OUR READING OF ELLEN Foster will continue through this week and into next week. Our next novel will be Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street. You will want to purchase that text this week, so that you have it early next week when we finish EF. We will be writing a comparison/contrast essay along the same lines as the one we wrote for Dead Poets Society and The Catcher in the Rye, comparing Ellen to the female protagonist in Mango Street.

Monday

What does home mean to you? We will start with an in class journal, and then will listen to chapter seven, in which Ellen Foster visit's her Aunt Betsy. Then a class discussion: how does Ellen conceive of her aunt's home? (What stands out in her descriptions?) Contrast this to Ellen's description of shopping with her New Mama. What stands out in these descriptions?
HW: Read chapter eight for class on Wednesday. As you read, take notes on Julia's (the art teacher's) house. How is this a home for Ellen Foster?

Tuesday

No class for pre-SAT testing.
HW: Finish your reading of chapter eight.

Wednesday

Ellen ponders at Julia's observation that there "are many more like" Ellen's father. This reminds Ellen of gardening with her Mama, who told her that "weeds do not bear fruit." How is Ellen's father like a weed? How is something we might take for granted--an 11 year old's birthday party--a unique experience for Ellen? Where do we see Ellen's insights into human nature?
HW: Finish the t-chart analysis of chapter 8 and 9 for homework.

Thursday

Returning the character analysis of Ellen. Moving on the chapter 10 of EF.
HW: Reading chapter 11 of EF.

Friday

Finishing the novel together in class, today.
HW: Finish reading chapters 14 and 15. Take the weekend to revisit your annotations to the novel. I will collect and grade them on Monday. You will also need to have our next novel, The House on Mango Street, on Monday.