Compare and Contrast Authors’ Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson | EL Education Curriculum

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ELA 2019 G6:M4:U2:L10

Compare and Contrast Authors’ Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson

In this Lesson

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Focus Standards: These are the standards the instruction addresses.

  • RI.6.1, RI.6.3, RI.6.6, RI.6.9, W.6.1, W.6.9b

Supporting Standards: These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

  • RI.6.10, W.6.10, SL.6.1
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Daily Learning Targets

  • I can gather evidence and develop reasoning for an argument essay about Mary Jackson's remarkable accomplishments. (W.6.1)
  • I can compare and contrast two authors' presentations of events in Mary Jackson's life in terms of content, author methods, and point of view. (RI.6.9)

Ongoing Assessment

  • Opening A: Collaborative Argument Evidence note-catcher (RI.6.1, RI.6.3, W.6.1, W.6.9b, W.6.10)
  • Work Times A, B: Compare and Contrast Authors' Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson note-catcher (RI.6.1, RI.6.3, RI.6.6, RI.6.9, RI.6.10, W.6.10)

Agenda

AgendaTeaching Notes

1. Opening

A. Engage the Learner - W.6.1 (5 minutes)

2. Work Time

A. Compare and Contrast Content and Authors' Methods - RI.6.3, RI.6.9 (20 minutes)

B. Compare and Contrast Authors' Points of View - RI.6.6, RI.6.9 (15 minutes)

3. Closing and Assessment

A. Remarkable Accomplishments: Mary Jackson (5 minutes)

4. Homework

A. Preread Anchor Text: Students preread chapter 12 in Hidden Figures in preparation for studying this chapter in the next lesson.

Alignment to Assessment Standards and Purpose of Lesson

  • RI.6.1 – Opening A: Students use evidence from the text to support their analysis of the text on their Collaborative Argument Evidence note-catchers.
  • W.6.1 – Opening A: Students add to their note-catchers with relevant evidence and clear reasons that support claims that they will elaborate on in a later argument essay.
  • W.6.9b – Opening A: Students gather relevant evidence from the anchor text and add it to their note-catchers to support their claims.
  • RI.6.1 – Work Time A: Students read two texts, an excerpt from Hidden Figures and a new informational text called “Mary Winston Jackson.” They use textual evidence to support their analysis of the texts.
  • RI.6.3 – Work Time A: Students examine the ways in which the authors use techniques to present and elaborate on events in the texts.
  • RI.6.9 – Work Time A: Students use their Compare and Contrast Authors’ Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson note-catchersF to compare and contrast the content and authors’ methods in the two texts.
  • RI.6.1 – Work Time B: Students use textual evidence to support their analysis of the authors’ points of view in the two texts.
  • RI.6.6 – Work Time B: Students determine the authors’ points of view toward Mary and events in the texts.
  • RI.6.9 – Work Time B: Students use their Compare and Contrast Authors’ Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson note-catchers to compare and contrast the authors’ points of view in the two texts.

Opportunities to Extend Learning

  • Due to time limitations, chapter 19 is not read in class. If time allows, invite students to read an excerpt of the chapter, starting at the heading “Possibilities for Women” on page 158, and continuing to the end of the chapter on page 159. Students can address the following QuickWrite prompt after reading the excerpt: what habits of character does Mary Jackson demonstrate in this excerpt? Be specific, and give examples. (Responses will vary, but may include initiative; respect; used her strengths to help others grow.)
  • Alternatively, challenge students to read chapter 19 in its entirety, which describes Mary Jackson’s son Levi winning the All-American Soap Box Derby: an event that black boys often did not apply for due to commonplace social discrimination. Students can do additional RI.6.3 work with this chapter, analyzing in detail how a key individual, Mary Jackson, is illustrated and elaborated upon in a text.
  • An optional Mini Language Dive, intended for use after students read “Mary Winston Jackson” in Work Time A, is available in the Teacher’s Guide for English Language Learners. ▲

How It Builds on Previous Work

  • In the previous lesson, students were introduced to a new hidden figure: Mary Jackson. They participated in a jigsaw to learn more about Mary and her accomplishments. In this lesson, students meet with their jigsaw home groups to share the information gathered on their Collaborative Argument Evidence note-catcher in the previous lesson. They continue to learn about Mary by reading two texts that describe the same event in Mary’s life. They compare and contrast the two authors’ presentations of this event, building upon RI.6.9 work from Lesson 8.

