Lesson 4: The Last Cuentista, Chapters 1–3

Turn and Talk

Students share their homework annotations for Chapters 1–3 of The Last Cuentista with a partner and discuss the following prompt.

Say these Directions: Turn and talk with a partner to share your annotations from Chapters 1-3 of The Last Cuentista. Then respond to the following prompt with your partner:

• What characters are we introduced to in the exposition of this novel? What events are happening, and what conflicts surface?

  • We are introduced to Petra and her family, including her mother, father, and brother. At the beginning of the novel, she says goodbye to her grandmother, Lita, because her nuclear family is leaving Earth to travel to “Sagan” to escape a comet that is going to hit Earth (p. 10). Petra and her family have been “chosen” to take this journey beyond the solar system (p. 9). The family will travel “three hundred and eighty years” into the future (p. 13), but the rest of Earth and its inhabitants, like her grandmother, will be destroyed by the comet.

Invite two or three partners to share their responses with the class.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, we will reread and discuss important excerpts from Chapters 1–3 to analyze how Petra's memories shape her identity and what she might lose if those memories disappear during her space travel.

Using Context Clues

Target Word: cuento

Display the target word.

Say these Directions: We’re learning about the word cuento today. It shows up in The Last Cuentista to describe the stories that Lita (Petra's grandmother) and Petra tell in the novel. This is a Spanish word. Let’s explore this word more deeply.

Display the key sentence from the text with the target word.

• "'You need a cuento,' she says, referring to one of her tall tales." (p. 3)

Read the sentence aloud.

• Say: This sentence includes a word we may not fully understand yet. Instead of looking it up, we're going to use the context, the words and sentences around it, to figure out what it most likely means.

Instruct students to turn to p. 3 in The Last Cuentista to read the sentences surrounding the target word cuento.

Say these Directions: Turn to page 3 in The Last Cuentista and read the sentences surrounding the use of the word cuento.

• Ask: What is happening in this part of the text?

  • Lita is telling a story to Petra.

• Ask: Which words or phrases help explain the meaning of cuento?

  • "tale," "she begins her story"

• Ask: How is the word cuento used here? How does Petra feel about the cuentos?

  • The word cuento is used as a noun. The cuentos connect her to Lita, and they help her forget her troubles for a brief moment. They are also part of her heritage as they have “traveled hundreds of years,” or been passed down through the generations (p. 5). They're important to Petra's identity in that she wants to be a storyteller like her grandmother.

• Ask: Based on these clues, what does the word most likely mean in this text?

  • It means story.

Substitute the inferred meaning back into the key sentences.

• Ask: If we replace the word with our meaning, does the sentence still make sense?

Prompt students to confirm their inferred meanings using a dictionary. Have students confirm or revise their inferred meanings as a result.

Say these Directions: Check your inferred definition using a dictionary or other reference material.

Accept approximate but text-supported meanings. Refine student language as needed to increase precision.

• Say: A cuento is a story or tale, especially one passed down through families in Spanish-speaking cultures.

Have students create an original sentence using the word cuento.

Say these Directions: Create an original sentence using the word cuento.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: As we revisit Chapters 1–3 and continue to read the novel, think about how cuentos shape Petra's past and present.

Part A: Understanding Character Development Through Discussion (RL.8.3) (10 minutes)

Engage students in discussing Chapters 1–3 using an Iterative Conversation protocol.

Turn and Talk

Say these Directions: Turn and talk with a partner to discuss the following question:

• Ask: What did you notice about the memories Petra is thinking about as she prepares to leave Earth in Chapters 1–3?

  • Petra's memories are connected to her family. She thinks about her grandmother, Lita, and the cuentos Lita tells, such as when Lita says, "You need a cuento" (p. 3). She also remembers eavesdropping on her parents discussing what is about to happen to Earth. The memories help explain what is important to Petra as she prepares to leave Earth with only her mother, father, and brother.

Students will revisit a passage from Chapter 2 before working in pairs to practice how to cite evidence to answer a text-dependent question.

