Lesson Overview 

As always the class begins with a quiz.  Reminder: Grade or glance through the quizzes right away - students that have not done the reading, should not be in a group.  They can finish their reading in class and do the Group Work for homework (in addition to whatever reading is assigned).  In this particular Group Work - I let the students know (we may have a shortened period) that they can get together on their own (in my classroom - lunch or before school) and finish their work.

Please see the actual Group Work below for precisely what's in it and my page on Group Work for more of the "why" do it.  Here are some of the points that the Group Work goes over.

Some main points of the Group Work

• Paul repeating the name of his street to assure himself he is home, and linking that to Norman Bowker driving around the lake in The Things They Carried.

• Paul's father & mother and their respective understanding of what Paul is going through.

• Paul's belongings as "talismans" to try and bring him back to this "home" world he cannot find.

• The butterflies under glass that Paul has and linking it to The History of Love.

• A connection to the film we watched - Everything is Illuminated.

• Paul repeating the "incantation": "Words, words, words" - how he is trying to use it and of course the irony of it, given that we are reading a book.

Of course there is much more in the actual Group Work.

Remote Enhancements 

Group Works are great for Remote Learning - but they do take a lot of logistical preparation.