Springboard Grade 8 - Unit 4 - School District of Beloit

Unit 

Voices and 

Challenges 

? 

? 

Essential Questions 

How can one person 

make a difference when 

encountering a social 

challenge? 

How do people 

communicate effectively? 

Unit Overview 

4 

The world has dark pages in its history, 

and at times the challenge of righting such 

immeasurable wrongs is impossible. A study 

of narratives about the Holocaust, whether 

nonfiction accounts or fictionalized accounts 

based on true events, will reveal the worst in 

human behavior. And yet, as Anne Frank, the 

most famous young victim of the Holocaust, 

wrote in her diary, “How wonderful it is that 

nobody need wait a single moment before 

starting to improve the world.” In this unit, you 

will apply the lessons of the Holocaust and take 

action about a challenging issue in your school, 

in your community, or perhaps in the world. 

225


4 

Goals 

To engage in meaningful 

discussion of historical 

and contemporary 

issues of local and 

global importance 

To employ effective 

communication skills in 

small and large group 

settings 

To research an issue 

and create an action 

plan to address it 

To examine and employ 

various media channels 

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY 

Allegory 

Communication 

Euphemism 

Talking Points 

Theme 

Media Channels 

Voices and Challenges 

226 SpringBoard® English Textual Power Level 3 

Contents 

Learning Focus: Effective Discussions . ......................228 

Activities: 

4.1 Previewing the Unit .....................................229 

4.2 An Allegory ............................................230 

4.3 Literature Circle Roles ...................................233 

*Children’s Books relating to the Holocaust 

4.4 Learning About the Holocaust ............................238 

4.5 The Holocaust in Film ...................................240 

*Film: Clips from The Diary of Anne Frank, directed 

by George Stevens 

*Film: Clips from Life Is Beautiful, directed by Roberto Benigni 

4.6 Effective Discussions ....................................242 

4.7 Exploring the Books ....................................245 

*Holocaust Narratives 

4.8 Establishing the Groups .................................247 

4.9 Beginning the Books ....................................248 

4.10 Favorite Passages ......................................251 

4.11 What We’ve Learned So Far ..............................252 

4.12 Book Club Discussion ...................................253 

4.13 Understanding the Books ................................254 

*Children’s Book: Terrible Things: An Allegory of the Holocaust, 

by Eve Bunting 

Poetry: “First They Came for the Communists,” 

by Martin Niemöller 

4.14 Never Again? ..........................................256 

Press Release: “More Than 850 Students from 46 States Urge 

Congress to End Genocide in Darfur, Sudan” 

Embedded Assessment 1 Presenting Voices of 

the Holocaust .........................................259 

© 2011 College Board. All rights reserved.

© 2011 College Board. All rights reserved. 

Learning Focus: Creating a Thoughtful Opinion … . ............265 

4.15 Recognizing Problems and Generating Solutions ............266 

4.16 From Dream to Reality ...................................267 

4.17 Celebrity Causes .......................................270 

Article: “When Stars Align: Behind the latest barrage of 

celebrity activism to end poverty in Africa,” by Brian Braiker with 

Traci E. Carpenter 

4.18 Nobel Contributions ....................................279 

*Press Releases: Nobel Peace Prize Winners 

4.19 Students Taking Action ..................................281 

Article: “For some, it’s food for thought,” 

by La Monica Everett-Haynes 

Article: “Making a Difference, One Child at a Time,” 

by Annie Wignall 

Article: “Science Hero: Beth Rickard, Environmentalist,” 

by Wendy Jewell 

4.20 Getting the Word Out ...................................291 

*Public Service Announcements 

4.21 Media Channels ........................................294 

Embedded Assessment 2 Taking Action About an Issue ........295 

Unit Reflection .............................................302 

*Texts not included in these materials. 

227

Learning Focus: 

Effective Discussions 

“Having a good discussion is like having riches.” Kenyan proverb 

Talking to one another is as natural a part of our day as eating and sleeping. 

Chatting with a friend can be entertaining, informative, reflective, and even 

therapeutic. Having a good discussion with a group of people can be equally 

rewarding to the mind and spirit. But what defines a good discussion? 

A good discussion is one in which real, meaningful communication takes 

place. It takes place to accomplish a purpose. We talk because we think; 

communicating with peers about an engaging topic can be an invigorating 

way to share our thoughts. An effective discussion does not just happen on 

its own. A discussion is effective when participants come to it well prepared 

and committed to the topic. They present original ideas, contribute equally, 

respond to each other’s opinions, and find positive ways to disagree. 

Members naturally share opportunities to talk and manage barriers, such as 

distracting background noise that may hinder listening. 

In this part of the unit, you will build the listening and speaking skills 

necessary to engage confidently in effective discussions. In turn, you will be 

empowered to apply those skills to different topics and groups, and enrich 

your life by participating in discussions beyond the classroom walls. 

Independent Reading: In this unit, you will learn about reading groups. In 

addition to reading in class, you may want to become part of an independent 

reading group. Group members choose what to read together. Some ideas 

for this unit’s independent reading are books about the Holocaust, personal 

narratives, or any other topics of interest. 




Previewing the Unit 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Close Reading, Graphic 

Organizer, KWL Chart, Marking the Text, Summarizing/Paraphrasing, 

Think-Pair-Share 

Essential Questions 

1. How can one person make a difference when encountering a social 

challenge? 

2. How do people communicate effectively? 

Unit Overview and Learning Focus 

Predict what you think this unit is about. Use the words or phrases that 

stood out to you when you read the Unit Overview and the Learning 

Focus. 

Embedded Assessment 1 

What knowledge must you have (what do you need to know) to succeed 

on Embedded Assessment 1? What skills must you have (what must you 

be able to do)? 

ACTIVITY 

4.1 

Unit 4 • Voices and Challenges 229

ACTIVITY 

4.2 An Allegory 


An allegory is a story in 

which the characters and 

actions have a meaning 

beyond the surface 

meaning. 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Graphic Organizer, KWHL Chart, 

Oral Reading, Think-Pair-Share, Word Map 

How do the other animals respond to the 

demand of the Terrible Things? 

An allegory often uses symbols to represent abstract concepts and 

may use animals to represent humans. Revisit Activity 1.8, “Historical 

Heroes,” to recall your first encounter with allegory. As you listen to 

your teacher read Eve Bunting’s book Terrible Things: An Allegory of the 

Holocaust, take notes on this graphic organizer to understand Bunting’s 

allegory. 

How do the other animals respond after the 

Terrible Things have taken the animals? 

When the Terrible Things come for “…every creature with feathers on its back ….” 

Frogs, squirrels, porcupines, rabbits, fish: Porcupine, squirrels: 

Little Rabbit: 

Big Rabbit: 

When the Terrible Things come for “…every bushy-tailed creature...” 

Frogs, porcupines, fish, rabbits: Little Rabbit: 


Big Rabbit: 



How do the other animals respond to the 

demand of the Terrible Things? 

continued 

How do the other animals respond after the 

Terrible Things have taken the animals? 

When the Terrible Things come for “…every creature that swims….” 

Rabbits, porcupines: Little Rabbit: 

Big Rabbit: 

When the Terrible Things come for “…every creature that sprouts quills….” 

Rabbits: Little Rabbit: 

Big Rabbit: 

When the Terrible Things come for “…any creature that is white….” 

Little Rabbit: 

Writing Prompt: On separate paper, write a paragraph discussing 

Bunting’s message. Use evidence from the story to support your 

assertion. 

ACTIVITY 4.2 


ACTIVITY 4.2 

continued 

WORD 

CONNECTIONS 

C 

Holocaust H l comes from 

the Greek words holos, 

meaning “whole” or 

“entire,” and caustos, 

meaning “burn.” The 

root -hol- is also found in 

holistic and hologram; The 

root caus- or caut- occurs 

in caustic and cauterize. 

What We Know 

About the Holocaust 

An Allegory 

KWHL — The Holocaust 

Work with a partner to begin the following KWHL chart. You will 

continue to develop this chart as you work through the next several 

activities. 

What We Want to 

Know About the 

Holocaust 


How We Can Find Out 


What We Learned 




Literature Circle Roles 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Double-Entry Journal, KWHL 

Chart, Visualizing 

Overview of Roles 

In your Literature Circles, you will be responsible for preparing 

information for each meeting according to your assigned role. You 

will read an assigned section of a book and share ideas and express 

opinions in discussion groups on a variety of themes and topics. 

Discussion Leader: Your job is to develop a list of questions you think 

your group should discuss about the assigned section of the book. 

Use your knowledge of Levels of Questioning to create thoughtprovoking 

interpretive and universal questions. Try to create 

questions that encourage your group to consider many ideas. Help 

your group explore these important ideas and share their reactions. 

You will be in charge of leading the day’s discussion. 

Diction Detective: Your job is to carefully examine the diction (word 

choice) in the assigned section. Search for words, phrases, and 

passages that are especially descriptive, powerful, funny, thoughtprovoking, 

surprising, or even confusing. List the words or phrases 

and explain why you selected them. Then, write your thoughts about 

why the author might have selected these words or phrases. What 

is the author trying to say? How does the diction help the author 

achieve his or her purpose? What tone do the words indicate? (Refer 

to Activity 1.3 for tone words.) 

Bridge Builder: Your job is to build bridges between the events of the 

book and other people, places, or events in school, the community, 

or your own life. Look for connections between the text, yourself, 

other texts, and the world. Also, make connections between what 

has happened before and what might happen as the narrative 

continues. Look for the character’s internal and external conflicts 

and the ways that these conflicts influence his or her actions. 

Reporter: Your job is to identify and report on the key points of the 

reading assignment. Make a list or write a summary that describes 

how the setting, plot, and characters are developed in this section of 

the book. Consider how characters interact, major events that occur, 

and shifts in the setting or the mood that seem significant. Share 

your report at the beginning of the group meeting to help your 

group focus on the key ideas presented in the reading. Like that of a 

newspaper reporter, your report must be concise, yet thorough. 

Artist: Your job is to create an illustration related to the reading. It 

can be a sketch, cartoon, diagram, flow chart, or other depiction. 

It can be of a scene, an idea, a symbol, or a character. Show your 

illustration to the group without any explanation. Ask each group 

member to respond, either by making a comment or asking a 

question. After everyone has responded, then you may explain your 

picture and answer any questions that have not been answered. 

