Power of Language

Monday, February 5th

On Friday, students received the Bruiser calendar detailing the reading checks throughout the unit, as well as any project or paper due dates. This is attached to the left for your reference. On Monday, students received their "Bruiser packets" which have all necessary handouts to complete while reading the novel. The first reading check is scheduled for Tuesday the 6th, and students were given time in class to read and prepare after going through the packet & annotation code.

Bruiser calendar- Barnard

The document below is a compilation of the discussion questions (written as journal entries in-class) for students to refer to if they missed class.

Journals/ Discussion Questions:

"Bruiser" Discussion Questions- journal entries

Tuesday, February 6th

Students completed the first Bruiser reading check and discussion today, focusing on Section 1 (pages 1-50.) Students responded to discussion questions in their journals to prep for discussion in class. The reading check consisted of 8 questions. If a student missed the reading check, they need to come in to make it up as soon as possible. Reading checks are designed to be easy if students read the assigned section, and serve mainly to ensure students are staying on top of their novel reading.

Journal:

Chapter 1: On pg 4, Tennyson says “Mom doesn’t cook anymore. She does nothing much motherly or wifely anymore since Dad did some unmentionables during his midlife crisis… we keep waiting, but all we get is Dominos.” What inferences can you make about the status of the Sternberger family? What predictions can you make about what may happen with them?
Chapter 2: Tennyson mentions that he lives in “suburbia.” What does this mean? Do you think his hometown is similar or dissimilar to Apex/Cary/Holly Springs?
Chapter 9: Tennyson walks past the bull on Bruiser’s property and writes, “I imagine the Bruiser is somewhat like that bull.” In what way could Bruiser possibly be like the bull? Explain.

Chapter 10: Tennyson assumes Uncle Hoyt beats Bruiser. He says, “I can put two and two together,” after seeing Bruiser’s back & Uncle Hoyt yelling & threatening him. Bruiser responds “Two and two doesn’t always equal four.” Apply this to your own life- have you/ do you make assumptions about people? Like what? Have you ever assumed & turned out wrong?

Wednesday, February 7th

Students explored Tennyson as a dynamic or static character in class, based on a closer reading of pages 34-42 from Section One. By the end of class today, it is expected that students have completed Section One vocabulary, as well as a portion of page 9 and 10 from the Bruiser packet.

Thursday, February 8th

Students discussed the origin of "stereotypes" in class and why they exist/ how our lives are affected. Students chose two articles about stereotypes to read, and will work with their table groups further to dig deeper on Tuesday of next week.

Friday, February 9th

Students had a 45 minute study hall at the beginning of the day to focus their academic needs on whichever class needed it most. For the remainder of the half-day, the Seahawks team watched "Glory" and did the accompanying assignment for Social Studies.

Monday, February 12th

Students had a reading check on section 2 of Bruiser; they discussed section 2 afterwards and completed a journal entry, as well.

Please refer to the "Discussion Questions" Google Doc at the top of this page to find the journal prompt from today, as well as other journal entries from this unit.

Tuesday, February 13th

Students presented in groups on their "stereotype" articles & taught their classmates about the various stereotypes found in our society. Students also drew connections back to Bruiser and the stereotypes found within the novel.

Wednesday, February 15th

Students had a reading check on section 3 of Bruiser; they discussed section 3 afterwards and completed a journal entry, as well. Section 3 covered pages 110-165.

Please refer to the "Discussion Questions" Google Doc at the top of this page to find the journal prompt from today, as well as other journal entries from this unit.

Thursday, February 16th

Students learned the differences in static & dynamic characters by "practicing" static & dynamic stretching. They discussed different characters in the book as static or dynamic, and added to the "Character Chart" with text evidence for Tennyson.

Friday, February 17th

Students explored "voice" in Bruiser and how the author built the voice of the different characters through the differing writing styles. Students worked in groups to add to characterization chart, identifying the voices of characters from excerpts of the novel.

Monday, February 19th

Students read for the first 15 minutes of class, and then worked through the following individually or in pairs:

Goals for today:

Style notes added to from ← these pages
Add to interdependence & pain to joy themes based off Chapter 40 (pg197)
Static v. Dynamic: supporting evidence for Brewster & Uncle Hoyt
- May need to refer back to section 1 to find additional supporting text for Uncle Hoyt
Complete exit ticket & turn in to core basket

Add to your style chart based off the following: (what type of fig. lang→ characteristic created)

197- sorrow
198-candle
200- dance
201-chains and shackles
204-Uncle Hoyt’s plea

EXIT TICKET: Notes on the following about pg 197-

1. 3 examples of fig. lang. 2.Brainstorm: what makes a “home” v. “house”? 3. How does he foreshadow? 4. How does the writing style build anticipation?

Tuesday, February 20th

Students had a reading check on section 4 of Bruiser; they discussed section 4 afterwards and completed a journal entry, as well. Section 4 covered pages 166-207.

Please refer to the "Discussion Questions" Google Doc at the top of this page to find the journal prompt from today, as well as other journal entries from this unit.

Wednesday, February 21st

Students further discussed specific topics from Section 4 & how these topics played into the novel as a whole.

