February 22, 2008
Don't forget to hand in your Portfolio, Part 1.
Students divided into groups and filled out a worksheet for the "hotseat." Each group prepared to act as one of the characters from Words By Heart. The hotseat is when a student comes up and portrays a character from the book. He or she speaks and answers questions as if he or she is that character. Some of our hotseat participants also brought along their "subconscious" or "secret thoughts" -- another student who helped them with answers or blurted out answers the character might be thinking but wouldn't say aloud.
See the worksheet below. If you were absent, select one of the characters and fill out as much as you can of the sheet with information about that character.
We did some "hotseat" and other dramatization or character portrayal activities.
We read from Words By Heart.
A1 to page 98
A2 to page 125
A3 to page 98
A4 to page 114
Students also received a preview for the next GoMYAccess assignment we'll do. See the information on a nearby posting.
Hotseat Wordsheet:
In a group of 3-4 students, choose one of these characters from Words By Heart that one of you will become in a “hotseat” or dramatization. Or your teacher may assign you to be a character. If so, see the circled character below. (In a hotseat, you answer questions about yourself as the character.)
It is important that the group agree on the following information about the character so that any one of you could go to the hotseat and answer questions from the class, or portray that character in a dramatization. If the required information is not in the story, you will have to infer or make an educated guess about it.
Ben Sills
Lena Sills
Claudie Sills
Mrs. (Mary Todd) Chism
Winslow Starnes
Tater Haney
Fill this all out as if you were the character from the book.
Name of character: _____________________________
Your age and physical appearance: _____________________
Your house, city/area, favorite place: _______________
Your passions, deepest desires: (What is it that you want the most, or care about the most? _________________
Your main goal: _______________________________________
Your biggest obstacles and problems: ______________________
Your biggest influences (who or what motivates or shapes you): ____________________
Your greatest strengths: _______________________
Your greatest weaknesses: ___________________
What one or two words best describe you? ________
Two other questions someone might ask you (as this character), and how you would respond:
________________________
How would you (as the character you’ve been assigned) describe each of these other characters?
Ben Sills _______________________________________
Lena Sills _______________________________
Claudie Sills ____________________
Mrs. (Mary Todd) Chism ______________________
Winslow Starnes _____________
Tater Haney __________________