ACTIVITY 

4.3 


ACTIVITY 4.3 

continued 

Creating a Résumé 

Literature Circles Roles 

Now that you have read about each of the roles for Literature Circles, 

think about the skills required for each role. Choose one of the roles 

for now, and write a résumé to support your application for that role 

by providing information about your skills and experiences. As you 

participate in Literature Circles, you will rotate through the other roles. 

As you move into a new role, analyze the role requirements and the 

skills you will need to be successful in that role. 

Role (Job Description): Choose one of the roles from page 233 and 

summarize the requirements for that job. 

Skills: Describe the skills you have that will help you perform your 

chosen role. 

Experience: Describe any similar experiences you have and how the 

skills you learned from those experiences will help you in this role. 

Activities: Describe any class work or extracurricular activities that have 

prepared you for the role. 




Double-Entry Journal 

While you are reading a children’s book about the Holocaust, record 

entries in a double-entry journal with columns like those below. You 

may want to keep a separate notebook for your double-entry journal. 

You may include interesting quotations from the text, questions about 

the text, and connections between the text and your own life. Use this 

graphic organizer to facilitate your discussion as you describe and 

explain ideas, opinions, and/or reactions to the text. 

Text and Page Number 

(paraphrase or quote a 

meaningful passage) 

Response 

(analyze the text, form a 

personal connection, or pose a 

thoughtful question) 

ACTIVITY 4.3 

continued 

Peer Response 

(another group member will 

make a comment here) 


ACTIVITY 4.3 

continued 

Discussion Notetaking Graphic Organizer 

An Interesting Point Made 

by a Member of the Group 

Literature Circles Roles 

Communicating in Reading Groups 

Support He or She Provides My Thoughts 

All members of a reading group need to communicate effectively to help 

the group work smoothly and achieve its goals. Group members should 

allow opportunities for everyone to participate. To help ensure good 

communication, follow these guidelines. 

As a speaker: 

• Organize thoughts and speak clearly. 

• Ask questions and adapt messages based on listeners’ comments. 

• Be aware of nonverbal communication such as eye contact, body 

posture, head nods, hand gestures, and vocal cues. 

As a listener: 

• Avoid barriers to listening such as daydreaming, looking out the 

window, fidgeting, or playing with books or papers. 

• Ask questions of the speaker to clarify your understanding. 

• Be aware of nonverbal communications such as avoiding eye 

contact, slumping in your chair, or not paying attention. 




Group Meeting Reflection Sheet 

Date: _______________ Book: __________________________________ Pages: __________ 

Discussion Leader: Diction Detective: 

Bridge Builder: Reporter: 

Artist: 

Speaking 

Listening 

Understanding 

the Text 

Challenges Goals 

ACTIVITY 4.3 

continued 


ACTIVITY 

4.4 

1. Holocaust Vocabulary 

Learning About the Holocaust 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Graphic Organizer, KWHL Chart, 

Notetaking, Summarizing/Paraphrasing 

To extend discussions on the Holocaust, you will need to be familiar 

with the following terms. In a small group, work to find a definition or 

explanation of the terms your teacher assigns. Be prepared to explain 

your terms to the class. Be sure to paraphrase or summarize to avoid 

plagiarism. 

Anti-Semitism 

Concentration camp 

Death camp 

Genocide 

Gestapo 

Holocaust 

Nazi 

Persecution 

Propaganda 

SS (Schutzstaffel) 

Star of David 

Term Definition/Explanation 




2. Research Questions About the Holocaust 

When did Hitler come to 

power in Germany? 

What message did Hitler 

spread? 

When were the Olympic 

games held in Berlin? 

What hopes did Hitler have 

for the Olympics that year? 

What happened? 

What happened on 

Kristallnacht (“Night of 

Broken Glass”)? 

Why? 

When did the Nazis begin to 

deport Jews from Germany 

to Poland? 

How did they move the 

people? 

What was the Warsaw 

ghetto uprising? 

When did it start? 

When did it end? 

When did the Wannsee 

Conference take place? 

What was planned there? 

When was V-E Day? 

What does it stand for? 

When did the Germans open the 

first concentration camp? 

What was it called? Where was it 

located? 

What was the Versailles Treaty? 

When did Hitler declare the end 

of the Versailles Treaty? 

When did World War II begin? 

What event triggered the war? 

When was Auschwitz 

concentration camp established? 

What was its purpose? 

What happened to Jews at Babi 

Yar? 

When did this happen? 

When did the Nazis begin to 

deport Jews to extermination 

camps? 

Where did they go? 

What were the Nuremberg 

Trials? 

When did they take place? 

ACTIVITY 4.4 

continued 

When were the Nuremberg Laws 

passed? 

What was the purpose of these 

laws? Give some examples. 

What was the topic of discussion 

at the international conference 

in Evian, France, in 1938? 

What was the outcome of the 

conference? 

When were ghettos first 

established? 

Where were they, and what was 

their purpose? 

When did the Nazis begin their 

“euthanasia program”? 

What was this program? 

When was the first 

extermination camp opened? 

Where was it located? 

When was D-Day? 

Where did it occur? 

What does it stand for? 

Find out when Germany invaded 

or conquered Denmark, Norway, 

Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland, 

France, Austria, the Soviet 

Union, Czechoslovakia, and 

North Africa. 

Identify these countries or 

regions on a map. 


ACTIVITY 

4.5 

The Holocaust in Film 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: KWHL Chart, Think-Pair-Share, 

Graphic Organizer 

Holocaust Film Viewing Charts 

The Diary of Anne Frank: This is the film depiction of the real-life story 

of Anne Frank, a Jewish teenager in Amsterdam during World War II. She 

and her family and four other people avoided discovery by the Nazis for 

two years living in a hidden attic. 

Details About the Holocaust 

1. Consider the events that you and your classmates have placed on a 

Holocaust timeline. Think-pair-share about which events are made 

more real for you by watching these clips from The Diary of Anne 

Frank. 

2. Return to your KWHL chart: 

a. Add any answers you gain from the film clips. 

b. Add new questions that the film generates for you. 


What is the intended tone? 

(Refer to Activity 1.3 for a list of tone words.) 



Life is Beautiful: This film is a fictional story about a family in Italy that 

is sent to a concentration camp. The father and son are Jewish, but the 

mother is not. The father tries to protect his son from the ugly realities 

of the Holocaust by making it seem as if they are playing a game whose 

prize is a real tank. 

Details About the Holocaust 

1. Think-pair-share about which events are made more real for you by 

watching these clips from Life Is Beautiful. 

2. Return to your KWHL chart: 

a. Add any answers you gain from the film clips. 

b. Add new questions that the film generates for you. 

3. Create a graphic organizer to help you compare and contrast the 

way the Holocaust is presented in one of the films and in a children’s 

book. 

ACTIVITY 4.5 

continued 

What is the intended tone? 

(Refer to Activity 1.3 for a list of tone words.) 


ACTIVITY 

4.6 


SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Discussion Groups, Graphic 

Organizers, Quickwrite, Think-Pair-Share, Notetaking 

To Be a Good Listener 

Effective Ineffective 

To Be a Good Speaker 

Effective Ineffective 




You have seen how challenging it can sometimes be to communicate. 

Your work in Literature Circles will demand that everyone be sensitive to 

the feelings and thoughts of the others in your group. 

Keeping in mind the tips for successful communication that you have 

listed, work with your group to brainstorm ways that you can deal 

respectfully and effectively with others in the following scenarios. 

1. A member of your group is trying to share an idea, but you feel that 

you need more information to really understand what it is that he or 

she wants to communicate. What can you ask or say to elicit more 

information? 

2. A member of your group has just made a statement that you are 

not quite sure you understood correctly. What can you ask or say to 

double-check your understanding? 

3. A member of your group has made a point that reminds you of 

something. What can you say to bring up your idea? 

4. A member of your group has made a point with which you disagree. 

How might you begin a response that disagrees with the point? 

5. Using techniques and suggestions from your brainstormed lists, 

respond to the discussion prompt on the following page. Take notes 

on the graphic organizer during your discussion. 

a. Before the discussion begins, your teacher will tell you how 

much time you have to prepare your thoughts and support for 

your opinion. 

b. Your teacher will also tell you how many total minutes you will 

have to discuss, so that you can practice effectively sharing 

speaking time. 

c. Remember to take notes using the graphic organizer during your 

discussion. 

ACTIVITY 4.6 

continued 


Communication is a process 

of exchanging information 

between individuals. It can 

include both verbal (words) 

and nonverbal (expressions, 

gestures) language. 


ACTIVITY 4.6 

continued 



You have learned that listening is an important part of a group 

discussion. Taking notes during group discussion can help you be an 

active listener. Use the notetaking graphic organizer below as your 

group engages in a discussion. Remember to use the communication 

skills that you have been discussing. 

Discussion prompt: Which film, The Diary of Anne Frank or Life Is 

Beautiful, presents the Holocaust more powerfully? Why do you think 

this? 

An Interesting Point Made by 

a Member of My Group 


Support He or She Provided My Thoughts 



ACTIVITY 

Exploring the Books 4.7 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Notetaking, Graphic Organizer 

Use the following charts to take notes on each book as you hear it 

described in the book talk. 

Book 1—Book Talk Notes 

Title: Author: Genre: 

This book is about… 

This book sounds . (exciting, frightening, challenging, ? ) 

This book reminds me of… 

I would like to read this book. (definitely, possibly, probably not, 

definitely not) 
















ACTIVITY 4.7 

continued 


Exploring the Books 














Choose a book of interest to you. Within discussion groups, 

describe your understanding of the book, and explain what 

makes the book appealing to you. 




ACTIVITY 

Establishing the Groups 4.8 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Drafting, Group Discussion 

Three Wishes: Imagine that you are walking on the beach and you find 

an interesting bottle that has washed up onto shore. You rub the sand 

from the bottle, a genie pops out, and you are granted the three wishes 

below. Write your responses to the choices given. After you have written 

your responses, the group will sit together and share their responses, 

practicing effective speaking and listening skills. Remember, “sharing” 

is not just reading your response; it is also sharing your reason(s). 

1. You can trade places with a character in a book, movie, game, or 

television show. Who do you wish to be? Why? 

2. You can have a character from a book, movie, game, or television 

show on your side in a tricky situation. Who do you wish would be 

with you? Why? 

