7 th Grade Novel Study: The Watsons Go to Birmingham

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "7 th Grade Novel Study: The Watsons Go to Birmingham"

Thomasina Caldwell
6 years ago
Views:

1 1 7 th Novel Study: The Watsons Go to Birmingham (Christopher Paul Curtis) Celebrating Community: Learning About Ourselves and Others Day 18, Chapter 15 and Epilogue Chapter 15 and Epilogue The World Famous Watson Pet Hospital and Epilogue (pp ) Opening Routine (O.R.) Non-Fiction Article (Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome) 1. Give students a copy of the article, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome 2. Teachers should begin reading the first paragraph of the article aloud. Students should jump-in read the rest of the article. 3. Have students complete the Quick Write in their Response Journal for the Arts and Literature (RJLAs): Write about a time in which you were feeling down. What happened? What did you and/or your family do to get through this difficult time? 4. Allow students approximately 5 minutes to complete the Quick Write in their RJLAs. 5. Sweep the room to solicit as many responses as possible. 6. Teacher Note- This is a good time to have students connect with how Kenny might be feeling after his experience in Birmingham. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder What is it? Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition that follows a terrifying physical or emotional event. PTSD was first brought to public attention by war veterans and was called 'shell shock' or 'battle fatigue'. However, it can result from any traumatic event that is witnessed by a person, occurred in a person's life, or happened to a friend or family member of that person. Such events include: physical abuse family violence kidnapping or abduction serious accidents (e.g., car or train wrecks) natural disasters (e.g., floods or earthquakes) violent attacks (e.g., assault, rape, torture, bullying, being mugged) witnessing acts of violence or destruction (e.g., school violence, September 11th) What are the symptoms? PTSD can occur at any age, including childhood. The disorder can be accompanied by depression, Division of Language Arts/Reading IR-EN Novel Unit Watsons Day 18 Revised June 2011

2 2 substance abuse, anxiety, and/or self-injurious behavior. Symptoms may be mild or severe -- people may become easily irritated or have violent outbursts. In general, the symptoms seem to be worse if the traumatic event was initiated by a person (i.e., assault) rather than a natural disaster (i.e., flood). Not every traumatized person gets PTSD. Most people will experience some of the symptoms of PTSD in the days and weeks following the trauma, but the symptoms generally decrease over time and eventually disappear. PTSD is diagnosed only if the any or all of the following symptoms last more than a month: Persistent frightening thoughts and memories of event Flashbacks (images, sounds, smells, or feelings) Avoiding people, places, situations that are associated with event Emotional numbness or detachment Inability to feel affectionate Nightmares Sleep problems Depression Being easily startled Loss of interest in things once enjoyed Irritability Aggressive or violent behavior Feelings of guilt Difficulty concentrating Constant worrying, especially about death Regressive behavior (i.e., acting younger than their age) Physical problems (e.g., headaches, stomach aches) Information provided by the Office on Women's Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse Vocabulary Enrichment Vocabulary Squares using the Phobia List Vocabulary Squares is a visualverbal word association strategy. It helps students focus on parts of a word, including prefixes and roots. Students are able to create personal associations for unfamiliar words using a picture form. 1. Teacher will choose any two words from the phobia list and display on a transparency or board. 2. Teacher will ask students the meaning of the words. (Note-Assist students in grappling with meaning by giving them the definition of the prefix.) 3. Teacher will give each student a copy of the Phobia List. 4. Students should have a few minutes to look over the list and the prefix guide at the bottom. Division of Language Arts/Reading IR-EN Novel Unit Watsons Day 18 Revised June 2011

3 3 5. Teacher will display a transparency of the Vocabulary Squares Example. 6. Walk student through the steps. (The last step is the picture. This is the most important step because students will learn the new word from the personal association they make through their drawings.) 7. Students should choose a word from the Phobia List and complete a Vocabulary Squares worksheet for it. 8. Teacher will give students approximately 5 minutes to complete the worksheet. 9. Teacher will call on volunteers to share their associations (drawings). Teacher Directed Instruction Before Reading: Getting Students Ready to Read Building on Prior Knowledge: Quick Write in (RJLAs): Make a prediction about how you think the novel will end. What will happen in the final chapter? 1. Students should write in their Response Journal for the Literature and Arts (RJLA)for approximately 5 minutes to answer this prompt. 2. Sweep the room to solicit responses from the students. During Reading: Experiencing the Text Benchmark Focus: LA determine essential message through inferring, paraphrasing, summarizing and identifying relevant details. Buddy Read Chapter 15; Teacher Read Aloud Epilogue 1. Students should make notes in the margins of their books at lines in which Kenny s behavior reminds them of something from the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder article. After Reading: Understanding the Text Benchmark Focus: LA determine essential message through inferring, paraphrasing, summarizing and identifying relevant details. LA Locate and analyze elements of characterization, setting and plot including rising action, conflict, resolution, theme, and other literary elements. Character Report Card Character Report Cards allow students to evaluate characters and identify some of the personality traits of those characters. Through the evaluation, students have an opportunity to look at character development from the beginning to the end of the novel. Division of Language Arts/Reading IR-EN Novel Unit Watsons Day 18 Revised June 2011

4 4 Character Report Card Sample Character Courage Comments/Evidence Tenacity Jen A Because she faced up to Ron B Comments/Evidence She kept saving$ Octavio B- Lied about necklace C Quit school to work Mirko C Let his brother Procedure 1. Teacher will give each student a Character Report Card worksheet. 2. With student ideas, brainstorm a list of traits characters possess to a certain degree. They may either be positive or negative. 3. Generate a grading system such as the classic A-B-C-D-F, or use some other system. 4. Students must find evidence directly stated in the text to use in the Comment/Evidence Column. 5. Have students do this activity individually, with a partner or in a small group. Possible traits self-assured mischievous caring secretive creative naïve persevering greedy patient Differentiated Small Group Instruction Center 1 Teacher Center Data-driven instructional intervention Center 2 Independent Reading Center Center 3 Technology Center

5 5 Phobia List A phobia is an irrational fear of things. Read on to learn about some unusual phobias. acrophobia a fear of heights anthrophobia a fear of people or society botanophobia a fear of plants claustrophobia a fear of confined spaces monophobia a fear of being alone neophobia a fear of anything new pyrophobia a fear of fire Prefix Guide anthro- of or relating to people botan- of or relating to plants neo- relating to something new mono- relating to one claustro- of or relating to confined spaces pyro- relating to fire

6 6 Vocabulary Squares Prefix Definition Prefix Defined Drawing

7 7 Vocabulary Squares Prefix EXAMPLE pedophobia Definition pedo a fear of children Prefix Defined Drawing of or relating to children

8 8 Character Report Card Sample Character Courage Comments/Evidence Tenacity Comments/Evidence Jen A Because she faced up to Ron B She kept saving$ Octavio B- Lied about necklace C Quit school to work Mirko C Let his brother Character Report Card Character Adventure Evidence Evidence Evidence Dad Kenny

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder "I was raped when I was 25 years old. For a long time, I spoke about the rape as though it was something that happened to someone else. I was very aware that it had happened