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Take out your SpringBoard notebook. Today,
you will be compiling information you can use
for your essay (Embedded Assessment #1)
In the SpringBoard section, write the following
heading at the top of the page:
NOTES FOR EA#1
DATE
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Let’s start with something basic. Look
through your SpringBoard book and find two
essays, memoirs, interviews, or short stories
that you can use as mentor texts.
Underneath your heading, write the following:
MENTOR TEXT: (insert name of your mentor
texts and page numbers here)
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Now let’s look at your writing prompt:
Your assignment is to write a reflective essay
explaining your cultural identity.
Do you understand this prompt? How do you plan to
begin? Let’s use your mentor texts as examples.
Read them again and mark the text to identify some
techniques the writer uses to make their work
interesting to you!
In your SpringBoard notebook, answer the following questions
(you do not have to copy these questions – they are from p. 45):
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
How will you generate ideas about aspects of your
culture that might help convey your sense of identity?
How does your sense of cultural identity compare to
that of your parents, your peers, or even strangers?
How can a cultural conflict – either external or internal –
clarify how your cultural identity influences your
perspective?
How might you use a particular cultural element (food,
language, clothing, etc.) as a metaphor or central idea
to focus your essay?
What will you include in a preliminary outline of an
organizational structure?
Now, let’s map out your essay. Below is an example of what I
might use as an outline for a cultural identity essay of my own,
using an experience to tie the story together:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Introduction: Parents and language, two worlds, etc.
Body 1: Short anecdote about growing up bilingual and
learning both languages
Body 2: Talk about how difficult it can be to deal with
others understanding your situation. Quote mentor
text (interview)
Body 3: Experiences from my mixed culture. Quote
mentor text (Ethnic Hash)
Body 4: Concession/refutation. Talk about how
sometimes we can’t expect people to understand us if
we can’t understand ourselves. Quote mentor text
(Ethnic Hash)
Conclusion: Tie all the stories together. Where am I
now and what have I learned from being multicultural?
Talk about using those experiences to connect with
others.
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OK, you have worked very hard today!
Your homework is to come up with a rough
draft. We can look at it next class and do some
editing! Bring it in for a grade!
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Embedded Assessment #1 is an important
project!
Due dates are:
October 20th (B day)
October 21st (A day)
Feel free to bring me a rough draft before the
due date and I can help you edit, or schedule
a time to meet with me if you need additional
help!