Understanding Poverty

Essential Question

How does poverty affects the direction of people's lives?
How does poverty make it more challenging for people to excel in America?

Texts

Informational

Alien and Sedition Acts

The Alien and Sedition Acts were passed by a Federalist Congress and signed into law by President John Adams in 1798 at a time when Adams feared the possibility of war with France.

5th Congress of US

Grade Level

9-12

Topic

Race & Ethnicity Immigration

July 2, 2014

Multimedia

Ben DeSoto 'Understanding Poverty' exhibit

In this video, photojournalist Ben DeSoto discusses "Understanding Poverty," an exhibit featuring images of people and communities affected by poverty and homelessness.

Ben Tecumseh DeSoto

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

Subject

Economics

Topic

Class

July 2, 2014

Informational

In this excerpt from his memoir, Rodriguez provides a stirring recollection from his adolescence: the first time he experienced racism as a result of being an immigrant in America. As he says, the experience "stays with [him] like a foul odor."

Luis J. Rodriguez

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

Topic

Class Immigration Race & Ethnicity

July 2, 2014

Teaching Strategies

Close and Critical Reading

Reading Against the Grain

In reading against the grain students analyze the dominant reading of a text and engage in alternative or "resistant" readings. Resistant readings scrutinize the beliefs and attitudes that typically go unexamined in a text, drawing attention to the gaps, silences and contradictions.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

CCSS

RL.6-12.1, RL.6-12.2, RL.6-12.6, RI.6-12.1, RI.6-12.2, RI.6-12.6

July 19, 2014

Student Tasks

Write to the Source

A Two-Sided Coin

A Two-Sided Coin asks students to demonstrate their explanatory and comparative writing skills.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

CCSS

W.6-12.2, W.6-12.4, W.6-12.9

July 19, 2014

Write to the Source

Are You Convinced?

Are You Convinced? asks students to demonstrate their argumentative and evaluative writing skills.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

CCSS

W.6-12.1, W.6-12.4, W.6-12.9

July 19, 2014

Plan Built By

Covin2s

Understanding Poverty

Alien and Sedition Acts

Ben DeSoto 'Understanding Poverty' exhibit

Always Running

Reading Against the Grain

A Two-Sided Coin

Are You Convinced?

Sign in to save these resources.

Understanding Poverty

Alien and Sedition Acts

Ben DeSoto 'Understanding Poverty' exhibit

Always Running

Reading Against the Grain

A Two-Sided Coin

Are You Convinced?

Print this Learning Plan

Sign in to save these resources.

Learning for Justice in the South

Get the Learning for Justice Newsletter