Character Based Literacy Program
Lesson Plan
The Contender, Pre-Read Information
Integrity Requires Wholeness.
Integrity requires that the way I live my life is whole, entire, undivided, sound, coherent, and principled. Integrity moves me to do difficult and new things, not just easy and accustomed things.
The Contender is a novel about a young man living in Harlem whose life takes him on a different path one evening. Alfred Brooks is a high school dropout who spends his days working at a grocery store and his evenings hanging out with his best friend, James. A slip of the tongue by Alfred leads him hiding out in a boxing gym and James in a police station. The Contender tells the tale of a young man who must overcome his own securities and struggles to become a contender and champion in life.
Activities
Lesson Plan
The Contender, Pre-Read Information
Integrity Requires Wholeness.
Integrity requires that the way I live my life is whole, entire, undivided, sound, coherent, and principled. Integrity moves me to do difficult and new things, not just easy and accustomed things.
The Contender is a novel about a young man living in Harlem whose life takes him on a different path one evening. Alfred Brooks is a high school dropout who spends his days working at a grocery store and his evenings hanging out with his best friend, James. A slip of the tongue by Alfred leads him hiding out in a boxing gym and James in a police station. The Contender tells the tale of a young man who must overcome his own securities and struggles to become a contender and champion in life.
Activities
- Visit AAA to get a map of the United States and of New York. You will be asked to locate and label variety cities within New York including Harlem. Use the maps to track locations as they change in the novel.
- Prediction Chart: you will be asked to predict what you think will happen next in the story.
- You will draw Open Mind Portraits of Alfred Brooks and boxing club owner, Mr. Donatelli.
- You will create a bookmark using “integrity” as the theme and will keep track of the various ways Alfred shows integrity.
1
Bloom Ball
The bloom ball is an on-going project for The Contender. Students will be asked to complete 12 sides of the ball with items from the novel. A list of all of the items needed for the 12 sides is listed at the beginning of the lesson plans. The end result is a dodecahedron. The dodecahedron summarizes our completed reading and quarterly character requirement.
On each bloom ball side you will complete and color the edges. You will have each student keep each side of the bloom ball in a folder to be put together at the end of day 18.
Instructions:
- Fold each circle on the lines so that the folds are facing up.
- Glue, tape, or staple your circles together to form a dodecahedron. Check to see
that all edges are facing up.
Day 1: List the complete title of the book, author’s first and last name, and your name.
Day 3: Use the name of a person, place, or thing from the story to create an acrostic poem.
Day 6: Draw the main character. Write complete name underneath.
Day 8: Describe one setting (time/location/weather condition) of the story.
Day 9: Draw a conflict from the story and label it by type and kind (external—struggle with force outside one’s self—or internal—struggle within one’s self).
Day 10: Write the main character’s name. List two positive and two negative character traits of this character.
Day 12: Write the title of this quarter’s CBL theme, Integrity Requires Wholeness. Give examples of one of the story’s characters and how he uses integrity in his life.
Day 13: Draw a picture of an object important to the story. In writing, tell why the object is important.
Day 16: Write about the most memorable moment of the story. Why do you feel this moment is particularly memorable?
Day 17: Give your prediction of how you think the book will end. Do you think Alfred will finally become the champion he always wanted to be?
Day 18: Draw a picture of the story that you related to the most. Write a sentence to explain why this moment means so much to you.
Day 3: Use the name of a person, place, or thing from the story to create an acrostic poem.
Day 6: Draw the main character. Write complete name underneath.
Day 8: Describe one setting (time/location/weather condition) of the story.
Day 9: Draw a conflict from the story and label it by type and kind (external—struggle with force outside one’s self—or internal—struggle within one’s self).
Day 10: Write the main character’s name. List two positive and two negative character traits of this character.
Day 12: Write the title of this quarter’s CBL theme, Integrity Requires Wholeness. Give examples of one of the story’s characters and how he uses integrity in his life.
Day 13: Draw a picture of an object important to the story. In writing, tell why the object is important.
Day 16: Write about the most memorable moment of the story. Why do you feel this moment is particularly memorable?
Day 17: Give your prediction of how you think the book will end. Do you think Alfred will finally become the champion he always wanted to be?
Day 18: Draw a picture of the story that you related to the most. Write a sentence to explain why this moment means so much to you.
2
Community Connection
Your community connection for this novel will be to investigate the history of social and recreational programs in the US. This project is divided into three parts: history, educational/vocational exploration, and community exploration. As we know, some populations have limited access. You can do as much or as little of this project to meet your class’s needs.
History
http://www.ymca.net/about_the_ymca/history_of_the_ymca.html
http://www.bgca.org/whoweare/Pages/History.aspx
Investigate the two websites above for the YMCA and for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Read the history of each program and then answer the following questions:
Using your web browser to investigate types of jobs that are in the recreation field.
Pick one job that you are interested in. What kind of degree do you need for that job? What schools offer a recreation degree? What is the pay scale for the job you are interested in? What interests you about that field? List five other jobs that you could do with a recreation degree. What are future trends in the field of recreation?
Your community connection for this novel will be to investigate the history of social and recreational programs in the US. This project is divided into three parts: history, educational/vocational exploration, and community exploration. As we know, some populations have limited access. You can do as much or as little of this project to meet your class’s needs.
History
http://www.ymca.net/about_the_ymca/history_of_the_ymca.html
http://www.bgca.org/whoweare/Pages/History.aspx
Investigate the two websites above for the YMCA and for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Read the history of each program and then answer the following questions:
- How long has each organization been established?
- What was going on in history that organized recreation was needed?
- What kind of changes has each organization had to make to be able to continue
to serve men, women, and children today? - What purpose does each group fill today?
- Why is recreation so important to the development of our children and adults?
- What is the basic motto of each group?
- How does each group meet the needs of the community today?
Using your web browser to investigate types of jobs that are in the recreation field.
Pick one job that you are interested in. What kind of degree do you need for that job? What schools offer a recreation degree? What is the pay scale for the job you are interested in? What interests you about that field? List five other jobs that you could do with a recreation degree. What are future trends in the field of recreation?
3
Community Exploration
Visit your city’s website. Find the recreation providers that are in your city—they may be city run like a city park and recreation department, YMCA or YWCA, 4H, Boys and Girls Scouts, or church sponsored. Pick one organization you are interested in. Contact the volunteer coordinator for that group. Ask if there are volunteer positions open. Volunteer for the program and report |
back to the class.
What population did you decide to work with? Did you get to choose what you wanted to do or did the coordinator tell you what to do? What kind of training was provided? What did you learn? How was your experience? |
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