This unit will use three books loaded with personal trials and triumphs to achieve two goals: teach critical reading and writing skills to low income/high poverty area students and to build awareness around behaving with integrity and perseverance in their lives. By the end of this unit, students will be better readers and writers, able to effectively identify character traits and give evidence that supports them. In addition, they will have a better awareness about themselves and the difficult circumstances they face on a daily basis, and possible positive solutions and outcomes to these situations. I hope that as students get older and the consequences of their actions become more apparent, that they give some thought to what they learned in this unit by at least stopping, thinking, and choosing the best decision for themselves…

(Developed for English/Reading and Writing, grades 7-8; recommended for English/Reading, grades 7-8)