8 !Grade!English!Language!Arts! …!Things’FallApart! Anchor!Text:! “Things!Fall!Apart“!...

8th Grade English Language Arts Unit 2: Analyzing Historical Fiction

Anchor Text(s) Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Pacing 6 weeks

Unit Overview During this unit, students will read a historical fiction novel closely with a focus on historical context, character analysis, and theme development. They will study the classic and influential novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, set in Nigeria during the 1890s, at the height of European colonialism in Africa. The story chronicles the life of Okonkwo, a hard-‐working and respected Igbo leader in the village of Umuofia, as he and his clan cope with the tension between traditional Igbo culture and the newly imposed ideology of Christian missionaries. Because knowledge about Igbo culture and the historical context of Nigeria during the 1890s is essential to understanding this book, many opportunities to build background knowledge through supplemental texts are integrated throughout each week. Students will begin the unit by exploring the power of storytelling, particularly as a way to spread ideas and open minds. They will investigate Achebe’s specific motivations for writing Things Fall Apart as a way to understand the novel’s broad impact. Additionally, they’ll explore informational texts in conjunction with the opening chapters of the novel to learn about Igbo culture and way of life. In the following weeks, students will analyze how the author’s choices impact the story’s meaning in a variety of ways. In terms of literary analysis, the biggest areas of focus for each week are:

• Week 2: Analyzing the complexity of Okonkwo’s character (RL.3) • Week 3: Interpreting Achebe’s inclusion of traditional proverbs and figurative language (RL.4) • Week 4: Analyzing how the arrival of Christian missionaries impacts the village and characters, causing tension and change (RL.3) • Week 5: Determining developing themes and analyzing contrasting perspectives (RL.2, RL.6) • Week 6: Analyzing Okonkwo’s development and motivations (RL.3); Synthesizing learning by completing performance tasks (W.1, W.9)

It is essential that students continue to practice finding the best text evidence to support strong claims when writing and discussing throughout this unit. The weekly writing tasks included were designed with this goal in mind. The writing tasks also push students to compare texts and cite evidence across multiple sources, which are skills they should have a strong foundation in following Unit 1’s comparison of Romiette and Julio with Romeo and Juliet.

Unit 8.2: Things Fall Apart

Essential Questions Genre and Standards-‐Based Vocabulary Cutting to the Core Standards-‐Based: I. What internal and external factors

contribute to a character’s development and motivation?

II. How do specific events and characters propel a story’s plot?

III. How do contrasting perspectives create

tension and conflict in a story? IV. How can I analyze how an author’s choices

(around language, plot, characters, etc.) support the author’s purpose and convey central themes?

Thematic: I. Why do we read historical fiction? What

value does historical fiction have in the modern world?

II. How can literature illustrate, preserve, and celebrate a culture?

III. What is the relationship between tradition and change? What happens when a community’s traditions are threatened by change?

Protagonist Antagonist Perspective Complexity Figurative language Simile Metaphor Proverb Imagery Characterization Character development Interaction Turning point Plot Conflict Exposition Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution Instigate Significant Impact Tension Theme Motivation Bias

I: Building knowledge through content-‐rich nonfiction and informational texts Ø “Students need to be grounded in information about

the world around them if they are to develop the strong general knowledge and vocabulary they need to become successful readers”

II: Reading and writing grounded in evidence from the text Ø “Quality text-‐based questions, unlike low-‐level "search

and find" questions, require close reading and deep understanding of the text”

III: Regular practice with complex text and its academic vocabulary Ø “The ability to comprehend complex texts is the most

significant factor differentiating college-‐ready from non-‐college-‐ready readers. This shift toward complex text requires practice, supported through close reading”

Culture Custom Indigenous Ethnic group Colonialism Ideology Justice Missionary Christianity Traditional Religion Ancestor Ritual Ceremony Exile Impose


Common Core State Standards (Including how the standards progress across grade levels) RL.7.1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.8.1/RI.8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.9-‐10.1. Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

RL.7.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.8.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.9-‐10.2. Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

RL.7.3. Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).

RL.8.3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

RL.9-‐10.3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

RL.7.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a story or drama.

RL.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

RL.9-‐10.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone (e.g., how the language evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a formal or informal tone).

RL.7.6. Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.

RL.8.6: Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.

