Coming of Age: Short Stories

Lesson 1
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ELA

Unit 12

6th Grade

Lesson 1 of 28

Objective


Describe how the author, Matt de la Peña, develops the narrator's unique point of view.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh  pp. 1 – 9 — "How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium" by Matt de la Peña. End at "Sentenced to the Bleachers"

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Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

How does Matt de la Peña develop the narrator's point of view in the first half of the story?

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Key Questions

  • Reread pages 1–2, end at "The Fate". How does Matt de la Peña reveal the narrator's perspective?

  • Reread the scene with the narrator and his father on page 4. How does Matt de la Peña develop the narrator's relationship with his father?

  • Why does Matt de la Peña include the scene with the police officer?

  • What is the significance of the narrator's line: "Here is where you will learn the world" on page 9?

Exit Ticket

Assess student understanding and monitor progress toward this lesson's objective with an Exit Ticket.

Vocabulary


Literary Terms

point of view

  1.  A character’s opinion or feelings about a specific topic/idea/event
  2. The "lens" through which a person sees and understands the world. This is usually influenced by aspects of their identity, beliefs, and life experiences.

coming of age

a phrase used to describe the transition from childhood to adulthood, which is often applied to the genre of literature or film/television that explores this time of a person's life

Text-based

insignificant

adj.

(p. 6)

not important

ingrained

adj.

(p. 6)

irmly impressed or fixed

Homework


To ensure that students are prepared for the next lesson, have students complete the following reading for homework. Use guidance from the next lesson to identify any additional language or background support students may need while independently engaging with the text.

  • Book: Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh  pp. 9 – 22 — Short Story: "How to Transform an Everyday, Ordinary Hoop Court into a Place of Higher Learning and You at the Podium" by Matt de la Peña

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • What happens during the boy's first weeks at the pick up basketball game?

  • Why does the boy almost decide to give up?

  • How does the boy finally get in a game?

  • What is the setting at the end of the story?

  • What assignment does Mr. Howe give his class?

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Common Core Standards


  • RL.6.1 — Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
  • RL.6.3 — Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
  • RL.6.6 — Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.

Supporting Standards

L.6.1
L.6.2
L.6.3
L.6.6
RL.6.10
SL.6.1
SL.6.1.a
SL.6.6
W.6.1
W.6.1.a
W.6.1.b
W.6.4
W.6.9
W.6.10

Next

Describe how the author, Matt de la Peña, develops the narrator's unique point of view.

Lesson 2
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