Educator'southward Guide: Marcelo in the Real World

Marcelo in the Real Earth by Francisco X. Stork is the selection for the LAII's Vamos a Leer book group coming together scheduled for November four, 2013.

The following information comprises a standards-based educator's guide that the LAII has produced to back up using Marcelo in the Existent World (Stork, Scholastic, 2009) in the classroom.  The standards are not included here, but are included with the lesson plans in the PDF. The complete guide is available for download at no cost: Vamos a Leer Educator's Guide: Marcelo in the Real World.

To read our thoughts on the novel, see our book review.

Volume SUMMARY

Marcelo Sandoval hears music no one else can hear–office of the autism-similar damage no doctor has been able to identify–and he's always attended a special schoolhouse where his differences take been protected. But the summertime after his junior yr, his begetter demands that Marcelo work in his police force firm'due south mailroom in guild to experience "the real world." In that location Marcelo meets Jasmine, his beautiful and surprising coworker, and Wendell, the son of another partner in the house.

He learns well-nigh competition and jealousy, anger and desire. But it's a picture he finds in a file — a picture of a girl with half a face — that truly connects him with the real world: its suffering, its injustice, and what he tin exercise to fight.

Reminiscent of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" in the intensity and purity of its vox, this extraordinary novel is a love story, a legal drama, and a commemoration of the music each of united states of america hears inside.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

  •  2010 Once Upon a World Children's Volume Honor for Young Adults (Awarded past the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance Library and Athenaeum)
  • Schneider Family Book Award (January 2010) (Awarded by the American Library Clan for a volume that embodies an artistic expression of the disability feel for child and adolescent audiences).
  • New York Times Notable Children'due south Book of 2009 Washington Postal service Best Kids' Books of the Yr
  • Smithsonian Notable Book of 2009
  • A YALSA Best Book for Young Adults, 2010
  • YALSA Superlative x Best Books for Immature Adults
  • 2010 NPR.org Best Immature Developed Fiction for 2009
  • 2009 Booklist Editors' Option
  • Horn Book Fanfare Book
  • Kirkus Best Book of 2009
  • Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2009
  • School Library Journal Best Book of 2009
  • CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Immature People 2010
  • 2010 IRA Notable Books for a Global Society

Writer'S CORNER

About Francisco X. Stork:

Francisco Stork works in Boston equally an chaser for a state bureau that develops affordable housing. He is married to Jill Syverson-Stork. He has two children who are at present adults.

Stork was built-in in 1953 in Monterrey, Mexico. Ruth Arguelles, his mother, was a single mother from a middle grade family in Tampico (a city on the Gulf of United mexican states). The reason Francisco was built-in in Monterrey rather than in Tampico, where Ruth lived, is that her male parent did not desire anyone to know that she was going to have a child out of wedlock. She was sent to Monterrey to live in a convent until the baby was built-in. The infant was supposed to exist given up for adoption, but Ruth changed her mind. Later on a while, Granddad Adalberto relented and mother and infant Francisco were immune to come dwelling house.

Six years subsequently Ruth married Charles Stork, a retired homo more than than twenty years her senior. Charles Stork adopted Francisco and gave him his name. Charlie was a kind but strict Dutch man who apace went about instilling needed discipline in his new son. For his seventh birthday, Charlie gave Francisco a portable typewriter because Francisco announced that he wanted to be a writer. After wandering about Mexico for a few years trying to live on a Social Security pension, Charlie decided to bring the family to the United states where he hoped they would fare better.

The three of them came to El Paso, Texas when Francisco was nine. Charlie, an American citizen was able to obtain the necessary visas for Ruth and Francisco. Francisco was sent to grammar school where he learned English on the become. Unfortunately, no i was willing to give the lx-five-year-erstwhile Charlie a job and and then it became even harder for the family to survive in the United States. They lived in a variety of apartments and trailer houses staying in each for as long as possible before getting evicted.

When Francisco was thirteen, Charlie Stork died in an automobile accident. Ruth decided to stay in the U.s.. She and the boy obtained an apartment in one of the public housing projects of El Paso. Francisco was awarded a scholarship to the local Jesuit High School and before long rose to the top of his class. During his senior year, he received an Honour'due south Scholarship (full tuition and living expenses) to nourish Jump Hill Higher, a small Jesuit College in Mobile Alabama.

At Spring Loma College, Francisco majored in English Literature and Philosophy and received the college'southward artistic writing award. After college, a Danforth Fellowship (awarded to forty college seniors out of approximately 5,000 applicants) allowed him to attend graduate school at Harvard University. At Harvard he studied Latin American Literature with people like Octavio Paz, the Mexican Nobel Laureate. All the same, the emphasis on scholarly research and writing seemed too remote and irrelevant to all that was of import. So, afterwards four years of Harvard, Francisco went to Columbia Law School. His plan was to make a living as a lawyer without abandoning his plan to write fiction. Twenty years and twelve or so legal jobs afterwards, Francisco published his first novel.

