Little Big Books – Lesson Plan
9.10.07
Materials Needed:
Pens, Loose-leaf paper,
Copies: Weekly Points Sheets, Syllabi, Half sheets for homework assignments
Section A: 26 Students
Section D: 24 Students
1) Welcome Students (5)
o Have students find their names on desks [on WPS]
o Take attendance & give out points
2) Read the following scenario and question aloud to whole class
[Also write on board] (5)
Your father, best friend, and cousin are dead from recent acts of violence. You are
doing your best to survive on the streets without suffering a similar fate. All you want
is to forget your violent past, hold down an honest job, and walk a straight line. But
you are pressured by your aunt and friends of your cousin to avenge your cousin’s
death.
Quick write Question: Given what you already know about life, would you
walk the straight line, or avenge your cousin’s death? Your explanation must
be at least six sentences. (10)
3) Share out (7)
4) Explain that this is Eddie’s predicament – throughout the novel, Eddie
feels as if he is caught between these two worlds, and in the end he is also
forced to make a decision (3)
5) Syllabus (20) – read aloud
o Contact info
o Important dates
o Behavior policy
o What’s important to me
6) Homework – letter of introduction
HOMEWORK
Little BIG Books
Due: Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Assignment: Write a one-page letter of introduction to me. Although I have had
the opportunity to teach some of you in the past, I want you to write as if we had
never met before today. I want a profile of you as a person, as a student, as a
reader and a writer. What do I need to know about you?
Here are some questions to think about:
o What are your likes, dislikes and preferences?
o What’s your biggest fear?
o Do you like where you live? Do you plan on living in NY forever?
o What kind of activities do you most enjoy?
o What do you hope to accomplish this year?
o Did you read anything interesting this summer? What book would you
recommend I read in my free time?
*You may type or hand-write your letter
HOMEWORK
Little BIG Books
Due: Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Assignment: Write a one-page letter of introduction to me. Although I
have had the opportunity to teach some of you in the past, I want you to
write as if we had never met before today. I want a profile of you as a
person, as a student, as a reader and a writer. What do I need to know
about you?
Here are some questions to think about:
o What are your likes, dislikes and preferences?
o What’s your biggest fear?
o Do you like where you live? Do you plan on living in NY forever?
o What kind of activities do you most enjoy?
o What do you hope to accomplish this year?
o Did you read anything interesting this summer? What book would you
recommend I read in my free time?
*You may type or hand-write your letter
Little Big Books – Lesson Plan
9.11.07
Materials Needed: Pens, Loose-leaf paper,
Copies: copies of the story (keep 1st pg sep.)
Graded Weekly Points Sheets
Section A: 26 Students
Section D: 24 Students
7) Housekeeping (5)
[Do Now: describe an Onion – all the words or ideas you can
think of related to an onion]
o Collect HW & give out points
o Take attendance
8) Hand out first page of Buried Onions.
9) Read aloud (10)
Take notes on board – have students answer the following:
i. What is being described?
ii. What people are mentioned?
iii. What is this paragraph about?
10) Define found poetry
Found Poetry: poetry that is found in any writing that inspires a reader to create his/her
own thoughts in poetic verse. It is acceptable to use the author's language, images, and
observations about life. Although the writer may draw on the language of the author
and rearrange it and add language of their own, they ultimately create NEW poetry
(which is the students' own work). "Found" poetry helps students identify the author's
style through word choice and poetic elements.
5. Explain the directions – you want your poem to capture the same ideas
that are written on board
o CAREFULLY re-read the text.
o Look for 20-25 words or phrases that you find particularly powerful or
interesting
o Copy the words and phrases you chose onto a separate sheet of paper
in the order that makes most sense to you
o You may only add three words of your own –TOTAL
o Read over your poem and come up with a title!
Pair off into groups of two & Create found poem (20 minutes)
- Make sure both names are on poem to be handed in. Share out (10)
- Exit slip: describe the narrator and/or the world he lives in (5)
HAND IN POEM, EXIT SLIP AND DAILY POINTS SHEET
Homework: pages 1-5; stop at “that city job.”
Little BIG Books - Lesson Plan
9/12/2007
Materials Needed:
Copies of quotes handout
1. Do Now: What stands out to you about Eddie’s environment, his family
and friends, and his options for the future? (7 minutes)
2. Activity 1 (25): Explain to students that we are going to do a close
reading exercise to develop our analysis skills. We will be giving them
quotes pulled from the text & separating them into 3 categories: [write the
following on the board]



Eddie’s environment
Eddie’s family and friends
Eddie’s future
Once you have put the quotes into categories, you need to explain what the
quote is saying about that category.
For example:
“I knew the mortuary students would get good jobs because my cousin had
died recently and my father and two uncles were dead…” (p. 1)
This quote gives us clues about Eddie’s environment. He obviously lives in a
dangerous area because a lot of people die all the time. That’s why there is
a. Have students pair up, then hand out worksheet of quotes pulled
from first 5 pages of the story. Instruct them to work in teams to
first categorize, then explain the connection between the quote and
the category.
b. It’s okay to disagree, just be sure you can back up your opinion in at
least one sentence.
