Inquiry Standards

1. Inquiry Standard SS.9-12.4.1: Construct arguments and explanations using sound reasoning, appropriate structure, and examples and details while acknowledging counterclaims and evidentiary weaknesses.
2. Inquiry Standard SS.9-12.5.1: Identify local, regional and/or global problems or issues by using interdisciplinary lenses.
3. Inquiry Standard SS.9-12.5.3: Apply a range of deliberative strategies and procedures to make decisions and propose feasible solutions to address local, regional, and/or global concerns.
4. Inquiry Standard SS.9-12.5.4: Create an action plan to address a solution to the problem or issue and demonstrate substantive evidence of implementation

Content Standards

Hawai‘i Core Standards in Social Studies

1. Content Standard SS.US.12.8.1: Evaluate popular and government responses to emerging domestic challenges.
2. Content Standard SS.PID.5.7.1: Plan and demonstrate some ways in which an active citizen can effect change in the community, state, nation, or world.

Common Core ELA Standards:

1. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
2. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.2: Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.
3. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.
4. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
5. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.c: Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
6. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.d: Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
7. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.e: Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
8. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.2.b: Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.
9. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
10. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.5: Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.
11. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
12. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1.c: Propel conversations by posing and responding to questions that probe reasoning and evidence; ensure a hearing for a full range of positions on a topic or issue; clarify, verify, or challenge ideas and conclusions; and promote divergent and creative perspectives.

Nā Hoʻpena Aʻo

Nā Hopena Aʻo Cards

1. Sense of Responsibility: See self and others as active participants in the learning process, question ideas and listen generously, make good decisions with moral courage and integrity in every action, reflect on the quality and relevancy of the learning
2. Sense of Excellence: Know and apply unique gifts and abilities to a purpose, take initiative without being asked, explore many areas of interests and initiate new ideas, utilize creativity and imagination to problem-solve and innovate, see failure as an opportunity to learn well, assess and make improvements to produce quality work

Lesson Flow at-a-Glance

Compelling Question

• How and why is it important to create hope in a divided community?

Overview

This unit is centered around Amanda Gorman’s poem “The Hill We Climb” with a focus on how her poem was meant to be a beacon of hope for a divided American people, particularly after the events of January 6th, 2021. Students are introduced to Amanda Gorman as well as the attack on the Capitol on January 6th– they participate in introductory discussions surrounding these topics. Then they read, watch and annotate the poem, and engage in small group discussions focusing on word choice, metaphor, hope, symbolism and more. Next, they identify other groups either nationally, internationally or on a smaller scale within their own communities that have experienced moments of strife and have been divided in some way. In small groups, students develop a plan of action in order to create unity within one of these communities. Additionally, students are introduced to the summative assessment, a literary analysis essay on “The Hill We Climb”. Throughout their writing process, they will review MLA formatting and citation rules, thesis statements and other important rules with regards to academic, literary analysis/essay writing. Through conference, peer review and revision, students will submit a final essay that meets the criteria of the rubric.

Public Product

• While there is no public product for this unit, students will complete a summative assessment (literary analysis essay) which they will share with their peers during a peer review.

Technology

• You will need to project the slidedeck daily.
• Students will need to have access to a device to write their literary analysis essay and complete the peer review.

Teaching Pro Tips

• Extend this unit as needed. If you feel that your students need more direct instruction on essay writing, in-text citations, MLA formatting etc., I highly encourage you to add in some additional instruction days to meet their needs.
• This unit can also be shortened very easily to about three days by eliminating the literary analysis essay. If you are looking to have a shorter lesson (particularly around January 6th to provide context surrounding the events of January 6th), you can use this slidedeck, slides 1-6 & 8. This will allow you to create context surrounding the events of January 6th, analyze Gorman’s poem, foster discussions surrounding these topics and complete the group activity, without having to spend the additional amount of time it takes to complete a full literary analysis essay.

