To those ends, here are some ideas to whet your palate...
1. I think this book is at my parent's house but you can get it pretty cheap used - By Any Means Necessary By Spike Lee With Ralph Wiley (only $7 used at Amazon (no pic)). I remember this "making of" story to be very powerful as Lee details the fact that his movie was being made at the same time as Oliver Stone's JFK and compares the funding situations for both projects. As I recall, the studio was constantly cutting Lee's budget while pouring money into Stone's project. Ultimately, Lee had to get supplemental funding from private investors including Michael Jordan.
2.This FRONTLINE does a nice job breaking down the famous 1968 Blue-eyed experiment. You can replicate it in class for a period, watch clips of the film or read a short article about it.
3. Just last week this happened - 'White Privilege' Lesson In Delavan-Darien High School Class In Wis.... You can read multiple POV on the event like 'Teach kids the real story about race' in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel or this ditty from FOX News "Public School Teaches 'White Privilege' Class." These nicely link to the more abstract Blue-Eyed issue.
4. There is a whole book from '95 about teaching Malcolm to check out - Teaching Malcolm X: Popular Culture and Literacy
5. You could have kids to a look at race and popular music through the 1960s or "Popular Music and Race Then and Now" kind of thing for each chapter. Some model lessons might include something from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame lesson plan collection like 'Keep on Pushing: Popular Music and the Civil Rights Movement' or a Mindblue classic like Mindblue's Ben Harper 'Sounds and Vision' PDF. The Ben Harper study guide deals with a great track called 'Like A King' that compares Rodney King and MLK. It was hard to write but always a powerful discussion starter. Of note, Lee begins Malcolm X with footage of the King beating. Speaking again of Lee, dude has excellent music taste so you might use select tracks from the X soundtrack as a starting point for independent study as well.
6. One of my favorite comic artists who deals with racial themes is Keith Knight's (Th)ink comics.
7. Lastly, Rethinking Schools is always my go to place for teaching about things like race, gender and the environment. Consider subscribing to see full articles but this is excellent "Diversity Vs. White Privilege" and is collected in their book Rethinking Multicultural Education.
These should give you ideas for multimodal texts or activities that could bookend chapters or chunks of the book. Let me know what you dig and we can chat more! (Breath). This is an amazing book - you are lucky to be able to teach it!
Also thinking you might cross-post this question in the American Lit or US History group as well so history teachers drop their ten cents.
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d major water routes. This plans kicked off an arms race between North and South. In response to this move, the southern forces attempted to break blockades and were aided in their efforts by the creation of the first ironclad vessel the C.S.S. Virginia (formerly called the U.S.S. Merrimack), which could ram and destroy wooden ships. Faced with this new, devastating technology, the Union was forced to respond with its own upgraded vessels. Their first ironclad vessel, the U.S.S. Monitor, was commissioned into combat in order to turn the course of the naval conflict. I really enjoyed this book. It and its precursor might just be the best Social Studies focused graphic novels I have ever read. One of the big surprises I got reading this one was just how much I did not know about the people involved in the American Civil War, particularly a complete ignorance of the exploits of William Barker Cushing. He was decorated for multiple acts of bravery on the Union side, for example, sinking an ironclad ship with a spar torpedo. Hale also did an excellent job portraying other notable figures such as Secretary of the Navy Gideon "Father Neptune" Welles, Confederate Navy Secretary Stephen Mallory, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Gustavus Fox, and the innovative Swedish inventor John Ericsson with memorable verve. Another surprise I got reading this sequel to One Dead Spy was that it was actually completed before the ostensible first book of the series. Creator Nathan Hale also has drawn two other graphic novels, Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack, as well as a variety of children's books, including Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody and The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas. He shares a lot of fun artwork and news via his blog. Reviews I have read have been positive, commenting on the crisp art, humor, and well-researched information. Kirkus Reviews called it "livelier than the typical history textbook but sillier than the many outstanding works on the Civil War available for young readers," and added, "this will appeal to both history buffs and graphic-novel enthusiasts." Degolar offered his opinion, "The book pulled me in and kept me eagerly engaged to the end. And, perhaps most importantly, when I finished I wanted to know more about the people and events depicted." Librarian Laura Given enjoyed the book, writing, "This book grabbed me from the first frame with its goofy hangman character who loves Children's Story Hour - all the way to the back matter where author Nathan Hale admits to outsourcing his research for the book to adorable babies." Big Bad Ironclad! is published by Amulet Books. There is a preview available at Amazon.
