Youngstown City Schools Curriculum Project
ENGLISH / LANGUAGE ARTS - - Grade 8
Unit #5: DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS (5 weeks) 2013-14
SYNOPSIS: In this Unit, students will read about ones dreams and aspirations. As they examine fiction and non-fiction, the
students will explore their own wishes and goals including the steps they need to take. Students will read The Outsiders and
follow the development of the characters through their words and actions. Non-fiction selections include The Seven Habits of
Highly Effective Teens and The Book of Qualities. During the Unit, students will identify central ideas and supporting details;
distinguish between explicit and implicit details; examine text structures, and compare them; evaluate arguments in a text;
conduct short research inquiries; write summaries; engage in collaborative discussions; and examine authors’ techniques of style
and language, including connotative and figurative meanings. By the end of the Unit, students will have completed a small
research paper to prepare for the formal research projects in upcoming Units.
STANDARDS.
RL 8.9 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.
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.
RI 8.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical
meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.
W 8.6
Use technology including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and
ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others.
W 8.7
Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and
generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of explanation.
W 8.8
Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and
accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following
a standard format for citation.
W 8.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
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; recognizing when
irrelevant evidence is Introduced.”)
W 8.10
L 8.5
Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single
sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
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).
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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Materials
FICTION
The Outsiders,
S.E. Hinton
ON-LINE / AUDIO/FILM
www.Instagrok.com
www.Promethean.com
www.powertolearn.com
www.somenovelideas.com/
teaching-theoutsiders.html
SPEECHES
“I Have a Dream,”
Martin Luther King
NON-FICTION
POETRY
“Nothing Gold Can
Stay,” Robert Frost
The Book of Qualities
(pp 12, 37, 43, 59, 61 and 98)
by J. Ruth Gendler
Key Terms
General Vocabulary
betrayal
loyalty
clique
sense of belonging
altruism
Literary Skills
allusions
myths
inference
analyze
explicit detail
implicit detail
figurative language
analogy
theme
Writing Skills
informative/ explanatory research
essay
collaboration
relevant content
format
organization
multimedia
transition words/phrases
cohesion
Speaking /Listening and Language Skills
connotative meaning
denotative meaning
context
command of formal English language
word relationships
clarity
precise language
MOTIVATION
TEACHER NOTES
1. Teacher posts the words, Dreams and Aspirations one the board. Teacher asks students what those 2
words mean to them, leading to a discussion of the similarities and differences in their responses.
[ NOTE: Dreams = bigger picture/wishes. Aspirations = means to get there/practical steps to take.]
2. Teacher provides students with descriptive words/phrases on note cards or post-its and asks them to
place them beneath Dreams or Aspirations. [ examples include but are not limited to wishes, goals,
learn about …, get training in …, get more education in …, shadow …]
3. Teacher introduces The Book of Qualities. Together the teacher and class read a quality using a variety of
reading strategies (read-aloud, teacher-read, group-read, paired-read). Teacher directs students and
models “how-to” to record (a) key vocabulary; and (b) explicit and implicit details, using Attachment #1.
Teacher checks for understanding throughout this chapter. Teacher assigns Qualities to student 2s or 3s .
(RI 8.1 and L 8.5)
4. Students write a brief journal response; e.g., “My dream is ____________,” “I dream to be ________,”
or “My aspirations are to _____________.”
5. Students write one personal goal and one academic goal which will be monitored throughout the unit.
6. Teacher previews the Unit, and focuses on the Performance or Authentic Assessments.
TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES
TEACHER NOTES
[ The Outsiders ]
Note to teachers: Please see Attachment #2 which offers ideas for abridging the text since 2 weeks is
allotted to reading and teaching the novel.
1.
Teacher establishes the context for the novel, The Outsiders (e.g., set in 1960’s Tulsa, Oklahoma;
cliques such as the Greasers and the Soc’s etc. ) (RL 8.9)
[ cont’d ]
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES
TEACHER NOTES
2. Teacher introduces the key concepts and vocabulary (e.g., importance of family, altruism, rebellion,
belonging, loyalty, clique, etc.); students reflect on these ideas re: their own group affiliations. (RI 8.4
and L 8.5), although it refers to non-fiction).
