Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Cassidy Locke
Mini Teaching Unit
Young Adult Literature
Fall 2018

Section I: Introductory Section

Demographics:
Freshman English
5A School
Suburban
20-25 Students
Mixed socio-economic class
50-minute class period, five times a week

Length:
Two-week unit
Traditional class periods

Theme:
Identity and sense of belonging
The hero’s journey

Common Core Standards:

Key Ideas and Details: CCSS.ELA-Writing. W.9-10.2

Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and
information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

Comprehension and Collaboration: CCSS.ELA-Speaking and Listening. SL.9-10.1

Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues,
building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Key Ideas and Details: CCSS.ELA-Reading: Literature. RL. 9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development.

Craft and Structure: CCSS.ELA-Reading: Literature. RL. 9-10.6

Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature.

Rationale:
This unit provides students with a good opportunity to:
Understand the normalization of discrimination and how students can play an active role
in inclusion and equality
 Become active and kind members of society
This unit provides teachers with a good opportunity to:
Explore the universal theme of identity and help students find theirs
Evaluate and teach student writing
Allow students to be creative in artistic ways
Explain the importance of empathy and kindness

Unit Objectives:
Define theme and analyze different themes in the novel
Label six parts of the hero’s journey and identify them in the novel
Define discrimination and explain how it functions in the novel
Evaluate a journey of self-discovery and apply it to students’ own lives

Section II: Daily Plans

Teaching Day One

Objectives:
Define discrimination
Predict a variety of character types in the novel

Anticipatory Set: Students will respond to the following questions in their journals.
1.) Have you ever had a goal that you thought was crazy? What was it?
2.) Did someone in your life push you to reach that goal? Who?
3.) What steps did you take to reach that goal? Was it easy or hard and why?
4.) What is a goal you have now? What steps will you have to take to reach it?

Resources:
Projector screen to display picture of drawing from the novel
Culminating activity handout, rubric, and checklist
25 copies of the novel for students to take home and read on a schedule

Instructional Input: The teacher will use the projector to place the picture below on the screen.
The picture is the drawing from page 57 of the novel. The students will make
observations and answer the questions about the drawing.
 1.) What is the first thing that catches your eye and why?
2.) Why do you think this drawing is included in the novel?
3.) What types of characters do you think we’ll see in this novel?

The teacher will explain that the students will be expected to write a literary analysis paper at the
end of reading this novel. The students will have the choice between three analysis options:
- Analyze the hero’s journey of Arnold and explain each step of the journey and what
makes him hero. Cite specific examples in the novel for each step of the journey.
- Explore the theme of identity and sense of belonging. What made Arnold find himself
and his identity? Cite specific examples of people or things in which Arnold found his
identity and why.
- Consider and question the theme of racism and discrimination in the novel. Why did
Arnold face such discrimination? How did he cope? Cite specific examples that deal
with racism and discrimination and comment on them.
Students may come up with their own paper topic as long as it is approved by the teacher.
Students will be given a handout with this information as well as a rubric for the essay and a
checklist to go through before they hand in their essay. Their essay will be due one week after
we’ve finished reading the novel in class.

Modeling:
On the white board, the teacher will make a t-chart for the students to fill out as a class. It
will look like the t-chart below when it is finished.

White Indian

A bright future A vanishing past

Positive role models A family history of diabetes and
cancer
Hope Bone-crushing reality
 Expensive clothes and nice shoes Inexpensive clothes
A “cool” kid Not “cool,” lame

4.) What do these qualities say about a person? Have you ever judged a person for not
being “cool”? How would you treat that person?

Check for Understanding:

Students will be divided into four groups. Two groups will take on the role of “White”
and two groups will take on the role of “Indian.” While most of the students will actually be
white, I will explain to them that they must dig deep into the perception of white people. Within
their groups, they are to answer a set of questions:
1.) How does your race affect your everyday life in high school?
2.) What types of challenges would you face?
3.) Do you think your race is privileged? Why or why not?
4.) How do you think people of other races perceive you? How would that change if you
were the other race?

After 5-10 minutes of small group discussion, the groups will take turns speaking to the class
about their different ideas and/or observations. Each group will “present” their answers to the
questions and the groups will have time to ask each other deeper questions.

Assignment:
Students will be asked to read up to page 50 for the next class period.
Students will receive the handout for the final paper that will be written at the end of
book so that they can begin to brainstorm ideas as they begin reading the novel.
Literary Analysis Essay
Name:

____ My writing shows my feelings about the topic.

____ My writing includes interesting and informative details that support the main idea.

____ My writing is organized in a clear and logical sequence.

____ My writing uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

____ My writing is organized and fluent. I express my ideas using proper vocabulary, spelling, and
conventions.

rubric-maker.com
Teaching Day Two

Objectives:
Engage in discussion about novel ideas and themes
Ask other students questions
Come to conclusions about events and their meanings
Predict the ending and future of the novel

Anticipatory Set:
Students will come to class prepared with a Socratic seminar “ready sheet.” The sheet
will have a list of requirements:
- At least 5 questions that the student can ask classmates
- At least 3 examples or scenes from the text that student would like to discuss
- At least 4 exact quotes from the novel that could be used to help answer questions

Resources:
Chairs in the classroom set up in a circle, inner and outer. The inner circle will consist of
five chairs, and the outer circle will consist of the remaining twenty.
25 copies of Socratic seminar checklist

Instructional Input:
This class session will be mostly student ran. The teacher will welcome the students and
invite the first five into the inner circle. The teacher will have students find one partner,
but this partner must be someone who will not be in the inner circle with that partner.
After this, it is up to the students to run each session. There will be 5 rounds of 10-minute
discussion between students. Each student is required to go into the inner circle once. The
students will be graded on how often they speak, ask or answer questions, and offer ideas.
The teacher will have the checklist to observe each student throughout the rounds as well
as the partners’ observations.