RL.9-‐10.6. Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.

RI.7.2. Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI.8.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

RI.9-‐10.2. Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.


RI.7.6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others.

RI.8.6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

RI.9-‐10.6. Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose.

W.7.1. Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge

alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.

b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), reasons, and evidence.

d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or

section that follows from and supports the argument presented.

W.8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.


c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

d. Establish and maintain a formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or


W.9-‐10.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. a. Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the

claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.

c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.

d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.


W.7.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to

literature (e.g., “Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history”).

b. Apply grade 7 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g. “Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims”).

W.8.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new”).

b. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced”).

W.9-‐10.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. a. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to

literature (e.g., “Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]”).

b. Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”).


Anchor Text: “Things Fall Apart“

Overview Important Considerations for Instruction

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe takes place in southern Nigeria during the 1890s. The story’s protagonist is a strong, wealthy, and respected leader and warrior named Okonkwo. Okonkwo and his family live in Umuofia, one of nine connected Igbo villages. The novel is divided into three parts. In Part One, we learn about Igbo culture and religion through depictions of daily life in Umuofia. We also get to know Okonkwo and learn about his many strengths and flaws. Through flashbacks of his father’s inadequacy and through Okonkwo’s interactions with others, we learn what motivates Okonkwo and how he became the man that he is. At the end of Part One, Okonkwo is banished from Umuofia for committing a terrible crime, and is forced to spend the next seven years away from his clan as punishment. Part Two details the seven years that Okonkwo spends in exile in the village of Mbanta, where his mother’s family is from. He is received warmly there, but it is extremely painful for Okonkwo to be separated from his clan and to lose much of the respect and wealth he had worked so hard to acquire in Umuofia. His friend Obierika visits occasionally, and one day, brings rumors of “white men” who have begun to infiltrate villages. The white men eventually come to Mbanta. Okonkwo’s son Nwoye’s decision to convert at the end of Part Two, along with the missionaries’ disregard of Igbo traditions and rituals, is a source of much stress and anger for Okonkwo. In Part Three, Okonkwo returns to Umuofia to find life drastically changed due to the influence of the missionaries. Many Igbo people have already converted, and the missionaries are beginning to extend their influence and exert control over the court and justice systems too.

I. Text Complexity: Things Fall Apart is measured at an 890 Lexile Level, but its mature content and complex themes makes it appropriately challenging for 8th grade students. The author’s consistent use of figurative language and traditional proverbs also make this text more challenging from a language standpoint than its Lexile suggests. II. Big Ideas/Themes: Achebe develops numerous nuanced themes throughout Things Fall Apart, including but not limited to:

• The tension between tradition and change • The consequences of colonialism and evangelism • The power of language and storytelling • The relationship between “outsiders” and “insiders” • The importance (and fragility) of community and culture

III. Text Structure: The novel is divided into twenty-‐five chapters and three parts. Part One is the longest and consists of Chapters 1-‐13, followed by the much shorter Part Two (Ch. 14-‐19) and Part Three (Ch. 20-‐25). The events unfold chronologically, although flashbacks are interspersed throughout the book. Seven years passes between Part One and Part Three. The story is told from a third-‐person omniscient point of view. IV. Real World Connections: The events of Things Fall Apart are based on real situations that occurred across Africa in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and students should understand their lasting worldwide consequences. The book’s themes of power and control are still relevant in today’s political landscape. Students should also be able to make connections to real-‐world current events when they analyze cultural differences as a source of tension, conflict, and violence.


Conflict grows and tension divide Umuofia, leading up to the story’s climax when Okonkwo kills the British “head messenger.” In the end, Okonkwo tragically commits suicide. In the closing lines of the novel, the British District Commissioner reduces Okonkwo’s entire life to “interesting reading material” that could “perhaps [not fill] a whole chapter but a reasonable paragraph” of his book, emphasizing one of Achebe’s themes: the injustice and inadequacy of European portrayal of African cultures.

IV. Potential Challenges: Without significant background building, students may struggle to understand the complexity of Igbo culture, religion, and rituals. There is also a significant amount of mature content that teachers should be aware of before reading this text with students, including a scene where Okonkwo beats one of his wives, and later when he commits suicide. Discussing colonization and European stereotypes of African cultures during this time period may also be a sensitive and potentially upsetting subject for students, so it’s important to think about how to frame these conversations before reading and discussing.