3. You can have your choice of jobs. What job do you wish for? Why? 

Quickwrite: After sharing, draft a short paragraph about the 

effectiveness of your group’s communication. Refer to specific 

speaking and listening skills you identified in Activity 4.6. 

WORD 

CONNECTIONS 

C 

Write W it an analogy to 

describe yourself and a 

member of your group. 

Think of a descriptor that 

illustrates personality or 

character. For example, 

thoughtful : Madeline :: 

energetic : Timothy. 


ACTIVITY 

4.9 

LITERARY TERMS 

A narrative is a type of 

writing that tells a story or 

describes a sequence of 

events in an incident. 

Beginning the Books 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Double-Entry Journal 

Now that you have a group and a Holocaust narrative to read, your 

group will formulate a plan for reading and discussing the book. With 

the help of your teacher and the collaboration of your group, decide on 

the schedule you will follow for reading and discussion. 

Reading Schedule 

Title of Book: 

Author: Total Number of Pages 

Date Assigned Date Due Pages to Read Role 


Number of 

Journal Entries 



Building the Background 

With your group, examine your book and any other information provided 

by your teacher or classmates. Then complete items 1–6. 

1. Based on the title, the picture on the cover, the book talk, and class 

discussion, we predict this book will be about: 

ACTIVITY 4.9 

continued 

2. This book was published in the year . 

3. The author of this book is . 

4. We know the following facts about the author: 

5. Other books by this author: 

6. Additional information about the book, its subject, or its setting. Note 

where this book connects to the Holocaust timeline that you created, 

and locate its geographical setting on a map. 


Point of view is the 

perspective from which a 

story is told. 


ACTIVITY ACTIVITY 4.9 0.0 

continued co continued nt ntin tinue 

ued 

Group Meeting Reflection Sheet 

Date: Book: Pages: 

Discussion Leader: Diction Detective: 

Bridge Builder: Reporter: 

Artist: 

Speaking 

Listening 

Understanding 

the text 

Beginning the Books 


Challenges Goals 



ACTIVITY 

Favorite Passages 4.10 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Double-Entry Journal, Marking 

the Text, Oral Reading, Quickwrite, Skimming/Scanning 

Expressive Oral Reading Criteria and Evaluation 

As you listen to your partner read his or her passage, evaluate each 

element of inflection as either proficient or emerging. Then, write a 

brief explanation for each element to help your partner understand your 

evaluation. 

Element of Inflection Proficient Emerging 

Pitch: 

Variety in vocal highs and 

lows enhances the listener’s 

understanding of the passage. 

Volume: 

Variety in volume enhances the 

listener’s understanding of the 

passage. 

Tempo: 

Appropriate pacing (fast or 

slow) enhances the listener’s 


Phrasing: 

Pausing at appropriate points 

and emphasizing key words and 

phrases enhances the listener’s 


Evaluate your partner’s enunciation, and write a brief note to explain 

your evaluation. 

Enunciation: 

Clearly pronounces 

the words to enhance 

the listener’s 

understanding of the 

passage. 

Notes: 

Enunciation is 

precise and greatly 

enhances the listener’s 


passage 


clear and effective 

throughout the 

reading. 

Mumbling or indistinct 

pronunciation hinders 

the listener’s ability 

to understand the 

passage. 


ACTIVITY 

4.11 

WORD 

CONNECTIONS 

C 

Euphemism E h contains the 

Greek prefix eu-, meaning 

“well” or “pleasing,” and 

the Greek root -pheme-, 

which has the meaning 

of “speak.” A person who 

uses a euphemism speaks 

with pleasing words. 

What We’ve Learned So Far 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: KWHL Chart, Revisiting Prior 

Work, Skimming/Scanning, Word Map 

A euphemism is an inoffensive expression that is substituted for one 

that is considered too harsh or blunt; it is a more pleasant name for 

something that is unpleasant. For example, people often say “passed 

away” instead of “died.” 

The Nazis used euphemisms to put a positive spin on their actions. For 

example, they called forced removal of people relocation. 

Scan the chapters of the books you have read, and find examples of 

euphemisms. Write them in the graphic organizer below. Use discussion 

groups to enhance understanding and to express opinions about a 

euphemism you have discovered. 

Euphemism Page Number Meaning in Context Dictionary Meaning 

released from The Giver killed freed 




ACTIVITY 

Book Club Discussion 4.12 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Marking the Text, Notetaking, 

Oral Reading, Rereading, Word Map 

Audience Feedback and Evaluation Form 

Circle the box that contains the best description of your classmates’ 

presentation of talking points. Provide reasons for your evaluation in 

the Notes section. 

Inflection: Pitch, volume, tempo, 

and phrasing are 

effective and greatly 

enhance the listener’s 


passage. 

Enunciation: Enunciation is 

precise and greatly 

enhances the listener’s 


passage 

Notes: 

Oral Reading of the Passage(s) 

Pitch, volume, tempo, 

and phrasing are 

appropriate and 

enhance the listener’s 


passage. 

Enunciation is clear and 

effective throughout the 

reading. 

Presentation of Talking Points 

Volume and Enunciation: Overall, the group members 

present their talking points at a 

volume that is neither too loud 

nor too soft. The members speak 

clearly so that the audience can 

understand their talking points. 

Organization The group members present 

their talking points with a 

clear introduction, effective 

transitions, and a thoughtful 

conclusion. 

Notes: 


Talking points are the key 

ideas a speaker wishes to 

share in a presentation to 

support his or her position. 

Pitch, volume, tempo, 

and/or phrasing confuse 

the listener or do 

not help the listener 

understand the passage. 

Mumbling or indistinct 

pronunciation hinders 

the listener’s ability to 

understand the passage. 

Overall, the group members 

present their talking points in 

a volume that is either too loud 

or too soft. The members may 

mumble or speak indistinctly. 

The group members present 

their talking points without a 

clear introduction, effective 

transitions, and/or a thoughtful 

conclusion. 


ACTIVITY 

4.13 Understanding the Books 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Graphic Organizer, Marking the 

Text, Rereading, Skimming/Scanning, Word Map 

Title: 

Author: 

Main Character: Other Characters: 

Setting: 

Beginning: Middle: 

End: 

Theme: 


Plot 



Poetry 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Martin Niemöller (1892-1984) was a German Protestant 

pastor. During World War II, he opposed Hitler’s religious 

policies and was sent to concentration camps, but he was 

saved at the end. After the war, he joined the World Peace 

Movement. This poem is his response to the question 

“How could it happen?” 

by Martin Niemöller 

When the Nazis came for the communists, 

I remained silent; 

I was not a communist. 

When they locked up the social democrats, 

I remained silent; 

I was not a social democrat. 

When they came for the trade unionists, 

I did not speak out; 

I was not a trade unionist. 

When they came for the Jews, 

I did not speak out; 

I was not a Jew. 

When they came for me, 

there was no one left to speak out. 

Quickwrite: How does the author use stanzas to communicate 

meaning? 

5 

10 

ACTIVITY 4.13 

continued 

WORD 

CONNECTIONS 

The Latin root -commun- 

in communist means 

“common.” In communism, 

land and factories are 

owned by the community. 

This root occurs in 

communal, communicate, 

communion. 

The word democrat 

contains the Greek root 

demo-, which means 

“people,” and the Greek 

suffix -crat, which means 

“rule.” Democracy is a 

government run by the 

people. 

The root demo- appears 

in demographic and 

epidemic. 

The suffix -crat occurs 

in words like aristocrat, 

autocrat, and bureaucrat. 


ACTIVITY 

4.14 


Ethos is a rhetorical appeal 

that focuses on a person’s 

character or qualifications. 

Never Again? 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Drafting, Graphic Organizer, 

Prewriting, Visualizing 


As you read each of the following quotations, consider carefully 

what the speaker is saying. Do you agree or disagree? Have you 

seen evidence that the quote is true? Have you seen evidence to the 

contrary? How do these quotes appeal to ethos? 

Interpret the message of each quotation. 

• “Whoever refuses to remember the inhumanity is prone to new 

risks of infection.” — Richard von Weizsäcker, President of West 

Germany from 1984–1994 

Interpretation: 

• “I have decided to devote my life to telling the story because I felt 

that having survived I owed something to the dead. And anyone 

who does not remember betrays them again.” — Elie Wiesel, 

concentration-camp survivor and human rights spokesperson 


• “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat 

it.” — George Santayana, philosopher and critic 


What images come to mind when you read these quotations? Choose 

the quotation that is most meaningful to you and, on a separate paper, 

draw a picture or make a collage that represents what you visualize 

when you read it. 



Press Release 

More than 850 Students 

from 46 States Urge 

Congress to End 

Genocide in Darfur, Sudan 

“AMERICANS HAVE THE WILL TO STOP GENOCIDE, AND CONGRESS HAS 

THE MEANS” 

WASHINGTON, April 28, 2006 — Several hundred college and 

high school students are meeting here today, pledging to continue 

their leading role in the anti-genocide movement and meeting with 

their elected officials to demand they take real action on stopping the 

genocide in Darfur. The day represents the beginning of the largest 

anti-genocide effort in history, and culminates with a national march in 

dozens of cities across the county. It is being sponsored by two national 

anti-genocide organizations, the Genocide Intervention Network and 

Students Taking Action Now: Darfur. “Americans have the will to stop 

genocide, and Congress has the means.” 

The Genocide Intervention Network is working to build the first 

permanent anti-genocide constituency in the United States, mobilizing 

the political will to stop genocide when it occurs. 

My Notes 

ACTIVITY 4.14 

continued 

WORD 

CONNECTIONS 

C 

Genocide G comes from the 

Greek word genos, which 

means “race” or “line of 

descent.” The root -genoccurs 

in such words as 

gene, genesis, and genus. 

The suffix -cide forms 

nouns with the meaning 

of “kill” or “causing 

death,” as in homicide and 

pesticide. 


ACTIVITY 4.14 

continued 

Never Again? 


Directions: Use this notetaking guide during the discussion to focus 

your listening and to monitor understanding of oral communication as 

you express feelings, ideas, and opinions. 

An Interesting Point Made 

By a Member of My Group 

Support He or She 

Provided 

Writing Prompt: Use your prewriting and your discussion notes to write 

a thoughtful reflection to the question: “Why should students learn 

about the Holocaust?” 


