BLAST: Origin Stories

Blast!

Origin Stories

start

Standards

10.1(A)

10.1(d)

10.4(B)

10.4(C)

10.4(e)

10.4(f)

10.4(g)

10.4(i)

10.5(H)

What will our lesson look like?

Success Criteria

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

Language Objective

Learning Intention

After exploring background information and research links about a topic, students will respond to a question with a 140-character response.

I will articulate my responses to the prompt using appropriate academic language, incorporating relevant literary terms and vocabulary.

To explore the complex interplay between personal history and future identity through a literary lens, fostering critical thinking and effective communication skills.

I will produce a written reflection that effectively communicates the relationship between my past and future.

Do Now:

• Reflect on a significant event or person in your life that has influenced who you are today.
• Write about how this experience or person has shaped your identity.

QuikPoll:

Do you think where you were born has a big impact on who you become?

• A. Yes. Your identity, values, and relationships are all based on the experiences of where you grew up.
• B. No. Your passions and ambition have much more influence over who you become.
• C. Maybe. Some things, like your cultural values are influenced by where you grew up, but your dreams aren’t determined by your origins.

controversial

prolific

causing disagreement or debate

very productive

icon

advocate

Vocab

to defend or show support for something or someone

someone known for something

Every superhero has an origin story. From Superman’s escape from his doomed planet to Iron Man building his first robotic suit, every story has to start somewhere. But how do these origins affect who the characters become? How does your personal origin story affect your identity? Although not as fantastic as the origins in comic books, the personal stories of many real-life figures impact who they became. For instance, author James Frank Dobie was born in Texas in 1888. He would become a prolific writer of stories about life and history in the Lone Star State. Dobie was raised on a cattle ranch in Live Oak County, where he experienced the rugged lifestyle of cowboys firsthand. He taught at the University of Texas, and joined the Texas Folklorist Society. That was where he realized his life’s goal was to write stories to preserve the history of Texas culture. He recorded the fading folklore of Texas, and wrote dozens of books about the experience of living on the open range as a cattle rancher. Dobie was also a controversial figure in politics, since he advocated for the admission of African American students into the university a decade before it officially integrated and protested the infringement of personal rights. Throughout his life, Dobie’s identity as a Texan drove him in his career as a writer. He wanted to ensure that the culture of his precious state wasn’t forgotten. While Dobie was deeply influenced by his origins in Texas, other people are hardly associated with the state. Superstar Beyoncé Knowles was born in Houston. However, she is more often associated with the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. Her career began when she was only nine, with the group Girl’s Tyme. They performed at local talent shows and venues. However, Beyoncé quickly made a name for herself and became the globetrotting icon she is today.

Another influential figure from Texas was political activist Lorenzo de Zavala. He was a fierce advocate for the independence of Texas from Mexico. He was born in what is now Yucatan, Mexico in 1789. De Zavala argued for political reforms when he was just a teenager. After a period in prison due to his political activities, de Zavala helped Mexico earn its independence from Spain. From there, de Zavala was granted a contract to establish 500 families in Texas, where he moved with his own family. In addition to signing the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico in 1836, he was elected Vice President of the Republic of Texas. Though de Zavala was technically an immigrant to Texas, he still had the fierce pride and love of freedom for which the state is known. De Zavala’s pursuit of liberty was greatly influenced by his origins in Spanish-controlled Mexico. Do you think that where a person is born and raised has an effect on what they will do with their life? What is your origin story? How does who we were guide who we will become?

thanks!