Instructional Calendar Weekly Focus Teaching Points Texts and Resources Suggestions for

Implementation Week 1:

Building

Background Knowledge (Igbo culture and the novel’s setting)

Analyzing an

author’s purpose

RL/RI.1 RI.2 W.9

I. Explore the power and purpose of storytelling, and analyze an author’s motivation for telling a particular story. • Teaching Point: Many different things (including historical context)

influence authors when they write, and these factors can have significant influence on a novel’s setting, characters, plot, and themes. Good readers investigate, “Why did the author write this particular story? What makes this narrative meaningful and essential?”

o Introduce the idea that storytelling is powerful and holds influence over our world using the TED Talk by Chimamanda Adichie, a Nigerian author strongly influenced by Achebe’s work. Analyze this talk to determine the speaker’s central ideas and how she communicates them through stories.

o Read “Bearing Witness, With Words” in conjunction with clips from the PBS Interview to analyze why Achebe wrote Things Fall Apart.

II. Building Background Knowledge: Good readers know they must understand the cultural background and historical context of a book in order to comprehend its meaning fully. • Teaching Point: One of Achebe’s major goals was to dispel European

misconceptions and stereotypes by revealing truths about African people and Igbo culture. For this reason, we must do research before we read so we can better understand the context and lessons of the novel. We’ll continue building our knowledge and understanding of Igbo culture and how Achebe represents it throughout the entire book.

o Use maps to orient students geographically. They should be able to locate Nigeria as a country in West Africa and identify the area of southern Nigeria where Things Fall Apart takes place.

o Jigsaw Task: Divide students into four collaborative groups. Each group should read one of the four articles included in the Jigsaw Task in Appendix B and report back to the group on the article’s key ideas.

§ Students should select the most important ideas in the

Anchor Text:

Things Fall Apart Ch. 1-‐2

Supplemental Texts

(Appendix B)

Ø Ted Talk: “The Danger of a Single Story” http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story/transcript?language=en

Ø “Bearing Witness, With Words” (NY Times article)

Ø Achebe Quote: European Literature

Ø PBS News Interview with Chinua Achebe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHF_w0gkyiI

• The PBS news interview provides basic background information on Things Fall Apart and gives first-‐hand insight into Achebe’s motivations for writing this book. Pair clips from this video with the text, “Bearing Witness, With Words” to build understanding of the context surrounding this novel.

• Set clear expectations for participation and discussion during the jigsaw activity: “other groups are relying on you for critical information, so effective collaboration is essential.” As these articles contain advanced vocabulary and complex ideas, heterogeneous grouping will likely be most effective for this task.


text and paraphrase the information. They should organize and present key ideas on chart paper to use as a visual aid during their presentation.

§ Before students present, model what it looks and sounds like to be a strong, effective presenter.

III. Explore Chinua Achebe’s representation of indigenous Igbo culture in Things Fall Apart.

• Read chapters 1 and 2 through this lens. Students should collect evidence about Igbo culture as Achebe portrays it in the novel and make connections to the informational texts they’ve researched and reported on.

o What elements of Igbo life does Achebe describe in these opening chapters?

o What does Achebe emphasize about Igbo culture and values?

Writing Task (choose one, or both if time permits): Ø What is the importance of Achebe’s contribution to literature,

and specifically, African literature? Use evidence from at least 2 supplemental texts this week to support your claim.

Ø Based on the texts you engaged with this week, why do you think Achebe includes some Igbo words in Things Fall Apart? Why doesn’t he translate these into English like the rest of the novel, and how does this choice help him achieve his purpose? Include evidence from at least two of this week’s texts to support your claim.

Ø Jigsaw Task: Igbo articles (Palm Oil, Religion, Government & Social Structure, Art & Life)

Supplemental Resources

(Appendix D)

Ø Things Fall Apart Teacher Resource (Pearson)

Ø LitCharts: Things Fall Apart (teacher analysis tool)

Ø Comprehension and Analysis Questions (by chapter)

Ø Online Resource for Vocabulary: http://www.vocabulary.com/lists/248254#view=notes

• Remind students that although Achebe’s writing is thoroughly researched and includes real Igbo traditions, words, and customs, Things Fall Apart is still historical fiction. Therefore our goal as readers is not to view the book as a source for research on Igbo life, but rather to view it as an authentic way to explore an author’s portrayal of Igbo life in a way that conveys themes and messages.

