THINK-TAC-TOE for Waiting for Normal

Name ______Date ______MS. Channel, Advanced ELA THINK-TAC-TOE for Waiting for Normal Choose three activities that make a Tic-Tac-Toe: three across, three down or three diagonally. Put your name and today’s date at the top, circle your three choices, staple all work to the back of this sheet, and turn in.

#1: Collage of Characters #2: Research Essay #3: The Big 3

1. Make a chart listing physical Research Dyslexia. Then Imagine if the event of and personality descriptions of compare Addie’s symptoms Mommers happened today in of two of the main characters. shown in our novel. Explain our community. How would Include some exact phrases things they have in common and the story and conflict be the “Quotes” and words (with page the differences. Write a four same? Different? Write a news numbers) from the novel. paragraph essay showing your story telling of the events, and 2. Then create a 1 paper findings. Quotes from research asking the community to help depicting this information and from our novel must be locate her.2 full pages long. used. Any sources will also need to be sited correctly. #4: Setting Depiction #5: Defended? #6: Who are we? 1. On an ENTIRE piece of Write a speech to the school 1. Match 10 quotes to the blank paper, illustrate an event board. Your purpose is either to following 5 characters or setting where one of the recommend WAITING ON (Addison, Mommers, Dwight, major characters in the novel NORMAL be eliminated from Soula, or Grandio), along with spend a good portion of time or the WOMS library OR defend it the page number where the experience an important event. from such censorship. In both quote occurs. The picture must have details cases, quote three text examples important to the novel. that you might find controversial 2.Then explain the meaning of 2. On the back of the drawing, and explain either why it is the quote, what did the explain / defend your design in offensive OR why leaving it as is character mean by this? Explain a short written paper. Be as helps us better understand its importance in the novel. skillful and insightful as something about the novel. possible; make it clear you’ve carefully read the text. #7: Define and Prove #8: Creating Poetry #9: Characterization 1. Define and explain the Write a poem from the point of 1. Read three paragraph excerpts meaning of a courageous view of Mommers or Dwight as a from the book that highlight three person. speaker. Make it at least 16 lines different characters. Write down 2. In an essay argue who is the long, and do NOT put the three to five keywords or short character’s name in the title or phrases that help you determine most courageous character in poem. Be prepared to share… in characterization. 2. Then, for each the novel. Defend your choice front of your peers! We should be character, write 3 to 5 sentences with at least three text quotes as able to guess the speaker after that sum up their personality, evidence. reading…… details that would let explaining why you came to that us know which character you are. conclusion. TEN QUOTES, at least FIVE CHARACTERS Identify who said the following quotes with these 5 characters. Each character is used once, and only once. Make sure to also indicate the PAGE NUMBER where the quote occurs: Addie Elliot Name ______Date ______MS. Channel, Advanced ELA Mommers Grandio Dwight

QUOTE CHARACTER NAME PAGE #(S) 1. "She touched the sides of her black hair like 1. she was adjusting a hat" (Chapter 3). 2. “This year I wanted Christmas Day to come 2. and go.” 3. “That’s what teaching is: getting kids 3. through. What’s this about? Is this stuff coming from Mommer’s?” 4. “Yeah, Yeah,”..... “and one of these days 4. you’ll go up there and never come back.” 5. "It's best to know right from the beginning 5. that my family is hard to follow — like a road that keeps taking twists and turns" (Chapter 1). 6. "'But don't you think it’s possible... ' - I 6. twisted up my face - '...that every person is a hero to someone else'" (Chapter 8) 7. “Addie, I’d say you have the love of learning 7. as much as anybody does. Don’t let anyone tell you you aren’t smart enough or good enough.” 8. "I felt a twinge of sickness inside of me. 8. Mommers was telling lies to Pete" (Chapter 17).

9. "She's kind of an all-or-nothing person, I 9. guess" (Chapter 20) 10. "I remembered us just being normal" 10. (Chapter 21) Name ______Date ______MS. Channel, Advanced ELA #9 CHARACTERIZATION: THREE EXCERPTS

Read the following three excerpts out of your book. (Page numbers may vary depending on your edition of the book.) After reading each, write down three to five keywords or phrases that seem to best describe the indicated character. Next, write one or two sentences that descriptively sum up what kind of person / character he or she is, explaining WHY/HOW you came to that conclusion.

ADDIE Beginning with “Mortgage and reprobate” .. She looked up from her keyboard and said, “Hmmm, two words I could have done without this month.” ( Chapter 4, pages 25-26)

Key words/ phrases that describe / characterize Addie: 1.

Addie is ______

______because ______

______

MOMMERS Beginning with, Mommers will be too late to make the change…..if she ever shows. Gosh, she has to show. “I put my coat on and looked out the window. No Sign of the blue car.” (Chapter , page 164-166)

Key words/ phrases that describe / characterize Mommers: 1.

5. Mommers is ______

______because ______Name ______Date ______MS. Channel, Advanced ELA

DWIGHT Beginning with “Dwight and the Littles arrived about a minute later. With them they brought three different kinds of pie and another person--- a pretty woman in a long skirt and a big sweater.” ( Chapter 21, page 106-108)

Key words/ phrases that describe / characterize Dwight: 1.

Dwight is ______

______because ______

______

Waiting For Normal Novel Reading Permission Slip

Dear Parent or Guardian,

On November 13, 2017, your son/daughter's class will begin reading Waiting on Normal by Leslie Connor. It is published by Harpercollins Children's Books and recommended for ages 10 and up. Name ______Date ______MS. Channel, Advanced ELA I am excited to have the opportunity to share this novel with your child. The novel is focused on our main character Addie, and her view on life as she deals with the illness of a mother, learning struggles, neglect and personal desire to be “Normal”. Through the novel we learn that she faces many obstacles, both internal and external, but she finds a way to see hope in new beginnings.

Waiting for Normal does include topics such as Dyslexia, Bipolar disorder, unpromising times, and perseverance.

Novel Focus: 1. Character traits, motives, and conflicts 2. Character Analysis and correlation to a real life situation or purpose. 3. Expository writing, research, connection to past and present society. A. Dyslexia

B. Explaining Internal vs. External Conflicts

C. Characters Motives

This unit will consist of class discussions, activities, and assignments that encourage critical and creative thinking. Your child will be encouraged to reflect upon the reading and discuss with peers: the motives, conflicts, and traits of the characters.

Each student will annotate their books by using a sticky note system that I will introduce. The content of the Novel works to enhance the meaning of the text, create a more critical thinking process, and will consequently promote a higher level of learning and understanding. However, I still wish to have your consent.

Students will be reading the Novel in class as well as for homework. I have provided a schedule below that should deadline for reading and their projects. We will not be able to read all of this during class time so your child will have nightly reading assignments to ensure we stay on schedule.

Students will need to purchase their own copy of the novel or borrow one from their local Library. There are many places where you can purchase a copy of the Novel: Barnes and Noble, Half Priced Books and Amazon.

Students whose parents do not indicate permission or those students who do not return the parent permission form will read an alternative novel. If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment to come by and preview the book before it is used in the classroom, please contact Ms. Channel at [email protected].

Timeline of Events: November 10th Book Check November 13 Background and Intro November 17th Chapters 1-9 (Pgs. 1-50) Due December 1st Chapters 10-22 (Pgs. 51-112) Name ______Date ______MS. Channel, Advanced ELA Project 1 Due today as well. December 8th Chapters 23-30 (pgs. 113-179) December 15th Chapters 31-37 (Pgs. 180-229) December 20th Chapters 38-43 (Pgs. 230-263) Project 2 Due today as well. January 12th Chapters 44-49 (Pgs. 264-290) Final project due today as well.

Thank you! Shannon Channel 7th Grade ELA

cut along line and return only this bottom portion to S. Channel, Room 302, by November 3, 2017

Child’s name: ______Please print legibly Student’s Signature

_____ Yes, my child has my permission to read Waiting on Normal in his/her ELA class. _____ No, my child DOES NOT have my permission to read Waiting on Normal in his/her ELA class. Please provide an alternative novel. ______Parent Signature Date Parent Printed Name

Please respond (below) with any questions and return the form to Ms. Channel , by Friday, November 3, 2017.

Extra credit opportunity at completion of our Novel study. ***See Ms. Channel