My Thoughts 



Presenting Voices of the Holocaust 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Drafting, Notetaking, 

Oral Reading 

Assignment 

Your assignment is to conduct a coherent book club discussion in front of 

your peers. 

Steps 

Planning 

1. Now that you have completed your Holocaust narrative and have worked 

with a Literature Circle to understand its purpose and ideas, your 

Literature Circle will discuss how the book increased your understanding 

of the Holocaust in front of an audience of your peers. 

2. Select and copy a powerful passage that enriched or increased your 

understanding of the Holocaust. Each individual will choose his or her 

own passage, and your group will work together to discuss and make 

meaning of the selected passages. 

3. Review the criteria for effective reading in the feedback guide in Activity 

4.10. Mark your copy of the passage with your plans for reading the text 

expressively, with proper inflection. 

Drafting 

4. To prepare your talking points, detail what you found meaningful or 

significant about the passage in relation to the rest of the book or to your 

understanding and appreciation of the author’s style or purpose of the 

book. 

5. Decide who will present the introduction, how you will transition between 

members of your group, and who will conclude the book discussion. 

The introduction should provide a brief overview of the book to set 

the context for the audience. To transition smoothly from one person 

to the next, each group member should refer to the previous selection 

and explain how it relates to his or her passage. The conclusion should 

summarize the insights and understanding that the group has gained, 

and leave the audience with something to think about. 

Rehearsal 

6. Practice reading your passage, by yourself and with peers, so that you 

can easily read it aloud with expression and proper inflection in front of 

the rest of the class. 

Embedded 

Assessment 1 


Embedded 

Assessment 1 

continued 


7. Practice your book club discussion. As a group, work to make your ideas 

coherent, to incorporate smooth transitions between speakers, and to 

provide each other with constructive feedback to improve the overall 

presentation. Remember, this book club discussion should seem natural 

to the audience. 

8. Consult the Scoring Guide to ensure that you are meeting specific criteria. 

Presentation 

9. Present your book club discussion in front of your peers. Focus on your 

group’s prepared material, and demonstrate your speaking and listening 

skills. 

10. When your group is not presenting, you will be expected to listen 

carefully to other groups, take notes on the Discussion Notetaking 

Graphic Organizer, and evaluate at least one presentation on the 

Audience Feedback and Evaluation form. 

11. You will hand in your Audience Feedback and Evaluation Form, 

Discussion Notetaking Graphic Organizer, the passage you have chosen, 

your “Talking Points,” and a reflection about the effectiveness of your 

discussion. 

TECHNOLOGY TIP If you have access to presentation software, you may 

want to create slides to use in your presentation. If you have digital 

photographs, you can import those into your slides. 




Audience Feedback and Evaluation Form 

Circle the box that contains the best description of the presentation. Then, 

provide concrete reasons for your evaluation in the “Notes” section. 

Inflection: Pitch, volume, 

tempo, and phrasing 

are effective and 

greatly enhance 



passage. 

Enunciation: Enunciation 

is precise and 

greatly enhances 



passage 

Notes: 

Volume and 

Enunciation: 

Oral Reading of the Passages 

Pitch, volume, 

tempo, and phrasing 

are appropriate 

and enhance 



passage. 


clear and effective 

throughout the 

reading. 

Presentation of Talking Points 


present their talking points at a 

volume that is neither too loud 

nor too soft. The members speak 

clearly so that the audience can 

understand their talking points. 

Organization The group members present 

their talking points with a clear 

introduction, effective transitions, 

and a thoughtful conclusion. 

Notes: 

Pitch, volume, 

tempo, and/or 

phrasing confuse 

the listener or do 

not help the listener 

understand the 

passage. 

Mumbling 

or indistinct 

pronunciation hinder 

the listener’s ability 

to understand the 

passage. 


present their talking points in 

a volume that is either too loud 

or too soft. The members may 

mumble or speak indistinctly. 

The group members present their 

talking points without a clear 

introduction, effective transitions, 

and/or a thoughtful conclusion. 

Embedded 

Assessment 1 

continued 


Embedded 

Assessment 1 

continued 



An Interesting Point 

Made By a Member of 

the Group 



Provided 

Connection to My 

Holocaust Narrative 



Scoring 

Criteria 

Individual 

Talking 

Points 

Individual 

Oral 

Reading and 

Speaking 

SCORING GUIDE 

Embedded 

Assessment 1 

Exemplary Proficient Emerging 

The talking points: 

• display a perceptive 

analysis of the book, 

making in-depth 

connections within the 

text and outside of the 

text 

• illustrate the speaker’s 

ideas about the passage’s 

meaning and significance 

in relationship to the rest 

of the book 

• thoroughly support 

and expand upon the 

ideas presented in the 

discussion. 

The student reads the 

passage fluently, with 

effective enunciation and 

inflection. 

The selected passage is 

discussed in a way that 

enables the listener to 

thoroughly understand its 

meaning. 


• display a knowledgeable 


book and the passage 

selected 

• explain the speaker’s 

ideas about the passage’s 

meaning and significance 

in relationship to the rest 

of the book 

• support the ideas 

presented in the 

discussion. 

The student reads the 

passage fluently, with 

appropriate enunciation and 

inflection. 


discussed in a way that 

enables the listener to 

understand its meaning. 

continued 


• display a limited and 

vague understanding of 

the book 

• display an 

underdeveloped 


passage 

• do not clearly explain 

or support the ideas 

presented in the 

discussion of the book. 

The student reads 

the passage without 

enunciation and/or 

inflection. 


poorly explained, leaving 

the listener with a vague 


passage. 


Embedded 

Assessment 1 

continued 

Scoring 

Criteria 

Presentation 

of Book Club 

Discussion 

Additional 

Criteria 

Comments: 

SCORING GUIDE 


The presentation reflects 

careful planning and elicits 

a mature conversation about 

the book. 

The members of the group 

work extremly well together 

by listening attentively and 

responding thoughtfully to 

one another, allowing for an 

insightful conversation. 

Members of the 

group naturally share 

opportunities to talk, 

display effective nonverbal 

communication, and 

manage barriers that may 

hinder listening. 


their talking points with 

a concise introduction, 

effective transitions, and an 

inspiring conclusion. 



The presentation reflects 

planning and knowledge of 

the book. 


communicate clearly by 

listening and responding 

thoughtfully to one another, 

allowing for a productive 

conversation. 

Members of the group 

share opportunities to 

talk, display nonverbal 

communication, and 

manage barriers that may 

hinder listening. 


their talking points with a 

clear introduction, smooth 

transitions, and a thoughtful 

conclusion. 

The presentation does not 

reflect planning and/or 

rehearsal. 


do not work well with one 

another. 

They are not responsive 

or attentive to the 

conversation; they interrupt 

one another and/or allow 

members to dominate the 

conversation. 

The presentation lacks a 

clear introduction, smooth 

transitions, and/or a 

thoughtful conclusion. 



Learning Focus: 

Creating a Thoughtful Opinion 

From homelessness to recycling, there are many issues in society about 

which we have strong opinions. Learning what others think, feel, and know 

to be true about a topic strengthens your own position and helps you to 

communicate it effectively. When you feel strongly enough about an issue to 

urge others to take action, conducting research is essential to present sound 

support for your opinion. You will want to evaluate different perspectives on 

an issue in order to shape your own, and you can track your sources in an 

annotated bibliography. 

To annotate is to add a note with a comment or explanation, and a 

bibliography, as you know, is a list of source material. Creating an annotated 

bibliography requires you to critically read a research source and tell 

something about it. The types of annotations you make summarize or 

paraphrase the source (What is this source saying?), assess the source (Is it 

valuable?), and reflect on the source (How did I end up using this source?). 

When you explore an issue to this degree, and evaluate, react to, and build 

upon the ideas of other writers, your call to action will not only be heard; it is 

bound to be followed. 


ACTIVITY Recognizing Problems and 

4.15 

Generating Solutions 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Graphic Organizer, Revisiting 

Prior Work, Think-Pair-Share, Brainstorming 

1. Go back to the brainstorming of debatable issues that you did in 

Unit 2 and the challenges in society that you identified in Unit 1. 

Copy them on the graphic organizer, adding circles as needed. 

Problem 

2. Now brainstorm solutions for these problems by attaching circles to 

the circles containing a problem. Remember, when you brainstorm, 

you just want to get the ideas on paper without evaluating them. 




ACTIVITY 

From Dream to Reality 4.16 


Organizer, Quickwrite, Diffusing 

Remember that a utopia is an ideal or perfect place. It is nice to imagine 

a world where the problems have somehow been resolved. The reality, 

though, is that our world is full of problems. In fact, it may seem 

that there are so many problems that one person could not possibly 

make a difference. In your discussion groups, examine the following 

quotations, which present a different point of view. 

1. The following quotations state what one person can and should do. 

Read each quotation and highlight unfamiliar words. Once you have 

learned what each unfamiliar word means, write a synonym to 

replace it. 

2. Write down what you think the speaker means in each quotation, and 

then write your own thoughts about the message. You may agree or 

disagree, but be sure to give your reasons why. 

3. When you have discussed all the quotations, select one that is most 

meaningful to you and highlight it. Determine whether the quotation 

appeals to you through logos, pathos, ethos, or a combination of the 

three. 

Famous Quotation 

“I am only one, but still I am one. 

I cannot do everything, but still I can 

do something; and because I cannot 

do everything, I will not refuse to do 

something that I can do.” 

Edmund Everett Hale 

“Thou shalt not be a victim, thou 

shalt not be a perpetrator, but, above 

all, thou shalt not be a bystander.” 

Yehuda Bauer 

“An idealist is a person who helps other 

people to be prosperous.” 

Henry Ford 

Interpretation of 

the Speaker’s Message 


Logos is a rhetorical appeal 

to reason or logic through 

statistics, facts, and 

reasonable examples. 

Pathos is an appeal to 

the reader’s or listener’s 

senses or emotions through 

connotative language and 

imagery. 

Ethos is an appeal based 

on a person’s character or 

qualifications 

Personal Response 


ACTIVITY 4.16 

continued 

From Dream to Reality 

Famous Quotation 

“I expect to pass through this world but 

once; any good thing therefore that I 

can do, or any kindness that I can show 

any fellow creature, let me do it now; 

let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall 

not pass this way again.” 

Ettiene De Grellet 

“If you want others to be happy, 

practice compassion. If you want to 

be happy, practice compassion.” 