• Direct students to the Igbo glossary at the back of the book – meanings of all words in italics are listed here.


Week 2:

Analyzing character

development and motivation

RI/RL.1 RL.3 W.9

I. Character Deep Dive: Okonkwo

• Determine Okonkwo’s defining character traits: Who is Okonkwo? o Collect evidence about Okonkwo’s words, thoughts, actions, and

descriptions. o Model how to notice patterns in these details, and how to

analyze those to draw conclusions about a character. o Collect evidence about Okonkwo’s relationships with other

characters, and how those characters perceive Okonkwo. What can we infer about him based on these relationships?

• Analyze the various influences on Okonkwo’s character: How has each of the following shaped Okonkwo into the man he is?

o His father: How do the author’s repeated flashbacks to Unoka’s failings, along with comparisons between Ononkwo and his father, reveal aspects of Okonkwo’s motivation?

o Igbo culture: How do Okonkwo’s expectations for himself reflect Igbo culture and values? How do Igbo traditions influence Okonkwo?

o His family: What role does Okonkwo assume in his family? How would you describe Okonkwo’s relationships with his wives and children?

o His community: What role does Okonkwo assume in his community? How do members of his community view Okonkwo?

• Analyze Okonkwo’s motivations. o When a character does something significant or surprising, ask

yourself, “Why did he do that? What’s motivating him?” o Focus Passages: Analyze why Okonkwo breaks the peace

during the sacred week in chapter 4, and why he participates actively in the killing of Ikemefuna in chapter 7 even though the elder Ezeudu advises him not to.

o Extension: Display the traditional masculinity word splash to begin a conversation about how society has traditionally defined what makes someone a “man.” How does this concept of masculinity compare with how it’s presented in Things Fall

Anchor Text:


Supplemental Texts

(Appendix B)

Ø (optional extension) “Traditional Masculinity” word splash


(Appendix D)

Ø LitChart: Ch. 3-‐7 (teacher analysis tool)

Ø Characterization Graphic Organizers

Ø Motivation graphic organizer

Ø This week’s writing task has multiple parts. Model for students how to “break down” the prompt and ensure they’re answering all parts of the question.

Ø Push students to dig deeper into their analyses of Okonkwo, past his outward demonstration of anger and violence. He is not as simple or one-‐dimensional as he seems: what’s going on inside of him that complicates our understanding of who he is (inner fear, insecurity, pride).

Ø The questions listed in bullet point two can frame your planning and/or be shared with students as discussion or writing prompts.


Apart? Engage students in discussions about how and why Okonkwo strives to fit this description, and continue to track masculinity as a theme throughout the novel.

Writing Task:

• What can we learn about Okonkwo and the culture in which he lives from his relationship with Ikemefuna? Make at least three inferences and support each with text evidence in your response.


Week 3:

Interpreting figurative

language and proverbs

Analyzing the

impact of language on a text’s meaning

Making

connections across texts

RL.4 RL.2 RL.9

I. Analyze an author’s choices around language, and determine how those choices impact the story.

• Interpret the meaning of Igbo proverbs and how they convey Igbo values.

o Consider why Achebe chose to include traditional Igbo proverbs and stories within his novel, like the tale of the mosquito in Chapter 9 and the tortoise in Chapter 11. How does this choice align with his motivation for writing this novel?

• Identify and interpret figurative language, and analyze how his choice to include figurative language (particularly similes and metaphors) develops characters.

• Analyzing Achebe’s diction, or word choice, and how the connotation of words can impact meaning. Question Stems:

o Why did he choose to describe ___ as ____? o What effect does this word _____ have on your

understanding of ____? o How does Achebe’s use of the word ______ suggest about

_____? o How does the connotation of the word ____ influence your

understanding of ___________?

II. Make connections across texts and cultures to deepen your understanding of common themes.

• By this week students should start noticing emerging themes of Things Fall Apart and tracking their development. Specifically, they should notice themes like the importance of the community, the impact of family on individuals, and the value of cultural traditions and rituals.

• Read “A Celebration of Grandfathers” and guide students to make thematic connections between this short essay and Things Fall Apart. The themes listed above also appear in this essay, along with other similarities despite the authors’ different cultural backgrounds.

• Extension: Compare and contrast how each author uses storytelling to portray their culture. What is similar about each author’s approach? What is different?

Anchor Text:


Supplemental Texts

(Appendix B) Ø “A Celebration

of Grandfathers” Ø “Egwugwu”

Background Information (connects to chapter 10)

Performance Tasks

(Appendix C) Ø Mid-‐Unit

Assessment


(Appendix D) Ø (for modeling)

Examples of Similes in Things Fall Apart

Ø Examples of Proverbs in Things Fall Apart

Ø Comparing Two Texts graphic organizers & analysis questions

Ø Opportunity for Extension: Students can research the importance of proverbs in Nigeria and other cultures. Investigate the meaning of proverbs you encounter as you read Things Fall Apart, and encourage students to share proverbs from their own cultures.

Ø The supplemental text called “Egwugwu” is a resource to provide background and context for the events of chapter 10; you can read this (for information) on the same day that you read the chapter.

Ø The “Comparing Two Texts” graphic organizer provides one way


Writing Task: Ø How do chapters 8-‐11 develop your understanding of the

importance of traditions and rituals in Igbo culture? Cite examples and evidence to support your claim.

At the end of this week, students should take the Mid-‐Unit Assessment found in Appendix C. This is designed as a checkpoint for you to determine how students are doing with the unit’s skills on a new text.

to guide students to analyze across texts. Another option is to provide a structured Venn diagram or a two column graphic organizer where students jot down what they notice about each text separately before drawing conclusions.


Week 4:

Reading nonfiction texts to learn new information and to draw conclusions

Analyzing relationships between people and events in history

Analyzing the

impact of turning points in a story

RI.2 RI.3 RI.6 RL.3 W.9

I. Building Background Knowledge: Historical Context • Colonialism and the “Scramble for Africa”

o Read the informational text called “Colonial Exploration and Conquest in Africa” for the purpose of analyzing why and how European powers colonized almost all of Africa. Analyze the consequences of colonialism across Africa.

• Christian Missionaries in Africa o Read the informational text called “Christianity in the Age of

Colonialism” and determine the primary causes of increased missionary presence in Africa during this time period (what motivated them?). Then, analyze the most significant short-‐term and long-‐term effects and on people and communities.

o Read (and listen to the online audio) of the NPR Interview called “Missionaries in Africa Doing More Harm than Good?” Using the analysis questions in Appendix B, students should determine the speaker’s opinion of missionaries in Africa and make connections to Things Fall Apart.

II. Analyze the impact of “turning points” on a story’s plot and characters (and make evidence-‐based predictions).

• Read chapters 12 and 13. Identify Okonkwo’s accidental murder of the boy at the funeral ceremony as a significant turning point.

o Analyze impact on Plot: What sequence of events leads up to this turning point at the close of Part I? How might this moment impact the remainder of the story?

o Analyze impact on Characters: Are Okonkwo’s actions in these chapters consistent with what you’d expect? How did his character traits contribute to this outcome? Based on what you know about him, how might this moment impact Okonkwo in the short term and long term?

• In chapters 14-‐16, the arrival of Christian Missionaries marks another significant turning point.

o Using background knowledge from the informational texts and videos, reflect on how the arrival of these missionaries may impact the community’s culture and Okonkwo’s family, particularly Nwoye.

Anchor Text:


Supplemental Texts

(Appendix B)

Ø “Colonial Exploration and Conquest in Africa”

Ø “Christianity in the Age of Colonialism”

Ø NPR Interview: Missionaries in Africa Doing More Harm than Good? (transcript and analysis questions)

Ø NPR Interview Audio: HTTP://WWW.NPR.ORG/2012/07/20/157105485/MISSIONARIES-IN-AFRICA-DOING-MORE-HARM-THAN-GOOD

Ø Footnotes are included for many of the new vocabulary words and concepts in the building background articles, but students will likely need more frontloading from you about the broad concept of colonialism before jumping into these texts. Using maps and visuals, and tapping into their conceptual background knowledge about the American Revolution, may be helpful.

