Exploring Techniques & Mythology: Classroom Journey with 'Walk Two Moons' by Sharon Creech, Study notes of Voice

Download Exploring Techniques & Mythology: Classroom Journey with 'Walk Two Moons' by Sharon Creech and more Study notes Voice in PDF only on Docsity! Overview Thirteen-year-old Sal has lived her whole life in Bybanks, Kentucky, and she is not at all happy about moving to Ohio with her father. During a cross-country car trip with her eccentric grandparents to visit her mother in Idaho, Sal tells the story of her life in Ohio so far. Her tale is often funny, but it also reveals the wisdom Sal has gained through her experiences as the “new kid” and her reflections on missing her mother. This wisdom, however, does not fully prepare Sal or the reader for the surprise that waits at the end of the book. At that point, Sal’s journey has become a metaphor for her growth in terms of her identity and her ability to accept (and embrace) her new life. As students read Walk Two Moons, the activities in this lesson help them develop the ability to read actively, write confidently, and respond articu- lately to the text. Students learn about writing techniques such as flashback and foreshadowing, examine mythology in Native American and other cul- tures, and share their personal reflections through class discussions and jour- nal entries. Students have additional opportunities for research and writing related to the novel’s themes, particularly a young person’s need for identity as a member of a family, a community, and a group. This focus on self is balanced by another theme, the importance of empathy, as major characters come to realize that they can gain insight into their own lives by “walking two moons” in another person’s shoes. Getting Started Lesson Objectives At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to: • Demonstrate reading comprehension and the ability to apply effective reading strategies, such as making predictions, making inferences, comparing and contrasting, making connections, and determining main ideas and supporting details • Write informal essays generated by close reading of the text, brainstorming sessions, and self-generated ideas • Analyze nonfiction essays Sharon Creech Walk Two Moons SHARON CREECH 43 44 THE OHIO READING ROAD TRIP • Write and prepare for publication a nonfiction essay that demonstrates understanding of subject matter, effectively organizes ideas, and cor- rectly uses techniques including thesis statement, persuasion, and point of view • Correctly identify the use and purpose of literary terms, such as setting, theme, foreshadowing, flashback, etc. Grade Level Indicators In meeting the above lesson objectives, students will: A Use the text to demonstrate reading comprehension strategies, including the ability to make predictions, compare and contrast, make inferences, and draw conclusions D Identify and explain the writer’s technique in describing characters, characters’ interactions and conflicts, and how these interactions and conflicts affect the plot F Identify the main and minor events of the plot, and explain how each incident leads to the next G Generate writing ideas through discussions with others and from printed material, and keep a list of writing ideas H Use available technology to compose text J Write informational essays or reports (including research) that present a literal understanding of the topic; pose relevant and tightly drawn ques- tions that engage the reader; provide a clear and accurate perspective on the subject; create an organizing structure appropriate to the purpose, audience, and context; support the main ideas with facts, details, examples, and explanations from sources; and document sources and include bibliographies K Produce informal writings (e.g. journals, notes, and poems) for various purposes M Compare and contrast important details about a topic using different sources of information, including books, magazines, newspapers, and online resources N Persuade readers with writing that demonstrates the ability to identify an author’s argument or viewpoint; assess the adequacy and accuracy of details; identify persuasive technique (e.g. bandwagon, testimonial, and emotional word repetition); identify examples of bias and stereotyping; identify and understand an author’s purpose for writing (including to explain, entertain, persuade or inform); and identify intended audience Reading Strategies Determining Importance in a Text, Visualizing, Questioning before Reading, Making Connections, Thinking Aloud, Evaluating Texts For more information on Sharon Creech, visit http://www.ohio readingroadtrip.org/creech.html Definitions for setting, plot, and character development can be found in the Relevant Literary Terms section which begins