Unit/Topic:   Everyone is guilty of something

Enduring Understanding(s)

Students will understand –

1. Guilt is the mainstay of who we are and how we are organized, and is, seemingly, our undeniable destiny. This is a truism of the West.
2. Guilt is as old as the DNA that defines our species.
3. Human greed contributes to most of the crimes in the world throughout history.
4. Ponzi scheme is an embodiment of our infinite capacity for self-delusion.

Essential Question(s):

• Why is the western civilization based on guilt?
• Why did Madoff emerge  not as some master criminal, but as a sad, hapless man who, lacking the character to tell the truth at the critical moment, stumbled foolishly and blindly into one of the crimes of the century?
• Why does the Ponzi scheme such as Madoff’s  hold us not because of the engrossing details of the scam, but because of its human dimension?
• Were Ponzi scheme victims innocent? Why or why not?

CCS Standards & Skills (1A/1E):

RI.9-10.2

Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

W.9-10.9.b

Apply grades 9–10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., “Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning”).

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 9–10 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.

L.9-10.4.a

Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

Academic Vocabulary (1A)

• heresy (n.) – an opinion or belief, which seriously disagrees with the principles of a church or religion
• endangerment (v.) – to put someone or something in danger
• predicament (n.) – an unpleasant situation that is hard to get out of
• perversion (n.) – any abnormal means of obtaining sexual satisfaction
• lusting (v.) – having intense sexual desire
• innuendo (n.) – an indirect reference to something rude or unpleasant
• truism (n.) – an obvious truth
• original sin (n.) – the Christian notion that humans are born sinful and will always struggle with their own immoral tendencies
• discourse (n.) – written or spoken communication
• culpable (adj.) – deserving blame

 Materials/Resources (1D):

• Copies of Walter Mosley’s “True Crime” essay for each student
• Student copies of the 9.2 Common Core Learning Standards Tool (refer to 9.2.1 Lesson 1)
• Student copies of the Short Response Checklist and Rubric (refer to 9.2.1 Lesson 1)

 Grouping Rationale:  (1B)

Students are grouped  based on the data collected on each student’s reading, writing , social interactive and self-discipline abilities, time management and leadership skills. Students are grouped heterogeneously to help each other succeed and in the meantime to warrant their individual growth.

Multiple Entry Points: (1B)

• Questions are designed at various level so all students with various abilities can participate in discussion.
• More advanced students can take turns to paraphrase challenging questions to ensure all group members understand the tasks.
• Students can type or take notes by pen.
• The lesson is provided with definitions for possible new vocabulary words in the text
• Reading can be done by a more advanced reader in a group to help those  who may have trouble with reading
• Audio is used.

Objectives: (1C) Students will be able to use evidence to support their response to the question of “How does Mosley develop a central idea in paragraphs 1–4? “

Aim: Why is the western civilization based on guilt?

Agenda

1. Introduction to Lesson Agenda
2. Do Now
3. Exemplary Reading by a leading reader from the class
4. Paragraphs 1–4 Reading and Discussion
5. Quick Write
6. Closing

 Procedures

Do Now (1A)

1.       Review assessed standard for this lesson: RI.9-10.2. What do you notice the differences between this lesson’s writing standard and the ones we have learned from Unit 1 & 2 ( literature)?

2.       How can you apply your focus standard to your independent reading text and write an effective AIR log?

3.       What are the differences between informational and literary texts?

 Mini Lesson/Guided Practice (1E)

1.  About the author- that the author of this essay is Walter Mosley, an accomplished writer of crime fiction. ( More about the author-http://www.roycecarlton.com/speaker/in-the-news/Walter-Mosley.html )
2. What can be identified about this text from the title?( Students briefly discuss in pairs)
3. Introduce the Quick Write assessment (How does Mosley develop a central idea in paragraphs 1–4?). This is the lesson assessment and the focus for today’s reading
4. Read paragraph 1, from “Everybody is guilty of something” through “going right to the rotted heart of the race laws of Nazi Germany.” Annotate while rereading to identify unfamiliar vocabulary, as well as note important points in the text.
5.  Discuss in pairs the following questions and record your responses in the notebooks:  What is Mosley referring to when he writes, “This is a truism of the West”?

 Notes: the West” refers to Western Civilization, specifically European culture, as well as countries settled by Europeans (e.g. Australia, Canada, and the United States). This is in contrast to “the East,” or Eastern Civilization, specifically Asian societies (e.g. China and India). This is an important concept because some cultures do not share this collective sense of guilt.

6. Based on context, what is the definition of truism? ( Apply standard L.9-10.4.a through the process of determining word meaning through the use of context clues. )

7. Original sin is the Christian explanation of the human condition—sin is with us when we come into the world and will always be with us. How does Mosley connect guilt and original sin?

8. Which historical references in paragraph 1 have you recognized?

Notes: the race laws of Nazi Germany (the laws that oppressed the Jews and other minorities in Germany during the time of Hitler) .

9. Why does Mosley include all of these historical references?

10. Lead a brief whole-class discussion to ensure students understand key words and concepts.

11. Review  responses to the previous two questions and annotate the text for evidence of the development of a central idea.  Write the code CI in the margin. As you annotate for central idea, you are beginning to identify textual evidence that may be used in the lesson assessment as well as the Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Assessments, which address the development of central ideas in the text. This focused annotation will support your engagement with W.9-10.9.b, as you draw evidence from the text to use in your writing.

Independent Practice/Group Activity Questions (3D):

 In each small group, students will do the following-

1. Read paragraph 2 to paragraph 4.  
2. Annotate according to the protocols established in 9.1.1, and continue to use the annotation code CI to indicate the development of a central idea in the text.
3.  Discuss the following questions before sharing out with the class. We’ll have a  whole-class discussion on these questions. Remind students to take notes during the discussion:

 For paragraph 2 (read in pairs):

A. According to Mosley, what have we been guilty of “in 2,000 years of Western Civilization”?

B. How can the sentence structure in paragraph 2 (“In 2,000 years of Western civilization we have been guilty”) help you understand the meaning of the word culpable?

C. How does paragraph 2 relate to the claim and historical references in paragraph 1?

For paragraphs 3 and 4 – from “Guilt is the mainstay of who we are” through “faster than any call for justice, human rights, or ceasefires.”( read in the whole group)

A.According to Mosley how is guilt related to “Death and Taxes”?
B. Mosley claims, “our relationship with guilt is as old as the DNA that defines our species.” How does this relationship change over time?
C. What is the “predicament” we “seek to understand”?

Assessment ((1F/3D): Quick Write

How does Mosley develop a central idea in paragraphs 1–4? Use the Short Response Checklist and Rubric to guide your written responses.

Summary/Closure/ (1F/3D)

• Remind students to write down any question they may still have about the lesson and leave it in the “Park my Questions” folder by the group.
• Explain homework assignment. For homework, research one of the historical references in paragraph 1 and  list three facts you learned as a result of their research.
• Continue  you Accountable Independent Reading through the lens of their focus standard.
• Resources: More about the author Walter Mosely (http://www.roycecarlton.com/speaker/in-the-news/Walter-Mosley.html)

 Homework (1E)

 Research one of the historical references in paragraph 1 and list three facts you learned as a result of your research.

Continue to read your Accountable Independent Reading text through the lens of a focus standard of your choice.

Short Response Rubric

Assessed Standard(s):                                                                                      

	2-Point Response	1-Point response	0-Point Response
Inferences/Claims	Includes valid inferences or claims from the text.Fully and directly responds to the prompt.	Includes inferences or claims that are loosely based on the text.Responds partially to the prompt or does not address all elements of the prompt.	Does not address any of the requirements of the prompt or is totally inaccurate.
Analysis	Includes evidence of reflection and analysis of the text.	A mostly literal recounting of events or details from the text(s).	The response is blank.
Evidence	Includes relevant and sufficient textual evidence to develop response according to the requirements of the Quick Write.	Includes some relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, or other information from the text(s) to develop an analysis of the text according to the requirements of the Quick Write.	The response includes no evidence from the text.
Conventions	Uses complete sentences where errors do not impact readability.	Includes incomplete sentences or bullets.	The response is unintelligible or indecipherable.

Short Response Checklist

Assessed Standard(s):                                                                                  

Does my writing…	Did I…	✔
Include valid inferences and/or claims from the text(s)?	Closely read the prompt and address the whole prompt in my response?
	Clearly state a text-based claim I want the reader to consider?
	Confirm that my claim is directly supported by what I read in the text?
Develop an analysis of the text(s)?	Did I consider the author’s choices, impact of word choices, the text’s central ideas, etc.?
Include evidence from the text(s)?	Directly quote or paraphrase evidence from the text?
	Arrange my evidence in an order that makes sense and supports my claim?
	Reflect on the text to ensure the evidence I used is the best evidence to support my claim?
Use complete sentences, correct punctuation, and spelling?	Reread my writing to ensure it means exactly what I want it to mean?
	Review my writing for correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation?