1. North-South Wright Connection Shelia BonnerBob DarraghKristine FieldsEmily RobbinsMatt Presser

2. Common Thread COLLABORATION

3. Inspiration “Our job as English teachers is to [inspire] our students to become lifelong readers. … If Richard Wright isn’t a model of that, then I don’t know what is.” Frazier O’Leary, Teacher in Washington D.C.

4. Project Overview Our project centers on pairing texts to foster collaboration and discussion across the country. We will accomplish this through a pair of units: “Almos’ a Man” and Coming of Age Short Story Unit Letter Writing Project Poetry Database Jazz Poetry Unit

5. North-South Letter Writing Reading mentorship New Haven, CT – North Branford, CT – Goodman, MS (urban JH) (suburban HS) (rural CC) Cross-age: JH/HS students can see older students who value reading and can contribute a more youthful perspective in line with that of the protagonists of the stories. CC students can see value in mentorship and service and can contribute reflective responses. Cross-regional: JH/HS students will be studying civil rights via Emmett Till and will value the perspective of Mississippians today. CC students might not know much of the North either and can also reflect back on changes in their communities. Cross-historical: All students can track changes – or lack of change – in culture and political environment over time.

6. North-South Letter Writing N. Branford, CT suburban HS New Haven, CT urban JH Goodman, MS Rural CC

7. Introductory Letter Writing Two letters each – written and mailed using pseudonyms 1) JH/HS –> CC Introduction of self / asking about changing nature of civil rights in Mississippi 2) CC –>JH/HS Introduction of self / discussion of changing Mississippi / mention of “I’m about to read this story by an author named Richard Wright, who grew up miles from my college. I’m hoping you’ll read it with me…”

8. CONNECTICUT Julian Wright 104 Tuscaloosa Street Goodman, MS 78790 Dear Julian, I am a 12-year-old boy living in New Haven, CT. I was recently reading about the tension in the South during the pre-civil rights era. I am wondering whether things have changed. … Also, I know you go to college, and I’m wondering – is it worth it to work this hard? …

9. Letter Writing Project MISSISSIPPI Richard Beinecke 104 Bulldog Street New Haven, CT 06511 Dear Richard, I am a student at Jackson Community College. Here is all of my worldly wisdom.

10. Bringing in Wright All groups will read the same story, “The Man Who Was Almost A Man.” JH students will post questions online through A.nnotate.com following a discussion of factual, conceptual, and evaluative questions. HS and CC students will join the dialogue, positing answers to questions and posting ones of their own. This will spark an online dialogue, bringing together a variety of perspectives – almos’ adults in Connecticut with adults in Mississippi. Individual focused class discussions will be held, drawing from annotations made by both other classes and themselves and teacher-generated questions.

11. Shared Annotation

12. Letter Writing After class discussion, letter writing will continue. Students will write accordingly: 3) JH/HS –> CC Comments on the story that was mutually read 4) CC –>JH/HS “That’s great that you are reading this story – sounds like you’re going to be well-prepared for college – here are some other stories that you might enjoy reading”

13. Making Connections For the sake of pairing and making connections, students will read “Salvation” by C. Liegh McInnis – a more contemporary Southern story – and possibly “Raymond’s Run” by Toni Cade Bambara – a more contemporary text with a female protagonist. Letter writing will continue depending on the success of the early collaboration. Teachers can select from a range of texts to pair with Wright’s short story. We have included a number of texts and films for reference.

14. Skype Interview Our final digital collaboration will involve the opportunity to speak with the author of “Salvation” in person in Mississippi and via Skype in Connecticut. We will post a recording of the interview to the site for other viewing. This will also provide the chance for students to see those with whom they’ve communicated.