The Absolutely True Diary of a Ninth-Grader

A Unit of Study based on the text:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
by Sherman Alexie

By:
Grace McDermott
Arielle Rosenbaum
Niko Centeno-Monroy

The Schools We Serve

Grace McDermott: Sunrise Mountain High School

I teach at Sunrise Mountain High School. There are approximately 2500 students at
Sunrise Mountain. The school is located in the Northeast corner of Las Vegas and serves a zone
that extends roughly 6-miles down Lake Mead Boulevard from East to West. Approximately
83% of our students receive Free and Reduced Price Lunch and roughly 16% of students qualify
for ELL services (according to the Nevada Report Card website). 67% of students at Sunrise
Mountain identify as Hispanic, 12% identify as Black/African American, 12% identify as
White/Caucasian and 1.2% identify as Asian. Currently the Nevada School Performance
Framework ranks Sunrise Mountain as a two-star school and last year's graduation rate was
approximately 56%. The year before we had a graduation rate of 47% and before that the rate
was approximately 37%. As of last year, our school is part of the Turn Around Zone and we are
working towards a three-star rating by the NSPF by focusing on instructional needs this year. We
are a Springboard School, which means we are a beneficiary of the Striving Readers Grant for
literacy. This grant provides us with a Springboard Instructional Coach and Ipad Access in the
English Department. Based on Student surveys, I have learned that probably about 60% of my
students this year have access to both a computer and internet at home and that between 70-80%
of my students consider themselves to be bilingual. Based on the same student survey, I have
also learned that a majority of my students have many familial obligations after school and many
are involved in extracurricular sports teams, drama, or hold after-school/weekend jobs.
Arielle Rosenbaum: Las Vegas High School
My school is a Title I on the east side of Las Vegas. It is a school made up of slightly over
60 percent students who are Latino, around 16 percent Caucasian, and about 10 percent African
American with a small percentage of the other categories. Most students in my school are from
working class families and many live with extended family. A large section of students is highly
religious (both Catholic and LDS) which makes for an very diverse student body. Over 65% of
my students are on receiving free or reduced lunch. My school currently also has a 3 star rating.
Many of my students are involved in extracurricular activities, and many more have jobs after
school.

Niko Centeno-Monroy: SWOT @ Eldorado High School

This school year I find myself in a very unique position. I teach for a program that shares
the building with another high school, and because their administration serves as ours as well,
they managed to give me two classes of their freshmen who are not in our program, mixing up
our student population and diversity in my classroom. I would say that the majority of our
students both in our program and high school are from Latino backgrounds. Interestingly
enough, the majority of my SWOT classes represent this, while my Eldorado classes do not.
These other classes are indeed a lot more diverse than the classes I teach for SWOT. I'd say that I
have more black students in these classes than I do in my SWOT classes, as well as more white
students. Aside from that, SWOT is currently serving more male students than female students,
although some of my classes even out in terms of the number of male to female students. Again,
my Eldorado classes are a little more diverse, but I think the opposite is true for these classes in
terms of male to female ratio. Lastly, while I don't know exactly what the demographics are for
this group of students in my classes, I do believe that I am teaching students who come from the
LDS and Mormon communities.
Common Core and the Seven Attributes of College and Career Readiness

According to the Common Core, there are seven attributes of a college and career ready
student. The student must demonstrate independence, possess strong domain-knowledge, be
aware of audience, task and purpose, be able to both understand and critique a statement, value
evidence, use technology strategically, and value perspectives from multiple cultures.
In order to reach this point with students, teachers first must establish a mindset of high
expectations and low-tolerance for excuses, apathy, or disruptive behavior. In terms of high
expectations, instructors must maintain rigorous academic standards in the classroom and fully
internalize the belief that while they are there to guide the students, the students are also capable
of doing the work independently if the right tools and structures are in place. Furthermore,
teachers need to avoid making excuses for students. If a student is behind several grade levels in
reading or a student does not speak English, it does not mean that they cannot grow academically

