Lesson 1: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

[Pages:24]Lesson 1: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian How Do Our Internal (Inside) Expectations and External Expectations (what others expect of us) Shape Who We Are and Who We Become?

1. Examine the front page of the text: Is this story fact or fiction? What do you see on the cover of the book that affects your decision?

2. What are expectations? Write down an expectation you have for yourself.

3. What people or groups have expectations that affect your daily life? Brainstorm a list on a word web.

4. What are some expectations these groups might have of you? Write down 1 thing for each group identified:

Example: Your teachers might expect you to get good grades and be a good student

5. Can your expectations for yourself come into conflict with other people's expectations for you? Do you have expectations for yourself that are different than other's expectations for you?

Eg. If you want to try out for the softball team and your parents want you to play the piano, you might be in conflict with them.

6. Read Chapter 1: The Black-Eye of the Month Club". Answer guided questions.

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Guided Questions and Activities: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Chapter 1: The Black-Eye-Of-The-Month Club

Predict: For what reason do you think this chapter has this title? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

1. The narrator has many physical problems resulting from a birth defect called water on the brain. As you read this chapter, list his physical challenges.

_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

2. Why does he stay at home and draw cartoons? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

3. List 3 reasons 3 he likes to draw. _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

4. Draw a conclusion: The other kids on the "rez" call him a retard because of his physical problems. How do we know he is not this?

_________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

Chapter 2: Why Chicken Means So Much To Me

1. Where does the narrator live? _________________________________________________________

2. According to the narrator, what is the worst thing about being poor? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

3. Why doesn't he blame his parents for being poor? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

4. What would his parents have been if they had been given a chance? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

Chapter 2: Discussion Question: On page 13 of chapter 2, the narrator says being poor is an "ugly circle". On the chart below, fill in the blanks to understand the cycle of poverty.

The more I feel I deserve to be poor, the ____________ I become.

The poorer I am, the more I feel I _____________ to be poor.

When things are a cycle, what does that mean?

Have you ever heard of the expression, "self-fulfilling prophecy"? What do you think it means?

If you thought that you were destined to be poor, would you try to be something different? How could that be a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Chapter 2: Who ________________________ Would Have Been if Somebody Had Paid Attention to Their Dreams. Study the cartoon on p. 12: This drawing shows who Junior's parents might have been if somebody had paid attention to their dreams. Draw a picture that shows who someone might have been if somebody had paid attention to their dreams. Use the stick figure below to create a cartoon--you can use words or captions to express feelings. This does not have to be someone you know. You can pick someone famous. For example, the actor, Dustin Hoffman, said he would have been a jazz musician instead of an actor if anybody would have listened to him. But, people paid attention to his acting.

What does it mean to pay attention to somebody's dreams? ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________

Chapter 3: Revenge Is My Middle Name

Junior describes his best friend Rowdy. Rowdy has many good points and bad points, but Junior describes him as "the most important person in my life." On the chart below, list the good things and bad things about Rowdy.

Rowdy's good traits

Rowdy's bad traits

Chapter 5: Because Geometry is Not a Country Somewhere Near France

1. What happened to Junior's sister after high school? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

2. What class does Mr. P teach? _______________________________________________________

3. Make an inference: What does Junior do when he realizes that his geometry book is so old and outdated that his mother used it when she was in school? (look at the picture on the bottom of p. 31) _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

Chapter 6: Hope Against Hope

1. Why does Mr. P apologize to Junior? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

2. According to Mr. P, what did Junior's sister want to be? _________________________________________________________

3. Mr. P tells Junior that he was taught to "kill the Indian to save the child." What was he supposed to make the children give up? (p. 35) _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________

4. What does Mr. P want Junior to do? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

5. What does Mr. P say will happen to Rowdy? _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________

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