BIFOCAL: A NOVEL STUDY FOR GRADES7/8

Mary Clare Courtland

Faculty of Education

Lakehead University

1

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following organizations for granting permission to reproduce resources in the unit:

  • Queen’s Printer for Ontario
  • Urban Alliance on Race Relations
  • Department of Citizenship and Immigration, the National Video Competition and the National Film Board of Canada
  • Pearson Canada
  • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

1

Introduction

Bifocal: A Novel Study for Grades 7/8 was designed as a model unit for teacher candidates in an elective course (18 hours), Literacy Teaching/Learning for Grades 7/8. The unit is theoretically-based and draws upon the following constructs:

  • social constructivist learning theory (Bainbridge, Haydon, & Malicky, 2009);
  • reader response theory (Rosenblatt, 1978);
  • Eisner’s (2002) conception of curriculum as cognitive pluralism and his dimensions of curriculum;
  • media and multiliteracies (Kist, 2005; Pahl & Rowsell, 2005);
  • critical literacy (McLaughlin & DeVoogd, 2004); and
  • transmediation (Leland & Harste, 2004).

The unit incorporates literature circles (Daniels, 1994) and scaffolding (Smagorinsky, 2002) to support students’ literacy learning. One strategy used to scaffold and to promote critical literacy is juxtaposing texts (McLaughlin& DeVoogd, 1994) which support exploration of the themes of racism and media representations. For example, picture books are used to raise students’ awareness of the experiences of immigrant children in Canada.

Description of the Novel Study

The purpose of the novel study is to provide Grade 7/8 students with opportunities to engage with and respond to the Canadian multicultural novel, Bifocal (Ellis & Walters, 2007). Two themes which are illuminated in the novel are racial discrimination and the influence of media representations on characters’ understanding.

There are two foci for the study:

  • to read and respond to the novel.
  • to extend understanding of the themes of (1) racial discrimination and (2) the influences of media representations through the production of a video to stop racism.

Curriculum Expectations: Language

Oral Language

2.2Demonstrate an understanding of appropriate speaking behaviour in most situations, using a variety of strategies and adapting them to suit the purpose and audience.

Reading

1.6Extend understanding of texts, including complex or difficult texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other texts, and to the world around them.

Media Literacy

1.3Evaluate the effectiveness of the presentation and treatment of ideas, information, themes, opinions, issues and/or experiences in media texts.

3.4Produce a variety of media texts of some technical complexity for specific purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques.

(Ontario Ministry of Education, The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8 [Revised 2006])

Individual/Response Group Expectations

Each student is expected to:

  • read Bifocal independently (approximately 3-4 chapters per day)
  • complete literature circle role sheets and discuss with group[1]
  • listen respectfully to other members of his/her group
  • participate in in-class activities
  • maintain an individual and/or a group file
  • cooperate with his/her group in completing a response to the novel and in the production of a video on stopping racism

Each group is expected to:

  • participate in literature circle discussions about the novel.
  • complete a group response to the novel (body biography).
  • collaborate with the group in planning sessions and in creating/producing the video.

Group Assignments

  • Body Biography. A body biography is a life-size outline of a character in the novel. Students select a character and brainstorm attributes which describe the character. They then trace a body outline on butcher block or white paper and inscribe the attributes on the image. Body biographies may be simple or elaborate. For example, students may trace the image and write attributes on the image or they may paint the image and then inscribe attributes or they may create a collage with magazine clippings and create a poem to describe the character. The poem may be inscribed on the image. White paper works better for reading the words/phrases on the image.
  • Video Production. The steps in the planning and production are included in the unit. Award-winning videos from the Racism, Stop It! competition may be viewed at:

Organization of the Novel Study

The novel study will take place over a six- to eight-week period during which students will spend approximately 90 minutes per day, five days each week. Students will read the novel in class (three-four chapters per day). There are three overlapping phases.[2] (See organizational chart below.) Students will work in literature circles as they read and respond to the novel. Each group stays together through the completion of the novel study.

The novel study will culminate with a screening of the videos and celebration. Parents and peers will be invited.

