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A Quilt of a Country by Anna Quindlen: Unraveling America's Tapestry
Are you looking for a poignant and insightful exploration of American identity? Then Anna Quindlen's "A Quilt of a Country" is a must-read. This powerful essay, often studied in classrooms and discussed in political circles, offers a compelling analysis of America's complex and ever-evolving national character. This blog post delves deep into Quindlen's essay, exploring its central themes, literary techniques, and lasting impact. We'll unpack her powerful metaphors, examine her arguments, and ultimately consider what "A Quilt of a Country" tells us about the American experiment today.
Quindlen's Central Argument: A Nation of Contradictions
At its core, "A Quilt of a Country" argues that America's strength lies in its very diversity, a diversity that often manifests as conflict and tension. Quindlen masterfully uses the metaphor of a quilt – a patchwork of different fabrics, colors, and textures – to illustrate the nation's multifaceted identity. She doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of American history, acknowledging the deep-seated prejudices and inequalities that have plagued the country since its inception.
The Power of the Quilt Metaphor
The quilt metaphor is not merely a stylistic choice; it’s central to Quindlen’s argument. Each piece of fabric represents a different immigrant group, each with its unique history, culture, and experiences. These pieces, though sometimes clashing, are ultimately interwoven to create a singular, albeit complex, whole. The beauty and strength of the quilt lie in its imperfection, its very differences.
Addressing the Challenges of Unity
Quindlen doesn't paint a utopian picture of American unity. She explicitly addresses the challenges inherent in forging a national identity from such a diverse population. The essay acknowledges the historical and ongoing struggles with racism, sexism, and classism. These aren't merely historical footnotes; they are active forces shaping the American experience.
Literary Devices and Rhetorical Strategies
Quindlen's skill as a writer is evident in her masterful use of literary devices. Her prose is both accessible and elegant, making complex ideas easily understandable.
Imagery and Figurative Language
The essay is rich with vivid imagery, effectively conveying the emotional weight of her arguments. The quilt metaphor is only one example; she also uses evocative descriptions of historical events and personal anecdotes to connect with the reader on an emotional level.
Appeals to Logic and Emotion
Quindlen expertly employs both logical reasoning and emotional appeals to persuade her audience. She presents historical facts and statistical data to support her claims, while simultaneously invoking the reader's empathy and understanding through personal stories and relatable anecdotes. This balanced approach makes her argument all the more powerful.
The Enduring Relevance of "A Quilt of a Country"
Written in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing and amidst rising political polarization, "A Quilt of a Country" remains remarkably relevant today. The challenges Quindlen identified – navigating differences, overcoming prejudice, and striving for a more inclusive society – continue to resonate deeply in contemporary American society.
Lessons for Today
The essay serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing work required to build a truly unified and just nation. It compels us to confront uncomfortable truths about our history and to engage in honest self-reflection about our roles in shaping the future. Quindlen's call for empathy and understanding remains as urgent as ever in a world increasingly defined by division and conflict.
Conclusion
"A Quilt of a Country" is more than just an essay; it's a call to action. Anna Quindlen's eloquent prose and insightful analysis offer a profound meditation on American identity, challenging us to grapple with our nation's complexities and to strive towards a more perfect union. Her enduring message serves as a vital reminder of the ongoing project of nation-building, a project that requires constant vigilance, empathy, and a commitment to the ideals of equality and justice for all.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the main thesis of "A Quilt of a Country"?
A1: The main thesis is that America's strength lies in its diversity, even though this diversity often leads to conflict. Quindlen uses the metaphor of a quilt to represent this complex and sometimes contradictory national identity.
Q2: What literary devices does Quindlen use effectively?
A2: Quindlen effectively uses metaphors, imagery, and emotional appeals to support her argument. The central quilt metaphor is especially powerful, effectively illustrating the complexities of American identity.
Q3: How is the essay relevant to contemporary America?
A3: The essay's themes of overcoming prejudice, navigating differences, and striving for unity remain highly relevant in today's politically polarized climate. The challenges Quindlen describes continue to shape the American experience.
Q4: What is the significance of the title, "A Quilt of a Country"?
A4: The title itself is a metaphor. The "quilt" represents the diverse groups of people that make up America. The different fabrics and patches represent different cultures and backgrounds, woven together to form a nation.
Q5: Would you recommend this essay to others?
A5: Absolutely! "A Quilt of a Country" is a thought-provoking and insightful essay that is both accessible and intellectually stimulating. It's a valuable read for anyone interested in American history, identity, and the ongoing struggle for social justice.
