Fighting injustice by studying lessons of the past
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=125
A lesson plan for grades 6–8 English Language Arts and Social Studies
Using an online Venn Diagram tool, students study the experience of European Jews during the Holocaust, and then compare their experience to those of the Cherokees during the Trail of Tears and the Japanese–Americans during World War II. Students write about their reactions to these events in journals and discuss them during class. Critical thinking is encouraged to allow students to develop their own conclusions about these events.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
English Language Arts (2004)
Grade 6
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives drawn from personal or related experience.
- Objective 1.02: Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- analyzing the characteristics of expressive works.
- determining the effect of literary devices and/or strategies on the reader/viewer/listener.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- comparing and/or contrasting information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- determining the main idea and/or significance of events.
- generating a learning log or journal.
- creating an artistic interpretation that connects self to the work.
- discussing books/media formally and informally.
- Objective 1.04: Reflect on learning experiences by:
- describing personal learning growth and changes in perspective.
- identifying changes in self throughout the learning process.
- interpreting how personal circumstances and background shape interaction with text.
- Objective 1.02: Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- Goal 2: The learner will explore and analyze information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Explore informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understand of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- studying the characteristics of informational works.
- restating and summarizing information.
- determining the importance and accuracy of information.
- making connections between works, self and related topics/information.
- comparing and/or contrasting information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- generating questions.
- Objective 2.01: Explore informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
- reading a variety of literature and other text (e.g., novels, autobiographies, myths, essays, magazines, plays, pattern poems, blank verse).
- interpreting what impact genre-specific characteristics have on the meaning of the work.
- exploring how the author's choice and use of a genre shapes the meaning of the literary work.
- exploring what impact literary elements have on the meaning of the text such as the influence of setting or the problem and its resolution.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
Grade 7
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives in response to personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
- Objective 1.02: Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- summarizing the characteristics of expressive works.
- determining the importance of literary effects on the reader/viewer/listener.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- comparing and/or contrasting information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- determining the main idea and/or significance of events.
- generating a learning log or journal.
- maintaining an annotated list of works read/viewed.
- creating an artistic interpretation that connects self and/or society to the selection.
- constructing and presenting book/media reviews.
- Objective 1.04: Reflect on learning experiences by:
- analyzing personal learning growth and changes in perspective.
- examining changes in self throughout the learning process.
- determining how personal circumstances and background shape interaction with text.
- Objective 1.02: Explore expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- Goal 2: The learner will synthesize and use information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- analyzing the characteristics of informational works.
- summarizing information.
- determining the importance of information.
- making connections to related topics/information.
- drawing inferences and/or conclusions.
- generating questions.
- Objective 2.01: Respond to informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
- reading a variety of literature and other text (e.g., mysteries, novels, science fiction, historical documents, newspapers, skits, lyric poems).
- analyzing what effect genre specific characteristics have on the meaning of the work.
- analyzing how the author's choice and use of a genre shapes the meaning of the literary work.
- analyzing what impact literary elements have on the meaning of the text such as the influence of setting on the problem and its resolution.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
Grade 8
- Goal 1: The learner will use language to express individual perspectives through analysis of personal, social, cultural, and historical issues.
- Objective 1.02: Analyze expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard, and/or viewed.
- reviewing the characteristics of expressive works.
- determining the importance of literary effects on the reader/viewer/listener.
- making connections between works, self and related topics.
- drawing inferences.
- generating a learning log or journal.
- maintaining an annotated list of works that are read or viewed, including personal reactions.
- taking an active role in and/or leading formal/informal book/media talks.
- Objective 1.04: Reflect on learning experiences by:
- evaluating how personal perspectives are influenced by society, cultural differences, and historical issues.
- appraising changes in self throughout the learning process.
- evaluating personal circumstances and background that shape interaction with text.
- Objective 1.02: Analyze expressive materials that are read, heard, and viewed by:
- Goal 2: The learner will use and evaluate information from a variety of sources.
- Objective 2.01: Analyze and evaluate informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- monitoring comprehension for understanding of what is read, heard and/or viewed.
- recognizing the characteristics of informational materials.
- summarizing information.
- determining the importance of information.
- making connections to related topics/information.
- drawing inferences.
- generating questions.
- extending ideas.
- Objective 2.01: Analyze and evaluate informational materials that are read, heard, and/or viewed by:
- Goal 5: The learner will respond to various literary genres using interpretive and evaluative processes.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
- reading a variety of literature and other text (e.g., young adult novels, short stories, biographies, plays, free verse, narrative poems).
- evaluating what impact genre-specific characteristics have on the meaning of the text.
- evaluating how the author's choice and use of a genre shapes the meaning of the literary work.
- evaluating what impact literary elements have on the meaning of the text.
- Objective 5.02: Study the characteristics of literary genres (fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry) through:
Social Studies (2003)
Grade 6
- Goal 7: The learner will assess connections between historical events and contemporary issues.
- Objective 7.01: Identify historical events such as invasions, conquests, and migrations and evaluate their relationship to current issues.
- Goal 13: The learner will describe the historic, economic, and cultural connections among North Carolina, the United States, South America, and Europe.
- Objective 13.01: Identify historical movements such as colonization, revolution, emerging democracies, migration, and immigration that link North Carolina and the United States to selected societies of South America and Europe and evaluate their influence on local, state, regional, national, and international communities.
Grade 7
- Goal 7: The learner will assess the connections between historical events and contemporary issues in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
- Objective 7.01: Identify historical events such as invasions, conquests, and migrations and evaluate their relationship to current issues.
- Goal 13: The learner will describe the historic, economic, and cultural connections among North Carolina, the United States, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
- Objective 13.01: Identify historical movements such as colonization, revolution, emerging democracies, migration, and immigration that link North Carolina and the United States to selected societies of Africa, Asia, and Australia, and evaluate their influence on local, state, regional, national, and international communities.
Grade 8
- Goal 3: The learner will identify key events and evaluate the impact of reform and expansion in North Carolina during the first half of the 19th century.
- Objective 3.05: Compare and contrast different perspectives among North Carolinians on the national policy of Removal and Resettlement of American Indian populations.





