Grade 6 Module 1 | Teacher Edition | Wit & Wisdom 2023

Grade 6 Module 1 Resilience in the Great Depression

Teacher Edition

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Table of Contents

MODULE OVERVIEW

Module Summary 2 Essential Question 3 Suggested Understanding 3 Texts 4

Module Learning Goals 5 Module in Context ............................................................................................................................... .................. 6 Standards............................................................................................................................... ........................................ 7

Major Assessments 9 Module Map 12

INSTRUCTIONAL LESSONS

Focusing Question: Lessons 1–5 What makes Bud a survivor?

Lesson 1............................................................................................................................... ..................................... 23

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis ¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Cope vs. Endure

Lesson 2 35

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis ¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Examine and Experiment with Transitional Words and Phrases

Lesson 3 45

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis ¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Examine Nonstandard English

Lesson 4 59

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

Lesson 5 67

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Multiple Meanings: Depression

Focusing Question: Lessons 6–10

What hardships did people face during the Great Depression?

Lesson 6 ............................................................................................................................... ...................................... 75

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • Kentucky Flood, Margaret Bourke-White photograph

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Outside-In: Criminal, considerate

Lesson 7 85

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • “Hoovervilles,” History.com article

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Examine and Experiment with Transitional Words and Phrases

Lesson 8 95

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Multiple Meanings: Impress, devour

Lesson 9 107

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike,” History.com video

Lesson 10 115

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • “Hoovervilles,” History.com article • Kentucky Flood, Margaret Bourke-White photograph • “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike,” History.com video

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Examine Slang and Idiom

Focusing Question: Lessons 11–16

How is Bud transformed by his journey?

Lesson 11 125

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • “Mother to Son,” Langston Hughes

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Experiment with Nonstandard English

Lesson 12 135

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

¢

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Excel with Transition Words and Phrases

Lesson 13 145

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

Lesson 14 153

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” audio

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Literal and Figurative Language

Lesson 15 163

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Group Word-Solving Process

Lesson 16 173

n TEXT: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Group Word-Solving Process: Familiar, Insinuating

Focusing Question: Lessons 17–21

What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

Lesson 17 ............................................................................................................................... ........................................... 181

n TEXTS: Migrant Mother, Dorothea Lange photograph • “Migrant Mother Photo,” History.com video • “The Drought,” PBS American Experience video

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Word Investigation: Resilient

Lesson 18 191

n TEXTS: “The Drought,” PBS American Experience article • “‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America,” History.com article • Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Group Word-Solving Process and Cause-Effect

Lesson 19 ............................................................................................................................... ....................................... 203

n TEXT: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Literal and Figurative Language: Dazzled, Brewing

Lesson 20 217

n TEXTS: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse • “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets,” Errol Lincoln Uys

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Examine Sentence Variety

Lesson 21 227

n TEXTS: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse • “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets,” Errol Lincoln Uys • Migrant Mother, Dorothea Lange photograph • “Migrant Mother Photo,” History.com video • “The Drought,” PBS American Experience video • “‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America,” History.com article • Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • “Hoovervilles,” History.com article • Kentucky Flood, Margaret Bourke-White photography • “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike,” History.com video

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Experiment with Sentence Variety

Focusing Question: Lessons 22–25

How does hardship alter the characters’ perspectives in Out of the Dust?

Lesson 22 237

n TEXT: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Execute Sentence Variety

Lesson 23 249

n TEXT: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Execute Word Choice

Lesson 24 259

n TEXT: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Experiment with Formal Style

Lesson 25 ............................................................................................................................... ................................... 271

n TEXT: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Outside-In: Prospects, procession

Focusing Question: Lessons 26–29

What makes the characters in Out of the Dust survivors?

Lesson 26 ............................................................................................................................... .................................. 281

n TEXT: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Interpret Personification: Glowering, parched, primed

Lesson 27 293

n TEXT: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Vocabulary Deep Dive: Literal and Figurative Language: Smothering, companion, tumbleweed Lesson 28 305

n TEXT: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Vocabulary Assessment 1

Lesson 29 317

n TEXT: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Vocabulary Assessment 2

Focusing Question: Lessons 30–34

How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

Lesson 30 327

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Experiment with Formal Style: Avoiding Fragments

Lesson 31 337

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

Lesson 32 345

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Experiment with Formal Style

Lesson 33 353

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Excel with Word Choice

Lesson 34 ............................................................................................................................... .................................. 359

n TEXTS: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis • Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

¢ Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Excel with Formal Style and Sentence Variety

Appendices

Appendix A: Text Complexity 365

Appendix B: Vocabulary 367

Appendix C: Answer Keys, Rubrics, and Sample Responses 377

Appendix D: Volume of Reading 395

Appendix E: Works Cited 397

Teacher Edition

GRADE 6 MODULE 1

Resilience in the Great Depression

Module Summary

The way I see it, hard times aren’t only About money, Or drought, Or dust, Hard times are about losing spirit, And hope, And what happens when dreams dry up.

—Karen Hesse, Out of the Dust

For many, the Great Depression—if understood as a story—has a well-known plot. It begins with two main failures that wreaked economic havoc in the 1930s: a lack of regulation that led to the collapse of banks and a lack of diversification in farming techniques that created the Dust Bowl. In Out of the Dust, the climax of these failures was the widespread loss of jobs, life savings, homes, and farms. Everyone suffered, and so ends this bleak story. But behind these visible large-scale losses, a different story exists. In this version, the Great Depression tested whether ordinary people would lose something much more vital and much less visible—their hopes, dreams, and spirits. This conflict with the heart resulted in certain individuals finding a way to endure the seemingly unbearable. Their resilient stories are peopled with the first union organizers, resourceful Hooverville migrants, and countless poor families who gave strangers seats at their tables. This uplifting narrative of the Great Depression supports powerful themes of transcendence and transformation: people who weathered hard times, and broke in some ways because of them, but nevertheless picked themselves up.

The story of human transformation is ageless for a reason. We are drawn irresistibly to stories of redemption, featuring characters who start off figuratively or literally crippled in some way, but who manage, through will, wits, and maybe a dash of luck, to not let life destroy their spirits. We follow these characters’ journeys as if they are our own, and when the characters confront and conquer their demons, we rejoice. The two anchor texts of this module—the novel Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis and the free-verse novel Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse—are set during the Great Depression, but their stories transcend this period and speak to the human condition of suffering, struggle, and survival. The Great Depression merely acts as the frame for each novel; the picture inside is less about bank failures and the Dust Bowl and more about the power of love, acceptance, and forgiveness that the protagonists Bud and Billie Jo learn to harness.

However, the frame of this story—its era—is important for students to understand if they are to grasp the extremity of the hardships that Bud and Billie Jo experience. To that end, the module includes engaging supplemental materials about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. These materials historicize the novels’ themes of persevering in times of difficulty. They also help students envision life during this period. To these ends, students read about Hoovervilles and study first-person accounts of young people’s experiences as migrants riding the rails. They examine Dorothea Lange’s iconic photograph Migrant Mother and analyze the powerful poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes. They listen to jazz music and watch a fictionalized video about a General Motors labor strike. The anchor texts, complemented by these materials, press students to analyze the ways in which ordinary people responded to and transcended the extreme hardships of the Great Depression.

Referencing these additional materials, the module primarily explores what makes the young protagonists in the anchor texts resilient in the face of crushing despair. Bud and Billie Jo’s journeys are different in terms of geography and details, but they are similar in that both characters endure hardships that threaten their hopes, dreams, and spirits. The arcs of their stories follow their struggles to redefine who they are and what they want after heartbreak and hardship irreversibly change their lives. Employing figurative language and symbolism to signal the transformation the characters experience, Curtis and Hesse create dynamic, resilient protagonists who search for joy, hope, and a sense of home during this troubled period in our history and who ultimately find where their roots can grow—and with whom—by making peace with their pasts and re-envisioning their futures.

For their End-of-Module (EOM) Task, students write an explanatory essay in which they examine how Bud’s or Billie Jo’s responses to hardships result in transformation. This task captures students’ understanding of how hardship can, ironically, contribute to the human spirit’s resilience.

Module at a Glance

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

SUGGESTED STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

Enduring hardship can result in positive personal transformation. ƒ

Generosity, hope, and forgiveness sustain the human spirit. ƒ

People adapt the ideas of home, family, and community to fit their needs during times of hardship. ƒ

Persevering through hardship requires a person to accept a new situation and identity and make peace with the past. ƒ

People rely upon dreams and determination to persevere in the face of hardship. ƒ

Authors use devices and techniques, such as figurative language and symbolism, to help develop characters and themes.

Texts

CORE TEXTS

Novels (Literary)

Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis ƒ Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS

Historical

“The Drought,” PBS American Experience (http://witeng.link/0697) ƒ

“Hoovervilles,” History.com (http://witeng.link/0691) ƒ

“‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America,” History.com (http://witeng.link/0698)

Journalism

“Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets,” Errol Lincoln Uys (http://witeng.link/0699)

Music

“It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” Duke Ellington and Irving Mills (http://witeng.link/0694)

Photography

Kentucky Flood, Margaret Bourke-White (http://witeng.link/0690) ƒ

Migrant Mother, Dorothea Lange (http://witeng.link/0695)

Poetry

“Mother to Son,” Langston Hughes (http://witeng.link/0693)

Videos

“1930s GM Sit-Down Strike,” History.com (http://witeng.link/0692) ƒ

“Migrant Mother Photo,” History.com (http://witeng.link/0696)

Module Learning Goals

KNOWLEDGE GOALS

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Determine the contexts and causes of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl (RI.6.1, RI.6.2).

ƒ Learn how individuals coped with hardships during the Great Depression (RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3).

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Develop insight into the process of transformation as one that requires endurance and struggle (RL.6.1, RL.6.3).

READING GOALS

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Analyze how word choice and figurative language help develop characters and support themes, citing and developing analysis with evidence (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.4, RI.6.1, RI.6.2).

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Analyze how specific events in the text contribute to the development of characters, plot, theme, or central idea (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RI.6.1, RI.6.2).

ƒ Identify similarities and differences between multiple authors’ texts in their approaches to similar themes, topics, or central ideas (RL.6.9, RI.6.9).

ƒ Recognize variations from Standard English, such as dialect, in fiction, and explain how these variations impact the reader’s understanding of character (L.5.3.b, L.6.1.e).

WRITING GOALS

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Present a thesis and organize its supporting points by using strategies, such as cause/effect, and by providing an introduction, main body, and conclusion (W.6.2.a, W.6.2.f).

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Develop a thesis and its supporting points with relevant, sufficient evidence and elaboration and with task, purpose, and audience in mind (W.6.2.b, W.6.4, W.6.9).

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Improve a piece of writing’s clarity and presentation by connecting ideas with transitions, using precise vocabulary, maintaining a formal style, and revising and editing content by soliciting feedback (W.6.2.c, W.6.2.d, L.6.6, W.6.2.e, W.6.5, L.6.6).

SPEAKING AND LISTENING GOALS

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Set specific class and individual goals and following rules for productive discourse (SL.6.1.b).

During structured academic discussions, disagree strategically and defer politely to another speaker (SL.6.1.b).

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In Socratic Seminars about Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust, collaborate by building and elaborating on the thinking of others, connecting ideas from multiple speakers, reflecting, and responsively revising or reinforcing initial ideas (SL.6.1, SL.6.6).

LANGUAGE GOALS

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Use appropriate transitions to demonstrate connections among ideas in academic writing (L.4.3.a, L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.2.c).

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Maintain consistent formal style in academic writing, including use of precise language (L.6.3.b, L.6.1.e, W.6.2.e, W.6.4).

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Vary sentence lengths and patterns to enhance meaning, interest, and style (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

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Identify and interpret examples of figurative language, including metaphor and personification, in a text (L.6.5.a).

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Use strategies to determine and verify the meanings of unknown or multiple-meaning words, including considering context, applying knowledge of affixes and roots, and using reference materials (RL.6.4, L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c, L.6.4.d).

Module in Context

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Knowledge: Students learn about the complex process of transformation by reading two fictionalized first-person narratives, Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust. With transformation as the module’s focus, the anchor texts expose students to the relationship between plot and character development: as these stories’ plots unfold, the protagonists change and develop in response to the events they experience. Students can build on their knowledge of how a story’s elements interact as they progress through Grade 6. Students will also gain valuable knowledge about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, which can be drawn upon to enrich their understanding of the novels’ social and historical context. With this foundation, students develop insight about the importance of understanding the historical context of a novel or other work of fiction. In subsequent modules for Grade 6, students rely on background information to understand more fully a novel’s topic and setting.

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Reading: Students develop critical and close-reading skills by working with two complex historical fiction novels as well as a wide range of literary and informational texts in different mediums: photography, music, poetry, and video. While reading both texts, students consider how word choice and figurative language help develop characters and support theme. Students also analyze how multiple texts present ideas and information with similar topics or central ideas, building background knowledge and developing objective understandings about historical events. Students then apply their understandings about characters and the era in an analysis of the transformation that comes from enduring tremendous hardship.

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Writing: Module 1 emphasizes students’ understanding and implementation of explanatory writing as a multiple-step process. In informal and formal responses over the course of the module, students learn, practice, and demonstrate the stages of expository writing. In particular, the purposeful sequence of activities focuses on students’ ability to compose: (1) a To-SEEC paragraph that has a topic statement, evidence, elaboration, and a concluding sentence; (2) an

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introductory paragraph that contains a hook, introducing section, and thesis; (3) a mini-essay that includes an introduction and two body paragraphs containing relevant and sufficient evidence, thorough elaboration, and appropriate transitions; and (4) a full essay that includes a cause-and-effect structure, precise language, a formal writing style, and a concluding paragraph. For the EOM Task, students apply what they have learned about structure, development, style, and conventions to write a well-developed cause-and-effect explanatory essay.

Speaking and Listening: Students extend their speaking and listening skills in three Socratic Seminars about Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust by following rules for collegial discussions and engaging in evidence-based, collaborative conversations. Students set and monitor speaking and listening goals, including the ability to disagree strategically and defer politely to another speaker, leading to more effective communication and learning.

Standards

FOCUS STANDARDS

Reading Literary Text

RL.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.6.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

RL.6.3 Describe how a particular story’s or drama’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.

RL.6.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.

RL.6.9 Compare and contrast texts in different forms or genres (e.g., stories and poems; historical novels and fantasy stories) in terms of their approaches to similar themes and topics.

Reading Informational Text

RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RI.6.2 Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.

RI.6.9 Compare and contrast one author’s presentation of events with that of another (e.g., a memoir written by and a biography on the same person).

Writing

W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

W.6.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1–3.)

W.6.5 With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1–3 up to and including Grade 6.)

Speaking and Listening

SL.6.1.b Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

Language

L.6.1.e Recognize variations from standard English in their own and others’ writing and speaking, and identify and use strategies to improve expression in conventional language.

L.6.3.a Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.

L.6.3.b Maintain consistency in style and tone.

L.6.4.a Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

L.6.5.a Interpret figures of speech (e.g., personification) in context.

CONTINUING STANDARDS

Reading Literary Text

RL.6.10

By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, in the Grades 6–8 text-complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Reading Informational Text

RI.6.10

By the end of the year, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the Grades 6–8 text-complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range.

Language

L.6.6 Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to comprehension or expression.

Major Assessments

Focusing Question Tasks Elements That Support Success on the EOM Task Standards

1. Write a To-SEEC paragraph in which you explain what makes Bud a survivor.

ƒ Demonstrate an understanding of events and Bud’s character.

ƒ Develop an idea using well-selected evidence from the novel.

ƒ Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate for the task and audience.

RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.b, 6.4, 6.9.a

2. Write two To-SEEC paragraphs in which you explain two hardships people faced during the Great Depression, citing evidence from Bud, Not Buddy and “Hoovervilles.”

ƒ Develop an idea using well-selected evidence from the novel.

ƒ Draw on multiple pieces of evidence to support analysis.

ƒ Use appropriate transitions between ideas.

ƒ Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate for the task and audience.

RL.6.1, 6.9; RI.6.1, 6.9; W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a, 6.9.b; L.4.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6

3. Write a To-SEEC mini-essay (an introduction and two body paragraphs) in which you explain how Bud has been transformed by his journey.

4. Write a To-SEEC mini-essay (an introduction and two body paragraphs) in which you explain how people during the Great Depression and the characters in Out of the Dust sustained their spirits during this difficult time in our history. You must use evidence from both Out of the Dust and “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets.”

5. Write a cause-and-effect To-SEEC essay (introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion) in which you explain how hardship (cause) changes Billie Jo’s relationship with another character, a particular object, or the land (effect).

ƒ Analyze how Bud’s responses to events in the text contribute to change in his character.

ƒ Develop a mini-essay with an introduction and two supporting paragraphs using transitions between ideas.

ƒ Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate for the task and audience.

ƒ Analyze how characters in Out of the Dust and real people living during the Great Depression sustained their spirits during hard times.

ƒ Develop a mini-essay with an introduction and two supporting paragraphs using transitions between ideas and citing relevant and sufficient evidence from two sources.

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Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate for the task and audience.

ƒ Analyze how hardship impacts Billie Jo and how she initially changes in response to negative experiences.

ƒ Draft a cause-and-effect, explanatory essay that includes an introductory paragraph, two To-SEEC paragraphs elaborating upon main points, and a conclusion.

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Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate for the task and audience.

RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6

RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3; RI.6.1, 6.2; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a, 6.9.b;

L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6

RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.2.e, 6.2.f, 6.4, 6.9.a;

L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b, 6.6

Focusing Question Tasks Elements That Support Success on the EOM Task Standards

6. After engaging in the Socratic Seminar, write a cause-and-effect To-SEEC paragraph in response to one of the following questions:

ƒ How does hardship threaten Billie Jo’s emotional survival, and what response enables her to survive? ƒ How does hardship threaten Bayard Kelby’s emotional survival, and what response enables him to survive?

Analyze how characters in Out of the Dust and real people living during the Great Depression sustained their spirits during hard times. ƒ

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Develop a mini-essay with an introduction and two supporting paragraphs using transitions between ideas and citing relevant and sufficient evidence from two sources.

RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.2.e, 6.4, 6.9.a;

L.4.3.a, .5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b

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Produce clear and coherent writing appropriate for the task and audience.

New-Read Assessments Elements That Support Success on the EOM Task Standards

1. Read the poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes. Respond to multiple-choice questions, and then, using evidence from the poem and Bud, Not Buddy, write a To-SEEC paragraph in which you explain how the perspective of the speaker of the poem compares or contrasts with Bud’s mother’s perspective about life.

2. Read the poem “Hope in a Drizzle” from Out of the Dust. Respond to multiple-choice questions, and then, using evidence from the poem, write a To-SEEC paragraph in which you explain how rain functions as a symbol and helps develop Ma’s character.

Demonstrate an understanding of the speaker’s perspective and message in the poem. ƒ Independently analyze the meaning and effect of figurative language in the poem. ƒ

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Compare and contrast texts in different genres in terms of their approach to a similar topic. ƒ

Develop and support a claim using relevant evidence from the poem and novel.

RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.9;

W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a;

L.4.3.a, 5.3.b, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.4.a 6.5.a

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Analyze the effect of figurative language. ƒ Demonstrate an understanding of how an author uses symbolism to develop characters.

RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4;

W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a;

L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.4.a, 6.5.a, 6.6

Socratic Seminars

1. Engage in a (modified) Socratic Seminar in which you cite and explain evidence from Bud, Not Buddy to respond to the following questions:

ƒ What are the different ways that doors open for Bud in chapters 16 and 17?

ƒ Why are the different doors opening for Bud?

ƒ What does Bud’s new name represent for him?

ƒ Bud believes Herman E. Calloway is “trying to make [him] work like a dog” (199), but he didn’t mind. Why doesn’t Bud mind the work?

ƒ How does figurative language reveal deeper meaning about Bud’s experience?

2. Engage in a Socratic Seminar in which you cite and explain evidence from Bud, Not Buddy to respond to the following question:

ƒ How is Bud transformed by his journey?

3. Engage in a Socratic Seminar in which you cite and explain evidence from Out of the Dust to respond to the following questions:

ƒ What makes the characters in Out of the Dust survivors?

ƒ What does the novel teach readers about the human condition and people’s ability to survive hardship?

ƒ What does the novel teach readers about the cause-andeffect relationship between hardship and transformation?

Elements That Support Success on the EOM Task Standards

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Demonstrate an understanding of how the plot unfolds and Bud responds to events in the text.

ƒ Draw on preparation by referring to evidence and reflecting on ideas under discussion.

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Follow rules for collegial discussions, set specific goals, and disagree strategically.

RL.6.1, 6.3; SL.6.1.a, 6.1.b; L.6.6

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Demonstrate an understanding of how Bud’s character changes in response to his experiences.

RL.6.1, 6.3; SL.6.1.a, 6.1.b

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Set, monitor, and reflect on achievement of speaking and listening participation goals.

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Follow rules for collegial discussions and disagree strategically.

ƒ Demonstrate an understanding of how and why the characters in Out of the Dust are survivors.

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Articulate what the novel conveys about hardship and transformation.

RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3; SL.6.1.a, 6.1.b; L.6.6

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Respond to others’ perspectives about the novel’s themes by deferring politely during discussion.

End-of-Module Task Elements That Support Success on the EOM Task Standards

Write a cause-and-effect To-SEEC essay (introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion) in which you explain how Bud or Billie Jo’s responses to hardship(s) (cause) contributed to his/her transformation (effect).

ƒ

Demonstrate an understanding of how a character’s responses to hardship result in his or her transformation. ƒ

Organize an explanatory essay that supports a thesis by using a cause-and-effect structure and including an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. ƒ

Use relevant and sufficient evidence that is properly integrated and cited, and provide insightful elaboration.

RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.2.d, 6.2.e, 6.2.f, 6.4, 6.5, 6.9.a;

L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b, 6.6

Vocabulary Assessments* Elements That Support Success on the EOM Task Standards

Demonstrate understanding of academic, text-critical, and domainspecific words, phrases, and/or word parts.

Acquire and use grade-appropriate academic terms. ƒ Acquire and use domain-specific or text-critical words essential for communication about the module’s topic.

ƒ

L.6.6

Module Map

Focusing Question 1: What makes Bud a survivor?

TEXT(S) CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION CRAFT QUESTION(S) LEARNING GOALS

1 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapter 1 Wonder What do I notice and wonder about the Great Depression and Bud, Not Buddy?

Examine Why is fluency important? ƒ

Identify and annotate information about Bud and the Great Depression (RL.6.1, W.6.10). ƒ Recognize the purpose and qualities of masterful fluency (W.6.10). ƒ

Analyze and apply the connotations of cope and endure to the text (L.6.5.c).

2 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapter 2 Organize What is happening in Bud, Not Buddy?

Examine and Experiment

How does phrasing work in a fluent read?

Examine and Experiment How does the To-SEEC model work?

Experiment How do transitions function in writing?

Analyze and organize the events of chapter 2 (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10). ƒ Deconstruct an explanatory To-SEEC paragraph (W.6.2). ƒ Add appropriate transitions to a paragraph to clarify the relationships among ideas (W.6.2.c, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a).

ƒ

*While not considered Major Assessments in Wit & Wisdom, Vocabulary Assessments are listed here for your convenience. Please find details on Checks for Understanding (CFUs) within each lesson.

3 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapters 3–4 Reveal

What does analysis of Bud’s reactions to events in this chapter reveal about his character?

Examine and Experiment

How does expression work in a fluent read?

Examine and Experiment How do topic statements work?

Examine Why is an author’s use of standard and nonstandard English important?

4 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapter 5 Reveal

What does deeper exploration of Bud and Mama’s reactions reveal about their characters?

Examine and Experiment

How do articulation, pacing, and volume work in a fluent read?

Examine Why are citations and elaboration important?

ƒ

Analyze what Bud’s reactions reveal about his character (RL.6.1, RL.6.3).

ƒ Use a topic statement to introduce information in an explanatory paragraph (W.6.2.a).

ƒ Analyze how the author’s use of nonstandard English helps to develop characters (L.5.3.b).

ƒ Describe what Bud and Mama’s reactions to story events conveys about their characters (RL.6.1, RL.6.3).

ƒ

Identify and explain the relationships among the topic statement, evidence, and elaboration sentences within an explanatory paragraph (W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b, W.6.10).

5 FQT Bud, Not Buddy, Chapters 1–5 Reveal

What does analysis of Bud’s character reveal about why and how he is able to endure and survive?

Execute How do I use a To-SEEC paragraph to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

ƒ Describe what makes Bud a survivor (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.9.a).

ƒ

Use context as a clue to determine the correct connotation of the word depression (L.6.4.a, L.6.6).

Focusing Question 1: What makes Bud a survivor?

TEXT(S) CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION CRAFT QUESTION(S) LEARNING GOALS

6 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapters 6–7 Kentucky Flood

Know How does Kentucky Flood build my knowledge?

Examine and Experiment

Why are discussion rules, goals, and deadlines important? How do collegial discussions work?

Examine and Experiment How does incorporating evidence from two texts work in a To-SEEC paragraph?

7 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapters 8–9

“Hoovervilles”

Know How does “Life in a Hooverville” build my knowledge?

Experiment How does elaboration of evidence from two texts work?

Experiment How do transitions work?

ƒ Develop a topic with relevant evidence from two sources (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, W.6.2.b).

ƒ

Connect details and themes in Kentucky Flood to evidence from Bud, Not Buddy (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9, W.6.10).

ƒ Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using word knowledge and context clues (L.6.4.a).

ƒ

Connect details and themes in “Hoovervilles” to evidence from Bud, Not Buddy (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9).

ƒ Develop elaboration in a To-SEEC paragraph citing two sources (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RL.6.9 W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b).

ƒ Add appropriate transitions to a paragraph to clarify the relationships among ideas (W.6.2.c, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a).

8 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapters 10–11 Reveal

What does Curtis’s use of figurative language reveal about characters?

Excel How do I improve my fluency?

Experiment

How does a concluding statement work in a To-SEEC paragraph?

ƒ Analyze what figurative language reveals about characters (RL.6.4, L.6.5.a, W.6.10).

ƒ Use transition words in a concluding statement that reinforces the essential meaning of the paragraph (W.6.2.c, W.6.2.f).

ƒ Correctly use and define multiple-meaning words in context (L.6.4.a).

Focusing Question 2: What hardships did people face during the Great Depression?

Focusing Question 2: What hardships did people face during the Great Depression?

9 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapter 12

“1930s GM SitDown Strike”

Know How does “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike” build my knowledge?

Execute

How do I use and refine my ideas in small-group discussions?

ƒ Connect details and themes in “1930s GM SitDown Strike” to evidence from Bud, Not Buddy (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9, W.6.10, SL.6.1.d).

ƒ Relate the information from the video to Bud, Not Buddy (RL.6.1, RI.6.1, RI.6.1, RI.6.9, W.6.10, SL.6.1.d).

10 FQT Bud, Not Buddy, Chapters 1–12 “Hoovervilles” Kentucky Flood

“1930s GM SitDown Strike”

Know How do these texts build my knowledge of the hardships people faced during the Great Depression?

Excel How do I improve my fluency?

Execute

How do I use two To-SEEC paragraphs to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

Examine

Why is an author’s use of slang and idiomatic English important?

ƒ Synthesize across texts and express understanding of hardships faced during the Great Depression (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9, W.6.2.b, W.6.2.c, W.6.4, W.6.9, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a, L.6.6).

ƒ Analyze how the author’s use of slang and idiom helps to develop characters and convey meaning (L.5.3.b).

Focusing Question 3: How is Bud transformed by his journey?

TEXT(S) CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION CRAFT QUESTION(S) LEARNING GOALS

11 NR Bud, Not Buddy, Chapters 1–13 “Mother to Son”

Distill What is the speaker’s message in “Mother to Son”?

Execute

How do I use a To-SEEC paragraph to respond to the New-Read Assessment?

Examine

Why is an author’s use of dialect English important?

ƒ

Analyze Bud’s interactions with other characters (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10).

ƒ

Compare and contrast the message conveyed by the two texts (RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.9; W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.5.a).

ƒ Analyze how the author’s use of dialect helps to develop characters and convey meaning (L.5.3.b).

12 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapter 14 Reveal

What do Bud’s actions in this section reveal about his character?

Examine and Experiment

How does disagreeing strategically work in an academic discussion?

Excel

How do I improve my use of transitions?

13 Bud, Not Buddy, Chapters 15–16 Reveal

What do Bud’s actions in this section reveal about how his character is changing?

Examine and Experiment How do introductions work in a To-SEEC explanatory essay?

ƒ Describe how Bud changes over the course of the story (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10).

ƒ Assess and revise writing for effective and appropriate use of transitions (W.6.2.c, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a).

ƒ Analyze how Bud’s actions reveal change in the way he copes with challenging situations (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10).

ƒ Introduce a topic using organized ideas (W.6.2.a).

14 SS Bud, Not Buddy, Chapters 16–17

“It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing”

Organize What’s happening to Bud in chapters 16–17?

15 SS Bud, Not Buddy Reveal

What does analysis of Bud’s experiences and his interactions with other characters reveal about how his character is changing?

Execute How do I disagree strategically in a structured academic discussion?

ƒ Describe how people and events have impacted Bud so far in the text (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10, SL.6.1.a, SL.6.1.b, L.6.6).

ƒ Identify and interpret examples of figurative language in a text (RL.6.4, L.6.5.a).

Excel

How do I improve my participation in a Socratic Seminar?

ƒ

Describe how people and events have impacted Bud so far in the text (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10, SL.6.1.a, SL.6.1.b, L.6.6).

ƒ Determine the meanings of unknown words through interpretation of context and affix and root clues, then verify the definitions with reference materials (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c).

Focusing Question 3: How is Bud transformed by his journey?

Focusing Question 3: How is Bud transformed by his journey?

16 FQT Bud, Not Buddy Distill

How is Bud transformed by his journey?

Execute

How do I use a To-SEEC mini-essay to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

ƒ Explain how Bud’s character was transformed by the people and events on his journey (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6).

ƒ Determine the meanings of unknown words through interpretation of context and affix and root clues, then verify the definitions with reference materials (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c).

Focusing Question 4: What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

TEXT(S) CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION CRAFT QUESTION(S) LEARNING GOALS

17 Migrant Mother

“Migrant Mother Photo”

“The Drought”

Know How does this photograph build my knowledge?

ƒ Analyze the central idea of Migrant Mother (RI.6.1, RI.6.2, W.6.2).

ƒ Generate vocabulary knowledge about the word resilient and apply it accurately to the text (L.6.6).

18 “The Drought”

“‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America”

Out of the Dust, pages 3–9

Organize What is happening in Out of the Dust?

Examine and Experiment How do I choose relevant evidence to support an idea?

ƒ Analyze how details contribute to the development of setting and character (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2.b, W.6.9).

ƒ Determine the meanings of and relationship among unknown words through interpretation of context and affix and root clues, then verify the definitions with reference materials (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c, L.6.5.b).

19 Out of the Dust, pages 10–33 Reveal

What does Hesse’s use of figurative language and imagery reveal about Billie Jo’s character?

Examine and Experiment: How do I incorporate sufficient evidence to support an idea?

ƒ Analyze how Hesse uses imagery and figurative language in the novel (RL.6.1, RL.6.4, W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a, L.6.5).

ƒ Determine both the figurative and literal meanings of given words (L.6.5.a).

20 NR Out of the Dust, pages 37–56

“Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets”

Reveal

What does Hesse’s use of symbolism reveal about Ma’s character?

Execute

How do I use a To-SEEC paragraph to respond to the New-Read Assessment?

Examine

Why is sentence variety important?

ƒ

Explain how Hesse’s use of symbolism develops Ma’s character (RL.6.1, 6.3, 6.4; W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.5.a, 6.6).

ƒ Analyze how the use of varied sentence patterns enhances writing (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

21

FQT Out of the Dust, pages 57–59

“Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets”

All other module texts

Know

How do the module texts build my knowledge about how people perservered during the Great Depression?

Execute

How do I use a To-SEEC mini-essay to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

Experiment

How does varying sentence structures work in writing?

ƒ Explain what multiple texts convey about how people endured the Great Depression (RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3; RI.6.1, 6.2; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a, 6.9.b; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6).

ƒ

Revise sentence variety to enhance meaning and impact (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

22 Out of the Dust, pages 60–84 Reveal How do stylistic devices reveal Billie Jo’s changing perspective?

Execute

How do I use sentence variety to enhance my writing?

ƒ Analyze how stylistic devices help convey a character’s perspective (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, W.6.10).

ƒ Revise sentence variety to enhance meaning and impact (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

Focusing Question 4: What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

Focusing Question 5: How does hardship alter the characters’ perspectives in Out of the Dust?

23 Out of the Dust, pages 87–108 Reveal What does analysis of the characters’ thoughts and actions reveal about the themes of Out of the Dust?

Examine and Experiment

How do I integrate evidence?

Execute

How do I improve my word choice in my writing?

ƒ Analyze how the author conveys themes and perspectives through the characters’ thoughts and actions (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, W.6.10, SL.6.1.a, SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6).

ƒ

Integrate evidence that supports a point about theme (W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a).

ƒ Analyze the impact of word choice on precision, expression, and consistency in writing (W.6.2.d, W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

24 Out of the Dust, pages 109–136 Reveal What does analysis of Billie Jo’s experiences and her responses reveal about her character?

Examine and Experiment

How do cause-and-effect structure and conclusions work in a To-SEEC explanatory essay?

Experiment

How does using formal style work in writing?

ƒ Explain how events in the plot signal the characters’ growth (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, W.6.10).

ƒ Write an effective conclusion for an explanatory essay (W.6.2.f, W.6.9.a).

ƒ

Use formal style in writing to enhance meaning and clarity (W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

25 FQT Out of the Dust, pages 137–169 Distill How has Billie Jo’s experiences of hardship changed her perspective about herself, others, objects, or the land?

Execute

How do I use cause-andeffect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

ƒ Describe how Billie Jo’s experiences have caused a change in her perspective (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.2.e, 6.2.f, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b, L.6.6).

ƒ

Use context clues, affixes, and roots to uncover the meanings of the words prospects and procession (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b).

TEXT(S) CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION CRAFT QUESTION(S) LEARNING GOALS

26 Out of the Dust, pages 170–189 Reveal

How do figurative language and imagery in Out of the Dust reveal the characters’ states of mind?

Execute

How do I use a cause-andeffect structure to organize ideas?

ƒ Explain how figurative language and imagery help develop the characters and reveal their states of mind (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, W.6.2, W.6.9, W.6.10, L.6.4, L.6.5).

ƒ Interpret personification in context (L.6.5.a).

27 Out of the Dust, pages 193–206 Reveal

What does analysis of this section of Out of the Dust reveal about the significance of the novel’s title?

28 VOC Out of the Dust, pages 209–227 Distill What is the essential meaning of the section titled “Autumn 1935”?

Execute How do I use a cause-andeffect structure to organize my ideas in a To-SEEC paragraph?

ƒ Explain what theme is conveyed by Billie Jo’s changed perspective (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, W.6.2, W.6.9.a).

ƒ Interpret figurative and literal connotations (L.6.5.a).

Examine

Why is the listening goal of deferring politely to another speaker important in an academic discussion?

ƒ Analyze the theme conveyed by the last season of Out of the Dust (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.5, W.6.2, W.6.9.a, SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6).

ƒ Demonstrate understanding of gradelevel vocabulary (L.6.6).

29 SS FQT

VOC

Out of the Dust Reveal

What does analysis of the characters from Out of the Dust reveal about why and how they are able to be resilient and survive?

Experiment and Execute How do I defer politely to another speaker in a structured academic discussion?

Excel

How do I improve my participation in a Socratic Seminar?

Execute

How do I use a cause-andeffect To-SEEC paragraph to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

ƒ Analyze what contributed to the characters’ abilities to be resilient (RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3; SL.6.1.a, 6.1.b; L.6.6).

ƒ

Explain what enables Billie Jo and her father to survive (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.2.e, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b).

ƒ Demonstrate understanding of gradelevel vocabulary (L.6.6).

Focusing Question 6: What makes the characters in Out of the Dust survivors?

Essential Question: How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

TEXT(S) CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION CRAFT QUESTION(S) LEARNING GOALS

30

Bud, Not Buddy

Out of the Dust

Know

How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my understanding of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

Experiment

How does using formal style work in writing?

ƒ

Analyze the characters’ process of transformation over the course of the novels (RL.6.1, RL.6.3).

ƒ

Recognize and revise sentence fragments (W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

31 Bud, Not Buddy

Out of the Dust

Know

How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my knowledge of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

Examine and Experiment

How does a cause-andeffect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay work to respond to the End-ofModule Task?

ƒ

Deconstruct and evaluate a cause-and-effect explanatory essay (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9).

32 Bud, Not Buddy

Out of the Dust

Know

How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my knowledge of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

Execute

How do I use cause-andeffect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay to respond to the End-of-Module Task?

Experiment

How does using formal style work in writing?

33 Bud, Not Buddy

Out of the Dust

Know

How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my knowledge of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

Execute

How do I use cause-andeffect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay to respond to the End-of-Module Task?

Excel

How do I improve my word choice in my writing?

ƒ

Plan a character analysis explanatory essay using cause-and-effect structure (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9).

ƒ

Revise writing to improve expression and formal style (W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

ƒ

Draft a character analysis explanatory essay using cause-and-effect structure (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9; L4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b).

ƒ

Revise word choice to improve on precision, expression, and consistency (W.6.2.d, W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

34 Bud, Not Buddy

Out of the Dust

Know

How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my knowledge of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

Excel

How do I improve my To-SEEC explanatory essay in response to the End-ofModule Task?

Excel

How do I improve my word choice, formal style, sentence variety, and conventions?

ƒ Evaluate and revise explanatory essay by examining its content, structure, development, style, and conventions (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2, 6.4, 6.5, 6.9; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a; L.6.3.b).

ƒ

Revise writing to improve expression and to enhance meaning, interest, and formal style (W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, L.6.1.e, L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, L.6.3.b).

Essential Question: How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

Lesson 1: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Launch (10 min.)

Learn (50 min.)

Create Collaborative Chart (5 min.)

Notice and Wonder About Character and Setting (30 min.)

Examine Fluency (15 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Cope vs. Endure (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading ƒ RL.6.1

Writing ƒ W.6.10

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.1 Language ƒ L.6.5.c

MATERIALS

Chart paper and markers

Sticky notes

Handout 1A: Fluency Practice 1

Handout 1B: Frayer Model

Learning Goals

Identify and annotate information about Bud and the Great Depression (RL.6.1, W.6.10).

Complete a 3–2–1 Exit Ticket.

Recognize the purpose and qualities of masterful fluency (W.6.10).

Complete a Quick Write.

Analyze and apply the connotations of cope and endure to the text (L.6.5.c).

Complete an Exit Ticket, applying the words cope and endure to chapter 1 of Bud, Not Buddy

Prepare

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 1–5

What makes Bud a survivor?

FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 1

Wonder: What do I notice and wonder about the Great Depression and Bud, Not Buddy?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 1

Examine: Why is fluency important?

Students begin reading Bud, Not Buddy and track their noticings and wonderings as a way of monitoring their own comprehension. The modeling of masterful fluency as well as exploration of the first of its four criteria helps students understand the importance of the fluency work they’ll do in this module.

Welcome

5 MIN.

ENCOUNTER METAPHOR

Play a jazz song from the era (e.g., “Mood Indigo” by Barney Bigard, Duke Ellington, and Irving Mills).

Students complete a Quick Write about what they know about the Great Depression.

Launch

10 MIN.

Post the Essential Question, Focusing Question, and Content Framing Question.

Define transformation. Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

transformation (n.) A major change in the form, shape, character, or nature of something or someone. metamorphosis

Ask: “What does enduring mean?”

n Enduring means suffering through or making it out alive.

n It can also mean long-lasting, ongoing.

TEACHER NOTE

Students will work with endure in the Deep Dive, so do not provide a formal definition at this time.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “How would you restate the Essential Question in your own words?”

n How can suffering through extremely hard times turn you into something new?

n What kind of changes do you go through after managing to live through great tragedies?

Explain that the texts for this module all center around the Great Depression, a time in which many Americans endured extreme hardships. Each anchor text provides a different perspective on transformation in response to challenges, which is the focus of the Essential Question. The first text, Bud, Not Buddy, is centered on the experiences of Bud.

Explain that the Focusing Question will guide students in analysis of the first five chapters. Analyzing how Bud survives will help them understand more about Bud’s character and experiences. When readers pick up a book for the first time, the characters, the story, and the setting all offer lots of new ideas to notice and wonder about. This lesson’s Content Framing Question challenges students to track these ideas as they read the first chapter to help them better understand Bud and the story’s setting.

Whole Group

Students share ideas from Quick Write about the Great Depression. Create a collaborative Great Depression Anchor Chart, revisiting it throughout module and adding new ideas as needed.

NOTICE AND WONDER ABOUT CHARACTER AND SETTING

Whole Group

Remind students that when reading a new book, it’s important to pay attention to all the new details and information presented right away because they help you determine what the book will be about. The information on the front and back cover gives readers a brief preview of the book.

I Notice I Wonder Overall

Characters Setting Distribute Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. Students create the Notice and Wonder T-Chart in their Response Journal and then review the text, completing their charts.

Students share responses. Chart for the whole class, and encourage students to add to their charts in their Response Journal.

Explain that tracking what you notice and wonder while you read gives your reading a purpose; you read to find more information or answers to your questions.

Read aloud the first three pages, modeling how to add information to the Notice and Wonder T-Chart. Ask students for additional suggestions.

TEACHER NOTE

Student contributions should be text-based. If they are not, redirect student thinking by asking, “What in the text makes you say that?” or, “What part of the text gave you that idea?”

Read the rest of the chapter aloud. Students add to the chart in their Response Journal.

This icon indicates an opportunity to practice Speaking and Listening skills.

Characters

Setting

I Notice

n Bud is in an orphanage and is going to his third foster home (3).

n Since his mom died, Bud hasn’t had a parent to explain things to him, so he feels like he had to grow up quickly on his own (5–6).

n Bud is really protective of his things; he checks to make sure no one has touched anything in his suitcase (6).

n The woman at the orphanage says that times are hard and many people don’t have jobs (2).

n It’s summer because the woman says the school year has ended (2).

I Wonder

n Bud says he might have to fight his new foster brother (3). I wonder if that’s happened before.

n I wonder if the man on the flyers is actually Bud’s dad.

n I wonder why Bud and Jerry can’t go to the same foster home together (2).

n The blue flyer upsets Mama, and it talks about the band being in Flint, Michigan (7–8). I wonder why the band being in their hometown made her so upset.

n Bud says more and more kids were coming into the home (6). I wonder what caused them to come to the orphanage.

Ask: “What lessons has Bud learned since turning six?”

n He’s learned that adults will hit you harder than they did before you were six (4).

n Bud learned that teeth fall out and that’s normal. He thought his body was falling apart because he didn’t have a parent to explain it to him (5).

Ask: “What is the significance of Bud’s suitcase?”

n Bud is proud he has a suitcase; most kids have only sacks (6).

n Bud keeps his prized possessions in the suitcase: a blanket, clothes, and flyers he thinks link him to his father (7).

Pairs TEACHER NOTE

Formal instruction and assessment of RF.4 takes place in Kindergarten–Grade 5 in alignment with the CCSS; however, this curriculum builds in additional fluency practice purposefully in Grades 6–8, as students continue to refine their fluency skills. Adjust instruction and assessment based on the needs of your students.

Display the Craft Question: Why is fluency important?

Explain that fluency is the ability to read print words aloud accurately and effortlessly and that fluent reading leads to rich comprehension.

Ask: “What are some reasons fluent reading is important?”

n When you read fluently, people listening can better understand the text.

n Fluent reading helps you better understand the meaning of words and ideas in the text.

n It’s more interesting to listen to fluent readers.

Display and read aloud the excerpt, modeling masterful fluency:

Most folks think you start to be a real adult when you’re fifteen or sixteen years old, but that’s not true, it really starts when you’re around six. It’s at six that grown folks don’t think you’re a cute little kid anymore, they talk to you and expect that you understand everything they mean. And you’d best understand too, if you aren’t looking for some real trouble, ’cause it’s around six that grown folks stop giving you little swats and taps and jump clean up to giving you slugs that’ll knock you right down and have you seeing stars in the middle of the day. The first foster home I was in taught me that real quick (4–5).

Ask: “What made my reading of that excerpt interesting and engaging?”

Student pairs record their ideas on sticky notes.

Facilitate a discussion of student responses, adding their sticky notes in the appropriate categories on the displayed chart.

Accuracy Phrasing Expression

n It was interesting to listen to because all the words were pronounced correctly without stumbling.

n A good reader pauses at certain points to make it easier to understand.

n Listening to someone who reads with emotion is interesting.

Create an anchor chart about the four qualities of masterful fluency.

Distribute Handout 1A: Fluency Practice 1, and review directions, answering questions as needed. Emphasize that this lesson’s homework is only to work on accuracy and that students should use dictionaries or electronic resources if they aren’t sure of meanings or pronunciations. Students should complete only the unshaded boxes for Day 1 and seek out an adult or peer to listen to them read fluently and complete the Listener column.

Articulation, Pacing, and Volume

n It’s easier to be interested when the reader’s voice is loud and clear.

Differentiation

If students need additional support with masterful fluency, provide an audiobook recording of the text or record yourself reading the student-fluency excerpt.

Students independently complete a Quick Write in which they explain why fluency is important and what contributes to masterful fluency.

TEACHER NOTE

Students will revisit and revise this Quick Write as they continue their fluency work throughout the module.

5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Display:

ƒ 3 things you noticed about Bud.

ƒ 2 questions or wonderings you have about the Great Depression or Bud.

ƒ 1 thing you noticed about the Great Depression.

Students independently complete a 3–2–1 Exit Ticket.

Facilitate a quick sharing of responses. Update the collaborative Great Depression chart with student suggestions from the first chapter.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read chapter 2, annotating as they have done for chapter 1. Students also complete Day 1 of fluency practice on Handout 1A.

Analyze Content and Alignment

Students craft a 3–2–1 Exit Ticket about their noticings and wonderings in chapter 1 (W.6.10). Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ

Noticing accurate character traits for Bud. ƒ

Making an accurate observation about the Great Depression.

Next Steps

It’s important for students to begin reading Bud, Not Buddy with accurate understandings about the main character and the setting. Address misconceptions, citing evidence that supports accurate analysis of Bud or the Great Depression.

Lesson 1 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Cope vs. Endure

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

ƒ

Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapter 1

ƒ Vocabulary Learning Goal: Analyze and apply the connotations of cope and endure to the text (L.6.5.c).

Launch Display:

Over time, I have learned how to cope with my disability.

After a loved one dies, it can be very difficult to cope with the loss.

Exercise is a good way to cope with stress.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “What do you think cope means in these sentences?”

n Tolerate.

n Put up with. n Deal with.

Learn

Display an enlarged copy of Handout 1B. Explain that a Frayer Model is a diagram that can help students think about different aspects of a new word in order to come to a full understanding of the word. Today, you will model for students how to fill out a Frayer Model.

Ask one student to verify the meaning of cope by looking it up in the dictionary and reading the definition aloud. Cope means “to overcome challenges in a positive way.” Write the definition in the upper left-hand box of the Frayer Model.

Ask: “What kinds of things do we have to cope with in life?” Ensure that students understand that use of the word cope implies something difficult. Write student responses in the Examples section of the Frayer Model. These may include challenging classes, disabilities, or difficult people.

Say: “A nonexample is something that shows me what cope is not. For example, eating an ice cream cone is a nonexample. I don’t have to cope with, or deal with, eating an ice cream cone because it is an enjoyable thing to do. Another nonexample is something I dislike but do not deal with in a successful way. For example, quitting a game is a nonexample of cope. What are some other nonexamples of cope?” Write students’ ideas in the Nonexamples section of the Frayer Model.

Ask: “What are the characteristics of someone who is able to cope with something difficult?” Guide students to the idea that coping suggests you learn to live with something, not that you overcome or eliminate it. Someone who is able to cope may be strong or determined. Write students’ ideas under Characteristics.

Remind students that earlier in this lesson, they learned about the word endure. Ask a student to share the definition. Endure means “to continue to exist or hold out against despite adverse forces.”

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “What are the similarities and differences between cope and endure?”

Students Think–Pair–Share.

n Both endure and cope suggest you are in a difficult situation.

n You must be strong to endure or cope with hardship over a long time.

n If you endure, you use patience to help you put up with a situation over a long period of time and wait it out. If you cope, you might take action to make the situation bearable.

n If you cope with something, you are successful at handling the situation. If you endure something, you might just be waiting it out.

Students complete an Exit Ticket in response to the following questions:

ƒ

What does Bud have to endure?

ƒ

What is an example of Bud coping with a situation?

Land

Several students share their responses. Explain that throughout the book, they will find more examples of people coping with and enduring situations.

Students add cope and endure to their Vocabulary Journal.

Lesson 2: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Execute Accuracy

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Examine and Experiment with Phrasing (15 min.)

Organize Character, Plot, and Setting (15 min.)

Examine and Experiment with To-SEEC Model (25 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Examine and Experiment with Transitional Words and Phrases (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.10

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.2

Language ƒ

L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a

MATERIALS

Handout 1A: Fluency Practice 1

Handout 2A: Model Fluency Annotation

Handout 2B: To-SEEC Paragraph Model

Handout 2C: Transitional Words and Phrases

Handout 2D: Experiment with Transitional Words and Phrases

Highlighters or colored pencils

Chart paper and markers

Learning Goals

Analyze and organize the events of chapter 2 (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10).

Complete and revise a Quick Write.

Deconstruct an explanatory To-SEEC paragraph (W.6.2).

Complete Handout 2B.

Add appropriate transitions to a paragraph to clarify the relationships among ideas (W.6.2.c, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a).

Complete Handout 2D.

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 1–5

What makes Bud a survivor?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 2

Organize: What is happening in Bud, Not Buddy?

CRAFT QUESTIONS: Lesson 2

Examine and Experiment: How does phrasing work in a fluent read?

Examine and Experiment: How does the To-SEEC model work?

Text-Dependent Questions (TDQs) guide students toward the organization of their understandings about the text, drawing their focus to concepts connected to the Focusing Question. Students begin rehearsing fluency with a peer and, through modeling, understand the importance of the phrasing component of fluency. This is also the first lesson to focus on the structure and purpose of a To-SEEC paragraph, which students will use for all explanatory writing in this module.

5 MIN.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “How are the Content Framing Question and the Focusing questions connected?”

n You first have to understand how the story is organized before you can start to understand who Bud is and how he survives.

n Determining what’s going on helps you better understand what’s happening around Bud. Then you can figure out what is happening within him.

55 MIN.

EXAMINE AND EXPERIMENT WITH PHRASING

Whole Group

15 MIN.

Display the first Craft Question: How does phrasing work in a fluent read?

Reference the Fluency Anchor Chart to review the four criteria for masterful fluency. Explain that students will be working on phrasing, or how the reader groups words and uses pauses to help convey meaning.

Distribute Handout 2A: Model Fluency Annotation. Review directions for item 1, responding to questions and clarifying as needed.

Display and read aloud the text excerpt, emphasizing phrasing, while students complete item 1 on Handout 2A, annotating the phrasing they hear.

Students take turns reading the passage aloud, using their annotations to emulate your model.

Ask students to suggest phrasing annotations, and annotate displayed text. Reread the excerpt aloud, following the annotations made on the displayed copy, and think aloud about how the annotations impacted your fluency decisions.

Students complete the Reflection questions for item 1 on Handout 2A.

Pairs

Students Think–Pair–Share about unanswered wonderings from chapter 2. Call on students to share questions, and press students to find text-based answers or predictions.

Ask: “Who are the new characters we meet in chapter 2, and what do we learn about them?”

n Todd Amos is Bud’s twelve-year-old foster brother, and he likes to torture “little street urchins” (12). He’s “pretty doggone good” (11) at lying and manipulates his mother.

n Mrs. Amos is Todd’s mother and Bud’s foster mom. She thinks Bud has been picking on her innocent son. “Her ears [are] set to believe everything that [comes] out of Todd’s lips [and] they [are] set not to believe anything [Bud says]” (17).

n Mr. Amos is Bud’s foster father. He has no patience for Bud’s explanations and believes only his son. When Bud tries to apologize, “He [rolls] his eyes like that [is] enough for him” (17).

Ask: “What happens in this chapter?”

n Todd Amos attacks Bud with a pencil and blames Bud. The Amoses punish Bud by locking him in a dark shed for the night.

Ask: “What is the setting of this chapter?”

n This story takes place at the Amoses’ house, Bud’s foster home.

n This chapter is set in the house, but Bud gets locked in the shed at the end of the chapter. It’s “a whole different, scarier kind of dark in the shed” (19).

Ask: “How does Bud feel about the shed?”

n He’s nervous because Todd tells him to “keep a sharp eye out for the vampire bats in the shed” and to “watch out for those spiders and centipedes” (18). When Bud realizes it’s dark inside, he’s even more nervous about what he can’t see.

n Bud is terrified in the shed because Todd tells him the last foster child bled to death in the shed, and Bud sees “a big black stain in the dirt” that he’s sure is “a patch of blood from that kid who had disappeared out of here a couple of weeks ago!” (20).

n He wants to beg not to be locked in the dark shed and knows that “if [he] were a normal kid [he] would’ve busted out crying” (20), but Bud is determined not to show the Amoses what he really wants so he goes into the shed without begging.

Ask: “Reread the last paragraph on page 19 and following two paragraphs on the page 20. Mr. Amos gives Bud two nudges. How does this word add to your understanding of what’s happening in the chapter?”

n Mr. Amos has to nudge Bud because Bud’s stopped moving. He’s so scared he’s frozen to the ground and needs a little reminder to move into the shed.

n It shows Mr. Amos isn’t cruelly shoving Bud into the shed. He can see that Bud is scared, but he’s not going to let him run away. The nudges are reminders of the punishment Mr. Amos thinks Bud deserves, but he’s also not angrily pushing Bud inside.

nudge (v.) To call someone’s attention to something by pushing gently with the elbow. elbow

Ask: “What does Bud want in this chapter?”

n Bud doesn’t want “anybody [to] call [him] Buddy and stick a pencil up [his] nose all the way to the R” (13), so he fights back against Todd Amos.

n He doesn’t want to get beaten with the strap and locked in the shed, so Bud begs for something he doesn’t care about, going back to the Home; “that way [the Amoses] might not take something away that [he] really does want” (18).

n Bud wants his suitcase to be safe, and when he sees it under the table, “it [makes him] get a lot calmer” (19).

Pairs complete a Quick Write, describing what’s happening in chapter 2.

EXAMINE AND EXPERIMENT WITH TO-SEEC MODEL

Whole Group

Display the second Craft Question: How does the To-SEEC model work?

Distribute Handout 2B.

Students independently complete items 1 and 2 on Handout 2B.

Students share functions of each part; chart student responses. Encourage students to press one another for reasoning about their ideas.

25 MIN.

Abbr. Name Function

ToS Topic Statement n State your essential idea about a topic.

E Evidence n Cite evidence that develops your topic, including context.

E Elaboration n Explain how the evidence develops your topic.

C Concluding Statement n Reinforce your essential idea.

Students independently complete item 3 on Handout 2B.

Students read their To-SEEC paragraph aloud to a peer, focusing on reading accurately.

n In chapter 2, Bud has to make decisions about how to be brave. At first, he decides to defend himself when Todd Amos attacks him with a pencil because he “wasn’t about to let anybody call [him] Buddy and stick a pencil up [his] nose all the way to the R” (13). But when Bud realizes how strong Todd is and that he’s losing the fight, he decides “being this brave [is] kind of stupid” (13). Bud determines that the brave thing to do is to surrender in order to make the beating stop sooner. Bud also decides that he is too brave to beg not to be put in the shed. He “squeeze[es] [his] tongue between [his] teeth to hold it still ’cause [he] know[s] a lot of times [his] brain might want to be brave but [his] mouth might let some real chicken-sounding stuff fall out of it” (20). Bud decides that the Amoses won’t change their minds about putting him in the shed, so he stops himself from begging and decides to go into the dark shed with dignity. This chapter shows how brave Bud is and that he knows bravery looks different based on the situation you’re in.

Pairs review and give feedback on each other’s paragraphs and revise as needed.

Pairs share with the whole group.

Land5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Display the Content Framing Question.

Volunteers summarize what’s happening in Bud, Not Buddy. Ask students to share lingering questions they have at this point in their reading.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read chapters 3 and 4 for homework, annotating in their Notice and Wonder T-Charts as they have done for chapters 1 and 2. Students also complete day 2 of fluency practice on Handout 1A.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students demonstrate understanding about events in chapter 2 in a To-SEEC paragraph (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2). Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ

Accurately identifying aspects of Bud’s character (e.g., bravery, thinking quickly, being accustomed to adults not trusting him).

ƒ

Crafting a To-SEEC paragraph with a topic statement, evidence, elaboration, and a concluding statement.

Next Steps

Use this To-SEEC paragraph as a formative assessment of student understanding about the elements within a To-SEEC paragraph. More in-depth experimentation will be done with each element of the paragraph before the first Focusing Question Task, but recognize areas where students are struggling, and be prepared to address these areas in the next few lessons. Address misconceptions about Bud’s character, citing evidence that supports accurate analysis.

Lesson 2 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Examine and Experiment with Transitional Words and Phrases

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

ƒ

ƒ

Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 1-2; student-written paragraphs

Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Add appropriate transitions to a paragraph to clarify the relationships among ideas (W.6.2.c, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 2

Experiment: How do transitions function in writing?

Launch Display:

Bud’s main hardship in chapter 2 of Bud, Not Buddy is protecting himself. For example, Bud has to defend himself when Todd bullies him by throwing a punch.

Bud will not let anyone abuse or insult him. However, Bud also knows that “being this brave [is] kind of stupid” (13).

Bud is afraid of getting hurt by Todd. Therefore, he hides under the bed.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “What is the purpose of the underlined word or phrase in each sentence?”

n The word or phrase introduces the sentence.

n The word or phrase shows the relationship between the sentence and the one before it.

Display and ask the Style and Convention Craft Question.

Learn

Explain that phrases such as the ones seen in these sentences are transitions. Remind students that one meaning of the root trans- is “across.” Transitions are like bridges across sentences and paragraphs. They show the reader how the sentence is connected to the one before it.

Distribute Handout 2C: Transitional Words and Phrases.

Ask students to look over the handout, noting the many ways that sentences may relate to one another. Go through each of the displayed sentences from the Launch. Ask students to identify the relationship between the sentences, using the transition as a clue.

Display the following sentences on the board:

Todd hints that the blood in the shed is from the last kid who was put in there. Bud is terrified of the stain in the shed.

Ask: “What is the relationship between these sentences?”

Students share ideas from the handout. While some students may note that there is a time relationship here, the more precise answer is cause-andeffect. Try some cause-and-effect transitions in front of the second sentence until the class agrees on an appropriate choice.

Display:

Todd tries to scare Bud. He says the stain is the blood of “the last kid who got put in [the shed]” (Curtis 18).

Ask: “What is the relationship between these sentences?” Elicit that the second sentence provides an example to illustrate the point made in the first sentence. As a class, come to a decision about the best cause-and-effect transition to bridge the two sentences.

Distribute Handout 2D: Experiment with Transitional Words and Phrases.

Students complete Handout 2D.

Land

Students share their responses.

Explain that because Bud, Not Buddy is written in an informal style from the point of view of a kid, there are few formal-sounding transitions such as furthermore, as a result, and in summary, yet there are still many transitions (then, but, finally, and so on). Ask students to keep an eye out for transitions in the novel as they continue reading.

Students complete an Exit Ticket on the following question: “What is the purpose of a transition?”

Lesson 3

Lesson 3: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Execute Phrasing

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Examine and Experiment with Expression (10 min.)

Organize Character Information (15 min.)

Analyze Bud’s Reactions (15 min.)

Examine and Experiment with Topic Statements (15 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Examine Nonstandard English (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ W.6.2.a

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.1.b

Language ƒ L.5.3.b

MATERIALS

Handout 1A: Fluency Practice 1 ƒ

Handout 2A: Model Fluency Annotation ƒ

Handout 3A: Evidence Organizer— Analyze Bud’s Reactions ƒ

Handout 2B: Analyze To-SEEC Sample ƒ

Highlighters or colored pencils

Learning Goals

Analyze what Bud’s reactions reveal about his character (RL.6.1, RL.6.3).

Complete Handout 3A.

Use a topic statement to introduce information in an explanatory paragraph (W.6.2.a).

Complete item 4 on Handout 2B.

Analyze how the author’s use of nonstandard English helps to develop characters (L.5.3.b).

Locate examples of dialect in Bud, Not Buddy, and explain what they reveal about the characters.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 1–5

What makes Bud a survivor?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 3

Reveal: What does analysis of Bud’s reactions to events in this chapter reveal about his character?

CRAFT QUESTIONS: Lesson 3

Examine and Experiment: How does expression work in a fluent read?

Examine and Experiment: How do topic statements work?

Students explore and experiment with expression in fluency to create a more engaging, compelling presentation. A close study of word choice and Bud’s reactions deepens student understanding about Bud as a character, preparing them to discuss the traits that contribute to his survival in the Focusing Question Task. Students revise an earlier written To-SEEC paragraph to strengthen their topic statement and corresponding evidence, polishing a product similar to the upcoming Focusing Question Task.

5 MIN.

EXECUTE PHRASING

Pairs practice phrasing while reading the fluency excerpt on Handout 1A: Fluency Practice 1 and give each other feedback.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Students Think–Pair–Share about what someone’s reaction may reveal about them.

n Your reaction shows what you think about something; you might be surprised or angry, and your reaction would show that.

n Reactions reveal opinions; whatever you’re thinking comes through in your reaction if you don’t control it.

Ask: “How are Bud’s reactions connected to his survival?”

n Sometimes Bud controls his reactions, like not showing the Amoses how scared he was of the shed, so they don’t think they have power over him (18).

n Bud survives because he usually controls his reactions so other people don’t know what he’s thinking as something happens.

Explain that studying Bud’s reactions to events reveals information about his character. Studying his character gives readers a better understanding of why he is a survivor and a deeper comprehension about events in the story.

Learn 55 MIN.

EXAMINE AND EXPERIMENT WITH EXPRESSION

Pairs

Display the first Craft Question: How does expression work in a fluent read?

Reference the Fluency Anchor Chart to review the four criteria for masterful fluency. Explain that this lesson’s focus is on expression, the emotion behind the text being read aloud.

Display Handout 2A: Model Fluency Annotation. Review the directions for item 2, responding to questions and clarifying as needed.

Read aloud the teacher fluency passage on Handout 2A, infusing corresponding emotion while reading (e.g.,

10 MIN.

defiance at “but that’s not true,” aggressiveness at “knock you right down,” or certainty at “taught me that real quick”). As you read, students complete item 2 on Handout 2A, annotating for expression.

Pairs take turns reading the passage, observing annotations to emulate the expressions you modeled while reading.

Record student-suggested emotions onto a displayed copy of the Handout 2A excerpt. Reread the excerpt aloud, observing annotations, and thinking aloud about how these decisions express Bud’s meaning. Students Think–Pair–Share about which emotions correspond to the meanings within the student fluency passage.

Instruct students to answer the Relection questions for item 2 on Handout 2A.

ORGANIZE CHARACTER INFORMATION 15 MIN.

Whole Group

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share about unanswered wonderings from chapters 3 and 4. Call on students to share questions, and press them to find text-based answers or predictions.

Ask: “What new information did we learn about Bud in chapters 3 and 4?” Add student ideas to the Characterization Anchor Chart.

n Bud believes in vampires but is brave enough to fight back; “[he] wasn’t about to let this vampire suck [his] blood dry without a war” (26).

n Revenge is really important to Bud; he believes that “fair is fair. The Amoses deserved what they were going to get” (32). Bud doesn’t feel guilty and thinks the Amoses earned the treatment he gave them.

n Even though Bud wants revenge, he isn’t a violent person. He thinks guns “[are] too dangerous to play with or take chances with” (33) and puts the gun outside so no one gets seriously hurt.

Display and reread the second half of page 26. Ask: “How does the word revved and the simile about baseball impact meaning in this part of the text?”

n It shows that Bud is getting warmed up to hit the “sleeping bat” really hard. It helps you understand how hard he must have hit the hornet’s nest and explains why they immediately began attacking him.

n The word revved and the baseball simile help readers understand how brave Bud was in the moment. He was getting himself prepared for the biggest attack he could manage on something that scared him a lot.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

revved (v.)

1. Accelerated the speed of (an engine).

The racers lined up their cars and revved their engines.

2. Aroused or excited for anticipated action. The players revved themselves up for game.

Display and reread the last full paragraph on page 28. Ask: “Even though Bud knows that he’s being attacked by hornets, he still refers to them as “fire-nail[s]” in this paragraph. Why?”

n It shows Bud’s really rich imagination. Even though he knows what’s attacking him, his brain is still imagining something more vivid.

n Calling them “fire-nail[s]” gives more of a description of the pain Bud is in. The hornet stings feel like he’s being nailed with flames, and the word choice makes that clear to the reader.

ANALYZE BUD’S REACTIONS 15 MIN. Pairs

Explain that analyzing a character’s reactions is one way to learn more about him or her.

Display: Event Bud’s Reaction/Response

Chapter 4: Todd Amos “soaked his sheets” (35).

Model rereading page 35 to determine that Bud’s reaction was to cover his mouth and laugh, thinking of his favorite saying, “He who laughs last laughs best” (35). Fill this in on the displayed chart.

Ask: “What does this reveal about Bud?” Add ideas to the displayed chart and anchor chart about Bud’s character.

n It shows that Bud values revenge and getting the last word. He’s smart and likes to show that to the people who’ve underestimated him.

n Bud doesn’t need immediate gratification; he’s willing to wait for an opportunity. He can be patient if it means getting what he wants.

What This Reveals About Bud’s Character

Event Bud’s Reaction/Response

Bud gets revenge on the Amoses by making Todd wet his bed (35).

What This Reveals about Bud’s Character

Explain that there is information revealed about Bud in each of his reactions throughout the book. There is no single correct answer about what is revealed; there are multiple aspects of any character that may be evident in a single reaction.

Distribute Handout 3A: Evidence Organizer—Analyze Bud’s Reactions. Read aloud the directions, and answer questions as needed.

Pairs complete the chart on Handout 3A.

Scaffold

Provide event-reaction pairs. Students fill in what is revealed about Bud. These may include:

Event Bud’s Reaction

Chapter 1: Bud’s mother is upset by the flyers and keeps them on her dresser (8).

Chapter 2: Todd lies to his mother and says Bud attacked him (11).

Chapter 3: Bud is attacked by hornets (28).

Chapter 4: At first, dipping Todd’s fingers in warm water doesn’t make him wet his bed (34).

Bud saves them all in his suitcase and studies them often (8).

Bud is impressed with Todd’s ability to lie (11).

Bud again tries a window that was stuck earlier and escapes (29).

Bud tries dumping the water on Todd’s pants and Todd wets his bed (35).

Pairs share their ideas with the whole class. Add new ideas to the anchor chart about Bud’s character.

EXAMINE

AND EXPERIMENT WITH TOPIC STATEMENTS 15 MIN.

Whole Group

Display the second Craft Question: How do topic statements work?

Conduct a brief review of the elements of a To-SEEC paragraph using Handout 2B: To-SEEC Paragraph Model.

Direct students’ attention to the topic statement on sample 1 of Handout 2B.

Ask: “What question should the topic statement answer? How do you know?”

n That topic statement would answer the question, “What is Bud’s main hardship in chapter 3?” I can tell because the topic and concluding statements are both about protecting himself, and the evidence shows what he does to protect himself.

Ask: “What is the connection between the topic statement and concluding statements in this paragraph?”

n The topic statement is about Bud protecting himself, and the concluding statement tells how Bud protected himself.

n The topic statement states what the paragraph will be about. The concluding statement restates what the paragraph was about but adds details that came from the evidence.

Ask: “How is each piece of evidence in paragraph 1 connected to the topic and concluding sentence?”

Students complete item 4 of Handout 2B.

Pairs review each other’s topic statements. Students conduct a peer review, looking for a broad topic statement that is connected to each piece of evidence used and is revisited in the concluding sentence. Students revise as needed based on peer feedback.

5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students complete the 3–2–1 Response on Handout 3A.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read and annotate chapter 5, notating in the margins or on sticky notes information revealed about Bud, “RB,” and Mama, “RM.” Students also complete day 3 of fluency practice on Handout 1A.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students demonstrate understanding of Bud’s character based on analysis of his reactions to events in the text (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10). Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ Listing three accurate traits for Bud.

ƒ Identifying an event that revealed new information about Bud.

Next Steps

Use this 3–2–1 Response to identify any lingering misconceptions about Bud’s character in anticipation of the upcoming Focusing Question Task. If students are unable to identify accurate traits, analyze their work on Handout 3A to determine where their misconceptions started and reteach to address them.

Lesson 3 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Examine Nonstandard English

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 3 and 4

Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Analyze how the author’s use of dialect helps to develop characters (L.5.3.b).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 3

Examine: Why is an author’s use of standard and nonstandard English important?

Characteristics of Nonstandard Forms of English Refresher

ƒ

“Nonstandard forms of English” include slang, regional dialect, and other styles of English that would not be used in a formal setting. Rather than referring to such styles as “wrong,” refer to them as “informal” or “nonstandard.”

ƒ One of the great skills of authors is to capture the authentic speech of characters by putting words into a character’s mouth that represent what that character would actually say.

ƒ Help students develop a respect and understanding of nonstandard forms as well as the ability to “translate” them into standard English, when necessary.

Launch Display:

Example of standard English: The age of six can be a difficult time for a child because some frightening bodily changes occur. At this age, teeth start to become loose.

Example of nonstandard English: Six is a bad time too ’cause that’s when some real scary things start happening to your body, it’s around then that your teeth start coming a-loose in your mouth.

Display and read the Style and Coventions Craft Question.

n Standard English is most commonly seen in writing.

n Standard English follows the accepted “rules” of grammar.

n Standard English is used in businesses and schools.

n Standard English is more formal than nonstandard English.

n Nonstandard English may reflect how people speak rather than write.

n Nonstandard English is more casual than standard English.

n Nonstandard English may have its own grammar or “rules.”

n Nonstandard English could have different pronunciation from other forms of English.

n Nonstandard English could use different vocabulary from other forms of English.

Explain that standard English is like a common language that is used throughout schools and businesses, so it is important to know “the rules” of standard English. However, it is not the only form of English. Explain that there are many different dialects, or variations, among speakers of English. Sometimes you see these forms of English in fiction, when an author is trying to capture how a character speaks.

Learn

Display this excerpt from chapter 1:

You tell some adult about what’s happening but all they do is say it’s normal. You can’t be too sure, though, ‘cause it shakes you up a whole lot more than grown folks think it does when perfectly good parts of your body commence to loosening up and falling off of you.

Unless you’re as stupid as a lamppost you’ve got to wonder what’s coming off next, your arm? Your leg? Your neck? Every morning when you wake up it seems a lot of your parts aren’t stuck on as good as they used to be (Curtis 5).

Ask: “What words or phrases in this excerpt might you consider to be nonstandard English?”

n Bud says “’cause” instead of “because.”

n Language seems informal—“some adult,” “grown folks.”

n Bud uses fragments, or incomplete sentences: “Your leg? Your neck?”

n In standard English, one would say “are not stuck on as well,” not “aren’t stuck on as good.”

n Bud uses many contractions (what’s, it’s, you’ve, etc.). These are found in standard English, too, but using many of them can indicate an informal style.

n Sentences fragments such as “Your leg? Your neck?” are used, which suggests an informal style.

Students share ideas with the whole group.

Write the word dialect and its definition on the board:

Dialect means “ a form of a language spoken by a particular group of people.”

Ask: “What is the impact of Curtis’s use of dialect? How does it affect our reading and understanding of the text?”

n Dialect better conveys how Bud speaks.

n It shows his background, his age, and his personality.

n In real life, people do not always speak in perfect standard English, so authors sometimes use dialect when writing fiction to make their characters sound more lifelike and interesting.

Pairs locate examples of dialect in chapters 3 and 4. They write examples in their Response Journal, then explain what the language tells the reader about Bud. Circulate as students write to check for understanding and help them find examples.

Students share their findings with the class.

Land

Students write an Exit Ticket on the following question: What does Curtis’s use of dialect help to convey about Bud’s character?

Lesson 4: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Execute Expression Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Examine and Experiment with Articulation, Pacing, and Volume (15 min.)

Organize Character Responses (20 min.)

Examine Citation and Elaboration (20 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing

W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b, W.6.10

MATERIALS ƒ

Handout 1A: Fluency Practice 1 ƒ

Handout 2A: Model Fluency Annotation ƒ

Handout 4A: Evidence Organizer— Analyze Bud and Mama’s Responses ƒ

Handout 2B: Analyze To-SEEC Sample ƒ

Highlighters or colored pencils

Learning Goals

Describe what Bud and Mama’s reactions to story events convey about their characters (RL.6.1, RL.6.3).

Complete Handout 4A.

Identify and explain the relationship between the topic statement, evidence, and elaboration sentences within an explanatory paragraph (W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b, W.6.10).

Complete a Quick Write.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 1–5

What makes Bud a survivor?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 4

Reveal: What does deeper exploration of Bud and Mama’s reactions reveal about their characters?

CRAFT QUESTIONS: Lesson 4

Examine and Experiment: How do articulation, pacing, and volume work in a fluent read?

Examine: Why are citations and elaboration important?

In this lesson, students experiment with the fourth quality of masterful fluency, articulation, pacing, and volume, and are then assessed on individual fluency. The practice of analyzing reactions as a way of determining characterization is extended to Mama’s character as students organize ideas from a chapter full of flashbacks. Experimenting with citation and elaboration allows students to explore the relationship between text and their own analysis.

5 MIN.

EXECUTE EXPRESSION

Pairs practice expression while reading the fluency excerpt on Handout 1A: Fluency Practice 1 and give each other feedback.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “Why is it important to explore Mama’s reactions and what Bud remembers about them?”

n Studying Mama’s reactions will reveal information about her character. Since she’s not alive in the book, we have only Bud’s memories to build understandings about her.

n Mama influenced Bud when she was alive. Studying information that reveals ideas about her character helps us better understand how Bud grew up and what is now important to him.

n Bud misses his mom a lot. By better understanding her character, we can better understand Bud and how he felt when he was part of a family.

55 MIN.

EXAMINE AND EXPERIMENT WITH ARTICULATION, PACING, AND VOLUME

15 MIN.

Pairs

Reference the Fluency Anchor Chart to review the four criteria for masterful fluency. Explain that this lesson’s focus is on articulation, speed, and volume. Explain that articulation means clearly pronouncing your words and avoiding mumbling.

Ask: “Why are speed and volume important when reading fluently?”

n Reading too fast or too slowly makes it hard to understand the text.

n Your volume determines whether people can hear you. If you’re too loud or too soft, it’s hard to listen and understand.

Display Handout 2A: Model Fluency Annotation. Review the directions for item 3, responding to questions and clarifying as needed.

Read aloud the teacher fluency passage, being mindful of articulation, speed, and volume. Students complete item 3 on Handout 2A, taking notes about what they noticed about these fluency elements in the read-aloud.

Pairs read the student fluency passage on Handout 1A: Fluency Practice 1, integrating all four of the qualities of masterful fluency.

Pairs

Students Think–Pair–Share about how chapter 5 is different from previous chapters.

n This chapter is all about remembering. Bud looks through his suitcase and thinks about the most important things his mother always told him.

n This chapter is different than other chapters; it’s all about Bud’s memories and how the items in his suitcase remind him of different things about his mom.

Display page 37. Read the last paragraph and the one following it on page 38. Ask: “How can Bud tell someone has been ‘fumbling through [his] things?’ (37)”

n Bud can tell the blanket wasn’t folded around his belongings the way he usually folds it.

n The knot on the outside of the suitcase was tied incorrectly; Bud knew someone had retied it differently than he would have if he had been the only one looking inside.

Ask: “How does the specific word choice of fumbling impact the meaning of these paragraphs?”

n It shows that Bud is so loving and careful with everything in his suitcase, and he knows exactly when something is out of place. Whoever was looking through his things wasn’t as gentle and careful as he is.

n Fumbling shows how clumsy the person digging into Bud’s things was. If you fumble, you’re not careful. Whoever went through his things was careless and didn’t care if Bud knew who had been in his suitcase.

Explain that students will use the annotations made for homework to help them organize the responses of Bud and his mother to better understand both characters. Remind students that you can better understand a character by analyzing their responses to events.

Display Handout 4A: Evidence Organizer—Analyze Bud and Mama’s Responses. Read the directions and answer questions, if needed. Ask for student suggestions to complete the second row.

Event

n Bud’s grandpa made Bud’s mom pose for a picture in a dirty hat on a sickly horse.

Bud or Mama’s Reaction

n Mama looked like “she wished she could’ve emptied [the six-shooter pistols] on somebody” (39).

Pairs complete the table on Handout 4A.

TEACHER NOTE

What This Reveals About Bud or Mama

n Mama didn’t hide her feelings. She was still upset about that day.

While students work on Handout 4A, conduct individual fluency assessments. Students should demonstrate masterful fluency while reading the passage on Handout 1A: Fluency Practice 1.

EXAMINE CITATION AND ELABORATION

Whole Group

20 MIN.

Display the second Craft Question: Why are citations and elaboration important?

Display Handout 2B: To-SEEC Paragraph Model. Remind students that citations are made to help a reader know where evidence in the text comes from. Page numbers are enclosed in parenthesis after evidence from the text but before the ending punctuation.

Model color coding each aspect of the text citations, one color highlighting or tracing the parenthesis, another color for the page number, and a third color for the ending punctuation outside the parenthesis. Students color code all citations on Handout 2B.

Ask: “Why are citations important?”

n They help you understand where in the text the idea comes from.

n Citations allow you to go back into the book and reread the context the idea came from.

Ask: “How do citations work?” Students record their answer in their Response Journal.

n After the evidence sentence is complete, you write the page number where the idea came from in parentheses and then add ending punctuation.

Examine the elaboration sentences in paragraph 1. Remind students that the elaboration sentences make a connection between the topic statement and the evidence; it shows how the evidence develops the topic.

Display the table below. Students Think–Pair–Share about the relationship between each elaboration sentence and the topic statement.

Topic statement: Bud’s main hardship in chapter 2 of Bud, Not Buddy is protecting himself.

Elaboration 1: Bud will not let anyone abuse or insult him.

Elaboration 2: Bud defends himself by fighting back until he realizes that he can’t win the fight.

Concluding statement: Bud protects himself by being both brave and smart.

n The first elaboration sentence explains one way that Bud protects himself: he doesn’t let anyone abuse or insult him. This is an example of what the topic statement states.

n The second elaboration sentence shows how Bud has to change his tactic while protecting himself. At first, fighting back was protecting himself, but he realized he was losing and suddenly stopping the fight was the better way to protect himself. Both actions support what the topic statement is about.

Reinforce that each elaboration sentence explains how the evidence develops the essential idea of the topic statement.

Ask: “How is the concluding statement connected to the two elaboration statements?” Students record their answer in their Response Journal.

n The concluding statement sums up both elaboration sentences. The first one is about being brave and the second is about being smart.

Students complete a Quick Write about the relationship between a topic statement, evidence, and the elaboration sentences in a To-SEEC paragraph.

Land5 MIN.

Answer the Content Framing Question

Students independently complete the 3–2–1 Response on Handout 4A.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students skim chapters 1–5, rereading sections where Bud demonstrates his ability to survive. Students should annotate or take notes to help them with the Focusing Question Task in the next lesson.

Analyze Context and Alignment

Students demonstrate understanding of both Bud and Mama’s character based on analysis of their reactions to events in the text (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10). Check for the following success criteria: ƒ

Identifying three accurate observations about Bud. ƒ

Identifying two accurate observations about Mama.

Next Steps

Use this 3–2–1 Response to identify any lingering misconceptions about Bud or Mama’s character. It’s important that students develop accurate understandings about Mama, both to better understand Bud and to support the comparison and contrast of her perspective in the New-Read Assessment. If students are unable to identify accurate traits, analyze their work on Handout 4A to determine where their misconceptions started, and reteach to address them.

TEACHER NOTE

Note that there is no Deep Dive in this lesson. Use any additional time to support practice of the vocabulary and/or style and convention skills introduced in the module.

Lesson 5: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Compare Annotations

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Explore Multiple Meanings (15 min.)

Execute a To-SEEC Paragraph (40 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Multiple Meanings: Depression (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.9.a

Language ƒ

L.6.4.a, L.6.6

MATERIALS

Learning Goals

Describe what makes Bud a survivor (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.9.a).

Respond to Focusing Question Task 1.

Use context as a clue to determine the correct connotation of the word depression (L.6.4.a, L.6.6).

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Assessment 5A: Focusing Question Task 1 ƒ

Handout 1B: Frayer Model

Match sentences containing depression to the correct definition.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 1–5

What makes Bud a survivor?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 5

Reveal: What does analysis of Bud’s character reveal about why and how he is able to endure and survive?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 5

Execute: How do I use a To-SEEC paragraph to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

In the first Focusing Question Task of the module, students draw upon understandings built while reading and in prior lessons to articulate the traits Bud uses to survive. Students craft their response in a To-SEEC paragraph, developing their topic statement with relevant evidence and elaboration.

Welcome

5 MIN.

COMPARE ANNOTATIONS

Pairs compare annotations made for homework, articulating how specific spots in the text demonstrate Bud’s ability to survive.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Content Framing Question and Focusing Question.

Students restate the Focusing Question and Content Framing in their own words.

n What about Bud helps him survive?

n What qualities help Bud overcome challenges?

n What is it about Bud that helps him persevere?

Emphasize that this question is asking about the internal qualities of Bud that allow him to overcome challenges, not any external factors such as luck or circumstances.

55 MIN.

EXPLORE MULTIPLE MEANINGS 15 MIN.

Whole Group

Revisit the Great Depression Anchor Chart. Ask: “Why do you think this era was called the Great Depression?”

n People had lost their jobs and their homes, everyone was unhappy and worried. They felt depressed.

n It was called the Great Depression because the effects of the economic crash impacted everyone in the country. Great means widespread; it impacted millions of people.

Explain that depression has multiple meanings, which they’ll explore in more detail during the Deep Dive.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal:

Word Meanings Synonyms/Examples

depression (n.)

1. Feelings of overwhelming sadness.

He fell into depression after his wife died.

2. Something that is sunken compared to its surroundings. a depression in the road

3. An economic situation marked by instability, unemployment, and poverty.

the time in which Bud, Not Buddy takes place

Ask: “Which definition best matches the use of depression in Bud, Not Buddy? Why?”

n Definition 3 describes exactly the economic circumstances that happen in the text. Kids like Bud don’t have homes, and many people are living in poverty.

Reinforce that while people may have felt depressed during the Great Depression, the origin of the name comes from the third definition, a disastrous economic state.

EXECUTE TO-SEEC PARAGRAPH 40 MIN.

Individuals

Display the Craft Question.

Execute: How do I use a To-SEEC paragraph to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

Distribute Assessment 5A: Focusing Question Task 1. Display and read aloud.

Students independently complete Focusing Question Task 1.

Land 5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Pairs fluently read their Focusing Question Task 1 response to each other.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read and annotate chapters 6 and 7, annotating information about new characters with a C information about the setting with an S, and Bud’s reactions with BR.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students demonstrate understanding of one of the qualities that makes Bud a survivor in the Focusing Question Task. Check for the following success criteria: ƒ

Accurately analyzing what makes Bud a survivor. ƒ

Citing textual evidence to support analysis. ƒ

Creating a To-SEEC paragraph with a topic statement, textual evidence, elaboration, a concluding statement, and internal citations.

Next Steps

Use this Focusing Question Task to assess both students’ analytical skills and their understanding of how to write a To-SEEC paragraph. If students are struggling to support their analysis with textual evidence, provide additional exemplars and emphasize the connection between ideas and analysis. If students are struggling with any of the elements of the To-SEEC paragraph, address any misconceptions and be prepared to address them in upcoming lessons on individual elements of the To-SEEC paragraph. More exploration with evidence citation will also be provided in later lessons and doesn’t need to be addressed at this time.

Lesson 5: Vocabulary Deep Dive

Multiple Meanings: Depression

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapter 5

ƒ Vocabulary Learning Goal: Use context as a clue to determine the correct connotation of the word depression (L.6.4.a, L.6.6).

Launch

Students Stop and Jot on the following question: “What does it mean to be in a depression?”

Ask several student volunteers to read aloud their answers. Learn

Display and ask students to review their vocabulary entry for depression from the core lesson:

Word Meanings

depression (n.)

1. Feelings of overwhelming sadness.

Synonyms/Examples

He fell into depression after his wife died.

2. Something that is sunken compared to its surroundings. a depression in the road

3. An economic situation marked by instability, unemployment, and poverty. the time in which Bud, Not Buddy takes place

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “What do these different definitions have in common?”

n They all have to do with things going or being “down.”

n Definitions 1 and 3 have negative connotations. It is not good to be in a depressed state or in an economic depression.

n They all have to do with sinking low.

Explain that depression literally means “to be pressed down.” The second definition above conveys the literal meaning: an object with a depression has a spot that has been pressed down, or a sunken spot. Similarly, a person suffering from depression may have very little energy. A nation experiencing a depression has seen its economy sink well below previous levels.

Distribute Handout 1B: Frayer Model to each student.

Within a group, students complete the handout using all three definitions. Explain that all characteristics, examples, and nonexamples will not fit each definition, but some may cross over into more than one. Circulate as students work to check for understanding.

Display and read aloud the following sentences, and have students hold up their fingers to indicate which definition (1, 2, or 3) fits each sentence.

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A depression on the couch revealed the dog’s favorite sleeping spot.

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Some people fear that another depression could occur in our lifetimes.

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Gina’s doctor talked to her about methods for treating depression.

Land

Students create an original sentence using the word depression.

Call on several students to read their sentences aloud. As a class, determine the correct definition.

Lesson 6

ƒ Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 6 and 7 ƒ Kentucky Flood, Margaret Bourke-White photograph (http://witeng.link/0690)

Lesson 6: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Rehearse Fluency

Launch (10 min.)

Learn (50 min.)

Examine and Experiment with Speaking and Listening (25 min.)

Experiment with Evidence (25 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: OutsideIn: Criminal, considerate (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9

Writing

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W.6.2, W.6.10

Speaking

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and Listening

SL.6.1.b, SL.6.1.c, SL6.2

Language ƒ L.6.4.a

MATERIALS

Learning Goals

Develop a topic with relevant evidence from two sources (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, W.6.2.b).

Complete Handout 6B.

Connect details and themes in Kentucky Flood to evidence from Bud, Not Buddy (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9, W.6.10).

Complete a Quick Write.

Determine the meanings of unfamiliar words using word knowledge and context clues (L.6.4.a).

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Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2 ƒ

Handout 6B: Experiment with Evidence in a To-SEEC Paragraph ƒ

Index cards

Use the Outside-In strategy to determine the meaning of considerate.

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 6–10

What hardships did people face in the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 9

Know: How does Kentucky Flood build my knowledge?

CRAFT QUESTIONS: Lesson 6

Examine and Experiment: Why are discussion rules, goals, and deadlines important? How do collegial discussions work?

Examine and Experiment: How does incorporating evidence from two texts work in a To-SEEC paragraph?

To build background knowledge about living conditions in the Great Depression, students analyze Kentucky Flood and engage in small-group discussions to further determine how the photograph reflects the experience of Americans at this time. Students follow discussion rules and set personal participation goals to measure their progress in structured, academic conversations. It is in this lesson that students begin citing two texts in one To-SEEC paragraph, preparing them for the next Focusing Question Task.

5 MIN.

REHEARSE FLUENCY

Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2.

Pairs read the passage aloud to their partners.

Review the four qualities for masterful fluency and homework directions. Encourage students to use a dictionary or electronic resources to determine meanings and pronunciations of any unfamiliar words in the passage.

Launch

10 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Say: “Let’s use the Outside-In strategy to define hardships in the Focusing Question. What clues can you find in the words around hardships that give you clues to its meaning?”

n It says hardships are something people faced. I know people face challenges so maybe hardships are the same thing.

n I know life was really difficult in the Great Depression. Maybe hardships are the difficult parts people had to cope with.

Ask: “What clues within the word hardships help you understand its meaning?”

n Hardships includes “hard”—maybe hardships are things that are difficult.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal: Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples hardship (n.) A condition of great want, suffering, or difficulty. poverty, suffering, want

Display Kentucky Flood. Students create a Notice and Wonder T-Chart in their Response Journal and record ideas about the photograph.

Reference the Focusing Question, and explain that the photograph was taken in 1937 during the Great Depression and after the Great Ohio River Flood. When the Ohio River overflowed, hundreds of people were killed and thousands became homeless. Margaret Bourke-White took the photograph outside a flood relief agency in Louisville, Kentucky, where people were waiting to receive food and supplies. In this lesson, students analyze this photo to build understandings about Bud, Not Buddy and the Great Depression.

50 MIN.

EXAMINE AND EXPERIMENT WITH SPEAKING AND LISTENING 25 MIN.

Small Groups

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “What rules help everyone participate in a smallgroup discussion?”

n There should be a rule about not interrupting people.

n Everyone should take turns talking or ask someone who hasn’t spoken yet what they think.

n People in the group need to stay on task and not have side conversations.

n Everyone needs to be polite, even when they don’t agree.

Use student responses to create an anchor chart about rules for discussions.

Remind students that the purpose of a structured academic discussion is to learn more about the text by talking about it with others. To participate productively in an academic discussion, participants need to listen to others’ ideas and acknowledge their opinions, regardless of whether they agree with them. To question, build on, or refute someone else’s idea, it’s important to pair evidence with ideas to help all group members better understand the speaker’s argument.

Explain that each student will set a personal goal for the discussion. The goal should be focused on one aspect of class discussions or on one of the class rules that challenges them. Goals should be written as an affirmative statement on an index card (e.g., “I will let others have a chance to speak,” “I will use evidence to support my ideas,” or “I will stay focused during the discussion.”)

TEACHER NOTE

Divide students into groups of four. Heterogeneously group students to ensure that talking time will be equitable. Ensure that a clock is visible to students during the discussion so they can be accountable for their own discussion pacing.

Students move into small groups, arranging chairs so that group members are all facing one another. Each group selects a timekeeper, the student who will monitor the time and ensure the group discusses all three questions. Emphasize that the timekeeper still needs to participate in the discussion while monitoring the time. The other three students each take a turn recording the group’s responses to the questions.

Ask: “Why is it important to have a timekeeper for a discussion?”

n The timekeeper helps the group meet its deadline of discussing all the questions before time is up.

n Without someone monitoring the time, a group could be too focused on one thing and not meet its goals.

For fifteen minutes, small groups discuss the following questions. Display.

1. What’s happening in Kentucky Flood?

2. What meaning is conveyed in this photograph?

3. How does Kentucky Flood build your knowledge of Bud, Not Buddy and the Great Depression? Scaffold

Provide Sentence Frames to help students incorporate text evidence into discussion:

I (dis)agree that because I also think because Because happened, I think

Circulate and monitor for equitable, productive discussion. Redirect groups that become unfocused, fixated on a tangent, or stuck on the first or second question. Give a warning when five minutes remain.

When time is up, students use the opposite side of the index card to write about whether they met their personal participation goal, and why or why not. Collect index cards and group notes.

EXPERIMENT WITH EVIDENCE

Pairs

25 MIN.

Examine and Experiment: How does incorporating evidence from two texts work in a To-SEEC paragraph?

Ask: “Why is it important to provide multiple pieces of evidence to support an idea?”

n Multiple pieces of evidence add credibility to your explanation. It becomes more believable if it’s supported by more than one source.

n Different sources of evidence show different things. Using more than one source of related evidence helps you better explain an idea.

Explain that a topic statement needs to be broad enough to encompass evidence from multiple sources. Students brainstorm topic statements that could encompass evidence from both Kentucky Flood and Bud, Not Buddy

n There was great inequality during the Great Depression.

n The Great Depression created situations where some people lived in extreme poverty.

Distribute Handout 6B: Experiment with Evidence in a To-SEEC Paragraph. Read the topic statement aloud. Display Kentucky Flood

Ask: “What kind of evidence can be cited from Kentucky Flood to support this topic statement?”

n Kentucky Flood shows people during the Great Depression who have lost everything and are depending on the generosity of others to simply survive. They are not living the same kind of dream as the image of the family driving in their car.

n The family shown in the advertisement in Kentucky Flood can afford a car and a pet. The people in the line have no homes or possessions left; their dreams are very different.

Explain that the citation for this evidence would be the photographer’s last name, Bourke-White, in parentheses. There is no page number to cite because the text is a photograph.

Pairs complete Handout 6B, recording and citing evidence from Bud, Not Buddy that supports the topic statement.

5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students independently complete a Quick Write in response to the Content Framing Question.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read chapters 8 and 9 of Bud, Not Buddy, annotating information about the characters with a C, the setting with an S, and recording any questions they have while reading. Students also complete Day 1 of Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students reflect on how Kentucky Flood builds their understanding of the Great Depression (RL.6.9, W.6.10). Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ Identifying the contrast in the quality of life for people in the photograph and those in the advertisement.

Next Steps

Use this Quick Write to analyze students’ abilities to build background knowledge based on analysis of visual art. This is a skill they will need and refine in later lessons. Consider providing a copy of the photograph for annotation by any students who are struggling with analysis, or provide guidance on how to “read” the photo, noticing details, setting, and the subject of the photograph.

Lesson 6 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Outside-In: Criminal, considerate

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 6 and 7

Vocabulary Learning Goal: Determine the meanings of unfamiliar words using word knowledge and context clues (L.6.4.a).

Launch

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “What do you do if you come across a word in a text that you do not know?”

Ask several pairs to share their responses. List ideas on the board.

Learn

Display:

“And all of them are called Hooverville?”

“That’s right. Mr. Hoover worked so hard at making sure every city has got one that it seems like it would be criminal to call them anything else.”

Someone said, “That’s the truth!” (66).

Explain that you are going to model the Outside-In strategy with the word criminal.

When I use the Outside-In strategy, first I look outside the word to try to find clues from the context. I will read the whole sentence: Mr. Hoover worked so hard at making sure every city has got one that it seems like it would be criminal to call them anything else. The speaker thinks the towns should be called Hooverville because Mr. Hoover worked so hard to make sure every city had one. I think he means that it is Mr. Hoover’s fault that there are so many poor and homeless people. He thinks Hooverville is the correct name for these communities. Therefore, he thinks it would be wrong to call them anything but Hooverville. I think criminal means “something wrong or bad.”

Next, I look inside the word. This means I look at any prefixes, suffixes, or roots for word parts that I know. The word criminal is similar to the word crime. A crime is also something wrong or illegal. A criminal is a person who has done an illegal thing, but it is used differently here. In this sentence, criminal is not a person, or noun. It is an adjective that describes an act.

Criminal could mean illegal. But is it really illegal to call a city like theirs something other than Hooverville? I do not think so. He may be exaggerating when he uses the word—it would not really be a crime, but it would be wrong or inappropriate to call the community anything else.

Display:

“PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE AND PATIENT—CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF—YOUR NEIGHBORS WILL BE EATING AFTER YOU” (50–51).

Students use the Outside-In strategy to determine the meaning of considerate. Circulate as students work to see they are using the strategy correctly.

Ask: “What did you find outside the word that gave you a clue to its meaning?”

n Considerate is something people want you to be. It is paired with patient.

n If you are considerate, you clean up after yourself.

n Considerate has to do with thinking of your neighbors and doing what you should do for others.

Ask: “What did you notice inside the word?”

n Considerate comes from consider. Consider means “to think about.”

n Considerate means “thoughtful of other people.”

Land

Explain that from now on, students should use the Outside-In strategy when encountering unknown words in a text. The strategy will be used throughout the module. It will not work for all words, but it is a good place to start—if the strategy doesn’t work, they can always consult a peer or reference source.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

criminal (adj.) Something or someone associated with crime. illegal, unlawful

considerate (adj.) Respecting the needs and feelings of others. attentive, thoughtful

Students add criminal and considerate to their Vocabulary Journal.

Lesson 7: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Analyze Quote

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Organize Setting and Characters (15 min.)

Read and Annotate Text (20 min.)

Experiment with Elaboration (20 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions

Deep Dive: Experiment with Transitional Words and Phrases (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9

Writing ƒ

W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b ƒ W.6.2.c

Language ƒ

L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a

MATERIALS ƒ

Handout 7A: Experiment with Elaboration in a To-SEEC Paragraph ƒ

Highlighters in two colors

Learning Goals

Connect details and themes in “Hoovervilles” to evidence from Bud, Not Buddy (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9).

Students create a Graffiti Wall.

Develop elaboration in a ToSEEC paragraph, citing two sources (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9, W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b).

Complete Handout 7A.

Add appropriate transitions to a paragraph to clarify the relationships among ideas (W.6.2.c, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a).

Revise elaboration sentences to include transitions.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 6–10

What hardships did people face in the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 7

Know: How does “Life in a Hooverville” build my knowledge?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 7

Experiment: How does elaboration of evidence from two texts work?

In this lesson, students analyze “Life in a Hooverville,” a section of an informational text used to supplement student understandings built while reading chapter 8, about Hooverville living conditions in the Great Depression. Annotations will be helpful in completing Focusing Question Task 2. Students experiment with explanations in a To-SEEC paragraph that will be completed in the next lesson.

Welcome

ANALYZE QUOTE

Display:

5 MIN.

“Deza’s momma was right, someone who doesn’t know who their family is, is like dust blowing around in a storm, they don’t really belong in any one place” (78).

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “How has this idea helped Bud?”

n Bud realized he wasn’t dust blowing in the storm. His mother had helped him recognize who his father was and Bud belonged in Michigan.

n This idea helped Bud cope with missing the train to California. He knew he was where he was supposed to be and that he wasn’t rootless.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Students Think–Pair–Share questions they have about Hoovervilles after reading chapters 8 and 9. Students share unanswered questions; add them to a displayed T-chart. Explain that students will read a second text about Hoovervilles and should use the unanswered questions to give purpose to their reading.

Questions About Hoovervilles Answers

55 MIN.

ORGANIZE SETTING AND CHARACTER

Whole Group

15 MIN.

Ask: “What did Bud learn about Hoovervilles in chapters 8 and 9?”

n Hoovervilles are “cardboard jungles” (65), communities built near railroad tracks where people live or stop for food while riding the trains.

n Everyone in a Hooverville shares the workload, “[they] all pitch in [there]” (69) to survive.

n A Hooverville is “a bunch of huts and shacks throwed together out of pieces of boxes and wood and cloth” (64).

Ask: “What did Bud learn about himself in chapters 8 and 9?”

n Bud realizes he’s not “dust in the wind” (73). He knows who his father is and decides to go find him.

n Bud remembers that his mother is still with him, “even if she [isn’t] somewhere that [he] [can] see her” (72).

Display: The idea got bigger and stronger when I’d sit up at night and wonder why Momma’d kept those flyers. It dug its roots in deep and started spreading out when I got old enough to understand that Momma must’ve known she wasn’t going to be around too long and was trying to leave me a message about who my daddy was and why she couldn’t never talk about him (Curtis 94).

Ask: “What does this figurative language reveal about Bud?”

n Bud’s idea digs strong roots into his mind; he’s not able to let go of what he knows is true. The more he thinks about it, the more determined he gets.

n As Bud got older, he was even more convinced that saving the flyers was his mother’s way of sending him a message.

n The idea of Bud’s father is like a tree, rooting into his mind and growing bigger and stronger. He can’t ignore it.

READ AND ANNOTATE TEXT

Pairs

20 MIN.

TEACHER NOTE “Life in a Hooverville” is one section of the larger article “Hoovervilles.”

Pairs read “Life in a Hooverville,” highlighting information that is included in Bud, Not Buddy in one color and new information in a second color.

Ask: “How did public officials respond to the Hoovervilles?”

n The police knew there was nowhere else for people to go, so they allowed them.

n The government didn’t have any other option to offer people who had lost their homes, so it was seen as a viable option.

n Police and park employees were ordered to tear them down for health reasons.

Ask: “According to the text, how did people feel when Hoovervilles were raided?”

n The police officers or park officials felt guilty because the Hooverville residents had nowhere to go.

n The people raiding the Hoovervilles regretted having to follow their orders.

n The people living in the Hoovervilles were upset and felt hopeless.

Revisit the T-chart created earlier in the lesson, adding ideas from “Life in a Hooverville” that answer any of the questions.

EXPERIMENT WITH ELABORATION

Pairs

20 MIN.

Display the Craft Question: How does elaboration on evidence from two different sources work?

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “When have you elaborated? How would you define this word?”

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal. Students verify the meaning of elaborate, revising their definition if needed.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

elaboration (n.) The act of explaining in a thorough way.

amplification, development elaborate (v.) To explain thoroughly by providing details. add to

Ask: “Why is elaboration important in a To-SEEC paragraph?”

n You use elaboration to explain how the evidence is connected to the topic statement.

n Elaboration is your opportunity to justify why you picked certain evidence and how it explains the topic statement.

Distribute and display Handout 7A: Experiment with Elaboration in a To-SEEC Paragraph.

Pairs restate the topic statement in their own words.

n It helped everyone in Hoovervilles to work together.

n Coming together in a community helped people in Hoovervilles.

Model the crafting of elaboration for the first piece of evidence using a Think Aloud and adding to the displayed chart.

I need to connect Bud and Bugs doing KP duty in exchange for food back to positive outcomes from working together. Well, the people in the Hooverville were working together because the people with food contributed it for the stew, and the people who didn’t have food helped prepare it and clean up. Everyone eating and the dishes getting cleaned up afterward were the positive outcome. So my elaboration statement could be: Everyone in the Hooverville worked together by contributing what they had to the meal, either food or hard work. That’s the working-together part. These contributions led to a meal for everyone and clean dishes afterward. That explains the positive outcome that came from everyone working together.

Next, pairs craft the elaboration for the evidence from “Life in a Hooverville.”

Call on students to share their elaboration sentence(s). Encourage students to evaluate how well the elaboration explains and connects the evidence to the topic statement, and suggest revisions to improve its effectiveness.

Ask: “Why are both pieces of evidence important in supporting the topic statement?”

n The first example shows a fictional example; the second shows a historical example.

n The Bud, Not Buddy example shows how working together helps one person, and the “Hoovervilles” example shows how working together helped lots of people.

Land5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students create a Graffiti Wall in response to the Content Framing Question. Contributions can include quotes from “Life in a Hooverville,” original statements, words or phrases, illustrations, or symbols.

Wrap5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read and annotate chapters 10 and 11, creating an annotation sticky note for each of the following: Things We Know About Lefty Lewis, Bud’s Reactions to Lefty Lewis, and Historical Information. Students complete Day 2 of Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students contribute to a class Graffiti Wall about life in Hoovervilles (RI.6.1).

ƒ Identifying one aspect of life in a Hooverville.

Next Steps

Use this activity to identify and address any misconceptions about Hoovervilles. If a disproportionate number of ideas represents ideas from only one of the texts, press students to come up with additional examples from the second text. Invite students to elaborate on or interpret any ambiguous or unclear ideas.

Lesson 7 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Experiment with Transitional Words and Phrases

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 8 and 9; student-written paragraphs

Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Add appropriate transitions to a paragraph to clarify the relationships among ideas (W.6.2.c, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 7

Experiment: How do transitions work?

Launch

Write the list of transition categories on the board:

n Adds info/ideas.

n Has time relationship.

n Provides examples.

n Clarifies/explains in other words.

n Compares.

n Contrasts.

n Sums up/concludes.

Students cycle through, adding transitional words and phrases under each category without looking at their notes or Handout 2C: Transitional Words and Phrases.

Display and ask the Style and Conventions Craft Question:

Experiment: How do transitions work?

n They show the connection between two sentences.

n They guide the reader through the text.

n They help make writing more clear.

Explain that you’re going to model adding transitions to an explanatory paragraph.

Display:

The Hoovervilles of the Great Depression showed that working together yields positive outcomes. Bud and Bugs were welcome to eat the stew in the Hooverville, “but [they] all pitch in [there]” so “[they did] the cleanup after everyone’s had their fill” (Curtis 69). everyone in the Hooverville worked together by contributing what they had to the meal, either food or hard work. these contributions led to a meal for everyone and clean dishes afterward.

I want to add transitions to my paragraph. To do this, I need to think about how the sentences connect to each other. The second sentence is my evidence—it gives an example to back up my topic statement. I could add For example to show how these sentences connect. [Write For example in the first blank.] My third sentence is an elaboration statement; it explains the evidence and how it supports my topic statement. I could use This shows that as a transition phrase. [Write This shows that in the second blank.] The last sentence is a concluding statement that brings everything together, and in this case tells what effect working together had on the community. As a result might make a good transition to show cause and effect. [Write As a result in the last blank.]

Ask a student to read aloud the new paragraph.

Explain that not every sentence needs to begin with a transition. Transitions are there to help but should not bog down the writing. Sometimes the connection is obvious and does not need clarification.

Ask: “Are there any transitions that you feel are not necessary or helpful in this paragraph?”

Ask: “If I were to write a second paragraph with the opposite idea—that some people successfully solved problems on their own during the Great Depression—what would be a good transition word or phrase to start the paragraph?”

n However.

n On the other hand.

n Nevertheless.

n Despite this.

n Yet.

Students revise their elaboration sentences, adding at least one transitional word or phrase.

Land

Students share the revised sentences with a partner and provide feedback to help improve their use of transitions.

Lesson 8: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Rehearse Fluency

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Define Vocabulary (5 min.)

Organize Character, Plot, and Setting (15 min.)

Interpret Figurative Language (15 min.)

Experiment with Concluding Statements (20 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Multiple Meanings: Impress, devour (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RL.6.1, RL.6.4

Writing

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W.6.2.c, W.6.2.f, W.6.10

Language ƒ

L.6.5.a ƒ L.6.4.a

MATERIALS

Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2 ƒ Handout 8A: Figurative Language ƒ

Handout 7A: Experiment with Elaboration in a To-SEEC Paragraph ƒ

Student-generated responses to Focusing Question Task 1

Learning Goals

Analyze what figurative language reveals about characters (RL.6.4, L.6.5.a, W.6.10).

Complete Handout 8A.

Use transition words in a concluding statement that reinforces the essential meaning of the paragraph (W.6.2.c, W.6.2.f).

Revise the concluding statement from Focusing Question Task 1.

Correctly use and define multiple-meaning words in context (L.6.4.a).

Compose sentences for chosen definitions of impress and devour, and choose the correct intended definitions in others’ sentences.

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 6–10

What hardships did people face during the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 8

Reveal: What does Curtis’s use of figurative language reveal about characters?

CRAFT QUESTIONS: Lesson 8

Excel: How do I improve my fluency?

Experiment: How does a concluding statement work in a To-SEEC paragraph?

Analysis of similes and metaphors in this lesson affords students the opportunity to better understand characters in the text. TDQs and figurative language analysis reveal Bud’s changing character, generating ideas that can be used in the third Focusing Question Task. Students will complete the To-SEEC paragraph begun in the last lesson, experimenting with concluding sentences.

5 MIN.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Students brainstorm and share types of figurative language they know and can recognize in context.

Explain that authors use figurative language to convey meaning and help readers better understand information about the story or characters.

If needed, review with students that similes use like or as to compare two unrelated ideas and that metaphors state that one thing is the other.

55 MIN.

DEFINE VOCABULARY

Whole Group

Display:

5 MIN.

He looked at me out of the side of his eye.

