Tuesday, September 24

Read Huck Finn chapters 11, 12, 13 for tomorrow. Finish 14 for Wednesday.
Huck Finn on Tape

Journal: In modern-day Oregon, if a parent is considered by the court to be unfit, parental rights are terminated and the child becomes a ward of the state and enters the foster parent system, or arrangements are made for the child to live with a relative. Your journal assignment is to explain why Pap's parental rights should be terminated. Base your argument on the bullet points in the following document that lists grounds for termination of parental rights: Grounds for Termination of Parental Rights. Focus your argument on two of the things that make a parent unfit, as the court sees it. If you don't feel that Pap's rights should be terminated, explain why (in court, one of the attorney's would have to try to argue this).

Write two paragraphs. For each paragraph:
Write a minimum of 4 sentences

1. Topic sentence that refers to one of the bullet points

2. Example from Huck Finn

3. Explanation

4. Concluding sentence (which should transition to the next point 

Example 1--Physical abuse
Focus on ONE idea (either abuse, OR abandonment, OR alcolholism)
When you do this you must have four sentences that explain why Pap's rights should be terminated. In expository writing you must support your argument with evidence.

• [topic sentence] A parent is considered unfit when the child is severely abused, and Pap Finn has clearly abused Huck. 
• [example] For example, in the cabin Pap gets the delirium tremens and beats Huck, finally taking out a knife and trying to kill Huck.
• [explanation]Any parent who does physically abuses his child to this extent is unfit to be a parent because children need to be safe.  
• [conclusion]The court has the responsibility to protect the child by terminating parental rights.

Example 2 focusing on three ideas:
A parent is considered unfit when the child is severly abused. Pap Finn is clearly an unfit parent. He has repeatedly negleted his child, not allowing Huck to go to school. Abandoning his child by locking him in the cabin for days at a time. Excessive use of alcohol, Pap goes into a psychotic state and tries to kill poor Huck. These are just some of the reasons Pap Finn is an unfit parent  
Friday you will have a vocab quiz covering this weeks words.