Learning Segment: Lesson #_1_
Lesson Title: Pittsburgh Cycle—visualized
Subject Area and Grade Level: 11
Introduction
Central Focus
Content Standard(s)
Learning Objective(s) Based
on Content Standard(s)
Academic Language
Function Objective(s)
Additional Language
Supports
The focus of this lesson is to orient students in the time
period in which August Wilson is writing his play
Fences. This will require students to look through his
point of view and examine the environment from which
he was writing. Additionally, students will expand their
scope to look at the entire African American experience
through the eyes of Wilson as they look at the Pittsburgh
Cycle. The Pittsburgh Cycle is a series of 10 plays
Wilson wrote to embody the African American
experience through each of the decades in the 20th
Century (Fences being the play from the 1950s). In
groups, students will explore each era and produce a
portfolio about the era, exploring questions provided by
the instructor.
RI11.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of
information presented in different media or formats,
including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words
in order to address a question or solve a problem.
Students will seek information regarding their assigned
era in order to create a class timeline of the African
American experience throughout the 20th century.
Students will then compile found information in order to
explain their findings from the assigned era to the class
(perhaps next class period).
Seek information. This will be done using in class
technology as well as provided books and potentially
other resources.
Explain: Through the medium of their piece of the
timeline, every student will become an expert on a
specific piece and be able to explain it further to the rest
of the class (perhaps next class period).
Vocabulary: Pittsburgh Cycle, timeline
Discourse: Students will work in groups of 2-3 to
prepare a brief info sheet about their assigned era. This
will involve oral discourse between students as they
discuss their research as well as written discourse as
they create their era sheet.
 Syntax: After researching the time period, students will
write responses answering prompts about their assigned
era which will then become a part of the class
constructed timeline. This will take the form of both
short responses as well as answers to longer, more
provocative questions.
Essential Question(s) for What sort of environment was Wilson trying to emulate
Students to Explore in his Pittsburgh Cycle?

21st Century Student Use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate

Outcomes and communicate information.

Prior Knowledge Students will be expected to have basic research skills

primarily using the internet but also other resources such
as books, encyclopedias, and any other resources that
may be available. Additionally, basic knowledge of the
eras of US history will be helpful when it comes to
beginning the research process. While not essential,
hopefully some baseline knowledge has been established
in prior or current US history courses.

Assessment/Accommodation

Formative Assessment By looking at multiple sources of information, students

will be assessed based off their small group research and
creation of their portion of the time line. This is a
multifaceted assignment and while not all group
members will take the lead in every aspect, they are all
expected to contribute to the class’ understanding of
their time period.
The assessment will be for a participation grade, but
understanding will be measured by students ability to
respond to the given questions and elaborate their
information to the class.
From this, the teacher will glean information as to if
students need additional explanation of the topic in a
following class period or if they are ready to approach
the text.
Summative Assessment See assessment plan

Accommodations Paul- For the research portion of the assignment, Paul

will be given an outline of the prompts to make it so his
 portion is mostly filling in the blanks rather than fully
producing a document. Additionally, Paul will be given
a copy of his group members work and notes following
the activity so he can revisit the ideas of the project.

Susana- For the group work portion, Susanna will be

given an additional handout addressing particularly
challenging words and themes that present them in
words that she will be more familiar with. She will be
paired with a group that is deemed to have a good grasp
on the assignment to provide for her to be able to listen
to her groupmates as well as provide her own feedback
within the group.

Drew- Drew will be encouraged to approach the

research portion of the assignment to utilize his prior
knowledge of the historical era. Drew’s creative
capacities will be utilized in the creation of the portfolio
of the assigned era.

Lesson Plan

Materials -Technology device (laptops or iPads) & Printer

-Student Journals
-Construction paper
-Pens, Pencils, Markers/colored pencils
Organizational Structures Following the bell ringer activity, we will begin with
very short whole-class discussion about the writing
prompt. Students will be invited to share their responses
before moving into explaining the group activity for the
day.
The majority of the rest of the class will be small group
work doing research and producing a portfolio for their
era.
Learning Activity Types Sequencing/Outlining /Storyboarding, Speaking/
Speech, Multimodal

Bell Ringer Students will reflect in their writing journals based off
the prompt listed in the Bell Ringer section: Quick
writing: Think about our current decade. 100 years from
now, what will people remember about it? What issues
are we currently facing? What people will be
remembered?
Detailed Activities and
Procedures Large-group discussion- 10 minutes
 We will quickly address our warm up question by taking
volunteers to share their responses to the quick write
question. If there is a lack of student participation,
teacher will share his answers to further prompt
discussion. Teacher will then transition discussion into
instructions for the day’s activity. Brief introduction to
Wilson’s Pittsburgh Cycle will be given followed by a
sample of what students will be asked to produce—a
portion of the 20th century timeline.
-Students will then be broken into groups (10 groups)
and assigned an era, ranging from the 1900s to the
1990s(groups will be listed on the board). Groups will
then get a piece of construction paper and a computer
from the cart to begin on the assignment.

Group work/research era- 32 minutes

Research will be conducted using provided computers
and other resources curated by the instructor prior to the
class. Target questions will be provided by the instructor
below. Teacher will walk around and check in on groups
answering any questions.

Closure Closure (8 minutes)

With eight minutes remaining, students will begin to
save any work, put away computers, and clean up their
work stations. As an exit slip with their group, I will ask
students to give a brief outline of their presentation for
the next class. This will include who says which parts
and how they will go about presenting their findings.

References http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-
resources/calendar-activities/playwright-august-wilson-
born-30577.html?tab=1#tabs

NOTE: Attach or insert any materials used in this lesson.

August Wilson wrote a set of 10 plays dubbed the Pittsburgh Cycle—each representing the
African American experience in that decade. Students will be tasked with replicating this through
researching the key figures and events in American culture, but specifically African American
culture throughout the 20th century. A few prompts are listed below to get students started, but
feel free to go beyond and list any relevant information found through research.

Presidents:
How much was a gallon of milk:
Key AA Figures:
Key events in country:
Key events in AA community:
Treatment of AA:
Laws affecting minorities:
Image: