This unit is our way of getting to know each other by addressing the essential question:
- In what ways does experience inform identity?
Specifically, you are addressing how you became the reader and/or writer you are through a personal essay
Thurs 8/30
In class: Hello! and Welcome
- Introductions
Signing up for Remind
HW: Read and sign syllabus & visit the website. You’re here…you made it.
- Make sure you understand content & policies
- Bookmark the page
- Fill out the “By the Book Form”
Fri 8/31
What do you want the class to look like and feel like for the year?
Defining respect for the year
- What are your expectations of how others will demonstrate respect in the class?
- What are your expectations of your teacher to demonstrate respect in the class?
- Contract
HW: Reading Ocean Vuong’s “Surrendering” and answering reading questions on google classroom
Tues 9/4
“Surrendering” discussion
- Reviewing questions
- Language that stands out to you
Library book talks and independent reading assignment
HW: Reading your book and posting the title and why you chose it on classroom
Wed 9/5
Drop
Thurs 9/6
Reading Time
QW: Do you believe that you are a math person or an English person? Or do you believe you believe one can be good at both? Describe how you came to that belief.
QW: What makes a sentence beautiful?
Using the criteria, go “digging” in “Surrendering” for beauty.
- What do you notice?
- What feeling, idea, or event is the sentence conveying?
- How does the writer “do it”?
- Is there any repetition or other literary devices?
- What specific word choice stands out to you?
- What is special, exciting, powerful, or summoning about this sentence?
Using our list of what writers do to create beautiful sentences, students will write their own.
Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Trading Stories: Notes on an Apprenticeship”
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- Reading and answering questions
HW: finish reading and answering questions
Fri 9/7
“Trading Stories”
Working with your group answer the following:
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- What is the structure of Lahiri’s “Trading Stories?”
- Where is a sentence you like? What do you like about it?
- Where is a place she shows not tells? Why is it effective?
Encyclopedia of an Reading & Writing Life brainstorming exercise (see handout)
HW: 10 total entries to Encyclopedia of a Reading & Writing Life on Google Classroom!
Tues 9/11
Reading time and overview for conferences
Sharing encyclopedic entries
Overview of assignment
Begin pre-writing
HW: Pre-writing for Who Are You? on google classroom
Wed 9/12
Drafting essay and conferencing for essay and independent reading
HW: continue drafting
Thurs 9/13
Drafting essay and conferencing for essay and independent reading
Mini lesson on ‘showing not telling’
HW: Highlighting an area where you worked on ‘showing not telling’ and language
Fri 9/14
Drafting essay and conferencing for essay and independent reading
Final work day
HW: Turn in draft on google classroom
Arri Weeks 