Reading and Writing Workshop
Workshop Title: Racism and Social Injustice In the United States
Resources:
Historical Thinking Guide
Era: Civil Rights
Resources:
Historical Thinking Guide
Era: Civil Rights
Reading and Writing Workshop: When Innocence Died
Workshop Objective:
By the end of these reading and writing workshop sessions, students will 1) analyze the historical context of When Innocence Died, 2) connect Greg and Kristine’s story to key civil rights events, 3) evaluate the impact of racism on character development and plot, 4) understand how historical fiction illuminates social issues, and 5) strengthen comprehension and analytical writing skills.
General Instructions:
Begin by reading the novella as a class or in small groups. As students read, they should complete a Historical Thinking Guide focusing on segregation, interracial relationships, and the civil rights movement. Each session pairs excerpts from When Innocence Died with a primary source, followed by discussion, group work, and independent writing.
SESSION 1: Segregation and Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
SESSION 2: Emmett Till’s Murder (1955) and Racial Terror
SESSION 3: The Civil Rights Act (1964) and Changing Laws
SESSION 4: Loving v. Virginia (1967) and Interracial Marriage
SESSION 5: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and the Broader Struggle
Implementation Tips
Workshop Objective:
By the end of these reading and writing workshop sessions, students will 1) analyze the historical context of When Innocence Died, 2) connect Greg and Kristine’s story to key civil rights events, 3) evaluate the impact of racism on character development and plot, 4) understand how historical fiction illuminates social issues, and 5) strengthen comprehension and analytical writing skills.
General Instructions:
Begin by reading the novella as a class or in small groups. As students read, they should complete a Historical Thinking Guide focusing on segregation, interracial relationships, and the civil rights movement. Each session pairs excerpts from When Innocence Died with a primary source, followed by discussion, group work, and independent writing.
SESSION 1: Segregation and Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
- Novel Excerpt Review
Read the opening chapters depicting McCurdy Mission School and Greg’s arrival, highlighting moments that show unspoken racial hierarchies. - Primary Source Exploration
Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court Opinion (public domain):
https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/brown/brown-brown.html
- Group Discussion & Activity
Discussion Prompt: How did segregation laws and customs shape the social environment Greg and Kristine navigate?
Group Activity: Create a two-column chart—“Legal Segregation (South)” vs. “De Facto Segregation (New Mexico)”—using details from the novella and Brown v. Board. - Independent Writing & Reflection
Journal Prompt: Imagine you are Greg arriving at McCurdy. Write a letter to your cousin in Dulce describing how segregation feels in your new school.
SESSION 2: Emmett Till’s Murder (1955) and Racial Terror
- Novel Excerpt Review
Read Chapter 5, focusing on Greg’s experiences in Houston and his exposure to open racism. - Primary Source Exploration
Jet Magazine’s coverage of Emmett Till’s funeral (public domain):
https://www.loc.gov/item/2016655286/
- Group Discussion & Activity
Discussion Prompt: How did Emmett Till’s death impact Black communities’ sense of safety?
Group Activity: Write a headline and short newspaper article as if reporting Till’s death from Greg’s perspective in Houston. - Independent Writing & Reflection
Short Essay: How did the realities of the South change Greg’s view of his relationship with Kristine?
SESSION 3: The Civil Rights Act (1964) and Changing Laws
- Novel Excerpt Review
Read scenes set after Greg’s return, showing his fear and growing distance from Kristine. - Primary Source Exploration
Text of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (public domain):
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=97&page=transcript
- Group Discussion & Activity
Discussion Prompt: Why did legal changes not immediately end prejudice or change people’s beliefs?
Group Activity: Create a timeline comparing milestones in the novel (e.g., Greg and Kristine’s growing bond, Greg’s trip to Houston) with events in the Civil Rights Movement. - Independent Writing & Reflection
Argument Paragraph: Did the Civil Rights Act solve the problems Greg and Kristine faced? Use evidence from the novella and the Act.
SESSION 4: Loving v. Virginia (1967) and Interracial Marriage
- Novel Excerpt Review
Read later chapters where Greg and Kristine learn about Loving v. Virginia but realize it comes too late for them. - Primary Source Exploration
Full text of Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court Decision (public domain):
https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep388/usrep3881/usrep3881.pdf
- Group Discussion & Activity
Discussion Prompt: How would the Loving decision have changed Greg and Kristine’s lives if it happened earlier?
Group Activity: Debate in pairs: Was a legal victory alone enough to ensure social acceptance for interracial couples? - Independent Writing & Reflection
Reflective Paragraph: Why is Loving v. Virginia still important today? Connect your response to Greg and Kristine’s experiences.
SESSION 5: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and the Broader Struggle
- Novel Excerpt Review
Read the prologue and key scenes highlighting Kristine and Greg’s hopes for a more accepting world. - Primary Source Exploration
“I Have a Dream” speech (public domain):
https://www.archives.gov/files/press/exhibits/dream-speech.pdf
- Group Discussion & Activity
Discussion Prompt: How do Greg and Kristine’s private dreams mirror King’s public vision?
Group Activity: As a group, create a list of obstacles the couple faced that King’s dream sought to eliminate. - Independent Writing & Reflection
Short Essay: Connect a passage from the speech to an event in the novella. How does fiction help us understand real struggles?
Implementation Tips
- Each session can last 1–2 hours, or be adapted for single-day or multi-day formats.
- Read aloud from both the novella and primary sources to foster engagement.
- Include opportunities for group presentations, mapping activities, or creative skits reenacting key scenes.
- Multimedia Portfolio: Combine photos, passages from the novella, and quotes from primary sources.
- Historical Fiction Vignette: Write a short story expanding on a moment in Greg and Kristine’s lives.
- Argumentative Essay: Defend or refute the idea that laws alone can change hearts, using examples from the novella and documents.
- Assess group activities, discussions, and writing tasks with rubrics focusing on historical understanding, textual analysis, and written expression.
- Conclude with a reflection session: What did you learn that changed your understanding of segregation, love, and justice?