The Last Friday of the Year!!!!!

Today:
1. Fill out the ESSAY CHECKLIST and turn it in for 15 points at the end of the period.
2. Read to page 50 for homework. You will have a test of some sort over the novel (and movie). You won't have to finish the novel to receive an "A" on this test, but be sure to read the assigned parts of the novel.
You are only required to read pages: 1-50; Monday night: 89-112; Tue night 166-178;  Wed night197-206; Thursday night 267-281(end)
The movie will fill in most of the other details.

Tuesday

ESSAY CHECKLIST:

___Introduction pulls in the reader. Copy one of the sentences helps pull you into the topic and which makes you interested to continue reading.

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________.

If you don't have a sentence like that, try something along these lines:

"Many students don't really like to read, but Robin Cody's book Ricochet River . . ."

"A great book should . . ."       "One the very first page of the novel Ricochet River we read, '. . .'"

"Pretty much all teenagers are interested in stories that _______________________"

"The theme of __________________ is something that most teenagers can relate to"

___I have a thesis. My thesis is ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________.

__I quoted an example from the first 94 pages of the book

__I discussed that example for at least two sentences.

__I quoted an example from page 95-174 of the book

__I discussed that example for at least two sentences.

__I quoted an example from page 174-264 (end) of the book

__I discussed that example for at least two sentences.

__I used one of the following transitional words: "therefore," "also," "in particular," "for example," "likewise," "ordinarily," "in other words," "in the final analysis"
  Transitional words and phrases
__One of the themes I touch upon is: _________________________
__The most insightful sentence in my essay is: _____________________________________

Thursday

Ricochet River Essay--2-3 pages handwritten (yes, that's a front and a back and maybe another front)
Due at the end of the period. This is a rough draft, but you will receive 20 points for it. You will receive another 20 points for the final draft, which is due Monday.

Prompt: Pretend that you are on the novels selection committe and are helping compile a reading list for next year's sophomore English classes. Give your recommendation for the novel Ricochet River. Should it be taught to sophomores? 

This is an argumentative essay and you must support your arguments with specific examples. You are required to quote at least four specific parts of the novel and discuss those quotes to strengthen the points you are making. You should also consider counter-examples as you weigh out the novel's 

merits (the pro's and con's). 

Here's a basic example dealing with one of the positive aspects of the novel:

Link is a character who appeals to the average teenager because he talks like a real person, using casual language. For example, when Link is talking with Wade about the landlocked salmon in the millpond he says, "Them lazy, good-for-nothing fish is lost relatives of your Old Man Chinook" (133). Not only does Link use the casual phrase "good-for-nothing," but he also uses incorrect grammar, saying "is" instead of "are." Because many students have grandfathers of their own who talk this way, the book is appealing to the average teenager and should be taught next year at South High.

As you prepare to write, you should consider the following, although you do not have to include these points:

• Are the issues in the novel pertinent to the lives of teenagers? How? 
• Is the novel engaging/interesting?
• Does the novel present good ideas concerning the issues in the story?
• Is the novel well written?
• Is the reading level appropriate for sophomores?
• Is the subject matter appropriate?
• How does it compare to other novels that are taught or could be taught?

*Remember, when selecting novels to teach to students, it is important to pick quality literature that leaves the reader a more enlightened person by the end of the book. Be careful about simply arguing that the book is fun or not fun.

If you need help finding certain parts of the book for your quotes, it might help to go to this link with chapter summaries: Ricochet River
1. Add intro. Pull the reader in. Nice hook, maybe talk about being on the novels selection committee and how important good literature is.
2. You MUST have specific examples (actual quotes).
3. You MUST discuss the quote and EXPLAIN how it makes the novel good or bad.
4. Do your best to use fluid and smart language.

Wednesday

PSAT Reading Comprehension test
Quiz over ending of Ricochet River

Thursday

VOCAB QUIZ
SHARE JOURNAL: Pretend that you are the school counselor for Wade, Lorna, and Jesse. Pick one of the three characters and write some advice that you would give them. 1/2 page
Feel free to write this as a dialog, such as, 
"Thank you so much for coming into my office, Jesse."
--"No problem, teacher lady."
"Actually, I'm your counselor and . . . [Use your own wording]
When finished, read for the remainder of the period. The novel must be finished Monday! Book reports due TOMORROW
BOOK REPORT EVALUATION
READ
BRING BOOKS TOMORROW! I'LL GIVE YOU MOST OF THE PERIOD TO READ. 
REMEMBER, YOU HAVE TO FINISH THE BOOK THIS WEEKEND!

Wednesday

AS SOON AS YOU COME IN YOU ARE TO QUIETLY ANSWER THE FOLLOWING JOURNAL PROMPT. IT IS TO BE QUIET WHEN THE BELL SOUNDS.
ANYONE WHO BOTHERS THE SUBSTITUTE IN ANY WAY WILL RECEIVE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES!!
JOURNAL: Pretend that you are the school counselor for Wade, Lorna, and Jesse. Pick one of the three characters and write some advice that you would give them. 1/2 page
Feel free to write this as a dialog, such as, 
"Thank you so much for coming into my office, Jesse."
--"No problem, teacher lady."
"Actually, I'm your counselor and . . . [Use your own wording]
When finished, read for the remainder of the period. The novel must be finished Monday! Book reports due TOMORROW

Tuesday

Book Report due May 13!! That's TOMORROW.  Click Book Reports to see requirements.
Have fun. You don't get creative assignments very often.

