GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON – Teacher Copy
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
Learning Objectives
The goal of this exemplar lesson is to provide students an opportunity to explore targeted passages of complex text. Through teacher Read Alouds,
audio listening, careful student independent reading and rereading, and scaffolded discussion of text-dependent questions, students will analyze
characters’ point of view and development. Vocabulary is learned from context and writing aids deeper understanding of text. The lesson
culminates in an evidentiary writing activity. Teachers may need to further scaffold activities to address individual students’ needs depending on
the intent of the lesson and specific learners’ needs.
Rationale: This lesson explores analyzing character development and character point of view in “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros. Through the use of
first-person point of view, Cisneros explores what it means to grow older. Students will conduct a close, analytic reading to explore characters, their
development and point of view.
Text Title: “Eleven” - Sandra Cisneros
McDougal Littell Literature, pp. 182-189.
Genre/Text Structure: Short Story
Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
RL.6.1-3, RL.6.6, W.6.1, W.6.4-5, SL.6.1, L.6.1-3
http://www.corestandards.org/
Lesson Sequence
PERFORMANCE TASK/CULMINATING INDEPENDENT WRITING ASSESSMENT:
This lesson guides students through the process of analyzing character development in Cisneros’ short story, “Eleven.” It culminates in the
generation of a response to literature in which students trace Rachel’s changing feelings throughout the story. Students will explain how the
incident with the red sweater affects Rachel. They will describe how she feels before, during, and after the incident by using specific details from
the story to support their statements.
Activity 1:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
1. The teacher/students will read “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros McDougal Littell textbook; pages 182-189. The opening sections of the piece may
be read aloud or played on audio at www.classzone.com. Rereading on day one is embedded in the text-dependent questions and discussion
activities.
2. Students will independently read lines 1-13 on page 184, lines 44-62 on page 186, and lines 83-95 on page 187.
3. Students should discuss and write about the initial meaning they have made from reading lines 1-13, lines 44-62, and lines 83-95.
Activities 2, 3 and 4:
GUIDING QUESTION(S):
Returning to the text, the teacher asks students a small set of guiding questions about lines 1-13 on page 184, lines 44-62 on page 186, and lines
83-95 on page 187.
1. The targeted text should be in front of the students as they engage in their discussions.
2. Graphic organizers or Reader Response Journals serve as a means to organize thoughts for prewriting activities.
2012-2013
1
GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
3. Respond in writing
Activity 1: Abstraction
Think about how Rachel reacts when Mrs. Price orders her to put on the red sweater. Did you understand her reaction or did it surprise you?
Sometimes people are overwhelmed by their emotions. Do they always know why they react so strongly? Create a story about a character’s strong
emotional reaction to something—words or an event—that might not bother someone else. Does the character react with tears, anger, jealousy,
or sadness? In your story, have the character suggest or explain why he or she reacted so strongly.
Activity 2: Examining Perspectives
In “Eleven,” what was supposed to be a good day for Rachel turns into a bad day. Do you think Rachel’s experience is typical of how young people
feel about growing up? Is growing up always difficult, or can it be fun, too? Examine the issue of growing up from two sides—the good and the
bad.

List what is positive about growing up and entering adolescence. What do you gain?

List the negatives associated with growing up. Are there times when you just wish you could be a kid forever? Why?

Write an opinion essay about getting older. What are the appealing and unappealing aspects of it? How do you think Rachel felt about
growing up? Do you think she always felt the same way?
Activity 3: Make Inferences
Explain to students that characters’ words and actions offer important clues to their thoughts and feelings. As students read, have them create a
chart listing details from the story in one column. In the other column, they should record the inference about Rachel’s thoughts or feelings they
draw from each detail.
Activity 4: Explore Symbolism
The red sweater plays an important role in this story. To help students understand this role, ask them to work with a partner and discuss the
following questions:

What objects in everyday life are red?

What might the color red in this story symbolize?

What might the sweater stand for?
Activity 5: Quickwrite
To help students understand Rachel’s reactions to the incident with the red sweater, have them complete the following quickwrite:

Imagine you are Rachel. Explain your thoughts and feelings about the incident to Mrs. Price.
4. Use Communication, Information and Media connections at www.classzone.com , www.discoveryeducation.com, or other online resources to
for lesson extensions.

