The following is a major assignment that I use for the duration of my freshman Pre-AP House on Mango Street unit. The assignment would be appropriate for any level of class studying The House on Mango Street.

Students are required to highlight and make annotations in their novels based on specific guidelines. This assignment allows students the opportunity to practice critical thinking skills as they read closely for rhetorical devices (themes, symbolism, character development, syntax, figurative language, etc.) rather than just reading for plot.