Standards Correlations

R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.7, R.9, W.1, SL.1, L.4, L.6

Learning Objective

Students will synthesize information from an article and an infographic about the actress Alaqua Cox and the history of representation in media.

Key Skills

synthesizing, text features, vocabulary, cause and effect, key details, critical thinking, argument writing

Complexity Factors

Purpose: The article highlights Alaqua Cox’s journey to becoming an actress as a deaf Indigenous person. The infographic presents milestones in the representation of diverse characters in TV and film.

 

Structure: Both texts are informational.

 

Language: The language is clear and accessible. Domain-specific vocabulary is defined in the vocabulary box.

 

Knowledge Demands: No prior knowledge is required.

Levels

Lexile: 600L-700L 

Guided Reading Level: T 

DRA Level: 50

SEL Connection

This feature and lesson plan promote social awareness.

Lesson Plan: Breaking Barriers

Essential Questions

  • How can we dream big and seize opportunities despite our differences and what is expected of us?
  • What impact does seeing diverse characters on TV and film have on audiences, particularly those from underrepresented communities?

Literature Connection

  • Novel: Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith
  • Novel: The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz

1. Preparing to Read 

Preview Text Features (10 minutes)

Guide students to locate the articles in their magazines or at Action Online. Preview the text features by asking the following questions:

  • Read the title and subtitle of the article. What does the phrase “breaking barriers” mean? What do you think it says about Alaqua Cox? Answers will vary. Students may say that “breaking barriers” means overcoming obstacles. It tells you that Alaqua Cox is changing people’s ideas about who appears in TV shows and movies.
  • Look at the map included in the article and read its caption. Where does the Menominee Tribe live? How many tribal members are there? The Menominee Tribe lives near Green Bay, Wisconsin. There are more than 8,000 tribal members.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Point out the vocabulary box. Read the words (Indigenous, translate, isolated, represented, diverse, stereotypes) aloud and discuss their definitions.
  • Play the Vocabulary Slideshow.

Make a Plan for Reading

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

  • Set a purpose for reading by telling students that the article describes how Alaqua Cox became a celebrated actress and the infographic shows TV and film characters who are diverse in various ways.
  • Tell students that after they read, they’ll synthesize information from the article and the infographic to draw conclusions about representation in entertainment.

 2. Reading and Unpacking the Text

Read the articles. (Higher- and lower-Lexile versions are available on the Story page at Action Online. Click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud.) Then discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (15 minutes)

  • Why didn’t Alaqua think she could play the role of Maya Lopez the first time she saw the post? (cause and effect) Alaqua wasn’t an actress. And while she’s both deaf and Indigenous, she’s also an amputee, which the character was not.
  • What challenges did Alaqua Cox face growing up? (key details) Alaqua was the only deaf student in her school. That was a lonely experience. She also needed to have things translated into ASL for her, and the people doing it didn’t always do it well. In addition, the lack of TV characters who shared her culture or disabilities made her sad.
  • How did Alaqua’s family support her when she was young? Later, how did people on the set of Hawkeye support her when she joined the cast? (synthesizing) Alaqua's family helped her by learning about deafness and studying American Sign Language (ASL) to talk with her. The Hawkeye team learned ASL and greeted her in ASL when she came on board.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  • What big lesson can people learn from Alaqua’s story? Answers may vary. Some students might say that Alaqua’s story shows that interesting opportunities are worth pursuing even if you’re not a perfect fit: After all, Marvel made the character of Maya Lopez an amputee when they cast Alaqua. Others might say that the story shows how important it is for a community to meet the needs of every member, because it made a big difference in Alaqua’s life when her family and coworkers learned ASL.
  • The article mentions how seeing diverse characters on TV and in movies can affect how people see themselves and others. Think of a TV or movie character who has affected the way you see yourself or others. In what way has this character changed your thinking? Answers will vary.

3. Skill Building and Writing

  • Have students work in pairs to complete our Synthesizing skill builder. (Click here to view all your Skill Builders for this article.)
  • Writing prompt: Imagine you are the casting director for Hawkeye and you’re planning to cast Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez. Even though Alaqua has no acting experience, you believe she’s perfect for the role. Write an email to the producers explaining what you admire about Alaqua and why you want to cast her.

Learn-Anywhere Activity

An enrichment activity to extend the learning journey at home or in the classroom

Project the task below on your whiteboard or share it with students in your LMS.

Learn More!

Take another look at the infographic “Timeline: Broken Barriers.” Which entry interests you the most? Do some research to find out more about it. Try to find five more facts about the show or movie, the actor(s), or both. You might start by searching for the answers to these questions:

  • In what year was the show or movie first available to view?
  • How did the public respond to the broken barrier?
  • After the broken barrier, what other shows or actors did something similar?
  • Has the actor been in any other shows or movies?
  • How much was the actor paid?

Once you’ve found your facts, share them with the class!

Language-Acquisition Springboard

Unpack figures of speech to improve comprehension.

After reading the article, direct students’ attention to Alaqua’s quote: “Growing up, I felt kind of low-hearted.” Ask students what Alaqua means by this. Why did she feel this way?

Explain that while the heart is a body part, it is also used in many figures of speech. It can be used to talk about love, kindness, courage, personality type, and more. 

Have students scan the article for another quote in which Alaqua refers to her heart. (“It warms my heart to see kids making artwork of her or dressing up as her.”) Challenge them to rephrase that quote. (Example: “It makes me feel happy and satisfied . . .”)

Next, write or project the following sentences on the board. Each contains a figure of speech involving the heart. Discuss their meanings.

  • My sister came home early to help me with my homework; she has a heart of gold. (She’s a very good and kind person.)
  • The other team might have more skill, but we have more heart. (We care more.)
  • It broke my heart when my best friend moved away. (It made me deeply sad)
  • Emily’s lighthearted mood made everyone else feel like smiling. (Emily’s mood was happy and carefree.)
  • My heart was heavy after I heard that my neighbor had died. (I was sad.)
Invite students to share any figures of speech that involve the heart from their native languages. If the meanings are hard to explain in words, encourage students to act them out.

Looking for more ELL support? Download our full lesson plan and scroll to p. 5 to find questions that will help your ELLs respond to the text at the level that’s right for them.

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