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Alice Walker Everyday Use Unit

This three-lesson unit based on Alice Walker’s Everyday Use guides students in exploring the concept of cultural heritage and its significance, both in literature and their own lives. Through research, character analysis, and personal storytelling, students develop a deeper understanding of identity and heritage while honing critical reading, collaboration, and creative writing skills.

Lesson Breakdown:

  1. Introduction to Cultural Heritage
    Students research and define “cultural heritage,” create visual slides to represent the term and their own heritage, and share their personal insights with peers. This lesson builds foundational knowledge for understanding the story's themes.
  2. Character Analysis in Everyday Use
    Students analyze the motivations and perspectives of the characters during a class reading. Using partner-based note-taking, they examine why the narrator gives the quilts to Maggie instead of Dee, connecting character decisions to the concept of heritage.
  3. Personal Narrative Vignette
    Inspired by the story, students write a narrative vignette about their own cultural heritage, drawing on family traditions, heirlooms, or personal experiences. This creative exercise reinforces the relevance of the story’s themes to their own lives.
Author
Rachel Ramirez-Barth

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