1. Perseverance Unit
ELA Grade 7

2. What is PERSEVERANCE?

3. Enduring Understandings
Perseverance in the face of adversity builds character.
An individual’s attitude and response to conflict and change impact his or her ability to prevail.
Realistic fiction allows the reader to make personal connections to universal themes.

4. Essential Questions for this Unit
How do characters develop when faced with an obstacle?
In the face of adversity, what causes some to prevail and some to fail?
How do stories about characters who persevere through difficult and insurmountable odds impact readers?

5. Facing Injustice to Perseverance
Perseverance is a common trait of individuals who face injustice and actively work to combat it.
Perseverance is required to effectively expose societal flaws and advocate for social reform.
Perseverance is required because it takes time for meaningful change to occur.
Perseverance is required to achieve meaningful change because there will be constant obstacles that must be overcome.
Through this novel study, we will analyze how characters face injustices and persevere despite them.

6. Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez
English Language Arts 7

7. Julia Alvarez, Historical Fiction Author
She was born in New York City in during her parents' first stay in the United States.
Her parents returned to the Dominican Republic when she was three months old, and her father became involved in “underground” activity against the government.
In 1960, her family was forced to flee to the U.S. after her father was involved in a failed attempt to overthrow a military dictator.

8. Julia Alvarez, Historical Fiction Author
Alvarez found it difficult to transition to her new life in New York; she experienced a language barrier, homesickness, and prejudice from her peers.
While the characters in her stories are fictional, Alvarez relied on her own experiences and the experiences of her family members to create the personalities in her stories.

10. Before We Were Free: Plot Summary www.goodreads.com
Anita de la Torre never questioned her freedom living in the Dominican Republic. But by her 12th birthday in 1960, most of her relatives have emigrated to the United States, her Tío Toni has disappeared without a trace, and the government’s secret police terrorize her remaining family because of their suspected opposition of el Trujillo’s dictatorship. Using the strength and courage of her family, Anita must overcome her fears and fly to freedom, leaving all that she once knew behind.

11. Novel Study Expectations
We will be listening to/reading the novel together in class, but you might have to finish some of the reading at home.
For each reading section, you will have a vocabulary application activity and an interactive literature activity.
It is your responsibility to bring your book to class EVERYDAY!

12. Introduction 3-2-1 Notes Each group will get an article.
Read through your article and complete the corresponding Notes section.
After 10 minutes, you will gather with two other people who had different articles and discuss your findings.
Be as detailed as possible with your notes and purposeful with your discussion.
This activity provides you with important information to the historical context of Before We Were Free.