FIGHTING THE GOOD

FIGHT
Fall 2020

Social Issues and Dystopian Novels Book Clubs

Carolyn McKee
[Email address]
Rationale
Students have been using the first six weeks of the semester to reengage with an academic
English environment, focusing on the structure of writing. This unit gives the students an
opportunity to engage with a text of their choice (from a selection of novels) and wrestle with the
issue of social injustice. As I have written in other units, there is no shortage of social injustices
going on in the world right now, not to mention any social injustice that my students may be
facing on a day to day basis. This unit will show literature as a mirror that reflects society and a
window through which to view society, enlarging students’ worldview and perspective of the
events going on around us. Students will participate in “Book Clubs”, wherein they will, in
groups of 4-6, read a self-chosen book in class, and then discuss certain themes and concepts that
will be introduced to the whole class. Each book will have a theme of social justice. Students
will engage in small and whole class discussion, and will create a presentation with their group
that will be presented in the last week of the unit. The presentation will be composed of a
summary of the novel, connection to real world events (requiring research), visuals that support
themes and symbols from the novel. The presentations will also include a whole class activity for
the students to engage in. These presentations will take us into mid-November, and if the
weather is co-operative I will encourage the students to take the class activity outside.

This unit will truly allow the students to engage in literary discussion, reflection, and open their
eyes to the connection between literature and the real world, and how it may be used as a tool to
better understand situations we are faced with. They will be working in groups, encouraging co-
operation and dependability, and will be taught key presentation skills that are essential in almost
every career choice.

Essential Question
What are the factors that contribute to injustice and an imbalance of power? What are the best
ways to fight against those factors?

Key Questions:
What is social injustice?
What are example of social injustice in the world today?
How can I use note-taking to deepen my understanding of a novel?
How can putting a different focus on my reading influence my interpretation of the novel?
How can I find the best evidence and stories to help me prove my point?
What is a theme?
What is the difference between theme and topic?
How does character, plot, and setting contribute to the theme of a novel?
What literary elements are found within novels? How do they help the author share their theme
with the reader?
How can I best contribute to a group I am working with?
Student Resources
Lethbridge School Division Social Injustice Book Club set
Lit Circles roles sheets
Presentation Rubric
Presentation Guidelines
Presentation Checklist
Facinghistory.org
https://www.futureancestors.ca/
Various student centred research websites
Fence and Boxes visual

Teacher Resources
Whole Novels for the Whole Class – Sacks
Literature Circles – Harvey
https://www.businessinsider.com/nike-ceo-john-donahoe-how-company-responds-colin-
kaepernick-controversy-2020-2

Timeline
Unit Length: six weeks (~30 class periods)

Age of Romance – 3 periods

Day one
- Share own examples of social injustice (pocketless pants etc.)
- Hook students with examples of social injustice.
- Have them create their own definitions and share with the class

Day 2
- Book talks and explanation of book club roles. Anchor chart of roles?

Day three
- Pick books, form groups.
- Set Reading Schedule (we will read from here to here, then from here to here, and we
will be done by this Thursday (Oct 29 at the very latest. Presentations will start Nov 4).
- Review literal, inferential, and critical thinking. Model note taking for them in my own
book.

Age of Generalization – 20-24 periods

- Read in class. Explain reading in class expectations and standards. Monitor reading
progress and student chosen roles (google sheets).
- Thursdays – book club days. I will provide a book club example the day after we start
reading the books, choosing 4-5 students to demonstrate proper book club etiquette and
role fulfilment. We will create an anchor chart together of Book Club Rules and
 Expectations. The first book club I will lead a review of book club etiquette, and will
periodically review the book club rules and expectations.
- Every book club students will record their discussion on a group response sheet with
varied questions
- Within the Age of Generalization, I will teach mini-lessons on characterization, narration,
plot, conflict, setting, theme, tone, and mood, depending on what I want them to focus on
each week. Each mini-lesson will primarily focus on SLO 2.3.
- Upon completion of the novel, students will begin creating movie trailers for their
group’s book.Students will have between 4-5 class periods to work on the trailers.

