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The Lottery Rose

The PACE Center at Yale 1 of 1

Week 1: Lesson 1 (Intro).............................................................................................................. 2 Basic Introduction..................................................................................................................... 2 Discuss Difficult Childhoods..................................................................................................... 3 Continue Reading OR Begin Analytical Lesson....................................................................... 3

Week 1: Vocab List ...................................................................................................................... 4 Week 1: Lesson 2 (Analytical) ..................................................................................................... 5

Discussing the Reading............................................................................................................ 5 Understanding Characters ....................................................................................................... 5 Plot and Emotion: Charting An Emotional Journey.................................................................. 6

Week 1: Lesson 3 (Practical) ....................................................................................................... 7 Identifying Problems: Class Brainstorming Exercise ............................................................... 7 Identifying Solutions and Strategies: Small Group Exercise.................................................... 7 “On the Bright Side”: Closing Class Discussion ....................................................................... 7

Week 1: Lesson 4 (Creative) ....................................................................................................... 8 Capturing Emotional States...................................................................................................... 8 Alternative Creative Activities................................................................................................... 8

Week 1: Homework 1................................................................................................................. 10 Week 1: Vocabulary Assessment 1 ........................................................................................... 11 Week 1: Comprehension Assessment 1.................................................................................... 15 Week 2: Lesson 5 (Analytical) ................................................................................................... 18

Discussing the Reading.......................................................................................................... 18 Dealing with Conflict ............................................................................................................... 18 The Development of Relationships ........................................................................................ 19 Georgie’s Personal Development .......................................................................................... 20

Week 2: Lesson 6 (Practical) ..................................................................................................... 20 Week 2: Vocab List .................................................................................................................... 21 Week 2: Lesson 7 (Creative) ..................................................................................................... 22

Different Perspectives ............................................................................................................ 22 Alternative Creative Activities:................................................................................................ 23

Week 2: Homework 2................................................................................................................. 24 Week 2: Vocabulary Assessment 2 ........................................................................................... 25 Week 2: Comprehension Assessment 2.................................................................................... 29 Week 3: Vocab List .................................................................................................................... 32 Week 3: Suggested Lesson Ideas ............................................................................................. 33

Analytical Lesson ................................................................................................................... 33 Practical Lesson ..................................................................................................................... 34 Writing Day............................................................................................................................. 35 Creative Lesson ..................................................................................................................... 35

Week 3: Writing Day .................................................................................................................. 36 NOTE ......................................................................................................................................... 37 Posttest ...................................................................................................................................... 38

Part I. ...................................................................................................................................... 38 Part II. ..................................................................................................................................... 40 Part III. .................................................................................................................................... 42 Part IV..................................................................................................................................... 44

The Lottery Rose


Week 1: Lesson 1 (Intro)

Basic Introduction

• Character Chart and Journal: Ask the students to keep a character chart, adding their impressions of and knowledge about the characters as they read from one chapter to the next, so that they can see how the characters evolve over time. Also encourage the students to keep a reading journal, in which they should jot down their reactions to the reading and any questions they may have.

• Assign Roles: As with the previous book,

assign the students different roles for the week. These roles could include Discussion Director, Vocabulary Enricher, Literary Luminary, Illustrator, Connector, Summarizer, Travel Tracer, Investigator, and/or any others you or the students deem appropriate. Use the role worksheets (from the Raisin lessons) as guides.

• Discuss Title and Cover and Make Predictions: If the students haven’t yet begun reading the book, encourage them to speculate about what the book may be about, who some of the characters may be, etc. Make sure the students understand

the concept of a lottery. Use the Connecticut lottery as an illustrative example. Ask the students if they or their parents have ever bought a lottery ticket and if they understand how the contest works.

• Discuss Social Issues: What makes good parenting? What do parents expect of their children and why? (Encourage the students to consider the positive aspects of parental demands.) What is abuse? (Make sure students understand that all abuse is not physical.)

The PACE Center at Yale 3 of 3 The Lottery Rose

Discuss Difficult Childhoods It may make sense to prepare students for the emotional intensity and potentially upsetting subject matter of this book by addressing generally some of the difficulties that children can face in this world. (Or, if students have already read part of the book over the weekend, the following questions can be considered both generally and in relation to Georgie in particular.) Here are a few ways to encourage students to discuss this matter: 1) Remind students of

the famous claim in the Declaration of Independence that we are all “created equal.” Ask the students: Do all kids really get the same start in life? If the students have

already read some of the book, ask them why Georgie might be considered at a disadvantage relative to other kids in his class, or to themselves.

2) Or try to start a similar discussion as follows: Some people say that childhood is the easiest or most carefree time of life. Do you think this is necessarily true? 3) Or try this approach: What are some of the biggest problems that kids face today? You might want to ask the students to bring in a newspaper or magazine article that addresses in some way the difficulties that children can face in

the world. List the problems on the board and encourage students to come up with constructive solutions for them.

3) Or try this: What do children need in order to grow up healthy and happy? (Get the ball rolling by suggesting a few requirements: food, shelter, clothing, safety, love, encouragement, affection, friends, play, education, etc.) Do all kids have these things? What happens to a kid if he/she doesn’t have X? Have you ever known, or read or heard about, a kid who doesn’t have X? And so on.

Continue Reading OR Begin Analytical Lesson If time remains and the students have not finished reading the first four chapters, spend some time reading out loud as a class. Remind the students that they should

finish reading the first four chapters ( pp. 1-65) by tomorrow. •If time remains and the students have already read chapters 1-4, begin the analytical lesson (see Lesson 2).

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Week 1: Vocab List The words listed below are drawn from the first week’s reading. They constitute a sampling of words that the students may find challenging or unfamiliar. The number of the page where the word appears is given in parentheses. This

vocabulary list is meant to be suggestive rather than definitive. Your student “Vocabulary Enhancer” will identify some new words. But you may want to use this list to help you choose a few additional words for discussion.

burrowed (8) intermission (11) hurriedly (11) impudent (11) wary (11) stealthily (12) wistfully (12) swayed (14) filth (15) glowered (15)

fretfully (19) tolerated (22) irk (22) resentfully (25) sheepishly (25) scarlet (27) parched (31) shrill (32) imploring (36) miniature (42)

monstrosity (43) uneasy (44) overhear (44) scowling (46) sly (52) meekly (53) fury (59) indifferently (60) unyielding (62)

The Lottery Rose


Week 1: Lesson 2 (Analytical)

Discussing the Reading Discuss and analyze the reading as follows: 1) Call for contributions

from students in their designated roles as appropriate. (Your “Summarizer” should be able to quickly recap what has happened in the story, your “Vocabulary Enhancer” should have new words for you to discuss, and so on). Also elicit general

personal reactions to the book. What part of the story most troubled them? Can they relate personally to any of the characters in the book or to any of the events that took place? Were there parts of the story that confused them or that they just couldn’t follow? You may have to help the students understand some of

the difficult and sensitive subject matter in the story.

2) Discuss any problematic vocabulary. In general, the vocabulary in this book is much simpler than the vocabulary in the previous book, but there may still be a few words that the students find challenging.

Understanding Characters 1. Imagining Characters

in a Movie: This exercise can be done either individually or in small groups or pairs. Assign each individual, group, or pair a major character who appears in the first four chapters. Ask the students to imagine that they are making a movie based on the book and that their job, as director of the movie, is to instruct an actor how to “play” their character. They should discuss and write a brief description that will indicate to an actor what the character is like. You can also instruct the students to “cast” the character. In other words, if they were going to hire an actor to play their character, who would be appropriate and why? If the students don’t know specific

actors, have them simply describe the physical characteristics and personality type that the actor should have. Save time for sharing and discussion. Constructing a class “character chart” may be helpful. (The characters appearing during the first four chapters of the book include Georgie Burgess, Rennie Burgess, Steve, Mrs. Sims, Judge O’Neill, Miss Ellen Ames, Miss Cressman, Sister Mary Angela, Timothy, Sister Monica, Old Eddie, Amanda, Rosita, Mrs. Harper, Hugh Collier, and Robin. You will probably want to do this exercise with some of the main characters.)

