Past, present, and future project
In Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge’s reflections on his past and consideration of his present led him to change his future. Since the new year is a time of reflection you will be completing a project to showcase your past, your present, and your plans for the future.
This project will be completed on the paper handed out for that purpose. If you choose, you may use colored poster board of the same size for your project.
Each section must be illustrated with two or more pictures representative of that period in your life. You may draw these pictures, use cut-outs from magazines,etc., create them on a computer, or use photos. If using photos it is recommended that you make photocopies of the photos to use so that none are lost or damaged. You may also use any flat items such as ribbon, stickers, etc. to add interest to your poster. Your poster should reflect your personality in style, color, medium used, décor, etc. It should answer the question: Who are you?
Think about events or influences in your life that made you the person you are today. This might be something as significant as a death or separation or simply joining a sports team or becoming interested in a specific hobby. Maybe a certain person influenced you. When you have identified the events that made you the person you are today, you will have your “past” ideas. Take stock of your life today. What kind of person are you? What are your priorities in life? Paint a snapshot of yourself in words. Are you happy with the person you are? Where do you see yourself in 15 years? Are you on the right track to claim that life or do you need to make adjustments to get where you want to be? This will be the basis of your project.
You will present your conclusions in one of several ways. All three parts must be done in the style you select; no mixing and matching. It needs to be consistent for the maximum impact. Presentation Choices are listed below. Pick only one type and do all three parts the same!
Portrait Poem #1
from Art Belliveau
Poetry deals with the emotions, just as music. An autobiographical poem is personal—it reveals something about the person writing the poem. It does not have to rhyme. Below is a simple plan to write your own autobiographical poem. Just follow the steps and—before you know it—it’s done.
I am (first name)
Son/Daughter of (I've also used brother/sister of...)
Who needs ____________________________________
Who loves , ,
Who sees , ,
Who hates , ,
Who fears , ,
Who dreams of , ,
Who has found poems of
Resident of (I've seen people list here everything from their address to "the small blue green planet third from the sun")
(last name)
Portrait Poem #1 Example
I am Art
Son of Barbara
Who needs time, sleep, exercise
Who loves his wife, his job, his family
Who sees sunsets, both sides, poetry everywhere
Who hates ignorance, apathy, hatred
Who fears failure, success, mediocrity
Who dreams of successful students, published poems, time enough
Who has found poems of anger
Resident of Alabama
Bellive
Portrait Poem #2
Poetry deals with the emotions, just as music. An autobiographical poem is personal—it reveals something about the person writing the poem. It does not have to rhyme. Below is a simple plan to write your own autobiographical poem. Just follow the steps and—before you know it—it’s done.
I AM Poem
FIRST STANZA
I am (two special characteristics you have)
I wonder (something you are actually curious about)
I hear (an imaginary sound)
I see (an imaginary sight)
I want (an actual desire)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
SECOND STANZA
I pretend (something you actually pretend to do)
I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
I touch (an imaginary touch)
I worry (something that really bothers you)
I cry (something that makes you very sad)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
THIRD STANZA
I understand (something you know is true)
I say (something you believe in)
I dream (something you actually dream about)
I try (something you really make an effort about)
I hope (something you actually hope for)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
Portrait Poem #2 Examples
I AM
I am a nutty guy who likes dolphins.
I wonder what I, and the world, will be like in the year 2000.
I hear silence pulsing in the middle of the night.
I see a dolphin flying up to the sky.
I want the adventure of life before it passes me by.
I am a nutty guy who likes dolphins.
I pretend that I'm the ruler of the world.
I feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.
I touch the sky, the stars, the moon, and all the planets as
representatives of mankind.
I worry about the devastation of a nuclear holocaust.
I cry for all the death and poverty in the world
I am a nutty guy who likes dolphins.
I understand the frustration of not being able to do something easily.
I say that we are all equal.
I dream of traveling to other points on the earth.
I try to reach out to poor and starving children.
I hope that mankind will be at peace and not die out.
I am a nutty guy who likes dolphins.
I AM
I am a hard working teacher who loves to laugh
I wonder how my students will do this year
I hear their brains clicking
I see the light in their eyes
I want them to want to succeed
I am a hard working teacher who loves to laugh
I pretend I am always in control
I feel like I’m swimming in quicksand sometimes
I touch the hearts and minds of others
I worry that I am not good enough
I cry when one of my family is in pain
II am a hard working teacher who loves to laugh
I understand I cannot save everyone ignorance and apathy
I say I still need to try
I dream of being the best teacher I can be
I try to make my classes interesting
I hope I never stop caring
I am a hard working teacher who loves to laugh
--Art Belliveau
Portrait Poem #3
Poetry deals with the emotions, just as music. An autobiographical poem is personal—it reveals something about the person writing the poem. It does not have to rhyme. Below is a simple plan to write your own autobiographical poem. Just follow the steps and—before you know it—it’s done.
