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MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT SUMMER SCHOOL 2013 PACING GUIDE
Office of Academics and Transformation – Department of Language Arts and Reading
M/J Language Arts 3 COURSE CODE: 1001070RC
8th Grade M/J Course Credit Recovery
PACING DATE(S)
Traditional Start
Monday 07/08/13
End Friday
08/02/13 20 Instructional Days
JULY 8, 2013 – AUGUST 2, 2013
Instructional Procedures Opening Whole Group Instruction
Literary Analysis Reading Strategy Vocabulary in Context
Guided Instruction Independent Practice Differentiated Instruction (Small Group Instruction) Reading-Writing Connection
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 July 8 – July 12 July 15 – July 19 July 22 –July 26 July 29 – August 2
Essay Informational Non-Fiction Short Story Poetry
Us and Them by David Sedaris
Literary Analysis: Irony Reading Strategy: Evaluate Assessments :
Selection Test Culminating Writing
Zoos: Myth and Reliability by Rob Laidlaw
Zoos Connect Us to the Natural By Michael Hutchins
Literary Analysis: Argument Reading Strategy: Fact and Opinion Assessments :
Selection Test Culminating Writing
Rules of the Game By Amy Tan
Literary Analysis: 1st Person P.O.V Reading Strategy: Drawing Conclusions Assessments :
Selection Test Culminating Writing
Macavity: The Mystery Cat by T.S. Elliot
Vermin by E.B. White
Literary Analysis: Couplet Reading Strategy: Figurative Language Assessments :
Selection Test Culminating Writing
McDougal Littell LITERATURE 8TH grade
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT SUMMER SCHOOL 2013 PACING GUIDE
Office of Academics and Transformation – Department of Language Arts and Reading
WEEK 1 Us and Them by David Sedaris pgs. 716 - 727 July 8, 2013 – July 12, 2013 LESSON OBJECTIVES Students will . . .
explore the key idea of normal
identify and analyze irony
read a personal essay
evaluate information and opinions
build vocabulary for reading and writing
use context to determine the meanings of idioms (also and EL language objective)
form a complex sentence by joining an independent and dependent clause
use writing to analyze literature
BENCHMARKS
LA.8.1.6.1: The student will use new vocabulary that is
introduced and taught directly;
LA.8.1.7.2: The student will analyze the authors purpose and/or
perspective in a variety of texts and understand how they affect meaning;
LA.8.3.4.2: The student will edit for correct use of punctuation,
including commas, colons, semicolons, quotation marks, and apostrophes;
July 8, 2013 Monday
July 9, 2013 Tuesday
July 10, 2013 Wednesday
July 11, 2013 Thursday
July 12, 2013 Friday
Opening Author Online (TE/SE
717)& Background (TE/SE pg.719)
Whole Group Instruction Teach-Literary
Analysis & Standard Focus: Irony (TE/SE pg. 717); (On-line Resource- pg.123)
Independent Practice
First Reading-Students Independently Read text (TE/SE-pgs. 718 -724);
Guided Practice
Clarify Text-Discussion (On-line Resource- pg.117)
Home Learning
Independent Reading
Opening Review Literary
Analysis Skill: Irony (TE/SE pg. 717)
Whole Group Instruction
Teach-Reading Skill: Evaluate (TE/SE pg. 717); Introduce On-line Resource-r pg.125)
Guided Instruction
Guided Reading(TE/SE-pgs. 718 -724)Complete On-line Resource-pg.125)
Independent Practice
Comprehension Check (SE pg. 725- #’s 1,2,3) (On line Resource pg. 131)
Home Learning
Independent Reading
Opening Review Reading Skill:
Evaluate (TE/SE pg. 717)
Whole Group Instruction Teach-Vocabulary In
Context (TE/SE pg. 717); (On-line Resource- pg. 127)
Guided Instruction
Audio Read (TE/SE pgs. 718 -724); (On-line Resource- pg.128)
Independent Practice Vocabulary In Writing
(TE/SE pg. 726)
Literary Analysis questions (TE/SE pgs. 725 - #’s 4, 5, and 6)
Home Learning
Independent Reading
Opening Review Vocabulary In
Context- Vocabulary Practice (TE/SE pg. 726)
Whole Group Instruction Teach-Vocabulary
Strategy: Idiom (TE/SE pg. 726)
Guided Instruction
Paired Read for Idioms (TE/SE pgs. 720-721)
Practice Vocabulary Strategy: Idioms(TE/SE pg. 726) (OLR-pg.129)
Independent Practice Reading-Writing