2. If this exercise does not bring out a deep enough understanding

of Georgie’s particular experiences and reactions, you might want to ask the class as a whole some of the following questions (or, address these questions specifically to the students whose role was to understand and explain the character of Georgie): Why does Georgie find flowers and gardens appealing? What do

you experience that makes you feel that way? (It is useful for the children to learn that they have the ability to comfort themselves during times of stress or


conflict.) Why doesn’t Georgie do well in school? Why does Georgie use foul, angry language sometimes when he is interacting with adults? Why did Georgie set the fire under Miss Cressman’s car? Describe the other characters through Georgie’s eyes. Or, in other words, how does Georgie feel about his

mother? How does Georgie feel about Steve? How does Georgie feel about Robin? And so on. Why is Georgie so focused on getting his rose bush planted in the Harper’s garden? What does the rose represent to Georgie?

3. Briefly discuss the more minor characters to make sure that the students at least know

who these people are. Have the students tell you--perhaps by referring to their character charts and journals--what they know about these characters. What are they like? How can you tell?

Plot and Emotion: Charting An Emotional Journey • During the first four

chapters of the book, Georgie experiences a vast array of shifting emotions, as both good and bad things

happen to him. Spend some class time discussing specific emotions (such as honesty, anger, fear, pride, feeling safe, trust, hope, jealousy, feeling scared). List students thoughts on the board. Then, as a class, “map out” Georgie’s emotional journey. (This is also a way to review the plot and make sure that students understand certain events and details from the book.) One way to do this is to chart certain significant events--choose some yourself (see suggestive list

below), or ask the students for suggestions--on the board, together with some indication of Georgie’s emotional state at that time. Ask students to identify the primary emotion (or emotions) that Georgie likely feels at a particular moment. Ask the students if they have ever felt similarly. When? Use this exercise to analyze specific moments and emotions in the text.

• Some significant events in the book: Miss Ames tells Georgie he can check out the flower book as many times as he wants (1), Miss Cressman accuses Georgie of not trying (9), Georgie’s mom makes empty promises to Georgie--“We’ll find some way to live without ever taking another cent from Steve”--and kisses him (14), Mrs. Sims gives Georgie

the lottery card and he plays hooky (17), Georgie wins the rosebush (25), Georgie walks all over town and exhausts himself trying to find a safe place for his bush (26-28), Georgie returns to the apartment--and Steve is there and beats him (32), the nurse and policeman try to piece together what happened to Georgie while he worries about the fate of his rose bush (33-37), Georgie lives with the Sims (38-39), Georgie first sees Mrs. Harper’s garden (46), Sister Mary Angela tells Georgie that he cannot plant his bush in the Harper’s garden (50-51), Mr. Collier tells Georgie that he cannot plant his bush in the Harper’s garden (59), Georgie plants his bush in the Harper’s garden in the middle of the night (65).

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Week 1: Lesson 3 (Practical)

Identifying Problems: Class Brainstorming Exercise Ask the students to identify the problems that Georgie faces in these first four chapters of the book. As the students identify the problems, write them on the board. Some problems that the students may come up with: finding food, surviving physical abuse,

staying out of Steve’s way, surviving school when he can’t read, suffering embarrassment in school, keeping his spirits up when he gets little love and support, adjusting to a new school and home, persuading the Harpers to

let him plant his rose bush in their garden, etc.

Identifying Solutions and Strategies: Small Group Exercise • Next, divide the

students into groups and assign each group one of Georgie’s major problems. Three major challenges that Georgie confronts are:

1) surviving his terrible home environment with Steve and Rennie,

2) adjusting to his new school and home, and

3) persuading the Harpers to let him plant his bush. Each group’s task is to offer solutions and strategies for Georgie or someone in a similar situation. To frame the task slightly differently, have the groups discuss and write the following: A Survival Manual (for problem 1/group 1), An Adjustment Manual (for problem 2/group 2), and A Persuasion Manual (for problem 3/group 3).

• After the groups have had sufficient time to

meet, read and discuss the group’s recommended solutions and strategies as a class. Try to expand consideration of these problems and solutions beyond Georgie’s situation. Ask the students if they have ever had to adjust to a new school and/or home. How did they calm their anxiety? How did they make friends? Have they ever tried to persuade an adult to let them do something? What kind of approach works best? And so on.

“On the Bright Side”: Closing Class Discussion To close, ask the students to identify the positive aspects of Georgie’s life. What good things have happened to him? (He won a rose.) Despite all the difficulties he has faced in the past, and those he must still

overcome, what advantages does he have? (He is at a school run by a very caring woman, Sister Mary Angela. He has a new friend, Timothy, who is a kind and accepting guy. Mr. and Mrs. Sims and

Judge O’Neill care about his well-being.) What personal strengths does he have? (He’s good at numbers, and he has discovered that flowers and gardens give him great joy.)

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Week 1: Lesson 4 (Creative)

Capturing Emotional States • Begin with a brief

recap of the many emotions that Georgie experiences during the first four chapters of the book. Ask the students to list them. Jot the students’ suggestions down on the board. Some possibilities: anger, embarrassment, anxiety, anticipation, joy, terror, disappointment.

• •Tell the students that today they are going to

invent scenarios that evoke these emotional states. This can be either an individual or a small-group exercise. Assign each person or group a particular emotional state (see list above for some examples), without letting the rest of the class know what that individual or

group’s assigned emotion is. Instruct the students to think of a situation (not one in the book) during which a person experiences their assigned emotion. Their task is to describe that situation in a way that makes the emotional state clear and vivid. They can write a descriptive scenario. (They could also invent a monologue, make up a song, make up and act out a group skit, etc. You can allow them as much, or as little leeway, as you’d like as far as the form is concerned.) They should concentrate on effective expression, rather than length. One rule you should give them is that they cannot identify the emotional state by word. (In other words, if they are supposed to be evoking sadness, they should not use the word “sad” or “sadness” or “sadly.”) But you can encourage the students to use synonyms. You may

want to introduce them to a thesaurus or synonym dictionary. Encourage the students to choose their words carefully and “show rather than tell”--that is, they should try to paint a picture with words, rather than simply “report” an emotion or event.

• After the students have had time to work, reconvene the class and have each group (or individual) read their brief scenario (or act out their skit, or perform their monologue, or whatever). The task of the rest of the class is to guess the emotion that the group/individual is trying to evoke. Spend some time discussing each group’s work afterwards: What part of the scenario was the most powerful for the audience? Which images or descriptive words worked well? Which did not? And so on.

Alternative Creative Activities • Do a version of the

class activity mentioned on p. 4 of the book: Have the students identify something that they particularly like, just as Georgie likes flowers.

Ask each student to write an essay explaining why they like this thing. At the end of the class period, have the students share and discuss.

• Alternatively, specify that the students choose a particular element of the natural world that they like. As in the preceding exercise, have the students write about


this favorite thing. Save time for sharing

and discussion.

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Week 1: Homework 1

Write (on a separate sheet of paper) your response to one of the following.

(In other words, do A, B, or C.)

AAA... Suppose Georgie was still living with his mother and attending his old school. What advice would you give him to help him survive in such a difficult and dangerous environment?