Because the Socratic seminar will end right at the end of the class period, the teacher will
hand out a paper that explains the requirements for an extra credit opportunity. The
students will be asked to make their own Arnold-esque cartoon that depicts one of two
things: either who they are as a person and what makes them a hero, or their personal
hero and why they are a hero. The teacher will explain that is if the students choose to
draw themselves, it is not meant to be self-deprecating, so students are not to make fun of
themselves or demean themselves – the word I will tell them to focus on is
empowerment.
Modeling:
No modeling will be used in the set for today because students will know their
expectations for the Socratic seminar.

Check for Understanding:

The students will prove their understanding by being active members of the conversation
in the inner circle. They will earn points based on number of checks on the checklist.
They will have a partner, who is someone not in the inner circle with them, responsible
for making their checks.

Assignment:
Read to page 200 of the book
Begin to brainstorm their paper topic
Optional: complete extra credit assignment
 Socratic Seminar Observation Checklist
Your Name:________________________ Partner’s Name:________________________
Directions: Each timeyour partner does oneof the following put a check in thebox.

Speaks in thediscussion

Makes eyecontact with other speakers or as she/hespeaks

Refers to thetext

Asks a new or follow-up question

Responds to another speaker

Paraphrases and adds to another speaker’s ideas

Encourages another participant to speak

Interrupts another speaker

Engages in sideconversation

Dominates theconversation

AFTER thediscussion: What is the most interesting thing your partner said?

AFTER thediscussion: What would you like to have said in the discussion?
Teaching Day Three

Objectives:
Create a literary analysis paper
In their paper, identify a theme in the novel and analyze theme OR analyze Arnold and
his journey as a hero
Identify similar themes from novel in a short story

Anticipatory Set:
Students will be given 10-20 minutes at the beginning of class to polish their papers. This
will include a mini workshop where students can peer review with one another,
conference with the teacher, or work by themselves.

Resources:
25 printed copies of “On the Road” by Langston Hughes
25 printed worksheets with discussion questions

Instructional Input:
The teacher will collect student essays. The teacher will introduce the students to a
short story unit, beginning with “On the Road” by Langston Hughes. The teacher will
explain that this story deals with themes of racism and discrimination, similar to what the
class just read in the novel.
The teacher will read out loud the story “On the Road” by Langston Hughes.
The teacher will hand out the worksheet with 10 discussion questions and will divide
students into groups of 3-5 to answer the questions about the story.

Modeling:
The teacher will answer the first question with the class so the students can get an
understanding of what the teacher is looking for in their answers.

Check for Understanding:

The students will have an opportunity to ask questions about anything on the worksheet.
They will turn in their discussion question sheet before they leave class.

Assignment:
Finish discussion questions if not done in class
Read short story “Judgement Day” by Flannery O’Connor

Section III: Assessment

1.) I think that this unit appealed to all students because the themes within the novel are
universal. The experiences Arnold has with bullying and discrimination within a high
school are relatable for high school students. Because this novel is easy to imagine
yourself in, it makes it quick for students to analyze it not only in the novel, but also in
their own lives.
2.) The text could be argued as inappropriate for high school freshmen because it deals with
some sexual themes, such as masturbation. I assigned it to freshmen because it is such a
 quick read and it is easy to pick up on the themes, but it could be more suitable for
sophomores or even freshmen in an honors class.
3.) I offered a few different ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge, but I
definitely could have offered more. With the Socratic seminar, it is an all-encompassing
demonstration of knowledge that incorporates classroom interaction. Students have to be
prepared and pull examples from the text before it begins, and during the seminar they
have the opportunity to analyze and discuss. The assignment of the literary analysis paper
gives students multiple options of what they will write. Additionally, the cartoon extra
credit assignment meets the needs of students who express themselves creatively and can
offer a cushion.
4.) The assignments do build logically on one another because as the students read more of
the novel, they will be asked to do more analyzing and discussing.
5.) I do offer students choices in their assignment, especially in the culminating activity.
They have three options for paper topics, and they are also welcome to create their own
as long as it is approved by me.
6.) The beginning of each lesson hooks the students for the most part. Some days do not
have a hook, like the second day, because we are doing the Socratic seminar that takes
the entire hour. Their “hook” is their assignment that prepares them for the class.
7.) The culminating activity helps students clarify what they have learned by drawing
overarching conclusions from the entire novel. The themes that they will explore can be
used as universal themes to explain human behavior and will hopefully assist students in
their own journey towards self-discovery.

Unit Grading Scale

Daily participation – 2 points per day (10 days)

Journals – 2 points per entry (5 entries)
Socratic Seminar – 20 points
Literary Analysis Essay – 50 points
Extra Credit – 10 points