Speak+Matrix

//Speak//: Society and Solitude

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 * Reading || Writing || Speaking || Investigations || Misc || Experiences || Viewing ||
 * 1-22 || Journal: How has a teacher influenced you to learn about something new? || Discuss the First Ten Lies They Tell You in High School || Come up with own 10 lies || Sketch teachers as Melinda sees them ||  ||   ||
 * 22-35 || Journal: How does depression influence the tone of the book?

Compare/Contrast Heather and Melinda || Discuss the tone of the book ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * 35-46 || Worksheet about The Martha’s

Journal: nightmare chapter || Discuss forms of peer pressure ||  || BARE TREE: identify themes, characters, symbolism, and tone || Discuss personal peer pressures. How did it make you feel? ||  ||
 * 49-68 || Journaling: School Mascot || Discuss school mascot decision || Melinda’s parents’ negligence: Cause/Effect ||  ||   ||   ||
 * 69-92 || Foreshadowing Worksheet || Depression Discussion || Investigate signs of depression. || BARE TREE: identify themes, characters, symbolism, tone ||  ||   ||
 * 95-113 || Journaling: What is a time you wished you spoke up on behalf of someone else? ||  || Explore 2 identities of Melinda ||   ||   ||   ||
 * 113-137 || 1 page reflection from perspective of Melinda, her mom, or her dad.

Journal: “A Night to Remember” || Share reflection writing with groups ||  || BARE TREE: identify themes, characters, symbolism, tone ||   ||   ||
 * 141-159 || Descriptions of Andy

Journal: Women’s suffrage ||  || Create compare/contrast for Women’s suffrage vs. Melinda’s life ||   ||   ||   ||
 * 160-184 || Progression/regression of characters throughout book

Journal: Melinda’s confession || Discuss Melinda’s Silence ||  ||   ||   ||   ||
 * 185-198 ||  || Discuss metaphor of tree.

Discuss ending. ||  || BARE TREE: identify themes, characters, symbolism, tone ||   ||   || The topics for journals are significant and interesting, but you should try to connect the writing and speaking activities to the journal activities. For example, on Day 2 you could refer students to a passage and ask what words influence the tone of the chapter? In class you could then ask how phrasing and pace of certain paragraphs create a tone for the reader. This is as easy as you may imagine. The same approach could be applied to "theme," "characters," and "symbolism." Refer them to passages that display these elements and ask them how theme, etc. is revealed in a particular passage. This could be discussed in pairs in class and then a few students offer their interpretations.

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