History Lesson: The Help

Title of Lesson
1960s
Rationale
The students have just learned how to think critically and analyze a text in terms of
formalist criticism. Now, their minds are thinking in terms of analyzing and they will
expand their analysis of the novel on to the historical background of the 1960s and how
the time period made a major impact in the storyline.
Florida Standards
LAFS.910.RL.1.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
LAFS.910.SL.1.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues building on
others ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
LAFS.910.RH.2.4: Analyze how a text uses structure to emphasize key points or advance
an explanation or analysis.
LAFS.910.RH.3.8: Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text
support the authors claims.
LAFS.910.RH.1.3: Analyze in detail a series of events described in the text; determine
whether earlier events caused later ones of simply preceded them.
Objectives
Students Will Be Able To
Demonstrate an understanding of the 1960s.
Analyze how the historical context of The Help influences the text and its
literary meaning.
Materials
Each student have their copy of The Help
K-W-L Chart
White Board
Writing Utensils
PowerPoint Presentation History Making an Impact
In-Class Journals
Hand outs of the images, newspaper articles and historical events from the 1960s
Anticipatory Set (5 minutes)
Written on the board: What do you know about the 1960s (time-period of The
Help)?
Teaching Strategy/Procedure/Activity
Time (55 minute class
What the student is doing:
period)

What the teacher is doing:

5 minutes to write

5 minutes to share

10 minutes

15 minutes

3 minutes

12 minutes

5 minutes

Completing their K-W-L

chart of what they know
and what they want to know
about the 1960s.

Explaining the question and

how to fill out a K-W-L
chart. Walking around
making sure each student is
on task and completing
their chart.
Share what they wrote on
Calling on students to share
their K-W-L chart about
what they wrote that they
what they know and what
know about the 1960s and
they want to know about the what they would like to
1960s.
know. Correcting any
incorrect comments about
what they know and
mentioning ideas about
things that they did not say
they knew but are
interesting about the 1960s.
Actively listen to the
Explaining the historical
historical background of the background on a
1960s. Following along
PowerPoint presentation of
with the images shown,
the 1960s through images,
newspapers clippings and
newspaper clippings and
historical events.
important historical events.
Actively listening to the
Explaining historical
teacher explaining
criticism and how the
historical criticism and
historical context of The
how it impacts the storyline Help impacts the story.
of The Help. Answer
questions asked by the
teacher and other students.
Take notes, if desired.
Completing the L portion Explaining that students
of the K-W-L chart from
should now be completing
what they have learned at
the L portion of their Kthe stations.
W-L chart from what they
have learned from the
stations.
Writing in their in-class
Ask students to write a
their diary entry of their day diary entry in their in-class
if they were living as high
journals depicting their
school students in the
account of the events
1960s.
happening in a typical day
as if they were living in the
1960s.
Sharing their diary entries
Ask students to pair and
with a partner. Asking any
share their diary entries.

questions they have about

todays lesson.

Encourage students to ask

any questions.

Summary/Closure
In the last 5 minutes of class, ask the students to pair up and share their diary entries of
how their typical day would be if they were living in the 1960s.
Assessment
The assessment will be informal and will include students pairing and sharing their diary
entries to observe if the students understood how the historical context impacts a story
and what the 1960s were like.
Homework
No Homework Today!
Accommodations
For visually impaired students, the PowerPoint presentation will be written in an 18-point
font and they will receive preferential seating towards the front of the classroom so that
they can clearly see the images, newspaper clippings and historical events displayed in
the PowerPoint. For students with AHDH, they will be allowed to walk into the hallway
to blow off energy when appropriate and when given permission. For English Language
Learners, they will be allowed to have extended time to complete assignments, within
reason and based on their English proficiency.
Appendices
K-W-L chart
PowerPoint- History Making an Impact

12/10/15

H isto r y M a k in g a n I m p a c t:
1960

J im C r o w L a w s: st a te a n d
lo c a l law s e n fo rc i n g r ac i a l
se gr e g a t io n i n th e S o u th e r n
U n i ted S t at es. C o n ti n u ed
u n ti l 1 9 6 5 .