Follow these steps:
Remember to end the first and last lines with a period (. )End all
other lines with a comma (, ). All first letters of each line are
capitalized.
Line 1 Write your first name.
Line 2 Write four (4) words about you,
Line 3 Write Brother or Sister of and then list your brother or sister's
name, (If you don't have brothers or sisters, write no one.)
Line 4 Write Lover of and then three (3) things you love,
Line 5 Write Who feels and then three (3) things and how you feel about
them,
Line 6 Write Who needs and then three (3) things you need,
Line 7 Write Who gives and then three (3) things you give others,
Line 8 Write Who fears and then three (3) things that scare you,
Line 9 Write Who would like to see and three (3) things you want to see,
Line 10 Write Resident of and then the city you live in, then your street
name,
Line 11 Write your last name.
That’s it! You've created your own poem. Congratulations!
Portrait Poem #3 Examples
Carol.
Busy, tired, mother and teacher,
Sister of Bill,
Lover of children, animals, and a happy classroom,
Who feels joy when reading, power when riding, and sore
muscles at day's end,
Who needs laughter, pets, and flowers,
Who gives help, love, and praise,
Who fears dragons, big bugs, and gaining weight,
Who would like to see everyone succeed, wars end forever, and a cure for A.I.D.'s,
Resident of Deerfield, Aspen,
Krimm.
Portrait Poem #4
Poetry deals with the emotions, just as music. An autobiographical poem is personal—it reveals something about the person writing the poem. It does not have to rhyme. Below is a simple plan to write your own autobiographical poem. Just follow the steps and—before you know it—it’s done.
The piece should be ten lines long, and should begin and end: I am
In between, write four truthful statements about yourself and four lies. The idea is to mix them up so that telling truth from fiction may be difficult. Make the lies believable: we know you aren't ten feet tall and that you don't have an NBA contract. Also don't directly contradict yourself. If you say you are twelve in one line and that you are fourteen in another line, we will know that one of these is a lie.
Portrait Poem #4 Examples
I am Paula Jones.
I am sixteen years old.
I ride wild stallions.
I collect foreign coins.
My sister has six fingers on her left hand.
My mother and I always get along.
Time has stood still for me.
An arsonist destroyed my home.
My father is a mole in the CIA.
I am Paula Jone
Portrait Poem #5
Poetry deals with the emotions, just as music. An autobiographical poem is personal—it reveals something about the person writing the poem. It does not have to rhyme. Below is a simple plan to write your own autobiographical poem. Just follow the steps and—before you know it—it’s done.
This is one developed at Sun Belt Writing Project by Art Belliveau. It’s called the “Who Am I?” Poem.
The first line is “Who am I?”
Then skip a line and write “I am...”
On the next five lines write down family relationships (see example).
Then skip a line and write “I am...”
On the next four lines write down “job titles” that describe you (see example).
Then skip a line and write “I am...”
On the next three lines write a word that physically describes you.
Then skip a line and write “I am...”
On the next two lines write down a characteristic of yours (see example).
Then skip a line and write “I am...”
And finally the word “me.”
Portrait Poem #5 Examples
Who Am I?
I am...
Sarah's husband
Barbara's son
Margie's grandson
Bob's brother
Sean-Micheal's uncle
I am...
a teacher
a reader
a writer
a net surfer
I am...
tall
heavy
hairy
I am...
humorous
curious
I am...
me
--Art Belliveau
Portrait Poem #6
Poetry deals with the emotions, just as music. An autobiographical poem is personal—it reveals something about the person writing the poem. It does not have to rhyme. Below is a simple plan to write your own autobiographical poem. Just follow the steps and—before you know it—it’s done.
This poem has definite structure and must be followed carefully.
L1- first name
L2 - four adjectives that describe you
L3 - tells where you are in your family and gives your parents' names
L4 - names three things you like
L5 - tells how you feel
L6 - tells what you are afraid of
L7 - tells what you would like to see
L8 - last name
Portrait Poem #6 Examples
Ryk--
intelligent, curious, witty, poetic,
firstborn son of Richard Sr. and Dixie,
likes comic books, green Kool-Aid, and The Monkees,
feels happy almost all of the time,
afraid of growing old and dying alone in the dark,
would like to see daybreak from Saturn--
Stanton
Portrait Poem #7
Poetry deals with the emotions, just as music. An autobiographical poem is personal—it reveals something about the person writing the poem. It does not have to rhyme. Below is a simple plan to write your own autobiographical poem. Just the steps and—before you know it—it’s done.