3. Share out & discuss (10)
4. Exit Ticket – now that we’ve discussed all this evidence, revisit the Do Now
question:
What stands out to you about Eddie’s environment, his family and
friends, and his options for the future? (3-4 minutes)
NO HOMEWORK… (long weekend)
Name ________________________
Little Big Books
Date ______________
Section ______________
Buried Onions – Quote Analysis
Directions:
First, work with a partner to determine which of the
following categories each quote fits into.
Then, in at least one sentence, explain what this quote
specifically tells us about the category you and your partner
selected. The categories are:
~Eddie’s Environment
~Eddie’s Family & Friends
~Eddie’s Future
1. I had a theory about those vapors, which were not released by the sun's heat
but by a huge onion buried under the city. This onion made us cry. Tears leapt
from our eyelashes and stained our faces (2).
Category:
Explanation:
2. Still the babies cried, and their crying stirred up our frustration because we
were like those strollers going back and forth, back and forth, getting nowhere
(2).
Category:
Explanation:
3. Laundry wept from the lines, the faded flags of the poor, ignorant,
unemployable people (2).
Category:
Explanation:
4. For me, there wasn't much to do except eat and sleep, watch out for drive-bys,
and pace myself through life (3).
Category:
Explanation:
5. Jesús made the mistake of looking down at this guy's shoes and saying
something. This guy pushed a dirty blade right into my cousin's clean heart. Or so
I heard (3).
Category:
Explanation:
6. I had a print of a ship riding the ocean, its sail full, going somewhere. It was
fake art, the kind of thing you can pick up at a swap meet or get as a gift when you
buy a gaudy red sofa from a Mexican furniture store (3).
Category:
Explanation:
7. Even my mother, who lived in Merced with her sister Gloria, who had hearing
aids in both wrinkled ears, seldom wrote (4).
Category:
Explanation:
8. I told myself to keep a steady weight on my shoulders and to stay out of trouble
and run a straight line- to stay away from the police and the rumblings of the
vatos who have nothing to do (4).
Category:
Explanation:
9. I dried my face on a towel that was bright orange, just like the vest I would
wear if I did hold down that city job (5).
Category:
Explanation:
10. We know each other, marry each other, and hurt each other over small
matters (4).
Category:
Explanation:
ANSWER KEY
Directions: First, work with a partner to determine which of the following
categories each quote fits into:
~Eddie’s Environment
~Eddie’s Family & Friends
~Eddie’s Future
Then, discuss what this quote specifically tells us about the category you and
your partner selected.
1. I had a theory about those vapors, which were not released by the sun's heat
but by a huge onion buried under the city. This onion made us cry. Tears leapt
from our eyelashes and stained our faces (2). E
2. Still the babies cried, and their crying stirred up our frustration because we
were like those strollers going back and forth, back and forth, getting nowhere
(2). F
3. Laundry wept from the lines, the faded flags of the poor, ignorant,
unemployable people (2). E F
4. For me, there wasn't much to do except eat and sleep, watch out for drive-bys,
and pace myself through life (3). E F
5. Jesús made the mistake of looking down at this guy's shoes and saying
something. This guy pushed a dirty blade right into my cousin's clean heart. Or so
I heard (3). FAM
6. I had a print of a ship riding the ocean, its sail full, going somewhere. It was
fake art, the kind of thing you can pick up at a swap meet or get as a gift when you
buy a gaudy red sofa from a Mexican furniture store (3). F
7. I got up and checked the mail slot- nothing. Just a reddish rust stain on my
fingertips. There never was anything, just junk mail and my gas and electric
bill. Even my mother, who lived in Merced with her sister Gloria, who had
hearing aids in both wrinkled ears, seldom wrote (4).
8. I dried my face on a towel that was bright orange, just like the vest I would
wear if I did hold down that city job (5). F
9. We know each other, marry each other, and hurt each other over small matters
(4). E, FAM
Section ______________ Week of: _9/10-9/12__
Name ________________________
__3___ Days
Little BIG Books: Weekly Point Sheet
Monday
On Time (5) ___________
Do Now (5)___________
Prepared (10) __________
–Pen(5)
Tuesday
Behavior (5) ___________
On Time (5) ___________
Do Now (4)___________
Prepared (6) __________
______/25
Homework (5)___________
Behavior (5) ___________
On Time (5) ___________
Prepared (10) __________
–Pen(3) –Literature(3)
–Binder open on desk(4)
Thursday
Friday
Homework (5)___________
Behavior (5) ___________
NO SCHOOL – ROSH HASHANNA
NO SCHOOL – ROSH HASHANNA
Weekly
Assignments
Journal (25): _____________
Class Participation (25): ___________
In-class Writing (25): __________
Total for week of ______9/10 – 9/12_____
Comments:
______/25
– paper/notebook/binder (5)
–Pen(2) –Literature(2)
–Binder open on desk(2)
Wednesday
Possible points this week:
____150_____
______/25
______/75
______/150