Today is Tuesday, November 8, 2016. The number one priority for today is to finish up the centers we started last week. Hopefully, by the end of centers you will have started your Google slide presentation on the Mexican Revolution, finished your RAFTS quiz, and gained a better understanding of AHA! Moments. We looked at the Mexican Revolution briefly in yesterday's blog post. It is important to understand because the Mexican Revolution is part of the exposition in the story of Esperanza Rising. After the exposition, we know that the author will lay out the conflict or the rising action. As we read today, think about what kind of conflict might be unfolding in the story.
Keep an eye out for this passage as we read today. It is located on page 36 of Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. The character Miguel says,
"My father and I have lost faith in our country. We were born servants here and no matter how hard we work we will always be servants. Your father was a good man. He gave us a small piece of land and a cabin. But your uncles... you know their reputation. They would take it all away and treat us like animals. We will not work for them. The work is hard in the United States but at least there we have a chance to be more than just servants."
This is another quote that you could use to connect the book to the real life event of the Mexican Revolution. In the Brainpop, Tim and Moby talk about an "ejido". This quote is an example of that.
One more thing to add is an additional Notice and Note Signpost. The new signpost is called Contrast & Contradiction. The clue for this signpost is when a character says or does something in a way you would not expect. Stop and ask yourself, "why is the character doing that?" The answer to this question can help you make a prediction or inference about the plot, conflict, or character.
I better get off the toilet now,
Mr. C
From the cluttered mind of C, Teacher
Kenosha Unified School District