Ø Once you’ve identified one or more turning points, challenge students to identify additional turning points. They should defend their selections by


Writing Task: • Based on the NPR interview and evidence from Things Fall Apart,

how might the group of missionaries settling in Umuofia impact Okonkwo’s community? Include at least one potential positive consequence and one potential negative consequence in your response.


(Appendix D) Ø LitCharts: Ch.

12-‐16 Ø Cause/Effect

Graphic Organizer

Ø Turning Points graphic organizer

I.

citing evidence. Ø When listening to

the NPR Interview, remind students that this interview discusses more current efforts to spread Christianity and conduct service projects in Africa; they’re not referring to missionaries during the Colonial age.


Week 5:

Analyzing how plot events impact a story’s characters and outcome

Analyzing how contrasting

perspectives create tension

RL.2 RL.3 RL.6 W.9

I. Analyze how Mbanta and Umuofia change in response to the presence of the missionaries.

• Analyze the impact the missionaries are having on: o Culture & Society: Besides imposing a new religion on the

Igbo people, what are some of the ways the missionaries are pressuring Igbo society and culture to change?

o Okonkwo: How do Okonkwo’s responses and interactions represent the clash between traditional Igbo culture and the white Christian missionaries’ culture?

• Read the poem “Afro-‐American Fragment” by Langston Hughes. o Analyze the poem’s theme: What does he mean when he

says, “So long, so far away, is Africa?” Why has this separation happened, according to Hughes?

o What is the significance of the poem’s title, and how does this idea connect to what’s happening in Things Fall Apart?

II. Determine differences in perspective amongst characters, and analyze how those differences create tension and develop themes.

• While reading chapter 21, analyze how the author develops Mr. Brown’s character and perspective towards his work.

• While reading chapter 22, analyze Mr. Smith’s approach to his work. o Contrast Mr. Smith’s attitude towards the Igbo people with

Mr. Brown’s tolerance and willingness to listen. How does Mr. Smith’s behavior and mindset increase conflict in Umuofia (and lead to violence)?

• Discuss and/or write: Why did Chinua Achebe include both of these men (and their contrasting perspectives) in his novel? Can you infer Achebe’s perspective about the Christian missionaries based on how he portrays these men?

Writing Tasks:

Ø How do this week’s chapters develop a theme about the tension between tradition and change? Give at least two specific examples to support your claim.

Ø How are the ideas presented in the supplemental text “Hawaii” related to colonialism and the ideas in Things Fall Apart? Make at least two specific connections and cite evidence to support.

Anchor Text:


Supplemental Texts

(Appendix B)

Ø “Afro-‐American Fragment” poem

Ø Leveled NewsELA Article: “Hawaii” (for use with this week’s writing prompt)


(Appendix D)

Ø LitCharts: Ch. 17-‐22 (teacher analysis tool)

Ø Match individual students with the version/Lexile level that best fits their needs when reading the NewsELA article. Copies of the 4 available levels can be found in Appendix B.

Ø When reading poetry, model and emphasize the importance of rereading. Message that even experienced poetry readers must read poems multiple times in order to uncover meaning and analyze the author’s choices!

Ø Consider using one of the “Comparing Two Texts” organizers from Week 3 to support students as they read and make connections between the “Hawaii” article and Things Fall Apart.


Week 6:

Analyzing a story’s “resolution”

Participating in peer discussions to

expand understanding

Synthesizing learning

RL.1 RL.2 RL.3 W.1 W.9

I. Analyze Okonkwo’s motivations in the book’s closing chapters. • Evaluate Okonkwo’s actions in chapter 24.

o Make an argument: Is Okonkwo’s murder of the head messenger a noble defense of his culture and community, or is it a shameful and violent outburst that ensures his own destruction? What evidence is there to support your claim?

• Analyze why Okonkwo committed suicide, even though it was against the cultural expectations he’s worked so hard to uphold throughout his life. What circumstances led to this decision?

II. Hold a discussion (fishbowl or whole-‐class seminar) to analyze the novel’s most prominent themes, characters, and plot events.

• Students should formulate arguments about these ideas and collect evidence from across the book to support their arguments before coming to the discussion. Sample “Big Questions” for discussion:

o What are the novel’s most significant turning points? o Using the definitions of “hero” in Appendix B, make a claim

about whether or not Okonkwo is a true hero. o What lessons does Chinua Achebe hope readers learn from

Okonkwo? From the story of Umuofia?

