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Ethyn Segura |
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Educational Background:
I attended California State University Long Beach from where I graduated
with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature (2005) as well as a Single
Subject Teaching Credential in English (2009).
Hobbies:
reading, traveling, movies, camping, hanging out with my little brother and
nephew.
One of the main reasons I have always wanted to be an educator is my love of
kids. I find them fascinating! I love the way they think and process
information, their ideas, energy, innocence, and ability to love
unconditionally. The greatest part about being an educator is everyday one
or all of my students surprise me and make me view things from a different
perspective; there is not a day that goes by that I do not learn from my
students and laugh out loud with them.
Year Curriculum Plan
Sixth Grade
Short Story Unit: Students will learn the basic characteristics of plot
structure (exposition, rising action, conclusion denouement etc ;) as well
as basic figurative language terms (metaphor, characterization, simile,
point of view, personification, setting, tone, symbolism, imagery etc.)
Feature Article Writing Unit: Students will be introduced to using
electronic media research materials, analyze and interpret various
instructional and persuasive media outlets and materials (newspapers,
journals, propositions) in order to inform their own persuasive and
informative writing. Students will also be introduced to word processing and
publishing software such as Microsoft Word and Power Point when they create
a Feature Article about a topic of their choosing.
The Outsiders Unit: Students will be introduced to basic methods of literary
criticism and analysis paying particular attention to the analysis of the
effective qualities of character (courage, ambition, motivation etc.).
Students will also be introduced to the concept of central ideas or themes
found throughout a written work.
The Giver Unit: Students will be introduced and begin studying Utopian
societies as found in literature and the real world. Students will also
study the basics of fiction writing and learn to apply stylistic aspects of
writing such as plot, characterization, and dialogue to their own writing as
well as recognizing it in other writings.
Seventh Grade
Short Story Unit: Students will learn more complex levels of plot
development and figurative language paying particular attention to events
that advance the plot, foreshadowing, external and internal
characterization, recurring themes in various texts, point of view- first
and third person, limited and omniscient etc.
Animal Farm Unit: Students will be introduced to the concept of propaganda,
persuasive techniques, inference (paying attention to what is NOT being said
in a text to gain deeper insight into said text) as well as historical
events such as the Russian Revolution and the Cold War. Students will
practice persuasive writing techniques and speeches as well as analyze
rhetorical devices found in various political speeches.
The Devil’s Arithmetic Unit: Students will focus on the central idea,
“remembrance”. As such students will write a Family History Project where
they will learn the basics of research writing such as note taking,
organization of thoughts and sources, drafting, and bibliographies. In
addition, students will also be given a basic overview of the Holocaust and
its impact on the world.
Fantasy Writing Unit: Students will study the aspects of fiction (plot,
character, setting etc) including the benefits and appropriateness of
fiction writing in different situations. Students will also be creating
their own fiction/fantasy story wherein they will develop a standard plot
line, major and minor characters, and use different literary devices
(metaphor, dialogue, suspense, etc.) in order to enhance their writing.
Eighth Grade
Short Story-Poetry Unit: Students will study complex aspects of fiction and
figurative language such as sub plots, climax, conflict resolution, parallel
story lines/events, irony, ambiguity, dialect, and inference. Students will
also be introduced to the different types, and benefits/drawbacks thereof,
of various types of poetry such as ballad, lyric, couplet, epic, elegy, ode,
and sonnet.
Of Mice and Men Unit: Students will be introduced to the concept of central
ideas as found in literature (OMAM central ideas: loneliness, hopes and
dreams, friendship, loyalty). Using these central ideas, students will
analyze plot, characters, motivations, and author intent. Students will
write a thesis-driven essay on a central idea(s) using textual citations and
quotes in order to support their main idea.
Night Unit: Students will continue working with central ideas or themes
(Night: Man’s Inhumanity to Man, Hate, Complacency, Denial) when analyzing
the text and discovering how it reflects the heritage, traditions,
attitudes, and beliefs of the author. Students will also look at the
historical time period and events of the novel such as pre- and post-war
Germany and the Holocaust, for instance.
Autobiographical and Persuasive Writing Unit: Students will complete a
writing process with the end result a complete autobiographical essay.
Students will work through the following steps: prewriting/brainstorming,
visualization, sensory detail editing, drafting, editing, and revision.
Students will also practice persuasive writing and presentations with topics
that are of interest to them.
All Grades
Vocabulary: Every week all grades will study 1-2 Greek or Latin
roots/suffixes/prefixes as well as four words that utilize said roots. They
will be quizzed weekly on the roots and words: they will have to use the
word in the right context as well as spell the word correctly. This will
prove to be a valuable tool in all aspects of the student’s academic career
as well as testing (STAR, SATS, PSATS)
Grammar: One day of each week will be dedicated to grammar. All classes will
be using the text Grammar for Writing (Sadlier) wherein they will study
proper English language conventions, punctuation, writing skills, and
sentence structure. Every Monday will be dedicated to grammar/writing and
will include Power Points, worksheets, and tests/quizzes.
