Finding Common Ground

Lesson Overview

Unit: Voices of Identity: Du Bois vs. Washington
Lesson: 4 of 5
Subject: English Language Arts (ELA)
Year Group: Year 11
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 10 students
Curriculum Area: English – Writing for Impact, Analysing Arguments (aligns with GCSE English Language assessment objectives: AO1, AO2, AO5, AO6)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Analyse and compare the argumentative structures used by W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington.
2. Synthesize a middle-ground argument by combining key principles from both perspectives.
3. Construct a persuasive letter that effectively presents a nuanced argument.
4. Critically reflect on how these historical debates inform modern discussions about identity and advocacy.

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Lesson Structure

Starter Activity (10 minutes) – Debate Warm-Up

• Think-Pair-Share: Display the following prompt on the board:
  “Can progress for African Americans be achieved through self-reliance alone, or is activism necessary?”
• Individually, students jot down a 3-sentence response (3 minutes).
• In pairs, they compare their reasoning and underline one compelling point each made (3 minutes).
• As a class, gather insights and document key points on the whiteboard (4 minutes).

Mini-Lesson: Structuring Strong Arguments (15 minutes)

1. Direct Instruction (7 minutes)

   • Introduce an effective argument structure: Claim → Evidence → Counterargument → Rebuttal.
   • Analyse excerpts from The Souls of Black Folk (Du Bois) and Atlanta Exposition Address (Washington), focusing on how each man structures his argument.
   • Highlight word choice, rhetorical strategies, and sentence construction.

2. Guided Practice (8 minutes)

   • Provide students with two contrasting position statements (one reflecting Du Bois' activism-driven stance, one reflecting Washington’s vocational training emphasis).
   • In pairs, students rewrite each statement using the Claim → Evidence → Counterargument → Rebuttal structure.
   • Share a few examples aloud and discuss clarity and effectiveness.

Main Task: Writing the Middle-Ground Letter (25 minutes)

• Introduce Task: Imagine you are an African American leader in the early 1900s, writing to a newspaper editor proposing a middle ground between Du Bois and Washington’s philosophies. Your aim is to persuade both sides to consider a blended approach to progress.
• Provide a structured writing scaffold:
  • Introduction: Briefly introduce the issue.
  • Main Body:
    1. State a position that incorporates elements from both perspectives.
    2. Use supporting evidence from Du Bois and Washington’s arguments.
    3. Address potential criticism from both sides and propose a resolution.
  • Conclusion: Summarise the argument and call for unity.
• Independent Writing (20 minutes): Students work individually, using brief notes from previous discussions.
• Peer Review (5 minutes): Students swap letters and provide one positive and one constructive piece of feedback.

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Plenary (10 minutes) – Exit Reflection

• Students complete a quick exit ticket:

  1. What is the most compelling argument for combining Washington and Du Bois’ viewpoints?
  2. How does this debate relate to contemporary social justice movements?
  3. What personal takeaway do you have regarding identity and advocacy?

• Collect responses for insight into student thinking before the final lesson.

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Assessment Opportunities

✔ Formative: Group discussions, argument structuring exercise, peer review feedback.
✔ Summative: Persuasive letter (evaluated for clarity, coherence, persuasiveness, and structure).

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Resources Needed

• Excerpts from The Souls of Black Folk (Du Bois) and Atlanta Exposition Address (Washington).
• Whiteboard and markers.
• Structured writing scaffold handouts.
• Exit ticket slips.

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Differentiation Strategies

✅ For Higher Achieving Students: Challenge them to integrate a more advanced rhetorical technique (e.g. anaphora or juxtaposition) into their writing.

✅ For Students Needing Support: Provide sentence starters and a model letter structure. Pair them with peers to discuss ideas before writing.

✅ For EAL Students: Offer key vocabulary lists with definitions (e.g., "vocational", "self-determination", "political agitation").

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Teacher Reflection & Next Steps

• Were students able to present a well-balanced middle-ground argument?
• Did they demonstrate a clear understanding of the texts through synthesis?
• What misconceptions or gaps in knowledge need reviewing before the final lesson?

This lesson sets the foundation for Lesson 5, where students will engage in a full-class Socratic discussion on which approach (or combination of approaches) is most relevant to today’s world.

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This lesson pushes students to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage deeply with historical perspectives in a way that resonates with modern identity struggles—a truly enriching experience for Year 11 learners! 🚀