Check out Francisco Ten. Stork'due south website for more information about the author.

LESSON PLANS AND ACTIVITIES

The following lesson plans are comprised of guided reading questions organized by parts of the book and extended response writing prompts.   These questions have been written to support the types of reading and disquisitional thinking skills required in standardized reading comprehension tests.  The following fundamental words and skills are highlighted: clarify, infer, evaluate, depict, support, explain, summarize, compare, contrast and predict.

In addition to the lesson plans and activities included here, bank check out other curricula:

  • Scholastic's Discussion Guide

Guided Reading Questions:

Affiliate 1 | Pages 1-9

  1. What is the departure between the "mental music" and the "real stuff"? (p. 1-2)
  2. How does Marcelo describe the mental music? What ii metaphors does he employ to explain his mental music? (p. three-4)
  3. What do Aurora and Dr. Malone discuss later on the doctor's engagement? How does Marcelo feel near this? (p. 8-9)

Chapter 2  | Pages 10-16

  1. What is Marcelo's chore at Paterson for the summer? Is he excited about it? (p. 10-11)
  2. What are the horses used for at Paterson?
  3. Marcelo uses a number of clues to figure out what he thinks his father, Arturo, wants—what is it that he wants Marcelo to do? How does Marcelo experience almost this? (p. 15-16)

Chapter 3  | Pages 17-24

  1. What is Arturo's suggestion? (p. 19)
  2. Why does Arturo want Marcelo to take this job? (p. 19-20)
  3. What are the rules of the real globe for Marcelo? (p. xx-21)
  4. How will Marcelo'south success be judged or adamant? (p. 21-22)

Chapter 4 | Pages 25-35

  1. Compare Marcelo's conversation with his mother to the one with his father.  How are the ii different? Based on these two conversations, how would you compare the relationship Marcelo has with his mother to that with his male parent? (p. 27-34)

Affiliate 5  | Pages 36-46

  1. What do you call back of Marcelo'due south morning schedule? Do you lot have a forenoon schedule? How does information technology compare? (p. 36-37)
  2. What advice does Marcelo'due south sis, Yolanda, give him about working at the law firm? Based on his sister'southward advice, predict what you think the law firm will be similar for Marcelo. (p. 39)
  3. What does Arturo explain to Marcelo almost the real earth working environment? (p.41-46)
  4. Practise you think that all jobs are like the battle or state of war that Arturo describes? Why or Why non? (p. 45-46)
  5. Predict: How do you think Marcelo volition practise at his new task? Why? (p. 46)

Affiliate vi | Pages 47-62

  1. How does Marcelo depict himself to Jasmine? (p. 55)
  2. Why is Jasmine upset that Marcelo is working at that place? (p. 59)
  3. What is your first impression of the law firm where Marcelo will be working? Why? (p. 62)

Chapter 7 | Pages 63-73

  1. Why is Marcelo surprised that Arturo describes him as having a cerebral disorder? How does this contradict what Arturo has done Marcelo's entire life? (p. 63)
  2. Who is Forest Gump? Do you recall that it'due south appropriate that Stephen Holmes calls Marcelo that? Does he mean it as a compliment or an insult? (p. 65-66)
  3. Based on Marcelo's coming together with Stephen Holmes, how would you describe Stephen Holmes as a person? Why? (p. 67)
  4. Predict what you recall Stephen Holmes' son Wendell will exist similar. (p. 68)
  5. Now that Marcelo has met Wendell, how would y'all draw him? Was your prediction correct? (p. 69-72)
  6. Why do you think Marcelo cries when he sees Jasmine'south listing? (p. 72-73)

Affiliate 8 | Pages 74-84

  1. What is the divergence between large and small talk? What did Marcelo practise the virtually of when he was at Paterson? What do yous think most of your conversations are fabricated up of? (p. 74-76)
  2. How does Marcelo decide if someone is aroused? (p. 78)
  3. How is Jasmine dissimilar from the other people who work at the firm? (p. 78)
  4. Describe how Jasmine handles the situation with Beth in the mailroom.  Practise you retrieve that it is effective? (p. 80-81)

Chapter 9 | Pages 85-92

  1. What are most of Marcelo's conversations with Wendell almost? (p. 86)
  2. How does Jasmine draw Wendell? Do you think she is correct? How does she draw what a lack of trust is like? Take you always felt that before? (p. 91)

