truth

Is the same for everyone? Unit 1 Genre focus:

Fiction and Nonfiction Your Anchor Book

Free-Choice Reading

There are many good books that would work well to support both the Big Question and the genre focus of this unit. In this unit you will read one of these books as your Anchor Book. Your teacher will introduce the book you will be reading.

Later in this unit you will be given the opportunity to choose another book to read. This is called your free-choice book.

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Thinking About What You Already Know

Group Activity

from

“Amigo Brothers” by Piri Thomas

Antonio helped. “It’s about our fight, right?” “Yeah, right.” Felix’s eyes squinted at the rising orange sun. I’ve been thinking about it too, panín. In fact, since we found out it was going to be me and you, I’ve been awake at night, pulling punches on you, trying not to hurt you.” “Same here. It ain’t natural not to think about the fight. I mean, we both are cheverote fighters and we both want to win. But only one of us can win. There ain’t no draws in the eliminations.” Felix tapped Antonio gently on the shoulder. “I don’t mean to sound like I’m bragging, bro. But I wanna win, fair and square.” Antonio nodded quietly. Yeah. We both know that in the ring the better man wins. Friend or no friend, brother or no…”

from

“The Day It Rained Cockroaches” by Paul Zindel

Tarantulas I like. Scorpions I can live with. But ever since I was three years old and my mother took me to a World’s Fair, I have had nightmares about cockroaches. Most people remember an exciting water ride this fair had called Shoot-the-Chutes, but emblazoned on my brain is the display the fair featured of giant, live African cockroaches, which look like American cockroaches except they’re six inches long, have furry legs, and can pinch flesh. In my nightmares about them, I’m usually lying on a bed in a dark room and I notice a bevy of giant cockroaches heading for me.

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“Always to Remember: The Vision of Maya Ying Lin” by Brent Ashabranner

from

In the 1960s and 1970s, the United States was involved in a war in Vietnam. Because many people opposed the war, Vietnam veterans were not honored as veterans of other wars had been. Jan Scruggs, a Vietnam veteran, thought that the 58,000 U.S. servicemen and women killed or reported missing in Vietnam should be honored with a memorial. With the help of lawyers Robert Doubek and John Wheeler, Scruggs worked to gain support for his idea.

from

“Child of the Owl” by Laurence Yep

Phil adjusted his tie uneasily and growled, “What’re you looking at?” I looked ahead, keeping my eyes on the glove compartment. Barney and me had never talked much about stuff like this. I knew more about race horses than I knew about myself – I mean myself as a Chinese. I looked at my hands again, thinking they couldn’t be my hands, and then I closed my eyes and felt their outline, noticing the tiny fold of flesh at the corners. Maybe it was because I thought of myself as an American and all Americans were supposed to be white like on TV or in books or in movies, but now I felt like some mad scientist had switched bodies on me like in all those monster movies, so that I had woken up in the wrong one.

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before reading your anchor book

1-1 Understanding the Big Question Is truth the same for everyone?

The struggle to find the truth exists in all content areas. Nonfiction deals only with real people, events, or ideas. Fiction can be based entirely on the imagination, but it can also be inspired by fact. Have you ever described a piece of fiction as being “real” or “believable”? Although the characters, plot, and setting in a piece of fiction may all be imagined, fiction must reflect some truth for us to keep reading. Directions To help you start thinking about this unit’s big question, let’s consider the idea of “truth.”

▶ With a partner, first brainstorm for a list of words and phrases you associate with the word “truth.” ▶ Next, identify one truth from the subject areas listed below. ▶ Finally, consider whether the ideas you listed below would be considered by everyone as truth.

Truth Brainstorm: ples from: Exampl a. Science b. Social Studies c. Math d. Art-Music

Partner Activity Choose one example you have identified. With a partner, talk about how this idea influences another subject area. 4

Lesson 1-1

Directions With your partner, read and answer the questions in the chart that follows. Then, add at least two more questions of your own.

Questions About Truth

My Thoughts

Why is truth important to people?

How can the truth for one person be different from the truth for another?

before reading your anchor book

How can stories that are untrue help me understand the truth about life?

Question.” These questions appear at the end of certain lessons. As you read, remember that although nonfiction is about real people, events, or ideas, it may not always be entirely accurate or objective. Also, remember that there is always some truth in the invented stories and characters of fiction.

Understanding the Big Question

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Getting Ready for Your Anchor Book

You will start reading your Anchor Book soon. The next few pages in this book give you some background information plus a reading skill.

Introduction to

Fiction and Nonfiction before reading your anchor book

Elements of Fiction Fiction began as oral storytelling. It was how people entertain another. It was also the way a culture shared its history, belief values. All works of fiction share certain basic elements.

▶ Fictional works can include make-believe people or anim called characters. A character faces a problem, or confli must be overcome. The made-up series of events that d how the conflict progresses is called the plot. ▶ The setting g is where and when the story takes place. D of setting—particularly, descriptive words and images establish the mood. Mood is the overall feeling that a work conveys to the reader. ▶ A speaker, called the narrator, tells the story. The nar the story from a certain perspective, or point of view person point of view w is the perspective of a charact story. Third-person point of view w is the perspectiv narrator outside the action of the story. ▶ All the elements of fiction work together to help com the work’s theme, which is its central message. Types of Fiction Short stories are brief works of fiction. They usually focus on one main plot structured around one main conflict and can be read in one sitting. Novels are longer works of fiction. In addition to its main plot, a novel may contain subplots, or related stories.

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Lesson 1-1

Novellas are works of fiction that are shorter than novels but longer than short stories. Historical fiction is literature that draws in part on real people and events to tell invented stories.

Nonfiction Nonfiction is writing about real people, places, or events that explains ideas. Nonfiction must be true. Types of Nonfiction Journals and diaries are records of daily events and the writer’s thoughts and feelings about them.

Autobiographies and memoirs tell the story of the author’s life and reflect the writer’s thoughts and feelings about events.

Essays and articles are brief written works about a specific topic. Their purpose might be to explain, persuade, or inform.

Letters are written forms of communication from one person to another. A letter might share information, thoughts, or feelings.

Informational texts are the written documents we come across in everyday life. Examples include textbooks, applications, instructions, and articles.

Nonfiction shares some elements with fiction, but it also has special features that set it apart from fiction.

Fiction • Tells about made-up people and events and can retell historical events through an imagined perspective. • Told from the point of view of a fictional character, an allknowing narrator, or limited narrator.

Both

Nonfiction • Deals exclusively with real people, events, or ideas. Nothing is made up or invented.

• Have a setting, a time and place. • Convey a mood, or overall feeling. • Feature the writer’s unique style, a characteristic way of using language and expressing ideas.

• Almost always told from the point of view of the writer, who is a real person.

before reading your anchor book

Biographies tell the story of someone’s life and are told from the perspective of another writer.

Strategies for Reading Fiction and Nonfiction Use this strategy as you read fiction and nonfiction. Visualize Picture the characters, setting, or other elements of the text in your mind. Allowing yourself to “see” what you are reading will help you to understand it better.

Introduction to Fiction and Nonfiction

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1-2 Reading Skills Making Predictions

before reading your anchor book

Academic Vocabulary Word

Meaning

Example Sentence

anticipate v. Related words: anticipating, anticipation

to look forward to, expect

I anticipatee that Tommy will join the team.

modify v. Related words: modified, modifying

to change

Because of these new details, I have to modifyy my original prediction.

verify v. Related words: verified, verifying

to confirm

I had to bring my license to verifyy my identity.

Making predictions helps you make connections between events and actions. When you predict, you anticipate future events and possible outcomes.

How to Make Predictions ▶ Preview w the selection by looking at graphic representations and text structures such as the title, chapter titles, captions, photos, organization, and headings to anticipate what the selection will be about. ▶ Formulate a prediction by using what you know about the topic of the selection, related personal life experiences, and knowledge of other similar selections. ▶ Verify y your predictions as you read, and modify y them when necessary.

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Lesson 1-2

Previewing a Text Directions Preview the excerpt from a social studies textbook below and observe how a student completed the chart after previewing text features. Then, make a prediction based on the previewed information.

A Changing Society The face of aging in the United States is changing, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report. Higher levels of education, which are linked to better health, higher income, more wealth and a higher standard of living continue to increase among people 65 and older. Today’s older Americans are living longer and more active lives. Future generations of the elderly will further challenge our understanding of what “being old” means.

29.2%

35.7%

35%

1960 0-17 years

39.8%

25.7%

42.4%

23.8%

34.4%

33.9%

2007

2050

18-44 years

before reading your anchor book

Percent of Total U.S. Populations by Age Group, 1960-2050

45 years and over

Throughout this book, you will see student models, like the one below, that show you what applying a skill looks like. Student Model Tell(s) Me

Title

Images

Society is changing

Chart shows elderly population is growing

My Prediction:

Making Predictions

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Directions Now that you have learned how to make predictions, try it for yourself with the selection on the next page. Preview the selection and then make predictions in the chart below. If you have background knowledge related to the topic, use it to help you. Text Feature to Preview

before reading your anchor book

Title

Captions

Images

My Predictions: Prediction 1

Prediction 2

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Lesson 1-2

Tell(s) Me

Preview the various text features, such as the title, introduction, and conclusion. Then, read this magazine article. Guiding Question: What is the most important truth in this article that you would share with someone?

Always to Remember:

The Vision of Maya Ying Lin

In the 1960s and 1970s, the United States was involved in a war in Vietnam. Because many people opposed the war, Vietnam veterans were not honored as veterans of other wars had been. Jan Scruggs, a Vietnam veteran, thought that the 58,000 U.S. servicemen and women killed or reported missing in Vietnam should be honored with a memorial. With the help of lawyers Robert Doubek and John Wheeler, Scruggs worked to gain support for his idea.

by Brent Ashabranner

T

he memorial had been authorized by Congress “in honor and recognition of the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in the Vietnam War.” The law, however, said not a word about what the memorial should be or what it should look like. That was left up to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, but the law did state that the memorial design and plans would have to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission. What would the memorial be? What should it look like? Who would design it? Scruggs, Doubek, and Wheeler didn’t know, but they were determined that the memorial should help bring closer together a nation still bitterly divided by the Vietnam War. It couldn’t be something like the Marine Corps Memorial showing American troops planting a flag on enemy soil at Iwo Jima. It couldn’t be a giant dove with an olive branch of peace in its beak. It had to soothe passions, not stir them up. But there was one thing Jan Scruggs insisted on: The memorial, whatever it turned out to be, Making Predictions

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before reading your anchor book

 The Vietnam

Veterans Memorial

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Lesson 1-2

Mall. Remarking upon the “simple and forthright” materials needed to build the winning entry, the report concludes: This memorial, with its wall of names, becomes a place of quiet reflection, and a tribute to those who served their nation in difficult times. All who come here can find it a place of healing. This will be a quiet memorial, one that achieves an excellent relationship with both the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, and relates the visitor to them. It is uniquely horizontal, entering the earth rather than piercing the sky. This is very much a memorial of our own times, one that could not have been achieved in another time and place. The designer has created an eloquent place where the simple meeting of earth, sky and remembered names contain messages for all who will know this place. The eight jurors signed their names to the report, a unanimous decision. When the name of the winner was revealed, the art and architecture worlds were stunned. It was not the name of a nationally famous architect or sculptor, as most people had been sure it would be. The creator of Entry Number 1,026 was a twenty-one-year-old student at Yale University. Her name unknown as yet in any field of art or

most important design competitions ever held? How could she beat out some of the top names in American art and architecture? Who was Maya Ying Lin? The answer to that question provided some of the other answers, at least in part. Maya Lin, reporters soon discovered, was a Chinese-American girl who had been born and raised in the small midwestern city of Athens, Ohio. Her father, Henry Huan Lin, was a ceramicist of considerable reputation and dean of fine arts at Ohio University in Athens. Her mother, Julia C. Lin, was a poet and professor of Oriental and English literature. Maya Lin’s parents were born to culturally prominent families in China. When the Communists came to power in China in the 1940’s, Henry and Julia Lin left the country and in time made their way to the United States. Maya Lin grew up in an environment of art and literature. She was interested in sculpture and made both small and large sculptural figures, one cast in bronze. She learned silversmithing and made jewelry. She was surrounded by books and read a great deal, especially fantasies such as The Hobbitt and Lord of the Rings.1 But she also found time to work at McDonald’s. “It was about the only way to make money in the summer,” she said. the Rings mythical novels by the , J.R.R. Tolkien (1892–1973), chronin various good and evil kingdoms for g that can shift the balance of power

Jan C. Scruggs, President of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, and Project Director Bob Doubek, display the final design for the memorial with Maya Ying Lin.

Making Predictions

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before reading your anchor book

Thinking About the Selection Always to Remember: The Vision of Maya Ying Lin

1

2

4

5

Connect Before reading this selection, did you have prior knowledge about the Vietnam War Memorial? How did this knowledge, or lack thereof, affect your predictions?

before reading your anchor book

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Verify Look at your predictions. Were you right? Identify the details that supported or contradicted your predictions.

About the Author Visit: PHSchool.com Web Code: exe-8101

Predict Based on Maya Ying Lin’s accomplishments, what do you predict will happen to her next? What might she do?

Evaluate What was the author’s purpose in writing this article? How well did the author fulfill this purpose?

Conclude Why is reading informational materials important? What can you gain from reading articles such as this one?

Write Answer the following question on a separate piece of paper.

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Assess What is the most important truth in this article that you would share with someone?

Making Predictions

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1-3 Vocabulary Building Prefixes and Suffixes

before reading your anchor book

Prefix

Strategies

Root

A prefix is one or more syllables placed before the root to change its meaning.

A root is the basic meaning of a word.

Suffix A suffix is added to the end of a root to change its meaning or part of speech.

Common Prefixes pre-

before, e in advance

predict: to tell in advance

re-

back, k again

renew: make new again

ex-

from, out

extract: take out

in-

in, into

indent: bite into

inter-

between

international: between nations

mis-

wrong

misunderstand: understand incorrectly

Common Suffixes -yze -ize -tion -sion

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Lesson 1-3

The suffixes -yze and -ize change words to verbs.

The suffixes -tion and –sion change verbs to nouns.

When you make an analysis, you analyzee something. When you make your decision final, you finalizee it. When you educate people, they receive an education. When you persuade someone, you use persuasion.

Directions Figure out the meaning of each word below. Identify the prefix or suffix, then write your guess on the first line. Check your answers by looking up each word in either a bound or online dictionary, and write the definition on the second line.

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misinterpret My guess: Dictionary meaning:

2

inflame My guess: Dictionary meaning:

3

location My guess: Dictionary meaning:

before reading your anchor book

What to Do When You Encounter Unknown Words Don’t be held prisoner by words whose meaning you don’t know. Remember that you have many tools, or strategies, to help you. Skip it! The word’s meaning may be explained later. Still struggling with the word? Try one of these steps. Use what you know about letters, sounds, and phonics to sound the word out to see if it is a word you know. Read the paragraph the word appears in aloud. See if you can use cueing systems, like context clues, to help you decode the word’s meaning. Think about what you are reading. How might this word connect to the topic? Use the sentence structure to decide what part of speech the word may be. Associate the parts of the word (prefixes, root words, suffixes) with words you know. Is not knowing the word’s meaning preventing you from understanding the main idea of the reading? Look it up! Use a dictionary, thesaurus, glossary, or online resource to help you identify the word’s meaning and pronunciation. You may wish to keep a list of new words you have learned and identify connections among them (such as synonym, antonyms, or words used to describe the same concept). Prefixes and Suffixes

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