Overview of the Novel Study

Assessment

$open-ended (post-it note) observations(Appendix #2)

$observation checklist(Appendix #14)

$rubric – response to novel(Appendix #15)

$rubric – media explorations video(Appendix #16)

$tracking sheet(Appendix #17)

References

Bainbridge, J., Heydon, R., & Malicky, G. (2009). Constructing meaning: Balancing elementary language arts (4th ed.). Toronto, ON: Nelson Education.

Daniels, H. (1994). Voice and choice in the student-centered classroom. York, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.

Eisner, E. W. (2002). The educational imagination: On the design and evaluation of school programs (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Grossman, P., Valencia, S., Evans, K., Thompson, C., Martin, S., & Place, N. (2000). Transitions into teaching: Learning to teach writing in teacher education and beyond. Journal of Literacy Research, 4(32), 631-662.

Kist, W. (2005). New literacies in action: Teaching and learning in multiple media. New York: Teachers College Press.

Leland, C. H., & Harste, J. C. (1994). Multiple ways of knowing: Curriculum in a new key. Language Arts, 71, 331-345.

McLaughlin, M., & De Voogd, G. (2004). Critical literacy as comprehension: Expanding reader response. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 48(1), 52-62.

Pahl, K., & Rowsell, J. (2005). Literacy and education: Understanding the New Literacy Studies in the classroom. London: Chapman; Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Rosenblatt, L. M. (1978). The reader, the text, the poem: The transactional theory of the literary work. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.

Smagorinsky, P. (2002). Teaching English through principled practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Resources

Botkin, N. T., & Prouty, D. (1993).For Angela. [Video, 21 min.]. National Film Board.

Ellis, D., & Walters, E. (2007). Bifocal. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry Whiteside.

Fitch, S. (1997). If you could wear my sneakers. (Illus. D. Labrosse). Toronto, ON: Doubleday Canada Ltd.

Harrison, T. (2002). Courage to fly. (Illus. Z.-Y. Huang). Calgary, AB: Red Deer Press.

Hodge, D. (2006). The kids book of Canadian immigration. (Illus. J. Mantha). Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press.

Munsch, R., & Askar, S. (1995). From far away. (Illus. M. Martchenko). Toronto, ON: Annick Press Ltd.

National Film Board: National Video Competition 2008

$Racism. Stop It!: The National Film Board Facilitator’s Guide. (2007).

$Racism. Stop It! Resources for educators and students. (2007).

$Award-winning videos from previous competitions. Available:

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006, Revised). Language, 1-8. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2005). Think literacy: Cross-curricular approaches, Grades 7-12. Subject-specific examples,Media, Grades 7-10. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Ontario Ministry of Education. (2006, Revised). Language, 1-8. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario.

Selected newspaper articles and resources.

1

Schedule

WEEK #1
Day 1 /
  • Introduction to the unit
-explanation of student expectations
  • Read aloud If you could wear my sneakers
  • Think-pair-share
  • Assign students to groups of 4-5 students.
  • Distribute role sheets (Appendix #1)
  • Explain literature circle role sheets. Ask students to select one role to practice.
  • Read aloud chapter 1 of Bifocal
-Students will complete one role sheet. Allow time after reading for completion of tasks.
  • Small group discussion (Teacher circulates to check students’ understanding of roles and ideas in chapter.)[3]
  • Ask Vocabulary Seekers to write their words and definitions on word wall
  • Whole class discussion
-Groups report 1-2 points from their discussion
-Teacher may ask some of the following questions (if the ideas have not been raised in the whole class discussion):
Whose point of view is projected in CH 1? How do you know?
What do we learn about Kevin? about Jay?
How do the authors create a mood of suspense?
If you were Jay, what would you have done when the police order the boys to “Stand up and identify yourselves?”
At the end of CH 1, the boys escape the police by hiding in a room on the third floor of the school. How realistic is the “escape?”
What might happen next?
  • Distribute folder to each group. Ask the groups to put their names on the folder and place the completed role sheets inside.
  • Store folders.[4]

Day 2 /
  • Read aloud From far away
-predicting activity
- Teacher elicits comments on text illustrations and interactions between pictures and text (critical visual literacy).
-Make explicit the connection between predicting activity and comprehension.
  • Review or teach students how to ask “excellent” questions.

