The Moment Before the Gun Went Off - session 1

• Engels
• Voortgezet speciaal onderwijs
• Leerroute 4

Welcome to Mrs Everstijn's online classroom

Literatures - short stories

Inge Everstijn-Veldhuizen

The Moment Before the Gun Went Off

by Nadine Gordimer

Lesson series:

1. Introduction; context, instruction key concepts, lightning talk
   
2. Introduction; pre-reading activities, incl. linguistic aids, reading strategies & first reading
3. Second reading = reading comprehension
4. Post reading activities
   

Lesson series - learning objectives:

Students can…:

• explain key concept Apartheid
• explain key concept whiteness
• explain key concept core & periphery
• explain the impact of whiteness and core & periphery on key concept Apartheid.
• analyse literary texts using key concepts, STEAL method and the historical lens.
• offer underpinned reader responses
• learn in a collaborative setting

Explain that collaborative learning is proven to be benefitial for students = scaffolding, peer teaching, explaining (higher order thinking).

Explain topics integrated in multiple subjects at school = better retrieval & understanding.

Used as a teaser for key concepts instruction & learning activities.

Part 1 :

KEY CONCEPTS:

• Apartheid
• Whiteness
• Core & periphery
  

CONTEXT:

• setting
• Author
  

LITERATURE:

• what is literature?
  
• exam objectives
  
• analysis

Key concept - Apartheid

“An Afrikaans term meaning ‘separation’, used in South Africa for the policy initiated by the Nationalist Government after 1948 and usually rendered into English in the innocuous sounding phrase, ‘policy of separate development’.”

(Ashcroft, Griffiths & Tiffin, 2007).

Apartheid: think - pair - share

Think: Research the assigned context of Apartheid, via a placemat exercise.
Pair: Combine findings in a group Lightning talk (a very short presentation).
Share: Present the Lightning talk and lead the class discussion.

Group 1:
•    Population Registration Act;
•    Mixed Amenities Act;
•    Group Areas Act;
•    Immorality Act;

Group 2:
•    Who/what started Apartheid;
•    Opposition to Apartheid; A
•    End of Apartheid

Share =

• lightning talk = important skill for future (education & career)
• collaborative work = important skill for future (education & career)
• English = important skill for future education, career & social life;)
  

Scaffolding: offer links to relevant websites.

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

in groups

THINK activity (handout p 4) = divide topics

Jot down answers in your notebook/laptop

your team mates/teacher

10 minutes

input for PAIR/SHARE activities

What things stand out ? Can you find/design linking visuals for this/these? Help team mates.

Teacher divides the class in 2 groups.

Each group is given 1 set of topics to research & present.

= collaborative learning

= scaffolding

Differentiation:

Select Mutism students work individually and need to assess the presentations using their research notes and the speaking rubric.

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

in groups

PAIR activity (handout p 4)

Design a PPT/Google presentations

your team mates/teacher

10 minutes

input for SHARE activities

Practise lighting talk and prepare class discussion (think of interesting questions or statements that evoke personal opinions & debate)

Teacher divides the class in 2 groups.

Each group is given 1 set of topics to research & present.

= collaborative learning

= scaffolding

Differentiation:

Select Mutism students work individually and need to assess the presentations using their research notes and the speaking rubric.

Apartheid - share

If needed this could also serve as a final assignment of the lesson. The 'share' assignment should demonstrate students' skills and knowledge on the learning objectives.

Key concept - whiteness

Whiteness is a category which is grounded in racist discourses and practices.  It emphasizes ‘family values’ and thus the need to protect the ‘traditional’ roles of the genders. It has also embraced racist discourses which emphasize the threat changes to gender patterns pose to so-called ‘core national values’.

(Ashcroft, Griffiths & Tiffin, 2007).

What do you guess the key concept 'whiteness' is?
What things can you link to this?

Key concept - core & periphery

This refers to the central group, the ‘core’, and others who are not included, the ‘periphery’. It is often used to describe other key concepts such as ‘whiteness’ or ‘Apartheid’.

(Ashcroft, Griffiths & Tiffin, 2007)

Give an example of the key concept ‘core & periphery’ and explain your answer.

Key concepts - combination

CLASS DISCUSSION:

How do these three key concepts help or hinder one another? Explain your opinion.

Scaffolding:

• teacher repeats the key concepts (Apartheid, Whiteness and Core & Periphery)
• teacher reminds students that explaining opinions includes linking words like because, although, even though, etc

If needed the lesson could end here. This class discussion on all three key concepts should demonstrate students' knowledge on these learning objectives.

Primary reading - vocabulary

Glossary: Give the meaning (in English) of the following words.

Divestment campaigns
Gleefully
To cull
Kudu
Aptitude
Pot-hole (pothole)
Jolt

Appease
Agitators
Jacarandas
Aerial
Jutting belly

Class exercise (prior to reading) = peer teaching / scaffolding.

Differentiation: students can look up the meaning online (dictionary.cambridge.org)

Alternative:

Or have students do this exercise after reading = meaning in context.

Both:

Linking difficult words/unknown words to understanding text = strategies & exam style exercise / strategies.

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

individual

activity Glossary (handout p 9/10)

Answer in handout

text & dictionary.cambridge.org

5 minutes

better understanding of the text

Keep calm & wait = no mobile phones!!!

Who:  

What: 

How:  

Help:  

Time: 

Result:

Done:  

individual

read short story (handout p 6/9)

handout / audio file (= SOM)

none

15 minutes

gest of the text, first impressions

How does it make you feel? What stands out? Anything familiar?

Keep calm & wait = no mobile phones!!!

What is your first reaction to this story? What stands out to you? Explain why.

Homework

STUDY:

• key concepts; apartheid, whiteness and core & periphery (handout pages 4 & 5)

READ:

• Re-read the short story (handout pages 6 - 9)
  

Linking literary texts to other media.

Introducing violence against "the blacks" = next lesson & cultural background = context.

Apartheid banners = cultural background & repetition of pre-reading activities.

Linking also to own country ("apartheid is moord" - banner).