More links at http://graphicnovelresources.blogspot.com…
d major water routes. This plans kicked off an arms race between North and South. In response to this move, the southern forces attempted to break blockades and were aided in their efforts by the creation of the first ironclad vessel the C.S.S. Virginia (formerly called the U.S.S. Merrimack), which could ram and destroy wooden ships. Faced with this new, devastating technology, the Union was forced to respond with its own upgraded vessels. Their first ironclad vessel, the U.S.S. Monitor, was commissioned into combat in order to turn the course of the naval conflict. I really enjoyed this book. It and its precursor might just be the best Social Studies focused graphic novels I have ever read. One of the big surprises I got reading this one was just how much I did not know about the people involved in the American Civil War, particularly a complete ignorance of the exploits of William Barker Cushing. He was decorated for multiple acts of bravery on the Union side, for example, sinking an ironclad ship with a spar torpedo. Hale also did an excellent job portraying other notable figures such as Secretary of the Navy Gideon "Father Neptune" Welles, Confederate Navy Secretary Stephen Mallory, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Gustavus Fox, and the innovative Swedish inventor John Ericsson with memorable verve. Another surprise I got reading this sequel to One Dead Spy was that it was actually completed before the ostensible first book of the series. Creator Nathan Hale also has drawn two other graphic novels, Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack, as well as a variety of children's books, including Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody and The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas. He shares a lot of fun artwork and news via his blog. Reviews I have read have been positive, commenting on the crisp art, humor, and well-researched information. Kirkus Reviews called it "livelier than the typical history textbook but sillier than the many outstanding works on the Civil War available for young readers," and added, "this will appeal to both history buffs and graphic-novel enthusiasts." Degolar offered his opinion, "The book pulled me in and kept me eagerly engaged to the end. And, perhaps most importantly, when I finished I wanted to know more about the people and events depicted." Librarian Laura Given enjoyed the book, writing, "This book grabbed me from the first frame with its goofy hangman character who loves Children's Story Hour - all the way to the back matter where author Nathan Hale admits to outsourcing his research for the book to adorable babies." Big Bad Ironclad! is published by Amulet Books. There is a preview available at Amazon.
More links at http://graphicnovelresources.blogspot.com…
ladek. Art is a child of the 1960s, rebellious, troubled, and at-odds with his stubborn, parsimonious, and argumentative dad. The second story is the tale of how Vladek navigated life during Hitler's rise and rule in Europe. This volume covers much of his life before World War II, when he was coming up in the world, wooing women, and making a family of his own.
This volume contains the first 6 chapters of the tale. The story is framed in anthropomorphic terms, with Jews being mice and Germans being cats. The symbolism is immediately evident as a predator/prey relationship, a deadly serious version of a Tom and Jerry cartoon. For those interested in the symbolism, Spiegelman explains his artistic choices in this interview with J. Stephen Bolhafner.
A prolific artist with many works to his credit, Art Spiegelman began doing comics work in the 1970s at the tail end of the underground comix movement. Aside from creating anthologies such as Arcade and RAW, he also worked for Topps Bubble Gum for 20 years where he had a hand in creating such products as the Wacky Packages stickers and Garbage Pail Kids trading cards. He went on to draw a number of controversial covers for the New Yorker magazine in the 1990s and 2000s, and with his wife Françoise Mouly he currently runs a company that makes graphic books for children, TOON Books.
Maus is one of the most celebrated graphic novels ever. It is usually the example most used when people argue that comics and graphic novels have "grown up." It is also credited in large part for raising graphic novels into prominence as more than "just glorified comic books." This volume won a 1986 National Book Critics Circle Award and is generally held in high regard by readers, as seen in this range of reviews from Goodreads. Maus is commonly taught and read in high schools and universities as well.
Still, there is also backlash to the story. Some readers see Spiegelman exploiting his father's holocaust experiences for profit. Political cartoonist and controversy lightning rod Ted Rall criticized Spiegelman's work in Maus as facile and one-dimensional in this 1999 Village Voice article. Such criticisms may be few, but they are loud ones.
