The Taliban

Middle East Unrest - a larger context for the novel

Interactive BBC Map helps us to understand.

Welcome Back from Spring Break!

Spring is here. Hope you enjoyed the break!

We have lots to do to get us back up and running.

1) Marks Updated

2) Quiz on Reading Homework - and discussions...

3) Where are we at - see calendar below.

4) View and Discuss scene from 102 Minutes that Changed the World. How old were you? How does this all relate to The Kite Runner?

5) Read - Chapter 20, Ch. 21 for homework.

5) Time to work

Ch.7 - Ch. 8 Journal Topics

Chapter 7
- Why does the opening dream become so ironic?
- When Amir witnesses Hassan being attacked, he disassociates psychologically, shuts his eyes and recalls two memories and a dream. What is the theme of those mental pictures?
- "In the end, I ran." Could this moment have gone any differently? What else might have happened?

Chapter 8
- Why does Baba's approval and pride seem so empty to Amir now? How can Amir ever feel deserving again?
- There is a lot of Afghan food described in this book. Do some research and find out what you can about kofta, qura, etc...
- Explain the various symbols that come out of the birthday party.

Monday, March 14th

5 Days Until Spring Break!

I'm away doing teacher training stuff today. I know, I know... I owe you big time.

1) Silent Reading - your choice... (well, if you have read up to the end of Ch.10).

2) Out Loud Reading - student or teacher: pp. 132 - middle of page 138

3) Class Discussion - Why do we hate CHANGE so much? What makes someone good at adapting to change? Why is dealing with change an important life skill?

4) Ch. 10 Review Questions - Due tomorrow

5) Tomorrow: Time to work on Journals. Introduction of creative project choices.

Our Six Word Stories!

Hi Everyone... I'm away today because my back injury has taken a turn and I can't take the pain anymore. I'm off to Physio, etc.

Please take today's tasks seriously. We are all really enjoying this engrossing novel, so let's keep progressing. Here are your tasks for the day:

- Find the pile of tests from yesterday (on my desk, on the far right). Hand them out (not to their owners) to finish the marking process. The key is somewhere in the pile of tests with a yellow sticky on the top of it. Collect them all back at the end. If there are some questions that are contested just let me know and I will make adjustments.

- Group Work: ask students to organize into groups or pairs and quickly discuss/review what happened in Ch. 8.

- Whole Class Discussion:

• Hassan has endured a horrible trauma. We never get to know what it is that he is thinking/feeling because of the first person point of view. What do you imagine is going through Hassan mind through the course of chapter 8?
  
• AND How are you as readers feeling about Amir right now? Should we pardon him because he has been an emotionally neglected child?

- Reading: Please read chapter 9 - teacher or student read (this can go on for 20 minutes)

- Maybe assign some silent reading too... or see if the library or netbooks are available to use so that they can have time to work on their journal entries.