“Anyone ever tell you you’ve got a little peanut-head?”

I glugged down the pop I’d been swishing around in my mouth and said, “No, sir.”

“Well,” he said, “this may be the first time but unless you undergo some major surgery I’ll bet it won’t be the last” (113).

Explain that students will use the Outside-In strategy to determine the meaning of undergo.

Ask: “What words in the sentences around undergo give you clues about its meaning?”

n Bud would have to undergo major surgery, so maybe it means “go through.”

n Lefty is saying Bud is going to be called a peanut-head again unless he does something about it. If he has surgery, that would change. Undergo has to do with doing something.

Ask: “What clues within the word undergo help you determine its meaning?”

n The word go is part of undergo. It makes sense that if he goes through with surgery, Lefty says he won’t be called a peanut-head again.

n If you rearrange the word, it becomes “go under.” Going under something is one way of going through something. Maybe it means “to go through.”

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal:

Word Meaning

Synonyms/Examples

undergo (v.) To experience or be subjected to something. endure, suffer

ORGANIZE CHARACTERS, SETTING, AND PLOT 15 MIN.

Whole Group

Students discuss responses to the following TDQs.

1. What does Lefty Lewis reveal about the setting?

n Lefty was “very, very uncomfortable standing on the side of the road just outside of Owosso, Michigan, at two-thirty in the morning,” (103). Lefty Lewis’s worries show that it wasn’t safe for Bud to be walking there by himself.

n Lefty told Bud that the people of Owosso used to have a sign that said, ‘To Our Negro Friends Who Are Passing Through, Kindly Don’t Let the Sun Set on Your Rear End in Owosso!’” (105). His sarcasm shows that Bud wasn’t safe and that it was better for him to trust Lefty Lewis than continue walking alone.

2. What do Lefty Lewis’s reactions reveal about his character?

n When Lefty Lewis picks Bud up, gives him his food, and asks about his family, it shows that he’s generous and caring.

n Lefty Lewis shows that he understands how to communicate with kids when he helps Bud feel at ease by joking with him.

n Mrs. Sleet wants Bud to stay with them, but Lefty refuses. He wants Bud to be back with his father. This shows that Lefty Lewis values family and respects Bud’s father.

3. How do Bud’s feelings about Lefty Lewis change?

n At first, Bud thinks he’s a vampire and tries to run away from him. After Bud decides he can trust efty, he lets himself fall asleep because he “knew [he] was going to be safe” (115).

n Initially, Bud tries to hide from Lefty Lewis by talking like a ventriloquist and negotiating a deal for the sandwich and the soda (101). After Bud believes Lefty about the dangers of being in Owosso at night and gets in his car, Bud learns more about Lefty and decides he’s safe with him.

4. How are Bud’s interactions with Lefty and the Sleets different from those with other characters in the novel so far?

n Mrs. Sleet feels motherly toward Bud, noticing “[t]here’s not much of a woman’s touch about him” (118). She gives him clothes and wishes he could stay with them. This is very different from Mrs. Amos, who calls Bud a “beastly little brute” (14) and sent him to spend the night in a locked shed.

n Bud is used to eating in silence because “[a]t the home if you got talking during mealtime you’d have to get up and leave your food” (127), but with Lefty and the Sleets, the whole family is talking and joking through breakfast. Bud learns what it’s like to be part of a family.

TEACHER NOTE

Ensure that students see the contrast between the Amoses and Lefty’s family. Chapter 11 includes Bud’s first insights into what it means to be part of a family and impacts his transformation.

INTERPRET FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE 15 MIN.

Pairs

Explain that Christopher Paul Curtis uses figurative language to convey information about the characters in Bud, Not Buddy. By analyzing this figurative language, readers can better understand Curtis’s characters.

Distribute and display Handout 8A: Figurative Language. Read aloud the directions, and ask for student suggestions to complete the first row.

Figurative language

The man never let go of my arm and wrestled the box [of blood] over into the backseat. If he would’ve let go of my arm for one second I would’ve run like the devil was chasing me (106).

What does this mean?

n Bud would have run as fast as he could, as though his life depended on it.

What does this reveal about the character?

n This shows how terrified Bud was and how focused Lefty Lewis was about not letting go of Bud.

Pairs complete the rest of Handout 8A.

Scaffold

Provide examples of figurative language.

Figurative Language

But this morning I felt like I was at the bottom of a well that someone had filled with tons of thick chocolate pudding. … Waves from the pudding were slogging me back and forth (116).

Good thing his legs don’t touch when he walks ’cause if those two twigs got to rubbing against one another he’d have a fire going in no time (117).

It wasn’t one of those put-up-your-dukes looks, it was just a look like one dog gives another dog that might be passing through his neighborhood (121).

EXPERIMENT WITH CONCLUDING STATEMENTS

20 MIN. Pairs

Display the second Craft Question: How does a concluding statement work in a To-SEEC paragraph?

Ask: “Why is a concluding statement important?”

n It’s the last thing someone reads, so you want to use it to really emphasize your essential message.

n The concluding statement wraps up the whole paragraph and connects back to the topic statement.

Remind students that the purpose of the concluding statement is to reinforce the essential idea of the topic statement.

Display Handout 7A: Experiment with Elaboration in a To-SEEC Paragraph. Students Think–Pair–Share a concluding statement for this paragraph.

n Working together in the Hoovervilles helped everyone get what they needed to survive.

n People’s needs were met when they worked together in the Hoovervilles.

Explain that this connection back to the essential message, that collaborating led to survival and thriving in a challenging situation, is what should be included in the concluding statement, not just a restatement of the topic statement.

Students Think–Pair–Share about transition words that could be used to close off a paragraph, referencing their notes from the previous lesson.

n You could use thus to show how all the evidence and elaboration led back to the essential message.

n Therefore could be a word that signals the To-SEEC paragraph is wrapping up.

Use student suggestions to develop and refine a concluding statement for this paragraph.

Distribute student responses to Focusing Question Task 1.

Students independently revise a concluding statement in their To-SEEC paragraph, adding a transition word and making sure that their statement reinforces the essential message of the paragraph.

Land5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students review their answers in the final row of Handout 7A and complete a Quick Write in response to the Content Framing Question.

n By using figurative language, Christopher Paul Curtis reveals what motivates characters. For Bud, it’s fear. For Lefty Lewis, it’s caring about kids.

n The figurative language used in Bud, Not Buddy helps you understand the level of characters’ feelings. For Bud, the figurative language reveals how frightened he is by Lefty or how relaxed and safe he feels at Mrs. Sleet’s house.

n The figurative language gives a more specific view into a character’s thoughts. Quote number 6 helps you see exactly how Scott feels about Bud. It’s clearer to the reader than if the author just wrote, “Scott is not jealous of Bud”; the figurative language reveals more specifically that Bud wasn’t a threat to Scott’s territory.

Wrap5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read chapter 12, annotating figurative language and noting information and questions they have about labor unions and strikes. Students complete Day 3 of Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students interpret figurative language and consider what it reveals about characters (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, L.6.5.a, W.6.10).

ƒ Determining the meaning of figurative language.

ƒ Identifying what information is revealed about characters through figurative language.

Next Steps

Take stock of students’ abilities to accurately interpret figurative language. Reteach if needed using additional examples from previous chapters of the text. Address any misconceptions about information revealed through figurative language so students will be prepared to use this skill independently on the New-Read Assessment.

Multiple Meanings: Impress, devour

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapter 9

Vocabulary Learning Goal: Correctly use and define multiple-meaning words in context (L.6.4.a).

Launch Display:

One second I was opening the first page of the book, hearing the cracking sound the pages make, smelling all the page powder, and reading what battle the picture on that page was from, and the next second the librarian was standing over me saying, “I’m very impressed, you really devoured that book, didn’t you? But it’s time to close now, you may start up again first thing tomorrow!” (91)

Ask: “What did the librarian mean when she said she was impressed that Bud devoured the book?”

Call on several students to share their ideas.

n She noticed Bud doing something positive.

n She admired Bud for reading so much.

Learn Display:

Word

Meanings

impress (v.) 1. To make something known.

Synonyms/Examples

The minister impressed the children with the importance of honesty. 2. To deeply affect or influence.

His earnest desire to learn impressed his teachers. 3. To use pressure to leave a mark.

Now you’re ready to impress your pattern on your clay pot.

Explain that impress, like the word depression, has several possible definitions, and readers must use context clues to determine which definition is intended.

Lesson 8 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Explain that you’re going to model the process of determining which definition of impress best fits the excerpt.

When I am trying to determine which definition fits a word, I can begin by reading through the definitions and eliminating the definition that definitely does not fit. [Read through each definition.] I know that Bud did not mark the librarian by applying pressure on her, so definition 3 can be eliminated. Definition 1 is a possibility, and so is definition 2. I must decide, did Bud cause the librarian to know or appreciate something, or did he make a positive impact on her through his reading? The librarian is impressed with how much Bud has read, so he made a strong positive impact on her. Definition 2 is the best fit.

Display and read aloud the following sentences. After you read each sentence aloud, students should hold up one, two, or three fingers to indicate which definition best fits the sentence.

ƒ She impressed the royal stamp into wax to seal the letter.

ƒ The teachers impress upon the children the importance of studying.

ƒ I am impressed by the excellent attention to detail in your work.

Display: Word Meanings

devour (v.)

1. To ravenously eat.

Synonyms/Examples

I’m so hungry I could devour that whole turkey.

2. To process something greedily for one’s enjoyment. She devours each new novel this author puts out.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “Which definition of devour fits the excerpt on page 91?”

n Definition 2 best fits this context. The librarian would not be impressed if Bud were eating the book! He is taking the book in with his mind in a greedy way.

Pairs compose one original sentence to fit a chosen definition of impress and one sentence to fit a definition of devour

Pairs join another pair to read aloud their sentences and take turns determining which definition was used in each.

Land

Students write an Exit Ticket on the following question: “How can pressing a mark into an object be like impressing a person? How can devouring a meal be like devouring a book?”

Point out that although the three meanings of impress are different, they are related. The original definition was closest to definition 3, meaning to literally press something into something else. Over time, impress took on a figurative meaning—to make a mark on a person’s mind rather than press to make a physical mark. Likewise, the literal definition of devour (“to eat greedily”) took on a more figurative definition over time, expanding to concepts other than eating.

Students add impress and devour and their definitions to their Vocabulary Journal.

Lesson 9

ƒ Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapter 12 ƒ “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike,” History.com article (http://witeng.link/0692)

Lesson 9: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Analyze Figurative Language

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Build Background Information About Sit-Down Strikes (25 min.)

Execute Small-Group Discussions (30 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.4, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9

Writing ƒ W.6.10

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.1.d, SL.6.2

Learning Goals

Connect details and themes in “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike” to evidence from Bud, Not Buddy (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9, W.6.10, SL.6.1.d).

Complete Handout 9A and a 3–2–1 Exit Ticket.

MATERIALS

ƒ

Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2 ƒ Handout 9A: Evidence Organizer— “GM Sit-Down Strike”

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 6–10

What hardships did people face during the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 9

Know: How does “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike” build my knowledge?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 9

Execute: How do I use and refine my ideas in small-group discussions?

After viewing a short video, students engage in a second small-group discussion to deepen understanding about labor organizing during the Great Depression, an area of hardship that may be included in students’ Focusing Question Task responses. While in discussions, students listen to and record the ideas of others, reflecting on how they impacted their own thinking as a way to prepare students for work on this module’s speaking goal.

Welcome

5 MIN.

ANALYZE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Pairs discuss figurative language examples recorded while reading chapter 12, analyzing what the examples mean and reveal. Call on students to share examples. Answer any questions, as needed.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and the Content Framing Question.

Students Think–Pair–Share questions they have about labor unions and strikes after reading chapter 12. Students share unanswered questions; add them to a displayed T-chart. Explain that students will view a video about a strike and should use the unanswered questions to give purpose to their viewing.

BUILD BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SIT-DOWN STRIKES

25 MIN.

Whole Group

Display: That trouble the policeman was talking about at the factory is called a sit-down strike. Instead of walking in front of the plant with signs the people who are on strike just sit down at their job. That way the bosses can’t bring other people in to steal their jobs (139).

Students Think–Pair–Share about how Lefty Lewis’s description of a sit-down strike is connected to hardship in the Great Depression.

n Unemployment was so high that no one could afford to lose their job by standing up to their employers. Staging a sit-down strike protected people from being replaced and becoming unemployed.

Next, provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal:

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples loathsome (adj.) Extremely foul and repulsive. foul, obnoxious, repellent

Display and reread the final paragraph on page 135. Ask: “Why does Lefty refer to union organizers as “feared and loathsome” (136)?

n Lefty is being sarcastic. He knows the movement isn’t scary or dangerous, but he used that language to make fun of the people who are afraid of unions.

n He was teasing Bud about all the things he survived that weren’t actually dangerous. Lefty is making fun of the police officer who was checking out drivers to make sure they weren’t organizers because a labor union isn’t a scary or dangerous thing that people need protection from.

If needed, explain that Lefty is using hyperbole when calling the union organizers “feared and loathsome.” He wants Bud to understand how much the police and railway owners resent the union organizing, treating it as something foul and repulsive when it’s really workers coming together to improve working conditions.

Explain that the video they will now view elaborates on Lefty’s description of unions. Marissa Tomei performs the role of a female General Motors employee, who participated in a strike in the 1930s. Tell students that General Motors, or GM, was one of the largest American automobile companies and still exists today.

Play the video (http://witeng.link/0692). Students view the video the first time without taking notes. Distribute Handout 9A: Evidence Organizer—“1930s GM Sit-Down Strike.” Explain that while viewing the video for the second time, students take notes in the column labeled My Initial Thoughts. Play the video again.

EXECUTE SMALL-GROUP DISCUSSIONS 30 MIN.

Whole Group

Display the Craft Question: How do I use and refine my ideas in small-group discussions?

Ask: “Why is listening to the ideas of others important?”

n Hearing other people’s ideas helps you learn new things and correct anything you might misunderstand.

n Other people have different perspectives. Listening to their ideas might help you understand something you’ve never thought of before.

Explain that structured academic discussions are an opportunity to share ideas in an effort to learn from others. Hearing other people’s ideas often helps us refine our own thinking, even if we disagree with them.

In their Response Journal, students write a personal discussion goal. This can be the same or different as their previous goal.

Sort students into groups of four. Students arrange their chairs to face one another, select a timekeeper, and set a group goal. The group goal can center on productivity, focus, or any of the classroom discussion rules. Explain that students will discuss the first three questions on Handout 9A for fifteen minutes, adding ideas they hear from others into the New Ideas column.

Circulate and monitor for equitable, productive discussion. Redirect groups that become unfocused, fixated on a tangent, or stuck on the first or second question. Give a warning when five minutes remain.

When the discussion ends, students complete reflection questions on Handout 9A and reflect in their Response Journal about how they met or did not meet their personal participation goal.

Revisit the T-chart from earlier in the lesson, adding ideas from “GM Strike Video” that answer any of the questions.

Land5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students independently complete a 3–2–1 Exit Ticket.

Display:

Three hardships people faced during the GM strike.

Two ideas in the video that are connected to Bud, Not Buddy.

One question about the video or labor organizing.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students review chapters 6–12, annotating information about hardship in the Great Depression to prepare for the next lesson’s Focusing Question Task. Students complete Day 4 of Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2.

Analyze

Students respond to the Check for Understanding (CFU) activity with understandings built from the video, Bud, Not Buddy, and their small-group discussions (RI.6.9, W.6.10). Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ

Accurately explains the challenges faced by those who went on strike against GM.

ƒ Identifies two ideas present in both the video and Bud, Not Buddy.

Next Steps

If students are unable to articulate the challenges faced by those who went on strike or what they have in common with Lefty Lewis’s experience, allow them to view the video again before the next lesson’s Focusing Question Task. Consider pausing halfway through the video for a brief discussion of events and challenges.

Note that there is no Deep Dive in this lesson. Use any additional time to support practice of the vocabulary and/or style and convention skills introduced in the module.

TEACHER NOTE

ƒ Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 1–12

ƒ “Hoovervilles,” History.com article (http://witeng.link/0691)

ƒ Kentucky Flood, Margaret Bourke-White photograph (http://witeng.link/0690)

ƒ “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike,” History.com video (http://witeng.link/0692)

Lesson 10: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Analyze Figurative Language

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (50 min.)

Excel at Fluent Reading (15 min.)

Execute Two To-SEEC Paragraphs (35 min.)

Land (10 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Examine Slang and Idiom (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.4, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9

Writing ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.9

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.2

Language ƒ

L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a, L.6.6 ƒ L.5.3.b

MATERIALS

Learning Goals

Synthesize across texts and express understanding of hardships faced during the Great Depression (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.1, RI.6.9, W.6.2.b, W.6.2.c, W.6.4, W.6.9, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a, L.6.6).

Complete Assessment 10A.

Analyze how the author’s use of slang and idiom helps to develop characters and convey meaning (L.5.3.b).

Complete Handout 10A.

Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2 ƒ Assessment 10A: Focusing Question Task 2 ƒ Handout 10A: Examining Slang and Idiom in Bud, Not Buddy

ƒ

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 6–10

What hardships did people face during the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 10

Know: How do these texts build my knowledge of the hardships peopled faced during the Great Depression?

CRAFT QUESTIONS: Lesson 10

Excel: How do I improve my fluency?

Execute: How do I use two To-SEEC paragraphs to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

Students consider the impact of words on tone and demonstrate fluency mastery in a choral read. In Focusing Question Task 2, students incorporate evidence from multiple sources to support their analysis about hardship during the Great Depression in two To-SEEC paragraphs.

5 MIN.

ANALYZE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Display the fluency passage on Handout 6A: Fluency Practice 2.

Students Think–Pair–Share about the impact of “yellowbellied lowlifes” on the tone of the first sentence.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and the Content Framing Question.

Pairs brainstorm hardships people faced during the Great Depression using module texts, handouts, text annotations, and their Response Journal.

50 MIN.

EXCEL AT FLUENT READING 15 MIN.

Whole Group

Display the first Craft Question: How do I improve my fluency?

Students Think–Pair–Share about the multiple meanings of the word tone

n Tone can mean a note or a sound, but it can also mean the mood of something.

n Sometimes tone has to do with noise and sometimes it has to do with feelings.

Explain that there are multiple meanings for the word tone. Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal:

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

tone (n.)

1. The attitude that is conveyed through someone’s choice of words and inflection.

2. The general mood.

1. accent, inflection

2. atmosphere, attitude, spirit

Explain that both of these definitions contribute to the meaning of tone when it’s used in fluency. Tone can be the way you use the sound of your voice to convey emotion and meaning while reading (definition 1) or the overall mood of what is being read aloud (definition 2). Writers incorporate different tones, or moods, and monitoring the tone of what you’re reading informs how you should alter the tone of your voice as you read.

Explain that part of masterful fluency is knowing how to recognize the tone or tones within a piece of writing and adjusting your reading, or tone of voice, accordingly.

Ask: “How does the tone, or mood, of this passage change?”

n At first, the passage starts with a man screaming at the police. The tone there is anger. Then, by the end of the passage, Bud realizes his new opportunity to find his father and the tone shifts to one of hope.

Students share ideas about the impact of “yellow-bellied lowlifes” on the tone of the first sentence.

n That phrase shows how angry the yelling man was. He was accusing the police of being sneaky while watching them burn down his home and community.

n “Yellow-bellied lowlifes” makes the passage more venomous. He also calls the police cowards. He’s insulting them because he thinks they’re tricking people instead of protecting them.

Ask: “How should you alter the tone of your voice when reading the first sentence?”

n Because the man is angry, his words should be read loudly.

n The insults “yellow-bellied lowlifes” and “cowards” should be emphasized because they’re the words that man most wants to the police to understand.

Ask: “How should your tone shift near the end of the passage?

n Bud has come to a big realization so you should read calmly and maybe a little slower to show he’s discovered something important.

n Bud is understanding that missing the train is a positive thing, so your voice should reflect more positivity as you get closer to the last sentence.

Students annotate how they will vary their tone of voice throughout the passage to reflect the multiple moods.

Conduct a Choral Read of the fluency passage.

Students independently complete Assessment 10A.

Land

10 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students brainstorm what they’ve learned about hardships while reading Bud, Not Buddy and all the other texts in the module so far, sorting at least three ideas into the different sections of their Knowledge Journal. Encourage students to consider beyond just the hardships of the Great Depression and also consider what they’ve learned about coping with challenges.

Sample student response in Knowledge Journal:

World of Knowledge

n Even if they were poor or homeless, people still found ways to come together and help one another during the Great Depression.

World of Ideas

n Joining together with others is one way to overcome challenges and improve your life.

Students share and discuss their ideas with a peer.

World of Skills

n Photographers capture images that tell stories and reveal injustices. Analyzing them helps you understand the challenges people faced.

Wrap5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read chapter 13 for homework and create a sticky note for each member of the band. On the sticky note, students record each character’s name, the instrument he plays, and information about him.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students craft two To-SEEC paragraphs, incorporating evidence from two sources to support analysis about hardships faced in the Great Depression for Focusing Question Task 2 (RL.6.1, RL.6.9, RI.6.9, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.9.a). Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ

Citing specific text evidence from two different texts to support analysis of two separate hardships faced by people in the Great Depression.

ƒ

Creating two body paragraphs with topic statements, textual evidence, elaboration, transition words, a concluding statement, and internal citations.

Next Steps

If misconceptions exist about hardships in the Great Depression, review notes and handouts from Lessons 6, 7, and 9, guiding students to more accurate understandings. If students are struggling with aspects of the To-SEEC paragraph or incorporating ideas from two different texts into analysis, group students with similar needs and plan small-group support for these skills to set students up for success with their next Focusing Question Task.

Lesson 10 Deep Dive: Style and

Conventions

Examine Slang and Idiom

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

ƒ

Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 12 and 13

ƒ Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Analyze how the author’s use of slang and idiom helps develop characters and convey meaning (L.5.3.b).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 10 Examine: Why is an author’s use of slang and idiomatic English important?

Launch Display: Even though I knew it was useless I tried tugging at the bars but they were the real McCoy, solid steel (Curtis 37).

Ask: “What does Bud mean by the phrase the real McCoy?”

Allow students to share ideas, and explain that the real McCoy is an idiom meaning “the real thing.” In other words, he meant that the bars were genuine steel.

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Explain that in Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis included a number of expressions, including slang and idioms that were popular during the 1930s.

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning

idiom (n.) A form of expression that is not literal. slang (n.) Informal spoken language made up of new words or new meanings for old words.

Explain that idioms in English are phrases that cannot be translated exactly to other languages. An example is let the cat out of the bag for “reveal a secret.” Curtis uses many idioms throughout Bud, Not Buddy that were especially popular in the United States in the 1930s. Each generation produces new slang that becomes popular in spoken language. Slang terms from the past can sound old-fashioned to our ears today, but at the time they were used, they sounded fresh and new. An example in Bud, Not Buddy is doggone, meaning “darn.”

Learn

Ask: “What might be the purpose of including slang in dialogue in a story or novel?” Guide students to the idea that use of slang when writing dialogue can make the character sound more believable and realistic. Stress that slang should not be used in more formal writing, such as essays.

Tell students they will examine some slang terms in Bud, Not Buddy and determine their meanings and modern counterparts as well as the impact of our understanding of Bud and other characters in the novel.

Distribute and review the directions on Handout 10A.

Talk though the first row in the table, which models the task with on the lam.

On page 133, Bud says, “By the way he was acting I was starting to think that Lefty Lewis was on the lam too.” From the context, I know Bud must also be “on the lam” because he uses the phrase too. I think it means “running from something.” I can also see if the dictionary has information on the term, or I can ask others what they think it means. A dictionary entry says it means “escape or flee, especially from the police.” I will write that under the Meaning section of the chart. A more common term used today is “on the run.” I will write on the run in the final column.

Pairs complete Handout 10A. Circulate as students work to check for understanding.

Land

If time permits, have several students share their responses.

Ask: “Why do you think Curtis used language such as slang and old-fashioned idioms in the novel?”

n Authors write in their characters’ voices, not their own voices.

n Slang and idioms can make the characters sound more real and believable.

n Slang and idioms help give the reader a better sense of the 1930s.

Ask students to look for more slang and idioms in upcoming chapters of the book.

Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 1–13 ƒ “Mother to Son,” Langston Hughes (http://witeng.link/0693)

Lesson 11: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Compare Character Annotations

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Explore Vocabulary (5 min.)

Explore Character Interactions (15 min.)

Execute Text Analysis (35 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions

Deep Dive: Experiment with Nonstandard English (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, RL.6.9

Writing

ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.9.a, W.6.10

Language

Learning Goals

Analyze Bud’s interactions with other characters (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10).

Compose a Quick Write.

ƒ

L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a, L.6.5.a ƒ L.5.3.b

MATERIALS

Compare and contrast the message conveyed by two texts (RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.9; W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.5.a).

Complete Assessment 11A

ƒ

Assessment 11A: New-Read Assessment 1: “Mother to Son” ƒ

Handout 11A: Evidence Organizer —Analyzing Bud’s Actions

Analyze how the author’s use of dialect helps develop characters and convey meaning (L.5.3.b).

Complete a Quick Write.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 11–16

How is Bud transformed by his journey?

FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 11

Distill: What is the speaker’s message in “Mother to Son”?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 11

Execute: How do I use a To SEEC paragraph to respond to the New-Read Assessment Task?

Through the analysis of figurative language and the speaker’s perspective, students build understanding about the poem “Mother to Son” in the module’s first New-Read Assessment. Drawing on learning in previous lessons, students incorporate evidence from two different sources while supporting their comparison and contrast of the perspectives of Bud’s Mama and the speaker in “Mother to Son.”

Welcome

5 MIN.

COMPARE CHARACTER ANNOTATIONS

Pairs share and discuss character sticky notes created for homework, revising as needed.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Content Framing Question and Focusing Question.

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “How would you restate the new Focusing Question in your own words?”

n How do Bud’s experiences impact him?

n After leaving Flint, how does Bud change?

Pairs brainstorm ways Bud has already been changed while searching for his father.

n Bud used to let bullies like Todd Amos bother him and he’d fight back. Now, when Thug teases Bud, he just ignores him.

n Before meeting Lefty Lewis, Bud didn’t trust other adults. Once he realized Lefty wanted him to be safe, Bud could trust him.

n When Bud first agrees to travel with Bugs, he thinks going to California will be a great adventure. When he misses the train, Bud starts to realize that his family is here in Michigan and he wants to find his father. That becomes Bud’s priority.

Explain that “Mother to Son,” the text referenced in the Content Framing Question, is a poem students will read independently and contrast with what they’ve read in Bud, Not Buddy

Learn55 MIN.

EXPLORE VOCABULARY

Whole Group

Display:

5 MIN.

“She’s dead, sir, she died four years ago.”

Herman E. Calloway said, “I am truly sorry to hear that, but it’s obvious that you are a disturbed young man and you don’t have a clue who your father is” (150).

Ask: “Do you have any prior knowledge about the word disturbed or disturbing that helps you determine its meaning in this context?”

n I know that if something is disturbing, it’s upsetting. Maybe Herman thinks Bud is upset and worked up about finding his dad so he’s accusing anyone.

n Things that disturb you are interruptions or distractions. Herman is annoyed by Bud’s arrival.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal:

Word Meaning

disturbed (adj.) The condition of feeling or thinking in an unbalanced, irrational way.

Synonyms/Examples

demented, neurotic, troubled

Ask: “Taking into account the meaning of disturbed, what does Herman Calloway think about Bud?”

n Herman Calloway thinks Bud is mentally unstable and doesn’t have any idea whom he’s actually looking for.

n He thinks Bud is crazy and is accusing everyone of being his father.

ANALYZE CHARACTER INTERACTIONS

Pairs

Students discuss responses to the following TDQs.

1. What does Bud learn about the band members?

n Bud learns that Herman Calloway doesn’t believe he has a son and that he has no interest in getting to know Bud.

n After meeting the band, Bud realizes it won’t be easy to convince everyone that Herman is his father.

n Every member of the band plays a different instrument, and everyone except Herman Calloway has a nickname.

n The band members tease one another a lot and like to make fun of Herman behind his back.

2. What is the meaning of “But don’t forget, this is your little red wagon, you pull it if you want” (152)?

n Herman is saying that if Jimmy doesn’t want to send Bud back to where he came from, then Jimmy has to take responsibility for him.

n Bud is compared to a little red wagon and Jimmy will have to take care of him, or pull the wagon, without Herman’s help.

3. How is the comparison of Bud to a wagon connected to Herman’s opinion that Bud is disturbed?

n Herman thinks Bud is unstable and wants nothing to do with him. He’s telling Jimmy that Bud will be his problem to deal with.

n Herman thinks Jimmy is going to have to give crazy Bud a lot of help. Herman doesn’t think Bud is worth the effort.

Pairs review and sort their character sticky notes, ordering them from the strongest connection made with Bud to the least in their Response Notebooks.

Students complete a Quick Write in response to this question: How are Bud’s interactions with the adults in chapter 13 different from those in the beginning of the book?

EXECUTE TEXT ANALYSIS

Individuals

35 MIN.

Display and distribute Assessment 11A: New-Read Assessment 1: “Mother to Son.” Review task directions and clarify as needed. Explain that students should number the lines of the poem and use the line numbers when citing evidence from the poem in their To SEEC paragraphs.

Encourage students to annotate the poem as they analyze.

Students complete Assessment 11A.

Land

5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Facilitate a Whip Around in which each student sums up the message of the speaker in “Mother to Son” with one word. Students should not repeat words.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Distribute Handout 11A: Evidence Organizer—Analyzing Bud’s Actions. Students complete the first half of the handout while reading chapter 14. Students should also add details to Jimmy and Herman Calloway’s character sticky notes and create one for Miss Thomas.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students demonstrate understanding about “Mother to Son” and contrast it with Bud’s mother’s perspective in Assessment 11A (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10). Check for the following success criteria: ƒ Choosing correct answers for selected response items. ƒ

Accurately identifying the speaker’s perspective about life. ƒ

Presenting a text-based explanation justifying the similarity or difference between the poem’s speaker’s perspective and that of Bud’s mother. ƒ

Using internal citation to support reasoning with text evidence.

Next Steps

Use this assessment to measure students’ ability to independently analyze and compare texts. If students struggled with selected response items, revisit the text and address student misconceptions about figurative language or the speaker’s perspective. If students struggled with internal citation or the functions of elements in the To SEEC paragraph, group students with similar needs and plan small-group support for these skills to set students up for success with their next Focusing Question Task.

Lesson 11 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Experiment with Nonstandard English

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

ƒ

Text: “Mother to Son,” Langston Hughes

ƒ Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Analyze how the author’s use of dialect helps to develop characters and convey meaning (L.5.3.b).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 11

Examine: Why is an author’s use of dialect important?

Launch

Ask: “How can you tell if a text is written in a particular dialect rather than standard English?”

n The text includes slang.

n The text includes unusual spellings that show how words would be pronounced rather than how they appear in written English.

n The grammar reflects how people may talk rather than how sentences are usually written.

n Nonstandard words such as ain’t appear.

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Learn

Remind students that groups of people in different regions or language communities have their own dialects of English. The term dialect refers not only to vocabulary used in oral language but also grammar and pronunciation. Unlike slang, which is usually fairly short-lived, many generations may speak the same dialect.

Read aloud “Mother to Son.”

Students reread “Mother to Son” and mark examples of dialect. Ask students to share the examples they found.

n “ain’t been no”

n “I’se”

n “climbin’,” “turnin’,” etc.

n “cause you finds”

n “it’s kinder hard”

Ask: “How does the use of dialect add meaning to the poem?”

n Dialect helps the reader hear how the mother sounds when she speaks.

n Dialect helps make her character come to life.

n Dialect helps the reader understand what kind of person she is.

n The mother seems more real, interesting, and likable through dialect.

Ask: “Is the staircase in the poem literal or figurative? How do you know?”

n It is figurative.

n She says “life for me ain’t been no crystal stair,” comparing her life to a staircase.

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “How do the dialect and images in the poem shed light on the relationship between mother and son?”

n The reader can experience how the son experiences his mother—what she sounds like to him when she speaks. The dialect helps create a loving portrayal of her.

n The dialect shows that the mother speaks to her son in a close, informal way. She does not put on any pretenses of a more formal way of speaking. She is comfortable with who she is around him.

n Figurative language such as “goin’ in the dark” and “turnin’ corners” symbolizes the dark times and difficult changes she has experienced throughout her life. She expects her son’s life to also contain hardships.

n Because she repeatedly tells him to follow her example and keep climbing, she is likely worried that he will become discouraged and stop trying when times are “kinder hard.” This may be a point of conflict between them.

With a partner, students reread the exchange between Bud and his mother on pages 42 and 43. Students draft a written response to the question: “What are some similarities and differences between the ways Bud’s mother and the mother in “Mother to Son” are portrayed through their manner of speech?”

Land

Ask students to share responses.

n Both mothers are portrayed warmly through their speech. They want to share their experiences and pass down their wisdom to their sons.

n Bud’s mother uses the figurative language of a door closing or opening when discussing the opportunities of life, and the mother in the poem uses the metaphor of a staircase. Both images are related to home or domestic life.

n Bud’s mother’s dialect is less pronounced than that of the mother in the poem. Though she is also informal with Bud and her speech sounds natural. Curtis did not choose to highlight the way she pronounced words through nonstandard spellings. This keeps the focus on the content of her speech rather than the sound of it.

n In the poem, the use of dialect highlights the mother’s particular manner of speaking so that her voice becomes as significant in the poem as the content of her speech.

Point out that authors must make a difficult choice when using dialect in their writing.

If characters’ speech sounds too much like written standard English, the characters seem unrealistic or bland. If too much is used, the writing can become difficult to read, and the content of the characters’ dialogue can be lost in the presentation.

Lesson 12: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Reflect on Character Development Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Analyze Word Choice (5 min.)

Engage in Small-Group Discussions (30 min.)

Examine Strategic Disagreement (20 min.)

Land (10 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Excel with Transitional Words and Phrases (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ W.6.10 ƒ W.6.2.c

Speaking

ƒ

and Listening

SL.6.1.a, SL.6.1.b, SL.6.1.d

Language ƒ

L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a

MATERIALS

Learning Goals

Describe how Bud changes over the course of the story (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10).

Complete a Quick Write.

Assess and revise writing for effective and appropriate use of transitions (W.6.2.c, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a).

Revise New-Read Assessment for effective use of transitions.

ƒ

Handout 11A: Evidence Organizer— Analyzing Bud’s Actions ƒ

Handout 12A: Four Types of Disagreements

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 11–16

How is Bud transformed by his journey?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 12

Reveal: What do Bud’s actions in this section reveal about his character?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 12

Examine and Experiment: How does disagreeing strategically work in an academic discussion?

In a small-group discussion, students evaluate Bud’s transformation, preparing their thinking for the next Focusing Question Task. Group students in combinations that will yield multiple perspectives, and encourage disagreement in the discussion as it sets the purpose for examination of this module’s speaking goal: disagree strategically.

Welcome

5 MIN.

REFLECT ON CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Display: “I don’t know why, but my eyes don’t cry no more” (159).

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “How and why has Bud changed in chapter 14?”

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “In earlier lessons, we analyzed what Bud’s reactions revealed. How will this Content Framing Question lead to a different discussion?”

n This Content Framing Question asks about Bud’s actions. Now we’re studying what he is doing and what motivates him to act instead of analyzing how he responds to others.

n Bud is free of the Amoses and the home. He’s making things happen for himself; he’s taken the fulfillment of his dream into his own hands. In this part of the book, it’s the choices he makes to reach his dream that reveal information about him.

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “How can action lead to transformation?”

Learn55 MIN.

ANALYZE WORD CHOICE

Whole Group

Display:

5 MIN.

“I don’t know why, but my eyes don’t cry no more” (159).

Ask: “How do the words “no more” impact the meaning of this phrase?”

n Bud doesn’t say his eyes never cried, he says they don’t cry “no more” (159). This means he used to cry but something now stops him. He’s changed because of his mom’s death.

n Bud thinks he’s grown up. He doesn’t cry anymore like a little kid; he thinks that growing up means you don’t cry about things that have happened.

Ask: “How do events later in the text support or contradict this statement?”

n At first, this statement is true. Bud tells the band all about his mother and the Amoses without crying. But then when he realizes that “this [is] where [he’s] supposed to be” (172), he ends up crying. He cries unexpectedly and for different reasons than the last time he cried.

n Bud finally feels like he belongs somewhere and that “of all the places in the world that [he’d] ever been in this was the one” (172). It’s not sadness that makes his eyes cry and the statement untrue, it’s unexpected joy.

ENGAGE IN SMALL-GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Small Groups

5 MIN.

30 MIN.

Review the Discussion Rules Anchor Chart. Group students into groups of three. Each group selfassigns a timekeeper, and remaining students take turns serving as the recorder. Each group sets a group goal and a personal goal, recording them in their Response Journal.

Drawing on preparation done on Handout 11A: Evidence Organizer—Analyzing Bud’s Actions, student groups engage in a fifteen-minute discussion responding to the following question: “Do Bud’s

actions in chapters 14–15 show he’s maturing?” If time allows, students discuss any questions they have about the text.

During the discussion, students record their ideas and the ideas of others on the second half of Handout 11A. Give a five-minute warning before the end of the discussion.

When time is up, students write a brief reflection in their Response Journal about whether they achieved their group and participation goals, and why or why not.

EXAMINE STRATEGIC DISAGREEMENT

Whole Group

20 MIN.

Display the Craft Question: How does disagreeing strategically work in an academic discussion?

Students brainstorm situations in which they use a strategy and develop their own definition in their Vocabulary Journal.

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal. Students verify their definition for strategy, revising if needed.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples strategy (n.) Coordinated, planned actions that are meant to achieve an end goal. plan, scheme strategically (adv.) Related to strategy.

Explain that strategically is the adverbial form of the word strategy; it describes actions that are done with or within a strategy.

Explain that academic speakers use specific strategies in structured conversations to help the group achieve the deepest understanding of a topic, and that today, students will examine a new speaking goal that will help them get the most from these conversations.

Students read the Craft Question and note any new or confusing words. Provide short definitions for unknown words as needed.

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “What do you think the goal Disagree Strategically might mean when we are having an academic conversation?”

n Disagreeing strategically might mean that you don’t just tell someone they are wrong but explain why another way of thinking might be better.

n I know that using a strategy means planning ahead. I wonder if there is a plan for how to disagree.

n Sometimes when we disagree with one another, it just becomes a yelling match. Maybe this goal will help us disagree in ways that make the conversation better.

Invite one or two students to share with the whole group.

When I think about the goal Disagree Strategically, I wonder about how knowing different ways to disagree might help make our academic conversations better. I also have some questions, such as: “How do I disagree strategically?” and, “What are the different ways someone could disagree?” These questions tell me I need more information about this, so I need to find a resource with information to help me understand.

Distribute Handout 12A: Four Types of Disagreements. Students annotate the page for questions and confusion.

Students share their annotations with a partner and help each other clarify their thinking. Call on student pairs to share lingering questions. Respond to student questions, addressing any misconceptions.

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “How might naming the kind of disagreement you have help the group learn more?”

n If we disagree about facts, we can go back to the text to check which fact is correct.

n If we disagree about definitions, we can ask each other clarifying questions to figure out what we mean.

n If we disagree with logic, we can try to figure out what makes sense.

There was evidence of delicious cooking everywhere.” While both people saw the same space, they had very different interpretations of what they saw. With this type of disagreement, it is best to use neutral language to help others see the situation and draw their own conclusions. Both people would agree with the neutral statement, “There were drips of soup on the counter by the stove.”

Disagreement of Definition

This kind of disagreement happens when two people use the same word or words, but have different meanings in mind. In the same kitchen, one person said, “The large appliance was white.” The other person said, “The large appliance was silver.” Who was right? They both were! The first person was referring to the refrigerator, while the second person was referring to the stove. With this type of disagreement, it is best to clarify the common term. In this case, they were using the word appliance to mean two different objects.

Disagreement of Fact

This type of disagreement happens when two people disagree on a fact. Going back to the kitchen scene, one person said, “There were two pies cooling on the counter.” The other person said, “There were three pies cooling on the counter.” With this type of disagreement, it is best to go back to the evidence. They both pull out their phones to show the pictures they took in the kitchen. The first person’s picture shows a part of the counter with two pies cooling on it. The second person’s picture shows the entire counter, and you can see a third pie in the back. Examining both pieces of evidence, both now agree that there were three pies on the counter.

Disagreement of Logic

This type of disagreement happens when people disagree with the logic or reasoning of an argument. In our kitchen example, let’s say that both people who visited the kitchen agreed that all the pots in the kitchen had black handles. Picture evidence shows this to be a fact. The first person says, “There was a pot on the stove in the kitchen.” The group uses logic to conclude that the pot on the stove had a black handle. The second person says, “There was a spatula in the kitchen that had a black handle. Therefore, it must be a pot, too.” The group disagrees with the second person’s logic because while it is true that all pots have black handles, it is not necessarily true in reverse. If something has a black handle, it isn’t necessarily a pot. With this type of disagreement, it is best to examine the thinking together to come to an agreement.

n If we disagree with attitude, we can help each other see our own way of looking at the situation.

n The group can learn more because knowing how we disagree will help us figure out how to resolve the disagreement.

Choose a few students to share with the whole group.

Emphasize the importance of disagreeing strategically in academic conversations.

Explain that whenever we have an academic conversation in this module, we will practice the goal: Disagree Strategically.

In their Response Journal, students reflect on how their small-group discussion would have been different if they had disagreed strategically.

10 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students independently respond to the Content Framing Question in a Quick Write using two examples of Bud’s actions and analysis of how these actions demonstrate change in his character.

n Bud cries for the first time in this chapter. It isn’t because he’s sad, it’s because he’s realized he’s “where [he] was supposed to be” (172). Bud finally feels like he belongs somewhere. Bud also decides to be honest with Miss Thomas about his hornet stings. In the past, Bud has been dishonest when meeting adults but he decides to trust Miss Thomas enough to tell her the truth.

Wrap5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read chapters 15 and 16 for homework, annotating how Bud’s journey has changed with a J and evidence of his transformation with a T

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students demonstrate understanding of events that reflect Bud’s transformation, ideas that are directly connected to the Focusing Question (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10). Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ

ƒ

Citing two of Bud’s actions that show change in his character.

Accurately interpreting and explaining how actions reflect change since the beginning of the novel.

Next Steps

Use this assessment to verify that students recognize and analyze change in Bud’s character. If students are identifying inaccurate events or aren’t able to cite examples of actions that reflect change, analyze the work these students did on Handout 11C. Misconceptions may have started or continued in the small-group discussion. Address misconceptions as needed or facilitate a Fishbowl discussion with students who can model accurate understanding for peers.

Lesson 12 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Excel with Transition Words and Phrases

ƒ Time: 15 min.

ƒ

Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 14 and 15; student New-Read Assessments

ƒ Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Assess and revise writing for effective and appropriate use of transitions (W.6.2.c, L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 12

Excel: How do I improve my use of transitions?

Launch

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Display:

The son in “Mother to Son” is similar to Bud. For example, he was not born into an easy life. In addition, he has a caring mother. However, he is not the same as Bud in other ways. For example, the son wants to quit or “turn back.” In contrast, Bud never wants to sit down or quit like the son in the poem does. Furthermore, Bud no longer has a family to watch out for him. In conclusion, there are similarities and differences.

Students review the paragraph and assess the effectiveness of the use of transition words and phrases.

Learn

Ask: “How can the use of transitions be improved in this paragraph?”

n There does not need to be a transition in front of every sentence.

n If the connection between the ideas in a sentence and the one before it is clear, a transition is unnecessary.

n The writer uses “for example” twice; one of these could be deleted or changed to a different transition.

Write the following questions on the board and ask students to copy them into their Response Journal:

Questions to ask to assess use of transitions in writing:

ƒ

Does this transition help the reader understand the connection between two sentences?

ƒ

ƒ

Does this transition help guide the reader through the piece of writing?

If I read the sentences aloud with and without the transition, does it sound better with the transition?

ƒ

Is the same transition repeated too often?

As a class, go through the four questions to collectively revise the sample paragraph. Write directly on the paragraph as students make suggestions. When different ideas are offered, test them by reading the sentences aloud until the class agrees on the best choices.

Students follow the four questions to assess and revise their New-Read Assessments from the previous lesson.

Pairs share revisions and provide feedback to further improve their use of transitions.

Land

Ask students to share examples of revisions they made, either by removing, changing, or adding transitions.

Tell students they will be expected to include appropriate transitions in their writing throughout this module and future modules.

Lesson 13: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Paraphrase Text

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Analyze Word Choice (10 min.)

Compare and Contrast Events (20 min.)

Examine and Experiment with Introductions (25 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ W.6.2.a, W.6.10

MATERIALS

Learning Goals

Analyze how Bud’s actions reveal change in the way he copes with challenging situations (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10)

Complete Handout 13A. Introduce a topic using organized ideas (W.6.2.a)

ƒ

Handout 13A: Evidence Organizer— Compare and Contrast Events ƒ Handout 13B: Exemplar Explanatory Essay

Create an introductory paragraph.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 11 16

How is Bud transformed by his journey?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 13

Reveal: What do Bud’s actions in this section reveal about how his character is changing?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 13

Examine and Experiment: How do introductions work in a To SEEC explanatory essay?

By comparing and contrasting events from chapters 2 and 3 and chapter 15, students continue to build understandings about Bud’s transformation as the plot moves toward resolution. Along with this analysis, the examination and experimentation with introductions prepares students to write a mini-essay in the next Focusing Question Task.

Welcome

PARAPHRASE TEXT

5 MIN.

Display: “Miss Thomas said, ‘I don’t doubt that at all, Bud. I’m not worried about your body being strong, I’m more concerned about your spirit. Lord knows Mr. Calloway is going to give it a test’ (190) ”

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “What is Miss Thomas saying? How might you restate this quotation in your own words?”

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “How did Bud’s journey change in chapters 15 and 16?”

n Bud was invited to live at Grand Calloway Station; he can stop moving around and searching for his father.

n Bud doesn’t need to worry about being homeless anymore; he has a home and a family.

Ask: “How did the events of chapters 15 and 16 impact Bud?”

n Bud feels like he belongs somewhere and is a member of a family.

n Bud has his own nickname and feels like he’s been accepted by everyone in the band, except Herman Calloway.

55 MIN.

ANALYZE WORD CHOICE

10 MIN.

Whole Group Display: “Miss Thomas said, “I don’t doubt that at all, Bud. I’m not worried about your body being strong, I’m more concerned about your spirit. Lord knows Mr. Calloway is going to give it a test” (190).

Ask: “What does Miss Thomas mean when she says Mr. Calloway will give Bud’s spirit ‘a test’?”

n She means that Mr. Calloway will be mean to Bud and try to get him to leave by being hurtful.

n Miss Thomas wants Bud to know that Mr. Calloway will be hard on him and that she’s worried he may not be able to handle his cruel treatment.

Clarify that Miss Thomas isn’t talking about a quiz or something Mr. Calloway is doing on purpose. It’s his behavior toward Bud that might challenge Bud’s self-esteem.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal:

Word Meaning

Synonyms/Examples

test (n.) The rigorous process of assessing something. analysis, trial

Ask: “Which part of this definition reflects the kind of test being given to Bud?”

n Mr. Calloway’s behavior tests how good Bud’s spirit is. If Bud has as strong a spirit as Miss Thomas hopes he does, he’ll be able to handle Mr. Calloway’s harsh treatment.

n His treatment tests what Bud’s spirit is made of. Bud’s reactions to Mr. Calloway reveal who he really is and whether he’s strong enough to be part of the band.

Ask: “How has Mr. Calloway already ‘test[ed] Bud’s spirits’?”

n Herman threatened Bud, saying he’s going to “find out what [his] game is” (179—180) and send him home.

n Mr. Calloway implies that Bud is going to try to steal things and tells him to “watch [his] step” (180).

Ask: “What do Bud’s reactions to these “test[s]” reveal about Bud’s character?”

n Bud is resilient and isn’t hurt by Herman’s threats. He sees himself as “a liar, not a thief” (181) and doesn’t take Mr. Calloway’s threats seriously.

n Bud is brave and curious. He believes that “someone telling [him] not to do something will sure make [him] want to do it” (182), and he looks in the drawer he’s told not to.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST EVENTS 20 MIN.

Pairs

Explain that students will contrast the night Bud spent in the shed at the Amoses with the night Bud spent in the little girl’s bedroom to analyze how Bud has changed in his journey so far.

Distribute Handout 13A: Evidence Organizer— Compare and Contrast Events. Read aloud the directions and answer any student questions.

Students complete the Venn diagram but do not yet answer the final question.

EXAMINE AND EXPERIMENT WITH INTRODUCTIONS 25

Pairs

MIN.

Display the Craft Questions: How do introductions work in a To SEEC explanatory essay?

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “Why is an introduction important?”

n The introduction sets you up with the background information you need to understand what the rest of the essay will be about.

n The introduction includes the thesis, which is the focus of the entire essay.

n The introduction gets your attention and sets you up to understand what you’re about to read.

Distribute Handout 13B.

Ask: “What parts make up an introduction?”

n Each introduction has a hook, a place where you introduce ideas, and then your thesis statement.

Emphasize the acronym HIT, comprising the hook, introducing section, and thesis.

Ask: “What three parts make up a thesis statement?”

n A thesis states the essential idea about the topic and then there are two supporting points.

experiences during the Great Depression, a period lasting from 1929 until World War II. Many Americans during the Great Depression experienced some type of hardship, whether that meant a lost job, a lost farm or home, or an inability to feed or take care of their families. Because of these hardships, Americans had to adapt to loss and difficulty by finding a way to make something positive come from something negative. The communities built in Hoovervilles and the unions formed in factories show how the people of the Great Depression opened doors for themselves.

Unemployment and homelessness, two “closing” doors of the Great Depression, created shantytowns called Hoovervilles, which became home to many people. During this period, some “13 [million] to 15 million Americans were unemployed,” (“Hoovervilles”) and unemployment often caused homelessness. Because people could no longer pay their rent or mortgage, people were turned out of their homes with nowhere to go. Often, young teenagers would leave their homes and become homeless, hoping to ease the burden they placed on their families. For some, Hoovervilles became their new home. Hoovervilles were “shantytowns that cropped up across the nation, primarily on the outskirts of major cities” (“Hoovervilles”). However, despite the conditions at the camps (for example, many people slept in shelters made of cardboard boxes), Hoovervilles opened doors for people. Hoovervilles offered a sense of community; a migrant could find food and shelter, and most importantly, a sympathetic ear: “The one place where the young hobo was assured a welcome was the ‘jungle,’ as the hobo camps were called” (Uys). People helping people defined these “hobo camps” or Hoovervilles. In a time when everything was scarce, Hoovervilles offered people a place where generosity and compassion were practiced. Even though the door of a home had closed for some people, the door of community help had opened.

Poor labor conditions closed another door for people during the Great Depression, resulting in a door opening with the formation of unions. Manufacturer workers had “no rights” and could be fired for any reason (“GM Strike Video”).

For example, people did not have job security if they got hurt at work; if they could not perform their job, a worker would simply be let go without pay. If a worker lost his job, often he would face additional hardships, like losing his home. Protected employment was a necessity for people so that they could depend on their wages to pay their bills and feed their families. As a result of this closed door, workers banded together to form unions, an action that resulted in opening doors for countless people. The union’s purpose was for workers to help other workers. They helped each other by organizing “sit-downs” and bravely standing up to injustice, eventually securing workplace rights as a result of their protests and strikes. Because of their actions, “the auto worker became a different human being” (“GM Strike Video”). The people who formed unions and organized protests successfully opened doors for all future workers to have legal rights that could not be taken away by an employer.

Few periods in American history have been as catastrophic as the Great Depression was for so many millions. It closed doors for many, sometimes doors that would stay slammed shut. Yet for some, even with those closed doors of homelessness and unemployment, doors were opened. Sometimes, people found community and joined unions.

For these people, the Great Depression was a positive and negative experience, where hardship was countered by the strength of the human spirit.

Display Handout 13B. Read aloud the introductory paragraph. Students label each part of the introduction on Handout 13B: hook, introduce, thesis, supporting point 1, and supporting point 2. When students finish, annotate elements of the displayed introduction; students verify their labeling against the displayed copy.

Students Think Pair Share about the functions of each part of an introduction.

n A hook grabs your attention and makes you want to read more.

n The introduction gives you some background information about the topic.

n The thesis tells you what the essential idea is, and the preview tells you about the two supporting points, the ideas that will become topic statements in their own paragraphs.

Address questions or misconceptions about any of these elements of an introduction. Remind students of the acronym HIT as a way to remember each of the parts.

Ask: “Using the work you did earlier in this lesson, what is a thesis statement we could make about how Bud has changed since being locked in the shed at the Amoses? Remember, your thesis needs to be broad enough that you can have two supporting points that will each become their own paragraph.”

n Bud has become braver since leaving the Amoses. He is more confident and doesn’t overreact.

n Bud is less threatened by what he can’t see than he was at the Amoses. He is able to solve problems without violence and doesn’t react impulsively.

Pairs develop an introductory paragraph for an essay about how Bud has changed since his journey began, using their own thesis or one shared in class.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students complete Handout 13A.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students reread chapter 16 and read chapter 17 for homework, annotating moments when doors open for Bud with D O. and circling figurative language.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students craft introductions, preparing them for the mini-essays written in the Focusing Question Task (W.6.2.a). Check for the following success criteria: ƒ

Crafting an attention-grabbing, relevant hook. ƒ

Providing corresponding background knowledge about Bud’s situation. ƒ

Creating a thesis statement and two related supporting points.

Next Steps

Use this assessment to measure students’ ability to write an effective introduction. Reteach the functions of different elements within the introduction, if needed, emphasizing the HIT acronym as a way to remember the necessary elements. If students are struggling with crafting a thesis statement and related supporting evidence, provide additional exemplars and ask students to evaluate what makes them effective.

TEACHER NOTE

Note that there is no Deep Dive in this lesson. Use any additional time to support practice of the vocabulary and/or style and convention skills introduced in the module.

ƒ Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 16 and 17 ƒ “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” Duke Ellington and Irving Mills (http://witeng.link/0694)

Lesson 14: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Compare Music to Text

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Analyze Word Choice (10 min.)

Participate in a Socratic Seminar (45 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Literal and Figurative Language (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4

Writing ƒ W.6.10

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.1, SL.6.6, SL.6.2 Language ƒ L.6.5.a

MATERIALS

ƒ

Handout 14A: Jazz and Strategic Disagreement

Learning Goals

Describe how people and events have impacted Bud so far in the text (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10, SL.6.1.a, SL.6.1.b, L.6.6)

Complete Handout 14A and participate in Socratic Seminar.

Organize events in chapters 16 and 17 (RL.6.1, W.6.10)

Complete a Quick Write.

Identify and interpret examples of figurative language (RL.6.4, L.6.5.a)

Identify and interpret figurative language in Bud, Not Buddy

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 11 16

How is Bud transformed by his journey?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 14

Organize: What’s happening to Bud in chapters 16 and 17?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 14

Execute: How do I disagree strategically in a structured academic discussion?

Experimentation with strategic disagreement occurs in a Pilot/Copilot Socratic Seminar focused on the analysis of Bud’s new opportunities, his perseverance, and figurative language. This analysis and discussion format serve as a scaffold for the next lesson’s Socratic Seminar, in which students discuss the Focusing Task Question.

COMPARE MUSIC TO TEXT

Distribute Handout 14A: Jazz and Strategic Disagreement.

Play “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing.” Students add a tally mark in the corresponding column when they hear an instrument that matches the description from the text.

Students complete items 1 and 2 on Handout 14A.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Students Think Pair Share about how the events in chapters 16 and 17 are different from others in the novel so far. Students write the Content Framing Question and ideas in their Response Journal.

n Bud has finally found a home in chapter 16. For the first time in the book, he’s not running away or hunting for someone.

n Chapter 17 is all about music and Bud being carried away by the sound. Most of the chapters are about Bud being determined to do something or go somewhere, but in this chapter, he’s finally satisfied.

n For the first time, Bud isn’t chasing down his father. He knows who he is, Herman’s basically ignoring him, but Bud isn’t trying to be noticed. He’s just enjoying himself.

Learn

55 MIN.

ANALYZE

Pairs

WORD CHOICE 10 MIN.

Display the second paragraph on page 202.

Students discuss responses to the following TDQs.

1. Who’s performance does Bud appreciate most? Why?

n Bud likes Miss Thomas’s voice best. He thinks “she [is] so good she [doesn’t] have to sing real words” (202). Because her voice is so expressive, you can understand the emotion she’s conveying.

n Miss Thomas is Bud’s favorite; she stands out against all the instrumentalists so much that Bud wonders why the band isn’t named after her.

2. How does the word busting impact the meaning of the paragraph?

n Busting shows that there’s a contrast between her vocal quality and the instruments. When she sings, it’s startling and stands out from the group sound.

n The word busting helps the reader realize how different her sound is. It highlights how she stands out against the band’s sound.

3. How does the phrase “she was the sun busting through thick gray clouds” impact the tone of the paragraph?

n It shows that Miss Thomas’s vocal quality brought a hopeful, positive feeling to the song.

n That phrase helps you understand how much her singing changed the mood and feel of the song they were performing.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples busting (v.) To break apart. breaking, bursting, ripping, tearing

PARTICIPATE IN A SOCRATIC SEMINAR

Whole Group

45 MIN.

Display the Craft Question: How do I disagree strategically in a structured academic discussion?

Remind students that they may reference their notes from the previous lesson to support their thinking.

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “What are the four types of disagreement, and how do they help us get the most out of academic conversations?”

n The four types of disagreement are disagreements of facts, definitions, logic, and attitude.

n If we know how we disagree, we can resolve it more easily.

n The group can learn more because we won’t waste time arguing about who is right.

TEACHER

NOTE

This lesson’s Socratic Seminar uses the Pilot/Copilot structure. Students are paired, and the first partner, or “pilot,” sits in an inner circle of students who will participate in the first round of discussion. The second partner, or “copilot,” sits just behind and to the right of their partner, close enough that they can lean forward and confer with the pilot at a low volume, without anyone leaving their seat. After a predetermined amount of time or before a new question, pilots and copilots trade roles and seats. This structure allows pilots to quickly process and contribute ideas generated with their copilots and the opportunity for more engagement and equitable talk time for all.

Explain the discussion structure to students and that they will experiment with disagreeing strategically when talking about the text.

Display:

Pilots:

When disagreements arise, use the sentence stem:

I disagree with your [facts/definitions/logic/attitude] because .

Copilots:

Contribute ideas quietly to help your pilot.

Track the different types of strategic disagreements on your handout.

Facilitate a thirty-five-minute discussion, switching pilots for each new question. Challenge students to cite specific evidence to support their statements:

1. What are the different ways that doors open for Bud in chapters 16 and 17?

2. Why are the different doors opening for Bud?

3. What does Bud’s new name represent for him?

4. Bud believes Herman E. Calloway is “trying to make [him] work like a dog” (199), but he doesn’t mind. Why doesn’t Bud mind the work?

5. How does figurative language reveal deeper meaning about Bud’s experience?

To track participation during the Socratic Seminar, you may want use the following system to take notes on who...

* P (posed questions)

* R (responded to questions)

TEACHER NOTE

* O (made relevant observations)

* L (demonstrated effective listening)

* D (used strategic disagreement)

For more information on the Socratic Seminar routine used in this lesson, see the Wit & Wisdom Program Guide.

Student confer with a partner about how practicing the speaking goal helped them learn.

n Now I understand how to disagree strategically by citing why I disagree.

n I learned how to use the different categories to make my opinion stronger.

n Using the same language for disagreement helped make it easier to disagree without getting upset.

Students complete question 2 on Handout 14A.

Explain that students will use what they learned about disagreeing strategically in this Pilot/Copilot discussion in the next lesson’s Socratic Seminar.

Land5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students complete a Quick Write in response to the Content Framing Question.

Wrap5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students finish the book, annotating in the margins any events where doors open for Bud with D.O. and any surprises with an exclamation point.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students demonstrate understanding of Bud’s transformation in chapters 16 and 17 (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10). Check for the following success criterion:

ƒ Recognizes Bud’s acceptance into the band and their home and how this differs from his life on the road and in the orphanage; or, explains that Bud doesn’t mind hard work in exchange for belonging and relationships.

Next Steps

Use this assessment to analyze student preparedness for the analysis in the next lesson about the characters and experiences contributing to Bud’s transformation. If necessary, help students create a three-column T-chart about Bud before his journey, after his journey, and the events that impacted his change for use in the upcoming Socratic Seminar.

Lesson 14 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Literal and Figurative Language

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

ƒ

Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapters 16 and 17

ƒ Vocabulary Learning Goal: Identify and interpret examples of figurative language (L.6.5.a)

Launch

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “What is the difference between literal and figurative language? What is an example of each type of language?”

Ask several students to share ideas.

n Literal language is writing whose meaning reflects what is actually happening. (For example, The birds flew across the sky.)

n Figurative language is symbolic or imaginative; it often compares what is actually happening to something else. (For example, I was so happy I flew home.)

Learn

Word Meaning

Synonyms/Examples

figurative language (n.) not meant to be interpreted in a literal way; metaphorical Metaphors, similes, and personification are examples of figurative language

Display:

All of the instruments blended up together and, just like that smell in the library, you couldn’t tell which one was your favorite. First you’d say it was Mr. Jimmy on the trumpet, then Doo Doo Bug’s trombone would make you think it was the best, then Dirty Deed would make the piano sound like water hitting big rocks and you’d know there wasn’t anything that sounded that good until Steady Eddie would make the saxophone sing and talk and dance around everyone else and you’d swear that was the only sound you’d ever want to hear again (201–202).

Ask one student volunteer to read the excerpt aloud. As a class, return to each underlined phrase and decide whether it is literal or figurative. Write L above the literal phrase (“you couldn’t tell which one was your favorite”) and F above the figurative phrases.

Review what the figurative language in the excerpt does. For example, “sound like water hitting big rocks” compares the sound of the piano to a loud and dramatic sound in nature.

Ask: “ What does the phrase ‘the saxophone sing and talk and dance around everyone else’ do?”

n It compares the saxophone to a happy, energetic person.

n It shows how the sound of the saxophone fills the whole room.

n It is an example of personification because an object is being compared to a person.

Explain that figurative language allows the writer to creatively express abstract concepts like feelings and sounds as concrete examples.

Pairs review chapter 16 or 17 to find at least three examples of figurative language. Then they write an interpretation of what the figurative language expresses, such as a comparison of one thing to another.

TEACHER NOTE

There are numerous examples of figurative language throughout chapters 16 and 17. These include I had to fight like a tiger to wake up (184), A gigantic smile split my face in half (189), I couldn’t tie the smile down anymore (196), It was a piece of cake! (199), storm of music (201), she was the sun busting through thick, gray clouds (202), and many more.

Land

Ask several pairs to share their findings. Display examples of figurative language from chapters 16 and 17. Students respond in an Exit Ticket to: “How does figurative language help writers express their ideas?”

Lesson 15: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Annotate Checklist

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Determine Word Meaning in Context (10 min.)

Participate in a Socratic Seminar (45 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Group Word-Solving Process: Commencing, Practical, Compromise (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ W.6.10

Learning Goals

Describe how people and events have impacted Bud so far in the text (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10, SL.6.1.a, SL.6.1.b)

Participate in a Socratic Seminar and complete Handouts 15A and 15B.

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.1a, SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6

Language ƒ

L.6.4.a, L. 6.4.b, L.6.4.c

MATERIALS

Determine the meanings of unknown words through interpretation of context and affix and root clues, then verify the definition with reference materials (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c)

ƒ

Handout 15A: Speaking and Listening Process Checklist ƒ Handout 15B: Socratic Seminar Note Sheet ƒ

Handout 15C: Group Word-Solving Process

Complete Handout 15C for assigned word.

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 11 16

How is Bud transformed by his journey?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 15

Reveal: What does analysis of Bud’s experiences and his interactions with other characters reveal about how his character is changing?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 15

Excel: How do I improve my participation in a Socratic Seminar?

Discussion about the Focusing Question occurs in a Socratic Seminar as students are afforded the opportunity to talk through their thinking. This forum provides them with an opportunity to hear the ideas of others and revise their own thinking before the Focusing Question Task in the next lesson.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Display the Craft Question: How do I improve my participation in a Socratic Seminar?

Pilot/Copilot pairs from the previous lesson confer about how to improve their participation in this lesson’s Socratic Seminar. Using the checklist and their discussion, students create a participation goal and answer question 1 on Handout 15A. Students share their goal with their partner, who completes the Peer column of the checklist after the discussion.

Pairs

Display the first two full paragraphs on page 227. Students use context clues to determine the meaning of ornery on page 227.

Ask: “What information in the context around the word gives you information about ornery?”

n Miss Thomas tells Bud to “be patient with him” (227), this shows that someone being ornery might make other people feel impatient or frustrated.

n According to Miss Thomas, Herman is “very, very hurt right now” (227), so he’s behaving in a way that people do when they’re hurt. Maybe ornery means cranky.

n Miss Thomas says she’s not sure where Herman is “going to land after this news gets through blowing him around” (227). This means he didn’t expect his daughter to have passed away and he’s full of grief. He might be unpredictable right now.

Students generate their own definition of ornery using context clues.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

ornery (adj.) Ill-tempered and extremely obstinate. cantankerous, stubborn

PARTICIPATE IN A SOCRATIC SEMINAR

Whole Group

Students form a circle. Explain that they will engage in a Socratic Seminar and should have their Bud, Not Buddy books, Response Journal, and the Speaking and Listening Process Checklists (Handout 15A). Reread the Discussion Rules Anchor Chart. Remind students that this is an opportunity to practice their speaking goal, Disagree Strategically.

Distribute Handout 15B: Socratic Seminar Note Sheet. Explain that students will record ideas they hear during this discussion into the table to help them in the next lesson’s Focusing Question Task. They shouldn’t try to write all the ideas, just a few in each box that stood out to them. The final question should be saved for later in the lesson. Designate a student to be the timekeeper.

TEACHER NOTE

The goal of this Socratic Seminar is for students to build a bank of ideas about how Bud’s journey contributed to his transformation in preparation for the next lesson’s Focusing Question Task. If note taking is detracting from participation during the Socratic Seminar, display Handout 15B and copy discussed ideas onto the displayed copy but have students copy key ideas onto their handout after the discussion.

If the class is larger than twenty-two students, organize students into two circles. For more information on how two-circle formations work, see the Wit & Wisdom Program Guide.

For thirty-five minutes, students in the circle discuss the Focusing Question: How is Bud transformed by his journey?

During the seminar, students use the opening question to begin and continue a collaborative conversation about the text with peers, building on one another’s ideas and expressing their own clearly. Students follow rules for collegial discussions and apply their knowledge of how to track progress toward specific goals. Encourage students to pose questions that elicit elaboration and to respond with relevant ideas that bring the conversation back on topic when opportunities arise.

Ask follow-up questions as needed:

ƒ

In what ways is Bud transformed?

ƒ Which characters influenced Bud’s transformation?

ƒ Which experiences influenced Bud’s transformation?

To track participation during the Socratic Seminar, you may want use the following system to take notes on who...

ƒ P (posed questions)

ƒ R (responded to questions)

TEACHER NOTE

ƒ O (made relevant observations)

ƒ L (demonstrated effective listening)

ƒ D (used strategic disagreement)

For more information on the Socratic Seminar routine used in this lesson, see the Wit & Wisdom Program Guide.

When time is up, students complete the Self column of Handout 15A and trade with their partner, who completes the Peer column.

Students complete Handout 15A.

Land

5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students complete Handout 15B.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students reread chapters 18 and 19, annotating with a T each place that show Bud’s transformation.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students articulate how Bud has changed since the beginning of the story, an idea that can be used in the thesis statement of the next lesson’s Focusing Question Task in conjunction with the events that triggered such change (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.10). Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ Describes accurate transformation in Bud’s character.

ƒ Cites text evidence to support analysis.

Next Steps

Use this assessment to verify students’ level of preparation for the Focusing Question Task. If students are identifying inaccurate changes in Bud’s character, redirect them toward accurate ones and press them to find examples of these transformations in the text.

Group Word-Solving Process: Commencing, Practical, Compromise

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

ƒ

ƒ

Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapter 18

Vocabulary Learning Goal: Determine the meanings of unknown words through interpretation of context and affix and root clues, then verify the definition with reference materials (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c)

Launch

Explain that students are going to learn a process that brings together several different vocabulary strategies: Group Word-Solving Process.

Display: Group Word-Solving Process

1. Check if any group members know the word already.

2. Check “outside” the word to see whether there are any clues in the text around it.

3. Check “inside” the word to see whether there are clues from the root or affix.

4. Check a reference, such as a thesaurus or dictionary.

5. Check back in the text to confirm the meaning in the dictionary makes sense to the context.

Student volunteers read the steps aloud.

Learn Display:

The Thug was brushing his sticks across the round gold metal things next to his drums and making it sound like a soft rain was commencing to fall on someone’s tin roof (200).

Explain that the class will first work together to determine the meaning of commencing using the Group Word-Solving Process before they work in small groups on other words.

Lesson 15 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Guide the class through each step to determine the meaning of commencing. Remind students that at each step, they are simply gathering evidence to shape ideas. All guesses based on evidence are welcome, even though they will not all be correct. In fact, incorrect guesses are part of the process!

Display:

Eddie looked at me and said, “Bud, Mr. C has always got a white fella in the band, for practical reasons. But we don’t hold his skin color against him, he can’t help that he was born that way.”

Deed said, “You’re just too kind, Edward.”

Eddie kept talking. “We do that ’cause the boy can play. Mr. C. won’t compromise on his music.”

I said, “Why does he always keep one white guy in the band?”

Deed said, “It’s the way of the world, Sleepy. It’s against the law for a Negro to own any property out where the Log Cabin is so Mr. C. put it in my name” (205).

Distribute Handout 15C: Group Word-Solving Process.

Groups complete Handout 15C for their assigned word; half the groups should work with the word practical and the other half with compromise. Circulate to support groups as they work through the steps.

One group shares its findings about practical and another shares about compromise.

Land

Students Stop and Jot about the following questions: ƒ

Why would the ceremony marking the end of schooling be called a commencement? ƒ

Why is a compromise sometimes a practical thing to do?

n A commencement marks the end of one period, but the beginning of another. One door is shut and another one opens.

n If there is a disagreement, sometimes the practical thing to do is compromise. Then each person gets a little of what he or she wants.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

commencing (v.) Beginning starting, initiating, instituting practical (adj.) Sensible and judicious. usable, useful, realistic compromise (n.) The act of parties settling on an agreement as a result of every side giving up something. agreement, settlement

Students add commencing, practical, and compromise to their Vocabulary Journal.

Lesson 16: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Discuss Endure Launch (5 min.)

Learn (50 min.)

Complete Focusing Question Task 3

Land (10 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework Vocabulary Deep Dive: Group Word-Solving Process: Familiar, Insinuating (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing

ƒ W.6.2

Language

ƒ

L.4.3.a, L.6.3.a, L.6.6 ƒ

L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c

MATERIALS

ƒ

Assessment 16A: Focusing Question Task 3 ƒ

Handout 15C: Group Word-Solving Process

Learning Goals

Explain how Bud’s character was transformed by the people and events on his journey (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6)

Complete Assessment 16A

Determine the meanings of unknown words through interpretation of context and affix and root clues, then verify the definition with reference materials (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c)

Complete Handout 15C.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 11 16

How is Bud transformed by his journey?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 16

Distill: How is Bud transformed by his journey?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 16

Execute: How do I use a To SEEC mini-essay to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

In Focusing Question Task 3 of the module, student learning culminates in the writing of a mini-essay about how Bud’s journey transforms him. Students may find notes in their Response Journal, Handout 15B: Socratic Seminar Note Sheet, and text annotations helpful when writing the task. The introduction and two To SEEC paragraphs of the mini-essay prepare students to write a full essay for the End-of-Module Task.

Welcome

DISCUSS ENDURE

Display the word endure.

5 MIN.

Students brainstorm all the things Bud had to endure to pursue his dream.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Students Think Pair Share and restate the Focusing Question in their own words.

50 MIN.

COMPLETE FOCUSING QUESTION TASK 3

Individuals

Display the Craft Question: How do I use a To SEEC mini-essay to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

Distribute Assessment 16A. Display and read aloud. Answer any questions.

Students Complete Assessment 16A.

Land 10 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Name Date Class

Assessment 16A: Focusing Question Task 3

How is Bud transformed by his journey?

Introduction For the past five lessons, we have analyzed how Bud changes over the course of the novel and what his actions and reactions reveal about his character. In this task, you will synthesize those understandings and write about how Bud transforms as a result of his journey. Writing about this topic and creating a mini-essay will help you prepare for later Focusing Question Tasks and the End-of-Module Task.

Task For an audience who has read and studied Bud, Not Buddy the way you have, write a To-SEEC miniessay (an introduction and two body paragraphs) in which you explain how Bud has been transformed by his journey. Please remember to include proper citations for your textual evidence and follow the conventions of standard written English.

Hint: Think about all the changes Bud has been through and the dream he’s been pursuing. Choose one of the ways he’s changed to write about in your essay.

Please incorporate the words undergo and cope into your response.

You may refer to the To-SEEC explanatory mini-essay model and use the graphic organizers on the next pages if they help you prepare your thinking before writing. Though each body paragraph organizer has only two evidence rows, you are not limited to two pieces of evidence for each paragraph.

Criteria for Success

Include the following items in your introduction: A hook.

An introduction.

A thesis that conveys and previews your ideas about how Bud and his life changed as a result of his journey.

Include the following items in your two body paragraphs:

A topic statement that presents your idea.

Textual evidence that develops your idea.

Elaboration that explains how the evidence develops your idea. Transitional words or phrases to show connections among your sentences.

ƒ A concluding statement that reinforces your idea. Internal citations to indicate where in the texts your evidence is located. Page 1 of 4

Students create a Graffiti Wall, writing the ways in which Bud was impacted. Students initial next to ideas similar to their own or those they also wrote about for the Focusing Question Task.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

None

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students craft a mini-essay analyzing how Bud’s journey transforms him (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.9.a). Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ

Crafting an introduction with a hook, introduction of background knowledge, thesis statement, and two supporting points.

ƒ

Creating two body paragraphs with topic statements, textual evidence, elaboration, transition words, a concluding statement, and internal citations.

Next Steps

If students are unable to create a thesis statement and two supporting points, provide additional exemplars for analysis and examine the relationships between thesis and supporting points.

If students are struggling with the To SEEC paragraph, revisit ideas in their Response Journal about the functions of each element and provide additional practice opportunities. For students having trouble with internal citation, reteach punctuation rules.

Group Word-Solving Process: Familiar

,

Insinuating

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

ƒ

ƒ

Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis, Chapter 19

Vocabulary Learning Goal: Determine the meanings of unknown words through interpretation of context and affix and root clues, then verify the definition with reference materials (L.6.4.a, L. 6.4.b, L.6.4.c).

Launch

Instruct students to Think Pair Share, and ask: “Why do readers sometimes have to use more than one strategy to determine a word’s meaning?”

n One strategy may not provide the information needed to make a determination of a word’s meaning.

n The context could contain too few clues.

n There could be insufficient information in the roots and affixes.

n The dictionary could contain more than one definition.

n By using several strategies together, the reader can come to the best determination of a word’s meaning.

Learn Display: Mr. Jimmy said, “When she was living, Bud, God rest her soul, what’d your momma look like?”

This was another strange question, but before I could answer, Miss Thomas said, “James, what are you insinuating? I knew there was something familiar about this boy, I don’t know how I missed it before but look at Bud’s eyes, you have to ask if this is Herman’s grandchild?” (215–216).

Review Handout 15C for the word familiar. Display the steps or ask students to refer to Handout 15C: Group Word-Solving Process.

Ask: “Does anyone know what familiar means?” Allow student volunteers to share ideas.

Ask: “What do the outside, or context, clues tell us about the word familiar?”

n Familiar has something to do with how Bud’s eyes look. Miss Thomas compares Bud’s eyes to Herman’s.

Ask: “What do the inside clues tell us about the word familiar?”

n Familiar sounds like family. Someone who is familiar could be a family member. Both family and familiar come from the Latin familia, meaning “household” or “family.”

One student looks up familiar in a dictionary and shares the definition: “easily recognized” or “commonly known.”

Ask: “If we replace the word in the excerpt with its definition, does the passage make sense?” Reread the sentence, replacing familiar with each definition. As a class, decide whether the definition makes sense.

Distribute Handout 15C.

Students complete Handout 15C for insinuating.

Land

Several groups share their responses. Students should understand that insinuating means “to hint or suggest without saying directly.”

Ask: “Why might Mr. Jimmy insinuate a thought about Bud’s mother rather than say it directly?”

n It is a sensitive topic.

n He could be wrong so does not want to say it directly.

n He wants to introduce or plant a seed of an idea for others to think about.

Word Meaning

familiar (adj.) Someone or something that is generally known. acquainted; known; recognizable insinuating (v ) To make subtle, often negative, suggestions. imply

Students add familiar and insinuating to their Vocabulary Journal.

TEXTS

ƒ

Migrant Mother, Dorothea Lange (http://witeng.link/0695)

ƒ

ƒ

“Migrant Mother Photo,” History Channel (http://witeng.link/0696)

“The Drought,” PBS American Experience (http://witeng.link/0697)

Lesson 17: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Discuss Portrait Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Notice and Wonder About Migrant Mother (8 min.) Analyze Migrant Mother (15 min.)

Build Background Knowledge About Migrant Mother (22 min.)

Execute Text Analysis (10 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Word Investigation: Resilient (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.7

Writing ƒ W.6.2

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.1.c, SL.6.2

Language ƒ L.6.6

MATERIALS

Handout 17A: Evidence Organizer— Analyze Migrant Mother ƒ

Learning Goals

Analyze the central idea of Migrant Mother (RI.6.1, RI.6.2, W.6.2).

Complete Handout 17A.

Generate vocabulary knowledge about the word resilient, and apply it accurately to the text (L.6.6).

Write three examples of resilience in Bud, Not Buddy

Handout 1B: Frayer Model ƒ

Chart paper and markers

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 17–21

What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 17

Know: How does this photograph build my knowledge?

Students analyze Dorothea Lange’s iconic Migrant Mother to build background understanding about the migrant-worker experience during the Great Depression. The photograph reflects the experience of those whose livelihoods depended upon the unpredictable weather. The study of this photograph and the struggles of the period help build background knowledge to support comprehension while reading Out of the Dust in the next lesson.

Welcome

DISCUSS PORTRAIT

Display the word portrait.

5 MIN.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “What do you know about portraits, and what are some qualities or commonalities among the ones you’ve seen?”

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Students copy the Focusing Question into their Response Journal. Provide a definition for sustained or spirits, if needed.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “How would you restate the Focusing Question in your own words?”

n How did people stay positive during the Great Depression?

n What made people keep going during the Great Depression?

n What influenced people to persevere during the Great Depression?

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

sustained (v.) To bear the weight of and support; to keep up. maintained

spirits (n.) A person’s mental or emotional state. mood

Explain that students will study a portrait photographed during the Great Depression to deepen their understanding about the time.

Learn55 MIN.

NOTICE AND WONDER ABOUT MIGRANT MOTHER

Whole Group

8 MIN.

Display Migrant Mother without telling students the photograph’s title. Students view the photograph for two minutes without interruption. Encourage them to ask themselves what they see—and then what else they see. Students should look at the foreground and background of the image, the corners, the overall impression, and the details.

After two minutes, students should create a Notice and Wonder T-Chart in their Response Journal and record the ideas that came to them as they viewed the photo.

Ask: “What do you notice in this portrait?”

n I see a woman and two children and a baby in her lap.

n The photograph is black and white.

n Some rough fabric with a seam is behind them. Maybe it’s a tent.

Ask: “Who might these people be?”

n This might be a family. The children lean on the woman as though she is their mother. We don’t know where the father is.

Ask: “What is the setting of the photograph?”

n They seem to be somewhere poor, maybe a tent or someplace without walls.

n If it was taken during the Great Depression, maybe they’re in a Hooverville.

Ask: “What do their actions reveal about them?”

n The mother looks worried and tired. They might be waiting for someone or something. She is frowning with a look on her face as though she’s questioning what will happen.

n The woman doesn’t look at the viewer. She might be embarrassed or shy.

Ask: “What is the mood of the photograph?”

n The mood seems sad because of the expression on the mother’s face and the way she leans her head on her hand. The children are huddled next to her as though they are frightened or like they are worried, too.

n The child’s jacket and the mother’s sleeve are torn. Their clothing is dirty. So are the girl’s hand and the baby’s face. We feel sorry for them.

Students share wonderings and suggest answers to questions based on the photograph. Copy remaining questions onto chart paper, and display to set a purpose for deeper exploration of the photo and its history.

ANALYZE MIGRANT MOTHER

Small Groups

15 MIN.

Explain that Dorothea Lange was a photographer who left her studio in San Francisco during the Great Depression, when she was no longer able to ignore the impoverished people she saw around her. She was hired by the Farm Security Administration (FSA) to travel the country, photographing conditions for Dust Bowl refugees, migrant farm families, and others. FSA photographers’ work was reproduced in newspapers. During the time before television and the internet, these images were often the only means by which Americans could know the conditions their countrymen suffered. In fact, this photograph, Migrant Mother, became the most widely reproduced photograph of the twentieth century. Lange used a 4×5 press camera, which requires looking into a viewfinder and reloading sheet film after each exposure.

Students Think–Pair–Share about how viewing this photograph in a newspaper might have impacted readers.

n This might be shocking because the mother looks so poor and sad. Readers might not have expected to see something so bleak.

n It might make people want to help out those in poverty during the Great Depression. Seeing a mother look so worried while holding her children might have made people want to help her.

Ask students to use their word knowledge to think through what composition and texture means in this context.

n I know compose means “to make up,” so maybe the composition is what makes up the photograph.

n The word position is within composition and a position is where you place something.

n Pose is part of composition, so maybe composition is how things in an image are posed or placed.

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

composition (n.) The structure or order of something; the combining of parts or elements that form something whole. structure, configuration

texture (n.) The surface of a work of art that gives it certain qualities, like roughness. composition

Students annotate meaning on Handout 17A.

Distribute Handout 17A: Evidence Organizer—Analyze Migrant Mother. Direct students’ attention to item 2.

Divide students into groups of four. Student groups designate a timekeeper.

For eight minutes, groups analyze Migrant Mother and complete the table on Handout 17A.

BUILD BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE ON MIGRANT MOTHER

Whole Group

22 MIN.

Show the History.com video “Migrant Mother Photo” (http://witeng.link/0696). Students add ideas to their Notice and Wonder T-Charts.

Ask: “How did the video build your knowledge of Migrant Mother?

Display: Destitute pea pickers in California. Mother of seven children. Age thirty-two. Nipomo, California. Explain that this was Dorthea Lange’s alternative title for her photograph.

Ask: “Evaluate the two titles and how each impacts your understanding of the photograph. Which best fits the photograph, the title Migrant Mother, or Lange’s alternative title?”

n I like Migrant Mother because it is so simple.

n I like the alternative title because it tells us more about the family, like that they were picking peas and that they are in California.

Revisit the I Wonder column of the T-Chart, and answer questions using student-suggested information from the video if possible.

EXECUTE TEXT ANALYSIS

Individual Students complete Handout 17A.

10 MIN.

Remind students to use any of the ideas gathered in their Response Journal, in Handout 17A, from their small-group discussions, or from the video to support their topic statement about Migrant Mother.

Land5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students Think–Pair–Share about the ways Migrant Mother added to their understanding about the period.

Wrap5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read the PBS American Experience article “The Drought” (http://witeng.link/0697).

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students analyze the essential meaning of Migrant Mother. A variety of answers is acceptable as there is no single correct interpretation of the photograph. Check for the following success criteria:

ƒ States a specific interpretation about the meaning of the photo.

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Connects evidence back to the topic statement with elaboration sentences. ƒ Concludes with the essential meaning of the paragraph.

Next Steps

Students will analyze visual art periodically in the different modules throughout the year. If students struggled to determine meaning in their analysis of Migrant Mother, note their area of confusion and anticipate and address similar misconceptions in future art analyses.

Lesson 17 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Word Investigation: Resilient

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

Vocabulary Learning Goal: Generate vocabulary knowledge about the word resilient, and apply it accurately to the text (L.6.6).

Launch

Ask: “What qualities do people need to survive during times of tremendous hardship, such as the Great Depression?”

Students Think–Pair–Share about their responses. Call on several students to share their ideas.

Learn

Explain that today, students will work with a partner to gather more information about the word resilient using the Frayer Model. Distribute Handout 1B: Frayer Model.

Students fill out the Frayer Model for resilient.

Bring the class together, and display an enlarged Frayer Model.

Ask: “What is the definition of resilient?” Write the student-provided definition, such as “able to endure and surmount challenges or difficulties,” in the upper left-hand corner.

Ask: “What are some characteristics of people who are resilient?” Students may come up with strong, determined, tough, and so on. Write their ideas in the Examples box on the enlarged model.

Ask students to share the examples they wrote. Examples may include studying hard to earn an A after failing a test, losing an important game and then going on to win. Nonexamples may include quitting a team after a loss or giving up after losing a job.

Stress that objects can be resilient, too. A rubber band is an example of a resilient object—it returns to its shape after being stretched. A piece of paper is comparatively nonresilient: it cannot be easily smoothed after being wrinkled or put together after being torn.

Students respond in writing to the following question with at least three examples: “What are some examples from Bud, Not Buddy in which a character demonstrates resilience?”

Land

Students Mix and Mingle with their responses.

Ask: “Why is a resilient person more likely to survive and thrive during times of hardship than a nonresilient person?”

n A resilient person does not let setbacks stop him.

n A resilient person thinks of different ways to succeed. If one attempt fails, they try something else.

n A resilient person has a good attitude and does not give up.

Word Meaning

Synonyms/Examples

resilient (adj.) Able to endure and surmount challenges or difficulties. elastic

Students add resilient to their Vocabulary Journal.

“The Drought,” PBS American Experience article (http://witeng.link/0697) ƒ

“‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America,” History.com (http://witeng.link/0698) ƒ

Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 3–9

Lesson 18: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (6 min.)

Organize Background Knowledge

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (52 min.)

Expand Background Knowledge (12 min.)

Annotate for Details about Setting and Character (15 min.)

Examine and Experiment with Relevant Evidence (25 min.)

Land (7 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Group Word-Solving Process and Cause-Effect (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ

W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.1, SL.6.4, SL.6.6, SL.6.2 Language ƒ

L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c, L.6.5.b

MATERIALS

Handout 18A: Web Catcher Directions and Example

Handout 18B: Setting and Character in Out of the Dust

Handout 15C: Group Word-Solving Process

Index Cards ƒ

Chart paper and markers

Learning Goals

Analyze how details contribute to the development of setting and character (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2.b, W.6.9).

Complete Web Catchers for “Rabbit Battles” and “Losing Livie,” and complete Handout 18B.

Determine the meanings of and relationships among unknown words through interpretation of context and affix and root clues, then verify the definition with reference materials (L.6.4.a, L. 6.4.b, L.6.4.c, L.6.5.b).

Write a cause-and-effect sentence using vocabulary words.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 17–21

What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 18

Organize: What is happening in Out of the Dust?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 18

Examine and Experiment: How do I choose relevant evidence to support an idea?

Students continue to build historical knowledge about the Dust Bowl in preparation for reading Karen Hesse’s free-verse novel Out of the Dust. After examining informational articles about the Dust Bowl, students turn their attention to the novel and begin to build knowledge by annotating how details from the first three poems convey information about the setting and Billie Jo as a character. Students then choose and explain relevant evidence to support their ideas.

Welcome

8 MIN.

ORGANIZE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

Students create a Dust Bowl K-W-L Chart in their Response Journal and complete the K and W columns, drawing from “The Drought,” their annotations, their TDQ responses about Migrant Mother from Lesson 17, and the displayed map of the United States. They also include the following vocabulary words previewed in “The Drought” and use each one in a sentence in either the K or W columns: abandon, conservation, drought, devastation, and rehabilitate.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “Are there any words in the Content Framing Question that are unfamiliar to you?”

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

sustain (v.) To undergo, experience, or suffer; endure without giving way or yielding.

bear, endure, undergo

Explain that they are starting a free-verse novel titled Out of the Dust that captures the fictional story of people living during the Great Depression in the Great Plains region that became known as the Dust Bowl.

Ask: “What do you think you know about the Dust Bowl and how it affected people during the Great Depression?”

n The Dust Bowl turned the Great Plains into a desert, and people could no longer farm. Many of them had to abandon their farms and move west.

n The Dust Bowl occurred because of poor farming techniques, overgrazing of cattle, and years of drought. Black blizzards of thick dust occurred and made life miserable for people.

n Migrants who moved from the Dust Bowl to California did not fare well. Once they got to California, they were still poor, starving, and desperate for work.

Ask: “What do you think you know about how people sustained their spirits during this period?”

n People relied on other people for help.

n People often moved to a new place if they could no longer find work or feed their families.

n People turned to music as a source of comfort.

n The government helped sustain people’s spirits. It paid farmers to try out new farming techniques, and by doing so, they got to keep their farms.

Explain that this lesson explores how particular details in Out of the Dust begin to develop the characters and setting, and that the examination of these details helps to build a deeper understanding of the story and the time in which it is set.

52 MIN.

EXPAND BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE 12 MIN.

Individuals

Ask: “What does it mean for evidence to be relevant? How does it differ from information that is important?”

n Relevant information specifically answers a posed question.

n Relevant information relates to the topic or subject being studied.

n Important information is helpful to know; however, it might not be useful to answer a specific question.

n Important information is interesting; however, it might not pertain to the question being asked.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

relevant (adj.) Connected with a matter in hand. germane, material, pertinent

Our question asks what sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression, so one piece of relevant evidence we learned from studying Bud, Not Buddy might include how people created new homes and formed communities in Hoovervilles, which gave them a sense of security after losing their jobs, homes, and families.

Nonrelevant evidence might include how the police disbanded Hooverville communities and forced people to relocate. This evidence is not relevant because it does not address the question about what sustained people’s spirits.

Ask: “What were dust storms like during the 1930s? Where did they occur?”

Explain that as you display and read aloud the History.com article excerpt “`Black Blizzards’ Strike America,” they should write in their Response Journal any relevant information that helps them answer the question. Explain that this information can be written in incomplete sentences or words and phrases.

Read aloud as you display the article excerpt “`Black Blizzards’ Strike America” (http://witeng.link/0698).

TEACHER NOTE

“‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America” is a section of a longer article on the Dust Bowl. If students have access to digital devices, they can follow as you read aloud and use the online text to note evidence.

Students Think–Pair–Share about their responses, pressing each other for the relevance of selected evidence.

n Dust storms during the 1930s were horrific in terms of their damage and frequency. They were like blizzards that could even “darken the sky” (History Channel). The dust “coated ships in the Atlantic ocean” and “drifted like snow” (History Channel). This information is relevant because it addresses what dust storms were like during this period.

n Dust storms affected millions of acres, which included a massive storm that started in Oklahoma and moved east (History Channel). This area became known as the Dust Bowl. This information is relevant because it addresses where dust storms occurred.

n The Dust Bowl produced monster dust clouds, such as those in the storm of May 11, 1934, that caused dust to reach New York City and Washington DC. This information is relevant because it answers the question by revealing a dust storm’s power to move across great distances. Dust storms like the Black Blizzard of 1934 not only affected the people living in the Dust Bowl, but also people living far away in other parts of the country.

Students add new information to their K-W-L Charts as needed.

Small Groups

Read aloud “Beginning: August 1920” (3–5).

TEACHER NOTE

Before beginning the poem, explain how to read poetry correctly. Note that students should not pause at the end of a line, but should instead read a sentence until its conclusion, pausing only when punctuation indicates to do so.

Explain that you’re going to model the completion of the Web Catcher (something they’ll use in a variety of ways as they read the novel) for the poem “Beginning: August 1920.” Students should take notes in their Response Journal about what they notice you saying and doing to complete the task. Explain that the purpose of the Web Catcher is to: (1) catch details that reveal potentially important information; (2) infer what the significance of these details might be; (3) ask questions about these details; and (4) examine how these details connect with one another.

TEACHER NOTE

The rationale for Web Catchers is to help students better engage with the text by collecting, questioning, and examining its important details. Note the structure used in Handout 18A. The center of the page includes a circle that houses the subject of the Web Catcher, which, in this sample, is the poem’s title. From this circle, multiple threads extend and resemble the shape of a spider’s web. Students record quotes and examples on these threads that capture the gist of what is happening in the poem. As students record textual evidence, they also can consider connections between threads and create new threads between them. On these additional threads, they provide an explanation about the connection.

Model the completion of the Web Catcher with the sample included on Handout 18A.

Ask: “What did you notice about what I did and said while I completed this task?”

Distribute Handout 18A, and remind students that the sample you just modeled is included on that handout, along with the directions for creating Web Catchers.

Groups read the poem “Rabbit Battles” (6–7) aloud, with each member reading one stanza. Complete a Web Catcher for the gist of “Rabbit Battles.” Repeat the activity for “Losing Livie” (8–9).

Groups share one interesting detail from either poem and explain how the detail develops characters and/or setting. Chart these details as students add their peers’ insights to their Web Catchers.

EXAMINE AND EXPERIMENT WITH RELEVANT EVIDENCE 25 MIN.

Small Groups

Display the Craft Question: How do I choose relevant evidence to support an idea?

Ask: “How would you complete this sentence: The details in the first three poems help convey the setting of the book as a place where…?”

Distribute Handout 18B. Students take five minutes to complete the first evidence organizer in response to the question. Remind students to draw from their completed Web Catchers.

Topic Statement:

The details in the first three poems help develop the setting as a place where people and animals cannot truly survive.

Evidence: “If we keep plowing under the stuff they ought to be eating, what are they supposed to do?”

Citation: (Hesse 6)

Evidence: “They went to families that needed the meat.”

Citation: (Hesse 7)

Evidence: “Now Livie’s gone west, out of the dust, on her way to California, where the wind takes a rest sometimes” (9).

Citation: (Hesse 9)

Evidence: “And I’m wondering what kind of friend I am, wanting my feet on that road to another place, instead of Livie’s.”

Citation: (Hesse 9)

Elaboration:

This piece of evidence supports the claim that the setting of the Dust Bowl is inhospitable to animals. The rabbits cannot survive since the land has been ruined by a combination of things. Billie Jo realizes that it’s not the fault of the rabbits that they “eat what they shouldn’t” because they are starving (6). They have no choice but to eat the farmers’ crops.

Elaboration:

This evidence highlights the fact that many people are not able to feed their families meat. The quote shows that people are hungry, and they are not able to meet their needs.

Elaboration:

Hardship forces people to move; they cannot make a living in the Great Plains due to the Dust Bowl conditions. People like Livie’s family decide to head to California because they have given up hope that their farms can sustain them.

Elaboration:

Even Billie Jo wants to escape her homeland. She feels like living in another place will be better than living in the Panhandle.

Facilitate and chart a discussion of groups’ responses.

Ask: “How would you complete this sentence: The details in the first three poems help convey Billie Jo as a character who…?”

Students work individually to complete the second evidence organizer on Handout 18B in response to the question.

7 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students reread their K-W-L Chart, their Web Catchers, and their analysis on Handout 18B before Think–Pair–Sharing about their answer to the Content Framing Question.

Wrap5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read pages 10–33 in Out of the Dust. Students complete two Web Catchers as they read the assigned poems: one Web Catcher will focus on setting and the other on characters.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Each student should feel comfortable reading a poem from the novel and identifying words, phrases, or sentences that reveal clues about the characters and setting. Students should view their first interaction with the text as an opportunity to collect and record information and practice making meaning of the language and structural choices an author makes.

The CFUs assess students’ ability to step back after collecting and recording textual details and begin examining how some of these details contribute to the development of the novel’s elements (RL.6.1, RL.6.3). At the end of the lesson, each student:

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Understands that an idea about the text needs to be supported by evidence from the text (W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a).

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Understands that this evidence needs to be relevant to the question being asked if it is to provide effective support (W.6.2.b).

Next Steps

In the next lesson, students consider what constitutes sufficient evidence and elaboration when supporting an idea.

Group Word-Solving Process and Cause-and-Effect

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: “The Drought,” PBS American Experience

Vocabulary Learning Goal: Determine the meanings of and relationships among unknown words through interpretation of context and affix and root clues, then verify the definition with reference materials (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b, L.6.4.c, L.6.5.b).

Launch

Ask students to return to the article “The Drought” and look for an answer to the following question: “What were some causes of the Dust Bowl?”

n The prairie grasses were lost to plowing and grazing of farm animals.

n Wheat crops damaged the topsoil.

n It did not rain for a long time, and everything was dry, so the soil blew away.

Learn

This article explains that the Dust Bowl was caused by a number of factors. Some were caused by humans, such as plowing the grasses that kept the topsoil in place. Others were natural, such as the drought. Today, you will explore words in the article “The Drought” and think about how the words relate to each other in terms of cause and effect.

Distribute an index card to each student, and divide students into five groups. Assign each group a different word from the article: ƒ

Abandon. ƒ Conservation. ƒ Drought. ƒ Devastation.

Rehabilitate.

Groups complete Handout 15C: Group Word-Solving Process for their assigned word. Circulate as students work to ensure they follow the steps of the process. Each student in a group writes their assigned word and its definition on the front of an index card.

Lesson 18 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Students link up with someone from a different group and teach each other their words.

Pairs use both words to create a cause-and-effect sentence and write it on the back of their cards. For example:

The devastation of the land caused some farmers to abandon their farms.

Conservation practices caused people to rehabilitate the land.

TEACHER NOTE

Students may change the form of the word (abandon to abandonment, conservation to conserve, and so on) to better fit their sentences. If students struggle to come up with a cause-and-effect statement, allow them to use both words in the following sentence frame: The Dust Bowl caused

Students link up with a new partner and repeat the task if time allows. Encourage pairs to use a different sentence frame to connect their words.

Land

Several pairs share their definitions and sentences.

Students complete an Exit Ticket: “What did you learn from linking up with your partner’s word?”

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

abandon (v.) To leave behind someone or something with no plans for returning; to give up. desert, forsake conservation (n.) The act of protecting something from harm. preservation drought (n.) The absence of rain over a long period of time. dry period, extreme dry spell devastation (n.) Destruction and ruin caused by or felt because of some act. destruction, ruin rehabilitate (v.) To rejuvenate and restore to health. cure, heal, regenerate, renew

Students add all five words and their definitions to their Vocabulary Journal.

Lesson 19

Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 10–33

FOCUSING QUESTION: LESSONS 17–21

sustained people’s spirits

Great Depression?

Lesson 19: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Record Annotations

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (50 min.)

Analyze Character (12 min.)

Analyze Figurative Language and Imagery (10 min.)

Examine Sufficient Evidence and Elaboration (10 min.)

Experiment with Sufficient Evidence and Elaboration (18 min.)

Land (15 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Literal and Figurative Language: Dazzled, Brewing (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4

Writing ƒ

W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b, W.6.9

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.1, SL.6.2, SL.6.6

Language ƒ L.6.5.a

MATERIALS ƒ

Handout 19A: Figurative Language and Imagery in Out of the Dust ƒ

Handout 19B: Sufficient Evidence ƒ

Chart paper and markers

Learning Goals

Analyze how Hesse uses imagery and figurative language in the novel (RL.6.1, RL.6.4, W.6.2.a, W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a, L.6.5).

Complete Handout 19A.

Determine both the figurative and literal meanings of given words (L.6.5.a).

Write or draw to convey the figurative and literal meanings of given words.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 17–21

What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 19

Reveal: What does Hesse’s use of figurative language and imagery reveal about Billie Jo’s character?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 19

Examine and Experiment: How do I incorporate sufficient evidence to support an idea?

Students continue to build knowledge about characters and setting by recording and examining particular details, and they also begin to explore central ideas that are emerging in the reading. In particular, students focus on the effect of figurative language and imagery; they analyze how these devices develop Billie Jo’s love of the piano and emphasize how the piano sustains Billie Jo during hardship. Students build on Lesson 18’s craft lesson that examined relevant evidence and now consider what constitutes sufficient evidence and insightful elaboration.

Welcome

5 MIN.

RECORD ANNOTATIONS

Tell students to take out the two Web Catchers they completed for homework.

Inform students that there are several posters hanging in the room that have empty Web Catchers for Characters and Setting. Ask students to record one thread on a Character Web Catcher and one thread on a Setting Web Catcher. Each thread should contain a piece of evidence as well as their reaction to this evidence, whether an inference they made or a follow-up question they asked.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “What do we mean by figurative language? By imagery?”

n Figurative language uses figures of speech, like metaphors, similes, and personification, which all compare two unlike things. Personification gives a creature or object human-like qualities.

n An example of a simile: she smells like a rose. A woman is not a flower, but she can be compared to one. Using this same example, she is a rose would be a metaphor (no like or as is used in the comparison).

n Imagery is language that is descriptive and contains details that target the five senses.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

imagery (n.) Images employed in writing and art often for figurative purposes.

The vivid imagery in the text brings the wartime setting of the novel to life.

Students identify and explain one example of figurative language or imagery from “Fields of Flashing Light” (31–33). Solicit responses, and record them on the board.

n “The night sky kept flashing / lightning danced down on its spindly legs” (31). This quote is an example of personification; the sky has been given human qualities (legs).

n “The winter wheat / set for harvest in June / stood helpless” (31). This is another example of personification; the wheat is given human qualities (it stands and it feels).

n “I watched them fry / or / flatten / or blow away / like bits of cast-off rags” (31). This is an example of a simile; the plants are being compared to rags.

n “It wasn’t until the dust turned toward the house / like a fired locomotive” (32). This is another example of a simile. The dust is being compared to a powerful train.

n “Ma and I sighed, grateful / staring out at the dirty flakes” (33). This is an example of imagery. The author targets the reader’s sense of hearing (by describing Ma and Billie Jo sighing) and sense of sight (by describing what Ma and Billie Jo are doing and what the snow looks like).

Ask: “What is the effect of using figurative language and imagery to describe the storm and the wheat in ‘Fields of Flashing Light’?”

n The use of personification makes the storm seem like a real being. The personified storm seems like it wants to destroy the land and its people, which makes it that much more terrifying.

n The storm is compared to things of great power, like a locomotive. The use of this simile helps the reader picture how overwhelming this storm must be for Billie Jo and her family.

n The wheat, on the other hand, is compared to things of little value: cast-off rags. It is the opposite of powerful. Also, by personifying the wheat, its reaction to the storm feels like the reader is watching a fight occur between a helpless creature and a bully. We root for the wheat, but we know the bully will win.

Inform students that this lesson explores the effect of figurative language and imagery on character development. In particular, the lesson highlights how figurative language and imagery help reveal how Billie Jo sustains her spirits during the Great Depression.

ANALYZE CHARACTER 12 MIN.

Small Groups

Ask students to share any examples of figurative language they included on the Web Catcher posters during the Welcome activity.

Inform students that they have collected a lot of information about Billie Jo.

Students take five minutes to revisit their Web Catchers and review the following poems to respond to the question: “What sustains Billie Jo’s spirits?”

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“Me and Mad Dog,” pages 10–11. ƒ

“Permission to Play,” page 12. ƒ

“On Stage,” pages 13–14. ƒ

“Birthday for FDR,” page 15. ƒ

“Dazzled,” pages 24–25.

Scaffold

Display the following sentence frame to help students compose an idea that addresses the question: sustains Billie Jo’s spirits during the Great Depression.

Facilitate a discussion of groups’ responses. Record and display the response that best mirrors the model statement below.

Billie Jo’s love of piano sustains her spirits during the Great Depression.

Ask: “How does each poem support this idea? What evidence did you find?”

n In “Me and Mad Dog,” Billie Jo “[grins]” when Arley asks her to play at the Palace Theater (10). He selects Billie Jo along with Mad Dog, a singer who makes Billie Jo feel a bit jealous because of his “smooth voice” and other lucky qualities (11). However, she doesn’t mind if “Mad Dog [came] first / to Arley Wanderdale’s mind” because she is thrilled to be chosen (11). She just wants to play.

n In “Permission to Play,” Billie Jo’s determination to play piano is evident. She asks her mom to give her permission by taking advantage of Ma while chores distract her. Billie Jo wants nothing more than to play piano on the stage.

n “On Stage” emphasizes Billie Jo’s love of playing the piano. Piano playing is “heaven” (14). Nothing is better. She loves the way the crowd reacts to her, and she loves the feeling of playing the piano keys.

n In “Birthday for FDR,” Billie Jo gets to play at the president’s birthday ball, a celebration and charity fundraiser that even “Ma can’t say no to” (15). Billie Jo shares her dream in this poem: “I plan to play for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt / himself” (15). She is hopeful that piano playing will be her future.

n In “Dazzled,” Billie Jo witnesses the transformative effect piano has on her mother. Her Ma “isn’t much to look at,” but when she plays piano, “Daddy gets soft eyes” and she is “[dazzling]” (24). Billie Jo believes that she is “not half so good with my crazy playing / as she is with her fine tunes and her / fancy fingerwork,” but Billie Jo knows that she wants to keep playing so she can dazzle people, too (25).

ANALYZE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE AND IMAGERY

Pairs

Students review “On Stage” (13–14) and complete the first half of Handout 19A: Figurative Language and Imagery in Out of the Dust, using “Figurative language and imagery develop Billie Jo’s love of the piano” as their topic statement.

10 MIN.

TEACHER NOTE

Students also can create the Evidence Organizer in their Response Journal in lieu of using the handout in this or other lessons.

Students share their responses with the whole group.

n “The music springs straight out of me” (13). The personified music is very powerful. The only other thing that seems powerful in Billie Jo’s world is dust. Music distracts Billie Jo from all the gray and gloom around her and fills her with hope that life does not need to be so bleak. The music comes from deep within Billie Jo, and almost possesses her, but in a way that makes her happy.

n “Right hand / playing notes sharp as / tongues / telling stories” (13). Using a simile and

personification, the author makes the music seem like it is alive and needing to communicate. Music is hopeful because it cannot be silenced, unlike the land, which is smothered in dust. Billie Jo loves having the music speak through her.

n “Folks sway in the / Palace aisles / grinning and stomping and / out of breath / and the rest / eyes shining / fingers snapping / feet tapping” (13). This imagery describing how the people react to Billie Jo’s music captures how everyone, including Billie Jo, is transported by the music. It helps Billie Jo and the crowd escape the hardships all around them.

n “Playing hot piano” (13). This phrase uses a metaphor and compares how one plays piano to a type of temperature. Billie Jo plays hot because she has so much feeling inside of her. Again, Billie Jo loves playing piano because it enables her to speak through music. She can let out all her emotion.

n She “[pesters] the keys” as if they are alive. The personified piano is a true friend of Billie Jo’s, and she engages with it like it is her companion.

EXAMINE SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE AND ELABORATION

Whole Group

10 MIN.

Display the Craft Question: How do I incorporate sufficient evidence to support an idea?

Ask: “What does sufficient mean, and how does it relate to evidence?”

n It means “enough evidence.”

n It means that an essay includes plenty of examples that back up a thesis statement.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning

sufficient (adj.) Adequate or enough. adequate, enough, satisfactory

Distribute and display Handout 19B: Sufficient Evidence.

Topic Statement: Figurative language develops Billie Jo’s love of the piano.

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Evidence and Elaboration Example 1:

When Billie Jo plays the piano, she compares the experience to what “heaven” must resemble, since “[i]t’s the best / [she has] ever felt” (13–14). This metaphor emphasizes that playing piano makes Billie Jo feel incredibly happy and fulfilled.

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Evidence and Elaboration Example 2:

When Billie Jo plays, she “[sizzles] with / Mad Dog, / swinging with the Black Mesa Boys” (13). The figurative language of “sizzling” and “swinging” with the band shows how much fun Billie Jo has as she plays. For example, “sizzling” depicts Billie Jo and Mad Dog on fire as they play. They are consumed with the music. The imagery used to describe the crowd also develops Billie Jo’s love of piano. They “sway in the / Palace aisles / grinning and stomping” with their “fingers snapping, / feet tapping” (13). This imagery depicts the crowd reacting to Billie Jo’s music enthusiastically, and she loves the crowd’s energy. Playing for these folks makes her feel alive and powerful.

Ask: “How would you evaluate the sufficiency of the evidence in each example?”

n The first example is relevant to include, but the point the example supports can be strengthened by providing an additional piece of evidence. One piece of evidence is not sufficient in making a strong point. There is ample evidence in the text that can be selected to help prove this point.

n The second example provides two pieces of relevant evidence followed by elaboration. Including two pieces, rather than one, gives the idea more support.

Ask: “What do you notice about the elaboration in both examples?”

n Both the first and second examples provide elaboration after each piece of evidence is introduced.

n The elaboration explains how the evidence supports the idea.

EXPERIMENT WITH SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE AND ELABORATION

Pairs

Students turn to the poem “Dazzled” (24–25).

Ask: “What does dazzled mean?”

18 MIN.

n Since Billie Jo feels “dazzled” by her mom when she plays the piano, it might mean she is really impressed with her mom’s piano playing.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

dazzled (v.)

1: To blind by bright light.

2: To bewilder and impress others by being brilliant in some way.

blind, stun

Ask: “By using the word dazzled, what is Ma being compared to?”

n She is like a light or a star.

n She is like a sparkling diamond or something else that is brilliant and catches light.

Students identify examples of figurative language and imagery in “Dazzled.”

Record and display volunteer contributions.

n Imagery: “She isn’t much to look at, / so long and skinny, / her teeth poor, / her dark hair always needing a wash” (24).

n Figurative language: “I remember being dazzled by her / whenever she played the piano” (24).

n Imagery: “She came to this house and found gaps in the walls, / a rusty bed, no running water, / and that piano, / gleaming in the corner” (24).

n Figurative language: “Daddy gets soft eyes” (24).

n Figurative language: “She can pull Daddy into the parlor” (25).

n Imagery: “He’s so beat / he barely knows his own name / and all he wants / is a mattress under his bones” (25).

Students work independently to complete the second half of Handout 19A for the poem “Dazzled,” using “Figurative language and imagery develop Billie Jo’s love of the piano” as the topic statement.

Land

15 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Engage students in a brief discussion of the lesson’s Content Framing Question.

Wrap

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read pages 37–51 in Out of the Dust. Students complete one Web Catcher for characters and one Web Catcher for setting.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

The CFUs assess how well each student can (RL.6.1, RL.6.4, RL.6.5):

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Identify figurative language and imagery. ƒ

Explain their effect. ƒ

Use examples of both to sufficiently support an idea about character development.

Each student should exit this lesson with the understanding that playing the piano sustains Billie Jo’s spirits. You can evaluate students’ understanding of this idea by checking to see if their elaboration covers some of the following insights (in no particular order of importance): ƒ

How much Billie Jo loves the piano. ƒ

How the piano gives her hope for her future (she wants to play for FDR). ƒ

How her piano playing is unique and different from her mother’s (and helps her create her own identity). ƒ

How Billie Jo shares a connection with her Ma because of the piano. ƒ

How talented she is at playing the piano.

Each student needs to have a solid understanding of how important the piano is to Billie Jo because when Billie Jo injures her hands and loses her mother, her connection to the piano is severed. This deeply impacts her ability to move forward after loss.

Next Steps

The lesson assumes that students in past grades and lessons have been exposed to and have a basic understanding of figurative language and imagery. If students have not had such exposure, consider grouping students differently according to skill level, and work alongside students who need additional support.

Literal and Figurative Language: Dazzled, Brewing

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

Vocabulary Learning Goal: Determine both the figurative and literal meanings of given words. (L.6.5.a)

Launch

Ask: “What does it mean if a word is used literally? What does it mean if a word is used figuratively?”

n If a word is used literally, the meaning is physically true.

n If a word is used figuratively, the meaning is more imaginative; it compares something to something else.

Learn

Display and read aloud:

She isn’t much to look at, so long and skinny, her teeth poor, her dark hair always needing a wash, but from the time I was four, I remember being dazzled by her whenever she played the piano (Hesse 24).

Explain that many words are commonly used both figuratively and literally. One example is the word dazzled from the excerpt.

dazzle v. 1: To blind by bright light. 2: To bewilder and impress others by being brilliant in some way.

Ask: “Is Billie Jo literally or figuratively dazzled by her mother? How do you know?”

Students should note that Billie Jo is not actually blinded by her mother’s bright light, but she is very impressed by her mother’s playing. By using context clues and imagining the scene, the reader can determine that the word dazzled is used figuratively here.

Display:

brew v. 1: Boil ingredients to create a concoction or drink. 2: Something beginning to develop, like a storm.

Ask: “If I say I am brewing a cup of coffee, which definition fits brewing?” (1).

Ask: “If I say that I think a storm is brewing, which definition fits?” (2).

Display: Daddy looks like a fight brewing. He takes that red face of his out to the barn, to keep from feuding with my pregnant ma (26).

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “Is brewing used literally or figuratively in the excerpt?”

Students should understand that in this instance, the word brewing is figurative.

Students write two sentences or create two drawings to show the literal meanings of dazzled and brewing and two sentences or two drawings to show the figurative meanings of dazzled and brewing

Land

Ask: “Why do writers use figurative language at all? Why not simply say that Billie Jo was impressed by her mother’s piano playing, or that a fight was developing in Daddy?”

n Figurative language often has a powerful impact on the reader.

n Dazzled is a much stronger word than impressed. It shows how intensely Billie Jo felt about her mother’s playing.

n When the author says a fight is brewing in Daddy, the reader thinks of something being concocted with different ingredients and about to boil over. This image offers a more vivid picture than if the author had said a fight is developing

Word Meanings

dazzle (v.)

brew (v.)

Synonyms/Examples

1: To blind by bright light. blind, stun

2: To bewilder and impress others by being brilliant in some way. amaze, astonish

1: Boil ingredients to create a concoction or drink. I’ll brew another pot of coffee.

2: Something beginning to develop, like a storm. A storm is brewing on the horizon.

Students add the words dazzle(d) and brew(ing) to their Vocabulary Journal.

Lesson

TEXTS

Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 37–56 ƒ “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets,” Errol Lincoln Uys (http://witeng.link/0699)

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Lesson 20: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Create a Simile Launch (7 min.) Learn (55 min.)

Analyze Character Motivation (15 min.)

Analyze Symbolism (15 min.) Execute a To-SEEC Paragraph (25 min.)

Land (4 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (4 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Examine Sentence Variety (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4

Writing ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.9.a ƒ W.6.4

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.1, SL.6.2, SL.6.6

Language ƒ L.6.5 ƒ L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a

MATERIALS

Assessment 20A: New-Read Assessment 2: “Hope in a Drizzle” ƒ Handout 20A: Introduction to Sentence Variety ƒ

Chart paper and markers

Learning Goals

Explain how Hesse’s use of symbolism develops Ma’s character (RL.6.1, 6.3, 6.4; W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.5.a, 6.6).

Complete a Quick Write and Assessment 20A.

Analyze how the use of varied sentence patterns enhances writing (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

Identify examples of varied sentence patterns in Out of the Dust and explain the effect of the variation.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 17–21

What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 20

Reveal: What does Hesse’s use of symbolism reveal about Ma’s character?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 20

Execute: How do I use a To-SEEC paragraph to respond to the New-Read Assessment?

Students continue to examine the effect of figurative language. In particular, students analyze how the author’s use of symbolism helps develop Ma’s character in Out of the Dust. Through guided instruction, students grasp how symbols, such as the apple trees and the rain, are used to develop ideas about what sustains people’s spirits during hard times. They complete a NewRead Assessment that evaluates their ability to discuss symbolism’s effect.

Welcome

CREATE A SIMILE

5 MIN.

Display the following example and two possible sentence frames:

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Example: The Great Depression was like the night because it seemed like all was dark due to poverty and hardship; however, there were still some stars that shined through the darkness, like the love between people and the hope they still possessed.

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Billie Jo’s love for playing piano is like (a/the) because .

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The dust in the novel is like (a/the) because .

Student pairs complete one of the sentence frames, which require them to think figuratively about Billie Jo and the setting of Out of the Dust. Tell students to reference their Web Catchers if needed to help stimulate their thinking.

Launch

7 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Remind students that symbolism is not as complicated as they might think and that they already have an understanding about it. Use a wedding ring as an example.

Ask: “What does a wedding ring symbolize?”

n Love.

n Commitment.

n Marriage. Emphasize that the object is tangible, which means it can be touched, but it represents something intangible, like an idea or larger concept.

Ask: “How would you define symbolism? Can you give me another example of something symbolic?”

n Symbolism is making an object represent an idea. For example, the Statue of Liberty (object) represents freedom (idea).

n When something is symbolic, it means that it stands for something other than what it actually is. An example of symbolism is the American flag. It is a piece of decorated material (object), but it represents the country and patriotism (idea).

Provide the following definition for students to record in their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning

symbolism (n.) The use of concrete symbols, in art or literature, to represent abstract concepts in a figurative way.

Synonyms/Examples

the obscure symbolism of her novel

Ask: “What might dust symbolize so far in this novel? Consider how the characters perceive the dust and how it functions so far in the story.”

n Dust symbolizes hardship.

n Dust symbolizes poverty.

n Dust symbolizes the end of dreams and hope.

n Dust symbolizes death.

Explain that today’s lesson explores the effect of symbolism on character development. In particular, the lesson highlights how symbolism reveals how Ma sustains her spirits during the Great Depression.

55 MIN.

ANALYZE CHARACTER MOTIVATION 15 MIN.

Pairs

Students take five minutes to analyze their assigned poem—“Not Too Much to Ask” (16) or “Mr. Hardly’s Money Handling” (17–19)—for evidence to respond to the following question: “What sustains Ma’s spirits during the Great Depression?” Remind pairs to consider what their assigned poem teaches the reader about Ma and what she values.

Scaffold

Display the following sentence frame to help students compose an idea that addresses the question: helps Ma sustain her spirit during the Great Depression.

Facilitate a discussion of and chart pairs’ responses.

n Generosity helps Ma sustain her spirit.

n Pride helps Ma sustain her spirit.

Ask: “How does your poem support your statement? What evidence did you find?”

n In “Not Too Much to Ask,” Ma sustains her spirit by being generous; she donates food and even “feedsack nighties she’d sewn for [their] coming baby” (16). By donating, Ma makes a statement that there are people worse off than they are. She is appreciative of what she has, like her “new round belly” (16).

n In “Mr. Hardly’s Money Handling,” Ma sustains her spirits by retaining her pride. She “[counts] her change” after Billie Jo gets home from the store and realizes that he “[gave them] / four extra cents” (19). She sends Billie Jo back with the money, and Billie Jo knows that “Ma would have thrown a fit / if I’d taken a gift from him” in return (19). Ma’s pride helps her hold her head up high despite their poverty. She does not need four extra cents, and this makes her feel better.

ANALYZE SYMBOLISM

Pairs

15 MIN.

Read aloud “Apple Blossoms” (43).

Ask: “What does this poem convey about Ma and what she values?”

n Ma values hard work. She tends to her apple trees and believes they can survive “in spite of the dust, / in spite of the drought” (43). Because of her “stubborn care,” the trees survive despite everything that works against them (43). The trees are a lot like Ma.

n Ma believes in finding ways to stay hopeful. She plants the trees so “that she and they might bring forth fruit / into [their] home / together” (43). The trees, and the fruit they produce, give her hope that all is not dust and darkness.

Ask: “What sustains Ma’s spirits in this poem?”

n The apples and their future fruit.

n The beauty of the trees.

n Her hard work and dedication.

Ask: “What might the apple trees—a tangible object that can be touched—symbolize? Remember, an object symbolizes an idea, which is something intangible.”

n Hope.

n Inner strength.

n Hard work.

Read aloud “Apples” (45).

Ask: “What does this poem convey about Ma and what she values?”

n Ma plants the apple trees knowing that with time and hard work, they will bear fruit. They must be patient while the “hard green balls” ripen (45). Eventually, fruit will come, similar to waiting out the dust storms and the Great Depression: what is sweet, or good times, will return.

n Ma values perseverance; she knows that all good things come to those who wait. Like she waits for her baby to be born, Ma waits for the apple trees to give her fruit. She believes that her patience will be rewarded.

Ask: “What does this poem convey about what sustains Billie Jo’s spirits?”

n Billie Jo knows that if she is patient, the “hard green balls” that are currently inedible will eventually ripen and become “ready” to use in everything she loves to eat (45). The future apples, and the pleasure they will give her, sustain her spirits.

n Apples, unlike dust, help Billie Jo believe that the future can be “clean / and fresh” (45). In other words, the promise still ripening in the apple blossoms is a different, better world for Billie Jo and her family. The poverty they know can be replaced with plenty, captured in all the delicious, sweet items she imagines eating like “dumplings / and cake / and cobbler” (45).

Ask: “What might the apple blossoms symbolize? Again, remember that the apple blossoms are something tangible, and what they symbolize is intangible (like an idea).”

n Hope.

n A good future.

n Patience.

n Promise.

n Transformation.

Students complete a Quick Write in response to the following question: How do the apples function as a symbol and help develop Ma’s character?

Scaffold

Provide the following sentence frame for those needing extra scaffolding:

The apples function as a symbol of , and they develop Ma as character who .

As volunteers share responses, record statements that effectively address the question.

n The apples function as a symbol of hope, and they develop Ma as a character who refuses to give in to the despair around her.

n The apples function as a symbol of transformation, and they develop Ma as a character who believes that with patience and hard work she can bring beauty and plenty into her family’s life.

EXECUTE A TO-SEEC PARAGRAPH

Individuals

25 MIN.

Display the Craft Question: How do I write a To-SEEC paragraph response that includes relevant and sufficient evidence and clear and thoughtful elaboration?

Display the Content Framing Question:

Reveal: What does Hesse’s use of symbolism reveal about Ma’s character?

Explain that students will address both questions in their second New-Read Assessment.

Distribute Assessment 20A: New-Read Assessment 2: “Hope in a Drizzle,” and review the directions, answering questions as needed.

Students complete Assessment 20A.

4 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Conduct a Whip Around in which students each contribute one word describing Ma. Students should not repeat words.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read pages 57–59 in Out of the Dust and the article “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets” by Errol Lincoln Uys. Students create a new Web Catcher that focuses on “Connections between the poem “Wild Boy of the Road” (58–59) and the article. Finally, students complete this sentence frame to create a topic statement:

The poem “Wild Boy of the Road” and the article “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets” share this central idea:

Analyze Context and Alignment

The CFUs assess how well each student can (RL.6.1, RL.6.4): ƒ Identify symbolism. ƒ Explain its effect. ƒ Use examples to sufficiently support and elaborate upon an idea about character development.

Each student should exit this lesson with the understanding that generosity, pride, and, most important, hope sustain Ma’s spirits during the Great Depression. Symbols, such as the apple trees and the rain, help develop Ma’s character and reveal how important having hope is to Ma. Hope is transformative, a concept central to the module, and one that is explored in the poem “Hope in a Drizzle” that students encountered in Assessment 20A. Students will spend increasing time examining what causes personal transformation.

Students are beginning to examine that symbols like the apple trees and rain function as a contrast with the other symbol covered so far: the dust and its representation of poverty and despair. As they move deeper into the novel and start analyzing its themes, students can uncover how these symbols help develop the novel’s contrasting themes of hope and despair, highlighting the power of the former despite the ubiquitousness of the latter.

Next Steps

This lesson assumes that students in past grades and lessons have been exposed to symbolism and have a basic understanding. If students have not had such exposure, consider grouping students differently according to skill level, and work alongside students who need additional support.

Lesson 20 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Examine Sentence Variety

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 37–51

ƒ Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Analyze how the use of varied sentence patterns enhances writing (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 20

Examine: Why is sentence variety important?

Launch

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Ask: “What does the word variety mean? How does Hesse use a variety of different sentences in Out of the Dust?”

Students review the text and then share ideas.

n Variety means “many different kinds, not all the same.”

n Hesse uses sentences of different lengths. Some are very long and some are short.

n Hesse uses sentences that start with different words.

n Some sentences start with the subject, while others start with a prepositional phrase or conjunction.

Learn

Distribute Handout 20A: Introduction to Sentence Variety.

Ask one student to read aloud the poem in the left-hand column. Point out that because of the line breaks, readers have to pay attention to punctuation to find out where the sentences end.

Ask: “What do you notice about sentence variety in this excerpt?”

n There is little variety.

n The sentences are mostly the same length.

n The sentences all start with the subject, and sometimes the subject is the same in two sentences in a row.

n The writing sounds choppy. It does not have a good flow because all the sentences have similar patterns: subject-predicate.

Ask one student to read aloud the excerpt in the right-hand column, which is the original excerpt.

Ask: “What do you notice that’s different in this excerpt from the previous one?”

n One sentence is very long, and one is short.

n One sentence combines many clauses, and the other is only one clause.

n One sentence starts with a clause (While we sat…), and the other starts with a subject (I).

Ask: “What is the effect of a shorter sentence after a longer sentence, as in the second excerpt?”

n The shorter sentence stands out more.

n The shorter sentence seems more dramatic.

n The shorter sentence seems more important.

Ask: “What is the effect of having two different sentence structures next to each other, one complex and one simple, rather than a string of simple sentences, as in the first excerpt?”

n The complex sentence brings together all the factors that the students had to endure during the test—the wind, the sand, the coughing, and so on. This sentence structure emphasizes how difficult it must have been to take the test.

n When placed next to the complex structure of the first sentence, the simple sentence “I hope we get bonus points for testing in a dust storm” points out the relative insignificance of bonus points and even tests compared to the hardships the students are up against in their daily lives.

Groups conduct a Grammar Safari to find two to three examples of excerpts that contain a variety of sentence lengths or structures in Out of the Dust.

Land

Groups share examples of varied sentence lengths and structures. Invite the whole group to explain how the variety enhances the writing.

Remind students to pay attention to different sentence structures in the texts they read. They will be expected to include a variety of sentences in their own writing.

FOCUSING QUESTION: LESSONS 17–21

What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

33 34 2 1 3 5 6 7 15 26 11 19 30 9 17 28 13 24 21 32 8 16 27 12 23 20 31 10 18 29 14 25 22 4

Lesson 21

TEXTS

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Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 57–59 ƒ

“Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets,” Errol Lincoln Uys (http://witeng.link/0699)

Migrant Mother, Dorothea Lange (http://witeng.link/0695) ƒ

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“Migrant Mother Photo,” History.com video (http://witeng.link/0696) ƒ

“The Drought,” PBS American Experience video (http://witeng.link/0697) ƒ “

‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America” History.com article (http://witeng.link/0698) ƒ

Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis ƒ

“Hoovervilles,” History.com article (http://witeng.link/0691)

Kentucky Flood, Margaret Bourke-White photograph (http://witeng.link/0690) ƒ

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“1930s GM Sit-Down Strike,” History.com video (http://witeng.link/0692)

Lesson 21: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Synthesize the Article

Launch (12 min.) Learn (48 min.)

Review Annotations and Synthesize Texts (13 min.)

Synthesize Texts to Find Central Ideas (15 min.)

Execute Text Analysis (20 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Experiment with Sentence Variety (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RI.6.1, RI.6.2

Writing ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.9 ƒ W.6.4

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.1, SL.6.2, SL.6.6

Language ƒ

L.4.3.a, L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, L.6.6 ƒ L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a

MATERIALS

Handout 21A: Evidence Organizer— Central Ideas Put Forward by Texts ƒ

Assessment 21A: Focusing Question Task 4 ƒ

Handout 21B: Varying Sentences ƒ Handout 21C: Tips for Enhancing Sentence Variety

Learning Goals

Explain what multiple texts convey about how people endured the Great Depression

(RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3; RI.6.1, 6.2; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a, 6.9.b; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6).

Complete Assessment 21A.

Revise sentence variety to enhance meaning and impact (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

Revise Assessment 21A essay for sentence variety.

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 17–21

What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 21

Know: How do the module texts build my knowledge about how people persevered during the Great Depression?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 21

Execute: How do I use a To-SEEC mini-essay to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

Students examine some of the central ideas found in both the Great Depression supplemental texts and the novel Out of the Dust. These ideas, such as hope sustaining people’s spirits during hard times, gradually become some of the novel’s dominant themes. Students synthesize the ideas of the supplemental texts and the novel by using the Focusing Question as a line of inquiry. Analysis of multiple texts about the Great Depression deepens students’ historical understanding of the period that influenced the transformation of Billie Jo, the topic of the EOM Task.

Welcome

5 MIN.

SYNTHESIZE THE ARTICLE

Display the last paragraph from the article “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets”:

“Mother said she would feed them too. He brought his wife and three children. They still refused to come inside so mother spread two rugs on the ground for them. They ate her home-made bread and baked beans and couldn’t thank us enough. In a way what a beautiful time it was.”

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “The conclusion of the article quotes a woman reflecting on her experience as a young child during the Great Depression. How can the Great Depression be viewed as a devastating time for people as well as a ‘beautiful time’ like the woman suggests?”

Launch

12 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “What texts, photographs, and videos have you read and viewed so far that have taught you about the Great Depression?”

n The novel Bud, Not Buddy.

n The novel Out of the Dust.

n The article “Hoovervilles.”

n The article “The Drought.”

n The article “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets.”

n The photo Kentucky Flood.

n The photo Migrant Mother.

n The video “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike.”

n The article “‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America.”

n The video “Migrant Mother Photo.”

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “Based on your viewing of these materials and reading of these texts, what have you learned about the Great Depression and the people who lived during this era?”

Students Think–Pair–Share and add on to the ideas about the Great Depression already started in the different sections of their Knowledge Journal.

Sample student response in Knowledge Journal:

World of Knowledge World of Ideas

ƒ Many people became unemployed during the Great Depression. Because people lost their jobs, they often could not pay their rent or mortgage, and they lost their homes.

ƒ Many farmers and ranchers suffered because they couldn’t raise crops or tend cattle because of the Dust Bowl. Many lost their farms and ranches.

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Americans looked out for one another during an extremely challenging time. Even people who had very little were willing to share it with those who had less.

World of Skills

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People’s experiences can be caputured in stories, interviews, poetry, or photography.

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People coped with hardship differently. Some people relied on family or music to help them escape, others ran away to find a better life.

ƒ Authors use figurative language and symbolism to vividly convey ideas and themes.

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Hope for a better life or that new opportunities were coming kept people going.

Inform students that today’s lesson focuses on synthesizing in more detail the central ideas these texts put forward to arrive at a deeper understanding of what sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression.

REVIEW ANNOTATIONS AND SYNTHESIZE TEXTS 13 MIN.

Whole Group

Students quickly review the Web Catchers they completed for homework.

Students share what they collected on their catchers. Record and display their contributions on a collaborative Web Catcher.

In the section “When Did You Boys Eat Last,” young teenagers who left home during the Great Depression relied upon the kindness and generosity of others in order to survive. This is similar to the case of the wild boy of the road.

“Some day I’ll leave behind the wind, and the dust / and walk my way West / and make myself to home in that distant place / of green vines and promise” (59). Billie Jo understands why kids like the wild boy have left their homes in search of something better. In the article, the kids take to the rails hoping they can help out their families or find a way to make money.

“He couldn’t pay for anything, but Ma set him down / and gave him biscuits / and milk” (Hesse, 58). The young boy is like the children from the article. He is homeless and starving. Ma is like the generous strangers in the article. She gives him food, and other things so that he can survive another day.

Connections between “Wild Boy of the Road” and the “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets”

“‘His mother is worrying about him,’ Ma said. / ‘His mother is wishing her boy would come home’” (59). Ma sees her own child in the wild boy of the road and feels empathy. She is helping someone just like herself and her family when she helps this stranger. In the article, people helped kids on the road and treated them like family.

In the section “Good Place for a Handout,” people helped people during the Great Depression, and many homeless migrants counted on this help to survive. In the poem, the boy needs Ma and Daddy’s help. He needs food, clothing, but more importantly, kindness.

In the section “The Buzz Saw of Life,” homeless migrants experienced dangers, especially riding the rails, but they also experienced care and kindness from total strangers. In the poem, Ma and Daddy are strangers to the wild boy, but this does not stop them from helping him.

TEACHER NOTE

Consider drawing threads connecting evidence that shares a central idea, or highlight (like in the exemplar on the previous page) phrases or sentences that touch upon a similar idea. In the case of the exemplar, the idea that people helped people during the Great Depression is indicated in bold.

Ask: “The words sympathy and compassion are used in the article to describe people’s interactions with strangers. What does it mean to be sympathetic and compassionate?”

n Being sympathetic means caring about how another person feels. When one shows sympathy, the person figuratively puts themselves in the shoes of another.

n Being compassionate means feeling sorrow or pity for another person’s misfortunes.

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

sympathy (n.) The feeling and showing of concern and compassion for someone in physical or mental pain.

compassion; pity

compassion (n.) Sharing the suffering of another that produces the desire to help. heart, kindness, mercy, tenderness

Ask: “What was the result of people feeling sympathetic and compassionate for the migrants’ downtrodden situation?”

n Because people felt sympathy and compassion for the homeless migrants, they did not ignore their desperation. People who had a little extra gave migrants money, food, and other handouts to help them make it through tough times.

Ask: “Based on what your peers shared and the topic statement you wrote last night, how would you now complete this sentence:

The poem “Wild Boy of the Road” and the article “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets” both convey the message that…

n The poem “Wild Boy of the Road” and the article “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets” both convey the message that generosity helped sustain people’s spirits during hard times.

SYNTHESIZE TEXTS TO FIND CENTRAL IDEAS 15 MIN.

Small Groups

Inform students that their groups will prepare for the upcoming Focusing Question Task by collecting and examining evidence.

Distribute and display Handout 21A: Evidence Organizer— Central Ideas Put Forward by Texts. Review the handout’s model example, and answer students’ questions as needed.

Ask: “What other things sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression? Consider all the sources of information you have read or viewed so far.”

n Pride. n Hope. n Love of family. n Love of music. n Banding together.

Students add these central ideas to Handout 21A.

When a boy comes to their house and “[asks] for food,” Ma “[sits] him down/and [gives] him biscuits/and milk” (Hesse, 58). She knows that somewhere out there “his mother is worrying about him” and “wishing her boy would come home” (59).

Ma sees her own child in the “wild boy of the road,” and she cannot turn him away (59). Because of Billie Jo’s family’s generosity, the nameless boy is able to survive without a home or family to take care of him, and Ma benefits from her own generosity because it makes her feel like she is helping someone just like herself.

Students complete evidence and elaboration in support of the other central ideas on Handout 21A.

EXECUTE TEXT ANALYSIS

20 MIN.

Distribute and display Assessment 21A: Focusing Question Task 4. Review the task’s directions and explain what students should include in each paragraph.

Students complete Assessment 21A.

TEACHER NOTE

Circulate to check students’ progress on completing outlines. Students should finish their outlines before leaving class. After completing their outlines, students work on their drafts for Assessment 21A. If they need additional time, students may turn in Assessment 21A the following lesson.

Assessment 21A:

Focusing

Question Task 4

What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression?

Introduction Throughout the module, we have studied the hardships of the Great Depression and how people coped and found ways to persevere during the desperate times. In this task you will synthesize your understanding of what these texts teach about the human spirit and its resilience during times of hardship. Writing about this topic and composing a mini-essay will support your success on the remaining Focusing Question Tasks and the End-of-Module Task.

Task For an audience who has read and studied all of the module texts the way you have, write a To-SEEC mini-essay (an introduction and two body paragraphs) in which you explain how people during the Great Depression and the characters in Out of the Dust sustained their spirits during this difficult time in our history. Please remember to include proper citations for your textual evidence and follow the conventions of standard written English.

You must use evidence from both Out of the Dust and “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hard Times on Mean Streets,” but you may also include evidence from any of the other module texts: Bud, Not Buddy Kentucky Flood (photograph), “GM Sit-Down Strike” (video), Migrant Mother (photograph), “Migrant Mother Photo” (video), “The Drought” (article), or “‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America” (article).

Please incorporate the word sustain into your response.

You may refer to the To-SEEC explanatory mini-essay model and use the graphic organizers on the next pages if they help you prepare your thinking before writing. Though each body paragraph organizer has only two evidence rows, you are not limited to two pieces of evidence for each paragraph.

Criteria for Success

Include the following items in your introduction: A hook.

An introduction.

ƒ A thesis that conveys and previews your ideas about how people sustained their spirits during the Great Depression.

Include the following items in your two body paragraphs: A topic statement that presents your idea. Textual evidence that develops your idea. Elaboration that explains how the evidence develops your idea.

Transitional words or phrases to show connections among your sentences.

A variety of sentences structures and types to convey your ideas effectively.

A concluding statement that reinforces your idea.

ƒ Internal citations to indicate where in the texts your evidence is located.

© Great Minds PBC Page of 4

5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Engage students in a brief discussion of the lesson’s Content Framing Question.

Wrap5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read pages 60–84 of Out of the Dust and complete one Web Catcher with “Accident’s Impact” as its focus. In addition, if students need extra time to complete Focusing Question Task 4, they may finish their draft for homework.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students practice writing an effective introduction that is then supported with relevant, sufficient evidence and elaboration in two body paragraphs (W.6.2, W.6.9). This mini-essay builds toward the full explanatory essay model used for the EOM Task.

At this point, students should have internalized the structure of an essay; they should understand that an essay focuses on one central idea (the thesis) that is then supported by points that are developed by evidence and elaboration.

In addition, students should have developed an understanding that both in history and in literature, hope and generosity sustain people and characters during times of hardship; these elements function like light and help humans transcend what is dark. In the next section of the novel, Billie Jo will descend into darkness after the tragic death of her mother and the injury to her hands. Fighting her way out of this darkness will require her to find a way to hope again, and it will require her to find a way to be generous with herself and her father in the form of forgiveness.

Next Steps

Group students with similar needs and plan small-group support for these skills to set students up for success with their next Focusing Question Task.

Lesson 21 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Experiment with Sentence Variety

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Focusing Question Task 4 exemplar and student-written paragraphs

ƒ Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Revise sentence variety to enhance meaning and impact (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 21

Experiment: How does varying sentence structures work in writing?

Launch

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question:

Ask: “How does sentence variety help a reader get meaning and enjoyment from a text?”

n Different sentence structures help keep the reader’s interest more than the same structure repeated many times.

n A variety of sentence structures shows the relationships among the ideas—for example, which ideas are closely connected and are therefore included in the same sentence.

n One short sentence among longer sentences draws attention to that sentence and gives it greater impact.

Learn

Distribute Handout 21B. Pairs complete Handout 21B: Varying Sentences.

Ask: “What revisions could be made to this paragraph to improve sentence variety?”

Display:

Ma constantly gives to such strangers in Out of the Dust. Ma donates both food and clothing for charitable causes. Ma does this even though the family is poor. Ma “[sits] him down/and [gives] him biscuits/and milk” when a boy comes to the house (58). She knows that somewhere out there “his mother is worrying about him” and “wishing her

boy would come home” (59). Ma sees her own child in the “wild boy of the road” (59). She cannot turn him away (59).

Ask: “What did you notice about the sentences in this excerpt?”

n The sentences all have the same subject—Ma or she

n The sentences all begin with the subject and have a simple structure.

n The sentences are also about the same length.

n The sentences do not show relationships among the ideas because there are no transitions or combined sentences.

Distribute Handout 21C, and review the tips:

As a class, work through the revisions process, writing changes directly on the displayed excerpt.

Students revise their Assessment 21A essays for sentence variety by working through the tips in Handout 21C: Tips for Enhancing Sentence Variety. Circulate as students work, offering assistance and ideas.

Handout 21C: Tips for Enhancing Sentence Variety

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• Rearrange the order of the words in the sentence to make the writing more interesting.

• Combine sentences into one long sentence to show connections among ideas.

• Change the subject of the sentence to create a better flow.

•

Land

Ask: “What did you find out about your own writing by looking at it in terms of sentence variety?”

Have several students share changes they made to improve meaning by revising sentences in their essays.

Lesson 22

Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 60–84

FOCUSING QUESTION: LESSONS 22–25

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Lesson 22: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Analyze Figurative Language Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Identify and Examine Repetition (15 min.)

Analyze Symbolism (15 min.)

Analyze the Effect of Stylistic Devices (25 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Execute Sentence Variety (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4

Writing ƒ W.6.9, W.10 ƒ W.6.4

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.5.1, SL.5.2, SL.5.6

Language ƒ

L.6.5 ƒ L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a

MATERIALS ƒ

Handout 22A: Fluency Practice 3

Handout 2C: Transitional Words and Phrases

Handout 21C: Tips for Enhancing Sentence Variety

Chart paper and markers

Learning Goals

Analyze how stylistic devices help convey a character’s perspective (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, W.6.10).

Complete an Exit Ticket.

Revise sentence variety to enhance meaning and impact (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

Revise Exit Ticket from core lesson.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 22–25

How does hardship alter the characters’ perspectives in Out of the Dust?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 22

Reveal: How do stylistic devices reveal Billie Jo’s changing perspective?

Students begin examining a new Focusing Question that asks them to consider how hardship alters the characters’ perspectives. They tackle this question by analyzing how stylistic devices used by Hesse achieve a certain purpose; for example, they help capture the complicated emotions Billie Jo feels since her Ma’s death and reveal a shift in her perspective about her father and her identity as a pianist.

Welcome

5 MIN.

ANALYZE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Display: “In the poem ‘Kilauea’ (79), Billie Jo compares a dust storm to a volcanic eruption in Hawaii. How are the two similar? How does Billie Jo’s life resemble these natural disasters?”

Pairs brainstorm ideas.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “Are there any words in the Focusing or Content Framing Question that are unfamiliar to you?”

n I wonder what the term stylistic devices means.

n Stylistic sounds like style. Does a stylistic device mean something that helps an author create a certain style of writing?

n Is perspective a character’s point of view?

Share with students that stylistic devices include techniques authors use to help express ideas. Such devices include techniques such as metaphor, simile, personification, and symbolism, already covered in past lessons. They also include devices not yet examined, such as repetition, which will be explained in this lesson.

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

stylistic devices (n.) Literary techniques related to style.

Figurative language is a type of stylistic device.

point of view (n.) The position or point from which one views a subject.

In literature, it means the viewpoint from whom the story is told. Out of the Dust uses a first-person point of view, telling the story through Billie Jo, who speaks directly to the reader, versus using a third-person point of view that tells the story through a narrator who is not a character.

In literature, it means a particular way (negative, neutral, or positive) a character views someone or something.

angle, outlook

position, stand perspective (n.) A person’s point of view about a subject.

Explain that in the next few lessons, students will analyze how the tragedy involving Ma alters, or changes, Billie Jo’s perspective about all aspects of her life and impacts all her relationships.

55 MIN.

IDENTIFY AND EXAMINE REPETITION 15 MIN.

Small Groups

Ask: “What is repetition?” n Repetition means “repeating something.”

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples repetition (n.) Something that is repeated. echo

Students turn to “The Accident” on pages 60–61.

Read “The Accident” aloud and have students record examples of repetition they hear as you read. Remind them that repetition does not need to occur immediately; for example, a phrase might be used at the start of a poem and then repeated at the end.

Ask: “What are some examples of repetition in this poem?”

n “I got burned bad” and “Ma got burned bad” (60–61).

n “I didn’t know. / I didn’t know” (61).

n “a rope of fire” and “a column of fire” (60–61).

n “desperate to save her, / desperate to save the baby” (60–61).

Record and display these examples.

Students analyze what each example of repetition emphasizes and what each reveals about Billie Jo’s perspective about the accident.

As volunteers share responses, record and display their analyses.

Example of repetition

What does the repetition emphasize?

What does this emphasis reveal about Billie Jo’s perspective about the accident?

“I got burned bad” and “Ma got burned bad” (60–61).

This repetition emphasizes that Billie Jo and her Ma are both victims of the fire.

Billie Jo starts off by stating first that she “got burned bad” (60). She ends the poem by stating the same thing about her mother. She has an easier time talking about her own injury than her mother’s. She feels extreme guilt that she caused her mother harm. It is hard for her to say these words: “Ma got burned bad” (60).

“I didn’t know. / I didn’t know” (61). Billie Jo repeats this line because she is fighting with herself about how to interpret the accident and where to place blame. She knows that she did not intend to cause any harm to her mother.

“a rope of fire” and “a column of fire” (60–61).

The accident goes from bad to worse. Going from a rope to a column suggests the fire intensifies.

Billie Jo feels very guilty for her role in the accident. She needs to convince herself that she is not to blame.

Billie Jo’s perspective about the accident is that it quickly becomes out of hand; she has no control. When she wrestles with her guilty feelings, she also deals with feelings of helplessness. These devastate her.

“desperate to save her, / desperate to save the baby” (60–61).

Billie Jo wants nothing more than to save her Ma and baby brother. It is a consuming need.

Billie Jo feels like she has hurt Ma; she feels overwhelmed by her inability to do anything to fix what she has caused.

ANALYZE SYMBOLISM

Pairs

Students turn to “Nightmare” (63–65).

Ask: “What happens in the nightmare?”

n Billie Jo can’t get away from the dust. It is everywhere and attacks her. It acts almost like a monster. It also destroys Ma’s piano.

n Ma lets the dust into the house; Billie Jo is furious at her mother.

n Billie Jo “[hits] the keys” of the piano “with [her] fist” because she is so mad that her piano no longer plays music properly (64).

n Billie Jo brings water to Ma, but it is really a “pail of fire,” and she gives “birth to a baby of flames” (64).

n Billie Jo runs away and finds a new piano that works. However, after she brings the piano back to her house, she can’t play it because her hands are injured.

Students review the poem for any language that describes how Billie Jo feels and then infer what emotion that might be conveying.

As students share responses, record and display.

Evidence What type of emotion?

“I am awake now, / still shaking from my dream” (63). fear

“I shuddered, nasty with dust” (63). disgust, fear

“I didn’t care about anyone, anything, only the piano” (63). sadness, seems like she is almost numb

“I was angry at Ma for letting in the dust” (63). anger

“I hit the keys with my fist” (64). anger

“The relief I felt to hear the sound of music after the / sound / of the piano at home” (64). relief

Ask: “What do Billie Jo’s emotions reveal about her perspective of the accident? What evidence supports your opinion?”

n She feels guilty for her role in the accident. She feels responsible, which is evident when she brings Maa pail of fire to drink and her brother is born a “baby of flames” (64).

n She feels angry that it happened. She wants to blame someone else, which she does when she gets mad at Ma “for letting in the dust” (63).

n She feels devastated that she has lost her ability to play piano. In her nightmare, her hands are “swollen lumps” that drip “a sickly pus” and “[swing] stupidly from her wrists” (65). Her hands are no longer capable of producing beautiful music. When she wakes up, “the part / about [her] hands / [is] real,” which indicates that her nightmare is not over (65).

Students discuss the following TDQ and individually record answers in their Response Journal. After five minutes, ask volunteers to share their responses.

1. How do the dust and two pianos function symbolically in the poem “The Nightmare”?

n The dust symbolizes the tragedy that Billie Jo cannot escape; the pianos symbolize the grief and anger she feels about loss. Both reveal Billie Jo’s complicated perspective about the accident; she feels both responsible for and injured by the accident.

n The first part of the nightmare focuses on the attacking nature of dust. She cannot get away from it. It invades all parts of her body, and it covers everything in her home, including the beloved piano. The dust symbolizes how she cannot escape her emotional pain. Her guilt about the accident hurts her like the “[chafing]” dust, and it prevents her from playing piano (63).

n Ma’s piano is covered by “a mound of dust,” dust that Billie Jo blames Ma for “letting in” (63). Billie Jo feels conflicted about the accident. She feels guilty about her role in it, but angry with the accident itself for ruining everything. This piano makes a “tortured sound” and can no longer play beautiful music (63). It represents her tortured feelings about what has happened to her life.

n Billie Jo is able to play the second piano, which she finds after she runs away. Billie Jo wants to run away from the accident and its devastation. However, once she brings it back home, her injured hands prevent her from playing it. It represents her tortured feelings that she can no longer play piano and her inability to escape from the tragedy of the accident.

ANALYZE THE EFFECT OF STYLISTIC DEVICES

Pairs

Students answer the following TDQs, which cover poems from pages 60–84. Some of these TDQs are poem-specific, while others require students to pull evidence from more than one poem. Give pairs fifteen minutes to complete the TDQs in their Response Journal, and then review answers as a class.

2. In “A Tent of Pain” (66), how do stylistic devices reveal Billie Jo’s complicated emotions about Ma?

n Repetition helps convey Billie Jo’s sadness and guilt. Billie Jo repeats the beginning part of the sentence “I can’t look at her, / I can’t recognize her” to emphasize how guilty and heartbroken she feels because Ma is in severe pain (66). She loves Ma, but being around Ma while she is in agony makes Billie Jo want to run away.

n The figurative language and imagery in the poem emphasize how horrific Ma’s injuries are. Ma “smells like scorched meat” and she “groans” and “moans” and does not speak (66). These images make Billie Jo “wish the dust would plug [her] ears / so [she] couldn’t hear her” (66). Again, Billie Jo loves Ma, but she cannot stand to be near her because she feels very responsible for what the accident has done to her mother.

n Considering how much she hates the dust, Billie Jo’s wish for dust to plug her ears shows how unbearable it is to hear Ma in pain.

3. In “Drinking” (67), how does imagery help convey Billie Jo’s perspective of her father?

n Billie Jo’s perspective of her father changes after the accident. She begins to view him as weak. She emphasizes that he “[gets] good and drunk” while Ma suffers at home (67). This image of her father abandoning them and getting intoxicated conveys Billie Jo’s disgust at his behavior.

n The imagery depicting Ma focuses on her agonizing condition. She “[moans] and [begs] for water” while Billie Jo’s father “[drinks] up the emergency money” (67). Billie Jo tries to help her Ma, but her injured hands prevent her from helping, and she suffers watching Ma in pain. The image of her mother needing but unable to drink, and her father choosing to drink and abandoning his family, conveys Billie Jo’s perspective that her father has deserted them.

4. In “Devoured” (68–69), how do the grasshoppers function as a symbol and reveal Billie Jo’s perspective of the land?

n The grasshoppers eat all the apples in Ma’s trees. These apples destroy what Ma loves and has nurtured. They come at the same time when Franklin is born—and dies. Like the apples, Franklin symbolized hope and plenty returning to Billie Jo’s family. The grasshoppers, like the dust, destroy everything in their path and represent death and tragedy.

n What happens in the natural environment mirrors what happens in Billie Jo’s life. The destruction of the apples mirrors the death of Ma and baby Franklin. Billie Jo views nature as working against her and her family. Dust storms, grasshoppers, and drought all act to punish the people of the Panhandle.

5. How do language choices in “Blame” (70–72) and “Birthday” (73–74) reveal how Billie Jo is processing her Ma’s death?

n In “Blame,” Billie Jo states that “I / stayed in my room / silent on the iron bed” (71). The pronoun I has its own line. It emphasizes how alone Billie Jo feels since the accident happened. She has no one. Ma and her baby brother are dead; her only relative, Aunt Ellis, “barely [notices her]”; her father stays silent and withdrawn; and the neighbor women pass judgment on her (70).

n When Billie Jo hears the neighbor women say that it was an accident, she perceives that “under their words a finger [points]” (71). This figurative language in “Blame” reveals that Billie Jo suffers from guilt. She assumes people blame her, and only her, for the tragedy.

n There are repeated sentence constructions in “Blame” that emphasize how Billie Jo feels like outsiders blame only her for the accident. Billie Jo says, “They [don’t] talk / about my father leaving kerosene by the stove. / They [don’t] say a word about my father / drinking himself / into a stupor. / They only [say], / Billie Jo threw the pail of kerosene” (71). This last sentence highlights Billie Jo’s guilt. She knows that throwing the pail killed her mother.

n In “Birthday,” Billie Jo walks to town and along the way are the “carcasses” of animals. A birthday is supposed to be a happy occasion; for Billie Jo, it is marked by these images of death. She has not moved on past Ma’s death but instead observes death in the land around her.

n In “Birthday,” Billie Jo thinks about the land itself and how it is “empty but for a few withered stalks / like the tufts on an old man’s head” (73). This simile captures how depressed Billie Jo is. She sees nothing positive in the land (like the apple trees of the past) that gives her hope that things will get better.

n She describes her hands as “lumps of flesh” in “Birthday” (73). What was once a source of happiness and pride has become a source of pain and embarrassment. Because of Ma’s death and the injury to her hands, Billie Jo feels like she cannot move forward or find a way to be happy again.

6. In “The Empty Spaces” (76) and “The Hole” (77–78), how does repetition reveal Billie Jo’s changing perspective of her father?

n

In “The Empty Spaces,” Billie Jo repeats a series of sentences that mirror each other: “He looks like my father, / he chews his food like my father, / he brushes his dusty hair back / like my father” (76). After this series of sentences, she says the opposite by ending with “but he is a stranger” (76). This repetition, followed by stating the opposite, emphasizes that Billie Jo’s father has fundamentally changed since Ma’s death. He has pulled away from Billie Jo, and this leaves her feeling fatherless.

n In “The Hole,” Billie Jo repeats the same sentence construction: “I can almost forgive him the taking of Ma’s money, / I can almost forgive him his night in Guymon, / getting drunk” (78). After these sentences, she says the opposite by ending with “I can’t forgive him that pail of kerosene” (78). She contrasts what she can and cannot forgive him for, and by ending with what is impossible to forgive, she reveals the wall she has created between herself and her father.

5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students individually complete an Exit Ticket in response to the following question: “In ‘Night Bloomer’ (81–82), how does the cereus plant function as a symbol and reflect Billie Jo’s perspective of herself?”

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read pages 87–108 in Out of the Dust and complete one Web Catcher with “Billie Jo’s relationship with her father” as its focus. Students also complete Day 1 of Handout 22A: Fluency Practice 3.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Lesson 22 builds on students’ knowledge of stylistic devices and their skill at identifying examples and explaining their effect (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4). At this point in the module, students should read with an eye for discerning how these devices help express a poem’s meaning.

Students should exit the lesson with a solid understanding that:

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Billie Jo feels confused by the guilt and anger she experiences after the accident, emotions complicated by the fact that she is heartbroken from losing her mother and her ability to play the piano.

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These emotions cause her to withdraw from her father and other people.

Stylistic devices help convey Billie Jo’s feelings and alert the reader to her changing perspective about herself and her father.

Next Steps

This series of lessons for Assessment 25A focuses on how Billie Jo initially changes in response to negative experiences. Students need to understand this initial change so they can process her eventual transformation, which is the focus of the EOM Task.

In addition, the fluency passage (“The Path of Our Sorrow”) students practice in this next section reinforces their background knowledge of the Dust Bowl and deepens their understanding of character behavior. Students practice reading this poem over the next several lessons.

Lesson 22 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Execute Sentence Variety

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Time: 15 min. ƒ

Text: Student-written paragraphs ƒ

Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Revise sentence variety to enhance meaning and impact (L.5.3.a, L.6.3.a, W.6.4).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 22

Execute: How do I use sentence variety to enhance my writing?

Launch

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question:

Students add tips, ideas, images, examples, and nonexamples to the Graffiti Wall in response to the Craft Question.

Learn

Ask: “How does variety in sentences make your writing better?” Elicit that when a writer has strong sentence variety, the writing flows. Readers understand the connections between the sentences and find a sort of rhythm in the writing. If possible, share two examples of successful student work from the previous lesson, and ask the class to comment on how the student writers use sentence variety and what impact that makes in their understanding as readers.

Briefly review the tips in Handout 21C: ƒ

Break a sentence into shorter sentences to create a stronger “punch.”

Rearrange the order of the words in the sentence to make the writing more interesting. ƒ

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Combine sentences into one long sentence to show connections among ideas. ƒ

Change the subject of the sentence to create a better flow.

ƒ Use transition words to demonstrate the relationships among ideas.

Students read aloud their Exit Ticket responses from the core lesson to themselves in a quiet voice and then revise to improve meaning and clarity. Students should refer to both Handouts 2C and 21C while revising.

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•

•

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Collect both versions of the paragraphs to check for improved meaning and clarity through sentence variety.

Land

Ask: “How does including varied sentences improve your writing?”

n Varied sentences make the writing more interesting.

n Varied sentences make the writing flow better.

n Varied sentences can help showcase one important idea.

n Varied sentences can help the reader see connections between ideas.

Remind students they will continue to write with an eye on improving meaning and clarity through sentence variety in upcoming essays.

Lesson 23

Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 87–108

FOCUSING QUESTION: LESSONS 22–25

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Lesson 23: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Record Vocabulary Launch (5 min.) Learn (50 min.)

Analyze Theme and Perspective (20 min.)

Examine Evidence Integration (10 min.)

Experiment with Evidence Integration (20 min.)

Land (8 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question Wrap (7 min.)

Record Vocabulary Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Execute Word Choice (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4

Writing

W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a, W.6.10 ƒ

W.6.2.d, W.6.2.e, W.6.4

Speaking and Listening

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SL.6.1.a, SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6

Language ƒ

L.6.1e, L.6.3.b

MATERIALS

Handout 23A: Evidence Organizer— Themes in Out of the Dust ƒ

Handout 23B: Integrating Evidence ƒ

Handout 22A: Fluency Practice 3

Learning Goals

Analyze how the author conveys themes and perspectives through the characters’ thoughts and actions (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, W.6.10, SL.6.1.a, SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6).

Complete Handout 23A, and participate in class discussion.

Integrate evidence that supports a point about theme (W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a).

Complete a model paragraph that is missing evidence.

Analyze the impact of word choice on precision, expression, and consistency in writing (W.6.2.d, W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

Revise evidenceelaboration paragraph for precise word choice.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 22–25

How does hardship alter the characters’ perspectives in Out of the Dust?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 23

Reveal: What does analysis of the characters’ thoughts and actions reveal about the themes of Out of the Dust?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 23

Examine and Experiment: How do I integrate evidence?

Students analyze how Hesse develops themes through the characters’ words, thoughts, and actions, and they consider how these themes touch upon universal truths about human nature and the human condition. Students also contemplate how Billie Jo’s thoughts and actions reveal how her perspective of herself, others, and the land continues to shift as she processes her mother’s death and her father’s response to the tragedy.

Welcome

5 MIN.

RECORD VOCABULARY

Display:

“He doesn’t stare at my deformed hands. He looks at me like I am someone he knows, someone named Billie Jo Kelby” (92).

1. Using the Outside-In strategy, what might the word deformed mean?

2. How would the meaning change if Billie Jo had described her hands using another adjective, such as injured?

3. How does the word deformed reveal Billie Jo’s perspective on her hands?

Students Think–Pair–Share to complete the task.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples deformed (adj.) Having some type of noticeable disfigurement. misshapen, disfigured

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: What is a theme?

n A main idea.

n A message about something. Remind students that a topic is not a theme. As an example, point out that the Great Depression is a topic, but a theme in a text about the Great Depression might be hardship. A theme is an idea or concept that is developed in a text that conveys a message or truth about the human condition. For example, hardship as an idea might be explored in a text, and the text might convey a message about this idea that “Love helps people deal best with hardship.” Point out that a theme conveys a general statement about the human condition or life experience that the book puts forth; it is not textspecific in terms of character and plot.

Ask: “What are some of the themes explored in Out of the Dust?”

n Hardship. n Guilt. n Hope. n Despair. n Perseverance. n Home. n Family. n Love.

Explain that this lesson explores how the author develops themes and conveys messages through the characters’ words, thoughts, and actions. Tell students that they will also examine and experiment with evidence integration in preparation for Assessment 25A.

50 MIN.

ANALYZE THEME AND PERSPECTIVE 20 MIN.

Small Groups

Distribute and display Handout 23A: Evidence Organizer—Themes in Out of the Dust. Review the directions, and answer any student questions as needed.

Read and review the model found in the first row. Assign groups one of the following themes to analyze: guilt, hope, and love. Give groups eight minutes to record information. Facilitate a discussion of each group’s responses, opening the conversation to the larger class for additional input. Remind groups that they should record notes (in the blank rows on Handout 23A) for two additional themes based on the analysis their peers provide.

EXAMINE EVIDENCE INTEGRATION

Whole Group

10 MIN.

Display the Craft Question: How do I integrate evidence?

Distribute and display Handout 23B: Integrating Evidence. Review the featured four examples of correct evidence integration:

Ask: “Why is correct evidence citation important in writing?”

n When evidence is correctly incorporated and integrated, the writing reads more smoothly. The reader can more easily follow the writer’s idea.

EXPERIMENT WITH EVIDENCE INTEGRATION 20 MIN.

Individuals

Display the following quotations:

1. “He doesn’t stare at my deformed hands. / He looks at me like I am / someone he knows, / someone named Billie Jo Kelby” (92).

2. “Only Arley Wanderdale talks about them, / and how they could play piano again, / if I would only try” (89).

3. “Now I can’t hardly stay in the same room with one. / Especially Ma’s” (87).

Instruct students to use some or all of the above quotations for the first and second pieces of evidence that support a model topic statement. Remind students that they do not need to use entire quotations; they can modify quotations to fit their own sentences (reference Handout 23B). They should include elaboration following the integration of evidence and a concluding statement.

Display: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse explores the theme of guilt and how it negatively alters Billie Jo’s perspective of the piano as no longer being a source of joy.

