This week, we will be transported back to our home city of Los Angeles at a time when crime and punishment were more real than ever; to a time when barriers of language and bars of steel were common means of dividing society. We will sent back in time via the novel Always Running by Luis J. Rodriguez.
Here's what is on the agenda for this week:
Tues/Wed (1/17,1/18): Language Barriers & Intro to Luis J. Rodriguez's Always Running: For this block, we will start by reading a selection from Chapter 1 of Always Running in an effort to familiarize ourselves with the struggles of the main character.
Then, we will do a symbolic activity as a class that will help us understand the often overlooked limits presented by a language barrier. This will help us understand some of the conflicts that our main character will face throughout the novel.
Lastly, we will be introduced to the author of Always Running, Luis J. Rodriguez, and to the novel itself by reading the first scene as a class.
For Chapter 1 of Always Running, go the the "Unit 3 Reading" page under "Classroom Resources", or click below:
Unit 4 Readings: Always Running
Thurs/Fri (1/19, 1/20): Always Running - Chapter 1 & 2: For this block, we will start with a short interview with Luis J. Rodriguez done recently after he was made Poet Laureate of Los Angeles.
Click below for a link to the interview:
http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2014/11/19/40408/luis-rodriguez-poet-laureate-of-l-a-takes-on-his-b/
After that, we will complete a Q&A of selected excerpts from Chapter 1 of Always Running. We will use these questions to prompt a discussion about key points of the chapter.
For the second half of class, we will do a jigsaw of Chapter 2: students will read chunks of the chapter in groups, and then will share out the key elements of the chapter with the rest of the class. The rest of the class time may be used to begin reading Chapter 3 (due to be read by 1/23, 1/24).
For Chapter 2 excerpts and Chapter 3 of Always Running, go the the "Unit 4 Reading" page under "Classroom Resources", or click below:
Unit 4 Readings: Always Running