June 26--Last Day & 1/2 Day

Summer School begins July 7th. 

See you at Manhattan School for Career Development 

located on 113 East 4th Street, New York, NY 10003 

@ 8:30AM. 

Have a restful week you deserve it!!!

June 25

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer  the question below in 5 sentences. 

Option 2: Please answer the question below in 5 sentences  with evidence from the text to justified your answers and please include your opinion as well. 

Questions: 
What challenges does The Curious Incident present to the ways we  usually think and talk about characters in novels? How does it force us  to reexamine our normal ideas about love and desire, which are often  the driving forces in fiction? Since Mark Haddon has chosen to make us  see the world through Christopher's eyes, what does he help us discover about ourselves?

June 24

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer  the question below in 5 sentences. 

Option 2: Please answer the question below in 5 sentences  with evidence from the text to justified your answers and please include your opinion as well. 

Questions: 
Christopher likes the idea of a world with no people in it (p. 2); he contemplates the end of the world when the universe collapses (pp. 10–11); he dreams of  being an astronaut, alone in space (pp. 50–51), and that a virus has carried off everyone a the only people left are "special people like me" (pp. 198–200). Christopher often fantasize about being the only person left in the world. What is comforting about fantasizing about 

being the only person left in the world? 

June 23

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer  the question below in 5 sentences. 

Option 2: Please answer the question below in 5 sentences  with evidence from the text to justified your answers and please include your opinion as well. 

Questions: 

1. Why does Christopher say that he “doesn’t like new places” (140)?  See p. 143 as well.

June 22

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer  the question below in 5 sentences. 

Option 2: Please answer the question below in 5 sentences  with evidence from the text to justified your answers and please include your opinion as well. 

Questions: 

1. The “truth” is very important to Christopher. When he shares information with us about Orion and other constellations, he says, “And that is the truth” (126).  How does Christopher react when the truth becomes grey or fuzzy?

June 22--Parent Support

June 19

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer  the question below in 5 sentences. 

Option 2: Please answer the question below in 5 sentences  with evidence from the text to justified your answers and please include your opinion as well. 

Questions: 

1. To what extent does Christopher develop new tools for being in the world, other than the ones he already has, in order to solve problems that his usual behavior does not permit him to solve? What specific passages/events show the reader how Christopher is changing in his own way to meet the demands of his life?
1. “The mind is just a complicated machine,” says Christopher (p. 116). How does Christopher adjust to the complicated world around him by also adjusting the “complicated machine” of his mind?

June 18

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer the questions below in 5 sentences. 

Option 2: Please answer the questions below in 5 sentences using evidence from the text to "back up" your answers. 

Questions: 

1. “I looked at the letter and thought really hard. It was a mystery and I couldn’t figure it out” (99, referring to a letter from his mother that he finds in his dad’s room). When do Christopher’s tools fail him? When does the world shake up Christopher?  Examine the passage on 113 (“I don’t know what happened then because there is a gap in my memory, like a bit of the tape had been erased…”) and the passage on 120 (“I killed Wellington, Christopher”) and Christopher’s response to these two frightening situations.

June 17

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer 3 of the 5 questions below. 

Option 2: Please answer all 5 questions below. 

Questions: 
1. Christopher spends quite some time describing The Hound of the Baskervilles, including giving away the ending.  Why do you think the author might have chosen to do this?  What do we learn from this particular digression?

2.  Christopher compares his mind to a computer doing searches and to a DVD player.  Explain how his mind makes sense of what he’s experiencing. Does this seem unusual?  How would you describe your own way of remembering the past?

3.  How does Christopher define a rhetorical question and why do you think he would he have trouble understanding them?  How does this cause him problems in this section?  How do you feel about Christopher at this point?  His dad?

4.   Explain Christopher’s color preferences.  Why does he say it is good to have reasons for choosing favorites?

5. What do we learn about Christopher's mother (pg. 82)?  How do you feel about Christopher's mother at this point?

June 16

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer 2 of the 4 questions below. 

Option 2: Please answer all 4 questions below. 

Questions: 

1. What does Christopher learn from Mrs. Alexander in this section?  Does this information help him solve the mystery, or is it merely disturbing to him?
2. Knowing what you now know, can you agree with Christopher and Ed (Chris’s father) that Mr. Shears is a bad person? Does he make sense as a suspect?
3. Christopher describes the “Monty Hall” math problem on pp. 64-5 and he provides us with a description of clouds on pp. 67-9. To what extent are these digressions (un)related to the story? What do these digressions tell us about Christopher? Why might the author have chosen to include them?
4. What does the “Monty Hall” problem prove about math, contrary to what Mr. Jeavons has said?  Why do you suppose Christopher likes this conclusion?

June 15--1/2 Day

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer 2 of the 4 questions below. 

Option 2: Please answer all 4 questions below. 