BBB... Explain why Georgie did not do well at his old school.

CCC... Describe what Mrs. Harper’s thoughts and feelings might be when she finds Georgie’s rose bush planted in her yard.

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Week 1: Vocabulary Assessment 1

For each question, circle the option (a, b, c, or d) that best completes the blank.

OR If the question asks you to write a sentence,

do so on the line provided.

111... Frank took an ice cream bar from the freezer and went outside to sit on the porch and eat his treat. Frank’s neighbor, Will, sat on the porch steps and gazed at the ice cream treat wistfully. The best thing for Frank to do would be to . aaa ask Will why he doesn’t like ice cream. bbb offer to get an ice cream treat out of the freezer for Will.

ccc ask Will if he feels sick. ddd throw the ice cream treat away.

222... Clyde was building a sculpture in his front yard. It was 20-feet tall and made out of items found in junkyards. Clyde thought his creation was beautiful. His neighbors, however, thought the sculpture was strange, ugly, and far too large. They signed a petition calling the sculpture a and demanding its removal. aaa vessel bbb version

ccc monstrosity ddd collection

333... Use the word “meekly” in a sentence.

444... Patricia arrived at the movie line just before Erma. Erma, however, saw things differently. “Hey, I got here before you!” she exclaimed. “Actually, I got here just before you did”, Patricia replied. But Erma was unyielding. The best thing for Patricia to do would be to . aaa keep talking about the issue; clearly, Erma can be persuaded. bbb gather a bunch of friends from the neighborhood. ccc go home and forget about going to the movies. ddd let Erma go ahead; the issue is not worth fighting about.


555... For years, Yvette had been the schoolyard bully. One day, however, a new girl, Latrice, showed up and was not afraid of Yvette at all. Latrice joked gently about how Yvette’s reign of the schoolyard was over. Yvette was angry and annoyed. Although she said nothing, she at the new girl. aaa glowered bbb smiled

ccc ranted ddd preached

666... Use the word “stealthily” in a sentence.

777... Andrew was planning to get a ride home from the basketball game with Hal, his older brother’s friend. Hal had not been feeling well during the game. As the two headed toward the car, Andrew noticed that Hal swayed quite a bit as he walked. The best thing for Andrew to do would be to . aaa gently suggest that Hal change his shirt when he gets home. bbb suggest that they find someone else to drive them home. ccc help Hal into the driver’s seat. ddd inform Hal that they must hurry.

888... Manuel tossed in his bed. He had a math test the next day. Although he had studied, he was still worried that he might not do well. aaa heatedly bbb gratefully

ccc fretfully ddd boisterously

999... Use the word “fury” in a sentence.

111000... Caroline had not checked on her Aunt’s garden for several days. When she arrived and looked at the plants, she could see that they were all parched! The best thing for Caroline to do would be to aaa give the plants some water. bbb give the plants some fertilizer. ccc re-plant the plants in better soil. ddd ask the neighbors if they know who destroyed the plants.


111111... Georgia wanted her father to help her repaint her room. But she had already asked him twice in one day, and she knew he was tired. Georgia did not want to her father, so she decided to wait another day before asking again. aaa intensify bbb irk

ccc intimidate ddd impress

111222... Use the word “scarlet” in a sentence.

111333... Louis wanted to cheer up his best friend Jerry, who had just learned that he would soon have to return to the hospital for another operation. “Do you want to play computer games?” Louis asked. Jerry looked at him indifferently. The best thing for Louis to do would be to aaa try suggesting a few other activities. bbb turn on the computer and start up some games. ccc firmly tell Jerry to quit being such a baby. ddd tell Jerry’s mother how Jerry is behaving.

111444... Sam was babysitting his three little cousins, who were playing soccer in the backyard. Two of the boys played well together, but Ryan, the oldest boy, kept pushing his brothers down, no matter how many times Sam told him to be careful. Ryan just made a face and rolled his eyes at Sam. Ryan was a rather boy. aaa contented bbb attentive

ccc enviable ddd impudent

111555... Use the word “burrowed” in a sentence.


111666... Rebecca parked her car. She and her friend Irene got out of the vehicle. In the process, Irene accidentally bumped the car door slightly against a wall next to the car. She looked at Rebecca sheepishly. The best thing for Rebecca to do would be to aaa point out to Irene that she just banged the car door. bbb scold Irene for being so careless. ccc tell Irene it is okay; little mistakes happen from time to time. ddd drive the car home right away.

111777... Gillian wanted to sleep in her tree house, but her parents had forbidden her to do so. She decided to ignore them. She waited until they were asleep, hid pillows under her bed sheets so that it would look like she was really in her bed, and then carefully crept out into the backyard where the treehouse was. “I am one girl”, Gillian thought to herself. aaa sly bbb crabby

ccc emotional ddd conservative

111888... Use the word “resentfully” in a sentence.

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Week 1: Comprehension Assessment 1

For each question, circle the best answer OR,

if lines are provided, fill in your answer.

111... Which of the following is NOT a problem that Georgie faces as he adjusts to his new school and home??? aaa He cannot read. bbb He cannot remember numbers. ccc He is not really good at making friends. ddd He still has some physical injuries.

222... If you were going to give Miss Cressman advice about how to deal with children like Georgie, what would you tell her???

333... Which of the following accurately describes one ADVANTAGE that Georgie has??? aaa Some adults--Mrs. Sims, Judge O’Neill, and Sister Mary Angela--care

about Georgie. bbb Georgie is more intelligent than the other boys. ccc Georgie has money saved in case of an emergency. ddd Georgie does not have very good manners.

444... What advice would you give Georgie about adjusting to his new home at the boys’ school???

555... Suppose that you wanted to learn more about flowers. Which of the following strategies would be the LEAST LIKELY to help you accomplish this goal??? aaa You could take a class on plants. bbb You could read the weekly “gardening” column in the newspaper. ccc You could talk to the gardeners who work in the parks and gardens in

your community. ddd You could visit the local historical museum.


666... After Robin’s grandfather refuses to grant permission for Georgie to plant his bush in the garden, Georgie sneaks in and plants the rose anyway. Describe one additional strategy that Georgie could have tried in order to convince the family to accept the bush.

777... The following “time-line” lists events in the story in the order in which they happened. Georgie tries to steal the flower book Georgie gets a lottery ticket at the grocery store Georgie wins a rose bush. Steve brutally beats Georgie and is arrested Georgie goes to live at the home for boys run by Sister Mary Angela. Which of the following events belongs in the blank above??? aaa Georgie sets a fire under Miss Cressman’s car. bbb Georgie lives temporarily with Mr. and Mrs. Sims. ccc Georgie tries to plant his bush in Mrs. Harper’s garden. ddd Georgie goes to the store to buy pork and beans.

888... Why do you think Sister Mary Angela chooses Timothy to be Georgie’s guide around the school???

999... Which of the following statements about Georgie’s mother, Rennie Burgess, is FALSE??? aaa She works at a tiring job to try to make ends meet. bbb She makes promises that she fails to keep. ccc She is an alcoholic. ddd She had a difficult home life as a child.

111000... Why do you think Georgie is so insistent that his rose must be planted in Mrs. Harper’s garden???


111111... Which of the following statements about the families in the story is FALSE??? aaa Steve and Rennie were not married. bbb Mrs. Harper lost her husband and oldest son in a car accident. ccc The Sims do not want to keep Georgie permanently because he has

bad table manners and occasionally uses foul language. ddd Hugh Collier is Robin’s grandfather.

111222... Why does Georgie get upset when people ask him about his injuries???

111333... Suppose you were one of Georgie’s fellow students at the boys’ school, and you wanted to do something special to welcome him to his new home. What would you do???

111444... How do you think the story would have progressed if Georgie had NOT won a prize in the lottery???

111555... Suppose that Georgie could send a message to his mother, who will probably soon die from her years of alcohol abuse. What message might he send to her???

111666... When Georgie receives his lottery ticket, he is excited and full of anticipation. Describe a time when you felt this way.

111777... Invent a school “motto” or “slogan” for the boys’ school run by Sister Mary Angela.

111888... Georgie finds comfort in flowers. Describe an object, place, or activity that you take comfort in when life is difficult.

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Week 2: Lesson 5 (Analytical) Discussing the Reading Conduct a standard analytical introduction that addresses students’ reactions and vocabulary problems and calls on students to contribute in their designated roles: 1. Elicit general personal

reactions. Was there part of this week’s reading that they particularly liked? Was there some part of this week’s reading that troubled them? Were there parts of the story that confused them or that they just couldn’t follow?

2. Discuss any problematic vocabulary.

3. Call for contributions from each student in his/her designated role as appropriate. (Your “Vocabulary

Enhancer” should have new words for you to discuss if you have not already done this, your “Summarizer” should be able to quickly recap what has happened in the story,

and so on). 4. Have the students list

and discuss the problems and conflicts encountered so far in the story. How were these problems resolved? Make a

chart of problems and their solutions on the board. Ask the students if they can relate personally to any of the characters in the book or to any of the events that took place? If so, how did they resolve any problems that they faced that were similar to those in the book? Did they come up with any solutions or coping strategies that the characters in the book did not?

5. You will also want to add to the character charts but it may be most useful to do this after the “Analyzing Relationships” exercise below.

Dealing with Conflict • Point out that this

week’s reading begins with a chapter featuring a major confrontation between Mrs. Harper and Georgie. Discuss and analyze this incident. This can be done as a whole class. Or, you can divide students into pairs and see how many different perspectives you get on the same conflict.

1. Get the students to describe the confrontation between Georgie and Mrs. Harper, from each character’s point of view.

2. Ask the students if the blame is all on one side, or if each of the people involved has done something to hurt the other. Get the students to outline what those mutual hurts are. (Mrs. Harper has uprooted Georgie’s bush without understanding the significance of the bush to him, or the pain he has been through. Georgie inadvertently damaged Mrs. Harper’s lillies and does not understand the emotional significance

that those flowers have for Mrs. Harper.)

3. Each of these people says horrible things to each other. What do they say to each other?

4. How was this conflict resolved?

5. What does Mrs. Harper mean by “I’m not going to join the club of brutes, Georgie” (p. 69)? What prompts her to say this?

6. Have you ever said something hurtful to another person when angry and then wanted to take it back? How


do you repair hurt feelings? • Other Conflict: The

Richie Barnes Incident. Ask the students if they can think of another moment of conflict in this week’s reading. There are various moments of tension that the students may identify as conflicts, but the other really major one is the physical fight between Georgie and Richie Barnes. Discuss this incident--as a class or in pairs--more or less as you did the preceding one: a. Ask the students

to recount what happened, from each character’s point of view. (Perhaps have one student

explain things from Richie’s perspective, and one student explain things from Georgie’s.)

b. Is the fault all on one side, or did each person hurt the other? Describe these mutual hurts.

c. How was this incident resolved? How did Sister Mary Angela deal with the fight? Was her resolution of the incident appropriate? Do the students think she should have done anything differently?

d. Did anything good come out of this incident? If they

need prompting: What did Georgie do after this happened? (Incident in a sense prompted a discussion between Timothy and Georgie that resulted in Georgie’s confiding in Timothy about the injuries and the role Steve played in them. Georgie finally says out loud that Steve is to blame--and faces his deeply engrained fear that something might happen to him if he speaks the truth.)

The Development of Relationships • Either as a whole

class, or in small-groups, have students analyze the development of Georgie’s significant relationships with other characters in the book. These key relationships are: G & Sister Mary Angela, G & Timothy, G & Robin, G & Hugh Collier, G & Mrs. Harper. Some sorts of questions for the students to consider: What do these two people learn about each other?

What do they think about each other? What do these two people learn from each other? Or, how do these people help each other? Did the relationship between these two characters change? What do these two people do together? How are these two people similar? How are these people different? Was there any big “turning point” in the relationship between these two characters?

• Perhaps it would make sense to analyze one of these relationships as a class. Then split into groups and assign each group one of the other relationships. Let the groups discuss individually. Then, reconvene as a class and have each group report on their conclusions. You will probably want to add some key comments to your class character chart during this discussion.


Georgie’s Personal Development Rate and discuss different aspects of Georgie’s “personal development” or “personal growth” (you may have to discuss the meaning of these concepts). This can be done as a class discussion, or as a small-group exercise (put different groups in charge of different aspects of growth), or as an individual writing exercise. Some aspects to consider: Ability to Trust, Ability to Forgive, Friendship Skills, School Skills, Trying New Things (this can include the temptation to experiment

with unhealthy things, as well as the courage to try positive things and develop new skills and interests), Handling Conflict. Spend some time discussing and defining these aspects. Encourage the students to cite passages in the book to help them define these

areas of personal growth. Then you can discuss how well Georgie is doing in these different areas (In what way is he struggling still in this area? What progress has he made in this area?) Or you can have the students give him a rating of some sort (excellent, good, or whatever) on a particular aspect and then explain why he got that score. Regardless of exactly how you lead the discussion, encourage the students to cite particular incidents or passages in the book to back up their assessment

Week 2: Lesson 6 (Practical) Use the unit that you have designed

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Week 2: Vocab List The words listed below are drawn from the second week’s reading. They constitute a sampling of words that the students may find challenging or unfamiliar. The number of the page where the word appears is given in parentheses. This


wretchedly (66) forlorn (67) presence (67) furious (68) hoarsely (69) delirium (71) din (71) uneasily (73) sensitive (84) subdued (89)

inattentive (89) destructive (89) incorrigible (89) congregating (92) envious (92) sprawling (94) jeered (94) mildly (95) scornfully (95) fragrant (96)

giddy (97) scampering (100) foraging (100) strident (100) romp (113) contentment (116) frostily (119) brusquely (122)

The Lottery Rose


Week 2: Lesson 7 (Creative)

Different Perspectives • As a class, read out

loud the passage where Sister Mary Angela first shares her love for music with Georgie (pp. 77-78). Ask the students to describe how Sister Mary Angela feels during this episode and why. Ask the students to describe how Georgie feels.

• Encourage the students to relate this to their own personal experience. Have they ever introduced some favorite activity or thing or place to someone else? What was that experience like? Can they remember the first time they experienced something exciting and new? How did the experience make them feel?

• Tell the students that they are going to imagine in detail different characters’ perspectives on different events or issues. Call the students’ attention to chapter 8, which is meant to capture Robin’s perspective. Then have the students do a writing exercise in which they imagine and write what a particular character is

experiencing. Encourage them to write in the first person (make sure they understand what this is). And encourage the students to create a cluster or web of their character’s ideas and thoughts before they write. Some suggestions: 1. What thoughts are

going through Mrs. Harper’s mind the first time she sees Georgie’s back

when he falls in front of her in the garden? (p. 69)

2. What thoughts are going through Sister Mary Angela’s head when Georgie says he wants God to make a policeman kill Steve, Miss Cressman, and Mrs. Harper(p. 77)?

3. What thoughts are going through

Hugh Collier’s head when he first reads to Georgie, and Georgie puts his arm around Robin (p. 83)? Hugh’s voice, we are told, shakes; what is he thinking and feeling?

4. What is Georgie thinking when Sister Mary Angela tells him the story about how his anger is just digging him in a deeper and deeper hole--like a car spinning its wheels in the snow (p. 111-112)?

5. What thoughts and feelings is Mrs. Harper experiencing as Georgie becomes closer and closer to Robin and Mr. Collier but still rejects her?

And so on. Allow time for sharing of these character perspectives. It might be interesting to assign several of the same situations and characters to several students to see what different internal monologues the students devise.


Alternative Creative Activities: • Sharing Joys: Do the

same initial discussion above about Sister Mary Angela introducing Georgie to music. Discuss how both Georgie and Sister Mary Angela experience this episode. Tell the students that today they will be introducing something that is special to them to

another person. Pair the students up. Each student in the pair is to compose a letter to

his/her partner telling him/her about something special--a favorite activity, place, or thing. Give students time to compose. At the end of the class period, leave enough time for the members of the pairs to read their letters to each other. You can have the class as a whole do this exercise, but it might feel more intimate and more like sharing if the pair system is followed and students know that they are introducing their favorite thing to a particular person.

• Collaborative Story-Writing: Have students do basically the same activity that Hugh Collier does with Georgie the first time they read together. Divide the students into pairs. Each

person in the pair comes up with a simple topic for the other person to write a story about. This topic can be anything: “Write a story about a penguin.” “Write a story about a martian landing on the New Haven green.” Then, the two students in each pair can spend time writing their individual stories. Toward the end of class, partners should share their stories with each other. Another alternative is to have the partners work collaboratively on both stories by exchanging the stories after each paragraph. (In other words, each partner writes every other paragraph of both stories.)

The Lottery Rose


Week 2: Homework 2

Write (on a separate sheet of paper) your response to one of the following.

(In other words, do A, B, or C.)

AAA... Friendships are similar to roses in that each needs to be properly cared for in order to grow. Sun, water, fertilizer, and good soil are key ingredients that help a rose grow. Suppose you are caring for, or nurturing, a new friendship. What are the “key ingredients” that will help your friendship grow? Describe what you would do to make a friendship strong and long-lasting.

BBB... Describe how Georgie’s relationship with another character (Sister Mary Angela, Timothy, Mr. Collier, or Robin) has helped him grow as a person and recover from the bad things that happened in the past.

CCC... One of the chapters in this week’s reading was from Robin’s perspective and tried to capture his understanding of the world around him as he wakes up one morning. Choose another secondary character from the story (Sister Mary Angela, Hugh Collier, Mrs. Harper, or Timothy) and write a short account of a “morning-in-the-life” of that person from his or her point of view.

The Lottery Rose


Week 2: Vocabulary Assessment 2

For each question, circle the option (a, b, c, or d) that best completes the blank.

OR, if the question asks you to write a sentence,

do so on the line provided.

111... Mrs. Samuels was looking for a new gardener. Layla asked for the job. As Mrs. Samuels was explaining how all the different plants needed to be tended, she noticed that Layla was quite inattentive. The best thing for Mrs. Samuels to do would be to aaa try to hire someone more careful and concerned than Layla. bbb reward Layla’s seriousness by giving her the job. ccc ask Layla if she has always wanted to be a gardener. ddd offer Layla a cool drink.

222... Clive adopted a puppy named Pinto. Unfortunately, the clever little creature knew how to open cabinets and doors! He was always getting into things while Clive was at work. Clive tried locks and latches. He even tried hiring a professional dog trainer. But nothing worked. Pinto was aaa blameless. bbb malleable.

ccc incorrigible. ddd ferocious.

333... Use the word “frostily” in a sentence.

444... Will told his friend Greg all about vacationing in California. Will described the rollercoasters at Disneyland, the movie stars in Hollywood, and the beautiful beaches. He noticed, however, that Greg was a bit quiet. Finally, Greg spoke up. “I’m kind of envious” he said. The best thing for Will to do would be to aaa describe more of his wonderful experiences in California. bbb reassure Greg that there will be great things in his future. ccc ask Greg why his family never has any extra money. ddd write an angry letter to Greg’s parents.


555... Tracey did not feel like being inside the classroom on such a beautiful day. She looked out the window and thought about how much she wanted to on the grassy meadow while the sun shined overhead. aaa primp bbb romp

ccc flirt ddd gamble

666... Use the word “jeered” in a sentence.

777... Christa was selling candy bars door-to-door to her neighbors to raise money for her soccer team. She knocked on Mrs. Vandelay’s door and waited. After a few moments, Mrs. Vandelay answered the door and said brusquely, “Yes?” The best thing for Christa to do would be to aaa ask Mrs. Vandelay if she is hungry. bbb tell Mrs. Vandelay “never mind” and leave. ccc ask if she can come inside and talk for a while. ddd politely and quickly explain the sale.

888... Mr. Orton had just won the “Teacher-of-the Year” award. For most of the weekend, he gave interviews to TV, radio, and news reporters. Finally, his voice just could not take any more talking. “I think we have to stop now”, he said

, “or I won’t be able to teach my students on Monday morning!” aaa hoarsely bbb cruelly

ccc distractedly ddd magically

999... Use the word “wretchedly” in a sentence.

111000... Vance was in a department store looking at sports equipment when he spotted a little boy huddled behind the baseball bats. The boy looked rather forlorn. The best thing for Vance to do would be to aaa laugh to show that he appreciates the boy’s game. bbb leave the boy alone. ccc politely ask the boy to move. ddd ask the boy if he is lost or needs help.


111111... Elvira and her friends were absolutely ! They had been playing practical jokes on each other all day and were now almost dizzy from an afternoon full of silliness and laughter. aaa irresistible bbb furious

ccc expressionless ddd giddy

111222... Use the word “fragrant” in a sentence.

111333... Hillary was in the kitchen trying to speak to her best friend on the phone. At the same time, Bill and Chelsea were in the midst of a poker game at the kitchen table. Meanwhile, Buddy the dog growled at Socks the cat, who hissed back. The din was hard to bear. The best thing for Hillary to do would be to aaa shift over to a different phone in another room. bbb ask Bill what ingredients he put in that evening’s dinner. ccc write her friend a letter. ddd drink a cool glass of water.

111444... Trina’s snooty Aunt Mabel was visiting. Trina was in charge of dinner for the evening, so she began work on a macaroni and cheese dish. Aunt Mabel eyed the curvy little macaroni noodles distastefully. “What sort of dinner is this?” she exclaimed “Why it looks like feed for barnyard animals! Where is the roast beef?” aaa warmly bbb enthusiastically

ccc gleefully. ddd scornfully

111555... Use the word “contentment” in a sentence.

111666... Alexandra went to visit her grandfather in the hospital. He was in a state of delirium. He kept asking, again and again, “Where is my zebra? Where is my zebra?” The best thing for Alexandra to do would be to aaa carefully search the hospital for the missing zebra. bbb hold her grandfather’s hand and try to comfort him. ccc ask her grandfather to help her with her math homework. ddd ask her grandfather for money for the snack bar.


111777... Dale’s grandmother visited him on his birthday and gave him $10 as a gift. Later that day, Dale’s mother asked, “What did you do with your birthday money, Dale?” “Oh”, the little boy said, “I gave it to Woofie. Since he’s a watch dog, I thought he could watch it.” “You gave it to... to... the dog?” Dale’s mother replied . aaa encouragingly bbb joyfully

ccc uneasily ddd supportively

111888... Use the word “strident” in a sentence.

The Lottery Rose


Week 2: Comprehension Assessment 2

For each question, circle the best answer OR,

if lines are provided, fill in your answer.

