Jimmy Santiago Baca

what can we learn from vignettes?

This week, we'll hang out with a poet who learned to write while he was in prison. Jimmy Santiago Baca had a rough childhood, ended up in prison, had a pretty rough time of it - but discovered that writing poetry was a saving grace. We'll use Baca's stories to explore the idea of vignettes, short stories about lessons we've learned from life.

essential questions

What is a theme, and how does it enhance a story?
How do literary devices add depth to writing?
How can stories share lessons we've learned?

goals

Students will understand that themes are central, big picture ideas that make writing universal.

Students will understand that an author's choice of words and syntax deepen writing by allowing the reader to visualize and connect with the text.
Students will understand that vignettes are powerful because of their ability to share a lesson the author has learned from an experience

activities

Tuesday

Warm-up: literary devices
Group activity: identify literary devices in "It would be neat if in the New Year" poem
Watch A Place to Stand documentary
- Take notes on events from Baca's life and what he learned from them
- Discuss: what can we learn from Baca's stories?

Wednesday

Vignette: "Saving a Tree"
- Read as a group
- Discussion:
  - What is the lesson in this vignette?
  - How does Baca use language intentionally to draw out this lesson?
  - If you miss the discussion, write out your responses to each question
Choose two more vignettes to read
- In each vignette, annotate your copy three ways:
  - summarize chunks of the story to understand key plot points
  - identify uses of intentional language or literary devices
  - in a margin at the beginning or end, label the lesson shared through the vignette

Thursday

Review plot arc: intro, conflict, rising action, climax, resolution
Write your own vignette (about 2 pages double spaced) responding to a prompt below (scroll down to the next section)
- Tell a story to share a lesson you have learned
- Incorporate at least three literary devices intentionally
Assess your rough draft using the Narrative/Short Story Writing Scoring Guide
- Conference with Christine about your rough draft assessment

Friday

Revise and polish vignette

vignette prompts

Choose one of these prompts to kick-start your own vignette:

Incorporate a symbol as you write about a time you were scared or nervous to do something but did it anyway to prove yourself to someone else.
Experiment with hyperbole as you write about a time you risked everything for a grand ambition.
Describe a time when you looked out for someone, or they looked out for you. Use imagery with your description of the other person so your audience can picture them.
Write about an opportunity you have had for a new start, a new perspective, or a dashed dream. Play with contrasting tones to describe the 'before' and 'after.'

c-tachs

Reading

Explain the development of two or more themes in a story
Analyze author’s choices and their impact on the story (connotation [word choice], elements of story, organization structures [flashbacks], irony)
Interact with a variety of genre, emphasizing personal narrative, mentor texts, poetry, novella, memoir, short fiction