I was Homeless
Essential Questions
- How does society treat homeless people?
- How can people in positions of power help those who are powerless?
- What is "home"?
- What leads to homelessness?
Activities
Response to Essential Question
Students create a new page called I was Homeless on their online portfolio. Students write their response to the essential question: How does society treat homeless people? Students can share their responses in small groups and then transition into a group discussion.
Students create a new page called I was Homeless on their online portfolio. Students write their response to the essential question: How does society treat homeless people? Students can share their responses in small groups and then transition into a group discussion.
Pre-Teaching Academic Language
Student create a sub-page called Academic Language under the I am Homeless page. Students rephrase the definition of each vocabulary word into their own words. Then they will create their own sentence using the word and find an image to represent each word.
Student create a sub-page called Academic Language under the I am Homeless page. Students rephrase the definition of each vocabulary word into their own words. Then they will create their own sentence using the word and find an image to represent each word.
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Exposing Poverty through Photographs
Students will analyze photos to understand how they can be used to reveal truths about the world. The class will divide into groups of 3 or 4 and each group is given a photo to examine. Each group will present their discoveries to the class after they answer the following questions on Google Docs:
Students will analyze photos to understand how they can be used to reveal truths about the world. The class will divide into groups of 3 or 4 and each group is given a photo to examine. Each group will present their discoveries to the class after they answer the following questions on Google Docs:
- Examine your photos and list all of the details you notice.
- Where do you think this photo was taken and who do you think the subjects are?
- What is the overall mood of your photo?
- What stereotypes do you think someone might have about the people in your photo?
- How do you think society treats the people in your photo?
Read I was Homeless
Before Reading
Before Reading
- Think, Pair, Share: What challenges do the homeless face?
- Think, Pair, Share: How are homeless people portrayed in the media?
- Review this unit's academic language
- What role does each text—the narrative nonfiction, the infographic, and the essay—play in helping you understand homelessness?
- Consider the last sentence of the first section: “They had no money, no jobs, and nowhere to go.” What is the tone of this sentence? How do you know?
- Although the author focuses on Kevin and his family, “ ‘I Was Homeless’ ” isn’t just about them. What other information does the article include? Where in the article does this information appear?
- Reread the last two paragraphs on page 8. How does their tone compare to the tone of the rest of the article?
- What is the controlling idea, or theme, that unites these three texts? Use text details to support your answers.
- Explain how society contributed to Kevin’s family’s becoming homeless and how it contributed to his family getting back on their feet.
- Explain what you think the author’s purpose was in writing this article.
Watch I lived in a Truck
Students will watch the video and work in partners to answer the following discussion questions:
Students will watch the video and work in partners to answer the following discussion questions:
- Describe Arielle. What does her attitude about her experience reveal about her personality?
- What challenges did Arielle and her family face while living in the truck? How did they overcome these challenges?
- Consider the style of the video. How does hearing from Arielle directly affect your understanding of the story? How would the video be different if the narrator spoke the whole time?
- Compare Arielle Metzger’s story with Kevin Liu’s. What are the similarities and differences between their experiences of homelessness?
- After reading “ ‘I Was Homeless,’” how does “I Lived in a Truck” add to your understanding of what it’s like to be homeless?
Differentiated Performance Task
Students can choose which question they would like to write an individual response to. Each response should be 2-3 paragraphs.
Students can choose which question they would like to write an individual response to. Each response should be 2-3 paragraphs.
- What is it like to be homeless in America? Support your answer with details from the article and video.
- Consider the Gandhi quote on page 6. In your opinion, how does the U.S. measure up? Support your opinion with details from the article, essay, infographic, and video.
Extension Presentation: Research Local Aid Organizations in Rio
The class will be divided into groups of 2 or 3. Each group will research an organization in Rio de Janeiro that helps the needy and present their findings in a Prezi or Google Presentation to the class. Each group should explain the mission of the organization, what problems it addresses, what sustainable solutions it provides, potential challenges, and how people can get involved. Students should connect this project to the Challenge 20/20 and use this activity as a way of researching sustainable solutions to poverty at the local level.
The class will be divided into groups of 2 or 3. Each group will research an organization in Rio de Janeiro that helps the needy and present their findings in a Prezi or Google Presentation to the class. Each group should explain the mission of the organization, what problems it addresses, what sustainable solutions it provides, potential challenges, and how people can get involved. Students should connect this project to the Challenge 20/20 and use this activity as a way of researching sustainable solutions to poverty at the local level.