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Complete 100 points in Read Theory.
Complete the following Vocabulary.com modules:
Harrison Bergeron
War Party
More English Words that Derive from Indigenous Languages of the Americas
Monday
"The Bet" by Anton Chekhov. (Pages 286-292)
http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/Bet.shtml
Complete Active Reading Skillbuilder. Write down the sequence of major events in the story.
Complete Literary Skillbuilder. A scene from an earlier time that interrupts the ongoing action of a story is called a
flashback. Create a chart to write down when each flashback in “The Bet”
occurs and what it is about.
Complete 1-8 on page 293.
Capital Punishment Discussion
Find basic facts about capital punishment.
Think-Pair-Share (You may work with a partner.)
What is the death penalty?
Which one of our amendments relates specifically with the death penalty? (What do you think the founders meant by
“cruel and unusual punishment”? How do you interpret that phrase?)
Is the death penalty different in the US from other countries?
What was the debate in "The Bet" concerning the death penalty?
Which character was right? Explain your answer.
Respond and Support with TEXTUAL EVIDENCE.
The banker in “The Bet” says, “[T]he death
penalty is more moral and more humane
than imprisonment for life. Capital punishment
kills a man at once, but life imprisonment
kills him slowly.” Do you agree or
disagree with his statement? Give reasons for
your answer. Refer to two quotes from the
story to support your position.
Respond and Support with TEXTUAL EVIDENCE.
One of the guests in the story says, “Both
[capital punishment and life imprisonment]
are equally immoral … for they both have
the same object—to take away life. The
State is not God. It has not the right to
take away what it cannot restore when it
wants to.” Do you agree or disagree with
this statement? Give reasons for your answer.
Refer to two quotes from the story to
support your position.
Still Thinking...
The banker in “The Bet” says, “[T]he death
penalty is more moral and more humane
than the imprisonment for life. Capital
punishment kills a man at once, but life
imprisonment kills him slowly.” Do you
agree or disagree with his statement? Why?
One of the guests in the story says, “Both
(capital punishment and life imprisonment)
are equally immoral … for they both have
the same object—to take away life. The
State is not God. It has not the right to
take away what it cannot restore when it
wants to.” Do you agree or disagree with
this statement? Why?
Do you think the banker changed his opinions
about the death penalty when he
realized that the young lawyer intended to
renounce the two million? Why?
Do you think that the young lawyer changed
his views on life imprisonment? Why?
In what ways is life imprisonment similar
to the solitary confinement the young man
experiences in Chekhov’s story? In what
ways is it different?
To what extent and how is the ending of
the story ambiguous about which is a more
severe punishment—capital punishment or
life imprisonment?
Tuesday / Wednesday
“Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr
Before Reading:
Explain the difference between utopia and dystopia.
Think about rules and laws in a dystopian or utopian society and compare them to present society.
During Reading:
As you read, mark the text or make notes to indicate important features of the setting and rules of the community and evidence about the type of conflict that has been created in this society.
THURSDAY
Write a summary of the story using your story panels. You should have a sentence for each panel. Circle the main idea of the story. You may also write the main idea on the top of your paper.
After Reading - Answer these questions.
1. Describe the state of the U.S. society as described in the first paragraph. How has “equality” been achieved?
2. Consider the characters of George and Hazel. Why isn’t Hazel handicapped? 3. How does George seem to feel about his handicaps?
4. Consider the character of Harrison in terms of both his physical qualities and personality traits. Why is he considered a threat to society?
5. In your opinion, what is the shedding of Harrison’s handicaps symbolic of?
6. What is the significance of the dance that Harrison performs with the ballerina? How does the style in which the story is written change in this passage?
7. Why do you think the Vonnegut decides to write dance scene in this way?
8. How do George and Hazel react to the televised murder of their son? What connections can you make between this scene and Fahrenheit 451?
9. What do you consider to be the message of
Harrison Bergeron (there are multiple)? What leads you to this understanding of the text?
10.Reread the first column of the story. What revelations occur to you now that you know the ending?
After reading use evidence from the story to complete a chart with the information below:
(a) What “ideal” is the society based upon?
Interpretation:
Evidence:
(b) What did the society sacrifice in order to create this “ideal” life?
Interpretation:
Evidence:
(c) How was this utopian ideal transformed into a dystopian reality?
Interpretation:
Evidence:
(d) What new problems were created?
Interpretation:
Evidence:
Friday:
Goal:
Write a short essay answering the following question: How does “Harrison Bergeron” convey the conflict between the needs or ideals of society and the realities of individuals?
Be sure to:
Provide examples from the [question is about a specific text] text and use at least one direct quotation to support your ideas.
Include a reference to utopia and dystopia.
Use active voice unless you choose passive voice for a certain effect.
Complete the following Vocabulary.com modules:
War Party
More English Words that Derive from Indigenous Languages of the Americas
Complete 100 points in Read Theory.
Extra Credit: 100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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