The Dalai Lama 

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not 

what your country can do for you—ask 

what you can do for your country. 

My fellow citizens of the world: ask 

not what America will do for you, 

but what together we can do for the 

freedom of man.” 

John F. Kennedy 

“Our lives begin to end the day we 

become silent about things that 

matter.” 

Dr. Martin Luther King 

“Science may have found a cure for 

most evils; but it has found no remedy 

for the worst of them all — the apathy 

of human beings.” 

Helen Keller 

“Oppression can only thrive through 

silence.” 

Carmen de Monteflores 

“All that is necessary for evil to succeed 

is that good men do nothing.” 

Edmund Burke 


Interpretation of 

the Speaker’s Message 

Personal Response 



Bullying Survey 

It is easy to think about what one person can do, but it is not always so 

easy to practice it. Consider an issue that is common in many schools: 

bullying. Ask students from your school the survey questions below. 

Tally their answers; then tabulate your results and bring them to class 

for discussion. 

1. I have been the victim of bullying (teasing, name-calling, hitting, threats, 

intimidation, and so on) at some time during this school year. 

Agree: Disagree: 

2. I have bullied someone during this school year. 


3. I have witnessed someone else being bullied this school year. 


4. What do witnesses or bystanders usually do when they see someone being bullied? 

5. Bullying is a problem in our school. 


Summarize your survey results and draw conclusions about the issue of 

bullying in your school. 

Quickwrite: Reread your highlighted quotation. How could that 

message apply to the issue of bullying in your school? 

ACTIVITY 4.16 

continued 


ACTIVITY 

4.17 Celebrity Causes 


Media is the plural of 

medium, which is a 

means of expression or 

communication. Media 

channels are the means of 

communicating to a specific 

audience, for example, 

newspaper readers, 

television viewers, Internet 

users, or radio listeners. 

Issue/Cause 


Marking the Text, Quickwrite, Rereading, Skimming/Scanning, Think- 

Pair-Share, Brainstorming, Notetaking, Word Map 

1. Quickwrite: Celebrities often champion particular causes, raising 

money for organizations, raising awareness of issues, and helping in 

times of disaster. Who are some of your favorite celebrities (athletes, 

musicians, actors, and so forth), and what causes do they support? 

How do you know? If you don’t know, how can you find out? 

2. Think about how celebrities get the word out about their favorite 

causes. Fill in the graphic organizer. Some parts have been completed 

for you. 

Method of Delivering 

Message 

AIDS awareness Wearing a red ribbon Televison, magazine 

pictures 

Supporting people 

living with cancer 

Wearing a yellow 

bracelet 

Televised benefit 

concert; DVD and CD 

made available for 

purchase 


Media Channel Example 

A lot of celebrities 

wear red ribbons 

during awards 

ceremonies, like the 

Oscars. The shows 

are televised, and the 

stars’ pictures are in 

magazines. 



Issue/Cause 

Method of Delivering 

Message 

3. Read “When Stars Align: Behind the latest barrage of celebrity 

activism to end poverty in Africa” (page 275). While you are reading, 

highlight or make notes in the My Notes section about how celebrities 

take action about issues in the world. 

4. Quickwrite: Explain your immediate reaction to the ONE campaign, 

as you understand its goals and the way its leaders have set about 

achieving them. 

Media Channel Example 

ACTIVITY 4.17 

continued 


ACTIVITY 4.17 

continued 

Celebrity Causes 

5. The author of this article presents some information about One: 

The Campaign to Make Poverty History. Scan the article to answer 

the questions below. 

What is the issue that the 

One campaign seeks to take 

action about? 

What action(s) does the One 

campaign ask the world to 

take? 


campaign ask the U. S. to 

take? 


campaign ask individuals to 

take? 

What media channels are 

used in the One campaign? 

Are these effective channels 

for this campaign? Why or 

why not? 




6. Reread the last four paragraphs of the article. What do economists 

think about the effectiveness of celebrity endorsed campaigns like 

One? What do they say to support their opinions? 

Doug Brandow Joseph Stiglitz 

7. Why do you think the author includes quotes from both of these 

experts? 

8. Quickwrite: Remember that tone is the attitude an author has 

towards his or her subject. Analyze Brian Braiker’s tone and provide 

support from the article for your response. 

ACTIVITY 4.17 

continued 


ACTIVITY 4.17 

continued 


Notes On Your Discussion of Celebrity Causes 

A Point Made 

by a Classmate 



Provided 

My Opinion 



Article 

When Stars Align 

Behind the latest barrage of celebrity activism to end poverty 

in Africa. 

by Brian Braiker, with Traci E. Carpenter 

Sure they’re occasionally prone to phone throwing and couch 

hopping. Granted, they’re famously self-indulgent, famously scandalous 

and famously ... well, famous. But celebrities—our pet rock stars, our 

so-bad-it’s-good celluloid heroes—maintain that, really, they are nice 

people. That they do care about the right things. And this week, for one 

blessed, shimmering moment, they appear to have irrefutable proof. 

The celebrities in question are the actors, actresses, singers, rappers 

and athletes who donated their faces to the One campaign. You may 

have seen the ad. Sleek with a stylish black-and-white Richard Avedon 

look, the commercial features a barrage of instantly recognizable pretty 

faces exhorting us average Joes to help a coalition of humanitarian 

and faith-based groups “beat extreme poverty.” How? By lending a 

voice. By sending a letter or making a phone call to representatives 

in Washington in anticipation of next month’s Group of Eight (G8) 

summit in Scotland of the world’s wealthiest nations (and Russia). 

“We have the potential to end poverty in our time; we can be that 

generation,” One spokestar Brad Pitt told Diane Sawyer during a recent 

50-minute Primetime Live interview shot partially in Africa. “Man, 

I mean, what is more exciting than that?” Pitt, who plays the titular 

role in the current thriller Mr. and Mrs. Smith alongside Angelina Jolie, 

who herself does humanitarian work in Sierra Leone, also spent a fair 

amount of time parrying Sawyer’s probes into his personal life (and if 

you don’t know why, he’s probably not the guy who will convince you 

to join the fight against poverty). 

The One campaign urges the United States to increase its spending 

on foreign aid to 1 percent of its budget, and implores rich nations 

to forgive the billions of dollars African nations owe to international 

organizations such as the World Bank. Last week, the proverbial stars 

appeared to have aligned for the literal ones: President George W. Bush 

signed off on a deal with British Prime Minister Tony Blair to forgive 

African debt. The White House also plans to announce more aid for 

Africa next month. 

My Notes 

ACTIVITY 4.17 

continued 

& 

GRAMMAR USAGE 

A pronoun takes the place 

of a noun or another 

pronoun, called its 

antecedent. In the first 

two sentences, the writer 

uses the pronoun they. 

You might wonder who 

they are. The antecedent, 

celebrities, is mentioned 

in the third sentence. 

The writer keeps you 

wondering to hold your 

attention. 

However, when you use 

pronouns in your writing, 

make sure you have clearly 

stated the nouns to which 

your pronouns refer. As 

you read, look for other 

examples of antecedents. 


ACTIVITY 4.17 

continued 

& 

GRAMMAR USAGE 

Punctuation helps to clarify 

meaning in sentences. 

Mark the text to signal 

the varied punctuation on 

these pages. Discuss the 

effect of the punctuation 

used to convey and 

enhance meaning. 

Hyphens are used with 

compound adjectives, such 

as left-leaning and timehonored. 

Ellipsis points (…) are 

used to show when words 

are omitted. 

A colon may used to 

introduce a second clause 

that explains or expands 

on the first. 

A semicolon separates the 

clauses in a compound 

sentence. 

Brackets are most often 

used to clarify the meaning 

of quoted material. 

Parentheses set off 

comments or additional 

information in a sentence. 



“I’d like to think we helped give a sense of urgency” to the issue, 

One spokesman Seth Amgott tells NEWSWEEK. The campaign may 

be an unprecedented coalition of left-leaning Hollywood types and 

Red State faith groups, but it’s the stars that we’re shown. “Brad Pitt 

was on television for 50 minutes last week talking about AIDS orphans 

and children out of school in Africa. That’s approximately equal to the 

total amount of time broadcast networks devoted in their newscasts 

to Africa last year ... If hunchbacks and second-grade spelling bee 

champions were who our society listened to, we would use hunchbacks 

and spelling bee champions.” 

The “urgency” supplied not just by Brad but also by Bono, George 

Clooney, Jewel, Jamie Foxx and others may or may not have tipped the 

scales for the Bush administration, but the One campaign reports that 

121,000 people signed the Web site’s petition after the Primetime spot, 

a substantial addition to the 800,000 signatures they had amassed in the 

entire year before the broadcast. Tens of thousands more are expected 

to attend the affiliated series of free Live 8 concerts organized by Bob 

Geldof on July 2. The former Boomtown Rat drew some criticism for 

organizing events where uber-rich headliners proselytize on poverty. 

Damon Albarn, a white Britpop singer, sniffed rhetorically to the BBC, 

“Why is the bill so damn Anglo-Saxon?” These critiques were perhaps 

easily shrugged off by Geldof, but they raise again a broader question 

as old as Hollywood itself: just who do these stars think they are? 

It’s not hard to understand why they may feel a teeny bit entitled: 

this country has an insatiable demand for them. Even as advertising 

revenues have stagnated at traditional newspapers and magazines, 

gossip rags are thicker than ever. Us Weekly’s ad pages are up nearly 

25 percent in the last year; at Star Magazine, ads are up almost 

17 percent, and In Touch Weekly’s ads have risen nearly 22 percent, 

according to a recent New York Times report. A choice candid celebrity 

snapshot can fetch a photographer upward of three quarters of a 

million dollars. We wake up to stars on the morning talk shows, 

we read about stars in the papers during our commute, we spend 

weekends with stars at the movies. We want to sleep with them, dress 

like them, be them even as we delight in the schadenfreude of their 

pratfalls, their late-night run-ins with the law, their cellulite exposed 

(look ma, they’re just like us!). 



