Fist Stick Knife Gun by Geoffrey Canada

Thematic Question: When if ever">

Fist Stick Knife Gun by Geoffrey Canada

Thematic Question: When if ever, is violence necessary?
(Literary Circle Work Sheet)

Basic Knowledge (What do students already know?)
  1. Personal narrative writing.
  2. Identifying main ideas.
  3. Working in groups.
Research (What are students doing?)
  1. Reading the book, Fist Stick Knife Gun by Geoffrey Canada.
  2. Discuss the book in Literary Circles.
  3. Write their analysis in a reading/discussion journal.
Process (What reproducing skills are being learned?)
  1. Identifying and explaining main ideas with examples.
  2. Making connections between diverse article subjects based on an overall prompt.
  3. Writing personal narratives that reflect on Geoffrey Canada’s message regarding the needs of at-risk inner-city children.
Product (Output results)
  1. Students will keep a reading/discussion journal based on the book and Literary Circle discussions.
  2. Students will take three short essay exams, practicing making connections between articles and the book, using an overall prompt.

At the beginning of the unit students answer this prompt in a 7 minute timed writing:

Thematic Question: When if ever, is violence necessary?

Literature Circles (groups of 5)

Students will meet in teams on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to discuss readings. Tuesdays and Thursdays are for reading as well as at home.

Group Roles

  1. Discussion Director
    Write 3 open-ended questions regarding the reading. Base questions on your feelings and thoughts about what is said and done. Answer each question with your thoughtful opinions.
  2. Passage Master
    List page number and paragraph number of 3 passages that are important to the theme or provokes in you an emotion that should be discussed. Examples are shared experiences and/or the author explaining a viewpoint. For each, explain its importance and/or implications.
  3. Illustrator
    Find a passage that conveys a feeling or idea. Make a sketch, cartoon, diagram, chart, or scene that represents the specific event in the reading. You may label images. Then explain its meaning to you.
  4. Connections Finder
    Find a similarity between the reading and your life experiences. Write an explanation giving specific examples from the reading and your life.

Teammembers must be in each role at least once. At every meeting, all roles must be represented. The fifth person must choose a role to replicate.

Role notes must be given to the teacher after each meeting.

After each discussion, before the next assigned meeting, teammembers write their thoughts about the reading on the classroom discussion website. Or they may respond to comments by other students who are discussing similar topics. Responses may be in the form of statements and include questions. Keep a copy of all your comments.

Literary Circle Work Sheet