Grade 8: Preparing for the South Trip in English Class
Before embarking on their trip to visit historical landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement in the South in November, eighth graders prepare for the experience in their MESH classes.
In English class specifically, preparation for the trip began this summer with students reading "Warriors Don't Cry" and "March." Upon their return to school, students led conversations among their classmates about each of the texts. This September, students continued their work by diving into "Gandhi and His Myths" by Mark Shephard and "The Practice of Satyagraha" by Mahatma Gandhi and learned how and why Civil Rights activists took from Gandhi's playbook in order to bring about change. When asked what's next for her students, Grade 8 English Teacher Katy Cooper shared, "Next week, students will read 'A Letter from a Birmingham Jail' by Martin Luther King Jr., which he wrote in response to the poorly argued 'A Call for Unity.' King argues the necessity of civil disobedience in order to negate unjust laws. Soon, students will write an essay that applies D.E.B Dubois' notion of double consciousness to the protagonist in James Baldwin's short story 'Previous Condition.'" Stay tuned for updates about the eighth graders' journey to the South this fall!
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