Affiliate x | Pages 93-103

  1. What has happened to the IM since Marcelo started working at the law firm? Why do you call up this is happening? (p. 93-94)
  2. Where does Arturo take Marcelo for their lunch break? Does Marcelo desire to go? (p. 94-95)
  3. Is it piece of cake for Marcelo to talk with his father? Does he want to talk more with his begetter? Have you always been in southward a similar situation? (p. 98)
  4. How does Marcelo feel later hearing about the example his father is working on? Why practice y'all call back he feels this mode? (p. 101-102)
  5. Who does Arturo encourage Marcelo to be friends with? Practice you think this is good advice? Who would y'all tell Marcelo to befriend? (p. 103)

Chapter 11 | Pages 104-113

  1. Why does Marcelo think that Al likes Jasmine? Practise y'all recall that Marcelo is proficient at agreement people? Why or why non? Think about what he notices well-nigh Al and his conversation with Jasmine as they walk back to the office.  (p. 105-109)
  2. What kind of park does Jasmine take Marcelo to? Describe information technology.  (p. 112)

Chapter 12 | Pages 114-120

  1. Why does Marcelo ask about the passage in Genesis? (p. 116) How does Rabbi Herschel explain information technology? (p. 118)

Chapter 13 | Pages 121-134

  1. What does Wendell desire from Marcelo? (p. 122)
  2. Do you lot remember Wendell actually cares about Jasmine? Why or why non? (p. 122)
  3. What is Wendell'south programme for getting Jasmine? How does he desire Marcelo to help? Do you think Marcelo should help him? (p. 123)
  4. How does Wendell respond when Marcelo tells him no? (p. 126)
  5. What is Wendell's program for helping Marcelo to succeed at the police business firm? What does Marcelo take to do in render? Do you think this is a wise agreement for Marcelo? (p. 132-133)

Affiliate 14 | Pages 135-147

  1. How does the city reverberate what Marcelo is feeling afterward lunch with Wendell? (p. 136)
  2. Who comes to find Marcelo? (p. 138)
  3. Why can't Marcelo tell Jasmine how he's feeling? (p. 138-140)
  4. What does Jasmine share with Marcelo about her brother? (p. 141-143)
  5. What does Marcelo learn virtually Jasmine when they visit her flat? (p. 145-146)

Chapter fifteen | Pages 148-156

  1. What is the Vidromek case well-nigh? (p. 149)
  2. Marcelo is pulled in two contradictory directions? Draw what they are.  (p. 152)
  3. How does the picture affect Marcelo? (p. 154)

Chapter xvi | Pages 157-159

  1. How does Marcelo process his reaction to the motion picture? What does he call up about and compare it to? (p. 157-158)
  2. Practise you think the author is foreshadowing something when he ends the affiliate with "He decides to have the steeper path"? Why or why non? What could he exist foretelling? (p. 159)

Affiliate 17 | Pages 160-169

  1. Why is Marcelo so interested in the daughter from the photo? (p. 165-166)
  2. What do you think of Jasmine'south communication, "The right note sounds correct and the incorrect note sounds wrong"? Would that help you determine how to brand the correct decision? (p. 169)

Affiliate eighteen | Pages 170-182

  1. What does Marcelo realize that he has gotten better at? (p. 177)
  2. Why is the lawyer whose office Marcelo is using being fired? (p. 173)
  3. What practise Jasmine and Marcelo learn from the picture show? (p. 179-182)
  4. What is the plan to the find the girl from the photo? (p. 182)

Chapter nineteen | Pages 183-197

  1. Where do Jasmine and Marcelo believe the photograph was taken? Why? (p.183)
  2. How does Marcelo respond to Jerry Garcia's question "Yous're on the autism spectrum, aren't you lot?"  What has changed over the summer for Marcelo in terms of this question? (p. 185-186)
  3. How does Arturo explain the path he takes to Jerry Garcia when they are in police schoolhouse? How does this draw Arturo's constabulary practice career? (p. 190-191)
  4. What does Marcelo learn from Jerry Garcia's letter of the alphabet? (p. 192-193)
  5. What does Jerry Garcia need in social club to help Ixtel? (p. 195-196)
  6. Compare Jerry Garcia and Arturo and what they've called to do with their law careers.  How are the ii men different? Why are their law offices so different? (p. 185-196)

Chapter 20 | Pages 198-208

  1. Exercise y'all think Wendell is taking advantage of Marcelo? Why or why not? (199-200)
  2. What errand does Wendell desire Marcelo to do? Practice you recollect it's right that Wendell asks Marcelo to do this? (p. 199-200)
  3. Why does Stephen Holmes burn down Robert Steely? What did Steeley propose? (p. 205)
  4. Does Steeley aid Marcelo? (p. 206-208)

