Curriculum / ELA / 9th Grade / Unit 13: Visibility & Invisibility in Short Texts / Lesson 4
ELA
Unit 13
9th Grade
Lesson 4 of 15
Jump To
Lesson Notes
There was an error generating your document. Please refresh the page and try again.
Generating your document. This may take a few seconds.
Are you sure you want to delete this note? This action cannot be undone.
Analyze the techniques Junot Diaz uses to characterize Yunior, the narrator.
Short Story: “How To Date A Brown Girl (black girl, white girl, or halfie)” by Junot DÃaz
We participate in the Amazon Associate program. This means that if you use this link to make an Amazon purchase, we receive a small portion of the proceeds, which support our non-profit mission.
Unlock features to optimize your prep time, plan engaging lessons, and monitor student progress.
Tasks that represents the peak thinking of the lesson - mastery will indicate whether or not objective was achieved.
Junot Diaz’s “How to Date a Brown Girl (Black Girl, White Girl, or Halfie)” reads like an instructional manual, providing a list of commands for Dominican men on how to “date” any of the type of women mentioned in the title. Write a response in which you analyze how Diaz uses literary elements as diction, details, and syntax to develop the vivid impression of the narrator, Yunior.
Upgrade to Fishtank Plus to view Sample Response.
What lines, words, or phrases reveal the narrator's character? What is Diaz doing with language to reveal the narrator's character in those lines, words, or phrases?
What is the significance of the “government cheese”? Why does the author start and end the story with this object? What does this reveal about his character?
What do you notice about the syntax of the narrator? How does the narrator’s use of commands develop his tone?
What does the narrator really want from the girls he dates—is it sex, or something else? What do the girls want from him?
What moments in the text reveal a shift or break in the narrator’s authoritative tone? What do these moments show us about his character?
To what extent would you listen to the narrator's advice about dating?
How does the narrator’s perception of race and class (and his actions that result from this) influence our understanding of him as a character?
To what extent is the narrator a “nobody” as defined by Dickinson and/or Hill?
Reading and/or task to be completed at home in preparation for the next lesson.
Bring your most engaging lessons to life with comprehensive instructional guidance, detailed pacing, supports to meet every student's needs, and resources to strengthen your lesson planning and delivery.
LO 1.3B — Analyze how the writer's use of stylistic elements contributes to a work of literature's effects and meaning.
RL.9-10.3 — Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.
Standards that are practiced daily but are not priority standards of the unit
LO 1.4B — Synthesize ideas from multiple texts and explain how the texts may convey different perspectives on a common theme or idea.
LO 5.1A — Extend the conversation around an idea, topic, or text by formulating questions and recognizing the claims and perspectives of others.
LO 5.1B — Cite relevant evidence and evaluate the evidence presented by others.
RL.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.
RL.9-10.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
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.
W.9-10.2 — Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
Next
Characterize Nkem and interpret the symbolic shifts in her character.
Analyze how word choice and structure impact meaning in the opening paragraph of Nobody.
Standards
RI.9-10.2RI.9-10.4RI.9-10.5
Explain Hill’s perspective on invisibility including how specific details, lines, and words help to develop that perspective.
LO 1.2BRI.9-10.6
Analyze how Emily Dickinson uses literary devices to convey meaning in “I’m Nobody! Who are you?”
LO 1.3BRL.9-10.4
LO 1.3BRL.9-10.3
Analyze how Alexie uses literary devices to illustrate his complex experience as an Indian on the reservation.
Formulate and share unique arguments about meaning in and across “How to Date…,” “Imitation,” and “Superman and Me.” Support arguments with strong and thorough textual evidence in a Socratic Seminar.
LO 1.4BRI.9-10.2RL.9-10.2
Explain Frank’s perspective on coming out and being queer including how word choice and figurative language help to develop that perspective.
Analyze “Thank You, Frank Ocean” as a response to Frank Ocean’s coming out letter.
Formulate and share unique arguments about meaning in and across Frank Ocean’s Open Letter on Tumblr, and “Thank You, Frank Ocean.” Support arguments with strong and thorough textual evidence in a Socratic Seminar.
Analyze how a character or speaker struggles with visibility and how this struggle contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole in a multi-paragraph response.
L.9-10.2.aLO 1.3ALO 1.3BLO 2.3ALO 2.3BLO 2.3CLO 2.3DRI.9-10.1RL.9-10.2W.9-10.2
Analyze how the author uses literary devices to convey the boy’s complex experience as a child of immigrant parents.
Analyze how the author uses literary devices to convey the speaker’s complex experience.
Formulate and share unique arguments about meaning in and across all texts from Unit 1. Support arguments with strong and thorough textual evidence in a summative Socratic Seminar.
LO 1.4BLO 5.1ALO 5.1BRI.9-10.1RI.9-10.2RL.9-10.1RL.9-10.2RL.9-10.3SL.9-10.1
4 days
Complete the performance task to show mastery of unit content and standards.
L.9-10.2.aLO 1.4BLO 5.1ALO 5.1BLO 5.2ALO 5.2BLO 5.2CLO 5.2DRI.9-10.2RL.9-10.2SL.9-10.1W.9-10.2
Create a free account to access thousands of lesson plans.
Already have an account? Sign In
See all of the features of Fishtank in action and begin the conversation about adoption.
Learn more about Fishtank Learning School Adoption.
Yes
No
We've got you covered with rigorous, relevant, and adaptable ELA lesson plans for free