Today:
Vocabulary for Friday 1-10 (and the next ten every Friday thereafter)
Read Ricochet River.
Journal: Which character in the novel can you relate to the best? Explain what you relate to.
Write 3/4 page
SHARE WHAT YOU WROTE YESTERDAY.
Think in terms of what these people value, how they feel, and what they do.
Wade: Thinks in the literal terms of a scientist. Not too into symbolism and stories. More into facts than creativity.Believes in hard work. No pain, no gain.
He likes things to be organized. Order makes him happy. He needs a plan (go to college). Leave Calamus
Unfortunately, his plan is based on the box he's in.
Conservative. Standard values and ways of life work well. Doesn't question.
Jesse: Impulsive.  Acts before he thinks. Clueless as far as consequences go.
Has no plan. Lives in the moment (but not always a good thing).
Questions the way things are defined ("vu-jà dé" instead of déjà vu). Not so conservative in that he doesn't accept the standard way of doing things.  Not at all serious or determined.
Optimistic. But naive. Oblivious. "They'll sure be glad I came."
Cheerful. Most of the time.
Values creativity, stories, a symbolic view of the world over "reality." Not a scientist.
Values Nature. Adventure. Play over work. Life.
Lorna: Wants to leave Calamus. Hates gossip and narrow-mindedness.
Questions things and ways of life. NO WAY does she want to stay and be the barefoot, pregnant Mrs. Wade Curren.Doesn't like to be cooped up.
Opinionated.Speaks her mind. Likes her own space.
Negative, but often justified anger. She sees true problems in society and can't handle injustice.
Hates shallow people who just gossip instead of talking about ideas. Hates racism.
Duncan:
Link:

Monday

Book Report due May 13!! That's a Wednesday.  Click Book Reports to see requirements.
That's DAY AFTER TOMORROW.   Have fun. You don't get creative assignments very often.

Today:
Vocabulary for Friday 1-10 (and the next ten every Friday thereafter)
Read Ricochet River.
Journal: Which character in the novel can you relate to the best? Explain what you relate to.
Write 3/4 page
Think in terms of what these people value, how they feel, and what they do.
Wade: Thinks in the literal terms of a scientist. Not too into symbolism and stories. More into facts than creativity.Believes in hard work. No pain, no gain.
He likes things to be organized. Order makes him happy. He needs a plan (go to college). Leave Calamus
Unfortunately, his plan is based on the box he's in.
Conservative. Standard values and ways of life work well. Doesn't question.
Jesse: Impulsive.  Acts before he thinks. Clueless as far as consequences go.
Has no plan. Lives in the moment (but not always a good thing).
Questions the way things are defined ("vu-jà dé" instead of déjà vu). Not so conservative in that he doesn't accept the standard way of doing things.  Not at all serious or determined.
Optimistic. But naive. Oblivious. "They'll sure be glad I came."
Cheerful. Most of the time.
Values creativity, stories, a symbolic view of the world over "reality." Not a scientist.
Values Nature. Adventure. Play over work. Life.
Lorna: Wants to leave Calamus. Hates gossip and narrow-mindedness.
Questions things and ways of life. NO WAY does she want to stay and be the barefoot, pregnant Mrs. Wade Curren.Doesn't like to be cooped up.
Opinionated.Speaks her mind. Likes her own space.
Negative, but often justified anger. She sees true problems in society and can't handle injustice.
Hates shallow people who just gossip instead of talking about ideas. Hates racism.
Duncan:
Link:

“You get the feeling people want you to be what they’re not, or what they should have been.” (134)
Tell me about a time when you have experienced this and tell me how it made you feel and why it made you feel that way.

Discussion questions:
“This was the difference between Jesse and me—the type of thing we worried about, or didn’t. I worry about a game coming up, or whether I got an assignment all correct, or what Lorna might think. As far as I could tell, Jesse didn’t have a thing in the world to worry about.” (131)
Why might someone like Jesse not worry about things, especially living in Calamus?

Tuesday

Book Report due May 13!! That's a Wednesday.  Click Book Reports to see requirements.
What happens if I don't turn it in until the 14th, Mr. Isom? -10% because we are doing a class activity with the book reports.

Today: Discuss the following quotes and determine their significance:
“Smart me, I gave him a scientific explanation... Correct is wrong, I saw, 
as the focus drained from Jesse’s eyes.” (67)
Jesse is dissatisfied with Wade’s answer to his question about the color of the water. 
What answer do you think Jesse was looking for when he asked Wade the question?

Friday has come!!!!

Discussion questions. Write answers as we discuss as a class:
1. How does Wade respond to Jesse when he finds out that he had stolen food? How do their individual perceptions of
stealing reflect the differences in their characters?
2. “I was beginning to get the idea that Jesse’s world was a little more complicated—or a lot less complicated—than
my own.” (80) How might Jesse’s world be more complicated than Wade’s? How might it be less complicated?

Read for the remainder of the period

BOOK REPORT DUE MAY 13th!!!
If you haven't chosen a book, you might consider reading The Fault in Our Stars.
Here's the first chapter of the book, read by John Green, the author:
The Fault in Our Stars
Ricochet River Movie Trailer
Ricochet River