Lesson Plan for First They Killed My Father Time This lesson is designed for a class that meets

five times a week for 60 minutes. Setting The setting is an alternative school comprised of high school students in 9th through 12th grade. The class room is comprised of 8 African American students and 2 Caucasian students. There are only two girls in the class, who are also African American. This setting is based on my previous experience with students from various communities whose schools have sent them to this Alternative School. Theory Into Background Practice Totten emphasizes the necessity for teaching the context of Genocide, and I could not agree more. I think that the context is so necessary for students to not only grasp what is happening, but why these things have happened. Also Totten talks about how common knowledge of an event does not equal accurate knowledge (10). I think that this is so important in understanding the politics and propaganda surrounding genocide which is why I spend this entire lesson teaching about it.

Objectives Students will acquire background knowledge on the Cambodian Genocide. Students will analyze and use a variety of sources to obtain information about the Genocide. Students will present information that they have found to their peers.

Materials - An atlas - Reference books on Cambodia - A copy of First They killed my father - 10 assignment Sheets - 2 computers Preparation For this lesson, I not only want students to learn the background information about the Genocide,

but I want them to discover these things themselves. In my attempt to simulate a student led discovery activity, I first provide my students with resources such as an atlas, the internet the book First They Killed My Father, and references that students themselves can evaluate and use to answer relevant questions; instead of me just lecturing to the class. Not only would I have to gather these resources and place them around the class, but I would also have to provide each group with assignment sheets that contains questions they need to answer about their specific topic.

Procedure Free Write- 5 minutes Students will take 5 minutes to respond to the following quote: No human is more human than the other - Romeo Dallaire. Discussion- 5 minutes We will take 5 minutes for students to share their answers and discuss what this quote means in response to the reasons for genocide. Information Scavenger Hunt- 30 minutes I will split the class into three groups correlating with the three topics that will be researched: Cambodia, Khmer Rouge, and Loung Ungs First They Killed My Father. For the next 30 minutes students will work together to use the resources I have provided them to find the answers to the questions that I give them. The students given the topic of Cambodia will be given the atlas and some reference guides to answer questions such as, where is Cambodia? Who rules Cambodia Now? Who ruled Cambodia before its current ruler? The group given the topic Khmer Rouge will work at the computers using the internet and have to answer questions such as, who were the Khmer Rouge? What started the Khmer Rouge? What is the importance of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodian history? Who overthrew the Khmer Rouge? The last group who has the topic, First They Killed My Father, will be given the actual book and maybe a biography of Loung Ung and have to answer questions such as, who wrote the novel? What did you learn by reading the back of the book? Who was Loung Ung? What is her role in the Cambodian Genocide? While students are working in groups answering these questions I will circulate, and instruct students on how best to use their specific resources to find the answers. Group Presentations- 20 minutes Each group will then present the knowledge they have just discovered from the activity. Students

will be given the change to ask questions and take notes. Since I probably know a little more about this, I will be there to facilitate the discussion and deal with any unanswered questions. Homework For homework, students will have to research the author of the quote we had a free write about. I will present them with research questions that will focus their search on to Romeo Dallaires ideas and work with genocide prevention. This assignment will be an excellent segway into tomorrows more in-depth discussion on Genocide. Discussion ideas (for the discussion we had about the free write) 1. How does this quote respond to issues of Genocide? 2. Why is the study of Genocide important? 3. Why do you think Genocide happens? 4. What is the extent of the U.S.s responsibility to interfere in Genocide? Bilingual/ESL Accommodations One thing that I think I did that was already beneficial to ESL learners is the handouts that I pass out to all of the students have the directions as well as the questions. I know that in addition to me giving me verbal instructions it helps a lot to have the instructions for such an interactive activity in their hands so that they can refer back to. Another thing that is already beneficial is the fact that there are two computers used to look up information on Khmer rouge and they do not have to look up the information in English. Also Ungs book has been published in a number of languages and I could get the book in Chinese if they were in that group. I would also utilize the fact that the students are split into groups. I could use the type of groups that I create to pair this student with students that can either can help my Chinese speaking student or can just best collaborate with this student. The major accommodation that I would rely on is the fact since the students will be working together in groups that give me time to go around the class and help everyone not just my student who is learning English. Special Education Accommodations Well once again, my ability to be mobile and help groups and students individually around my class will be one way in which I help any students needing special education accommodations. I still think my groups are relevant in this aspect as well, because student achievement can be increased based on not only who I place them in a group with ( maybe they are in a group with higher achieving students, that can help) but also the tasks that I give them to complete. By splitting up the tasks of each group, once again I utilize a differentiated instruction method,

where some students will be using technology, some students will be looking at maps, other students will analyzing the basic features of a novel. I could help these students by either placing them in a group that can highlight a specific skill or interest they might have, or I could place them in a group that would represent any weaknesses that they need to improve on. (Like is the student had a learning disability with reading, maybe looking at how just the features of a book share information can help that student) Assessment The assessment for this activity would be really informal in that I would first move around the classroom making sure that the students first know how to use the resources to find the information that they need and helping them if they need it. I would assess their newly acquired knowledge of the topic while they are presenting the information to the class, and if I saw any gaps in their presentation I would just ask probing questions that they maybe forgot to answer of if they do not know I will provide any missing information.

Extension Ideas I had the idea that these groups could establish the major group project groupings at the end of the Unit. I could assign them an entirely new project or have the students build off of the information they discovered today in class in order to feed into or inspire their final project at the unit. Regardless, this information is going to be extremely useful and recurring in their future dealings with the text. Source of the Activity I really just made up this activity. I figured that what my students needed more than anything before reading a text like this was a lot of background information. I did not want to lecture them, though because I know they do not have long attention spans, and I felt that they would retain the information better and the acquisition of information would be more meaningful if they discovered the information themselves. Resources and References Ungs First They Killed My Father Totten, Samuel. Teaching about Genocide: Issues, Approaches, and Resources. Greenwich, Connecticut: Information Age Publishing, 2004. Print.

Standards 1.C.5c Critically evaluate information from multiple sources. Students will use the information from the sources that I give them to answer the questions but they will also be tasked with determining which information to use (especially with the internet) 1.C.1f Use information presented in simple tables, maps and charts to form an interpretation. Students will use maps and books and a variety of different organized types of information to interpret in order to answer and present the questions given to them.