Part I: Arrivals

Week 1 Schedule (4/21-4/25)

Monday, 4/21

Novel introduction - questions / Book check out
View and discuss novel slides
Begin reading Prologue through ch. 6 (take notes on each chapter)

Block Day, 4/22 & 4/23

ELA CAT
Read ch. 7-11 & take notes

Thursday, 4/24

CAASPP Make-ups
Read ch. 12-15

Friday, 4/25

Review ch. 1-15 (slides)
Packet: Jim & Will; key quotes
Small Group discussion (if time)
Note check (Monday during testing - mark page)
QUIZ (Prologue through ch. 15)

Prologue and Chapter 1:

The novel title is an allusion to a line out of Shakespeare's Macbeth, where 3 witches say, "By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes."

Predict: Why does Bradbury use that line as the title of his novel?
What does Bradbury mean when he says, “Halloween came early?”
Note the contrast between William Halloway and James Nightshade. What do you notice?
What examples of foreshadowing do you notice?

Chapters 2-6:

In these chapters, focus on the differences between Jim and Will. Make a T-Chart to contrast these two main characters and continue to add to it as you progress through the novel.
Note passages that mention youth and old age. The ideas of time, age, and dissatisfaction vs acceptance will be pivotal later.

Chapters 7-11:

Continue noting the differences between Jim and Will, including their households.
What fears/insecurities does Will's father present about his age?
What sorrows has Jim's mother experienced?
Why does Jim never want children?
Note examples of warm v. cold: Why does Jim's mother say warm blood is the "story of all our sorrows?" What does the ice block represent, and Mr. Fury's desire to melt it?

Chapters 12-15:

Continue adding details to the chart on Jim vs. Will
Pay close attention to how the weather and temperature are used in the novel.
What do the wind and storm represent?
What references are there to the passage of time?
Analyze what happens to Miss Foley in the Mirror Maze.
Note the description of the mirror maze and references to temperature. What is the significance of coldness?
What role do the mirrors play?

SW - Prologue through 15

End of Week 1: Discussion, Chapters 1-15

1. Predict: Why does Bradbury use the line from Macbeth as the title of his novel?

2. What does Bradbury mean when he says, “Halloween came early?”

3. Note the contrast between William Holloway and James Nightshade. What do you notice?

4. What examples of foreshadowing do you notice?

5. Will and Jim are contrasted several times in the book (Chapters 3 and nine are prime examples). Describe their key differences, using at least three pieces of evidence from the book to back up your answer.

6. How does the appearance of the lightning rod salesman at the beginning of the story set the tone for what follows?

7. Why does Jim consider taking the lightning rod off his house?

8. Why does Mr. Crosetti, the barber, have a tear on his cheek?

9. Explain what the Christmas lyrics in chapter 5 might represent.

10. Why does Charles Halloway hide the carnival handbill from Will then burn it?

11. Describe Will’s relationship with his father. What struggles do each of them have in connecting?

12. What fears/insecurities does Will's father present about his age?

13. In what ways is Jim “marbled with dark” in chapter 9?

14. What sorrows has Jim's mother experienced?

15. Why does Jim never want children?

16. Note examples of warm v. cold: Why does Jim's mother say warm blood is the "story of all our sorrows?" What does the ice block represent, and Mr. Fury's desire to melt it?

17. Why does the lightning rod salesman see a beautiful woman in the ice, but Charles Halloway saw an empty block of ice?

18. What is eerie about the scene Will and Jim see from the bedroom window in chapter 11?

19. What is unusual about the carnival as Will and Jim watch it set up in chapter 12?

20. What connection does Charles Halloway make about the carnival arriving at 3 a.m.?

21. What role do the mirrors play? What seems strange about the mirror maze as mentioned in chapters 13 &15?

22. Analyze what happens to Miss Foley in the Mirror Maze. How does the mirror maze affect her?

23. Who in the novel is dissatisfied with their situation? Why? How can you tell?

24. What details do you see regarding the innocence of youth vs the experiences brought by aging?

25. What do the wind and storm represent?

26. What references are there to the passage of time?

Week 2 Schedule (4/28-5/2)

Monday, 4/28

ELA PT Part 1
Read ch. 16-20

Block Day, 4/29 & 4/30

ELA PT Part 2
Read ch. 21-24

Chapters 16-18:

Again, note the description of the weather and temperature.
What temperature does Jim become after being in the maze? Why?
Why do you think Jim won't tell Will what he saw in the mirror maze?
Why does Jim want Will to return to the carnival with him?
When Jim and Will find Mr. Fury's bag, one of them states, "Storm never came. But he went." Is the first part of this true? Why or why not?
Why is there a distinction between Mr. Dark being tattooed vs "Illustrated?" What do illustrations do?
What secret do Jim and Will learn about the carousel?

Chapters 19-22:

Why do you think the young Mr. Cooger goes to Miss Foley's house?
What does Will realize about the song the calliope played when the carousel spun backwards?
Why does Will follow Jim? What role does he play in their friendship?
How does "Robert" escape?

Chapters 23-24:

Describe each boy's different motive for chasing after Mr. Cooger/Robert. What do they each fear?
What happens as a result of the boys fighting over the carousel controls?
What does Will realize about the Dwarf?
How does Mr. Dark trick the police?

Next Section: Pursuits

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