In this unit, readings on different kinds of natural disasters introduce a focus on the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

UNIT TEXTS

• Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
• Hurricane Katrina by Peter Benoit 

Students build background knowledge by reading Hurricane Katrina, an illustrated nonfiction account of Hurricane Katrina’s path of destruction across the Gulf Coast. They then read the accessible but sophisticated novel Ninth Ward, by Jewell Parker Rhodes. This book, which includes magical realist elements, describes a New Orleans family surviving the Hurricane Katrina disaster. 

FLUENCY TOPICS

Hurricane Maria, preparedness for natural disasters, New Orleans ghosts, voodoo, food traditions of New Orleans, New Orleans architecture, musical heritage of New Orleans 

FOCUS

Literary analysis

• Interrelation of character, plot, setting
• Narrative arc in fiction
• Symbolism

Reading comprehension

• Questioning as a component of Reciprocal Teaching
• Question-answer relationships (QAR): contrasts between “right there,” “think and search,” “author and me,” and “on my own” questions
• Note-taking from informational texts

Decoding

• Using syllable division patterns, such as V|CV and VC|V, and word parts (prefix, base, and suffix) to chunk and decode multi-syllable words 

Debate

• Who was responsible for the Katrina disaster: the mayor, the federal government, or the citizens of New Orleans?
• Choose a debate on the novel Ninth Ward: Which symbol best represents Lanesha? OR What gives Lanesha strength?

English language development

• Generating questions about different perspectives
• Interpreting figurative language in context to make inferences about character