Quick Write respond thoroughly and thoughtfully to the

Quick Write— respond thoroughly and thoughtfully to the following questions. List people that are seen as heroic in the media. List qualities/characteristics about these people. What do these qualities & characteristics say about the culture/communities that they belong to?

The Hero’s Journey— http: //ed. ted. com/lessons/ what-makes-a-heromatthew-winkler

The Hero’s Journey– Essential Questions How does the hero and other archetypes reflect and/or critique behaviors, beliefs, and social roles typical of the culture that created it? What constitutes heroism in a work of literature? What does this say about the culture? How is the hero’s journey reflected in the knowledge gained by a character over the course of a book?

Selecting Choice Texts— We will go through the 6 options for choice texts. Be sure to pay attention to the synopsis for each book to determine if this seems like something you will like to read. You will be given a sheet that asks you to rank the choice texts in the order that you wish to read them.

We Were Here

The story of one boy and his journey to find himself. Synopsis— When it happened, Miguel was sent to Juvi. The judge gave him a year in a group home—said he had to write in a journal so some counselor could try to figure out how he thinks. The judge had no idea that he actually did Miguel a favor. Ever since it happened, his mom can’t even look at him in the face. Any home besides his would be a better place to live. But Miguel didn’t bet on meeting Rondell or Mong or on any of what happened after they broke out. He only thought about Mexico and getting to the border to where he could start over. Forget his mom. Forget his brother. Forget himself. Life usually doesn’t work out how you think it will, though. And most of the time, running away is the quickest path right back to what you’re running from.

Red Glass

Synopsis— One night Sophie and her parents are called to a hospital where Pedro, a six-year-old Mexican boy, is recovering from dehydration. Crossing the border into Arizona with a group of Mexicans and a coyote, or guide, Pedro and his parents faced such harsh conditions that the boy is the only survivor. Pedro comes to live with Sophie, her parents, and Sophie's Aunt Dika, a refugee of the war in Bosnia. Sophie loves Pedro—her Principito, or Little Prince. But after a year, Pedro’s surviving family in Mexico makes contact, and Sophie, Dika’s new boyfriend, and his son must travel with Pedro to his hometown so that he can make a heart-wrenching decision.

The Book Thief

The extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller that will be in movie theaters on November 15, 2013, Markus Zusak's unforgettable story is about the ability of books to feed the soul. It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still. Synopsis— Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement. In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.

A Wizard of Earthsea—

Synopsis— Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance.

Sold

Synopsis— Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a small hut on a mountain in Nepal. Though she is desperately poor, her life is full of simple pleasures, like playing hopscotch with her best friend from school, and having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. But when the harsh Himalayan monsoons wash away all that remains of the family’s crops, Lakshmi’s stepfather says she must leave home and take a job to support her family. He introduces her to a glamorous stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid in the city. Glad to be able to help, Lakshmi journeys to India and arrives at “Happiness House” full of hope. But she soon learns the unthinkable truth: she has been sold into prostitution.

Always Running—

By age twelve, Luis Rodriguez was a veteran of East Los Angeles gang warfare. Lured by a seemingly invincible gang culture, he witnessed countless shootings, beatings, and arrests and then watched with increasing fear as gang life claimed friends and family members. Before long, Rodriguez saw a way out of the barrio through education and the power of words and successfully broke free from years of violence and desperation. Synopsis Achieving success as an award-winning poet, he was sure the streets would haunt him no more—until his young son joined a gang. Rodriguez fought for his child by telling his own story in Always Running, a vivid memoir that explores the motivations of gang life and cautions against the death and destruction that inevitably claim its participants. At times heartbreakingly sad and brutal, Always Running is ultimately an uplifting true story, filled with hope, insight, and a hard-earned lesson for the next generation.

We will go through the 6 options for choice texts. Selecting Choice Texts — Be sure to pay attention to the synopsis for each book to determine if this seems like something you will like to read. You will be given a sheet that asks you to rank the choice texts in the order that you wish to read them.

Always Running Sold Choice Text Rank— The Book Thief The Red Glass The Wizard of Earthsea We Were Here

What book are your reading? Who is the protagonist in your book? How do you know? Task: as you read your independent choice text, answer the following questions. What kind of place does he/she live? How does he/she feel about his/her home? Is there a “call-to-action? ” How do you know?

Monday: ACT Aspire Test Tuesday: Red Riding Hood & heroes Weekly Schedule Wednesday: “The Apple of Discord” Thursday: “The Apple of Discord” Friday: Independent reading & meet with groups

Warm up: Respond to the following question thoroughly and thoughtfully. Do you need to know someone’s history to truly understand them? Explain.

Keep in mind, the comparison we made between characters and icebergs as we read. Like our inability to see all parts of an iceberg, we also do not have a clear vision of all elements that impact characters in books. The Apple of Discord Sometimes we develop a clear understanding of why a character behaves the way he/she does because the most defining moments of his/her life happen during the story. Other times we miss out on crucial information because their history is not included in the book. With that in mind, realize that “The Apple of Discord” gives us a background to understanding the history of a hero that we will read a great deal about: Ulysses.

What is the significance of the frog and the scorpion? (page 151) Explain. Respond to the following questions thoroughly and thoughtfully. What is the significance of the butterfly in the play? (page 166) Explain. -Thursday & Friday (09. 25 -09. 26) What is the significance of telling stories based on the inclusion of these mini-tales within this larger story?