Diversity Novel Mini-Unit Plan
During my senior year at Ashland University, I took a course called "Teaching Reading with Literature." For our final project, we had to pick a novel that mainly focused on diversity, and then create a mini-unit plan. The novel I chose was The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.
Although there were many more requirements for this project, here is what had to be included for each lesson plan within the mini-unit plan:
(the rest of the requirements for the project can be found in the final project, which is linked above in the pink button).
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Lesson 1 (A lesson that initiates/introduces the novel. This should develop interest, motivate, establish a purpose/direction, and if needed, activate prior knowledge). This lesson will be taught first, before the students begin reading the novel.
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Lesson 2 (A lesson that has significant teacher modeling of a literary strategy [reading processes]. The easiest way to do this is to use a Think Aloud). This lesson will be taught second, after they read chapter one. Therefore, it will be taught during their reading of the novel.
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Lesson 3 (A lesson on the writing style [some literary aspect of style, except point of view unless there are multiple narrators or an unreliable narrator] of the literature). This lesson will be taught as the students are still reading the novel.
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Lesson 4 (A lesson that includes dramatic, artistic, or musical response to the novel. Your objective will focus on their response). This lesson will be taught after they have finished reading the novel. They will be asked to go into groups and then asked to pick a scene from the novel and write a script for it. Upon completing the script, they will be asked to act it out for the class.
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Lesson 5 (A lesson that incorporates writing as a means of expanding understanding of the novel. This can be any kind of appropriate writing activity). This lesson will be taught right before they finish reading the novel. After they have completed reading the novel, students will watch the film.
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Lesson 6 (A lesson that provides internalizing opportunities and brings closure to the unit. Think of this as a way to share and celebrate learning. It should have an obvious connection to the theme of the novel). This will be the last lesson. Therefore, it will be taught after the students have finished reading the novel, writing their scripts, and watching the film.
**There are student examples completed for each lesson activity
Book Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer.