All American Boys by: Jason Reynolds & Brendan Kiely

Text Selection Lawrence Bocco

John Hopkins University

Text Description All American Boy gives the perspective of two boys, two views, one incident that flipped their lives upside down. The authors depict the the realness and honesty of the situation through each character dealing with complex issues of race, community, prejudice, stereotype and assumptions The story takes you on a Day by day journey over a weeks period , each boy tells his story. Rashad in the hospital, where he watches endless replay of the incident, and Quinn at school who tries to avoid the situation

Quantitative Measures Band Level: 6-7

Range :740L-1010L

Word Count: 68,016

The text is right at scholars reading level. As scholars explore the text they will be able to retell the story from two different perspectives along while making inference of characters’ personalities by finding supporting evidence in text. Students will also gain a clear understanding of how to use voice in their writing. Word length, and frequency of the text should not be a problem. Scholars will be able to share, discuss and analyze the text with shoulder partners and whole class. Scholars who are still behind will receive one on one and small group assistance

Qualitative MeasuresPurpose – Moderately Complex:

The primary purpose of the text is not clearly stated but as the students listen and reads along with the the audio they can easily infer a purpose based on the context, and multiple perspectives in text. Theme is implicit, but will be relieved throughout the entirety of text.

Text Structure – Slightly ComplexText structure is explicit, clear, makes connections between ideas and events. Organization of text is chronology but is unpredictable and leaves the reader at the edge of their seats. Text features , such as flashbacks and recalling of events aid in facilitating comprehension of content.

Knowledge – Moderately complex Subject matter in text involves life experiences and cultural knowledge. Which aids

scholars in the understanding point of view in text. There are a couple references to events that are explained in text.

Language – Moderately Complex Language is literal, explicit, straightforward and mostly contemporary with familiar

vocabulary. Text uses simple sentences that are easy to understand.Audio –Slightly Complex

Spoken language is highly explicit and coherent.. The audio bears a clear relationship to text.

ObjectivePerspective / Voice

Students will be able to understand “voice” in a story and reflect the speakers / character’s unique personality, motivation, attitude, along with the importance of word choice and vocab.

Students will be able to mimic a real life court case by taking on the roles of each character in the story and bringing them to life using voice, tone and emotion.

Students will be able to analyze and connect a deeper meaning of : acceptance, prejudice, racism, empathy, culture, trust and hope.

TEXT SETVoices in the Park - Anthony Brown

Harper High – WBEZ

Finding Dory - Fighting perspective with one self (video Snipet )

Perspective is Everything – TEDTalk ( Rory Sutherland)

I Know I Can – Nas (Song)

Four Women – Nina Simone (Poem)

Quantitative Measures: Text: 560L Range: 460-820 Base Level: 2-3Four different voices tell their own version of the same walk in the park. The quantities measures of this text suggest my 8th scholars at a 925-1185L will have an expected compression of 93% with the words “pedigree and bandstand” being the most challenging vocabulary words in the text. Word length, and frequency of the text should not be a problem.

Qualitative: MeasuresPurpose: Slightly ComplexStructure :Slightly complexLanguage : Moderately ComplexKnowledge Demands: Slightly complex

RationalAll American Boy gives scholars two voices on one event. While Voices in the Park, not only gives the readers four various perspectives on the same event; it also uses illustrations, and font to decpict each characters personality to enhance voice, and bring imagery to life. Like All American Boy , Voices in the Park has an audio that goes with it, to allow readers to hear each characters tone and mood while reading. I really want students to grasp and begin to experience voice in their own writing, and distinguish/compare authors styles of writing and turn it into their own.

Quantitative Measures: Text: 1015L Range: 925-1100 Base Level: 6-7Living in the midst of gun violence, gangs, and fear of death every day, students at Harper high school in Chicago take us through the tragic events in their neighborhood and school. Last year alone 29 recent and current scholars were shot. The passage draws the reader in to the experiences of various students at harper High who dealt with gun violence head on. This text fits scholars reading level, scholars will be able to grasp the purpose of the main idea as they read on. Organization of text is chronology but is unpredictable and leaves the reader at the edge of their seats. Language is literal, explicit and straight forward. Scholars will listen to audio of text as they read and annotate, making sure no one is left behind while reading.

Qualitative: MeasuresPurpose: Slightly ComplexStructure :Slightly ComplexLanguage : Moderately ComplexKnowledge Demands: Slightly ComplexAudio: Slightly Complexhttps://www.thisamericanlife.org/radioarchives/episode/487/harper-high-school-part-oneRational

The challenge this reading poses is to give scholars a deeper perspective and outlook on school environment and young adult lifestyle in other cultures. I want scholars to take a step back and place themselves in the shoes of other young adults that are in the midst of gang/gun violence and how they navigate and survive. Before beginning the text, I will introduce scholars to the setting, conditions, and statistics of where the interviews and passage took to help them in better understanding of text. Having scholars listen to the audio reading of the passage as they read along allows them to better understand, feel and bring the text to life by hearing emotion and emphasis that’s not on the page. As scholars are reading they will begin to develop a deeper level of meaning on how it is important to have a strong community, people to talk to when you are going through situations and how having support by others does not mean your weak but aids in making you strong.

Quantitative Measures: Text: 3311 Range: 1050-1245 Base Level: 8-12This video/ text is slightly above scholars reading level. Scholars will first watch the video, before reading the script along with the video as they annotate and analyze.

Qualitative: MeasuresPurpose: Very ComplexStructure :Moderately ComplexLanguage : Moderately ComplexKnowledge Demands: Very Complex

https://www.ted.com/talks/rory_sutherland_perspective_is_everything

RationalRory Sutherland makes a compelling case for reframing your mindset during times of hardships/ crucial times in life is the key to happiness. “ The circumstances of our lives may matter less than how we see them.” I chose this TEDtalk for scholars to analyze and take a deeper look at their own mind set and mind frame. To connect to various situations in their life and discuss as a class how mind frame influences how we take on challenges that life throws at this. This connects to the anchor text by scholars can compare and contrast the mind frame of Rashad and Quinn and how it influenced their decisions and outcome in the book.

Summary: Dory is a very bright, energetic blue tang fish suffering from memory loss, but the one thing she does remember is being separated from her parents as a child. With help from her close friends, Dory embarks on a journey to find her family, and relieves flashbacks from memories in her past that aid in helping her finding her parents.

Rational: From the day she was born Dory has suffered from a 10 second memory loss. She is consistently fighting a battle within herself of who she truly is, her purpose in life and where she fits in. I want the scholars to dive deeper in understanding that throughout life you may find your self dealing with a constant battle within yourself, but as long as you stay true to your self and listen to true voice within, you can do all things. This connects to the anchor text due to the battle Rashad and Quinn are dealing with due to the incident. Should they shut the event out? Should they speak up? What is the right thing to do?

“Watch the company you keep and the crowd you bring'Cuz they came to do drugs and you came to singSo if you gonna be the best, I'ma tell you howPut your hands in the air and take a bowI know I can, I know I canBe what I wanna be, be what I wanna beIf I work hard at itI'll be where I wanna be, I'll be where I wanna beI know I can, I know I can”

(SNIPPET)

Read more: Nas - I Know I Can Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Rational: Scholars will listen to the full song by hip hop artist Nas, which empowers children of all ages to be the best they can be despite their circumstances and what they THINK may be holding them back. It does not matter what society says about you and your current situation as long as you put your mind to it you can do all things you put your mind to. Even though Rashad was the talk of the town, he was still able to rise up and overcome his current situation.

Quantitative Measures: Text: 140L Range: 460-820 Base Level: 2-3Four Woman is a short poem/ song by Nina Simone tells the story of four different Afrian American women. The poem is very straight forward with one vocabulary scholars may need to sound out to understand. Scholars would need to understand the cultural background of Ms.Simone and the events going on in the era she wrote the poem in. Scholars will listen/watch as they analyze and read the poem.

Qualitative: MeasuresPurpose: Moderatly ComplexStructure :Slightly complexLanguage : Moderately ComplexKnowledge Demands: Very complex

RationalFour Women ties into All American Boy by providing scholars with another aspect and in-depth look of stereotypes in society. That stereotypes, racism and prejudice did not die along with the Civil War but still remains in today society. Like the cop who beat Rashad to death because the ‘assumed’ Rashad was stealing the bag of potato chips. Why? Well, all because he was black. Even within our own race and community there is still prejudice. Certain African Americans view other African Americans a certain way, whites view other whites a certain way. I want to inspire scholars to look past color and stereotypes and realize that we are all the same, no matter the view point. Our blood still bleeds red.

ACTIVITYSVoices in the Park: Scholars will create an illustration for at least two sense in the book that depicts the characters voice, tone, setting and personality, while using textual evidence to support

Harper Highschool: Scholars will interview each character in All American Boys, the same way interviews were conducted in Harper High to get a better understanding of purpose, meaning, tone, mood, and emotion.

TEDTalk: Scholars will conduct a Socratic seminar on a time where their perspective changed the situation at hand/ how they got through the situation due to their mind set.

Finding Dory: Scholars will write a letter to their families dealing with the hardships they had to face in finding their own voice / meaning in life. Can share if they want. But will write letters and throw them away as a means of tosing out the old and in with the new.

Nina Simone/ Nas: Scholars will write a poem and or rap on incident in All American Boy

All American Boy: Scholars will pick from list of characters to bring to life in court case.

Court Case Characters Protagonists and their families:

Rashad Butler — African American protagonist of the novel; junior at Springfield Central High School; member of JROTC; arrested at a local convenience store Randolph “Spoony” Butler — Rashad’s older brother; works for UPS; social activist David Butler — Rashad’s father; former police officer and Army soldier Jessica Butler — Rashad’s motherQuinn Marshall Collins — Caucasian protagonist of the novel; senior at Springfield Central High School; member of the varsity basketball team Willy “Tough Will” Collins — Quinn’s younger brother “Ma” Collins — Quinn and Willy’s widowed mother; works several jobs to support her sons

Friends and other characters: Paul Galluzzo — Guzzo’s older brother; police o cer who arrested Rashad English Jones — Rashad’s friend; “pretty boy” star of the varsity basketball team Shannon “Shan” Pushcart — Rashad’s friend Carlos“Los”Greene—Rashad’sfriend;gra ar stwhotags“LOS(T)”alloverSpring eld’s East Side Berry Jones — Spoony’s girlfriend; English’s sister; lawyer and social acvist

“Guzzo” Galluzzo — Quinn’s best friend; Paul Galluzzo’s younger brother; member of the varsity basketball team Dwyer — Quinn’s friend; member of the varsity basketball team Jill — Quinn’s crush; Paul and Guzzo’s cousin; co-organizer of the protest Tiany W — Rashad’s crush; co-organizer of the protest Clarissa — Rashad’s nurse in the hospital Coach Carney — varsity basketball coach for Springfield Central High School Mrs. Fitzgerald — works in the hospital gift shop; befriends Rashad; her brother marched for civil rights in Selma Kae Lansing — the woman who accidentally trips over Rashad in the convenience store; orders to testify in defense of Rashad Chief Killabrew — instructor for Rashad’s Junior Reserve Training Corps (JROTC) program

Community Develop a stronger sense of community. Being able to open up about life situations. No judgment zoneWe all have a VOICE that needs to be heard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dybBD1hbmF4

TEKS8.6 (B)  –  Analyze how the central characters' qualities influence the theme of a fictional work and resolution of the central conflict.

8.6 (C)  –  Analyze different forms of point of view, including limited versus omniscient, subjective versus objective.

8.1 (C)  –  Reflect on understanding to monitor comprehension (e.g., summarizing and synthesizing; making textual, personal, and world connections; creating sensory images).

8.1 (D)  –  Make complex inferences about text and use textual evidence to support understanding.

R.2 (A)  –  Expand vocabulary by reading, viewing, listening, and discussing.

R.5 (D)  –  Communicate information gained from reading.

R.7 (B)  –  Respond to text through discussion, journal writing, performance, and visual representation.

S.5 (D)  –  Demonstrate persuasive skills in informal or formal argumentation, discussions, or debates.

S.6 (D)  –  Use effective group decision-making skills in group performances.

S.6 (E)  –  Use appropriate verbal and nonverbal skills in individual or group interpretations of literature.