Frank McCourt: A story of hope

Frank McCourts life:A lesson of hopeBy Vctor Lugo

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Self access activity No. 6ObjectivesTo identify main events in a reading text.To relate events in a mans life to the reasons for the decisions he made.To identify main ideas in an interview.To create a text describing a persons life story.

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InstructionsTaking into account that you cannot write on this PowerPoint presentation, please do the following:

On a piece of paper, take notes on your answers to the questions asked here. These questions are numbered and coloured red.

Use them as support for the final activity.

Bring your notes to our next lesson.

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Angelas Ashes (1999)This is the poster for a famous movie called Angelas Ashes, directed by Alan Parker, in 1999.

What kind of movie do you think it is?What do you think it is about?Does it look interesting?

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Movie trailerClick on the photo below to watch the movie trailer for Angelas Ashes and confirm your guesses.

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Frank McCourts life storyAlan Parkers movie is based on Frank McCourts memoirs, especially about the difficulties he suffered in his childhood.

Read ONLY the first two paragraphs of his biography on http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/mcc1bio-1 and find out what these difficulties were.

4. Why do you think he became famous after these situations? 5. What do you think he did when he was a teenager?

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His biographyRead the rest of the biography and confirm your answers to questions 4 and 5.

He wrote about poverty and hunger.

6. Do you think it is easy to write about traumatic experiences? Why/Why not?

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Famous McCourtClick on the photo to watch an excerpt from an interview with writer McCourt and compare your opinion with his:

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Watch the video againAnd answer these questions:

Why did not he consider writing about his own life story before?

According to him, what is the positive side of poverty?

Do you agree with him when he says that whatever damage you suffer in childhood takes a long time to heal? Support your opinion.

Why does he have such negative opinion of strategies like sending rice and grief counsellors to help poor people or to places where there has been a tragedy? Do you agree with this opinion?

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Optional activityIn case you want to see the whole interview with Frank McCourt, go to:http://fora.tv/2007/11/28/Frank_McCourt_Angela_and_the_Baby_Jesus

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ExtensionFrank McCourts story is really impressive. The first time I saw the movie, I did not know anything about him, but I got curious and read his biography and the original book. He has been a good inspiration for me.

Is there a person (famous or not), who you consider a role model, an inspiration? Why/Why not?

Write a text about him/her or about any person who you consider exceptionally important in your life, describe his/her characteristics and support his/her importance.

Remember the notes you took are essential for your paper.

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This is the rubric to evaluate your text

Taken from Holt, Rinehart & Winston. (n.d.). Rubric 40: Writing to describe. Retrieved on November 6, 2009 from http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_ss/teacher99/rubrics/RUBRIC40.pdf

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References2.13-minute theatrical trailer for Angelas ashes [Electronic source.] Parker, A. [Director]. (1999). Los Angeles: Universal. Retrieved on November 6, 2009 from http://edublogs.tv/play.php?vid=2425.

American Academy of Achievement. (2009). Frank McCourt Biography. Retrieved on November 6, 2009 from http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/mcc1bio-1

Angelas Ashes movie poster. [Online Image]. (n.d.). Retrieved on Novermber 6, 2009 from http://www.impawards.com/1999/posters/angelas_ashes_ver2.jpg.

ForaTV. (2007). Frank McCourt, Angela and the Baby Jesus. [Video]. Retrieved on November 6, 2009 from http://fora.tv/2007/11/28/Frank_McCourt_Angela_and_the_Baby_Jesus.

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ReferencesForaTV. (2007). Frank McCourt: Writing about poverty. [Video]. Retrieved on November 6, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9H5PolaUME&feature=fvst.

Frank McCourt leaning against a desk in a classroom. [Online Image] (n.d.). Retrieved on November 6, 2009 from http://www.meli-mello.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/mcc1-007.jpg.

Holt, Rinehart & Winston. (n.d.). Rubric 40: Writing to describe. Retrieved on November 6, 2009 from http://go.hrw.com/resources/go_ss/teacher99/rubrics/RUBRIC40.pdf

Parker, A. (1999). Still from Angelas Ashes. [Online Image]. Retrieved on November 6, 2009 from http://www.wolfpackproductions.com/archive/ashes.jpg.

Waters, R. (2005). To Laugh is to Know How to Live. On a Ira. [CD]. New York: Sony Music Entertainment.

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