Lesson Plans

Here are the lesson plans we have created for this unit for Week 1.



Lesson Plan 1

Standards:

Reading Standard 9.5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it.

Language Standard 9.3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.


Objective:

Introduce the genre of graphic novels to students through students’ self-exploration in discussion and power point presentations.


Procedure:

1. Introduce the genre of graphic novels by connecting to students’ experience.
- Ask students if they know what a graphic novel is.
- Ask students to give some examples of graphic novels they have heard or read.
- Students will most likely give examples of comic books, so ask them to think about how comic books are different from graphic novels.

2. Have the students form groups of four.
Pass around some graphic novels:
Alan Moore’s “Watchmen”
Art Spiegelman’s “Maus: A Survivor’s Tale”
Daisuke Igarashi’s “Children of the Sea”
Dylan Horrocks’ “Hicksville”
J. M. Ken “Nimura’s I Kill Giants”
Tom Siddell’s “Gunnerkrigg Court”
Will’s Eisner’s “A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories”
            Give each group time to look through a couple graphic novels
            Have each group discuss how they find these graphic novels different from the
                        comic books they have read
Give students the following questions to guide them in their discussion:
            - What’s the difference in structure between graphic novels and comics?
- Compare and contrast the visuals used, speech bubbles and language used in
            graphic novels and comics.
- Compare and contrast the literary elements of plot, characters, theme and point
            of view in graphic novels and comics.
- Are any of these more entertainment-oriented than the other?
- What’s the purpose of each of them?
- What’s the target/potential audience for each of them?

3. Bring the class back together and have groups share their thoughts with class.

4. Introduce the history and development of graphic novel using a PowerPoint
            presentation.

5. Have the students discuss the information in the PowerPoint on graphic novels
            How’s a graphic novel different from a conventional novel?
- Why do you think the author would have decided to write a graphic novel
            Instead of a conventional novel in written form?
Discuss the author’s choice. (What’s good about visual narrative?)
- What’s the advantage of opting to present your thoughts with graphic
            novels over written novels? What’s the disadvantage then?
- Does a graphic novel have lower literature value than a conventional
            novel?

8. Wrap up with a discussion of the students’ answers and teacher’s opinion. “Novels
            are presented as books in linear form; picture books tell a story with text
            accompanied by illustrations; film works with moving images and dialogue but
            graphic novels combine all these elements as a medium for story-telling. They
            tell a story through visual images.”


Assessment:

Reading Standard 9.5: We will be able to assess the students’ knowledge of why an author would choose to write a graphic novel instead of a conventional novel through the group discussions and the whole class discussion, and their understanding of the differences between the two will be determined.  

Language Standard 9.3: The students’ ability to recognize how language functions differently in a graphic novel that it does in a conventional novel will be assessed through the group and class discussions.



Lesson Plan 2
Standards: 

9.6 Use technology, including the Internet, to produce, publish, and update
individual or shared writing products, taking advantage of technology’s
capacity to link to other information and to display information flexibly and
dynamically.

Objective: Students will familiarize themselves with the concept of stereotypes in relation to both the introductory text and their personal experience. This will be utilized in the form of digital media to enhance visual aid and encourage individual opinion/written reflection.

