PhyllisL

Units on African-American Culture

Famous African Americans

by Phillis Litterick

Art	Drama	Experiences	Literature	Listening
Math	Music	Poetry	Reading	Research
Social Studies	Speaking	Science	Technology	Writing

Phyllis Litterick
African/American unit plan

CONTENT OUTLINE:

Day 1 Pre-Activity - Geography (Motor movement)
Lesson - Reading Comprehension (Reciprocal Teaching)
& Social Studies

Day 2 Lesson - Writing (Story Pyramid)
& Reading Comprehension

Day 3 Lesson - Writing Newspaper Article (Guided outline)
Post-Activity - Publishing

Day 4 Pre-Activity - Vocabulary (Brainstorming)
Lesson - Poetry (Cinquains)
Post-Activity - Bulletin Board (Student created)

Day 5 Pre-Activity - Map Skills (Motor movement)
Lesson - Science (Inquiry lesson)

Day 6 Post-Activity - Math (Cooperative learning)

Day 7 Pre-Activity - Social Studies (K-W-L)
Lesson - Literature (S.S.R.)
Post-Activity (Multiple intelligence)

Day 8 Pre-Activity (Comparison chart)
Lesson - Social Studies (Role playing)

Day 9 (continuation) (Role playing)

Day 10 Lesson - Writing (Venn diagram)
Post-Activity (Oral expression)

Day 11 Pre-Activity- Literature (Direct instruction)
Lesson - Reading (Story retelling)
& Social Studies (Group research)

Day 12 Lesson -Technology (Time line)

Day 13 Lesson - Art (Creative expression)

Day 14 Lesson - Music (Auditory learning)

Day 15 Field Trip & Drama (Affinity diagram)

Day 16 (continuation) (Cooperative learning)

Day 17 (continuation) (Cooperative learning)

Day 18 (continuation) (Cooperative learning)

Day 19 (continuation) ( Oral presentation)

CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT:
Bulletin board: Student created. See Day 4 on unit plan for description.

CONTENTS OF DISPLAY TABLE:
I chose to create 4 learning centers in place of display table. These learning centers will also be used for cooperative projects.

CENTER #1: Matthew Henson - North Pole
If possible have a computer available for students to explore the following web site:
NWP’s North Pole Expedition
http://www.nwpassage.com/index.html

Ivan and the North Pole by Rob Patterson (children’s story)
http://www.en-garde.com/kidpub/schools/ccds/Ivan_and_the_North_Pole-Rob_Patterson.html

If computer is unavailable down load information. Simplify readability level by rewriting the information. Organize information on to a poster. Have globe available and task cards that require students to locate various locations that correlate with Henson’s journey.
North Pole Cape Columbia
Arctic Ocean Nares Strait
Lincoln Sea Baffin Bay
Robeson Channel Queen Elizabeth Islands
Kennedy Channel Greenland
Ellesmere Island Greenland Sea

Center #2: Math
Construct or provide a generic game board that requires students to select a card and solve the word problem. If they are correct, they roll the dice and advance the number of spaces indicated on the dice. If they are incorrect, they do not advance. Construct word problems that involve African/American
History. Example:
Rosa Parks is a black woman who was riding a bus. A white person got on the bus. The white person wanted Rosa to stand so he could sit down. Rosa would not stand up. Rosa thought it was unfair. Rosa helped other blacks to be brave and fight for equal rights. This happened in Montgomery, Alabama.

Question: There are 17 letters in Montgomery, Alabama. There are 19 letters in Rosa Parks. How many more letters are there in Montgomery, Alabama than there are in Rosa Parks.

Center #3: Famous People
Design a set of concentration cards that match the picture and name of a famous African American with his or her biographical sketch. Have students pick a partner, place their cards face down and play concentration. The winner is the one with the most matches at the end of the game. This game can be made by Xeroxing p. 62-65 in African Americans. Huntington Beach, California; Teacher Created Materials.

Center #4: Reading
Provide an array of books and poems for students to engage in sustained silent reading. Obtain books from the school and public library. A few recommend books include:

Books:
· Aardema, Verna. Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: A Nandi Tale. Illustrated by Beatriz Vidal. Dial, 1981. Ages 7-9.
· Aardema, Verna. Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears. Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. Dial, 1975. Ages 5-7.
· Adoff, Arnold. Black Is Brown Is Tan. Harper, 1973. Ages 8-10.
· Adoff, Arnold. Malcom X. Crowell, 1970. Ages 8-10.
· Bryan, Ashley. Turtle Knows Your Name. Atheneum, 1989, Ages 6-8.
· Burgess, Barbara Hood. Oren Bell. Delacorte, 1991. Ages 8-10.
· Carew, Jan. Children of the Sun. Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. Little, Brown, 1980. Ages 6-8.
· Clifton, Lucille. Everett Anderson’s Good-bye. Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi. Holt, 1988. Ages 5-7.
· Courlander, Harold. The Crest and the Hide: And Other African Stories of Heroes, Chiefs, Bards, Hunters, Sorcerers, and Common People. Illustrated by Monica Vachula. Coward-McCann, 1982. Ages 8-10.
· Davis, Ossie. Langston: A Play. Delacorte, 1982. Ages 8-10.
· Feelings, Muriel. Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book. Dial, 1974. Ages 6-8.
· Feelings, Muriel. Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book. Illustrated by Tom Feelings. Dial, 1971. Ages 6-8.
· Flournoy, Valerie. The Patchwork Quilt. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Dial, 1985. Ages 5-7.
· Greene, Bette. Philip Hall Likes Me. I Reckon Maybe. Illustrated by Charles Lily. Dial, 1974. Ages 8-10.
· Greenfield, Eloise. Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems. Viking, 1978. Ages 6-10.
· Greenfield, Eloise. Nathaniel Talking. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. Black Butterfly, 1989. Ages 6-10.
· Greenfield, Eloise. Under the Sunday Tree. Illustrated by Amos Ferguson. Harper, 1988. Ages 61-10.
· Grifalconi, Ann. The Village of Round and Square House. Little, Brown, 1986. Ages 7-9.
· Haley, Gail. A Story, a Story. Atheneum, 1970. Ages 7-9.
· Hamilton, Virginia. The All Jahdu Storybook. Illustrated by Barry Moser. Harcourt, 1991. Ages 7-9. Hamilton, Virginia. The Magical Adventures of Pretty Pearl. Harper, 1983. Ages 7-9.
· Hamilton, Virginia. The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales. Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. Knopf, 1985. Ages 7-9.
· Harris, Joel Chandler. Jump! The Adventures of Brer Rabbit. Adapted by Van Dyke parks. Illustrated by Barry Moser. Harcourt, 1986. Ages 7-9.
· Haskins, Francine. I Remember "121." Children’s Book Press, 1991. Ages 6-8.
· Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. Aunt Flossie’s Hats. Illustrated by James Ransome. Clarion, 1991. Ages 6-8.
· Joseph, Lynn. A Wave in Her Pocket: Stories from Trinidad. Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Clarion, 1991. Ages 7-9.
· Lester, Julius. How Many Spots Does a Leopard Have? Illustrated by David Shannon. Scholastic, 1989. Ages 7-9.
· Lewin, Hugh. Jafta. Illustrated by Lisa Kopper. Carolrhoda, 1983. Ages 7-9.
· Mathis, Sharon Bell. The Hundred Penny Box. Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon. Viking, 1975. Ages 7-9.
· McDermott, Gerald. Anasi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti. Holt, 1972. Ages 7-9.
· McKissack, Patricia. Mirandy and Brother Wind. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Knopf, 1988. Ages 7-9.
· McKissack, Patricia, and Frederick McKissack. A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter. Walker, 1989. Ages 8-10.
· Monjo, F.N. The Drinking Gourd. Illustrated by Fred Brenner. Harper, 1970. Ages 6-8.
· Ringgold, Faith. Tar Beach. Crown, 1991. Ages 6-8.
· Weik, Mary Hays. The Jazz Man. Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi. Atheneum, 1966. Ages 6-8.
· Yates, Elizabeth. Amos Fortune, Free Man. Illustrated by Nora s. Unwin. Dutton, 1950. Ages 8-10.

Poetry:
· Adoff, Arnold. All the Colors of the Race. Illustrated by John Steptoe. Lothrop, 1982.
· ______. Chocolate Dreams. Illustrated by Turi MacCombie. Lothrop, 1989.
· ______. Eats. Illustrated by Susan Russo. Lothrop, 1979.
· ______. I Am the Darker Brother. Illustrated by Benny Andrews. Macmillan, 1968.
· ______. I Am the Running Girl. Illustrated by Ronald Himler. Harper, 1979.
· ______. My Black Me: A Beginning Book on Black Poetry. Dutton, 1974.
· ______. Sports Pages. Illustrated by Steve Kuzma. Lippincott, 1986.
· Hughes, Langston. The Dream Keeper, and Other Poems. Illustrated by Helen Sewell. Knopf, 1932.
· ______. Selected Poems of Langston Huges. Knopf, 1954.

Additional Resources:
Sound or video recording of King’s "I Have a Dream" speech.
"Great Speeches of the Twentieth Century." Santa Monica, California: Rhino World Beat, 1991
(sound recording on compact disc).

"The Speeches Collection: Martin Luther King." Orlando Park, Illinois: MPI Home Video, 1990
(video recording).

Magazine articles about the Civil Rights Memorial
Boys’ Life, April 1991, p. 24
People Weekly, November 20, 1989. P. 78
Time, November 6, 1989, p. 90
Jet, November 20, 1989, p. 4
Southern Living, February, 1991, p. 24
Time, November 20, 1989, p. 69

The Southern Poverty law Center publishes a free twice-yearly magazine called Teaching Tolerance. Address for the Center is:
Southern Poverty Law Center
Education Department
400 Washington Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36104
Phone: (205) 264-0286

LESSON 1
TITLE: Matthew Henson
GRADE: 2nd
TIME: 3 Days

GOAL:
· to introduce students to Matthew Henson, his achievement, and the discrimination he experienced.

KEY CONCEPTS:
· Seasons are the result of the earth’s tilt and rotation.
· The North Pole has a harsh, cold climate, because it does not receive direct sun rays.
· Matthew Henson, a black explorer, and four Inuit guides, were the first to reach the North Pole. But because of Matthew Henson’s skin color, he did not receive recognition for his achievement.
· Story Pyramids follow a specified form and are used to retell a story.
· A good newspaper reporter writes a catchy title, tells who, what, when, where, why, how, and reports truthful facts.

OBJECTIVES:
· After reading a story about Matthew Henson, students will be able to write a newspaper article that gives a factual synopsis of his exploration to the North Pole.
· After reading a story of Matthew Henson students will be able to write a story pyramid that describes the main character, the setting, the problem, three events, and the resolution.

MATERIALS:
· Shaw, M. (January, 1994). The Seasons, Teaching PreK-8, 99.
· globe and ball
· Hudson, Wade. Five Brave Explorers. Scholastic. 1995, 30-39. ( 1 copy @ student)
· Mozart Quartet in C Major "Melanese" No. 3, Whispering Winds. RTV Communications Group, Inc.
· CD player
· newspaper articles with titles (3 or 4)
· article outlines (1 @ student)
· Word Processor
· blank newsprint, scissors, glue

DAY 1 - GEOGRAPHY

PRE-ACTIVITY: Begin by reading Martin Shaw’s poem The Seasons. Ask the students what causes our seasons to change. Use a Venn Diagram to compare summer and winter. Have them compare how the different temperatures and weather affect their energy level, activity and attitude. Ask students to think about the coldest region in the world. Have them guess where this region might be. Talk about the North Pole. Have students locate the North Pole on a globe. Demonstrate solar movement using a globe and a ball for the sun. Have one student hold the sun. Ask another student to rotate the globe, while walking around the student holding the sun. Help students notice, visualize, and understand how the North Pole tilts away from the sun, and does not receive direct sun rays. Discuss how this rotation produces seasonal changes.

READING COMPREHENSION & SOCIAL STUDIES
LESSON:
1. Turn off the lights and begin playing Melanese. Turn the volume fairly loud during the visualization activity. Continue playing the CD throughout the reading lesson, but have the volume very low so that it creates a mood for the story but is not a distraction.
2. Introduce the book by asking students to imagine what it would be like to be at the North Pole, standing on top of the world. Have them shut their eyes while you describe what it might be like (e.g. the cold, harsh, icy wind; numb feet, fingers, cheeks; feel of their fur coats, boots, mittens; weightiness of their clothing).
3. Write the title story on the board: Matthew A. Henson - North Pole Explorer - born 1866 - died 1955. Ask students to predict what the story will be about. Possible questions: Who? Why would someone want to go to North Pole? How do you think he got to the North Pole?
4. Use the strategy of reciprocal teaching: Teacher reads first two paragraphs aloud, while students follow along. Summarize: "These 2 paragraphs are about a man named Matthew Henson and another man named Admiral Peary. They tried to get to the North Pole two times, but they failed." Question: "Who is Admiral Robert Peary and Matthew Henson? What is the climate like at the North Pole?" Clarification: "One idea that might be difficult to understand is below-freezing temperatures." Prediction: "I predict that the next paragraph will tell about their third trip to the North Pole". Appoint a student to be the teacher for the next paragraph. Continue reciprocal teaching until the end of the story on p. 39.

5. Guide the class through the following questions:
· How do you think it felt to be the first person to stand on top of the world?
· Why do you think Peary asked Henson to be his servant?
· How did Henson feel about being a servant?
· Why do you think he agreed to be Peary’s servant even though he did not like to be a servant?
· If Matthew Henson and four Indian guides were the first to reach the North Pole, why did Robert Peary receive the Gold Medal?
· If Robert Bartlett didn’t make it to the North Pole, why did he receive a medal?
· Why was Matthew Henson ignored?
· How do you think Henson felt about being ignored after what he accomplished?
· Do you think this was fair?
· Do you think this would have happened if Henson was white? Why/why not?

DAY 2 - READING COMPREHENSION - WRITING

LESSON:
1. Show students examples of a story pyramid.
2. Explain that a story pyramid is used to describe important information from a story, such as the main character, the setting, and the major event in the story plot.
3. Use the story of Cinderella as you conduct a whole class instruction.
Line 1 - one word, stating the name of main character
Line 2 - two words, describing the main character
Line 3 - three words, describing the setting
Line 4 - four words, stating the problem
Line 5 - five words, describing one event
Line 6 - six words, describing a second event
Line 7 - seven words, describing third event
Line 8 - eight words, stating the solution to the problem

Cinderella
Poor, beautiful
Town with castle
Forbidden to attend ball
Fairy godmother helps her go
Cinderella loses her slipper at midnight
unique glass slipper fits only Cinderella’s foot
Cinderella marries prince and lives happily ever after

When students have been thoroughly instructed, ask them to create a story pyramid that outlines the biography of Matthew Henson. Possible example:

Matthew Henson
African/American explorer
Cold North Pole
Ignored for his achievement
He fell through the ice
First to reach the North Pole
Black community gave him many different awards
Henson finally received medal from United States Government.

DAY 3 - READING COMPREHENSION & WRITING

LESSON:
1. Clip out several well chosen newspaper headings that are sensational sounding: real attention-grabbers.
2. Read them to the class and discuss how they catch the readers attention and prompts the reader to take the time to read on. Explain that titles are usually short and are not written in complete sentences.
3. Explain that a good newspaper article answers the questions who, what, where, when, why, and how. Give examples from the article you’ve chosen.
4. Review how Admiral Peary received all the recognition for being the first to reach the North Pole, although it was really Matthew Henson and his four Inuit guides. Tell the students that a good reporter tells the facts as they truly happened. Ask them to pretend that they are working for a newspaper. They can pretend that it is 1909 and they are reporting the story for their first time, or they can pretend it is 1944 and Congress has just authorized a medal for all the men on the North Pole expedition.
5. Pass out an organized outline for the students to follow and fill in:
· Title
· Who
· What happened
· When
· Where
· Why
· How
6. When students have organized their thought on the outline, have them print their articles, using a word processor. Encourage students to use a larger font then the article.

PUBLISHING

POST-ACTIVITY: Have the students download their article, cut the article to size, and glue it onto newsprint, making a class newspaper. This will involve working together to determine the best (most visually appealing) layout. If students are having difficulty agreeing what layout suggestion is better, suggest they resolve the conflict by taking a vote. Voting is one way that allows everyone’s interests are represented. (Voting discussion is prelude to a later lesson). The class will also have to come up with a name for their newspaper. Suggest brainstorming ideas and then taking another class vote, but allow the students to solve the conflict as they like. Once the class has agreed to the layout and the name, have them glue everything in place. Have them look at a real newspaper to decide if they would like to add anything else like the date, page numbers, issue number.