Author Study— Sandra Cisneros—Author Online at www.classzone.com.
Targeted Text Selection Page 184, Lines 1-13
What they don’t understand about birthdays and
what they never tell you is that when you’re eleven,
you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and seven, and six,
and five, and four, and three, and two, and one. And
when you wake up on your eleventh birthday you expect
to feel eleven, but you don’t. You open your eyes and
everything’s just like yesterday, only it’s today. And you
don’t feel eleven at all. You feel like you’re still ten.
And you are—underneath the year that makes you
eleven.
Like some days you might say something stupid, and
that’s the part of you that’s still ten. Or maybe some
days you might need to sit on your mama’s lap because
you’re scared, and that’s the part of you that’s five.
And maybe one day when you’re all grown up maybe
you will need to cry like if you’re three, and that’s okay.
That’s what I tell Mama when she’s sad and needs to cry.
Maybe she’s feeling three.
Targeted Text Selection Page 186, Lines 44-62
Not mine, not mine, not mine, but Mrs. Price is
2012-2013
Vocabulary
Grammar Focus:
contractions
Don’t—do not
Teacher Activities and Techniques
Text-Dependent Questions
Return to the text, and ask students a small set of guiding
questions about the targeted section.
(Q1) The narrator shares her feelings and thoughts about her
birthday. Have you ever felt like this?
You’re—you are
It’s—it is
That’s—that is
Vocabulary
Squeeze—to press
Possible answer.
Students’ answers will vary but should be supported with
examples from their own experiences. Some students may
agree with Rachel that birthdays don’t make them feel any
different. Others may say that they always feel special and
older on their birthday.
Teacher Activities and Techniques
Text-Dependent Questions
(Q2) In lines 44-62 how does the author describe Rachel’s
attitude toward Ms. Price and the red sweater?
2
GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
already turning to page thirty-two, and math problem
number four. I don’t know why but all of a sudden I’m
feeling sick inside, like the part of me that’s three wants
to come out of my eyes, only I squeeze them shut tight
and bite down on my teeth real hard and try to
remember today I am eleven, eleven. Mama is making a
cake for me for tonight, and when Papa comes home
everybody will sing Happy birthday, happy birthday to
you.
But when the sick feeling goes away and I open my
eyes, the red sweater’s still sitting there like a big red
mountain. I move the red sweater to the corner of my
desk with my ruler. I move my pencil and books and
eraser as far from it as possible. I even move my chair a
little to the right. Not mine, not mine, not mine.
In my head I’m thinking how long till lunchtime, how
long till I can take the red sweater and throw it over the
schoolyard fence, or leave it hanging on a parking meter,
or bunch it up into a little ball and toss it in the alley.
Except when math period ends Mrs. Price says loud and
in front of everybody, “Now, Rachel, that’s enough,”
because she sees I’ve shoved the red sweater to the
tippy-tip corner of my desk and it’s hanging all over the
edge like a waterfall, but I don’t care.
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
forcibly together;
compress
I’m—I am
Schoolyard—a
playground or
sports field near a
school
Parking Meter—a
mechanical device
for registering and
collecting payment
for the length of
time that a vehicle
occupies a parking
space
Possible answer.
Rachel is upset with Ms. Price, but unable to articulate how she
feels. Rachel thinks the sweater is ugly and does not want any
of her classmates to think the sweater is hers.
(Q3) Why does Ms. Price appear to be annoyed with Rachel?
Possible answer.
Ms. Price thinks Rachel is acting immature.
(Q4) Why does Rachel compare the red sweater to a waterfall?
Possible answer.
Like a waterfall spilling over a large area; the red sweater is
spilling all over desk and she cannot control it.
Alley—a narrow
back street
Except—but,
however
I’ve—I have
Targeted Text Selection Page 187, Lines 83-95.
But the worst part is right before the bell rings for
lunch. That stupid Phyllis Lopez, who is even dumber
than Sylvia Saldívar, says she remembers the red sweater
is hers! I take it off right away and give it to her, only
Mrs. Price pretends like everything’s okay. e
Today I’m eleven. There’s a cake Mama’s making for
tonight, and when Papa comes home from work we’ll eat
it. There’ll be candles and presents and everybody will
sing Happy birthday, happy birthday to you, Rachel, only
it’s too late.
I’m eleven today. I’m eleven, ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, and one, but I wish I was one
hundred and two. I wish I was anything but eleven,
because I want today to be far away already, far away
like a runaway balloon, like a tiny o in the sky, so tinytiny you have to close your eyes to see it.
Waterfall—a steep
fall or flow of water
Vocabulary
We’ll—we will
Runaway—having
run away
Teacher Activities and Techniques
Text-Dependent Questions
(Q5) Reread lines 83-86. How does the first-person point of
view affect what you know about Sylvia and Phyllis?
Possible answer.
Readers see the story from Rachel’s perspective only. All
Rachel says about Sylvia and Phyllis is that they are ‘stupid’, but
clearly this is not all there is to know about them.
(Q6) Minor characters help carry out the action of a story. Mrs.
Price is a minor character in “Eleven,” but she plays an
important part in the story. How do you think Mrs. Price would
describe the incident with the sweater? Use details from the
story to support your answer.
Possible answer.
Mrs. Price might say that she just wanted students to behave
so that she could continue teaching. She might feel that Rachel
overreacted to the sweater issue.
(Q7) As the narrator of the story, Rachel shares many of her
thoughts and feelings. However, she is not able to tell us the
thoughts and feelings of the other characters. With a partner
or in a small group discuss what you learned through the
story’s first-person point of view.
Possible answer.
Students’ answers will vary but should be supported with
examples from their own experiences.
2012-2013
3
GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Summative Assessment/Culminating Independent
Writing Task
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
Carol Booth Olson lesson plan found at www.classzone.com
Writing Situation
For many people, a birthday is an exciting, festive event. In the story “Eleven” by
Cisneros, Rachel struggles with a troubling incident on her 11th birthday, during which
she grows not only in years, but as a character.
Writing Directions
Write a response to literature in which you explain how the incident with the red
sweater affects Rachel. Describe how she feels before, during, and after the incident,
using specific details from the story to support your statements about the changes she
undergoes.
Keep the following traits in mind as you compose your response to literature:
Key Traits
Ideas

