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Grade 6: Unit 6 – Home of the Brave: Whole Class Novel Seminars

Seminar 2: Whole Class Novel

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars learn about Kek through his interactions with other characters. They understand Kek’s point of view on America and the meaning of home.

Seminar 2: Home of the Brave: Pages 1–36

Do Now — 10 minutes

  • Show an exemplary Exit Ticket from the previous seminar. Have scholars discuss what makes it exemplary. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they will apply to their revisions.
  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous seminar based on the feedback you gave them.

Launch — 2 minutes

  • Tell scholars that today they will begin reading Home of the Brave, a story written in free verse and narrated by Kek, a young Sudanese refugee. As scholars listen to the opening pages, they should envision the setting and characters Applegate introduces.

Read and Discuss 1 — 35 minutes

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 1: 00:13–07:06): Pages 1–12

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: What is Kek’s point of view on America? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: Why might Applegate have chosen to describe the airplane as a flying boat? What does this word choice reveal about Kek’s previous experiences?

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 1: 07:07–14:45): Pages 13–22

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Why is Kek interested in the cow? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What is the meaning of the African
      saying “A cow is God with a wet nose” (page 15)?

Write — 10 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    • What does Kek think about America so far? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

Wrap-up — 5 minutes

  • Show an exemplar essay to scholars. Have scholars discuss what makes the claim clear and compelling. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they need to apply to their own work moving forward.

Read and Discuss 2 — 20 minutes

Independent Reading (10 minutes):

    • Pages 23–36

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: What can readers infer about Kek’s character? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: Why does Kek repeat the phrase “In my old home,/ my real home” (pages 23–24)?

Exit Ticket — 8 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    •  “It’s a strange pain/ to be with those you belong to/ and feel you don’t belong” (page 35). What does Kek mean by this statement? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

Seminar 3: Whole Class Novel

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars analyze how Kek, his aunt, and Ganwar perceive hope. They understand why Kek and his family came to America.

Seminar 3: Home of the Brave: Pages 37–69

Do Now — 10 minutes

  • Show an exemplary Exit Ticket from the previous seminar. Have scholars discuss what makes it exemplary. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they will apply to their revisions.
  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous seminar based on the feedback you gave them.

Launch — 2 minutes

  • Build excitement for today’s reading and discussion by telling scholars that they will read about Kek’s first experience with attending an American school.

Read and Discuss 1 — 35 minutes

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 1: 24:32–34:30): Pages 37–50

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Why does Kek’s aunt tell him, “Don’t hope too hard” (page 41)? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: How does Kek’s point of view on hope differ from Ganwar’s?

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 2: 00:00–04:43): Pages 51–59

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: What does Kek learn at the Refugee Resettlement Center? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What does the statement “I want to sound fierce and certain/ as a great lion./ But I sound like a lost cub,/ even to my own ears” reveal about Kek (page 58)?

Write — 10 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    • Why did Kek and his family come to America? Justify your argument with at least
      two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

Wrap-up — 5 minutes

  • Show an exemplar essay to scholars. Have scholars discuss what makes the claim clear and compelling. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they need to apply to their own work moving forward.

Read and Discuss 2 — 20 minutes

Independent Reading (10 minutes):

    • Pages 60–69

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: According to Kek, how is school in America different than school in Sudan? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What details does Applegate include to show that Kek appreciates school?

Exit Ticket — 8 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    • Why does Applegate include the scene about Kek’s school desk (pages 68–69)? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

Homework

  • Read Home of the Brave: Pages 70–91.

Seminar 4: Whole Class Novel

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand Kek and Hannah’s developing friendship and its impact on Kek’s transition to America. Scholars also begin to notice how the cow helps bridge Kek’s two worlds: Minnesota and Sudan.

Seminar 4: Home of the Brave: Pages 92–127

Do Now — 10 minutes

  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous seminar based on the feedback you gave them.

Launch — 2 minutes

  • Review the big ideas from the at-home reading by having scholars quickly discuss the following question: Ganwar tells Kek, “But you’ll never really feel like an American,/ …/ Because they won’t let you” (page 87). Have Kek’s experiences confirmed this statement or proven it wrong? Then build excitement for today’s reading and discussion.

Read and Discuss 1 — 35 minutes

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 2: 25:10–35:01): Pages 92–106

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: What do Kek and Hannah have in common? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What is Applegate’s message about friendship in “Not-Smart Boy” and “Magic Milk”?

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 2: 35:02–44:36): Pages 107–119

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Why does Kek want to see the cow again? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What moves does Applegate make to help readers envision Hannah and Kek’s ride on the bus?

Write — 10 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    • What role does Hannah play in Kek’s transition to America? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

Wrap-up — 5 minutes

  • Show an exemplar essay to scholars. Have scholars discuss what makes the claim clear and compelling. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they need to apply to their own work moving forward.

