April 29

JOURNAL TOPIC:
Recent research suggests that excessive texting may be linked to anxiety, distraction, falling grades, repetitive stress injury and sleep deprivation. What does your experience tell you about this? Be sure to support your answer with specific examples.
***OR***
(ALTERNATE TOPIC/STUDENT SUBMISSION):
Why is it that some teachers are more effective than others if they all receive the same training? What makes someone a good teacher?

AGENDA:
1. Journal
2. Vocabulary quiz
3. Discussion: genre, culture and magical realism

HW:
I. Read the definitions of magical realism here and write down at least three ideas and three questions you want to discuss on Monday.

II. Read the first chapter (January) of Like Water for Chocolate and answer the following questions. Make sure to support each of your answers with at least one textual quote:

1. Who is narrating the story?
2. What happened to bring on Mama Elena’s early delivery of Tita?
3. Where was Tita born?
4. How come it was not necessary to slap Tita on the bottom at birth?
5. Why did Tita feel a deep love for the kitchen?
6. Explain what happened to Tita when she was two days old.
7. Explain the relationship between Tita and Nacha. What made their relationship special?
8. What made it possible for Nacha to nourish Tita and impossible for Mama Elena?
9. Compare and contrast Tita’s world to that of her sisters.
10. What was the reason given to prevent Tita from marrying Pedro?
11. What is the significance of the family tradition?
12. What issues does Tita bring up when she questions the family tradition?
13. What is Tita’s punishment for having a headache?
14. What is the significance of the song, “The Eyes of Youth,” that Gertrudis plays on
the piano?