and still pass the class. They, even with these added barriers to achievement, still have the
potential to work hard, gain content-specific knowledge, and understand and critique literature.
Once that mindset is in place, the next step is to be constantly prepared for both the
planned and unexpected, always meeting students with a challenging and exciting lesson plan
that will establish for them the relevance of meeting the criteria describe in this understanding of
college and career readiness. In terms of planning, teachers need to be sure to master the skill of
differentiation, maintaining for all students a level of appropriate challenge at all times in the
classroom. This also means, however, that instructors would need to be prepared daily with a
remediation activity to support students who are still struggling with foundational concepts.
Additionally, teachers should thoroughly integrate the use of technology into lesson plans,
teaching students how to appropriately utilize their cell phones and the internet as tools of
learning rather than distractions.
Under Common Core, classrooms should be centers for engagement, inquiry and
ultimately mastery of important content standards and reading and writing skills. The classroom
itself should be set up with groups to encourage collaboration and interdependence and
technology would be used frequently and appropriately. Throughout the average day, teacher-led
instruction should be reduced and replaced with more independent or collaborative student-led
work time. In class, students should be using academic language in speech and writing,
expressing thoughts to one another using literary terms. Discussion should be student led and
students would hold one another accountable for providing evidence for a point or clarifying
their perspective. Respect should be palpable; the college and career ready student would
constantly exemplify an understanding for the multiple perspectives that would enter into
discussion. The class should be an environment of sincere inquiry and discussion, led by students
and perhaps challenged or pushed further by the teacher.
With these generalized expectations of the college and career ready student in mind, our
unit of study seeks to build student achievement in reading, writing, speaking and listening with
a specific focus on the following standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course
of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an
objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are
defined in standards 1-3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,
and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others'
ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
The Planning and Focus of the Unit
In this Unit, we seek to focus on the archetypal adolescent struggle with identity and
sense of self. In planning this unit, we each discussed the students we serve and the major issues
they face in their daily lives as well as the type of literature they have found engaging. We
unanimously decided that the quest for identity, especially through the lense of culture, was the
most poignant and popular conflict faced by the age group we work with and context we work in.
For these reasons, we elected to write a unit focused around Sherman Alexies novel The
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian with a culminating narrative essay as the summative

product of the unit. Additionally, students will utilize the novel as a mentor text, creating their
own diaries alongside Alexies novel, making text-to-self and text-to-world connections with
the novel as they read.
The book centers on a Native American boy who, through his experiences, talks a lot
about class and race. Originally we considered teaching the unit during the October-November
time period to align the understanding of Native American and American history to the historical
significance of Thanksgiving and Columbus Day as it pertains and relates to the story of the
book. It would have served as a strong opportunity to engage with some of the social justice
themes regarding the celebrations of these holidays, inviting a critical discussion surrounding
both holidays. However, upon deciding on the theme of identity after doing further research, we
ultimately decided to place the unit at the end of the school year so that students could relate to
the protagonists age and structure as a high school student who writes a diary about events and
experiences spanning the entirety of one academic year that have shaped his identity.
Our Teaching Philosophy and Theoretical Motivations
The Unit we are proposing revolves around the analysis of The Absolutely True Diary of
a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Alexie is a Native American from the Spokane Indian
Reservation and has won the National Book Award for his novel. Although this book includes
some controversial themes and details, its redeeming value as a relatable mentor text with an
engaging writing style that conquers relevant thematic material regarding coming of age, identity
and cultural experiences make it a valuable text for the 9th-10th grade English classroom
Most importantly, John Deweys pedagogical stance strongly supports the reading of this
text. In My Pedagogical Creed, Dewey (1897) claims, The child has his own instincts and
tendencies, but we do not know what these mean until we can translate them into their social
equivalents. We must be able to...see them as the inheritance of previous race activities (p.77).
Dewey (1897) theorizes that education should be experiential for students and composed of
activities that construct social meaning and mimic the processes of thinking relevant to the
advancement of human civilization. Through the analysis of Alexies text Absolutely True Diary
of a Part-Time Indian, students will be encouraged to confront many deep societal flaws and
conflicts involving race, stereotypes, historical inequities, and prejudice. Through the

consideration of these philosophical topics in the classroom, this unit will prepare students to be
critically aware in society, understanding the historical underpinnings that have led to the current
state of our country and our world while also encouraging the critical questioning of social
hierarchies as they currently exist in our civilization. The collaborative and cooperative
conversations that develop as a direct result of the thematic analysis of this novel will align
directly with two of our focus standards, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2 and CCSS.ELALITERACY.SL.9-10.1, because students will both determine a theme or central idea and
analyze its development throughout a text and Initiate and participate effectively in a range of
collaborative discussions (Common Core State Standards, 2004). Through these discussions,
students will practice academic discourse and objectivity during discussions of very personal and
controversial ideas, preparing them directly for a collegiate environment.
Additionally, Dewey (1934) provides the basis for Rosenblatts Transactional Theory,
further supporting our decision to emphasize reader response in our unit of study. According to
Louise Rosenblatt's (1978) The Reader the Text The Poem: The Transactional Theory of the
Literary Work, literacy should be viewed as a unique experience for each individual reader that
combines a readers personal prior knowledge and experience with the literal material of the text
to create meaning. In the unit we are proposing, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time
Indian will be used as a mentor text for students to create their own response journal that builds
text-to self connections in preparation for a final personal narrative project at the end of the unit
(Keene & Zimmerman 1997). Through this process, students will be encouraged to monitor their
own relationship and experience with the novel in a unique way that calls upon Transactional
Theory for making meaning from a text. Furthermore, in distinguishing between the two polar
modes on the continuum of reader relationships with the text, Rosenblatt (1978) identifies the
efferent and aesthetic stances. Although she suggests that a reader may fluctuate between these
two stances of textual interaction during a single reading of a text, Rosenblatt (1978) argues that
the education system relies single-mindedly on the efferent stance of text analysis, requiring
students to regurgitate a specific, teacher-identified correct answer rather than supporting a
unique viewpoint or idea about a text. She continuously asserts that there is no such thing as a
generic student to which a teacher can cater a lesson; conversely, there is a vast sea of unique
identities in any classroom, and these identities must be recognized and validated in instruction
and assessment to make reading and responding to literature relevant and meaningful for

