Daily Activities – Joel Chandler Harris
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
Folklorist
Folklore
Trickster
Oppressed
Cunning
Dimwitted
Adversary
Writing Prompts
1. In a five-sentence paragraph use your own words to define the term “folklore.” In your answer use the work of Joel Chandler Harris as an example of folklore.
2. In a five-sentence paragraph explain how Joel Chandler Harris’s time on the Turnwold Plantation directly impacted his writings.
3. Do you think there is a deeper meaning in the “trickster” tales Joel Chandler Harris used as a basis for his characters? In a five-sentence paragraph give an educated guess at what the oppressed peoples, cunning tricksters, and dimwitted adversaries represented in these African – American tales.
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
SS8H7 The student will evaluate key political, social, and economic changes that occurred in Georgia between 1877 and 1918.
a. Evaluate the impact the Bourbon Triumvirate, Henry Grady, International Cotton Exposition, Tom Watson and the Populists, Rebecca Latimer Felton, the 1906 Atlanta Riot, the Leo Frank Case, and the county unit system had on Georgia during this period.
b. Analyze how rights were denied to African-Americans through Jim Crow laws, Plessy v. Ferguson, disenfranchisement, and racial violence.
c. Explain the roles of Booker T. Washington, W. E. B. DuBois, John and Lugenia Burns Hope, and Alonzo Herndon.
d. Explain reasons for World War I and describe Georgia’s contributions.
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.