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Lesson 5

Using our notes and materials from the previous lessons, we will demonstrate our understanding of character development and narration in pages 1–60 of Beloved by writing a response to one of the Section 1 Diagnostic prompts about Morrison’s use of characterization and narrative shifts.

Lesson Goals

Reading and Knowledge

  • Compare and Connect: How well do I recognize points of connection among character development and point of view to make logical, objective comparisons in Beloved?
  • Determine Meaning and Purpose: How well do I use connections among details, elements, and effects to make logical deductions about Morrison’s meaning in Beloved?

Writing

  • Form Claims: How well do I develop and clearly communicate meaningful and defensible claims about the point of view and character development that represent valid, evidence-based analysis of Beloved?
  • Gather and Organize Evidence: How well do I gather and organize relevant and sufficient evidence from Beloved to demonstrate an understanding of character development and point of view in the text, support claims, and develop ideas in my writing?
  • Organize Ideas: How well do I sequence and group sentences and paragraphs and use academic language, techniques, reasoning, and evidence to establish a coherent, logical, and well-developed explanation?

Texts

Core

  • Tradebook
    • Beloved, Toni Morrison, Vintage Books, 2004

Materials

Tools

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read – Discuss

We will discuss our homework and will share our ideas.

With a peer or small group, share the claims that you drafted for homework along with any notes you have. Recall that you were to set up a Forming Evidence-Based Claims Tool for the Section Diagnostic task question of your choosing by recording the question at the top of a tool. You then worked to find key details that you see as closely related to the question and to each other. You then drafted claims.

As each of you share your ideas, take turns providing feedback, asking questions, and offering suggestions regarding your peers’ planning. Be sure to note the feedback and suggestions of your peers in your Learning Log for use in drafting the Section Diagnostic.

Activity 2: Write

We will draft our Section Diagnostics.

Use your notes and materials from this section to respond to analytical questions about how Toni Morrison chooses to "return agency to the hands of the slaves" and develop characters. Build your response from an interpretive claim, using academic language related to literary analysis and keeping in mind the following question: How does Morrison tell the story and develop characters in pages 3-60 of Beloved?

Write an analytic response to one of the following questions about point of view and character development in pages 3-60 of Beloved:

  1. What effect do narrative shifts have on the reader’s understanding and experience of key characters in the story and their individual and collective past? Use at least two examples from the text to support your response.

  2. What do the characters’ actions, reactions, words, and interactions reveal about them and their complicated relationship with the past? Select one character introduced in pages 1-60 and analyze that character’s introduction and development.

Be sure to do the following:

  • form a central claim in response to the question

  • support your claim with textual evidence

  • integrate specific references and quotations

  • use academic language and demonstrate your understanding of literary elements, devices, and terminology

  • use appropriate syntax, grammar, and mechanics

Activity 3: Write

We will revise our work to ensure we have fully supported and developed our ideas based on the needs of the task, purpose, and audience. This will help us develop work that is clear and coherent.

Revision is the process of seeing your work with fresh eyes. Revision is a challenge for all writers—the art of making writing better is hard work that can feel very messy at times.

Reread your draft response and ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Does my response address the specific issues framed by the question?

  2. Is my central claim strong and clearly stated?

  3. Is my evidence strong and relevant?

  4. Does my response effectively integrate specific references and quotations from the novel?

  5. Does my response use precise academic language?

  6. Is my response properly punctuated and error-free?

Make any necessary revisions or edits to improve the communication of your ideas.

Activity 4: Write – Discuss

We will reflect on our work on the Section Diagnostic and assess how prepared we are for the Culminating Task.

Step 1

Choose at least three of the questions below regarding the Section Diagnostic and respond to them in your Learning Log:

  1. How well did you take necessary action to prepare for the task?

  2. What went well for you during the completion of this task?

  3. What did you struggle with during the completion of this task? How did you push through these struggles?

  4. How well did you actively focus your attention during this independent task?

  5. How well did you develop and use an effective and efficient process to maintain workflow during this task?

  6. What would you do differently during the next Section Diagnostic?

Step 2

Now, find your Culminating Task Progress Tracker. Think about the knowledge you have gained and the skills you have practiced thus far in the unit. Use the Culminating Task Progress Tracker to do the following:

  • Add or refine any skills and content knowledge required for the Culminating Task.

  • Evaluate how well you are mastering the skills and knowledge required for the Culminating Task.

Step 3

Review the Central Question of the unit:

In what ways does a person’s past have power over their present?

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

  1. What new knowledge do you have that relates to the Central Question?

  2. What are you still curious about that relates to the Central Question?

  3. What is the relationship between the Central Question and the texts you have read? How do the texts shed light on the question? How does the question help you understand the texts?

  4. How has your response to the question evolved, deepened, or changed?

In your Learning Log, write your response to Question 4. You will return to this response in later lessons to examine how your understanding of the Central Question has evolved.