Demonstrating Understanding of Richard Wright's Rite of Passage

Materials and Technology

Student Interactives

Printouts

Websites

Preparation

 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

• Copies of Richard Wright’s novel Rite of Passage
• Bio-cube Tool (optional)
  
• ReadWriteThink "Persuasive Techniques in Advertising" online video (optional)
  

back to top

 

STUDENT INTERACTIVES

Grades   3 – 12  |  Student Interactive  |  Organizing & Summarizing

Cube Creator

The interactive Cube Creator helps students identify and summarize key elements. It can be used as a prewriting or postreading activity.

 

back to top

 

PRINTOUTS

• Rite of Passage Performance Task Description
• Making Sense of Johnny’s Situation T-Chart
• Recommendations Planning Chart
• Final Recommendations Chart
• Performance Task Evaluation Sheet

back to top

 

WEBSITES

• NAACP Legal Defense Fund | History
  

  This page summarizes the history of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, including its focus on addressing inequalities in the justice system.

• Race and Juvenile Justice System
  

  From the Leadership Conference, a civil rights advocacy agency, this chapter from Justice on Trial examines historic and contemporary examples of racism within the juvenile justice system.

• Racial Inequality in Youth Sentencing
  

  From the Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth, this page offers examples of racial inequality related to juvenile criminal sentencing.

• Honorable Jane Bolin, the first Black Woman judge!
  

  From the African American registry, an educational non-profit, this page offers insight into the first African American female judge in New York City, appointed in 1939.

• William H. Hastie
  

  Biographical information on the first African American federal judge, appointed in 1937.

back to top

 

PREPARATION

1. While this lesson plan provides an authentic performance task that offers some guidance on the day-to-day
   teaching of the novel, it is not exhaustive by any means. The book provokes rich discussions
   around Johnny’s character, his predicament, and his response to it; the teacher should remain flexible
   in responding with instruction that meets student needs. Consider using an approach similar to the
   one in "Facilitating Student-Led Seminar Discussions with The Piano Lesson" to facilitate such discussions.
2. Review the links in the Websites section to gain a sense of the juvenile justice system and emergence of
   African American judges that coincides roughly with the setting of this novel. Some teacher expertise
   in this area will be useful when students are considering the audience for their letter.
3. Arrange for student access to Internet-connected computers for informal research in Session Three.
4. There are multiple opportunities for teacher modeling and sharing of student work-in-process
   throughout the lesson. Preview resources such as the ReadWriteThink Strategy Guides on Write Alouds and Shared Writing to facilitate such work.

back to top