Lesson Plan

 DSU Lesson Plan Template 

Name: Shaunise Baker 

 (This plan should be completed electronically to allow for adequate space for each section.)

Unit of study: African American Literature, Binary Oppositions	Focus/Essential Question:  How does Zara Neale Hurston use the binary opposition of freedom vs. oppression to shape Janie’s identity, choice, and journey toward self-liberation in “Their Eyes Were Watching God”?		Grade Level: 11 grade English	Time: 1 hour	Configuration:  Whole group Introduction, Small Group Analysis, Independent Reflection.
Standards (College and Career Ready:  CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2: Determine two or more themes of a text and analyze their development  CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.3: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding character development.  CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.6: Determine an author’s point of view and analyze its effectiveness.  CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.9: Draw evidence from literature to support analysis and reflection.
Rationale: The binary opposition of freedom vs. oppression is foundational for understanding African American Literature and the lived experiences it reflects. Exploring this binary in “ Their Eyes Were Watching God” helps students examine how race, gender, and social expectations shape an individual agency. This lesson encourages critical thinking, cultural awareness, and literary analysis that prepares students for college- level readings. Classroom, factors considered include culturally responsive teaching, student voice, differentiation for readers at multiple levels , and the importance of connecting historical realities to contemporary issues of autonomy and identity.
Prior Knowledge:  Students Should already understand  1. Basic literacy elements ( symbolism, characterization, theme) 2. The concept of binary oppositions.  3. Historically background of the early 20th- century African American South  Pre-Assessment:  Students will complete a 3-minute quick write answering:  “ What does freedom mean to you, and what forces can limit a person's freedom? “  This informs me as the teacher about students' understanding of the concept before connecting it to the text.  Key Vocabulary:  Oppression, agency, autonomy, self- determination, symbolism, hierarchy, resistance.
Objectives/Learning Goals: Students Will Know:  Key events in Janie’s life connected to freedom and oppression  Literary device Hurston uses(symbolism , dialogues, character development).               Students Will understand: That freedom is emotional, social , and internal (not just physical) How binary oppositions deepen meaning in African American literature  How Hurston critiques gender and racial constraints.  Students Will Do:  Identify and annotate passages showing freedom vs. oppression  Compare and contrast these moments using textual evidence.  Create a short written analysis or visual organizer explaining Hurston's message.		Assessment: Formative Assessments: Quick Write (prior knowledge) Group annotations  Teacher observation using a checklist to monitor engagement and comprehension.  Exit ticket identifying one moment of freedom and one moment of oppression.  Summation Assessment:  A written paragraph or mini-analysis explaining how Hurston develops the binary using evidence.  Students will receive clear criteria through a rubric shared at the start of the lesson ( clarity, evidence, analysis)  Student Self- Assessment: Students use a 1-5 self rating scale on confidence with analyzing binary oppositions and explaining symbolism.				Results:  based on the quick write pre-assessment, student’s definitions of freedom and examples of oppression will guide where the teacher provides modeling. If students show misunderstanding (ex: thinking oppression is only physical), I as the teacher will explicitly address emotional and social forms before analyzing the text.
Accommodations for diverse learners: Provide graphic organizer for students who need structured support. Offer audio version of the text for auditory learners  Sentence starters for emerging writers  Small group support for students who need slower pacing  Extension questions for advanced readers Technology: Students may use digital annotation tools (Google Docs, Word Documents)
Warm up:  Students respond to the quick write:  “What does freedom mean to you and what forces can limit it?  I as the teacher will briefly review responses to connect personal definitions to Janie;s experiences.
Explicit explanation of the lesson: Teacher activates background knowledge on Janie’s marriages, social context, and her pursuit of a self-defined life.  The teacher presents a short mini-lesson on:  How binary oppositions function in literature Examples of freedom / oppression in the novel How Hurston uses symbolism (pear tree, horizon, hair wrap) Graphical supports: Venn diagrams comparing “ Freedom” vs “Oppression”  Teacher models annotating a short passage where Janie in silenced by Jody
Procedures (be specific):  9:00-9:05- (5 minutes)- Students complete warm-up in journals, while the teacher takes attendance quietly.  9:05-9:10- (5 minutes)- Whole- group discussion: students share ideas about freedom, while the teacher connects this to Janie.  9:10-9:15- (5 minutes)- Mini lesson on binary oppositions and Hurston’s thematic focus. 9:15-9:25- (10 minutes)- Teacher models annotating a passage showing oppression (Jody controlling Janie’s speech)  9:25-9:40- (15 minutes)- Students work in small groups analyzing three assigned passages:        1.  Janie with Logan ( economic oppression)       2. Janie with Jody (gender/social oppression)       3. Janie with Tea Cake (moments of freedom)  9:40-9:50- (10 minutes)- Groups share their findings, while the teacher records examples on the board.  9:50 -10:00- (10 minutes)- Students complete exit ticket: “What is one symbol of freedom in Janie’s life, and why?” As students leave for their next class the teacher will be collecting exit tickers for assessment.
Summary and closure:  Students summarize the lesson by completing the exit ticket and sharing new insight about how Hurston develops the theme. The class revisits the essential question and discusses how binary helps us understand Janie’s identity development.
Student self-assessment:  Students complete a 1-5 reflection scale:  1= I need more help  5= I can confidently explain freedom vs. oppression in the novel.  They will also write one sentence about what they understood well and one thing they want to practice further.
Reflection: The Teacher reflects on students' engagement, the effectiveness of modeling , and how well students connected personal experiences to the text. The teacher examines exit tickets and group discussions to determine whether students grasped how Hurston uses symbolism and character development. Future adjustments may include providing more guided annotations, incorporating multimedia (clips, audio) or extending time for a passage analysis if students need deeper support.