Coming of Age: Short Stories

Lesson 8
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ELA

Unit 12

6th Grade

Lesson 8 of 28

Objective


Explain how a character responds to challenges that she faces.

Readings and Materials


  • Book: Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh  pp. 52 – 60 — "Sol Painting, Inc." by Meg Medina

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Target Task


Writing Prompt

How does Merci respond to challenges she faces at Seward Pines and what does this reveal about her as a person?

Sample Response

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Key Questions


  • What happens when Merci is painting the gym with her brother? How does this incident affect her?

  • How does Merci expect Papi to react to the incident? How does he actually react? What does Merci realize?

  • Explain Medina's use of italics. What do they reveal?

  • Significance of line, "'Papi chose to be invisible today so you won't ever have to be'" (p. 59).

Vocabulary


Text-based

humiliated

adj.

(p. 59)

embarrassed or ashamed

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.

  • Short Story: “Fish Cheeks” by Amy Tan 

While reading, answer the following questions.

  • How does the narrator feel about Robert?

  • How does she react when he comes over?

  • Describe what is on the menu for Christmas Eve dinner.

  • How does the narrator feel about the meal?

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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

Compare and contrast the theme in  "Fish Cheeks" and "Sol Painting, Inc.".

Lesson 9
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