A. Build Background Knowledge – RL.7.1, RI.7.1 (30 minutes)

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

“I can use evidence from art and texts to draw inferences about the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance.”

• Inform students that now they will participate in the protocol Building Background Knowledge. Remind students that they engaged in this protocol in Unit 2. Explain that this is an excellent protocol for working together to build context for the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance. 
• Ask students to form groups of four and number themselves 1–4. Distribute to each group a set of four different-colored markers, a response chart, and lined paper. Ask students to each choose a marker that they will use for the duration of the protocol. Remind students that they will be collaborating in groups, so they should keep in mind the Discussion Norms by referring to the Discussion Norms anchor chart.
• Distribute the Building Background Knowledge protocol. Review items 1–4 of the directions with students, explaining that in the Building Background Knowledge protocol, they will first examine a “mystery text,” individually taking notes on it. Inform students that the mystery text is actually a video clip, so they may want to take notes about it on a piece of lined paper. Next, they will discuss the mystery text in their group and the student who is Number 1 will record a web or image in the outer box on the group’s chart paper that shows the group’s understanding of the text. Distribute devices to students and help them access the video clip of Alvin Ailey’s Uptown (http://eled.org/0208).
• Ask students to watch the first half of the video clip of Alvin Ailey’s Uptown and display the Techniques anchor chart to provide the following techniques students can use when writing about or discussing dance:
• Acting: using facial expressions and body language to create meaning
• Formations: where the dancers are in relation to each other
• Musicality: matching body movements to the music (e.g., dancing quickly to fast songs, dancing slowly to slow songs)
• Encourage students to add these terms and choreographer (a person who creates the dance movements, or choreography, for a dance show) to their vocabulary logs.
• Ask students to rewatch the first half of the video clip of Alvin Ailey’s Uptown. Have volunteers model using the dance terms to describe what the dancers are doing and how their actions create a mood or meaning. As necessary, ask the following questions to support students in analyzing the dance:

“How are the dancers positioned in relation to each other? Are they doing the same dance movements or different ones?” (They are dancing in a circle. They are doing the same dance movements.)

“What ideas do these formations or dance positions suggest? How do these formations develop the idea of collaboration?” (The dancers are collaborating or working together to make the dance.)

“What do their facial expressions and body language suggest about their feelings?” (They look happy, excited, like they’re having fun.)

“How are the dancers matching their dance movements to the music? What feelings do the music and dance moves convey?” (The dancers are dancing quickly with upbeat, joyful, fun moves, which match the upbeat, happy music. This upbeat dancing conveys a feeling of joy, excitement, happiness.)

“What connections can you make between this dance and other works from the Harlem Renaissance? Why do you make this connection?” (The collaboration and joy remind me of the sculpture and poem “Lift Every Voice and Sing” because those works also communicated the idea of collaboration to create something joyful or beautiful.)

• Release students to individually watch the entire video clip of Alvin Ailey’s Uptown and take notes on the mystery text.
• After several minutes, ask students to share their notes with their groups as Student 1 records their ideas in a web or image in the outer box on the group’s response chart, drafting on lined paper as needed. If necessary, display a response chart and model recording part of a web or image, or ask volunteers to do so to support students’ understanding of the task. ▲
• Review items 5–6 of the Building Background Knowledge protocol. Ensure that students understand that they will each examine a “common text,” individually taking notes, annotating, and text coding it, especially paying specific attention to any new information they learn and marking it with an N. Explain to students that they may want to take notes about the common text on a piece of lined paper. Distribute copies of Building Background Knowledge Resources: Common Text. Explain that this is the common text that all will read. As necessary, display the common text and model or ask volunteers to model annotating and text coding a portion of the text. ▲ Release students to individually read, annotate, text code, and take notes on the common text.
• After several minutes, ask students to share their annotations and notes with their groups as Student 2 records their ideas in a web or image in the second box on the group’s response chart, drafting on lined paper as needed. If necessary, display a piece of chart paper and model recording part of a web or image, or ask volunteers to do so to support students’ understanding of the task. ▲
• Review items 7–10 of the Building Background Knowledge protocol. Ensure that students understand that each member of the group will now examine a different text, individually taking notes, annotating, and text coding it, marking N on any new information they learn. Explain to students that they may want to take notes about their individual text on a piece of lined paper. Release groups to distribute an expert text to each member of their group. Explain that the expert texts are in One Last Word and on a website. Ensure that each group has three copies of One Last Word: one for the preface on page 1, another for “Emergency Measures” on page 11, and another for James Ransome’s artwork on page 13. Circulate to help students access Matthew Rushing’s podcast about creating the ballet Uptown (http://eled.org/0208). Students can individually read or examine, annotate, and take notes on their expert text. 
• After several minutes, ask students to share the new information they learned from their expert text with their groups. Once all members have shared their expert text, Student 3 records a summary of all the new information learned from the expert texts in the middle box of the response chart, drafting on loose leaf paper as needed. If necessary, model beginning a summary, or ask volunteers to do so to support students’ understanding of the task. Students can use the model sentences as frames for their own summaries. ▲
• Finally, direct Student 4 of each group to create a graphic illustration of all the group’s learning on the topic in the middle box of the response chart, drafting on lined paper as necessary.
• Repeated routine: Invite students to reflect on their progress toward the relevant learning target.