on page 185. SHARON CREECH 47 Before beginning the book, establish the purpose for reading. Explain that, after reading these chapters, students will discuss setting, plot, and character development. Emphasize that the book presents three different settings as its three plots develop. Flashback Although students are probably familiar with the use of flashback in film and television, they may not know the term. Define flashback as a scene that interrupts the events in a story to tell what has happened in the past, often to help the reader or viewer understand events in the present. Then ask students to think of a movie or a television series that uses the technique of flashback. Explain that, because flashback is used in the novel, the setting (time and place) will occasionally change so that read- ers can understand the “back story.” To further illustrate the multiple plot structure and the use of flash- back in the novel, present a chart such as the one found here. It will be useful as a review until students have become comfortable with Creech’s storytelling style. Chapters 1–3 Read these chapters as a class, or have students read silently. Remind students that, after reading these chapters, they will discuss, compare, and contrast the settings presented. Sal’s memories of events in Bybanks often interrupt the story that she tells Gram and Gramps as the three of them travel across the country. Ask students to revisit page 14, where the use of flashback is evident. Sal has begun the Euclid story when she is interrupted by Gram: “At this point in my story, Gram interrupted me to say…” When students have finished reading and have been introduced to the con- cept of flashback and the framework for the story, have them use the chart on page 48 to compare and contrast the different settings in the novel. Ask them to predict how each setting might affect character development and plot. (This may be a small-group or a full-class activity.) For the novel’s road trip, students will need access to a map of the United States. Encourage students to find paper maps, rather than accessing sites that map the route for them. While completing the road trip portion of the chart, students should predict which states Sal and her grandparents will travel through on their way to Lewiston, Idaho. Encourage students to list some landmarks or places Chapters 1–3 bob caboodle dignified elderly heartily peculiar scads suspend tottery Definitions for these words can be found in the Novel Glossary on page 191. Visit http://www.ohioreading roadtrip.org/creech.html for links to sites devoted to the meaning and origin of first names. that Sal and her grandparents might visit on the journey. If students use a road atlas, they can use the map legend and keys to locate national parks. Create a three-column chart with the headings shown. With the students, complete the chart with information from Chapters 1–3. Discussion Question • We know that Sal feels most at home in Bybanks. How might she react in the other settings? How might these settings contribute to changes in Sal? Reading Journal Entry 2 • Remind students that Sal feels most comfortable in the country and that she considers Bybanks, Kentucky, her home. Ask students to write predictions about how she will adjust to life in Euclid. Ask them to be as specific as possible, drawing from the reading and from class discussions. • Ask students to list three words that describe Sal and then write three sentences about each word that explain these characterizations. Research Activity: What’s the Story Behind Your Name? Students can begin to research the meanings of their names in class, but the remainder of this activity will be completed at home. The goal of this activity is for each student to conduct research (using both books and tech- nology) while making a personal connection with the character in the text. On page 7, Salamanca explains that she was supposed to be named “Seneca” which “was the name of the Indian tribe to which [her] great-great- grandmother belonged,” but her parents mistakenly named her “Salamanca.” • What is the story behind your name? Are you named after a relative, a friend, or a film or music star? You might ask your parents how they chose your name. • What does your name mean? Consult a book of baby names or the Internet to discover the meaning behind your name and the language from which it originates. • Record your name’s story in your journal. Be ready to share this entry with the class. 48 THE OHIO READING ROAD TRIP Chapters 4–6 cadaver diabolic gnarled muesli prim prudence Definitions for these words can be found in the Novel Glossary on page 191. SHARON CREECH 49 Chapters 4–6 Building Reading Strateges You will model the use of several reading strategies and encourage students to make their use of these strategies visible through class discussion. This technique will allow you to informally assess individual use of the reading strategies. It is important that students understand that these reading strate- gies work in combination to help them become better readers and see more deeply into a fiction or nonfiction text. Define and post reading strategies on a bulletin board or chart paper to help students recognize and use the strategies in their daily reading. Begin with the strategy of making connections and identifying details that are important to the text. List the major details learned while reading to this point: • Sal is traveling to Lewiston, Idaho, in time for her mother’s birthday. • Sal and her grandparents have three reasons for taking the road trip (see the list on page 5 of the novel). • As she is traveling with her grandparents, Sal tells the story of her move from Bybanks, Kentucky, in the country, to Euclid, Ohio, a small city (remind students that this technique is called flashback). Sal is not comfortable with the move because she considers herself a “country girl.” • In Euclid, Sal meets Phoebe Winterbottom and other classmates, all of whom seem very different from Sal. You may wish to review students’ comparison-and-contrast chart of the settings and briefly review the earlier discussion of how setting affects Sal. Read this section of the novel aloud, and have students follow along. As you read, you should “think aloud” and encourage students to do the same when they are reading independently. Begin by establishing a purpose for reading by asking the question, “Why is this chapter titled ?” Encourage students to make inferences and predictions based on what they have learned in previous chapters. As you read aloud, interrupt yourself at several points. During these short pauses, demonstrate active reading by verbalizing questions or observations that indicate a deeper involvement with the text. Your “think-aloud” reading for Chapter 4 might sound something like this: • Think-aloud question (as you begin to read this chapter): Why is this chapter titled “That’s What I’m Telling You”? (Strategy: Questioning before reading) Maybe it has to do with Sal’s telling her story to Gram and Gramps. Or maybe it will be about someone trying to explain something to someone else. (Strategy: Making inferences) • Think-aloud question (as you read pages 18–19): Why is Phoebe nervous about meeting Mrs. Partridge? (Strategy: Questioning during reading) Maybe she knows something that Sal doesn’t, or maybe she has wit- nessed something that she has not yet told Sal. (Strategy: Making inferences) Links to many Ohio newspapers’ websites can be found at http://www.ohioreadingroad trip.org/ohionewspapers.html 52 THE OHIO READING ROAD TRIP • Identify the author’s purpose and the intended audience for the essay. • What is the thesis of this essay? • List the supporting details that the writer uses in developing his or her thesis. • Does the writer use any emotionally charged words to sway the reader’s feelings? If so, list the words that the writer uses and explain how these words appeal to the reader’s emotions concerning the topic. • Do you find any evidence that the writer is biased about this topic? Explain, using specific examples from the essay or article. • Give examples of how the writer’s voice is clear in the essay. Identify sentences and words that the writer uses to contribute to his or her unique style and voice. Discussion Questions • In Chapter 3, Sal says, “What I have since realized is that if people expect you to be brave, sometimes you pretend that you are, even when you are frightened down to your very bones” (page 14). What does she mean? Do you agree with her? Explain your answer. • List roles or jobs in our society in which the person holding the position is generally thought of as being brave. (Examples: firefighters, police officers, and soldiers) Is being brave a requirement for these jobs? • Can a person become brave over time, or is courage an inborn trait? • Who is the bravest person you know? Give an example of his or her bravery. Write Now! Have each student write an expository essay exploring the idea of bravery. Tell students to use this title: “What It Means to Be Brave.” The final draft of each essay should have an introduction with a clear thesis statement. The body of the essay must be organized clearly and further develop the student’s thesis (personal definition of bravery) by presenting specific details. The conclusion brings the essay to a logical close, providing the reader with a sense that the student has fully explained his or her ideas regarding the defi- nition of bravery. The essay should be revised, word processed, and prepared for