Students complete the paragraph, integrating evidence and including follow-up elaboration for the included topic statement.

Land8 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Reconvene the class, and have students complete a 3–2–1 Exit Ticket.

Display:

3. Record three quotes that capture how Billie Jo’s thoughts highlight her struggle with despair.

2. Record two quotes that capture how Billie Jo’s actions reveal that she feels guilty about Ma’s death.

1. Record one quote that captures how Billie Jo feels hopeful despite the hardship she suffers.

RECORD VOCABULARY

Preview the words amateur (129), migrants (121), and withered (116).

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning

amateur (adj.) Of or pertaining to an amateur or amateurs; not professional. migrants (n.) People in transit for some purpose, such as farm workers seeking employment. withered (v.) To fade or decay; to lose freshness or vigor; to shrivel up.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read pages 109–136 in Out of the Dust and complete two Web Catchers: one for “Hard Moments” and one for “Hopeful Moments.” Students also complete Day 2 of Handout 22A: Fluency Practice 3. Name Date Class

Handout 22A: Fluency Practice 3

Directions: 1. Day 1: Read the text carefully and annotate to help you read fluently. 2. Each day: a. Practice reading the text three to five times. b. Evaluate your progress by placing a +,  or - in each unshaded box. c. Ask someone (adult or peer) to listen and evaluate you as well. 3. Last day: Respond to the self-reflection questions.

The Path of Our Sorrow Miss Freeland said, “During the Great War we fed the world. We couldn’t grow enough wheat to fill all the bellies.

The price the world paid for our wheat was so high it swelled our wallets and our heads, and we bought bigger tractors, more acres, until we had mortgages and rent and bills beyond reason, but we all felt so useful, we didn’t notice. Then the war ended and before long, Europe didn’t need our wheat anymore, they could grow their own. But we needed Europe’s money to pay our mortgage, our rent, our bills.

We squeezed more cattle, more sheep, onto less land, and they grazed down the stubble till they reached root. And the price of wheat kept dropping so we had to grow more bushels to make the same amount of money we made before, to pay for all that equipment, all that land, and the more sod we plowed up, the drier things got, because the water that used to collect there under the grass, biding its time,

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students should exit the lesson with an understanding that an author develops themes through the characters’ words, thoughts, and actions (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3). They should have an understanding of the main themes of Out of the Dust, and they should perceive that these themes convey messages about the human condition that the book puts forward.

Students should also exit with an understanding that characters’ thoughts and actions reveal their perspectives about certain subjects, such as themselves or other characters. For example, Billie Jo’s private thoughts and some of the actions she takes showcase her evolving perspective of her role in the accident and how much blame she should shoulder.

Collect Handouts 23A, 23B, and 22A, and assess for the following success criteria:

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Identified evidence targets the assigned theme. ƒ

Elaboration is clear and effective in explaining how the evidence reveals the developing theme. ƒ

Elaboration is clear and effective in explaining how the theme impacts or alters a character’s perspective.

ƒ

The theme’s message connects to the row’s evidence and elaboration.

Collect paragraphs, and assess for the following success criteria (W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a):

ƒ

Two pieces of evidence (from some or all of the three displayed quotations) are integrated correctly following the rules of Handout 23B: Integrating Evidence. ƒ

Elaboration is clear and effective in explaining how two pieces of evidence support the topic statement.

ƒ

Concluding statement effectively closes paragraph.

Next Steps

Use this assessment opportunity to evaluate whether students can explain how details from the text help develop the novel’s themes and shed light on characters’ perspectives. Consider providing additional model examples for students who struggle to make these connections.

For students who struggle to correctly incorporate and cite quotations, provide them additional sentence frames they can use to help them internalize proper evidence integration.

Lesson 23 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Execute Word Choice

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Time: 15 min.

ƒ

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Text: Student evidence-elaboration paragraphs

Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Analyze the impact of word choice on precision, expression, and consistency in writing (W.6.2.d, W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 23

Execute: How do I improve my word choice in my writing?

Launch

Students share responses.

Ask: “Why should a writer think carefully about the words they choose to include?”

n Some words sound informal or are slang.

n When you write, you have time to think of the best word to use, while when you speak you do not have as much time to choose each word carefully.

n Some words are too general. They may not get the point across as well as other words.

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Learn

Explain that people write in different styles depending on their audience and purpose for writing. When writing academic papers, such as the ones students write in this module, a formal style of English is expected.

Display: Billie Jo feels an overwhelming sense of loss because of the injury to her hands. She once felt very proud of her hands; her skill at using them to play piano made her feel confident and talented, and they connected her to her Ma. Now she feels only despair when she thinks about them because she views them as permanently damaged.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “What do you notice about the word choices the writer of this paragraph makes?”

n The writer uses the word overwhelming for emphasis rather than a more common word such as huge

n The writer uses specific words, such as injury, despair, and permanently damaged.

n The writer seems to have thought about each word carefully. For example, she thought about how playing the piano made Billie Jo feel—not just good or proud, but confident and talented.

Display:

Things are really hard for Billy Jo after the accident. She is really sad about her mom dying. She is also upset about her hands and does not think she can do stuff like play piano ever again.

Instruct students to work with a partner to find three or more places in which the words could be replaced by more precise, formal vocabulary. When they have finished, come together as a class and use students’ ideas to revise the sentences.

Ask: “How did these sentences improve when we paid careful attention to our word choice?”

n They have a more formal style.

n They communicate the writer’s meaning more clearly.

n They are more interesting.

Students return to their evidence-elaboration paragraphs and replace three or more words with more precise words.

Land

Ask students to share some changes they made to the words in their paragraphs.

Students write an Exit Ticket: “Why is it important to think carefully about word choice when you write?”

Lesson 24

Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 109–136

FOCUSING QUESTION: LESSONS 22–25

does

Lesson 24: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Practice Fluency

Launch (5 min.) Learn (53 min.)

Analyze Evidence and Elaborate (23 min.)

Examine Cause-and-Effect Structure (15 min.)

Examine and Experiment with Conclusions (15 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question Wrap (7 min.)

Record Vocabulary

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Experiment with Formal Style (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3

Writing

Learning Goals

Explain how events in the plot signal the characters’ growth (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, W.6.10).

Complete a Quick Write.

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W.6.2.a, W.6.2.f, W.6.9.a, W.6.10 ƒ W.6.2.e, W.6.4

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.1

Language ƒ L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b

MATERIALS

Handout 22A: Fluency Practice 3 ƒ Handout 24A: Evidence Organizer—Billie Jo’s Journey Processing Hardship and Hope ƒ

Handout 24B: Experiment with Formal Style 1

Write an effective conclusion for an explanatory essay (W.6.2.f, W.6.9.a).

Write a concluding paragraph.

Utilize formal style in writing to enhance meaning and clarity (W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

Revise word choice in Quick Write from core lesson for precision and more formal style.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 22–25

How does hardship alter the characters’ perspectives in Out of the Dust?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 24

Reveal: What does analysis of Billie Jo’s experiences and her responses reveal about her character?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 24

Examine and Experiment: How do cause-and-effect structure and conclusions work in a To-SEEC explanatory essay?

This lesson highlights how Billie Jo is a dynamic character whose complicated feelings cause her to feel both hope and despair. Students study how Billie Jo’s journey through grief is not linear; making peace with something painful is a process. They also turn their attention to the writing process and specifically examine how to organize ideas (using a cause-and-effect structure) and how to bring closure to a piece of writing (a conclusion).

Welcome

PRACTICE FLUENCY

5 MIN.

Pairs practice masterful fluency, using Handout 22A: Fluency Practice 3 and give each other feedback.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “What does making peace with the past mean?”

n To not fight against what has happened in the past.

n To accept reality.

n To come to terms with a situation or circumstance.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Phrase Meaning Synonyms/Examples

making peace Achieving freedom from mental strife or worry. acceptance

Ask: “With what does Billie Jo need to make peace?”

n Her role in the accident with Ma.

n Her relationship with her father.

n Her hands being injured.

n Nature not giving her family what it needs: rain.

Inform students that they will explore how specific poems highlight Billie Jo’s struggle to heal after the tragedies she has experienced; some events help her transcend the pain of the past, while others complicate her healing.

53 MIN.

ANALYZE AND ELABORATE ON EVIDENCE 23 MIN.

Small Groups

Volunteers share what they caught in their Web Catchers. Record and display these examples and pieces of evidence.

Ask: “What are some examples of hard moments for Billie Jo?”

n Ma’s “haunting” (109–110).

n Knowing she can’t change for her father like her mother did (111–114).

n The migrant family leaving and heading west (124).

n Billie Jo’s hands still hurting a lot (134–135).

n Billie Jo sitting at Ma’s piano and not touching the keys (134–135).

n Not playing well at Arley’s next show (136).

Ask: “What are some examples of hopeful moments for Billie Jo?”

n The President’s Ball (115–116).

n The free lunch (117–118).

n The migrants using the classroom as their temporary home (119–122).

n The government giving Miss Freeland the confiscated sugar (125–126).

Ask: “What are some moments that are both hard and hopeful for Billie Jo?”

n Billie Jo’s father’s singing (111–112).

n The birth of the migrant baby (123).

n Billie Jo practicing the piano (127–128).

n Billie Jo’s returned dream of playing the piano (127–128).

n Billie Jo playing amazing piano at the Palace Theater (129–133).

Distribute and display Handout 24A: Evidence Organizer—Billie Jo’s Journey Processing Hardship and Hope. Review and explain the model examples.

Assign each group one of the four poems on the handout that has not been completed. Give students ten minutes to complete their section for Handout 24A.

Small groups complete Handout 24A for their assigned poem. Remind students that the hard moments are easier to spot; sometimes the hopeful moments are hidden under the surface indicated by some sort of language clue. Encourage students to find these language clues that reveal how Billie Jo’s feelings of despair are now occasionally subdued by real moments of hope and joy.

Facilitate a discussion of group’s responses.

“Outlined by Dust” (111–113) Billie Jo’s father “stares at her” and makes her feel uncomfortable.

“I can’t make myself over the way Ma did. / And yet, if could look in the mirror and see her in / my face. / If I could somehow know that Ma / and Baby Franklin / lived on in me… / But it can’t be. / I’m my father’s daughter.”

Billie Jo’s father repeatedly stares at his daughter, but he does not talk (111). It seems like he wants to reach out but can’t, and neither can she. The wall between them is too large.

Billie Jo knows that she can’t change to make her father love her more (by seeing Ma in her). This makes her depressed.

Billie Jo’s father begins to sing, “even now, / even after so much sorrow.”

“I can’t make myself over the way Ma did. / And yet, if I could look in the mirror and see her in / my face. / If I could somehow know that Ma / and Baby Franklin / lived on in me… / But it can’t be. / I’m my father’s daughter.”

out and give up.

Billie Jo’s father has been completely depressed, staying silent and withdrawn from the world. Here he breaks his silence with music.

Billie Jo realizes that she can feel better if she can find a way to see how Ma lives on inside her. She has identified what she needs to do in order to heal.

G6 M1 Handout 24A WIT WISDOM Page of G6 M1 Lesson 24 WIT & WISDOM®

n In “Birth” (123), Billie Jo feels overcome with emotion when the migrants’ baby is born. She has “to go away for a little while / and just walk off the feelings” because the birth painfully reminds her of Franklin’s death (123). Yet when she returns, she is able to see “how fine that baby girl is,” and she feels joy seeing the baby wearing one of Franklin’s feed-sack nightgowns (123). This event helps her make a little peace with Franklin’s death.

n In “Dreams” (127–128), Billie Jo recounts how she has been practicing the piano again in preparation for the contest at the Palace Theater. She imagines that if she can “[play] right enough,” then maybe

n people can “feel at ease with [her] again” and she can feel “at ease with [herself]” (128). The hopeful moment is that Billie Jo recognizes that piano is what brings her joy and that she should not keep rejecting it. However, she still feels insecure about her hands and her playing. She hopes that she can make people lose themselves in her music “like they do with Mad Dog Craddock,” but she doubts they ever will since her hands are damaged (128).

n In “The Competition” (129–133), Billie Jo experiences pure joy when she plays for the crowd at the Palace Theater. She starts off with some hesitation, but then “[drops] right inside the music” and loses herself in the moment (132). Her hands hurt “straight up to [her] shoulders” but “the applause / [makes her] forget the pain” (132). She ends up winning third prize. However, this hopeful moment is somewhat ruined by the comment of Birdie Jasper, who claims that Billie Jo only won because “the judges were just being nice to a cripple” (132). The comment reminds Billie Jo that she is broken.

n In “The Piano Player” (134–135), Arley asks Billie Jo to keep playing for him, yet she feels like it is still too painful to do so. Her hands “scream with pain for days” after she practices at school, but almost more painful is the fact that she still cannot play Ma’s piano (135). She sits at it but “[doesn’t] touch the keys” (135). She still has not made peace with Ma’s death. However, she plays piano in her mind using her imagination, and she dreams about how she will prove to people that she is not a “cripple” (135).

Students independently complete a Quick Write in response to the following question: “How does Billie Jo begin to make peace with the past, and why is it such a slow process?”

EXAMINE CAUSE-AND-EFFECT STRUCTURE

Whole Group

Display the Craft Question.

15 MIN.

Explain to students there are various ways to structure an essay in terms of its organization. For example, to prove a thesis, body paragraphs can be organized using such strategies as definition, classification, compare-and-contrast, or cause-and-effect. Inform students that they will be organizing upcoming writing tasks, like Focusing Question Task 5 and the EOM Task, using a causeand-effect structure.

Display: “How do hardships affect the characters in Out of the Dust?”

Explain that this question asks students to examine a cause (hardship) and explain the effect it has on characters.

Display the following events from the novel underneath the Cause column. Ask volunteers to state the effect of these causes, and record their responses.

Cause (Hardship)

Effect

Dust storms Dust storms cause widespread destruction; they kill cattle, destroy crops, and ruin machinery. They also cause despair. People feel trapped by the dust. It ruins their dreams of farming for a living, and it depresses their spirits because nothing is green.

Ma’s death

Franklin’s death

Billie Jo’s injury

Ma’s death causes Billie Jo’s family to be torn apart. Billie Jo feels guilty for her role in the accident and angry at her father for his careless action of leaving the kerosene near the stove. Her father cannot handle his grief and withdraws from the world. Both cannot make peace with what has happened. Billie Jo also stops playing the piano in part because of Ma’s death. Since Billie Jo associates the piano with Ma, it is too emotionally painful for Billie Jo to play.

Franklin represented hope to Billie Jo’s family, and when he died, that hope died with him. As a result, Billie Jo becomes very attached to all the babies she meets or hears about afterward. She feels bittersweet feelings about them because they remind her of her loss, but she is attracted to their sweetness and the promise they represent.

Billie Jo’s injury affects her attitude about the piano and her view of her future. She once viewed piano as her place in the world. After the injury, she feels like she is not anchored to anything. She becomes disconnected from the piano because of the physical pain in her hands and the emotional pain it produces.

Explain that this cause-and-effect question could be answered in a four-paragraph explanatory essay by using one of the following two structures:

Display:

Option One ƒ

The first body paragraph focuses solely on the causes, explaining the hardships, such as the dust storms and the accident that kills Ma and baby Franklin. ƒ

The second body paragraph then explains the effect of each of these hardships.

Option Two ƒ

The first body paragraph explains one hardship and then how that hardship affects the characters. ƒ

The second body paragraph explains a second hardship and then how that hardship affects the characters.

Note that both options structure the essay using a cause-and-effect organization. The causes are explained first, followed by their effects.

EXAMINE AND EXPERIMENT WITH CONCLUSIONS

Pairs

Display the Craft Question: How do I conclude an essay?

15 MIN.

Explain to students that they will write a four-paragraph essay for the next Focusing Question Task, and they will include a concluding paragraph, something they haven’t yet done in this module.

Review the basic components of a conclusion: it restates the thesis and supporting points in an original way, and it provides a “So What” extension that asks the reader to consider the larger importance or relevance of the thesis. This extension leaves the reader with a lasting thought that connects to the thesis and encourages the reader to think more deeply about the essay’s subject.

Instruct students to create a “So What” extension by asking themselves: why should the reader care about the essay’s thesis? What are some of the broader issues the thesis touches upon?

Provide the following example:

Display: ƒ Thesis: Billie Jo struggles to forgive herself for her mother’s death. ƒ “So What” extension: Forgiveness is one of the hardest but most powerful actions a person can take.

Display an exemplar introduction. Read the paragraph aloud, and complete the following steps with student input: star the hook-and-introduce section, underline the thesis, and check off the supporting points.

Essay question: How does Billie Jo begin to make peace with the past, and why is it such a slow process?

Introduction: Making peace with something painful takes considerable time and effort. In Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust, Billie Jo Kelby struggles to get past Ma’s death and the disfigurement of her hands. She begins the healing process by restarting her relationship with the piano, but she is reminded of her broken condition by the pain in her hands and other people viewing her as a cripple.

Pairs compose a concluding paragraph based on the exemplar’s introduction. Their conclusion should restate the thesis and supporting points in an original way, and they should offer some type of “So What” extension that elaborates on the significance of the thesis.

5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students complete a Quick Write in their Response Journal, answering the following question using a cause-and-effect structure to organize their brief response:

ƒ Why do certain events affect Billie Jo’s progress in making peace with the past? Choose one event, and explain (1) what the event is (the cause) and (2) what effect it has on Billie Jo and why.

Wrap7 MIN.

RECORD VOCABULARY

Preview the words court (153), sparse (160), and hospitality (166).

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples court (v.) To seek the affections of someone; to try to gain the favor or love of. to woo

sparse (adj.) Meager; thinly distributed; not dense. scanty hospitality (n.) The treatment of guests and strangers with generosity and kindness.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read pages 137–167 in Out of the Dust and complete one Web Catcher with “The land’s effect on people” as its focus. Students also complete Day 4 of Handout 22A: Fluency Practice 3.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students should exit the lesson with an understanding that moments can both help and complicate healing for characters. Character and theme development is targeted: healing is not a linear process and often requires pain for progress (RL.6.2, RL.6.3).

Students should have an understanding that Billie Jo is still processing her grief. She is still too close to the accident to make real peace with it. Yet she is beginning to experience moments that give her a break from the pain. She feels joy again (like when she goes to the dance with her father, or when she sees her father breaking his silence by singing), and these brief moments help Billie Jo inch forward out of the depression and grief that has consumed her.

In addition, students should understand that (W.6.2.a, W.6.2.f, W.6.9.a):

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An essay’s ideas can be presented in different ways, and one structure that can be used is a cause-and-effect organization.

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The concluding paragraph restates the introduction and leaves the reader with a lasting thought. This “So What” component of the conclusion is what makes the closing paragraph powerful.

Next Steps

If students have difficulty drafting the conclusion’s “So What” component (written with partners), provide these students additional examples of “So What” extensions that connect to thesis statements, and have them restate these examples in their own words. Then provide them with one additional thesis statement for which they produce a “So What” extension.

Lesson 24 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Experiment with Formal Style

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Student Quick Writes

ƒ Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Use formal style in writing to enhance meaning and clarity (W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 24 Experiment: How does using formal style work in writing?

Launch Display: Lots of kids heard the great news at school that day and were like, “That is so awesome!”

The exciting news spread through the sixth grade as the day went on. Many students congratulated the winner.

Ask: “Which of these is an example of informal writing, and which is formal, and why?”

Students share their reasoning.

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Learn

Remind students that sometimes informal writing is appropriate, just as there is a time and place for wearing informal clothing. For academic writing, such as the responses and essays students write in this class, formal writing is expected.

As a class, create a list of tips for writing formally. As the class comes up with tips, write them on the board, and ask them to write them in their Knowledge Journal. These may include:

n Avoid abbreviations such as OMG and LOL.

n Avoid slang or other casual phrases.

n Use exclamation points sparingly.

n Write in complete sentences.

n Use the most precise words.

n Use transitions to connect the ideas in sentences.

Distribute Handout 24B: Experiment with Formal Style 1. Pairs rewrite the paragraph to achieve a more formal style. Ask several students to read the revised paragraphs aloud.

Ask: “What were some differences between the original paragraph and the revised paragraphs?” Ask students to share their ideas. Elicit that in formal writing, the writer’s exact meaning is clear because the words are chosen carefully.

Students revise the Quick Writes from the core lesson to a more formal style. Students should follow the tips created in today’s Deep Dive when revising.

Land

Ask students to share any informal wording they found in their Quick Write and explain their revision choices. For each example, ask: “How did this revision improve the meaning and clarity of the writing?”

Lesson 25

Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 137–169

FOCUSING QUESTION: LESSONS 22–25

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Lesson 25: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Record Vocabulary Launch (5 min.) Learn (53 min.)

Analyze Character Development (28 min.)

Execute an Explanatory Essay (25 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question Wrap (7 min.)

Record Vocabulary Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: OutsideIn: Prospects, procession (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.9.a

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.1

Language ƒ

L.4.3.a, L.5.3.a, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.a, L.6.3.b, L.6.6 ƒ

L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b

MATERIALS

Learning Goals

Describe how Billie Jo’s experiences have caused a change in her perspective (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.2.e, 6.2.f, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b, L.6.6).

Complete Assessment 25A.

Use context clues, affixes, and roots to uncover the meanings of the words prospects and procession (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b).

Answer yes/no questions to demonstrate understanding of process and procession

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Handout 25A: Evidence Organizer—Hardship’s Impact on Billie Jo’s Relationships ƒ Assessment 25A: Focusing Question Task 5

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 22–25

How does hardship alter the characters’ perspectives in Out of the Dust?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 25

Distill: How has hardship shaped Billie Jo’s relationship with others, objects, and the land?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 25

Execute: How do I use cause-and-effect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

Students complete Assessment 25A and demonstrate their understanding of how and why Billie Jo’s perspective has been altered because of extreme hardship. They showcase their understanding of character development and the components of explanatory writing in a full essay.

Welcome

5 MIN.

RECORD VOCABULARY

Display: “A woman opened her home to us all of us, not just me and my father, but the entire funeral procession” (164).

1. Use context clues and dictionaries to record the definition for procession in Vocabulary Journal.

2. Turn to page 165, and skim the third stanza. What does Billie Jo claim would have happened if the woman had not let the “entire procession” into her home (165)? How does this storm affect Billie Jo’s perspective of the land and its relationship to her? If needed, consult your Web Catcher completed for homework. Record these responses in the Word Study section in Vocabulary Journal.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “What is a relationship?”

n It is a connection between two people.

n It is something that bonds, or attaches, one person to another, or one person to something else.

n It can be a blood connection (for example, like a mother and son), or it can be an emotional connection between two unrelated people or a person and a thing.

n It can be both a positive and negative thing.

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

procession (n.) The act of moving along in an orderly, often formal, way. advancement relationship (n.) The condition of being connected. association, connection

Inform students that they will continue to examine how the tragic accident that kills Ma and Franklin changes how Billie Jo views her relationships and her place in the world.

53 MIN.

ANALYZE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

SMALL GROUPS

Ask: “What are some of Billie Jo’s relationships?”

28 MIN.

n Her relationship with people like her father, Arley, Miss Freeland, the migrant family, and Mad Dog.

n Her relationship with music and the piano.

n Her relationship with her farm: its apple trees, the graves of Ma and Franklin, and the wheat.

n Her relationship to dust.

Ask: “What hardships negatively impact Billie Jo’s relationships?”

n Ma’s death.

n The disfigurement of and pain in her hands.

n Poverty.

n Dust storms.

n Her lack of close family.

n Her father’s cancer spots.

Ask: “How would you briefly summarize the state of Billie Jo’s current relationships with others, objects, and the land?”

n Her relationships are all strained. Since the accident, Billie Jo seems like she does not feel attached to anyone or anything.

n She feels disconnected from her father, the piano, and even her home.

n Instead of wanting to work on her relationships, Billie Jo seems like she would rather escape or leave the Panhandle. It seems like it is too painful for her to try to make things better.

n Billie Jo keeps getting reminders of how some relationships do not seem to work. For example, the farmers keep planting wheat and hoping for rain, but the dust storms and droughts prevent the land from acting like the farmers’ friend. Instead, nature almost acts like an enemy.

n Sometimes it seems like she is making progress rebuilding a relationship, but then something happens that sets her back.

Distribute and display Handout 25A: Hardship’s Impact on Billie Jo’s Relationships. Review and explain the model example in the first row of the table.

Small groups take about fifteen minutes to complete Handout 25A for their assigned relationship.

Facilitate discussion of groups’ responses, adding information to the displayed handout.

EXECUTE AN EXPLANATORY ESSAY 25 MIN.

Individuals

Display the Craft Question: How do I use cause-and-effect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

Distribute, display, and review Assessment 25A: Focusing Question Task 5. Review the directions and answer questions as needed.

Students complete the outline provided in Assessment 25A, consulting Handout 25A to formulate a thesis and decide upon which evidence to use.

She doesn’t completely mind that he is more talented; she is happy that she gets to play with him. She loves playing music with him. He is not only extremely talented but also cute; she has a bit of a crush on Mad Dog. She looks at Mad Dog and the rest of the musicians as a second family. She feels like this family has helped her find “her place in the world” (49).

Her Ma’s death. The disfigurement of her hands.

Her insecurity that she is not an equal to Mad Dog.

Hardship alters their relationship by Billie Jo pulling away from Mad Dog and the rest of the musicians. Shortly after the accident, Billie Jo “never [goes] by Arley’s anymore” and withdraws from Mad Dog because playing the piano is now a painful experience for her (155). She not only feels the physical pain in her hands when she plays, but she also feels emotional pain: she no longer views herself as any good, and she still associates the piano with Ma. When Mad Dog asks about her hands, “[she crosses her] arms in front of [her]/ tight/ so [her] scars won’t show” (155). This gesture lets him know that she wants distance. It is too painful for her to admit that her scarred hands have destroyed her dream of playing with the band. She just wants to be left alone with her grief.

Mad Dog keeps trying to reach out to her, but he can tell she is pulling away, and this makes him “[look] at [her] / halfway between picking a fight and kindness” (155). He doesn’t know how to comfort her, and on their walks, “never says a word” (155). He does say goodbye when he leaves for Amarillo, but Billie Jo only feels more of a distance between them because he can leave—his hands are “scarless,” meaning he has not been broken by anything— whereas she cannot (169). Her father

TEACHER NOTE

Land

You may want to have students complete the outline during class and then finish composing their essays at home if time becomes short. Students most likely will work at various speeds completing their outline and then their essays. Focusing Question Task 5 is not meant to assess timed writing; therefore, remind students before they begin that they can complete their essay for homework if needed.

5 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students continue to complete Assessment 25A.

Wrap7 MIN.

RECORD VOCABULARY

Preview the words glowering (173), parched (176), and primed (178). Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples glowering (v.) To glare with hostility. scowl parched (adj.) To become dry or thirsty because of extreme heat. scorched primed (v.) To prepare for a particular purpose.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read pages 170–189 in Out of the Dust and complete one Web Catcher with “Important Moments for Billie Jo” as its focus. Note that these moments can be both positive and negative. If necessary, students complete their essay for Focusing Question Task 5; the reading load is light to provide students more time at home to complete Assessment 25A.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students analyze how hardship impacts Billie Jo to process how she initially changes in response to negative experiences. They will reference these initial changes, and then analyze the character’s ultimate transformation, in their EOM Task.

At this point in the module, students can (W.6.2, W.6.9.a):

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Create an introductory paragraph, two To-SEEC paragraphs elaborating upon their main points, and a conclusion that mirrors the full explanatory essay model used in the EOM Task.

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Demonstrate their understanding of the structure of expository writing and of what constitutes relevant and sufficient evidence and elaboration in support of a thesis.

Next Steps

Group students with similar needs, and plan small-group support for these skills to set students up for success with their next Focusing Question Task.

Lesson 25 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Outside-In: Prospects, procession

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

ƒ Vocabulary Learning Goal: Use context clues, affixes, and roots to uncover the meanings of the words prospects and procession (L.6.4.a, L.6.4.b).

Launch

Ask: “What does it mean to use the Outside-In strategy?”

n When you look outside a word, you look at the words in the sentence and paragraph around the word for clues.

n When you look inside a word, you look for clues within the word, such as roots, prefixes, or suffixes.

Remind students that they used this strategy previously in the module.

Learn

Tell students they will work with a partner using the Outside-In strategy to determine the meanings of the underlined words in each excerpt.

Display: My father thought maybe he ought to go to night school, So if the farm failed there’d be prospects to fall back on (138).

My father and I argued about the funeral of Grandma Lucas, who truly was no relation. But we ended up going anyway, driving down the road in a procession to Texhoma (162–163).

Circulate as students work, and encourage them to use reference materials to find the meanings of the word parts pro, spect, and cess

When pairs have finished applying the strategy to both excerpts, bring the class together and ask one student to review the process for uncovering the meaning of prospects

n First, we looked outside the word. Billie Jo’s father wants prospects to fall back on in case the farm fails. He thinks school will help him gain prospects. In this case, prospects seem like positive things. Then we looked inside the word. We found out that the prefix pro– can mean “forward.” The root spect means “look” or “see.” So prospects may have to do with looking ahead.

Write pro– and spect and their meanings on the board. Explain that prospects are things that are expected or likely to happen. If you have a lot of prospects, you have many options for the future. Billie Jo’s father believes that going to school will give him more opportunities. The adjective form is prospective. If someone is a prospective friend, they have potential to become a friend.

Ask students to share what they learned about procession.

n Cess means “move” or “go.”

n A procession is the act of moving forward.

Point out that the word process is in the word procession. A process is a series of steps or actions to reach a goal.

Ask: “When you follow the steps of a process, such as the Group Word-Solving Process, do you do the steps in any order?”

Point out that, like a process, a procession is very orderly. Procession means “the act of moving forward in a formal, orderly way.”

Students respond to the following questions with a thumbs-up for “yes” and thumbs-down for “no.”

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Could a prospect be something that happened yesterday?

Could something that is likely to happen be a prospect?

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Is something that is definitely going to happen be a prospect?

Is a procession loud and chaotic?

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Is a group of students sitting at their desks a procession?

Could a group of students exiting the room in a quiet, orderly way be a procession?

Land

Remind students to use the Outside-In strategy as they read to better understand words they do not know.

Word Meaning

prospects (n.) Possible or probable future events or outcomes. anticipation, possibility, opportunity

Students add the words prospects and procession to their Vocabulary Journal and pro–, spect, and cess to the Morphology section of their Journal.

Lesson 26: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Analyze Vocabulary

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (50 min.)

Analyze Language’s Effect on Character Development (35 min.)

Execute Cause-and-Effect Structure (15 min.)

Land (8 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (7 min.)

Record Vocabulary Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Interpret Personification: Glowering, parched, primed (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4

Writing

ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.9, W.6.10

Speaking and Listening

ƒ

SL.6.1.a, SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6

Language ƒ

L.6.4, L.6.5 ƒ L.6.5.a

Learning Goals

Explain how figurative language and imagery help develop the characters and reveal their states of mind (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, W.6.2, W.6.9, W.6.10, L.6.4, L.6.5).

Complete TDQs in a To-SEEC paragraph.

Interpret personification in context (L.6.5.a.).

Explain examples of personification from the text.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 26–29

What makes the characters in Out of the Dust survivors?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 26

Reveal: How do figurative language and imagery reveal the characters’ states of mind?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 26

Execute: How do I use a cause-and-effect structure to organize ideas?

Students analyze how an author uses figurative language and imagery to help develop characters and reveal their states of mind. These devices allow the reader to journey inside Billie Jo’s heart and head; by analyzing the novel’s metaphors and descriptive details, the reader can understand the intensity of Billie Jo’s emotions, the depth of her pain, and the need for her to escape into her imagination when reality is too painful to bear.

Welcome

5 MIN.

ANALYZE VOCABULARY

Display: “What is the significance of the word trapped to the poems you read last night for homework?”

Pairs discuss their responses.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “What does it mean to be a survivor?”

n A survivor is someone who overcomes something horrible and is able to move on with their life.

n A survivor is someone who becomes stronger because of dealing with something painful.

n Survivors are people who do not let life break them.

Ask: “What is meant by state of mind?”

n It’s what condition your mind is in: happy, sad, angry, lonely.

n It’s a combination of what you are feeling and what you are thinking.

n It’s the general mood you are feeling.

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

trapped (v.) Caught in a trap. snared

survivor (n.) Someone or something that lives or continues beyond or in spite of.

A survivor copes with and overcomes hardship.

state of mind (n.) Particular emotional or mental condition. mood

Explain that one’s state of mind is a person’s mood and its impact on one’s thinking and behavior. Inform students that today’s lesson further explores the development of characters and examines how their states of mind are revealed through figurative language and imagery.

50 MIN.

ANALYZE LANGUAGE’S EFFECT ON CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Pairs

35 MIN.

Pairs take about twenty minutes to discuss and record written responses in their Response Journal to the following TDQs. Circulate and assess student understanding, insight, and engagement. Reconvene the class and facilitate group discussion for each TDQ.

1. Why does Billie Jo feel like Aunt Ellis’s invitation “[glowers]” at her (173)? How does glower help reveal Billie Jo’s feelings?

n Billie Jo feels like the invitation glowers at her because it reminds her that she might be sent to live with an aunt whom she does not love.

n The use of personification makes the letter seem powerful and intimidating. Based on Aunt Ellis’s description, the letter seems almost an extension of the aunt: cranky and mean.

n Billie Jo feels great uncertainty because of the invitation. Does her father want her to leave? Her father “keeps that invitation” from Aunt Ellis in plain sight above the piano (173). She does not know how to interpret this action other than to assume her father might decide to ship her off to Texas.

n Although Billie Jo does want to escape the Dust Bowl, she does not want to live with Aunt Ellis. When Aunt Ellis comes after Franklin is born, she does not acknowledge Billie Jo. There is no love between them. Living with Aunt Ellis would not be a good choice.

2. What does Billie Jo figuratively mean when she says, “I think we’re both turning to dust” (175)?

n Billie Jo says this line about herself and her father. She feels like her father is “turning to dust” because he seems like he has given up on living (174). He has “spots on his skin” that resemble the cancer his father died of, but he refuses to see Doc Rice (174). Billie Jo interprets this inaction to mean that her father would rather die (to be with Ma) than stay alive for her.

n Billie Jo also feels like she is turning to dust. When she sits to play piano at graduation, she “just [sits] on the piano bench, / staring down at the keys” (174). She refuses to play, which causes others to cry (like Miss Freeland), but Billie Jo is almost numb to emotions and does not cry. She does not feel motivated to help her hands heal if her father chooses to give up on life (and thus on her).

3. How does the description of the land and its response to rain (such as its “parched lips” and the “primed and greedy earth”) reflect what is happening with the characters (176–179)?

n The characters are parched for hope like the land is parched for rain.

n The rain is personified as kind and acting like “a good friend / who walks beside you, / not getting in your way, / staying with you through a hard time” (177). The land needs such a friend since it has weathered the hardship of drought and dust storms. The characters need such a friend, in the form of hope, which comes with the rain and makes them feel like they can believe again that their crops will grow and their cattle won’t die.

n The land is described as having “stubborn pride” that at first prevents the rain from soaking into the soil (177). This is similar to the characters being stubborn after suffering hardship and not reaching out for help or refusing to keep trying. Billie Jo knows that she is “too stubborn” and that this trait makes her refuse to play piano (174). She needs to learn how to yield and stop fighting reality.

n Once the rain “[primes]” the earth and gets it good and wet, the soil can soak up large amounts (178). The land reflects Bayard Kelby’s reaction to the rain. After three days of rain, he is primed to believe that the wheat can grow, and he dances with abandon. He is able to soak up all the hope the rain dumps and feel “certain” that things will get better (179).

4. Billie Jo wants to be “out of the dust” (181). What does she mean, literally and figuratively?

n Billie Jo literally wants to escape dust. She is tired of cleaning it up and “can hardly make [herself] / get started cleaning again” once a dust storm rolls in (181). It is exhausting work to gum tape the windows and wash all the dishes. She also is in extreme pain when she does these chores because of her hands.

n Billie Jo also wants to escape the dust in a figurative way. Dust is everything that is horrible: it is tragedy; it is poverty; it is disappointment. She wants to wipe her life clean of all three of these things. But she can’t figure out how to do this except for imagining herself leaving the Panhandle. The fact that she can’t apply for the CCC work makes her feel trapped in the dust since there are no ways out being offered to her.

5. Why does Billie Jo feel like “a trap…/ [snaps] down on [her throat]” when she tries to cheer for Mad Dog (183)? How does this simile reveal Billie Jo’s state of mind?

n Billie Jo feels extremely depressed and jealous that Mad Dog gets out of the dust doing what he loves while she stays trapped in the dust, cut off from music.

n When she tries to cheer for Mad Dog, these jealous, sad emotions trap her mouth shut. No joy or happiness for Mad Dog can come out. This description makes it seem like Billie Jo has no control over these feelings; they control her.

n Billie Jo is left knowing that Mad Dog will “go far as he wants,” while she won’t go anywhere (183). The months of refusing to play the piano have caught up to her; she no longer believes that she can make it out of the dust, and out of Joyce City, by playing piano.

n She no longer finds pleasure in listening to Mad Dog sing, which is a huge source of comfort for others who “[send] / the dust swirling” as they appreciate his music (183). They are able to take a break from hardship and enjoy the music. Billie Jo gets no break, however needed.

6. Why is Bayard Kelby “sorry as dust” in the poem “Baby” (184–186)? What does this simile reveal about Billie Jo’s father’s state of mind?

n Bayard feels horrible that he insensitively reacts to his daughter’s question about whether they can adopt the baby when he says, “We couldn’t give the baby anything / not even a ma” (185). Bayard realizes that this truth deeply hurts Billie Jo to hear, and he looks “sorry as dust,” or in other words, grimaces from his cruel comment (185).

n Bayard has been stressed and depressed about Ma and Franklin’s death, and this grief causes him to respond to Billie Jo without thinking how his comment will affect her. In fact, since Ma’s death, he has not spent much time being a parent to Billie Jo. Instead, he has withdrawn from his daughter, digging his hole for the pond and staying silent in the house. This interaction is one of the first times Bayard shows that he is aware of how his actions or words affect Billie Jo.

n He wants to make her happy after this cruel comment, and he knows how “to make up for it” (185). He tells her she can drop off the rest of Franklin’s saved clothes at the church. This gesture shows that he is at least trying to do something positive for his daughter rather than continuing to ignore her.

7. How does the imagery in “Old Bones” reveal Billie Jo’s state of mind?

n The dinosaur of the poem once roamed the same land that now is Billie Jo’s home. However, when the dinosaur lived there, the land was different. It was full of life and greenery, and Billie Jo imagines what it must have looked like: “a forest of ferns” and “swampy banks” (187). Billie Jo cannot escape the Dust Bowl, but she can escape into her imagination, which she has been doing more and more frequently to get a break from her pain. She needs something hopeful or positive to distract her.

n The phrase “easy to imagine” is repeated three times, signaling Billie Jo’s need to picture her world as being different—and better—once (187). There was a time when everything wasn’t just dust. She needs this image to feel happier.

n She also thinks about how the dinosaur has been “trapped in the hillside,” similar to how she is trapped by the dust, but now its bones are being excavated and it will be “getting out of Joyce City” (188). The imagery of things being trapped continues with Bayard’s response to his daughter’s request to see the excavation; his answer is no, and “[they] stay home” (189). There is no leaving.

EXECUTE A CAUSE-AND-EFFECT STRUCTURE

Individuals

Display the Craft Question: How do I use a cause-and-effect structure to organize ideas?

Display and read aloud the following prompt:

Write a cause-and-effect To-SEEC paragraph in response to the following question:

In the poem “Hope” (176–179), what causes Billie Jo to feel literally and figuratively trapped, and how does this feeling affect her state of mind?

Students compose a To-SEEC cause-and-effect paragraph.

Land8 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Reconvene the class, and have students complete a 3–2–1 Exit Ticket.

Display:

3. Write three adjectives that describe Billie Jo’s current state of mind.

2. Briefly explain two reasons for Billie Jo’s state of mind.

1. Record one example of figurative language or imagery that you believe best captures Billie Jo’s state of mind and explain your thinking.

RECORD VOCABULARY

Preview the words smothering (197) and tumbleweed (202). Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning

Synonyms/Examples

smothering (v.) To suffocate, stifle, or suppress. suffocate tumbleweed (n.) Plants whose branches detach from the roots and form entities that the wind rolls.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students read pages 193–206 in Out of the Dust. They complete one Web Catcher with “Transformation” as the topic in its center.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

The CFU assesses how well students can determine Billie Jo and her father’s state of mind by correctly interpreting figurative language and understanding the effect of such language on character development (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, RL.6.4). Check for the following success criteria: ƒ

Accurately interprets figurative language in both its literal and abstract meanings. ƒ

Applies this understanding of figurative language’s abstract meaning to identify and better understand a character’s state of mind. In other words, a student understands how a metaphor or simile shines a brighter light on what a character is feeling or thinking. ƒ

The To-SEEC paragraph the student writes should demonstrate their knowledge of structured, expository writing, and it should demonstrate understanding of how figurative language helps develop character.

Next Steps

By understanding the effect of figurative language and imagery, students should be aware that Billie Jo’s state of mind is becoming more and more depressed. Something will have to give soon, and they should feel this tension in the novel. Her relationship with her father is not improving, and she is feeling more and more trapped by her environment and her situation.

If students still struggle internalizing the To-SEEC paragraph structure, make sure to provide them an outline to complete before they draft a response. Check this outline before giving them the green light to proceed, and consider giving them extra time to complete the task.

Interpret Personification: Glowering, parched, primed

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

Vocabulary Learning Goal: Interpret personification in context (L.6.5.a).

Launch

Display: He just keeps that invitation from her, glowering down at me from the shelf above the piano (173).

Ask: “Based on the context clues, what do you think glowering means?”

Several students share their responses.

Learn

Ask: “Can an invitation glower at a person?” Acknowledge that, of course, an invitation cannot really stare angrily; this is an example of personification. Personification is a type of figurative language in which an object is given human characteristics.

Ask: “How would you feel if someone were glowering at you?”

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “What does the word glowering reveal about Billie Jo’s feelings about the invitation?”

n She may be scared of the invitation; she does not want to go to Lubbock.

n She feels threatened by the invitation.

n It is like her enemy, always reminding her she may have to go live with Aunt Ellis.

Display:

Snow covered the dust, softened the fences, soothed the parched lips of the land (176).

And then, just when we thought it would end, after three such gentle days, the rain came slamming down, tons of it, soaking into the ready earth to the primed and greedy earth, and soaking deep (177–178).

Groups complete the Group Word-Solving Process for parched and primed.

Call on one group to share its process for parched and another group for primed.

Students write a response to the following questions: “What is being personified in each example? How do you know?” Circulate as students work to check for understanding.

n In the first example, the land is being personified. The phrase “parched lips” compares the land to a very thirsty person.

n In the second example, the land is again being personified. The phrase “primed and greedy earth” is personification because earth cannot really be greedy. The earth is so primed and ready for rain that it seems to soak it in like a very greedy person.

Land

Explain that the landscape has such a huge impact on the lives of the characters in Out of the Dust, it is practically a character itself. Therefore, it is not surprising that the author uses many examples of personification when discussing the land, rain, and other nonliving things throughout the book. Ask students to point out more examples of personification they find as they continue reading throughout the upcoming lessons.

Lesson 27: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Record Vocabulary Launch (5 min.)

Learn (55 min.)

Analyze Theme and Characters (40 min.)

Execute a Cause-and-Effect Structure (15 min.)

Land (5 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Literal and Figurative Language: Smothering, companion, tumbleweed (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4

Writing ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.9.a

Speaking

Learning Goals

Explain what theme is conveyed by Billie Jo’s changed perspective (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.4, W.6.2, W.6.9.a).

Complete To-SEEC paragraph.

and

Listening ƒ SL.6.1

Language ƒ L.6.4, L.6.5 ƒ L.6.5.a

MATERIALS

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Handout 27A: Fluency Practice 4

Interpret figurative and literal connotations (L.6.5.a).

Determine how the words companion and tumbleweed are used literally and figuratively in the text.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 26–29

What makes the characters in Out of the Dust survivors?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 27

Reveal: What does analysis of this section of Out of the Dust reveal about the significance of the novel’s title?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 27

Execute: How do I use a cause-and-effect structure to organize my ideas in a To-SEEC paragraph?

A close reading of the poems comprising the section “Summer of 1935” reveals a major shift in Billie Jo’s perspective about herself, her father, and her home. This shift occurs only because Billie Jo is able to step outside her own grief and reexamine her life from a distance. This change in perspective helps Billie Jo begin to forgive herself and her father for their roles in Ma’s accident.

Welcome

5 MIN.

RECORD VOCABULARY

Post the following text excerpt and directions:

“I go, / knowing that I’ll die if I stay, / that I’m slowly, surely / smothering” (197).

1. Using the Outside-In strategy, what might the word smothering mean? Next, reference a dictionary and record its definition in your Vocabulary Journal.

2. How would the meaning change if Billie Jo described her feelings using another word, such as withering?

3. How does the word smothering reveal Billie Jo’s state of mind? How does it reveal her perspective of the land and her home?

Students Turn and Talk.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “What does the essence of a text mean?”

n The main messages or points the text is trying to convey to readers.

n The heart of a story.

n The lessons a story teaches through the actions of the characters.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

essence (n.) The intrinsic nature of something. character, core

Explain to students that as they approach the ending of Out of the Dust, their knowledge about the meaning of individual poems and sections of text can be applied to understand the essence, or heart, of the story. Suggest that the title of the novel is a clue to how this story’s heart beats.

55 MIN.

ANALYZE THEME AND CHARACTERS 40 MIN.

Pairs

Students discuss and write responses in their Response Journal to the following TDQs. Give students approximately twenty-five minutes to work, and then review answers as a class.

1. In “The Dream” (193–194), what words or phrases capture the relationship Billie Jo shares with the piano of her dreams? What does this dream reveal?

n The piano of her dreams is like a “mother” who “[talks] to [her] and lets her unload her troubles and worries that she cannot express to anyone else” (193). She describes the piano as her “companion,” or friend, who lets her “play songs / that have only the pattern / of my self in them” (194).

n The dream reveals that she longs to stay connected to her mother, and she also longs to have a relationship that is safe, comforting, and accessible (something that she does not have with her father).

n The dream reveals that she wants to keep her “self” alive; she does not want to disappear into grief and despair. She separates “my self” to emphasize the importance of retaining her sense of identity (194).

n The dream reveals that Billie Jo wants to see herself with loving eyes. There is imagery throughout the poem of eyes and sight, even a mirror that reflects her image but through her loving “mother’s eyes” (194). Billie Jo wants to feel loved again.

2. How does the imagery in “Midnight Truth” (195–196) reveal Billie Jo’s state of mind?

n The dominant images of the poem center on death and dust. Her mother and brother are described as “rock and dust and wind” as well as “carved stone” (195). Billie Jo interprets her father’s digging of the pond as the “digging [of] his own grave” (195). He is “rotting away” like a corpse (196). Billie Jo herself is like a ghost, someone who is “invisible” (195).

n Billie Jo’s state of mind is utter despair. She feels like she is disappearing into grief, and there is not one relationship that anchors her to something solid. She is left “filled with bitterness” because she has lost everything to the dust: she has lost her father’s “easy talk”—now he is “[silent]—and her mother’s love— now she is “[absent]” (195).

n She declares that she will be “leaving first” rather than having her father abandon her like her mother has in death (196). Her bitterness and anger motivate her to take action.

3. How does imagery in “Out of the Dust” (197–198) reveal Billie Jo’s state of mind? How does it differ from how she felt in “Midnight Truth”?

n Throughout the poem “Out of the Dust,” imagery speaks to the anxiety and fear Billie Jo feels as she leaves her house, runs away, and then rides the rails. She “[aches] as [she leaves] her bed” and her heart races (197). Everything seems intense and frightening, such as the sounds she hears, because she is extremely alert due to her anxiety. When she jumps on the train, her “heart races” again, and even the “earth [trembles] beneath [her]” (197).

n Even though she does not show the resolve like that shown in “Midnight Truth,” Billie Jo stays committed to running away because she knows that staying means being “[smothered]” (197). She no longer seems angry and bitter. Instead, she seems more heartbroken and fearful that if she does not leave, she will not emotionally survive.

4. What makes Billie Jo feel like she knows the unnamed girl whom she passes while riding the rails?

n The stranger—the young girl—“[stares] up at the passing train” and “[stands] by the tracks watching” (199). Billie Jo knows how it feels to watch life passing by. Since the accident, she has not been living life but instead waiting for her despair to end. She has been waiting for something to change in her life so she can be happy again, but nothing has gotten any better. So unlike the unnamed girl, Billie Jo takes action and decides to leave the dust.

5. Why does the migrant in “Something Lost, Something Gained” (200–203) cause Billie Jo to rethink her decision to run away?

n The migrant lets Billie Jo know that he has deserted his family because he “couldn’t feed them, / couldn’t stand the baby always crying” and needed to get away from his disappointed wife (201). So instead of persevering, the man abandoned his family because he “couldn’t take no more” (201). Billie Jo realizes that her father never made such a cowardly decision. Instead, he “kept a home / until [she] broke it” (202). She understands that she has made a mistake by deserting her father.

n Billie Jo sees how despair and devastation have destroyed the migrant. His “eyes are ringed by the

soil that comes from riding trains. / But there’s a deeper shadow to those eyes, / like ashes, / like death” (200). She knows that bad luck and bad choices have left this man with little dignity, which he confirms when she feeds him and he says, “I’ve done it again…Taken food from a child” (201). Her father never deteriorates to this condition, and she realizes how hard it must have been for her father to deal with his grief yet also take care of the farm and his daughter.

n She realizes that the migrant is like a “tumbleweed,” something that does not stay in a place for very long and is not anchored to the earth (202). Because of the accident, Ma became a tumbleweed, too, unable to hold on after being burned so badly. But Billie Jo’s father “stayed rooted, even with [her] tests and [her] temper, / even with the double sorrow of / his grief and [her] own” (202). Billie Jo begins to see hardship not just through her eyes but through her father’s, and this readjustment in perspective makes her feel empathetic.

n Empathy makes Billie Jo not need to run away from her father because now she understands he did not stop loving her; his grief simply handicapped him. Understanding his sorrow makes Billie Jo feel less angry toward him.

6. How does the title of the poem “Something Lost, Something Gained” apply to Billie Jo?

n Billie Jo loses her food, but gains perspective. She leaves the train understanding that hardship has been just as devastating for her father, and she feels proud of him that he made the choice to never abandon her.

n She gains perspective about what she has left behind: a home that she loves and a father whom she does not want to give up on.

7. What does Billie Jo mean when she shares with her father, “I can’t get out of something / that’s inside of me” (205)?

n Billie Jo means that the heartbreak she has experienced—particularly the loss of Ma and baby Franklin— is something that she can’t run away from. Wherever she goes, it goes with her. The only way to “get out of something/ that’s inside of [her]” is to face it.

8. How does the lengthy simile on page 205 reveal Billie Jo’s changed perspective about herself and her father?

n Billie Jo says, “I tell him he is like the sod, / and I am like the wheat, / and I can’t grow everywhere, / but I can grow here” (205). She means that she does not want another home, and she wants to be with her father. She knows that for her to be happy again, she needs to make things work at home rather than running away from her problems.

n Billie Jo no longer views herself as incapable of talking to her father. She tells him exactly how she feels and opens up to him, and he responds well to the vulnerability she shows him.

n By viewing her father as “the sod,” Billie Jo reveals her perspective that her father is who she needs in order to feel better. She will “grow” again because of his care (205).

9. How do the title and details of the poem “Met” (205–206) develop the novel’s theme of forgiveness?

n Billie Jo gets her needs “met” in this poem; she and her father finally communicate, and she is able to be honest and tell him what she wants and needs. She tells him “how scared [she is] about those spots on / his skin,” and she opens up to him about her need for a father especially since “[she] can’t be [her] own mother” (205).

n Talking with her father is the first important step toward healing their relationship. She feels heard, and this feeling helps replace the bitterness she has felt in the past with forgiveness.

n Her father “meets” her needs by “[promising] to call Doc Rice” (206). He tells her his plans for the pond and how “he’ll stock it with fish” and she “can even plant flowers” (206). He wants her to know that he is willing to try to make things better at home, and he wants her to be happy. This gesture helps her “[forgive] him, step by step” (206).

n The poem contains repeated images of Billie Jo and her father “[walking] together” and being “side by side” (206). These images help develop the theme of forgiveness by showing how father and daughter are no longer disconnected. They are finally a family again because forgiveness (both of each other and themselves) dismantles the wall that has been between them since the accident.

EXECUTE A CAUSE-AND-EFFECT STRUCTURE

Individuals

Display and review the prompt:

What causes Billie Jo to change her perspective about getting out of the dust, and what effect does her new attitude have on her decision-making?

Remind students that they need first to explain what changes Billie Jo’s perspective (the cause) and then analyze how it results in specific choices she makes (the effect).

Students complete a To-SEEC cause-and-effect paragraph.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share. Call on students to share ideas.

n The novel’s title echoes Billie Jo’s desire to escape from the sadness of her home and community, but in this section, she realizes that surviving the dust is part of who she is and she returns home.

n This section shows that getting out of the dust didn’t solve Billie Jo’s problems. Leaving helped her realize how much she loves her father and the life they have together, and coming home helped her communicate what she needed.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Handout 27A WIT & WISDOM G6 M1 Lesson 27 WIT & WISDOM®

Students read pages 209–227 in Out of the Dust. They complete one Web Catcher with “Transformation” as the topic in its center. They also complete Day 1 of Handout 27A: Fluency Practice 4 with the poem “Thanksgiving List” on pages 220–221.

