Nonfiction Unit + Black History Month

Title: Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass
Author: Frederick Douglass

Rating: 5 out of 5

Before beginning the nonfiction unit, I spent some time reflecting on a nonfiction book I read as a teen that made an impact on me. I did not read much nonfiction at all in my grades 6-12 English classes. However, there is one book I did read that I will never forget: The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.

The nonfiction unit began in February and as I choose my reading selections, it occurred to me that I should highlight the significance of Black History Month through them. Thus, the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass became my central text.

I choose selections that spoke to the powerful idea that reading can empower you. During class, I used these selections as interactive read alouds where we broke down unfamiliar vocabulary, clarified questions, and then discussed the implications of Douglass' actions to teach himself how to read. The text is difficult for 7th graders to comprehend entirely on their own, but it is an engaging one with teacher support.

Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Did you hear about the guy who survived after a three foot long iron rod went through his head? And that although he lived, his personality changed and he became a foul-mouthed grouch? His story is one that has passed on for years as an example of how scientists figured out how the brain works. However, till this day more and more research on Phineas Gage's case has come out. Now, it is understood that there is not enough evidence to say that Phineas Gage actually changed that much. His accident, while gruesome, seemed to prove that Phineas was indeed more of a lucky man than not. Certainly. the field of brain science has benefited from it. John Fleischman's well-researched nonfiction book on Phineas Gage is framed by the essential question: was Phineas Gage lucky or unlucky? Fleischman provides an objective look on Phineas Gage's life and its impact on brain science through the years.

The book begins with a detailed description of Phineas' accident in 1848 and then moves into how the understanding of the brain has evolved. While doctors knew what the brain looked like in the 19th century, they were divided about how the brain actually worked. Complimenting the different theories, Fleischman provides plenty of photos of the doctors, scientists, phrenology maps, and current brain diagrams discussed.

It is easy to hook young readers with the first 10 pages of the book, but after that there is a lot of technical language used that can be confusing. It's important to give students a heads up that they will need to use context clues and slow down to make sure they understand what they are reading. Ultimately, the story of Phineas Gage is engaging enough that many students want to know more about the brain science part.

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