students (Rosenblatt, 1978). Similarly, modern curricularist Peter Smagorinksy (2008) notes,
what students bring to stories is often quite different from what college literature majors bring to
stories (p.127). This being true, the unit we are proposing seeks to provide students with a
model of engaging personal narrative writing to which they can respond with personal
connections in the process of strengthening their own personal narrative writing in the context of
an English classroom.
In addition to Dewey (1897) and Rosenblatt (1978), Erik Erikson (1980) further supports
the study of relevant and personal teenage narratives in the secondary classroom. Upon
examination of the human life cycle Erikson (1980) recognizes that teens are preoccupied with
what they appear to be in the eyes of others as compared with what they feel they are (p. 94).
The high school classroom is the center stage for many teens battling identity conflicts and
crises. Teachers acknowledging this stage of development are charged with integrating a
curriculum that models adolescent characters struggling with the issues of identity development,
being different, or being an outcast so that students are exposed to the normalcy of these themes
and also exposed to potential solutions regarding these complex issues. The text Absolutely True
Diary of a Part-Time Indian accomplishes just this by providing a sometimes jarring and heartwrenching portrayal of the struggles and triumphs of a culturally different ninth grader searching
for definition and understanding in a complex and conflicted world. Our central project of
enabling students to develop their own narrative depictions of personal experiences will enable
students to not only grapple with the concepts presented in the novel but also with the individual
conflicts and decisions that exist in their own personal lives, providing an outlet for reflection
and self-examination.
Finally, this unit also seeks to bolster each students personal sense of Voice, a component
widely assessed by state mandated persuasive and expository writing examinations. Today, many
grammarians, such as James Sledd (1996), impugn the structure and content of orthodox
grammar instruction in the classroom. Sledd (1996) asserts in the article Grammar for Social
Awareness in Time of Class Warfare that Standard English is the language used with approval
by the privileged and powerful (p.60). Consequently, Sledd (1996) believes that to ask the
weak and unprivileged to completely abandon the language of their daily lives...is inhumane,
brutal and futile (p.60). With a deep awareness of the variety of social, racial, linguistic and
economic backgrounds that comprise our classrooms, it is our intention to use this unit as a

mechanism by which students may analyze, explore and invent their own unique voice with the
necessary awareness and understanding of grammatical rules so that they in their creative
choices may choose to artistically exploit or violate these rules in meaningful ways. It is our
belief that Sherman Alexies portrayal of a teenage voice in the novel that employs sentence
fragments, onomatopoeia, interjections, and other nontraditional grammar choices will serve as a
mentor writing piece that will guide students to meaningfully violate the requirements of
Standard English as they see fit in the development of a narrative that uniquely and wholly
represents their cultural, familial, and socioeconomic perspective. This same interpretation of
grammar instruction and voice development is upheld by Smagorinsky (2008) who asserts that
language is malleable and flexible and who does not believe that rigid rules do much except
discourage people from wanting to write in school (p.159). Although this approach to the
teaching of grammar may seem unstructured at first glance, it actually originates in an authentic
understanding of literacy as the ability to understand and make meaning of language as it is
spoken, heard, written and read daily. Smagorinsky asserts that formal English is only genuinely
utilized on occasion and therefore highly regulated study of standard English conventions is
nothing more than a tiring and extraneous use of time that might have been better spent on
writing instruction. Using the principles here asserted by Smagorinsky (2008), we intend to
inspire writing through encouraging structured narrative production that does not focus on the
specifics of traditional grammar.
Through this unit, we envision students finding their own voices and learning to tell an
engaging story that reveals the events that have most shaped them over their academic year. This
unit is intended as a final unit to end the year, providing ample opportunities for personal as well
as academic reflection.
Statement of Rationale: Why We Chose The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time
Indian
The Unit we are proposing revolves around the analysis of The Absolutely True Diary of
a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Although this book includes some controversial themes
and details, its redeeming value as a relatable mentor text with an engaging writing style that

