This presentation chronicles the conception and journey of an ELA unit focused on social justice. High interest texts and media particularly important to the demographic of students were used. Participants will understand the foundations of the unit, learn ways to incorporate it, and receive a packet of unit planning materials.

1. Presented by
Dr. Dana M. Stachowiak ● Travis Blair ● Dare London ● Liza Palazzi
Literacy Coach AL Teacher EC Teacher Gen Ed Teacher
Northeast Middle School
Guilford County Schools, NC
2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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2. 2. Unit Section Highlights:
● Pre-assessment
● Engagement with Social Justice
● Generating Topic Ideas
● Non-Fiction Reading Strategies
● Non-Fiction Writing Strategies
● Final Student Products
1. Curriculum Mapping, Lesson Planning, & Instructional Methods
3. Glows & Grows for the Unit
4. Curriculum Mapping for K-8 Reading & Writing for Social Justice
5. Question & Answer
2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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4. Parts of the Unit:
1) Pre-assess students in writing
2) Engage students with social justice
topics
3) Students explore & generate topics
4) Students learn & use non-fiction
reading strategies
5) Students learn & use non-fiction
writing strategies
6) Post-assessment/Student Projects
2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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5. Skills vs. Strategies What do vs. How do
Good writers can_____(skill)_____. They do this
by_____(strategy)_____.
2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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9. 1 – Developing Writer 2 – Thoughtful Writer 3 – Critical Writer
No solid claim Clear claim; not solid Makes a clear and solid claim
No focus or elaboration Focus noted; elaboration
minimal
Stays focused; supports and
elaborates
No alternative view offered Weak alternative view(s) Provides a (few) possible
alternative view(s)
Not organized Organized, but not logical Organized in a logical
manner
Several spelling and
punctuation mistakes
Typical spelling and
punctuation mistakes
Proper grammar,
punctuation, word choice,
and voice
● Claim
● Focus & Elaboration
● Alternative View(s)
● Organization
● Editing
2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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10. I Am From Soul Food and Harriet Tubman
By Lealonni Blake
I am from get-togethers
and Bar-B-Ques
K-Mart special with matching shoes,
Baseball bats and BB guns.
a violent family is where I'm from.
I am from "get it girl"
and "shake it to the ground."
From a “strict"dad named Lumb
sayin' "sit yo' fass self down."
I am from the smell of soul food
cooking in Lelinna's kitchen.
From my Pampa's war stories
to my granny's cotton pickin'.
I am from Kunta Kinte's strength,
Harriet Tubman's escapes.
Phyllis Wheatley's poems,
and Sojourner Truth's faith.
If you did family research,
and dug deep into my genes.
You'll find Sylvester and Ora, Geneva and Doc,
My African Kings and Queens.
That's where I'm from. 2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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11. I am from chitlings and collard greens
Greasy chicken and pinto beans.
Softball bats and basketballs
Children running down the halls.
I am from “She wasn’t ready”
And “ooohhh, kill ‘em.”
From a dad I don’t know and
A mama I love fo sho’.
I am from whoopings
and block parties.
Where the kids are
outside and adults
are cooking.
I am from sleepless nights,
endless fights
and dreadful six hour flights.
Book after book, page after
page, and
caged after caged emotions.
I am from my mom’s heartache
and her motherly hugs.
I am from pretty brown skin
and dark brown eyes
I am from my family’s loyalty
and grandma’s words
I am from women
I am from intelligence & respect
Complete honesty to everyone
I am from wise women, all trustworthy
I am from the country
To late night bonfires
Catching fireflies when it’s dark
Learned how to shoot young
2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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12. *Key Vocabulary
Inference – a conclusion drawn from evidence or reasoning.
Passion – a powerful emotion, such as love, joy, anger, hatred, etc.
Activism – a policy or action to bring about political or social
change.
2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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13. Journal Entry
What do you think is the biggest social justice issue presented
in Akeelah and the Bee? Why?
I think it was race. She was the only black kid in the bee.
Everyone downgraded her because of her race. They also put
stereotypes in there, like how Asians are really smart. Or that
white people are better.
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14. Issue My Feelings (Passion) What I Can Do (Activist)
● Assigned Seats There is no point, there will be
talking regardless
Behave so we do not have
assigned seats
● SMOD ● We cannot express ourselves ● Wear non-SMOD one day
● Bathroom Breaks ● We are human ● Walk outs to bathrooms
● Post-racism? ● USA has learned to look past
skin
● Find out how much people
actually do this
Issue What I Think What Others
Think
Call to Action
● Birth Control It is good in
some way
● They think it
works all the
time
● Test it
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15. What the text says What I think it means Why I think this
From: Bodies Aren’t Ugly; Bullies Are by Bahadur
● Their 15y/o son had shot
himself in the chest.
● Some people just don’t
have the strength to
overcome the humiliation.
● How someone could be
bullied to the point they
would shoot themselves.
● Some people take the
sadness out on
themselves.
● Obviously he couldn’t
take the bullying anymore
● Some people try to
commit suicide or harm
themselves because they
just can’t deal with it.
● Cuban had the eating
disorder for 27 years
● Guys have more trouble
getting help
● Gender stigma for men &
body image has lagged way
behind
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16. ● Conclusion Focus
● State your call to action! How can you motivate people to
make a change?
● Introduction Focus
● Attention-getter: shocking, fact, personal story
● Topic – prepare your reader
● Middle Focus
● Each body paragraph should focus on a
main idea and the information that supports it
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17. 5 Ws, H Questions I have about this topic
● Who is affected? ● Why do people place themselves and others in
different social classes based on money when the
poverty of others affects them too?
● What can make it better? ● What can we do to make sure everyone who wants
to can play a part in breaking the vicious cycle of
poverty and helping others come out.
WHAT
is it?
WHO is
affected?
WHY does it
happen?
WHERE +
WHEN does
it happen?
How can we
make a
change?
2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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18. Main Ideas Supporting Information
● Rumors that aren’t true ● Self-harm is not (usually) a suicide attempt: could lead
to if not careful
● Not for attention: would you want to be noticed that
way?
● How to help ● Be nice, be a friend, stand up for them, stop bullying
them, persuade them to talk/get help
How are these ideas
going to make
people want to
make a change?
What are the
main ideas that
you want to
present?
What info can you
find to support
your main idea &
inform your
audience?
2014 | DR. DANA M. STACHOWIAK | GCS
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19. Quote Justify the importance of this quote to your topic:
● “Poverty is a parent of
revolution.”
● People won’t do anything about the issue until it
affects them.
● “The test of our progress
isn’t whether we add more to
the abundance of those who
have much; it’s whether we
provide enough for those who
have too little.”
● Instead of adding to our own abundance and
make the rich richer, we should be helping other
reach the same level.
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20. STUDENT TOPIC EXAMPLES:
Abuse in Sports Leagues
Animal Cruelty
Suicide
Hispanic Rights in the USA
Same-Sex Marriage
Immigration Rights
Abortion Rights
Racism
Poverty
Human Trafficking
Bullying
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