Daily Activities – Frank Yerby (1991)
The daily activities created for each of the Today in Georgia History segments are designed to meet the Georgia Performance Standards for Reading Across the Curriculum, and Grade Eight: Georgia Studies. For each date, educators can choose from three optional activities differentiated for various levels of student ability. Each activity focuses on engaging the student in context specific vocabulary and improving the student’s ability to communicate about historical topics.
One suggestion is to use the Today in Georgia History video segments and daily activities as a “bell ringer” at the beginning of each class period. Using the same activity daily provides consistency and structure for the students and may help teachers utilize the first 15-20 minutes of class more effectively.
Optional Activities:
Level 1: Provide the students with the vocabulary list and have them use their textbook, a dictionary, or other teacher provided materials to define each term. After watching the video have the students write a complete sentence for each of the vocabulary terms. Student created sentences should reflect the meaning of the word based on the context of the video segment. Have students share a sampling of sentences as a way to check for understanding.
Level 2: Provide the students with the vocabulary list for that day’s segment before watching the video and have them guess the meaning of each word based on their previous knowledge. The teacher may choose to let the students work alone or in groups. After watching the video, have the students revise their definitions to better reflect the meaning of the words based on the context of the video. As a final step, have the students compare and contrast their definitions to their textbook, dictionary or other teacher provided materials definitions.
Level 3: Provide the students with the vocabulary list and have them use their textbook, a dictionary, or other teacher provided materials to define each term. After watching the video, have the students write a five sentence paragraph based on the provided writing prompts.
Vocabulary/Writing Prompts:
Vocabulary Terms
Unheard
Society
Alienation
Struck
Critics
Commercial
Racism
Imposed
Exile
Writing Prompts
1. In a five-sentence paragraph, explain how Frank Yerby’s childhood may have impacted his writings.
2. In a five-sentence paragraph, explain why Frank Yerby may have felt alienated by both the black and white communities in the United States. In your answer include the details of his self-imposed exile and how it shows Frank Yerby’s feelings of alienation.
3. Using your knowledge of Georgia history, write a five-sentence paragraph explaining why it was unheard of for an African-American to be a best-selling author in the late 1940s.
Related Georgia Performance Standards:
Reading Across the Curriculum (Grades 6-12)
SSRC1 Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by:
c. Building vocabulary knowledge
• Demonstrate an understanding of contextual vocabulary in various subjects.
• Use content vocabulary in writing and speaking.
• Explore understanding of new words found in subject area texts.
d. Establishing context
• Explore life experiences related to subject area content.
• Discuss in both writing and speaking how certain words are subject area related.
• Determine strategies for finding content and contextual meaning for unknown words.
Grade 8 Georgia Studies
SS8H11 The student will evaluate the role of Georgia in the modern civil rights movement.
a. Describe major developments in civil rights and Georgia’s role during the 1940s and 1950s; include the roles of Herman Talmadge, Benjamin Mays, the 1946 governor’s race and the end of the white primary, Brown v. Board of Education, Martin Luther King, Jr., and the 1956 state flag.
b. Analyze the role Georgia and prominent Georgians played in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and 1970s; include such events as the founding of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Sibley Commission, admission of Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter to the University of Georgia, Albany Movement, March on Washington, Civil Rights Act, the election of Maynard Jackson as mayor of Atlanta, and the role of Lester Maddox.
c. Discuss the impact of Andrew Young on Georgia.
Grade Eight Reading and Literature
ELA8R4 The student acquires knowledge of Georgia authors and significant text
created by them. The student
a. Identifies a variety of Georgia authors both male and female.
b. Identifies authors’ connections to Georgia through a variety of materials including electronic media.
c. Identifies award winning Georgia authors.
d. Examines texts from different genres (e.g. picture books, poetry, short stories,
novels, essays, informational writing, and dramatic literature) created by Georgia
authors.
e. Relates literary works created by Georgia authors to historical settings and or events.
f. Explains how Georgia is reflected in a literary work through setting,
characterization, historical context, or current events.
g. Evaluates recurring or similar themes across a variety of selections written by
Georgia authors, distinguishing theme from topic.