Connection (Writing Prompt B. Extended Response: Analyze the Message)
Home Learning Independent Reading
Opening Review Vocabulary
Strategy: Idiom (TE/SE pg. 726)
Whole Group Instruction Teach-Grammar and
Writing – Form Complex Sentences (TE/SE pg. 727 and Practice) (On-line Resource- pg.132)
Guided Instruction
Writing Assessment: (Revise Writing) Teacher /Peer Conferencing
Independent Practice Rereading-Students
Independently Read (TE/SE pgs. 718 -724); (On-line Resource- pg.130)
Selection Assessment
Home Learning Independent Reading
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT SUMMER SCHOOL 2013 PACING GUIDE
Office of Academics and Transformation – Department of Language Arts and Reading
WEEK 1 Us and Them by David Sedaris pgs. 716 - 727 July 8, 2013 – July 12, 2013
DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION LESS-PROFICIENT READERS
Targeted passages, short excerpts that deal with the key story events, concepts, and skills, appear on page 720 (lines 31-42), page 721 (lines 82-99), and page 724 (lines 194-210). If your students are having trouble comprehending this selection, focus solely on these passages. Read aloud each excerpt with your students. Monitor their understanding of sensory details and author's perspective.
Additional Selection Questions and Question Support (Resource Manager, page 117 and 131) allow you to provide customized practice with comprehension and literary analysis skills.
ADVANCED LEARNERS/ PRE-AP
Pre-AP exercises in the bottom channel provide
additional challenge for your advanced students.
Use them for small groups or individuals.
Analyze Author's Purpose Point out to students
the irony of Sedaris's depiction of himself in this
essay, focusing particularly on lines 38-71. Ask
students to discuss in small groups what the
author's ironic self-portrayal reveals about his
purpose for writing this essay.
Pg. 720 (lines 31-42) Pg. 721 (lines 82-99) 724 (lines 194-210)
In what way do the neighbors react when
they find out that the Tomkeys don’t
watch television?
Why does Sedaris decide to spy on the
Tomkeys?
What do Sedaris’s actions reveal about his
personality
How does Sedaris feel when the
TomKeys begin going to the lake each
weekend? Why?
Why does Sedaris look forward to
going to the Tomkeys’ house for
Halloween? Why is he disappointed
when he arrives?
What changes Sedaris’s feelings
towards the Tomkeys?
What is his view of them now? Why?
Why doesn’t he want to think about
his own image? What helps him put
the image out of his mind?
US AND THEM Use to supplement the
Additional Selection Questions questions on PE page 725.
Differentiation Use these questions to provide customized practice withcomprehension and critical thinking skills.
Easy
1. Key Idea: Normal What influences the author’s idea of what is normal? (Heis influenced by television.)
2. Identify Irony Name one statement Sedaris makes that is ironic. (Sedaris says“a camera would have found them uninteresting,” even though he is fascinatedwith them.)
Average
3. Key Idea: Normal Why is the fact that the Tomkeys don’t believe in televisionnoteworthy in the author’s neighborhood? (Watching television is a normalactivity in the author’s neighborhood. Also, Sedaris suggests that “not believing”is somehow different—worse—than just not watching.)
4. Analyze Irony What is ironic about the neighbors’ relief that the Tomkeys havea boat? (They seem more ordinary now with a weekend activity to keep thembusy, even though the activity is not common for the neighborhood.)
5. Make Inferences Reread lines 6–10. Keeping these ideas in mind, why mighttelevision be so important to the author at this point in his life? (The author andhis family move frequently, and he obviously finds it difficult to make friends.Therefore, television might fill a void in his life, or help him feel connected and“normal.”)
Challenging
6. Key Idea: Normal What new insights about the concept of “normal” do yougain from reading this essay? (Students may say that the essay made them thinkthat there is no such thing as “normal.” People act the way they do and shouldn’tbe held to anyone else’s standards of acceptable behavior.)
