Supplemental Titles For Core English 7

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Supplemental Titles for Core English 7

After the Dancing Days, Rostkowski

Blizzard: The Storm that Changed America, Moore

The Call of the Wild, London

The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, Danzinger

A Christmas Carol, Dickens

The Double Life of Pocahontas, Fritz

Dreamland Lake, Peck

Edgar Allen, Neufeld

The Forgotten Door, Key

Homecoming, Voight

In My Father’s House, Rinaldi

The Lighting Thief, Riordan

No More Dead Dogs, Korman

Out of the Dust, Hesse

Plain Girl, Sorensen

A Single Shard, Park

Sojourner Truth, Krass

Something for Joey, Peck

Sounder, Armstrong

Tangerine, Bloor

The Watsons Go to Birmingham: 1963, Curtis

Weirdo, Taylor

Where the Red Fern Grows, Rawls

The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Speare

Wolfrider, Avi

A Wrinkle in Time, L'Engle

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Call of the Wild

Before Reading

· Have the students prepare to read the novel by brainstorming the words: wild, nobility, instinct, and civilization. Have the students work in small groups to create connotation webs for the words. Alternatively, have the students use the question cards to discuss the words. (Side 1 Cards and Side 2 Cards)

During Reading

· Have the students compare and contrast Buck throughout the novel.

· Have the students examine the use of personification throughout the novel. Have the students participate in a mini-lesson on personification by examining the opening description of Buck. Then, have the students use a chart to track examples of personification in the remaining chapters.

· Have the students write a comparison between the characterizations of Buck's various owners in The Call of the Wild. They should pay particular attention to the language used to describe each owner and look for ways the author showed characteristics rather than told them. Have the students use the Character Information Chart (see Reading Toolbox for suggestions of charts) to record information about the words used to describe all Buck's masters. Then, based on the information gathered, have them organize the material and write a paper describing one of Buck's masters. Consider having them organize their information using the format below.

Thesis: In The Call of the Wild, John Thornton is characterized as a good master.
List specific examples with page numbers.

· Have the students discuss the literary elements in the novel by responding to the questions on the literary analysis bookmark.

· Have the students use a setting chart (see Reading Toolbox) record how an author uses the setting to establish the mood of a piece of literature. The students may use this chart with short stories, poems, and novels.

· Have the students keep a reading journal as they read The Call of the Wild. At the end of each chapter, ask them to complete the following:

Chapter 1: Into the Primitive

 Why did the author choose the title “Into the Primitive” for this chapter?

 Describe the setting at the judge's house.

Chapter 2: The Law of Club and Fang

 Explain the meaning of the title of the chapter.

 Name some of the adaptations made to his new environment by Buck.

Chapter 3: The Dormant Primordial Beast

 Why did the author use the word dormant in the title of this chapter?

 Do you think this word is important to the understanding of what is happening to Buck?

Chapter 4: Who has Won to Mastership?

 Explain the differences among Buck, Dave, and Sol-leks.

 What is the author trying to communicate by his use of the vision of the hairy man?

Chapter 5: The Toil of Trace and Trail

 Why did the author include the characters of Charles, Hal, and Mercedes?

 What do they represent?

Chapter 6: For the Love of a Man

 Explain the relationship between Buck and John Thornton.

Chapter 7: The Sounding of the Call

Explain the meaning of the title of the chapter and its relationship to the title of the book.

After Reading

· Have the students view selected scenes from the videotape Call of the Wild for the purpose of comparing the book with the film. While viewing, have refer to the scene from the text.

· Have the students discuss the ways Jack London symbolizes leadership in the novel.

· Have the students identify the major symbols in the story: club, hairy man, call, fang, fire, pack, howl, etc.

· Have the students keep a dictionary of new words as they read the book. Ask the students to keep this dictionary in their notebooks. As they record the words, ask them to note the page and line on which they find the words, the definitions from context, and the dictionary definitions. Then every third chapter, have the students participate in a Password activity using the words from their lists. When they finish the book, have the students take a quiz on the words that they had the most difficulty with while playing the Password game.

· Have the students collect news articles about the topics covered during the course of the reading of the book using the following list to guide their selection. Have the students keep a parallel reading journal.