conquers relevant thematic material regarding coming of age, identity and cultural experiences
make it a valuable text for the 9th-10th grade English classroom
Class/Audience
This Unit is focused on a 9th-10th grade English class. The material in the book, although
mature at times, is appropriate for early to middle teenage years as the main character is himself
a teenage boy and the entire novel is told from his perspective.
Plot
In the opening the narrator, Arnold, talks about being born of water, which refers to a
cerebral medical condition (hydrocephalus) that predisposes him to seizures. This causes many
physical problems. As a result of this, he is often mistreated by others on his reservation. In
addition to this, Arnolds family is very poor which adds to his difficulties.
Arnold has a friend named Rowdy that tries to protect him from some of the cruelty.
Despite this strong demeanor, Rowdy is himself abused by his father. At school on the
reservation Arnold is upset by the inequalities brought about by poverty. He gets angry and
throws one of the textbooks, breaking his teachers nose and consequently, gets himself
suspended. He eventually transfers to a new high school outside the reservation. The rest of the
book deals with his transition into a school that is completely contrary to his life experiences.
Arnold deals with many tragedies throughout the novel.
Possible Objections and Our Considerate Refutation
Diary gave us a better understanding of the hardships someone can face just attempting to
go to school. We were so impressed by Arnolds courage, and in turn, Sherman Alexies courage
in telling this story. We all have dreams, many of which we were told were too far-fetched to be
possible, but Arnolds dream is simply to receive a good education and not be tied to the
reservation forever. Its not an outlandish dream and we think many of my students may also
have similar dreams of overcoming adversity.

We chose Diary because it embodies one of the most common themes in literature: the
search for identity. Arnold struggles to balance his life between the Wellpinit reservation and
Reardan, his family and all his white friends, and family tradition and his own aspirations.
Arnold has a lot of life-altering choices to make and few people in his community support his
choices. These struggles make Diary a quintessential bildungsroman and search for who Arnold
Spirit is. Arnold also happens to have several health problems, including hydrocephalus (water
on the brain), bi-weekly seizures, a stutter, and a lisp. It is important to include characters who
are differently-abled in a classroom study of important books. We are all different, and having
our differences represented in literary canon values us as being important to talk about. Arnold
Spirit stands up for his right to a better education against all the taunts and beatings he faced, that
makes him a role model. His story matters.
Many great questions will arise from the study of such a book, and we intend to discuss
them with my students. A sampling of the questions we would like to pose for our students will
be as follows: What does it mean to define your identity? How does a teenager go about defining
themselves? How do you decide who to be? How do you know youve made the right choice?
We do not expect to get definitive answers, but we do hope to inspire our students to take a good
look at their own choices.
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian will be a perfect tool for introducing
our young students to a variety of literary concepts that they will need to understand in order to
succeed in their English classes throughout high school. Our plan is to use Diary in much the
same way Allan Nail (2009) used zombies as he described it in his article, Pedagogy of the
Living Dead: Using Students Prior Knowledge to Explore Perspective: Nail (2009) used a
familiar subject to teach students something they didnt already know, explaining, The undead
could be used as a device for exploring what students already know, how they know it, and how
that knowledge affects their understanding of the world (p.51). In much the same way we intend
to use Diary, with its high school setting and seemingly familiar characters to ease students into
nuts and bolts of literature. For instance, Diary will also lend itself well to introductory studies of
symbolism, as many of the symbols are held up as such by Arnold himself. We could talk about

the symbolism Arnold uses when he talks about the white school in Reardan, the drawing of the
unicorn. Why would this be what Arnold latches onto?
However, while we think the book could be useful in the classroom, there are a few
possible points of contention in regards to the content of Diary. This book contains references to
alcoholism and brief mentions of sex and bulimia. This may make some parents and students
uncomfortable. But, we would like to remind you that these are all things that the students may
face or may have already faced in their lifetime. As Allison Hoewisch describes in her research
article Culturally Diverse Literature and the ABCs Model even among college students it is
difficult to get an emotional, engaged response. Of the fourteen students she researched she had
this to say:
However, an unexpected pattern emerged in the data. Although I thought the books
would evoke strong personal responses, the students often responded cautiously and
impersonally. Specifically, they revealed very little about their own attitudes and values
surrounding social differences stemming from ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, disability,
or sexual orientation.Of all the responses, only eight could be described as personal.
We are often afraid to talk about important issues that could affect our students lives. Our
aim by reading this book is not to shock the students, but to educate them with an interesting
book that deals with contemporary issues with a strong anti-alcoholism message. These
references were put in to make these characters more believable and relatable. Your student may
know a kid like Gordy, who has a strange way of wording things, but underneath its a good
message. Or, the student may know a girl beautiful and fragile like Penelope, who has a lot of
problems and may need a little help getting out of them. Some of the dialogue is crude, but in the
end it makes the characters seem real.
Our secondary reasoning for using this book despite the content is that The Absolutely
True Diary of a Part-Time Indian paints a very clear picture of the effects alcoholism has had on
the Reservation and in Arnold Spirits own life without being overbearing or preachy. It becomes
very clear towards the end of the novel that many of the problems facing the Spokane Indians are