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Loud and Clear Anna Quindlen, 2005-03-29 In this remarkable book, Anna Quindlen, one of America’s favorite novelists and a Pulitzer Prize– winning columnist, once again gives us wisdom, opinions, insights, and reflections about current events and modern life. “Always insightful, rooted in everyday experience and common sense...Quindlen is so good that even when you disagree with what she says, you still love the way she says it,” said People magazine about her number one New York Times bestseller Thinking Out Loud, and the same can be said about Loud and Clear. With her trademark insight and her special ability to convey the impact public events have on ordinary lives, Quindlen here combines commentary on American society and the world at large with reflections on being a woman, a writer, and a mother. In these pieces, first written for Newsweek and The New York Times, Loud and Clear takes on topics ranging from social change to raising children, from the political and emotional aftermath of September 11 to personal values, from the impact on individuals of global events to the growth that can be gained by spending summer days staring into the middle distance. Grounding the public in the private, connecting people to each other and to the greater world, Quindlen encourages us to develop authentic lives, even as she serves as a catalyst for political and social change. “Anna Quindlen’s beat is life, and she’s one hell of a terrific reporter,” said Susan Isaacs, and Quindlen’s unique qualities of understanding and discernment, everywhere evident in her previous bestsellers, including A Short Guide to a Happy Life and Living Out Loud, can be found on every page of this provocative and inspiring book. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Guided Highlighted Reading Barbara A. Nelson, Elaine M. Weber, Cynthia Lynn Schofield, 2012 In Guided Highlighted Reading, teachers of grades 4-12 learn an easy and effective text-based strategy that scaffolds all students to return to a complex or difficult text for four different reading purposes. This resource uses prompts--not questions--to build competency with difficult and complex text for four close-reading purposes for any content area: Reading comprehension; Author's craft; Tier II vocabulary acquisition; and Answering multiple-choice questions on high-stakes assessments Sample passages from ELA Appendix B of the Common Core State Standards are prepared for student use for all purposes, along with how-to directions, rubrics for assessing mastery of reading comprehension and author's craft, and an alignment of the four purposes to the CCSS. Guided Highlighted Reading is a go-to resource for teachers to help students navigate complex texts and meet the rigorous requirements of the CCSS. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: The Care and Management of Lies Jacqueline Winspear, 2014-07-01 The New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs series turns her prodigious talents to this World War I standalone novel, a lyrical drama of love struggling to survive in a damaged, fractured world. By July 1914, the ties between Kezia Marchant and Thea Brissenden, friends since girlhood, have become strained—by Thea’s passionate embrace of women’s suffrage, and by the imminent marriage of Kezia to Thea’s brother, Tom, who runs the family farm. When Kezia and Tom wed just a month before war is declared between Britain and Germany, Thea’s gift to Kezia is a book on household management—a veiled criticism of the bride’s prosaic life to come. Yet when Tom enlists to fight for his country and Thea is drawn reluctantly onto the battlefield, the farm becomes Kezia’s responsibility. Each must find a way to endure the ensuing cataclysm and turmoil. As Tom marches to the front lines, and Kezia battles to keep her ordered life from unraveling, they hide their despair in letters and cards filled with stories woven to bring comfort. Even Tom’s fellow soldiers in the trenches enter and find solace in the dream world of Kezia’s mouth-watering, albeit imaginary meals. But will well-intended lies and self-deception be of use when they come face to face with the enemy? Published to coincide with the centennial of the Great War, The Care and Management of Lies paints a poignant picture of love and friendship strained by the pain of separation and the brutal chaos of battle. Ultimately, it raises profound questions about conflict, belief, and love that echo in our own time. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: A Close Look at Close Reading Barbara Moss, Diane Lapp, Maria Grant, Kelly Johnson, 2015-05-21 The Common Core State Standards have put close reading in the spotlight as never before. While middle and high school teachers want and need students to connect with, analyze, and learn from both literary and informational texts, many are unsure how to foster the skills students must have in order to develop deep and nuanced understanding of complicated content. Is there a process to follow? How is close reading different from shared reading and other common literacy practices? How do you prepare students to have their ability to analyze complex texts measured by high-stakes assessments? And how do you fit close reading instruction and experiences into an already crowded curriculum? Literacy experts Barbara Moss, Diane Lapp, Maria Grant, and Kelly Johnson answer these questions and more as they explain how to teach middle and high school students to be close readers, how to make close reading a habit of practice across the content areas, and why doing so will build content knowledge. Informed by the authors’ extensive field experience and enriched by dozens of real-life scenarios and downloadable tools and templates, this book explores • Text complexity and how to determine if a particular text is right for your learning purposes and your students. • The process and purpose of close reading, with an emphasis on its role in developing the 21st century thinking, speaking, and writing skills essential for academic communication and college and career readiness. • How to plan, teach, and manage close reading sessions across the academic disciplines, including the kinds of questions to ask, texts to use, and supports to provide. • How to assess close reading and help all students—regardless of linguistic, cultural, or academic background—connect deeply with what they read and derive meaning from complex texts. Equipping students with the tools and process of close reading sets them on the road to becoming analytical and critical thinkers—and empowered and independent learners. In this comprehensive resource, you’ll find everything you need to start their journey. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: A Nation of Immigrants John F. Kennedy, 2018-10-16 “In this timeless book, President Kennedy shows how the United States has always been enriched by the steady flow of men, women, and families to our shores. It is a reminder that America’s best leaders have embraced, not feared, the diversity which makes America great.” —Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright Throughout his presidency, John F. Kennedy was passionate about the issue of immigration reform. He believed that America is a nation of people who value both tradition and the exploration of new frontiers, deserving the freedom to build better lives for themselves in their adopted homeland. This 60th anniversary edition of his posthumously published, timeless work—with a foreword by Jonathan Greenblatt, the National Director and CEO of the ADL, formerly known as the Anti-Defamation League, and an introduction from Congressman Joe Kennedy III—offers President Kennedy’s inspiring words and observations on the diversity of America’s origins and the influence of immigrants on the foundation of the United States. The debate on immigration persists. Complete with updated resources on current policy, this new edition of A Nation of Immigrants emphasizes the importance of the collective thought and contributions to the prominence and success of the country. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Text Complexity Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Diane Lapp, 2016-01-28 There is a big difference between assigning complex texts and teaching complex texts... ---Doug, Fisher, Nancy Frey, and Diane Lapp ....And that’s the crux, isn’t it? That’s why in this brand new edition of the bestselling Text Complexity, the renowned author team provide four new chapters that lay open the instructional routines that take students to new places as readers. No matter what discipline you teach, you will learn how to craft purposeful instruction pitched to your readers’ comprehension capacities, your curriculum’s themes, and your own assessments on what students need next. Doug, Nancy, and Diane provide: How-to’s for measuring word and sentence length and other countable features of any written work while giving ample consideration to the readers in your room, and how their background knowledge, experiences, and motivations come into play A rubric for analyzing literary texts for plot structure, point of view, imagery, clarity, and more—and a complexity scale for analyzing informational texts that describe, inform, and explain Classroom scenarios of teachers and students engaging with fiction and nonfiction texts that provide enough of a stretch, so you’ll know the difference between a healthy struggle and frustration The authors’ latest thinking on routines that invite students to interact with complex texts and with one another, including teacher modeling, close reading, scaffolded small group reading, and independent reading It’s time to see text complexity as a dynamic, powerful tool for sliding the right text in front of our students’ at just the right time. Think of this second edition as Text Complexity-2-Go, because it’s all about the movement of minds at work, going deeper than anyone ever thought possible. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: What's So Great About America Dinesh D'Souza, 2012-11-20 With What's So Great About America, Dinesh D'Souza is not asking a question, but making a statement. The former White House policy analyst and bestselling author argues that in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, American ideals and patriotism should not be things we shy away from. Instead he offers the grounds for a solid, well-considered pride in the Western pillars of science, democracy and capitalism, while deconstructing arguments from both the political Left and political Right. As an outsider from India who has had amazing success in the United States, D'Souza defends not an idealized America, but America as it really is, and measures America not against an utopian ideal, but against the rest of the world in a provocative, challenging, and personal book. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Common Core Literacy Lesson Plans Lauren Davis, 2014-05-22 Schools nationwide are transitioning to the Common Core--our advice to you: Be prepared, but don't go it alone! Our new book, Common Core Literacy Lesson Plans: Ready-to-Use Resources, 9-12, shows you that teaching the Common Core State Standards in high school doesn't have to be intimidating! This easy-to-use guide meets the particular needs of high school teachers. It provides model lesson plans for teaching the standards in reading, writing, speaking/listening, and language. Get engaging lesson plans that are grade-appropriate for teens, easy to implement, and include ready-to-use reproducible handouts, assessments, resources, and ideas to help you modify the lesson for both struggling and advanced learners. Our Common Core Literacy Lesson Plans are equally effective for both English and content-area teachers—the plans are designed to fit seamlessly into your high school curriculum. You get practical tips for revamping your existing lessons to meet the standards. High school students learn how to answer text-based questions, read informational texts, conduct research, write arguments, and improve their speaking and listening skills. We take the guesswork out of Common Core lesson plans with this practical, easy-to-use guide. All lesson plans are grade-appropriate, but every lesson plan includes... Common Core State Standards covered in the lesson Overview of objectives and focus of the lesson Background knowledge required and time required A detailed, step-by-step agenda for the lesson, plus a materials list Differentiation ideas to adapt the lesson for different kinds of learners Assessment ideas, including rubrics and scoring guides A place for your notes: what worked; what can improve Bonus! We show you how to extend the lessons into longer units to suit your particular grade's curriculum, and even help you create more of your own lessons! |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Here is New York E. B. White, 2011-03-30 In the summer of 1948, E.B. White sat in a New York City hotel room and, sweltering in the heat, wrote a remarkable pristine essay, Here is New York. Perceptive, funny, and nostalgic, the author’s stroll around Manhattan—with the reader arm-in-arm—remains the quintessential love letter to the city, written by one of America’s foremost literary figures. Here is New York has been chosen by The New York Times as one of the ten best books ever written about the city. The New Yorker calls it “the wittiest essay, and one of the most perceptive, ever done on the city.” |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Best Practices in Adolescent Literacy Instruction Kathleen A. Hinchman, Heather K. Sheridan-Thomas, 2022-04 With 50% new material reflecting current research and pedagogical perspectives, this indispensable course text and teacher resource is now in a thoroughly revised third edition. Leading educators provide a comprehensive picture of reading, writing, and oral language instruction in grades 5-12. Chapters present effective practices for motivating adolescent learners, fostering comprehension of multiple types of texts, developing disciplinary literacies, engaging and celebrating students' sociocultural assets, and supporting English learners and struggling readers. Case examples, lesson-planning ideas, and end-of-chapter discussion questions and activities enhance the utility of the volume. Key Words/Subject Areas: disciplinary literacies, secondary English language arts, anti-racist teaching strategies, reading comprehension, writing, struggling older readers, learners, textbooks, graduate courses, high school students, middle, content areas, academic vocabulary, equity, diversity, multiculturalism, teacher resources Audience: Teacher educators and students; classroom teachers, coaches, and administrators in grades 5-12. Serves as a text in advanced undergraduate- or graduate-level courses such as Adolescent Literacy, Disciplinary Literacy, and Reading Instruction with Adolescents-- |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: I Like Being American Michael Leach, 2003 An anthology of first-person anecdotes, thought-provoking essays, historical documents, quotes, and illustrations, I Like Being an American offers captivating perspectives on the sense of pride, loyalty, and gratitude that inspires and sustains Americans in good times and bad. The contributors range from such well-known figures as Colin Powell (who honors the American GI), Bill Bradley (who reveals in a simple story the complexities of America's race relations), Anna Quinlan (whose Quilt of a Country embraces the American tradition of tolerance and multiculturalism) to immigrants from