Label a new section in your notes First

Label a new section in your notes First They Killed My Father FTKMF

Objectives �Answer critical thinking questions in response to the text �Analyze the development of a complex character �Identify the elements of fiction/figurative language �Increase vocabulary knowledge and cultural proficiency �Compose self-text-world connections

“This book left me gasping for air…” This is a story of the triumph of a child’s indomitable spirit over the tyranny of the Khmer Rouge; over a culture where children are trained to become killing machines…” “A gripping narrative…” “Chillingly evocative… a straightforward, unblinking account…” First They killed My Father Loung Ung “A riveting memoir… An important, moving work that those who have suffered cannot afford to forget and those who have been spared cannot afford to ignore. ” – San Francisco Chronicle

Memoir � A historical account written from personal knowledge or special sources � How one remembers one’s own life � A collection of memories

A memoir is not what happens, but the person to whom things happen Virginia Woolf Memoir is a window into a life William Zinsser Memoir is not the whole head of hair, but one or two of the strands of hair Jean Little

6 Word Memoirs Ernest Hemingway (American Author) was challenged To write a full story in 6 words. His response: For Sale: baby shoes, never worn. If you were given this challenge, what would you write about? Would it be sad? Funny?

6 Word Memoirs �“One life. Six Words. What’s yours? ” �You have 6 words. Create your own 6 Word Memoir. Capture a moment of your life. What’s worth sharing? �Step 1: Brainstorm in your notebook

Loung Ung � “From 1975 to 1979– through execution, starvation, disease, and forced labor– the Khmer Rouge systematically killed an estimated two million Cambodians, almost a fourth of the country’s population. � This is a story of survival: my own and my family’s. Though these events constitute my experience, my story mirrors that of millions of Cambodians. If you had been living in Cambodia during this period, this would be your story too. ”

Brief History of the Khmer Rouge �Pol Pot leader of the Khmer Rouge �Khmer Rouge Communist party took over Cambodia in 1975. In charge of the Cambodian Genocide – at least 1. 5 million Cambodians died. �Goal? To transform Cambodia into a rural, classless society in which there were no rich people, no poor people.

Life under the Khmer Rouge Regime � Abolished � Money � Free markets � Schooling � Churches � Universities � Shops � Government buildings (turned into prisons) � Private property � Public/private transportation

Exploring the Novel �You will be in charge of your novel. Treat this book with respect. You will be charged if you lose or ruin the novel. �Take a moment now to explore the cover, reviews, summary, maps, and family tree. �On your notecard, jot down a few notes, documenting your exploration. �What do you notice?

Exit Ticket: �Name/Class Period on your notecard �List 2 things you hope to learn or gain from our FTKMF unit? �Notecard: Lined side Exit Ticket Blank Side Memoir