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 8/29
In class: Hello! and Welcome
- Introductions
- Fill out the “By the Book Form”
Fri 8/30
Course Overview
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
Tues 9/3
Library Book Talks
Selecting 1st Independent Reading Book of the Year!
HW: Bring in 1st book
Wed 9/4
Independent Reading
- What did the first few (or continued) pages seem to be about? What is the setting? Who is your main character?
Setting Up Our Notebook
Reading Ocean Vuong’s “Surrendering” & Discussion discussion
Thurs 9/5
Drop
Fri 9/6
Reading Time
QW: What is language that you find powerful or beautiful? Can you recall the quote or how certain words made you feel? What makes language beautiful?
Digging into the Text
- 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 the criteria, go “digging” in “Surrendering” for beauty.
Using our list of what writers do to create beautiful sentences, students will write their own.
- Use your sentence from Ocean Vuong’s “Surrendering” as a frame
HW: Read first 5 pages of Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Trading Stories: Notes on an Apprenticeship” and note details that stand out to you and sentences that you like. If there are any words you are unfamiliar with, look them up and write them in the “Word Nerd” section of your notebook.
Mon 9/9
Reading time
QW: Do you consider yourself a “reader”? Do you consider yourself a “writer”? Why or why not? What experiences have you had that confirm this belief about yourself?
“Trading Stories”
- Answering questions
HW: finish reading and highlighting/underlining/noting details and language that stands out to you
Tues 9/10
Reading time and overview for conferences
QW: What is your earliest memory associated with reading and/or writing? Describe.
Reviewing Lahiri
Working with your group answer the following:
-
- 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?
HW: Choose two words from the Lahiri piece to add to your Word Nerd section of your notebook and include the definitions. Choose one sentence from her piece as a model to create your own (use her structure and/or word choice)
Wed 9/11
Reviewing words and sentences
Overview of assignment
Begin pre-writing
HW: Pre-writing for Who Are You? on google classroom
Freewriting for 15 minutes using one of the pre-writing memories
- Describe the situation, memory, details – get down as many as you can
Options for structuring the essay
HW: continue drafting
Thurs 9/12
Drafting essay and conferencing for essay and independent reading
Mini lesson on crappy first drafts
HW: Spend another 15 minutes drafting
Fri 9/13
Reading conference overviews
QW: Close your eyes and think about something you saw on the way to school today. Then, in writing, try to zoom in and describe it in detail using the five senses, choosing words carefully to get across your observations, thoughts and feelings.
- How can you apply this to a moment of your essay about you as a reader and writer?
- Where is a moment that requires this amount of detail?
Drafting
HW: Spend another 15 minutes on your draft.
Mon 9/16
Final in class work day
HW: Submit draft on google classroom
Arri Weeks 