But since when do we let them lecture us? Well, since just about 

always. Railing against poverty (or war in Iraq), is simply the latest 

version of a time-honored celebrity tradition. In 1936 a group of 

screenwriters and Eastern European refugees founded the Hollywood 

Anti-Nazi League. “The stars weren’t generally the deepest of people,” 

says Brown University historian Paul Buhle, coauthor of Radical 

Hollywood (New Press). “It was more the writers who would explain 

things, and the actors who were sympathetic would go along.” As such, 

they have occasionally found themselves on the right side of history: 

In 1944 Orson Welles campaigned furiously for FDR’s fourth term 

alongside Humphrey Bogart, Groucho Marx and others. Danny Kaye 

famously served as a goodwill ambassador to UNICEF from 1954 

until his death in 1987. The civil-rights movement galvanized Harry 

Belafonte, Marlon Brando and Sidney Poitier in the 1960s. Sometimes, 

however, stars can be spectacularly tone-deaf: Just ask “Hanoi” Jane 

Fonda today if she regrets traveling to North Vietnam in the middle 

of the war. 

Which brings us up to One. Some economists bristle when they see 

sensitive singer-songwriters slumming in the world of global finance. 

“There’s simply no evidence that doubling aid per se will actually have 

any output on the other end,” says Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the 

libertarian Cato Institute. Bandow praises forgiveness of debts incurred 

under corrupt cold-war regimes, but doesn’t buy the argument that 

more aid will automatically translate into less poverty. “Celebrities feel 

good and they want to improve their image. They make a record and 

they go on an ad. Have they actually made any sacrificial commitment 

themselves? ... Bono has a genuine commitment, and I presume Bob 

Geldof and all these other people really do care. But good intentions 

aren’t enough.” 

Joseph Stiglitz, on the other hand, begs to differ. The former World 

Bank chief economist and Nobel laureate has famously railed against 

multilateral institutions like the one that once employed him. He sees 

addressing extreme poverty in Africa as a moral issue and applauds 

the efforts of One’s stars. “I may be a little more informed, but those 

moral judgments I think are common sense,” he tells NEWSWEEK. 

“I think it is important for people who are public figures, in the way 

that Bono is a public figure, to say ‘Listen to me, not because I am an 

authority on morality—I am not a religious figure—I want to use some 

of the influence that I’ve gained as a singer to draw this issue to your 

attention.’ And to me that’s fine. It’s more than fine.” 

My Notes 

ACTIVITY 4.17 

continued 


ACTIVITY 4.17 

continued 


My Notes It may be finer than fine. But does high-wattage star power make 

activism more effective? A 2003 USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll found 

that 87 percent of Americans claimed there was no celebrity who could 

cause them to change their position on the Iraq war. Some causes may 

be more popular than others, though, so celebs would do best to pick 

their battles carefully. “If I’m a celebrity, and I embrace 30 products or 

20 causes, my image starts to get diluted and my credibility goes out the 

window,” says Michael Kamins, a marketing professor at the University 

of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. Sounds like sage 

cautionary advice for perennially crusading stars like Sean Penn, who 

has taken more hits from critics than he ever administered to pushy 

photographers in the ‘80s. 

But for celebrities who play it right, says Kamins, “Consumers 

like to identify with what they stand for ... [but] it works better for the 

young who are more susceptible to the identification process.” Brad 

Pitt movies like Mr. and Mrs. Smith may stand for bombs, bullets and 

brash beauty more than they do for leaving the world a better place, but 

it appears the One campaign is reaching an audience of more than just 

young fans. And there are probably worse things Pitt can do with his 

fame than get people thinking about poverty and AIDS in Africa. Like 

make another sequel to Ocean’s Eleven. 




ACTIVITY 

Nobel Contributions 4.18 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Graphic Organizer, 

Skimming/Scanning, Think-Pair-Share 

Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai did not have important 

connections, nor was she from a wealthy or well-educated family; in 

fact, she is the daughter of farmers. Many of the recipients of one of the 

world’s most respected awards come from humble beginnings, yet they 

feel a call to take action about local and global issues. The Nobel Peace 

Prize rewards organizations and individuals who take action to create 

peace in various ways. 

1. Choose one of the Nobel Peace Prize winners. You may review the list 

of winners online, or scan the press releases your teacher provides. 

Then read the press release about the winner you have chosen to 

determine why he or she was awarded the prize. Fill in the graphic 

organizer below. 

Name: 

Country: 

Awarded the Nobel Peace 

Prize for… 

Work and Specific 

Contributions 

2. Write at least five additional questions that you have about this person. 

WORD 

CONNECTIONS 

C 

Choose Ch a descriptor for 

the Nobel Prize winner 

you have researched. 

Write an analogy for the 

person, being as precise 

as you can. Refer to a 

thesaurus to find the right 

word. Then complete 

the analogy by asking a 

classmate about his or her 

Nobel Prize recipient. Use 

parallel format, starting 

either with the descriptor 

or the recipient for both 

relationships. 


ACTIVITY 4.18 

continued 

Nobel Contributions 

3. Locate additional Web sites that give information about the Nobel 

Peace Prize winner you are investigating. Evaluate those Web sites 

in terms of the criteria presented in Unit 2. Then, complete the 

information below using only sources you find to be reliable. 

Source 

What issue(s) caused this 

person to take action? 

Was the issue local or global? 

Explain. 

How did the person take 

action? 

What media channels did he or 

she use to take action? How did 

he or she use each? 

Answers to Your Questions 




ACTIVITY 

Students Taking Action 4.19 


Marking the Text, Notetaking, Think Aloud 

1. Anticipation Guide: Indicate whether you agree or disagree with 

each statement. 

Kids my age can take action on important issues. 

Global (world-wide) issues are more important than local issues. 

People really take action only about issues that directly affect them. 

It takes a lot of money to help people. 

People my age are presented in negative ways in the news. 

2. Take notes about the issues and actions taken by students and others 

described in the article. 

“For some, it’s food for 

thought” 

Agree Disagree 

Article Issue(s) Action(s) 


ACTIVITY 4.19 

continued 

Students Taking Action 

3. Take notes on the articles about students taking action. Remember 

that using the reporter’s questions (who, what, when, where, why 

and how) can help you make sense of the article. 

Article Issue(s) Action(s) 

“Making a Difference, One 

Child at a Time” 

“Science Hero: Beth Rickard, 

Environmentalist” 

4. After you have read the articles, go back to the Anticipation Guide and 

choose one of the statements to which you responded. 

Writing Prompt: Using your selected statement as a thesis, write a brief 

essay in which you argue your position. Be sure to support your ideas 

with information from one or more of the articles. 




Article 

For some, it’s food 

for thought 

by La Monica Everett-Haynes 

SHORELINE—Arthur Sikora rarely spoke to the homeless people he 

saw standing in the streets. 

But that all changed late last month, when the 13-year-old middle 

school student cooked breakfast for about 80 homeless men and 

women with his classmates, brought the food to downtown Seattle 

and served it to them. 

“It just feels nice doing something for the people who live on the 

street,” said Sikora, who recently dished up meals at the First Avenue 

Service Center, a drop-in center for the homeless. 

It’s all part of an intensive, yearlong “poverty unit” offered to 

eighth-graders at Einstein Middle School in Shoreline. Students who 

sign up for the program share four teachers who incorporate povertyrelated 

issues into their English, science, math and social studies 

classes. The eighth-graders are expected to do a considerable amount 

of volunteer work in the community. 

This month, more than 120 students in the program are 

volunteering their time to the homeless in earnest. Each Thursday, 

they are visiting downtown Seattle to cook meals, clean shelters and 

chat with homeless people. 

The students have made a banner and 400 birthday cards for the 

Union Gospel Mission’s first “Happy Birthday for the Homeless” 

celebration, set for Thursday in Seattle. The mission decided on a 

birthday celebration because so few homeless people are recognized 

on their birthdays. 

“I just moved from a school in New York City that wanted to have 

the best test scores, so it was just test drills all day,” Sikora said. “But 

this is very fun because it’s interactive.” 

Later this school year, the students will publish a “Poverty ’Zine” 

full of art, poetry, interviews, statistics and crossword puzzles. And 

in May, they will play host to a public presentation with skits and 

informational booths on what they’ve learned in the poverty unit. 

The 6-year-old program is the only one of its kind in the Shoreline 

School District. The district and several local businesses gave Einstein 

My Notes 

ACTIVITY 4.19 

continued 

& 

GRAMMAR USAGE 

The present progressive 

verb tense describes an 

ongoing action that is 

happening at the same 

time the statement is 

written. This tense is 

formed by using am, is, 

or are with the verb form 

ending in -ing. 

Example: “This month, 

more than 120 students 

in the program are 

volunteering their time to 

the homeless in earnest.” 


ACTIVITY 4.19 

continued 


My Notes $5,000 in grants and donations to cover the costs of this year’s 

poverty unit. 

“Unless we give our students an opportunity to be part of 

something after they learn it, they won’t have a deep understanding 

or appreciation,” said Jane O’Brien, a teacher specialist for Shoreline 

Public Schools who works with the district’s teachers on hands-on 

educational programs, such as the poverty unit. 

English teacher Ellen Smith, one of the poverty unit’s four teachers, 

said the hands-on lessons about homelessness teach the students quite 

a bit about themselves. 

“Some kids do OK in school, some are good and some really stink,” 

Smith said. “But when they get out there, we never know who is going 

to be the leader. . . . They have a real sense of justice and injustice. This 

is about what they can give to our world.” 

Before heading out to downtown Seattle for a recent visit, five 

students cooked chili and garlic bread and sliced red apples that they 

later served at a drop-in shelter. 

“It’s helpful to have kids around,” said Kim Medrano, 36, a mother 

of six who became homeless two years ago after her boyfriend left her. 

Her children are living with relatives. 

“The older people especially like it when the young people come,” 

Medrano said as she helped herself to a second serving of garlic bread 

and sipped milk from a used yogurt container. 

Other students spent their two-hour visit playing games or talking 

with the shelter’s residents. 

Kari Fiske, 14, gave three women manicures. 

As time progressed, she said her stereotypes began to vanish. 

“I thought there were going to be beds and a whole bunch of people 

in big, big coats with a lot of bags sleeping on the floor,” she said. “But a 

lot of women there just had clothes on that I would wear.” 

Katie Easterly, 14, said she used to have similar impressions about 

homelessness. 

“My family brought me up to believe that if you are in poverty, then 

it’s your fault,” she said. “But we’ve always been stable. I wanted to learn 

a lot more about it.” 




Easterly said the poverty unit has been eye-opening for her. 

