firstyearexperiencenovelforfall2010.doc

First Year Experience Novel for Fall 2010 California State University, Bakersfield Burro Genius: A Memoir By Victor Villasenor ~Teacher’s Edition~ Module Written by Abby Flachmann  Reading Rhetorically Prereading English(Language Arts (ELA) Content Standard: Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics) 2.3 Write reflective compositions: a. Explore the significance of personal experiences, events, conditions, or concerns by using rhetorical strategies (e.g., narration, description, exposition, persuasion). Getting Ready to Read This first activity will help students focus on the subject at hand as they prepare for the reading ahead. Activity 1: Getting Ready to Read The following quote is from Burro Genius. Read the quote; then complete the quickwrite in your journals or on a separate sheet of paper. “And I thanked mi papa whod always said to me that we . . . were like the weeds. That roses you had to water and give fertilizer or theyd die. But weeds, indigenous plants, you gave them nada-nothing; hell you even poisoned them and put concrete over them, and those weeds would still break the concrete” (21). What do you think this quote means? In what ways are weeds better than roses, according to Villasenor’s father? Discuss a time when you have felt like a weed—unbreakable and strong enough to overcome any obstacle. Answers will vary. You might have your students discuss their responses in groups or as a class. Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development 1.0 Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately. 1.3 Discern the meaning of analogies encountered, analyzing specific comparisons as well as relationships and inferences. Introducing Key Concepts This next activity discusses opportunities for threading the module together conceptually. Key concepts are introduced and taught through activities that will be revisited during