III. Synthesize learning by completing Performance Tasks. 1. Literary Analysis Essay: See Appendix C for Student Planning

Sheets and Rubric. o Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart ends tragically with

the death of Okonkwo and uncertainty about what the future holds for the community of Umuofia. For your final performance task, write a well-‐organized essay in which you explore the reasons behind the story’s outcome. In your essay, answer the question, “Why did things fall apart?” How did the Christian missionaries, traditional Igbo culture, and Okonkwo himself contribute to Okonkwo’s fate? Include evidence from Things Fall Apart and from multiple chapters to support your claims.

2. MCLASS End of Unit Assessment: You can find a hard copy in Appendix C, but students should take this assessment online.

Anchor Text:


Supplemental Texts

(Appendix B)

Ø “Hero” definitions

Performance Tasks

(Appendix C)

Ø MCLASS End of Unit Assessment and Rationale

Ø Essay Prompt, Student Planning Sheets, and Rubric


(Appendix D)

Ø Litcharts: Ch. 23-‐25

Ø Discussion Formats and Structures

Ø Discussion Starters and Goals

Ø Give students time to process the story’s tragic ending through discussion and writing.

Ø Holding the discussion/ seminar before students complete the literary analysis essay will support students in developing ideas. Model how to take effective notes (with a purpose) during a class discussion.

Ø Opportunity for Extension: Analyze the final paragraph of the novel, focusing on word choice. How does the minimization of Okonkwo’s story by the District Commissioner support one of Achebe’s themes?


RL.8.1/RI.8.1: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

(Literature) Eighth grade students will analyze a text for a central theme or idea and support their analysis with strong textual evidence. Students will learn that evidence is considered strong when it both convinces the reader and effectively expresses the central ideas or theme(s) of the text. To achieve this, students will first read closely to determine both explicit and inferred meanings of a text. This process involves determining the author's purpose and overall message of the text. Students may choose to mark the text as they read to guide their thinking. For example, students may mark, annotate, or highlight repeated ideas or patterns and inferred meanings as they read. Based upon their analysis, students may then determine the author's purpose, overall message of the text, and which details best support this meaning. Work like this may involve students sorting textual evidence and using only the strongest segments; specifically, those which directly connect with and uphold the central idea or theme. Once students are able to distinguish between the varying levels of textual strength, they move toward mastering the standard independently. Repeated modeling through think-‐alouds and guided practice will aid students in this process. (Informational) Eighth grade students will analyze a text for a central idea or understanding and support their analysis with strong textual evidence. Evidence is considered strong when it both convinces the reader and effectively expresses the central idea of the text. To achieve this, students will first read closely in order to determine both explicit and inferred meanings of a text. This process involves determining the author's purpose and overall message of the text. Students may choose to mark the text as they read in order to guide their thinking. For example, using text features such as headings, bold words, and graphs, students may take note of repeated ideas or images. Based upon their analysis, students may then determine the author’s purpose and overall message of the text along with best supporting details that support the meaning. Work like this may involve students sorting textual evidence, including direct quotes and examples, and using only the strongest segments; specifically, those that directly connect with and uphold the central idea. Once students are able to distinguish between the varying levels of textual strength, they move toward mastering the standard independently. Repeated modeling through think-‐alouds and guided practice will aid students in this process.

Appendix A: Unpacked Standards Guide Source: Public Schools of North Carolina NCDPI Collaborative Workspace Standard Explanation and Example


RL.8.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

Students need to be able to determine the central idea or theme of a text. To do this work, students will record repeated messages or patterns they observe within various story elements. Students will note how recurring interpersonal conflicts between characters, changing settings, and plot twists all influence/shape the theme and guide the reader toward realizing the theme in its entirety. As students begin to realize the central idea, they should reflect on how the writer used such recurring patterns through the subtle avenues of setting, characterization and plot to slowly reveal it indirectly. Students will then be able to write objective summaries revealing the sequential development of a theme through description of characters, setting, and plot. Students may use a story map as a guide to outlining the story’s thematic development.