Presents a thesis statement that claims how the incident with the red
sweater affects Rachel

Makes inferences about Rachel’s thoughts, feelings, words, and actions

Explains how Rachel’s thoughts and feelings change as the story progresses
Organization

Contains an engaging introduction that describes Rachel and her feelings on
her eleventh birthday

Has a well-developed body that logically advances the writer’s analysis

Supports statements with evidence from the text

Contains a conclusion that goes beyond restating the introduction to deepen
the interpretation
Voice

Writes authoritatively with a tone that is appropriate for the writer’s
audience and purpose

Shows the writer’s investment in and commitment to his/her analysis
Word Choice

Uses precise, apt, and descriptive language to interpret the literary work
Sentence Fluency

Varies sentence structure and length to help the paper flow
Conventions

Correctly follows the conventions of written English
RESPONDING TO THE PROMPT
After students have read the prompt, have them complete these activities to help
them prepare their responses.
1. Create a Thesis Statement
Explain to students that their thesis statement should summarize their ideas about
how Rachel changes as a result of the incident with the red sweater. Have them use
their inference charts and quickwrites as the basis for creating their thesis statements.
2. Organize the Information
To help students track the changes in Rachel’s thoughts and feelings, suggest that they
group information about her changing feelings into three categories—before, during,
and after the incident. Remind them to back up each statement with a relevant
quotation or detail from the story.
3. Maintain a Consistent Point of View
As students develop and revise their drafts, remind them that they should write about
Rachel from the third-person point of view—using the pronouns she and her. Instruct
them to maintain this point of view throughout their response, making any necessary
changes during revision.
2012-2013
4
GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Extension Activities/Further Resources
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
Technology:
www.discoveryeducation.com – (see links embedded in pacing guide)
www.classzone.com
Graphic Organizers at www.classzone.com
Content Knowledge
English Language Learner (ELL) Resources and Strategies
Use the following Discovery Education media link to build content background
knowledge on how the rings inside a tree trunk show the plant’s age.

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=6965A34A7CBB-429E-A9BE-CEF38D52C860
Key Academic Vocabulary
Have students use Best Practices Toolkit – Word Questioning Transparency E32 (see
below) to study the academic vocabulary from the selection:

finally (lines 40,74)

period (line 59)