EVALUATION:
Students will be graded on their newspaper article, using the following criteria:
1. Grammatically correct
2. Factually accurate
3. Includes who, what, when, where, why, how
4. Title is a "grabber"
5. Conciseness

Students will be graded on their Reading comprehension by the quality of their story pyramid.
1. Clarity of thought - theme is easily identifiable
2. Accuracy in format
3. Creativity

LESSON 2
TITLE: Cold Hearts
GRADE: 2nd
TIME: 1 day

GOAL:
· to understand the cold harshness of discrimination
· to understand a cinquain

KEY CONCPTS:
· A cold heart that houses discrimination can be likened to the climate of the North Pole.
· A cinquain is a 5 lined poem that follows a certain format.

OBJECTIVES:
· Students will be able to write an accurate description of one or more related ideas of prejudice by creating a cinquain.

MATERIALS:
· Celebrating Diversity (1993), Teacher Created Materials, Inc., 55. ( 1 cinquain form @ student)
· Blue construction paper (1 @ student)
· variety of colored paper, markers, crayons
· scissors
· glue
· partially prepared bulletin board

DAY 4 - VOCABULARY & POETRY

PRE-ACTIVITY: Begin with a review of yesterday’s activities. Review the cold, harsh climate of the North Pole. State: "Someone once said, ‘The coldest spot in this whole wide world lies in the human heart’." Give students time to reflect on this statement. Next, conduct a whole class brainstorming activity. Have students generate a list of definitions and examples that could be used to describe a cold heart. When the class has finished, expand their list to include the following descriptors: prejudice, discrimination, segregation, and injustice. Discuss the meaning of these words, or use the opportunity to practice dictionary skills.

LESSON:
1. Introduce a cinquain. Explain the format and uniqueness of this type of poem. Provide several examples.
2. Together as a class write a cinquain about the North Pole.
3. Hand out a cinquain form to each student.
4. Instruct the students to write the words "Cold Heart" on line two. Have students complete lines 1, 3, 4, 5 independently.
5. When students have finished have them cut a heart out of blue construction paper. Have students glue the cinquains onto the heart-shaped cut-out.
6. Next, provide students with colored paper, markers, and/or crayons. Ask the students to decorate the heart in a fashion that identifies it as being cold (e.g. add ear muffs, mittens, boots).

POST-ACTIVITY: Have a partially completed bulletin board ready (e.g. plain colored background, boarder, a sun in the center). Allow students to fasten their cinquain to the bulletin board, but instruct them to tilt their heart away from the sun like the North Pole tilts away. Ask students to think of a good title for this bulletin board. If many different ideas are generated, conduct a voting activity. (Be sure the title relates to the theme). Have students add the title by cutting out letters or making a computer banner.

EVALUATION:
Students will be graded on their cinquain, using the following criteria
1. Clarity of thought - theme is easily identifiable
2. Accuracy in format
3. Creativity
LESSON 3
TITLE: Compass
GRADE: 2nd
TIME: 2 Days

GOAL:
· to learn navigational directions
· to familiarize students with the principals of a compass

KEY CONCEPTS:
· The four navigational directions are North, East, South, West
· A compass is a navigational tool that points in a northerly direction due to the earth’s magnetic field.
· Distance can be measured using a wide variety of units

OBJECTIVES
· When given the name of an object, students will be able to correctly write the direction it is in relationship to his or her self.
· Students will be able accurately use a compass by giving a set of directions which can be followed successfully by someone else.
· Students will be able to measure distance using nonstandard units.
· Students will be able to build a compass that will point northward using the earth’s magnetic field.

MATERIALS:
· directional words on the wall
· compass (1 @ group)
· poem form Jonathan Swift
· blindfolds (1 @ every two students)
· exploration science questions
· 1 in. X 1 in. Piece of sponge (2 @ group of students)
· a thimble
· tapestry needle (1 @ group of students)
· a bar magnet
· a small bowl
· water
· liquid detergent
· plastic spoon
· paper clip

DAY 5 - MAP SKILLS & SCIENCE

PRE-ACTIVITY: Tell students you are going to read a short poem. Ask them to listen carefully and try to guess what we’ll be talking about today. Hint: one of the words in this poem is the answer.
"Blot out, correct, insert, refine,
Enlarge, diminish, interline;
Be mindful, when inventions fails,
to scratch your head, and bite your nails"
Jonathan Swift
After students guess the word "inventions", ask students to think about what invention was probably the most useful for Matthew Henson in finding the North Pole. Point to clue words on the walls if necessary: North, East, South, West. Show students a compass. Explain how a compass is used. Review (or teach if necessary) the four navigational directions. Divide students into small groups. Allow them to explore how a compass operates. Have students pretend they are the needle of a compass by extending one arm horizontally and pointing forward. Have students work with a partner and take turns saying a direction and having them locate it by pointing. Use combinations as well (e.g. Southeast, Northwest). Next have students take turns being blindfolded and try to locate a correct direction. Have them try several times and record how many times they were successful compared to unsuccessful.

