1.  Pencil  Mix-pair-share
 Highlighter  “We the People” poem
 BAV notebook
*clarify
 What is the learning
goal?

2. • The class “mixes”
around the room until the
teacher calls, “pair.”
• Students pair up with
the closest person
• Students discuss
• Teacher calls “mix” and
student roam the room
until the teacher calls,
“pair.”
• Students pair up with the
closest person
• Students discuss.

3. “We the People”
 Consumerism-
the belief that the buying and selling of large quantities of
consumer goods is beneficial to an economy or a sign of
economic strength
 Capitalism-
an economic system in which property, businesses, and
industry are owned by individual people and not by the
government
 Greed-
an overwhelming desire to have more of something such as
money than is actually needed

4. How do consumerism, capitalism
and greed affect how we live in the
United States?
Partner share.

5. What is an allusion?
an indirect reference to somebody or
something
Can you find the allusion in
“We the People?”
Put a star by it when you find it!

6.  She is an eighth grader, who found her vision of
America in the flickering images of the television
screen

7. We the People
the so called MTV generation
is locked in a box
by the constant barrage of should and ought
by the undertow of popularity
of conformity of density and intensity
by the need to choose whether
to expose the Achilles heel that is your reality
or to wear boots
by the blur of the line between want and need
by the ease of staring at what they say you should be
what you don’t want to be
by the mass generalization
the labels that society embroiders on your sweaters
by box you have to fit into
the box that becomes your reality
which is a tragedy, really
he says as he flips on the TV

8.  What is the tone?
 What is the author’s purpose?
 What is her perspective?
 Does she have a bias?
 Why do you think she wrote this poem?

9.  Pen/pencil
 Highlighter
 “America” poem
 What is the learning goal?

11.  Azaceta emigrated to the United States from Communist Cuba in 1960
and knows the feeling of being a stranger in a foreign land.
 Azaceta’s paints in a style of graphic art that explores the themes of
inhumanity and human cruelties among Caribbean backgrounds.
 This portrait shows you that as an immigrant you can’t have the house
without the car, the car without winning the Lotto. So much for the
dream, no guarantees, as immigrants to the United States learn they
hard way. (Let’s look again)

12. What is social consciousness? Partner share.
relating to the way in which people in groups
behave and interact and the awareness of the
opinions, feelings, and beliefs of those groups
 Yesterday we talked about allusion. There is
one in “America.” Let’s find it.

14. During Reading: Let’s Annotate
What word best describes the narrator’s feelings toward America? (Tone)
• Why does the narrator include the dream about his father?
• With which sentence would the narrator of this poem most likely agree?
• Which line from the poem best indicates the author’s bias?
• What was the effect of the student’s comment of America?
• What causes the narrator to remark, “I am asleep in America, too.”
• What is the author’s perspective?
•What is the author’s purpose?

15. Exit Slip:
With your partner, on the sticky
To me, America is/means _________________________
Create an AMERICA bumper sticker with slogan,
commentary, or powerful statement about AMERICA.

16.  Pencil
 Please copy your weekly assignments in your planner
 Copies of “Imagine” by John Lennon
“One Tribe” by The Black-eyed Peas
 What is the learning goal?

17.  Author’s purpose
 Author’s perspective
 Bias
 Tone
 Consumerism
 Capitalism
 Greed

18.  What is a rant?
A rant is a speech in verbal or written form that usually
communicates very aggressively, loudly and/or repetitively about
something
 What is a rant poem?
A poem that speaks directly about an issue of social importance
(homelessness, gangs, war or poverty) and what they perceive is
wrong
 Rants can occur not only in poems. Can you think of another
type/medium where someone might rant?

19. Imagine
John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try
No people below us, above it's only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there's no countries, it isn't hard to do
No need to kill or die for and no religions too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger a brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing for the world
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
Take my hand and join us
And the world will live, will live as one

20. LET’S
ANNOTATE

21.  Pen/pencil
 Paper
 Peer review sheet and “Waiting on the World” rant
(provided to you)
 What’s the learning goal?

22. BELL RINGER!

23.  As you listen to the song…
 ANNOTATE the words and phrases that support
 Author’s purpose
 Author’s perspective
 Author’s bias
 Tone
 Be prepared to share.

24.  Brainstorm with your partner  Now, write your own rant.
about issues that are
currently a problem in  It should be between 10-20
America or one you feel
strongly about such as; lines long.
school, bullying, poverty or  It does not have to rhyme!
violence. (2 min RALLY)
 Choose one topic or two if
they can be incorporated.  Use good judgment and no
Now, write down all the foul language
things about this topic that
you feel are really important.  Be creative
What bothers you most?  Let’s look at a sample

26. Point value Task
30 Purpose (evokes emotions and thoughts;
communicates personal opinions and
beliefs)
20 Focused on topic
20 Use of grade level vocabulary and figurative
language
15 Rant reflects YOUR voice
15 Conventions (proper spelling, capitalization
and punctuation)
______
100

27.  Pencil
 Rough draft of rant poem
 Grab a peer review form
 What is the learning goal?

28.  Now, write your own rant.
 It should be between 10-20 lines long.
 It does not have to rhyme!
 Use good judgment and no foul language
 Be creative

29.  Give your rant to your partner or another
student with the Peer review form.
 Go over the comments your peer made.
Do you need to revise?
 This form needs to be filled out completely
before you can turn your poem in. You need to
attach the form to your poem when you turn in.