Age of Precision
Unit Culmination – 4-6 periods
Presentations
- Each book club will take one class period and present on their book, providing a shor t
summary, connection to real world, visuals, and a whole class activity.
- The presentations will have a self-reflection and a group reflection component, giving
student the opportunity to reflect on their performance and contributions to the group. I
will include the grade they give themselves in the final grade for the unit.

Outcomes
2.1 Use Strategies and Cues
2.1.1 Use prior knowledge
2.1.2 Use comprehension strategies 3.4 Share and Review
2.1.3 Use textual cues 3.4.1 Share ideas and information
2.1.4 Use phonics and structural analysis 3.4.2 Review research process

2.2 Respond to Texts 4.3 Present and Share

2.2.2 Construct meaning from texts 4.3.1 Present information
2.2.3 Appreciate the artistry of texts 4.3.2 Enhance presentation
4.3.3 Use effective oral and visual
3.1 Plan and Focus communication
3.1.2 Determine information needs 4.3.4 Demonstrate attentive listening and
3.1.3 Plan to gather information viewing

3.2 Select and Process 5.1 Respect Others and Strengthen

3.2.1 Use a variety of sources Community
3.2.2 Access information 5.1.1 Appreciate diversity
3.2.3 Evaluate sources
5.2 Work within a Group
3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate 5.2.1 Cooperate with others
3.3.1 Organize information 5.2.2 Work in groups
3.3.2 Record information 5.2.3 Evaluate group process
3.3.3 Evaluate information
Assessment

Assessments
Learning Title Weekly Roles Exit Slips Presentation Self-reflection
Outcomes Type Summ Summ Summ Summ
(Formative/Summative)

Weighting 10% 5% 75% 10%

2.1 Use Strategies and Cues
2.1.1 Use prior knowledge
2.1.2 Use comprehension
strategies X X X
2.1.3 Use textual cues
2.1.4 Use phonics and structural
analysis
2.2 Respond to Texts
2.2.1 Experiences various texts
2.2.2 Construct meaning from
texts X X X
2.2.3 Appreciate the artistry of
texts

3.1 Plan and Focus

3.1.2 Determine information
needs X
3.1.3 Plan to gather
information
3.2 Select and Process
3.2.1 Use a variety of sources
X
3.2.2 Access information
3.2.3 Evaluate sources
3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate
3.3.1 Organize information
X
3.3.2 Record information
3.3.3 Evaluate information
3.4 Share and Review
3.4.1 Share ideas and information X
3.4.2 Review research process
4.3 Present and Share
4.3.1 Present information
4.3.2 Enhance presentation
4.3.3 Use effective oral and visual X X
communication
4.3.4 Demonstrate attentive
listening and viewing
5.1 Respect Others and
Strengthen Community X
5.1.1 Appreciate diversity
5.2 Work within a Group X X X
5.2.1 Cooperate with others
5.2.2 Work in groups
 5.2.3 Evaluate group process

Assessmen
Assessment Assessment
t
Brief Description FOR
OF
Tool Learning
Learning

Students will select 2 Weekly Roles to fulfill (summarizer,

connector, vocabulary builder, illustrator, setting, etc). For that
Weekly
week, they will pay close attention to those specific areas within
Book
the novel they are reading. Every Thursday, when they come X X
Discussion
together as a book club, they will present their findings to the
Participation
group. They will also use those notes as resources when they
create their novel-specific presentation.

I will periodically give the students exit slips regarding the mini-
Exit Slips lessons I teach them, ensuring that they are comprehending the X X
literary techniques and skills they are encountering in the novels.

Students will create a movie trailer of the novel they read with
Movie
their group. The movie trailers will include aspects such as plot, X
Trailers
character depiction, color, and music.

Students will compete a self-reflection based on their

Self-
participation in the book clubs and their contributions to the X
Reflection
presentation.

Differentiation
Students will have the opportunity to choose which book they study in this unit, within a range of
books supplied in our Social Injustice Book Club from the school division. The book selection
will cover a range of interests and reading levels and length, providing students with the ability
to choose books based on preference and self-determined reading ability. Students will also be
able to depend on their group members for additional support.