7. Evaluate Is the author’s mother judgmental? Explain. (No. She seems to acceptthat the Tomkeys don’t believe in television. She also tries very hard to keepthem from feeling uncomfortable for trick-or-treating on the wrong day. Eventowards the author, she refrains from direct comment and just suggests that hetake a good look at himself.)
8. Evaluate Irony Now that he is an adult, which incident do you think the authorfinds most ironic? Why? (The details that he includes when describing hisbehavior after the Tomkeys come to the door suggest that he finds the memoryof gobbling all his chocolate the most ironic, especially since it would makehim so ill later on.)
Additional challenging questions for this selection can be found online at PowerThinking at ClassZone.com.
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Literary Analysis
IRONY
Irony is a contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens.Types of irony include
• situational irony, which is a contrast between what is expected to happen andwhat actually does happen
• verbal irony, which occurs when someone states one thing and means another• dramatic irony, which happens when readers know more about a situation or a
character in a story than the characters do
Directions: As you read the essay, record examples of irony in the chart.
Example Type of Irony Why It’s Ironic
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Reading Skill
EVALUATE
When you evaluate, you make judgments about the author’s opinions, actions, orstatements. Forming opinions on what you read makes you think about what’s rightand wrong and why.
Directions: On the scale, record the good and bad things about the role televisionplays in the life of David Sedaris and his family.
Good
3.
2.
1.
3.
2.
1.
Bad
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Question Support
LITERARY ANALYSIS
For questions 1–3, see page 725 of the Pupil Edition.
Directions: Answer each question.
4. Identify Judgments Underline the words that describe how the young Sedarisviews the Tomkeys.
a. ignorantb. alone
c. attractived. interesting
e. strangef. friendly
5. Analyze Irony Give two examples from the essay that show that the adultSedaris is actually poking fun at his younger self.
6. Draw Conclusions Complete the following sentence.
It is difficult for Sedaris to share his candy with the Tomkeys because
7. Evalutate Attitudes Underline one of the words in parentheses. Thencomplete the following sentence.
I think the Sedarises attitude toward TV is (good/bad) because
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Vocabulary Study
SELF-ASSESSMENT OF WORD MEANING
A. Directions: As your teacher reads each set of sentences, listen for the boldfacedword and clues to its possible meaning.
1. The small front hall could barely accommodate all of the Tomkeys when David’smother invited them in.
2. He was determined to attribute his headaches to anything—tension, hiseyeglasses—other than eating chocolate.
3. By her tone of voice, the neighbor seemed to imply that not having a televisionwas odd, but she did not come out and say it.
4. He threw his Halloween candy indiscriminately into the bag, knowing he wouldsort it out later.
5. To David, the worst punishment that someone could inflict upon him would be tolimit his television viewing.
6. David’s mother did not interfere in his activities, but rather let him roam aroundthe neighborhood doing what he liked.
7. To merit his attention, the person had to be unusual in some way.
8. The question his mother raised was meant to provoke him to consider his ownbehavior, but he was determined not to think about it.
B. Directions: To determine how well you understand each vocabulary word, fill inthe chart. As you read the selection, revise your definitions as needed.
Vocabulary Word New Seen Before Can Use in aSentence
PossibleMeanings
1. accommodate
2. attribute
3. imply
4. indiscriminately
5. inflict
6. interfere
7. merit
8. provoke
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Vocabulary Practice
accommodateindiscriminately
interferemerit
attributeinflict
implyprovoke
A. Directions: Write the word from the box that correctly completes each sentence.
1. Jeremy called the restaurant to see if they could a party
of eight.
2. Jana’s boss asked her what she had done that would a raise
in pay.
3. The actions of the substitute teacher that he won’t be coming
back to the school next week.
4. Looking at family photos always seems to memories of
Maddie’s childhood.
5. Kathy was able to her cranky mood to the fact that she
hadn’t slept much the night before.
6. During the sale, Mitch raced through the store grabbing
items.
7. Sonya decided not to when she heard her sisters arguing.
8. Rather than his drum practice on the neighborhood, Marcus
always shut the windows.
B. Directions: Circle the word in each group that is similar in meaning to theboldfaced word.
1. indiscriminately
vaguely frequently randomly expertly randomly
2. merit
deserve bother commit believe deserve
3. imply
demand indicate prohibit contain indicate
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Vocabulary Strategy
IDIOMS
An idiom is an expression that has a different meaning from its literal meaning. Forexample, in this essay Sedaris says that when he got a headache, he “chalked it up totension.” Chalked it up is an idiomatic expression that means “identified the causeas.” There is no actual chalk or chalkboard involved.