3. Teacher may want to ask some provocative questions like Why would people want to join a gang or not
join a gang? These questions may be asked at the beginning or at intervals during the reading. As “endpoints,” students may change their perceptions about these by the “end” of the book.
a. What is family?
b. How possible is it for judges to be “fair” to teenagers?
c. What makes a young person/teenager a hero?
d. When is it justified to take someone’s life?
e. (Suicide-by-cop) what makes someone desperate enough to take his/her life?
4.
Teacher and students read Chapter 1 of The Outsiders using varied reading strategies (teacher-read,
student read-aloud, group-read or paired-read). Throughout the reading, students should be directed to
note key details and may record them in their journals: (L 8.5)
a.
Main character
c. Plot
e. Notable language/ style/ technique
b.
Setting
d. Author
[ definition from context; figurative ?
connotative?]
5.
Teacher continues to lead students through the reading of the novel by chunks; may have abridged novel
(as per Attachment #2) - - taking the novel in parts and checking for understanding as the reading
progresses. Be sure to include the discussion points in Task #4. This continues until the reading and
discussion have been completed. (RL 8.9)
6.
Teacher may show snippets of the movie, The Outsiders, at intervals. Students may not read every word
in the novel if the teacher follows earlier reading strategies and uses video clips.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: This may be a good opportunity for the teacher - - and perhaps the students - - to
develop 2- and 4-point questions focused on the “chunked reading.” Be sure to use Level II and Level III verbs
building questions beyond the literal meaning of the content (e.g. explain, describe, compare and contrast, etc.).
7.
Teachers model for students how to develop valid 2- and 4-point questions and then how to grade them. In
particular, students will improve answers to make them worth more points.
8.
Teacher revisits vocabulary in context; annotation; and figurative language (Attachment #1) using a
familiar non-fiction piece; students read a sample non-fiction text to practice. Teacher models how to
determine the meaning of words in context etc. (RI 8.4) (L 8.5)
9.
Teacher uses sample non-fiction pieces to review explicit and implicit details. Students practice with the
same piece referenced in the above Task #8. The key here is that students find supporting explicit and
implicit details in the text. (RI 8.1)
[ The Lead-Up Research Exercise ]
[ TEACHER: prepare to MODEL each step in the following process, in case students have forgotten or
misunderstood prior experiences with the research process. For samples and guidelines, check
FOLIOs attached to Curriculum Map ] Completion format is Attachment #3 ]
10. Each student selects a topic to “research” on the Internet (e.g., a popular hero; an MTV performer; an actor
or actress; a sports figure; etc.); investigate his or her life story to discover the dreams and aspirations he
or she had and what paths he or she took to pursue them. [ NOTE: teacher should narrow the search
engines to avoid invalid sites; e.g., begin with Infohio. ]
[ cont’d ]
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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TEACHING-LEARNING ACTIVITIES
TEACHER NOTES
11. Teacher shows students how to select appropriate sites, then remove less promising ones. Teacher
models how to take notes and record bibliographical info. Teacher monitors as students narrow their sites
and take basic notes - - taking care not to plagiarize. [ Variation: may assign 2 or 3 students to the same
person - - but each working on his/her own - - to facilitate the comparison process. ] (W 8.6 and W 8.8)
The key is that EACH student learn to perform these steps independently.
