Author:
Michael Griffith, MSDE Admin, Kathleen Maher-Baker
Subject:
English Language Arts
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Level:
Middle School
Grade:
7
Tags:
  • Consequences
  • MSDE
  • MSDE ELA
  • Maryland State Department of Education
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike
    Language:
    English

    Grade 7: Consequences Lesson Plan #2

    Grade 7: Consequences Lesson Plan #2

    Overview

    Lesson Overview

     Each student will write a journal entry about how motivation and perspective influence a dream. In addition, students will focus on how these influences can lead to a flawed dream. Students will read, analyze, and discuss the poem, “Dreams” by Langston Hughes, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, excerpts from Chasing Lincoln’s Killer—Introduction—From 1861 through 1865 and pages 138-139, and the article, “Booth’s Reason for Assassination” by Christopher Hamner. 

    Students will write an  essay about John Wilkes Booth. In successive days, students will draft, revise, edit, and publish their essays.

     

    Image source:  "Dream" by EvelynGiggles on Flickr.com. Licensed with CC-BY-2.0

    Day 1

    Day 1

    • Warm-Up: What does it mean to have a dream? Can a dream be flawed?

    Consider using a WEB 2.0 tool to display student responses. 

    • Students will read the poem “Dreams” by Langston Hughes, discuss its meaning, and discuss why Hughes seems to feel dreams are important.
    • Students will read or view Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, discuss its meaning, and identify King’s motivation and perspective as it relates to his dream.
    • Student will reread the introduction from Chasing Lincoln’s Killer on pages 138-139 and analyze it to determine Booth’s motivation and perspective as it relates to his dream.
    • Students will read the article, “Booth’s Reason for Assassination” and further discuss how Booth’s goal was influenced by his perspective. 
    • Students will discuss the meaning of each text in groups. 
    • Students will come up with questions for the discussion.
    • Students will respond to the following questions:
      • Why does Langston Hughes seem to think dreams are important?
      • Based on his speech, what was Martin Luther King, Jr.’s motivation and perspective as it relates to his dream?
      • Based on what you’ve read in Chasing Lincoln’s Killer and the article, “Booth’s Reason for Assassination,” what was John Wilkes Booth’s end goal? How did his motivation and perspecitve influence his dream?

    Standards

    RL.7.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

    RI 7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

    RI 7.2 Determine two or more central ideas in a text and analyze their development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

    RI 7.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).

    SL 7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on the others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

    Warm-Up: What does it mean to have a dream? Can a dream be flawed?

    Read the poem "Dreams" by Langston Hughes.

    • Why does Langston Hughes think dreams are important?
    "I Have a Dream" Speech

    Video source:  "I Have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King .Jr " from Rare Facts on YouTube.com

    • What is Dr. King's dream?
    • What was Martin Luther King, Jr.’s motivation and perspective as it relates to his dream?

    Reread the introduction from Chasing Lincoln’s Killer on pages 138-139

    • Determine Booth’s motivation and perspective as it relates to his dream.

    Read the article "Booth's Reason for Assassination"

    • Discuss how Booth's goal was influenced by his perspective. 

     

    Day 2

    Extended Writing: 

    Compare and contrast the goals of Martin Luther King Jr. and John Wilkes Booth based on their perspective and motivation. 

    Consider the following questions when writing your essay:

    • Can both the motivations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Wilkes Booth be considered dreams based on the Langston Hughes poem "Dreams?"
    • If so, how does motivation and perspective lead to a flawed or righteous dream?
    • Did the dreams of these two men have consequences both personally and for the United States?

    Be sure to utlize all of the sources from the previous day. 

    Standards:

    W 7.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

    W 7.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

    Extended writing: 

    Compare and contrast the goals of Martin Luther King Jr. and John Wilkes Booth based on their perspective and motivation. 

    Consider the following questions when writing your essay:

    • Can both the motivations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Wilkes Booth be considered dreams based on the Langston Hughes poem "Dreams?"
    • How does motivation and perspective lead to a flawed or righteous dream?
    • Did the dreams of these two men have consequences personally and for the United States?

    Be sure to utlize all of the sources from the previous day.