the text that will help guide the students understanding
What is Burns' perspective on the detectives' decision to interrogate Kevin Richardson and the way they went about it? What information does she include on pages 38–41 that communicates her perspective? What does her word choice reveal about her perspective? Provide specific evidence from this page to support your answer.
What adjectives does Burns use when describing the police's techniques during Kevin's interrogation? What details does she include? What do these words and details communicate about Burns' perspective of law enforcement and the interrogations? Provide at least three examples from pages 39–41.
What details does Burns include when describing Kevin's filmed statement on pages 50–51? What do these details communicate about Burns's perspective of law enforcement and the interrogations? Provide examples from these pages to support your answer.
Literary terms, text-based vocabulary, idioms and word parts to be taught with the text
barrage
n.
a rapid and overwhelming quantity of something – often used in relation to military artillery fire, information, or questions
v.
bombard or overwhelm someone with a large number of something
Reading and/or task to be completed at home in preparation for the next lesson.
Reread The Central Park Five.
Book: The Central Park Five: The Untold Story Behind One of New York City's Most Infamous Crimes by Sarah Burns — pp. 3–7, 21–27, 38–43
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RI.9-10.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
RI.9-10.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).
RI.9-10.6 — Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.
W.9-10.10 — Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
W.9-10.9 — Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
L.9-10.1 — Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
L.9-10.6 — Acquire and use accurately general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.
SL.9-10.1 — Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9—10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL.9-10.6 — Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.
Next
Analyze the choices director Ava DuVernay made in When They See Us and compare her portrayal of characters and events with Sarah Burns' text, The Central Park Five.
Analyze depictions of migrant workers in an article by John Steinbeck and various photographs by Dorothea Lange, noting the similarities in their representation.
Standards
RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.4
Explain how Steinbeck establishes the setting and introduces his main characters in Of Mice and Men.
RL.9-10.4
Analyze how Steinbeck develops the reader's understanding of the relationship between Lennie and George.
RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4
Analyze how Steinbeck develops social hierarchies on the ranch and introduces tension into the story.
RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.5
Write a strong topic sentence and select relevant textual evidence to support that claim.
RL.9-10.1RL.9-10.3RL.9-10.4W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.4W.9-10.5
Outline an analytical paragraph using the acronym T-E-A-L, and write a first draft.
W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.1.cW.9-10.1.dW.9-10.1.e
Write a strong analytical paragraph that effectively integrates textual evidence and argues for which person at the ranch poses the greatest threat to Lennie and George.
W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.1.cW.9-10.1.dW.9-10.1.eW.9-10.4W.9-10.5W.9-10.5
Analyze how Steinbeck develops characters and explain what characters' actions and beliefs can reveal about human nature.
RL.9-10.3
Analyze the character of Crooks through the lenses of racism, loneliness, and power.
Analyze the character of Curley's wife through the lenses of sexism, loneliness, and power.
Analyze how Steinbeck has used foreshadowing to develop tension leading up to the story's climax.
RL.9-10.5
Analyze the structural choices Steinbeck has made in the final chapter of Of Mice and Men and how he works to shape the reader's perception of Lennie's murder.
Analyze the Robert Burns poem, "To a Mouse" and draw conclusions about why Steinbeck chose a line from this poem for the title of his novel.
RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3
Take a position on one of three analytical prompts and gather textual evidence in preparation for a Socratic seminar.
RL.9-10.1RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3W.9-10.1
Engage in a Socratic seminar in preparation for crafting a literary analysis for Of Mice and Men.
RL.9-10.1RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3SL.9-10.1.a
Write a strong thesis statement in response to an analytical essay prompt, and outline body paragraphs needed to support that thesis statement.
W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.4W.9-10.5
Write the body paragraphs of an analytical essay in the literary present tense, using strong transitions within and between paragraphs.
W.9-10.1.aW.9-10.1.bW.9-10.1.cW.9-10.1.dW.9-10.1.eW.9-10.4W.9-10.5
Review the parts of an introduction, and write a strong introduction to an analytical essay using the acronym H-I-T (hook, introductory information, thesis statement).
W.9-10.1W.9-10.4W.9-10.5
Review the parts of a conclusion, and write a strong conclusion to an analytical essay using the acronym B-A-M (refer back to thesis, analyze its significance, make it universal).
Revise and edit essay drafts either independently or using a peer review structure.
Explain what the Atkins v. Virginia decision and the case of Marvin Wilson reveal about perceptions of culpability in the criminal justice system.
RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.4
Analyze how characters in Of Mice and Men view Lennie's culpability in different situations throughout the text.
Identify claims made about the relationship between racial bias and wrongful convictions, and analyze how structural choices help develop an author's ideas.
RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.5
Identify Sarah Burns' purpose in The Central Park Five, and explain how an author's tone develops the reader's understanding of their perspective.
RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.4RI.9-10.6
Analyze the structure of the first chapter of The Central Park Five and explain the purpose and impact of specific sections of the text.
RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.5
RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.4RI.9-10.6W.9-10.10W.9-10.9
RI.9-10.1RI.9-10.7W.9-10.1
Analyze how racism shaped media coverage of the Central Park Five, and explain the debate around blame and culpability in this case.
RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.4RL.9-10.4
Analyze the choices director Ava DuVerney made in When They See Us and compare her portrayal of characters and events with Sarah Burns's text, The Central Park Five.
RI.9-10.3RI.9-10.4
Brainstorm, outline, and record a podcast episode that analyzes the power of language to construct meaning about a person's identity in both Of Mice and Men and Central Park Five.
RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.4RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.4SL.9-10.4SL.9-10.5W.9-10.4W.9-10.6
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