Lesson 3.1

"A Pear-Tree-In-Blossom Kind of Love"

Welcome to English 11 Unit 3, Lesson 1!

Below you will find the objective for this first lesson...

After reading “My True South,” students will consider the significance of people returning to their hometowns later in life. After an initial reading and discussion of the essay, students will be able to identify and explain the key ideas, figurative language, and supporting evidence in the essay. Additionally, students will be able to delineate and evaluate the reasons and evidence provided by an author to support a claim.


What are we reading in Lesson 3.1?


  • Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God (Anchor Text), Chapters 1-2

  • Jesmyn Ward, "My Truth South: Why I Decided to Return Home"

Lesson 3.1 Assignments:

CLICK HERE to view deadlines and must do assignments for Unit 3

  • Read and annotate chapters 1 -2 of anchor text (use sticky notes on classroom texts GLOW method required) (M)

    • CLICK HERE to see more information about GLOW annotating

  • Complete section 1 of anchor text reading guide (physical copy) (M)

  • Participate in Socratic Seminar #1 (M)

  • 3.1 Skill: Figurative Language* (M)

  • 3.1 Reasons and Evidence* (M)

  • 3.1 Notes turned into Google Classroom (picture or digital document) (M)

  • Final draft of reading guide prompt 1 to Google Classroom (M)

  • 3.1 Skill: Connotation and Denotation (S)

  • 3.1 Thesis Statement (S)

Seminar Focus

In “My True South,” author Jessmyn Ward discusses the meaning her hometown holds for her, and some of the pros and cons that come with returning to it. Their Eyes Were Watching God begins with Janie returning to her hometown, at the end of her story. Why do people often return to their hometowns later in life? What value does it hold for them, and what drawbacks? Make a claim answering this question, and defend it with evidence from both texts to support your argument during the Socratic dialogue.

Finish Line

CLICK HERE to jump to Lesson 3.2