Democracy Now! Midterm - November 2, 2013
What is the lesson’s intention--what will it achieve?
The intention of this first lesson of a short week of study around the New York City mayoral election is to hook and engage students by using multiple modalities to help them begin to see the relevance of city politics on their lives.
What are the specifics of the action--how it will achieve its intention?
The major actions in this week of study are to learn about the candidates by watching and analyzing the 3rd NYC Mayoral Debate and writing a letter to one of the candidates (see details below). The culminating action of letter writing ensures that students will identify and articulate issues that are important to them.
Action 1: Watch and analyze the 3rd NYC Mayoral Debate.
Action 2: Write a letter to one of the candidates about an issue that is important to you. In your letter, make sure to answer the following questions. You can use the sentence starters if you choose, as well as evidence from your class notes and handouts on the election.
- Why is this issue important to you? (I’m writing to you because…)
- What is the candidate’s stance on the issue? (I’ve read/seen that you believe that…)
- Why do you agree or disagree with the candidate about this issue? (I (dis)agree with you because…)
- What else do you want the candidate to know about this issue, or do about this issue if he were to become mayor? (In addition…)
How will you assess that students “got it”?
Throughout the week, I will informally assess students through their participation and engagement in class discussions and activities. I will formally assess students through the culminating letter writing assignment. Students will demonstrate success by demonstrating a clear understanding of the candidate’s stance, making a claim in agreement or disagreement with the candidate, and providing reasons why.
Unit Title: New York City Mayoral Elections (One week warm-up unit connected to reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi)
Unit Essential Questions: How is identity shaped by tradition, culture and politics? How do politics impact your personal life?
Grade Level: 10
Subject/Topic Areas(s): English
Designed by: Miyo Tubridy
Time Frame: First lesson in a one week study of the New York City Mayoral Elections. The connected unit on Persepolis will be an additional 4-5 weeks.
10th ELA - Mon 10/28/13 - Day 1
Objective - Students will understand/ be able to:
---Identify their stance in response to claims about relevant issues in the NYC mayoral race.
---Articulate reasons that support their claims.
---Identify issues in city politics that are important to their lives.
---Respond to and analyze a campaign video.
Common Core Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.3 Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, identifying any fallacious reasoning or exaggerated or distorted evidence.
Materials:
Aim (on handout): How will the politics of the next mayor of New York City impact my life?
Agenda:
1. (10 min) Warm-up/Do Now: Fill out handout. Decide if you agree or disagree and write down a reason why.
2. (15 min) Walking Debate
3. (10 min) Video: Letter to the next mayor of NYC
Quickwrite: What do you think are the most important issues for the next mayor of NYC to address?
4. (10 min) Video: Introduction to the candidates
Procedure:
1) (10 min) Warm-up/Do Now
2) (15 min) NYC Mayoral Election Walking Debate – Agree/Middle/Disagree
Teacher reads aloud each statement and students move across the room to opposite sides marked Agree or Disagree, or stand in the middle. For each statement, 1-2 students share their claims and reasons.
1. I am concerned about the NYC mayoral election.
2. The NYC Police Department’s “Stop and Frisk” policy, stopping civilians on the street who the police deem suspicious, should end.
3. A “soda ban” law, limiting the size of sodas that can be sold, should be implemented in NYC.
4. It is important to build more affordable housing in NYC for low and middle income New Yorkers.
3) (10 min) Video: Letter to the next mayor of NYC
---(2 min) Intro: This video is from the New York City Writing Project which works with K-12 students and teachers across the city. In this project, they asked youth to write letters to the next mayor of NYC addressing the issues they felt were most important. As you watch, listen for the issues that are raised, and think about which of these issues or others you think will have the biggest impact on your life.
---(Watch 1:00-2:45)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VRzUsk9GVc
---(5 min) Quickwrite: What do you think are the most important issues for the next mayor of NYC to address?
---(2 min) Share and list issues on the board.
4) (10 min) Introduction to the candidates
Intro: Each of these videos is featured on the candidates’ websites. As you watch the videos, think about the following questions:
---What is the main story/narrative being presented?
---What impression of the candidate are you left with?
---What is NOT being shown?
---What questions do you have about or for each candidate?
Extension: To continue student engagement after the election, students may revise their letters in order to mail them to the new mayor.
Name:__________________________
10th ELA - Mon 10/28/13
Aim: How will the politics of the next mayor of New York City impact my life?
NYC Mayoral Election Walking Debate
Directions: Decide if you agree or disagree with the statement and write down a reason why.
Statement
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Agree/In the Middle/Disagree + your reason
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1. I am concerned about the NYC mayoral election.
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2. The NYC Police Department’s “Stop and Frisk” policy, stopping civilians on the street who the police deem suspicious, should end.
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3. A “soda ban” law, limiting the size of sodas that can be sold, should be implemented in NYC.
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4. It is important to build more affordable housing in NYC for low and middle income New Yorkers.
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Letter to the Next Mayor of New York Brainstorm:
As you watch, listen for the issues that are raised, and think about which of these issues or others you think will have the biggest impact on your life.
Introduction to the candidates
Each of these videos is featured on the candidates’ websites. As you watch the videos, think about the following questions.
Bill De Blasio
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Joe Lhota
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What is the main story/narrative being presented?
What impression of the candidate are you left with?
What is NOT being shown?
What questions do you have about or for the candidate?
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What is the main story/narrative being presented?
What impression of the candidate are you left with?
What is NOT being shown?
What questions do you have about or for the candidate?
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