1. Christopher lists his “behavioral problems” on pp. 46-7. He says looking after him made his parents fight:  Why might some of these things be difficult for his parents?  Do any of his “problems” seem normal (or familiar) to you?
2. Why does a promise seem so binding to Christopher?  What is the logic behind this?
3. Mrs. Alexander ends up being quite conversant with Christopher. Describe their relationship (and check out pp. 56-61 as well).  Consider the previous awkwardness of their first encounter; is this dispelled at this point?
4. How do you feel about Christopher’s decision to talk to Mrs. Alexander about Mr. Shears (pg. 56-57)?  Does this constitute lying, or has Christopher found a legitimate loophole?  What do you think his father will think of this?

June 15--Parent Support

June 12

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer 4 of the 6 questions below. 

Option 2: Please answer all 6 questions below. 

Questions: 

1.   List three things Christopher likes, and three things he dislikes.  Explain his reasons for each item listed.  What do these things tell us about him as a character?
2. According to Christopher, what is a “spazzer”?  Why is he accused of being one, and why does he say he isn’t one?
3.  Why does Christopher believe he’d make a good astronaut?  Why might the idea of life in space appeal to him?  Do you think he would be a good fit for this job?
4.            What clues about Wellington’s murder does Christopher find in his survey of the neighborhood?  Who is his latest suspect?
   5.      Discuss Christopher’s arguments for why it is “stupid” that the kids at his school are referred to as “Special Needs.”  Do you agree with him?
   6.      What are Christopher’s plans for the future?  Do these seem realistic to you? Why or why not?

June 11

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Based on what you have read so far, pretend to be Christopher John Francis Boone, write a journal entry from his prospective and talk about his experiences thus far. Please write a minimum of 5 sentences. 

Option 2: Based on what you have read so far, pretend to be Christopher John Francis Boone, write a journal entry from his prospective and talk about his experiences thus far. Please write a minimum of 8 sentences. 

June 10

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer 3 of the 5 questions below. 

Option 2: Please answer all 5 questions below. 

Questions: 

1. What do you think was Christopher's motivation on his reaction to the dog's death?
2. What do you think was Christopher's father's motivation?
3. What is Chris's idea of "Good days" and "black days"?
4. Do you have certain criteria for what makes your day good and bad?
5. What did Christopher make a list for? What do you think the rest of the book is going to be about?

June 9--1/2 Day

In case you left your copy at school, June Novel : the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime

Homework: Please complete 1 or 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer 4 of the 6 questions below. 

Option 2: Please answer all 6 questions below. 

Questions: 

1.  What have you learnt about Christopher so far? How does that differ from your initial thoughts?
2.  Are there any new characters?
3.  How do you view Christopher? How does Christopher view himself? How do others in the book view Christopher?
4. What do you think about Christopher’s father?
5. How did he handle the situation (the dog being found killed and Christopher at the scene) versus how do you think he should have handled the situation?
6.  How do you think Christopher feels affected by that event?

June 8

Homework: Please complete 1 of 2 options.

Option 1: After view the TED talk above, I want you to reflect on the homework from last week. Compare and contrast your views and Presenter Aimee Mullins views on disabilities. Please write a minimum of 8 sentences.

Option 2: After view the TED talk above, I want you to reflect on the homework from last week. Compare and contrast your views and Presenter Aimee Mullins views on disabilities. Please utilize the graphic organizer provided.

June 8--Parent Support

June 5

Homework: Please complete 1 of 2 options

Option 1:  Please write a journal entry about what you have learned this week and how does it apply to your work site and your classmates. Please write a minimum of 5 sentences. Explain will details relating to you life. 

Option 2: Please write a journal entry about what you have learned this week and how does it apply to your work site and your classmates. Please write a minimum of 10 sentences. Explain will details relating to you life. 

June 4--No School

June 3

Homework: Please complete 1 of 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer all of the questions below.
Option 2: Please answer all of the questions below by using sources from the internet such as Think .org or .edu.


Questions: 

1. What is the dictionary definition of intellectual disability?

1a. Define intellectual disability in your own terms.

2. Choose an intellectual disability to research as a group. Name and describe your chosen intellectual disability.

3. Explain the signs of your chosen intellectual disability.


4. What are the educational considerations for someone with this intellectual disability?

June 2

Homework: Please complete 1 of 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer 3 of the 5 questions below based on the handouts given out in class.

Option 2: Please answer all 5 questions below based on the handouts given out in class.

QUESTIONS:

1. Do all people with autism exhibit the same symptoms? 
2. What is a savant? 
3. What are the six skills that are characteristic of a savant? 
4. What aspects of Asperger’s syndrome does Christopher exhibit?
5. Do you know anyone who is autistic or who has Asperger’s syndrome? If so, explain what they are like. If you do not know someone personally, have you ever read about (other than in this book) or seen a person with autism in a movie?

June 1

 

Homework: Please complete 1 of 2 options.

Option 1: Please answer 3 of the 5 questions below based on the handouts given out in class.

Option 2: Please answer all 5 questions below based on the handouts given out in class.

QUESTIONS:

1. Name three characteristics of a person with Asperger’s syndrome.
2. Why do researchers believe that Asperger’s syndrome may be hereditary? 
3. What is the difference between Asperger’s syndrome and autism? 
4. Describe three problems that might arise due to sensory of over sensitivity. 
5. What is meant by the term echolalia?

June 1--Parent Support