Is Academia Worth It?
Examining the Past to See How the
Present Affects the Future
~~Ainslya Charlton and Carly Napier~~
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Unit Significance
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Unit Significance
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Unit Significance
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Objectives
In an 8th grade Hartford public school English classroom, we will
facilitate a weeklong examination of the role academia in “success.”
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Students will identify what their view of “success” is and
discuss how their environment shaped these views.
Students will compare and contrast statistics, including high
school graduation and college enrollment rates, which represent
the different socioeconomic groups in the educational system.
Students will then identify and outline the qualifications
necessary for their desired occupations.
Students will relate the experiences of Ben Carson and Sonya
Sotomayor to their own lives.
Students will evaluate the importance of their education after
synthesizing all of the information presented in the unit.
DAY 1
DAY 2
DAY 3
1. (15 minutes)
1. (25 minutes)
1. (10 minutes)
Individually
Students will
Class analyses
written
individually
excerpts from
paragraphs,
research the
Ben Carson’s
explaining their
requirements
Gifted Hands,
views on
for their
an introduction
success.
desired
into his
2. (15 minutes)
occupations.
background
Groups of 3-4
2. (10 minutes)
and
to create
Class discussion
achievements.
“Success” tree
about the
2. (25 minutes)
diagram
requirements
Class selects
3. (15 minutes)
of the most
and performs a
Class discussion
popular
scene for
about the
careers.
Gifted Hands.
environment
3. (10 minutes)
3. (10 minutes)
and views on
Class analyses
Individuals
success
data regarding
share their
Homework:
academic
thoughts and
Write about your
achievement in
feelings about
career aspirations
relation to
the scene, and
and your plan to
socioeconomic
Carson’s story
achieve them.
status.
as a whole.
DAY 4
DAY 5
1. (15 minutes)
1. (13 minutes)
Watch “The
Dyad
Most
discussions,
Electrifying
using the two
Moment in
stories, of likely
Justice Sonia
obstacles in
Sotomayor's
achieving their
Life” and
goals and ways
outline the
to overcome
Justice’s
them.
background
2. (12 minutes)
and
Students
achievements,
individually
using her book.
outline the
2. (25 minutes)
steps necessary
Groups of 4,
to achieve their
discussing the
goals. Willing
challenges she
students share.
overcame to
3. (10 minutes)
achieve success
Class discussion
and most
-Is academia
surprising parts
worth the
of her story.
effort?
Dreams to Reality
Academia from Inner Cities to Success
Why Ben Carson?
Background
Achievements
 Raised in low income Detroit neighborhood
by an overworked single mom with a third
grade education.
 He was teased by his classmates for
receiving the worst grades in the class and
was written off as a troubled student.
 His passion for knowledge developed with
the direction of his mother and reading,
astonishing those who once doubted his
capacity to learn.
 Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Yale
University
 Studied neurosurgery and took over as Johns
Hopkins’ Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery
at 33
 Highly regarded for separating Siamese and
radical hemispherectomies
 Inducted into the Academy of Achievement
 Received Presidential Medal of Freedom
Dreams to Reality
Academia from Inner Cities to Success
Why Sonia Sotomayor?
Background
 Raised in a housing project in the South
Bronx by a single mom after the death of
her father. Both of her parents were Puerto
Rican immigrants.
 Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 8
 Inspired to become a judge after watching a
fictional television show based on
courtroom proceedings.
Achievements
 Bachelor’s degree in from Princeton
University and graduated from Yale Law
School
 Ruled in Federal District Court and US
Court of Appeals by George W. Bush and
Bill Clinton respectively.
 She was appointed by Barack Obama and
confirmed by the US Congress to become
the First Hispanic Supreme Court Justice
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Evaluations
Using two methods, we will assess students’ learning and determine
whether our objectives were meet at the conclusion of the unit.
1. Students will use the last 10 minutes of day 5 to evaluate their group
members on their engagement and participation during discussions
using a questionnaire provided by the teacher.
2. Written Homework Assignment
Prompt:
Write a one to two page reflection on this week’s unit. Discuss your view of
“success” at the beginning of this unit. What shaped these views? Did your views
change over the course of this week? Were there specific parts of the unit or ideas
that were shared that made you think about your future in a new way? Did you set
new goals as result of what we learned? How do you feel about your ability to meet
those goals? Will this have an affect on the way you approach your academic
career?
Works Cited
ALAS! “The Sky is Falling on Black Men? Pt. Drop Out Rates and Graduation Rates.
June 4th, 2006.
http://www.amptoons.com/blog/2006/06/04/the-sky-is-falling-on-black-men-pt1drop-out-rates-and-graduation-rates/
Churchill, Steven. Learn Higher Paying Skills. “Is College Worth Your Time and Money?” November 2010.
http://higherpayingskills.com/2011/12/college-worth-time-money/
Connecticut State Department of Education. “Nearly 1 in 5 Connecticut does not
complete high school in 4 years.” December 29th, 2011.
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/pressroom/2011_graduation_rates.pdf
Fitzgerald, Jay. Boston Globe. “College degree is costly, but it pays off over time.”
October 7th, 2012.
Weber, Katherine. The Christian Post. “Ben Carson Maintains Stance on Gay Marriage,
but Apologizes for Previous Comments.” April 8th, 2013.
http://www.christianpost.com/news/ben-carson-maintains-stance-on-gay-marriage-but-apologizes-forprevious-comments-93494/
Youtube. “Exclusive: Justice Sonya Sotomayor.” March 24th, 2013.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqEHV_ciVY4