First+10+Lessons+for+Marcelo

=**<---Final draft**= =** The best questions are those that ask for interpretation of a passage, without leading and expecting a single answer. An open-ended question would be: ** With a partner, Answer the questions- “How is Marcelo’s relationship with his father changing within this chapter? How is his relationship with Jasmine changing? With these changes, discuss and use examples of Marcelo’s inner-thoughts and examples from the text. = This allows for a variety of answers, but provides a focus for response. Students may give you the response you're looking for, but it's important that they sort through their own ideas first. = =

Comments on lessons
I like the questions you ask about specific passages and what they imply about Marcelo. Considering his motives does bring us toward the themes of solitude and society. It would be interesting to see what lessons Marcelo learns from this "society" (the law office) vs. what his father expected him to learn. You also incorporate some key vocabulary early on: "cognitive disorder," "autism," "quest." These are more useful than some other investigations on programs for children with disabilities, which are distracting when you first begin reading the novel. Viewing //Forest Gump// is relevant to the text, but outside research in the early going is distracting.

Be careful not to make your questions too leading, calling for a narrow answer. You start doing this on Day 5. For example:

Writing: What are your thoughts when Marcelo finds the picture of the girl which was in the box marked “Trash?” Good, open-ended question

Marcelo brings up other kids with autism once again in chapter 16. Why? Narrow, leading question

Speaking: With a partner, discuss what you think is going to happen since Marcelo will be working with Wendell instead of Jasmine. Is Marcelo “accomplishing” his summer assignment? Narrow, leading question; students know you are asking for a "no" here.

In general you can keep questions open by asking students to comment on characters' motives and relationships. E.g.How would you describe Marcelo's relationship with his father? Find examples where Asperger's interferes with Marcelo's relationships. How is Marcelo's relationship with___ changing in this chapter?

I like the reference to the "quest" and wonder if that could be one of the summative questions in this unit.