Unit+of+Instruction

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media type="custom" key="3594868" The first film clip from the documentary "Ralph Ellison: An American Journey" will allow the students to envision the Battle Royale scene and also allow them to imagine the Invisible Man's emotions during this crucial moment in the novel. ======

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The second clip is a performance by Louis Armstrong's "Black and Blue" in Ghana. Ellison alludes to this song throughout the novel, and by listening the entire song will assist students in understanding the importance of jazz in Invisible Man. ======

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The third clip is a trailer for the movie adapted from Ellison's short story, "King of the Bingo Game." We will read Ellison's short story in class and the clip allows students to understand many of the underlying themes in much of Ralph Ellison's works. ======

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The fourth clip is a series of photos related to the novel set to Armstrong's "Black and Blue." Again, the students will have an opportunity to hear the song consistently alluded to in Invisible Man and also be able to observe how others interpret the novel based on photographs. ======

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The last clip is Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech in its entirety. Obviously this speech is important to view during our first few lessons while we learn about African American history and the Civil Rights movement. ======




**//__African American Literature Unit:__//**

 * Title of Unit:** The American Journey through the African American Perspective, specifically __Invisible Man__ by Ralph Ellison


 * Author:** Lyndsie Morgan


 * Primary Subject (elementary) or (secondary):** Multicultural Literature


 * Grade Level:** 11th Grade

The Unit listed above is about evaluating and recognizing the progression of the African American experience through literature, or more specifically, Ralph Ellison's //Invisible Man//. It is extremely important for students to recognize the various cultures depicted in literature. Multicultural literature allows students a glimpse into the struggles and histories of various cultures that may otherwise remain unknown. Reading multicultural literature creates student awareness about widely recognized symbols, allusions, and archetypes specific to each culture. Ellison's //Invisible Man// is a fabulous text to teach students about African American literature since the novel includes many symbols, themes, and tones prevalent in African American literature
 * Introduction:**

in an educated and sensitive manner.udents discuss cultural differences in an educated and sensitive manner.
 * Unit Objectives (include 4 or 5):**
 * Student will understand the African American journey through Ellison's //Invisible Man.//
 * Student will be able to recognize prevalent symbols, themes, and archetypes in African American literature.
 * Student will be able to connect literary texts to their own knowledge of the world.
 * Students recognize texts as illustrations of one person’s life and not necessarily the experience of all
 * Students will be able to discuss and analyze African American literature critically, as well as sensitively.
 * Time Required**: 2 weeks

__** Lesson 1 **__

 * Title of lesson:** __**Brief Introduction to African American History**__

We will briefly discuss the history of slavery and the slave trade as well as abolitionist movements and the eventual abolition of slavery in the United States. We will also conduct a brief overview of the Civil Rights movement and the influentual members of the African American community who spoke out for equal rights such as, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and many other African American writers and poets. The history of the African American community is extremely vast and would take immense time to study in detail, but as a literature class, we will simply attempt to provide a basic foundation for the successful study and understanding of African American literature.
 * Description of lesson:**
 * Students will also recieve their guidelines and expectations for the unit final assessment during this class meeting**

In class, students will be divided into groups of 4 or 5 and assigned a specific topic in African American history. I will model to students how to use Timetoast and creat a timeline using this Web 2.0 tool. Students will put together a Web 2.0 time-line by Timetoast (similar to the one below and complete with pictures) illustrating the topic assigned in order to briefly teach their classmates about that particular subject the next class meeting. Instead of creating a poster or a speech, the students will be able to employ technology to create visuals that are informative and support the purpose of the lesson.
 * Assignment (homework or in-class):**

media type="custom" key="3306750" -Computers -Educational websites about African American history
 * Resources/materials needed:**

**__ Lesson 2 __**

 * Title of lesson:** __**Continued Brief Introduction to African American History**__

Students will present their time-lines and accumulated facts about their previously assigned topic in an approximately 5 minute presentation. Instead of a lengthy lecture, each group will briefly teach their classmates about the period in African American history they were assigned. After the presentations, which will take approximately 30 minutes, we will watch a video about the civil rights movement and clips of MLK's infamous "I have a dream" speech.
 * Description of lesson:**

Students will complete a worksheet about the movie following the presentations.
 * Assignment (homework or in-class)**:

