Jun
8
2010
1. Who is Sheree writing to in the last part in the book?
2. What do you think the future of the main characters is going to be like?
3. You should have finished your three independent reading books. Write a two paragraph summary for each book.
We have been reading Baby Girl by Lenora Adams for a couple of weeks now. Sheree has run away from home and is writing a letter to her mother.
1. Sheree tells her mother that she could not get over the fact that mother told her to “forget about it”. What happened to Sheree and how did her mother react?
2. Angie is dating Raheem. Why does Sheree tell Angie to leave him? Why does Angie’s father want her to stop seeing him?
3. Why is Sheree dating Damon? What do you think about Raheem and Damon?
4. Why did Sheree run away from her mother?
5. In part II mother writes back? What does she say to Sheree? What do you think of her response?
Cassette 5 side 1
Hannah and clay kissed. Then she pushed him away. Why do you think she did that? What should have Clay done?
Cassette 5 side b
What did Hannah witness? Why didn’t she react?
Cassette 6 side a
Jenny gave Hannah a ride? Why did Jenny have an accident ? why did she give Hannah a ride? Why did she tell Hannah to get out?
Cassette 6 side b
Courtney invited Hannah again. This time to join her and Bruce in the tub. What happened? Why do you think the author chose Courtney and not someone else?
Cassette 7
Mr. Porter. Did he do enough?
How is Clay going to help the next person?
1. In cassette 3 side a Hannah says that ” in high school, people are always watching so there’s always a reason to pose” (94). What does this have to do with Courtney? Why did Hannah feel insulted by Courtney?
2. In cassette 3 side b Hannah tells the story about Marcus. What did he do to her and how did other people react? What would you have done?
3. In cassette 4 side a Hannah talks about Peer Communication class. Why did she join the class? How did Zach hurt her? Hannah also talks about things she did that could have shown that she was depressed? What did she do? How would you have reacted if you saw a similar anonymous note?
4. Cassette 4 side b Hannah tried to deal with her depression. What did she talk about in cassette 4 side b? Why didn’t it work for her?
In cassette 2 side a Hannah explains why alex put her on the list. What did Jessica do after the list came out.
On side b Hannah said: “I locked out the stars and never saw lighting again”. Explain what happened. Did the words that Hannah said imply something more than just describe the incident?
Because of a rumor and a bad joke, Hannah was publicly humilated in a local store. Read cassette 1, sides A and B. She accuses two people of hurting her. What did they do and why did they do it?
Thank you for coming by tonight.
We will start Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher next week. Hannah, the main character, commits suicide. She leaves behind several cassette tapes in which she explains why she decided to kill herself. There are people from her high school that had to do with her decision.
1. What could have driven her to the fatal act?
2. How do teens view suicide?
Jan
19
2010
The Spring 2010 YABC Bookclub will start on February 9. For more information see Ms. Miruku in the library.
Jan
15
2010
22. December 2009 by Librarian.
Read Cassettes 3 and 4 – up to page 194.
1. On page 124 Hanna says: “… my thoughts about the world were shaken. Like driving along a bumpy road and losing control of the steering wheel, tossing you – just a tad- off the road…” What do you think Hannah meant.
2. Make up the missing posts / edit the ones that have not been approved
3. Comment on two of your independent reading books
Have a great holiday
11. December 2009 by Librarian.
You should have finished Hannah’s first cassette by now.
1. How did Justin influence Hannah’s behavior and the attitude of the other people towards her?
Due on December 15 – Read cassette 2, sides A and B. Pages 54 to 92.
18. November 2009 by Librarian.
You should be done with Can’t Get There From Here.
1. In a few sentences describe what happened to each character. The author uses the ocean as a symbol again. What do you think it represents.
2. Due November 24. Make up all the postings. Arrange an oral interview about the book.
3. Write a summary of your second independent reading book.
10. November 2009 by Librarian.
In chapter 17 one of the officers said: “Like a picture of a fire don’t feel hot”. Why did he say that? Did it have any impact on the person?
Due November 17: Finish the book
27. October 2009 by Librarian.
On page 72 someone from PETA makes a comment about the dog that follows the homeless around. What did she say and why did the author use this incident?
Due November 3: Read chapters 15 to 18.
20. October 2009 by Librarian.
By now you should have read chapters 1- 8 of Can’t Get There from Here. On chapter 4 one of the characters tells another character that “you can’t get there from here”. What was the context and what did he mean by it?
Due October 27 – chapters 14 to 18. Look for a posting on these pages
25. September 2009 by Librarian.
Welcome to the fall 2009 YABC bookclub. We will be reading Can’t Get There From Here and Thirteen Reasons Why. You will also be reading 3 other books on your own.
Write a short summary about the first independent reading book
8. June 2009 by Librarian.
This is our last session of the bookclub for this semester.
1. By now you should have posted all the comments. Please make up the ones that you are missing.
2. Write a short summary of your third independent reading book.
I will see you all on Tuesday, June 9 2009.
12. May 2009 by Librarian.
1. Read pages: 57-107 of The Freedom Writers Diary.
2. On page 63 of The Freedom Writers Diary one of the students said that he wanted to be just like his two dead friends. However, he changed his mind. What made him change his mind?
3. You must have finished reading Reflections of an Urban High School Principal by Bernard Gassaway. If you were to meet the writer, what would you ask him about his experiences as a student, teacher and principlal of a New York City school?
3. April 2009 by Librarian.
I - 1. Hannah showed signs of depression, but everybody missed them. What are some of the signs that she showed?
2. Clay is obviously devastated about Hannah’s death and the fact that he did not try harder to help her. How did her death change him? How is he going to use the experience to help others?
II – We are meeting on April 7. Bring Freedom Writers Diary with you. Read pages 1-57.
1. Why does the young teacher ask her students to write in the journal?
24. March 2009 by Librarian.
We are meeting on March 24 in the library.
1. In her Peer Communication class Hannah wrote a suicide note anonymously. What went wrong and what should the teacher and the other students have done.
For next week read pages 220 to 288.
1. There were several things that pushed Hannah over the edge. Mention a few and explain how each incident affected her.
2. Our next session will be a “peer communication” session. Anonymously, write about something that may have bothered or embarrassed you in the past. We will discuss some of the incidents and the effects it may have had on people.
17. March 2009 by Librarian.
We are meeting on March 17 in the library.
1. On page 124 Hanna says: “… my thoughts about the world were shaken. Like driving along a bumpy road and losing control of the steering wheel, tossing you – just a tad- off the road…” What do you think Hannah meant.
2. For March 24 read pages 157 to 219.
9. March 2009 by Librarian.
We are meeting on March 10 in the library at the beginning of dinner break. Bring your books with you.
1. Do you think Hannah had suicidal thoughts before she started taping herself? What incident in the story reveals that?
2. It is time you finished your first independent reading book. Write a short plot summary without giving the story away. Explain why you liked the book. Was it the characters, the plot, the way it was written,…?
13. February 2009 by Librarian.
Welcome to the Spring 2009 Bookclub. This semester we will be reading Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and Freedom Writers Diary by Freedom Writers and Erin Gruwell. You will also be responsible for selecting, reading and discussing three other novels.
Due March 3. Read pages 1-59 from Thirteen Reasons Why and answer the following questions:
1. How is the main character, Clay, related to Hannah?
2. What do you think of the way Hannah’s thoughts and the main character’s take turns?
16. January 2009 by Librarian.
We are meeting on Tuesday, January 20 in the library.
1.Finish part III. What lessons is the author trying to convey? Do you think he has met his goal. If you were given the chance to improve the book, what would you have changed?
2. If you are not able to finish the book by Tuesday, come see me before the semester is over for an interview on Random Family
6. January 2009 by Librarian.
Read chapters 23 through 25. Describe what is new in some of the characters’ lives.
6. January 2009 by Librarian.
We are meeting on January 6 in the Library during dinner break. In two paragraphs describe a few selections that impressed you from Part Two of Random Family. Explain why they made an impact on you.
16. December 2008 by Librarian.
You should be reading your third independent book. Give a short summary of the book. Be prepared to booktalk the book in class.
20. November 2008 by Librarian.
We are meeting in the library on Tuesday, November 25.
At this point you should be finishing your second independent book. In one paragraph discuss the main issue of the book and describe how the main characters are involved in it.
13. November 2008 by Librarian.
We are meeting on Tuesday, November 18 at the beginning of dinner break. Read up to page 169. Choose a character (Jessica, Coco, Caesar or George) and describe their negative and positive characteristics. For each characteristic select a passage that supports your description
10. November 2008 by Librarian.
Bookclub is meeting on Wednesday, November 12, at 5:30 PM. Your assignment for Wednesday is:
Read until page 148. Choose a passage to read aloud in class. For your blog prepare a short discussion on why you chose the passage.
24. October 2008 by Librarian.
22. October 2008 by Librarian.
October 21 2008
Due November 3
We are meeting on November 3 (Monday). Read pages 1-102 of Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc. In one paragraph summarize the story. Give a short description of your favorite character. Explain your choice.
17. October 2008 by Librarian.
October 14 Session (Due October 21)
1. The coach in “Baseball Camp” by David Klass has a “means justify the end” attitude towards his team. What do you think of the way he treats the team. What would you do if you were in the same situation as Roger?
2. How would you describe Mackey and his girlfriend’s relationship? What does true love mean to you?
8. October 2008 by Librarian.
During the semester you are responsible for reading three novels on your own. At this time you should be reading your first novel. What is the title and the author? Briefly summarize the plot ( do not give out the ending) Describe one of the main characters. What did you like or dislike about the book? Is there anything that you would change in the book?
3. October 2008 by Librarian.
10/02/2008 Big Boy by David Sedaris
During the brief discussion we had after reading “Big Boy” by David Sedaris, I noticed that there were mixed feelings about the story. In a paragraph explain what you thought about the author’s style, the lesson of the story and the way it was delivered.
2. October 2008 by Librarian.
10/2/2008 – Meeting the Mugger by Norma Fox Mazer and
The main characters of “Meeting the Mugger” by Norma Fox Mazer and “Spear” by Julius Lester are dynamic characters. In one to two paragraphs explain how their life experiences changed them and their perspectives. First describe what happened to them then explain how the incidents changed their perspectives on life. For example, the girl in “Metting the Mugger” said that being mugged was the worst thing that happened to her. Did she feel the same way after…
1. October 2008 by Librarian.
Welcome to the Fall 2008 YABC bookclub.
Our reading material this semester comes from:
Places I Never Meant to Be – A collection of banned writings collected and edited by Judy Blume
and
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
You are free to read anything for your independent reading section of the semester. You may also consider works suggested at our bookclub meetings in the library.
3. June 2008 by Librarian.
On page 97 of The Glass Castle the mother says “I like the world just fine the way I see it” What context does she say it in and what do you infer about the way she perceives the world?
2. June 2008 by Librarian.
1. Research book reviews of The Secret. Summarize one of them.
2. Read pg 1-31 from The Glass Castle. Describe passages that stuck with you after you finished reading.
5. May 2008 by Librarian.
Chapters 8, 9 _ The Secret to You; The Secret to Life
1. On page 158 James Ray uses the term “meat suit”. What is he reffering to? How does he feel about energy and spiritualism?
2. Write a plot summary of your independent book. Also mention the main characters, themes and literary elements
11. April 2008 by Librarian.
Chapter 7 – The Secret to Health
The author says that laughter is the best medicine. What examples does she use to support her claim? How did laughter work for the people that got cured?
3. April 2008 by Librarian.
3/31/2008 Assignment
Chapter Six
James Ray asks: “Do you treat yourself the way you want other people to treat you?” How does the author interpret the question? What is your opinion about it?
27. March 2008 by Librarian.
Week Four Assignment
David Schirmer was having financial problems. How did he turn the situation around? What game does the author suggest you play in order to overcome a bad financial situation
19. March 2008 by Librarian.
Marh 19 2008
Assignment 3
1. The author quotes famous peolpe before she makes a statement. From chapter three choose two people: one you agree with and one you disagree with. State the page number their quote appears on; what the quote says and your reason for agreeing or disagreeing with the statement.
2. At this time you sholud be reading your first independent book. Give a short summary of what you have read so far. In the summary mention the title of the book, the genre, the author, some of the main characters, the setting and any literary elements that you are familiar with.
12. March 2008 by Librarian.
March 10 – Week Two Assignment
On page 37 the author talks about “secret shifters”. In one paragraph address the following points:
a) What is a secret shifter, and what secret shifters does the author suggest you use?
b) Do you have secret shifters of your own?
Jan
15
2010
27. February 2008 by Librarian.
Hi,
This is Mrs. Miruku. I would like to welcome everyone to the bookclub. As you already know, we will meet in the library once a week, during dinner break, and on-line.
Here is some general information on the bookclub:
Book in the Bag Book Club – English Concurrent Option
Class will be held online and in the library.
Students will read assigned books and books of their choice.
On-line Section
Students will be required to respond to postings and contribute their own postings once a week.
For each book there will be discussions on chapters, characters, literary elements and reader response.
Library Section
Students will meet in the library once a week for thirty minutes during their dinner break.
These sessions will run in a book club fashion. There will be discussions of readings and read-alouds of favorite passages.
Suggested Readings
There will be one fiction and one non-fiction book required for all students; two fiction or non-fiction pieces to be chosen by the students; and one to be determined by the students.
List
Catcher in the
Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
Students will hand in a portfolio with work on five books
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