LESSON:
1. Pass out a set of questions that the students must answer before, while, and after doing this experiment.
· What is a compass used for?
· How do you think a compass knows which way to point?
· Will a compass work properly any where on the earth’s surface?
2. Have students put 2 drops of liquid detergent into a small bowl and fill it halfway with water. Then stir. Next have students squeeze the sponge so that it bends in half, carefully sticking a tapestry needle through the bend of the sponge. Place the sponge with the needle in it on top of the water. Gently spin
the sponge and observe what happened. Have students record their observation.
· Record what you observed.
· What did the sponge and needle do?
3. Have students thoroughly dry the needle before proceeding. Ask the students to hold the eye of the
needle while they stroke the point of the needle 20-30 times over one pole (end) of the bar magnet.
Make sure all the strokes go in the same direction and they use only one pole of the magnet. Ask
students to try to use the needle to pick up a paper clip. If it picks up the paper clip, the needle is
magnetized. If not continue to rub the needle against the magnet. After the needle is magnetized,
inset it into a dry sponge. Be sure the students remove the bar magnet from the work area. Repeat
the process in step 2 and record have students record their observations.
· What happened to the needle?
· In which direction do you think the needle was pointing?
· What would happen if you put the magnet next to the needle. Make a prediction. Try it and find out if your prediction was correct.
4. Summarize that the earth has a "magnetic field". It is like a giant magnet and it pulls the needle on a
compass towards one direction. Have students share what happened when they laid the magnet next
to the needle.

DAY 6 - MATH

POST-ACTIVITY: Begin by reviewing yesterdays science experiment. Having students hypothesize how Matthew Henson’s compass behaved at the North Pole. Summarize by stating that his compass would not work at the North Pole, because the earth’s own magnetic field demagnetizes a compass, rendering it useless. Remind students that it is important to keep magnets far away from a compass.
Divide students into groups and secretly give each group a location in the school building (e.g. principal’s office, water fountain, secretary’s desk). Provide each group with a compass. Instruct students to write a set of directions on how to get to this location, using navigational directions as well as non-standard units (e.g. 22 footsteps to the North, 17 cubits to the West, 45 broom handles to the South). Encourage students to use a variety of different nonstandard units and allow them to select various classroom objects for measurement tools. When students have finished, swap directional recordings with a different group. See if the second group can successfully locate the secret destination. If there is a major discrepancy between the first and second groups outcome, have a third group try. (The third group is a means of assessing which group was at error).

EVALUATION:
Students will be assessed on their science experiments, using the following criteria
1. Participation within the group
2. Observational recordings are logical and easy to understand
3. Observational recordings answer the posed question
4. Hypothesis demonstrates sound reasoning
5. Proper handling of the equipment

Students will be assessed on their ability to accurately measure distance and record the direction of that measurement by formulating solutions that agree with at least one more group.

A formal written test will be used to measure students knowledge of directions. The teacher will name ten objects in the classroom, and the students must write the direction that corresponds with the object next to the given number.
LESSON 4

TITLE: Coretta Scott King Award
GRADE: 2nd
TIME: 1 Day

GOAL:
· to acquaint students with the principal of discrimination within the realm of literature
· to acquaint students with the Caldecott Award & Coretta Scott King Award

KEY CONCEPTS:
· African/Americans are overcoming discrimination within the realm of literature
· Learning centers are beneficial for research

OBJECTIVES:
· Students will be able to create a book report by self-selecting a product that correlates with their individual learning style.

DAY 7 - LITERATURE

PRE-ACTIVITY:
Explain that Matthew Henson was not the only African/American who was discriminated against nor had a dream of traveling Northward. Introduce the concept of slavery and African/American lack of rights. Conduct K-W-L on what we want to know about African/Americans. Record answers on a large sheet of paper and keep it posted until the end of the unit. Explain that we have various learning centers that will help us find answers to our questions.

LESSON:
1. Introduce the first 3 learning centers and explain the contents and how they are to be used.
2. Direct students attention to the Literature center. Explain that we can learn about discrimination of African/Americans by the types of books that have been published and how authors and illustrators that were African/American did not receive recognition until quite recently.
3. Hold up Waterless Mountain by Armer.
4. Explain that this is book is special because it is one of the few children’s books about minorities ever published in the first half of the twentieth century. It was published in 1932.
5. Hold up The Snowy Days by Keats.
6. Explain that it is the first picture book with an African/American as the main character to win the Caldecott award. Explain that the Caldecott Award is an award given to the illustrator of the most distinguished picture book for children published in the United States during the preceding year. Only U.S. residents or citizens are eligible for this award. Snowy Days won the award in 1963.
7. Explain that in 1969 African/American literature and authors began to be supported. The Coretta Scott king Award was established. This award is given to an African/American author and illustrator whose children’s books, published during the preceding year made outstanding inspirational and educational contributions to literature for children.
8. Hold up Why Mosquitoes Buzz In People’s Ears.
9. Explain that this book was the first picture book illustrated by an African American to win the Caldecott Award.
10. Have students select a book to read.
11. Allow 15 min. For sustained Silent Reading.
12. Tell the students that they will be allowed 15 min. every day to visit one of the learning centers of their choice.

POST-ACTIVITY:
Explain that the students are required to read at least 1 complete book by the end of the month. Explain your check-out system if students are allowed to take the books home. Explain that they are to be a literary critic and give a report on the book. Provide a variety of ways to do their book reports.
· Design a mobile with at least 3 facts
· Design a book mark with 3 facts
· Make a cartoon strip of one episode
· Create a book cover to tell about the story
· Write a poem about it
· Make a sculpture of the main character out of play dough
· Create a story pyramid
· Write a cinquain
· Write an essay
· Write a math story problem using facts from the book
· Write a song about it
· Write a skit and act it out alone or with friends

EVALUATION:
Students will be evaluate on the product using the following criteria:
· Neatness
· Organization or accurate format where appropriate
· Thoroughness (appropriately focused on the topic selected)
· Creativity
· Completed on time

LESSON 5
TITLE: Slave versus Slave Owner
TIME: 3 Days

KEY CONCEPTS:
· Slavery was once legal in the United States
· Slavery is dehumanizing
· Similes are figurative comparisons

GOAL:
· To understand the unjust treatment of African/Americans in U.S. History
· To understand what a simile is

OBJECTIVE:
· Following a simulation activity, students will be able to express inequalities between being a slave and being a slave owner by writing similes that reflect a subordinate/dominant relationship.
· Following a lesson on similes, students will be able to write four similes, construct a Venn Diagram, and orally explain how the concepts in their similes are alike and different.