Procedure:
1.     Introduce general concept of “stereotypes.” Ask the students to write a quick 5 minute free write on their thoughts/feelings regarding stereotypes. (5 minutes)
2.     Lead student-oriented discussion. What is a stereotype? What are some examples? (high school stereotypes: nerd, jock, cheerleader, punk, etc) How do these make you feel?
Delve more specifically and in-depth into racial stereotypes. Why is this still such an insistent, ongoing issue even today? Copy students’ opinions, adjectives/words, descriptions, and (optional) experiences onto a visual display. (10 minutes)
3.     Incorporate valuable visual aids using digital media sources, such as audio/video animation.
Sample resources: Youtube clips on relevant pop culture satirizing cultural stereotypes (not just limited to Asian American racial prejudice).
-Family Guy’s blunt, black humor clips: “Asian Woman Driver,” “Oh My God, It’s Jackie Chan!””Stewie Works at a Sweatshop in China”
-“The Breakfast Club”—the original archetype of conventional highschool stereotypes
(These will generate student interest through identification with real-world, personal shows.)
BUT, I need to integrate a more serious perspective, since stereotypes (though often mocked) cannot always be taken lightly. What if it is offensive? Clearly, it is still a very prominent issue in society (refer back to list I compiled of students’ feeling adjectives, some of these may be negative.)
Other, more shocking resources: anti-sentiment propaganda from the war and the influx of Chinese immigration to labor on the railroads (Chinese and Filipino depicted very negatively, often associated with “rat poison,” men were considered to be emasculated and inferior to their dominant white counterparts, and they were viewed as “heathens” lower than humans.)
This led to gradual acceptance of Chinese inferiority, and their inability to assimilate into American culture. (10 minutes)
4.     Provide the above historical context and a brief overview of stereotype origins.
(5-10 minutes)
5.      Have students return to their original quick writes and add to it, reflecting on their thoughts/feelings now after viewing these clips and hearing this historical background.
 (5 minutes)
6.     Transition into how stereotype discussion is relevant to our unit on American Born Chinese, using a powerpoint presentation as a visual aid/model. Students should note the deliberate use of stereotypes throughout the graphic novel, and determine what purpose it serves. (10-15 minutes minutes)
Conclude class by asking them to keep this in mind. When they return to class tomorrow, they will begin reading American Born Chinese.

Assessment: 9.6 -
Incorporation of visual aids serves to integrate all of their thoughts into one cohesive handout to later refer to. Additional resources help further and complicate their understanding of stereotypes. This provides a good transition into the actual text. Free write reflections before and after this class discussion will also broaden their knowledge on the subject matter. 


 Lesson Plan 3 
 Standards

Reading Standard 9.5: Analyze how an author's choices concerning how to structure
a text, order events within it (e.g. Parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g. Pacing,
flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise

Language Standard 9.3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language
functions in different contexts to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to
comprehend more fully when reading or listening


Objectives

1. To introduce an example of Chinese graphic novel, 'American Born Chinese'
2. To inspire ideas of stereotype with personal experience

Procedure

1.    Show different videos of “The Monkey King” to the whole class (10 minutes)

2.    Introduce “American Born Chinese” to the students (5 minutes)
a.    A graphic novel which is based upon the traditional Chinese story of “The Monkey King”
b.    Before the students begin to read the story, address with them that there is some Chinese writing in the graphic novel. Refer them to page 10 to show them an example of how the Chinese character is presented in the text and the English translation is also shown in the dialogue box near the Chinese writing.

3.    Ask students to volunteer to read the roles of the characters of Section 1 (15 minutes)
a.    After all the roles are assigned, have the volunteers read Section 1

4.    After the volunteers have finished reading Section 1, have a group discussion and using the students’ prior knowledge and information presented on the first day of this unit. Ask the students the following questions and write some of the answers on the board: (15 minutes)
a.    What are the main features of graphic novels that you can identify in “American Born Chinese”?
b.    How would you define the narrative style, structure, characters, etc.?
c.     What is the main idea/theme of Section 1?
d.    How do the characters’ facial expressions reflect their personality?
e.    Are there any stereotypes that you can identify in Section 1?

5.    Conclude class by asking students if they can personally relate to the first Section of “American Born Chinese” or any of the stereotypes that they were able to identify. (5 minutes)


Assessment

Reading Standard 9.5: The class discussion and the quality of responses to the questions will be used to assess the students’ understanding of the author’s structure of the graphic novel

Language Standard 9.3: The students’ verbal responses and personal sharing during the class discussion will assess their ability to identify the theme and writing style while reading and listening to their classmates read the story aloud
 


Lesson plan 4
Standards:
9.3. Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting
motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters,
and advance the plot or develop the theme

9.5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order
events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing,
flashbacks) create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

Objective: Students will read Section 2 of the book in “popcorn” style, then generate a student-oriented discussion evidencing the first use of stereotypes in the novel, and comparing its effectiveness in terms of visual storytelling and structure (concepts discussed in the introduction of this literary unit.)

Procedure:
1.     Independent free write on the following prompt: Have you ever been in a new environment where you didn’t necessarily “fit in?” How did this make you feel? Describe the situation. Optional student sharing. (5-10 minutes)
2.     Popcorn style reading for Section 2. As they read aloud, ask them to mark in the margins, or tab the pages, where they see evidence of stereotypes being used. (15-20 minutes)
3.     Discuss what they have marked in assigned small groups. Use the following questions as a discussion guideline: (20 minutes)
1.     Inspect the structure of the plot. Is it effective that Jin tells us, his audience, his childhood story through a flashback interwoven between past and present?
2.     Compare the different reactions to Jin, as far as stereotyping goes: the teacher’s, Timmy’s, Greg’s, and yours as you were reading it.
3.     Was Jin ostracized? How so? What does this mean?
4.     What do you think is the significance of Wei-Chan? Do you predict he will have a meaningful role later on in this novel? Was it effective that he was introduced to us in the end of this section.
Use remaining class period to discuss the questions together as a class. Make a comparison list/bubble on the board to record their thoughts. (10-15 minutes)

Assessment:

9.3 Students should complicate their understanding of characterization through the introduction of young Jin, Wei-Chan, and the three alpha-males (Greg, Timmy and anonymous) by explaining the significance of their roles and their dynamic relationships to each other.

9.5 Students will gain a better sense of time manipulation through comparison of plot sequencing, flashbacks, and tense shifts between past and present. This will be properly assessed in their individual notations, group discussions, and class-oriented record.

 

Lesson Plan Day 5
Standards

Reading Standard 9.3: Analyze how complex characters develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.

Reading Standard 9.5: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it, and manipulate time create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.


Objective

Students will read Section 3 independently and answer questions about the text to illustrate their understanding and interpretation of the text.  Students will also be introduced to ComicLife which they will use to create their own graphic novel/comic. 


Procedures

1.    Have the students do a five-minute free-write (5 minutes)
a.    Offer the students the following prompt
                                               i.     How have you been personally affected by stereotypes?

2.    Ask for students to volunteer to share their free-write with the class (5 minutes)

3.    Explain to the students what a laugh-track is, and show them how Gene Luen Yang uses a form of one in “American Born Chinese.” (3 minutes)
a.    Example on Page 45

4.    Have students independently read Section 3 of “American Born Chinese” (15 minutes)
a.    Give students Handout #1 and have them answer the questions as they read the text

5.    Discuss Section 3 and the questions with the entire class (10 minutes)

6.    Introduce the students to ComicLife.com (12 minutes)
a.    Explain to the students that they will be creating their own graphic novel/comic using this software
b.    Help students setup their own accounts
c.     Show a video demonstrating the basics of ComicLife
                                               i.     http://www.viddler.com/explore/plasq/videos/5/
Assessment

Reading Standard 9.3: Students’ understanding of how the characters in this graphic novel are being developed will be assessed through a review of their answers and interpretation of the questions on Handout 1

Reading Standard 9.5: The teacher will be able to assess the students’ comprehension of this text and their ability to decipher the three parallel stories that Gene Luen Yang is weaving together in this book through the class discussion of the questions addressed in Handout 1







Name: ______________________                                   
Date: _____________________


Handout #1

Answer the following questions while reading Section 3 of American Born Chinese.


1.    What do you think Danny wants to talk to Melanie about?
2.    How would you describe Danny’s response and attitude when he found out that his cousin, Chin-Kee, is coming to visit?
3.    What is your first impression of Chin-Kee?
4.    Do you think that Chin-Kee is insulting Melanie with his remarks?
5.    Why do you think Danny does not want Chin-Kee to go to school with him?




 


 


2 comments:

  1. Thanks for review, it was excellent and very informative.
    Chinese lesson

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