Support All Students

  • Note that there is a differentiated version of Text: “Mary Winston Jackson,” from Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics by Talithia Williams used in Work Times A and B in the separate Teacher's Guide for English Language Learners.

Assessment Guidance

  • Review students’ entries on their Collaborative Argument Evidence note-catcher to ensure that recorded textual evidence is appropriate, relevant, and comprehensive.

Down the Road

  • In the next lesson, students “uncover” a new hidden figure: Katherine Johnson. They read a new chapter that introduces Katherine, and they participate in a Language Dive to discuss the way in which Margot Lee Shetterly characterizes Katherine in chapter 12 of the text.

In Advance

  • Preread the excerpt from chapter 11 to identify potentially challenging vocabulary or sensitive details.
  • Display the jigsaw groups and each group's reading assignments on chart paper or an external computer monitor for easy reference.
  • Read "Mary Winston Jackson" in advance to identify plot points and vocabulary that may require clarification or sensitivity.
  • Prepare copies of handouts for students (see Materials list).
  • Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

  • N/A

Supporting English Language Learners

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 6.I.A.1, 6.I.B.6, 6.I.B.7, 6.I.B.8, 6.II.A.1, and 6.I.C.6.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

  • To support ELLs, this lesson continues to build upon students’ abilities to compare and contrast two authors’ presentations of events across two texts. As in Lesson 8, students read two texts that describe similar events—in this lesson, the two texts are about Mary Jackson—and they analyze differences and similarities in content and authors’ methods. As an added challenge, students also compare and contrast both authors’ points of view toward events in their texts. Reusing similar tasks, with gradually released scaffolds, is highly supportive of ELLs because it improves confidence, clarifies expectations, and recognizes learning as incremental and cumulative.
  • ELLs may find it challenging to consider similarities and differences in three categories—content, author’s methods, and point of view—rather than just two. Since all three categories will be on the end of unit assessment of Lesson 16, it is important that students have practice identifying and describing similarities and differences in these categories in a reasonable amount of time. Note that the two texts used in this lesson’s compare and contrast activity are both shorter than those that were used in Lesson 8, reducing cognitive overload. Also, if ELLs were assigned to jigsaw group A in the previous lesson (as is suggested in the lesson body and in Lesson 9 of this Guide), the first text they read in this lesson will be familiar to them, as it is an excerpt from chapter 11, which group A read in its entirely in Lesson 9.

Vocabulary

  • N/A

Materials from Previous Lessons

Teacher

Student

  • Collaborative Argument Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Opening A)
  • Text Guide: Hidden Figures (Young Readers' Edition) (for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Work Time A)
  • Author's Methods anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Module 3, Unit 2, Lesson 8, Work Time B)
  • Author's Methods anchor chart (one for display; Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 2, Work Time B)
  • Remarkable Accomplishments anchor chart (example for teacher reference) (from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Remarkable Accomplishments anchor chart (one for display; from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
  • Collaborative Argument Evidence note-catcher (one per student; from Module 4, Unit 2, Lesson 9, Opening A)
  • Hidden Figures (Young Readers' Edition) (text; one per student; from Module 4, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Opening A)

New Materials

Teacher

Student

  • Compare and Contrast Authors' Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson note-catcher (example for teacher reference)
  • Scrap paper (one piece per student)
  • Text: “Mary Winston Jackson” (one per student)
  • Text: “Mary Winston Jackson” ▲
  • Compare and Contrast Authors’ Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson note-catcher (one per student and one for display)

Assessment

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

Opening

Opening

A. Engage the Learner - W.6.1 (5 minutes)

  • Review the learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

"I can gather evidence and develop reasoning for an argument essay about Mary Jackson's remarkable accomplishments."

  • Remind students that, in the previous lesson, they worked in their jigsaw expert groups (AAAA or BBBB) to read chapters about Mary Jackson from their anchor texts.
  • Direct students to move to their home-group pairs (AB) to share the information they gathered during the jigsaw and add at least one more example to the Collaborative Argument Evidence note-catcher. Refer to the Collaborative Argument Evidence note-catcher (example for teacher reference) for guidance.
  • Invite students to focus on the habit of character empathy during this lesson. Remind students that we are showing empathy when we try to understand how other people, like Mary Jackson, might feel.
  • Repeated routine: Follow the same routine as in previous lessons to review learning targets and the purpose of the lesson.

Work Time

Work TimeLevels of Support

A. Compare and Contrast Content and Author Methods – RI.6.3, RI.6.9 (20 minutes)

  • Review the learning target relevant to the work to be completed in this section of the lesson:

“I can compare and contrast two authors’ presentations of events in Mary Jackson’s life in terms of content, author methods, and point of view.”

  • Explain that, as in Lesson 8, students will analyze two texts that describe similar events and compare and contrast the authors’ presentations of those events. Previously, they focused only on content and author methods. In this lesson, they will read two texts about Mary Jackson and compare and contrast three ways that authors’ presentation of events may differ or overlap. During Work Time A, they focus on content and author methods. During Work Time B, they will analyze point of view.
  • The first text is a short passage from chapter 11. Note that students in Group A will have already read this passage during the Jigsaw protocol of the previous lesson. As needed, remind all students of the value of rereading passages for multiple purposes.
  • Students can follow along as pages 86 (starting at “Since Mary’s office . . .”) to 87 (end at “. . . second-class human being”) in Hidden Figures is read aloud. Refer to the Text Guide: Hidden Figures (for teacher reference) for guidance.
  • Distribute a piece of scrap paper for notes to each student. Invite students to take notes on the key content details and author methods from the Hidden Figures excerpt. Remind students to use the Author’s Methods anchor chart as needed.
  • Read the excerpt aloud. Allow students to briefly compare notes with a partner.
  • Help students process the content of this text and practice demonstrating empathy. Invite them to reflect on the excerpt, using the questions below.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

“What does Mary experience in this excerpt?” (Mary Jackson was looking for a restroom. Black and white people had to use different restrooms at that time. Mary asked her white coworkers where the restroom was, and they laughed at her.)

“How do you think Mary felt in this moment?” (Responses will vary, but may include: Mary probably felt furious and upset; she probably felt like it was cruel and unfair that she had to use a different restroom; she probably felt hurt.)

  • Tell students that they are now going to read an excerpt of a supplemental text about Mary Jackson from a book called Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics by Talithia Williams. Explain that this text describes the same event, though the text may include other information as well. It may also describe the event using different methods, or it may present a different point of view. It is the students’ responsibility to identify what is the same and what is different about the two authors’ presentations of Mary and of the incident surrounding the whites-only bathroom.
  • Distribute Text: “Mary Winston Jackson” or Text: “Mary Winston Jackson” ▲, and refresh scrap paper as needed. Slowly read the text aloud. Tell students that, just as with the Hidden Figures excerpt, students will take notes about key details and information as they hear the new text read aloud. Slowly read aloud “Mary Winston Jackson” as students note important content information and the author’s methods on their pieces of scrap paper.
  • Distribute and display the Compare and Contrast Authors’ Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson note-catcher. Point out that the note-catcher has three tables: Content, Authors’ Methods, and Points of View.
  • In pairs or triads, students will work to complete the first two tables of their note-catchers. They can skim and/or reread both texts to locate other similarities and differences in content and authors’ methods and add these to the appropriate sections of the note-catcher. Remind students that it is possible, if two texts are written in very similar ways, for the differences sections of one or both texts to be empty. Students should not begin the third Points of View table until Work Time B.
  • As students work, circulate and monitor their progress. As needed, refer to Compare and Contrast Authors’ Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson note-catcher (example for teacher reference). Add to Author’s Methods anchor chart as needed. Refer to Author’s Methods anchor chart (example for teacher reference). If productive, use Goal 4 Conversation Cues to help students expand the conversation with their partners or triads:
    • “Do you agree or disagree with what your classmate said? Why?”
    • “Can you explain why your classmate came up with that response?”
    • “Can you add on to what your classmate said?”
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on the habit of character focus for this lesson, empathy.

For Lighter Support

  • In Work Time A, after students read chapter 11 of Hidden Figures, invite students to participate in a Mini Language Dive in small groups to examine the way in which the author uses an important event to characterize Mary Jackson (RI.6.3). This Mini Language Dive also facilitates an opportunity for students to use context clues and affix knowledge to help them interpret the meanings of potentially unknown words (e.g., demoted, second-class).

For Heavier Support

  • During Work Times A and B, invite students who need heavier support to use the Text: “Mary Winston Jackson” ▲. This resource features a glossary of key words to support students’ comprehension. If students use the differentiated resource, provide time for them to scan the glossary before reading.

