Sept. 11 Writing Activity

Narrative Response: Put yourself in the place of someone who was in New York City or Washington, D.C., on the morning of September 11, 2001. You can write your narrative as a journal entry or as an essay. This can be from the point-of-view of any person that could have been there on that morning. You can write this as if the events have just happened or like it was in the past.  

Your response should be at least three paragraphs. It can, of course, be longer. Take your time with this assignment. Do not make careless errors.

Persuasive Response: Put yourself in the place of a lawmaker at the time of the attacks of 9/11. After the events that have unfolded, write a speech that you will have to give to the public. In this speech, you need to convince the public why it is in the best interest of the nation to either go to war with Afghanistan or why we should not go to war. Set this up like it is a speech; use first-person pronouns and write as if you are speaking to a person.

Your response should be at least three paragraphs. It can, of course, be longer. Take your time with this assignment. Do not make careless errors!

Ch. 4 and 5 Discussion Questions

The Outsiders: Chapters 4 and 5 Discussion Questions

Directions: On your own sheet of paper, answer the following questions. Your answers should be complete sentences. If a question has multiple parts, answer all parts of the question.

 

Chapter 4

1.      What did the Socs do to make Johnny kill Bob?

2.      Why did Sodapop and Darry not want Ponyboy to ever go to Buck Merrill’s?

3.      What does Dally give Ponyboy and Johnny to take with them to Windrixville?

4.      How long do you believe the boys will be able to hide out at the church? Predict what obstacles and hardships they might face.

5.      Suppose Johnny has been arrested for murdering Bob. Take on the role of one of the lawyers. Either you can defend or prosecute Johnny (try to send him to jail). Write a paragraph of your argument for why Johnny should or should not be punished for Bob’s murder.

Chapter 5

1.      On page 69, Ponyboy states “[w]hen you haven’t got anything to do, you remember things in spite of yourself.” He then describes what he remembers and what he imagines could happen. What does the phrase “in spite of yourself” mean? What does Ponyboy imagine is going to happen to him and Johnny?

2.      Why is Ponyboy’s hair so important to him? How is cutting Curly Shepard or Tim’s hair a punishment to them when they go to jail or a detention center?

3.      What book does Ponyboy read to Johnny to entertain them? Who does Johnny say is like the men in the book? What example does he give that shows they are similar? Why does Ponyboy disagree with Johnny?

4.      Who does Ponyboy say is the Greaser he likes the least? Why does he like him the least?

5.      What is the meaning of the poem, “Nothing Gold Can Stay”?

6.      When Dally comes to the abandoned church, he brings Ponyboy a letter from Sodapop. Describe the contents of this letter.

7.      Which Soc has been working as a spy for the Greasers? Write down a few reasons why this is surprising.

 

The Outsiders Vocabulary

Vocabulary for The Outsiders

Directions: Write the word, definition, original sentence, picture, and synonyms and antonyms

1.)     Incredulous- adj. showing disbelief

2.)     Aloofness- noun the state of being cold, disinterested, or uncaring (adj.-aloof)

3.)     Smoldering-adj./ verb to display bottled-up feelings of anger

4.)     Contemptuous- adj. showing disdain (disgust, hatred)

5.)     Nonchalantly- adv. Done in an uncaring way

6.)     Unceasingly- adv. done without a perceivable end

7.)     Rueful- adj. causing sorrow or pity

8.)     Gallant- adj. brave, noble, chivalrous

Tuff Time Journal Entry #2

“Tuff Time” Journal Entry #2

Directions: Journal about the prompt below. Make sure to write at least two paragraphs. Be honest. Take your time. Put this with your other Tuff Time Journal Entry, not your bell-ringers.

Prompt: Cherry said that the major difference between the Socials and the Greaser are how they feel emotions differently. The Socials are aloof and try hard not to show any emotion; the Greasers are too passionate and show too much emotion.

Paragraph 1: Do you show too much emotion or do you work hard to hide all of it? Could you be in the middle?

Paragraph 2: Is it better to show too much emotion or hide it? Choose one. Explain.

Ch. 1-3 Discussion Questions

The Outsiders: Discussion Questions—Chapters 1-3

With a small group of people, answer the following questions with complete sentences. Make sure to answer the questions fully with complete sentences. Have I mentioned to answer with complete sentences?

 

Chapter One
1.  Describe four main characters in the story. 

 
2.  Who are the Socials?  Who are the Greasers? (I am not looking for a list of names but characteristics.)

3.  How do Ponyboy's relationships with Darry and Sodapop differ?  Explain.

4.  Why is the 'gang' important to Johnny?

5.  Do you think Darry loves Ponyboy?  Why does he treat Ponyboy the way he does?

Chapter Two

1.  Who are Cherry and Marcia? Why do they hang-out with greaser boys at the Dingo?

2.  Why doesn't Ponyboy like referring to Sodapop as a dropout?
 

Chapter Three

1.  What does Cherry explain as the difference between the Socs and the Greasers?

2. What does Ponyboy mean on p. 39 when he says "Johnny and I understood each other without saying anything"? 

3.  When and how did Pony's parents die?

 

4. Where does Pony wish he could live? Why would he choose that place over his current home?

5.  Why does Johnny like it better when his father is hitting him?

6.  At the end of the chapter, how does the author foreshadow that bad things are to come?

Tuff Time Journal Entry #1

Directions: During the reading of The Outsiders, you will be journaling five times. These journal entries should be kept separate from your bell-ringers.

Journal about the prompt below. Make sure to write at least two paragraphs. I am less concerned about spelling or grammar and more concerned with what is going on inside your brain. Be honest. Take your time.

Identity- being you instead of being someone else

Paragraph 1-Who are you? What is your identity?

Paragraph 2- What is the identity of the group of friends you have? Do you try to change your identity to fit into this group of friends?

Bell-ringer and Gang Articles

Agenda:
1. Bell-ringer
2. Gang Articles 
3. Grammar Activities

Bell-ringer:

Directions- write the quote and then answer the questions that follow.

“It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.”   Mark Twain

1) What does Mark Twain mean?

2) Do you agree with him?

3) What is something you can do to keep yourself from saying foolish things?

Gang Articles

Directions: 

1. Choose one (block must do both) of the articles below to read. 

2. After selecting the article, click on the link beside it and read the entire article. 

3. After reading the article, answer the questions that follow on your own sheet of paper. 

4. Your answers must be complete sentences

A Troubled Teenager at Odds with Life in the Bronx--click here

In Prosecution of Gang, a Chilling Adversary: The Code of the Streets-- click here 

Grammar Activities

Directions: Complete the grammar activities in the order that they appear.  

1. Comma Splices and Fused Sentences

2. Fragments 

3. Commas

4. Subject-Verb Agreement

Vocabulary Sqaures
If you finish all of the work above, you may work on vocabulary squares--click here.