Day 3 /
  • Brainstorm characteristics of “excellent” questions with the class. Write on chalkboard.
  • Direct literature circle role groups to compose three questions on From far away.
  • Invite each group to select their best “excellent” question and write on chalkboard
  • Read each question with the whole class and discuss why it is an “excellent” question.
  • As a class, compose a chart with the key characteristics of excellent questions. Post chart in the classroom.
  • Distribute copies of the novel
  • Direct students to select another role and complete the role sheet while reading CH 2.
  • Independent reading
  • Allow time for completion of role sheets.
  • Small group discussion (Teacher circulates to check students’ understanding of roles. Explain roles where necessary.)
  • Vocabulary Seekers add vocabulary to the word wall
  • Whole class discussion (invite each Connector to report)
-Teacher may ask some of the following questions (if the ideas have not been raised in the discussion):
What is Reach for the Top?
What do we learn about Ms. Singh’s personality?
Whose point of view is told in this chapter?
How did Haroon feel when he was arrested, pushed down on the floor, and handcuffed?
Why did the detective tell the police officer to uncuff Haroon?
Why did Julian reprimand the ninth graders who were pretending to be Osama bin Laden? How might their behaviours contribute to racial tension in the school?
$Store folders
Day 4 /
  • Invite students to predict what will happen next in the novel. List points on chalkboard.
  • Independent reading, CH 3-6
  • Allow time to complete literature circle role sheets.
  • Small group discussions (Teacher sits with one of the groups – open-ended observations of individuals.) (Appendix #2)
  • Vocabulary Seekers add vocabulary to the word wall
  • Whole class discussion (invite Researchers to report)
  • Review predictions. Make changes to the list. Ask students what cues led to the confirmation or revision of predictions?
  • Discuss emerging themes.

Day 5 /
  • Same as Day #4 (CH 7-10/invite Facilitators to report/teacher observations)

WEEK #2
Day 1 /
  • Same as Week #1, Day #4-5 (CH 11-14/invite Vocabulary Seekers to report/teacher observations)

Day 2 /
  • Read aloud Courage to fly
-Think aloud
-imaging and voice-in-my-head
-elicit comments on text and images
  • Mini lesson – Canadian immigration (The kids book of Canadian immigration, p. 62)
  • Placemat strategy – key terms related to multiculturalism[5] (Appendix #3)
  • Read The eloquent young elephant(If you could wear my sneakers, pp. 24-25)
  • Whole class discussion. Invite students to consider which children’s rights are the focus of the poem.

Day 3 /
  • Independent reading (CH 15-18/invite Literary Critics to report/teacher observations)
  • Whole class discussion of events in novel that violate human rights

Day 4 /
  • Whole class activity (poster) (Appendix #4)
-Show poster (Appendix #4)
-Invite students to contribute their first impressions.
-Direct students to read the wording. Ask them who the target audience is? the intended message?
-Write the term “racial profiling” on the chalkboard. Ask students to explain what the term means. (If they have not heard the term, explain the significance. Post – 911. A Canadian example is the case of Maher Arar.)
-Invite students to make connections to the incident in CH 16 where Haroon’s uncle is on a no-fly list.
  • Mini lesson – summarizing (GRASP/”Charges Stayed for Two Men in Terror Case” (Appendices #5.1, 5.2)
  • In groups begin research (current print and/or Internet sources). Invite them to summarize one article or section of website:
-Canadian Diversity: Respecting our Differences. Available:
-U.S. Legislators apologize to Maher Arar. Available:
-An Interview with Maher Arar. Available:
-Indepth: Toronto Bomb Plot. Available:
-Patriquin, M. (October 22, 2007). Canadian: A nation of bigots?Macleans, 16-22.
Day 5 /
  • Students continue summaries of research articles.
  • Teacher circulates to clarify instructions and observe/assist groups with summaries.
  • Jigsaw group sharing
  • Whole class discussion – invite students to comment on how research helped them to comprehend the novel

WEEK #3
Day 1 / $Independent reading (CH 19-22/invite Vocabulary Seekers to report/teacher observations)
Day 2 /
  • Independent reading (CH 23-25/invite Connectors to report/teacher observations)

Day 3 /
  • Independent reading (CH 26-28 invite Researchers to report)
  • Discuss students’ responses to novel.

Day 4 /
  • Invite students to discuss how media in the novel influenced peoples’ opinions?
  • Ask for examples of how media tries to influence or does influences their lives.
  • Conduct mini lesson on media concepts (Appendix #6).

Day 5 /
  • View For Angela (During viewing, ask students individually to complete “Questions for Exploring Key Concepts” (Appendix #6).
  • Whole class discussion of students’ responses to handout

WEEK #4
Day 1 /
  • Explain the concept of a body biography to class.
  • Group planning time
select a character
brainstorm characteristics/make a (draft) sketch body of the biography
consider creative ways of representing ideas (i.e. painting, collage…)
  • Teacher circulates to address concerns.

Day 2 /
  • Distribute butcher block or white paper.
  • Begin work on body biography (the teacher should have available materials such as paints, felt tip markers, magazines etc.)
  • Whole class discussion of group progress (ideas, concerns etc.)

Day 3 /
  • Continue body biography.

Day 4 /
  • Complete body biography.
  • Have students write a brief description of the ideas and symbolism in their body biography.
  • Display body biographies around classroom or school.

Day 5 /
  • Gallery walk – one or two group members stay with project to explain body biography to visitors and to respond to questions.
  • Ask students to comment on how creating a body biography and viewing others’ projects helped them to better understand the characters.

WEEK #5
Day 1 /
  • Brainstorming in groups – Student Handout #3 (Appendix #7)
  • Whole class discussion of responses
  • Make transition to Racism. Stop It! competition. Explain that Canadian students have been creating videos to fight racial discrimination.[6]
  • Distribute copies of Masking Template (Appendix #8).
  • As a whole class, view one of the Racism. Stop It! videos. Use masking template to critique video.

Day 2 /
  • Introduce types of shots and film camera technology (Appendices #9.1, 9.2).
  • Have students work in groups to view several Racism. Stop It! Videos. Ask them to pay special attention to the types of shots and language the videos have incorporated to create the intended messages.
  • Ask each group to report on one video.
  • Explain video production project to the class.

Day 3 /
  • Students meet in literature circle groups.
  • Distribute and explain team contract (Appendix #10). Ask students to sign the contract.
  • Distribute and explain release for broadcast (Appendix #11). Students should be aware of copyright issues and the need to obtain permission from anyone featured in the video production.
  • Distribute storyboard template (Appendix #12) and a production proposal summary (Appendix #13). (Students may create storyboards on chart paper or butcher block paper.)
  • Planning time
  • Teacher circulates to assist groups.

Day 4 /
  • Planning time
  • Teacher circulates to assist groups.

Day 5 /
  • Planning time. Upon completion of the storyboard and production proposal summary, groups meet with the teacher for project approval.

WEEK #6
Day 1 /
  • Production. Teacher circulates to assist groups.

Day 2 /
  • Production/editing. Teacher circulates to assist groups.

Day 3 /
  • Editing. Teacher circulates to assist students.
  • Complete videos.

Day 4 /
  • Class screening of videos
  • Teacher assessment – rubric (Appendix #16)
  • Teacher and students write an invitation to parents and other guests to attend a screening of the videos.
  • Screening of videos. During the presentations, groups should describe to the audience the techniques they use to create their messages.

Day 5 /
  • Post-project reflection. Invite students to complete the post-project reflection (Appendix #18)
  • Whole class discussion about the project

1

Appendices

  1. literature circle role sheets
  2. open-ended (post-it note) observations
  3. placemat strategy – defining key terms
  4. poster
  5. GRASP

5.2 newspaper article – bomb plot

6. key concepts template

  1. student handout 3
  2. masking template
  3. types of shots
  4. film camera technology

10. team contract

11. release for broadcast

12. storyboard template

13. production proposal summary

  1. observation check list
  2. rubric – response to novel
  3. rubric – media explorations video
  4. tracking sheet
  5. Post-project reflection

FACILITATOR