Recipes for Writing, Grades 4-5
February 23; March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30; April 6, 13
8 class sessions, 1.5 hours per class
Thursdays, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. PST (12 hours)
Course Description:
People say we are what we eat, and that’s probably true in more ways than one. There’s so much wrapped up in the foods we eat -- our families, our memories, our traditions, our cultures, and even our values. When we talk about food, we’re often talking about our identities. Whether it’s the joy of a tamalada during the holidays or the comfort of a steaming bowl of pho on a winter night, food brings people together. This course will examine the ways writers talk about food and how it can function within a text to establish themes and symbols. Students will go on their own cooking journey at home to research a family recipe before composing their own pieces about the experience and what they’ve learned from it. We’ll complement our writing by reading poems, short stories, and even informational texts that center food as an experience and an identity marker. By drawing from the moves made in these mentor texts, we will explore how writers utilize narrative techniques listed in the common core standards such as sequencing events, introducing characters and different perspectives, using dialogue, creating vivid descriptions through sensory details, and more.
Instructor Biography:
Mr. Carranza was a fellow of the UCI Writing Project Summer Institute in 2021. He teaches English and Journalism at Jefferson Middle School in the San Gabriel Unified School District. After earning a BA in Literature at Cal State Long Beach, he went on to earn an MA in English at Claremont Graduate University where he learned the value of cross-curricular work. He believes strongly in centering students’ own experiences and voices in their learning and the lasting impact that their stories can bring.
People say we are what we eat, and that’s probably true in more ways than one. There’s so much wrapped up in the foods we eat -- our families, our memories, our traditions, our cultures, and even our values. When we talk about food, we’re often talking about our identities. Whether it’s the joy of a tamalada during the holidays or the comfort of a steaming bowl of pho on a winter night, food brings people together. This course will examine the ways writers talk about food and how it can function within a text to establish themes and symbols. Students will go on their own cooking journey at home to research a family recipe before composing their own pieces about the experience and what they’ve learned from it. We’ll complement our writing by reading poems, short stories, and even informational texts that center food as an experience and an identity marker. By drawing from the moves made in these mentor texts, we will explore how writers utilize narrative techniques listed in the common core standards such as sequencing events, introducing characters and different perspectives, using dialogue, creating vivid descriptions through sensory details, and more.
Instructor Biography:
Mr. Carranza was a fellow of the UCI Writing Project Summer Institute in 2021. He teaches English and Journalism at Jefferson Middle School in the San Gabriel Unified School District. After earning a BA in Literature at Cal State Long Beach, he went on to earn an MA in English at Claremont Graduate University where he learned the value of cross-curricular work. He believes strongly in centering students’ own experiences and voices in their learning and the lasting impact that their stories can bring.