B. Compare and Contrast Authors’ Points of View – RI.6.6, RI.6.9 (15 minutes)

  • Explain that students will now analyze the authors’ points of view toward the events in each text. They will compare and contrast these points of view on their note-catchers.
  • Draw students’ attention back to the Hidden Figures excerpt on pages 86–87.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

“What is Margot Lee Shetterly’s point of view toward Mary and this event in the Hidden Figures excerpt? What words and phrases does Shetterly use to convey this point of view?” (Shetterly’s point of view toward Mary is that this event affected her deeply. Her point of view toward the event is outraged and angry. Her point of view shows an admiration for Mary and suggests that she was strong and successful. She conveys her point of view with phrases like “[s]omething about the incident really bothered her”; “she was just as smart and talented as her coworkers”; “angered—no, enraged”; “demoted from professional mathematician to second-class human being.”)

  • During this discussion of point of view, use strategic combinations of Conversation Cues to help students deepen their thinking and expand the conversation.
    • “Why do you think that?” (Goal 3)
    • “What, in the text, makes you think so?” (Goal 3)
    • “Who can repeat what your classmate said in your own words?” (Goal 2)
    • “Who can add on to what your classmate said?” (Goal 4)
  • Invite students to jot down their ideas about Shetterly’s point of view on their pieces of scrap paper.
  • Direct students’ attention back to Text: “Mary Winston Jackson.”
  • Think-Pair-Share:

“What is Williams’s point of view toward Mary and the events in the text? What words and phrases does Williams use to convey this point of view?” (Williams’s point of view toward Mary is that she took the situation in stride and rose above it. Her point of view toward the event is that it was a humiliating event. She also has a hopeful point of view and seems to see Mary as a role model. She conveys her point of view with phrases like, “embarrassing aspects,” “Jackson was not deterred,” “[t]hat was the cafeteria situation.”)

  • Invite students to jot down their ideas about Williams’s point of view on their pieces of scrap paper.
  • Explain that students will now work again in pairs or triads to compare and contrast Shetterly’s and Williams’s points of view toward Mary and the events of the text. They should add their ideas to the third table of the note-catcher.
  • As students work, circulate and monitor their progress. As needed, refer to Compare and Contrast Authors’ Presentations of Events: Mary Jackson note-catcher (example for teacher reference).
  • Repeated routine: invite students to reflect on their habit of character focus for this lesson.

For Lighter Support

  • N/A

For Heavier Support

  • During Work Times A and B, invite students who need heavier support to use the Text: “Mary Winston Jackson” ▲. This resource features a glossary of key words to support students’ comprehension. If students use the differentiated resource, provide time for them to scan the glossary before reading.

Closing & Assessments

ClosingLevels of Support

A. Remarkable Accomplishments: Mary Jackson (5 minutes)

  • Direct students' attention to the Remarkable Accomplishments anchor chart. Remind students that the main purpose for studying Hidden Figures is to highlight the outstanding women who are the focus of the text.
  • Think-Pair-Share:

"Based on our learning in this lesson, what additions should we make to the anchor chart? What else did Mary Jackson accomplish that was remarkable? Explain why the accomplishment is remarkable."

  • Choose a total participation technique to gather responses. Document student responses on the anchor chart. Refer to the Remarkable Accomplishments anchor chart (example for teacher reference) for guidance. Direct students to add to their Collaborative Argument Evidence note-catcher as needed.

For Lighter Support

  • In the following lesson, students will participate in a Language Dive using a sentence from chapter 12 of Hidden Figures. Consider providing ELLs with the Language Dive sentence ahead of time. Invite students who need lighter support to practice moving around the as phrase that is set off with commas (, as one of the school's first black students,) to other places within the sentence. Students should reflect on how the meaning or clarity of the sentence changes as the phrase moves. If additional support is needed, provide students with written alternatives, and invite them to jot down notes about the differences in meaning among the sentences:
    • He wanted her to succeed, and he feared that, as one of the school's first black students, she might have trouble accessing the books she needed at the white school's library.
    • As one of the school's first black students, he wanted her to succeed, and he feared that she might have trouble accessing the books she needed at the white school's library.
    • He wanted her to succeed, and he feared that she might have trouble accessing the books she needed at the white school's library, as one of the school's first black students.

For Heavier Support

  • In the following lesson, students will participate in a Language Dive using a sentence from chapter 12 of Hidden Figures. Consider providing ELLs with the Language Dive sentence ahead of time. Invite students who need heavier support to reflect on why the author has used commas around the as phrase within the sentence. Students can also practice reading this sentence aloud, pausing appropriately at the commas.

Homework

Homework

A. Preread Anchor Text

  • Students preread chapter 12 of Hidden Figures in preparation for studying this chapter in the next lesson.

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