Lesson Details

Day 1:

1. Use this slidedeck, slides 1-4.
2. First, break students up into small groups. You may choose to do this or allow students to pick their own groups. Students will respond to the introductory discussion questions on slide two. Give students a few minutes to discuss in small groups and then share out as a whole class. It’s likely that you may need to facilitate this discussion a bit if students have little familiarity with January 6th. When you come together as a full group, use this as an opportunity to introduce students to the events of January 6th.
3. Show the video introduction to Gorman on slide three. After the video, take a few moments to stop and have students reflect on what they just learned. This could be in small groups or you can just jump straight into a full group discussion. Next, introduce students to the events of January 6th. You may choose to use this written overview (also linked on slide three), or share your own information. You may also choose to show videos to introduce students to January 6th; however, most videos are biased in one direction or another. If you do choose to show videos, I suggest finding one from a left-leaning source and one from a right-leaning source in order to avoid bias.
4. Materials needed: print copies of the poem “The Hill We Climb” for all students to complete annotations.
5. Teaching tip: Review your individual annotation guidelines and expectations with students if they are not already familiar with them.
6. Follow the directions on slide four. Allow time for reflection and discussion after watching the poem and then again after reading it aloud.
7. Teaching tip: Slow down this day if needed. If you are not able to get through all of these activities in one day one, allow the activities to spill over into day two.

Day 2:

1. Use this slidedeck, slides 5-6.
2. Break students up into small groups for their discussion on slide five. Allow them to work on writing their paragraphs in small groups for about 20 minutes and then have them post their paragraphs to your LMS. Once posted, each group will share out their responses with the full class. Allow some time for additional discussion among groups in between each question/group sharing.
3. For slide six, allow students to start by discussing the questions in their small groups, and then facilitate a full group discussion of the questions.
4. If there is extra time during this class period, you can ask students to respond individually to their peers’ paragraphs from slide five. This can be done individually in writing using your Learning Management System (LMS).

Day 3:

1. Use this slidedeck, slide 7.
2. Today you will introduce the literary analysis essay on the poem. Start by reviewing the essay guidelines (objectives, step one and step two).
3. Teaching tip: depending on how familiar your students are with MLA formatting and citation, you may want to spend extra time reviewing these concepts. The literary analysis essay has links to the Purdue Owl websites to review header, works cited page, title and in-text citations. I recommend reviewing all of those in detail with your students. That being said, if they have already had a lot of practice with these concepts, you may not need to review them as thoroughly. I have found in the past that even students at the 11th and 12th levels need practice/thorough review of these concepts. Spend more time as you see fit and add more days to the overall lesson as needed.
4. When you finish reviewing the essay guidelines and MLA formatting, give students work time to begin brainstorming for their essay. Use this as an opportunity to circulate throughout the room, check in with students, answer any questions that they might have and provide individual guidance.

Day 4:

1. Use this slidedeck, slide 8.
2. Materials needed: butcher paper and colored pencils/pens for the activity.
3. Read through the guidelines of the activity on slide eight. You may want to go back to the discussion question on slide six and ask students to review their responses/have a quick “mini” discussion on that question to prepare for the activity.
4. When finished, ask each group to share their completed activity on butcher paper as a full class. Have one or two students per group stand up, hold the butcher paper so that the whole class can see, and thoroughly share their plan.
5. If the activity does not take the full class period, give students time to work on their essay.

Day 5:

1. No slidedeck needed today.
2. Review this document, which includes important reminders for writing a literary analysis essay. This is a lengthy document and has a lot of dense information, so stop as needed and ask questions/allow students to discuss.
3. Students will have the rest of the class period to work on their essays with the opportunity for optional conferencing with you as they are writing.
4. Teaching tip:
   1. You may optionally choose to have them complete an outline for their essay during this writing/work time. You may also allow them to jump straight into writing their essay.
   2. You may choose to add another full work day for students to write their first draft. Especially if you prefer that they write an outline first, you may want to add another day for writing time.
5. Important note: Students should have the first draft of their essay complete and ready for a peer review by the following class period.

Day 6:

1. Use this slidedeck, slide 7.
2. Review the guidelines for the peer review. Students will then have the remainder of the class for the peer review.
3. As students are completing the peer review, this could be a time for you to circulate and provide feedback as needed.
4. If there is time left at the end, allow students to begin revising their essays based on peer feedback.

Day 7:

1. Letter revision day.
2. You will use this slidedeck, slide 20.
3. Teaching tip: this would be a great day to add in optional individual conferencing with students. As they are revising their letters, you can ask them to sign up for a conference with you to receive additional feedback. They may do this by informally writing their names on the board in class and then you will move through the list on the board for the duration of the class period.

Day 8:

1. Use this slidedeck, slide 9-10.
2. Give students about 25 minutes for the discussion on slide 9. Start by breaking them up into small groups, and then come together as a full group to discuss.
3. Give students the remainder of the class to complete their reflection journals on slide 10 and submit.