Affiliate 21 | Pages 209-215

  1. How is Marcelo'southward interaction with his father in the hallway dissimilar from previous interactions? What does Marcelo do that he'south never done before? (p. 209-210)
  2. What are the possible ramifications or consequences of using the material in the folder? (p. 211-231)
  3. What does Jasmine suggest they do to help Marcelo remember through the decision he must brand? (p. 214-215)

Affiliate 22 | Pages 216-230

  1. How did Aurora react to Marcelo's news about the trip with Jasmine? How did Arturo answer? Why was Marcelo confused about his response? Why do y'all call up Arturo reacted the way he did? (p. 216-217)
  2. What is Jasmine's dad like? How would you describe him? (p. 223-225)
  3. Describe Jasmine'south home in Vermont.  Does it have all of the amenities that you're accustomed to? (p. 223-228)

Affiliate 23 | Pages 231-246

  1. What do Jonah and Marcelo discuss during their "heart-to-heart"? (p. 237-241)
  2. What are Jasmine's plans for the future? How is she preparing for them? (p. 243-244)

Chapter 24 | Pages 247-262

  1. Where will Jasmine and Marcelo camp? What does Amos practise in the winter at Subconscious Lake? (p. 250)
  2. What conflicting feelings does Marcelo have over what to practise in regards to the file? (p. 252-253)

Chapter 25 | Pages 262-266

  1. What does Wendell give to Marcelo? Why do yous think Wendell does this? (p. 264-265)
  2. What does Marcelo learn from the letter? (p. 265-266)
  3. What does Marcelo exercise subsequently he reads the alphabetic character? How does he feel? How would yous respond if you were Marcelo? (p. 266)

Affiliate 26 | Pages 267-279

  1. Why is Aurora worried about Marcelo? How has he changed? (p. 267-268)
  2. Why has Marcelo lost his special interest in faith? How does Rabbi Herschel respond? (p. 273)
  3. What advice does Rabbi Herschel give to Marcelo? How does she offer this advice? What exercise her stories or explanations mean? (p. 267-269)

Affiliate 27 | Pages 280-282

  1. What does Marcelo make up one's mind to practice with the memo? (p. 280-281)
  2. What does this mean for Marcelo? What ramifications will this have on Marcelo and the schoolhouse he attends? (p. 281)

Affiliate 28 | Pages 283-290

  1. What does Marcelo realize about Wendell? (p. 285)
  2. How does the conversation go between Marcelo and his father? (p. 287-290)
  3. What reasoning practice Wendell and Arturo use for withholding the memo? Do they believe they did anything incorrect? (p. 288, 285)
  4. What does Marcelo do with Jasmine'due south alphabetic character? (p. 290)

Chapter 29 | Pages 291-300

  1. What is the place where Ixtel lives similar? Depict it. (p. 292-294)
  2. What does Marcelo learn from talking with Ixtel? (p. 298-299)

Affiliate thirty | Pages 301-303

  1. How is the hurting at Patterson different from the hurting Marcelo sees in the 'existent world'? (p. 302)
  2. How does Marcelo think that Oak Ridge will assist him? (p. 303)
  3. What are Marcelo'south plans for the time to come? (p. 303)

Chapter 31 | Pages 304-312

  1. How does Jasmine explain the note and what happened with Arturo to Marcelo? (p. 307)
  2. What are Marcelo's plans in regards to Vermont? Why does he want to become there? (p. 310)
  3. Why do yous recollect Marcelo'southward plans make Jasmine happy? (p. 311-312)

Reflective Writing Questions:

  1. Having read the book, what do you think the 'moral' of the story is? What is the lesson(s) that the reader learns through the novel? Explicate your answer.
  2. Is Marcelo'southward feel at the law firm a good one? How would you draw his summer?
  3. Marcelo's summer job is a life changing experience for him.  Have you always had a life changing experience like that? What was it and how did it change you?
  4. What do you lot call back Marcelo learned from his work at the law firm? How has he changed over the course of the novel? Do you think he would accept been ameliorate off working at Paterson for the summer and continuing there in the fall? Why or why non?
  5. What did you know about autism or people on the autism spectrum earlier reading the book? Have you e'er known anyone with autism? What did you acquire about this inability from reading the book?  If you run into someone at present, afterwards reading this novel, how will you lot interact with that person? Do you lot recollect the volume changed how you lot might perceive them?

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Written past staff at the UNM Latin American & Iberian Institute (LAII), Vamos a Leer Educators Guides provide an excellent way to teach virtually Latin America through literacy.  Each guide is based upon a book featured in the Vamos a Leer book group.  For more than materials that support teaching almost Latin America in the classroom, visit the LAII website. This guide was prepared 10/2013 by Katrina Dillon, LAII Project Assistant.