Reading and Writing for Social Justice

2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS

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Reading and Writing for Social

JusticePresented by

Dr. Dana M. Stachowiak ● Travis Blair ● Dare London ● Liza PalazziLiteracy Coach AL Teacher EC Teacher Gen Ed

Teacher

Northeast Middle SchoolGuilford County Schools, NC


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Agenda:2. Unit Section Highlights:

● Pre-assessment● Engagement with Social Justice● Generating Topic Ideas● Non-Fiction Reading Strategies● Non-Fiction Writing Strategies● Final Student Products

1. Curriculum Mapping, Lesson Planning, & Instructional Methods

3. Glows & Grows for the Unit

4. Curriculum Mapping for K-8 Reading & Writing for Social Justice5. Question & Answer

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Sources


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Curriculum Mapping:

Parts of the Unit:

1) Pre-assess students in writing

2) Engage students with social justice topics

3) Students explore & generate topics

4) Students learn & use non-fiction reading strategies

5) Students learn & use non-fiction writing strategies

6) Post-assessment/Student Projects



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Lesson PlanningSkills vs. Strategies What do vs. How doGood writers can_____(skill)_____. They

do this by_____(strategy)_____.


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Lesson Planning cont’d

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Instructional Methods

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Pre-Assessment:


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Pre-Assessment: Rubric

1 – Developing Writer 2 – Thoughtful Writer 3 – Critical Writer

No solid claim Clear claim; not solid Makes a clear and solid claim

No focus or elaboration Focus noted; elaboration minimal

Stays focused; supports and elaborates

No alternative view offered Weak alternative view(s) Provides a (few) possible alternative view(s)

Not organized Organized, but not logical Organized in a logical manner

Several spelling and punctuation mistakes

Typical spelling and punctuation mistakes

Proper grammar, punctuation, word choice, and voice

● Claim● Focus & Elaboration● Alternative View(s)● Organization● Editing

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Engage: I am From poemsI Am From Soul Food and Harriet Tubman By Lealonni Blake

I am from get-togethers and Bar-B-Ques K-Mart special with matching shoes, Baseball bats and BB guns. a violent family is where I'm from. I am from "get it girl" and "shake it to the ground." From a “strict"dad named Lumb sayin' "sit yo' fass self down." I am from the smell of soul food cooking in Lelinna's kitchen. From my Pampa's war stories to my granny's cotton pickin'. I am from Kunta Kinte's strength, Harriet Tubman's escapes. Phyllis Wheatley's poems, and Sojourner Truth's faith. If you did family research, and dug deep into my genes. You'll find Sylvester and Ora, Geneva and Doc,My African Kings and Queens. That's where I'm from.

W.8.5: Good writers can develop and strengthen their writing by using mentor texts to help them generate ideas and focus on a purpose.

Make a list of:● Items found in your house● Items found in your backyard● Items found in your neighborhood● Names of relatives, especially ones that link you to the past● Important sayings● Names of foods & dishes that recall family gatherings● Names of places you keep your childhood memories2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS

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Engage: Student SamplesI am from chitlings and collard greensGreasy chicken and pinto beans.Softball bats and basketballsChildren running down the halls.

I am from “She wasn’t ready”And “ooohhh, kill ‘em.”From a dad I don’t know andA mama I love fo sho’.

I am from whoopingsand block parties.Where the kids areoutside and adultsare cooking.

I am from sleepless nights, endless fightsand dreadful six hour flights.Book after book, page after page, andcaged after caged emotions.

I am from my mom’s heartacheand her motherly hugs.

I am from pretty brown skinand dark brown eyesI am from my family’s loyaltyand grandma’s words

I am from womenI am from intelligence & respectComplete honesty to everyoneI am from wise women, all trustworthy

I am from the countryTo late night bonfiresCatching fireflies when it’s darkLearned how to shoot young



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Explore & Generate:W.8.5 Good writers can analyze texts and draw inferences by looking at ways in which other authors have written about passion and activism.

*Key Vocabulary

Inference – a conclusion drawn from evidence or reasoning.

Passion – a powerful emotion, such as love, joy, anger, hatred, etc.