Name Date Class

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students respond in writing to TDQs and To-SEEC paragraphs that delve into Billie Jo’s growth and insights during the section “Summer 1935” that lead her to rethink her situation and find forgiveness in her heart for herself and her father (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3). Check for the following success criteria: ƒ

For the TDQs, students should provide evidence and elaboration that showcase their understanding that Billie Jo’s deep unhappiness causes her to abandon her home and family; however, because of this decision, Billie Jo experiences distance from her loved ones but not her problems, and she ultimately gains clarity that she is running away from a family and home that she does not want to abandon. This clarity—caused by her interaction with the kind but pathetic migrant—helps her see her father and her home with new eyes. ƒ

For the To-SEEC paragraphs, students should structure their responses using a causeand-effect organization, and the evidence and elaboration they include should indicate they understand that Billie Jo’s interaction with the migrant worker on the train deeply impacts her and causes her to rethink how she views her father’s behavior in the wake of her mother’s death.

Next Steps

Students should exit the lesson understanding that Billie Jo experiences transformation and finally begins to transcend her grief when she stops trying to run away from her problems. When she returns and faces her father—telling him exactly how she feels—Billie Jo shows that she is ready to move forward from the past and embrace forgiveness.

Literal and Figurative Language: Smothering, companion, tumbleweed

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

Vocabulary Learning Goal: Interpret figurative and literal connotations (L.6.5.a).

Launch

Ask: “How does figurative language make a reader’s experience more interesting or enjoyable?”

n It can create a strong image in the reader’s head.

n It compares a character or an event to something the reader can relate to.

n It makes writing more colorful and interesting.

Learn

Display:

It’s the middle of the night and I hear every sound inside me, outside me.

I go, knowing that I’ll die if I stay, that I’m slowly, surely smothering (197).

Students use context clues to determine the meaning of smothering

Smothering means “killing by not allowing enough air, to suffocate.”

Ask: “In what ways is Billie Jo smothering?”

n Billie Jo is figuratively smothering in the sense that she feels very trapped and unhappy at home.

n Living in the Dust Bowl could deprive people of clean air to the point that they are literally smothering slowly.

Lesson 27 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Display:

I play songs that have only the pattern of myself in them and you hum along supporting me.

You are the companion to myself. The mirror with my mother’s eyes (194).

He was like tumbleweed. Ma had been tumbleweed too, holding on for as long as she could, Then blowing away in the wind (202).

Pairs determine and verify the meanings of companion and tumbleweed in the excerpts and then decide whether each is used literally and/or figuratively.

Students share their ideas.

n Companion and tumbleweed are used figuratively.

n The first excerpt is an example of personification; the piano is compared to a friend, or companion.

n In the second excerpt, people are compared to tumbleweeds—“he was like tumbleweed” is a simile, and “Ma had been tumbleweed too” is a metaphor.

Land

Students write an Exit Ticket responding to the following question: “How do you know when words are being used figuratively?”

Lesson 28: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Practice Fluency Launch (5 min.)

Learn (57 min.)

Defer Politely to Another Speaker (8 min.)

Analyze the Theme of Transformation (35 min.)

Execute Thematic Analysis (14 min.)

Land (4 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question Wrap (4 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Vocabulary Assessment 1 (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

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RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.5

Writing

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W.6.2, W.6.9.a

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.1, SL.6.6

Language ƒ L.6.6

MATERIALS

Learning Goals

Analyze the theme conveyed by the last season of Out of the Dust (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.5, W.6.2, W.6.9.a, SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6).

Collaboratively complete TDQs and then compose a To-SEEC paragraph response.

Demonstrate understanding of grade-level vocabulary (L.6.6).

Complete Assessment 28A.

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Assessment 28A: Vocabulary Assessment 1 ƒ

Handout 27A: Fluency Practice 4

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 26–29

What makes the characters in Out of the Dust survivors?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 28

Distill: What is the essential meaning of the section titled “Autumn 1935”?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 28

Examine: Why is the listening goal of deferring politely to another speaker important in an academic discussion?

Students complete their study of Out of the Dust and analyze how the novel’s last season— autumn 1935—reveals Billie Jo’s ultimate transformation since her mother’s tragic accident: she morphs from a broken girl, unable to dream or find forgiveness, to a liberated girl who finds joy again in playing her Ma’s piano and realizes love can be restored, renewed, and always treasured.

Welcome

PRACTICE FLUENCY

5 MIN.

Pairs practice masterful fluency by taking turns reading aloud the poem “Thanksgiving List” on pages 220–221.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “What is personal transformation?”

n Personal transformation is experiencing positive change from within. For example, transformation changes a person’s heart from being unable to love to being open to it.

n Personal transformation is becoming better in some way. Maybe the person heals from pain or becomes stronger because of it.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Phrase Meaning Synonyms/Examples

personal transformation

Major internal change in an individual. metamorphosis; internal change

Ask: “How does transformation occur?”

n Transformation takes time. The image of a butterfly comes to mind—something that morphs from a caterpillar after it cocoons itself for several weeks.

n It is the result of hard work, patience, and often painful struggle.

57 MIN.

DEFER POLITELY TO ANOTHER SPEAKER 8 MIN.

Whole Group

In preparation for the final and upcoming Socratic Seminar, explain that scholars use specific strategies in structured conversations to help the group achieve the deepest understanding of a topic, and that in this lesson, you will support students to define a new listening goal that will help them get the most from these conversations.

Display the listening goal: Defer Politely to Another Speaker.

Students read the goal and note any new or confusing words. Provide short definitions for words, as needed.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “What do you think the goal Defer Politely to Another Speaker might mean when we are having an academic conversation?”

n Being respectful of other students by letting everyone have a chance to share their opinions.

n Using a polite tone when speaking to one another.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

defer (v.) To postpone action. delay, postpone

Invite one or two students to share with the whole group.

When I think about the goal, I wonder what it means to be polite during an academic conversation. Does it mean you always have to agree with your partner or with what someone else shares? How should you share your disagreement? It seems like to Defer Politely to Another Speaker means that every student has the right to be heard and not attacked when sharing their opinions. We need to listen with respect and mindfully consider others’ thoughts.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “How might ‘deferring politely to another student’ help the group learn more?”

n Everyone’s voice needs to be heard. We deepen our understanding of a topic when we hear others explain it in their own words. Fresh insight builds knowledge.

n When all opinions are given the same respectful treatment, people feel like they can share. Without the rule of Deferring Politely to Another Student, some students might not be willing to speak up because they might feel intimidated.

Choose a few students to share with the whole group.

Emphasize the importance of deferring politely to another student in academic conversations.

Explain that whenever we have an academic conversation in this module, we will practice the listening goal: deferring politely to another student.

ANALYZE THE THEME OF TRANSFORMATION 35 MIN.

Pairs

Ask: “How many seasons are covered in Out of the Dust? How many of these seasons are defined by hardship?”

n The story cycles through eight seasons and covers two years.

n All of them are defined by hardship. Even before the accident, the characters experience dust storms, the loss of friends, failed crops, and tension in relationships. However, the first and last seasons are also defined by hope. Both highlight how Billie Jo’s hope in music, family, and home can help her transcend any hardship she faces.

Ask: “What are some main moments or events that happen in the last season, ‘Autumn 1935’?”

n Daddy sees Doc Rice to have spots on his skin cut out.

n Billie Jo gets advice from Doc Rice about how to heal her hands: she just needs to practice using them.

n Daddy keeps opening up to Billie Jo and communicating with her. He tells her stories of his past and makes her feel like he cares.

n Billie Jo meets Louise, Daddy’s girlfriend; she feels both hesitant to like her but also comfortable around her.

n Daddy tells Billie Jo that he never wanted to send her to live with Aunt Ellis.

n Billie Jo tells Louise all about Ma and some of her private, insecure feelings, and Louise listens without judging or becoming jealous.

n Daddy and Billie Jo rip up Aunt Ellis’s invitation and use the strips to mark Ma’s favorite poems in her poetry book.

n The farm is starting to show promise; the wheat is growing, the pond is complete, and the apple trees are alive.

n Mad Dog visits Billie Jo every week.

n Billie Jo finally feels at home, both literally and figuratively.

n Billie Jo finally starts playing Ma’s piano again.

n Daddy and Louise get engaged, and Billie Jo feels happy about the news.

n Daddy changes how he farms by how much wheat he plants and what type of machinery he uses to manage his crops.

n Billie Jo finally feels like she has a family again. Louise and Daddy both love her, and she loves them.

Ask: “If you could use one adjective to describe the characters’ state of mind in ‘Autumn 1935,’ what would it be, and why?”

n Hopeful: the characters feel hope again in their future, and the farm no longer seems crushed by the dust.

n Happy: Billie Jo and Daddy now laugh with and enjoy each other. Daddy seems happy with Louise, and so does Billie Jo.

Ask: “How do the characters’ states of mind in ‘August 1935’ reveal that they are survivors?”

n Billie Jo has been suffering from despair for over a year. She has weathered season after season of feeling guilty about and anguished over Ma’s death. She finally finds a way back to hope and happiness: through forgiving herself and Daddy, and making peace with the past. She survives depression and insecurity and emerges transformed.

n Bayard Kelby also has been suffering from despair for over a year. Like Billie Jo, he has spent months grieving the death of his wife and baby and feeling disconnected from his family, farm, and life. He sees how much he almost loses when Billie Jo runs away, and this wake-up call causes him to begin living again. He survives his depression and transforms his life by letting love and hope live again in his heart.

Pairs take twenty minutes to discuss and write responses to the following TDQs in their Response Journal. Circulate and check for understanding. Afterward, reconvene the class as a group and review answers for each TDQ. If time is short, assign pairs one to three questions each.

n They begin to bond by confronting the past together. They both look through Billie Jo’s memory boxes, which are still “so strong of Ma,” and decide to “[keep] everything but a palmful / of broken doll dishes” (210). They do not wish to throw out their past—a past that contains Ma and the memories of their family when it was the three of them—and yet they find a way to build a relationship that does not need Ma physically present in order for it to survive. Talking and sharing with each other is the answer. Daddy confides in Billie Jo, “I dreamed of running off too,” and this admission makes her understand that she is not to blame for wanting to get away from hardship (211).

n Daddy finally goes to Doc Rice about his hands. His decision to not give up and die (due to probable cancer if his skin goes unchecked) confirms to Billie Jo that he wants to stay alive and be her father.

1. How do Billie Jo and her father transform their relationship in “Autumn 1935”?

n

Through his words and actions, Daddy helps Billie Jo feel confident that he never wanted to send her away to Aunt Ellis. He playfully makes fun of Aunt Ellis to help Billie Jo understand his rejection of his sister’s offer to take his daughter, and Billie Jo and Daddy later happily tear up the invitation and use it to bookmark Ma’s favorite poems in her poetry book. These actions help Billie Jo understand that Daddy never wanted her to go away; he just was consumed with his own grief.

n Louise makes Billie Jo’s father very happy, and in turn, he begins to act differently. He does things for both Louise and Billie Jo to show his appreciation for them. For example, he regularly “[gets] up and [cleans] the kitchen” after they are through with dinner (212). Billie Jo loves this new, considerate side of her father.

n Louise does not push her way into their lives. She lets Billie Jo gradually warm up to her, and she is always “so plain and so honest” that Billie Jo can’t help “[liking] her” (213).

n Louise also is a great listener and does not judge Billie Jo or “say what [she] should do” about her problems (218). Louise treats her with respect.

n Louise lets Billie Jo talk about Ma without getting insecure or jealous. This action lets Billie Jo know that Louise “knows how to come into a home / and not step on the toes of a ghost” (224). Billie Jo can make room for Louise in her heart because Louise does not ask her to stop loving Ma.

n Louise shares with Billie Jo important advice that Billie Jo takes to heart. She says she knows that “Daddy and [Billie Jo] had a history before her, / and she wished she’d been there for the whole thing, / but she wasn’t and there wasn’t anything to do / but get over it and get on” (213). These words of wisdom teach Billie Jo that there is no point fighting with the past. A person needs to accept and make peace with things they don’t like.

n Louise transforms Billie Jo’s life by bringing love into her home and creating a real family for all of them. Because of Louise, Billie Jo has a new maternal figure who can take care of her and love her. Because of Louise, her father becomes a happy man again who can stay connected to his daughter and his new family. Louise looks “soft-eyed” at them both, which indicates how much she loves the Kelbys (227).

n Daddy stops fighting the land and being stubborn with it. In the past, he insisted on planting only wheat. Now he realizes he should “[diversify]” his crops so he gives the land a needed break (226). This action shows that he listens to what the land needs.

n After his tractor breaks down, Daddy works the fields using only mules, and Billie Jo wonders if this bad luck is actually good luck in disguise. She ponders, “Maybe the tractor lifted him above the land, / maybe the fields didn’t know him anymore, / …and why should wheat grow for a stranger?” (226). Now Daddy and the land become reacquainted with each other.

n Daddy’s new relationship with the land is similar to his new relationship with Billie Jo. Daddy listens to the land and gives it what it needs, similar to how he listens to Billie Jo and gives her what she needs. He and the land are no longer strangers to each other, and he and his daughter have never been so connected.

2. Why does Billie Jo like Louise? What does she teach her? How does she transform Billie Jo’s life?

3. What transforms Daddy’s relationship with the farm in “Autumn 1935”? How is this transformed relationship like his new relationship with his daughter?

4. How does “Thanksgiving List” (220–221) reveal Billie Jo’s transformed perspective about her life?

n The poem reveals Billie Jo’s changed perspective about the land. She appreciates its beauty and understands how much it means to her. Everything from “the smell of the grass / and spicy earth” to the “the whistle of gophers” anchors her to this place and makes her feel like she has a real home that she loves (220).

n The poem reveals Billie Jo’s changed perspective about Daddy. His “smile,” “laugh,” and “songs” anchor her to her home and new family (220). She appreciates how her father has changed because he has made peace with the past and reopened his heart to love.

n The poem reveals Billie Jo’s transformed perspective about her life being full of promise. She no longer avoids Ma’s piano but is excited that Daddy has gotten it “cleaned and tuned” (220). She wants to play piano again, and sometimes her “hands don’t hurt at all” (220). She sees signs of “hope returning to [their] farm” in the poppies that are “set to / bloom on Ma and Franklin’s grave” and days and nights “full of promise” and “rest” (221).

n The poem highlights how Billie Jo no longer feels uncertainty about her life. She realizes that now she can trust in the “certainty of home, the one [she lives] in, / and the one / that lives in [her]” (221). She has found a place to put down her roots.

5. How does “Autumn 1935” develop the theme of transformation? What message about transformation does it convey?

n Making peace with her life and the tragic experiences that define it transforms Billie Jo. She no longer holds herself responsible for Ma’s death, nor her father, and she lets go of guilt and embraces forgiveness. She understands that the struggles she has experienced make her who she is. She no longer fights against the past; she accepts it and begins to move on.

n Billie Jo figures out where her home is and where she belongs: on the farm with Daddy, and eventually, Louise. This realization develops the theme of transformation because Billie Jo changes from feeling unanchored to anyone, anything, and anyplace to feeling at home with herself and her place in the world.

n Billie Jo is able to reconnect with music. In the past, piano was her place in the world, and she finds a way back to this place during “Autumn 1935.” The novel ends with Billie Jo playing Ma’s piano: “I stretch my fingers over the keys, / and I play” (227).

n Hope finally returns to the farm. Although the dust is still present, good things balance it. The poem “Thanksgiving List” includes all the wonderful parts of Billie Jo’s life that lift her up out of the dust.

n “Autumn 1935” conveys the message that facing pain and making peace with the past allows a person to move on with their life and find happiness. Transformation occurs because a person “[gets] over it and [gets] on” after they endure tremendous hardship (213). The strength it takes to embrace this attitude proves that hardship does not have to break a person permanently. Once this change in perspective happens, all that is good in a person’s life comes into view, like it does for Billie Jo in the poem “Thanksgiving List.”

Individuals

Students respond in writing (using a To-SEEC paragraph) to the following prompt: How does “Autumn 1935” help convey a thematic message about forgiveness?

4 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students contribute to a Graffiti Wall about the essential meaning of the section titled “Autumn 1935.” Contributions can be brief illustrations, quotes from the text, or words or phrases.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

4 MIN.

Students complete Day 2 of Handout 27A: Fluency Practice 4 with the poem “Thanksgiving List” on pages 220–221.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

Students respond in writing to TDQs and a To-SEEC paragraph that ask them to analyze how the themes of transformation and forgiveness are conveyed in the last season of the novel (RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3, RL.6.5). Check for the following success criteria: ƒ

For the TDQs, students should provide evidence and elaboration that showcase their understanding that the characters, especially Billie Jo, experience transformation in a variety of ways. They create new relationships with loved ones, strangers, themselves, and even the land. Transformation occurs also for a variety of reasons: Billie Jo makes peace with hardship and the past, opens up her heart to her father and Louise, and rediscovers her sense of identity in the piano and sense of certainty about her home. ƒ

For the To-SEEC paragraph, students should structure their response using a causeand-effect organization. The evidence and elaboration they include should indicate they understand that the details in the last season of the novel reveal how the characters find a way to forgive themselves and each other for what happened in the past, and this forgiveness transforms their lives.

Next Steps

Students should exit the lesson understanding that Billie Jo (and her father) experience transformation because they are able to both forgive each other and themselves. Once they are no longer weighed down by guilt, anger, and crippling sadness, they are able to reexamine their lives and make new decisions that allow love, joy, and peace to return despite the ubiquitous dust.

Lesson 28 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Vocabulary Assessment 1

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Time: 15 min.

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Vocabulary Learning Goal: Demonstrate understanding of grade-level vocabulary (L.6.6).

Launch

Explain that students will complete the first part of an assessment on vocabulary learned throughout the module. Let students know that this is not a test of their reading or writing abilities. Therefore, if they cannot read a word, they should ask you to pronounce it. Additionally, if they need help writing or spelling a certain word, they may ask for your assistance.

Learn

Distribute Assessment 28A: Vocabulary Assessment 1. Review the directions at the top of the assessment with students. Students simply read a sentence containing the word to be assessed and respond with a brief definition. Complete sentences are not necessary.

Clarify directions and respond to student questions as needed.

TEACHER NOTE

When assessing students’ work, remember to focus on whether the written definition demonstrates students’ understanding of the word, not writing skills or conventions. See Appendix C for a sample answer key.

Students complete Assessment 28A. Circulate to provide support, including help with pronunciation and spelling.

Land

Collect the assessments. Ask students if they have any questions or comments about the process of completing the assessment. They will complete the second part of the assessment in the next lesson.

Lesson 29: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Explore the Essence of a Text Launch (5 min.) Learn (57 min.)

Defer Politely to Another Speaker (7 min.)

Analyze Quotations (8 min.)

Participate in Socratic Seminar (30 min.)

Execute a Cause-and-Effect Structure (12 min.)

Land (4 min.)

Answer the Content Framing Question

Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework

Vocabulary Deep Dive: Vocabulary Assessment 2 (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

RL.6.1, RL.6.2, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ W.6.2, W.6.9

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.1.b, SL.6.2, SL.6.4, SL.6.6

Language ƒ L.6.6

MATERIALS ƒ

Handout 29A: Speaking and Listening Process Checklist ƒ Assessment 29A: Focusing Question Task 6 ƒ Assessment 29B: Vocabulary Assessment 2 ƒ

Handout 27A: Fluency Practice 4

Learning Goals

Analyze what contributed to the characters’ abilities to be resilient (RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3; SL.6.1.a, 6.1.b; L.6.6).

Participate in a Socratic Seminar. Explain what enables Billie Jo and her father to survive (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.2.e, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b).

Complete Assessment 29A. Demonstrate understanding of grade-level vocabulary (L.6.6).

Complete Assessment 29B.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 26–29

What makes the characters in Out of the Dust survivors?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 29

Reveal: What does analysis of the characters from Out of the Dust reveal about why and how they are able to be resilient and survive?

CRAFT QUESTIONS: Lesson 29

Experiment and Execute: How do I defer politely to another speaker in a structured academic discussion?

Excel: How do I improve my participation in a Socratic Seminar?

Execute: How do I use a cause-and-effect To-SEEC paragraph to respond to the Focusing Question Task?

Students engage in their third Socratic Seminar and explore the larger questions Out of the Dust poses about the human condition, such as how people deal with grief and hardship. They also complete Focusing Question Task 6, in which they analyze in writing how a character manages to survive what seems impossible to bear.

Welcome

5 MIN.

EXPLORE THE ESSENCE OF A TEXT

Post text excerpt with the following directions:

“Hard times are about losing spirit, and hope, and what happens when dreams dry up” (225).

1. What does it mean to “[lose] spirit” (225)? What causes the characters to lose spirit?

2. How does this quotation apply generally to the people who lived during the Great Depression?

Students Turn and Talk.

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Ask: “What does the human condition mean?”

n The shared experiences most people have over the course of their lives: both the good and the bad.

n The way people live their lives, as individuals and as members of society.

n The truth about what human nature is really like.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Phrase Meaning Synonyms/Examples

human condition (n.) Characteristics of human existence. The human condition includes conflicts and events that occur universally among people.

Ask: “How does the quotation in the Welcome activity speak to the human condition?”

n The quotation highlights that human beings are emotional creatures. When we feel like we cannot hope or dream, we become depressed, sad, and “[lose] spirit” (225). We need hope and dreams as much we need food and water.

n People need to believe that things can always get better. Without this belief, it is hard for people to push through hard times. Optimism is what helps people survive dark times because they view them as temporary.

Explain to students that they will complete a final Socratic Seminar that explores what the novel teaches readers about the human condition through its themes of hope, forgiveness, and transformation.

57 MIN.

DEFER POLITELY TO ANOTHER SPEAKER 7

Pairs

Display the listening goal.

MIN.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “Why is it important to defer politely to another speaker in an academic conversation?”

n A conversation needs to include many people. Everyone needs the chance to have their opinions heard.

n If one person dominates the conversation and doesn’t allow others to speak, people miss the opportunity to hear a wide range of opinions. The conversation is not as rich.

n The rule of being polite during an academic conversation ensures that people feel safe and comfortable to share opinions; they know they will not be personally attacked, and they will have the chance to speak.

Students practice deferring politely to another speaker by using their listening skills. They respond to the following question by (1) briefly sharing their thoughts with a partner; (2) politely listening while the other speaks; and (3) and reflecting what they heard.

What helps Billie Jo emotionally survive the hardships she experiences?

Ask: “How did practicing our listening goal help you learn?”

n By making sure I politely listened and deferred to my partner, I learned more about the novel and have new insights about the character.

n I paid more attention to what my partner shared. I knew my only job was to listen while they spoke. Active and polite listening helped me understand the points they made.

Invite a few students to share with the larger group.

ANALYZE QUOTATIONS

Pairs

8 MIN.

Inform students they will complete a prewriting activity to prepare for discussion in a Socratic Seminar. Students collect evidence in their Response Journal for the following task:

For the following quotations, explain how each targets one of the novel’s thematic concepts and captures a truth the novel puts forth about the human condition:

• “She knew Daddy and I had a history before her, / and she wished she’d been there for the whole thing, / but she wasn’t and there wasn’t anything to do / but get over it and get on” (213).

• “When I rode the train west, / I went looking for something, / but I didn’t see anything wonderful, / I didn’t see anything better than what I already had. / Home” (217).

• “And I know now that all the time I was trying to get / out of the dust, / the fact is, / what I am, / I am because of the dust” (222).

• “And I’m learning, watching Daddy, that you can stay / in one place / and still grow” (226).

PARTICIPATE IN A SOCRATIC SEMINAR

Whole Group

Distribute and explain Handout 29A. Remind students to reference this handout during the Socratic Seminar for useful tips about sentence starters and follow-up questions.

Begin the seminar by asking students to recall the rules they previously created to guide class discussion. Display the rules.

Organize students into a circle (or two concentric circles if the class size is larger than twenty-two). They should have their copies of Out of the Dust, relevant handouts, materials for note-taking, and their prewriting responses.

Ask students to suggest a discussion goal for the class. Refer to suggestions for improvement generated after other Socratic Seminars. Select one goal for the class to focus on in this Socratic Seminar.

Ask students to write one goal about their own participation. If necessary, prompt them to think about specific categories, such as listening, speaking, elaborating, using textual examples, asking a question, etc.

Remind students that the seminar starts with a question posed to the class. Students will respond, elaborate, ask questions, and explore additional questions. Students should regularly return to Out of the Dust for evidence to support their arguments. Afterward, the class will debrief to assess whether the goals (both class and individual) were met.

Pose the following questions to guide this Socratic Seminar:

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What makes the characters in Out of the Dust survivors? ƒ

What does the novel teach readers about the human condition and people’s ability to survive hardship? ƒ

What does the novel teach readers about the cause-and-effect relationship between hardship and transformation?

Students participate in the seminar, demonstrating effective speaking and listening skills, adhering to the procedures and rules for academic discussion, and using resources to aid their performance. Most importantly, they use evidence from Out of the Dust to bolster their points.

TEACHER NOTE

To track participation during the Socratic Seminar, you may want to use the following annotations:

ƒ P (posed questions).

ƒ R (responded to questions).

ƒ O (made relevant observations).

ƒ L (demonstrated effective listening).

ƒ D (used strategic disagreement).

After twenty-two minutes of discussion, conduct a debriefing session. Return to the class goal. Ask students to assess the success of the seminar in meeting the goal.

Ask students to identify what they did well during the discussion and what they may need to improve. Highlight those responses that connect explicitly to the goals they set at the beginning of the seminar.

Students assess their performance and set a new goal for the next seminar.

For more information on the Socratic Seminar routine used in this lesson, see the Wit & Wisdom Program Guide.

EXECUTE CAUSE-AND-EFFECT STRUCTURE 12 MIN. Individuals

After engaging in the Socratic Seminar, distribute Assessment 29A: Focusing Question Task 6.

Display and review the task with students.

Complete Assessment 29A.

4 MIN.

ANSWER THE CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION

Students partner with someone who wrote about a different character than they did. Partners fluently read aloud their Focusing Question Task to each other.

5 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students complete Day 3 of Handout 27A: Fluency Practice 4 for the poem “Thanksgiving List” on pages 220–221. Students may also finish Assessment 29A if they need more time.

Analyze

Context and Alignment:

Students analyze how and why Billie Jo and her father are survivors, which helps them prepare for the EOM Task (RL.6.1, RL.6.3).

Both in discussion and in writing, students formulate an idea that they support with evidence and elaboration (SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6, W.6.2, W.6.9). This practice helps them internalize the To-SEEC framework used in the EOM Task.

Though this task asks for only one To-SEEC paragraph, it provides students one last practice at integrating supporting evidence before the EOM Task, and it gives them practice using a causeand-effect structure in their writing (which the EOM Task also requires).

Next Steps

Group students with similar needs, and plan small-group support for these skills to set students up for success with their next Focusing Question Task.

Lesson 29 Deep Dive: Vocabulary

Vocabulary Assessment 2

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Time: 15 min.

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Vocabulary Learning Goal: Demonstrate understanding of grade-level vocabulary (L.6.6).

Launch

Tell students that today they will take the second part of the Vocabulary Assessment.

Learn

Distribute Assessment 29B: Vocabulary Assessment 2. Clarify directions as needed.

Students complete Assessment 29B. Circulate to provide support, including help with pronunciation and spelling.

Land

Collect assessments. Ask students to share any questions or comments about completing the assessment.

Lesson 30: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Build Vocabulary Knowledge

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (53 min.)

Synthesize Understanding of Characters

Land (10 min.)

Wrap (2 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Experiment with Formal Style: Avoiding Fragments (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ

W.6.2.e, W.6.4, W.6.10

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.1b

Language ƒ L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b

MATERIALS

Assessment 30A: End-of-Module Task ƒ

Handout 30A: End-of-Module Task Organizer ƒ

Handout 30B: Fragments

Learning Goals

Analyze the characters’ process of transformation over the course of the novels (RL.6.1, RL.6.3).

Complete Handout 30A.

Recognize and revise sentence fragments (W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

Complete Handout 30B.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 30–34

How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

CONTENT FOCUSING QUESTION: Lesson 30

Know: How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my understanding of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

Students spend the class time analyzing Bud and Billie Jo’s character development in order to prepare for the EOM Task.

Welcome

5 MIN.

BUILD VOCABULARY KNOWLEDGE

Display:

People often initially respond to hardship by fighting against it; they respond to it by becoming angry, depressed, or a combination of both. However, people who are resilient ultimately face hardship and accept it.

Use context clues and dictionaries to record definitions for initially, resilient, and ultimately in Vocabulary Journal.

Launch

5 MIN.

Provide the following definitions for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

initial (adj.) Pertaining to the beginning of something.

first, original, primary ultimate (adj.) The final aim of something. concluding, final, last

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Distribute and display Assessment 30A. Briefly review the EOM Task as explained on page 1 and the steps shown on page 2.

Inform students that they will work on completing these steps over the next five lessons. Today, they will work on Step 1—they will synthesize both novels, process ideas, and collect evidence that will help get them ready.

OR Billie Jo’s responses to hardship(s) (cause) contributed to his/her transformation (effect). Please remember to include proper citations for your textual evidence, follow the conventions of standard written English, and maintain formal style.

Please incorporate three of the following words into your response: compassion, cope, spirits, prospects, sparse (2 sheets), initial, ultimate, resilience, process, survivor Criteria for Success Include the following items in your introduction: A hook. An introduction.

A thesis that conveys and previews your ideas about how hardship altered Bud or Billie Jo’s perspective of and relationship with someone or something. Include the following items in your two body paragraphs:

A topic statement that presents your idea.

Textual evidence that develops your idea. Elaboration that explains how the evidence develops your idea. Precise word choice.

Transitional words or phrases to show connections among your sentences.

A variety of sentences structures and types to convey your ideas effectively.

A concluding statement* that reinforces your idea. Internal citations to indicate where in the texts your evidence is located.

* Your conclusion should reinforce your thesis and main points and offer a “So What” that reflects the thesis’s larger significance.

© Great Minds PBC Page of 2

53 MIN.

MIN.

Small Groups

Point out that transformation, or change, does not occur quickly for either Billie Jo or Bud. It is a process.

TEACHER NOTE

For the following questions, consider recording students’ responses, and encourage students to jot notes in their Response Journal. Keep these responses posted for the duration of the lesson.

Ask: “What is a process? Why is transformation a process?”

n A process means a step-by-step completion of some sort of task.

n Transformation is a process because it does not happen overnight; it takes time.

Ask: “Why does transformation often involve struggle?”

n Often, people wrestle with painful events, and after a period of struggle, they find a way to become stronger from the experience.

n The motto “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger” applies to transformation. Struggle can show people what they are made of, and it can reveal and develop people’s strengths.

n Struggle tests people and determines whether they can adapt to hardship. If people do not break because of pain or loss, they emerge stronger from struggle because they find a successful way to emotionally survive hard times.

Ask: “What are some of the hardships that Billie Jo and Bud experience that cause them to struggle?”

n Both Bud and Billie Jo’s main hardship is the death of a parent.

n Bud struggles because he does not have a home or family. He is an orphan and has been abused in foster care.

n Bud struggles because the man whom he believes is his father, Herman E. Calloway, rejects him.

n Billie Jo struggles because she burns her hands, and this injury interferes with her ability to play piano.

n Billie Jo struggles with the dust. It devastates the land, and it makes her depressed because she feels trapped by it.

n Billie Jo struggles because her father rejects her after Ma’s fatal accident.

Facilitate a discussion about the following questions as a way to get students thinking more deeply about both characters:

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In what ways are Bud and Billie Jo similar? ƒ

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In what ways are they different?

What seems to account for those differences?

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What did you like about Bud, and why? Dislike and why?

What did you like about Billie Jo, and why? Dislike and why?

Inform students that before they can answer the EOM Task prompt, they must first synthesize both novels and examine the process of transformation the characters experience because of the hardships they endure. The first step in synthesis is to evaluate how Bud and Billie Jo initially respond to hardships.

Display and have students turn to Step 1 on Handout 30A as well as locate all the evidence organizers from the module study, their Response Journal, Knowledge Journal, and Vocabulary Journal.

Pairs or small groups work to complete Step 1 on Handout 30A for Bud and for Billie Jo drawing from journals, and previous evidence guides, and working together to synthesize understanding.

Circulate to observe group interactions, guide groups to deeper understanding, and answer questions. Students will examine an exemplar, evidence organizer and exemplar essay in Step 2 on Handout 30A in the next lesson. As needed direct students to Step 2 if they are having a hard time starting this task together.

Land10 MIN.

Groups share what they noticed about Bud and Billie Jo from completing Step 1 on Handout 30A.

Wrap

2 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students complete Step 1 on Handout 30A if not finished during class.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

The CFU assesses whether students are able to synthesize both texts and analyze character development. The characters’ initial responses to hardships are important to identify so that students understand each character’s process of transformation and can begin to “get ready” to respond to the EOM Task (RL.6.1, RL.6.3). Students should understand that:

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The characters’ initial responses to hardship either highlight Bud and Billie Jo’s coping mechanisms that often prevent them from truly transforming their lives or spotlight characteristics Bud or Billie Jo possesses that enable them to push forward past hardship.

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Bud and Billie Jo’s ultimate responses to hardships reveal how they have evolved over the course of the novels by changing or strengthening their coping mechanisms.

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By developing different coping mechanisms, or getting rid of ones that no longer work, Bud and Billie Jo transform their lives.

Next Steps

If students have difficulty completing Step 1 on Handout 30A, first check to see if students are missing any essential handouts completed during the course of the module. These handouts, especially Evidence Organizers, are important for students to reference as they prepare for and complete the EOM Task. If students are missing handouts, consider photocopying another student’s handout as a model for them to reference.

Lesson 30 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Experiment with Formal Style: Avoiding Fragments

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Time: 15 min.

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Text: Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse, pages 87–108

Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Recognize and revise sentence fragments (W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 30

Experiment: How does using formal style work in writing?

Fragment Refresher

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A fragment is a group of words that is not an independent clause and therefore cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence. In a fragment, something necessary is missing in order for it to make sense and make a complete thought.

ƒ Although fragments can be effectively used in writing, it is best to avoid them in formal writing.

ƒ Students may confuse short sentences with fragments. Explain that even though fragments are often short, not all short sentences are fragments. Students must consider meaning and not length when determining what is and is not a fragment.

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If students have trouble with this concept, write examples and nonexamples of fragments. (Examples: Yes, sir. Nothing. When Jim left. Running down the sidewalk. Nonexamples: Yes, I can. I know nothing. Jim left. I ran down the sidewalk.)

Launch

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “How does the reader know that Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust are written in an informal style?”

n They are not written in a formal style.

n Bud, Not Buddy uses slang and dialect like doggone and ain’t.

n Out of the Dust uses informal expressions like ’cause.

n Both books are written in the voice of the narrator, so they sound the way the narrator would speak.

Display:

ƒ Boys, good news!

ƒ Cheerful, humble and grateful.

ƒ One hundred and twenty miles.

ƒ Shucks, a whole hour and a half trapped in a car with him.

Ask: “What do you notice about these lines from Bud, Not Buddy?”

n They are short.

n They do not contain complete thoughts.

n They do not have both a subject and verb.

Review what makes something a fragment:

ƒ It can often be recognized because unlike a complete sentence, it may not have both a subject and a verb.

ƒ Other fragments have a subject and verb but begin with a subordinate conjunction such as if, that, since, after, or other word signaling a dependent clause rather than an independent one.

Explain that students will learn the Guess What? Strategy for determining whether a group of words is a fragment or a complete sentence.

Distribute Handout 30B. Read the directions and talk through the first example to demonstrate the Guess What? Strategy. As a class, determine that “When I have good news” is the fragment.

Students complete Handout 30B.

Students share responses.

Extension Activity

If students need further practice, ask them to come up with a list of about ten book titles, and write them on the board. These could be books they read when they were small or books they have read recently. As a class, use the Guess What? Strategy to decide whether the titles are full sentences or fragments. If fragments, change them to complete sentences (e.g., Out of the Dust becomes I Come Out of the Dust, and Bud, Not Buddy becomes My Name Is Bud, Not Buddy.

Ask: “Why do you think Curtis and Hesse chose to include some fragments in their novels?”

n They are written from the point of view of characters and reflect how the characters speak or think.

Ask: “Why should you know how to recognize and avoid fragments in academic writing?”

n Fragments are not generally used in conventional written English.

n Fragments are inconsistent with a formal writing style.

n Writing is more clear and precise when sentences have both a subject and a verb.

Land

Students complete an Exit Ticket: “How can recognizing fragments and revising them into complete sentences improve my writing?”

Lesson 31: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Launch (5 min.)

Learn (50 min.)

Deconstruct an Exemplar Land (13 min.)

Wrap (2 min.)

Assign Homework

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing

ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9

Speaking and Listening ƒ SL.6.1.b

MATERIALS

Learning Goals

Deconstruct and evaluate a cause-and-effect explanatory essay (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9).

Complete peer review of the EOM Task Exemplar Essay.

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Assessment 30A: End-of-Module Task ƒ

Handout 30A: End-of-Module Task Organizer

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 30–34

How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 31

Know: How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my knowledge of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 31

Examine and Experiment: How does a cause-and-effect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay work to respond to the End-of-Module Task?

Students prepare to write the EOM Task by reviewing the task and the steps and then deconstructing the Exemplar EOM Task essay.

Welcome

5 MIN.

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “Whose transformation (Bud’s or Billie Jo’s) is more interesting to you? Whose is more powerful? Why?”

Launch

5 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Inform students that they will spend the lesson examining exemplars (Step 2 on Handout 30A), conferring with their peers and the teacher as needed.

BUILD VOCABULARY KNOWLEGDE

Ask: “We have covered what process means, specifically in terms of transformation. What does process mean in terms of writing an essay?”

n The writing process requires many steps to be completed for a result: a polished essay.

n Each step of the writing process builds on the one that comes before it. Each step is important and essential for drafting an essay.

Provide the following definition for students to add to their Vocabulary Journal.

Word Meaning Synonyms/Examples

process (n.) Carefully planned actions to achieve an end goal. method, operation, procedure

Review the process steps for the EOM Task provided on page 2 of Assessment 30A. Ask students to share their observations, questions, and concerns about that process.

Learn50 MIN.

DECONSTRUCT AN EXEMPLAR

Whole Group

Display the Craft Question: How does a cause-and-effect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay work to respond to the End-of-Module Task?

Display and ask students to find Step 2 on Handout 30A and review the Exemplar EOM Task Evidence Organizer for Bayard Kelby.

Students take a few minutes to read the information collected about Bayard Kelby: his initial responses to hardships, his ultimate responses to hardships, and the reasons behind both.

Ask: “How does Bayard’s Evidence Organizer compare and contrast with the ones you have created for Bud and Billie Jo?”

Read aloud the End-of-Module Task Exemplar Essay while students follow along.

Ask: “What do you notice and wonder about this essay, given the End-of-Module Task prompt?”

Explain that students will work in pairs to analyze—or deconstruct—this exemplar essay to see how it works to respond to the prompt.

Students work in pairs to reread the essay and collaboratively complete the first half of Step 4 on Handout 30A, the End-of-Module Task Peer Review for content. If time permits, student can also complete the second half of Step 4, reviewing for style and conventions.

Pairs share their findings in a round-robin fashion. Encourage listeners to ask for reasoning and evidence, as needed.

About the Introduction:

n Yes, there is a hook. The statement “Losing a loved one is the worst type of hardship: it is a tragedy” captures the reader’s interest and connects to the essay’s topic.

n Yes, the introduce section covers the author and book title and connects the hook to what will be discussed about the novel.

n The first four sentences hook the reader’s attention and introduce the topic of the essay (the introduce section). They do not include the essay’s thesis. Instead, the hook and introduce section provide interest and background information so readers will understand the thesis and want to read more.

n Yes. The thesis statement is, “Not wanting to lose Billie Jo, Bayard transforms his broken life by forming new relationships with loved ones and the land.” This statement must be proven with the use of evidence and elaboration.

n The thesis appears directly after the introduce section. It follows the order HIT: hook, introduce, thesis.

n The thesis statement begins with the phrase “Not wanting to lose Billie Jo” to connect the introduce section to the thesis. The introduce section touches upon how Bayard Kelby begins the process of transformation when his daughter runs away. The thesis addresses how Bayard transforms his life by changing how he responds to the hardships that have derailed his happiness.

n This thesis and its supporting points are strong because they directly answer the question, “How does Bayard Kelby’s response to hardships result in his transformation?” The thesis and supporting points have a clear focus and show insight.

n The supporting points explain how Bayard Kelby “transforms his broken life by forming new relationships with loved ones and the land.” He (1) makes peace with hardship and (2) learns how to be a better parent. These points function to support the thesis, and each point will be developed in a separate body paragraph with evidence and elaboration.

About Body Paragraph 1:

n The topic statement is “Bayard transforms his life by beginning new relationships after he learns how to make peace with hardship.”

n The topic statement’s function is to include the body paragraph’s main point that connects to and supports the thesis.

n These sentences provide evidence and elaboration for Bayard’s initial responses to a hardship:

l While Ma lies dying, Bayard escapes to the nearby town of Guymon and “[gets] good and drunk” in order to avoid his painful reality (Hesse, 67). After Ma’s death, Bayard continues to withdraw. He spends all of his time silently digging a giant hole on the farm, which he plans to turn into a pond, but it functions more for him as an escape from all the pain he feels.

l The hardship is Ma’s death, and Bayard initially does not handle the hardship well. He has not learned yet how to make peace with hardship.

n The word however is used as a transition linking the example of Bayard’s initial response to hardship to an upcoming example of his ultimate response to hardship.

n These sentences provide the first piece of evidence and elaboration for Bayard’s ultimate responses to hardships:

l In response, he no longer fights hardship or the past; he begins instead to accept that things have

changed and move forward. For example, he begins to open his heart to another woman: Louise. Louise enriches both his and Billie Jo’s lives, and the Kelbys begin to feel like they have a family once again. Bayard’s “smile/ and his laugh, / and his songs” return, and he feels happy (220).

l By making peace with hardship, Bayard is able to form a new relationship with a woman. By opening his heart and home to Louise, he becomes happy again and gives Billie Jo another maternal figure to love. This new relationship benefits all three characters.

n These sentences provide the second piece of evidence and elaboration for Bayard’s ultimate responses to hardships:

l He also makes peace with the land and does not let the hardships of farming unravel him. He no longer only stubbornly plants wheat but instead agrees that he should “try some sorghum, / maybe some cotton, / …[and] bring the grass back / like Ma wanted” (226). Instead of feeling devastated when his tractor stops working, Bayard “walks behind the team” of mules and gets to know the land again (226). He is willing to try new things, and even help around the house, because he sees his life with new eyes after losing his beloved wife and then almost losing Billie Jo.

n By making peace with hardship, he stops fighting the land and begins to understand that he needs to change his farming techniques (and his attitude) in response to the droughts and the dust. At the end of the novel, he forms a new relationship with his land that makes the farm healthier and Bayard happier.

n The word also signals that another piece of evidence will be used to support the paragraph’s main point.

About Cause-and-Effect Structure:

n Yes, the body paragraph is structured using cause and effect to showcase Bayard’s process of transformation.

n First, the paragraph covers a cause: the hardship of losing Ma, which results in Bayard plunging into a deep depression.

n Then the paragraph covers another cause: Bayard pulling himself out of this depression when Billie Jo runs away but decides to return.

n The paragraph spends most of its time focusing on the effect this event has on Bayard Kelby’s ultimate responses to hardships. He forms new relationships with loved ones and the land because he learns to make peace with hardship.

Land13 MIN.

Facilitate a discussion of the following questions to clarify students’ thinking and prepare them for beginning the task in the next lesson:

ƒ What do you think will be easy for you as you start to plan and draft this essay, and why?

ƒ What do you think will be difficult for you? How will you address this: what resources will you use, what questions do you have, what do you need in order to proceed?

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students can continue to complete Step 1 on Handout 30A, and review the exemplars as they get ready to start their own response in the next lesson.

Analyze Context and Alignment

Students prepare to write the EOM Task by participating in a class deconstruction of an EOM exemplar introduction and body paragraph (W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9). Check that students complete the following steps in their deconstruction:

ƒ

Idenitify the HIT components in the introduction, explain their purpose, and analyze the effectiveness of each component.

ƒ Explain how the body paragraph’s topic statement connects to the thesis; its evidence and elaboration support the thesis; its transitions link ideas and sentences together; and its structure follows a cause-and-effect organization.

Next Steps

If students struggle identifying the components of the exemplar EOM Task essay, consider giving them a copy of the essay in outline form that they can then assign names or identify purpose for each numbered item. They can reference this outline when they begin to write their own essay.

TEACHER NOTE

Note that there is no Deep Dive in this lesson. Use any additional time to support practice of the vocabulary and/or style and convention skills introduced in the module.

character will you choose to write about, and why?

Lesson 32: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Launch (2 min.)

Learn (65 min.)

Plan an Explanatory Essay

Land (10 min.)

Wrap (2 min.)

Assign Homework

Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Experiment with Formal Style (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6

Language ƒ

L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b

MATERIALS

Assessment 30A: End-of-Module Task ƒ

Handout 30B: End-of-Module Task Organizer ƒ

Handout 32A: Experiment with Formal Style 2

Learning Goals

Plan a character-analysis explanatory essay using causeand-effect structure (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9).

Complete To-SEEC Explanatory Essay Graphic Organizers.

Revise writing to improve expression and formal style (W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

Complete Handout 32A.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 30–34

How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 32

Know: How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my knowledge of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 32

Execute: How do I use cause-and-effect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay to respond to the End-of-Module Task?

Students continue to work on their EOM Task. They spend the period planning for their explanatory essay.

Welcome

5 MIN.

Have students Think–Pair–Share which character they are going to write about for the EOM Task and their reasons for choosing that character.

Launch

2 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Inform students that they will spend the lesson planning their explanatory essays (Step 3 on Handout 30A), conferring with their peers and the teacher as needed.

65 MIN.

PLAN AN EXPLANATORY ESSAY

Individuals

Display the Craft Question: How do I use cause-effect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay to respond to the End-of-Module Task?

Display and have students locate Step 3 on Handout 30A, the To-SEEC Explanatory Essay Graphic Organizers.

Students work alongside a peer who is writing about the same character, confering as needed to plan their own essays using the organizers.

Students will work at their own pace, so some may find they are ready to start drafting.

As students work, circulate to confer as needed.

As the period ends, reconvene the group and have students share their successes and challenges with the planning phase of the EOM Task.

Land

10 MIN.

Students respond to the Exit Ticket: “Describe your progress in this lesson. What questions do you have? What do you need to do to move forward with your End-of-Module Task?”

Wrap

2 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students are welcome to continue to work on Step 3 on Handout 30A, planning their EOM Task essay.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

The CFU assesses how well students can solicit peer and teacher feedback and then independently plan and execute an explanatory essay (W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9). Check that students can: ƒ

Articulate when they need help developing or strengthening their writing. ƒ

Articulate how their essay’s working thesis is appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. ƒ

Demonstrate that they understand the process of writing involves planning, revising, or trying a new approach when needed.

ƒ

Begin drafting an outline for their explanatory essay that includes the essential components of explanatory writing covered over the course of the module.

Next Steps

If students have difficulty beginning this four-paragraph explanatory essay, consider grouping struggling students and conducting a mini-lesson in which you slowly walk them through what steps they should take to begin and complete the writing process for this task. During this discussion, address any misunderstandings that surface.

Lesson 32 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Experiment with Formal Style

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

Text: Sample paragraph ƒ

ƒ

Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Revise writing to improve expression and formal style (W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 32

Experiment: How does using formal style work in writing?

Launch

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Ask students to write one “tip” for improving formal style in their writing. Students Mix and Mingle, sharing ideas.

Learn

Display:

ƒ

Check for fragments using the Guess What? Strategy, and change all fragments to complete sentences. ƒ

Use different types of transitions to show the connection between sentences. ƒ

Use the most precise words. Avoid overused or boring words (good, fine, bad, sad, amazing, and so on). ƒ

Revise contractions (change don’t to do not, couldn’t to could not, and so on). ƒ

Avoid dialect or slang (ain’t, don’t got no, whatever, and so on).

Distribute Handout 32A: Experiment with Formal Style 2, and review the directions.

Students independently complete Handout 32A.

Display an enlarged copy of the paragraph on Handout 32A. Ask students to share some revisions they made. Write them on the displayed excerpt. These may include:

ƒ Change it’s to it is.

ƒ Change hard to difficult.

ƒ Change dad to father.

ƒ Change finds to discovers.

ƒ Change stuff that has made her sad to tragic events or tragic deaths of her mother and brother.

ƒ Change the fragment Forgiveness of all important things to a full sentence, perhaps by combining it with the following sentence.

ƒ Change things to relationships.

ƒ Change She’s to She is.

ƒ Change get on to move forward.

ƒ Remove amazing or change it to a more specific word.

ƒ Change exclamation point to a period.

Land

Instruct students to Think–Pair–Share, and ask: “How is the revised paragraph an improvement over the original one?”

Remind students that consistent use of formal style will be evaluated in the End-of-Module essay. Students will have a chance to peer-review for formal style in the next lesson.

Lesson 33

Lesson 33: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Excel at Writing a Thesis Launch (2 min.)

Learn (65 min.)

Draft an Explanatory Essay Land (2 min.) Wrap (1 min.)

Assign Homework Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Excel with Word Choice (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing

ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9

Language

Learning Goals

Draft a character-analysis explanatory essay using cause-and-effect structure (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9, L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b).

Draft an EOM Task.

ƒ

L4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, L.6.3.b ƒ L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b

MATERIALS

Revise word choice to improve precision, expression, and consistency (W.6.2.d, W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

ƒ

Assessment 30A: End-of-Module Task ƒ

Handout 30A: End-of-Module Task Organizer

Revise word choice to achieve more precise meaning and formal style.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 30–34

How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 33

Know: How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my knowledge of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 33

Execute: How do I use cause-and-effect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay to respond to the End-of-Module Task?

Students continue to work on their EOM Task. They spend the period drafting their explanatory essay.

Welcome

5 MIN.

EXCEL AT WRITING A THESIS

Pairs take turns reading and providing feedback on each other’s preliminary theses.

Launch

2 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Inform students that they will spend the lesson drafting their explanatory essays using the planning they completed in Step 3 on Handout 30A, conferring with their peers and the teacher, as needed.

65 MIN.

DRAFT AN EXPLANATORY ESSAY

Individuals

Display the Craft Question: How do I use cause-effect structure in a To-SEEC explanatory essay to respond to the End-of-Module Task?

Students independently draft their essays based on the planning they completed in Lesson 32.

TEACHER NOTE

Land

Set a goal of interacting with each student at least once. Keep conferences brief and specific, focusing on one or two areas for improvement and providing cues that take students back to the text or previous writing lessons/exemplars as necessary.

2 MIN.

As the period ends, reconvene the group and have students share their successes and challenges with the planning phase of the EOM Task.

1 MIN.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students are welcome to continue to work on drafting their EOM Task.

Analyze

Context and Alignment

The CFU assesses how well students can draft a character-analysis explanatory essay, with some help or feedback from their teacher (RL.6.1, RL.6.3, W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9). Check that students have made progress addressing success criteria. They should have completed or be in the process of: ƒ

Drafting a thesis that answers the EOM Task prompt. ƒ

Providing supporting points that defend the thesis. ƒ

Creating a hook in the introduction that captures the reader’s interest, followed by relevant information about the featured book and author. ƒ

Identifying sufficient evidence that can be used in support of the thesis. ƒ

Elaborating upon how this evidence is relevant to the thesis. ƒ

And incorporating quotations and including transitions to improve writing clarity.

Next Steps

Evaluate how well students are progressing through the writing process. During each student conference, try to discern what help each student needs the most, and focus on providing feedback for this component of the essay.

Lesson 33 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Excel with Word Choice

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

ƒ

ƒ

Text: Student End-of-Module essays

Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Revise word choice to improve on precision, expression, and consistency (W.6.2.d, W.6.2.e, W.6.4, L.6.1.e, L.6.3.b).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 33

Excel: How do I improve my word choice in my writing?

Launch

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Learn Display:

Examine the word choices in your draft. Circle at least five words that could be replaced with more precise words. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to find more precise vocabulary. Substitute your original words with the new choices.

Students revise five words according to the directions.

Land

Ask several students to share some changes they made. Remind students that when writing a formal essay, every word should be considered carefully. Accurate and appropriate word choice is a key factor in developing a strong essay. When you choose words carefully, you are being a good communicator; your audience will have a better understanding of your precise meaning.

Lesson 34: At a Glance

AGENDA

Welcome (5 min.)

Launch (2 min.)

Learn (50 min.)

Excel at Explanatory Writing Land (13 min.)

Reflect on Module Learning Wrap (5 min.)

Assign Homework Style and Conventions Deep Dive: Excel with Formal Style and Sentence Variety (15 min.)

STANDARDS ADDRESSED

The full text of ELA Standards can be found in the Module Overview.

Reading

ƒ

RL.6.1, RL.6.3

Writing ƒ

W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, W.6.9

Speaking and Listening ƒ

SL.6.1.b, SL.6.6

Language ƒ

L4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a; L.6.3.b ƒ L.6.1.e, L.5.3.a, L.6.3.b, L.6.3.a

MATERIALS

Learning Goals

Evaluate and revise explanatory essay by examining its content, structure, development, style, and conventions (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2, 6.4, 6.5, 6.9; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b).

Complete Step 4 on Handout 30A and revise an explanatory essay.

Revise writing to improve expression and to enhance meaning, interest, and formal style (W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, L.6.1.e, L.5.3.a, L.6.3.b, L.6.3.a).

ƒ

Assessment 30A: End-of-Module Task ƒ

Handout 30A: End-of-Module Task Organizer

Complete peer review and revise explanatory essay.

Prepare

FOCUSING QUESTION: Lessons 30–34

How can enduring tremendous hardship contribute to personal transformation?

CONTENT FRAMING QUESTION: Lesson 34

Know: How do Bud, Not Buddy and Out of the Dust build my knowledge of resilience and personal transformation during the Great Depression and beyond?