classroom display. Determine the required length of the essay according to student capabilities. In most cases, four paragraphs should be sufficient (one each for introduction and conclusion, and two body paragraphs). Tell students: Now that you have spent some time analyzing expository writing and the concept of bravery, develop a thesis for your essay. How do you define bravery? Your answer to this question should be a complete sentence. This sentence will become your thesis statement. Your introduction should grab your reader’s attention and present your thesis statement clearly. The body of your essay should present ideas that clearly support your thesis and persuade your reader to agree with your point of view. You might use examples from your own experience or stories about the bravest people you Chapters 7–10 civilized hankering kosher mussed pandemonium pastrami shrapnel Definitions for these words can be found in the Novel Glossary on page 191. You may wish to use the Ohio Graduation Test’s 6-point writ- ing rubric to evaluate students’ essays. This rubric can be found on page 183. SHARON CREECH 53 know. Finally, your conclusion should leave the reader with a final thought to ponder concerning your position on bravery. • After students draft their essays, you may wish to hold either peer writing conferences in small group format (for more advanced students) or student/teacher writing conferences. • Students should revise drafts and word process final drafts. • Optional: To make the writing process more meaningful, have students present their essays to their classmates or submit them for publication in the school newspaper. Chapters 7–10 Before students read, refer them to the list of reading strategies posted in the classroom. Encourage students to apply these strategies as they read every day. Reading Journal Entry 4 In this journal entry, students will practice making connections across the text to make inferences through confirming, discounting, and making new predictions based on their reading. Students must refer to specific informa- tion from the novel for satisfactory completion of this journal entry. • Ask students to make inferences about the identity of the boy who knocks on Phoebe’s door and asks for Mrs. Winterbottom, then predict what he wants. • Ask students if they can confirm any of their pre-reading predictions that were made on the basis of the quote “Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins.” If so, ask them to list their predictions and explain them. Ask students: What does the character do or say? Are Sal and Phoebe guilty of pre-judging others? If so, name those others and say how or why they have been pre-judged. • Ask students if they can discount any of their predictions because the development of character and plot does not support them. Compare and Contrast Families At the beginning of Chapter 9, Phoebe says, “Mary Lou’s family is not nearly as civilized as ours.” Ask students to scan Chapter 9 for details about the Finneys’ home life and behavior. Then ask them to re-read Chapter 6 to find details about the Winterbottoms’ home life and behavior. Ask students to characterize both families by making inferences about the things that are important to them. You may want to make a Venn dia- gram to record students’ findings. Then draw their attention to page 48. Ask students to explain Sal’s theory about why Phoebe says the Finneys’ behavior is “embarrassing.” Then ask them: Do you think Sal has a good point? Why or why not? Visit http://www.ohioreading roadtrip.org/creech.html for an activity that asks students to read nonfiction essays that address the debate surrounding team names and mascots that take their names from Native American cultures. Chapters 11–14 agenda anonymous malevolent rhododendron skeptical Definitions for these words can be found in the Novel Glossary on page 191 of this Instructor’s Guide. 54 THE OHIO READING ROAD TRIP Chapters 11–14 Ask students to make inferences and predictions based on their reading. Tell students to pay particular attention to language and word choice in Chapter 14. Reading Journal Entry 5 For this journal entry, allow students to choose one of the following. • After Phoebe and Sal see the “lunatic” at the drug store, Ben points out that perhaps they shouldn’t call the boy a lunatic. Ask students to write about why Ben might say this, using passages from the text to support their answers. • Ask students to predict problems the journals may cause. Say: Has anything that you have written caused trouble? Explain. • Phoebe suggests that Mrs. Cadaver has murdered her husband and has buried him in her backyard. Ask students to re-read Chapter 14 and explain why Mrs. Cadaver seems suspicious. Say: Do you think that she is capable