This unit is about the path man has taken in his desire for justice. Students will explore the South of the 1930s in the perennial classic To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; they will also read some of her short stories and essays that have intrigued readers. The plight of the Little Rock Nine becomes a first person account in Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals. Students will read the primary source newspapers of the day to get other perspectives on how the fight for civil rights and integration shook the nation. They will also travel the path of the migrant ranch hand in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Students will also have a chance to examine poetry, songs, essays, and art that portray "the pursuit of justice." Vocabulary and grammar will align with the readings. Opportunities to research, write expository pieces, and creative meaning for themselves are abundant in this unit.
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY
The Center for Gifted Education (CFGE) at William & Mary University (College of William & Mary), is a research and development center providing services to educators, policy makers, graduate students, researchers, and parents in support of the needs of gifted and talented individuals.
Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, the CFGE has established an international reputation for excellence in research, curriculum development, and service. Several major grants, including funding from the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act, have provided significant support for the work of the Center. In 2012, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation awarded CFGE the funds needed for a summer residential camp for low income, high-ability children, for four consecutive years. In 2015, William & Mary alumni, Mike and Nancy Petters, through the Petters Family Foundation, provided additional financial support to the program. In 2016, the Petters Family Foundation has committed to fully fund the program for the next four years. Camp Launch is only the beginning of the Center for Gifted Education’s goal to bring educational equality to all gifted students.