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Lesson 1

We will preview the Section 3 Diagnostic and revisit the Central Question. We will closely read the first three pages of Part 2 as a class, analyzing how Toni Morrison’s use of language contributes to character development.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I make inferences and use evidence to support understanding of Morrison’s text structure and language as well as pages 199–203?

  • Can I make and confirm predictions using characteristics of genre and text structures?

  • Can I analyze how characters’ behaviors and underlying motivations contribute to moral dilemmas that influence the plot and theme in Beloved?

Texts

Core

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

Materials

Tools

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read – Discuss – Write

We will read and discuss the section 3 diagnostic and identify specific knowledge and skills we need to succeed on the diagnostic.

Read and annotate the Section 3 Diagnostic Checklist. Determine what skills and knowledge you need to succeed on the diagnostic. In a small group, discuss and respond to the following questions:

  1. What is the focus of the Section 3 Diagnostic? What does the task ask you to do?

  2. What questions do you have about the Section 3 Diagnostic?

  3. What do you need to understand and be able to do in order to be successful on the Section 3 Diagnostic?

  4. What skills do you need to build in this section to be successful on the Section 3 Diagnostic?

Access your Culminating Task Progress Tracker. For each knowledge and skill identified, assess how prepared you are.

Activity 2: Read – Discuss

We will examine the opening line in part 2, compare it to the opening line in part 1, and discuss why Morrison might start each section of the novel this way.

Read the first line in Part 2 on page 199.

  1. How does this compare to the opening line in Part 1?

  2. What do you think this means?

With a partner, reflect on the opening line in Part 1. Having finished Part 1 with a stronger understanding of what "124 was spiteful" means, answer the following question with your partner:

  1. What do you think "124 was loud" will mean for Part 2?

Activity 3: Read – Write – Discuss

We will read pages 199–203 and learn more about Stamp Paid as well as what happens at 124 after Paul D. leaves.

Step 1

As a class, read pages 199-203, stopping with the line that ends "Spirit willing; flesh weak." Take note of any questions or reactions you have to what is happening in the story.

Step 2

After reading, discuss the questions and reactions you noted while reading.

Then, using evidence from the novel to support your responses, discuss the following questions as a class:

  1. Why do you think the ghost returns to 124 after Paul D. leaves?

  2. Stamp Paid begins to feel remorse about revealing Sethe’s tragic past to Paul D., and he examines his motivations for doing so. How does he now account for his behavior? What does he decide to do to make amends? What motivates him to try to make it up to Sethe?

  3. Why is Stamp Paid unable to knock on the door of 124?

Activity 4: Read

We will read and annotate pages 203–235 for homework.

For homework, read pages 203-235. Begin with the line "While Stamp Paid was making… " (203).

Write down new or interesting words in your Vocabulary Journal, and respond to the following question in your Learning Log, providing evidence from the text to support your answer.

  1. What new or more nuanced understanding do you have about Sethe? Provide at least three examples in your Character Note-Taking Tool.

Add at least one sentence in your Mentor Sentence Journal that stands out to you as interesting or that represents a strong example of a particular concept you have learned.