- stories about domesticated animals stolen,

- animals that survive in the wilderness,

- information about Alaska,

- articles about leadership,

- articles about genetics, and

- articles about wolves.

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Call of the Wild Question Cards

Side 1

WILD
NOBILITY
INSTINCT
CIVILIZATION

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Call of the Wild Question Cards

Side 2

What does it mean to be wild? Are animals always wild?
How is nobility different from common society? What qualities does a noble person have?
What natural instincts do humans have? Do you believe that humans have animalistic instincts?
What is the difference between
civilized and uncivilized?

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Personification in The Call of the Wild

Read the following description of Buck from Chapter 1.

His father, Elmo, a huge St. Bernard, had been the Judge’s inseparable companion, and Buck bid fair to follow in the way of his father. He was not so large- he weighed only one hundred and forty pounds- for his mother, Shep, had been a Scotch shepherd dog. Nevertheless one hundred and forty pounds, to which was added the dignity that comes of good living an universal respect, enabled him to carry himself in the right royal fashion. During the four years since his puppyhood he had lived the life of a sated aristocrat; he had a fine pride in himself, was even a trifle egotistical, as country gentlemen sometimes become because of their insular situation. But he had saved himself by not becoming a mere pampered hose dog. Hunting and kindred outdoor delights had kept down the fat and hardened his muscles; and to him, as to the coldtubbing races, the love of water had been a tonic and a health preserver.

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Literary Bookmark for The Call of the Wild

The Call of the Wild
Chapter 1
· Who surfaces as the antagonist? Why?
· What conflict arises because of the antagonist’s actions?
Chapter 2
· The chapter opens with the simile, “Buck’s first day on the Dyea beach was like a nightmare.” Why is this an example of a simile?
· What events in the chapter support the description in the simile?
Chapter 3
· Buck is referred to as a “primordial beast.” What events from the story support this description? How does this description make Buck a dynamic character?
Chapter 4
· One of the themes of novel deals with instinct. Explain what instinct is. What details support this explanation?
· What theme is the author trying to develop around the subject of instinct?
Chapter 5
· Setting plays an important part in the novel. What details in the chapter help to develop the setting?
· Is it possible for setting to a character in a story?
Chapter 6
· How do the events in the chapter present a turning point (climax) for Buck?
Chapter 7
· What traits does Jack London find admirable? How is this evident in the character of Buck? / The Call of the Wild
Chapter 1
· Who surfaces as the antagonist? Why?
· What conflict arises because of the antagonist’s actions?
Chapter 2
· The chapter opens with the simile, “Buck’s first day on the Dyea beach was like a nightmare.” Why is this an example of a simile?
· What events in the chapter support the description in the simile?
Chapter 3
· Buck is referred to as a “primordial beast.” What events from the story support this description? How does this description make Buck a dynamic character?
Chapter 4
· One of the themes of novel deals with instinct. Explain what instinct is. What details support this explanation?
· What theme is the author trying to develop around the subject of instinct?
Chapter 5
· Setting plays an important part in the novel. What details in the chapter help to develop the setting?
· Is it possible for setting to a character in a story?
Chapter 6
· How do the events in the chapter present a turning point (climax) for Buck?
Chapter 7
· What traits does Jack London find admirable? How is this evident in the character of Buck?

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“A Christmas Carol”

Before Reading

· Have the students work in small teams to create a classroom newspaper or magazine on Victorian England. Assign each group one of the topic cards to research and write about for the newspaper. Have the students participate in a mini-lesson on how to write a newspaper article. Then, have the students examine various newspapers to identity the components of an article: headline, byline, lead, cut, cut line. etc.

· Have the students conduct background research on Victorian England and Charles Dickens. Have the students use the Internet to locate information pertaining to child labor laws and public workhouses. Then, have the students work in teams to create a Webquest, a crossword puzzle, or a trivia game to share their information with other groups.

· Have the students complete a KWL for the story. Most students should be familiar with some aspect of the story since its allusions have permeated main-stream American culture.

· Have the students use MABE statements to define key vocabulary from the text.

During Reading

· Have the students work in small groups to present short, dramatic segments from the various scenes.

· Have the students analyze the dynamic characterization using a chart to record information. Have each group share their ideas with the class. Then, have each group complete the chart and share their responses with the class as a means of discussion.