MATERIALS:
· paper pencil
· paper bag
· black and white strips of paper that have been numbered

DAY 8- SOCIAL STUDIES

PRE-ACTIVITY: Ask students to think about the last time they went shopping. Have them tell you things that they purchased. After a list has been generated, ask if any of them purchased a human being. Why not? (it’s illegal). Explain that years ago it WAS legal to purchase human beings. Lead a discussion about purchasing and owning slaves. Ask students to fold a piece of paper in half. On one side they must list what it would be like to own a slave. On the other side they must list what it would feel like to be a slave.

LESSON:
1. In a paper bag, place an equal number of black paper slips and white paper slips. On the slips have a number (e.g. 1 white slip and 1 black slip have the #1).
2. Have students take turns drawing a slip of paper from the bag. A white slip means they are a white slave owner. A black slip means they are the slave.
3. Match the slave and the owner together.
4. Explain that for the rest of the day, the white person gets to "own" the black person.
5. Establish ground rules of what behavior and treatment is allowed during this simulation.

(e.g. Whites are not allowed to talk to the blacks except when to give orders. At lunch the slaves must go last in line, sit in a segregated area, and clean up after themselves as well for the "whites". Slaves must carry the white’s lunch trays, books, and recess play equipment. Extend center time to 45 min. Explain that center time is a "Whites only" right. While whites engage in center time, "blacks" are given worksheet drill and practice on math skills)

6) At the end of the day have students write how it felt to be a white owner or a slave.

DAY 9 - SOCIAL STUDIES

Switch roles and repeat yesterdays activity.

DAY 10 - SOCIAL STUDIES - WRITING

1. Have students look at their original statements written during the pre-activity, and have them reflect on how it actually felt.
2. Ask: Were your predictions correct? Are there any changes you’d like to make to your original list? If so, what?
3. Give students an opportunity to express their feelings in a whole group sharing session.
4. Explain that we will be reading a story about a boy who was born a slave. The author uses a writing style called similes to describe how it felt to be a slave.
5. Explain that a simile is a comparison of two unlike things using the word "like" or "as". Explain that by comparing two unlike objects you must also look at how they are alike.
6. Give examples from the text to be read and have the students explain how the two items of comparison are alike and how they are different.
· My skin like smooth, dark wood
· Master inspected the wheels like an auctioneer
· Rejoicing like one great hive a -hum
· Spinning like a twister
· The whish of the lash like the Devil’s breath
· The wagon was like a chariot
· His house was white as ripe cotton
· Country ripped to rags, as if two furious folks was tugging at a beautiful quilt
7. Draw a Venn Diagram on the board. Compare how skin and wood are alike and different.
8. When students have the idea of what a simile is, ask them to express their experience of being a slave or slave owner by writing similes. Have them write a simile for each of the following beginnings:
· Being a slave is like
· Being a slave owner is like
· Being a slave is as if
· Being a slave owner is as if

POST ACTIVITY: Have students draw a Venn Diagram for each simile and record likes and differences. Have students break into groups and take turns reading their similes to their classmates, orally explaining why they chose the words that they did. Have them orally express how the two objects being compared are alike or different.

EVALUATION: Students will be assessed on their understanding of the dehumanization of being a slave and their understanding of the power slave owners had over slaves, using the following criteria from their similes:
1. Clarity of thought when presenting oral explanation
2. Accuracy in format
3. Comparison is logical
4. Comparison is creative

Students will be assessed on their understanding of a simile by their oral explanation of why they chose the ideas that they did and how the ideas are related ( alike and not a like).

LESSON 6

TITLE: The Wagon
TIME: 1 Day

GOAL:
· to expand student understanding of the Coretta Scott King award
· to become acquainted with historical event that led to the end of slavery
· to become acquainted with James E. Ransome, African/American illustrator

KEY CONCEPTS:
· Coretta Scott King Award is given to an outstanding African-American author and illustrator each year.
· People were once forced or born into slavery.
· In December of 1860, a group of southern states broke away from the union, marking the beginning of the Civil War.
· President Lincoln was known as the Great Emancipator after signing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
· The Civil War ended on April 9, 1865.
· Lincoln was shot on April 14, 1865.

OBJECTIVES:
· Using a prepared resource center, students will be able to locate the dates of three important events in U.S. African/American History.

MATERIALS:
· Selection of Coretta Scott King Award books
· 1970 Martin Luther King, Jr.: Man of Peace by Lillie Patterson. Garrard.
· 1971 Black Troubadour: Langston Hughes by Charlemae Rollins. Rand.
· 1972 17 Black Artists by Elton C. Fax. Dodd
· ( complete listing can be found in Children’s Literature: Carol Lynch-Brown and Carl Tomlinson. Allyn and Bacon.)

· Selection of James E. Ransome illustrated books
1. The Creation by James Weldon Johnson
2. Celie and the Harvest Fiddler by Vanessa and Valerie Flounoy
3. My Best Shoes by Marilee Robin Burton
4. Red Dancing Shoes by Denise Lewis Patrick
5. How Many Stars in the Sky? By Lenny Hort
6. A Reading Rainbow book series

· Johnston, Tony. The Wagon. Tambourine Books, 1996.
· Story map worksheet
· Resource center
· Microsoft Encarta ’95. Microsoft Corporation.
· d’Aulaire, Ingri, and Edgar Pain. Abraham Lincoln. Doubleday, 1957.
· Freedman, Russell. Lincoln: A Photobiography. Clarion, 1987.
· Sandburg, Carl. Abe Lincoln Grows Up. Harcourt, 1928.
· McKissack, Patricia, and Frederick McKissack. The Civil Right Movement in America from 1865 to the Present. Children’s Press, 1987.
· The Great Emancipator (Jan/Feb 1990). Creative Classroom. 30.