Read and Discuss 2 — 20 minutes

Independent Reading (10 minutes):

    • Pages 120–127

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following questions in pairs: According to Kek, what is wrong with Lou’s cow? How does he know? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous questions, ask: Why does Kek worry that his “words are/ broken like [his] aunt’s dishes,/ chips and shards that will not make a whole” (page 122)?

Exit Ticket — 8 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    • What does Kek’s new job reveal about him? Justify your argument with at least
      two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

Seminar 5: Whole Class Novel

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars understand the internal conflict and mixed emotions Kek experiences throughout his daily life as a refugee in America. They gain a deeper understanding of Kek’s character by reading about his interest in helping Lou’s cow.

Seminar 5: Home of the Brave: Pages 129–163

Do Now — 10 minutes

  • Show an exemplary Exit Ticket from the previous seminar. Have scholars discuss what makes it exemplary. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they will apply to their revisions.
  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous seminar based on the feedback you gave them.

Launch — 2 minutes

  • Tell scholars that today they will read about how strange and different everyday activities can be for a refugee living in America. Scholars should pay special attention to how Applegate uses poetic devices to convey Kek’s range of emotions.

Read and Discuss 1 — 35 minutes

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 3: 00:00–10:48): Pages 129–145

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Why is Kek “glad in [his] heart” (page 136)? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What does the farm symbolize to Kek and Ganwar?

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 3: 10:49–16:36): Pages 146–154

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Why is Kek interested in watching the people at the zoo? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What is the question in the poem “The Question”? What poetic devices make this section powerful?

Write — 10 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    • How does Gol impact Kek’s life in America? Justify your argument with at least two
      concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

Wrap-up — 5 minutes

  • Show an exemplar essay to scholars. Have scholars discuss what makes the claim clear and compelling. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they need to apply to their own work moving forward.

Read and Discuss 2 — 20 minutes

Independent Reading (10 minutes):

    • Pages 155–163

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following questions in pairs: How does Kek feel in the grocery store? Why does he feel this way? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous questions, ask: What moves does Applegate make to convey Kek’s feeling in the grocery store?

Exit Ticket — 8 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    • Based on Home of the Brave, why is it difficult for Kek to adjust to life in Minnesota? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

Homework

  • Read Home of the Brave: Pages 164–200.

 

Seminar 6: Whole Class Novel

What Does Success Look Like?

Scholars analyze how Kek has matured as a character and how his point of view on the meaning of home has changed. Scholars understand how Applegate connects the resolution to details and events from earlier in the story, and they articulate Applegate’s parting message about hope.

Seminar 6: Home of the Brave: Pages 201–249

Do Now — 10 minutes

  • Show an exemplary Exit Ticket from the previous seminar. Have scholars discuss what makes it exemplary. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they will apply to their revisions.
  • Scholars revise their Exit Tickets from the previous seminar based on the feedback you gave them.

Launch — 2 minutes

  • Review the big ideas from the at-home reading by having scholars quickly discuss the following question: What does Kek think is the difference between a boy and a man? Then build excitement for today’s reading and discussion by telling scholars that they will finish reading Home of the Brave and discover how Kek’s story ends.

Read and Discuss 1 — 30 minutes

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 3: 49:29–58:01): Pages 201–212

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: Kek narrates, “My aunt says I can find sun/ when the sky is dark./ But she’s wrong./ I can’t see what isn’t there” (page 204). Why are these lines significant? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What moves does Applegate make to emphasize the connection between Gol and Kek in “Treed”?

Read:

    • Play Audiobook (Part 3: 58:02–1:07:09): Pages 213–224

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: What does Kek learn from Ganwar about growing up? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: What does Kek mean by saying, “I wonder if finding the sun is one way to be a man” (page 223)?

Write — 10 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    • How does Kek become more mature? Justify your argument with at least two
      concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

Wrap-up — 5 minutes

  • Show an exemplar essay to scholars. Have scholars discuss what makes the claim clear and compelling. Have scholars articulate the transferable takeaway from the work study that they need to apply to their own work moving forward.

Read and Discuss 2 — 25 minutes

Independent Reading (15 minutes):

    • Pages 225–249

Discuss:

    • Scholars discuss the following question in pairs: The African proverb before Part 4 states, “When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion” (page 225). How does this connect to the children’s plan for Gol? Call on pairs to share out. Insist that scholars back up their claims with evidence from the text.
    • If scholars nailed the previous question, ask: In “Homecoming,” how does Applegate resolve certain details and events from earlier in the story?

Exit Ticket — 8 minutes

Write an essay of no more than 200 words:

    • What is Applegate’s message about hope in “Homecoming”? Justify your argument with at least two concrete pieces of evidence from the text.

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