Group+Assignments

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October 1, 2008 Read the poem below, then write a response as a group. Your response may be a poem, letter, or song. Post the response to your group wiki page. You may copy and paste the poem to your page if you would like. You only need one response for the group.

This assignment will be done primarily outside of class. Use your group wiki page to collaborate on the assignment. One member of the group may start the response, then other members can comment, add, or edit. You don't all have to be online at the same time. Your group response must be posted by Friday October 3, 2008.


 * “You Have to Live in Somebody Else's Country to Understand” by Noy Chou**

What is it like to be an outsider? What is it like to sit in the class where everyone has blond hair and you have black hair? What is it like when the teacher says, "Whoever wasn't born here raise your hand." And you are the only one. Then, when you raise your hand, everybody looks at you and makes fun of you. You have to live in somebody else's country to understand. What is it like when the teacher treats you like you've been here all your life? What is it like when the teacher speaks too fast and you are the only one who can't understand what he or she is saving, and you try to tell him or her to slow down. Then when you do, everybody says, "If you don't understand, go to a lower class or get lost." You have to live in somebody else's country to understand. What is it like when you are an opposite? When you wear the clothes of your country and they think you are crazy to wear these clothes and you think they are pretty. You have to live in somebody else's country to understand. What is it like when you are always a loser. What is it like when somebody bothers you when you do nothing to them? You tell them to stop but they tell you that they didn't do anything to you. Then, when they keep doing it until you can't stand it any longer, you go up to the teacher and tell him or her to tell them to stop bothering you. They say that they didn't do anything to bother you. Then the teacher asks the person sitting next to you. He says, "Yes, she didn't do anything to her" and you have no witness to turn to. So the teacher thinks you are a liar. You have to live in somebody else's country to understand. What is it like when you try to talk and you don't pronounce the words right? They don't understand you. They laugh at you but you don't know that they are laughing at you, and you start to laugh with them. They say, "Are you crazy, laughing at yourself? Go get lost, girl." You have to live in somebody else's country without a language to understand. What is it like when you walk in the street and everybody turns around to look at you and you don't know that they are looking at you. Then, when you find out, you want to hide your face but you don't know where to hide because they are everywhere. You have to live in somebody else's country to feel it.

Published in 1986 by the Anti-Defamation League for the "A World of Difference" project.

Sepember 22, 2008 Complete the assignment for your novel on your group's wiki page.

__Red Midnight__ [|Ogani Refugees] How is Santiago's situation similar to the Oganis? What resources do the Oganis have that Santiago does not? What advice would Israel give Santiago and his sister about living in America?

__Becoming Naomi Leon__ Read about a real Mexican family trying to settle in a America. [|Mexican Immigrant Experience] How is Naomi's family different from the family in the article? Is it fair of Ventura to move the family to Califonia, considering the changes that must be made in their lifestyle? What would Pedro Flores say to Naomi's mother about the way she has treated Naomi?

__Code Talker__ Read about the history of the Navago and other information from the following links. [|Navajo History] [|Real Code Talkers] How does the Navajo history manifest, or show up, in the novel? What does Ned do in the novel that reflects Navajo attitudes and beliefs? Because of Ned's beliefs, how is he different from other boys who wanted to fight in the war?

__Weed Flower__ [|New Year Baby] How is Sumiko's family like the Cambodian family? What differences are there between Sumiko's family and the Cambodian family? What attitudes toward America did you see in the video clip that help explain why Sumiko's family went into captivity without much protest?

__Before We Were Free__ Read this article about the modern Dominican Republic. [|Dominican Ball Players] How is the Domican Republic presented in this article different from the Dominican Republic that Anita sees? What common problems do the characters in the novel share with the modern ball players? If you were living in the Dominican Republic and had a brother who was recruited for baseball training camp, would you want him to go? Why or why not?

__American Born Chinese__ Watch this short video clip about a family from Cambodia. [|New Year Baby] What cultural identity examples did you see in the video that resemble Monkey King and Danny? Can a person truly "transform" their cultural identity? How is the Christmas reunion in the video similar to Chin-Kee's visit?

__Esperanza Rising__ Read about a real family tryinng to survive financially and immigrate to the United States. [|Mexican Migrant Workers] How is Esperanza's family different from Pedro's family? What would Esperanza's mother say to Ventura when she is sad and homesick? Is it fair for Ventura to move the family to Califonia, considering the changes that must be made in their lifestyle?

__A Group of One__ Read the real story of an Indian family who immigrated to the United States to work in the technology field. [|Indian Immigrants] What cultural elements did you recognize from your novel? How would Tara react to Anjan's father's opinion of the United States? What else did you find interesting in the article?

__Copper Sun__ Read about modern emigrants from Nigeria. [|Ogoni Refugees] How are Amari's experiences similar to those of modern African emigrants? What differences did you find between the backgrounds (social status, education, wealth, etc.) of the Ogonis and what you were expecting life to be like in Africa? What would Amari tell the Ogonis about America?

__Heat__ Read about the recruitment of baseball players from the Dominican Republic. [|Major League Hopes in the Dominican Republic] Are the recruiters fair to the Dominican teenage boys? What advantages would Michael have over the Dominican boys when competing for a spot in the Major Leagues? If you were living in the Dominican Republic and had a brother who was recruited for baseball training camp, would you want him to go? Why or why not?

__Crossing the Wire__ Read about a real family trying to survive financially and legally cross into the United States. [|Mexican Immigrant Experiences] Based on what you know from your novel, why does Pedro Flores say that "crossing the mountains" is too difficult for his family? Why doesn't Victor bring his family into the United States with him? Is it fair for Ventura to move her family to California, considering the changes that must be made to their lifestyle?

September 19, 2008

Read individually (silently) for 15 minutes. Write at least three questions you would like your group to discuss. Write this in your day book. Choose someone to take notes on the group discussion. This person should record the ''big ideas" that were discussed. Do not write down every single word said and who said it. Record the main topics and the members' viewpoints. Ex. Losing Parents Jill felt that character should move on. Don felt that the character feel like their death was his fault. Leaving Home Alan would have tried to run away. Julia pointed out that the soldiers would have shot anyone who tried to run.

You will discuss these questions as a group for twenty minutes.

The discussion notes must be recorded on the group wiki page. You can write down the information, then type it, or type directly on the wiki page during the discussion. **Make sure to save or you will lose everything you've written.**