Grade: Senior
Subject: Literature

#3266. We Wear the Mask

Literature, level: Senior
Posted Fri Nov 11 16:24:35 PST 2011 by Robert Reyes (Robert Reyes).
The James Baldwin School, United States
Materials Required: Poem: We Wear The Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Activity Time: 90min
Concepts Taught: Content/Theme: Duality Strategy: Making Connections

Robert J. Reyes

*Lesson Plan: Who wears a mask? YOU?

Class/Grade Level: 9-12 (heterogeneous class)

Goal/Purpose : I want students to be able to deepen their understanding of how racism causes a state of duality and two-ness, which is one of the themes we are tracking in this novel.

Content/Skills:
Content: Students will be able to understand the theme of duality deeper through making several connections
(Text coding X for connections, T-S, T-T, T-W)
Skill: Students will be able to practice making high-level (analytical and supported) connections.
Students will be able use other reading strategies (including fix-ups and striking passages, which I equate
to determining importance)

Assessment:
Content: The verbal discourse. In addition, I will collect their journal entries to see if they understand the concept of duality in the novel.
Skill: The verbal discourse. In addition, I will collect their independent practice (their text-coded and written on copies of the poem) for evidence of their connections and use of other strategies. The comparative paragraph.

Materials: projector, copies of the poem, explanation and rubrics for the Post-Reading MEATy Paragraph,
Duality definition on word wall

Sequence:
Times 20m Anticipatory Set/Opener
5 (Talk) Opening Pair-Share Discussion: What does it mean to wear a "mask"(figuratively). Discuss a situation in which you or someone you know wore a mask? Why did you/she or he wear the mask and what were you trying to cope with? How is wearing a mask an example of duality?

10 (Write)Opening Journal # 10 -- Free-write in any form about the following:
Discuss a character who wears a mask? Why do they wear the mask, what are they trying to cope with?
5__(Share-out)

Times 10m Modeling/Mini-Lesson
Read aloud---the following poem. We Wear the Mask, by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Model fix ups (re-iterated from last week, textcode--circle)
Model making connections (text code--x)

Times 5m Guided Practice--- Practice
Whole group-practice making high level connections to the theme of duality in the novel

Times 15m Independent Practice
Instructions: Text-code the poem (x-for connections) and write down your thoughts about
lines, phrases or words from the poem that you an connect to passages form The Faming of
Bones, to the real-world, and to yourself

Times 35m MEATy Paragraph (see attached)
Times 5m Closure: 5 finger check in about how well they understand a) the concept of duality
b) making connections to deepen understanding


Differentiated Instruction
Students have the opportunity to make connections in many different forms in this lesson: verbally (to support each other's skill building in pairs and as a whole group), in abbreviated writing (free-write, annotation of the poem) and in analytical paragraph writing.

In addition, the post-reading analytical writing requirements are different depending on the level of the students. The post-reading paragraph is 1-2 paragraphs in length. Seniors and high academic achievers are encouraged to write 3 paragraphs to a page. In addition, extra time can be provided, as the post-reading assessment can be emailed or completed for homework.

The students will receive individualized feedback on their writing from a previous paragraph, to use in their post-reading paragraph.


Suggestions for Extension
Students will continue to track the theme of duality in the novel. Twice a week in groups the students track themes, on a graphic organizer called a theme web. This is assessed individually in their reading conferences, where I ask for evidence of the themes on their sticky notes and verbal conferences.

Students will continue to practice making connections as the concept will be added to our Reading Strategy Bank. Their ability to make connections is assessed individually in their reading conferences, where I ask for verbal connections and evidence of their making connections on the sticky notes, that as a class we use to leave tracks of our thinking in the text.

If Student's don't get it: If students don't understand the concept of Duality, I plan on looking for another anchor text example, perhaps one that is a photograph, or in a song, so as to try a differing learning style approach.

If students don't know how to user their connections to deepen their understanding than I can revert to lesson plans about good connections versus distracting connections. In addition, students will able to practice making connections weekly for 4 weeks as part of our writing workshop, and the connections will be to non-fiction news, to photographs, to excerpts from other novels..

Student will be able to pursue a deep understanding of the theme in different forms (Socratic
Seminar, shared, guided, paired and individual practice tracking themes, art-integrated quote/theme
interpretations, etc.)


Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)
We Wear the Mask
WE wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,--
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

Bones and Butterflies ~ Zo y Mariposas Student Name:_______________

PBAT Mini-Essay (topic 2)

Task: Support the following Main idea, with Evidence and Analysis from The Farming of Bones by Edwidge Danticat and "We Wear the Mask" by Paul Laurence Dunbar. Make sure each paragraph, concludes with a Transition or Tie up.

Length: 1-2 MiEATy paragraphs.

Requirements:
ß Construct MiEATy paragraphs.
ß Make connections between the two works and broader connections, such as connections to the world (contemporary), historical, genre, etc
ß Re-read your work aloud to begin checking your conventions (mechanical and grammatical errors).
ß EMAIL TO: studentworkreyes@gmail.com

Student Name: ________________________


CATEGORY 1 2 3 4**
Organization
(MEAT)
M: main idea
(Intro to evidence)
E: evidence
A: analysis
T: transition or tie up The paragraph is
not complete
and or does
not use any parts
of MEAT as a
writing structure. The paragraph may only use some parts of MEAT,
or
the paragraph still seems unorganized. All parts of MEAT appear in the paragraph. The paragraph seamlessly moves through MEAT.
Evidence There is not enough evidence in the paragraph or the evidence is completely irrelevant. There is relevant evidence, (a quote) but the writer could have included more to support the main idea. There is enough evidence (quotes) to fully support the main idea. There is a substantial amount of relevant evidence (quotes) woven throughout the paragraph.
Analysis The writer does not analyze evidence. The writer only briefly analyzes the evidence
or
should break the quotes down more
or
should explain the how the passages support the main idea more The writer analyzed the evidence completely
and
breaks down evidence
and
clearly shows how the passages support the proves the main idea statement The analysis of evidence is thoughtful and thoroughly proves the main idea statement.

(i.e. breaks things down on the phrase and word level, makes thoughtful connections, etc i.e.

Connections Makes inappropriate or no connection between texts Makes appropriate connections between two or more literary works Makes appropriate connections between two or more literary works and other issues; historical settings, genre, contemporary concerns Makes insightful connections between two or more literary works and other issues; historical setting, genre, contemporary concerns

Final Grade ______