As of Fall 2004 the Greater Phoenix Area Writing Project has been discontinued. This website will be maintained for a time on a limited basis for informational purposes and so that you are able to access the resources provided. All the best to you in your teaching.
GPAWP 2003 Summer Institute
Web Diary"My Book of Life"
Michelle Coro
Desert Vista High School
Phoenix, AZPresentation Title:
"My Book of Life"Grade Level(s):
10; can be modified for 7-12Book(s) used:
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
Other Resources:
Video Clip: Soul Food
Presentation Description:
Purpose of the Lesson: Through daily journal entries, sharing and published writing, students explore their feelings on a variety of subjects to be included in a writing portfolio.
Class Activities: In this unit, students develop multi-genre pieces of writing over the semester or year based on the sections of "All About Me," "Family Heritage," "Special Days," "Friends," "Education," "Goals in Life," and "What I learned About Myself Writing This Book." The lesson can be used to supplement the literature of Rudolfo Anaya's Bless Me, Ultima, and Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club or other novels that include themes of the main character's coming-of-age, self-discovery and identifying family values. The short video clip I used with this unit was from Soul Food (ISBN 0-7939-4494-7) showing the family drama of the mouth-watering Sunday dinner at Mother Joe's, a 40-year tradition as seen through the eyes of her grandson, Ahmad, to introduce writing about a detailed memory of a family member gathering.
Updated: December 8, 2005