“The First Day” Edward P. Jones

“For as many Sundays as I could remember, perhaps even Sundays when I was in her womb, my mother has pointed across I Street to Seaton as we come and go to Mt. Carmel. ‘You gonna go there and learn the whole world.’”

Text Opener What do you remember about your first day of school? What feelings or images come to mind when you picture it? or What is your earliest memory of your mother or father? What feelings come to mind when you recall this memory? How does the memory compare with the way you relate to your mother or father now?

Sharing Questions Write one or two different sharing questions you can discuss with your small group. These are questions you have about the short story from the first reading. They can be about vocabulary, what happened in the story, or anything that left you wondering. Discuss them thoroughly with your group, and in your notebook write the question someone else asked that interests you the most.

Guided Notes C = A character seems confident. Contrasting ideas C = A character seems confident. N = A character seems nervous.

Shared Inquiry Discussion Interpretive Question Why does the narrator say that the story takes place “long before I learned to be ashamed of my mother?” (23) Evidence from the text to support your answer:

Writing After Discussion Do you think the daughter’s retelling of this story is respectful toward her mother or not? or Do you believe that you should be allowed to enroll in any school you wish to attend, or should it be based on where you live?