Authors note: The teacher side lesson plan is geared for a more synchronous classroom session, something that

the authors feel we

may use in our own classrooms some day. We are able to modify it, as seen in the asynchronous version, to better suit fully online
student classrooms. The asynchronous student version is linked, and focuses entirely on student led inquiry.

Asynchronous Student Version:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GMJVc3JU-DSdLofgt3uFUC5J0EcjABmXI2VOOl1bKw
Q/edit?usp=sharing

Introduction

WIth social media and peer engagement being an integral part of students’ lives, we wanted to
create a unit that tapped into this prior knowledge and interest. In this unit, students will be
researching historical, rhetorical, and literacy information on civil rights, anti-war, or social justice
leaders in the modern day, and the using that knowledge to modernize a key historical figure
from the past and impersonate their new persona’s social media presence. This will combine
historical knowledge and history’s connection to the modern day, with literary and rhetorical
analysis and presentation. Finally, by taking on the persona of a civil rights, anti-war, or social
justice leader, students will be exposed to potentially differing perspectives that can help
contextualize modern events and movements that are still going on today, and be armed with
the knowledge that will help them understand what, why, and how language is being utilized.

Level/Class:

Compelling Question that addresses all disciplines:

How would a civil rights, anti-war, or social justice leader from the 19​th​ or 20​th​ century sound like
today (in person and online)?

End product/Assessment - What is the vehicle that will get them there?

By the end of the mini-unit, students will act as a historical anti-war, civil rights, or social activist
to their peers, interpreting their persona through mock social media posts and speed dating with
their peers.

Standards (2-3) - Don't spend all the time talking about these.

8.SP1.3 Evaluate the significance of past events and their effect on students’ lives and society.
8.C2.3 Analyze concepts and ideals such as majority and minority rights, civil dissent, and the
rule of law.

8.H3.2 Explain how popular movements, reform efforts, and activist groups have sought to
change American society and institutions.

8.W.3 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and
research.

● Apply grade 8 Reading standards to literature.

● Apply grade 8 Reading standards to informational text and nonfiction.

8.SL.5 Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information,
strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.

8.SL.6 Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating command of formal
English when indicated or appropriate. (See grade 8 Language standards 1 and 3 for specific
expectations.)

8.L.5 Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in

word meanings.

a. Interpret figures of speech (e.g. verbal irony, puns) in context.

b. Use the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.

c. Distinguish among the connotations (associations) of words with similar denotations

(definitions) (e.g., bullheaded, willful, firm, persistent, resolute)

8.L.6 Acquire and use accurate grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words
and phrases; gather vocabulary knowledge when considering a word or phrase important to
comprehension or expression.

Learning Objectives (Perhaps 1-2 each day)

Day 1:

SS: Students will be introduced to five modern day rights figures and their use of social media to
deliver culturally relevant messages so students can begin deconstructing and analyzing the
language and rhetoric used.

ENG: Students will annotate five articles/speeches/etc. from modern day civil rights activists and
will utilize the figures’ social media to compare and contrast their language usage to better
understand why specific language is utilized.
Day 2:

SS & ENG: Students will choose their leader from the past, have it approved by instructors, and
begin researching/analyzing their spoken and written words through five primary resources in
the same style as the previous day to gain understanding of how their language and rhetoric
was used.

Day 3:

SS & ENG: Students will craft five social media posts working in small, collaborative, discussion
groups. Instructors will be patrolling, answering questions, and guiding student inquiry. Students
will refer to writings by the figure, and their personal research and analysis, to replicate their
writing style.

Day 4:

SS & ENG: Students will give a two minute presentation where they will introduce their persona,
provide a brief history of their philosophy/methods, share their social media posts with the class,
add them to a gallery walk, and appraise one another’s posts by adding ‘likes’ after all
presentations are completed.

Day 5:

SS & ENG: Students will engage in a rotating, one-on-one, “speed-dating” activity where
students will role-play as their selected public figure and engage with five of their peers doing
the same. Students will write brief summaries on the figures they “date” and use their persona’s
position and personality to make arguments as to whether they would agree with each other's
philosophies/methods to promote greater understanding of the language used and the policies
and positions of their historical figures.

---HISTORY DAY ONE---

Lesson One:​ Modern figures use of social media.

Vocabulary:

Rhetoric, justice, civil rights, union, liberties, persona, modernize, contextualize, protest

Intro:

Teacher will ask the class if they know who Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or AOC, is. She is
a women’s, worker’s, and LGBTQ rights advocate, a graduate from Boston College with
two degrees in economics and international relations, and in 2018 she became the
youngest congresswoman in U.S. history.
 Teacher will then tell the students they will be watching a video of her talking to her
constituency (sound as boring as possible). Teacher will play the following video (a
snippet of AOC’s Twitch stream of Among Us):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By5LL4O00nE

Teacher will ask the class if the person I described seemed like the same person in the
video.

Follow up questions into *Mini-discussion*

How does social media influence our decisions?

Can social media act as an access point or window into the lives of important
figures? Is this a good thing?

Teacher will read (or have students read) excerpt from:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/technology/social-media-protests.html

“Omar Wasow is steeped in both social media and the civil rights movement of
the 1960s. And he marvels at how the two have melded in the current
demonstrations against racial injustice and police brutality. Wasow, a professor at
Princeton University and co-founder of the pioneering social network
BlackPlanet.com, said social media was helping publicize police brutality and
galvanizing public support for protesters’ goals — a role that his research found
conventional media played a half century ago. And he said he believed that the
internet was making it easier to organize social movements today.

The 1960s civil rights leaders figured out that images in national media that
showed the brutality of Jim Crow forced an often indifferent white America to take
seriously the concerns of black citizens. There’s a through line today. The video
of George Floyd taken by Darnella Frazier is an echo of the bearing witness of
the beating of Rodney King, and before that the images of Bloody Sunday in
Selma [in 1965]. Part of what social media does is allow us to see a reality that
has been entirely visible to some people and invisible to others. As those
injustices become visible, meaningful change follows.”

Teacher then asks Compelling Question: So, if social media is making it easier for
people to organize social movements, what would it have looked like if civil, worker, or
social rights activists from the past had access to Twitter or Instagram?

Activity:

Teacher will explain the eventual End Product, that students will be taking on the
persona of an activist from the past and modernize them by making their message
relevant to the modern world through social media.
 Students can work in small groups or individually and examine the social media
presence of five different modern day activists to get a feel of the language they use,
posting style, picture use, audio/video vs text, tone, and any other observations students
believe will help them get into character.
Cornel West (​https://twitter.com/cornelwest​)
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (​https://www.instagram.com/aoc/​)
Brandy G. Robinson (​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuyz_rZgQqU​)
Van Jones (​https://www.instagram.com/vanjones68/​)
Bernie Sanders (​https://twitter.com/BernieSanders​)

Teacher will distribute Guide (In Appendix: Stuff) to assist with observations.

Teacher will assist or answer questions about the inquiry process and be available to
students for questions.

Closing:

Teacher will answer any lingering questions.

Students should begin thinking about who, or what kind (women, labor, civil, LGBTQ,
anti-war, etc.) of activist, they want to modernize and personify as they will be picking
tomorrow.

Teacher can assist or provide a list if a student is having a hard time of it.
---HISTORY DAY TWO---

Intro:

Teacher will start by bridging Day One and Two by allowing students 15 minutes to
explore the Text Set Museum:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1m8VWjCSktLMA4XoGzj-j0x1YRzRgXdKbGOg
D18OWmeM/edit?usp=sharing

Afterwards, teacher will be creating a master list of historical figures to be displayed to

the students. Students will post their chosen persona into the chat or by email, and the
teacher will add it to the master list. If a student has not come up with one, they will be
able to select a name from the following list:

Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglas, Susan B. Anthony, Booker T.

Washington, A. Philip Randolph, Willa Brown, Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, Reies
Tijerina, Cesar Chavez, Coretta Scott King, Elie Wiesel, Harvey Milk

Activity:

Students will activate the prior day’s knowledge gathering activity and will begin research
on the writings, speeches, biographies, and any other information the student deems
relevant to create their chosen historical figure’s persona and online presence. Teacher
will be available to assist students in public Q/A sessions or in private breakout sessions.
Students will be able to work alone or in groups. Teacher will remind students to draw
upon yesterday’s experience to better get a sense of what their historical figure sounded
like at the time and how to modernize the message.

Closing:

Teacher will call upon students at random (or utilize volunteers) to share information
they’ve gathered on the main message that their historical figure would have wanted
someone in the future to understand about their position.

E.g. “MLK’s main message was that the current status quo may be acceptable to white
people, but was unbearable for black people.” Or, “Just because black people were
freed as slaves in 1865, doesn’t mean that they were treated as equal Americans.”

---HISTORY DAY THREE---

Intro:

Teacher will show examples of modern social media posts of historic figures:
 https://i.imgur.com/mP7zg2V.png

https://i.imgur.com/7KZMHvM.png

Activity:

Teacher will direct students to create five social media posts (not limited to twitter, let
them get creative) in the style of their chosen historical figure. Students are allowed to
work collaboratively and bounce ideas off one another as long as they stay on task.
Teacher will offer assistance or clarification when needed.

Closing:

Teacher will call on several students to share early examples and provide positive
feedback so the rest of the class gets examples of what we’re looking for. Students that
have not made five social media posts will have to complete them by tomorrow’s class.

---HISTORY DAY FOUR---

Intro:

Students will be given instruction on how the day’s activity will go.

Activity:

Students will give a short two-ish minute presentation where they will introduce their
persona and share their social media posts with the class by adding them to a virtual
gallery walk through padlet:

https://padlet.com/ckasnot/rnmfmmzofb96q973

After all students have presented, students will appraise one another’s posts by adding
‘likes’ after all presentations are completed.

Closing:

Teacher will revisit the highest rated posts and students with the highest like total will get
a prize (candy, extra credit, etc.). Teacher will let students know that they will be role
playing tomorrow and to shore up any additional research to better personify their
character.

---HISTORY DAY FIVE---

Intro:

Students will be given instruction on how the day’s activity will go.

Activity:

Students will engage in a rotating, one-on-one, “speed-dating” activity where students

will role-play as their selected public figure and engage with five of their peers doing the
same. “Dates” will be four minutes, with two minutes given to each student in the pair.

Students should provide a brief history of their character, discuss their philosophy and
methods, and discuss the main message they would want someone in the future to take
away from their life.

At the end of the activity, the class will have a large group discussion with the teacher
asking some of the following prompts:

Which people would get along? How do their views align?

Would any disagree with one another?

Who’s message resonated with you most? Why?

Is there anyone who you disagreed with in regards to their philosophy or

methods?

Closing:

Over the weekend, students will Free Write write brief summaries on the figures they
“dated” and whether they would agree with each other's philosophies/methods. At the
end, students should consider answers to the following question:

Did the week’s assignments change your opinion on how social media can
influence our decisions?

How does social media act as an access point or window into the lives of
important figures? Is this a good thing?

English Day One:

Inquiry Question:

How would a civil rights, anti-war, or social justice leader from the 19​th​ or 20​th​ century
sound like today (in person and online)?
 Class will begin with my introduction of the Inquiry Question and lay out the groundwork
for the unit ahead. As bellwork, students will be asked to review literary devices from a
cheat sheet that I would have given them prior to this lesson. Review will consist of them
identifying at least one literary device they still struggle with understanding, and
collaborating with group mates to help them understand.

Intro:

Students will review their Literary Device Cheat Sheets. They will identify at least one
literary device they are still struggling with and discuss it in their small groups. The goal
is for students to work together to flesh out their understanding.

Activity:

Within groups, students will one of the five modern social figures provided below:

● Cornel West
● Bernie Sanders
● Alexandria Ocasio Cortez
● Van Jones
● Brandi Robinson

Students will read a text from one of the selected authors. They will annotate for literary
devices and figurative language used by the authors that illustrate their voice. After they
read the text, students will give a brief summary to their group mates and give at least 3
literary devices/examples of fig. Lang. that helped developed the author’s voice.

Conclusion:

Students will watch videos from each of the writers speaking in interviews, speeches,
advertisements, etc. Have students make note on how their speech is different than their
writing voice.

English Day Two:

Students will choose their leader from the past from a teacher provided list and begin
researching/analyzing their spoken and written words through five primary resources in
 the same style as the previous day to gain understanding of how their language and
rhetoric was used.

Intro:

Students will be given a list of “hot topic” issues in modern times, and will be asked how
historical figures that they know of would react to these issues. Students will respond
using Pear Deck.

Activity:

In groups of 3-5, each student will read a text from a list of authors they are free to
choose from. Students will be expected to annotate the article, making note of literary
devices and figurative language used by the author that lends to their voice. Each
paragraph should have at least one annotation.

After ample time has been given, each student will break down the text they read for
their group mates. This breakdown will include a brief summary of the events, several
examples of the author’s use of literary devices and figurative language, and how the
author’s voice comes across to the reader.

Closing:

The class will all watch brief clips of each of the author’s speaking, whether it be in
speeches, interviews, ads, etc. As an exit ticket in Pear Deck, students will note the
differences in the author’s language between their written work and their verbal speech.

English Day Three:

Objective:

Students will be able to identify at least five instances of figurative language from
selected texts from an influential American activist that develop the figures’ voice.
Students will be able to write a pastiche that replicates the voice of their selected figure
by using at least three pieces of figurative language the figure used in their own texts.

Hook:
 Students will be shown examples of pastiches in the form of music covers where they
will listen to the original piece then the covered version. As a class, students will
determine how the artists replicate the original artists’ musical style.

Activity:

Students will write a pastiche choosing one of the figures discussed in the previous days
and replicate their voice. Their pastiche should address one of the hot topic issues
discussed in the previous days (or one of their choosing that is approved by the teacher)
and use similar figurative language to invoke the voice of their figure. The pastiche does
not have to follow any specific format of an essay, but must be at least on page, but no
longer than two.

Closing:

Students will share their pastiches with two other students, and they will be required to
identify the figurative language their peers used in their pastiches.

English Day Four:

Objective:

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the speech of an influential

American activist through their written texts and interviews/speeches/etc. Students will
be able to evaluate the potential relationships between American activists by
determining if they would agree with one anothers’ values based on their peers’
analyses.

Hook:

Students will watch a “dating profile” video prepared by the teacher that takes on the
persona of an American historical figure or social activist. The profile addresses the
figure’s accomplishments and influence on American culture as well as their notable
texts they’ve written. Finally, their profile should mention what cultural/social/economic
values they seek in a potential “partner”.

Activity:

Students will use Flipgrid to create a “dating profile” of the figure they chose for their
pastiche. Their profile should mention their figure’s accomplishments and influence on
American culture as well as their notable texts they’ve written. Their profile should
mention what their figure would want future generations to take away from their work.
 Finally, their profile should mention what cultural/social/economic values they seek in a
potential “partner”. Their video should be at least a minute long, but no longer than 3.

Students are expected to have watched interviews,speeches, or any other medium of

the figure speaking verbally. Students should make at least an attempt to replicate the
figure’s voice in their profile.

Closing:

Students will respond to 3 of their peers videos and determine whether their figure would
agree with their peers’ figures or not. They should provide reasoning for their evaluation
by identifying specific points made by their peers and comparing them to their own.
Students are expected to find at least one other activist their figure would agree with and
one other that they would disagree with.

English Day Five:

Objective:

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the speech of an influential

American activist through their written texts and interviews/speeches/etc. Students will
be able to evaluate the potential relationships between American activists by
determining if they would agree with one anothers’ values based on their peers’
analyses.

Activity:

Students will write a 5 paragraph, 2-3 page analysis essay that follows a specific format:

● Paragraph 1: Provide a s ​ ummary ​of your selected figure. This should include 
their notable work and influence, as well as common ​figurative language​ they 
used in their writings. 
● Paragraphs 2-4: Choose ​3 f​ igures that your classmates covered and evaluate 
their potential relationship as writers. Would they agree with each others’ 
social/political views? How do their ​voices ​and writing styles differ? 
● Paragraph 5: Final reflection on how an author’s v ​ oice ​is developed through their 
use of f​ igurative language​.  

 
Appendix

Reflection Rubric:

Exemplary Satisfactory Poor

Content Knowledge Essay displays an Essay displays an Essay does not

(40 points) exemplary adequate level of display an adequate
understanding of their understanding of their level of their own or
own and their peers’ own and their peers’ their peers’ figures
figures and their figures and their and their work.
work. work.

Organizational Essay follows the Essay is mostly Essay does not follow
Structure format provided. follows the format the format provided.
(20 points) provided.

Grammar/ Sentence Essay contains little Essay contains some Essay is riddled with
Fluency to no grammar errors grammar errors and grammar errors and
(10 points) and shows fluent shows somewhat does not show
sentence/paragraph fluent fluency in
structure through sentence/paragraph sentence/paragraph.
transitions. structure.

SS Guided Worksheet:
---MISC---

Texts

SS Set:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1m8VWjCSktLMA4XoGzj-j0x1YRzRgXdKbGOgD18OW
meM/edit?usp=sharing

SS:

Audio of Dr. King speech

https://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/blog-post/5-martin-luther-king-jr%E2%80%99s-most-
memorable-speeches

Seneca falls transcript

https://edu.lva.virginia.gov/docs/SenecaConvention_trans.pdf

Stonewall uprising interviews

https://americanarchive.org/special_collections/stonewall-uprising-interviews

Vietnam protest rhetoric

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkJ2aIRQl-I

Zebra
https://i.imgur.com/U9Vpug0.jpeg

ENG:

Audio of Allen Ginsberg reading Howl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMVGoY9gom50

Students will have their own copy of the poem ​Howl​ and read it silently to themselves,
annotating as they go. Students will be expected to provide one annotation for each stanza,
identifying figurative language and its effectiveness. Then, they will listen to the author himself
read it to them through the video above. After the second reading, students will talk in groups
about their annotations and if there was anything they feel like they understood better after the
second reading. Afterwards we will all come together as a class and share our opinions on the
poem itself and try to unpack it. As an exit ticket, students will provide their opinion on whether
they preferred reading the poem to themselves or having it read to them.

I believe that with poems like this, students will benefit greatly from hearing the author speak it
in their own voice so that they come away with a better understanding of the tone that the
author tried to convey. ​Howl i​ s a personal favorite of mine, and holds a significant place in
American history as it was banned due to censorship laws in the 50s pertaining to the reference
of illicit drugs and sexual practices in the poem. After his publisher tried to import publications
from England, a trial ensued and ultimately the publisher and Ginsberg won, and ​Howl​ was
deemed of "redeeming social importance".

Mark Twain “The Battle Hymn of the Republic​”

http://www.bachlund.org/The_Battle_Hymn_of_the_Republic_Updated.htm

I will begin this lesson by giving a short history lecture on the Spanish-American war and the
impact it had (and still has) on America and the world. Students will listen to the original "Battle
Hymn of the Republic" and sing along to it with the Twain lyrics. Afterwards, students will work
in groups to annotate the piece, highlighting use of figurative language and interpreting difficult
sections of the piece. Afterwards, we'll all come together as a class and use those sections that
were annotated to try to make connection to modern day imperialism in America and around the
world.

"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" takes a well known song in American history and juxtaposes
it with a grim, violent telling of America's imperialism and the effect it had at the time.

Upton Sinclair’s “The Jungle”

https://www.coreknowledge.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/CKHG_G6_U9_Reform-in-Industri
al-America_FE1_TheJungleSinclair.pdf

I will give a brief history lecture on the history of working conditions, child labor laws, and unions
in the United States as background knowledge.

Students will read and annotate excerpts from ​The Jungle​, and will participate in Socratic
Seminars relating to the text. Students will be expected to identify at least three quotes from the
readings and are required to share at least one, or respond to another student's
interpretation/critique/relation to modern day.

The Jungle​ is credited with being the reason for the creation of the Food and Drug
Administration. Though Sinclair wrote ​The Jungle​ with the intention of displaying the horrid
working conditions in food production and for immigrants in general, the grotesque imagery of
those conditions had the public more interested in reformation of the production over the
workers. Sinclair is noted for saying "I aimed at the ​public's​ heart and by accident hit its
stomach.​"

Khaled Hosseni’s The Kite Runner

https://wiztrit.com/excerpt/?e=8l
I will provide a brief lecture on the history of Middle East policy and a breakdown of 

America's current relation with them. 

Students will read ​The Kite Runner a

​ nd throughout the course of the reading students will 

be placed in groups and will present assigned sections of the book together. Students 

presentations will include a summary, notable figurative language used, character analyses, 

a connection to modern day issues (students will be encouraged to look through their 

Current Events notebook for reference). Students will be graded based on a provided 

rubric and how well they satisfy the criteria listed above. 

Marty.