Just Because...
Just because I'm
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
And doesn't mean
Just because
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
Just because
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
Doesn't mean
Just because
(Question)
(Question)
(Question)
(Statement)
Portrait Poem #7 Examples
Just because I'm half Japanese
I'm not a California roll
I'm not a Sony TV or radio
I'm not a Toyota or a Nissan
Just because I'm half Japanese
I don't like being considered one race
I do like being considered a Jew
I'm not a "mixed up person"
Just because I'm half Japanese
I do like things that you do like to do
I do like and play basketball
Just because I'm half Japanese
What is race?
Is there a thing called race?
Can't you just like me because I'm me?
I think so.
Portrait Poem #8
I was... (a series follows describing yourself as a
younger child)
I am... (here the series describes you as you are
now)
I will be...(here it describes the future as you see it)
Example:
I was...
different
lost
confused
awkward
scared
alone & lonely
alienated
hurting
volcanic
seething beneath the surface
searching for answers,
without knowing the questions
I am...
iconoclastic
curious
questioning
less unsure of myself
not lonely or alone
calmer
more introspective
less scared
still awkward
reluctant to define myself
searching for valid questions,
believing there are no firm
answers
I will be...
etc.
Scroll down for the text of "The Jacket", the skills practice pages, and the project requirements.
Figurative Language Vocabulary Terms are under "The Jacket" pages. Scroll down for them.
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“The Jacket” Read and make a list of metaphors and one of similes. Write down any hyperbole or personification you see.
By Gary Soto
My clothes have failed me. I remember the green coat that I wore in fifth and sixth grades
when you either danced like a champ or pressed yourself against a greasy wall, bitter as a penny
toward the happy couples.
When I needed a new jacket and my mother asked what kind I wanted, I described
something like bikers wear: black leather and silver studs with enough belts to hold down a small
town. We were in the kitchen, steam on the windows from her cooking. She listened so long
while stirring dinner that I thought she understood for sure the kind I wanted. The next day when
I got home from school, I discovered draped on my bedpost a jacket the color of day-old
guacamole. I threw my books on the bed and approached the jacket slowly, as if it were a
stranger whose hand I had to shake. I touched the vinyl sleeve, the collar, and peeked at the
mustard-colored lining.
From the kitchen mother yelled that my jacket was in the closet. I closed the door to her
voice and pulled at the rack of clothes in the closet, hoping the jacket on the bedpost wasn’t for
me but my mean brother. No luck. I gave up. From my bed, I stared at the jacket. I wanted to cry
because it was so ugly and so big that I knew I’d have to wear it a long time. I was a small kid,
thin as a young tree, and it would be years before I’d have a new one. I stared at the jacket, like
an enemy, thinking bad things before I took off my old jacket whose sleeves climbed halfway to
my elbow.
I put the big jacket on. I zipped it up and down several times, and rolled the cuffs up so
they didn’t cover my hands. I put my hands in the pockets and flapped the jacket like a bird’s
wings. I stood in front of the mirror, full face, then profile, and then looked over my shoulder as
if someone had called me. I sat on the bed, stood against the bed, and combed my hair to see
what I would look like doing something natural. I looked ugly. I threw it on my brother’s bed
and looked at it for a long time before I slipped it on and went out to the backyard, smiling
a “thank you” to my mom as I passed her in the kitchen. With my hands in my pockets I kicked a
ball against the fence, and then climbed it to sit looking into the alley. I hurled orange peels at
the mouth of an open garbage can and when the peels were gong I watched the white puffs of my
breath thin to nothing.
I jumped down, hands in my pockets, and in the backyard on my knees I teased my dog,
Brownie, by swooping my arms while making birdcalls. He jumped at me and missed. He
jumped again and again, until a tooth stuck deep, ripping an L-shaped tear on my left sleeve. I
pushed Brownie away to study the tear as I would a cut on my arm. There was no blood, only a
few loose pieces of fuzz. Damn dog, I thought, and pushed him away hard when he tried to bite
again. I got up from my knees and went to my bedroom to sit with my jacket on my lap, with the
lights out.
That was the first afternoon with my new jacket. The next day I wore it to sixth grade and
got a D on a math quiz. During the morning recess Frankie T., the playground terrorist, pushed
me to the ground and told me to stay there until recess was over. My best friend, Steve Negrete,
ate an apple while looking at me, and the girls turned away to whisper on the monkey bars. The
teachers were no help: they looked my way and talked about how foolish I looked in my new
jacket. I saw their heads bob with laughter, their hands half-covering their mouths.
Even though it was cold, I took off the jacket during lunch and played kickball in a thin
shirt, my arms feeling like Braille from goose bumps. But when I returned to class I slipped the
jacket on and shivered until I was warm. I sat on my hands, heating them up, while my teeth
chattered like a cup of crooked dice. Finally warm, I slid out of the jacket but a few minutes later
put it back on when the fire bell rang. We paraded out into the yard where we, the fifth graders,
walked past all the other grades to stand against the back fence. Everybody saw me. Although
they didn’t say out loud, “Man, that’s ugly,” I heard the buzz-buzz of gossip and even laughter
that I knew was meant for me.
And so I went, in my guacamole jacket. So embarrassed, so hurt, I wouldn’t even do my
homework. I received Cs on quizzes, and forgot the state capitols and the rivers of South
America, our friendly neighbor. Even the girls who had been friendly blew away like loose
flowers to follow the boys in neat jackets.
I wore that thing for three years until the sleeves grew short and my forearms stuck out
like the necks of turtles. All during that time no love came to me- no little dark girl in a Sunday
dress she wore on Monday. At lunchtime I stayed with the ugly boys who leaned against the
chain link fence and looked around with propellers of grass spinning in our mouths. We saw the
girls walk by alone, saw couples, hand in hand, their heads like bookends pressing air together.
We saw them and spun our propellers so fast our faces were blurs.
I blame that jacket for those bad years. I blame my mother for her bad taste and her cheap
ways. It was a sad time for the heart. With a friend I spent my sixth grade year in a tree in the
ally, waiting for something good to happen to me in that jacket that became my ugly brother who
tagged along wherever I went. And it was about that time I began to grow. My chest puffed up
with muscle and, strangely, a few more ribs. Even my hands, those fleshy hammers, showed
bravery through the cuffs, the fingers already hardening for the coming fights. But the L- shaped
rip on the left sleeve got bigger, bits of stuffing coughed out from its wound after a hard day at
play. I finally scotch-taped it close, but in rain or cold weather the tape peeled off like a scab and
more stuffing fell out until that sleeve shriveled into a palsied arm. That winter the elbows began
to crack and whole chunks of green began to fall off. I showed the cracks to my mother, who
always seemed to be at the stove with steamed up glasses, and she said there were children in
Mexico who would love that jacket. I told her that this was America and yelled that Debbie, my
sister, didn’t have a jacket like mine. I ran outside, ready to cry, and climb the tree by the alley to
think bad thought and breath puff white and disappear.
But whole pieces still casually flew off my jacket when I played hard, read quietly, or
took vicious spelling test at school. When it became so spotted that my brother began to call
me “camouflage,” I flung it over the fence into the alley. Later. However, I swiped the jacket off
the ground and went inside to drape it across my lap and mope.
I was called to dinner: steam shriveled my mother’s glasses as she said grace; my brother
and sister with their heads bowed made ugly faces at their glasses of powered milk. I gagged too,
but eagerly ate rips of buttered tortilla that held scooped up beans. Finished, I went outside with
my jacket across my arm. It was a cold sky. The faces of clouds were piled up, hurting. I climb
the fence, jumping down with a grunt. I started up the alley and soon slipped into my jacket, that
green ugly brother who breathed over my shoulder that day and ever since”
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“The Jacket” Project
Students will draw and write a description for their ultimate “cool” jacket, and their unltimate “ugly” jacket. The final copy will be on white paper with illustrations and descriptions side by side. The descriptions must include the requirements below.
1. Each description paragraph must be at least 5 sentences long.
2. Each description must include a metaphor, a simile, and an example of personification. You must also use hperbole. Draw one line under the metaphor, two under the simile, and circle the personification. Put a capital H in front of the hyperbole.
3. Use descriptive language such as mustard yellow, snot green, Barney purple, sunset orange, metallic silver, etc.
4. Must tell the style, the length, how it fastens, type of hood or collar, decoration, any details such as special cut, etc. Also describe any matching accessories. The more detail, the better the grade!
5. Must describe the fabrics it is made of inside and out. Be specific! (Butter-soft leather, scratchy wool)
6. Must describe any trim, ornaments, stitching, stripes, metal studs, etc. Must also describe details like belts, pockets, buttons, embroidery, patches, cuffs, etc.
7. Picture and description must match. If you say there is a Barney patch on the sleeve it must be in the picture. If there are five big buttons drawn on your sketch, it has to be in your description. If it is plaid, say so.
You can do a back and front view for each if you wish.
Helpful Ideas:
Collar Types: fold-over, knit, hood, bomber, suit, wing, tab, double-breasted, straight, stand-up, Elvis, etc.
Fabric types: Polyester, vinyl, leather, nylon, acrylic, corduroy, wool, tweed, cotton, faux fur, fur, fleece, sheepskin, canvas, silk, suede, satin, shearling, etc.
Lengths: waist, hip, thigh, knee, calf, ankle-length
Fasteners: buttons, toggles, zippers, hooks, ties, Velcro, snaps, etc.
Cool Jacket Ideas
colors:
fabrics:
lining:
length:
style:
collar:
fasteners:
details:
trim:
belts, pockets, cuffs, etc.
What makes it “cool”?
Metaphor:
simile:
personification:
special details:
Ugly Jacket Ideas
colors:
fabric:
lining:
length:
style:
collar:
fasteners:
details:
trim:
belts, pockets, cuffs, etc.
What makes it “hideous”?
Metaphor:
simile:
personification:
special details
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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
The Jacket
How to Read Nonfiction
The Reading Process
Reading is an active process that can be broken down into three stages: before
reading, during reading, and after reading.
• Before reading, you build background and identify your own purpose for reading,
and develop expectations for what you are about to read. These activities are
connected to what you already know and what you have experienced.
• During reading, you use reading strategies and critical thinking skills to
understand what you are reading.
• After reading, you reflect on what you have read and draw conclusions about
what the selection means.
The specific activities performed in each stage of the reading process can vary,
depending on the genre you are reading. The Nonfiction Reading Model on page
262 provides an overview of the reading process for nonfiction. When you read
nonfiction, you need to be aware of what type of writing it is, how it uses supporting
details, and what the author’s intent is.
Framework for Nonfiction
The following checklist of questions offers a framework for reading nonfiction. As
you read the memoir “The Jacket,” ask yourself the following questions.
Before Reading
❏ What are the basic facts, such as names, dates, locations, and events?
❏ What mode of writing is this? Narrative, informative, persuasive, descriptive, or personal?
During Reading
❏ What seem to be the most important ideas in this piece?
❏ Are there more facts or opinions?
❏ How are the opinions supported?
After Reading
❏ How does the author use supporting details to convey his or her message?
❏ What can you infer by the author’s choice of words and details about how the author regards
the subject or wants the reader to regard the subject?
level i, unit 3 20 © EMC Publishing, LLC Meeting the Standards Before, During, and AfTER READING
Apply the Model
Use Reading Strategies: Find the Main Idea
A variety of strategies and skills can help you understand and appreciate a
nonfiction selection. For the memoir “The Jacket,” try applying the reading skill
Find the Main Idea in all three stages of the reading process.
The main idea is a brief statement of what you think the author wants you to
know, think, or feel after reading the text. In some cases the main idea will actually
be stated. Check the first and last paragraphs for a sentence that sums up the entire
passage. Sometimes the main idea is implied, in which case the author may not tell
you what the main idea is and you will have to infer it.
A good way to find the main or overall idea of a selection is to gather important
details into a Main Idea Map like the one below. As you read the passage, use the
details to determine the main idea or overall thought or message.
Main Idea Map
Details:
Details:
Details:
Details:
Details:
Main Idea:
Details:
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Meeting the Standards
The Jacket
Vocabulary
Each sentence below has an underlined vocabulary word that either appears in the
margins surrounding the story or appears in the footnotes at the bottom of a page.
Use the meaning or definition of the vocabulary word to help you answer the question.
1. Name one public place where you might find Braille.
2. Name an animal or an insect that uses camouflage to hide from its enemies.
Explain how the camouflage is effective.
3. Name a type of restaurant that you would go to if you were craving either
guacamole or a tortilla. What might you order there that uses those
ingredients?
4. Name a situation that might cause you to mope around the house.
5. Besides an airplane, name two other objects with propellers and explain their
purposes.
6. Name an animal that you consider vicious and give reasons as to why you feel
that way about this particular animal.
7. Name two items that are made from vinyl and explain why vinyl is a good
choice of material for those items.
8. Name two animals that swoop during the day and two animals that swoop at
night.
During READING
The Jacket
Analyze Literature: Similes and Hyperbole
In this story, the author, Gary Soto, reflects on his childhood and a certain ugly
jacket that ruined his life. What makes the story memorable is how he uses
exaggerated details—in the form of similes and hyperbole—to help his readers
visualize the jacket and the narrator’s reaction to wearing the jacket. These
exaggerated details set the humorous tone of the story.
Similes
A simile is a comparison of two seemingly unlike things using the word like or as.
Using similes in writing helps readers see things in new ways. Below are examples
of similes from “The Jacket.” Underline the two things being compared; double
underline the word like or as that connects the two things; and provide an explanation
as to what connection the things share. The first one has been done for you
Example of Simile Explanation
1. “I threw my books on the bed and approached the
jacket slowly, as if it were a stranger whose hand I
had to shake.”
Comparing the jacket to the act of shaking a stranger’s hand
describes how the narrator feels about seeing the jacket for
the first time: uneasy and not quite trusting.
2. “I was a small kid, thin as a young tree, and it
would be years before I’d have a new one [jacket].”
3. “I stared at the jacket, like an enemy, thinking
bad things before I took off my old jacket whose
sleeves climbed halfway to my elbow.”
4. “I put my hands in the pockets and flapped the
jacket like a bird’s wings.”
5. “Even though it was cold, I took off the jacket
during lunch and played kickball in a thin shirt, my
arms feeling like Braille from goose bumps.”
6. “I sat on my hands, heating them up, while my
teeth chattered like a cup of crooked dice.”
7. “Even the girls who had been friendly blew away
like loose flowers to follow the boys in neat jackets.”
8. “I wore that thing for three years until the sleeves
grew short and my forearms stuck out like the
necks of turtles.”
9. “We saw girls walk by alone, saw couples, hand
in hand, their heads like bookends pressing air
together.”
10. “I finally Scotch-taped it closed, but in rain or cold
weather the tape peeled off like a scab and more
stuffing fell out until that sleeve shriveled into a
palsied arm.”
Hyperbole
Exaggeration that is used for dramatic effect is known as hyperbole. In this story, the author
uses hyperbole to set a tone of angst, or a feeling of anxiety and insecurity. This tone reflects
the narrator’s strong desire to fit in with his peers and be accepted. Much of the hyperbole
also shows the narrator’s attitude toward the jacket—in other words, how he sees the jacket
as “the enemy.” Below are examples of hyperbole from the story. Underline the hyperbole
and provide an explanation of its effect on readers. The first one has been done for you.
Example of Hyperbole Explanation
1. “When I needed a new jacket and my mother
asked what kind I wanted, I described something
like bikers wear: black leather and silver studs with
enough belts to hold down a small town.”
Exaggerating the number of belts on the jacket provides a
strong visual for readers and also adds humor to the story.
The author wants readers to know that this isn’t just any black
leather jacket but one that has all of the adornments that a boy
would want to make him appear cool and tough like a biker.
2. “During the morning recess Frankie T., the
playground terrorist, pushed me to the ground
and told me to stay there until recess was over.”
3. “And so I went [to school], in my guacamole colored
jacket. So embarrassed, so hurt, I couldn’t even do my homework.”
4. “With a friend, I spent my sixth-grade year in a treein the alley. . . ”
5. “I blame that jacket for those bad years.”
6. “But whole pieces still casually flew off my jacket
when I played hard, read quietly, or took vicious
spelling tests at school.”
The Jacket
Use Reading Strategies: Make Connections
Read the connections and choose two that you would like to answer. Write your
responses on a piece of paper.
1. Text-to-Self
“The Jacket” is considered a coming-of-age story. A coming-of-age story is a story where the main character is a young
person who struggles to make sense of a certain situation that he or she undergoes and learns or grows from that
experience. This maturity process occurs as the young person moves from childhood to adulthood. The narrator in this story is learning that he—not an article of clothing—determines his own identity and destiny. Have you learned a lesson from a recent experience that made you feel as if you had “grown up”? In a brief paragraph, describe the situation and
the lesson that you learned from it.
2. Text-to-Self
In the story, the narrator has strong feelings about his new jacket. Have you ever been given an article of clothing that someone picked out for you or perhaps made for you that you really didn’t like to wear? How did you handle the situation? In a brief paragraph, discuss the situation. Be sure to include a description of the article of clothing, the occasion on which you received it, the feelings of the giver and the recipient (you!) about the article of clothing, and the way that you handled the situation.
3. Text-to-World
In the story, the narrator believes that the image that he wants to project to others can be achieved by wearing a certain style of jacket. How does clothing establish a person’s identity? Does our society send the message that certain types of clothing will make a person more acceptable to others?
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FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE TERMS
simile- A comparison of unlike things to point out a similarity usually using like or as. A few may use words such as “then” or “resembles” but most are like or as. Ex. The offensive line was as strong as a brick wall.
metaphor-A comparison of unlike things in which one becomes the other to point out a similarity. It DOES NOT use like or as. Ex. The offensive line was a brick wall in front of the quarterback.
homophone- Words spelled differently that sound the same and have different meanings. Ex. Did you hear that the new teacher is here?
homonym (aka homograph)-Words spelled the same but have different meanings and may sound different. Ex. He shot the arrow from his bow and gave the princess a bow.
alliteration- Words in a phrase with repeated consonant sounds.- Ex. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
hyperbole- Exaggeration used for emphasis.- Ex. The mile-high ice cream cone toppled over.
idiom- A phrase that has a different meaning than the literal one. Ex. He let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party.
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Stealing Freedom Questions Name___________________
1. Why was the Weems family feeding the dogs?
2. What happened when Catharine tried to work in the fields?
3. Why didn’t Ann Maria know how old she was?
4. How was Ann Maria going to find out her age?
5. What had happened to Uncle Abram’s leg?
6. What did Ann’s father say to her about stealing freedom?
7. Why did they have their church services in the woods?
8. What was “slave cloth”?
9. What happened to Joseph when he fought with Richard?
10. How did Richard try to make it up to them?
11. What happened to Uncle Abram and Aunt Mimi after they disappeared?
12. How did Ann’s father say the Prices were being punished for their actions?
13. What gifts did the Prices give the Weems family for Christmas?
14. What did the Weems children wear on their feet in the winter?
15. What happened to Ann’s brothers when Master Charles took them to Baltimore?
16. Why did her father go on a trip?
17. What happened when Mr. Bigelow tried to buy the Weems family?
18. Why was Mistress Carol always angry with Ann after they moved to Rockville?
What did she do to express her anger?
19. How did Ann Maria meet Alfred?
20. How did Sarah’s presence change Mistress Carol?
21. What did Mr. Price have built in their cellar?
22. What was Mr. Price’s business that the women disapproved of?
23. Why did Master Charles refuse to give Ann a travel pass at Christmas?
24. Where did Ann Maria spend Christmas?
25. Describe how Ann Maria learned how to read.
26. How did Alfred and Thomas fool Dr. Anderson?
27. Who was behind Ann Maria’s kidnapping?
28. Describe Ann Maria’s disguise.
29. What did she choose as her new name? Why?
30.Why was Ann not safe in Pennsylvania?
31. How was Ann able to save herself and the Reverend from the search dogs?
32. What did Ann dig through the snow to get once they were in Canada?
33. Why did Ann Maria think something was wrong with Aunt Mimi when she
finally saw her in Canada?
34. How did Ann Maria first find out that Alfred had run away?
35. Look at the map on page 259.
Between which two cities did Ann travel by railroad?
How did Ann travel between Chatham and Dresden?
READ THE AUTHOR’S NOTES.
36. List 3 ways the author researched this book.
37. What happened to Ann Maria’s brothers who had been sold?
38. What did the real “Dr. H” do with the money he was paid for helping Ann
Maria escape?
ESSAY
39. Who has a stronger sense of family: The Weems or the Prices? Explain.
40. Pretend you are the little girl, Sarah. Explain how you felt when you realized that Ann
Maria had run away.
41. Pretend that you live in Ann Maria’s time. Write a letter to the editor of the
Local newspaper expressing your views about slavery, the slave trade,
escapes to freedom by slaves, or the work of the Underground Railroad. Your
letter should express your opinion clearly, include details and examples to
support your opinion, and include language that helps persuade readers
to agree. You may write as a slave owner, or as an abolitionist.
VOCABULARY
42. ferreting-(p.44)
43. mulatto-(p.73)
44. guano-(p.76)
45. placid-(p.113)
46. exorbitant-(p.158)
47. daguerreotype-(p.213)
48. lecherous-(p.45)
49. apparition-(p.97)
PREDICT
50. No records exist of what happened to Alfred and Ann Maria after they went to Canada. Write an ending for their story based on what you have read about them.
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Copper Sun Essay Questions
1.Copper Sun is a work of historical fiction. How does the blending of history and fiction make for a successful story? Which elements are purely fictional? Which elements are basically historical? Why does learning history through fiction make the story more memorable? How does this method of telling the story affect the reader's response?
2.As you first meet Amari, even though she lives in the Africa of two hundred years ago, how is she like many fifteen-year-old girls today? How is she different? What strengths do you find in her family and home life? What negatives do you observe?
3.How is the relationship between Besa and Amari similar to teen relationships today? How is it different? Describe how Amari feels about him. What predictions can you make about their future together?
4.Amari makes friends with people who help her survive, who give her the strength she needs at a crucial time in her life. Describe her relationship with Afi, and explain long range and short range influence of Afi on Amari's life.
5.Describe the Middle Passage as described in the novel. What is it about human beings that makes one person mistreat another? What is about humans that makes us survive in spite of it?
6.Why do you think Bill decides to teach Amari English? What does this tell you about him? Why is learning the language a powerful tool for Amari?
7.Discuss the character of Polly and how she comes across as we first meet her. What kind of life has she had? How does her past explain her attitudes? What advantages does Polly have in the society and in the story?
8.Discuss the first meeting between Polly and Amari. Why is this part of the story told from Polly's point of view?
9.How do Teenie and Tidbit and Hushpuppy add color and flavor to life on the plantation? What are their attitudes about being slaves? Give specific examples.