If you encounter an unfamiliar idiom, you can often use context clues to figureout its meaning. Otherwise, look up the first word of the expression in a dictionary,where you will often find idioms explained in the entry.
Directions: Identify the idiom in each sentence and write a definition for it.
1. Aaron began having second thoughts about the picnic when he saw the cloudsoutside.
idiom:
definition:
2. Maya knew that the ball was in her court after she received four scholarshipoffers.
idiom:
definition:
3. After spending an entire week together the two brothers were at each other’sthroats.
idiom:
definition:
4. The old couch in the family room was comfortable, though it had seen better days.
idiom:
definition:
5. Dana knew she would have to step up to the plate when her father lost his job.
idiom:
definition:
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Reading Check
Directions: Recall the events in David Sedaris’s personal essay. Then answer thequestions in phrases or sentences
1. What does the neighbor say is different about Mr. Tomkey?
2. Why is the Sedaris family surprised when the Tomkeys knock on their doorone night?
3. Why does Sedaris separate his candy into piles?
4. Why do Sedaris’s sisters get in more trouble than he does over the candy?
5. What does Sedaris describe as “an old trick, designed to turn one’s hatredinward”?
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Grammar and Writing
FORM COMPLEX SENTENCES
A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and one or moredependent clauses. An independent clause can stand alone as a sentence. Adependent clause contains a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a sentence.Dependent clauses begin with words such as after, because, even though, since, until,where, and who. By adding one of these words to an independent clause, you make itdependent. The dependent clause can then be combined with an independent clauseto form a complex sentence.
Original: Dinner is prepared. We all eat together.Revised: After dinner is prepared, we all eat together.
Directions In each item, change one independent clause to a dependent clause. Thencombine the clauses to form a complex sentence.
1. We were up at the lake. We had to celebrate Halloween one day late.
2. I was happy to go trick-or-treating. It was still a little embarrassing to be doing itlate.
3. We saw the Sedaris kids. They are our neighbors.
4. They didn’t have any extra candy left. They had to give us some of their own.
5. I felt bad. I knew they didn’t want to give it up.
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US AND THEM
Selection Test B/C
ComprehensionRead each of the following questions. Then choose the letter of the best answer.(6 points each)
1. Why does Sedaris’s mother make only onefriend in the new neighborhood in NorthCarolina?
A. She dislikes the neighborhood.B. Her children keep her too busy.C. The family will move again soon.D. She prefers television to people.
2. Sedaris describes the Tomkeys’ lives as“puny” because a camera would find themuninteresting. What do you know thatmakes this an example of dramatic irony?
A. One day, the Sedaris family will envythe Tomkeys for their boat.
B. Sedaris sits silently with his family butis fascinated with the Tomkeys.
C. The Tomkeys feel pity for the Sedarisfamily’s love of television.
D. Many of their neighbors admire theTomkey family’s life.
3. Sedaris is angry with the Tomkey familyfor trick-or-treating late because he thinksthey should
A. feel badly for leaving gum drops forchildren
B. spend more time together on their newboat
C. have waited for next year to get candyD. know that it makes others
uncomfortable
4. People would most likely negativelyevaluate the way Sedaris eats hischocolate, even though it makes him sick,instead of sharing it because he
A. feels lonely and punishes others for itB. acts selfishly and without regard for
othersC. ignores his carefully created rating
systemD. harms others rather than making friends
5. What does Sedaris’s mother want him tothink about at the end of the story?
A. why he is a boy behaving like a pigB. what a hero he would be to share his
candyC. how television has made him so
uncaringD. how sad the Tomkey children are
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SELECTION TEST B/C, CONTINUED
VocabularyChoose the answer that best explains the meaning of each underlined word. (6 pointseach)
6. To imply is to
A. express indirectlyB. understand completelyC. speak gentlyD. answer immediately
7. To inflict means to
A. inviteB. writeC. wonderD. impose
8. To attribute means to
A. give an important giftB. trust with a secretC. relate to a certain causeD. satisfy a desire
9. What does indiscriminately mean?
A. with unexpected resultsB. with the goal of giving aidC. without making distinctionsD. without caring for others’ feelings
10. To accommodate means to
A. tell the truthB. make room forC. look at differentlyD. try something new
Written ResponseShort Response On a separate sheet of paper, answer the following questionsbased on your knowledge of the essay. (10 points each)
11. What is the difference between the Sedaris family’s neighborhood in New Yorkand their new neighborhood in North Carolina?
12. Why does Sedaris say that he kept away from the Tomkeys instead of being their“guide”? Include one detail from the essay in your response.
Extended Response Answer one of the following questions based on yourknowledge of the essay. Write one or two paragraphs on a separate sheet of paper.(20 points)
13. What is the main feeling Sedaris gets from watching the Tomkeys: superiority orjealousy? Support your responses with details from the essay.
14. Challenge How does Sedaris get a sense of belonging because of television?Support your response with details from the essay.
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Answer Key
Us and Them Literary Analysisp. 123
Responses will vary. Possible answers are provided.
Row 1
The author says he could make friends if he wanted to, but it just wasn’t the right time. (lines 9–10)
verbal
Sedaris says one thing but means something else. He tells himself that he doesn’t choose to make friends, but he really means he is not able to make friends.
Row 2
The mother says she doesn’t believe in television, but then watches the news “and whatever came on after the news.” (lines 29–30)
verbal
She says she doesn’t believe in televison, which means she is against it. This is obviously untrue since as soon as she says this, she sits down to watch TV.
Row 3
The author could have befriended the Tomkeys and explained some of the things they did not understand, but he does not do this because friendship would have “taken away their mystery” and “interfered with the good feeling” he got from pitying them. (lines 77–81)
situational
You might expect the author to be kind to the Tomkeys because he does not have many friends himself, yet he does not try to make friends with them or to help them.
Row 4
“The headache began immediately, and I chalked it up to tension.” (lines 160–161)
dramatic
Readers already know that the author is allergic to chocolate and that it causes headaches.
Answer Key
Reading Skillp. 125
Responses will vary. Sample answers are provided.
Good
1. TV allows Sedaris to bond with other classmates.
2. The family watches TV together.
Bad
1. Although they watch TV together, they don’t interact with each other in a meaningful way.
2. Sedaris assumes that anyone who doesn’t own a TV is not normal.
3. Sedaris is unwilling to befriend the Tomkeys because they do not own a TV.
Answer Key
Vocabulary Practicep. 128
A.
1. accommodate
2. merit
3. imply
4. provoke
5. attribute
6. indiscriminately
7. interfere
8. inflict
B.
1. randomly
2. deserve
3. indicate
Answer Key
Vocabulary Strategyp. 129
1. second thoughts, an idea doesn’t sound as good as it first did and one begins to have doubts
2. the ball was in her court, It is your turn to make a decision or you have to take the next step.
3. at each other’s throats, fighting or arguing
4. seen better days, has aged badly compared to when it was new
5. step up to the plate, to accept a challenge or a responsibility
Answer Key
Reading Checkp. 130
1. Mr. Tomkey does not believe in television.
2. The Tomkeys are trick-or-treating on the night after Halloween.
3. He does not want to give the Tomkeys the candy that he likes best.
4. His sisters do not return with any candy for the Tomkeys.
5. his mother’s suggestion to take a good look at himself after he eats his candy instead of sharing it with the Tomkey family
Answer Key
Question Supportp. 131
4. a, b, d, e
5. Possible answers:
In lines 8–10, Sedaris says that he could make friends if he wanted to, but it “wasn’t the right time.” He is actually poking fun at himself because he has just moved to a new town, and he obviously finds it difficult to make friends.
In lines 26–30, the mother and father both say they don’t believe in television, and then proceed to watch it anyway.
In lines 43–58, Sedaris says that because the Tomkeys had no TV, they were “forced to talk during dinner” and when Mr. Tomkey stopped speaking, the children often began laughing. This description of dinner table conversation and laughter is meant to poke fun at families who eat in silence, their eyes glued to the television screen.
6. Sedaris is greedy, as indicated by the fact that he had marked the bag “MY CANDY, KEEP OUT.” Also because he has decided that the Tomkeys are ignorant and strange, he does not want to be friendly toward them or share anything with them.
