Using Mentor Texts

Monday March 6 - Thursday March 7

Welcome! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Choose a mentor text that you will use as a model or inspiration for your own poem.

• Read, annotate and discuss what you notice in a mentor text.

• Write a poem or paragraph inspired by a mentor text.

• Share your writing with a classmate, and give specific positive feedback to one another.

Handout

Begin with a 3 minute meditation.

Read

Choose one of the following texts to enjoy:

• wherever i'm at that land is Chicago by Jose Olivarez

• Deathscape Lullaby  by Cynthia Cruz

• not quiet as in quiet but by Victoria Adukwei Bulley

Annotate & Discuss

• What do you notice first? What stands out to you?

• What was your favorite line? What did you like about it?

• What do you notice about:

  • Writing style

  • Structure

  • Word choice

  • Punctuation

  • Literary techniques

  • Themes

• What do you want to try in your own writing?

Write

Write for at least 10 minutes. Draft a poem or paragraph that incorporates something you liked about your mentor text.

Share

Please consider sharing part of your work at the end of class. There are several options for sharing:

• Choose a line from writing to share with your small group.

• Read your poem/paragraph aloud in your small group.

• Write your favorite line from your poem/paragraph on the whiteboard. 

• Post your poem/paragraph on our creative writing workshop discussion board.

  • Discussion Board: Please feel free to share your creative writing here and/or read your classmates' creative writing and give positive feedback.

    • Post poetry or prose, and include a few sentences of author's commentary. If you are posting prose, please be sure to indicate whether it is fiction or nonfiction.

      • Author's commentary ideas:

        • What inspired you to write this poem or paragraph?

        • What technique did you try in this poem or paragraph? 

        • What is the title and author of your mentor text?

        • How did you structure your poem or paragraph?

        • What are you planning to do next with this piece? Do you plan to add more? If so, what are you thinking of adding? Are you interested in publishing this piece?

        • A sentence about the author (you).

    • Reply to a classmate's writing with positive constructive feedback. Be sure to explain: 

      • What did you notice in your classmate's writing? (Be specific) What did you like about it? What line that stood out to you? 

      • Why did this stand out to you? What did you like about it?

      • What did it make you think of? 

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Texas College Bridge 

Friday March 10

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Work on your learning path in Texas College Bridge.

Agenda Items

• Texas College Bridge 

Assignments

• Texas College Bridge 

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Intro to In the Heights

Monday March 20

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Discuss and evaluate examples of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s literary work and performances.

• Discuss the impact of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s work in contemporary society.

• Discuss the challenges of writing and producing a Broadway musical.

• Examine the elements of a script.

Agenda Items

• Intro to Lin-Manuel Miranda and his work

• Watch 21 Chump Street

• Small group discussion

Assignments

• Post-It: What did you notice/like most about the performance you watched today? What did you find impressive? What question would you like to ask Lin-Manuel Miranda? What would you love to write a musical about?

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In the Heights: Historical and Cultural Context

Tuesday March 21

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Examine and discuss the historical and cultural context for the play In the Heights.

• Describe the historical and cultural context that influences your life.

Agenda Items

Assignments

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In the Heights: Act 1

Wednesday March 22 - Friday March 24

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Read, watch and discuss character and plot development in Act 1 of In the Heights.

• Identify and describe subplots in the play.

• Generate questions before, during and after reading Act 1 of In the Heights.

Agenda Items

• Reading the play (whole class or small groups)

• Discussion (whole class or small groups)

• Watch the movie - What differences do you notice between the play and the movie? Why do you think the movie director decided to make these changes?

• Create Questions in small groups  

• Discussion Board - choose one of the questions to discuss

Assignments

• Create Questions Worksheet

• Discussion Board

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In the Heights Act 2 & Journal Writing

Monday March 27

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write for at least 10 minutes.

• Read, watch and discuss Act 2 of In the Heights.

Agenda Items

• Journal Writing

• Read & watch In the Heights 

Assignments

• Journal Writing 

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In the Heights & Hometown Playlist

Tuesday March 28 - Friday March 31

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Read, watch and discuss Act 2 of In the Heights.

• Create a playlist with 3-5 songs that make you think of your hometown or places you have lived.

• Write a 4-5 paragraph essay that provides personal, historical, geographical and cultural context about each song on your playlist.

Agenda Items

• Hometown Playlist

• Read, watch & discuss play

• Writing Workshop - Hometown Playlist

Assignments

• Hometown Playlist

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In the Heights & Themes

Monday April 3

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Read, watch and discuss Act 2 of In the Heights.

• Define and discuss themes in In the Heights. 

• Write about a movie, a TV show, a book, an example from your life, a current event, or a historical event that reflects a theme from In the Heights.

Agenda Items

• Themes in In the Heights

• Journal Writing 

Assignments

• Journal Writing 

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In the Heights Act 2

Tuesday April 4-Thursday April 6

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Read, watch and discuss Act 2 of In the Heights.

Agenda Items

• Read & discuss In the Heights

Assignments

• Journal Writing 

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In the Heights: Writing Collection

Tuesday April 4

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Reflect on your writing 

Agenda Items

Assignments

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Ekphrastic Poetry

Monday April 10

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Discuss the concept of ekphrasis.

• Examine an ekphrastic poem.

• Write for at least 10 minutes using an image as inspiration.

• Draft an ekphrastic poem using at least one literary technique.

Agenda Items

• Ekphrastic Poetry

• Mentor Text - read, annotate, discuss

• Journal Writing

Assignments

• Journal Writing - Ekphrasis

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Letter to the Future Me

Tuesday April 4

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Write a letter to yourself that you will receive in the future.

• Write a personal goal for the week. 

Agenda Items

• Letter to the Future Me

• Personal Goal

Assignments

• Letter to the Future Me 

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Texas College Bridge 

Wednesday April 12 - Friday April 14

Welcome back! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Read independently for at least 10 minutes.

• Work on your learning path in Texas College Bridge.

Agenda Items

• Texas College Bridge 

Assignments

• Texas College Bridge 

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