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Harrison Bergeron Unit
Harrison Bergeron Unit
Teacher: Emily Hawe Course: English 7 Grade: 7th ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Thematic: What are the ingredients of social change? How much power should government have over its citizens? Are individuals capable to changing society? Skills Based: What do good readers do to make sense of complex and challenging texts? How do authors use fictional stories to critique society? How do the choices authors make as they write impact the storys meaning? COMMON CORE LEARNING STANDARDS Primary Standards RL.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RL.7.6 Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. MASTERY LEVEL OBJECTS Students will be able to read closely and find answers explicitly in text and answers that require an inference Students will be able to classify point of view (third person) and analyze why the author decided to tell the story through this point of view Students will be able to contrast the points of view of different characters in a text. Students will be able to analyze how authors use a fictional story to comment on a historical time period. Students will be able to support their argument with textual evidence from two different texts. Students will be able to acknowledge and refute counter arguments.
RL.7.9 Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history. W.7.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence (see standard for additional criteria) Secondary/Supporting Standards RL.7.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot) RL.7.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of rhymes and other repetitions of sounds (e.g., alliteration) on a specific verse or stanza of a poem or section of a
story or drama. Standards for Reading of Non-fiction Article on Socialism RI.7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. RI.7.6 Determine an authors point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how the author distinguishes his or her position from that of others. RI.7.8 Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims. Standard for Discussion SL.7.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. SL.7.4 Present claims and findings, emphasizing salient points in a focused, coherent manner with pertinent descriptions, facts, details, and examples; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation. RESOURCES/MATERIALS Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. non-fiction opinion article in favor of Socialism (TBA) INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES Anticipation guide to prompt thinking about the units thematic essential questions Teacher modeling (think alouds) to demonstrate specific reading skills/strategies Silent conversations with a partner to closely read a portion of the story Graphic organizers to guide students in thinking about the point of views of different characters and the ingredients of social change Socratic seminars Venn diagram to compare and contrast the ideas in the story to Socialism
KEY TERMS/ACADEMIC VOCABULARY Academic Vocabulary analyze inference point of view textual evidence compare and contrast Vocabulary from Text: Amendments Unceasing Vigilance Clammy Burdened Sahsweights Birdshot Gesture Vague Notion Ball peen hammer Envious Resemblance Doozy glimmeringly reckon society impediment luminous grackle calibrated consternation cowered empress gravely synchronizing doozy riveting
EVIDENCE-BASED QUESTIONS Questions correspond to specific places in the text. Q1. What do we know about this world? Use textual evidence. Q2. How are George and Hazel different? Why and how is George handicapped? Q3: Why are the ballerinas not very good? Q4: Hazel says, Who knows better than I do what normal is? Infer what normal mean in this society and why it is so important. Q5: What does George mean when he says, Wed be right back to the dark ages again, with everybody competing against everybody else? Why are they afraid of the dark ages? Q6: Using the details from the text, draw an illustration of Harrison Bergeron. Annotate your drawing using quotes from the story. Q7: Analyze how Vonnegut describes Harrisons dance with the ballerina. What words and imagery does he use? Why? Think about the connotations of his word choices. Q8: What are the consequences of Harrisons actions? Why? Q9: Why did Vonnegut end the story the way he did? Is it effective? Culminating Socratic Seminar (after completing the story) Is this society an example of socialism? Why or why not? In what ways should people be equal? In what ways is it fair for people to be unequal? Why? How much control should the government have over people? What do you think? What would Hazel think? What would George think? What would Harrison think?
ASSESSMENTS Each assessment corresponds to one of the focus standards for the unit. The assessments build in complexity. (RL.7.1) Using the text, illustrate Harrison Bergeron with his handicaps. Annotate your illustration using quotes from the text. Then, illustrate him after he removes his handicaps. Once again, annotate your illustration using quotes from the text. (RL.7.6) Compare the characters in the story by completing a graphic organizer [describe character abilities, handicaps, perspective on handicappinggive quote]. Then, write a paragraph analyzing why Kurt Vonnegut decided write the story from third person. How would it be different if it were told from the point of view of one of the characters? (RL.7.9) See Socratic seminar under Evidence Based Questions. Student preparation and participation in this activity will be assessed using a rubric. (RL.7.9) Based on the story and what you learned about socialism from the article, consider how Kurt Vonneguts opinion about socialism motivated him to write this story. Write an editorial from Harrison Bergerons point of view arguing for or against socialism. Use evidence from the story and from the article to support his argument.
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES Watch a film adaptation of the story and consider how the directors choices enhance the storys meaning. This unit begins a larger dystopian literature unit. Students will read YA dystopian books in book clubs. They will continue to track the ingredients of social change and will compare and contrast the social changes they see in their novels to social change movements in history and current events.