1. Esperanza Rising 17: Paragraph Writing, Part II Stephen J. O’Connor
ccss5.com
Based upon lessons created by Expeditionary Learning

2. Learning Targets
I can find evidence in Esperanza Rising that will support my inferences about characters from the book.
I can analyze how Esperanza responds to a key event in the novel, and what this shows about her character.
I can write an essay in which each paragraph has a clear topic sentence, a body, and a conclusion.

3. Citing evidence
Making inferences
Key events from the beginning and end of the novel
Paragraphs have topic sentence
Paragraphs have supporting details
Paragraphs have concluding sentence

4. Take out your two completed graphic for Paragraphs 1 and 2, as well as your incomplete draft of Paragraph 1.

6. Esperanza escapes fire; loses everything
Ranch set on fire
Esperanza escapes fire; loses everything
Esperanza needs clothes from the poor box
Mama… must we worry about some poor family who needs clothes?
Mama says they are poor
Esperanza had everything; now poor; can’t understand

7. Complete your 1st paragraph draft
about a challenge that Esperanza faced
in Chapter 5

8. One night, the ranch catches fire and burns to the ground
One night, the ranch catches fire and burns to the ground! Esperanza and her family safely escape but lose almost everything they own to the flames. Because Esperanza and Mama do not even have clean clothes to wear, the nuns give them clothes from the “poor box.” When Esperanza sees the box left by the nuns, she asks, “Mama, at a time like this, must we worry about some poor family who needs clothes?” Mama calmly explains to Esperanza that they are the ones who are poor because they have no home and no money, and the clothes are for them. Esperanza can’t understand that she is no longer wealthy and will need to be grateful for the charity of others now.
Ranch set on fire
Esperanza escapes fire; loses everything
Esperanza needs clothes from the poor box
Mama… must we worry about some poor family who needs clothes?
Mama says they are poor
Esperanza had everything; now poor; can’t understand

9. Complete your draft of your first paragraph,
then share your draft with your triad

10. Complete your draft of your first paragraph,
then share your draft with your triad

11. Draft your second body paragraph.

12. Critique the second paragraph organizer of the others in your group

13. One night, the ranch catches fire and burns to the ground
One night, the ranch catches fire and burns to the ground! Esperanza and her family safely escape but lose almost everything they own to the flames. Because Esperanza and Mama do not even have clean clothes to wear, the nuns give them clothes from the “poor box.” When Esperanza sees the box left by the nuns, she asks, “Mama, at a time like this, must we worry about some poor family who needs clothes?” Mama calmly explains to Esperanza that they are the ones who are poor because they have no home and no money, and the clothes are for them. Esperanza can’t understand that she is no longer wealthy and will need to be grateful for the charity of others now.
Ranch set on fire
Esperanza escapes fire; loses everything
Esperanza needs clothes from the poor box
Mama… must we worry about some poor family who needs clothes?
Mama says they are poor
Esperanza had everything; now poor; can’t understand

14. p. 249

15. p. 250

16. What is a phoenix?

17. Mythological bird resembling an eagle that lived for a long time, then would burn itself out and be reborn from the ashes

18. A phoenix commonly appears in literature as a symbol of the end of one life and the beginning of a new life.

19. In what ways does Esperanza change as a person throughout the novel?
Why do you think the author chose to compare Esperanza to a phoenix in these last pages of the book?

20. Would you have wanted to be Esperanza’s friend at the beginning of the novel? Would you want to be her friend at the end of the novel? Why or why not?