LESSON 5: Social Justice Issues Then & Now

Grade 11 English- Social Justice Portfolio: Part III

Focus Standard:

Other Standards Addressed:

Writing Into the Day: Do you think racism is still an issue today? (3
min)

DIRECT INSTRUCTION
Read/Listen to Martin Luther King Jr.s Letters from Birmingham Jail
Link to letter:
http://kingencyclopedia.stanford.edu/kingweb/popular_requests/frequ
entdocs/birmingham.pdf
Link to audio: http://okra.stanford.edu/media/audio/630416001.mp3
(55:08)
While reading the letter, students will mark their printed handouts of
the letter:
Anything that catches their attention
Key words or repeated words
Main point
Circle unknown words/phrases
Write notes in margins of anything that connects to contemporary
issues
Pause throughout letter (at least after each page) and discuss their
annotations

Read modern article about civil rights and how it is still relevant today.
http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-52-spring2016/feature/segregation-forever
http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-52-spring2016/feature/segregation-forever

INDEPENDENT WRITING
Students take a moment to reflect on the article in their daybooks to
gather their thoughts before we share in group discussion. (2 min)

DISCUSSION
Questions:
Did this article surprise you?
Do you agree or disagree with the argument that the article made?
Who is the audience for the article?
Who was the audience for the letters?
What is the context of the article?
What is the context of the letters?
What similarities did you notice between the two texts? Differences?

 Do you think the form of letter vs. article makes a difference in the
message communicated?
What are the advantages/drawbacks of each form?
(20 min)
Wrap it up!
These types of issues are very complex. They are not very easy to
talk about or solve. However, it is important to talk about these issues
and approach them with open minds. I presented you with one article
today, but that is just one opinion. It is important to do your own
research and educate yourself on issues as you form your personal
opinion.
(1 min)
ASSESSMENT
Exit Ticket- Choose one of the rhetorical elements that we discussed
today and write down how the form of each of these texts influenced
this element.
(3 min)