Ignorance is not Always Bliss Based on the book Fire From the Rock by Sharon Draper Christy Walker ELA Ralph Chandler Middle School

Unit Summary To go along with the classroom theme of social awareness, students will read the book, Fire From the Rock, about the Little Rock Nine. As a class we will discuss the Civil Rights Movement in America and tie into Black History Month with a culminating project. We will also compare and contrast this time period and characters with that from The Diary of Anne Frank and Surviving Hitler.

Essential Question Why should we practice tolerance is today’s society?

Unit Questions What are the similarities and differences between characters and events in Fire From the Rock, Surviving Hitler, and The Diary of Anne Frank? How does this book relate to social awareness?

A Sample of Content Questions How does Sylvia’s childhood compare/contrast with Anne Frank’s or Jack’s? What are some of the similarities and differences between what happened to the Jews and what happened to the black population in America during the 1950s? What types of figurative language does the author use and where? How does the author’s craft enhance our understanding of Sylvia’s situation?

Assessment What Do You Already Know

Assessment Con’t And…How You can Apply What You’ve Learned Taking a Stroll Down Memory Lane: How We Got to Where We Are Today