12. Each student identifies a research question (e.g., “why did X not achieve her dream?” or “who helped X
recover his dream?”) and two or three related questions that stemmed from the original. (W 8.7)
13. As students review their notes, they and prepare 5-10 bullet points about the person, indicating which site
said which thing and making comparisons and contrasts. If more than one student researched a person,
they compare and contrast their findings. (W 8.6 and W 8.8)
14. From the bullet points, each student generates reflective comments about the person - - his or her dreams
and aspirations; how they might compare with the student’s own, what suggestions the student would
have given the person, etc. (W 8.9 a or b)
[ “I Have a Dream” ] - - Attachment #4
15. Teacher asks how many students have actually read Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Teacher
previews a bit about the speech, then divides students into 2s or 3s to work together as they read the
speech. The Teacher asks students to skim the speech, looking for the use of allusion. Before they read,
the teacher and students discuss the allusions they found and tie them to the theme of dreams and
aspirations. (RI 8.1; RI 8.4; and L 8.4)
16. The teacher reads the first part aloud, asks students to read important lines in unison. Teacher may ask
each group to read a few lines. After each segment, teacher asks comprehension questions re:
a. Dr. King’s explicit points and implicit points (supported by text detail) (RI 8.1)
b. key vocabulary and language, including their meaning, connotations, and any figurative use they
may have (RI 8.5 and L 8.4)
TRADITIONAL ASSESSMENT
TEACHER NOTES
Unit Test
Teacher-developed content tests or quizzes
Projects
Journals
AUTHENTIC OR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
TEACHER NOTES
[ SEE ATTACHED ] To save copying, teacher may wish to post the texts on Smartboard or LCD;
students answer on notebook paper.
1.
Analyze a passage from a NEW (not read during the Unit) FICTION dealing with the dreams and
aspirations; from that analysis, the student will - - [ on a response form provided ]
a. Explain how the author draws on themes, patterns of events or character types from myths,
traditional stories or religious works and renders it new. (RL 8.9) (W 8.9a)
b. demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships and nuances in word
meanings. (L 8.5)
2.
Analyze a passage from a new NON-FICTION text (not read during the Unit) dealing with dreams and
aspirations; from that analysis, students will - [ cont’d ]
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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AUTHENTIC OR PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT
TEACHER NOTES
a. Identify three explicit details and three implicit details, the latter supported by words from the text.
(RI 8.1) (W8.9b)
b. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,
connotative and technical meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning,
tone, analogies or allusions to other texts. (RI 8.4) (L 8.5)
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT
PROMPTS
1. Please read “The Hidden Lining.” Then complete the following:
a.
Explain how the author draws on themes, patterns of events or character types from myths,
traditional stories or religious works and presents it in a new way. (RL 8.9) (W 8.9a)
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
b.
Interpret the figurative language (in boxed text), and explain the word relationships and nuances
in word meanings (in underscored text). . (L 8.5)
[1] ______________________________________________________________________________
[2] ______________________________________________________________________________
[3] ______________________________________________________________________________
[4] ______________________________________________________________________________
[5] ______________________________________________________________________________
[6] ______________________________________________________________________________
[7] ______________________________________________________________________________
[8] ______________________________________________________________________________
[9] ______________________________________________________________________________
[ cont’d ]
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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[10] ______________________________________________________________________________
[11] ______________________________________________________________________________
[12] ______________________________________________________________________________
2. Analyze the excerpt “From Homeless to Harvard.” Then respond to the following prompts.
a. Identify three explicit details and three implicit details, the latter supported by words from the text. (RI 8.1) (W8.9b)
(1) Explicit Detail _____________________________________________________________________
(2) Explicit Detail _____________________________________________________________________
(3) Explicit Detail _____________________________________________________________________
(4) Implicit Detail #1
______________________________________________________________________________
Wording from the text to support
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(5) Implicit Detail #2
______________________________________________________________________________
Wording from the text to support
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
(5) Implicit Detail #1
______________________________________________________________________________
Wording from the text to support
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
[ cont’d ]
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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b. Determine the meaning of words and phrases (bold) as they are used in the text, including figurative, connotative
and technical meanings (RI 8.4) (L 8.5)
word
unbelievable
meaning from context
technical definition ?
figurative ?
connotative ?
resolve
autistic
internships
benefactors
deprived
extraordinary
c. analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning, tone, analogies or allusions to other texts.