111... Which of the following is NOT a sign of Georgie’s personal growth??? aaa Georgie shows Timothy his injured back and talks to him about Steve. bbb Georgie wishes that God would have a policeman kill Steve, Miss

Cressman, and Mrs. Harper. ccc Georgie learns to read. ddd Georgie learns to swim and becomes skilled at playing baseball.

222... What advice would you give Georgie about how to handle arguments in the future???

333... Suppose you wanted to learn about organ music. Which of the following would be the LEAST useful thing to do??? aaa Talk to the organists at the churches in your neighborhood. bbb Read library books about organ music. ccc Watch MTV. ddd Ask your school music teacher if he or she has any advice for someone

who wants to learn about organ music. 444... What are two drawbacks of remaining angry with someone???

555... Which of the following is NOT a good way to tell if someone is trustworthy??? aaa Notice whether this person regularly keeps promises. bbb Find out if this person is trusted by others who have know him/her a long

time. ccc Consider whether this person has related positive qualities, like

kindness and thoughtfulness. ddd Find out how well this person does in school subjects like math or reading.


666... Describe at least two qualities a person needs to have in order to be a “public relations” boy or girl (like Timothy)???

777... The following “time-line” lists some events in the story in the order in which they happened. Mrs. Harper digs up Georgie’s rose bush. Georgie and Mrs. Harper argue. Georgie falls and is ill. Mrs. Harper changes her mind and allows the rose bush to be planted. Georgie studies reading with Mr. Collier and becomes friends with Robin

Georgie shows Timothy his back and speaks the truth about how his injuries happened. Which of the following events belongs in the blank above??? aaa Georgie destroys Mrs. Harper’s lillies. bbb Georgie fights with Richie Barnes at the pool. ccc Mr. Collier and Robin visit Georgie during his recovery. ddd Georgie forgives Mrs. Harper.

888... Why was Georgie able to learn to read with Mr. Collier’s help when he couldn’t read in Miss Cressman’s class???

999... Mrs. Harper does a number of caring deeds to help Georgie and perhaps win his forgiveness and trust. Which of the following is NOT one of Mrs. Harper’s deeds??? aaa Mrs. Harper helps Sister Mary Angela care for Georgie during his fever. bbb Mrs. Harper allows Georgie’s rose bush to be planted in her garden. ccc Mrs. Harper sings for Georgie. ddd Mrs. Harper pays Georgie’s school expenses for a year.

111000... Georgie enjoys the sleep-out with the other boys, but he is very quiet while they joke and tell stories. Explain why Georgie was quiet and why the sleep-out was a special experience for Georgie.


111111... Which of the following statements about Georgie and Robin is FALSE??? aaa Both boys have had some bad luck. bbb Both boys are somewhat different from the others around them. ccc Both boys enjoy nature. ddd Both boys have just learned to read.

111222... Georgie finally shows his back to Timothy and tells him about Steve. Then, part of Georgie’s mind feels “quiet and peaceful like the garden in the early part of night.” Why does Georgie feel this way at this particular moment???

111333... Imagine that Georgie is writing a story for Robin. What would the story be about???

111444... Suppose Mr. Collier were writing a note to Miss Cressman to give her an update on her old student, Georgie. What might the note say???

111555... Imagine that Mrs. Harper is writing a note to Georgie to try to win his forgiveness and trust. What would the note say???

111666... In some ways, Georgie is like his rose bush. Both Georgie and the rose are sensitive, damaged but full of potential, and capable of thriving once planted in the right environment. What thing in nature is “like you”? Explain why you picked that thing.

111777... Sister Mary Angela gets enjoys sharing her music with Georgie. Describe a time when you shared some special activity, place, or thing with someone else.

111888... Suppose Paul Harper were still alive. Do you think he and Georgie would have been friends? Why or why not?

The Lottery Rose


Week 3: Vocab List The words listed below are drawn from the third week’s reading. They constitute a sampling of words that the students may find challenging or unfamiliar. The number of the page where the word appears is given in parentheses. This


outraged (125) insolence (125) heavy-hearted (126) boisterous (130) unaccustomed (131) scolding (132) jealousy (134) majestically (134) intermittently (140) exclusively (141)

ventured (144) lively (147) luring (147) enunciated (149) seclusion (150) coaxed (152) gestures (153) babbling (154) callous (156) grousing (156)

tantrum (157) expectant (161) mockery (163) heady (163) wistfully (170) garbled (170) stolidly (171) chortled (175) haggard (178)

The Lottery Rose


Week 3: Suggested Lesson Ideas

Analytical Lesson • Standard analytical

discussion-starters: discuss reactions and vocabulary (see suggested vocab list) and involve students in their respective roles.

• Discuss Georgie’s continued personal growth, using character charts as necessary to identify and analyze different stages of emotional development. Georgie’s experiences of personal growth form an example that the students may be able to apply to their own lives (though they may not speak directly about themselves). Georgie is now in an environment that allows him to eat, sleep, play, make friends, and explore life. Some questions to consider: What new things does Georgie try? What new talents and joys does he discover? What does he particularly like about gardening, music, acting? What different emotions does Georgie experience?

• Discuss the evolution of Georgie and Mrs. Harper’s relationship. Use of comparative lists might be helpful and allow students to understand that both Georgie and Mrs. Harper have faced major difficulties in life.

Some questions to consider: Why does Old Eddie get mad at Georgie? (He is reacting out of compassion and respect for Mrs. Harper; Georgie does not understand this. On the other hand, Old Eddie does not understand what Georgie has been through in his young life in terms of physical violence. Draw out their contrasting perspectives and help the

students understand how this can lead to misunderstanding and anger.) Why does Mrs. Harper decide to initiate the dramatics group? Why is it especially difficult for her to do the Mad Hatter? Why doesn’t Georgie want to be involved in the dramatics group? How are Mrs. Harper and Georgie alike-- that is, what do they have in common? How do Georgie and Mrs. Harper help each other? Explain how Georgie’s feelings toward Mrs. Harper finally shift. You might want to choose and

discuss a few key passages relevant to the slow shifting of Georgie’s feelings, such as p. 142 (there are two Georgie’s fighting inside him) and p. 148 (the tire is still spinning in the rut) and pp. 158-159 (Georgie wants Sister Mary Angela to convey a message to Mrs. Harper that he can’t quite bring himself to say) and pp. 164 (Georgie finally speaks to Mrs. Harper after the play) and, of course, the closing pages of the book, as Mrs. Harper and Georgie together plant the rose bush for Robin.

• Discuss the new tragedy with which Georgie and Mrs. Harper are confronted: What happens? How does this affect Georgie? What does he do and why? How does this event affect the relationship between Georgie and Mrs. Harper? This discussion might lead the students to consider how people handle difficulties more generally. Students may want to share some of their own experiences.

• Discuss in detail the closing pages of the book: 1. Georgie’s decision

to give Robin the


rose (why does Georgie give Robin the bush? how can Georgie now bear to part with it?)

2. Georgie and Mrs. Harper’s conversation about whether Mrs. Harper gave

birth to Georgie a long time ago (why does Georgie ask this? what does Mrs. Harper mean when she says “I didn’t born you but you’re mine”?)

3. The last two sentences in the book (“As the car

moved away he raised his hand and made one brief wave toward his friend. Then he drew a deep breath and turned to watch the road in front of them.”)

Practical Lesson • “Proving” yourself:

Discuss how people “prove themselves” to others in different situations. Draw on Old Eddie and Georgie’s relationship (why isn’t Old Eddie enthusiastic about having Georgie work with him in the beginning? why does his attitude change? how would you describe their work relationship? what do Old Eddie and Georgie have in common, despite the vast age difference between them?). Then, get the students to consider what general principles or practices one should

follow if

one is trying to “prove” oneself as a coworker, as a teammate, as a

friend, etc. Be prepared to discuss gang activity; the students may raise the issue.

