1. “El Diablo de La Cienega”
By Geoffrey Becker

2. PRE-READING
Quick Write: Choose one prompt to respond to in your journal.
1. Have you ever made a bet with a friend/family member? What was the outcome and how did you feel afterward?
2. Have you ever felt that you had a skill or talent that made you special?

3. VOCABULARY
Write down the following words. - regimen - economizing - ominous - smattering - audible - convened As you see them in the story, determine their meaning based on the context.

4. FIRST READING
Directions: 1. LISTEN to the text as you follow along in your book. 2. Place a post-it in your book where you have a question. Write your question on your post-it. (Let’s aim for 2-3 questions)

5. NEXT: CATEGORIZE YOUR QUESTIONS!
1. Independently, go back to your post-it questions. Code your questions as follows:
F= Factual
B=Background
E=Evaluative
S=Speculative
I=Interpretive
USE YOUR BOOK OR YOUR NOTES IF YOU NEED A REFRESHER ON THESE QUESTION TYPES!

6. RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE A __________________ QUESTION.
SHARE YOUR QUESTIONS!
RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE A __________________ QUESTION.
SHARE IT!

7. WRITE! 1. The question I asked that interests me the most is…
2. The question someone else asked that interests me the most is…

8. SECOND READING
While re-reading the text, use the different- colored sticky notes to identify the following:
GREEN= Victor is SURE of himself
ORANGE = Victor is UNSURE of himself
When finished, be prepared to share a brief description of that plot event and the page #

9. SHARED INQUIRY DISCUSSION: Write. Then discuss!
FOCUS QUESTION:
At the end of the story, what is the “something” Victor knows what happened? (page 62)

10. “El Diablo de La Cienega” Questions
Why does Victor feel “a mixture of fear and pride” when he thinks about his basketball abilities? (p. 49)
Why does Victor stake the whole game on an “impossible” shot? (p. 59)
Why does Victor “not allow himself the easy luxury of disappointment?” (p. 62)
Why does the story say, “For a brief moment, the powers of the universe had convened in [Victor’s] fingertips?” (p. 62)
Why does Money tell Victor, “I think you may have mistaken me for someone else…But all right, you’re on? (p. 53)

11. Questions Continued…
6. Why doesn’t Money answer when Victor asks him, “If it was just a game to you, how come you came out here to find me?” (p. 56) 7. Why does Money refuse to pay up at the end, thus not following his own betting advice-never to “get into a bet you’re not prepared to lose?” (p. 53) 8. After looking at Victor long and hard, why does Money say, “I never expected to lose?” (p. 61)