Activism – a policy or action to bring about political or social change.


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Explore & Generate:W.8.5 Good writers can analyze texts and draw inferences by looking at ways in which other authors have written about passion and activism.

Journal Entry

What do you think is the biggest social justice issue presented in Akeelah and the Bee? Why?

I think it was race. She was the only black kid in the bee. Everyone downgraded her because of her race. They also put stereotypes in there, like how Asians are really smart. Or that white people are better.


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Explore & Generate:W.8.5 Good writers can analyze things in our own lives that are bugging us, confusing us, or worrying us. We can do this by making a list of issues and thinking about ways in which we are passionate about the issues and how we can be activists.

Issue My Feelings (Passion) What I Can Do (Activist)● Assigned Seats There is no point, there will be

talking regardlessBehave so we do not have assigned seats

● SMOD ● We cannot express ourselves ● Wear non-SMOD one day

● Bathroom Breaks ● We are human ● Walk outs to bathrooms

● Post-racism? ● USA has learned to look past skin

● Find out how much people actually do this

Issue What I Think

What Others Think

Call to Action

● Birth Control It is good in some way

● They think it works all the time

● Test it

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NF Reading Strategies:

W.8.5: Good writers can cite textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly, as well as inferences drawn from the text. They do this by focusing on important comments the author makes and then reflecting on how those comments support the overall text.

What the text says What I think it means

Why I think thisFrom: Bodies Aren’t Ugly; Bullies Are by Bahadur

● Their 15y/o son had shot himself in the chest.● Some people just don’t have the strength to overcome the humiliation.

● How someone could be bullied to the point they would shoot themselves.● Some people take the sadness out on themselves.

● Obviously he couldn’t take the bullying anymore● Some people try to commit suicide or harm themselves because they just can’t deal with it.● Cuban had the eating

disorder for 27 years● Guys have more trouble getting help

● Gender stigma for men & body image has lagged way behind

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NF Writing Strategies:

W.8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7: Good writers can decide how they are going to use the information they collected and set a plan for writing. They do this by outlining their piece with a specific focus.

● Conclusion Focus ● State your call to action! How can you

motivate people to make a change?

● Introduction Focus● Attention-getter: shocking, fact,

personal story● Topic – prepare your reader● Middle Focus ● Each body paragraph should

focus on a main idea and the information that supports it

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W.8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7: Good writers can find an important social justice topic that they feel others need to be aware of and write about it. They can do this by asking specific questions as they research.

5 Ws, H Questions I have about this topic

● Who is affected? ● Why do people place themselves and others in different social classes based on money when the poverty of others affects them too?

● What can make it better? ● What can we do to make sure everyone who wants to can play a part in breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and helping others come out.

WHAT is it?

WHO is affecte

d?

WHY does it

happen?

WHERE + WHEN does it

happen?How can

we make a change?


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W.8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7: Good writers can decide how they are going to use the information they collected and set a plan for writing. They do this by asking questions about how the main ideas and supporting details can be used to inform the reader.

Main Ideas Supporting Information● Rumors that aren’t true ● Self-harm is not (usually) a suicide attempt: could lead

to if not careful● Not for attention: would you want to be noticed that way?

● How to help ● Be nice, be a friend, stand up for them, stop bullying them, persuade them to talk/get help

How are these ideas going to make people

want to make a change?

What are the main ideas

that you want to present?

What info can you find to

support your main idea & inform your audience?



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W.8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7: Good writers can use mentor texts to decide how to teach others about their topic. They do this by using direct quotes from sources with explanation.

Quote Justify the importance of this quote to your topic:

● “Poverty is a parent of revolution.”

● People won’t do anything about the issue until it affects them.

● “The test of our progress isn’t whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it’s whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”

● Instead of adding to our own abundance and make the rich richer, we should be helping other reach the same level.


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Final Student Products:

STUDENT TOPIC EXAMPLES:

Abuse in Sports LeaguesAnimal Cruelty

SuicideHispanic Rights in the USA

Same-Sex MarriageImmigration Rights

Abortion RightsRacism

PovertyHuman Trafficking

Bullying

Education

Reading and Writing for Social Justice