of murder? Explain. Chapters 15–17 Before students read these chapters, discuss and define foreshadowing, the use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in a story. You may wish to explain foreshadowing by discussing scary movies. When the climax of the movie occurs, often viewers recall things that happened early in the movie that they now understand were clues. Encourage students to discuss scenes from movies in which foreshadowing is used. Explain that, in addition to the events in the plot, characters’ words and actions may also foreshadow things to come. Point out that, while we can use foreshadowing to predict events to come in a story, we can only con- firm the foreshadowing after the event occurs. Reading Journal Entry 6 Consider each of the following situations from Chapter 17, and predict what it may foreshadow. Tell students that each situation foreshadows some- thing different. Ask students to write a one-paragraph prediction based on each situation. Remind them to be specific and, if possible, to include details from earlier sections of the novel. • “‘What would you do if Mrs. Cadaver chopped up your father? Would you go live with your mother?’” • “It surprised me when she said that, reminding me that I had told Phoebe nothing about my mother. ‘Yes, I suppose I would go live with her.’ That was impossible and I knew it, but for some reason I could not tell Phoebe that, so I lied.” • “…the day before my mother left. I did not know that it was to be her last day home. Several times that day, my mother asked me to walk up in the fields with her. It was drizzling outside, and I was cleaning out Chapters 25–27 glum impulse optimistic unadulterated Definitions for these words can be found in the Novel Glossary on page 191. SHARON CREECH 57 • Page 130: “The duplicate designs were: a circle with a large maple leaf in the center, the tips of the leaf touching the sides of the circle. One of the maple leaf circles was mine. The other’s was Ben’s.” • Page 132: “‘My mother is missing, and my father hands me a diction- ary’…She looked up malinger and read the definition: ‘To pretend to be ill in order to escape duty or work.’ She slammed the book shut. ‘I am not malingering.’” • Page 139: “Mr. Winterbottom tapped his fork against his knife. Then he stood up, took Phoebe’s arm, and said, ‘Follow me.’… ‘If your mother had been kidnapped by a lunatic, would she have had time to prepare all these meals? Would she have been able to say, ‘Excuse me, Mr. Lunatic, while I prepare ten or twenty meals for my family to eat while I am kidnapped?’” • Page 141: “A person isn’t a bird. You can’t cage a person.” • Page 151: “I picked up another rock and sailed it across the gorge, and this one, too, hit the opposite wall and fell down and down and down. It was not a river. It was a hole. What did I expect?” Chapters 25–27 Discussion Question • What kind of person is Phoebe Winterbottom? Do you like her? What causes her to behave as she does? While Phoebe presents the general story of Pandora’s Box in her speech, she exaggerates some details. Before students write their journal entries, share another version of Pandora’s Box or a simple summary of the myth and have students compare and contrast that version with Phoebe’s. Be sure that students understand the definition of myth, a traditional story created to explain or make sense of something in our world. Characters in myths include gods, heroes, and mortals. Students should draw the conclusion that the purpose of the myth is to explain the origin of the first woman as well as to explain the existence of evil in the world and, more importantly, of hope. Reading Journal Entry 10 The night after Phoebe gives her report on Pandora, Sal thinks about hope in that myth. Ask students to carefully re-read Sal’s thoughts on pages 174–176. In their journal entries, ask students to explain how the theme of hope is established in Walk Two Moons. Ask students: How is it true for Sal? How is it true for Phoebe? Is hope important in your own life? Explain. Chapters 28–30 Discussion Questions • Why do you think the characters respond as they do to the poem, “The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls”? What inferences can you make about Megan’s personal experience as compared to Sal’s personal experience? What about Ben’s response to the poem? Chapters 28–30 careening partition Definitions for these words can be found in the Novel Glossary on page 191. Pandora’s box offers a link to a mini lesson on mythology. You might choose to have students research various creation myths from other cultures (be sure to include Native Americans) and present these myths to the rest of the class. Chapters 34–40 percolate psychiatric Definitions for these words can be found in the Novel Glossary on page 191. Chapters 31–33 nonchalant rummaged Definitions for these words can be found in the Novel Glossary on page 191. For an activity that allows students to conduct research about Native American leaders, visit http://www.ohioreading roadtrip.org/creech.html You can also find a color trans- parency of David Behrens’s painting, The Founding Fathers, an artistic response to Mount Rushmore, at the end of this lesson. 