DAY 11 - SOCIAL STUDIES & LITERATURE

PRE-ACTIVITY: Begin by introducing the historical fiction The Wagon. Show the cover and have the students predict what the text might be about. Show the colorful illustrations and talk about them. Introduce the illustrator, James E. Ransome. Explain that Ransome received the Coretta Scott King Award for illustrating The Creation by James Weldon Johnson. Explain what this award means: Founded in 1969, is given to the African-American author and illustrator whose books published in the preceding year are judged to be the most outstanding inspirational and educational literature for children. Show the students a variety of award winning selections.
Show students the illustrations James E. Ransome in the award winning book The Creation.

LESSON:
1. Read The Wagon by Tony Johnston aloud to the class.
2. Discuss the story by forming small groups and taking turns retelling what happened.
3. In a whole class setting, have the students list episodes. Help them to arrange the episodes sequentially.
· *Main character was born a slave.
· The father built a wagon for the master.
· The father named the mules Swing and Low.
· *Civil War erupted.
· Main Character is whipped for crying.
· *President Lincoln frees the slaves.
· The family starts a life of freedom.
· *President Lincoln is shot.
· The family goes to Lincoln’s funeral.
4. Put a star next to the most important story events. Lead a class discussion. Provide background knowledge where necessary.
5. Pass out a story map. Have the students enter the four starred events in the story map.

POST ACTIVITY:
For homework, students are asked to work in groups of three to find the dates of when the Civil War began, when President Lincoln freed the slaves (Emancipation Proclamation), and when President Lincoln was shot. Introduce students to the research center you have prepared ahead of time. Allow time for research.

EVALUATION:
Students will be assessed on the number of events correctly dated on their story map.

LESSON 7

TITLE: Timeline
GRADE: 2nd
TIME: 1 Day

KEY CONCEPT:
· Time lines are a visual means of organizing data sequentially and meaningfully.

OBJECTIVES:
· Students will be able to visually express events in the story which meet the aesthetic criteria of appropriate size, sense of unity, strong contrast in color, and look of completeness.
· Students will be able to create a time line using a computer program that correlates sequentially with the four major events in The Wagon.

MATERIALS:
· Macintosh Computer (1 @ student)
· printer
· Time liner 4.0 software
· pencils, crayons, fine line markers
· story map with data
DAY 12 - TECHNOLOGY

PRE-ACTIVITY:
Take students to computer lab. Explain what a time line is by asking students what they did in Math class yesterday. The day before? Last week? (good way to review Math lessons) Illustrate a time line on the board, using these responses.

LESSON:
1. Have Time Liner 4.0 by Tom Snyder Productions booted and ready.
2. Allow students to explore various examples pre-generated in the program.
3. Have students click on "New".
4. Explain how to enter their data and have students copy the data on their story map into the program.
5. Demonstrate how to manipulate the data boxes.
6. Demonstrate how to expand the time line.
7. Have students expand the time line so it covers two sheets in a landscape format.
8. Have students print a hardcopy of their time line.

DAY 13 - ART

LESSON:
1. Show illustrations of James E. Ransome from The Wagon.
2. Point out specific techniques of the artist.
· strong contrast between dark and light colors
· edges are blended (somewhat hazy)
· colors are repeated to produce a unified look
· figures overlap to create illusion of space or distance
· entire picture has color - no open white spaces
· figures are large and fill the page
3. Provide pencils and crayon to each student
4. Ask students to illustrate one event on their time line using the same techniques as James E. Ransome.

POST-ACTIVITY:
Provide feed back on illustrations. Hang timelines in the classroom or hallway.

EVALUATION:
Student’s time lines will be assessed on two components: data and aesthetic appearance.
· Contains factual information
· Contains 2 events @ sheet
· Events are entered sequentially
· Illustrations are size appropriate
· Illustrations correlate with the event
· Illustrations show contrast of light and dark colors
· Pictures look completed and unified

LESSON 8

TITLE: Louis Armstrong
GRADE: 2nd
TIME: 1 Day

GOAL:
· to expose students to the works of Louis Armstrong
· to develop an awareness of spirituals and jazz
· to develop an understanding of an ostinato

KEY CONCEPTS:
· Spirituals were song to boost the spirits of slaves
· Jazz expresses a mood of gaiety
· Ostinatoes are a repeated rhythm pattern
· Louis Armstrong is known as the "King of Jazz"

OBJECTIVE:
· Students will be able to distinguish between a spiritual and a jazz selection after hearing one.
· Students will be able to play an ostinato with accuracy in rhythm

MATERIALS:
· Schroeder, Alan. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Satchmo’s Blues. Doubleday, 1996.
· Recording of "Hello Dolly" by Louis Armstrong and player
· Anderson, William & Lawrence, Joy. Integrating Music into the Elementary Classroom. Wadson, 1995. P. 375. (1 @ student)
· Piano
· Xylophones (1 @ student)

DAY 14 - MUSIC

PRE-ACTIVITY:
Play a recording of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. Ask students if this is familiar to them. If not announce the title and ask again if this sounds familiar (name of mules in The Wagon). Remind students that the main character compared the wagon to a chariot to freedom. Draw a chariot on the board and demonstrate likeness and differences with a wagon.

