GALLERY

WALK – SET UP
10-12 quotations from the reading typed in large
font and placed on individual slips of paper
Sample Quotes

Markers

Poster paper

Tape

Sticky Notes

“If he is really cunning, really ruthless, really
strong – and many of us are – he becomes a kind
of criminal. He becomes a kind of criminal
because that’s the only way he can live” (4).

“It was a deliberate policy hammered into place in
or4der to make money from black flesh. And now,
in 1963, because we have never faced this fact,
we are in intolerable trouble” (5).

“But the point here is that people who ask that
question, thinking that they ask it in good faith, are
really the victims of this conspiracy to make
Negroes believe they are less than human” (5).
1
LESSON PLAN: GALLERY WALK
LAND/ENGLISH102
Adapted from the Reading Apprenticeship training with Cindy Hicks. I use this in weeks 4-8 of
English 102 to both reinforce blending quotations into one’s writing and as a way to process
challenging readings. The quick write does not need to be part of this activity.
1.
Ask students to write for 5 minutes about the quotation. What does Baldwin mean? Why does
it matter? Why is it significant?
2.
Have students share the quick write with pairs. Ask for volunteers to share to whole class.
3.
Discuss significance as the “bottom bun” or “e” in the PIE paragraph. Then, reinforce
contextualizing quotations first with a voice marker (Baldwin claims) and some background
from the reading – show model.
4.
Pass out slips of papers to each group. Explain the gallery walk poster design process (see
next slide). Give groups 20 minutes to create poster.
5.
Tape up posters. Then, ask students to add significance or comments (using sticky notes) to
the other posters as they go on a walk through the “gallery”. During the gallery walk, students
should think about the overall argument Baldwin is making in this text. What is his message to
teachers who are his primary audience?
6.
Debrief as a class. What are Baldwin’s central arguments? What does he want teachers to
think about as they educate students of color, particularly Black children? Is his message
relevant today or is it outdated?
2
QUICK WRITE
WHAT IS BALDWIN SAYING? WHY IS IT SIGNIFICANT?

After describing how much
discrimination a young Black
child experiences, James
Baldwin claims that, “It is
your responsibility to
change society if you think
of yourself as an educated
person” (73).
*Top bun with context & voice marker is in orange
**Quotation in black.
3
TOP BUN CONTEXT & VOICE MARKER
While Baldwin asserts that education
teaches a person to “examine the
society in which he is being educated”
(67), he also understands that no one
“is really eager to have that kind of
person around” (67).
Blending quotations
4
DISCUSSION & POSTER PREP
Talk & Read (12 min)
1.
Discuss the quotation on your assigned slip of paper. What do you
think it means?
2.
Find the quotation in the reading. Then, read the paragraph that came
before and after the line in order to give it some context. Discuss what
else you understand now about Baldwin’s argument based on this new
information.
Design Poster (15 min)
3.
Create a top bun with a voice marker & some context for the quote.
Then, tape the quotation to the poster board.
4.
Underneath the quote write down 3 bullet points that explain the
significance of the quote.
5
GALLERY WALK

Walk around and look at the
posters your classmates
created.

Add your own comments to 2,
using sticky notes.

Notice the themes/issues that
arise in each poster. How do
these themes contribute to the
overall message Baldwin wants
to communicate to teachers?
What are his main arguments?
6
WHOLE CLASS DEBRIEF

What are Baldwin’s central
arguments? What does he
want teachers to think about
as they educate students of
color, particularly Black
children?

Is his message relevant today
or is it outdated?
7