Ohio Resource Center > Record > Quest for the American Dream in A Raisin in the Sun


ORC Resource Number #4016

Quest for the American Dream in A Raisin in the Sun

http://edsitement.neh.gov/view_lesson_plan.asp?id=449

PROFESSIONAL COMMENTARY
People of all backgrounds live in America and come to America dreaming of social, educational, economical opportunities as well as political and religious freedoms. In this extended lesson, students read and analyze the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. People of all backgrounds live in America and come to America dreaming of social, educational, economical opportunities as well as political and religious freedoms. In this extended lesson, students read and analyze the play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Discussions and assignments center around literary elements and figurative language. Students also explore how the social, educational, economical and political climate of the 1950's affected African Americans' quest for "The American Dream." The critical reading and analysis of the play is complemented with a close examination of biographical and historical documents that students use as the basis for creating speeches, essays and scripts. This lesson can be integrated into larger units of study on American literature or adapted for cross-curricular instruction. (author/ncl)

OHIO STANDARDS

English Language Arts Standards

Reading Process: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies and Self-Monitoring Strategies Standard

Benchmarks (8 - 10)

A.	Apply reading comprehension strategies to understand grade-appropriate text.
B.	Demonstrate comprehension of print and electronic text by responding to questions (e.g., literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing).
C.	Use appropriate self-monitoring strategies for comprehension.

Benchmarks (11 - 12)

A.	Apply reading comprehension strategies to understand grade-appropriate texts.
B.	Demonstrate comprehension of print and electronic text by responding to questions (e.g., literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing).
C.	Use appropriate self-monitoring strategies for comprehension.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 9)

1.	Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions.
2.	Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media.
3.	Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back, note taking or summarizing what has been read so far in text.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 10)

1.	Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions.
2.	Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media.
3.	Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back, note taking or summarizing what has been read so far in text.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 11)

1.	Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions.
2.	Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media.
3.	Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back, note taking or summarizing what has been read so far in text.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 12)

1.	Apply reading comprehension strategies, including making predictions, comparing and contrasting, recalling and summarizing and making inferences and drawing conclusions.
2.	Answer literal, inferential, evaluative and synthesizing questions to demonstrate comprehension of grade-appropriate print texts and electronic and visual media.
3.	Monitor own comprehension by adjusting speed to fit the purpose, or by skimming, scanning, reading on, looking back, note taking or summarizing what has been read so far in text.

Reading Applications: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text Standard

Reading Applications: Literary Text Standard

Benchmarks (8 - 10)

A.	Analyze interactions between characters in literary text and how the interactions affect the plot.
B.	Explain and analyze how the context of setting and the author's choice of point of view impact a literary text.
C.	Identify the structural elements of the plot and explain how an author develops conflicts and plot to pace the events in literary text.
D.	Identify similar recurring themes across different works.
F.	Identify and analyze how an author uses figurative language, sound devices and literary techniques to shape plot, set meaning and develop tone.
G.	Explain techniques used by authors to develop style.

Benchmarks (11 - 12)

A.	Analyze and evaluate the five elements (e.g., plot, character, setting, point of view and theme) in literary text.
B.	Explain ways characters confront similar situations and conflict.
D.	Analyze how an author uses figurative language and literary techniques to shape plot and set meaning.
E.	Critique an author's style.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 9)

1.	Identify and explain an author's use of direct and indirect characterization, and ways in which characters reveal traits about themselves, including dialect, dramatic monologues and soliloquies.
2.	Analyze the influence of setting in relation to other literary elements.
3.	Identify ways in which authors use conflicts, parallel plots and subplots in literary texts.
4.	Evaluate the point of view used in a literary text.
9.	Analyze ways in which the author conveys mood and tone through word choice, figurative language and syntax.
10.	Explain how authors use symbols to create broader meanings.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 10)

1.	Compare and contrast an author's use of direct and indirect characterization, and ways in which characters reveal traits about themselves, including dialect, dramatic monologues and soliloquies.
2.	Analyze the features of setting and their importance in a literary text.
3.	Distinguish how conflicts, parallel plots and subplots affect the pacing of action in literary text.
8.	Analyze the author's use of point of view, mood and tone.
9.	Explain how authors use symbols to create broader meanings.
11.	Explain ways in which an author develops a point of view and style (e.g., figurative language, sentence structure and tone), and cite specific examples from the text.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 11)

1.	Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters' thoughts, words and actions.
2.	Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting.
3.	Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility.
4.	Evaluate the author's use of point of view in a literary text.
5.	Analyze variations of universal themes in literary texts.
8.	Evaluate ways authors develop point of view and style to achieve specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes (e.g., through use of figurative language irony, tone, diction, imagery, symbolism and sounds of language), citing specific examples from text to support analysis.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 12)

1.	Compare and contrast motivations and reactions of literary characters confronting similar conflicts (e.g., individual vs. nature, freedom vs. responsibility, individual vs. society), using specific examples of characters' thoughts, words and actions.
2.	Analyze the historical, social and cultural context of setting.
3.	Explain how voice and narrator affect the characterization, plot and credibility.
4.	Evaluate an author's use of point of view in a literary text.
5.	Analyze variations of universal themes in literary texts.
8.	Evaluate ways authors develop point of view and style to achieve specific rhetorical and aesthetic purposes (e.g., through use of figurative language irony, tone, diction, imagery, symbolism and sounds of language), citing specific examples from text to support analysis.

Writing Applications Standard

Benchmarks (8 - 10)

B.	Write responses to literature that extend beyond the summary and support references to the text, other works, other authors or to personal knowledge.

Benchmarks (11 - 12)

B.	Write responses to literature that provide an interpretation, recognize ambiguities, nuances and complexities and that understand the author's use of stylistic devices and effects created.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 9)

2.	Write responses to literature that organize an insightful interpretation around several clear ideas, premises or images and support judgments with specific references to the original text, to other texts, authors and to prior knowledge.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 10)

2.	Write responses to literature that organize an insightful interpretation around several clear ideas, premises or images and support judgments with specific references to the original text, to other texts, authors and to prior knowledge.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 11)

2.	Write responses to literature that: a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective; b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; c. analyze the author's use of stylistic devices and express an appreciation of the effects the devices create; d. identify and assess the impact of possible ambiguities, nuances and complexities within text; e. anticipate and answer a reader's questions, counterclaims or divergent interpretations; and f. provide a sense of closure to the writing.

Grade Level Indicators (Grade 12)

2.	Write responses to literature that: a. advance a judgment that is interpretative, analytical, evaluative or reflective; b. support key ideas and viewpoints with accurate and detailed references to the text or to other works and authors; c. analyze the author's use of stylistic devices and express an appreciation of the effects the devices create; d. identify and assess the impact of possible ambiguities, nuances and complexities within text; e. anticipate and answer a reader's questions, counterclaims or divergent interpretations; and f. provide a sense of closure to the writing.

NATIONAL STANDARDS

Standards for the English Language Arts

Range of materials and purposes for reading

Reading strategies, language use, and conventions

Write, speak, and visually represent to create text

Research and inquiry

Purposes for using spoken, written, and visual language

RESOURCE TYPE

Instructional Resource

PRACTICE LEVEL

Best Practice

STANDARDS ALIGNMENT

Grades 9 - 12

TOPICS

English Language Arts --
Reading;
Literary Response;
Writing;
Literature;
American Literature;
Nonfiction;
Poetry

OHIOWINS TOPICS

Writing Applications;
Writing Applications;
Literature;
Expository Writing;
Response to Literature;
American Literature

FOUND IN

AdLIT
OhioWINS

KEYWORDS

A Raisin in the Sun;
Jim Crow;
literary analysis;
themes;
story elements;
Lorraine Hansberry;
social themes;
historical documents;
Langston Hughes;
figurative language

Author: Publisher
Publisher: EDSITEment