Some preview pages from this volume are available on this page from its current US publisher Pantheon, a division of Random House.…
ion for MLK's historic "I Have a Dream" speech.The book shifts from the past to the present, framed by Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration, but delving into the past and showing scenes from Lewis's childhood growing up as a sharecropper in Alabama, his calling to become a preacher, his going to college and meeting other civil rights activists, and his roles in various sit-ins and marches. These stories are not sugar coated and have strong elements of the dangers and realities of these historical situations.
Simultaneously, the story and art also practice nonviolence and move toward understanding and acceptance. Even when depicting horrible events, the story and art refuses to demonize those who practice prejudice and violence, even while showing that those practices are morally and ethically wrong. The journalistic tenor of the book captures a palpable sense of struggle, conviction, and consequence.
Lewis and his staffer Andrew Aydin make their debuts as graphic novel writers with this book, but artist Nate Powell is a veteran and expert creator with a long list of praised works, including the graphic novels The Silence of Our Friends, Swallow Me Whole, and Any Empire. He has much to work with, both in terms of history and experiences, and as demonstrated in the excerpts above he makes excellent tonal use of black and white to tell riveting, moving, and powerful tales. All these creators speak about the origins and their role in making this book in this NPR profile.A best-seller and listed among the best books of 2013 by many, including USA Today, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, The Horn Book, Paste, Slate, ComicsAlliance, Amazon, and Apple iBooks, this book has been much acclaimed. Michael Cavna called it "riveting and beautiful." Cornelius Fortune praised the artwork especially for conveying meaning and feeling, stating that "Powell’s style is somewhere in between the worlds of photorealism and animation, the images at times seeming to move on the page." Esther Keller summed up, "This book would be a wonderful addition to any library, private, public, or school. It would especially enhance any curriculum unit on the Civil Rights Movement."March, Book One is available from Top Shelf, and they provide a preview, reviews, links, and much more here.
More links at http://graphicnovelresources.blogspot.com…
ion for MLK's historic "I Have a Dream" speech.The book shifts from the past to the present, framed by Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration, but delving into the past and showing scenes from Lewis's childhood growing up as a sharecropper in Alabama, his calling to become a preacher, his going to college and meeting other civil rights activists, and his roles in various sit-ins and marches. These stories are not sugar coated and have strong elements of the dangers and realities of these historical situations.
Simultaneously, the story and art also practice nonviolence and move toward understanding and acceptance. Even when depicting horrible events, the story and art refuses to demonize those who practice prejudice and violence, even while showing that those practices are morally and ethically wrong. The journalistic tenor of the book captures a palpable sense of struggle, conviction, and consequence.
Lewis and his staffer Andrew Aydin make their debuts as graphic novel writers with this book, but artist Nate Powell is a veteran and expert creator with a long list of praised works, including the graphic novels The Silence of Our Friends, Swallow Me Whole, and Any Empire. He has much to work with, both in terms of history and experiences, and as demonstrated in the excerpts above he makes excellent tonal use of black and white to tell riveting, moving, and powerful tales. All these creators speak about the origins and their role in making this book in this NPR profile.A best-seller and listed among the best books of 2013 by many, including USA Today, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, The Horn Book, Paste, Slate, ComicsAlliance, Amazon, and Apple iBooks, this book has been much acclaimed. Michael Cavna called it "riveting and beautiful." Cornelius Fortune praised the artwork especially for conveying meaning and feeling, stating that "Powell’s style is somewhere in between the worlds of photorealism and animation, the images at times seeming to move on the page." Esther Keller summed up, "This book would be a wonderful addition to any library, private, public, or school. It would especially enhance any curriculum unit on the Civil Rights Movement."March, Book One is available from Top Shelf, and they provide a preview, reviews, links, and much more here.
More links at http://graphicnovelresources.blogspot.com…
DAY'S LESSON PLAN:
HUBBLE, HUBBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE: Evaluating the Efforts to Maintain and Repair the Hubble Space Telescope
BASED ON THE ARTICLE:
Atlantis Mission Offers One Last Lifeline to Hubble, By DENNIS OVERBYE,May 12, 2009
URL: http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20090512tuesday.html
AUTHOR(S):
Catherine Hutchings, The New York Times Learning Network
GRADES:
6-8
9-12
SUBJECTS:
Science
Technology
OVERVIEW OF LESSON PLAN:
In this lesson, students simulate and discuss the current mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope and then use one of its images to create their own "cosmic postcards."
