Warm-Up Writer’s Notebook – Title this entry: The Breadwinner. Imagine living here. Where are you? What is your life like? Describe it.

What is a breadwinner?

Created by: Julie Mann, McCleskey Middle School The Breadwinner By: Deborah Ellis Created by: Julie Mann, McCleskey Middle School 7th Language Arts, 2010-11

chador A piece of cloth worn by women and girls to cover their hair and shoulders

burqa A loose, usually black or light blue robe, that is worn by Muslim women, especially in Afghanistan, and that covers the body from head to toe.

shalwar kameez shalwar - a pair of light loose trousers with a tight fit around the ankles; worn by women from the Indian subcontinent kameez - a long tunic worn by many people from the Indian subcontinent

toshak A narrow mattress used in many Afghan homes instead of chairs or beds

Taliban a fundamentalist Islamic militia (military) who took over Kabul, Afghanistan in 1996 and set up an extremist Islamic government that “enforced a strict Muslim code of behavior”

naan A type of Afghan flatbread.

Warm Up On your own notebook paper, begin to create a STUDY GUIDE for the test. Who is the protagonist? Who is the antagonist? Know the setting. Where does the story take place? When? Who are the main characters? How does the family make a living?

Warm-Up Narrator? Do we know the narrator’s thoughts? Shauzia & Mrs. Weera – Who are they? Explain relationship with Parvana & her family. What is the bone yard? What happens? Plot elements Exposition: setting (yesterday). Opening scene. Initial (first) conflict. Rising Action: list order of events (mini-conflicts)

Warm-Up – Add on to your study guide. Plot Elements What is the climax of the story? List the falling actions so far (add onto this after reading) What is the resolution? (complete after reading)

Literary Devises Simile: “Afgans cover the earth like stars over the sky.” her father often said. “Her father’s face was like a jigsaw puzzle.” Foreshadow: “I could do that,” Parvana whispered. She’d like to be able to run around in the market. . . Parvana does eventually run around in the market, but as a boy. Cause and Effect: Ever since Mother had been forced out of her job, Mother’s temper grew shorter. Suspense: Something caught her eye, a flicker of movement. She thought it came from the blacked-out window, but how could it?

Symbols: Father’s false leg is a symbol for the lost life the family once knew before the Taliban came to power. “One of the soldiers snatched the photo of Parvana’s father and tore it into pieces.” This action is a symbol of the Taliban ripping families apart. Hossain is a symbol for the death and loss the people of Afghanistan have suffered under the Taliban. The burning of the books is a symbol of the control the Taliban have over the people.

Allusion: Malali is a character from Afghanistan’s history and Parvana wants to be like her. Hyperbole: “She could have swallowed a whole loaf in one gulp.” “If felt like an eternity before Mrs. Weera handed Parvana a cup of plan boiled water.” Theme: “These are unusal times. They call for ordinary people to do unusual things, just to get by.

Irony: “The more she was ignored, the more confident she felt.” “Now, with her face open to the sunshine, she was invisible in another way.” Conflict: “I can’t help that!” Shauzia’s voice rose and caught, as she tried not to cry. “I just have to get out of here. I know that makes me a bad person, but what else can I do? I’ll die if I have to stay here!”

Post Reading Response On your own notebook paper: Create three original NON-STUDY GUIDE test questions for the test. Turn in as EXIT TICKET. Writer’s Notebook – “The Breadwinner – alternate ending” In your notebook, write a new ending or sequel to the story. Fill at least a page.