Lesson 1: “Breakfast Scene”

Novel section focused on for this lesson:

Pages 1-17
What’s on for today and why?
Today students will be introduced to Tony Earley’s Jim the Boy. Students will
be asked to keep an ongoing journal which will serve as a form of annotation
and close reading analysis. (There will be six journals total, one for each
Book within the novel.) The journal is also another way to continue to keep
students actively connecting with the text and drawing connections to other
literary works. At the end of the unit the students will have the journal as a
study guide for the Regents Task IV critical lens essay they will be required to
write. Students will also be on their feet acting out the first chapter to the
novel, “Breakfast.” This specific animated scene gives great insight to the
family members who raise Jim.

What to do:
Before handing out the novel, asked students to sharpen their listening skills
and read to them the Prologue. Have students briefly reflect on what was
said in the letter. Then hand out the edited chapter 1 sheet. Break the
students into groups of 5-6. Within the groups the students will delegate
roles and act out the breakfast scene. Go around and visit with each group
as they act out the scene and point out appropriate usage of tone and
articulation for their characters. When students are finished have them
briefly discuss the uncles’ roles within the family and the dynamics that
consist between them and Jim. Would this dynamic be the same if Jim’s
father was still living?

With remaining time have students spirit read from p. 12-17. Jump in to
speed up where necessary.

Homework:
Students will follow the reading log and read on to p. 34. They will also be
required to start filling out their reading journal sheet.

How did it go?

The journals will be an ongoing assessment to monitor and evaluate the students’
thinking about the text and their ability to draw connections to other literary works.
All 6 journals will be a cumulative study guide and reference for their final essay. To
evaluate the day’s activities ask yourself if students actively participated in their
groups and were showing recognition of tone and articulation within their lines. If
they did then they learned something about the power of the spoken language.
Consider student responses during class discussion on Jim’s family dynamics.