In our lives, we are constantly telling stories to ourselves and to others in an attempt to both understand our experiences and present our best selves to others.  But how do we tell a story about ourselves that is both true and positive? How do we hold ourselves up in the best possible light, while still being honest about our struggles and our flaws? Students will explore ways of interpreting and portraying personal experiences.  They'll read Chinua Achebe's novel Things Fall Apart , analyzing the text through the eyes of one character. They'll get to know that character's flaws and strengths, and they'll tell part of the story from that character's perspective, doing their best to tell an honest tale that presents their character's best side. Then they'll explore their own stories, crafting a personal narrative about an important moment of learning in his or her life.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Students read and analyze Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart , viewing the events and conflicts of the novel through the eyes of one of the central characters.
Students write a two-part narrative project: one narrative told through their character’s perspective and one personal narrative about an incident in their own life.

GUIDING QUESTIONS

These questions are a guide to stimulate thinking, discussion, and writing on the themes and ideas in the unit. For complete and thoughtful answers and for meaningful discussions, students must use evidence based on careful reading of the texts.

How do our conflicts shape and show our character?
How can we tell a story about ourselves that’s both honest and positive?
How do definitions of justice change depending on the culture you live in?
What are ways individuals can react to a changing world? To a community that doesn’t accept us?

BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT: Cold Read

During this unit, on a day of your choosing, we recommend you administer a Cold Read to assess students’ reading comprehension. For this assessment, students read a text they have never seen before and then respond to multiple-choice and constructed-response questions. The assessment is not included in this course materials.

Who are the characters students will meet in this novel? In this lesson, students will become familiar with one particular character, through whose eyes they will read and interpret the novel. Students will make a profile of their character to introduce him or her to the rest of the class.

Can a person be both admirable and flawed at the same time? In this lesson, students will look more closely at the character of Okonkwo. Students will figure out what his most admirable qualities are, as well as some of his flaws. They will also decide whether Okonkwo has the potential to be a tragic hero.

See how Lansing, Michigan inner-city youth become community science experts in energy sustainability and environmental health topics in this student-centric after-school program. [5:07]

A national charity created to turn schools into green space that celebrate the environment, as well as preserve natural outdoor spaces within Canadian cities, Evergreen has core programs: Learning Grounds - transforming school grounds, Common Grounds - conserving publicly accessible land, and Home Grounds. This website explains the organization's important work as well as offering ways for students to get involved.

Audio and video files of soldiers telling their stories about sweethearts, family ties and their soldier buddies.

Meet the GIRLS!: Lexi (9) and Lauryn (14) are sisters and are each other's biggest cheerleader. Lexi is a strong gymnast and Lauryn is right there encouraging her and helping her every step of the way. Lauryn is a musician and shares her talent in her community. Lexi supports her sister's efforts. Sometimes our greatest power is empowering others! [3:29]

This site is the home page for Habitat for Humanity International. You can follow links for more information on this wonderful social program. Link topics include: "Get Involved," "Where We Build," "How it Works," and "True Stories." Find the nearest project to you by typing in your address.

In this video, Samuel Davis (age 11, Louisiana) describes his use of garden vegetables in his Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winning recipe for Sam's Southern Savoring Salmon Supreme (S5). Sam shows off his family's backyard garden, where tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and more, grow. He looked forward to getting gardening tips from First Lady Michelle Obama, who describes the White House garden as a way to spread the ideas of eating well, growing your own food, and making friends with vegetables. Sam encourages his family members to eat brown rice instead of white rice and a salad instead of pizza. He now has the opportunity to share his knowledge of healthy eating with his community. [2:55]

[Free Registration/Login Required] Captives and Cousins: Slavery, Kinship, and Community in the Southwest Borderlands is delivered by James F. Brooks, associated with the School for Advanced Research. The lecture explores American Indian history and economics in association with the new settlers of the southwestern United States during the second half of the 1800's. [32:53]

Learn about Jane Jacobs, an activist who worked to save the neighborhoods of New York City in this video segment from New York Voices. [5:38]

Jobs in My Town is a lesson plan with activities for K-2 students. During the lesson, students will recognize different occupations and their responsibilities while building community awareness.

The Cleveland Fed is part of the Federal Reserve, the central bank of the United States. With offices in Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh, we serve an area that comprises Ohio, western Pennsylvania, eastern Kentucky, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia. The goal of our work is to strengthen the economic performance of the nation and our region. Learn more about us and what we do.

Penny and the KidVision Pre-K Kids go to the Martin County Sheriff's Office and learn about safety. They learn how to identify an officer, tour the emergency call center, get fingerprinted, and get tips on what to do if they get lost. Included are links to age-appropriate lesson plans. [6:52]

Teachers Heather Cardinale and Sabrina Charles-Cintron help students learn that all families are diverse and include people who care for and support one another, in this video from Let's Learn. A drawing activity is included at the end of the video. [9:58]

In this video from Let's Learn, Lunisol Tavarez and a young helper talk about how we are both alike and different. [14:38]

See how ecosystems are organized into several different levels, and an ecosystem can be studied at any one of the various levels of organization.

A free CK-12 account is required to view all materials.

Ecosystems are organized into several different levels, and they can be studied at any one of the various levels of organization. Learn more about levels of ecological organization in this learning module produced by CK-12.

A free CK-12 account is required to view all materials.

This article describes how schools can involve local organizations in a festival or informal learning event.

If a crisis has occurred in your community, reassure children that adults are working to keep them safe. Knowing how to call 9-1-1 is vital. Learn how 9-1-1 plays an important role during a crisis. Also included are resources to practice emergency preparedness in your home or classroom. [0:50]

Helpers are part of every community. We can help children learn about important helpers in a calm and fun environment, so when an emergency strikes, they will understand who to look for and how to help. Learn more about how 911 Operators serve our community. Included are printable resources to practice emergency preparedness in your home or classroom. [1:00]