• Bonding through activities: Drawing on Georgie’s gardening experiences with Old Eddie and Georgie’s acting experiences with Mrs. Harper, discuss how the relationship between two people can change when they do some particular activity together. Encourage the students to think about their own experiences (when in your life has doing an activity with someone else made you feel closer to or more comfortable with him/her? why do you think the activity had the effect it did? can sharing an activity or undertaking with someone make you like them less?).

• Pros and cons of anger: Encourage the students to draw on

both Georgie’s experiences and their own to debate the potential benefits and drawbacks of anger (does it serve a purpose? whom does it hurt? how can it get in your way? does it make sense to hold on to it? how do you get over it and forgive someone? how do you stop anger, or turn it into something positive?).

• Grieving practices: Discuss how the characters grieved for, and bid goodbye to, Robin (funeral services, music, solitary contemplation, gift of the rose, etc.). Then discuss the role of grieving more generally (why do people need to grieve a loss? what are some different ways people grieve? why do people deal with death in different ways?)


Writing Day Basic Instructions for In-Class Writing Exercise: 1. Inform the students

that today they will spend the class period writing. Hand each student a copy of the Writing Day Worksheet.

2. Make sure the students understand that they are to write a response to only ONE of the questions (A, B, or C).

3. Ask the students to do their writing on separate paper.

4. Make sure the students understand that they are to finish by the end of the class period. Encourage the students to use their time efficiently.

5. Offer the students any additional writing advice you think might be helpful. You may want to refer to the

Writing Process Sheet (see Raisin supplementary materials).

6. Give the students time to write.

7. Collect students’ papers at the end of the period.

Creative Lesson Use the unit that you have designed.

The Lottery Rose


Week 3: Writing Day

On separate paper, write your response to ONE of the following questions.

In other words, do A, B, or C.

AAA... Pretend that Georgie is writing a handbook for boys from “mean” homes who are new to the Boys’ School. What would the handbook say? Include advice on overcoming anger, building friendships, and trying new things.

BBB... Describe how Georgie and Mrs. Harper’s relationship changes over the course of the book and explain how the two helped each other. Support your general statements by referring to events in the book.

CCC... As the book ends, Georgie and Mrs. Harper are driving off together, after bidding goodbye to Robin and giving him the gift of the rose bush. Imagine that you are writing a second book that comes after The Lottery Rose. What will happen to Georgie and Mrs. Harper next?

The Lottery Rose


NOTE 1. Differences between the “Master Posttest” and the “Posttest”:

• •The Master identifies the sources of the excerpts. • •The Master includes, in brackets, words and phrases (existing

in the original text), which have been left out of the student version (the “posttest”).

• •In the master, words and phrases that have been added (i.e., they did not exist in the original source) are in bold face.

• The master is in a smaller font. 2. The “posttest” is the version intended for students.

The Lottery Rose


Posttest This test contains FOUR PARTS. Each part consists of: 111))) a passage of writing that you will read AND 222))) a series of six questions, some multiple choice and some fill-in-the-blank.

For each part, please READ the passage and then ANSWER the series of questions on that passage by circling the letter for the correct response (for multiple choice questions) or writing your response in the blank (for fill-in-the-blank questions).

Each part will be timed, and you will have 20 minutes for each part. Try not to spend too much time on any one question, so that you get to all six questions for each part. Do not go ahead to the next part until your teacher tells you to do so, and do not go back to earlier parts of the test.

Part I. When your teacher instructs you to begin, read the following excerpt from a story entitled “Football vs. Judo” and then answer questions 1-6:

From Football vs. Judo by Jim Yoshida

y father was a sturdily built man, and he became heavier as he grew older. He sported a mus-tache. He never learned much English, so he always spoke to us in Japanese. I could under-stand him, but I couldn’t express myself in Japanese, so I replied in English. This is the way

most Japanese-American families communicated, and we got along quite well. I could never seem to break through the tough side my father showed to the outside world, and I feared him as much as I loved him. I can’t ever remember hearing him praise me. Whenever I did anything well, he simply said he expected me to do better the next time, and eventually I came to understand that this was his way. When I was sixteen years old I picked a hundred pound sack of rice off the floor and held it up over my head, the way a weight lifter lifts barbells. This was a feat of strength recognized among Japanese families as a sign that a lad had reached manhood. If Dad was proud, he didn’t show any sign.

But later Mother told me how really happy he was. About the same time, I defeated my father for the first time at arm wrestling. We sat at the kitchen table facing each other. With elbows down on the table, we locked right hands and each tried to force the other’s arm down. I was surprised at how easily I defeated him, for Dad had a reputation for physical strength. He was proud that I was growing strong, and I felt sad that he was getting old, but neither of us.said anything.

Our relationship was such that we seldom voiced our thoughts to each other, and I suppose that’s the way he was brought up. With my mother, the relationship was altogether different. She was a tiny woman, no more than five feet two inches tall, but she was blessed with great liveliness. She had a beautiful, heart-shaped face. She was gentle; not once did she ever strike me, although I deserved pun-ishment frequently, and I don’t recall that she ever raised her voice to me. But she had a way of talking to me when I did wrong; these talks usually left me weeping in remorse.

Now answer questions 1-6.

M


111... Given what you know about the narrator’s parents, which of the following would be MOST LIKELY to occur if the narrator failed a class in school??? aaa The narrator’s mother would probably punish him physically. bbb The narrator’s father would probably have a long, heart-to-heart talk with him. ccc The narrator’s mother would probably have a serious talk with him. ddd The narrator’s father would probably let him win an arm-wrestling match.

222... Describe one challenge that the narrator faces in trying to communicate with his father.

333... The narrator realizes that his strength is growing, as his father’s is declining. Which of the following is likely to happen as a result??? aaa The narrator will eventually do more of the physical work that needs to be done around the house. bbb The narrator will eventually lose respect for his father. ccc The father will eventually lose respect for his son (the narrator). ddd The father will regain his superior physical abilities over time.

444... Suppose that the narrator’s little brother is having a hard time getting along with Dad. What advice could the narrator give his little brother???

555... Based on this story’s title--“Football vs. Judo”--and your knowledge of the narrator and his parents, write a brief continuation of the story. In other words, what do you think might happen in the story???

666... Suppose that you were the narrator and you wanted to plan the perfect Father’s Day for your Dad. What activities would you suggest doing???

STOP AND WAIT FOR YOUR TEACHER’S INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE GOING ON TO THE NEXT SECTION.


Part II. When your teacher instructs you to do so, read the following passage about Samuel Johnson, writer of one of the first dictionaries in the 1700’s, and then answer questions 7-12.

“Samuel Johnson” from The Story of the Dictionary by Robert Kraske

arge, fleshy, and messy, Samuel Johnson was a man of immense learning, self-confidence, and wit. He earned a small income in London writing for Gentleman’s Magazine, but he spent most of his days talking with his friends. “I look upon

every day to be lost”, he said “in which I do not make a new acquaintance.” So certain was Johnson of his skill with words that he offered to write the dictionary in three years. Despite his relaxed feelings about his task, Johnson had firm opinions about dictionary making. A dictionary, he said, should determine once and for all the pronunciation of words. It should keep language from changing in a bad way. The language of most people, he stated, was not very good! His dictionary would include only those words he thought good and keep out those he thought bad. In writing definitions, Johnson searched books for words to include in his dictionary. He also tried to find sentences to show how authors used these words. The written word, he believed, was the heart of communication. All spoken language should sound like sentences in books. For some words, he wrote his own definitions, sometimes adding a touch of humor. A dictionary maker, he wrote, was “a harmless worker who slaves away at boring work.” To illustrate the word dull, he wrote: “To make dictionaries is dull work.” Simply because he enjoyed their sound, he included words used by writers and poets that most people would never understand or use like incompossible and magnificate. In 1755, Johnson finished A Dictionary of the English Language.... He no longer thought it possible to determine the language for all time. It was like trying to “control the wind”, he said. Language, he discovered, constantly changed. People used the same words to mean different things, and words took on new meanings.


