Honors Survey of Literature January 11-February 25 (7 weeks)

If you pretty up how people spoke and change the things they said, thats dishonest.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,
xiii

Unit VI: Dangerous Voices

What is this unit about?
Hidden truths. Silenced voices. Cells. Scientific experiments. Second chances. Last chances.
Expectations. Delivering the truth. Learning the story of the Other.

What questions will we explore?

What is courage?
What is responsibility?
When do you have the right to tell another persons story?
How does the act of sharing stories build an inclusive community and pluralistic society?
Why are we doing this?
Playwright and actor Anna Deveare Smith explains that she felt compelled to write a
play about the Los Angeles riots the erupted after Rodney Kings brutal death at the
hands of police officers. She describes her preparation to write and perform this play.

Her challenge to students: learn the history of the Other.

...I found myself surrounded by people--starting with my mom,
grandparents, uncles, and aunts, and leading to a string of
wonderful role models and mentors--who kept pushing me to see
more than what was directly in front of me, to see the boundless
possibilities of the wider world and the unexplored possibilities
within myself. People who taught me that no accident of birth--not
being black or relatively poor, being from Baltimore or the Bronx
or fatherless--would ever define or limit me.

It was no surprise that Henrietta hadnt come back all those

times for follow-up. For Henrietta, walking into Hopkins was like
entering a foreign country where she didnt speak the
language. (16)
This was a time when benevolent deception was a common
practicedoctors often withheld even the most fundamental
information from their patients, sometimes not giving them any
diagnosis at all. They believed it was best not to confuse or upset
patients with frightening terms they might not understand, like
cancer. Doctors knew best, and most patients didnt question that. Especially black
patients in public wards. (63)

Would you choose to stand up for those whose voices were silenced?
How far would you go to discover these stories?
Why is it important for us to share our stories?
How does the act of sharing our stories help us to understand our own experience?

 How does sharing stories help build an inclusive community and pluralistic society?
Why is it important for us to hear other peoples stories?
When is it important to tell another persons story?

Transfer: During this unit, students will independently be able to use their learning to...

Facilitate discussions of a text, assigning roles to participants to ensure effective, engaging

discussion

Collaborate with group members to determine reading and annotation goals to ensure all members
arrive prepared for discussion

Investigate and contribute ideas, interpretations of text, justify interpretations with evidence from
texts, and facilitate an intellectual discussion that explores big questions

Write to persuade an audience and tailor writing for the audience:

Argument Writing Arguments of Definition: Construct logical arguments criteria-based

definitions of concepts that cite evidence from multiple texts to support their argument and
anticipate counter-argument

Relate the choices they make every day to the impact they have on others lives
Students will be able to...
Common Core Informational Text: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis
of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
*Challenge: Cite strong and thorough textual evidenceincluding determining where the text leaves
matters uncertain. (CC Grades 11-12)
How will we be assessed? The following assignments will determine your grade in this
unit:
Class Work & Homework (15% Grade)

Performance Assessments (70% Grade)

Timed Essays
Practice Essays (in Writers Notebook)
Socratic Seminars
Writer's Notebook (Readers Responses + Questions)
Culminating Debate
Criteria-based Definitions
Vocabulary Journal

Reading Group Discussions and Readers Portfolio: You will engage in weekly discussions with
members of your reading group. Just like adults do in book clubs, you will work collaboratively to
determine your responsibility as readers (pages, annotations, questions, vocabulary). You will track your
reading responsibility in your Writers Notebooks, where you will prepare for reading discussions by
responding to a minimum of text questions (see Reading Guides), extended Readers Responses, and
develop your own questions for discussion.
Vocabulary Journal: Do you know what idyllic, biopsy, originate mean? You will be responsible for
keeping track of vocabulary words in your vocabulary journal. You will have the opportunity to practice
incorporating vocabulary words in paired conversations.
Socratic Seminars: We will have at least 3 Socratic Seminars during this unit. At least 2 of the seminars
will be inter-textual seminars, where we will combine all Reading Groups and discuss both texts.
Argument Writing: During this unit, you will develop criteria-based definitions for responsibility,
courage, justice, and morality / moral action. We will do timed Argument of Definition writing practice,
have a timed writing quiz, and finish with an Argument of Definition timed writing essay.

*This unit will culminate in a great debate, and you will work with a small team to debate another team,
citing textual evidence to build a strong, effective argument.
When are we doing this?
Week One (MWF 1/11-15)

Unit introduction: what are we doing, when, and why

Previewing Authors Purpose (Articles: Henriettas Dance & Wes Moore)

Previewing the texts: Notice & Focus

Viewing: Tavis Smiley interviews Rebecca Skloot & Judy Woodruff interviews Wes Moore

Homework: Read , annotate, write response to both articles + videos

Socratic Seminar: authors purpose

Book Choices: Select which text you would like to read for this unit, form reading groups, begin
reading

Homework begin reading, annotating text

Week Two (W-F 1/20, 1/22):

Form Reading Groups and begin discussing the text you selected
Question Formulation Technique + develop questions about your text
Socratic Circles: text-dependent questions + QFT (your questions)
Anna Deveare Smith (short video): Challenge to Students to Learn the History of the Other
Homework: Reading +Text-dependent Questions + Vocabulary
(Reading Groups determine reading responsibility)

Week Three (T-Th 1/26, 1/28):

How do you develop criteria? Where do you find evidence?
Defining Responsibility, Courage, and Universe of Obligation
Reading Groups & Socratic Circles
Prepare for inter-textual seminar: identify excerpt from your text for other readers
Homework: Writers Notebook: Argument of Definition Practice Essay #1
Homework: Reading +Text-dependent Questions + Vocabulary
(Reading Groups determine reading responsibility)

Week Four (MWF 2/1-2/5):

Practice Essays: Present, annotate, re-think, revise
Timed Writing Practice
Reading Groups/Socratic Circles
Homework: Prepare for inter-textual seminar (read + annotate excerpt from other text)
Inter-textual Socratic Seminar #1
Homework: Writers Notebook: Argument of Definition Practice Essay #2 (cite evidence from your text)
Homework: Reading + Text-dependent Questions + Vocabulary
(Reading Groups determine reading responsibility)

Week Five (T-Th 2/11, 2/13):

Defining Justice
Reading Groups + Socratic Circles

1st Argument of Definition Essay Assessment

Homework: Writers Notebook: Argument of Definition Practice Essay #3
Homework: Reading +Questions (Reading Groups determine reading responsibility)
Week Six (W-F 2/17, 2/19)
Arguments of Defintion: Present, annotate, re-think, revise timed writing quiz & practice essays
Inter-textual Socratic Seminar #2
Homework: Reading +Questions (Reading Groups determine reading responsibility)
Week Seven (2/23, 2/25)

Final Timed Argument of Definition Essay

Introduction to Moral Dilemmas
Student ______________________________Parent/Guardian________________________________
Questions/Concerns_____________________________________________________________