Exploring Naiveté in "The Glory Field" with Logic, Kindness, and Respect

1. Subject: ELAGrade: 7th3/11/19-3/15/19 The Glory Field Walter Dean Meyers 800 Lexile Unit Title: Argument with Logic, Kindness, and Respect.

2. Focus Standards

3. Learning Targets • ELAGSERI1: I can cite several pieces of explicit and inferred evidence from text. • ELAGSERI2: I can summarize two or more central ideas of a text. • ELAGSERI5 I can analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text.

4. Instructional Activities • Objective Part II: March 1864 Julia is an incredibly naive character, and this innocence is displayed by her views of slavery and the differences between black and white people. The objective of this lesson will be to discuss naïveté, the effect this quality has on Julia's life, and where this innocence could be coming from. • Introduction of Topic Activity and Discussion - Write on the board in large letters the word, "Naïve". When the students come to class, have them each write a list of about 10 words that come to mind when seeing and thinking about this word. Have the students read their lists and write each new item on the board. Discuss this list with the class. Are you surprised at the length of this list? Why? Were you expecting more or less? Did any of these responses surprise you? Which ones were repeated often? Were most of these responses positive or negative in nature? Why do you think that is? How does this relate to the assigned reading? • 2) Class Discussion - Read aloud with the class the part where Julia says she thinks the difference between black people and white people is that black people's minds are not meant to solve complicated problems. Why is this so upsetting to Lizzy to hear? Why does Julia not understand this? What does this say about her character? How does this display her naïveté? How do you think this situation will play out when her innocence is considered?

5. Instructional Activities • 3) Character Analysis Worksheet – Students will Create a list of all of the characters from this chapter. Have the students write an example of naïve or innocent behavior next to each character's name, and then have them write a short sentence about which character they think is the most naïve and why. Allow some volunteers to share their findings. Take a vote on who the most innocent character from the book is. • 4) Small Groups Discussion and Presentation - Split the class into groups and assign each group one of the different examples of Julia's naïveté, e.g., her relationship with Lizzy, her confusion about Lem's punishment, her thoughts about blacks and whites, her awkward statements that have double meanings she can't see, etc. Have the groups hold a discussion about their examples and talk about what main attribute, other than naïveté, this example displays about Julia. Allow the groups to present their ideas.

6. Instructional Activities Lesson 3 (from Part I: July 1753) • Objective Part II: March 1864 Slavery is brought up again in this chapter as we are introduced to Moses and some of the plantation slave trade traditions. It is clear that slavery is seen differently by different people. The objective of this lesson will be to discuss some of these different ideas and where they could be stemming from. 1) Class Discussion - Read aloud with the class the part where Lizzy talked about her fear of being free because of her dependence on others thus far in her life. Discuss this with the class. Why do you think she felt this way? Is this surprising to you? Why? How could a practice so vile seem so natural and easy to the people in that area, even to Lizzy who is a slave? What do you think could change their minds? What does this say about this society? Why do you think Lizzy reacts the way she does to this situation? 2) Author Analysis Essay - Read aloud with the class the part where the narrator describes in detail the slave housing on the Lewis plantation. Have the students write an essay about how this personal statement displays Myers's real thoughts on slavery and human nature. Make sure they include excerpts from the text to support their ideas. Ask some students to read their work. 4) Free-Writing Exercise - Have the students do some free writing about how they think slavery affected Julia in her life having been exposed to it from such a young age. Allow some volunteers to read their work. Discuss some of the different ideas that are presented.

7. Instructional Activities Objective Part II: March 1864 Freedom is a tandem theme alongside the theme of slavery in this book. The objective of this lesson will be to explore the different ways this theme is presented and to discuss what message is being sent through the inclusion of this theme in this book. 1) Thematic Exploration Activity - Write on the board the word "Freedom". When the students come to class, instruct them to write a sentence about what this word means to them. After a few minutes, ask some volunteers to read their meanings. Now, as a class, work together to create a definition that everyone can agree on. Discuss this with the class. What did this activity make you think about? How do you think this relates to the assigned reading? 2) Personal Response to Text - Read aloud with the class the part where Saran talks about Joshua's freedom dream, and his persistence to free himself and his loved ones. Have the students write a personal response to this statement. How does this make you feel? What does this make you think about? Would you have responded the same way Joshua did? Why? Ask some students to share their responses with the class.

8. Instructional Activities • 3) Character Analysis Exercise - Read aloud with the class the part where Lizzy has to choose between killing a man and staying in the life she is familiar with, or sparing a man's life and leaving on a dangerous journey to hopeful freedom. Have the students write a descriptive summary of what they think is going through Lizzy's mind at this time. How is she feeling, and why? • 4) Class Discussion - Saran claims that some slaves have freedom dreams, while most do not even if they sometimes discuss wishes for freedom. Discuss this with the class. Do you think this is true? Why would most slaves not have freedom dreams? What did Saran mean by a freedom dream? Which side of this spectrum do you think you would have landed on, and why? How does Joshua differ most from his fellow slaves?

9. Instructional Activities I-Ready Day Students are required to complete and pass 2 I-Ready Lessons per week. If it is not completed in class, students will be required to complete at home. I will give students until Sunday evening that week to complete this task. If a lesson is not passed, the student must take it again and pass two more to receive full credit for that week. This is also a formative assessment classwork grade. (60%)

10. Instructional Activities Georgia Milestone Prep Day *Students will take a Milestone Pre-Test with a partner to determine the answers. Will go over answers on Milestone Prep Day next week if time does not permit this day. (Students will use CLOSE Reading strategy to help answer questions.

11. Student Work I-Ready Lessons/Quizzes Georgia Milestone Pre-Test Character Analysis Author Analysis Free Write Thematic Exploration

12. Weekly Vocabulary Focusing on Standards and Texts Contraband Plaintive Croon Promenade Divert Quarters Elegant Regiment Hurtle Salve Inlet Shift Ominous Silhouette Overseer Smokehouse Parasol Tussle Patrollers Yankees

13. Weekly Homework I-Ready Lessons Choice Board Vocabulary Packet

14. Assessment How will I know if students reach their target? Author Analysis Milestone Pre-Test Character Analysis