CRAFT QUESTION: Lesson 34

Excel: How do I improve my To-SEEC explanatory essay in response to the End-of-Module Task?

Students continue to work on their EOM Task. They spend the period providing feedback to a peer’s draft and revising their explanatory essay based on feedback they received.

Welcome

5 MIN.

Students talk with a partner about the challenges they are experiencing while drafting and how they might overcome them.

Launch

2 MIN.

Post the Focusing Question and Content Framing Question.

Inform students that they will spend the lesson providing and getting feedback on their drafts (Step 4 on Handout 30A), and revising (Step 5 on Handout 30A) after conferring with their peers and the teacher, as needed.

50 MIN.

EXCEL AT EXPLANATORY WRITING

Individuals

Partners exchange essays and complete Step 4: End-of-Module Task Peer Review on Handout 30A. As students used these peer review forms to review the exemplar essay in Step 2 on Handout 30A, they may need additional, blank copies to complete this review with their peer.

Students revise their drafts after receiving and discussing their partner’s feedback.

Land13 MIN.

Ask: “What is a rubric?”

n A rubric contains information about how a piece of writing will be evaluated.

n Rubrics articulate what the expectations are for a piece of writing; they detail what exceeds, meets, and fails expectations. This information is meant for both the student and the teacher.

Display and ask students to review Step 5: Explanatory Writing Rubric and End-of-Module Task Checklist on Handout 30A. Point out that the checklist is a tool for students to use to ensure that they are including everything they need in their explanatory essay as they finalize their draft for assessment.

REFLECT ON MODULE LEARNING

Students Think–Pair–Share about the most important ideas they learned from reading Bud, Not Buddy, Out of the Dust, and all the other texts in this module. They individually sort their top five ideas into the different sections of their Knowledge Journal. Challenge students to think beyond the era of the Great Depression to broader concepts or skills they can use or take into consideration when reading new texts, sorting these ideas into the World of Ideas and World of Skills sections.

Display the following words to help spark students’ thinking: hardship, resilience, transformation, rehabilitate, symbolism, perspective.

World of Knowledge

1. The farmers of the Dust Bowl were resilient and determined. They adapted to the terrain and continued to trust that things would get better.

2. Even when people felt forgotten by their president or mistreated by the police during the Great Depression, they worked together to create communities in which people helped one another.

World of Ideas World of Skills

1. Sometimes people change quickly, and other times they transform over a long period of time.

2. Everyone copes with pain differently and has their own perspective on what healing looks like.

1. Symbolism is a powerful way to communicate ideas about characters and their stories.

2. Masterful fluency makes words come alive with vivid performance.

3. It’s important to listen to the ideas of others as a way to strengthen and diversify your own thoughts.

ASSIGN HOMEWORK

Students complete Step 5 on Handout 30A, revising their essay draft using the rubric and checklist, and prepare to submit their final essays.

Analyze Context and Alignment

The CFU assesses how well students complete the writing process for an explanatory essay. Students peer-edit and self-evaluate the EOM Task by assessing an essay’s content, structure, development, style, and conventions. In terms of assessing this CFU, consult the End-of-Module Explanatory Writing Rubric and End-of-Module Checklist in Handout 30A, which contain specific success criteria for teachers to evaluate.

Lesson 34 Deep Dive: Style and Conventions

Excel with Formal Style and Sentence Variety

ƒ

Time: 15 min.

Text: Student End-of-Module essay drafts ƒ

ƒ

Style and Conventions Learning Goal: Revise writing to improve expression and to enhance meaning, interest, and formal style (W.6.2, W.6.4, W.6.5, L.6.1.e, L.5.3.a, L.6.3.b, L.6.3.a).

STYLE AND CONVENTIONS CRAFT QUESTION:

Lesson 34

Excel: How do I improve my word choice, formal style, sentence variety, and conventions?

Launch

Display and read the Style and Conventions Craft Question.

Ask: “How can it help to have other people review your drafts?”

n Other people see the draft with fresh eyes.

n They notice things that I might not have noticed.

n They can tell me how an audience would understand the points I am trying to make.

n They can give me ideas I have not thought of.

Learn

In today’s Deep Dive, students will peer-review for style and conventions. Elements they will consider include:

ƒ

Appropriate and varied transitions. ƒ

Variety of sentence structure and lengths. ƒ

Avoidance of sentence fragments. ƒ

Consistent formal style. ƒ

Conventions of standard written English.

Students complete the second half of Step 4 on Handout 30A, the Style and Conventions Peer Review.

Land

Students review changes made by their partners and ask any clarifying questions.

Appendix A: Text Complexity

Great Minds® carefully selects content-rich, complex module texts. Module texts, especially the core texts, must be appropriately challenging so that students develop their literacy skills and progress toward meeting Anchor Standard for Reading 10 by year’s end. Great Minds evaluates each core module text using quantitative and qualitative text-complexity criteria outlined in both Appendix A of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (http://witeng.link/0483) and the updated supplement (http://witeng.link/0093).

This Appendix provides text-complexity details for each core text in order of appearance in the module. The analysis supports teachers and administrators in understanding the texts’ richness and complexity, and the module’s knowledge building and goals. Alongside the Family Tip Sheets, this information can also support conversations with families about texts.

Core module texts:

Title and Author Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

Description of Text Winner of the Newbery Medal as well as several other awards, this poignant novel tells the story of an African American orphan searching for his father during the Great Depression.

Complexity Ratings

Quantitative: 950L

Qualitative:

Meaning/Purpose: While the story is straightforward and grade-level appropriate, there are sections in which the symbolism and figurative language may need explanation.

Structure: The narrative voice and story structure are consistent, and events proceed chronologically.

Language: Non-standard English elements (maxims, colloquialisms, and non-standard language) may be unfamiliar to students.

Knowledge Demands: The cultural knowledge could present a challenge for students not familiar with the Great Depression. The novel incorporates attitudes and experiences specific to this period, including homelessness (“Hoovervilles”), racism, and the development of jazz as a form of African American cultural expression. The text has limited academic vocabulary demands.

Text-Reader-Task Considerations

Students analyze characters’ reactions and the author’s figurative language to deepen their understanding of fictional characters. As they read, students build an understanding of how characters transform over the course of a text. Students also apply knowledge from informational texts to understand the historical context of this literary work, integrating multiple sources into their analytical writing.

Rationale for Placement

Bud, Not Buddy introduces students to the Great Depression and the module-long focus on resilience during times of hardship. The novel offers a compelling opportunity for students to think rigorously and philosophically about the process of growing up. Paired with a series of knowledge-building informational texts, the novel provides an excellent opportunity for students to build cultural knowledge of the Great Depression and to understand how an individual’s experiences and challenges differed because of their particular identity.

Description of Text This Newbery Medal-winning novel-in-verse captures the heart-wrenching, coming-of-age experiences of Billie Jo, a teenager living in the Dust Bowl era of Oklahoma. Billie Jo’s story offers readers a different perspective on life during the Great Depression; dust storms and tragedy threaten her family’s survival, and Billie Jo questions whether this is the life she is meant to live.

Complexity Ratings

Quantitative:

N/A (poetry)

Qualitative:

Meaning/Purpose: The text’s meaning and purpose fall within the appropriate complexity bands for this grade level but some uses of symbolism may need further exploration.

Structure: The novel-in-verse format may be less familiar to students, but the chronological structure and rich descriptions help support comprehension.

Language: The language is vivid and accessible for Grade 6 readers.

Knowledge Demands: The contextual knowledge needed to access this text may challenge readers who are unfamiliar with the experience of those who lived during the Dust Bowl. The novel addresses experiences unique to this time, including weather phenomena, farming, and survival. The text has limited academic vocabulary demands.

Text-Reader-Task Considerations

Students continue to apply historical knowledge to a literary text as they read this novel-inverse. Students consider the relationship between character and setting and further their analysis of character through work with figurative language, particularly symbolism. Students also consider how formal choices in Hesse’s poetry reveal characters’ reactions, thoughts, and feelings. While the narrative is straightforward, students may need additional scaffolding to access the richness of Hesse’s poetry.

Rationale for Placement

This novel provides students with unique insights about nature’s role in the Great Depression and how tragedy transforms individuals and families. The significant and masterful use of imagery, symbolism, and metaphor in this novel-in-verse provides students with an opportunity to apply what they have learned about character and what they know about the Great Depression to interpret and make inferences from a complex text.

Title and Author Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

Appendix B: Vocabulary

Wit & Wisdom focuses on teaching and learning words from texts. Students develop an awareness of how words are built, how they function within sentences, and how word choice affects meaning and reveals an author’s purpose.

The purpose of vocabulary study in Wit & Wisdom is to achieve the following three key student outcomes:

ƒ Improve comprehension of complex texts.

ƒ

Increase students’ knowledge of words and word parts (including affixes, Latin or Greek roots, etc.).

ƒ Increase students’ ability to solve for unknown words on their own.

To achieve these outcomes, vocabulary study in Wit & Wisdom emphasizes the following three categories of vocabulary words:

ƒ

Content Vocabulary: Necessary for understanding a central idea of the domain-specific text and/or module topic.

ƒ

Academic Vocabulary: “High-priority” words that can be used across disciplines and are likely to be encountered in other texts. Often abstract and with multiple meanings, these words are unlikely to be known by students with limited vocabularies.

ƒ

Text-Critical Vocabulary: Words and phrases that are essential to students’ understanding of a particular text or excerpt.

Vocabulary study in Wit & Wisdom will occur within the following types of instruction:

ƒ

Core 75-minute daily lessons: Vocabulary study that is essential to understanding the text at hand. Instructional strategies are explicitly introduced and practiced during vocabulary instruction and put into practice during a reading of a text.

ƒ

Vocabulary Deep Dives: Vocabulary instruction and practice that advances students’ knowledge of high-value words and word-solving strategies, focusing on aspects such as abstract or multiple meanings, connotation, relationships across words, and morphology.

Vocabulary learning is assessed indirectly through application and directly through two-question Vocabulary Assessments (Kindergarten–Grade 2) and sentence Vocabulary Assessments (Grades 3–8).

ƒ

Indirect Assessment: Students are expected to use and incorporate words from the following list into their academic discourse, through speaking and listening (during Socratic Seminars) and writing (during formal writing tasks, such as the EOM Task).

ƒ

Direct Assessment: Students’ word knowledge will also be evaluated directly through definition assessments. Assessment words are selected because of their importance to the module’s content as well as their relevance and transferability to other texts and subject areas. Teachers should make this list available to students.

Module Word List The following is a complete list of all words taught and practiced in the module. Those that are assessed, directly or indirectly, are indicated.

Morphology

Indirect—SS3 in L29 Indirect—EOM in L34

Frayer Model

Dictionary

Indirect—FQT3 in L16 Direct—VA2 in DD29 Indirect—EOM in L34

Indirect—SS1 in L14 Direct—VA1 in DD28

Studentgenerated Direct—VA2 in DD29 Indirect—EOM in L34

Outside-In Indirect—EOM in L34

Teacherprovided

Frayer Model

Direct—VA1 in DD28 Indirect—EOM in L34

Studentgenerated Indirect—EOM in L34

Teacherprovided

generated Indirect—NR2 in L20 21 sympathy  Studentgenerated 21 compassion  Studentgenerated Indirect—EOM in L34 22 stylistic devices  Studentgenerated 22 repetition  Studentgenerated 22 perspective  Dictionary Indirect—FQT5 in L25

generated

human condition  Studentgenerated Indirect—SS3 in L29

Direct—VA1 in DD28 20 bare  Multiple Meanings Indirect—NR3 in L20 23 deformed  Outside-In 23 amateur  Teacherprovided 23 migrants  Teacherprovided 23 withered    Teacherprovided Direct—VA1 in DD28 24 making peace  Studentgenerated 24 court  Teacherprovided 24 hospitality  Teacherprovided 24 sparse  Teacherprovided Indirect—EOM in L34 25 parched   Teacherprovided Direct—VA2 in DD29 25, 23 DD primed  Teacherprovided Direct—VA2 in DD29 25 relationship  Studentgenerated G6 M1 Appendix B: Vocabulary WIT & WISDOM® 372

Direct—VA1 in DD28 19 DD brewing  Multiple Meanings Figurative Language © 2023 Great Minds PBC

25 DD procession 

Direct—VA2 in DD29 25 DD prospects   Outside-In Direct—VA2 in DD29 Indirect—EOM in L34 26 trapped  Studentgenerated 26 DD glowering  Teacherprovided Direct—VA1 in DD28 26, 27 DD smothering  Teacherprovided Direct—VA2 in DD29 26, 27 DD tumbleweed   Teacherprovided Direct—VA2 in DD29 26, 27 DD companion  Figurative language Direct—VA2 in DD29 “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets” Lesson Number Word ContentSpecific Academic Text Critical Teaching Strategy Assessment 21 sympathy  Studentgenerated 21 compassion  Studentgenerated Indirect-EOM in L34 G6 M1 Appendix B: Vocabulary WIT & WISDOM® 373

Words to Know

Understanding vocabulary and building background knowledge are essential for students’ comprehension of complex text. Wit& Wisdom students study topics for an extended period of time, building background knowledge. However, students may need additional support with unfamiliar vocabulary as they access complex text.

The words listed here may pose a challenge to student comprehension. Provide definitions or a glossary for these challenging words so that students will comprehend complex text. Use a free resource such as Wordsmyth (http://witeng.link/glossary) to generate glossaries for students.

Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis

Al Capone

butterfingers

coldcocked

Commies

embouchure

engagement (as in, “limited engagement” of musicians)

FBI

George Washington Carver

icebox

J. Edgar Hoover

lavatory

lopsided

mission (as in, place homeless or poor people can find help)

moldering

pawnshop

Pretty Boy Floyd

prodigy

Pullman porters

telegraph

Out of the Dust, Karen Hesse

antiseptic

basin (as in, sink)

betrothal

bounty ƒ bushel ƒ chafed ƒ civil ƒ combines (as in, farm machines)

court (as in, date/woo)

diversification (as in, diversification of crops)

divining

dunes ƒ fared ƒ festered ƒ grain elevator

Great War ƒ idled

igniter

mortgage ƒ obliged (as in “much obliged”)

octaves

panhandle

revive ƒ riled

scowling

searing

simmering

sod

sorghum ƒ sow (as in, sow wheat)

squirreled (as in, packed away)

surveying (surveying the fields)

threshold (in a house)

wagering

warped

writhed

Appendix C: Answer Keys, Rubrics, and Sample Responses

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lesson 5: Focusing Question Task 1 Sample Response

Lesson 10: Focusing Question Task 2 Sample Response

Lesson 11: New-Read Assessment 1 Answer Key

Lesson 14: Speaking and Listening Process Rubric

Lesson 16: Focusing Question Task 3 Sample Response

Lesson 20: New-Read Assessment 2 Answer Key

Lesson 21: Focusing Question Task 4 Sample Response

Lesson 25: Focusing Question Task 5 Sample Response

Lesson 28: Vocabulary Assessment 1 Answer Key

Lesson 29: Focusing Question Task 6 Sample Response

Lesson 29: Vocabulary Assessment 2 Answer Key

Lesson 34: EOM Task Annotated Sample Response

Lesson 34: EOM Task Rubric

Lesson 5: Focusing Question Task 1 Sample Response

Text: Bud, Not Buddy

Focusing Question: What makes Bud a survivor (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.b, 6.4, 6.9.a)?

Prompt: For an audience who has read and studied Bud, Not Buddy the way you have, write a To-SEEC paragraph in which you explain what makes Bud a survivor. Please remember to include proper citations for your textual evidence and follow the conventions of standard written English.

Hint: Think about all of the things we’ve learned about Bud so far, and select one of the qualities that allows him to survive the hardships he’s faced in the novel.

Sample Response:

n Bud is a survivor because he is brave. Even though he’s skinny and small, Bud doesn’t back away from a challenge. He defends himself against what he thinks is a vampire bat by swinging a rake “like [he] was Paul Bunyan chopping down a tree with one blow” (27). Bud bravely attacks the vampire bat with whatever weapons he can use and will do whatever he needs to survive. When his survival is threatened, Bud takes risks. An example of this is when he is being attacked by hornets and “the only thing [he can] think to do [is] jump on the woodpile and bust the glass out of the window” (29). Bud isn’t too frightened to take action; he bravely leaps out a window to ensure his survival. While Bud might be seen as reckless, he is only brave and willing to do whatever it takes to survive.

Lesson 10: Focusing Question Task 2 Sample Response

Texts: Bud, Not Buddy and “Hoovervilles”

Focusing Question: What hardships did people face during the Great Depression (RL.6.1, 6.9; RI.6.1, 6.9; W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a, 6.9.b; L.4.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6)?

Prompt: For an audience who has read and studied these texts the way you have, write two To-SEEC paragraphs in which you explain two hardships people faced during the Great Depression, citing evidence from at least Bud, Not Buddy and “Hoovervilles.” Please remember to include proper citations for your textual evidence and follow the conventions of standard written English.

You must use evidence from both Bud, Not Buddy and “Hoovervilles,” but you may also include evidence from Kentucky Flood (photograph) or “GM Sit-Down Strike” (video).

Please incorporate two of the following three words into your response: loathsome, glum, criminal.

Sample Response:

n One hardship many people faced during the Great Depression was homelessness. After being evicted from their homes, people formed large shantytowns called “Hoovervilles,” which were communities made up of shelters built from scrap materials. The structures were made of “boxes and wood and cloth” (Curtis 64) and any other materials people could salvage. The shelters were often unstable, “a big wind or even two or three big wolves huffing and puffing real hard could blow [a] [Hooverville] into the next county” (Curtis 64). Living conditions in a Hooverville were loathsome; “they posed health risks to their inhabitants as well as to those living nearby” (“Hoovervilles”). Because of this, sometimes the police would be sent to tear down a Hooverville, leaving its inhabitants homeless again. Then, without anywhere else to go, people began riding the rails or rebuilding their homes in the Hoovervilles despite the dangers and uncertainty.

Another hardship experienced by children during the Great Depression was being separated from their families. Many children ended up in orphanages because one or both of their parents died or because their families weren’t able to afford to take care of them. The orphanages filled up, and workers were overwhelmed: “half the folks that run it don’t even tell you their name and don’t remember yours unless you’re in trouble all the time or getting ready to move out” (Curtis 59). Overwhelmed workers and overcrowding meant children felt glum, overlooked, and alone. Because of this experience, some children ran away, deciding it was better to live on their own than grow up in a crowded orphanage.

Lesson 11: New-Read Assessment 1 Answer Key

Multiple-Choice Answer

1. F

2. D

3A.. Answers will vary

3B. A, C

4. A 5A. C

5B. B

Sample Response:

ƒ

The outlook of the speaker in “Mother to Son” differs from that of Bud’s mother. The poem’s speaker recognizes that “life ain’t been no crystal stair” (2) but she’s “still climbin’ ” (19). She recognizes that things haven’t been easy in the past, but it doesn’t stop her from continuing on toward her goals. She describes “splinters” (4) and “places with no carpet on the floor” (6) but that she won’t “set down on the steps” (15) or give up; she will continue moving forward in spite of the obstacles. Bud’s mother’s maxim, “When one door closes...another opens” (Curtis 43), differs because it is a message about patience and open-mindedness. Her message to Bud is to be patient in the face of challenges, that another opportunity is coming along. The speaker of the poem talks about persevering through challenges, but Bud’s mother wants him to look for unexpected opportunities. Although both texts offer inspirational ideas, their messages are different.

Relevant Standards

1. RL.6.2, RL.6.3

2. L.5.3.b, L.6.1.e

3A. L.6.4.a

3B. RL.6.1

4. RL.6.4, L.6.5.a

5A. RL.6.2

5B. RL.6.1

RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.9

W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a L.4.3.a, 5.3.b, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.4.a, 6.5.a

1 (Does not yet meet expectations)

ƒ Does not yet contribute both questions and statements in conversations. ƒ Follows few, if any, agreed-upon rules for conversations. ƒ Does not yet set goals or deadlines. ƒ Does not yet link comments to comments of others. ƒ Does not yet indicate agreement or disagreement. ƒ Contributions do not yet indicate compliance.

ƒ Sometimes tracks speakers. ƒ Attends in a structured conversation for less than 20 minutes. ƒ Does not yet give the speaker cues. ƒ Does not yet reflect or paraphrase to consider multiple perspectives.

Rubric

Process

Lessons 14, 15, 29: Speaking and Listening

Grade 6—Speaking and Listening Process

2 (Partially meets expectations)

Rubric 4 (Exceeds expectations)

ƒ Contributes both questions and statements in conversations. ƒ Follows rules for collegial discussions or defines individual roles. ƒ Sets goals or deadlines. ƒ Links comments to comments of others. ƒ Agrees and disagrees respectfully. ƒ Contributions indicate compliance.

3 (Meets expectations)

ƒ Comments balance questions and statements that contribute to discussion. ƒ Follows rules for collegial discussions and defines individual roles. ƒ Sets goals and deadlines. ƒ Builds and elaborates on other’s comments. ƒ Agrees and disagrees respectfully and strategically. ƒ Contributions indicate engagement.

Comments effectively balance questions and statements contribute significantly to discussion. ƒ Upholds rules for collegial discussions for self and others and carries out defined individual roles. ƒ Sets specific and effective goals and deadlines. ƒ Builds and elaborates on other’s comments and contributes positively to a collaborative group process. ƒ Agrees and disagrees respectfully and strategically, using knowledge of common categories of disagreements. ƒ Contributions indicate curiosity.

ƒ

Process

ƒ Eye contact and body language demonstrate attention. ƒ Attends in a structured conversation for at least 30 minutes. ƒ Cues the speaker with gestures and/or facial expressions. ƒ Reflects and paraphrases to consider multiple perspectives.

ƒ

Listening

ƒ Tracks speakers. ƒ Attends in a structured conversation for at least 20 minutes. ƒ Sometimes gives the speaker cues. ƒ Reflects or paraphrases to consider multiple perspectives. G6 M1 Appendix C: Answer Keys, Rubrics, and Sample Responses WIT & WISDOM® 381 © 2023 Great Minds PBC This page may be reproduced for classroom use only.

Lesson 16: Focusing Question Task 3 Sample Response

Text: Bud, Not Buddy

Focusing Question: How is Bud transformed by his journey (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6)?

Prompt: For an audience who has read and studied Bud, Not Buddy the way you have, write a To-SEEC mini-essay (an introduction and two body paragraphs) in which you explain how Bud has been transformed by his journey. Please remember to include proper citations for your textual evidence and follow the conventions of standard written English.

Hint: Think about all the changes Bud has been through and the dream he’s been pursuing. Choose one of the ways he’s changed to write about in your essay.

Please incorporate the words undergo and cope into your response.

Sample Response:

n It is human nature to grow and change in response to our surroundings. After losing his mother, Bud felt very alone. Several negative experiences in foster homes made Bud cling to his suitcase and be wary of trusting adults ever again. But Bud’s journey across Michigan taught him important lessons that changed him for the better. On the journey to find his father, Bud is transformed into someone who trusts others and knows that people and relationships are more important than belongings.

While on his journey, Bud transforms from being distrustful of adults into someone who can connect with them. In the beginning of the story, Bud distrusts Mr. and Mrs. Amos and thinks “The Amoses [deserve] what they [are] going to get” (32). Bud believes it’s his right to punish them for their cruel treatment. But as Bud meets more people on his journey, adults like Deza’s mother, the librarian, and the family at the Mission help Bud learn that there are adults who care deeply for children they’ve just met. Although he initially thinks Lefty Lewis is a vampire, Bud is able to recognize that Lefty cares about him, and Bud allows himself to fall asleep in Lefty’s car because he “[knows] [he] [is] going to be safe” (115). These understandings enable Bud to connect with Miss Thomas and the band, recognizing that “of all the people [he’d] ever met these [are] the ones. This is where [he’s] supposed to be” (172). Bud knows that he’s found his home with adults who truly care about him. Bud’s journey transformed him, helping him learn to trust adults and build relationships with them.

In addition to increased trust, Bud’s possessiveness over his suitcase is transformed into generosity while on his journey to find his father. Bud spends the beginning of his journey “keep[ing] [his] suitcase with [him] wherever [he] go[es]” (70) and carefully monitoring its contents to make sure nothing is lost. Bud is constantly vigilant over his suitcase and its contents; they are his most precious possessions, and they help him cope with losing his mother. However, as Bud’s journey leads him closer to his eventual family, Bud learns that his new relationships are more important than what he carries with him. When Bud realizes how special the rocks are to his grandfather, he brings them to him because Bud “figure[d] they meant more to [Herman] than they did to [him] anyway” (233). Bud wants to help heal Herman’s pain and shares his most precious belongings to do so. This decision shows another positive transformation Bud undergoes on his journey. He is able to let go of things he once considered most important because he has found a family and a place where he is loved and where he can love people back, even Herman Calloway.

Lesson 20: New-Read Assessment 2 Answer Key

Multiple-Choice Answer Relevant Standards

1. A

2A. A and C

2B. B, C, and E

3. D

4A. B

4B. C

Sample Response:

ƒ

In the poem “Hope in a Drizzle,” a “quarter inch of rain” falls on the farm, and the land and Ma respond by celebrating (55). Like the poem’s title suggests, rain is nothing less than “hope” that falls on the ground and provides both the plants and the people with the possibility that they can survive in this place of drought and dust (55). In this way, the rain symbolizes the possibility of growth or transformation. The land transforms when it rains because “new seeds [can start] growing,” and the people transform because the rain helps wash away everything that has been hard to bear. In “Hope in a Drizzle,” Ma transforms in many ways. She takes off her clothes and becomes as “bare as a pear,” letting the rain “[slide] down her skin/leaving traces of mud on her face and her long back” (55). The mud on her body represents all the hardship she has had to bear, and the rain begins to wash it off. The poem’s images of seeds and fruit develop the rain’s symbolism of hope and transformation because the rain helps finish the ripening process for anything, or anyone, that grows. Ma herself contains a seed, Billie Jo’s unborn baby brother, and the rain falling on her naked body emphasizes how she is “round and ripe and striped/like a melon” (56) about to bear fruit. Ma “aches for rain” because she hopes that the land can once again grow wheat, but she also hopes that she can bring her new baby into a world that is not always defined by hardship. Almost as if she is being baptized, Ma stands naked in the rain hoping that the future for the farm and her family is full of promise.

1. RL.6.2, RL.6.3

2A. L.6.4.a

2B. RL.6.1

3. RL.6.4, L.6.5.a

4A. RL.6.2, RL.6.3 4B. RL.6.1

RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4

W.6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a

L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.4.a, 6.5.a, 6.6

Lesson 21: Focusing Question Task 4 Sample Response

Texts: Out of the Dust and “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets”

Focusing Question: What sustained people’s spirits during the Great Depression (RL.6.1, 6.2, 6.3; RI.6.1, 6.2; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.4, 6.9.a, 6.9.b; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.3.a, 6.6)?

Prompt: Write a To-SEEC mini-essay (an introduction and two body paragraphs) in which you explain how people during the Great Depression and the characters in Out of the Dust sustained their spirits during this difficult time in our history. Please remember to include proper citations for your textual evidence and follow the conventions of standard written English.

You must use evidence from both Out of the Dust and “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets,” but you may also include evidence from any of the other module texts: Bud, Not Buddy, Kentucky Flood (photograph), “GM Sit-Down Strike” (video), Migrant Mother (photograph), “Migrant Mother Photograph” (video), “The Drought” (article), or “‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America” (article).

Please incorporate the word sustain into your response.

Sample Response:

n The Great Depression is most often associated with poverty and hopelessness, as the time period’s name suggests. Yet even when people had so little and were tested by extreme hardship, they found ways to sustain their spirits. Errol Lincoln Uys’s article “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets” and Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust highlight how the generosity people showed one another during the Great Depression helped sustain both the spirits of those who gave and those who received. For those downtrodden, the generous gift of a hot meal or a place to sleep meant hardship could be tolerated for one more day. For those who opened their homes and their cupboards to people in need, the knowledge that they could make hard times less dark for others buoyed their spirits.

The article “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets” covers stories about real people living during the Great Depression who sustained their spirits by being the recipients or givers of generosity. Many people living during the Great Depression could not find jobs, food, or shelter. Some of these individuals were homeless teenagers who rode the rails and often were starving and desperate as they looked for work. The article highlights how countless strangers “were sympathetic toward the hard luck kids” (Uys). The generous handouts the downtrodden received, often in the form of food or a place to sleep, meant they could keep surviving, for these “numerous acts of kindness buoyed the young migrants” (Uys). Likewise, the people who were charitable benefitted from their acts of generosity. They taught their children the valuable lesson that being generous sustains the human spirit. In the article, people recalled the positive impact of “seeing their mothers and fathers help hobos who came to ask for food. It was a lesson in giving that was never forgotten” (Uys). The children who saw “their parents’ compassion toward total strangers” understood that people should look out for another person in need (Uys). By being generous with strangers, the men and women who helped feed, clothe, and house migrants showed their children that hard times did not have to break the human spirit. By receiving a little help, the migrants felt they could manage through such tough times.

In Out of the Dust, the Kelbys’ generosity helps a young migrant sustain his spirits, and in turn, it helps Billie Jo’s parents feel like they are not helpless in the face of poverty and dust. Even though Billie Jo’s family is poor, Ma regularly donates both food and clothing for charitable causes. When a migrant boy comes to their house and “[asks] for food,” Ma “[sits] him down/and [gives] him biscuits/and milk” (58). Bayard Kelby offers the boy a bath, a change of clothes, and a haircut to help lift the boy’s spirits. Because of Billie Jo’s family’s generosity, the nameless boy is able to survive without a home or family to take care of him, and he leaves the Kelbys’ farm fed and renewed. Being generous also helps the Kelbys. They see their own child in the “wild boy of the road,” and they cannot turn him away (59). Both of them know that somewhere out there the boy’s “mother is worrying about him” and “wishing her boy would come home” (59). The Kelbys benefit from their own generosity because it makes them feel like they are helping someone just like themselves. Without this spirit of generosity, the hardships of the Great Depression would have been much more difficult to bear.

Lesson 25: Focusing Question Task 5 Sample Response

Text: Out of the Dust

Focusing Question: How does hardship alter the characters’ perspectives in Out of the Dust (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2.a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.2.e, 6.2.f, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b, 6.6)?

Prompt: For an audience who has read and studied Out of the Dust the way you have, write a causeand-effect To-SEEC essay (introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion) in which you explain how hardship (cause) changes Billie Jo’s relationship with another character, a particular object, or the land (effect). Please remember to include proper citations for your textual evidence, follow the conventions of standard written English, and maintain formal style.

Please incorporate the word perspective into your response.

Sample Response:

n Guilt can ruin any relationship. In Karen Hesse’s novel Out of the Dust, Billie Jo’s relationship with the piano is almost ruined because of the guilt she feels after Ma’s tragic accident. Because of Billie Jo’s role in the accident, her mother dies from injuries sustained in the fire, and Billie Jo’s hands are badly damaged. Billie Jo’s once positive relationship with the piano changes because it becomes a reminder of her two painful losses: the loss of her mother and the loss of her hands.

Billie Jo’s relationship with the piano starts off as a positive one. Billie Jo’s mother teaches her young daughter how to play, and Billie Jo is exceptionally good. When she plays, “the music/springs straight out of [her],” and she becomes aware of “how supremely/heaven/playing piano/can be” (13–14). Billie Jo also witnesses the power in music. When her mom plays, she turns into “something different” and causes Daddy to “[get] soft eyes” as he watches her (24). Billie Jo “[remembers] being dazzled by her/ whenever she played the piano” (24). Although sometimes Billie Jo and her mother argue about music’s role in Billie Jo’s life, for the most part the piano is a source of happiness and escape for Billie Jo from the dust and bleakness of the time. In Billie Jo’s eyes, “[her] place in the world is at the piano” (49). It anchors her to her family, community, and home.

After the accident, Billie Jo’s perspective changes, and she no longer views the piano as a source of happiness and pride. The piano reminds Billie Jo of her mother since music was a central part of her mother’s identity. Now something that was once beautiful is only painful to look upon: “Now I can’t hardly stay in the same room with one/Especially Ma’s” (87). Her mother’s piano makes Billie Jo constantly feel her mother’s absence, which creates a large hole in her life. She also struggles in her relationship with the piano because of her “deformed hands” (92). The pain of her injuries prevents her from playing like she used to; not being able to express herself musically leaves her constantly feeling dissatisfied. In more than one instance, Billie Jo emphasizes that she “[has] a hunger/for more than food,” and this hunger is her need to play but her inability to do so (128). Her hands are also a painful reminder of her role in the fire. They show evidence of that day’s tragedy, and Billie Jo’s father often “stares when he sees them” and makes Billie Jo feel uncomfortable and guilty (76). Her scars are impossible not to notice, similar to how she cannot escape her memory of using her hands to pick up and throw the pail of kerosene. Billie Jo now regards the piano as a source of pain, guilt, and disappointment.

Because of the accident, Billie Jo ends up losing much more than her mother when her love of playing piano becomes as badly damaged as her injured hands. Before the accident, her relationship with the piano and music sustained her and gave her a much needed break from the dust and despair all around her. After the accident, Billie Jo no longer can rely upon this relationship to help her feel hopeful about her future. A central part of her identity—being an accomplished pianist—is destroyed as a result of the accident and the guilt she feels.

Lesson 28: Vocabulary Assessment 1 Answer Key

Note to teachers: The sample answers below are only illustrations: answers, of course, will vary, as there are many acceptable ways to define each word. When evaluating student responses, consider what level of specificity you will require for a correct answer. For instance, “The drought had lasted for months, with no relief in sight” might provide enough context for a student to easily answer “time of no rain” or “dry spell,” but to demonstrate understanding of the particular meaning of drought, a student would need to indicate that a drought is a long period of no rain.

1. I was dazzled by the lights of the city at night. (made almost blind by bright light)

2. The children saw the bus driver glowering at them. (looking or staring with sullenness, anger, or animosity; scowling)

3. The grapes withered on the vine. (dried up or wilted)

4. After hearing both sides make their arguments, he proposed a compromise. (a certain type of agreement in which two sides disagree about something in the beginning but come to agree after each side gives up something)

5. I look forward to commencing my next big adventure! (beginning or starting)

6. Resilience is a common quality of successful people. (the capacity to withstand and recover quickly from difficulty, sickness, or the like)

7. Maya had to endure a number of hardships in her young life. (to bear up under or function in spite of)

8. Fred devoured each book of the series as it came out. (to take in with the mind or senses in a greedy way)

9. I sensed he was insinuating something, but I did not know what it could be. (suggesting subtly or indirectly)

10. “Why are you so glum?” the grandfather asked the child. (in low spirits; sad or gloomy)

11. The candidates for mayor disagreed on what caused the devastation of the city’s parks. (destruction or ruin)

12. Time will help to rehabilitate the animal.* (to restore to good health or to an otherwise improved state of being)

13. A storm brewed off the coast. (developed)

14. The citizens voted to support conservation of historic places. (the act of preserving and protecting from loss, destruction, or waste)

15. The drought had lasted for months, with no relief in sight. (long period with little or no rain)

* From Words Worth Teaching, by Andrew Biemiller (SRA/McGraw-Hill, 2009).

Lesson 29: Focusing Question Task 6 Sample Response

Text: Out of the Dust

Focusing Question: What makes the characters in Out of the Dust survivors (RL.6.1, 6.3; W.6.2a, 6.2.b, 6.2.c, 6.2.e, 6.4, 6.9.a; L.4.3.a, 5.3.a, 6.1.e, 6.3.a, 6.3.b)?

Prompt: For an audience who has read and studied Out of the Dust the way you have, write a causeand-effect To-SEEC paragraph in response to one of the following questions. Please remember to include proper citations for your textual evidence, follow the conventions of standard written English, and maintain formal style.

ƒ How does hardship threaten Billie Jo’s emotional survival (cause), and what response enables her to survive (effect)?

ƒ How does hardship threaten Bayard Kelby’s emotional survival (cause), and what response enables him to survive (effect)?

Sample Response:

How does hardship threaten Billie Jo’s emotional survival, and what response enables her to survive?

n In Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust, Billie Jo’s loss of her mother and disfigurement of her hands leave her broken and threaten her emotional survival, but she eventually learns how to survive loss by practicing forgiveness. When the fatal accident occurs, Billie Jo struggles with finding motivation to keep playing piano, for it is both physically and emotionally too painful because of her guilt and grief. She also suffers because her father completely withdraws from her, leaving her feeling alone and abandoned. Rejected by her father and handicapped by her damaged hands, Billie Jo feels like she has no home, no family, and no future. As a response, she deserts her father and their farm and heads west because she is “filled with bitterness/…from the silence of [her] father” and “the absence of Ma” (195). However, on the train, she has some important realizations: she can’t escape pain by running away, and she has been too critical of her grieving father. Both of these epiphanies help her find forgiveness in her heart for herself and her father. In response, she returns home to rebuild her life and her relationship with her father, who she realizes did not abandon her but was consumed by his own grief. By forgiving herself and her father for their reactions to Ma’s death, she is able to understand this truth:

And I know now that all the time I was trying to get out of the dust, the fact is, what I am, I am because of the dust. And what I am is good enough. Even for me (222).

She forgives herself for her faults and her role in the accident, and this transformed attitude helps Billie Jo survive hardship by accepting loss. Forgiveness allows her to reconnect with her father and begin playing the piano once more.

Lesson 29: Vocabulary Assessment 2

Answer Key

Note to teachers: The sample answers below are only illustrations: answers, of course, will vary, as there are many acceptable ways to define each word. When evaluating student responses, consider what level of specificity you will require for a correct answer. For instance, “The dog was the little boy’s constant companion” might provide enough context for a student to easily answer “friend,” but to demonstrate understanding of the particular meaning of companion, a student would need to indicate that a companion is a person with whom time is spent.

1. The dog was the little boy’s constant companion. (one who spends time with another)

2. In the morning, my lips were parched. (very dry)

3. The teachers primed the students for the test. (made ready or prepared)

4. When the music began, the wedding procession started. (the act of moving forward in a formal, orderly way)

5. I hope to see a tumbleweed on my trip to the Great Plains. (a plant whose rounded, branched tops break off in autumn and are rolled about by the wind)

6. People were forced to abandon their homes during the storm. (leave behind with no plan to return; desert)

7. We had to be practical about achieving all our goals. (connected with the realities of everyday living or managing)

8. The performers really impress me with their talent. (make a strong positive impact on)

9. It felt like the scarf was smothering me. (killing by not allowing enough air; suffocate)

10. It was wonderful to finally see a familiar face. (having some knowledge of; recognizable)

11. Criminal behavior will not be tolerated! (wrong, inappropriate)

12. Malcolm is always considerate to his friends. (showing regard for feelings and needs of others)

13. I learned to cope with my disability. (handle or deal with in a successful way)

14. The child’s head left a depression on the pillow. (low spot or hollow)

15. Gwen does not yet know her summer plans, though she has several prospects. (things that are expected or likely to happen; opportunities)

Lesson 34: End-of Module Task Annotated Sample Response

Character: Bud from Bud, Not Buddy

During the Great Depression, the bank collapse left many Americans facing hardships like homelessness, illness, and inability to care for their children. Each individual handled these challenges differently. The novel Bud, Not Buddy is set during this period, and Bud responds to the hardships he experiences with perseverance and adaptability. Bud’s responses of perseverance and adaptability are what transform him from being rootless to having a sense of belonging.

Bud’s adaptability in the face of hardship is one cause of his transformation. He is driven by his mother’s maxim, “When one door closes…another door opens” (43). Believing in this idea of continuous opportunity helps Bud adapt easily to change. When Bud misses the train to California, he muses that “maybe someone was trying to tell [him] something” (86) and proceeds to plan his journey to Grand Rapids. While he could have been filled with regret over the loss of his “brother” or the prospect of traveling West, Bud instead adapts quickly to change and wastes no time on regrets. Even though Herman Calloway initially rejects Bud, Bud’s spirits are undaunted and he begins building a relationship with the band members, quickly realizing “that of all the people [he’d] ever met these were the ones. This was where [he] was supposed to be” (172). It is Bud’s adaptability that allows him to cope with the rejection of his “father” and immediately connect with the other adults. Bud’s adaptability transforms him from a homeless boy with no roots into a well-loved member of a family of bandmates.

Adaptability isn’t the only response to hardship that contributes to Bud’s transformation; his perseverance also helps him overcome challenges and transforms him into someone with a sense of belonging. Bud is undaunted by obstacles and, when determined, is confident he can do anything. When Herman Calloway threatens Bud, “You’ve got the rest of them fooled but not me…you’re going back where you belong” (179–180), Bud disregards Herman’s threats, resiliently refusing to be intimidated into leaving. Even when Herman “was trying to work [him] like a dog,” Bud makes the hard work a game and considers Herman’s assignments “a piece of cake” (199). Bud is able to persevere through Herman’s harsh treatment and laborious assignments, transforming himself into a valued member of the band. Had Bud given up when threatened by Herman, Bud wouldn’t have discovered that Herman was part of his family all along. Bud’s sense of belonging is well earned through his hard work and perseverance.

Bud’s adaptability and perseverance in the face of hardship are the qualities that transform Bud. The orphan who endures abuse at the hands of foster families, faces hunger, and sleeps under trees becomes the person who bursts into tears of happiness when he looks around and recognizes a group of people who care about him and want him to be safe and happy. Bud’s transformation into a member of a family was the result of his positive, admirable reactions to the hardships he faced.

W.6.2.a: The introduction presents the thesis statement (Bud is transformed into having a sense of belonging), and supporting points use cause/effect organization (Bud’s adaptability and perseverance in response to obstacles cause his transformation.)

W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a: The body paragraphs incorporate relevant and sufficient evidence to develop and elaborate upon the idea that adaptability and perseverance cause Bud’s transformation.

W.6.2.c: This sentence creates a transition between the first and second supporting ideas. Other transitional words and phrases are used appropriately to clarify the relationships between ideas and concepts.

W.6.2.d: Precise words clarify the essay’s ideas.

W.6.2.e: The style throughout the essay is formal and does not use vernacular speech.

W.6.2: The conclusion summarizes the supporting points and reiterates the thesis in an original way to bring closure to the essay.

Content knowledge: This essay explains how Bud is transformed through his responses to hardships, one of the primary focuses of the module. The essay demonstrates understanding of Bud’s transformation and analysis of how two aspects of his character catalyze the change he most desires as the plot moves toward a resolution. The text evidence cited serves to support the analysis that Bud’s ability to adapt in the face of change and persevere through extreme challenges cause Bud’s metamorphosis from a rootless orphan into a valued member of a family.

Character: Billie Jo from Out of the Dust

Forgiveness is an essential and difficult act that people must do in order to be happy. In Karen Hesse’s Out of the Dust, Billie Jo initially struggles to make peace with the tragic, fatal accident that kills her mother and unborn baby brother. After many seasons pass, Billie Jo ultimately responds to the tragedy of Ma’s death by forgiving her father and herself for their role in the accident, and this resilient response ultimately transforms Billie Jo’s life and brings her happiness. Forgiving her father enables Billie Jo and her dad to open up their hearts after months of withdrawing from each other. Forgiving herself changes her outlook on life from pessimistic to optimistic and allows her to play piano once again.

Forgiving her father after the tragic accident that claims her mother’s life helps Billie Jo create a new relationship with her dad, but this forgiveness takes Billie Jo quite some time. After Billie Jo’s mother dies, she blames her father for several things: his carelessness with the pail of kerosene, his decision to “get good and drunk” while her Ma lies dying, and his choice to emotionally pull away from her after her mother dies (67). After the accident, the distance between Billie Jo and her father becomes larger and larger. When she tries to bond with her father, “he looks at me like I’m talking in another language” (93). In response, she stops calling him “Daddy” and pulls away because there is a wall between them caused by her father’s depression. However, after Billie Jo runs away and gets some perspective about how her father has managed his grief, she begins to forgive him for being imperfect. She begins to see him as silently courageous, and this helps her begin to forgive his past actions, as revealed in her private thoughts: “My father/stayed rooted, even with my tests and temper/even with the double sorrow of/his grief and my own” (202). She finds the courage to stop pulling away from him and instead tells him what she actually needs: “I tell him he is like the sod/and I am like the wheat/and I can’t grow everywhere/but I can grow here/with a little rain/with a little care (205). Using the land to speak the truth to her father, Billie Jo helps her dad understand that she can endure hardships and grow again if he acts as her water and sun. He responds by opening up to his daughter and sharing his thoughts and feelings. By the end of the novel, Billie Jo is able to once again call her father Daddy because they both open their hearts and begin communicating with each other.

Besides forgiving her father, forgiving herself helps Billie Jo change her outlook on life, helping her see what she has rather than what she does not have. In the poem “Thanksgiving List,” Billie Jo captures all the many blessings she has in her life even after suffering so much. Many things that she highlights in this poem could be seen in a negative way; for example, she mentions Ma and Franklin’s grave as well as Daddy’s new girlfriend, Louise. However, she does not focus on what might be negative in these examples or view them as hardships. Instead, she emphasizes a new appreciation for what they give her. In the case of Ma’s grave, she anticipates the beautiful flowers that are about “to bloom” above it, and in the case of Louise, she mentions nothing other than Louise’s name as being something positive and grounding in her life (221). By forgiving herself for Ma’s death, she can start to see all the blessings in her life, including the new addition of Louise as a loving family member. Most important, forgiving herself enables her to restart her relationship with music. In fact, she recognizes that the pain she has experienced will help her become a better musician: “The fact is/what I am/I am because of the dust/And what I am is good enough/Even for me” (222). Because she no longer blames herself for Ma’s death, she feels like she can “[get] to know the music again/And it [can get] to know me/We sniff each other’s armpits/and inside each other’s ears” (222). By forgiving herself, Billie Jo accepts that her mother can live on through her connection to the piano, and she is able to embrace an optimistic attitude that helps her appreciate all the good in her life.

W.6.2.a: The introduction presents a thesis (forgiveness transforms Billie Jo), and supporting points using a cause/effect organization (forgiving herself and her father are the causes that result in specific ways Billie Jo transforms).

W.6.2.b, W.6.9.a: The idea that forgiveness transforms Billie Jo is developed and elaborated upon with relevant and sufficient evidence from the text in both body paragraphs.

W.6.2.c: This sentence creates a transition that connects the preceding supporting point to the one that follows it. Other transitional words and phrases are used in appropriate spots to clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

W.6.2.e: The style throughout the essay is formal and does not use vernacular speech.

W.6.2.d: Precise words clarify the essay’s ideas.

Being able to forgive her father and herself is a difficult process for Billie Jo, but once Billie Jo responds to the hardship in her life by choosing forgiveness, she finds a way to bring closure to the tragic events that have derailed her happiness. Forgiveness enables her to find hope and joy again in her relationship with essential things and important people, and she is finally able to move forward with her life and leave the accident in the past.

W.6.2.f: The conclusion restates the thesis and supporting points in an original way and brings closure to the essay.

Content Knowledge: The essay explains how forgiveness transforms Billie Jo’s broken life, which is the primary focus of the module. The essay delves into this idea by specifying who Billie Jo forgives (herself and her father) and by explaining how forgiveness changes Billie Jo’s life for the better. The essay provides strong, specific examples of how Billie Jo’s life is transformed through forgiveness: Billie Jo and her dad are able to reconnect and recreate a loving relationship; Billie Jo begins viewing life and her future optimistically; and Billie Jo stops feeling guilty for her role in Ma’s death, which enables her to play Ma’s piano once again.

Lessons 5, 10, 11, 16, 20, 21, 25, 29, 34: Writing Rubric for FQTs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, NRs 1 and 2, and EOM Task Grade 6–Informative/Explanatory Writing

1 (Does not yet meet expectations)

2 (Partially meets expectations)

Does not respond to prompt; offtopic. ƒ Piece lacks focus on topic. ƒ Does not introduce topic. ƒ Ideas are disorganized. ƒ Does not provide a conclusion. ƒ Does not use transitions to connect ideas.

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Responds to some elements of prompt. ƒ Often departs from focus on topic. ƒ Introduces topic in an incomplete or unclear way. ƒ Organizes ideas inconsistently. ƒ Provides a conclusion that is incomplete or may not follow from the focus. ƒ Inconsistently uses transitions to connect ideas.

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3 (Meets expectations)

Responds to all elements of prompt. ƒ Maintains focus on topic throughout piece with occasional minor departures. ƒ Introduces topic. ƒ Organizes ideas clearly and effectively. ƒ Provides a conclusion that follows from the focus. ƒ Uses appropriate transitions to clarify relationships.

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4 (Exceeds expectations)

Responds thoroughly to all elements of prompt. ƒ Maintains focus on topic throughout piece. ƒ Introduces topic. ƒ Organizes ideas clearly and effectively. ƒ Provides a strong conclusion that follows from and expands on the focus. ƒ Uses appropriate transitions to clarify relationships.

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Structure

ƒ Does not use relevant evidence from text(s). ƒ Does not elaborate upon evidence.

ƒ Develops topic with insufficient relevant evidence from text(s). ƒ Elaborates upon evidence vaguely or superficially.

Sentence patterns are basic and repetitive. ƒ Uses limited vocabulary inappropriate to the content. ƒ Language is imprecise and lacks concision, often wordy or redundant. ƒ Uses an inappropriately informal style. ƒ Writing is inappropriate to audience.

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Varies sentence patterns occasionally for clarity or interest. ƒ Uses general vocabulary with a few domain-specific words. ƒ Language is occasionally precise and may be unnecessarily wordy. ƒ Attempts to use a formal style but with many lapses. ƒ Writing is somewhat appropriate to audience.

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Develops topic with sufficient, relevant evidence from text(s). ƒ Elaborates upon evidence with accurate analysis.

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Varies sentence patterns for clarity and interest. ƒ Uses domain-specific vocabulary. ƒ Mostly expresses ideas precisely. ƒ Establishes a formal style, with occasional minor lapses. ƒ Writing is appropriate to audience.

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Develops topic with relevant, sufficient evidence from text(s). ƒ Elaborates upon evidence thoroughly with accurate, insightful analysis.

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Varies sentence patterns for clarity, interest, emphasis and style. ƒ Uses precise language and domainspecific vocabulary. ƒ Consistently expresses ideas precisely. ƒ Establishes and maintains a consistent, formal, and engaging style. ƒ Writing shows exceptional awareness and skill in addressing audience’s needs.

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Development

ƒ Does not show command of grammar, mechanics, spelling, and usage; errors significantly interfere with overall meaning and writing is difficult to follow.

Style

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ƒ Shows strong command of grammar, mechanics, spelling, and usage; errors are minor and few.

Conventions

ƒ Shows inconsistent command of grammar, mechanics, spelling, and usage; some errors interfere with meaning. G6 M1 Appendix C: Answer Keys, Rubrics, and Sample Responses WIT & WISDOM® 394 © 2023 Great Minds PBC This page may be reproduced for classroom use only.

Appendix D: Volume of Reading

Students may select from these recommended titles that support the module content or themes. These texts can be used as part of small-group instruction or as part of an independent and/or choice reading program. In addition, the Volume of Reading Reflection handout located in the back of the Student Edition provides response questions for these texts.

Picture Books (Informational)

(930L) Pass Go and Collect $200: The Real Story of How Monopoly was Invented, Tanya Lee Stone

(NC1030L) Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Great Depression, Carole Boston Weatherford*

Historical Account

(1170L) Children of the Great Depression, Russell Freedman

Novels

(730L) On the Blue Comet, Rosemary Wells (750L) A Long Way from Chicago, Richard Peck (750L) Esperanza Rising, Pam Munoz Ryan (800L) Moon Over Manifest, Clare Vanderpool (810L) My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George (900L) Sounder, William H. Armstrong (920L) Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mildred D. Taylor (930L) No Promises in the Wind, Irene Hunt (N/A) Witness, Karen Hesse

*This title is currently out of print.

Appendix E: Works Cited

Bourke-White, Margaret. Kentucky Flood. 1937. Photograph. Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. Wikipedia. 9 Apr. 2016.

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. New York, Laurel-Leaf Books, 2004.

“The Drought.” General Article. PBS American Experience. PBS Online®, PBS American Experience. 10 Apr. 2016.

Ellington, Duke and Irving Mills. “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing.” 1931. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 5 Jun. 2009. 10 Apr. 2016.

Hesse, Karen. Out of the Dust. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 1997.

History.com Staff. “1930s GM Sit-Down Strike.” Online video. History.com. History.com, Labor Movement Videos. 9 Apr. 2016.

“‘Black Blizzards’ Strike America,” from “Dust Bowl” Online article. History.com. History.com, 2009. 9 Apr. 2016.

“Hoovervilles.” Online article. History.com. History.com, 2010. 10 Apr. 2016.

“Migrant Mother Photo.” Online video. History.com. History.com, The Great Depression Videos. 10 Apr. 2016.

Hughes, Langston. “Mother to Son.” 1994. The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes. New York: Vintage Books. Poetry Foundation. 10 Apr. 2016.

Lange, Dorothea. Migrant Mother. 1936. Photograph. Photography and the Great Depression 9 Apr. 2016.

Uys, Errol Lincoln. “Hoover’s Prodigal Children: Hungry Times on Mean Streets” Errol Lincoln Uys. 25 May 2016.

CREDITS

Great Minds® has made every effort to obtain permission for the reprinting of all copyrighted material. If any owner of copyrighted material is not acknowledged herein, please contact Great Minds® for proper acknowledgment in all future editions and reprints of this module.

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All material from the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects © Copyright 2010 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.

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All images are used under license from Shutterstock.com unless otherwise noted.

Assessment 11A: “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes. Used by permission of Harold Ober Associates Incorporated. Copyright © 1994 by The Estate of Langston Hughes.

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“Mother to Son” from THE COLLECTED POEMS OF LANGSTON HUGHES by Langston Hughes, edited by Arnold Rampersad with David Roessel, Associate Editor, copyright © 1994 by the Estate of Langston Hughes. Used by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.

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For updated credit information, please visit http://witeng.link/credits

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