Phoenix Rising

J.E. Brown Middle School
765 Peeples Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30310
Ms. Bonnie Williamson, Principal

Phoenix Rising

A self examination of personal history and culture.

Introduction | Task | Process and Guidance | Evaluation | Conclusion

Attractions in Atlanta:

Atlanta Botanical Garden	Atlanta History Center	Clark Atlanta University	Cyclorama
Georgia Universities	Georgia State Parks	High Museum of Art	Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Introduction

This unit focuses on you as a Brown Middle School student and as an Atlantan. Follow the steps to self discovery and find your place in the future of BMS and the great city of Atlanta.

Task	You are to introduce yourself to the rest of the class by preparing an autobiography with a family tree and a shoe box museum. This museum will contain artifacts that tell us about you and your family.

Process and Guidance

Step 1 - Day 1
Study the Brown Middle School (BMS) web site and answer the following questions:

1) Read the mission statement. What will you be able to do once you have completed a successful three years at Brown?

2) What are some activities that you do to help make Brown's mission statement true?

Step 2 - Day 1
Read about Joseph Emerson Brown, Georgia's former governor for whom this school is named. Answer the following questions:

1) Brown was the only man to have four times been elected governor of Georgia. What could have stopped him from being elected a fifth term?

2) What was Brown's philosophy about education?

3) Before the Civil War, Brown had many strong feelings regarding slavery and its effect on Americans. What were his beliefs?

Step 3 - Day 2
Read about the mythological bird known as the Phoenix. Answer the following questions:

1) What does the Phoenix symbolize?

2) What happens to the Phoenix when it is burned into ashes?

Step 4 - Day 2
Read about the burning of Atlanta.

Eyewitness Account

Answer the following question:

1) What event in American history explains why the Phoenix is often used as its symbol? (You may also look at the Georgia History Book, p. 205).

Step 5 - Day 3
Review the following Georgians.

Benjamin Elijah Mays	John Wesley Dobbs
Hamilton E. Holmes	Hosea Williams
John Lewis	Mary Craft
John Hope	Coretta Scott King
Evander Holyfield	Alonzo Herndon
Theo "Tiger" Flowers	Cynthia McKinney
Spike Lee	Thelma "Butterfly" McQueen
Hershel Walker	Alice Walker
Jessye Norman	James Brown
Ray Charles	Thomas Dorsey
Martin Luther King, Sr.	Martin Luther King, Jr.
Tomochichi	W.E. B. DuBois

If you were in charge of changing the name of Brown Middle School, who would you select and why? Your answer should include many supporting details. Consider the characteristics and accomplishments of a person for which your school will be named.

Student Sample: Renaming Our School

Step 6 - Day 4, 5, 6
Now consider who you are as a Brown student and an Atlantan. Where/when were you born? Who are your parents? What schools have you attended? Are there are any events or activities that have changed or shaped your life in a significant way? Use the Autobiography Packet to begin to develop a personal history and to develop the artifacts for you Shoe Box Museum. Your written biography is due by Day 6.

Student Sample: Autobiography

Step 7 - Day 7, 8, 9
During class, we will go to the Genealogy site and create a family tree to save and print for your presentation. (Remember to link to 'Create a Tree').

Step 8 - Day 10, 11, 12
Shoe Box Museum
The Shoe Box Museum is a special project that lets you share some of the information you have gathered on yourself and your family. It is a "Show and Tell" presentation that you will make for your classmates, school and parents.

A-Review the information that you have collected from your Autobiography Packet.

B-Find an empty shoe box with a lid.

C-Cover your shoe box with colored paper or paint it on Day 10 in the classroom.

D-Select items from your Autobiography Packet to scan and glue along the walls of the museum. You may select other small items to include as symbols of your life and works of art for others to view. You may also include your family tree.

E-Prepare a presentation in which you tell about your personal and family history and show the objects. Make your presentation no longer than 5 minutes.

Step 9 - Day 13,14
Presentations

Evaluation

	10	15	20
Autobiography	Autobiography is hand written in black ink and contains details regarding the author's personal history. It is free of grammatical and spelling errors.	Autobiography is typed, double spaced, 12 pt font. It contains many details about personal and family history and is free of grammatical and spelling errors.	Autobiography is typed, double spaced, 12 pt font. It contains many details about personal and family history, is free of grammatical and spelling errors and is written and published/presented in a creative style.
Family Tree	Family tree is hand drawn and contains only two generations.	Family tree is generated by the required software and contains three generations.	Family tree is generated by the required software, includes more than three generations and is published/ presented in a creative style.
Shoe Box Museum	Museum contains three items from your Autobiography Packet.	Museum contains more than three items from your Autobiography Packet and is creatively decorated.	Museum contains more than three items from your Autobiography Packet, the museum contains decor that gives meaning and understanding about your personal history.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully examined yourself as a BMS student and an Atlantan. Remember that you need to set goals and stick to them. Should you falter, consider the legend of the Phoenix and rise again! Good luck as you meet the challenges of the coming year.

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Contact Information
Romonda M. Cottrell
Challenge Social Studies
Brown Middle School
765 Peeples Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30311