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Words to Walls

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Kyle Kirkley

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Words to Walls Lesson Plan

Students will explore the concept of language as a powerful tool for social change and be prepared to engage with "Letter from Birmingham Jail." This lesson will build foundational understanding and enthusiasm for the text.

Understanding the profound impact of language equips students to critically analyze persuasive texts, recognize the influence of words in shaping public opinion, and appreciate the historical significance of texts like "Letter from Birmingham Jail." This lesson fosters engagement with important social themes.

Audience

10th Grade Students

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Through discussion and an interactive activity, students will discover the power of language.

Materials

Smartboard or Projector, Words to Walls Slide Deck, Warm-Up: Word Web, Activity: Power of Persuasion Scenario, and Cool-Down: Language's Lasting Impact

Prep

Review Materials and Set Up Technology

10 minutes

  • Review the Words to Walls Lesson Plan, Words to Walls Slide Deck, Warm-Up: Word Web, Activity: Power of Persuasion Scenario, and Cool-Down: Language's Lasting Impact.
  • Ensure the projector/Smartboard is set up for the slide deck.
  • Have markers or a digital annotation tool ready for the word web warm-up.

Step 1

Warm-Up: Word Web

5 minutes

  • Display Warm-Up: Word Web.
  • Ask students: "When you hear the word 'language,' what comes to mind?"
  • Facilitate a quick brainstorm, writing student responses to create a word web on the board or digitally. Encourage diverse associations.
  • Transition by highlighting how language is not just about words, but about their impact and power.

Step 2

Introduction to 'Letter from Birmingham Jail'

5 minutes

  • Use Words to Walls Slide Deck (Slide 2: "What is a Letter?") to briefly discuss the purpose of letters and how they can be used to communicate important messages.
  • Introduce "Letter from Birmingham Jail" as a famous example of a letter that had a profound impact on history.
  • Explain that Martin Luther King Jr. wrote it from jail to address criticisms of the civil rights movement and advocate for nonviolent protest.

Step 3

Activity: Power of Persuasion Scenario

15 minutes

  • Distribute or display Activity: Power of Persuasion Scenario.
  • Divide students into small groups (2-3 students).
  • Present them with a modern, relatable scenario where language can be used to influence a situation (e.g., convincing the school to implement a new policy, advocating for a local community issue).
  • Instruct groups to brainstorm and write down specific phrases, arguments, or rhetorical strategies they would use to persuade their audience. Emphasize using strong, impactful language.
  • Have a few groups share their strategies and discuss why certain language choices are powerful.

Step 4

Cool-Down: Language's Lasting Impact

5 minutes

  • Distribute or display Cool-Down: Language's Lasting Impact.
  • Ask students to individually reflect on a question: "How might language, like that used in our activity or by MLK, change minds or move people to action?"
  • Collect responses as an exit ticket or have a brief whole-class share. This helps solidify the connection to MLK's letter.
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Slide Deck

Words to Walls: The Power of Language

How can words build bridges or break down barriers?

Welcome students. Begin with the warm-up activity, asking them to free associate with the word 'language.' Write their ideas on the board to form a word web. This visually connects their prior knowledge and sets the stage for the lesson.

A Letter From Jail

• Written by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963
• Answering criticism from white clergymen
• Advocating for nonviolent direct action
• A powerful example of language used for change

Transition from the warm-up to introducing the main text. Explain what 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' is and its historical context. Emphasize that it's a letter, which is a deliberate form of communication.

Your Mission: Persuade!

In your groups, you will receive a scenario. Your task is to brainstorm and write down specific phrases and arguments you would use to persuade your audience. Think about:

• Who is your audience?
• What is your goal?
• What kind of language will be most effective?

Introduce the activity. Explain the scenario clearly and ensure students understand they need to use persuasive language. Circulate and guide groups as they brainstorm, encouraging them to think about their audience and desired outcome.

Sharing Our Persuasion

Let's hear some of your powerful language!

• What strategies did you use?
• Why do you think your chosen words are persuasive?
• How does language create impact?

Bring the class back together to share and discuss the activity. Highlight different persuasive techniques used by students. Connect their strategies back to the idea of language having power, and hint at how MLK Jr. will use similar power in his letter.

The Lasting Echo of Words

How can powerful language, like the kind we discussed today, change minds or inspire people to act?

Conclude the lesson with the cool-down. Explain that their reflections will help them connect today's lesson to the upcoming reading. Collect the cool-down responses as an exit ticket.

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Warm Up

Warm-Up: Word Web

When you hear the word "language," what comes to mind?










Think about different forms of language, how we use it, and what it can do.

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Activity

Activity: Power of Persuasion Scenario

Your Task:

In your small group, brainstorm and write down specific phrases, arguments, and rhetorical strategies you would use to persuade your audience for one of the following scenarios. Think about:

  1. Who is your audience? (Who are you trying to convince? What do they care about?)
  2. What is your goal? (What do you want them to do or believe?)
  3. What kind of language will be most effective? (Strong words? Emotional appeals? Logical arguments? Calls to action?)

Scenarios (Choose ONE):

  1. Scenario: Local Park Renovation. Your local city council is voting on whether to renovate an old, neglected park in your neighborhood or use the funds for another city project. Your group wants to convince the council to prioritize the park renovation, arguing for its importance to the community.

  2. Scenario: New School Lunch Menu. The school cafeteria is considering replacing all hot lunch options with pre-packaged salads and sandwiches to save money. Your group believes this is a bad idea and wants to persuade the school board to keep some hot lunch options available, emphasizing student health and preferences.

  3. Scenario: Community Garden Proposal. An unused plot of land in your town is slated to become a new parking lot. Your group wants to propose and persuade the landowner to instead allow the community to turn it into a shared garden space, highlighting benefits like fresh produce and community bonding.

  4. Scenario: Later School Start Time. Many students at your school are struggling with sleep deprivation. Your group wants to convince the school administration and parents to implement a later start time for classes, citing research on adolescent sleep needs and academic performance.

  5. Scenario: Reduce Plastic Use in School. Your school uses a significant amount of single-use plastics in the cafeteria and classrooms. Your group wants to persuade the principal and student body to adopt new policies and habits to significantly reduce plastic waste.

  6. Scenario: Support for Local Animal Shelter. A local animal shelter is struggling to care for all its animals due to lack of funding and volunteers. Your group wants to launch a campaign to persuade your classmates, teachers, and local businesses to donate or volunteer.

  7. Scenario: Encourage Reading for Pleasure. Many of your peers spend more time on screens than reading books. Your group wants to create a compelling message to persuade other students to pick up a book for pleasure more often, emphasizing the joy and benefits of reading.

  8. Scenario: Advocate for a New Crosswalk. A busy intersection near your school is dangerous for pedestrians, but the city has not prioritized adding a crosswalk. Your group wants to present a persuasive argument to the city traffic department for the urgent need of a new, safer crosswalk.

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Cool Down

Cool-Down: Language's Lasting Impact

How can powerful language, like the kind we discussed today and what you used in your activity, change minds or inspire people to act? Think about how these words leave a lasting mark.













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