10.How is Mrs. Derby almost like a slave herself? What predictions did you make about Mrs. Derby? What foreshadowing is given to prepare the reader for what happens?
11.What was the overall effect of the gator bait scene? How do you think Tidbit felt when he was in the water? How do you think his mother felt? Amari tried to object, but endangered Tidbit by doing so. How do you think she felt?
12.Why didn't more slaves rise up and protest or fight back? What social and cultural pieces were in place to prevent it?
13.Discuss the argument between Amari and Polly over whether to go north or go south. Why was it extremely unusual to choose a southern route? What does this show about Amari's personality?
14.What does Amari learn about herself, her past and her future through her reunion with Besa?
15.What predictions can you make about Amari in the next five years? Will the three of them still be together or will Polly have gone off on her own? How has Amari grown and changed?
16.What did you learn about Africa, the middle passage, slavery, and African-American history that you did not know before? How has it changed your thinking, if any?
17.You are a reporter at one of the following scenes. Write the story for your newspaper. (use space on next page)
o The destruction of Ziavi
o A day in Cape Coast Castle
o A day on the slave ship
o A day on a plantation
For a slave
For a slave owner
o The day Teenie found out Tidbit was alive
o Clay and the snake
17.(cont.) Title________________________________
18.Minor characters are often very important in the development of a story. How do the following characters influence the journey of Amari, Polly, and Tidbit? How do they balance some of the horror that had previously happened?
o Dr. Hoskins
o Cato
o Nathan
o Fiona
o Besa
o The Spanish Soldier
o Inez
o Captain Menendez
19.A student recently said, "I don't care about slavery. That happened a long time ago, and I don't want to think about it in my life today. It is no longer important." What do you think about that statement? Tell why you agree or disagree. What would you tell that student if you had the chance to have a conversation?
20.Think back to when you were born. From that time to today is your history, and it is important. You learned, you made mistakes, and you grew. Discuss the importance of knowing your own personal history. Why is it important to study historical information of a country or a people? Why can't the past simply be ignored?
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HOLOCAUST PROJECT
Pick either the Scrapbook or the Newspaper Project. 5 People to a group. If you have fewer people, members must divide up the extra tasks.
TASK 1-SCRAPBOOK:
Your task is to create a scrapbook using pictures, journal entries, poems, memorabilia, and other information to answer a series of questions. Each person will be assigned to a group of five. The research is divided into five topics. Each person in the group will be assigned a topic to research. The group will collaborate and share their information to create a group scrapbook.
The five topics of study for the Holocaust Project are:
What was the Holocaust?
Concentration Camps
Anti-Semitism
Ghettos
Survivor's Stories
PROCESS:
Each individual within the group of five will research their topic using the Internet sites. Each group member will work individually on the computer researching and collecting information on their topic. Information found will then be shared and used by the group to help create their scrapbook or newspaper. Class time will be provided for the groups to meet and put their scrapbook together. Each group will be expected to present their research through their scrapbook to the class.
EVALUATION
The following rubric was established for the assessment of the project.
Excellent -10, Good-9, Fair-8, Poor-7
Covered all 5 topics clearly and completely. 10 9 8 7
Writing clear, coherent, and detailed information 10 9 8 7
Organizing information and pictures 10 9 8 7
Using the computer efficiently as a resource 10 9 8 7
Managing time 10 9 8 7
Working cooperatively 10 9 8 7
Completing the scrapbook or newspaper 10 9 8 7
Presenting to the class 10 9 8 7
TASK 2-NEWSPAPER:
Introduction
There are hundreds of examples in history involving genocide based on religion, race, culture, and geographic location. One example that stands out from the rest is the mass murder of the Jews by Nazi Germany during World War II, otherwise known as the Holocaust. It is your job to educate others about this important event and help break the cycle of violence.
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Task
You are part of a team of American newspaper reporters living during the Holocaust era. You have been sent to Germany in order to report back to the United States the events taking place there. Your team is assigned the task of researching, writing, and editing a single edition of your newspaper. Include headings, bylines, pictures, photographs, and anything else you think will make your newspaper better. The following must be included in your newspaper:
(1) A headline article which tells who, what, where, when, and why about one of the following events:
The Nuremberg Laws
Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass)
"Final Solution"
Deportation
Death Marches
(2) A feature article about Adolf Hitler or Anne Frank. Discuss that person's life and his/her contributions to the Holocaust.
(3) An editorial that discusses what children of the Holocaust endured.
(4) A letter to the editor from a Jewish person describing what life is like in a concentration or extermination camp. Include what one might have eaten, where one might have slept, how one would have been treated by the guards, how one would pass the time, and what work one was required to do.
(5) An article about the resistance movement. Tell why they would risk their life to help others.
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