Teaching Resource for Cultural Memoirs English Language Arts * Literature * Culture

Instructional Supports Background building resources: https://www.pinterest.com/thinkcerca/cultural-memoirs-cerca-set-board/

ELD Supports: Begins on Page 5 of this document

Key Question How does culture help shape the people we become?

Learning Objectives

Reading Students will read and analyze short personal narratives about how a person’s culture shapes their identity, behavior, and decisions. By reading closely to determine central themes, students will be well equipped to analyze themes and create effective arguments about them. Based on their analysis of engaging and high-quality short works of literary nonfiction, which were selected for their craft and complexity, students will have an opportunity to build an argument to express their point of view about themes the authors are exploring.

Writing Students will write an argument in response to the CERCA Question with a focus on analyzing themes.

Building Knowledge Students extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity through reading personal narratives from individuals from different cultural backgrounds.

Collaboration Before completing the differentiated lessons in this set, put students in pairs and tell them they will be reading short personal narratives about people’s cultures. Give students 30 seconds to think about an aspect of their culture that is important to them. Then have students share their thoughts with a partner. Each partner should take 30 seconds to share. Give students 60 seconds to find one way in which the aspects of their cultures are similar and one way in which they are different. As students work on their differentiated lessons, there are multiple opportunities for collaboration.

www.thinkcerca.com

After completing the differentiated lessons in this set, use either the key question ( ) or additional key questions to prompt deeper thinking and build knowledge collaboratively using evidence from the text. These questions work best in Socratic discussions.

● How does culture help shape the people we become? ● Is culture the most important aspect of people’s identities, or are other factors more influential? ● Is reading one individual’s personal story helpful in understanding a broader culture?

CERCA Questions *ThinkCERCA’s text complexity approach blends both qualitative and quantitative elements with the student at the center of our thinking and design at all times. According to the Common Core, “Qualitative measures, along with professional judgment in matching a text to reader and task, serve as a necessary complement and sometimes as a corrective to quantitative measures, which...cannot (at least at present) capture all of the elements that make a text easy or challenging to read and are not equally successful in rating the complexity of all categories of text.” The codes indicate the grade band and the beginning, middle, or end of the range.

2-3M Grade 3: Would the boy agree with his father that falling off a horse is an important lesson in learning how to ride one? Students read a short personal narrative by Tolstoy about a boy learning life lessons while learning to ride a horse. They determine the central message and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text. Then they write an opinion about the theme of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

6-8E Grade 4: Why does the author call her personal narrative “Another Planet”? Students read a short personal narrative about a young woman from a small town visiting a big city for the first time. They determine the theme from details in the text. Then they write an opinion about the theme of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

6-8E Grade 5: How does Santiago use her memories of guavas throughout various points in her life to show the reader how she responds to leaving Puerto Rico to begin a new life in the continental United States? Students read a short personal narrative about one woman’s journey from her childhood in Puerto Rico to her adulthood in the continental United States. They determine the theme of the story from details in the text, including how characters respond to challenges. Then they write an opinion about the theme of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

4-5B Grade 6: What valuable lesson does the author learn from his step-father? Students read a short personal narrative about a boy learning lessons about proving oneself by working with his step-father. They determine a theme of the text and how it is conveyed through particular details. Then they write an

www.thinkcerca.com

argument about the theme of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

4-5B Grade 7: Were Colon’s feelings of guilt justified? Students read a short personal narrative about an encounter between a Puerto Rican man and a white woman. They determine the theme of the text and analyze its development over the course of the text. Then they write an argument about the theme of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

4-5B Grade 8: What does the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s mother tell readers about Smith’s community? Students read a short personal narrative about a young woman from a working class family and her desire for knowledge. They determine a theme of the text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot. Then they write an argument about the theme of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

6-8B Grade 9: Why was Myers so devastated that he did not know his father was unable to read until his father’s death? Students read a short personal narrative by Walter Dean Myers about a young man’s relationship with his adoptive parents. They determine a theme of the text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details. Then they write an argument with a focus on the theme of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

9-10E Grade 10: Why does the father want his sons to help him poach the geese? Students read a short personal narrative about a young man’s hunting expedition with his father and brother. They determine a theme of the text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details. Then they write an argument with a focus on the theme of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

6-8B Grade 11: How does the author explore themes of the impact of culture on intimacy through the story of her relationship with her grandmother? Students read a short personal narrative about a Chinese-American woman’s relationship with her grandmother who lives in China. They determine two or more themes of the text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account. Then they write an argument with a focus on the themes of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

9-10B Grade 12: Why did Ava’s experiences at the party have a particularly devastating impact on her during her already traumatizing experiences as a hidden child? Students read a short personal narrative about a young woman’s experiences in hiding during the Holocaust. They determine two or more themes of the text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account. Then they write an argument with a focus on the themes of the story to extend their exploration of the impact of culture on individual, family, and community identity.

Cross-Curricular Connections Social Studies: Westward Expansion ELA Informational Text: Cultural Perception

www.thinkcerca.com

Longer Works Connections

Literature Informational Texts

Grade 3-5: Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr Grade 6-8: The Lightning Queen by Laura Resau Grade 9-10: Girl at War by Sara Nović Grade 11-12: How the García Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez

Grade 3-5: Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh Grade 6-8: Going Where I'm Coming From: Memoirs of American Youth by Anne Mazer Grade 9-10: Night by Elie Wiesel Grade 11-12: Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Extension activities Grade 3-5: Students research a famous person--for example, an author, a politician, or an entrepreneur--to find out more about their background: where they grew up, what their family was like, how they were educated, and so on. Then they write a letter to that person asking how their background and culture influenced their life’s work. Grade 6-8: Students interview a relative or community member about how their culture has influenced their lives. Students should think about asking for particular stories or moments that stand out to that person as being of significance to both their culture and their life. Then students share what they learned about how culture influences a person’s life either to their class, the larger school, or a relevant cultural organization through a presentation. Grade 9-12: Students work in small groups to research a particular place and time period that involved cultural change--for example, immigration to the United States from Asia through Angel Island in the early 1900s or the end of the Cold War in Eastern Europe in the 1990s. Point them toward resources particularly for primary source documents, such as the Library of Congress or the Cold War International History Project from the Wilson Center. Then students share what they learned about how people at the time felt about the changes and challenges to their culture in some form: a visual or oral presentation, a play or video, or a written work.

www.thinkcerca.com

Use the Frayer Model with students.

NOTE: Some students will need support for additional words not listed on the student support page. Weave them into the instruction.

Connect 1

Complete Step 1: Connect.

Read the overview aloud and discuss vocabulary. Then read the writing prompt aloud for students before they answer.

Complete Step 1: Connect.

Ask students to share examples of when people broke a rule and what happened. Encourage them to use examples from literature. Discuss whether the person knew about the rule and the reactions of others to the rule-breaking.

Cultural Memoirs English Language Arts

How does culture help shape the people we become?

Off the Shelf What does the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s mother tell readers about Smith’s community?

CERCA SET

Introduce the CERCA Question

ASK: Who makes up your community?

Support language acquisition with the following sentence frame:

My community includes ____________________.

ASK: How do people know how to treat each other in your community?

Discuss rules and expectations and how those are communicated.

READING CCSS.RL.8.2 WRITING CCSS.W.8.1

RESOURCES

LESSON TITLE

CERCA QUESTION

Online

Offline

Activity time period

Audio

Available in English and Spanish

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

Have students work in pairs to complete graphic organizer for the words. Instead of the box for ‘characteristics’ in the traditional Frayer model, replace with a box for ‘drawing’ and have students draw a picture that represents the word. Students should write definition in their own words with support from teacher as needed.

After the routine have students add the focus words to their word notebooks.

Introduce Vocabulary

Have students work in pairs to complete the graphic organizer for the words. Students should write definition in their own words with support from teacher as needed.

After the routine have students add the focus words to their word notebooks.

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

En | Sp

En | Sp

• Build Background Knowledge https://www.pinterest.com/thinkcerca/cultural-memoirs-cerca-set-board/ • CERCA Framework • Vocabulary Routine • Speaking and Listening Routines

© 2

016

Thin

kCER

CA.

com

, Inc

.

Introduce the memoir and explain that the store detective, Smith, and Smith’s mother are people in the memoir. Define memoir for students. Define community and discuss different types of communities. You can use your school or your class as an example of a community where people know one another.

1

Whole group

Small group

Individual activity

Speaking and listening activity

Have students log in to ThinkCERCA and click into this lesson.

INTR

OD

UC

E

Have students read the text, using Vocabulary from the student support page as appropriate.

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

Engage with the Text Read

Ask a student to read aloud the summary in English to practice their fluency.

Complete Step 2: Read.

Discuss comprehension questions. Point out key vocabulary words in the text, especially as they are relevant to finding answers.

Read comprehension questions with students before they begin reading the passage.

Complete Step 2: Read.

Discuss comprehension questions. Point out key vocabulary words in the text, especially as they are relevant to finding answers.

Introduce the Summary

Have students read the Spanish version on the student support page, if applicable, before you read the summary aloud and have students follow along.

En | Sp Remind students that this is a summary for the passage they will read. Point out the Vocabulary as you read.

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding Model highlighting the text for students.

Complete Step 3: Engage with the Text.

Use the following sentence frames to discuss the highlights students made. In this story, the author explains that her family struggles economically by ________________. She feels _________________ about these struggles. The detective responds to Patti by _________________. Her mother responds by ____________.

Complete Step 3: Engage with the Text.

Discuss the highlighting students did. Ask students to share their highlights and notes, and use the following sentence stems to support student engagement in the conversation.

Patti Smith’s family economic struggles include ________________. Smith feels _______________. The detective ________________instead of __________. Her mother ____________. This was [expected/unexpected] because ____________ and changed the narrative to ___________.

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

© 2

016

Thin

kCER

CA.

com

, Inc

.

2 3 NOTE: If you have concerns that your students are struggling with comprehension, you may wish to work with them on Step 4: Summarize before Step 3: Engage with the Text.

REA

D

Build Your Argument Summarize

Complete a summary of the article together using either the suggested sentence frames below or the stems in the product. Encourage students to use Vocabulary from the lesson.

Use the following sentence frames to create a summary. Patti Smith comes from a family that________________. She wants _________________, but ______________. In response, the detective _______________ and her mother __________.

Complete Step 4: Summarize.

Complete Step 4: Summarize.

Review the summaries to ensure that all students understand the big ideas of the passage. Encourage students to use Vocabulary from the lesson.

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

Practice creating a CERCA together using the CERCA graphic organizer (online or offline) and the leveled frames below and on the student support pages. Remind students that some of their evidence can come from their highlighting work.

NOTE: You may wish to have students orally respond to the CERCA question using a Listening and Speaking Routine instead of writing a response.

Use the following sentence frames to complete the CERCA graphic organizer. Claim In this story, the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s mother to Smith’s theft show ________________ about Smith’s community Reason because their reaction is ________________ instead of __________. Evidence Smith took _________________, and in response the detective ___________. Reasoning Most probably, Smith felt ___________ when he did this because ____________. Counterargument It may appear that the detective ____________________. However, he actually __________.

Complete Step 5: Build Your Argument.

Have students share their thoughts with the group.

Use the following sentence frames to complete the CERCA graphic organizer. Claim Smith’s community is probably ______________. Reason because in response to the theft the store detective and Smith’s mother ________________. Evidence Smith ___________________ and in response _____________. Reasoning This action ___________. Counterargument It may appear that ____________. However, __________. Evidence In the beginning of the story, Smith’s mother ____________, but at the end ___________________. Reasoning This change illustrates ___________.

Have students complete the graphic organizer with at least one more piece of evidence and associated reasoning. Assist as needed.

Complete Step 5: Build Your Argument.

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

© 2

016

Thin

kCER

CA.

com

, Inc

.

4 5

Prepare students to write a CERCA by having them summarize the text.

DR

AFT

Have students write their CERCA in the lesson online so that you can provide feedback and monitor growth. NOTE: Remind students that they can use the Copy all button to move their work into the text box.

Create Your CERCA Complete Speaking and Listening Activities

Have students write their CERCA. Provide support as necessary. Remind students that they can use vocabulary words as they write.

Use this sentence frame to help students conclude their CERCA: Smith’s community is made up of ________________ people, which is clear because the story is all about _________.

Have students add a conclusion and then reread their draft. Then have them submit to complete Step 6: Write Your CERCA.

Use the responses students made in the graphic organizer to model writing in response to the CERCA question.

Have students reread their draft. Then have them submit to complete Step 6: Write Your CERCA.

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

Complete a whole group speaking and listening activity with all students who completed the grade level lesson. Prompt students to use the vocabulary from the passage in the activity.

Use the Give One, Get One, Move On activity.

Use the Give One, Get One, Move On activity. You may wish to have students move from small groups to partners as they move through the activity.

LEVEL 3-4 Expanding

LEVEL 4-5 Bridging

© 2

016

Thin

kCER

CA.

com

, Inc

.

6

WR

ITE

AND

DIS

CU

SS

Vocabulary accompanied (verb): went with

agitated (adj.): annoyed

barrage (noun): a flurry of objects or criticisms

bear (verb): handle

concept of time (noun): an understanding of what time it is or how long it takes to do something

*confessed (verb): admitted; said one did something

*conspicuous (adj.): hard to miss

contour (noun): shape

*coveted (adj.): desired

crestfallen (adj.): feeling very discouraged

economic (adj.): relating to money

*encyclopedia (noun): a book of facts and information

LESSON Off the Shelf CERCA QUESTION What does the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s mother tell readers about Smith’s community?

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

Vocabulary continued impulsively (adv.): without much thought

lust (verb): want something very much

mounting (adj.): growing

part with (verb): leave behind; separate from

promotional (adj.): related to advertising

rural (adj.): from the countryside

sentencing (noun): the announcement of the punishment for a crime

*shoplift (verb): take merchandise from a store without paying

sternly (adv): forcefully, strictly

strike (noun): a time when workers stop working in order to get their employers to give them better working conditions

*sustained (verb): kept alive

swiftly (adv.): quickly

tend to (verb): take care of

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

Vocabulary continued tense (verb): become stressed

workplace (noun): a place where one works and earns a living

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

Summary

In this story, Patti Smith tells of her childhood in rural New Jersey,

of a time when her family really needed to watch what they spent and could not buy extra things. One day, in the supermarket, Patti noticed an

encyclopedia for sale. She coveted it, and was crestfallen when her mother wouldn’t buy it for her. A week later, her mother sent her to the

supermarket to buy some milk and bread. While she was at the supermarket, Patti walked up and down the aisles reading the

encyclopedia. She couldn’t bear to part with it and impulsively put it under her shirt. She paid for the milk and bread, and quickly left the store.

A huge man stopped her and told her he knew she stole. Patti was horrified and confessed by showing the book to the man. He was

surprised to see what she had taken, and instead of punishing her, made her promise to confess to her parents, which she did when she got home.

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

LESSON Off the Shelf CERCA QUESTION What does the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s mother tell readers about Smith’s community?

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

accompanied (verb): went with

acompañó (verbo): fue con alguien

agitated (adj.): annoyed

agitado (adjetivo): molesto

barrage (noun): a flurry of objects or criticisms

aluvión (sustantivo): una serie de objeciones o críticas

bear (verb): handle

soportar (verbo): manejar o llevar

concept of time (noun): understanding of what time it is or how long it takes to do something

noción del tiempo (sustantivo): comprensión de qué hora es o cuánto tiempo se tarda en hacer algo

*confessed (verb): admitted, said one did something

*confesó (verbo): admitió, dijo que uno hizo algo

*conspicuous (adj.): hard to miss

*notorio (adjetivo): difícil pasar por alto

contour (noun): shape

contorno (sustantivo): forma

*coveted (adj.): desired

*codiciado (adjetivo): deseado

crestfallen (adj.): feeling very discouraged

cabizbajo (adjetivo): sentirse muy desanimado

LESSON TITLE Off the Shelf CERCA QUESTION What does the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s mother tell readers about Smith’s

community?

¿Qué les dice la reacción del detective de la tienda y de la madre de Smith a los lectores sobre la comunidad de Smith?

Vocabulary

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

Vocabulary continued

economic (adj.): relating to money

económico (adjetivo): en relación con el dinero

*encyclopedia (noun): a book of facts and information

*enciclopedia (sustantivo): un libro de hechos e información

impulsively (adv.): without much thought

impulsivamente (adverbio): sin pensarlo mucho

lust (verb): to want something very much

codiciar (verbo): querer algo con muchas ganas

mounting (adj.): growing

creciente (adjetivo): aumentado

part with (verb): leave behind, separate from

desprenderse de algo (verbo): dejar atrás, separarse de

promotional (adj.): related to advertising

promocional (adjetivo): relacionado con la publicidad

rural (adj): from the countryside, the opposite of urban, which means from the city

rural (adjetivo): relacionado con el campo, lo opuesto a urbano, que significa propio de la ciudad

sentencing (noun): the announcement of the punishment for a crime

sentencia (sustantivo): el anuncio del castigo por un crimen

*shoplift (verb): take merchandise from a store without paying

*hurtar en tiendas (verbo): tomar la mercancía de una tienda sin pagar

sternly (adv): forcefully, strictly

severamente (adverbio): con fuerza, en sentido estricto

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

Vocabulary continued

strike (noun): a time when workers stop working in order to get their employers to give them better working conditions

huelga (sustantivo): un momento en que los trabajadores dejan de trabajar con el fin de conseguir que sus empleadores les den mejores condiciones de trabajo

*sustained (verb): kept alive

*sostenido (verbo): mantenido con vida

swiftly (adv.): quickly

rápidamente (adverbio): de forma rápida

tend to (verb): take care of

atender (verbo): cuidar de algo o alguien

tense (verb): become stressed

tensar (verbo): ponerse nervioso

workplace (noun): a place where one works and earns a living

lugar de trabajo (sustantivo): un lugar donde se trabaja y se gana la vida

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

Summary In this story, Patti Smith tells of her childhood in rural New Jersey, of a

time when her family really needed to watch what they spent and could not buy extra things. One day, in the supermarket, Patti noticed an encyclopedia for sale. She coveted it, and was crestfallen when her mother wouldn’t buy it for her. A week later, her mother sent her to the supermarket to buy some milk and bread. While she was at the supermarket, Patti walked up and down the aisles reading the encyclopedia. She couldn’t bear to part with it, and impulsively put it under her shirt. She paid for the milk and bread, and quickly left the store. A huge man stopped her, and told her he knew she stole. Patti was horrified and confessed by showing the book to the man. He was surprised to see what she had taken, and instead of punishing her, made her promise to confess to her parents, which she did when she got home.

En esta historia, Patti Smith habla de su infancia en la zona rural de Nueva Jersey, tiempo en el que su familia debía cuidar el dinero que gastaban y no podían comprar cosas adicionales. Un día, en el supermercado, Patti vio que tenían una enciclopedia en oferta. Ella la codiciaba, y se fue cabizbaja cuando su madre le dijo que lo podía comprarla. Una semana después, su madre la envió al supermercado a comprar leche y pan. Mientras Patti estaba en el supermercado, caminaba de un lado a otro por los pasillos leyendo la enciclopedia. No podía soportar la idea de desprenderse de ella, e impulsivamente la puso bajo su blusa. Ella pagó la leche y el pan, y rápidamente salió de la tienda. Un enorme hombre la detuvo, y le dijo que sabía que había robado algo. Patti se horrorizó y confesó, mostrándole el libro al hombre. Él se sorprendió al ver lo que había tomado, y en lugar de castigarla, le hizo prometer que se lo confesaría a sus padres, lo cual ella hizo en cuanto llegó a casa.

LESSON TITLE Off the Shelf CERCA QUESTION What does the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s mother tell readers about Smith’s

community?

¿Qué les dice la reacción del detective de la tienda y de la madre de Smith a los lectores sobre la comunidad de Smith?

Summarize Patti Smith comes from a family that ______________________________.

She wants _________________________ but _________________________.

In response, the detective ________________________________________

and her mother __________________________________________________.

Build Your Argument

Claim In this story, the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s

mother to Smith’s theft show _____________________________________

about Smith’s community

Reason because their reaction is __________________________________

instead of _______________________________________________________.

Evidence Smith took __________________________, and in response the

detective _______________________________________________________.

Reasoning Most probably, Smith felt _________________________ when

he did this because ______________________________________________.

Counterargument It may appear that the detective _________________.

However, he actually _____________________________________________.

4

5

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

LESSON Off the Shelf CERCA QUESTION What does the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s mother tell readers about Smith’s community?

Build Your Argument Claim Smith’s community is probably ___________________________

Reason because in response to the theft the store detective and

Smith’s mother ______________________________________________.

Evidence Smith ______________________________ and in response

______________________________________________________________.

Reasoning This action _________________________________________.

Counterargument It may appear that ___________________________.

However, _____________________________________________________.

Evidence In the beginning of the story, Smith’s mother

______________________, but at the end _________________________.

Reasoning This change illustrates _____________________________.

Create Your CERCA

Smith’s community is made up of _______________________ people,

which is clear because the story is all about ____________________.

5

6

© 2016 ThinkCERCA.com, Inc.

LESSON Off the Shelf CERCA QUESTION What does the reaction of the store detective and Smith’s mother tell readers about Smith’s community?