Wonder by Natalie Merchant

Doctors have come from distant cities just to see me. Stand over my bed, disbelieving what they're seeing.

They say I must be one of the wonders of god's own creation. And as far as they see they can offer no explanation.

Newspapers ask intimate questions, want confessions. They reach into my head to steal the glory of my story.

They say I must be one of the wonders of god's own creation. And as far as they see they can offer no explanation.

O, I believe fate smiled and destiny laughed as she came to my cradle, Know this child will be able. Laughed as my body she lifted, Know this child will be gifted with love, with patience and with faith. She'll make her way.

People see me, I'm a challenge to your balance. I'm over your heads, how I confound you and astound you To know I must be one of the wonders of god's own creation. And as far as you can see you can offer me no explanation.

O, I believe fate smiled and destiny laughed as she came to my cradle. Know this child will be able. Laughed as she came to my mother, Know this child will not suffer, Laughed as my body she lifted, Know this child will be gifted with love, with patience and with faith. She'll make her way.

Student Response: In a gist statement of 20 words describe this poem and what image the author is trying to portray then draw a picture of your thoughts. *Give students white paper to sketch.*

Space Oddity by David Bowie

Ground control to Major Tom. Ground control to Major Tom. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.

Ground control to Major Tom. (10, 9, 8, 7) Commencing countdown, engines on. (6, 5, 4, 3) Check ignition, and may God's love be with you (2, 1, liftoff)

This is ground control to Major Tom. You've really made the grade, And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear. Now it's time to leave the capsule if you dare.

This is Major Tom to ground control. I'm stepping through the door, And I'm floating in a most peculiar way, And the stars look very different today.

For here am I sitting in a tin can. Far above the world Planet Earth is blue, and there's nothing I can do.

Though I'm past 100,000 miles, I'm feeling very still, And I think my spaceship knows which way to go. Tell my wife I love her very much. She knows.

Ground control to Major Tom Your circuit's dead, there's something wrong. Can you hear me, Major Tom? Can you hear me, Major Tom? Can you hear me, Major Tom? Can you...

Here am I floating round my tin can Far above the moon Planet Earth is blue, and there's nothing I can do.

Student Response: Who is Major Tom and what is he doing? Answer both parts of the question. Use your imagination. This should be a 5 to 7 sentence answer.

Wonder Part III Beautiful by Christina Aguilera

Every day is so wonderful Then suddenly, it's hard to breathe Now and then, I get insecure From all the pain, I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say Words can't bring me down I am beautiful in every single way Yes, words can't bring me down So don't you bring me down today

To all your friends you're delirious So consumed in all your doom Trying hard to fill the emptiness The pieces gone, left the puzzle undone That's the way it is

You are beautiful no matter what they say Words can't bring you down You are beautiful in every single way Yes, words can't bring you down So don't you bring me down today...

No matter what we do (no matter what we do) No matter what we say (no matter what we say) We're the song inside the tune Full of beautiful mistakes

And everywhere we go (and everywhere we go) The sun will always shine (sun will always shine) And tomorrow we might wake on the other side All the other times

We are beautiful no matter what they say Yes, words won't bring us down We are beautiful in every single way Yes, words can't bring us down So don't you bring me down today

Don't you bring me down today Don't you bring me down today Student Response: In 100 to 150 words, vividly describe what Christiana Aguilera is saying in this song. How does this song make you feel?

Wonder - Part Four: Jack

At the end of Part One, we read about what happened on Halloween at school. Most of you had some very strong opinions about Jack. Think about how you felt when the Bleeding Scream walked into class and heard the conversation between Darth Sidious and the two mummies. Got that feeling? Remember it?

Now consider the quote that begins Part Four, Jack's part: "Now here is my secret. It is very simple. It is only with one's heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to the eye." Seeing with the heart? What is essential, or most important, is invisible to the eye? Does that match what we read at the end of Part One?

That quote is from The Little Prince, a short novel originally published in France in 1943, written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery Wonder- Part Five: Justin

Justin's part is introduced with a quote from The Elephant Man, a play written by Bernard Pomerance that is based on the life of Joseph (sometimes called John) Merrick. John Merrick was a real person who lived in the 1800s. When he was two years old, growths began to appear on his face. As he grew older, his appearance continued to change until, according to Wikipedia, "His skin appeared thick and lumpy, he developed an enlargement of his lips, and a bony lump grew on his forehead. One of his arms and both feet became enlarged." His head grew to be 36 inches around.

The name "The Elephant Man" comes from John Merrick's time in a carnival freak show where people paid to look at "freaks." He was advertised at "The Elephant Man." He eventually did leave the freak show, but died in a hospital at the age of 27.

In one line of the play, John Merrick says the words quoted at the beginning of Justin's section.

"Sometimes I think my

head is so big because it is so full of

dreams."

Wonder - Part Six: August

We read about William Shakespeare earlier in the year. We know he wrote poetry and plays in England in the 1500s and 1600s. Some of his most famous plays include Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, and MacBeth.

August's second part in the story, Part Six, begins with a quote from Hamlet: "What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world!..." When you break this down and look at each sentence, what are all the things Prince Hamlet has to say about "a man." What does the quote say about people? About humanity? What does it mean to be "noble in reason" or "infinite in faculty" or to be like an angel in actions? (We won't spend time today discussing why Prince Hamlet was saying this and how he felt as he was speaking. We'll leave that for your future literature classes.)

Knowing how each part is introduced by a song or quote, and knowing that the songs and quotes refer to the narrator of that section, what does this Hamlet quote seem to tell us about Auggie? Maybe it says something about all the characters?

Beautiful Things by Andain

Got up early, found something’s missing My only name No one else sees, but I got stuck And soon forever came Stopped pushing on for just a second Then nothing’s changed Who am I this time, where's my name? Guess it crept away

No one's calling for me at the door And unpredictable won't bother anymore And silently gets harder to ignore

Look straight ahead, there’s nothing left to see What’s done is done, this life has got its hold on me Just let it go, what now can never be

I forgot that I might see So many beautiful things I forgot that I might need To find out what life could bring

Beautiful things

Take this happy ending away It's all the same God won't waste this simplicity On possibility Get me up, wake me up, dreams are filling This trace of blame Frozen still I thought I could stop Now who's gonna wait?

No one's calling for me at the door And unpredictable won't bother anymore And silently gets harder to ignore

Look straight ahead, there’s nothing left to see What’s done is done, this life has got its hold on me Just let it go, what now can never be

So many beautiful things So many beautiful things

Now what do I do? Can I change my mind? Did I think things through? It was once my life It was my life at one time

Beautiful Child by Eurythmics

Something that I said made you wear a frown. The way you hang your head has made the tears come down. But don’t you wear a sigh my beautiful child. You know it doesn’t burn when you touch the sun. So don’t be concerned my golden one, You’re gonna reach the sky Fly ... Beautiful child

There is no other place. The human race is running out of space. There is no better love, And human love is what it takes. And I’ll be at your side when you’re falling down. You’ll be feeling fine when you hit the ground. So don’t slip away Stay ... Beautiful child