7. Students may say that their attitude toward TV is good because it brings the family together or they may say their attitude is bad because they assume that anyone who does not have a TV is not normal.
Answer Key
Grammar and Writingp. 132
1. Because we were up at the lake, we had to celebrate Halloween one day late.
2. Even thought I was happy to go trick-or-treating, it was still a little embarrassing to be doing it late.
3. We saw the Sedaris kids who are our neighbors.
4. Since they didn’t have any extra candy left, they had to give us some of their own.
5. I felt bad because I knew they didn’t want to give it up.
Answer Key
Selection Test B/Cp. 135
Comprehension
1. C
2. B
3. D
4. B
5. A
Vocabulary
6. A
7. D
8. C
9. C
10. B
Short Response
11. Their New York neighborhood had no sidewalks or streetlights, and they could go outside and be alone. In North Carolina, the family can see houses and people from their windows (lines 11–13).
12. Sedaris says that he kept away from the Tomkeys instead of being their “guide” because getting to know them would take away the family’s mystery and interfere with his feelings of pity for them (lines 77–81).
Extended Response
13. Responses will vary. Students may say the main feeling Sedaris gets from watching the Tomkeys is that he feels superior to them. Students may use any of the following details to support their responses:
A. Sedaris watches the Tomkey children at school and thinks of them as isolated and ignorant (lines 65–66). His thoughts show that he feels superior to them.
B. Sedaris’s comment that befriending the Tomkeys would have ruined the good feeling he gets when he pities them suggests that he enjoys feeling superior to them (lines 80–81).
C. Sedaris and his sisters have contempt for the Tomkeys’ choice of gumdrops and their suggestion that people might take too many of a candy no one wants (lines 93–99). This shared feeling with his sister suggests that Sedaris enjoys the superior feeling from their “better” understanding of trick-or-treating.
D. Sedaris’s desire to hide his brand-name candy from the Tomkeys suggests that he feels superior to late trick-or-treaters (lines 137–138).
Answer Key
Students may say that the main feeling Sedaris gets from watching the Tomkeys is jealousy. Students may use any of the following details to support their responses:
A. Although Sedaris criticizes the Tomkeys’ habits, he also watches them constantly and notices that they laugh together at dinner (lines 55–56). After he fights with his mother, he tries to connect to the family again while watching television and is shushed (lines 191–193). His fascination suggests he watches because he is jealous of the Tomkey family’s togetherness.
B. Sedaris says that the Tomkey family’s weekend absences were not easy to bear because he misses watching them like a favorite show; however, his feeling could also suggest that he is jealous of their boat and their weekend travel together (lines 86–87).
C. Sedaris’s panic over his chocolate could suggest that he is jealous of the Tomkeys’ being rewarded with his candy for breaking trick-or-treat rules that he believes everyone should know (lines 113–115 and 157–158).
14. Responses will vary. Students may say that Sedaris gets a sense of belonging from television because television gives him a sense of family identity. Students may use any of the following details to support their responses:
A. Sedaris sees his parents, in spite of their agreement with Mr. Tomkey, return to the television for the news and whatever is on after the news (lines 27–30). Later, he describes his own watching whatever is on after the news (lines 209–210). This family behavior suggests a sense of family identity.
B. Sedaris’s observation that the Tomkeys talk during dinner because they have no television suggests that his own normal family behavior is to watch television together during dinner as a way of connecting (lines 43–44).
C. After the Sedaris children get in trouble, they eventually make their way back to the television, where the family reunites (lines 184–187). This event suggests that their normal family togetherness is based on watching television.
Students may say that Sedaris gets a sense of belonging because of television because it is something that connects him with other people in the community. Students may use any of the following details to support their responses:
A. Television is something that Sedaris sees adults around him share and use to bond when his mother and her new friend discuss the Tomkeys’ lack of a television (lines 17–23 and 31–37).
B. Because of television, Sedaris understands the character of Elmer Fudd on a lunch box as a celebrity others know, not just as a drawing (lines 67–71). This reflection suggests that Sedaris is able to connect with other children because of a shared understanding through television of the drawing’s significance.
C. Sedaris hears his teacher make a reference to a television show in class, and everyone laughs (lines 72–76). The class’s reaction suggests that they form a group, of whichSedaris is a member, that can share a joke because of television.