every corner of the globe, who celebrate the myriad opportunities and freedoms of their new homeland. A chapter on the American hero celebrates the five new role models of the country -- teachers, firefighters, GIs, parents, and volunteers -- each section written with the warmth and candor reminiscent of the neighbor next door. And one of the nation's favorite pastimes -- the creation of top-ten lists -- is represented, too, in a delightful miscellany that embraces everything from songs, movies, and books.I Like Being an American is not about patriotism or nationalism or any ism. It is simply about what the philosopher Teilhard de Chardin called the chosen part of things. Entertaining, enlightening, and at times controversial, it is a book of rare candor and of great spirit, showcasing in words and pictures why 300 million people -- famous and unknown, young, old, midd |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Alternate Side Anna Quindlen, 2018-03-20 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Captures the angst and anxiety of modern life with . . . astute observations about interactions between the haves and have-nots, and the realities of life among the long-married.”—USA Today A provocative novel that explores what it means to be a mother, a wife, and a woman at a moment of reckoning, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Miller’s Valley and Still Life with Bread Crumbs. Some days Nora Nolan thinks that she and her husband, Charlie, lead a charmed life—except when there’s a crisis at work, a leak in the roof at home, or a problem with their twins at college. And why not? New York City was once Nora’s dream destination, and her clannish dead-end block has become a safe harbor, a tranquil village amid the urban craziness. The owners watch one another’s children grow up. They use the same handyman. They trade gossip and gripes, and they maneuver for the ultimate status symbol: a spot in the block’s small parking lot. Then one morning, Nora returns from her run to discover that a terrible incident has shaken the neighborhood, and the enviable dead-end block turns into a potent symbol of a divided city. The fault lines begin to open: on the block, at Nora’s job, and especially in her marriage. Praise for Alternate Side “[Anna] Quindlen’s quietly precise evaluation of intertwined lives evinces a keen understanding of and appreciation for universal human frailties.”—Booklist (starred review) “Exquisitely rendered . . . [Quindlen] is one of our most astute chroniclers of modern life. . . . [Alternate Side] has an almost documentary feel, a verisimilitude that’s awfully hard to achieve.”—The New York Times Book Review “An exceptional depiction of complex characters—particularly their weaknesses and uncertainties—and the intricacies of close relationships . . . Quindlen’s provocative novel is a New York City drama of fractured marriages and uncomfortable class distinctions.”—Publishers Weekly |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: What Changed When Everything Changed Joseph Margulies, 2013-05-21 DIV How our national identity has changed in significant and unexpected ways since the attacks of 9/11 /div |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: The Journey of Crazy Horse Joseph M. Marshall III, 2005-09-27 Drawing on vivid oral histories, Joseph M. Marshall’s intimate biography introduces a never-before-seen portrait of Crazy Horse and his Lakota community Most of the world remembers Crazy Horse as a peerless warrior who brought the U.S. Army to its knees at the Battle of Little Bighorn. But to his fellow Lakota Indians, he was a dutiful son and humble fighting man who—with valor, spirit, respect, and unparalleled leadership—fought for his people’s land, livelihood, and honor. In this fascinating biography, Joseph M. Marshall, himself a Lakota Indian, creates a vibrant portrait of the man, his times, and his legacy. Thanks to firsthand research and his culture’s rich oral tradition (rarely shared outside the Native American community), Marshall reveals many aspects of Crazy Horse’s life, including details of the powerful vision that convinced him of his duty to help preserve the Lakota homeland—a vision that changed the course of Crazy Horse’s life and spurred him confidently into battle time and time again. The Journey of Crazy Horse is the true story of how one man’s fight for his people’s survival roused his true genius as a strategist, commander, and trusted leader. And it is an unforgettable portrayal of a revered human being and a profound celebration of a culture, a community, and an enduring way of life. Those wishing to understand Crazy Horse as the Lakota know him won't find a better accout than Marshall's. -San Francisco Chronicle |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Not Like Us Roger Daniels, 1997 In his analytical narrative, Mr. Daniels examines the condition of immigrants, as well as African Americans and Native Americans; with attention to legislation, judicial decisions, mob violence, and the responses of minorities, from 1890 - 1924. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Once in a Promised Land Laila Halaby, 2008-01-15 They say there was or there wasn't in olden times a story as old as life, as young as this moment, a story that is yours and is mine. Once in a Promised Land is the story of Jassim and Salwa, who left the deserts of their native Jordan for those of Arizona, each chasing mirages of opportunity and freedom. Although the couple live far from Ground Zero, they cannot escape the dust cloud of paranoia settling over the nation. A hydrologist, Jassim believes passionately in his mission to make water accessible to all people, but his work is threatened by an FBI witch hunt for domestic terrorists. A Palestinian now twice displaced, Salwa embraces the American dream. She grapples to put down roots in an unwelcoming climate, becoming pregnant against her husband's wishes. When Jassim kills a teenage boy in a terrible accident and Salwa becomes hopelessly entangled with a shadowy young American, their tenuous lives in exile and their fragile marriage begin to unravel. Once in a Promised Land is a dramatic and achingly honest look at what it means to straddle cultures, to be viewed with suspicion, and to struggle to find safe haven. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Cultivating Adolescent Literacy Gregory Berry, 2017-10-04 This book offers middle and high school teachers useful suggestions and strategies for cultivating literacy in their classrooms, focusing primarily on the key skills of reading and writing. It discusses the nature of standards-based education and emphasizes the power and importance of good literature in the ELA curriculum. Included are detailed approaches to reading and writing with simple strategies for teaching close reading of complex text, as well as textual evidence and elaboration. A variety of sample performance tasks are included for commonly taught works of American and world literature as well as a variety of strategies to strengthen students reading and writing skills needed for success in college and the workplace. This book is a practical handbook for teachers, who can easily find appropriate strategies to use in their classrooms and begin implementing them right away. It is a useful collection of tips with suggestions and instructions for implementing effective and engaging literacy strategies and performance tasks. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Best Practices in Adolescent Literacy Instruction, Second Edition Kathleen A. Hinchman, Heather K. Sheridan-Thomas, 2014-05-01 An authoritative teacher resource and widely adopted text, this book provides a comprehensive overview of adolescent literacy instruction in the era of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Leading educators describe effective practices for motivating diverse learners in grades 5-12, building comprehension of multiple types of texts, integrating literacy and content-area instruction, and teaching English language learners and struggling readers. Case examples, lesson-planning ideas, and end-of-chapter discussion questions and activities enhance the utility of the volume. New to This Edition *Extensive CCSS content incorporated throughout the book. *Chapters on disciplinary literacy, text complexity, and differentiated instruction. *Chapters on academic language, writing instruction, history and English/language arts classrooms, and coaching. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Black And Blue Anna Quindlen, 2011-05-10 'The first time my husband hit me I was nineteen years old.' For eighteen years Fran Benedetto kept her secret, hid her bruises. She stayed with Bobby because she wanted her son to have a father, and because, in spite of everything, she loved him. Then one night, when she saw the look on her ten-year-old son's face, Fran finally made a choice - she ran for both their lives. Now she is starting over in a city far from home, far from Bobby. She uses a name that isn't hers, watches over her son, and tries to forget. For the woman who now calls herself Beth, every day is a chance to heal, to put together the pieces of her shattered self. And every day she waits for Bobby to catch up with her. Bobby always said he would never let her go, and Fran Benedetto is certain of one thing: it is only a matter of time. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Breaking Open the Box Nancy Dafoe, 2013 What do David Foster Wallace's essay on wars over usage and Pico Iyer's comma personification have to do with improving students' academic writing? Everything. For all of the attention supposedly paid to Bloom's Taxonomy-with creativity at the top-educators tend to shy away from encouraging students' creative choices in areas where traditional analysis and the critic's style and tone have reigned. While we do not want our students to write inane or empty verbiage, we unintentionally set them up for this inevitability--or worse. The movement away from children's natural creative impulses in elementary school to a direction in which they literally fit their writing into preconfigured shapes is a gradual one. Although purportedly taught to instill academic structures, these boxes are also designed to facilitate the ease with which student product may be assessed. We need a more creative approach to teaching writing. A methodology incorporating creativity, as modeled by students in this text, demonstrates the kind of progress we are all seeking, offering an exciting challenge for young writers and educators alike. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Your Literacy Standards Companion, Grades 9-12 Jim Burke, 2017-04-20 Standards-based learning just got a lot easier In this resource, Jim Burke provides indexes for all states implementing state-specific ELA standards. This index allows you to see and understand which page number to turn to for standards-based teaching ideas. Beyond that? It’s the same great go-to guide putting the standards into daily practice across English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. It’s all here, page by page: Grades 9–10 standards positioned alongside 11–12 standards with key distinctions highlighted so teachers know what they must teach from grade to grade All the different content-area versions of the standards arranged to facilitate easy reference and schoolwide collaboration Explanations of each standard on corresponding pages, written in accessible language, along with prompts and questions to help students learn and apply each standard Essential content to cover and lesson ideas for modeling the literacy skills behind the standards Instructional techniques for each standard, based on Jim’s extensive teaching experience and current research on effective instruction A complete glossary for each standard and adaptations for ELL students With this book, you have what you need to bring about astounding clarity of expectations for what students are to learn, and what teachers can do to bring about the sustained literacy experiences students need to apply their learning. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: In the Language of Miracles Rajia Hassib, 2015-08-11 • A New York Times Editors’ Choice • “Assured and beautifully crafted . . . Hassib is a natural, graceful writer with a keen eye for cultural difference. . . . [She] handles the anatomy of grief with great delicacy. . . . In the Language of Miracles should find a large and eager readership. For the beauty of the writing alone, Hassib deserves it.” —Monica Ali, The New York Times Book Review “[A] sensitive, finely wrought debut . . . sharply observant of immigrants’ intricate relationships to their adopted homelands, this exciting novel announces the arrival of a psychologically and socially astute new writer.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) For readers of House of Sand and Fog, a mesmerizing debut novel of an Egyptian American family and the wrenching tragedy that tears their lives apart, from the author of A Pure Heart Samir and Nagla Al-Menshawy appear to have attained the American dream. After immigrating to the United States from Egypt, Samir successfully works his way through a residency and launches his own medical practice as Nagla tends to their firstborn, Hosaam, in the cramped quarters of a small apartment. Soon the growing family moves into a big house in the manicured New Jersey suburb of Summerset, where their three children eventually attend school with Natalie Bradstreet, the daughter of their neighbors and best friends. More than a decade later, the family’s seemingly stable life is suddenly upended when a devastating turn of events leaves Hosaam and Natalie dead and turns the Al-Menshawys into outcasts in their own town. Narrated a year after Hosaam and Natalie’s deaths, Rajia Hassib’s heartfelt novel follows the Al-Menshawys during the five days leading up to the memorial service that the Bradstreets have organized to mark the one-year anniversary of their daughter’s death. While Nagla strives to understand her role in the tragedy and Samir desperately seeks reconciliation with the community, Khaled, their surviving son, finds himself living in the shadow of his troubled brother. Struggling under the guilt and pressure of being the good son, Khaled turns to the city in hopes of finding happiness away from the painful memories home conjures. Yet he is repeatedly pulled back home to his grandmother, Ehsan, who arrives from Egypt armed with incense, prayers, and an unyielding determination to stop the unraveling of her daughter’s family. In Ehsan, Khaled finds either a true hope of salvation or the embodiment of everything he must flee if he is ever to find himself. Writing with unflinchingly honest prose, Rajia Hassib tells the story of one family pushed to the brink by tragedy and mental illness, trying to salvage the life they worked so hard to achieve. The graceful, elegiac voice of In the Language of Miracles paints tender portraits of a family’s struggle to move on in the wake of heartbreak, to stay true to its traditions, and above all else, to find acceptance and reconciliation. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Take the Cannoli Sarah Vowell, 2013-12-17 A wickedly funny collection of personal essays from popular NPR personality Sarah Vowell. Hailed by Newsweek as a cranky stylist with talent to burn, Vowell has an irresistible voice -- caustic and sympathetic, insightful and double-edged -- that has attracted a loyal following for her magazine writing and radio monologues on This American Life. While tackling subjects such as identity, politics, religion, art, and history, these autobiographical tales are written with a biting humor, placing Vowell solidly in the tradition of Mark Twain and Dorothy Parker. Vowell searches the streets of Hoboken for traces of the town's favorite son, Frank Sinatra. She goes under cover of heavy makeup in an investigation of goth culture, blasts cannonballs into a hillside on a father-daughter outing, and maps her family's haunted history on a road trip down the Trail of Tears. Take the Cannoli is an eclectic tour of the New World, a collection of alternately hilarious and heartbreaking essays and autobiographical yarns. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: How Reading Changed My Life Anna Quindlen, 2010-12-22 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Anna Quindlen presents a “swift and compelling paean to the joys of books” (Booklist). “Like the columns she used to write for the New York Times, [How Reading Changed My Life] is tart, smart, full of quirky insights, lapidary, and a pleasure to read.”—Publishers Weekly “Reading has always been my home, my sustenance, my great invincible companion. . . . Yet of all the many things in which we recognize universal comfort—God, sex, food, family, friends—reading seems to be the one in which the comfort is most undersung, at least publicly, although it was really all I thought of, or felt, when I was eating up book after book, running away from home while sitting in a chair, traveling around the world and yet never leaving the room. . . . I read because I loved it more than any activity on earth.”—from How Reading Changed My Life |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: The Common Core Companion: The Standards Decoded, Grades 9-12 Jim Burke, 2013-08-23 If you're a high school teacher, no need to despair. Jim Burke has created a Common Core Companion for you, too, as your one-stop guide across subjects. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Common Core English Language Arts in a PLC at Work®, Grades 9-12 Douglas Fisherr, Nancy Frey, 2013-01-09 Explore strategies for integrating the Common Core State Standards for English language arts for grades 9–12 in this resource, which focuses on areas of instruction, curriculum, assessment, and intervention. You’ll also learn how to implement the CCSS within the powerful PLC at WorkTM process. Critical chapter-opening questions guide discussion and help you leverage the CCSS to optimize student learning. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Lamb Bernard MacLaverty, 2011-01-18 On a promontory jutting out into the Atlantic wind stands the Home run by Brother Benedict, where boys are taught a little of God and a lot of fear. To Michael Lamb, one of the youngest brothers, the regime is without hope, and when he inherits a small legacy he defies his elders and runs away, taking with him a twelve-year-old boy, Owen Kane. Radio Eireann call it a kidnapping. For Michael the act is the beginning of Owen's salvation. Posing as father and son, they concentrate on discovering the happiness that is so unfamiliar to them both. But as the outside world closes in around them - as time, money and opportunity run out - Michael finds himself moving towards a solution that is as uncompromising as it is inspired by love. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: The Coffin Quilt Ann Rinaldi, 2001-04-01 Based on the true story of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, “this novel beautifully evokes a time, a place, and one of the more peculiar sagas in American history” (Booklist). Fanny McCoy has lived in fear and anger ever since that day in 1878 when a dispute with the Hatfields over the ownership of a few pigs set her family on a path of hatred and revenge. From that day forward, along the ragged ridges of the West Virginia-Kentucky line, the Hatfields and the McCoys have operated not within the law but within mountain codes of their own making. In 1882, when Fanny’s sister Roseanna runs off with young Johnse Hatfield, the hatred between the two clans explodes. As the killings, abductions, raids, and heartbreak escalate bitterly and senselessly, Fanny, the sole voice of reason, realizes that she is powerless to stop the fighting—and must learn to rise above the petty natures of her family and neighbors to find her own way out of the hatred . . . “Tautly plotted.” —Publishers Weekly “An absorbing story . . . Readers will be drawn to the Romeo and Juliet aspects and also learn a bit of little understood American history.” —VOYA |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Common Core: PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessments, Grades 9-12 Dennis Fare, 2013-10-26 REA's PARCC Assessments: ELA Literacy - Grades 9-12 Study Guide Take Control of the Common Core with REA's New Study Guide! The educational landscape is changing and REA is at the forefront of the new PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) assessments that millions of students will soon face. This targeted study guide is designed for teachers and students in PARCC states, and is fully-aligned with the Common Core standards. Covers Must-Know PARCC ELA Topics: Our PARCC Assessments: English Language Arts/ Literacy Study Guide covers all the must-know PARCC ELA Grade 9-12 material. Each chapter includes step-by-step instruction and practice for every topic tested on the PARCC English Language Arts/Literacy exam: interactive reading, literary analysis, narrative, and research simulation tasks. Written in an-easy-to-understand style, the book also offers step-by-step procedures and tips on writing great essays. Written by an Expert: Our author is a curriculum expert and former English teacher who has studied the format and content of the PARCC standards and the ELA exams. Each lesson is based on actual PARCC ELA guidelines and follows the Common Core standards. A Handy Guide for Teachers: This book brings the common core down to the classroom level, deciphering what it all means to the way students are taught. Our author gives teachers practical guidance on how the ELA/Literary assessment should shape teaching methods and lesson plans. Easy-to-understand explanations of PARCC standards take the confusion out of the PARCC ELA exams. This study guide is a must-have for students and teachers who are facing the PARCC and the new Common Core State Standards! What Are the Common Core State Standards (CCSS)? The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The standards provide teachers and parents with an understanding of what students are expected to learn. Consistent standards provide appropriate benchmarks for all students, regardless of where they live. These standards define the knowledge and skills students should have within their K-12 education so they will graduate high school able to succeed in entry-level, credit-bearing academic college courses and in workforce training programs. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Yekl Abraham Cahan, 1896 |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Stuck in the Middle with You Jennifer Finney Boylan, 2013-04-30 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Finney Boylan returns with a remarkable memoir about gender and parenting that discusses how families are shaped and the difficulties and wonders of being human. A father for six years, a mother for ten, and for a time in between, neither, or both, Jennifer Finney Boylan has seen parenthood from both sides of the gender divide. When her two children were young, Boylan came out as transgender, and as Jenny transitioned from a man to a woman and from a father to a mother, her family faced unique challenges and questions. In this thoughtful, tear-jerking, hilarious memoir, Jenny asks what it means to be a father, or a mother, and to what extent gender shades our experiences as parents. Through both her own story and incredibly insightful interviews with others, including Richard Russo, Edward Albee, Ann Beattie, Augusten Burroughs, Susan Minot, Trey Ellis, Timothy Kreider, and more, Jenny examines relationships between fathers, mothers, and children; people's memories of the children they were and the parents they became; and the many different ways a family can be. With an Afterword by Anna Quindlen, Stuck in the Middle with You is a brilliant meditation on raising—and on being—a child. Now with Extra Libris material, including a reader’s guide and bonus content |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Common Core State Standards for Grade 9 Michelle Manville, 2015-02-12 Common Core State Standards for Grade 9: Language Arts Instructional Strategies and Activities is designed to help teachers address Common Core standards using effective, research-based instructional strategies in combination with ready-to-use activities. These strategies include identifying similarities and differences, writing summaries and taking notes, creating non-linguistic representations, and suggestions for homework and practice. There are a variety of suggested texts as well as identified text exemplars that can easily be used with the strategies and activities. Some additional key features of this book include: Each instructional strategy is described in detail and includes lists of activities that would complement the strategy. A list of standards and strands is given for each grade level. Chapters are designed to focus on specific strands and contain lists of detailed activities for the standards within the strand. Many activities address multiple standards within the activity. Each activity contains focus standards and many contain suggested works. Standards citations are listed at the end of each activity. Many standards are addressed more than once throughout the strands. Sample activity formats and questions can be found in the appendix. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: One Today Richard Blanco, 2015-11-03 One Today is a poem celebrating America. President Barack Obama invited Richard Blanco to write a poem to share at his second presidential inauguration. That poem is One Today, a lush and lyrical, patriotic commemoration of America from dawn to dusk and from coast to coast. Brought to life here by beloved, award-winning artist Dav Pilkey, One Today is a tribute to a nation where the extraordinary happens every single day. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Puerto Rican Obituary Pedro Pietri, 1973-01-01 |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Those Extraordinary Twins Annotated Mark Twain, 2021-09-28 Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894) is a novel by American writer Mark Twain.Its central intrigue revolves around two boys--one, born into slavery,the other,white,born to be the master of the house.The two boys,who look similar,are switched at infancy.Each grows into the other's social role.Originally part of the Pudd'nhead Wilson book, Twain realised during the writing process that the twins were taking a backseat to characters such as Pudd'nhead Wilson,Roxy,and Tom Driscoll.As a result,he took them out and gave them their own short story. He explains all this in the Introduction to this book. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: The Year of the Book Andrea Cheng, 2012-05-22 In Chinese, peng you means friend. But in any language, all Anna knows for certain is that friendship is complicated. When Anna needs company, she turns to her books. Whether traveling through A Wrinkle in Time, or peering over My Side of the Mountain, books provide what real life cannot—constant companionship and insight into her changing world. Books, however, can’t tell Anna how to find a true friend. She’ll have to discover that on her own. In the tradition of classics like Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy books and Eleanor Estes’ One Hundred Dresses, this novel subtly explores what it takes to make friends and what it means to be one. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Outcasts United Warren St. John, 2009-04-21 BONUS: This edition contains a reader's guide. The extraordinary tale of a refugee youth soccer team and the transformation of a small American town Clarkston, Georgia, was a typical Southern town until it was designated a refugee settlement center in the 1990s, becoming the first American home for scores of families in flight from the world’s war zones—from Liberia and Sudan to Iraq and Afghanistan. Suddenly Clarkston’s streets were filled with women wearing the hijab, the smells of cumin and curry, and kids of all colors playing soccer in any open space they could find. The town also became home to Luma Mufleh, an American-educated Jordanian woman who founded a youth soccer team to unify Clarkston’ s refugee children and keep them off the streets. These kids named themselves the Fugees. Set against the backdrop of an American town that without its consent had become a vast social experiment, Outcasts United follows a pivotal season in the life of the Fugees and their charismatic coach. Warren St. John documents the lives of a diverse group of young people as they miraculously coalesce into a band of brothers, while also drawing a fascinating portrait of a fading American town struggling to accommodate its new arrivals. At the center of the story is fiery Coach Luma, who relentlessly drives her players to success on the soccer field while holding together their lives—and the lives of their families—in the face of a series of daunting challenges. This fast-paced chronicle of a single season is a complex and inspiring tale of a small town becoming a global community—and an account of the ingenious and complicated ways we create a home in a changing world. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Stasiland Anna Funder, 2011-11-22 In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell; shortly afterwards the two Germanies reunited, and East Germany ceased to exist. In a country where the headquarters of the secret police can become a museum literally overnight and in which one in fifty East Germans were informing on their fellow citizens, there are thousands of captivating stories. Anna Funder tells extraordinary tales from the underbelly of the former East Germany. She meets Miriam, who as a sixteen-year-old might have started World War III; she visits the man who painted the line that became the Berlin Wall; and she gets drunk with the legendary “Mik Jegger” of the East, once declared by the authorities to his face to “no longer exist.” Each enthralling story depicts what it’s like to live in Berlin as the city knits itself back together—or fails to. This is a history full of emotion, attitude and complexity. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy Gary D. Schmidt, 2004 Turner Buckminster is purely miserable. Not only is he the son of the new minister in a small Maine town, but he is shunned for playing baseball differently from the local boys. |
| a quilt of a country by anna quindlen: United States History 2010 Modern America Student Edition Grade 11/12 Emma Jones Lapsansky-Werner, Werner, Prentice HALL, 2009-01 By the time teens are in high school, they have already spent years wrestling with a heavy backpack. It's high time to solve this problem--and Pearson can help. Explore Pearson@home social studies products for home use. |
A paragraph about "a quilt of a country" - Brainly
Aug 27, 2020 · "A Quilt of a Country" is an essay written by American writer Anna Quindlen for Newsweek in the immediately aftermath of the September 11th attacks. ... Quindlen's second paragraph traces a history of the United States that attends to its successes but its failures: slavery, bigotry, and socioeconomic prejudice.
This is a nation founded on a conundrum, what Mario Cuomo has ...
Apr 5, 2021 · –"A Quilt of a Country," Anna Quindlen Which statement best summarizes the central idea of this paragraph? The ideals of individualism and community are no longer part of America. The ideals of individualism and community have always been in conflict with one another in America.
Summarize “A Quilt of a Country” by Anna Quindlen - Brainly
Apr 16, 2021 · Explanation:"A Quilt of a Country" is an essay written by American writer Anna Quindlen for Newsweek in the immediately aftermath of the September 11th attacks.… markdown markdown 16.04.2021
Read the excerpt from "A Quilt of a Country." The New York of my ...
Apr 19, 2021 · "A Quilt of a Country" by Quindlen reflects multiculturalism and conflict in the United States since 9/11. Anna Quindlen begins by talking about the dark past and racial and ethnic differences that Americans have to fight when they say America is a great country: slavery, the killing of gay men, and Lynch. Next, she writes about the frequent ...
In two to three sentences, explain how the context of Quindlen’s …
Jul 21, 2020 · Following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, assaults on America, Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist Anna Quindlen wrote a piece for Newsweek titled "A Quilt of a Country." The idea behind this post is that, despite the fact that diversity can cause a lot of issues in American cities, it also acts as a tribute to what makes America unique.
A quilt of a country paragraph 8 summary - Brainly
Oct 18, 2020 · Quilt of a Country' is a commentary written by Pulitzer-prize winning author Anna Quindlen for Newsweek following the devastation of the September 11, 2001, attacks on America. The premise behind this article is that despite the diversity that can create a lot of problems within cities across America, diversity serves as a tribute to what makes ...
What is Anna Quindlen claim in a quilt of a country? - Brainly
May 29, 2020 · What are three reasons why Anna Quindlen wrote “A quilt of a country” with evidence and how it supports her claim. - 17883412 emily7578 emily7578 29.05.2020
What is the authors purpose for Quilt of A Country - Brainly
Oct 1, 2020 · What is the authors purpose for Quilt of A Country. Anna Quindlen's purpose is to help us to realize that the US as a whole, even though we are many different cultures and religions, we manage to find common ground as a whole. We speak of different conflicting cultures, yet we easily deal with one another on a daily basis.
Counter argument of Quilt of a Country - Brainly
Jun 9, 2021 · Counter argument of Quilt of a Country Get the answers you need, now! fuentespaulo6 fuentespaulo6 09.06.2021
Which techniques does Quindlen use to develop her idea in "A Quilt …
Feb 15, 2023 · Anna. Marie Quindlen used vivid imagery as the. technique to develop her ideas in "A Quilt of. a Country". It is a term used for language and. characterization that appeals to our five senses. This is used to add depth to their piece. Advertisement. Answer:The correct answer is language imagery.
A paragraph about "a quilt of a country" - Brainly
Aug 27, 2020 · "A Quilt of a Country" is an essay written by American writer Anna Quindlen for Newsweek in the immediately aftermath of the September 11th attacks. ... Quindlen's second …
This is a nation founded on a conundrum, what Mario Cuomo has ...
Apr 5, 2021 · –"A Quilt of a Country," Anna Quindlen Which statement best summarizes the central idea of this paragraph? The ideals of individualism and community are no longer part of America. …
Summarize “A Quilt of a Country” by Anna Quindlen - Brainly
Apr 16, 2021 · Explanation:"A Quilt of a Country" is an essay written by American writer Anna Quindlen for Newsweek in the immediately aftermath of the September 11th attacks.… markdown …
Read the excerpt from "A Quilt of a Country." The New York of my ...
Apr 19, 2021 · "A Quilt of a Country" by Quindlen reflects multiculturalism and conflict in the United States since 9/11. Anna Quindlen begins by talking about the dark past and racial and ethnic …
In two to three sentences, explain how the context of Quindlen’s …
Jul 21, 2020 · Following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, assaults on America, Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist Anna Quindlen wrote a piece for Newsweek titled "A Quilt of a Country." …
A quilt of a country paragraph 8 summary - Brainly
Oct 18, 2020 · Quilt of a Country' is a commentary written by Pulitzer-prize winning author Anna Quindlen for Newsweek following the devastation of the September 11, 2001, attacks on America. …
What is Anna Quindlen claim in a quilt of a country? - Brainly
May 29, 2020 · What are three reasons why Anna Quindlen wrote “A quilt of a country” with evidence and how it supports her claim. - 17883412 emily7578 emily7578 29.05.2020
What is the authors purpose for Quilt of A Country - Brainly
Oct 1, 2020 · What is the authors purpose for Quilt of A Country. Anna Quindlen's purpose is to help us to realize that the US as a whole, even though we are many different cultures and religions, …
Counter argument of Quilt of a Country - Brainly
Jun 9, 2021 · Counter argument of Quilt of a Country Get the answers you need, now! fuentespaulo6 fuentespaulo6 09.06.2021
Which techniques does Quindlen use to develop her idea in "A Quilt …
Feb 15, 2023 · Anna. Marie Quindlen used vivid imagery as the. technique to develop her ideas in "A Quilt of. a Country". It is a term used for language and. characterization that appeals to our five …