compounded by their drinking. Its not the main focus of the novel, though its effects are one of
the primary motivators for Arnolds actions. It is just the reality of Arnolds life. Its a rare
opportunity to educate and entertain all at once, and I intend to take that opportunity and run with
it.
The book is also written in a very informal voice, which some might argue is a bad
example of writing when we as educators are trying to teach our students how to write in the
formal voice. Again, I think it is important to edge students into complex tasks. We will talk
about the tone of the book, and why it feels informal as opposed to formal and compare it to
more formal examples of contemporary writing. The lesson to be taken away from Alexies
writing in this case is exactly the same as the difference between standard and non-standard
English and will make a great example when compared to other works we will engage this
semester. The novel is told from the first-person perspective of a teenager, and it has a
conversational tone. If Arnold were presenting his life story as a speech, the way Diary is written
would likely have changed. It is important to make this distinction for students that the way they
communicate with each other on a daily basis is not wrong, but certain situations call for more
careful speech.

Alternative Book Options

Getting Away With Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case by Chris Crowe
True Account of the murder of fourteen-year-old Emmett Till, in Mississippi in 1955.

5-WEEK UNIT OUTLINE

Supplemental Texts and Visual Pieces
Where Im From by George Lyon
An Indian Fathers Plea by Robert Lake
The Hunger of Memory (excerpt) by Richard Rodriguez
Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States by Frida Kahlo
Why You Wont Be the Person You Expect to Be by John Tierny NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/04/science/study-in-science-shows-end-of-historyillusion.html?_r=0
NCAA Takes Aim at Indian Mascots
Sorry For Not Being A Stereotype
Duality Duel
The Bullying Experiment

Essential Questions
What is Identity and what does it mean to define your identity?
What different ideas, concepts, or experiences are our identities made up of?
How do teenagers define themselves?
How do we change our identity? How do other people or events change our identity?
How do you decide who to be and how do you know youve made the right choice?

Week 1: What is Identity and what does it mean to define your identity?
Day 1: Warm up: What is identity? What do you identify with?
Develop a class definition of identity. Brainstorm a list of elements that may make-up a persons
identity. Read Where Im From by George Lyon. Discuss: How does George Lyon define his
identity? Discuss how each symbol in the poem may represent something specific about the
speaker.
Day 2: Write a personal Where Im From poem using the provided template. Allow time for
sharing. Discuss: Are there similar objects mentioned? Do these objects have inherent meaning?
Does our identity give them meaning?
Day 3: Background Knowledge: Sherman Alexie & Life on the Reservation. Complete
Anticipation Guide for the novel.
Day 4: Read Chapter 1-2. Consider: what seems most important to Arnolds identity? How do
you know? Journal Prompt: The protagonist discusses his health issues and physical disabilities
first as he identifies himself to the reader. What part of your identity would you mention first if
you were writing an autobiography? What defines you most?
Day 5: Read Chapter 3. Make a short Where Im From Poem about the protagonist based on the
objects and experiences mentioned so far. Journal Prompt: In this chapter the protagonist loses
his beloved dog. Tell a story about loss.
Week 2: What different Ideas, concepts, or experiences are our identities
made up of?
Day 6: Self-Portrait on the Borderline Between Mexico and the United States by Frida Kahlo.
Read Chapter 4. Journal Prompt: in this chapter, Arnold demonstrates his thoughts through
different pieces of art as well as writing. Using the Frida Kahlo Painting and Arnolds drawings

as inspiration, create a depiction of your own identity including at least 5 symbols. Explain the
symbols beneath the drawing in writing.
Day 7: Chapter 5. Junior in these chapters has his first interactions with high school and a serious
conversation with a teacher. What was your first day of high school like?
Day 8: Chapter 6-7. Chapter 6 and 7 are full of dialogue. Journal Prompt: use dialogue to tell the
story of a significant conversation you have had with your parents that strongly affected you this
year.
Day 9: Chapter 8-9. In Chapter 8-9 Junior creates a self-portrait very similar to Frida Kahlos.
Write a paragraph that makes text-to-text connections between the 2 portraits, analyzing the
different symbols each focuses on.
Day 10: Chapter 10-11. Journal Prompt: Junior has a very serious experience in this chapter that
terrifies him. He confides in his grandmother. Use textual evidence to describe the character of
Juniors grandmother.
Week 3: How does race help shape teens identity?
Day 11: Chapter 12-13. Lesson: Taking a look at race: Is hope white? In this chapter Juniors
parents tell him that white people have the most hope and Junior decides to leave the rez. This
lesson will focus on why hope has a color for Juniors family. Junior also references Dickens, A
Tale of Two Cities when comparing his school with all-white Reardon. Students could also read
aloud a selection of the novel to deepen understanding.
Day 12: Chapter 14-15. Lesson: Internalizing Prejudices. In How to Fight Monsters Juniors
father tells him that white people arent better than him but Junior doesnt believe him: But he
was so wrong. And he knew he was wrong. He was the loser Indian father of a loser Indian son
living in a world built for winners (55). This lesson would center upon how racism can be
internalized. What expectations does Junior have for himself?
Day 13: Chapter 16-17. Lesson: Stereotypes and Native American Mascots. Why You Wont Be
the Person You Expect to Be by John Tierny NY Times, NCAA Takes Aim at Indian Mascots,
and Sorry For Not Being a Stereotype articles.. Lesson: Stereotypes and Native American
Sports Mascots. Students will question the use of Native American emblems in educational and
sports arenas.

