THE CIRCUIT: Chapter 6 The Christmas Gift

Vocabulary
• paisano – fellow countryman
• Que Dios los bendiga – God bless you
•Feliz Navidad – Merry Christmas

Questions

1. Where is the family? What are they picking?
2. What difficulties are they facing right now? How are they solving their problems?
3. Think about this Christmas story. How does it compare to your usual Christmas? Does it remind you of any Christmases in your life?
4.  In “The Christmas Gift”, the Jimenez family meets a couple that seems poorer than they are. Who helps this young couple? Were you surprised?
5.  What is the significance of the chapter title? (Think of all the gifts given and received in this chapter.)

THE CIRCUIT: Chapter 5 El Angel de Oro

Vocabulary
el Angel de Oro – the Angel of Gold
tonto – silly, stupid

Questions

1. Why does Panchito have cardboard inside his shoes?
2. What is the author trying to tell us by creating the picture of the goldfish swimming by himself in the bowl, and then the picture of Panchito discovering that Miguelito’s cabin is empty?
3. Who do you think the pretty goldfish represents in the story? Why?
4. Who do the little gray fish represent? Why?

THE CIRCUIT: Chapter 4, Miracle in Tent City

Vocabulary

• Torito – “Little Bull”, nickname for Juan Michael
•frijoles de la olla – plain fried beans in a pot
•el mal de ojo – the evil eye
•la curandera – a healer
•vamonos al hospital –we must go to the hospital.
•Santo Nino de Atocha – Holy child of Atocha

Questions

1. Where are they? What time of year is it? What are they picking?
2. Compare and contrast their current living conditions to what they thought it would be like in California.
3. Do you think this family is better or worse off than they were when they lived in Mexico? Why or why not?
4. What values and beliefs do this family have that we see strongly in this chapter?
5. What was the “miracle” in Tent City? Do you think that faith can help people endure hardship? In what ways?

Evil Eye Urban Legends 

THE CIRCUIT: Chapter 3, Inside Out

Vocabulary

•corridos – popular songs
•Como se dice ‘es tuyo’ en ingles? – How do you say ‘it’s yours’ in English?

Questions

1. Where are they? What time of year is it? What are they picking?
2. Compare Francisco’s first day of school to your memory of your first day? What are the similarities? Differences? 
3. Jimenez tells the story of the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly in this story. How does this relate to going to school for Francisco?
4. Why does the author name this chapter “Inside Out”? What does he mean by this?
5. Why has the author included this story in the book?

THE CIRCUIT: Chapter 2, Soledad

Vocabulary

• Soledad – solitude; being alone
•Carcachita – what they call their old jalopy, or car
•si - yes

Questions

1. Where are they? What are they picking?
2. What problems do they encounter?
3. What values do we see in this chapter that are important to this family?
4. Why do you think the author named this chapter “Soledad?” 
5. What connection is there between this word and what happens to Francisco in this chapter?
6. Why has the author included this memory in his book? What is he trying to tell his readers?

THE CIRCUIT: Chapter 1, Under the Wire

• Look at this Map! 

THE CIRCUIT

List the Family Members

Vocabulary

•la frontera – the US/Mexican border
• El Rancho Blanco – The White Ranch
•mi’jo – my son
•Cantinflas – a famous movie star from the past
•Dios le quiera – God wishes it
•Otra vez la burra al trigo – again the donkey in the wheat (you are being bothersome)
•Panchito – Little Francisco
•la migra – the immigration officials
•viejo/vieja – old man/old woman
•comal – metal skillet used over an open fire
•verdolagas – green fruit (wild)

Border: The line that officially separates two countries

Enroll: to register at a school

Farm Worker: A person hired to work on a farm

Feigned: Not real; fictitious

Foreman: The person in charge of a group of workers

Furrows: Narrow trenches in soil made by a plow

Jalopy: A rickety or battered old car

Labor Camp: A place where migrant farm workers dwell

Makeshift: Providing a temporary and usually crude substitute

Outskirts: The areas at the edge of town

Questions

1. Where did they start from? Where are they now? What problems did they encounter along the way?
2.Why is the family undertaking such a trip? Do you think they knew very much about where they were going? Why or why not?
3.Why does Roberto think that they are definitely in California when the train conductor drops off the package of fruit and candy?
4.How do you feel about this family now that you know they are illegal immigrants? Would it make a difference to you if they had crossed the border legally? Why or why not?
5.Author’s Purpose: Why did he include this memory? What is its significance to him?

Confessions: A poem by: Ava

BEAUTIFUL


Confessions: A poem by: Ava: I am I am what God says I am and I can be what God says i'll be. I'm the head and not the tail I'm above and not beneath I'm blessed c...

Peace Project

http://www.unartforpeace.org/9to12

Check it out!!

Weekend Homework

Students, 


Next we will write and complete the historical episode. Please complete the pre-writing by creating a story map. There is an example of the story map in the classroom and in your Strategies for Writers book. I can't wait to read your ideas. Don't forget to use facts and  BE CREATIVE! 


See you Monday! 

West Side Story Reflection - Classwork

Now that you have finished the famous musical, West Side Story, write a critical review.

In your review, you should answer the following questions:

1. What is the story about? 
2. Did it remind you of any other plays that you have seen or read? Explain. 
3. Who are the main characters? 
4. What did the main characters want? 
5. What happened to those characters? 
6. What about the play was interesting? 
7. Were there parts in the musical that you did not enjoy? Explain. 
8. Would you recommend this musical to friends and family?

Homework: Due Tuesday

Dear 7th graders,

You are going to write your own historical episode. A historical episode is a story written to portray real events from a specific time period. The story, however, may contain real and/or contrived characters. For homework tonight:

1. Select your time frame
2. Select a significant event from this time period
3. Select one real character and create an imaginary character 
4. Write the theme of your story

EXAMPLE:

Time Frame: September 2001
Significant Event: 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Real Characters: President Bush, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani
Fake Character: Abdul Hussein, LaMia Rogueson
Theme: Love and Frienship

If you are interested in this
Historical Fiction, examples.

Meet Senor Francisco Jimenez

What genre book is The Circuit?

What are Francisco Jimenez’s books about?

Where did he get inspiration for these books?

Why do migrant workers move frequently?

What is a contractista? 

What was the Bracero Program? 

What does bracero mean?

What was education like for the children of migrant workers?

Who was la migra?

Why was education so important for Mr. Jimenez?

Explain how butterflies inspired the author's love for reading and school.

How are butterflies a metaphor for adolescence?

Child Migrant Workers

Child migrant workers in Mexico miss out on... by UNICEF_Television

Love & Friendship (Extra Credit)

Today we enter into Theme 5, Love & Friendship. During this theme, we will read The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. This book is an autobiographical novel by Francisco Jiménez based in part on his journey from Mexico to the United States of America. The book, narrated by the child's point of view, follows the life of young Panchito and his family as they move from one location to another to harvest crops in the United States. The book has two sequels, Breaking Through and the third book in the collection, Reaching Out. The author translated the novel into Spanish under the title Cajas de Carton which was published by Houghton Mifflin.(Souce, Wikipedia) 

 

For extra credit:

Write a short response to the central question. 

CENTRAL QUESTION:

How can we welcome people into our school and community? You may use the movie (The Spy Next Door) to help you.

Aries

Happy belated birthday ( I know it was Monday) to Miss AM. Hope you enjoyed your Bday :)

What does it mean to be an Aries?
It means you are a boss, capable of achieving anything. Aries, you are special and your destiny is bright. Trust me, it is written in the stars.

Happy Birthday to all the fabulous Aries out there.