"Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros

Meet the Author: Sandra Cisneros  Today we are going to begin reading the short story "Eleven" by the acclaimed Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros. As a writer, Cisneros has often drawn on her childhood memories of her Spanish-speaking neighborhood in Chicago. Cisneros remembers being shy in school. "I never opened my mouth," she remembers, "except when the teacher called me, the first time I'd speak all day." She also remembers often feeling overlooked and misunderstood, which are feelings you may notice represented in the fictional character of Rachel in "Eleven." Before we read, listen to Cisneros share a few memories of her childhood in the video below.  

Focusing on Character Traits in "Eleven"  As we read "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros together, your job is to pay very close attention to the characters and their traits in the story. You can determine a character's traits by, among other things, paying close attention to their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Today you will begin to analyze the main characters in "Eleven" and their traits using the document Character Traits in "Eleven" that can be found in your Language Arts Google Classroom. An online version of the short story "Eleven" can be found here (the reading selection can also be found on pages 26-29 of your Language of Literature textbook).  

Guiding Questions for "Eleven"  As we read the text several times, we will also stop periodically to consider some guiding questions related to the text (which can be found below). Be prepared to discuss your ideas with your partner and small group and be ready to share out with the whole class. 

Homework  Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and, if you choose, make a reading log entry using the Digital Reading Log. (Remember you must have made at least two entries by the end of the week.)