SUGGESTED TIME ALLOWANCE:
1-2 class periods
ACTIVITIES / PROCEDURES:
1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW:
[NOTE TO TEACHERS: The following activity has been created to help students imagine all that has been involved to secure the success of the Hubble Space Telescope. To provide some background knowledge, show The New York Times Audio Slide Show "Hubble's History".
The tasks were designed to include materials that are inexpensive and easy to find or borrow. Depending on the materials available to you, you may wish to modify the tasks. For example, if you have extra screws available, consider having students replace battery-compartment screws as well.]
Prior to class, gather the following materials:
-battery-operated children's toys that have battery compartments secured by screws (one per group)
-batteries of various sizes (enough for every group to change the batteries in their toy)
-a variety of screwdrivers (sizes, types)
-new "components" to be added onto the toy: (lego blocks, pipe cleaners or twist ties, rubber bands)
-pairs of gloves or mittens to represent "space suits" (2 pairs per group)
-plastic bags (optional)
Place all materials on a desk or table at the front of the classroom and allow students to observe them briefly.
Divide students into large or small groups and distribute the student handout "Fix-It Mission". Read the task and rules aloud with students and answer any questions.
Distribute one toy to each group. Tell groups they will have ten minutes to plan their mission and gather materials. Have students use the handout questions as a guide. After ten minutes, tell groups it is time for "take-off." You may wish to create a mock countdown and have students pretend they are traveling to the Hubble Space Telescope.
When groups are ready, give students five minutes to complete the 3 tasks to repair their toy. Use a timer or clock to record start and stop times for students to work. After five minutes, have students stop working and discuss how they did. Ask: did you successfully complete all tasks? Why or why not? What problems, if any, did you encounter? How would you prepare differently given more time?
Then show The New York Times Audio Slide Show "The Hubble Repairman". Have students discuss the similarities and differences between the in-class activity and the actual repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope. Discussion questions might include:
-What is planned for the Hubble Space Telescope?
-How have astronauts prepared for this repair mission?
-Based on your experience, what is the most challenging part of the repairman's job?
-Why do astronomers and the space program want to repair the telescope?
-Do you think the astronauts will be able to successfully complete all repairs?
-Does this mission seem important to you and why or why not? What intrigues you about this mission or about space exploration in general?
-What space mission would you like to plan if possible and why?
Explain that students will be reading an article to learn more about the Hubble Space Telescope and the final trip to repair it.
2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS:
As a class, read and discuss the article " Atlantis Mission Offers One Last Lifeline to Hubble" focusing on the following questions:
[NOTE: If computers are available in the classroom, consider providing students access to the accompanying interactive graphic "A Final Visit"]
a. What is the Hubble Space Telescope?
b. How have astronauts improved it over the years?
c. What will the Atlantis crew be doing to the telescope in this mission?
d. What has the Hubble given us since 1990? Why does one NASA scientist call it the most successful scientific instrument ever built"?
3. ACTIVITY:
The Hubble Telescope is perhaps most famously known for its "cosmic postcards," the amazing and beautiful images of space it has captured. Show students some of these images as seen in The New York Times Slide Show "Snapshots From Hubble". As students view the slide show, have them keep track of terminology and words which are unfamiliar to them. Terms might include galaxy, ultraviolet light, light-years, supernova, nebula, red dwarf or white dwarf. As necessary, briefly define terms and review unfamiliar concepts with students.
Individually, in pairs or in small groups, students make a postcard featuring one Hubble image of their choice. Have groups use the handout "Cosmic Postcards" to guide their research on and investigation of an image.
Then, they might use the Learning Network handout "Postcards" as a template. Students will paste an image onto their postcards and write a short, informational "blurb" on the back. Blurbs should identify the objects in the image, discuss location, describe how the photograph was taken, discuss what astronomers learned from the image and/or explain its significance.