invisible (line 75)
Have students work in pairs, in order to check their definitions, by looking up the
words in a dictionary.
Role Play
Writing Task
2012-2013
Assign the roles of Rachel and Mrs. Prince to some students in your class. Ask them to
act out what happened in class the day Rachel became eleven years old. Provide
opportunities for students to change the ending of the story if they wish.
Have students discuss how growing up, or growing older, could be complicated and
often difficult. Ask them to write a paragraph, where students narrate an incident in
their lives that had made them mature.
5
GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
2012-2013
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
6
GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
Student Copy
Text Title: Eleven by Sandra Cisneros
Genre/Text Structure: Short Story
Targeted Text Selection Page 184, Lines 1-13
What they don’t understand about birthdays
and what they never tell you is that when you’re
eleven, you’re also ten, and nine, and eight, and
seven, and six, and five, and four, and three, and
two, and one. And when you wake up on your
eleventh birthday you expect to feel eleven, but
you don’t. You open your eyes and everything’s
just like yesterday, only it’s today. And you don’t
feel eleven at all. You feel like you’re still ten.
And you are—underneath the year that makes
you eleven.
Like some days you might say something
stupid, and that’s the part of you that’s still ten.
Or maybe some days you might need to sit on
your mama’s lap because you’re scared, and
that’s the part of you that’s five.
And maybe one day when you’re all grown up
maybe you will need to cry like if you’re three,
and that’s okay. That’s what I tell Mama when
she’s sad and needs to cry. Maybe she’s feeling
three.
Targeted Text Selection Page 187, Lines 83-95
Not mine, not mine, not mine, but Mrs. Price is
already turning to page thirty-two, and math
problem number four. I don’t know why but all
of a sudden I’m feeling sick inside, like the part
of me that’s three wants to come out of my
eyes, only I squeeze them shut tight and bite
down on my teeth real hard and try to
remember today I am eleven, eleven. Mama is
making a cake for me for tonight, and when
Papa comes home everybody will sing Happy
birthday, happy birthday to you.
But when the sick feeling goes away and I
open my eyes, the red sweater’s still sitting
there like a big red mountain. I move the red
sweater to the corner of my desk with my ruler. I
move my pencil and books and eraser as far
from it as possible. I even move my chair a little
to the right. Not mine, not mine, not mine.
In my head I’m thinking how long till
lunchtime, how long till I can take the red
sweater and throw it over the schoolyard fence,
or leave it hanging on a parking meter, or bunch
it up into a little ball and toss it in the alley.
Except when math period ends Mrs. Price says
loud and in front of everybody, “Now, Rachel,
that’s enough,” because she sees I’ve shoved the
red sweater to the tippy-tip corner of my desk
and it’s hanging all over the edge like a waterfall,
but I don’t care.
2012-2013
Vocabulary
Don’t—do not
Text-Dependent Questions
(Q1) The narrator shares her feelings and thoughts about her
birthday. Have you ever felt like this?
You’re—you are
________________________________________________________
It’s—it is
________________________________________________________
That’s—that is
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
(Q2) In lines 44-62 how does the author describe Rachel’s attitude
toward Ms. Price and the red sweater?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
(Q3) Why does Ms. Price appear to be annoyed with Rachel?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
(Q4) Why does Rachel compare the red sweater to a waterfall?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
7
GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Targeted Text Selection Page 187, Lines 83-95.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
But the worst part is right before the bell
rings for lunch. That stupid Phyllis Lopez, who is
even dumber than Sylvia Saldívar, says she
remembers the red sweater is hers! I take it off
right away and give it to her, only Mrs. Price
pretends like everything’s okay. e
Today I’m eleven. There’s a cake Mama’s
making for tonight, and when Papa comes home
from work we’ll eat it. There’ll be candles and
presents and everybody will sing Happy
birthday, happy birthday to you, Rachel, only it’s
too late.
I’m eleven today. I’m eleven, ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five, four, three, two, and one, but I
wish I was one hundred and two. I wish I was
anything but eleven, because I want today to be
far away already, far away like a runaway
balloon, like a tiny o in the sky, so tiny-tiny you
have to close your eyes to see it.
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
Vocabulary
________________
We’ll—we will
Runaway—having
run away
(Q5) Reread lines 83-86. How does the first-person point of view
affect what you know about Sylvia and Phyllis?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
(Q6) Minor characters help carry out the action of a story. Mrs. Price is
a minor character in “Eleven,” but she plays an important part in the
story. How do you think Mrs. Price would describe the incident with
the sweater? Use details from the story to support your answer.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
(Q7) As the narrator of the story, Rachel shares many of her thoughts
and feelings. However, she is not able to tell us the thoughts and
feelings of the other characters. With a partner or in a small group
discuss what you learned through the story’s first-person point of
view.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2012-2013
8
GRADE 6 ELA EXEMPLAR LESSON
Quarter 2, Weeks 15 & 16: 11/26/12 – 12/07/12
Write a SUMMARIZATION:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
For further information regarding this document contact the Division of Language Arts/Reading, Secondary District Instructional Supervisors,
Dr. Erin Cuartas, Ms. Laurie Kaplan or Dr. Sharon Scruggs-Williams, 305-995-3122; for ELL questions, contact the Division of Bilingual Education and World
Languages District Supervisor, Ms. Caridad Perez, 305-995-1962.
2012-2013
9