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LESSON PLAN (Grades 11-12) – SURVIVOR AND RESCUER PROFILES

This activity will introduce students to selected survivors and rescuers within the book No Greater Love: How My Family Survived the Genocide in Rwanda. 

OBJECTIVES

By completing this activity, students will be able to:

  • Become familiar with the survivors and rescuers in No Greater Love.

  • Develop empathy for the highlighted survivors and rescuers by identifying similarities between themselves and the survivors/rescuers.

  • Collaborate with a group to summarize the provided secondary source and share out the summary in a mini-presentation to classmates.

RATIONALE

The purpose of this activity is to get students to put themselves in the shoes of the survivors and rescuers. It is difficult to comprehend the large numbers of people who were affected. Getting to know individuals and seeing how they are similar to ourselves, and our own lives, helps personalize the experience of others and helps us empathize with them. 

TIME EXPECTATIONS

Two one-hour class periods. (See below for modifications.)

LESSON

There are a variety of ways you can help your students become familiar with the Survivors and Rescuers in No Greater Love. The following is one possible means to this end.

This lesson has been created so that no “out of school” work time is needed. You may choose to modify the lesson, depending on the independence level of your own students. For example, you may choose to assign specific readings to specific students or groups of students (longer readings to more capable students).

Materials

  • One copy of each Survivor Profile or Rescuer Profile per student in each group, to annotate. (For example, if you have three students in the group reading about Naomi, you would make three copies of her profile.)

  • One copy of the blank Survivor Profile Worksheet or Rescuer Profile Worksheet for the team/group to fill out.

Lesson Day One (1 hour period)

  1. Divide students so that you have 2-3 students in a group, with at least 12 groups (one group for each profile). If you choose to model with one of the profiles, you would have only 11 groups.

  2. Have students choose roles for group work (Recorder, Time Keeper, Speaker) or assign as you normally would.

  3. Explain the assignment.

  4. Pass out copies of the Survivor Profile or Rescuer Profile to each group (enough copies so that each group member can annotate a copy of the profile that their group is working on).

  5. Pass out one copy of the Survivor Profile Worksheet or Rescuer Profile Worksheet for each group. 

  6. Students will review the items on the Survivor Profile Worksheet or Rescuer Profile Worksheet that they will be looking for in their copy of the Profile (set purpose for reading).

  7. Students read silently and annotate their personal copy of the profile. Students will annotate with the Profile Worksheet as their focus. Students may also make note of any "Noticings and Wonderings." What do they notice, or what catches their attention? What "Wonderings," or questions, do they have in relation to this reading?  

  8. Students work within their group to fill out the Profile Worksheet. 

  9. Students collaborate to decide how to summarize the information to share with the class. Prepare to speak with the goal of taking 3-4 minutes to share with the class. The group may choose to have the speaker share all of the information, or they may choose to divide up the information so that each group member can have an opportunity to speak, with the person in the role of speaker providing the introduction and conclusion for the group.

Lesson Day Two (1 hour period)

Student groups share out about their Survivor/Rescuer. Taking 3-4 minutes per group should provide adequate time for quick introduction/reminder about Presentation Expectations/Etiquette and time for a little reflection at the end. Teacher may choose to use the Reflection Questions as time allows.

Possible Reflection Questions

  • What similarities do you share with the Survivor/Rescuer that you read about?

  • What did you notice about the Survivors? 

  • What did you notice about the Rescuers?

  • What questions do you have about the situation that your Survivor/Rescuer was in?

  • If you could ask your Survivor/Rescuer a question, what would it be?

  • What words would you use to describe the Survivor/Rescuer you read about?

  • What qualities/characteristics did they demonstrate?

  • What could you identify as turning points in the events shared? What were you thinking as you read about them?

  • How has your thinking changed about these Survivors/Rescuers as you have learned more about them and discussed them with your team/group?

COMMON CORE STANDARDS

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS » READING: INFORMATIONAL TEXT » GRADE 11-12

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.3
Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS » HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES » GRADE 11-12

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1
Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources, connecting insights gained from specific details to an understanding of the text as a whole.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.2
Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary that makes clear the relationships among the key details and ideas.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS » SPEAKING & LISTENING » GRADE 11-12

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4
Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.6
Adapt speech to a variety of contexts and tasks, demonstrating a command of formal English when indicated or appropriate.

TIME EXPECTATIONS (Modifications)

This lesson will take at least two one-hour class periods, depending on your students. Modifications can be made depending on class time available. Options could include:

1) Day One - Place students into groups, assign roles, explain assignment. Day Two - Provide time for reading, annotating and collaborative notetaking. Also, prepare for sharing out. Day Three - Share out summaries of profiles.

2) Day One - Place students into groups, assign roles, explain assignment. Pass out Profiles to be read at home and annotated. Day Two - Provide time for collaborative notetaking. Also, prepare for sharing out. Day Three - Share out summaries of profiles.

3) As written. All prep on Day One. All sharing on Day Two.

Answer Key available. Please e-mail sandra@alst.org