Thursday, February 22nd

Students had a "chipper day" in which they worked to complete set goals in the packets. The instructions for the day to be completed in the packet are listed below.

Chip away at your packet & Section 5 in the following order:

Before you begin, all previous section vocab should be complete. Take vocab notes as you read today.

Goals 2/22:

1. Cody writing style: (sect. 3)

-pg 133 dialect & diction

-134 sentence fluency

2. Themes: (sect. 3)

-pg 111 interdependence

-pg 114 pain to joy

3. Fill in your packet with the following:

P209 Bronte-characteriza
P215 “God rest his soul” characteriza
P220 Tennyson- characterization
P220 “Mom would never allow it anyway.” characterization
P219 & P222 Allusions to what?
P221 “Human tsunami” characterization
P223 “Actions have consequences” dynamic/static?
P225 and 226 emancipated, cathartic vocab?
P232 palpable possible vocab
P238 “lately I’m feeling like a homebod” static v dynamic
P247 “Are you gonna get like Uncle Hoyt?” Cody characteriz., static v dynamic, Tenn characterza.
P256 “I hold onto my scared” “my own little impossible” static v dynamic

Friday, February 23rd

Students had a reading check on section 5 of Bruiser; they discussed section 5 afterwards and completed a journal entry, as well. Section 5 covered pages 208-266.

Please refer to the "Discussion Questions" Google Doc at the top of this page to find the journal prompt from today, as well as other journal entries from this unit.

Monday, February 26th

Students used the class period today to read through Section 6 & add to the packets. Before leaving, students were required to hand in "exit tickets" answering questions from the beginning of section 6.

Packet information:

270-271 Tennyson: Dynamic or static?
272 Cody characterization
276 Tennyson Characterization
279 Cody: static/ dynamic?
282-283 compare: Tennyson & Uncle Hoyt
283- theme
286- Bronte characterization
288-289- Bronte characterization
298- “Path to enlightenment” allusion
299-300- Brewster characterization
300- theme
302- Bronte characterization
303- theme
307- Brewster characterization

Exit Ticket (Mon 2/26)

1. 278- “I just want to get past her and in through the door.” What happens when he gets through the door?

2. 279-281; How is Brewster like a “painkiller”? Pg 281- would you have had the strength to go, knowing what you’d be taking on? Why or why not?

3. 282-283- compare a) Tennyson & Uncle Hoyt b) Tennyson & Bronte

4. 285- What is the “right thing”?

5. 295- “Things are great. For all of us. Why do you want to mess with it?” Are things great? In what tone do you imagine Tennyson saying that?

-How is Bronte’s confusion and frustration contrasted to Tennyson’s acceptance of his lack of feeling?

Tuesday, February 27th

Students worked in groups to create discussion questions for the final Bruiser discussion tomorrow in class.

We looked at the remainder of Section 6 (the final part of the book) and students were given time in class to read and add to their packets. Below is the guiding information students looked for while reading, which was to be added to their packet:

PG 306- Brew characterization

307- Tenny characterization

308- metaphor

309- metaphor- Brew characterization

313- theme

320- Cody characterization

321- Cody characterization

327- theme

328- theme

Wednesday, February 28th

Students had a reading check on section 6, the last section, of Bruiser; they discussed section 6 afterwards and completed a journal entry, as well. Section 6 covered pages 267-328.

Please refer to the "Discussion Questions" Google Doc at the top of this page to find the journal prompt from today, as well as other journal entries from this unit. Each core class will have varying discussion questions for this journal entry, as they each created their own for the final discussion.

Thursday, March 1st

Students were introduced to the Bruiser "book review" paper & began brainstorming for their outlines.

Friday, March 2nd

Students met in the media center & began outlining their Bruiser book reviews. Students are required to create a detailed outline before typing the paper and have this checked by Ms. Barnard. Students are goaled to have the outline complete by end-of-class Monday.

If on track, students should have their detailed outline complete by end-of class Monday (3/5), typing their paper on Tuesday (3/6), self & peer-editing Wednesday (3/7) and making final edits/ studying for their Bruiser test on Thursday (3/8).

Monday, March 5th

While in the media center today, students should be finishing their detailed outline for the Bruiser book review. This is expected to be complete by end of class today. Whatever of the outline that is not complete should be finished for homework.

Tuesday, March 6th

Students continued to work in the media center. It was expected that students finished their outlines the previous night for homework, and began typing in-class today.

Wednesday, March 7th

Students were expected to finish typing in class today, and move on to self-editing and peer-editing.

In order to review for the Bruiser test on Friday, students were given a Quizlet link for vocab terms, and were asked to continue working on their packet as review.

The packet is now due Friday, to be used as a resource for studying.

The Quizlet link is provided here, as well: https://quizlet.com/77457103/bruiser-literary-terms-flash-cards/

Thursday, March 8th

Today was students final day to work in the media center on their Bruiser Book Reviews. If students require extended time, they are expected to work at home, or come in during CAT or lunch. Students are asked to study for their Bruiser test after completing and handing in the book review.

Friday, March 9th

Students took the final Bruiser test in class today. Packets for Bruiser are due today, as well.

Report abuse