Spare Parts - Reading Response Journal

Reading Response Journals (RRJs) are an informal space for you to explore the readings as well as your own reading
process. The first step to writing an RRJ is to read carefully, taking notes on the text as you go. RRJs should include the
following:
1.

A brief summary of the chapters (5-8 sentences) including major events, characters, and important information
about setting (place and time).

type your summary in the box: On July 27, 1997, police in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler were chasing aliens. All the
Spanish speakers or people that police thought were suspected were being investigated. They needed to prove that they
are truly an U.S citizen. If not , they would be deported. Many doors were being knocked in the midnight. Even children
couldnt get away. The Arizona attorney general Grant Woods found out a pregnant woman was being loaded into a van
with no windows and no water on a day when temperatures reached 101 degrees, he said human beings are entitled to
some measure of dignity and safety even when they are suspected of being in the United States illegally. By 2004, Patrick
J. Buchanan wrote that This is an invasion, the greatest invasion in history . Buchanan was not the only one who saw
those immigrants were not human beings. The sheriff of Maricopa County said that those immigrants were diseasecarrying criminals and didnt have the same values as American citizens.
On a Wednesday of 1996, Oscars father Ramiro Vazquez left for United States to seek out a better way to make
improvement to his family instead of cutting meat and sell it to the butcher. Oscar missed his dad so much and felt difficult
to fed the animals and went door-to-door to get those things away. A few weeks after Oscars eleventh birthday, Rmiro
called to say that he was deported and from that time on, Oscars life returned to normal. In early 1998, Oscars family
crossed to the U.S . Persuaded by his father, Oscar was excited to live in a house with a beautiful lawn and a view of an
extraordinary overpass. Within a few weeks , they returned to Mexico because Ramiro told them their experiment in
expatriate living was over. Oscar readapted to his life in Mexico. But things also didnt do well since Oscars family had
returned. His mom decided to go back to U.S , she thought there would be more opportunities for Oscar. But this time, the
journey was not as successful as last time. They had to avoid patrols and went to a place waiting for someone to pick
them up. Finally, they made it and Oscar went back to the school he enrolled last time. Oscars parents were pleasant to
hear that Oscar got assigned to Carl Hayden they thought they didnt make the wrong choice. In Oscars freshman year,
he joined ROTC and it made him become stronger. Once Oscar had a thought of being in a military then he asked his
coach Goins. Because Oscar didnt have a green card so he cant be in a military , that made Oscar fell disappointed. At
the end of Oscars junior year, Goins awarded Oscar the JROTC Officer of the Year trophy. By the start of his senior year
He thought he needed to fill something else into himself. Then he walked into marine science classroom.

2.

Your response to the reading (5-8 sentences) including your opinions about and reaction to the assigned
chapters. This section is a place to think deeply about the book and the emotions and complex ideas it brings up for
you.

type your response in the box: At the that time that all the police in Phoenix were involving to check for the illegal

immigrant. People didnt treat those immigrants from Mexico are the same as Americans. That brought up a question into
my mind. Why the United Stated would be the place that the people from all different countries wanted to go. For me
being an immigrant the reason I came to the United States is to get a better education. In China, there are thousands of
students like me. The only way to get into my dream college is do well on the College Entrance Exam. Once my teacher
told me, the 4 years being in a high school is just for the day of the exam. That really stressed me out, I would like to try
hard but its hard to become outstanding in a large amount of students. That was my intention to come to the U.S. I think
its different from the time that Lorenzo, Cristian and Oscar came to the U.S. Theyve always wanted to get a better life.
United States is their choice because they get paid more and spend less. Theyve all created a new life so they wanted to
come the U.S desperately. Even though its really hard for what they had been through. I dont consider those immigrants
were disease-carrier or drug dealer. I had completely different perspectives of them. They are parents they just wanted
more for their family. They dont deserve to be treated like that.

3.

2 discussion questions. These should be openended questions that could lead to an interesting conversation, not
factbased yes or no questions.

Type your discussion questions in the box: Why so many immigrants decided to go to the United States? Why they think
United States is a good place to live?

Why did Oscar want to enlist even though he is not a citizen of United States?

4.

An explanation of your reading process. How did this weeks reading go for you? Discuss specific sections that
made you confused or questions that you have about the text. Point out strategies that helped you overcome
challenges in your reading. Choose one or two of the following prompts to develop your ideas:
While I was reading,
I felt confused when so I
I was distracted by but then I
I started to think aboutbecause
The time went quickly because
I figured outby
I finally understood
I remembered that earlier in the book

I was reminded of

Type your reading process here : Before I read those pages, I separated them into 3 parts. 31-36,38-48,48-53. After I
read the first part I was kind of confused not only about why immigrants still come to the U.S even they couldnt be the
same as those citizens but also how did they cross the border of the U.S . Werent there any guards or patrols to watch
over ? Then I took a break and started to read the second section. When I read about Oscar. I started thinking that the 3
main characters that I read so far are completely different. I start questioning how those people get a chance to work in a
group and then I was kind of excited to read the next part about Oscar. The last part that I read was kind of boring. I think
the most interesting thing in those 3 parts is Oscar moved to the U.S and returned to Mexico and then went back to the
U.S again.

5. 3-5 significant words from this particular readingwords that you feel are important to understand the text, or
that you have decided to learn to develop your academic vocabulary. Define the words you choose and explain
why you chose them.

Type the words that you found significant here with your explanations
Deteriorating: become progressively worse. The author used this word to describe the climate in Arizona in 2000. That
made a great interaction of the crisis that is happening during 2000.
Lofty:of imposing height. The author used this word to describe Buchanan. The reason I chose this word because its an
irony when author shows how badly he treats the immigrant and still describing him as a pundit with lofty aspirations.
Embodied: be an expression of or give a tangible or visible form to. The author used this word to modify that Oscar did
have some characteristics to be in the military but he didnt have green card. In the text, embodied would be more official
than get or possess

You will receive complete credit on every RRJ (20 points) by thoughtfully completing the steps as described above, looking
at the rubric to check completeness, and by turning your RRJ in on time. The RRJs are a space for you to think through

the readings without having to worry too much about grammar, organization, and the other requirements of more formal
writing assignments. However, do follow basic rules such as capitalizing I and using appropriate language.