-Computer for viewing presentations -TV/DVD player -Video of civil rights movement and MLK speech -Worksheet about the movie
 * Resources/materials needed:**

**__ Lesson 3 __**
Title of lesson: __**The Harlem Renaissance**__

Students will take a Google Earth tour to learn more about the Harlem Renaissance, which is the time period or moment in history, that Ellison explores in //Invisible Man//. Understanding the atmosphere and the history of the Harlem Renaissance will allow the student to better analyze the novel and sympathize with the Invisible Man's experience. Instead of simply lecturing the students regarding the Harlem Renaissance, I will allow the students to explore the importance of the movement through a thought-provoking Google Earth tour and discussion questions.
 * Description of lesson:**

Students will complete a Google Earth Tour in class with small groups and answer the questions embedded in location descriptions.
 * Assignment (homework or in-class)**:

Take a tour of the Harlem Renaissance **HERE**: [|Harlem Renaissance Tour.kmz]

-Computer for viewing presentations -Paper to record answers
 * Resources/materials needed:**

**__ Lesson 4 __**
Title of lesson: __Ralph Ellison Scavenger Hunt__


 * Description of lesson**: We will complete an internet scavenger hunt in class in order to learn more about Ralph Ellison and the impact of //Invisible Man//. The scavenger hunt is a fun, technological way to learn more about our topic and familiarize students with search engines and internet navigation. Students will answer the questions in each box and then we will engage in a classroom discussion on how Ellison's life may have impacted //Invisible Man//.

Access Scavenger Hunt **HERE**:

In class, students will complete the Internet scavenger hunt and engage is a brief classroom discussion.
 * Assignment (homework or in-class):**

-Computers
 * Resources/materials needed:**

__** Lesson 5 **__

 * Title of lesson:** __**Human Experience Reflected in Literature & Vocarro Podcast**__


 * Description of lesson** We will continue to learn more about Ralph Ellison and his experience as an African American male. Investigating Ellison's life will allow our class to better understand and analyze //Invisible Man// and understand the importance of human experience on literature. In small groups we will evaluate a timeline based on Ralph Ellison and map out a classroom timeline of high and low points in Ellison's life. Individually, students will work on creating a written timeline of their own with high and low points in each student's life. Each student will write a short reflection based on one of the important experiences in our lives. This assignment will allow students to evaluate their own journeys and further understand who they are and why. I will also model how to create a Vocarro podcast in order to prepare students for their homework assignment.

In class, students will begin to write a short 1-page reflection of an important life event located on the student's timeline. As homework, students will finish writing their reflections and present the reflection as a podcast on [] and add them to our classroom wiki (optional). Next class meeting, I will ask a few volunteers to share their podcasts with the class.
 * Assignment (homework or in-class):**

EXAMPLE OF VOCAROO PODCAST:

media type="custom" key="3399952"

- Paper, rulers, markers for timelines -Computer to model Vocaroo
 * Resources/materials needed:**

__** Lesson 6 **__

 * Title of lesson:** **__Toonin' Around-Notable Scenes from Invisible Man__**


 * Description of lesson**: Students will create a virtual cartoon strip with a partner that depicts a notable scene in //Invisible Man//. Most likely, the majority of students will have contrasting ideas about which scenes are the most important in the novel, and they will have an opportunity to explain why the scene is worth analyzing. Instead of simply engaging in group discussion, students will be able to showcase their creativity and engage in an activity that is interactive and exciting to create. Students will benefit greatly from using Toon Doo, the web 2.0 tool we will use, because it allows students to create a visual. The visuals will be helpful in developing further understanding of important scenes.

In class, students will spent the majority of class time brainstorming about important events within the their partnerships and creating the cartoon strip.The next class meeting, students will briefly present their cartoon strips and explain why the scene is important. //**Cartoon example:**// media type="custom" key="3298110"
 * Assignment (homework or in-class):**

-Computers
 * Resources/materials needed:**

**__ Lesson 7 __**

 * Title of lesson:** __**The Importance of Music in //Invisible Man//**__

Students will briefly present a few cartoons and explain why they believed the particular scene was importanct. We will then listen to blues and jazz (especially Louis Armstrong) to develop a feel for the type of music exhibited in the novel. Also, we will learn some musical terms explained in Invisible Man. Students will be divided into literature circles to discuss musical elements of the novel and discuss the importance and significance of Ellison's use of music. Students will then create a "soundtrack" which is further explained below.
 * Description of lesson:**