“It’s not always your fault,” she said. “Some people are born into 

poverty, and it’s not your fault that the government doesn’t like you 

because you don’t make that much money.” 

The slumping economy is also to blame, she noted. 

Increasing numbers of children are qualifying for free and reducedprice 

lunches throughout the Puget Sound region each year, which 

means their families’ incomes are so low that their parents can’t afford 

clothing or meals in some cases. 

Layoffs are common, and some who still have jobs are having their 

hours cut back. 

On any given night, more than 7,300 people are sleeping on the 

streets in Washington and about 15,000 families are homeless in King 

and Pierce counties, said Elizabeth Watson, program coordinator of 

Education for Homeless Students in the Puget Sound Educational 

Service District. 

Don Hanson, a parent who enrolled his son at Einstein simply 

because of the education about poverty, said many people in his 

community either don’t see or choose to ignore the economic suffering 

of others. 

“So many people are one or two paychecks away from losing 

everything,” Hanson said. “It’s really good for a 14-year-old student 

to develop a social conscience.” 

My Notes 

ACTIVITY 4.19 

continued 


ACTIVITY 4.19 

continued 

GRAMMAR USAGE 

A comma after an 

introductory element in a 

sentence indicates a pause 

before the main part of the 

sentence. Look at these 

examples: 

Introductory prepositional 

phrase: 

With help from thousands 

of volunteers…, I’ve been 

able to improve the lives… 

Introductory adverbial 

clause (in a complex 

sentence): 

Since I knew I would never 

meet the kids myself, I 

decided… 

Look for introductory 

elements like these in your 

sentences and place a 

comma after them. 

My Notes 

& 


Article 

Making a 

Difference, One 

Child at a Time 

by Annie Wignall 


Volunteering has always been an important part of my life. My 

parents taught me at an early age to help others and as long as I can 

remember my mom, dad, sister, brother and I have always volunteered: 

doing good deeds for neighbors; raising money for special events; and 

volunteering at church, school, and in our community. That’s why 

the idea of starting “Care Bags” to help children seemed like a totally 

normal thing for me to do. 

My volunteering began in January 2000, when I was eleven, after I 

learned from my mom (she’s a Child Abuse Prevention Educator) that 

many kids in crisis situations have to leave their homes without any 

of their own belongings. Can you imagine not even having your own 

toothbrush, toothpaste, comb or shampoo? It made me sad to know 

there are tons of kids out there who are suffering and need our help. I 

think all kids deserve to have the things they need, so I decided to do 

something to make their lives better. I put myself in their shoes and 

came up with the idea to create fabric “Care Bags” and fill them with 

essential, age-appropriate items to comfort needy kids (babies to 18 

years old) during difficult times in their lives. I asked my mom to be 

my chauffeur (I was too young to drive!), contacted two local children’s 

agencies to see if they’d distribute the Care Bags, recruited volunteers to 

sew the bags, and met with local businesses to secure donations for the 

bags’ contents. Since I knew I’d never meet the kids myself, I decided 

I’d attach an age/color-coordinated poem to the outside of each bag to 

make it easier for the agencies to deliver them and to let the recipients 

know someone cares about them. 

I knew when I started Care Bags that I couldn’t help everyone, but 

I could make a small difference, one Care Bag, one child at a time. 



My project is now an award-winning nonprofit organization called 

Care Bags Foundation, complete with its own headquarters where 

donations are stored and more than 100 Care Bags are filled every 

month. With help from thousands of volunteers and donors across 

America, and with hand-delivery by over 80 U.S and international 

distributing agencies, I’ve been able to improve the lives of more than 

9,000 displaced, abused, and disadvantaged kids worldwide. More than 

50 American and international groups from across the globe have been 

inspired to adopt my idea by beginning similar projects of their own. 

My volunteer work has taught me so much. It’s helped me to be 

more thankful for the family and good life I have. I have learned that if 

a community works together for a good cause, good things are bound 

to happen. And I’ve discovered there are a lot of nice grownups and 

kids out there who want to help—all I had to do was ask! I’ve made a 

ton of new friends and have met important people, including former 

President George H.W. Bush. Best of all, doing this has shown me just 

how good it feels to help others. I like to make people happy, because 

that makes me happy too. 

I really love kids, so that’s what I like to spend my time on. I do 

something related to Care Bags every day. There are lots of ways you 

could help kids, too. Maybe you could donate money or collect new 

items to fill the bags, get your friends together to make and decorate 

bags or blankets, or start a similar project of your own to help kids in 

your community. Or why not think BIG and dream up a creative way of 

your own to brighten someone’s life? Perhaps you love art, or reading, 

or sports, or helping senior citizens. Whatever your passion is, find 

something you care about, take action, and then volunteering will be 

fun. I encourage you to use your time, talents and your voice to make 

the world a better place. You’ll be so glad you did! 

Writing Prompt: Write an interpretative response about this article. 

While drafting, be sure to vary sentence structure by adding adverbial 

clauses with subordinating conjunctions where appropriate. Be sure 

your adverbial clauses are punctuated correctly. 

My Notes 

ACTIVITY 4.19 

continued 


ACTIVITY 4.19 

continued 

The participle forms of 

verbs can be used as 

adjectives. There are two 

participial forms, present 

(ending in -ing) and past 

(usually ending in -d). Note 

the use of these participles 

as adjectives: 

rising oil prices 

& 

GRAMMAR USAGE 

widely used material 

A participle may occur in a 

participial phrase, which 

includes the participle 

plus any complements 

and modifiers. The whole 

phrase then serves as an 

adjective. 

Located 275 miles north 

of San Francisco, Arcata is 

home… 

An introductory participial 

phrase must modify the 

noun or pronoun that 

follows it. In the example 

above, the phrase modifies 

Arcata. 

My Notes 


Article 

Science Hero: 

Beth Rickard 

Environmentalist 

by Wendy Jewell 


Beth Rickard can’t help being an environmentalist. Being 

an activist for the planet is a part of her… like breathing. 

She grew up in Arcata, California. Arcata, some say, is the Haight- 

Ashbury of the redwoods. This town of almost 17,000 has a council 

dominated by the Green Party, is the country’s pioneer in biological 

wastewater treatment and is home of the innovative Arcata Marsh and 

Wildlife Sanctuary, an ecology movement that has managed to co-exist 

productively with the timber industry. Located 275 miles north of San 

Francisco, Arcata is home to Humboldt State University, where parts of 

their facilities are “off the grid” and they power rock concerts with pedal 

power. (Kids actually pedal bikes that produce the required energy.) 

Beth says, “I’ve been a tree hugging hippie since birth. Growing up 

in Arcata, in the redwoods and on the coast of California; nature has 

always been my inspiration. My passion for environmental protection 

all began as I watched the destruction of the redwood forest in my 

backyard.” Over the years Beth has become a passionate advocate 

for many causes, from recycling in her elementary school years to 

sustainability, conservation, and environmental justice. “Arcata really 

is an amazing place; positive activism is a way of life. The community 

feeling and positive idealism has definitely guided me to where I am 

now. I am always looking for ways to leave a trail of goodness behind 

me.” 

More recently, however, Beth’s “positive idealism” has taken on 

a sense of urgency. “(In light of) rising oil prices and environmental 

reports on pollution and global warming, I became very concerned 

with the energy situation in this country. (When) I began researching 

the issue, I was overwhelmed with the magnitude of the problem. 



Our addiction to fossil fuel is not only an environmental issue, but 

a labor issue, an economic problem, a human rights issue, and an 

international emergency. The longer we neglect to make our society 

sustainable, the greater the environmental damage and burden for 

future generations.” 

Inspired by a high school community service course, Beth came 

up with the idea to install solar panels at her school and subsequently 

founded Arcata High School’s Conservation and Renewable Energy 

(CARE) program. “Our primary goals were: 1) To teach students and 

the community about energy conservation and renewable energy, 

2) to install solar energy systems at the high school and monitor their 

efficiency, 3) to train students and teachers to conduct an energy audit 

of the school and then propose conservation measures to the school 

district, and 4) to launch a social marketing campaign to change 

wasteful or inefficient use of energy.” Beth and her team wrote and 

received large-scale grants to conduct solar energy research at school, 

to install a $20,000 solar array and to demonstrate the efficiency of 

the solar panels in a town that has lots of cloud cover. C.A.R.E. took 

advantage of another grant to install and test the efficiency of a solar 

water heater and more energy-efficient lighting. 

What is solar power? Solar power is energy from the sun’s 

radiation converted into heat or electricity through the use of 

photovoltaic cells. According to Steve Hester from the Solar Electric 

Power Association (SEPA), when sunlight strikes a PV cell, electrons 

are dislodged, creating an electrical current. The most widely used 

material for PV cells is silicon, a semiconductor. The silicon is “doped” 

(that is, it has a certain amount of impurities placed into the silicon 

crystal) with either boron or phosphorus to give it the properties 

needed to be a PV cell and give up electrons when exposed to light. The 

photons of light (photons are actually small particles of light) ‘knock’ 

the electrons out of the outside band of the silicon atom and that is 

what creates the PV effect. 

The results for C.A.R.E.? According to Beth, “Solar is the energy 

of the future. It is simple, environmentally friendly and cost-effective. 

The energy payback time for modern solar panels is 2 to 5 years and 

the average lifetime is 30 years. As a result of our efforts to make the 

school go solar, we have two comparative demonstration arrays and 

one large system. The school is 36% solar powered. This will save the 

school approximately $30,000 per year. We don’t have figures for how 

much energy was conserved, but the Green Schools system is in place 

and the school will continue to make energy improvements. The school 

My Notes 

ACTIVITY 4.19 

continued 


ACTIVITY 4.19 

continued 


My Notes administration has agreed to give 50% of the money saved by our 

recommendations back to CARE for further improvements. Every year 

students and teachers will be trained to conduct energy audits through 

Green Schools and the group will be active on campus promoting 

conservation.” 

Beth went beyond sharing this sustainability vision with local 

elementary, middle and high schools. She took her passionate stance 

on the science of sustainability to the Million Solar Roofs Initiative 

and she participated in a renewable energy summit in Washington, 

DC. So what’s it like to be a teenager bringing the science of the future 

to the powers that be? “When I was lobbying at the state capital I felt 

empowered. These policy-makers have my future in their hands. I 

felt that it was my responsibility to speak out to change our energy 

future. As I expressed my support for the solar bill, I felt that my voice 

was taken seriously. We presented ourselves with petitions, letters of 

support, and research of the benefits of the Solar Initiative. We were 

treated with respect and I believe (we made an impact).” She went on 

to say, “When I went to the Energy Action Conference in Washington, 

I felt inspired. Young activists from all over the US and Canada united 

to build a coalition of progressive organizations for a sustainable future. 

