Lesson 2: Introducing John Lewis

Directions: As you read this graphic memoir, pay attention to the gutter, which is the space between panels in a graphic text. In a graphic novel, the gutter is where you infer what happens between one panel and the next. As you move from one frame to another, imagine the action or time that may have passed. This means reading becomes an active investigation in which you think about how each image connects to the next to help you understand the full chain of events in the story.

Turn and Talk

Directions: Observe the cover and flip through the pages of March. As you look through the text, record your thinking in the Notice, Wonder, Connect graphic organizer. Write what you notice about the images and text, questions you have, and any connections you can make based on what you see.

Part A: Introducing John Lewis

Close Read & Annotation

Directions: Read your assigned excerpt with your partner. As you read, annotate the text by identifying John Lewis’s beliefs and values, as well as the obstacles he faced and examples of who he is as a person. After reading, discuss the question provided to help deepen your understanding of John Lewis.

Text Excerpts

• “The Boy From Troy” - Beginning of article to the paragraph ending, “Once they were, Harbour would leave the cell with one less hero to worship and one more man to call his friend.”

• “Rep. John Lewis” - Beginning of the article to the paragraph ending, “The leaders of the SCLC asked me to lead with Hosea.”

• What are you learning about John Lewis and how he became a catalyst for social change?

Part B: Introducing Showcase

Performance Task Civic Memory Brief

Directions: Independently, read the Unit 8.1 Performance Task description carefully so you understand what you will be expected to do and how your work throughout the unit will help you prepare for this final task.

Directions: With your partner, review the Showcase Performance Task again. As you read, annotate the task by focusing on the key expectations, the steps you will need to complete, and the evidence you will need to gather throughout the unit to complete the task.

• What will you need to do to be successful on the performance task?

Think-Pair-Share

Directions: Discuss the following closing question using the Think-Pair-Share protocol with a partner:

• What did you learn about John Lewis from the text you read? Use at least two pieces of evidence to support your ideas.