Day 14: Chapter 18-19. Lesson: How Does Culture Affect Our Expectations? Junior expects the
White boys at Reardon to think the same as the Indian boys on the rez, and is surprised when that
doesnt happen. This lesson will center on how our culture impacts what we expect of ourselves
and of others, and build off the stereotyping discussion of the day before.
Day 15: Chapter 20-21. Lesson: Using a Marxist Lens. Junior and his family are extremely poor
and oftentimes cannot even afford to eat. In Halloween, Junior joins Penelope in trick-ortreating for spare change instead of candy, to donate to the homeless. Junior says I was a poor
kid raising money for other poor people. It made me feel almost honorable. (79) Students will
use a Marxist lens, with the help of Karl Marxs works, to consider how Juniors socio-economic
status impacts his life, and how he views himself and others.
Week 4: How do we change our identities? How do others or events change
our identities?
Day 16: Chapter 22 Lesson: Culturally relevant education. Students will read An Indian Fathers
Plea by Robert Lake and write a response to the father of Wind-Wolf as if they were the teacher
who received the letter. The letter will also further our discussion on racism and students will
discuss how they would have responded to the racist comments made toward Wind-Wolf and his
mother that his father wrote about in his plea.
Day 17: Chapter 23. Lesson: Taking a Look at Eating Disorders. Read Hunger Pains aloud.
(p.104 113) Does Penelope have an eating disorder? How does her expectations of herself and
of beauty play a role in her behavior? Students will watch video clips from the documentary
Miss Representation and discuss gender roles in our society and how eating disorders impact
both men and women.
Day 18: Chapter 24. Lesson: Navigating Between Two Worlds. This chapter starts with Junior
saying I was half Indian in one place and half white in the other. (118) Discuss Junior/Arnolds
dual identities and how he feels he is navigating between two different tribes. Students will
watch Daniel Beatys Duality Duel spoken word poem and will discuss what it is like to navigate
in different environments in our lives.
Day 19: Chapter 25. Lesson: Individual Versus Member of the Community (Continuing Fridays
discussion) Juniors friend Gordy says: Well, life is a constant struggle between being an
individual and being a member of the community. (132) Students will consider this quote and

read the poem Endless Search by Native American poet Alonzo Lopez to continue thinking
about the individual versus collective identity.
Day 20: Chapter 26. Lesson: Coping With Death and Grieving. In the chapter read for
homework, Junior learns of the death of Eugene, a close family friend just a few days after his
Grandmothers death. In less than a year, Junior has already experienced three deaths. Discuss
death, the grieving process, and Juniors suicidal thoughts. How are we expected to grieve? Is
this different in other cultures? Is there a right way or a wrong way? How does Junior cope?
Week 5: How do you decide who to be and how do you know if youve made
the right choice?
Day 21: Project. Students will begin working on and writing their personal narratives paper. The
paper will be broken down into three parts: A personal narrative writing piece, a stretch to
sketch drawing based on a piece of their writing, and a body biography of themselves.
Day 22:Project. Students will continue working on writing their personal narratives.
Day 23: Project. Students should finish up writing by this point and begin editing. For homework
they will begin working on the part of their writing that they would like to turn into a sketch, as
well as their body biography of themselves.
Day 24:Project. Students will finish editing their writing and finish up their artwork and body
biographies.
Day 25:Project Presentations. Students will present their personal narratives to the class.

Culminating Project for The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Unit

Throughout the unit, you have been creating a reading journal filled with text-to-self
connection responses. These responses will now serve as a pre-writing for your final summative
project: a personal narrative response essay defining the three most important experiences of
your first year of high school. You will use Sherman Alexies narrative, The Absolutely True
Diary of a Part-Time Indian as a mentor text for inspiration in your own narrative. Your narrative
must include:
A first-person narrator/protagonist
At least one event representing conflict
At least 1 other major character and 2 minor characters
A theme about identity
Meaningful Dialogue
An ending that brings resolution to the conflict of your narrative

Similar to Alexies portrayal of a personal narrative, your narrative will also include a
visual depiction of your theme of identity. This will be incorporated as a sketch, collage, or other
artistic demonstration that will accompany your narrative and represent your thematic ideas.

