- You were asked to write a poem of your choice for homework (at least 10 lines.) If you have it with you, please take it out and share/peer edit with a partner.
- Remember to keep everything you write for your portfolio. You want to make sure you have plenty of poems to choose from for your coffee house readings.
Period 3
- We are going to start reading Love That Dog by Sharon Creech today.
- Read the information below and check out her website! http://www.sharoncreech.com/
Love That Dog
is the story of Jack, his dog, his teacher, and words. The story develops through Jack’s responses to his teacher, Miss Stretchberry, over the course of a school year. At first, his responses are short and cranky: “I don’t want to” and “I tried. Can’t do it. Brain’s empty.” But as his teacher feeds him inspiration, Jack finds that he has a lot to say and he finds ways to say it. Jack becomes especially fond of a poem by Walter Dean Myers titled “Love That Boy,” and it is this poem that gives Jack a way to tell the story of his beloved dog, Sky.
Carnegie Medal Commended Book
ALA Notable Children’s Book
ALA Best Book for Young Adults
IRA/CBC Children’s Choice
NCTE Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts
Christopher Award
Amazon.com Editors’ Pick
Book Sense 76 Pick
Publishers Weekly Best Book
School Library Journal Best Book
Maine Student Book Award
Michigan’s Mitten Award
New Hampshire’s Great Stone Face Book Award
Vermont’s Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award
New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
Walter Dean Myers’ poem, “Love That Boy,” has hung on my bulletin board for years. It’s at eye level, so I probably glance at it a dozen times a day. I love that poem—there is so much warmth and exuberance in it. (The poem is reprinted at the back of Love That Dog.)
One day as I glanced at this poem, I started thinking about the much-loved boy in Myers’ poem. I wondered what that boy might love. Maybe a pet? A dog? Maybe also a teacher? And whoosh—out jumped Jack’s voice.
Task (Partner/Small Group Assignment)
- Read pages 1-36 of Love That Dog
- Answer Literature Circle Questions 1-5 in your journals
Choose a card and use your word to inspire a poem.
Homework
Finish Love That Dog and answer questions 5 and 6 in your notebooks.
Be prepared to discuss the novel and your new poem in class on Tuesday!
Extra Credit
Bring in 3 versions of the poem written in class today (or another poem)
We will use these drafts for writer's workshop on Tuesday.
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