ELA Unit AttachmentsGrade 11, Quarter 2, 3-5 Weeks

Achieving the Dream Deferred: Poetry and Drama in the 20th Century

Module 1TPS-FASTT is a method often used to teach students the basics of analyzing poetry. The complexity of the analysis depends on how deep students are expected to examine each section especially: speaker, figurative language, tone, and theme.

TITLE: Before reading the poem, what clues might the title give you about the content of the poem?

PARAPHRASE: Examine the literal action within the poem. Identify the literal action and note the line number—location the literal action may help you identify shift changes later.

SPEAKER: Who is the speaker in the poem? If there is more than one speaker, identify them all. Remember the speaker and the author are not necessarily the same.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE: Identify literary devices and sound devices—note the line number—location of figurative language may help you identify shifts and theme.

ATTITUDE (tone): What is the speaker’s attitude toward the subject of the poem? Speaker’s attitude toward self?Speaker’s attitude toward other characters?Attitude of other characters toward the speaker?

SHIFTS: Where are the shifts in the poem? Remember to look at time and place, key turn words, punctuation, stanza divisions, changes in line or stanza length and anything else that jumps at you.

TITLE: Examine the title again, on an interpretive level. Any new insights?

THEME: What is the poet trying to say? Remember there may be more than one theme. Always express theme in a complete sentence. Also the exploration of the poem in steps 1 to 8 should guide you to some conclusions. If you can’t support your theme(s) with evidence from 1 to 8, reconsider your theme and/or revisit your analysis.

TPS-FASTT Analysis of “Harlem: A Dream Deferred” or “Montage of a Dream Deferred” Langston Hughes

Evidence should primarily come from the poem; however some elements of analysis require you to connect the poem to your personal experiences.

Response Evidence to support responseTitle

Paraphrase

Speaker

FigurativeLanguage

Tone (Attitude)

Shifts

Title again

Theme

Module 3

Pre-Reading Activity for A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

Someone in your family unexpectedly received $100,000. As a family, decide what to do with it. Discuss each of these choices. Make a choice; be prepared to share your choice and why it was a better option than the others. List the pros and cons of each choice.

1. Start a family business such as a restaurant, body shop, retail store, etc.

2. Put a down payment on a much bigger house in a better neighborhood.

3. Use the money as a college fund for anyone in the family who wants to go to university.

4. Buy a new vehicle with all the extras and then take a road trip with the family.

5. Invest all the money for retirement and/or emergencies such as health problems, car repair, home repair, etc.

Bonus Question: Think about your current circumstances, what would you do with $100,000? Saving it is not an option. You have to spend all the money in the next five years or it disappears.

Potential charter and theme chart:Themes should be expressed in a complete sentence and can be revised as the students read the play. The subject of the fist theme should be family. The subject of the second theme should connect to race/identity.

Character Connection to theme 1 Connection to theme 2Ruth YoungerWalter Lee YoungerTravis YoungerBeneatha YoungerLena YoungerJoseph Asagai

Module 4

Portmanteau words: a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others, for example motel (from ‘motor’ and hotel’) or brunch (from ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’). (Google definitions)

Raisin in the Sun example: Ruth refers to the "slubborn" habits that Travis displays, combining "stubborn" and "sloppy." "Slubborn" also personifies Travis' thoughts, ideas and general outlook. 

Copy this chart into MS word or put it on the Smartboard and allow students to create their own chart.

Portmanteau word chart: In your group, add at least 10 additional portmanteau words. Portmanteau word Two blended words

and the meaning of the portmanteau word

Who uses it? What does it say about culture community?

labradoodle Labrador and poodle

It is a mixed breed dog that combines the features of the lab and poodle.

People who are interested in these dogs and what they offer

The ‘doodles’ are trendy and expensive animals

Bootylicious Booty and delicious

A Destiny’s Child song. Someone with a healthy and curvy body shape

Fans of Beyoncé/Destiny’s Child

Now a common term in pop culture

People are interested in ways to describe body types.

Portmanteau Character chart: Students may work on this chart as you read the play. Portmanteau wordAnd who said it

Two blended words and the meaning of the portmanteau word

How does the use of portmanteau words shape the character?

What does the use of these words say about the character’s culture/community?

Ruth calls Travis slubborn

Sloppy and stubborn

(ask students to define)

(ask students to share with the class—class fills in this chart)

(ask students to share with the class—class fills in this chart)

Make Your Own Study Guide: Students can use both scene 1 and 2 of Act 1 to create this study guide. Any question you write you should also be able to answer using evidence from the text.

A. Write two questions about the setting? Go beyond where does the story take place. The questions should get to why the setting is important to the story.

1.

2.

B. Two questions about the characters and their dreams and goals?

3.

4.

C. Two questions about the use of figurative language in Act 1. (symbolism, metaphor, personification, etc.) How does the language affect the characters and/or plot?

5.

6.

D. Two questions about the historical context of the play? What points in history are mentioned in the play, why are they relevant?

7.

8.

E. Two questions you still have after reading Act 1.

9.

10.Module 5

Choose the prompt that will egage your students or let them choose which prompt they would like to write.

Reflection Prompt 1: Describe the Younger family. What conflicts exist among the family? What are their dreams? Who is Joseph Asagai? What is his purpose in the play? Raisin in the Sun takes place in the late 1959 in Chicago. How does the Younger family compare to families in your community today?

Reflection Prompt 2: Describe the Younger family. What conflicts exist among the family? What are their dreams? Who is Joseph Asagai? What is his purpose in the play? How does the Younger family reflect the themes of “Harlem: A Dream Deferred,” or “Montage of a Dream Deferred” Langston Hughes and “Reflections on a Dream Deferred,” Representative John Lewis?