· Have the students participate in three views of the story.

§ View Film Clip of Stave 1

§ Read Portion of Play that Stems from Stave 2

§ Read Stave 3

§ View Film Clip of Stave 4

§ Read Stave 5

Then, have the students discuss the similarities and differences between the drama and the actual text. In addition, have the students discuss how the text translates into film.

After Reading

· Have the students return to their MAB/E statements and connect the terms with associations from the events and characters in the story.

· Have the students discuss how Scrooge, Tiny Tim, the Ghosts, Bob Cratchitt, and the play have become part of our modern-day culture. Have the students locate examples of television commercials, magazine ads, etc. that use the characters or the play.

· Have the students participate in a guided seminar discussion that leads students to understand how the various levels of meaning develop through a reader’s interaction with the text.

Procedure:

· Examine the four questions for each category: setting, dynamic character, theme, and transformations. The questions are leveled into three categories: See and Connect, Think and Connect, and Judge and Connect (student version and teacher version).

· Teachers should determine those students who have difficulty with textual analysis. Assign the groups according to ease with literary analysis: Group S- difficulty; Group T- learning; Group J- mastered.

· Introduce the discussion by clarify the four categories of questions for the students. Then, give each group its questions.

· After ample time for discussion, come together for a whole group discussion. Each group will be able to contribute to the General Discussion Question using evidence from their small group discussions.

· Have the students write a character analysis of Scrooge. Have the students gather information on the character and write a paper explaining how Dicken's use of vocabulary influenced the reader's opinion about Scrooge.

Thesis: In the first part of A Christmas Carol, Dicken's use of certain words to describe Scrooge makes the reader aware of his selfish and insensitive nature.
List specific examples with page numbers.
1.
2.
3.
4.

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A Christmas Carol

Victorian England Newspaper Project

Child Labor
You are an investigative reporting team for the Victorian Times. You have received numerous calls from local residents concerned with the number of children who are working in poor conditions for long hours. Your team is to investigate and report on the status of child labor and child labor laws. You should also report on the food, pollution, punishment, and accidents in the factories in which the children work. Be prepared to expose the cruel and harsh treatments of children. / Victorian Architecture
You are a real-estate development and architecture company that specializes in the unique and popular interior design of the Victorian era. Your company will be placing an advertisement in the Victorian Times announcing the sale of a Victorian home. The advertisement should include information on the characteristics of the architecture of the home and a description of the interior that identifies the types of furniture and accessories.
Fashion and Dress
You are the fashion editors for the Victorian Times. You recently have attended a fashion show that highlighted the popular fashions for men, women, and children. You are to write a fashion column describing what you have seen at the show, telling readers what the well-dressed person should be wearing. Sketches should be included. / Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens, a famous author, recently published a new story, A Christmas Carol. This and many of this other stories stem from his experiences during his childhood. Your team is to interview Mr. Dickens about his life experiences and how these experiences influenced his writing. You are to prepare interview questions and submit both the questions and the responses of Mr. Dickens for the “Up Close and Personal” section of the Victorian Times.
Victorian Christmas
You realize that the Victorians just might be trendsetters for others in the way that they celebrate Christmas, including the reestablishment of the pagan tradition of bringing evergreens into the home. In order to learn of other customs and traditions that they follow, you spend Christmas Day with the Halliwells, a prominent British family, in order to prepare a feature article for the Victorian Times that details the customs/traditions that are followed in their home in their celebration of Christmas. / Famous Names
Your team reports on crime for the Victorian Times. You have been following the cases involving Jack the Ripper, a murderer who is terrorizing women on the dark streets of London. You are to research the facts surrounding the case and then write an article that tells about the police investigation, the conditions in the slums of London, and the reaction of the people to the horrific crimes.
Queen Victoria
Under Queen Victoria’s reign, Great Britain has become a British Empire, and it controls lands throughout the world. Since you are a team of reporters that exclusively covers news of the monarchy for the Victorian Times, you will write an article that highlights the political topics of the day as well as Queen Victoria’s contributions to her country. / Inventions
Your team investigates new inventions that are occurring during this time of the Industrial Revolution. You are to prepare an article for the Victorian Times that briefly describes some of these inventions and then focuses in on introducing one of the inventions more fully. Sketches may be included.