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Lesson 1

We begin this unit by previewing the Framing Questions and the Culminating Task. We will take our first look at the anchor text for this unit, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, by reading “A Few Words about This Book” and analyzing the first paragraph.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I take necessary action to prepare for the unit?

  • Can I identify task expectations and develop a plan appropriate for accomplishing the Culminating Task?

Texts

Core

  • Tradebook
    • The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot, Crown Publishing Group, 2010

Materials

Tools

Reference Guides

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read – Discuss – Write

We will introduce the unit by examining its Central Question and framing questions.

Step 1

Read along silently as your teacher or one of your peers reads the displayed Central Question and Framing Questions for this unit:

Central Question: How do we tell someone else’s story?

Framing Questions for Section 1:

  1. How does an author introduce and develop key persons, ideas, or events?

  2. What is the impact of an author’s word choice, and how does it affect the overall tone of a text?

  3. What inferences can be drawn about the ideas and key persons in the text?

Step 2

Use the following questions to guide a discussion with a partner or small group:

  1. What is the Central Question asking?

  2. What might you already know in relation to the Central Question?

  3. What about the question piques your curiosity?

  4. How do you think this question relates to the texts or topic of the unit?

  5. If you were to provide an answer to the Central Question today, what would it be?

In your Learning Log, write a response to Question 5. You will return to this initial response in later lessons to examine how your understanding of the Central Question has evolved.

Activity 2: Read

We will review the Unit Text List to familiarize ourselves with the texts we will analyze and discuss throughout the unit.

Step 1

Access and review the Unit Text List. Note the information that is included about each text. These texts are also listed in the activities in which they appear, under the Materials tab. You will notice that each text has an icon by it. These indicate where the text is located, which corresponds to the Location column in the Unit Text List.

Text locations:

  • Tradebook: These texts are full-length novels or nonfiction books you will most likely have copies of.

  • Digital Access: You can find these texts online. Use the information provided in the Unit Text List or on the Texts tab for the activity to conduct a web search for the resource. Digital Access resources include online articles, videos, podcasts, and other web sources.

  • PDF Texts: These are formatted PDFs of texts that are available for download on the Materials tab.

  • CD/DVD: These materials are available on CD or DVD and might also be available through online content providers.

Step 2

Review the Independent Reading Text Options. Here, you will find suggested options for independent reading related to the unit.

Activity 3: Read – Write – Discuss

We will examine The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks using the notice and wonder protocol.

In your Learning Log, create a two-column table with one side labeled "Notice" and the other labeled "Wonder."

Individually, take a few minutes to examine The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and skim through the pages.

Add responses to your Notice and Wonder table to track your observations and questions as you look through the text.

In a whole-class discussion, share your observations (notice) before your questions (wonder). We will revisit these lists as we move through the text.

Activity 4: Read – Discuss – Write

We read and analyze the Culminating Task. We identify the specific knowledge and skills needed throughout the unit to succeed on the Culminating Task.

Step 1

Individually, review the Culminating Task Checklist, using the following guiding questions:

  1. What is the focus of the Culminating Task? What does the task ask you to do?

  2. What questions do you have about the Culminating Task?

Step 2

In a small group, discuss the following questions:

  1. Knowledge: What do I need to know to succeed on the Culminating Task?

  2. Skills: What skills do I need to succeed on the Culminating Task?

Use the Culminating Task Progress Tracker to note what you need to know and do to succeed on the Culminating Task. For each type of knowledge and skill identified, assess how prepared you are.

You will revisit the Culminating Task Progress Tracker and continue to build your understanding as we move through the unit.

Activity 5: Discuss – Listen – Read – Write

We will read “A Few Words about This Book” and use guiding questions to establish an opening impression of the author’s style and the subject of the book.

Step 1

Listen as your teacher or one of your peers reads "A Few Words about This Book" (pp. xiii-xiv). As you follow along in your text, think about your first impressions of the writer, Rebecca Skloot, and the subject of the text.

Step 2

Follow your teacher’s directions and get into groups.

Divide the sentences in the first paragraph among your group members. Write down your sentence in your Learning Log. Respond to the following questions about your sentence in your Learning Log. These questions can also be found on the Section 1 Question Set.

  1. What do you notice about the writer’s choice of words? What stands out?

  2. What do you notice about the sentence? What stands out?

  3. What do you notice about the writer’s attitude toward the subject? Toward the reader?

  4. What important details about the topics or important persons are included?

Answering these questions will begin the journey of analyzing the techniques a writer uses to tell a story, provide information, or make a point.

Share your answers with your group and pick one idea to share with the class. During the class discussion, add and modify your answers to deepen your understanding.

Activity 6: Read – Write

For homework, we will read the epigraph and prologue of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

For homework, read and annotate the epigraph before page 1 and the prologue (pp. 1-7). Answer the following guiding questions in your Learning Log. These questions can also be found on the Section 1 Question Set

  1. What do you learn about the writer of the text?

  2. What do you learn about the subject of the text?

  3. Who is this the intended audience of the text?

  4. What is the intended purpose of the text?

For each question, remember to explain your answers using details from the text.