Freedom Summer Read Aloud Overview and Context Overview: Freedom Summer is a book about two boys, of different

races, who live in a southern town when The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. We will look at Freedom Summer from one of the 5th grade themes, courage, and think about how both characters demonstrate courage throughout the story. Freedom Summerby Deborah Wiles and illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue Attending to the Learners Anticipating student ideas: Students will bring knowledge of the Civil Rights Acts, tension between races, and racism that still exists. Since MLK day recently passed, students will have recently discussed the importance of MLK as a historical icon and political reformer. One likely misconception or difficulty the students will have is the idea that once the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed, all public places were desegregated and people willingly accepted this. Students might have problems understanding that many businesses closed down because they did not want to let Africa Americans into their establishment. Students might not have thought about how the Civil Rights Act of 1964 affected children as well as adults, especially concerning their friends, teammates, and classmates. The content will be made accessible to all students by including each student in our small group. We will first talk about three things they remember about the Civil Rights Movement. Then we will have a group discussion about common ideas and themes that were brought up. After the discussion, we can read the introduction of Freedom Summer, and talk about any new ideas that came up. We will take this time to clear up any previous misconceptions and establish any vocabulary terms students need to know in the book (Civil Rights Movement, The Civil Rights Act of 1964, segregation/desegregation, discrimination). Throughout the book we will stop and ask questions that engage the students in further discussion and understanding of the content. Lastly, we will conclude the book with a group discussion clarifying any remaining misconceptions and emphasizing main ideas and content. Learning Goals Learning Goals Students will be able to a Analyze how John Henry and Joe demonstrate courage throughout the story. Think about how the main characters feel the effects of racism and discrimination growing up. Understand the impact of growing up during the Civil Rights Movement how it had an effect on each of the boys and how it differed among them. Students will be able to Connection to Standards This read aloud connects to the ELA GLCEs Narrative Text R.NT.05.01 analyze how characters and communities reflect life (in positive and negative ways) in classic, multicultural, and contemporary literature recognized for quality and literary merit. This read aloud connects to the S.S.

Sources and materials:

Making the content accessible to all students:

 Identify the impact the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had on the main characters Southern community. Think about the ethical questions that were raised by segregation and discrimination. Think about the influence the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had and how desegregation affects us today. Instructional Sequence Plan for the introduction:

GLCEs Identifying and Analyzing Public Issues 5-P3.1.1 Identify contemporary public issues related to the United States constitution and their related factual, definitional, and ethical questions.

Discuss the civil rights movement with the students. Questions: What do you remember about that time period? Can someone tell us what racism is? What about discrimination? What is the difference between racism and discrimination? How the Civil Right Acts affect African American? Whites? What things changed in the United States-Specific Civil Rights Acts? Introduce Freedom Summer. Read the Introduction in the book. Questions: Did anyone learn anything or have any questions about this note from our Author? Does anyone have any comments about what we just read-feelings about the time period? This book is a little bit different from other texts, it is written from the perspective of two friends. Focus for listening: Focus on how the Civil Rights Act of 1964 effected children specifically and how the two friends display courage throughout the story. Also think about how growing up with racism and discrimination in society made them feel and how it affected each character differently. Stopping place: Chosen because: Possible questions: Pg. 5 It points out segregation in the Why do you think John Henry cant go in the town and the limitations John town pool? Can everyone see the print on the Henry has in public place. sign-what do you think it means when it says Private Pool, Members Only. How do you think this rule makes John Henry feel? Pg. 10 It is an example of Joe displaying What do you think John Henry is doing in this courage. Students use the picture? How do you think he feels? Are any of picture to decode/analyze the our characters displaying courage? (Can you tell setting and how John Henry is me more about how he is displaying courage) feeling. Pg. 16 This is a great page for students Why do you think that the boys stop? What do to make predictions in the text. you think will happen/ What can we predict? What is happening in the story hereit is a very strange thing for workers to be filling up the Pg. 19 Students are analyzing the text pool? Do you think it has anything to do with the to figure out what is happening Civil Rights Act of 1964 that was just passed? in the story. How do you think makes Will Rogers, (John Henrys brother)? Plan for discussion after At the end of the story, John Henry and Joe did something very different reading: from the beginning of the story, what changed? How did both boys display

Plan for the closing:

courage in these last few pages? Freedom Summer took place in the summer of 1964, can you think of a situation where there is still racism in society today? How could you show courage in that situation? Have the students summarize the story in five details.