Wednesday's lesson notes

Maestro and the concept of growing up

What elements of the novel contribute to our understanding of the ideas and attitudes to growing up?	What does the book say about growing up?	What are some examples of how we are positioned to see this?
·         Characters -          How they act -          What they say -          How they feel -          How the react to things and to other people -          What they look like -          How they speak ·         Plot -          What happens -          Where and when it happens -          How it happens -          Who it happens to -          What the resolution is ·         Setting -          How people are affected by their environment as they grow up -          How they are affected by those around them -          Link between setting and purpose	Different for every person	Paul and Keller have different experiences Rosie and Paul Paul and his father Megan and Rosie Benny and Paul
	Different people have different challenges as they grow up
	Growing up will always have challenges, it’s not an easy time
	Relationships with family affect our growing up	Expectations placed on Paul by his father which sends him to Keller Mother is more understanding
	Relationships with others affect our growing up
	Growing up is affected by our interests	Paul is bullied because he is different – he is musical, intellectual and clever Rosie and Paul begin to develop a relationship because they are both the same
	People react differently to the challenges of growing up	Benny and Paul – Benny fights back and refuses to conform to what they expect from him. Paul isolates and avoids any interaction with the others until he is doing anything that allows him to feel he fits in.

Wednesday's writing exercise

 Re-read pages 124 -126. (5 minutes)

 Write a letter from Paul to Keller in response. Brainstorm ideas and then plan in dot point form. (10 minutes)

You may choose to write it at the time or to have Paul write it at the end of the novel, bringing to it his more developed understanding of himself. Consider how different these two versions of Paul’s letter might be.

Try to achieve the right voice for Paul both in general terms and in matching his tone to the timing of the letter. (20 minutes)

Remember to re-read as you write rather than reading only at the end. Use the editing checklist to edit your response. Proof-read and post to your blog. (10 minutes)

Monday's lesson

Intermezzo

 

 

Two important things happen for Paul during this holiday break.

 

What is your reaction to Paul’s response to the lovers in the library? Does it affect your view of Paul?

 

What do we learn about Keller from the conversations at the end of the previous section and from his surprise gift to Paul?

 

 

Post to your blog before next lesson. 

Thursday's lesson

Identifying gaps

Read the fairy tale, Little Red, by Chales Perrault which is on Blackboard in the Fairy Tale folder.

Working in a group, identify a gap in the story. For example - were the woodcutters aware of the presence of the wolf and this little girl in the woods? What did they do/say as a result?

Write a response in which you fill a gap by giving the point of view of a character who is silenced in the original and have him/her tell a section of the story. Make sure that your response allows the reader to understand this character's view of Little Red. Choose a genre other than straight narrative if you wish. Post to your blog before the end of the lesson.

Wednesday's lesson and homework

This activity is a good way to practice for your assignment.

Look at the gap on page 13 after Paul runs out of Keller’s room. We know what Paul does and what he thinks. We don't see what Keller does.

Write the next section from Keller’s point of view. What did Keller do next? What did he think as he contemplated the scene which had just taken place?

Use your narrative to reveal Keller’s attitude to growing up and to Paul. In what way might he be trying to influence Paul's development?

In planning, consider Keller’s experiences and how these might affect his attitude to what growing up entails. Read the section pages 65 – 67.

You might be able to use some of your description of Paul from the last task. What does this tell us? Finish this for homework and post to your blog before next Tuesday's lesson.

Understanding Paul

Darwin 1967

The novel begins with Paul giving his first impressions of Keller.

What are your first impressions of Paul as an adolescent? What is his relationship with his parents like? What aspects of Paul's life are affecting his development to adulthood? Justify your answers with evidence from this section of the novel. Discuss in a group and take notes. Write up your answers and post to your blog with the following exercise before Wednesday's lesson.

Identify each of the sections in which Paul describes Keller. Note the use of language. Describe Paul as you see him, using language as effectively as you can. Try choosing a scene and imagining what Paul looks like in this situation.

Monday Week 3

Editing Checklist

“Imaginative response to an advertisement”

1.    Sentence length – varied length or deliberately chosen length.

2.    Sentence openings – varied openings.

3.    Punctuation – used correctly?

4.    Have you tried to use something other than commas and full stops?

5.    Vocabulary – try to find two or three places where you can use a more effective word – look at verbs particularly.

6.    Can you identify clearly what the response says about growing up and how this challenges what the advertisement says? Write a sentence summarizing this. Post this to your blog with the new version of your imaginative response.

Tuesday's lesson

We have brainstormed ideas and words in relation to the concept of growing up. Look at the advertisement picture again and plan an imaginative response which involves the girl as a character and which challenges the representation of growing up constructed in the advertisement. Your choice of genre and your choice of point of view. You could write as the girl or as one of her friends or as her parent. You could narrate an event, write a letter, write a journal entry or a news report. Work on using language very precisely to construct your representation. Remember that well chosen verbs can bring your writing to life as well as positioning the reader to understand the ideas, attitides and values underpinning your text. Finish for homework and post to your blog by Friday's lesson.

Growing Up Week 1 Task 1

Write an analysis of the way the advertisement “Senior Year of High School” which we discussed in class positions the reader to view growing up. You could consider the following: 1. The target audience 2. Use of language and visuals 3. The values, ideas and attitudes embedded in the text. I suggest that you also try a couple of strategies to improve the quality of your written work. Firstly, try reading what you write every couple of sentences. Don't wait until you have finished to read over your work. Secondly, try reading each sentence aloud. Due on your blog by Wednesday's lesson.