There were groups from college campuses and nonprofits that focus 

on renewable energy, conservation, global warming, sustainability 

and environmental justice. I was the only high school student. I 

represented a part of the youth environmental movement that is often 

overlooked. I demonstrated that high school students can work within 

their community and make important contributions. I returned home 

with loads of new ideas to put into action.” 




Getting the Word Out 


Organizer, Word Map, Brainstorming 

As you have discovered, there are many means of taking action. Since 

World War II, public service announcements (PSA) have informed 

and attempted to persuade the public about issues of community, 

education, and health and safety. You have probably seen many public 

service announcements in your lifetime. What are some of the public 

service campaigns running right now? 

Media Channel PSA: Purpose / Audience / Content / Technique 

TV: 

Note day, time, 

& channel 

Radio: 

Note day, time, 

& station 

Interactive (Web site 

banners and sidebars, 

games, screen savers, 

podcasts, vodcasts) 

Note Web site 

ACTIVITY 

4.20 


ACTIVITY 4.20 

continued 

Getting the Word Out 

Media Channel PSA: Purpose / Audience / Content / Technique 

Magazine: 

Note magazine, issue, 

and page number 

Newspaper: 

Note newspaper, date, 

and page number 

Outdoor: (billboards, 

benches, and so on) 

Note location & media 

channel 

Other 




Take a look at one public service campaign and the various media 

channels it uses to get the word out. For each media channel used in the 

campaign, note the persuasive appeals used. Do the various ads in this 

campaign appeal to pathos, ethos, logos, or a combination of these? 

Are these appeals effective? 

Public Service Announcement Campaign: 

Sponsor Organization: 

Volunteer Agency: 

Media Channel(s) Target Audience 

ACTIVITY 4.20 

continued 

Types of Appeals Used / 

Effectiveness 


ACTIVITY 

4.21 

Media Channel: 

Media Channels 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Graphic Organizer, Notetaking, 

Word Map 

You have done some preliminary research about various media 

channels. Now work with a small group to get a deeper understanding 

of one of the media channels. You will then share your understanding 

with others in the class. When you do so, try to have available an 

example of the media channel to share. 

Explanation of this media channel 

(what it is, how it works, and so on) 

Who is the typical audience? What level of 

formality is appropriate for this audience? 

What are some examples of 

this media channel? 

Who owns or regulates 

this media channel? 

Strengths of this media channel Limitations of this media channel 




Taking Action About an Issue 

SUGGESTED LEARNING STRATEGIES: Discussion Groups, 

Graphic Organizer, KWHL Chart 

Assignment 

Your assignment is to create an informational/persuasive campaign about an 

issue of community, state, national, or world significance that will convince 

your audience that the issue you have chosen is significant and that they 

have the power to take action and make a difference. 

Steps 

Planning 

1. Form a group of no more than three, and brainstorm issues that are of 

interest to your group. To begin, you may refer to the list of issues the 

class has developed during this unit. Then, follow these steps to uncover 

other significant issues: 

School Issues: 

Take a good look around your school. Go to places on campus that you 

normally do not go. Takes notes about things that concern you, such as 

problems you notice, inequalities that become apparent, or things that 

do not seem fair or right. 

Read the school newspaper and see what other students view as 

problems at your school. 

Create a survey and poll other students in school. 

Community Issues: 

Read your local newspaper and watch the local news. 

See what is on the agenda for city council meetings. 

Talk to people in your neighborhood. 

Read flyers in public places, like the library. 

State, National, and Global Issues: 

Read news sources, such as newspapers and news magazines. Many 

major news organizations have online news specifically written for 

students. Check these online news sources. 

2. Once you have created your list, choose an issue that your group feels 

strongly about and that has a clear call to action. 

Embedded 

Assessment 2 


Embedded 

Assessment 2 

continued 


3. Generate solutions to the issue. Choose the most reasonable and 

effective solution. 

On a large sheet of paper, brainstorm as many solutions as possible. 

At this point, you want to get every idea written down for further 

consideration. Sometimes an idea that sounds far-fetched at first turns 

out to be the best solution. 

Once everyone has contributed ideas and all solutions have been 

proposed, work with your group to select the best solution. 

Researching 

4. Conduct research about your issue. Gather information that will 

support your informational/persuasive campaign and appeal to your 

targeted audience. 

5. Start by working as a group to determine what you already know, what 

you want to learn, and how you might go about learning it. Leave the last 

column (what you have learned) for later. 

K W H L 

6. You can also use the reporter’s questions to help you generate questions 

to guide your research. A few questions are provided for you; brainstorm 

additional questions that are related to your topic. 




Issue Questions 

Who? Who is affected by this issue? 

Who has the power to change this issue? 

Our questions: 

What? What is at stake? 

What are other people or groups doing about this 

issue? 


When? When did the issue begin? 


Embedded 

Assessment 2 

continued 


Embedded 

Assessment 2 

continued 



Issue Questions 

Where? Where is the issue important? 

Is this issue important in our school, our 

community, our state, our country, the world? 


Why? Why is this issue a problem? Is there an 

underlying issue that created it? 


How? How can people help or affect this issue? 




7. Create an annotated bibliography that cites your research sources, 

discusses why they are of value, and explains how you used the 

sources. Refer to your work in Unit 2 to guide you as you create your 

annotated bibliography. 

Further Planning 

8. It is time for your group to fine-tune your plan. Here are some of the 

things you will want to consider: 

A name for your group 

The specific goals of your group 

Individual responsibilities 

The target audience(s) for your call to action 

The most effective media channel to reach this audience; some 

possibilities are television ads, radio spots, interactive (Web pages, 

Web site banners and sidebars, screen savers), video games, podcasts, 

magazines, newspapers, billboards, blogs, presentation slides, 

editorials, poster series, or a treatment for a short documentary. 

How you will organize the information in your campaign 

The action(s) you will ask your audience to take. 

Drafting, Revising, and Editing for Publication 

9. Investigate your preferred media channel further. Write a short 

description of the channel, its structures and characteristics, and 

the reason you chose that channel to convey your message to your 

targeted audience. 

Rehearsal 

10. As a group, present your campaign to another group as a “dress 

rehearsal.” Use this opportunity to determine where you may 

need revision. 

11. Consult the Scoring Guide to ensure that you have met the 

specific criteria. 

Presentation 

12. Individually, present your campaign in a jigsaw arrangement. Fill out peer 

response forms for your peers’ presentations. 

TECHNOLOGY TIP You may want to consider incorporating sound, visuals, 

and other materials into a multimedia presentation for your campaign. 

Embedded 

Assessment 2 

continued 


Embedded 

Assessment 2 

continued 


Peer Response Form 

Issue: 

Audience: 

What issue is the group addressing? Who is their audience? 

Call to Action: 


What did they communicate about the issue? 

What do they want the audience to do? 

What media channel did they use to get the word out? 

Was this media channel most effective for this issue and audience? 

What convincing reasons did they give for the audience to take action? 



Scoring 

Criteria 

Ideas: 

Media 

Channel 

Ideas: 

Integration 

of Research 

Presentation: 

Campaign 

Additional 

Criteria 

Comments: 

SCORING GUIDE 

Embedded 

Assessment 2 

continued 


The media channel is 

described in a clear and 

sophisticated way. 

The media channel selected 

reveals careful analysis 

of a target audience and 

a thoughtful coordination 

between the channel and 

this issue. 

Research sources are 

accurately documented in 

an annotated bibliography. 

They are varied and 

substantial, and the 

annotations reflect careful 

consideration of the issue 

and its ramifications. 

Research is integrated 

seamlessly into the 

presentation. 

The presentation brings to 

light an issue and clearly 

suggests inventive, carefully 

constructed steps for taking 

action about that issue. 

The media channel is 

accurately described and is 

convincingly presented as a 

viable method of educating 

others about the issue. 

Research sources are 

accurately documented and 

explained in an annotated 

bibliography. 

Research is reflected in the 

presentation. 

The presentation brings to 

light an issue and suggests 

reasonable steps to take 

action about that issue. 

The media channel is not 

accurately described or 

may not be the most viable 

method of educating others 

about the issue. 

Research sources may be 

inaccurately documented 

in the annotated 

bibliography. 

Research is limited in 

the presentation. 

The presentation does not 

clearly highlight an issue 

and/or does not offer 

reasonable steps to take 

action about an issue. 



4 

Reflection 

An important aspect of growing as a learner is to reflect on where you have 

been, what you have accomplished, what helped you to learn, and how you 

will apply your new knowledge in the future. Use the following questions to 

guide your thinking and to identify evidence of your learning. Use separate 

notebook paper. 

Thinking about Concepts 

1. Using specific examples from this unit, respond to the Essential 

Questions: 

• How can one person make a difference when encountering a social 

challenge? 

• How do people communicate effectively? 

2. Consider the new academic vocabulary from this unit (Allegory, 

Communication, Euphemism, Talking Points, Theme, Media Channels), 

as well as academic vocabulary from previous units, and select 3–4 

terms of which your understanding has grown. For each term, answer the 

following questions: 

• What was your understanding of the word before you completed 

this unit? 

• How has your understanding of the word evolved throughout the unit? 

• How will you apply your understanding in the future? 

Thinking about Connections 

3. Review the activities and products (artifacts) you created. Choose those 

that most reflect your growth or increase in understanding. 

4. For each artifact that you choose, record, respond to, and reflect on your 

thinking and understanding, using the following questions as a guide: 

a. What skill/knowledge does this artifact reflect, and how did you learn 

this skill/knowledge? 

b. How did your understanding of the power of language expand through 

your engagement with this artifact? 

c. How will you apply this skill or knowledge in the future? 

5. Create this reflection as Portfolio pages—one for each artifact you choose. 

Use the model in the box for your headings and commentary on questions. 

Concept: 

Description of Artifact: 

Commentary on Questions: 


Thinking About Thinking 

Portfolio Entry

Springboard Grade 8 - Unit 4 - School District of Beloit

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