Just Mercy Unit Makeover: Nonfiction Series Part 3 [S5 E118]
Listen to the full episode below:
We love a good unit makeover, and today you’ll hear part of one in action! We’re going to do a makeover on a unit that Marie has taught one time so far. It uses the text, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson.
This unit is part of a brand new course. As many of you may have experienced, brand new course + brand new unit = flying by the seat of your pants! In other words, it’s a good time to talk through it and think about some changes that can be made the next time that it’s used.
First, let’s go over a little background on the course. It’s an ethnic literature course for seniors. Marie was part of the team, alongside other teachers in her district, who planned the course out.
If you’ve never taught Just Mercy, and don’t have plans to teach it this year, that’s okay. You’ll hear in the episode that a unit makeover is not so much about the text as it is about the process. Each part of the process works together, and it’s not always a perfect linear line.
Here’s our makeover process in a nutshell:
Vision board
Essential question
Supplemental materials
Assessment
The unit that we’re talking about in today’s episode looks at systems of power. You’ll hear us discuss the vision for this unit, go through some clarifying questions, and move into forming an essential question. Most importantly, you’ll gain an understanding that this process is pretty messy to work through.
If you enjoy conversations like these, then you will love our virtual workshop. It is all about teaching Biography and Memoir. You can sign up here!
Topics discussed:
Background information on the course in which Marie teaches this unit.
A description of the vision and goals that Marie set for the unit.
Talking through the big themes and questions.
An example of a summative assessment used (hint: it involves a podcast!)
A reminder that memoir and biography set you up for a lot of other great conversations that can’t always happen with fiction text.
Honing in on an essential question that will give students better direction and buy-in
Resources:
Sign up for our virtual workshop on Teaching Memoir & Biography
Follow Marie on Instagram: @thecaffeinatedclass
Follow Amanda on Instagram: @mudandinkteaching
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Related Episodes:
More about Brave New Teaching:
Join hosts Amanda Cardenas (Mud & Ink Teaching) and Marie Morris (The Caffeinated Classroom) in discussions about being brave, trying new things, and all things teaching! As seasoned classroom teachers, Amanda and Marie bring their experience, insight, energy, and oh, so many opinions and ideas... It's time for all teachers to take their classroom and teaching practice into their own hands!
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