INGRID ROBERTS-HAYNES

Title: Women's Voices, Women's Work

Subject Areas: English, Civics, Arts

Topics:

We will explore issues that relate to gender, male-female stereotypes, relationships, expectations and assumptions, sexism, sexual identity, the changing roles of women in today's society and the challenges women encounter on their journey to self-empowerment.

Skills:

As we gain a deeper understanding of gender issues and male-female relationships students will:

- develop an ability to respond to works of literature by writers from different cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds

-learn how to offer constructive criticism of peers' work

-enhance their critical reading skills (use of Essential Skills in Response to Journal Writing method)

- learn how to work individually and in groups to write creatively using narrative and figurative language

- broaden their knowledge of writing expository essays and compositions

- develop an ability to work with peers on projects in small groups

- learn how to participate effectively in class discussions (sharing opinions, valuing others'ideas, practicing active listening)

- learn how to create a sense of community where each student will feel comfortable and safe to share ideas and explore learning while making personal connections to the texts

Assessments:

Students' learning will be assessed through:

- daily reflections of texts in reading logs

- peer responses to reading logs

- daily journal writing

- revision of writing which will focus on growth in use of language (sentence structure, use of vocabulary, use of elaborate similes and metaphors)

- examinations to evaluate students' understanding of text and vocabulary learned

- peer evaluations of group/individual presentations

- completion of a final project (publication of anthology of writings in response to texts covered in course; this will also include student artwork

Instructional Strategies:

- pairings

- small and large group work

- group and individual projects/ presentations

- role plays, performances

- discussions

- individual writing assignments

- research

 

Instructional Materials:

Main texts:

- "Disappearing Acts" - Terry Mc. Millan

- "The Black Woman, An Anthology" - Edited by Toni Cade Bambara

- "How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents" - Julia Alvarez

Supporting materials:

- "Kisses and Volcanoes" - The Urban Attitudes Collective: A Compilation

- Excerpts from "Faith In the Valley, The Journey of Women on Their Search for Peace"- Iyanla Vanzant

- "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" - Maya Angelou

- "The Bluest Eye" - Toni Morrison

-" The House On Mango Street" - Sandra Cisneros