58 THE OHIO READING ROAD TRIP • At the end of Chapter 29, Phoebe says, “Mom loves me, and she would not leave me without any explanation.” Her father begins to cry. Why does he cry? Explain. Reading Journal Entry 11 At the beginning of Chapter 30, Sal says, “In spite of all her cholesterol- madness and her annoying comments, there was something about Phoebe that was like a magnet. I was drawn to her. I was pretty sure that underneath all that odd behavior was someone who was frightened. And, in a strange way, she was like another version of me—she acted out the way I sometimes felt.” Say to students: Sal has become close to Phoebe because she sees herself in Phoebe. Think about your closest friends. In your journal, answer these questions: How did you meet one another? Do you think that you are a lot alike? Do you see yourselves in one another? Explain and give examples to support your response. Chapters 31–33 Before students read, ask them to refer to Entry 5 in their reading jour- nals. Have students share their predictions concerning the problems the characters’ journals would cause. Record these predictions on the board or on chart paper. Allow students to adjust, eliminate, or add to the predic- tions on the basis of information gained from the novel. Discussion Questions • In Chapter 31, Mr. Birkway begins to share some of the journals with the class. What is his purpose in doing so? • Do you agree that Mr. Birkway should have apologized for sharing the journals? Explain. Reading Journal Entry 12 You may wish to assign one or both of these writing prompts. • Another message appears on Phoebe’s porch the day after Sal and Phoebe break into Mrs. Cadaver’s house. The message is, “We never know the worth of water until the well is dry.” Ask students to write what this quote means and how it relates to the characters in the novel. • After learning the truth about Margaret Cadaver’s husband’s death, Sal allows herself to “walk” in Margaret’s “moccasins.” Ask students to re-read pages 220–221 and then explain how each of the mysterious messages helps Sal understand Margaret Cadaver’s perspective. Ask students: What does Sal realize by placing herself in Margaret’s position? Chapters 34–40 Before students read, ask them to predict what Sal and Phoebe will do, now that Sal has drawn the conclusion that the lunatic is Sergeant Bickle’s son. Ask students what plan they think Sal and Phoebe have devised and what the results of the plan might be. Chapters 41–44 grotesque A definition for this word can be found in the Novel Glossary on page 191. A link to a live webcam at Old Faithful is available at http://www.ohioreadingroad trip.org/creech.html This page refreshes every 30 seconds and has links to more information about the geyser. Patient view- ers can see Old Faithful erupt. SHARON CREECH 59 Read Chapters 34–36. Allow time for students to respond at the end of Chapter 36. Some may try to confirm predictions. Because students are eager to keep reading, pausing here should produce lively discussions. Reading Journal Entry 13 Use these prompts for journal writing that will prepare students to read the rest of the book. • Ask students to revisit their fifth journal entry to find the inference they made about Ben and the word lunatic. After reading Chapter 37, have students explain why Ben prefers to not use the word. • Ask students to write about how the Winterbottom family might change over the course of the next year. Ask: Why do you think these changes will occur? Be specific. • Ask students to think about everything that has happened in the book so far. Then read the two passages below, and ask students to write predictions about Sal, Margaret Cadaver, Gram, and Gramps. “I went to see Margaret Cadaver, and we had a long talk, and that’s when I found out how she met my father. It was painful to talk with her, and I even cried in front of her, but afterward I understood why my father liked to be with her.” (page 254) “Gram closed her eyes for the next hour as Gramps drove toward Coeur d’Alene, he and I listened to her rattly breathing. I watched her lying there so still, so calm. ‘Gramps,’ I whispered. ‘She looks a little gray, doesn’t she?’ ‘Yes she does chickabiddy, yes she does.’ He stepped on the gas and we raced toward Coeur d’Alene.” (page 255) Chapters 41–44 To avoid revealing the story’s ending, do not have students who have read ahead share their predictions. To establish purpose for reading, tell students that they will finish the book today and that they will respond in full-class discussion and in their reading journals. Post-Reading Discussion After they finish the novel, allow students to respond. Encourage students to articulate their feelings. This discussion will present an opportunity to identify and elaborate on theme in the novel, an important part of the final assessment for this lesson. Start by defining theme: the universal message of a piece of literature. Theme expresses something about the human condition. • Through class discussion, present the theme of hope, as it is established through Phoebe’s Pandora’s Box presentation. Review this section of the novel (pages 171–174). At the end of this chapter, Sal says, “On the night after Phoebe had given her Pandora report, I thought about the Hope in Pandora’s box. Maybe when everything seemed sad and miserable, Phoebe and I could both hope that something might start to go right.” TEST THE OHIO READING ROAD TRIP Directions: Match each term with its definition by writing the letter of the definition on the line. Directions: Choose the best answer for each of the following questions about the characters in Walk Two Moons. 9. At the end of the novel, Sal says that she and her father did not need to bring her mother’s body back to Bybanks “. . . because she is in the trees, the barn, the fields.” However, “Gramps needs Gram in Bybanks . . . ” because “He needs to walk out to that aspen grove to see his gooseberry.” According to these statements, which statement below is the most logical conclusion that the reader may draw? a. It was too difficult to bring Sal’s mother’s body back to Bybanks. b. Sal and Gramps deal with loss differently. c. Gram preferred to be buried in the aspen grove. Name _________________________________________ Date ______________________ a. The time and place of a story b. Tells a story with character development, conflict, and plot development c. The universal message of a piece of literature d. Figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared by saying that one thing is the other e. The use of hints or clues to suggest what will happen later in the story f. Figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared using the words like or as g. Scene that interrupts the events in a story to tell what has happened in the past h. The main idea of an expository essay 1. Simile 2. Theme 3. Flashback 4. Metaphor 5. Setting 6. Foreshadowing 7. Narrative Writing 8. Thesis Sharon Creech Walk Two Moons THE OHIO READING ROAD TRIP TEST 10. Why is Sal is drawn to Phoebe? a. When Sal is with Phoebe, she feels as though she is with her friends in Bybanks. b. Phoebe will help Sal become popular at her new school in Euclid. c. Sal sees herself in Phoebe because Phoebe acts out the way that Sal sometimes feels. 11. From your knowledge of Phoebe, which prediction is most logical? When Phoebe visits Sal in Bybanks, Phoebe will: a. share a dramatic tale about riding in the car with Mr. Birkway all the way from Euclid, Ohio, to Bybanks, Kentucky. b. gladly join Sal in the swimming hole and play with lizards, spiders, and snakes. c. be extremely quiet and shy. Essay: Follow the directions step by step to write your essay portion of the assessment. 1. Choose one of the messages left by Mrs. Partridge: “Don’t judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins.” “Everyone has his own agenda.” “In the course of a lifetime, what does it matter?” “You can’t keep the birds of sadness from flying over your head, but you can keep them from nesting in your hair.” “You never know the worth of water until the well is dry.” 2. In an essay of 3–5 paragraphs, complete the following: a. In the first paragraph of your essay, paraphrase the message you chose (explain what it means in your own words). b. Next, explain how the message relates to the characters and plot in Walk Two Moons. Be specific. For example, if you choose to discuss how the quote relates to Phoebe, be sure to describe specific incidents from the novel that illustrate your point. c. Finally, explain how the message relates to all people. Be sure to explain your responses fully. Use examples from your own experience, from people you know, and from stories that you have heard to support your interpretation of the message. After you have analyzed the quote and connected it to a single character and to all people, write a concluding paragraph that states the novel’s theme according to your analysis of the quote. In other words, after reading Walk Two Moons, what is the main message that Sharon Creech might hope to leave with readers? Walk Two Moons Test, continued