Lesson 4: March: Book One, Prologue

Turn and Talk

Directions: Preview the cover, the dedication, and pages 5–11 of March: Book One.

• What do you already know about this time period that connects to the text and images from the cover, dedication, and opening panels?

Introduce New Words Using Morphology

Target Words: segregation, injustice

Directions: We’re learning about the words segregation and injustice today.

Introduce the Word: segregation

• Have you seen the word segregation before? Where?

Identify the Root:

• Do you know any other words with the root greg?

• What do you think the prefix se- might mean based on words you know, like separate or seclude?

• The suffix -ation means “the act or process of.”

Determine Meaning:

• Using what we know about se-, greg, and -ation, what do you think segregation means?

Verify Meaning:

• Use a dictionary, thesaurus or other reference material to review and verify the meaning of the word constructed using morphemes.

Encoding Practice:

• Now write two of the additional morpheme examples from memory. Use the spelling of the shared morpheme as your anchor — if you know how to spell the affix, that part of the word stays the same across all the examples.

Build Word Relationships:

• What is similar about separation and segregation? (Both relate to “keeping apart.”)

• What feels different about when we use the word segregation instead of separation?

Introduce the Word: Injustice

• Have you seen the word injustice before? Where?

Identify the Root:

• What are some words you know that connect to just? (justice, justify, justly)

• What do you think the prefix in- might mean based on words you know, like incomplete or inaccurate?

Determine Meaning:

• Using what we know about in-, just, and -ice, what do you think injustice means?

Verify Meaning:

• Use a dictionary, thesaurus or other reference material to review and verify the meaning of the word constructed using morphemes.

Encoding Practice:

• Now write two of the additional morpheme examples from memory. Use the spelling of the shared morpheme as your anchor — if you know how to spell the affix, that part of the word stays the same across all the examples.

Build Word Relationships:

• What is the relationship between justice and injustice?

Part A: Read and Discuss: March: Prologue

Think-Pair-Share

Directions: Before reading, we will learn about the concept and features of graphic novels. As you explore the text, pay attention to how graphic novels combine images, dialogue, and narration to tell a story and communicate meaning.

• Graphic Novel: A narrative text that uses sequential art to tell a complete story, often with the same complexity of ideas and themes as traditional novels.

• Panel: One drawing in a graphic novel that represents a specific moment in time, using visuals, dialogue, and captions to convey meaning.

• Border: The line or frame around a panel that defines its edges and helps organize the story visually. Not all panels have borders.

• Caption: A text box in a graphic novel that provides narration, background information, or context to a scene. Captions typically do not provide dialogue or character thoughts.

• Speech Balloon: A speech balloon is a text shape that contains a character’s spoken dialogue and has an indicator, or tail, that points toward the character who is speaking.

• Thought Balloon: A thought balloon is a text shape that contains a character’s internal thoughts or feelings. Usually depicted as a cloud with bubbles that point toward the related character.

• Sound Effects: Sound effects are text outside of speech or thought balloons that represent sound.

• The Gutter: The blank space between panels in a graphic novel. It often represents gaps in time, action, or ideas. Readers use clues from the surrounding panels to infer what happens in those gaps.

Directions: Read pages 5–9 in March and discuss the following guiding questions with a partner.

• What events are happening in these opening pages?

• Who is involved, and what do we learn about the situation they are in?

Part B: Co-Construct 3-2-1 Summaries

Directions: Share any background knowledge you have about the event known as Bloody Sunday and how it might connect to the excerpt you are reading. As you listen to additional background information about Bloody Sunday, think about how this historical event helps you better understand the events and experiences described in the text.

Bloody Sunday, Selma, Alabama, 1965:

• In 1965, marchers, led by civil rights leaders including John Lewis and Hosea Williams, tried to march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, Alabama, to demand voting rights.

• Up until this point in time, Black citizens in many Southern states faced barriers to voting as a result of segregation practices.

• At the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, state law enforcement confronted and attacked the peaceful demonstrators. They beat unarmed marchers with billy clubs and sprayed them with tear gas. As a result of the violence, Lewis suffered a skull fracture and had to be taken to the hospital. The event is remembered as Bloody Sunday because of this violence.

• The march led to the eventual passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, in which segregationist practices like limiting access to voting were banned.

Directions: Reread pages 5–9 independently. Then use the Think-Pair-Share routine to discuss the following questions. First, think about your response on your own. Next, discuss your ideas with a partner. Finally, be prepared to share your thinking with the class.

• What evidence indicates that the demonstrators were peaceful?

• What details in the Bloody Sunday panels show the danger and injustice of the situation?

• How do the events of Bloody Sunday, as depicted on pages 5-9, demonstrate the government of Alabama’s commitment to uphold segregation?

Directions: You will work together to create a 3-2-1 Summary that focuses on the important ideas and events from pages 5–9. As the chart is completed, think about the key words, important details, and the main idea of the excerpt. Share your own words, ideas, and summary sentences to help build the summary together.

Reflection

Directions: Reflect on your ability to summarize the opening events of March to build knowledge of the historical event: Bloody Sunday, using the Reflection routine.

• Think about the 3-2-1 Summary you wrote. How confident were you in summarizing the opening pages of March? Choose a number between 1 and 5, with 1 being the least confident and 5 being the most confident, to rate your confidence level. Then write a sentence describing a goal you’d like to accomplish next when writing a summary about a text you read.