__________________________________________________________________________________
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YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT
TEXTS
Fiction
adapted from “The Hidden Lining”
By Elaine Chiew
Carla's pocket has sprung a hole. Her car keys and loose change rattle around in
the hem of her coat. Shoppers stare as she flips the coat up waist -high to burrow
her fist deep inside the silk linin g, chasing elusive objects. Her daughter, Becca,
stares in [1] fascination.
Four years old, she has rosy cheeks [2] like a Cupid ,
and her new bow-and-arrow is her passion for holes, crannies, basements and
otherwise secret compartments. The pair of shoes Carla's spent all afternoon
searching for dangle from Becca’s limp wrist.
Carla locates the car keys, but not the loose change. The mall parking lot is full
of milling pedestrians. A reeking Santa rings a bell as an elf holds out a tin -can
for charity. Carla walks past, [3]apologetic. Muddy snow lies in puffed tracks. The
wind snaps.
At the car, Carla takes off her coat. Becca is about to get in, and the car door
slams shut. For a second, maybe two, Carla can't see her. She looks up and down
the car length. She can't see Becca's mousy, red -ribboned, pigtails. “Becca?” Carla
glances up the row of cars, she scans around. Her eyes pick out a flapping coat
here, a tweed sleeve there, a jaunty hat, a rainbow -colored scarf. “Honey, this is
no time to play.” Carla [4] circles her car. On a whim, she looks underneath, but
sees only oil-stains. "Where are you honey-pie? Becca!” BECCA!
Her eyes are faster than her legs. [5] They are hounds , racing up and down the
aisles of cars, fastened at waist -length, looking for flying pigtails, a pink gingham checked skirt, a lime-sherbet scarf. An old lady in a peacoat accosts her, "Lost
something?" Carla can’t decide if she’s a fairy godmother or the wicked witch in
the Wizard of Oz. l
"Have you seen a little girl with pigtai ls, about ye high?" Carla is frantic now.
Soon, two or three shoppers are helping her, squelching among the tufted,[6] dirty
cotton balls of snowtracks , zigzagging among cars, yelling for Becca. Carla has a
fleeting, sickening image of Joseph and Mary as th ey searched for 12-year old
Jesus.
Did she leave Becca at the shops? Carla begins to doubt the [7] certainties of her
mind. [8] Real and unreal wink at her and trade places through the thin
membrane of her consciousness. How flimsy reality is. Carla das hes back inside the
mall, [9] revisiting all the shoe shops. Becca’s little voice echoes in her mind -shrill and proud, “I am magic, Mama. I can [10] shrink to the size of a pea .”
[ cont’d ]
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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No one has seen Becca. The shop attendants don't even re member her.
There's a banging in Carla’s ears. Her ribs hurt, her eyes sting. [11] Her
world unzips . Back at the car, the old lady in the peacoat -- the witch or
the godmother--admonishes her, "You should have watched her more
[12] closely!"
The wind has picked up now, and the late afternoon gray is shrouded by
cold. The old lady goes away. The others wish Carla luck and offer to call
the police. Carla sobs openly.
Just then, the car handle jiggles. Carla gasps; she sees the edges of coat,
the bag of shoes lying on the car-seat, flapping from the wind through the
open car door. Becca stands there, pigtails mussed, a pleased grin on her
face. "I went diving," she whispers.
Becca holds out her hands. Lying in her palms are shiny pennies, dimes,
and quarters.
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Non-Fiction
From Homeless to Harvard
An Inspirational Story of Liz Murray
Liz Murray was born to poor, drug-addicted parents in the Bronx New York in 1980. She just
turned 15 when she became homeless after her mother died of AIDS and her father moved to a
homeless shelter. She met unbelievable circumstances but was determined to “make it.” Liz
Murray believed that if she survived the challenges she was facing every day, she could take on
another one - - her dream to attend Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. She planned to
make her dream her reality.
Liz enrolled in the Humanities Preparatory Academy in Manhattan, New York where she completed
all of the high school requirements in two years. The school recognized her natural talents as well
as her resolve to excel at everything she did. This was not an easy task since she also worked a
full time job helping to support herself and her sister, Lisa, who was already in college. Because of
Liz’s financial help, Lisa was able to graduate from Purchase College in New York City. Following
her college graduation, Lisa became a teacher at an autistic school for children.
Now that she was earning a teacher’s salary, Lisa was able to help Liz so that she did not have to
work full time. Liz had more time to pursue her high school studies and take advantage of many
learning experiences and internships outside of the regular school day. With the support of her
teachers and some of the school’s benefactors, Liz was gathering quite a following of supporters.
It was during this time that the newspaper, the New York Times, heard of her story and followed
her progress through high school.
Following her graduation from the Humanities Prep Academy, Liz Murray was awarded the New
York Times scholarship for deprived students and was accepted into Harvard University. Her
father died of AIDS while she was a student at Harvard, but she continued on to graduate in 2009.
That very summer she began post-graduate work in clinical psychology. Another goal she set for
herself was to eventually open a practice where she could work with people from all walks of life,
where she could empower people to create extraordinary things in their lives.
Today, Liz Murray is the founder and director of Manifest Living, a company that provides
workshops and week-end courses dedicated to making people turn their dreams and aspirations
into reality.
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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Attachment #1
NON-FICTION and FICTION READING NOTES
Key Vocabulary, Figurative / Connotative Meanings, and Explicit and Implicit Details
( RL 8.1 and RI 8.1; RL 8.4 and RI 8.4)
Text Title _______________________________ Chap or pp. _________ Date __________
Author ____________________________ Class Period _______ Student’s Initials ______
Explicit Details
example:
Implicit Details . . . . . and Text Support
[ from “The Hangman” - - Unit 4 ]
the hangman succeeded only
because the townspeople did
nothing to stop him
the townspeople watched the hangings
For who has served me more faithfully . .
Than you with your coward's hope?" said
he. "First the alien, then the Jew … I did
no more than you let me do."
Language
word / phrase
e.g., the monster cross-beam
looking down, cast its shadow
across the town
meaning in context
Figurative ?
Connotative ?
the gallows was shaped like a man with
outstretched arms and became a
monster to devour the town
the gallows were given
human qualities
negative, scary, about
to taker over
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Objective Summary
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Attachment #2
EdFOCUS Initiative
IDEAS FOR ABRIDGING TEXT
In reality, many, many students will not take the time - - or are unable, or often both - - to read a text in
its entirety. But most will cooperate enough to read parts of a text, or abridgments. Experience has
shown two levels of benefit.
In the immediate, it exposes students to timely and important literature and creates a common base of
experience and information for the entire class - - importantly including Special Needs students.
Farther-reaching (but many teachers tell us sometime sooner than later) is the effect that students are
motivated by the abridgment to read the entire piece on their own. - - and that helps to assuage our
guilt in committing such a sacrilege against the piece.
STEP 1
Read the piece.
But have with you - a. a pad and pen (laptop, I-pad, or other note-taking device)
b. four colors of sticky-notes
(1) unless you are fortunate enough to have working paper copy - - in which case, use four colors
of marker
(2) unless you are fortunate enough to have the text as a work document - - in which case, make
2 copies; you’ll probably change your mind at least once; use four colors of highlighting
(a) yellow = anchor text (aka “must read;” these passages are the heart and soul of the piece, and they
MUST be read and understood); typically highlighting important details of SCAMP
1. [S] setting
2. [C] characterization
3. [AM] author’s message or controlling idea
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4. [P] plot development
(b) green = CLEAR examples of author’s style or technique (e.g., flashback; foreshadowing; parallel plots;
everything in 3s; asides; rhetorical devices such as irony, repeated images of color or texture, etc.)
(c)
pink = SIGNIFICANT, turn-key vocabulary and language (not just gotcha words or phrases but those that
are essential to fully-grasping the message or so remarkable that they need to be savored)
(d)
blue = the author’s message or controlling idea(s)
Attachment #2, page 2
STEP 2
Step back to admire your work.
Typically, you’ve marked WAY more than you’ll really need. But maybe not. Apply the Goldilocks
principal:
a. not too much - - or they may as well read the whole thing
b. not too little - - or they’ll miss why you selected it in the first place
c. just right ! - - enough so they’ll get the idea, master the standards you’re addressing, and
want to go back to read the entire thing on their own.
