Monday, December 15, 2014

Announcements and Reminders:

• The deadline for all late work and extra credit is December 19.
• If you haven't yet signed up for your December book -- fantasy or science fiction -- sign up as soon as possible.  The project is due by January  6. 
• If you did not do well on the Main Idea, Broader Idea, Narrower Idea assignment, ask for a new copy you can use to redo it.  You could come to Cave Time today to complete that.  

1. iWrite:   Ponyboy says it really bothers him that Sodapop dropped out of school. 
Sodapop explains part of why he did on pages 17-18.  
Write an argument paragraph in the NOTES AND QUICKWRITES section of your composition book, arguing either that

    Sodapop made the wrong decision when he decided to drop out of school.
 or
    Sodapop made a good, understandable decision when he decided to drop out of school.

• Audience:  Your classmates and teacher 
• Purpose: Using writing to think through something, and  to share your experience and observations.  
• Task: Write a  paragraph (or more if you wish) with 
• a topic sentence,   (underline)
• supporting details,  (number) You should have three or more supporting details to support the topic sentence you chose. 
• and a conclusion.    (double underline)
•      circle transitions -- You need at least one. 
• Write in third person -- using he, she, her, his, him.

2. 1.iRead: Individual Reading--  Read your science fiction or fantasy book -- when you have finished writing your paragraph. 

3.   Your book assignment for December will ask you to find a THEME in your book. 

       A theme is a life lesson or message expressed in a book or story or essay.

         In nonfiction, we call the biggest ideas  CENTRAL IDEAS.

         In fiction/literature, we call the biggest ideas THEMES.

To help you understand how to find a theme in literature, you will participate in a theme exercise:

     Giving Advice to an Outsider. 

• Read a story about a situation that could happen in real life.
• Pretend you are the author of that story.
• Pretend also that you have a job as an advice columnist.
• Your task will be to answer a letter sent to your advice column.
• You will work in pairs (with your elbow partner) to answer the letter, as if you were the author of the story about Gabrielle and Jessica. 
• Each of you will write your answer in your composition book.
• Write your answer as a response to Perplexed: "Dear Perplexed, . . ."

• Now, what if . . . . (We just discussed this.  You do not have to write it down.)

What if the story had ended this way: 

Jessica laughed nervously. "I guess you won't have time for me anymore not that you're a star," she said quietly. 

Gabrielle says,

"I'm so sorry.  We can still sit together sometimes, but today I need to sit with Heather and Katie.  I'll call you though."


What is the theme of the first version of the story?
What is the theme of the story if the ending is changed as shown above?

The central idea of your letter to Perplexed is most likely a theme -- such as
Popularity is not as important as true friendship.
It is more important to follow your own dreams than it is to do what might make you popular.
or [Note that themes are opinions, so you won't always agree with a theme.]
It is better to be popular with many people than it is to have one very close friend.
It is worth it to give up some of the things you like best if you can gain popularity.

The Outsiders:  

B5:  Page 25 "Okay, I said. . .  "

B6: Page 26  "He'd leave you along if he knew you."
B7: Page 22  "Dally merely shrugged and strolled off."
A1:  Page 13  "Soda was glaring at him."