UNIT:
Lesson: 10
Text Title
“Indianapolis Native Alyssa Gaines Selected as 2022 National Youth Poet Laureate” (both text and the video)
Main Idea
The article is a summary of Indianapolis youth poet Alyssa Gaines receiving the title of National Youth Poet Laureate. It guides us through the process from being a finalist to post community engagement and activism. The article describes her commitment to her community through the power of poetry around causes that are important to her such as communal healing, communal grieving, and gun violence. Ultimately, the article expresses the connection between poetry and providing a platform to make effective change.
Essential Question
The unit essential questions developed through this lesson are…
- What are different ways that people can advocate for the causes they care about?
- In what ways have Black and Latino individuals and organizations in Indiana advocated for their communities?
Content Objective
By engaging in this lesson, students will know/understand that…
- Poetry is an outlet to find power in their voice, and when they do that they also find power in themselves.
- Connections can be drawn between poetry and social change.
- Alyssa Gaines is a local youth poet who was selected as the 2022 National Youth Poet Laureate.
- Alyssa Gaines is using the vehicle of poetry to engage in activism and cultivate healing opportunities for her community.
Literacy Objective
By engaging in this lesson, students will strengthen their ability to…
- Determine the main idea of a nonfiction article.
- Speak about a topic knowledgeably by using details from two different mediums.
Standards Alignment
- Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text. (RI.5.2)
- Analyze how visual and multimedia presentations and representations can enhance the meaning of a text. (5.RL.4.1)