Model the Iterative Conversation Protocol

• Say: We will reread the passage on p. 9 that describes how Petra will remember Lita and Tía Berta after she has left Earth. Then, I will model how to respond to the question and improve my response using feedback.

Display the following question:

• How do Petra's memories and cuentos in Chapters 1–3 shape who she is?

Say these Directions: Read aloud from p. 9, starting with the sentence: “Instead, I picture Lita and Tía Berta lying under the red-and-black . . .” through “This is the story my mind will keep of them” and listen to how I model answering the question and then refining my explanation based on feedback.

Model citing evidence to answer the question and then refining the explanation in response to feedback.

• Say: In Chapter 2, Petra imagines the actions of Lita and Tía Berta as the comet approaches Earth. This imagining is based on actual memories that Petra has of her family members and acts as a cuento, or “story,” that she can carry with her after she leaves Earth (p. 9). These memories and cuentos shape what is important to her, especially her family.

• Say: A partner might say, “This is a strong idea, but you could add specific evidence.”

• Say: I can revise my response by adding: “This is the story my mind will keep of them” (p. 9). This shows that Petra is choosing which memories she will take with her as she leaves Earth.

Provide students with a confidence continuum (i.e., 1–5). As needed, model how to demonstrate a level of confidence using the continuum.

Part B: Iterative Conversations: Partner Rounds (RL.8.3, SL.8.1.c) (20 minutes)

Iterative Conversations

Have students work independently to write an initial response to a question using evidence from the text. Then, transition the students into partners. Have the first partner share their response, while the second partner provides feedback. The first partner should refine their response using the feedback. Then, have students switch roles.

Say these Directions: Work independently to write a response to the question below using evidence from the text:

• How do Petra's memories and stories in Chapters 1–3 shape who she is, and what might she lose if those memories disappear?

Provide time for students to write independently.

Say these Directions: Now share your response with a partner. As you listen, be ready to give one piece of specific feedback.

Display the following sentence stems:

Giving Feedback:

• Your claim is clear because ___.

• You could strengthen your response by adding ___ (a quote or detail).

• One place you could be more precise is ___.

Revising Your Response:

• I revised my response by adding ___.

• I made my idea clearer by changing ___ to ___.

Say these Directions: After you receive feedback, revise your response. Then, work with your partner to create one strong response you can share with the class.

• Petra's memories and cuentos shape her identity by connecting her to her family's culture and giving her a sense of purpose. In Chapter 1, Lita tells Petra the cuento of the Fire Snake, and Petra responds by declaring, "I'm going to be just like you, Lita. A storyteller" (p. 5), showing that cuentos are central to who she is and wants to become. Additionally, in Chapter 2, Petra imagines what Lita and Tía Berta will do as the comet approaches, choosing to carry this imagined memory with her: "This is the story my mind will keep of them" (p. 9). If these memories and cuentos disappear, Petra might lose not just her connection to her family but also her identity as a storyteller and the cultural knowledge her grandmother has passed down to her.

Invite four or five partners to share their responses with the class.

Quick Write

Have students reflect on their learning by responding to the Quick Write prompt.

Say these Directions: Reflect on the responses you wrote and refined with a partner during Learning in Action Part B. Then, respond to the following question in one to two sentences.

Display the question.

• How do Petra's memories and stories in Chapters 1–3 shape who she is, and what might she lose if those memories disappear? Use the target vocabulary word (cuento) in your response

  • Petra's memories and cuentos shape her into a storyteller. She tells Lita, "I'm going to be just like you, Lita. A storyteller" (p. 5), showing that the cuentos Lita passes down are central to who Petra wants to become. If those memories disappear, she might lose not just her family's stories, but her own sense of identity and cultural connection.

Instruct students to read Chapters 4–5 of The Last Cuentista and take notes in their Journal using the following prompt:

• Notice the rules and systems that are discussed in these chapters and note any that seem important or unsettling.