COURSE NINE: present day
Write Like Obama, Speak Like Obama
Inspired by his book, “Dreams from My Father”. Obama’s written and spoken
words are used to model excellence in standard English and to connect us to modern history and American culture.
Appropriate Reading level: Grade 4+ ESL Intermediate +
Expected Outcomes:
- Students will use the Talking Circle tradition to effectively communicate their ideas on a variety of topics with their fellow students. (See p. 27 Those Who Were Here Before)
- Students will keep journals to record their (a) responses to reading selections (b) answers to practice exercises (c) list of new words + synonyms and antonyms
- Students will write about the photos from Obama’s life literally and interpretively.
- Students will read selections from Obama’s autobiography, Dreams from My Father, and compare incidents from the book to incidents from Cisneros and Del Bianco stories.
- Students will read selections from speeches of Obama, ML King and Elizabeth Alexander’s inaugural poem out loud for pronunciation practice and dramatic emphasis.
- Students will discuss Obama’s philosophy on various topics based on what he writes and speaks about and then write a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to back immigration reform providing solid reasons.
