PROCEDURE
I. Readiness
a. Motivation: “We are going to read a very special and historical
speech by the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. First, I would like to show
you a video clip of him delivering his speech. I feel that having you watch
the speech before you read it might help you to better understand the speech
as well as have a greater appreciation for it.”
b. Tapping Background of Experience: “How many of you have ever heard
this speech before? [multiple hands raised] Where did you hear it?” Teacher calls on students raising their hands.
Expected student responses: at school, on TV.
“We have been looking at the Civil Rights Movement and the events
that led to it as well as the events of the movement. This speech that we
just watched was delivered during the Civil Rights Movement. As a matter
of fact, this speech was delivered on August 28, 1963. What were some of
the events that we have already learned about that led to the Civil Rights
Movement?” Teacher calls on students raising their hands.
Expected student response: segregation, Plessy v. Ferguson, “Jobs-For-Negroes” campaign, NAACP, sit-ins, boycotts, etc.
“How can one compare the rights of African-Americans before 1963 and
after 1963?” Teacher calls on students raising their hands.
Expected student response: ‘There was once a lot of segregation and
then the African- Americans were able to use the same things that white
people could. There was closer to equal pay after 1963 and African-Americans
were guaranteed the basic rights of citizenship.’
“On the day that the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous
speech, many other people also spoke. There were some problems with the
speakers as well. Some did not agree with what others were going to say
during their individual speeches. Dr. King was not one of these people who
had to worry about his speech. Later in Center Time, you can go to the Reading
Center to read more about this day and the other speeches.”
Transition: “We are going to read the speech in a few minutes. First,
however, I would like to discuss some terms to guarantee that each of you
as the best understanding of the speech possible.”
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c. Concept Development/Vocabulary:
“MLK was talking about how the African American people were treated
very unfair. Police beat them for doing nothing wrong. There were not
able to live nice neighborhoods or big houses because they were not allowed
to work good jobs. In his speech, MLK uses the term “persecution.”
Based on what I just said. I would like you to write a definition for
the word persecution in your vocabulary journals.” Students respond
in journal.
Expected definition: harass, injury, treat unfair, cause distress
“There might be more words in the reading that you do not understand.
When you come to any other words you do not understand, mark it and ask
for help, either from a classmate or me. If you choose you can also use
a dictionary.”
Transition: Now that we have an understanding
for the vocabulary in our text, we are ready to begin reading.
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d. Purpose-for-Reading: “Today you will be reading to be informed. You will be reading a portion
of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech to understand why
freedom and equality are so important.
II. Silent Reading:
“Before we begin reading, I want to remind you of the reading fix-up
strategies so you can help yourself if you are having difficulty. What are
these strategies?”
Expected student response: “Imaging/movie of the mind, checking for
purpose, taking notes/organizing, retelling, rereading/look back, inserts/questions,
and noting key concept vocabulary.”
“As you read the text, which might be very difficult, be sure to use
these strategies.” (Teacher walks around and helps students who are
having difficulty. She will also check off the strategies students are using
by asking the students as she walks around.)
Transition: “Now that we have read a portion of the “I Have
a Dream,” we are ready to discuss the speech and how it makes us feel.”
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III. Discussion:
1. Students will use cooperative learning in their quads to discuss their
graphic organizers. The four students will each have an individual role
(discussion leader, timer, recorder, reporter). Pass our Discussion
Role Cards to student groups. This will be a time to correct misconceptions
and gather information about what must be addressed to the entire class.
- What does this speech mean to you?
- What is freedom as MLK describes it?
- What is justice as MLK describes it?
2. Bring groups together to debrief. Ask small groups to share their findings.
Correct any major misconceptions that were found in a large number of class
members.
- What does this speech mean to you?
- What is freedom as MLK describes it?
- What is justice as MLK describes it?
Transition: “I am impressed at the responses that all
of you gave during the discussion. I believe the entire class has firm
understanding of what Dr. King was trying to say. Now that you do understand
the idea of the speech, it is time to read it one more time to make sure
you pick up on everything.”
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IV. Rereading: “We are going to read part of the speech again. I would
like you to read the highlighted portion of text. I believe that if you
read aloud, it becomes easier to understand what you are reading. For this
reason, I would like everyone to spread out a little bit. Now that everyone
is spread apart, I would like you to read the highlighted portion aloud,
quietly. When you are done, write a paragraph in your journal about what
MLK’s dream really is.”
Students respond in journals.
“Now we are going to do a writing activity as a class. This is called
a GIST statement. It is a 20-word summary of what
you just read. We are going to do this as a class. To begin, let’s
brainstorm ideas of what the speech was about.” Students brainstorm
while teacher records ideas on board (students record on a worksheet).
“Now we will take the ideas and but them into a summary. Remember
we can only have 20 words? I will write sentences and we can always erase.
Do not write the statement on your sheet until we have our final copy.”
Students prepare GIST statement as a class.
Transition: “We have just learned about a very important part of the
Civil Rights Movement. Now we are ready to take what we have learned apply
it to our own lives.”
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V. Follow-up:
-Students will write an expository essay in Language Arts about prejudice.
-Students will interview someone they know that remembers “I Have
a Dream” from the day it was delivered. They will write at least 1
paragraph about how the speech made that person feel then and the impact
it as left on them today.
VI. Differentiation:
-Have speech on tape for lower level readers to listen to as they read.
-Read in small groups (high-level student or teacher led)
* I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trial
and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells.
Some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some
of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from
areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by storms of persecution
and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans
of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering
is redemptive.
Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina,
go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos
of our northern cities, know that somehow this situations can and will
be changed.
Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today my friends
- so even though we face difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have
a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the
true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal.”
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former
slaves and the sons of the former slave owners will be able to sit down
together at the table of brotherhood.
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