The "Postcards" template is "writable" making it possible for students to complete the activity using computer technology. You may wish to demonstrate the process to students using technology such as a Smart Board. [NOTE: If you are having difficulty cutting and pasting an online image into the "Postcards" pdf, try this: Save the desired image as a file and then open it using the "Create PDF" button in your version of Adobe. This will open the desired image in another Adobe window. Use the toolbar to "Select Image," then right-click and choose "Copy Image to Clipboard." Using the Window tab, go to the "Postcards" file. Click on the "Review and Comment" button and open the "Advanced Commenting Toolbar." Select "Paste Clipboard Image" and drag the mouse to paste the image in the desired location.]
If technology is not available, materials may be printed and pasted together by hand.
4. FOR HOMEWORK OR FUTURE CLASSES:
For homework or in future classes, have students monitor The New York Times Web page "Space and Cosmos" and other sources, such as Hubblesite, for updates on the progress of Atlantis' 11-day repair mission. Daily news updates on Hubble's SM4 (Servicing Mission 4) are also available on Amazing-Space. Create a bulletin board for students to post articles and images detailing the successes and/or failures of the mission as it unfolds.
At completion of the mission, have students write a message to the entire crew or one of the mission astronauts on their postcards. Postcard messages might offer congratulations, ask questions about specific problems encountered or express students' thoughts, opinions or hopes about the mission or the future of the Hubble Telescope. Students might also write their ideas about the image, such as why they chose it or what it symbolizes to them.
As a final activity, the class might create a "Final Tribute to the Hubble" Postcard Art Exhibit by framing and displaying their completed postcards around the class or the school.
Related Times Resources:
ADDITIONAL TIMES ARTICLES AND MULTIMEDIA: Audio Slide Show: Hubble's History
Interactive Graphic: A Final Visit
Interactive Feature: Meet the Crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis
Article: Now in Sight: Far-off Planets
Article: A Telescope to the Past as Galileo Visits U.S.
Article: The Struggle to Measure Cosmic Expansion
LEARNING NETWORK RESOURCES: Lesson Plan Unit: Space
Lesson Plan: A Distant View
Exploring the Principles of Telescope Optics
Lesson Plan: Scoping Out Space
Evaluating Existing and Proposed Telescope Projects
Lesson Plan: Eye in the Sky
Exploring the Hubble Space Telescope: A Web Scavenger Hunt
Crossword: Space Exploration
Crossword: Stargazing
ARCHIVAL TIMES MATERIALS: Shuttle Soars 381 Miles High, With Telescope and a Dream
Article about the launch of the Hubble, from April 25, 1990
Hubble Jeopardy
Article from November 28, 1993
TIMES TOPICS: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Hubble Space Telescope
OTHER RESOURCES: Hubblesite
Comprehensive site dedicated to the Hubble Space Telescope
NASA's International Year of Astronomy 2009 Web page
Celebrating the 400th anniversary of Galileo's use of a telescope to view the night sky
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope
History, programs and news on the Hubble Telescope
NASA Interactive Feature: "STS-125 Final Shuttle Mission to the Hubble Telescope"
Amazing Space
Hubblesite's kid-friendly sister site
News, videos, fun facts and games for students and educators
Space.com: Hubble Space Telescope
History, articles, images and multimedia features on the Hubble Telescope
Space Telescope Science Institute
Home of programs and public outreach activities for the Hubble Space Telescope
*Extensions:
Create a model of the Hubble Telescope with inexpensive parts from the hardware store and craft stores. Directions are available on Hubblesite.
INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
Fine Arts Use available technology to make your own "space images" or draw original designs. Then create a picture book for younger children about space.
Language Arts Read about John D. Barrow's book "COSMIC IMAGERY: Key Images in the History of Science" in The New York Times article "Far Out". Check the book out from a local library to read some of his image-inspired short stories. Then write your own poem, song, story or greeting card inspired by a Hubble image.
ADDITIONAL RELATED ARTICLES:
NATIONAL CONTENT STANDARDS:
Grades 6-12
Science Standard 3- Understands the composition and structure of the universe and the Earth's place in it
Science Standard 11- Understands the nature of scientific knowledge
Science Standard 13- Understands the scientific enterprise
Technology Standard 3- Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and the individual
…