Background on Lorraine Hansberry and the original production of Raisin in the Sun

The Author –Lorraine HansberryBorn in 1930 – Southside of Chicago in a very segregated community, she was sheltered from the white communityDied – in 1965 if cancer at the height of her skillsAt age 7, her family – broke segregation laws by buying a house in a white neighborhoodSO… the neighborhood association took them to court to sue saying that they broke the law (wanted them to move)AND – Illinois Supreme Court ruled – in a landmark decision that set precedent that the Illinois segregation law was unconstitutional…they moved into the home

The PlayA Raisin in the Sun was the first… play written by a black woman to appear on BroadwayIt ran for… 530 performances to rave reviews; she was asked to write the movie screenplay for a 1961 filmIts significance was that:It was risky to produce this race-charged play in the 50s and 60s during the Civil Right Movement.It was accessible to an American audience because of its exploration of the American Dream. It addresses the hopes and dreams of minorities in the US.

Module 6

Act II, scene I Study questions. Answer in complete sentences using evidence from the text to support your answers.

1. At the beginning of act II, what do Walter and Beneatha pretend?2. What do George and Beneatha fright about after he arrives?3. Where are George and Beneatha going on their date?4. What does Walter say about George? Why do you think he has this criticism about George?5. What did Mama do with the insurance Money?6. Describe the neighborhood of the new house. How is it different from where the Youngers live now?

Act II, scene II

1. What do Walter and Ruth do when Walter comes home?2. Who comes to visit the Youngers?3. The visitor brings a newspaper with her. What does the newspaper article say?4. Who called on the phone? What was the message?5. What does Mama give Walter?6. Near the end of scene, what does Walter ask Travis? Why does this question say about how Walter imagines Travis’ future?

Act II, scene III

1. What do Walter and Ruth do when Walter comes home?2. Who comes to the apartment; what does he want?3. What do Walter, Ruth, and Beneatha give to Mama? What does Travis give her?4. Who comes to the door?5. What happened to Walter’s money?6. What does Mama do to Walter?

Module 7 Performance Rubric

Criteria 4 3 2 1 TOTAL

VOICEVoice was loud and clear; words were easily understood

Student spoke clearly but it was

difficult to understand some

of the script; could’ve been

louder.

Voice and language was not

very clear; could’ve been much louder.

Could not understand what was being said

due to unclear and low speech.

AUDIENCEAudience felt like part of the show.

Was aware and well-connected to the audience.

Needed more audience

awareness and connection.

No audience awareness or connection at all.

BLOCKINGGood use of stage and movement—

did not turn back to audience

Almost used entire stage—

turned away from audience only once or twice.

Could have used more of the stage; must concentrate

on facing forward.

Needed more blocking—always face audience and

use the stage!

SCRIPT/PURPOSE

(When applicable)

Enticing vivid detail used in

script/dialogue; shows in-depth

understanding of the character and

his/her relationship to other characters.

Script/dialogue used with

considerable detail with good

purpose.shows

understanding of the character and

his/her relationship to

other characters

Some detail used in script/dialogue;

shows some understanding of the character and

his/her relationship to

other characters

Script/dialogue contained unclear;

limited understanding of

characters

FACIAL EXPRESSION/

BODY LANGUAGE

Great use of gestures, facial expression and

body movement!

Contained some facial expression, gestures & body

movement.

Needed more facial expressions

gestures & movement.

Contained little to no facial

expression, gesture or movement.

OVERALLCommitted,

cooperated & concentrated-

WOW!

Semi-committed, concentrated &

cooperative-GREAT!

Almost committed,

cooperative & concentrated-

NOT TOOBAD…

No commitment, cooperation or concentration

MOREREHEARSAL!

Final Grade:

Additional Comments:

Module 8

Claim, Warrant, Reason, Evidence, Counterclaims

1.) What do you think? • CLAIM 2.) Why do you think that? • REASONS 3.) How do you know that’s true? • EVIDENCE 4.) Why do the reasons/evidence support the claim? • WARRANTS 5.) What about alternative views or contrary evidence? • COUNTERCLAIMS

Formula for claims (if necessary): Subject+active verb+supportable opinion about the subject

Students can use their study guides and character charts as pre-writing for the essay.

Prompts 1 and 2 connect to themes in the play.

Prompt 1: An individual is powerless to change society. An individual has the power to change society. Consider Raisin in the Sun, “Harlem: A Dream Deferred,” or “Montage of a Dream Deferred,” and “Reflections on a Dream Deferred,” Which statement do these texts most support? Draw on specific evidence from the text to support your answer.

Prompt 2: In the essay “Nonviolence and Racial Justice” (1957), Martin Luther King, Jr., asks, “How is the struggle against the forces of injustice to be waged?”

Answer his question by arguing which strategies used in Raisin in the Sun, “Harlem: A Dream Deferred,” or “Montage of a Dream Deferred,” and “Reflections on a Dream Deferred,” will reach the goal of overcoming injustice. Draw on specific evidence from texts to support your answer.

Prompt 3: Character Analysis prompt:In Raisin in the Sun, all the characters have dreams.  Dreams motivate some to work hard and maintain an optimistic attitude. Dreams can also motivate characters to give up and take huge risks. Of all the major characters’ dreams, which one is the most deserving?  Draw on specific evidence from text to support your answer.

Use the AZ Merit Argumentative Rubric to essay this essay and the movie critique in Module 9. https://www.azed.gov/assessment/files/2015/01/grade-6-11-argumentative-writing-rubric-azmerit.pdf