Also in class, students will create a musical "soundtrack" of a specific scene or event in //Invisible Man// using a graphic organizer. In their small groups, students will try to think of poular songs that may relate to the scene or event. Students will then describe how the lyrics and/or tone of the songs relate to each scene or event. As a class, students will share a few examples of their "soundtracks."
 * Assignment (homework or in-class):**

-Computer to present cartoons -CD player and Jazz/Blues cds -Film footage of Louis Armstrong performing -graphic organizer (hot dog fold)
 * Resources/materials needed:**

__** Lesson 8 **__

 * Title of lesson:** __**Symbolism in //Invisible Man//**__


 * Description of lesson**: We will discuss the abundance of symbols and archetypes within the novel by engaging in small group discussion and creating virtual flashcards from IQFuse. Students will spend the majority of class time brainstorming about important symbols with their classmates in order to get ideas for the flashcard assignement. Students will be expected to provide **ten** flashcards based on symbols and meanings within //Invisible Man//. The IQFuse Web 2.0 tool is extremely useful for students since it provides a simple (paperless) and technological way to organize observations and information.

Homework-IQFuse Flashcard: [|Flashcards-example] This sample will be used as a model for the students and outline what I expect from the assignment. IQFuse is an important tool to introduce because it can be extremely useful for learning vocabulary and/or spelling. In our lesson, virtual flashcards will be used to organize recognizable symbols and their assumed meanings. Instead of making "old school" index card flash cards, students will be able to showcase their creativity and technology knowledge to create cards that will never be able to be misplaced!
 * Assignment (homework or in-class):**

-Laptop computer to model IQFuse assignment
 * Resources/materials needed:**

__** Lesson 9 **__

 * Title of lesson:** __**Character Analysis of //Invisible Man//**__

For homework, students will create a short Animoto video with approximately 10 photos representing a character of the students choice. The Animoto assignment will allow the students to further understand the dynamics of the character since they will choose thought-provoking photos that symbolize their characters. Animoto is a fun and fairly self-explanatory project that the students will enjoy and will definitely use in the future for personal or classroom use. Here is an example of an Animoto photo representing the main character, the Invisible Man through photos: media type="custom" key="3456774" -name tags -posterboard and color markers
 * Description of lesson:** Voluntary students will be assigned a character from //Invisible Man// in the previous class meeting and asked to briefly research the character. In class today, I will provide character name-tags and the other students will "interview" the characters. We will also create a poster with a web connecting all of the important characters to better understand the relationships between the characters in the novel.
 * Assignment (homework or in-class):**
 * Resources/materials needed:**

**__ Lesson 10 __**

 * Title of lesson:** __**Write a review about //Invisible Man//**__

In class, students will begin to write a review (including information about Ellison, symbols, jazz, etc.) about //Invisible Man//. For homework, students will create an account on Shelfari (a facebook-esque website for book lovers) and post the review they will finish writing at home. Students will also add at least five books they have read, five books they plan on reading, and //Invisible Man// (of course!) to their Shelfari account. Shelfari is a fabulous Web 2.0 tool that allows students to share reviews about literature and showcases their favorite books and authors. Instead of simply writing a review and sharing their observations with only the class, students are able to share their review with a community of book lovers as well. //**Example of my Shelf:**// media type="custom" key="3275900" -Successful reviews about Invisible Man -Laptop to provide a model of Shelfari for students
 * Description of lesson**: Students will have obtained all of the tools necessary by this point to write a review about Ralph Ellison's //Invisible Man//. As a class we will review additional reviews written about //Invisible Man// and further discuss the aspects necessary to create a successful review. Students will begin to write their own reviews which will be completed as homework.
 * Assignment (homework or in-class):**
 * Resources/materials needed:**

__** Final Assessment for Invisible Man Unit **__

 * Description of assessment**:Students will write an article on political/historical/cultural influences on Ralph Ellison, the novel, and/or the Harlem Renaissance. My Tumblr account will outline expectations and grading criteria for the students.

Check out [|Ms. Morgan's Research Paper] Tumblr for the specifics of the assignment!

Here is a Shelfari list of a few books that will assist you in your research:

media type="custom" key="3516780"

-Computer for research and to view the assignment -Research materials (books and websites)
 * Resources/materials needed:**