A few LOOSE rules of thumb for selecting text
you want students to read
1. The first big chunk that sets the stage - - offers the first glimpse of SCAMP (may NOT be
the very first pages, but students need a sense of this before moving forward.
2. A chunk that has a major shift or turn-key event in the plot
3. A chunk that has a major shift in characterization
4. A chunk that has a major shift in setting
5. A chunk that has a major reflection of the author’s message
6. Sections of text with particularly remarkable language (dramatic, interesting, vivid, or
figurative).
The remaining text - - the text you’ve not chosen - - you will summarize or paraphrase for
students. You’ll be sort of “filling students in” between the big chunks.
STEP 3
Devise the plan of attack with students
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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1. Introduce students to the author’s (poet’s, playwright’s) background and motivation for
writing the piece.
2. Preview of the text:
a. Vocabulary? ONLY if there are terms or phrases essential to the author’s message,
list them on a wall chart. Find out if students already know any of the terms. Record
at least a place-holder definition - - just to get students underway.
b. Concepts or Ideas? ONLY if they are so complicated and unfamiliar that the students
cannot navigate the text without them.
Attachment #2, page 3
3. Employ a variety of reading strategies and student response techniques; mix and match
from the following:
Reading
(a) Teacher read-aloud
(b) Student silent reading
(c) Student partner-read
(d) Student read-aloud (voluntary)
Students Processing What They Read
(a) write bullet points
(b) write questions
(c) make drawings
(d) turn to an elbow partner and paraphrase or summarize
4.
Tackle Chunk 1
- - using a variety of reading strategies
- - with students processing the information in various ways
5.
Tackle Chunk 2
Etc.
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Attachment #3
GRADE 8 LEAD-UP RESEARCH PROJECT
Student ______________________________________ PERSON INVESTIGATING ____________________________
School _____________________ Teacher _________________ Class Period _________ Date ________________
1. VETTED [ approved by teacher ] SEARCH ENGINES (e.g., Infohio)
( W 8.6 )
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. SOURCES / SITES SELECTED
( W 8.6 )
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. RESEARCH QUESTION ( W 8.7; W 8.8; W 8.9 )
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
4.
OTHER QUESTIONS STEMMING FROM MAIN RESEARCH QUESTIONS
( W 8.7; W 8.8; W 8.9 )
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
YCS Grade 8 English / Language Arts: Unit 5 - - Dreams and Aspirations 2013-14
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Attachment #3, p. 2
5. 5- 10 BULLET POINTS ABOUT THE PERSON’S DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS
( W 8.8; W 8.9; W 8.10 )
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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6. STUDENT’S OWN REFLECTIVE, ANALYTICAL COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PERSON ( W 8.9 )
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Attachment #4
“I Have a Dream”
A Speech Delivered by the late Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration
for freedom in the history of our nation.
Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the
Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to
millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a
joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.
But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the
Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One
hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of
material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of
American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to
dramatize a shameful condition.
In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our
republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence,
they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a
promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable
rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of
color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro
people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to
believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds
in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check - a check
that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also
come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to
engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time
to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate
valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the
quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a
reality for all of God's children.
It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer
of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom
and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro
needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation
returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is
granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of
our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.
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Attachment #4, p. 2
But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which
leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty
of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of
bitterness and hatred.
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not
allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to
the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy
which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for
many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that
their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is
inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.
As we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.
There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can
never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.
We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain
lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long
as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied
as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating
"For Whites Only". We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a
Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and
we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of
you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest
for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police
brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that
unearned suffering is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go
back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that
somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I
still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of
former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of
injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and
justice.
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Attachment #4, p. 3
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having
his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama,
little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as
sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made
low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the
glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able
to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to
transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this
faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail
together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My
country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the
pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the
prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.
Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom
ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village
and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all
of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be
able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last!
thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"
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