RL.8.3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

Students will be able to determine how specific events or dialogue significantly impact the development of a story. Students may demonstrate this knowledge by determining critical turning points of the plot, analyzing choices made by characters, or examining external and internal conflicts -‐-‐ all of which build the momentum of the story. Once students have determined these critical moments, they should be able to explain the cause/effect result in relation to the story’s plot or development. To do this work, students may work together in groups and highlight or mark the text those moments and/or scenes that they consider turning points (and explain why).

RL.8.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

To interpret a writer’s style and word choice, eighth grade students will work to gain insight into how the writer uses figurative language, creating a 'sub-‐story' or “story within a story” and why the author may refer to an alternate text in his writing. To achieve this, students will learn to identify words and phrases that create/reveal a variety of tones. Once students see the link between word choice and tone, they will be prepared to analyze multiple texts in which textual references, via allusion or allegory, are present. Through partner, small group, or whole class discussions, students should then debate the why of that inclusion. Essential questions for this discussion may be: Why does the writer relate his or her text to another through analogy or allusion? What purpose does making this text-‐to-‐text connection serve? Finally, students should demonstrate their mastery of this standard by independently analyzing how an author’s use of language creates meaning within a text.

RL.8.6: Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.

Students will understand the role of point-‐of-‐view in a given text. They should be guided to see how the point-‐of-‐view is essentially the lens through which the reader is allowed to see the story. To dothis work, students may examine one story from a variety of viewpoints. For each viewpoint they assume, students should determine what they (as the character) know versus what other characters know. Once students have mapped out the differing viewpoints, they are ready to discuss the techniques writers use in order to experiment with and even manipulate point-‐of-‐view. In turn, placing themselves in the role as the reader, students can discuss how these techniques create specific tones and moods within the piece


RI.8.2: Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.

Students will first determine the central idea or focus of a text. This involves becoming aware of and recording repeated understandings or messages as they read. Students are encouraged to actively read and take note of how recurring examples, images, and conclusions drawn by the writer support and build the central idea of the text. Once students realize the central idea, they should reflect on how the writer used repetition to slowly reveal it to the reader. Therefore, summaries should reveal the ways the central ideas develops. For example, analysis may include examining an author’s choice of structure, features, and support.

RI.8.6: Determine an author’s point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

Students will recognize how an author’s perspective presents itself within a text. This process may involve examining a text for overall purpose, personal bias, and opposing viewpoints. Students will examine argumentative/evaluative texts such as editorials and persuasive speeches. Students may outline the perspective presented by the writer including key ideas, supporting details, and counterarguments. Students may then consider how someone of an opposing viewpoint may respond to the examples, data, or support offered in the original text. Students’ analysis may also focus on examining the author’s tone, word choice, and use of persuasive language.

W.8.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.

a. Introduce claim(s), acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.


c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

d. Establish and maintain formal style. e. Provide a concluding statement or


Students must be able to construct a particular claim based on an issue within a text, consider all counterclaims, and then search for textual evidence to support the claims in a persuasive manner. Work may include examining a literary text or closely reading articles/journals and other sources identified as legitimate or not, depending on the assignment. Once students have established a strong foundation in the defining features of editorials, including controversial topics, structures, and word choice, they are then prepared to create their own editorials. Instruction may focus on how to recognize and use evidence from the text in order to prove a given claim, in a 'voice' that is both authoritative and rational. In effect, students will then, in proper order, logically tie all claims/counterclaims, evidence, and closing remarks together to produce a well-‐supported argument.


W.8.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

a. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature (e.g., “Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new”).

b. Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced”).

Students will use their understandings from literary and literary nonfiction texts to support their writing. For a literary text, students may reference patterns of events, conflicts, or character types as evidence of their analysis and determination of theme(s) presented. When writing about literary nonfiction texts, students may cite claims, facts, and evidence outlined in the text. To master this standard, students will need to evaluate evidence based on the strengths of its connections to the text’s overall theme or central idea. Instruction may involve modeling of the thought process writers undergo as they work to support and elaborate upon their ideas through textual evidence.

8 !Grade!English!Language!Arts! …!Things’FallApart! Anchor!Text:! “Things!Fall!Apart“!...

Documents

Transcript of 8 !Grade!English!Language!Arts! …!Things’FallApart! Anchor!Text:! “Things!Fall!Apart“!...