L


777... Which of the following statements about Samuel Johnson is FALSE??? aaa He thought common speech was a bit too common. bbb He enjoyed the company of other people. ccc He liked to laugh, and he even poked fun at himself. ddd He was incapable of changing any of his opinions about language.

888... Describe why Samuel Johnson wanted to write the dictionary.

999... Which of the following groups of people would benefit the most from reading this article??? aaa An art class bbb A society of scientists ccc A class studying the history of the English language ddd A group of stand-up comedians

111000... If language constantly changes, why do you suppose we bother to make dictionaries at all???

111111... Samuel Johnson included certain words in his dictionary just because he “enjoyed their sound.” If you were to choose a word simply because you like its sound, which word would you choose? Explain why this word’s sound appeals to you.

111222... Suppose you are writing a sentence to illustrate the word “student”, but you, like Samuel Johnson, want to entertain your reader by using humor. Write a humorous sentence illustrating the word “student.”



Part III. When your teacher instructs you to do so, read the following excerpt from an interview with Salem Mekuria, a producer of a TV documentary show. (A TV documentary is a program that takes a close look at some interesting topic in real life. A documentary tells a true story.) After you have read the passage, answer questions 13-18.

From an article entitled “From Idea to Air: Making a Television Documentary”, by Salem Mekuria, as told to Elizabeth Owen

QUESTION: HOW DO YOU DECIDE ON A TOPIC FOR A SHOW?

I think what usually happens is that an idea strikes the producer-- either something in the news or something from books or magazines. Or there may be a topic the producer has been dying to produce. If not, we spend a lot of time browsing through many, many periodicals and books. We consult with the executive producer about some priority topics for the series. We talk to people about what is currently of interest to them. Most often, we make a list of possible topics and find out some information about each one. Questions we ask at this point include: Is this something we are really interested in doing? If we aren’t, we won’t be able to make it interesting to the audience. Can we do it? Is it something people want to know about? Does it matter at this point in time? Will it still be interesting a year from now? Is there enough to say about it to hold people’s attention for a whole hour? One of the main questions to ask is whether there will be anything interesting to look at on the screen. Many beautiful topics cannot be done well on television because they are too abstract. All you can do with them on the air is talk about them. There would be nothing to look at. You can’t just show people sitting and talking into the camera for a whole hour--what we call “talking heads”--so a major question is what can be pictured. Other things also have to be considered. Who are the people who know about the subject, and can they talk to us? Many topics about the military are top secret. Other subjects may be too sensitive or too personal. So we keep eliminating until we have selected a topic that will work. Once we have decided on the topic, we are ready to start producing the show.

QUESTION: HOW DID SALEM MEKURIA GET INVOLVED?

I had started out to be in education, but became interested in television. I had a little experience in commercial television as a volunteer and an intern. I originally came here as a secretary. I had a master’s degree in educational media, and I knew that what I really wanted was to be in production, but the secretary’s job was the one that was open. It was a way of getting into educational television. I later became a production assistant and then associate producer. It’s a competitive field, and a person would not expect to come in and be hired as an associate producer immediately.



111333... Which of the following is the BEST reason why it might NOT be a good idea to try to make a documentary about government spies??? aaa Nobody cares about spies or what they do; they’re work is simply not interesting. bbb Spies do not look good on screen. ccc It would be both difficult and dangerous to reveal much about spies, given the

secret nature of their work. ddd Spies always dress in black.

111444... How do makers of TV documentaries come up with their ideas???

111555... Suppose that you were making a TV documentary about the public parks in your city. Which of the following would be the LEAST useful thing to do in preparation??? aaa set up an interview with the director of the city’s Parks and Recreation

Department. bbb speak to the employees at the local fire department ccc scout out interesting sites and places to film in each park ddd research the history of the city’s parks at the local library and historical society

111666... Suppose that you wanted to become a radio disc jockey but did not have any related experience. What could you do to try to gain experience???

111777... Imagine that you are making a TV documentary about life at your school. Describe your documentary.

111888... What do you think would be a good topic for a TV documentary? Why do you think this topic would be good???



Part IV. When your teacher instructs you to do so, read the following excerpt from an article entitled “Music and Health” and answer questions 19-24.

From Music and Health by Debra Desideri

elaxation is the Key More and more doctors are making use of music in their work. Many doctors and dentists agree that having music in their office helps calm nervous patients. The patient concentrates on the music and not on the

needle or drill. Some dentists even give their patients headphones and a choice of tapes. Some doctors prescribe a tape of harp music and a relaxation guide. The tapes and guides help patients relax before surgery. The tapes also help patients during their recovery. Music is also used to regulate blood pressure, or the flow of blood pumped from your heart through your arteries. The ideal heart rate is 60 beats per minute. One doctor suggests to her high blood pressure patients that they listen to music with a 60-beat-per-minute tempo. The goal is to let the heart relax to the same rhythm as the music’s.

DON’T JUST SIT THERE, SING! There is also much to be said for the effect that participating in music has on your health. You don’t have to play an instrument to experience the joy and benefits of music. Your own body is a ready-made instrument. Singing is a good way to start making music. Jack Thorpe, a collector of cowboy songs, once wrote, “Singing songs, and making them too, seem as natural to human beings as washing is to a cat.” Thorpe knew what he was talking about. Tension is released while singing because the body itself is used as the instrument. It has also been found that singing helps your breathing and digestion. So don’t sing for your supper, sing after supper!

MUSICAL BODY-BUILDING . Singing or playing an instrument is also good exercise. Playing a flute or trumpet helps to strengthen the lip and mouth muscles. People who have been hurt in accidents often have to work hard to build up their injured muscles and bones. Playing an instrument can make that work more fun. Playing the piano can strengthen fingers, wrists, and shoulders. The neck and back are also exercised when playing the piano. Playing the violin can help the elbow, wrist, and shoulder. A Personal Note. Doctors tell us that every body has its own special inner rhythm. Every atom, cell, and muscle in your body will respond to certain notes. There is a special note for your liver, another one for your heart, and so on. All those notes combine into one song of the body that is yours, and yours alone.


R


111999... Which of the following is NOT a point made by this article??? aaa Listening to music can help you relax. bbb Singing releases tension and aids breathing and digestion. ccc People enjoy music more than all other animals do. ddd Playing different musical instruments strengthens different muscles..

222000... Describe the author’s purpose in writing this article.

222111... Suppose you have been working really hard in school and feel stressed out. Which of the following options would be the LEAST LIKELY to help??? aaa Try listening to some soothing music at the end of the day bbb Try singing in the shower ccc Try starting a fight with a friend ddd Try listening to music with a 60-beat-per-minute tempo

222222... Suppose your friend has just had a cast removed from her hand. She is looking for a fun activity that will help her tone up the weakened muscles in her hand. What advice would you give this friend and why???

222333... According to the article, doctors have found that different parts of the body respond to different notes. Imagine that your personality responds to a certain kind of music. What kind of music would that be? Describe this “music of you.”

222444... Pretend that you want to make a musical instrument that will help the musician who plays it develop his or her feet and toes. What would you name this instrument and what would it be like???

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