This unit was created by the Reading as Resistance team as part of the 2022 cohort of The 1619 Project Education Network. It is designed for facilitation across approximately five weeks.
Objectives
Students will be able to...
- Define injustice, resistance, hope and joy
- Identify examples of injustice, resistance, hope and joy in a range of unique texts
- Describe their own strengths and identify how those strengths can be a form of resistance
Unit Overview
In this unit, students will engage in conversations about injustice, resistance, hope and joy by exploring a series of stories about people of color overcoming challenges. Students will explore different types of texts such as picture books, online articles and videos including I am Not a Number, Born on the Water, Separate is Never Equal. The unit culminates in self portrait project that encourages students to identify their core qualities and describe how they show resistance. Throughout this unit, students practice analyzing a range of fiction and nonfiction, listening and speaking skills, research, and writing.
Performance Task
Students will complete a self portrait comprised of text and illustration. After reflecting on themselves, they’ll identify one strength they possess and craft a small paragraph that captures how their personal strength can be a form of resistance. Once they complete their paragraph, students will draw a self-portrait.
Five-week unit plan for teachers, including pacing, texts and multimedia resources. Download below, or scroll down to review key resources included in the unit plan.
Unit Resources
| Resources from The 1619 Project | Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson, Nikkolas Smith |
| Supplemental Resources | I am Not a Number By Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad Separate Is Never Equal By Duncan Tonatiuh |
Reading:
Standard - CC.1.3.2.C: Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
Standard - CC.1.2.2.J: Acquire and use grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases.
Writing:
Standard - CC.1.4.2.V: Participate in individual or shared research and writing projects.
Standard - CC.1.4.2.W: Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
Speaking and Listening:
Standard - CC.1.5.2.A: Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
Standard - CC.1.5.2.B: Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
Anchor Charts:
Comic Strips:
Self Portraits:
