The Text

Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes.

For this unit, we'll be studying Nikki Grime's Bronx Masquerade.

This novel is a wonderful portrayal of many different perspectives. Each chapter told by a different student in Mr. Ward's (a happy coincidence), English class. While learning about the Harlem Renaissance and studying the poetry of the period, the students find new ways to represent themselves through their own poetry.

While reading this novel, we'll also delve into poetry concepts such as figurative language, imagery, etc. We'll look up some poems by Mr. Langston Hughes who is referenced frequently within the text.

Lastly, we're going to focus on the theme of dreams. Why do we make plans for the future? How do you overcome your fear to chase your dreams? What does the future look like to you? Do some people have an easier path to accomplishing their dreams? We'll work to answer these questions and more, just as the characters do.

To find out more about the author of our novel check out this post here! You could also check out her very own website, popular quotes from the text (like the one below), or the readability of this text. 

Studying Literature: Why & How

Why We Study Literature:

Reading fiction can teach us to new concepts, show us others' perspectives, and force us to consider difficult questions. According to an article in the Atlantic, "Researchers who have studied emotion and cognition extensively...suggest that literature can play a vital role in helping people understand the lives and minds of others, and that individuals and communities can benefit from that ability..." (Simmons, The Atlantic, 2016). 

Also, reading in an ELA class is often very different from reading in other content areas such as math, science, or even history. Studying literature can be challenging due to the fact that much of the material is not based in fact. It is a complex mixture of fictional characters, realistic plot, and very real emotions. Some readers face difficulty in processing these complex factors in order to pull meaning and understanding from the text. These obstacles can be overcome through the use of learning strategies that promote organization, vocabulary, activating prior knowledge, and increase motivation.

How We Study Literature

In this class, we'll be using the B-D-A framework to study our text. This framework organizes a novel study into three parts: before reading, during reading, and after reading. Each category has different activities to help motivate students, enhance comprehension, and engage students more deeply with the text. Before we begin with those activities though, we'll be spending some time on vocabulary in order to pre-teach important terms and concepts. This will be advantageous to students as you need to know 90% of the words in a passage to comprehend it.

Click Here: Vocabulary------------>

About the Author

Nikki Grimes

Biography:

• Nikki Grimes does not consider herself a bona fide storyteller, but, as she told an audience at the Library of Congress, she is happy to own the title Poet
• Born in Harlem, NY; October 20, 1950
• She attended Rutgers University and received a 
• At the age of 13, she gave her first poetry reading, at the Countee Cullen Library, a block away from where she was born.

Notable Awards:

• 2003 ALA's Coretta Scott King Award
• 2006 National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children
• 2017 Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal

Readability

Readability of the Novel

Readability is a way to measure the way a text is written to calculate how easy or difficult a text is to read. When checking the readability; you compare the number of words used in a sentence, the average number of syllables per word or sentence,  and then it calculates the grade level of that text. Readability can help determine if the texts used are appropriate for the grade level, class, and each individual student. It helps teachers plan ahead, by allowing us to predict and what complications students may have before, during, and after reading a specific text. 

"In short, readability helps us choose appropriate texts to read"

To find the readability of Bronx Masquerade, I randomly selected two different passages from the novel. After typing them into Microsoft Word, I used the program's readability function to check it's Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level.

Passage 1:

Passage 2:

So, the novel has about a 4th grade reading level according to this readability test. However, there are some caveats to consider when looking at the readability. For instance, much of this novel is written through poems which bring down the readability as they are not long, full sentences. Also, consider the the content of the novel that explores coming of age in an urban city. The students grapple with poverty, domestic violence, young motherhood, and pursing dreams when the odds are stacked against them. Therefore, while the ability to read the book might be low, comprehending the material is better left for students in higher grades.

When considering all these factors, you can see that this novel is a perfect selection for students in Middle School, specifically grades 7-8. I love the idea of using this novel to make poetry units more engaging and less traditional.