LESSON:
1. Explain that this song is called a spiritual. Spirituals were songs that the slaves sang while they worked to lift their spirits and make their life and work easier to bear.
2. Play the song on the piano and sing the chorus while students listen.
3. Play the chorus and have students join in
4. Play the chorus and have students sing, while you play and sing the lyrics solo. Repeat for all three stanzas.
5. Have students join in singing both chorus and lyrics.
6. Introduce the ostinato (melodic or rhythm pattern that is repeated throughout a song).
7. Hand out an xylophone to each student and practice the ostinato f-c-d-c several times until students can play in unity.
8. Have students sing the chorus with piano accompaniment, but play the ostinato while teacher sings and plays the stanzas.
9. Explain that after the slaves were freed, their music took on a more upbeat sound called jazz.
10. Play the recording of Hello Dolly.
11. Discuss the difference in mood.

POST-ACTIVITY:
Read Satchmo’s Blues (fictional story of Louis Armstrong) to the class. Note that the author is a Coretta Scott King Award recipient.

EVALUATION:
Teacher will play a mixture of spiritual and jazz selections. Students must identify the correct category by writing the answer on a sheet of paper. Students will be asked to write a one sentence definition of an ostinato.

LESSON 9

TITLE: NORTH POLE OR BUST
GRADE: 2nd
TIME: 4 Days

GOALS:
· to learn the process and value of planning
· to learn to work cooperatively with others
· to acquaint students with the principals of drama
· to review the concept of discrimination
· to celebrate the accomplishment of Matthew Henson

KEY CONCEPTS:
· Planning involves a sequential process
· Working cooperatively with others means sharing responsibilities as well as assuming individual responsibility

MATERIALS:
· teacher letter of explanation to the parents
· student generated permission slips
· student written scripts
· student generated supplies
· map of Matthew Henson’s exploration
· teacher prepared map and plotted locations

DAY 15 - FIELD TRIP & DRAMA
PRE-ACTIVITY:
Begin the lesson by being dressed in regular teaching clothes, sun glasses, sun hat, and carrying a small suit case. Tell the students that in celebration of African/American month and in memory of Matthew Henson, we are taking a trip to the North Pole. Open suitcase, which contains items like suntan lotion, camera, bathing suit, beach towel. And sandals. Ask students to decide if you packed correctly and planned well? (no) Why not? What’s wrong?

LESSON:
1. Explain to class that we will be doing a re-enactment of Matthew Henson’s and Admiral Peary’s exploration to the North Pole. Each student will be given a role to play. It will be a play and field trip combined.
2. Explain the importance of careful planning (refer back to your own careless planning and research of the climate and how this might have been disastrous for Matthew Henson if he had planned that way.
3. Introduce the tool of an affinity diagram.
4. Hang a large sheet of butcher paper on the wall.
5. Divide packets of self-stick notes among the kids. Provide everyone with marker pens.
6. State: Think of everything we need to bring along on our trip to the North Pole. Keep in mind it must be an essential item and as small and light weight as possible. (Ask why?)
7. Instruct students that when they have an idea, they must shout out their idea, write it on a sticky note, and attach the note to the wall. Remind the students that their is no talking during this brainstorming activity.
8. After brainstorming, discuss any ideas that are not clear. Be sure to fill in missing essential items (compass, map camera, American flag and pole, dog sleds).
9. Have the students re-arrange ideas according to natural relationship. Continue the process until everyone is satisfied with the emerging categories.
10. Determine logical titles for each category and write the titles above each list.
11. Agree that everyone is responsible for own clothing.
12. Assign individual groups to be responsible for obtaining the items on the list and bringing the items to school.
13. Lead the class in a discussion on who will be on our exploration (Matthew Henson, 4 Inuit guides, Admiral Peary, dogs to pull the sled)
14. Ask students to generate ideas on how the rest of the class could be involved (e.g. narrators before and along the journey, wild animals, newspaper reporters to interview the explorers when they arrive back in the United States, a Congressional representative to award Gold medals, African/Americans to protest that Matthew Henson did not receive a medal).
15. When enough roles have been generated place slips of paper in a hat. Have students draw a role form the hat.

DAY 16

1. Provide a large map sketch of Matthew Henson’s journey. Assign the narrators to write a short script of what they could say before, during and after the journey.
2. Assign the students portraying the men on the expositions to write conversational lines that might have been said along the journey.
3. Have the dogs and animals write a permission slip to parents explaining our adventure and asking their permission to leave the school premises on our North Pole adventure.
4. Have the newspaper people write interview questions.
5. Have the black population write short speeches in protest of the discrimination against Henson.
6. Have the person presenting the Gold Medal prepare his speech to Admiral Peary.
7. Circulate, monitor, and provide feedback and suggestions.
8. Xerox student generated permission slip and attach a teacher explanatory note along with the permission slips. Staple together and send home with the students. Be sure students have listed the things that they are asked to bring from home on the permission slips.

DAY 17

LESSON:
Have each group report what they have written as scripts to the whole class. Encourage the class to offer suggestions to the groups presenters by first soliciting positive feedback (What part did they do a great job on?) and then critiques (Does anyone have an idea that would make the script even better?). Edit, sequence, and enhance the script as necessary, keeping it as close to as possible to children’s original writings. Type the script and provide a copy for each student.

DAY 18
Provide each student with a completed script. Explain how the whole exploration re-enactment is to be conducted. The students will practice what to say at given locations (e.g. Greenland, Baffin Bay, the Arctic), but they will not know before hand where these locations will really be at. Part of the play will be like a treasure hunt. The guides must read the map and follow the directions using a compass (e.g. "From the front door of the school, head North until you come to a tree with a yellow ribbon. Read the note on the yellow ribbon to determine your location).

DAY 19
Conduct the exploration. End the celebration with hot chocolate and snacks. During snack time have each student present their book report and tell about it.