Formatting
Your Narrative should be at least 6 pages typed, double-spaced, in Times New Roman 12pt. font.
You must attach 5 journal entries from throughout the unit that you have used as pre-writing for
the final project. The Narrative should read as one cohesive story. If you desire, you may
replicate Alexies formatting and divide your narrative into three chapters, each with an
individual emphasis on one of the events you have elected to explore from your own 9th grade
year.

Sample Lesson One (Day 3): 50-minute class period

Objective:

i.

Students will be able to identify and explain several social justice issues related to the
modern Native American experience in the United States of America.

ii. Students will be able to preview major themes and ideas in the novel The Absolutely True
Diary of a Part-Time Indian through an anticipation guide.
Common Core State Standard Alignment
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course
of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an
objective summary of the text.
Materials
Ipads with Internet Access
Video Slideshow: The Light and Dark on Pine Ridge Reservation
Map of Native American Reservations
Anticipation Guide
Procedures
i.

Do Now: What is a Reservation? Why do many Native Americans live on Reservations

today? What is life like on a Native American Reservation?

ii. Video Slide Show: The Light and Dark on Pine Ridge Reservation.
(http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/08/13/158560031/slideshow-the-light-anddark-on-pine-ridge-reservation) Students will view the Slide Show and then discuss
responses to Do Now in small groups.
iii. Visual Prompt: Teacher will display a map detailing location of Native American
Reservation from the book Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
iv. Research Questions: Based on your Do Now and the Slideshow, respond to one of the
following questions in paragraph format with your group using technology to research:
i.

What are some of the historical causes for the poverty seen on Native American
Reservations today?

ii. What are some major issues of injustice and discrimination still facing Native
Americans today?

v.

Technology Integration; Students will find their assigned Ipad and visit the following
websites to discover more information about Native American Tribes and the modern
experience of Native Americans:

ii. http://www.

/mystery/am

oland/lifeon

iii. http://www.
us/40d.asp

iv. http://www.

127859587/
americans
vi. Anticipation Guide: Independently complete the attached anticipation guide to for The
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Assessment
i.

Group responses to the research questions What are some of the causes of poverty on
Native American Reservations today? and What are some major issues of injustice and
discrimination still facing Native Americans today? will be assessed for accuracy and
completion.

ii. Anticipation Guide will be assessed for current understanding of major themes and ideas
in the novel Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.

Anticipation Guide

adapted from: https://urienglishlanguagearts.wikispaces.com/file/view/Part+time+indian+lesson.doc the absolutely true

diary of a part-time indian anticipation guide

Statement

Agree

Disagree

Native Americans have never

been ostracized.
In order to be accepted by
others you must lie about your
heritage.
Stereotypes are never true.

You should always live up to

the expectations others have
for you instead of following
your own goals you have set
for yourself.
A persons responsibility to
their family (or their tribe or
community) should take
precedence over their
individual goals (or dreams).

Sample Lesson Two (Day 4): 50-minute class period

Objective:
i.

Students will be able to cite specific evidence from the text to describe the character of
the protagonist, Arnold.

Common Core State Standard Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.
Materials
Class set of Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian
Journals
Procedures
i.

Do Now: What are some reasons that people fail to accomplish their dreams? Is it always
a persons fault if he or she does not accomplish his or her dreams/goals?

ii. Think-Pair-Share responses to the Do Now.

iii. Read Chapters 1-2 in a whole class read-aloud.
iv. During Reading: Students will consider the question: what seems most important to
Arnolds identity? How do you know? Students will keep a complete list of traits that
define Juniors character, using direct quotes and page citations.
v.

After Reading: Journal Prompt - The protagonist discusses his health issues and physical
disabilities first as he identifies himself to the reader. What part of your identity would
you mention first if you were writing an autobiography? What defines you most?
Mention several things that Junior mentions in his self-description in order to make a
text-to-self connection with your own personal description.

Assessment
i.

Student characterization of Arnold based on citation of textual evidence.

Sample Lesson Three (Day 5): 50-minute class period

Objective:
i.

Students will be able to analyze and explain how Frida Kahlo and Alexie both create
themes of conflicted cultural identities through their self-portraits.

Common Core State Standard Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis
of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.2: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in

detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and
refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.
Materials
Class set of Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian
Self Portrait on the Borderline between Mexico and America - Painting - Frida Kahlo
Journals
Procedures
i.

Do Now: As a continuation of the previous lesson, students will be asked to start the class
by drawing a picture of someone they personally know that was unable to realize their
dreams. Students will model the drawing off of the drawing of Juniors parents in the
book and will then have a chance to share with a shoulder partner.

ii. Read Chapter 3 out loud as a class.

iii. Analyze Visual Prompt: Self Portrait on the Borderline between Mexico and America by
artist Frida Kahlo. Consider: How does the artist represent two different parts of her
identity? How does Kahlos self-portrait as well as the protagonists self-portrait in the
novel represent the theme of conflicted identities?
iv.

Journal Prompt: Create a Visual Self-Portrait of your own identity and the cultural
conflicts within your own character. Use at least 5 symbols and Juniors self-portrait as
well as Frida Kahlos. Explain the significance of the symbols below the image.

Assessment: Response to Frida Kahlos Portrait as well as the portrait in Alexies novel will
be assessed based on thematic understanding.
Sample Lesson Four (Day 6): 50-minute class period
Objective:
i.

Students will be able to cite specific textual evidence to create narrative back stories for
one character from the novel and one character for their own personal narrative.

Common Core State Standard Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.1
Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as
well as inferences drawn from the text.

Materials
Class set of Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian
Journals
Procedures
i.

Do Now: In the previous chapter, Junior loses his beloved pet dog. What is a story of loss
from your own life?

ii. Read Chapter 4 independently. During Reading: Select one minor character mentioned in
the story. Keep a log of specific details from the text (direct quotes & citations) that
characterize your selected person.
iii. Find a partner that selected the same character as you. Together, develop a back-story for
this character, citing evidence from the text to support the story you develop.
iv. Journal Entry: Create a back-story for one of the minor characters in your own personal
life who may be included in your personal narrative project.
Assessment
i.

Assessment; Student-created back story for minor character in the novel will be assessed
based on ability to cite textual evidence to support their interpretations.

Sample Lesson Five (Day 7): 50-minute class period

Objective:
i.

Students will be able to cite specific textual evidence from an informational text as well
as the novel to support their opinions in a socratic seminar on the impact of bullying on
teenagers.

Common Core State Standard Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1

Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups,

and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others'
ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.9-10.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing
or speaking.
Materials
Class set of Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian
Teenage Bullying Article: http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/teenage-bullying.html
Journals
Procedures
i.

Do Now: Read the Bullying Fact Sheet. Highlight facts and statistics that demonstrate the
impact of bullying on teenagers.

ii. Reach Chapter 5 and respond to the following questions in your notebook:
i.

How has Junior been bullied in the novel?

ii. What causes those around him to be bullied?

iii. Based on the Bullying fact-sheet, how could these experiences of bullying impact
Juniors personality and character?
iii. Share-out your responses to these questions with your group, adding more information
based on group members responses.
iv. Prepare for a Collegial Discussion with your peers regarding the question: What is the
impact of bullying on the novels protagonist? What actions does the protagonist take in
response to bullying? Are the protagonists actions justified? If not, what should the
protagonist do instead? Ground all answers in the text or provided article.
v.

Students will engage in a Socratic Cypher to discuss and debate possible answers to these
questions.

vi. Journal Entry Reflection: In some situations, the right decision is unclear. When we are
the victim of bullying, it can be hard to decide whether we should defend ourselves

through violence or remain peaceful. Write about a time you had to make a hard choice
this year. Explain your moral dilemma. (finish for homework if necessary).
Assessment
i.

Socratic Cypher discussion will serve as assessment. Students will be expected to provide
one comment and one question at least during the discussion.

Additional Considerations
Before teaching this unit, it would be essential to obtain permission from the
administration and possibly also parents in order to allow students to read the book The
Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. This book does have some controversial subject
matter and therefore could cause parents to inquire or criticize the selection if permission was not
previously obtained. However, based on the strong themes of identity development and crosscultural exposure explored in this novel, it is still an appropriate mentor text for the secondary
grade levels in which we plan to teach it and will, in our opinion, quickly engage students in
reading and writing activities.

References
i.

Alexie, S., & Forney, E. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New
York: Little, Brown.

ii. Dewey, J. (1897). My Pedagogical Creed. The School Journal, 54(3), 77-80.
iii. Erikson, E. (1980). Identity and the life cycle. New York: Norton.
iv. Keene, E. & Zimmerman, S. (1997). Mosaic of Thought. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
v.

Nail, A. (2009) Pedagogy of the living dead: Using students prior knowledge to explore
perspective. English Journal, 98 (6). Retrieved December 7, 2014, from
http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ846024.

vi. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State
School Officers. (2010). Common Core State Standards for English language arts and
literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Washington, DC:
vii. Rosenblatt, L. (1978). The reader, the text, the poem: The transactional theory of the
literary work. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
viii. Sledd, James. (1996). Grammar for Social Awareness in Time of Class Warfare. English
Journal,85(7). Retrieved December 7, 2014, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/820508
ix. Smagorinsky, P. (2008). Teaching English by design: How to create and carry out
instructional units. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.